US09113586B2
Disclosed is a device for bonding a flexible PCB (Printed Circuit Board) to a camera module, the device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure comprising a thermo-compression unit configured to bond the camera module to the flexible PCB using an conductive film by applying heat and pressure to the conductive film between the camera module and the flexible PCB, an ultrasonic wave bonding unit configured to directly transmit ultrasonic wave vibration energy to the camera module to remove an oxide film on connection particles intrinsically formed inside the conducive film, and a controller configured to activate the ultrasonic wave bonding unit when a temperature of the conductive film rises to a predetermined temperature.
US09113580B2
Disclosed is an embodiment of a rack system including a cooled universal hardware platform having a frame, a module insertion area on a first side of the rack system and a universal backplane mounting area on a second side of the rack system opposite to the first side, a power bus, a plurality of cooled partitions, a plurality of module bays, two or more service unit backplanes and a coolant source. The power bus may be configured to provide power to the universal backplane mounting area and the plurality of cooled partitions. The rack system may also include a plurality of service units that may be configured to have different functions within the rack system.
US09113575B2
A wiring board with a built-in electronic component includes a substrate having an accommodation portion, an electronic component having an electrode and accommodated in the accommodation portion of the substrate, a conductive layer having a planar conductive pattern formed over the electrode of the electronic component, and one or more via conductors connecting the planar conductive pattern of the conductive layer and the electrode of the electronic component. The electrode of the electronic component has a portion which faces the planar conductive pattern of the conductive layer and which has a plurality of outer edges facing outward with respect to a surface of the electronic component on which the portion of the electrode is formed, and the planar conductive pattern of the conductive layer has a portion positioned directly over one or more of the outer edges of the electrode of the electronic component.
US09113571B2
In a bond portion between an electrical conductive land and a connection terminal member, an intermetallic compound producing region in which at least a Cu—Sn-based, an M-Sn-based (M indicates Ni and/or Mn), and a Cu-M-Sn-based intermetallic compound are produced is arranged so as to be present at a connection terminal member side. In this intermetallic compound producing region, when a cross section of the bond portion is equally defined into 10 boxes in a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction to define 100 boxes in total, a ratio of the number of boxes in each of which at least two types of intermetallic compounds having different constituent elements are present to the total number of boxes other than boxes in each of which only a Sn-based metal component is present is about 70% or more.
US09113570B2
A planar electronic device includes a dielectric substrate having a recess. A functional electrical component is disposed within the recess of the substrate. A vent opening extends within the substrate such that the vent opening intersects the recess within a thickness of the substrate. The vent opening is open to atmosphere such that the vent opening fluidly connects the recess to the atmosphere.
US09113557B2
A junction box, comprising a multi-layer circuit board, wherein the circuit board (6) comprises: a plurality of dielectric layers, each having conducting track on a side and arranged one on top of another to form the multi-layered circuit board; power circuitry (4) mounted on the circuit board; signal processing circuitry (5) mounted on the circuit board; and a power input for inputting electrical power into the circuitry on the circuit board, wherein the electrical power is transferred through conducting track (12) arranged to be on an inner dielectric layer, the conducting track on the inner dielectric layer being thicker than the conducting track arranged on the outer dielectric layers, and wherein the power circuitry is arranged on one region of the circuit board and the signal processing circuitry is arranged on another region of the circuit board, the two regions being thermally isolated by a thermal dam (9).
US09113554B2
One design aspect in electronic systems, such as communication systems, is noise suppression. More particularly, this relates to microphonics suppression in high-speed communication systems, such as microwave wireless radio systems. The present invention contemplates system design for substantially eliminating microphonic behavior created by mechanical stimulus such as vibrations and the drum effect. A preferred approach includes isolating the motherboard from its mounting harnesses (mechanical interconnection) and adding an echo damping and shock absorption pad to the underside of the enclosure cover to stiffen the enclosure cover while maintaining its light weight. Preferably also, this approach isolates the entire motherboard rather than a particular component. A design using this approach is particularly useful in an outdoor unit (ODU) of a split-mount microwave radio system.
US09113551B2
Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for rigid flex circuit boards are described herein. Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to equipping a rigid flex circuit board with a first rigid substrate, a second rigid substrate that includes an asymmetric region where the first rigid substrate is not extended over the asymmetric region of the second rigid substrate. The rigid flex circuit board also includes a flexible substrate between the first rigid substrate and the second rigid substrate. A second portion of the flexible substrate protrudes from the non-overlap region where the second portion of the flexible substrate is not adhered to the second rigid substrate in the non-overlap region. The second portion of the flexible substrate is configured to be accessible from the asymmetric region of the rigid flex circuit board.
US09113549B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques and configurations for an enclosure that can be used for channel isolation in a multi-channel modulator driver such as, for example, an optical modulator driver. A system may include a substrate, a multi-channel modulator driver mounted on the substrate, and an enclosure mounted on the substrate to cover the multi-channel modulator driver, the enclosure having a wall that is disposed between first components of the multi-channel modulator driver associated with a first channel and second components of the multi-channel modulator driver associated with a second channel, the wall being composed of an electrically conductive material. Other embodiments may also be described and/or claimed.
US09113545B2
A tape wiring substrate includes a base film having at least one recess in a first surface of the base film and a chip-mounting region on which a semiconductor chip is included on a second surface of the base film. A wiring pattern is formed on the second surface of the base film and is extended to an edge of the chip-mounting region. A protection film covers the wiring pattern.
US09113541B2
Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are described for reducing a voltage ripple in an electric signal. In this way, in radiographic imaging modalities, for example, undesired fluctuations in an output of a radiation source (e.g., undesirable fluctuations in an energy level of emitted photons) may be reduced. To reduce the voltage ripple, a (ripple reducing) electric signal is generated that comprises properties substantially similar to the voltage ripple, but opposite in phase. The (ripple reducing) electric signal is then combined with the original electric signal to generate a combined electric signal with a voltage ripple that is reduced relative to the voltage ripple of the electric signal as initially generated.
US09113538B2
A structure for discharging an extreme ultraviolet mask (EUV mask) is provided to discharge the EUV mask during the inspection by an electron beam inspection tool. The structure for discharging an EUV mask includes at least one grounding pin to contact conductive areas on the EUV mask, wherein the EUV mask may have further conductive layer on sidewalls or/and bottom. The inspection quality of the EUV mask is enhanced by using the electron beam inspection system because the accumulated charging on the EUU mask is grounded.
US09113533B2
Proposed is a package (10) having at least two pins (11, 12). The package comprises a semiconductor structure (20) having a first function and an electrical circuit (30) comprising at least one circuit element having a second function. The structure (20) and the circuit (30) are electrically connected to the pins (11, 12). Moreover, the package is operable to perform the first and second function by time multiplexing a first (60) and second (70) operating signal through the pins (11, 12). Finally, the first function is a lighting function and the second function is a sensing function. The invention is especially advantageous as it provides a cost effective and versatile miniaturized light emitting package comprising LEDs or laser diodes.
US09113532B2
A light emitting device includes a set of light source units including multiple types of solid state light emitting elements having different light colors, each of the light source units comprising the same type of the solid state light emitting elements connected in series and; and an information storage unit which stores information about electrical characteristic of the set of light source units. The information stored in the information storage unit represents a relationship between a light output and a drive current in the set of light source units.
US09113528B2
A method for controlling lighting devices includes providing the lighting devices. Each lighting device includes two or more LEDs, an AC/DC or DC/DC power converter, a controller/processor electrically connected to the AC/DC or DC/DC power converter, a light emitting diode (LED) current control circuit communicably coupled to the controller/processor and electrically connected to the AC/DC or DC/DC power converter and the two or more LEDs. One or more control signals are generated using the controller/processor and sending the one or more control signals to the LED current control circuit. An on/off signal having a cycle time for each LED is generated using the LED current control circuit in response to the one or more control signals and sending the on/off signal to each LED. A blended light is produced having a specified color based on how long each LED is turned ON and/or OFF during the cycle time.
US09113518B2
A battery powered LED light source is described for illuminating the inside of a dark enclosure when the enclosure is opened in an environment with ambient illumination. Drive circuitry adapted to the LED light source turns on the LEDs when levels of ambient light above a threshold are detected, which may occur if the light source is placed in a dark enclosure that is opened in a lit room. After being opened, the drive circuitry periodically strobes off the LED light source to take ambient light measurements without the contribution of its own LED light for determining if the enclosure has been closed and the LED light source should again be shut off.
US09113512B2
A method of configuring an LED driver is disclosed. The LED driver being arranged to provide a supply current to an LED fixture comprising a plurality of LEDs. The method comprises: identifying the LED fixture (LF), sending via a communication network (NTW) a configuration request to a configuration database (DB), receiving configuration data from the configuration database; and configuring the LED driver (LPS) according to the configuration data.
US09113504B1
The present disclosure is directed to a portable lighting device having an external switch configured to allow a user to control and/or configure the functionality portable lighting device while the light is in use and without the need for extra equipment. In one aspect, a portion of a switch may be configured to control some functionality provided by the light, while another portion of the switch may be configured to control the remaining functions. In another aspect, the circuit board may include a microcontroller which includes an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM). Advantageously, the EEPROM may function to save any settings and/or modes configured by the user such that the settings/modes do not need to be reset after the portable lighting device is turned off and then back on.
US09113502B2
A cook-top or hob includes multiple inductors and at least three heating zones which are operated by the inductors. A single power electronics subassembly supplies the inductors with heating current and includes a common rectifier which is operably connected to the inductors for rectifying an alternating current supplied by a single phase of a household electrical system.
US09113492B2
A method, computer program product, and an apparatus for a transmit priority distributed backoff are provided. The apparatus forms a peer-to-peer communication link with a second apparatus. In addition, the apparatus determines whether to transmit in an assigned resource for securing a transmit priority for transfer of data to the second apparatus based on a quality of service estimation. Furthermore, the apparatus transmits to the second apparatus based on the determination. A method, computer program product, and an apparatus for a transmit priority token passing are provided. The apparatus forms a peer-to-peer communication link with a second apparatus. In addition, the apparatus determines a transmit priority within the link based on a quality of service estimation. The transmit priority is a priority of transmission between the apparatus and the second apparatus in the link.
US09113487B2
The embodiments herein relates to a method in a user equipment (305) for enabling a base station (301) to schedule the user equipment (305) in a wireless communication system (300). The wireless communication system (300) is in Multiple Input Multiple Output, MIMO, mode and comprises four transmit antennas. The user equipment (305) is connected to the base station (301) via a radio carrier (302). The user equipment (305) determines Channel State Information, CSI, based on information about a Common Pilot Indicator CHannel, CPICH, which CSI comprises Channel Quality Information, CQI, a Rank Indicator, RI, a Precoding Channel Indicator, PCI, and an Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest ACKnowledgement/Not ACKnowledgement, HARQ ACK/NACK. The user equipment (305) transmits the CSI to the base station (301) over a plurality of Transmission Time Intervals, TTIs, enabling the base station (301) to schedule the user equipment (305).
US09113473B2
Specific embodiments of the present invention are for use by a base station (BS) that enables power efficient wireless radio frequency (RF) communication between the BS and a medical device (MD), which may or may not be an implantable medical device (IMD). In an embodiment, once a communication session is established between the BS and the MD, the BS selectively turns a drop link mode on and off. The drop link mode is a communication mode that while turned on (i.e., enabled) reduces and preferably minimizes the length of time that an RF link is maintained between the BS and the MD. In accordance with an embodiment, at any given time during a communication session the drop link mode is either turned on (i.e., enabled) or turned off (i.e., disabled).
US09113471B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for transmitting a reference-signal and a data signal by a user equipment in a communication system. The data signal is generated. A sequence is determined for the reference-signal. The reference-signal is transmitted based on the sequence and the data signal through at least one resource block. The sequence is determined based on sequence-hopping if the number of resource blocks is equal to or greater than the predetermined value. The sequence is determined without sequence-hopping if the number of resource blocks is less than a predetermined value.
US09113470B2
A method for network coding includes generating a message matrix, where each column of the message matrix corresponds to one of K message packets and each element in a column of the message matrix corresponds to one of the symbols of the corresponding message packet. The method further includes generating a network code matrix to map the K message packets to N encoded packets, where any combination of K columns of the network code matrix is linearly independent and N is greater than K. The method also includes multiplying the message matrix by the network code matrix to generate a transmission matrix, where each column of the transmission matrix corresponds to an encoded packet for wireless transmission.
US09113466B2
The relay station performs wireless communications with a base station, and a mobile station performs wireless communications with the base station or relay station. The relay station limits reception of a radio signal from the base station at timing at which a radio signal is transmitted to the mobile station. The relay station transmits a message #1 about random access to the base station. The base station transmits a message #2 at timing which is determined based on whether a transmission source of the message #1 is the relay station. The relay station receives the message #2 from the base station.
US09113459B2
A method for transmitting information data by using a Reed-Muller coding scheme in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes configuring a number of resource elements for transmitting the information data; generating coded information data having a specific bit size by applying RM coding to the information data; performing rate matching to the coded information data so that the rate-matched information data can correspond to the configured resource elements; and transmitting the rate-matched information data by using the configured number of resource elements, where a minimum value Q′min for the number of resource elements is defined based upon a bit size (O) of the information data and based upon a bit size per symbol (Qm) in accordance with a modulation order.
US09113452B2
Method, arrangement and computer program product in a base station for modulating information intended for transmission to a terminal. The base station and the terminal are comprised within a wireless communication network. The information comprises first and second data blocks, where two USF values are to be sent across the first data block and the second data block. The first data block and first parts of the two USF values are modulated with a first modulation technique and the second data block and second parts of the two USF values are modulated with a second modulation technique.Further, a method, an arrangement and a computer program product in a terminal for demodulating information received from a base station are described. In addition, a method, an arrangement and a computer program product in a control node are described.
US09113451B2
A radio communication system 1 according to an embodiment comprises: a pico cell base station PeNB provided in a communication area of a macro cell base station MeNB and having transmission power lower than transmission power of the macro cell base station MeNB. A resource division ratio is determined with respect to radio resources to be usable as a PDSCH, indicating a ratio of macro cell unusable PDSCH resources and macro cell usable PDSCH resources. The radio resources are assigned to a radio terminal connected to the macro cell base station MeNB, out of the macro cell usable PDSCH resources determined according to the determined resource division ratio. The resource division ratio is determined according to expected throughputs of each of cell edge terminals of the macro cell base station MeNB and the pico cell base station PeNB.
US09113446B2
A wireless communication system, method and apparatus cooperate to use a wireless coordination signal from a control station in a first frequency band to establish direct links in a second frequency band between different terminals. Once established, the direct links in the second frequency band operate without further needing intervention by the control station. The first frequency band is 1 GHz or higher, and the second frequency band is at a higher frequency than the first frequency band.
US09113439B2
Distributed locater, alert, repeater, and call technologies for communication devices can be employed. A base component can be configured to receive a message at a base unit, the message corresponding to at least one of a call directed to a wireless communication device or another message directed to at least one of the wireless communication device or a wired communication device. The base component can distribute an alert to at least one remote unit based on the message. A remote component can be configured to receive the alert at the at least one remote unit, and broadcast the alert or another alert from the at least one remote unit. An interface component can be configured to receive an input at the at least one remote unit based on the alert. Further, the remote component can be configured to transmit a response based on the input.
US09113434B2
A system for supporting electronic positioning in apparatuses. Apparatuses may receive various wireless signals over time (800). The strength of the received wireless signals may be determined by the apparatuses (802), and based on this determination an occurrence for each received wireless signal may be accumulated in a histogram in the apparatus (804). Information based on the histogram may then be transmitted to a mapping database (810). The mapping database may then utilize this information to, for example, create signal-based maps for use in apparatus positioning.
US09113427B2
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for mobile transmit diversity. In one aspect a method of controlling a transmit power level of a wireless communications apparatus is provided. The method includes adjusting the transmit power level of a transmitter of the wireless communications apparatus to a first transmit power level in response to detecting a de-sense event indicative of interference with a signal received by a receiver of the wireless communications apparatus due to emissions from the transmitter. The method further includes maintaining the transmit power level substantially at the first transmit power level for a first time interval in response to adjusting the transmit power level to the first transmit power level. The method further includes adjusting a transmit power level limit of the transmitter after the time interval at a rate for a second time interval.
US09113424B2
When a femto cell base station detects an intense uplink interference, the femto cell base station autonomously extends the femto cell so as to raise a probability that a mobile terminal around the original femto cell may be connected to the femto cell base station. If the mobile terminal connects to the femto cell base station, the uplink interference is reduced and total throughput is improved. Additionally, if a resultant effect of interference reduction is low, the femto cell base station returns the mobile terminal, which is connected to the femto cell base station due to the extension of the femto cell, to the original connection destination. If an evaluative criterion meets a predetermined condition, the femto cell base station restores the extended femto cell to the original size. These actions prevent degradation of performance caused by concentration of the connections of mobile terminals to the femto cell base station.
US09113418B2
A method and device for controlling an uplink transmission power by a mobile station in a wireless communication system. The method includes: determining, by the mobile station after successfully completing an initial ranging process, an initial offset value using a final initial ranging transmission power and a number of initial ranging subcarriers; and setting, by the mobile station, the initial offset value to an offset value for an initial data transmission power.
US09113417B2
A technique for controlling power for V2X communication is provided. The apparatus includes a reception message analysis process configured to analyze headers of reception messages received from communication apparatuses of roadside apparatuses and surrounding vehicles located around a vehicle, a message loss checking process configured to check whether or not loss of the reception messages occurs by counting sequential numbers included in the headers of the reception messages, a density analysis process configured to analyze a density for each of communication apparatuses located in a communication radius of preset transmission power from the vehicle when the message loss checking process determines that the loss of the reception messages occurs, and a transmission power determination process configured to determine transmission power for V2X communication by deducting the preset transmission power in units of reference power according to the density when the density around the vehicle exceeds a reference value.
US09113416B2
At least one feature pertains to a method of communication that comprises aligning a measurement task that utilizes a resource within a user equipment, such that at least a portion of the measurement task is performed during a time that the resource is enabled in the user equipment, and executing the measurement task during the time that the resource is enabled in the user equipment. In one example, the measurement task may be a searcher task, the resource may comprise receiver circuitry, and the time that the resource is enabled corresponds to a DRX monitoring interval of a downlink channel, such as a high speed shared control channel. By aligning and executing the searcher task during the time that the resource is enabled in the user equipment, searcher overhead may be reduced. Reducing searcher overhead allows the user equipment to save power by disabling the receiver circuitry.
US09113403B2
Methods and apparatus for voice domain operation are described herein. One example method includes determining that an Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) network is not preferred for voice service based on receiving a response message to a NAS message via the E-UTRA network, wherein the response message to the Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message comprises an indication that no voice service is available, storing an identification of a first public land mobile network (PLMN), wherein the first PLMN is associated with the E-UTRA network that is not preferred for voice service, and avoiding selection of a second PLMN's E-UTRA network when an identification of the second PLMN matches the identification of the first PLMN.
US09113402B2
Embodiments describe methods, apparatuses and logic for a user equipment (UE) to connect to an access point (AP) in a wireless local area network (WLAN) based on credentials from a UE's home third generation partnership project (3GPP) network. In some embodiments, the UE may receive selection policy parameters from the WLAN including a network access identifier (NAI) realm. The UE may also receive selection policy parameters from the 3GPP network. The UE may compare the selection policy parameters of the WLAN with the selection policy parameters of the 3GPP network and discover roaming relationships between service providers and the relative priorities of different networks, and create a network list based on the comparison. The UE may then associate with an AP of the WLAN based on the prioritized network list.
US09113397B2
A wireless network communication card usable with a host apparatus is disclosed. The wireless network communication card includes an access point detection circuit that detects a wireless access point through a wireless antenna. A power inlet to which power is supplied in response to an access point detection request from a user when the power of the host apparatus is suspended, the power inlet being connected to the access point detection circuit is included, as is an indicator coupled to said access point detection circuit that indicates a presence of an available wireless access point in response to a detection by said access point detection circuit.
US09113396B2
Methods in a radio network node (110) and a user equipment (120) as well as a radio network node (110) and a user equipment (120) for providing access restriction information about restricting access to a cell (C1), managed by the radio network node (110), for at least the user equipment (120) are provided. The radio network node (110) encodes a downlink control information message by using a user equipment identifier associated with the access restriction information. Next, the radio network node (110) sends the downlink control information message to the user equipment (120). Next, the user equipment (120) decodes the downlink control information message to obtain the user equipment identifier associated with the access restriction information.
US09113395B2
There is provided an improved solution for performing beacon broadcasting in a device-to-device communication network. The solution includes selecting, by a node capable of entering a device-to-device communication network, a channel for broadcasting wherein the selection is based on at least one of the following: the characteristics of the node and the state of the node; and causing a broadcast of information related to at least part of the properties of the node on the selected channel.
US09113379B2
A handover apparatus and method in a communication system having a macro BS and a plurality of micro BSs in one cell are provided. A handover apparatus includes a macro BS for generating a plurality of messages, each messages respectively corresponds to one of a plurality of group areas defined by grouping service areas of the micro BSs and includes information about BSs to which MSs of the group area can perform handover. The macro BS also generates group area information indicating locations of the group areas, broadcasts the plurality of messages and the group area information to the cell, and manages handover of MSs based on the plurality of messages and the group area information.
US09113375B2
A method for user detachment when a handover or change occurs in a heterogeneous network is provided. The method includes: a user equipment (UE) is handed over or switched from a source network to a target network; a network element on a network side determines whether to detach the UE from the source network, and if yes, the network element on the network side detaches the UE from the source network. A system and a device for user detachment when a handover or change occurs in a heterogeneous network, and another method for user detachment when a handover or change occurs in a heterogeneous network are also provided.
US09113365B2
The present disclosure discloses a method and an apparatus for offloading Internet data in an access network, which are used for solving the technical problems that in a Network Address Translation (NAT) offloading networking solution, the information obtained in a monitor mode is incomplete, offloading characteristics for distinguishing users cannot be provided and offloading strategies are separated from Quality of Service (QoS) strategies of a core network. The solution of the present disclosure includes: an offloading device judges whether a Radio Access Bearer (RAB) data flow needs offloading according to a specific value of a specific parameter in an RAB message; if the offloading is needed, NAT is performed and then the offloaded data is transmitted to the Internet; and if the offloading is not needed, the RAB data flow is transparently transmitted to the core network. In the present disclosure, the offloading judgment condition, which the offloading device is in accordance with, directly originates from the core network, and the core network can proactively obtain required user information, thus offloading judgment can be made correctly and completely as much as possible, and offloading judgment can be implemented with QoS strategies of the core network together, and there is no need to add new QoS management points being independent of the core network.
US09113361B2
A method and device for receiving a data block in a wireless communication system, the method performed by a receiver. The method includes: receiving a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) from a transmitter over an operating channel, the PPDU including a signal field, a Very High Throughput-Signal-A (VHT-SIG-A) field, a Very High Throughput-Signal-B (VHT-SIG-B) field and a padded data block, generating a first data block by removing zero or more physical padding bits from the padded data block in a physical layer; and generating a second data block by removing zero or more Medium Access Control (MAC) padding bits from the first data block in a MAC layer.
US09113358B1
A network profile describes one or more characteristics of a network including bandwidth, latency, rate of packet loss, duplication, corruption, or reordering, and so forth. Using the network profile, one or more adjustments are made to network traffic between a server device and an application executing on a client device. These adjustments virtualize the profiled network and emulate how the profiled network affects traffic. Such virtualization may enable an application to be tested under different network conditions corresponding to different network profiles.
US09113352B2
This application discloses methods for creating self-organizing networks implemented on heterogeneous mesh networks. The self-organizing networks can include a computing cloud component coupled to the heterogeneous mesh network. In the methods and computer-readable mediums disclosed herein, a processor receives an environmental condition for a mesh network. The processor may have measured the environmental condition, or it could have received it from elsewhere, e.g., internally stored information, a neighboring node, a server located in a computing cloud, a network element, user equipment (“UE”), and the like. After receiving the environmental condition, the processor evaluates it and determines whether an operational parameter within the mesh network should change to better optimize network performance.
US09113350B2
Systems and methods for detecting a Line of Sight (LOS) in a cellular communications network are provided. In one embodiment, a network node in the cellular communications network determines whether a wireless device is within LOS of a base station. In order do so, the network node compares a Ricean factor of a wireless communications channel between the base station and the wireless device and a predetermined Ricean factor threshold for LOS detection. In addition, the network node compares a Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) between a Rayleigh probability density function and samples of received signal strength for radio signals transmitted between the base station and the wireless device and a predetermined RMSE threshold for LOS detection. The network node then determines whether the wireless device is within LOS of the base station based on results of the comparisons.
US09113345B2
A computing device forms a predictive composite score by retrieving geographically based wireless networking performance data derived from at least one mobile device. At least some of the geographically based wireless networking performance data is temporally averaged and geostatistically combined to form the predictive composite score. The predictive composite score is a forecast of expected performance quality of a wireless communication network in a particular geographic region.
US09113342B1
A method for outputting local content on a mobile device includes determining a current location of a mobile device and retrieving content via a wireless connection based on the location of the mobile device. In addition, the method includes outputting the retrieved content on the mobile device. In another embodiment, a system includes a processor, a computer usable medium, the computer usable medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, which when executed by the processor causes the processor to: determine a location of a mobile device, retrieve content via a wireless connection based on the location of the mobile device, and output the retrieved content on the mobile device. Additional systems and methods are provided as well.
US09113341B2
A method and an apparatus for scanning existing networks in TV White Space are disclosed. For scanning existing networks at a station to operate as an unlicensed device in a regulatory domain where a licensed device and the unlicensed device are permitted to operate, the method comprises: receiving a white space map (WSM) comprising information for available channels to be used for the unlicensed device to operate a wireless local area network (WLAN) operation and maximum transmission powers allowed for each of the available channels from an enabling station, wherein the enabling station is a station determining the available channels at its location using its own geographic location identification and a regulatory database access capability; and scanning the existing networks on the available channels identified within the received WSM.
US09113336B2
A method for a software application is used to intercept unwanted phone calls or text messages for a cellular phone. The software application allows a user to manage their blacklist, which contain contacts that the user does not want to communicate with. When the software application receives an incoming or outgoing communication with a telephone number, the software application will compare that telephone number with the telephone numbers of the contacts on the blacklist. If the telephone number of the incoming or outgoing communication matches one of the telephone numbers in blacklist, the incoming or outgoing communication is blocked from its intended destination. The software application will then send an audio or textual intercept message to the sender of the incoming or outgoing communication.
US09113324B2
A mobile privacy protection system using a proxy, a proxy device, and a mobile privacy protection method are provided. The mobile privacy protection system includes: an electronic tag to store predetermined tag information; a proxy device to adjust a privacy level of the electronic tag; and a home server to create new tag information in response to a request from the proxy device wherein the new tag information is used to adjust the privacy level.
US09113323B2
A method, device and system are provided for wireless device-initiated automatic replenishment of internally-stored account parameters associated with an amount of authorization for usage of the wireless device (e.g., prepaid amount of airtime minutes, data usage, messages, etc.). Upon determining within the wireless device that the account parameter(s) should be replenished, the wireless device transmits a message to a control server indicating that the wireless device intends to perform the determined replenishment according to the replenishment parameters stored within the wireless device. The wireless device delays performance of the replenishment for a predetermined period of time to determine whether the control server provides a response containing updated replenishment parameters. Depending upon whether the wireless device receives a response from the control server during the time period, the wireless device then replenishes the internally-stored account parameter(s) using either the previously stored replenishment parameters or the updated replenishment parameters.
US09113320B2
A method for transferring an account associated with a first device to a second device is disclosed. The method includes: initiating, by the second device, a message intersession with a third party device; receiving, at the second device and from a server, an indication that the second device is using a known identity associated with the first device; and providing, by the second device, an instruction for transferring an account from the first device to the second device.
US09113312B2
A mobile terminal and control method to share content with a device and control the device are provide. The mobile terminal includes a communication unit to communicate with a host and the device; a search unit to receive content information and device information; an input unit to receive a content selection signal and a device selection signal; and a control unit to control the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal receives content information from a host and selects content to be outputted to a device selected from device information from the host. The mobile terminal controls the selected device using control commands transmitted to the selected device based on a control mode. If the control mode is not stored in the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal may receive the control mode from the host.
US09113308B2
The present invention relates to a method for managing the automatic provision of a subscriber network identifier from a central network server to a subscribed communication device, the method comprising receiving notification at the central server relating to a change in the current location for the subscribed device, and determining from the notification whether a new subscriber network identifier is to be provisioned from the central server. The method further comprises selecting a subscriber network identifier on the basis of the current location, if the determining step has determined that a new subscriber network identifier is to be provisioned, and outputting the selected subscriber network identifier for transmission to the subscribed device. The present invention also relates to managing the automatic connection of a subscribed communication device to a network, where a preferred network and preferred subscriber network identifier may be used.
US09113300B2
A proximity fence can be a location-agnostic fence defined by signal sources having no geographic location information. The proximity fence can correspond to a group of signal sources instead of a point location fixed to latitude and longitude coordinates. A signal source can be a radio frequency (RF) transmitter broadcasting a beacon signal. The beacon signal can include a payload that includes an identifier indicating a category to which the signal source belongs, and one or more labels indicating one or more subcategories to which the signal source belongs. The proximity fence defined by the group of signal sources can trigger different functions of application programs associated with the proximity fence on a mobile device, when the mobile device moves within the proximity fence and enters and exits different parts of the proximity fence corresponding to the different subcategories.
US09113295B2
Provided is a distributed system and method for enabling new and useful location dependent features and functionality to mobile data processing systems. Mobile data processing Systems (MSs) interact with each other as peers in communications and interoperability. Data is shared between mobile data processing systems to carry out novel Location Based eXchanges (LBX) of data for new mobile applications. Information transmitted inbound to, transmitted outbound from, is in process at, or is application modified at a mobile data processing system triggers processing of actions in accordance with user configured permissions, charters, and other configurations. In a preferred embodiment, a user configurable platform is provided for quickly building well behaving LBX applications at MSs and across a plurality of interoperating MSs. Tools, triggered interfaces and integrated applications are disclosed for a breadth of MS LBX configurations and functionality.
US09113289B2
A system for analyzing the use of location-based service applications including: a mobile device. A carrier-positioning infrastructure interacts with the mobile device for enabling the use of location-based applications by the mobile device. A mobile location-based application provider communicates with the carrier-positioning infrastructure to provide a location-based application to the mobile device. A location transaction platform monitors the use of the location-based application by the mobile device. An analytics server communicates with the location transaction platform and location stamps an occurrence of use of the location-based application by the mobile device and performs a task in accordance with predetermined rules as a function of the location-based stamp.
US09113276B2
Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for detecting battery chemistry or battery type and reconfiguring a hearing assistance device based on the detected battery. One aspect of the present subject matter relates to a method of operating a hearing assistance device having a battery. A voltage of the battery is detected at a predetermined load current and a battery chemistry or battery type is determined based on the detected voltage. An operating parameter of the hearing assistance device is adjusted based on the determined battery chemistry or battery type, in various embodiments. Examples of adjustments made based on the determined battery chemistry or battery type include gain, feedback cancellation (FBC) filter, self-diagnostic thresholds of the hearing assistance device, indicator loudness, low battery set point, or an end-of-discharge battery set point.
