US09119336B2
A soldering method capable of alleviating positional displacement between substrates even though a step of removing flux can be omitted is provided.A temporary bonding agent 55 is applied onto multiple substrates 50a, 50b, and a heater 33 heats the substrates while the substrates are temporarily bonded with the temporary bonding agent 55 interposed therebetween, and before the solder 54 is melted or while the solder 54 is melted, the temporary bonding agent 55 is evaporated, and the substrates 50a, 50b are bonded with solder with the melted solder 54 interposed therebetween.
US09119330B2
A system for cooling an electronic image assembly using a heat exchanger with an internal fan assembly. Circulating gas may also be used to cool a front portion of the electronic image assembly or any other internal cavity of the electronic display housing. The circulating gas may be drawn through a heat exchanger so that heat may be transferred to an ambient gas. The heat exchanger may have an internal fan assembly for drawing ambient air through the heat exchanger and exhausting it out of the display housing. The heat exchanger may be divided into two portions so that the fan assembly is placed between the two portions.
US09119321B2
A method of assembling a packaged semiconductor device includes dropping a pre-formed capacitor precursor and an integrated circuit on a surface of a substrate. A pair of vias are formed in the pre-formed capacitor precursor if they don't already exist. The vias are filled with an electrically conductive material to form a chip capacitor. The filling of the vias provides an electrical contact between capacitor plates of the chip capacitor and electrically conductive contact regions on the substrate.
US09119313B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards techniques and configurations for interconnect structures embedded in a package assembly including a bridge. In one embodiment, a package assembly may include a package substrate, a bridge embedded in the package substrate and including a bridge substrate, and an interconnect structure including a via extending through the package substrate into a surface of the bridge substrate and configured to interface with a conductive feature disposed on or beneath the surface of the bridge substrate. The interconnect structure may be configured to route electrical signals between the conductive feature and a die mounted on the package substrate. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09119311B2
An electronic device includes a housing including an opening-portion and an annular-projection provided in the vicinity of the opening-portion from the housing, the annular-projection projecting so as to surround a periphery of the opening-portion, a frame member including a tubular-portion having an outer surface that faces the annular-projection to be fitted with the annular-projection, a top plate exposed from the opening-portion with the tubular-portion fitted with the annular-projection, an extension-portion extending from the outer surface of the tubular-portion, the tubular-portion being expanded toward the annular-projection when a pressing force is applied to a surface of the top plate exposed from the opening-portion with the annular-projection and the tubular-portion fitted with each other, and an O-ring that contacts entire peripheries of the outer surface of the tubular-portion and an inner surface of the annular-projection.
US09119308B2
A cover for an electronic device includes a bottom plate, a first support plate, a top plate, two bending plates and a rubber trim. The bottom plate has a first end and a second end that are opposite to each other. The first support plate is connected to the first end of the bottom plate. The top plate is connected to the second end of the bottom plate, for expanding or closing relative to the bottom plate, and the top plate having a through hole. The two bending plates are opposite to each other and connect the bottom plate and the top plate. The two bending plates, the bottom plate and the top plate form an accommodating space. The rubber trim is disposed on the first support plate. When the top plate closes relative to the bottom plate, the top plate pass through and protrudes from the through hole.
US09119307B2
An injection molded housing for a portable electronic device is provided. The housing contains a thermoplastic composition that includes a polyarylene sulfide melt processed in the presence of a disulfide compound and a filler. Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that the disulfide can undergo a chain scission reaction with the starting polyarylene sulfide to lower its melt viscosity, which can lead to decreased attrition of the filler and thus improved mechanical properties. Due to this ability to reduce viscosity during melt processing, the present inventors have discovered that relatively high molecular weight polyarylene sulfides can be fed to the extruder with little difficulty.
US09119304B2
A sub-mount adapted for AC and DC operation of devices mountable thereon, light emitting devices including such a sub-mount, and methods of manufacturing such a sub-mount are provided. The sub-mount includes a base substrate having first and second surfaces, a conductive pattern on the first surface, first and second pairs of first and second electrodes on the second surface and vias extending through the base substrate between the first and second surfaces. The conductive pattern includes a first set of mounting portions and two via portions along a first electrical path between the first pair of first and second electrodes, and a second set of mounting portions and two via portions along a second electrical path between the second pair of first and second electrodes, the via portions connecting respective portions of the conductive pattern to respective electrodes.
US09119288B2
A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material molded to provide details to accept audio devices and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips.
US09119279B2
A radiation source is provided for generating short-wavelength radiation from plasma in which a molten liquid metal is used as a source material. In the radiation source having a revolving element for providing the source material, unused source material exiting from the plasma zone has to be reliably collected to prevent impairments of the radiation source through unused source material. This aim is met in that a receptacle for the unused source material is constructed as a catch trough having a trough opening below the plasma zone and the molten bath in direction of gravity force as well as an inclined side wall to catch the source material and concentrate it in a deepest catch trough area. A heating element and at least one temperature sensor are fastened to the catch trough for heating the source material and controlling its temperature above its melting temperature.
US09119276B2
An electrostatic charge dissipation system including an electrostatic discharge assembly configured to connect to a conductive article, the electrostatic discharge assembly including a conductor, an insulator positioned between the conductor and the conductive article, and an indicator electrically connected to the conductor and the conductive article, the indicator being configured to indicate a discharge of an electrostatic charge.
US09119274B2
The invention relates to methods of controlling operation of a resonant power converter and to controllers configured to operate according to such methods. Embodiments disclosed include a method of controlling a power output of a resonant power converter comprising first and second switches (S1, S2) connected in series between a pair of supply voltage lines, a resonant circuit connected to a node between the first and second switches and to an output connectable to an output electrical load, the resonant circuit comprising an inductor and a capacitor, the method comprising: closing the first switch (S1) to start a first conduction interval; setting a first voltage level (902); setting a first time period; and opening the first switch (S1) to end the first conduction interval when a voltage (901) across the capacitor crosses the first voltage level (902) and when a time period from closing the first switch exceeds the first time period (904).
US09119269B2
A monitoring system is configured to manage lumen depreciation in a lighting fixture and includes an optic housing, a light source with a light-emitting diode (LED), a processor, and a memory device. The memory device stores instructions that cause the monitoring system to measure elapsed time during which the LED light source emits the light and, based on the elapsed time, determine a current level of the emitted light. In response to the current level changing from an acceptable level to an unacceptable level, an alert is provided to show that the emitted light has reached the unacceptable level. A reset input is received to remove the alert for a predetermined period of time. Changes in status of the LED light source are indicated.
US09119264B2
A lighting system mounted on any surface, such as on an article of clothing. The light system comprises at least one illuminating object. The illuminating object is connected to a power source and a processing unit. The processing unit is capable of analyzing the rhythm of music and commanding the illuminating object to flash based on the music. The lighting system can also communicate wirelessly with other electronic devices via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, radio frequency, and voice command. The lighting effects of the lighting systems on different articles of clothing can be coordinated to form a special light show such as a light symphony. The lighting system can also be coupled with software application and flash based on the user command and the validity of the user command. The light system can also be installed in a vehicle and coupled with stereo component and other component to signify the road condition.
US09119262B2
A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system includes a switching power converter having an input for coupling to an alternating current (AC) power source, an output, and a switch. The LED lighting system also includes an LED lighting subsystem coupled to receive power from the output of the switching power converter. The LED lighting subsystem includes a current source for one or more LEDs, and the current source has a control node and a sense node. The LED lighting system additionally includes a switch state controller coupled to the switching power converter and coupled to the LED lighting subsystem. The switch state controller controls switching of the switch and varies a control current provided to the control node of the current source based on at least a parameter sensed from the sense node.
US09119249B2
A light-emitting diode (LED) driving circuit includes an LED control circuit and a power stage circuit. The LED control circuit shifts an input pulse width modulation (PWM) signal toward a higher frequency direction in a frequency domain to generate an output PWM signal having a duty cycle substantially the same as a duty cycle of the input PWM signal. The power stage circuit outputs an LED driving current according to the output PWM signal.
US09119247B2
Lighting systems having unique configurations are provided. For instance, the lighting system may include a light source, a thermal management system and driver electronics, each contained within a housing structure. The light source is configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure. The thermal management system is configured to provide an air flow, such as a unidirectional air flow, through the housing structure in order to cool the light source. The driver electronics are configured to provide power to each of the light source and the thermal management system.
US09119245B1
A light emitting diode driving system with precise timing switched dimming control used for driving light emitting diode elements is provided, which comprises a power detection unit, a timer control logic, a light emitting diode dimming driver, and a power supply unit being able to overcome different conditions of power source, switch leakage, and system elements to design the timer dimming with steady and precise working status, and solve problems of each of the independent systems which are not synchronized due to imprecisely timed under power-off condition, while providing various dimming mode for users, and a dimming method using aforementioned LED driving system.
US09119234B2
A drawer type heating apparatus includes a heating case forming a heating space, and an openable door adapted to be moved in a drawing manner relative to the heating case for opening and closing an opening portion, and includes a radio-wave transmission suppression portion which is faced to inner wall surfaces of the opening portion of the heating case, and placed such that there is a predetermined gap between the radio-wave transmission suppression portion and the entire periphery of the inner wall surfaces of the opening portion in the heating case, in a state where the openable door is closed, the radio-wave transmission suppression portion including a first radio-wave-propagation-direction suppression-area constituted by a surface with a plurality of steps, and a second radio-wave-propagation-direction suppression-area having suppression protruding portions which are periodically formed and placed in such a way as to face the first radio-wave-propagation-direction suppression-area with a predetermined interval.
US09119232B2
An electrical heating device comprises a housing which encloses a circulation chamber through which a medium can flow, and into which heating ribs protrude. Each of the heating ribs has a U-shaped recess which open into a uniform connecting chamber, which is separated from the circulation chamber by a partition wall provided in the region of the open ends of the U-shaped recesses, and which accommodates at least one PTC heating element that abuts oppositely situated inner sides of the U-shaped recess in heat-conducting contact. A housing cover bears a pump and forms a pump channel. The pump channel opens into an inlet opening of the pump, which is formed by a pump housing.
US09119230B2
Heating of hot melt adhesive in a hot melt dispensing system is provided by heaters distributed in a plurality of zones of the system. A controller receives input electric power and distributes that electric power to the heaters on a time sharing basis. The controller delivers power to the heaters as a function of the total current target, a temperature set point, the current draw of each of the heaters, and stored priority criteria such as heating priorities of the zones, a history of on and off periods for each heater, and distance from the temperature set point.
US09119229B2
An electric heater is provided that includes at least two groups of heating elements which change their temperature by electrical power consumption, comprising a control unit with two switch arrangements such that the first switch arrangement includes at least two power switches for switching the at least two groups of heating elements in a High-side connection and such that the second power switch arrangement includes at least two switches for switching the at least two groups of heating elements in a Low-side connection.
US09119228B2
Provided is a steering wheel having a heating element, wherein a surface of the heating element can be finished by directly transferring thereon a transfer film on which an aesthetic decoration pattern is printed. The heating element is an electrical conductive paste coated on a surface of a rim, and includes a plurality of heating lines that are electrically separated from each other, and a connection unit that electrically short-circuits the heating lines at both ends thereof, and power is supplied to the heating element through the connection unit.
US09119216B2
This invention proposes a method for assigning resources in the downlink based on the CQI parameter reported by the UE compatible with the LTE standard. The method looks for saving signalling resources when conditions are such that no major advantage can be obtained from frequency selective scheduling. The method is divided into two processes, a non real time process used to determine whether the conditions for its application are present; and the new assignment procedure. For the latter, the method defines different assignment procedures based on whether the CQI value reported by the UE is higher or not of a given threshold whose calculation is also defined. A new parameter, the MAB, is defined for the assignment in case of CQI higher than the threshold, while frequency distributed scheduling is used if it is lower. The proposed method is believed to improve the LTE spectral efficiency with reduced complexity.
US09119213B2
The exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatuses (800, 900) for facilitating reduction of interference in a network. According to exemplary embodiments, an apparatus acting as a first radio base station (macro or femto) (800, 900) is configured to acquire information including a scheduling scheme indicating information on how radio resources are allocated in second radio base station (femto or macro). The information is then used by a scheduler to allocate radio resources which are disjoint the radio resources already allocated by the scheduler of second radio base station.
US09119200B2
Information is communicated between access points to cause a recipient access point to invoke an action. In some aspects, a mapping is defined between: 1) sets of physical layer identifiers and/or associated time offsets; and 2) different types of information. The mapping information is provided to access points in a wireless communication system such that an access point can use this scheme to communicate specified types of information to another access point. Based on the mapping, an access point that receives a set of physical layer identifiers from another access point is able to determine the type of information being communicated. The recipient access point may then invoke a specific action based on the type of information that was communicated.
US09119196B2
Provided are a base station, whereby the erroneous detection of control information can be reduced, thereby preventing the degradation of the system throughput. A base station (100) maps a downstream allocation control information unit, which is addressed to a terminal (200), to a first resource region, which can be used for any of a downstream control channel region and a downstream data channel region, or to a second resource region, which can be used only for the downstream control channel, so as to transmit the downstream allocation control information unit. In the base station (100), a control unit (102) establishes a scale of the PDCCH region, and a transmission region establishing unit (131) establishes, on the basis of a scale value established by the control unit (102), a mapping region to which the DCI is mapped within the R-PDCCH region and the PDCCH region.
US09119195B2
A method for processing a control channel at a user agent (UA) to identify at least one of an uplink and a downlink resource allocated by a resource grant within a multi-carrier communication system wherein resource grants are specified by control channel element (CCE) subset candidates wherein the carriers used for data transmission and reception are configured carriers, the method comprising the steps of receiving activation signals specifying active and deactivated carriers from among the configured carriers, for active carriers (i) identifying a number of CCE subset candidates to decode and (ii) decoding up to the identified number of CCE subset candidates in an attempt to identify the resource grant; and for deactivated carriers, ignoring CCE subset candidates associated with the deactivated carriers.
US09119192B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a coordinated multipoint reception processing method and apparatus, and a base station. The method includes: performing demodulating and decoding an uplink signal received by k collaboration sets of M collaboration sets, to obtain k cyclic redundancy check CRC results, where the uplink signal is sent by a user equipment UE, the collaboration set is a serving sector where the UE is located or a set formed by the serving sector and any one or more collaborative sectors, M≧2, and 1≦k≦M; and if the k CRC results include at least one correct CRC result, performing processing on a signal obtained by a CRC result of the at least one correct CRC result. According to the embodiments of the present invention, in a base station, detection performance is improved under actual channel estimation.
US09119180B2
A system for automating connection management in a manner that may be transparent to any actively communicating applications operating in a Network on Terminal Architecture (NoTA). An application level entity, such as an application node, may access another node by making a request to a high level communication structure via a high level interface. The high level structure may then interact with a lower level structure in order to facilitate a connection to a programmatic element on another device, for example, via a wireless communication transport.
US09119174B2
The present invention discloses a method for a user equipment transmitting acknowledgement/negative-ACK (AC/NACK) signals to a relay node in a wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention comprises the following steps: setting an uplink subframe pattern including uplink blocked subframes and uplink non-blocked subframes, and selecting an ACK/NACK reception factor for each of the uplink subframes; receiving data from the relay node through at least one downlink subframe; and repeatedly transmitting ACK/NACK signals corresponding to the data, based on the uplink subframe pattern and the ACK/NACK reception factor, wherein when the uplink subframe for receiving the ACK/NACK signal is a specific uplink blocked subframe, the ACK/NACK signals are received by the non-blocked subframes allocated to the user equipment, following the specific uplink blocked subframe.
US09119152B2
An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a transceiver, an antenna tuner connecting said transceiver to an antenna, a power sensor adapted to acquire measurements about transmit power, a receive signal strength indicator (RSSI) adapted to acquire measurements about receive power and wherein said tuner tunes said antenna based upon said transmit and receive measurements to optimize said antenna in both the receive and transmit bands.
US09119145B2
A method and device are provided for synchronizing data transmission of multicasting/broadcasting services (MBS) by a plurality of Base Stations. Meanwhile, each of the Base Stations receives the MBS data to be transmitted and determines whether any of the MBS data has not been properly received. If so, the respective Base Station may initiate a process to recover the missing MBS data and/or to obtain information regarding the missing data to determine the duration of the time period that would have been required for transmitting the missing MBS. If the missing data has not been timely recovered, the respective Base Station determines a starting point and the duration of a silence period based on the information obtained, and refrains from transmitting signals along a communication channel allocated for transmission of MBS data, during that silence period.
US09119141B2
A system and method of enabling a mobile device to communicate with a local IP network host and an external IP network host using a femto cellular access point on a femto cellular access network. A local gateway is coupled to the femto cellular access network for receiving data packets transmitted on the femto cellular access network and for routing the data packets to one of a local IP network and an external IP network, based on a destination address associated with the data packets. The femto cellular access network includes an LTE network, an EVDO network connected to an EPC, or a WiMax 802.16e/m network connected to the EPC.
US09119136B2
A method and an information handling system configured to select a mobility anchor point for a mobile device in a distributed mobility anchor point network may comprise collecting information about movement behavior or data transfer behavior of the mobile device, or tunneling overhead of two or more base stations. A mobility anchor point associated with a first base station may be assigned to the mobile device if the mobile device is connected to the first base station for at least a predetermined amount of time, if the mobile device transfers at least a predetermined amount of data via the first base station, or device if a tunneling overhead of the first base station is less than a predetermined level. In some embodiments, a centralized mobility anchor may be assigned to the mobile device if the mobile device is highly mobile and there is no identified base station to which the mobile device is frequently connected.
US09119112B1
Synchronization information and access node identification information are transmitted from a first access node and a second access node. It is determined that loading information of the first access node meets a first loading criteria and loading information of the second access node meets a second loading criteria. A message is transmitted from the first access node comprising the determination that the loading information of the first access node meets the first loading criteria and the loading information of the second access node meets the second loading criteria. The wireless device then determines the second access node identification based on the message and on the synchronization information. An access request is received at the second access node to initiate a communication session between a wireless device and the second access node.
US09119102B2
A wireless communications network is described herein in which positioning measurements (e.g., inter-frequency OTDOA measurements and inter-frequency E-CID measurements) may be performed on different frequencies and measurement gaps may be requested for such measurements. In one embodiment, a radio network node (e.g., eNodeB, responsible node) is described for configuring a measurement gap for positioning to be used by a user equipment (UE).
US09119093B2
The invention concerns a method, uplink traffic control device and computer program product for reducing the delay of uplink communication between a mobile station and a wireless communication network. The uplink traffic control device (21) comprises an uplink scheme determining unit (24) configured to obtain a service type indicator associated with a mobile station and determine an uplink transmission scheme based on the obtained service type indicator and a transmission control unit (30) configured to periodically grant transmissions to be made from the mobile station according to the uplink transmission scheme in order to speed up mobile station transmissions to the wireless communication network.
US09119087B2
A method comprising transmitting a request, by a mobile device, indicating one or more content items; determining a location for the mobile device, by a processor; establishing a connection with a transmission medium, based at least in part on the indicated one or more content items, if the indicated one or more content items is not on the mobile device, wherein the transmission medium includes a digital radio tower, a long range radio tower and a wireless access point; and activating the indicated one or more content items, if the indicated one or more content items is on the mobile device.
US09119082B1
A method includes, in a mobile communication terminal, receiving signals from a group of cells in multiple time-frequency Resource Elements (REs). The signals include a desired signal component and an interfering signal component. A subset of the REs, in which the cells are known deterministically to transmit at least part of the interfering signal component and to not transmit the desired signal component, is identified in the terminal. An interference caused by the interfering signal component to the desired signal component is estimated in the terminal, by measuring the signals in the REs in the subset.
US09119077B2
A method includes identifying a suspect node of a network. The method also includes initiating formation of a sub-network of the network by identifying neighbor nodes of the suspect node and sending an invitation message to a first neighbor node to invite the first neighbor node to the sub-network. The invitation message is encrypted using a first encryption key associated with the first neighbor node. The invitation message is not sent to a second node that is identified as a neighbor node only by the suspect node. The sub-network is configured to enable first communications between members of the sub-network. The first communications are communicated in a manner that is secured against access by the suspect node. Subsequent to formation of the sub-network, second communications between the suspect node and a device of the network are routed to or through at least one of the members of the sub-network.
US09119064B2
Method and apparatus for providing broadcast channel encryption to enhance cellular network security
A method, computer-readable storage device and apparatus for encrypting a broadcast message of a base station are disclosed. For example, the method selects an encryption key for the broadcast message and encrypts the broadcast message using the encryption key to create an encrypted broadcast message. The method then transmits an identifier of the encryption key and transmits the encrypted broadcast message over a broadcast channel. A method for decrypting a broadcast message that is encrypted is also disclosed.
US09119051B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for detecting, by a first device including a least one processor and a first Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC), a second device having a second UICC, detecting, by the first device, that the second UICC is unprovisioned, selecting, by the first device, one of a plurality of selectable options, where the selection identifies a first network operator selected from a plurality of network operators, receiving, by the first device, first credential information of the first network operator, and transmitting, by the first device, to the second device the first credential information for enabling the second device to facilitate establishment of communication services with network equipment of the first network operator according to the first credential information. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09119050B1
Methods, processes, systems, apparatus and devices for delivering two way multimodal serialized comic content media files that uses a multimedia storage and delivery system. The communications utilize multi-modal inputs and multi-modal outputs to generate and access serialized comic content media files over the World Wide Web and telephone mediums with wireless communication devices and desktop computers.
US09119044B2
A method of sending data from a first party participating in a telephone call to a second party participating in the telephone call, comprising, in the terminal of the first party, storing, as a consequence of the telephone call, identifier data that identifies the second party; using the stored identifier data to determine automatically a destination address for a data message; and sending, during the telephone call, the data message with the automatically determined destination address. A method for sending data from a first party participating in a telephone call to a second party participating in the telephone call, comprising, in the terminal of the first party: providing, while the telephone call is on-going, a user selectable option to transfer data to another party participating in the telephone call without user specification of a destination address.
US09119043B2
A method and an apparatus conduct remote communication with an electronic device in a communication network environment, with the method including receiving a short message (SM) including an AT command from a controlling electronic device, analyzing and parsing the AT command for determining at least one task to be performed at the electronic device upon detecting that the SM is for a control operation, and performing the at least one task.
US09119033B2
An improved system and method for defining an event based upon an object location and a user-defined zone and managing the conveyance of object location event information among computing devices where object location events are defined in terms of a condition based upon a relationship between user-defined zone information and object location information. One or more location information sources are associated with an object to provide the object location information. One or more user-defined zones are defined on a map and one or more object location events are defined. The occurrence of an object location event produces object location event information that is conveyed to users based on user identification codes. Accessibility to object location information, zone information, and object location event information is based upon an object location information access code, a zone information access code, and an object location event information access code, respectively.
US09119032B2
In one embodiment, a computing device receives from a mobile device sensor signals which indicate motion associated with activities of a user of the mobile device. The computing device determines a number of activity types that correspond to at least a portion of the received sensor signals. The computing device determines a number of activity periods of the user, each activity period corresponding to a likely activity type, by analyzing the sensor signals against each of the activity types, and calculating a probability of each of the activity types. The computing device determines whether two or more of the determined activity periods should be combined into a single period, based on a heuristics-type analysis based on a length of time for each of the two or more activity periods. The activity periods are sent to the mobile device.
US09119031B2
Systems and methods are provided that couple one or more devices to one or more presentation screens and to one or more servers via network connections. Various devices can be identified on a network and location data regarding each of the mobile devices can be delivered to the servers. Data can be displayed on a presentation screen based on mobile devices in its proximity, for example.
US09119027B2
A method and/or system allows a user of a social networking service to publish a content item tagged with location information for sharing with other users of the social networking service. The user publishing the content item performs operations on the originating device to generate the content item. The originating communication device attaches the location information to the content item, and transmits the content item to a social networking system. The social networking system may provide various location-based services based on the content item tagged with the location information.
US09119022B2
An electronic device may communicate according to a first communication standard and a second communication standard. The first communication standard may have a longer communication range than the second communication standard. The electronic device may send a capability indication through the first communication standard. The capability indication may indicate the electronic device is capable of communicating according to the second communication standard with a shorter communication range than the first communication standard. The electronic device may discover a second electronic device capable of communicating according to the second communication standard and positioned outside of a non-extended communication range of the second communication standard. Upon discovery, the electronic device may communicate with the second electronic device at an extended range of the second communication standard even though the second electronic device is positioned outside the non-extended communication range of the first electronic device.
US09119019B2
A method of collecting data from wireless sensor units arranged in a mesh network is disclosed, each wireless sensor unit having one or more sensors arranged on or below the ground surface for remote seismic recording, the method comprising: clustering the wireless sensor units into two or more sub mesh clusters, each sub mesh cluster having an aggregator assigned to the sub mesh cluster; acquiring data with the wireless sensor units by sensing one or more physical parameters; within each sub mesh cluster, each of the wireless sensor units transmitting the acquired data directly or indirectly to the respective aggregator; each aggregator aggregating at least a portion of the acquired data received from the wireless sensor units within the respective sub mesh cluster into aggregated data; and each aggregator transmitting the aggregated data to a base node. A wireless mesh network for remote seismic recording is also disclosed.
US09119016B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for multiplexing multiple mobile services on a single mobile access point name (APN). A method includes, in a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, examining Internet Protocol (IP) packets that traverse a mobile GN link of a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN), and applying a combination of packet protocols coupled with a carrier defined set of work flow rules to route the IP packets to their next destination and earmark billing CDRs for mediation and correlation by back office IT systems residing with a carrier in the mobile network.
US09119012B2
In one embodiment, a method comprising receiving at a microphone located at a first location audio received from plural speakers, the audio received at a first amplitude level; and responsive to moving the microphone away from the first location to a second location, causing adjustment of the audio provided by the plural speakers to target the first amplitude level at the microphone.
US09119008B2
Presented herein are echo location techniques to obtain information about an implantable component of a hearing prosthesis relative to a recipient's tissue. The hearing prosthesis may comprise an elongate stimulating assembly configured to be implanted in a recipient's where an echo transmitter is disposed in the stimulating assembly. The echo transmitter is configured to emit an energy pulse within the recipient and an echo receiver disposed in the stimulating assembly is configured to detect a portion of the energy pulse reflected from tissue of the recipient.
US09119006B2
A hearing aid includes: a cue filter having an input that is provided with an output from the BTE sound input transducer; an adaptive feedback canceller configured to provide an output modelling a feedback path between the output transducer and the BTE sound input transducer, wherein the output modelling the feedback path is provided to a subtractor for subtraction of the output modelling the feedback path from the output of the BTE sound input transducer to obtain a difference, the subtractor outputting the difference to the cue filter; and a feedback and cue controller connected to the adaptive feedback canceller and the cue filter, wherein the feedback and cue controller is configured to control the cue filter to reduce a difference between an output of the ITE microphone and a combined output that is obtained using at least the cue filter.
US09119004B2
A wireless device capable of reliably detecting a tone squelch signal in a short time is provided. The wireless device which detects a tone squelch signal contained in received baseband signals is provided with: a frequency shifting unit (quadrature demodulation unit (503)) which shifts the received baseband signal in the negative frequency direction by a preset frequency of a tone squelch signal; LPF (504-1, 504-2) for eliminating unnecessary frequency components from the output of the frequency shifting unit; and an assessment unit (510) which assesses presence/non-presence of the tone squelch signal on the basis of the output from the LPF (504-1,504-2).
US09118996B1
The present invention features a headband system comprising a headband, an adaptor removably attached to the headband, a music player. The music player is removably attached to the adapter and is configured to wirelessly engage to the adapter and be controlled by a plurality of control buttons on the adaptor via Bluetooth connection. The music player may be attached to the adapter directly or be placed at proximity of the adaptor to play music using the control buttons on the adaptor.
US09118995B1
Systems, devices and methods relating to auditory devices having an ear tip with a neck portion configured to extend beyond the end of a speaker assembly when assembled are provided. Embodiments provide for an ear tip with enhanced flexibility for insertion and removal and while the ear tip is in use. Additionally, embodiments may provide for a fastening means that allows the ear tip to be easily detachable from a speaker assembly, while also providing sufficient securing force for the ear tip to secure the tip to the speaker assembly while the tip is subjected to forces resulting from insertion, removal or otherwise normal use of the auditory device.
US09118992B2
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a system that includes a detection device and a processor. The detection device is configured to sense that a handheld device has not been placed on or near a surface. In response to sensing that the handheld device has not been placed on or near a surface, the detection device is configured to transmit an indicator to the processor. The processor is configured to receive a first audio signal, and determine that the handheld device has not been placed on or near a surface by receiving the indicator from the detection device. In response to determining that the handheld device has not been placed on or near a surface, the processor is further configured to apply a compensating function to the first audio signal to generate a second audio signal, and transmit the second audio signal to a speaker.
US09118987B2
A device and method that is configured to operate an active noise reduction system for a motor vehicle, where there is an active noise reduction system input signal that is related to the vehicle engine operation, and where the active noise reduction system comprises one or more adaptive filters that output noise reduction signals that are used to drive one or more transducers with their outputs directed to reduce engine noise. The engine harmonic noise level is estimated from the input signal that is related to the vehicle engine operation, and the output of the transducers is limited based on the estimate of the engine harmonic noise level.
US09118985B2
A vehicle sound system includes a subwoofer system having a subwoofer, a satellite amplifier for driving the subwoofer, a host amplifier for receiving an audio signal, a noise management processing unit for providing, to the host amplifier, information to be used for achieving a desired audio environment, a sensor for providing information to the noise management processing unit concerning the ambient audio environment, a control line between the satellite amplifier and the host amplifier for transmission of control signals to the satellite amplifier, and a signal line between the satellite amplifier and the host amplifier for transmission of audio signals to the satellite amplifier, the satellite controller being configured to cause a diagnostic signal to be placed on the control line, the diagnostic signal being indicative of an operating condition of the subwoofer system.
US09118981B2
The invention pertains to a call management service for a communications system, configured to automatically: receive telephone call data identifying a destination end point and identifying a source end point; initiate a call-back telephone call to said source end point to set-up a first call leg responsive to receiving said telephone call data; initiate a telephone call to said destination end point to set-up a second call leg; combine said first and second call legs together thereby to provide voice communication between said source and destination end points; and transmit call leg status signals for said voice communication over a separate real-time communications connections signalling link to a communications client associated with at least one of said end points.
