US09179586B2
A substrate provided with an electrically conducting wire coated with an electrically insulating material is impregnated with a polymerizable material. A reception area for a chip is formed on a surface of the substrate by means of deformation. The housing area is stiffened using the polymerizable material. The chip is disposed in the reception area and an electrical connection area of the chip is connected electrically to the electrically conducting wire of the substrate.
US09179584B2
A method of assembling an electro-optical device is disclosed. A first unit of the electro-optical device is positioned with respect to a second unit of the electro-optical device to pre-align an optical communication pathway between the first unit and the second unit. The first unit is positioned with respect to the second unit to pre-align an electrical communication pathway between the first unit and the second unit. The first unit is bonded to the second unit to assemble the electro-optical device to establish optical communication and electrical communication between the first unit and the second unit.
US09179581B2
A power semiconductor device includes a plurality of power semiconductor elements constituting upper and lower arms of an inverter circuit, a first sealing member sealing the plurality of power semiconductor elements, a positive electrode-side terminal and a negative electrode-side terminal each connected with any of the plurality of power semiconductor elements and protruding from the first sealing member, a second sealing member sealing at least a part of the positive electrode-side terminal and at least a part of the negative electrode-side terminal, and a case in which the power semiconductor elements sealed with the first sealing member are housed.
US09179579B2
[Problem] To reduce thermal resistance between a heating body and a radiating body.[Solving Means] Provided is a sheet having a high thermal conductivity and flexibility, in which graphite layers and elastic layers are stacked alternately, and each of ends of the graphite layer in its surface direction or each of ends of a graphene protrudes from an end of the elastic layer and bends so as to cover at least a part of the end of the elastic layer. By placing a sheet of the present invention in a space (gap) between a heating body and a radiating body, thermal resistance at the gap, especially contact thermal resistance on a joint surface, can be reduced even in the case where flatness of a surface of the heating body or a surface of the radiating body is small.
US09179578B2
The characteristics of a heat radiation member used in a semiconductor module are improved.A heat radiation member (10A) including an aluminum type member (20) which contains aluminum and a copper type member (30) which contains copper, which is embedded in the aluminum type member (20), and sides of which are enclosed by the aluminum type member (20) is formed. A semiconductor element is thermally bonded to the heat radiation member (10A) to fabricate a semiconductor module. The heat radiation member (10A) includes the aluminum type member (20) and the copper type member (30). As a result, it is possible to realize light weight while ensuring certain heat radiation. In addition, the copper type member (30) is enclosed by the aluminum type member (20). Accordingly, the strength of the heat radiation member (10A) can be increased.
US09179574B2
A cooling unit and cooling method are provided for a container-type data center. The cooling unit includes a heat rejection unit, for rejecting heat from coolant passing through a coolant loop to air passing across the heat rejection unit, and a refrigeration unit controllable to selectively provide auxiliary cooling to at least a portion of the coolant passing through the coolant loop. The heat rejection unit includes a heat exchange assembly, having a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, and one or more air-moving devices providing airflow across the first and second heat exchangers. The first heat exchanger couples in fluid communication with the coolant loop, and the second heat exchanger is coupled in fluid communication with a refrigeration loop of the refrigeration unit for rejecting heat from refrigerant passing through the refrigeration loop to the airflow passing across the second heat exchanger.
US09179573B1
A multiple server module includes a server chassis having a bottom, and a plurality of independently-operating, single-board computer servers arranged across the bottom of the server chassis. Each server has a compact footprint on the bottom which is defined by a motherboard alone, and each server includes a solid-state storage device, a processor, a networking port, and a power port carried on the motherboard within the footprint.
US09179568B2
An electronic device includes: a housing having a concave portion in the first surface of the housing; a lid made of a semiconductor material containing an impurity material; a first metal film formed in a metal film formation region on the first surface of the housing, wherein the metal film formation region is defined as a region surrounding the concave portion on the first surface of the housing; a second metal film formed on the first surface of the lid to overlap with the metal film formation region in a top view of the electronic device; a third metal film formed on the second surface of the lid to overlap with the metal film formation region in the top view; and an electronic component disposed in the concave portion. The lid is bonded onto the housing via the first and second metal films to cover the electronic component.
US09179566B2
A display device includes a display panel including a front substrate and a back substrate, a back cover disposed in the rear of the display panel, and a transparent cover including a portion disposed in the front of the front substrate of the display panel. The transparent cover contains a resin material having transmission capable of transmitting light. The transparent cover is separated from a front surface of the front substrate by a predetermined distance, and an air layer is formed between the transparent cover and the front surface of the front substrate.
US09179558B1
A panel for cooperating with a case and a mobile electronic device for displaying a presentation. The case encloses the panel and the mobile device while in a closed position. The panel may perform the function of receiving information from the mobile device and presenting the information on a display of the panel.
US09179545B2
Provided is a base material having a conductor pattern formed thereon, which is obtained by forming, at a high productivity on a base material, a conductor pattern having a lower surface resistivity and a higher conductivity than in the related art. A receiving layer 5 made of a cellulose acetate alkylate is formed on a surface of a base material 4. A conductor pattern 6 is formed by printing a conductive paste 3 in a predetermined pattern shape onto the surface of the receiving layer 5.
US09179538B2
Electronic components on a substrate may be shielded using electromagnetic shielding structures. Insulating materials may be used to provide structural support and to help prevent electrical shorting between conductive materials and the components. The shielding structures may include compartments formed using metal fences that surround selected components or by injection molding plastic. The shielding structures may be formed using metal foil wrapped over the components and the substrate. Electronic components may be tested using test posts or traces to identify components that are faulty. The test posts or traces may be deposited on the substrate and may be used to convey test signals between test equipment and the components. After successful testing, the test posts may be permanently shielded. Alternatively, temporary shielding structures may be used to allow testing of individual components before an electronic device is fully assembled.
US09179537B2
An electronic device may be provided with metal coated dielectric structures that serve as electromagnetic interference shielding, antenna structures, or other metal structures. The metal coated dielectric structures may be formed form a sheet of polymer. Metal may be deposited on the sheet of polymer using a deposition tool and patterned following deposition or may be patterned during deposition. A dielectric sheet having patterned metal may be shaped into a desired shape using molding equipment or other equipment that applies heat and pressure to the dielectric sheet and patterned metal. Metal on a dielectric sheet may also be patterned after the dielectric sheet is formed into a desired shape. Metal may be formed on opposing sides of the dielectric sheet.
US09179536B2
A solder validation method for a printed circuit board (PCB) having a pin hole extending through the PCB, an electrically conductive trace on a surface of the PCB, and an electrically conductive pin inserted through the pin hole includes the following. An electrically non-conductive portion is provided on the surface of the PCB between the pin hole and the trace such that the non-conductive portion electrically isolates the pin from the trace. After a soldering process intended to solder the pin and the trace together, a soldered connection between the pin and the trace is detected as being absent when no electrical continuity is between the pin and the trace as a soldered connection between the pin and the trace has to be present to provide the electrical continuity due to the pin and the trace otherwise being electrically isolated from one another by the non-conductive portion.
US09179535B2
A neutron generator includes a sealed envelope providing a low pressure environment for a gas of hydrogen isotope(s). One end of the envelope defines an ion source chamber. A target electrode is disposed at the other end of the envelope. An extraction electrode is spaced apart from the target electrode by an accelerating gap. The extraction electrode bounds the ion source chamber. An RF antenna is disposed external to the sealed envelope in the vicinity of the ion source chamber. The RF antenna is used to transmit time-varying electromagnetic fields within the ion source chamber for producing plasma therein. The extraction electrode operates at a positive high voltage potential and the target electrode operates at or near ground potential in order to provide an electric field gradient that accelerates ions of the plasma towards the target electrode to induce collisions of ions with target material, thereby causing fusion reactions that generate and emit neutrons from the target material. High voltage insulation is disposed between the RF antenna and both the ion source chamber and the extraction electrode for electrically insulating the RF antenna operating at or near ground potential from the high voltages of the ion source chamber and the extraction electrode.
US09179529B2
A system and method for optically setting a pace for an athlete is presented. The method sequentially places a first group of lights and a second group along a path travelled by the athlete. The first group of lights are sequentially lit one after another one at a time with a first predetermined delay between the lighting of each of the lights. After all the first group of lights have been lit, the second group of lights are similarly sequentially lit in sequence with a second predetermined delay between each of the lights. The first and second predetermined delays can be the same if the athlete desires to run several consistent laps of the same speed. However, the athlete may desire to run one part of the laps fast and the another part slower by setting one predetermined delay longer than the other predetermined delay.
US09179520B2
The invention relates to a method for the current limitation of a load current, in particular the load current of a flash means. In one step, first a supply voltage (VBAT) is provided. Then a load current (I) is set depending on the supply voltage (VBAT) for supplying the flash means (LED) with power by incrementally reducing the load current (I) until the supply voltage (VBAT) is greater than a threshold value (Vlow). The load current intensity (Imin) of the set load current (I) can be stored in a register (RAM) for the subsequent triggering of the flash means (LED) in a main flash phase (2) with the load current intensity (Imin) stored in the register (RAM). In addition, the invention relates to a circuit having current limitation of a load current of a flash means.
US09179517B2
The present invention discloses a backlight control circuit, comprising: a voltage supply circuit for receiving an input voltage and generating an output voltage under control by a control signal; at least one voltage comparison path respectively coupled to at least one light emission device path; a voltage operative amplifier circuit for generating the control signal according to a lowest voltage on the at least one voltage comparison path; and at least one under current detection circuit for detecting whether a corresponding one of the at least one light emission device path is in an under current status, whereby when anyone of the under current detection circuits detects the under current status, it sends an exclusion signal excluding a corresponding one of the at least one voltage comparison path from being an effective input of the voltage operative amplifier.
US09179509B2
A circuit in accordance with one embodiment of the invention can include a light emitting diode (LED) assembly comprising a plurality of LED channels that are controlled independently with a switch mode driver. The circuit also includes N+1 wires coupled to said LED assembly, where N is equal to the number of said plurality of LED channels of said LED assembly.
US09179501B2
A band combiner unit includes a plurality of carrier modules (CMs) each configured to be connected to a base transceiver station (BTS) or bi-directional amplifier (BDA) for corresponding ones of the carriers, wherein each of the CMs is configured to transmit downlink signals from the corresponding BTS/BDA, adjust the downlink signals, and transmit the downlink signals to a first combiner, and to receive uplink signals from a second combiner, adjust the uplink signals, and transmit the uplink signals to the corresponding BTS/BDA, the first combiner configured to combine the downlink signals from the CMs, and transmit the combined downlink signals to a distributed antenna system (DAS), the second combiner configured to split a combined uplink signal from a DAS, and transmit the split uplink signals to corresponding ones of the CMs, and a band combiner unit controller for monitoring and controlling the CMs.
US09179497B1
A wireless communication network exchanges wireless data with wireless communication devices and transfers device data indicating device locations and device status to a network server. A sensor system detects a trigger condition and responsively determines proximate wireless communication devices. The sensor system transfers indications of the trigger condition and the currently proximate wireless communication devices to the network server. The network server processes the device data, trigger condition, and proximate wireless communication devices to generate notice data indicating the trigger condition and to select at least one of the wireless communication devices for receipt of the notice data. The network server transfers the notice data to the selected wireless communication devices over the wireless communication network.
US09179496B2
Systems and methods of controlling characteristics of messages in sub-1 GHz networks (e.g., IEEE 802.11ah networks) are disclosed. One or more data structures indicating tone scaling parameters may be stored at or accessible to transmitters and receivers. The data structures may be organized based on a frame format, a wireless network bandwidth, and/or the number of spatial streams in use at the wireless network. Information stored in the data structures may be used in generation and processing of messages communicated via the sub-1 GHz network.
US09179485B2
Techniques for associating an electronic identifier of a user equipment (UE) with a user of the UE are described. In embodiments of an apparatus, system, method, and computer program of the present disclosure, a UE may transmit an electronic identifier associated with the UE via peer discovery, for receiving by a second UE. A perceivable cue associated with the electronic identifier may be indicated to a second user. The UE or the user of the UE may indicate the perceivable cue to the second user. Selection of the perceivable cue by the second user may cause the initiation of communications between the UE and the second UE.
US09179476B2
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for multiuser transmission during a grant to utilize unused portion of a transmit opportunity (TXOP) that is assigned to an initiator device. A responder device may receive, from an initiator device, at least one grant to utilize unused portion of the TXOP. In response to the grant and during the unused portion of the TXOP, The responder device may transmit a first message intended for the to the initiator device, and one or more messages intended for one or more other stations using multi-user transmission schemes. The messages transmitted to stations other than the initiator device may include an indication that the station does not need to respond (e.g., with an acknowledgment) upon receipt of the message.
US09179466B2
To provide a base station apparatus, mobile terminal apparatus and communication control method for enabling control adapted to interference inside a Heterogeneous network to be performed to support the next-generation mobile communication system, a base station apparatus (20) shares at least a part of the frequency band with another base station apparatus (40) that covers a macro-cell, covers a pico-cell (C1), is capable of transmitting a downlink transmission frame at transmission timing different from the another base station apparatus (40), and is configured to set resources, in which the downlink transmission frame undergoes interference from another downlink transmission frame including a blank period transmitted from the another base station apparatus (40), as blank resources, and assign user data to the downlink transmission frame while avoiding the blank resources.
US09179465B2
Devices and methods for adjusting resource management procedures based on machine device capability information are disclosed. In one aspect, a method for adjusting resource management procedures in a machine device communicating with a node operating in a communication network includes receiving a first message from the machine device, the first message including machine device capability information, processing the received machine device capability information to determine an adjustment to a resource management procedure, and transmitting a second message to the machine device, the second message including the determined resource management procedure adjustment. The first and second messages may be radio resource control (RRC) messages, such as RRC connection request and setup messages.
US09179462B2
A method, base station, terminal and communication system for updating component carriers are provided. Wherein, status information of the terminal, base station and/or component carrier is acquired; whether the status information accords with the predetermined condition is determined; an old component carrier is replaced by a new component carrier, or a new component carrier is added in the even that the predetermined condition is met. With the embodiments of the present invention, the component carrier which the terminal would use is updated more effectively.
US09179461B2
A wireless communication device in a wireless network sets management information notification cycles at specified time intervals and transmits management information containing receive timing information showing its own position to start receiving information, receive window information, and receive cycle information. Another wireless communication device receiving that management information links it to a communication device number for the corresponding wireless communication device and stores the receive timing, the receive window information, and the receive cycle information. When sending information, the receive start position of the corresponding communication device is found from the receive timing information, the receive window information, and the receive cycle information of the other communication and information is then transmitted at that timing. An asynchronous ad-hoc communication wireless network can therefore be configured without a particular control station.
US09179458B2
The present invention relates to a method for allocating PUCCH resources for an HARQ ACK/NACK signal, and to a method for HARQ ACK/NACK signal transmission using same. The method for allocating PUCCH resources for an HARQ ACK/NACK signal comprises the following steps: constructing an ACK/NACK resource indicator (ARI) mapping table based on the HARQ ACK/NACK signal transmission method of a terminal; transmitting the ARI mapping table to the terminal via upper layer signaling; constructing an ARI indicating PUCCH resources to be allocated to the terminal on the ARI mapping table; and transmitting the ARI to the terminal. The ARI mapping table may be transmitted to a plurality of terminals and shared among the plurality of terminals and a base station.
US09179454B2
A wireless device receives a control command for transmission of a random access preamble on a first cell. A first packet is scheduled for parallel uplink transmission with the random access preamble transmission. The wireless device transmits the random access preamble. The wireless device transmits the first packet in parallel with the random access preamble if the random access preamble and the first packet are scheduled for transmission in different cell groups and the wireless device has sufficient power to transmit the first packet in parallel with the preamble.
US09179443B2
The present relates to a method for providing a terminal with a service in a mobile communication system which includes transmitting to mobility management entity an attach request message for initiating registration of the terminal having a virtual IP address with the mobile communication system; registering, at the mobility management entity, location of the terminal with a home subscriber server; and completing the registration by transmitting an attach accept message from the mobility management entity to the terminal. The present invention is capable of registering a terminal with a mobile communication system initially without bearer path and IP address allocation and, when a packet address to the terminal occurs, allocating the radio resource, bearer resource, and IP address through paging procedure, thereby proving the UE with the service.
US09179440B2
A method is provided for transmitting at least one data stream by a transmitter in a wireless communication system. A preamble section including signaling information and a data section including at least one data stream are generated. A frame including the preamble section and the data section is generated. The generated frame is transmitted. The signaling information includes first information including information related to the at least one data stream and second information including information related to the first information.
US09179430B2
Presented herein are methods and systems for providing network access at a slave node based on a signal transmitted by a master BTS. In one example, a pseudorandom code (PN code) selection is described, in which each slave node has a known associated time offset and data is transmitted with a PN code advanced by the known time offset and the propagation delay. Using an example slave base station transceiver architecture (or just slave node for short), the “traditional” BSC can be removed from at least one base station (e.g., “slave nodes”) and a master base station may be configured to control the signal being transmitted from each slave node. Each slave node then may transmit and receive RF signals. The master BTS head end may receive signal portions from the slave nodes and mobile devices, and combine them for relay back into the network.
US09179416B2
In a case that a mobile station apparatus transmits a physical random access channel to a base station apparatus in a plurality of cells, it is possible to efficiently control transmission power of a physical uplink channel. A mobile station apparatus which performs a random access procedure with a base station apparatus in a plurality of cells, receives downlink control information including a transmission power control command for a physical uplink control channel from the base station apparatus, calculates a parameter by accumulating a value indicated by the transmission power control command, sets transmission power of a physical uplink control channel by using the parameter, transmits the physical uplink control channel to the base station apparatus in a specific cell, and resets accumulated parameter, when a random access response for the specific cell is received from the base station apparatus.
US09179415B2
Uplink control channel transmission control method in a multi-carrier system and terminal using same
Provided is a transmission power control method for an uplink control channel of a terminal in a multi-carrier system where a plurality of downlink component carriers and at least one uplink component carrier are set in the terminal. The method includes: receiving a plurality of downlink grants from a base station; checking a Transmission Power Command (TPC) field included in each of the plurality of downlink grants; determining a transmission power of an uplink control channel (PUCCH) with a value of the checked TPC field; and transmitting the uplink control channel at the determined transmission power, with one configured uplink component carrier among the at least one uplink component carrier.
US09179414B2
A wireless communications system and, more particularly, to a dynamic uplink power control method and device in a wireless communications system are disclosed. A method for dynamically controlling an uplink transmission power at a base station is provided, the method includes the steps of receiving an uplink signal from a user equipment being served by the base station, deciding whether or not an uplink transmission to the base station from the user equipment causes an interference with another base station, and transmitting a transmission power control (TPC) command muting the uplink transmission to the user equipment.
US09179410B2
A method is provided for user customization and context-based adjustment of a discontinuous reception (DRx) schedule for a telematics-equipped vehicle. The method includes receiving, by a telematics unit of the vehicle, user input of DRx schedule information; determining, by the telematics unit, that ignition of the vehicle has been switched off; determining, by the telematics unit, an applicable DRx schedule from a plurality of DRx schedules, wherein the plurality of DRx schedules are based on the user input DRx schedule information; and executing, by the telematics unit, the applicable DRx schedule. The method further includes adjustment of the applicable DRx schedule based on a contextual parameter.
US09179406B2
A method and apparatus for optimizing the yield of tested electronics devices is provided. A sample device is characterized to derive a specification for each device in the group. The sample size is chosen to provide reliable data and to minimize the effect of outlier devices on the characterization. After characterization, boundaries are set for the group of tested devices. Boundaries may be set based on voltages optimized for power consumption. The group of devices may be further subdivided into sub-groups based on the results of testing. The sub-groups are each assigned a unique code that reflects the results of the testing. This code is programmed into automated test equipment and is also stored in system software in order to ensure consistent values across the group of tested devices. The automated test equipment and system software are correlated using the same code to ensure higher test yield.
US09179403B2
A method is provided of switching a femtocell base station for wireless telecommunications between a dormant mode and an active mode. The femtocell base station lies within the coverage area of a macrocell base station. The macrocell base station determines whether a user terminal authorized to connect with the femtocell base station is within the coverage area of the femtocell base station, and dependent upon said determination the macrocell base station transmitting over air to the femotocell base station a command for the femtocell base station to switch mode.
US09179400B2
Aspects of a method and system for communicatively coupling WLAN and femtocell networks utilizing a FC-to-WLAN network bridge and controller are provided. In this regard, data communicated via one or more femtocells and one or more WLAN access points may be managed via a FC-to-WLAN network bridge and controller communicatively coupled between a femtocell controller and an access point controller. The femtocell controller may be operable to manage and/or control operation of the one or more femtocells, and the access point controller may be operable to manage and/or control operation of the one or more WLAN access points. The FC-to-WLAN network bridge and controller, the femtocell controller, and the access point controller may intemperate to manage data communicated between a first end-user device communicatively coupled to one of the femtocells and a second end-user device communicatively coupled to one of the access points.
US09179386B1
Technologies are described herein for parameter optimization of at least one interlayer handover in a multilayer wireless cellular communication network. Performance information for the communication network is retrieved. The retrieved performance information for the communication network is then averaged over a predetermined period of time. A determination is made based on the performance information as to whether optimization of the communication network is required. If so, the interlayer handover is optimized by capturing a current set of configuration parameters for the interlayer handover, generating a new set of configuration parameters for the interlayer handover based on the retrieved performance information and the current set of configuration parameters, and applying the new set of configuration parameters to the communication network.
US09179383B2
There is provided a method for determining a handover. The method may comprise: determining, by User Equipment (UE), whether a timer is running, wherein the UE has accessed multiple Radio Access Technologies (RATs); if the timer is not running, performing, by the UE, a handover of a data traffic, which has been routed onto a Wireless LAN (WLAN), to an original RAT; and if the timer is running, not performing, by the UE, the handover of the data traffic, which has been routed onto the WLAN, to the original RAT. The data traffic may be been routed onto the WLAN as a result of Circuit Switched Fall-Back (CSFB) or 3GPP RAT mobility.
US09179374B2
The present invention discloses a method, an apparatus, and a system for controlling and measuring a cell handover, where the method for controlling a cell handover includes: acquiring terminal information; and after a random access request sent by a terminal is received, performing, according to the terminal information, beamforming for a random access response corresponding to the random access request, and sending the random access response to the terminal, where the random access response includes: configuration information of a resource required by the terminal during communication after the terminal hands over from a source cell covered by a source base station to a target cell covered by a target base station. A success rate of performing a cell handover by the terminal is improved in embodiments of the present invention.
US09179373B2
Aspects are described for redirecting wireless terminals between wireless networks. In a first embodiment, a coverage quality of user equipment within a first wireless network is monitored. Multiple candidate frequencies are then ascertained in response to the coverage quality to facilitate a communication between the user equipment and a second wireless network. The candidate frequencies are then communicated to the user equipment. In another embodiment, an indication of a plurality of candidate frequencies is received, and a failure in performing a handover from a first wireless network to a second wireless network is detected. For this embodiment, the handover is attempted via a primary frequency. An alternative frequency is then selected from the plurality of candidate frequencies in response to the failure, and a communication with the second wireless network is established via the alternative frequency.
US09179370B2
A target gateway operating in a target wireless network receives a request for transferring wireless service of a wireless device from a source access network to the target access network. The target gateway sends a handover initiate message comprising key information including an uplink key to a source gateway operating in the source access network. In response to the handover initiate message, the target gateway receives a handover acknowledgement message that includes user session information including session reference identifiers (SR-IDs) associated with multiple Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of the wireless device. Subsequently, the target gateway forwards a packet of uplink communication by encrypting using the uplink key to a gateway server.
US09179367B2
An ad-hoc service provider is configured to support a wireless connection to the network. The ad-hoc service provider is further configured to provide access to the network for one or more mobile clients. The one or more mobile clients are configured to select the ad-hoc service provider based on at least one parameter related to the ad-hoc service provider's ability to support the wireless connection. The ad-hoc service provider is further configured to allocate bandwidth to the one or more mobile clients based on at least one parameter related to the effect on the ad-hoc service provider for providing such bandwidth.
US09179363B2
A method is disclosed for using cell load coupling (CLC) to manage a radio communications network (RCN), comprising cells and radio network nodes associated with the cells. The method comprises determining a CLC characteristic between a first and second of the cells. The determining is based on a cell load contribution that is dependent on a measure of: a signal received by a receiving node of the first cell from a transmitting node of the first cell, a signal received by the receiving node from a transmitting node of the second cell, and traffic between the receiving node and the transmitting node of the first cell. One or more network management functions may be performed on the RCN based on the determined CLC characteristics. The method and/or the functions may be implemented by a computer program, a wireless communications device or a network node.
US09179362B2
A method for network coding includes encoding a plurality of message packets to produce a plurality of encoded packets. Each message packet and each encoded packet includes a plurality of symbols having an index and each symbol of the encoded packets is generated by applying a Reed-Solomon code to the symbols of the message packets having the same index as the symbol of the encoded packets. A length of the encoded packets is the same as a length of the message packets.
US09179361B2
There is provided a wireless communication device including a receiving unit that receives a radio signal transmitted from a base station providing a wireless communication service, a congestion calculation unit that calculates a degree of congestion of the wireless communication service based on a received result of the radio signal by the receiving unit, and an effective communication rate estimation unit that estimates an effective communication rate of the wireless communication service by use of the degree of congestion calculated by the congestion calculation unit.
US09179358B2
Methods, systems, and devices are described for reducing congestion in a wireless communications system. A second connection failure is detected, and a difference between a timestamp of the second connection failure and a timestamp of a first connection failure is calculated. Upon determining that the difference satisfies a first time threshold, information relating to one or more previous connection failures is cleared. A time period is identified. A number of connection failures from a cell that occur during the time period is identified. A determination is made as to whether the number of connection failures satisfies a threshold. Upon determining that the number of connection failures satisfies the threshold, a future connection request may be withheld for a time period.
US09179352B2
Systems and methods are described for providing efficient delivery of real-time services over a large area broadband LTE wireless network, where base station optimization servers are provided within the wireless network to reduce the resources required for applications streaming data to a plurality of mobile cellular devices, such as where a base station optimization server is connected to first and second mobile transceiver devices via redirected bearers such that the base station optimization server may route an application data packet stream from the base station optimization server to each of the first and the second mobile transceiver devices when both the first and the second mobile transceiver devices connect to request the application data, such that both the first and the second mobile transceiver devices receive concurrently at least a common portion of the application data packet stream and wherein use of the back haul network is minimized.
US09179348B2
The invention relates to a method in a first radio base station for determining a performance state of a first cell served by the first radio base station, which first radio base station is comprised in a radio communications network. The method comprises determining traffic statistics of the first cell, comparing the traffic statistics with a threshold value, when the determined traffic statistics goes beyond the threshold value, transmitting a data request to a second radio base station requesting data retrieved in or associated with a second cell to be used to determine performance state of the first cell, receiving a data response indicating the requested data from the second radio base station, and determining the performance state of the first cell based on the data response.
US09179347B2
An MS, for a GSM/EDGE network, arranged to, as a first alternative, use every 13th TDMA frame with an odd number as an idle frame which is used for neighboring cell measurements and every 13th TDMA frame with an even number as a PTCCH, a Packet Timing Control Channel. The MS is arranged to, as a second alternative, use every 13th TDMA frame with an odd number as a PTCCH and every 13th TDMA frame with an even number for neighboring cell measurements. The MS is arranged to transmit information to the network that the MS supports the use of the second alternative, and to receive information from the network about which of these two alternatives that the MS should use.
US09179327B2
Systems and methods are described relating to accepting a query from a radio-frequency identification object associated with at least one mobile device; and presenting an indication of location of the at least one mobile device at least partially based on the query response from the radio-frequency identification object associated with the at least one mobile device. Additionally, systems and methods are described relating to means for accepting a query from a radio-frequency identification object associated with at least one mobile device; and means for presenting an indication of location of the at least one mobile device at least partially based on the query response from the radio-frequency identification object associated with the at least one mobile device.
US09179325B2
The present invention discloses a transmission method and system for a Relay Physical Downlink Control Channel (R-PDCCH). The method comprises the steps of: an eNB bearing downlink grant information of a relay node onto an available Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) symbol of a first slot of a pre-allocated Physical Resource Block (PRB) pair used for bearing the R-PDCCH, wherein available OFDM symbols in the PRB pair, other than the OFDM symbol used for the downlink grant information, are used for bearing a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) of each relay node; the eNB transmitting the PRB pair bearing the downlink grant information and the PDSCH to the relay node. The present invention is well applicable to a link between an eNB and a relay node, and meanwhile enables backhaul resources to be used adequately.
US09179319B2
Apparatuses and methodologies are described that enhance performance in a wireless communication system using beamforming transmissions. According to one aspect, a set of transmit beams are defined that simultaneously provides for space division multiplexing, multiple-input multiple output (MIMO transmission and opportunistic beamforming. The addition of a wide beam guarantees a minimum acceptable performance for all user devices.
US09179312B2
A registration and login method executed by a mobile terminal is provided. The mobile terminal acquires a mobile phone number of the mobile terminal through a server in response to a registration operation, and encrypts the mobile phone number into a register file stored in the mobile terminal. The mobile phone number is inputted as a username to register to the server. The mobile phone number is acquired from the register file in response to a login operation and used as the username to log into the server. The mobile terminal includes an acquiring and encrypting module, a register module and a login module. Thus, a user need not input a username or a password, thereby simplifying the input operation during the registration and login process.
US09179311B2
A system and method of securely communicating information between a vehicle and a central facility includes receiving at a vehicle diagnostic tool a challenge query from the vehicle; establishing a wireless connection between the vehicle diagnostic tool and a central facility; transmitting the challenge query from the vehicle diagnostic tool to the central facility via the wireless connection; receiving at the vehicle diagnostic tool a response to the challenge query via the wireless connection; and accessing one or more vehicle modules on the vehicle using the received response to the challenge query.
US09179299B2
An electronic device such as a portable electronic device has wireless communications circuitry. Antennas in the electronic device may be used in transmitting radio-frequency antenna signals. A coupler and antenna signal phase and magnitude measurement circuitry may be used to determine when external objects are in the vicinity of the antenna by making antenna impedance measurements. In-band and out-of-band phase and magnitude signal measurements may be made in determining whether external objects are present. Additional sensors such as motion sensors, light and heat sensors, acoustic and electrical sensors may produce data that can be combined with the proximity data gathered using the antenna-based proximity sensor. In response to detecting that an external object such as a user's body is within a given distance of the antenna, the electronic device may reduce transmit powers, switch antennas, steer a phased antenna array, switch communications protocols, or take other actions.
US09179279B2
A method is provided for activating a transmission means comprised in a mobile device to operate in a manner compatible with at least one wireless communication protocol such as a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi standard. The activation of this transmission means is carried out in response to receiving a pre-defined indication at that mobile device denoting that an emergency communication is to be forwarded to an emergency center.
US09179269B2
A method and apparatus for transmitting a synchronization signal in a talk-around direct communication network is provided. The method includes: determining one of a plurality of second windows included in a first window as a synchronization reception window; selecting one of a plurality of synchronization slots included in the second windows as a first synchronization slot; transmitting a first synchronization signal through the first synchronization slot included in the second windows, excluding the synchronization reception window; detecting a second synchronization signal transmitted from other terminals using the first synchronization slot included in the synchronization reception window; and determining that a collision from amongst the synchronization signals has occurred based on the detection result.
