US09148978B2

An air flow accelerator for creating an air current. The air flow accelerator comprises an air inlet, an air outlet, an impeller, and a motor for rotating the impeller to create an air flow passing from the air inlet to the air outlet. The air outlet comprises a first elongate plenum having an interior passage for receiving the air flow, and a second elongate plenum connected to the first elongate plenum by a common wall between the first elongate plenum and the second elongate plenum. The common wall has a plurality of apertures therein. The second elongate plenum comprises a plurality of chambers such that one or more of the apertures connects to each of the chambers. The second elongate plenum further comprises a narrow slot for emitting the air flow. The air flow emitting from the slot forms a jet inducing a flow of air from outside the air flow accelerator.
US09148974B2

A first riser card of an apparatus in an example substantially axially connects with a first serial connection external interface of a printed circuit board (PCB) and at least in part laterally connects with a parallel connection external interface of a first memory module. The first riser card supports the first memory module with avoidance of abutment of the first memory module with a second memory module supported by a second riser card that is adjacent to the first riser card.
US09148966B2

An electronic device includes: a printed circuit board; a casing including an upper case that covers the printed circuit board from an upper face side and a lower case that covers the printed circuit board from a lower face side, the casing housing the printed circuit board; a keyboard interposed between the printed circuit board and the upper case; an expansion unit interposed between the keyboard and the lower case; and a support member including a lattice portion that is interposed between the keyboard and the printed circuit board and that supports the keyboard with respect to the printed circuit board, with a portion of the lattice portion formed with an expansion unit housing opening that the expansion unit is disposed in.
US09148960B2

Embodiments disclosed herein include receiver optical assemblies (ROAs) having a photo-detector remotely located from a differential transimpedance amplifier (TIA). Related components, circuits, and methods are also disclosed. By providing the photo-detector remotely located from a TIA, additional costs associated with design constraints of providing the photo-detector intimate with a TIA may be avoided, thereby reducing cost of the ROA. In this regard as a non-limiting example, the ROAs according to the embodiments disclosed herein allow shorter haul active optical cable applications for use in consumer applications from a cost standpoint with the added benefits of increased bandwidth and low noise performance of optical fiber. In this regard, the ROAs disclosed herein provide higher input impedance differential TIA circuits and transmission circuits inhibiting or reducing ringing effects and maintain a sufficiently low resistance-capacitance (RC) time constant for differential TIA circuit to allow for higher bandwidth operation of the ROA.
US09148952B2

A wiring board includes first insulating layers and second insulating layers formed on a core layer in this order; a third insulating layer and a solder resist layer formed on another surface of the core layer in this order, first wiring layers and second wiring layers formed in the first insulating layers and the second insulating layers, respectively, wherein a first end surface of the first via wiring exposes from the first surface of the outermost first insulating layer to be directly connected with an outermost second wiring layer, the first via wiring and the outermost second wiring layer being separately formed, the first surface of the outermost first insulating layer and the first end surface of the first via wiring are polished surfaces, smooth surfaces and are flush with each other, and the wiring density of the second wiring layers is higher than that of the first wiring layers.
US09148951B2

A display apparatus is disclosed. In one aspect, the display apparatus includes: a panel assembly outputting an image. The apparatus also includes a flexible printed circuit made of a flexible material including a combination portion having at least a portion coupled to the panel assembly, a base portion disposed to face a lower side of the panel assembly, and a connection portion having at least a portion disposed to be bent to connect the combination portion and the base portion. The apparatus further includes an electrical element mounted on a surface facing the combination portion in the connection portion of the flexible printed circuit.
US09148950B2

A back plate arranged at a back surface of a flexible display of a flexible display terminal is provided. The back plate may include a substrate with divided regions having similar displacements, so that when the flexible display is deformed, a plurality of divided plates are formed. A connected part formed of a flexible material may connect the divided plates with each other, and may be deformable in response deformation of the flexible display.
US09148938B2

The present invention relates to a novel arrangement of light cells on a flexible or solid background into a smart multi-dimensional light source capable of unlimited configuration, which comprises of a mother cell that is connected to one source of electrical power and gets charged, subsequently charging all the other light cells and thus illuminating the entire light source with unlimited configuration, and which is capable of being wirelessly switched on or off by means of a smart phone device.
US09148934B2

The light control system includes command means (640) for outputting a command signal indicating a direction of rotation of the light control means (300), detection means (630) for detecting electromotive force generated in a coil (510), switch means (610) for connecting the coil to drive means (500, 302, 620) in a driving state in which current is supplied to the coil and connecting the coil to the detection means in a non-driving state in which electromotive force generated in the coil is detected, determination means (660) for determining a rotational state of a rotary shaft member (302), based on an output signal output from the detection means, and control means (650) for outputting a command for causing the drive means to output a drive signal, based on an output signal output from the determination means.
US09148925B2

A circuit for controlling a switch in a power converter in which peak current is regulated to achieve a specified average current through a load. The circuit can include a first input to receive a voltage corresponding to a pre-specified target average current through the load, and a second input to receive a voltage corresponding to a voltage across a sensing resistor immediately after the switch turns ON. The circuit generates a threshold value that is approximately equal to twice the voltage corresponding to the pre-specified target average current through the load, minus the voltage corresponding to a non-zero voltage across the sensing resistor just after the switch turns ON. Control logic is operable to monitor a voltage across the sensing resistor such that when the voltage across the sensing resistor reaches or exceeds the threshold value, the control logic generates a signal that causes the switch to be turned OFF.
US09148923B2

In various embodiments, a device is provided. The device includes a substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The substrate includes a plurality of driver circuits at the first side of the substrate. Each of the plurality of driver circuits is configured to drive a current from the first side of the substrate to the second side of the substrate. The device further includes at least one load interface at the second side of the substrate. The at least one load interface is configured to couple the current from the plurality of the driver circuits to a plurality of loads at the second side of the substrate.
US09148921B2

A system including first and second lamps, one of an inductor or a transformer, first and second switches, and a control module. The first lamp generates a first output of light having a first color. The second lamp generates a second output of light having a second color. The first and second outputs of light are mixed to provide a mixture of light having a third color. The transformer includes first and second coils. The first and second coils supply power respectively to the first and second lamps. The first and second switches are connected respectively to the first and second coils. The control module alters the third color by controlling (i) a state of the first switch to adjust a first amount of current supplied to the first lamp, and (ii) a state of the second switch to adjust a second amount of current supplied to the second lamp.
US09148918B2

Methods, devices, and circuits are disclosed delivering a first level of output current to one or more loads in a buck-boost converter comprising an inductor. The methods, devices, and circuits may further be disclosed applying, in response to an indication of an altered output current requirement to one or more loads in a buck-boost converter comprising an inductor, a change in a supplied reference voltage to one or more elements including a feedforward control element, wherein applying the change in the supplied reference voltage to the feedforward control element causes an adjustment of the output current from the first level to a second level corresponding to the altered current output requirement.
US09148916B2

The present disclosure involves a device. The device includes a rectifier coupled to receive energy from an alternating current (AC) voltage source. A capacitor is coupled to the rectifier. A plurality of LEDs and a current limiter are coupled in series. The current limiter is configured to limit a current through the LEDs. The plurality of LEDs and the current limiter are collectively coupled to the capacitor in parallel. A current controller is coupled to both the capacitor and the current limiter in series. The current controller is configured to control at least a charging current of the capacitor. The device has a first current path during a first period of operation and a second current path during a second period of operation. The capacitor charges during the first period of operation and discharges during the second period of operation.
US09148910B1

Aspects of the disclosure provide an integrated circuit (IC) chip that includes a heating element and a heating control circuit. The heating element is configured to be controllable to generate heat. The heating control circuit is configured to be operable when an IC chip temperature is below a threshold. The heating control circuit is configured to receive a signal indicative of a sensed temperature and control the heating element to generate heat to raise the IC chip temperature when the sensed temperature is below the threshold.
US09148901B2

A receiving apparatus in a wireless communication system that involves both data transmission using a virtual transmission path in which a plurality of wireless lines of which modulation method is variable are virtually consolidated into one, and time-division multiplex transmission, includes a releasing unit that releases, when a failure occurs in a current line used in the time-division multiplex transmission, one wireless line in the plurality of wireless lines constituting the virtual transmission path from the virtual transmission path; a demodulation unit that changes a modulation method used for demodulation of the one wireless line released from the virtual transmission path by the releasing unit to a modulation method used in the time-division multiplex transmission; and a switching unit that switches line connection from the current line in which the failure has occurred to the one wireless line of which modulation method has been changed by the demodulation unit.
US09148890B1

A device including a first transceiver and a second transceiver. The first transceiver is configured to selectively transmit and receive first signals in a first frequency band according to a schedule. The first signals include at least cellular signals. The second transceiver is configured to selectively transmit and receive second signals in a second frequency band different from the first frequency band. The second signals include at least WiFi signals. An arbiter is configured to generate status reports indicating statuses of channels in the first frequency band and/or the second frequency band, receive the schedule as generated based on the statuses, and selectively modify the status reports based on an expected transmission and/or reception of the first signals by the first transceiver, and/or an expected transmission and/or reception of the second signals by the second transceiver.
US09148889B2

Techniques for performing radio coexistence management are described. In an aspect, operation of multiple radios may be controlled using a database of interference-related information, which may be indicative of interference between different radios operating concurrently. In one design, an entity may obtain planned operating states of multiple radios in an upcoming interval. The entity may determine the performance of one or more radios based on the planned operating states of the radios and the database, which may store information on performance versus operating states for different combinations of radios. The entity may select at least one new operating state for at least one radio based on the determined performance and the database to achieve good performance. The entity may send the at least one new operating state to the at least one radio. Each radio may operate in accordance with its new operating state (if any) or its planned operating state.
US09148881B2

A base station apparatus is disclosed in which control section (150) generates an index indicating a response signal resource to be used for transmission of a response signal in response to downlink data of a plurality of CCs for at least each second CC, and transmitting section (160) transmits control information including the index. When a terminal receives the control information using only one second CC or two or more CCs among the plurality of CCs, the terminal apparatus determines the response signal resource based on the index of the second CC. Control section (150) specifies, as the response signal resource, using the index of the second CC, a first resource for transmission of a response signal in response to downlink data transmitted using only one CC or a second resource for transmission of a plurality of response signals in response to downlink data transmitted using a plurality of CCs.
US09148869B2

A method of controlling issuance of alerts involves a server receiving notification of occurrence of an event at an account, saving in an events history the event occurrence, receiving device information from a mobile device associated with the account, and determining a position and/or speed from the device information. The server maintains at least one event definition defining particulars of suspension of notifications of events at an account. Upon the position or speed correlating with one of the event definitions, the server saves in the events history an occurrence of at least one additional event occurring at the account subsequent to the event, and suspends notification of the saved occurrences to the mobile device. The server transmits to the mobile device a notification of the occurrences saved in the events history and clears the events history upon the position and speed no longer correlating with any of the event definitions.
US09148857B2

A communication method in a discontinuous reception mode of a mobile communication system and communication terminal having the discontinuous reception mode are disclosed in the present invention. The method comprises: performing, by a terminal, a contention based transmission; starting a first timer, wherein the terminal is kept active during the operation of the first timer; and stopping the first timer when a preset first condition is met.
US09148855B2

According to one embodiment, a receiver includes: a reception analog circuit, a frame detector, and a controller. One mode among a plurality of modes can be selected for the reception analog circuit. Power consumption is different depending on the modes. The reception analog circuit is configured to process an analog signal received by an antenna to generate a digital signal with first accuracy depending on the selected mode. The frame detector is configured to detect a first frame from the digital signal. The controller is configured to make the reception analog circuit operate on a first mode among the plurality of modes until the first frame is detected and make the reception analog circuit operate on a second mode among the plurality of modes after the first frame is detected. Power consumption of the second mode is higher than power consumption of the first mode.
US09148851B2

Specifically, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for searching for an access point is provided. The method for searching may comprises the steps of: a terminal measuring the position thereof; checking an access point located near the measured position of the terminal; determining whether or not the distance between the terminal and the access point is greater than the radius range searchable by the terminal; and searching for the access point when the distance between the terminal and the access point is less than the radius range.
US09148848B2

A method and system for accessing a network are disclosed in the present invention. The method includes that: terminals in a same group execute random number synchronization; when an arbitrary first terminal in the group initiates network access, terminals in the group except the first terminal monitor the access of the first terminal according to the synchronized random number; after monitoring that the first terminal accesses network successfully, the terminals in the group except the first terminal initiate network access by using Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection uplink resources which are allocated to the group by the network. The technical solution of the present invention can reduce the signaling overhead for establishing signaling connection and data bearing.
US09148845B2

A method discovers neighboring nodes in a wireless network of nodes. The nodes include a set of concentrators acting as IPv6 routers and a set of sensor nodes acting as IPv6 hosts. The sensor nodes can also act as relay nodes. In each node, a 64-bit interface ID is configured using a 48-bit MAC address. In each node, a unique IPv6 link-local address is configured using the 64-bit interface ID. In each node, the neighboring nodes are discovered by transmitting unsolicited Neighbor Advertisement (NA) messages. A Router Advertisement (RA) messages is distributed from the concentrators to the sensor nodes meters by using the relay nodes. In each node, a unique IPv6 address is configured and registered at the concentrators by using the relay nodes.
US09148843B2

The present invention is directed to a method and system for selecting a wireless network for offloading network traffic from another network. In one embodiment, a method and system for offloading network traffic in a wireless user terminal from a first network, such as cellular network, onto a second network, such as a WiFi network, includes determining a measure of the relationship between the user of the wireless user terminal and the owner of the access point for the second network. The measure of the relationship can be used to provide an indication of the likelihood that the owner of the access point will grant access to the user of the wireless user terminal.
US09148842B2

Embodiments of a user station (STA) and methods for device-to-device discovery and advertisement through broadcast beacon signals are generally described herein. In some embodiments, group information, including a list of STAs in an advertising group, is transmitted in a beacon. A STA may transmit a request to join the advertising group. The request may be transmitted to an upchain STA, the upchain STA being determined based on inspection of the list of STAs of the advertising group. After receiving a response to the request, the STA may periodically broadcast the beacon and the STA may transmit acknowledgements to the upchain STA upon receiving beacons from the upchain STA.
US09148839B2

Methods and apparatuses are presented for balancing non-uniformly distributed network traffic in a wireless communications system having a plurality of digital remote units (DRUs). In some embodiments, a method comprises partitioning the plurality of DRUs into a plurality of DRU sectors, and dynamically repartitioning the plurality of DRU sectors depending on traffic conditions in at least one of the DRU sectors, such that the repartitioning satisfies at least one of a soft capacity constraint or a hard capacity constraint. The dynamic repartitioning may be based on at least one optimization algorithm.
US09148837B2

Various features and aspects of the present disclosure are adapted to facilitate improved reception of page messages at an access terminal operable in a wireless communication system. When the access terminal is in a region where two or more cells overlap, if the access terminal is moving away from the coverage area of an active cell and moving towards the coverage area of a neighbor cell, the access terminal may miss an incoming page message transmitted from its serving cell. Thus, the access terminal may dedicate fingers of a rake receiver to listen to paging information transmitted from one or more neighbor cells, decoding this information if a page decoding operation corresponding to the active cell fails. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.
US09148836B2

A method and system for vertical handoff of a mobile station from a first-protocol RAN to a second-protocol RAN. The method and system provide a make-before-break vertical handoff, by having the first-protocol RAN (i) acquire, on behalf of the mobile station, a traffic channel assignment defining one or more traffic channel parameters for air interface communication in the second-protocol RAN, and (ii) pass to the mobile station, via the first air interface protocol, the one or more traffic channel parameters so that the mobile station can then readily switch over to communication under the second-protocol RAN. Optimally, the acquisition and passing of the one or more second-protocol traffic channel parameters may occur without the mobile station having requested the handoff, without the mobile station having asked for the traffic channel assignment, and without the mobile station having yet begun communication with the second-protocol RAN.
US09148830B1

Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for improving reverse link throughput using Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) across multiple wireless devices. In a particular embodiment, in response to receiving a user instruction to execute an application associated with a wireless protocol over a MIMO transmit antenna system, a method provides transferring a wireless probe signal to identify whether an external MIMO antenna element is available over another wireless protocol. The method further provides generating a signal with a Walsh code for the application and wirelessly transmitting the signal from an internal MIMO antenna element for receipt by a MIMO receive antenna system. The method further provides wirelessly transmitting the signal over the other wireless protocol, wherein a second wireless device including the external MIMO antenna element receives the signal and wirelessly transmits the signal from the external MIMO antenna element for receipt by the MIMO receive antenna system.
US09148827B2

In an embodiment, a radio communication device may be provided. The radio communication device may include a first receiver configured to receive from a first cell first data representing a content encoded using a first codec; a second receiver configured to receive from a second cell second data representing the content encoded using a second codec; and a combiner configured to combine the first data and the second data.
US09148816B2

A wireless device is configured to switch data rates to account for temporary channel conditions or device configuration errors. Pre-selected data rates, more likely to achieve maximum goodput, are stored in a data rate table. The data rate table contains candidate data rates for each pre-selected data rate in the data rate table. When probe transmissions using the preselected data rates fail, dynamic rate probing is utilized to determine a possible cause and extent of the problem. The dynamic rate probing scheme transmits probe transmissions using the candidate data rates and tracks success or failure of these probe transmissions. An analysis of the probe transmissions is used to indicate a possible cause and/or extent of the problematic condition and to determine whether there is a need to reconfigure the data rates in the data rate table.
US09148815B2

A method, system and apparatus for providing better cellular network coverage and establishing a new cellular network technology infrastructure are provided. A representative apparatus is a communications device that includes a processing device, memory, a transceiver, and a miniature cellular tower unit. The memory includes a routing manager which has instructions that are executed by the processing device. The instructions include logics that facilitate making and receiving cellular network calls from and to the communications device. The transceiver transmits and receives radio frequency (RF) signals to and from a cellular tower and to and from at least one other communications device. The miniature cellular tower unit routes RF signals from the at least one other communications device to the cellular tower.
US09148813B2

A communication quality measuring apparatus includes a calculating unit, a specifying unit, and an associating unit. The calculating unit collects information that is used to calculate the communication quality of wireless communication from a base station that performs wireless communication with a mobile station and calculates the communication quality by using the information. The specifying unit collects location information from a measuring device that measures the location information related to the mobile station and specifies a mobile station area that is an area in which the mobile station is located by using the location information. The associating unit associates the communication quality calculated by the calculating unit with each of the mobile station areas specified by the specifying unit.
US09148811B2

Apparatus and method for recognizing Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) signals are provided. The solution comprises obtaining position and timing information from a satellite positioning system; tuning to a frequency channel with GSM transmission; collecting a group of I/Q samples for the length of 12 GSM frames; performing peak detection using at least two peak detectors over the group of samples wherein the found peak values are the locations of synchronization bursts (SCH). For the found peaks, the timing information, carrier-to-noise ratio, in phase and quadrature values are determined. A group of I/Q samples for the length of 12 or 51 GSM frames are collected. From the found SCH, base station identification code BSIC, frame number and Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) training sequence are determined. BCCHs corresponding to all SCH are decoded; and transmitting base stations identified.
US09148807B2

Techniques for a node in a wireless network to process packets are disclosed. An example method includes registering with a network-management system in the network to become a node in the network, determining neighboring nodes, sending a link-state advertisement to the network-management system, the link-state packets providing its neighboring relationships, processing the packets using switching rules for a tree switching network portion of the network, the switching rules defining at least one of (1) an ingress link to a parent node and (2) egress links to child nodes, determining if a wireless link to a neighboring node has failed, and when a wireless link to a neighboring node has failed, informing a node at the end of an ingress wireless link and the network-management system of the failed link.
US09148790B2

Provided is a method and apparatus for assigning a frequency in an environment where an incumbent system exists. In a frequency environment where the incumbent system exists, a frequency resource management may be smoothly performed using a plurality of frequency sets classified based on a utilization state of each sub-frequency resource. When a frequency sharing system using the same radio access technology (RAT) as a frequency sharing system to be assigned with a frequency resource exists, it is possible to reduce overhead for frequency sharing by priorly assigning a corresponding frequency resource to the frequency sharing system to be assigned with the frequency resource.
US09148784B1

Examples disclosed herein provide systems, methods, and software for rolling over a data communication from one communication network to another. In one example, a method of operating a communication network includes receiving a secure authorization request from a wireless device and authorizing the wireless device based on a security key. The method further includes determining an identifier for a previous communication network, identifying a previous security key from the previous communication network, and integrating the previous security key with the security key to facilitate communication for the wireless device.
US09148779B2

A device which is capable of minimizing the use of resources in devices and safely communicating information such as settings on devices. The device is capable of communicating with another device via a wireless communication network and manages the other device. The device leaves a first wireless communication network to which the device is currently connected. Then, the device wirelessly connects to the other device so as to construct, with the other device that left the first wireless communication network after the device, a second wireless communication network, which is different from the first wireless communication network, by using a setting network ID for use in a setting change mode for changing setting values of the other device. The device sends setting data to the other device, to which the device was wirelessly connected, via the second wireless communication network.
US09148774B2

Heterogeneous protocol stacks are used in an approach including analyzing a destination network ID of data received by a shared, lower layer protocol stack, a data type field value, and/or whether any of the upper layer protocol stacks support broadcasting. An upper layer protocol stack is selected based on the results of the analysis. The received data is transmitted to the selected upper layer protocol stack. Accordingly, heterogeneous protocol stacks may be realized in one chip.
US09148773B2

An message may be sent to an emergency call center. Before the message is received by the emergency call center, it may be determined that at least a portion of the message is not formatted in accordance with a teletypewriter protocol. The message may be reformatted in accordance with a TTY protocol. A second message may be provided to a public safety answering point. The second message may comprise the reformatted message and an indication of the original protocol of the reformatted message.
US09148769B2

A mobile device/UE identifies calls to or callbacks from a Public Safety Access Point (PSAP) in order to provide priority handling. When the UE does not detect that the call being made is an emergency call, then the network facilitates identification during call establishment of the emergency nature. The network identifies the call as emergency call in a SIP response by setting the Priority header to distinctive value (e.g., “emergency-call”) or the “P-Asserted-Identity to a distinctive value (e.g., urn:services:sos). When PSAP chooses to call back the mobile/UE, the mobile/UE can terminate any ongoing calls and accept this call from the PSAP and can disable other supplementary services (e.g., call waiting, three-way calling etc.) during the call. A P-Asserted-Identity of the incoming call is set to a distinctive location associated with PSAP (e.g., urn:services:sos). Alternatively, the incoming call has a Priority header set to a distinctive value (e.g., “emergency”, “emergency-callback”).
US09148767B2

A node and method for communication diversion and communication diversion notification is provided. The node has a component configured to receive notification about a communication diversion related to an incoming communication corresponding to only those communication diversions which match criteria for at least one specific reason to be notified, wherein the notification includes a diversion reason element that is locale-independent encoded.
US09148763B2

Methods and apparatuses are provided which may be implemented in various devices to generate positioning assistance data and/or the like by mobile station with regard to at least one of a plurality of different indoor regions.
US09148756B2

A system and method for controlling output of content on a media rendering device. A mobile phone may be effective to receive a request for content where the content is from a content processor. The mobile phone may be effective to generate a command based on the request, the command including a URL, the URL including an address of a gateway processor and an identification of the content processor. The mobile phone may be effective to send the command to the media rendering device. The media rendering device may be effective to send a request to the gateway processor using the URL. The gateway processor may be effective to receive the content from the content processor and send the content to the media rendering device. The media rendering device may be effective to output the content.
US09148755B2

According to an aspect of this disclosure, a mobile communication terminal is provided including determiner configured to determine a value of a parameter related to the mobile communication terminal and configured to determine an imprecision of the determined parameter value; and a controller configured to perform a setting for a communication service depending on the determined imprecision of the determined parameter value and to control the mobile communication terminal to use the communication service depending on the setting.
US09148746B2

The present invention concerns a method for controlling access by an equipment for a network of the machine-to-machine type to the resources of a cellular telephony network, said equipment comprising means for wireless communication with another equipment for a machine-to-machine network. The method is characterised in that it comprises the following steps: defining at least one so-called activity time range and at least one so-called inactivity time range, enabling the equipment to access the resources of the cellular telephony network during each activity time range, and preventing the equipment from accessing the resources of the cellular telephony network during each inactivity time range.
US09148744B2

Techniques for alleviating network congestion are described. A telecommunications device may be configured to selectively poll a cellular telecommunications network. The telecommunications device may be configured such that polling of the cellular telecommunications device may be activated and deactivated. The telecommunications device may be configured to poll in response to receiving a notification that a firmware update is available and may be configured to deactivate polling upon successful downloading of the firmware update.
US09148729B2

Methods and apparatus automatically cancel or attenuate an unwanted signal (such as low frequencies from wind buffets) from, and/or control frequency response of, a condenser microphone, or control the effective condenser microphone sensitivity before the signal reaches an ASIC or other processing circuit. As a result, the maximum amplitude signal seen by the processing circuit is limited, thereby preventing overloading the input of the processing circuit. Remaining (wanted) frequencies can be appropriately amplified to reduce the noise burden on further processing circuits. A corrective signal is applied to a bias terminal of the condenser microphone to cancel the unwanted signal. Optionally or alternatively, a controllable impedance is connected to a line that carries the signal generated by the MEMS microphone, so as to attenuate unwanted portions of the signal.
US09148710B2

Raman amplifier systems and methods with an integrated Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) for integrated testing functionality include an amplifier system, an OTDR and telemetry subsystem, and a method of operation. The OTDR and telemetry subsystem is configured to operate in an OTDR mode when coupled to a line in port and to operate in a telemetry mode when coupled to a line out port. The OTDR and telemetry subsystem enables on-demand fiber testing while also operating as a telemetry channel that is both a redundant optical service channel (OSC) and provides a mechanism to monitor Raman gain over time. The OTDR and telemetry subsystem minimizes cost and space by sharing major optical and electrical components between the integrated OTDR and other functions on the Raman amplifier.
US09148704B1

An external event interactive television ticker is provided. The ticker is rendered on a display screen that also shows a video program, and presents ticker content when a pre-defined external event has occurred. The ticker remains rendered until the event ceases or until the viewer terminates the ticker display. The ticker is interactive in that the viewer can perform various interactive operations with the ticker, including interacting with the ticker to obtain additional information related to an external event item presented by the ticker or to take an action associated with the external event item.
US09148703B2

An interactive television system with programming-related links is provided. The system may include user television equipment on which interactive program guide and non-program-guide applications may be implemented. Information that is displayed in a display screen for a non-program-guide application may be related to programming. A display screen or overlay for programming that is related to the information may be displayed when a user selects the displayed information. The display or overlay for the programming may include advertisements, video, graphics, options, or programming descriptions. The display screen or overlay may have been displayed by the program guide application.
US09148700B2

Systems and methods, including computer software adapted to perform certain operations, can be implemented for remotely defining security data for authorizing access to data on a client device. Permission indicators are associated with a sequence of instructions, and a protected activity is associated with one or more of the permission indicators and with an instruction within the sequence of instructions. The one or more permission indicators and the sequence of instructions are provided to a remote device. The remote device determines whether execution of the instruction is permitted based, at least in part, on the one or more permission indicators, and the remote device performs the protected activity if execution of the instruction is permitted.
US09148694B2

There is provided methods and apparatus for enabling a fast channel change for a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) system. A channel change processing unit for enabling a channel change in a DSL system includes a demultiplexer and a selector in signal communication with the demultiplexer. The demultiplexer is for receiving a normal stream and a channel change stream. The selector is for receiving a channel change request and for sending the channel change stream in response to receiving the channel change request. The channel change stream coded pictures are of a lower quality than the normal stream coded pictures.
US09148692B2

A method of processing a digital television (DTV) signal in a DTV receiver, the method includes receiving a digital television signal including a plurality of extended text table (ETT) instances that appear in transport stream packets with common PID values, the ETT instances having common table ID values, each ETT instance comprising a section header and a message body, the section header containing a table identification (ID) extension field that serves to establish uniqueness of each ETT instance, the message body containing an extended text message (ETM) which provides detailed descriptions of a virtual channel or an event associated with each ETT instance, wherein the section header further contains a current next indicator field and a last section number field indicating a last section number, demodulating the digital television signal and identifying at least one pertinent ETT instance from the plurality of ETT instances.
US09148687B2

A television (TV) includes a display and a processor controlling the display and receiving signals representing human gestures. The processor is programmed to respond to gestures from a first viewer to control the display. Also the processor is programmed to respond to gestures from a second viewer to control the display only responsive to a determination that the first viewer has both looked toward the second viewer, and that the first viewer has confirmed, as a separate act from looking toward the second viewer, a desire to transfer control of the TV to the second viewer.
US09148680B1

Apparatus and methods for segmenting television audience data are disclosed. The methods include receiving program level viewing data for one or more individuals. The methods also include creating one or more segments for the one or more individuals based upon the program level viewing data. The methods further include combining the one or more segments into one or more groups by applying a grouping function and performing analysis on the one or more groups, and generating reports based upon the analysis.
US09148666B2

A motion information storing method and a TMVP deriving method using the motion information storing method are provided. The motion information storing method includes a step of determining a representative block out of blocks of a motion data storage unit in a co-located picture with a current picture and a step of storing motion information of the representative block as motion information of the motion data storage unit, wherein the motion information of the representative block is used as motion information of the blocks included in the motion data storage unit.
US09148660B2

A method and an apparatus for image encoding/decoding are disclosed. The apparatus includes: a block decomposer for decomposing a current block into a plurality of sub-blocks; and an intra prediction encoder for performing an intra prediction encoding by referring to already encoded and decoded adjacent pixel information of each sub-block, based on an intra prediction mode equal to an intra prediction mode of the current block, thereby generating a bit stream for the current block. In image encoding and image decoding, when a current block to be encoded or decoded is predicted, the disclosed method and apparatus can improve the accuracy of the prediction, which can provide an image with a satisfactory reproduction quality by improved coding efficiency.
US09148655B2

A testing system including a preset display device, preset shutter glasses and a testing device is disclosed. The preset display device generates a synchronization signal and outputs a timing signal relating to the synchronization signal. The preset shutter glasses receive the synchronization signal to generate a masking signal. The testing device processes the timing signal and the masking signal according to a setting signal and determines whether the preset shutter glasses are normal according to the processed result.
US09148653B2

An image segmenting unit (401) in the stereo image processing device (100) extracts M (a natural number between 2 and N, inclusive) number of segmented target images wherein a first partial area within a target image has been segmented into N (a natural number of 2 or more), and also extracts M number of segmented reference images wherein a second partial area within a reference image has been segmented into N. An image concatenating unit (402) serially concatenates M data strings, each comprising a intensity value from each segmented target image, to form a first image data string and also serially concatenates M data strings, each comprising a intensity value from each segmented reference image, to form a second image data string. A filtering unit (403) and a peak position detection unit (104) calculate the disparity between the standard images and the reference images.
US09148651B2