US09118973B1
A novel and non-trivial aircraft digital media entertainment system, device, and method employed therein are disclosed. A content controller is configured to receive first data initiated through a media player application installed in a first portable device configured with a mobile operating system; retrieve and stream second data responsive to the first data to the first portable device; receive third data initiated through a remote control application installed in a second portable device configured with the mobile operating system; retrieve and stream fourth data responsive to the third data to a channel processor for subsequent distribution to one or more displays; receive fifth data initiated through a cabin channel control application installed in a cabin channel controller configured with an aircraft system operating system; and retrieve and stream sixth data responsive to the fifth data to a channel processor for subsequent distribution to one or more displays.
US09118970B2
System and method for embedding and viewing media files within a virtual and augmented reality scene
A preferred method for viewing embedded media in a virtual and augmented reality (VAR) scene can include at a viewer device, defining a real orientation of the viewer device relative to a projection matrix; and orienting a VAR scene on the viewer device in response to the real orientation in block, in which the VAR scene includes one or both of visual data and orientation data. The preferred method can further include selecting a media file in the VAR scene, wherein the media file is selected at a media location correlated at least to the real orientation of the viewer device; and activating the media file in the VAR scene at the media location. The preferred method and variations thereof functions to allow a viewer to interact with media that is embedded, tagged, linked, and/or associated with a VAR scene viewable on the viewer device.
US09118968B2
A method by which a streaming interactive video user session is handed off from one streaming interactive video server to another without noticeable disruption to the video stream or the user interactivity.
US09118954B2
A module configured to cope with conditional access broadcasting includes an interface that is detachable from a receiver, the receiver being configured to receive digital broadcasting including conditional access broadcasting, and the interface being configured to acquire a transport stream produced based on the digital broadcasting, a descrambler configured to descramble data included in the transport stream, a loudspeaker configured to output sound, and a controller configured to detect emergency warning information included in the transport stream and control the loudspeaker to output sound related to the emergency warning information in response to the detection of the emergency warning information.
US09118953B2
A server device includes: a storage unit that, upon receiving content storage instruction information from a mobile terminal via a packet forwarding device in a mobile network and a content stream or content file, stores the content stream or content file; a virtual client unit that, upon receiving content reproduction instruction information from the mobile terminal, reads, decodes and reproduces a content stream or content file stored in the storage unit to generate display screen data; and an encoder unit that transmits an encoding result obtained by compression-encoding part or all of the display screen data as a packet to the packet forwarding device.
US09118951B2
Disclosed is a method of operating a secondary device in a manner associated with operation of a primary device including obtaining first information corresponding to a media asset being output by the primary device, processing the first information to determine local media-signature information, transmitting the first information for receipt by a server, receiving secondary information from the server, wherein the secondary information includes a plurality of asset-media signatures that respectively correspond to respective portions of the media asset, attempting to determine a time-based correlation between at least one portion of the local media-signature information and at least one of the asset-media signatures, and outputting one or more portions of time-relevant asset streams from the secondary device, the one or more portions being determined at least indirectly based upon the correlation.
US09118945B2
In multiple screen environments, an advertising server and a media server can interact with the multiple screens to ensure that advertisements are acknowledged by a viewer. In one example, a main or first screen is obscured to some extent until a viewer acknowledges the advertisement on one or more secondary devices. The extent of obscuring the main screen can be varied as well as the frequency of displaying the advertisement. This allows the user's viewing behavior to be modified based on the method of advertisement placement.
US09118936B2
Various embodiments facilitate secure content sharing between a plurality of receiving devices, such as set-top boxes. One embodiment is a system with a distribution server communicatively coupled via a satellite communication system to a plurality of set-top boxes that are located at different customer premises. The distribution server is operable to provide access control information via the satellite communication system to a first set-top box and a second set-top box of the plurality, with the access control information enabling the first set-top box to securely share content of the first set-top box with the second set-top box. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US09118924B2
An image encoding device and corresponding decoding device are disclosed for achieving a high rate of compression. The encoding device includes an image conversion module that converts the direction of the images using right-left symmetry mode convention or up-down symmetry mode conversion. Encoding modules are used to encode both the unconverted and converted images. A mode selector module compares the quantity of codes in the encoded unconverted images and the quantity of codes in the encoded converted images, and selects codes that are smaller in the quantity of codes for output.
US09118910B2
There are provided 3D image glasses which are ready for a plurality of methods (output patterns of a timing signal) different from one another and moreover which are adaptable for various types of 3D image display devices. A ROM 6 stores a plurality of output patterns, and a plurality of command signals corresponding to the output patterns. A microcomputer 5 selects from the ROM 6 an output pattern coincident with an output pattern of a timing signal received from the 3D image display device, and moreover, by a command signal of the selected output pattern, controls opening and closing of right-eye and left-eye liquid-crystal shutters in synchronization with the received timing signal.
US09118906B2
An autofocus adjustment method for a three-dimensional imaging device, includes: a step of, when a first lens position is not found during search operation of a first focus lens of a first imaging optical system within a first search range, allowing a second focus lens of a second imaging optical system to perform search operation within the first search range, and during the search operation, searching for a second lens position at which the second focus lens focuses on the subject based on a second viewpoint image from the second imaging unit; a step of allowing the second focus lens to move to the second lens position; a step of calculating the first lens position based on the second lens position and a focus position displacement amount preliminarily stored in a storage; and a step of allowing the first focus lens to move to the first lens position thus calculated.
US09118895B2
A reproduction apparatus reproduces image data of a left eye image and a right eye image of a 3D content recorded in a recording medium. The recording medium stores information about black border widths according to each parallax amount in periphery of right and left image frames between the left eye image and the right eye image. A post processing unit generates and outputs a border-attached left eye image and a border-attached right eye image by inserting an image having the obtained black border width according to the parallax amount in the periphery of the right image frame and an image having the obtained black border width according to the parallax amount in the periphery of the left image frame into the left eye image and the right eye image. The present invention can be applied to an image processing apparatus for processing image data of 3D images.
US09118891B2
A video processing method for a video image consisting of a plurality of units includes: generating a plurality of information types of at least a first unit and a second unit neighboring the first unit; and storing the plurality of information types of the first unit in a first continuous address space in a buffer and storing the plurality of information types of the second unit in a second continuous address space in the buffer, wherein the first continuous address space is adjacent to the second continuous address space. The plurality of information types of the first and second units are required for coding a specific unit, and the order of the stored plurality of information types of the first and second units is manipulated in each of the first and second continuous address spaces.
US09118887B2
In a communication apparatus to which a recording medium is attachable, a display unit displays, in a case where a recording medium attached to the communication apparatus includes a wireless communication function not included in a wireless communication unit in the communication apparatus, an item related to a wireless communication function included in the wireless communication unit in the communication apparatus and an item related to a wireless communication function not included in the wireless communication unit in the communication apparatus from among wireless communication functions included in the recording medium.
US09118886B2
A method for annotating general objects contained in video content is provided. The method sends video data to a client device and receives a first annotation from the client device defining a boundary around a portion of a first frame of the video data. Then, the first annotation is tracked through multiple frames of the video content. Other annotations determined to be associated with annotation that match the first annotation within a threshold are determined where the other annotations are received from other client devices and located in the first frame or other frames from the first frame. The method combines the other annotations and the first annotation into an object track and associates a tag with the object track. The tag is input by at least one of the client devices.
US09118884B2
This disclosure details the implementation of methods, systems and computer program products for local DVR scheduling conflict management (hereinafter, “SCM”). SCM systems allow for automatic organization, prioritization, and conflict resolution for multiple scheduled recording specifications. Conflicting scheduled recordings may be re-organized based on single-stage and/or multi-stage conflict resolution procedures. Embodiments of SCM systems may also implement weighted conflict resolution, wherein user preferences and/or prioritizations may be assigned to scheduled recordings and considered in the re-organization of conflicting recordings. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed, comprising: receiving a new scheduled recording instruction comprising at least a new program identifier and a new time; comparing the new scheduled recording instruction to an existing recording schedule to determine if a recording conflict exists; performing a conflict resolution for an existing conflict to yield a new recording schedule; and storing the new recording schedule in a scheduling database.
US09118867B2
A system and means for the proprietary data stream format encoding of songs with lyrics in a digital radio broadcasts in a produced data stream that can be individually distributed to terrestrial and satellite digital radio broadcasters. The proprietary pre-encoding of song information with possible PAD data (Program Associated Data), song and lyrics (EISL) where the proprietary encoding allows the bit rate to be sized by the Producer to fit the fixed bit rate of the channel's Data Service, while sound and video quality is still maximized. The EISL can be converted to analog for simultaneous transmission (only audio received in analog mode). The digital radio Broadcasters do not have to make significant expenditures to broadcast the EISL data stream. There can be various different digital radio/receiver configurations to adapt to the listener/customer's needs/budget to receive the EISL transmission. The digital receiver with channel decoder, EISL source decoder with video and audio component extractor, plus amplifier/speakers and display screen(s) can be one unit or separate components of the EISL digital receiving system. EISL transmissions can be received by non-EISL enabled digital receivers and songs heard and PAD data displayed on the channel/mode display. Non-EISL digital radio song transmissions can be received and song heard and PAD data displayed.
US09118860B2
An image forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes pane information calculating portion, stamp drawing information calculating portion, and stamp drawing portion. Pane information calculating portion calculates pane information including recording sheet number information and drawing position information that indicate recording sheet number of recording sheet and drawing position in recording sheet at which an image of each page of obtained print data is to be formed. Stamp drawing information calculating portion calculates stamp drawing information including recording sheet number information and drawing position information that indicate recording sheet number of recording sheet and drawing position in recording sheet at which predetermined stamp is to be drawn in correspondence with pane information calculated by pane information calculating portion. Stamp drawing portion draws predetermined stamp at drawing position in recording sheet indicated by stamp drawing information calculated by stamp drawing information calculating portion.
US09118858B2
An image pickup apparatus of an embodiment includes pixel units each including a photoelectric conversion unit and an amplification transistor that outputs a signal based on an electric carrier generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, a first output line to which signals from first and other pixel units are output, and a second output line to which signals from second and other pixel units are output. A connection unit is arranged to control an electric connection between input nodes of the amplification transistors of the first and second pixel units is arranged. A control unit is arranged to selectively output a signal from at least one of the first and second pixel units to the first output line out of the first and second output lines when the connection unit mutually connects the input nodes of the first and second pixel units.
US09118841B2
A first plurality of images of a scene may be captured. Each image of the first plurality of images may be captured with a different total exposure time (TET). Based at least on the first plurality of images, a TET sequence may be determined for capturing images of the scene. A second plurality of images of the scene may be captured. Images in the second plurality of images may be captured using the TET sequence. Based at least on the second plurality of images, an output image of the scene may be constructed.
US09118840B2
An image processing apparatus obtains a motion vector between at least three images including first, second, and third images obtained through continuous shooting under different exposure conditions and computes a first motion vector between the first and second images and a second motion vector between the first and third images in a plurality of positions on the first image. A reliability level of the motion vector is determined, and an estimated motion vector between the first and second images is computed for the first motion vector having low reliability based on the second motion vector computed in the corresponding position and the shooting interval between the images. In a case where the second motion vector computed in a position corresponding to that of the first motion vector having low reliability has high reliability, the first motion vector having low reliability is substituted with the estimated motion vector.
US09118839B2
A personal identification system, which uses a vein pattern of a finger, optimizes the amount of light of a light source based on a captured finger image and emphasizes the vein pattern during image processing for identification.
US09118836B2
An imaging device which can more reliably guide eye lines of a subject to a lens even when the subject is a child or an infant is provided. The imaging device according to the present disclosure includes: an optical system; an imaging sensor which captures a subject image condensed by the optical system; a monitor which displays the captured subject image; and a controller which displays an on-screen display (OSD), which moves in a center direction of the optical system, on a display surface of the monitor oriented toward a subject before start of shooting a still image of a subject or during shooting of a moving image.
US09118834B2
An apparatus includes a control unit which switches between a first display mode and a second display mode based on whether a zoom state is equal to or greater than a predetermined zoom magnification. The imaging apparatus, in a zoom state where a part of an imaging area is clipped and recorded, switches between the first display mode, which displays on a display unit a clipped recording area, and the second display mode, which displays on the display unit an area which is wider than the clipped recording area.
US09118826B2
A dual sensor camera that uses two aligned sensors each having a separate lens of different focal length but the same f-number. The wider FOV image from one sensor is combined with the narrower FOV image from the other sensor to form a combined image. Up-sampling of the wide FOV image and down-sampling of the narrow FOV image is performed. The longer focal length lens may have certain aberrations introduced so that Extended Depth of Field (EDoF) processing can be used to give the narrow FOV image approximately the same depth of field as the wide FOV image so that a noticeable difference in depth of field is not see in the combined image.
US09118824B2
The invention provides a prompting apparatus comprising a prompting box and a mounting and adjusting assembly. The prompting box houses a two-way mirror and the lens of the camera. The prompting box includes a shell frame and a coupling means which enables a user to slide in a tablet device. The tablet device runs a prompting software application and the pre-designed text is displayed on the screen at a speed that the speaker feels comfortable to read.
US09118813B2
Provided is a method and apparatus in which information about a multicast session which provides an application associated with a predetermined Internet protocol television (IPTV) service is received and the application is received in the multicast session established based on the received information.
US09118812B2
Delivery of content such as advertisements to audience members. Profile data is collected regarding audience members to whom advertisements may be delivered, such that a given audience member has an established profile data. Upon receiving a request to serve an advertisement to an audience member, a recognition that the target of the request is the given audience member is made. Then it is determined that a particular advertisement should be served to the given audience member. The determination includes recognition of the given audience member and corresponding selection advertisements optimized for the recognized audience member. A configurable delivery decision making mode allows pre-optimized as well as delivery time factoring for determining advertisements. Performance criteria and revenue allocation based upon data provider participation are also provided.
US09118807B2
Presented herein are techniques for creating video for participants in a video conference. A designated primary video stream is decoded and the resulting video composed in accordance with a primary sub-picture portion of a frame. Other video streams are designated as secondary video streams output by secondary entities, and are decoded and composed in accordance with a secondary sub-picture portion of the frame structured for the secondary entities. The composed primary video stream is encoded for display at each secondary entity, to obtain encoded slices of a primary video stream. The composed secondary video stream is encoded for display at one of the secondary entities, to obtain encoded slices of a secondary video stream. The encoded primary and secondary video streams are combined at the encoded slice level into a single video stream for transmission to, and decode and display at, the one of the secondary entities.
US09118804B2
An electronic device is provided including a communication unit configured to receive audio/video data (A/V data) streamed from a first electronic device, a display unit configured to display the video data of the A/V data, and a controller configured to obtain shape feature information of a first real object included in the video data, to determine whether there is first personal information of the first real object based on the shape feature information, and to display a first virtual object including the first personal information on the display unit in association with the first real object when there is the first personal information.
US09118797B2
Methods and systems for robust and flexible extraction of image information using color filter arrays. Methods are provided comprising receiving a sample set of data generated by transforming and sampling an optical property of an original color image in a spatial basis, wherein the transformation effected is substantially local in the spatial basis and has partially overlapping spectra. A generalized inverse of the transform augmented with regularization constraints is applied to the sample set of data to infer original image data. According to one approach the generalized inverse does not use variational minimization or assume constant color ratios. According to an alternative approach regularization can take the form of predetermined spectral constraints applied to the sample set of data to infer the original image data. According to another alternative approach regularization can promote spectral sparsity. Methods are also provided for creating an optical color filter array, for sampling an image, for reducing noise in an image, and for computing a sparse representation of an image signal. Systems for carrying out these and other methods are also provided.
US09118795B2
Image sensors and methods of operating the same. An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels. Each of the plurality of pixels includes a photo sensor, the voltage-current characteristics of which vary according to energy of incident light, and that generates a sense current determined by the energy of the incident light; a reset unit that is activated to generate a reference current, according to a reset signal for resetting at least one of the plurality of pixels; and a conversion unit that converts the sense current and the reference current into a sense voltage and a reference voltage, respectively.
US09118794B2
Video signals for a mobile terminal are converted to accommodate reproduction by an alternative display terminal. The video signal is processed to provide a converted video signal appropriate for an alternative display terminal that is separate from the mobile terminal. This converted video signal is then provided for the alternative display terminal to accommodate the corresponding video display on a screen provided by the alternative (e.g., external) display terminal.
US09118790B2
With respect to a job input to a printer, a job information management unit in a computer obtains information about a ratio of a color area in each page of the input job from the printer before the information is overwritten and stores the obtained information together with job identification information in a job information storage unit. Further, if information which is not recorded by another computer is included in a color information list of the printer regarding a copy job or a FAX job, the job information management unit obtains the information about a ratio of a color area in each page of the copy job of the FAX job from the printer.
US09118780B2
The present invention is directed to an improved operations method for a wireless communication system. The improved business method, operations method, network and system of the present invention includes the steps of delivering cellular services to the mass market, reducing peak capacity, increasing overall capacity utilization, improving capital utilization, providing an “all-you-can-eat” pricing model, and designing capacity based upon where the users live, work, and play.
US09118774B2
A method and system for presenting promotional content to a user of a communication device involves receiving information from a communication device, where the information relates to the communication device, and identifying a result relating to the information that is capable of being presented in a plurality of formats on the communication device, and dynamically selecting a format for the result from among the plurality of formats, and presenting the result in the selected format for display by the communication device.
US09118773B2
Various aspects disclosed herein are directed to different types of automated personal assistant techniques for facilitating call event notation, tagging, calendaring, etc., particularly those implemented on mobile communication devices. Users of mobile devices are provided with a relatively easy way to record and organize personal notes relating to one or more selected telephone conversations conducted by the user. Users can also manage notes, tasks, and schedule items related to the user's contacts and social network(s). In at least one embodiment, a Mobile Application running on a user's mobile device may be configured or designed to automatically detect an end of phone call event at the mobile device, and to automatically display a “pop-up” dialog GUI prompting the user to record a personalized note or other content (if desired), to be associated with the phone call which just ended.
US09118767B1
A user communication device establishes a first call with a first caller. During the first call, the user communication device receives a call alert for a second call from a second caller. In response to receiving the call alert during the first call, the user communication device presents an option to the user to combine the first caller audio with second caller audio and to transfer the user audio for delivery to the second caller and not to the first caller. The user communication device receives an instruction from the user, and in response, receives and transfers the user audio for delivery to the second caller and not to the first caller. The user communication device receives and plays the first caller audio and the second caller audio.
US09118763B1
In accordance with the teaching described herein, systems and methods are provided for a communications proxy and overlay network for a plurality of customer feedback collection instruments that are configured to gather information from customers. A communications server array may be configured to communicate with a user device and one or more contact centers. An application server may be configured to communicate with the communications server array, a contact centers having associated user interfaces. An intelligent text processing and analysis module may be configured to transform an input from the user device to a modified input for use by the first contact center and second contact center to facilitate real time or delayed communications between users and agents.
US09118747B2
At one of the timings: during a period between the moment when one of terminals which performs transmission calls out a communication partner and the moment of response and at the timing after the communication between the terminals is complete; a server reads out content data from a database and transmits the read out content data to the terminal. At this timing, the terminal reproduces the content data transmitted from the server.
US09118745B2
Remote access of content in an IMS system is described. A first IMS channel is established between, for example, a user terminal and an IMS Gateway (IG) for control signaling. A second IMS channel is established between, for example, the user terminal and the IG for conveying the content being remotely accessed. Due to limitations in the network, Quality of Service (QoS, or bandwidth) reservations are handled differently on the originating and terminating sides. For example, on the originating side, a single QoS reservation is used for both the first and second IMS channels, whereas on the terminating side separate QoS reservations can be used for the first and second IMS channels.
US09118735B1
Embodiments are described for assisting a first person in finding a second person using a social network. A person may send a request to a server that identifies that person, the person he or she is looking for, and the requestor's location. The server may then traverse that person's social network to identify someone who is in a similar location and who knows the person being sought. The server may send an identification of this person who knows the person being sought to the requestor. Various privacy mechanisms are also disclosed, including anonymizing identifying information, and encrypting communications.
US09118728B2
Aspects of a method and system for determining physical layer traversal time are provided. In this regard, duration of a time interval may be determined in the PHY of a network device, where the time interval corresponds to an amount of time that occurs between a first time instant at which information is input to the PHY and a second time instant at which corresponding information is output by the PHY. Communication of data to and/or from the network device may be managed based on the determined duration of the time interval. The duration of the time interval may be determined utilizing one or more counters within the PHY. The determined duration may be stored in one or more registers within the PHY. An amount of data that is processed by the PHY during the time interval may be determined within the PHY.
US09118727B2
Providing metadata subscription services includes receiving a notification subscription request containing an item selected from a plurality of items residing in a repository. The items are stored in hierarchically-arranged levels of storage within the repository. Providing the services also includes determining that metadata of the item has been modified and creating a notification including changes made with respect to the metadata and any others of the items residing in the repository at a storage level equal to a storage level of the item and any storage levels that are lower than the storage level of the item. Providing the services further includes transmitting the notification to a user-specified first address and transmitting a copy of the item including the changes to a user-specified second address. The user-specified second address is different than the user-specified first address.
US09118716B2
The computer system includes: a controller; a switch configured to perform, on a received packet complying with a flow entry set by the controller, a relay operation regulated by the flow entry; and a host terminal configured to be connected to the switch. The switch notifies the controller of transmission source address information of a received packet which does not comply with a flow entry set for itself. The controller judges, when legal address information of a host terminal does not coincide with the transmission source address information, that a transmission source address of the received packet is spoofed.
US09118713B2
A method for automatically detecting security vulnerabilities in a client-server application where a client is connected to a server. The method is implemented by a computer having a processor and a software program stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium. The method includes automatically extracting, with the software program at the client, a description of one or more validation checks on inputs performed by the client. The method also includes analyzing the server, with the software program by using the one or more validation checks on inputs performed by the client, to determine whether the server is not performing validation checks that the server must be performing. The method further includes determining that security vulnerabilities in the client-server application exist when the server is not performing validation checks that the server must be performing. A method further proposes preventing parameter tampering attacks on a running client-server application by enforcing the one or more validation checks on inputs performed by the client on each input that is submitted to the server.
US09118705B2
A device for detecting network traffic content is provided. The device includes a memory configured for storing one or more signatures, each of the one or more signatures associated with content desired to be detected, and 5 defined by one or more predicates. The device a/so includes a processor configured to receive data associated with network traffic content, execute one or more instructions based on the one or more signatures and the data, and determine whether the network traffic content matches the content desired to be detected.
US09118689B1
A cloud based security method and processing node includes monitoring data traffic between a user and an external network, wherein the monitoring is performed by a processing node comprising a first server in a cloud based system, detecting a security incident, if an archiving rule exists based on the security incident, providing a notification to a second server within an organization's domain, wherein the user is part of the organization, and wherein the notification includes private data associated with the security incident based on the archiving rule, and storing non-private data in the cloud based system based on the archiving rule.
US09118686B2
Per process networking capability techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a determination is made as to whether access to a network capability is permitted for a process that is executed on the computing device based on a token that is associated with the process. The token has one or more security identifiers that reference one or more network capabilities described in a manifest. The access to the network capability is managed based on the determination.
US09118685B1
A cloud data protection system protects cloud data of an enterprise. A protection policy for the enterprise is established by an administrator of the enterprise. The protection policy describes one or more types of cloud data protection to provide to the enterprise's cloud data. The cloud data protection system examines the protection policy to identify cloud data associated with the enterprise to access in order to implement the policy, and uses a personality object to retrieve the identified cloud data from one or more cloud services. The cloud data protection system performs one or more protection actions on the retrieved cloud data. The protection actions can include scanning the cloud data for malicious software, for compliance with a data loss prevention policy, or for data matching a discovery specification. The protection actions can also include archiving or backing up the cloud data.
US09118684B2
The invention relates to a method for requesting users access to an application by a network. The application is provided by an entity that is not part of the network. The invention allows a unified access to the application independent from the network used to access it. Therefore a network receiving an access request for the application from a user determines through which network the user attempted to access the application the first time. It then requires the identifier used by the network of first access and uses the same identifier towards an entity providing said application.
US09118677B2
In some examples, a method for rebuilding a source provider service environment in a target provider environment is described. The method may include identifying, using a service meta-app describing a service in a source provider environment, an internal direct dependency of the service. The method may also include accessing a dependency meta-app describing the internal direct dependency. The method may also include building the internal direct dependency according to the dependency meta-app in a target provider environment. The method may also include fetching an image of the service. The method may also include installing the image of the service in the target provider environment. The method may also include configuring the installed image of the service to depend from the internal direct dependency according to the service meta-app.
US09118668B1
This invention provides a simple and secure PIN unblock mechanism for use with a security token. A set of one or more passphrases are stored on a remote server during personalization. Likewise, the answers to the passphrases are hashed and stored inside the security token for future comparison. A local client program provides the user input and display dialogs and ensures a secure communications channel is provided before passphrases are retrieved from the remote server. Retrieval of passphrases and an administrative unblock secret from the remote server are accomplished using a unique identifier associated with the security token, typically the token's serial number. A PIN unblock applet provides the administrative mechanism to unblock the security token upon receipt of an administrative unblock shared secret. The remote server releases the administrative unblock shared secret only after a non-forgeable confirmatory message is received from the security token that the user has been properly authenticated. The administrative unblock shared secret is encrypted with the token's public key during transport to maximize security.
US09118667B2
A system and method are provided for using a mobile device to authenticate access to a private network. The mobile device may operate to receive a challenge from an authentication server, the challenge having being generated according to a request to access a private network; obtain a private value; use the private value, the challenge, and a private key to generate a response to the challenge; and send the response to the authentication server. An authentication server may operate to generate a challenge; send the challenge to a mobile device; receive a response from the mobile device, the response having been generated by the mobile device using a private value, the challenge, and a private key; verify the response; and confirm verification of the response with a VPN gateway to permit a computing device to access a private network.
US09118664B1
A password scheme is provided that can be used for security of cable modems in a cable network. In the system, the password is unique to each modem, the password is not fixed for the life of the device, is not shared across cable systems, is easily recoverable after a compromise, and is changed periodically based on some type of configuration. In the system each modem creates its own random password. Then the modem encrypts the password using a public key provided by the cable system and stores the encrypted password in a Management Information Base (MIB) operated by the cable system. The MIB operator decrypts the encrypted password corresponding to the public key and recovers the password. The cable operator uses the password to log in remotely to the modem. If a compromise or change of the public key or password occurs, the password is regenerated using the same procedure.
US09118660B2
The embodiments herein disclose a method and system for providing access to an encrypted data file by separating the concerns of Authentication, Identity Resolution and Authorization from Encryption thereby allowing for multiple federated authentication providers and verified identities. The method comprises of creating an encrypted data file, embedding a file usage policy to the data file, sharing the encrypted data file with an identity of an intended content recipient and an allowed authentication provider specified in the file usage policy, activating a client application installed in a user device to open the encrypted data file, fetching and updating the data file usage policy from an application server, prompting the user to authenticate with the allowed authentication provider, authenticating the user with a specified authentication provider, verifying if the authenticated user is allowed to open the data file, opening the data file on successful verification and enforcing the file usage policy.
US09118659B2
A method and an apparatus protect location-related messages which are transmitted from a provider to a plurality of temporally changing recipients and receiver devices in a plurality of localities in each case. The method and apparatus are distinguished by the fact that key certificates for signed messages are issued only in a location-related manner and are thus valid only in a particular defined local environment.
US09118657B1
A secure single sign on is extended to a legacy web application that does not support the specific user authentication technique being used, such as SAML or OAuth. A proxy intercepts a request by a client computer to access the legacy application, and forwards the intercepted request to a single sign on identity provider. The identity provider authenticates the user, using the specific authentication technique not supported by the legacy application, and provides an indication of success to the proxy. The proxy transmits a user id and master password wrapped in an HTTP request to the legacy web application, which authenticates the request, creates a session and provides corresponding cookies to the proxy. The proxy forwards the cookies to the client, which utilizes them to continue the session with the legacy application.
US09118654B2
Methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, are described for compliance management of media-based (e.g., video and/or audio) conference sessions. A compliance module of a server computing device joins a conference session between a first end point device and a second end point device, wherein the first device is associated with a first entity and the second device is associated with a second entity. The compliance module determines compliance profiles associated with the first device and the second device. The compliance module monitors the conference session to identify session content to be archived according to the first compliance profile and the second compliance profile. The compliance module transmits the session content to data stores associated with the first entity and the second entity.
US09118652B2
Various implementations are described herein for detecting and modifying security settings on a computing device to run a web application using a web browser. A loader application detects security settings on the computing device, determines if the security settings will allow the web application to run and function correctly on the computing device, and if necessary, modifies the security settings to allow the web application to run and operate successfully. Further, described herein are techniques for facilitating communication between components corresponding to a web application running in a web browser and external resources.
US09118643B2
In deriving a cryptographic key from the response message in a challenge-response message in a challenge-response authentication, a checksum for the related response is calculated after receiving a challenge message and before the related response has been transferred. A cryptographic key is derived from the response, which is used to determine the cryptographic checksum. The cryptographic checksum is transferred in a first time period after receiving the challenge message. The response message is transferred during a later, second time period. The duration of validity of the key derived from the response message ends before the response message is transferred. A theoretical attacker who can overhear and manipulate the communication will not know the response message until a point in time when the cryptographic key which can be derived therefrom is already no longer valid.
US09118635B2
An autonomous medical imaging system includes at least one autonomous imaging subsystem and at least one autonomous detection subsystem. The autonomous detection subsystem is configured to communicate with the autonomous imaging subsystem, and the autonomous imaging subsystem is configured to communicate with the autonomous detection subsystem.
US09118632B1
A sender may generate a primary email including a primary header and a primary body, the primary header including a sender address associated with the sender computing system and the recipient address associated with a recipient client, encrypt at least a part of the primary body to generate a primary encrypted email, encrypt the primary encrypted email to generate an encrypted sender-to-recipient pseudo-body, add a trusted party-to-recipient header to the encrypted sender-to-recipient pseudo-body including a trusted party address of a trusted party and the recipient address associated with the recipient client to generate a trusted party-to-recipient email, encrypt the trusted party-to-recipient email to generate an encrypted trusted party-to-recipient pseudo-body, add a sender-to-trusted party header to the encrypted trusted party-to-recipient pseudo-body including the sender address and the address of the trusted party to generate a sender-to-trusted party email, and send the sender-to-trusted party email to the trusted party.
US09118628B2
An email system using keys to open the server to receive messages. A message is created on a client, along with a request for the server to accept the message. The server will not even accept the message, unless the key is received. The key may be validated on many different levels of security; including length, or encryption code, or mathematical calculation. If the key is validated, the message can be received, either immediately, or later via a session code.
US09118627B2
There are provided measures for resource reservation improvement in session initiation. Such measures for resource reservation improvement may for example comprise receiving a session initiation request of a user, determining an authentication type of the user, detecting, in the received session initiation request, an absence of authentication data required for an authentication in accordance with the determined authentication type of the user, and preventing a resource reservation for the requested session initiation.