US09179268B2
The present invention relates to a system and method for providing MultiCast and BroadCast Service (MCBCS). According to the present invention, the MCBCS system and method supports session start and data path registration procedures, join and leave procedure for providing the MCBCS with static or dynamic multicast service schemes, and supports procedures for providing to mobile stations operating in idle mode. Accordingly, the present invention enables effectively implementing the MCBCS in a wireless communication system, particularly in WiMAX system, and provides the MCBCS according to the mobile stations operating in idle mode.
US09179266B2
A computer-implemented method for determining an estimated user location, implemented in a computing system programmed to perform the method includes receiving a map database associated with a geographic location including a plurality of map features, determining an estimated first user location within the geographic location, receiving a first plurality of physical perturbations from a plurality of physical sensors in response to physical perturbations of the computing system, determining an estimated second user location within the geographic location in response to the estimated first user location and to the first plurality of physical perturbations, determining a modified estimated second user location in response to the estimated second user location and to at least one map feature from the plurality of map features, and providing in the computer system, an indication of the modified estimated second user location with regards to the geographic location.
US09179263B2
Energy efficient roaming of a mobile device is described. The mobile device can include a sensor for sensing a motion of the mobile device to generate a sensor signal. A radio is capable of communicating with a wireless network. A processor activates the radio in the mobile device. The processor generates an environmental profile of the mobile device based at least on the sensor signal. A memory is coupled to the processor for storing the environmental profile. The processor deactivates the radio when the environmental profile indicates that the rate of motion of the mobile device is above a predetermined threshold for a first period of time. The processor reactivates the deactivated radio when the environmental profile indicates that the rate of motion of the mobile device is below the predetermined threshold for a second period of time.
US09179262B2
An information processing apparatus that detects a first location of the information processing apparatus; receives information representing a target location from a target information processing apparatus; detects a target direction from the first location toward the target location; detects an orientation of a casing of the information processing apparatus; calculates an angular difference between the target direction and the orientation of the casing; determines a perceptual strength of each of a plurality of active elements disposed in different locations on or within the casing based on the angular difference; and controls each of the plurality of active elements based on the perceptual strengths.
US09179260B2
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method, device, and storage medium including one or more of the following: receiving location information and expiration information; determining a current location of the mobile device; determining that the medicament device is within a predetermined distance from the mobile device; determining that the medicament device is currently associated with an expiration event; outputting an expiration alarm indicating the expiration event in response to determining that the medicament device is within a predetermined distance from the mobile device and that the medicament device is currently associated with an expiration event; receiving, from the user, a request to display a map of a geographic area; displaying, by the mobile device and via a non-operating system application, the map of the geographic area; and displaying an alert icon on the map, wherein the location of the icon on the map is based on the received location information.
US09179254B1
An example method for providing motion detection via a Bluetooth low energy scan is disclosed. In particular, the method includes performing a scan via a Bluetooth unit of a computing device. Further, the method includes receiving one or more advertisement packets via the Bluetooth unit in response to the performed scan. The one or more advertisement packets may be associated with a respective Bluetooth device. Yet further, the method includes determining if a location of the Bluetooth unit has changed based on received one or more advertisement packets. The determining includes comparing the received one or more advertisement packets with a set of one or more reference advertisement packets. In addition, the method includes enabling an application processing unit in response to determining the Bluetooth unit has changed location. The application processing unit may be configured to determine the location of the Bluetooth unit.
US09179252B1
Systems and methods include retrieving data indicative of a sequence of content that were previously selected for presentation by a mobile device based in part on physical locations of the mobile device. The sequence of selected content may be used with the current location of the mobile device to determine a likelihood score for a piece of content. Based on the likelihood score, the piece of content may be selected and provided to the mobile device for presentation.
US09179249B2
A method for positioning a wireless terminal, and a related device and system are provided. The method includes: obtaining, by a wireless terminal, a positioning service period and an identifier of a positioning channel from a first access point; switching, by the wireless terminal, to the positioning channel in the positioning service period; and broadcasting, by the wireless terminal, a location measurement message through the positioning channel, so that at least three access points in an access point group where the first access point is located obtain positioning measurement data after receiving the location measurement message, so as to estimate a location of the wireless terminal. Embodiments of the present invention can shorten positioning time of the wireless terminal, reduce power consumption, and improve utilization of a network wireless channel.
US09179248B2
A computer-implemented method and device for determining a user position, implemented in a user handheld computing device programmed to perform the method. The method includes solving for the position of a user based on ranges, which are computed by estimating power loss between a user and a number of Wi-Fi Access Points. Embodiments of the present invention includes a method that is designed to accommodate the non-linear nature of solving a position solution using power estimates. This method includes solving a two-dimensional solution grid of position residuals, or magnitudes of error between true and computed ranges, using signal strength measurements from multiple Wi-Fi access points in order to determine local minima of the position residuals indicating a user position. Standard approaches in the area such as a Least Squares Solution overly simplify the non-linear components resulting in poor performance.
US09179237B2
A method of virtually tuning an audio system that incorporates an acoustic compensation system, where the audio system is adapted to play audio signals in a listening environment over one or more sound transducers. The acoustic compensation system has an audio sensor located at a sensor location in the listening environment. The transfer functions from each sound transducer to the audio sensor location are inherent. The method contemplates recording noise at the sensor location, and creating virtual transfer functions from each sound transducer to the sensor location based on the inherent transfer functions from each sound transducer to the sensor location. Audio signals are processed through the virtual sound transducer to sensor location transfer functions. A virtual sensor signal is created by combining the audio signals processed through the virtual sound transducer to sensor location transfer functions with the noise recorded at the sensor location.
US09179232B2
An approach is provided for efficiently capturing, processing, presenting, and/or associating audio objects with content items and geo-locations. A processing platform may determine a viewpoint of a viewer of at least one content item associated with a geo-location. Further, the processing platform and/or a content provider may determine at least one audio object associated with the at least one content item, the geo-location, or a combination thereof. Furthermore, the processing platform may process the at least one audio object for rendering one or more elements of the at least one audio object based, at least in part, on the viewpoint.
US09179225B2
A hearing aid device with a dichotic function comprises a first sound input/output component having a first microphone configured to be worn on one ear, a second sound input/output component having a second microphone configured to be worn on the other ear, and a dichotic setting component. The dichotic setting component determines the occurrence of time masking according to a sound signal inputted from the first microphone or the second microphone, and activates or deactivates the dichotic function according to this determination result. The hearing aid device improves the hearing aid effect.
US09179219B2
An acoustic transducer for producing sonar waves features a piezoelectric structure with a radiating surface. A plurality of elements is attached to the radiating surface, and at least two of the plurality of elements have different acoustic properties. The acoustic transducer is designed for a wider beam angle for a thickness vibration mode while maintaining other desired vibration frequencies, maximum input power and low cost.
US09179216B2
An audio interface adapter device and an audio signal receiving apparatus are provided. The audio interface adapter device comprises an audio interface having a pin 1, a pin 2, a pin 3 and a pin 4. The pin 1 and/or the pin 2 is used as an audio pin of the audio interface. One of the pin 3 and the pin 4 is used as a microphone pin, and the other one of the pin 3 and the pin 4 is used as a ground pin. The audio pin is connected with the pin 3 via a first unidirectional conductive element, and connected with the pin 4 via a second unidirectional conductive element. A conductive direction of the first unidirectional conductive element is from the audio pin to the pin 3, and a conductive direction of the second unidirectional conductive element is from the audio pin to the pin 4.
US09179205B2
A waterproof gate having a speaker mesh film is provided and applied to a case, and the case is formed with a slot. The waterproof gate includes that a waterproof unit is plugged in the slot and has a partition plate having two opposite surfaces being respectively extended with a first annular piece and a second annular piece, and the partition plate is formed with an opening; a speaker mesh film unit covers the opening; a first fasten member is disposed and fastened in a first recess defined by the first annular piece and the partition plate; and a second fasten member is disposed and fastened in a second recess defined by the second annular piece and the partition plate. The speaker mesh film unit and the partition plate are clamped between the first fasten member and the second fasten member. Accordingly, an excellent waterproof effect is provided.
US09179200B2
Metadata determines treatment of content by automated systems, including “user generated content” web sites. The metadata may be conveyed with the content or may be determined by other techniques, including systems based on digital watermarking or content fingerprinting. In some arrangements, treatment depends on the temporal length of a content excerpt that matches a pre-existing work. In others, treatment depends on popularity—either of the content, or a pre-existing work from which it was derived. A great variety of other factors and contexts can also be considered. Automated tools to preliminarily identify possible “fair use” can be realized; further determination may be made by human evaluators (including crowd-source approaches).
US09179198B2
A receiving apparatus includes: a reception portion configured to receive audio-visual content being transmitted; a trigger extraction portion configured to extract trigger information for controlling an application program for execution either by the receiving apparatus proper or by an external device connected thereto in conjunction with the audio-visual content, the application program being transmitted along with the audio-visual content; an apparatus proper control portion configured such that if a command indicated by the extracted trigger information is destined for the receiving apparatus proper, the apparatus proper control portion controls performance of the application program in accordance with the command; and an external device processing portion configured such that if the command indicated by the extracted trigger information is destined for the external device, the external device processing portion transfers the command to the external device.
US09179188B2
Disclosed herein is a transmission apparatus for distributing a content to a client, including a script generation section configured to generate a script for obtaining user side answer information representative of an answer of a user of the client to a question regarding liking of the user, a trigger generation section configured to generate trigger information regarding execution of the script by the client, and a transmission section configured to transmit the trigger information and the script to the client in response to distribution of a first content to the client and transmitting, in response to distribution of a second content different from the first content to the client, provider side answer information representative of an answer set by a provider which provides the first or second content to the question regarding the liking of the user to the client.
US09179181B2
A method of servicing requests for information at a server includes receiving a request for information from a client device, and determining a number of attempts of the request made by the client device. Both the client device and the server may count the number of attempts for each request. When the number of attempts is greater than a threshold, the method includes servicing the request and sending the information to the client device. When the number of attempts is not greater than the threshold, the method includes sending a service unavailable message to the client device. A retry-after delay may be calculated by the server according to a predicted time for the server to exit an overloaded state and included in the service unavailable message. The predicted time may take into account both requests currently being serviced and requests that have been scheduled to be serviced in the future.
US09179174B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a storage medium including computer instructions to receive sensory information at a media device from a first mobile communication device where the first mobile communication device obtains at least a portion of the sensory information from at least one second mobile communication device in response to a broadcast by the first mobile communication device of a wireless signal representing a notice to obtain the sensory information, where the sensory information is associated with an environment of the first mobile communication device, and where the sensory information comprises images of the environment. The computer instructions can enable generating a plurality of personal content utilizing at least a portion of the sensory information, where each of the plurality of personal content includes some of the images captured at different perspectives. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09179164B2
There is provided a picture coding device that performs intra prediction coding of a picture signal including a luma signal and a chroma signal in units of blocks and codes information relating to an intra prediction mode. When the intra prediction of a picture signal is made in units of coding blocks, in a case where a chroma format is 4:2:2, in a mode for setting a chroma intra prediction mode in accordance with the luma intra prediction mode, an intra prediction unit sets the chroma intra prediction mode based on the luma intra prediction mode and the chroma format and makes an intra prediction of the chroma signal.
US09179158B2
Disclosed herein is a decode processing apparatus including, a plurality of decode processing section configured to decode moving picture data in units of a predetermined processing block, a distribution section configured such that when supplied with encoded moving picture data, the distribution section splits each of screens formed by the moving picture data into vertical bands in units of the processing block as the smallest unit in keeping with the number of the plurality of decode processing section, the distribution section further distributing the moving picture data belonging to each of the split vertical bands to a different one of the decode processing section, and a formation section configured to form the picture data of one screen when supplied with the decoded moving picture data from the plurality of decode processing section.
US09179140B2
Disclosed is a 3Dimension stereoscopic display device including a screen composition processing unit for generating a right-eye image or video image and a left-eye image or video image for planar display or for three-dimensional stereoscopic display of an image or video image, a video image playback device 5 for playing back the images or video images, and a stereoscopic display monitor unit 6 for displaying the images or video images played back by the playback device 5 in a three-dimensional stereoscopic manner, in which the screen composition processing unit 4 switches between outputting the right-eye image or video image and the left-eye image or video image for planar display to the playback device 5 and outputting the right-eye image or video image and the left-eye image or video image for three-dimensional stereoscopic display to the playback device 5 according to state of a moving object.
US09179137B2
A gate driver and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display including the gate driver are disclosed. The gate driver includes a shift register block including a plurality of cascade-connected shift registers, a selection block including a plurality of selection units, which are respectively connected to the plurality of shift registers, and a buffer block including a plurality of buffers, which are respectively connected to the plurality of selection units. Each of the shift registers outputs a scan pulse, whose a phase is shifted by one horizontal period, in response to a start voltage, a first clock, a second clock, and a third clock.
US09179133B2
Disclosed is a 3Dimension stereoscopic display device including a video image playback device 5 for playing back a right-eye image or video image and a left-eye image or video image for three-dimensional stereoscopic display which are based on an inputted image or video image, a stereoscopic display monitor 6 for producing a three-dimensional stereoscopic display of the right-eye image or video image and the left-eye image or video image and a screen composition processing unit 4 for generating the right-eye image or video image and the left-eye image or video image in which a virtual display surface for three-dimensional stereoscopic display of the image or video image differs from the screen of the stereoscopic display monitor 6, and for outputting the right-eye image or video image and the left-eye image or video image to the video image playback device 5.
US09179131B2
Microscopic device and method for three-dimensional localization of point-like objects in a specimen
A microscopic device for three-dimensional localization of point-like objects, encompassing a detection optical system that images point-like objects, each in the form of a three-dimensional focus light distribution, into an image space; a color separation apparatus that divides the light into at least two separate light bundles of different wavelength regions; at least two image space detector units , one receiving one light bundle and the other receiving the other light bundle, each detector unit comprising a light-spot-sensing detection surface ; an evaluation unit that ascertains a lateral X-Y position and an axial Z position relative to the sharpness plane in a direction perpendicular to the sharpness plane; at least one Z-position correction value for at least one of the wavelength regions being stored in the evaluation unit, which value indicates a detection optical system longitudinal chromatic aberration in that wavelength region; and the evaluation unit correcting the Z position.
US09179128B2
An image sensing unit is disclosed. In one aspect, the sensing unit includes optical sensors for acquiring a two dimensional (2D) image from a subject and micro-structures for supporting the optical sensors and adjusting the heights of the optical sensors.
US09179123B2
The present invention is for more optimally performing recording and reproduction of stereoscopic video. In the present invention, parallax information is utilized to store, in a recording medium, stereoscopic video including left-eye images and right-eye images. Particularly, for video content that contains stereoscopic images, information is obtained regarding the amount of variation in parallactic angle having a given or larger value, a variation time that the variation in parallactic angle takes, and the number of times that the variation in parallactic angle occurs. An evaluation value is calculated that corresponds to the degree of eye fatigue on the basis of the amount of variation, the variation time, and the number of times of the variation. According to the present invention, the video content is encoded in such a manner that the evaluation value is within a given range, and then recorded in the recording medium.
US09179122B2
The image transmission system of the present invention is provided with: a time-division display apparatus sequentially displaying first to N-th (N: an integer of 2 or more) images with a frequency above M×N [Hz] (M: an integer of 1 or more) by time division; a multiplexing unit plane-sequentially multiplexing the first to N-th images in accordance with the order of displaying the first to N-th images on the time-division display apparatus; a transmitting unit sending out the multiplexed images which have been multiplexed by the multiplexing unit to a predetermined image transmission path with a frame frequency of M [Hz]; and a receiving unit receiving the multiplexed images from the transmitting unit via the predetermined image transmission path and sequentially transmitting image data of the multiplexed images to the time-division display apparatus.
US09179120B2
The present disclosure relates to a method for displaying stereoscopic images and image display apparatus thereof, the displaying method includes producing a depth map using left eye images and right eye images; adjusting depth values of the produced depth map according to any one of a plurality of depth level adjustment modes; and displaying the stereoscopic images using the adjusted depth values, wherein the depth level adjustment modes include a forward 3D depth adjustment mode increasing the depth levels representing perspective of objects included in the stereoscopic images, a backward 3D depth adjustment mode reducing the depth levels and a bi-directional 3D depth adjustment mode simultaneously increasing and reducing the depth levels.
US09179107B1
Doorbell systems can include a doorbell, a chime, and a remote computing device. In some embodiments, the remote computing device can select a sound. A data file comprising information that represents the sound can be sent to the doorbell that is communicatively coupled to the remote computing device. The doorbell can send the data file to the chime that is communicatively coupled to the doorbell and remotely located with respect to the doorbell.
US09179106B2
A measurement system includes an illumination unit, imaging unit, acquisition unit and correction unit. A measurement target is irradiated with illumination light. The imaging unit captures an image of light reflected by or transmitted through the measurement target. The acquisition unit acquires positional relationship information representing a positional relationship between the illumination unit and the measurement target and between the imaging unit and the measurement target. The correction unit corrects a luminance of at least one of the illumination light emitted by the illumination unit and the captured image based on the positional relationship information in such a way as to correct a luminance change of the measurement target image, wherein at least two of the measurement target, the illumination unit, and the imaging unit are variable in spatial position.
US09179104B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, receiving location information associated with a mobile communication device, determining a first location of the mobile communication device based on the location information, selecting a first camera from a group of cameras based on the determined first location, receiving at least one first image from the selected first camera that captures at least a portion of the first location, performing image recognition on at least one second image to identify a user associated with the mobile communication device, selecting another camera from the group of cameras based on a determined position of the identified user, and receiving at least another image from the selected other camera. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09179098B2
A video conferencing system is provided, in which at least two cameras are used to capture images of people at a first location participating in a video conference. One or more active speakers are identified among the people at the location, and one of the at least two cameras is automatically selected based on a position or positions of the one or more active speakers. Images from the selected camera are provided to a person at a second location participating the video conference.
US09179097B2
A system and machine-implemented method for automatically linking a mobile device to a video conference control unit of a video conference site, providing control of the video conference control unit by the mobile device. A proximity detector and a wireless controller provide automatic linking with the mobile device. The linked mobile device adds the participant using the mobile device to a video conference and also controls video conference settings or functions without the need for a central user interface.
US09179082B2
A solid-state imaging device includes a layout in which one sharing unit includes an array of photodiodes of 2 pixels by 4×n pixels (where, n is a positive integer), respectively, in horizontal and vertical directions.
US09179079B2
The present invention relates to a thermal vision countermeasure system to enable concealment of objects from identification by thermal imaging night vision systems, including a screen made of thermoelectric modules, disposed between the target object and an IR detector. The screen, formed of at least one thermoelectric unit, is coupled to the target object, and the thermoelectric unit includes a Thermoelectric Cooler (TEC) module coupled to a plate formed of a material selected from aluminum, copper, or aluminum with copper, the plate being substantially larger than the TEC module.
US09179074B2
The endoscope device includes a light source control section that controls emission of a narrow band light from a first light source section and a wide band light from a second light source section and light emission amounts of the narrow and wide band light, an imaging section that captures an image of a subject using returned light from the subject, a light amount calculating section that calculates a capturing light amount, a light amount ratio calculating section that calculates a ratio between light emission amounts of the narrow and wide band light, and an image processing section that performs a predetermined image processing. The light source control section controls the light emission amounts in accordance with the capturing light amount and the image processing section changes an image processing condition for adjusting a color tint in accordance with the ratio.
US09179073B2
A solid-state imaging device is provided that includes a pixel array section having pixels which detect a physical quantities that are arranged in two dimensions of a matrix; an Analog-Digital (AD) converting section that performs AD conversion for a plurality of channels of analog pixel signals which are read-out from the pixel array section; and a control section that sets quantized units AD-converted by the AD conversion section according to a gain setting of the unit pixel signal, where the control section determines a grayscale number of digital outputs AD-converted for at least one channel of the unit pixel signals according to the gain setting of the pixel signal.
US09179072B2
A system mountable in a motor vehicle. The system includes a camera and a processor configured to receive image data from the camera. The camera includes a rolling shutter configured to capture the image data during a frame period and to scan and to read the image data into multiple image frames. A near infra-red illuminator may be configured to provide a near infra-red illumination cone in the field of view of the camera. The near infrared illumination oscillates with an illumination period. A synchronization mechanism may be configured to synchronize the illumination period to the frame period of the rolling shutter. The frame period may be selected so that the synchronization mechanism provides a spatial profile of the near infra-red illumination cone which may be substantially aligned vertically to a specific region, e.g. near the center of the image frame.
US09179067B2
A camera driving apparatus includes a camera section including an imaging plane; a movable unit having the camera section built therein, having an attracting magnet therein, and having a convex partial spherical surface along an outer surface thereof; a fixed unit having a magnetic member therein and having a recess loosely fitted with the movable unit, wherein a magnetic attracting force of the attracting magnet with respect to the magnetic member puts the convex partial spherical surface of the movable unit into point or line contact with the recess and thus the movable unit is freely rotatable around a sphere center of the first convex partial spherical surface; a panning driving section; a tilting driving section; a rolling driving section; a first detector for detecting a tilt angle of the camera section in the panning and tilting directions with respect to the fixed unit; and a second detector for detecting a rotation angle of the camera section in the rolling direction. The second detector is provided in the vicinity of the sphere center of the first convex partial spherical surface.
US09179064B1
A vehicle collects oblique imagery along an intercardinal nominal heading using rotated camera-groups with distortion correcting electronic image sensors that align projected pixel columns or rows with a pre-determined direction on the ground, thereby improving collection quality, efficiency, and/or cost. In a first aspect, the camera-groups are rotated diagonal to the nominal heading. In a second aspect, the distortion correcting electronic image sensors align projected pixel columns or rows with a pre-determined direction on the ground. In a third aspect, the distortion correcting electronic image sensors are rotated around the optical axis of the camera. In a fourth aspect, cameras collect images in strips and the strips from different cameras overlap, providing large-baseline, small-time difference stereopsis.
US09179063B1
A camera triggering system for panorama imaging is provided. The system comprises a mounting member comprising holes, wherein a predetermined number of magnets are coupled within the holes. The system further comprises a base plate with the magnetic proximity sensor coupled to it. The system further comprises a camera mount coupled to the base plate. The system further comprises mounting connectors to connect the system to a camera support structure such as an unmanned aircraft or a tripod. The base plate and camera mount carrying the camera rotates with respect to the mounting member. As the sensor passes by the magnets, the trigger for the shutter is activated.
US09179056B2
Image capturing systems with context control and related methods are provided. In this regard, a representative image capturing system includes: an image capturing device having a user-adjustable setting for altering an image capture parameter; and a context control system operative to receive location information corresponding to a location of the image capturing device and to preset the user-adjustable setting based, at least in part, on the location information.
US09179030B2
An image reading device includes a red light source, a green light source, a blue light source, a white reference plate, a light-amount adjusting section, a photo-detecting section, and a signal processing section. The light-amount adjusting section sets lighting periods of the red, green, and blue light sources for reading in a monochrome mode, based on: lighting periods of the red, green, and blue light sources set for reading in a color mode; and a result of detection performed by the photo-detecting section when the white reference plate is illuminated with the red light, the green light, and the blue light respectively emitted by the red, green, and blue light sources for the respective lighting periods set for reading in the color mode.
US09179028B2
An image forming apparatus includes a memory, an interface to receive image data to perform an image forming job, and a controller to, when the image data is input in a power save mode of the image forming apparatus, send the image data to an external image forming apparatus, and when the image forming apparatus switches to a normal mode, control the image forming apparatus to perform an image forming job using the image data sent to the external image forming apparatus.
US09179024B2
An image recording device may include first and second housings, where the second housing is movable relative to the first housing. For example, the second housing may move from a first position to a second position in a first direction away from one end portion of the first housing and from the second position to the first position in a second direction toward the one end portion. In the first position, the second housing may contact the first housing with a surface of the second housing facing an accommodating area. A portion of the second housing may be located behind the other end portion of the first housing in the second direction, when the second housing is in the first position. In the second position, the surface of the second housing may cover the other end portion of the first housing in a direction perpendicular to the second direction.
US09179017B2
A processing apparatus capable of connecting to an external apparatus includes a reception unit that receives an instruction to the processing apparatus regarding a process from the external apparatus, an instruction unit that instructs the processing apparatus to execute a process, and a setting unit that sets a type of process to be executed when the instruction unit has made an instruction. In a first mode, the process based on the instruction from the instruction unit is executed and in a second mode, the process based on the instruction from the instruction unit and the process based on the instruction received by the reception unit are executed. After the second mode is cancelled and the first mode is established, the setting unit sets a predetermined type of process as the type of process to be executed when the instruction unit has made an instruction.
US09179016B2
One example of a communication architecture for direct printing and scanning includes a computing device for generating an electronic image and a page description language for producing a deterministic print file of the electronic image, the deterministic print file being natively viewable in a Portable Document File (PDF) viewer. The architecture also includes a printer for receiving the deterministic print file and for beginning printing the electronic image before the complete deterministic print file is received by the printer. A method for printing a document is also provided.
US09179014B2
An information processing apparatus includes an interface unit, a detection unit, an unmount unit, a display unit, and a control unit. The interface unit connects a reader/writer device, which is capable of receiving a memory storage medium. The detection unit detects a connection and a disconnection between the interface unit and the reader/writer device. The unmount unit sets the memory storage medium to an unmounted state. The a display unit display information about a detection result by the detection unit. The control unit controls, in response to the detection unit detecting that the reader/writer device is temporary disconnected from the interface unit, the display unit not to display information about the temporary disconnection of the reader/writer device from the interface unit.
US09179012B2
An image reading apparatus includes an imaging unit and a noise detecting unit. The imaging unit includes a valid pixel group constituted of imaging elements arranged in one row in a main-scanning direction valid for reading a document image and dummy pixel groups constituted of imaging elements arranged on both sides of the valid pixel group invalid for reading the document image. The imaging unit reads each line of the document image while moving relatively to a sub-scanning direction. The noise detecting unit detects a noise mixing into the line read by the imaging unit based on an image signal captured by the dummy pixel group. The dummy pixel group receives a predetermined luminescence level of light. The noise detecting unit detects the noise mixing into the line when a pixel value output from the dummy pixel group varies to exceed a predetermined value.
US09179002B2
Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable storage media for automatically initiating online social interactions based on participation in a conference call. Audio of the conference call is analyzed for data, such as timestamps indicating when people spoke, the volume of speech, words per minute, and emotional context. This analysis determines relationships between participants, and initiates online social interactions compatible with those relationships. This initialization can take the form of a prompt, or can be performed without interruption to the participants.
US09179001B2
Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable media for automatically transcribing voicemail. The method includes receiving a plurality of voicemail messages from callers, identifying for each voicemail message in the plurality of voicemail messages a first frequency with which the respective caller leaves voicemails, identifying for each voicemail message in the plurality of voicemail messages a second frequency with which a user requests transcription of each voicemail, assigning a priority ranking to each voicemail message in the plurality of voicemail messages based on the respective first frequency and the respective second frequency, and transcribing untranscribed voicemail messages with a highest priority ranking. The method can include establishing a priority ranking threshold and repeatedly transcribing a next highest ranking untranscribed voicemail message until no further untranscribed voicemail messages remain above the priority ranking threshold.
US09178997B2
The present method and system provides for call center simulation including receiving a plurality of input parameters relating to call center operations, wherein the call center operations include a main queue for processing on-hold calls and a virtual queue for processing a plurality of call back requests. The method and system further includes generating a call arrival dataset based at least on the plurality of input parameters and simulating call center operations for managing the call arrival dataset across the time sequence, including placing a portion of the call arrival dataset into the virtual queue. The method and system includes simulating a metering of the call arrival dataset in the virtual queue for a metered wait time based at least on a queuing factor and generating a simulation output indicating operations processed via the main queue and the virtual queue.
US09178995B2
Systems and methods for information and action management including managing and communicating critical and non-critical information relating to certain emergency services events or incidents as well as other applications. More specifically, systems and methods for information and action management including a plurality of mobile interface units that include one or more of a language translation sub-system, an action receipt sub-system, a voice-to-text conversion sub-system, a media management sub-system, a revision management sub-system that restricts the abilities of some users, and a report generation sub-system that creates reports operatively coupled to the language translation sub-system, the action receipt sub-system, the voice-to-text conversion sub-system, the media management sub-system, and the revision management sub-system to auto-populate report fields.
US09178987B2
A system and method for interrupting a transmitting device during a call. In the system, calls are transmitted from a first device on a communication channel as a series of channel frames. At predetermined times during the transmission, the transmitting device is configured to drop channel frames, resulting in open channel frame periods where the transmitting device is not transmitting on the communication channel. During these open channel frame periods, the transmitting device is also configured to switch to a receiving mode. Other devices in the system are capable of switching into a transmitting mode during the open channel frame periods and, when applicable, sending an interrupt request on the communication channel to the transmitting device in order to request access to the channel.
US09178985B2
An apparatus for and method of encapsulating Ethernet frames over a Very high speed Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL) transport facility. The VDSL frames are transmitted over a point to point VDSL link where they are subsequently extracted and forwarded as standard Ethernet frames. The VDSL facility transport system comprises an Ethernet to VDSL Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) coupled to a DSL Access Multiplexor (DSLAM) over a VDSL transport facility. The Ethernet to VDSL CPE functions to receive a 10BaseT Ethernet signal and encapsulate the Ethernet frame into a VDSL frame for transmission over the VDSL facility. The DSLAM is adapted to receive VDSL frames, extract Ethernet frames therefrom and generate and output a standard Ethernet signal. Ethernet frames are encapsulated within VDSL frames and transmitted on the wire pair without regard to the state of the SOC signals.
US09178981B2
A mobile terminal including a communication unit configured to communicate with at least one other terminal; a memory configured to store at least first and second operating systems including at least first and second modes, respectively; and a controller configured to execute the first and second operating systems, to simultaneously display first and second information screens on a display unit of the mobile terminal corresponding to the first and second modes, to receive a sharing signal requesting information from one of the first and second information screens be shared with the other of the first and second information screens, and to selectively share the requested information between the first and second information screens based on a predetermined criterion.
US09178980B2
A card (which is displayed on a screen by the card application and is thus operated, and has a single function) is output to a display of an information processing device through a shell (an OS for controlling card application and a seal application), and a seal (a display associated with an action such as an output) can be placed on a part of the card. The seal placed on the card is written to a seal DB and the seal placed on the card is displayed in accordance with information of the seal DB when the card is to be output. The seal corresponds to a seal application depending on each type. When an object of the card having the seal placed thereon is coincident with a predetermined condition, the corresponding seal application is activated by the shell so that a predetermined action such as a notice or an output of a ring tone is executed.
US09178975B2
A system and a method for reducing the power consumption of a wireless terminal and increasing capacity of a wireless communication system, without sacrificing the functions of the terminal. A base station includes a memory for storing the characteristics of the wireless terminal, the types of voice traffic that are supported by the terminal, and a program for executing an algorithm for exchanging control messages with the terminal via a wireless network. The algorithm is modified based on the particular characteristics of the wireless terminal, and sets the frequency of message exchange to not to exceed a predetermined frequency. In addition, the algorithm limits a time that information is displayed on the wireless terminal to a predetermined duration of time.
