US09398732B2

A substrate processing apparatus includes: a process chamber including a chamber lid and a chamber body to provide a reaction space therein; a source electrode in the process chamber; a radio frequency (RF) power source for supplying an RF power to the source electrode; a feeding line connecting the source electrode and the RF power source; and a shielding part wrapping the feeding line to block an electric field.
US09398726B2

A heat-dissipating base is provided. The heat-dissipating base includes a main body and at least one first protrusion. The first protrusion is disposed on the main body. The first protrusion has at least one first protrusion top surface for thermally contacting at least one first component above the main body.
US09398725B2

A terminal box includes a box body, a plurality of terminal strips connected to a solar cell module; and a diode disposed between the adjacent terminal strips. The box body has a bottom wall coming into contact with a back surface of the solar cell module, and a top wall facing the bottom wall. The terminal strips are disposed in an inner surface of the top wall, and the bottom wall has an opening to expose the terminal strips to the outside as viewed from the bottom. The terminal strips are covered with a molded element from a side of the opening.
US09398723B2

An apparatus includes at least one heat sink and first and second electronic assemblies mounted on the at least one heat sink at respective first and second mounting sites and configured to unequally (e.g., at least partially non-concurrently) produce heat. At least one heat pipe is thermally coupled to the at least one heat sink and extends between locations proximate the first and second mounting sites. For example, the first and second electronic assemblies may be components of respective subsystems of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), such as a rectifier and a battery converter, that generate heat in an at least partially non-concurrent manner.
US09398721B2

A cooling supply package for an electronic component has a supply port communicating with a plurality of outer supply channels, and a return port communicating with a plurality of outer return channels. The outer supply channels and outer return channels communicate with distinct ones of openings in a slot layer and into return and supply slots, respectively. An orifice layer supplies fluid to an electronic component from supply slots and receives return fluid into the return slots after having cooled the electronic component. A cooling supply and electronic combination is also disclosed.
US09398720B1

A system includes a chassis having a longitudinal axis defined therethrough and an upper airflow chamber, a central airflow chamber, and a lower airflow chamber formed longitudinally therethrough, a midplane secured within the chassis in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis defined through the chassis, in which the midplane defines a front portion and a rear portion within the chassis, and wherein the midplane is configured to allow airflow therethrough, and a first printed circuit board disposed within the rear portion of the chassis in the upper airflow chamber, the first printed circuit board having a first end, a second end, and an opening formed therethrough, in which the first end of the first printed circuit board is operatively coupled to the midplane.
US09398718B2

A modem configuration system having at least one modem configured to receive a configuration signal; and at least one media at least one media support surface positioned in a media rack, wherein the modem is selectively positioned on and connected to at least one auto-configuration server through at least one media line fixed to the media support surface and operable to provide a signal.
US09398713B2

Embodiment of the invention discloses an electronic apparatus. A frame of the electronic apparatus comprises a sense region, and at least one sense window is provided in the sense region. A reflection type optical emitter-receiver-tube is provided at a position inside the electronic apparatus corresponding to the sense window, and an output terminal of the optical emitter-receiver-tube is connected with a processor inside the electronic apparatus.
US09398706B2

A transparent protection window, a flexible display apparatus, and associated method, the transparent protection window including a first area extending in one direction, the first area having a first thickness; a second area extending in a direction different from that of the first area, the second area having a second thickness; and a third area connecting the first area to the second area, the third area including a portion having a curved surface, wherein the first thickness of the first area is less than the second thickness of the second area.
US09398703B2

A via in a printed circuit board is composed of a patterned metal layer that extends through a hole in dielectric laminate material that has been covered with catalytic adhesive material on both faces of the dielectric laminate material. The layer of catalytic adhesive coats a portion of the dielectric laminate material around the hole. The patterned metal layer is placed over the catalytic adhesive material on both faces of the dielectric laminate material and within the hole.
US09398696B2

Disclosed is an inexpensive small-sized screen printing machine having low redundancy and high production efficiency and applicable to a dual conveying-type component mounting machine. The screen printing machine comprises a pair of substrate supporting tables provided to hold a respective substrate that is a print object and which is juxtaposed in a direction that is perpendicular to a conveying direction of the substrate, and a print executing section that performs a printing process alternately on the substrate held by the pair of substrate supporting tables. Due to the print executing section being driven in the direction under control of a control unit, a print position where the substrate supporting tables execute alternate printing is changed within a range in which one of the pair of substrate supporting tables and the other of the pair of substrate supporting tables oppose each other in the direction.
US09398690B2

A substrate structure includes a first substrate, a plurality of first bonding pads and a connecting layer. The first substrate has an element configuration area and a peripheral area. The peripheral area is disposed around the element configuration area. The first bonding pads are configured spacing at the peripheral area, and a gap is provided between two adjacent first bonding pads. The connecting layer is disposed on the first substrate and covers the first bonding pads and the gaps. The part of the connecting layer close to the element configuration area is configured with a plurality of first arc edges.
US09398689B2

A substrate structure is provided, which includes: a substrate body having a plurality of conductive pads; an insulating layer formed on the substrate body and having a plurality of openings for correspondingly exposing the conductive pads; and a plurality of ring bodies formed in the openings and corresponding in position to edges of the conductive pads. As such, a plurality of conductive elements can be subsequently formed inside the ring bodies so as to be prevented by the ring bodies from expanding outward during a reflow process, thereby protecting the insulating layer from being compressed by the conductive elements and preventing cracking of the insulating layer.
US09398688B2

An electroconductive stack body having on at least one side surface of a substrate an electroconductive layer that has a network structure that is made by a linear structural body, wherein, an opening portion that satisfies Expression (1) in an opening area of an opening portion that is formed by the network structure, average value A of the opening area is less than or equal to 20 μm2 and variation deviation σof the opening area defined by Expression (2) is less than or equal to 26 μm2: X
US09398685B2

The present invention provides a flexible device carrier for a flexible display panel and a method for attaching a membrane on the flexible device. The flexible device carrier comprises: a bottom plate; a position-limiting plate provided opposite to the bottom plate and detachably mounted on the bottom plate through a position-limiting mechanism, wherein a slotted hole is provided on the position-limiting plate to match with one side of the bottom plate facing the position-limiting plate, so as to form a positioning groove for the flexible device. By using the flexible device carrier, the membrane can be tightly attached on the side of the flexible device away from the bottom plate of the flexible device carrier, reducing probability of defects such as occurrence of bubbles between the membrane and the flexible device, improving quality of attaching the membrane on the flexible device and improving product yield of the flexible display panel.
US09398677B2

This invention relates to an apparatus producing distributed X-ray, and in particular to a cathode control multi-cathode distributed X-ray apparatus, which produces X-ray that changes focal position in a predetermined order by arranging multiple independent hot cathodes and controlling cathodes in an X-ray source device, and a CT device having said X-ray apparatus.
US09398676B2

A system for quantifying x-ray backscatter system performance may include a support, a plurality of rods mounted on the support, the rods of the plurality of rods arranged in parallel to each other, having generally curved outer surfaces, and being arranged in groups of varying widths, each group of the groups having at least two of the rods of a same width, and a user interface configured to be connected to receive a backscatter signal from an x-ray backscatter detector associated with an x-ray tube, and generate a display representing photon counts of x-ray backscatter for each rod of the plurality of rods from x-rays transmitted by the x-ray tube.
US09398674B2

Disclosed herein is an X-ray image apparatus having an improved rotating unit for preventing a blind spot in which an X-ray-generating unit is not rotated from being generated. The X-ray image apparatus includes an X-ray-generating unit configured to generate X-rays and radiate the X-rays, an X-ray-detecting unit configured to detect the X-rays radiated from the X-ray-generating unit, and a rotating unit configured to rotate the X-ray-generating unit. Here, the rotating unit includes a rotating frame coupled to one side of the X-ray-generating unit; a protrusion configured to protrude from one side of the rotating unit; and a stopper being in contact with the protrusion to halt a rotation of the rotating frame and being provided such that the stopper can be moved in a preset zone. Since the stopper securing the rotating frame of the rotating unit can be moved in the preset zone, it is possible to prevent a blind spot caused by a restriction of the rotation of the rotating frame from being generated.
US09398667B2

A dimmer switch includes an air-gap switch for coupling to a power source, a power semiconductor switch electronically controlling power to a load connected in series with the air-gap switch, a dimmer module connected to the power semiconductor switch for coupling to the load to deliver an adjustable level of power to the load, and a dimmer actuator. The dimmer actuator is movable between an operational position and a disconnected position wherein the dimmer actuator is configured to act as a single control mechanism for selectively engaging either the dimmer module to adjust the level of power delivered to the load when in the operational position or the air-gap switch when in the disconnected position.
US09398663B2

The invention relates to a luminaire for road illumination, said luminaire (1) comprising a housing (3) containing a light source (5) provided with optics (6). The luminaire further comprising a sensor unit (7) adapted to measure optical properties of the surrounding of the luminaire and a calculation unit adapted to calculate the parameters for controlling the light output of the luminaire based on the optical properties measured by the sensor unit. According to the invention, the sensor unit is adapted to measure specular and diffuse reflection properties of the surrounding of the luminaire. These optical properties allow determining the type of weather or the road condition and adjustment of the light output of the luminaire, thus improving the road safety.
US09398662B2

A LED control circuit is disclose which comprises a silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) configured to control a first current supplied to a LED light bulb, and a dynamic current maintenance module serially coupled to the SCR and configured to draw a second current from the SCR, the second current being inversely proportional to the first current.
US09398661B2

An LED-based light includes one or more LEDs, a sensor arranged to detect a brightness level in an area resulting from the combination of light emitted by the LEDs with light from at least one ambient light source other than the LEDs, and operable to output a signal corresponding to the detected brightness level, a controller operable to regulate an amount of power provided to the LEDs in response to the signal, a light transmitting housing for the LEDs, the sensor and the controller and a connector shaped for connection with a light socket disposed at an end of the housing.
US09398657B2

The present invention discloses a light emitting device driver chip for driving light emitting devices in series. The chip includes: plural pins electrically connected to corresponding light emitting devices, respectively, wherein an internal voltage is provided through a predetermined one of the pins; a voltage regulation circuit for providing an operation voltage according to the internal voltage; a switch circuit including plural switch groups electrically connected to corresponding pins, respectively; a current source circuit for providing a current to the light emitting devices; and a switch control circuit for controlling the switch groups to determine which light emitting device is turned ON. The light emitting device driver chip does not directly receive the rectified input voltage.
US09398656B2

An approach is provided for devices and methods for driving an LED light, which adjust the numbers of diodes of the LED string corresponding to the rectified AC voltage. The device comprises a power module, a LED string, a current source and a controller. The LED string has multiple LED diodes connected in series that forms a major segment and multiple minor segments. The controller is connected to the current source and the LED string, which selectively shorts the LED diodes of the minor segments. Since the number of LED diodes of the LED string is dynamically adjusted in response to the rectified voltage, the overall “on” voltage of the LED string is more closely matched to the rectified voltage, and thus the power efficiency is improved.
US09398653B2