US09118619B2
To inhibit cross-site forgery attacks, different types/classes of cookies are used. A first cookie and a second cookie are generated by a web server and provided to a client browser during a web session. The first cookie defines a first set of use conditions for when the first cookie is to be used within the web session. The second cookie defines a second set of use conditions for when the second cookie is to be used within the web session. The client browser determines which (if any) of the first cookie or second cookie to send to the web server based on the use conditions defined within each cookie and the operation(s) sought by the client browser. The web server may grant different or the same privileges to operation(s) being sought by the client browser depending on whether the first or second cookie is sent by the client browser.
US09118618B2
Hardware-based packet editor receives a packet editing script which includes script entries indicating modifications to a data packet and a data block with data for the modified data packet. For a script entry in the packet editing script, the packet editor copies data in the data block at a block location and with a block length identified in the script entry into a packet buffer. The packet editor repeats the copying for the remaining script entries for the modified data packet. The packet editor then generates the modified data packet with the data in the packet buffer. The packet editing script is generated such that a script entry is created for data to be included in the modified data packet and data to be inserted into the modified data packet. Creation of a script entry is omitted for data to be removed.
US09118616B2
A session control apparatus and method are provided in a converged IP messaging (CPM) server for supporting a CPM session between a first client subscribing to a CPM service and a second client not subscribing to the CPM service. After the CPM session is initiated between the first and second clients through the CPM server and an interworking function (IWF), a session modification request message including specific media is received from the first client. The session modification request message including the specific media is sent to the IWF through the initiated CPM session. A response message is received from the IWF. The response message including a reason for rejection when the specific media is unsupported by the IWF.
US09118611B2
A method of resource-synchronizing data that is transmitted on a communication link having at least one data lane, between a first device and a second device, wherein the second device has a resource that is accessible based on an access schedule. In one operation, a timing offset of the second device based on the access schedule is determined, followed by delaying the transmission of data from the first device to the second device through the communication link by an amount of time equal to the timing offset so that the data is received at the resource when the resource is accessible according to the access schedule.
US09118604B2
A system for routing packets that includes leaf network devices, spine network devices, and a border gateway protocol controller to perform a method for routing packets in a network. The method includes receiving packets at a leaf device and, using the destination IP address of the packet to determine to which spine network device the packet is to be sent. The spine network devices each include a non-overlapping portion of a routing table. The spine network devices include functionality to determine a route for the packet based on its destination IP address, to determine to which leaf network device the packet is to be sent, and to send the packet to the discovered leaf network device. The leaf network device that receives the packet includes functionality to, based on the destination MAC address of the packet, determine out of which leaf network device interface to send the packet.
US09118602B2
A method for processing data packets in a communication network includes establishing a path for a flow of the data packets through the communication network. At a node along the path having a plurality of aggregated ports, a port is selected from among the plurality to serve as part of the path. A label is chosen responsively to the selected port. The label is attached to the data packets in the flow at a point on the path upstream from the node. Upon receiving the data packets at the node, the data packets are switched through the selected port responsively to the label.
US09118600B2
Packets are transmitted by a server to mobile nodes in a coverage area of a wireless network using a coverage and reliability map, which indicates qualities and reliabilities of links between the server and the nodes. When a new packet is received in the server, the server transmits the packet if a current load of the packets including the new packet is less than a peak load constraint. Otherwise, the new packet is delayed for one time slot. Packets are transmitted according to associated priorities.
US09118587B2
Potential paths between a source and destination of a network are identified based on trace-route information, then filtered to eliminate paths or links that are not supported by ancillary information associated with the network so as to identify feasible/actual paths between the source and destination. The ancillary information includes, for example, routing tables and ARP tables. If a feasible path cannot be identified based on the ancillary information, supplemental information regarding nodes further along the potential path is assessed to provide a basis for inferring the nodes that may provide a feasible path. The determined feasible paths are displayed for review, and provided to serve as filters for subsequent path-analysis tools.
US09118586B2
A method and system for routing frames based on a port's speed using a switch element. The method includes receiving a portion of a frame in a receive buffer of a port; determining a frame length threshold value; and setting up a status bit based on the port's speed, the frame length threshold value and an amount of the frame received. The status bit is sent to a transmit segment of the switch element and the frame length threshold value is proportional to the port's speed. Also, if the receive buffer is almost full when the frame arrives at the receive port, then a cut status is based on the frame's end of frame (“EOF”) value.
US09118578B2
An embodiment is a method of managing bandwidth, performed by a computing system. The system receives user-selected connection parameters associated with a subscriber device. The system associates a network identifier of the subscriber device with a group bandwidth policy, based on the user-selected connection parameters. The system stores, in computer-readable storage media, parameters associated with the group bandwidth policy, in association with the network identifier of the subscriber device. The system receives, at a gateway device, network communication data from the subscriber device. The system limits, at the gateway device, bandwidth available to the network communication data, based on the stored parameters associated with the group bandwidth policy.
US09118577B2
An apparatus comprising a processor configured to send a first notification message to a first label switch router (LSR) to discover the upstream multipoint Label Distribution Protocol (mLDP) LSR, wherein the apparatus is configured to couple to the first LSR, and wherein the first LSR is not an mLDP LSR, receive a second notification message from the upstream mLDP node, and in response to receiving the second notification message, establish an mLDP Label Switch Path (LSP) to the upstream mLDP node via the first LSR.
US09118571B2
A load balancing system may include a switch coupled with a plurality of servers and a controller. A flow table may include default flow entries with each default flow entry including a different match pattern. At least one of the default flow entries may include a match pattern with an unrestricted character so that the match pattern having the unrestricted character is satisfied by a plurality of data flow identifications. Each of the default flow entries may include an action to be performed for data packets having data flow identifications that satisfy its match pattern. A data packet including a data flow identification for a data flow may be received from a client device. A default flow entry having a match pattern that is satisfied by the data flow identification is identified, and the data packet is processed in accordance with the action for the identified default flow entry.
US09118564B2
In a source provider edge (PE) router, a method for supporting protocol independent multicast sparse-mode (PIM-SM) using multicast resource reservation protocol-traffic engineering (mRSVP-TE) comprising the steps of creating a protocol independent multicast (PIM) state, sending a first unicast data message to a rendezvous point (RP) PE router using the PIM state, wherein the first unicast data message is a PIM register message encapsulated as a unicast multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) packet, receiving a PIM join message from the RP PE router, wherein the PIM join message triggers creating a second PIM state, sending a second unicast data message to the RP PE router via a default multicast distribution tree (MDT) using the second PIM state, receiving a PIM register-stop message from the RP PE router, wherein the PIM register-stop message suspends sending the second unicast data message.
US09118561B2
A network switch is configured to automatically establish a connection to a WAN by determining which of a plurality of ports of the network switch is a current uplink port leading to the WAN. The switch attempts to establish connectivity to the WAN using a first set of port configurations as the current set of port configurations. Upon determining that the first set of port configurations does not allow the network switch to determine an uplink port, the network switch changes to a mode having a first security measure and also having a relaxed set of current port configurations. The network switch again attempts to establish connectivity to the WAN, and upon further failures to determine an uplink port leading to the WAN, the network switch may be configured to switch to other modes utilizing further relaxed port configurations and the same or additional security measures.
US09118558B2
A method of upgrading software in network elements of a telecommunications network where operation of a plurality of network elements of a first type depends on operation of a network element of a second type. The method comprises receiving upgrade packages by the network element of the second type and at least part of the network elements of the first type. At least part of the network elements of the first type entering a waiting state and starting their upgrade when start of the upgrade of the network element of the second type is detected.
US09118553B2
A method and system for monitoring availability data of a system management (SM) environment. A connection configuration associated with the SM environment is retrieved from a central repository, wherein the SM environment is coupled to a SM portal server that includes the central repository, and wherein the SM environment includes one or more terminal systems. In response to determining that the retrieved connection configuration properly establishes communication between the SM portal server and the SM environment, availability data pertaining to availability of resources at endpoints of the one or more terminal systems is collected. The collected availability data recorded in the central repository.
US09118544B2
A method and apparatus for providing automated processing of a switched voice alarm on a switched and/or Internet Protocol (IP) network are disclosed. For example, the method receives an alarm associated with a switched voice service, and retrieves a Local Routing Number (LRN) or Primary Inter-exchange Carrier (PIC) information from a switch serving a call associated with a caller's telephone number. The method determines if the alarm is due to one or more service degradations, and notifies a work center responsible for one or more of the service degradations if the alarm is due to the one or more service degradations.
US09118523B2
A signal receiving apparatus, applicable in a wireless system calibrating direct current offset, includes: an adjusting circuit arranged to receive an receiving signal having a first DC (Direct Current) signal, and adjust the first DC signal to generate the receiving signal having a second DC signal according to an adjusting signal; a first arithmetic circuit arranged to generate an error signal according to the second DC signal and a target DC signal; and a second arithmetic circuit arranged to calculate an error signal slope according to the error signal, and update the adjusting signal according to the error signal slope and the error signal.
US09118518B2
There is provided a transmission system and method of operating thereof. The method comprises: dividing a data sequence to be transmitted into a plurality of data blocks; encoding one or more data blocks with one or more linear systematic cyclic codes thus giving rise to encoded data blocks; transmitting said encoded data blocks over an ISI transmission channel; upon receiving, applying a linear integer-forcing (IF) equalization to the received data blocks; processing the output of the IF equalization thereby detecting for each encoded data block a valid codeword with maximal likelihood of decoding; and reconstructing the data blocks using the respective detected valid codewords.
US09118515B2
A channel estimation processor for a receiver in a wireless communication system is described. The channel estimation processor includes a stage-1 processor (STG1) arranged to pluralities of Nsym reference symbol correlation values per slot. The channel estimation processor includes a stage-2 processor (STG2) comprising a plurality of stage-2a processors for obtaining filtered outputs per slot, a respective plurality of stage-2b processors for obtaining respective slot filter results and a stage-2 adder (STG2ADD) for obtaining channel estimates for respective anchor positions. The stage-2a processors are arranged to filter respective pluralities of reference symbol correlation values using respective reference symbol filters (ga) to obtain a respective filtered output per slot. The stage-2b processors (STG2B1) are arranged to filter a predetermined number of Nslots associated filtered reference outputs using respective slot filters (a) with respective slot-specific filter coefficients (ai) to obtain a first slot filter result. The stage-2 adder (STG2ADD) is arranged to sum the slot filter results to obtain the channel estimate for anchor symbol positions. An interpolator is arranged to, for symbol positions different from anchor symbol positions, determine a channel estimate for the symbol position from interpolating the channel estimates for two closest anchor symbol positions.
US09118513B2
The present invention provides a high-performance adaptive digital receiver with adaptive background control that optimizes the performance in rapidly changing signal environments and provides 3.6 GHz instantaneous bandwidth, SFDR>90 dB, SNR=66 dB, with dynamic digital channelization. The receiver takes advantage of several levels of adaptivity that conventional approaches do not offer. In addition to a dynamic digital channelizer that is adaptively tuned based on detected signals, the present invention employs a powerful software reconfigurable digitizer that is adaptively optimized for the current signal environment to control important receiver parameters such as bandwidth, dynamic range, resolution, and sensitivity.
US09118509B2
A gateway device is provided. The gateway device for relaying communication between an automotive network communication device and an industrial field bus communication device includes: a Controller Area Network (CAN) input unit for receiving a CAN input data frame from an external; and a conversion unit for converting the received CAN input data frame into a Modbus output data frame according to a predetermined method.
US09118499B2
In one embodiment, a method for monitoring operation of a device is provided. Monitoring of the device at a source using a gateway is activated. The device is coupled to the source to receive power from the source for operation of the device. The gateway monitors an electrical characteristic of the source coupled to the device. Monitored information of the electrical characteristic is captured from the source when an event occurs at the device. The monitored information is correlated as being associated with the device. The monitored information is used in an analysis to analyze whether a variance in the monitored information violates a threshold to trigger an indication of a problem in the operation of the device.
US09118494B2
An apparatus comprising a proxy configured to couple to a sender and a receiver and to receive data from the sender at a first rate and forward the data to the receiver at a second rate that is less than the first rate. A method comprising detecting a reception speed for each of a plurality of receivers in a multicast group, assigning the receivers to a first group and a second group based on the reception speed of each of the receivers, wherein the first group has a reception speed that is faster than a reception speed of the second group, and sending multicast data intended for all of the receivers to the receivers in the first group and to a proxy at a first rate, wherein the proxy buffers the multicast data and sends the multicast data to the receivers in the second group at a second rate.
US09118493B2
Measures for modifying settings of communication services for Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) devices in a telecommunications network are provided. A code-containing SIP message comprising a code entered by a user of a SIP device is received from the SIP device. The code identifies a communication service. The communication service that the code relates to is determined on the basis of the received code. A function-activating SIP message comprising data specifying one or more characteristics of at least one function to be activated by the SIP device in a data collection operation is transmitted to the SIP device. A completed data-containing SIP message comprising communication service data entered by the user of the SIP device is received from the SIP device. The communication service data is processed in accordance with the identified communication service.
US09118491B2
Various embodiments relate to a Policy Charging and Rules Node (PCRN) and a related method and machine-readable medium for retrieving multiple results in response to a message. The PCRN may receive a message and, through handling the received message, may make a policy decision. The policy decision may require the PCRN to retrieve multiple related results. The PCRN may thereafter refer to a data arrangement that includes a rule set with at least one rule with multiple values. Based on the policy decision, the PCRN may retrieve the at least one rule. The PCRN may compile the rule from the rule set and may generate an answer message including at least one of these values included in the rule.
US09118480B2
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for estimating a quality of a received data frame in a trellis decoder. The decoder utilizes a trellis diagram to depict the states and stages the decoder transitions through in search of a sequence of bits that closely resemble the received sequence. In the trellis diagram, each state at one stage is connected to a state at the next stage by a branch and a group of connected branches form a path. The decoder selects a winning path by comparing path metrics computed for each of the paths in the trellis diagram and outputs a most-likely sequence of hard bits from the winning path. A count of non-ideal branches over the winning path can be used for calculating the frame quality of the received data frame or the burst quality of a data burst in the received data frame.
US09118472B2
A method of transmitting control information in a wireless communication system includes configuring a burst including data symbols and a midamble and transmitting the burst through an uplink shared channel. The data symbols and the midamble carry the same control information. Even if control information is transmitted on an uplink shared channel, reception errors in a base station can be reduced by improving transmission reliability.
US09118471B2
A method in a terminal for providing an ACK/NAK message to a base station is provided. The terminal counts the number of assigned downlink subframes detected from the base station resulting in k. The terminal then establishes whether each of a number of transport blocks comprised in the counted k downlink subframes is correctly received or not. In the case when each one of the transport blocks, comprised in the k downlink subframes is estimated as correctly received the terminal provides to the base station an encoded ACK message for the k subframes, which comprises k, the number of subframes.
US09118470B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system supporting carrier aggregation. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method in which a terminal transmits ACK/NACK and to a device therefor; and relates to a method comprising the steps of: receiving one or more items of data simultaneously on a plurality of carriers; generating an ACK/NACK payload comprising one or more items of ACK/NACK information about the one or more items of data; and transmitting the ACK/NACK payload, wherein the position of each item of ACK/NACK information in the ACK/NACK payload corresponds to respective carriers, and the present invention relates to a device for the method.
US09118467B2
A client device that is coupled to a host device sends a parent public key and an associated certificate to the host device. The parent public key, the certificate and a corresponding parent private key are stored in secure persistent storage included in a secure device associated with the client device. The client device receives instructions from the host device for generating a child private and public key pair. In response to receiving the instructions, the client device generates a child private key based on a first random number produced within the secure device, and a child public key associated with the child private key. The client device computes a first signature on the child public key using the parent private key. The client device sends the child public key and the first signature to the host device.
US09118464B2
A set of servers can support secure and efficient “Machine to Machine” communications using an application interface and a module controller. The set of servers can record data for a plurality of modules in a shared module database. The set of servers can (i) access the Internet to communicate with a module using a module identity, (ii) receive server instructions, and (iii) send module instructions. Data can be encrypted and decrypted using a set of cryptographic algorithms and a set of cryptographic parameters. The set of servers can (i) receive a module public key with a module identity, (ii) authenticate the module public key, and (iii) receive a subsequent series of module public keys derived by the module with a module identity. The application interface can use a first server private key and the module controller can use a second server private key.
US09118454B2
A transmission resource in a time domain subframe is divided into a plurality of equal duration resource elements in a time and frequency domain, the plurality of resource elements are segregated into a plurality of resource regions, information to be transmitted is modulated to generate a sequence of modulation symbols at a transmitter, the sequence of modulation symbols is mapped into the plurality of resource elements in the plurality of resource regions, and the modulation symbols are transmitted via a plurality of antennas using the respective corresponding resource elements to a receiver. The mapping of the modulation symbols in at least one resource region is independent of a certain control channel information that is carried in the time domain subframe, and the mapping of the modulation symbols in at least another resource region is dependent upon that certain control channel information.
US09118451B2
A receiver circuit includes: an input ADC configured to convert an input data signal to sample data in accordance with a clock; a boundary phase computation circuit configured to determine the boundary phase of the input data signal based on the sample data; an eye pattern computation circuit configured to compute a maximum amplitude phase of an eye pattern of the input data signal based on the sample data and the boundary phase; and a determination circuit configured to determine a value of the input data signal in the maximum amplitude phase based on the sample data and the maximum amplitude phase.
US09118441B2
A data processing system includes a module for generating and distributing random masks to a number of cryptographic accelerators while providing for fewer total interconnects among the components generating the random masks. The module segments the tasks associated with generating random masks across a number of modules and blocks such that routing and timing problems can be minimized and layout can be optimized. A method for generating and distributing random masks to a number of cryptographic accelerators is also provided. The random masks are utilized by cryptographic accelerators to protect secret keys, and data associated with those keys, from discovery by unauthorized users.
US09118434B2
An optical transmitting apparatus includes semiconductor laser elements. Upon receiving laser beams, a multiplexed beam is emitted from a wavelength multiplexing filter. The wavelength multiplexing filter includes a triangular prism and a wavelength multiplexing filter film. A front end face and a rear end face of the prism are not parallel to each other so that a prism angle at which a surface parallel to the front end face intersects a surface parallel to the rear end face, is an acute angle. The prism angle is the angle at which the laser beam impinging from the front end face into the triangular prism is reflected by the wavelength multiplexing filter film toward the front end face and the multiplexed beam is directed to the optical axis side of the optical fiber.
US09118432B2
Systems and methods for providing users with a real time or near-real time indications of media channels or programs that are currently receiving the most usage or consumption within a defined population of users are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method receives media usage data for currently airing media while the media is being aired and creates an ordered list of media channels or programs for presentation, based at least in part on the media usage data. The method then presents the ordered list of media channels or programs while the media is being aired. In an embodiment, a system further provides the ability to easily select and tune one of the indicated channels or programs in an interactive interface. In an embodiment, the selected media channels or programs are sold on demand or as part of a service upgrade if they are not included in a user's current subscription.
US09118429B2
In a method for providing a content service to a recipient (20) in communications, a service center (14) receives information on a recipient identification and on service terminals (16) assigned, in a sender device (38), for the content. The service center (14) uploads the content to the assigned service terminals (16). The service terminal (16) receives information on a location of a transmitter device (34) of the recipient (20). The service terminal (16) compares the received location information with location information on the service terminal (16). Based on the comparing, if the service terminal is in a close proximity of the transmitter device (34) of the recipient (20) the service terminal (16) activates a first display content for inviting the service terminal (16) to display the uploaded content on a monitor of the service terminal (16). When the recipient acknowledges the first display content, the service terminal may take actions related to a second display content.
US09118418B2
A high speed data serial connection interface apparatus, CPRI transmitting and receiving methods thereof are disclosed. A high speed data serial connection interface apparatus according to the present invention includes: a data transmitter configured to count a continuous NCB of 0 or 1 in an input data block, select an LSI value, and perform up scaling on data in the block in accordance with the selected LSI value to transmit the data through an optical fiber in accordance with a CPRI (common public radio interface) protocol; and a data receiver configured to receive the data transmitted by the data transmitter, restore the LSI value from the received data, and perform down scaling on the received data in accordance with the restored LSI value to restore original data.
US09118411B1
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an optical transceiver system that includes a set of optical transmitters and a backup optical transmitter. In such embodiments, each optical transmitter from the set of optical transmitter can transmit at a unique wavelength from a set of wavelengths. The backup optical transmitter can transmit at a wavelength from the set of wavelengths when an optical transmitter from the set of optical transmitters associated with that wavelength fails. In other embodiments, an apparatus includes an optical transceiver system that includes a set of optical receivers and a backup optical receiver. The backup optical receiver can receive at a wavelength from the set of wavelengths when an optical receiver from the set of optical receivers associated with that wavelength fails.
US09118404B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a system, apparatus and methods for underwater voice communication between a diver and an underwater electronic device. In many embodiments, the system includes a dive computer which generates audio signals corresponding to spoken messages and a mouthpiece apparatus having an acoustic transducer that conducts sound via conduction through the diver's teeth and skull to the cochlea so as to allow the diver to hear the messages and other sounds and a microphone for sensing the diver's voice. The mouthpiece is adapted to be easily attached to portions of a SCUBA or other underwater breathing apparatus. It may also be attached or integral to a snorkel or similar apparatus.
US09118395B2
A chip includes an RF switch arrangement that has a plurality of RF switches arranged jointly on the chip. Each of the RF switches has at least one first RF connection accessible from outside the chip and one second RF connection accessible from outside the chip. Furthermore, each of the RF switches is designed to activate, in response to a driving, at least one RF path between two of its RF connections. The RF connections of different switches from among the RF switches are separated from one another in terms of radio frequency.
US09118390B2
A cell phone protection cover structure includes a battery cover, a support plate, a leather cover, and a protection plate. The battery cover is mounted to the back of the cell phone. The battery cover has a thick portion and a thin portion. The thick portion is directly adhered to the leather cover. The support plate corresponds to the thin portion of the battery cover and is adhered to the leather cover. The leather cover has a connecting section to connect with the protection plate. The support plate can be coupled to the thin portion of the battery cover to form the same plane with the thick portion. The support plate can be opened at an angle, so that the battery cover, the support plate and the protection plate form a triangle support for the cell phone to be placed obliquely.
US09118389B1
Methods to improve the data carrying capacity of CATV DOCSIS systems and other communications systems are disclosed. Communications channels may be more efficiently spaced with reduced or absent guard bands by using receivers with adaptive signal cancellation methods, equalizing circuits, or polyphase filter banks and Fast Fourier Transform signal processing methods to correct for higher levels of cross-talk. QAM type communications channels may also be utilized on a synchronized two-transmitter at a time basis by adjusting the transmitters to predefined signal levels, such as +1, −1, +½, −½ to enable the combined signals to be distinguished at the receiver. These two methods may be combined to create a still higher data throughput system.
US09118379B2
A hybrid network is disclosed having at least one hybrid coupler, and a plurality of circulators, each circulator having a first port connected to the hybrid network, and further having a second port and a third port. Each circulator is arranged to direct a signal received via the second port to the hybrid network via the first port, and to direct a signal received from the hybrid network towards the third port.
US09118375B2
Block-encoded transmissions of a multi-antenna terminal unit are effectively detected in the presence of co-channel interfering transmissions when the base station has a plurality of antennas, and interference cancellation is combined with maximum likelihood decoding. More specifically, the signals received at the base station antennas are combined in a linear combination that relates to the channel coefficients between the various transmitting terminal units and the base antennas. By selecting proper coefficients for the linear combination and choosing probable transmitted signals that minimize a minimum mean squared error function, the signals of the various terminal units are canceled when detecting the signal of a particular unit. In another embodiment of the invention, the basic approach is used to obtain an initial estimate of the signals transmitted by one terminal unit, and the contribution of those signals is removed from the received signals prior to detecting the signals of other terminal units.
US09118371B2
A digital transmitter includes: a plurality of converting devices arranged to generate a plurality of converting signals according to a plurality of digital input signals; a compensation device arranged to generate at least one compensation signal according to the plurality of digital input signals; and a combining circuit arranged to output an amplified output signal according to the plurality of converting signals and the at least one compensation signal.
US09118370B2
A method for impulsive noise mitigation using an adaptive blanker based on BPSK modulation system includes estimating narrowband Middleton parameters of impulsive noise from signals received for a fixed time period; calculating a threshold using the estimated narrowband Middleton parameters; operating the first blanker to suppress impulsive noise from the signal received at a given point of time through the comparison of the SNR value of the received signal and the threshold. Further, the method includes operating the second blanker to suppress impulsive noise from the received signal through the comparison of the summation of the threshold and the SNR value with an absolute value of the received signal, when the SNR value is above the threshold.
US09118359B2
A wireless communication device includes a body, an antenna, a first baseband microchip, a second baseband microchip, and a diplexer. The antenna is telescopically assembled to the body to receive a first wireless signal and a second wireless signal. The diplexer is electronically connected to the antenna, the first baseband microchip, and the second baseband microchip. When the antenna is in a retracted state, the antenna receives the first wireless signal, and the diplexer transmits the first wireless signal to the first baseband microchip. When the antenna is in an extended state, the antenna receives the second wireless signal, and the diplexer transmits the second wireless signal to the second baseband microchip.
US09118348B2
According to at least one embodiment, a decoding apparatus includes an error correcting module and a change module. The error correcting module decodes for correcting error of encoded data using a low-density party check code and likelihood information. The change module changes a value of the likelihood information if the value of the likelihood information is continuously smaller than a predetermined value.
US09118345B2
A method and apparatus for determining one or more compression parameters suitable to compress a class of signals, may include inputting a test data set, being representative of a data set to be compressed, characterizing the test data, selecting a compression algorithm, calculating a distortion level to be used in determining the compression ratio (or a compression ratio to be used in determining the distortion level), generating a computer implemented model for the test data, selecting a recommended operating point based on a computer implemented model, and determining compression parameters corresponding to the operating point. The compression parameters may subsequently be applied for configuration of compression applied to one or more production data sets that are similar to the test data. This abstract does not limit the scope of the invention as described in the claims.
US09118342B2
A delta sigma modulator with an input stage and an output stage. The input stage receives an analog input signal and an output of a first digital to analog converter (DAC). The input stage generates a processed error signal. An additional summation device receives the processed error signal. The output stage receives an output of the additional summation device and generates a delayed digital output signal. A differentiator and the first digital to analog converter (DAC) receive the delayed digital output signal as a feedback signal. A second DAC receives an output of the differentiator and provides an output to an additional negative feedback coefficient multiplier. The additional summation device receives an output of the additional negative feedback coefficient multiplier.
US09118335B2
A novel and useful millimeter-wave digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) that achieve a tuning range greater than 10% and fine frequency resolution less than 1 MHz. Switched metal capacitors are distributed across a passive resonator for tuning the oscillation frequency. To obtain sub-MHz frequency resolution, tuning step attenuation techniques are used that exploit an inductor and a transformer. A 60-GHz fine-resolution inductor-based DCO (L-DCO) and a 60 GHz transformer-coupled DCO (T-DCO), both fabricated in 90 nm CMOS, are disclosed. The phase noise of both DCOs is lower than −90.5 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset across 56 to 62 GHz frequency range. The T-DCO achieves a fine frequency tuning step of 2.5 MHz, whereas the L-DCO tuning step is over one order of magnitude finer at 160 kHz.
US09118332B2
A method for measuring a period of time between a first event and a second event via a hardware counter 2 and of a software counter 3. A digital counter 1 using such a method is also described.
US09118326B2
An output circuit has a smaller area and restrains outputs from becoming unstable even if a power supply voltage is lower than an operating voltage. A supply terminal of an inverter circuit is provided with switch circuit, and the switch circuit stops the operation of the inverter circuit when the power supply voltage is lower than the operating voltage of the circuit. Further, the output terminal of the inverter circuit is provided with a current source to fix the output to the power supply voltage when the operation of the inverter circuit is stopped.
US09118319B2
A reconfigurable circuit block includes a rate-conversion circuit, a processing circuit, a first asynchronous interface circuit, and a second asynchronous interface circuit. The rate-conversion circuit converts a first input signal into a first output signal. The processing circuit processes a second input signal to generate a second output signal. The first asynchronous interface circuit outputs a third output signal asynchronous with the first output signal. The second asynchronous interface circuit outputs a fourth output signal asynchronous with the second output signal. The controllable interconnection circuit transmits the third output signal to the processing circuit to serve as the second input signal when controlled to have a first interconnection configuration, and transmits the fourth output signal to the rate-conversion circuit to serve as the first input signal when controlled to have a second interconnection configuration.
US09118317B2
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a swing compensation scheme for compensating errors in a transmitter driver.
US09118316B2
Described herein is a low-voltage multi-stage interleaver. The interleaver includes at least a first interleaver stage and a second interleaver stage. The first interleaver stage is either blocked or operating in a saturation region. The first interleaver stage facilitates cancellation of DC current, including a biasing current, so that the second interleaver stage receives no DC current input. The second interleaver stage is either blocked or operating in a linear region to allow the second interleaver stage to act as a passive current switch.
US09118315B2
A high voltage input/output (IO) circuit designed using low voltage devices. The IO circuit receives a first bias voltage and a second bias voltage. The IO circuit includes a pre-reverse switch, a main-driver and a post-reverse switch. The pre-reverse switch includes a first capacitor and a second capacitor. The main-driver includes a first parasitic capacitance and a second parasitic capacitance. The post-reverse switch includes a third capacitor and a fourth capacitor. The first capacitor and the third capacitor counter an effect of coupling by the first parasitic capacitance on the first bias voltage and the second capacitor and the fourth capacitor counter an effect of coupling by the second parasitic capacitance on the second bias voltage.
US09118312B2
An on-die termination circuit includes: a clock signal generation block configured to output a clock signal in response to a clock enable signal, a termination block configured to perform a termination operation on an input/output pad in response to the clock signal, a first termination control signal, and a second termination control signal, a first termination control block configured to generate the first termination control signal in response to the clock signal and a latency control signal, a second termination control block configured to control a latency of a second command and to generate the second termination control signal in response to the clock signal and the latency control signal, and a clock enable signal generation block configured to generate the clock enable signal in response to the first command, the first termination control signal, and the second command.
US09118294B2
A receiving device performs log noise amplification on radio waves (desired waves and interfering waves), received with an antenna, to generate a received signal, converts the received signal into an intermediate frequency signal, converts the intermediate signal into a digital signal, filters out and demodulates a frequency band of a specific channel from the digital signal. Herein, a first received signal strength (RSSI 1) is detected from the digital signal, while a second received signal strength (RSSI 2) is detected from the digital signal of the specific channel. The intermediate frequency signal is amplified with a first gain which is calculated by way of the comparative judgment on the first receive signal strength and the allowable threshold. The digital signal of the specific channel is amplified with a second gain.