Methods and devices for generating a stereoscopic image are described. In one aspect, the electronic device includes a first camera for generating first camera data, a second camera for generating second camera data and a third camera for generating third camera data. The cameras are positioned on a same side of the electronic device and in spaced relation to each other. The electronic device also includes a controller coupled with the first camera, the second camera and the third camera. The controller is configured to: identify an orientation of the electronic device; and generate a stereoscopic image based on the first camera data and the second camera data when the electronic device is at a first orientation, and generate the stereoscopic image based on the first camera data and the third camera data when the electronic device is at a second orientation.
US09148644B2

Methods for detecting structured artifacts in a video may begin by accepting a video frame at a video input and then generating a filtered frame from the video frame. After a differenced image is produced, groups of connected pixels (blobs) within the differenced frame are identified, and isolated blobs are removed to produce a cleaned image. A Fourier transform is performed on the cleaned image, and structured artifacts may be identified based on a comparison of magnitudes of the Fourier components of the cleaned image. Devices that detect and identify structured artifacts are also described.
US09148638B2

A digital photographing apparatus including: a display unit for displaying a captured image; a position setting unit for setting a position on the display unit; an area setting unit for setting an area based on the position set by the position setting unit; a photometry unit for measuring luminance of the set area; an exposure value determination unit for determining an exposure value based on a photometric reference and a result of the measuring performed by the photometry unit. The digital photographing apparatus may capture a high quality image by properly adjusting exposure and white balance.
US09148637B2

Methods and systems for face detection and tracking using an image-based capture device are disclosed herein. The method includes generating a depth image of a scene, generating a mask image from the depth image, and detecting a position of a face of a user in the scene using the mask image. The method also includes determining an intensity of the face using a first color channel of the mask image and adjusting a gain level of a first color channel of the image-based capture device directed at the scene to achieve a target intensity of the face.
US09148634B2

In the present invention, effective thinned reading is performed when using an imaging device provided with a color filter other than a Bayer array. This imaging device (10) is provided with: an imaging element (14) containing a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arrayed in a first and second direction; a color filter, wherein a basic array pattern resulting from a first and second filter being disposed in a predetermined pattern of N×M pixels and the first and second filter being disposed in a first and second direction is disposed repeatedly, and the first filter is disposed in a first-third direction in the color filter; a line image data generation means that, from the imaging element (14), reads the pixel signals of a plurality of pixels at a set cycle, and from the read pixel signals, generates line image data comprising pixel signals of pixels arrayed along the second direction and arrayed in an (N+k) line cycle in the first direction among the plurality of pixels; and an image data generation means that generates image data on the basis of the line image data.
US09148631B2

In imaging a sample using an electron microscope, in order to reduce a time for focusing, a scanning range of a Z coordinate is reduced to complete focusing by obtaining SEM images such that: for a first predetermined number of portions, focal positions of an electron beam in obtaining each SEM image are moved in a predetermined range; then, a curved surface shape of the surface of the sample is estimated by using information relating to the focal positions of the electron beam in the first predetermined number of portions; after the images are taken, the range in which the focal positions of the electron beam are moved for scanning the electron beam on the surface of the sample is made to be narrower than the predetermined range by using the curved surface information estimated, thereby performing scanning to take the images of the sample.
US09148630B2

A method includes receiving input data from user devices having access to media content of a media stream that is responsive to at least a subset of the input data. The input data may correspond to one or more user inputs received from the user devices via an interactive session associated with the media content. The method further includes selecting a particular subset of the input data based at least in part on one or more inputs received from a device. The one or more inputs may be responsive to selection of one or more input controls of a moderator control graphical user interface. The method further includes sending an adapted media stream to the user devices. The adapted media stream may include the media content and content corresponding to the particular subset of the input data.
US09148621B2

A multi-format output device includes decoders to decode first encoded data and second encoded data to generate a first video data having a first-type format with first caption data also having the first-type format, and second video data having a second-type format with second caption data also having the second-type format. A conversion unit converts video data of one format type into video data video data having another format-type. A buffer holds the first video data by the period of time needed for the video data conversion processing. A caption conversion unit delays the caption data for the video data conversion processing time and also converts the caption data of one format type to another format type. A multiplexer outputs the first video data with the first caption data followed by the converted video data with the third caption data having the first-type format.
US09148618B2

Systems and methods for previewing newly captured image content and reviewing previously stored image content using an electronic device are provided. The previously stored image content may include an individual distinct image or at least two consecutive video frame images.
US09148610B2

A video reception device connected to an image recognition device for performing image recognition includes: a video input unit that receives a video including content items switches of which occur as time elapses; a video extraction unit that extracts from the video a partial video which is a portion of the video; a content switchover detection unit that detects whether or not the partial video includes content switchover indicating switchover of the content items; and a control unit that performs, when the content switchover detection unit detects that the partial video includes no content switchover, a control to output the partial video to the image recognition device to obtain a result of the image recognition for the partial video from the image recognition device.
US09148607B2

Method of broadcasting a set of national and regional DVB-T2 programs not requiring duplicating the broadcasting of the national programs nor uploading the regional programs to a central point. This method is based on the creation of various T2-MI streams using PLP technology. A T2-MI stream is dedicated to the national programs. T2-MI streams are created for the regional programs. The national programs intended to be replaced by regional programs are isolated in specific pipes. The frame durations and the size of the box are harmonized between the various pipes. Each transmitter receives firstly the national T2-MI stream and at least one regional T2-MI stream. It has a device for replacing at least one pipe of the national T2-MI stream with a pipe of the regional T2-MI stream in order to generate the T2-MI stream to be transmitted.
US09148603B2

An electronic device may have one or more analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). The ADCs may be used in digitizing signals from an image sensor. In order to ensure that input signals received by an ADC are not clipped, the input signals may be positively or negatively offset by a desired amount. Offsetting the input signals may ensure that the offset input signals wall within the acceptable input range of the ADCs. Offset injection may be accomplished using capacitors that are also used for analog-to-digital conversion. As an example, the ADC may be a successive approximation-type ADC that uses capacitors in a binary search for the digital value most accurately representing an input analog value. The capacitors of the ADC may be used for the successive approximation process and for offset injection. The offset injection may be digitally canceled out following digitization of the input analog signal.
US09148600B2

A programmable gain amplifier includes a sampling circuit, a source follower, a first capacitor and an error amplifier. The sampling circuit is configured to perform correlated double sampling on an input signal using a reference voltage. The first capacitor is connected between the sampling circuit and the source follower. The error amplifier is connected between an input terminal of the source follower and an output terminal of the source follower. The error amplifier is configured to reset a voltage of the output terminal of the source follower to the reference voltage during a source follower reset operation.
US09148599B2

An image sensor and an image sensing method are provided. The image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate; a photoelectric converter comprising a bias unit, which comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, and an organic photoelectric conversion layer, which selectively absorbs light and converts the light into electrons; a via contacting the second electrode to connect the photoelectric converter with the semiconductor substrate; a storage node configured to store electrons; a read-out unit to converts charge transferred from the storage node into an image signal; a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels, each of which comprises an intermediate insulating layer; and an output circuit configured to read out the image signal from the pixel array. The quantity of light received by the organic photoelectric conversion layer is adjusted by a bias change of the bias unit.
US09148580B2

A method of transforming an N-bit raw wide dynamic range (WDR) Bayer image to a K-bit raw red-green-blue (RGB) image wherein N>K is provided that includes converting the N-bit raw WDR Bayer image to an N-bit raw RGB image, computing a luminance image from the N-bit raw RGB image, computing a pixel gain value for each luminance pixel in the luminance image to generate a gain map, applying a hierarchical noise filter to the gain map to generate a filtered gain map, applying the filtered gain map to the N-bit raw RGB image to generated a gain mapped N-bit RGB image, and downshifting the gain mapped N-bit RGB image by (N−K) to generate the K-bit RGB image.
US09148579B1

A fusion night vision system has an optical element coupled to a display for improving the performance and viewability of images through a fusion night vision device while reducing overall system cost. The display producing a scene image from an image detector. The optical element has a flat input surface and a curved output surface. The curved output surface shaped to match an output surface of an image intensifier tube. The output from the display and the image intensifier being combined in an image combiner before entering an eyepiece for presentation to an operator as a fused image.
US09148577B2

The information about an interchangeable lens is acquired, and the size of an image capture range, which is the range corresponding to a capture image in an optical image, is calculated based on the information about the interchangeable lens. When the image capture range is smaller than or equal to a range to be shown by the angular field of the optical image, a first image showing the image capture range in the optical image is displayed on a display device, and when the image capture range is larger than the range to be shown by the angular field of the optical image, a second image different from the first image showing the image capture range in the optical image is displayed on the display device such that the second image is superimposed on at least either of the four corner vicinities and four side vicinities of the optical image.
US09148576B2

The zoom lens includes at least, in order from an object side: a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power; a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power; a third lens group G3 having positive refractive power; a fourth lens group G4 having negative refractive power; and a fifth lens group G5 having negative refractive power. In the zoom lens, focusing from infinity to a proximity of object is achieved by movement of just fourth lens group toward an image focusing side and is characterized in Satisfaction of expressions below: [Expression 1] 2.1<βrt<3.5  (1) −1.80<β2t<−0.94  (2) where “βrt” is composite lateral magnification at a telephoto end of lens groups locating closer to the image focusing side than the third lens group at infinity focusing, and “β2t” is lateral magnification at a telephoto end of the second lens group at infinity focusing.
US09148575B2

A zoom lens includes first, second, and third lens units respectively having negative, positive, and negative refractive powers in this order from an object side to an image side. The lens units move during zooming such that the spacing between adjacent lens units changes, the second and third lens units are positioned on the object side at a telephoto end when compared to a wide angle end, and the third lens unit moves during focusing. A lateral magnification of the second lens unit at the wide angle end, a lateral magnification of the second lens unit at the telephoto end, a lateral magnification of the third lens unit at the wide angle end, a lateral magnification of the third lens unit at the telephoto end, a focal length of the first lens unit, and a focal length of the second lens unit are appropriately set.
US09148558B2

According to one embodiment, in a first imaging mode, an imaging mode control unit allows a second imaging optical system to function in an optical path between an imaging unit and a first imaging optical system and stops focus adjustment. In a second imaging mode, the imaging mode control unit stops the function of the second imaging optical system and allows the focus adjustment to be performed. The first imaging optical system takes in a light from an object to the imaging unit. The second imaging optical system forms an image piece in each pixel block.
US09148547B2

The printing apparatus includes a comparator, a threshold setting section, and an error diffusion section. The comparator compares a first threshold which is aligned with a dither mask and the image data. The threshold setting section sets a second threshold which is used in the error diffusion method to one of a low threshold and a high threshold according to results of the comparing, and sets the low threshold to a value which is smaller than a gradation range of the image data in at least a low gradation area when it is determined that the image data exceeds the first threshold. The error diffusion section generates the dot data and to calculate distribution to pixels in the vicinity of gradation errors by comparing correction data where error distribution in the image data is complete using the error diffusion method and the low threshold or the high threshold.
US09148542B2

An image forming apparatus includes: an accepting unit to accept user operations to transition the apparatus from a standby state to a power save state; a detecting unit to detect objects around the apparatus; and a power control unit to transition the apparatus from the power save state to the standby state according to detection of an object by the detecting unit, and to transition the image forming apparatus from the standby state to the power save state according to user operations accepted at the accepting unit. The power control unit prohibits the apparatus from transitioning from the power save state to the standby state according to the detection of the object, until a user, which performed operations accepted by the accepting unit to transition the apparatus from the standby state to the power save state, thereafter ceases to be detected by the detecting unit.
US09148537B1

Information regarding facial cues may be received. Such information may associated each facial cue with a responsive action. Images (e.g., photo, video) of an area in front of a computing device may be captured by a front-facing camera. A user's face may be detected, as well as determined to exhibit a facial cue. The facial cue is identified, along with its associated action. The computing device may then perform the action associated with the facial cue exhibited by the user.
US09148535B2

An image forming apparatus includes a display having a function of editing input image data and a function of displaying page images immediately after reading in order. When a first type of instruction to change shape of an image formed on a recording medium is given, the edition is not reflected on a document display mode screen image, and when a second type of instruction to edit page by page the recording medium having images formed thereon is given, the edition is reflected on the document display mode screen image. By switching between a finish preview screen image and the document display mode screen image, the image after edition and the image immediately after reading can be compared easily.
US09148534B2

A display input device includes a storage unit, an operation input unit, and a display unit. The storage unit stores a set setting value and a default setting value of each setting item. The operation input unit accepts setting of the setting value. The display unit displays a screen for selecting the setting item and for setting the setting value of the selected setting item. In addition, the display unit alternately displays a finished image indicating a job execution result on which the set setting value is reflected, and a default setting image indicating a job execution result based on the default setting value on which the default setting value is reflected, by switching between them.
US09148531B2

In a communication system, an image forming apparatus sends an address of a receiving section to a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal receives a selection of an image data among plural thumbnails displayed on a display section, and wirelessly sends the selected image data to the image forming apparatus with the address. The image forming apparatus receives the selected image data sent with the address by the mobile terminal, and prints an image based on the selected image data. A communication between the mobile terminal and the image forming apparatus is performed wirelessly with an IEEE 802.11 standard. The image forming apparatus keeps the address of the mobile terminal without deleting the address of the mobile terminal when the communication with the mobile terminal through the receiving section is finished.
US09148528B2

Methods and systems for transferring vector data over a plurality of networks is disclosed. A system includes one or more encoding device(s), the device having a processor configured to convert a vector data in a first standard format into a compressed vector data in a micro format. A plurality of message centers are coupled with said encoding device(s) and comprise a processor configured to receive and temporarily store said compressed vector data in the micro format. One or more decoding device(s) residing at a plurality of handheld units are coupled with said message centers and are configured to receive said compressed vector data in said micro format, said decoding device(s) comprising a processor and configured to convert said compressed vector data in said micro format into the vector data in said first standard format and to render the vector data in said first standard format over said handheld units.
US09148526B2

An image processing apparatus including an image forming unit configured to form an image includes a storage unit configured to store a reference feature quantity acquired using a result of measuring a first chart by a measurement device, a first acquisition unit configured to acquire a first feature quantity using a result of measuring a second chart by the measurement device, the second chart being created by the image forming unit, and an estimation unit configured to estimate a defective point generated in the image processing apparatus, by acquiring a second feature quantity from the reference feature quantity stored in the storage unit and the first feature quantity acquired by the first acquisition unit and using data in which the second feature quantity is associated with information about a defect generated in the image processing apparatus.
US09148523B2

A method and an apparatus for managing a network are disclosed. For example, the method collects a plurality of call detail records (CDRs), and organizes one or more parameters of the CDRs in accordance with a plurality of cause codes. The method displays the one or more parameters of the CDRs in a hierarchical representation comprising a plurality of screen displays.
US09148518B2

A system for and method for provisioning video ring back tones (vRBTs) is presented. The system may include one or more network enabled computers configured to receive video content from one or more parties over a network. The video content may be used to create one or more vRBTs. The vRBTs may be associated with one or more subscriber profiles. The vRBTs may be assigned to one or more parties. When a party attempts to place a video call to a subscriber, the vRBT may be played back on the calling party's video-equipped device until the subscriber answers the call, ignores the call, or sends the call to voicemail.
US09148513B2

This provides for controlling mobile device functions and features. For example, it limits or disables the use of some of mobile device features which could cause distraction to the user, when the user is engaged in another activity. In an example, it enables other mobile device features based on occurrence of events related to the user or environment. Another example addresses controlling the mobile device features, such as SMS, while the user is in a vehicle or driving. Another example restricts the ability of the driver of a vehicle to text, while the vehicle is in motion, by automatically disabling the texting ability of mobile device within and around the perimeter of the driver's seat. Other variations, examples, improvements, detection mechanisms, models, techniques, calculations, verification mechanisms, and features are also described in details.
US09148508B2

During setup of a telephony communication between a calling and a called party, a check is made to determine is a special message or information should be played to the calling or called party before the telephony communication is established between the calling and called parties. If so, the message or information is delivered to the party as early media. Systems and methods embodying the invention may track which messages and information have been played to individual parties to thereby avoid delivering the same message or information more than once.
US09148501B2

Various embodiments of the invention provide techniques and supporting systems for allowing a user to interrupt operation of an application in a hands-free manner. In one example, a software application responds to a combination of predefined physical actions and/or verbal utterances from the user, and cause the mobile communication device to pause or change its actions.
US09148492B2

A relay device includes a communication unit, a first conversion unit, a second conversion unit, and a controller. The communication unit communicates with a client device and a service providing device. The first conversion unit performs a first conversion process for performing conversion between a language interpretable by each client device and a language interpretable by the relay device. The second conversion unit performs a second conversion process for performing conversion between a language interpretable by each service providing device and the language interpretable by the relay device. The controller performs control so that data sent from the client device is subjected to the first conversion process and then the second conversion process before transmitted to the service providing device and data sent from the service providing device is subjected to the second conversion process and then the first conversion process before transmitted to the client device.
US09148491B2

The format of the Presence Information Data Format-Location Object (PIDF-LO) as defined by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is extended or modified to accommodate, within the standard PIDF-LO format, an association of geospacial location to virtual content on the Internet. A filename of virtual content is associated with geospatial location information (either a specific location, zone, or direction). The filename is inserted into a section of a Presence Information Data Format-Location Object (PIDF-LO) compliant document as defined by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). In this way, geospacial location information is associated with Internet based virtual content using a standard PIDF-LO format.
US09148489B2

In an embodiment, a client device (CD) maintains a contact profile for a user of the CD, the contact profile including a universal identifier (UID) for the user and a list of devices and addresses at which the user of the CD can be contacted. The CD establishes a communication session with a remote CD (RCD) via a given contact address from the set of contact addresses for the RCD. The CD shares, in response to the communication session establishment, at least a portion of the contact profile to the RCD. The RCD generates and/or updates a given contact profile for the user of the CD that is maintained on the RCD based on the shared contact profile. The RCD can also share its profile with the CD in response to the communication session establishment, causing the CD to generate and/or update a contact profile for the RCD.
US09148480B2

Systems methods and devices are provided for a presentation including a communications console with component aggregation. In one potential implementation, a computing device with an application framework receives a communication manager object via a network connectivity device and executes the communication manager object within the application framework. The computing device may then receive and execute communications components and a presentation components within the application framework using the communication manager object. The communication manager object may then manages interface and display of the presentation information via the application framework, as modified by communication components.
US09148479B1

A computer-implemented method for determining the healthiness of nodes within computer clusters may include (1) identifying a computer cluster that includes a plurality of nodes configured to provide substantially continuous availability of at least one application, (2) identifying at least one operating system kernel installed on at least one of the nodes, (3) configuring the operating system kernel to (a) asynchronously monitor performance of the node and (b) determine, based at least in part on the node's performance, whether the node is sufficiently healthy to execute the application, (4) receiving a notification from the operating system kernel that indicates that the node is not sufficiently healthy to execute the application, and then (5) performing at least one action configured to enable the computer cluster to provide substantially continuous availability of the application despite the unhealthy node. Various other systems, methods, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09148470B2

A system for targeting delivery data is described. The system includes: a database accessor coupled with a local server, the database accessor configured for accessing a database coupled with the local server, wherein the database includes information associated with a set of premises, wherein each premises of the set of premises includes a domain coupled with a remote server and includes at least one device, wherein the at least one device includes a communication port that supports a first protocol corresponding to a second protocol, wherein the second protocol is supported by a device driver coupled with the domain; an information analyzer coupled with the database accessor, the information analyzer configured for analyzing the information; and a customized message sender coupled with the information analyzer, the customized message sender configured for sending a customized message to the set of premises.
US09148469B1

A system and method for dynamically designing shared content served via a content sharing source. The system includes a content size determination unit to determine a size of content sourced from the content sharing source; a shared content size allocation unit to determine a size of the shared content based on the size of the content; a shared content rules database to determine a design style associated with the shared content based on the determined size of the shared content; and a shared content transmitting unit to communicate the shared content in accordance with the design style to the content sharing source.
US09148466B2

Module management software receives a request from the browser for a presentation composed of at least one module. The module management software transmits a request for module data associated with the module to a first server that caches the module data after retrieving the module data from a website. The module management software then receives the requested module data from the first server and transmits a request for each of the resource files described in the module data to a second server that caches each of the resource files after retrieving the resource file from an external (or internal) website. Each request for a resource file can be handled by a corresponding thread. The module management software delays transmission of the module data to the browser, if any requested resource file is not received within a time limit derived at least in part from a service level agreement.
US09148464B2

A multi-out media delivery system and method are provided herein.
US09148453B1

An IP multimedia subsystem comprises a CSCF and an HSS. The CSCF is configured to receive a SIP registration message transferred by a user communication device and responsively transfer a registration request to the HSS. The HSS is configured to process the registration request to obtain IFC for the user communication device, wherein the IFC comprises processing instructions that direct the CSCF to perform an operation to dynamically obtain and load data into the IFC. The CSCF is configured to receive a SIP invite message transferred by the user communication device, process text from the SIP invite message against a set of keywords to determine a dynamic parameter based on a keyword match, process one of the processing instructions in the IFC to obtain and load the dynamic parameter into the IFC, process the IFC with the dynamic parameter to determine a communication session parameter, and transfer a SIP message with the communication session parameter responsive to the SIP invite message.
US09148447B2

Providing security-related services for enterprise service requests includes receiving a service request from an endpoint, determining the transaction parameter from the received service request, determining a subroutine for execution based on the transaction parameter, communicating with a data server to execute the subroutine, receiving subroutine results from the data server based on the executed subroutine, applying context-specific rules to the request based on instructive data specified in the subroutine results, determining a response based on the subroutine results and the applied context-specific rules, and communicating the response to the endpoint. Some embodiments may also include accessing transaction rules associated with the transaction parameter, determining an additional subroutine for execution based on the transaction rules, communicating with a data server to execute the additional subroutine, receiving additional subroutine results from the data server based on the executed additional subroutine, and communicating the results to the endpoint.
US09148433B2

These and other objectives are attained with a method and system for evaluating an access policy change. The method comprises the step of providing an access control mechanism having a first policy, and an audit log having entries of accesses made under that first policy. The method comprises the further steps of submitting a second policy to the access control mechanism, comparing the log entries to the second policy, and based on the results of the comparing step, taking one of a predetermined number of actions.
US09148431B2

Methods, devices, systems and computer program products are described for implementing on a communication device customized caller ID and remote functional management of a communication device via shared secret exchange between calling and called parties. Customized caller ID provides for a calling party to identify themself regardless of the device they are using to place to call. In addition, other remote functional management, such as call priority tagging, provides for the calling party to prioritize the call or otherwise customize a call ID message to the called party. By exchanging shared secrets amongst the calling and called parties, the customized caller ID method and remote functional management are secure, thereby eliminating the likelihood of unauthorized tampering by unknown parties. Shared secret exchange also provides for authorized callers to remotely access and manage the communication device, such as, for example, to remotely lock down or place the communication device in an off state.
US09148428B1

Approaches for managing potentially malicious files using one or more virtual machines. In response to receiving a request to perform an action on a file, a client applies a policy to determine whether the action is deemed trustworthy. The client identifies, without human intervention, a virtual machine, executing or to be executed on the client, in which the action is to be performed based on whether the action is deemed trustworthy. In this way, embodiments allow a user to make use of data deemed untrusted in certain cases without allowing the untrusted data from having unfettered access to the resources of the client. If the requested action is performed in a different virtual machine from which the action was requested, embodiments enable the performance of the action to be performed seamlessly to the user.
US09148426B2

Embodiments of the present invention allow for “end-user” provisioned instances to securely identify themselves beyond a simple user ID and password. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention use a multi-part security approach that includes (among other things): an identifying key (e.g., a shared private key) known by the cloud security system and the instance; and at least one additional security factor such as an identifier found in TCP/IP packets (e.g., an internet protocol address). In a typical embodiment, a request for an instance (e.g., a virtual machine) is received, and a template (e.g., an image) corresponding to the requested instance is identified. From this template, the instance is provisioned. Under the embodiments of the present invention, the instance will be provisioned to include a security key. When a request is thereafter received from the instance, the request is validated using the security key and the additional security factor(s).
US09148420B2

Methods and systems are provided for single sign-on process for remote-access to remote servers, using user equipment associated with a user. An intermediate device (e.g., smart-card) associated with the user equipment may be activated using local-access authentication information provided by the user. The local-access authentication data may be provided by the user in response to requests by the user equipment. Once activated, the intermediate device may support remote-access operations, by providing, in response to authentication requests received from remote servers, remote-access authentication data, which may be used in authenticating the user at the remote servers. The authentication requests may be sent by the remote server to the user equipment in response to the user requesting remote access. The remote-access authentication data may be provided without requiring user input, once the intermediate device is activated. Further, the remote-access authentication data is different from the local-access authentication data.
US09148419B2

Methods, systems and apparatuses for an operator provisioning a trustworthy workspace to a subscriber are disclosed. One method includes providing the subscriber with the trustworthy workspace, where in the trustworthy workspace comprises a virtualized content repository with trustworthy workflows for storing, sharing and processing a digital content across a plurality of repositories. The method further includes allowing the subscriber authority to sub-provision the trustworthy workspace to one or more authorized parties, wherein only the one or more authorized parties can view or modify at least a portion of the digital content.
US09148418B2

Provided are systems and methods for performing network-based digital data software switching between geographically dispersed subject computing devices, to obtain full access to digital data from the non-transitory computer-readable media of geographically dispersed computing devices such that the entire physical or logical media from each device is fully accessible to one or more user computers on the Internet. This is achieved via network-based digital data software switching systems that may be implemented on public or private networks. The data software switching system may be implemented on a private network for use by a private entity, or it may be achieved via a “cloud computing” model whereupon the user obtains, from a public network such as the Internet, the use of both dedicated and shared resources to engage the data software switching capability.
US09148415B2

Provided is a method for accessing e-book data, including: step A: e-book hardware establishes a connection with an electronic device and negotiates a reading key; step B: the electronic device downloads e-book data via a client, specifically is: firstly, the electric device establishes a connection with the client; the client sends a connection establishment request to a server; the server verifies the identification of the electronic device via the client; if the verification is not passed, then the access will be refused; if the verification is passed, then the server uses a downloaded key to encrypt the e-book data and sends the encrypted e-book data to the electronic device via the client; and step C: the electronic hardware establishes a connection with the electronic device, processes the encrypted e-book data using the downloaded key and/or the reading key, and the e-book hardware displays the e-book data. The method provided in the present embodiment not only enables the download and reading of the e-book to be more rapid but also protects the copyright of the e-book.
US09148413B1

When providing a user with native access to at least a portion of device hardware, the user can be prevented from modifying firmware and other configuration information by controlling the mechanisms used to update that information. In some embodiments, an asymmetric keying approach can be used to encrypt or sign the firmware. In other cases access can be controlled by enabling firmware updates only through a channel or port that is not exposed to the customer, or by mapping only those portions of the hardware that are to be accessible to the user. In other embodiments, the user can be prevented from modifying firmware by only provisioning the user on a machine after an initial mutability period wherein firmware can be modified, such that the user never has access to a device when firmware can be updated. Combinations and variations of the above also can be used.
US09148408B1

Embodiments of the present disclosure help protect network devices from unauthorized access. Among other things, embodiments of the disclosure allow full access to application servers and other network devices that a client is allowed to access, while preventing all access (or even knowledge) of network devices the client is not allowed to access.
US09148403B2

In frame switched communication networks, information is forwarded from a source to a destination based on a destination address. In IEEE 802 networks these addresses are called Media Access Control (MAC) addresses. MAC addresses identify the source and destination station of each frame, however typically don't contain any subfields which identify the physical or logical location (or subnetwork) of the station. Such an address can be called a flat address. The entities of networks using IEEE 802 MAC addresses don't have methods for aggregating MAC addresses or for forwarding frames based on aggregates rather than station MAC addresses. The use of station MAC addresses for frame forwarding limits the scaling, lowers the efficiency, reduces the security and raises the cost of these networks. The method described here solves the MAC address aggregation problem by using a summary MAC address to represent an aggregate of summarized MAC addresses.
US09148400B2

Provided is a method of automatically detecting an end node behind a phone on a computer network. Media access control (MAC) address of an end node is determined, wherein the end node is coupled to a phone and the phone is coupled to a switch on a computer network. It is also determined whether the MAC address of the end node is recognized on a port of a switch on the computer network. If the MAC address is recognized on a port of a switch, a list of MAC addresses recognized on the port is obtained. If the list has two MAC addresses, the MAC address of the end node from one of the two MAC addresses is determined.
US09148396B2

Emergency text messaging provides the ability to send and receive partial text-based messages and text messages that were prematurely ended. When a sender of a text message is not able to complete the message, the recipient of the partial/prematurely concluded message is provided information such that the recipient can ascertain that an exceptional condition exists. A text message can be sent on a character-by-character basis, a text message can be sent when a lack of activity is detected for a predetermined amount of time, when a character entry is consecutively repeated a predetermined amount of times or for a predetermined amount of time, or any appropriate combination thereof. The recipient of the text message has the ability to adjust parameters on the device, activate sensors on the device, and/or trigger the transmission of information from the device.
US09148391B2

A virtual chassis system includes a plurality of network nodes connected by virtual fabric link (VFLs) that provide a connection for exchange of packets between the network nodes. A network node in the virtual chassis system is operable in a pass thru mode. In pass thru mode, the network node receives packets over a VFL and transparently forwards the packet over another VFL to another network node in the virtual chassis system. However, the network node 110 disables other port interfaces, such as port interfaces connected to external nodes from the virtual chassis system. The network node 110 in pass thru mode is operable to receive management commands over one or more VFLs and can still be managed through management commands.
US09148383B2

Methods for inserting a middlebox into a network connection include monitoring network state information in a connection between a client and a server. When the connection is idle, a connection entry is created for each device and is initialized using state information gathered by monitoring the network connection. Redirection of the network connection is activated between the client and the server such that the middlebox mediates the connection. Methods for removing a middlebox from a network connection include determining a degree of mismatch between a sequence number in a first connection between the middlebox and a client and a sequence number in a second connection between the middlebox and a server, delaying acknowledgment signals from the middlebox on a connection to decrease the degree of mismatch, and establishing a direct connection between the client and the server without mediation by the middlebox when the degree of mismatch is zero.
US09148381B2

A network traffic managing node of a local area network, such as a router or gateway, can monitor network traffic of the local area network. A network event associated with the local area network is detected using the network traffic managing node. The network event is reported from the network traffic managing node to one or more servers of a cloud-based computing network. A network policy update for the network traffic managing node is received from the cloud-based computing network. The network policy update is based, at least in part, on a type of network event reported to the cloud-based computing network. The network policy update is implemented at the network traffic managing node to process and/or resolve the network event.
US09148376B2

A method provides for the dynamic traffic prioritization in a communication network. The method electronically monitors traffic in a communication network and determines when traffic exceeds configured thresholds on the links of the communication network. Thus, the method determines a link which is potentially about to be congested in the communication network. The method categorizes the traffic on this link by an end system attached to one end of the potentially congested link into a plurality of priority categories using application layer parameters. Using a re-direct capability of the end system, the method re-directs at least one of the pluralities of priority categories of traffic to an alternate Internet Protocol address. The method uses preconfigured Quality of Service mechanisms on the provider edge router attached to the other end of the potentially congested link to guarantee a predetermined amount of bandwidth capacity of the link to traffic destined to the alternate Internet Protocol address.
US09148368B2