US09178974B2
There is described method and apparatus for processing signals of a telephonic communication, where the signals represent sensitive and non-sensitive information. A described method comprises processing the signals to provide a first version of the signals that is to be recorded and a second version of the signals that is to be output as audio; monitoring at least the first version of the signals to detect, in said at least the first version of the signals, one or more instances of one or more predetermined characteristics that represent the sensitive information conveyed by the signals; and modifying said at least the first version of the signals by removing the identified predetermined characteristics from said at least the first version of the signals.
US09178973B2
An audio control system using near-field wireless communication permits individualized audio data output to a plurality of devices with differing capabilities. The system preferably includes: a communication unit, which includes a near-field wireless communication transceiver and transmits and receives signal for acquiring address information and device information to and from at least one surrounding device; a car-kit capable of performing the near-field wireless communication, which is installed in a vehicle to which a tag storing vehicle information is attached; and a portable terminal for performing near-field wireless communication with the unit and the car-kit, recognizing the vehicle information by reading the tag installed in the vehicle equipped with the car-kit, and resetting an audio output corresponding to the vehicle information when audio data is output.
US09178967B2
A HART analog input module with a differential input comprises a plurality of input stage processors respectively connected to a plurality of HART field devices to detect a DC signal and a HART communication signal from an input signal and output the DC signal and a HART communication signal, in a case a signal superimposed with the DC signal and the HART communication signal is inputted from a relevant HART field device, a multiplexer sequentially outputting a DC signal and a HART communication signal respectively outputted from each input stage processor in response to a provided control signal, an A/D conversion processor converting a DC signal of each channel sequentially outputted from the multiplexer to a digital signal, a HART modem demodulating a HART communication signal of each channel sequentially outputted from the multiplexer, and a controller providing a control signal to the multiplexer and processing the digital signal outputted from the A/D conversion processor and the HART modem.
US09178965B2
Systems, methods, and devices for managing application communications are described herein. In some aspects, a wireless device is configured to execute a plurality of applications and to communicate with a communication network. The wireless device includes a processor configured to receive information from an application, via an application programming interface. The information is indicative of a transmit delay tolerance. The processor is further configured to receive, via the application programming interface, a packet from the application. The wireless device further includes a network driver configured to determine when to transmit the packet based on the received transmit delay tolerance.
US09178962B2
A first device implements an application platform that is shared with a second device. The application platform can be implemented so that the first device and the second device operate to have a same identity to at least the network service. The first device provides a user interface in order to receive input for accessing or using the network service. Additionally, the first device communicates input received in response to providing the user interface to the network service. The first device can receive a token from the network service in response to communicating the input. Additionally, the first device can communicate a set of data items to the second device. The set of data items includes the token and one or more identifiers that enable the second device to access and use the network service while appearing as the first device to the network service.
US09178957B2
Various embodiments herein include one or more of systems, methods, software, and data structures to create collaboration enabled client applications. In some embodiments, web services are provided on one or more servers that may be called by processes within client applications to facilitate collaboration within a workspace, such as directly within a computer application. Some such web services are application and data agnostic meaning that such web services are not aware of or do not care where application collaboration service calls come from, what their destination application is, or what data is being communicated. These web services, in some such embodiments, just must be properly called by an authorized user.
US09178956B2
An apparatus and a method for tracking the number of hits to a web page is described. In one embodiment, a web browser of a client requests from a server a web page. The server redirects the web browser to a cookie counting web page, where the cookie counting web page provides a tracking cookie to the web browser. The server computes the number of unique hits to the web page without cookies based on the number of hits to the cookie counting web page without tracking cookies, the number of unique hits to the cookie counting web page with tracking cookies, the number of all hits to the cookie counting web page with tracking cookies.
US09178955B1
A process is provided for providing network content to a client computing device by one or more content providers in conjunction with a network computing provider. The client computing device requests a network resource from the network computing provider. The network computing provider provides the network resource request to a first content provider. The first content provider provides a request for one or more embedded resources associated with the network resource to at least one second content provider on the behalf of the network computing provider. The network computing provider obtains the requested network resource and one or more associated embedded resource from the first content provider and the at least one second content provider. The network computing provider may provide the obtained content to the client computing device for processing.
US09178953B2
The present invention relates to location/position-based context awareness for devices and mobile terminal devices, respectively. In particularly, the present invention relates to an infrastructure entity performing the location/position-based context awareness for a portable terminal device. According to the present invention an infrastructure entity and a method operable therewith for serving distance-dependent context information relating to a defined environment is provided. For instance, terminal/object distances are determined in accordance with a position of a portable terminal, each position of a plurality of objects and a position of an infrastructure entity, which is adapted to serve the aforementioned distance-dependent context information. Context information, which is associated with each of the plurality of object, is provided for being selected. Context information is selected from provided context information on the basis of the determined terminal/object distances. The selected context information is finally transmitted to the portable terminal for being processed thereon.
US09178952B2
Systems, methods, apparatuses and program products configured to provide a topology-service tool are described. A presence-federation solution asset is leveraged to address topology-federation problems. A network topology tool takes as input network endpoints, for example caller and callee telephone numbers, determines a network service flow used to connect the network endpoints, and develops a network topology view of the service flow along with associated network device related information.
US09178951B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to identifying network resources or other topics that are of interest to members of multiple online communities to which a user belongs. Online communities include blogs, websites, games, e-commerce systems, messaging systems, wikis, etc. For each online community, click activity or other client behaviors are tracked and analyzed to determine statistical metrics about community activity, such as which articles, links, services, or other network resources are popular in the online community. At least some of the tracking or analysis can be performed by clients that access the online communities, by a server of each online community, and/or by a central tracking system. The results for each community may be further analyzed relative to each other. The results are provided for all communities with which a given user is associated. For example, a list of the most popular links in the user's selected online communities.
US09178946B2
A method for playing music, the method includes providing a plurality of devices on a wireless local area network, bringing a new device into a range of the wireless local area network, and receiving a list of devices that are on the local area network at the new device from a server not on the local area network.
US09178944B2
Systems, apparatus and methods are provided for interconnection of one or more Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) devices. The system preferably comprises a virtualized or virtual server which in turn comprises a virtual machine having an FCoE device interconnection apparatus controller, a virtual switch, the virtual switch being coupled to the FCoE device interconnection apparatus controller, and a network interface. The network interface is coupled to the virtual switch, which in turn couples to an Ethernet fabric. A first Ethernet link couples the network interface to the Ethernet fabric. One or more Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) devices are coupled to the Ethernet fabric via Ethernet links.
US09178940B2
The present invention provides a method for detecting whether or not a computer system is, has, or can participate in a Peer-to-Peer network. Scanning software is executed on a target system to be scanned or a remote system which will scan a target system. If Peer-to-Peer client software is detected the scanning software can notify the enforcing user, disable the Peer-to-Peer client software, or both.
US09178938B2
A technique is provided for session aggregation in a distributed architecture having a server connected to blades. A master session is generated for collaboration by user clients, and the master session corresponds to one or more terminal sessions on the distributed architecture of the server connected to the blades. The one or more terminal sessions on the distributed architecture are aggregated in the master session. A determination is made that the user clients agree for one user client of the user clients to be authorized as a current command line user name, in response to requests that are sent to the user clients. The one user client is granted authorization to the current command line user name in the master session based on an agreement by the user clients.
US09178934B1
Producing a modified document object model structure is disclosed. A desired webpage is requested. An alternative webpage is received in response to the request instead of an original version of the desired webpage to be rendered. The alternative webpage is processed. Program code included in the alternative webpage is utilized to request the original version of the desired webpage. The original version of the desired webpage is received. The modified document object model structure different from an original document object model structure corresponding to the received original version of the desired webpage is produced.
US09178926B2
A system and method employs an online site for making stored digital video recordings available for selection and download to a wireless communications device. Upon receipt of a selection for a digital video recording, the system and method causes the selected digital video recording to be wirelessly transmitted to the wireless communications device. The selected digital video recording is also made available to a personal computer associated with the user who made the selection. At least a title of the selected digital video recording is stored in a personal storage account of the user.
US09178912B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for virtual device context (VDC) integration for network services. VDC integration for network services generally includes mapping a virtual switch, physical ports on the network switch assigned to the virtual switch, a service node and a physical port on a service node to share a common VDC associated with a configuration of the virtual switch. In this manner, the VDC concept is extended to the service node and the network may be easily managed, with a network switch and associated service nodes configured through a single processing system on the network switch or service node.
US09178899B2
Automated site scans are often seen as precursors to a cyber attack, from URI enumeration and version mapping to timing scans used to identify the most valuable DDoS targets. Disclosed are methods and apparatuses for detecting automated site scans and identifying the source of cyber attacks. Honeypot links are provided on a web page via a server. If multiple honeypot links are selected by a visitor of the web page, the server may identify the visitor as an automated system and generate a session ID. The server induces an artificial delay prior to displaying the data associated with the selected honeypot link. After a subsequent attack, the server is able to identify the attacker by association with the stored session ID of an automated site scan.
US09178896B2
Methods, systems and computer readable media for rogue access point detection are disclosed. In some implementations, the method can include initiating, at one or more processors of a wireless controller, a rogue access point detection process for a wireless network, and transmitting, from the one or more processors, a signature frame to a mobility agent in a wireless switch. The method can also include receiving, at an authorized access point, the signature frame transmitted via a wireless signal from a rogue access point. The method can further include reporting reception of the signature frame to the wireless controller, and generating, at the one or more processors, a signal to shut down a port associated with the rogue access point.
US09178894B2
A system, method, and apparatus for secure routing based on the physical location of routers are disclosed herein. The disclosed method for secure data transmission of at least one data packet through a plurality of network nodes involves defining a source network node, a destination network node, and at least one security constraint, which is based on the physical location of at least one of the network nodes. The method further involves comparing available network nodes with the security constraint(s) to determine which of the available network nodes meet the security constraint(s) and, thus, are qualified network nodes. Additionally, the method involves determining a route comprising at least one of the qualified network nodes to route the data packet(s) through from the source network node to the destination network node. Further, the method involves transmitting the data packet(s) through the route of the qualified network node(s).
US09178882B1
A system includes a bidirectional signal bus controlled by an M×S master/slave bridge circuit. An application processor having at least one core is communicatively coupled by the bidirectional signal bus to a radio processor having at least one virtual machine. The core hosts a master agent. The virtual machine hosts a slave agent. Each master agent is coupled to a collector server by an authenticated connection circuit to receive and store profiles and build and transmit packages. Each master agent is coupled to at least one slave agent and can transmit a profile to the slave agent and request and receive packages which are generated by the slave agent by executing the profile. Each slave agent receives and executes profiles to collect data from radio circuits and upon command builds and transmits data packages to a master agent.
US09178880B1
A method is used in authenticating a mobile device user. An authentication invocation from a mobile device for access to computer resource is activated. Device unique identifiers and device forensic information are collected. The device unique identifiers and the device unique identifiers are forwarded to a gateway. An OTP is resolved into a unique device identifier using an authentication server. The device identifier is adaptively authenticated using multiple authentication factors.
US09178871B2
An authentication and authorization method and system are provided. The method includes: receiving an authentication request transmitted from a first device; transmitting the authentication request to an authentication and authorization server subsystem; authenticating the authentication request and generating authentication information; generating an authorization request used to request a second device for authorization according to the authentication information; and authenticating the authorization request, generating an authorization information and transmitting the authorization information to the first device through an authentication and authorization client subsystem so that the first device communicates with the second device directly according to the authorization information.
US09178865B2
Requests for User Services on networked computers running on different platforms with different Authentication, Authorization and Auditing (AAA) Security Systems are processed through an AAA Services Manager Server and Web Services Servers. The AAA Services Manager Server communicates requests for User Services to Web Services Servers using corresponding URL Web addresses. Web Services correspond to their respective Authentication Security Systems and Authorization Security Systems through which User Services may be obtained. The Web Services Servers act to access, for User validation, the respective Authentication Security Systems and Authorization Security Systems according to their individual languages and computing platform requirements.
US09178864B1
A user-portable computing device configured as a smart card enables a user to carry identification information and to generate security tokens for use in authenticating the user to a service provider. The device includes memory for storing user identities as information cards that are exported to a host computer, presented to a user in visual form, and then selected for use in the authentication process. A security token service installed on the device issues a security token in response to a token request sent from the host computer that references the selected user identity. The security token service uses user attribute information stored on the user device to compose the claim assertions needed to issue the security token. The token is returned to the host computer and used to facilitate the authentication process.
US09178863B2
A system and method is presented for verifying the ability to use stored authentication information when accessing a remote media service. A media device, such as a television, is described that stores authentication information for a remote media service. Such authentication information may include a user name and a password. Because media devices may be re-sold, returned for re-sale, or refurbished, it is necessary to automatically disable the authentication information to prevent a second owner from accessing the services and accounts belonging to a first owner. The ability to use authentication information is disabled upon a long delay in accessing the service, a complete power down cycle, a change in IP address, or a change in network interfaces used to access the network.
US09178859B1
Presented herein are authentication systems and methodologies for equipment deployed in an operational electronic network. Information about a piece of network-connected equipment is received, wherein the information includes a plurality of attribute values characterizing the equipment, wherein the information is obtained via a query to the equipment that produces, as output, the plurality of attribute values. The attribute values are compared to stored values, and when one or more of the attribute values are determined to be outside a range of the stored values, the equipment is designated as non-authentic. Non-authentic equipment may include counterfeit and grey marketed equipment.
US09178848B1
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for identifying affiliated domains. A method includes identifying a plurality of domains, where each domain is associated with a particular hostname and each domain includes one or more resources, identifying a set of one or more linked domains, designating one or more domains within the set of linked domains as being affiliated with the first domain, and storing the domain affiliation information. Linked domains are domains from the plurality of domains that are linked to the first domain, and a second domain is linked to the first domain if one of the first or the second domains includes resources containing navigation links to resources of the other domain.
US09178847B2
An Internet-based system capable of automatically maintaining contact-related information in any computer software application or digital device which stores or manages contact-related information. More particularly, the system allows users to automatically enter and maintain contact-related information in a digital address book or similar application or device (such as a wireless phone or PDA) with minimal or no manual entry of the contact-related information by the user. The system also allows contacts of the user (i.e. people who's contact information or partial contact information is present in the user's address book application) to make corrections to their contact-related information contained in the user's address book, request reciprocal contact information from the user, deny the user access to additional or corrected contact-related information and take other actions relative to managing the contact-related information which others (users) have about them.
US09178846B1
A source network address and port translation (NAPT) mechanism is described that reduces or eliminates the need to log any NAT translations. As described herein, a mapping between a subscriber's private address to a public address and port range is determined algorithmically. Given a particular mapping rule, as specified by the service provider, a subscriber is repeatedly and deterministically mapped to the same public network address and a specific port range for that network address. Once the public address and port range for a subscriber are computed, the particular ports for each session for that subscriber are allocated dynamically within the computed NAT port range on per session basis.
US09178840B2
A device includes an input processing unit and an output processing unit. The input processing unit dispatches first data to one of a group of processing engines, records an identity of the one processing engine in a location in a first memory, reserves one or more corresponding locations in a second memory, causes the first data to be processed by the one processing engine, and stores the processed first data in one of the locations in the second memory. The output processing unit receives second data, assigns an entry address corresponding to a location in an output memory to the second data, transfers the second data and the entry address to one of a group of second processing engines, causes the second data to be processed by the second processing engine, and stores the processed second data to the location in the output memory.
US09178838B2
A system, and computer program product for hash perturbation with queue management in data communication are provided. Using a first set of old queues corresponding to a first hash function, a set of data packets corresponding to a set of session is queued. At a first time, the first hash function is changed to a second hash function. A second set of new queues is created corresponding to the second hash function. A data packet is dequeued from a first old queue in a set of old queues. A second data packet is selected from a second queue in the set of old queues. A new hash value is computed for the second data packet using the second hash function. The second data packet is queued in a first new queue such that the second packet is in position to be delivered first from the first new queue.
US09178835B2
An information handling system includes a host including a central processing unit, a first management controller (MC) enabled to communicate with the host, and a network interface resource (NIR) in communication with the host and operable to enable the information handling system to communicate via an external network. The NIR includes a unified management module (UMM) operable to receive and route a local management packet, sent from the host, to the first management controller via a first unified management bus (UMB) and further operable to receive and route a remote management packet, sent from a remote resource via the external network, to the first management controller via the first UMB.
US09178820B1
A network device includes a plurality of ports and at least one packet processor separate from a central processing unit (CPU). The packet processor is configured to forward a received packet based on a look-up of a destination address of the received packet in a table of learned entries that associate first addresses checked by the CPU to the ports of the network device, to add a new provisional entry that associates a source address with an ingress port of the received packet based on a look-up of the source address in both the learned entries and provisional entries that associate second addresses to be checked by the CPU to the ports of the network device, and to upgrade the new provisional entry to a learned entry with a delay time (e.g., a pre-determined time period) to allow the CPU to check the source address.
US09178818B2
A communication apparatus that couples to a core network in a network system including a first access network coupled to the core network via a first relay, and a second access network coupled to the core network via a second relay, the communication apparatus including: a processor to store, when a first packet is transmitted to a first destination address included in a first address range and not included in a second address range, cache information regarding the second address range to a memory, the first address range being assigned to the first access network and the second address range being assigned to the second access network and being included in the first address range, and a transmitter to transmit, when a second packet for a second address included in the second address range is generated, the second packer to the second apparatus based on the cache information.
US09178811B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for generating a label forwarding table for a non-destination router on a ring topology. Embodiments of the present invention further provide an apparatus for generating a label forwarding table for a non-destination router on a ring topology and a method and system for generating two label switching paths LSPs of different ring directions on a ring topology. Technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present invention are based on a clockwise label forwarding table and a counterclockwise label forwarding table that are generated for each non-destination router on the ring topology. When it is found that traffic cannot be forwarded to a destination router by using one of the two label forwarding tables, the non-destination router performs traffic switching and uses the other label forwarding table to forward the traffic.
US09178799B2
A method forward Ethernet frames at a node in a network supporting an implementation of shortest path bridging (SPB) protocol is disclosed. The method starts with a shortest path computation for the node (referred to as the computing node). The shortest path computation selects at least a shortest path to each destination node in the network, where a neighboring node on the shortest path to reach each node is recorded. Then it computes a downstream loop-free alternate (LFA) node for a destination node, where the LFA node is downstream of the computing node but not on the selected shortest path to the destination node from the computing node. Then when connectivity to the neighboring node on the computed shortest path is detected to be abnormal, the node forwards an Ethernet frame with a destination media access control (MAC) address corresponding to the destination node through the LFA node.
US09178792B2
Embodiments of this invention include a protocol sensitive visual navigation apparatus, and associated methods, for navigating and relating different protocol levels of a protocol. A test and measurement instrument can include the protocol sensitive visual navigation apparatus, which can facilitate analyzing, searching, and measuring various aspects of the different protocol layers and cross-correlating items from one protocol layer to another protocol layer. The type and characteristics of the analysis is informed by a selected protocol layer. Physical layer signals or events can be correlated to protocol level information, thereby increasing an understanding of the overall protocol and associated protocol layers and events.
US09178789B2
An embodiment of a system and method that uses inline measurements to probe available bandwidth for a transmission control protocol, and adaptively sets a slow-start threshold according to the available bandwidth. The method includes initializing a congestion window “cwnd,” sending cwnd packets, estimating an available bandwidth for the cwnd packets. The congestion window cwnd is set to a higher number, and the higher number of further packets is sent if the available bandwidth is greater than a first threshold level. The available bandwidth is re-estimated for the higher number of the further packets, and a soft start threshold “ssthresh” is set to the re-estimated available bandwidth. A statistical measure is calculated for the re-estimated available bandwidth, and the congestion window cwnd is set equal to ssthresh if a ratio of the statistical measure to the re-estimated available bandwidth is less than a second threshold level.
US09178788B2
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for monitoring data activity utilizing a shared data store. These mechanisms and methods for monitoring data activity utilizing a shared data store can enable enhanced data monitoring, more efficient data storage, improved system resource utilization, etc.
US09178786B2
A packet loss detection method includes: a receiving end receives a service packet whose color belongs to a first color spectrum; counts the number of the service packets whose color belongs to the first color spectrum; after receiving a detection packet, continues counting the number of the service packets whose color belongs to the first color spectrum, where the detection packet carries the number of service packets whose color belongs to the first color spectrum and that are sent by a sending end; when a preset condition is satisfied, the receiving end stops counting the number of the service packets whose color belongs to the first color spectrum, where the number of the service packets counted by the receiving end and the number of the service packets sent by the sending end carried in the detection packet are used for calculating the number of lost packets.
US09178780B2
A device may be configured to receive information regarding one or more ports associated with a routing device; output, to the routing device, filter information associated with at least a particular port, of the one or more ports associated with the routing device, the filter information specifying one or more conditions associated with traffic of interest; receive, from the routing device, and based on the outputted filter information, information regarding traffic of interest received or sent by the routing device via the particular port, the traffic of interest being less than or equal to all traffic received or sent by the routing device via the particular port; and store or output a representation of at least a portion of the received information regarding the traffic of interest.
US09178774B2
Data transmitted over different channels may be updated by receiving one or more input data streams containing data for one or more digital data services, wherein the data is in the form of a plurality of packets, wherein each packet includes information identifying a channel and a number of related downstream packets; determining from the plurality of packets a time that an update packet containing data for one of the digital data services will be transmitted as part of the signal; and generating a schedule packet containing the time that the update packet will be transmitted as part of a signal.
US09178766B2
A resource provisioning service allows users to provision multiple, different network resources in an atomic manner and with a single call to a resource provisioning service. In some instances, the multiple, different network resources comprise individual types of resources that form a portion of one or more cloud-computing platforms. For instance, one or more entities may host and operate a cloud-computing platform that includes different types of network resources, such a storage service, a load balancing service, a compute service, a security service, or any other similar or different type of network-accessible service.
US09178762B2
A method may include receiving a reconfiguration to a first Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN)/spanning tree table, where the first VLAN/spanning tree table has a first identifier and is associated with a region of a network; updating the first VLAN/spanning tree table to generate a second VLAN/spanning tree table based on the reconfiguration; determining a second identifier of the second VLAN/spanning tree table; and generating a list of identifiers associated with the region of the network, the list including the first identifier and the second identifier.
US09178761B2
Methods, systems and computer readable media for provisioning VPN phones are disclosed.
US09178760B2
In order to configure network nodes as part of the planning and setting-up of an in particular real-time-based and isochronous data transmission between the network nodes, a method and apparatus are proposed, wherein a node is connected via the network to the apparatus which is programmed in such a way that, in response to at least one item of configuration-related information specified by an operator, it generates a set of configuration data which are necessary for configuring at least the one node and transmits at least a subset of this generated set of configuration data to the node via the network.
US09178759B2
Examples of methods and apparatus are provided for configuring and customizing a specific-purpose local client having a windows-based embedded image using extensible markup language (XML) configuration and obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image onto the specific-purpose local client. The apparatus may include a retrieval module of the specific-purpose local client configured to automatically locate a remote repository server containing an XML configuration file and automatically obtain the XML configuration file from the remote repository server each time the specific-purpose local client boots up. The apparatus may include an apply settings module of the specific-purpose local client configured to automatically apply a configuration change to the windows-based embedded image based on the XML configuration file each time the specific-purpose local client boots up. The configuration change persists across a reboot of the specific-purpose local client while obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image onto the specific-purpose local client.
US09178756B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a device for processing location information of a fault point. The method includes: obtaining, by an ingress node of an LDP LSP, first location information of a fault point on a link traversed by the LDP LSP, where the first location information of the fault point includes an identifier of an upstream node of the fault point and an identifier of an interface that is connected to the fault point and located on the upstream node of the fault point; and providing the first location information of the fault point to a user so that the user determines a location of the fault point corresponding to an LDP LSP fault. Therefore, the location of the fault point corresponding to the LDP LSP fault can be determined, and efficiency of troubleshooting specific to the LDP LSP fault can be improved.
US09178755B2
Methods and apparatus for a network element or server end station to determine an estimated physical location of a fault in a communications link utilized by two network elements. In an embodiment, the first and second network elements generate link failure indications including time values representing when the respective network element detected the fault. In other embodiments, the link failure indications include time values transmitted over the communications link between the first and second network elements. A time distance between these time values is calculated, which is used to calculate the estimated physical location of the fault. In some embodiments, the link failure indications include sequence numbers transmitted or about to be transmitted over the communications link between the network elements. Sequence distances are calculated between the sequence numbers, and are used to calculate the estimated physical location of the fault.
US09178745B2
In a method for generating a physical layer (PHY) data unit for transmission via a communication channel, information bits to be included in the PHY data unit are encoded using a forward error correction (FEC) encoder. Also, the information bits are encoded according to a block coding scheme, where m copies of each bit are included in the information bits, and one or more bits in the m copies of each bit are flipped. The information bits are mapped to a plurality of constellation symbols, and a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols are generated to include the plurality of constellation symbols. The PHY data unit is generated to include the plurality of OFDM symbols.
US09178733B2
The invention relates to an IF receiver that is able to solve the image band problem and, in particular, to reject any interfering signals so as to ensure correct demodulation of a received useful signal without having to interrupt the reception service. The receiver comprises a monitoring branch configured to monitor interference experienced at a plurality of intermediate frequencies usable in reception and select the intermediate reception frequency from the intermediate frequencies usable in reception on the basis of the interference monitoring carried out. Moreover, the monitoring unit is configured to carry out real-time monitoring of interference experienced at the currently used intermediate reception frequency and also at the other intermediate frequencies usable in reception and change, in real time, the used intermediate reception frequency on the basis of the real-time interference monitoring.
US09178731B2
A transmission apparatus for a wireless device, comprising: an antenna for receiving an original signal and for backscattering a modulated signal containing information from the wireless device; a variable impedance coupled to the antenna, the variable impedance having an impedance value; a delta-sigma modulator coupled to the variable impedance for modulating the impedance value, and thereby a backscattering coefficient for the antenna, in accordance with the information to generate the modulated signal; and, a decoder coupled to the delta-sigma modulator for generating the impedance value from the information.
US09178728B2
A transmitter may include a first path configured to receive a signal, to attenuate the low frequency components of the signal, and to output the low frequency component attenuated signal. The transmitter may further include a second path configured to receive the signal, to amplify the signal, and to output the amplified signal. The transmitter may also include a node coupled to the first path and the second path and configured such that the low frequency component attenuated signal and the amplified signal combine at the node.
US09178726B1
A multi-phase partial response receiver supports various incoming data rates by sampling PrDFE output values at a selected one of at least two clock phases. The receiver includes a calibration circuit that performs a timing analysis of critical data paths in the circuit, and this analysis is then used to select the particular clock phase used to latch the output values. These techniques permit the multiplexer outputs from for each phase of the partial response receiver to directly drive selection of a multiplexer for the ensuing phase, i.e., by avoiding regions of instability or uncertainty in the respective multiplexer outputs.
US09178723B2
The present invention is applicable to a gateway device, which is configured with an icon list storing a plurality of icons each corresponding to a specific network device type and is able to search for all active or passive network devices currently connected thereto, read basic data of each network device thus found, read the icon corresponding to each network device from the icon list, and then convert the icons thus read and the basic data of each network device found into a web page message for creating a network device map web page. Thus, when the gateway device sends the web page message to the active network device, a user of the active network device can see each icon on the network device map web page by using a browser and instantly know the network devices currently connected to the gateway device and their basic data.
US09178722B1
A Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone includes a radio circuit to communicate with a current access point (AP) and other APs of a wireless communication network and a memory to store a scan table. The scan table includes information about candidate APs of the wireless communication network. The information is obtained from probe response transmissions received by the radio circuit from the respective candidate APs after transmission of probe requests from the VoIP telephone. The VoIP telephone further includes a controller which is operable to initiate a roaming process when communication between the VoIP telephone and the current AP degrades. The controller includes several applications, including an application to select a best candidate AP from the scan table, to terminate a voice call with the current AP and to resume the voice call through the radio circuit with the best candidate AP without disrupting the voice call.
US09178720B2
In an embodiment, call routing from a customer to a destination is provided by intercepting a call setup message sent from a customer switch intended to signal a switch to perform a call routing function. In response to the call setup message being intercepted, a routing engine is queried with the destination of the call for a specific route over which to carry the call to the destination. The call setup message is modified to include the specific route. The switch is directed with the modified call setup message to use the specific route to carry the call from the customer to the destination.
US09178702B2
Provided is a revocation list generation device that can suppress an increase in the amount of data of a revocation list. A revocation list generation device that generates a revocation list includes an acquisition unit that acquires, for a content, a revocation identifier identifying a revoked public key certificate allocated to an apparatus related to use of the content, a revocation list generation unit that generates a revocation list including the acquired revocation identifier associated with the content, and an output unit that outputs the revocation list.
US09178698B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs, for managing keys for virtual machines (VM). One method includes receiving a first public key associated with a first user from a first client machine (CM), receiving a second public key associated with a second user from a second CM, and updating metadata associated with a project that includes a first VM and a second VM to include the first and the second public keys. The first public key and a corresponding first private key were generated on the first CM in response to a determination that the first CM lacked a private key for communication with the first VM by the first user. The second public key and a corresponding second private key were generated on the second CM in response to a determination that the second CM lacked a private key for communication with the second VM by the second user.
US09178685B1
A measurement circuit includes a phase detection circuit and delay circuitry. The phase detection circuit compares a first signal to a second signal to generate a first phase difference when the delay circuitry generates the second signal based on the first signal. The phase detection circuit compares the first signal to the second signal to generate a second phase difference when the delay circuitry generates the second signal based on a third signal provided to a signal network. The measurement circuit determines a delay of the signal network based on the first and second phase differences.
US09178684B2
In an example, a self-testing integrated circuit (IC) includes N channels i and a controller, where i is an integer from 1 to N. Each channel i may include a clock and data recovery circuit (CDR), a pseudorandom bit stream (PRBS) generator circuit, and a PRBS checker and eye quality monitor (EQM) circuit. The controller may be configured to selectively couple the channels i in a daisy chain during self-testing.
US09178683B2
A dynamic and flexible architecture and methods for demodulation of high data-rate streams with high symbol-rates, such as in satellite communications systems or computer network communications systems, is provided. A data stream of a data transmission is received, the data stream corresponding to a plurality of data symbols. A plurality of data samples corresponding to each of the data symbols is generated. Further, one or more representative data samples, corresponding each of the data symbols, are generated based at least in part on timing control signals and the generated data samples for the respective data symbol. The generated data samples corresponding to each of the data symbols other than the representative data samples are dropped. The timing control signals are then adjusted based at least in part on the generated representative data samples.
US09178682B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for transmitting uplink control information and a device therefor, the method comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of serving cells each having different UL-DL configurations; receiving one or more signals requiring a HARQ-ACK response from M(M≧1) number of subframes; and executing the process for transmitting the HARQ-ACK response to the one or more signals in a specific subframe corresponding to the M number of subframes, wherein, only when the specific subframe is set as an uplink in all of the plurality of serving cells, the HARQ-ACK response to the one or more signals are transmitted through the specific subframe.