US09113274B2
A device for use in a hearing aid system comprising a radio antenna for reception and/or transmission to/from other devices in the hearing aid system is arranged to register a radio disturbance received by the radio antenna at an occasion when the radio antenna is not used for reception and/or transmission to/from the other devices. The device further relates to a transmission system comprising a mini receiver connected to a hearing aid device and comprising a radio antenna for reception of communications, a setting device comprising a radio antenna for communication of settings and audio information to the mini receiver, a transmitter device comprising a radio antenna for transmission of audio information to the mini receiver. At least one of the mini receiver, setting device, or transmitter device is arranged to register a radio disturbance at an occasion when its radio antenna is not used for reception and/or transmission.
US09113265B2
Method, system and computer product are provided for a computer implemented method for providing a confidence measure for speaker diarization. The method includes: receiving an audio session as unsegmented audio data; computing a spectral ratio of principal component analysis (PCA) of sections of the received audio session by a ratio between the largest eigenvalue and the second largest eigenvalue; using the PCA spectral ratio as a confidence measure for speaker diarization processing.
US09113264B2
The present disclosure is directed to devices, methods and systems for microphone arrays wherein enhancing performance of directional microphone arrays is provided. Enhanced performance of speaker phones is also provided. In certain embodiments, the housing of the device is configured to support the at least three microphones and the loudspeaker in a substantially first orientation; and the at least three microphones and the loudspeaker are arranged in a spatial relationship such that appropriate phase and delay characteristics achieve a substantial null response in the at least three microphones and in the loudspeaker in a substantial vertical direction away from the substantially first orientation over a desired audible range of frequencies and the device is able to provide a response to sounds over a range of first oriented elevations.
US09113262B2
Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations via an electronic and/or transducer assembly through a tooth or teeth are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure.
US09113255B2
Headphones include a headband, an arm portion, a pair of headphone units that respectively retain a speaker, a hinge structure that supports the headphone unit at the arm portion, and an oscillator that vibrates the arm portion. The oscillator is contained in a transducer box and clamped and supported by the arm portion and the headband. A vibration conducting unit connects the arm portion with the headphone unit and conducts vibration of the arm portion to the headphone unit.
US09113242B2
A sound source signal processing apparatus including a first sound source detection unit having at least one microphone to detect a sound source signal, a second sound source detection unit having at least one microphone to detect the sound source signal, the second sound source detection unit being spaced apart from the first sound source detection unit, and a beamforming unit to beamform the sound source signal detected by the first sound source detection unit and the second sound source detection unit. At least one microphone is further provided in addition to the microphone array, and position information of the microphones and sound source information are used, thereby improving beamforming performance of the sound source signal. Also, the number and size of microphone arrays is reduced through further provision of the at least one microphone, thereby improving spatial utilization.
US09113239B2
An electronic device and method thereof for selecting a mic by detecting voice signal strengths at respective microphones. The electronic device has first and second mics and is communicatively connected to a headset having a third mic. Voice signal strengths received at the respective first, second, and third mics are detected. A determination is made as to which one of the first, second, and third mics detects the greatest voice signal strength. All of the mics are disabled for communication except for the mic detecting the greatest voice signal strength.
US09113238B2
The present invention provides a unidirectional microphone by adding an output from an omnidirectional condenser microphone unit and an output from a bi-directional ribbon microphone unit together. A condenser microphone unit 10 and a ribbon microphone unit 20 are connected in series via a step-up transformer 30, and the respective sound signals from the microphone units 10 and 20 are added together and are output from a source S of an FET 14.
US09113232B2
An apparatus and method for providing information in conjunction with media content, including a receiver, wherein the receiver receives at least one of a transmission of media content and a broadcast of media content, wherein the media content includes at least one of broadcast media content and entertainment media content, and further wherein the receiver receives information regarding the media content, a processor for processing at least one of the received media content and the received information regarding the media content, a display device for visually displaying the information regarding the media content, and/or a speaker device for audibly announcing the information regarding the media content.
US09113231B2
A method comprises accessing encoded video data; accessing a list of watermarks to the encoded video data; determining syntax elements for current blocks of video data and syntax elements of currents blocks with the watermarks; removing watermarks that cause visible artifacts based on differences in the syntax elements between the current blocks and current blocks with watermarks, thereby creating filtered list of acceptable watermarks. The method can further include determining coding variable ranges for the current block and current block with watermarks from the list; comparing the coding variable ranges for the current blocks and current blocks with watermarks from the list; and filtering out watermarks that yield coding variable ranges outside the coding variable ranges of the current blocks. Additionally, the method can include determining bit lengths of the current blocks and current blocks with watermarks from the list; comparing bit lengths of the current blocks and current blocks with watermarks from the list; and filtering out watermarks that yield bit lengths not equal to the bit lengths of the current blocks.
US09113227B2
Efficient transcoding and decoding techniques are widely applicable across multiple different transcoding formats. The techniques find many applications in, as one example, high speed networking. The techniques provide reduced computational and implementation complexity. The techniques may also improve the processing latency compared with other transcoding techniques.
US09113222B2
A receiver provides an EPG. The EPG includes schedule information for content accessible by the receiver from a content provider presented as slots in a grid arranged by time and source. The receiver may determine recorded content is stored and incorporate content information for the recorded content in the EPG. The content information may include one or more portions of the instance of recorded content. The receiver may automatically incorporate the content information or may incorporate such information in response to user input. The receiver may incorporate additional information and/or access recorded content in response to user selection of content information. In some implementations, the recorded content may be recorded as part of an automatic system for recording multiple instances of content received via a multi-frequency signal from a content provider wherein the instances of content are all included in a same frequency and encoded utilizing the same control word.
US09113217B2
Audio fingerprinting and other media matching technologies can be used to identify media, such as movies, television shows, and radio broadcasts. A user device can record image, audio, and/or video information and upload information to a matching service that is able to use matching technology to identify the media and provide supplemental content or information to the user. The user then can share this information with other users, such as by uploading to a social networking site or passing the information to peers on a peer network as part of a container. Users can have the ability to add tagged content, provide comments and ratings, and otherwise interact based at least in part upon the tagged media content.
US09113215B1
The current invention is an interactive advertising and marketing system that operates to provide users with an opportunity to identify objects within video media and create virtual hotspots with respect to the objects, which allows viewers the ability to select objects within the video media that are associated with one of the hotspots, and transmits their interest in the selected object to one or more users. Preferably, the system operates such that hotspots can be created for previously created video, newly created video media, as well as live broadcasts.
US09113214B2
The present invention is a method and system for generation and playback of supplemented videos which include interactive features. The supplemented video includes hotspots that allow a video viewer to interact with the video when the video viewer sees an object. The hotspots can be manually defined. Information regarding the object and the hotspot can be stored in a separate XML file. Furthermore, the present invention can be a marketplace where a desired object can be found by searching the XML file. The search results can list the supplemented videos which contain hotspots corresponding to the object and also the time in the supplemented video in which the object is found. The present invention can also aggregate data about the objects based on the playback of the supplemented videos and the video viewer's interaction with the supplemented videos.
US09113211B1
Various methods, systems, and apparatuses can be used to consolidate unicast video streams into multicast video streams. In some implementations, a skewing window associated with multiple unicast video streams for a video can be identified using a maximum skewing rate and a program duration, and a multicast stream for the video can be generated based on the skewing window. The unicast video streams can then be skewed and merged with the multicast stream.
US09113205B2
Methods and apparatus to monitor media exposure are disclosed. An example implementation includes accessing a meter identifier and first audio received from a wearable bracelet meter, the meter identifier uniquely associated with the wearable bracelet meter. Whether the first audio substantially matches second audio received at a second meter is determined. In response to determining that the first audio and the second audio substantially match, the meter identifier associated with the wearable bracelet meter and at least one of the first audio or the second audio are stored.
US09113200B2
A device may detect a commercial break for a channel. The channel may be provided for output to a user. The device may determine another channel to provide based on detecting the commercial break for the channel. The other channel may not be associated with a commercial break. The device may provide the other channel for output to the user. The device may monitor the channel to detect that the commercial break for the channel has ended. The device may provide the channel for output to the user based on detecting that that the commercial break for the channel has ended.
US09113191B2
Sending content between client devices connected to a computer network is described. According to one described aspect, a server maintains a database correlating unique identifiers for client devices to their network address information. A first client device may query the server for network address information of a second client device by sending the unique identifier to the server. The server returns the network address of the second client device, which is used to send a message directly from the first client device to the second client device, indicating the availability of content. Also, the message is preferably formatted such that it automatically populates a content guide of the second client device, with an entry used to initiate a transmission of the content from the first client device to the second client device.
US09113189B2
A method and system for auxiliary data detection. Data is received on a hand-held device from a display of a signal on a monitor. The signal is visually displayed on the monitor at a frequency. A modulated video signal is received on the hand-held device from a display device. The modulated video signal contains auxiliary data modulated within a video signal in a substantially invisible way. The modulated video signal is demodulated to obtain the auxiliary data. At least one of the data or the auxiliary data is processed to identify a promotional opportunity available through the hand-held device. The user of the hand-held device is notified of availability of the promotional opportunity through the hand-held device.
US09113181B2
A method and computing device for transitioning into and out of partial service mode to make bandwidth available for other resources. A trigger value is set for a channel, where a first and second cable modem have registered to use the channel, and where the first cable modem is a bonded channel modem that utilizes a bonding group that includes the channel and at least one other channel. A modulation mode for the channel is monitored. The channel is transitioned from full service mode to partial service mode when the channel is in full service mode and monitoring detects that the modulation mode is less than or equal to the trigger value. The channel is transitioned from partial service mode to full service mode when the channel is in partial service mode and the modulation mode for the channel is greater than the trigger value.
US09113179B2
A virtual channel table for broadcasting protocol and a method for broadcasting by using the virtual channel table includes identification information identifying and permitting discrimination of active and inactive channels contained in the virtual channel table. At a receiver, the virtual channel table transmitted from the transmitting side is parsed, thereby determining whether the current received channel is an active or inactive channel.
US09113177B2
It is presented a method, performed in an application server, the application server being part of a video streaming system further comprising a streaming server and a mobile streaming client. The method comprises the steps of: obtaining a pause timestamp representing a time where the mobile streaming client has paused video streaming content; determining a reference to a high quality image corresponding to an image of the video streaming content at the pause timestamp, wherein the high quality image is of a higher quality than the image of the video streaming content and the high quality image is stored separately from the video streaming content; and sending a high quality image message to the mobile streaming client comprising the reference to the high quality image. Corresponding client method, application server, mobile streaming client and computer program and computer program products are also presented.
US09113175B2
A processing unit for providing aircraft information to passengers of an aircraft, a system comprising the processing unit, an aircraft comprising the system, a method for providing aircraft information to passengers of an aircraft, as well as a computer program for performing the method. The processing unit comprises: a receiving component for receiving cockpit video data representing one or more cockpit video images of at least a section of the cockpit of the aircraft; and a processing component for processing the received cockpit video data such that the processed cockpit video data is retrievable on demand to provide the one or more cockpit video images to the passengers of the aircraft.
US09113169B2
This disclosure describes techniques for region-of-interest (ROI) encoding. In accordance with the techniques described herein, an encoding device may determine a temporal spatial dependency value for a candidate reference video block for inter-coding a current block in a video frame. The encoding device may compare the temporal spatial dependency value to a threshold value and select a coding mode for the current block based on the comparison. A decoding device may receive data defining a ROI as well as the temporal spatial dependency value and decode a video block in the ROI based at least in part on the temporal spatial dependency value. In this manner, the techniques of this disclosure may allow a video content viewer the ability to choose a ROI to watch.
US09113168B2
The present invention includes obtaining block type identification information on a partition of the current macroblock when the current macroblock is intra-mixed, specifying a block type of the current macroblock based on the block type identification information, obtaining an intra prediction mode of the current macroblock according to the block type of the partition of the current macroblock, and predicting the current macroblock using the intra prediction mode and a pixel value of a neighboring block.
US09113148B2
A three-dimensional measurement system includes a projector 102, a camera 103, and a PC 101 which obtains distance information from images captured by the camera 103. Further, the three-dimensional measurement system includes a synchronization control apparatus 104 connected to the PC 101 via a video output I/F 105 and a video input I/F 108, to the projector 102 via a video output I/F 102, and to the camera 103 via the video input I/F 107. The synchronization control apparatus 104 performs synchronization control of the projector 102 and the camera 103 based on an instruction from the PC 101. Further, the synchronization control apparatus 104 detects an error, embeds the error information in the captured image input from the video input I/F 107, and outputs the processed captured image to the PC 101 via the video input I/F 108.
US09113144B2
Stereoscopic image generator configured to take images of a virtual three-dimensional space in which an object is located, with a virtual camera, and to generate a stereoscopic image that is composed of an image for a left eye and an image for a right eye between which a disparity is provided, and display controller for causing a display section to display the stereoscopic image generated by the stereoscopic image generator, are provided. In generating the stereoscopic image, the stereoscopic image generator performs correction of decreasing a disparity of the object.
US09113140B2
A parallax detector detects a parallax between a left-eye image and a right-eye image of an input stereoscopic image signal. A vector detector detects an inter-frame motion vector in the stereoscopic image signal. An output controller determines whether or not to generate an interpolated frame based on the detected parallax and motion vector, and outputs a control signal indicating a result of the determination. An output image generator generates an interpolated frame having an interpolation phase using the motion vector when the control signal indicates that an interpolated frame is to be generated.
US09113138B2
According to one embodiment, an encoding apparatus includes a prediction unit, a classifying unit, a first transformer, a second transformer, an order controller, and an entropy coder. The prediction unit obtains a predictive residual signal to be encoded, by using a mode selected from intra-prediction modes. The first transformer obtains first transformation coefficients by subjecting the signal to an orthogonal transformation by use of a first transformation basis if the selected mode is classified into a mode having a prediction direction. The first transformation basis is preset so that a coefficient density after the orthogonal transformation is higher than a coefficient density.
US09113130B2
Multi-stage production pipeline system that may be utilized in conjunction with a motion picture project management system. The multi-stage production pipeline system includes a computer and a database. The database includes metadata associated with at least one shot or associated with regions within the plurality of images in the at least one shot, or both. The computer includes a grouping tool interface for presenting user interface elements and accepting input of the metadata associated with the at least one shot or regions within the plurality of images in the at least one shot, or both. The system enables a large studio workforce to work non-linearly on a film while maintaining a unified vision driven by key creative figures, allowing for more consistent, higher quality, faster, less expensive work product and more efficient project management techniques. The system also enables reuse of project files, masks and other production elements across projects.
US09113129B2
A helmet- or head-mounted video recording system is provided for mounting on a piece of head gear such as a head-protective helmet. The system includes a camera module attachable to the head gear, including a first video camera integrated into the camera module for generating a video signal. A recording module is removably attachable to the head gear and is adapted to receive the video signal and store data representative of the video signal. A power supply module is removably attachable to the head gear and is electrically connectable to the camera module and the recording module.
US09113128B1
Disclosed are various embodiments for presenting a timeline interface in association with video content features. A video content feature may be rendered on a display. A current scene in the video content feature is determined. A user interface is rendered on the display, where the user interface includes a timeline component. The timeline component represents the video content feature and visually segments the video content feature into scenes. The current scene may be visually indicated on the timeline component.
US09113121B2
A white balance adjustment method includes capturing a raw image by an image capturing device where an arrangement format of the raw image is BGb/GrR, color scale values of each color channel are extracted, the color scale values of all pixels in B, Gb, Gr, and R channels are separately scanned, and predetermined number ranges are used to classify the color scale values, then obtaining a cumulative proportion of color scale values in each channel is obtained. The cumulative proportions of each channel are compared with default minimum and maximum values, to obtain a more-than-maximum as a reference white, and a less-than-minimum as a reference black. The color scale values are re-quantized, according to the reference white and black, and a color histogram stretching method is applied to complete the white balance adjustment.
US09113115B2
Color image data is compressed by determining the number of colors within a cell of an input image, each cell comprising an N×M array of pixels; in response to determining that the number of colors is greater than a first predetermined threshold, compress the cell using lossy compression; and in response to determining that the number of colors is less than the first predetermined threshold, reduce the number of colors.
US09113114B2
A method for automatically controlling image brightness in an image photographing device by calculating a histogram for an image; obtaining a brightness average for the histogram; determining if a number of pixels of a histogram distribution within a first range and a number of pixels of a histogram distribution within a second range are included within a preset range; and when the number of pixels of the histogram distribution within the first range and the number of pixels of the histogram distribution within the second range are included within the preset range, as a result of a determination, adjusting the brightness average to be a reference brightness.
US09113105B2
A system for receiving and displaying broadcast audio and visual programming includes a television receiver and a display. The television receiver has a tuner for tuning to the channel to be displayed and is controlled by a processor with which the user communicates by way of a remote control unit. Operation of a random button on the remote control unit causes the processor to initiate a random mode selection whereby the television receiver randomly selects and displays one of the broadcast channels received.
US09113102B2
Disclosed is a method of acquiring physical information that acquires physical information by using a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes unit elements, each of which has a detecting unit and a unit signal generating unit. The method includes the steps of: providing an operation current supply unit supplying an operation current such that the unit signal generating unit outputs a unit signal, and a signal processing unit receiving the unit signal output from each of the unit elements forming the semiconductor device and outputting an output unit signal; and when a selective read mode is designated for reading the unit signal from a portion of the respective unit elements, an operation current of the output signal line of the unit signal generating unit not to be read is reduced so as to be smaller than an operation current of the output signal line of the unit signal generating unit to be read.
US09113098B2
An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup unit having an optical black area, a control unit which reads a pixel from a selected area in a part of the image pickup unit, and a dark offset correction unit which sets a correction value acquisition area in the optical black area included in the selected areas. When the control unit performs a reading from a first selected area and a reading from a second selected area which at least partially overlaps with the first selected area, the dark offset correction unit sets a first correction value acquisition area set for the optical black area included in the first selected area and a second correction value acquisition area set for the optical black area included in the second selected area such that the first and second correction value acquisition areas at least partially overlap with each other.
US09113096B1
A single dual-sided image sensor simultaneously captures discrete images from two different perspectives using both a front-side and a back-side of the image sensor. The two different perspectives are extracted from a composite image for processing. The two cameras, as configured in a device, face in a same direction and are spatially offset.
US09113090B2
An imaging device is configured so that the user can select either automatic determination mode or selection mode. In automatic determination mode, when a first combination imaging mode is selected for capturing and combining a plurality of sets of image data, the number of sets of image data to be combined is set to a specific first number of combinations. In selection mode, when a second combination imaging mode is selected for capturing a plurality of sets of image data, the number of sets of image data to be combined is set to a specific second number of combinations. The first number of combinations is set to be different from the second number of combinations.
US09113087B2
Disclosed herein is a solid-state image pickup element, including a pixel portion in which plural pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element for converting an optical signal into an electrical signal and accumulating therein the resulting electrical signal in accordance with an exposure period of time are disposed in a matrix; and a pixel driving portion adapted to control operations of the pixels in rows so as to carry out an electronic shutter operation and a reading operation of the pixel portion.
US09113084B2
A method and apparatus for generating an image of a seal impression. N still images of a face of a seal are combined. N is at least 2. The N still images of the face correspond respectively to N beams of light that had previously irradiated the face in succession from N respective different directions respectively corresponding to N different angles of incidence of the light on the face. The combining of the N images include generating in the composite image a common area of pixels that commonly appears on the face of the seal in all still images of the N still images. The common area includes a character area pertaining to where an engraved character is located on the face of the seal.
US09113083B1
The present disclosure illustrates an image adjusting system with multiple lens modules and method thereof. The system is adapted for an image capturing device having a zoom lens module and a prime lens module. When the zoom lens module and the prime lens module captures a first image and a second image, the image adjusting system can select a first reference calibration parameter table from multiple first calibration parameter tables, and search a current focus parameter from a focus parameter lookup table according to a current motor step, and then multiply the second image, the first reference calibration parameter table and the current focus parameter to generate a third image. Therefore, the third image has substantially consistent with the first image.
US09113082B2
An imaging device determines an in-focus position by contrast autofocus. The device includes a first optical system including a first lens and a first image sensor, a second optical system including a second lens and a second image sensor, a signal processing unit to read an image signal from at least one of the first image sensor and the second image sensor and generate an image for display, and a display unit to display the generated image. In the contrast autofocus, the signal processing unit reads a part of the image signal from the first image sensor and calculates a contrast value based on the read part of the image signal, and generates the image for display from the image signal read from the second image sensor.
US09113074B2
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit that generates a pair of pieces of image data mutually having a parallax by capturing a subject, an image processing unit that performs special effect processing, which is capable of producing a visual effect by combining a plurality of pieces of image processing, on a pair of images corresponding to the pair of pieces of image data, and a region setting unit that sets a region where the image processing unit performs the special effect processing on the pair of images.
US09113070B2
An image processing apparatus processes image signals obtained from an image pickup element. A correlation operation unit operates a correlation of the image signals of two images that are obtained from the image pickup element and operates an image shift amount between images that are picked up by photoelectric conversion units, on the basis of the correlation. A saturation detection unit detects whether an image signal, of the two images, reaches a saturation level, and produces a saturation detection result. A controller controls the correlation operation unit such that the controller controls whether the correlation of the image signals from a plurality of photoelectric conversion units, including the photoelectric conversion units, is used for the operation of the image shift amount performed by the correlation operation unit. The control by the controller is made in accordance with the saturation detection result produced by the saturation detection unit.
US09113064B2
An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup portion and a recording portion that records an image signal based on an output signal from the image pickup portion, for executing a shooting operation with a behavior of a photographer as a trigger, and obtaining a desired static image by performing an automatic manipulation processing of the acquired image; the image pickup apparatus comprising: a posture detection portion that detects a change of posture or moving situation of the image pickup apparatus, and a control portion that controls the execution of shooting operation based on the output signal of the posture detection portion.
US09113062B2
An imaging apparatus includes a pentaprism and outer covering members. Among the photographing light flux incident from a photographing optical system, light reflected by a rotary mirror is further reflected by the reflection surface of the pentaprism to thereby reach an ocular lens. A wireless substrate on which an antenna section is mounted is arranged between the pentaprism and a front outer cover. The substrate fixing member fixes the wireless substrate and is attached to a pentaprism fixing member so as to be electrically connected to the ground section of the imaging apparatus. The ground section of the wireless substrate is connected to the substrate fixing member at a position facing the antenna section with the optical axis of the eyepiece optical system therebetween. The electrical resistivity of a region facing the antenna section in the front outer cover is set relatively higher than the periphery of the region.
US09113060B2
An image display device that improves the operability of its operation unit when operated by a photographer/user in a state that an image display unit of the device has been adjusted to assume an angle where the photographer/user can easily view a displayed image. The image display device is coupled through its mounting unit to an image pickup apparatus main unit and causes the image display unit to display an image captured by the apparatus main unit. The image display device has an operation unit configured to be operated to control the apparatus main unit and the image display unit. The image display unit is coupled through a hinge mechanism to the operation unit for rotation relative thereto and the operation unit is coupled through a rotary mechanism to the mounting unit for rotation relative thereto about a rotation axis perpendicular to an operation face of the operation unit.
US09113058B2
A photographing apparatus includes a supporting member which supports a photographing element such as an image sensor, a vibration means which vibrates an optical member provided on a front surface of the photographing element, and a control means which controls vibrations generated by the vibration means at two different frequencies, wherein the first frequency is around a natural frequency of the supporting member and the second frequency is around a natural frequency of the optical member.
US09113049B2
Disclosed herein are an apparatus and a method of setting a parking position based on an around-view (AV) image. After the continuous AV images of the parking space are obtained in cooperation with an around-view monitoring (AVM) system, a parking space, designated by a driver in various designating schemes, is set to a parking position, allowing the driver to select the parking space and easily identify a surrounding space limitations of the selected parking space.
US09113047B2
This invention includes: an obstacle detection unit 400 that detects obstacles present around the working machine, by use of an image acquired by a camera 13; a position calculating unit 500 that calculates positions of each of the detected obstacles; a hazard zone calculating unit 700 that calculates a hazard zone based upon an attitude and motion of the working machine; a determining unit 800 that determines whether further obstacles are present in the calculated hazard zone; a risk level setting unit 2000 that sets a contact risk level for each of any obstacles present in the hazard zone; an image generating unit 600 that converts the camera image into a bird's-eye image centering upon the working machine, and then generates an image inclusive of all elements of the working machine and hazard zone on the bird's-eye image by further imaging the bird's-eye image diagonally from above an obstacle for which the highest contact risk level has been set by the risk level setting unit; and a display device 1300 that displays the generated image.This configuration makes an operator instantly recognize a position of the most potentially hazardous obstacle relative to the working machine, and thus improves working efficiency of the machine.
US09113044B2
Systems, methods, and devices relating to a field programmable unattended surveillance, low-power sensor node which uses a passive infrared (PIR) based motion detector to trigger a linear array of photodetectors and advanced processing for target detection and classification. The sensor node is equipped with an infrared beacon that is activated once a potential target is detected. The activated infrared beacon can then be seen by an operator using a night vision device.
US09113041B2
Disclosed is a method of providing additional content in a digital broadcast reception apparatus, the method including receiving a locator of additional content from a broadcast server while a user watches a broadcast program, receiving an instruction to insert the additional content from the broadcast server, receiving and reproducing the additional content from a content providing server designated by the locator, and switching back to the broadcast program. Thus, it is not necessary to allocate a separate channel and/or to switch channels for providing additional content.
US09113040B2
A system for up-selling content during periods of likely viewer disinterest may include a content delivery network configured to provide media content and at least one choice of alternative content, a content viewing device, and a content processing device for interfacing the viewing device with the content delivery network. The content processing device may be configured to detect likely viewer disinterest in media content, prompt the selection of alternative content, and selectively replace the media content with the alternative content upon viewer selection. Additionally, methods for estimating a degree of likely viewer disinterest and discounting the offering price of the alternative content options are implemented by the system.
US09113038B2
Techniques are disclosed for video mixing in a distributed computing environment. For example, a method comprises the following steps. At a first mixing device, one or more local video streams are received from one or more sources local to the first mixing device. The first mixing device generates a first partially-composited video stream, wherein the first partially-composited video stream comprises: (i) a partial set of video elements of the one or more local video streams; and (ii) information about video elements of the one or more local video streams. The first mixing device sends the first partially-composited video stream to at least a second mixing device remote from the first mixing device. The first mixing device and the second mixing device may be part of a video conferencing system.
US09113036B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus for conducting a video conference. A location of one or more sets of eyes in an image may be determined. The relative location of an image capture device and/or a portion of a display device may be adjusted based on the determined location.
US09113034B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and an apparatus for processing audio in video communication. The method includes: acquiring audio data and audio source position information corresponding to the audio data in the video communication, and performing longitudinal-depth processing on the audio data according to the audio source position information. According to the embodiments of the present invention, the audio data and the audio source position information corresponding to the audio data in the video communication are acquired first, and then the longitudinal-depth processing is performed on the audio data according to the acquired audio source position information to make it be audio data that provides a longitudinal-depth feeling that matches the audio source position information, so that sounds generated by objects at different front/back positions can be distinguished in the video communication.
US09113030B2
A gateway device may be configured to receive, from a first user device, a request to establish a Web Real-Time Communications (“WebRTC”) call session; establish, based on the request, a first WebRTC call session with the user device; establish, based on the request: a voice call session between the gateway device and an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (“IMS”) core, and a second WebRTC call session between the gateway device and a WebRTC portal server; and facilitate, via the established voice call session and the established first and second WebRTC call sessions, multimedia communication connectivity between the first user device and a set of devices that include: a public-switched telephone network (“PSTN”) terminal device, and a second user device.
US09113029B2
A glasses apparatus and a controlling method thereof, and a display apparatus are provided. The glasses apparatus is configured to operate with the display apparatus, and includes a communicator configured to perform communication with the display apparatus; an osteophony speaker configured to output audio received from the display apparatus; and a controller configured to control the communicator to receive contents audio from the display apparatus if the display apparatus provides a contents image, and to receive call audio from the display apparatus if the display apparatus performs a call function with an external user, and to output one of the received contents audio and call audio to the osteophony speaker.
US09113027B2
An AF evaluation value is computed with excellent precision. An imaging apparatus (10) includes: an image pickup device (14) including plural photoelectric conversion elements arrayed in a first direction and a second direction; a color filter having repeatedly disposed basic array patterns that each include plural array lines that each run along the second direction and include in the second direction at least one of each of a first filter or second filters with the plural array lines including plural matching array lines in which the second direction positions of the first filter match each other and including at least one array line that has a different array of the first filters in the second direction to that of the matching array lines; and an image processing section (20) that reads pixel signals of the plurality of pixels at a set cycle from the image pickup device (14), and, from the read pixel signals, generates line image data of the matching array lines in the base array pattern, sums together pixels of the first color out of the generated line image data, generates pixel data based on the line image data that has been pixel summed, and computes an evaluation value for contrast AF based on the generated image data.
US09113022B2
A video display apparatus adapted to be connected to a video playback apparatus having a first frame rate conversion unit configured to convert a frame rate of video data, includes a second frame rate conversion unit configured to convert a frame rate of the video data which is input from the video playback apparatus, and a control unit configured to control and associate operations in the first frame rate conversion unit and the second frame rate conversion unit in response to a request for performing a trick playback of the video data.
US09113012B2
A portable information device includes a shooting portion to shoot a subject, and a notice portion to notify an image forming apparatus that an image is shot, in response to an operation screen of the image forming apparatus being shot. The image forming apparatus includes a display control portion to display an operation screen, a data decision portion to decide related data related to an operation screen displayed at a point of time when the notice is received, from among data held by the image forming apparatus at that point of time, and a related data transmission portion to transmit the related data to the portable information device. The portable information device further includes a related data reception portion to receive the related data from the image forming apparatus and a related data storage portion to store the related data.
US09113008B2
A handheld imaging device includes an image sensor for sensing an image; a multi-core processor for processing the sensed image; and a program memory provided external to the multi-core processor, and communicating therewith via a communication bus. The multi-core processor includes a bus interface for interfacing with the communication bus, and further includes an image sensor interface for interfacing with the image sensor separately from the communication bus and the bus interface. The multi-core processor includes a plurality of parallel processing units connected by a crossbar switch to form the multi-core.
US09113006B2
Computer readable instructions, when executed by a processor, may cause an information processing apparatus to receive, from an operation apparatus, a reading instruction for instructing an image reading apparatus to execute a reading operation and specific service identification information. The computer readable instructions may cause the information processing apparatus to acquire the setting information associated with the specific service identification information from the memory, and transmit the acquired setting information to the operation apparatus. The computer readable instructions may cause the information processing apparatus to receive specific setting information from the operation apparatus, and transmit the specific setting information to a particular image reading apparatus for reading image data in the particular image reading apparatus. The computer readable instructions may cause the information processing apparatus to receive image data from the particular image reading apparatus, and transmit the image data to the service providing apparatus.