Techniques are provided for packet routing in a distributed network switch. The distributed network switch includes multiple switch modules operatively connected to one another, and each switch module includes multiple bridge elements and a management controller. In one embodiment, a shared interface routing (SIR) framework is provided that includes an analysis and bifurcation layer, at least one packet interface, and an analysis assist layer. A packet is received over a first logical network and via a physical port, the packet being destined for at least a first application executing on the management controller. The analysis assist layer analyzes the packet to determine a reason code to assign to the packet. The analysis and bifurcation layer then analyzes the packet based at least in part on the reason code.
US09148366B2

Apparatus and methods for communicating messages between communication devices are disclosed. The method includes receiving, from a second communication device, a message with a compressed header and a compression token, the compression token replacing routing information compressed out of an original header of the message. The method also includes determining, using the compression token, whether the routing information is stored on a first communication device, and requesting, if the routing information is not stored on the first communication device, that the second communication device send the routing information to the first communication device. And the first communication device routes the message to a destination device based upon the routing information.
US09148360B2

A source MAC address is associated with a particular port that is a member of a secure group of ports of a network edge device. A move of the source MAC address to any port of the network edge device that is a member of the secure group of ports is allowed. Moves of the MAC address to any port of the network edge device that is outside the secure group of ports are disallowed.
US09148358B2

Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and devices for filtering captured network traffic received by a network captured traffic distribution device communicatively coupled to a plurality of network captured network traffic distribution devices arranged in a stacked topology are described. Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and devices for applying a plurality of filters to received captured network traffic by a network captured traffic distribution device communicatively coupled to a plurality of network captured network traffic distribution devices arranged in a stacked topology are also described. Applying a plurality of filters to the received captured traffic may generate a plurality of filtered captured traffic sets. In some instances, filtered captured network traffic sets that have similar target destinations may be aggregated together and transmitted toward the target destination.
US09148356B2

A communication apparatus includes a processor and a memory. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed, instruct the communication apparatus to execute steps comprising acquiring a type of transmission data referring to information about the transmission data, and limiting a search range of a network bandwidth, in response to the acquired type of the transmission data, wherein the network bandwidth is measured by a transmission interval of a transmission of a plurality of packets via a network, and a reception interval of a reception of the plurality of packets via a network. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that further instruct the communication apparatus to execute steps comprising setting the search range according to the limited search range, and transmitting a packet within the limited search range for measuring the network bandwidth.
US09148343B2

In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a network device configured to receive an anomaly database of a first image that stores a set of differences between the first image and a base image. The network device is configured to compare the anomaly database of the first image with an anomaly database of a second image storing a set of differences between the second image and the base image to determine if the first and second images include at least one incompatible critical feature or incompatible non-critical feature. The network device is configured to send a signal associated with a first action if the first and second images include the at least one incompatible critical feature. The network device is configured to send a signal associated with a second action different from the first action if the first and second images include the at least one incompatible non-critical feature.
US09148341B2

Devices and methods for partially upgrading a programmable pluggable transceiver that is in service using the regular datapaths without degrading the basic transparent, hitless pass-through functionality of the transceiver. The programmable logic gate array can be divided into four generalized parts: core logic for basic transceiver pass-through functionality over the datapaths, upgradeable internal logic, connectivity logic for selectively outputting on the datapaths from the core and internal logics, and control logic for isolating, upgrading and reconnecting the internal logic without affecting the basic transparent hitless pass-through functionality of the transceiver.
US09148339B2

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a controller may be communicatively coupled to a media interface and to each of a plurality of slots of a chassis, and may be configured to identify information handling systems instantiated within the chassis which require network configuration, read network configuration deployment information from a computer-readable medium received at the media interface, and for each information handling system instantiated within the chassis which requires network configuration, deploy network configuration parameters for the information handling system based on information set forth in the network configuration deployment information.
US09148338B2

The present disclosure relates to a base station and a method for Operation and Maintenance, OaM, communication in a communication system. The base station comprises a first interface configured to communicate with a core network, including OaM communication, and a second interface configured for OaM communication. The second interface is arranged to communicate wirelessly with the core network via another base station. The base station and the method facilitates troubleshooting remote management problems in OaM communication.
US09148334B2

Methods and apparatus for characterizing unregistered domain names are provided. One embodiment includes obtaining a list of a plurality of resolution requests for the unregistered domain names, determining a number of occurrences of each of the unregistered domain names, computing a plurality of groupings based on the number of occurrences, and associating a score with each of the unregistered domain names.
US09148333B2

A method for facilitating an anonymous communications session in a communications environment is provided that includes receiving, from a first endpoint, a request for a communication session involving a second endpoint. The method also includes identifying end user data associated with a first endpoint. The data associated with the first endpoint is mapped to an identity of the first endpoint. The second endpoint is shown the identity of the first endpoint and not the end user data associated with the first endpoint.
US09148330B2

A method and system for exchanging location content data in different data formats is disclosed. A third-party system makes a request to retrieve, add, modify, or delete location content. The request is made in a first data format. A data exchange system receives the request, converts the request to a second data format supported by a location reference system, and sends the request to the location reference system. The location reference system prepares a response to the request and sends the response to the data exchange system. The data exchange system converts the response to the first data format and sends the response to the third-party system.
US09148325B2

Disclosed are an system and method for compensation of I/Q imbalance in a beamforming OFDM system. The system comprises: a TX beamformer configured at a transmitter end of the beamforming OFDM system; a noise whitener configured at a receiver end of the beamforming OFDM system; and a RX MMSE configured at the receiver end of the beamforming OFDM system. At least one of the TX beamformer, the noise whitener and the RX MMSE receiver, or any combination thereof are capable of jointly processing a carrier and its image subcarrier to compensate the I/Q imbalance in the beamforming system.
US09148322B2

A signaling system includes a pre-emphasizing transmitter and an equalizing receiver coupled to one another via a high-speed signal path. The receiver measures the quality of data conveyed from the transmitter. A controller uses this information and other information to adaptively establish appropriate transmit pre-emphasis and receive equalization settings, e.g. to select the lowest power setting for which the signaling system provides some minimum communication bandwidth without exceeding a desired bit-error rate.
US09148316B2

A decision feedback equalizer (DFE) circuit includes a first equalization path and a second equalization path. Each equalization path includes a summing node, a first latch, a second latch, a first feedback path, and a second feedback path. The first latch is configured to latch data received from the summing node. The second latch is configured to latch data received from the first latch. The first feedback path is configured to receive data from the second latch and to provide data to the summing node of the equalization path. The second feedback path is configured to receive data from the first latch and to provide data to the summing node of the other equalization path. The second feedback path provides up to a symbol interval for propagation of data between the summing nodes.
US09148312B2

An apparatus comprising a circuit configured to determine whether a data sequence comprises a pre-defined data pattern, regulate an output current based on the pre-defined data pattern, and feed the output current to a transmitter configured to transmit a bitstream comprising the data sequence. Also an apparatus for data transmission comprising a transmitter configured to transmit a bitstream comprising a number of consecutive identical digits (CIDs), and a driver coupled to the transmitter and configured to regulate an output current based on the CIDs to stabilize an output voltage, and feed the output current and output voltage to the transmitter.
US09148311B2

In an embodiment, a channel estimator includes first, second, and third stages. The first stage is configurable to generate a first observation scalar for a first communication path of a first communication channel, and the second stage is configurable to generate a second observation scalar for a first communication path of a second communication channel. And the third stage is configurable to generate channel-estimation coefficients in response to the first and second observation scalars. For example, such a channel estimator may use a recursive algorithm, such as a Vector State Scalar Observation (VSSO) Kalman algorithm, to estimate the responses of channels over which propagate simultaneous orthogonal-frequency-division-multiplexed (OFDM) signals (e.g., MIMO-OFDM signals) that suffer from inter-carrier interference (ICI) due to Doppler spread. Such a channel estimator may estimate the channel responses more accurately, more efficiently, with a less-complex algorithm, and with less-complex software or circuitry, than conventional channel estimators.
US09148309B2

An apparatus for estimating channel effects is provided. A receiving module receives first data and first reference information arriving in a first time period, second data and second reference data arriving in a second time period, and third data and third reference data arriving in a third time period. An estimation module estimates channel effects corresponding to the first and third data, and the first, second and third reference data, respectively. A coefficient calculation module performs a Wiener filter coefficient calculation on the channel effects corresponding to the first, second and third reference data to generate a set of time-domain interpolation coefficients. An interpolation module interpolates the channel effects corresponding to the first third data according to the set of time-domain interpolation coefficients to generate a channel effect corresponding to the second data.
US09148307B2

The invention relates to the field of mobile communication systems. In particular, the invention discloses a method for handover decision making during an inter-radio access technology (RAT) handover. According to the method, the decision for inter-RAT handover may be taken by the serving network entity in a hierarchical manner beginning with a radio access network (RAN) entity and proceeding towards a core network (CN) entity. Further, the serving network entity may take the decision for the inter-RAT handover based on the information and knowledge of the target access system handover criteria and the ranking available in the network entity.
US09148305B1

A configurable network switch is disclosed. The configurable network switch may include a plurality of network switch chips operatively connected to a plurality of connectors via a programmable crosspoint chip. The programmable crosspoint chip may be configured to operate in one or more network operating modes. In a first network operating mode, the programmable crosspoint chip may be configured to operate at 40 Gigabit Ethernet speeds, whereas in the second network operating mode, the programmable crosspoint chip may be configured to operate at 10 Gigabit Ethernet speeds. The configurable network switch may also include an input interface, such as an I2C interface, that allows an operator of the network switch to select the one or more network operating modes of the configurable network switch.
US09148304B2

Replicating on a test server a production load of a production server. The production load can be created on the production server by processing client requests received from clients. While the client requests are processed, in real time, the production load can be replicated to generate a replicated production load that represents the client requests and defines state information representing unique states formed between the production server and the respective clients. In real time, the replicated production load can be communicated in order to replicate the production load on the test server.
US09148303B2

Latency information is collected for each message as it moves through an organization. The latency information includes latency information for components processing the message. When the message is routed to the next server within the organization, the collected latency information for the server sending the message is included with the message. The collected latency information is written to a message tracking log when it either is delivered within the organization or when the message leaves the organization. The message tracking log may then be viewed such that the collected latency information may be viewed and analyzed.
US09148300B2

A first aggregation node in communication with the first network and the second network, the source node and internal nodes of the first network only having knowledge of each other and of the first aggregation node. The system includes a second aggregate node in communication with the second network and the third network, the internal nodes of the second network only having knowledge of each other and the first and second aggregate nodes, the destination node and the internal nodes of the third network only having knowledge of each other and the second aggregation node, the first and second aggregation nodes only having knowledge of each other, the destination node receiving the data from the source node using a link state routing protocol and shortest path bridging through the first second and third networks and the first and second aggregation nodes.
US09148293B2

A testing system provides automated testing of one or more network infrastructures. The testing system may automatically reconfigure one or more devices within a network infrastructure and then conduct testing on the newly configured network infrastructure. Test results may be used to diagnose network anomalies and to compare performance or other characteristics of various network configurations. In one embodiment, the testing system tests a communication channel between a front-end and back-end mechanism where data traffic is encoded between the front-end and back-end mechanism.
US09148289B2

A method for streaming video data. Video data is received. At least one frame of the video data is segmented into a plurality of regions. Video data corresponding to a first region of the plurality of regions is transmitted over a network. The video data corresponding to a second region of the plurality of regions is modified according to interactive input. The video data corresponding to a modified version of the second region is transmitted over the network.
US09148277B2

A system includes a memory controller and a plurality of semiconductor devices that are series-connected. Each of the devices has memory core for storing data. The memory controller provides a clock signal for synchronizing the operations of the devices. Each device includes a phase-locked loop (PLL) that is selectively enabled or disabled by a PLL enable signal. In each group, the PLLs of a selected number of devices are enabled by PLL enable signals and the other devices are disabled. The enabled PLL provides a plurality of reproduced clock signals with a phase shift of a multiple of 90° in response to an input clock signal. The data transfer is synchronized with at least one of the reproduced clock signals. In the devices of disabled PLLs, the data transfer is synchronized with the input clock signal. The enabled PLL and disabled PLL cause the devices to be the source and the common synchronous clocking, respectively. The devices can be grouped. The devices of one group can be structured by multiple chip packages.
US09148256B2

The performance of a Single Code Word (SCW) design with low complexity MMSE receiver & rank prediction is similar to the Multiple Code Word (MCW) design with successive interference cancellation (SIC). A method of rank prediction comprises calculating MIMO channel matrices corresponding to layer transmissions for each tone, calculating signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) for each tone based on the MIMO channel matrices, mapping the SNR for each tone to generate effective SNRs for each layer transmission, selecting a highest packet format (PF) with an SNR threshold less than the effective SNR for each layer transmission, maximizing an over-all spectral efficiency based on the selected highest packet formats for each layer transmission, and selecting a rank based on maximizing an over-all spectral efficiency.
US09148254B2

In cable modem termination systems (CMTS) and other information transmission systems, a method for changing the interleave depth associated with each data stream is provided. This may be done dynamically, and for any subset of downstream devices such as modems. The interleave depth may be set on an individual device level. Embodiments may decrease data receiving latency on devices that do not suffer from error rates, such as caused by burst noise, while maintaining throughput on devices with high error rates.
US09148250B2

Embodiments may communicate via an electromagnetic radiator, or light source, that can be amplitude modulated such as light emitting diode lighting via receivers that can determine data from light received from the radiator. Some embodiments decode data of a packet transmitted from modulated lighting by means of a device with a low sampling frequency such as a relatively inexpensive camera. Many embodiments determine locations of start frame delimiters in packets. Several embodiments implement repeat decoding on packets of the same data to reduce packet error rates. Some embodiments are intended for indoor navigation via photogrammetry using self-identifying light anchors. In many embodiments, the data signal may be communicated via the light source at frequencies causing flicker that is not perceivable to the human eye.
US09148241B2

A transmission apparatus switches to a line of one standby system upon occurrence of a fault on any one of n lines of a working system. The transmission apparatus includes a switching controller that when switching from a line of the working system to a line of the standby-system upon the occurrence of the fault and executing a given command to put the line causing the fault in a given state of line switching according to the given command, causes the working system to maintain the state of line switching according to the given command even after restoration from the fault.
US09148238B2

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes identifying metadata related to television programming. The method further includes sending search requests that include the identified metadata to a search system for selecting at least one portable program module. The method further includes in response to a first one of the search requests, receiving first search results from the search system that identify the selected portable program module and outputting a representation of the selected portable program module to a display device for presentation concurrently with the television programming. The method further includes in response to a second one of the search requests, receiving second search results from the search system that no longer identify the selected portable program module and ceasing the output of the representation of the selected portable program module.
US09148235B1

An eye diagram measuring circuit includes a reference signal generator, a clock data recovery circuit, a test signal generator, and a boundary determining unit. The reference signal generator generates a reference signal. The clock data recovery circuit generates a clock signal according to the reference signal. The test signal generator generates a first sampling signal according to the clock signal. The test signal generator discriminates logic levels of plural bits of the input signal according to the first sampling signal and a slicing voltage, thereby generating a test signal. The boundary determining unit generates a boundary of an eye diagram according to a relationship between the test signal and the reference signal. The test signal generator changes a phase of the first sampling signal and a magnitude of the slicing voltage according to plural conditions provided by the boundary determining unit.
US09148233B2

Methods and systems for coexistence in a multiband, multistandard communication system utilizing a plurality of phase locked loops (PLLs) are disclosed. Aspects may include determining one or more desired frequencies of operation of a transceiver, determining a frequency of unwanted signals such as spurs, intermodulation, and/or mixing product signals, and configuring the Plls to operate at a multiple of the desired frequencies while avoiding the unwanted signals. The desired frequencies may be generated utilizing integer, which may include multi-modulus dividers. The wireless standards may include LTE, GSM, EDGE, GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi, and/or WCOMA, for example. The frequencies may be configured to mitigate interference. Plls may be shared when operating in TOO mode, and used separately operating in FOO mode. One or more digital interface signals, zero exceptions on a transmitter spur emission mask, and sampling clocks for AOCs and/or DACs in the transceiver may be generated utilizing the PLLs.
US09148231B2

Disclosed herein is an optical receiver including: a light receiving element configured to have an anode and a cathode and generate a photocurrent dependent on received signal light; a current-voltage conversion circuit configured to be connected to the anode of the light receiving element and convert the photocurrent to a voltage signal; and a capacitive passive element configured to have a first electrode and a second electrode. The cathode of the light receiving element is connected to the first electrode of the capacitive passive element, and the second electrode of the capacitive passive element is connected to a reference potential of the current-voltage conversion circuit and the second electrode is not coupled to objects other than a reference potential terminal of the current-voltage conversion circuit.
US09148229B2

There is provided an optical transmitter including: a demultiplexer configured to divide a data frame of a transmission signal into subframes with a predetermined length so as to form the subframes in a plurality of signal lanes; an index generator configured to generate an index for indicating an order of the signal lanes; a lane rearrangement unit configured to rearrange the order of the signal lanes according to the index; a carrier controller configured to generate a frequency offset of a carrier corresponding to the index; a mapping unit configured to map the transmission signal in the plurality of signal lanes with the rearranged order to the transmission signal with a phase corresponding to the frequency offset; and a transmitting unit configured to optically modulate the mapped transmission signal so as to transmit the modulated transmission signal.
US09148228B2

An optical signal transmitting device includes direct modulators configured to be driven using electric signals of channels to generate directly-modulated optical signals of channels, a beat light source configured to generate beat light at a specific frequency spacing, subcarrier converters configured to modulate, using the beat light from the beat light source, the directly-modulated optical signals of the channels from the direct modulators to generate optical subcarrier modulation signals of channels, probe light sources configured to generate probe light of channels having frequencies that are different from frequencies of the directly-modulated optical signals of the channels, multiplexers configured to multiplex, for individual channels, the optical subcarrier modulation signals of the channels with the probe light of the channels, and nonlinear optical media configured to perform, for individual channels, optical cross modulation for the optical subcarrier modulation signals and the probe light, which are multiplexed, and transmit processed signals.
US09148227B2

Provided is a reflective colorless optical transmitter receiving a carrier signal, which is a continuous wave, and outputting a modulated optical signal. The reflective colorless optical transmitter includes a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) amplifying an input optical signal allowing the input optical signal to have a gain, an optical modulator connected to the SOA and outputting a modulated optical signal, a high reflectivity facet reflecting the modulated optical signal from the optical modulator, and a Bragg reflection mirror connected to the high reflectivity facet, the optical modulator, and the SOA in series, wherein a Bragg resonator is formed by the Bragg reflecting mirror and the high reflectivity facet.
US09148223B2

The present disclosure provides hybrid packet-optical private network systems and methods for a private and dedicated multi-point Ethernet Private Local Area Network (EPLAN). The network systems and methods include a Layer 1 infrastructure service with the inclusion of reserved, dedicated packet switch capacity upon which clients can build their personal, private packet networks. In the systems and methods described herein, packet networking methods are not used to partition the isolated LAN connectivity. Instead, dedicated Ethernet Private LANs (EPLs) are defined between dedicated virtual switching instances (VSIs) that are defined, as necessary, within larger packet-optical switches. Each VSI is partitioned from the remainder of its packet switch fabric as a dedicated, private resource for a specific EPLAN. A packet network is then built by the customer on top of the private EPLAN bandwidth and operated as an isolated, private network with no influence by other carrier's network resources.
US09148222B2

The present invention concerns an AFDX network which is extended by a passive optical network or PON. The AFDX network comprises an AFDX switch to which are connected a plurality of equipments. The AFDX switch constitutes the optical line termination and said equipments constitute the optical network terminations of the PON. The PON broadcasts over the downlink, to all said equipments, every AFDX frame output by said AFDX switch. It also multiplexes over the uplink the AFDX frames transmitted by the same equipments. The invention also concerns an μAFDX network using a PON.
US09148212B2

An antenna system includes a controller operatively connected to a first antenna and a second antenna, the controller including a vehicle position input configured and disposed to receive GPS position data identifying a location of a motor vehicle and a vehicle heading input configured and disposed to receive GPS heading data for the motor vehicle. The controller is configured and disposed to selectively employ at least one of the first and second antennas to receive a radio signal based on received location and heading data for the motor vehicle.
US09148203B2

A distributed antenna system includes a master unit including a downlink RF input operable to receive an RF input signal from a downlink port of a base station, a first optical port, and a second optical port. The distributed antenna system also includes a first remote unit coupled to the first optical port. The first remote unit comprises a downlink antenna port and a first uplink antenna port and a second remote unit coupled to the second optical port of the master unit. The second remote unit comprises a downlink antenna port and a second uplink antenna port. The master unit is operable to transmit a first RF signal associated with the first RF uplink signal to a first uplink port of the base station and transmit a second RF signal associated with the second RF uplink signal to a second uplink port of the base station.
US09148201B2

Systems and methods for alignment and calibration of a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver are disclosed. According to one aspect, a wireless power transmit coil is first aligned with a wireless power receive coil. An alignment signal is received indicated that the transmit coil and the receive coil are aligned is received by the wireless power transmitter. A signal indicative of a characteristic of an electrical signal received by the wireless power receiver is generated and communicated to the wireless power transmitter. A calibration feedback signal is generated to adjust a driving signal of the wireless power transmitter based on the received signal.
US09148196B2

A synchronization device and a synchronization method for use in a receiver are provided. The receiver receives a signal from a transmitter. The synchronization device generates a plurality of first pseudo noise codes in sequence according to a first code phase sequence and generates a plurality of second pseudo noise codes in sequence according to a second code phase sequence which is the reverse of the first code phase sequence, simultaneously. Every time a first pseudo noise code and a second pseudo noise code are generated, the synchronization device makes a correlation calculation for the first pseudo noise code, the second pseudo noise code and the signal. The synchronization device further determines a code phase according to the correlation calculations, and synchronizes with the signal according to the code phase. The synchronization method is applied to the synchronization device to implement the operations.
US09148191B2

A portable electronic device having NFC application function is provided. The electronic device includes a body, a watch-strap portion and a NFC module. The watch-strap portion includes a first watch strap and a second watch strap respectively connected to opposite end portions of the body. The first watch strap and the second watch strap are used to wear the electronic device on a wrist. The NFC module integrates with a plurality of different NFC applications. Therefore, user can use those NFC applications conveniently and safely through the electronic device worn on their wrist.
US09148182B2

Systems and methods are provided for implementing and using multiband transceiver architectures. In a transmit subsystem that comprises a plurality of transmit paths, a frequency spectrum that is used for transmission of signals may be segmented into a plurality of segments, and each of the segments may be allocated to one of the plurality of transmit paths. Further, performance in each of the plurality of transmit paths may be monitored during transmission of signals, and operation of the transmit subsystem and each of the plurality of transmit paths may be controlled based on the monitored performance. Such control may comprise dynamically performing one or more of modifying operation of one or more of the plurality of transmit paths, modifying assignment of plurality of segments to the plurality of transmit paths, and modifying segmentation of the frequency spectrum.
US09148178B2

A multi-band multi-path receiving and transmitting device and method, and a base station system are provided. The multi-band multi-path receiving and transmitting device includes a broadband antenna, at least two multi-frequency couplers, a multi-band transceiver, and a signal processing module. The multi-band transceiver is adopted to decrease the number of the transceivers, thereby reducing the material cost and the mounting cost of the base station system.
US09148177B2

A systematic encoder such as a systematic polar encoder for channel encoding to ameliorate the effects of noise in a transmission channel. The codeword carries a data word to be transmitted transparently, and also carries a parity part derived from the data word and a fixed word. Implementations advantageously reduce coding complexity to the order of N log(N), wherein N is the dimension of a matrix of the nth Kronecker power associated with a matrix effectively employed by the encoder.
US09148171B1

A method for enhancing signal integrity in an interface between a source device and at least one destination device includes: analyzing two or more consecutive data patterns intended to be conveyed by the interface to determine whether data transitions corresponding to the data patterns are likely to introduce coupling noise and/or simultaneous switching output (SSO) effects on the interface; generating a modified data pattern for transmission by the interface, the modified data pattern reducing coupling noise and/or SSO effects on the interface compared to an original data pattern intended to be conveyed by the interface; and transmitting the modified data pattern and information regarding a manner in which the original data pattern was modified to the destination device to thereby reduce coupling noise and/or SSO effects on the interface.
US09148170B2

Methods and apparatuses for providing multi-level encoded signals are disclosed. An apparatus may include an encoding circuit and a multi-level encoder. The encoding circuit may be configured to receive data and provide encoded data based, at least in part on the data. The multi-level encoder may be coupled to the encoding circuit and configured to receive the encoded data. The multi-level encoder may be further configured to provide the encoded data to a bus as multi-level signal responsive, at least in part, to receipt of the encoded data.
US09148167B2

A capacitor array includes a plural capacitors provided separated at intervals from each other. A first wiring line is connected to the first electrode of each of the plurality of capacitors, and is provided so as to pass through the intervals between the plurality of capacitors. A second wiring line is connected to the second electrode of each of the plurality of capacitors, is provided in a layer separated by at least one layer from the layer in which the first wiring line is provided, and is provided so as to pass through the intervals between the plurality of capacitors. A first conductor is provided in a layer between the layer in which the first wiring line is provided and the layer in which the second wiring line is provided, so as to be interposed between the first wiring line and the second wiring line.
US09148166B2

A successive approximation register analog to digital converter (SAR ADC) receives an input voltage and a plurality of reference voltages. The SAR ADC includes a charge sharing DAC. The charge sharing DAC includes an array of MSB (most significant bit) capacitors and an array of LSB (least significant bit) capacitors. A zero crossing detector is coupled to the charge sharing DAC. The zero crossing detector generates a digital output. A coarse ADC (analog to digital converter) receives the input voltage and generates a coarse output. A predefined offset is added to a residue of the coarse ADC. A successive approximation register (SAR) state machine is coupled to the coarse ADC and the zero crossing detector and, generates a plurality of control signals. The plurality of control signals operates the charge sharing DAC in a sampling mode, an error-correction mode and a conversion mode.
US09148148B2

Provided is a gate driving circuit including cascade-connected stages that output gate signals. An n-th one of the stages (“n” is a natural number) includes a pull-up part, a pull-up controller, a first pull-down part, a second pull-down part, and a pull-down controller. The pull-up part outputs a first clock signal as an output signal of the n-th stage. The pull-up controller selectively applies first and second powers to a control electrode of the pull-up part. The first pull-down part pulls down a voltage applied to the control electrode of the pull-up part to an off voltage. The second pull-down part pulls down a voltage applied to an output electrode of the pull-up part to the off voltage. The pull-down controller selectively applies the first and second powers to control electrodes of the first and second pull-down parts.
US09148140B1

An integrated circuit with precision current source includes a first MOSFET, a second MOSFET, an op-amp and a resistor formed on a common semiconductor substrate. The first MOSFET is characterized by a first multiplier (xM1) and the second MOSFET is characterized by a second multiplier (xM2) where a ratio of xM2 to xM1 is greater than one. An inverting input of the op-amp is coupled to a drain of the first MOSFET and an output of the op-amp is coupled to a gate of the first MOSFET. A negative feedback circuit limits a rise in output current under low output voltage conditions.
US09148133B2

A trimming circuit, installed in a semiconductor integrated circuit that has multiple different target values, the trimming circuit to adjusts circuit characteristics of the semiconductor integrated circuit to make output values of the semiconductor integrated circuit correspond to multiple desired target values and includes a setting-value table memory to store multiple setting value groups respectively containing different combinations of multiple setting values related to the multiple target values; a trimming cell circuit to store first selection information indicating one group of the multiple setting-value groups stored in the setting-value table memory; and a selector to select one group from the multiple setting-value group stored in the setting-value table memory based on the first selection information, and select one setting value from multiple setting values in the selected setting-value group based on external second selection information to output the selected setting value.
US09148127B1

An impedance tuner having an RF transmission line, with a single lead screw extending along the RF transmission line. A plurality of movable carriages are engaged with the lead screw, wherein each of the plurality of movable carriages is configured for independent movement relative to other carriages. A motorized drive system drives the plurality of movable carriages independently along the lead screw.
US09148115B2

A filter includes: a filter circuit connected between a first terminal and a second terminal; and a matching circuit connected between the filter circuit and the second terminal, wherein an impedance viewed from the second terminal toward the matching circuit is less than an impedance viewed from a node between the filter circuit and the matching circuit toward the filter circuit.
US09148109B2

A monolithic ceramic electronic component includes at least two types of stacked ceramic layers having different dielectric constants and also includes internal electrodes partially disposed along boundaries between the ceramic layers having different dielectric constants. The internal electrodes include an additive component common to a component included in at least one of the ceramic layers adjacent to each other with the internal electrodes placed therebetween.
US09148105B2

An approach is provided that receives an audio request from a request source while an information handling machine, such as a computer system, is in a muted state. The request source is compared with a list of one more un-mute sources stored in a memory. If the comparison reveals that the request source is included in the list of un-mute sources, then the audio request is audibly played.
US09148100B2

Two input signals are amplified and combined into an output signal by first and second amplification stages and a combiner element. The first amplification stage includes a first signal modification unit and a first amplifier which receives a first input signal and provides a first intermediate signal. The second amplification stage includes at least a second amplifier which receives a second input signal and provides a second intermediate signal. The combiner element combines the first and the second intermediate signals and produces the output signal. In addition, a sensor senses a reflected signal on a signal line connecting the first amplifier and the combiner element and a feedback loop extends between the sensor and the signal modification unit. The signal modification unit is adapted to modify the first input signal depending on a measurement signal output by the first sensor.
US09148098B2

A differential amplifier circuit includes a differential amplification unit suitable for amplifying difference between signals of an input terminal and a complementary input terminal, receiving the same voltage level through the input terminal and the complementary input terminal at a measurement period, and receiving an input signal and a complementary input signal through the input terminal and the complementary input terminal, respectively, at an operation period, an offset control unit suitable for generating offset information using an output of the differential amplification unit at the measurement period, and an offset compensation unit suitable for compensating for an offset of the differential amplification unit in response to the offset information.
US09148094B1

Offset measurement and cancellation circuitry is employed in a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) circuit for directly measuring the offset in the TIA input voltage and for canceling the offset from the TIA output voltage. Employing the offset measurement and cancellation circuitry eliminates the need to use large transistors in the input stage of the TIA in order to reduce or eliminate the offset, which can increase noise and reduce Rx sensitivity. The offset measurement and cancellation circuitry of the invention obviate the need of making a tradeoff between the amount of noise and the magnitude of the offset that will be tolerated. The offset measurement and cancellation circuitry also eliminate the need for additional overhead in the decision threshold in order to avoid false triggering of the decision circuitry of the optical receiver due to noise.
US09148092B1

A method of fabricating amplifiers, includes monolithically integrating a field-plate transistor and T-gate transistor on a single wafer. A device includes a monolithically integrated field-plate transistor and T-gate transistor on a single wafer.
US09148089B2