The present invention discloses a LED driver including a power stage, an inductor, an error amplifier, a set comparator, a first timer, a logical AND circuit, a reset comparator, a second timer a logical OR circuit, a RS flip flop and a driving circuit. The LED driver provides sufficient latching current for the TRIAC dimmer with no large RC circuit, so as to optimize the dimming and reduce system size.
US09398650B2

An LED lighting device includes: an LED unit which includes at least one LED device; and a rectifier which rectifies a current power signal output from the ballast and transfers the rectified current power signal to the LED unit. When the ballast is a low-frequency ballast having an output frequency less than 60 Hz, the rectifier opens between a main path for supplying power to the rectifier from the ballast and an auxiliary path for preheating a starter or filament of the ballast. When the ballast is a high-frequency ballast having the output frequency greater than 20 kHz, the rectifier short-circuits between the main path for supplying the power to the rectifier from the ballast and the auxiliary path for preheating the filament of the ballast.
US09398648B2

A lighting device includes: a lighting unit which outputs a direct current; a smoothing unit having a capacitor which smoothes the direct current outputted from the lighting unit and supplies it; and a control unit for performing an intermittent control which alternately repeats a first time period in which the direct current is supplied to the smoothing unit and a second time period in which the direct current decreases to be smaller than that in the first time period. In the lighting device, a product of a frequency (Hz) and a capacitance (μF) of the capacitor is equal to or greater than 0.05 in which one cycle of the frequency corresponds to a sum of the first time period and the second time period.
US09398647B2

Systems and methods for operating one or more light emitting devices are disclosed. In one example, the a negative temperature coefficient control parameter is applied to an amplifier to adjust a gain of the amplifier so as to provide a substantially constant level of irradiance output from one or more light emitting devices.
US09398637B2

Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to a compact device for providing Wi-Fi connectivity for an electronic device. The compact device is rotatably activated and includes interchangeable batteries and indicia indicating activation.
US09398627B2

A communication apparatus includes: a processor execute receiving identification information of a first device of the slave station devices from the first device through the master station device; transmitting, in a specific case where the master station device is disconnected from the first wireless network and a specific instruction to perform communication of target data with the first device is provided, transmits a first type command to the first device by using the identification information, the first type command being a command for establishing a state where a transmission source device and a transmission destination device belong to a same wireless network; establishing, when the first type command is transmitted to the first device, a specific state, and performing, when the specific state has been established, communication of the target data with the first device by using the second wireless network.
US09398626B2

Data sessions are established based in part on services. When establishing a data session for a communication device, the desired mobility gateway can be dynamically assigned via a specified policy mechanism or provisioned using a predefined service policy table, where particular services are linked with respective identifiers associated with respective mobility gateways. A communication device can reference the service policy table to locate a service that is to be used for the data session and can identify an identifier(s) linked to the service(s) and associated with a mobility gateway(s). The identifier(s) can be received and used to facilitate selecting one or more respective mobility gateways for the data session(s). The service policy table can be automatically pushed to the communication device or the communication device can initiate a download of the service policy table when the default data connection is established.
US09398625B2

Some examples of triggering a signaling event in a control plane of a mobile network from a user plane of the mobile network. After it is determined in accordance with a predefined criterion that an error indication should be sent, an error indication may be sent in the user plane, from a location external to a radio access network of the mobile network and external to a core network of the mobile network, to at least one element in the radio access network or the core network, thereby triggering a signaling event. The predefined criterion may include no accessible association between a user identifier or cell identifier and an identifier of a tunnel for tunneling user data packets between the radio access network and the core network. The lack of an accessible association may have negative implications, e.g. for traffic management. The triggered signaling event may include releasing this tunnel.
US09398620B1

A wireless personal-area network (PAN) communication system includes a first device configured to simultaneously transmit a digitized stereo audio signal to and receive a digitized voice signal from a second device over the wireless PAN. The system also includes the second device, which is configured to simultaneously receive the digitized stereo audio signal from the first device and transmit the digitized voice signal to the first device over the PAN. The wireless PAN can be a Bluetooth® network. Low-latency audio codecs may be included in the first and second devices to reduce the latency of the voice and stereo audio signals transferred between the devices.
US09398616B2

A method for sequencing the ZC sequences of the RACH is provided, wherein, the method for sequencing the ZC sequences comprises: setting the logical index of each ZC sequence as α, and the physical index of each ZC sequence as u, wherein 1≦u≦N−1,0≦α≦N−2, N is the length of each ZC sequence and N=839; creating the physical indices u corresponding to the logical indices α=0, 1, . . . , 837, sequencing the ZC sequences of the RACH according to the created mapping relationship between the logical indices and the physical indices.
US09398611B2

The present invention relates to a method for accessing channels in wireless communication systems and to an apparatus for same. More particularly, the method for supporting channel access of a station (STA), which does not belong to a group indicated by a traffic indication map (TIM), includes the steps of: receiving a channel access frame for requesting channel access within a TIM interval from an STA; and transmitting to the STA a response frame including information on whether to allow channel access of the STA in response to the channel access frame, wherein the channel access period of an STA, which belongs to the group, is determined on the basis of a bitmap of the TIM within the TIM interval, and the channel access of the STA is allowed only in a period other than the channel access period of the STA, which belongs to the group.
US09398605B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, an apparatus, and a system for transmission control of multimedia broadcast multicast data. The method includes: according to a reference time, determining a scheduling period of suspending or resuming sending MBMS service data; and suspending or resuming sending the MBMS service data in the determined scheduling period. According to the embodiments of the present invention, transmission control of the MBMS service data by a base station can be realized, which facilitates each base station in the same MBSFA range synchronously suspending or resuming sending the MBMS service data of the same service, thereby facilitating reducing interferences in the service.
US09398599B2

Efficient spectrum sensing is implemented taking into account the fading caused by multipath fading and shadow fading in a mobile environment. A cooperative spectrum sensing method performed by a plurality of in-vehicle wireless communication devices, includes: a decorrelation time acquisition step for acquiring a first decorrelation time, which is a time interval in which channel fluctuations resulting from multipath fading are decorrelated, and a second decorrelation time, which is a time interval in which channel fluctuations resulting from shadow fading are decorrelated; a sensing step for repeatedly performing sensing at a time interval equal to or longer than the first decorrelation time; a notification step for wireless transmitting a plurality of most recent sensing results at a time interval equal to or longer than the second decorrelation time; and a determination step for determining a state of a channel on the basis of the plurality of sensing results transmitted from the plurality of in-vehicle wireless communication devices.
US09398596B2

A method, base station and controller for allocating PS traffic in mobile networks which provide a plurality of RATs (multi-RAT networks) for supporting Packet Services, which comprises: identifying more than one RAT with free bandwidth, determining a type of traffic which belongs to a PS connection initially established over a initial RAT, classifying Packet Services by taking into account at least one parameter which is the previously determined type of traffic, selecting at least one of the identified RAT for establishing the PS connection in accordance to the previous classification of the Packet Service. The classification of the Packet Service can additionally take into account other parameters: QoS, measured RTT, load of each RAT and combination of these parameters.
US09398594B2

A method and system reduce interference between overlapping first and second wireless LAN cells in a medium. Each cell includes a respective plurality of member stations and there is at least one overlapped station occupying both cells. An inter-cell contention-free period value is assigned to a first access point station in the first cell, associated with an accessing order in the medium for member stations in the first and second cells. The access point transmits a beacon packet containing the inter-cell contention-free period value, which is intercepted at the overlapped station. The overlapped station forwards the inter-cell contention-free period value to member stations in the second cell. A second access point in the second cell can then delay transmissions by member stations in the second cell until after the inter-cell contention-free period expires.
US09398590B2

Disclosed is a mobile terminal device and a radio base station apparatus capable of effectively feeding back PMIs by selecting a precoder using double codebooks W1 and W2 in downlink MIMO transmission. The mobile terminal device includes a feedback control signal generating section that individually performs channel coding for the first PMI selected from the first codebook for wideband/long-period and the second PMI selected from the second codebook for subband/short-period and a transmit section that transmits the individually channel-coded first and second PMIs to the radio base station apparatus on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH).
US09398585B2

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatus, and computer-program products for the detection of potentially interfering or interfering user equipment (UE) in the proximity of a detecting entity. The detecting entity may be a base station or a UE. In an aspect, the proposed detecting scheme utilizes semi-static system information from one or more neighboring base stations (BSs), and identifies a neighbor BS's UE that causes interference in the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH). The proposed detecting scheme may also identify corresponding resources that are allocated to an interfering UE by the interfering neighbor base station. In aspects, detecting schemes may not utilize information from one or more neighboring BSs.
US09398581B2

Provided are a method and device for transmitting downlink control information. The method comprises: according to a predefined condition, the downlink control information carried on an ePDCCH onto at least one PRB pair, the predefined condition comprising at least one of: an ePDCCH aggregation level, a subframe cyclic prefix type, a format of downlink control information carried on the ePDCCH, an ePDCCH transmission mode, and mapping mode indication information; and the downlink control information carried on the at least of PRB pairs is transmitted. By mapping according to one or more predefined conditions, the present disclosure achieves mapping from the ePDCCH to the physical resource pair, and ensures the ePDCCH to obtain frequency domain diversity gain and scheduling gain.
US09398570B2

A method and apparatus for signal transmission in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) system. The method according to one embodiment includes generating a first very high throughput (VHT) signal, generating a second VHT signal, and transmitting the first VHT signal and the second VHT signal. The first VHT signal includes an indicator indicating that the second VHT signal is to be transmitted by using a single-user multiple input multiple output (SU-MIMO) scheme or a multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) scheme. The first VHT signal and the second VHT signal are used to transmit control information, and the control information includes a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) index indicating an MCS used in the step of transmitting and further includes a spatial stream identifier indicating a number of spatial streams.
US09398566B2

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided resource sharing. In some example embodiments, there may be provided a method, which may include receiving information including location information for at least one cell of a primary resource group, and further including a primary resource being used by the at least one cell; and determining at least one secondary resource group based on the received information. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.
US09398565B2

A method of communicating with a wireless terminal may include providing first information responsive to receiving first and second multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) data streams from the wireless terminal through a first antenna array of a first sector during a first transmission time interval. Second information may be provided responsive to receiving the first and second MIMO data streams from the wireless terminal through a second antenna array of a second sector during the first transmission time interval with the first and second sectors being different and the first and second antenna arrays being different. An offset value may be generated responsive to the first information and/or the second information, with the offset value defining a difference between the first and second MIMO data streams for a second transmission time interval, and the offset value may be transmitted to the wireless terminal.
US09398562B2

The invention relates to methods for detecting at least one of a downlink grant and an uplink grant within a sub-frame of an OFDM-based mobile communication system. The invention provides a reception apparatus (e.g. a relay node or a mobile terminal) that are adapted to perform these methods. The invention defines the uplink grant search space to form a subset of the downlink grant search space. In other words, in the frequency domain, the uplink grant search space is defined on a subset of the resource block pairs that form the downlink search space. This configuration allows downlink data to be mapped to the remaining resources outside the uplink grants search space and the resources used for a downlink grant. Furthermore, the downlink grants comprise an indication of whether the uplink grant search space in the sub-frame comprises (user) data or not.
US09398559B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe devices, methods, computer-readable media and systems configurations for link adaptation within coordinated multipoint systems. In various embodiments, a mobile terminal may determine link adaptation feedback information and feed back the information to a base station. The base station may adjust a channel quality indicator of the link adaptation feedback information based on loading of nodes within a coordinated multipoint measurement set. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09398554B2