US09113001B2
Systems, methods, and media for disambiguating call data are provided herein. Some exemplary methods include receiving, via a fraud notification system, notification of a fraud event associated with a customer account, the fraud event comprising a time stamp, determining, via a call selection module, unique voice samples or models from call events obtained within a time frame that is temporally proximate the fraud event, and generating a timeline presentation that includes each unique voice sample or model identified in the call events based upon a time stamp associated with the call events.
US09112995B2
A calendar included in a computing device receives an item relating to a conference call. An automated parser is used to parse the item to obtain information relating to the conference call. The conference call information in is stored a conference application and is used to initiate a conference call.
US09112994B2
The environment around mobile phone handset 10 is judged according to the number of other mobile phone handsets present near mobile phone handset 10 and the registration status of the nearby telephones. Then, the display sequence of function names on a function selection screen is changed according to the environment. As a result, functions deemed likely to be selected by the user based on the environment surrounding mobile phone handset 10 may be displayed at positions where they may be selected with fewer operations. In this way, the number of operations required of the user for selecting any of multiple functions may be reduced.
US09112987B2
According to an aspect, a mobile electronic device, includes a display unit, a detection unit, and a display control unit. The display unit displays a standard screen on which objects are superimposed. The detection unit detects occurrence of a predetermined event. The display control unit changes arrangement of the objects displayed on the display unit in accordance with the predetermined event detected by the detection unit.
US09112985B2
A method, apparatus, system and computer program product are provided which permit the functionality of a device to be adapted or otherwise altered without requiring the device to be completely reprogrammed. In this regard, attributes which at least partially define the functionality of the device may be changed or supplemented in order to correspondingly alter the device functionality which, in turn, at least partially depends upon the attributes stored by the device.
US09112981B2
Information may be provided to a telephony customer from an overlay service by causing a second stream of audio information to be overlayed on a primary stream of audio information. The overlayed information may be whispered to the user by causing the overlayed information to be compressed into a limited frequency spectrum which is inserted into a manufactured gap in the primary audio stream. This allows the user to continue to hear the main audio stream while also hearing the overlayed information. The overlay service may provide administrative information, advertisements, music, and/or Internet search results via the overlayed audio. Users may issue commands to the overlay service, to have particular information transmitted via overlayed audio. Where the user is also associated with a telephony application running on a computer platform, the overlayed information may be incorporated onto the information being shown to the user on a computer display.
US09112975B2
A method for connecting a website user to a contact center agent includes: monitoring user interaction associated with the website user; receiving a call request via the website; identifying an agent or an interactive voice response based on the monitored user interaction; and establishing a communication channel supported by a web browser between the website user and the identified agent or the interactive voice response.
US09112962B2
A method comprises the steps of establishing a call between a first user equipment and a second user equipment, acquiring the identity of the second user equipment, and providing the identity of the second user equipment to the first user equipment. The invention has the advantage that it enables a law enforcement agent (for example a police officer or investigator) to track the equipment that is used by a person for a particular call. When a suspect call is received, a law enforcement agent can easily return a call to that phone, even when the SIM card of that phone is swapped. When placing a call to a suspect number, the law enforcement officer can easily determine on which device the call is answered and then determine which other persons (MSISDNs) have been using that device.
US09112961B2
During audio communication between terminals, an audio quality analyzing device picks up from a network a packet containing a bit stream obtained by compression encoding of audio sent by at least one of the terminals. The device has an audio quality analyzing unit that, in addition to analyzing a header of the packet picked up, performs at least one of: an analysis of a payload header and an analysis of the bit stream contained in the payload, detects deterioration in the quality of the audio communication service, and notifies a result of the detection to an upper level device.
US09112953B2
Automatic selection and establishment of a communications connection between a telephone device to a receiver device, including entering an address of a receiver device into the telephone device for initiating the communications connection to the receiver device, and automatically selecting a communications network for establishing the communications connection to the receiver device, and selecting the communications network from an internet-based network, a hybrid telephone/internet network, and a telephone network. Automatically determine network access capabilities of the receiver device based on the address of the receiver device, and automatically evaluate the cost of establishing a communications connection for each of the communications networks which the receiver device is capable of accessing. The communications network with the lowest cost is selected.
US09112941B2
The invention relates to an RFID transponder device configured for responding to a request of an RFID reader device, by sending a response (UID) comprising information for encoding a feature set of the RFID transponder device. The invention further relates to an RFID reader device and to an RFID system comprising such RFID transponder device and such RFID reader device. The invention also relates to various methods. The invention provides an RFID system, which is more flexible towards introducing new RFID transponder devices that are newly introduced to the market. The invention enables the introduction of such new devices using a sub-set of a prior defined feature set without requiring updating of the look-up tables of the RFID reader devices that are already on the market. This is achieved by directly encoding the feature set of the RFID transponder device in the response, such as in a unique identifier of the device.
US09112937B1
A system and method for evaluating, scoring, and encouraging group performance towards a common goal is disclosed. In an embodiment, individuals of a group have an incentive to encourage other group members to drive better and achieve an improved overall driving score for the group. A group driving score is determined based on the driving performances of members of the group. The group may establish a driving score goal and work toward achieving that goal using real-time group reinforcement communications.
US09112936B1
Embodiments are provided for ephemeral eventing. Ephemeral eventing may involve sending metadata portions associated with content items from a user device to a content management system prior to uploading the content portions of the content items. The content management system may then assign the content items to one or more events. The event assignments may then be sent back to the user device, allowing the content items to be locally displayed according to their events as if the content items had already been uploaded to the content management system.
US09112933B2
A method of controlling adaptive HTTP streaming of media content between a HTTP server and a HTTP client in a communication system, in which system media content is arranged as a plurality of periods, and each such period comprises a plurality of representations of media segments, which method includes the steps of providing (S10) temporal alignment information for the media segments of the plurality of representations, which temporal alignment information provides indications about a temporal relation between the segments of the plurality of representations of the media content. Further, the method includes providing (S20) key frame location information for the media segments, which key frame location information provides indications about locations of key frames in the media segments of the plurality of representations. Finally, controlling (S30) adaptation of the HTTP streaming of the media content based on at least one of the provided temporal alignment information and the provided key frame location information.
US09112927B2
A communication device on a time equivalence assurance network that guarantees the receiving sequence of packets sent to all users so that even if a user session is re-sent, a function operates to alleviate the resultant effects and make the send and receive timing approach the initial timing. An edge communication device on a provider network identifies the sessions of each user subscriber terminal, and stores and monitors the time information attached by a sequence information attachment function. Even if a packet is resent, the packet will at this time be resent with attached sequence information based on the past time originally attached to the packet, and not sequence information based on the current resending time.
US09112924B2
Methods and apparatus for communication and data transfer according to various aspects of the present invention include a communication system configured to transfer data to and from a mobile customer device. The communication system may receive customer data for a customer, such as a communication carrier for and a type of remote device. The communication system may include a storage system to store communication information associated with a plurality of wireless carriers and/or device types, such as the wireless carrier and the remote device identified for the user. The communication system may further include a host configured to access the storage system and communicate with the remote device according to the communication information associated with the wireless carrier and/or the remote device.
US09112916B2
A method for network coding using a near-maximum distance separable linear network code includes generating a message matrix where each column of the message matrix corresponds to one of K message packets and each element in a column of the message matrix corresponds to one of the symbols of the corresponding message packet. The method also includes generating a network code matrix to map the K message packets to N encoded packets, where any combination of K+1 columns of the network code contains at least K columns that are linearly independent. Further, the method includes multiplying the message matrix by the network code matrix to generate a transmission matrix, where each column of the transmission matrix corresponds to an encoded packet for wireless transmission.
US09112904B2
A system and method for sharing Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) network information is provided. The system includes a first mobile terminal that collects information about a DLNA network having a radio radius in which the first mobile terminal is located, and transmits the information about the DLNA network to a web server. The web server manages the information about the DLNA network received from the first mobile terminal, and shares the information about the DLNA network with a second mobile terminal, which is located outside of the radio radius of the DLNA network, via an Internet connection.
US09112896B2
A query is received from a particular endpoint device identifying a particular wireless access point encountered by the particular endpoint device. Pre-existing risk assessment data is identified for the identified particular wireless access point and query result data is sent to the particular endpoint device characterizing pre-assessed risk associated with the particular wireless access point. In some instances, the query result data is generated based on the pre-existing risk assessment data. In some instances, pre-existing risk assessment data can be the result of an earlier risk assessment carried-out at least in part by an endpoint device interfacing with and testing the particular wireless access point.
US09112895B1
Anomaly detection is disclosed, including: determining a set of anomalous events associated with an enterprise network; and determining a path of interest based at least in part on at least a subset of the set of anomalous events.
US09112889B2
Mechanisms for providing data streams are disclosed. A device accesses a mapping stored at the device that maps a desired media content item to a source address and to a range of addresses in a storage device of a remote content distribution server allocated to the desired media content item. The device preforms a direct memory-to-memory transfer of the desired media content item from the remote content distribution server to a local memory of the device using the range of addresses. The device encapsulates the desired media content item from the local memory into a plurality of packets according to a streaming protocol. Encapsulating the desired media content item includes inserting into each of the plurality of packets the source address. The plurality of packets are streamed.
US09112885B2
The disclosure is directed to an interactive multi-tasker for casting applications executing on a first computing device of a user on any of multiple computing devices of the user from any of the computing devices. Each of the computing devices presents a unified view of tasks and applications executing on each of the computing devices through the multi-tasker. The user can perform multiple actions on the tasks and applications, e.g., cast using a first device an instance of an application that is executing on a second device on to a third device. The state data is synchronized from the second device to the third device. Another instance of the application resumes execution on the third device using the synchronized state data. Once cast, each of the instances of the application executes independently of each other.
US09112880B2
A system for implementing VoIP over a cloud-based network includes a first edge proxy server operatively connected to a plurality of target proxy servers to receive resource information from one or more of the target proxy servers. Each target proxy server is associated with the cloud-based network. A first endpoint is operatively connected to the first edge proxy server and is configured for voice communications with a second endpoint. The voice communications are facilitated by the first edge proxy server using the received resource information.
US09112878B2
A system and method for hand-off maintenance is disclosed. The present invention relates to communication networks and particularly, to network interfaces in communication networks. In existing hand-off mechanisms, when a restart occurs in a Media Gateway, the Media Gateway always tries to register back to the primary Media Gateway Controller, which is under maintenance. As the primary Media Gateway Controller cannot address the request, calls running on the Media Gateway will be affected leading to abrupt release of calls. The method provides a solution to the problem by rejecting service requests from the Media Gateway that are already handed off at the Media Gateway. Further, at Media Gateway level not to register requests to the primary Media Gateway Controller, when a primary Media Gateway Controller is under maintenance. When the primary Media Gateway Controller is under maintenance, requests are directed to the secondary Media Gateway Controller. The secondary Media Gateway Controller then serves the requests to the Media Gateway until the primary Media Gateway Controller is back to operation.
US09112865B2
The system includes a device of a plurality of devices and a network entity for connecting the device to a communications network. The device is arranged for attempting to access the network while providing an identification of the device to the network entity. The network entity is arranged for receiving the access attempt from the device, and determining the identification of the device. The network entity determines an identification of a subscription associated with the device from a first database of the system. The network determines whether the identified subscription has the device associated therewith in a second database. The network entity allows the device to connect to the network entity or prevents the device from connecting to the communications network depending on the above determinations.
US09112858B2
A method of capturing biometric data is provided that includes activating a security application in a device. The security application is activated by an operator of the device and is configured to cause the device to display an outline image. Moreover, the method includes displaying the outline image in a stationary position on a display of the device, positioning desired biometric data proximate the device such that the desired biometric data appears as a biometric image on the device display, and monitoring the outline and biometric images shown on the device display. Furthermore, the method includes positioning the device and the desired biometric data to better align the outline and biometric images when the outline and biometric images do not align and capturing the desired biometric data from an individual after approximately aligning the outline image with the biometric image.
US09112855B2
The invention provides a method for identifying pulse optical signal, including: a. receiving first trigger information; b. collecting and identifying pulse optical signal with a predetermined method to obtain a unit of data; c. parsing the unit of data and determining type of it, if the unit of data is a unit of data representing header information, step d is executed; or if the unit of data is other type of unit of data, step b is executed; d. going on collecting and identifying pulse optical signal with the predetermined method to obtain a unit of data; e. determining whether all units of data corresponding to the unit of data representing the header information is received; f. packeting the unit of data representing the header information with all corresponding units of data into a group of data packets. The invention converts the pulse optical signal into bits, packets and converts the bits into a data packet, and receives the photosensitive-transfer information which accelerates the process of obtaining required data by a signal identifying device.
US09112854B1
Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating secure communication between applications on an untrusted computing platform. It is verified that a first application installed in a computing device has permission to communicate with a second application also installed in the computing device based at least in part on a secure key associated with the first application. The verification may include determining that the secure key has been signed by a predetermined certificate and determining that the secure key includes a platform-specific, tamper-proof identifier of the first application. Alternatively, the verification may include determining that the first application is signed by a predetermined certificate. Communication between the first and second applications is facilitated when the first application has permission to communicate with the second application.
US09112845B2
A method of and a mobile processing device for accessing a web application platform. The method includes installing an application configured to access a server hosting the web application platform, configuring the application, wherein configuring comprises generating at least one of a data capture list and a data lookup list available to the application, transferring authentication information to the server, receiving an indication of which application configurations the application is permitted to access based upon the authentication information, and displaying a set of one or more icons related to the application configurations the application is permitted to access. The mobile processing device includes various hardware components for performing the method.
US09112833B2
An example method of compressing a set of content paths includes identifying a set of content paths associated with a client. The method also includes determining a condensed path tree expressing the set of content paths. The method further includes determining a path node tree including a set of path nodes. Each path node of the set of path nodes represents from the condensed path tree a connector node including one or more segment strings as a name and one or more nodes referenced by the connector node. The method also includes encoding, based on a frequency of appearance of a segment string as a name in the set of path nodes, the set of content paths. The method further includes compressing the set of content paths. The method also includes providing a digital certificate including the compressed and encoded set of content paths.
US09112830B2
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes exchanging a session descriptor associated with a network connection and an application on a host, correlating the session descriptor with a network policy, and applying the network policy to the network connection. In alternative embodiments, the session descriptor may be exchanged through an out-of-band communication channel or an in-band communication channel.
US09112828B2
The present disclosure provides a method for defending against session hijacking attacks, including: receiving a first access request transmitted from a legal client side and transmitting the first access request to a server; receiving a first response comprising a first authentication token returned from the server; generating a first sequence value according to a network address of the legal client side and an identification code of the legal client side, and recombining the first authentication token and the first sequence value to form a second authentication token; and replacing the first authentication token in the first response with the second authentication token, and transmitting the first response comprising the second authentication token to the legal client side.
US09112820B2
Techniques are provided for performing a delay. A request for a delay may be received. A plurality of delay queues may be provided, with each delay queue spanning a range of delay remaining. The request may be assigned to a delay queue based on the delay remaining. The request may be moved to a different delay queue as the delay remaining decreases.
US09112816B2
In one example, an Edge Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (EQAM) communicates EQAM information to a Modular Cable Modem Termination System (M-CMTS) core using a routing protocol that is configured on a packet switched network coupling the EQAM to the M-CMTS core. The EQAM generates a routing message according to the routing protocol and inserts EQAM information, such as a description of a modulated channel extending from the EQAM, the service-group information, etc., into the routing message. The EQAM then floods the EQAM information over at least portions of a routing domain by transmitting the routing message to an adjacent intermediary device.
US09112810B2
A network device receives, from a set-top box within a local network, a discovery request for a server application within the local network. The network device identifies, based on the discovery request, a wide area network (WAN) Internet Protocol (IP) address for a router in the local network and retrieves, from a database of multiple discovery records, a particular discovery record with an IP address that matches the WAN IP address for the local network. The network device sends, to the set-top box, the particular discovery record for use in initiating a communication session with the server application.
US09112806B2
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to optimization profile generation and provide a method, system and computer program product for user guided generation of network link optimization profiles. In one embodiment of the invention, a network optimization profile generation method can be provided. The method can include ranking different performance criterion for a target network, testing the target network for the different performance criterion, weighting results of the testing according to the ranking of the different performance criterion, generating a set of target network configuration parameters through optimization of the weighted results, for instance simulated annealing, and applying the set of target network configuration parameters to the target network as a profile.
US09112805B2
In one embodiment, a data packet message is provided which includes a routing header configured to accommodate both a deterministic source route and a probabilistic source route for encoding a nodal source route. The nodal source route is selectively encoded with one or both of a deterministic source route and a probabilistic source route based upon one or more predetermined criteria.
US09112798B1
A power line communication (PLC) device includes a physical layer module including a transceiver configured to transmit and receive data over a power line. A medium access control (MAC) module is configured to send data to and process data from the physical layer module. The MAC module includes a channel access module configured to initiate a channel access attempt. The channel access module successively is configured to increase a random backoff period for a subsequent channel access attempt based on a random backoff function in response to a determination by the physical layer module that a PLC channel is busy during a preceding one of the channel access attempts. The channel access module successively is configured to selectively reset a variable in the random backoff function based on an output of a modulo function of a number of backoff attempts and a predetermined number.
US09112792B2
Mobile network services are performed in a mobile data network in a way that is transparent to most of the existing equipment in the mobile data network. The mobile data network includes a radio access network and a core network. A breakout component in the radio access network breaks out data coming from a basestation, and hosts device-specific edge applications that perform one or more mobile network services at the edge of the mobile data network based on the broken out data.
US09112790B2
Systems and methods relating to communication within a fabric network are presented. The fabric network includes one or more logical networks that enables devices connected to the fabric to communicate with each other using various profiles known to the devices. A device sending a message may follow a general message format to encode the message so that other devices in the fabric may understand the message regardless of which logical networks the devices are connected to. Within the message format, a payload of data may be included for the receiving device to forward, store, or process the message. The format and the contents of the payload may vary according to a header within the payload that indicates a profile and a message type within the profile. Using the profile and message type, the receiving devices may decode the message to process the message.
US09112789B2
When planning and maintaining a network, it may be very difficult for a network provider to organize variations of equipment rack installations at several different sites. Present methods of planning installation configurations in a network involve planning the same equipment installation configuration at all sites, planning a limited number of variations, or planning multiple variations but, with difficulty, tracking and changing configurations. A method or corresponding apparatus in an example embodiment of the present invention provides a tool for simplifying the planning of multiple network element installation configurations at multiple sites within a network. The benefits include fewer required truck rolls, resulting in reduced costs before and after deployment of installation configurations. In one embodiment, the disclosed planning tool allows users to access and change generic installation configurations according to customizable options to allow users to produce and store customized templates of multiple network element installation configurations.
US09112764B2
A gateway router apparatus sends a first multicast SOLICIT message with a prefix length hint based on a number of network segments associated with the apparatus. The apparatus receives a second multicast SOLICIT message with a prefix length hint, from a downstream router in a premises network. At the apparatus, the following are recorded: (i) an estimated prefix length associated with the second multicast SOLICIT message; and (ii) an interface associated with the second multicast SOLICIT message. At the apparatus, a first ADVERTISE message is received, and a REQUEST message is sent, both over the internet. The REQUEST message specifies a prefix length based on the number of network segments associated with the apparatus and the recorded estimated prefix length associated with the second multicast SOLICIT message. The apparatus sends a second ADVERTISE message advertising ability of the apparatus to delegate prefixes in accordance with the REQUEST message.
US09112758B2
A remote radio unit (RRU) in a radio base station system can include a cyclic prefix (CP) module having a CP adder for downlink channel processing includes a CP remover for uplink channel processing. The RRU can be configured to communicate with a base band unit (BBU) via a physical communication link and communicate with a wireless mobile device via an air interface. The BBU can be configured for media access control (MAC) layer processing.
US09112755B2
A wireless communication device communicates with, using a plurality of antennas, a communication partner device including a plurality of antennas. The wireless communication device includes a communication unit, an interference intensity judgment unit, and a determination unit. The communication unit communicates with the communication partner device using the plurality of antennas and is configured to use a MIMO (multiple input multiple output) scheme when transmitting a signal to the communication partner device. The interference intensity judgment unit judges, based on predetermined criteria, whether or not an intensity of an interference wave included in a received signal at the communication partner device is high. The determination unit prohibits, upon the interference intensity judgment unit judging that the intensity of the interference wave is high, the communication unit from using the MIMO scheme when transmitting a signal.
US09112750B2
A job management server for managing a plurality of jobs to be executed by a virtual computer generated on a computer, a job management part to manage information on a job net which configures a plurality of jobs and allocate a plurality of jobs included in a job net to the virtual computer, and a recovery part to monitor an execution status of each of the plurality of jobs included in the job net and perform recovery processing, wherein the job management server is configured to: specify a target job for changing allocation, in a case where a failure has occurred in a first virtual computer to execute a first job included in the first job net; determine a performance of a virtual computer required to execute the target job.
US09112748B2
An apparatus for reducing spurs is described. The apparatus includes a coarse digital to analog converter (DAC). The apparatus also includes a correction term generator. The correction term generator generates a correction term. The correction term has an amplitude within a dynamic range of the coarse digital to analog converter (DAC). The apparatus also includes a baseband filter. The correction term is selected such that the baseband filter reduces the correction term to an amplitude approximating that of a spur in a transmit signal. The correction term is used to reduce a spur.
US09112746B2
A method for managing virtual talk groups includes facilitating communications from a plurality of endpoints via an interoperability system. The plurality of endpoints comprises endpoints of different communication networks. The method includes configuring a virtual talk group comprising a first group of the plurality of endpoints and assigning to at least one endpoint of the first group of the plurality of endpoints of the virtual talk group functionality with respect to the interoperability system based on a relative priority of the at least one endpoint to other endpoints of the first group of the plurality of endpoints.
US09112743B1
An equalization method includes carrying out frequency domain conversion of M received signals into a 2M received vector having 2M elements, carrying out channel estimation and noise/interference estimation based on the 2M vector, calculating a 2M channel vector and a (2M)×(2M) noise/interference matrix, selecting a 2M−1 or less channel vector from the calculated 2M channel vector, selecting a (2M−1)×(2M−1) or less noise/interference matrix from the calculated (2M)×(2M) noise/interference matrix, calculating a 2M−1 or less equalization coefficient vector as equalization coefficients based on the selected 2M−1 channel vector and the selected (2M−1)×(2M−1) noise/interference matrix, selecting a 2M−1 or less received vector from the 2M received vector, and equalizing the selected 2M−1 received vector by using the calculated. equalization coefficients.
US09112738B2
A control device and a transceiver unit are presented. The control device encompasses at least one microcontroller and a digital interface, the digital interface encompassing a transceiver unit and at least one interface controller, the control device being designed selectably for a first mode in which the at least one interface controller communicates via an interface with the microcontroller, or for a second mode in which the at least one interface controller is integrated into the microcontroller.
US09112736B2
Transfer efficiency of data transfer in a single semiconductor device or between semiconductor devices is improved. A table is created by associating a combination of attribute information involved in data transfer with an identifier. When attribute information registered in the table is received, the attribute information is replaced with an identifier so that the information is compressed and transferred. Accordingly, transfer efficiency is increased in transmission or reception of a request and a response.
US09112734B2
The disclosed embodiments include a system and method for monitoring performance of a packet network. In one embodiment, a method includes collecting network performance information from a plurality of network nodes of a packet network, the network performance information being indicative of a health of the network packet network. The method includes storing the network performance information collected from the plurality of network nodes and generating a graphical user interface including a graphical representation of the network performance information, wherein the graphical representation of a network segment is indicated as a line, and wherein a width of the line widens and narrows in accordance with an amount of traffic flow over the network segment.
US09112715B2
A routing system utilizes a layer 2 switch interconnecting several routers to intelligently forward multicast packets throughout an interne exchange carrying multicast content. The layer 2 switch performs protocol snooping to extract a lookup key that is based on network layer protocol information. The lookup key is uniquely formulated to support either shared or explicit source distribution trees. The lookup key is used to query a forwarding memory that returns an outgoing port index. The outgoing port index points to one or more outgoing ports that are eligible to receive the multicast packet. The outgoing ports are also connected to the neighboring device(s) that are designated to receive the multicast packet. The routing system also supports real time maintenance and updating of the forwarding memory based on the periodic exchange of control messages. The routing system is configured to support PIM routers operating in PIM SM or PIM SSM modes. However, the routing system can also support other multicast protocols and/or standards.
US09112713B2
A path protection method that includes: establishing a point to multi-point (P2MP) tree spanning from a head node to a plurality of tail nodes, the P2MP tree providing a label switched path (LSP) from the head node to a particular tail node; identifying a first and a second pluralities of source-to-leaf (S2L) sub-LSPs for the LSP included within the P2MP tree, each corresponding pair of S2L sub-LSP in the first and second pluralities are path diverse; setting a first flag in a RSVP path message to designate the second plurality of S2L sub-LSPs as protecting respective S2L sub-LSPs in the first plurality at a baseline level of protection; setting a second flag to designate a subset of S2L sub-LSPs in the second plurality as protecting respective S2L sub-LSPs in the first plurality at an elevated level of protection; and transmitting the RSVP path message.
US09112712B2
A service subscription method is provided. The method includes the following steps. A service subscription request is received from a client. The request carries a service identifier (ID). Service information about a service that the client requests to subscribe to and information about related services of the service that the client requests to subscribe to are obtained according to the service ID. Related-service-set subscription information is obtained according to the information about the service to be subscribed to and the information about its related services. The related-service-set subscription information is returned to the client. Moreover, a service subscription system and server are also provided. Through the technical solutions of the present invention, the interaction process of related-service subscription is simplified and the system resources are saved, and the real-time performance of service subscription and the probability of related-service subscription are also increased.
US09112706B2
A method may include receiving an instruction to communicate with a second computing device associated with a contact of a user of the first computing device, identifying one or more contact methods associated with communicating with the contact, identifying one or more communication capabilities associated with the second computing device, identifying unique pairs of contact methods and communication capabilities, selecting one or more unique pairs associated with a likelihood of reaching the contact via the associated contact method and, for each of the selected unique pairs, determining a cost associated with initiating communication to the identified contact method using the identified communication capability, and determining a reliability measure associated with the communication capability. The method may include identifying a recommended unique pair based on at least the cost and the reliability measure, and initiating communication with the second computing device to the identified contact method using the recommended communication capability.
US09112705B2
[PROBLEMS] To appropriately authenticate a user, a biometric device, and an authentication timing of a client side and prevent leak or tampering of the biometric information.[MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] A server device includes: a unit for encrypting information for requesting biometric authentication and identifying the request by using a public key of the biometric authentication device and transmitting the information; and a unit for authenticating the user according to the authentication information containing the result of the biometric authentication. The biometric authentication device includes: a unit for inputting biometric information; a unit for storing a template as biometric information registered in advance together with the user information; a unit for collating the biometric information inputted by the user with the template; a unit for adding a digital signature to the authentication information containing the collation result, information for identifying the request from the server device, and the template user information, by using a secret key of the local device and transmitting the authentication information to the server device.
US09112691B2
Methods and apparatus for downlink rate control by a user equipment (UE) (e.g., when an overload condition happens at the UE) are provided. For example, the UE may experience CPU overload, CPU near-overload, memory overload, memory near-overload, overheating or near-overheating. For certain aspects, the UE may simulate a “degraded channel” in order to cause an eNodeB to lower a transmission rate or block-size as it would in response to receiving an indication of bad channel conditions. The UE may simulate a degraded channel by modifying a channel quality indicator (CQI) and transmitting negative acknowledgment (NACK) messages to the eNodeB. Therefore, the eNodeB may be responsible for guaranteeing quality of service (QoS) based on the new degraded channel condition. In other aspects, UE downlink flow control is achieved by dropping hybrid automatic repeat request (HARM) packets or reducing a radio link control (RLC) receive window size when an overload condition occurs.
US09112686B2
The aim of the present invention is to provide an efficient and reliable transmission/reception mechanisms for a communication system with multiple component carriers, each of which further includes physical resources such as transmission slot/symbol, subcarrier/frequency subband, code, or radiation pattern. Accordingly, the control signal of a component carrier comprises a scheduling assignment specifying for said component carrier a resource for transmission of a data signal, and an allocation map specifying that a scheduling assignment has been sent for another component carrier. Signalizing the allocation map enables detection of possibly missed scheduling assignments.
US09112685B2
Described herein is a user equipment comprising a processor configured to: derive a plurality of virtual subframes from an allocation of radio resources, the virtual subframes comprising a virtual special subframe and a virtual forward link subframe wherein the virtual forward link subframe comprises a first forward link portion and the virtual special subframe comprises one or more of: a second forward link portion, and a reverse link portion; transmit, via a direct device to device (DD2D) link, to a second user equipment during the first forward link portion; and receive, via the DD2D link, from the second user equipment during the reverse link portion.
US09112679B2
A system obtains assurance by a content provider that a content control key is securely stored in a remote security module for further secure communications between the content provider and the security module. A security module manufacturer, which has a pre-established trustful relation with the security module, imports a symmetric transport key into the security module. The symmetric transport key is unique to the security module. The content provider shares the symmetric transport key with the security module manufacturer. The content provider exchanging messages with the security module through a security module communication manager in order to get the proof that the security module stores the content control key. At least a portion of the messages exchanged between the content provider and the security module are protected using the symmetric transport key. The symmetric transport key is independent of said content control key.
US09112671B2
A novel digital eye width monitor (DEWM) system and method are disclosed. The DEWM system provides on-die capability to directly measure the left and right eye-width in picoseconds. The DEWM system measures the time from the phase interpolator (PI) clock position (data eye center, left edge, right edge) to a reference clock, and calculates the left and right eye width within a single-digit pico-second level of accuracy.
US09112670B2
A dynamic resource allocating apparatus of a first base station managing a first cell in a cellular communication system calculates an interference metric of each user terminal received by each user terminal from a plurality of neighboring cells, calculates a coupling factor between the first base station and each neighboring base station of each neighboring cell by using the interference metric and a load of each user terminal, calculates available cell boundary resources of neighboring cells by using the coupling factor with respect to each neighboring base station, and allocates resources by using the cell boundary resources allocated to the first cell and the available cell boundary resources of the neighboring cells.
US09112669B2
Embodiments of a system and method for managing feedback in a MU-MIMO system. An access point can announce one or more of mobile stations that are to receive downlink information in a first frame. The access point can also send a sounding package to the one or more mobile stations and receive feedback from the one or more mobile stations according to the feedback schedule. The feedback may be based on the reception of the sounding package.
US09112666B2
A method for adjusting a data parallel region of a stream processing application includes measuring congestion of each parallel channel of the data parallel region, measuring a total throughput of all the parallel channels, and adjusting the number of parallel channels based on the current measured congestion and throughput.
US09112664B2
A system for and method of dynamic home agent allocation is presented. The system and method may include receiving, via a network, a request for allocation of a Logical Home Agent for a mobile node, selecting a Logical Home Agent for the mobile node based on one or more performance metrics, and communicating Logical Home Agent selection to the selected Logical Home Agent and the mobile node.