A transmitting apparatus and transmission method are capable of easily and correctly mixing an in-phase component and a quadrature-phase component in a quadrature modulator. A local signal with a duty ratio of 25% or smaller is generated without using frequency which is a multiple of frequency of the local signal. Without providing switches in series to the outputs of I and Q amplifiers, a duty ratio of 25% or less is obtained. for the local signal, and class-D unit amplifiers are operated such that one of the I amplifier and the Q amplifier is connected to the output side in any state regardless of whether an output power control signal is at an on-level or an off-level. In producing the 25% duty ratio, a local signal with a 50% duty ratio is converted so as to have a duty ratio of 25% by I and Q duty converters.
US09148087B1

Circuits providing low noise amplification with continuous time linear equalization are described. An exemplary circuit includes four amplification elements, such as MOS transistors. The amplification elements are arranged in differential pairs, and the differential pairs are cross-coupled with a frequency-dependent coupling, such as a capacitive coupling, to enhance high-frequency gain. The outputs of the amplification elements are combined to provide an output representing inverted and un-inverted sums of differences in the input signals.
US09148084B2

A with a converter controlled drive includes a rotor, a drive having a variable rotational frequency a working machine and a frequency converter. The drive and the working machine are connected to one another such that a torque is transmitted. The frequency converter is electrically connected to the drive and converts input frequencies to output frequencies. The output frequencies are grouped into a plurality of concentration ranges based upon a rotational speed of the machine. Each concentration range defines a blocking range. The machine has an operating rotational speed range which lies outside the blocking ranges.
US09148080B2

An apparatus including an alternator that is drivable by an engine for producing a first AC electric current, a rectifier in electrical communication with the alternator for producing a DC electric current, an inverter in electrical communication with the rectifier for producing a second AC electric current where the second AC electric current having an acceptable frequency and/or voltage, and the inverter in electrical communication with one or more electric loads responsive to the second AC electric current, and an energy storage device that is able to electrically couple to the alternator, rectifier, and/or inverter.
US09148070B2

A high power control system includes: a single energy source; an energy source management unit configured to manage the energy source; a controller configured to output a PWM control signal under control of the energy source management unit; a plurality of inverters configured to convert a direct current into an alternating current under control of the PWM control signal of the controller; a plurality of filters coupled to output terminals of the inverters; and a plurality of switches configured to regulate connections between the filters and a load under control of a regulation control signal of the controller.
US09148058B2

A bidirectional AC series voltage regulator that regulates an output AC voltage level regardless of the varying AC input voltage utilizing high frequency series inductors that only process a proportion of the total output power. The AC series voltage regulator detects the power inductor current direction data signal and can generate power inductor current direction data signals for its control to determine the AC input voltage polarity at all time; wherein the determination of the AC input voltage polarity is unambiguous during the AC input voltage zero crossover and near zero points; and wherein the determination of the AC input voltage polarity allows normal switching sequence of the AC bidirectional switches during the AC input voltage zero crossover and near zero points to prevent power “shoot-through.”
US09148052B2

The switching regulator includes a voltage-to-current converter to convert a noise voltage into a noise current and output the noise current; and a sawtooth generator to output a sawtooth voltage signal having a frequency that varies in response to the noise current output from the voltage-to-current converter.
US09148051B2

The present invention relates to a switch controller and a converter having the same. The converter according to the present invention includes a power transfer device that transmits input power to an output terminal as output power, a power switch connected to a first end of the power transfer device and that controls power transmission of the power transfer device, and a switch controller that controls switching operation of the power switch. The switch controller receives an output voltage detection signal corresponding to an output voltage according to the power transmitted from the power transfer device, generates a duty control signal corresponding to a difference between the output voltage detection signal and a reference signal for controlling the output voltage, and determines turn-on/off of the power switch by using the duty control signal, and a DC gain of a feedback transfer function between the reference signal and the output voltage has a constant value.
US09148048B2

A converter circuit includes an input filter including an input capacitor configured to filter electromagnetic interference from an input voltage. The converter circuit includes an output capacitor, a first inductor coupled to the input capacitor, a switch coupled to the first inductor and configured to control a level of current flowing in the first inductor, a coupling capacitor connected to the first inductor, and an output rectifier coupled between the coupling capacitor and the output capacitor. A damping circuit that is configured to damp a resonant frequency of the converter circuit is coupled in parallel with the coupling capacitor.
US09148040B2

An electromagnetic component for mounting in a framework 47 so as to provide a stator segment 20 of an electrical machine 12. The component comprises a magnetic flux guide 32 and an electrical winding 34 for electromagnetic interaction with the magnetic flux guide 32. The component further comprises electrical terminals 52 for connecting the electrical winding 34 to an electrical network 61, at least one fluid pathway 42 for receiving a flow of cooling fluid in normal use, and at least one fluid connector 54 for coupling the fluid pathway 42 to a source of cooling fluid.
US09148039B2

A motor assembly includes a working part, a synchronous motor having a shaft, and a mechanical coupling joining the working part to the motor. The coupling has two driving teeth fixed relative to the shaft, two driven teeth fixed relative to the working part, and two middle members. The coupling provides a predetermined range of angular movement between the motor and the working part. The middle members are circumferentially distributed between the two driving teeth and between the two driven teeth, thereby each of the middle members is movable by the driving teeth to contact the driven teeth and provides an interference between a driving tooth and a driven tooth to drive the working part.
US09148031B2

The present invention discloses an apparatus and method for varying a usable band range of a battery. The apparatus for varying a usable band range of a battery according to the present invention comprises a sensor for measuring and outputting an electrical characteristic value of the battery; and a controller for calculating the amount of charged or discharged energy of the battery from the electrical characteristic value and varying a usable band range of the battery that is charged and discharged, to maintain the pre-established amount of usable energy depending on the degradation degree of the battery. In accordance with the present invention, a usable band range of a battery can be established depending on the degradation degree of the battery, thereby improving the life time thereof.
US09148022B2

A wind turbine-permanent magnet synchronous generator (WT-PMSG) system includes a variable speed permanent magnet synchronous generator and utilizes a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) connected on the grid side of the system. A PI/PID controller is designed to apply modulation index control signals to the generator side-converter since the modulation index of the generator side-converter has been determined to have the higher controllability to damp the oscillatory modes of the system when the STATCOM is located at the grid side converter. The controller gains are tuned through a frequency based optimization procedure. This configuration dampens voltage instabilities to provide LVRT compliance.
US09148018B2

Disclosed is a power supply device which acquires data of the amount of environmental load material emitted from a power supply, and controls operations on the basis of the data.
US09148015B2

A circuit that protects against ESD and avoids an excessive power voltage drop during the protection operation includes a control circuit that is connected between power terminals and outputs a control signal when a voltage between the power terminals exceeds a predetermined value due to a surge current, and an asymmetric current transfer device including a PN junction reverse-biased by the power voltage between the power terminals, that is connected in series with the output current channel of a shunt transistor. The conductivity of the shunt transistor is controlled according to the control signal.
US09148009B2

A charger with over-voltage and over-current protection and a method for using the same are provided. The charger comprises a first interface, a second interface, a voltage stabilizing unit, a control unit, an input voltage sampling unit, a switch unit, and a current sampling unit. The voltage stabilizing unit receives an input voltage of an external power supply and provides a constant working voltage to the control unit. The input voltage sampling unit detects the input voltage real-timely. The current sampling unit detects charging current of the battery rod real-timely. The control unit determines whether the input voltage detected by the input voltage sampling unit generates over-voltage or not, or determines whether the charging current detected by the current sampling unit generates over-current or not, and controls the switch unit to turn on or turn off according to the determination results.
US09148004B1

An electrical box marking system for use when installing a sheet of drywall over a mounted electrical box or when masking the electrical box for texturing or painting the sheet of drywall features a structural wall having a stud with a stud face and a stud side. The system features an electrical box located on the stud side. A first projection is located on a box top lip and a second projection is located on a box bottom lip. The box top lip, the box bottom lip, a box first side lip, and a box second side lip project out and away from the stud face by a box projection distance. The system features a sheet of drywall having a front drywall surface, a rear drywall surface, and a drywall thickness.
US09147997B2

An optical semiconductor device includes: semiconductor lasers; a wave coupling section multiplexing light output by the semiconductor lasers; an optical amplifying section amplifying output light of the wave coupling section; first optical waveguides respectively optically connecting respective semiconductor lasers to the wave coupling section; a light intensity lowering section located in each of the first optical waveguides and lower light intensity of reflected light that is reflected at a reflecting point located in the optical semiconductor device and that returns to the respective semiconductor lasers; to decrease line width of the light output by the semiconductor lasers.
US09147996B2

The present invention relates to a laser module comprising several sub-modules (1) arranged side by side along a first axis (10) on a common carrier. Each of said sub-modules (1) comprises a laser area (8) formed of one or several arrays of semiconductor lasers arranged on a surface of the sub-module (1). Laser radiation emitted by each of said semiconductor lasers (2) forms an intensity distribution in a working plane facing said surface of the sub-modules (1). The sub-modules (1) and laser areas (8) are designed and arranged such that the laser areas (8) of adjacent sub-modules (1) partly overlap in a direction perpendicular to said first axis (10). With such a laser module a thin laser line focus can be generated having a homogeneous intensity distribution along the length of the laser line independent on the distance between the module and the working plane. The individual semiconductor lasers (2) may be VCSEL with a rectangularly shaped emission.
US09147995B2

A laser assembly (10) that generates a beam (12) includes (i) a gain medium (22) that generates the beam (12) when electrical power is directed to the gain medium (22); (ii) a grating (32) positioned in a path of the beam (12); (iii) a grating arm (34) that retains the grating (32); and (iv) a mover assembly (36) that moves the grating arm (34) about a pivot axis (38). The mover assembly (36) includes a coarse mover (344) that makes large scale movements to the grating arm (34), and a fine mover (352) that makes fine movements to the grating arm (34). With this design, the mover assembly (36) can quickly and accurately move the grating (32) over a relatively large range.
US09147991B2

A laser system includes a laser-active solid and a heat sink. The heat sink is thermally coupled with the laser-active solid. The laser-active solid and the heat sink are joined together by at least one of direct bonding or laser welded with one another via at least one weld location.
US09147988B2

A device for connection of a line element to a component is provided. The line element ends in a connection housing or is connected to such a connection housing. A releasable fixing arrangement is configured between the connection housing and the component. A line section extending in the connection housing is heated by an electric heating wire. The heating wire externally surrounds the line section. The heated line section projects in the direction of the component so far over the region for releasable fixing of the connection housing on the component that it ends in the inner space of the component.
US09147985B1

An expandable and rotatable power strip includes a power cord having configured to deliver electrical current to a distal end. A plurality of primary socket modules is electrically connected to the power cord and to one another, each of the plurality of socket modules having a housing with a socket outlet configured to receive a power plug and to deliver current thereto. Each primary socket module includes a male conduction assembly electrically connected to and extending from a first side of the housing and a female conduction assembly electrically connected to and extending from a second side thereof. A respective male conduction assembly of one primary socket module is rotatably coupled to a respective female conduction assembly of an adjacent primary, the respective male conduction assembly and the respective female conduction assembly configured to transmit current therebetween. The distance between adjacent socket modules is length adjustable.
US09147978B2

A shield connector (10) includes a connector housing (20) with resiliently deformably provided resilient locking pieces (25), a collective shield shell (50) formed with collective side engaging portions (56) engageable with the resilient locking pieces (25), and an individual core shield shell (30) formed with individual-core side engaging portions (38) engageable with the resilient locking pieces (25). Either one of the collective and individual core shield shells (50, 30) is selectively fixed to the connector housing (20) by engaging the resilient locking pieces (25) and the collective side engaging portions (56) when the collective shield shell (50) is mounted onto the connector housing (20) or engaging the resilient locking pieces (25) and the individual-core side engaging portions (38) when the individual core shield shell (3) is mounted onto the connector housing (20).
US09147971B2

In an electrical connector, in a state in which an abutting portion of a support is abutted against a receiving face of a retainer or an inflator housing, if the connector housing is pressed toward the mating side and then released before being inserted into the retainer to a predetermined depth, then the connector housing is pressed back in the counter mating direction due to restoring force generated in the support. If the connector housing is pressed toward the mating side and inserted into the retainer to the predetermined depth, the abutting portion becomes displaced in the abutment cancelation direction so as to separate from the receiving face, and thus the connector housing is inserted into the retainer to the predetermined depth or more so as to be mated to the retainer, and electrical terminals become connected to squib terminals. Also, a squib connection device includes this electrical connector.
US09147970B2

An electrical connector for electrically connecting an electronic component with a printed circuit board (PCB) includes a socket having a plurality of lower contacts received therein, a cover assembled on the socket having a number upper contacts connecting with the lower contacts and a lever between the socket and the cover, the electronic component is soldered on the cover and connecting the upper contacts, and wherein the lever includes an operation portion, a pushing point and a fulcrum portion therebetween, when force is applied upon the operation portion, the pushing point moves around the fulcrum portion and towards the direction opposite to the force so as to remove the cover and the electronic component.
US09147953B2

A plug connector for solder-mounting on a circuit board, comprising an insulating body and at least one oblong electrical plug contact held therein in a receptacle chamber, that extends between a foot part associated with a circuit board and a head part of the insulating body that faces the foot part at a distance. The at least one plug contact comprises at a front end that is close to the head part an accessible electrically contactable plug section, a central section adjacent to the plug section, and, adjacent to the central section, an exposed soldering section at a rear end that is close to the foot part. According to the invention, the central section comprises a rigid cylindrical holding zone adjacent to the plug section as well as a cylindrical flexible deformation zone extending between the holding zone and the soldering section, so that the plug section of the at least one plug connector can be shifted laterally in relation to the soldering section in case of a deformation of the deformation zone. Preferably, the deformation zone is made hollow and comprises a number of passages that permit a lateral deformation.
US09147951B2

A card connector includes a body, multiple terminals accommodated and positioned in the body, a housing covering the body, and a containing space is defined by the housing and the body and extending along a length direction of the body, a card holder with a cooperating portion positioned in the containing space, and the card holder is capable of moving forward and backward in the containing space, and an adjusting element located at the front of the card connector, including a positioning portion arranged for positioning the adjusting element to the card connector, an actuating portion corresponding with the cooperating portion, and an operation portion. When the operation portion is driven, the actuating portion actuates the cooperating portion, thereby the card holder exiting from the containing space. The structure is simple, and takes up less space, which improves miniaturization progress of the card connector.
US09147949B2

A coaxial cable connector having, in one embodiment, a connector body or body member, a coupling element and a continuity element. The connector body is configured to be attached to a post. The continuity element is configured to maintain an electrical connection between the coupling element and the connector body.
US09147948B2

Various embodiments of a busbar connection assembly comprise a first conductive plate and a second conductive plate. A slot is formed between the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate, and the slot receives a busbar plate of a datacenter power bus. A power cable electrically couples to the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate.
US09147942B2

A multibeam antenna system having a substrate forming a ground plane and a lens positioned on the substrate. At least one radiating element is positioned around the lens and configured to transmit and/or receive electromagnetic wave. A switching means enables one of the at least one radiating element to be selected. The lens is constituted by a cylindrical ring whose axis is perpendicular to the substrate.
US09147940B2

A corner reflector includes: a radio wave reflection film having three reflection faces that are mutually orthogonal, and an unfolding device which unfolds the radio wave reflection film three-dimensionally. The corner reflector further includes: a canopy that unfolds concurrently with unfolding of the radio wave reflection film, and the canopy is connected to the unfolding device so as to partially overlie the radio wave reflection film.
US09147936B1

A low profile antenna using a cavity-backed central radiating surface surrounded by one or more ground plane surfaces. Passively reconfigurable structure provide frequency dependent coupling between the surfaces. The frequency dependent couplings may be implemented using meander line structures, Variable Impedance Transmission Lines (VITLs), or tunable VITLs that used interspersed electroactive sections.
US09147932B2

Antenna structures for an antenna may be formed from a dielectric carrier with metal structures. The metal structures may be patterned to cover all sides of the dielectric carrier. The dielectric carrier may have a shape with six sides or other shape that creates a three-dimensional layout for the antenna structures. The antenna structures may have a tunable circuit that allows the antenna to be tuned. The tunable circuit may have first and second terminals coupled to one of the sides of the carrier. The metal structures may be configured to form an inverted-F antenna resonating element. Portions of the metal structures may form a first arm for an inverted-F antenna and portions of the metal structures may form a second arm for the inverted-F antenna. The antenna may operate in multiple communications bands. The tunable circuit may tune one band without significantly tuning other bands.
US09147921B2

Embodiments are disclosed of an orthomode transducer (OMT) device for splitting a linear orthogonally polarized electromagnetic signal into a plurality of linearly polarized frequency components and vice versa. The device comprises a rectangular or circular guide section having a constant cross-section perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of said guide section and first and second lengthwise opposed open ends, a septum that is successively increased in height; extending from an end of the a waveguide portion towards a second lengthwise open end of the guide section, wherein that the plane of said septum is provided at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the polarization axes of the orthogonal linear polarization modes and said septum induces a differential phase shift of substantially 180 degrees or a multiple thereof between components of the linear polarization modes that are perpendicular to said septum and components that are parallel to said septum.
US09147916B2

A battery cell assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is provided. The assembly includes a first frame member having a first plurality of tabs extending away from a first peripheral edge of the first frame member. Each tab of the first plurality of tabs has a first coupling feature at a distal end of the respective tab. The assembly further includes a second frame member having a plurality of slots extending into a second peripheral edge of the second frame member. The assembly further includes a battery cell disposed between the first and second frame members, and each first coupling feature of each tab of the first plurality of tabs is configured to engage a respective slot of the plurality of slots of the second frame member to fixedly hold the first and second frame members together.
US09147915B2

A portable computer may include battery indicator light structures. Battery status information in the portable computer may be presented to a user using an array of light-emitting diodes or other light emitters. Light-emitting diodes may be mounted on a printed circuit board. A stiffener may provide the printed circuit board with rigidity. The printed circuit board may include a connector that allows the board to be connected to a main logic board. A switch on the printed circuit board may be actuated by a power button on the portable computer. An opaque member with an array of holes may be used to reduce light bleed between adjacent light-emitting diodes. Diffusing plastic may be mounted within the array of holes. Bumps in the diffusing plastic may mate with corresponding holes on a portable computer housing.
US09147913B2

Manufacturing management information relating to a module battery and single battery mounted therein which are obtained in a battery manufacturing process (1) is collected by a manufacturing quality information collection processing unit (4) and stored in a database (6). In a battery diagnosis system (3), when the module battery (2) under a usage environment is charged, an operation result processing unit (5) collects operation result information relating to the module (2) and stores the operation result information in a database (7). An operation result monitoring processing unit (8) determines whether the operation result information is abnormal, and supplies the result of the determination to a manufacturing/usage environment factor classification processing unit (9). When the result of the determination indicates that the operation result information is abnormal, the manufacturing/usage environment factor classification processing unit (9) diagnoses, on the basis of the manufacturing management information relating to the module battery in the database (6), whether the abnormality of the operation result information is caused by a manufacturing factor or a usage environment factor, and the result of the diagnosis is created and displayed by the diagnosis result creation processing unit (10).
US09147912B2

A method of producing an electrical potential by way of a rechargeable battery with a positive electrode of lead and a negative electrode of highly pure zinc. The electrolyte is an aqueous solution of an alkali metal bisulfate. Upon discharge, lead dioxide is reduced to lead sulfate, zinc is oxidized to zinc oxide, and the electrolyte is converted to an alkali metal hydroxide. The reactions are reversed when the battery is charged.
US09147897B2

A fuel cell system mounted in a vehicle includes a fuel cell stack, a coolant supply mechanism, and a fuel gas supply mechanism. The coolant supply mechanism includes a coolant supply pipe and a coolant discharge pipe, provided on a front side in a traveling direction of the vehicle, relative to the fuel cell stack. The fuel gas supply mechanism includes a fuel gas supply pipe, provided on a rear side in the traveling direction, relative to the fuel cell stack.
US09147885B2

Compositions having electrocatalytic activity and composites having electrocatalytic activity, as well as processes for making compositions and composites are described. Also, processes for using such compositions and/or composites, such as, for example, a machine or equipment are described. Some aspects of embodiments and/or embodiments of the present invention are directed to a nanosize transition metal alloy (such as for example an alloy and/or one or more intermetallics comprising copper, cobalt, nickel, palladium, platinum, ruthenium, the like, and combinations thereof) that is electrocatalytically active. Some other aspects of embodiments and/or embodiments of the present invention are directed to a composite material comprising a nanosize transition metal alloy and a carbonaceous matrix.
US09147884B2

A supported catalyst includes a plurality of support particles that each include a carbon support and a layer disposed around the carbon support. The layer is selected from a metal carbide, metal oxycarbide, and combinations thereof. A catalytic material is disposed on the layers of the support particles.
US09147872B2

An overcharge prevention device of a battery is provided and includes a safety fuse which is connected to a battery and a safety circuit which is connected in parallel to the battery and the safety fuse and includes a short-circuit switch which is disposed adjacent to a side in which the battery is swelled. The short-circuit switch is opened in a normal state, and short-circuits when the switch is pressurized due to the swelling of the battery to form a closed circuit with the battery and the safety fuse.
US09147871B2

An automotive battery connection system, which includes a substantially cylindrical battery case acting as a terminal for an automotive battery. The battery case includes partitions defining a keyway for cables and a center partition dividing the battery case into two case pockets. A battery positive post is situated within one of the case pockets. A battery negative post is situated in the other of the case pockets. A substantially cylindrical plug is adapted to seat on the partitions of the battery case. The plug comprises a pair of sockets defined within its base, each socket defined within one of the plug pockets shaped identical to the battery positive post and the battery negative post and sized to have the battery positive post and the battery negative post securely seat therein. Therefore, cables terminating within the base of the plug are in conductive communication with the sockets.
US09147870B2

A rechargeable battery having excellent heat resistance, pressure resistance, and airtightness is provided by using a crimping technique to connect a metal exterior body and an electrode terminal. The rechargeable battery comprises an electrode group which includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode; an exterior container which includes an exterior canister for housing the electrode group, and a sealing plate for sealing an open part of the exterior canister; a pair of electrode terminals crimp-joined to the exterior container from inside the exterior container; and an electrolyte solution filled into the exterior container.
US09147867B2

An electric storage device includes an electrode assembly, a case, and a sealing member. The case includes a gas exhaust portion that opens to exhaust internal gas when an internal pressure increases. The sealing member is affixed to the case. The sealing member includes a protective portion and at least one of a perforation and a thin section having a thickness smaller than another section of the sealing member. The protective portion covers the gas exhaust portion of the case.
US09147866B2

The disclosure discloses an electronic device comprising a battery container, a side wall, and a plate spring member. The side wall is disposed upright along a direction orthogonal to an axis of the dry battery. The plate spring member elastically urges the dry battery contained in the battery container. The plate spring member comprises a base portion, a contact portion, and a connection portion. The contact portion is in contact with a positive electrode or a negative electrode of the dry battery. The connection portion connects said base portion and said contact portion while bending. The connection portion comprises a first bent portion and a second bent portion. The first bent portion that is bent so as to connect said base portion and said contact portion in an inverted V-shape. The second bent portion comprises a projecting portion configured to project to the dry battery side.
US09147864B2

A protective circuit module and a secondary battery including the same. The secondary battery includes: an electrode assembly, a can to house the electrode assembly, and a cap assembly to seal an opening of the can. The protective circuit module includes: a first module electrically connected to the cap assembly; a second module electrically connected to a closed end of the can; and a third module electrically connecting the first module and the second module. The first module includes a mounting portion that is disposed in a groove between the can and the cap assembly.
US09147863B2

A secondary battery, including a bare cell, a protective circuit module (PCM) disposed on a top surface of the bare cell, the PCM comprising an external terminal a top surface thereof, and a printed circuit board (PCB) terminal disposed on the external terminal, the PCB terminal being electrically connected to the external terminal and an external device.
US09147861B2

A surface light emitter according to an embodiment of the present invention, includes: a base material; a plurality of ribbon-shaped organic electroluminescent elements provided side by side on the base material; and a lenticular sheet that is attached to the base material and the ribbon-shaped organic electroluminescent elements through an adhesion layer, and that has a plurality of convex cylindrical lenses provided side by side. A direction in which the convex cylindrical lenses extend and a direction in which the ribbon-shaped organic electroluminescent elements extend are substantially parallel to each other.
US09147860B2

A light emitting device having a stacked structure is provided. The stacked structure includes, in recited order: a first electrode layer; an organic layer including a light emitting layer; a second electrode layer; a consecutive conductive sealing layer; and a third electrode layer.
US09147858B2

A flat panel display apparatus and an organic light-emitting display apparatus. The flat panel display apparatus includes: a substrate; a display unit which is disposed on the substrate to realize an image; a metal sheet which is disposed opposite to the substrate, covers at least a part of the display unit, and includes a central part at which uneven wrinkles are formed and an edge part which is formed in a flat shape in which wrinkles are not formed; and a sealing material which fills a whole space formed between the substrate and the metal sheet and seals the substrate and the metal sheet.
US09147857B2

An OLED display panel and manufacturing method of the panel are provided in which a terminal electrode is exposed by performing etching with fixed etching conditions without performing step processing. A terminal region comprised from a plurality of metal electrodes 2 conducting with an organic light emitting element of a display part is formed above a substrate 1. Next, a stacked sealing film comprised from a first SI contained inorganic layer, an organic resin layer and a second Si contained inorganic layer is formed above a surface of the display part and the terminal region 6. Next, etching is performed using etching conditions suitable for the first and the second SI contained inorganic layer while the display part is masked, the first and the second SI contained inorganic layer above the metal electrode 2 are removed and a surface of the metal electrode 2 is exposed.
US09147856B2

An organic light emitting device is provided that includes a substrate; an embossing layer provided on the substrate; a planarization layer provided on the embossing layer; a first electrode provided on the planarization layer; an organic light emitting layer provided on the first electrode; and a second electrode provided on the organic light emitting layer. The planarization layer may include a first planarization layer provided on the embossing layer; and a second planarization layer provided on the first planarization layer. The embossing layer may have a refractive index ranging from about 1.3 to about 1.5. The planarization layer may include a first planarization layer having a surface roughness of about 10 nm to about 50 nm and a refractive index that ranges from about 1.8 to about 2.5; and a second planarization layer provided on the first planarization layer and having a surface roughness of less than about 10 nm.
US09147852B2

A solar cell includes a low work function cathode, an active layer of an organic-inorganic nanoparticle composite, a ZnO nanoparticle layer situated between and physically contacting the cathode and active layers; and a transparent high work function anode that is a bilayer electrode. The inclusion of the ZnO nanoparticle layer results in a solar cell displaying a conversion efficiency increase and reduces the device degradation rate. Embodiments of the invention are directed to novel ZnO nanoparticles that are advantageous for use as the ZnO nanoparticle layers of the novel solar cells and a method to prepare the ZnO nanoparticles.
US09147847B2

An anthracene derivative represented by the following formula (1): In the formula (1), Z is a structure represented by the following formula (2). In the formula (2), at least one pair of adjacent two substituents of R11 to R18 form a ring represented by the following formula (3) or (4):
US09147843B2

A compound represented by the formula (1). A polymer compound comprising the compound. An organic semiconductor material comprising the compound or the polymer compound. An organic semiconductor device comprising an organic layer comprising the organic semiconductor material. An organic transistor comprising a source electrode, a drain electrode, a gate electrode and an active layer, wherein the active layer comprises the organic semiconductor material.
US09147831B2

A method for fabricating a crystal unit, including a preparing step, a bonding step, and a separating step, is provided. The preparing step prepares a quartz plate and a supporting substrate with a recess that is larger than the vibrating region on a surface of the supporting substrate. The recess corresponds to a vibrating region in the crystal unit. The bonding step bonds the quartz plate to the surface of the supporting substrate such that the quartz plate is separated from the supporting substrate in the recess. The separating step separates the quartz plate into the vibrating region and the framing portion by performing dry etching on the quartz plate such that the quartz plate has a shape that connects the vibrating region to the framing portion via a supporting beam. The framing portion surrounds the vibrating region.
US09147820B2

It is an object of the present invention to provide a high-contrast light-emitting device without using a polarization plate. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to make contrast control simpler for a light-emitting device provided with a color filter.A light-emitting device according to the present invention has a feature of having a structure for reducing reflection of light from a light-emitting later at a reflective electrode, and further, has a feature of absorbing wavelengths other than the light by a color filter to enhance the contrast. Accordingly, contrast control can be performed in consideration of only a luminescence component from the light-emitting layer, and is thus made simpler.
US09147819B2

A curable composition and use thereof are provided. The composition can be useful in exhibiting excellent processability and workability, and providing a cured product which exhibits superior light extraction efficiency, crack resistance, hardness, thermal shock resistance, and adhesive properties, has superior reliability under severe conditions for a long period of time and prevents opacity and stickiness onto a surface thereof when cured. Also, the curable composition capable of preventing precipitation of an additive such as a fluorescent material or a photoconversion material and being formed into a cured product having excellent transparency even when the additive is added to the curable composition can be provided.
US09147818B2

A wavelength conversion sheet filled with a large amount of phosphor, enabling the phosphor to be easily dispersed uniformly and in a large amount near the surface of an LED element. Specifically, the sheet includes: a layer formed from a heat-curable resin composition, which contains 100 parts by mass of a resin component and 100 to 2,000 parts by mass of a particulate phosphor in which the proportion of particles having a sphericity of 0.7 to 1.0 is not less than 60% of all the particles, and which exists in a plastic solid or semisolid state in an uncured state at normal temperature, wherein the average particle diameter of the phosphor is not more than 60% of the thickness of the layer formed from the heat-curable resin composition, and the maximum particle diameter thereof is not more than 90% thereof.
US09147806B2

An optoelectronic semiconductor chip includes an active layer with a first and a second major face, including a semiconductor material which emits or receives radiation when the semiconductor chip is in operation; a patterned layer including three-dimensional patterns for outcoupling or incoupling radiation and arranged on the first major face in a beam path of the radiation, wherein the patterned layer includes an inorganic-organic hybrid material.
US09147793B2

A method of producing polycrystalline CdTe materials and devices that incorporate the polycrystalline CdTe materials are provided. In particular, a method of producing polycrystalline p-doped CdTe thin films for use in CdTe solar cells in which the CdTe thin films possess enhanced acceptor densities and minority carrier lifetimes, resulting in enhanced efficiency of the solar cells containing the CdTe material are provided.
US09147787B2

A solar cell panel is discussed. The solar cell panel includes a plurality of solar cells each including a substrate, an emitter layer positioned at a light receiving surface of the substrate, and a plurality of front electrodes that are electrically connected to the emitter layer and extend parallel to one another in a first direction, an interconnector that electrically connects adjacent ones of the solar cells to each other and is positioned in a second direction crossing the front electrodes, a conductive adhesive film that is positioned between the front electrodes and the interconnector in the second direction and electrically connects the front electrodes to the interconnector, and an alignment mark indicating a bonding location of the conductive adhesive film, and positioned on the substrate.
US09147785B2

