US09173335B2
A complex circuit board including a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) for providing driving signals for light sources is disclosed. The PCBA includes a supporting portion and a connecting portion. The light sources are disposed above the supporting portion. The connection portion contacts electrically with a contacting portion of the FPC. The contacting portion of the FPC has a fixing hole. The connecting portion of the PCBA has a fixing portion. Moreover, the FPC has two or more than two first bend portions on the contacting portion. The fixing portion of the PCBA is inserted into the fixing hole of the FPC to complete the complex circuit board without extra attachment units. Therefore, the assembly procedure is simplified to increase throughput and the cost is reduced.
US09173333B2
According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are disclosed of shielding structures including one or more frequency selective surfaces, which may be used for attenuating, reflecting, and/or redirecting electromagnetic signals through open structures. Also disclosed are methods of using one or more frequency selective surfaces for attenuating, reflecting, and/or redirecting electromagnetic signals through open structures.
US09173318B2
A circuit housing having a printed circuit board and a circuit and holes in which peg-like positioning elements projecting away from the housing engage for positioning the PCB relative to the housing, at least one positioning element projecting without play into one circular hole, another positioning element, accommodated in another hole, having spreading fingers separated from one another by at least one recess, projecting into/through the further hole, elastically transverse to the direction of an imaginary connecting line of the holes and a cross-section such that a) in the direction of the imaginary connecting line, there is play between the spreading fingers and a radially inner circumferential surface of the another hole on both sides, but b) the spreading fingers make contact by their diametrically opposite side faces with the inner face of the another hole perpendicular to the connecting line without play only along a contact line/point.
US09173315B2
A package carrier enclosing at least one microelectronic element has a pattern of electrically conductive connection pads for electric connection of the microelectronic element to the package carrier. The package carrier is manufactured by providing a sacrificial carrier; applying an electrically conductive pattern to one side of the carrier; bending the carrier to create a shape having an elevated portion and a recessed portion; forming a body member on the carrier at the side where the electrically conductive pattern is present; removing the sacrificial carrier; and placing a microelectronic element in a recess created in the body member at the position where the elevated portion of the carrier has been, and connecting the microelectronic element to the electrically conductive pattern. Furthermore, a hole in the package provides access to a sensitive surface of the microelectronic element.
US09173312B1
An apparatus comprising a wall of a drawer adapted to secure a set of cables at a first end, the set of cables can be housed in a cable housing, the wall coupled to a roller and a flattening appendage. In some implementations, the apparatus can include a deck including a plate adapted to secure the set of cables at a second end, the plate located at a midpoint of the deck. Alternatively, a drawer is adapted to slide along the deck, a shelf attached to the drawer. The flattening appendage presses down on the first end of the set of cables and the roller presses down on the second end of the set of cables as the drawer is opened and closed such that the set of cables is stored neatly under the drawer.
US09173309B2
An electronic device enclosure includes a chassis defining an space, and a cover module. The chassis includes two opposite sidewalls locating at two sides of the space. The cover module includes a cover and a latching apparatus mounted to the cover. A first end of the cover is rotatably connected to first ends of the sidewalls, and the latching apparatus is mounted to a second end of the cover. A second end of one of the sidewalls defines a latching hole. The latching apparatus includes a latching member slidably mounted to the cover, a resilient member sandwiched between the latching member and the cover, and an operation member mounted to the latching member. The latching member includes a latching block. The resilient member biases the latching member to slide, to allow the latching block to latch in the latching hole.
US09173305B2
A metallization can be used for components working with acoustic waves. The metallization includes a base having a bottom layer comprising titanium, and an upper layer comprising copper. A top layer of the metallization disposed on the base comprises aluminum.
US09173298B2
A packaging substrate includes a circuit board, a number of first conductive posts, and a number of second conductive posts. The circuit board includes a first base and a first conductive pattern layer formed on a first surface of the first base. The first conductive posts extend from and are electrically connected to the first conductive pattern layer. The second conductive posts extend from and are electrically connected to the first conductive pattern layer. The height of each of the second conductive posts are larger than that of each of the first conductive posts.
US09173284B2
A planarized cover layer structure of a flexible circuit board includes an insulation layer bonded through a first adhesive layer to a surface of each one of conductive signal lines laid on a substrate of a flexible circuit board. Separation areas respectively formed between adjacent ones of the conductive signal lines are each formed with a filling layer, so that the filling layer provides the first adhesive layer with a planarization height in the separation areas and the planarization height is substantially equal to the height of the conductive signal lines. The filling layer can alternatively be of a height that is higher than the surface of the conductor layer by a covering height so that the first adhesive layer has a planarization height in the separation areas and the planarization height is substantially equal to the sum of the height of the conductive signal lines and the covering height.
US09173278B2
A gravity balance device for a cross arm of X-ray equipment, the gravity balance device is mounted within the cross arm for maintaining gravity balance of the cross arm, the gravity balance device comprises a counter weight module, configured to move along in a direction opposite to a moving direction of a tube of the X-ray equipment.
US09173274B2
Embodiments relate to controlling a lighting control according to at least one of received signal strength indication (RSSI) and a preset lighting mode. Brightness or/and color temperature of the lighting device may be automatically controlled to two or more levels according to the RSSI and a user's taste. A switch application of the lighting device using the RSSI is operated to facilitate a control by a user, and On/Off or/and brightness of the lighting device are controlled according to the RSSI.
US09173265B2
There are provided a light emitting diode (LED) driving apparatus and an LED lighting apparatus, in which a common detection resistor detecting a current flowing in each LED is used. According to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, manufacturing costs and a circuit area may be reduced by commonly using a common detection resistor detecting a current flowing in each of the LEDs.
US09173256B1
A driver circuit (e.g., an LED driver circuit) provides power to a load (e.g. an LED light source) from a DC power rail. A self-oscillating current fed parallel resonant inverter is configured to connect to the DC power rail, receive DC power from the DC power rail, and provide an AC output signal. A current limiting circuit is connected to the self-oscillating current fed parallel resonant inverter. The current limiting circuit receives the AC output signal from the self-oscillating current fed parallel resonant inverter and provides an AC current signal as a function of the DC current provided to the load by the driver circuit. The rectifier receives the AC current signal from the current limiting circuit and provides a DC current to the load.
US09173248B2
An apparatus and method for thawing a product. The apparatus includes a heating chamber, and an electrical control unit. The heating chamber includes a product chamber that holds a product, at least one heating element, each heating element emitting infrared energy in a direction of the product, and at least one temperature sensor, each temperature sensor measuring a surface temperature of the product. The electrical control unit includes a processor that controls and monitors said at least one heating element, and said at least one temperature sensor to raise a temperature of the product from an initial temperature to a set-point temperature, a connection to each heating element, and a connection to each temperature sensor.
US09173247B2
A mobile wireless communications device includes a portable housing, an NFC transceiver carried by the portable housing, and an antenna assembly coupled to the NFC transceiver and comprising a plurality of loop antennas connected in parallel, and progressively increasing in size from an innermost loop antenna to an outermost loop antenna.
US09173245B2
A first device may communicate by joining a wireless mesh network that includes at least one wireless device configured to operate a wireless routing protocol, discovering a group of other wireless devices configured to participate in the wireless mesh network, and accessing an interest metric for a second wireless device in the group of other wireless devices. The interest metric is based in part on a network topology from the wireless mesh network. The interest metric is related to an interest threshold and it is determined whether relating the interest metric to the interest threshold supports enabling messaging communications. If so, messaging communications may be enabled.
US09173239B2
Embodiments described herein relate to connected-state radio session transfer in wireless communications. A target access network controller may create a radio session associated with an access terminal, the radio session corresponding with a source radio session at a source access network controller. The target access network controller may also establish a communication route between a data network and the access terminal via the target access network controller. The target access network controller may further receive a frozen state associated with the source radio session from the source access network controller. In an aspect, the frozen state may include a snapshot of any data being communicated through the source radio session when freezing occurred. The target access network controller may subsequently unfreeze the received state.
US09173215B2
The disclosure is related to transmitting control information in a transmission/reception point and to receiving the control information in user equipment. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to transmitting the control information for user equipment which receives downlink control information through a downlink control channel newly defined in a data region. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to performing a resource mapping for enhanced control channel elements (ECCEs) of an enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH).
US09173212B2
The present invention relates to a method for communicating between a primary station and at least one secondary station, comprising configuring each secondary station to search at least one of a plurality of search spaces having a first structure, said first structure consisting of at least a first number of resource sets having a first size, where at least one resource set might be used to transmit a message to the considered secondary station, changing the search space structure to a second structure different from the first structure in response to a signalling message.
US09173211B2
A method of transmitting uplink control information of a user equipment is provided. The method includes: generating the uplink control information repeatedly as many as uplink data transmission layers; modulating the uplink control information to generate a plurality of repeated modulation symbol; applying a precoding matrix to the plurality of repeated modulation symbols to generate a plurality of first precoded symbol; and transmitting the plurality of first precoded symbols respectively through a plurality of antennas in an uplink subframe comprising a plurality of single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) symbols in a time domain and a plurality of subcarriers in a frequency domain.
US09173203B2
Method and arrangement in a user equipment for transmitting scheduling requests to a base station. The base station is adapted to serve the user equipment. The user equipment is configured to transmit scheduling requests to the base station only at certain predetermined scheduling request opportunities. The method comprises triggering a scheduling request transmission, transmitting a scheduling request to the base station at the next occurring scheduling request opportunity, starting a scheduling request prohibiting timer and prohibiting any further scheduling request retransmission at future scheduling request opportunities while the scheduling request prohibiting timer is running.Also, a corresponding method and arrangement in a base station is described.
US09173202B2
Method and arrangement in a user equipment for transmitting scheduling requests to a base station. The base station is adapted to serve the user equipment. The user equipment is configured to transmit scheduling requests to the base station only at certain predetermined scheduling request opportunities. The method comprises triggering a scheduling request transmission, transmitting a scheduling request to the base station at the next occurring scheduling request opportunity, starting a scheduling request prohibiting timer and prohibiting any further scheduling request retransmission at future scheduling request opportunities while the scheduling request prohibiting timer is running. Also, a corresponding method and arrangement in a base station are described.
US09173200B2
In various aspects of this disclosure, a communication terminal may be provided. The communication device may include a cellular wide area radio communication technology circuit. The cellular wide area radio communication technology circuit may be configured to provide a communication in accordance with a cellular wide area radio communication technology. The communication device may further include a controller. The controller may be configured to manage radio resources for a cellular wide area radio communication connection based on radio resources that are provided or will be provided for a direct communication terminal device to communication terminal device communication bypassing a radio access network.
US09173183B1
A mobile device may obtain time difference of arrival (TDOA) measurements from wireless signals transmitted by a plurality of nodes. The plurality of nodes may include synchronized nodes that are synchronized to a time reference and an unsynchronized node that has a time synchronization error relative to the time reference. An estimated location of the mobile device can be determined based on the TDOA measurements. Another estimated location of the mobile device can be determined based on other data, such as the mobile device scanning an object having a known location. The time synchronization error can then be determined based on a distance between these estimated locations. Once the time synchronization error has been determined, it can be used to correct subsequent TDOA measurements involving the unsynchronized node.
US09173181B1
A method and apparatus are provided for converting a precision time protocol (PTP) to a GPS signal. Enterprise versions of Femtocells are located within buildings and do not have access to a GPS signal directly from a GPS satellite. An adapter is provided that takes an available PTP and power over Ethernet (PoE) flow and converts the signal into a pseudo-GPS signal that acts as a timing input into the Femtocell. The pseudo-GPS signal is a GPS signal modulated at the L1 band frequency or 1575.42 megahertz, but does not have location data nor subframes 1, 2, or 3, as found in an ordinary GPS signal.
US09173169B2
A method for power saving in a wireless local area network. The method according to one embodiment includes acquiring, by a wireless device, a transmission opportunity (TXOP); and receiving a signal field from the transmitting device. A group identifier indicates recipients, a number indicator indicates spatial streams, and a power saving indicator indicates that the transmitting device is allowed to enter a doze state during the TXOP. The method according to the embodiment further includes determining, by the wireless device, whether a first condition or a second condition is satisfied. The first condition is satisfied if the power saving indicator indicates an allowance, the wireless device is a recipient indicated by the group identifier, and the number of spatial streams is equal to zero. The second condition is satisfied if the power saving indicator indicates an allowance, and the wireless device is not a recipient indicated by the group identifier.
US09173168B2
An example apparatus, such as a quorum server of a quorum system, is caused to receive a route information message or duplication thereof from a node of an ad hoc network including a plurality of nodes, with the node having sent or received the route information message during implementation of a routing protocol to determine a route between the nodes, such as according to a gossip algorithm. The apparatus is caused to identify, based on the route information message, nodes intended to also receive the route information message or intended to be part of the determined route. And the apparatus is caused to prepare an instruction message for transmission to one or more of the nodes such that the identified one or more nodes enter or remain in an active mode, and nodes other than the identified one or more of the nodes enter or remain in a power-saving mode.
US09173156B2
A method and system may receive, at an intermediate vehicle, a route request packet from a source vehicle. The system and method may enter a routing entry comprising a path from intermediate vehicle to the source vehicle and a quality metric value in a routing table. The method and system may receive, at a destination vehicle, the route request packet broadcast from one or more intermediate vehicles. The method and system may transmit, along a path from the destination vehicle to source vehicle, a route reply message. The method and system may transfer data from the source vehicle to the destination vehicle along the path. The method and system may monitor one or more quality metric values associated with the data transferred to the destination vehicle along the path.
US09173149B2
The present invention discloses a method for a first communication module of a user equipment measuring for cell reselection in a wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention comprises the following steps: receiving a first message including at least one frequency priority list from a base station; receiving a second message from at one or more second communication modules which coexist in the terminal; and measuring the frequency based on the at least one frequency priority list and the operating frequency information that is included in the second message, when the second message indicates the beginning of the operation of the one or more second communication modules.
US09173142B2
A method for handover of a wireless subscriber communication unit from a first base station to a second base station in a wireless network is described. The method comprises at the wireless subscriber communication unit receiving a handover command message from the first base station. At the first base station, the method comprises sending a scheduling request message to the second base station, in response to an acknowledgement message sent from the wireless subscriber communication unit. The method further comprises, at the second base station, scheduling, in response to the scheduling request message, at least one uplink scheduling resource (UL-SCH) for the wireless subscriber communication unit to transmit a handover (HO) confirmation message to the second base station; and receiving a handover confirmation message from the wireless subscriber communication unit on the at least one uplink scheduling resource (UL-SCH).
US09173136B2
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for performing single radio voice call continuity (SRVCC) handover are disclosed. According to one method, the method occurs at a testing platform. The method includes receiving, via a communications channel for exchanging messages between a first session initiation protocol (SIP) peer and a second SIP peer, a first message for triggering a bearer deletion procedure associated with a call between the first SIP peer and the second SIP peer. The method also includes in response to receiving the first message or a related message, triggering the bearer deletion procedure prior to changing an access technology.
US09173126B2
Manipulating modulation and coding scheme (MCS) allocation after a communication interruption. A UE device may resume communications with a BS after a communication interruption. Channel quality information may be generated and transmitted to the BS. The channel quality information may be based on channel quality measurements, and may also be based on an offset configured manipulate an MCS allocation by the BS based on determining that the interruption to communication between the UE and the BS has occurred.
US09173114B2
A new method of performing interference estimation to allow the data packets to be efficiently delivered in an OFDM system. The interference estimation is performed on average over each frame for each mobile station individually in both frequency and time domains. Based on the estimated interference, the CIR can be determined by the BTS based on channel response estimates made by the BTS, or by the MS based on channel response estimates made for the uplink assuming a symmetrical channel. Numerical results show that the CIR estimation error could be very small if a sub-channel is considered as the minimum transmission unit. In terms of the aggregate throughput, the interference estimation method can provide a significant gain.
US09173110B2
A method and device for measuring a channel status between a first user equipment (UE) and a second UE. The method performed by the second UE includes: receiving control information related to a dedicated sounding zone from a base station through at least one of the plurality of downlink subframes, where the dedicated sounding zone is radio resource allocated for receiving a sounding signal; and receiving the sounding signal from the first UE, where the sounding signal is included in an initial symbol of an initial subframe of the plurality of uplink subframes, and where the initial symbol is included in the dedicated sounding zone. The method also includes measuring the channel status between the first UE and the second UE by using the sounding signal; and reporting a result of measurement for the channel status to the base station.
US09173107B2
An analog front-end circuit for measurement used as an interface between a sensor and a control device includes: an isolated part including at least an AD conversion circuit configured to serve as an interface to the sensor; a non-isolated part including at least a control circuit configured to serve as an interface to the control device; and an isolated communication unit configured to perform isolated half-duplex communication between the isolated part and the non-isolated part. The control circuit is configured to transmit an AD conversion instruction to the AD conversion circuit after providing setting for measurement to the isolated part via the isolated communication unit, obtain a result of AD conversion by the AD conversion circuit from the isolated part via the isolated communication unit, and transfer the obtained AD conversion result to the control device.
US09173102B2
The invention provides a method for updating a data carrier inserted in a telecommunication end device with regard to a data-carrier application executable in the data carrier, comprising the steps of: making updating data available to a security application installed in the data carrier; updating the data carrier according to the updating data, the updating of the data carrier comprising the steps of: transferring at least a part of the updating data from the security application to a programming interface installed in the telecommunication end device and adapted for communication between the telecommunication end device and the data carrier; onward transferring the transferred updating data from the programming interface to a data-carrier management of the data carrier installed in the data carrier; updating the data carrier according to the onward transferred updating data.
US09173095B2
Examples are disclosed for a first device to wirelessly dock to a second device. In some examples, a first device may receive identification from the second device for wirelessly docking. The first device may determine whether the second device is allowed to wirelessly dock and if allowed an authentication process may be implemented. The first device may then wirelessly dock to the second device based on a successful authentication. Other examples are described and claimed.
US09173087B2
The remote child monitor is an intelligent child seat presence, operator reminder, and emergency alert monitoring system and method that reduces the probability of a child properly secured in a vehicle baby seat being left unattended in a vehicle. The central monitoring device detects when the child is secured in the baby seat, communicates with the driver, the vehicle, and reminds the driver of the child being secured in the baby seat. Multiple layers of communication and back up operators are employed to further reduce the child being ignored. Communications include personal area network, local area network, and cellular networks GPS. Operators include primary, secondary, and emergency (911).
US09173085B2
Techniques for use in transferring an assignment of a secure chip of a wireless device from a current subscription manager (SM) of a current mobile network operator (MNO) to a new SM of a new MNO are described. In one illustrative example, the current SM receives a request for transferring the assignment and produces transfer permission data in response. The transfer permission data includes an identifier of the secure chip, an identifier of the current SM, and a digital signature of the current SM. The current SM then sends to the secure chip a transfer permission message which includes the transfer permission data. The transfer permission data indicates a permission for the secure chip to transfer the assignment from the current SM to the new SM. Additional techniques are performed by the secure chip, and the new SM, as described.
US09173083B2
According to an example, a reauthentication or reassociation message carrying a roaming group information may be received from a wireless client (STA) by an AC when the STA is roaming. In addition, the AC may determine, according to the roaming group information and the received reauthentication or reassociation message, whether the STA is roaming between roaming groups or within a roaming group. In response to a determination that the roaming is between roaming groups, an extension authentication protocol (EAP) reauthentication process may be initiated and in response to a determination that the roaming is within a roaming group, a Key Cache method may be adopted to authenticate the STA.
US09173074B2
Methods, devices, and systems for transmitting convenient messages to a recipient for rendering based on the recipient's device availabilities. A recipient's mobile device may be connected to a personal hub and/or earpiece devices configured to render various incoming communications, such as audio messages and visual messages. The incoming messages may be delivered to the recipient's mobile device and other connected devices that may render the contents of the incoming messages. A delivery confirmation message that describes the receipt and use of incoming messages may be generated and returned to a sender's computing device. In an embodiment, the recipient's devices may generate status information for describing the status of devices to a sender's computing device. In an embodiment, the sender's computing device may generate and transmit outgoing messages formatted based on the received status information and including metadata that instructs the recipient's devices to render message content in particular manners.
US09173063B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication locating method, the method uses a first wireless receiver, a second wireless receiver and a third wireless receiver (i.e., a first rescuer, a second and a third rescuer) to receive mayday and RSSI signals outputted by a person to be rescued, therefore the position of the person to be rescued can be precisely located after a backend signal-processing platform processes and calculates the mayday and RSSI signals. Through the method, each of rescuers are able to output a prompting signal to the person to be rescued by way of frequency synchronization, so as to give the person to be rescued hopes and a message that rescuers are coming. The method also includes the advantages of high damage resistance ability, high expansibility and can be easily operated, such that the purpose of immediate rescue can be achieved by using the method.
US09173062B2
The disclosure provides a positioning service method and system, and a terminal. In the above method, a positioned terminal receives a movement track model established by a positioning service platform; the positioned terminal judges whether or not positioning data that are collected satisfy the movement track model; and when the positioning data satisfy the movement track model, it is determined that there is no need to report the positioning data, and when the positioning data do not satisfy the movement track model, the positioning data are reported to the positioning service platform. The technical solution provided by the disclosure can reduce the frequency for the positioned terminal to report the positioning data and also save network data traffic for the user.
US09173056B2
A method for determining the geographical location of a network-connected mobile device comprising a hybrid approach that further comprises both the utilization of strength or time delay signals and a database of fingerprints taken throughout the network area.
US09173054B2
A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may detect another WTRU over bluetooth. The WTRU may send to the another WTRU a message to transfer selected media. The WTRU may transfer the selected media to the another WTRU over WiFi.
US09173045B2
Optimized sound waves presented to the listener by headphones, notwithstanding differences in ear geometry and headphone positioning. A test signal causes an acoustic sensor to receive sound waves actually formed in the listener's ear cavity. A response from the sensor is compared with an expected ear cavity transfer function, from which desired adjustments to the audio signal are determined. The audio signal might be received from an application program, calibrated by an interface software element, and adjusted thereby, before forwarding to the headphones. Calibration might be performed from when the headphones are positioned, or dynamically in response to changes in the transfer function.
US09173031B2
There is provided an apparatus and method for amplification of audio content. The apparatus includes a first power line connectable to a first connector of the plurality of data output connectors; a second power line connectable to a second connector of the plurality of data output connectors; an amplifier connected along each of the first and the second power lines; and a coil driver coupled to each of the amplifiers, the coil drivers being arranged such that magnetic summation occurs when the coil drivers are energized. The method also enables magnetic summation to occur when the coil drivers are energized.
US09173004B2
Disclosed herein is a reproducing device including: a receiving section configured to receive IP-distributed content data and caption data; a content decoding section configured to generate a content video signal; an input section configured to input a user setting adopted to select at least one of a display mode and an edge of a character in relation to a caption; a retaining section configured to retain the input user setting; a caption information analyzing section configured to separate the caption data in time series, and generate intermediate caption information; an updating section configured to overwrite and update the intermediate caption information; a caption video signal generating section configured to generate a caption video signal; and a synthesizing section configured to superimpose and synthesize the caption video signal on the content video signal.
US09172980B2
A method for adaptively performing video decoding includes: performing decoding complexity management based upon bit stream information of an input bit stream, in order to determine whether to reduce decoding complexity of at least one component of a plurality of components within an adaptive complexity video decoder; and selectively reducing decoding complexity of a portion of components within the adaptive complexity video decoder. An associated adaptive complexity video decoder and an associated adaptive audio/video playback system are also provided. In particular, the adaptive complexity video decoder includes a plurality of components and a decoding complexity manager. When needed, the decoding complexity manager delays audio playback of audio information.
US09172979B2
Certain embodiments teach a variety of experience or “sentio” codecs, and methods and systems for enabling an experience platform, as well as a Quality of Experience (QoS) engine which allows the sentio codec to select a suitable encoding engine or device. The sentio codec is capable of encoding and transmitting data streams that correspond to participant experiences with a variety of different dimensions and features. As will be appreciated, the following description provides one paradigm for understanding the multi-dimensional experience available to the participants, and as implemented utilizing a sentio codec. There are many suitable ways of describing, characterizing and implementing the sentio codec and experience platform contemplated herein.
US09172972B2
During a prediction stage of video coding, a video coder may use relatively longer interpolation filters to generate predictive sub-pixel values using values of reference integer pixels of a reference block of video data positioned in parallel relative to a scanning order associated with the block and may use relatively shorter interpolation filters to generate predictive sub-pixel values using values of reference integer pixels of the block positioned perpendicular relative to the scanning order, wherein a longer interpolation filter generally refers to a filter with relatively more filter coefficients, or “taps,” and a shorter filter generally refers to a filter with relatively fewer taps.
US09172969B2
According to some embodiments, an external memory unit stores rows of macroblocks representing an image. A set of macroblocks may be transferred from the external memory unit to a local buffer, the set of macroblocks including fewer macroblocks than a row. A macroblock may then be decoded based on information in the local buffer to generate an image signal.
US09172959B2
The present invention provides video encoding and decoding methods using block merging, which can be applied to a high resolution video of more than HD (High Definition) resolution. A video encoding method includes partitioning a current block into a first and a second prediction unit by using asymmetric partitioning, constructing a list of common merging candidate blocks including a predetermined number of common merging candidate blocks selected from adjacent blocks of the current block, selecting at least one candidate block from among the list of common merging candidate blocks and sending information of the selected candidate block to a decoder for each of the first and the second prediction unit.
US09172956B2
According to the present invention, an inter-prediction method includes: receiving mode information on the inter-prediction of a current block; decoding the received mode information; and performing inter-prediction using the decoded mode information. According to the present invention, image compression efficiency may be improved.
US09172951B2
It is disclosed that, as an embodiment, a test circuit includes a test signal supply unit configured to supply a test signal via a signal line to signal receiving units provided in a plurality of columns, wherein the test signal supply unit is a voltage buffer or a current buffer, and the test circuit has a plurality of test signal supply units and a plurality of signal lines, and wherein at least one test signal supply unit is electrically connected to one signal line different from a signal line to which another test signal supply unit is electrically connected.
US09172946B2
The image quality of a liquid crystal display device that can display stereoscopic images is improved without the decrease in resolution. In a method for driving a liquid crystal display device that displays stereoscopic images by a wavelength division method, a first image seen with left eye and a second image seen with right eye are displayed using R, G, and B whose wavelength bands are different from each other by a field-sequential method. In the field-sequential method, writing of video signals and lighting of a backlight are sequentially performed not in the entire pixel portion but in each given region of the pixel portion.
US09172943B2
A particular method includes receiving video content at a set-top box device. Scene data defining a three-dimensional scene is accessed, where the scene data includes object data defining at least one three-dimensional graphical object, and where the scene data is accessed based at least in part on information associated with the video content. The method further includes processing the object data to render the at least one three-dimensional graphical object. The rendered at least one three-dimensional graphical object is overlaid on a portion of the video content, thereby generating dynamically modified video content. The method includes sending the dynamically modified video content to a display device.
US09172939B2
A system and method for adjusting the perceived depth of stereoscopic images are provided. The system includes a disparity estimator, a disparity processor and a warping engine. The disparity estimator is configured to receive a stereoscopic image, to estimate disparities in the stereoscopic image, and to generate an estimator signal comprising the estimated disparities. The disparity processor is configured to receive the estimator signal from the disparity estimator and a depth control signal that is generated based on a user input. The disparity processor is also configured to generate a processor signal based on the estimator signal and the depth control signal. The warping engine is configured to receive the processor signal and to generate an adjusted stereoscopic image by warping the processor signal based on a model.
US09172938B2
Each of video content items captured by cameras is associated with metadata describing a time stamp indicating a capturing time and spatial information indicating features of space relating to a camera at the capturing time. In the disclosed content reproduction method, at least one target video content item to be reproduced is selected from the video content items based on the time stamps and pieces of the spatial information described in the respective pieces of metadata, then a reproduction start position of the selected video content item is determined based on a time stamp described in metadata associated with the selected video content item, and the selected video content item is reproduced from the determined reproduction start position.
US09172931B2
A projection display device including: an image light projecting unit that projects image light on a screen; a distance measurement unit that measures distance to the screen; an obstacle detecting unit that detects an obstacle between the screen and the image light projecting unit on the basis of distance information obtained by the distance measurement unit and, according to a result of this detection, determines an adjustment area where the image light to be projected is to be adjusted; and a projection adjusting unit that adjusts the image light in the adjustment area are included.
US09172929B2
A video display module comprises a circuit board having a front face, a plurality of light-emitting elements electrically coupled to the front face of the circuit board, and a polymer encapsulating member adhered to the front face of the circuit board, the polymer encapsulating member substantially covering at least a portion of the circuit board and a portion of the plurality of light-emitting elements, the polymer encapsulating member substantially sealing the portion of the circuit board and the portion of the plurality of light-emitting elements.
US09172923B1
An apparatus includes a central processing unit and a parallel processing unit. The parallel processing unit generally includes an array of software-configurable general purpose processors, a globally shared memory, and a shared memory. Each of the software-configurable general purpose processors in the array of software-configurable general purpose processors generally has access to the globally shared memory to execute one or more portions of a decoding program. The shared memory is accessible by the central processing unit to program the shared memory with a schedule describing which of the one or more portions of the decoding program are to be executed by each of the software-configurable general purpose processors.
US09172905B2
A mobile device and method for a messenger-based video call service using camera preview image and voice information are provided. In the method, the mobile device displays a camera preview screen by executing a camera, and detects an input for selecting one or more sharers for a video call from the camera preview screen. Then, the mobile device executes a messenger for providing the video call service, transmits a connection request to the selected sharers through the messenger, and performs the messenger-based video call with the sharers in response to the connection request.
US09172889B2
Electronic devices may have camera modules that include an image sensor and processing circuitry. The image sensor may capture an image from a scene. The processing circuitry may extract image statistics and exposure levels from the image. The processing circuitry may use the image statistics and the exposure levels to generate a first exposure time, a second exposure time, and gain settings for the image sensor. The image sensor may capture additional images from the scene having long-exposure image pixel values that are captured using the first exposure time and short-exposure image pixel values that are captured using the second exposure time. The processing circuitry may generate a long-exposure image and a short-exposure image from the second image. The processing circuitry may generate auto-exposed high-dynamic-range images of the scene using the long-exposure image and the short-exposure image.
US09172888B2
A plurality of images of a scene may be captured. Each image of the plurality of images may be captured using a different total exposure time (TET). The images in the plurality of images may be downsampled. A pixel value histogram based on pixel values of the downsampled images may be constructed. The pixel value histogram may be compared to one or more reference pixel value histograms. A payload TET may be determined based on comparing the pixel value histogram to the one or more reference pixel value histograms.