US09112663B2
To efficiently control channel quality indicators CQIs in response to a plurality of downlink component frequency bands in a wireless communication system using a plurality of component frequency bands, and enable a mobile station apparatus to suitably transmit signals including the channel quality indicators CQIs, the mobile station apparatus is provided with an uplink control data generation part 407 that generates a channel quality indicator in response to each of the downlink component frequency bands, an uplink control channel selection part 409 that selects a particular radio resource when a plurality of radio resources, which are beforehand allocated from the base station apparatus to transmit the channel quality indicator for each of the downlink component frequency bands, occurs in the same time frame, and a transmission processing part 405 that arranges the channel quality indicator generated in the uplink control data generation part 407 in the radio resource selected in the uplink control channel selection part 409 to transmit to the base station apparatus.
US09112659B2
Methods of a slot-level remapping physical uplink control channels into two resource blocks respectively located at two slots of a subframe, are generally adapted to a 3GPP LTE physical uplink where ACK/NAK resource blocks may be applied by the extended cyclic prefix, adapted to a complex 3GPP LTE physical uplink where mixed resource blocks (where the ACK/NAK and CQI channels coexist) may be applied by the normal cyclic prefix, and adapted to a complex 3GPP LTE physical uplink where mixed resource blocks (where the ACK/NAK and CQI channels coexist) may be applied by the extended cyclic prefix.
US09112655B1
Integrated circuits with high-speed communications capabilities are provided. Such types of integrated circuits may include clock data recovery (CDR) circuitry. The CDR circuitry may receive incoming data and may generate multiple clock signals that are used to latch the incoming data. The CDR circuitry may include data latching circuitry for separately latching even and odd data bits in alternating clock cycles. In particular, the data latching circuitry may be controlled using first, second, third, and fourth clock signals having different respective phase settings. The first and second clock signals may be used to capture even and odd data bits, respectively. The third and fourth clock signals may be used to sample data near the transition between the even and odd data bits. The phase of the first and second clock signals may be dynamically adjusted. The phase setting that yields the optimal link performance may be selected for normal operation.
US09112652B2
A locking detection circuit for CDR circuits includes a first frequency divider, a second frequency divider, a first sampler, a second sampler, and a locking detector, with a data signal outputted by a CDR circuit being inputted to the first frequency divider and the first sampler respectively, the first frequency divider being connected with the first sampler, a clock pulse outputted by the CDR circuit being inputted to the second frequency divider and the second sampler respectively, output terminals of the first and second samplers being connected with the locking detector which is for detecting if rising edges of the data signal outputted and the clock pulse outputted are aligned, and then outputting a detection result. The circuit size and power consumption is reduced, and it is applicable to spread spectrum carrier with high data rate over 1 Gbps and with any protocol, whose application scope is broadened.
US09112651B2
A scheduling apparatus and a scheduling method, wherein the amount of signaling for frequency resource allocation information can be reduced while maintaining system throughput performance. In a base station apparatus (100), a scheduling section (113) allocates frequency resources to frequency allocation target terminals based on set frequency allocation units, and a frequency allocation parameter setting section (112) adjusts the set frequency allocation units set in the scheduling section (113) based on cluster numbers. Due to this, in each cluster number, frequency resources can be allocated based on the most suitable frequency allocation units with respect to the signaling bit number. As a result, the amount of signaling for frequency resource allocation information can be reduced. Further, system throughput can be maintained by making the cluster number, which is a parameter having little effect on system throughput, a setting parameter for frequency allocation units.
US09112641B2
The present invention relates to a transmission device that enables transmission and reception of connected transmission channels in a 13-segment format and a transmission method of the transmission device, and to a reception device.The transmission device transmits connected transmission information indicating that connected transmission of a plurality of transmission channels is being performed, the connected transmission information including a field that specifies the modulation method type of each of three or more layers of layered transmission that can be performed on at least one of the transmission channels in the three or more layers.The reception device receives the connected transmission information transmitted by the transmission device. The present invention can be applied to transmission devices that transmit terrestrial digital broadcast signals, for example.
US09112636B2
An apparatus for an optical communications network comprising a demultiplexer, a plurality of add/drop optical switches for adding and dropping wavelength channels. The add/drop optical switches arranged in a matrix with a number of rows corresponding to a number of output ports of the demultiplexer and a number of columns corresponding to a number of transponders. Each drop optical switch has an express input port associated with an output port of the demultiplexer, a drop output port associated with an individual transponder, and an express output port. Each add optical switch has an express input port, an add input port associated with an individual transponder, and an express output port. The apparatus also comprises a multiplexer with a plurality of input ports associated with express output ports of the add/drop optical switches.
US09112621B1
A service-ability system determines a probability of a proper installation of satellite broadcast reception equipment at a given location. A method for determining service-ability comprises accessing data related to a given location via a computer, assigning a weight and a value to each accessed data point with the computer, compiling the values of each accessed data point, and comparing the compiled values to a predetermined probability threshold.
US09112613B2
Passive optical network reach extender based on wavelength tunable optical module and method thereof
Provided are a passive optical network reach extender based on a wavelength tunable optical module and a method thereof. According to an embodiment of the invention, a passive optical network reach extender includes a first optical splitter configured to receive an optical signal from an optical line terminal and split the signal into optical signals having a multiplexed wavelength, a wavelength tunable remote relay configured to receive the optical signals split from the first optical splitter, and select and control an available wavelength for each port, a wavelength multiplexer configured to multiplex a wavelength of the optical signal output from the wavelength tunable remote relay, and a second optical splitter configured to split the optical signal multiplexed by the wavelength multiplexer into a plurality of optical network units.
US09112612B2
A relay device that relays communication between a low-speed communication device performing uplink 1 G transfer and a high-speed communication device performing uplink 10 G transfer and a station-side optical communication device, wherein the relay device includes a low-speed reception unit that converts an optical signal received from the low-speed communication device to an electric signal, a buffer that buffers the electric signal, and a high-speed transmission unit that transmits, to the station-side optical communication device, a bandwidth allocation request requesting bandwidth allocation for communication from its own unit to the station-side optical communication device, and within a transmission permitted time period allocated by the station-side optical communication device, reads an electric signal stored in the buffer, converts the electric signal to an optical signal having a communication speed of 10 G, and transmits the optical signal.
US09112609B2
Methods and systems for mitigating effects of polarization dependent loss (PDL) in an optical network transmitting a multi-carrier optical signal comprising a plurality of subcarriers may involve assigning and modifying a state of polarization to each subcarrier prior to transmission. An assigned state of polarization for each subcarrier may be modified for the subcarrier in the digital domain and/or the optical domain. Various specific assignment methods may be used, including individual subcarrier assignment, subcarrier set assignment, arbitrary subcarrier group assignment, random assignment, and/or combinations thereof. The assigned states of polarization may be selected based on a resulting minimum PDL-induced peak-to-peak power variation over a sum of the subcarriers for all orientations of a principal axis of PDL.
US09112603B2
An apparatus and method for measuring a delay. The apparatus for measuring a delay includes an overhead inserting unit configured to inserting a time stamp into an overhead of a multiframe to be transmitted from a first location to a second location; an overhead extracting unit configured to extract a time stamp from an overhead of a multiframe received from the second location, the time stamp including bypass delay information of the second location; and a delay measuring unit configured to measure a round trip delay between the first location and the second location using the inserted time stamp and the extracted time stamp and adjust the measured round trip delay using the extracted bypass delay information.
US09112602B2
Automatically determining a link speed between link partners using a multispeed fiber module. An embodiment solves the problem of how to determine the highest common link speed between short range (SR)/long range (LR) fiber link partners when at least one of the link partners is using a multispeed fiber module. In an embodiment, a multispeed fiber module comprises a module that is capable of both 10 gigabit (GB) per second Ethernet and 1 GB per second Ethernet or lesser data transfer speeds over a fiber optical link. In an embodiment, the method comprises trying each link speed in a known succession, from highest supported speed to lowest supported speed. In an embodiment, an initiator link partner “blinks” a transmit laser, which alerts the link partners that a link speed determination session is being initiated. By automatically determining link speed, the user is relieved of the necessity to manually configure the link speed.
US09112596B2
Embodiments provide methods, apparatus and computer software for use in calibrating a transmitter in operative association with a variable supply voltage. A phase distortion of the power amplifier is determined for a given instantaneous power. On the basis of the determined phase distortion for the power amplifier at the given instantaneous power, the transmitter is calibrated. Examples of transmitters in respect of which embodiments may be practiced include envelope tracking transmitters, envelope elimination and restoration transmitters, and polar transmitters.
US09112594B2
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, detecting an interferer having a periodic time of recurrence and a periodic spectral frequency range, identifying a spectral segment of a plurality of spectral segments of a wideband radio system having a time of occurrence and an operating frequency range that overlaps with the periodic time of recurrence and the periodic spectral frequency range of the interferer, identifying a communication device utilizing the spectral segment for transmitting data in accordance with a segment schedule assigned to the communication device, and generating an updated segment schedule by modifying the segment schedule of the communication device to avoid utilizing an affected portion of the spectral segment during the periodic time of recurrence and the periodic spectral frequency range of the interferer. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09112588B2
A transceiver, a method of providing multiple-band virtual concurrent wireless communication and a wireless device incorporating the transceiver or the method. In one embodiment, the transceiver includes: (1) first transmit and receive intermediate frequency (IF) strips, (2) second transmit and receive IF strips, (3) first and second local oscillators (LOs) and (4) switches operable to multiplex clock signals from the first and second local oscillators to cause the transceiver to operate in a selectable one of: (4a) a unified, multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) mode in which the first and second transmit and receive IF strips are driven to transmit and receive in a first band and (4b) a concurrent multiple-band connection mode in which the first transmit and receive IF strips are driven in the first band and the second transmit and receive IF strips are concurrently driven in a second band.
US09112586B2
A radio circuit includes an adjustable RF front-end module on an IC die, a liquid MEMS component on a board, and a processing module on the IC die. The adjustable RF front-end module adjusts processing of an inbound or an outbound RF signal based on a compensation control signal. The liquid MEMS component changes an operational characteristic as temperature of the radio circuit varies. The processing module generates the compensation signal based on the changing of the operational characteristic of the liquid MEMS component. The liquid MEMS component includes a channel within the board, a liquid droplet contained within the channel, and one or more conductive elements proximal to the channel.
US09112584B2
A case for a wireless tablet computer device includes a number of RF resonant loop elements and elongated RF director coupling strip elements mounted in the case and configured such that RF radiation is coupled from an internal antenna of the wireless device out of the device to the RF resonant and coupling elements. The case incorporates a cut-out section in a location leaving exposed a strip that covers an area proximate the internal antenna. The RF resonant loops and director coupling strip elements alternatively may be incorporated with the wireless tablet computer device itself.
US09112574B2
A relaying device includes a wireless apparatus interface, a signal processing unit connected to the wireless apparatus interface, a network interface, and a packet processing unit connected to the network interface. The relaying device is provided with multiple communication paths including the wireless apparatus interface, the signal processing unit, and the packet processing unit, and each communication path has a mixing unit configured to additively synthesize an uplink audio signal and a downlink audio signal of other communication path to the uplink audio signal and input the synthesized signal to the packet processing unit, and configured to additively synthesize an uplink audio signal and a downlink audio signal of other communication path to the downlink audio signal and input the synthesized signal to the signal processing unit.
US09112568B2
A transmission device transmits by performing SISO using a first polarization and by performing MISO and MIMO using the first (V) polarization and a second (H) polarization. For SISO communication, transmission is performed using an antenna having the first (V) polarization. For MISO and MIMO communication, transmission is performed using the antenna having the first (V) polarization and an antenna having the second (H) polarization. Accordingly, a reception device equipped only with a system for the antenna having the first (V) polarization is able to continue receiving the transmit data by SISO.
US09112555B2
Techniques are presented herein to achieve reduced array gain associated with a transmission made from multiple antennas of a wireless communication device. In accordance with one technique, a wireless communication device is provided having a plurality of transmitters each configured to transmit via a corresponding one of a plurality of antennas. Subcarriers of at least one transmit signal to be weighted across the plurality of transmitters are allocated power so that for each subcarrier, only one transmitter is allocated a maximum power.
US09112551B2
A node in a wireless communication system comprising an antenna array with at least a first antenna function and a second antenna function. The node further comprises a first radio chain and a second radio chain, where each antenna function is connected to a base band via a corresponding radio chain. Each radio chain comprises an oscillator, a splitter and a multiplexer, each oscillator being arranged to feed a signal with a unique frequency band to the splitter in the same radio chain. The splitter is arranged to divide the signal into at least two signal parts and feed each part to the multiplexer of each radio chain such that each multiplexer in the node receives signal parts from each splitter in the node. The splitter is arranged to weight the division of the signal into the signal parts in dependence of the frequency bands fed by each oscillator.
US09112550B1
Transmission line driver systems are described which are comprised of multiple paralleled driver elements. The paralleled structure allows efficient generation of multiple output signal levels with adjustable output amplitude, optionally including Finite Impulse Response signal shaping and skew pre-compensation.
US09112546B2
A process for performing Near Field Communication (NFC) between a first NFC device and a second NFC device is provided. The first NFC device includes an NFC transceiver and an FM receiver which are both integrated into the same chip. The provided process involves initializing the first NFC device to perform a device detection polling loop for detecting a second NFC device. The device detection polling loop has activity detection periods, which occur periodically. The first NFC transceiver may then perform a slicing procedure, which slices the activity detection periods into small time slots. Each time slot has a duration smaller than a predetermined value so as to reduce the noise generated by harmonics of the NFC operation frequency which might be audible to the user.
US09112545B2
The invention is a resonant-circuit structure for enhancing the interrogation range of a radio-frequency identification system. The resonant circuit structure consists of a coil assembly and a capacitor connected in parallel with a resonance frequency equal to the frequency of the interrogating signal of the radio-frequency identification system with which the resonant circuit structure is to operate. The coil assembly and the capacitor are embedded in a structure which provides physical support for the coil assembly and the capacitor and access to a region near the coil assembly.
US09112533B2
The embodiments of the present invention provide an encoding and decoding method and device. The encoding method includes: equally dividing input K-bit information into n blocks, where k1, k2, . . . , and kn are used to represent each block of information; combining a kith block of information with n−1 encoded code words Vi−1, Vi−2, . . . , and Vi−n+1 of ki−1th, ki−2th, . . . , and ki−n+1th blocks, to obtain a code word to be encoded, where when a sequence number of an encoded code word is smaller than or equal to 0, the encoded code word is history information; performing, by using an LDPC check matrix, encoding on the code word to be encoded, where a generated check bit and the kith block of information form an encoded code word Vi; and outputting encoded code words V1, V2, . . . , and Vn. The embodiments of the present invention are applied in encoding and decoding.
US09112529B1
In one embodiment, a device is provided. The device includes a first formatting circuit configured to add zero padding bits to a received data block. An FEC encoder circuit is coupled to the first formatting circuit and is configured to determine parity bits for the data block at a first code rate. A second formatting circuit is coupled to the FEC encoder circuit and is configured to combine the parity bits with the data block and remove the zero padding bits to provide an FEC coded data block at a second code rate. The second code rate is less than the first code rate.
US09112526B2
Video coding systems or apparatus utilizing context-based adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC) during encoding and/or decoding, are configured according to the invention with an enhanced binarization of non-zero Delta-QP (dQP). During binarization the value of dQP and the sign are separately encoded using unary coding and then combined into a binary string which also contains the dQP non-zero flag. This invention capitalizes on the statistical symmetry of positive and negative values of dQP and results in saving bits and thus a higher coding efficiency.
US09112522B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an analog to digital converter, comprising a comparator for comparing an analog input signal and an analog feedback signal output from a digital to analog converter to generate a digital direct output signal, a summer, coupled to the comparator, for summing the digital output signal with a digital feedback signal to generate a summed signal, a first integrator, coupled to the summer, for integrating the summed signal to generate a direct output signal and a second integrator, coupled to the first integrator and to the summer, for integrating the direct output signal to generate the digital feedback signal as a quadrature output signal.
US09112518B2
A heater substrate for heating an alkali metal cell including an alkali metal includes a first heater wiring formed in a region surrounding an alkali metal encapsulating part in which the alkali metal is encapsulated; a second heater wiring formed in the region surrounding the alkali metal encapsulating part and inside the first heater wiring; and a third heater wiring formed outside the first heater wiring. A first electric current flowing in the first heater wiring is divided into a second electric current flowing in the second heater wiring and a third electric current flowing in the third heater wiring. A direction of the first electric current is opposite to a direction of the second electric current and a direction of the third electric current.
US09112510B2
A reference voltage generation circuit has: a first PN junction element; a second PN junction element having a higher forward direction voltage than the first PN junction element; a first differential amplifier inputting an anode of the first PN junction element and a first connection node between a first and a second resistor disposed in series between a first output of the first differential amplifier and a first potential, and generating a first output voltage at the first output; and a second differential amplifier inputting an anode of the second PN junction element and a second connection node between a fourth and a third resistor disposed in series between a second output of the second differential amplifier and the first output of the first differential amplifier, and generating a reference voltage at the second output. A resistance ratio between the third and the fourth resistors is variable.
US09112502B2
A voltage controlled switching element gate drive circuit makes it possible to suppress an occurrence of a malfunction, while suppressing surge voltage, surge current, and switching noise, when switching in a voltage controlled switching element. A gate drive circuit that supplies a gate voltage to the gate of a voltage controlled switching element, thus driving the voltage controlled switching element, includes a high potential side switching element and low potential side switching element connected in series, first variable resistors interposed between at least the high potential side switching element and a high potential power supply or the low potential side switching element and a low potential power supply, and a control circuit that adjusts the resistance values of the first variable resistors.
US09112490B1
Embodiments of the invention describe a Boolean circuit having a voter circuit and a plurality of approximate circuits each based, at least in part, on a reference circuit. The approximate circuits are each to generate one or more output signals based on values of received input signals. The voter circuit is to receive the one or more output signals generated by each of the approximate circuits, and is to output one or more signals corresponding to a majority value of the received signals. At least some of the approximate circuits are to generate an output value different than the reference circuit for one or more input signal values; however, for each possible input signal value, the majority values of the one or more output signals generated by the approximate circuits and received by the voter circuit correspond to output signal result values of the reference circuit.
US09112489B2
A sequential logic circuit comprising a first latch component comprising a data input arranged to receive an input signal, a data output arranged to output a current logical state of the first latch component and a clock input arranged to receive a clock signal; the first latch component being arranged to comprise a transparent state upon the clock signal received thereby comprising a first logical state, and to comprise a latched state upon the clock signal received thereby comprising a second logical state, and a second latch component comprising a data input arranged to receive an input signal, a data output operably coupled to an output of the sequential logic circuit and arranged to output a current state of the second latch component and a clock input arranged to receive a clock signal; the second latch component being arranged to comprise a transparent state upon the clock signal received thereby comprising a second logical state, and to comprise a latched state upon the clock signal received thereby comprising a first logical state. The sequential logic circuit is arranged to operate in at least a first operating mode in which the data input of the first latch component and the data input of the second latch component are operably coupled to a first input of the sequential logic circuit, and in which the clock signals provided to the first and second latch components are such that a transition of the second latch component from a transparent state to a latched state is delayed relative to a corresponding transition of the first latch component from a transparent state to a latched state for a time period for receiving late data.
US09112487B2
Various circuit techniques for implementing ultra high speed circuits use current-controlled CMOS (C3MOS) logic fabricated in conventional CMOS process technology. An entire family of logic elements including inverter/buffers, level shifters, NAND, NOR, XOR gates, latches, flip-flops and the like are implemented using C3MOS techniques. Optimum balance between power consumption and speed for each circuit application is achieve by combining high speed C3MOS logic with low power conventional CMOS logic. The combined C3MOS/CMOS logic allows greater integration of circuits such as high speed transceivers used in fiber optic communication systems.
US09112486B2
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed towards apparatus useful for processing communications between different signaling voltage levels. Different signaling voltage levels are accomplished by creating true and complement signals from at least one input signal, each of which are subject to different delays, and level shifting the true and complement signals to a new signaling voltage level. The true or complement signal subject to a smaller timing delay is selected, and used to provide an output signal.
US09112485B2
A comparator is provided having a voltage generator, having an output terminal for providing a reference voltage. The comparator also has a buffer unit, providing an output signal according to a first input signal and the reference voltage; wherein the voltage generator provides the reference voltage according to a second input signal, and the output signal represents a compare result of the first and second input signals.
US09112483B1
A frequency synthesizing circuit comprising a first mixer configured to receive a first input signal, a first filter configured to receive an output of the first mixer and to remove undesired frequency signals from the output signal of the first mixer, and a feedback loop configured to provide an output of the first filter to an input of the first mixer. The feedback loop comprises a second mixer arranged within the feedback loop configured to receive the output of the first filter and to mix the output of the first filter with a second input signal.
US09112475B2
An EBG (Electromagnetic Band Gap) structure according to an embodiment includes: an electrode that is made of a first conductor; a first insulating layer that is provided on the electrode; a patch unit that is provided in substantially parallel with the electrode on the first insulating layer, the patch unit including a first gap, the patch unit being made of a second conductor; a second insulating layer that is provided on the patch unit; a first via that is provided between the patch unit in the first insulating layer and the electrode and connected to the patch unit and the electrode; and a second via that is provided in the first and second insulating layers, the second via piercing the first gap and being connected to the electrode.
US09112473B2
A branching circuit includes a transmission filter and a reception filter. The transmission filter is connected between a transmission signal input terminal and an antenna connection terminal. The reception filter is connected between the antenna connection terminal and a reception signal output terminal in series together with a first phase shift circuit and a second phase shift circuit. A first amplitude adjustment circuit and a second amplitude adjustment circuit are connected in series between the antenna connection terminal and the reception signal output terminal. A junction point between the first amplitude adjustment circuit and the second amplitude adjustment circuit is connected to a junction point between the first phase shift circuit and the second phase shift circuit. The first and second phase shift circuits adjust the phase of a transmission signal that leaks to the reception side and that is to be canceled out. The first and second amplitude adjustment circuits adjust the amplitude of the transmission signal that is to be canceled out.
US09112470B2
To keep communication even if a distance between transmission devices is farther and a transmission distance therebetween is longer.A transmission device for alternately performing transmission and reception to/from a communication destination transmission device transmits transmit data to the communication destination transmission device. It receives return data transmitted by the communication destination transmission device after the transmit data reaches the communication destination transmission device. A predetermined period of time is assumed as one time unit, one transmission of transmit data and one reception of return data are tried within the one time unit, and when it is determined that one transmission of transmit data and one reception of return data do not fall within the one time unit, the transmission device is controlled such that N number of transmit data are continuously transmitted and then N number of return data are continuously received within N (N is an integer of two or more) time units.
US09112469B2
A volume control device and a method thereof are provided. The volume control device adapted to a mobile electronic device comprises a signal generating unit generating a plus pulse signal and a minus pulse signal according to user's rotation operation, a detection unit detecting a connecting state between the volume control device and an earphone to generate a detection signal, and a control unit selecting one of a first volume modulation mode and a second volume modulation mode according to the detection signal. Under the first volume modulation mode, the control unit generates a first control signal according to the plus pulse signal or the minus pulse signal. Under the second volume modulation mode, the control unit generates a second control signal according to the plus pulse signal or the minus pulse signal. The mobile electronic device controls volume according to the first or second control signal.
US09112466B1
A system and method for controlling the volume output of speakers comprising outputting a varying volume control signal in response to movement of a volume control element. In response to the volume control signal, increasing a volume level of a speaker in a linear correlation with the movement of the volume control element as the volume control element is moved between a first position and a second position. In response to the volume control element moving beyond the second position, increasing the volume level of the speaker to increase asymptotically as the volume control element is moved beyond the second position. Additionally, a visual indicator, such as LED lights, provides an interesting and informative display as the volume level is changed.
US09112464B2
A method and device for normalizing the power of an electrical signal, referred to as an original sound signal S1. The method detects the envelope of the original sound signal S1 and compares the power value of the envelope signal S2 with a threshold value K1. The gain signal S3 is calculated in accordance with the comparison and smoothed to obtain a smoothed gain signal S4. The original sound signal S1 is delayed by a delay T. The smoothed gain signal S4 is applied to the delayed original sound signal S1 to obtain a normalized sound signal S5. The method is suitable for a source including a plurality of channels.
US09112460B2
A level shifter converting a binary signal having a first potential and a second potential into a signal having the first potential and a third potential, and a signal processing circuit using the level shifter are provided. The first potential is higher than the second potential. The second potential is higher than the third potential. The potential difference between the first potential and the third potential may be more than or equal to 3 V and less than 4 V. The level shifter includes a current control circuit which generates a second signal for operating an amplifier circuit for a certain period in accordance with the potential change of the first signal which is input to the amplifier circuit. The output of level shifter is input to a gate of an N-channel transistor whose threshold voltage is lower than 0 V.
US09112457B1
A non-linear digital filtering process is provided whereby slew rate limitation-like phenomena in analog circuitry are compensated. Particularly, a reduction of the signal amplitude with respect to the theoretical size of the signal if linearity had held is avoided. A correct phase is re-established. Customized linear filtering, up-sampling, and down-sampling before and after the non-linear digital processing minimizes the creation of harmonics. The inventive system and method for non-linear processing has few parameters and it is not limited to a polynomial series. A dedicated calibration method is also provided to adapt the value of the parameter for a precise compensation of the right amount of slew rate limitation or other similar compression. Furthermore, a calibration method is shown to adjust existing DSP filtering to accomplish a precise desired filtering even when non-linear corrections may be arbitrarily large.
US09112447B2
A nano power cell and method of use are described wherein the nano power cell absorbs electromagnetic energy is nano particles in an optical fluid that flow in microchannels of the nano power cell.
US09112443B2
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a current driver for controlling a current source controlled by an alternating current (AC) signal, including: a current sensor configured to measure an output current from the current source; a threshold detector configured to detect when the measured current is below a threshold value; and a controller configured to control the current source using a duty cycle of the AC signal when the measured current is below the threshold.
US09112439B2
A method and a circuit arrangement are provided in which a mechanical load applied to the motor shaft or a load angle of the motor can be detected without sensors in a stepper motor. This is achieved substantially based on the fact that the load or the load angle creates a mutually induced voltage (back EMF) in the motor coils and the load or the load angle is detected by determining the phase shift of the motor voltage at at least one of the motor coil relative to the coil current at said motor coil connection, the phase shift being caused by the mutually induced voltage. A method and a circuit arrangement are also provided wherein the motor current of a stepper motor can be controlled according to load angle in such a way that the current consumption of the motor is relatively low.
US09112436B2
In a system for controlling a controlled variable of a rotary machine having plural-phase input terminals of the rotary machine in which plural-phase AC power is applied from an AC power applying module to the input terminals, a command-voltage setting module sets, based on a request value for the controlled variable, plural-phase AC command voltages for the plural-phase AC power as a feedforward manipulated variable. A current obtaining module obtains plural-phase AC currents flowing in the respective plural-phase input terminals of the rotary machine. An amplitude correcting module corrects the amplitude of at least one of the plural-phase AC command voltages based on the magnitudes of the plural-phase AC currents.
US09112433B2
A power generation unit includes a deforming member adapted to deform while switching a deformation direction, a piezoelectric device provided to the deforming member, a displacement detection section adapted to detect that the deforming member is displaced beyond a predetermined level, an inductor electrically connected to the piezoelectric device, a switch disposed between the piezoelectric device and the inductor, and a control section adapted to set the piezoelectric device and the inductor to an electrically conductive state via the switch if the displacement detection section detects that the deforming member is displaced beyond the predetermined level.
US09112430B2
The systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments provide a power converter that modulates the voltage to follow the envelope of the phase output such that the current may pass through to the line. The systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments may provide a two phase power converter that modulates the voltage to follow the envelope of the two phase output. The systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments may provide a three phase power converter that modulates the intermediate voltage to follow the envelope of the three phase output such that the current may pass through to the line without requiring intermediate storage.
US09112426B2
A switch mode power supply (SMPS) system includes a rectifying circuit for coupling to an AC input voltage and a transformer having a primary winding for coupling to the rectifying circuit and a secondary winding coupled to the primary winding. The system also has a power switch coupled to the primary winding and a control circuit coupled to the power switch. The control circuit is configured to control current flow in the primary winding such that an envelop waveform formed by peak points of current pulses are in phase with the magnitude of the AC input voltage. Moreover, the SMPS system is configured to provide a constant average output current.
US09112424B2
There is provided a phase shift full bridge (PSFB) type power supply device controlling a switching on time of lagging leg switches according to a load state. The power supply device includes a power supply unit supplying preset DC power by switching input power using a full bridge by a phase shift method; and a control unit controlling a switching time of a switch of the full bridge according to a load state in which the DC power is received from the power supply unit.
US09112420B2
A current regulation apparatus is provided. The current regulation apparatus includes a trans unit, a first switching unit, a voltage detection unit, a voltage comparison unit, and a control unit. The trans unit includes an auxiliary winding unit. The first switching unit controls an operation of the trans unit. The voltage detection unit detects a voltage induced to the auxiliary winding unit. The voltage comparison unit compares a voltage detected by the voltage detection and a reference voltage. The control unit adjusts a turn-on section of the first switching unit according to an output voltage of the voltage comparison unit.
US09112419B2
A first rectified voltage obtained by rectifying an AC voltage is input to an input detection terminal of a control circuit. A first NMOS transistor configured as a depletion-type high-voltage element, and its drain is connected to the input detection terminal, and its gate is connected to its source. An AC voltage detection circuit detects the amplitude of the AC voltage based on a current that flows through the first NMOS transistor.
US09112409B2
A switched mode assisted linear regulator includes a linear amplifier (LA) and a buck converter configured as a current source. In example embodiments, the buck converter circuit includes a power switch M1 with an M1 body diode (tub), and includes buck turn-off circuitry configured to avoid negative inductor current by controlled switching of the tub to the higher of VIN and a second voltage. For DC-coupled configurations, boost functionality is provided by an LA boost supply, and the tub is switched to the boost supply. For AC-coupled configurations, boost functionality can be provided without boosting the LA supply rail by constraining signal peak-to-peak amplitude to be less than the LA supply voltage (maintaining a DC-average voltage on the AC-coupling capacitor), and the tub is switched to the higher of VIN and VOUT. The buck turn-off circuitry can include zero crossing detection to control M1 tub switches.
US09112408B2
A circuit arrangement for providing an output voltage and/or an output current from an input voltage Vin, comprising: a first switching converter (10) having a storage element (120) and a first switching element (110), adapted to charge the storage element (120) from the input voltage Vin up to a threshold voltage and a second switching converter (20) having a second switching element (210) adapted to start with the threshold voltage at the storage element (120) and to provide the output voltage Vout and/or the output current Iout from the input voltage Vin, wherein the first switching element (110) has a minimum driving voltage, at and above which the first switching element (110) can perform switching operations, the second switching element (210) has a minimum driving voltage, at and above which the second switching element (210) can perform switching operations, and wherein the minimum driving voltage of the first switching element is smaller than the minimum driving voltage of the second switching element.