A module bracket includes first and second mounting clips (202, 204) that are spaced from each other along the pitch of a roofing surface. An inlet (212) to the first mounting clip (202) faces or projects in the general direction that the second mounting clip (204) is spaced from the first mounting clip (202). An inlet (212) to the second mounting clip (204) faces or projects in the general direction that the first mounting clip (202) is spaced from the second mounting clip (204). A second module flange (134) of a first photovoltaic module (120) is slid into the first mounting clip (202) of the module bracket. A first module flange (128) of a second photovoltaic module (120) is slid into the second mounting clip (204) of this same module bracket.
US09147783B2

A photovoltaic (PV) device has at least one lower PV cell on a substrate, the cell having a metallic back contact, and a I-III-VI absorber, and a transparent conductor layer. An upper PV cell is adhered to the lower PV cell, electrically in series to form a stack. The upper PV cell has III-V absorber and junction layers, the cells are adhered by transparent conductive adhesive having filler of conductive nanostructures or low temperature solder. The upper PV cell has no substrate. An embodiment has at least one shape of patterned conductor making contact to both a top of the upper and a back contact of the lower cells to couple them together in series. In an embodiment, a shape of patterned conductor draws current from excess area of the lower cell to the upper cell, in an alternative embodiment shapes of patterned conductor couples I-III-VI cells not underlying upper cells in series strings, a string being in parallel with at least one stack. In an embodiment, the bonding agent is a polymeric adhesive containing conductive nanostructures. In an embodiment the III-V absorber is grown on single crystal, substrate. A method for forming the device is described.
US09147782B2

An optoelectronic transmission system has a photoemitter semiconductor component and a photodetector semiconductor component. The photoemitter semiconductor component has a radiation source for converting a first electrical signal into a first electromagnetic radiation and a first polarization filter having a first polarization direction for filtering the first electromagnetic radiation. The photodetector semiconductor component has a second polarization filter having a second polarization direction for filtering a second electromagnetic radiation and a sensor element for converting a second electromagnetic radiation which has been polarized by the polarization filter into a second electrical signal. In this case, the first polarization direction of the first polarization filter is identical to the second polarization direction of the second polarization filter.
US09147781B2

A light receiving element includes a core configured to propagate a signal light, a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type, the first semiconductor layer being configured to receive the signal light from the core along a first direction in which the core extends, an absorbing layer configured to absorb the signal light received by the first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type.
US09147780B2

In a solar cell, a collecting electrode is provided on a transparent electrode of a photoelectric conversion section having the transparent electrode on the outermost surface on one main surface side. The collecting electrode includes a first electroconductive layer and a second electroconductive layer in this order from the photoelectric conversion section side. Preferably, a self-assembled monolayer is formed on a region on the transparent electrode layer, which is not provided with the first electroconductive layer. A method for manufacturing the solar cell includes: forming a first electroconductive layer on a transparent electrode layer; forming a self-assembled monolayer on a region on the transparent electrode layer, which is not provided with the first electroconductive layer; and bringing the first electroconductive layer and a plating solution into contact with each other to form the second electroconductive layer by a plating method, in this order.
US09147770B1

A thin film transistor includes a polymeric material post on a substrate. An inorganic material cap, covering the top of the post, extends beyond first and second edges of the post to define first and second reentrant profiles, respectively. A conformal conductive gate layer is over the edge of the post, a conformal insulating layer is on the gate layer, and a conformal semiconductor layer is on the insulating layer in the first reentrant profile. A first electrode is in contact with a first portion of the semiconductor layer over the cap and extends to a location adjacent to the second edge. A second electrode is in contact with a second portion of the semiconductor layer not over the post, and adjacent to the first edge such that a distance between the first electrode and second electrode is greater than zero when measured orthogonally to the substrate surface.
US09147768B2

As a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, a transistor in which a metal oxide film containing a constituent similar to that of an oxide semiconductor film is provided between the oxide semiconductor film and a gate insulating film and a gate insulating film containing a constituent different from that of the metal oxide film and that of the oxide semiconductor film is provided to be in contact with the metal oxide film is provided. The oxide semiconductor film used for an active layer of the transistor is a highly purified and electrically i-type (intrinsic) film which is formed by heat treatment through which an impurity such as hydrogen, moisture, a hydroxyl group or a hydride is removed and oxygen which is a main component of the oxide semiconductor and reduced together with the impurity removal step is supplied.
US09147761B2

The compound semiconductor device comprises an i-GaN buffer layer 12 formed on an SiC substrate 10; an n-AlGaN electron supplying layer 16 formed on the i-GaN buffer layer 12; an n-GaN cap layer 18 formed on the n-AlGaN electron supplying layer 16; a source electrode 20 and a drain electrode 22 formed on the n-GaN cap layer 18; a gate electrode 26 formed on the n-GaN cap layer 18 between the source electrode 20 and the drain electrode 22; a first protection layer formed on the n-GaN cap layer 18 between the source electrode 20 and the drain electrode 22; and a second protection layer 30 buried in an opening 28 formed in the first protection layer 24 between the gate electrode 26 and the drain electrode 22 down to the n-GaN cap layer 18 and formed of an insulation film different from the first protection layer.
US09147760B2

A transistor device is described that includes a source, a gate, a drain, a semiconductor material which includes a gate region between the source and the drain, a plurality of channel access regions in the semiconductor material on either side of the gate, a channel in the semiconductor material having an effective width in the gate region and in the channel access regions, and an isolation region in the gate region. The isolation region serves to reduce the effective width of the channel in the gate region without substantially reducing the effective width of the channel in the access regions. Alternatively, the isolation region can be configured to collect holes that are generated in the transistor device. The isolation region may simultaneously achieve both of these functions.
US09147758B2

A semiconductor device includes a front surface electrode, a back surface electrode and a semiconductor substrate in which an IGBT and a diode are formed. An outer peripheral back surface p-type region, an outer peripheral back surface n-type region, and an outer peripheral low concentration n-type region are formed in an outer peripheral region. The outer peripheral back surface n-type region is formed on an end surface side of the semiconductor substrate with respect to the outer peripheral back surface p-type region. The outer peripheral low concentration n-type region separates the outer peripheral back surface p-type region and the outer peripheral back surface n-type region from a contact outer peripheral edge p-type region. A p-type impurity concentration in the outer peripheral back surface p-type region decreases toward the end surface. An n-type impurity concentration in the outer peripheral back surface n-type region increases toward the end surface.
US09147737B2

Various embodiments provide semiconductor devices including high-K dielectric layer(s) and fabrication methods. An exemplary high-K dielectric layer can be formed by providing a semiconductor substrate including a first region and a second region, and forming a first silicon oxide layer on the semiconductor substrate in the first region. The semiconductor substrate can then be placed in an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber to repeatedly perform a selective ALD process. The selective ALD process can include an etching process and/or a purging process in the ALD chamber. By repeatedly performing the selective ALD process, a first high-K dielectric layer can be selectively formed on the first silicon oxide layer in the first region, exposing the semiconductor substrate in the second region.
US09147732B2

Disclosed is a semiconductor device comprising a substrate (10); at least one semiconducting layer (12) comprising a nitride of a group 13 element on said substrate; and an ohmic contact (20) on the at least one semiconducting layer, said ohmic contact comprising a silicon-comprising portion (22) on the at least one semiconducting layer and a metal portion (24) adjacent to and extending over said silicon-comprising portion, the metal portion comprising titanium and a further metal. A method of manufacturing such a semiconductor device is also disclosed.
US09147731B2

A method for manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device includes the following steps. A silicon carbide substrate is prepared. A first heating step of heating the silicon carbide substrate in an atmosphere of oxygen is performed. A second heating step of heating the silicon carbide substrate to a temperature of 1300° C. or more and 1500° C. or less in an atmosphere of gas containing nitrogen atoms or phosphorus atoms is performed after the first heating step. A third heating step of heating the silicon carbide substrate in an atmosphere of a first inert gas is performed after the second heating step. Thus, the silicon carbide semiconductor device in which threshold voltage variation is small, and a method for manufacturing the same can be provided.
US09147726B2

A semiconductor wafer contains the following layers in the given order: a monocrystalline substrate wafer (1) consisting predominantly of silicon and having a (111) surface orientation, a monocrystalline layer (3) of Sc2O3 having a (111) surface orientation, a monocrystalline layer (4) of ScN having a (111) surface orientation, and a monocrystalline layer (6) of AlzGa1-zN with 0≦z≦1 having a (0001) surface orientation, the semiconductor wafers are produced by appropriate deposition of the respective layers.
US09147718B2

An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes: a lower substrate including a major surface, which comprises a display area and a sealing area surrounding the display area when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the major surface; an insulating structure disposed over the lower substrate in both the display area and the sealing area; a plurality of openings formed through the insulating structure in the sealing area, the openings comprising inner side surfaces; a first conductive layer including a first portion over the insulating structure extending in a horizontal direction, and a second portion extending on at least part of the inner side surfaces of the openings in a vertical direction; an upper substrate placed over the lower substrate; and a sealing member interposed between the lower substrate and the upper substrate in the sealing area thereof and filing the openings, thereby integrating the lower and upper substrates.
US09147715B2

Bipolar junction transistors including inorganic channels and organic emitter junctions are used in some applications for forming high resolution active matrix displays. Arrays of such bipolar junction transistors are electrically connected to thin film switching transistors and provide high drive currents for passive devices such as organic light emitting diodes.
US09147714B2

An organic EL device having a red light emitting area and a green light emitting area is provided. Each of the red light emitting area and the green light emitting area has a structure such that a first electrode having a light transmitting characteristic and an organic layer formed on the first electrode are stacked, and a second electrode having a light reflecting characteristic is disposed on the organic layers of the red and green light emitting areas. Reflectance of green light by the second electrode in the red light emitting area is smaller than reflectance of green light in the second electrode of the green light emitting area. Reflectance of red light by the second electrode of the red light emitting area is larger than reflectance of red light by the second electrode of the green light emitting area.
US09147712B2

A pixel array uses two sets of pixels to provide accurate exposure control. One set of pixels provide continuous output signals for automatic light control (ALC) as the other set integrates and captures an image. ALC pixels allow monitoring of multiple pixels of an array to obtain sample data indicating the amount of light reaching the array, while allowing the other pixels to provide proper image data. A small percentage of the pixels in an array is replaced with ALC pixels and the array has two reset lines for each row; one line controls the reset for the image capture pixels while the other line controls the reset for the ALC pixels. In the columns, at least one extra control signal is used for the sampling of the reset level for the ALC pixels, which happens later than the sampling of the reset level for the image capture pixels.
US09147709B2

A solid-state image sensor includes a structure having a semiconductor layer in which a plurality of photoelectric converters are arranged, a light blocking member arranged above a face of the structure and including a plurality of circular openings each corresponding to at least one of the photoelectric converters, a first layer configured to cover the light blocking member, and exposed portions of the face of the structure, that are formed by the plurality of circular openings, and a second layer arranged to cover the first layer and having a refractive index higher than that of the first layer, wherein an interface between the first layer and the second layer includes lens faces protruding toward the exposed portions.
US09147705B2

A solid-state image pickup unit includes substrate; a red pixel including a red charge storage section; a blue pixel including a blue charge storage section; and a green pixel including a plurality of green charge storage sections, the red charge storage section and the blue charge storage section being provided in the substrate. Then, the plurality of green charge storage sections are arranged in the substrate along a thickness direction of the substrate.
US09147697B2

The present disclosure relates to an array substrate and the manufacturing method thereof, and a display apparatus. The manufacturing method of the array substrate comprises following step. A gate insulating layer and an active layer is formed on the substrate with said gate electrode and said common electrode formed thereon. A source drain layer is formed on the substrate with said gate insulating layer and said active layer formed thereon. A passivation layer is formed on the substrate with said source drain layer formed thereon, and a through hole is formed in the passivation layer; a pixel electrode is formed on the substrate with said passivation layer formed thereon with said through hole. The pixel electrode is connected to the drain electrode in the source drain layer through said through hole. The process for forming the pixel electrode comprises first etching, ashing and second etching.
US09147696B2

Devices and methods for forming semiconductor devices with FinFETs are provided. One method includes, for instance: obtaining an intermediate semiconductor device with a substrate and at least one shallow trench isolation region; depositing a hard mask layer over the intermediate semiconductor device; etching the hard mask layer to form at least one fin hard mask; and depositing at least one sacrificial gate structure over the at least one fin hard mask and at least a portion of the substrate. One intermediate semiconductor device includes, for instance: a substrate with at least one shallow trench isolation region; at least one fin hard mask over the substrate; at least one sacrificial gate structure over the at least one fin hard mask; at least one spacer disposed on the at least one sacrificial gate structure; and at least one pFET region and at least one nFET region grown into the substrate.
US09147695B2

An integrated cell may include an nMOS transistor, and an pMOS transistor. The cell may be produced in fully depleted silicon-on-insulator technology, and it is possible for the substrates of the transistors of the cell to be biased with the same adjustable biasing voltage.
US09147694B2

One or more techniques or systems for mitigating density gradients between two or more regions of cells are provided herein. In some embodiments, an array of cells is associated with a dummy region. For example, the array of cells includes an array of gates and an array of OD regions. In some embodiments, the array of gates includes a first set of gates associated with a first gate dimension and a second set of gates associated with a second gate dimension. In some embodiments, the array of OD regions includes a first set of OD regions associated with a first OD dimension and a second set of OD regions associated with a second OD dimension. In this manner, at least one of a pattern density, gate density, or OD density is customized to a region associated with active cells, thus mitigating density gradients between respective regions.
US09147679B2

A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed. The method includes receiving a semiconductor device, patterning a first hard mask to form a first recess in a high-resistor (Hi-R) stack, removing the first hard mask, forming a second recess in the Hi-R stack, forming a second hard mask in the second recess in the Hi-R stack. A HR can then be formed in the semiconductor substrate by the second hard mask and a gate trench etch.
US09147678B2

The present invention provides a structure of a resistor comprising: a substrate having an interfacial layer thereon; a resistor trench formed in the interfacial layer; at least a work function metal layer covering the surface of the resistor trench; at least two metal bulks located at two ends of the resistor trench and adjacent to the work function metal layer; and a filler formed between the two metal bulks inside the resistor trench, wherein the metal bulks are direct in contact with the filler.
US09147676B2

An Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) protection circuit includes a plurality of groups of p-type heavily doped semiconductor strips (p+ strips) and a plurality of groups of n-type heavily doped semiconductor strips (n+ strips) forming an array having a plurality of rows and columns. In each of the rows and the columns, the plurality of groups of p+ strips and the plurality of groups of n+ strips are allocated in an alternating layout. The ESD protection circuit further includes a plurality of gate stacks, each including a first edge aligned to an edge of a group in the plurality of groups of p+ strips, and a second edge aligned to an edge of a group in the plurality of groups of n+ strips.
US09147674B2

A semiconductor power device supported on a semiconductor substrate that includes a plurality of transistor cells, each cell has a source and a drain region disposed on opposite sides of a gate region in the semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode is formed as an electrode layer on top of the gate region for controlling an electric current transmitted between the source and the drain regions. The gate electrode layer disposed on top of the semiconductor substrate is patterned into a wave-like shaped stripes for substantially increasing an electric current conduction area between the source and drain regions across the gate.
US09147673B2

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor power converter includes first and second electrical conductors opposed to each other, first and second semiconductor elements joined to a first joint surface of the first electrical conductor, first and second convex electrical conductors joined to the first and second semiconductor elements, a junction joined to the first and second convex electrical conductors and a second joint surface of the second electrical conductor, power terminals, signal terminals, and an envelope sealing the constituent members. The envelope includes a flat bottom surface which extends perpendicular to the semiconductor elements and in which first and second bottom surfaces of the electrical conductors are exposed.
US09147672B1

A structure of a multichip package and a method for fabricating the multichip package are described. The multichip package includes multiple chip stacks including chips in multiple chip layers. Each of the chip stacks includes two or more chips, each chip being inside vertical projection of at least another chip in the chip stack and disposed in a respective chip layer. Each of the chip stacks also includes horizontal conductive lines extending to perimeter regions around the chip stacks, the chips in a particular chip layer being electrically connected to horizontal conductive lines disposed in the particular chip layer. Each of the chip stacks also includes vertical conductive lines in the perimeter regions electrically connected to one or more of the horizontal conductive lines in at least two chip layers. The multichip package also includes a controller chip electrically connected to at least one chip in the chip stacks.
US09147667B2

A method of making a semiconductor device with face-to-face chips on interposer includes the step of attaching a chip-on-interposer subassembly on a heat spreader with the chip inserted into a cavity of the heat spreader so that the heat spreader provides mechanical support for the interposer. The heat spreader also provides thermal dissipation, electromagnetic shielding and moisture barrier for the enclosed chip. In the method, a second chip is also electrically coupled to a second surface of the interposer and an optional second heat spreader is attached to the second chip.
US09147655B2

The present invention provides a semiconductor device integrating passive elements, which applies to analog circuits, wherein capacitors, resistors and inductors are fabricated by a TVS technology. The semiconductor device comprises a substrate; at least one passive element arranged in the substrate; and at least one semiconductor integrated circuit formed in the substrate. The passive element includes a first conductive layer, a first dielectric layer and a second conductive layer, which are stacked sequentially. The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer cooperate with the first dielectric layer to form an equivalent element. The semiconductor circuit is electrically connected with the passive element through the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer to form bidirectional signal transmission paths. The passive elements can be formed on the back side of the substrate to reduce the area occupied by the passive elements in the substrate.
US09147652B2

In a layout structure of a standard cell including off transistors 126, 127 unnecessary for logic operation of a circuit, dummy via contacts 116, 117 are disposed on impurity diffusion regions 103, 106 of the off transistors 126, 127, respectively. Dummy metal interconnects 122, 123 are connected to the dummy via contacts 116, 117, respectively. Thus, variations in the density of via contacts, which are one of causes lowering the production yield of semiconductor integrated circuits, is reduced, improving manufacturing defects of the via contacts.
US09147643B2

Provided is a semiconductor package which may include a package substrate which includes a power supply region and an interconnection region around the power supply region, a plurality of ground terminals and a plurality of power terminals, which are disposed in the power supply region with a dielectric interposed between the ground terminals and the power terminals, wherein the ground terminals and the power terminals extend from a top surface of the package substrate to a bottom surface of the package substrate, and at least one semiconductor chip mounted on the package substrate, the semiconductor chip includes a plurality of ground pads which are commonly connected to a ground terminal of the ground terminals and a plurality of power pads which are commonly connected to a power terminal of the power terminals.
US09147634B2

Provided is a semiconductor device capable of improving heat-radiating performance of a heating element. The semiconductor device of the present invention includes: a heating element (1); a heat-radiating member (2) including an element contact portion (2a) which is held surface contact with a mounting surface (1e); a first pressing member (3) and a second pressing member (4) held in contact with the heating element (1); and a fixation screw (6) for fixing the first pressing member (3) to the heat-radiating member (2) through a through hole (3c) formed through the first pressing member (3). The first pressing member (3) and the second pressing member (4) each include an inclined surface formed so that a component force of an axial force of a tightening force of the fixation screw (6) is generated in a vertical direction with respect to the mounting surface (1e).
US09147629B2

Techniques for achieving extremely thin package structures are disclosed. In some embodiments, a device comprises an integrated circuit connected to a leadframe or substrate via connections and EMC (Epoxy Molding Compound) surrounding the integrated circuit except at a backside of the integrated circuit and connecting areas via which the integrated circuit is connected to the leadframe or substrate.
US09147623B2

Stacked microelectronic devices and methods of manufacturing stacked microelectronic devices are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a microelectronic device includes forming a plurality of electrically isolated, multi-tiered metal spacers on a front side of a first microelectronic die, and attaching a back-side surface of a second microelectronic die to individual metal spacers. In another embodiment, the method of manufacturing the microelectronic device may further include forming top-tier spacer elements on front-side wire bonds of the first die.
US09147621B2

A semiconductor device component includes a first portion having a first hole usable as a nut insertion hole, and a second portion having a second hole adjacent to the first hole with a wall interposed therebetween. The first hole includes a first surface facing the wall, a second surface adjacent to the first surface, a third surface adjacent to the second surface, a fourth surface adjacent to the third surface and facing the first surface, a fifth surface adjacent to the fourth surface and facing the second surface, and a sixth surface adjacent to the fifth surface and the first surface and facing the third surface. A distance between the first and fourth surfaces is greater than a distance between the second and fifth surfaces, and greater than a distance between the third and sixth surfaces.
US09147619B2

An organic light-emitting display panel includes a pixel unit including a plurality of pixels respectively located at intersections between scan lines and data lines and displaying different colors; a plurality of pads respectively coupled to ends of the data lines; and a test unit selectively performing an array test to detect a defect of a pixel circuit of the pixels or a cell test to detect a defect of a light-emitting device of the pixels.
US09147611B1

Techniques and design methodologies for using a single mask set to create devices of different sizes are disclosed. A mask with a plurality of tiles is disclosed. Each of the tiles has a number of fixed resource blocks, multiple logic blocks and is surrounded by a scribe region. The tiles may be connected to one or more adjacent tiles through interconnect lines that enable the fixed resource blocks and logic blocks in one tile to communicate with the fixed resource and logic blocks in an adjacent tile. The mask set may be used to produce devices of different sizes. Using a mask set that can handle a variety of design sizes with varying resources may in turn reduce mask cost.
US09147599B2

A method is disclosed for separating a support substrate from a solid-phase bonded wafer which includes a Si wafer and support substrate solid-phase bonded to back surface of the Si wafer. The method includes a step of irradiating the Si wafer with laser light with a wavelength which passes through the Si wafer and is focused on a solid-phase bonding interface between the Si wafer and support substrate to form a breaking layer in at least part of an outer circumferential portion of the solid-phase bonding interface, a step of separating the breaking layer; and a step of separating the solid-phase bonding interface. The method is capable of using a Si thin wafer without substantial wafer cracking at an initial stage where the wafer is inputted to a wafer process, capable of separating a support substrate from the Si thin wafer easily, and capable of reducing the wafer cost.
US09147594B2

A field effect transistor including a substrate which includes, a fin structure, the fin structure having a top surface. The field effect transistor further including an isolation in the substrate and a source/drain (S/D) recess cavity below the top surface of the substrate disposed between the fin structure and the isolation structure. The S/D recess cavity includes a lower portion, the lower portion further includes a first strained layer, a first dielectric film and a second dielectric film, wherein the first strained layer is disposed between the first dielectric film and the second dielectric film. The S/D recess cavity further includes an upper portion including a second strained layer overlying the first strained layer, wherein a ratio of a height of the upper portion to a height of the lower portion ranges from about 0.8 to about 1.2.
US09147591B2

A substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of vacuum transfer modules including transfer mechanisms for transferring a substrate between a plurality of process modules arranged near the vacuum transfer modules that are configured to process the substrate under a reduced-pressure atmosphere; one or more load lock modules provided at each of the vacuum transfer modules; a first atmosphere transfer mechanism that transfers the substrate that is fed from outside to one load lock module; and a second atmosphere transfer mechanism that receives the substrate from the first atmosphere transfer mechanism and transfers the received substrate to another load lock module. The second atmosphere transfer mechanism is arranged above or below the vacuum transfer module that is provided with the one load lock module, and the vacuum transfer modules are arranged in series along a substrate transfer direction of the second atmosphere transfer mechanism.
US09147589B2

A processing system includes a chamber and a steam source that supplies steam in the chamber. A UV source directs UV light onto a deposited layer of a substrate in the presence of the steam from the steam source for a predetermined conversion period to at least partially convert the deposited layer.
US09147584B2

A system for and a method of curing a material is provided. A material, such as an underfill material, is rotated during a curing process. The curing system may include a chamber, a holder to support one or more workpieces, and a rotating mechanism. The rotating mechanism rotates the workpieces during the curing process. The chamber may include one or more heat sources and fans, and may further include a controller. The curing process may include varying the rotation speed, continuously rotating, periodically rotating, or the like.
US09147580B2

A plasma etching method for plasma etching, in a processing chamber, an antireflection film laminated on an organic film formed on a substrate by using an etching mask made of a resist film formed on the antireflection film, the plasma etching method includes: depositing a Si-containing compound on the etching mask made of the resist film by using plasma of Si-containing gas in the processing chamber; and etching the antireflection film in a state where the Si-containing compound is deposited on the etching mask.
US09147577B2

A method for forming a split gate flash cell memory device provides for establishing a floating gate region then using spacers or other hard mask materials that cover opposed edges of a gate electrode material in the gate region, to serve as hard masks during an etching operation that partially etches the gate electrode material which may be polysilicon. The gate electrode so produced serves as a floating gate electrode and includes a recessed central portion flanked by a pair of opposed upwardly extending fins which may terminate upwardly at an apex. A floating gate oxide is then formed by thermal oxidation and/or oxide deposition techniques.
US09147571B2

An accordion-structured welded bellows for a semiconductor-manufacturing device is characterized in that a plurality of annular bellows plates having curved surfaces in a radial direction are connected in an alternating fashion on the outside-diameter side and the inside-diameter side, wherein the annular bellows plates have a processing-side bellows plate and a non-processing-side bellows plate, a gas layer is interposed between the two bellows plates, the processing-side bellows plate is configured as a thick plate, and the non-processing-side bellows plate is configured as a thin plate. The welded bellows is less likely to be damaged by foreign matter and to be able to use the non-processing-side bellows plate to compensate for any damage to the processing-side bellows plate.
US09147565B1

A method of detecting constituents in a sample includes generating a plurality of ions in an ionization region. The method also includes preventing the plurality of ions in the ionization region from flowing into a drift region through inducing a first voltage in a device positioned between the two regions. The method further includes injecting at least a portion of the ions from the ionization region into the drift region. The method also includes regulating the voltage in the device to a second voltage for a first predetermined temporal period, the second voltage less than the first voltage. The method further includes regulating the voltage in the device to the first voltage. The method also includes regulating the voltage in the device to the second voltage for a second predetermined temporal period, the second predetermined temporal period different from the first predetermined temporal period.
US09147563B2

A method and apparatus for tandem mass spectrometry is disclosed. Precursor ions are fragmented and the fragments are accumulated in parallel, by converting an incoming stream of ions from an ion source (10) into a time separated sequence of multiple precursor ions which are then assigned to their own particular channel of a multi compartment collision cell (40). In this manner, precursor ion species, being allocated to their own dedicated fragmentation cell chambers (41, 42 . . . 43) within the fragmentation cell (40), can then be captured and fragmented by that dedicated fragmentation chamber at optimum energy and/or fragmentation conditions.
US09147560B2

The present invention provides a method for mass spectrometry of phosphorylated peptides or sugar chains, which suppresses the desorption of an unstable site during ionization and achieves high sensitivity (i.e., detects molecular-related ions at a high ionic strength and at a relatively higher ionic strength than other ion species derived from the desorption of an unstable site). A method for mass spectrometry of phosphorylated peptides or sugar chains, the method comprising using, as a liquid matrix, an ionic liquid comprising a 3-aminoquinoline ion and a p-coumaric acid ion. The liquid matrix comprises 3-aminoquinoline and p-coumaric acid, for example, in a molar ratio of 5:1 to 20:1. Ammonium phosphate may be used as an additive.
US09147549B2

Various crossed-field amplifiers (CFAs) are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the geometry of the cathode and/or the anode reduces the velocity of the electrons as they travel near the anode drift block to increase the distribution of the electrons in the drift gap. In another embodiment, an abrupt geometric change to the cathode at the beginning or the end of the anode drift block can disperse the electrons, thereby increasing the rate of mixing and diffusion. By increasing the distribution of the electrons, the peak amplitude of spurious emissions produced by a CFA can be reduced.
US09147537B1

A double break disconnect switch including a bearing arrangement carrying a switch blade assembly is mounted on a drive arrangement. The switch blade assembly is rotatable longitudinally during initial opening and final closing of the switch and transversely for final opening and initial closing. The switch blade assembly is hinged for rotation about a hinge axis offset from the center of gravity of the switch blade for initial opening and for final closing. A blade bearing is provided of very small in diameter. The drive assembly uses the weight of the blade to keep the blade from rotating longitudinally and uses a cam arrangement including a roller riding in a slot of a blade drive plate that is spring loaded on one end and pivotally attached at the other end to rotate the blade longitudinally providing greater force to rotate the blade as contacts engage.
US09147534B2

A steering column control module comprises a housing having at least two receptacles. A printed circuit board is mounted in the housing, the printed circuit board carrying first and second electrical connectors. A third electrical connector is mounted in the housing remote from the printed circuit board. A ribbon cable is connected between the second and third electrical connectors. The receptacles are adapted to receive respective switch modules. The first and third electrical connectors are positioned and configures so that, when plugged into respective receptacles, the switch modules connect to respective ones of the first and third electrical connectors.
US09147528B2

A winding-type solid electrolytic capacitor package structure includes a winding capacitor unit, a package body and a conductive unit. The winding capacitor has a winding body enclosed by the package body, a positive conductive lead pin having a cutting surface, and a negative conductive lead pin having a grinding surface. The conductive unit includes a positive conductive terminal electrically connected to the positive conductive lead pin and a negative conductive terminal electrically connected to the negative conductive lead pin. The positive conductive terminal has a first embedded portion enclosed by the package body and a first exposed portion exposed outside the package body. The negative conductive terminal has a second embedded portion enclosed by the package body and a second exposed portion exposed outside the package body. The first and the second exposed portions are extended along the outer surface of the package body.
US09147522B2

An object of the present invention is to provide an ignition coil for use in an internal combustion engine, offering improved water drainage performance, while achieving high waterproof performance with controlled entry of water in a plug hole. A high-voltage generating section 3 that generates a high voltage is housed inside a coil case 4. A plug hole seal 5 closes an opening in a plug hole 2 in which an ignition plug 21 is mounted. The ignition coil further includes a space portion 6 placed on an outer side portion of the high-voltage generating section 3 and an air path 9 for venting air between the space portion 6 and the plug hole 2. The space portion 9 has an open lower surface (an entirely open surface facilitates demolding).
US09147521B2

To provide a reactor whose number of components is small and that exhibits excellent assemblability. A reactor 1 includes a coil 2 having a pair of coil elements 2a and 2b, and a core unit 3 having a pair of intermediate core portions 30 around which the coil elements 2a and 2b are respectively disposed. The core unit 3 is formed to be annular by a combination of intermediate core pieces 31 that structure intermediate core portions 30, a pair of end core pieces 32 that clamps a pair of intermediate core portions 30 disposed in parallel to each other, and gap members 3g each disposed between each ones of the core pieces. The end core pieces 32 respectively include clamping faces 321 for clamping the intermediate core portions 30, each structured with a single plane. An installed face 320l of each of the end core pieces 32 projects further than the installed face 31l of the intermediate core pieces 31. One gap member 3g is interposed between the end core piece 32 and the intermediate core portion 30, and relative permeability of the gap member 3g is greater than 1. This structure simplifies the shape of the core pieces, and allows the number of components to be small despite the core unit 3 partially projects.
US09147518B1