US09172885B2
The instant disclosure relates to a camera angle adjustable device. The camera angle adjustable device includes a base, a camera module, a reflective mirror structure and a driver. The base has a first surface, a second surface, a front side and a back side. The camera module is disposed on one side perpendicular to the front side and the back side of the first surface. The reflective mirror structure includes a frame and a mirror body, wherein the frame is pivotally connected to the first surface, the mirror body is mounted on the frame, and the mirror body selectively corresponds to one of the front side and the back side. The driver is mounted on the second surface and connected to the reflective mirror structure in order to drive the reflective mirror structure. A method for adjustable the camera angle is also provided.
US09172884B2
The imaging apparatus includes a focus lens, a front zoom lens disposed on a subject side of the focus lens, a rear zoom lens disposed on an image side of the focus lens, a focus drive unit configured to drive the focus lens, a zoom drive unit configured to drive the front and rear zoom lenses, a focus origin point detector provided in a movable range of the rear zoom lens, configured to detect a focus origin point of the focus lens, and a controller configured to control the focus drive unit and the zoom drive unit. When the controller loses track of a position of the focus lens, the controller drives the focus lens in accordance with a relative movement amount of the front and rear zoom lenses by the zoom drive unit to move the focus lens to the focus origin point.
US09172870B2
Disclosed herein are a method and a device of real-time image processing. The method comprises capturing three images, enhancing a resolution of the images to obtain for each image a high-resolution image (HRI), obtaining two displacement vectors using the HRIs, obtaining a superimposed HRI based on the HRIs and the displacement vectors, obtaining a compensatory vector based on the displacement vectors, and generating a super-resolution image based on the superimposed HRI and the compensatory vector.
US09172853B2
Light-field image data is processed in a manner that reduces projection artifacts in the presence of variation in microlens position by calibrating microlens positions. Approximate centers of disks in a light-field image are identified, and gridded calibration is performed, by fitting lines to disk centers along orthogonal directions, and then fitting a rigid grid to the light-field image. For each grid region, a corresponding disk center is computed, and a displacement vector is generated. For each grid region, the final disk center is computed as the vector sum of the grid region's geometric center and displacement vector. Calibration data, including displacement vectors, is then used in calibrating disk centers for more accurate projection of light-field images. In at least one embodiment, the imaging geometry is arranged so that disks are separated by a gap, so as to limit or eliminate ghosting.
US09172843B2
An image processing device comprises a processor and a memory. The processor executes computer-readable instructions stored in the memory. The instructions cause the image processing device to acquire target image data including each pixel value of a plurality of pixels. The instructions cause the image processing device to extract a plurality of edge pixels from the plurality of the pixels in the target image. The instructions cause the image processing device to determine a first reference value by using the plurality of the edge pixels. The instructions cause the image processing device to generate correspondence data by using the first reference value. The instructions cause the image processing device to convert, using the correspondence data, a plurality of original pixel values of the plurality of pixels into respective converted pixel values.
US09172841B2
An image processing device including an image information acquirer and a control device configured to detect encircling lines written on a document sheet, based on acquired image information, determine an arrangement order of a partial image formed within each encircling line, detect first symbols each written on the document sheet and added to a corresponding partial image, the first symbols relating to how to lay out the partial images, determine a layout of the partial images based on the arrangement orders and the first symbols, extract, from the image information, a plurality of pieces of image information each of which is image information of a partial image within a corresponding encircling line, and generate layout image information in which the pieces of image information are arranged according to the layout.
US09172836B2
An optical scanner having a scanner glass with a bottom surface includes an LED illumination source and a reflector, disposed below the glass. The illumination source has a target-oriented surface oriented to direct light toward the glass at a non-perpendicular angle. The reflector is oriented to direct light reflected off of the bottom surface toward the target-oriented surface.
US09172830B2
An image forming apparatus, including: a display device; a coordinate detecting portion which detects a directed coordinate in a display area including a first area in which is displayed a hierarchy image including uppermost-level images and lower-level images; a first display control section; a second display control section to display at least one first button image; and a third display control section, the uppermost-level images including: a first image in which is displayed at least one second button image; a second image in which is displayed at least one third button image; and a third image, wherein, where the directed coordinate is one of coordinates corresponding to the first through third button images, the third control section displays a lower-level image corresponding to a button image corresponding to the directed coordinate, and wherein the first control section executes processing to display the one uppermost-level image so as to be changed.
US09172828B2
An image display apparatus connected to a printer, for displaying an image to be printed by the printer, includes display section for displaying taken image data as a thumbnail, control section for generating edited image data by editing the taken image data selected by a user and generating an additional thumbnail of the edited image data, and select section for selecting a taken image displayed on the display means to be edited, an editing operation for the taken image, and a print image. As the taken image is edited, the control means displays the additional thumbnail of the edited image data in addition to a thumbnail of the taken image data on the display means to allow each of the thumbnail and the additional thumbnail to be selected as the print image.
US09172827B2
There is provided a technique of, in a communication apparatus capable of executing facsimile communication by a deemed voice scheme, enabling generation of a communication error to be prevented regardless of a voice encoding scheme used to encode a facsimile signal. To achieve this, a communication apparatus (first FAX apparatus) establishes a voice signal transmission session with the second FAX apparatus serving as a partner apparatus in FAX communication for FAX communication by the deemed voice scheme. The first FAX apparatus determines a voice encoding scheme which is used in the established session to encode a FAX signal into a voice signal. In accordance with the determination result, the first FAX apparatus limits modulation schemes usable in generation of the FAX signal when performing FAX communication by the deemed voice scheme.
US09172825B2
An image forming apparatus Gk of a data output system includes a data output time calculation function unit that calculates a predicted output time necessary for outputting data to be output in a specified output form by a data output function unit which outputs the data to be output in the specified output form, and a control function unit that compares the predicted output time with a predetermined threshold time and controls displaying of display data, which is stored in a storage function unit, onto a display function unit.
US09172823B2
An alarm operation system for use by a mobile terminal receives input data used for setting an alarm. The system sets alarm content comprising a category of multiple items of content including at least one of, (a) audio data and (b) video data, to be played in response to detection of an alarm trigger condition. The system selects an alarm content item for playback from the category in response to the detection of the alarm trigger condition.
US09172813B2
Systems and methods for call forwarding in a telecommunications network are described herein. A request to update a call forwarding number associated with a subscriber in the telecommunications network is provided. The request includes a phone number of an active mobile device, which is located within geographic proximity to a subscriber mobile device. The active mobile device is associated with a priority level.
US09172807B2
Techniques for improving customer relationship management are disclosed. The techniques may be realized via a call processing system that may efficiently rout an incoming call to an agent of a call center. Also, the call processing system may provision a telephone number to a web-based help desk call center. Further, the call processing system may include a communication framework enabling a communication between a plurality of browser windows and a local storage medium.
US09172804B2
A method for partitioning a call center having N agents associated with M agent groups, for computation by a plurality of computational nodes, has steps for (a) assigning each agent as a vertex in a hypergraph; (b) assigning each agent group as a hyper-edge in the hypergraph; and (c) applying a hypergraph partitioning algorithm to partition the agents and groups relative to the nodes with the hypergraph cost function awarding equal load distribution to nodes and minimizing inter-node traffic.
US09172802B1
A system, method, and computer-usable medium are disclosed for improved processing of calls within an interactive voice response (IVR) system. An inbound call comprising a call origination identifier is received by a call processing module, which uses the call origination identifier to retrieve call record and call processing information associated with a prior call session. The call record and call processing information is processed to determine the state of the prior call session and its point of termination when it was terminated. If the point of termination was associated with a human operator, then the call processing module determines whether the same human operator is available. If not, the user is provided a choice of call session options including being placed in a hold queue until the same or another human operator is available, requesting a return call from a human operator, or selecting another call session process.
US09172797B2
An audio recording apparatus that includes: an acquisition part that acquires a fragment data set indicating an action of a switchboard to a call, and an execution time of the action; a history generation part that generates a historical data set indicating a history of response states of an agent to one call, from a plurality of fragment data sets acquired; a talking storage part that stores audio recording data of talking of the agent; a display control part that causes a link display image to be displayed on a display unit, the link display image indicating a link to the corresponding audio recording data, in association with historical display of response states of the agent, based on the historical data set; and a replaying part that replays the audio recording data, when the link display image is selected.
US09172794B2
A communication device and method can include one or more processors operatively coupled to memory and an audible output device, where the one or more processors receive a call from a calling party that includes caller identification information and a voice paging message associated with the caller identification information, presenting the caller identification information, presenting the voice paging message as an alias of or to a ring tone or interleaved with the ring tone before the call from the calling party is answered or rejected. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09172792B2
A method and an electronic device for wireless communication are provided. The method is executed by a first electronic device and includes the following steps: sending a notification of an incoming phone call to a second electronic device, receiving a response to the notification from the second electronic device, and starting the incoming phone call and transmitting a conversation of the incoming phone call between the first electronic device and a wireless headset when the response indicates the incoming phone call is accepted.
US09172790B2
A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing and transceiver carried by the housing for transmitting and receiving radio frequency (RF) signals carrying communications data of speech. A processor is coupled to the transceiver for processing the communications data as speech that is transmitted and received to and from the transceiver. A keyboard and display is carried by the housing and connected to the processor. A speech-to-text and text-to-speech module converts communications data as speech received from the transceiver to text that is displayed on the display and converting text that is typed by a user on the keyboard in the communications data as speech to be transmitted from the transceiver as an RF signal.
US09172788B2
Systems, methods, and apparatuses are directed to facilitating disabling of wireless transmission of wireless communication devices using messages. In one embodiment, logic is configured to generate a disabling message that indicates disabling of wireless transmission, and wirelessly transmit the disabling message to cause disabling of a transmitter portion of a wireless transceiver of a wireless communication device that receives the disabling message. In another embodiment, logic is configured to generate a disabling message that indicates disabling of wireless transmission, and wirelessly transmit the disabling message to cause disabling of a transmitter portion of a wireless transceiver of a wireless communication device that receives the disabling message. In some embodiments, the disabling message may cause the transmitter portion of the wireless transceiver to be disabled while a receiver portion of the wireless transmitter remains enabled.
US09172777B2
A mobile device includes a main antenna and a hairpin element. The hairpin element is disposed adjacent to the main antenna, and substantially has a U-shape. The hairpin element is configured to increase bandwidth and antenna efficiency of the main antenna.
US09172772B2
Methods and apparatus for wireless communication include applying a compression algorithm to a data flow, and evaluating a level of compression of the data flow resulting from the applying of the compression algorithm. Further aspects include determining when the level of compression of the data flow is below a first threshold, and disabling compression of the data flow when the level of compression is below the first threshold. Additional aspects include determining when the level of compression of the data flow is above a second threshold, and enabling compression of the data flow when the level of compression is above the second threshold, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.
US09172748B2
Methods, apparatuses, and systems are provided for improving utilization of a communications system (e.g., a satellite communications system) when handling overlapping content requests. Embodiments use various techniques (e.g., dictionary coding techniques) to create fingerprints of content traversing the links of the communications system. These fingerprints are used to identify and exploit opportunities for using multicasting to share forward-link capacity by collapsing multiple overlapping requests for the same content via multiple content session streams into fewer session streams, including one or more shared session streams.
US09172745B2
A process performed on a server includes configuring the server to enable script for a Web service to be defined dynamically, where the Web service includes an application program interface (API) for enabling access by, and interaction with, a computer program executing on a device other than the server. The process also includes compiling the script to produce machine-executable code for the Web service, receiving a call from the computer program to the Web service, executing the machine-executable code in response to the call to produce an output, and sending the output to the device.
US09172737B2
Video streaming applications are a major contributor to the recent dramatic rise of data traffic in cellular networks. Mobile users in a cellular network often experience fluctuating data rates, which might affect the quality of video they view in a streaming service. Although replacing such video streaming services with video downloading/renting services could potentially allow such mobile users to enjoy consistently higher quality videos, such services typically cost a lot more than video streaming services because of legal copyright pricing and management issues. By downloading enhancement layers but streaming base layers of the content, mobile users can enjoy download-quality videos with a service (legally) classified as a streaming service.
US09172733B2
A media system includes a computer network, a media device supporting a network-based media sharing protocol, a plurality of output devices located at a plurality of physical locations within a hospitality establishment, and a system controller. In response to a first event, the system controller assigns the media device to a particular guest device by reconfiguring one or more components of the computer network to enable the particular guest device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol to share media over the computer network with the media device, and commands an output device located at a physical location associated with the particular guest device to play media corresponding to the media signal outputted by the media device on the output port. In response to a second event, the system controller un-assigns the media device from the particular guest device and commands the output device to stop playing the media.
US09172723B2
Disclosed is a method of providing network security within a mobile radio communications network and including creating a security context for communications between a mobile radio communications device and the network, the security context being created responsive to an input parameter such as the downlink NAS count, and the method further including, as part of each initial handover attempt, controlling the parameter so as to apply a version of the parameter different from a previous version, for example as incremented downlink NAS count, and preferably independently of network signaling messages.
US09172714B2
A mechanism is provided for detecting malicious activity in a functional unit of a data processing system. A set of activity values associated with a set of functional units and a set of thermal levels associated with the set of functional units are monitored. For a current activity value associated with the functional unit in the set of functional units, a determination is made as to whether a thermal level associated with the functional unit differs from a verified thermal level beyond a predetermined threshold. Responsive to the thermal level associated with the functional unit differing from the verified thermal level beyond the predetermined threshold, sending an indication of suspected abnormal activity associated with the given functional unit.
US09172713B2
A method and system for authenticating answers to Domain Name System (DNS) queries originating from recursive DNS servers are provided. A verification component provides a verification that a DNS query originated from the recursive DNS server. An authoritative DNS server receives the query via a network, such as the Internet, and provides an answer to the query to an authentication component. The authentication component then provides an authentication, such as a digital signature, which confirms that the received answer was provided by the authoritative DNS server, and then communicates the answer and the authentication to the verification component via the network. The verification component then verifies that the authentication corresponds to the received answer and sends the answer to the recursive DNS server. When the verification component receives an answer in the absence of a corresponding authentication, the verification component drops the answer.
US09172711B2
Methods, systems and apparatuses for an originator publishing an attestation of a statement are disclosed. One method includes obtaining information, wherein the information includes the attestation of the statement, wherein the statement includes at least a portion of the information to be attested to, and wherein the attestation includes a context describing conditions of the attestation, and wherein the attestation includes a cryptographic signature of the context and the statement. The method further includes validating the information. The method further includes communicating after validating the information the information to a destination while maintaining at least one of data privacy or data provenance, including creating a new statement by transforming the statement to a form suitable for the destination, creating, by the computing device, a new attestation by signing the new statement with a new context specific to the computing device, and making available the new attestation to the destination.
US09172700B2
A computer program for enabling secured, transparent encryption and decryption provides a user interface that allows a user to drag and drop files into and out of a secure repository and automatically encrypts files transferred into the repository and automatically decrypts files transferred out of the repository. The user can transfer file folders into the repository, wherein the program encrypts all of the files within the folder and retains the original file/folder structure, such that individual files can be moved within the repository, moved out of the repository, and opened or executed directly from the repository. The program requires the user to submit biometric data and grants access to the secure repository only if the biometric data is authenticated. The program generates an encryption key based at least in part on biometric data received from the user. Additionally, the program destroys the key after termination of each encryption/decryption session.
US09172699B1
In one implementation, a server receives a request from a client device to access a user account of a user, wherein the user account provides access to one or more credentials associated with the user. The server determines that the client device is not associated with the user account and transmits a message to the client device prompting the user to provide a biometric identification of the user. The server then receives data representing the biometric identification of the user from the client device. Next, the server determines that the data representing the biometric identification of the user matches a biometric profile of the user associated with the user account. Finally, in response to determining that the data representing the biometric identification of the user matches a biometric profile of the user associated with the user account, the server associates the client device with the user account, such that the user is enabled to access the user account, and the associated one or more credentials, from the client device.
US09172695B2
A system and method for facilitating the establishment of a virtual private network between a network and a remote computer, the system having: a mobile device connectable to the remote computer and storing a user profile, virtual private network information, and password information; virtual private network software being located on one of the mobile device and the remote computer; an access point communicating with the network; and communication means for communications between the access point and one of the mobile device and the remote computer, wherein the user profile, virtual private network information, and password information is passed to the virtual private network software upon connection of the mobile device to the remote computer, the virtual private network software using the user profile, virtual private network information, and password information to establish a virtual private network through the communications means and the access point to the network.
US09172683B2
In a Digital Rights Management (DRM) system, cryptographic keys for decrypting distributed assets (such as audio or video media) are distributed using an offline (e.g., non-Internet) method for distribution of the key generation process, with an implicit authorization to use the distributed key generation process. This is used to update an asset key for use by a client such as a media player when a key formula for generating the key for decrypting an asset has been compromised, such as by hackers.
US09172681B2
A trust propagation system is disclosed that propagates trust data based on established trust relationships. The trust system may automatically propagate trust data between parties A and C based on trust relationships with a common party B. Trust data may include authentication data such as biometric data, encryption data, passwords, etc. that may be used to conduct exclusive communications.
US09172680B2
Given the rise in popularity of communicating personal, private, sensitive, or vital peer-to-peer or peer-to-group information over potentially insecure text messaging infrastructure, it would be desirable to provide a solution that enables the exchange of this type of information securely over at least one path via data and/or voice networks. Furthermore, it would be highly desirable to enable access to the secure exchange of information over the at least one path by a given entity, as well as other computer applications that the given entity may use.
US09172677B2
Methods and systems for an intelligent network protection gateway (NPG) and network architecture are provided. According to one embodiment, a firewall provides network-layer protection to internal hosts against unauthorized access by hosts of an external network by performing network address translation (NAT) processing of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. The firewall changes data in headers of VoIP packets and corresponding data contents of the VoIP packets, to enable bi-directional VoIP communications. An external VoIP interface of the firewall receives incoming VoIP packets having a user alias (e.g., an email address) and an indication regarding a VoIP port of external interface. The packets are directed to an appropriate internal host by the firewall performing port address forwarding based on the port indication to a media gateway within the internal network that maintains a mapping of user aliases to private addresses of the internal hosts.
US09172664B2
A computer-readable medium including computer-executable code for enhancing an electronic document with one link and being served via a network responsively to a request received via the network and correspondent to an electronic document. The chat application may be for use with a mobile device and be less computing resource intensive. Certain embodiments of the present invention may not require a code or applets to be inserted to provide chat functionality. Advantageously, only a link may need to be inserted, for example. This may provide particularly well suited for use with websites where traditional chat code or applets may not be inserted.
US09172663B2
A network control system that includes several controllers for managing several switching elements. Each controller includes a network information base (NIB) storage that stores data regarding the switching elements and a secondary storage for facilitating replication of at least a portion of data across the NIB storages of the different controllers. In some embodiments, the primary purpose for one or more of the secondary storage structures is to back up the data in the NIB. In these or other embodiments, one or more of the secondary storage structures serve a purpose other than backing up the data in the NIB. In some embodiments, the NIB is stored in system memory while the system operates for fast access of the NIB records. In some embodiments, one or more of the secondary storage structures are stored on disks which can be slower to access.
US09172662B2
A virtual chassis system includes a plurality of network nodes configured with a master virtual chassis address. The network nodes are connected by virtual fabric link (VFLs) that provide a connection for exchange of data packets between the network nodes. The data packets include source MAC addresses and associated hardware device information, such as source chassis ID, source network interface identifier and source port identifier information. The network nodes use this information to maintain synchronized MAC address tables for forwarding of data packets in the virtual chassis system. One or more control protocols in the network node are used for topology discovery, master network node election, generation of routing tables, health monitoring and other functions.
US09172661B1
Method, system and network device for programming lane alignment markers are provided. The method includes configuring the first port having a plurality of sub-ports, as at least a dual lane port where each lane of the dual lane port is configured to receive and transmit frames; negotiating with the first network device to determine a lane alignment marker that is acceptable by the first network device; and programming the first port to identify the lane alignment marker associated with the vendor of the first network device for processing frames received from the first network device and transmitted to the first network device.
US09172660B2
A network device of a communication network is configured to implement a switch fabric that includes collector-based cell reordering functionality. In one embodiment, the switch fabric comprises a plurality of distributors, a plurality of routing elements each having inputs coupled to respective outputs of multiple ones of the distributors, and a plurality of collectors each having inputs coupled to respective outputs of multiple ones of the routing elements. At least a given one of the collectors comprises a sorting circuit configured to reorder streams of cells received from respective ones of the routing elements into a single reordered stream of cells utilizing a merge sort.
US09172649B2
A system is configured to receive traffic being transported via a network; obtain, as a result of receiving the traffic, content from one or more packets associated with the traffic; analyze the content to identify one or more attributes associated with the content, where the one or more attributes correspond to at least one of: a network address, information associated with an application with which the traffic is associated, information associated with message content, or information associated with software content; determining that at least one attribute, of the one or more attributes, matches an attribute, of a set of attributes that are stored within a memory, where the set of attributes corresponds to a set of categories of traffic; identify a category, of the set of categories, that corresponds to the attribute; associate the category and the traffic; and process the traffic based on the associated category.
US09172648B2
A flow admission control module for IP traffic types monitors network topology and usage. A new flow is not admitted if it is determined that the flow would push the utilization of available bandwidth reserved for the traffic type on a link in the associated path beyond a predetermined threshold. The admission control module may, as a result of dynamic changes to network topology capacity, re-compute the link utilization for effected active flows The admission control module may also account for protection regimes in flow admission calculations.
US09172637B2
A method of Path Computation Element (PCE) Communication Protocol (PCEP) communication includes sending, to a path computation element (PCE), a request to compute a backup ingress node for a Point-to-Multipoint (P2MP) Label Switched Path (LSP) in a network, and receiving, from the PCE, the backup ingress node for the P2MP LSP in accordance with the request.
US09172632B2
Some embodiments provide systems and methods for determining a server of a distributed hosting system to optimally distribute content to an end user. The method includes identifying an IP address of the end user. Based on the IP address, a set of servers send packets to the end user to derive performance metrics. The performance metrics are used to determine a server from the set of servers that optimally distributes content to the end user. The method modifies a configuration for resolving end user requests such that the optimal server is identified to the end user when the end user requests content from the hosting system. Some embodiments determine the optimal server by providing downloadable content that is embedded with a monitoring tool. The monitoring tool causes the end user to derive performance metrics for the hosting system when downloading a particular object from a set of servers.
US09172619B1
Data including a set of one or more resources and one or more associated IP addresses is updated based on monitored DNS responses. A request is received from a client device for a resource identified by an IP address. The IP address is matched to one of the IP addresses in the set of one or more IP addresses. A particular resource associated with the matched IP address is identified. A particular network policy that applies is identified. The identified particular network policy is applied to the received request.
US09172615B2
The present invention relates to a system and methods for enabling a user control in third-party computing environments or cloud computing via a virtual private network created by a control module, which contains parameters defined by the user. The system and methods are used to create a fault tolerant virtual private network that allows user control over addressing, security encryption, routing, and the enablement of multicast protocols, regardless of the prohibition set by the third-party computing environment.
US09172609B1
In general, techniques are described in which a plurality of network switches automatically configure themselves to operate as a single virtual network switch. A virtual switch is a collection of individual switch devices that operate like as single network switch. As described herein, network switches in a network that are capable of participating in a virtual switch may automatically discover one another. The participating network switches may then elect one of the participating switches as a master switch. The master switch may generate forwarding information and store the forwarding information in the participating switches, including the master switch. The forwarding information causes the participating switches to act like a single network switch.
US09172608B2
Systems and methods for centralized configuration and monitoring of a distributed computing cluster are disclosed. One embodiment of the disclose technology enables deployment and central operation a complete Hadoop stack. The application automates the installation process and reduces deployment time from weeks to minutes. One embodiment further provides a cluster-wide, real time view of the services running and the status of the host machines in a cluster via a single, central place to enact configuration changes across the computing cluster which further incorporates reporting and diagnostic tools to optimize cluster performance and utilization.
US09172592B2
A method and an apparatus for providing an application-related management object is provided. The method includes receiving a registration message for registering information on an installed application, determining a requirement of the installed application contained in the registration message, acquiring application-related management object information corresponding to the requirement, identifying a method of providing the application-related management object information, and providing the application-related management object information according to the identified method.
US09172587B2
Providing automated quality-of-service (‘QoS’) for virtual machine migration across a shared data center network, including: identifying, by a virtual machine migration module, a virtual machine to migrate from a source host to a destination host; determining a migration cost for migrating the virtual machine from the source host to the destination host; identifying based on the migration cost a least congested network path between the source host and the destination host and a bandwidth to be used for migration such that migration completes within a user specified time limit; and initiating transmission of the virtual machine from the source host to the destination host over the least congested network path, including reserving bandwidth across the shared data center network for transferring the virtual machine from the source host to the destination host in dependence upon the migration cost.
US09172583B1
A computing device configured for actively provisioning a managed node is described. The computing device includes a processor and executable instructions stored in memory that is in electronic communication with the processor. The computing device identifies a managed node on a network. The computing device also determines whether the managed node comprises management hardware. The computing device further enables the management hardware. To enable the management hardware, the computing device opens hardware-based secure communication between the computing device and the node, allows access to a remote management engine and provisions the management engine. The computer device additionally adds the managed node to a database.
US09172580B1
Systems, methods, and software for operating communication systems and wireless communication devices are provided herein. In one example, a method is provided that includes transferring an access request for delivery to a remote data system, receiving a security challenge transferred by the remote data system, and in response, transferring a security answer for delivery to the remote data system that includes at least one hash result generated in the security portion using at least one of the security keys. The method also includes receiving a security grant transferred by the remote data system indicating one of the hash results, selecting at least one of the transceivers based on an association of the transceivers with one of the security keys used to generate the hash result indicated in the security grant, and transferring the data for delivery to the remote data system over a wireless network associated with the selected transceiver.
US09172579B2
A system includes a first regional network including a first network element; a second regional network including a virtualized control plane network element, the virtualized control plane network element supporting a routing protocol at the first regional network, the routing protocol employing a location-based cost model; and a network connection connecting the virtualized control plane network element to the first regional network, the network connection having a network connection cost, the network connection cost applied in the location-based cost model to support the routing protocol at the first regional network.
US09172565B2
In one aspect, a system includes a master component having a communication node; and a plurality of slave components. Each slave component has a bidirectional node. The slave components are configured to each store data in response to a trigger signal received at the bidirectional node from the communication node.
US09172562B2
A calibration circuit for calibrating a device to be calibrated includes a variable current generator, a device under test and a control unit. The variable current generator is coupled to a first node of a reference voltage and configured to generate a variable current responsive to variations of the reference voltage. The device under test is a copy of at least one portion of the device to be calibrated, and coupled to the variable current generator to derive, at a second node, a voltage dependent on the variable current. The control unit is coupled to the second node to receive the derived voltage and configured to compare the derived voltage with the reference voltage and to generate, based on a comparison result, at least one calibration signal for adjusting an adjustable electrical parameter of the device under test and the device to be calibrated.
US09172561B2
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate adaptively communicating data to wireless devices. An access point can precode a dedicated reference signal (DRS) for transmitting to a wireless device, and the wireless device can receive the precoded DRS. The wireless device can determine the precoder by estimating a channel of the DRS and can provide channel condition feedback to the access point. The access point can create data signals including a single or a burst of data transmissions according to the feedback and can precode the data signals using the same precoder. The wireless device can additionally decode the data signals using the precoder. Moreover, the access point can cycle through precoders according to a patterned, random, pseudo-random, and/or similar sequence.
US09172558B2
The present invention relates to a method and system for actively publishing a message in an IM group using a chat robot. The method includes: a client adding a chat robot in an IM group satisfying a configured condition; the chat robot automatically obtaining a message and publishing the message in the IM group. In the present invention, a chat robot is added in an IM group, and a function of timed publishing messages by the chat robot is added to increase the message quantity and topics of the IM group, thus not only messages can be sent to users in time, but also IM group activity may be enhanced, which enables users to accept and love the IM group gradually.
US09172545B2
The present disclosure is directed towards systems and methods for determining a status of a client certificate from a plurality of responses for an Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) request. An intermediary device between a plurality of clients and one or more servers identifies a plurality of OCSP responders for determining a status of a client certificate responsive to receiving the client certificate from a client during a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) handshake. Each of the plurality of OCSP responders may transmit a request for the status of the client certificate to a uniform resource locator corresponding to each OCSP responder. The intermediary device may determine a single status for the client certificate from a plurality of statuses of the client certificate received via responses from each uniform resource locator.
US09172544B2
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for authentication of networked devices in which a server device may authenticate a client device and/or a client device may authenticate a server device. Authentication credentials may be exchanged by the server device and the client device to enable mutual authentication. Upon authentication of the connection between the server device and the client device, authenticated, and potentially encrypted communications, may be exchanged by the server device and the client device.
US09172536B2
An audio communication based electronic signature system and a method thereof are provided. The system includes: an audio smart key device including an interface module, a data processing module, a smart key module and a power module; and a terminal including an audio output interface, an audio input interface and an application unit. The interface module of the audio smart key device communicates with the terminal in the form of audio signal and it can perform operations of A/D conversion and modulation and demodulation on the audio signal. In the signing method, the terminal sends an audio signal including important data to the smart key device, the audio smart key device receives and decodes the audio signal, demodulates the decoded data and decrypts the demodulated data, signs the decrypted data, encodes, modulates and encrypts the signature result subsequently, sends the crypted result to the terminal, where the encrypted result is sent to the server for signature verification.
US09172535B2
An LSI includes a first decryptor which receives first encrypted key data, and decrypts the first encrypted key data using a first cryptographic key, thereby generating first decrypted key data, a second cryptographic key generator which generates a second cryptographic key based on a second ID, a second encryptor which encrypts the first decrypted key data using the second cryptographic key, thereby generating second encrypted key data, and a second decryptor which decrypts the second encrypted key data using the second cryptographic key, thereby generating second decrypted key data. At a time of key setting, the second encryptor stores the second encrypted key data in a storage unit. At a time of key usage, the second decryptor reads the second encrypted key data from the storage unit.