Disclosed is a method for network synchronization acquisition in a wireless network. A synchronized node transmits a first synchronization reference signal, a second synchronization reference signal, and a beacon according to a predetermined period. A non-synchronized node receives the first synchronization reference signal, the second synchronization signal, and the beacon from at least one transmitting node. Then, the non-synchronized node acquires network synchronization temporarily based on the first synchronization reference signal, decodes the beacon, and checks whether at least one transmitting node exists or not. Then, the non-synchronized node requests a network synchronization forwarding service or a time adjustment, and acquires synchronization based on the provided network synchronization forwarding service.
US09398553B2

A technique may improve LDP-IGP synchronization in a MPLS network when an interface of a router coupled to a communications link along a shortest path between a source router and a destination router becomes newly active. Specifically, an IGP adjacency may be held down over the newly active link while a LDP adjacency is established over the link. The router may inject a temporary, non-redistributable route having a large administrative weight into its routing table utilizing addresses learned during establishment of the LDP adjacency. The injected route ensures that there is a reachable route to a peer router so that LDP may converge. After LDP has converged and all needed label bindings have been distributed in the MPLS network utilizing the injected route, IGP executing on the router may advertise a normal cost metric for the link associated with the newly active interface, and IGP convergence may be completed.
US09398549B2

According to one embodiment, a wireless communication apparatus includes following units. The first timer measures first time intervals. The second timer measures second time intervals. The time interval selection unit selects a second time interval among second time intervals included in each first time interval. The control unit controls the transmitting unit and the receiving unit to operate, during the selected second time interval, in a first operational state in which a transmission of a connection request signal and a wait for reception of a response signal are repeatedly performed, and to operate, during each of the second time intervals other than the selected second time interval, in a second operational state in which a wait for reception of a connection request signal transmitted by another apparatus is performed for a third time interval shorter than each of the second time intervals.
US09398538B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method for a single card dual standby user equipment to camp on a network and a user equipment, so as to reduce power consumption of a user equipment. The method in the embodiment of the present invention includes: when a circuit switched domain CS domain of a UE camps on a second-generation mobile communications technology 2G/third-generation mobile communications technology 3G network and a packet switched domain PS domain camps on a long term evolution LTE network, executing, by the UE, a routing area update process of the PS domain of the 2G/3G network if the UE meets a preset first condition, so as to make the PS domain of the UE camp on the 2G/3G network; and after the PS domain of the UE camps on the 2G/3G network, turning off an LTE radio frequency unit.
US09398537B2

Provided is an information processing apparatus including a position sensor for detecting position information, and a detection times control unit for acquiring detection accuracy information regarding detection accuracy of the position sensor based on a detection result of the position sensor, and controlling the number of detection times of the position sensor based on the acquired detection accuracy information.
US09398535B2

A wireless communication apparatus includes a power switch unit that switches a power supplied from a battery, and a timer unit that measures a time period through a power supplied from the battery. The power switch unit is turned on upon receiving a trigger for turning on the power supply and turned off upon receiving a trigger for turning off the power supply. When a wireless unit and a control unit are supplied with the power through the power switch unit in accordance with the trigger for turning on the power supply, the control unit controls to receive a wireless signal from a different wireless communication apparatus, and the control unit then sets a given value of the expiration of the time period in the timer unit and outputs the trigger for turning off the power supply to the power supply control unit.
US09398533B2

In one embodiment, setting, by a first node, a settable data rate for a first part of a data frame, the data frame also having a second part having a defined second data rate, and transmitting, by the node, the first part at the set data rate and the second part at the second data rate, the first part including at least a portion of a payload of the data frame and the second part including an identifier based on the set data rate.
US09398528B2

A method for energy saving in a mobile communication system—is provided in the invention. In the mobile communication system. OAM unit performs centralized management of the energy saving priorities. The respective base station obtains energy saving priorities thereof and energy saving priorities of adjacent base stations, and determine whether it is a candidate energy saving base station or a candidate compensating base station according to a load condition thereof, and energy saving priority information, thereof and energy saving priority information of adjacent base stations. The candidate energy saving base station can communicate with the adjacent base stations to negotiate about entering an energy saving procedure. With the technical solutions of the invention, OAM unit performs centralized management of the energy saving priorities, and each base station, can determine dynamically whether it is a candidate energy saving base station or a candidate compensating base station according to a load condition thereof, and energy saving priority information thereof and energy saving priority information of adjacent base stations and communicate with the adjacent base stations to negotiate about entering an energy saving procedure. Thus it is possible to accommodate flexibly and effectively a change to the load conditions so as to realize the energy saving of the system more reasonable with an alleviated influence of the energy saving procedure on the performance of the system.
US09398521B2

When MME receives Handover required from source eNB/HeNB which contains CSG ID, it verifies whether the CSG subscription data it stores is fresh or expired. If it is expired, or if MME does not have any association data for UE, MME retrieves the latest CSG subscription data from HSS. MME rewrites its stored CSG subscription data with the one retrieved from HSS, if they are different. MME performs access control for the UE according to the CSG ID received from Handover required message and its CSG subscription data. When the access control is failed, a new message List Update Indication is proposed to be sent from source eNB/HeNB to UE. In order to indicate what caused the failure, an appropriate cause in the message is proposed. Upon receiving the message, UE updates its stored CSG whitelist, such that the CSG subscription data in UE and MME are synchronized.
US09398520B2

Techniques for performing system searches to find a suitable cell to receive full service while camped on a cell with limited service are described. Initially, a user equipment (UE) may camp on a first cell and receive limited service. The UE may perform a system search in background to find a suitable cell to receive full service. By performing the system search in background, the UE can receive paging messages and perform cell reselection and/or other tasks while the system search is pending and may also be able to obtain limited service with little or no delay when requested by a user. The UE may suspend the system search prior to each paging occasion, receive paging messages applicable for the UE, and then resume the system search. The UE may receive a request for limited service (e.g., emergency call), suspend or abort the system search, and obtain the requested limited service.
US09398516B2

Technologies are generally described for suppressing discovery of mobile devices in a wireless ubiquitous computing (ubicomp) network, reducing the number of network transmissions by devices in the network and reducing network congestion and prolonging battery life. A mobile device may add supplementary information to introductory beacons transmitted by the device that indicate no response is necessary from other devices participating in the network except for a coordinator of the network. The mobile device may transmit a malformed introductory beacon that will be ignored by other devices in the network except for the coordinator. The coordinator of the wireless network may detect the mobile device moving through the network and transmit a suppression signal to other devices in the network causing the devices to ignore the introductory beacons transmitted by the mobile device.
US09398515B2

In an embodiment, a network device automatically creates a more optimal route entry for inter-base station traffic to be transmitted between a local base station and a remote base station. The network device automatically discovers a remote IP address of the remote base station used for inter-base station traffic based upon traffic transmitted by the local base station destined to the network device or traffic transmitted between the local and remote base stations. In response, the network device inserts an entry into a route import map representing the remote IP address, and based upon determining that a route from a route update message matches this entry, installs the more optimal route entry into the routing table. This route provides a shorter path to the remote base station through the backhaul network compared to a less optimal route through a mobile core network previously used for the inter-base station traffic.
US09398514B1

The invention is directed to methods and systems for generating frequency reference signals from a radio signal received from a large-coverage access component, such as a base station. The radio signal is received and processed by an oscillator to filter out abnormalities. Consequently, a frequency reference signal is generated that is encapsulated into packets and delivered to one or more small-coverage access components using the Precision Timing Protocol or some other protocol that is useable by the small-coverage access components. The small-coverage access components comprise one or more of a femtocell or a picocell.
US09398513B2

A communication system controls routing performed by a physical gateway that connects a mobile station and a communication network. The communication system comprises a communication setting information acquiring unit and a routing control unit. The communication setting information acquiring unit acquires communication setting information between a virtual gateway corresponding to the physical gateway and the mobile station by executing a communication establishment sequence between the virtual gateway and the mobile station. The routing control unit controls routing performed by the physical gateway based on the communication setting information.
US09398512B2

Embodiments provide techniques for mobile route optimization authentication protocols. Embodiments allow for system control over whether route optimization is allowed or not allowed. A conditional allowance of route optimization solves several billing and security issues by allowing the system to impose appropriate charges for the route optimization feature or prevent route optimization where message flow using care-of addressing can be monitored.
US09398511B2

A method and apparatus for reducing handover time includes a wireless transmit receive unit receiving cell specific information in a downlink signal. The downlink signal is one of a set of signals included in a handover process.
US09398510B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a handover method, base station, user equipment, and mobility management entity. The handover method includes: obtaining an algorithm used by a user equipment in a universal mobile telecommunication system and four least significant bits of a downlink non-access stratum count; and sending a handover command to the user equipment, where the handover command carries the algorithm used by the user equipment in the universal mobile telecommunication system and the four least significant bits of the downlink non-access stratum count, so that the user equipment calculates a cipher key and an integrity key according to the four least significant bits of the downlink non-access stratum count.
US09398508B1

One embodiment takes the form of a method carried out by a handover source while the handover source is serving a UE with communication service at a quality of service level. The method includes the handover source transmitting, to a first handover target, a first handover request including an indication of the quality of service level. Next, in response to the transmitted first handover request, the handover source receives from the first handover target a response indicating that the first handover target does not support the quality of service level, but specifying a second handover target that supports the quality of service level. The handover source may then transmit to the specified second handover target a second handover request seeking handover of the UE from being served by the handover source to being served by the second handover target.
US09398506B1

Examples are disclosed for hosting a communication session between a hybrid mobile device and a second communication device in an Internet Protocol (IP) based packet data network. A communications server functions as a bridge service between the hybrid mobile device and the second communication device enabling the exchange of multiple concurrent IP packet data media streams over multiple different IP based networks between the hybrid mobile device and the communications server. An IP data stream over an 802.11 WiFi communication link is characterized as the primary IP data stream and when its quality falls below a first threshold level, the hybrid mobile device will encode a second IP data stream that is the same as the original IP data stream and send a variable percentage of the second IP data stream over a cellular based IP communication link. If the quality of the IP data stream over the 802.11 WiFi communication link improves, a lesser percentage of the second IP data stream is sent over a cellular based IP communication link.
US09398497B2

A user communications device having active and idle states operates in a cellular communications network in which user communications devices communicate via network communications devices of cells of the network. History data identifying the cells in which the user communications device has camped whilst in the idle mode or identifying the cells in which the mobile device has been connected whilst in the connected mode is maintained. This history data can be used to identify a home base station.
US09398491B2