US09118291B2
A voltage supply circuit is provided. The voltage supply circuit includes a voltage amplifier and a power selecting circuit. A power terminal of the voltage amplifier receives an operation power and outputs a gain voltage for driving an output device. The power selecting circuit receives a plurality of supply voltages and supplies one of the supply voltages to the power terminal of the voltage amplifier as the operation power according to a volume level of an audio signal. An audio output apparatus and a voltage supplying method thereof are also provided. The audio output apparatus includes the voltage supply circuit and a speaker.
US09118273B2
An apparatus for mounting a power module. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a plurality of mounting points that (i) are flexibly connected to one another and (ii) flexibly mount the power module proximate a photovoltaic (PV) module.
US09118272B2
A light trapping photovoltaic cell comprising a plurality of cells connected with walls wherein the cells have a plurality of generally straight vertical walls and a bottom region adjacent the generally vertical walls. The bottom region of the cells is pitched toward the center of the bottoms. The light trapping cells provide a structure that allows for improved absorption of incident light. Optionally, a light trapping photovoltaic cell may further comprise a hydrophobic protective layer such as, for example, may be provided by a plurality of nano-sized bumps on the surfaces of the cell walls. Additionally, the cells may exhibit other properties including, for example, deicing, anti-fouling, and self-cleaning.
US09118269B2
The invention relates to an electronically commutated electric motor. The electric motor has a stator and a rotor, in particular one formed with permanent magnets. The electric motor has a control unit, which is connected on the output side in particular via a power output stage to the stator and is designed to energize the stator so as to produce a rotating magnetic field. The electric motor has a power output stage with semiconductor switches. The power output stage is connected to the stator via at least one controllable switch disconnector. The control unit is designed to detect a defect of a semiconductor switch depending on a braking torque caused by the defect, in particular a change over time in the braking torque, on a rotor of the electric motor, and to activate the switch disconnector so as to disconnect the defective semiconductor switch from the stator.
US09118264B2
A piezoelectric motor includes a rotating body, a piezoelectric actuator including a protruding section having contact with the rotating body, and adapted to rotate the rotating body due to a motion of the protruding section when driving a piezoelectric element, and a drive circuit adapted to drive the piezoelectric element, and the drive circuit includes a drive signal generation section adapted to output a drive signal with a predetermined frequency, and an LC filter adapted to block a frequency higher than the predetermined frequency, and applies the drive signal to the piezoelectric element via the LC filter.
US09118259B2
Disclosed is a family of new DC/DC converters and a new control method. The converter comprises two bridge inverters, two full-wave rectification circuits and a current-doubler filter. Each inverter is able to generate a symmetrical and isolated AC output voltage. Phase-shift control is employed to control the phase difference between the two bridge inverters. By shifting the phase, the converter changes the two inverters' output voltage overlapping area to regulate its output voltage. The bridge inverters always operate at 50% duty cycle, like an open loop Bus Converter, to achieve wide-range zero voltage switching and eliminate circulating current for normal operation. For low output voltage regulation and soft start, Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) control is used. The converters and the control method improve power conversion efficiency, maximize magnetic component utilization, reduce semiconductor stress and decrease EMI emission.
US09118253B2
A switched mode power converter is configured having predominate secondary side control. A primary side driving circuit is configured as a responsive state machine the output of which is input as the driving signal for a main switch. An output voltage, current or power is sensed and the secondary side controller compares the sensed output characteristic with a predefined reference. The comparison results in an error that signifies an amount that the output is out of regulation. The secondary side controller drives a secondary side switch to generate a voltage pulse across the secondary winding. The voltage pulse has a pulse width that represents the amount of error in the output characteristic. The voltage pulse is transmitted across the transformer and received by the primary side driving circuit, which generates a driving signal modulated according to the voltage pulse and drives the main switch to regulate the output characteristic.
US09118252B2
A switching power source includes: a transformer; a semiconductor switching element that is provided at a primary side of the transformer; a rectifying-and-smoothing circuit that is provided at a secondary side of the transformer; a switching controller configured to perform a switching control to turn on-and-off the semiconductor switching element, wherein the switching controller comprises: a stoppage circuit configured to perform a stoppage process to stop the switching control when a first-level control signal is input, a restart circuit configured to restart the switching control when a second-level control signal different in its level from the first-level control signal, and a limiting circuit configured to limit, at the time of a start-up of the switching power source, a performance of the stoppage process performed by the stoppage circuit until an output voltage of the switching power source increases to a target voltage.
US09118247B2
Methods and systems for power conversion. An energy storage capacitor is contained within an H-bridge subcircuit which allows the capacitor to be connected to the link inductor of a Universal Power Converter with reversible polarity. This provides a “pseudo-phase” drive capability which expands the capabilities of the converter to compensate for zero-crossings in a single-phase power supply.
US09118240B2
Power supply equipment is provided for supplying an appropriate power adapter identification signal, as well as DC power, to various types, brand and models of electronic devices. The equipment includes a power adapter having conversion circuitry for converting power from an external power source to the DC power utilized by a particular electronic device. The power adapter also includes circuitry to generate a plurality of power adapter identification signals. Selection circuitry, responsive to user selection or to the configuration of a cable, connector or connector adapter included with the power supply equipment, selects a particular one of power adapter identification signals appropriate for the particular electronic device. The selected power adapter identification signal and the DC power are transferred to the power input port of the electronic device.
US09118229B2
An electric drive unit includes an inverter, a stator that receives an AC current from the inverter and forms a magnetic field, a rotor rotated by the magnetic field formed by the stator, a shaft that protrudes into both sides in an axial direction of the rotor and moves in synchronization with the rotor, an inverter casing that stores the inverter in a galvanic isolation state, and a motor housing. The motor housing stores the stator and the rotor in a galvanic isolation state, rotatably supports one end of the shaft using a first bearing, and rotatably supports the other end of the shaft using a second bearing. The inverter and the inverter casing are arranged in an inner side from a pair of bearings including the first and second bearings.
US09118228B2
Flow control apparatus for an electrical machine and comprising an arrangement of shaped chambers and passages for conveying a liquid coolant. The rate of heat transfer from certain portions of the machine to the coolant is determined by the varying velocity of the liquid through the chambers, resulting in a generally uniform cooling of those portions of the machine.
US09118227B2
A rotating electrical machine includes: a frame including a first housing portion for housing an electronic component and a second housing portion formed integrally with the first housing portion for housing a rotator and a stator; and a bracket including a first communicating hole communicating with the first housing portion and a second communicating hole communicating with the second housing portion.
US09118222B2
The outer rotor-type blushless motor comprises: a stator including a cylindrical housing, a stator core having stator pole teeth and a bearing coaxially incorporated in a cylindrical hole of the hosing; and a rotor including a rotor yoke, a rotor hub provided to the rotor yoke and a rotor shaft rotatably supported by the bearing. A first resin washer, through which the rotor shaft is pierced and which contacts an end face of the rotor hub, and a second resin washer, which contacts an end face of the bearing incorporated in a center hole of the stator core, contact each other. The second resin washer has an elastic projected section fitted in a concave section formed in the center hole of the stator core.
US09118218B2
A power management system includes a smart socket to meter power consumption of an electric device by connecting to the electric device, and be assigned a code, a power management apparatus to display a code image when a registration mode of the smart socket is performed, and a terminal to acquire a code image of the power management apparatus and a code image of the smart socket, receive information of an electric device to be coupled to the smart socket, read the acquired code images of the power management apparatus and the smart socket, pair the read power management apparatus and the smart socket code with the electric device information, and transmit the paired information to the power management apparatus. Users of all ages and dexterity can easily register, change, and release the smart socket and the electric device, such that user efficiency and accessibility are increased.
US09118215B2
A renewable energy, utility size electric power system is provided with a high voltage, renewable energy harvesting network connected by a direct current link to a centralized grid synchronized multiphase regulated current source inverter system. The harvesting network includes distributed renewable energy power optimizers and transmitters that control delivery of renewable energy to the grid synchronized multiphase regulated current source inverter system. A visual immersion monitoring and control system can be provided for a three-dimensional, visually-oriented, virtual reality display, command and control environment.
US09118210B2
An electrical system includes a battery for providing electrical power to a starter mechanism and an auxiliary load of a hybrid-electric vehicle. An electric double-layer capacitor (“EDLC”) is electrically connectable to the battery and the auxiliary load. A separation switch is electrically connected between the battery and the EDLC for electrically separating the battery from the EDLC and the auxiliary load. The separation switch is opened in response to the voltage across the battery being less than the voltage across the EDLC.
US09118205B2
A fault analysis method includes: using a matrix of two sets of microgrid power distribution networks to analyze and solve a fault current, and for various types of faults of the distributed power distribution system, obtaining appropriate boundary conditions to calculate a variety of different types of single or simultaneous fault currents of load points. The present invention may be further applied to a situation where a bus or impedance or parallel loop is added. The present invention has good robustness and execution speed, and requires small memory space for calculation of analysis and identification of a power flow fault of the distributed power distribution system, and may be actually applied to an instrument control system for identification and analysis of a fault of a large-scalemicrogrid distribution system.
US09118199B2
A universal module capable of being removably coupled to each of a plurality of distinct products for demonstrating a functionality is described. In the universal module an activation switch is operatively coupled to a DC power source. An external electrical connector is operatively coupled to the DC power source and the activation switch. An external electrical connector is configured to removably couple the universal module to an external circuit of one of the plurality of distinct products. The circuit has an integrated circuit that is operatively coupled to the DC power source, the activation switch and the external electrical connector. When the external electrical connector is coupled to the external circuit and the activation switch is activated, the integrated circuit outputs a voltage from the DC power source through the external electrical connector to enable a functionality of a coupled product for a predetermined period of time.
US09118196B2
Distributed power generation systems generally include a number of power sources and electrical power loads interconnected by a distribution network. Electrical switches and fuses are provided such that local groups of power sources and power loads can be established. Should there be a degradation in the distribution network in terms of a set of criteria such as electrical frequency, current or voltage then the switch or fuse may be thrown to establish each local group as an island. By monitoring divergence from a set of criteria a method and controller may be utilised whereby the distribution network as a whole is considered and configured to establish virtual islands which operate prior to the establishment whether inadvertently or deliberately of actual islands within the distribution network. In such circumstances the transition from normal operation for the distribution network to islanded operation for the distribution network is less severe.
US09118185B2
In one aspect, an apparatus for charging a device includes a charger and a controller. The charger includes a capacitance and has a charger input and a charger output. The charger input receives an AC input voltage waveform, and the charger output outputs an output voltage waveform and an output current waveform. The controller determines whether an amplitude of the output voltage waveform is within a voltage range. In response to determining that the amplitude of the output voltage waveform is within the voltage range, the controller directs an amplitude of the output current waveform to be substantially proportional to an amplitude of the AC input voltage waveform. In response to determining that the amplitude of the output voltage waveform is not within the voltage range, the controller increases the capacitance of the charger to adjust the amplitude of the output voltage waveform to be within the voltage range.
US09118180B2
An input protection circuit includes: a first transistor of a field-effect type coupled in series between an input terminal and an electronic circuit, the input terminal receiving an input voltage, the electronic circuit receiving an input voltage, the first transistor switching to an off-state in a case where the input voltage is higher than a positive power supply voltage of the electronic circuit; a second transistor of a field-effect type coupled in series between the first transistor and the electronic circuit, the second transistor switching to an off-state in a case where the input voltage is lower than the negative power supply voltage of the electronic circuit; and a voltage control circuit configured to maintain gate-source voltages of the first transistor and the second transistor as voltages within a power supply voltage range of the electronic circuit based on the input voltage.
US09118177B2
A power controller system configured to electrically supply a load via a circuit is provided. The system comprises, a switching device provided in an electrical pathway for supplying current to the load, a controller configured to open the switching device when a current through or voltage across the switching device exceeds a predetermined level; and an electrical pathway provided parallel to the load to enable load current to continue to flow through the parallel electrical pathway and the load when the switching device is open to dissipate inductive energy stored in the circuit connecting the parallel electrical pathway to the load.
US09118175B2
An overvoltage protector having a housing and at least one overvoltage limiter arranged in the housing, especially a gas-filled surge arrester (1), a suppressor diode (2) or a varistor. The functional ability and the state of the overvoltage protector can be controlled during operation by associating a monitoring component with the overvoltage limiter which detects a current (i) flowing over the overvoltage limiter component, and by providing an evaluation unit that evaluates the signal of the monitoring component.
US09118173B2
Disclosed are a digital protection control system and a digital protection control apparatus, wherein the digital protection control apparatus can easily be made to have more terminals, even when the number of terminals of a power transmission line increases. The digital protection control system has, as terminal stations thereof, a reference station that is to become the reference point for the sampling time at which power grid current information is to be taken in, tail-end stations that take in power grid current information from the power grid system, and intermediate stations that are connected between the reference station and the tail-end stations via transmission paths. The intermediate station is provided with an uplink transmission unit that is connected to a transmission path at the reference station side thereof, and a plurality of downlink transmission units that are connected to transmission paths at the tail-end station side thereof. The intermediate station also has the time thereof to be subordinate to the time of the terminal station connected to the uplink transmission unit thereof, and the time of the terminal stations connected to the downlink transmission units thereof are made to be subordinate to the intermediate station, with the time thereof used as reference time.
US09118169B2
In a method for manufacturing a junction box, a first cut switch or a second cut switch is selectively provided to a main body. The first cut switch is capable of connecting and breaking a connection between a first power input circuit and a first output circuit, and connecting and breaking a connection between a second power input circuit and a second output circuit. The second cut switch is capable of connecting and breaking a connection between the first power input circuit and the first and second output circuits. The main body includes the first power input circuit; the first output circuit disconnected from the first power input circuit and having at least one of a first electrical device connected thereto; the second power input circuit; and the second output circuit disconnected from the second power input circuit and having at least one of a second electrical device connected thereto.
US09118148B2
A battery connector including an electrical connector including a plurality of terminals, each mechanically and electrically connectable with a battery, the terminals being in electrical communication with each other and mechanically connected to each other with a joint member that permits flexing the batteries with respect to one another.
US09118145B2
A connector system includes a base mount and a slider latch received in the base mount. The slider latch has a profiled groove configured to latchably receive a cam of a connector module. A faceplate is coupled to the base mount. The faceplate has an opening providing access to the slider latch. An ejector button is operatively coupled to the slider latch to move the slider latch from a latched position to an unlatched position. The slider latch is configured to eject the connector module as the slider latch moves between the latched and unlatched positions. A spring engages the slider latch and acts on the slider latch in a biasing direction. The spring forces the slider latch to return to the latched position after the ejector button is released.
US09118139B1
A flip lid interlock that disables or locks out operation of non-GFCI duplex receptacles when, a generator is coupled to the wiring system of a building (and therefore is grounded). When the power cord that is interconnected with the building wiring system is engaged with the multipole locking receptacle, the flip lid is in an open position and prevents an electrical device from being powered by the generator using the duplex receptacles. When the power cord is not connected to the multipole locking receptacle, the flip lid is in a closed position and allows an electrical device to be powered by the generator using the duplex receptacles.
US09118130B1
A low insertion force female terminal that is configured to make electrical contact with a male pin. The terminal includes a spring portion configured to be deflected by the pin as the pin is inserted into the terminal. The spring portion is also configured to urge a contact feature formed into the spring portion toward the pin to make electrical contact with the pin. The contact feature is characterized by an asymmetrical shape configured so a leading-edge ramp angle of the contact feature is less than a trailing-edge ramp angle of the contact feature. The asymmetrical shape reduces the peak insertion force for the terminal when compared to terminal designs that have symmetrically shaped contact features with similar dimensions.
US09118123B2
A crimp terminal includes; a crimping portion and a cover covering the conductor portion, the crimping portion is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape in cross section and has a first end portion and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion. The conductor portion is inserted into the first end portion in a longitudinal direction, and the second end is sealed. The second end portion at the opposite side is sealed by welding. The crimping portion, in which the exposed conductor portion is crimped, further includes a locking section locking the exposed conductor portion. A length between the first end portion into which the conductor portion is inserted and a portion, of the locking section, that is the closest to the first end portion is larger than a length of the exposed conductor portion of the insulated wire.
US09118117B2
A receiving and transmitting device for wireless transceivers is revealed. The device has been developed from a high isolation MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) antenna used for 2.45 GHz WLAN operation. The antenna is a dual-fed coupled monopole MIMO antenna that includes a dielectric substrate and a MIMO antenna. A grounding portion with two signal ends for feeding signals is disposed on the dielectric substrate. A T-shaped metal plate is extended from the grounding portion and located between two signal ends. A C-shaped parasitic element is arranged at the metal plate and there is a certain distance therebetween so as to adjust the isolation. The antenna is symmetrical for improving isolation and is suitable for USB dongles or small-sized wireless mobile devices.
US09118109B2
Various embodiments of an antenna structure for mobile devices are described. In one or more embodiments a multi-band antenna includes a grounded parasitic element. In some embodiments, a high band arm is provided, and is fed off-center, so that the resonating arms are not symmetrical in length. In some embodiments, a coupled ground resonator is included to add a differential resonating mode. A ground leg may be included to offer facilitate impedance and inductance matching. The combination of these structures creates four distinct resonance modes for the high band, which creases a wide effective bandwidth for the disclosed antenna. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09118104B2
This is directed to an antenna for use in an electronic device. The antenna can be constructed from a flex and printed trace, such that the flex is originally defined to be as large or nearly as large as possible to fit within portion of the electronic device dedicated to the antenna. This can allow the antenna trace to vary as the antenna is tuned without requiring a new flex having a different shape. In addition, this can allow the antenna design to be decoupled from the mechanical considerations related to mounting the antenna within the electronic device.
US09118081B2
A membrane electrode assembly includes an anode including a hydrogen oxidation catalyst; a cathode; a membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode; and a peroxide decomposition catalyst positioned in at least one position selected from the group consisting of a layer between the anode and the membrane and a layer between the cathode and the membrane wherein the peroxide decomposition catalyst has selectivity when exposed to hydrogen peroxide toward reactions which form benign products from the hydrogen peroxide. The peroxide decomposition catalyst can also be positioned within the membrane. Also disclosed is a power-generating fuel cell system including such a membrane electrode assembly, and a process for operating such a fuel cell system. The assembly components contain ionomer material which can be perfluorinated or non-perfluorinated, high temperature, hydrocarbon, and the like.
US09118078B2
A method for forming a film of graphite oxide single layers. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of preparing a solution of graphite oxide to allow a plurality of graphite oxide single layers to be formed and dispersed in the solution; and applying the solution of graphite oxide onto an air-water interface of water to form a film at the air-water interface, wherein the film comprises a plurality of graphite oxide single layers and is characterized by a packing density, wherein the film of graphite oxide single layers is formed with no presence of a surfactant or stabilizing agent.
US09118070B2
An energy storage element comprising: a container; an electrode assembly housed in the container; an electrode terminal provided in the container; and a current collector which electrically connects the electrode terminal and the electrode assembly, wherein the current collector is positioned inside the container, and includes: a base part connected to the electrode terminal; and arm parts which have a plate shape, extend from the base part, and are connected to the electrode assembly in a state that the plate-shaped arm parts sandwich the electrode assembly, and paired arm parts which are outermost two of the arm parts are apart from each other with a spacing larger than a width of the base part in a direction in which the paired arm parts are arranged.
US09118064B2
Provided are a redox flow battery (RF battery) in which a positive electrode electrolyte and a negative electrode electrolyte are supplied to a battery cell including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a membrane, to charge and discharge the battery, and a method of operating the RF battery. The positive electrode electrolyte contains a manganese ion, or both of a manganese ion and a titanium ion. The negative electrode electrolyte contains at least one type of metal ion selected from a titanium ion, a vanadium ion, a chromium ion, a zinc ion, and a tin ion. The RF battery can have a high electromotive force and can suppress generation of a precipitation of MnO2 by containing a titanium ion in the positive electrode electrolyte, or by being operated such that the positive electrode electrolyte has an SOC of not more than 90%.
US09118050B2
A secondary battery and an electric vehicle or hybrid electric vehicle, the secondary battery including a case; an electrode terminal coupled to an electrode assembly in the case; a nut fastened with the electrode terminal, the nut having a thread on an inner circumferential surface thereof; a cap plate hermetically sealing the case, the electrode terminal extending through the cap plate; and a seal gasket between the electrode terminal and the cap plate, the seal gasket being compressed by the nut, wherein the electrode terminal includes a flange part below a bottom surface of the cap plate, an insertion part passing through a through-hole of the cap plate, and a fastening part having a thread recess engaged with the thread of the nut, and wherein the nut is rotatably fastened with the fastening part of the electrode terminal, such that a front end of the thread contacts a back end of the thread recess when viewed from a rotation direction of the nut.
US09118046B2
This specification discloses a humidifier that attains the inhibition of the damaging of a steam permeable membrane at low temperatures, and a fuel cell system. The humidifier has a steam permeable membrane therein. In the humidifier, an oxidizing gas and an oxidizing off gas with a humidity higher than that of the oxidizing gas are introduced, and the oxidizing gas is humidified by the oxidizing off gas via the steam permeable membrane. The steam permeable membrane is located at a position lower than an inlet for the oxidizing gas but higher than an outlet therefor. Further, the steam permeable membrane is located at a position lower than an inlet for the oxidizing off gas but higher than an outlet therefor.
US09118042B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a fluid distribution system. The system may include one or more electrochemical cell layers, a bulk distribution manifold having an inlet, a cell layer feeding manifold in direct fluidic contact with the electrochemical cell layer and a separation layer that separates the bulk distribution manifold from the cell feeding manifold, providing at least two independent paths for fluid to flow from the bulk distribution manifold to the cell feeding manifold.
US09118035B2
An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes: a substrate including an emission region and a non-emission region and having a recess formed in at least a portion of the non-emission region; a black matrix disposed in the recess; a thin film transistor disposed on the non-emission region of the substrate and including an active layer, a gate electrode, and source and drain electrodes; a pixel electrode disposed on the emission region of the substrate and electrically connected to one of the source and drain electrodes; an organic emission layer disposed on the pixel electrode; and an opposite electrode disposed on the organic emission layer.
US09118034B2
A metal oxide thin film substrate for an organic light-emitting device (OLED) which exhibits superior light extraction efficiency and can be easily fabricated at low cost and a method of fabricating the same and a method of fabricating the same. The metal oxide thin film substrate for an OLED includes a base substrate and a metal oxide thin film formed on the base substrate, the metal oxide thin film being made of a mixture of at least two metal oxides having different refractive indices.
US09118033B2
An organic light-emitting diode and a display device employing the same are provided. The organic light-emitting diode includes a substrate; a cathode disposed on the substrate; an electron injection layer disposed on the cathode, wherein the electron injection layer includes a low work function metal layer and a metal complex layer having carrier injection capability; a light-emitting layer disposed on the electron injection layer; and an anode disposed on the light-emitting layer.
US09118026B2
Disclosed is a device comprising: an anode; a cathode; an inorganic substrate; and at least one organic window layer positioned between: the anode and the inorganic substrate; or the cathode and the inorganic substrate. Also disclosed is a method of enhancing the performance of a photosensitive device having an anode, a cathode, and an inorganic substrate, comprising: positioning at least one organic window layer between the anode and the cathode. In one embodiment the organic window layer may absorb light and generate excitons that migrate to the inorganic where they convert to photocurrent, thereby increasing the efficiency of the device. Also disclosed is a method of enhancing Schottky barrier height of a photosensitive device, the method being substantially similar to the previously defined method.
US09118024B2
The present disclosure provides an electroluminescent device including a light-emitting layer containing a blue or a blue-green fluorescent light emitting material that contains a dialkyl-gallium moiety coordinated to a bidentate nitrogen bonding chelating ligand to form a gallium containing 6-membered heteroatom ring. The invention also provides a display or area lighting device including the OLED device, a process for emitting light, and a dialkyl-gallium chelate complex. The device provides unexpected and useful light emissions in the blue and green regions of the visible spectrum.
US09118018B2
A conductive material having a mixture of PEDOT:PSS is provided. The conductive material can be used to form a flexible transparent conductive film. Furthermore, various LED-type flexible transparent displays can be formed by the flexible transparent conductive film.
US09118017B2
Novel compounds containing a triphenylene moiety linked to an αβ connected binaphthyl ring system are provided. These compounds have surprisingly good solubility in organic solvents and are useful as host compounds in red phosphorescent OLEDs.
US09118015B2
The disclosure relates to a method of making organic light emitting diode array. A base defining a number of convexities is provided. Three of the convexities, that correspond to the same pixel unit, have different heights. A number of first electrodes are applied on the number of convexities. A number of electroluminescent layers are transfer printed on the number of first electrodes to form the number of organic light emitting layers. A patterned second insulative layer is made to cover the number of first electrodes and expose the number of organic light emitting layers. A second electrode is electrically connected to the number of organic light emitting layers.
US09118011B2
An oxide material having a langasite-type structure having a desired surface condition and a desired outer shape is obtained stably. By adding at least one selected from the group consisting of Ir, Pt, Au, and Rh to a raw material which is a composition used for producing a desired oxide material as an additive element, it is possible to control the wettability between a die portion at a bottom end of a crucible and a melt of the raw material, thereby implementing stable production of the oxide material while controlling the wetting and spread of the melt of the raw material leaked out through a hole of the crucible.
US09118008B2
A resistive random access memory (ReRAM) cell comprising a first conductive electrode and a dielectric storage material layer over the first conductive electrode. The dielectric storage material layer is conducive to the formation of conductive filaments during the application of a filament forming voltage to the cell. The cell includes a second conductive electrode over the dielectric storage material layer and a layer of conductive nanoclusters (911, 1211) including a plurality of nanoclusters in contact with the dielectric storage material layer and in contact with the first conductive electrode or the second conductive electrode.
US09118005B2
A manufacturing method of a memory apparatus in which memory devices each having a memory layer whose resistance value reversibly varies by voltage application between bottom and upper electrodes are formed, includes: forming and shaping a bottom electrode material film into a first linear pattern extending in a first direction; forming a memory layer material film and an upper electrode material film in this order on the bottom electrode material film; forming the upper electrodes and the memory layers by shaping the upper electrode material film and the memory layer material film into a second linear pattern extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction; and forming the bottom electrodes having a quadrangle plane shape at regions where the first linear pattern intersect with the second linear pattern by shaping the bottom electrode material film into the second linear pattern.
US09118004B2
Some embodiments include methods of forming memory cells. Programmable material may be formed directly adjacent another material. A dopant implant may be utilized to improve adherence of the programmable material to the other material by inducing bonding of the programmable material to the other material, and/or by scattering the programmable material and the other material across an interface between them. The memory cells may include first electrode material, first ovonic material, second electrode material, second ovonic material and third electrode material. The various electrode materials and ovonic materials may join to one another at boundary bands having ovonic materials embedded in electrode materials and vice versa; and having damage-producing implant species embedded therein. Some embodiments include ovonic material joining dielectric material along a boundary band, with the boundary band having ovonic material embedded in dielectric material and vice versa.
US09118000B2
Provided are a method of manufacturing a flexible piezoelectric energy harvesting device using a piezoelectric composite, and a flexible piezoelectric energy harvesting device manufactured by the same. The method of manufacturing the flexible piezoelectric energy harvesting device includes: forming a first electrode layer on a first flexible substrate; spin-coating a piezoelectric composite layer on the first electrode layer, wherein the piezoelectric composite layer is produced by mixing piezoelectric powder with polymer; performing heat treatment on the piezoelectric composite layer to harden the piezoelectric composite layer; and bonding a second flexible substrate with a second electrode layer on the hardened piezoelectric composite layer. Therefore, it is possible to simplify a manufacturing process and manufacture a high-performance flexible piezoelectric energy harvesting device having various sizes and patterns.
US09117999B2
Disclosed herein is a piezoelectric vibration module including: a piezoelectric element repeatedly extended and compressed according to application of external power to generate vibration force; a vibration plate having the piezoelectric element coupled to one surface thereof and repeatedly extended and compressed integrally with the piezoelectric element to transfer the vibration force of the piezoelectric element to an external component; a weight body having a central portion coupled to the other side of the vibration plate in order to increase the vibration force of the piezoelectric element; and a coupling member fixedly coupling the central portion of the weight body and the vibration plate to each other.
US09117990B2
A light emitting diode (LED) structure includes a plurality of devices arranged side by side on a support layer. Each device includes a first conductivity type semiconductor nanowire core and an enclosing second conductivity type semiconductor shell for forming a pn or pin junction that in operation provides an active region for light generation. A first electrode layer extends over the plurality of devices and is in electrical contact with at least a top portion of the devices to connect to the shell. The first electrode layer is at least partly air-bridged between the devices.
US09117988B2
The light-emitting device of the disclosure includes at least one LED chip and a mounting substrate. The mounting substrate includes: a ceramic substrate; a reflection layer situated on a second surface on the opposite side of the ceramic substrate from a first surface; and a gas barrier layer covering the reflection layer. The LED chip is bonded to the first surface of the ceramic substrate. The ceramic substrate has light diffusion and transmissive properties and has a plan size larger than a plan size of the LED chip. The reflection layer has a plan size smaller than a plan size of the ceramic substrate and is formed so as to cover an area larger than a projected area of the LED chip on the second surface of the ceramic substrate.
US09117971B2
A semiconductor light-emitting device is provided. The semiconductor light-emitting device may include a light-emitting structure, an electrode, an ohmic layer, an electrode layer, an adhesion layer, and a channel layer. The light-emitting structure may include a compound semiconductor layer. The electrode may be disposed on the light-emitting structure. The ohmic layer may be disposed under the light-emitting structure. The electrode layer may include a reflective metal under the ohmic layer. The adhesion layer may be disposed under the electrode layer. The channel layer may be disposed along a bottom edge of the light-emitting structure.
US09117967B2
[Problem] A problem is to provide a method of manufacturing a glass substrate with a concave-convex film using dry etching capable of giving a fine concave-convex structure precisely by dry etching, a glass substrate with a concave-convex structure, a solar cell, and a method of manufacturing a solar cell.[Means to Solve the Problem] In order to give a concave-convex structure to a glass substrate made of a plurality of oxides placed in different vapor pressures during dry etching, a subject film forming step and a concave-convex structure forming step are provided. The subject film forming step forms a subject film made of a single material on a flat surface of the glass substrate. The concave-convex structure forming step forms a periodic concave-convex structure in a surface of the subject film by dry etching. As a result, a fine concave-convex structure is formed precisely by dry etching.