US09172529B2
Methods, systems, and computer programs for using hybrid encryption schemes are disclosed. In some implementations, a random value is obtained by a pseudorandom generator. A symmetric key is generated based on the random value. A public component is also generated based on the random value. Additionally, an initialization vector is generated based on the random value. The symmetric key and the initialization vector are used to generate an encrypted message based on an input message. The encrypted message and the public component are transmitted to an entity. At least one of the public component or the symmetric key is generated based additionally on a public key of the entity.
US09172525B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method and a device for compensating for a time path. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, on the basis of not changing implemented 1588 synchronization architecture, a compensation unit is added on a service board unit, the compensation unit calculates a compensation time value for asymmetrical reception and transmission of fiber links and transfers the compensation time value into the service board unit, and the service board unit implements automatic compensation according to a port status. The method and the device for compensating for a time path according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may implement automatic compensation for receiving and sending fiber links without manually testing the asymmetry of links node by node, so that the embodiments of the present disclosure can be widely applied in time synchronization networks.
US09172524B2
A method of generating an unambiguous correlation function for a TMBOC(6,1,4/33) signal, an apparatus for tracking a TMBOC signal, and a satellite navigation signal receiver system using the same are disclosed herein. The method of generating a correlation function for a TMBOC(6,1,4/33) signal includes generating a delayed signal delayed based on a phase delay with respect to the signal pulse train of a TMBOC(6,1,4/33)-modulated received signal; generating BOC(1,1) partial correlation functions and BOC(6,1) partial correlation functions by performing an auto-correlation operation on the received signal and the delayed signal with respect to the total time; generating a BOC(1,1) sub-correlation function; obtaining a first intermediate correlation function, obtaining second to eleventh intermediate correlation functions, and generating the BOC(6,1) sub-correlation function by summing all the first to eleventh intermediate correlation functions; and generating a main correlation function by combining the BOC(1,1) and BOC(6,1) sub-correlation functions.
US09172520B1
A terminal (e.g., mobile communication device, UE) and a method are described herein for allocating a soft buffer after interacting with a network node (e.g., base station, eNB). In addition, a network node (e.g., base station, eNB) and a method are described herein that facilitates robust operations during a reconfiguration period while a terminal allocates a soft buffer located therein.
US09172513B2
A wireless communication method includes allocating physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) data in first slot to a first orthogonal cover code (OCC). The method also includes allocating PUCCH data in a second slot of the same subframe to a different orthogonal cover code (OCC). Another method includes mapping PUCCH resources to physical resource blocks based on a user equipment (UE) specific signaling parameter (e.g., a resource index) and a number of symbols in a slot of a subframe.
US09172511B2
A method and device for communicating ARQ feedback in wireless communication networks. An ARQ block whose transmission is in progress is determined upon occurrence of an event at a receiving device. ARQ feedback is generated that indicates the ARQ blocks whose transmission is in progress. Further, the ARQ feedback is sent to a device transmitting the ARQ feedback.
US09172508B2
The invention discloses a method for use in a cellular system with an RBS which controls traffic to and from a cell, with one User Equipment, UE, in the cell. The RBS and the UE receive and transmit information between each other, one of them being a sending party and the other one is a receiving party, and errors in messages which are received can be detected by the receiving party by a first error detection method and if errors are detected in received messages, the receiving party can request a retransmission from the transmitting party. The receiving party stores the order in which retransmissions are requested, so that erroneous retransmissions may be detected by the receiving party without the first error detection method.
US09172502B2
Provided is a receiving apparatus that includes a receiving unit which receives a trellis-coded modulation signal in which data items modulated by a plurality of trellis-coded modulators have been multiplexed; a data processing unit which arranges the data items multiplexed in the trellis-coded modulation signal received by the receiving unit so that a given number of data items modulated by one of the trellis-coded modulators are arranged consecutively in first order in which the data items modulated by one of the trellis-coded modulators have been modulated as arrangement processing and the arrangement processing is repeated in remaining trellis-coded modulators; a trellis decoding unit which performs trellis decoding of the data items arranged by the data processing unit, thereby producing decoded data items; and a data rearranging unit which rearranges the decoded data items in second order in which the decoded data items have been multiplexed in the trellis-coded modulation signal.
US09172500B2
The present invention provides a signal demodulation method and device. The method includes: obtaining a symbol probability parameter, where the symbol probability parameter comprises: an amplitude ry and a phase angle φy of a receive signal, an amplitude rxj and a phase angle φxj of each constellation point xj in a decision constellation point set, and a standard deviation σn of Gaussian noise and a standard deviation πθ of phase noise; calculating, according to the symbol probability parameter, a symbol probability that a transmit signal is each constellation point xj in the decision constellation point set; and performing demodulation according to the symbol probability, and outputting demodulation information. The present invention improves an anti-phase-noise capability.
US09172498B2
A transmitter comprising a noise signal generator, a summing element configured to generate a signal as a sum of an output of the noise signal generator and a transmit data signal, and a transmit driver configured to generate an output signal based on the sum. Also, a method of calibrating a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for a transmitter comprising transmitting a first signal comprising a data signal with no noise signal, capturing the first signal, transmitting a second signal comprising a noise signal, wherein both an amplitude and a phase of the noise signal have been adjusted by a gain and phase control element, capturing the second signal, and determining the SNR corresponding to the captured first signal and the captured second signal, wherein the transmitter transmits the second signal using a transmit driver.
US09172495B1
A Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocol evolved Node-B (eNB) and method for dynamic modulation change while generating a Media Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Unit (PDU) in a LTE wireless network are provided. The eNB in one example embodiment includes a transceiver system configured to receive a packet and a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) from a User Equipment (UE) and a processing system coupled to the transceiver system and configured to determine whether padding is needed in the MAC PDU, if padding is needed, select a slower modulation scheme and coding rate than is specified by the CQI, wherein the selected slower modulation scheme and coding rate are selected so as to substantially eliminate padding in the MAC PDU, and transmit the MAC PDU using the selected slower modulation scheme and coding rate.
US09172485B2
In a network device communicatively coupled to a master clock via a plurality of different communication paths, a clock synchronization module is configured to determine a plurality of path time data sets corresponding to the plurality of different communication paths based on signals received from the master clock via the plurality of different communication paths between the network device and the master clock. A clock module is configured to determine a time of day as a function of the plurality of path time data sets.
US09172478B2
A method and an apparatus for switching from the main frequency to an Alternative Frequency (AF) providing the same station is provided. The method includes measuring a received signal strength of a main frequency, receiving at least one alternative frequency list, establishing an accumulated alternative frequency list including all previously received alternative frequency lists, comparing the received signal strength of the main frequency with a predefined reference received signal strength, and attempting, when the received signal strength of the main frequency is less than the reference received signal strength, switching to an alternative frequency in the accumulated alternative frequency list.
US09172474B2
Methods and systems for a photonically enabled complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip are disclosed and may comprise in an integrated circuit comprising a driver: amplifying a received signal in a plurality of partial voltage domains, and generating the partial voltage domains in a domain splitter in the driver. A voltage domain boundary value between two partial voltage domains may be controlled utilizing a differential amplifier that samples an output voltage of a cascade amplifier that is an input to the driver and controls a current supplying said cascade amplifier. A series of diodes may be driven in differential mode via the amplified signals. An optical signal may be modulated via the diodes, which may be integrated in a Mach-Zehnder modulator or a ring modulator. The diodes may be connected in a distributed configuration. The amplified signals may be communicated to the diodes via transmission lines, which may be even-mode coupled.
US09172473B2
In one example embodiment, a transmitter module includes a header electrically coupled to a chassis ground. First and second input nodes are configured to receive a differential data signal. A buffer stage has a first node coupled to the first input node and a second node coupled to the second input node. An amplifier stage has a fifth node coupled to a third node of the buffer stage and a sixth node coupled to a signal ground that is not coupled to the chassis ground. An optical transmitter has an eighth node coupled to a seventh node of the amplifier stage and a ninth node configured to be coupled to a voltage source. A bias circuit is configured to couple a fourth node of the buffer stage to a bias current source.
US09172471B2
A system for suppressing even-order distortion in a photonic link includes a laser for providing laser light to a first input of a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM), where the MZM has a second input for receiving an RF input signal, a third input for applying a DC bias voltage to the MZM, and an optical signal output. A dc-voltage-biased photodiode has an input, coupled to the MZM optical signal output, and a modulated RF signal output. The MZM DC bias voltage is set at a value to generate an even-order distortion amplitude substantially equal to an even-order distortion amplitude from the photodiode and 180 degrees out of phase so as to substantially cancel the photodiode even-order distortion. The invention provides the cancellation of photodiode even-order distortion via predisortion linearization with a MZM biased slightly away from quadrature, employing a single fiber run and a single photodiode. The invention provides an improvement in carrier-to-intermodulation ratio (CIR) upwards of 40 dB.
US09172467B2
A Raman pump may include a dual output laser configured to output two optical signals; a delay interferometer configured to delay a first of the two optical signals to decorrelate the two optical signals from each other; and a combiner configured to combine the delayed first of the two optical signals and a second of the two optical signals to provide a Raman amplification signal.
US09172464B2
A handshake synchronization method and system based on visible light communication are provided. The method includes: connecting, by a transmitting end, in which a state machine varies with unit time, to a receiving end, the status of a state machine of the receiving end being synchronized with the status of the state machine of the transmitting end; using, by the transmitting end, a pseudocode signal which varies with unit time, to scramble an original signal and a pilot optical signal, and sending, in the form of a visible light signal, the scrambled signal obtained by scrambling; and receiving, by the receiving end, the visible light signal, identifying the scrambled signal of the current period of time by using a pilot optical signal, and decrypting the original signal according to the scrambled signal. Since a visible light signal which is transmitted between a transmitting end and a receiving end is not an original signal, the security of a photonic Internet of Things is improved.
US09172462B2
Optical bench structure provides a platform for integrating optical transmitters, particularly Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSELs), with monitor photodetectors. A substrate with photodetectors on the front side is aligned with flip-chip bonding bumps so the emission of the transmitters is aligned with the monitor photodetectors and passes through the monitor photodetectors with a portion of the transmitted light absorbed by the monitor photodetectors. The photodetectors have a thin absorption region so the percentage of light absorbed may be relatively small, providing sufficient photocurrent to monitor the transmitted power having a minimal effect on the transmitted power. Microlenses are integrated on the backside of the substrate focus, steer and/or collimate the emitted optical beams from the transmitters. The structure enables photodetectors to be integrated on the optical bench allowing the received optical power to be monitored. The receiver photodetectors are integrated on the optical bench alone and/or in combination with the transmitters.
US09172449B2
The embodiments herein relate to a method in a transmitter (101) for transmitting at least a first data burst and a second data burst to a receiver (105) in a system (100) applying applies closed loop codebook-based precoding MIMO. The transmitter (101) comprises at least a first Tx antenna (107a) and a second Tx antenna (107b). The transmitter (101) transmits, to the receiver (105), at least the first data burst through the first Tx antenna (107a) and the second data burst through the second Tx antenna (107b). The first data burst comprises a first training sequence and the second data burst comprises a second training sequence when the first data burst and the second data burst are non-precoded. The first data burst comprises a third training sequence and the second data burst comprises a fourth training sequence when the first data burst and the second data burst are precoded.
US09172448B2
A base-station apparatus configures a terminal apparatus with information related to mapping between a first channel-state information reference signal and a second channel-state information reference signal and codebook subset restriction information that restricts selection of a codebook subset as feedback information by the terminal apparatus, the codebook subset indicating precoding a weight to perform a first communication and a second communication. Using the information related to the mapping and the codebook subset restriction information, the terminal apparatus selects a codebook to perform the first communication and a codebook to perform the second communication. The terminal apparatus configures the base-station apparatus with information indicating the codebook to perform the first communication and information indicating the codebook to perform the second communication.
US09172446B2
A method and apparatus for an access point (AP) accessing a channel occupied by a neighboring AP within clear channel assessment (CCA) range. The method is implemented by setting a transmit null towards the neighboring AP, while acquiring accurate channel knowledge with minimal bandwidth penalty to surrounding networks, via a combination of sparse explicit sounding, and a following implicit channel estimation of the neighboring APs for updating the explicit data achieved by the sparse explicit sounding. An AP implementing the method is also disclosed.
US09172444B2
A system and method for opportunistically designing collaborative beamforming vectors is disclosed for a wireless multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) space division multiple access (SDMA) communication system by sequentially designing beamforming vectors for ranked channels in order to exploit the instantaneous channel conditions to improve per user average SNR performance. Each subscriber station independently transmits information to a base station that allows the base station to determine beamforming vectors for each subscriber station by ranking the subscriber stations by channel strength. Using sequential nullspace methods, the ranked channel matrices are then used to select the channel matrix Hi for the best subscriber station, to design the wi, vi for the best subscriber station as the left and right singular vectors of the MIMO channel matrix Hi, to transform the remaining channels and to continue the process until beamforming vectors are designed for all channels.
US09172442B2
Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of transmit power control for wireless communication. For example, an apparatus may include a controller to control a plurality of transmit powers of a plurality of directional beams formed by an antenna array to transmit a wireless communication. The controller may control the plurality of transmit powers based on at least first and second power limits, the first power limit including a power density limit corresponding to a power density of a directional beam of the plurality of directional beams, and the second power limit including a total transmit power limit corresponding to a total of the transmit powers.
US09172441B2
Radio frequency (RF) front end circuitry includes one or more antenna ports, one or more RF switching ports, and an RF switch matrix coupled between the antenna ports and the RF front end ports. The RF switch matrix comprises a dual 4×4 multiplexer, and is adapted to selectively couple any one of the antennas to any one of the plurality of RF switching ports.
US09172435B2
Apparatus for power transmission and for inductive communication with a track or rail-guided moving object, with a power transmission line which extends along an envisaged path of movement of the object—with which a current collector can make contact—for supplying power to moving loads, a separate data line, at least one communication inductance on the object coupleable magnetically to the data line, and with a communication device which is connected to the communication inductance. The communication device has a modem which operates on the basis of an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing method at a data rate of at least 50 MBit/s. One end of the data line is connected to a communication device connected to a central control unit and containing a modem of the same type as the communication device in the moving object.
US09172424B2
Described herein are techniques for self-synchronization of wireless nodes. For example, the technique may involve determining a repetition rate for receiving a signal from another access point, wherein the repetition rate identifies the another access point. The technique may also involve receiving at the access point an unmodulated impulse radio (IR) ultra wide band (UWB) pulse train from the another access point during a transmission interval associated with the repetition rate. The technique may also involve synchronizing a first clock associated with the access point to a clock associated with the another access point based on the received unmodulated IR UWB pulse train.
US09172414B2
The various embodiments include a dual-SIM-dual-active (DSDA) device and methods for implementing robust receive (Rx) processing to resolve radio frequency coexistence interference between two subscriptions operating on the DSDA device. The DSDA device may detect when a subscription (the “aggressor”) de-senses the other subscription (the “victim”) as a result of the aggressor's transmissions, and in response, implement robust Rx processing to mitigate the effects of de-sense on the victim while causing minimal impact to the aggressor.
US09172412B2
Systems and methods reduce electromagnetic interference from high speed data carried by wired interconnects with a radio receiver for at least one protected radio frequency band. A spectral encoder changes the encoding of the high speed data to modify its frequency spectrum and reduce its spectral in the protected frequency band. The wired interconnect carries the spectrally encoded data to its destination, where it is spectrally decoded back to its original form. Spectral encoding may include polynomial scrambling. The data may be encoded with different coding parameters in parallel and the best result selected for communication over the wired interconnect. The coding parameters may be changed depending on which radio receivers and/or protected frequency bands are in use at any given time.
US09172408B2
A transmitter includes a first channel and a second channel. The first channel includes a first mixer, and is used for processing a first input signal to generate a first output signal; the second channel includes a second mixer, where the second channel does not receive any input signal. When the transmitter is operated under a first mode, both the first mixer and the second mixer receive oscillation signals.
US09172404B1
Switching circuitry is provided for a mobile terminal having a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) mode of operation and a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) mode of operation. The switching circuitry includes resonant tank circuitry having a controllable resonant frequency and an output coupled to an antenna of the mobile terminal. The switching circuitry also includes a transmit switch that couples TDMA transmit circuitry to an input of the resonant tank circuitry when transmitting in the TDMA mode of operation, a receive switch that couples TDMA receive circuitry to the input of the resonant tank circuitry when receiving in the TDMA mode of operation, and a FDD switch that couples a FDD transceiver to the output of the resonant tank circuitry when in the FDD mode of operation. The controllable resonant frequency is controlled such that the transmit and receive switches are isolated from the antenna during FDD operation.
US09172401B2
A computing device with a configurable antenna. The antenna is configured through a switching circuit operating under software control. Operating characteristics of the antenna are configured based on connections between conducting segments established by the switching circuit, allowing the nominal frequency, bandwidth or other characteristics of the antenna to be configured. Because the switching is software controlled, the configurable antenna may be integrated with a software defined radio. The radio and antenna can be reconfigured to support communication according to different wireless technologies at different times or to interleave packets according to different wireless technologies to support concurrent sessions using different wireless technologies.
US09172399B2
In various embodiments, an iterative decoder may compute, from sign bits of log likelihood ratios associated with x bits of a plurality of bits of encoded data, a first combination of the x bits having a higher associated log density ratio than any other combination of the x bits. In various embodiments, the iterative decoder may further be configured to compute m combinations of the x bits having m highest associated log density ratios, based on reductions in log density ratios associated with one or more sub-combinations of the x bits and the computed first combination of the x bits. In various embodiments, a variable node associated with the iterative decoder may be updated with the m combinations of the x bits.
US09172394B2
A signal conversion system and method for converting an input signal to a pulse width modulated signal is disclosed. The signal conversion system includes a sample rate converter coupled with an associated pulse width modulation (PWM) module. A hardware and power efficient signal conversion system for resampling an audio input signal with an arbitrary sample rate to a pulse width modulated output audio signal for use in an audio processor and/or reproduction is disclosed. The signal conversion system may be particularly suitable for use in a battery operated consumer electronics device.
US09172393B2
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for converting a digital input signal to an analog output signal are disclosed. A first delta-sigma modulator receives a common mode reference signal and generates a common mode control signal. A data delta-sigma modulator receives a digital input signal and generates a modulated digital input signal. A shuffler receives the modulated digital input signal and the common mode control signal and generates a shuffled digital input signal. A digital to analog converter (DAC) has a plurality of tri-level unit DAC elements each receiving a corresponding portion of the shuffled digital input signal as a first input signal, and receiving second and third input signals. The tri-level unit DAC elements have first outputs coupled together generating a first output signal and second outputs coupled together generating a second output signal. An operational amplifier receives the first and second output signals and generates the analog output signal.
US09172391B2
A method and a system for compensating a delay mismatch between a first measurement channel and a second measurement channel is disclosed. A method for compensating a delay mismatch between a first measurement channel and a second measurement channel includes providing a reference point for starting the first and second measurement channel, and starting the first measurement channel after expiration of a first delay period which begins at the reference point. The method further includes starting the second measurement channel after expiry of a second delay period which begins at the reference point, wherein a difference between a length of the first delay period and a length of the second delay period is substantially equal to the delay mismatch between the first measurement channel and the second measurement channel.
US09172379B1
Systems and methods relating to an elastic buffer for dynamically adjusting depth of a data-path implemented on an integrated circuit device. The device includes a first flip-flop, a second flip-flop, a multiplexer, and a controller. The first and second flip-flops are arranged in a cascade configuration with the multiplexer interposed therebetween. In certain embodiments, the multiplexer is capable of selecting between input received upstream and the output of the first flip-flop. The controller utilizes control logic to drive the first and second flip-flops and the multiplexer. The first and second flip-flops, and the multiplexer may represent an elastic buffer subunit corresponding to a single bit within a larger elastic buffer, in which a plurality of elastic buffer subunits are cascaded to form the elastic buffer along with a single shared controller.
US09172375B1
Provided are a level shifter and a digital to analog converter, which can make a minimum value of an output voltage be greater than 0. In the circuit, sources of a first field effect transistor and a second field effect transistor are connected to a first direct current power supply; a drain of the first field effect transistor and a gate of the second field effect transistor are connected to one terminal of a first capacitor; a connecting end formed after the other terminal of the first capacitor is connected to an input end of a phase inverter is used as a digital signal input end; a gate of the first field effect transistor, a drain of the second field effect transistor, a source of a third field effect transistor, and a source of a fifth field effect transistor are connected to one terminal of a second capacitor.
US09172374B2
A voltage level translator includes an inverter circuit configured to switch an output of the inverter circuit between a first voltage level and a second voltage level. The voltage level translator also includes a capacitor connected to the output of the inverter circuit. The voltage level translator also includes a load connected to the capacitor. The capacitance of the capacitor is approximately 10 times larger than a capacitance of the load. An output signal of the voltage level translator has at least one of a different voltage swing and a different voltage domain than an input signal to the inverter circuit.
US09172370B2
A programmable logic device (PLD) that can control whether to supply power in each logic element is provided. The PLD includes at least a programmable logic element, a terminal to which a potential is input from an external power source, a switch controlling conduction between the terminal and the logic element, and a memory outputting a control signal for setting the conduction state of the switch. The memory stores pieces of configuration data for setting the conduction state of the switch. Any one of the pieces of configuration data is output as the control signal from the memory to the switch.
US09172369B2
A programmable logic device having low power consumption with operation speed maintained is provided. The programmable logic device includes a first circuit; a second circuit; a first transistor making electrical connection between the first circuit and the second circuit depending on a potential of a gate of the first transistor; a first switch configured to control supply of a signal to a first node; a second switch configured to control supply of the signal to a second node; a second transistor having a gate and one of a source and a drain that are electrically connected to the first node and having the other of the source and the drain that is electrically connected to the second node; and a capacitor that holds a potential of the signal supplied to the first node.
US09172365B2
A circuit performs a method for controlling turn-off of a semiconductor switching element. The method includes determining at least one operating parameter for the semiconductor switching element during an operating cycle and determining a gate discharge current based on the at least one operating parameter. The method further includes supplying the gate discharge current to a gate of the semiconductor switching element during a subsequent operating cycle to turn off the semiconductor switching element.
US09172364B2
A bootstrapped switch circuit capable of operating at input signals from far below the negative supply rail to far beyond the positive supply rail may include (a) a switch having a first terminal coupled to an input terminal, a second terminal coupled to an output terminal, and a control terminal; (b) a charge pump coupled to one or more clock signals and isolated from a timing circuit via a first capacitor and a second capacitor, the charge pump generating an output voltage; and (c) a logic circuit coupled to one or more clock signals and isolated from the timing control circuit via a third capacitor and a fourth capacitor, wherein the logic circuit provides a control signal to the control terminal of the switch that is derived from the output voltage of the charge pump.
US09172362B2
A circuit includes a load; a first differential pair coupled to the load and responsive to input data; a second differential pair coupled to the load and responsive to the input data; a third differential pair coupled to the first differential pair and the second differential pair and responsive to a first control signal and a second control signal; a bias circuit configured to pull a node coupled to both the first differential pair and the second differential pair to a predetermined state; and a current source coupled to the third differential pair and the bias circuit.
US09172361B2
A phase detector includes a phase propagator circuit including a plurality of flip-flops. Each flip-flop includes a clock input configured to receive a clock signal having a different phase relative to phases of the clock signal received by other flip-flops in the plurality of flip-flops. The phase detector further includes a phase controller coupled to the clock input of each flip-flop in the plurality of flip-flops. The phase controller is configured to provide the different phases of the clock signal to the plurality of flip-flops such that the different phases are scaled exponentially relative to one another.
US09172360B2
An emphasis signal generating circuit includes: a branch and delay unit configured to branch an input signal, delay a branched signal, and output a first delayed signal; a high-frequency extraction unit configured to extract at least one of high-frequency components of the input signal and the first delayed signal to output a high-frequency signal; and an addition and subtraction unit configured to add and subtract the input signal, the first delayed signal, and the high-frequency signal.
US09172359B2
A processing-efficient chirp generator that allows flexibility in controlling phase, frequency and slope, i.e., rate of change of frequency. In one embodiment, a fine phase propagation block generates phase values in increments of the fine time step, each phase value also offset from other phase values by multiples of a coarse time step. The phase samples are realigned in time after conversion to digital-to-analog converter (DAC) values.
US09172358B1
An isolation circuit includes a first multiplexer, a D flip-flop, a second multiplexer, an OR gate, and an AND gate. The first multiplexer selects a data signal or a scan-in signal as a first element output signal according to a scan enable signal. The D flip-flop generates a second element output signal according to the first element output signal. The second element output signal is fed back to the first multiplexer and is used as the data signal. The second multiplexer selects an isolation signal or the second element output signal as a third element output signal according to a test enable signal. The OR gate generates a fourth element output signal according to the scan enable signal and the third element output signal. The AND gate generates a second power domain signal according to a first power domain signal and the fourth element output signal.
US09172355B2
A transmission circuit includes a first path that connects a first terminal for inputting or outputting signals, and one of a pair of second terminals for outputting or inputting the signals; a second path that connects the first terminal and another one of the pair of second terminals; a first circuit including a first capacitor that is serially inserted in the first path, which is configured to perform single-differential conversion on signals transmitted through the first path, to perform impedance matching, and to supply a bias voltage; a second circuit including a first inductor that is serially inserted in the second path, which is configured to perform single-differential conversion on signals transmitted through the second path, to perform impedance matching, and to supply a bias voltage; and a switch that is connected between the two terminals of the pair of second terminals.
US09172353B2
In one example embodiment, a programmable filter is provided, including a plurality of variable-inductance networks and a plurality of variable-capacitance networks. The programmable filter may be implemented in a classical filter topology, with variable-capacitance networks replacing discrete capacitors and variable-inductance networks replacing discrete inductors. An example variable-inductance network comprises a primary inductor with an intermediate tap, and secondary inductor connected at the intermediate tap, with switches for selecting an inductance.
US09172351B2
According to embodiments of the present invention, a piezoelectric resonator is provided. The piezoelectric resonator includes a piezoelectric substrate, a first electrode comprising a first plurality of electrode fingers, a second electrode comprising a second plurality of electrode fingers, wherein the first plurality of electrode fingers and the second plurality of electrode fingers are interdigitated, and wherein electrode patches are arranged along the first plurality of electrode fingers and the second plurality of electrode fingers according to a 2-dimensional lattice.
US09172349B2
An electronic circuit comprises a high-pass and a low-pass. The low-pass comprises at least one low-pass series element and a low-pass transverse element. The high-pass comprises at least one high-pass series element and a high-pass transverse element. The low-pass series element and the high-pass transverse element are realised in this context by a common component, and/or the high-pass series element and the low-pass transverse element are realised in this context by a common component.
US09172344B2
A radio frequency (RF) signal is received in a receiver, and various counts based on information from the signal can be obtained. Counts of a number of samples of the RF signal exceeding first and second thresholds can be accumulated during an accumulation window. From the first of these counts, it can be determined if the count exceeds a first metric corresponding to a first predetermined count value, and if so, a gain of an RF gain element can be reduced. From the second of these counts it can be determined if this count exceeds a second metric corresponding to a second predetermined count value, and if not, the gain can be increased.
US09172337B2
A wideband driver amplifier with embedded passive filtering and gain peaking is described. The wideband driver amplifier comprises a voltage to current circuit, a passive band-selection filter, and a current to voltage circuit. The driver amplifier features an Embedded CLC-Ladder band-selection filter and thereby immune to process variations.
US09172332B2
Provided is an operational amplifier circuit having a high tolerance for clock phase difference fluctuations. An FIR filter is used to add an input signal of the FIR filter to a signal obtained by delaying the input signal of the FIR filter. In this manner, chopper noise can be removed. Thus, the operational amplifier circuit may have a high tolerance for clock phase difference fluctuations regardless of the phase difference between clocks for controlling a chopper circuit and the FIR filter.
US09172326B2
An oscillator and a method of fabricating the oscillator are described. The oscillator includes a resonator with a plurality of transmission lines. An oscillation frequency of the oscillator is independent of at least one dimension of the plurality of transmission lines. The oscillator also includes a negative resistance circuit coupled to the resonator that cancels internal loss resistance of the resonator.
US09172319B2
A magnetic force estimating unit (38) for estimating the magnetic force of a permanent magnet of a rotor of a motor (6), a determining unit (39), and a demagnetization responsive timing changing unit (40) are provided in an inverter device (22) or an electric control unit (21). The magnetic force estimating unit (38) performs a determination of the magnetic force with a predetermined rule from detection signals of at least two of the motor rotation number, motor voltage and motor current. The determining unit (39) determines whether or not a demagnetization occurs. In response to the result of determination by the determining unit (39), the demagnetization responsive timing changing unit (40) changes the timing, at which the maximum electric current relative to the phase of the rotor is fed, so that with respect the motor drive by the inverter device the reluctance torque of the motor may be increased.
US09172313B2
An oscillatory wave drive unit includes at least one vibrator having an electromechanical energy converting element, and at least one supporting member configured to support the at least one vibrator. The oscillatory wave drive unit excites oscillation in the at least one vibrator and moves a moving body in contact with the at least one vibrator by frictional force. The oscillatory wave drive unit includes at least one moving mechanism configured to support the at least one vibrator movably in a plane parallel to the plane where the at least one vibrator and the moving body are in contact with each other, in a second direction intersecting with a first direction in which the at least one vibrator drives the moving body.
US09172310B2
A generator, for example a three-phase generator including an associated rectifier system, is used, for example for the electrical voltage supply of a motor vehicle. The AC voltage produced by the generator is rectified by the rectifier system having a plurality of rectifying elements 2, 7. Rectifying elements 2 of the rectifier have a plurality of series connections of a self-conducting n-channel JFET and a self-conducting p-channel JFET, the gate terminals being connected to the outer source or drain terminals of the other transistor. Alternatively, the self-conducting JFETS of the rectifying element 2 in FIG. 1 may be replaced by self-conducting MOS field effect transistors (depletion mode MOSFET). The p-channel JFET of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1 is replaced by a self-conducting p-channel MOSFET and the n-channel JFET is replaced by a self-conducting n-channel MOSFET. Furthermore, the gate terminals are connected to the diametrically opposed outer terminals.
US09172307B2
The present invention is a switching power source device which converts AC power of an AC power source into DC power and outputs the DC power, the device including: a rectifying-smoothing circuit configured to output a rectified-smoothed voltage signal obtained by rectifying and smoothing an AC voltage of the AC power source; a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding, and an auxiliary winding; a switching element connected to the primary winding of the transformer; and a control circuit configured to turn the switching element on and off based on a voltage signal which is based on an average value of current flowing through the switching element and the rectified-smoothed voltage signal from the rectifying-smoothing circuit.