US09112405B2
A voltage converter comprises a step-down converter circuit (DCDC) with an inductive accumulator (LSW) and a first capacitive accumulator (CDC) and a charge pump circuit (CP) with at least one second capacitive accumulator (CFLY, CFLY1,CFLY2). The step-down converter circuit (DCDC) which can be fed a supply voltage (VBAT) on the input side is designed to charge the first capacitive accumulator (CDC) to a first intermediate voltage in switched mode. The charge pump circuit (CP) is designed to charge the at least one second capacitive accumulator (CFLY, CFLY1,CFLY2) to a second intermediate voltage using the supply voltage (VBAT) and to generate an output voltage from the first and second intermediate voltages.
US09112403B2
A method for regulating a clocked buck/boost converter, wherein a buck converter switching element is driven at a common clock frequency with a first pulse-width-modulated switching signal and a boost converter switching element is driven with a second pulse-width-modulated switching signal to convert an input voltage into a regulated output voltage, and a regulator signal from an output voltage regulator is used to generate the first and second pulse width modulated switching signals such that the buck converter is operated in a discontinuous mode with quasi-resonant switching, where the inductor current or the current through the buck converter switching element is detected and compared with a reference current, where the regulator signal is amplified to the extent that the reference current is reached, in terms of time, before a turn-off pulse of the first pulse-width-modulated switching signal, and where the second pulse-width-modulated switching signal is generated using the amplified regulator signal.
US09112399B2
A motor includes an armature, a yoke, and an end bracket. The yoke has a bottom and an open end and accommodates the armature. The end bracket substantially closes the open end of the yoke. A connector portion, which bulges outward of the yoke, and a cutout portion are formed in the circumferential wall of the end bracket. A pair of feed members is provided to extend from the interior of the end bracket to the connector portion through the cutout portion. Each feed member has a plurality of connection portions. Each of a pair of terminals of each of a plurality of noise suppression elements is connected to each connection portion. The connection portions are formed in the feed member and arranged in the radial direction.
US09112398B2
Downhole motors include a stator, which may be formed from a steel material and comprise a bore. At least one surface of the stator may be treated with a surface treatment. The surface treatment includes a nitrided region comprising nitrogen diffused into the steel material and a ceramic material adjacent to the nitrided region; the ceramic material defining an interior surface of the stator defining the bore. Methods of making downhole motors may include exposing a stator to an elevated temperature to heat the stator in a nitrogen-rich environment. Nitrogen may be diffused into a steel material of the stator and a nitrided region may be formed at one or more surfaces of the stator. The stator may be cooled. The stator may be removed from the nitrogen-rich environment. A ceramic material may be coated on the nitrided region of the stator.
US09112395B2
Various electric motor systems are provided to minimize irradiation of harmful (or first) electromagnetic waves. More particularly, an electric motor system is provided with one or more counter units which minimize irradiation of such harmful (or first) waves by suppressing such waves to (or toward) their sources and/or by emitting counter (or second) electromagnetic waves capable of canceling a desired portion of the harmful (or first) waves. Such counter units may then be incorporated into various locations for opposing magnetic poles of basic rotor units and/or basic stator units of the system. Various methods are also provided to minimize irradiation of such harmful (or first) waves by suppressing the harmful (or first) waves toward their sources and/or by canceling such harmful (or first) waves with the counter (or second) waves.
US09112394B2
A cooling system for a brushed electrical machine includes a cooler configured to cool down a rotor and a commutator of the machine. There is a controller configured to adjust the cooling effect of the cooler in response to monitored rotor and commutator temperatures. The cooler includes a fan and an auxiliary motor configured to rotate the fan.
US09112383B2
A method to add locally generated real and reactive power to a power distribution grid including: generating or storing direct current (DC) power by distributed power source; converting the DC power to an alternating current (AC) power; calculating or measuring a power factor of the AC power provided from the distribution grid; determining a power factor for the conversion of DC power to AC power based on the power factor for the AC from the distribution grid, and the conversion of the DC power to the AC power sets the power factor for the AC power to conform to the determined power factor.
US09112375B2
A power supply system includes a flywheel system electrically coupled to a DC bus for supplying electrical power between a power grid and a load. The flywheel system includes a flywheel coupled to rotate with a rotor of a motor/generator. A battery system is electrically coupled to the DC bus concurrently with the flywheel system.
US09112372B2
A power consumption reduction method controls a rechargeable battery to enter a sleep mode after the electronic system is shutdown with the output current of the rechargeable battery falling under a first current value or the rechargeable battery is in a non-communication status for over a first delay time. When in the sleep mode, a control unit further controls the rechargeable battery to enter a power saving mode when the output voltage of the rechargeable battery falls under a predefined voltage or the RSOC of the rechargeable battery is lower than a percentage of FCC, and the output current of the rechargeable battery falls under a second current value or the rechargeable battery is in the non-communication status for over a second delay time. The method shuts down all power-consuming circuits and components under long-time idling of the battery, capable of preventing overly discharging and malfunction of the rechargeable battery.
US09112360B2
A power supply device includes battery interfaces configured to removably receive at least three batteries and a connection circuit configured to electrically connect the at least three batteries to each other. The connection circuit is capable of connecting at least two batteries in parallel and connecting at least one other battery to the at least two parallel-connected batteries in series. According to this power supply device, it is possible to supply high power to an electric device by connecting the batteries in series. In addition, it is possible to supply almost all of the electric power stored in the batteries to the electric device, even if amount of the remaining electric power in each battery is substantially uneven.
US09112359B2
A system for charging at least one energy reservoir cell in a controllable energy reservoir which serves to control and supply electrical energy to an n-phase electrical machine where n≧1. The controllable energy reservoir has n parallel energy supply branches that each have at least two energy reservoir modules, connected in series, that each encompass at least one electrical energy reservoir cell having an associated controllable coupling unit, and are connected to a reference bus and to a respective phase of the electrical machine. As a function of control signals, the coupling units interrupt the respective energy supply branch, bypass the respectively associated energy reservoir cells, or switch the respectively associated energy reservoir cells into the respective energy supply branch.
US09112358B2
A power supply device includes a battery, a charging part charging the battery, a power input to receive adapter power from an adapter supplied with external power or power output from a similarly configured power supply device, a power output part to output the adapter power, the power output of a similarly configured power supply device, or the battery power of the battery, and a controller to control the input power to apply power to the charging part and the power output part when the input power is supplied to the power input part, and to control the battery to apply power to the power output part when the input power is not supplied to the power input part. Thus, the power supply device is capable of applying power from an adapter to a portable electronic device while charging an internal battery with the adapter power.
US09112356B2
A carrying case has portable hand tool battery chargers of different types mounted therein. The carrying case also has a central power strip for powering all of such multiple power tool chargers at the same time.
US09112349B2
The invention is an excess temperature protection element for photovoltaic installations. The element has a cylindrical housing closed off with two cover plates, encasing therein a plug-and-socket connection that is certified for photovoltaic installations. The plug connector is connected to the interior face of one cover plate and the socket connector to the interior face of the second cover plate, so that the two connectors are in electrical contact with each other when the housing is closed. A pressure element between the two cover plates biases the plates away from the housing. One of the plates is a releasable plate secured to the housing by a hot-melt material. When the temperature of the PV installation rises above a threshold value, the hot-melt material softens, allowing the pressure element to push the releasable cover plate away from the housing, thereby disconnecting the plug-in connection in the housing.
US09112343B1
A shielded power feeder system may include at least one unshielded power feeder conductor having first and second ends, a neutral conductor positioned adjacent the power feeder conductor, the power feeder conductor and neutral conductor forming a bundle, and the neutral conductor having a grounded conductive shield.
US09112342B2
A power feeding wiring structure includes a protection tube for wires, a slide door side fixing device adapted to fix one end of the protection tube, and a vehicle body side fixing device adapted to fix the other end of the protection tube. The slide door side fixing device includes a restricting portion for restricting a moving range of the protection tube by being pivoted about a rotary shaft, and a biasing portion for rotating the restricting portion in a biasing direction. A center line along a length direction of the restricting portion is located in an area at a front side in the biasing direction with respect to a first plane defined by the position of a leading end of the restricting portion and the rotary shaft, whereby the leading end of the restricting portion projects out from the slide door when the slide door is opened and closed.
US09112338B2
A manipulator for separating sub-conductors in an energized single phase bundle includes a rigid support member and first and second actuators mounted on the support member, wherein each actuator is independently actuable of the other. Insulators are mounted on each actuator. A selectively releasable coupler is mounted on each insulator for selectively releasable coupling of each insulator to a corresponding sub-conductor. The actuators extend corresponding insulators independently of one another from the support member to thereby separate from each other by an optimized separation distance the distal ends of each insulator. When the corresponding sub-conductors of the single phase bundle are releasably coupled to the corresponding distal ends of the insulators the surge impedance loading of the single phase bundle may be improved by separation of the corresponding distal ends of the insulators and the sub-conductors by the optimized separation distance.
US09112331B2
Surface emitting laser structures that include a partially reflecting element disposed in the laser optical cavity are disclosed. A vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) structure includes a pump source configured to emit radiation at a pump wavelength, λpump, an external out-coupling reflector, a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR,) and an active region arranged between the DBR and the out-coupling reflector. The active region is configured to emit radiation at a lasing wavelength, λlase. The VECSEL structure also includes partially reflecting element (PRE) arranged between the gain element and the external out-coupling reflector. The PRE has reflectivity of between about 30% and about 70% for the radiation at the lasing wavelength and reflectivity of between about 30% and about 70% for the radiation at the pump wavelength.
US09112330B2
The present invention relates to an optical element for VECSELs or VECSEL arrays. The optical element is formed of a substrate (200) which is transparent at least in a wavelength region of optical radiation. A first interface of the substrate (200) comprises one or several curved regions forming part of an optical lens or of an array of optical lenses (220) integrated in the substrate (200). The substrate (200) further comprises one or several optical mirrors (210) formed on a second interface of the substrate (200) opposing the first interface or embedded in the substrate (200). The optical mirrors (210) are arranged and designed to back reflect a fraction of optical radiation incident on the first or second interface. The optical mirrors (210) are flat mirrors or curved mirrors having a radius of curvature different from the radius of curvature of the curved region (220). The optical element allows the fabrication of a VECSEL or VECSEL array having a high brightness without the requirement of additional adjustments during fabrication. The VECSEL are arranged at a distance (L) to the optical mirrors (210) and this equals the length of the external cavity. The ROC of the optical lens may be chosen to ROC=L/2 and for the optical mirror ROC>L. The cavity length may be adjusted by a monolithic spacer (120).
US09112325B2
A contact configuration for producing an electrical connection between a plug and a socket, preferably for connecting an electrode to an electronic implantable device (such as a pacemaker), has a contact section on the plug and/or the socket. The contact section includes metallic conductive fibers which project between the plug and socket when the socket receives the plug. The contact configuration has a high degree of redundancy in providing electrical communication between the socket and plug, and high contact stability under mechanical load. In addition, friction corrosion is avoided.
US09112324B2
A coaxial connector includes a body, a female connector, and a detecting structure. The female connector has a pillar, and the pillar connects with the body. The detecting structure has a movable socket and a flexible conductor, wherein the movable socket is slidably sheathed on the pillar, and an interval space is formed between the movable socket and the pillar. The flexible conductor is located in the interval space, and has a detecting terminal. A part of the detecting terminal exposes to outside the movable socket, the movable socket pushes the flexible conductor toward the body in order to electrically connect the detecting terminal with the body. Hence, an RF (radio frequency) signal switching element on a mother board can be driven to switch between a build-in RF unit and an external RF unit.
US09112312B2
An electrical connector comprises a metal shell defining an opening for inserting a connection counterpart therethrough. The electrical connector has a cantilever spring extending from an end, on the opening side, of the metal shell and folded back outward. The cantilever spring has a free end portion passing through a hole formed in the metal shell, and extending to the inside of the metal shell. Preferably, the metal shell has a top surface and a bottom surface facing each other and the cantilever spring is provided to at least one of the top surface and the bottom surface.
US09112310B2
Circuits, methods, and apparatus that may provide low-capacitance protection from electrostatic discharges. One example protects a circuit in a cable connector that is connected to cable connector contacts. This example may include a number of spark gaps that may be used for electrostatic discharge protection. These spark gaps may be formed using traces a printed circuit board. Signal traces to be protected may be routed such that they pass in close proximity to a ground pad, line, plane, area, or connection. When excessive electrostatic energy builds up on the signal trace, the energy may spark across a gap from the signal trace to the ground pad. The gap and parts of the signal traces and ground may be uncovered such that the electrostatic discharge may dissipate through the air.
US09112309B1
A network connector socket includes an insulated body, first contacts, and second contacts. Each first contact includes a first fixed segment fixed in the insulated body. The first fixed segments are arranged in parallel on a first plane. Each second contact includes a second fixed segment fixed in the insulated body. The second fixed segments extend on a second plane spaced apart with the first plane and are arranged in parallel. One of the first fixed segments is bent and extends to cross at least one of the second fixed segments. For one of the first contacts, the corresponding first fixed segment has a larger transverse width than that of the rest. For one of the second contacts, the corresponding second fixed segment has a larger transverse width than that of the rest. Thus, the crosstalk noise between the contacts is reduced by capacitive compensation.
US09112302B2
An electrical connector for connecting a plurality of cables with a PCB comprises an insulating housing and a plurality of first and second contacts received therein. The insulating housing comprises a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface parallel to each other and a tongue portion extending downwardly in an up-to-down direction. The first mounting surface is lower than the second mounting surface in the up-to-down direction forming a stepped surface. The tongue portion extends far away from the stepped surface and comprises opposite periphery surfaces. The first contact comprises a first connecting portion on the first mounting surface and a first contacting portion extending along one periphery surface of the tongue portion while the second contact comprises a second connecting portion on the second mounting surface and a second contacting portion extending along the other periphery surface of the tongue portion.
US09112301B2
An electrical connector for a cable includes a PCB and a fixed element for holding the PCB. The PCB includes several first contacting fingers and second contacting fingers electrically connected to each other at different sides along a first direction. The first and second contacting fingers are respectively arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to be disposed in two rows. The second contacting fingers are connected to the cable. Wherein said PCB is longer than said fixed element so as to expose first contacting fingers at a front side of the fixed element along the first direction and form a mating port for a mating connector.
US09112298B1
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for providing utility receptacles and cables at a selected location on a work station that has a work surface. The apparatus comprises a housing comprising a lower portion and an upper portion. The upper portion has a perimeter and a flange portion that extends about the entire perimeter. The upper portion of the housing has a top opening that is bounded by the flange portion. The lower portion of the housing comprises lengthwise and widthwise walls that are attached to and extend downwardly from the upper portion of the housing. The housing further comprises a bottom panel that is attached to the lengthwise and widthwise walls. The housing has an interior region that is accessible through top opening. The housing is sized so that the lower portion of the housing fits into a through-hole in a work surface of a work station and the flange portion contacts and rests upon the portion of the work surface that extends about the through-hole in the work surface. The apparatus further comprises a receptacle support structure located within the interior region and attached to the lower portion of the housing at a predetermined location above the bottom panel so as to form a lower compartment beneath the receptacle support structure. The receptacle support structure is generally centrally located within the interior region and further includes an interior. The receptacle support structure further includes a plurality of through-holes therein that lead to the lower compartment. A plurality of utility receptacles are attached or mounted to the receptacle support structure. The plurality of utility receptacles comprises AC power receptacles, telephone jacks and USB device charging ports. A HDMI signal switching device is located within the lower compartment and comprises a plurality of HDMI input connectors and a HDMI output connector. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of HDMI cables. Each cable extends from a corresponding opening in the receptacle support structure and has a first HDMI connector connected to a corresponding HDMI input connector of the HDMI signal switching device and second HDMI connector for connection to an external source device. The apparatus further comprises a HDMI output connector attached to the bottom panel of the housing and connected to the HDMI output connector of the HDMI signal switching device.
US09112293B2
An intermediate housing (10) has a fitting recess (12) in which ends (91) of intermediate terminals (90) are located. An inner housing (30A) is fit into the fitting recess (12) and has first terminal fittings (110A) connectable to the intermediate terminals (90). A retainer (130) is inserted into the inner housing (30A) to retain the terminal fittings (110A). An outer housing (50) is fit externally onto the fitting recess (12) and includes an outer peripheral wall (53) surrounding the inner housing (30A). A mounting portion (21) projects on the outer surface of the fitting recess (12). The outer peripheral wall (53) is recessed to form an escaping portion (61) into which the mounting portion (21). The retainer (130) includes a confirmation surface (133) exposed to the outside of the inner housing (30A) when being inserted into the inner housing (30A) and visually confirmed from outside through the escaping portion (61).
US09112290B2
A terminal-equipped wire includes a wire and a terminal. The wire includes a core wire and an insulative sheath covering a part of the core wire. The core wire has a plurality of conductive element wires. The terminal includes a wire connection portion connected to the core wire at an end part of the wire where the core wire is exposed. Outer surfaces of the element wires and the wire connection portion are tinned.
US09112281B2
A reflector array antenna with cross-polarization compensation including at least one radiating element having an etched pattern dissymmetric with respect to at least one direction X and/or Y of the plane XY of the radiating element, the dissymmetry of the pattern of the radiating element being calculated individually on the basis of a radiating element of the same symmetric pattern along the two directions X and Y, so as to engender a reflected wave having a controlled depolarization which opposes a depolarization, engendered in a plane normal to a direction of propagation, by the reflector array illuminated by a primary source.
US09112275B2
A radome is provided and includes a substrate formed of moisture permeable material and a coating disposed on a surface of the SCFS substrate. The coating includes a layer of inorganic material disposed adjacent to at least one layer of organic material.
US09112270B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for wireless communications. A planar antenna element is disposed on a surface of a substrate. The planar antenna element comprises an electrically conductive material. The substrate comprises a dielectric material. The planar antenna element may be arranged in a planar antenna array as a feed for a reflector antenna or as an aperture array. The planar antenna element may comprise a slot patch antenna element with a slot in the electrically conductive material of the planar antenna element circumscribing the planar antenna element. The slot exposes the dielectric material of the substrate. A ground plane may be disposed on the surface of the substrate. The ground plane comprises an electrically conductive material. The slot may be disposed between the ground plane and the patch antenna element. The substrate may include electronic components for beam steering, upconversion, downconversion, amplification, or other functions.
US09112251B2
A microwave resonant cavity includes a conductive shell with a screw hole having first threads and a screw having second threads configured to engage with the screw hole. The conductive shell defines a volume, the screw extends into the volume, the microwave resonant cavity has a resonant frequency, and the movement of the screw changes the resonant frequency. The first threads have a first pitch, and at least a portion of the second threads has a second pitch different from the first pitch.
US09112250B1
A continuously manually or remotely adjustable microwave attenuator and linear phase shifter is made using a two section slabline structure in which a “U” formed center conductor forms a line—stretcher to adjust the transmission phase and slivers of ferromagnetic material are inserted into the magnetic field of the slabline, or thin layers of dielectric material are inserted into the electric field serving either way to reducing the amplitude of the transmission factor, or increase the attenuation. The unit is manually or remotely controlled, in which case its transmission behavior can be calibrated on a VNA and used in test software for automated differential load pull operations.
US09112249B2
A power source apparatus having an assembled battery including a plurality of batteries of cylindrical shape arranged in a diameter direction of the battery within a case includes a holding member which holds the plurality of batteries from the diameter direction and is in contact with the inner face of the case to divide the internal space of the case into a cooling path in which a coolant flows and a gas discharge path in which gas is discharged from the battery in a battery abnormality, wherein the holding member is a solid plate member conducting heat of the battery.
US09112248B2
An electrical combination. The combination comprises a hand held power tool, a battery pack and a controller. The battery pack includes a battery pack housing connectable to and supportable by the hand held power tool, a plurality of battery cells supported by the battery pack housing, each of the plurality of battery cells having a lithium-based chemistry, being individually tapped and having an individual state of charge. A communication path is provided by a battery pack sense terminal and a power tool sense terminal. The controller is operable to monitor a state of charge of a number of battery cells less than the plurality of battery cells and to generate a signal based on the monitored state of charge of the number of battery cells less than the plurality of battery cells, the signal being operable to control the operation of the hand held power tool.
US09112246B2
A battery pack including a battery gauge. The battery gauge includes a circuit board, light emitting devices electrically connected to a battery cell on the circuit board and turned on or off according to a voltage of the battery cell, a display unit disposed outside a pack case at positions corresponding to the light emitting devices, and a partition wall guiding light of the light emitting device to a part of the display unit corresponding to the light emitting device. Since the partition wall prevents light of the light emitting device from affecting the neighboring light emitting device, an on/off operation of the light emitting device is accurately displayed on the display unit, so that a battery discharge level can be accurately detected.
US09112238B2
An anode capable of preventing expansion of an anode active material layer and a battery using it are provided. The anode includes an anode current collector, and an anode active material layer containing silicon (Si) as an element, wherein the anode active material layer therein contains at least one selected from the group consisting of a fluoride of an alkali metal and a fluoride of an alkali earth metal.
US09112237B2
Disclosed is an electrolyte for a rechargeable lithium battery and a rechargeable lithium battery including the same, and the electrolyte includes a lithium salt composition including a first lithium salt; and a second lithium salt of lithium bisfluorosulfonyl imide represented by the following Chemical Formula 1 at a mole ratio of 1:0.05 to 1:1, and a non-aqueous organic solvent.
US09112236B2
A lithium secondary battery comprising: a positive electrode and a negative electrode which each has a specific composition and specific properties; and a nonaqueous electrolyte which contains a cyclic siloxane compound represented by general formula (1), fluorosilane compound represented by general formula (2), compound represented by general formula (3), compound having an S—F bond in the molecule, nitric acid salt, nitrous acid salt, monofluorophosphoric acid salt, difluorophosphoric acid salt, acetic acid salt, or propionic acid salt in an amount of 10 ppm or more of the whole nonaqueous electrolyte. This lithium secondary battery has a high capacity, long life, and high output. [In general formula (1), R1 and R2 are an organic group having 1-12 carbon atoms and n is an integer of 3-10. In general formula (2), R3 to R5 are an organic group having 1-12 carbon atoms; x is an integer of 1-3; and p, q, and r each are an integer of 0-3, provided that 1≦p+q+r≦3. In general formula (3), R6 to R8 are an organic group having 1-12 carbon atoms and symbol A is a group constituted of H, C, N, O, F, S, Si, and/or P.]
US09112235B2
Described herein is a cable-type secondary battery having a horizontal cross section of a predetermined shape and extending longitudinally, comprising: a core for supplying lithium ions, which comprises an electrolyte; an inner electrode surrounding the outer surface of the core for supplying lithium ions, and comprising an inner current collector in the form of a pipe having a three-dimensional network structure, the inner current collector being coated with an inner electrode active material on the outer surface thereof; a separation layer surrounding the outer surface of the inner electrode to prevent a short circuit between electrodes; and an outer electrode surrounding the outer surface of the separation layer and comprising an outer electrode active material layer and an outer current collector.
US09112226B2
An anode material for ultrafast-charging lithium ion batteries, the anode material comprising C—Li4Ti5O12. A method of synthesizing an anode material for ultrafast-charging lithium ion batteries, the method comprising the steps of: adding lithium to an organic alcohol to form a first solution; adding titanium via an organic titanium source to the first solution to form a second solution; adding water to the second solution to form a diluted second solution; heating the diluted second solution at a temperature ranging from about 80° C. to about 180° C. to obtain solid Li4Ti5O12; and annealing the solid Li4Ti5O12 in the absence of air to obtain the anode material comprising C—Li4Ti5O12.
US09112222B2
A lithium ion secondary battery includes: a positive electrode; a negative electrode; and an electrolytic solution, at least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode being capable of storing and releasing lithium ions, and containing an active material that satisfies predetermined conditions.
US09112207B2
A battery assembly including a frame including a pair of side plates that include a plurality of guide grooves and a bottom plate connected to the side plates; a plurality of barriers each including a pair of side panels, a lower panel, an upper panel, a plurality of protrusions that are protruded from the side panels, and a dividing panel, wherein the plurality of protrusions are inserted into the plurality of guide grooves to slidably move along the guide grooves upon being mounted on the frame, and a plurality of batteries that are respectively accommodated by the barriers, wherein the barriers are stacked such that the dividing panels of the adjacent barriers face one another.
US09112204B2
Disclosed herein is a pack case for battery packs in which a battery cell array including two or more battery cells arranged in a lateral direction and a protection circuit module (PCM) including a protection circuit to control an operation of the battery pack are mounted, the pack case including a lower case, on which the battery cell array and the protection circuit module are mounted, and an upper case disposed above the lower case so that the upper case covers the lower case to fix the battery cell array and the protection circuit module in place, wherein a lower case is partitioned into a battery cell mounting part, on which the battery cells are mounted, and a protection circuit module mounting part, on which the protection circuit module is mounted, a partition wall is formed at an interface between the battery cell mounting part and the protection circuit module mounting part, and openings, through which electrode terminals of the battery cells are exposed toward the protection circuit module, are formed at portions of the partition wall corresponding to electrical connection regions between the electrode terminals of the battery cells and the protection circuit module.
US09112203B2
A polymer comprising a first repeating unit represented by Formula 1: wherein R1 to R13 and Ar1 in Formula 1 are defined in the specification.
US09112196B2
A direct type fuel cell (1) is supplied with a fuel comprised of hydrocarbon and antioxidant, to have a maintained durability.
US09112190B2
A battery pack including a bare cell, the bare cell including a first surface, a second surface, a pair of short side surfaces, and a pair of long side surfaces; a circuit module on the first surface of the bare cell, the circuit module being electrically connected to the bare cell; and a frame covering a portion of the bare cell including the circuit module thereon, wherein the frame has a protrusion part at interior portions of side surfaces thereof, the protrusion part being coupled to the short side surfaces of the bare cell.
US09112185B2
The present invention provides an EL panel, an EL illumination device, and an EL display device in which irregularity of luminance does not easily occur in the in-plane of the EL element by a protection sheet for suppressing conduction of heat on the outermost surface of the EL element. There is an EL panel including: a light-transmissive substrate; an EL element including a light-emitting medium layer interposed between a cathode and an anode, the EL element being provided on one surface of the light-transmissive substrate; and a protection sheet on the other surface of the light-transmissive substrate of the EL element. The protection sheet has a surface opposite to the light-transmissive substrate, the shape of the surface includes rounded convex shapes and prism shapes. Each of the rounded shapes has an apex that is a center point of a cross-section farthest from a bottom surface where the cross-section is parallel to the bottom surface of the unit convex shape and the area becomes smaller in a direction from the bottom surface of the rounded convex shape to a top portion thereof. Irregularity of luminance in the in-plane of the EL element does not easily occur by optimizing the height of the apex and the distance between the apexes.
US09112183B2
A display panel apparatus includes pixels, each including an organic luminescent layer between first and second electrodes. A glass substrate is above the second electrode. A lens sheet is between the pixels and the glass substrate and includes a lens corresponding to each of the pixels and a base from which the lens protrudes. A first partition is between the glass substrate and the lens sheet on a first side of the base from which the lens protrudes for partitioning, between the glass substrate and the lens sheet, a gap between the lens of each of the pixels. A second partition is between the organic electro-luminescence unit and the lens sheet on a second side of the base opposite the first side from which the lens protrudes for partitioning, between the organic electro-luminescence unit and the lens sheet, the gap between the lens of each of the pixels.
US09112181B2
A composite substrate includes a moisture-proof substrate, and a resin substrate pasted on a surface of the moisture-proof substrate. The resin substrate is formed to be smaller than the moisture-proof substrate in planar view. An end side of the resin substrate is an inclined face that is inclined inward. In an organic electroluminescence device, an organic light-emitting multilayer provided on a surface of the resin substrate is sealed with a sealing member. A moisture-proof film coats at least part of the surface of the resin substrate in which no lead-out electrode is formed.
US09112179B2
An organic light emitting diode includes a display substrate assembly including an organic light emitting element; an encapsulation substrate assembly disposed on the display substrate assembly with a space therebetween and sealed with the display substrate assembly in a vacuum-tight manner; and a filling agent filling the space between the display substrate assembly and the encapsulation substrate assembly. The filling agent is adapted to selectively absorb external light entering through the encapsulation substrate assembly and incident on the organic light emitting element as a function of wavelength in a wavelength band of the external light to control transmittance.
US09112177B2
Provided are an organic light emitting diode, an organic light emitting display panel including the same, and a method of manufacturing the organic light emitting display panel. The organic light emitting diode includes: an anode electrode on a substrate; a first common layer on the anode electrode to inject or transport holes and having a non-flat side; an organic light emitting layer on the first common layer; a planarization layer on the non-flat side of the first common layer, providing a flat side to the organic light emitting layer, transporting holes from the first common layer to the organic light emitting layer, and including perfluorocyclobutanes (PFCBs); and a cathode electrode on the organic light emitting layer.
US09112174B2
An organic electroluminescent element having a structure in which a plurality of light-emitting layers stacked between a first electrode with light reflectivity and a second electrode with optical transparency while one or more interlayers with a light transmissive property are interposed between the plurality of light-emitting layers. A first interlayer is formed as the interlayer closest to the first electrode. A first light-emitting unit is formed between the first electrode and the first interlayer to include a first light-emitting layer which has a first light-emitting source, and a second light-emitting unit is formed on a side of the first interlayer close to the second electrode to include a second light-emitting layer which has a second light-emitting source. The first interlayer is a semi-transmissive layer which has both of optical transparency and light reflectivity and has a total light absorption ratio of 10% or less.
US09112167B2
The present invention provides a novel aromatic amine derivative having a specific structure and an organic electroluminescence device in which an organic thin film layer comprising a single layer or plural layers including at least a light emitting layer is interposed between a cathode and an anode, wherein at least one layer in the above organic thin film layer, particularly a hole injecting layer contains the aromatic amine derivative described above in the form of a single component or a mixed component. Use of the aromatic amine derivative described above materialize an organic electroluminescence device which reduces an operating voltage and makes molecules less liable to be crystallized and which enhances a yield in producing the organic EL device and has a long lifetime.
US09112165B2
A method for producing an optoelectronic component may include forming a first electrode on a substrate, forming an organic functional layer structure on the first electrode; forming a second electrode on the organic functional layer structure, forming at least one contact for making contact with the first and/or second electrode, forming an encapsulation layer above the layer structure and the contact, removing the encapsulation layer above the contact with the aid of an anisotropic etching method, and cooling the substrate during the anisotropic etching method.
US09112164B2
A device is provided, having a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoactive region disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The photoactive region includes a first photoactive organic layer that is a mixture of an organic acceptor material and an organic donor material, wherein the first photoactive organic layer has a thickness not greater than 0.8 characteristic charge transport lengths; a second photoactive organic layer in direct contact with the first organic layer, wherein the second photoactive organic layer is an unmixed layer of the organic acceptor material of the first photoactive organic layer, and the second photoactive organic layer has a thickness not less than about 0.1 optical absorption lengths; and a third photoactive organic layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and in direct contact with the first photoactive organic layer. The third photoactive organic layer is an unmixed layer of the organic donor layer of the first photoactive organic layer and has a thickness not less than about 0.1 optical absorption lengths.