Subscribers are segmented in a telecommunications by allocating given first subscribers network resources with a lower priority than second subscribers, but allowing the first subscribers to temporarily upgrade their subscription by a self-service request. On detecting the request, the network updates the charging correspondingly and adapts the resource allocation of the first subscribers who made the request for a predetermined period and/or amount of phone calls. The network is also capable of signaling the subscribers their current resource allocation priority so that the subscribers can provide respective users with a feedback of changes in resource allocation. The mechanism is also applicable for temporarily lowering the priority of given subscribers in resource allocation.
US09398484B2

Embodiments of an evolved Node B (eNB) and methods for determining priority values for User Equipment (UE) are generally described herein. A method performed by circuitry of an eNB may include receiving, at the eNB, a usage report from the UE. The usage report may include information indicating a channel usage time and a transmission power of the UE. The method may include determining, using the usage report, a priority value for the UE. The method may include sending the priority value to the UE, wherein the UE is to utilize the priority value to perform distributed scheduling of device-to-device (D2D) communication over a D2D connection with a second UE.
US09398482B2

Method and apparatus of controlling In-Device Coexistence interference in a wireless communication system are described. The present invention comprises receiving measurement configuration information, comprising an IDC triggering threshold, from a base station; performing measurement considering IDC influence in a serving cell and measurement not considering IDC influence in a neighbor cell based on the measurement configuration information; triggering the IDC event if a difference between a result of the measurement considering IDC influence and a result of the measurement not considering IDC influence is greater than the IDC triggering threshold; and transmitting measurement report information, comprising IDC indication, to the base station.
US09398479B2

A physical network address of one of a set of wireless customer-premise monitoring devices is translated to a shared logical device physical network address in response to receipt from an application server of a first data packet addressed to the physical network address. The shared logical device physical network address forms a logical device group and physically addresses each of the set of wireless customer-premise monitoring devices over a single wireless communication channel. The physical network address of the one of the set of wireless customer-premise monitoring devices is embedded within the first data packet addressed to the shared logical device physical network address. The first data packet is sent to the shared logical device physical network address.
US09398477B2

A method in a base station for assisting a network management unit in managing a cellular network is provided. The base station determines a status of the cellular network. The status affects a measurement of a quality of a radio channel between the base station and a user equipment comprised in the cellular network. The measurement is to be performed by the user equipment. The base station receives a feedback report from the user equipment comprising the measurement. The base station evaluates a validity of the measurement based on the determined status. The base station sends a report to the network management unit. The report comprises an indication of the measurement and an indication of the validity, thereby assisting the network management unit in managing the cellular network.
US09398466B1

Provided is a system for testing mobile handover which makes it possible to test a handover operation on a mobile side by providing an actual base station with a radio wave environment for causing mobile devices to move. The system is intended to test whether or not a handover operation of a mobile present in the service areas of at least three base stations is performed without interrupting service while the mobile moves from the service area of a currently connected base station to another spot.
US09398464B2

Certain aspects are directed to a base station router disposed in a distributed antenna system. The base station router includes a backplane and a controller. The backplane can manage an availability of sectors for coverage zones. Each sector can include communication channels to be radiated to mobile devices in the coverage zones and can represent an amount of telecommunication capacity. The controller can respond to a traffic indicator by causing the backplane to redistribute the availability of at least one sector. The sector can be redistributed from a first coverage zone to a second coverage zone.
US09398459B2

Techniques are disclosed for use in securing communications in environments comprising hybrid communication systems. For example, a method comprises, in a hybrid communication system wherein at least one computing device is configured to selectively operate in a first communication mode or a second communication mode, preventing the at least one computing device from completing an attachment process in the first communication mode when it is determined that authentication data being used to authenticate the at least one computing device in the first communication mode was generated for an authentication process in the second communication mode.
US09398458B2

A system and method can allow a first subscriber who is unable to use his mobile device due to theft, damage, loss, or any other reason to authenticate himself on a telecommunications network using a second subscriber's mobile device. The system and method can also allow the first subscriber to continue to make and receive calls and messages with the second subscriber's mobile device. Any charges incurred by usage of the second subscriber's mobile device by the first subscriber can be billed to an account associated with the first subscriber.
US09398456B2

An electronic device may be provided with wireless circuitry for transmitting and receiving wireless signals. Control circuitry may be used to adjust transmit power levels for the wireless signals and other settings for the wireless circuitry. The electronic device may be operated in conjunction with an external accessory. The accessory may be equipment that includes a dock connector, a case to enclose the electronic device, equipment that is coupled to the electronic device using a cable, or other external electronic equipment. An identifier may be stored in the accessory. The impact of the accessory on the wireless performance of the electronic device may be characterized and associated with the identifier. During operation of the electronic device, the electronic device may adjust transmit power levels and other settings based on the identifier of the accessory and based on sensor data, user input, and other information.
US09398452B1

A method and apparatus for bootstrapping secure connections between wireless devices and deployable wireless communications networks. Using the method, a wireless device establishes a connection to an auxiliary network, and then establishes a connection with a deployable subscription bootstrapping service. The deployable subscription bootstrapping service generates a temporary subscription profile, including a temporary shared symmetric key, for the wireless device, writes the temporary profile to a deployable home subscriber server, and communicates the temporary profile to the wireless device, which stores the temporary profile. The wireless device then terminates the connection to the auxiliary network, and initiates a connection with the deployable wireless communications network using the temporary subscription profile.
US09398435B2

The invention relates to a method for indicating a physical change in relation to an exterior of a network node module included in a network node in a wireless communication network, such a network node module and such a network node. According to the invention the network node module (19) comprises a movement detector (20) configured to detect movement between a male element and a corresponding female element, where the network node module comprises one of the elements and both elements are required for obtaining an operative network node, and a control unit (24) configured to generate an indication of a physical change of the network node module based on the detected movement.
US09398425B2

The disclosure is directed to group communications over evolved multimedia broadcast/multicast services (E-MBMS). An embodiment identifies a schedule for an indicator on a broadcast/multicast medium of a first multicast media on a multicast flow, wherein the indicator is configured to identify a location of data on the broadcast/multicast medium and to identify a presence of the data on the multicast flow, binds application layer paging, an application layer wake up mechanism, or a power saving mechanism to the schedule for the indicator on the multicast flow, wakes from a sleep mode to monitor the indicator to determine availability of the first multicast media based on the indicator, tunes to the first multicast media if the first multicast media is available, and returns to the sleep mode, if the first multicast media is not available.
US09398419B2

The number of messages required in networks where both location and presence services are deployed may be reduced, by retrieving presence data from messages otherwise intended to provide only location information. Thus, information determined in a location service scheme is utilized to provide a presence service as well. A location server requests mobile subscriber (MS) information from a Core Network (CN) Node (i.e. HLR, MSC, etc.) that can be used in determining the Location of the MS. A single message aggregates retrieval of information for two services, specifically, for both location and presence.
US09398417B2

Methods and apparatus provide for a user to feel the presence of other users existing in the same daily living area without using short-distance wireless communication. The system includes a position coordinate receiving section for obtaining positions from a plurality of user terminals, and a nearby user distributing section for selecting, under the condition that the nearby user distributing section obtains a position of a specified user terminal, one or more of the plurality of user terminals corresponding to the position obtained from the specified user terminal and the positions obtained from the plurality of user terminals and providing the specified user terminal with information on the selected one or more of the plurality of user terminals.
US09398415B1

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for determining geo-location of one or multiple User Equipment, that belong to the same subscriber subscription, that collectively are in simultaneous communication with a Cellular network and a Wi-Fi network. In use, it is determined that a subscriber utilizing at least one User Equipment is in simultaneous communication with at least one Cellular network and at least one Wi-Fi network. Cellular network measurement data associated with the at least one User Equipment is received. Additionally, Wi-Fi network measurement data associated with the at least one User Equipment is received. Further, the Cellular network measurement data and the Wi-Fi network measurement data are correlated to generate correlated measurement data associated with the at least one User Equipment. Moreover, the correlated measurement data is utilized to determine the geo-location of the at least one User Equipment, utilizing at least one geo-location determination algorithm and/or method, including and not limited to triangulation and correlation to Radio Frequency fingerprint.
US09398412B2

Examples are disclosed for a mobile device to determine its location by trilateration with docked mobile devices and, optionally, wireless access points. Locations are determined to within an accuracy of within three feet. The docked mobile devices are at fixed locations such as docked to a docking station. In some examples, a mobile device may perform ranging to the docked mobile devices and fixed wireless stations. Ranging may use a time-of-flight (ToF) process, and may compensate for multipath interference. Trilateration may consider relative accuracies of ranging components. Other examples are described and claimed.
US09398407B2

A method for tracking a patient in a medical facility is disclosed. The method includes determining whether a patient is to be moved, indicating the time at which the patient should start to be moved, and interrogating a RFID sensor on the patient at a predetermined time interval to determine when the patient has been moved.
US09398406B2

A location-based service provision method and system of an electronic device is provided for supporting location-based service even in a sleep mode. The electronic device is provided with a main control unit, a low power sub-control unit, and a sensing unit. The sub-control unit collects sensor information provided by the sensor unit for measuring movement (e.g., speed and direction) of the electronic device, and calculates first location information based on the sensor information. The sub-control unit provides the location-based service based on the first location information.
US09398397B2

A vehicle may include at least one controller configured to maintain a communication channel over a network between a vehicle and a vehicle service server accessible through an access point node. The at least one controller may be further configured to receive, over the network out-of-band from the communication channel, an update message including updated communication channel connection information, and upon receiving the message, reconnect the communication channel according to the updated connection information. A secure server may be configured to generate the update message specifying at least one of updated access point node information and updated address information, encrypt the update message according to an encryption key shared with a vehicle destination, and provide the update message over a network to the vehicle out-of-band from the communication channel.
US09398392B2

The subject disclosure is directed towards calibrating sound pressure levels of speakers to determine desired attenuation data for use in later playback. A user may be guided to a calibration location to place a microphone, and each speaker is calibrated to output a desired sound pressure level in its current acoustic environment based upon the attenuation data learned during calibration. During playback, the attenuation data is used. Also described is testing the setup of the speakers, and dynamically adjusting the attenuation data in real time based upon tracking the listener's current location.
US09398390B2

Systems and methods selectively mix a first and second song together during a live performance. The first song has a plurality of first stems, each having stereo audio that combine to form the audio of the first song. The second song has a plurality of second stems, each having stereo audio that combine to form the audio of the second song. A computer, with memory and a processor, executes machine readable instructions of a multiple channel audio mixing application with stored within the memory. The multiple channel audio mixing application plays and mixes audio of at least one of the first stems with audio of at least one of the second stems. The multiple channel audio mixing application is controlled in real-time during the performance to select the at least one first stem and the at least one second stem for the mixing.
US09398389B2

An Electret Condenser Microphone (ECM) motor apparatus includes a diaphragm ring support structure, a charge plate, and at least one stitch. The diaphragm ring support structure defines an opening there through. The charge plate is disposed within the opening. The at least one stitch is coupled to the diaphragm ring support structure to the charge plate. The diaphragm is disposed adjacent to and in a generally parallel relationship to the charge plate. The stitch is configured to hold the charge plate and the diaphragm ring, and the stitch is configured to maintain a constant or nearly constant distance between the charge plate and the diaphragm in the absence of sound energy.
US09398387B2