US09178676B2
Provided are a method and a device for monitoring the control channel in a multicarrier system. The terminal determines a plurality of terminal-specific search spaces corresponding respectively to a plurality of scheduled component carriers in a control region within a subframe. The terminal monitors a downlink control channel for the scheduled component carriers corresponding respectively to the plurality of terminal-specific search spaces.
US09178674B2
Provided is a method for transmitting a reference signal in a time division duplex (TDD)-based wireless communication system. A base station transmits a synchronization signal in a subframe including N resource blocks in a frequency domain, and K (K>1) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols in a time domain. The base station transmits a reference signal generated on the basis of a terminal identifier in the subframe. The subframe includes a downlink pilot time slot (DwPTS), a guard period (GP), and an uplink pilot time slot (UpPTS). The DwPTS includes six OFDM symbols. The UpPTS includes two OFDM symbols. The reference signal is transmitted in the first OFDM symbol or the sixth OFDM symbol in the subframe.
US09178660B2
A data retransmission method using hybrid automatic repeat request (harq) includes transmitting a data block, receiving a retransmission request signal for the data block, generating a retransmission block by performing swapping or inversion between bits constituting the data block according to the retransmission request signal, and transmitting the retransmission block.
US09178659B2
A method (400) and apparatus for encoding a block-based communication system header. A physical (PHY) layer header and a medium access control (MAC) header of the block-based communication system header are encoded to generate parity bits, wherein the PHY layer header includes at least cyclic prefix (CP) mode bits (S410). Parity bits are appended to the PHY layer header and the MAC layer header to generate a bit vector (S420). The bit vector is divided into at least two data blocks, wherein a first data block includes at least the CP mode bits (S430). A predefined number of tail bits are appended to each data block (S440). The two data blocks are mapped into at least two symbols, wherein the first data block is mapped to a first symbol, such that the first symbol is a first header symbol being transmitted (S450).
US09178653B2
A communication device is configured to encode and/or decode low density parity check (LDPC) coded signals. Such LDPC coded signals are characterized by LDPC matrices having a particular form. An LDPC matrix may be partitioned into a left hand side matrix and the right hand side matrix. The right hand side matrix can be lower triangular such that all of the sub-matrices therein are all-zero-valued sub-matrices (e.g., all of the elements within an all-zero-valued sub-matrix have the value of “0”) except for those sub-matrices located on a main diagonal of the right hand side matrix and another diagonal that is adjacently located to the left of the main diagonal. A device may be configured to employ different LDPC codes having different LDPC matrices for different LDPC coded signals. The different LDPC matrices may be based generally on a common form (e.g., with a right hand side matrix as described above).
US09178652B2
A wireless communication system that concurrently communicates information in multiple regulatory domains to facilitate audio/video media streaming and other high bandwidth operations. One domain may be licensed and the other may be unlicensed. Transmission in the licensed domain may occur in white space in the domain, and the amount of information transmitted in that domain may be limited by regulations. The amount of information conveyed in the licensed domain may also depend on channel conditions in either or both of the domains. As a result, the relative amount of information transmitted in each domain may vary dynamically. The system includes a transmitter that dynamically determines weighting coefficients applied to each of a plurality of channels to set power levels in both domains to achieve a desired metric for the overall communication. A corresponding receiver assembles the substreams into a stream that can then be displayed or otherwise processed.
US09178651B2
In a method for parsing data in a data unit into a number of spatial streams, a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) is selected from a plurality of MCSs. Information bits are encoded using one or more encoders to generate coded bits, wherein the number of encoders used depends on the selected MCS. The coded bits into a number of spatial streams according to a first set of parsing rules if the coded bits satisfy a parsing constraint. The coded bits are parsed into the number of spatial streams according to a second set of parsing rules if the coded bits do not satisfy the parsing constraint.
US09178648B2
In one embodiment, a message is sent from the wireless network to a user equipment having a variable rate vocoder. The message defines transport block sizes for the user equipment to select from in making uplink transmissions if the user equipment is permitted to vary a packet size for uplink transmission. A scheduling grant is sent to the user equipment, and the scheduling grant includes an indicator indicating that the user equipment is permitted to vary the packet size for uplink transmissions by selecting a transport block size from among the defined transport block sizes.
US09178646B2
The exchange device groups PON branches into PON branch groups based on the amount of communication data traffic that has arrived via a communication network with a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) respectively belonging to one of a plurality of PON branches as a transmission destination, multiplexes the communication data for each PON group, and transmits the multiplexed data. The exchange device has an unit configured to transmit each piece of communication data from the ONUs to one output port selected from among a plurality of output ports based on the transmission wavelength of the communication data. The exchange device groups a plurality of PON branches into PON branch groups based on the required bandwidth of each of the ONUs, and designates the transmission wavelength for each of the ONUs so that each piece of the communication data from one PON branch group is transmitted to one port.
US09178641B2
Consistent with the present disclosure, chromatic dispersion is introduced into an optical communication path including multiple segments or spans of dispersion shifted fiber (DSF). The chromatic dispersion generates phase mismatching between optical signals propagating along the optical communication path, i.e., the optical signals are decorrelated, such that mixing products are reduced inmagnitude, and the noise attributable to four wave mixing is correspondingly reduced.
US09178637B2
This invention relates to methods and devices for synchronization using linear programming, especially over packet networks using, for example, the IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP). Timing protocol messages are exposed to artifacts in the network such as packet delay variations (PDV) or packet losses. Embodiments of the invention provide a two-dimensional linear programming technique for estimating clock offset and skew, particularly from two-way exchange of timing messages between a master and a slave device. Some embodiments include a skew and offset adjustable free-running counter for regenerating the master time and frequency at the slave device.
US09178635B2
Separation of sub-bands of communications signals to reduce interference in distributed antenna systems (DASs) is disclosed. A sub-band separation circuit coupled to a plurality of antennas is configured to distribute and receive and transmit a pair of downlink and uplink sub-band signals. The sub-band separation circuit is coupled to a duplexed port of a remote unit that distributes uplink communications signals to the DAS and receives downlink communications signals from the DAS. In order to isolate the downlink communications signals from the uplink communications path in the remote unit, the isolation circuit includes a plurality of sub-band isolation circuits. Each sub-band isolation circuit is configured to isolate at least one sub-band of the downlink communications signal to generate a downlink sub-band signal that has a desired frequency separation or gap with uplink communication signals received at the duplexed port.
US09178632B2
Methods, apparatus, systems and computer program products are provided for an improved media content rating system. The rating system herein disclosed is highly-granular in nature, in that, the rating system allows for ratings to be based on the number of times that portions, segments, clips of the media file are played or otherwise executed, as opposed to basing the media content rating solely on the number of times that the media file is played. In this regard, the aspects herein described may further provide for ratings of the portions, segments, clips of the media content as opposed to limiting the rating to a rating for the overall media content file.
US09178631B2
An audio streaming system includes a handheld computing device that asynchronously streams audio to a storage subsystem. The handheld computing device receives and buffers audio data of contiguous audio samples and, after a predefined amount of contiguous audio samples has been buffered, assigns an index for that predefined amount of contiguous audio samples and asynchronously transmits the index and those contiguous audio samples to a storage subsystem of a broadcast server system. The handheld computing device, upon determining that the predefined amount of contiguous audio samples has been received by the storage subsystem, transmits a notification message to an application server of the broadcast server system that includes the assigned index and indicates that the corresponding contiguous audio samples are stored on the storage subsystem. The notification message causes the application server to fetch those audio samples according to the index and process them for broadcasting to client computing devices.
US09178620B2
An optical interface comprising a first portion having at least one optical conduit interface with a first axis for optically coupling with at least one optical conduit, a second portion having at least one transmitter interface with a second axis for optically coupling with a transmitting optical device, and at least one receiver interface with a third axis for optical coupling with a receiving optical device, the first, second and third axes being essentially parallel; and a wavelength filter element (WFE) disposed between the first and second portions, the WFE defining a first optical path between the transmitter interface and the optical conduit interface, and a second optical path between the optical conduit interface and the receiver interface.
US09178617B2
In order to reduce the circuit size for a chromatic dispersion pre-equalization operation, an optical multilevel signal pre-equalization circuit is provided with: (1) a plurality of look-up tables in which a string of middle codes utilizing a symmetry of a signal constellation of a multilevel code or a string of middle codes represented by polar coordinates is stored in association with a waveform response component; and (2) one or more operation circuits to which the waveform response component corresponding to a multilevel signal to be transmitted is inputted from the plurality of look-up tables, and which outputs a pre-equalized output waveform corresponding to the multilevel signal by operating the waveform response components outputted from different look-up tables.
US09178613B2
Techniques are disclosed that relate to synchronizing a clock on a network interface device with a clock on an optical line terminal (OLT). In one example, the technique to synchronizing the clocks may include monitoring one or more instances when the network interface device transmits information to the OLT and determining when a frame should be received by the network interface device based on the monitored one or more instances when the network interface device transmits information the OLT.
US09178603B2
Techniques for supporting communication by a relay station are described. In an aspect, the relay station may support NACK Type 1 when operating in an amplify-and-forward (AF) mode. The relay station may receive a first transmission of a packet from an upstream station, determine PAPR of the first transmission, and send NACK Type 1 to the upstream station if high PAPR is detected. In another aspect, the relay station may support NACK Type 1 and NACK Type 2 when operating in a decode-and-forward (DF) mode. The relay station may perform PAPR decoding for the first transmission, send NACK Type 1 if PAPR decoding fails, perform channel decoding if PAPR decoding passes, and send NACK Type 2 to the upstream station if channel decoding fails. In yet another aspect, the relay station may operate in the AF mode or the DF mode.
US09178597B2
A method and apparatus of providing a base station with updated transmission channel information is disclosed. The method includes the base station transmitting beamformed signals to a first terminal. A second terminal receives the transmitted beamformed signals, and measures a signal quality. The second terminal conveys back to the base station the measured signal quality, and a transmission identifier of the beamformed data signal.
US09178596B2
A method for transmitting and receiving a codebook subset restriction bitmap is provided. The Codebook Subset Restriction (CSR) bitmap transmission method of an evolved Node B (eNB) in transmission mode 9 for communication with 8 antenna ports includes generating a CSR bitmap including bits corresponding to restricted precoding matrix indicators and rank indicators that are not allowed for reporting and transmitting the CSR bitmap to a User Equipment (UE). The CSR bitmap comprises 53 bits corresponding to a first codebook and 56 bits corresponding to a second codebook, the 53 bits corresponding to a first codebook comprise 16, 16, 4, 4, 4, 4, and 1 bits for layers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, respectively, and the 56 bits corresponding to a second codebook comprise 16, 16, 16 and 8 bits for layers 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively.
US09178589B2
Single user and multiuser MIMO transmission in a cellular network may be performed by selecting by a base station (eNB) to transmit either one or two transmission layers. When one transmission layer is selected, a first transmission layer is precoded with a first precoder. A first demodulation reference signal (DMRS) sequence or a second DMRS sequence is selected by the eNB and precoded using the first precoder. The first transmission layer is transmitted with the selected precoded DMRS from the eNB to a user equipment (UE), and an indicator is transmitted to the UE to indicate which DMRS sequence is selected and transmitted.
US09178586B2
A method of antenna selection, in a MIMO system in which a transmitter having a first plurality of RF chains communicates with a receiver having a second plurality of RF chains, includes transmitting consecutive sounding packets produced by the first plurality of RF chains. The consecutive sounding packets each include a training symbol, and collectively sound a full-size channel for the MIMO system. The method also includes receiving channel state information for each of a plurality of scaled sub-channel estimates determined at the receiver. The channel state information includes at least one of respective gain factors that were applied to the consecutive sounding packets received at the receiver and respective scaling factors that were applied to sub-channel estimates determined at the receiver. The method also includes adjusting power levels applied to the first plurality of RF chains in response to receiving the channel state information.
US09178576B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting channel quality information by a terminal in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving information on a plurality of transmission nodes capable of performing CoMP transmission; transmitting first channel state information on one or more preferred transmission nodes from among the plurality of transmission nodes; receiving pattern information consisting of a plurality of combinations of CoMP sets, each of which corresponds to a relevant time interval according to the pattern information; and performing an operation for transmitting second channel state information on the combination of CoMP sets corresponding to a subframe n.
US09178571B2
A reference image acquisition unit (171) obtains a reference image for guiding a portable device (1) to a position in which near field wireless communication with a terminal device (2) is possible on the basis of portable device identification information for identifying a type of the portable device (1). A reference image display control unit (172) displays the reference image obtained by the reference image acquisition unit (171) on a display unit (12) provided on an opposite surface of the portable device (1) to a surface that opposes the terminal device (2) when the portable device (1) is brought close to the terminal device (2). A reference image correction unit (173) corrects a position of the reference image in response to an image moving operation for aligning the reference image displayed on the display unit (12) with a target mark formed on a front surface of the terminal device (2).
US09178570B2
A Near Field Communication (NFC) system may include a battery including a battery casing, at least one battery cell carried by the battery casing, at least one power measurement circuit carried by the battery casing and configured to measure a power level of the at least one battery cell, and a first NFC circuit carried by the battery casing and configured to communicate the power level measurement via NFC communication. The NFC system may further include a mobile wireless communications device including a portable housing, a second NFC circuit carried by the portable housing, and a controller carried by the portable housing and configured to cause the second NFC circuit to receive the power level measurement from the first NFC circuit based upon proximity therewith.
US09178553B2
Systems and methods are described for enhancing the audio quality of an FM receiver. In embodiments described herein, a stop band noise signal is extracted from an L+R or L−R signal produced by an FM stereo decoder. A channel quality measure is calculated based on the stop band noise signal and is used to control whether a pop suppression technique is applied to the L+R signal. The channel quality measure and the stop band noise signal are also leveraged to perform single-channel noise suppression in the frequency domain on the L−R signal and on the L+R signal. The channel quality measure is also used to control the application of a fast fading compensation process that replaces noisy segments of the L−R and L+R signal with replacement waveforms generated via waveform extrapolation.
US09178549B2
A radio frequency (RF) receiver front end includes an RF attenuator for receiving an RF input signal and a low noise amplifier (LNA). In one form, the LNA provides a differential output signal and includes a first polarity amplifier and a plurality of second polarity amplifiers. The first polarity amplifier has an input terminal coupled to the output of the RF attenuator, an output terminal for providing a first component of the differential RF output signal, and has a first input impedance. Each of the plurality of second polarity amplifiers has an input terminal coupled to the output of said RF attenuator, and an output terminal. The output terminals of said plurality of second polarity amplifiers are coupled together and form a second component of the differential RF output signal. Each of the plurality of second polarity amplifiers has a second input impedance higher than the first input impedance.
US09178547B1
Systems and methods for mitigating intermodulation distortion in a receiver include receiving, at processing electronics, a radio frequency signal. An envelope of the received signal is detected to form a rectified envelope signal. A portion of the envelope signal attributable to intermodulation distortion may be isolated from the envelope signal. The isolated distortion may be used to reduce the gain of the received radio frequency signal.
US09178544B1
Various embodiments associated with estimating a parameter offset for editions of a signal of interest through use of a secondary signal are described. A plurality of distributed asynchronous sensors can capture editions of a signal of interest as well as editions of a secondary signal. The secondary signal can be much stronger than the signal of interest. Since individual sensors capture the signal of interest editions and the secondary editions, offset calculated for one can be used for the other. With the secondary signal being stronger than the signal of interest, the offset of the editions of the signal of interest can be estimated. Once the offset is estimated for the secondary editions, the offset can be used for the signal of interest editions. After the offset is used to align the signal of interest editions, the signal of interest editions can be combined and further processing can occur.
US09178541B2
An apparatus includes first through fourth circuits. The first circuit determines a region of an input signal. The region is one of a plurality of regions. The second circuit generates a rotated input signal by rotating the input signal by a first angle according to the region. The third circuit phase shifts a carrier signal by a second angle according to the region. A fourth circuit amplifies the phase shifted carrier signal according to the rotated input signal. A method comprises determining a region according to a phase angle of an input signal, determining a rotation angle according to the region, generating a rotated carrier signal according to a carrier signal and the rotation angle, generating a rotated input signal according to the input signal and the negative of the rotation angle, and amplifying the rotated carrier signal according to the rotated input signal.
US09178537B2
An apparatus for controlling at least one radio module, wherein the apparatus is configured to generate at least one service request for a first radio mode, determine at least one logical architecture model dependent on each service request, select at least one of the plurality of radio modules to form a physical architecture structure dependent on each logical architecture model, and generate at least one configuration data set dependent on the selected one of the plurality of radio modules.
US09178530B2
A delta sigma modulator includes a filter circuit including an integrator having an operational amplifier; a first addition circuit provided between an output section of the filter circuit and an input section of a quantizer, and including a first resistive element; and a second addition circuit including at least one of a first feedforward circuit including a second resistive element or a first feedback circuit configured to feed back, as an analog signal, a digital output signal having been quantized by the quantizer, to an input section of the quantizer, wherein at least one of the first addition circuit or the first feedback circuit includes a phase compensator.
US09178518B2
A sub-VT FPGA uses a low swing, dual-VDD interconnect scheme to reduce FPGA area per LUT, delay at a constant energy, and energy at a constant delay relative to a conventional design at low voltage. These improvements are made possible by a custom asynchronous sense amp, a separated voltage for memory cells, and an improved passgate interconnect to optimize routing delay with low energy overhead. This sub-threshold FPGA design enables energy efficient and cost effective configurable logic for a wide variety of ULP applications.
US09178511B2
A capacitive keypad position sensor includes a keypad touch panel having a first defined key area disposed in a plane having first and second orthogonal axes. First and second electrodes respectively occupy first and second areas below the first defined key area. Each electrode includes a plurality of parallel rows extending along the first axis and spaced apart from one another along the second axis. Each of the plurality of rows has a length along the first axis that is substantially equal to a width of the first defined key area along the first axis measured at a position along the second axis corresponding to the respective one of the plurality of rows. At least some of the first and second pluralities of rows are interleaved with one another.
US09178508B2
Embodiments relate to a single multi-output high-voltage (HV) switch configured to pass multiple HV signals in semiconductor integrated circuits, such as a memory device. By utilizing a single HV switch that shares multiple components, area is reduced and fewer numbers of transistor devices are used to reduce cost. The shared components are selected such that the HV switch configuration provides functionality similar to traditional multiple HV switch configurations. Specifically, common logic shared across different branches of the single HV switch enables the single HV switch to provide multiple HV signals.
US09178496B2
A particular method includes receiving a retention signal. In response to receiving the retention signal, the method includes retaining state information in a non-volatile stage of a retention register and reducing power to a volatile stage of the retention register. The non-volatile stage may be powered by an external voltage source. The volatile stage may be powered by an internal voltage source.
US09178495B2
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a semiconductor structure and method for establishing a thermal profile across a semiconductor chip. In certain embodiments, the semiconductor structure comprises a through-silicon via formed in a first semiconductor chip having thermal control circuitry, wherein the through-silicon via is formed in a manner to be thermally coupled to the thermal control circuitry and a region of a second semiconductor chip, and wherein the through-silicon via conducts heat from the thermal control circuitry to the region. In other embodiments, the method comprises forming a through-silicon via in a first semiconductor chip having thermal control circuitry. The method also comprises forming the through-silicon via in a manner to be thermally coupled to the thermal control circuitry and a region of a second semiconductor chip, wherein the through-silicon via conducts heat from the thermal control circuitry to the region.
US09178491B2
A circuit module includes a duplexer mounted on a module board and a cover layer is stacked on an insulating layer that is disposed on one principal surface of a device board so as to enclose a predetermined area thereof. A transmission filter device and a reception filter device that have different transmission bands are provided on the one principal surface of the device board in the predetermined area thereof within the space enclosed by the insulating layer between the device board and the cover layer. Accordingly, the duplexer does not include a package board as in the existing technique, and in turn a circuit module including the duplexer mounted on the module board is significantly reduced in height and in size.
US09178481B2
In a volume control method applied to an audio processing system, firstly, a digital audio stream including a plurality of digital audio packets is received from a transmitter. It is determined whether an excitation signal is detected. The digital audio packets are sampled within a predetermined sampled period according to codecing rules, on condition that the excitation signal is detected. Output values corresponding to the digital audio packets are retrieved from the sampled digital audio packets according to the sampling operation. The digital audio packets are analyzed to generate sums of sampled frequency. An averaged volume level is calculated according to the sums of sampled frequency. An audio shift value is generated according to the averaged volume level and a predetermined standard volume level. Volume control is implemented to subsequently received digital audio packets from the digital audio stream according to the audio shift value.
US09178476B2
An envelope detector (ED) includes a voltage-mode ED core including parallel detection transistors for detecting a voltage envelope of an RF signal input. The detection transistors are configured with a size and for a current such that the transistors are biased in subthreshold regions of operation. The ED core is configured to variably control a bias current through the detection transistors, where the bias current is varied according to a voltage amplitude of the RF signal input to enhance a linear range of the ED while detection transistors continue to operate in subthreshold regions. A linearizer circuit may be configured to control the bias current based on feedback inputs from ED outputs. Several gain-programmable voltage amplifiers, which may include a final specialized class-AB amplifier, precede the ED core, to adapt a transmitter output voltage to an input range of the ED core, which extends the linear range of the ED.
US09178475B2
A method for operating an amplifier module of a communication satellite involves saving at least one configuration parameter of the amplifier module in a non-volatile memory designed to store the configuration parameter when the amplifier module is not energized. The configuration parameter can be loaded from the non-volatile memory and used to configure the amplifier module.
US09178472B2
Circuitry, which includes a linear amplifier, is disclosed. The linear amplifier has a linear amplifier output and includes an input amplifier stage and an output amplifier stage. The output amplifier stage at least partially provides an envelope power supply voltage to a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) via an envelope power supply output using a selected one of a group of linear amplifier power supply signals. The group of linear amplifier power supply signals includes at least a first bi-directional power supply signal. The input amplifier stage selects the one of the group of linear amplifier power supply signals based on the envelope power supply voltage and a setpoint of the envelope power supply voltage.
US09178470B2
A resonator element is provided. A base portion includes a first base portion, a second base portion, and a connecting portion. The base portion includes a width-decreasing portion that is provided at an end of the connecting portion on the first base portion side and that has a width along an X-axis direction which continuously decreases toward the second base portion. An outer edge of the width-decreasing portion and an outer edge of the connecting portion form a continuous line that does not include a corner portion, when seen in a plan view. When an angle between a tangent of a portion of the curved line on the first base portion side and a segment parallel to the X-axis direction is set to θ, a relation of 0°<θ<90° is satisfied.
US09178464B2
This invention relates to methods and devices for motor speed control. The invention has particular application in the control of motors over packet networks. In embodiments of the invention, phase-locked loop principles are used to remotely control the speed of an electric motor over a packet network. The setpoint for the motor is supplied by arriving timestamps from a speed-mapped variable frequency source. The shaft speed of the motor is measured with a tachometer with its output proportional to the motor speed. Any deviation of the actual speed from the setpoint is amplified by the power amplifier whose output drives the motor. Speed control over packet networks allow smoother operation of a process, acceleration control, different operating speeds for each process recipe, compensation for changing process variables, slow operation for setup purposes, adjustments to the rate of production, accurate positioning, and control torque or tension of a system.
US09178462B2
A motor driver controller including a difference control section; a driver output section; a drive current detection amplifier; and a load short-circuit detection circuit. A motor and sensing resistor is coupled in series and coupled to an output terminal of the driver output section. The difference control section generates a drive voltage command signal in response to a drive current command value and a drive current detection signal. The driver output section drives the motor and sensing resistor, in response to the drive voltage command signal, and a drive current detection amplifier generates a signal fed to the difference control section, in response to a drive current of the sensing resistor. The load short-circuit detection circuit detects an abnormal oscillation waveform signal caused by a short-circuit state between the both ends of the motor.
US09178457B2
The present invention provides a generator brake system for providing a brake control of a generator. The generator brake system includes a power conversion unit, a sensing unit, and a control unit. The power conversion unit receives an output voltage and an output current, generated from the generator, and the power conversion unit has at least one switch unit. The sensing unit receives the output voltage and the output current to generate a voltage signal and a current signal. The control unit receives the voltage signal and the current signal. When receiving a braking signal, the control unit generates at least one control signal for correspondingly turning on the at least one switch unit, thus braking the generator in a short circuit manner.
US09178456B2
A power transmission system may include a plurality of renewable-energy devices such as wind turbines or subsea turbines. The devices are connected together in parallel to a subsea cable that carries an ac transmission voltage. Each device includes a turbine assembly that is rotated by wind or water current flows, and a variable speed ac induction generator. A power converter is connected to the subsea cable and is used to interface the generators to a supply network or power grid. The power transmission system is operated such that an indicated operating speed of one or more of the devices is used to control the power converter (e.g. the PWM strategy that is used to open and close the power semiconductor devices) to achieve desired stator electrical quantities at each generator.
US09178455B2
A method for determining the rotor angle of a synchronous machine. In one implementation, the method includes generating a multiplicity of pulse-width-modulated drive signals for the phases of an inverter feeding the synchronous machine depending on a voltage to be fed into the synchronous machine, changing the pulse width modulation frequency of at least one drive signal of the multiplicity of pulse-width-modulated drive signals, with the result that the duration of the switching states of the inverter in which an active voltage phasor is output is extended in order to generate a switching pattern for the phases of the inverter, driving the inverter with the generated switching pattern, determining one or more of neutral point potentials at the neutral point of the synchronous machine during driving of the inverter with the switching pattern, and calculating the rotor angle of the synchronous machine depending on the determined neutral point potentials.
US09178451B2
A controller for a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor includes a pulse width modulator and a control circuit. The pulse width modulator provides a plurality of phase control signals to control corresponding ones of a plurality of phases of the BLDC motor. The control circuit controls the pulse width modulator to provide pulses to the plurality of phases to control a speed of the BLDC motor by causing the pulse width modulator to adjust widths of the pulses when a measured current in an active one of a corresponding phase exceeds a threshold in a startup mode. In one form, the controller is part of a BLDC motor system which also includes a plurality of phase drivers each having inputs for receiving respective ones of said plurality of phase control signals, and outputs adapted to couple to corresponding phases of the BLDC motor.
US09178443B2
Electrical frequency converter for coupling an electrical power supply grid with an electrical drive
An electrical frequency converter for coupling an electrical power supply grid with an electrical drive includes a first power converter connected to the power supply grid. The first power converter includes at least two connections in series. A second power converter is connected to the electrical drive and includes at least two connections in series. Each of the connections in series of the first and second power converters includes at least two modular switches. Each modular switch includes a first connection in series having a first controllable power semiconductor component and a first diode. The modular switch further includes a second connection in series having a second controllable power semiconductor component and a second diode. The modular switch further includes a capacitor. The first connection in series, the second connection in series and the capacitor are connected in parallel.
US09178442B2
A three-phase/two-phase rotary transformer including a three-phase portion and a two-phase portion that are movable in rotation relative to each other about an axis A. The three-phase portion includes a first body made of ferromagnetic material and three-phase coils, the two-phase portion including a second body made of ferromagnetic material and two-phase coils. The second body defines a first annular slot of axis A and a second annular slot of axis A, the two-phase coils including a first toroidal coil of axis A in the first slot, a second toroidal coil of axis A in the first slot, a third toroidal coil of axis A in the second slot, and a fourth toroidal coil of axis A in the second slot, the first coil and the fourth coil being connected in series, the second coil and the third coil being connected in series.
US09178440B2
A method for improving a power converter's efficiency comprises providing a resonant converter, wherein the resonant converter comprises an input coupled to a power source, a plurality of power switches coupled to the input, a resonant tank coupled to the plurality of power switches and a controller coupled to the power switches and generating a plurality of gate drive signals for the power switches, wherein the gate drive signals are arranged such that a switching frequency of the resonant converter is in a frequency band.
US09178429B2
A DC-DC converter including a transformer having a primary-side winding and a secondary-side winding with a center tap, and a storage choke. A rectifier circuit is connected to each of the taps at the ends of the secondary-side winding and generates a rectified output voltage at a second output of said DC-DC converter. A snubber circuit is switched via the rectifier circuit and stores energy occurring in said rectifier circuit. (An actuation apparatus includes a switching time determining device designed to determine a time interval as a function of the output voltage, the charge stored in the snubber circuit and the current fluctuations of the current through the storage choke occurring as a result of the rectification. A storage signal generator generates an actuation signal for discharging the snubber circuit as a function of the determined time interval.
US09178426B2
An operation circuit is set to a conductive state in a case where a three-phase alternating-current power supply switching circuit receives an R phase and an N phase. An internal switch is set to a non-conductive state in a case where the state of the operation circuit is the conductive state. One contactor electrically connects an input terminal to output terminals in a case where the state of the operation circuit is the conductive state. Another contactor electrically disconnects input terminals from the output terminals in a case where the state of the internal switch is the non-conductive state.
US09178421B2
Embodiments are disclosed relating to an electric power conversion device and methods for controlling the operation thereof. One disclosed embodiment provides a multi-stage electric power conversion device including a first regulator stage including a first stage energy storage device and a second regulator stage including a second stage energy storage device, the second stage energy storage device being operatively coupled between the first stage energy storage device and the load. The device further includes a control mechanism operative to control (i) a first stage output voltage on a node between the first stage energy storage device and the second stage energy storage device and (ii) a second stage output voltage on a node between the second stage energy storage device and the load.
US09178420B1
Various embodiments of the invention improve the dynamic response and output voltage accuracy in buck DC-DC converters. In certain embodiments, power efficiency is improved by storing and recycling energy that is otherwise lost during successive load transient events.
US09178418B2
An embodiment of a pre-emphasis circuit, an embodiment of a method for pre-emphasizing complementary single-ended signals, an embodiment of a transmitter, and an embodiment of a communication system.
US09178414B2
A jittering frequency control circuit and method for a switching mode power supply enlarge the uttering frequency range of the switching frequency of the switching mode power supply when the switching mode power supplier enters a frequency reduction mode, to improve the electro-magnetic interference of the switching mode power supply operating with the frequency reduction mode.
US09178410B2
A power converter includes a plurality of switches electrically coupled to each other for converting input power to output power. Each of the switches is sufficiently isolated to protect adjacent switches upon failure of one or more switches. The power converter also includes a controller for reconfiguring operation of the switches to provide at least a partial operating mode upon a switch failure.
US09178409B2
A period composed of a total of three periods, namely a period when an actual voltage vector is employed and periods before and after it can be regarded as an isolation period when an actual voltage vector is isolated in a vicinity where switching for commutation in a current-source converter is generated. When the switching in the current-source converter occurs at the isolation period, zero-current switching is realized. When presence of dead time is thus taken into consideration, a width of the timing when the zero-current switching is realized is made to be broader than a case where the presence of the dead time is not taken into consideration by the dead time.
US09178406B2
A linear motor includes a field magnet and an armature. The field magnet includes a pair of opposing field magnet yokes. A yoke base is disposed on a first end of each field magnet yoke in a Y axis direction. Between the field magnet yokes, a first magnet row is disposed including, along an X axis direction, a plurality of opposing pairs of first magnets having different polarities. Between the field magnet yokes, a second magnet row is disposed to a first side or a second side of the first magnet row in the Y axis direction. The second magnet row includes a pair of opposing second magnets having different polarities and forming a single row in the Y axis direction on the field magnet yokes. The armature includes a first armature coil opposite the first magnet row and a second armature coil opposite the second magnet row.