US09112163B2
A photoactive component has an electrode and an opposing electrode. The electrodes have at least one organic layer system arranged between them, also having at least two photoactive layer systems and, between the photoactive layer systems, at least two different transport layer systems have the same charge carrier type. In this case, one transport layer system matches one of the two photoactive layer systems in energy terms, while the other transport layer system is of transparent design.
US09112155B2
According to example embodiments, an electron-donating polymer includes a repeating unit A including one repeating unit selected from a repeating unit represented by Chemical Formula 1, a repeating unit represented by Chemical Formula 2, and a combination thereof. The polymer also includes a repeating unit B represented by Chemical Formula 3.
US09112150B2
Some embodiments include methods of forming memory cells. Heater structures are formed over an array of electrical nodes, and phase change material is formed across the heater structures. The phase change material is patterned into a plurality of confined structures, with the confined structures being in one-to-one correspondence with the heater structures and being spaced from one another by one or more insulative materials that entirely laterally surround each of the confined structures. Some embodiments include memory arrays having heater structures over an array of electrical nodes. Confined phase change material structures are over the heater structures and in one-to-one correspondence with the heater structures. The confined phase change material structures are spaced from one another by one or more insulative materials that entirely laterally surround each of the confined phase change material structures.
US09112139B2
A spin transistor according to an embodiment includes: a first magnetic layer formed above a substrate and serving as one of a source and a drain; an insulating film having a lower face facing to an upper face of the first magnetic layer, an upper face opposed to the lower face, and a side face different from the lower and upper faces, the insulating film being formed on the upper face of the first magnetic layer and serving as a channel; a second magnetic layer formed on the upper face of the insulating film and serving as the other one of the source and the drain; a gate electrode formed along the side face of the insulating film; and a gate insulating film located between the gate electrode and the side face of the insulating film.
US09112129B2
Disclosed are a light emitting device package and a light unit having the same. The light emitting device package includes a body including a cavity at a first side surface, first and second lead frames in the cavity, a light emitting device connected to the first and second lead frames, a heat radiation pad on a second side surface of the body, a heat radiation frame on a third side surface of the body, and first and second electrode pads disposed on the second side surface of the body and spaced apart from the heat radiation pad.
US09112116B2
A method for fabricating LED devices. The method includes providing a gallium and nitrogen containing substrate member (e.g., GaN) comprising a backside surface and a front side surface. The method includes subjecting the backside surface to a polishing process, causing a backside surface to be characterized by a surface roughness, subjecting the backside surface to an anisotropic etching process exposing various crystal planes to form a plurality of pyramid-like structures distributed spatially in a non-periodic manner on the backside surface, treating the backside surface comprising the plurality of pyramid-like structures, to a plasma species, and subjecting the backside surface to a surface treatment. The method further includes forming a contact material comprising an aluminum bearing species or a titanium bearing species overlying the surface-treated backside to form a plurality of LED devices with the contact material.
US09112114B2
Disclosed is a light emitting device including a conductive substrate, a first electrode layer disposed on the conductive substrate, a light emitting structure disposed on the first electrode layer, the light emitting structure including a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and an active layer disposed between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, and a second electrode layer electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer, wherein the first electrode layer includes a metal electrode layer disposed on the conductive substrate, a transparent electrode layer disposed on the metal electrode layer, and a plurality of contact portions extending from the metal electrode layer, the contact portions vertically passing through the transparent electrode layer and contacting the light emitting structure, wherein the contact portions are spaced from one another by a predetermined distance.
US09112111B2
Semiconductor light emitting device and method for manufacturing semiconductor light emitting device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes an n-type semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, and a light emitting layer. The p-type semiconductor layer includes a first p-side layer, a second p-side layer, and a third p-side layer. A concentration profile of Mg of a p-side region includes a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, a fourth portion, a fifth portion, a sixth portion and a seventh portion. The p-side region includes the light emitting layer, the second p-side layer, and the third p-side layer. A Mg concentration of the sixth portion is not less than 1×1020 cm−3 and not more than 3×1020 cm−3. The Al concentration is 1/100 of the maximum value at a second position. A Mg concentration at the second position is not less than 2×1018 cm−3.
US09112091B2
An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing monolithic optical packages. An embodiment optical package includes a base made of aluminum-nitride (AlN) that is configured to support an optical component, a plurality of sidewalls made of AlN that are coupled to the base, the sidewalls are configured to surround the optical component, and a feed-through made of AlN that is coupled to one of the sidewalls, wherein the feed-through is configured to feed a plurality of leads through the one sidewall to provide an electrical connection to the optical component, wherein the base, the sidewalls, and the feed-through have a same coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) for AlN. An embodiment method includes punching and printing AlN tapes to build a base, a plurality of sidewalls joined to the base, and a feed-through coupled to the sidewalls, and attaching a plurality of electrical leads into the feed-through.
US09112089B2
An optoelectronic semiconductor chip including a semiconductor body of semiconductor material, an outcoupling face arranged downstream of the semiconductor body in an emission direction and a mirror layer, wherein the semiconductor body includes an active layer that generates radiation, the mirror layer is arranged on the side of the semiconductor body remote from the outcoupling face, and a gap between the active layer and the mirror layer is set such that radiation emitted by the active layer towards the outcoupling face interferes with radiation reflected at the mirror layer such that the semiconductor chip features an emitted radiation pattern with a selected direction in the forward direction.
US09112088B2
Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a thin-film solar cell using plasma between a couple of parallel electrodes. In the method, a base member is placed in a chamber between a first electrode and a second electrode facing each other. A hydrogen gas is heated, and thus heated hydrogen gas and a silicon-based gas are introduced into a space between the first electrode and the second electrode. A ratio of a flow rate of the heated hydrogen gas to that of the silicon-based gas is at least 25 and no more than 58. A plasma is generated between the first electrode and the second electrode by applying high-frequency power to the second electrode while a pressure in the chamber is 1000 Pa or higher, and an optically active layer containing crystalline silicon is deposited on the base material.
US09112084B2
Disclosed is a light-emitting diode, which has a red and infrared emitting wavelength, excellent monochromatism characteristics, and high output and high efficiency and excellent humidity resistance. The light-emitting diode is provided with: a light-emitting section, which includes an active layer having a quantum well structure and formed by laminating alternately a well layer which comprises a composition expressed by the composition formula of (AlX1Ga1-X1)As (0≦X1≦1) and a barrier layer which comprises a composition expressed by the composition formula of (AlX2Ga1-X2)As (0
US09112081B2
A sealing film having excellent adhesive characteristics for a solar cell is provided, which contains an inorganic filler in the sealing film. The sealing film for a solar cell contains ethylene-polar monomer copolymer, a crosslinking agent, and an inorganic filler. The sealing film is characterized by further containing a phosphite compound represented by formula (I): P(OR1)3 (I) (wherein R1 is a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms).
US09112080B1
Provided are novel building integrable photovoltaic (BIP) modules and methods of fabricating thereof. A module may be fabricated from an insert having one or more photovoltaic cells by electrically interconnecting and mechanically integrating one or more connectors with the insert. Each connector may have one or more conductive elements, such as metal sockets and/or pins. At least two of all conductive elements are electrically connected to the photovoltaic cells using, for example, bus bars. These and other electrical components are electrically insulated using a temperature resistant material having a Relative Temperature Index (RTI) of at least about 115° C. The insulation may be provided before or during module fabrication by, for example, providing a prefabricated insulating housing and/or injection molding the temperature resistant material. The temperature resistant material and/or other materials may be used for mechanical integration of the one or more connectors with the insert.
US09112069B2
A solar cell comprising a p-doped silicon wafer, wherein the p-doped silicon wafer comprises a light-receiving side and a back side; and an aluminum electrode formed on the back side of the silicon wafer; wherein the aluminum electrode comprises an aluminum base layer formed adjacently on the back side of the silicon wafer and an aluminum cover layer formed on the aluminum base layer, and wherein the aluminum cover layer comprises aluminum and boron oxide (B2O3).
US09112064B2
This sheet production apparatus comprises a vessel defining a channel configured to hold a melt. The melt is configured to flow from a first point to a second point of the channel. A cooling plate is disposed proximate the melt and is configured to form a sheet on the melt. A spillway is disposed at the second point of the channel. This spillway is configured to separate the sheet from the melt.
US09112054B2
A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device are provided. In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a gate structure is formed on a substrate. An epitaxial layer is formed on a top surface of the substrate adjacent to the gate structure. An elevated source/drain (ESD) layer and an impurity region are formed by implanting impurities and carbon in the epitaxial layer and an upper portion of the substrate using the gate structure as an ion implantation mask. A metal silicide layer is formed on the ESD layer.
US09112053B2
A semiconductor device with a dielectric layer is produced by providing a semiconductor body with a first trench extending into the semiconductor body, the first trench having a bottom and a sidewall. A first dielectric layer is formed on the sidewall in a lower portion of the first trench and a first plug is formed in the lower portion of the first trench so as to cover the first dielectric layer. The first plug leaves an upper portion of the sidewall uncovered. A sacrificial layer is formed on the sidewall in the upper portion of the first trench and a second plug is formed in the upper portion of the first trench. The sacrificial layer is removed so as to form a second trench having sidewalls and a bottom. A second dielectric layer is formed in the second trench and extends to the first dielectric layer.
US09112052B2
An embodiment is an integrated circuit structure including two insulation regions over a substrate with one of the two insulation regions including a void, at least a bottom surface of the void being defined by the one of the two insulation regions. The integrated circuit structure further includes a first semiconductor strip between and adjoining the two insulation regions, where the first semiconductor strip includes a top portion forming a fin over top surfaces of the two insulation regions, a gate dielectric over a top surface and sidewalls of the fin, and a gate electrode over the gate dielectric.
US09112046B2
Memory cells which have channel-supporting material, dielectric material over the channel-supporting material, carrier-trapping material over the dielectric material and an electrically conductive electrode material over and directly against the carrier-trapping material. The carrier-trapping material includes gallium, indium, zinc and oxygen. Methods of storing utilizing a memory cell which has a channel-supporting material, a dielectric material over the channel-supporting material, a carrier-trapping material over the dielectric material, and an electrically conductive electrode material over and directly against the carrier-trapping material. The carrier-trapping material includes gallium, indium, zinc and oxygen. It is determined if carriers are trapped in the carrier-trapping material to thereby ascertain a memory state of the memory cell.
US09112040B2
Embodiments of the disclosed technology provide an amorphous oxide thin film transistor (TFT), a method for preparing an amorphous oxide TFT, and a display panel. The amorphous oxide thin film transistor includes: a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor active layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode. The semiconductor active layer comprises a channel layer and an ohmic contact layer, and the channel layer has a greater content of oxygen than the ohmic contact layer; the channel layer contacts the gate insulating layer, and the ohmic contact layer comprises two separated ohmic contact regions, one of which contacts the source electrode and the other of which contacts the drain electrode.
US09112039B2
A field-effect transistor, which contains: a gate electrode configured to apply gate voltage; a source electrode and a drain electrode, which are configured to extract electric current; an active layer formed of a n-type oxide semiconductor, provided in contact with the source electrode and the drain electrode; and a gate insulating layer provided between the gate electrode and the active layer, wherein the n-type oxide semiconductor is a triclinic crystal compound, a monoclinic crystal compound, or a trigonal crystal compound, each of which is substitutionally doped with at least one dopant selected from the group consisting of a divalent cation, a trivalent cation, a tetravalent cation, a pentavalent cation, and a hexavalent cation, and wherein a valence of the dopant is greater than a valence of a metal ion constituting the n-type oxide semiconductor, excluding the dopant.
US09112035B2
A semiconductor substrate includes a substrate, an insulating layer, and a semiconductor layer. The insulating layer is over and in contact with the substrate. The insulating layer includes at least one of an amorphous metal oxide and an amorphous metal nitride. The semiconductor layer is over and in contact with the insulating layer. The semiconductor layer is formed by crystal growth.
US09112032B1
One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming a fin protection layer around a fin, forming a sacrificial gate electrode above a section of the fin protection layer, forming at least one sidewall spacer adjacent the sacrificial gate electrode, removing the sacrificial gate electrode to define a gate cavity that exposes a portion of the fin protection layer, oxidizing at least the exposed portion of the fin protection layer to thereby form an oxidized portion of the fin protection layer, and removing the oxidized portion of the fin protection layer so as to thereby expose a surface of the fin within the gate cavity.
US09112027B2
A semiconductor device includes a gate electrode formed on a silicon substrate via a gate insulation film in correspondence to a channel region, source and drain regions of a p-type diffusion region formed in the silicon substrate at respective outer sides of sidewall insulation films of the gate electrode, and a pair of SiGe mixed crystal regions formed in the silicon substrate at respective outer sides of the sidewall insulation films in epitaxial relationship to the silicon substrate, the SiGe mixed crystal regions being defined by respective sidewall surfaces facing with each other, wherein, in each of the SiGe mixed crystal regions, the sidewall surface is defined by a plurality of facets forming respective, mutually different angles with respect to a principal surface of the silicon substrate.
US09112024B2
A lateral semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate; a buried oxide layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, and an active layer formed on the buried oxide layer. The active layer includes a first conductivity type well region, a second conductivity type well region, and a first conductivity type drift region interposed between the first conductivity type well region and the second conductivity type well region. A region where current flows because of carriers moving between the first conductivity type well region and the second conductivity type well region, and a region where no current flows are formed alternately between the first conductivity type well region and the second conductivity type well region, in a direction perpendicular to a carrier moving direction when viewed in a plan view.
US09112016B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device, including a semiconductor layer including a first region and a second region isolated from the first region, a source in a surface of the first region, a drain in a surface of the second region, a back-gate in the surface of the source, a gate insulator on a surface of the first region, an end of a drain side of the back-gate being located closer to the drain side than an end of the drain side of the source, a gate insulator on a surface of the semiconductor layer between the first region and the second region, a gate electrode on the gate insulator, a source electrode being contacted to both the source and the back-gate, and a drain electrode being contacted to the drain area.
US09112004B2
A copper interconnect includes a copper layer formed in a dielectric layer. A glue layer is formed between the copper layer and the dielectric layer. A barrier layer is formed at the boundary between the glue layer and the dielectric layer. The barrier layer is a metal oxide.
US09112000B2
A method of generating an integrated circuit with a double patterning technology (DPT) compatible via pattern using a reduced DPT compatible via design rule set. A reduced DPT compatible via design rule set. A method of forming an integrated circuit using a via pattern generated from a reduced DPT compatible design rule set.
US09111996B2
Methods for forming a layer of semiconductor material are provided. A substrate is provided. An amorphous layer is formed over the substrate, where the amorphous layer includes a semiconductor or a semiconductor alloy. A seed wafer is bonded to the amorphous layer, where the seed wafer includes a crystalline semiconductor structure. A solid-phase epitaxial (SPE) growth process is performed to crystallize the amorphous layer, where the SPE growth process uses the crystalline semiconductor structure of the seed wafer as a crystal template. The seed wafer is debonded from the structure.
US09111995B2
A method for improving anti-radiation performance of SOI structure that includes implementing particle implantations of high-energy neutrons, protons and γ-rays to a buried oxide layer of an SOI structure, and then performing annealing process. The high-energy particle implantation introduces displacement damage to the buried oxide layer of the SOI structure.
US09111990B1
A semiconductor device according to embodiments includes a semiconductor substrate, first semiconductor layers of a first conductive type provided on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, extend in a first direction, and are surrounded by a gate layer, second semiconductor layers of the first conductive type provided between the first semiconductor layers, a third semiconductor layer of the first conductive type provided at ends of the first direction of the first semiconductor layers and is surrounded by the gate layer, a fourth semiconductor layer of a second conductive type provided in the semiconductor substrate, a sixth semiconductor layer of the first conductive type provided on a back surface of the semiconductor substrate, a seventh semiconductor layer of the second conductive type provided between the sixth semiconductor layer and the first semiconductor layers, an emitter electrode, and a collector electrode.
US09111989B2
A semiconductor device includes an IGBT having a semiconductor body including a transistor cell array in a first area. A junction termination structure is in a second area surrounding the transistor cell array at a first side of the semiconductor body. An emitter region of a first conductivity type is at a second side of the semiconductor body opposite the first side. The device further includes a diode. One of the diode anode and cathode includes the body region. The other one of the anode and the cathode includes a plurality of distinct first emitter short regions of a second conductivity type at the second side facing the transistor cell array, and at least one second emitter short region of the second conductivity type at the second side facing the junction termination structure. The at least one second emitter short region is distinct from the first emitter short regions.
US09111987B2
Consistent with an example embodiment, a bipolar transistor comprises an emitter region vertically separated from a collector region in a substrate by a base region. The bipolar transistor further comprises a field plate electrically connected to the emitter region; the field plate extends from the emitter region along the base region into the collector region and the field plate is laterally electrically insulated from the base region and the collector region by a spacer. The spacer comprises an electrically isolating material that includes a silicon nitride layer and is vertically electrically isolated from the substrate by a further electrically isolating material.
US09111983B1
Various embodiments of semiconductor manufacturing methods include releasing a transparent carrier from a semiconductor wafer assembly that includes a semiconductor wafer in which a plurality of semiconductor devices are formed, an adhesive layer coupled to the semiconductor wafer, a carrier release layer coupled to the adhesive layer, and the transparent carrier coupled to the carrier release layer. The method further includes controlling a laser system to emit a first beam characterized by first laser parameters toward the adhesive layer, where the first laser parameters are selected so that the first beam will compromise a physical integrity of the adhesive layer. The method further includes, after controlling the laser system to emit the first beam toward the adhesive layer, removing the adhesive layer from the semiconductor wafer.
US09111976B2
A transfer system according to an embodiment includes a plurality of robot hands, a storage unit, and an instructing part. The robot hands are operable to hold a thin sheet-like workpiece. The storage unit stores therein speed information that represents a temperature of the workpiece associated with a specified speed of a robot hand that holds the workpiece. The instructing part extracts the specified speed for each robot hand from the speed information and instructs to move all of the robot hands at or lower than a representative speed determined based on a set of extracted specified speed data.
US09111974B2
The present invention provides a manufacturing method by which a substrate (typically, a TFT substrate) can be installed directly in a treatment apparatus by using a transfer container without transferring the substrate. It is possible to use the container efficiently and transfer different substrates in size with one container. A manufacturing method in which a substrate is directly installed in an electrostatic-protected transfer container by a substrate supplier, and then the container is directly installed a treatment apparatus by a substrate demander after transferring can be realized, thereby making it possible to transfer substrates such as a TFT substrate. A contamination of a substrate due to particles and electrostatic discharge damage of a TFT substrate can be avoided because a transferring operation is not needed. A manufacturing method in which a substrate holding portion of the container is replaced depending on the size of a substrate and different substrates in size can be transferred with one container may be employed.
US09111964B2
According one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, includes: a stacked body, and each of a plurality of electrode layers and each of a plurality of insulating layers being stacked alternately in the a stacked body; a first interlayer insulating film on the stacked body; a gate electrode on the first interlayer insulating film; a second interlayer insulating film on the gate electrode; a semiconductor layer extended from an upper end of the second interlayer insulating film to a lower end of the stacked body; a first insulating film between the semiconductor layer and each of the plurality of electrode layers; and a second insulating film between the semiconductor layer and the gate electrode, a thickness of the semiconductor layer provided above an upper end of the gate electrode being thicker than a thickness of the semiconductor layer provided below the upper end of the gate electrode.
US09111959B2
A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The semiconductor device includes a well region disposed in a substrate, a gate disposed on the substrate, a halo region disposed in a channel region under the gate, and a source LDD region and a drain LDD region disposed on opposite sides of the halo region.
US09111954B2
A power conversion module includes a circuit carrier board, a semiconductor module and an inductor module. The circuit carrier board has plural bonding pads. The semiconductor module is disposed on a first surface of the circuit carrier board. The inductor module has plural pins. The pins are extended from the inductor module along a first direction and connected with corresponding bonding pads on the circuit carrier board, so that a receptacle is defined between the inductor module and the circuit carrier board for accommodating the semiconductor module.
US09111949B2
Methods and apparatus are disclosed to form a WLP device that comprises a first chip made of a first technology, and a second chip made of a second technology different from the first technology packaged together by a molding material encapsulating the first chip and the second chip. A post passivation interconnect (PPI) line may be formed on the molding material connected to a first contact pad of the first chip by a first connection, and connected to a second contact pad of the second chip by a second connection, wherein the first connection and the second connection may be a Cu ball, a Cu via, a Cu stud, or other kinds of connections.
US09111948B2
A semiconductor package structure is provided, including: a semiconductor chip having electrode pads disposed thereon and metal bumps disposed on the electrode pads; an encapsulant encapsulating the semiconductor chip; a dielectric layer formed on the encapsulant and having a plurality of patterned intaglios formed therein for exposing the metal bumps; a wiring layer formed in the patterned intaglios of the dielectric layer and electrically connected to the metal bumps; and a metal foil having a plurality of metal posts disposed on a surface thereof such that the metal foil is disposed on the encapsulant with the metal posts penetrating the encapsulant so as to extend to the inactive surface of the semiconductor chip. Compared with the prior art, the present invention reduces the overall thickness of the package structure, increases the electrical transmission efficiency and improves the heat dissipating effect.
US09111947B2
A chip arrangement may include: a semiconductor chip; an encapsulating structure at least partially encapsulating the semiconductor chip, the encapsulating structure having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the encapsulating structure including a recess over the first side of the encapsulating structure, the recess having a bottom surface located at a first level; and at least one electrical connector disposed at the first side of the encapsulating structure outside the recess, wherein a surface of the at least one electrical connector facing the encapsulating structure may be disposed at a second level different from the first level.
US09111941B2
Memory devices and methods for forming the device are disclosed. The device includes a substrate having an array surface and a non-array surface and a memory array having a plurality of memory cells interconnected by first conductors in a first direction and second conductors in a second direction. The memory array is disposed on the array surface of the substrate. The device further includes through silicon via (TSV) contacts disposed in the substrate. The TSV contacts extend from the array surface to the non-array surface, enabling electrical connections to the array from the non-array surface.
US09111940B2
The present disclosure provides a repairing method, a repairing structure and a repairing system for a disconnected defect, the repairing method includes: forming a first repairing line connecting two ends of a disconnected portion of a scanning line; forming an insulation layer covering the first repairing line; and forming a second repairing line connecting two ends of a disconnected portion of a data line with the insulation layer located at an intersection of the first repairing line and the second repairing line. By forming the insulation layer between the first repairing line and the second repairing line, the present disclosure avoids the short circuit generated after the scanning line and the data line are repaired, repairs the disconnected defect at the intersection of two metal layers, improves the yield rate of the repairing of the disconnected defect, and reduces manufacturing cost.
US09111932B2
Semiconductor devices comprise at least one integrated circuit layer, at least one conductive trace and an insulative material adjacent at least a portion of the at least one conductive trace. At least one interconnect structure extends through a portion of the at least one conductive trace and a portion of the insulative material, the at least one interconnect structure comprising a transverse cross-sectional dimension through the at least one conductive trace which differs from a transverse cross-sectional dimension through the insulative material.
US09111931B2
A method of forming an interconnect structure with high process margin. The present invention provides higher aligning margin for the connection of via parts and line parts. The method for forming the interconnect structure includes the steps of: forming a first mask layer with a plurality of first openings over the first insulating layer; forming a second insulating layer over the mask layer; forming a second mask layer with a plurality of second openings over the second insulating layer; performing an etching process by using the second mask layer to form a plurality of cavities penetrating through the second insulating layer, the first mask layer, and the first insulating layer; and filling the plurality of cavities with at least one conductive material.
US09111927B2
In some embodiments an Integrated Circuit package includes a plurality of system functional pins, at least one system functional pin depopulation zone, and at least one non-system functional pin located in the at least one functional pin depopulation zone. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09111926B2
A semiconductor package and a package on package are provided. The semiconductor package includes a substrate; a semiconductor chip attached to a surface of the substrate; connecting conductors disposed on the surface of the substrate; a mold formed on the substrate and in which the connecting conductors and the semiconductor chip are provided; and connecting via holes extending through the mold and exposing the connecting conductors. With respect to a first connecting via hole of the connecting via holes, a planar distance between a first connecting conductor exposed by the first connecting via hole and an entrance of the first connecting via hole is not uniform.
US09111904B2
A method of making a high-electron mobility transistor (HEMT) includes forming an unintentionally doped gallium nitride (UID GaN) layer over a silicon substrate, a donor-supply layer over the UID GaN layer, a gate, a passivation layer over the gate and portions of the donor-supply layer, an ohmic source structure and an ohmic drain structure over the donor-supply layer and portions of the passivation layer. The source structure includes a source contact portion and an overhead portion. The overhead portion overlaps the passivation layer between the source contact portion and the gate, and may overlap a portion of the gate and a portion of the passivation layer between the gate and the drain structure.
US09111893B2
A display device including pixels, in which each of the pixels includes: a positive power supply line and a negative power supply line; a drive transistor that drives a current in a current path according to a gate-source voltage; an organic EL element including an anode and a cathode that are disposed in the current path; an electrostatic storage capacitor that stores the gate-source voltage by having a first electrode connected to a gate of the drive transistor, and a second electrode connected to a source of the drive transistor; a switch transistor that switches a conduction state between the second electrode and a data line; and a switch transistor for applying a negative power supply line voltage to the first electrode. A potential difference between a first power supply line voltage VDDp and a second power line voltage VEEp decreases with proximity to the center of a display unit.
US09111887B2
A flexible display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the flexible display apparatus are disclosed. A flexible organic light-emitting display apparatus includes: a thin film transistor formed on a substrate in which a plurality of subpixels are located; an organic light-emitting device electrically connected to the thin film transistor and in one of the subpixels, the organic light-emitting device including a first electrode, an organic layer on the first electrode; and a second electrode on the organic layer; a pixel defining layer having an opening that exposes at least a region of the first electrode, and covering an edge region of the first electrode; a capping layer covering the organic light-emitting device; and at least one clamp unit in a non-organic layer region defined next to the one of the subpixels, wherein the non-organic layer region is a region in which the organic layer is not formed.
US09111885B2
An electronic device comprising: an electronic substrate comprising circuit elements; a double bank well-defining structure disposed over the electronic substrate, the double bank well-defining structure comprising a first layer of insulating material and a second layer of insulating material thereover, the second layer of insulating material having a lower wettability than the first layer of insulating material; and organic semiconductive material disposed in wells defined by the double bank well-defining structure.
US09111880B2
A method of forming a pattern in a semiconductor device is described. A substrate divided into cell and peripheral regions is provided, and an object layer is formed on a substrate. A buffer pattern is formed on the object layer in the cell region along a first direction. A spacer is formed along a sidewall of the buffer pattern in the cell region, and a hard mask layer remains on the object layer in the peripheral region. The buffer layer is removed, and the spacer is separated along a second direction different from the first direction, thereby forming a cell hard mask pattern. A peripheral hard mask pattern is formed in the peripheral region. A minute pattern is formed using the cell and peripheral hard mask patterns in the substrate. Therefore, a line width variation or an edge line roughness due to the photolithography process is minimized.
US09111879B2
Some embodiments include methods for semiconductor processing. A semiconductor substrate may be placed within a reaction chamber. The semiconductor substrate may have an inner region and an outer region laterally outward of said inner region, and may have a deposition surface that extends across the inner and outer regions. The semiconductor substrate may be heated by radiating thermal energy from the outer region to the inner region. The heating may eventually achieve thermal equilibrium. However, before thermal equilibrium of the outer and inner regions is reached, and while the outer region is warmer than the inner region, at least two reactants are sequentially introduced into the reaction chamber. The reactants may together form a single composition on the deposition surface through a quasi-ALD process.
US09111871B2
Various embodiments provide semiconductor structures and methods for forming the same. In an exemplary method, a substrate can be provided. The substrate can have a plurality of isolation structures. A top surface of the plurality of isolation structures can be higher than a surface of the substrate. A device layer can be formed on the substrate and on the plurality of isolation structures. The device layer can be polished using a polishing process, such that the top surface of the plurality of isolation structures are exposed, with residue remaining on the device layer and on the plurality of isolation structures. The residue can be removed from the device layer and from the plurality of isolation structures using a non-polishing-removal process, such that the top surface of the plurality of isolation structures and a top surface of the device layer are substantially leveled and smooth.
US09111865B2
An oxide-containing layer is formed directly on a semiconductor layer in an NVM region, and a first partial layer of a first material is formed over the oxide-containing layer in the NVM region. A first high-k dielectric layer is formed directly on the semiconductor layer in a logic region. A first conductive layer is formed over the first dielectric layer in the logic region. A second partial layer of the first material is formed directly on the first partial layer in the NVM region and over the first conductive layer in the logic region. A logic device is formed in the logic region. An NVM cell is formed in the NVM region, wherein the first and second partial layer together are used to form one of a charge storage layer if the cell is a floating gate cell or a select gate if the cell is a split gate cell.
US09111862B2
A semiconductor apparatus and a manufacturing method therefor is described. The semiconductor apparatus comprises a substrate and a gate structure for a N-channel semiconductor device above the substrate. A recess is formed at a lower end portion of at least one of two sides of the gate where it is adjacent to a source region and a drain region, of the N-channel semiconductor. The channel region of the N-channel semiconductor device has enhanced strain. The apparatus can further have a gate structure for a P-channel semiconductor device above the substrate.
US09111858B2
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a cell array layer including a first wire, one or more memory cells stacked on the first wire, and a second wire formed on the memory cell so as to cross the first wire, wherein the memory cell includes a current rectifying element and a variable resistance element, and an atomic composition ratio of nitrogen is higher than that of oxygen in a part of a sidewall of the current rectifying element.
US09111856B2
A method for fabricating a phase-change memory cell is described. The method includes forming a dielectric layer (228) on a metal layer (226) above a substrate. A phase-change material layer (230) is formed on the dielectric layer. A contact region (232) is formed, within the dielectric layer, between the phase-change material layer and the metal layer by breaking-down a portion of the dielectric layer.
US09111850B2
A semiconductor process is described in this application. The process includes the following steps: providing a semiconductor substrate; measuring a warpage level of the semiconductor substrate; and holding the semiconductor substrate by providing at least one vacuum suction according to the warpage level, so that the semiconductor substrate is subjected to a plurality of varied suction intensities. The semiconductor substrate is held on a chuck having a plurality of holes grouped into a plurality of groups, and the sizes of the holes within different groups are different, wherein the sizes of the holes increase from a center toward an edge of the chuck, and the holes are arranged in a spiral.
US09111847B2
A method for manufacturing a chip package is provided. The method includes forming a layer over a carrier; forming further carrier material over the layer; selectively removing one or more portions of the further carrier material thereby releasing one or more portions of the layer from the further carrier material; and adhering a chip including one or more contact pads to the carrier via the layer.
US09111845B2
An integrated circuit (IC) package including an IC die and a conductive ink printed circuit layer electrically connected to the IC die.