US09172304B2
A system includes a constant input current filter configured to draw a constant input current from a power source and to generate a variable output current. The constant input current filter includes a capacitor, a boost converter, and a buck converter. The boost converter is configured to receive at least a portion of the input current and to charge the capacitor using at least the portion of the input current during first time periods associated with operation of a load. The buck converter is configured to discharge the capacitor and to provide an additional current as part of the output current during second time periods associated with operation of the load. The load could represent an electronic device having a time-varying output power characteristic, such as a wireless radio.
US09172299B2
The invention provides a digital active EMI filter that removes, minimizes, or reduces unwanted interference (i.e., EMI noise) generated by a power circuit such as, for example, a power converter. Digital active filtering includes digital sampling of the incident noise signal amplitude and frequency, discrete time conversion of the EMI noise source, processing (e.g., inverting) the digital signal, and then constructing an analog output signal (i.e., an EMI compensation signal) which is injected to the input of the power circuit. A digital EMI filter as described herein may be used in both differential-mode and common-mode configurations, and overcomes limitations of passive and active analog EMI filters.
US09172286B2
Disclosed is a leveling motor, which removes a gap from a threaded portion converting a rotating force of the leveling motor into an axial feeding force to minimize a movement error and enable a leveling operation to be precisely controlled, and includes a housing, a shaft axially moving in the housing and having on an outer circumference thereof a threaded portion, a threaded pipe provided on an outer circumference of the shaft and having on an inner circumference thereof a grooved portion that corresponds to the threaded portion, and an elastic member supplying an upward elastic force to the shaft, whereby the threaded portion axially comes into close contact with the grooved portion by the elastic force of the elastic member.
US09172278B2
Not less than two regions different in magnetic circuit design are provided in a rotational axis direction of the rotor (30), the regions being different by changing a cross-sectional shape in the rotational axis direction in a cross-section perpendicular to a rotational shaft (10) of the rotor (30) having the permanent magnets (1) and the rotor core (2); the supplemental grooves (5) are provided in axial partial regions of each of the teeth (7) of the stator core (3); and the region in which the supplemental groove (5) is provided is each partial region for each region facing a region same in magnetic circuit design of the rotor (30). This enables to reduce cogging torque generated by variations on the rotor side.
US09172273B2
A smooth switching device and method for double power supplies. The devices includes a main/backup power supply switching unit (1), a relay control unit (3), a charge management unit (2), a main power supply switching auxiliary unit (4) and a backup power supply switching auxiliary unit (5). The device and the method enable the main power supply (200) and the backup power supply (300) which supply power for electric equipment (100) to be switched smoothly, so that it is not easy for the electric equipment (100) to be disconnected with the power supplies and the fluctuation of a load voltage is small. Moreover, the device doesn't need a bulk capacitor used for auxiliary switching and doesn't need to be used together with a radiator.
US09172268B2
A portable electronic device includes a housing and at least one charging module installed in the housing. The at least one charging module includes a magnetic induction block and a coil unit positioned beside the magnetic induction block. The coil unit includes a base block and an induction coil coiled around the base block. The induction coil is configured for generating induction current under the action of a charging magnetic filed outside the housing. The magnetic induction block enhances the magnetic filed intensity acting on the induction coil.
US09172254B2
A source of environmental pollution is the burning of fuel by the transportation vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks). The use of electric vehicles (EVs) is perceived as an essential step towards better utilization of energy. Current EVs make use of an electric engine and a battery pack that provides energy to that engine. The technology of electric engines is well developed because of the common use of such engines in trains, submarines and industrial facilities. But, while the battery packs used in EVs have made a lot of progress in the last couple of years, these battery packs still have problems. These battery packs are expansive, heavy, and limited in the amount of energy that they can provide. This obstacle is a major factor that limits the use of EVs today in the mass market. Described herein is an improved EV battery pack system.
US09172249B2
A microgrid controller may control the generation, distribution, storage and use of electrical power on a microgrid. Embodiments of a microgrid controller may include inputs for different types of power (e.g. AC and DC) or power sources (e.g. wind and solar), an input for utility grid power, electrical equipment for conditioning the electrical power received from the multiple sources (e.g. rectifiers and inverters), outputs to multiple types of loads (e.g. three-phase AC and single-phase AC) and control circuitry designed to control the generation, storage, distribution and usage of electrical power on the microgrid. Embodiments of microgrid systems may include multiple types of electrical generation sources (e.g. wind, solar, electromechanical and fuel cell), multiple types of electrical loads (e.g. inductive and resistive), electrical storage units (e.g. batteries) and a microgrid controller.
US09172247B2
A power supply system is provided that can reduce the maximum value of the amount of power per unit time supplied to a load and a power storage portion and that can increase the amount of power stored in the power storage portion. The power supply system (1) includes the power storage portion (11) and a charge-discharge control portion (51) that controls the charge and discharge of the power storage portion (11). The power supply system (1) supplies power to an EV charge portion (311) that is one of power storage portions (31). The charge-discharge control portion (51) charges the power storage portion (11) when a power or a current consumed by the EV charge portion (311) is equal to or less than a predetermined magnitude.
US09172243B2
An integrated circuit may include an over-capability detection circuit coupled to an I/O pad which provides a shut-off signal to a latch controlling an ESD protection shunting component. The ESD protection shunting component is coupled between the I/O pad and a reference node of the integrated circuit. The over-capability detection circuit provides the shut-off signal when safe operating conditions are resumed after a voltage excursion at the I/O pad. After receiving the shut-off signal, the latch biases the ESD protection shunting component into an off-state.
US09172241B2
A technique for providing electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection in complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technologies is disclosed. A power supply RC-based ESD protection circuit having an RC value in the nanosecond range increases the allowable power-up slew rate so that fast power-up events (e.g., hot-plug and power switching operations) are not erroneously interpreted as ESD events. Because the RC value is small, the layout area needed for the RC-based ESD protection circuit is also reduced.
US09172240B2
An electric rotating machine for a vehicle is equipped with a load dump protector. The load dump protector works to selectively perform a first and a second load dump protection operation to suppress a voltage surge arising from the load dump. When a rate at which an output voltage from the electric rotating machine is determined to be smaller than a given value, the load dump protector waits for stating the first load dump protection operation until the time when a voltage surge arising from changing of switching devices of a rectifier module of the electric rotating machine is expected to be suppressed and then performs the first load dump protection operation. When the rate is greater than the given value, the load dump protector immediately initiates the second load dump protection operation. This ensures the stability in eliminating the risk of a voltage surge arising from the load dump.
US09172235B2
An electrical circuit for driving a bus is described that includes a plurality of branches coupled to at least one signal line at a termination of the bus and a transmit data input configured to receive data that the electrical circuit drives across the bus. The electrical circuit also includes an over-current validation unit coupled to the transmit data input which is configured to validate an over-current condition detected at a first branch of the plurality of branches based at least in part on the data at the transmit data input. The electrical circuit also includes a branch control unit coupled to the over-current validation unit which is configured to disable at least one of the plurality of branches in response to a validated over-current condition at the first branch.
US09172232B2
A charging cable housing apparatus includes a winding core having a charging cable wound around an outer peripheral surface thereof, an end plate provided with a first slit extending from the winding core in a radial direction and having a predetermined width, and a side plate disposed to connect the base plate and the end plate and provided with a second slit having the same width as that of the first slit. One end of the charging cable wound around the winding core is being pulled out through the first slit or the second slit.
US09172228B2
An electrical fitting that comprises an integral cover plate and an electrical component, such as an outlet or a switch, the combined electrical component/cover plate being secured via screws through the cover plate into a wall box. Wires are secured to power wires coming from the wall box via quick-connectors or wirenuts.
US09172220B1
A modular power control system is provided and includes a base enclosure, wherein the base enclosure and a base enclosure door, wherein the base enclosure defines a base enclosure cavity and the base enclosure door defines a base enclosure door cavity. Additionally, a module enclosure is provided and includes a module enclosure top, a module enclosure bottom, and two module enclosure sides, wherein the module enclose defines a module enclosure cavity and a module enclosure internal support, wherein the module enclosure internal support includes a module enclosure internal support rear and two module enclosure internal support sides having a first module guide channel located on one of the two module enclosure internal support sides and a second module guide channel located on the other of the two module enclosure internal support side.
US09172219B2
In accordance with the present disclosure, a detachable power cable interface box (PCIB) for coupling AC power to a rack-level power infrastructure is described. The detachable PCIB includes a body section and a terminal disposed within the body section. The terminal may be coupled to an AC power source. A wiring block may also be disposed within the body, and the modular wiring block may be coupled to the terminal. The wiring block may arrange power input from the AC power source into a pre-determined output configuration corresponding to a detachable interface. The system may also include the detachable interface, and the detachable interface may be configured to couple with an integrated connector of the rack-level power infrastructure. The detachable interface may be common to all types of AC power sources.
US09172214B2
A spark plug includes a center electrode, a ceramic insulator provided with an axial hole, a metal shell, and a ground electrode having a facing surface that faces a leading end surface of the center electrode. An annular space is formed between an outer peripheral surface of the center electrode and an inner peripheral surface of the axial hole and is opened toward a leading end side, and when C (mm) is a distance between the outer peripheral surface of the center electrode and the inner peripheral surface of the axial hole in the opening of the annular space, C≧0.2 mm is satisfied. In a cross-section which includes the axial line and is orthogonal to the center axis of the ground electrode, a contour line of lateral surfaces of the ground electrode has a curved shape convexed outward.
US09172205B2
Provided is an optical vortex laser oscillation device which is capable of an increased out and can generate an optical vortex even in a wide frequency range and if the optical vortex has a quantum number which is not an integer. A laser device according to one embodiment of the present application comprises: a laser light source for generating laser light; an optical vortex generation unit for generating an energized optical vortex on the basis of the laser light generated by the laser light source; and an optical resonance unit for resonating the energized optical vortex generated by the optical vortex generation unit and dividing the energized optical vortex into signal light and idler light. Therein, it is preferable that the optical resonance unit comprises a non-liner medium and a pair of resonator mirrors sandwiching the non-linear medium, and it is preferable that the non-linear medium includes at least one among KTiOPO4, periodically polarization-reversed LiNbO3, and periodically polarization-reversed LiTaO3.
US09172201B2
A wavelength conversion laser light source, includes: a solid laser medium; a wavelength conversion element; a concave mirror on which a first reflecting surface reflecting a fundamental light wave and a the second harmonic light wave is formed; and a wavelength plate on which a second reflecting surface reflecting the fundamental light wave and transmitting the second harmonic light wave is formed, wherein a laser resonator is constituted by the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface; the solid laser medium is arranged on a first reflecting surface side of the laser resonator, the wavelength plate is arranged on a second reflecting surface side of the laser resonator, and the wavelength conversion element is arranged between the solid laser medium and the wavelength plate; and the wavelength plate outputs the second harmonic wave, to the exterior of the laser resonator, via the second reflecting surface.
US09172200B2
A source of femtosecond optical pulses comprises a seed pulse source arranged to generate seed pulses; an optical amplifier downstream of the seed pulse source, the optical amplifier having a gain bandwidth; a nonlinear optical element downstream of the amplifier, the optical element spectrally broadening optical pulses via a non linear process to have a spectral bandwidth that exceeds the gain bandwidth of the optical amplifier; and a pulse compressor downstream of the nonlinear optical element and arranged to reduce the temporal duration of optical pulses so as to provide output optical pulses having a femtoseconds time duration.
US09172199B2
An electrical fixture includes an electrical fixture housing having a mounting surface, an electrical connector disposed on the mounting surface, and an electrical fixture support. A corresponding cover plate includes an electrical connector configured to electrically connect to hot and neutral lines from a junction box and the corresponding electrical connector disposed on the mounting surface of the electrical fixture. An electrical fixture ground connection separate from the fixture electrical connector electrically connects to an electrical ground from the junction box.
US09172195B2
A connector connected with an end of a coaxial cable having a small diameter is provided. The connector includes an insulating housing, a signal terminal, and a shielding housing. The insulating housing has a hollow hole, a terminal cavity, and an insulating plate. The hollow hole of the insulating housing penetrates through two surfaces of the insulating housing, and communicates with the terminal cavity of the insulating housing. The signal terminal is assembled the terminal cavity. The signal terminal has a flat portion electrically connected to the internal conductive wires of the coaxial cable. The shielding housing has a circular portion and a cover. The circular portion surrounds the outer surface of the insulating housing, and the cover of the shielding housing presses the insulating plate of the insulating housing to enable the internal conductive wires of the coaxial cable to contact the signal terminal.
US09172193B2
A joint connector extending structure includes first and second connector terminals, first and second housings for housing the first and second connector terminals, and a joint connector configured to fit in first and second cutouts of the first and second housings laid on top of one another to engage with male contacts of the first and second connector terminals housed in the first and second housings thereby to conduct the first and second connector terminals and integrate the first and second housings.
US09172192B2
Implantable medical devices include headers having various features such as a modular design whereby the header is constructed from a series of stacked contact modules. Additional features include a feedthrough where pins exiting a housing of the implantable medical device extend into the header to make direct electrical connection to electrical contacts present within the header where those electrical contacts directly engage electrical connectors of leads inserted into the header. Other features include electrical contacts that are relatively thin conductors on the order of 0.040 inches or less and may include radial protrusions where the radial protrusions establish contact with the electrical connectors of the lead. Furthermore, electrical contacts may be mounted within the header in a floating manner so that radial movement of the electrical contact may occur during lead insertion.
US09172189B2
A modular jack includes an insulative housing, a set of central shields, and a set of insert modules. The modular jack defines a mounting port. Each insert module includes a printed circuit broad assembly (PCBA) disposed horizontally in the mounting port and a terminal module located below the PCBA. The terminal module has a set of first terminals, a set of second terminals, and an insulative carrier holding the first and second terminals. Each central shield is disposed between two adjacent insert modules and mounted to the insulative housing. The central shield has a metal wafer and an insulative body for holding the metal wafer. The insulative body includes a pressing face extending along a front-to-back direction and the insulative carrier has a receiving pressure face extending along the front-to-back direction. Each terminal has a mounting portion for electrically and mechanically engaged with an exterior PCB.
US09172183B2
The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly comprising a plug connector and a spring operated secondary lock, being arranged movable on the plug connector housing between an open position and a locked position. The connector is further provided with tension springs, which are tensioned when the secondary lock is moved from the locked to the open position.
US09172173B2
This invention relates to an improved structure of USB connector, particularly relating to the structure of USB connector its bottom having a reading slot for memory card. An insulating base having a slice extending from the insulating base, the top of an insulating base and a slice is hollowly equipped with a number of terminal grooves which are arranged every other line for inlaying USB terminals. Mainly the bottom of an insulating base is equipped with grooves whose middle is protrudently equipped with a number of inlaying strips which are arranged every other line, and the rear of the grooves is protrudently equipped with bumps which are corresponding to the inlaying strips. The spaces between each inlaying strip and each bump are provided for inlaying the connecting terminals. In addition, both sides of an insulating base are equipped with inlaying grooves for inlaying a -shape hook which is provided for pressing each connecting terminal not to be loosened. Furthermore, one side of the bottom of an insulting base is protrudently equipped with a guiding slice and inlaying groove for inlaying a top locking spring. Also, a metal shell can fixedly be inserted to an insulating base forming aforementioned a USB connector having upper slot and rear reading slot of memory card.
US09172172B2
A guide connector includes a first movable body, a second movable body, a box-like body capable of accommodating the movable bodies, and a lid. The guide connector is positioned below a substrate. Contacts are inserted into a female connector after passing through contact insertion holes to of the guide connector and penetrating the substrate. After the electrical connection between the contacts and female contacts are respectively established, a slider is pressed down, which causes pressing pins and to press the first movable body and the second movable body. With this, a lower stage of the first movable body and a lower stage of the second movable body detach from restriction beams. This allows springs to extend, to move the first movable body and the second movable body away from the contacts.
US09172165B1
An apparatus includes a memory module connector assembly physically secured along an edge of a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board includes a first plurality of contacts on a first surface of the printed circuit board and a second plurality of contacts on a second surface of the printed circuit board. The memory module connector assembly includes a first edge connector socket for receiving a first memory module, a second edge connector socket for receiving a second memory module, a first plurality of electrical leads electrically connecting contacts within the first edge connector socket to the first plurality of contacts on the first side of the printed circuit board, and a second plurality of electrical leads electrically connecting contacts within the second edge connector socket to the second plurality of contacts on the second side of the printed circuit board.
US09172164B2
A card edge connector which could be inserted by an electrical card with a pair of slopes in its bottom edge includes an insulating housing and a plurality of contacts retained in the insulating housing. The insulating housing includes a top surface, an elongated passageway which recesses from the top surface, and a pair of ladder sections or protruding portions which protrude into the passageway for supporting the slopes. Therefore, it can enhance the stability when the electrical card is inserted into the passageway.
US09172163B2
A connector for electrically connecting a conductor to a first printed circuit board (PCB) or for electrically connecting a first and second PCB together. A housing is adapted to be slidably moveable relative to a mounting structure to allow the mounting of the PCB to the surface and moveable over the PCB to contact pads located on the top side of the PCB. In another example, a bridging connector for electrically connecting a first PCB with a second PCB includes a resilient holding element, such as for example a spring clip, engageable with at least one of the PCBs and/or a surface supporting the PCB(s) to releasably retain the housing and the terminals in the correct location.
US09172149B2
A cable assembly comprises: an insulative housing; a plurality of contacts received into the insulative housing; a spacer assembled to a rear end of the insulative housing; a wire management assembled to a rear end of the spacer, and a cable electrically connected to the rear ends of the plurality of contacts. The wire management defines a plurality of first and second channels formed on top surfaces. Each of second channel defines a rear inlet and two front outlets. The cable comprises several pairs of signal wires received into the corresponding second channels. Each differential pair of signal wires comprises two signal conductors, a grounding conductor and a shielding layer surrounding the two signal conductors and a grounding conductors. Two front ends of the two signal conductors are exposed out of the shielding layer and extending out of the wire management through two outlets.
US09172147B1
Antenna unit cells suitable for use in antenna arrays are disclosed, as are antenna arrays and mounting platform such as an aircraft comprising antenna unit cells. In one embodiment, an antenna unit cell comprises a signal feed line, a ground plane, a first antenna element comprising a first antenna arm coupled to the signal feed line and a second antenna arm coupled to the ground plane, and a first narrow-band conductor coupled to the first antenna arm and to the ground plane. Other embodiments may be described.
US09172144B2
Disclosed is a micropatch antenna comprising a radiating element and a ground plane separated by an air gap. Small size, light weight, wide bandwidth, and wide directional pattern are achieved without the introduction of a high-permittivity dielectric substrate. Capacitive elements are configured along the perimeter of at least one of the radiating element and ground plane. Capacitive elements may comprise extended continuous structures or a series of localized structures. The geometry of the radiating element, ground plane, and capacitive elements may be varied to suit specific applications, such as linearly-polarized or circularly-polarized electromagnetic radiation.
US09172140B2
A multiple input loop antenna comprising one or more half-loop antennas disposed above a ground plane wherein the plane of each half loop is perpendicular to the ground plane such that the multiple input loop antenna is a three-dimensional structure and electromagnetic waves are radiated from points within the volume occupied by the antenna rather than from a two-dimensional surface. For this reason, the multiple input loop antenna can radiate levels of peak power without inducing excessive air breakdown which are relatively high compared with peak power levels of conventional antennas having comparable transverse dimensions. Also described is an array antenna comprised of an array of multiple input loop antennas.
US09172137B2
An adjusting mechanism includes a supporter, a foundation and a clamper. The supporter includes a base, and a supporting component pivotably disposed on the base along a first axial direction. An open hole is formed on a bottom of the base, and the base includes a fixing portion. The foundation is pivotably disposed on the base. A conjunction portion is disposed on a surface of the foundation, and the fixing portion is connected to the conjunction portion for preventing the base from rotating relative to the foundation. The clamper is fixed on the foundation for piercing through the open hole and partly positioning between the base and the supporting component. The clamper includes a body for clamping a tube, and two connecting parts disposed on a lateral surface of the body. A direction of each connecting part is parallel to a second axial direction perpendicular to the first axial direction.
US09172127B2
A coupler comprises a first line and a second line which is broadside coupled to the first line in a first and a second section. The capacitance between the first and the second line per length unit of the first line is larger in the first section in comparison to the second section. The first and the second line form a first turn.
US09172124B2
A photoelectric conversion material is obtained through easy processing from a substance containing silicon oxide, which is inexpensive, imposes no burden on the environment, and is stable, as a component. This material can be used in a photocell and a secondary photocell. Any of synthetic quartz, fused quartz glass, soda-lime glass, non-alkali glass, and borosilicate glass, which are compositions containing silicon oxide, is pulverized, immersed in an aqueous solution of halogen acid, washed with water, and dried. The resultant material is deposited on an electrode plate and this electrode plate is placed in water where an appropriate electrolyte is mixed. This electrode plate is electrically connected to an opposite electrode to provide a photoelectrode. The material may be enclosed in a container, mixed with an organic electrolyte, having an extraction electrode and an opposite electrode, to provide a photocell.
US09172119B2
For a mobile terminal and a method for controlling charging thereof, when the remaining power amount of a power supply, including first and second power sources, is less than a minimum power consumption amount required for a call, power is charged using the second power source. The remaining power amount resulting from the charging is compared with a power consumption amount corresponding to a callable time, and information that is associated with the callable time corresponding to a result of the comparison is outputted.
US09172106B2
One embodiment of the invention includes a product comprising: a solid polyelectrolyte membrane having a first face and an opposite second face; a first catalyst layer overlying the first face of the membrane; a first microporous layer overlying the first catalyst layer, and wherein the first microporous layer includes a plurality of microchannels formed therein open toward the first catalyst layer; and wherein each of the microchannels of the first microporous layer are defined by a surface that is free of cracks.
US09172105B2
Immediately after a main switch is turned ON, a battery check is performed based on a first inhibit voltage than a second reference voltage which is an inhibit voltage level a predetermined time period after the main switch is turned ON, and therefore, even when the voltage is in a low state immediately after the main switch is turned ON, it is possible to activate a camera without an erroneous detection. Further, when the elapsed time from a time when the main switch is turned OFF to a time when tuned ON next time is relatively long, a solid high polymer film inside the fuel cell is assumed to be further dried, then the first inhibit voltage is changed, and therefore, even when the voltage fluctuates depending on the humidifying state immediately after the main switch is turned ON, an appropriate battery check can be performed.
US09172100B2
A fuel cell system to be mounted on an electric vehicle such as a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle. Cooling water is supplied from a cooling water inlet of a stack manifold, flows through a fuel cell stack, and returns to the stack manifold. A groove is formed on the rear surface side of the stack manifold, constituting, together with a terminal, a cooling water channel. The cooling water flows through the cooling water channel, and is discharged to the outside from a cooling water outlet. The cooling water channel is formed extending from the rear side to the front side of the vehicle, and warms an end plate. A pipe length of the cooling water channel to a radiator mounted in a front part of the vehicle is reduced.
US09172094B2
Provided are examples of electrochemically active electrode materials, electrodes using such materials, and methods of manufacturing such electrodes. Electrochemically active electrode materials may include a high surface area template containing a metal silicide and a layer of high capacity active material deposited over the template. The template may serve as a mechanical support for the active material and/or an electrical conductor between the active material and, for example, a substrate. Due to the high surface area of the template, even a thin layer of the active material can provide sufficient active material loading and corresponding battery capacity. As such, a thickness of the layer may be maintained below the fracture threshold of the active material used and preserve its structural integrity during battery cycling.
US09172092B2
A binder composition for batteries, including (A) a polymer that has at least one structural unit selected from the group consisting of structural units represented by the following formulae (a1) to (a5), respectively, and (f) a functional group containing a nitrogen atom, an oxygen atom, a silicon atom, a germanium atom, a tin atom or a combination thereof; and (B) a liquid medium, the polymer (A) having a solubility of no less than 5 g in 100 g of cyclohexane at 25° C. and 1 atom.
US09172084B2
Build-up granulation and compaction granulation methods are generally known for producing granules from porous inorganic material. In order to allow a cost-efficient yet also reproducible production of porous granules having a more pronounced hierarchical pore structure, the invention relates to a method comprising the following steps: (a) supplying a feedstock flow to a reaction zone in which the feedstock is converted to material particles by means of pyrolysis or hydrolysis, (b) depositing the material particles on a deposition surface (1a) forming a soot layer (5), (c) thermally hardening the soot layer (5) to form a porous soot plate (5a), and (d) comminuting the soot plate (5a) to form porous granules (13).
US09172078B2
An energy storage element includes: a container; an electrode assembly housed in the container; an electrode terminal; a current collector which electrically connects the electrode terminal and the electrode assembly; and an external insulation sealing member for insulating the container and the electrode terminal. The container includes a protrusion part having a through-hole for allowing penetration of the electrode terminal and protruding from the upper surface of the container. The electrode terminal is electrically connected to the current collector in a state where the electrode terminal penetrates through the protrusion part. The external insulation sealing member has a side part disposed along the side surface of the protrusion part, and the end surface of the end part of the side part at the side of the upper surface is apart from the upper surface.
US09172070B2
A battery pack is provided for a mobile communication device, comprising a casing defining a cavity that conforms, at least partially, to the outer shape of the mobile communication device and one or more rechargeable power cells housed within the thickness of the casing. An internal interface engages a corresponding interface on the mobile communication device to provide power from the one or more rechargeable cells to the mobile communication device. An external interface is electrically coupled to the internal interface in order to transmit signals from the mobile communication device to an external device and may further serve to recharge the one or more rechargeable power cells. The battery pack may also serve as an extendible platform by providing additional integrated communication interfaces and/or processors that can be utilized by the mobile communication device to extend its communication and/or processing capabilities.
US09172067B2
An electrochemical cell includes a can having a first end and a second end and a first element provided within the can and including an electrode. The cell also includes a first terminal integrally formed as a part of the can and extending from one of the first or second ends. The cell further includes a terminal assembly directly coupled to the first element and including a stud configured to act as a second terminal. The first end includes a boss that defines an aperture through which the stud extends, wherein the boss at least partially surrounds the stud and a bushing coupled to the stud.
US09172064B2
Mask for deposition and method for manufacturing organic light emitting diode display using the same
A deposition mask for forming an organic layer pattern of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes a base member having a first surface facing a substrate of the OLED display, and a second surface facing a side opposite to the first surface, and including a plurality of openings passing through the first surface and the second surface for forming the organic layer pattern. The opening has a pair of first side walls and a pair of second side walls. Each side wall of the openings has an inclination surface inclined with respect to a thickness direction of the base member, and when measuring an inclination angle of the inclination surface with reference to the first surface of the base member, the inclination angle of the first side wall and the inclination angle of the second side wall are different from each other.
US09172055B2
An organic light-emitting device includes an emission layer between first and second electrodes, a first hole transport layer that is between the emission layer and the first electrode and that includes a first hole transport compound and a first electron acceptor, a second hole transport layer that is between the emission layer and first hole transport layer and that includes a second hole transport compound, a third hole transport layer that is between the emission layer and the second hole transport layer and that includes a third hole transport compound and a second electron acceptor, a fourth hole transport layer that is between the emission layer and the third hole transport layer and that includes a fourth hole transport compound, a buffer layer between the emission layer and the fourth hole transport layer, and an electron transport layer that includes a pyrimidine-based compound.
US09172053B2
An organic molecular memory for controlling a current flowing through a memory cell and achieving stable operation and high degree of reliability is provided. The organic molecular memory includes a first electrode, a second electrode made of a material different from the first electrode, and an organic molecule layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein one end of a resistance change-type molecular chain constituting the organic molecule layer is chemically bonded with the first electrode, and an air gap exists between the other end of the resistance change-type molecular chain and the second electrode.
US09172051B2
Polyphenylene compounds such as compounds represented by Formulas 1-28 may be used in electronic devices such as organic light-emitting devices. For example, the compounds may be used as host material in an emissive layer.
US09172050B2
A compound represented by Formula 1 below and an organic light-emitting device including the compound of Formula 1: wherein Ar1, Ar2, Ar3, Ar4, R1, X, and Y in Formula 1 above are defined as in the specification.
US09172045B2
A 4-aminocarbazole compound represented by formula (1): wherein Ar1-Ar4 represent substituted or unsubstituted aryl, thienyl, pyridyl, benzothienyl, dibenzothienyl, dibenzofuranyl, 4-carbazolyl, dibenzothienylphenyl, dibenzofuranylphenyl or 9-carbazolylphenyl group; R1-R7 represent substituted or unsubstituted aryl, heteroaryl or heteroarylphenyl group, or alkyl, alkoxy, cyano group, or hydrogen or halogen atom; n is integer of 0-2; and X represents substituted or unsubstituted (n+1)-valent aromatic hydrocarbon, heteroaromatic or heteroarylphenyl group. The 4-aminocarbazole compound provides an organic EL device exhibiting enhanced emitting efficiency and durability.
US09172044B2
An organic light-emitting device with an electron transport layer disposed between the organic emission layer and the second electrode and comprising an anthracene-based compound and a carbazole-based compound represented by Formula 1 below: with improved efficiency and lifetime and a method for preparing the same are provided.
US09172042B2
A method for producing an organic, radiation-emitting component is specified, wherein at least one layer (10) containing an emitter material is produced in a radiation-emitting region (4) of the component, wherein the layer (10) is produced by means of atomic layer deposition and has a thickness of at most 2 nm.
US09172040B2
A phase change memory cell and methods of fabricating the same are presented. The memory cell includes a variable resistance region and a top and bottom electrode. The shapes of the variable resistance region and the top electrode are configured to evenly distribute a current with a generally hemispherical current density distribution around the first electrode.
US09172025B2
Bulk acoustic wave filters and/or bulk acoustic resonators integrated with CMOS devices, are provided. The structure includes a single crystalline beam formed from a silicon layer of a silicon on insulator (SOI) substrate; insulator material coating the single crystalline beam; an upper cavity formed above the single crystalline beam, over a portion of the insulator material; a lower cavity formed in lower wafer bonded to an insulator layer of the SOI substrate, below the single crystalline beam and the insulator layer of the SOI substrate; a connecting via that connects the upper cavity to the lower cavity, the connecting via being coated with the insulator material; and a Bulk Acoustic Wave (BAW) filter or Bulk Acoustic Resonator (BAR) in electrical connection with the single crystalline beam.