US09178404B2
A liquid-cooled self-excited eddy current retarder having two salient poles is provided. The liquid-cooled self-excited eddy current retarder may comprise a retarder rotor, a retarder stator, a retarder coil, a retarder generator and a control module. The retarder rotor may be a jagged turntable, and an axial cross section of the jagged turntable may be in an inverted h shape. Each of the two salient poles may be located at a respective one of two axial ends of the jagged turntable. The retarder rotor may be connectable to a transmission shaft, and an inner circle of the retarder stator may be coaxial with an outer circle of the retarder rotor. The retarder coil may be an independent coil and disposed between the two salient poles of the retarder rotor. The retarder coil may be affixed to the retarder stator.
US09178402B2
In a circuit board, a control pattern portion in which control circuit patterns are formed and a drive pattern portion in which drive circuit patterns are formed are formed in different regions. A recessed portion is formed in a base, and the drive pattern portion is fixed to the base such that insulation between a drive circuit and the base is maintained and the control pattern portion is arranged above the recessed portion. In this way, a space in which a circuit element is able to be mounted is formed between the control pattern portion and the recessed portion.
US09178398B2
A stator (100) of an electric motor includes a coil (12), a stator core (10) which supports the coil, and covers (22a, 22b) which are attached to the stator core so as to surround coil ends (13a, 13b) of the coil, wherein the covers have outside diameters which are at least partially smaller than the outside diameters of the stator cores, the covers have coefficients of linear expansion which are larger than the coefficient of linear expansion of the stator core, and the covers expand due to heat whereby the covers closely contact the housing which is arranged around the stator.
US09178391B2
A permanent magnet rotor comprising a rotor rim and a plurality of permanent magnet modules arranged on the outer or inner circumference of the rotor rim. The permanent magnet modules comprise a base adapted to be fixed to the rotor rim, one or more permanent magnets, and a central magnet support structure. The base and the central magnet support structure comprise a plurality of radial holes. The permanent magnet modules are adapted so that, when bolts are inserted in the radial holes to fix the central magnet support structure to the base, at least a portion of a first and a second surface of each permanent magnet remain substantially in conforming contact with a surface of the base and a surface of the central magnet support structure, respectively.
US09178388B2
Provided is a wireless power transmission apparatus, including a source unit including a power resonator to transmit a wireless power to a target apparatus, and a near field controller to control a direction of a magnetic field of the power resonator.
US09178381B2
The battery charging of electric vehicles, etc. is controlled so that the impact on the electric power system is lightened even when a lot of electric vehicles, etc. start the charging all at once. A device for controlling an electricity storage device installed in an electric vehicle or the like calculates a voltage drop by applying a load current at the time of performing the charging of the electricity storage device, and limits the charging quantity of the storage battery (installed in the electric vehicle or the like) based on the calculated voltage drop so that the voltage drop of the electric power system remains less than a prescribed level. Consequently, it becomes possible to reduce the voltage fluctuation around each of the electric vehicles, etc. that is about to execute the charging in cases where a lot of electric vehicles, etc. start the charging all at once.
US09178369B2
Systems and methods for modifying the magnitude and/or phase of an electromagnetic field in one or multiple dimensions. Applications for use in charging or powering multiple devices with a wireless power charger system are also described. Applications include beam shaping, beam forming, phase array radar, beam steering, etc. and inductive charging and power, and particularly usage in mobile, electronic, electric, lighting, or other devices, batteries, power tools, kitchen, industrial applications, vehicles, and other usages. Embodiments of the invention can also be applied generally to power supplies and other power sources and chargers, including systems and methods for improved ease of use and compatibility and transfer of wireless power to mobile, electronic, electric, lighting, or other devices, batteries, power tools, kitchen, military, industrial applications and/or vehicles.
US09178368B2
An information handling system battery has first and second protective circuits to detect and address faults for a first charge applied from an external power source to an integrated charger and a second charge applied from a charger of an information handling system to battery cells. If the first protective circuit detects a fault associated with the integrated charger, charging of the battery cells is still supported by inserting the battery in an information handling system. If the second protective circuit detects a fault, the battery becomes inoperative by disconnecting the battery cells. An indicator, such as LEDs on the battery casing, indicates whether a soft or hard fault has occurred.
US09178366B2
A battery monitor circuit includes a first monitoring unit for detecting voltages of battery cells in a first group, a second monitoring unit for detecting voltages of battery cells in a second group, and a current cancellation unit for canceling a difference between first and second currents that flow through the first and second monitoring units, respectively. One terminal of a series connection of the battery cells in the first and second groups and one terminal of the first monitoring unit are connected, the other terminal of the first monitoring unit and one terminal of the second monitoring unit are connected, and the other terminal of the second monitoring unit and the other terminal of the series connection are connected. The current cancellation unit is disposed between a connection point between the first and second monitoring units and a middle connection point in the middle of the series connection.
US09178365B2
The invention relates to a system for charging at least one energy storing cell (5) in a controllable energy store (2) that is used to control and supply electric energy to an n-phase electric machine (1), wherein n>1. The controllable energy store (2) has n parallel energy supply branches (3-1, 3-2, 3-3), each of which has at least two serially connected energy storing modules (4), each said energy storing module comprising at least one electric energy storing cell (5) with a corresponding controllable coupling unit (6). The energy supply branches (3-1, 3-2, 3-3) can be connected to a reference bus (T-), and each energy supply branch can be connected to a phase (U, V, W) of the electric machine (1). The coupling units (6) bridge the respective corresponding energy storing cells (5) or connect same into the respective energy supply branch (3-1, 3-2; 3-3) dependent on control signals. The aim of the invention is to allow at least one energy storing cell (5) to be charged. This is achieved in that an external energy source (10) can be connected to a neutral point (S) of the electric machine (1) and to the reference bus (T-).
US09178355B2
A multi-phase power control switch has multiple power controller channels, each of which includes at least one power controller having a microprocessor. Each of the microprocessors cross communicates with each other of the microprocessors using a data bus.
US09178351B2
A system for clearing power transmission line faults includes a sensor network configured to communicate with a transmission line and configured to detect one or more faults on the transmission line, a crowbar configured to coordinately switch first and second ends of a section of the transmission line to respective termination points, wherein the crowbar includes first and second grounding switches disposed respectively at about the first and second ends of the section of the transmission line, and a controller configured to receive information from the sensor network and configured to control the switching of the crowbar in response to the information.
US09178350B2
A system for distributing electrical current to a plurality of loads includes a first sensor coupled to an input of a protection zone for measuring a first current entering the protection zone, wherein the protection zone includes at least a portion of an electrical distribution feeder. The system also includes a second sensor coupled to an output of the protection zone for measuring a second current exiting the protection zone, and a processor coupled to the first sensor and to the second sensor. The processor is programmed to receive measurements representative of the first current and the second current, and calculate a reactive current differential of the protection zone based on the first current and the second current. The processor is also programmed to compare the reactive current differential with a fault threshold, and generate an error notification if the reactive current differential is greater than the fault threshold.
US09178344B2
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.
US09178339B2
A piston rod (15) and a first piston (13) are arranged in the interior of an external cylinder (11) and internal cylinder (12); a second piston for absorbing the change of volume of operating fluid (24) is also arranged therein. Also, a first return spring (18) for returning the piston rod (15) to the interruption position is provided and a second return spring (20) for returning the operating fluid 24 into the high-pressure chamber (25) by pressurizing the second piston (14) is provided. In addition, the air in the interior of the buffering device (10) is withdrawn by a vacuum pump (38), and operating fluid (24) is thus introduced in a degassed condition.
US09178338B2
An adjustable rear stud connector is suitable for connecting a circuit breaker to a bus bar. Rear stud connectors are rotationally adjustable to contact a corresponding bus bar, while minimizing the stress applied to the rear stud connector when connected. The rear stud connector includes a rear stud, including a stud blade and a stud base, and a rear stud adapter including an adapter base and an adapter mount. The adapter base includes a plurality of connector holes for connecting the stud base to the adapter base with fasteners. The stud base includes a plurality of circumferentially extending slots, with reference to a center axis of the stud base, for connecting the stud base to the adapter base with fasteners and to allow for a degree of positional flexibility of the stud base relative to the adapter base in a circumferential direction with respect to the center axis.
US09178335B2
The invention relates to a spark gap arrangement comprising two preferably flat, opposing electrodes (1) that are held apart in a housing body (13), said electrodes forming an arc combustion chamber, and comprising a gas-cooling and pressure-compensating chamber that is connected to the arc combustion chamber. According to the invention, the housing body (13) is formed from two half-shells (14, 16), each of which has first recesses that lie opposite each other in one plane for electrode connecting limbs (3), said limbs being connected to a connecting terminal (15) on the outside of the housing body. Each of the half-shells (14, 16) has a first space for receiving an insulating material support (11) for the electrodes (1) and a second space for receiving a cooling block (8), which has channels, with a high heat capacity. Furthermore, a U-shaped clamp (9) that is connected to the half-shells in a mechanical and pressure-resistant manner is provided at least in the receiving region of the cooling block (8) such that said clamp encompasses the half-shells (14, 16) on the outside.
US09178327B2
A brush lead guide for a brush holder assembly configured to retain the leads extending from a brush in a desired position/orientation to ensure the leads do not interfere with movement of the brush within the brush holder. In some instances, the lead guide includes a first guide rail including a channel for receiving a first lead of the brush and a second guide rail including a channel for receiving a second lead from the brush. The lead guide maintains the leads in a position such that the leads are held within the width of the opening of the brush holder to ensure the leads do not interfere with movement of the brush within the brush holder during use of the brush holder assembly.
US09178312B2
A charging port locking device is provided that basically includes a charging port and a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism achieves both locked and unlocked states by rotational movement of the restricting member. The restricting member is configured in the lock state with respect a reference line connecting a center of rotation of the restricting member and the center of width of the engaging portion as seen in a top view such that a top view area of the restricting member from the reference line in the rotational direction toward a restricting state is smaller than a top view area of the restricting member from the reference line in the rotational direction toward a non-restricting state.
US09178310B2
A duplex male electrical connector includes an insulating base, two rows of first connection contacts and a socket shell. The insulating base has a front section formed with a connection board. The connection board has opposite top and bottom surfaces. The two rows of first connection contacts are disposed on the top and bottom surfaces of the connection board, respectively. The socket shell is formed with a connection slot having a front end serving as an insert port. The connection board is disposed in the connection slot. The socket shell and the connection board can vertically float and move relative to each other, such that the connection board can vertically float and move relative to the socket shell or the socket shell can vertically float and move relative to the connection board.
US09178307B2
A connector system having a first connector and a second connector. The first and the second connector are moveable relative to one another along an axis in order to connect and disconnect the contacts of the first connector and the second connector. The first connector has a lever mounted at the pivot point and is pivotal around an angle. The lever has a surface extending in the circumferential direction and which extends substantially through the essentially along the same angle. The surface has a first planar section and a second section having a radially extending tooth system. The lever is movable from a first, second, and third position. The housing of the second connector has a complementary tooth system. The tooth systems become engaged when the lever is moved from the second to third position, thus moving the first connector and the second connector toward one another along the axis.
US09178304B2
A thermocouple connector adapted to an electromagnetic valve, the electromagnetic valve having a quick-connect terminal with a base. The connector has an inner surface that faces the base when the connector is inserted transversally to the connection terminal. The connector includes guiding means that projects out in relation to the inner surface, extending longitudinally in the direction of insertion, adapted to guide the transverse insertion of the connector. The connector is configured to come into contact with the base through the guiding means.
US09178299B2
A device for establishing a connection with an electronic device comprises a connection device, a lever and a pedestal having a face comprises a latch having a degree of rotation with the pedestal. The connection device has one degree of rotation according to a first axis parallel to the face of the pedestal, and comprises the electronic connector and a concave relief. The lever is linked to the pedestal by a linkage comprising at least one degree of rotation according to a second axis parallel to the first axis of rotation. The lever comprises a convex relief corresponding to the concave relief of the connection device, and an elastic component adapted to maintain a contact between the lever and the pedestal. The lever is configured to enter in contact with the connection device after a rotation of the connection device enabled by the rotation of the latch.
US09178297B2
A flat cable connector is provides that includes a housing, a contact, and a cover member. The housing includes a top surface, a side surface adjacent the top surface, and a lock section disposed along the side surface. The contact is received in the housing and includes a portion protruding from the top surface. The cover member includes a planar surface and a lock extending from the planar surface and engageable with the lock section.
US09178277B1
A synthesized-beam transceiver system steers a beam of a two-dimensional antenna array by activating a first subset of antenna elements to orient the beam in a first direction and subsequently activating a second subset of the antenna elements to orient the beam in a different direction. The system also electrically connects antenna elements that are inactive, not in the first subset, or not in the second subset to a reference potential of the array.
US09178273B2
An antenna is integrated with a solar battery. The antenna has a radiation-element portion arranged above the solar battery. The radiation-element portion is made of metallic wire rods and formed in a net-like fashion.
US09178268B2
An electronic device may be provided with a speaker box antenna for transmitting and receiving radio-frequency signals. A speaker box antenna may be formed from a hollow dielectric speaker box containing a speaker driver. An opening in the speaker box adjacent to the speaker driver may be aligned with a speaker port opening in a conductive electronic device housing structure. The speaker box may be surrounded by conductive structures that form a cavity for the antenna. The conductive structures may include parts of the conductive electronic device housing structure. The speaker box may have opposing upper and lower surfaces. Metal plates may form parts of the upper and lower surfaces and may be shorted together using a conductive layer such as a strip of metal tape. Frequencies of operation may be selected for the antenna that suppress undesired cavity modes and enhance antenna performance.
US09178266B2
The invention relates to an antenna module for a vehicle, wherein an upper assembly comprises a first circuit board, wherein a lower assembly comprises a second circuit board, wherein at least one of the two assemblies is fastened on a vehicle body part of the vehicle, wherein an electrical contact part is arranged on the assembly in each case, wherein the two contact parts respectively comprise at least one antenna contact, and wherein the lower assembly is fixable on the upper assembly. In this case, the second contact part, when the lower assembly is fixed, is displaceable in a plane lying approximately parallel to the vehicle body part from a first position in a displacement direction linearly into a second position, wherein the contact parts are electrically disconnected from one another in the first position and wherein the contact parts are electrically connected in the second position.
US09178265B2
The invention concerns a support for an antenna, such as a RFID antenna, used in a flexible cover, for example a passport cover, whereby said antenna is surrounded by material of said cover. Said support comprises means for disconnecting the antenna from the surrounding material so that bending stress applied to said material is not transferred to the antenna. The support may be used in different products, for example in passports.
US09178264B2
A directional coupler according to the present invention includes a primary line for transmitting a transmission signal; an input port for inputting the transmission signal to the primary line; an output port for outputting the transmission signal from the primary line; a secondary line for electromagnetically coupling with the primary line to extract part of the transmission signal; a coupling port provided at one end of the secondary line; an isolation port provided at the other end of the secondary line; and a low pass filter unit having a function of low pass filter, disposed between the secondary line and the coupling port.
US09178260B2
An antenna apparatus comprises a substrate with a microstrip-to-waveguide transition comprising a microstrip feedline extending between a first terminal point and a second terminal point at a first metal layer and comprising a microstrip element and a probe element. The microstrip element includes a connection segment extending from the first terminal point to a second point, a taper segment extending from the second point to a third point, and a continuous-width segment extending from the third point to a fourth point. The probe element extends from the fourth point to the second terminal point and has a width which is narrower than the continuous-width segment. The substrate further includes a waveguide opening comprising a region surrounding the probe element and includes a plurality of metal vias disposed at the perimeter of the waveguide opening and which extend from the first metal layer to the second metal layer.
US09178258B1
A radar system in an autonomous vehicle may be operated in various modes and with various configurations. The autonomous vehicle features a radar system having a waveguide with a first waveguide section, a second waveguide section, and a seam between the first and the second waveguide sections. The first waveguide section and the second waveguide section form a waveguide cavity. Additionally, the seam corresponds to a low surface current location of a propagation mode of the waveguide and is formed where the first waveguide section is coupled to the second waveguide section. The height of the first waveguide section may be equal to the height of the second waveguide section. The waveguide also may include a feed configured to introduce a wave with the propagation mode into the waveguide. Moreover, the waveguide may also include more than one cavity. Each cavity may lie on a plane defined by the seam.
US09178253B2
Disclosed herein is a battery pack having a plurality of battery cells or unit modules (‘unit cells’), which can be charged and discharged, mounted in a pack case.
US09178250B2
Use of an electrolyte for an electrochemical cell and a method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell comprising such an electrolyte. The electrolyte comprises at least one conductive salt comprising lithium ions, at least one solvent and at least one wetting agent. The electrochemical cell comprises at least one anode, at least one cathode and at least one separator arranged between the at least one anode and the at least one cathode. The electrolyte may be filled between the at least one anode and the at least one cathode.
US09178248B2
A lithium ion battery cell. The lithium ion battery cell includes a lithium-based anode, a cathode, and a solid-state electrolyte positioned between the lithium-based anode and the cathode. The cathode comprises an alkylammonium cation lithium phthalocyanine anion complex. The solid-state electrolyte comprises an alkoxyalkylammonium cation lithium phthalocyanine anion complex.
US09178245B2
The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for converting chemical energy into electrical energy and/or electrical energy into chemical energy with a housing (2, 3, 3a), which is open towards at least one side (6) and in which a pressure chamber (4) is formed, and with at least one electrochemically active cell (5) for energy conversion, which extends from the open side (6) of the housing (2, 3, 3a) into the housing (2, 3, 3a), wherein the open side (6) is closed by a plate (7, 31), which holds and/or supplies power to the cell (5). A sealing element (8, 9) is arranged between the housing (2, 3, 3a) and the plate (7, 31), closes the open side (6) of the housing (2, 3, 3a) in a fluid-tight and/or gas-tight manner so as to form the pressure chamber (4) and is formed at least partially from an elastic material. At least one pocket (10) extending into the pressure chamber (4) is formed in the sealing element (8, 9), wherein the cell (5) is positioned in said pocket and the pocket wall (28) of said pocket is flexible as a result of the elastic material, with the result that the pocket wall (28) bears against the cell (5) in the event of an excess pressure in the pressure chamber (4).
US09178241B2
An apparatus for generating electrical energy at altitude, comprising a tether connecting a substantially ground level location, part to a platform at an elevated location, the tether comprising a conduit coupled to an electrical generator at the platform, the conduit arranged to allow the flow of a fuel fluid from the substantially ground level location to the elevated location, and the electrical generator being operable to convert energy in the fuel fluid to electrical energy at the elevated location.
US09178226B2
A fuel cell sealing structure has a power generating body, and first and second separators arranged in both sides in a thickness direction of the power generating body. On a surface in one side in a thickness direction of the first separator, formed integrally first and second sealing protrusions respectively brought into close contact with an outer peripheral portion of the power generating body and the second separator in an outer peripheral side of the first sealing protrusion, and a short circuit prevention rib protruding in line with the first and second sealing protrusions by an electrically insulating rubber-like elastic material. On a surface in another side thereof, formed integrally a third sealing protrusion brought into close contact with a surface in an opposite side to the power generating body in the second separator, by the electrically insulating rubber-like elastic material.
US09178216B2
The present disclosure relates to a lithium ion battery cathode. The lithium ion battery cathode includes a plurality of cathode active material particles and a conductive carrier. The conductive carrier includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes. The plurality of carbon nanotubes are entangled with each other to form a net structure. The present disclosure also relates to a lithium ion battery.
US09178213B2
In an aspect, a negative active material, a method of preparing the negative active material, and a lithium battery including the negative active material are provided. The method of preparing the negative active material may increase pulverizing efficiency in pulverizing a silicon-based bulky particle into a nano-size silicon-based primary particle and decrease a capacity loss of the obtained negative active material. The nano-size negative active material has excellent crystalline characteristics, high capacity, and high initial efficiency, due to a decrease in surface oxidation and surface damage.
US09178211B2
A method of producing an electrode including decreasing a yield stress of a slurry containing an active material to two-thirds or less, and applying the slurry to a current collector.
US09178207B2
One aspect of the present invention provides an electrochemical cell system comprising at least one electrochemical cell configured to be selectively connected to a load to discharge the cell by generating electrical current using a fuel and an oxidant. The electrochemical cell system may alternatively be connected to a power supply to recharge the cell. The electrochemical cell system comprises a plurality of electrodes and electrode bodies therein. The electrochemical cell system further comprises a switching system configured to permit progressive movement of the anodes used for charging each electrochemical cell, maintaining a minimum distance from a progressively moving cathode that is the site of fuel growth.
US09178203B2
A battery module includes a plurality of battery cells and a flexible bus. Each of the battery cells has a main body, a first terminal disposed on the main body, and a second terminal disposed on the main body. The main body includes active material configured to generate power from an electrochemical reaction. The bus includes an electrical current harness configured to conduct an electrical current through the battery module and a battery management system configured to detect and transmit status information, as well as selectively control a charging and a discharging of at least one of the battery cells.
US09178197B2
The present invention provides a lithium secondary battery, comprising a cathode, an anode, a non-aqueous solution containing a lithium salt and an organic solvent, and a safety vent for removing increased internal pressure, the non-aqueous solution having the prescribed composition and the safety vent having the prescribed operational characteristics. The lithium secondary battery of the present invention can ensure its safety even when overcharged.
US09178196B2
A battery assembly having a plurality of battery modules capable of powering a traction motor of a vehicle. First and second end frames are provided on the battery modules. A plurality of battery cells is disposed between the first and second end frames. The first end frame of one of the battery modules has a first pocket. The second end frame of an adjacent battery module has a second pocket. The first and second pockets are aligned when the battery assembly is assembled to define a receptacle. A thermistor is disposed in the receptacle. The thermistor extends through the first pocket of the first end frame and at least partially into the second pocket of the second end frame.
US09178192B2
A battery module and a related method are provided. The module includes battery cells having electrical terminals extending from battery portions. The module further includes an interconnect board having apertures for receiving the electrical terminals therethrough, and an elastomeric layer having apertures extending therethrough. The elastomeric layer is disposed proximate to the interconnect board such that the electrical terminals extend through the apertures of the interconnect board and further extend through the apertures of the elastomeric layer. The module further includes a potting compound disposed on the elastomeric layer such that the layer prevents the potting compound from contacting the battery portions.
US09178187B2
Within outer cover member 111 of laminated film including resin layer 111c, there is installed electricity generating element 112 thereby to constitute battery body 11, peripheral portion 113 of the outer cover member being sealed. Spacer 12 is provided which has fixing portion 121 by which the battery body is fixed to predetermined position, the spacer being arranged between outer peripheral portion of the battery body and outer peripheral portion of another battery body put on the battery body. In range H1 that includes an overlapped portion 14 between the outer peripheral portion and the spacer and is provided at least around the fixing portion of the outer peripheral portion, there is provided elastic resin portion 13 produced through insert molding of elastic resin. This thin battery exhibits satisfied stability in set condition against vibration of motor vehicle. This thin battery exhibits satisfied fixing stability against vehicle vibration.
US09178185B2
Methods of fabricating a device having laterally patterned first and second sub-devices, such as subpixels of an OLED, are provided. Exemplary methods may include depositing via organic vapor jet printing (OVJP) a first organic layer of the first sub-device and a first organic layer of the second sub-device. The first organic layer of the first sub-device and the first organic layer of the second sub-device are both the same type of layer, but have different thicknesses. The type of layer is selected from an ETL, an HTL, an HIL, a spacer and a capping layer.
US09178184B2
Embodiments disclosed herein provide devices having a nozzle die with one or more nozzles, each of which has one or more integrated skimmers. The use of an integrated nozzle/skimmer structure allows for higher-resolution printing in OVJP-type deposition techniques without requiring the use of a shadow mask by allowing for a relatively narrow organic material beam that can be placed at relatively high distances away from the substrate.
US09178176B2
An organic light emitting display device may include a first cover, a protection member disposed on the first cover, a display panel disposed on the protection member, and a second cover disposed on the protection member. The protection member may include a plurality of layers having a plurality of pores, respectively. The protection member may reduce or remove a tolerance generated in manufacturing processes, and also may absorb or remove an external impact.
US09178171B2
According to one embodiment, there is provided a method for manufacturing a photovoltaic cell. The method includes forming a structure including a pair of electrodes which are arranged apart from each other, and a hetero-junction type photoelectric conversion layer interposed between the electrodes and containing a p-type semiconductor and a n-type semiconductor, and annealing the photoelectric conversion layer thermally while applying an AC voltage having a frequency of 0.01 kHz or more and less than 1 kHz to control a mixed state of the p-type semiconductor and n-type semiconductor in the photoelectric conversion layer.
US09178165B2
To provide an organic semiconductor composition that can exhibit a high carrier transport property and give uniform characteristics. An organic semiconductor composition characterized by containing a high molecular weight compound having a carrier transport property and a low molecular weight compound, in which the low molecular weight compound has a structure represented by Formula (1) and a content ratio of the low molecular weight compound is from 5 to 95 parts by mass relative to a total of 100 parts by mass of the high molecular weight compound and the low molecular weight compound, [where, E represents a sulfur atom or a selenium atom, three E's may be the same or may be different from one another, and an aromatic ring in Formula may have substituents].
US09178157B2
A donor substrate having a plurality of recesses and isolation structures may be provided. The isolation structures may be defined by the recesses. A first electrode is formed on a first substrate. A pixel defining layer may be formed on the first electrode to define a plurality of pixel regions. The donor substrate may be arranged over the first substrate, and a laser induced thermal imaging process may be performed to form a plurality of light emitting layers in the pixel regions. A second electrode may be formed on the pixel defining layer and the light emitting layers. The organic light emitting layers having minute dimensions may be effectively obtained from the donor substrate. The isolation structures may be formed integrally with the substrate, and thus the donor substrate may be easily recycled after the laser induced thermal imaging process.
US09178155B2
In a manufacturing apparatus of display element, a display element is formed in a flexible substrate that has a first surface and a second surface that is an opposite surface thereof, and this manufacturing apparatus of display element includes a transportation section that transports the flexible substrate in a predetermined direction that intersects with a width direction of the flexible substrate; a first partition wall formation section that forms a first partition wall for a display element in the first surface; and a second partition wall formation section that forms a second partition wall in the second surface.
US09178152B2
Provided are resistive random access memory (ReRAM) cells and methods of fabricating them using metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Specifically, MOCVD is used to form an embedded resistor that includes two different nitrides. The first nitride may be more conductive than the second nitride. The concentrations of these nitrides may vary throughout the thickness of the embedded resistor. This variability may be achieved by changing flow rates of MOCVD precursors during formation of the embedded resistor. The second nitride may be concentrated in the middle of the embedded resistor, while the first nitride may be present at interface surfaces of the embedded resistor. As such, the first nitride protects the second nitride from exposure to other components and/or environments and prevents oxidation of the second nitride. Controlling the distribution of the two nitrides within the embedded resistor allows using new materials and achieving consistent performance of the embedded resistor.
US09178151B2
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to a resistive switching nonvolatile memory device having an interface layer structure disposed between at least one of the electrodes and a variable resistance layer formed in the nonvolatile memory device, and a method of forming the same. Typically, resistive switching memory elements may be formed as part of a high-capacity nonvolatile memory integrated circuit, which can be used in various electronic devices, such as digital cameras, mobile telephones, handheld computers, and music players. In one configuration of the resistive switching nonvolatile memory device, the interface layer structure comprises a passivation region, an interface coupling region, and/or a variable resistance layer interface region that are configured to adjust the nonvolatile memory device's performance, such as lowering the formed device's switching currents and reducing the device's forming voltage, and reducing the performance variation from one formed device to another.
US09178137B2
A magnetoresistive element includes first and magnetic layers, first and second non-magnetic layers and a W layer. Each of the first and second magnetic layers includes an axis of easy magnetization in a direction perpendicular to a film plane. The first magnetic layer has a variable magnetization direction. The second magnetic layer has an invariable magnetization direction. The first non-magnetic layer is provided between the first and second magnetic layers. The second non-magnetic layer is arranged on a surface of the first magnetic layer opposite to a surface on which the first non-magnetic layer is arranged and contains MgO. The W layer is arranged on a surface of the second non-magnetic layer opposite to a surface on which the first magnetic layer is arranged, and is in contact with the surface of the second non-magnetic layer.
US09178136B2
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor memory device. The device includes a pinning layer having an anti-ferromagnetic material and disposed over a first electrode; a pinned layer disposed over the pinning layer; a tunneling layer disposed over the pinned layer, a free layer disposed over the tunneling layer and a capping layer disposed over the free layer. The capping layer includes metal-oxide and metal-nitride materials.
US09178133B2
According to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive element includes a recording layer having magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to a film surface and having a variable magnetization direction, a reference layer having magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to a film surface and having an invariable magnetization direction, an intermediate layer provided between the recording layer and the reference layer, and a underlayer containing AlTiN and provided on an opposite side of a surface of the recording layer on which the intermediate layer is provided.
US09178131B2
Disclosed herein are nanoscale devices comprising one or more ferroelectric nanoshells characterized as having an extreme curvature in at least one spatial dimension. Also disclosed are ferroelectric field effect transistors and metal ferroelectric metal capacitors comprising one or more ferroelectric nanoshells. Methods for controlling spontaneous ferroelectric polarization in nanoshell devices are also disclosed.
US09178125B2
A light-emitting apparatus of the present invention has (i) a semiconductor device which emits light toward a higher position than a substrate and (ii) a plurality of external connection terminals, and includes: a light-reflecting layer, provided on the substrate, which reflects the light emitted by the semiconductor device; and a covering layer which covers at least the light-reflecting layer and which transmits the light reflected by the light-reflecting layer. Further, the semiconductor device is provided on the covering layer, and is electrically connected to the external connection terminals via connecting portions, and the semiconductor device and the connecting portions are sealed with a sealing resin so as to be covered. Therefore, the light-emitting apparatus has increased efficiency with which light is taken out, and can prevent a reflecting layer from being altered, deteriorating, and decreasing in reflectance.
US09178122B2
A method of manufacturing a light emitting device (LED) package includes forming a reflector using nano-imprinting to increase an intensity of light extracted toward an external environment by increasing an angle of a reflector.
US09178121B2
A light emitting diode is disclosed that includes a light emitting active structure formed from the Group III nitride material system, a bonding structure supporting the Group III nitride active structure, and a mounting substrate supporting the bonding structure. The mounting substrate includes a material that reflects at least fifty percent of light having the frequencies emitted by the active structure.
US09178118B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes a semiconductor layer, a p-side electrode, an n-side electrode, a fluorescent material layer and a scattering layer. The semiconductor layer has a first surface and a second surface on an opposite side to the first surface and includes a light emitting layer. The p-side electrode and the n-side electrode are provided on the semiconductor layer on a side of the second surface. The fluorescent material layer is provided on a side of the first surface and includes a plurality of fluorescent materials and a first bonding material. The first bonding material integrates the fluorescent materials. The scattering layer is provided on the fluorescent material layer and includes scattering materials and a second bonding material. The scattering materials are configured to scatter radiated light of the light emitting layer. The second bonding material integrates the scattering materials.