US09111841B2
Display of a display device is made less likely to appear divided when a plurality of display panels are used as one screen. Provided is a display device including two display units and a foldable housing that includes a joint portion between the two display units and supports the two display units. Each display unit includes a display panel including a display region and a non-display region and a support having a first surface overlapped with the display region and a second surface that meets the first surface and is overlapped with the non-display region. The two display units are placed in the housing in an opened state such that the first surfaces of the supports face the same direction and the second surfaces of the supports face each other.
US09111821B2
Packaged semiconductor devices and packaging devices and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of packaging a semiconductor device includes providing a first integrated circuit die that is coupled to a first surface of a substrate that includes through-substrate vias (TSVs) disposed therein. A conductive ball is coupled to each of the TSVs on a second surface of the substrate that is opposite the first surface of the substrate. A second integrated circuit die is coupled to the second surface of the substrate, and a molding compound is formed over the conductive balls, the second integrated circuit die, and the second surface of the substrate. The molding compound is removed from over a top surface of the conductive balls, and the top surface of the conductive balls is recessed. A redistribution layer (RDL) is formed over the top surface of the conductive balls and the molding compound.
US09111816B2
A multi-layer pillar is provided. The multi-layer pillar is used as an interconnect between a chip and substrate. The pillar has at least one low strength, high ductility deformation region configured to absorb force imposed during chip assembly and thermal excursions.
US09111814B2
There is disclosed an array substrate which has a base substrate and data lines and gate lines on the base substrate, The data lines and gate lines intersect with each other to define pixel units, and each pixel unit comprises a pixel electrode, a gate electrode, a source electrode, a drain electrode and an active layer, and the pixel electrode, the gate electrode and the gate line adjoin to the base substrate, and the gate electrode is formed of a same material as that for forming the pixel electrode.
US09111804B2
It is an object to provide a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor with favorable electric properties and high reliability, and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device with high productivity. In an inverted staggered (bottom gate) thin film transistor, an oxide semiconductor film containing In, Ga, and Zn is used as a semiconductor layer, and a buffer layer formed using a metal oxide layer is provided between the semiconductor layer and a source and drain electrode layers. The metal oxide layer is intentionally provided as the buffer layer between the semiconductor layer and the source and drain electrode layers, whereby ohmic contact is obtained.
US09111776B2
In one implementation, a power semiconductor package includes a non-contiguous, multi-section conductive carrier. A control transistor with a control transistor terminal is coupled to a first section of the multi-section conductive carrier, while a sync transistor with a sync transistor terminal is coupled to a second section of the multi-section conductive carrier. The first and second sections of the multi-section conductive carrier sink heat generated by the control and sync transistors. The first and second sections of the multi-section conductive carrier are electrically connected only through a mounting surface attached to the power semiconductor package. Another implementation of the power semiconductor package includes a driver IC coupled to a third section of the multi-section conductive carrier. A method for fabricating the power semiconductor package is also disclosed. The power semiconductor package according to the present disclosure results in effective thermal protection, current carrying capability, and a relatively small size.
US09111762B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of pillars vertically extending from the semiconductor substrate, each pillar including a groove formed in an upper surface thereof, a salicide layer formed to cover the upper surface and a lateral circumference of an upper end of each pillar and a lower electrode formed to cover an upper surface and a lateral surface of the salicide layer.
US09111755B1
A semiconductor device comprises an integrated circuit including a wire bond pad and a passivation material, and a first gap between a first selected portion of the wire bond pad and the passivation material. The first gap is positioned to contain at least a first portion of a splash of the wire bond pad formed during a wire bond process.
US09111735B1
Fine structures of isotopic peak clusters of substances are determined using ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry, e.g, FT-ICR mass spectrometry. Resolved individual peaks in the fine structure of the non-monoisotopic peak clusters of organic substances usually contain the additional elemental isotopes 13C, 15N, 17O, 18O, 2H, 33S, 34S, and combinations thereof. In each of a series of experiments, one of the non-monoisotopic peak clusters is isolated and the corresponding fine structure spectrum acquired. Abundances of the resolved fine structure peaks and their positions on the mass scale are recorded and, after measuring some or all of the isotopic peaks, the atomic composition of the measured substance is calculated. By excluding the monoisotopic peak and isolating only one isotopic peak cluster at a time, the number of ions in the FT-ICR cell is kept low, which avoids resolving power losses due to space charge effects and ion-ion interaction phenomena.
US09111732B2
The sputtering apparatus includes a vacuum vessel, a sputter electrode placed within the vacuum vessel to hold a target material to be sputtered, a radio frequency power source for applying radio frequency waves to the electrode, a substrate holder which is spaced from the electrode and on which a substrate is held, a thin film being to be deposited on the substrate from components of the target material, and an impedance adjusting circuit for adjusting a first impedance of the substrate holder. The impedance adjusting circuit has a first end directly set at a ground potential and has an impedance circuit which is adjustable for adjusting the first impedance, a second impedance of the impedance circuit is adjusted to thereby adjust the first impedance and, hence, a potential of the substrate.
US09111730B2
Novel processing methods for production of high-refractive index contrast and low loss optical waveguides are disclosed. In one embodiment, a “channel” waveguide is produced by first depositing a lower cladding material layer with a low refractive index on a base substrate and a refractory metal layer. Then, an etch mask layer is deposited on the refractory layer, followed by selective etching of the refractory metal layer with a dry-etch tool with high selectivity to the etch mask layer. Then, the refractory metal layer is oxidized to form an oxidized refractory metal region, and a top cladding layer made of a second low refractive index material to encapsulate the oxidized refractory metal region. In another embodiment, a “ridge” waveguide is produced by using similar process steps with an added step of depositing a high-refractive-index material layer and an optional optically-transparent layer.
US09111728B2
A semiconductor substrate processing system includes a processing chamber and a substrate support defined to support a substrate in the processing chamber. The system also includes a plasma chamber defined separate from the processing chamber. The plasma chamber is defined to generate a plasma. The system also includes a plurality of fluid transmission pathways fluidly connecting the plasma chamber to the processing chamber. The plurality of fluid transmission pathways are defined to supply reactive constituents of the plasma from the plasma chamber to the processing chamber. The system further includes an electron injection device for injecting electrons into the processing chamber to control an electron energy distribution within the processing chamber so as to in turn control an ion-to-radical density ratio within the processing chamber. In one embodiment, an electron beam source is defined to transmit an electron beam through the processing chamber above and across the substrate support.
US09111727B2
The invention provides a plurality of resonator subsystems. The resonator subsystems can comprise one or more resonant cavities configured to couple electromagnetic (EM) energy in a desired EM wave mode to plasma by generating resonant microwave energy in a resonant cavity adjacent the plasma. The resonator subsystem can be coupled to a process chamber using one or more interface subsystems and can comprise one or more resonant cavities, and each resonant cavity can have a plurality of plasma tuning rods coupled thereto. Some of the plasma tuning rods can be configured to couple the EM-energy from one or more of the resonant cavities to the process space within the process chamber.
US09111721B2
Provided are a device and method capable of machining a machining target such as a sample, a probe, or a sample table without requiring a high degree of device operation skill. First, a shape generation process of determining a shape of a machining target on the basis of an ion beam scanning signal and an absorption current of the machining target is performed. Next, a machining pattern positioning process of positioning a machining pattern over an image of the machining target is performed. Further, an ion beam stopping process of stopping ion beam irradiation is performed from a result of comparison between the image of the machining target and the machining pattern while the machining target is machined through the ion beam irradiation.
US09111717B2
An ion beam apparatus includes an ion source configured to emit an ion beam, a condenser lens electrode that condenses the ion beam, and a condenser lens power source configured to apply a voltage to the condenser lens electrode. A storage portion stores a first voltage value, a second voltage value, a third voltage value, and a fourth voltage value. A control portion retrieves the third voltage value from the storage portion and sets the retrieved third voltage value to the condenser lens power source when an observation mode is switched to a wide-range observation mode, and retrieves the fourth voltage value from the storage portion and sets the retrieved fourth voltage value to the condenser lens power source when a processing mode is switched to the wide-range observation mode.
US09111715B2
A multi-element electrostatic chicane energy filter, with the addition of electrostatic quadrupole and hexapole excitations to the dipole elements. A charged particle energy filter according to the present invention with a combination of dipole, quadrupole, and hexapole elements capable of producing a line focus at an aperture reduces space-charge effects and aperture damage. A preferred embodiment allows the filter to act as a conjugate blanking system. The energy filter is capable of narrowing the energy spread to result in a smaller beam.
US09111705B2
A device and method for switching electrical load circuits involve the use of an overload contact integrated in an exciting current circuit of a magnetic coil. The electrical load circuits include an electromagnetic contactor having a magnetic drive formed from a magnet yoke with a magnet coil and a magnet armature to which a contact bridge is coupled as a movable contactor contact by a contact retainer. In the switched-on state the contactor generates a magnetic retaining force for contacting the contact bridge with fixed contacts. The retaining force results from a magnetic field generated by the magnet coil, and the retaining force is greater than an armature opening force. The overload contact is integrated in the exciting current circuit of the magnet coil in such a manner that that when the exciting current circuit is closed and a movement of the contact bridge against the magnetic retaining force occurs, the magnet coil can be short-circuited by closing the overload contact.
US09111699B2
An electrical switch is disclosed, especially a circuit breaker. In addition, a method for improving such a switch is also disclosed. In order to protect an electrical switch in an especially simple manner from contamination and/or damage by erosion materials, it is proposed to cover a few or all functional parts of the switch at least partly with a protective material, wherein the protective material involves a viscous, temperature-resistant mass.
US09111691B2
A ceramic electronic component includes a first internal electrode that includes a first opposed section and a first extraction section. The first opposed section is opposed to a second internal electrode with a ceramic layer interposed therebetween. The first extraction section is located closer to a first end surface than the first opposed section. The first extraction section includes a first thick section. The first thick section is thicker than a first central section of the first opposed section. The first opposed section includes a first base end section opposed to a second tip section of the second internal electrode closer to the first end surface, with the ceramic layer interposed therebetween, and the first base end section includes a first thin section. The first thin section is thinner than the first central section.
US09111677B2
Method of manufacturing a dry-type open wound transformer having disc windings is provided. The transformer has one or more high voltage windings, each of which includes a plurality serially connected discs. Each disc has two or more sections, wherein the sections are separated from each other by spaces arranged in a circumferential configuration.
US09111674B2
The present invention provides a permanent magnet whose magnetic properties will not be significantly decreased and which is excellent in the temperature properties compared to the existing R-T-B based permanent magnet. In the R-T-B based structure, a stack structure of R1-T-B based crystallizing layer and (Y,Ce)-T-B based crystallizing layer can be formed by alternatively stacking R1-T-B and (Y,Ce)-T-B. In this way, a high magnetic anisotropy field of the R1-T-B based crystallizing layer can be maintained while an improved temperature coefficient of the (Y,Ce)-T-B based crystallizing layer can be obtained. Further, a high coercivity can be obtained by adding the Ce-T-B based crystallizing layer with a low lattice distortion to the Y-T-B based crystallizing layer.
US09111673B2
An improved system and method for moving an object includes a first correlated magnetic structure associated with a first object and a second correlated magnetic structure associated with a second object. The first and second correlated magnetic structures are complementary coded to achieve a peak attractive tensile force and a peak shear force when their code modulos are aligned thereby enabling magnetic attachment of the two objects whereby movement of one object causes movement of the other object as if the two objects were one object. Applying an amount of torque to one correlated magnetic structures greater than a torque threshold causes misalignment and decorrelation of the code modulos enabling detachment of the two objects. The number, location, and coding of the correlated magnetic structures can be selected to achieve specific torque characteristics, tensile force characteristics, and shear force characteristics.
US09111667B2
A graphene transfer method comprising: attaching a first end of a first stacked structure, including a catalyst metal, graphene, and a supporting body stacked in the order stated, to a point of a target film that is transported in a roll-to-roll manner in a first direction; forming a second stacked structure by removing the catalyst metal of the first stacked structure, the second stacked structure having a surface whereon the graphene is exposed; and transferring the exposed graphene to a transfer surface of the target film by transporting the target film in a roll-to-roll manner and the second stacked structure in the first direction.
US09111665B2
An electrically tuned composite tube comprises a tubular arrangement of a knitted reinforcement layer. Selected knitted patterns provide desired density or spacing between fibers of the reinforcement layer. A mesh element is also incorporated in the tube construction to precisely control resistivity and conductivity performance characteristics by selecting the mesh element from one or more conductive or non-conductive fibers or wires. The mesh element may include a tubular arrangement of fiber or wire provided in a knitted pattern or a woven pattern. A matrix material is applied over the knitted reinforcement layer and mesh element, and is allowed to cure for a single matrix layer. Alternatively, a first tube can be constructed with only the knitted reinforcement layer and matrix material, and the mesh element is added afterwards with another layer of matrix material applied over the exterior surface of the first tube.
US09111655B2
Provided is a radiation generating apparatus, including: a radiation generating unit for emitting radiation; and a movable diaphragm unit including a light projecting/sighting system for making a simulation display of a radiation field with visible light. The light projecting/sighting system includes: a light source of the visible light; a light guiding plate that is provided across a radiation axis, and causes the visible light from the light source to exit from a front surface of the light guiding plate; and a louver that gives directivity to the visible light exiting from the front surface of the light guiding plate.
US09111646B2
A chip tester includes a test unit suitable for performing a test on guarantee blocks and for detecting at least one second defective block from the guarantee blocks, a storage unit suitable for storing repair information, a determination unit suitable for comparing the number of available redundancy blocks, which are not allocated for first defective blocks, with the number of at least one second defective block, by referring to the repair information, and a guarantee block management unit suitable for updating the repair information to cancel allocation of at least one of a plurality of redundancy blocks based on a result of the comparison of the determination unit.
US09111643B2
A method for repairing defective memory cells includes receiving an access command having an access address and an access operation. The access address includes a row address and a column address. The method further includes determining whether the row address and the column address are the same as a pre-recorded row address and column address of a defective memory cell. If the row and column addresses of the access address are the same as the respective row and column addresses of the defective memory cell, the method includes replacing the defective memory cell with a redundant memory cell, and executing the access operation using the redundant memory cell.
US09111641B1
In one aspect, a memory circuit is provided. The memory circuit includes a first memory device; a second memory device coupled to the first memory device; a freeze circuit coupled to a first output terminal and a second output terminal, where the first output terminal is an output terminal of the first memory device and the second output terminal is an output terminal of the second memory device; and a test switch coupled to the first output terminal and the second output terminal.
US09111637B1
Word line assist circuits are disclosed for high performance sub-micron SRAM designs. One embodiment is an SRAM device that includes a memory cell array and a pair of word lines that traverse the memory cell array for selecting memory cells. The SRAM device further includes a pair of word line drivers, each coupled to one of the word lines. The SRAM device further includes a word line assist circuit coupled to the pair of word lines that receives an enable signal. Responsive to receiving the enable signal, the word line assist circuit assists the first word line driver and the second word line driver in transitioning their respective word lines from a logic level zero to a logic level one in response to a voltage differential between the word lines.
US09111631B2
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to a memory device, and more particularly to write performance of a memory device.
US09111630B2
An electronic device of the present technique includes a controller part for controlling operations of a non-volatile memory and a volatile memory, a power supply controller for controlling power to the controller part and the volatile memory, and a register for retaining running information about a program read from the non-volatile memory. When power is supplied to the controller part from the power supply controller and the running information about the program is not retained in the register, the controller part reads the program from the non-volatile memory and stores it in the volatile memory so as to execute the program, and retains the running information about the program in the register. When the running information about the program is retained in the register, the program is read from the volatile memory so as to be executed.
US09111622B2
Circuitry and a method provide self-referenced sensing of a resistive memory cell by using its characteristic of resistance variation with applied voltage in one state versus a relatively constant resistance regardless of the applied voltage in its opposite state. Based on an initial bias state with equalized resistances, a current comparison at a second bias state between a mock bit line and a bit line is used to determine the state of the memory cell, since a significant difference in current implies that the memory cell state has a significant voltage coefficient of resistance. An offset current applied to the mock bit line optionally may be used to provide symmetry and greater sensing margin.
US09111617B2
A semiconductor memory device is provided including first and second cell strings formed on a substrate, the first and second cell strings jointly connected to a bit line, wherein each of the first and second cell strings includes a ground selection unit, a memory cell, and first and second string selection units sequentially formed on the substrate to be connected to each other, wherein the ground selection unit is connected to a ground selection line, the memory cell is connected to a word line, the first string selection unit is connected to a first string selection line, and the second string selection unit is connected to a second string selection line, and wherein the second string selection unit of the first cell string has a channel dopant region.
US09111616B2
A flash memory device includes a plurality of memory blocks. A selected memory block among the plurality of memory blocks includes 2n pages of data. The selected memory block includes different types of memory cells capable of storing different numbers of bits.
US09111605B2
A semiconductor storage apparatus provides a large capacity phase-change memory possessing high speed operation, low electrical current, and high-reliability. During the period that a read-out start signal is activated in the memory region control circuit and the block of pairs of sense-latch and write driver is performing the verify read in the upper section memory region; the write enable signals in the memory region control circuit are activated and the block of pairs of sense-latch and write driver perform rewrite operation of the data in the lower section memory region. This type of operation allows cancelling out the time required for the verify read and the time required for the time-division write operation by performing the verify read in one memory region, while performing time-division rewrite in other memory region, to achieve both higher reliability rewrite operation along with suppressing the rewrite operation peak electrical current.
US09111604B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products for using a transport function to provide and receive identifications of content available over a network and to provide and receive user-selected content over the network.
US09111603B1
An integrated circuit may include a memory controller that interfaces with memory via one or more ports. A given port may be coupled to a comparator that receives data signals from the memory and a reference voltage signal and produces a corresponding output signal that identifies whether the data signals are logic one signals or logic zero signals. The memory controller may include detection circuitry coupled to the port that produces a target reference voltage signal for calibration of the reference voltage signal. The memory controller may include circuitry that produces the reference voltage signal based on control signals received from control circuitry. The control circuitry may generate the control signals to calibrate the reference voltage signal based on the target reference voltage.
US09111600B2
Described is an apparatus and system for improving write margin in memory cells. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises: a first circuit to provide a pulse signal with a width; and a second circuit to receive the pulse signal and to generate a power supply for the memory cell, wherein the second circuit to reduce a level of the power supply below a data retention voltage level of the memory cell for a time period corresponding to the width of the pulse signal. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a column of memory cells having a high supply node and a low supply node; and a charge sharing circuit positioned in the column of memory cells, the charge sharing circuit coupled to the high and low supply nodes, the charge sharing circuit operable to reduce direct-current (DC) power consumption.
US09111597B2
A memory device structure and method of fabricating the memory device structure is described. The memory device structure has a memory array disposed in a array level and peripheral circuitry, including decoders and other peripheral circuitry, disposed in a device level. The array of memory cells has a perimeter that defines a cylinder that extends above and beneath the array of memory cells. The decoders and the other peripheral circuitry or at least part of the decoders and the other peripheral circuitry are disposed within the cylinder in the device level. The memory device structure also includes a plurality of pads in a pad level. A first plurality of inter-level conductive lines electrically couples the decoders to the bit lines and word lines in the array of memory cells.
US09111596B2
A memory device comprises an array of bitcells arranged as a plurality of rows of bitcells and a plurality of columns of bitcells, and has a plurality of wordlines and a plurality of readout channels. A control unit is configured to control access to the array of bitcells, wherein in response to a memory access request specifying a memory address the control unit is configured to activate a selected wordline and to activate the plurality of readout channels, and to access a row of bitcells in said array storing a data word and addressed by the memory address. The data word consists of a number of data bits given by a number of bitcells in each row of bitcells. The control unit is further configured to be responsive to a masking signal and, when the masking signal is asserted when said memory access request is received, the control unit is configured to activate only a portion of the selected wordline and a portion of the plurality of readout channels, such that only a portion of the data word is accessed.
US09111595B2
A memory includes a clock generator for providing a first clock signal responsive to a second clock signal and a feedback signal. A feedback loop provides the feedback signal and includes a tracking wordline, a tracking bitline, a tracking bit cell, and a tracking wordline driver for driving the tracking wordline responsive to the first clock signal. The memory includes a tracking wordline level tuner for reducing a voltage level of a tracking wordline signal on the tracking wordline responsive to a weak bit control signal.
US09111587B2
A stacked memory is disclosed including a first integrated circuit memory chip having first storage locations and a second integrated circuit memory chip disposed in a stacked relationship with the first integrated circuit memory chip. The second integrated circuit memory chip has second storage locations. Redundant storage is provided including a first storage area dedicated to storing failure address information of failure address locations in the first or second integrated circuit memory chips. The redundant storage includes a second storage area dedicated to storing data corresponding to the failure address locations. Matching logic matches incoming data transfer addresses to the stored failure address information.
US09111586B2
A storage medium including a processing module and a cell array. The processing module receives test data according to a write command. The cell array stores the test data. The processing module receives verify data according to a comparison command, reads the test data stored in the cell array to generate access data, and compares the access data with the verify data to generate a compared report.
US09111572B2
A multi-stage sensor is situated on the head transducer and configured to interact with a magnetic recording medium. A first sensor stage of the multi-stage sensor has a temperature coefficient of resistance. A second sensor stage of the multi-stage sensor is coupled to the first sensor and has a temperature coefficient of resistance. The first sensor stage is configured to preferentially sense asperities of the media relative to the second sensor stage, and the second sensor stage configured to preferentially sense proximity to, and contact with, a surface of the media relative to the first sensor stage. The first and second sensor stages may be connected in series or in parallel.
US09111565B2
Embodiments of a single data storage device with multiple different data recording media surfaces are disclosed. In one embodiment, at least one of the data recording media surfaces is conventional, such as a continuous or discrete track recording media. Another of the data recording media surfaces is a relatively high areal density, high data rate recording media, such as a bit patterned media (BPM) recording media.
US09111559B1
A gimbal dual stage actuated suspension has a microactuator attached at its distal end to the gimbal in order to effect fine movements of the head slider. The microactuator is mounted on the side of the flexure that is opposite the disk platter and the head slider, and extends in height through an aperture in the load beam. The driving voltage for the microactuator is provided through an aperture in the insulating layer of the flexure to a signal conducting layer in the flexure's electrical circuit. The electrical connection from the signal conducting layer to the microactuator can comprise an electrically conductive adhesive, or an electrically conductive adhesive that contacts an isolated island of the stainless steel support layer in the flexure which is in electrical contact with the conducting layer, which is plated all the way to the stainless steel layer or which is otherwise extended thereto.
US09111558B1
A focusing structure including an array of localized optical alterations that alter the propagation of light through the waveguide to diffractively focus the light as it exits the focusing structure. The array of optical alterations may be formed along either a straight or a curved line within a cross section of the focusing structure. In energy assisted magnetic recording apparatus a laser beam propagates through the waveguide to a near field transducer. The waveguide comprises a focusing element that includes an array of localized optical alterations that alter the propagation of the laser beam through the waveguide to diffractively focus the laser beam approximately at the near field transducer.
US09111555B2
An optical recording medium includes a recording layer including a reflective layer, two dielectric layers, and a phase-change recording layer. The phase-change recording layer-side dielectric layer of the two dielectric layers contains tantalum oxide or a composite oxide composed of silicon oxide, indium oxide, and zirconium oxide. The reflective layer-side dielectric layer of the two dielectric layers contains a composite oxide composed of silicon oxide, indium oxide, and zirconium oxide, a composite oxide composed of indium oxide and gallium oxide, or a composite oxide composed of zinc oxide and aluminum oxide.
US09111549B2
A hearing aid comprising a frequency shifter (20) has means (22) for detecting a first frequency and a second frequency in an input signal. The frequency shifter (20) transposes a first frequency range of the input signal to a second frequency range of the input signal based on the presence of a fixed relationship between the first and the second detected frequency. The means (34, 35, 36) for detecting the fixed relationship between the first and the second frequency is used for controlling the frequency transposer (20). A speech detector (26) configured for detecting the presence of voiced and unvoiced speech is provided for suppressing the transposition of voiced-speech signals in order to preserve the speech formants. The purpose of transposing frequency bands in this way in a hearing aid is to render inaudible frequencies audible to a user of the hearing aid while maintaining the original envelope, harmonic coherence and speech intelligibility of the signal. The invention further provides a method for shifting a frequency range of an input signal in a hearing aid.
US09111547B2
A method for determining a semantic concept associated with an audio signal captured using an audio sensor. A data processor is used to automatically analyze the audio signal using a plurality of semantic concept detectors to determine corresponding preliminary semantic concept detection values, each semantic concept detector being adapted to detect a particular semantic concept. The preliminary semantic concept detection values are analyzed using a joint likelihood model based on predetermined pair-wise likelihoods that particular pairs of semantic concepts co-occur to determine updated semantic concept detection values. One or more semantic concepts are determined based on the updated semantic concept detection values. The semantic concept detectors and the joint likelihood model are trained together with a joint training process using training audio signals, at least some of which are known to be associated with a plurality of semantic concepts.
US09111540B2
A local feedback mechanism for customizing training models based on user data and directed user feedback is provided in speech recognition applications. The feedback data is filtered at different levels to address privacy concerns for local storage and for submittal to a system developer for enhancement of generic training models.
US09111536B2
A method and system for compressing an audio signal. The method includes receiving a segment of an audio signal and selectively disabling noise suppression for the received segment. The segment is filtered in a noise-suppression module if noise suppression is not disabled. The method also includes calculating an autocorrelation coefficient and an LSP coefficient, predicting a short-term coefficient and long-term coefficients according to the LSP coefficient and calculating one or more bandwidth-expanded correlation coefficients. Further, the method includes determining the type of packet in which to encode the segment. An encoding rate is selected from among a full rate encode, a half-rate encode, and an eight-rate encode if noise suppression is not disabled. An encoding rate is selected from among a full rate encode and a half-rate encode if noise suppression is disabled. Furthermore, the segment is formed into a packet of the determined type and selected rate.
US09111534B1
Implementations related to system and techniques for providing audio news reports are discussed. A computer-implemented method includes identifying, with a computer system, one or more news preferences for a first user, selecting a plurality of news stories, wherein particular ones of the new stories are determined to be responsive to the news preferences for the first user and comprise audio versions of stories converted automatically from textual news stories, assembling, with the computer system and for the first user, an audio news report that includes the audio versions of the selected news stories, and delivering, to a computing device, the assembled audio news report.
US09111528B2
A decoder and decoding method for use in surround sound system wherein at least four audio input signals representing an original sound field are encoded into two channel signals and said encoded signals are decoded into at least four audio output signals corresponding to the four audio input signals and have an amplitude ratio and a phase relationship. The decoder and method including means for: compensating the said encoded signals for variations in perceived loudness relative to frequency associated with the encoded two channel signals due to non linearity in human hearing response at least at some frequencies; producing steering signals in responsive to the phase relationship of the said compensated signals; decoding said encoded signals to produce audio output signals corresponding to audio input signals by varying at least the amplitude ratio of said encoded signals contained in each of the output signals in response to said steering signals.
US09111527B2
An encoding device, a decoding device, and encoding and decoding methods are provided, wherein when a multi-channel signal is encoded with high efficiency, using an adaptive filter, the number of arithmetic operations to update a filter coefficient of the adaptive filter can be reduced. An update range determination unit determines the range of a filter coefficient order (update order range) of a filter coefficient to be updated, among filter coefficients gk(n) of the adaptive filter, on the basis of a mutual correlation function between an input (L) signal and an input (R) signal. The adaptive filter updates the filter coefficient gk(n) of the filter coefficient order (n) to be updated, using a decoding (L) signal and a decoding error (R) signal.
US09111524B2
The present document relates to methods and systems for encoding and decoding multimedia files. In particular, the present document relates to methods and systems for encoding and decoding a plurality of audio tracks for seamless playback of the plurality of audio tracks. A method for encoding an audio signal comprising a first and a directly following second audio track for seamless and individual playback of the first and second audio tracks is described. The first and second audio tracks comprise a first and second plurality of audio frames, respectively. The method comprises jointly encoding the audio signal using a frame based audio encoder, thereby yielding a continuous sequence of encoded frames; extracting a first plurality of encoded frames from the continuous sequence of encoded frames; extracting a second plurality of encoded frames from the continuous sequence of encoded frames; appending one or more rear extension frames to an end of the first plurality of encoded frames; and appending one or more front extension frames to the beginning of the second plurality of encoded frames.
US09111522B1
The implementations described include an audio canceling device that receives and audio signal from within an environment, identifies desired and undesired audio from the received audio signal and generates an attenuation-signal for use in canceling out or reducing the volume of the undesired audio at a canceling location. In addition, the audio canceling device, may determine a time delay before the attenuation-signal should be transmitted from an output based on a distance between the undesired audio source location and the canceling location and a distance between the output and the canceling location.
US09111513B1
A luthiery fixture or tool provides for a guitar or other stringed instrument to be rotationally supported and securely held above a surface, such as a work bench. The fixture is especially configured to support instruments having differing body dimensions.
US09111510B2
A display apparatus includes a detector to detect an angle of a center line of the display apparatus relative to a horizontal line of the south geomagnetic pole when in the horizontal plane. The apparatus stores a reference angle. The apparatus determines the rotation angle of the display apparatus by subtracting the reference angle from the angle of the center line of the display apparatus relative to the horizontal line of the south geomagnetic pole; and rotates display content according to the rotation angle. A related method is also disclosed.
US09111505B2
A liquid crystal display device of the present invention employs a liquid crystal panel of CS control pixel division, and is configured such that two adjacent pixel rows share one retention capacitor wire, and two adjacent scanning signal lines are simultaneously selected. In a case where two pixels ((Pn+1) and (Pn+2)) which are adjacent along a scanning direction but are not simultaneously selected are to have an identical predetermined luminance in two frames, a first signal potential is written to one pixel (Pn+1) in one of the two frames and a second signal potential having a polarity identical to that of the first signal potential is written to the other pixel (Pn+2) in the other of the two frames, the first and second signal potentials are different from each other. The present invention makes it possible to suppress transverse lines of display unevenness which occur in the liquid crystal display device.
US09111502B2
A driving method of a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel comprises a scan driving process and a data driving process. In the scan driving process, overlapping time regions are formed simultaneously between a positive edge and a negative edge of the scan lines when a drive of a last row of a scan line is switched to drive of a next row of the scan line. In the data driving process, when a time of data signal corresponding to the last row of the scan line overlaps a time of the overlapping time regions, the data signal corresponding to the next row of the scan line are outputted.
US09111492B2
An organic light emitting display includes a scan driver, a data driver, a current sink unit, and pixels. The scan driver is configured to provide a first scan signal to first scan lines and a second scan signal to second scan lines. The data driver is configured to provide a data signal to first data lines and a voltage data signal to second data lines. The current sink unit is configured to provide a current data signal to third data lines. The pixels are configured to store a voltage corresponding to the voltage data signal and the current data signal. A light emission time of the pixels is controlled by the data signal.
US09111490B2
A gate driving circuit generates a gate driving signal for a P-type transistor and a gate driving signal for an N-type transistor, a scanning signal and a light emission control signal, and the gate driving circuit provides a pulse width control function and a concurrent light emitting function.