There is provided a sound processing device including an input signal processing unit configured to calculate a first acoustic feature quantity indicating a likelihood being of a sinusoidal wave of a signal in each time frequency domain and a second acoustic feature quantity different from the first acoustic feature quantity based on an input signal of content to be identified, a reference signal processing unit configured to calculate the first acoustic feature quantity and the second acoustic feature quantity based on a reference signal of content prepared in advance, and a matching processing unit configured to calculate a similarity between the input signal and the reference signal based on the first and second acoustic feature quantities of the input signal and the first and second acoustic feature quantities of the reference signal.
US09398378B2

An acoustic generator according to an embodiment includes a film-shaped vibrating body, a flame, and an exciter. The frame is configured to fix at least both ends of the vibrating body in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction that is a thickness direction of the vibrating body. The exciter is disposed on the vibrating body, and is configured to vibrate itself to vibrate the vibrating body. The vibrating body has a value of an average coefficient of linear expansion during a temperature change from 90° C. to 40° C. set to be not less than a value of the average coefficient of linear expansion of the vibrating body during a temperature change from 40° C. to 90° C., and set to be not less than a value of an average coefficient of linear expansion of the flame during a temperature change from 90° C. to 40° C.
US09398359B2

A display device includes: a display panel which displays an image; a rear chassis which covers a rear surface of the display panel, where the rear chassis includes: a first protruding region which protrudes to a rear surface of the chassis; and a second protruding region which is disposed in the first protruding region and further protrudes from the first protruding region to the rear surface of the chassis; and an acoustic element disposed in the first protruding region and at a space defined in the second protruding region, where the acoustic element includes a plurality of electrodes, and a vibration material layer disposed between the electrodes.
US09398356B2

A loudspeaker (130) comprises an electro-acoustic transducer such as a loudspeaker driver (135) mounted to a housing. The housing has side walls (132) subjected to a compressive force by bolts (50), which may extend between rigid end plates (133, 134). The side walls may be formed by a stack of plates. The housing defines a recess such that when the loudspeaker driver (135) is mounted in the housing, there is a cavity behind the loudspeaker driver (135). Such a housing may be used for a range of different electro-acoustic transducers. The compressive force suppresses resonance and improves performance of the electro-acoustic transducer.
US09398350B1

An address is received for an online asset. A metadata associated with the online asset is gotten. The metadata is used to match the online asset to a corresponding offline media asset.
US09398348B1

Metadata associated with video data by a content management system is transmitted to one or more advertising servers to tailor advertisements, or other data, presented in addition to the video data. In one embodiment, a user specifies the metadata associated with the video data, and the management system communicates the metadata to one or more advertising servers. Responsive to a user changing a subset of the metadata using the content management system, the changed subset of the metadata is communicated to the one or more advertising servers, which modify advertisements associated with the video data responsive to the changed metadata. Hence, changes to metadata associated with video data are pushed from the management system to an advertising server, allowing the advertising server to more quickly modify the advertisements associated with the video data.
US09398342B1

Disclosed are various embodiments to facilitate interactive experiences. Interactive content includes video content that is streamed to a client device, such as a set-top box. Complementary content is transmitted to a controller device, such as a tablet computing system and/or smartphone. Input obtained from the controller device can affect an update to the video content and/or complementary content.
US09398340B2

Systems and methods presented herein provide for qualifying assets for insertion into selected COD content. In one embodiment, a system is operable to select from a plurality of assets for insertion into a Content On Demand (COD) content selection. The system includes an interface operable to process a request for asset insertion into the COD content selection to extract information of the COD content selection including a provider of the COD content selection (e.g., a head end). The system also includes an asset qualification module operable to communicate with the provider of the COD content selection to validate the request, to analyze the information of the COD content selection to validate the assets for insertion into the COD content selection, and to remove one or more of the assets from insertion selection based on the validation of the assets.
US09398329B2

A system may include a video link and a hybrid link that connects a transmitting device to the receiving device, and at least one intermediate hop between the transmitting device and the receiving device. The intermediate hop may be configured to relay video content from the video source to the video sink through the hybrid link using one or more data relay modes. The hybrid link may be configured to perform hybrid link control signaling (HLCS) to manage a physical layer of the hybrid link. The video link between the video source and the video sink may be configured to transmit a video stream the from video source to the video sink over one or more video lanes. A video link training may be implemented for the video link and the hybrid link.
US09398323B2

A resident application and a second application are provided in a set-top terminal to receive a TV broadcast service and network personal video recorder (NPVR) service, respectively. The resident application is suspended in favor of the second application when a user changes from a broadcast channel to an NPVR enabled channel, and vice versa. In an embodiment where a digital video recorder (DVR) set-top terminal is used, a DVR server therein provides trick mode functions (pause, rewind and fast-forward) before an NPVR session, e.g., a Look Back session, is established. In another embodiment, during an NPVR session the DVR server plays back recorded programming content downloaded from a communications network, and provides trick mode functions as well.
US09398314B2

Architecture for enhancing the compression (e.g., luma, chroma) of a video signal and improving the perceptual quality of the video compression schemes. The architecture operates to reshape the normal multimodal energy distribution of the input video signal to a new energy distribution. In the context of luma, the algorithm maps the black and white (or contrast) information of a picture to a new energy distribution. For example, the contrast can be enhanced in the middle range of the luma spectrum, thereby improving the contrast between a light foreground object and a dark background. At the same time, the algorithm reduces the bit-rate requirements at a particular quantization step size. The algorithm can be utilized also in post-processing to improve the quality of decoded video.
US09398313B2

The invention relates to coding of depth information for multi-view video coding. Different parameters and/or any features from picture encoding or the encoded and reconstructed pictures may be used in the coding of the depth information, especially in filtering the depth picture using e.g. a loop filter in the depth coding loop. The same principle may be applied in decoding, that is, the decoded (texture) pictures and parameters may be used to control the decoding of the depth data, e.g. to control the filtering of the depth data in a loop filter. Parameters and data that may be used as such control may comprise features extracted from the reconstructed pictures, the encoded video data and parameters, the motion estimation data and others.
US09398307B2

A system for decoding a video bitstream includes receiving a frame of the video that includes at least one slice and at least one tile and where each of the at least one slice and the at least one tile are not all aligned with one another. Each of the at least one tile is characterized that it is decoded independently of the other the at least one tile including intra-prediction information, motion information. The system receives a set of data from a set of largest coding unit of at least two of the tiles and decoding the largest coding units in a selected manner depending upon a flag in the bitstream. The flag indicates that the decoding is to be performed in a raster scan order within a tile or the decoding is to be performed in a raster scan order across at least two tiles.
US09398303B2

A method and apparatus for signaling and receiving a video signal for processing is disclosed. Methods for determining a most probable mode for predicting a current prediction block are provided as well as new methods for grouping intra prediction modes into prediction groups. Methods for predicting a prediction block of video data as well as signaling intra prediction modes are also provided.
US09398295B2

Disclosed are an Unequal Error Protection (UEP) apparatus and method thereof for transmitting various types of uncompressed video signals in a broadband high frequency wireless system. The UEP apparatus may include a UEP transmission controller to verify a bit separation point of separating a color depth and priority for each pixel element being composed of a video data pixel when video data is inputted, and to control an error correction coding of correcting relatively many errors to be used in information with a high priority for each pixel element, a bit separator to separate the video data pixel through a control of the UEP transmission controller based on the priority for each pixel element, and a channel coding unit to use a corresponding error correction coding through the control of the UEP transmission controller based on the priority for each pixel element.
US09398290B2

Provided is a stereoscopic image display device and the like with which the issues of a CT-image and pseudoscopic view by the 3D crosstalk can be overcome so that a sense of discomfort is not felt by the observer even when the observing position of the observer is shifted without giving a sense of discomfort by a drastic change in the parallax value, in which an image processing unit includes: a relative position calculating unit which calculates a relative position of a stereoscopic display panel with respect to the measured observing position of the observer; a parallax adjustment amount calculating unit which calculates a parallax adjustment amount suited for stereoscopic image display according to the relative position; and a parallax adjustment processing unit which performs parallax adjustment processing on image data according to the parallax adjustment amount.
US09398287B2

An electronic device (100) includes a depth sensor (120), a first imaging camera (114, 116), and a controller (802). The depth sensor (120) includes a modulated light projector (119) to project a modulated light pattern (500). The first imaging camera (114, 116) is to capture at least a reflection of the modulated light pattern (500). The controller (802) is to selectively modify (1004) at least one of a frequency, an intensity, and a duration of projections of the modulated light pattern by the modulated light projector responsive to at least one trigger event (1002). The trigger event can include, for example, a change (1092) in ambient light incident on the electronic device, detection (1094) of motion of the electronic device, or a determination (1096) that the electronic device has encountered a previously-unencountered environment.
US09398285B2

A method and device for producing and capturing three dimensional (“3D”) images by utilizing a matrix of reflex micro lens assemblies (“3DRML”) is provided. Each comprises a housing having a base structure, lateral walls surrounding the base structure, an open end defined by the walls, flex mirror assembly at the base structure and dual diode (or photodiodes (“PDs”) for capturing) projecting assembly. The projecting assembly has a parallax barrier extending from about the center of the mirror assembly and dividing it into two portions, and at least two light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) (or PD) affixed to the barrier away from the mirror assembly. LEDs project light to the mirror assembly (or PDs receive lights therefrom). Two lens assemblies at the open end correct and redirect the directions of light rays. PD (or LED), facing directly to the open end, may be added to capture (or produce) two dimensional images.
US09398283B2

An apparatus and method of using a security system are provided. The method includes the steps of providing a two-dimensional map of geographical features of a secured area on a display, arranging a respective icon for each of a plurality of security sensors on the map, wherein a relative location of the respective icon of each of the plurality of security sensors on the two-dimensional map indicates the relative location of the sensor with respect to each of the geographical features of the map and wherein the respective icon of each of the plurality of sensors that is activated is shown highlighted on the map and providing an adjustable time control device with a time indicator on the map, the time control device causing each of the plurality of icons to enter a highlighted state during each concurrence in time between the activated state of the corresponding sensor and the time indicator.
US09398278B2

A method of operation of a graphical display system includes: generating a first registration point of an adaptive alignment image; calculating the adaptive alignment image having a first alignment point with a known location relative to the first registration point; projecting a projected image, having a first projected registration point, with the adaptive alignment image for displaying on a display surface with the first alignment point is a first projected alignment point on the display surface; calculating an adjustment for the adaptive alignment image using a relative location between the first alignment point and the first registration point, and the first projected alignment point and the first projected registration point, respectively; and creating an apparent image as an adaptive keystone corrected perception of the projected image by modifying the display image with the adjustment for displaying from a projector device.
US09398277B2