US09178117B2
A light emitting device includes a light emitting structure including a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer on the first conductive semiconductor layer, and a second conductive semiconductor layer on the active layer, and an electrode on at least one of the first conductive semiconductor layers or the second semiconductor layer. The electrode includes an adhesive layer on the light emitting structure, a barrier layer on the adhesive layer, and a bonding layer on the barrier layer. The barrier layer includes a plurality of grain boundaries, and the grain boundaries include interstitial elements.
US09178116B2
A semiconductor light-emitting element (1) including: an n-type semiconductor layer (140); a light-emitting layer (150); a p-type semiconductor layer (160); a transparent conductive layer (170) laminated on the p-type semiconductor layer; a reflective film (180) which is composed of a material having optical transparency to light emitted from the light-emitting layer and an insulating property and is laminated on the transparent conductive layer; a p-conductive body (200) which penetrates the reflective film and is electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer; an n-electrode (310) electrically connected to the n-type semiconductor layer; and a p-electrode (300) having a p-adhesion layer (301) which is laminated on the reflective film, is electrically connected to the other end of the p-conductive body, and is composed of the same material as that for the transparent conductive layer and a p-metal reflective layer (302) which is laminated on the p-adhesion layer.
US09178115B2
A semiconductor light emitting apparatus includes a substrate. A plurality of first electrode wirings are formed on the surface of the substrate. At least one second electrode wiring is formed on the surface of the substrate. A light emitting section is connected between a corresponding one of the plurality of first electrode wirings and the at least one second electrode wiring. The light emitting section includes a plurality of light emitting elements.
US09178110B2
The present invention relates to a light-emitting device that is capable of preventing an increase in forward voltage while improving optical output characteristics, and to a method for manufacturing same. The light-emitting device comprises: a first conductive semiconductor layer; an active layer which is in contact with the first conductive semiconductor layer; a second conductive semiconductor layer which is in contact with the active layer and which has a patterned groove on a surface opposite the surface that is in contact with the active layer; a current-blocking layer which is formed on a bottom of the groove; a transparent conductive layer which is formed along a surface opposite the surface of the second conductive semiconductor layer that is in contact with the active layer, a sidewall of the groove, and the current-blocking layer; a reflective layer which is formed on a surface opposite the surface of the transparent conductive layer that is in contact with the second conductive semiconductor layer; a support substrate which is formed on a surface opposite the surface of the reflective layer that is in contact with the transparent conductive layer; and an electrode that is patterned on a surface opposite the surface of the first conductive semiconductor layer that is in contact with the active layer.
US09178104B2
A method for fabricating a solar cell is disclosed. The method can include forming a dielectric region on a surface of a solar cell structure and forming a first metal layer on the dielectric region. The method can also include forming a second metal layer on the first metal layer and locally heating a particular region of the second metal layer, where heating includes forming a metal bond between the first and second metal layer and forming a contact between the first metal layer and the solar cell structure. The method can include forming an adhesive layer on the first metal layer and forming a second metal layer on the adhesive layer, where the adhesive layer mechanically couples the second metal layer to the first metal layer and allows for an electrical connection between the second metal layer to the first metal layer.
US09178098B2
A solar cell including a base region, a back surface field layer and a delta doping layer positioned between the base region and the back surface field layer.
US09178094B1
The present invention relates to a method for packaging solar cell receivers having secondary optical elements. The present invention adopts a mold having mold cavities with special shapes. By filling mold cavities with optical encapsulant, the substrate containing solar cells is placed upside down towards the mold. Then the solar cells are immersed into the optical encapsulant before curing. Then, the cured optical encapsulant has the characteristics of the secondary optical elements and thus can be used as secondary optical elements such as spherical lenses. Meanwhile, the packaging of the solar cells is completed as well. The overall process requires only one curing process, which reduces the packaging time substantially.
US09178091B2
Methods of fabricating photovoltaic devices include forming a plurality of subcells in a vertically stacked arrangement on a semiconductor material, each of the subcells being formed at a different temperature than an adjacent subcell such that the adjacent subcells have differing effective band-gaps. The methods of fabricating also include inverting the structure, attaching another substrate to a second semiconductor material, and removing the substrate. For example, each of the subcells may comprise a III-nitride material, and each subsequent subcell may include an indium content different than the adjacent subcell. Novel structures may be formed using such methods.
US09178085B2
Techniques are described for forming a waveguide photodetector. In one example, a method of forming a waveguide photodetector includes forming a waveguide on a substrate, e.g., silicon on insulator, depositing a first oxide coating over the waveguide and on the SOI substrate, creating a seed window through the first oxide coating to a bulk silicon layer of the SOI substrate, depositing a photodetector material into the seed window and on top of the first oxide coating over the waveguide, depositing a second oxide coating over the photodetector material and over the first oxide coating deposited over the waveguide and on the SOI substrate, and applying thermal energy to liquefy the photodetector material.
US09178084B2
Disclosed are a solar cell and a method for manufacturing the same. The solar cell includes a support substrate; a back electrode layer on the support substrate, the back electrode layer being formed with at least one first through hole to expose a part of a top surface of the support substrate; a light absorbing layer on the back electrode layer; a buffer layer on the light absorbing layer; a window layer on the buffer layer; and a high-resistance region on a lateral side of the back electrode layer forming the first through hole. The high-resistance region has a resistance value higher than a resistance value of the light absorbing layer.
US09178075B2
A thin-film semiconductor device includes a gate electrode formed above a substrate; a gate insulating film formed to cover the gate electrode; a semiconductor layer formed above the gate insulating film and having a channel region; a channel protective layer formed above the semiconductor layer and containing an organic material which includes silicon, oxygen, and carbon; an interfacial layer which is formed in contact with the channel protective layer between the semiconductor layer and the channel protective layer, and which includes carbon as a major component, the carbon originating from the organic material; and a source electrode and a drain electrode which are electrically connected to the semiconductor layer.
US09178073B2
This oxide for a semiconductor layer of a thin-film transistor contains Zn, Sn and In, and the content (at %) of the metal elements contained in the oxide satisfies formulas (1) to (3) when denoted as [Zn], [Sn] and [In], respectively. [In]/([In]+[Zn]+[Sn])≧−0.53×[Zn]/([Zn]+[Sn])+0.36 (1) [In]/([In]+[Zn]+[Sn])≧2.28×[Zn]/([Zn]+[Sn])−2.01 (2) [In]/([In]+[Zn]+[Sn])≦1.1×[Zn]/([Zn]+[Sn])−0.32 (3) The present invention enables a thin-film transistor oxide that achieves high mobility and has excellent stress resistance (negligible threshold voltage shift before and after applying stress) to be provided.
US09178071B2
Provided is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with fewer masks and in a simple process. A gate electrode is formed. A gate insulating film, a semiconductor film, an impurity semiconductor film, and a conductive film are stacked in this order, covering the gate electrode. A source electrode and a drain electrode are formed by processing the conductive film. A source region, a drain region, and a semiconductor layer, an upper part of a portion of which does not overlap with the source region and the drain region is removed, are formed by processing the upper part of the semiconductor film, while the impurity semiconductor film is divided. A passivation film over the gate insulating film, the semiconductor layer, the source region, the drain region, the source electrode, and the drain electrode are formed. An etching mask is formed over the passivation film. At least the passivation film and the semiconductor layer are processed to have an island shape while an opening reaching the source electrode or the drain electrode is formed, with the use of the etching mask. The etching mask is removed. A pixel electrode is formed over the gate insulating film and the passivation film.
US09178065B2
Systems and methods are provided for fabricating semiconductor device structures on a substrate. For example, a substrate including a first region and a second region is provided. One or more first semiconductor device structures are formed on the first region. One or more semiconductor fins are formed on the second region. One or more second semiconductor device structures are formed on the semiconductor fins. A top surface of the semiconductor fins is higher than a top surface of the first semiconductor device structures.
US09178063B2
A semiconductor device includes a gate structure over a substrate, a source region in the substrate, where the source region is adjacent to the gate structure. Additionally, the semiconductor device includes a drain region in the substrate, where the drain region is adjacent to the gate structure. Moreover, the semiconductor device includes a first dislocation in the substrate between the source region and the drain region. Furthermore, the semiconductor device includes a second dislocation in the substrate between the source region and the drain region, where the second dislocation is substantially parallel to the first dislocation.
US09178058B2
A device includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, and a deep well region in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the deep well region is of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type. The device further includes a well region of the first conductivity type over the deep well region. The semiconductor substrate has a top portion overlying the well region, and a bottom portion underlying the deep well region, wherein the top portion and the bottom portion are of the first conductivity type, and have a high resistivity. A gate dielectric is over the semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode is over the gate dielectric. A source region and a drain region extend into the top portion of the semiconductor substrate. The source region, the drain region, the gate dielectric, and the gate electrode form a Radio Frequency (RF) switch.
US09178052B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a structure, an insulating film, a control electrode, first and second electrodes. The structure has a first surface, and includes a first, a second, and a third semiconductor region. The structure has a portion including the first, second, and third semiconductor regions arranged in a first direction along the first surface. The insulating film is provided on the first surface. The control electrode is provided on the insulating film. The first electrode is electrically connected to the third semiconductor region. The second electrode is electrically connected to the first semiconductor region. The insulating film includes a charge trap region. A bias voltage is applied to the first and second electrodes, and includes a shift voltage. The shift voltage shifts a reference potential of a voltage applied to the first and second electrodes by a certain voltage.
US09178051B2
A semiconductor device includes an active region on a semiconductor substrate. The active region is defined by a device isolation layer and includes gate-recesses. The semiconductor device further includes gate electrodes in the gate-recesses, a contact recess in the active region between the gate-recesses, a cell pad that covers at least a portion of the active region between the gate-recesses and that fills at least a portion of the contact recess, and a bit line electrically connected to the cell pad.
US09178050B2
In a semiconductor device, a trench gate has a bottom portion in a drift layer and a communication portion extending from a surface of a base layer to communicate with the bottom portion. A distance between adjacent bottom portions is smaller than a distance between adjacent communication portions in a x-direction. A region between adjacent trench gates is divided in a y-direction into an effective region as an electron injection source and an ineffective region which does not serve as the electron injection source. An interval L1 (>0) of the ineffective region in the y-direction, a length D1 of the communication portion in the z-direction, and a length D2 of the bottom portion in the z-direction satisfy L1≦2(D1+D2). The z-direction is orthogonal to a x-y plane defined by the x-direction and the y-direction which are orthogonal to each other.
US09178048B2
Disclosed is a thin film transistor substrate which facilitates to improve output and transfer characteristics of thin film transistor, wherein the thin film transistor substrate comprises a thin film transistor comprising a lower gate electrode on a substrate, an active layer on the lower gate electrode, source and drain electrodes on the active layer, and an upper gate electrode on the source electrode, drain electrode and active layer, the upper gate electrode for covering a channel region defined by the source and drain electrodes; and a contact portion for electrically connecting the lower gate electrode with the upper gate electrode.
US09178043B2
A method includes forming a first semiconductor fin, and oxidizing surface portions of the first semiconductor fin to form a first oxide layer. The first oxide layer includes a top portion overlapping the first semiconductor fin and sidewall portions on sidewalls of the first semiconductor fin. The top portion of the first oxide layer is then removed, wherein the sidewall portions of the first oxide layer remains after the removing. The top portion of the first semiconductor fin is removed to form a recess between the sidewall portions of the first oxide layer. An epitaxy is performed to grow a semiconductor region in the recess.
US09178038B2
A raised source/drain MOS transistor is formed in a process that utilizes a first sidewall spacer when implanting a semiconductor region to form the heavily-doped source region and the heavily-doped drain region of the transistor, and a second different sidewall spacer when epitaxially growing the raised source region and the raised drain region of the transistor.
US09178035B1
One method of forming replacement gate structures for first and second devices, the first device being a short channel device and the second device being a long channel device, is disclosed which includes forming a first and a second gate cavity above a semiconductor substrate, the first gate cavity being narrower than the second gate cavity, forming a bulk metal layer within the first and second gate cavities, performing an etching process to recess the bulk metal layer within the first and second gate cavities, resulting in the bulk metal layer within the second gate cavity being at its final thickness, forming a masking layer over the bulk metal layer within the second gate cavity, and performing an etching process to further recess the bulk metal layer within the first gate cavity, resulting in the bulk metal layer within the first gate cavity being at its final thickness.
US09178034B2
A method includes: etching a silicon substrate except for a silicon substrate portion on which a channel region is to be formed to form first and second trenches respectively at a first side and a second side of the silicon substrate portion; filling the first and second trenches by epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer having etching selectivity against silicon and further a silicon layer; removing the semiconductor layer selectivity by a selective etching process to form voids underneath the silicon layer respectively at the first side and the second side of the substrate portion; burying the voids at least partially with a buried insulation film; forming a gate insulation film and a gate electrode on the silicon substrate portion; and forming a source region in the silicon layer at the first side of the silicon substrate portion and a drain region at the second side of the silicon substrate portion.
US09178028B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, a first control electrode, a first electrode, a second control electrode, a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, a third semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, and a first insulating film. The first control electrode is provided on or above the first semiconductor region. The first electrode is provided on the first control electrode. The second control electrode is provided on or above the first semiconductor region and includes a first portion which is beside the first control electrode and a second portion which is provided on the first portion and beside the first electrode. The second semiconductor region is provided on the first semiconductor region. A boundary between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region is above the lower end of the first electrode.
US09178026B2
Disclosed are semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same. According to the semiconductor device, gate structures are provided to be buried in a substrate and first dopant regions and second dopant regions are provided at both ends of the gate structures. Conductive lines cross the gate structures and are connected to the first dopant regions. Contact structures are respectively provided in contact holes which are provided between the conductive lines and expose the second dopant regions. The contact structures are in contact with the second dopant regions, respectively. Each of the contact structures includes a pad pattern extending along a sidewall of the contact hole.
US09178022B2
The present invention provides a precursor composition for forming a conductive oxide film having high conductivity and a stable amorphous structure maintained even after heated at high temperature by a simple liquid phase process. The precursor composition of the present invention contains at least one selected from the group consisting of carboxylates, nitrates and sulfates of lanthanoids (but, except for cerium); at least one selected from the group consisting of carboxylates, nitrosyl carboxylates, nitrosyl nitrates and nitrosyl sulfates of ruthenium, iridium or rhodium; and a solvent containing at least one selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids, alcohols and ketones.
US09178015B2
A termination structure for a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having an active region and a termination region. Two or more trench cells are located in the termination region and extend from a boundary of the active region toward an edge of the semiconductor substrate. A termination trench is formed in the termination region on a side of the trench cells remote from the active region. A conductive spacer is located adjacent to a sidewall of the termination trench nearest the trench cells. A first oxide layer is formed in the termination trench and contacts a sidewall of the conductive spacer. A first conductive layer is formed on a backside surface of the semiconductor substrate. A second conductive layer is formed atop the active region and the termination region.
US09178013B2
According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body having a first semiconductor material and a second semiconductor material having a band gap larger than a band gap of the first semiconductor material. A first pn-junction is formed in the first semiconductor material. A second pn-junction is formed by the second semiconductor material and extends deeper into the semiconductor body than the first pn-junction. The second semiconductor material is in contact with the first semiconductor material and forms part of an edge termination zone of the semiconductor device.
US09178009B2
Methods of forming a capacitor and contact structures are provided. The methods include, for instance, providing a layer of conductive material above a conductive structure and above a lower electrode of a capacitor; etching the layer of conductive material to define a conductive material hard mask and an upper electrode of the capacitor, the conductive material hard mask being disposed at least partially above the conductive structure; and forming a first conductive contact structure and a second conductive contact structure, the first conductive contact structure extending through an opening in the conductive material hard mask and conductively contacting the conductive structure, and the second conductive contact structure conductively contacting one of the lower electrode of the capacitor, or the upper electrode of the capacitor.
US09178007B1
A high breakdown voltage metal-insulator-metal capacitor for compound semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a substrate, an isolation layer, a first metal layer, a dielectric layer, an adhesion layer and a second metal layer. The dielectric layer is formed by alternately stacking plural HfO2 layers and plural SiO2 layers. The thickness of each layer of the plural HfO2 layers is between 30 Å to 100 Å so as to reduce the leakage current, enhance the breakdown voltage and increase the capacitance density of each layer of the plural HfO2 layers. And the total thickness of the dielectric layer is thicker than 500 Å such that the breakdown voltage of the capacitor is higher than 50 V.
US09178002B2
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display is disclosed. In one aspect, the OLED display includes a display substrate including a display area displaying an image and a peripheral area surrounding the display area. The OLED display also includes an encapsulation substrate facing the display substrate and a sealant bonding the display substrate to the encapsulation substrate. The display substrate includes a substrate, a scan driver formed over the substrate in the peripheral area and including a common voltage line applying a common voltage to the display area. The display substrate also includes a pixel defining layer formed above the common voltage line. The sealant is formed over the scan driver and contacts an upper surface of the pixel defining layer.
US09178001B2
The present invention provides an organic light emitting diode comprising a substrate comprising a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, and a third sub-pixel; a first electrode disposed on the substrate; a second electrode facing the first electrode; an emission layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a first layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and containing an ambipolar compound, and a method for manufacturing the organic light emitting diode.
US09177994B2
An integrated thermoelectric generator includes a semiconductor. A set of thermocouples are electrically connected in series and thermally connected in parallel. The set of thermocouples include parallel semiconductor regions. Each semiconductor region has one type of conductivity from among two opposite types of conductivity. The semiconductor regions are electrically connected in series so as to form a chain of regions having, alternatingly, one and the other of the two types of conductivity.
US09177993B2
Cathodes of a first group of plural transfer thyristors are connected with a first transfer signal line, and also connected with a first reception terminal through a first current limiting resistance. A first transfer signal is transmitted to the first reception terminal. Cathodes of a second group of the plural transfer thyristors are connected with a second transfer signal line, and also connected with a second reception terminal through a second current limiting resistance. A second transfer signal is transmitted to the second reception terminal. The plural transfer thyristors each have an anode, a cathode, a first gate, and a second gate. A three-terminal switch element and a resistance are connected between a second gate of a former transfer thyristor and a first gate of a later transfer thyristor, the former and later transfer thyristors being closely arranged upstream and downstream transfer thyristors among the plural transfer thyristors.
US09177989B2
A solid state imaging device according to an embodiment includes a photo detector arranged two-dimensionally in a semiconductor substrate, a readout circuit provided in the semiconductor substrate, a first photoelectric conversion layer provided above the photo detector, a plurality of first metal dots provided above the first photoelectric conversion layer, a second photoelectric conversion layer provided above the first metal dots, and a plurality of second metal dots provided above the second photoelectric conversion layer.
US09177971B2
A thin film transistor array panel includes a substrate, a gate line extending in a first direction on the substrate, a data line extending in a second direction on the substrate and intersecting the gate line, a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line, an insulating layer on the gate line, the data line, and the thin film transistor, a first auxiliary line on the insulating layer and connected to the gate line, a second auxiliary line on the insulating layer and connected to the data line, and a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor.
US09177970B2
A semiconductor device includes: a gate electrode and a wiring; a first insulating film covering the gate electrode and the wiring; a semiconductor film opposed to the gate electrode with the first insulating film in between; a first concave section located in a position adjacent to the semiconductor film; a connection hole, the connection hole being provided in the first insulating film, and the connection hole reaching the wiring, and a first electrically-conductive film, the first electrically-conductive film being electrically connected to the wiring through the connection hole, and the first electrically-conductive film being buried in the first concave section.
US09177969B2
A semiconductor device having a high aperture ratio and including a capacitor capable of increasing the charge capacity is provided. A semiconductor device includes a transistor over a substrate, a first light-transmitting conductive film over the substrate, an oxide insulating film covering the transistor and having an opening over the first light-transmitting conductive film, a nitride insulating film over the oxide insulating film and in contact with the first light-transmitting conductive film in the opening, a second light-transmitting conductive film connected to the transistor and having a depressed portion in the opening, and an organic resin film with which the depressed portion of the second light-transmitting conductive film is filled.
US09177957B1
An embedded packaging device is provided, including a leadframe, a first semiconductor component, a second semiconductor component, a passive component, and a first dielectric layer. The leadframe forms a counterbore. The first semiconductor component is disposed on the leadframe. The second semiconductor component is disposed on the leadframe and electrically connected with the first semiconductor component through the leadframe. The passive component is disposed on the leadframe and has a different thickness from the first semiconductor component, wherein the passive component or the first semiconductor component is disposed in the counterbore of the leadframe, such that a top surface of the passive component has the same height as that of the first semiconductor component. The first dielectric layer is formed on the leadframe and covers the first semiconductor component, the second semiconductor component, and the passive component.
US09177956B2
Field Effect Transistors (FETs), Integrated Circuit (IC) chips including the FETs, and a method of forming the FETs and IC. FET locations and adjacent source/drain regions are defined on a semiconductor wafer, e.g., a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer. Source/drains are formed in source/drains regions. A stopping layer is formed on source/drains. Contact spacers are formed above gates. Source/drain contacts are formed to the stopping layer, e.g., after converting the stopping layer to silicide. The contact spacers separate source/drain contacts from each other.
US09177954B2
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate and a breakdown voltage adjusting first conductivity type low concentration region provided on the semiconductor substrate. A second conductivity type high concentration region is provided near a surface within the breakdown voltage adjusting first conductivity type low concentration region so as to be surrounded by the first conductivity type low concentration region but not surrounded by any low concentration region other than the first conductivity type low concentration region. A first conductivity type high concentration region is provided on the surface within the breakdown voltage adjusting first conductivity type low concentration region without being held in contact with the second conductivity type high concentration region.
US09177953B2
One or more semiconductor devices with an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device and a functional device in a circular arrangement are provided herein. The semiconductor device comprises a first circular sector, a second circular sector, and at least two disconnect regions disposed between the first circular sector and the second circular sector. The first circular sector comprises at least one ESD device. The second circular sector comprises at least one functional device. A single semiconductor device having a circular arrangement or configuration thus has an ESD device and a functional device.
US09177952B2
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device includes a semiconductor substrate comprising a buried insulator layer and a semiconductor layer over the buried insulator layer having a first conductivity type, and first and second bipolar transistor devices disposed in the semiconductor layer, laterally spaced from one another, and sharing a common collector region having a second conductivity type. The first and second bipolar transistor devices are configured in an asymmetrical arrangement in which the second bipolar transistor device includes a buried doped layer having the second conductivity type and extending along the buried insulator layer from the common collector region across a device area of the second bipolar transistor device.
US09177935B2
Semiconductor device connected by anisotropic conductive film having a reliability adhesive strength
A semiconductor device connected by an anisotropic conductive film, the anisotropic conductive film including a binder resin; a first radical polymerization material having one or two (meth)acrylate reactive groups in a structure thereof and a second radical polymerization material having at least three (meth)acrylate reactive groups in a structure thereof; and conductive particles, the anisotropic conductive film having a moisture permeability of 170 g/m2/24 hr or less and a moisture absorbency of 2% or less.
US09177934B2
The connection arrangement (100, 200, 300, 400) comprises at least one electric and/or electronic component (1). The at least one electric and/or electronic component (10) has at least one connection face (11), which is connected in a bonded manner to a join partner (40) by means of a connection layer (20). The connection layer (20) can for example be an adhesive, soldered, welded, sintered connection or another known connection that connects joining partners while forming a material connection. Furthermore, a reinforcement layer (30′) is arranged adjacent to the connection layer (20) in a bonded manner. The reinforcement layer (30′) has a higher modulus of elasticity than the connection layer (20). A particularly good protective effect is achieved if the reinforcement layer (30′) is formed in a frame-like manner by an outer and an inner boundary (36, 35) and, at least with the outer boundary (36) thereof, encloses the connection face (11) of the at least one electric and/or electronic component (10).
US09177932B1
Disclosed is a semiconductor device having overlapped via apertures formed in an encapsulant to outwardly expose solder balls. When different types of semiconductor devices are electrically connected to the solder balls through the overlapped via apertures, flux or solder paste is unlikely to contact sidewall portions of the overlapped via apertures. Therefore, different types of semiconductor devices can be mounted with improved efficiency.
US09177931B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a semiconductor structure and method to reduce thermal energy transfer during chip-join processing. In certain embodiments, the semiconductor structure comprises a thermal insulating element formed under a first conductor. The semiconductor structure also comprises a solder bump formed over the first conductor. The semiconductor structure further comprises a second conductor formed on a side of the thermal insulating element and in electrical communication with the first conductor and a third conductor. The third conductor is formed to be in thermal or electrical communication with the thermal insulating element. The thermal insulating element includes thermal insulating material and the thermal insulating element is structured to reduce thermal energy transfer during a chip-join process from the solder bump to a metal level included in the semiconductor structure.
US09177924B2
Systems for protecting a circuit from an electrostatic discharge (ESD) voltage are provided. An input terminal receives an input signal. An ESD protection circuit receives the input signal from the input terminal. The ESD protection circuit includes one or more vertical nanowire field effect transistors (FETs). Each of the one or more vertical nanowire FETs includes a well of a first conductivity type. Each of the one or more vertical nanowire FETs also includes a nanowire having i) a source region at a first end of the nanowire, and ii) a drain region at a second end of the nanowire that is opposite the first end. The source region further includes a portion formed in the well, where the source region and the drain region are of a second conductivity type. A gate region surrounds a portion of the nanowire and is separated from the drain region by a distance.
US09177921B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with a treated member, includes: subjecting an adhesive support having a substrate and an adhesive layer capable of increasing or decreasing in adhesiveness upon irradiation with an actinic ray, radiation or heat to irradiation of the adhesive layer with an actinic ray, radiation or heat, adhering a first surface of a to-be-treated member to the adhesive layer of the adhesive support, applying a mechanical or chemical treatment to a second surface different from the first surface of the to-be-treated member to obtain a treated member, and detaching a first surface of the treated member from the adhesive layer of the adhesive support, wherein the irradiation of the adhesive layer with an actinic ray, radiation or heat is conducted so that adhesiveness decreases toward an outer surface from an inner surface on the substrate side of the adhesive layer.
US09177915B2
A nitride semiconductor device includes first electrode interconnect layers and second electrode interconnect layers formed over a nitride semiconductor layer, a first insulating film formed on the first and second electrode interconnect layers and including first openings, first interconnect layers and second interconnect layers formed on the first insulating film and respectively connected to the first electrode interconnect layers and the second electrode interconnection layers through the first openings, a second insulating film formed on the first and second interconnect layers and including second openings, and a first pad layer and a second pad layer formed on the second insulating film and respectively connected to the first interconnect layers and the second interconnect layers through the second openings.
US09177914B2
Various embodiments of mechanisms for forming a slotted metal pad over a TSV in substrate are provided. The dielectric structures in the slotted metal pad reduce dishing effect during planarization of the slotted metal pad. As a result, the risk of having metal stringers in upper metal level(s) caused by the dishing effect is greatly reduced.
US09177891B2
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of bit lines that intersect an active region on a substrate and extend in a first direction, a contact pad formed on the active region between adjacent bit lines, and a plurality of spacers disposed on sidewalls of the plurality of bit lines. An upper portion of the contact pad is interposed between adjacent spacers, and a lower portion of the contact pad has a width greater than a distance between adjacent spacers.
US09177888B2
A packaged power semiconductor device is provided with voltage isolation between a metal backside and terminals of the device. The packaged power semiconductor device is arranged in an encapsulant defining a hole for receiving a structure for physically coupling the device to an object. A direct-bonded copper (“DBC”) substrate is used to provide electrical isolation and improved thermal transfer from the device to a heatsink. At least one power semiconductor die is mounted to a first metal layer of the DBC substrate. The first metal layer spreads heat generated by the semiconductor die. In one embodiment, the packaged power semiconductor device conforms to a TO-247 outline and is capable of receiving a screw for physically coupling the device to a heatsink.
US09177882B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a COF substrate; a semiconductor integrated circuit mounted on the COF substrate and having a first voltage circuit portion operating at a first voltage range and a second voltage circuit portion operating at a second voltage range higher than the first voltage range, the circuit portions being formed on a single chip; and a resin layer for sealing the COF substrate and the semiconductor integrated circuit.
US09177881B2
Certain embodiments provide a high-frequency semiconductor package including: a base which is made of metal and is a grounding portion; a multi-layer wiring resin substrate; a first internal conductor film; and a lid. The multi-layer wiring resin substrate is provided on a top surface of the base, and has a frame shape in which a first cavity from which the top surface of the base is exposed is formed. The first internal conductor film covers surfaces which form a top surface of the multi-layer wiring resin substrate and an inner wall surface of the first cavity, and is electrically connected with the base. The lid is attached onto the multi-layer wiring resin substrate, and seals and covers the first cavity.
US09177879B2
A sensor module. One embodiment provides a cap whose perimeter defines a rim. A first semiconductor chip is attached to the cap. The first semiconductor chip includes first connection elements. The rim and the first connection elements define a common plane.
US09177876B2
Optical absorbers and methods are disclosed. The methods comprise depositing a plurality of precursor layers comprising one or more of Cu, Ga, and In on a substrate, and heating the layers in a chalcogenizing atmosphere. The plurality of precursor layers can be one or more sets of layers comprising at least two layers, wherein each layer in each set of layers comprises one or more of Cu, Ga, and In exhibiting a single phase. The layers can be deposited using two or three targets selected from Ag and In containing less than 21% In by weight, Cu and Ga where the Cu and Ga target comprises less than 45% Ga by weight, Cu(In,Ga), wherein the Cu(In,Ga) target has an atomic ratio of Cu to (In+Ga) greater than 2 and an atomic ratio of Ga to (Ga+In) greater than 0.5, elemental In, elemental Cu, and In2Se3 and In2S3.
US09177874B2
A method for the manufacture of a semiconductor device is provided, including the steps of providing a semiconductor substrate including a first area separated from a second area by a first isolation region, wherein the second area includes an intermediate transistor comprising a gate electrode, forming an oxide layer over the first and second areas, forming an optical planarization layer (OPL) over the oxide layer, forming a mask layer over the OPL in the first area without covering the OPL in the second area, and etching the OPL with the mask layer being present to expose the oxide layer over the gate electrode of the transistor.
US09177872B2
A memory cell is disclosed. The memory cell includes a transistor and a capacitor. The transistor includes a source region, a drain region, and a channel region including an indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO, which is also known in the art as GIZO) material. The capacitor is in operative communication with the transistor, and the capacitor includes a top capacitor electrode and a bottom capacitor electrode. Also disclosed is a semiconductor device including a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) array of DRAM cells. Also disclosed is a system including a memory array of DRAM cells and methods for forming the disclosed memory cells and arrays of cells.
US09177866B2
A power transistor includes a plurality of transistor cells. Each transistor cell has a first electrode coupled to a first electrode interconnection region overlying a first major surface, a control electrode coupled to a control electrode interconnection region overlying the first major surface, and a second electrode coupled to a second electrode interconnection region overlying a second major surface. Each transistor cell has an approximately constant doping concentration in the channel region. A dielectric platform is used as an edge termination of an epitaxial layer to maintain substantially planar equipotential lines therein. The power transistor finds particular utility in radio frequency applications operating at a frequency greater than 500 megahertz and dissipating more than 5 watts of power. The semiconductor die and package are designed so that the power transistor can efficiently operate under such severe conditions.