US09117957B2
A thin-film solar battery is constructed such that it includes a translucent insulating substrate, a first transparent conductive film formed of a crystalline transparent conductive film on the translucent insulating substrate, with an uneven structure on a surface thereof, a second transparent conductive film formed of a transparent conductive film on the first transparent conductive film, with an uneven structure on a surface thereof, where the uneven structure is more gentle than the uneven structure of the first transparent conductive film, a power generation layer formed on the second transparent conductive film and having at least one crystalline layer to generate power, and a backside electrode layer formed of a light-reflective conductive film on the power generation layer. A substantially convex hollow portion projecting from the translucent insulating substrate is provided between adjacent convex portions in the uneven structure of the first transparent conductive film.
US09117954B2
Photovoltaic and Light emitted diode devices comprise of epitaxial wafer of plurality of layers has been proposed. Quantum Dots are deposited onto the micro-nanostructure layer from the light incident direction to increasing light transmission to the active layer. Quantum dots deposited between the light source and the active layer, on the micro-nanostructure layer, to improve light excitation, since it can absorb wavelengths, which are not absorbed by the active layer, and the size and composition of quantum dots can determine its bandgap. A micro-nanostructured layer at the bottom of the PV wafer, which is produced by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE), increases the internal light reflections in the active layer, which increases the efficiency of light absorption and that leads to a photocurrent enhancement.
US09117945B2
Disclosed are a carbon nano-tube (CNT) thin film treated with chemical having an electron withdrawing functional group and a manufacturing method thereof. Specifically, the CNT thin film comprises a CNT composition to be applied on a plastic substrate. The CNT composition comprises a CNT; and chemical connected to the CNT and having an electron withdrawing functional group. In addition, the method for manufacturing a CNT thin film comprises steps of preparing a CNT; treating the CNT with chemical having an electron withdrawing functional group; mixing the CNT treated with the chemical with a dispersing agent or dispersing solvent to prepare a CNT dispersed solution; and forming a CNT thin film with the CNT dispersed solution. According to the CNT thin film and the manufacturing method thereof, a resistance of an electrode is decreased to improve the electric conductivity of the electrode.
US09117944B2
A plurality of III-nitride semiconductor structures, each including a light emitting layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region, are grown on a composite substrate. The composite substrate includes a plurality of islands of III-nitride material connected to a host by a bonding layer. The plurality of III-nitride semiconductor structures are grown on the III-nitride islands. The composite substrate may be formed such that each island of III-nitride material is at least partially relaxed. As a result, the light emitting layer of each semiconductor structure has an a-lattice constant greater than 3.19 angstroms.
US09117940B2
Provided are optical devices and systems fabricated, at least in part, via printing-based assembly and integration of device components. In specific embodiments the present invention provides light emitting systems, light collecting systems, light sensing systems and photovoltaic systems comprising printable semiconductor elements, including large area, high performance macroelectronic devices. Optical systems of the present invention comprise semiconductor elements assembled, organized and/or integrated with other device components via printing techniques that exhibit performance characteristics and functionality comparable to single crystalline semiconductor based devices fabricated using conventional high temperature processing methods. Optical systems of the present invention have device geometries and configurations, such as form factors, component densities, and component positions, accessed by printing that provide a range of useful device functionalities. Optical systems of the present invention include devices and device arrays exhibiting a range of useful physical and mechanical properties including flexibility, shapeability, conformability and stretchablity.
US09117930B2
One method disclosed herein includes forming a first stressed conductive layer within the trenches of a FinFET device and above the upper surface of a fin, forming a second stressed conductive layer above the first stressed conductive layer, removing a portion of the second stressed conductive layer and a portion of the first stressed conductive layer that is positioned above the fin while leaving portions of the first stressed conductive layer positioned within the trenches, and forming a conductive layer above the second stressed conductive layer, the upper surface of the fin and the portions of the first stressed conductive layer positioned within the trenches.
US09117918B2
A method of forming ohmic source/drain contacts in a metal oxide semiconductor thin film transistor includes providing a gate, a gate dielectric, a high carrier concentration metal oxide semiconductor active layer with a band gap and spaced apart source/drain metal contacts in a thin film transistor configuration. The spaced apart source/drain metal contacts define a channel region in the active layer. An oxidizing ambient is provided adjacent the channel region and the gate and the channel region are heated in the oxidizing ambient to reduce the carrier concentration in the channel area. Alternatively or in addition each of the source/drain contacts includes a very thin layer of low work function metal positioned on the metal oxide semiconductor active layer and a barrier layer of high work function metal is positioned on the low work function metal.
US09117916B2
A semiconductor device which is miniaturized while favorable characteristics thereof are maintained is provided. In addition, the miniaturized semiconductor device is provided with a high yield. The semiconductor device has a structure including an oxide semiconductor film provided over a substrate having an insulating surface; a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer which are provided in contact with side surfaces of the oxide semiconductor film and have a thickness larger than that of the oxide semiconductor film; a gate insulating film provided over the oxide semiconductor film, the source electrode layer, and the drain electrode layer; and a gate electrode layer provided in a depressed portion formed by a step between a top surface of the oxide semiconductor film and top surfaces of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer.
US09117911B2
A display substrate includes a base substrate, a gate-line on the base substrate, a data-line crossing the gate-line, a pixel area defined on the base substrate, a gate-pad part connected to an end portion of the gate-line and including a gate corrosion member, and a data-pad part connected to an end portion of the data-line and including a data corrosion member.
US09117910B2
A semiconductor device includes a fin region with long and short sides, a first field insulating layer including a top surface lower than that of the fin region and adjacent to a side surface of the short side of the fin region, a second field insulating layer including a top surface lower than that of the fin region and adjacent to a side surface of the long side of the fin region, an etch barrier pattern on the first field insulating layer, a first gate on the fin region and the second field insulating layer to face a top surface of the fin region and side surfaces of the long sides of the fin region. A second gate is on the etch barrier pattern overlapping the first field insulating layer. A source/drain region is between the first gate and the second gate, in contact with the etch barrier pattern.
US09117902B2
A structure of dual trench rectifier comprises of the following elements. A plurality of trenches are formed parallel in an n− epitaxial layer on an n+ semiconductor substrate and spaced with each other by a mesa. A plurality of recesses are formed on the mesas. Each the trench has a trench oxide layer formed on the sidewalls and bottom thereof, and a first poly silicon layer is filled therein to form MOS structures. Each the recess has a recess oxide layer formed on the sidewalls and bottom thereof, and a second poly silicon layer is filled therein to form MOS structures. A plurality of p type bodies are formed at two sides of the MOS structures in recesses. A top metal is formed above the semiconductor substrate for serving as an anode. A bottom metal is formed beneath the semiconductor substrate for serving as a cathode.
US09117895B2
A laser processing method for performing laser processing to a workpiece. The laser processing method includes: a filament forming step of applying a first pulsed laser beam having a transmission wavelength to the workpiece to thereby form a filament as an optical transmission line in the workpiece so that the filament extends from the surface of the workpiece to be irradiated with the first pulsed laser beam to the inside of the workpiece, the filament having a refractive index higher than that of the workpiece; and a laser processing step of applying a second pulsed laser beam to the filament after performing the filament forming step to thereby transmit the second pulsed laser beam along the filament, thereby processing the workpiece with the second pulsed laser beam.
US09117879B2
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor chip comprising a first metallic structure, a top surface, and a bottom surface, a second semiconductor chip comprising a second metallic structure, wherein the second semiconductor chip is bonded with the first semiconductor chip on the bottom surface, a conductive material connecting the first metallic structure and the second metallic structure, wherein a portion of the conductive material is inside the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip, and a dielectric layer disposed surrounding the portion of the conductive material.
US09117877B2
Disclosed herein are various methods of forming isolation structures on FinFETs and other semiconductor devices, and the resulting devices that have such isolation structures. In one example, the method includes forming a plurality of spaced-apart trenches in a semiconducting substrate, wherein the trenches define a fin for a FinFET device, forming a layer of insulating material in the trenches, wherein the layer of insulating material covers a lower portion of the fin but not an upper portion of the fin, forming a protective material on the upper portion of the fin, and performing a heating process in an oxidizing ambient to form a thermal oxide region on the covered lower portion of the fin.
US09117871B2
The present invention provides a multi-axial acceleration sensor and a method of manufacturing the multi-axial acceleration sensor. The method includes: providing a substrate having a lead plane; disposing a first sensor chip onto the lead plane, wherein a wire bonding plane of the first sensor chip is perpendicular to the lead plane; and disposing a second sensor chip onto the lead plane, wherein a wire bonding plane of the second sensor chip is in parallel with the lead plane.
US09117870B2
A wafer cleaning chamber comprising a plurality of carrier arms each having concentrically-mounted midpoints between opposing ends of the carrier arms with a wafer carrier mounted on each of the opposing ends of the carrier arms. A hub includes a plurality of concentrically mounted drives where each of the plurality of drives is coupled near the midpoint of a respective one of the plurality of carrier arms. Each of the plurality of drives is configured to be controlled independently of the remaining plurality of concentrically-mounted drives. A respective motor is coupled to each of the concentrically mounted drives and is configured to move the coupled carrier arm in a rotary manner under control of a program containing a velocity profile. At least one cleaning chemical-supply head is positioned proximate to a path of the wafer carriers.
US09117869B2
A chucking device is provided, the chucking device having low dusting characteristics and high detergent properties, and being capable of vacuum-sucking even a substrate having a large warpage, and a chucking method using the chucking device is also provided. The chucking device vacuum-sucks and holds a wafer. The chucking device includes a perforated plate having a plurality of through-holes and being mounted with a wafer, the through-holes penetrating through both sides of the perforated plate; a porous plate that supports a surface other than a mounting surface of the perforated plate, on which the wafer is mounted, transmits a vacuum state to the wafer through the plurality of through-holes, and has a pore to limit a flow rate; and a vacuum pump that exhausts an air through the pore of the porous plate.
US09117856B2
A substrate separation chuck which is adapted to separate a substrate from an adhering surface. The substrate separation chuck has a support adapted to support the adhering surface. An air bearing surface is adapted to support the substrate, the air bearing surface axially moveable relative to the support. The air bearing surface has a first position adjacent the substrate with the substrate coupled to the adhering surface. The air bearing surface is moveable from the first position to a second position separating the substrate from the adhering surface without contact between the substrate and the air bearing surface.
US09117851B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a catalyst underlying layer formed on a substrate including semiconductor elements formed thereon and processed in a wiring pattern, a catalyst metal layer that is formed on the catalyst underlying layer and whose width is narrower than that of the catalyst underlying layer, and a graphene layer growing with a sidewall of the catalyst metal layer set as a growth origin and formed to surround the catalyst metal layer.
US09117848B2
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a fin structure stacked in order of a first oxide layer, a semiconductor layer and a second oxide layer in a first direction perpendicular to a surface of the semiconductor substrate, the fin structure extending in a second direction parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a gate structure stacked in order of a gate oxide layer, a charge storage layer, a block insulating layer and a control gate electrode in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions from a surface of the semiconductor layer in the third direction.
US09117846B2
A method of manufacturing an oxide thin film transistor includes forming a gate electrode on a substrate; forming a gate insulating film the gate electrode; forming an oxide semiconductor layer on the gate insulating film; sequentially forming a lower data metal layer and an upper data metal layer on including the oxide semiconductor layer; forming an upper source pattern and an upper drain pattern by patterning the upper data metal layer by a wet etching; forming a lower source pattern and a lower drain pattern by patterning the lower data metal layer by a dry etching using the upper source pattern and the upper drain pattern as a mask to form a source electrode and a drain electrode; forming a first passivation film on the source and drain electrodes; performing a heat treatment on the oxide semiconductor layer; and forming a second passivation film on the first passivation film.
US09117839B2
A vertical JFET includes a III-nitride substrate and a III-nitride epitaxial layer of a first conductivity type coupled to the III-nitride substrate. The first III-nitride epitaxial layer has a first dopant concentration. The vertical JFET also includes a III-nitride epitaxial structure coupled to the first III-nitride epitaxial layer. The III-nitride epitaxial structure includes a set of channels of the first conductivity type and having a second dopant concentration, a set of sources of the first conductivity type, having a third dopant concentration greater than the first dopant concentration, and each characterized by a contact surface, and a set of regrown gates interspersed between the set of channels. An upper surface of the set of regrown gates is substantially coplanar with the contact surfaces of the set of sources.
US09117830B2
The present disclosure provides one embodiment of a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate having a front surface and a backside surface; integrated circuit features formed on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate; and a polycrystalline silicon layer disposed on the backside surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US09117825B2
A structure comprises a first pad protruding over a top surface of a package substrate, wherein the first pad is of a first elongated shape, a second pad embedded in the package substrate, wherein the second pad is of a second elongated shape and a via coupled between the first pad and the second pad.
US09117824B2
Embodiments of the invention include a semiconductor structure containing a back end of line randomly patterned interconnect structure for implementing a physical unclonable function (PUF), a method for forming the semiconductor device, and a circuit for enabling the interconnect structure to implement the physical unclonable function. The method includes forming a semiconductor substrate and a dielectric layer on the substrate. The randomly patterned interconnect structure is formed in the dielectric layer. The random pattern of the interconnect structure is used to implement the physical unclonable function and is a result of defect occurrences during the manufacturing of the semiconductor structure. The circuit includes n-channel and p-channel metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) and the randomly patterned interconnect structure, which acts as electrical connections between the MOSFETs. The random electrical connections between MOSFETs are utilized for generation of unique keys for purposes such as authentication or identification.
US09117817B2
Illustrative embodiments of semiconductor devices including a polar insulation layer capped by a non-polar insulation layer, and methods of fabrication of such semiconductor devices, are disclosed. In at least one illustrative embodiment, a semiconductor device may comprise a semiconductor substrate, a polar insulation layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate and comprising a Group V element configured to increase a carrier mobility in at least a portion of the semiconductor substrate, and a non-polar insulation layer disposed above the polar insulation layer.
US09117814B2
This invention prevents a substrate of a semiconductor chip that has through-silicon vias collectively arranged in a specific area thereof from becoming cracked. When a direction in parallel with a long side of a first semiconductor chip is defined as a row direction and a direction perpendicular to the long side of the first semiconductor chip is defined as a column direction, each one of the first through-silicon vias is arranged on any one of grid points arranged in m rows and n columns (m>n). In addition, as viewed in a cross section taken along a short side of the first semiconductor chip, the center of a through-silicon via area, which is defined by coupling the outermost grid points arranged in m rows and n columns, is off center of the short side of the first semiconductor chip in a first direction.
US09117809B1
A preparation method of small and ultra-thin power semiconductor device comprising the steps of: providing a chip mounting unit with a plurality of pads with a plate arranged on top surface of each pad; flipping and attaching a semiconductor chip on the chip mounting unit, where the electrodes at the front of the chip are electrically connected to the pads; forming a plastic packaging body covering the chip mounting units and the chip, where the top surface of the plate and the back surface of the chip are exposed out from top surface of the plastic packaging body and the bottom surfaces of the pads are exposed out of the bottom surface of the plastic packaging body; forming a plurality of top metal segments arranged on the top surface of the plastic packaging body and electrically connected to the top surface of each plate and the back surface of the chip.
US09117808B2
A method of forming semiconductor assemblies is disclosed. The method includes providing an interposer with through interposer vias. The interposer includes a first surface and a second surface. The through interposer vias extend from the first surface to the second surface of the interposer. A first die is mounted on the first surface of the interposer. The first die comprises a first surface with first conductive contacts thereon. The interposer comprises material with coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) similar to that of the first die. The first conductive contacts of the first die are coupled to the through interposer vias on the first surface of the interposer.
US09117805B2
A MOS transistor including, above a gate insulator, a conductive gate stack having a height, a length, and a width, this stack having a lower portion close to the gate insulator and an upper portion, wherein the stack has a first length in its lower portion, and a second length shorter than the first length in its upper portion.
US09117797B2
A withstand voltage region is formed to surround a logic circuit formation region. A high-voltage MOSFET for level shifting is formed in part of the withstand voltage region. A p− opening region is formed between a drain region of the high-voltage MOSFET and the logic circuit formation region. A shield layer connected to the negative electrode side of a power supply connected to the logic circuit formation region is disposed on the p− opening region. Thus, it is possible to provide a high-voltage semiconductor device including a level shifting circuit capable of making stable operation during the switching of a high-voltage IC and with long-term reliability.
US09117795B2
A semiconductor device includes an insulating substrate with a conductive pattern including an insulating substrate, a conductive pattern formed on a front surface of the insulating substrate, and a rear heat-sink formed on a back surface of the insulating substrate; a semiconductor chip joined on the conductive pattern through joining material, and leading terminals; and a mold resin exposing a surface of the rear heat-sink and end portions of the leading terminals, and sealing a front surface of the insulating substrate with the conductive pattern, a back surface of the insulating substrate with the conductive pattern, the semiconductor chip, the rear heat-sink excluding the exposed surface thereof, and the leading terminals excluding the end portions thereof. Each of side surfaces of the conductive pattern and the rear heat-sink is formed with a recessed groove, and the recessed grooves are filled with the mold resin.
US09117793B2
A high thermal conductivity base plate is provided for use in air cavity packages. The base plate is at least partially comprised of a composite made of silver-diamond or a silver alloy-diamond. In some embodiments, the base plate is entirely comprised of the composite. In other embodiments, the base plate has a core made of the composite. The core can include at least one outer layer on the core. The semiconductor package can include one or more dice or transistors on the base plate, an insulated frame on the base plate, and one or more leads on the insulated frame.
US09117791B2
Techniques are disclosed for forming transistor devices having reduced parasitic contact resistance relative to conventional devices. The techniques can be implemented, for example, using a standard contact stack such as a series of metals on, for example, silicon or silicon germanium (SiGe) source/drain regions. In accordance with one example such embodiment, an intermediate boron doped germanium layer is provided between the source/drain and contact metals to significantly reduce contact resistance. Numerous transistor configurations and suitable fabrication processes will be apparent in light of this disclosure, including both planar and non-planar transistor structures (e.g., FinFETs), as well as strained and unstrained channel structures. Graded buffering can be used to reduce misfit dislocation. The techniques are particularly well-suited for implementing p-type devices, but can be used for n-type devices if so desired.
US09117786B2
The chip module includes a carrier, a semiconductor chip arranged on or embedded inside the carrier, and an insulation layer that at least partly covers a face of the carrier. The dielectric constant ∈r and the thermal conductivity λ of the insulation layer satisfy the condition λ·∈r<4.0 W·m−1·K−1.
US09117783B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display including: a substrate; a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate and including a switching semiconductor layer and a driving semiconductor layer connected to the switching semiconductor layer; a first gate insulating layer disposed on the semiconductor layer; a switching gate electrode and a driving gate electrode disposed on the first gate insulating layer and respectively overlapping with the switching semiconductor layer and the driving semiconductor layer; a second gate insulating layer disposed on the switching gate electrode and the driving gate electrode; a driving voltage line configured to transmit a driving voltage and disposed on the second gate insulating layer; an interlayer insulating layer disposed on the driving voltage line and the second gate insulating layer; and a data line configured to transmit a data signal and disposed on the interlayer insulating layer.
US09117782B2
An OLED display is disclosed, which includes a substrate and a first and a second light emitting unit arranged on the substrate. A first, a second, a third and a fourth region are defined on the substrate, wherein the sub-pixels in the first and fourth regions and the sub-pixels in the second and third regions are symmetrical with each other. Alternatively, the sub-pixels in the first region and the sub-pixels in the third region are point symmetric to a center of the first light emitting unit, so as to improve displaying resolution of the OLED display.
US09117778B2
A display device includes: a display panel including a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns; and a touch panel opposed to the display panel, wherein the display panel includes a non-display portion which is a region between neighboring pixels, the touch panel includes: a plurality of first electrode patterns which are formed along a first direction which is one of a row direction and a column direction of the pixels; and a plurality of second electrode patterns which are formed along a second direction which is the other one of the directions, at least a part of the first electrode patterns and at least a part of the second electrode patterns being metal, and the metal parts of the first electrode patterns and the second electrode patterns are present within the non-display portion of the display panel in plan view.
US09117772B2
A method includes aligning a first electrical connector of a first package component to a second electrical connector of a second package component. With the first electrical connector aligned to the second electrical connector, a metal layer is plated on the first and the second electrical connectors. The metal layer bonds the first electrical connector to the second electrical connector.
US09117767B2
Apparatus, methods, and computer programs for semiconductor processing in a capacitively-coupled plasma chamber are provided. A chamber includes a bottom radio frequency (RF) signal generator, a top RF signal generator, and an RF phase controller. The bottom RF signal generator is coupled to the bottom electrode in the chamber, and the top RF signal generator is coupled to the top electrode. Further, the bottom RF signal is set at a first phase, and the top RF signal is set at a second phase. The RF phase controller is operable to receive the bottom RF signal and operable to set the value of the second phase. Additionally, the RF phase controller is operable to track the first phase and the second phase to maintain a time difference between the maximum of the top RF signal and the minimum of the bottom RF signal at approximately a predetermined constant value, resulting in an increase of the negative ion flux to the surface of the wafer.
US09117747B2
A semiconductor device includes a first fin-shaped semiconductor layer on a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating film around the first fin-shaped semiconductor layer, a first pillar-shaped semiconductor layer on the first fin-shaped semiconductor layer, a first gate insulating film around the first pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, a first gate line formed around the first gate insulating film and extending in a direction perpendicular to the first fin-shaped semiconductor layer, a second diffusion layer disposed in a lower portion of the first pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, a third gate insulating film surrounding an upper portion of the first pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, a first contact electrode surrounding the third gate insulating film, a second contact electrode that connects an upper portion of the first contact electrode to an upper portion of the first pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, and a first magnetic tunnel junction memory element on the second contact electrode.
US09117745B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes performing a pre-amorphous implantation (PAI) process to form an amorphized region on a substrate. The method also includes forming a stress film over the substrate, and performing an annealing process to recrystallize the amorphized region after the stress film is formed. The method further includes forming a recess region on the substrate. The recess region overlies the recrystallized region. The method additionally includes forming an epitaxial stress-inducing material in the recess region.
US09117744B2
Some embodiments include methods of forming voids within semiconductor constructions. In some embodiments the voids may be utilized as microstructures for distributing coolant, for guiding electromagnetic radiation, or for separation and/or characterization of materials. Some embodiments include constructions having micro-structures therein which correspond to voids, conduits, insulative structures, semiconductor structures or conductive structures.
US09117738B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device using multi-layered graphene wires includes a substrate having semiconductor elements formed therein, a first graphene wire formed above the substrate and including a multi-layered graphene layer having a preset impurity doped therein, a second graphene wire formed on the same layer as the first multi-layered graphene wire above the substrate and including a multi-layered graphene layer into which the preset impurity is not doped, a lower-layer contact connected to the undersurface side of the first multi-layered graphene wire, and an upper-layer contact connected to the upper surface side of the second multi-layered graphene wire.
US09117732B2
Disclosed is a display device including a transistor showing extremely low off current. In order to reduce the off current, a semiconductor material whose band gap is greater than that of a silicon semiconductor is used for forming a transistor, and the concentration of an impurity which serves as a carrier donor of the semiconductor material is reduced. Specifically, an oxide semiconductor whose band gap is greater than or equal to 2 eV, preferably greater than or equal to 2.5 eV, more preferably greater than or equal to 3 eV is used for a semiconductor layer of a transistor, and the concentration of an impurity which serves as a carrier donor included is reduced. Consequently, the off current of the transistor per micrometer in channel width can be reduced to lower than 10 zA/μm at room temperature and lower than 100 zA/μm at 85° C.
US09117728B2
A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion units configured to receive light and generate signal charge, the plurality of photoelectric conversion units being provided in such a manner as to correspond to a plurality of pixels in a pixel area of a semiconductor substrate; and pixel transistors configured to output the signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion units as electrical signals. Each of the pixel transistors includes at least a transfer transistor that transfers the signal charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit to a floating diffusion corresponding to a drain. A gate electrode of the transfer transistor is formed in such a manner as to extend with a gate insulating film in between from a channel formed area to a portion where the photoelectric conversion unit has been formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US09117727B2
Example embodiments disclose transistors, methods of manufacturing the same, and electronic devices including transistors. An active layer of a transistor may include a plurality of material layers (oxide layers) with different energy band gaps. The active layer may include a channel layer and a photo sensing layer. The photo sensing layer may have a single-layered or multi-layered structure. When the photo sensing layer has a multi-layered structure, the photo sensing layer may include a first material layer and a second material layer that are sequentially stacked on a surface of the channel layer. The first layer and the second layer may be alternately stacked one or more times.
US09117724B2
A solid-state image sensing device is configured such that a first voltage is applied to a first conductivity type semiconductor region and a second voltage is applied to source-drain regions having a second conductivity type of the MOS capacitance to apply inverse bias between the semiconductor region and the source-drain regions of the MOS capacitance.
US09117712B1
A high-speed, high-sensitivity demodulation sensor usable for e.g. time-of-flight application uses a back side illuminated (BSI) image sensor chip, in which the photo-generated charges are first transferred to a demodulation area, from which the charges are then sampled and stored on at least one specific storage node. The storage node is electrically isolated from the sensitive area. Such a pixel might find its use specifically in 3D time-of-flight imaging given its improvements in sensitivity because the presented invention allows to design pixel with up to 100% fill factor and enables charge detection even if the charge generation by the photon occurs deep in the silicon substrate.
US09117696B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a substrate including cell block, a balancing block, and a sense block. A plurality of cell bit lines are formed in the cell block of. A plurality of cell plugs are formed adjacent to side surfaces of the bit lines. Cell inner spacers, air spacers, and cell outer spacers are formed between the cell bit lines and the cell plugs. A plurality of balancing bit lines are formed in the balancing block. A plurality of balancing plugs are formed adjacent to side surfaces of the balancing bit lines. Balancing inner spacers and balancing outer spacers are formed between the balancing bit lines and the balancing plugs. The balancing bit lines and at least some of the cell bit lines are connected to the sense block.
US09117683B2
A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes a semiconductor layer provided with a gate trench, a first conductivity type source region formed to be exposed on a surface side of the semiconductor layer, a second conductivity type channel region formed on a side of the source region closer to a back surface of the semiconductor layer to be in contact with the source region, a first conductivity type drain region formed on a side of the channel region closer to the back surface of the semiconductor layer to be in contact with the channel region, a gate insulating film formed on an inner surface of the gate trench, and a gate electrode embedded inside the gate insulating film in the gate trench, while the channel region includes a channel portion formed along the side surface of the gate trench so that a channel is formed in operation and a projection projecting from an end portion of the channel portion closer to the back surface of the semiconductor layer toward the back surface.
US09117673B2
An ESD protection device is described, including a substrate of a first conductivity, a well of a second conductivity, a transistor including a first doped region of the second conductivity located in the substrate and extending into the well, a second doped region of the first conductivity and a gate over the substrate between the two doped regions, a third doped region of the second conductivity and a fourth doped region of the first conductivity disposed in the substrate in sequence from an outer side of the second doped region and coupled to ground, and a fifth doped region of the first conductivity and a sixth doped region of the second conductivity disposed in the well in sequence from an outer side of the first doped region and coupled to a bonding pad. When an ESD voltage is applied to the bonding pad, it is coupled to the gate.
US09117669B2
A structure comprises an N+ region formed over a first fin of a substrate, a P+ region formed over a second fin of the substrate, wherein the P+ region and the N+ region form a diode, a shallow trench isolation region formed between the P+ region and the N+ region and a first epitaxial growth block region formed over the shallow trench isolation region and between the N+ region and the P+ region, wherein a forward bias current of the diode flows through a path underneath the shallow trench isolation region.
US09117666B2
A method is provided for activating an exposed surface of a porous dielectric layer, the method comprising the steps of: filling with a first liquid at least the pores present in a part of the porous dielectric layer, the part comprising the exposed surface, removing the first liquid selectively from the surface, activating the exposed surface, and removing the first liquid from the bulk part of the porous dielectric layer.
US09117654B2
A method of fabricating an integrated circuit device includes forming first and second mask structures on respective first and second regions of a feature layer. Each of the first and second mask structures includes a dual mask pattern and an etch mask pattern thereon having an etch selectivity relative to the dual mask pattern. The etch mask patterns of the first and second mask structures are etched to partially remove the etch mask pattern from the second mask structure. Spacers are formed on opposing sidewalls of the first and second mask structures. The first mask structure is selectively removed from between the spacers in the first region to define a first mask pattern including the opposing sidewall spacers with a void therebetween in the first region, and a second mask pattern including the opposing sidewall spacers with the second mask structure therebetween in the second region.
US09117652B2
A method for forming porous metal structures and the resulting structure may include forming a metal structure above a substrate. A masking layer may be formed above the metal structure, and then etched using a reactive ion etching process with a mask etchant and a metal etchant. Etching the masking layer may result in the formation of a plurality of pores in the metal structure. In some embodiments, the metal structure may include a first end region, a second end region, and an intermediate region. Before etching the masking layer, a protective layer may be formed above the first end region and the second end region, so that the plurality of pores is contained within the intermediate region. In some embodiments, the intermediate metal region may be a nanostructure such as a nanowire.
US09117642B2
Interfacing capillary electrophoresis to a mass spectrometer via an impactor spray ionization source
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a separation device arranged and adapted to emit an eluent over a period of time. The separation device preferably comprises a Capillary Electrophoresis (“CE”) separation device. The mass spectrometer further comprises a nebulizer and a target. Eluent emitted by the separation device is nebulized, in use, by the nebulizer wherein a stream of analyte droplets are directed to impact upon the target so as to ionize the analyte to form a plurality of analyte ions.
US09117640B2
The present invention relates to a low-resistance MCP with an expanded dynamic range and excellent environment resistance, in comparison with the conventional technology. The MCP has a double structure composed of hollow first cladding glasses whose inner wall surfaces function as channel walls, and a second cladding glass having a resistivity lower than that of the first cladding glasses.
US09117636B2
A plasma device is disclosed. The plasma device includes: at least one electrode including a nanoporous dielectric layer disposed on at least a portion thereof, the nanoporous dielectric layer including a plurality of pores, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of pores include a catalyst embedded therein.
US09117634B2
An antenna unit for generating a plasma includes: a first antenna including a first incoming portion and a plurality of first sub-antennas divided from the first incoming portion; and a second antenna including a second incoming portion and a plurality of second sub-antennas divided from the second incoming portion, the first and second incoming portions constituting a coaxial line.
US09117626B1
This invention provides a method for improving performance of a reflective type energy filter for a charged particle beam, which employs a beam-adjusting lens on an entrance side of a potential barrier of the energy filter to make the charged particle beam become a substantially parallel beam to be incident onto the potential barrier. The method makes the energy filter have both a fine energy-discrimination power over a large emission angle spread and a high uniformity of energy-discrimination powers over a large FOV. A LVSEM using this method in the energy filter can obviously improve image contrast. The invention also provides multiple energy-discrimination detection devices formed by using the advantages of the method.