An inductor includes a stacked structure. The stacked structure includes a substrate, a first structural body stacked on a lower surface of the substrate, and second structural bodies sequentially stacked on an upper surface of the substrate. A through hole extends through the stacked structure in a thickness direction. An insulation film covers the stacked structure. The first structural body includes a first insulating layer stacked on the lower surface of the substrate, and a first wiring stacked on a lower surface of the first insulating layer. The second structural bodies include second insulating layers and second wirings. The first wiring and the second wirings are connected in series to one another to form a helical coil. The substrate has a thickness greater than that of the first insulating layer and the second insulating layers.
US09147511B2

Provided is a packed heat exchanger bed composed of thermomagnetic material particles having a mean particle diameter of 50 μm to 1 mm. The packed bed has porosity of 30-45%. A thermomagnetic material is a metal containing material such as (AyB1−y)2+δCwDxEz, La(FexAl1−x)13Hy or La(FxSi1−x)13Hy, La(FexAlyCoz)13 or La(FexSiyCoz)13, LaMnxFe2−xGe, Heusler alloys, Gd5(SixGe1−x)4, Fe2P-based compounds, manganites of the perovskite type, Tb5(Si4−xGex), XTiGe, Mn2−xZxSb, or Mn2ZxSb1−x, wherein A-E, P, and Z represent various metal atoms.
US09147506B2

A bus bar includes a body having at least one bent portion and a plate-shaped or bar-like terminal located on at least one end of the body and formed of a material identical with a material of the body integrally with the body in a seamless manner. The terminal is formed by pressurizing the end of the body thereby to be plate-shaped or bar-like and having a higher hardness than the bent portion. The body is solid and linear in shape. The terminal is formed so that its profile has a required predetermined size by adjusting an applied pressure value.
US09147498B2

A circuit arrangement may include: a memory, composed of a memory cell array, including a plurality of memory cells, and a peripheral circuitry; a voltage source configured to provide at least one supply voltage; a test circuit integrated with the memory cell array and the voltage source, wherein the test circuit receives the supply voltage; the test circuit including: at least one test memory cell; at least one failure detection circuit configured to detect a data retention failure in the at least one test memory cell.
US09147487B2

A method for programming a memory cell of a memory device includes the following steps. A plurality of cycle number ranges are set up. A specific one of the plurality of cycle number ranges, in which the memory cell having a drain terminal passes a program-verification, is determined. A bias voltage is applied to the drain terminal for programming the memory cell, wherein the bias voltage varies with the specific cycle number range.
US09147479B2

A memory system and a method for operating the same are provided. The memory system includes a semiconductor memory device suitable for performing an erase operation in response to a control signal, and if an erase command is input from a host, a controller suitable for temporarily storing erase block information according the erase command, and when a program command is input after the erase command is input, transmitting the control signal according to the erase command to the semiconductor memory device.
US09147469B2

According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array and a control circuit. The memory cell array include the memory cells each including a variable resistance element in which a reset current flowing in a reset operation is smaller than a set current flowing in a set operation by not less than one order of magnitude. The control circuit performs the reset operation and the set operation for the memory cells. The control circuit performs the reset operation for all memory cells being in the low resistance state and connected to selected first interconnections and selected second interconnections.
US09147467B2

An electronic device comprising a semiconductor memory unit that may include a variable resistance element configured to be changed in a resistance value thereof in response to current flowing through both ends thereof, a toggle data generation unit configured to generate toggle data of which logic value toggles with a predetermined cycle, in a first mode for testing reliability of the variable resistance element, a data transfer line configured to transfer data inputted from an outside, and a driving unit configured to flow current which is changed in its direction with the predetermined cycle, through the variable resistance element in response to the toggle data in the first mode, and flow current through the variable resistance element in a direction determined in response to the data of the data transfer line, in a second mode in writing date into or reading data from the variable resistance element.
US09147463B1

A method for data acquisition in a memory system includes oversampling a data signal and a strobe signal with a multiphase clock having n phases to generate a series of data signals and a series of strobe signals representing a first data series and a first strobe series respectively, generating a second strobe series by edge detection of the first strobe series followed by retiming of the edge detected series, generating a third strobe series by edge adjustment of the second strobe series, wherein the edge adjustment ensures that there are no overlapping edges among the signals of the third strobe series, generating a sample selected series by linear shifting of each signal of the third strobe series by n/2, generating a second data series by retiming the first data series, generating a third data series by sample adjustment of the second data series, wherein the sample adjustment ensures that the third data series is in synchronization with a sampling window of the sample selected series, and determining a final data signal by multiplexing the third data series with the sample selected series.
US09147454B2

A magnetic tunneling junction non-volatile register with feedback for robust read and write operations. In an embodiment, two MTJ devices are configured to store a logical 0 or a logical 1, and are coupled to drive an output node to a voltage indicative of the stored logical 0 or a logical 1. The output of a D flip-flop is fed to the two MTJ devices so that the state of the D flip-flop may be stored in the two MTJ devices during a store operation. During a read operation, the D flip-flop outputs the state of the two MTJ devices. Read disturbances are mitigated with the use of an edge detector coupled to the output node, so that a LOW voltage is provided to the D flip-flop if a rising voltage at the output node is detected.
US09147453B2

Delays are introduced in self-timed memories by introducing a capacitance on the path of a signal to be delayed. The capacitances are realized by using idle-lying metal layers in the circuitry. The signal to be delayed is connected to the idle-lying capacitances via programmable switches. The amount of delay introduced depends on the capacitance introduced in the path of signal, which in turn depends on state of the switches. The state of the switches is controlled by delay codes provided externally to the delay introducing circuitry. Since idle-lying metal capacitances are utilized, the circuitry can be implemented using a minimum amount of additional hardware. Also, the delay provided by the circuitry is a function of memory cell SPICE characteristics and core parasitic capacitances.
US09147445B2

Semiconductor devices are provided. The semiconductor device includes a charge controller, a delay unit and a discharger. The charge controller controls an amount of electric charges on a first node to output a drive signal through the first node. The delay unit includes a capacitor coupled to the first node and retards the drive signal to generate an output signal. A delay time of the drive signal is controlled according to an amount of electric charges of the first node. The discharger discharges the electric charges of the first node when the amount of electric charges of the first node is equal to a predetermined value.
US09147442B2

This patent document relates to memory circuits or devices and their applications in electronic devices or systems. The disclosed technology in this patent document includes memory circuits or devices and their applications in electronic devices or systems and various implementations of an electronic device in which an electronic device capable of reducing an area, improving device characteristics due to a reduction in the resistance of a switching transistor, simplifying the process, and reducing a cost is provided. In accordance with the electronic device of this patent document, an area can be reduced, device characteristics can be improved due to a reduction in the resistance of the switching transistor, the process can be simplified, and a cost can be reduced.
US09147424B2

An optical recording reproducing apparatus, an optical recording reproducing method, and a computer-readable recording medium thereof, are provided. The optical recording reproducing apparatus is configured to operate an optical disc by using alternative reproducing files and includes an interface which accesses data recorded on the optical disc and reproducing-managing files used for reproducing the data, and an alternative reproducer which operates the optical disc by using the alternative reproducing files when accessing the reproducing-managing files cannot be performed.
US09147422B2

A method of fabricating a magnetic recording medium by sequentially forming a magnetic recording layer, a protection layer, and a lubricant layer on a stacked body, includes forming the lubricant by depositing a first lubricant on the stacked body after forming the protection layer, by vapor-phase lubrication deposition, without exposing the stacked body to atmosphere, and depositing a second lubricant on the stacked body after depositing the first lubricant, by vapor-phase lubrication deposition, without exposing the stacked body to atmosphere. The first lubricant has a lower molecular mass and a higher chemical polarity than those of the second lubricant.
US09147420B2

The present invention is an applications gateway that offers multiple functions and features for specific geographic venue locations, while providing easy access to advertising, purchasing, and redemption opportunities for that specific geographic venue location. Venue locations can be stadiums, shopping malls, amusement parks, open air spaces where people can congregate, and/or buildings, which most often require the presence of a concentration of people. The venue location may correlate to the location of the hand-held mobile unit or it may be a remote geographic venue location not near the location of the hand-held mobile unit. Access to the gateway application is through a hand-held mobile unit, which can include a mobile phone, smartphone device, or portable computer having a wireless radio transmission connection. (e.g. iPhone, Droid, iPad, Slate, etc.)
US09147415B2

The present invention generally relates to a HAMR head having not only a tapered core for the SSC, but additionally a secondary confinement material in the cladding surrounding the core taper. The secondary confinement material prevents diverging light from the laser diode from spreading so that the light is coupled into the core of the SSC. The secondary confinement material is a symmetric structure that surrounds the core of the SSC on all sides so that high conversion efficiency is achieved for short taper lengths.
US09147407B2

In accordance with one embodiment, an apparatus includes a main pole layer of magnetic material; a second layer of magnetic material; a first gap layer of non-magnetic material disposed between the main pole layer and the second layer of magnetic material; a second gap layer of non-magnetic material disposed between the main pole layer and the second layer of magnetic material; wherein the second gap layer of non-magnetic material is disposed directly adjacent to the second layer of magnetic material. In accordance with one embodiment, this allows the gap to serve as a non-magnetic seed for the second layer of magnetic material. A method of manufacturing such a device is also described.
US09147405B2

Implementations disclosed herein provide a method comprising emitting light at a plurality of locations across a surface of a recording head assembly, detecting, using a detector not positioned along a waveguide axis, light output from a diffraction grating positioned along the waveguide axis, and determining a target position for mounting a laser source on the surface a recording head assembly by analyzing the detected light output corresponding to one or more of the plurality of locations.
US09147399B1

Techniques for identifying users that issue audio commands based on signatures associated with the commands and additional characteristics associated with the commands. For instance, a device that includes a microphone may capture audio uttered by a user. The device, or another device, may then compare a signature associated with a generated audio signal to audio signatures associated with known users. For instance, the device may have access to multiple audio signatures, each of which is unique to a respective user that has previously interacted with the device or with another device. The device may then use this comparison to help identify the user that uttered the audio. In addition, however, the device may utilize a characteristic other than the audio signature. Using both the comparison of the audio signature to the previously received signatures along with the additional characteristic(s), the device may make a presumed identification of the user.
US09147386B2

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for musical learning and interaction. Embodiments include presenting a musical instrument at a user interface. The user interface includes a video layer. The video layer is configured to visually present one or more frames of video. The user interface also includes a virtual musical instrument. The virtual musical instrument is overlaid over a least a portion of the video layer, and is at least partially transparent. As such, the portion of the video layer over which the virtual musical instrument is overlaid shows through the virtual musical instrument.
US09147379B2

A computer implemented method for augmenting a display image includes receiving image data, the image data including data representing one or more objects, and at least a first marker and a second marker. The method includes receiving a first confidence level for the first marker and a second confidence level for the second marker. The method includes determining a selected marker from the first marker and the second marker. The selected marker is determined according to a highest confidence level of the first confidence level and the second confidence level. The method includes determining a transformation and a positional offset for the selected marker. The method includes generating overlaid display data for the one or more objects in the image data, the one or more objects determined in accordance with the transformation and the positional offset.
US09147367B2

A display device capable of reducing power consumption and preventing luminance changes, and a driving method thereof are provided. The display device includes: a display panel displaying a still image and a motion picture; a signal controller controlling signals for driving the display panel; a graphic processing unit transmitting input image data to the signal controller; a light source unit irradiating the display panel with light; and a light source driver controlling signals for driving the light source unit, in which the signal controller includes a frame memory storing the input image data and controls the display panel so as to be driven at a first frequency or a second frequency, and the light source driver drives the light source unit at a first ratio when the display panel is driven at the first frequency and at a second ratio when the display panel is driven at the second frequency.
US09147366B2

In a method for driving a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, an array substrate, a method of manufacturing the array substrate and the LCD device having the same, data signals are boosted by a first and a second boost signals up to a first and a second pixel voltages, respectively. The first and the second pixel voltages are applied to a transmissive electrode and a reflective electrode, respectively. As a result, the retardation of light passing through a liquid crystal layer on the transmissive electrode and the retardation of light of the liquid crystal layer on the reflective electrode may be controlled to be substantially equal to each other. Thus, the LCD device is driven in a transflective mode with a mono-cell gap so that the yield of the LCD device may be increased.
US09147362B2

A method of dynamic of gamut control is provided for a display having a multi-spectral (typically multi-color) backlight, and sub-pixels corresponding to the different backlight spectra and at least one common sub-pixel. The display may f be an RGBW display having an RGB backlight. The method includes iteratively calculating the minimum required backlight intensities that will allow all (selected) color points of an image to be represented by the display. The determination for a light source of the backlight is based on determinations of intensities determined for other light sources in a previous iteration.
US09147357B2

According to an aspect, a display device includes a display panel and a plurality of memory circuits. The display panel includes a plurality of pixels each including a plurality of sub-pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix, and the display panel is divided into at least a first region and a second region in which at least one of the predetermined maximum number of displayable gradations and maximum resolution is different from that of the first region. The memory circuits are located under the sub-pixel electrodes and each of the memory circuits stores therein pixel potential corresponding to gradation to be applied to at least one of the sub-pixel electrodes. The arrangement of the sub-pixel electrodes is the same in the first region and the second region of the display panel.
US09147354B2

A wristband configured adhering rear surface portions of band base material to each other. The present wristband is characterized in that, when winding the wristband on a portion on which the wristband is to be wound. The rear surface of a first winding region (6) having an exposed adhesive layer (3), and the rear surface of a second winding region are adhered to each other such that a first adhesion position guide (18, 19A) and a second adhesion position guide (19) are aligned with each other while a (second adhesion region (23)) of the adhesive layer (3) is left so that the portion can be exposed, whereby the wristband can be formed in a ring shape and wound on the portion on which the wristband is to be wound. The first winding region (6), which has the adhesive layer (3) having the portion so that the portion can be exposed, can be adhered to the front surface of the second winding region (7). A strip of the wristbands separated by base material separation lines and a mount over the adhesive layer with mount separation lines not at the base separation lines, allowing parts of the mount to be removed.
US09147345B2

A real-time wireless parking enforcement system is provided that includes a remote parking enforcement system having a plurality of parking sensors disposed to gather parking occupancy data and at least one source of parking payment data, where the parking occupancy data and parking payment data is communicated to a central server in real-time, and a plurality of wireless mobile platforms are operated by a plurality of parking enforcement officers (PEO's). The wireless mobile platforms send and receive real-time and continuous parking occupancy data and parking payment data to and from the central server, where bidirectional communication exists between the central server and the wireless mobile platforms. When the PEO enters response information to a potential violation to the wireless mobile platform, the bidirectional communication updates the status of the potential violation to all the wireless platforms in real-time, where the information is used to reduce enforcement redundancies by the PEO's.
US09147339B1

A system and a method are disclosed for delivering an alert from a mobile device. The method comprises using a mobile device to receive an alert initiation request, where the alert initiation request includes metadata of an alert to be delivered. The method extracts the metadata from the alert initiation request and persistently stores the extracted metadata in a first storage place. The method further securely transmits the alert initiation request and extracted metadata to one or more communication systems.
US09147335B2

A system and method for generating real-time alert notifications includes a database for receiving in real-time at least one event, a processing engine for analyzing the at least one event with respect to a plurality of stored events, the processing engine also for determining whether the at least one event meets a defined condition, if the at least one event meets the defined condition, determining a prescriptive action and forwarding the prescriptive action to a user.
US09147333B1

In accordance with example embodiments, a system may include a sensor, a remote, and one or more transceivers. In example embodiments, the sensor may be configured to sense a condition and send a first signal when the condition is sensed. In example embodiments, the first signal includes a first unique identifier. In example embodiments, the remote is configured to send a second and third signal (for remote “on” and “off”) and the second and third signals will include a second unique identifier. In example embodiments, the first transceiver is configured to receive and retransmit the first, second and third signals.A retransmission of the third signal from the remote further deactivates the transceiver(s) from the “ready” state to the “off” state. Sending the second signal from the remote (the “on” signal) resets the transceiver(s) from the “off” state to the “ready” state.
US09147332B1

A computing device is described that can receive contextual information related to a user associated with the computing device. The contextual information may relate to at least one of a physiological condition of the user at a current time or a type of activity associated with the user at the current time. The computing device can select, based at least in part on the contextual information, a type of alert to output as an indication of notification data. The type of alert may include at least one of an electric stimulus type alert, a shape-memory alloy type alert, and a vibration type alert. Responsive to selecting the type of alert, the computing device can output an alert based on the notification data, the alert being of the selected type of alert.
US09147323B2

An apparatus and method are disclosed for securely storing items of media. The apparatus includes a storage bag body having an open mouth region and a sealing collar extending around at least a portion of the mouth region. The collar includes a first and second elongate side bar, each having a first and second end and a first pair of hinged end bars disposed in an end-to-end configuration between respective first ends of the side bars and a second pair of hinged end bars disposed in an end-to-end configuration between the respective second ends of the side bars. At least one side bar and at least one end bar in each pair of end bars comprises at least one securing element for irreversibly sealing the mouth region of the storage bag body closed.
US09147322B2

A gaming machine and method allow a player to play a game. The game has an associated set of game symbols. The game symbols in the set of game symbols are arranged in a predetermined order from lowest to highest. A display device is configured to display a plurality of symbol regions arranged in a grid. The controller is configured to randomly select an initial outcome of the game. The initial outcome of the game includes an initial game symbol associated with each of the symbol regions. The controller detects a triggering condition associated with the initial outcome of the game and responsively replaces the initial game symbol in at least one predetermined symbol region with a replacement symbol to establish a secondary outcome of the game. The replacement symbol is determined as a function of the initial symbol and the predetermined order of the game symbols.
US09147316B2

Aspects for pooling lottery winnings are disclosed. In a first aspect, a relationship structure is generated among nodes having a lineage of related nodes arranged in a hierarchy. A series of numbers are respectively assigned to a portion of nodes and a winning node is identified. Compensated nodes are then selected that include the winning node and at least one non-winning node. In another aspect, nodes are monitored over a series of lottery games in which winning nodes are tracked and compensated nodes are identified. Nodes are then valuated based on a corresponding historical winning metric according to lineage taken over the series of lottery games. In a further aspect, nodes are placed in a relationship structure and a winning node representing an actual lottery game win is identified. A distribution of a corresponding payout among compensated nodes is then ascertained.
US09147312B2

A system for distributing progressive gaming related information comprises a combiner and a communications medium. The combiner is for inserting data indicative of progressive gaming related information into a video signal as closed caption data to produce a combined video signal. The communications medium is for distributing the combined video signal to one or more receivers for display of a video image which comprises the progressive information as closed caption text.
US09147305B2

A method of distributing digital images includes uploading one or more digital image files corresponding to one or more digital images to an interactive kiosk; receiving user input of contact information for one or more third party recipients; and sending notice to the one or more third party recipients that the one or more digital images are available. A photo printing and networking system includes a kiosk for uploading one or more digital image files corresponding to one or more digital images; a kiosk network in electronic communication with the kiosk; and data transfer means for transferring the one or more digital image files from the kiosk to a third party recipient via the kiosk network.
US09147293B2

The present invention provides a system and a method for fuel management. The invention provides an integrated system to generate reports comprising analysis relating to fuel consumption, fuel fraud, CO2 emission, driver behavior, and journey breakdown.
US09147288B1

This document describes systems and techniques for representing computer-generated objects with a limit mesh. In general, the systems and techniques may generate an object's form or appearance based on an estimation of how the object would look if shapes that form the object were infinitely subdivided to create a smooth surface for the object. For example, when a user views a distance object in a video game, its shape can be estimated by calculating an approximation of what the object would look like if the polygons that make up the object were infinitely divided. As the user approaches the object, curving solutions that may be embedded in the object can be used to construct curves for the object so that it appears smooth.
US09147286B2

Some embodiments provide a mapping application for generating views of a three-dimensional (3D) map. The mapping application includes a geographic data module for identifying a set of geographic data that represents a portion of the 3D map. The set of geographic data includes a set of camera captured images that correspond to the portion of the 3D map. The mapping application includes an image processing module for rendering the view of the 3D map based on the geographic data by animating a type of map element in the view of the 3D map.
US09147278B2

A parallax image generation device includes: a depth value correction unit which performs correction processing on a depth value, from among a plurality of depth values which define a depth image, to shift a position corresponding to the depth value to be closer to a display screen as the depth value is located closer to an end of the depth image, the display screen being for displaying a parallax image; and a parallax image generation unit which generates a first parallax image and a second parallax image having mutual parallax, using a two-dimensional image and the depth image corrected through the correction processing.
US09147277B2

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for transporting both behavior and related geometric information for an animation asset between different animation environments. A common virtual machine specification with a specific instruction set architecture is defined for executing behavioral traits of the animation asset. Each target animation environment implements the instruction set architecture. Because each virtual machine runtime engine implements an identical instruction set architecture, animation behavior can identically reproduced over any arbitrary platform implementing the virtual machine runtime engine. Embodiments of the present invention beneficially enable reuse of animation assets without compatibility restrictions related to platform or application differences.
US09147275B1

Certain text editing techniques are provided to enable the user to select a few characters or words from an original collection of text by a limited number of user inputs, such as by touching or swiping a character or word to be edited. Options for probable edits of the original text can be automatically presented to the user in a manner that also only requires a minimal number of user inputs. Such techniques may facilitate text editing that is easier and more convenient for users of portable electronic devices. These techniques may be particularly advantageous for enabling editing of text acquired from an optical character recognition (OCR) process on any computing device. Other text editing shortcuts and similar approaches are also described.
US09147268B2

Background information is subtracted from projection data in medical diagnostic imaging. The background is removed using data acquired in a single rotational sweep of a C-arm. The removal may be by masking out a target, leaving the background, in the data as constructed into a volume. For subtraction, the masked background information is projected to a plane and subtracted from the data representing the plane.
US09147261B2

A method for obtaining trajectory of an object using multi-path tracking mode is provided. The method includes marking a portion of the object in a frame of a video, obtaining consecutive frames in the video, and tracking the marked portion of the object in consecutive frames by estimating sum of absolute difference. The method further includes comparing the sum of absolute difference to a sum of absolute difference threshold, switching between the multi-path tracking mode and single path tracking mode based on the comparison of the sum of absolute difference to the sum of absolute difference threshold, and obtaining trajectory of the marked portion by combining the single path tracking mode and multi-path tracking mode.
US09147255B1

Described is a system for rapid object detection combining structural information with bio-inspired attentional mechanisms. The system oversegments an input image into a set of superpixels, where each superpixel comprises a plurality of pixels. For each superpixel, a bounding box defining a region of the input image representing a detection hypothesis is determined. An average residual saliency (ARS) is calculated for the plurality of pixels belonging to each superpixel. Each detection hypothesis that is out of a range of a predetermined threshold value for object size is eliminated. Next, each remaining detection hypothesis having an ARS below a predetermined threshold value is eliminated. Then, color contrast is calculated for the region defined by the bounding box for each remaining detection hypothesis. Each detection hypothesis having a color contrast below a predetermined threshold is eliminated. Finally, the remaining detection hypotheses are output to a classifier for object recognition.
US09147253B2

Techniques are provided for determining distance to an object in a depth camera's field of view. The techniques may include raster scanning light over the object and detecting reflected light from the object. One or more distances to the object may be determined based on the reflected image. A 3D mapping of the object may be generated. The distance(s) to the object may be determined based on times-of-flight between transmitting the light from a light source in the camera to receiving the reflected image from the object. Raster scanning the light may include raster scanning a pattern into the field of view. Determining the distance(s) to the object may include determining spatial differences between a reflected image of the pattern that is received at the camera and a reference pattern.
US09147250B2

A method and system for automatic magnetic resonance (MR) volume composition and normalization is disclosed. In one embodiment, a plurality of MR volumes is received. A composite MR volume is generated from the plurality of MR volumes. Volume normalization of the composite MR volume is then performed to correct intensity inhomogeneity in the composite MR volume. The volume normalization of the composite MR volume may be performed using template MR volume or without a template MR volume.
US09147249B2

Disclosed is a method of calibrating a depth image based on a relationship between a depth sensor and a color camera, and an apparatus for calibrating a depth image may include a three-dimensional (3D) point determiner to determine a 3D point of a camera image and a 3D point of a depth image simultaneously captured with the camera image, a calibration information determiner to determine calibration information for calibrating an error of a depth image captured by the depth sensor and a geometric information between the depth sensor and a color camera, using the 3D point of the camera image and the 3D point of the depth image, and a depth image calibrator to calibrate the depth image based on the calibration information and the 3D point of the depth image.
US09147241B2

The glass bottle inspection method and apparatus performs successively producing differential images from original images successively captured from the glass bottle to be inspected while the glass bottle is being rotated about its own axis, comparing the differential images with the template to judge whether the glass bottle is defect-free or not, and combining all the differential images obtained from the glass bottle to be inspected in one inspection cycle to produce a differential composite image, using the differential composite image as a provisional template when all the differential images obtained from the glass bottle in one inspection cycle are judged as representing a defect-free glass bottle, and correcting the template using the provisional template.
US09147235B2

A method for performing highlight restoration on a digital image includes comparing the pixels in the image with a saturation level value to identify saturated pixels. A saturation map of saturated pixels is generated. Each selected saturated pixel is identified as a restorable pixel only if at least one color channel of the pixel is unsaturated. For each restorable pixel, a group of the closest unsaturated pixels above, below, to the left, and to the right of the select saturated pixel is identified. A replacement pixel value is generated for each saturated color channel of the restorable pixel, using a combination of the pixel values of the unsaturated color channels of the restorable pixel and the pixel values of the corresponding color channels of the nearby unsaturated pixels.
US09147225B2

A graphics processing unit (GPU) and a management method of the GPU are provided. The GPU includes at least one graphics engine and an engine manager. The graphics engine performs a video decoding function or a graphics rendering function according to a graphics command from a driver software. The engine manager records a workload index of each graphics engine. The engine manager also adjusts the work ability of one of or more of the at least one graphics engine according to an adjustment command from the driver software. The driver software provides the adjustment command according to the workload index.
US09147222B2

Signal detection adaptable to accommodate various lighting conditions, and to embedding signals according to anticipated lighting conditions likely to be present during image capture. One claim recites a method comprising: obtaining data representing picture elements of imagery or video, the imagery or video having been captured with a camera; obtaining lighting information associated with image capture of the imagery or video; based on the lighting information, adapting a detection process, in which the detection process is adapted by applying different weightings to different color channels for detection, the different weightings being associated with the lighting information; using a programmed electronic processor, analyzing the data to determine whether auxiliary data is encoded therein, said act of analyzing utilizes the adapted detection process. Of course, different combinations and claims are provided too.
US09147218B2

Systems and methods for forecasting ratios in hierarchies are provided. Hierarchies can be formed that have components, including a numerator time series with values from input data, a denominator time series with values from input data, and a ratio time series of the numerator time series over the denominator time series. The components can be modeled to generate forecasted hierarchies. The forecasted hierarchies can be reconciled so that the forecasted hierarchies are statistically consistent throughout nodes of the forecasted hierarchies.
US09147215B2

The present invention provides discrete, depleting chips for allocating computational resources for obtaining desired service level characteristics, wherein discrete chips deplete from a maximum allocated amount but may, in an optional implementation, be allowed to be replenished through the purchase of additional chips. A number of chips are assigned to a requestor/party, known as a business unit (BU), which could be a department, or group providing like-functionality services. In one implementation, the chips themselves could represent base monetary units integrated over time.
US09147214B2

An availability notification for a device can be provided to a mobile device. The availability notification can be provided based on a configuration established by a subscriber of a mobile device as well as a characteristic of the mobile device. The subscriber can interact with an interface provided by the network provider to establish the configuration. Additionally, the subscriber can reserve the device via his or her mobile device. For example, a reservation interface may be provided to the subscriber via his or her mobile device that includes reservation options that can be selected by the subscriber to reserve the device. The reservation interface can further include the availability notification that indicates the device is currently available.
US09147212B2

A user can locate products by dialing a number from any phone and accessing an automatic voice recognition system. Reply is made to the user with information locating the product using a store's product location data converted to automatic voice responses. Smart phone and mobile web access to a product database is enabled using voice-to-text and text search. A taxonomy enables product search requests by product descriptions and/or product brand names, and enable synonyms and phonetic enhancements to the system. Search results are related to products and product categories with concise organization. Relevant advertisements, promotional offers and coupons are delivered based upon search and taxonomy elements. Search requests generate dynamic interior maps of a products location inside the shoppers' location, assisting a shopper to efficiently shop the location for listed items. Business intelligence of product categories enable rapid scaling across retail segments.
US09147208B1

A record of a transaction of a customer includes the order the items were scanned. The reverse of this order is inferred to conform generally to the order items were placed in the cart. A route of the user is inferred from the locations of items and the reverse of the scanning order. Subsequent shopping lists of the customer may be ordered to conform to the inferred route as well as one or more route optimization criteria such as a preference for shorter routes or avoiding doubling back. Recommendations for items along the typical route may also be generated and transmitted to the customer. Non-conformal segments may be added to a route for a shopping list in order to route the customer past other portions of a store. Recommendations for items located along the non-conformal segments may also be added.
US09147206B2

A model optimization system is configured to determine quality of variables for model generation. A data storage stores input variables, quality metrics for the input variables, and weights for the quality metrics. The quality metrics describe sufficiency of data for the input variables and the data is provided for a plurality of regions. A scoring module determines a score for each region based on the input variables and the weighted quality metrics. An optimizer determines whether at least one of the input variables for a region is to be modified based on the scores, and determines whether the total score for the region is operable to be improved using a modified input variable.
US09147205B2

Technologies are generally described for obtaining consumer survey responses encoded on a reactive tag associated with an item. Prior to distributing a product to consumers, a manufacturer may affix a reactive tag to the item for gathering consumer feedback about the product. Consumer survey questions and responses may be encoded on the reactive tag, and the consumer may be able to remove a portion of the tag in order to select a consumer survey response. The reactive tag may be configured to react to the removal of a portion of the reactive tag by encoding data on the reactive tag for the consumer response and/or changing a physico-chemical state of the reactive tag for storing the consumer survey responses. When the consumer has finished with the product, the product may be received at a recycling facility, where a machine may scan the reactive tag to retrieve consumer survey responses.
US09147204B2

In accordance with one or more aspects of the content-based advertising in mobile messaging, a message is received from a first mobile device, the received message targeting a second mobile device. One or more advertisements to associate with the message are identified based at least in part on content in the message. Both the message and the one or more advertisements are sent to the second mobile device. The second mobile device receives both the mobile message and the associated one or more advertisements, and displays both the mobile message and the one or more associated advertisements on the mobile device.
US09147183B2

Systems, methods, means, computer program code and computerized processes include receiving a first set of de-identified transaction data from a first transaction data source, receiving a second set of de-identified transaction data from a second transaction data source, filtering the first and second sets of de-identified transaction data to identify transactions associated with at least a first entity and to create first and second filtered data sets, removing data associated with an identifier field for each of the transactions in the first filtered data set to created a de-identified first data set, removing data associated with an identifier field for each of the transactions in the second filtered data set to create a de-identified second data set, and processing the first and second de-identified data sets using a probabilistic engine to establish a linkage between data in each data set.
US09147182B2