US09177862B2
A fabrication method of a semiconductor stack structure mainly includes: singulating a wafer of a first specification into a plurality of chips; rearranging the chips into a second specification of a wafer so as to stack the chips on a substrate of the second specification through a plurality of blocks; forming a redistribution layer on the chips; and performing a cutting process to obtain a plurality of semiconductor stack structures. Therefore, the present invention allows a wafer of a new specification to be processed by using conventional equipment without the need of new factory buildings or equipment. As such, chip packages can be timely supplied to meet the replacement speed of electronic products.
US09177861B1
Methods of dicing semiconductor wafers, each wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits, are described. In an example, a method of dicing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits involves forming a mask above the semiconductor wafer, the mask composed of a layer covering and protecting the integrated circuits. The mask is then patterned with an elliptical or a spatio-temporal controlled laser beam profile laser scribing process to provide a patterned mask with gaps, exposing regions of the semiconductor wafer between the integrated circuits. The semiconductor wafer is then plasma etched through the gaps in the patterned mask to singulate the integrated circuits.
US09177860B2
In different embodiments, a method is provided for processing at least one crystalline Silicon-wafer or a Solar-cell wafer. The method may include: a movement of the wafer with respect to a laser producing a laser beam; and therefore the formation of a laser channel in the wafer by means of a laser beam, wherein a thermal budget applied on the wafer by means of the laser beam is reduced in the peripheral region of the wafer, wherein the peripheral region includes a wafer edge, through which the laser beam exits the wafer after formation of the laser channel.
US09177857B2
A semiconductor device is provided, which includes a substrate, an insulator film formed over the substrate, and plural metal wirings with different widths containing copper as a main component and an impurity which is different from copper. The plural metal wirings includes a first metal wiring having a concentration profile where the concentration of the impurity metal increases from the center part of the stacking direction to the surface and the second metal wiring having a concentration profile where the concentration of the impurity metal decreases from the bottom surface of the stacking direction to the surface. Moreover, the width of the second metal wiring may be larger than the width of the first metal wiring.
US09177852B2
An isolated semiconductor circuit comprising: a first sub-circuit and a second sub-circuit; a backend that includes an electrically isolating connector between the first and second sub-circuits; a lateral isolating trench between the semiconductor portions of the first and second sub-circuits, wherein the lateral isolating trench extends along the width of the semiconductor portions of the first and second sub-circuits, wherein one end of the isolating trench is adjacent the backend, and wherein the isolating trench is filled with an electrically isolating material.
US09177841B2
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention discloses a coating apparatus including a stage configured to receive a substrate and a coating slit part. The coating slit part includes a guide member, a first body, a second body, and a discharge nozzle. The coating slit part is configured to dispose a coating material on the substrate.
US09177828B2
Disclosed embodiments include external gettering provided by electronic packaging. An external gettering element for a semiconductor substrate, which may be incorporated as part of an electronic packaging for the structure, is disclosed. Semiconductor structures and stacked semiconductor structures including an external gettering element are also disclosed. An encapsulation mold compound providing external gettering is also disclosed. Methods of fabricating such devices are also disclosed.
US09177827B2
Disclosed are an etchant which is used for the manufacture of a semiconductor device using a semiconductor substrate having an electrode and which is capable of selectively etching copper without etching nickel, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using the same. Specifically disclosed are an etchant to be used for the manufacture of a semiconductor device using a semiconductor substrate having an electrode, including hydrogen peroxide, an organic acid, and an organic phosphonic acid, wherein the organic acid is at least one member selected from citric acid and malic acid; a content of hydrogen peroxide is from 0.75 to 12% by mass; a content of the organic acid is from 0.75 to 25% by mass; and a content of the organic phosphonic acid is from 0.0005 to 1% by mass, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using the etchant.
US09177825B2
According to one embodiment, a pattern forming method includes forming, on an underlying region, a neutral film having an affinity for first and second polymers, forming a first pinning part having an affinity for the first polymer by irradiating a first region of the neutral film with an energy beam, forming, on the neutral film including the first pinning part, a block copolymer film containing the first and second polymers, and performing a predetermined treatment for the block copolymer film to perform a microphase separation.
US09177822B2
An etching method. The method includes etching a first plurality of silicon wafers in a first enchant, each silicon wafer having SiO2 and Si3N4 deposited thereon, where the etching includes dissolving a quantity of the SiO2 and a quantity of the Si3N4 in the first etchant. A quantity of insoluble SiO2 precipitates. A ratio of a first etch rate of Si3N4 to a first etch rate of SiO2 is determined to be less than a predetermined threshold. A portion of the first etchant is combined with a second etchant to form a conditioned etchant. A second plurality of silicon wafers is etched in the conditioned etchant. A ratio of a second etch rate of Si3N4 to a second etch rate of SiO2 in the conditioned etchant is greater than the threshold. A method for exchanging an etching bath solution and a method for forming a selective etchant are also disclosed.
US09177814B2
A qubit system includes a substrate layer, a qubit circuit suspended above the substrate layer and fine structure disposed between the qubit circuit and the substrate layer.
US09177810B2
A method for forming dual silicide regions includes forming semiconductor regions having a first thickness and a second thickness different from the first thickness and forming a dielectric layer over the semiconductor regions. Holes are opened up in the dielectric layer down to a first depth corresponding with the first or second thickness leaving a thickness of the dielectric layer over the other of the first or second thickness. A first silicide is formed at the first depth in the holes using a first deposited material. The holes are extended through the thickness of the dielectric layer to reach a second depth. A second silicide is formed at the second depth in the holes using a different material than the first deposited material.
US09177809B2
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a stacked layer structure including first to n-th semiconductor layers (n is a natural number equal to or larger than 2) stacked in a first direction which is perpendicular to a surface of a semiconductor substrate, and an upper insulating layer stacked on the n-th semiconductor layer, the stacked layer structure extending in a second direction which is parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and first to n-th NAND strings provided on surfaces of the first to n-th semiconductor layers in a third direction which is perpendicular to the first and second directions respectively.
US09177807B2
Even when a semiconductor device having field effect transistors driven by relatively different power supply voltages provided over a semiconductor substrate is manufactured by the gate-last process, the breakdown voltage of the transistor on the higher voltage side can be ensured.When forming, over the substrate by the gate-last process, a MOSFET of a core region driven by a first power supply voltage and a MOSFET of a high-voltage region driven by a second power supply voltage higher than the first power supply voltage, the thickness of the hard mask film formed over a dummy gate film of the high-voltage region is made thicker than that of the hard mask film formed over a dummy gate film of the core region, prior to a process of patterning a dummy gate of the MOSFET of the core region and the MOSFET of the high-voltage region. Thereby, the breakdown voltage of MOSFET of the high-voltage region can be ensured.
US09177802B2
An integrated circuit containing an analog MOS transistor may be formed by implanting drain extensions with exactly four sub-implants wherein at least one sub-implant implants dopants in a substrate of the integrated circuit at a source/drain gate edge of the analog MOS transistor at a twist angle having a magnitude of 5 degrees to 40 degrees with respect to the source/drain gate edge of the analog MOS transistor, for each source/drain gate edge of the analog MOS transistor, wherein a zero twist angle sub-implant is perpendicular to the source/drain gate edge. No more than two sub-implants put the dopants in the substrate at any source/drain gate edge of the analog MOS transistor. All four sub-implants are performed at a same tilt angle. No halo implants are performed on the analog MOS transistor.
US09177801B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate having a fin disposed thereon. A gate structure is formed on the fin. The gate structure interfaces at least two sides of the fin. A stress film is formed on the substrate including on the fin. The substrate including the stress film is annealed. The annealing provides a tensile strain in a channel region of the fin. For example, a compressive strain in the stress film may be transferred to form a tensile stress in the channel region of the fin.
US09177799B2
Provided is a substrate processing apparatus, a semiconductor device manufacturing method, and a substrate manufacturing method. The substrate processing apparatus comprises: a reaction chamber configured to process substrates; a first gas supply system configured to supply at least a silicon-containing gas and a chlorine-containing gas or at least a gas containing silicon and chlorine; a first gas supply unit connected to the first gas supply system; a second gas supply system configured to supply at least a reducing gas; a second gas supply unit connected to the second gas supply system; a third gas supply system configured to supply at least a carbon-containing gas and connected to at least one of the first gas supply unit and the second gas supply unit; and a control unit configured to control the first to third gas supply systems.
US09177793B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming an etch-target layer on a substrate having an alignment key, forming a transparent first pattern on the etch-target layer to face the alignment key, forming an opaque second pattern on the etch-target layer to be adjacent to the first pattern, and etching the etch-target layer using the first pattern and the second pattern as an etch mask.
US09177790B2
Methods, apparatuses and devices relate to inkjet printing a covering layer on at least a first side of a substrate in a peripheral region thereof are discussed.
US09177787B2
Methods and apparatus for forming nitrogen-containing layers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method includes placing a substrate having a first layer disposed thereon on a substrate support of a process chamber; heating the substrate to a first temperature; and exposing the first layer to an RF plasma formed from a process gas comprising ammonia (NH3) to transform the first layer into a nitrogen-containing layer, wherein the plasma has an ion energy of less than about 8 eV.
US09177785B1
A method of forming a semiconductor structure is provided. The method comprises mixing a water soluble substance with an aprotic solvent to form a solvent mixture and forming a thin layer of oxide around a semiconductor surface by performing wet chemical oxidation operations on the semiconductor surface with the solvent mixture. The aprotic solvent may comprise propylene carbonate, dimethyl sulfoxide, ethylene carbonate or diethyl carbonate. The water soluble substance may comprise H2O2, O3, or parts per million (ppm) level H2O. The method may further comprise removing the oxide from the semiconductor surface to reduce the roughness of the semiconductor surface. The method may further comprise forming a second thin layer of oxide around the semiconductor surface by performing wet chemical oxidation operations with the solvent mixture and removing the second layer of oxide from the semiconductor surface to smoothen the semiconductor surface.
US09177782B2
A substrate cleaning apparatus may include a substrate support member to support a substrate having a first side and a contaminated second side; a liquid carbon dioxide source; a gaseous carbon dioxide source; and one or more nozzles coupled to the liquid carbon dioxide source and to the gaseous carbon dioxide source, wherein the one or more nozzles are configured to receive liquid carbon dioxide and to discharge a first mixture of solid and gaseous carbon dioxide from the liquid carbon dioxide source to the second side of the substrate and to receive gaseous carbon dioxide and to discharge a second mixture of solid and gaseous carbon dioxide from the gaseous carbon dioxide source to the second side of the substrate. Methods of cleaning a substrate may be performed in the substrate cleaning apparatus.
US09177777B2
An orthogonal pulse accelerator for a Time-of-Flight mass analyzer includes an electrically-conductive first plate extending in a first plane, and a second plate spaced from the first plate. The second plate includes a grid that defines a plurality of apertures each having a first dimension extending in a first direction and a second dimension orthogonal to the first dimension, the first and second dimensions lying in the second plane and the second dimension begin larger than the first dimension. The first and second plates are positioned in the Time-of-Flight mass analyzer to receive, during operation of the mass analyzer, an ion beam propagating in the first direction in a region between the first and second plates, and the orthogonal pulse accelerator directs ions in the ion beam through the apertures.
US09177776B2
An ion guide is disclosed wherein an axial DC voltage barrier is created at the exit of the ion guide. A primary RF voltage is applied to the electrodes in order to confine ions radially within the ion guide. A supplemental RF voltage is also applied to the electrodes. The supplemental RF voltage has a greater axial repeat length than that of the primary RF voltage. The amplitude of the supplemental RF voltage is increased with time causing ions to become unstable and gain sufficient axial kinetic energy such that the ions overcome the axial DC voltage barrier. Ions emerge axially from the ion guide in mass to charge ratio order.
US09177764B1
An image intensifier tube includes a collimator having multiple channels for receiving electrons from a photocathode layer, and a microchannel plate (MCP) having multiple channels for receiving electrons from the collimator. An ion barrier film (IBF) is disposed on top of an input side of the MCP, in which the IBF includes a small amount of conductive material. The IBF may include alumina doped with chromium oxide, or manganese oxide, or any other conductive material. The small amount of conductive material includes 1% to 5% of conductive material in a layer of non-conductive material.
US09177758B2
The present invention provides a dual-beam apparatus which employs the dark-field e-beam inspection method to inspect small particles on a surface of a sample such as wafer and mask with high throughput. The dual beam apparatus comprises two single-beam dark-field units placed in a same vacuum chamber and in two different orientations. The two single-beam dark-field units can perform the particle inspection separately or almost simultaneously by means of the alternately-scanning way. The invention also proposes a triple-beam apparatus for both inspecting and reviewing particles on a sample surface within the same vacuum chamber. The triple-beam apparatus comprises one foregoing dual-beam apparatus performing the particle inspection and one high-resolution SEM performing the particle review.
US09177757B2
The present invention relates to a defect inspection apparatus based on the fact that contrasts of a grain and a void of a semiconductor copper interconnect in a scanning electron microscope are changed depending on electron beam irradiation accelerating voltages. A charged particle beam apparatus of the present invention irradiates the same portion of a specimen with electron beams at a plurality of accelerating voltages, and differentiates a grain (65, 66) from a void (67) on the basis of a contrast change amount of the same portion in a plurality of images (61, 62) acquired so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of accelerating voltages. Consequently, it is possible to automatically detect a grain and a void in a differentiation manner at a high speed without destructing a specimen.
US09177756B2
A semiconductor substrate processing system includes a processing chamber and a substrate support defined to support a substrate in the processing chamber. The system also includes a plasma chamber defined separate from the processing chamber. The plasma chamber is defined to generate a plasma. The system also includes a plurality of fluid transmission pathways fluidly connecting the plasma chamber to the processing chamber. The plurality of fluid transmission pathways are defined to supply reactive constituents of the plasma from the plasma chamber to the processing chamber. The system further includes an electrode disposed within the processing chamber separate from the substrate support. The system also includes a power supply electrically connected to the electrode. The power supply is defined to supply electrical power to the electrode so as to liberate electrons from the electrode into the processing chamber.
US09177747B2
A flash lamp is disclosed including an insulative envelope containing a gas and housing a pair of arcing electrodes and characterized by an instance of isolated conductive material being formed at a predetermined location on the inside of the envelope adjacent an electrode. Further disclosed is a corresponding method of manufacturing a flash lamp and apparatus for the same.
US09177745B2
An organic/inorganic composite is provided. The organic/inorganic composite comprises a silicon (Si) substrate formed with nanorods or nanoholes and three-dimensional networks of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown horizontally in parallel and suspended between the adjacent nanorods or inside the nanoholes. In the organic/inorganic composite, metal catalysts can be uniformly formed on the nanorods or inside the nanoholes, irrespective of the height of the nanorods or the depth of the nanoholes and the shape and aspect ratio of the nanorods or nanoholes. In addition, the carbon nanotubes grow in a three-dimensional network structure directly over the entire surface of the nanorods or the whole inner surface of the nanoholes and are directly connected to the base electrodes. With this configuration, the three-dimensional carbon nanotube networks are highly dense per unit volume, and the organic/inorganic composite is highly electrically conductive and has a large surface area. Therefore, the use of the organic/inorganic composite enables the fabrication of an electronic device with greatly improved efficiency. Further provided are a method for preparing the organic/inorganic composite and an electronic device fabricated using the organic/inorganic composite.
US09177744B2
The invention relates to a switching relay (1), particularly for a starting device for starting an internal combustion engine, having a contact device (5), a relay coil (2), an armature (3), and an actuating rod (4), wherein the actuating rod (4) is displaced by the armature (3) when current is applied to the relay coil (2) and the contact device (5) is actuated by the actuating rod (4), and having a contact ripping device by means of which the armature (3) and the actuating rod (4) are coupled to each other. In order to simplify assembly and disassembly, the contact ripping device is implemented having a latching device in the armature (3).
US09177740B2
A gas-insulated high-voltage switch for the interruption of large currents includes a housing, a contact arrangement which is arranged in the housing and has two switching pieces which can be moved relative to one another along an axis. Each switching piece has a rated current contact and an arcing contact. The switch includes a drive which acts on a first of the two switching pieces. The switch includes a device configured to detect and indicate the contact wear of the two arcing contacts caused by the action of the arc. The device has an indicator arranged outside the housing. In the switch, the remaining life which is determined by the contact wear of the arcing contacts is detected and indicated by a simple mechanical mechanism. The device has a transmission mechanism which is fed through the housing in a gas-tight manner and a drive member coupled to the operating element.
US09177738B2
A mobile terminal having a terminal body, a circuit board located in the terminal body, the circuit board including a plurality of switches located thereon and an input device is provided. The input device is configured to input a control command and is installed at the terminal body. The input device includes a key top configured to be pressable in one direction, the key top having a rear surface facing the circuit board, a plurality of pressing portions protruding from the rear surface of the key top, each pressing portion being configured to extend toward a corresponding switch of the plurality of switches and at least one dummy pressing portion disposed between one pressing portion and another pressing portion of the plurality of pressing portions, the at least one dummy pressing portion being supported by the circuit board when the key top is pressed such that, when one switch of the plurality of switches is pressed by said one pressing portion, the at least one dummy pressing portion is configured to prevent said another pressing portion from pressing another switch of the plurality of switches.
US09177732B2
A remote switching system for electrical switches in a cabinet provides simplified manufacture by attaching the flexible cable sheath and flexible cable to an actuator frame and slider, respectively, by means of flange elements attached to each of the sheath and cable that fit within corresponding receiving slots in the actuator frame and contained slider. A cover, which may be attached without fasteners, may then hold these flange elements within corresponding slots.
US09177731B2
A remote switching system for electronic switches in a cabinet provides an actuator assembly communicating through a flexible cable with a door handle. The actuator assembly on the electronic switch provides a rotatably captive threaded fastener holding the sheath of the flexible cable to the actuator assembly allow ring a simple single-point tuning of the actuator operation. This tuning may be facilitated by a visual scale showing relative positions between the actuator assembly and an internal slider communicating with the operator of the electronic switch.
US09177719B2
Disclosed is an edgewise wound coil manufacturing device for manufacturing an edgewise wound coil. The edgewise wound coil manufacturing device is provided with: a plurality of corners; a core having a recess formed between each pair of adjacent corners, and around which a flat wire is wrapped; a rotating part that forces the core to rotate around the central axis of the core; guide parts that hold the flat wire therebetween in the thickness direction, while guiding the flat wire in such a manner that the flat wire wraps around the core; a first moving part that forces at least one of the guide parts and the core to move in the approaching/receding direction of the other; and a controller that adjusts the amount that the first moving part moves such that the edgewise wound coil achieves the desired shape.
US09177710B2
A SMD transformer structure includes a substrate unit, a magnetic unit, a coil unit and a shielding unit. The substrate unit includes a support substrate. The magnetic unit includes at least one magnetic material core bar disposed on the support substrate. The coil unit includes at least one transformer coil assembly wound around the magnetic material core bar. The transformer coil assembly includes a plurality of transformer coils wound around the magnetic material core bar, and each transformer coil has two opposite end portions respectively and electrically connected to the corresponding first electrode and the corresponding second electrode of the substrate unit. The shielding unit includes at least one magnetic shielding board disposed on the magnetic material core bar. Whereby, the SMD transformer structure not only can be simplified to reduce its size, but also can be automatically manufactured to increase its production efficiency and product yield (reliability).
US09177707B2
A superconducting magnet includes a pair of superconducting coils, two heat shields surrounding the pair of superconducting coils, respectively, two vacuum chambers accommodating the two heat shields, respectively, and facing each other with a predetermined space sandwiched therebetween, a magnetic shield covering at least a portion of the two vacuum chambers, and two position adjustment mechanisms supporting the two vacuum chambers, respectively, in a position-adjustable manner. The two position adjustment mechanisms change distribution of a static magnetic field formed in the predetermined space by the pair of superconducting coils, by adjusting relative positional relation between the two vacuum chambers.
US09177706B2
This method of producing an amorphous transformer for electric power supply comprises forming and shaping an iron core by laminating amorphous alloy thin bands and forming a winding, subjecting the iron core, after forming and shaping, to an annealing treatment in which a temperature of a center portion of the iron core during annealing is 300 to 340° C. and a holding time is not less than 0.5 hr, and applying a magnetic field having a strength of not less than 800 A/m to the iron core while subjecting the iron core, after forming and shaping, to the annealing treatment.
US09177705B2
A sintered rare earth magnet rotating machine and method improve temperature properties and strength having an excellent corrosion resistance. The sintered rare earth magnet includes at least a main phase composed of R2T14B (R represents at least one rare earth element of Nd, Pr or both and T represents at least one transition metal element including Fe or Fe and Co) compound and a grain boundary phase containing a higher proportion of R than the main phase, wherein the main phase includes a heavy rare earth element (one of Dy, Tb or both), at least part of main phase grains of the main phase included in the sintered rare earth magnet includes at least the following regions, low, high and intermediate concentration regions. These regions exist in order of low, high, and intermediate concentration regions, from low concentration region towards the grain boundary phase in the main phase grains.
US09177702B2
A PTC composition comprises crystalline polymer and conductive ceramic filler dispersed therein. The crystalline polymer has a melting point less than 90° C. and comprises 5%-30% by weight of the PTC composition. The crystalline polymer comprises ethylene, vinyl copolymer or the mixture thereof. The vinyl copolymer comprises at least one of the functional group selected from the group consisting of ester, ether, organic acid, anhydride, imide or amide. The conductive ceramic filler comprises a resistivity less than 500 μΩ-cm and comprises 70%-95% by weight of the PTC composition. The PTC composition has a resistivity about 0.01-5 Ω-cm and its resistance at 85° C. is about 103 to 108 times that at 25° C.
US09177699B2
A method for producing a superconducting wire (10), wherein an internal wire (1), which contains superconducting filaments (4), is provided with a normally conducting stabilizing structure (9), is characterized in that, in a continuous or quasi-continuous process, one or more sheath elements (2; 2a, 2b) are shaped and/or placed around the internal wire (9), so that the entire circumference of the internal wire (1) is enclosed by one or more sheath elements (2; 2a, 2b), and all seams (6; 6a, 6b; 16; 16a, 16b) of sheath element ends (5a-5d; 15a-15d) facing each other are soldered and/or welded. A method for producing a superconducting wire is thereby provided, which restricts the cross section of the superconducting wire to a lesser extent and which permits the use of lead-free solder.
US09177692B2
A polyamide resin composition comprising defined amounts of flake graphite, carbon fibers, and polyhydric alcohol. A polyamide resin composition comprising a polyamide resin and, as a property imparting component, at least one member selected from the group consisting of a metal oxide, a nitrogen compound, and a silicon compound, wherein a defined amount of the dicarboxylic acid units of the polyamide resin are oxalic acid. A polyamide resin composition comprising a polyamide resin and a defined amount of metal oxide particles, wherein the metal oxide particles contain those having a particle size of 70 μm or more in an amount of 10 to 50% by mass and those having a particle size of 20 μm or less in an amount of 1 to 50% by mass, based on the total mass of the metal oxide particles.
US09177688B2
A nanotube-graphene hybrid film and method for forming a cleaned nanotube-graphene hybrid film. The method includes depositing nanotube film over a substrate to produce a layer of nanotube film, removing impurities from a surface of the layer of nanotube film not contacting the substrate to produce a cleaned layer of nanotube film, depositing a layer of graphene over the cleaned layer of nanotube film to produce a nanotube-graphene hybrid film, and removing impurities from a surface of the nanotube-graphene hybrid film to produce a cleaned nanotube-graphene hybrid film, wherein the hybrid film has improved electrical performance. Another method includes depositing nanotube film over a metal foil to produce a layer of nanotube film, placing the metal foil with as-deposited nanotube film in a chemical vapor deposition furnace to grow graphene on the nanotube film to form a nanotube-graphene hybrid film, and transferring the nanotube-graphene hybrid film over a substrate.
US09177684B2
A light irradiation apparatus of the embodiment is a light irradiation apparatus that emits light including an ultraviolet ray to a target relatively moving in one direction, including a light irradiation device in which a light emitting element is disposed on one main surface of a base; and a light irradiation chamber in whose internal space the target moves with a light-irradiated surface up from an entrance to an exit thereof in the one direction, the light irradiation device being disposed in an upper section of the internal space.
US09177682B2
An imaging system including a source (310) having a focal spot (406) that emits a radiation beam that traverses an examination region, a radiation sensitive detector array (316) having a plurality of pixels that detects radiation traversing the examination region and generates projection data indicative of the detected radiation, and a filter (314), disposed between the source and the examination region, that filters peripheral regions of the emitted radiation, wherein the filter includes two separate and moveable regions (402), each region having a substantially same thickness and constant homogeneity.
US09177680B2
A collimator (100) for collimating radiation includes collimator material (150) and at least one collimator hole (110) defined by the surrounding collimator material (150). The collimator hole (110) defines an aperture (112) and a bottom surface (132) through which radiation can leave the collimator (100). The volume of the collimator hole between the aperture (112) and the entrance opening and/or exit opening is shaped such that there is at least one cross-section of the hole between the aperture (112) and the entrance opening and/or exit opening, the cross-section being taken parallel with the aperture, such that the shape of the cross-section of the hole cannot be obtained through an affine transform of the shape of the aperture.
US09177677B2
An underwater remote inspection device is provided with an etching device and a magnifying observation device mounted to a supporting member. A chamber of the etching device is provided with a negative electrode, a positive electrode and a sealing device, and is connected to an etchant supply pipe and an etchant exhaust pipe. A single pair of annular sealing members of the sealing device is provided to a distal end portion of the chamber. A suction passage formed in the side wall of the chamber communicates to a sealing region formed between the sealing members. The magnifying observation device is provided with a magnifying camera in a waterproof container and a plurality of LED lights are installed to the waterproof container. The underwater remote inspection apparatus can prevent leakage of an etchant and reduce execution time of etching.
US09177673B2
Layers in a multi-layer memory array are categorized according to likely error rates as predicted from their memory hole diameters. Data to be stored along a word line in a high risk layer is subject to a redundancy operation (e.g. XOR) with data to be stored along a word line in a low risk layer so that the risk of both being bad is low.
US09177671B2
A memory that may allow for the detection of weak data storage cells may include data storage cells, a column multiplexer, a sense amplifier, and a load circuit. The load circuit may include one or more capacitive loads and may be operable to controllably select one or more of the capacitive loads to couple to the input of the sense amplifier.
US09177664B2
An exemplary method for reading data stored in a flash memory. The method comprises: controlling the flash memory to perform a first read operation upon the memory cell with a first threshold voltage to obtain a first binary digit for representing a bit of the N bits data; performing an error correction hard decode according to the first binary digit; controlling the flash memory to perform a second read operation upon the memory cell with a second threshold voltage to obtain a second binary digit for representing the bit of the N bits data, if the error correction hard decode indicates an uncorrectable result; and performing an error correction soft decode according to the first binary digit and the second binary digit.
US09177662B1
A pre-reading method and a programming method for a 3D NAND flash memory are provided. The pre-reading method comprises the following steps. A selected string includes a first memory cell, two second memory cells and a plurality of third memory cells. The two second memory cells are adjacent to the first memory cell. The third memory cells are not adjacent to the first memory cell. A first pass voltage is applied on the second memory cells, a second pass voltage is applied on the third memory cells, and a read voltage is applied on the first memory cell via a plurality of word lines for reading a data of the first memory cell. The first pass voltage is larger than the second pass voltage.
US09177656B2
The writing method includes: grouping logical erasing units into a first region and an second region; determining if a first logical erasing unit which a host system intends to write belongs to the first region or the second region; if the first logical erasing unit belongs to the first region, writing data to a spare physical programming unit, wherein the physical erasing unit to which the spare physical programming belongs further stores data belonging to another logical erasing unit; if the first logical erasing unit belongs to the second region, writing data to a physical erasing unit in which all the valid data belong to the first logical erasing unit. Accordingly, a speed of sequential writing is guaranteed to be greater than a target value.
US09177654B2
A solid-state memory device includes a physical port, an interface controller connected to the physical port, a serial peripheral interface, and a plurality of memory card sticks connected to the serial peripheral interface. Each memory card stick has a plurality of memory cards. The solid-state memory device further includes a controller core connected between the interface controller and the serial peripheral interface. The controller core is configured to present to a host connected at the physical connector a single non-volatile storage unit with a total capacity substantially equal to a sum of capacities of the plurality of memory card sticks.
US09177644B2
This invention discloses a low-voltage fast-write 12T or 14T PMOS NVSRAM cell structure which comprises a 6T LV SRAM cell and one pairs of two 3T or 4T HV PMOS Flash strings. Due to reverse threshold voltage definition of PMOS and NMOS flash cell, this PMOS NVSRAM cell has the advantage over the NMOS NVSRAM cell to have the same data polarity between SRAM and Flash pairs during the data writing operation. In addition, this PMOS NVSRAM's PMOS Flash cell uses similar low-current FN-tunneling scheme as NMOS NVSRAM, thus the fast data program and erase can be achieved in a big density up to 100 Mb simultaneously. As a result, low power voltage operation of NVSRAM with 1.2V VDD can be much easier to be designed without coupling the FSL line to any VDD level during the flash data loading into SRAM cell during a power-on period.
US09177633B2
SRAM devices are disclosed that utilize write assist circuits to improve the logical transitions of bit lines. In one embodiment, an SRAM device includes a pair of complimentary bit lines traversing a memory cell array for writing data to memory cells. The bit lines have a first end and a second end. A pair of complimentary write drivers is proximate to the first end of the bit lines that writes to the bit lines. A write assist circuit is proximate to the second end of the bit lines that receives a pre-charge signal to assist the write drivers in transitioning the bit lines from a logical zero state to a logical one state. The write assist circuit also receives a boost signal to assist the write drivers in transitioning the bit lines from a logical one state to a logical zero state.
US09177627B2
This invention provides the method to overcome 4 backwards which limit the manufacturability or production yield rate of Magneto-resistive random access memory (MRAM). The key points of this invention are: (1) providing method to improve the manufacturability through reducing bias variation, by using a compensation module to correct the bias point of extreme cells; (2) providing method to improve the manufacturability through removing outlier cells (called bad cells), by using “writing jump-over” and “reading exclusion” to exclude bad-cells; (3) providing method to reduce the bias point, amplitude and asymmetry variation, using shared fixed-magnetic-reference-layer and proper shape anisotropy; (4) providing method to improve the write-ability, using flipping-assistant-field to speed up STT flipping process by large current, and using heating resistance and heating cells by the same current (including global heating, row heating, column heating, or local cell heating, i.e. heating with conventional thermal nature or heating with thermagnonic spin-transfer torque).
US09177626B2
A semiconductor memory device includes: banks each including a memory cell array; word lines connected to rows of each of the banks; an address latch circuit configured to latch a full address for specifying one of the word lines, the full address including a first address and a second address; and a control circuit configured to ignore a reset operation for the first address as a target of a set operation, and overwrite the first address in accordance with the set operation when receiving a first command for specifying a reset operation for a bank and a set operation for the first address.