US09117624B2
A system for applying a target track material to an x-ray tube target includes a controller configured to direct a beam of energy toward an x-ray tube target, and direct a solid stock material toward the beam of energy to cause the solid stock material to melt and deposit as a melted material on the x-ray tube target.
US09117621B2
A radiation generating tube includes a vacuum envelope formed by an insulating tube, a cathode and an anode. At least one of the cathode and the anode is bonded to the insulating tube via a conductive bonding material disposed between bonded surfaces facing each other. The conductive bonding material is partially protruding from between the bonded surfaces to an outer peripheral surface or an inner peripheral surface of the insulating tube. A concave portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface or the inner peripheral surface of the insulating tube adjacent to a bonded surface on an insulating tube side, and a distal end of a conductive bonding material protruding from between bonded surfaces is accommodated in the concave portion.
US09117620B2
A magnetron includes: an anode tube; and cooling fins placed on a periphery of the anode tube and arranged along a central axis of the anode tube. Each of the cooling fins includes at least two sets of fins formed by cutting a part of the cooling fin, and performing different bending works on the cut portions, respectively, so as to form a region where the cooling fins are dense and a region where the cooling fins are sparse, when viewed in a flowing direction of a cooling medium which cools the anode tube through the cooling fins. The at least two sets of fins are bent at bending angles such that intervals of the cooling fins in the region where the cooling fins are dense are ½ or less of placement intervals of the cooling fins.
US09117619B2
There is provided a device for generating a heavy-ion beam. The device includes a laser beam generating unit configured to generate a laser beam; a target configured to generate a heavy-ion beam by the laser beam; a laser optical system configured to focus the laser beam on the front of the target; and a plasma treating unit disposed at a rear surface of the target and configured to remove impurities within the target by plasma surface treatment that is performed by radiating cationic plasma onto the rear surface of the target.
US09117617B2
An ion source is configured for electron ionization and produces coaxial electron and ion beams. The ion source includes an ionization chamber along an axis, a magnet assembly configured for generating an axial magnetic field in the ionization chamber, an electron source, and a lens assembly configured for directing the ion beam out from the ionization chamber along the axis, reflecting the electron beam back toward the electron source, and transmitting higher energy ions out from the ion source while reflecting lower energy ions toward a lens element for neutralization.
US09117616B2
Provided is a dielectric barrier discharge-type electrode structure for generating plasma. The electrode structure, according to the present invention, comprises: an upper conductive body electrode and a lower conductive body electrode; at least one conductive body electrode protrusion portion, which is formed on at least one surface of the upper conductive body electrode and/or the lower conductive body electrode; a dielectric layer which is formed on at least one of the inner surfaces of the upper conductive body electrode and the lower conductive body electrode that face each other, so as to have a substantially uniform thickness; and a specific gap (d) which is formed between the upper and lower conductive body electrodes and the dielectric layer, or between dielectric layers, due to the protruding effect of the conductive body electrode protrusion portion when the upper conductive body electrode and the lower conductive body electrodes come into close contact, wherein the plasma is generated by applying a pulse power or an alternating power to the upper conductive body electrode and the lower conductive body electrode.
US09117610B2
A system includes a plurality of micro-electromechanical switches including a plurality of gates, coupled to each other. Each micro-electromechanical switch includes a beam electrode disposed on a substrate. A beam includes an anchor portion coupled to the beam electrode. The beam includes a first beam portion extending from the anchor portion along a first direction; and a second beam portion extending from the anchor portion along a second direction opposite to the first direction. A first control electrode and a first contact electrode are disposed on the substrate, facing the first beam portion. A second control electrode and a second contact electrode are disposed on the substrate, facing the second beam portion. The first control electrode and the second control electrode are coupled to form a gate among the plurality of gates. The plurality of micro-electromechanical switches is arranged in at least one of a series arrangement, parallel arrangement.
US09117606B2
A multi-instruction switch for enhancing electrical insulation is provided. The multi-instruction switch includes a housing, a common pin and a switching pin set. The housing comprises an accommodating space which includes a conductive elastic plate moving back-and-forth and a support rack therein. The conductive elastic plate includes a normal connection section and a switching connection section. The support rack includes a limiting track. The common pin is normally in electrical contact with the normal connection section in the housing. The switching pin set includes a first pin having a contact section and a second pin having a trigger section. The limiting track includes a first insulation plate, a second insulation plate, and an insulation space between the first and second insulation plates. As such, the present invention enhances the insulation effect by the first and second insulation plates and the insulation space located at the limiting track.
US09117605B2
Provided is a DC power relay. The DC power relay includes a pair of fixed contacts disposed parallel to each other, a movable contact vertically movable with respect to the pair of fixed contacts, the movable contact being in connect with or being separated from the pair of fixed contacts, a pair of permanent magnets for guide an arc generated when the movable contact is in contact with or is separated from the pair of fixed contacts to the outside, and a damping magnet reducing a force generated in a direction in which the movable contact is separated from the fixed contacts when the movable contact is in contact with the fixed contacts.
US09117602B2
An electronic device includes a multilayer circuit board having a non-planar three-dimensional shape defining a membrane switch recess therein. The multilayer circuit board may include at least one liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layer, and at least one electrically conductive pattern layer thereon defining at least one membrane switch electrode adjacent the membrane switch recess to define a membrane switch. The electronic may further include a compressible dielectric material filling the membrane switch recess. The electronic device may also include at least one spring member within the membrane switch recess.
US09117601B2
A non-volatile bistable nano-electromechanical switch is provided for use in memory devices and microprocessors. The switch employs carbon nanotubes as the actuation element. A method has been developed for fabricating nanoswitches having one single-walled carbon nanotube as the actuator. The actuation of two different states can be achieved using the same low voltage for each state.
US09117597B2
A portable actuator assembly for remotely operating the control components on a circuit breaker which self-aligns by engaging a recessed area of the circuit breaker. The portable actuator assembly is easily and accurately aligned with the control components on the circuit breaker by an alignment fixture that engages the recessed area of the circuit breaker. The alignment fixture is moveable along one axis that lies perpendicular to the face of the circuit breaker in order to compensate for variations between the plane of the face of the circuit breaker and the plane of the sheet metal enclosure surrounding the circuit breaker. The alignment fixture is forced toward the face of the breaker by spring action to ensure it remains in constant contact with the circuit breaker. Strong magnets may hold the portable actuator assembly against the circuit breaker by attaching to the sheet metal enclosure surrounding the circuit breaker.
US09117580B2
A choke includes a single-piece core made of a same material, the single-piece core having a first board, a second board, and a pillar located between the first and second boards, a winding space located among the first board, the second board and the pillar, wherein the pillar has a non-circular and non-rectangular cross section having a first axis and a second axis substantially perpendicularly intersecting with each other at a center of the cross section of the pillar, and wherein a circumference of the cross section of the pillar includes two arc edges, four first substantially straight edges substantially parallel to the first axis, and two second substantially straight edges substantially parallel to the second axis, each of the first substantially straight edges being a joint of and in direct contact with one of the arc edges and one of the second substantially straight edges.
US09117576B2
A winding support has at least two parts on which to wind an electrical double coil in two winding planes situated in parallel, orthogonal to a winding axis. Each part has an annular structure with base areas that are identical for all of the parts, and an outer surface that is a band of the surface of a straight cylinder between the bases. Each part has a slit-shaped cut-out extending in a longitudinal direction over a portion of the length of the cylinder. The parts are adjacently connected with one another with a lateral separation therebetween in the direction of the winding axis, and with the cut-outs forming a common slit extending over both parts. An electrical coil has such a winding support, and a method to produce such a coil includes winding a conductor on such a winding support.
US09117571B2
An electrical line with at least two leads composed of conductors surrounded by insulation (4) is proposed, where the leads are stranded together and are surrounded by a common electrical shield above which is mounted a circumferential layer of insulation material. The insulation (4) of the leads is composed of a poorly compressible, cross-linked elastomer insulation material whose insulation resistance constant at room temperature is greater than 4,000MΩkm. The shield (7) is composed of a non-woven fabric on the basis of polyamide which. is rendered electrically conductive through metallization.
US09117569B2
The present invention relates to an optical fiber composite cable. The optical fiber composite cable includes at least one power line to transmit power and an optical cable to monitor a state of the power lines, and the optical cable comprises optical fibers, tubes to accommodate the optical fibers, and a protection member to surround the tubes.
US09117568B2
Compositions comprising carbonaceous filler, polymeric binder, and at least one organic compound having at least one charged functional group.
US09117566B2
One or more insulated conductive wire assemblies are incorporated in a pressure balanced, oil-filled (PBOF) hose. Each conductive wire assembly has a pair of conductive wires each having an insulation layer, an insulating material surrounding the insulated wires, and an outer insulating layer surrounding the insulating material. The insulating material may be selected to have a dielectric constant substantially matching the dielectric constant of the oil in the PBOF hose, so that the insulated pair of conductors perform in the same way both before and after the assembly is submerged in oil in the jumper hose. One or more parameters of the conductive wire assembly are selected such that the assembly has a predetermined impedance when submerged in oil within the PBOF hose.
US09117565B2
A composite material can include a grain component and a nanostructured grain boundary component. The nanostructured grain boundary component can be insulating and magnetic, so as to provide greater continuity of magnetization of the composite material. The grain component can have an average grain size of about 0.5-50 micrometers. The grain boundary component can have an average grain size of about 1-100 nanometers. The nanostructured magnetic grain boundary material has a magnetic flux density of at least about 250 mT. The grain component can comprise MnZn ferrite particles. The nanostructured grain boundary component can comprise NiZn ferrite nanoparticles. Core components and systems thereof can be manufactured from the composite material.
US09117560B1
Materials and methods of making densified waste forms for temperature sensitive waste material, such as nuclear waste, formed with low temperature processing using metallic powder that forms the matrix that encapsulates the temperature sensitive waste material. The densified waste form includes a temperature sensitive waste material in a physically densified matrix, the matrix is a compacted metallic powder. The method for forming the densified waste form includes mixing a metallic powder and a temperature sensitive waste material to form a waste form precursor. The waste form precursor is compacted with sufficient pressure to densify the waste precursor and encapsulate the temperature sensitive waste material in a physically densified matrix.
US09117555B2
There are provided: a container body (11) that has an opening in one end; a lid member (12A) that seals the opening; a prismatic pipe (30) that is arranged in the container body (11); a fuel holder (20) that covers a side surface of a fuel assembly when inserted into the prismatic pipe (30); and pressing members (37a, 37b) that are arranged on the prismatic pipe (30) and press the fuel holder (20), in the prismatic pipe (30), against inner surfaces of the prismatic pipe (30). One end (23) of the fuel holder (20) is formed in a tapered shape inclining toward an inside of the fuel holder (20). One end of the prismatic pipe (30) is provided with a first guide member (40) that has a recess (41) conforming to a shape of the one end (23) of the fuel holder (20).
US09117552B2
Embodiments of systems and methods for testing memory are disclosed, where memory errors are detected, and, in at least one embodiment, memory units containing errors are prevented from being accessed by applications on a computing system.
US09117549B1
A flash memory device employs a low current auto-verification programming scheme using multi-step programming voltage and cell current detection. The low current auto-verification programming scheme performs programming of memory cells by the application of programming voltages in step increments. For each programming pulse, the cell current of the memory cell is sensed to determine when the memory cell is programmed. The programming pulse is terminated when the cell current decreases below a reference current level.
US09117539B2
A flash memory device reduces noise peak and program time through serial programming of program blocks of memory cells. The time interval or the number of the program groups is decreased according to the proceeding program loop in the plurality of program loops, reducing the total program time.
US09117531B2
A method for enabling users to select a configuration balance for a memory device is described. The method includes receiving an indication of a memory configuration for a mass memory including two or more of memory cells. One or more memory cells of the mass memory are selected based at least in part on 1) the indication, 2) a current configuration for each of the one or more memory cells and 3) a program-erase count for each of the one or more memory cells. The method also includes determining a new configuration for each of the selected one or more memory cells. For each of the selected one or more memory cells, the configuration of the memory cell is changed from the current configuration to the determined new configuration. Apparatus and computer readable media are also disclosed.
US09117524B2
Techniques and devices relating to adjusting one or more operational parameters for memory cells are provided. One such device may include a detection unit configured to perform one or more reading operations on a set of memory cells to determine an upper bound of the threshold voltages of the set of memory cells. The device may further include a parameter adjustment unit configured to adjust one or more operational parameters for the set of memory cells based, at least in part, on the determined upper bound of the threshold voltages. Other techniques and devices are also provided.
US09117523B1
A nonvolatile alternative to DRAM or Flash is disclosed. It involves a new “magnetic shift register” that avoids the bit annihilation problem that plagues magnetic racetrack memories. Using this new “chainlink memory” approach, one avoids the annihilation problem inherent in racetrack memory by breaking up the racetrack into magnetically coupled links, where each link preferably handles one bit exclusively. Depending upon the implementation, the “bit” can be, for example, the magnetization of a link, presence or absence of a domain wall, or the polarity of a domain wall. Numerous examples and applications of this new chainlink technology are disclosed.
US09117519B2
Memory cells, devices and methods are disclosed, including those that involve applying a waveform to a resistive memory cell to program the memory cell to an over-reset state representing a logic value.
US09117518B2
Non-Volatile Register (NVR) and Non-Volatile Shift Register (NVSR) devices are disclosed. The innovative NVR and NVSR devices of the invention can rapidly load the stored non-volatile data in non-volatile memory elements into their correspondent static memory elements for fast and constant referencing in digital circuitry. According to the invention, the loading process from non-volatile memory to static memory is a direct process without going through the conventional procedures of accessing the non-volatile memory, sensing from the non-volatile memory, and loading into the digital registers and shift registers.
US09117514B2
A data storage device includes a memory and a controller. Mapping circuitry is configured to apply a mapping to received data to generate mapped data to be stored in storage elements. The mapping is configured to reduce average write time by mapping at least one incoming data value into a mapped value such that no transitions of storage elements from a second state to a first state are used for storing the mapped value into the storage elements.
US09117510B2
A pulsed dynamic LCV circuit for improving write operations for SRAM. The pulsed dynamic LCV circuit includes voltage adjustment circuitry having a plurality of selectable reduced supply voltages and timing adjustment circuitry having a plurality of selectable logical state transition timings for adjustably controlling the voltage and timing of a transition from a selected reduced supply voltage back to a nominal supply voltage. The voltage adjustment circuitry has a plurality of selectable transistors that when individually selected have a cumulative effect to pull the reduced supply voltage down further. The timing adjustment circuitry has a plurality of selectable multiplexers that when individually selected for a delayed voltage transition have a cumulative effect to delay return of voltage supplied to SRAM from a reduced supply voltage to a nominal supply voltage.
US09117507B2
Circuit embodiments of a multistage voltage regulator circuit are presented, where a circuit includes a first stage that includes a first bias transistor having a current terminal coupled to a first regulated node. The circuit also includes a second stage that includes a second bias transistor having a current terminal coupled to a second regulated node. The circuit also includes a third stage including a third bias transistor having a current terminal coupled to a third node. The circuit also includes a control loop for regulating voltages at the first and second regulated nodes, where the second regulated node is connected to a control terminal of the first bias transistor; and where the first regulated node is connected to a control terminal of the third bias transistor.
US09117498B2
A memory device includes a plurality of sense amplifiers, an array of memory cells including a first subset of memory cells, and a plurality of word lines. Each word line is coupled to each memory cell in a respective row of the memory cells and each row of the memory cells includes one memory cell of the first subset of memory cells. Each of a plurality of control word lines is coupled to a respective one of the memory cells in the first subset of memory cells and each of the memory cells in the first subset of memory cells generates a sense amplifier control signal coupled to control operation of a respective one of the plurality of sense amplifiers.
US09117497B2
A circuit includes a first line, a second line, a first sub-circuit, and a second sub-circuit. The first line has a first signal. The second line has a second signal. The first sub-circuit is configured to generate a first output signal. The second sub-circuit is configured to generate a second output signal. The first output signal and the second output signal have coupling effects if the first signal and the second signal have coupling effects based on the first line and the second line. The first output signal and the second output signal do not have coupling effects if the first signal and the second signal do not have coupling effects.
US09117478B2
A patterning method includes steps of forming a first copolymer layer comprising a first diblock copolymer which has portions which are phase incompatible. The first copolymer layer is annealed to form a first phase pattern including a first phase dispersed in a second surrounding phase. The first copolymer is then etched forming a first topographic pattern that corresponds to the first phase pattern. A second copolymer layer of a second diblock copolymer is then formed over the first topographic pattern, and then annealed to generate a second phase pattern offset from the first topographic pattern. Etching is used to form a second topographic pattern corresponding to the second phase pattern. The first and second topographic patterns are then transferred to the substrate. The patterning method can be used, for example, to form patterned recording layers for magnetic storage devices.
US09117476B1
A method of adhering a magnetic layer to a plastic substrate of a magnetic recording medium, the method including depositing a SiN-containing layer on the plastic substrate and depositing a magnetic layer on the SiN-containing layer is disclosed. Also disclosed is a disc for a rotating recording system including a plastic substrate, a bilayer including a SiN-containing layer and a metal-containing layer on the plastic substrate, and magnetic media on the bilayer.
US09117472B1
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with processing a read signal from a storage medium that includes continuous embedded position information are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes read logic configured to control a storage device to generate the read signal by reading a first layer and a second layer of the storage medium. The first layer defines data and the second layer defines embedded position information. The apparatus includes data detection logic configured to process the read signal to recover the embedded position information. The read logic is configured to control the storage device based, at least in part, on the embedded position information.
US09117470B1
According to one general embodiment, a method includes determining an offset between first and second arrays of transducers on a magnetic head in a direction perpendicular to an intended direction of media travel when the magnetic head is positioned at a first position, tilting the magnetic head to a second position, and delaying writing by at least some of the write transducers to provide magnetic transitions on a magnetic medium as if the longitudinal axis of the array was aligned in the direction perpendicular to the intended direction of media travel. At least one of the arrays of transducers includes write transducers. Moreover, the arrays of transducers have longitudinal axes aligned at the second position greater or less than 0 degrees from the longitudinal axes of the arrays of transducers aligned at the first position.
US09117468B1
A PZT microactuator such as for a hard disk drive has a restraining layer bonded on its side that is opposite the side on which the PZT is mounted. The restraining layer comprises a stiff and resilient material such as stainless steel. The restraining layer can cover all of the top of the PZT, or most of the top of the PZT with an electrical connection being made to the PZT where it is not covered by the restraining layer. The restraining layer reduces bending of the PZT as mounted and hence increases effective stroke length, or reverses the sign of the bending which increases the effective stroke length of the PZT even further.
US09117463B1
A data storage device is disclosed comprising a disk comprising a plurality of data tracks, and a head actuated over the disk. A retry operation for a target data track is performed by positioning the head at a first radial location and first erasing at least part of a first data track adjacent the target data track. After the first erasing, the target data track is first read to first recover target data recorded in the target data track. When the first recovery fails, the head is positioned at a second radial location and more of the first data track is second erased. After the second erasing, the target data track is second read to second recover the target data recorded in the target data track.
US09117459B2
The application relates to HFR (High Frequency Reconstruction/Regeneration) of audio signals. In particular, the application relates to a method and system for performing HFR of audio signals having large variations in energy level across the low frequency range which is used to reconstruct the high frequencies of the audio signal. A system configured to generate a plurality of high frequency subband signals covering a high frequency interval from a plurality of low frequency subband signals is described. The system comprises means for receiving the plurality of low frequency subband signals; means for receiving a set of target energies, each target energy covering a different target interval within the high frequency interval and being indicative of the desired energy of one or more high frequency subband signals lying within the target interval; means for generating the plurality of high frequency subband signals from the plurality of low frequency subband signals and from a plurality of spectral gain coefficients associated with the plurality of low frequency subband signals, respectively; and means for adjusting the energy of the plurality of high frequency subband signals using the set of target energies.
US09117457B2
A noise cancellation device (NCD) comprises a microphone, an analog-to-digital converter, a digital-to-analog converter, a rechargeable battery, and a processor. The NCD acquires an audio input, from an external device such as a stethoscope or a cell phone, and passes the analog data into an ADC (analog-to-digital converter) for signal conversion. The digitized signals are then passed to the processor for further processing. The processor contains all the processing functions such as preprocessing (divide the input data into frames and apply shaping function to each frame), short term Fourier transform (STFT), adaptive filtering, inverse STFT, and signal synthesis.
US09117454B2
A method for controlling a terminal through a voice input is provided. The method includes receiving a voice input when the terminal is in a state in which the terminal is locked and performing an operation corresponding to the voice input if the voice input corresponds to a preset command.
US09117451B2
Methods and systems for sharing of adapted voice profiles are provided. The method may comprise receiving, at a computing system, one or more speech samples, and the one or more speech samples may include a plurality of spoken utterances. The method may further comprise determining, at the computing system, a voice profile associated with a speaker of the plurality of spoken utterances, and including an adapted voice of the speaker. Still further, the method may comprise receiving, at the computing system, an authorization profile associated with the determined voice profile, and the authorization profile may include one or more user identifiers associated with one or more respective users. Yet still further, the method may comprise the computing system providing the voice profile to at least one computing device associated with the one or more respective users, based at least in part on the authorization profile.
US09117449B2
Techniques disclosed herein include systems and methods that enable a voice trigger that wakes-up an electronic device or causes the device to make additional voice commands active, without manual initiation of voice command functionality. In addition, such a voice trigger is dynamically programmable or customizable. A speaker can program or designate a particular phrase as the voice trigger. In general, techniques herein execute a voice-activated wake-up system that operates on a digital signal processor (DSP) or other low-power, secondary processing unit of an electronic device instead of running on a central processing unit (CPU). A speech recognition manager runs two speech recognition systems on an electronic device. The CPU dynamically creates a compact speech system for the DSP. Such a compact system can be continuously run during a standby mode, without quickly exhausting a battery supply.
US09117443B2
Methods and apparatuses for wearing state device operation are disclosed. In one example, a headset includes a sensor for detecting a headset donned state or a headset doffed state. The headset operation is modified based on whether the headset is donned or doffed.
US09117436B2
A sound processing apparatus includes an inputting section that inputs a sound signal, an analyzing section that analyzes the input sound signal, a storing section that stores a general-purpose masking sound, a masking sound producing section that, based on a result of the analysis by the analyzing section, processes the general-purpose masking sound stored in the storing section to produce an output masking sound, and an outputting section that outputs the output masking sound.
US09117427B2
A percussion device includes a drumstick assembly and a sleeve. The drumstick assembly includes a drumstick having a base and a tip end, and a drumstick tip secured to the tip end of the drumstick, the drumstick tip including a sensor. The sleeve is disposed about at least a portion of the drumstick including the base thereof, and includes at least one control button, a communication element, and a processor in communication with the at least one control button, the drumstick tip and the communication element. The processor is configured to receive a signal from the drumstick tip and to generate output to the communication element. The output so generated includes a signal that specifies a sound file selected by operation of the at least one control button.
US09117414B2
A display apparatus includes a display panel which receives a light, a backlight which provides the light to the display panel in response to a driving voltage, and a backlight driver which applies the driving voltage to the backlight. The backlight is turned on and off during a communication period to transmit data to an external receiver using visible light communication during the communication period. The backlight driver controls a voltage level of the driving voltage according to a number of turn-on periods of the driving voltage during the communication period.
US09117409B2
Display defects of a display device are suppressed. The display device includes in each pixel, a light-emitting element, a driving transistor which supplies current to the light-emitting element, and transistors in each of which a channel is formed in an oxide semiconductor layer. A transistor which controls whether to electrically connect a gate and a source of the driving transistor provided in each pixel is provided. The above transistor and a transistor which controls electrical connection between the gate of the driving transistor and another node are transistors in each of which a channel is formed in an oxide semiconductor layer. Accordingly, charge stored in the node electrically connected to the gate of the driving transistor can be arbitrarily retained or released. Consequently, display defects of the display device can be suppressed.
US09117408B2
In accordance with an operation content indicated by a user's operation data, an amount of scrolling is calculated, and a display range of a table to be displayed on a display apparatus is moved in the table in accordance with the amount of the scrolling. With respect to respective drawing areas, whether or not drawing start points, from which drawing character strings are to be drawn, stay within the display range is determined. When the drawing start point of a drawing area, among the drawing areas, falls outside the display range, the drawing start point of the drawing area is changed to a position which is in the drawing area and also which stays within the display range. The character strings are arranged in the respective drawing areas from the drawing start points set to the respective drawing areas, and the table in the display range is displayed on the display apparatus together with the arranged character strings.
US09117406B2
A display apparatus is provided which optimally restores decreased luminance and extends a life of a light emitting element. The display apparatus includes a memory that stores a plurality of trap levels in association with a plurality of use durations of the light emitting element. An obtainer determines one of the plurality of use durations of the light emitting element. A controller reads, from the memory, one of the plurality of trap levels associated with the one of the plurality of use durations, and removes a charge from the light emitting element by application of a reverse bias voltage having a level associated with the one of the plurality of trap levels. The controller changes the level of the reverse bias voltage which is applied to the light emitting element so that as the one of the plurality of use durations increases, the level of the reverse bias voltage increases.
US09117403B2
A display panel includes a unit for each sub-pixel, the unit including a plurality of openings, the unit having an array structure in which the openings are arranged in a close packing manner. In the array structure of the unit, when a single virtual opening is placed within a peripheral region of the unit, and a center of the virtual opening and centers of a plurality of openings located adjacent to the virtual opening are connected to one another by straight lines, only one basic figure for the arrangement in the close packing manner is created but two basic figures therefor are not created.
US09117402B2
An organic light emitting diode display device includes a plurality of pixels each including a plurality sub-pixels, the plurality of sub-pixels in each pixel arranged along a first direction; and a signal line providing a signal to each of the plurality of sub-pixels, wherein each of the plurality of sub-pixels includes an emission part and a transparent part arranged along a second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, and the emission part is connected to the signal line to receive the signal, and wherein the emission parts in adjacent sub-pixels along the first direction are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.
US09117399B2
There is provided a method of driving a pixel circuit that includes a light emitting element; a driving transistor that is connected to the light emitting element in series; and a storage capacitor that is interposed between a gate of the driving transistor and a path, which is formed between the light emitting element and the driving transistor.
US09117394B2
An image display device includes luminescence pixels arranged in rows and columns. The image display device includes a first and second signal lines, first control lines, and at least two drive blocks. Each drive block is composed of luminescence pixels in at least two rows. Each luminescence pixel includes a luminescence element and a current controller. Each luminescence pixel that belongs to a kth drive block further includes a first switch provided between the first signal line and the current controller. Each luminescence pixel that belongs to a (k+1)th drive block further includes a second switch provided between the second signal line and the current controller. Each first control line is connected to all of the luminescence pixels in one of the drive blocks and not connected to the luminescence pixels in a different drive block.
US09117385B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to multiview displays. Methods and apparatus are provided for receiving input parameters, evaluating the input parameters to determine resolution settings within the display constraints, and outputting the resolution settings to the multiview display to control display of image data. The resolution settings include color, temporal, spatial and view resolutions. The input parameters include viewer tracking information and content information associated with the image data. Some embodiments provide for determination of view resolution and/or power settings for the display based on viewer tracking information.
US09117378B2
An advertising system and method of use includes a rail car and an advertising billboard mounted thereon. Preferably, the billboard is adjustable so that advertising thereon can be positioned to face desired viewers, such as people traveling on roadways adjacent a railroad track. The billboard may rotate and/or be raised and lowered by a lift, which may include a telescoping post. An onboard electric power source is typically provided to power lights and other electric components. Outriggers may be used to help stabilize the rail car when parked especially for windy conditions. A security fence may be mounted on the rail car to protect various components thereon. The billboard may include one section which can be raised relative to another section for display purposes and lowered to provide a lower height during transport. The rail car may carry an additional billboard.
US09117367B2
An apparatus, method and computer program product for generating and annunciating to a flight crew if they are on or approaching a closed runway. The present invention alerts the pilot to operations on closed runways with appropriate and non-misleading information, thus allowing the pilot to make better decisions.
US09117366B1
A plurality of present novel and non-trivial communication methods employed between the participants of a trajectory management operation is disclosed. A trajectory coordinator (“TC”) generator may be configured to send data representative of a polling request to one or more of the participants, receive data responsive to the sending of the polling request, generate data representative of one or more proposed trajectories of the TC, and send data representative of each TC-proposed trajectory to an air navigation service provider (“ANSP”) and/or a dispatch center (“DC”). When presented to a controller of the ANSP or a dispatcher of the DC, one or more of the trajectories may be sent to the aircraft system. In response, each ANSP-selected trajectory and each DC-selected trajectory may be presented to the pilot whom selects and approves one of the selected trajectories. In response, the pilot-selected trajectory may be sent to the ANSP and DC.
US09117362B2
Described herein are various techniques for transferring command codes between multiple remote controls. A first controlled device receives a signal from a remote control associated with a second controlled device. The signal is associated with a command for the second controlled device. The first controlled device receives user input, assigning the command to a selected button of a second remote control. The first controlled device transmits a message to the second remote control. The message includes information utilized by the second remote control to reproduce the signal responsive to actuation of the selected button, allowing the second remote control to generate the command for the second controlled device.
US09117361B1
A hand sanitizer unit for use with a pump bottle using a user activated dispensing pump with a main body housing an electronic circuit and defining a sensor aperture for use with two passive infrared sensors separated by a mechanical lens baffle to detect movement and direction of the movement. The unit also includes a pump sensor positioned to detect dispensing or lack thereof of a hand sanitizer to sound an alarm when motion is detected and the pump sensor does not detect activation of the user activated dispensing pump. Further items include a mute control switch, communication system, and a direction of motion switch connected to the microprocessor. The programming flow and method of operation of the unit are also disclosed.
US09117351B2
A system for securing and charging handheld electronic devices of different charging voltages is disclosed. The system can include a security device with two charging ports to provide the ability to charge the battery of the handheld electronic device at two different charging voltages. The system can include an alarm activated when the alarm switch is activated or when the charging cable connected to the charging ports or the handheld electronic device is disconnected.
US09117350B2
A mobile terminal including a terminal body having a front surface and a rear surface; a front notification unit and a rear notification unit formed on the front surface and the rear surface, respectively, and configured to notify events generated in the mobile terminal using light emitted from light sources; a display module formed on the front surface together with the front notification unit; and a controller configured to selectively operate the front notification unit and the rear notification unit according to a placed status of the terminal body.