US09172024B2
A backing material is provided on the back face side of a piezoelectric transducer, with a first width substantially equal to the piezoelectric transducer widthwise and perpendicular to the radiation direction. A front face of a layer located on the front face side with regard to a wiring pattern has a width substantially equal to the first width. Moreover, the back face of this layer has a second width shorter than the first width. A space is provided between this layer and the backing material due to the difference between the first width and the second width of this layer, and a covering member covering the wiring pattern covers the wiring pattern extending at least from the folded section of the flexible substrate into the space.
US09172021B2
According to an embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes a semiconductor layer, a first electrode, an second electrode, a first insulating film, a first interconnection and a second interconnection. The semiconductor layer includes a luminous portion and a non-luminous portion. The first electrode is provided on the luminous portion, and the second electrode is provided on the non-luminous portion. The first insulating film is provided on the semiconductor layer, the first electrode and the second electrode. The first interconnection having a first protrusion is provided on the first insulating film and electrically connected to the first electrode. The second interconnection having a second protrusion is provided on the first insulating film and electrically connected to the second electrode. A tip end of the first protrusion faces a tip end of a second protrusion, being apart therefrom with a minimum gap between the first interconnection and the second interconnection.
US09172020B2
The present invention provides a light emitting diode package including a light emitting diode chip, a lead frame having a chip area on which the light emitting diode chip is disposed, and a package body having a cavity and supporting the lead frame. The chip area is exposed through the cavity. The lead frame includes a first terminal group disposed at a first side of the chip area and a second terminal group disposed at a second side of the chip area. The first terminal group and the second terminal group each include a first terminal connected to the chip area and a second terminal separated from the chip area. The second terminal of the first terminal group is exposed through the cavity, and the second terminal of the second terminal group is buried in the package body.
US09172017B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer of an n type including a nitride semiconductor, a first metal layer of an alloy containing Al and Au, and a second metal layer. The first metal layer is in contact with the first semiconductor layer. The second metal layer is in contact with the first metal layer. The second metal layer includes a metal different from Al. The first metal layer is disposed between the second metal layer and the first semiconductor layer.
US09172013B2
Provided is a light emitting device with improved light extracting efficiency and further higher heat releasing performance. A light emitting device includes a planar lead frame having a first lead and a second lead, and includes a light emitting element mounted on the first lead, a resin frame surrounding a periphery of the light emitting element, a first sealing resin filled in the inner side of the resin frame and sealing the light emitting element, and a second sealing resin covering the resin frame and the first sealing resin. Lower end of inner surface of the resin frame is arranged only on the first lead, and at an outside of the resin frame, and the second resin member covers at least a part of the first lead and the second lead. Of the back-surface of the first lead, a region directly under the blight emitting element is exposed.
US09172010B2
A light-emitting device includes a substrate including a mirror surface region on its upper surface, a semiconductor light-emitting element disposed in the mirror surface region, and an encapsulating layer joined onto the upper surface of the substrate. The encapsulating layer includes a lower layer that is in contact with the upper surface of the substrate, covers the surrounding of the semiconductor light-emitting element, and contains phosphor; and an upper layer that is positioned on the lower layer, and has a larger phosphor content per unit area than that of the lower layer.
US09171998B2
Disclosed is a light emitting lamp including a light source module including at least one light source and a light guide layer disposed on a substrate burying the at least one light source, and a housing accommodating the light source module, and the at least one light source includes a body having a cavity, a first lead frame including one end exposed to the cavity and the other end passing through the body and exposed to one surface of the body, a second lead frame including one end exposed to one portion of the surface of the body, the other end exposed to the another portion of the surface of the body, and an intermediate part exposed to the cavity, and at least one light emitting chip including a first semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second semiconductor layer, and disposed on the first lead frame.
US09171996B2
Provided is a silicon-wafer-based germanium semiconductor photodetector configured to be able to provide properties of high gain, high sensitivity, and high speed, at a relatively low voltage. A germanium-based carrier multiplication layer (e.g., a single germanium layer or a germanium and silicon superlattice layer) may be provided on a silicon wafer, and a germanium charge layer may be provided thereon, a germanium absorption layer may be provided on the charge layer, and a polysilicon second contact layer may be provided on the absorption layer. The absorption layer may be configured to include germanium quantum dots or wires.
US09171994B2
A chemical vapor deposition apparatus includes: a reaction chamber including an inner tube having a predetermined volume of an inner space, and an outer tube tightly sealing the inner tube; a wafer holder disposed within the inner tube and on which a plurality of wafers are stacked at predetermined intervals; and a gas supply unit including at least one gas line supplying an external reaction gas to the reaction chamber, and a plurality of spray nozzles communicating with the gas line to spray the reaction gas to the wafers, whereby semiconductor epitaxial thin films are grown on the surfaces of the wafers, wherein the semiconductor epitaxial thin film grown on the surface of the wafer includes a light emitting structure in which a first-conductivity-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second-conductivity-type semiconductor layer are sequentially formed.
US09171983B2
A heat dissipation structure is provided and includes a plurality of heat conduction bases and at least one flexible fin. Each of the heat conduction bases includes a first surface and a second surface. A positioning groove is formed in the first surface of each of the heat conduction bases, and the second surface of each of the heat conduction bases is assembled to a backlight surface of a solar module. The fin is coupled to the positioning grooves and connected between the heat conduction bases.
US09171981B2
The present invention relates to profiles for attaching rigid plates, especially photovoltaic modules, to a roof and to a method and system for attaching photovoltaic modules to a roof structure with the help of profiles.
US09171977B2
A thyristor includes a first conductivity type semiconductor layer, a first conductivity type carrier injection layer on the semiconductor layer, a second conductivity type drift layer on the carrier injection layer, a first conductivity type base layer on the drift layer, and a second conductivity type anode region on the base layer. The thickness and doping concentration of the carrier injection layer are selected to reduce minority carrier injection by the carrier injection layer in response to an increase in operating temperature of the thyristor. A cross-over current density at which the thyristor shifts from a negative temperature coefficient of forward voltage to a positive temperature coefficient of forward voltage is thereby reduced.
US09171975B2
A solar cell element is disclosed. The solar cell element comprises a semiconductor substrate and electrodes. The semiconductor substrate with a first and second main surface comprises a body and a first layer. The electrodes comprise first electrodes on the first layer and second electrodes on the second main surface. At least one of the first electrodes and the second electrodes comprises silver, copper and nickel as a main component. A method for manufacturing a solar cell element is disclosed. An electrically conductive paste containing silver, copper and nickel is prepared. The electrically conductive paste is applied on the semiconductor substrate. The electrically conductive paste is fired to form the solar cell element.
US09171973B2
An integrated imaging device supports front face illumination with one or more photosensitive regions formed in a substrate. A lower dielectric region is provided over the substrate, the lower dielectric region having an upper face. A metal optical filter having a metal pattern is provided on the upper face (or extending into the lower dielectric region from the upper face). An upper dielectric region is provided on top of the lower dielectric region and metal optical filter. The lower dielectric region is at least part of a pre-metal dielectric layer, and the upper dielectric region is at least part of a metallization layer.
US09171972B2
The method for producing a photoelectric converter of the present invention comprises a preparation step for preparing a substrate (2) formed from silicon; a first film-formation step for the formation of a first protective film (3) by deposition of aluminum oxide on a top surface (2B) of the substrate (2) using the atom deposition method or chemical vapor deposition method in an atmosphere containing hydrogen; and a second film-formation step for forming a second protective film (4) by deposition of aluminum oxide on the first protective film (3) using sputtering after the first film-formation step. Moreover, the photoelectric converter of the present invention comprises a substrate formed from silicon; a first protective film formed from aluminum oxide; and a second protective film formed from aluminum oxide, wherein the concentration of hydrogen contained in the first protective film is higher than the concentration of hydrogen contained in the second protective film.
US09171966B2
The present invention generally relates to methods for increasing the lifetime of MEMS devices by reducing the landing velocity on switching by introducing gas into the cavity surrounding the switching element of the MEMS device. The gas is introduced using ion implantation into a cavity close to the cavity housing the switching element and connected to that cavity by a channel through which the gas can flow from one cavity to the other. The implantation energy is chosen to implant many of the atoms close to the inside roof and floor of the cavity so that on annealing those atoms diffuse into the cavity. The gas provides gas damping which reduces the kinetic energy of the switching MEMS device which then should have a longer lifetime.
US09171965B2
A force detection device includes a diamond piezoresistor including a highly orientated diamond into which boron is introduced as an impurity. The absolute value of the piezoresistance coefficient of the diamond piezoresistor is greater than the absolute value of a piezoresistance coefficient π11 or π12 in a case in which a major axis is in the <100> direction.
US09171957B2
To provide a highly reliable semiconductor device by giving stable electrical characteristics to a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film. A gate electrode layer is formed over a substrate, a gate insulating film is formed over the gate electrode layer, an oxide semiconductor film is formed over the gate insulating film, a conductive film is formed over the oxide semiconductor film, so that a region in vicinity of an interface with the oxide semiconductor film in contact with the conductive film is made amorphous, heat treatment is performed, the conductive film is then processed to form a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer, and a part of the amorphous region in the oxide semiconductor film which is exposed by formation of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer is removed.
US09171949B1
A semiconductor device includes a superjunction structure formed using simultaneous N and P angled implants into the sidewall of a trench. The simultaneous N and P angled implants use different implant energies and dopants of different diffusion rate so that after annealing, alternating N and P thin semiconductor regions are formed. The alternating N and P thin semiconductor regions form a superjunction structure where a balanced space charge region is formed to enhance the breakdown voltage characteristic of the semiconductor device.
US09171947B2
A nitride semiconductor device includes a substrate, a nitride semiconductor laminate, and an ohmic electrode of TiAl-based material. The nitride semiconductor laminate has a first nitride semiconductor layer on the substrate, and a second nitride semiconductor layer forming a heterointerface with the first nitride semiconductor layer. The nitride semiconductor device has an oxygen concentration profile in a depth direction of the device across between the ohmic electrode and the nitride semiconductor laminate. The profile has a first oxygen concentration peak near an interface between the ohmic electrode and the nitride semiconductor laminate in a region, of the nitride semiconductor laminate, that is on a substrate side of the interface, and a second oxygen concentration peak having an oxygen concentration of 3×1017 cm−3-1.2×1018 cm−3 in a position deeper than that of the first oxygen concentration peak.
US09171946B2
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention disclose a unidirectional heterojunction transistor including a channel layer made of a first nitride-based semiconductor having a first energy bandgap, a barrier layer made of a second nitride-based semiconductor having a second energy bandgap different from the first energy bandgap, the barrier layer including a recess, a drain electrode disposed on a first region of the barrier layer, and a recessed-drain Schottky electrode disposed in the recess of the barrier layer, the recessed-drain Schottky electrode contacting the drain electrode.
US09171938B2
An object is to provide a thin film transistor and a method for manufacturing the thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor with a controlled threshold voltage, high operation speed, a relatively easy manufacturing process, and sufficient reliability. An impurity having influence on carrier concentration in the oxide semiconductor layer, such as a hydrogen atom or a compound containing a hydrogen atom such as H2O, may be eliminated. An oxide insulating layer containing a large number of defects such as dangling bonds may be formed in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer, such that the impurity diffuses into the oxide insulating layer and the impurity concentration in the oxide semiconductor layer is reduced. The oxide semiconductor layer or the oxide insulating layer in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer may be formed in a deposition chamber which is evacuated with use of a cryopump whereby the impurity concentration is reduced.
US09171934B2
One method disclosed includes, among other things, forming a plurality of laterally spaced-apart source/drain trenches and a gate trench in a layer of material above an active region, performing at least one process operation through the spaced-apart source/drain trenches to form doped source/drain regions, forming a gate structure within the gate trench, and forming a gate cap layer above the gate structure positioned within the gate trench.
US09171926B2
An integrated circuit includes a first and a second standard cell. The first standard cell includes a first gate electrode, and a first channel region underlying the first gate electrode. The first channel region has a first channel doping concentration. The second standard cell includes a second gate electrode, and a second channel region underlying the second gate electrode. The second channel region has a second channel doping concentration. A dummy gate includes a first half and a second half in the first and the second standard cells, respectively. The first half and the second half are at the edges of the first and the second standard cells, respectively, and are abutted to each other. A dummy channel is overlapped by the dummy gate. The dummy channel has a third channel doping concentration substantially equal to a sum of the first channel doping concentration and the second channel doping concentration.
US09171909B2
Flexible semiconductor devices based on flexible freestanding epitaxial elements are disclosed. The flexible freestanding epitaxial elements provide a virgin as grown epitaxy ready surface for additional growth layers. These flexible semiconductor devices have reduced stress due to the ability to flex with a radius of curvature less than 100 meters. Low radius of curvature flexing enables higher quality epitaxial growth and enables 3D device structures. Uniformity of layer formation is maintained by direct absorption of actinic radiation by the flexible freestanding epitaxial element within a reactor. In addition, standard post processing steps like lithography are enabled by the ability of the devices and elements to be flattened using a secondary support element or vacuum. Finished flexible semiconductor devices can be flexed to a radius of curvature of less than 100 meters. Nitrides, Zinc Oxides, and their alloys are preferred materials for the flexible freestanding epitaxial elements.
US09171908B2
A semiconductor device of an embodiment includes, an n-type SiC substrate that has first and second faces, and contains a p-type impurity and an n-type impurity, the p-type impurity being an element A, the n-type impurity being an element D, the element A and the element D being a combination of Al (aluminum), Ga (gallium), or In (indium) and N (nitrogen), and/or a combination of B (boron) and P (phosphorus), the ratio of the concentration of the element A to the concentration of the element D in the combination(s) being higher than 0.40 but lower than 0.95, the concentration of the element D forming the combination(s) being not lower than 1×1018 cm−3 and not higher than 1×1022 cm−3, an SiC layer formed on the first face, a first electrode formed on the first face side, and a second electrode formed on the second face.
US09171903B2
Some embodiments include transistors having a channel region under a gate, having a source/drain region laterally spaced from the channel region by an active region, and having one or more dielectric features extending through the active region in a configuration which precludes any straight-line lateral conductive path from the channel region to the source/drain region. The dielectric features may be spaced-apart islands in some configurations. The dielectric features may be multi-branched interlocking structures in some configurations.
US09171890B2
An organic light emitting diode display includes a substrate having three folded portions overlapping each other, and a first light emitting unit, a second light emitting unit, and a third light emitting unit on respective ones of the three folded portions of the substrate, the first through third light emitting units overlapping each other and emitting different colors, wherein the first through third light emitting units are on a same surface of the substrate, when the substrate is unfolded to have the three folded portions substantially planar.
US09171889B2
Provided is an electronic device including a semiconductor memory which includes a cell array region having a first variable resistance element and a peripheral circuit region having a decoupling capacitor, the decoupling capacitor including a bottom electrode, a dielectric layer pattern, and a top electrode. The cell array region may include: a first gate; a first contact over the first gate; a second contact over an active region at one side of the first gate; and the first variable resistance element over the second contact, and the peripheral circuit region may include: a second gate formed of the same material at the same level as the first gate; the bottom electrode disposed over the second gate and formed at the same level as the first contact; and the dielectric layer pattern and the top electrode disposed over the bottom electrode.
US09171885B2
An infrared detector includes at least one infrared absorber provided on a substrate and a plurality of thermocouples. The at least one infrared absorber may include one of a plasmonic resonator and a metamaterial resonator. The plurality of thermocouples may be configured to generate electromotive forces in response to thermal energy generated by the at least one infrared absorber.
US09171883B2
The present disclosure provides a light emitting device, including a serially- connected LED array including a plurality of LED cells on a substrate, including a first LED cell, a second LED cell, and a serially-connected LED sub-array intervening the first and second LED cell; a trench between two neighboring sides of the first and the second LED cells; and a protecting structure formed near the trench to prevent the light-emitting device from being damaged by a surge voltage higher than a normal operating voltage. The protecting structure includes a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer formed over the first insulating layer and partially filling in the trench, wherein two ends of the first insulating layer extending outward from the second insulating layer partially covers the top surfaces of the first and the second LED cells.
US09171879B2
A method for fabricating a sensor, comprising: forming a pattern of a bias line on a base substrate by using a first patterning process; forming a pattern of a transparent electrode, a pattern of a photodiode, a pattern of a receive electrode, a pattern of a source electrode, a pattern of a drain electrode, a pattern of a data line and a pattern of an ohmic layer by using a second patterning process; forming a pattern of an active layer, a pattern of a first passivation layer, a pattern of a gate electrode and a pattern of a gate line by using a third patterning process. The above method reduces the number of used mask in the fabrication processes as well as the production cost and simplifies the production process, thereby significantly improves the production capacity and the yield rate.
US09171877B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: a photodiode formed to be segmented with respect to each pixel in a pixel area in which plural pixels are integrated on a light receiving surface of a semiconductor substrate; an insulator film formed on the semiconductor substrate to cover the photodiode; a recessed part formed with respect to each of the pixels in the insulator film in an upper part of the photodiode; a first light transmission layer of a siloxane resin formed to fill the recessed part and configure an optical waveguide in the pixel area; a second light transmission layer formed to configure an on-chip lens with respect to each of the pixels in the pixel area; and a guard ring formed to surround an outer circumference of the pixel area to partition an inner area containing the pixel area and an outer dicing area.
US09171874B2
A solid-state imaging device includes an imaging element having a light receiving surface, and a cover member disposed over and opposite to the light receiving surface of the imaging element with a space therebetween. The cover member has a quartz plate, and the optical axis of the crystal of the quartz plate is parallel to the light receiving surface.
US09171868B2
An object is to improve the drive capability of a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a first transistor and a second transistor. A first terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first wiring. A second terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to a second wiring. A gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to a third wiring. A first terminal of the second transistor is electrically connected to the third wiring. A second terminal of the second transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the first transistor. A channel region is formed using an oxide semiconductor layer in each of the first transistor and the second transistor. The off-state current of each of the first transistor and the second transistor per channel width of 1 μm is 1 aA or less.
US09171858B2
Integrated circuits with multi-level memory cells and methods for producing the same are provided. A method for producing an integrated circuit with a multi-level memory cell includes forming a gate insulator overlying a substrate. A select gate is formed overlying the gate insulator such that one multi-level memory cell includes one select gate. A thin film storage layer with nanocrystals is formed overlying the select gate and the substrate, and a left and right control gate are formed on opposite sides of the select gate such that the thin film storage layer is between the substrate and each of the control gates. A left implant and a right implant are formed in the substrate such that the select gate, the left control gate, and the right control gate are positioned between the left and right implants.
US09171853B2
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of lines disposed on a semiconductor substrate, and remaining line patterns disposed spaced apart from the lines on extensions from the lines. The lines include first end-portions adjacent to the remaining line patterns. The remaining line patterns include second end-portions adjacent to the lines. The first end-portions and second end-portions are formed to have mirror symmetry with respect to each other.
US09171850B2
A ferroelectric capacitor includes a ferroelectric film, a lower electrode in contact with one surface of the ferroelectric film, and an upper electrode in contact with the other surface of the ferroelectric film. At least one of the upper electrode and the lower electrode has a stacked electrode structure in which one or more oxide conductive layers and one or more metal layers are stacked alternately, and the stacked electrode structure includes at least one of two or more oxide conductive layers and two or more metal layers.
US09171848B2
An integrated circuit structure provides at least one metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor and a moat isolation structure wherein the number of processes required is substantially minimized and the formation of the MIM capacitor and the moat isolation structure effectively decouple while the number of processes common to the moat isolation structure and the MIM capacitor are maximized. Additional required processes are non-critical and tolerant of overlay positioning error.
US09171844B2
A metal gate structure with a channel material and methods of manufacture such structure is provided. The method includes forming dummy gate structures on a substrate. The method further includes forming sidewall structures on sidewalls of the dummy gate structures. The method further includes removing the dummy gate structures to form a first trench and a second trench, defined by the sidewall structures. The method further includes forming a channel material on the substrate in the first trench and in the second trench. The method further includes removing the channel material from the second trench while the first trench is masked. The method further includes filling remaining portions of the first trench and the second trench with gate material.
US09171842B2
A highly reliable semiconductor device in which a shift in the threshold voltage of a transistor due to deterioration is prevented is provided. The semiconductor device is formed using a sequential circuit including: a first transistor controlling the electrical connection between a first wiring and a second wiring; a second transistor and a third transistor in each of which a source and a drain are electrically connected to each other and which control the electrical connection between the second wiring and a third wiring; and a switch group controlling the electrical connection between a gate of the first transistor and the third wiring or a fourth wiring, the electrical connection between a gate of the second transistor and the third wiring or the fourth wiring, and the electrical connection between a gate of the third transistor and the third wiring or the fourth wiring in response to a control signal.
US09171837B2
A cascode circuit arrangement has a low voltage MOSFET and a depletion mode power device mounted on a substrate (for example a ceramic substrate), which can then be placed in a semiconductor package. This enables inductances to be reduced, and can enable a three terminal packages to be used if desired.
US09171825B2
A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same includes providing a first semiconductor chip which has first connection terminals, providing a second semiconductor chip which comprises top and bottom surfaces facing each other and has second connection terminals and a film-type first underfill material formed on the bottom surface thereof, bonding the first semiconductor chip to a mounting substrate by using the first connection terminals, bonding the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip by using the first underfill material, and forming a second underfill material which fills a space between the mounting substrate and the first semiconductor chip and covers side surfaces of the first semiconductor chip and at least part of side surfaces of the second semiconductor chip.
US09171823B2
An embodiment of a circuit module includes module nodes, a first submodule, a second submodule, and a conductive structure. The first submodule has a first submodule node, and the second submodule is disposed over the first submodule and has a second submodule node. The conductive structure couples the first submodule node to one of the module nodes and couples the second submodule node to one of the module nodes. Another embodiment of a circuit module includes module nodes, a first submodule, a second submodule, and a conductive structure. The first submodule has first submodule nodes, and the second submodule is disposed over the first submodule and has second submodule nodes. The conductive structure couples one of the first and second submodule nodes to one of the module nodes and couples one of the first submodule nodes to one of the second submodule nodes.
US09171821B2
A semiconductor package comprises a board including a board pad, a plurality of semiconductor chips mounted on the board, the semiconductor chips including chip pads. Bumps are disposed on the chip pads, respectively, and a wire is disposed between the chip pads and the bumps. The wire electrically connects the chip pads of the plurality of semiconductor chips and the board pad to each other.
US09171820B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes attaching a curable film to a first connection member including a first circuit terminal, attaching a conductive film to a second connection member including a second circuit terminal, and thermally compressing the first connection member to the second connection member, with the first connection member and the second connection member placed such that the curable film and the conductive film face each other.
US09171817B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip having an electrode, a connector having a chip contact surface, an interconnecting portion, and an external electrode terminal contact surface, the chip contact surface being electrically connected to the electrode, and a first connection material disposed between the chip contact surface and the electrode, the first connecting material having a surface area that is greater than a surface area of the chip contact surface.
US09171816B2
Discussed generally herein are devices that include high density interconnects between dice and techniques for making and using those devices. In one or more embodiments a device can include a bumpless buildup layer (BBUL) substrate including a first die at least partially embedded in the BBUL substrate, the first die including a first plurality of high density interconnect pads. A second die can be at least partially embedded in the BBUL substrate, the second die including a second plurality of high density interconnect pads. A high density interconnect element can be embedded in the BBUL substrate, the high density interconnect element including a third plurality of high density interconnect pads electrically coupled to the first and second plurality of high density interconnect pads.
US09171807B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer, an electrode, and an insulating portion. The semiconductor layer has a first surface. The electrode is provided on the first surface of the semiconductor layer. The insulating portion includes a first layer and a second layer. The first layer covers the electrode on the first surface of the semiconductor layer and has a first internal stress along the first surface. The second layer is provided on the first layer and has a second internal stress in a reverse direction of the first internal stress.
US09171798B2
Methods and apparatus for forming a semiconductor device package with a transmission line using a micro-bump layer are disclosed. The micro-bump layer may comprise micro-bumps and micro-bump lines, formed between a top device and a bottom device. A signal transmission line may be formed using a micro-bump line above a bottom device. A ground plane may be formed using a redistribution layer (RDL) within the bottom device, or using additional micro-bump lines. The RDL formed ground plane may comprise open slots. There may be RDLs at the bottom device and the top device above and below the micro-bump lines to form parts of the ground planes.
US09171790B2
Package on package (PoP) devices and methods of packaging semiconductor dies are disclosed. A PoP device includes a first packaged die and a second packaged die coupled to the first packaged die. Metal stud bumps are disposed between the first packaged die and the second packaged die. The metal stud bumps include a stick region, a first ball region coupled to a first end of the stick region, and a second ball region coupled to a second end of the stick region. The metal stud bumps include a portion that is partially embedded in a solder joint.
US09171788B1
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor package having a small gate clip is disclosed. A first and second semiconductor chips, each of which includes a source electrode and a gate electrode at a top surface, are attached on two adjacent lead frame units of a lead frame such that the lead frame unit with the first chip formed thereon is rotated 180 degrees in relation to the other lead frame unit with the second semiconductor chip formed thereon. A first and second clip sets are mounted on the first and second semiconductor chips, wherein the first clip set is connected to the gate electrode of the first chip, the source electrode of the second chip, and their corresponding leads and the second clip set is connected to the gate electrode of the second chip, the source electrode of the first chip and their corresponding leads.
US09171787B2
Disclosed is a packaged device, comprising a carrier comprising a first carrier contact, a first electrical component having a first top surface and a first bottom surface, the first electrical component comprising a first component contact disposed on the first top surface, the first bottom surface being connected to the carrier, an embedded system comprising a second electrical component having a second top surface, an interconnect element, and a first connecting element, the embedded system having a system bottom surface, wherein the system bottom surface comprises a first system contact, wherein the second top surface comprises a first component contact, and wherein the first system contact is connected to the first component contact by the interconnect element and the first component contact of the second electrical component is connected to the first carrier contact by means of the first connecting element.
US09171783B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a lower electrode pattern on a substrate, forming a first insulating layer on the lower electrode pattern, forming an upper electrode pattern on the first insulating layer, forming an etch blocking spacer at a side of the upper electrode pattern, forming a second insulating layer on the upper electrode pattern, etching the second insulating layer to form a cavity which exposes the etch blocking spacer, and forming a contact ball in the cavity.
US09171781B2
Semiconductor devices, and methods of fabricating the same, include first conductive lines on a substrate, and a first molding layer covering the first conductive lines. The first conductive lines have air gaps between adjacent first conductive lines. Sidewalls of the first conductive lines and a bottom surface of the first molding layer collectively define a first gap region of each of the air gaps. The sidewalls of the first conductive lines and a top surface of the first molding layer collectively define a second air gap region of each of the air gaps.
US09171779B2
A semiconductor laser structure is provided. The semiconductor laser comprises a central thermal shunt, a ring shaped silicon waveguide, a contiguous thermal shunt, an adhesive layer and a laser element. The central thermal shunt is located on a SOI substrate which has a buried oxide layer surrounding the central thermal shunt. The ring shaped silicon waveguide is located on the buried oxide layer and surrounds the central thermal shunt. The ring shaped silicon waveguide includes a P-N junction of a p-type material portion, an n-type material portion and a depletion region there between. The contiguous thermal shunt covers a portion of the buried oxide layer and surrounds the ring shaped silicon waveguide. The adhesive layer covers the ring shaped silicon waveguide and the buried oxide layer. The laser element covers the central thermal shunt, the adhesive layer and the contiguous thermal shunt.
US09171775B2
An evaporation-assisted heat dissipation apparatus includes a heat sink, a fan, and a spraying member. The spraying member includes a water tank, a water transmitting tube, and a plurality of water output tubes. The water tank accommodates a heat-dissipating liquid which flows to the tops of the plurality of water output tubes via the water transmitting tube. The convex meniscus which is formed at the top of each of the plurality of water output tubes is atomized and blown toward the heat sink by the fan and the droplets attach on the heat sink. The droplets are evaporated from the heat sink and remove heat from the heat sink by doing so.
US09171772B2
A semiconductor device comprises: a semiconductor package having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a through hole provided from the top surface to the bottom surface; and an electrode inserted into the through hole of the semiconductor package. The semiconductor package includes: an insulating substrate; a semiconductor chip on the insulating substrate; an electrode pattern on the insulating substrate and connected to the semiconductor chip; a resin sealing the insulating substrate, the semiconductor chip, and the electrode pattern; and an electrode section on an inner wall of the through hole and connected to the electrode pattern. The through hole penetrates the insulating substrate and the resin. The electrode inserted into the through hole is connected to the electrode section inside the semiconductor package.
US09171771B2
A semiconductor unit includes a cooler having a fluid flow space, an insulating substrate bonded to the cooler through a metal, a semiconductor device soldered to the insulating substrate, an intermediate member interposed between the insulating substrate and the fluid flow space and having a first surface where the insulating substrate is mounted, and a mold resin having a lower coefficient of liner expansion than the intermediate member. The insulating substrate, the semiconductor device and the cooler are molded by the mold resin. The intermediate member has a second surface that extends upward or downward relative to the first surface. The first surface is covered by the mold resin. The second surface is covered by a resin cover.
US09171768B2
A semiconductor device includes an insulating substrate joined with a semiconductor chip, a case covering a surface of the insulating substrate where the semiconductor chip is joined, and a control terminal in which one end portion is electrically connected to the semiconductor chip, and another end portion passes through the case and is exposed to outside of the case. A portion of the control terminal exposed to the outside of the case includes a cut-out section where a part of the exposed portion is cut out, and a blocking section formed by bending a portion surrounded by the cut-out section and remaining on the control terminal. The blocking section contacts the case from the outside of the case and blocks a movement of the control terminal.
US09171762B2
A semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the semiconductor device are disclosed. A gate stack is formed over a surface of the substrate. A recess cavity is formed in the substrate adjacent to the gate stack. A first epitaxial (epi) material is then formed in the recess cavity. A second epi material is formed over the first epi material. A portion of the second epi material is removed by a removing process. The disclosed method provides an improved method by providing a second epi material and the removing process for forming the strained feature, therefor, to enhance carrier mobility and upgrade the device performance.
US09171758B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide an improved method for forming transistor contacts. A sacrificial layer is deposited in a first set of contact cavities, and a capping layer is formed on the sacrificial layer. This protects the first set of contact cavities during formation of a second set of contact cavities. The sacrificial layer is then removed, and the first and second sets of contact cavities are filled with a conductive material.