A projection type display device includes projection means that projects an input image, representing an object on a background and that corresponds to an input video signal, onto a projection surface on which a user writes information, and processing means that, upon receiving a photographing instruction, stops projection by the projection means and photographs the projection surface to generate a photographed image, and detects the difference between the color of the background in the input image and the color of the projection surface in the photographed image, to generate a corrected image by correcting the color of the input image or the photographed image so as to reduce the difference, and generates a recorded image by superimposing the corrected image on the remaining input image or the photographed image.
US09398261B1

A flip signal is received from a first device, at a signaling server, during a video chat between the first device and a second device. The flip signal indicates that media packets from the second device intended for the first device are to be sent to a third device. Responsive to the signaling server receiving the flip signal, the signaling server sends a call request to the third device; and the signaling server sends a message to the second device to cause the second device to send the media packets to the third device. In another aspect, at the first device, during the video chat, a gesture is detected which indicates that media packets from the second device intended for the first device are to be sent to the third device; and, responsive to the detecting, the flip signal is sent.
US09398257B2

Described herein are methods and systems for assigning a plurality of endpoints of a video conference system to a plurality of encoders located on a server of the video conference system. At least a first group of the endpoints is assigned to first one of the encoders, and at least a second group of the endpoints, the second group disjoint from the first group, is assigned to a second one of the encoders.
US09398254B2

Disclosed are a method for implementing telepresence technology and a telepresence device. The method comprises: a first telepresence device establishes a communication connection with a second telepresence device, wherein the first telepresence device performs a first capability negotiation with the second telepresence device during the communication connection establishment; the first telepresence device performs a TIP capability negotiation with the second telepresence device; the first telepresence device and the second telepresence device determine, according a result of the first capability negotiation and a result of the TIP capability negotiation, an audio and video coding/decoding mode used in the following communication; and the first telepresence device communicates with the second telepresence device according to the determined audio and video coding/decoding mode. The disclosure solves a technical problem in the prior art that new audio and video coding/decoding modes cannot be used because content of a TIP protocol is not updated in time.
US09398252B2

Disclosed is an information processing apparatus including: a motion information generating unit that obtains information on a first user's motion, and generates first motion information; a transmitting unit that receives, from other information processing apparatus via a transmission line, second motion information on a second user; a motion detecting unit that detects first and a second kinds of motion corresponding respectively to the first and second motion information; a delay detecting unit that detects a transmission delay on the transmission line between the information processing apparatuses; a judging unit that judges whether modifying an object, which represents the second user's motion based on the second motion information, is necessary or not based on the first and second kinds of motion and the transmission delay; a modifying unit that modifies the second motion information; and an object generating unit that generates the object based on the second motion information.
US09398249B2

A motion estimation system comprises: an initializing module generating a first initial motion field by allocating an initial motion vector to each block of a first motion field related to a first motion change of an image which accompanies a change from an (n−1)-th frame to an n-th frame and generating a second initial motion field allocating an initial motion vector to each block of a second motion field related to a second motion change of the image which accompanies a change from the n-th frame to the (n−1)-th frame; and a candidate test module generating first and second random motion fields based on a similarity function and each block of each of the first and second initial motion fields and random motion vectors, generating first and second spatial propagation motion fields based on the similarity function, and generating first and second optimum motion fields based on the similarity function.
US09398243B2

A display apparatus is provided, which includes a motion recognition unit which recognizes a motion of an object that is located outside the display device, and a control unit which, when the motion of the object is recognized, determines a change amount that varies according to a motion speed or a motion distance of the object, and performs an operation which corresponds to the motion of the object according to the change amount. Accordingly, channel change or page shift can be easily performed.
US09398240B2

A method of transmitting a data stream over a communication channel, the method comprising: providing symbol sets having different numbers of symbols; modulating data in the data stream that warrant different degrees of protection against noise onto symbols from symbol sets having different numbers of symbols, wherein which symbol set given data in the stream is modulated onto is independent of symbol sets onto which other data in the data stream is modulated onto; and transmitting the symbols.
US09398238B2

A semiconductor device includes: an element array portion in which unit elements are disposed in a matrix; and a signal processing portion including a signal processing circuit executing predetermined signal processing based on unit signals outputted from the circuit elements, respectively, every column, in which a function of the signal processing circuit is controlled in such a way that power consumption of the signal processing circuit concerned corresponding to the unit elements each not required becomes lower in a phase of an element selection mode in which only information on a part of the unit pixels for one row in the element array portion is required than in a phase of a normal operation mode.
US09398235B2

Provided is a method of merging or fusing a visible image captured by a visible camera and an infrared (IR) image captured by an IR camera. The method includes: providing a first image of a subject captured by a first camera and a second image of the subject captured by a second camera; converting brightness of the second image based on brightness of the first image; and merging the first image and the second image having the converted brightness.
US09398232B2

A method and apparatus for producing special effects with a video camera with a process including: receiving successive video image frames from an image sensor; storing motion effect data defining a special effect; and producing instructions to an image stabilizer such that the following one or more video image frames will be moved in at least one of X- and Y-directions.
US09398230B2

An imaging device according to the present invention includes: an imaging circuit to obtain image data by imaging an object; an image synthesis circuit to synthesize synthesis image data using the image data; an image synthesis estimation circuit to estimate whether an object possibly to be synthesized is included or not in the image synthesis circuit; and an image capturing instruction circuit to instruct the imaging circuit to capture an image, wherein the image capturing instruction circuit instructs the imaging circuit to capture a plurality of images according to an estimation result of the image synthesis estimation circuit.
US09398229B2

In embodiments of selective illumination, an illumination system includes light sources implemented for selective illumination of a target within a field of view of an imaging system. The illumination system also includes optics that can be positioned to direct light that is generated by a subset of the light sources to illuminate a region within the field of view. An imaging application can activate the subset of the light sources and position the optics to illuminate the region within the field of view that includes the target of the selective illumination.
US09398225B2

A zoom lens including: a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power, a fourth lens unit having a negative refractive power, and a fifth lens unit having a positive refractive power in this order from an object side to an image side. During zooming, the lens units move such that an interval between adjacent lens units varies. The third lens unit includes at least two positive lenses. A partial dispersion ratio (θgF3P) of a material and the Abbe number (νd3P) of a positive lens included in the third lens unit satisfy the following conditional expressions, θgF3P−(−1.665×10−7·νd3P3+5.213×10−5·νd3P2−5.656×10−3·νd3P+0.737)>0 50.0<νd3P<100.0.
US09398217B2

One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for video stabilization and/or for image frame generation. For example, a user may instruct a video application hosted on a smart phone to capture a video at a target resolution of 1080 pixels. A padded input having a padded resolution that is larger than the target resolution may be obtained from a capture device, such as a camera of the smart phone. The padded input may be provided to a video stabilization component to obtain a target image frame having the target resolution. In this way, the video stabilization component may perform cropping using padded margin pixels (e.g., additional pixels of the padded input beyond the 1080 pixels of the target resolution) so that image upscaling after cropping (e.g., to account for global warping, etc.) may be mitigated to reduce blur that may otherwise result from image upscaling.
US09398208B2

According to the present invention, an imaging condition setting method includes an object discriminating step S1-1 of discriminating the object by using images, a discriminable range generating step S1-2 of generating a discriminable range that is a range of the imaging conditions under which the object is discriminable, an identification determination result range generating step S1-2 of generating an identification determination result range that is a range of the imaging conditions under which the objects are determined as identical, an imaging condition setting rule generating step S1-4 of generating an imaging condition setting rule that is a rule for changing an imaging condition by using the discriminable range and the identification determination result range, and an imaging condition setting step S2-4 of setting an imaging condition under which the object is discriminable by using the imaging condition setting rule generated by the imaging condition setting rule generating step.
US09398204B2

The invention relates to a method for connecting at least one man-machine interface for manipulating, particularly remotely manipulating, at least one data source connected to a video conferencing system within the scope of video conferences, wherein signals generated by the man-machine interface are transmitted to the video conferencing system via a transmission channel provided for controlling a video camera. The invention further relates to an arrangement comprising means for carrying out the method.
US09398202B2

An imaging device includes an imaging optical system, an image sensor, and an optical fiber bundle including optical fibers to guide light from the system to the sensor. The optical fiber bundle includes an optical fibers first and second pair, each pair having two optical fibers that are adjacent in a meridional direction. In the first and second pair of optical fibers, a first value, which is a value representing a ratio of a distance component in the meridional direction between the optical fibers centers along a light-exit surface to a distance component in the meridional direction between optical fibers centers along a light-incident surface, is greater than one. The optical fibers second pair is located farther from an optical system optical axis than the optical fibers first pair. The first value in the optical fibers second pair is greater than the first value in the optical fibers first pair.
US09398199B2

An image capture apparatus comprises an imaging optical system, an image sensor, a pupil division unit which limits a light beam entering each pixel on the image sensor to a specific pupil area of the imaging optical system, an incident angle determination unit which determines an incident angle to each pixel on the image sensor, an image shift unit which shifts an electric signal obtained from the image sensor, based on the incident angle determined by the incident angle determination unit and a position of a plane on which image generation is performed, and an image generation unit which synthesizes electric signals obtained from the image shift unit.
US09398195B2

A function of performing printing with color material usage reduced compared to normal printing is provided. Image data to be printed is analyzed to obtain attribute information of each object. A conversion technique to be applied to each object is determined from a plurality of image data conversion processing techniques for color material usage reduction based on the attribute information of the object. A conversion process is performed using the determined conversion technique. Here, the image data conversion processing techniques include at least a print density reduction process and an image size decrease process.
US09398194B2

In a case where density adjustment is performed on a plurality of density ranges, adjustment setting values of adjacent density ranges affect one another, and therefore, tone reversal occurs depending on adjustment setting values. Consequently, control points to be used are determined in accordance with a combination of density ranges to be adjusted of the plurality of density ranges. Further, a density level at an intermediate point in a density range to be adjusted is adjusted based on an adjustment level of the density range to be adjusted. Then, by performing interpolation between the control points to be used including an intermediate point whose density level is adjusted, density characteristics data indicative of density characteristics is generated and then density adjustment of image data is performed.
US09398186B2

In an image forming device, a light-guiding member includes an integrated ridge extending in the longitudinal direction of the light-guiding member. The light-guiding member further includes a protrusion on the ridge. The illuminating device includes an attachment recess that holds the light-guiding member and a holder member that has a fit portion to which a protrusion is fitted. The protrusion is disposed at a position decentered to one end portion of the light-guiding member in the longitudinal direction of the light-guiding member.
US09398184B2

Provided is a responding apparatus that receives information request data from a network in a normal mode and in a standby mode. The normal mode response data making part makes response data in the normal mode. In the normal mode, the response data information accumulating part accumulates the information of the made response data in the memory part. The response data information accumulating part sets changing information associated with changing, when the information of the accumulated response data is changed. When shifting from the normal mode to the standby mode, a changed response data making requests information of the changed response data to the normal mode response data making part. In the standby mode, the standby mode response data making part makes response data by using the information of the made response data and the information of the accumulated response data.
US09398183B2