US09117345B2
In the game machine which includes a plurality of lottery machines having different lottery probabilities and executing a plurality of lotteries by a plurality of lottery machines selected as a predetermined combination among a plurality of lottery machines as a chance game provided in common to players, a plurality of station units is provided with a touch panel which receives an operation of the player. The game machine executes the lotteries by the plurality of lottery machines as the chance game in a predetermined order. The game machine changes at least one of the plurality of lottery machines into another lottery machine according to an operation input from the touch panel in case that a predetermined change condition is satisfied. The change of the combination of the plurality of lottery machines is applied to the chance game for other players playing the chance game.
US09117344B2
The present invention provides a gaming machine including gaming terminals having high payout rate without increasing loss on the management side. When a result of a base game associated with a payout is obtained, the gaming machine determines whether at least a competing game condition associated with the payout is satisfied or not and, when it is determined that the competing game condition is satisfied, sets neighboring gaming terminals as opponents. When the opponent participates in a competing game, a competing game for winning a payout by competing against the opponent is run. According to a result of the competing game, at least a part of the payout is given to the winner of the competing game, and no payout is given to the loser of the competing game.
US09117343B2
Examples disclosed herein relate to systems and methods, which may receive wagers on one or more paylines. The systems and methods may utilize one or more auto-play game functionality. The systems and methods may determine one or more payouts based on the one or more auto-play game functionality. The systems and methods may display one or more presentations based on the one or more auto-play game functionality.
US09117341B2
A system, method and apparatus provides a unique betting product where players make selections in one or more different events. Players who are in contention to win may be offered an opportunity to sell their tickets, in whole or in part, in response to a full or partial buy-out offer made at any time prior to completion of a wagering event.
US09117340B2
A method of player tracking includes generating, by a transmitting device, a signal modulated to contain an identification of the transmitting device, charging at least a portion of a first touch surface on the transmitting device with the signal such that the signal is present and transmittable, transmitting, the signal from the first touch surface through the signal conduit to a second touch surface on a receiving device, receiving, by a gaming system, an authentication request comprising the identification, authenticating, by the gaming system, the transmitting device based on the identification, and linking, by the gaming system, the transmitting device with the receiving device.
US09117335B2
Gaming machines having video depictions of one or more mechanical reels on a curved display are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the gaming machine includes a liquid crystal display having an opening in which the curved transparent material extends through the opening of the opening of the liquid crystal display.
US09117333B2
A game machine uses a lottery region containing the cells, provides a game opportunity that changes symbols on the cells by causing the symbols of a symbol group to appear on the portion of the cells, determines by lottery, at least a portion of the symbols which should constitute the symbol group, causes at least the portion of the symbols constituting the symbol group to appear in the lottery region based on a lottery result so as to change at least the portion of the symbols arranged on the cells by moving the symbol group including the symbol determined by the lottery result on a movement path containing two directions and stopping the symbol group so that at least the portion of the symbols of the symbol group is arranged on the cells, and determines a prize winning based on the symbols arranged on the cells by the symbol group.
US09117327B1
An ATM is configured to dispense both used currency bills that have been in public circulation and clean, new, uncirculated currency bills. The ATM provides users an option to receive the uncirculated currency bills in exchange for a clean cash surcharge fee.
US09117325B1
A charcoal dispensing apparatus dispenses charcoal into a bag. The apparatus includes a base and a post attached to and extending upwardly from the base. A drawer frame is coupled to a top end edge of the post. A hopper is attached to the drawer frame and is configured to store and dispense a plurality of charcoal briquettes. A slot is positioned in the drawer frame. A second drawer is slidably insertable into the slot and is configured to receive charcoal from the hopper when the second drawer is positioned within the slot. The second drawer is configured to dispense charcoal outwardly therefrom when the second drawer is extended outwardly of the drawer frame.
US09117322B2
A paper sheet processing apparatus that performs a recognizing process of a paper sheet includes: a paper sheet recognition sensor (11) that reads an image of a paper sheet; a number-attribute information memory (131) that stores number attribute information including number recognition conditions for recognizing a number given to a paper sheet; and an image processing unit (134) and a character recognizing unit (135) that recognize a number of a paper sheet from an image read by the paper sheet recognition sensor (11), based on number recognition conditions stored in the number-attribute information memory (131).
US09117318B2
Methods and systems for vehicle diagnostic detection and identification through vehicle sensitive skin are disclosed. Specifically, a method to monitor the exterior surface skin of a vehicle to enable detection and identification of damage to the vehicle exterior surface is disclosed. In one embodiment, a change in skin condition provides monitoring of vehicle performance and identifies vehicle operating abnormalities. In the event vehicle skin damage is detected, the system may take a number of actions. In one embodiment, the actions comprise notifying authorized users of the vehicle, a maintenance and diagnostics service provider, a security provider, and emitting a visual or audio alarm.
US09117315B2
When displaying a stereo image of radiographic images, troublesome work for indicating an abnormal shadow with a three-dimensional cursor is reduced. An abnormal shadow detection unit 8c detects abnormal shadows from radiographic images for left and right eyes for displaying a stereo image. When a plurality of abnormal shadows are detected, an abnormal shadow specification unit 8d specifies abnormal shadows corresponding to each other in two radiographic images. A display control unit 8e gives a three-dimensional cursor to a predetermined abnormal shadow of the plurality of abnormal shadows, and displays a stereo image using the radiographic images for left and right eyes.
US09117307B2
A method for creating a 2D or 3D finite element model of a rubber composite of a rubber matrix and fillers are disclosed. The method comprises a first step in which a region of the rubber matrix and a plurality of regions of the fillers are defined in a predetermined 2D or 3D space; a second step in which the regions of the rubber matrix and fillers are divided into primary elements to form a primary finite element model, wherein the primary elements are triangular elements and optional quadrilateral elements when the space is two-dimensional or tetrahedral elements and optional hexahedron elements when the space is three-dimensional; and a third step in which each of the primary elements is subdivided into quadrilateral elements when the space is two-dimensional or hexahedron elements when the space is three-dimensional.
US09117302B2
This disclosure presents techniques and structures for determining a rendering mode (e.g., a binning rendering mode and a direct rendering mode) as well as techniques and structures for switching between such rendering modes. Rendering mode may be determined by analyzing rendering characteristics. Rendering mode may also be determined by tracking overdraw in a bin. The rendering mode may be switched from a binning rendering mode to a direct rendering mode by patching commands that use graphics memory addresses to use system memory addresses. Patching may be handled by a CPU or by a second write command buffer executable by a GPU.
US09117295B2
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for generating fused depth maps. A plurality of initial depth maps are generated for a first image of a stereo pair, using at least two separate and distinct techniques for depth estimation. A plurality of initial depth maps are generated for a second image of the stereo pair, using at least two separate and distinct techniques for depth estimation. A fused depth map is generated for the first image based on the plurality of initial depth maps for the first image and the plurality of initial depth maps for the second image. A fused depth map is generated for the second image based on the plurality of initial depth maps for the second image and the plurality of initial depth maps for the first image.
US09117292B2
The present technique includes: an area-characteristic detector configured to calculate a maximum value, an average value, and a minimum value of signal levels of pixels around a certain pixel; a first gain creating part configured to calculate a first calculation value for the certain pixel; a second gain creating part configured to calculate a second calculation value for the certain pixel; and an adjustment part configured; to perform enhancement by multiplying the difference between the average value and the signal level of the certain pixel by the first calculation value when the signal level of the certain pixel is equal to or higher than the average value, and to perform enhancement by multiplying the difference between the average value and the signal level of the certain pixel by the second calculation value when the signal level of the certain pixel is lower than the average value.
US09117289B2
A medical imaging system includes: an image generating unit which captures an image of a subject and generates a medical image which is a still image; a region extracting unit which extracts a subject region from the medical image and extracts a local region which includes no edge from the subject region; a motion judging unit which extracts high spatial frequency components from the local region extracted by the region extracting unit and judges whether there is any motion in the subject during image capture based on the extracted high spatial frequency components; and a controlling unit which causes an outputting unit to output a judgment result made by the motion judging unit.
US09117287B2
An image analysis apparatus that analyzes, based on a series of three-dimensional images of lungs at different time phases, a three-dimensional distribution of ventilation volume of the lungs, includes a lung region extraction unit that extracts a lung region from each of the three-dimensional images; an alignment unit that aligns the lung regions between the series of three-dimensional images and calculates a displacement vector field in the lung region; a function calculation unit that calculates a local ventilation volume function representing a temporal change in ventilation volume at each point in the displacement vector field in each of the three-dimensional images based on the displacement vector field; and a quantification unit that quantifies a difference between the local ventilation volume function and a benchmark ventilation volume function serving as a reference and calculates a quantitative value representing the difference.
US09117283B2
Provided are an image processing apparatus, image processing method and a computer-readable, non-transitory medium that can accurately detect document edges from a readout image. The image processing apparatus includes a first edge pixel detector for detecting a plurality of first edge pixels from an input image, a straight line detector for detecting a straight line from the first edge pixels, a classifying module for classifying the first edge pixels into on-line edge pixels and non-on-line edge pixels, a second edge pixel detector for detecting second edge pixels located between two of the on-line edge pixels, when there is any one of the non-on-line edge pixels between two of the on-line edge pixels, and a determining module for determining whether the non-on-line edge pixel represents a document edge, based on whether the two on-line edge pixels are connected by the second edge pixels via the non-on-line edge pixel.
US09117277B2
Methods for determining a depth measurement of a scene which involve capturing at least two images of the scene with different camera parameters, and selecting corresponding image patches in each scene. A first approach calculates a plurality of complex responses for each image patch using a plurality of different quadrature filters, each complex response having a magnitude and a phase, assigns, for each quadrature filter, a weighting to the complex responses in the corresponding image patches, the weighting being determined by a relationship of the phases of the complex responses, and determines the depth measurement of the scene from a combination of the weighted complex responses.
US09117276B2
Provided are a method and a system for the correction of an optical satellite image, the method including: a first step in which a satellite image judgment unit inputs and receives a plurality of satellite images divided according to spectral information and judges whether or not some area is a missing satellite image; a second step in which when the satellite image judgment unit judges that the some areas is the missing satellite images, a first interpolation unit inputs and receives the plurality of satellite images and carries out one-dimensional interpolation for each satellite image; a third step in which a second interpolation unit carries out two-dimensional interpolation for each satellite image in which the one-dimensional interpolation is carried out; and a fourth step in which a satellite image composing unit composes a corrected satellite image by gathering each satellite image in which the two-dimensional interpolation is carried out.
US09117273B2
Accurate localization of isolated particles is important in single particle based super-resolution microscopy. It allows the imaging of biological samples with nanometer-scale resolution using a simple fluorescence microscopy setup. Nevertheless, conventional techniques for localizing single particles can take minutes to hours of computation time because they require up to a million localizations to form an image. In contrast, the present particle localization techniques use wavelet-based image decomposition and image segmentation to achieve nanometer-scale resolution in two dimensions within seconds to minutes. This two-dimensional localization can be augmented with localization in a third dimension based on a fit to the imaging system's point-spread function (PSF), which may be asymmetric along the optical axis. For an astigmatic imaging system, the PSF is an ellipse whose eccentricity and orientation varies along the optical axis. When implemented with a mix of CPU/GPU processing, the present techniques are fast enough to localize single particles while imaging (in real-time).
US09117269B2
Method for improving the visibly of objects and recognizing objects in a set of images recorded by one or more cameras, the images of said set of images being made from mutual different geometric positions, the method comprising the steps or recording a set or subset of images by means of one camera which is moved rather freely and which makes said images during its movement, thus providing an array of subsequent images, estimating the camera movement between subsequent image recordings, also called ego-motion hereinafter, based on features of those recorded images, registering the camera images using a synthetic aperture method, recognizing said objects.
US09117264B2
An information processing apparatus has a decomposition unit that decomposes an image into multiple frequency component images, a reduction unit that reduces linear noise included in the frequent component images, and a reconstruction unit that reconstructs the frequency component images with reduced linear noise.
US09117263B2
The noise in an image having text is removed by convolving a shaped kernel centered on a pixel for each pixel in the image. The shaped kernel has a shape configured to identify pixels that are not part of the text. For example, the shaped kernel may be shaped with zeros in a center of the kernel to identify pixels that are not part of the text. A value for the pixel is set to erase the pixel when the resulting convolution value for the pixel is less than a threshold. The process may be repeated multiple times for differently shaped kernels, including kernels of different sizes and different configurations, such as having values greater than one in at least one of a row, column, and diagonal.
US09117255B2
A method and system for generating a color-textured three-dimensional dental model is specific to a patient is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a three-dimensional dental model that is deficient of volumetric data for a three-dimensional anatomical landmark is obtained. A two-dimensional anatomical landmark of a two-dimensional intra-oral photograph that corresponds to the three-dimensional anatomical landmark of the three-dimensional dental model is identified. The two-dimensional intra-oral photograph is projected onto the three-dimensional dental model. The three-dimensional anatomical landmark is calculated from the projection of the two-dimensional anatomical landmark of the two-dimensional intra-oral photograph.
US09117252B2
An information processing device includes a first unit which predicts use data used in the future on the basis of action plan information resulting from prediction of an action of a user, and outputs use data identification information; a second unit which predicts a communication state in a situation indicated by the action plan information on the basis of the action plan information and communication environment information regarding a communication environment of the terminal, and outputs information regarding the predicted communication state; and a third unit which calculates a prefetch necessary degree regarding each of the use data on the basis of the use data identification information and the information regarding the predicted communication state.
US09117248B2
Utility usage data of a customer in numeric form provided by the utility meter data collection system in usage intervals of not less frequent than daily intervals is received, along with billing-related data of the customer. The received utility usage data of the customer is converted from numeric form to a graphical form that shows the total daily usage information for a calendar period that matches that for the printed utility bill of the customer. The graphical form is printed on the printed utility bill or on a paper suitable for use as an insert accompanying the printed utility bill to be mailed to the customer. In another embodiment, electricity usage data of the customer is received, along with electricity generation data regarding quantity and percentages of a utility's total electricity generation attributable to at least two the following electricity generation sources: Natural Gas-Baseload, Natural Gas-Peaking, Coal, Hydro, Nuclear, and Renewable. Information is derived regarding proportion of the customer's actual electricity usage attributable to the sources of electricity generation from the electricity generation data and the electricity usage data. Preferably, the carbon emissions attributable to the customer's actual electricity usage is calculated and presented to the customer.
US09117246B2
System and method for communicating between an insurer and insured. The system detects operating characteristics of a driver or vehicle, and a cost of insuring the driver or vehicle, as decided by the insurer in consideration of the detected operating characteristics. The system provides an interface system for communicating the operating characteristics and the cost of insuring the driver or vehicle between the insurer and the insured. The system provides a vehicle monitoring system for monitoring the operating characteristics and for providing mentoring feedback to a driver, and a storage system for storing the operating characteristics. The system includes a processing system for deciding the cost of insuring the driver or vehicle based upon the monitored operating characteristics.
US09117244B2
A system and methods are provided for using order descriptor identifiers in relation to orders being used in trading strategies. According to one example method, when a hedge order is submitted upon detecting a fill of another order, the hedge order includes one or more order descriptor identifiers conveying a purpose of the hedge order to a user. The order descriptor identifiers can be used to search for desired orders and perform more effective order management and post trade analysis.
US09117242B1
A computer-implemented system and method includes receiving, from a mobile device, a request to initiate a transaction. The method includes receiving, from the mobile device, a selection of a stored value card from among a plurality of stored value cards as a payment option for the transaction. Additionally or alternatively, the method includes receiving value card information from the mobile device of a user and transferring funds from the balance of the value card to the merchant. The method includes reducing the balance of the value card by the amount of the transferred funds.
US09117240B2
A social graph is built which includes interactions, sharing activity, and connections between the users of the open Web and can be used to improve ad targeting and content personalization. Sharing activity between two users will affect ads or content that both users will be presented while surfing the Web. This sharing activity includes sending of links, sending of videos, sending of files, cutting and pasting of content, sending text messages, and sending of e-mails. A technique can include a sender sending a first link to at least one recipient. When a first node representative of the sender in social graph is not identified and after receiving the activity information, creating a second node to represent the sender in the social graph.
US09117234B2
A system and method for an electronic transactional environment including a database, a server and a processor and a number of set-top boxes in communication with the server. The database stores user registration data and product information data relating to a plurality of products and the server broadcasts the product information data to the set top boxes. The server is further provided to transmit to the set top boxes updated product information data that replaces at least part of the previously transmitted product information data. Furthermore, the processor compares data relating to a transaction request from a user of one of the set top boxes with user registration data in order to identify the specific user. Based on the identified user, the processor generates customized transaction data for the specific user and the server transmits the customized transaction data and additional updated product information data to the set top box corresponding to the identified user.
US09117229B2
A method for generating revenue by growing sales of third-party applications, including: receiving, at a server communicatively coupled with a second application and from the second application located at a first device, an indication of a first application launching request, wherein the server includes a set of messaging functionalities that are available for implementation by the second application and are available for implementation by the first application upon delivery of an authentication token from the first application to the server; based on the receiving the indication of the first application launching request, generating an authentication token, wherein the authentication token is configured for providing an authentication pass to the server when delivered thereto by the first application, thereby allowing the first application access to the set of messaging functionalities; and sending the authentication token to the second application for delivery to the first application.
US09117218B2
A system and method for effectively performing an information distribution procedure includes user devices that perform registration procedures for receiving distribution services from a distribution system. The user devices are also used to generate user metadata regarding respective device users of the user devices. A plurality of workstations are associated in the distribution system with respective advertisers. The workstations analyze the user metadata to produce corresponding bid metadata. A bid server then evaluates the bid metadata to determine one or more winning workstations from among the original workstations. The one or more winning workstations automatically transmit their advertising information to appropriate ones of the user devices. Relevant advertising information is therefore specifically targeted toward individual device users by analyzing the user metadata.
US09117215B2
The present invention generally relates to design element translation. In particular, embodiments of the invention are directed to systems and methods for automated design element translation for user defined customizations for one product to an entire suite of products. Preferred embodiments of the invention are accomplished through the use of one or more web-based computing devices.
US09117208B2
Automated provisioning, according to one example embodiment, enables a mutual customer to establish an intelligent and automated connection between an accounting software system and their financial institution. For example, this might be achieved by allowing a financial institution customer to make feeds from their bank accounts available to the accounting software system within financial internet software (e.g., hosted and operated by the customer's financial institution). Once a customer selects the bank account(s) they want to share with the accounting software system, they are passed along to the accounting software system to link the selected bank account with an account they have set up in the accounting software system.
US09117203B2
An approach is provided for augmented social networking messaging. A message is generated for posting to a social networking service. Address information is determined for a group of one or more devices associated with one or more users. At least one of the one or more users is a non-subscriber to the social networking service. The addressing information is used to send the message to the group. A reply to the message is received from one of the devices of the group. Posting of the reply to the social networking service is initiated.
US09117201B2
Interview scheduling technologies are described. In one method, the interview-scheduling tool presents an interface to receive candidate availability information from a user for possible interview schedules for an interview candidate. The user interface permits the user to define an interview schedule framework that specifies desired criteria for a desired interview schedule for the interview candidate. The desired criteria of the interview schedule framework specify one or more interview sessions. The interview-scheduling tool receives the candidate availability information and the desired criteria and defines a data structure representing the interview schedule framework, wherein the data structure comprises a set of constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs). The interview-scheduling tool presents the interview schedule results that fit the desired interview schedule for selection by the user. The interview schedule results are automatically generated from the set of CSPs by a constraint solver tool and without additional user interaction at the user interface.
US09117194B2
Typical frequently-asked question (FAQ) systems perform keyword searches on queries to a database of answers to deliver an answer to a user. The present invention searches a user generated query in a classifier trained to search a database of questions in a set of FAQs. The questions in the database correspond to answers. Upon finding a relevant question, the system returns the corresponding answer to the user. Searching the query against the questions generates more accurate results for the user.
US09117189B2
A system and method for enhancing performance of a business process execution engine, utilizing a database, a cache, and a lock management system operating in cache. The lock management system, upon receiving a request for a stored business process instance, determines by accessing the cache whether stored business process instance is locked and if the lock is expired. The stored business process object is served to the business process execution engine if it is not locked or the lock is expired. The lock functionality is implemented by writing, rewriting, and/or erasing a companion lock object stored in the cache such that no database access is required to determine whether a stored business process instance is locked.
US09117186B2
The instant application describes a method for receiving, at a hub and from a first partner, a request for a common identifier for linking an account of the customer associated with the first partner with an account of the customer associated with a second partner to provide the customer with enhanced joint account services; in response to the request, generating the common identifier and providing the common identifier to the first partner; generating at the hub a common ID status based on a first partner customer ID status and a second partner customer ID status; and forwarding the common ID status to the first partner and the second partner.
US09117182B2
The various embodiments herein provide a method and system that provides curated, reliable information of destinations, information that is particularly relevant while planning a trip which travelers use to decide on what places to go and what activities to do. The system and method provides a preset itinerary of any place that is used or altered to their own liking using various tools and features. The system and method allows traveler/user to use itinerary from the social pool of the travel plans created by other users in the past. The system and method allows the traveler to change a set of preferences that govern the original plan and get a refreshed and up to the minute plan that contains a list of places in proximity to the current location.
US09117178B1
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system for assisting creation of messages, by automatically recommending data to be included therein. The system includes an application configured to accept a set of user inputs of a first classification to determine and provide a group of suggested data relevant to the set of user inputs of the first classification. The group of data is chosen from an evolving collection of data of a second classification. The user is able to select any or all from the group of suggested data to adopt as the user's own and/or to provide additional or different data, which are of the second classification. The user inputs and the user's selection(s) are values collected for use in subsequent determinations.
US09117166B2
A measurement device is disclosed, embodiments of which are adapted to withstand, detect, and record detection of heat cycle events, including autoclave cycles. Embodiments of the measurement device comprise a sensor for measuring a characteristic of a medium and a heat cycle detection unit. Embodiments of the heat cycle detection unit comprise a temperature or atmospheric pressure responsive element, a detection module, data interface, and data memory. In one disclosed embodiment, the temperature or pressure responsive element is configured to respond to a characteristic of a heat cycle event while the heat cycle detection unit is off. In another disclosed embodiment, the detection module is configured to automatically power off the heat cycle detection unit in response to detecting an autoclave cycle. Methods of using the devices are also disclosed.
US09117162B2
An image processing device comprises a color conversion unit that converts image data expressed in a first color space to ink quantity data expressed in a second color space, the ink quantity data comprising ink quantity data for chromatic color and ink quantity data for black; and a density adjustment unit that increases or decreases the ink quantity data for chromatic color based on a first adjustment value specified for chromatic color and increases or decreases the ink quantity data for black based on a second adjustment value specified for black.
US09117149B2
A carrier with the optical registration function is disclosed. The carrier allows the registration of inspected results of the sampling images of the sample to the corresponding address codes of the address coding site of the carrier.
US09117141B2
In a method and apparatus for identifying a region of interest in medical imaging data of a subject is described, an intensity projection image is generated from the medical imaging data. The medical imaging data is then processed to find one or more maxima in the medical imaging data. The found maxima are compared with the intensity projection image, and one of the maxima which is not represented in the intensity projection image is identified.
US09117140B2
Systems and methods of determining nitrogen levels from a digital image and in-season nitrogen measurement and fertilization of non-leguminous crops from digital image analysis are disclosed herein. In particular, a method of determining leaf nitrogen concentration and yield from a digital photograph of a fully developed leaf (collared leaf) of a crop of non-legumes, such as corn, wheat, rice, cotton, potatoes sugarcane, turfgrass or forage grass species. The digital image is processed to determine a dark green color index (“DGCI”), which is closely related to leaf nitrogen concentration and yield. Standardized color disks having known DGCI values are included in the digital photograph and serve as an comparative standard. The comparative standard allows correction of DGCI of samples when using different cameras and/or when lighting conditions change. The DGCI values can then be used to determine the amount of nitrogen fertilizer that should be applied to recover crop yield potential.
US09117139B2
An imaging apparatus includes a histogram shape determination unit that acquires a histogram of luminance values from video captured by an image capturing unit and determines whether or not the captured video is a night scene from the shape of the histogram. The imaging apparatus also includes a point light source determination unit that acquires the maximum value of contrast for each horizontal line in the video as a line evaluation value and determines whether the captured video is a night scene based on whether or not the line evaluation value has a characteristic of an object as a point light source. If the histogram shape determination unit and the point light source determination unit determine that the captured video is a night scene, the imaging apparatus determines that the scene captured by the image capturing unit is a night scene.
US09117136B2
An image processing method and an image processing apparatus for removing noise from an image are disclosed. A provided image processing method includes: dividing an input image into a luminance signal and a chrominance signal; removing noise from the luminance signal; restoring luminance signal present in the noise removed from the luminance signal; removing noise from the chrominance signal; and combining the luminance signal and the chrominance signal from which the noises are removed. Accordingly, an image of which an edge component is well preserved and a degree of color noise is low is generated not only in a general environment but also in a low light level and high sensitivity environment having a large amount of noise.
US09117132B2
The present disclosure relates to designing of a hierarchy of feature vectors. In one embodiment, a method for facilitating design of a hierarchy of feature vectors while recognizing one or more characters in a video is disclosed. The method comprises collecting one or more features from each of the segments in a video frame extracted from a video; preparing multi-dimensional feature vectors to classify the one or more characters; calculating a minimum distance between the multi-dimensional features vectors of a test character and the multi-dimensional feature vectors of a pre-stored character template; selecting, with respect to a decreasing order of the minimum distance, the multi-dimensional feature vectors to design a hierarchy of the multi-dimensional feature vectors; and classifying the characters based on the hierarchy of the multi-dimensional feature vectors.
US09117120B2
A system includes at least one sensor, and a computing device coupled to the at least one sensor. The computing device includes a processor, and a computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon. When executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to identifying a dominant eye of the occupant, determine a first position associated with the dominant eye of the occupant, determine a second position associated with the occupant, and determine a first line-of-sight by extending a first line-of-sight between the first position and the second position.
US09117116B1
A computer implemented method and apparatus for managing deadline content in a document. The method comprises extracting deadline content from a document; comparing the extracted deadline content to content in one or more existing deadline profiles; and providing for storage on a cloud server, at least one of the extracted deadline content when the extracted deadline content matches the content in an existing deadline profile, or the extracted deadline content and a new deadline profile for the document when the extracted deadline content does not match an existing deadline profile.
US09117108B2
A method for controlling the authorization of a person to access a secure area, particularly a cockpit of a passenger aircraft, is provided. According to the method, an access control apparatus for detecting a set of biometric features is provided, which apparatus can be enabled by entering a predetermined access code. The access code is transferred by the person to the access control apparatus. The access control apparatus detects a set of biometric features of the person transferring the access code. The set of biometric features of the person are saved. Access for the person for a predetermined time period is subsequently enabled. Solely verifying the set of biometric features of the person seeking access allows access to be enabled again for the person during the predetermined time period.
US09117101B2
A processing device for a medium may include magnetic heads which face a medium transport channel from a lower side, magnetic heads which face the medium transport channel from an upper side, pad rollers which are disposed so as to face each of the magnetic heads, a movement mechanism for evacuating pad rollers from the medium transport channel, and a movement mechanism for evacuating pad rollers from the medium transport channel. In the transport direction for the recording medium, the magnetic head and the magnetic head are offset from each other, and the distance between the magnetic head and the magnetic head in the direction is shorter than the length of the range for recording of magnetic data recorded upon a magnetic stripe of the recording medium.
US09117098B2
Traffic density is estimated around a host vehicle moving on a roadway. An object detection system remotely senses and identifies the positions of nearby vehicles. A controller a) predicts a path of a host lane being driven by the host vehicle, b) bins the nearby vehicles into a plurality of lanes including the host lane and one or more adjacent lanes flanking the predicted path, c) determines a host lane distance in response to a position of a farthest vehicle that is binned to the host lane, d) determines an adjacent lane distance in response to a difference between a closest position in an adjacent lane that is within the field of view and a position of a farthest vehicle binned to the adjacent lane, and e) indicates a traffic density in response to a ratio between a count of the binned vehicles and a sum of the distances.
US09117091B2
A computer implemented method includes introducing unpredictable temporal disruptions to the operating states of an authorized process and an unauthorized process. The authorized process is migrated to a virtual machine to avoid the unpredictable temporal disruptions while the unauthorized process is subject to the unpredictable temporal disruptions and thereby experiences an unstable environment that induces operating faults.
US09117088B2
A communication device may be configured to control access to geolocation services for applications on the communication device utilizing a first privacy access level setting that enables access to the geolocation services when selected, a second privacy access level setting that disables access to the geolocation services when selected, and other privacy access level settings that are different from, and fall between, the first privacy access level setting and the second privacy access level setting, and enable one time access to the geolocation services for the communication device when selected. The applications can include applications on the communication device that are managed and/or handled by a particular application service provider. The privacy access level settings comprise an anonymous one-time access and a non-anonymous one-time access.
US09117082B2
A method, computer program product and system for storing or updating authentications, e.g., passwords, in a boot code image, i.e., binary executable boot code, stored within a Read Only Memory (ROM), e.g., flash ROM, of a terminal from a remote central site. An authentication may be stored in the boot code image in a terminal from a central site by creating a file comprising a boot code image storing the authentication at the central site and then storing the created file in ROM in the terminal. The file may be downloaded from a server at the central site to the terminal. An authentication in the boot code image in a terminal may be updated remotely from a central site by updating the file associated with the boot code image, i.e., updating the authentication, at the central site and then downloading the updated file to the terminal.
US09117072B2
A method may include, in a computing device including a processor, memory, an operating system, and at least one installed application, detecting an attempted exploitation of at least one known vulnerability associated with the device. The attempted exploitation may be logged. At least one remedial action may be performed on the device based on the logged attempted exploitation. The known vulnerability may be associated with the operating system and/or the at least one installed application. The at least one known vulnerability may include one or more of at least one known coding flaw in the operating system or in the at least one installed application, at least one known weakness in a protocol running on the computing device, a known family of coding flaws in the operating system or in the at least one installed application, an unauthorized triggering of premium SMS services, and/or triggering of a hostile misconfiguration.
US09117055B2
A Digital Rights Management (DRM) service system providing digital content to which DRM technology is applied, when one or more DRM content is provided to a client device, download information for a DRM module capable of installing a DRM agent corresponding to a DRM system applied to the DRM content is provided together, making it possible for the client device to download the DRM module based on the download information, install the DRM agent, and use the DRM content.