US09171753B2
In one embodiment, the method includes forming a conductive via structure in a base layer. The base layer has a first surface and a second surface, and the second surface is opposite the first surface. The method further includes removing the second surface of the base layer to expose the conductive via structure such that the conductive via structure protrudes from the second surface, and forming a first lower insulating layer over the second surface such that an end surface of the conductive via structure remains exposed by the first lower insulating layer.
US09171748B2
A cassette adapter which makes it possible for a second cassette which accommodates a circular wafer of a diameter of 200 mm to be used on a load port ready for a first cassette which accommodates a different circular wafer of another diameter of 300 mm is locked to the load port by an adapter main body locking apparatus. The locking apparatus includes a locking air cylinder serving as a locking member for locking the first cassette to a carrier base of the load port, and a locking target member provided integrally on a rear face of an adapter plate of the cassette adapter for disengageably engaging with a locking pawl at an end of a rod of the air cylinder. A seating sensor mechanism detects that the second cassette is seated at a correct position on the adapter plate.
US09171747B2
An apparatus for generating ultraviolet light and irradiating a 450 mm diameter semi-conductor wafer. The apparatus includes a plenum and an array of nine RF irradiator units coupled with the plenum. Each irradiator unit includes a plasma lamp bulb and an RF generator operable to generate a radiation energy field to excite the plasma lamp bulb and emit the ultraviolet light. The nine irradiator units are arranged in three rows with three of the irradiator units in each row.
US09171745B2
To provide a substrate treatment apparatus capable of suppressing adherence of dust to a film coated on a substrate. As an aspect of the present invention is a substrate treatment apparatus provided with a spin-coating treatment chamber 4a for coating a film on the substrate by spin-coating, a first air-conditioning mechanism that regulates an amount of dust in the air in the spin-coating treatment chamber, an annealing treatment chamber 7a for performing lamp annealing treatment on the film coated on the substrate, a conveying chamber 2a that is connected to each of the spin-coating treatment chamber and the annealing treatment chamber and is for conveying the substrate between the spin-coating treatment chamber and the annealing treatment chamber each other, and a second air-conditioning mechanism that regulate an amount of dust in the air in the conveying chamber.
US09171743B2
According to example configurations herein, a leadframe includes a first conductive strip, a second conductive strip, and a third conductive strip disposed substantially adjacent and substantially parallel to each other. A semiconductor chip substrate includes a first array of switch circuits disposed adjacent and parallel to a second array of switch circuits. Source nodes in switch circuits of the first array are disposed substantially adjacent and substantially parallel to source nodes in switch circuits of the second array. When the semiconductor chip and the leadframe device are combined to form a circuit package, a connectivity interface between the semiconductor chip and conductive strips in the circuit package couples each of the source nodes in switch circuits of the first array and each of the multiple source nodes in switch circuits of the second array to a common conductive strip in the leadframe device.
US09171738B2
Embodiments relate to bootstrap circuits integrated with at least one other device, such as a power transistor or other semiconductor device. In embodiments, the bootstrap circuit can comprise a bootstrap capacitor and a bootstrap diode, or the bootstrap circuit can comprise a bootstrap capacitor and a bootstrap transistor. The bootstrap capacitor comprises a semiconductor-based capacitor, as opposed to an electrolytic, ceramic or other capacitor, in embodiments. The integration of the bootstrap circuit with another circuit or device, such as a power transistor device in one embodiment, is at a silicon-level in embodiments, rather than as a module-like system-in-package of conventional approaches. In other words, the combination of the bootstrap circuit elements and power transistor or other device forms a system-on-silicon, or an integrated circuit, in embodiments, and additionally can be arranged in a single package.
US09171729B2
Methods of manufacturing vertical semiconductor devices may include forming a mold structure including sacrificial layers and insulating interlayers with a first opening formed therethrough. The sacrificial layers and the insulating interlayers may be stacked repeatedly and alternately on a substrate. The first opening may expose the substrate. Blocking layers may be formed by oxidizing portions of the sacrificial layers exposed by the first opening. A first semiconductor layer pattern, a charge trapping layer pattern and a tunnel insulation layer pattern, respectively, may be formed on the sidewall of the first opening. A second semiconductor layer may be formed on the first polysilicon layer pattern and the bottom of the first opening. The sacrificial layers and the insulating interlayers may be partially removed to form a second opening. The sacrificial layers may be removed to form grooves between the insulating interlayers. Control gate electrodes may be formed in the grooves.
US09171726B2
Semiconductor devices may be configured to reduce noise in the devices. For example, a semiconductor device may be configured or made with a first doped region within a semiconductor substrate to operate as an extended drain region, a trench isolation region, a second doped region between the first doped region and the trench isolation region, wherein the trench isolation region and the second doped region may be at least partially formed within the first doped region. Additionally, or alternatively, the second doped region may be within the first doped region and at least partially surround the trench isolation region, the first and second doped regions may have the same conductivity type, and the second doped region may have a higher conductivity than the first doped region.
US09171724B2
A substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber which processes a substrate, a conductive substrate support table which is installed within the process chamber, a dielectric plate on which the substrate is mounted, the dielectric plate being placed on the substrate support table, a microwave generator which is installed outside the process chamber, and a microwave supplying unit which supplies a microwave generated by the microwave generator into the process chamber.
US09171723B2
A method for creating an inwardly extending impurity distribution profile in a substrate comprising crystalline silicon material having a background doping of a first impurity type, comprising: a) providing one or more additional impurity sources with at least two different types of impurity atoms within the substrate or in proximity to the surface of the substrate, with each of these impurity atoms having different diffusion coefficients or segregation coefficients; b) locally melting a point on the surface of the substrate with a laser, whereby the at least two different types of impurity atoms are incorporated into the melted silicon material; c) removing the laser to allow the silicon material to recrystallize; d) controlling a rate of application and/or removal of the laser to control the creation of the impurity distribution profile, with different distribution profiles for each of the at least two types of impurity atoms in the recrystallized material.
US09171719B2
A method of defining poly-silicon growth direction includes Step 1, forming a buffer layer on a substrate; Step 2, forming a regular graphene array; Step 3, forming an amorphous silicon thin film on the buffer layer, which the regular graphene array has formed thereon; and Step 4, transferring the amorphous silicon thin film into poly-silicon with an excimer laser anneal process. The growth direction of the poly-silicon as being formed can be controlled according to the present method of defining poly-silicon growth direction. Accordingly, the grain size of the poly-silicon can be raised.
US09171717B2
The non-polar or semi-polar group III nitride layer disclosed in a specific example of the present invention can be used for substrates for various electronic devices, wherein problems of conventional polar group III nitride substrates are mitigated or solved by using the nitride substrate of the invention, and further the nitride substrate can be manufactured by a chemical lift-off process.
US09171716B2
A method of forming a metal oxide hardmask on a template includes: providing a template constituted by a photoresist or amorphous carbon formed on a substrate; and depositing by atomic layer deposition (ALD) a metal oxide hardmask on the template constituted by a material having a formula SixM(1-x)Oy wherein M represents at least one metal element, x is less than one including zero, and y is approximately two or a stoichiometrically-determined number.
US09171710B2
Methods of characterizing an analyte of interest are provided. The methods can involve using a population of nanoparticles (e.g., magnetic ferrite nanoparticles) as a matrix for matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. The size, shape, and composition of the nanoparticles can be selected in view of a variety of factors, including the nature of the analyte of interest, the desired characteristics of the mass spectrum, the nature of the energy directed onto the target composition, and combinations thereof. The nanoparticle matrix can enhance MALDI analysis by providing a cleaner mass spectral background and/or inducing abundant fragmentation of analyte ions by in-source decay (ISD). The nanoparticles are also versatile and selective; the nanoparticle matrix can be tuned to render the matrix particles compatible with an analyte of interest and/or improve selectivity for an analyte of interest.
US09171706B1
Mass analysis is performed on the same sample while changing the cooling gas supply rate to the ion trap, i.e. the gas pressure conditions, and the respective mass spectra are obtained. Under high gas, ion energy will decrease and modifiers such as phosphate groups will not detach readily, while under low gas, ion energy will remain high and so detachment of modifiers will occur readily. Thus, between multiple mass spectra obtained while changing the gas pressure, if the mass difference between a peak for which signal intensity increased and a peak for which it decreased corresponds to the mass of a known modifier or an integer multiple thereof, it can be inferred that those peaks have the same basic structure and differ only in the number of modifiers. Thus, such peaks are selected as precursor ions to perform MS2 analysis and structural analysis.
US09171695B2
In order to provide a stage apparatus with high speed stability in addition to being able to achieve positioning with a high degree of accuracy, and a sample observation apparatus, such as an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope, including the stage apparatus, the stage apparatus and the sample observation apparatus of the present invention correct a command voltage value of standard waveform data or an output timing of a command voltage value such that a difference between a first time history response and a second time history response is reduced to zero, the first time history response for displacement or speed when the stage mechanism is driven with use of the standard waveform data showing the command voltage value at each predetermined time and the second time history response for displacement or speed when a speed of the stage mechanism is constant, to be set as drive waveform data to be outputted to a drive unit of the stage mechanism.
US09171679B2
The present invention generally relates to devices for energy storage technologies, and more particularly to electrochemical flow capacitor systems and applications. In some aspects, these flow capacitors have at least one electrode comprising a non-stationary solid or semi-solid composition comprising supercapacitive particles and an electrolytic solvent in electrical communication with at least one current collector, and energy is stored and/or released by charging and/or discharging the electrode(s).
US09171676B2
The present invention relates to an organic colorant corresponding to one of the following structures (I) or (II): eD-pi-conjugated chromophore-L-A (I) A-L-pi-conjugated chromophore-eD (II) in which eD represents an electron donor segment; L represents a covalent bond or a spacer segment; A represents an electron attractor segment able to form a covalent bond with a semi-conductor; the pi-conjugated chromophore comprising at least two aromatic rings, at least one of which is a thiophene, selenophene or furan type ring. The present invention relates to the use thereof as photosensitizer in a photovoltaic device and said photovoltaic device.
US09171666B2
A reactor includes a coil, a magnetosensitive element attached to a lead wire of the coil, a magnetic shielding plate that shields the magnetosensitive element from a magnetic field of the coil, and a case body in which the magnetic shielding plate, the magnetosensitive element and the coil are housed. In the reactor, the magnetosensitive element and the coil are covered with a resin containing a magnetic material in the case.
US09171663B2
An integrated circuit transformer structure includes at least two conductor groups stacked in parallel in different layers. A first spiral track is formed in the at least two conductor groups, the first spiral track includes first turns of a first radius within each of the at least two conductor groups, and second turns of a second radius within each of the at least two conductor groups, the first and second turns being electrically connected. A second spiral track is formed in the at least two conductor groups, the second spiral track including a plurality of adjacent turns of one or more radii within each of the at least two conductor groups and disposed in a same plane between the first and second turns in each of the at least two conductor groups.
US09171659B2
A radial water barrier is provided for a dynamic high-voltage submarine cable. The water barrier includes a corrugated metal tube having an inner diameter in a range of 50-90 mm and a corrugation pitch in a range of 6-10 mm. The metal tube has a wall thickness in a range of 0.7-1 mm and a corrugation depth of more than 6 mm.
US09171652B2
A process for preparing transition metal mixed oxide precursors, including: (A) precipitating, from aqueous solution at a pH of 8.0 to 9.0, a compound of formula (I): M(CO3)bOc(OH)dAmBe(SO4)fXg(PO4)h (I), wherein: M is one or more transition metals, A is sodium or potassium, B is one or more metals of groups 1 to 3, excluding Na and potassium, X is halide, nitrate or carboxylate, b is 0.75 to 0.98, c is zero to 0.50, d is zero to 0.50, where the sum (c+d) is 0.02 to 0.50, e is zero to 0.1, f is zero to 0.05, g is zero to 0.05, h is zero to 0.10, m is 0.002 to 0.1, and (B) separating the precipitated material from the mother liquor, where the particles of material of formula (I) have a spherical shape.
US09171650B2
A method of aligning masks for phase imaging or phase contrast imaging in X-ray apparatus using a pixel-type X-ray detector makes use of non-idealities of all real detectors. A mask may be provided before the sample to generate beams, adjacent to the pixels of the detector or both. The method includes moving the mask into a plurality of translational position increments and identifying the increment for which the intensity has a maximum or minimum. The identified value of the increment may vary over the pixels of the detector. Alignment positions are selected in which steps in a plot of the increment over the area of the detector are minimized and/or aligned with the rows and columns of pixels.
US09171647B2
Disclosed herein is a spacer grid for a nuclear fuel assembly. The spacer grid has dimples for supporting fuel rods and is formed from grid strips which are assembled in a lattice shape to form lattice cells. Each grid strip has at least one hole which is formed separately from the dimples. Therefore, when coolant is drawn into the fuel assembly, a pressure difference between opposite sides of the holes is reduced, and friction generated between cut edges of the holes and the coolant reduces the magnitude of the vibration and causes a damping effect, thus reducing flow-induced vibration. The hole formed in the grid strip function to widen the range of the frequency of the flow-induced vibration caused by vortex sheddings formed around the edges of the grid strip, thus reducing the possibility of the generation of resonance with the natural frequency of the spacer grid.
US09171645B2
Integrated circuits with memory built-in self-test (BIST) logic and methods of testing using the same are disclosed. The method includes setting an address window for locating defects in a memory array. The method further includes comparing output data of the memory array to expected data to determine that a defect exists at location “M” in the memory array within the address window. The method further includes storing, in registers, the address M and a resultant bit fail vector associated with the location “M” of the defect found in the memory array. The method further includes resetting the registers to a null value and resetting the address window with a new minimum and maximum address pair, to compare the output data of the memory array to the expected data within the reset address window which excludes address M.
US09171643B2
Disclosed is a solid state drive tester which reduces the size of the tester and easily changes a function without changing hardware (H/W) by implementing a plurality of devices for testing an SSD as one chip using a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The solid state drive tester includes: a host terminal receiving a test condition for testing a storage from a user; and a test control unit generating a test pattern corresponding to the test condition, adaptively selecting an interface according to an interface type of the storage to be tested to test the storage using the test pattern, and storing fail data generated during the test in an internal memory. The test control unit is implemented by an FPGA to reduce the size of the tester and easily change a function without hardware.
US09171640B2
The shift register includes first to fourth flip-flops. A first clock signal which is in a first voltage state in a first period and in a second voltage state in second to fourth periods is input to the first flip-flop. A second clock signal which is in the first voltage state in the second period and in the second voltage state in the third period and the fourth period is input to the second flip-flop. A third clock signal which is in the second voltage state in the first, second, and fourth periods and in the first voltage state in the third period is input to the third flip-flop. A fourth clock signal which is in the second voltage state in the first and second periods and in the first voltage state in the fourth period is input to the fourth flip-flop.
US09171638B2
A latch circuit that latches stored data of a nonvolatile storage device used for setting the function of a semiconductor device and adjusting the characteristics of the semiconductor device required a dedicated input-output circuit for a test of the semiconductor device. By providing a dummy storage device, it becomes possible to perform a test of the semiconductor device without providing a dedicated input-output circuit.
US09171627B2
A low-current FN channel scheme for erase, program, program-inhibit and read operations is disclosed for NAND NVM memories. This invention discloses a block array architecture and 3-step half-page program algorithm to achieve less error rate of NAND cell threshold voltage level. Thus, the error correction code capability requirement can be reduced, thus the program yield can be increased to reduce the overall NAND die cost at advanced nodes below 20 nm. As a result, this NAND array can still use the LV, compact PGM buffer for saving in the silicon area and power consumption. In addition, the simpler on-chip state-machine design can be achieved with the superior quality of less program errors.
US09171626B2
An embodiment of a method includes decreasing a difference of a voltage applied to a first select gate minus a voltage applied to a source while the first select gate is off, decreasing a difference of a voltage applied to a second select gate minus a voltage applied to a data line while the second select gate is off, and increasing a voltage of a signal applied to a selected access line that is coupled to an untargeted memory cell in a string of memory cells coupled to the first and second select gates to a program voltage after or substantially concurrently with decreasing the difference of the voltage applied to the first select gate minus the voltage applied to the source and with decreasing the difference of the voltage applied to the second select gate minus the voltage applied to the data line.
US09171625B2
Apparatus are disclosed, such as a block including a number of strings of charge storage devices, each string including a number of charge storage devices associated with a pillar, and each pillar including semiconductor material. Methods are disclosed, such as a method that includes performing a first operation on a first charge storage device associated with a pillar in the block, modifying an electrical potential of the pillar, and performing a second operation on a second charge storage device in the block. Additional apparatus and methods are described.
US09171613B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to nanoscale memristor devices that provide nonvolatile memristive switching. In one embodiment, a memristor device includes an active region, a first electrode disposed on a first surface of the active region, and a second electrode disposed on a second surface of the active region, the second surface opposite the first surface. The first electrode is configured with a smaller width than the active region in a first direction, and the second electrode is configured with a larger width than the active region in a second direction. Application of a voltage to at least one of the electrodes produces an electric field across a sub-region within the active region between the first electrode and the second electrode.
US09171604B2
A refresh control circuit of a semiconductor apparatus includes a repair address processing unit configured to compare refresh addresses and repair information, activate a redundant enable signal, and convert the semiconductor apparatus into the same operation state as an initialization state of the repair information in response to activation of a repair initialization signal; a refresh counter configured to count the refresh addresses extended to a signal bit in response to activation of a redundant count enable signal; and a refresh control unit configured to activate the repair initialization signal and the redundant count enable signal when an additional refresh mode is set in response to a refresh command.
US09171602B2
The present invention relates to a device including a ferroic material having a ferroelectric order parameter and including at least two domains, as well as a first and second electrode in electrical contact with the ferroic material. The device is configured to form a head-to-head polarization orientation or a tail-to-tail polarization orientation at an interface between the two domains to form a charged domain wall at said interface and between the first and second electrodes. The present invention relates to a corresponding method for operating such a device.
US09171596B2
A circuit receives a parameter signal at a set or reset input, a clock signal at a clock input and a constant digital value at a data input. A synchronous signal is output from the circuit: wherein when the parameter signal is in a first state, then the output synchronous signal has the digital value; wherein when the parameter signal transitions to a second state, then the output synchronous signal transitions to an inverse of the digital value at substantially the same time; and wherein when the parameter signal transitions back to the first state, then the output synchronous signal transitions to the digital value on a next clock edge.
US09171594B2
A multiport memory having an array of storage cells for storing data; a plurality of data access ports; and access control circuitry to assign each data access port to one of the sets of access control lines and corresponding data lines. The control circuitry has collision detection circuitry to detect a colliding data access request received at a second data access port that requests access to a row of storage cells currently being accessed by a data access request received at a first data access port. The control circuitry is responsive to the detected collision to assign the set of access control lines and corresponding data lines currently assigned to the first data access port to the second data access port and to subsequently assign the first data access port to the set of access control lines and corresponding data lines previously assigned to the second access port.
US09171593B2
A multi-granularity parallel storage system including a plurality of memories, a shift generator, an address increment lookup unit, an address shifter, a row address generator, and a plurality of address adders. The shift generator is configured to generate a shift value. The address increment lookup unit is configured to generate input data for the address shifter. The address shifter is configured to cyclically shift the input data rightward by Shift elements and then output the shifted data. The row address generator is configured to generate a row address RowAddr and input the generated row address RowAddr to the other input terminal of each address adder. Each address adder is configured to perform a non-sign addition of the input data at the two input terminals to obtain a read/write (R/W) address for one of the memories and input the R/W address to an address input terminal of the memory.
US09171589B2
Provided is a memory device having a first switch configured to receive a first CSL signal to input or output data. A second switch is configured to receive a second CSL signal. A sensing and latch circuit (SLC) is coupled between the first and second switches. And at least one memory cell is coupled to the second switch. The second switch is configured to control timing of read or write operations of the at least one memory cell in response to the second CSL signal, e.g., where a read operation can be performed in not more than about 5 ns. The SLC operates as a latch in a write mode and as an amplifier in a read mode. The memory device may comprise part of a memory system or other apparatus including such memory device or system. Methods of performing read and write operations using such memory device are also provided.
US09171587B2
An embodiment of an apparatus includes a substrate, a body semiconductor, a vertical memory access line stack over the body semiconductor, and a body connection to the body semiconductor.
US09171586B2
Embodiments include systems and methods for using a shared virtual ground to implement a dual memory bitcell. Some embodiments of the dual memory bitcell described herein operate substantially as would two adjacent conventional bitcells, but with reduced power, reduced area, and other features. For example, each of two memory bitcells can be coupled with a write bitline, a virtual ground line, and a respective write wordline. The virtual ground is configured to be switched according to the write bitline. In such a configuration, the value stored by the memory bitcells can be a function of the write bitline and the virtual ground line (e.g., when the respective write word line of the memory bitcell is asserted). Certain embodiments can include a novel physical layout of the dual memory bitcell. Some implementations of the novel physical layout can include changes to the physical memory bitcell components and to one or more metal layers.
US09171578B2
In an embodiment, a method of creating a skimming preview of a video includes electronically receiving a plurality of video shots, analyzing each frame in a video shot from the plurality of video shots, where analyzing includes determining a saliency of each frame of the video shot. The method also includes determining a key frame of the video shot based on the saliency of each frame the video shot, extracting visual features from the key frame, performing shot clustering of the plurality of video shots to determine concept patterns based on the visual features, and generating a reconstruction reference tree based on the shot clustering. The reconstruction reference tree includes video shots categorized according to each concept pattern.
US09171571B2
An embodiment of a read channel includes a filter, an interpolator, a recovery circuit, an error detector, a reverse interpolator, and a filter calibrator. The filter is operable to receive a raw sample of a signal and a coefficient-correction value, generate a filtered sample from the raw sample and a pre-established coefficient, and change the coefficient in response to the coefficient-correction value. The interpolator is operable to interpolate the filtered sample, and the recovery circuit is operable to generate a data symbol from the interpolated sample. The error detector is operable to generate an ideal sample from the data symbol and to generate a difference between the ideal sample and the interpolated sample, and the reverse interpolator is operable to reverse interpolate the difference. The filter calibrator is operable to receive the raw sample and to generate the coefficient-correction value from the raw sample and the reverse-interpolated difference.
US09171562B1
A laser diode device is affixed to a mounting face of a slider, opposite the air bearing surface. The laser includes a submount having an electrically conductive surface layer that is normal to the mounting face. The electrically conductive surface layer is a patterned metal layer that includes a lateral probing region and a laser mounting region to which a laser is soldered. The laser mounting region is connected to the lateral probing region by a bridge portion of the patterned metal layer. The laser mounting region is otherwise separated from the lateral probing region by a solder blocking gap in which the submount lacks the patterned metal layer, and which is adjacent to the laser. The solder blocking gap defines a solder blocking gap height normal to the mounting face that is in the range of ⅔rds to ⅚ths of a total height of the laser mounting region.
US09171558B2
A magnetic head includes a plurality of reproducing elements so that the magnetic head can acquire reproduction signals from a plurality of tracks at the same time. The magnetic head includes a first reproducing element, a first magnetic film formed on a first side wall of the first reproducing element with a first side wall insulating film interposed therebetween, a second magnetic film formed on a second side wall of the first reproducing element with a second side wall insulating film interposed therebetween, a second reproducing element electrically isolated from the first reproducing element and formed on the first magnetic film, a third magnetic film formed on the first magnetic film, and a fourth magnetic film formed on the first reproducing element and electrically isolated from the second reproducing element.
US09171528B2
A stringed musical instrument has a molded sound box and neck where the sound box is formed of between 20% to 60% carbon fibers, or other suitable fibers, and a polymeric resin or binder. The composition of materials utilized in the sound box is selected to increase stiffness and to control the tone of the instrument. The sound box includes an adjustable attachment mechanism having a pivot which is used to secure the neck to the sound box. The sound box includes a molded bracing structure having a plurality of braces and a molded bridge having a plurality of pockets which are used to enhance the structure for the sound box and provide a desired tone quality for the stringed instrument. The neck may include a molded neck insert and a molded fingerboard which are used to enhance the stiffness and stability of the neck.
US09171527B2
In one aspect, a computer-implemented method is disclosed for providing geographic imagery. The method may include receiving, at a computing device, a request for a geographic image, wherein the geographic image depicts at least a portion of a selected location within a geographic area. In addition, the method may include presenting, with the computing device, the geographic image and superimposing a map including normalized travel way data associated with the geographic area over at least a portion of the geographic image.
US09171522B2
An image projection device includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire a first ratio of a second distance to a first distance. The first distance is a distance between a projecting unit that projects a projection image and a first point in a projection area on which the projection image is projected. The second distance is a distance between the projecting unit and a second point in the projection area. The image projection device also includes an estimating unit configured to estimate, using the first ratio, light/dark levels of respective division areas into which the projection area is divided; and a light/dark-level processing unit configured to perform light/dark-level processing on areas in the projection image corresponding respectively to the division areas in accordance with the corresponding light/dark level.
US09171520B2
According to an embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed an array substrate, comprising: data lines; first and second gate lines, the first and second gate lines and the data lines crossing with each other so as to define sub-pixel structures; each of the sub-pixel structures comprising first and second sub-pixels; a first control line, insulated from the first and second gate lines; and first switch devices, each for making the first gate line and the second gate line corresponding to the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel in the same sub-pixel structure connected or disconnected under the control of the first control line, wherein in each of the sub-pixel structures, the first gate line is connected to the first sub-pixel, the second gate line is connected to the second sub-pixel, and the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel are connected to the same data line.
US09171519B2
A method for driving a liquid crystal display panel (61), a driving device (50), and a liquid crystal display (60). The method for driving a liquid crystal display panel (61) comprises: compensating for voltages of data lines according to pixel values of pixels on the liquid crystal display panel (61) that correspond to an image to be displayed; and inputting the voltages of the data lines after compensation to the data lines to drive the liquid crystal display panel (61) for display. Such a driving method is capable of reducing charging and discharging time for pixel electrodes and improving the display quality of a liquid crystal display.
US09171517B2
A liquid crystal display device (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a timing controller (4) which, (i) in a first display mode, in which a number of tones that each pixel is capable of displaying is smaller than a predetermined number, controls a scanning signal and a data signal by an interlace driving method, by which a single frame includes a plurality of fields, and (ii) in a second display mode, in which the number of tones that each pixel is capable of displaying is equal to or greater than the predetermined number, controls the scanning signal and the data signal by a progressive driving method.
US09171512B2
Image signal line driving circuits each include a timing controller that generates a control signal to control the image signal line driving circuit itself and a different image signal line driving circuit. A master belonging to the image signal line driving circuits has a function of applying the control signal to a slave belonging to the image signal line driving circuits. The image signal line driving circuits each include an abnormality detecting circuit that detects an operation abnormality in the image signal line driving circuit itself, and a master/slave switching circuit that sets the image signal line driving circuit itself as the master or slave image signal line driving circuit. When detecting an abnormality, the abnormality detecting circuit outputs a master/slave switching signal, thereby switching the slave image signal line driving circuit to the master and switching the master image signal line driving circuit to the slave.
US09171501B2
An active matrix organic light emitting diode pixel (AMOLED) pixel structure includes a plurality of sub pixels, wherein at least one of the sub pixels comprises two secondary sub pixels, and the secondary sub pixels are disposed with organic light emitting materials with different light emitting characteristics respectively, so that lights emitted from the secondary sub pixels are mixed to adjust the performance of the sub pixels.
US09171499B2
An organic light emitting display is disclosed. The display includes a pixel unit for displaying a black image during a non-emission period and for displaying an image based on data during an emission period in every frame period. The display also includes a current sensor which determines current flowing in a power line during the non-emission period and generates a stop signal if the current is greater than a threshold, and a power supply which supplies power to the pixel unit unless the stop signal is received from the sensor.
US09171489B2
Self illuminated back and front lit signage for a printed graphic. The signage includes a turning film having a structured surface for redirecting light, a diffuser providing for diffusion, and a printed graphic. The turning film receives light from an ambient light source and directs the light via the structured surface toward a viewer of the graphic in order to passively illuminate the signage.
US09171486B1
A Zipp Seal apparatus which is designed to detect unlawful access of oil, and also to help ensure that oil tanks are and remain properly sealed. The invention may be an injection-molded plastic or nylon unit containing a zip tie with a solid cylinder component and a tail with one-way feeding teeth. The cylinder can be inserted into a hole on an oil tank valve, and the zip tie end can be inserted into the cylinder end of the unit. This may secure the valve into a specific position. If the invention is found in a different position, employees will know that the oil has been tampered with or unlawfully accessed.
US09171473B1
A dynamic weather route system automatically analyzes routes for in-flight aircraft flying in convective weather regions and attempts to find more time and fuel efficient reroutes around current and predicted weather cells. The dynamic weather route system continuously analyzes all flights and provides reroute advisories that are dynamically updated in real time while the aircraft are in flight. The dynamic weather route system includes a graphical user interface that allows users to visualize, evaluate, modify if necessary, and implement proposed reroutes.
US09171467B2
Methods for identifying a vehicle using a predetermined location are provided, as well as a radio beacon and an onboard unit for use with the methods. One method comprises: carrying, on the vehicle, an onboard unit that broadcasts status messages that each indicate a current position of the onboard unit and a radio identifier that changes after each or several status messages; receiving at least one status message in a radio beacon; detecting a location usage of the vehicle by evaluating the status message(s) based on the position(s) indicated therein with respect to the predetermined location; transmitting an identification request from the radio beacon to the onboard unit addressed according to the radio identifier from the status message(s); receiving and conducting a legitimacy check of the identification request in the onboard unit and, if the request is legitimate, transmitting an identification of the onboard unit to the radio beacon.
US09171466B2
An on-vehicle information terminal includes a traffic information obtaining unit that obtains traffic information through wireless communication, a telematics information obtaining unit that obtains telematics information provided from a distribution server via a mobile communication network, a selection unit that selects either the traffic information or the telematics information when contents of the traffic information and contents of the telematics information are different, and a traffic condition indicating unit that indicates road traffic conditions based upon either the traffic information or the telematics information having been selected by the selection unit.
US09171450B2
A method includes receiving an alarm sound including information related to an emergency event. The method also includes transmitting, to a server, identification information of the mobile device and the information. The method further includes receiving, from the server, an instruction for responding to the emergency event. The method further includes outputting the instruction.