A method, system and computer program product for prioritizing responses to communications. Various metrics (e.g., the duration of time spent in creating the communication, the number of keystrokes used in creating the communication, the number of words used in creating the communication, the number of mistakes made and corrected in creating the communication, and the number of attachments to the communication) associated with creating a communication are recorded which are used to assess an effort provided by the author in creating the communication. A weighted priority to be associated with responses to the communication is determined based on these recorded metrics. The weighted priority is then assigned to responses to such a communication. In this manner, the responses to the created communication will be able to be prioritized based on the weighted priority thereby enabling the author to determine which responses are more important to read than other responses.
US09147179B2

A method for de-identification of visual media data, including: merging a sequence of images from a set of visual media data into an averaged image; bounding portions of the averaged image that are determined to be relatively fixed, wherein each bounded portion is identified by a corresponding position in the averaged image; generating a template comprising the bounded portions and the corresponding position for each bounded portion in the averaged image; and de-identifying the sequence of images by obfuscating content in the bounded portions.
US09147178B2

A visual media de-identification system is described. The system includes an image merger and a de-identifying engine. The image merger is configured to merge a sequence of images from a set of visual media data into an averaged image. The de-identifying engine is configured to: bound portions of the averaged image that are determined to be relatively fixed, wherein each bounded portion is identified by a corresponding position in the averaged image; generate a template comprising the bounded portions and the corresponding position for each bounded portion in the averaged image; and de-identify the sequence of images by obfuscating content in the bounded portions.
US09147177B2

Described is an improved method, system, and computer program product for implementing an improved method and system for generating performance scores for employees. Also disclosed is an approach for ranking employees which avoids the complexity and excessive resources often needed to implement employee rankings.
US09147174B2

Systems for monitoring an inventory condition of objects based on captured images are described. An exemplary system includes at least one storage drawer, each storage drawer including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects; and a data storage device storing reference data for each storage drawer. The reference data includes, for each region of interest corresponding to each respective storage drawer, at least one of a reference image signature representing attributes of the region of interest when a stored object is present, and a reference image signature representing attributes of the region of interest when the stored object is not present. A data processor of the system is configured to derive an image signature representing attributes of a region of interest corresponding to a drawer using a captured image of the drawer; and determine an inventory condition of the drawer according to the stored reference data corresponding to the region of interest and the derived image signature representing attributes of the captured image of the region of interest.
US09147173B2

An automated system for transporting items between variable endpoints includes a guidance system for identifying the endpoints and at least one autonomous mobile robot interacting with the guidance system for automatically moving items between the endpoints. The at least one robot is configured to (a) collect an item to be transported at a source end point, (b) travel to a destination endpoint utilizing the guidance system to locate the destination endpoint, (c) deliver the item to the destination endpoint, and (d) repeat (a) through (c) for a given set of items. The guidance system is dynamically reconfigurable to identify new endpoints.
US09147167B2

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with similarity analysis using tri-point arbitration are described. In one embodiment, a method includes selecting a data point pair and an arbiter point from a data set. A tri-point arbitration coefficient (ρTAC) is calculated for data point pairs based, at least in part, on a distance between the first and second data points and the arbiter point. A similarity metric is determined for the data set based, at least in part, on an aggregation of tri-point arbitration coefficients for data point pairs in the set of data points using the selected arbiter point.
US09147160B2

Embodiments of a system and method for asynchronous explanation and explanation-based constraint problem solving are generally described herein. In one or more embodiments, an apparatus includes an asynchronous constraint satisfaction problem solving module (ACSPSM), the ACSPSM can be executable by one or more processors. The ACSPSM can be configured to propagate at least one constraint to a plurality of variables by reducing a speculative propagation range of a first variable when a first value in the speculative propagation range of the first variable is in conflict with the constraint. The ACSPSM can be configured to update an explanation for the reduction in the speculative propagation range of the first variable, or backtrack when a choice of a second value for a second variable would result in the speculative propagation range of the first variable becoming empty. The ACSPSM can be multi-threaded.
US09147153B2

In certain embodiments, a method includes formulating an optimization problem to determine a plurality of model parameters of a system to be modeled. The method also includes solving the optimization problem to define an empirical model of the system. The method further includes training the empirical model using training data. The empirical model is constrained via general constraints relating to first-principles information and process knowledge of the system.
US09147150B2

A synthetic grass implant/marker that serves as a surface mounted visual marker for a feature or device located nearby or underground and has all the features and advantages of such a synthetic grass implant, and that additionally includes an internally mounted RFID device such as an RFID tag or chip that can programmed with information concerning the feature or device it is marking, and which information can be obtained by utilizing an RFID reader to obtain the stored information from the implant/marker.
US09147137B2

According to an embodiment, there is provided a label printer including a conveying mechanism, an RFID reader and writer, a communication intensity information acquisition unit, and a maximum communication intensity position determination unit, and an optimal communication position calculation unit. If communication with the plurality of RFID tags occurs simultaneously in the RFID reader and writer while conveying the mount by the conveying mechanism along the conveying route, the communication intensity information acquisition unit acquires information indicating a communication intensity between each of a plurality of the RFID tags and the RFID reader and writer in correlation with identification information of each of the RFID tags. The maximum communication intensity position determination unit determines a maximum communication intensity position, at which a communication intensity capable of being correlated with the identification information of each of the RFID tags becomes the maximum, on the basis of a tendency of a variation in the communication intensity of each of the plurality of RFID tags which accompanies the conveyance along the conveying route, and a conveying distance of the mount by the conveying mechanism. The optimal communication position calculation unit calculates an optimal communication position with the RFID tags of the plurality of labels adhered to the label paper on the basis of the maximum communication intensity position determined with respect to each of the plurality of RFID tags.
US09147134B2

A connector device comprises a tray, a connector body, a lock member and a pressing member. The lock member is unmovable beyond a second position along an ejection direction. The pressing member applies a force toward the second position directly or indirectly to the lock member. The tray is formed with a locked portion. The lock member is provided with a lock portion and a pressed portion. The lock portion locks the locked portion to prevent the tray from moving beyond a lock position along the ejection direction when the tray is accommodated in the connector body. The pressing member presses the pressed portion against the case when the connector device is attached in the case. The tray located at the locked position is positioned relatively to the case by this pressing.
US09147129B2

Multiple classifiers can be applied independently to evaluate images or video. Where there are heavily imbalanced class distributions, a local expert forest model for meta-level score fusion for event detection can be used. Performance variations of classifiers in different regions of a score space can be adapted. Multiple pairs of experts based on different partitions, or “trees,” can form a “forest,” balancing local adaptivity and over-fitting. Among ensemble learning methods, stacking with a meta-level classifier can be used to fuse an output of multiple base-level classifiers to generate a final score. A knowledge-transfer framework can reutilize the base-training data for learning the meta-level classifier. By recycling the knowledge obtained during a base-classifier-training stage, efficient use can be made of all available information, such as can be used to achieve better fusion and better overall performance.
US09147122B2

A method for estimating camera pose includes: obtaining an image of a location captured via a camera, where the image includes a target object and edge line features outside of the target object; and calculating a pose of the camera with respect to the target object based on the edge line features.
US09147121B2

The purpose of the invention is to increase accuracy in detecting a person on the basis of the size of an object detection region in an omni-directional image. A height-and-width switching section for switching between the height and the width of the object detection region on the basis of the position of the object detection region in the omni-directional image is provided. It is determined on the basis of the height and the width of the object detection region for which the height and the width are switched by the height-and-width switching section whether the object detection region is a person detection region. As a result, the person detection region and a shadow detection region can be correctly separated in the omni-directional image.
US09147120B2

A method and apparatus to read an analog dial utility meter including a plurality of analog dials, where each dial includes a rotating dial indicator is provided. The apparatus is configured to analyze a digital image of the analog dial utility meter to determine a value of each dial of the utility meter. The method comprises receiving a digital image of the analog dial utility meter, and performing one or more processing and analysis steps to determine a meter reading of the utility meter.
US09147117B1

Tools, strategies, and techniques are provided for evaluating the identities of different entities to protect business enterprises, consumers, and other entities from fraud by combining biometric activity data with facial recognition data for end users. Risks associated with various entities can be analyzed and assessed based on a combination of user liveliness check data, facial image data, social network data, and/or professional network data, among other data sources. In various embodiments, the risk assessment may include calculating an authorization score or authenticity score based on different portions or combinations of the collected and processed data.
US09147115B2

A method for detecting at least one object in an image including a pixel array, by means of an image processing device, including searching out the silhouette of the object in the image only if pixels of the image are at the minimum or maximum level.
US09147108B2

A method for checking a prescribed optical security feature on a prescribed portion of a value document based on pixel data of pixels of an image of the portion which are associated with places on the portion and render optical properties of the value document at the places. A check is made of whether a first number of those pixels whose pixel data, according to a first prescribed criterion, lie within a first reference region prescribed for the security feature exceeds a first minimum hit value prescribed for the security feature, and whether a first scatter of the pixel data of the pixels exceeds a first minimum scatter value prescribed for the security feature. An authenticity signal is formed which represents an indication of authenticity only when the first number exceeds the first minimum hit value, and the scatter the first minimum scatter value.
US09147102B2

A method and device for measuring a height of a microscopic structure such as solder bumps. For simplicity of explanation, the invention is described with respect to phase information and amplitude information wherein phase detection and calculation algorithms are being used.
US09147100B1

A method for enhancing surface characteristics of a fingerprint sensor and a protective structure made according to the method are disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a fingerprint sensor having a number of detecting elements beneath a top surface of the fingerprint sensor, the detecting element is used to detect changes of capacitance over a portion of a finger; forming a metal mesh layer over the top surface of the fingerprint sensor, wherein metal lines of the metal mesh layer are formed periodically and each of them is located between two adjacent detecting elements; forming a passivation layer on the metal mesh layer to shape a concave-convex top surface; and filling concave portions of the passivation layer with a Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) material. A convex portion of the passivation layer is substantially above the metal line of the metal mesh layer.
US09147098B2

An image processing apparatus has an obtaining unit configured to obtain a region from a medical image, and a generating unit configured to generate a display image by superimposing, on the basis of a position being in a schema image and corresponding to the region, an image of the region on a diagram representing a human body structure.
US09147094B2

This invention relates to a smart card connector (10) which has the following: a contact carrier (11) which bears read contact elements (11) which have read contacts, a cover (12) which via a top (139) of the contact carrier (11) is fastened to the latter and forms a card receiving space, a read contact element lifting device (14) which is pivotally mounted in the contact carrier, and contact/lifting surfaces made on the read contact element lifting device (14), on which surfaces the read contact elements rest, when a card which strikes the lifting device (14) is pushed in, the read contacts (171, 172) being moved into contact with the card contacts.
US09147092B2

An anti-counterfeiting system and method for an e-ticket are disclosed. The anti-counterfeiting system includes a ticket service center, a handheld device, a ticket checking device, and a database. The ticket checking device identifies the e-ticket information shown on a display of the handheld device at least twice. The e-ticket is verified by using the handheld device to execute a ticket software including an e-ticket service. The handheld device obtains at least one e-ticket information from the ticket service center via a network link. When the display of the handheld device shows that the e-ticket information is read by the ticket checking device and is verified by the database, the ticket service center transmits an e-ticket verification information to the handheld device, and the display of the handheld device then shows the e-ticket information for the ticket checking device to check again.
US09147084B2

A system and method for isolating secure communication events from a non-secure application are described herein. The method can include the steps of intercepting a communication event from an external communications network or an external communications device and determining whether the communication event is a secure communication event. If the communication event is a secure communication event, the secure communication event can be processed by a secure application. In addition, the secure communication event can be prevented from being processed by the non-secure application.
US09147074B2

The present disclosure describes techniques evaluating compute and/or thermal loads (among other things) to aid in managing a collection of one or more containerized or modular data centers. For example, forecasts (or real-time measurements) of environmental factors (as well as projected computing demands) may be used to tailor the compute loads, cooling strategies or other metric of data center operations for a network of containerized or modular data centers. Doing so allows an operator of such a data center network to manage specific operational goals in real time.
US09147073B2

A server-based system for generation of heuristic scripts for malware detection includes an automatic heuristics generation system for generating heuristic scripts for curing malware infections; a log database containing logs of events from user computers, including detection of known malicious objects and detection of suspicious objects; a safe objects database accessible containing signatures of known safe objects; a malicious objects database containing signatures of known malicious objects. The system retrieves suspect object metadata from the log database and generates the heuristic script based on data from the safe and malicious objects databases. For multiple computers having the same configuration and having the same logs, only one log common to all the multiple computers is transmitted and only one heuristic script is distributed to the multiple computers. A different and specific heuristic script is distributed to those computers that have a different log than the common log.
US09147070B2

In one embodiment, methods are described to provide a binary translation and randomization system. Relocation metadata is received, which comprises, for each of a plurality of execution units in an executable file, a mapping from the executable file into an address space range. For at least one of the plurality of execution units, the mapping is modified to replace instructions within the address space range with a relocated copy of the instructions at a randomly located address space range. An order of the plurality of execution units may thus be modified. An image is generated from the executable file using the relocation metadata, and an execution of the image is caused. The randomization may be carried out in two passes to provide executable files that are uniquely randomized for each computer and for each execution.
US09147055B2

Systems, methods, and devices for predicting entitlements to computing resources. An entitlement associated with a user of a computer system may be identified. The entitlement may indicate a computing resource of the computer system that is accessible to the user. A set of attributes associated with the user may be selected, and an entitlement probability value may be obtained. The entitlement probability value may be based on the set of attributes and indicate a probability that the user is authorized to have the entitlement. The entitlement probability value may be used to determine whether to include the entitlement in an access review. Depending on the entitlement probability value the entitlement may be included in the access review or excluded from the access review.
US09147048B2

A digital content protection apparatus and method for digital rights management (DRM) are provided in which a content file including a plurality of content parts is imported such that a header is included which stores location information required for decoding each of the content parts. Therefore, the number of content parts constituting the content file can be recognized, and a license that is required for the use of each of the content parts can be acquired by analyzing header information without necessitating the parsing of the transport packets of the content file. Accordingly, preparation time for using content can be reduced.
US09147038B2

A method is disclosed for configuring at least one communications link for transmitting medical image datasets by means of a special transmission protocol, in particular the DICOM protocol, from a first computing device to at least one second computing device, in particular a plurality of different second computing devices. In at least one embodiment, the transmission performance is determined automatically at the first computing device for a plurality of sets of configuration parameters of the communications link and the set of configuration parameters having the best transmission performance is selected for the configuration.
US09147029B2

A method embodiment includes identifying, by a processor, an empty region in an integrated circuit (IC) layout, wherein the empty region is a region not including any active fins. The method further includes providing a standard dummy fin cell and forming an expanded dummy fin cell. The standard dummy fin cell includes a plurality of partitions. The expanded dummy fin cell is larger than the standard dummy fin cell, and the expanded dummy fin cell includes integer multiples of each of the plurality of partitions. The empty region is filled with a plurality of dummy fin cells, wherein the plurality of dummy fin cells includes the expanded dummy fin cell. The plurality of dummy fin cells is implemented in an IC.
US09147026B2

A computer implemented method and system of change evaluation of an electronic design for verification confirmation. The method has the steps of receiving the electronic design comprised a subcomponent, employing a banked signature of data representative of the subcomponent, receiving a review request of the subcomponent, generating a current signature of the data representative of the subcomponent and determining a difference of the current signature and the banked signature.
US09147016B2

A method and system where a plurality of ECU is rapidly executed while avoiding deadlock by performing conservative event synchronization. The simulation system is provided with 4 layers, namely a processor emulator which is an ECU emulator, a plant simulator, a external peripheral scheduler, and a mutual peripheral scheduler. The external peripheral scheduler performs advanced execution of the plant simulator only during processor emulator reaction delay time (or the time until the next event). The notification to perform advanced execution of the plant simulator is provided until the actual plant simulator stop time. The mutual peripheral scheduler provides notification to the processor emulator to perform advanced execution only during communication delay timing between processor emulators (or the time until the next event). The processor emulator conservatively processes until the earliest time of the notification times. Each peripheral scheduler proceeds with processing until the earliest time of the accepted events.
US09147013B2

A wireless sensor module for use in a wireless sensor network. The sensor module collects sensor data in a periodic manner with a first time period. The sensor data is logged in a non-volatile ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM) within the sensor module. The sensor module is placed in a reduced power idle mode between sensor data collection periods, wherein the logged sensor data is preserved by the FRAM during the idle mode. A representation of the logged sensor data is transmitted over a radio channel to a remote receiver in a periodic manner with a second time period, wherein the second time period is longer than the first time period.
US09147005B1

According to some implementations, a method, system and computer program product for consistently delivering a web page having source code with a dynamic instruction is provided. The method begins with a copy of the source code being stored and analyzed to identify the dynamic instruction. A uniformity profile of the web page is generated based on the analyzing, the uniformity profile specifying a modification to a portion of the dynamic instruction to maintain consistent delivery of the web page. The portion of the dynamic instruction is modified based on the uniformity profile, and the first modified copy of the source code is delivered to a client. The portion of the dynamic instruction is modified based on the uniformity profile, resulting in a second modified dynamic instruction. Finally, a second modified copy of the source code is delivered to a client.
US09146997B2

Systems, method, and apparatus including computer program products for providing image search results. In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes receiving from a user a query for images including static images, moving images, and images within multimedia content, identifying at least one of a language attribute and a locale attribute of the user, generating multiple search results, each result corresponding to an image content item that satisfies the query, ordering the search results based at least on click data for image content items that satisfy the query, the click data gathered from users having at least one of the language attribute and the locale attribute, and presenting the ordered search results to the user, including presenting representations of the corresponding image content items.
US09146980B1

Systems and methods of the present disclosure relate generally to facilitating temporal content selection. In one implementation, the system parses a first plurality of online documents to generate a first data structure comprising historical keyword co-occurrences. The system can generate, via parsing a second plurality of online documents different from the first plurality of online documents, a second data structure comprising keyword co-occurrences not in the first data structure. The system can temporally link a first keyword of the second data structure with a second keyword of the second data structure. The second keyword may co-occur with the first keyword on a subset of the second plurality of online documents. The system can the temporally linked second keyword to a content selection server.
US09146975B2

Various arrangements for managing access to unstructured data are presented. A plurality of access requests may be received from a plurality of remote computer systems to a plurality of business entities stored by a content management server. In response to receiving a request for access to a business entity of the plurality of business entities stored by a content management server from a remote computer system, an identifier request may be transmitted to the content management server. A response from the content management server may be received in response to the identifier request. A resource locator that comprises the identifier may be created. The resource locator may be transmitted to the remote computer system for use in accessing the business entity.
US09146974B2

An apparatus, program product and method dynamically optimize prepared statements resident in a statement pool to permit subsequent reuses of such statements to utilize the optimized representations of such statements. The optimization of pooled statements may be performed responsive to the tracked usage of the statements in a statement pool, to direct the overhead associated with such optimization to those statements that are more likely to be utilized in the future. Among a multitude of possible optimizations, a pooled statement that requests data in a format other than that utilized by the database being accessed may be modified to request the data in the format used by the database, thereby decreasing the overhead in the database associated with format conversions.
US09146971B2

A management device transmits to a target device a first GETNEXT request comprising a first group of Ma-combined IDs. Each combined ID is a combination of a target ID and one of Ma-index values. Each index value has a first value in its highest digit(s) and one of consecutive values in its lowest digit. The management device obtains Ma-partial information and a second group of an Ma-combined IDs corresponding to the Ma-partial information, identifies a greatest combined ID having a greatest index value from the second group, and transmits a second GETNEXT request comprising Mb-combined IDs comprising the identified greatest combined ID. Each combined ID is a combination of the target ID and one of Mb-index values. Each index value has a second value different from the second value in its highest digit(s) and one of consecutive values in its lowest digit.
US09146967B2

A multi-stage query processing system and method enables multi-stage query scoring, including “snippet” generation, through incremental document reconstruction facilitated by a multi-tiered mapping scheme. At one or more stages of a multi-stage query processing system a set of relevancy scores are used to select a subset of documents for presentation as an ordered list to a user. The set of relevancy scores can be derived in part from one or more sets of relevancy scores determined in prior stages of the multi-stage query processing system. In some embodiments, the multi-stage query processing system is capable of executing one or more passes on a user query, and using information from each pass to expand the user query for use in a subsequent pass to improve the relevancy of documents in the ordered list.
US09146956B2

The present disclosure provides a method of statistical application in an OLTP environment to reduce the intensive computational load of invoking SQL statements for statistical calculations. The method introduces a time element into statistical records, and use the time element to determine the time status of previously computed statistical records. Upon receiving a query for a statistical record, the system first searches for an existing copy of the statistical record, and checks the time status of the statistical record if found. The system sends the statistical record to the inquirer if the record exists and is unexpired, and invokes an SQL statement to compute the statistical record only if the record does not exist or has expired. The statistical records may be placed in statistical table in a database and/or a cache of an application server. The disclosed strategy may also increase attack resistance of the system.
US09146954B1

A processing device performs a search query to produce a search result set having entries having data items. Each data item has an ordinal position. A table, having rows and columns, is displayed in a graphical user interface. Each data item of a particular entry appears in a respective column of the same row of the table. Each column corresponds to the ordinal position of its respective data item. User input is received designating, for each respective column, a field name and an entity definition component type to which the respective column pertains, and stores for each data item of the particular entry an element value of an entity definition. The element has the element name designated for the respective column in which the data item appeared, and is associated with an entity definition component having the type designated for the respective column in which the data item appeared.
US09146953B1

A document handling device receives a request to perform a task on document data, the document data comprising at least one of an electronic document to be converted by the document handling device into a non-digital form or a physical document received by the document handling device in the non-digital form. Responsive to receiving the request, the document handling device makes a determination as to whether the requested task violates a data loss prevention policy, and performs an action based on the determination.
US09146951B2

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for selecting amongst a plurality of processes to send a message (e.g. a message for updating an endpoint system, etc.). These mechanisms and methods for selecting amongst a plurality of processes to send a message can enable embodiments to utilize more than one queue for sending such message. The ability of embodiments to provide such multi-process feature can, in turn, prevent latency that typically accompanies a mounting number of messages.
US09146947B2

A system to generate an index for a closest match search is described. The system receives a corpus of information that includes member information. The system parses the member information to generate signatures for each of the members and stores the signatures in the index. The signatures are unique to the members. Accordingly, the signatures signify the respective members. The system subsequently utilizes the index to identify input information that matches signatures in the index to identify a closest match of the input information to one or more members in the corpus of information.
US09146943B1

The present disclosure includes systems and methods for classifying user content (e.g., spam) within an online community by determining user specific signals and content specific signals, the systems and methods comprising: a user interface module configured to receive user content from the online community, a social signal processing module configured to determine signals from the user content, a user and content classifying module configured to classify user content and configured to compute a decision on the user content, a user content labeling module configured to label the user content, and an execution module configured to execute the decision.
US09146927B2

A data receiving part receives data transmitted from a plurality of measuring devices. A time determining part distinguishes management time from date and time of the data. The record generating part stores data of the same management time which are received during a predetermined acceptance time, in the same record. When un-arrived data belonging to the same management time exists at the end of the acceptance time, arrival of the un-arrived data is waited for during a predetermined wait time. Even if the data is arrived with some delay, arrival-delayed data can be stored in the same record. Thus, the missing data occurrence frequency can be suppressed.
US09146921B1

An improved technique involves providing read-only access to the file system while FSCK is running. After a storage processor detects corrupted data in the file system, the storage processor brings the file system offline and provides FSCK with read-only access to the file system. The storage processor then begins a repair process on the disk by starting to run FSCK, which writes corrupted blocks to a secondary storage device. Upon receiving a request from a user for access to a file in the file system, the storage processor mounts the file system with read-only access. Upon completion of FSCK, the storage processor brings the file system offline, applies the corrected blocks from secondary storage to the blocks in primary storage, and brings the file system online with full read and write access.
US09146919B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for training recognition canonical representations corresponding to named-entity phrases in a second natural language based on translating a set of allowable expressions with canonical representations from a first natural language, which may be generated by expanding a context-free grammar for the allowable expressions for the first natural language.
US09146918B2

Data pertaining to a subject matter domain, a set of text strings forming a set of seeds, a description of a linguistic structure present in a language of the domain-related data, and a statistical model applicable to the domain-related data are received. A set of portions of the domain-related data is extracted, a portion in the set of portions forming a nugget. A nugget matches the statistical model according to a criterion, and conforms to the linguistic structure within a threshold degree. The nugget is scored according to a subset of a set of features found in the nuggets. A subset of nuggets is selected. A score of each nugget included in the subset of nuggets exceeds a score threshold. The subset of nuggets is combined to form a pseudo-document. The pseudo-document is submitted to an application for answering a question related to the domain.
US09146913B2

A method of leveraging computer technology to guide the user to create, display, and edit architectural and engineering information in ways specific to the architect's or engineer's needs in specification development is provided. This is provided in software that allows the automatic creation and management of architectural and/or engineering workflows, including but not limited to: procurement, quality assurance, and design, driven by engineering specifications and requirements contained therein and therewith. For each specification paragraph, in addition to the main textual component, appropriate attributes and/or elements are created and defined by a schema to support multitasking and the storing of related information for related purposes.
US09146912B1

An XBRL extension taxonomy concept replacement system includes: a computer processor having a memory on which a program executable by the processor is stored for performing a method of XBRL extension taxonomy concept replacement; an XBRL taxonomy module including an XBRL extension taxonomy having XBRL extension taxonomy concepts and an XBRL base taxonomy having related XBRL base taxonomy concepts; and an automated superfluous XBRL extension taxonomy concept detection module that analyzes an XBRL document having XBRL tags and identifies an XBRL extension taxonomy concept of an XBRL extension taxonomy that is superfluous in comparison with an XBRL base taxonomy concept of an XBRL base taxonomy upon which the XBRL extension taxonomy is based.
US09146910B2

The present disclosure discloses a method and a system of displaying cross-website information. The method includes obtaining, by a first server of a first website, product information under a category of at least one desired product of a first user. Next, the first server obtains information of similar product units under a product category of a second server, where a similar product unit includes a set of displayable products. The first server then computes degrees of similarity between the product information under the category of the at least one desired product and respective product information of the similar product units. For the product information under the category of the at least one desired product, the first server selects a predetermined number of top similar product units in a descending order of the degrees of similarity, and renders products included in the predetermined number of top similar product units as products to be displayed. The first server displays the products on a web page of the first website that is viewed by the first user.
US09146906B1

Systems and methods for modifying a webpage display based on a referrer web address are provided. In some aspects, a method includes receiving a request for a webpage. The request includes one or more referrer web addresses. The webpage includes multiple comments. The method also includes modifying a representation of an output for the webpage based on the one or more referrer web addresses. Modifying the representation of the output for the webpage includes arranging at least a subset of the multiple comments according to an order based on the one or more referrer web addresses. The method also includes providing the modified representation of the output for the webpage for generating a display on a client computing device.
US09146905B2

For generating from variable data page-oriented data for printing dynamic documents, a layout module (13) is linked in series with one or more data processing modules (121, 122) to a data input module (11). The data input module (11) loads (S3) a part of the variable data into local memory and passes it by reference through the data processing modules (121, 122) to the layout module (13). The data processing modules (121, 122) are configured to read (S8c, S13c, S13f) a data field from the variable data in the local memory only in cases where the data field is to be processed by the respective data processing module. The layout module (13) generates (S8) the page-oriented data output from unprocessed and pre-processed data fields, defined in each case by a respective pointer from the data processing modules. Thereby, allocation and de-allocation of local memory is reduced and performance improved.
US09146904B2

In some embodiments, a non-transitory processor-readable medium stores code representing instructions that when executed cause a processor to select a narrative content template based at least in part on a predetermined content type associated with a real-world and/or virtual event. The code further represents instructions that when executed cause the processor to select a narrative tone type. The code further represents instructions that when executed cause the processor to, for each phrase included in an ordered set of phrases associated with the narrative content template, select, based at least in part on the narrative tone type, a phrase variation from a set of phrase variations associated with that phrase, and define, based on the selected phrase variation and at least one datum from a set of data, a narrative content portion associated with the real-world event. The code further represents instructions that when executed cause the processor to output, at a display, the narrative content portion.
US09146901B2

A processing apparatus is provided with processing circuitry 6, 8 and decoder circuitry 10 responsive to a received argument reduction instruction FREDUCE4, FDOT3R to generate control signals 16 for controlling the processing circuitry 6, 8. The action of the argument reduction instruction is to subject each component of an input vector to a scaling which adds or subtracts an exponent shift value C to the exponent of the input vector component. The exponent shift value C is selected such that a sum of this exponent shift value C with the maximum exponent value B of any of the input vector components lies within a range between a first predetermined value and a second predetermined value. A consequence of execution of this argument reduction instruction is that the result vector when subject to a dot-product operation will be resistant to floating point underflows or overflows.
US09146898B2

A driver assist system for a vehicle includes an object detection sensor disposed at the vehicle and having an exterior field of view and a receiver operable to receive a wireless communication from a communication device remote from the vehicle. The wireless communication is associated with a driving condition of another vehicle and/or a road condition of interest to the driver of the vehicle. A control is operable to process data captured by the object detection sensor to detect an object exterior of the vehicle. The driver assist system is operable to adjust the data processing responsive at least in part to the received wireless communication. Responsive to the data processing, an alert is operable to alert the driver of the vehicle of a potential hazard and/or a system of the vehicle is operable to control a vehicle function to mitigate or avoid a potential hazard condition.
US09146882B2

A memory device may be equipped with quick erase capability to secure the contents of the memory device. The quick erase capability may effectively permanently disable access to data stored in the memory device instantaneously upon a command being issued, making all previous data written to the memory device unreadable. The quick erase capability may allow use of the memory device for new write operations and for reading the newly written data immediately once the erase command is received and executed. The quick erase capability may begin a physical erase process of data not newly written without altering other aspects of the quick erase. Aspects may be accomplished with one or more bits per row in a memory device.
US09146877B2

A method for a snapshot family based reading of data units from a storage system, the method comprises: receiving a read request for reading a requested data entity, searching in a cache memory of the storage system for a matching cached data entity, if not finding the matching cached data entity then: searching for one or more relevant data entity candidates stored in the storage system; selecting, out of the one or more relevant data entity candidates, a selected relevant data entity that has a content that has a highest probability, out of contents of the one or more relevant data entity candidates, to be equal to the content of the requested data entity; and responding to the read request by sending the selected relevant data entity.
US09146872B2

In response to receiving a memory access request and expected coherence state at an attached processor at a coherent attached processor proxy (CAPP), the CAPP determines that a conflicting request is being serviced. In response to determining that the CAPP is servicing a conflicting request and that the expected state matches, a master machine of the CAPP is allocated in a Parked state to service the memory access request after completion of service of the conflicting request. The Parked state prevents servicing by the CAPP of a further conflicting request snooped on the system fabric. In response to completion of service of the conflicting request, the master machine transitions out of the Parked state and issues on the system fabric a memory access request corresponding to that received from AP.
US09146868B1