US09111479B2
A method for optimizing an amount of colors used in content data is described. At least one content object is received and it is analyzed if any of the received content objects is a predetermined type. At least one color used within the at least one content object of the predetermined type is determined and the received content objects are rendered to a raster canvas so that the at least one color is protected. Information on the at least one color is stored and at least one characteristic of the rendered content is compared to at least one predetermined criteria. In case of mismatch the amount of colors used in the content of the raster canvas is optimized so that the at least one color used in at least one rendered content object of the predetermined type is protected. Finally, the content is compressed and output.
US09111476B2
An apparatus and method for driving an image display device are disclosed. The disclosed driving apparatus and method achieve synchronous driving of driving integrated circuits for driving an image display panel, through internal generation of drive control signals, thereby preventing a degradation in picture quality caused by erroneous driving timing while achieving an enhancement in product reliability. The driving apparatus includes a display panel, which includes a plurality of pixel regions, to display an image, a plurality of data integrated circuits, which share at least one of synchronizing signals internally generated therefrom, generate gate and data control signals in accordance with the shared synchronizing signal, and drive data lines of the display panel, using the internally-generated data control signals, and a gate driver for driving gate lines of the display panel in accordance with the gate control signal generated from one of the plural data integrated circuits.
US09111472B2
A backlight assembly includes a light-emitting diode (LED) module and a bottom chassis. The LED module includes an LED package in which at least one LED chip is mounted, and first and second wire sockets respectively making contact with lead frames formed at two sides of the LED package. The bottom chassis has a coupling hole formed through a bottom portion for receiving a coupling hook of the LED module. Thus, a wire socket is configured to make contact with a lead frame formed at a side portion of an LED package and power is received through a wire inserted through the wire socket, so that an additional printed circuit board (PCB) or an additional flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) for providing the LED package with power may be omitted.
US09111469B2
A poster clamp comprising first and second members, the members comprising first and second gripping surfaces, respectively, for gripping opposing sides of a poster or a like, and a poster mounting system comprising a hoarding and a plurality of such clamps, and a wire on which the clamps are to be mounted for tightening a poster within the frame of the hoarding.
US09111466B2
Communication apparatus includes a memory and a communication interface, configured to send and receive messages to and from respective management agents in multiple items of communication equipment having ports that are interconnected by cables in a network, each of the cables having a unique identifier. A processor is configured to communicate with the management agents via the communication interface so as to collect physical connectivity information with respect to the cables and the ports, to store the physical connectivity information in the memory, and to provide the physical connectivity information to a user of the apparatus.
US09111464B2
A display and method of manufacture are described. The display may include a substrate including an array of pixels with each pixel including multiple subpixels, and each subpixel within a pixel is designed for a different color emission spectrum. An array of micro LED device pairs are mounted within each subpixel to provide redundancy. An array of wavelength conversion layers comprising phosphor particles are formed over the array of micro LED device pairs for tunable color emission spectrum.
US09111452B2
A vehicle is equipped with at least one environment detection system, a communication system which transmits information by remote transmission to receivers external to the vehicle, and at least one electronic control unit for both systems. The electronic control unit is designed to realize a standby mode which can be activated automatically or manually. The control device is configured such that when the vehicle is parked and the standby mode is activated, both the environment detection system and the communication system can be switched-on at least to a limited extent to predefined functions in regard to the transmission of information to receivers external to the vehicle.
US09111450B2
A method and system for parking assistance for a vehicle, wherein the parking of said vehicle on a parking space at least partly occupied by a second vehicle is enabled by transmitting a maneuver request to the second vehicle. The method includes the steps of: allocating a priority to the driver of the first vehicle, wherein said priority implements a classification of said driver with respect to the extent to which the driver is entitled to the prioritized use of the parking space; and transmitting the maneuver request to the second vehicle based on said priority.
US09111447B2
An aspect of some embodiments of the present invention relates to a warning system for use in an emergency vehicle. The system comprises a tone generator, configured for generating an output alert signal, and a radio wave generator. The radio wave generator is configured for receiving the output alert signal and encoding the output alert signal into an electrical signal, and for converting the electrical signal into an electromagnetic wave configured for being received by a radio and/or a cellular communication device within a desired distance from the emergency vehicle, thus enabling the receiving radio and/or cellular communication device to convert the electromagnetic wave to an audio signal that can be emitted by the radio and/or cellular communication device to warn a user of a proximity of the emergency vehicle.
US09111435B2
A method, apparatus, and system for reducing medical error may comprise receiving an enter signal including an enter status when a first worker device enters a zone. An exit signal including an exit status may be received when the first worker device exits the zone. Moreover an action signal including an action status may be received if an action device is actuated.
US09111426B2
A system detects presence of particles in the air of guest rooms of facilities such as motels and hotels for example that indicate that guests are engaged in recreational smoking. The system provides an indication to the facility manager of such behavior.
US09111417B2
A system for providing enhanced services to users of a gaming application comprises a server and a platform remotely coupled to the server. The server executes a gaming application. The platform receives a request for enhanced services, and establishes an enhanced services session with a user of the gaming application in response to the request for enhanced services. The enhanced services session corresponds in time at least in part with the execution of the gaming application. The platform further provides enhanced services to the user of the gaming application during the enhanced services session.
US09111412B2
Apparatus and methods related to multi-player casino games are described. An electronic gaming device is provided that allows a live player to compete against a virtual player in a multi-player wager-based game using playing cards derived from the insertion of a physical denomination of currency. The electronic gaming device can be configured to simulate the decision making of a virtual player and associated behaviors of the virtual player during game play. In some instances, the simulated behaviors of the virtual player output at the electronic gaming device can be learned by a live player so that the live player can make better or more advantageous game play decisions. The simulated behaviors of the virtual player can be conveyed to the live player via visual images, such as simulated facial expressions of the virtual player.
US09111403B2
Systems and methods for systems and method for tracking device control and reporting are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving first location information from a vehicle tracking device associated with a vehicle, the first location information indicating a location of a vehicle at a first location. The method also includes receiving second location information from the vehicle tracking device, the second location information indicating a location of the vehicle at a second location and a distance traveled by the vehicle from the first location. The method further includes determining based on the second location information, an actual distance traveled by the vehicle from the first location to the second location. The method also includes determining, based on the first location information and the second location information, an expected distance between the first location and the second location and comparing the actual distance traveled by the vehicle to the expected distance.
US09111401B2
An access control system and a method of operating the same are provided. The access control system includes an interactive reader commander that intercepts commands transmitted from a computing device to a reader and determines if the intercepted commands are security-relevant. Security-relevant commands and possibly other commands are stored unless and until a valid user input is received at the interactive reader commander.
US09111397B2
The present application describes techniques for fetching map data as a selected subset of entire map data available by selecting map data tiles corresponding to an area that encompasses a route. An amount of map data accessed may be adjusted based on a priority assigned to areas or points along the route. A sequence of map data may be accessed based on a priority assigned to sets of map data.
US09111395B2
Shadow map partitions may be automatically placed based on the location or concentration of sample data depth in eye space. An initial positioning for the partitions may be determined based on user specified budgets for number of partitions, computation time, or memory utilization, in some embodiments. The initial positioning may be refined using a clustering algorithm in some cases.
US09111390B2
A computer-implemented method for generating a visual representation of entity relationships includes: receiving interaction information for relationships that a first entity has with regard to each of a plurality of second entities; determining, using the received interaction information and for each of the relationships, a first measure indicating a recentness of the relationship and a second measure indicating a balance of the relationship between the first and second entities; and presenting, using one or more processors, visual representations of at least some of the relationships, the visual representations comprising connections having length and shape corresponding to the first and second measures, respectively.
US09111386B2
A system and method for presenting three-dimensional image volume data utilizing an orientationally-sensitive display device whereby the image volume is navigable simply by tilting, raising and lowering the display device. Doing so presents an image on the screen that relates to the angle and position of the display device such that the user gets the impression that the device itself is useable as a window into the image volume, especially when the device is placed on or near the source of the image data, such as a patient.
US09111384B2
Computationally implemented methods and systems include receiving augmentation data associated with one or more first augmentations, the one or more first augmentations having been included in a first augmented view of a first actual scene that was remotely displayed at a remote augmented reality (AR) device, displaying one or more second augmentations in a second augmented view of a second actual scene, the displaying of the one or more second augmentations being in response, at least in part, to the augmentation data, and transmitting to the remote AR device usage data that indicates usage information related at least to usage or non-usage of the received augmentation data. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.
US09111378B2
Techniques for virtualizing content are disclosed. One or more objects comprising source video content are determined. The one or more objects comprising the source video content are virtualized by mapping each to and representing each with a corresponding database object. Data comprising the corresponding database objects is provided for rendering the source video content instead of any original pixel information of the source video content so that a virtualized version of the source video content is rendered.
US09111375B2
A system adapted to implement a learning rule in a three-dimensional (3D) environment is described. The system includes: a renderer adapted to generate a two-dimensional (2D) image based at least partly on a 3D scene; a computational element adapted to generate a set of appearance features based at least partly on the 2D image; and an attribute classifier adapted to generate at least one set of learned features based at least partly on the set of appearance features and to generate a set of estimated scene features based at least partly on the set of learned features. A method labels each image from among the set of 2D images with scene information regarding the 3D scene; selects a set of learning modifiers based at least partly on the labeling of at least two images; and updates a set of weights based at least partly on the set of learning modifiers.
US09111372B2
A system for identifying dental objects, visualizing a dental image, and method for identifying dental anomalies are described. The system for identifying dental objects comprises a 3-D dental image, a database, a digital processing component, and an interactive graphical user interface is described. The 3-D dental image is generated by a medical imaging device. The database has data fields that include locations for teeth, locations for each section of tooth, standard shapes associated with individual teeth, standard shapes associated with each of the sections of tooth, and bone density data for each section of tooth. The digital processing component is configured to process the 3-D image and is in operative communication with the database. The digital processing component is configured to identify an object by combining a plurality of voxels having a common density and tagging the object. The interactive graphical user interface (GUI) permits the user to interact with the object.
US09111366B2
Statistical analysis techniques based on auto- and cross-correlations/cumulants, of image stacks of fluctuating objects are used to improve resolution beyond the classical diffraction limit and to reduce the background. The time trajectory of every pixel in the image frame is correlated with itself and/or with the time trajectory of an adjacent pixel. The amplitude of these auto- or cross-correlations/cumulants of each pixel, at a given time lag or averaged or integrated over an interval of time lags, is used as the intensity value of that pixel in the generated superresolved optical fluctuation image.
US09111364B2
Audiovisual content presentation to users has evolved from users receiving hardcopy printed materials to their searching and retrieving information by accessing any of hundreds of millions of web sites and billions of web pages. User retrieval being performed on a wide variety of platforms from high performance PCs to low performance cellular telephones. Accordingly substantial limitations exist in initially displaying this audiovisual content as well as when users dynamically manipulate browser dimensions or move through the content. Further additional limitations exist for those authoring both online and traditional content to manipulate sourced content to provide the published content. As such a requirement exists for dynamically resizing images that respects the information content within the audiovisual content. Embodiments of the invention provide for content aware resizing of audiovisual content both within authoring and user environments, and in dependence upon device characteristics such as display, processor, power, etc.
US09111358B2
A digital-watermark embedding device includes a content obtaining unit that obtains content; a watermark-information obtaining unit that obtains digital-watermark information; a generating unit that generates a synchronization flag on a basis of the digital-watermark information; and an embedding unit that embeds the digital-watermark information and the synchronization flag into the content.
US09111356B2
Disclosed herein is a method of processing images based on image segmentation using higher-order correlation clustering. In an image segmentation method according to an embodiment of the present invention, an input image is segmented into superpixels. A hypergraph is constructed by connecting two or more adjacent superpixels, among the superpixels, to one another. A joint feature map is created by extracting feature vectors from respective edges of the hypergraph, and partitioning the hypergraph based on higher-order correlation clustering in consideration of specific constraints.
US09111354B2
An image processing apparatus includes a first error diffusion unit, a second error diffusion unit, and a first determining unit, wherein the second error diffusion unit performs error diffusion processing in parallel with the first error diffusion unit and has an operating unit and a calculation unit, and the first determining unit determines whether quantized data for the second pixel of interest is fixed by the second error diffusion unit on the basis of whether the total of value is equal to or lower than a first reference value and whether the total of value is equal to or higher than a second reference value that is higher than the first reference value.
US09111348B2
A computer-based method/system of dynamic category object recognition for estimating pose and/or positioning of target objects and target object's parts. The method/system may recognize a target object and the target object's parts. The method/system may segment and extract data corresponding to the target object and the target object's parts, and estimate the pose and positioning of the target object and the target object's parts using a plurality of stored object models. The dynamic method/system may supplement or modify the parameters of the plurality of stored object models and/or store learned object models. The learned object models assist in recognizing and estimating pose and/or positioning of newly encountered objects more accurately and with fewer processing steps. The method and system may include a processor, a sensor, an external device, a communications unit, and a database.
US09111347B2
A method for determining the pose of a camera with respect to at least one real object, the method comprises the following steps: operating the camera (1) for capturing a 2-dimensional (or 3-dimensional) image (4) including at least a part of the real object (3), providing a transformation matrix (T) which includes information regarding a correspondence between 3-dimensional points (Pi*) associated with the real object (3) and corresponding 2-dimensional points (or 3-dimensional points) (p,) of the real object (5) as included in the 2-dimensional (or 3-dimensional) image (4), and determining an initial estimate of the transformation matrix (Tl) as an initial basis for an iterative minimization process used for iteratively refining the transformation matrix, determining a Jacobian matrix (J) which includes information regarding the initial estimate of the transformation matrix (Tl) and reference values of 3-dimensional points (Pi*) associated with the real object (3). Further, in the iterative minimization process, in each one of multiple iteration loops determining a respective updated version of the transformation matrix (T) based on a respective previous version of the transformation matrix (T) and based on the Jacobian matrix (J), wherein the Jacobian matrix is not updated during the iterative minimization process, and determining the pose of the camera (1) with respect to the real object (3) using the transformation matrix (T) determined at the end of the iterative minimization process. As a result, the camera pose can be calculated with rather low computational time.
US09111342B2
Unlike previous works with emphasis on hardware level optimization for the processing time reduction in stereo matching, the present invention provides a time efficient stereo matching method which is applicable at an algorithm level, which is compatible with and thus can be employed to any types of stereo matching implementation.
US09111339B1
Systems and methods for reducing noise in an image are provided. Noise is reduced in a luminance channel of the image using a first filtering procedure. Noise is reduced in a chrominance channel of the image using a second filtering procedure. The chrominance channel is decomposed into a plurality of frequency sub-bands, where each frequency sub-band of the plurality of frequency sub-bands represents the chrominance channel at a first resolution. The noise is further reduced in the chrominance channel using a third filtering procedure. The third filtering procedure is applied to each frequency sub-band of the plurality of frequency sub-bands. A lowest frequency sub-band of the plurality of frequency sub-bands is decomposed into a second plurality of frequency sub-bands after the third filtering procedure. Each frequency sub-band of the second plurality of frequency sub-bands represents the chrominance channel at a second resolution that is lower than the first resolution.
US09111337B2
A system and method for reducing image noise and artifacts in coronary computed tomography angiography includes acquisition of CT images at multiplicity of CT slices arranged in such a fashion throughout the phases of the cardiac cycle as to utilize the majority of the X-ray radiation to which the myocardium exposed during the cycle. The acquired imaging data is processed with the use of a TAF filter to reduce the amount of noise and artifacts associated with the CT's system operating at low tube current. The TAF filter is configured to adapt the filtering strength in time domain according to temporal variations of the same anatomical location as identified in its corresponding CT slices.
US09111335B2
In an electronic endoscope system, a changed-area detector detects a changed area from an image captured by an endoscope, the changed area having different features from other area of the captured image. A mask data produce produces mask data based on the detected changed area, the mask data allocating an image processing parameter to each pixel of the captured image such that the changed area is processed in a different way from the other area. An image processor processes the captured image according to the mask data. Thus, an image area corresponding to an artificial object like a surgical tool may be detected as the changed area and excluded from unnecessary image processing.
US09111334B2
Microwave imaging apparatus and method for completely imaging the human body (or portions thereof) in sufficient detail to render a timely and accurate medical diagnosis by trained medical professionals. The data conversion processes presented will not require physicians and radiologists to learn to use image data in a format they are not familiar with. Hounsfield encoded and/or MRI intensity encoded medical images in the DICOM format are provided from reconstructed dielectric images obtained from raw scattering data. This allows for the exchange of information created from microwave imaging techniques to be implemented with existing diagnostic tools and analysis techniques. Furthermore, methods are presented for converting image data with Hounsfield encoded units to an image with dielectric encoded units.
US09111315B2
A method is disclosed that matches travelers for ride sharing according to personal preferences, such as smoking, music, allergies, drive sharing, expense sharing, number of riders, and gender, as well as basic trip details. In preferred embodiments the method is accessed via a website, and trips can be over any distance and/or by any land, air, or water vehicle. Embodiments require traveler verification by a payment and/or other means, and/or require travelers to supply identifying information. Matches can take into account ratings of travelers by other travelers. Confirmations, reminders, and ride sharing advice can be sent to riders before scheduled rides, and information about a shared ride can be sent to a non-rider. Fees can be charged, and credited if no match is accepted. Communications can be secure and requesting and/or accepting matches can be logged. Origin and/or destination radii can be automatically enlarged to provide more matches.
US09111297B2
A wireless communication system monitors device status of a wireless communication device to generate device status data. The system associates a device identifier with the device status data and an anonymous key. The system receives a content request from the wireless communication device and transfers the anonymous key and the device status data to an advertising system. The transferred device status data does not identify the wireless communication device. The system receives the anonymous key and advertising data transferred from the advertising system and associates the advertising data with the wireless communication device based on the anonymous key. The system transfers the content and the advertising data to the wireless communication device.
US09111295B2
The present invention is a system, data access management utility and a method of generating links between local merchants and community programs, whereby the merchant may provide incentives to customers in relation to community programs. The present invention may track community programs, as well as both online and offline customer transactions between participants that make use of the incentive. The present invention may include as participants, customers, merchants, community organizations, intermediaries, and other groups or individuals. Participants may have participant identifiers, which may be linked to a payment source. Data may be collected about all participants, either expressly, or from offline or online transactions between participants utilizing a participant identifier, and said data may be stored in a data storage area. All data in the data storage area may be utilized by logic tool, which may provide information, such as details of consumer behavior and analytic reporting. Matches between transactions and members and/or member activities may be identified by the system, and a level of certainty that the match is accurate may be determined.
US09111293B2
We hereby report a location specific mobile messaging system. These messages could be displayed (by way of example but not by limitation) in a location viewable by a variety of people. The contents of these messages could be programmed to display messages specific to a location.
US09111291B2
A method and system for providing targeted applications within an electronic message interface. The method comprises retrieving content from a user's electronic message in the electronic message interface, parsing and interpreting the user's context from the content, and accepting bidding on the user's interpreted context from one or more applications, the one or more applications including triggering conditions related to the user's interpreted context. The one or more applications are ranked based on the bidding. The method further comprises loading the one or more applications into the electronic message interface based on the ranking, and providing one or more follow-up transactions associated with the one or more loaded applications based on the user's interpreted context.
US09111286B2
On a mobile communication device there are many more possible workflows that could be followed given the available functions of that device. These may include, but are not limited to, “click to call”, “click to locate”, “click to SMS”, “click to send a picture”, “click to handle later”, and can be constrained only by the available and accessible functionality of the user's device. A list of actions to be made available associated with an advertisement are provided along with an iconic visual representation of those actions for the user to identify what the resultant workflow will be if they activate the action. The list can be presented as selectable actions within the advertisement, on a sub menu activated by a dedicated device key or assigned softkey, or directly activated by using dedicated device keys or assigned soft keys, or other user-to-device interaction methods.
US09111280B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for enabling entities, such as issuers, merchants, payment processing networks, and mobile-network operators, to send account-related messages and marketing messages to a user's mobile device in response to a message request sent from the user's mobile device. According to some embodiments, the account-related messages and the marketing messages are sent to the user's mobile device in accordance with message parameters that are defined by the user and that are embedded in the message request.
US09111275B2
A transaction card package assembly comprising at least one transaction card, at least one sample product, and a card holder, and methods and system for processing the same.
US09111268B2
In a system for a field asset site having a plurality of field assets, a first transport module interfaces with a first field asset, the first transport module operable to communicate via a first transport with a communication center outside of the field asset site. A second transport module interfaces with the first field asset. A third transport module interfaces with an associated field asset and is operable to communicate via a second transport to the second transport module. Each of a plurality of audit devices interfaces with an associated field asset from which operation data is acquired by the audit device. Each of a plurality of routing modules interfaces between an associated field audit device and at least one of the second transport module and the third transport module, with each routing module operable to provide transport-agnostic communication between its associated audit device and at least one of the communication center and another audit device.
US09111258B2
Methods and Systems for connecting to online meetings are provided. In order to connect to an online meeting, coordinates for the meeting can be discoverable by an image or audio watermark overlaid onto content being shared by the online meeting. A person attending a physical meeting in which at least one attendee device or meeting facilitation device is connected to an online meeting can discover the coordinates for the online meeting by capturing and decoding an image or audio watermark overlaid on the content of the online meeting. The image or audio watermark may include a barcode superimposed on a content screen that can be captured and decoded by the person's computing device. A meetings application client on the computing device can be used to navigate to the coordinates discovered by the person's computing device to enable the person to join the meeting.
US09111251B1
An inventory system has mobile drive units that freely and independently move about a facility to transport inventory holders. The mobile drive units may operate through communications with other drive units, or under a more centralized control of a management module. For various operating scenarios, the mobile drive units are directed to shuffle the inventory holders in a manner that minimizes travel of the mobile drive units, thereby improving overall system efficiency. One or more single mobile drive units may be used to transport inventory holders to and from a region, and one or more other mobile drive units may be used to reposition or slide each of the inventory holders back and forth within the region to efficiently place inventory holders before an operator on an as-needed basis.
US09111250B2
A method and a system for inventory data entry. The method generates identification codes that correspond to labels affixed to items to be logged into inventory and stores information about items associated with the identification codes. The method further allows a user to search for an identification code in the database when the item is ready to be logged in. The system provides a memory and a processor for inventory data entry.
US09111247B2
The present application presents a new and improved system and method of enhanced Lean Document Production (LDP), which employs cellular manufacturing concepts. The LDP process utilizes a processor to compute a dynamic production algorithm to generate an indication of a manufacturing or print shop excess capacity level.
US09111241B2
A computer-implemented method for creating a social network of members of a virtualization infrastructure. At a virtualization infrastructure manager, at least a portion of the members of the virtualization infrastructure are identified. Parent/child relationships of identified members of the virtualization infrastructure are identified. A social network of the identified members of the virtualization infrastructure is generated based on the identified parent/child relationships. Affiliation relationships between parent members and child members of the virtualization infrastructure are established, wherein the child members can access shared message streams corresponding to the parent members, such that a child member can establish an association of a message from a shared message stream with an indication that the child member identifies with content of the message.
US09111240B2
A pollution information message system provides a system and method for generating and transmitting pollution information messages. In one embodiment, the pollution information message system employs a transceiver network with a plurality transceivers coupled to monitoring devices. Control room operators receive a pollution information message from an identifiable transceiver. The transceiver, identified by an identification code, indicates a location and the nature of the detected pollution. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.
US09111239B2
Methods and apparatus for recording agent activity and display information optionally redacting sensitive information from the recorded imagery prior to review by the agent's supervisor in a contact handling system are disclosed. The method can include recording image data displayed to the agent on a visual display during interaction by the agent with the contact media. The method can include audio recordings of what the agent heard and spoke that are combined with the recorded image data to simultaneously display the video and audio to a supervisor for quality assurance in the contact handling system. The method can further include modifying one or more selected pixels of the recorded image data to automatically exclude information from the recorded image data thereby creating redacted image data.
US09111236B2
A system and methodology for visually representing user activity associated with an information resource is described. User activities are associated with symbolic representations of those user activities. To visually convey selected aspects of the user activity, the activity is mapped to visual attributes that alter the appearance of the symbolic representation. The result is a dynamic and universal representation of user activities that aide online users to efficiently discern the relevancy and popularity of an information resource.
US09111228B2
Systems and methods are provided for combining multiple segmentations into a single unique segmentation that contains attributes of the original segmentations. This new segmentation forms an ensemble or combination segmentation that has a unique set of attributes from the original segmentations without enumerating every possible set of combinations. In one example, two or more segments are combined into a single segmentation using a technique such as k-means clustering or Self-Organizing Map Neural Networks. After the first combination phase is performed, a Bayesian technique is then applied in a second phase to adjust or further alter the ensemble combination of segments.
US09111215B2
Apparatus and methods for conditional plasticity in a neural network. In one approach, conditional plasticity mechanism is configured to select alternate plasticity rules when performing connection updates. The selection mechanism is adapted based on a comparison of actual connection efficiency and target efficiency. For instance, when actual efficiency is below the target value, the STDP rule may be modulated to increase long term potentiation. Similarly, when actual efficiency is above the target value, the STDP rule may be modulated to increase long term connection depression. The conditional plasticity mechanism dynamically adjusts connection efficacy, and prevents uncontrolled increase of connection weights, thereby improving network operation when processing information of a varying nature.
US09111214B1
A virtual assistant system includes a mobile device, an assistant server and devices and services included within the virtual assistant system desired to be controlled. The virtual assistant system can control any such devices and services by receiving an input to perform a function at the devices and services, translate the input into a language sharable by all of the external devices and services through a respective plugin so that such inputs can be understood between the plurality of devices and services, and functions can be performed at the desired device(s) or service(s) either remotely or locally. This control is sharable with other users as instructed.
US09111193B2
A system and method in accordance with exemplary embodiments may include an attachment with a near field communication antenna, a secure element, a plug capable of connecting the attachment to an audio jack on a mobile device. Further, a system and method in accordance with exemplary embodiments may include receiving a payment initiation instruction from a customer, using a near field communication antenna, sending payment information to a point of sale device, using one or more computer processors, encoding data related to the payment as audio data, and transmitting the data related to the payment through an audio jack.
US09111184B2
A apparatus having an embedded processor in a substrate for creating a synchronous lighting effect at a controlled access venue and a method for creating a lighting effect at a controlled access venue while controlling access to the venue simultaneously using a apparatus that coordinates with the performance allowing a holder of the apparatus to perform with the performance.
US09111182B1
Described is a system for multispectral image processing with spiking dynamics. For example, the system receives an input image and compresses the image through space and spectrally variant sampling. Center-surround dynamics are modeled to control high dynamic ranges of the image and provide gain control. Further, habituative dynamics are modeled to produce outputs specialized for static or dynamic image content. Finally, neural spikes are generated based on the habituative dynamics. The neural spikes are saved or provided to other systems for further image processing.
US09111179B2
A method and apparatus for obtaining segmented images of the stained regions may comprise quantifying the extent of the presence of staining of a biomarker in an original image of a sample, which may comprise selecting a domain swatch of data based upon a user specified domain knowledge; clustering the data within the original image by conducting a frequency weighted mean shift of the data within the original image to convergence, forming a hierarchical plurality of layers each having a different data resolution to form a hierarchical data pyramid; segmenting the plurality of mean shifted data images to determine in each mean shifted data image within the hierarchical data pyramid data not excluded as outside of the swatch; mapping the data not excluded as outside the swatch spatially back to the original image to create a final image; and, storing the final image on a storage medium for further analysis.
US09111177B2
A position/orientation measurement apparatus holds a three-dimensional shape model of a object, acquires approximate value indicating a position and an orientation of the object, acquires a two-dimensional image of the object, projects a geometric feature of the three-dimensional shape model on the two-dimensional image based on the approximate value, calculates the direction of the geometric feature of the three-dimensional shape model projected on the two-dimensional image, detects an image feature based on the two-dimensional image, calculates the direction of the image feature, associates the image feature and the geometric feature by comparing the direction of the image feature calculated based on the two-dimensional image and the direction of the geometric feature calculated based on the three-dimensional shape model, and calculates the position and orientation of the object by correcting the approximate value based on the distance between the geometric feature and the image feature associated therewith.
US09111174B2
Image analysis techniques applicable to mammograms and other types of images may include image normalization, image segmentation, forming a prediction bias image, and creating an equalized image based on the prediction bias image. Creation of the equalized image may include subtraction of the prediction bias image from the original image. Forming the prediction bias image may involve the use of trained predictors.
US09111169B2
A method and system for identifying one or more features represented in a plurality of sensor acquired data sets is described. The method and apparatus is particularly useful in automatic license plate recognition applications, where the sensor acquired data sets are data obtained from one or more digital cameras. This is achieved by determining a first probability of the identity of the one or more features (e.g., alphanumeric characters) from a first one of the data sets; determining a second probability of the identity of the one or more features from a second one of the data sets; and, using data fusion techniques, fusing the determined first and second probabilities to provide a fused probability. This fused probability is used to identify the one or more features from data sets.
US09111166B2
A reading system including: a primary reader for reading an information bearing device (IBD) having encoded IBD data provided therein for packetizing the encoded data and processing a first data packet of the packetized encoded data and transmitting a second data packet of the packetized encoded data; at least one auxiliary reader for receiving and processing the second data packet and the transmitting the processed second data packet; and wherein the processed first and second data packets are combined to produce decoded IBD data.
US09111158B2
An illumination apparatus (10) is provided for a camera-based code reader (100) having a plurality of light transmitters (16) arranged in ring shape and in a fixed position with respect to a base housing part (12) and having a plurality of optical transmission systems (20) associated with the light transmitters (20) in a front housing (14) supported rotationally movably with respect to the base housing part (12), wherein the optical transmission systems (20) can be set to adapt the illumination by rotation of the front housing (14). The front housing (14) has a plurality of front lenses (20) and the front housing (14) is supported in a thread (15) with respect to the base housing part (12) so that front lenses (20) can be associated with the light transmitters (16) at a changed spacing by a rotational movement of the front housing (14).
US09111156B2
RFID systems for locating RFID tags utilizing phased array antennas and compressed sensing processing techniques in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, an RFID system includes at least one exciter that includes at least one transmit antenna, a phased antenna array that includes a plurality of receive antennas, and an RFID receiver system configured to communicate with the at least one exciter and connected to the phased antenna array, where the RFID receiver system is configured to locate an RFID tag by performing reads of the RFD tag at multiple frequencies, generating a measurement matrix, and determining a line of sight (LOS) distance between the activated RFID tag and each of the plurality of receive antennas by eliminating bases from the measurement matrix.
US09111149B2
A system and method for identifying an unknown individual from a plurality of enrolled individuals is provided. In an embodiment, the method comprises comparing at least two parameters of the unknown individual to at least two enrolled parameters of the enrolled individuals. The method then determines a score correlating to the closeness of the comparison and then stores the score.
US09111147B2
Methods, systems and media are described for computer-assisted video surveillance. Methods may support detection of moving persons in video frames, extraction of features of the detected moving persons and identification of which detected moving persons are likely matches to a person of interest. Identification of the likely matches may be determined using an attribute-based search, and/or using a specific person-based search. The method may include using likely matches confirmed as images of the person of interest to reconstruct a path of the person of interest.