US09171446B2
Evacuation system including a network-connected server, computerized communications appliances connected to the server, electronic interface devices connected to alarm systems, in turn, connected to server, the alarms located at first geographic locations fixed in a path a disaster, software executing on the server, the software providing mapping of the first geographic locations by visually representing those on at least one digitally rendered geographic representation of the disaster area, the geographic representations servable to the communications appliances, receiving evacuation-success notification information at the server, the information sent from persons interacting with the electronic interface devices whom are evacuating from the first geographic locations, and visually associating the received evacuation-success notification information to the geographic locations and updating the at least one geographic representation. The evacuation-success notification information including an indication that the persons have evacuated the first locations and are sheltering at second geographic locations associated with the first geographic locations.
US09171444B2
A medication administration system that includes a system of pillboxes, a pharmacy workstation, and a system of attendant workstation. The pharmacy workstation reads RFID or barcode tags on the pillboxes and medication wrappers containing medication units as the medication units are checked into the pillboxes to ensure that the pillboxes are filled in accordance the appropriate prescription regimens. The attendant workstations read the RFID or barcode tags on the pillboxes and medication wrappers as the medication units are checked out of the pillboxes to ensure that the medications are administered in accordance the appropriate prescription regimens. The attendant workstations may activate alarms, which may include communicating the alarms to a central monitoring station or mobile communication devices assigned to healthcare providers, when the determine that a pillbox in not correctly filled, when a medication has been checked out of a pillbox improperly, or when a medication has not been checked out on time.
US09171419B2
This invention in certain example instances relates generally to coin-operated video entertainment systems. More particularly, certain exemplary aspects of the invention provide methods and/or systems for controlling access to a portable coin-operated interactive entertainment device that may be used to play video games and access other forms of entertainment as well as providing features via such portable coin-operated interactive entertainment devices.
US09171417B2
Method and apparatus are provided wherein, in one example embodiment, a gaming machine includes a computing platform and a software program executing on the computing platform to provide a gaming experience to a user of the gaming machine, and there are provided one or more hardware or software components operative on the computing platform to detect faults occurring on the platform. At least one fault recovery software component is also operative on the gaming platform, and the fault recovery software component is adapted to operate in response to the detection of a fault.
US09171407B2
A system and method that compares an input voltage value through the input terminal of the LDC with a setting voltage in an ignition on-state and an on-state of a main relay for connection of a high-voltage battery Then a verification is made whether the main relay is in the on-state and whether the voltage of an input capacitor in an inverter is in a normal voltage range. As a result a diagnosis is made whether the disconnection of the input fuse has occurred in a low-voltage state when the input voltage is no more than the setting voltage and the on-state of the main relay and the state in which the voltage of the input capacitor in the inverter is in the normal voltage range.
US09171403B2
Surface reconstruction contour completion embodiments are described which provide dense reconstruction of a scene from images captured from one or more viewpoints. Both a room layout and the full extent of partially occluded objects in a room can be inferred using a Contour Completion Random Field model to augment a reconstruction volume. The augmented reconstruction volume can then be used by any surface reconstruction pipeline to show previously occluded objects and surfaces.
US09171397B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, systems, and apparatuses configured to receive or retrieve markup data associated with a message formatted for two-dimensional (2D) rendering, virtually render, by a first rendering module, the message in a non-displayed image in accordance with the markup data, and render, by a second rendering module, a three-dimensional (3D) object in a 2D display environment including texturing the non-displayed image on a surface of the 3D object in order to render the message. Other embodiments are also described.
US09171390B2
In an animation processing system, generating images to be viewable on a display using a computer that are generated based on scene geometry obtained from computer readable storage and animation data representing changes over time of scene geometry elements, but also images can be modified to include shading that is a function of positions of objects at other than the current instantaneous time for a frame render such that the motion effect shading would suggest motion of at least one of the elements to a viewer of the generated images. Motion effects provide, based on depiction parameters and/or artist inputs, shading that varies for at least some received animation data, received motion depiction parameters, for at least one pixel, a pixel color is rendered based on motion effect program output and at least some received scene geometry, such that the output contributes to features that would suggest the motion.
US09171386B2
Techniques for calculating sub-pixel coverage values for text to be displayed, so as to enable caching of the sub-pixel coverage values. The sub-pixel coverage values may enable a linear combination of color information for the text with color information for one or more other, overlapping display elements for calculating composite color values to be used in controlling a display. Such composite color values to be used in controlling sub-pixels of a display may be calculated, in some embodiments, without performing a gamma correction process. Also described are techniques for retrieving cached sub-pixel coverage values and combining the values with color information for text and for other, overlapping display elements to calculate composite color values for sub-pixels of a display. At least one graphics processing unit (GPU) may be configured to perform operations using the sub-pixel coverage information and to calculate the composite color values for the sub-pixels.
US09171383B2
A scalable three-dimensional (3D) mesh encoding method includes dividing the 3D mesh into layers of complexity into a plurality of graduated levels and generating vertex position information and connectivity information of each of the plurality of levels. The vertex position information about the 3D mesh is encoded based on a weighting in each bit plane and vertex position information having a higher weighting in each bit plane is first encoded.
US09171375B2
Foreground objects of interest are distinguished from a background model by dividing a region of interest of a video data image into a grid array of individual cells. Each of the cells are labeled as foreground if accumulated edge energy within the cell meets an edge energy threshold, or if color intensities for different colors within each cell differ by a color intensity differential threshold, or as a function of combinations of said determinations.
US09171374B2
An image processing system is described which is arranged to highlight information in image displays by selectively blurring less important areas of an image. By generating such displays comprising areas which are in focus and areas which are out of focus, a viewer's attention is preferentially drawn towards those areas of an image which appear sharp. By having a display system which is arranged to generate such images a means is provided to direct a viewer's attention towards considering the sharp areas of the image display first. Further the selective blurring portions of an image reduces rather than increases the amount of information presented to a viewer and hence reduces the likelihood that a viewer will become overloaded with information. Display systems of this type are therefore especially applicable to complex control environments as means of directing viewer's attention.
US09171371B2
Example embodiments of a display system and method using a hybrid user tracking sensor are described. The display system may determine a final location of a user based on information of a face or eyes of a user generated based on information received from a plurality of cameras and posture information generated based on information received from a plurality of sensors.
US09171368B2
A variation of a method for estimating a quantity of a blood component in a fluid canister includes: within an image of a canister, identifying a reference marker on the canister; selecting an area of the image based on the reference marker; correlating a portion of the selected area with a fluid level within the canister; estimating a volume of fluid within the canister based on the fluid level; extracting a feature from the selected area; correlating the extracted featured with a concentration of a blood component within the canister; and estimating a quantity of the blood component within the canister based on the estimated volume and the concentration of the blood component within the canister.
US09171363B2
A road surface survey device specifies a position at which abnormality is detected at one of a position at which abnormality on pavement of a road surface is detected from an image of a road captured by a camera and a position at which abnormality on pavement of a road surface is detected from a change in an acceleration measured when a car runs on the road surface by a G sensor. Further, the road surface survey device derives conditions that abnormality which is not detected at the specified position can be detected, and outputs an instruction of a resurvey for the specified position under the derived conditions.
US09171357B2
The present disclosure relates to a method, apparatus and computer-readable recording medium for refocusing a photographed image using a depth map. According an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a refocusing method including a) outputting a photographed image on a display unit; b) determining whether a region to be refocused is specified in the output image; c) computing a depth map of the output image if the region to be refocused is specified; d) acquiring a refocused image by increasing resolution of the specified region to be refocused and decreasing resolution of regions other than the specified region to be refocused, based on the computed depth map; and e) outputting the refocused image on the display unit. According to the present disclosure, when an image photographed using a camera is not focused exactly or it is intended to focus on another region of the photographed image, a refocused image can be generated by specifying a region to be refocused in the photographed image.
US09171354B2
An image processing apparatus and method for enhancing quality of image data are provided. The image processing apparatus includes an encoder which encodes source image data and outputs compressed image data, a first representative transform coefficient calculator which calculates a first representative transform coefficient by transforming the source image data into frequency characteristics; a decoder which decodes the compressed image data and outputting decoded image data, a second representative transform coefficient calculator which calculates a second representative transform coefficient by transforming the decoded image data into frequency characteristics, and a quality enhancer which enhances the quality of the decoded image data by using the first representative transform coefficient and the second representative transform coefficient.
US09171347B2
A system and method for hidden security feature detection, analysis and authentication using a smart device is disclosed. The smart device can detect and analyze hidden security features using the camera capability of the smart device to capture a digital image, and then analyze and authenticate that image using a security service including a database of security feature data, processing rules, and other information. The security service can support a variety of smart devices and security features. The smart device includes a security-specific autofocus function that allows the smart device to be positioned within a range of distances and angles from a target document that includes hidden/covert security feature(s). The smart device can display an enhanced image showing the hidden security feature(s) and/or report if the security feature is valid or invalid, along with related information, via beeps, vibration, display, text messaging, or other reporting capabilities.
US09171344B2
The disclosure herein provides methods, systems, and devices for managing, transferring, modifying, converting and/or tracking medical files and/or medical system messages. In certain embodiments, the foregoing may generally be based on requesting medical files at a first medical facility, identifying the requested medical files at a second medical facility, initiating a secure network connection between the first and second medical facility, modifying a header portion of the medical files based on patient identification information created by the first medical facility, and other processing steps.
US09171342B2
A computer network-based service provides search capabilities and mechanisms for connecting potential patients with emergency, urgent, and convenient care facilities. Patients make informed decisions regarding their treatment options by reviewing search results regarding facility wait times, geographic proximities of facilities, quality ratings of facilities for particular specialties, etc. Upon selecting a facility, patients may electronically transmit a notification to the facility indicating their medical condition(s) and estimated arrival time. The facility may approve or deny the treatment request by sending an electronic response. The facility may also request further information to triage the patient before his/her actual arrival and/or may provide instructions to assist the patient while en route. Navigation satellite systems may identify the patient's location for processing search requests and determining the proximity of facilities. Further, contact mechanisms, e.g., phone numbers, for contacting facilities directly may be accessed from the search service and tracked.
US09171341B1
The present invention relates to inventory management solutions, and in particular, to methods and systems for inventorying items and property over wireless and data networks, using digital imaging, positioning, RFID, and data terminals. The user experience in performing inventory management is simplified and enhanced over existing methods.
US09171336B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for determining the connectedness from a first individual to a second individual on a social network. In some embodiments, a method includes: (a) receiving information associated with the social network, (b) determining a direct connection between the first individual and the second individual, (c) determining one or more indirect connections between a first individual and a second individual, and (d) determining the connectedness based at least partially on: the direct connection, and/or the number of indirect connections between the first individual and the second individual, and/or the type of each indirect connection, and/or a qualitative value of each indirect connection. Embodiments of the invention allow a user of a system to determine the strength (or quality/closeness) of a connection between two individuals on a social network.
US09171329B2
A system is employed to operate a vehicle impounding facility for a municipality. A selection is received of a marked vehicle in a marked grid for titling, and an application for title for the selected vehicle is effectuated in the name of the municipality. A notation is received of a selected vehicle in a pending grid as being titled when the application for title for the selected vehicle has been approved and received. A scheduling is received of a titled vehicle in a select auction date grid for an upcoming auction. An assignment is received of a minimum bid value to a scheduled vehicle in a minimum bid guide grid in connection with the auction. Entry is received in a final auction grid of a purchase price for which a valued vehicle has been auctioned and a purchaser.
US09171326B2
Disclosed are methods for evaluating a user's interests and making gift recommendations using social media data. Interests and attributes of a user may be detected from social media content and products corresponding to the interests and attributes may be selected and presented as gift recommendations for the user. Methods are disclosed for resolving ambiguity as to interests reflected by textual data in social media content. Also disclosed are methods for inferring a user's interests from the interests of friends of the user.
US09171316B2
A method and apparatus for delivering a plurality of products from a vending machine is disclosed. The method generally allows an offer for a package to be output, in which the package defines a plurality of products, including a selected product. An apparatus is also disclosed to carry out the method steps of the present invention.
US09171311B2
Systems, methods, and computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that maintain a targetable user inventory for digital advertising. In embodiments, a request is made for user data associated with a user identification. If the user data or user identification is not available, a list of alternative user identifications is ranked according to various criteria based on identification signals. A match is selected from the list of alternative user identifications and user data associated with the alternative user identification is communicated in response to the request.
US09171308B2
A method and system for managing accounts that control access to resources of different providers. The account management system allows providers to use a common logon procedure through an account management server. The account management system dynamically creates accounts when users request to access resources. To access to a resource, a user provides their credentials (e.g., user identifier and password) through a certain location (e.g., client computer) and identifies the resource (e.g., application). The account management system determines whether an account has already been created for those credentials. If not, the account management system authenticates the user, creates a new account for those credentials (i.e., registration), and associates the identified resource with the account.
US09171305B2
For providing confined space access procedures and confined space permits, a synchronization module stores a plurality of confined space permits and a plurality of confined space access procedures in a confined space database. Each confined space permit and each confined space access procedure corresponds to a confined space of a plurality of confined spaces and each confined space is indexed to a space reference code. The synchronization module synchronizes the plurality of confined space permits and the plurality of confined space access procedures to a mobile device. A retrieval module receives a first space reference code at the mobile device and retrieves a first confined space permit and a first confined space access procedure indexed to the first space reference code.
US09171296B1
Embodiments for generating a virtual check one a mobile device. The embodiments further receive a request, from the user, to perform a transaction with a merchant; generate a virtual check comprising a checking account number, a bank routing number, and a date; initiate display of the virtual check on a display of the mobile device; receive input from the user corresponding to at least one of a plurality of check fields; and populate the virtual check based on the received input.
US09171286B2
Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for recording events occurring in a virtual world. In one embodiment, properties of events previously recorded and/or attended by a user may be identified. Recording criteria for the user may be derived from the identified properties. Upon identifying an event satisfying the recording criteria, the event may be recorded. The recorded event may be played back at the convenience of the user.
US09171285B2
System and method for reducing healthcare costs by improving care and encouraging healthy behaviors. A web-based or telephonic program using health plan sponsor funded financial incentives, offered to patients and providers for declaring or demonstrating adherence or providing a reason for non-adherence to performance standards. Financial incentives are contingent upon patient's and provider's agreement to allow the other to confirm or acknowledge the other's declaration or demonstration of adherence or non-adherence reason. Combining financial incentives with a set of checks and balances motivates participation in the program and adherence to the performance standards. Performance standards include evidence-based treatment guidelines, information therapy, wellness and prevention solutions, care management, and other methods proven to control costs by improving behaviors and healthcare. The system and method achieves improved health and more affordable healthcare by aligning the interests of providers, patients/consumers, and health plan sponsors in a win-win-win arrangement.
US09171272B2
A data marketplace infrastructure allows a data source company or a third party to automate generation of one or more applications in association a data feed. In contrast to custom, manual development of applications, the data marketplace infrastructure constructs applications that suggest applicability to the data feed. Factors suggesting applicability include without limitation similarity of data structures and similarity of subject matter. Based on an applicability determination, patterns of historical visual usage and patterns of historical business logic usage may be used to identify expressions specifying the visuals and business logic that may be copied to and used in a new application in association with the data feed. Furthermore, previewers can provide feedback to help tune which automatically generated applications are maintained in association with the data feed and which are discarded or altered in some way.
US09171266B2
A biologically-inspired system and method is provided for self-adapting behavior of swarm-based exploration missions, whereby individual components, for example, spacecraft, in the system can sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the entire system. The self-sacrifice can involve donating resources or assets, such as power provisions, to a different component of an autonomous system. A receiving component of the system can benefit from receiving the donated resource or power provision.
US09171259B1
In one embodiment, a system for enhancing predictive modeling includes an interface operable to receive a first dataset. The system may also include a processor communicatively coupled to the interface that is operable to generate a holdout dataset based on the first dataset. The processor may also train each of a plurality of boosting models in parallel using the first dataset, wherein for each of a number of iterations, training comprises: building a one-level binary decision tree to train a split-node variable; calculating an impurity of the split-node variable; and calculating an optimal split node, wherein the optimal split node is the split-node variable with a lowest impurity between the plurality of boosting models. The system may then determine a final model based on one of the plurality of boosting models that provides the lowest error rate when applied to the holdout dataset.
US09171251B2
A system and method for providing multi-dimensional context-aware adaptation in vehicular networks is disclosed. The system comprises a collection module, a context resolving module, a parameter determination module and a distribution module. The collection module collects context data describing a context in a communication environment. The context resolving module resolves the context data to a matching historical context and determines one or more historical context groups associated with the matching historical context. The parameter determination module determines a subset of operating parameters from the one or more historical context groups. The distribution module distributes the subset of operating parameters to a network stack communication module.
US09171246B2
A system, method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided for detecting that an object has been accessed. A system may include a first surface carrying a first signaling tag and a second surface carrying a second signaling tag. The first and second signaling tags may be positioned such that when the second surface is in a first position, the first signaling tag and the second signaling tag are sufficiently proximate to each other such that a coupling between the first signaling tag and the second signaling tag results in a first signal state being emitted by at least one of the signaling tags. When the second surface is transitioned from the first position to a second position, a decoupling between the first signaling tag and the second signaling tag may in a second signal state being emitted by at least one of the signaling tags.
US09171243B1
A method of maintaining a biographical digest of information stored in a radio frequency identity chip communicatively coupled to a motherboard of a mobile communication device. The method comprises determining and writing inception information to the radio frequency identity chip once and preventing later modification of the inception information by a biographical digest software layer stored in a memory of the mobile communication device and executed by a processor of the device. The method further comprises determining and writing current information to the radio frequency identity chip by the biographical digest software layer in response to triggering events.
US09171235B2
An image forming apparatus capable of printing out a web page displayed on an host apparatus. An image forming apparatus includes a sheet-supplying cassette to store a printable medium thereon, an input key to input a command for printing out the web page, an interface to transmit the command for printing out the web page to the host apparatus, and receive print data converted to fit onto the printable medium stored on the sheet-supplying cassette from the host apparatus if the input key is selected, and an image forming unit to print out the received print data on the printable medium. Therefore, a user can conveniently prints the web page.
US09171229B2
A visual object tracking method includes the steps of: setting an object window having a target in a video image; defining a search window greater than the object window; analyzing an image pixel of the object window to generate a color histogram for defining a color filter which includes a dominant color characteristic of the target; using the color filter to generate an object template and a dominant color map in the object window and the search window respectively, the object template including a shape characteristic of the target, the dominant color map including at least one candidate block; comparing the similarity between the object template and the candidate block to obtain a probability distribution map, and using the probability distribution map to compute the mass center of the target. The method generates the probability map by the color and shape characteristics to compute the mass center.
US09171221B2
Methods and apparatus to create and display screen stereoscopic and panoramic images are disclosed. Methods and apparatus are provided to generate multiple images that are combined into a stereoscopic or a panoramic image. A controller provides correct camera settings for different conditions. A controller rotationally aligns images of lens/sensor units that are rotationally misaligned. A compact controllable platform holds and rotates a camera. A remote computing device with a camera and a digital compass tracks an object causing the camera in the platform to track the object.
US09171217B2
A vision system for a vehicle includes a single forward facing camera and a control having a processor, with the camera and processor disposed in a unitary module installed in the vehicle. The processor, responsive to processing of captured image data, detects headlights of oncoming vehicles and the control, responsive to the detection, provides an output for a headlamp control system of the vehicle. The processor, responsive to processing of captured image data, detects lane marks on a road being traveled by the vehicle and, responsive to the detection, provides an output for a lane departure warning system of the vehicle. The processor may estimate distance from the vehicle to an object or vehicle present exteriorly of the vehicle. The module is supplied by an automotive supplier to the vehicle manufacturer with software operable by the processor for a plurality of driver assistance systems of the vehicle.
US09171214B2
A method including the following steps is provided: generating a three dimensional (3D) model of a scene within a specified radius from a vehicle, based on a source of digital mapping of the scene; associating a position of at least one selected LAE contained within the scene, with a respective position in the 3D model; superimposing the projecting onto a specified position on a transparent screen facing a viewer and associated with the vehicle, at least one graphic indicator associated with the at least one LAE, wherein the specified position is calculated based on: the respective position of the LAE in the 3D model, the screen's geometrical and optical properties, the viewer's viewing angle, the viewer's distance from the screen, the vehicle's position and angle within the scene, such that the viewer, the graphic indicator, and the LAE are substantially on a common line.
US09171212B2
Methods and apparatus for detecting a swarm attack based on a plurality of convergence hypotheses related to correlated movements of entities in an area of interest. Projected tracks for the entities are determined based on position reports received for the entities. At least one of the convergence hypotheses are updated based, at least in part on the projected tracks and a convergence hypotheses is output when a score assigned to the hypothesis exceeds a threshold value.
US09171209B2
A network asset location system and methods of its use and operation are disclosed. In one aspect, the network asset location system includes a mobile application component executable on a mobile device including a camera and a display, the mobile application component configured to receive image data from the camera and display an image on the display based on the image data and overlay information identifying one or more network assets identifiable in the image data. The network asset location system also includes an asset management tracking engine configured to receive the image data and generate the overlay information including an identification of a location of at least one of the one or more network assets within the image.
US09171207B1
A method and system for recognizing machine generated character glyphs in a graphic image that uses a deterministic finite automaton (DFA) to separately recognize the individual pixelcolumns of character glyphs and then combines these separate pixelcolumns together to form correctly recognized whole glyphs. This method and system can enable data to be automatically exchanged between applications where no alternative method of data interchange exists. The DFA minimizes its space requirements by storing the current input dimension of its state transition table as a sorted list of possible values that could be matched at the current state. This sorted list can then be binary searched for the current input pixel RGB value.
US09171203B2
Embodiments are provided for content item classification. In some embodiments, an image for classification is received, a compact representation for the image having values indicative of pixel values within the received image is generated, a plurality of angle measurements for possible edges of at least one potential document within the received image are determined, and the image is classified using said compact representation and said plurality of angle measurements.
US09171196B2
What is disclosed is a system and method for selecting the optimal wavelength ban combination for a multi-band infrared camera system which is optimized for skin detection. An objective function is constructed specifically for this application from classified performance and the algorithm generates wavelengths by maximizing the objective function. A specific wavelength band combination is selected which maximizes the objective function. Also disclosed is a 3-band and 4-band camera system with filters each having a transmittance of one of a combination of wavelength bands optimized to detect skin in the infrared band. The camera systems disclosed herein find their intended uses in a wide array of vehicle occupancy detection systems and applications. Various embodiments are disclosed.
US09171188B2
An apparatus comprises a comparator that includes a first input, a second input and an output. The comparator is configured for measuring a difference in voltage between a source coupled to the first input and another source coupled to the second input, and providing information associated with the measured difference at the output. The apparatus also comprises a controllable current source coupled to the first input of the comparator and configured for supplying or drawing current. The apparatus also comprises a digital logic circuit that is configured for controlling an amount of current supplied or drawn by the controllable current source. The apparatus is configured for measuring a charge associated with an external source that is coupled to the first input of the comparator.
US09171187B2
An internal but not integrated security token is provided for a device which includes a first integrated circuitry including a secure processor. The security token is provided by a second integrated circuitry separate from the first circuitry. The second integrated circuitry includes a secure non-volatile storage. The secure processor communicates information to the second circuitry in a secure manner for the secure information to be securely stored in the secure non-volatile storage, and the second integrated circuitry communicates information stored in its secure non-volatile storage to the secure processor in a secure manner. Communications is secured by means of cryptography. The first integrated circuitry and the second integrated circuitry are internal parts of the device. An initialization method for distributing a secure key to be shared between the circuitries and to be used in cryptography is also disclosed.
US09171176B2
Various hardware and software configurations are described herein which provide improved security and control over protected data. In some embodiments, a computer includes a main motherboard card coupled to all input/output devices connected to the computer, and a trusted operating system operates on the main motherboard which includes an access control module for controlling access to the protected data in accordance with rules. The trusted operating system stores the protected data in an unprotected form only on the memory devices on the main motherboard. The computer may also have a computer card coupled to the main motherboard via a PCI bus, on which is operating a guest operating system session for handling requests for data from software applications on the computer. A tamper detection mechanism is provided in the computer for protecting against attempts to copy the unprotected form of the protected data onto memory devices other than the one or more memory devices used by the motherboard or computer card.
US09171163B2
An apparatus for sharing information between entities includes a processor and a trusted execution module executing on the processor. The trusted execution module is configured to receive first confidential information from a first client device associated with a first entity, seal the first confidential information within a trusted execution environment, receive second confidential information from a second client device associated with a second entity, seal the second confidential information within the trusted execution environment, and execute code within the trusted execution environment. The code is configured to compute a confidential result based upon the first confidential information and the second confidential information.
US09171161B2
A trusted device having virtualized registers provides an extensible amount of storage for hash values and other information stored within a trusted device. The trusted device includes a buffer to which registers are virtualized to and from external storage, by encrypting the register values using a private device key. The registers may be platform control registers (PCRs) or other storage of the trusted device, which may be a trusted platform module (TPM). The registers are accessed in accordance with a register number. When the externally stored values are retrieved, they are decrypted and placed in the buffer. The buffer may implement a cache mechanism, such as a most recently used algorithm, so that encryption/decryption and fetch overhead is reduced. A register shadowing technique may be employed at boot time, to ensure that the trusted device is not compromised by tampering with the externally stored virtualized registers.
US09171160B2
Techniques for malware detection are described herein. According to one aspect, control logic determines an analysis plan for analyzing whether a specimen should be classified as malware, where the analysis plan identifies at least first and second analyses to be performed. Each of the first and second analyses identified in the analysis plan including one or both of a static analysis and a dynamic analysis. The first analysis is performed based on the analysis plan to identify suspicious indicators characteristics related to processing of the specimen. The second analysis is performed based on the analysis plan to identify unexpected behaviors having processing or communications anomalies. A classifier determines whether the specimen should be classified as malicious based on the static and dynamic analyses. The analysis plan, the indicators, the characteristics, and the anomalies are stored in a persistent memory.
US09171155B2
A malware detection rule is evaluated for effectiveness and accuracy. The detection rule defines criteria for distinguishing files having a characteristic of interest from other files lacking that characteristic, for instance, malicious files vs. benign files. The detection rule is applied to a set of unknown files. This produces a result set that contains files detected from among the set of unknown files as having the at least one characteristic of interest. Each file from the result set is compared to at least one file from a set of known files having the characteristic to produce a first measure of similarity, and to at least one file from a set of known files lacking the characteristic to produce a second measure of similarity. In response to the first measure of similarity exceeding a first similarity threshold, the detection rule is deemed effective. In response to the second measure of similarity exceeding a second similarity threshold, the detection rule is deemed inaccurate.
US09171144B2
An electronic asymmetric unclonable function applied to an electronic system being evaluated includes an electronic system and an AUF array electronically associated with the electronic system. The AUF array includes a plurality of non-identical cells. Each of the non-identical cells includes a test element representing a characteristic of the electronic system being evaluated and a measurement device evaluating the test element. A comparison unit processes an output of the measurement device to provide a multi-bit output value representing a magnitude of differences.
US09171142B2
Arrangements to identify, in some form, multiple participants by an interactive surface system utilizing multi-touch technology are disclosed. The interactive surface system could identify, authorize, and allocate space on a surface for a participant based on identifying at least one attribute of the participant such as an object associated with the participant. The method can include searching for a first distinctive attribute of the participant, assigning an identifier to the attribute, and storing the identifier for future use. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US09171141B2
In various embodiments, the size, shape, and arrangement of keys on a virtual keyboard may be determined based on touchscreen contacts made by the user. Further, the actual contact patch made by the user may be analyzed to interpret which point of contact was intended, and other factors such as spelling and context may also be considered. These factors may be determined based on a calibration session and/or on continuing inputs during operation of the keyboard, and applied to future operational interpretations of the touchscreen contacts.
US09171137B2
Systems and methods for managing digital rights settings are provided. In some aspects, the systems and methods described include receiving user input including an order for obtaining access rights to a media asset. Control circuitry determines whether the media asset is associated with a first package of media assets. The control circuitry cross-references a database of user order history to determine whether the user has obtained access rights for each media asset in the first package of media assets. If the user has obtained access rights for each media asset in the first package of media assets, the control circuitry generates digital rights settings for each media asset in the first package of media assets to enable the user to create a mashup. The mashup includes portions of at least one media asset in the first package. The control circuitry generates a display based on the digital rights settings.
US09171131B2
Methods and systems are disclosed for sensing and assessing a patients responses to tests using a device that may include tactile input, voice input, still image analysis, and responses to visual and auditory stimuli. In one example, a method includes obtaining interactive clinical assessment data using a remote client device and a computer-based control device, the method including providing on a display of a remote client device one or more test prompts for conducting an interactive clinical assessment, each displayed test prompt instructing a user to perform an action using the remote client device in response to the test prompt, and providing on the display of the remote client device one or more potential responses of actions that may be performed in response to the test prompt.
US09171129B2
The invention provides a system and method of providing a user with specialized patient information comprising: uploading, storing, requesting, receiving, and displaying cardiological patient information for a patient. The display of the cardiological information is configured to optimal care to be provided to a patient.
US09171124B2
Systems and methods are provided for extracting parasitics in a design of an integrated circuit with multi-patterning requirements. The method includes determining resistance solutions and capacitance solutions. The method further includes performing parasitic extraction of the resistance solutions and the capacitance solutions to generate mean values for the resistance solutions and the capacitance solutions. The method further includes capturing a multi-patterning source of variation for each of the resistance solutions and the capacitance solutions during the parasitic extraction. The method further includes determining a sensitivity for each captured source of variation to a respective vector of parameters. The method further includes determining statistical parasitics by multiplying each of the resistance solutions and the capacitance solutions by the determined sensitivity for each respective captured source of variation. The method further includes generating as output the statistical parasitics in at least one of a vector form and a collapsed reduced vector form.
US09171121B2
A method, structure, and design structure for a through-silicon-via Wilkinson power divider. A method includes: forming an input on a first side of a substrate; forming a first leg comprising a first through-silicon-via formed in the substrate, wherein the first leg electrically connects the input and a first output; forming a second leg comprising a second through-silicon-via formed in the substrate, wherein the second leg electrically connects the input and a second output, and forming a resistor electrically connected between the first output and the second output.
US09171119B2
Embodiments include systems and methods for implementing a dummy fill flow in a processor design that points to a library of fill shapes that are associated with (e.g., defined and supported according to) a particular foundry process. For example, a set of cell types is generated in accordance with a foundry process definition, so that each unit cell type has a unique type identifier and an associated polygon definition. These cell types can be stored as a cell library. An automated fill flow can generate a dummy fill of an integrated circuit geometry with respective shape fills having shape cells that each point to one of the cell types in the cell library. Some implementations can use the cell library to stream in and instantiate the fill in the geometric design of the integrated circuit.