US09177620B2
A semiconductor memory device includes an I/O line for transmitting read data that has been read from a memory cell, a plurality of driver circuits for driving the I/O line on the basis of the read data, a read circuit for receiving the read data transmitted through the I/O line, and an assist circuit for amplifying the read data transmitted through the I/O line. The assist circuit is disposed farther away from a prescribed drive circuit included in the plurality of drive circuits as viewed from the read circuit. The signal level can thereby rapidly change levels even in memories having relatively long I/O lines.
US09177618B2
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a bank; a temperature sensor configured to generate a temperature voltage of which voltage level is changed according to a temperature variation of the bank; and a timing control block configured to control a timing of a signal to be inputted to the bank, according to the voltage level of the temperature voltage.
US09177612B2
An apparatus includes a semiconductor device that includes a multi-ported three-dimensional (3D) memory. The multi-ported 3D memory includes multiple memory cells arranged in multiple physical levels above a substrate. The multi-ported 3D memory includes circuitry associated with operation of the multiple memory cells.
US09177606B2
Various arrangements are described that may cause a recording of a television channel to be stored. The recording of the television channel may include a plurality of television programs. A graphical playback status element may be displayed via a display device. The graphical playback status element may indicate a start point for each television program of the plurality of television programs within the recording of the television channel.
US09177603B2
In a method of assembling an enhanced media content narrative, a navigation grid is initially defined by program name, chapter name and sub-chapter names. The grid is populated with program element file names, and the content is associated with the element file names in each chapter/sub-chapter. An automated toolbar is created for the grid matrix and combined with introductory content to provide an enhanced media content narrative for playback by a viewer.
US09177599B1
Calibration and calculation of thermal clearance compensation of a head in a storage device without causing contact between the head and a storage medium. The thermal clearance compensation may be configured to compensate for any changing fly height of the head of the storage device during different temperature conditions based on high and low temperature signal data.
US09177595B2
A magnetic disk drive device for rotary driving a magnetic disk may be provided. The magnetic disk drive device may include a drive motor for rotary driving the magnetic disk. The drive motor may include a motor hub which has motor hub support portion with a screw-type motor hub engaging portion, and a motor hub support surface for supporting the magnetic disk. The magnetic disk drive device may also include a clamp disk including a clamp disk support portion with a screw-type clamp disk engaging portion complementary to the motor hub engaging portion, and a clamp disk support surface for supporting the magnetic disk.
US09177593B2
Method and apparatus for storing archive images to a substrate, such as a rotatable optical disc. In some embodiments, the substrate stores a plurality of archived images in a human detectable form on a surface of the substrate and further stores control data associated with the archived images to facilitate optical recovery of said human detectable images from the surface.
US09177581B2
According to one embodiment, at demodulation of an A-phase burst pattern and a B-phase burst pattern arranged in a down-track direction so as to be different from each other in phase in a cross-track direction, the demodulated position of a magnetic head is calculated based on a sin component and a cos component in the A-phase burst pattern and a sin component and a cos component in the B-phase burst pattern.
US09177575B1
A tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) read head has a read gap with a reduced thickness. A multilayer seed layer includes a first ferromagnetic seed layer on the lower shield, a ferromagnetic NiFe alloy on the first seed layer, and a third seed layer of Ru or Pt on the NiFe seed layer. The first and NiFe seed layers are magnetically part of the lower shield, thereby effectively reducing the read gap thickness. A free layer/capping layer structure includes a multilayer ferromagnetic free layer and a Hf capping layer on the free layer. The free layer includes a B-containing upper layer in contact with the Hf capping layer prior to annealing. When the sensor is annealed Hf diffuses into the B-containing upper layer, forming an interface layer. The Hf-containing interface layer possesses negative magnetostriction, so the free layer is not required to contain NiFe.
US09177564B2
An audio signal is conveyed more efficiently by transmitting or recording a baseband of the signal with an estimated spectral envelope and a noise-blending parameter derived from a measure of the signal's noise-like quality. The signal is reconstructed by translating spectral components of the baseband signal to frequencies outside the baseband, adjusting phase of the regenerated components to maintain phase coherency, adjusting spectral shape according to the estimated spectral envelope, and adding noise according to the noise-blending parameter. Preferably, the transmitted or recorded signal also includes an estimated temporal envelope that is used to adjust the temporal shape of the reconstructed signal.
US09177561B2
A system and method may be configured to reconstruct an audio signal from transformed audio information. The audio signal may be resynthesized based on individual harmonics and corresponding pitches determined from the transformed audio information. Noise may be subtracted from the transformed audio information by interpolating across peak points and across trough points of harmonic pitch paths through the transformed audio information, and subtracting values associated with the trough point interpolations from values associated with the peak point interpolations. Noise between harmonics of the sound may be suppressed in the transformed audio information by centering functions at individual harmonics in the transformed audio information, the functions serving to suppress noise between the harmonics.
US09177556B2
A sound analysis apparatus includes a sound information obtaining section chat obtains information relating to a sound acquired by a sound acquiring section that acquires the sound and distinguishes a spoken voice of a wearer from a spoken voice of another person, a phase difference deriving section that derives a relationship between a frequency and a phase difference with respect to the sound acquired by the plural sound acquiring sections, a dispersion deriving section that derives a dispersion that is the level of irregularity of the derived phase difference, and a distance deriving section that derives a distance between the wearer and the other person using a first dispersion derived in a case where the sound is distinguished as the spoken voice of the other person and a second dispersion derived in a case where the sound is distinguished as the spoken voice of the wearer.
US09177551B2
Disclosed are systems, methods and computer-readable media for enabling speech processing in a user interface of a device. The method includes receiving an indication of a field and a user interface of a device, the indication also signaling that speech will follow, receiving the speech from the user at the device, the speech being associated with the field, transmitting the speech as a request to public, common network node that receives and processes speech, processing the transmitted speech and returning text associated with the speech to the device and inserting the text into the field. Upon a second indication from the user, the system processes the text in the field as programmed by the user interface. The present disclosure provides a speech mash up application for a user interface of a mobile or desktop device that does not require expensive speech processing technologies.
US09177549B2
A method and system for is disclosed for cross-lingual voice conversion. A speech-to-speech system may include hidden Markov model (HMM) HMM based speech modeling for both recognizing input speech and synthesizing output speech. A cross-lingual HMM may be initially set to an output HMM trained with a voice of an output speaker in an output language. An auxiliary HMM may be trained with a voice of an auxiliary speaker in an input language. A matching procedure, carried out under a transform that compensates for speaker differences, may be used to match each HMM state of the output HMM to a HMM state of the auxiliary HMM. The HMM states of the cross-lingual HMM may be replaced with the matched states. Transforms may be applied to adapt the cross-lingual HMM to the voices of the auxiliary speaker and of an input speaker. The cross-lingual HMM may be used for speech synthesis.
US09177548B2
A method and an apparatus for speech signal processing are provided. The method includes: receiving an encoded speech signal sent by a user equipment, where the encoded speech signal includes a first substream, a second substream, and a third substream, and the first substream is attached with a cyclic redundancy check (CRC); performing decoding processing on the first substream, the second substream, and the third substream by adopting a decoding algorithm, where a decoding algorithm that is based on an auxiliary decision of the CRC is adopted to perform decoding processing on the first substream; and sending decoding results of the first substream, the second substream, and the third substream to a base station controller, where the decoding result of the first substream includes a decoded bit stream and a CRC result. Decoding performance of the first substream is improved, and users' higher requirements for the speech quality are met.
US09177543B2
An asymmetric ultrasound transducer array may include multiple regions or groups of transducer elements. The regions may be configured to generate respective ultrasound beams with different capabilities, such as, e.g., focusing at varying focal depths and lateral steering, and/or focusing into different volumes.
US09177539B2
Devices are provided for the harmonization of mechanical and electromagnetic oscillations, which include an outer body and an inner body, both having an axially symmetric shape relative to an axis (x). The inner body may be received inside a first cavity of the outer body so as to be firmly connected to the latter. The outer body and the inner body are made of, respectively, of stainless steel and copper, and may have a weight ratio equal to 3 or the number Φ. The dimensions of the device may be such that their ratios are integers, or fractions thereof, or numbers corresponding to powers of Φ and/or π.
US09177535B2
A hammer device for a keyboard instrument, enabling improvement of efficiency and yield, in manufacturing weights to be attached to each hammer body while suppressing an increase in manufacturing cost. Each hammer includes a hammer body having a weight mounting portion, a common weight attached to one of left and right side surfaces of the weight mounting portion, and an adjustment weight having a length set according to a touch weight required by the associated key and attached to the other of the left and right side surfaces of the weight mounting portion. A chassis has a plurality of partition parts, and on the left and right surfaces of the hammer body, there are formed left and right opposed protrusions, respectively, each of which protrudes outward of the weight and is opposed to a partition part associated therewith via a predetermined clearance.
US09177532B2
Provided is an image display device, including: display means for displaying on a screen a partial area image indicating a given area within an image to be displayed; display area moving means for moving the given area in response to a predetermined operation performed by a user; and determination means for determining whether or not the given area is located at an end portion of the image to be displayed, in which, when the given area is located at the end portion of the image to be displayed, the display means changes a display magnification of the partial area image displayed on the screen and display the partial area image on the screen in response to the predetermined operation performed by the user (S1023, S1026).
US09177530B2
A method to display an electronic document includes receiving an electronic document, displaying a current page of the electronic document on a screen of a handheld device operated by a user, and displaying one or more adjacent pages of the electronic document on an external display. The method may also include changing the current page on the screen of the handheld device and the adjacent pages on the external display in response to user input. In some embodiments, the method includes pinning or unpinning one or more selected page(s) on the external display in response to user input. A corresponding apparatus, system, and computer readable medium are also disclosed herein.
US09177525B2
A method of configuring an image for data storage on a storage device in an overlapping-tiled format and a method of displaying a desired image selected for viewing on a display are disclosed. The method of configuring an image for data storage includes formatting an image to include a plurality of image tiles, each image tile in the plurality of image tiles having at least a portion that is substantially identical to at least a portion of an adjacent image tile in the plurality of image tiles. The method further includes converting data of the image from data in a first color space into data in a second color space so as to reduce a size of the data of the image, and storing the image data in the second color space.
US09177524B2
A display apparatus according to the present invention includes: a measuring unit that measures an image displayed on a screen; a first determining unit that determines a first display setting by executing a single unit calibration; a second determining unit that determines a second display setting by executing a link calibration; and a determining unit that determines, during display of an external input image, which is an image based on an image signal input from an external apparatus, whether or not an output setting of the external apparatus or the second display setting differs from a setting during display of a previous external input image. The second determining unit executes the link calibration when the determining unit determines that the output setting of the external apparatus or the second display setting differs from the setting during display of the previous external input image.
US09177520B2
In a display device (1) according to an aspect of the present invention, at least part of an N-M first sub pixel(s) is/are driven according to one of first and second gamma curve groups being selected depending on a position(s) where said at least part of the N-M first sub pixel(s) is/are located, and at least part of a second sub pixel(s) is/are driven according to one of the first and second gamma curve groups being selected depending on a position(s) where said at least part of the second sub pixel(s) is/are located.
US09177515B2
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), 3D imaging apparatus and operating methods thereof are disclosed. The operating method for the disclosed LCD includes the steps of: driving a pixel array of the LCD to display a frame of data by a first frame scan and a second frame scan; and, controlling a backlight module of the LCD in accordance with the first frame scan and the second frame scan. In the first frame scan, the scan lines of pixel array are driven in groups, wherein, in each group, all rows corresponding thereto are driven by identical data. The rows which have not been driven by correct data in the first frame scan are driven again and corrected in the second frame scan.
US09177514B2
An image display apparatus operates in field sequence mode which effectively reduces the generation of color break. A color break strength calculating unit determines a color break strength that indicates the noticeability of the generation of the color break. A light-source signal generating unit controls each light source so that as the color break strength of a color mixed component having the highest color break strength is higher, the color mixed component is contained more in light output from a light-source unit during the extension subframe period. If there is present a first pixel region as an area including one or more pixel formation regions where an image containing the component of interest is displayed, the color break strength of the component of interest increases more as a magnitude of the component of interest is larger in the first pixel region.
US09177508B2
A current driving circuit is connected to an LED terminal LEDi, and generates an intermittent driving current ILEDi that corresponds to a dimming pulse signal PWMi. An error amplifier generates a feedback voltage VFB that corresponds to the difference between a detection voltage VLEDi and a predetermined reference voltage VREF. A pulse modulator generates a pulse signal having a duty ratio that corresponds to the feedback voltage VFB. A fault detection comparator COMP_OPENi generates a fault detection signal OPEN_DET which is asserted when the detection voltage VLEDi is lower than a predetermined threshold voltage VOPEN—DET. A forced turn-off circuit instructs the current driving circuit to suspend the generation of the driving current ILEDi during a predetermined period after a switching power supply starts to operate. The fault detection circuit detects whether or not the fault detection signal OPEN_DETi has been asserted in a predetermined period.
US09177503B2
Thermal sensors are disposed with OLEDs across a display of an electronic device to measure temperatures across the display surface. Thermal sensors may be used to create a temperature map across the display surface due to both the ambient environment and the internal environment of the electronic device. The thermal sensors may be disposed in the OLED layer, on a separate layer, or both. Thermal sensors may be disposed in a substantially 1:1 ratio with OLEDs or with zones of OLEDs. Both the temperature history and usage history for OLEDs may be recorded and processed to determine the age of each OLED. Controllers may adjust the driving strength of OLEDs or adjust the operation of components within the electronic device to compensate for aging or temperature based on the temperature map and age determination. Controllers may move static images from one part of the display to another less-aged part.
US09177501B2
An apparatus includes a bendable substrate, light-emitting elements, a sensor, and a display controller. The display controller is configured to control the light-emitting elements at least in part based upon a bending of the substrate, which is detected by the sensor.
US09177496B2
The present invention relates to the monitoring and correction of display errors in a matrix addressed display system. The display system comprises a graphics system, a display module and a display fault handling system including a memory. The display module has a matrix addressed electro-optical array of display elements, the display elements being arranged in rows and columns and having corresponding row and column circuit lines. The graphics system generates display data and sends this to the display module in order to activate using row and column circuit lines each of the display elements and thereby display visual information to a user of the system based on the display data. The display fault handling system is used to monitor over a period of time at least one electrical parameter of a plurality these circuit lines and determine whether or not a display error has occurred.
US09177494B2
This stabilizer is a simple counterbalanced horizontal member that attached to a flag and is hoisted and lowered like a regular flag requiring no modifications to any external component, such as the flagpole. The flag remains fully unfurled and extended regardless of wind conditions, including indoors. It is simple to set up and use.
US09177483B2
A guiding method for aircraft docking process, which is used to detect an aircraft when docking to a stop line along a J-line on apron, includes steps as followed. According to response distances of different positions from a laser scanner, a distance between the aircraft and the stop line and offset angle during the docking process are detected. To show the distance and offset angle on a data display panel as guiding reference when a pilot of the aircraft operates the aircraft. The guiding method further has a waiting stage, a positioning stage, and a distinguishing stage and a guiding stage.
US09177482B1
A method of operating a rotorcraft collision avoidance system is provided. The method includes determining a unique characteristic of a detected rotorcraft, determining the actual length of a first rotor based at least in part on the determined unique characteristic of the rotorcraft, locating a major axis of the first rotor of the rotorcraft from a perspective of a home unit, from the perspective of the home unit, determining an angular extent of the major axis of the first rotor, and determining the then current distance from the home unit to the rotorcraft based at least in part on the determined actual length of the first rotor and the corresponding angular extent.
US09177478B2
A vehicle contact avoidance system includes a detection system, a warning system, and a controller. The detection system is configured to detect a remote obstacle in proximity to a host vehicle equipped with the vehicle contact avoidance system, including information related to at least one of a speed, a direction and a distance of the remote obstacle relative to the host vehicle. The warning system is configured to emit a warning sound to notify a driver of the host vehicle of imminent contact between the host vehicle and the remote obstacle. The controller is programmed to determine whether contact between the host vehicle and the remote obstacle is imminent based of the information supplied to the controller by the detection system, and programmed to cause the warning system to emit the warning sound. The warning sound includes a non-speech portion and a speech portion.
US09177474B2
Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle. A determination is made as to whether the vehicle requires a service. A determination is also made as to whether the vehicle is proximate a location at which the service can be performed. A notification is provided that the vehicle requires the service and is proximate the location.
US09177471B2
A system provides a description of a road segment using location reference points. The system may receive traffic information about a road segment along a road. The system may determine two sets of location reference points based on the traffic information. The system may generate a description of the road segment based on the two determined sets of location reference points.
US09177456B2
Methods and systems for providing data communication in medical systems are disclosed.
US09177453B2
A portable storage system. The portable storage system comprises a portable storage device having a flash memory element and a loss-prevention unit. The portable storage system further comprises Master and Slave proximity elements. One of the proximity elements is physically connected with the portable storage device, while the other is physically connected with the loss-prevention unit. The Master proximity element is configured to wirelessly determine the presence of the Slave proximity element within a predefined range.
US09177451B2
Systems, methods and computer programs provide for implementing a mobile communication device, such as a smart telephone or the like, as a point of transaction for in-store purchases, such that all a customer needs to do is capture the coded indicia of products they desire (i.e., scan the products) with their mobile communication device as they shop and the purchase transaction will subsequently occur based on either the customer (in possession of the mobile communication device) being physically located in a designated area of the store or the lapse of a predetermined period of time from when the coded indicia was captured.
US09177439B2
Methods and apparatus for servicing wagering game machines are described herein. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving, over a wagering game network, service information originating from a wagering game machine, wherein the wagering game machine is configured to receive a wager associated with a wagering game. The method can also include, based on the service information and a service plan associated with the wagering game machine, determining a service action. The method can also include performing the service action.
US09177430B2
A system includes a translator device that is configured to receive, using a pre-programmed native mode of operation, a first barrier actuation code transmitted by a transmitter according to a first code format. The translator device then analyzes the first barrier actuation code and verifies that it is a valid code. When a valid code, the translator device saves the information contained in the code, and creates a second barrier actuation code at least in part from information contained in the first actuation code and transmits the second barrier actuation code according to the second code format, which is different from the first code format. A barrier operator is coupled to the translator device and a barrier. The barrier operator has a receiver apparatus and the receiver apparatus receives the second barrier actuation code. The barrier operator determines whether the second barrier actuation code is valid, and when the barrier actuation code is determined to be valid, actuates the barrier.
US09177426B2
An apparatus is provided for diagnosing the state of health of a vehicle and for providing the operator of the vehicle with a substantially real-time indication of the efficiency of the vehicle in performing an assigned task with respect to a predetermined goal. A processor on-board the vehicle monitors sensors that provide information regarding the state of health of the vehicle and the amount of work the vehicle has done. In response to anomalies in the data from the sensors, the processor records information that describes events leading up to the occurrence of the anomaly for later analysis that can be used to diagnose the cause of the anomaly. The sensors are also used to prompt the operator of the vehicle to operate the vehicle at optimum efficiency.
US09177425B2
A vehicle data analysis apparatus analyzes vehicle data that indicates chronological change of a vehicle state. The vehicle data analysis apparatus is provided with a computing unit and a recognition unit. The computing unit is configured to make obvious data fluctuation accompanying the development, in the vehicle data, of mechanical or control-related fault in a vehicle control system. The recognition unit is configured to recognize the vehicle data to be considered during vehicle fault diagnosis on the basis of a result of computation by the computing unit.
US09177422B2
The process of generating regular elements in a CAD drawing is accelerated by providing a CAD designer with graphical user interface (GUI) tools to generate regular elements for a CAD drawing interactively, dynamically, and in real-time. The GUI tools allow the CAD designer to preview the regular elements that he or she will be adding to the CAD drawing and modify the number of regular elements to be added interactively and in real-time.
US09177420B2
A method and system for computer aided design (CAD) is disclosed for intuitive shape control of boundary patch. A boundary patch is also known as n-sided patch which is defined by a number of input curves/edges. Continuity constraints (G0, G1 and G2) can be specified individually for the input curves. Boundary patch is primarily used to cover a relatively flat area where other modeling operators such as loft, sweep or fillet cannot apply due to irregular shape of the area. The present invention provides a technique to directly manipulate boundary tangent magnitude of a patch and allows the user to deform the patch shape in a very intuitive way. Thus, the present invention is especially useful for industrial design applications.
US09177400B2
Disclosed is a non-invasive technique for determining with high precision vascular disease, in particular arteriosclerosis, vascular stenosis, and aneurisms. This technique is achieved by a program that determines vascular disease in a subject by comparing normal distribution graphs obtained from a subject to normal distribution graphs obtained from a normal individual, which are based on reflective echo waveforms obtained by sending ultrasonic waves to the subject's pulsating blood vessels, detecting correlation or difference between the normal distribution graphs, and, if a difference in the normal distribution graphs is detected, implementing on the computer a step for determining that the subject has a vascular disease.
US09177397B2
The invention relates to an imaging apparatus (31) for imaging an object. A reconstruction unit (12) determines component projection data values, which correspond to, for example, a base material of the object, and reconstructs an image of the object based on the determined component projection data values. A component projection data value, which corresponds to a ray, is determined as a combination of weighted base functions, which depend on energy projection data values of the same ray and the orientation of the same ray. This allows considering a possible dependency of the corresponding decomposition on the orientation of the ray, thereby allowing the imaging apparatus to improve the quality of decomposing the provided energy projection data values into the component projection data values and thus of a finally reconstructed image of the object, which is reconstructed based on the component projection data values.
US09177396B2
An image processing apparatus uses an edge component of an input image in which a little low-frequency component of a dark part is retained as a luminance signal, synthesizes a large blurring component generated from the input image as a color component, and realizes a taste of natural watercolor paintings in which gradation is not inverted from a bright part to the dark part when a color is placed on a rough line drawing in watercolor-like processing.
US09177394B2
A method for processing an electronic document (ED) using a page rendering device (PRD), including: identifying, within the ED, a slide including an animation sequence of a plurality of objects; generating, based on the slide, a first frame lacking the animation sequence and including a first object of the plurality of objects; generating, based on the slide, a second frame lacking the animation sequence and including a second object of the plurality of objects; and placing, by the PRD and during a rendering the ED, the first frame on a first page.
US09177390B2
Systems and methods may provide for identifying a plurality of areas in an image frame, and using fixed functionality logic to determine phase information for the image frame on an area-by-area basis. Additionally, a programmable processor can be used to identify motion associated with the image frame based at least in part on the phase information.
US09177387B2
Methods for real time motion capture for control of a video game character is provided. In one embodiment, a method initiates with defining a model of a control object. Then, a location of a marker on the model is identified. Next, movement associated with the control object is captured. Then, the movement associated with the control object is interpreted to change a position of the model. Next, movement of the character being presented on the display screen is controlled according to the change of position of the model. A computer readable media and a processing system enabling control of video character through real time motion capture are also provided.
US09177380B2
A 3D video camera is provided. The 3D video camera includes a first camera lens for providing a first sensing signal, a second camera lens for providing a second sensing signal, and an image processing unit for receiving the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal to generate a first eye image and a first comparison image to accordingly generate 3D depth information.
US09177379B1
Method and sequence for locating anomalous features in medical images in which medical images are supplied by an external source such as a CAT or XRAY scan machine or other similar device. A sequence of specific measurements is executed on the supplied data to obtain metrics relating to the images. The metrics are then compared to the corresponding values in an accompanying database resulting in an anomalous/not anomalous determination. Anomalous determinations are presented to the test operator for final analysis along with supplemental historical data. In application to all types of medical imagery, potential anomalies are quickly located resulting in an efficient and more accurate diagnosis.
US09177374B2
An imaging system for processing image data of an object containing a component. The imaging system includes an imaging device arranged to obtain image data and a processor. The processor is adapted to receive the image data from the imaging device, obtain a component model for the component, obtain an imaging device model for the imaging device, construct an unconstrained objective function based on the component model and the imaging device model, and construct a model of the object containing the component based on the unconstrained objective function and the image data, and a display device adapted to display an image for the object containing the component based on the model.
US09177367B2
An image processing apparatus for processing image data formed by a set of pixel data includes a real space filter processing unit and a color space filter processing unit, wherein the real space filter processing unit calculates a real space weighting coefficient and performs weighted average of pixel data according to filter processing of an edge preservation type; pixel data of at least a target pixel of pixel data used in the color space filter processing unit is pixel data calculated by the real space filter processing unit; and of the pixel data which the color space filter processing unit uses for the weighted average, the pixel data of the target pixel is pixel data calculated by the real space filter processing unit, and the pixel data of a peripheral pixel is pixel data forming the image data before being input to the real space filter processing unit.
US09177365B2
A method and an apparatus for detecting and removing a false contour, a method and an apparatus for verifying whether a pixel is included in a contour, and a method and an apparatus for calculating simplicity are provided. The method for detecting and removing the false contour includes: verifying whether a pixel of an input video is included in a contour; calculating simplicity of the pixel; determining whether the pixel is included in a false contour based on the simplicity and based on whether the pixel is included in the contour; and removing the false contour from the input video via smoothing with respect to the false contour.
US09177362B2
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media acquire an image captured with a mobile device. Motion sensor data of the mobile device at or near a time when the image was captured is acquired. An angle of rotation is computed based on the motion sensor data, and the image is transformed based on the angle of rotation. In another aspect, a user interface enables user control over image transformation. The user interface enables user control over rotating an image on a display at two or more granularities. A point of rotation may be user-defined. Rotated images may be scaled to fit within a viewing frame for displaying the transformed image.
US09177356B2
Among other things, methods, systems and computer program products are disclosed for displaying a sequence of multiple images to provide an appearance of a three-dimensional (3D) effect. A data processing device or system can identify multiple images to be displayed. The data processing device or system can divide a two-dimensional (2D) display area into multiple display portions. The data processing device or system can display a sequence of the identified images on the display portions so as to provide an appearance of a three-dimensional (3D) effect.
US09177352B2
Systems and methods for processing user-interface animations are disclosed. The method may include processing a first frame of a user-interface animation with a first processing core, monitoring a processing time of the first frame of the user-interface animation relative to a first synchronization pulse, and processing, if the elapsed processing time exceeds a threshold, a first portion of the user-interface animation with the first processing core and a second portion of the user-interface animation with a second processing core. Processing of a next frame of the user-interface animation may be initiated with the first processing core while the second processing core is processing the second portion of the user-interface animation.
US09177351B2
This disclosure describes techniques for rendering a plurality of primitives that includes at least two different types of primitives during the execution of a single draw call command. This disclosure also describes techniques for rendering a plurality of primitives using tessellation domains of different tessellation domain types during the execution of a single draw call command. The techniques of this disclosure may, in some examples, reduce the complexity and processing overhead for user applications, reduce the number of times that the rendering state of the graphics rendering pipeline needs to be switched during the drawing of a graphics scene, and/or reduce the number of times that shader programs need to be reloaded into different processing stages of a graphics pipeline during the rendering of a graphics scene.
US09177347B2
Based on information associated with users, a social networking system recommends one or more groups for a target user to join or to create. Characteristics of the target user, characteristics of users connected to the target user, characteristics of candidate groups in the social networking system may be used to identify groups for recommendation. The social networking system may provide questions to the target user and recommend a group to the target user based on received answers to the questions. For example, the answers to the provided question identify one or more characteristics of the target user, which are used to select a group for recommendation. Additionally, the social networking system may recommend additional users for the target user to add or invite to a group based on characteristics of the target user, the additional users, and/or the group.
US09177340B2
A system and method are disclosed for one-stop shopping for health-care services and related needs. The one-stop shopping system and method provide objective information for the system enrollee to assess and decide on health-care insurance and services. The system and method provide this objective information in a way that is easily accessible by system enrollees in an economical and rapid manner.
US09177332B1
A method and/or system for managing media library merchandising promotions may include determining one or more current promotions from a plurality of promotions. A universal score may be assigned to each of the one or more current promotions, wherein the universal score is updated dynamically based on interactions with the one or more current promotions by one or more users. A personal score for each of the one or more current promotions may be assigned for a particular user, wherein the personal score is updated dynamically based on interactions with the one or more current promotions by the particular user. Personalized digital content promotions may be determined for the particular user from the current promotions based on the personal score and/or the universal score. The personalized promotions may be presented to the particular user.
US09177331B2
A method and system for conducting an online payment transaction through a point of sale device. The method includes receiving input from a user selecting an item for purchase through the point of sale device; calculating a total purchase amount for the item in response to a request from the user to purchase the item; and sending payment authorization for the total purchase amount from the point of sale device to a payment entity, in which the payment authorization is sent to the payment entity via a mobile communication device of the user. The method further includes receiving a result of the payment authorization from the payment entity through the mobile communication device; and completing the payment transaction based on the result of the payment authorization.
US09177330B2
Methods, systems and applications for updating, enhancing, organizing, and utilizing geographic maps, for locating points of interest and places of businesses, or POI's. Embodiments provide a method for collecting geo-coordinate data on POIs by eliciting participation of the business owners or designated employees to identify the specific locations of POI's on a map; a map program which synchronizes to a centralized database where POI and other more frequently changing and time-dependent map information is downloaded to individual users; a map program, where in addition to the standard contact information, “qualitative” information and website links are included in an POI information box to aid in pre-qualifying a POI before selection and in booking a reservation; a method for locating markers on an Internet-based search engine map; and an improved contact management system that allows locations of contacts to be viewed on a map while minimizing address geocoding.
US09177326B2
A method for optimizing traffic flow through a web network including collecting data corresponding to the content elements, determining a revenue value for each content element, calculating an overall content value for each content element based on the corresponding revenue value and revenue generated from subsequent flow of a user during a visit to the network, and modifying the network based on the overall content value and the content data, so as to maximize the value of the network. Also disclosed is a system for determining overall content values for a plurality of content elements including an analytic server for receiving content data corresponding to the content elements, and a processor determining a revenue value for each element and calculating an overall content value for each content element based on the corresponding revenue value and revenue generated from subsequent traffic flow of a user during a visit to the network.
US09177320B2
A system and method for intelligent information gathering and analysis. Information is gathered from a plurality of open sources such as markets, investigations, government databases, internet intelligence, and public records. The gathered information is parsed and linked based on marketplace activities including threats. The parsed and linked information is sent to a database where queries can be applied to produce dossiers on entities. A client may add his own information to enrich a dossier and reports may be made based on the dossiers. Alerts may be generated when certain predefined conditions are met. These alerts can be used to drive various actions.
US09177315B2
Methods and systems are provided for supporting electronic transactions, including transactions that are provided with per-user, per-device and per-domain security across domains of multiple service providers.
US09177314B2
Methods and systems for carrying out financial transactions include creating unique aliases for payment instrument having associated identification numbers, associating the created aliases to the payment instruments and enabling consumer use of the aliases to carry out financial transactions. Various special point-of-sale devices may be employed to carry out the financial transactions.
US09177309B2
A secure electronic settlement by an easy operation is enabled even with any terminal device and any network in any country. Balance information of a user, predetermined voice information that can identify a user, an arbitrary keyword, and a voiceprint are stored in advance in a database of a server in association with a telephone number of the user, and when a remitter user carries out remittance to a recipient user, the server sends out voice guidance including predetermined voice information registered in the database corresponding to the telephone number of a recipient terminal sent from the recipient terminal requesting the remittance or a telephone number of the recipient terminal inputted by the remitter carrying out the remittance to the recipient using a voice response function to a remitter terminal, thereby enabling intuitive confirmation of a recipient by a remitter.