An image forming apparatus has a judgment portion, a job control portion, and an operation portion. When print data is received by a reception portion, the judgment portion checks whether or not a detection portion is outputting a detection signal. When the detection portion is found to be outputting the detection signal, the job control portion inhibits a printing portion from executing the print job for the print data received by the reception portion and instead stores the print data in a storage portion. The operation portion accepts an instruction to print for an image represented by the print data stored in the storage portion. When the instruction is entered on the operation portion, the job control portion makes the printing portion execute a print job for the print data stored in the storage portion.
US09398180B2

A portable terminal apparatus includes an access portion that enables access to an information processing apparatus; an image obtaining portion that obtains an image of a character input tool, a transmitter that transmits the image of the character input tool to the information processing apparatus; a receiver that receives touched key information from the information processing apparatus, and a character identification portion that identifies a character on the basis of the touched key information received by the receiver, wherein the image obtaining portion obtains a different image of the character input tool upon each change to a screen appearance of the character input tool or upon each receipt of the touched key information and the transmitter transmits the different image of the character input tool and character information to the information processing apparatus.
US09398175B2

Systems and methods of using the system for obtaining an image of a user and survey data from the user are disclosed. The system comprises a processor, a digital imaging device in communication with the processor, at least one input device in communication with the processor, at least one output device in communication with the processor, and software executing on the processor. The software prompts the user to enter an answer to at least one survey question through the input device, directs the digital imaging device to obtain at least one image of the user upon receiving the answer and outputs the at least one image to the output device.
US09398158B2

A system that supports multiple contact centers includes a communications network that is coupled between a private network (e.g. MPLS network) and a remote computing environment (e.g. cloud environment). A server system in the remote computing environment monitors health of different network segments (e.g. bandwidth of the connection between the communications network and the remote computing environment, bandwidth of a link used by a tenant to access the private network, etc.). When it is determined that quality of service for voice conversations for one or more contact centers is at risk due to a health status parameter of a network segment reaching a threshold, an appropriate system reaction is triggered. The system reaction may be to offload future calls to a peer remote computing environment to service future calls. The system reaction may also be to cancel outbound campaigns, provide pre-determined “sorry” messages, and the like.
US09398157B2

The methods, apparatus, and systems described herein facilitate optimizing routing decisions. The methods include retrieving and/or predicting a profile of a current customer and future customers, determining which agents are currently available and which agents are expected to be available, and providing a routing recommendation based on the profile retrieval or prediction for the current customer and the future customers, and the currently available agents' and expected available agents' proficiency at handling customers with the retrieved and/or predicted profiles.
US09398127B2

A portable terminal includes a case, a display unit having a display screen exposed from a front surface of the case, and a skin-condition measurement sensor accommodated in the case. The skin-condition measurement sensor includes a measurement unit provided on the front surface of the case. The portable terminal can be carried and operate easily.
US09398126B2

A push-to-talk headset can include one or more user-actuatable switches, user-actuatable adjustment devices or the like that are electrically coupled to a pulse generator circuit. Responsive to detected state transitions of the one or more user-actuatable switches, user-actuatable adjustment devices or the like, a number of signals comprising a number of pulses may be communicated to a portable electronic device communicably coupled to the push-to-talk headset. At least a first of these signals having a first number of pulses may be used to place the portable electronic device in a push-to-talk mode. At least a second of these signals having a second number of pulses may be used by the operating system to remove the portable electronic device from the push-to-talk mode.
US09398123B2

Systems and methods for aggregation of multiple physical protocol data units are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of transmitting a physical layer packet to a plurality of wireless devices is disclosed. The method includes generating a physical layer packet, the packet including a plurality of payloads, wherein at least one of the payloads comprises first data addressed to a first device and second data addressed to a second device, and wherein each payload is preceded by at least a signal field in the physical layer packet, and transmitting the physical layer packet.
US09398108B2

A message distribution center (MDC) and Intelligent Delivery Agent are implemented in a wireless Internet gateway interposed between content providers and a wireless carrier to subjectively examine and direct messages via SMTP based on desired rules (non-peak hours, paying subscribers only, etc.) using standard SMTP Gateway and other well-known protocols. The MDC includes an individual queue for each subscriber, and the provider is informed through conventional SMTP protocol messages that the short message has been accepted. If the carrier has specifically disallowed service for a particular MIN (in the case of churning), then the content provider is informed through an SMTP interchange that the recipient is invalid.
US09398105B2

The invention provides a method for providing a third party service associated with a network-accessible site. The method includes providing a client-side script which is configured to be installed on a client-side application. The client-side script gathers information associated with the network-accessible site in response to access of the network-accessible site via the client-side application. The information associated with the network-accessible site includes content published on the network-accessible site and user behavior data associated with access of the network-accessible site. Based on the information gathered using the client-side script, the third party service provider can provide users with one or more services.
US09398104B2

In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and edges, receiving a set of scored results from a user that include results generated by a search algorithm in response to a query from the user and a score for each result, where each result corresponds to a node of the social graph, calculating a gain for each result based on the score of the result, and modifying the search algorithm based on the calculated gain.
US09398102B2

A computer-implemented method for accessing a hosted service on client devices is described. The client devices include client software that uses a remotely delivered policy to redirect network requests for hosted services to a server to enforce visibility, policy and data security for network delivered services. The method can be used in conjunction with existing VPN and proxy solutions, but provides distinct additional functionality, particularly suited to corporate needs. Policies allow entities to centralize enforcement of service-specific restrictions across networks and communication channels, e.g. only certain users can download client records from a service—irrespective of the network used to access the service.
US09398094B2

When a checkpoint comes, the control section selects some of a plurality of small areas which are transfer targets in the memory as small areas to be transferred to the outside of the own computer through the save area (indirect transfer small areas), and selects the others as small areas to be transferred to the outside of the own computer not through the save area (direct transfer small areas). Within a period in which updating from the own computer to the memory is suspended, the control section copies stored data in the small areas selected as the indirect transfer small areas from the memory to the save area with use of the copy section, and in parallel to the copying, transfers stored data in the small areas selected as the direct transfer small areas from the memory to the outside of the own computer with use of the communication section.
US09398084B2

An information processing system includes multiple network segments to which one or more information processors are connectable. The network segments includes a first network segment to which at least one first information processor configured to store predetermined information is connected, a second network segment to which at least one second information processor is connected, and a third network segment to which at least one third information processor is connected. The second network segment includes multiple predefined application programming interface (API)s, and the at least one second information processor executes a process corresponding to a called one of the APIs using the predetermined information stored in the at least one first information processor. In response to receiving a request from outside the information processing system, the at least one third information processor controls a process corresponding to the request by calling one of the APIs which corresponds to the request.
US09398074B2

A network system enables controlling an image input device without requiring a driver that depends on the computer environment. A client terminal has a component that acquires a web page having an embedded scanner control script that controls image input from a scanner; a component that sends an image acquisition request through an interface board to the scanner as controlled by the scanner control script; and a component that gets an image from the scanner as a response to the image acquisition request as controlled by the scanner control script. The interface board receives the image acquisition request, and sends the image scanned by the scanner based on the received image acquisition request to the client terminal.
US09398072B2

In a KVM system, a system provides for USB devices to be accessed by target computers. A KVM switch connects a client with a target server via a network, the client computer having at least one device attached thereto. A second mechanism connects to a USB port of the target and communicates with the target using a USB protocol. A client mechanism communicates with the second mechanism via the network. A virtual media mechanism enables the target server to access the USB device attached to the client.
US09398061B2

Described are systems and methods for simulating a traditional television experience with streamed on-demand content. Streamed content may be buffered to allow a user to preview content even when the content is not organized in a traditional numbered channel format. A user may progress through a series of content items (e.g. simulated channel up/down) in order to preview the on-demand content without having to unduly wait for each content item to load and/or buffer.
US09398056B2

Systems and methods for the pairing of room systems, and other systems that lack portability and a convenient user interface, to videoconferences are disclosed herein. In one embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, a user initiates room system pairing from his or her device. For example, the user can press a button on a remote control associated with the room system to set the system to pairing mode. The room system can register with a server that is controlling the videoconferencing system, which in turn can display the room system in a list of available room systems on the user's device. The user can have the option to select the particular room system, instructing the server to add the room system to the conference.
US09398055B2

The concept of a secure call indicator is introduced. In general, the secure call indicator is capable of inspecting the security of signaling associated with Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) messages and comparing the security with media descriptions of the actual media path of the SIP messages. Furthermore, the secure call indicator may be configured to indicate the security associated with a communication session via a physical or virtual notification system.
US09398045B2

A network device records IP addresses and MAC addresses of a plurality of CPEs to form an address mapping table, sends first ARP request packets to the plurality of CPEs according to the IP addresses in the address mapping table, and receives first ARP response packets. The network device compares the MAC addresses in the first ARP response packets with the corresponding MAC addresses in the address mapping table to identify an unusual MAC address. The network device generates a plurality of IP addresses randomly, sends second ARP request packets according to the plurality of IP addresses, and receives second ARP response packets. In response to a MAC address in the second ARP response packets being same with the unusual MAC address, the network device blocks packets transmission corresponding to the unusual MAC address.
US09398044B2

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for detecting an attack on a server. The method comprises: calculating interval time after a current request is received by the server, wherein the interval time is interval time between a time when a previous request is received and a time when the current request is received, or interval time between a time when a previous request, of a same type as a type of the current request, is received and the time when the current request is received, or interval time between a time when a previous response to the previous request, of the same type as the type of the current request is sent by the server and a time when a response to the current request is sent by the server; calculating a baseline moving average of interval time and a trigger moving average of interval time according to the calculated interval time, wherein the baseline moving average reflects a change of interval time in a long history period, and the trigger moving average reflects a change of interval time in a recent period; and when a ratio of the baseline moving average to the trigger moving average is larger than a first threshold, determining there is an attack on the server.
US09398043B1

An intrusion detection system inspects encapsulated packet flows and, upon detecting a malicious encapsulated packet flow, may close an encapsulated network session corresponding to the malicious flow or drop sub-packets of the malicious flow without acting against non-malicious sub-packets and/or sessions. In one example, a network device includes a flow analysis module that receives a packet flow packets, each packet comprising a packet header and one or more sub-packets each corresponding to respective network sessions, an attack detection module that identifies at least one of the network sessions as a malicious network session, a policy action module that executes a policy action on the sub-packet corresponding to the malicious network session based on the identification of the malicious network session, and a forwarding component that forms a reconstructed packet comprising the packet header and the sub-packets excluding the sub-packet corresponding to the malicious network session and forwards the reconstructed packet.
US09398040B2

Disclosed herein is an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) false positive detection apparatus and method. An IDS false positive detection apparatus includes a payload extraction unit for extracting payloads by dividing each packet corresponding to an IDS detection rule into a header and a payload. A false positive payload information generation unit generates false positive payload information required to identify a false positive payload by extracting a payload of a false positive packet based on results of packet analysis received from a manager. A false positive payload determination unit transmits results of a determination of whether each payload extracted by the payload extraction unit corresponds to a false positive payload, based on the false positive payload information, to the manager.
US09398034B2