US09171115B2
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for translating a hardware design. In use, a hardware design is received that is a graph-based common representation of a hardware design stored in a hardware model database. Logic code is generated for each hardware module node of the graph-based common representation of the hardware design. Additionally, flow control code is generated for each hardware module node of the graph-based common representation of the hardware design. A logic code model of the hardware design that includes the generated logic code and the generated flow control code is stored.
US09171114B2
A method of managing the configuration, design parameters, and functionality of an integrated circuit (IC) design using a hardware description language (HDL). Instructions can be added, subtracted, or generated by the designer interactively during the design process, and customized HDL descriptions of the IC design are generated through the use of scripts based on the user-edited instruction set and inputs. The customized HDL description can then be used as the basis for generating “makefiles” for purposes of simulation and/or logic level synthesis. The method further affords the ability to generate an HDL model of a complete device, such as a microprocessor or DSP. A computer program implementing the aforementioned method and a hardware system for running the computer program are also disclosed.
US09171112B2
Computer implemented techniques are disclosed for fixing signal hold-time violations in semiconductor chips. Analysis includes estimation of hold-time requirements using ideal clocks. Allocation of placement regions within the design and near the macro circuits allows for later placement and wiring use during layout hold-time fixing. The placement region sizes are based on estimates of the needed buffers. Nets, within the design for detail routing, are ordered such that nets with hold-time violations are wired later, thus fixing hold-time violations without scaling or adding further buffers. Hold times are re-evaluated once wiring of track routes is complete.
US09171108B2
A system for deploying solar panels may include a classification module configured to receive an image of a structure with a roof and to classify portions of the image that include portions of the roof as roof image segments. The system may also include an identification module configured to identify a property of the roof based at least in part on the roof image segments and a configuration module configured to determine a configuration of one or more solar panels for placement on the roof based on the identified property of the roof.
US09171107B2
A calculating method for calculating structural data of a two-level diffractive optical element configured to form a set of light intensity distributions point-symmetrical with respect to an axis on an image plane utilizing an iterative Fourier transform algorithm executed by a computer includes calculating a light intensity distribution and a phase distribution of a plane of the two-level diffractive optical element which has a Fourier transform relationship with the image plane by performing an inverse Fourier transform for a light intensity that is made by removing one of the set of light intensity distributions from the set of light intensity distributions, and calculating structural data of the diffractive optical element based upon the light intensity distribution and the phase distribution which have been calculated.
US09171100B2
An index data structure (“MTree”) useful in creating indices for structured data is provided. The MTree index data structure is designed to meet the needs of the hierarchical XPath query language. The primary feature of MTree is the next subtree root node in document order for all axes are available to each context node in O(1). The MTree index data structure supports modification operations such as insert and delete. The MTree index structure is implemented in memory or in a digital storage medium. Improved performance in the MTree index structure utilizing a threading scheme is also provided.
US09171096B2
Business Process Execution Language (BPEL) engines and Enterprise Service Buses (ESBs) often connect to adapters to integrate backend packaged applications with a process flow by invoking web services using Java Connector Architecture (JCA) and Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) bindings. The Web Service Description Language (WSDL) files for the web services that interact with the adapters can be introspected to harvest adapter integration and transformation information into a service metadata repository. This permits dependency and impact analysis to extend from services to adapters and transformations.
US09171091B2
An embodiment relates generally to a method of displaying information. The method includes monitoring any user activity within at least one application executing on a computer and detecting a completion of a user activity. The method also includes creating a link to the completed user activity and placing in the link in a time-ordered sequential basis in a journal section of a desktop of the computer.
US09171089B2
A networked computer system passes messages between source devices and destination devices based on source selections made by users of the destination devices. The source selections are based on taking into content contributed by the users. Overlap and duplication of content can be reduced in a datastream to enhance a user experience.
US09171082B2
The present inventors, devised among other things, an exemplary method of researching provisions of contracts. The exemplary method entails receiving user selection of one or more predefined queries for contractual precedents, and executing a search of one or more databases containing agreements based on the received user selection. After executing the search, the method entails displaying a subset of the search results based on a predefined filter stored in association with an identifier for the user. The predefined filter may filter based on traits such as jurisdiction, deal size, industry, or a list of companies.
US09171076B2
A mashup page presents link help information for logical links that pass context between widgets on the mashup page.
US09171071B2
A meaning extraction device includes a clustering unit, an extraction rule generation unit and an extraction rule application unit. The clustering unit acquires feature vectors that transform numerical features representing the features of words having specific meanings and the surrounding words into elements, and clusters the acquired feature vectors into a plurality of clusters on the basis of the degree of similarity between feature vectors. The extraction rule generation unit performs machine learning based on the feature vectors within a cluster for each cluster, and generates extraction rules to extract words having specific meanings. The extraction rule application unit receives feature vectors generated from the words in documents which are subject to meaning extraction, specifies the optimum extraction rules for the feature vectors, and extracts the meanings of the words on the basis of which the feature vectors were generated by applying the specified extraction rules to the feature vectors.
US09171064B2
Information may be presented to a user by using a first application to receive a character stream of one or more noncompletion characters. The noncompletion characters indicate that additional characters may be received. The character stream is exchanged with a host that analyzes the character stream to generate results that are responsive to the user's predicted interest. Results are received and displayed so that the user may select one of the results to launch a code segment related to the selected result.
US09171058B2
A data analyzing method, apparatus, and a method for supporting data analysis includes creating or storing a semantic entity repository, wherein the semantic entity repository includes a structured entity set of entities and properties thereof, reference ranges describing the possible values of the properties, and the mappings between the entities and properties and a data structure of a data warehouse. When aggregating data, the entities, properties, and/or property values to be analyzed are selected from the semantic entity repository, and how to calculate at least one measure is defined. The data corresponding to the selected entities, properties, and property values are loaded from the data warehouse according to the mappings, and the at least one measure as defined is calculated.
US09171049B2
Systems and Methods for conducting an offline session simulating an online session between a client and server in a network environment. The client imports data and functional logic from the server prior to going offline. The imported functional logic is embedded into a format or document that is capable of being interpreted and performed by the local interface at the client that is used to interact with server when online. Whether offline or online, the user utilizes the same local interface at the client to transmit instructions to the functional logic to manipulate the data. In an offline session, such instructions cause the imported and embedded functional logic to execute, thereby manipulating the data imported at the client. Known synchronization methods may also be used to maintain consistency and coherency between the imported data at the client and the database at the server.
US09171045B2
A set of queries, such as a search log, is divided into commercial queries and non-commercial queries. A first set of query communities is determined from the non-commercial queries and a second set is determined from the commercial queries. The query communities are correlated based on the users who submitted the queries and instances where a query from the first set of query communities was followed by a query from the second set to generate a mapping between the first set of query communities and the second set. Later, a non-commercial query is received from a user, and the mapping is used to predict one or more commercial queries that the user is likely to submit in the future based on the non-commercial query. One or more of the commercial queries are presented to the user according to the mapping with search results responsive to the non-commercial query.
US09171041B1
SQL queries are optimized to operate directly on compressed data (and obtain the correct result) rather than requiring that the data be first decompressed prior to processing a query. Certain characteristic pattern trees are mapped against a logical input query plan that includes certain logical operators such as a DECOMPRESS that precedes a JOIN or a GROUPBY in association with a COUNT to identify instances in the plan that match a characteristic pattern. Upon locating a match, the input query plan is transformed into a logically equivalent plan that operates correctly on compressed data, by analyzing the interplay of the semantics of logical query operations with the compressed data and substituting less costly structures and operations. DECOMPRESS operations are moved to operate subsequent to a JOIN or eliminated altogether, and COUNT operations are replaced by a different operation, such as SUM, that is logically equivalent for compressed data.
US09171034B2
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for allowing access to developed applications via a multi-tenant on-demand database service, in a controlled environment. These mechanisms and methods for providing such access can enable embodiments to provide additional control over the development process as well as the access of such developed applications. The ability of embodiments to provide such additional control may lead to an improved application development framework, etc.
US09171026B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for test data generation using unique common factor sequencing. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for test data generation using unique common factor sequencing is provided. The method includes loading a table for population with test data in a test data generation tool executing in a memory of a computer. A column set of multiple columns in the table associated with a key to the table is selected for processing and different cardinality sequence values are assigned to the columns in the set such that the cardinality sequence values do not share a common factor except for unity as in the case of prime numbers.
US09171025B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and computer program product for test data generation using unique common factor sequencing. In an embodiment of the invention, a computer program product for test data generation using unique common factor sequencing is provided. The computer program product includes loading a table for population with test data in a test data generation tool executing in a memory of a computer. A column set of multiple columns in the table associated with a key to the table is selected for processing and different cardinality sequence values are assigned to the columns in the set such that the cardinality sequence values do not share a common factor except for unity as in the case of prime numbers.
US09171019B1
A system that implements a distributed lock service may include a failure detector for servers and sessions, and may track the state of sessions on a per-client-connection basis. It may include an external lock information database that stores lock state information and that supports a higher write throughput rate than a distributed state manager. Each database record may store an identifier of a session during which a lock on a respective item was obtained (if any) and a staleness indicator. A distributed state manager may maintain a session identifier and a respective staleness indicator for each established session, and may push updates to this session information to interested client processes, which may cache the information. A client process wishing to lock an item may determine whether it can do so dependent on the information in a corresponding database record and on its own cached session information.
US09171004B2
Systems and methods responsive to a data file deletion instruction are disclosed. A method includes receiving an instruction to delete a data file. The data file is stored at a plurality of persistent memory cells of a memory. The memory also stores a directory that includes a first entry corresponding to the data file. In response to receiving the instruction to delete the data file, multiple attribute bits of the first entry are programmed and also a first bit of the first entry is programmed. The first bit of the first entry is distinct from the multiple attribute bits. Programming the multiple attribute bits converts the first entry from a first entry type to a second entry type. Programming the first bit of the first entry indicates that the first entry has an unused status.
US09170997B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to add opaque state information to a data file that includes dynamic content and is organized according to a page descriptive format. The opaque state information can be referenced to a comment and a comment state selected from a plurality of states associated with the dynamic content. In some embodiments, the apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to access the data file and the opaque state information to recreate the comment state associated with the dynamic content. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US09170996B2
Disclosed is a content interchange bus that is configured for (i) receiving a first content creation request from a client, the first content creation request including a first content object that includes data intended for distribution, a first metadata name/value pair describing the first content object, and a second metadata name/value pair describing a first content container; (ii) creating the first content container in the cloud storage platform; (iii) storing the first content object in the cloud storage platform; (iv) receiving a first message from the client, the first message including the first content container's uniform resource identifier and/or the first content object's uniform resource identifier, the message including a topic string that includes a first routing string; and (v) routing the first message to a first subscriber based at least partially on the topic string including the first routing string.
US09170995B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, may be used for identifying context. Web attributes associated with a first instance of a content item displayed on a first web page may be identified along with a second web page displaying a second instance of the content item. Context information may be determined using the web attributes, and the context information may be associated with the second web page.
US09170984B2
Aggregates are calculated from a data stream in which data is sent in a sequence of tuples, in which each tuple comprises an item identifier and a timestamp indicating when the tuple was transmitted. The tuples may arrive at a data receiver out-of-order, that is, the sequence in which the tuples arrive are not necessarily in the same sequence as their corresponding timestamps. In calculating aggregates, more recent data may be given more weight by a decay function which is a function of the timestamp associated with the tuple and the current time. The statistical characteristics of the tuples are summarized by a set of linear data summaries. The set of linear data summaries are generated such that only a single linear data summary falls between a set of boundaries calculated from the decay function and a set of timestamps. Aggregates are calculated from the set of linear data summaries.
US09170981B2
A method of and a system for synchronizing isochronous audio data frames provided by a USB interface to a clock of a wireless RF communication device is provided. The USB interface and the wireless RF communication device are connected via an I2S link, the method comprising receiving the isochronous audio data frames and the wireless RF communication device clock in a streaming controller, phase locking the isochronous audio data frames to a USB interface clock, counting start-of-frame pulses of the phase locked isochronous audio data frames, comparing the counted start-of-frame pulses with the wireless RF communication device clock to determine a difference signal, the difference signal triggering a synchronization event code when a threshold difference has been reached, rate matching the isochronous audio data frames to the wireless RF communication device clock upon receiving the synchronization event code.
US09170978B2
A device is configured to receive, from a source device, activation information associated with a set of server devices, to cause a first server device, of the set of server devices, to be activated based on the activation information. The device is configured to receive, from the source device, configuration information associated with the set of server devices. The device is configured to activate and configure at least one other server device, of the set of server devices, based on the activation information and the configuration information.
US09170968B2
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and methods of multi-channel processing. For example, a multi-channel data processor may process data of a plurality of channels, the multi-channel data processor is to switch from processing a first channel to processing a second channel of the plurality of channels by performing a context switch during a single clock cycle, the context switch including storing first state context corresponding to a processing state of the first channel and loading previously stored second state context corresponding to a processing state of the second channel.
US09170963B2
A method for generating an interrupt signal in a memory controller and supporting a multi-processor is provided. Whether an access for a determined memory region occurs is determined. When the access for the determined memory region occurs, whether the access for the determined memory region has a right is determined. When the access for the determined memory region has the right, a core that will generate an interrupt signal is determined. The determined core is requested to generate the interrupt signal.
US09170952B1
A configurable interface includes a transmitter module and a receiver module, each configured to operate according to at least three different interface standards. The configurable interface further includes an interface module configured to determine a physical medium attachment (PMA) standard of a PMA coupled to the configurable interface and activate at least one component of the configurable interface based on the PMA standard. In an arrangement, the device interface supports a CAUI-4 standard.
US09170933B2
A method for wear-leveling cells, pages, sub-pages or blocks of a memory such as a flash memory includes receiving (S10) a chunk of data to be written on the cell, page, sub-page or block of the memory; counting (S40), in the received chunk of data, a number of times a given type of binary data ‘0’ or ‘1’ is to be written; and distributing (S50) the writing of the received chunk of data among cells, pages, sub-pages or blocks of the memory such as to wear-level the memory with respect to the number of the given type of binary data ‘0’ or ‘1’ counted in the chunk of data to be written.
US09170924B2
Exemplary systems and methods certify a partner product for use with an originally developed product. A certification agent within a partner computing system transmits, to a certification server that is external to the partner computing system, an indication that the certification agent is ready to run a certification test of a partner product. The certification agent is configured to run the certification test. The certification agent is communicatively coupled to a testbed operating within the partner computing system and in which the partner product is to be tested. The certification agent receives, from the external certification server, an instruction to implement at least a portion of the certification test. In response to receiving the instruction, the certification agent initiates the portion of the certification test within testbed.
US09170923B2
An apparatus and method for testing conformance of service choreography are provided. The apparatus for testing conformance of service choreography analyzes an architecture and an operation between web services cooperating on a distributed network to test conformance of a choreography application into which the web services are combined, on the basis of a service choreography specification.
US09170899B2
In one embodiment, a method of managing data includes managing a first copy of data in a solid state memory using a controller of the solid state memory, and managing a second copy of the data in a hard disk drive memory using the controller. In another embodiment, a system for storing data includes a solid state memory, at least one hard disk drive memory, and a controller for controlling storage of data in both the solid state memory and the hard disk drive memory. Other methods, systems, and computer program products are also described according to various embodiments.
US09170897B2
A storage controller may be configured to assess the reliability of a solid-state storage medium. The storage controller may be further configured to project, forecast, and/or estimate storage reliability at a future time. The projection may be based on a currently reliability metric of the storage and a reliability model. The portions or sections of the solid-state storage media may be retired in response the projected reliability metric failing to satisfy a reliability threshold. The reliability threshold may be based on data correction and/or reconstruction characteristics. The projected reliability metrics of a plurality of erase blocks of a storage division may be combined, and one or more of the erase blocks may be retired in response to determining that the combined reliability metric projection fails to satisfy the reliability threshold.
US09170896B2
An information processing apparatus includes a switch unit configured to connect some of the arithmetic processing devices and some of the storage devices in accordance with connection information, a first control unit being configured to output physical information converted from the logical information of the arithmetic processing device at the transmission destination and the physical information of the corresponding arithmetic processing device via a transfer path in accordance with the correlation information, a second control unit configured to change the connection information in response to occurrence of a failure of some arithmetic processing device in the system, and to control the switch unit such that the failed arithmetic processing device is replaced with another one included in the plural arithmetic processing devices.
US09170874B2
An example provides potential solutions for UEFI devices. The example includes scanning an information code generated by the UEFI device while the UEFI is operating according to a UEFI environment. The example further includes requesting a potential solution from a decision device. The request specifies an information code comprising resource information and one or more parameters for a current state of the UEFI environment. The example also includes presenting a representation of the potential solution.
US09170873B2
A system for supporting a distributed application includes a plurality of servers, where each of the plurality of servers includes a thread that processes a request received by the distributed application and a monitoring agent that constructs a transaction path for the request and annotates the transaction path in accordance with a writing action to a log of the distributed application to produce an annotated transaction path. In another embodiment, a system for monitoring a distributed application for errors includes a processor and a computer readable storage medium that stores instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to perform operations including constructing a transaction path for each request received by the distributed application, detecting a writing action to a log of the distributed application, and annotating the transaction path in accordance with the writing action to produce an annotated transaction path.
US09170870B1
Systems and methods disclosed herein enable a telecommunications service provider to send test files to a device that contain a set of setting options for information nodes. The device, for example, an application on the device, receives at least one test file and inputs the test file. A single test file or a series of test files may be sent to a device to ensure that the device can receive an active payload once the device has been activated. A notification may be sent by the application to confirm receipt, inputting, and/or post-input operation of one or more test files.
US09170864B2
Data processing in a hybrid computing environment that includes a host computer, a plurality of accelerators, the host computer and the accelerators adapted to one another for data communications by a system level message passing module, the host computer having local memory shared remotely with the accelerators, the accelerators having local memory for the plurality of accelerators shared remotely with the host computer, where data processing according to embodiments of the present invention includes performing, by the plurality of accelerators, a local reduction operation with the local shared memory for the accelerators; writing remotely, by one of the plurality of accelerators to the shared memory local to the host computer, a result of the local reduction operation; and reading, by the host computer from shared memory local to the host computer, the result of the local reduction operation.
US09170861B2
A method and computing device are provided for processing user events received via a user interface, such as a touchscreen, in multiple threads. When a user event is received for a target element in a webpage, the user event is dispatched to both a main browser thread and a secondary thread. The secondary thread processes user events in accordance with established default actions defined within the browser, while the main thread processes the user events in accordance with any event handlers defined for that target element. The main thread processing may be delayed by other interleaved task, and the secondary thread may be given priority over the main thread. When the secondary thread completes processing, an updated webpage is displayed. When the main thread subsequently completes processing, its updated rendering of the webpage is displayed. The secondary thread thus provides an early user interface response to the user event.
US09170859B2
Systems, methods, and computer program products for target memory pressure event notifications are disclosed. Processes running on a device can register to receive memory pressure event notifications from a memory management system, which are sent while memory pages are being reclaimed. Active processes running on a device processor can be assigned a priority that ranges from low to high. Responsive to a memory pressure event occurring on the device, the memory management system determines whether less than a threshold number of high priority processes are active on the device. If so, the memory management system sends a memory pressure event notification to the registered process with the lowest priority among the active processes.
US09170856B2
The present invention is a message traffic interception system including a computer-readable medium, a protocol independent execution manager module stored on the medium, the execution manager module having one or more scenario modules which can process an array of predetermined rules for intercepted message traffic, and an interface communication emulator module communicatively coupling protocol-specific message traffic to the execution manager.
US09170852B2
Described is a technology by which a distributed system of computer nodes that provides services is self-updated via a component of the distributed system. Such a self-updating run applies one or more updates to each of the member computer nodes in the distributed system while maintaining the services provided by the distributed system. The updating run may include moving workloads from each computer node to be updated, updating that node, and reinstating workloads after updating. Performing the updating run may include moving update-related responsibility, which may be a workload, from one computer node to another computer node.
US09170850B2
A method, system and computer program product for minimizing workload migrations during cloud maintenance operations. Upon receiving an indication that a scheduled maintenance operation is to be performed, a cloud controller uploads the maintenance binaries associated with the scheduled maintenance operation and analyzes the maintenance binaries so as to evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependencies associated with the scheduled maintenance operation. A matrix is then generated by the cloud controller to identify the classes of hardware that will be disrupted by the scheduled maintenance operation based on the analysis. The workloads running on the classes of hardware identified in the matrix will then be consolidated prior to the scheduled maintenance operation. By consolidating the workloads onto a fewer number of hardware components, a fewer number of workload migrations will need to be performed during the cloud maintenance operation.
US09170848B1
Parallel processing of data may include a set of map processes and a set of reduce processes. Each map process may include at least one map thread. Map threads may access distinct input data blocks assigned to the map process, and may apply an application specific map operation to the input data blocks to produce key-value pairs. Each map process may include a multiblock combiner configured to apply a combining operation to values associated with common keys in the key-value pairs to produce combined values, and to output intermediate data including pairs of keys and combined values. Each reduce process may be configured to access the intermediate data output by the multiblock combiners. For each key, an application specific reduce operation may be applied to the combined values associated with the key to produce output data.
US09170844B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for software prioritization of concurrent transactions for embedded conflict arbitration in transactional memory management. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for software prioritization of concurrent transactions for embedded conflict arbitration in transactional memory management can include setting different hardware registers with different priority values for correspondingly different transactions in a transactional memory system configured for transactional memory management according to respective priority values specified by priority assignment logic in external software support for the system. The method also can include detecting a conflict amongst the transactions in the system. Finally, the method can include applying conflict arbitration within the system based upon the priority values specified by the priority assignment logic in the external software support for the system.
US09170843B2
Embodiments of a data handling apparatus is adapted to facilitate resource allocation, allocating resources upon which objects execute. Embodiments of a data handling apparatus can include resource allocation logic and a scheduler. The resource allocation logic can be operable to dynamically set entitlement values for a plurality of resources comprising physical/logical and operational resources. The entitlement values are specified as predetermined rights wherein a process of a plurality of processes is entitled to a predetermined percentage of operational resources. The scheduler can be operable to monitor the entitlement values and schedule the processes based on priority of the entitlement values.
US09170834B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for associating one or more of a plurality of metadata collections with one or more respective identifiers, wherein each metadata collection includes one or more pairings of metadata attributes with metadata values, and wherein each identifier is one of a project identifier, a tag identifier or an instance identifier; identifying, based on identifier information associated with a virtual machine instance, one or more metadata values to be provided to the virtual machine instance, wherein the identifier information specifies one or more of a project identifier, a tag identifier and an instance identifier, and wherein each identified metadata value belongs to a metadata collection associated with an identifier that is specified in the identifier information; and providing, to the virtual machine instance, the identified one or more metadata values.
US09170825B2
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the development and execution of a software program. During operation, the system obtains, from the software program, a method call associated with one or more interfaces containing a virtual extension method. Next, the system resolves the method call by obtaining a method implementation corresponding to the method call from at least one of an inheritance hierarchy associated with the method call and the virtual extension method.
US09170821B1
A test document associated with a workflow definition is obtained, the test document including an input for an action of the workflow definition and an expected state for the workflow definition based on the input. The input is delivered for the action of a workflow instance, the workflow instance being an instance of the workflow definition executed by a workflow engine, and the action determined based upon a present state of the workflow instance. A next state of the workflow instance is obtained, where the next state is determined by the workflow engine based upon the present state, the action and the input. The next state of the workflow instance is compared to the expected state of the test document.
US09170820B2
Provided is a method for processing system calls from a GPU to a CPU. The method includes a GPU storing a plurality of tasks in a memory, with each task representing a function to be performed on the CPU. The method also includes generating a CPU interrupt, and processing of the stored plurality of tasks by the CPU.
US09170814B2
Method, apparatus, and program means for performing bitstream buffer manipulation with a SIMD merge instruction. The method of one embodiment comprises determining whether any unprocessed data bits for a partial variable length symbol exist in a first data block is made. A shift merge operation is performed to merge the unprocessed data bits from the first data block with a second data block. A merged data block is formed. A merged variable length symbol comprised of the unprocessed data bits and a plurality of data bits from the second data block is extracted from the merged data block.
US09170811B2
The structured control instruction fetch unit is a structured instruction stream controller that processes expand (XP), expand register indirect (XPR), loop (LOOP), and break (BRK) instructions for structured control. The fetch unit processes stop bits that mark the end of instruction blocks. Any instruction can be marked with a stop bit to indicate that it is the last one in an instruction block. All instructions are encoded with a predicate to reduce the use of control instructions and to simplify the control. A control stack guides instruction fetching by storing return addresses, loop block addresses, loop predicates, and loop counters. Control instructions and stop bits manage operation of the control stack. An instruction unit feeds execution units and includes a set-associative instruction cache, a control stack, an instruction buffer that decouples instruction fetching from execution, instruction decoders, and program counter (PC) control logic.
US09170803B2
Techniques for runtime patching of an OS without stopping execution of the OS are presented. When a patch function is needed, it is loaded into the OS code. Threads of the OS that are in kernel mode have a flag set and a jump is inserted at a location of an old function. When the old function is accessed, the jump uses a trampoline to check the flag, if the flag is set, processing returns to the old function; otherwise processing jumps to a given location of the patch. Flags are unset when exiting or entering the kernel mode.
US09170799B2
Timing parameters that influence an install time interval for installing a product on computing machines in a test environment in accordance with an installation configuration option are identified. A test value of the timing parameter and a test value of the install time are determined for each of the computing machines. The test values of the timing parameter and the install time determined for the sample computing machines are analyzed to determine an install time calculation expression for the installation configuration option. For installation in accordance with the installation configuration option in a normal operating environment, a current value of each of the timing parameters of the predetermined install time calculation expression for the installation configuration option. The install time interval in the normal operating environment is estimated based on the current value of the timing parameters and the install time calculation expression.
US09170797B2
A platform executing on a computer system configures an application and components that provide capabilities to the application based on an application descriptor of the application, the application and the components to be run on a plurality of nodes of the platform that are arranged in a cluster. The platform assigns a first set of the components to run on a first node of the plurality of nodes and a second set of on the components to run on a second node of the plurality of nodes. The platform installs the first set of the components on the first node and the second set of the components on the second node.
US09170796B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to content space environment representation. An aspect of the invention includes selecting one or more platform attributes for a software content space. The software content space includes one or more noun spaces. A platform space is created for each noun space in the software content space. The platform space is compatible with the noun space. A set of user stories is generated on a computer using the software content space and platform specification compatible with existing content space system specifications.
US09170792B2
In an embodiment, a system includes a processor including at least one core to execute operations of a loop that includes S stages. The system also includes stage insertion means for adding a delay stage to the loop to increase a lifetime of a corresponding register associated with a first variable of the loop and to delay storage of contents of the register. The system also includes a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09170787B2
Compiler functionality is componentized to enable use across different contexts. Conventionally tightly coupled functionality is decoupled and an interface afforded to facilitate interaction with compiler components/subcomponents in various scenarios. In one instance, compiler components can be employed across compile time and runtime. Compile time functionality can be employed at runtime and runtime functionality utilized at compile time thereby blurring the line between time dimensions.
US09170785B1
Generating a parameter value for an executable statement includes, in a plurality of statements, identifying an input statement that provides input information and an output statement associated with the input statement; wherein the output statement comprises a reference to a temporary data set and another of the plurality of statements also includes a parameter reference to the temporary data set. The method also includes modifying the input information to produce modified input information; and outputting the modified input information to the temporary data set.
US09170776B2
A digital signal processor is provided having an instruction set with a logarithm function that uses a reduced look-up table. The disclosed digital signal processor evaluates a logarithm function for an input value, x, by decomposing the input value, x, to a first part, N, a second part, q, and a remaining part, r, wherein the first part, N, is identified by a position of a most significant bit of the input value, x, and the second part, q, is comprised of a number of bits following the most significant bit, wherein the number is small relative to a number of bits in the input value, x; obtaining a value Log 2 ( 1 + 1 2 q ) from a first look-up table based on the second part, q; computing an epsilon term, ε, using the expression 2 - N 1 + 1 2 q r ; evaluating an expression Log2 (1+ε) using a polynomial approximation, such as a cubic approximation; and determining the logarithm function for the input value, x, by summing the values of N, Log Z ( 1 + 1 2 q ) and Log2(1+ε).
US09170769B2
A system and method to reduce and/or eliminate crosstalk between various data paths of a data bus within integrated circuits (i.e., chips). The system and method can transmit both delayed and non-delayed data in respective transmission paths, store the delayed and non-delayed data upon receipt, and delay the reading of the delayed and non-delayed data from the storage unit to compensate for the delay implemented on the transmission of the delayed data.
US09170761B2
A computer generated method disclosed. The method includes receiving a print job, analyzing the print job data stream, determining if the print job data stream includes a command matching one or more pre-defined criteria and disabling generation of a separator page for the print job if the print job data stream includes a command matching one or more pre-defined criteria.
US09170743B2
Exemplary embodiments provide techniques of managing storage systems including remote copy systems and improving the manageability by automating complicated operations. In one embodiment, a computer comprises a memory and a controller. The controller is operable to: manage a virtual volume to be provided for a server; manage a plurality of logical volumes provided from a plurality of storage systems; manage a condition to be required of the virtual volume, the condition relating to a location in which data to be sent to the virtual volume is stored; manage location information of each of the plurality of logical volumes, the location information of a logical volume being defined based on a location of the logical volume; and control to map the virtual volume to a logical volume of the plurality of logical volumes, based on the condition of the virtual volume and the location information of the logical volumes.
US09170740B2
The present invention is a system and method which allows for a VTL system that supports thin provisioning to implicitly unmap unused storage. Such unmap operations may occur even though the VTL system does not receive any explicit unmap requests from its initiators. For example, if a system administrator knows that once a virtual tape drive of the VTL system has been partially overwritten, all previously written data sets on that virtual tape drive will never again be accessed, the system administrator may configure the VTL system so that it unmaps the entire remainder of the virtual tape drive on the first data overwrite.
US09170738B2
Methods and systems are described for providing editing tools that allow a user to manipulate media provided by a media content source. Media editing tools may include content analysis tools capable of extracting information from the media content itself, and may include segment identification and editing tools. Editing tools may be created by a user, and stored or shared with other users. Users may be able to specify and customize a set of storage space requirements that impose constraints on the type, quantity and content of stored assets. Automatic storage management tools provide tools with which stored and to-be-stored assets may be transformed in order to maintain satisfaction of storage preferences and requirements.