US09117048B2
A layout pattern generating apparatus and a layout pattern generating method for an element used for layout design of a semiconductor integrated circuit (LSI) provide a reduction in time for generating a layout pattern with high versatility. The layout pattern generating apparatus for generating a layout pattern of each of elements included in a semiconductor integrated circuit, includes, for example, a storage, a basic figure generator, an additional figure generator, a display unit and an operation input unit. The apparatus and method also utilize at least terminal figure relative position information, figure adjustment value information, and additional figure relative position information, the additional figure being a figure other than the basic figure. The basic figure generator generates the effective area figure and the terminal figure of the layout pattern generation target element, and the additional figure generator generates the additional figure of the layout pattern generation target element.
US09117043B1
Processing a circuit design can include determining a first set of net sensitivity ranges for a net of the circuit design, wherein at least two net sensitivity ranges of the first set are partially overlapping, and translating the first set of net sensitivity ranges into a second set of net sensitivity ranges comprising a plurality of member net sensitivity ranges with no partially overlapping member net sensitivity ranges. A net sensitivity tree can be constructed that includes hierarchically ordered nodes. Each node can specify a net sensitivity range of one member of the second set of net sensitivity ranges.
US09117042B2
Methods of conducting design optimization of a product using multiple metamodels are described. First and the second metamodels are configured with common kernel function. Kernel width parameter is the output or result of the first metamodel while the second metamodel requires a set of substantially similar kernel width parameters defined a priori. Further, the second metamodel is configured with an anisotropic kernel. First and second metamodels are trained in two stages. In the first stage, kernel width parameters are obtained by fitting known responses (obtained in numerical simulations) into the first metamodel with one or more prediction trends. Additional kernel width parameter set is derived by algebraically combining the obtained kernel width parameters. The second metamodel is then trained by cross-validating with known responses using N trial sets of metamodel parameter values including the kernel width parameter values determined in the first stage along with various combinations of other parameters.
US09117041B2
A magnetic property analyzing apparatus includes a first computing unit to perform a magnetic field analysis utilizing a FEM using an average magnetization given with respect to each of elements to which an analyzing target is segmented, and a second computing unit that computes an effective magnetic field acting on each element using a magnetic field computed by the magnetic field analysis, computes magnetization vectors within each element by obtaining a time integral of a LLG equation using the effective magnetic field, and computes an average magnetization for each element by averaging the magnetization vectors.
US09117035B2
Systems, among other embodiments, include topologies (data and/or control/address information) between an integrated circuit buffer device (that may be coupled to a master, such as a memory controller) and a plurality of integrated circuit memory devices. For example, data may be provided between the plurality of integrated circuit memory devices and the integrated circuit buffer device using separate segmented (or point-to-point link) signal paths in response to control/address information provided from the integrated circuit buffer device to the plurality of integrated circuit buffer devices using a single fly-by (or bus) signal path. An integrated circuit buffer device enables configurable effective memory organization of the plurality of integrated circuit memory devices. The memory organization represented by the integrated circuit buffer device to a memory controller may be different than the actual memory organization behind or coupled to the integrated circuit buffer device. The buffer device segments and merges the data transferred between the memory controller that expects a particular memory organization and actual memory organization.
US09117034B2
A data processing apparatus includes a plurality of computation devices connected to each other by a communication path. Each of the computation devices includes: a switching section provided to each of terminals and switchable between an upper layer use state in which communication is performed by a communication section between a given terminal of a plurality of terminals and a corresponding internal path and there is no connection performed by a bypass section between a corresponding pair of the plurality of the terminals, and an upper layer non-use state in which communication is not performed by a communication section between the given terminal of the plurality of the terminals and the corresponding internal path and connection is performed by the bypass section between the corresponding pair of the plurality of the terminals.
US09117030B2
A system, method and computer program product to predict elapsed response time of a query during an application stage is disclosed. The query is executed over a database and is classified based on a mode of access of the database by the query. The database is emulated to obtain an emulated database. After classification, an access pattern of the database by the query along with one or more parameters is determined. By applying a classification specific technique over the access pattern and the one or more parameters, an input-access time of the query on the emulated database is then calculated to determine the elapsed response time of the query.
US09117027B2
The invention provides automated test suite for compliance testing of cloud storage server to a Cloud Data Management Interface (CDMI) by performing functional testing of CRUD (Create, Read, Update, and Delete) operations. It offers a solution containing test scripts for validating the response from CRUD operations performed on CDMI objects and checks for the cloud storage to be CDMI compliant.
US09117024B2
Systems, methods, and apparatus are described for the handling of biological specimens for analysis. The systems, methods and apparatus are designed to reduce errors in misidentification, incorrect processing, and recordkeeping and reporting. The systems, methods, and apparatus can also provide real time tracking of samples at any stage, from collection to processing to analyzing to storage.
US09117017B2
According to embodiments of the invention, methods, computer readable storage medium, and a computer system for providing multiple versions of elements of a program in a single compile are disclosed. The method may include receiving a request to compile a current version of a program for debug. The method may also include identifying, by an integrated development environment, a previous version of an element of the program, wherein the previous version of the element is identified by comparing the current version of the program to a previous version of the program. The method may also include inserting the previous version of the element into the current version of the program. The method may also include creating a compiler directive identifying the previous version of the element. The method may also include compiling the current version of the program for debug.
US09117016B2
Label and verification systems and methods to assist with manual labeling and verification of various types of products including medical items that may be filled as part of a customer order, including boxes, cards, bottles, and many other known types of containers. The label and verification system prompts a user to scan a product label on a product, determines whether the product label corresponds to one of the medical items in the customer order, and then prints a patient label for the product. After prompting the user to affix the patient label to the product and rescan the product, the system verifies that the correct patient label and product label are on the product from the customer order. The system and method may be operable to label more than 90% of containers commonly used to hold medications and medical items with increased speed and accuracy.
US09117012B2
A medical apparatus comprises a machine (2) for treatment of fluids provided with means (3) for treating a patient's blood which exhibits a control unit (4) for sending command signals and receiving information relating to the treatment under way on the patient. The machine further comprises an internet web server (11) containing a predetermined number of web pages which are remotely accessible and consultable via a common web browser (18). At least a web page reproduces the graphic user interface on the display (6) of the medical machine (2) substantially in real-time. A plurality of further information and data relating to the medical machine is further published in the web pages.
US09117008B2
A display apparatus comprises an obtaining unit that obtains information associated with a human body to be examined, a forming unit that forms, based on information on a radiographing range of a radiographing apparatus with respect to the human body to be examined included in the obtained information, a graphic showing the radiographing range of the radiographing apparatus onto a body diagram of the human body to be examined; and a display control unit that controls a display unit to display the formed graphic.
US09117004B2
A computer implemented method for presenting a user-interface on a device, the method includes the steps of loading an user interface on the device, the user interface having at least one media element, reading a media element including a plurality of object elements, selecting at least one object element within the media element based on a platform information of the device, and presenting a media content of the media element using a parameter set in the at least one object element.
US09116997B2
Determining preference activities to present to a current user includes: obtaining a plurality of candidate preference activities; determining a recommendation weight for one of the plurality of candidate preference activities with respect to the current user; and presenting at least some of the plurality of candidate preference activities based on recommendation weights corresponding to the plurality of candidate preference activities.
US09116994B2
Search engine optimization for all digital content of an entity, including category specific content such as images, videos, products, news, places, and other content, can change the entity's visibility on the internet, particularly on search engine result pages. A method for increasing search engine optimization of digital content can include performing a search and analyzing the search results to identify category specific search results. The method can further include determining an equivalent search engine ranking for each category specific search result that depends on one or more factors and making a recommendation on how to increase the search engine optimization of the entity's digital content.
US09116967B2
Methods and apparatus to interface an application to a database are disclosed. An example method includes determining a query used by an application that is to communicate with a database via a database driver. The query is tested on the database via the database driver. Such testing includes storing a query template when a received result of the query matches an expected result of the query. A database access framework is generated to interface between the application and the database driver based on the stored query template.
US09116965B2
A method of monitoring a system is disclosed, in particular to identify the cause of conditions outside expected operating conditions. The output of one or more sensors associated with a system is monitored and data from the one or more sensors is arranged as a plurality of modes with each mode being defined by a different condition in which the system may operate. Faulty conditions are identified by monitored data being outside one of the plurality of modes. The use of a plurality of modes enables operation of the system to be defined and tracked more precisely and false alarms may be reduced. At least one of the modes may be established to indicate a particular failure of the system. This failure mode may have a likely cause of the failure associated with it such that diagnosis and repair may be facilitated quickly and easily.
US09116958B2
Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to sample signed weighted updates. Example methods disclosed herein include identifying a first key associated with a data update obtained by sampling a stream of data received from a plurality of nodes in a network, the first key being representative of a first node in the plurality of nodes, adjusting a first value associated with the first key based on a weight associated with the data update, the weight being positive when the data update corresponds to opening of a new data connection with the first node, the weight being negative when the data update corresponds to closing of an existing data connection with the first node, and estimating a status of the first node based on the first value.
US09116955B2
In one aspect, in general, a method of generating a dataflow graph representing a database query includes receiving a query plan from a plan generator, the query plan representing operations for executing a database query on at least one input representing a source of data, producing a dataflow graph from the query plan, wherein the dataflow graph includes at least one node that represents at least one operation represented by the query plan, and includes at least one link that represents at least one dataflow associated with the query plan, and altering one or more components of the dataflow graph based on at least one characteristic of the at least one input representing the source of data.
US09116947B2
A record-pattern expression of a record pattern of data records is translated to a character-pattern expression of a character pattern. A data-record series of data records is converted to a character string in which each character in the character string corresponds to a respective data record in the data-record series. Pattern instances of the character pattern in the character string are searched to identify ordinal character positions in the character string of characters in the character pattern instances. Data records at ordinal record positions in the record series of data records corresponding to the ordinal character positions are reported.
US09116939B2
Technologies are generally provided for progressive key value store switchover by evaluating a maturity of a migrated data store and allowing piecewise switching of substructure area query servicing from an origin data store to a destination data store. In some examples, abstractions of origin and destination tree structures may be compared to each other in order to generate an evaluation metric at substantially reduced performance evaluation load. The evaluation metric may target performance sampling while assuring a desired performance level with localized query servicing switchover. Piecewise data transfer may also be optionally enabled such that overall storage can be similar to the storage of a single data store copy while reducing an impact on existing data store services.
US09116934B2
A computer implemented method for repairing records of a database, comprises determining a first set of records of the database which violate a functional dependency of the database, determining a second set of records of the database comprising duplicate records, computing a cost metric representing a measure for the cost of mutually dependently modifying records in the first and second sets, modifying records in the first and second sets on the basis of the cost metric to provide a modified database instance.
US09116927B2
Methods and apparatuses for searching unconsciously captured documents and publishing the results are disclosed. Documents processed by one or more networked devices are saved to a storage device coupled to the network. The documents can be searched to retrieve desired documents. In one embodiment, the desired documents are published in response to a single user action, for example, a mouse click or a spoken command. The documents can be published, for example, on the World Wide Web via a Web server or other devices. The documents can also be published to other networks, distributed via electronic mail, or published in any other manner.
US09116924B2
An image selection method includes receiving a collection of images and optionally, filtering the collection of images. The filtering may include removing images that are near-duplicates of other images in the collection. A plurality of features is extracted from each of the images in the optionally-filtered collection. The optionally-filtered collection of images is considered as a time-ordered sequence of images and is segmented to form a sequence of segments. Each segment includes at least one of the images. The segmenting of the sequence of images is based on the extracted features and positions of the images in the sequence of images. Images from the segments are selected to form a sub-collection of the images.
US09116919B2
A method of evaluating an attribute of a point of interest 150 comprises associating a region 152 with the point of interest 150; and evaluating 148 the attribute according to a comparison of position data 154,156,158 of a plurality of users with position data defining the associated region.
US09116910B2
A computer-implemented method for efficient data storage is provided. A first storage medium associates data stored on one or more data storage media with a unique identification value (ID) for the purpose of determining de-duplication status of the data. In response to receiving a request to read the data from a logical address, the first storage medium retrieves the data from a second storage medium based on the unique ID. In response to receiving a request to write the data to a logical address, the one or more data storage media store at least one copy of the data based on the de-duplication status of the data.
US09116901B2
Analysis tools summarize and provide statistics from snapshot files. The analysis tools may provide a temporal view of the changes of the data values across two or more periods of time from one or more snapshot files to show trends in performance of the system. The analysis tools may include meta-data definitions for different sources of the snapshot information.
US09116889B2
A method, system and apparatus for publishing activity tasks in a collaborative environment can include the step of publishing selected activity tasks for status viewing by other collaborators in the collaborative environment. In one aspect of the invention, the publishing step can include the step of publishing selected activity tasks for viewing by a subset of the collaborators in the collaborative environment. In another aspect of the invention, the publishing step can include the step of publishing selected activity tasks for viewing by the collaborators in the collaborative environment only for a specified duration. In yet another aspect of the invention, the publishing step can include both publishing selected activity tasks for viewing by the collaborators in the collaborative environment, and periodically updating a status for each of the selected activity tasks.
US09116887B2
Provided is an apparatus for identifying a medicinal substance. A tray receives and concurrently supports a plurality of pills formed at least in part from the medicinal substance. A computer-readable memory stores a drug database including one or more identifying features for identifying different pills formed at least in part from different medicinal substances. A recognition device is arranged to interrogate the pills on the tray and detect at least one of the identifying features from the pills. A controller receives the identifying feature(s) detected by the recognition device and determines the identity of the medicinal substance from among the different medicinal substances in the drug database based on the identifying feature(s).
US09116876B2
Some novel features pertain to a memory controller that includes a memory controller logic, a built-in-self-tester (BIST) logic, and a switch. The memory controller logic is for controlling memory on a memory die. The built-in-self tester (BIST) logic is for testing the memory. The switch is coupled to the BIST logic and the memory. In some implementations, the BIST logic bypasses the memory controller logic when testing the memory by accessing the memory through the switch. The switch may be controlled by the BIST logic. In some implementations, the switch is coupled to the memory controller logic. The switch may control data to the memory that is transmitted from the memory controller logic and the BIST logic based on priority of the data.
US09116875B2
According to one embodiment, a test circuit is provided comprising a tester configured to perform a test routine comprising a plurality of test commands for testing an electronic circuit, wherein the tester comprises a checker configured to, if a test command of the plurality of test commands is to be performed, check, whether there is currently a state in which performing the test command could lead to a damage of the electronic circuit and configured to, in case it determines that there is currently a state in which performing the test routine could lead to a damage of the electronic circuit, output a signal indicating that performing the test routine could lead to a damage of the electronic circuit.
US09116873B2
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for adjusting load at a device under test are disclosed. According to one method, the method occurs at a testing platform. The method includes determining whether a current operations rate associated with a device under test (DUT) is near a target operations rate, wherein the current operations rate is associated with one or more simulated users being simulated by the testing platform. The method also includes adjusting the current operations rate by increasing or decreasing the number of simulated users interacting with the DUT in response to determining that the current operations rate associated with the DUT is not near a target operations rate.
US09116869B2
Embodiments of systems, apparatuses, and methods for posting interrupts to virtual processors are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes look-up logic and posting logic. The look-up logic is to look-up an entry associated with an interrupt request to a virtual processor in a data structure. The posting logic is to post the interrupt request in a data structure specified by information in the first data structure.
US09116868B2
In various embodiments, a method, a system, and a computer-readable medium are disclosed for creating a pool of images available for display, such as in one or more web pages. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes generating a pre-determined number N of numbers and encoding an instruction in a markup language document. The instruction includes the N numbers and is executed by one or more processors to select N images for insertion into the markup language document. The N images are selected from all available images using the N numbers, and the N images are placed in the markup language document at one or more respective locations defined in the instruction with the N images to be displayed on one or more web pages. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US09116862B1
A system that implements a data storage service may store data on behalf of storage service clients. The system may maintain data in multiple replicas of various partitions that are stored on respective computing nodes in the system. The system may employ a single master failover protocol, usable when a replica attempts to become the master replica for a replica group of which it is a member. Attempting to become the master replica may include acquiring a lock associated with the replica group, and gathering state information from the other replicas in the group. The state information may indicate whether another replica supports the attempt (in which case it is included in a failover quorum) or stores more recent data or metadata than the replica attempting to become the master (in which case synchronization may be required). If the failover quorum includes enough replicas, the replica may become the master.
US09116860B2
Cascading failover of blade servers in a data center implemented by transferring by a system management server a data processing workload from a failing blade server to an initial replacement blade server, with the data processing workload characterized by data processing resource requirements and the initial replacement blade server having data processing resources that do not match the data processing resource requirements; and transferring by the system management server the data processing workload from the initial replacement blade server to a subsequent replacement blade server, where the subsequent replacement blade server has data processing resources that better match the data processing resource requirements than do the data processing resources of the initial replacement blade server.
US09116849B2
Technologies for de-duplicating encrypted content include fragmenting a file into blocks on a computing device, encrypting each block, and storing each encrypted block on a content data server with associated keyed hashes and member identifications. The computing device additionally transmits each encrypted block with an associated member encryption key and member identification to a key server. As part of the de-duplication process, the content data server stores only one copy of the encrypted data for a particular associated keyed hash, and the key server similarly associates a single member encryption key with the keyed hash. To retrieve the file, the computing device receives the encrypted blocks with their associated keyed hashes and member identifications from the content data server and receives the corresponding member decryption key from the key server. The computing device decrypts each block using the member decryption keys and combines to blocks to generate the file.
US09116846B2
Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for virtual machine (VM) backup from a storage snapshot. An embodiment operates by receiving selective backup parameters including a VM to backup and then creating a VM snapshot associated with the VM. Next, an offset table associated with a virtual disk of the VM stored on a storage is retrieved. The embodiment further includes generating a storage snapshot and deleting the VM snapshot and then promoting the storage snapshot to a new logical unit number. The promoted storage snapshot is then mounted to the backups server. The virtual disk data is backed up to a backup storage using the offset table from the storage snapshot. The storage snapshot is dismounted from the backup server and deleted from the storage.
US09116840B2
A semiconductor device has: as security states to which the nonvolatile memory device can transition, an unprotected state in which, when secret information is not set in the nonvolatile memory device, rewriting the nonvolatile memory device is permitted, and reading the stored information is permitted; a protection unlocked state in which, when the secret information is set in the nonvolatile memory device, rewriting the nonvolatile memory device is permitted on condition that a result of authentication using the secret information is correct, and reading the stored information is permitted; and a protection locked state in which, when the secret information is set in the nonvolatile memory device, rewriting the nonvolatile memory device is inhibited until correctness as a result of authentication using the secret information is confirmed, and reading the stored information is inhibited under a predetermined condition.
US09116839B2
Method(s) and system(s) for identifying horizontally transferred genes are described herein. The method includes defining a cuboid in a three dimensional space, wherein the cuboid includes fragment points corresponding to the genomic fragments belonging to a plurality of sequenced microbial genomes, and dividing the cuboid into a plurality of grids. The method further includes selecting one or more grids corresponding to a selected genome and classifying each of the selected grids as one of majority, minority, and mixed grids, based on number of fragment points corresponding to the selected genome in each of the selected grids. Further, at least one genomic fragment from the minority and the mixed grids is identified as the horizontally transferred gene based on a distance ratio assessment.
US09116827B2
A system(s), method(s) and computer program product to optimize Luby Transform codes to facilitate a transmission of data over a communication network are disclosed. Demands from various sinks are received and a demand vector is calculated. Various sources are employed with LT codes to encode the data. A Generalized LT code (GLT) is generated for an objective function determined for a given demand vector irrespective of the LT codes employed at the sources. Morphing rules are designed by optimizing a degree distribution of the data and mapping LT codes to the generalized LT codes. The GLT is optimized by using a linear transformation to obtain optimal morphing rules. The LT codes are retargeted by re-encoding an LT encoded data to further obtain an LT re-encoded data. The LT re-encoded data is then transmitted by a relay device to plurality of sinks.
US09116824B2
A data storage device includes a memory and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a read request that indicates a logical address. The controller is further configured to perform a first read operation to retrieve a representation of an entry of a logical mapping table from the memory, and perform a second read operation to retrieve a representation of a codeword from the memory. The controller is further configured to decode the representation of the codeword to determine whether an error exists at the entry, and, prior to completion of decoding, to initiate a third read operation to retrieve first read data from a first physical address corresponding to the logical address as determined based on the representation of the entry.
US09116821B2
Methods and systems are provided to allow personal computer users to virtualize a local USB device so that they can remotely connect to a server and interact with the server as if the local USB device was physically connected to the server. They connect a remote USB target hardware device to the target system through a physical USB connection, and the device interacts with the local user's computer over a network. The target system is unaware that the USB device is not connected directly to the system through a physical connection, and the target system does not need special software to implement the remote USB device. The USB target hardware device connected to the target computer may be physically connected and disconnected.
US09116813B2
An abstraction for storage class memory is provided that hides the details of the implementation of storage class memory from a program, and provides a standard channel programming interface for performing certain actions, such as controlling movement of data between main storage and storage class memory or managing storage class memory.
US09116810B2
Described are methods and circuits for margin testing digital receivers. These methods and circuits prevent margins from collapsing in response to erroneously received data, and can thus be used in receivers that employ historical data to reduce intersymbol interference (ISI). Some embodiments detect receive errors for input data streams of unknown patterns, and can thus be used for in-system margin testing. Such systems can be adapted to dynamically alter system parameters during device operation to maintain adequate margins despite fluctuations in the system noise environment due to e.g. temperature and supply-voltage changes. Also described are methods of plotting and interpreting filtered and unfiltered error data generated by the disclosed methods and circuits. Some embodiments filter error data to facilitate pattern-specific margin testing.
US09116803B1
Various systems and methods for placing a virtual machine on one of a plurality of candidate physical machines. For example, one method can involve generating a list that comprises entries for a virtual machine. Each entry in the list indicates a portion of data that is associated with the virtual machine. The method then involves calculating a number of common entries between the list and each of a plurality of candidate lists, where a common entry is an entry that is included in the respective candidate list and in the list. Each candidate list is associated with a computing device. In response to detecting which candidate list has the most common entries, the method involves assigning the virtual machine to the computing device associated with that candidate list.
US09116794B2
An exemplary embodiment provides a non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable program executable by the computer, for writing data in a semiconductor storage device capable of storing a plurality of bits in one memory cell. The program causes the computer to perform an allocation step of allocating a first area for storing first data in a storage area of a semiconductor storage device and a writing step of writing the first data only in an area of use, with a prescribed size from a boundary of the first area being defined as a protection area and a remaining area being defined as the area of use in response to a request for writing the first data.
US09116783B2
A bus connection circuit connects a bus master and a plurality of bus slaves. The bus connection circuit includes a mirror area access detecting circuit and a processing circuit. The mirror area access detecting circuit detects that the bus master accesses a mirror area of a first bus slave of the plurality of bus slaves, and output a detection signal based on a detection result. The processing circuit executes processing preset in correspondence to the detection result, to an area or data as an access object, based on the detection result.
US09116781B2
Embodiments generally relate to a command protocol and/or related circuits and apparatus for communication between a memory device and a memory controller. In one embodiment, the memory controller includes an interface for transmitting commands to the memory device, wherein the memory device includes bitline multiplexers, and accessing of memory cells within the memory device is carried out by a command protocol sequence that includes a wordline selection, followed by bitline selections by the bitline multiplexers. In another embodiment, a memory device includes bitline multiplexers and further includes an interface for receiving a command protocol sequence that specifies a wordline selection followed by bitline selections by the bitline multiplexers.
US09116779B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and computer program product for automated discovery and analysis of test management domain assets. The system includes a host server, a unified repository of test management artifact data, a plurality of crawlers disposed in the host server. Each crawler including a configuration of program code to crawl a remotely disposed repository of test management artifacts of a particular repository type in order to locate test management artifacts. A plurality of analyzers, each analyzer including a configuration of program code to parse test management artifacts of a particular repository type located by the crawlers into test management artifact data and to store the test management artifact data in the unified repository data. The system can also include a query interface to the unified repository through which queries are applied to the test management artifact data stored within the unified repository.
US09116777B1
A method for performing process instance migration between a source workflow environment and a target workflow environment is provided. The method includes a server computing system, exporting a source workflow environment to a target workflow environment. The method further includes the server computing system, migrating process instances from the source workflow environment to the target workflow environment. The method further includes, if a jump function of the target workflow environment is restricted to an activity sequence, a target computing system of the target workflow environment, adjusting the exported process models. The method further includes the target computing system, initializing another process instance, from the exported process models in the target workflow environment.
US09116766B2
In an example embodiment, a mobile application framework is provided. This includes a core component configured to expose one or more application program interfaces (APIs) that initialize the mobile application framework when executed. This also includes a user interface component configured to encapsulate a metadata-driven view for the mobile application. This also includes a data component configured to provide bindings to one or more business objects defining data for the mobile application. This also includes a configuration component configured to read and parse metadata in the one or more configuration files and transform the metadata to constructs native to the mobile application.
US09116740B2
A method and system for generating a heartbeat of a process including at least one machine configured to perform a process cycle consisting of a plurality of timed events performed in a process sequence under an identified condition includes determining the duration of each of the timed events during the process cycle performed under the identified condition, ordering the durations of the plurality of timed events in the process sequence, and generating a heartbeat defined by the ordered durations of a process cycle. The identified condition may be one of a design intent, baseline, learnt, known, current or prior condition. The variance of the heartbeat between a first and at least a second identified condition may be analyzed to monitor and/or control the process or machine. The system may display the process heartbeat information and may generate a message in response to the heartbeat and/or variance thereof.
US09116734B1
A method of monitoring symptoms of a person includes repeating, over a period of time, the steps of: selecting, by the person, one or more symbolic representations corresponding to one or more symptoms from a predefined set of symbolic representations presented to the person; and electronically recording data regarding the one or more symbolic representations selected by the person such that the data is electronically accessible later for generating a history of the symptoms of the person over the period of time. The data is transferred over virtual networks using virtual dispersive routing and stored in dispersive storage area networks (SANs). The data is classified as trusted, corrupted, invalid or uncertain, and/or as trusted, ambiguous and inadequate.
US09116726B2
A virtualized computer system employs a virtual disk. Multiple snapshots of the virtual disk can be created. After a snapshot is created, writes to the virtual disk are captured in delta disks. Two snapshots are consolidated by updating block references in snapshot meta data. Block reference update takes advantage of the fact that blocks for the two snapshot are managed within the same storage container and, therefore, can be moved in the snapshot logical space without incurring data copy operations. Consolidation of delta disks also gracefully handles failures during the consolidation operation and can be restarted anew after the system has recovered from failure.
US09116716B2
Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to systems and methods to process a declaratively-specified computer application by interpreting a structure and a behavior specification. Application data items are interpreted using a processing concrete model based on the structure specification. Application functionality is provided by processing the application data items in accordance to the behavior specification. The application information may further be used in an embodiment of the disclosure to perform additional processing and provide an added functionality. Various embodiments of the disclosure allow additional functions for declarative application such as performing domain activities, accessing data items, transferring application data, storing data and milestones and rendering data items.
US09116714B2
The present disclosure relates to a method and system for file processing. The file processing method may include the steps of scanning a source files, identifying a target code block, and generating a first abstract syntax tree (AST) reflecting the structure of the target code block. The file processing method may further include the steps of identifying a position to place a plugin code, placing the plugin code into the first AST, generating a second AST reflecting the structure of the target code block with the plugin code, and using the write-back interface to write the second AST into the source file. The present disclosure may improve the efficiency and enhance the flexibility of the file processing system.
US09116710B2
A system and method for facilitating authoring computer code to facilitate rendering a display of data via a user interface display screen. An example method includes accepting a signal from a user input device to specify an attribute in accordance with a definition of a class of attributes in a data model; providing the specification of the attribute to a software component characterizing a webpage, wherein the software component includes an indicator for dynamic rendering of at least a portion of data included in the data model and associated with the attribute; and storing the definition of the class of attributes and data associated with the attribute, for retrieval and rendering of the data on a target device. The example method may include providing a mechanism for modifying attributes of the data model and propagating data model changes to webpage computer code.
US09116695B2
A non-transitory computer readable medium stores instructions that, when executed, cause a data processing apparatus, which includes a first input/output section and which is driven by a battery, to: judge whether the first input/output section is set as the input/output section; judge whether the remaining battery level of the battery is not less than a first reference remaining level; judge whether the data processing apparatus includes a second input/output section requiring a power consumption lower than that of the first input/output section; and switch or output a notification to switch the input/output section from the first input/output section to the second input/output section, in a case that the first input/output section is set as the input/output section; that the remaining battery level is less than the first reference remaining level; and that the data processing apparatus includes the second input/output section.
US09116686B2
A method for suppressing prediction of a backward branch instruction used in a vector partitioning loop includes detecting the first backward branch instruction that occurs after a predicate generating instruction. The predicate generating instruction generates a predicate vector that is dependent upon a dependency vector where each element of the dependency vector indicates whether a data dependency exists between elements of a vector instruction. The method also includes receiving an indication of a prediction accuracy of a prediction of the backward branch instruction. If the prediction accuracy does not satisfy a threshold value, the prediction of the backward branch instruction is suppressed until the dependency vector on which the predicate-generating instruction depends is available.
US09116684B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for receiving incoming data in a processor and performing a checksum operation on the incoming data in the processor pursuant to a user-level instruction for the checksum operation. For example, a cyclic redundancy checksum may be computed in the processor itself responsive to the user-level instruction. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09116678B2
An I/O module such as a card reader module for connecting a computer having a first and second USB port is disclosed. The I/O module includes an I/O controller connecting the first USB port, a charging controller connecting the second USB port and a third USB port connecting the charging controller. The I/O controller determines what a power state of the computer is according to communication between the first USB port and the I/O controller and then sends a control signal depending upon the power state to the charging controller. The charging controller changes the third USB port into a pure charger mode without data transfer or a normal mode with both charging and data transfer capabilities according to the control signal.
US09116675B2
A system and method for determining a median value in a set of values in a digital processing circuit is provided. The method comprises the following steps—(a) for each value in the set, comparing the value to each other value in the set, (b) for each comparison, assigning an index based upon the comparison and (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for each value in the set. The method further comprises (d) performing an arithmetic operation based upon the indices for each value, (e) comparing the result of step (d) with a threshold and (f) selecting the median value based upon the comparison performed in step (e).
US09116671B2
A storage device with wireless router function includes a main module having a base board, and a network connector. A USB controller, a memory and a router chip are located on the base board. One end of the base board is equipped with a first connector. The USB controller, the memory and the first connector are coupled with the router chip. The storage device performs a data storage function via electrically plugging the first connector to an electronic product and accessing data in the memory. The network connector is electrically connected to the router chip of the base board. The network connector is capable of being further connected to a local area network via a wire link so as to make the storage device perform a wireless router function through the router chip providing a wireless LAN to wirelessly connect the electronic product with an internet.