A computer-implemented method for eliminating inconsistencies between backing stores and caches may include (1) detecting at least one inconsistency between a backing store and a cache, (2) identifying a synchronization marker that bifurcates write operations queued in the cache into (i) a subset of one or more write operations known to have been successfully performed on the backing store and (ii) an additional subset of one or more additional write operations not yet known to have been successfully performed on the backing store, (3) identifying the additional subset of additional write operations based at least in part on the synchronization marker, (4) performing the additional subset of additional write operations on the backing store, and then (5) updating the synchronization marker based at least in part on performing the additional subset of additional write operations on the backing store. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09146864B2

Embodiments relate to address mapping including generic bits. An aspect includes receiving an address including generic bits from a memory control unit (MCU) by a buffer module in a main memory. Another aspect includes mapping the generic bits to an address format corresponding to a type of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) in a memory subsystem associated with the buffer module by the buffer module. Yet another aspect includes accessing a physical location in the DRAM in the memory subsystem by the buffer module based on the mapped generic bits.
US09146863B2

A computer-implemented method may include assigning an address translation table to a peripheral component interconnect host bridge and determining that an input/output adapter accessible to the peripheral component interconnect host bridge is configured as a virtualized adapter to provide a plurality of virtual functions to a plurality of logical partitions. In response to determining that the input/output adapter is configured as the virtualized adapter, the address translation table may be subdivided to enable the plurality of virtual functions to access the memory of at least one logical partition of the plurality of logical partitions.
US09146848B2

A computing system can include a memory controller and a first storage device. The first storage device is to receive a serially encoded request and forward the serially encoded request to a second storage device before deserializing the serially encoded request. The first storage device is also to return a training sequence from the target storage device to the memory controller. The first storage device is additionally to return a response from the target storage device to the memory controller.
US09146838B2

A device receives code that is an executable representation of a dynamic system that includes a behavior that changes over time, and executes one or more portions of the code. The device determines coverage information associated with the executing code, where the coverage information provides a measure of completeness associated with the executing code. The device receives a selected option for displaying the coverage information, and provides for display a time-based view of the coverage information based on the selected option. The device permits a user to manipulate one or more time periods associated with the time-based view.
US09146828B2

An adaptive mechanism is provided that learns the response time characteristics of a workload by measuring the response times of end user transactions, classifies response times into buckets, and dynamically adjusts the response time distribution as response time characteristics of the workload change. The adaptive mechanism maintains the actual distribution across changes and, thus, helps the end user to understand changes of workload behavior that take place over a longer period of time. The mechanism is stable enough to suppress spikes and returns a constant view of workload behavior, which is required for long term, performance analysis and capacity planning. The mechanism distinguishes between an initial learning phase of establishing the distribution and one or multiple reaction periods. The reaction periods can be for example a fast reaction period for strong fluctuations of the workload behavior and a slow reaction period for small deviations.
US09146823B2

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a backplane initiator for testing enclosure management controller. The backplane initiator includes: an initiator board and an initiator control application. The initiator board includes initiator controller, at least one SGPIO interface, at least one SMBus interface, and a first communication interface. The initiator controller is configured to transmit control commands and data according to enclosure management protocol through the SGPIO interface and the SMBus interface to an EMC. The initiator control application, when executed on a computing device having a second communication interface in communication with the first communication interface, is configured to establish a communication channel with the initiator controller through the first and second communication interfaces, and instruct the initiator controller to transmit a first control command and first control data according to enclosure management protocol through the SGPIO interface and the SMBus interface to the EMC.
US09146821B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring the time it takes to perform a write operation, and based on the time it takes, a determination is made whether to retire a block that is a recipient of the write operation. The time duration of the write operation for a page or a combination of pages may indicate whether any block or blocks containing the page or combination of pages is experiencing a physical failure. That is, if the time duration of the write operation for a particular page exceeds time threshold, this may indicate that this page requires a larger number of program cycles than other pages. The longer programming cycle can be an indication of cell leakage or a failing block.
US09146808B1

In one embodiment of the invention, a method for protecting a content addressable memory is disclosed. The method includes storing a marker bit associated with each data block stored in a random access memory (RAM), states of the marker bit representing whether the data block was recently read from the RAM or recently written into the RAM; receiving a client address pointing to a starting address of a data block stored in the RAM; comparing the client address against one or more addresses stored in a content addressable memory (CAM) to determine a hit indicating the client address was stored in the CAM or a miss indicating the client address was not stored in the CAM; and in response to a miss, the method further includes checking a state of the marker bit associated with the data block pointed to by the client address.
US09146803B2

In a storage apparatus a control section writes, at the time of updating at least a part of first data stored in a first storage area by at least a part of second data, the second data to a second storage area other than the first storage area. In addition, the control section determines whether or not a write error occurs. When the write error does not occur, the control section combines the first data and the second data.
US09146798B2

In an example embodiment, a method of performing a health check on a process integration (PI) component is provided. A PI health check scenario is loaded into the PI component, the PI health check scenario including a reference to a list of checks. The PI health check scenario is then executed using the PI component, causing one or more checks in the list of checks to be performed at a predetermined frequency. The system can then automatically determine if one or more of the one or more checks fail.
US09146792B2

Reliability of one or more software modules is projected according to a current state in a development life cycle of the software modules and any of various additional indicators. Preferably, a data processing support provider separate from the service-providing enterprise maintains historical field support data concerning significant field defect events with respect to various resources, and uses this data for projecting reliability of the resources. Preferably, software module reliability projections are used to support an analysis of risk of degradation of a service specified in a service requirements specification when provided by a configuration of data processing resources specified in a configuration specification.
US09146788B2

Disclosed is a method for administering messages. In response to a determination that one or more consuming applications have failed to process the same message on a queue a predetermined number of times, the message is made unavailable to consuming applications. Responsive to determining that a predetermined number of messages have been made unavailable to consuming applications, one or more consuming applications are prevented from consuming messages from the queue.
US09146787B2

API analytics systems and methods are provided. Frequently occurring API usage patterns may be determined from API call data collected from across an API ecosystem. Alternatively or in addition, a classification structure, such as a decision tree, may be generated from the API usage patterns. A type of activity that resulted in a set of API calls being invoked may be determined from the classification structure. A similarity or difference between the set of API calls and the frequently occurring API usage patterns may also be determined and/or identified.
US09146786B2

The present disclosure introduces a method, a system and an apparatus of implementing online transaction according to Open API. In one aspect, a method includes: receiving a first invocation request to invoke an Open API from a third party development server according to a user's transaction request; determining an ISP server corresponding to the Open API as requested to be invoked in the invocation request; sending the first invocation request to the determined ISP server; receiving a service page returned by the ISP server according to the first invocation request; and sending the service page to the third party development server for processing the service page and sending the processed service page to the user, the processing comprising embedding the service page into a page corresponding to the transaction request.
US09146782B2

A node state storage unit stores therein information about a free state of each of the computation nodes. A search data storage unit has a data structure in which a state where the X-axis is crossed is developed into a virtual X-axis provided on the right end of the X-axis. By referring to the node state storage unit, a searching unit searches for the number of successive free nodes in the increasing directions of the X-axis including the virtual X-axis and the Y-axis, while using the computation node at each of the X-Y coordinate positions as a starting point, and writes a search result into the search data storage unit.
US09146776B1

A system including an interrupt generation module and a processing detection module. The interrupt generation module is configured to generate an interrupt when a first indicator is set to a first state, where the first indicator transitions to a second state when the interrupt is generated. The processing detection module is configured to detect when the interrupt is sent, set a second indicator to a third state to indicate when the interrupt is sent, and set the second indicator to a fourth state when the interrupt is processed.
US09146773B2

Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to a system and method for implicit transaction control. A transaction manager receives an indication that an operation is to be executed within a transaction. The transaction manager determines whether a preexisting transaction context is available to provide the transaction for the operation. The operation is enclosed within the preexisting transaction context, if the preexisting transaction context is available.
US09146771B2

Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for responding to a timeout of a message in a parallel computer are provided. The parallel computer includes a plurality of compute nodes operatively coupled for data communications over one or more data communications networks. Each compute node includes one or more tasks. Embodiments include a first task of a first node sending a message to a second task on a second node. Embodiments also include the first task sending to the second node a command via a parallel operating environment (POE) in response to a timeout of the message. The command instructs the second node to perform a timeout motivated operation.
US09146768B2

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates automatic adjustment of logical channels in a Fiber Channel (FC) network. During operation, the system receives FC data frames. A respective data frame is associated with a logical channel. The bandwidth on an FC link can be allocated into a plurality of logical channels, and a respective logical channel is associated with a dedicated buffer and can transport a plurality of data flows with data frames of variable length. The system then identifies a slow data flow in a first logical channel. Next, the system assigns the slow data flow to a second logical channel, thereby preventing the slow data flow from slowing down other data flows in the first logical channel. The system subsequently forwards the data frames in the slow data flow on the second logical channel onto an outgoing link.
US09146765B2

This document describes techniques for storing virtual disk payload data. In an exemplary configuration, each virtual disk extent can be associated with state information that indicates whether the virtual disk extent is described by a virtual disk file. Under certain conditions the space used to describe a virtual disk extent can be reclaimed and state information can be used to determine how read and/or write operations directed to the virtual disk extent are handled. In addition to the foregoing, other techniques are described in the claims, figures, and detailed description of this document.
US09146762B2

A computing system includes a graphics processing unit (GPU) and main processing circuitry to execute computer program instructions forming a hypervisor, a control virtual machine (VM) and a specialized rendering VM for graphics processing. An application program of a guest VM generates graphics commands and data according to a graphics API such as Direct 3D. The rendering VM includes a graphics driver native to the GPU and is assigned pass-through access to the GPU by the control VM. The rendering VM receives the graphics information from the application program via an inter-VM communication channel, and it uses the graphics driver to control the GPU to perform graphics rendering. The use of the rendering VM enables native graphics performance to be achieved without constraining the control VM to use a compatible operating system. The technique is generally applicable to virtualization of hardware resources by specialized VMs.
US09146759B2

Techniques for processing source code written in a traditionally interpreted language such as JavaScript, or another dynamic and/or interpreted language, are disclosed. In one example, compiled code associated with the source code is constructed and executed. An assumption on which a specific aspect of the compiled code is based (e.g., an optimization) is tested at a checkpoint of the compiled code. A roll over to fallback code is performed if the test indicates the assumption is not true.
US09146757B1

A method of providing an integrated graphical user interface can include responsive to executing a host computer program, displaying, within a graphical user interface of the host computer program, a visual element of a plug-in that executes in cooperation with the host computer program without loading a functional component of the plug-in within program execution memory of a computer system executing the host computer program. At least a portion of the functional component of the plug-in can be loaded within program execution memory responsive to a selection of the visual element.
US09146755B2

Configuration settings can be transferred from one machine by executing a first client application on a source machine to retrieve the configuration settings of the source machine. The configuration settings may be transformed into a platform and application independent format before being transferred to a target machine where a second client application transforms the configuration settings into platform or application dependent parameters appropriate for the target machine. In one example, the configuration parameters include a power policy that can be applied across a network.
US09146747B2

The present application relates generally to a parallel processing device. The parallel processing device can include a plurality of processing elements, a memory subsystem, and an interconnect system. The memory subsystem can include a plurality of memory slices, at least one of which is associated with one of the plurality of processing elements and comprises a plurality of random access memory (RAM) tiles, each tile having individual read and write ports. The interconnect system is configured to couple the plurality of processing elements and the memory subsystem. The interconnect system includes a local interconnect and a global interconnect.
US09146741B2

Eliminating redundant masking operations in instruction processing circuits and related processor systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed. In one embodiment, a first instruction in an instruction stream indicating an operation writing a value to a first register is detected by an instruction processing circuit, the value having a value size less than a size of the first register. The circuit also detects a second instruction in the instruction stream indicating a masking operation on the first register. The masking operation is eliminated upon a determination that the masking operation indicates a read operation and a write operation on the first register and has an identity mask size equal to or greater than the value size. In this manner, the elimination of the masking operation avoids potential read-after-write hazards and improves performance of a CPU by removing redundant operations from an execution pipeline.
US09146730B2

A telecommunication network device for implementing the DOCSIS standard during a transition from a coaxial cable network to a fiber-optic network is described. The device includes a memory including installed firmware for implementing a telecommunication gateway function in accordance with the DOCSIS telecommunication standard and a processor configured to update the installed firmware by downloading the update from a first TFTP server over a coaxial cable network, wherein the processor is further configured to update the installed firmware by downloading the update from a second TFTP server over a fiber-optic network.
US09146727B2

A software application distributed as a virtual appliance is automatically installed, updated and removed in a virtual machine system running on top of a virtual machine monitor in a computer. The software application virtual appliance comprises a virtual disk, which is automatically detected and installed or removed at the customer by a virtual disk activation manager program, which executes scripts including commands through an API to the virtual machine monitor. The virtual appliance virtual disk is also created automatically by the software manufacturing using the virtual disk activation manager program. The virtual appliance virtual disk stores the binaries of the software application, a software package created by the software manufacturer using a software package tool, an installer to execute the software package, installation and un-installation scripts and a unique identifier which is a signature for the virtual machine virtual disk.
US09146726B2

A system and method for providing firmware update for network connected storage subsystem components is disclosed. In one embodiment, the storage system is registered via a secured process using a client management module of a firmware update management module residing in a client device associated with the storage system. The storage system includes a plurality of storage subsystems. Further, an inventory list including each storage subsystem component in each of the plurality of storage subsystems along with its associated firmware code level is formed by the client management module. Furthermore, the inventory list along with an associated firmware code level of the storage system is stored by a registration management module of the firmware update management module residing in a registration server coupled to the client device via the network.
US09146725B2

Propagating firmware updates in a peer-to-peer network including identifying, that one or more nodes in the network have firmware that is uplevel with respect to the downlevel node; broadcasting an update request requesting an update to the firmware; receiving a plurality of portions of the update, metadata describing each portion of the update received, and metadata describing the firmware installed on each of the plurality of nodes having firmware uplevel with respect to the downlevel node; determining, in dependence upon the metadata describing each portion of the update received and the metadata describing the firmware installed on each of the plurality of nodes having firmware uplevel with respect to the downlevel node, whether the portions of the update received comprise an entire update; and updating the firmware if the portions of the update received comprise the entire update.
US09146716B2

At least one embodiment of this disclosure includes a method of resource balancing execution of an application involving multiple devices. The method can include: identifying an application executing on an operating system of a first computing device; identifying a resource type to facilitate the executing of the application; identifying multiple computing devices each having at least an available resource instance of the identified resource type, wherein the multiple computing devices are reachable by a communication protocol of the first computing device; and selecting a target computing device to offer up a target resource instance of the resource type to the application based at least partly on a comparable limitation of each available resource instance of the multiple computing devices.
US09146713B2

Provided are a tool for supporting open computing language (OpenCL) application software development for an embedded system and a supporting method thereof. The tool in conjunction with a target system includes a project management unit configured to separate and store OpenCL application software constituted of a host program and a kernel program into a host source code corresponding to the host program and a kernel source code corresponding to the kernel program, and manage a tool-chain corresponding to an OpenCL platform of the target system, and a builder configured to determine a compile type of the kernel source code and determine whether the kernel source code is built in response to the compile type. Accordingly, it is possible to rapidly provide a tool for supporting OpenCL application software development that can develop OpenCL application software for an embedded system.
US09146710B2

A system for automating at least a portion of a communication application development cycle using a communication virtual machine that automatically interfaces with an existing network system and provides an engine for executing designed application models over the existing network system.
US09146703B2

One of a plurality of areas is displayed as a display area on a display device, and based on an input from an input section, an object included in the display area is determined as a target to be moved, and when a predetermined movement is detected by a movement sensor, the currently displayed display area is switched to an area different from the currently displayed display area, and the area is displayed on the display device together with the object determined as a target to be moved.
US09146693B2

A storage control device including an area control unit, an attribute control unit, and an access control unit. The area control unit determines one or more valid areas for each type of areas included in respective storage areas stored in two or more storage devices to generate a virtual storage having the valid areas as a storage area. The attribute control unit selects, as speed information of the virtual storage, a lowest value of minimum guaranteed speeds in reading and writing which are included among respective pieces of attribute information stored in the two or more storage devices, with reference to the respective pieces of the attribute information. The access control unit transmits information regarding the storage area of the virtual storage and the speed information to a host device that reads and writes data from/to the virtual storage.
US09146689B2

A redundant array of independent nodes are networked together. Each node executes an instance of an application that provides object-based storage. The nodes are grouped into a plurality of systems each having multiple nodes. A data protection level method comprises setting a numerical value of a system dynamic data protection level for each system of nodes; and in response to user input, setting a value of a data protection level for one or more data objects in a system, the value being a fixed numerical value or a dynamic value. If the one or more data objects have a dynamic value of the data protection level in a system, the one or more data objects inherit the system dynamic data protection level of the system in which the one or more data objects reside. The value of the data protection level represents a number of copies of data of the one or more data objects to be kept where the one or more data objects reside.
US09146687B2

The system utilizes a plurality of layers to provide a robust storage solution. One layer is the RAID engine that provides parity RAID protection, disk management and striping for the RAID sets. The second layer is called the virtualization layer and it separates the physical disks and storage capacity into virtual disks that mirror the drives that a target system requires. A third layer is a LUN (logical unit number) layer that is disposed between the virtual disks and the host. By using this approach, the system can be used to represent any number, size, or capacity of disks that a host system requires while using any configuration of physical RAID storage.
US09146681B1

A process for obtaining information from an LTO storage device using a catalog such as the catalog is disclosed. At the outset, a user requests to access one or more files from the LTO storage device. The user then accesses a catalog constructed in the manner discussed above that indicates the location of the desired files on the LTO storage device. From there, the user commands an appropriately configured LTO robot to seek out the desired files located on the LTO storage device. Upon receiving the commands, the LTO robot locates the desired file by reading the entire tape, decodes the desired files and delivers them to the user.
US09146676B2

A method is provided for generating notifications. The method comprises obtaining position information of an operating member. The method further comprises determining an operation area based on the position information. The method also comprises generating a notification when the determined operation area corresponds to an edge region of a surface of a device.
US09146675B2

Webpage navigation can include a computer device loading a Webpage having at least a first portion and a second portion, arranging the Webpage in order to present the first portion in the display area of the computer device and to place the second portion out of the display area, and presenting a navigation map corresponding to the Webpage in the display area. In response to a control command input with respect to the navigation map, the Webpage can be arranged in order to present the second portion in the display area.
US09146671B2

An image display device includes: a display that displays an image which represents a first part of information content and that switches the image to represent a second part of the information content; a detection section that detects a contacting object which contacts the display; an image switch determination section that determines whether or not to switch the image displayed on the display in accordance with operation of the contacting object detected by the detection section; a speed storage section that stores a speed at which the image is switched in the case where the image switch determination section determines to switch the image; and an image display controller that controls the display to continuously switch the image to represent subsequent part of the information content at the speed stored in the speed storage section when the image is continuously switched a predetermined number of times or more.
US09146663B2

Methods, systems, and related computer program products for processing and displaying computer-aided detection (CAD) information associated with medical breast x-ray images, such as breast x-ray tomosynthesis volumes, are described. An interactive graphical user interface for displaying a tomosynthesis data volume is described that includes a display of a two-dimensional composited image having slabbed sub-images spatially localized to marked CAD findings. Also described is a graphical navigation tool for optimized CAD-assisted viewing of the data volume, comprising a plurality of CAD indicator icons running near and along a slice ruler, each CAD indicator icon spanning a contiguous segment of the slice ruler and corresponding in depthwise position and extent to a subset of image slices spanned by the associated CAD finding, each CAD indicator icon including at least one single-slice highlighting mark indicating a respective image slice containing viewable image information corresponding to the associated CAD finding.
US09146657B2

An embodiment provides a timeline upon which a playhead indicator is moved or positioned. Changes to a displayed graph that are within a predetermined interval of the playhead indicator's time position are shown graphically on or near the graph. Actor icons are positioned on or near the displayed graph. The actor icons correspond to different entities (e.g., a person, group, organization, software agent, etc.) that has made a change to the graph. Change indicators both on the timeline and in association with the actor icons can be color-coded to indicate addition, deletion, modification or other operations to graph items or to other objects being displayed.
US09146654B2

A method includes receiving a user input to cause movement of a display of a screen of a direct manipulation device, wherein the movement is in a direction away from a target item. The method includes receiving a release input to indicate that the user has released the user input at a release point on the display of the screen. The method also includes determining a location of the release point on the display of the screen relative to selectable items. The method includes determining the target item from among the selectable items, wherein the target item is at a distance from the location of the release point. The method also includes displaying a surrogate selectable item at the release point. The method includes performing an action that is the same as an action that would occur in response to a user selection of the target item.
US09146652B1

Systems and methods for generating a physics interface data structure via a graphical user interface include processing user inputs received via one or more user input devices. The inputs correspond to one or more variables, one or more physics properties, one or more physics features, one or more feature equations for physics features, one or more feature equations for physics properties, one or more solver settings, and one or more output result features. The user inputs are received via selection menus or user editable fields. A physics interface data structure comprising the user inputs is generated. A physics interface corresponding to the generated physics interface data structure is displayed in a graphical user interface. The physics interface data structure is stored on a physical memory devices.
US09146651B1

A method, system, and media are provided for a combination of Java MIDlets, or applications, implementing a “View Port” concept, which allows the user interface of a mobile device to be leveraged for multiple tasks. The View Port provides access to multiple applications when previously interaction with only one application could be carried out at any one time. A View Port scheme also removes the need for two versions of a MIDlet, as a streamlined version of the application is no longer needed. This implementation allows legacy applications to function within the framework as well.
US09146642B2

A sensor device is provided which includes a pressure-sensitive sensor which changes shape in response to pressing of an operation tool and which detects change in capacitance due to the change in shape, and a barrier which covers at least a part of the pressure-sensitive sensor and which prevents change in capacitance of the pressure-sensitive sensor due to capacitive coupling that occurs with approach between the pressure-sensitive sensor and the operation tool.
US09146636B2

A mobile information terminal that can acquire an optimum placement area for a controllable object, regardless of variability in user's gripping features among individuals. A pressure sensor array acquires a gripping pressure distribution; a gripping pressure logger records time-series changes in gripping pressure at each pressure sensor forming the pressure sensor array; a gripping pressure change point detection unit includes a gripping pressure change amount calculation section that acquires time-series changes in gripping pressure at each pressure sensor and determines whether the change in gripping pressure per unit time exceeds a predetermined value at any pressure sensor; and a placement area acquisition section specifies, when the change in gripping pressure per unit time exceeds the predetermined value at any pressure sensor, an optimum placement area for a controllable object with reference to a position where the change in gripping pressure per unit time exceeds the predetermined value.
US09146633B1

Systems and methods for touch-based hovering on remote devices are provided. A client device may include a touchscreen sensor capable of detecting that a user finger is within a predetermined distance from the touchscreen surface, but is not actually touching the touchscreen surface. When a user holds one or more fingers above a touch-enabled client device, the user fingers may be detected. Further, the screen coordinates of the fingers above the client device are determined. The coordinates, along with a command regarding a hover event, are sent to a host device with which the client device has an open remote session. The host device may execute the command in accordance with the coordinates to effect a hover event. Display instructions are sent from the host device to the client device, which generates a client device display including a hover event corresponding to that executed on the host device.
US09146631B1

A computing device can obtain information about how the device is held, moved, and/or used by a hand of a user holding the device. The information can be obtained utilizing one or more sensors of the device independently or working in conjunction. For example, an orientation sensor can determine whether a left hand or a right hand is likely rotating, tilting, and/or moving, and thus holding, the device. In another example, a camera and/or a hover sensor can obtain information about a finger position of the user's hand to determine whether the hand is likely a left hand or a right hand. In a further example, a touch sensor can determine a shape of an imprint of a portion of the user's hand to determine which hand is likely holding the device. Based on which hand is holding the device, the device can improve one or more computing tasks.
US09146629B2

Disclosed are a mobile terminal for controlling a 3D image using proximity touch, and a 3D image controlling method thereof. Aligning, moving and re-aligning a specific 3D object inside a 3D object group are performed, through proximity hovering. And, depth of the 3D object is automatically controlled by the various operations. This may provide various 3D-related interfaces to a user.
US09146626B1

Devices, systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with an optical movement sensor are described. In one embodiment, an optical system includes an image sensor configured to track a position of the optical system with respect to a surface. A light folding device optically folds light received from the surface by at least a first mirror that increases a focal length of the light. The system also includes a lens configured to optically focus the light from the light folding device onto the image sensor.
US09146621B2

An electronic device having a keyboard, display, and a processor is presented. The keyboard includes a plurality keys with at least a subset of the plurality of keys having a plurality of indicia, each key in the subset having a primary and secondary conductor. The primary conductor can be associated with a first set of indicia. The first set of indicia can include one or more indicia. The secondary conductor can be associated with a second set of indicia. The second set of indicia can include the one or more indicia that are not in the first set. The processor can be communicatively coupled to the keyboard and the display. The processor receives an input based on the secondary conductor associated with the given key, and outputs data to the display to display a list of characters corresponding to the plurality of indicia of the given key.
US09146611B2

To conserve power in a controlling device having a processing device in communication with an input element and a transmitting device the processing device is caused to be placed into a low-power state for at least a portion of a transmission inactive interval intermediate the transmission of at least a pair of command frames. The command frames are caused to be transmitted by the transmitting device in response to an activation of the input element sensed via the processing device to thereby command a functional operation of an intended target device.
US09146610B2

Methods and apparatus for throttling an interface that is integrated on the same die as a processor are described. In one embodiment, a signal from an Integrated Input/Output hub (e.g., integrated on the same die as a processor) causes throttling of a link coupled between the IIO and an Input/Output (IO) device. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US09146606B2

A computer and a waking method thereof are provided. The computer includes a switch circuit, a chipset, a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIE) device, and an embedded controller. The chipset includes a first wake-up pin and a power button pin, wherein the first wake-up pin is coupled to a terminal of the switch circuit. The PCIE device includes a second wake-up pin, and the embedded controller includes a general purpose input pin and a general purpose output pin. The general purpose input pin and the second wake-up pin are coupled to another terminal of the switch circuit. The general purpose output pin is coupled to the power button pin.
US09146604B2

The electric apparatus using electric power of the present invention includes a communication unit for receiving power information including electric rate information or power demand information on each of time zones from an outside of the electric apparatus, a timer for determining a user unused time period in which a user does not use the electric apparatus during operation of the electric apparatus, and a control unit for shifting the electric apparatus to a power saving mode with reference to the power information received through the communication unit, and the user unused time period determined by the timer.
US09146602B2

The invention relates to a method for the on-line management of energy consumption for multiprocessor systems, the method executing at least one application according to a chart of tasks, wherein the method includes, for each application: a first phase for the off-line characterization of the variation of the potential rate of parallelism of execution of the tasks as a function of time, this characterization being based on the worst-case task execution times; and a second phase for the on-line detection and exploitation of the inactivity intervals and of the potential time excesses. A DPM technique makes it possible to determine the duration of the inactivity interval during which a processor may remain inactive according to the potential rate of parallelism characterized in the worst case.
US09146600B2

Systems and methods for discrete power control of components within a computer system are described herein. Some illustrative embodiments include a system that includes a subsystem with a plurality of components (configurable to operate at one or more power levels), a control register (coupled to the plurality of components) including a plurality of bits (each uniquely associated with a one of the plurality of components), and a power controller coupled to, and configurable to cause, the plurality of components to operate at the one or more power levels. The power controller asserts a signal transmitted to the subsystem, commanding the subsystem to transition to a first power level. A first of the plurality of components, associated with an asserted bit of the control register, operates at a second power level corresponding to a level of power consumption different from that of the first power level indicated by the power controller.
US09146599B2

An information handling system includes a processor, a controller hub, a shared higher bandwidth path coupling the processor to the controller hub, and an exclusive lower bandwidth path coupling the processor to the controller hub. The processor communicates system management information over the bandwidth path in response to a first set of criteria and communicates the information over the lower bandwidth path in response to the second set of criteria.
US09146596B2

In accordance with aspects of the disclosure, a system and methods for thermal management of at least one processor positioned within a computing device include drawing external fluid into an enclosure of the computing device via an inlet aperture with use of at least one active pump positioned within the enclosure, directing the drawn fluid from the inlet aperture through an inlet channel formed within the enclosure to the active pump, passing the drawn fluid over the processor positioned within the enclosure by directing the drawn fluid from the active pump through an outlet channel formed within the enclosure, and expelling the drawn fluid from the enclosure of the computing device via an outlet aperture with use of the active pump after passing the drawn fluid over the processor so as to provide thermal management of the processor.
US09146594B2

A mounting apparatus configured for securing a number of peripheral component interconnect (PCI) cards includes a number of positioning members. Each positioning member includes a positioning block positioning a corresponding PCI card, an inserting portion extending away from a first side of the positioning block, and a latching portion extending away from a second side of the positioning block. The inserting portion of each of the positioning members is latched to the latching portion of an adjacent positioning member.
US09146590B2

A consumer electronic product includes at least a transparent housing and a flexible display assembly enclosed within the transparent housing. In the described embodiment, the flexible display assembly is configured to present visual content at any portion of the transparent housing.
US09146584B2

The electronic tablet mounting apparatus described herein comprises a frame with a plurality of clamps and support elements in the back panel of the frame. The frame is preferably substantially rectangular to conform to the footprint of the tablet computer. The clamps and support elements are configured to removably engage a backside of a tablet computer and to securely hold the tablet computer in place on the back panel without obscuring functional elements on the backside of the tablet computer. The apparatus further comprises a mounting bracket configured as an L-shaped flange. The mounting bracket is fixedly coupled to the bottom-side of the frame. The bracket is further configured to removably couple to a tripod head or any portable stand suitable for stabilizing a tablet or similar device for a particular task, e.g. photography.
US09146583B2

A display device capable of discharging liquid includes a display panel for displaying an image; a panel driver coupled to the display panel configured to drive the display panel; and a guide frame coupled to a rear surface of the display panel and supporting the display panel, wherein the guide frame defines a circuit arrangement space to accommodate the panel driver, and the guide frame has at least one liquid discharging opening through which liquid in the circuit arrangement space is discharged to an outside of the display device.
US09146579B2

An embedded multimedia card (eMMC) includes a clock channel receiving a clock from a host, a complementary clock channel receiving a complementary clock from the host, a command/response channel exchanging commands/responses with the host, a plurality of data channels exchanging data between the host and the eMMC, a return clock channel sending a return clock to the host synchronously with data, a complementary return clock channel sending a complementary return clock to the host, and a reference voltage channel that either receives a reference voltage from the host or communicates a reference voltage to the host.
US09146564B2

A flow control device is disclosed. The flow control device includes a solenoid, the solenoid including an armature. Also, a piston connected to the armature. The piston includes a primary orifice. The piston having an open position and a closed position. A piston spring connected to the piston is also includes and at least one secondary orifice. The movement of the piston to the open position at least partially opens the at least one secondary orifice and the movement of the piston to the closed position at least partially closes the at least one secondary orifice. The movement of the armature actuates the piston movement and controls fluid flow from the primary orifice through the at least one secondary orifice.
US09146561B2

The robotic leader-follower navigation and fleet management control method implements SLAM in a group leader of a nonholonomic group of autonomous robots, while, at the same time, executing a potential field control strategy in follower members of the group.