Disclosed herein is a system and method for automatically identifying potential malware files or benign files in files that are not known to be malware. Vector distances for select features of the files are compared to vectors both known malware files and benign files. Based on the distance measures a malware score is obtained for the unknown file. If the malware score exceeds a threshold a researcher may be notified of the potential malware, or the file may be automatically classified as malware if the score is significantly high.
US09398027B2

A data detecting method and apparatus for a firewall device connected with a network to identify security threat in the data, where the method is implemented by a fast forwarder in the firewall device and includes: the fast forwarder receives application data; obtains application information in the received application data; determines an application protocol type corresponding to the application data according to the application information and an application identifying table; queries a configuration item for threat detection according to the application protocol type to determine whether the application data requires threat detection; and if the application data does not require threat detection, forwarding the application data. The data detecting method avoids a problem that performance of a firewall is degraded because all application data is sent to a detecting processor in the firewall device for detection, thereby improving an performance of the firewall device.
US09398022B2

Systems and methods are provided for controlling access via a computer network to a subscriber server. A log-in server receives a query to connect through the computer network to the subscriber server, and the log-in server receives registrant identification data, A first session is established between the log-in server and the subscriber server to validate the registrant identification data, and to generate a session password. A second session is established between the log-in server and the subscriber server. The second session is configured to authorize, based in part on the registrant identification data, access to at least a portion of a website associated with the subscriber server.
US09398020B2

A method and system for graduated security in an identity management system utilize differing levels of time sensitivity, channel security and authentication security to provide a multi-dimensional approach to providing the right fit for differing identity requests. The differing levels of security can be selected by user preference, membersite request or homesite policy.
US09398018B2

Methods for use with computing devices implementing a plurality of nodes of a ring-shaped overlay network. A joining node implemented by a joining computing device requests a connection with a bootstrap one of the plurality of nodes. In response, the bootstrap node sends a handshake identifier to the joining node. The joining node loads one or more portions of selected software code as a byte stream, and performs an operation (e.g., a hash function) on the handshake identifier and the byte stream to determine a first value. The joining node transmits the first value to the bootstrap node. The bootstrap node compares the first value to a second value. When the first and second values are identical, the bootstrap node validates the joining node. When the first and second values are not identical, the bootstrap node rejects the joining node thereby preventing the joining node from joining the overlay network.
US09398014B2

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method, a system, and a computer program product for validating a location resource, e.g., a hyperlink, embedded in a message for one or more recipients. The method includes receiving, by a computing node in a distributed computing environment and from a messaging application on a remote client computer, an identifier of a user profile and a location resource. The location resource is embedded in a message and that indicates a path to a computing resource outside of the remote client computer. The method also includes querying a repository in the distributed computing environment to obtain access permission information about the location resource. The method also includes determining, based upon the access permission information about the location resource, whether the user profile has access permission for the location resource.
US09398013B2

A system and method for allowing a user to access enterprise resources comprising authentication devices and an authentication server. The authentication devices allow a user to enter authentication data. The authentication server is in communication with the authentication devices. The authentication server comprises a policy database storing a policy. The policy comprises guidelines including a first guideline establishes a qualification necessary for the user to access enterprise resources and a second guideline establishes a qualification necessary for the user to activate a silent signal. The authentication server is adapted to request assistance for the user if the silent signal is activated.
US09398008B2

A data decoding system can comprise one or more computers communicatively coupled to a network. The computers can execute at least one decoding process. The decoding process can be configured, responsive to receiving a decoding request comprising an image of decodable indicia, to locate the decodable indicia within the image, and to decode the decodable indicia into a decoded message. The decoding process can be further configured, responsive to completing a decoding operation, to transmit to the client the decoded message and/or the decoding operation completion code.
US09398007B1

A wearable computing device, such as a wearable credit card type device or a wearable identification type device, that provides for deferred re-authentication that a user currently in possession of the wearable computing device is indeed the authorized user. In this aspect, the wearable computing device may store authentication data input by the user when network connection is unavailable, and transmit the authentication data when the network becomes available. For increased security, location information may also be incorporated so that the re-authentication may only occur within a limited number of geographic locations.
US09398005B1

A method is used in managing seed provisioning. An authentication device having a device value is provisioned with a seed value. The seed value and device value are provided. Based on the seed value and the device value, the method prepares to authenticate the authentication device.
US09398000B2

Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for providing authentication using previously-validated authentication credentials. An exemplary apparatus is configured to receive a request to access a framework application, request, from a user, one or more authentication credentials corresponding to a primary level of user authentication, receive and validate the one or more authentication credentials, create, using the framework application, an authentication token based at least partially on the validation of the primary level of user authentication, wherein the authentication token is accessible by a plurality of applications, receive a request, from the user, to access one or more non-framework applications; and authenticate the one or more non-framework applications, where authenticating the non-framework applications requires accessing the authentication token created by the framework application such that the authentication is at least partially based on the primary level of user authentication.
US09397997B2

A method of securing an industrial control system includes operating the industrial control system in an open mode, wherein communications between a plurality of devices of the industrial control system are unencrypted when the industrial control system is in the open mode. The method includes exchanging security tokens between the plurality of devices of the industrial control system. The method further includes ceasing operating the industrial control system in the open mode and instead operating the industrial control system in a secure mode, wherein the communications between the plurality of devices of the industrial control system are encrypted using the security tokens when the industrial control system is operating in the secure mode.
US09397984B1

An apparatus and method for secure file transfer may be provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a file may include a content record and a metadata record. The content record and metadata record may each be encrypted. The encrypted content record and encrypted metadata record may each be uploaded to at least one server. The metadata record may be decrypted and the content record may subsequently be called from the at least one server and decrypted, resulting in a recreation of the original file. The server may have zero knowledge of the file records.
US09397980B1

In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include receiving a registration request from a mobile device to create a credential management account for a user associated with the mobile device; generating a public key and a paired private key associated with the credential management account; transmitting a certificate signing request to a certificate authority system; receiving a digital certificate from the certificate authority system; receiving a request to retrieve a credential for the user from a credential issuing organization; transmitting a request for the credential for the user to the credential issuing organization system; receiving, from the credential issuing organization; transmitting the decrypted data to the credential issuing organization; receiving data for the credential for the user from the credential issuing organization system; and transmitting data encoding a portion of a badge representing the credential.
US09397974B1

A delivery assurance system for ensuring that people have an opportunity to view messages shared by authors to which they subscribe is disclosed. The delivery assurance system is configured to communicate with at least one author and a plurality of followers associated with the at least one author. The system in the preferred embodiment comprises a computer processor configured to receive a post from an author; transmit a first copy of the post to a plurality of users; determine if any of the plurality of users did not see the post; automatically transmit a second copy of the post to each of the plurality of users that did not see the first copy of the post; and remove the first copy of the post from a timeline of each user to which a second copy of the post was transmitted. Transmission of multiple copies of the messages, therefore, enables users to see a message regardless of when the author initially transmitted it.
US09397972B2

An electronic message is transformed into moving images uttering the content of the electronic message. Methods of the present invention may be implemented on devices such as smart phones to enable users to compose text and select an animation character which may include cartoons, persons, animals, or avatars. The recipient is presented with an animation or video of the animation character with a voice that speaks the words of the text. The user may further select and include a catch-phrase associated with the character. The user may further select a background music identifier and a background music associated with the background music identifier is played back while the animated text is being presented. The user may further select a type of animation and the animation character will be animated according to the type of animation.
US09397969B2

An electronic system (and corresponding method) for creating and managing media content involves at least one content management system (CMS) and a service. The CMS is configured to interact with at least one first-type user in order to create and manage media content for publication. The service is configured to interact with a plurality of second-type users in order to submit media content items that are associated with media content managed by the CMS and to store such media content items. Both the CMS and the service include corresponding interfaces that allow for exchange of electronic messages therebetween via network communications over the Internet, wherein the electronic messages conform to a predefined protocol.
US09397968B2

A method for processing deferred messages includes a storing process, a notification process and a retrieving process. In the storing process, when a user presets and requires to store the deferred message, the system stores the deferred message to be sent to the user; in the notification process, when a user gets online, an IM server at the client side detects the system has stored the deferred message for the user and if the user has subscribed the deferred message notification, the system sends the deferred message notification to the client according to the setting of the system or of the user; in the retrieving process, when the client receives the deferred message notification and requests to acquire the deferred message, its IM server sends the deferred message content to the client. The present invention improves the method for processing deferred messages in the SIP/SIMPLE IM service system.
US09397963B2

A system for maintaining an address book, wherein the address book includes a plurality of entries with each entry containing contact information and wherein address book updates are transmitted over a wireless network. The system includes a gateway for storing the address book and transmitting the address book updates to a wireless device.
US09397962B2

The invention pertains to a terminal for exchanging messages by placing tokens near it. The terminal comprises communication means to exchange information with a database, detection means for identifying local tokens placed near the terminal, display means for displaying remote tokens, and proximity logic configured to assert a proximity relationship between tokens or between a token and a reference point. The terminal exchanges information about the topology of its tokens and that of tokens present at other terminals via the database. The terminal displays tokens present near remote copies of the local tokens, based on information obtained from the database.
US09397932B2

A network routing system is described herein. The network routing system comprises a traffic router and a plurality of proxy gateways. The traffic router is configured to receive at least one request for a network object from a requester. The request includes a network address of a target web host. One or more proxy servers from a plurality of proxy servers are assigned to each proxy gateway. In operation, if there is a proxy server having a current connection with the target web host, the traffic router selects the proxy server and forwards the request to a proxy gateway that the proxy server is assigned to. In operation, the proxy gateway receives the request for the network object, converts the request into a translated request based on a protocol type of the proxy server, and sends the translated request to the proxy server.
US09397898B2

A system may receive a user input that identifies an optical route in an optical network, and may receive a user input that identifies a view type, where the view type includes a data channel view or a control channel view. The system may provide, based on the user input, a user interface that displays a representation of network entities associated with the optical route, a representation of an amplification capability associated with a network entity, a representation of a first parameter associated with the network entity, where the representation of the first parameter is based on the user input, a representation of optical links that connect the network entities, where the optical links indicate an optical transmission direction between two network entities, and a representation of a second parameter associated with an optical link, where the representation of the second parameter is based on the user input.
US09397892B2

A server is paired. A pairing request that includes a pairing key is received from an unpaired server. A determination is made regarding whether to approve or reject the pairing request. Making the determination comprises attempting to validate the pairing key in the pairing request. Responsive to determining to approve the pairing request: the unpaired server is notified that the unpaired server is now a managed server; a description of the managed server is generated, wherein the managed server description includes a set of one or more labels that describe the managed server; management instructions are generated for the managed server based on the managed server description and based on an administrative domain-wide management policy that includes a rule that refers to managed servers using a label; and the management instructions are sent to the managed server.
US09397891B2

A system includes a wireless access network, a gateway that controls communications between the wireless access network and a packet data network, and a policy-charging-and-rule-function (PCRF). The PCRF includes a routing agent in communication with the gateway and a group of multi-media processing engines (MPEs) that are associated with the routing agent. The routing agent receives from the gateway a request to establish a session for a piece of user equipment, and selects one of the MPEs to handle the session based on an IMSI of the piece of user equipment. The routing agent maintains a table indexed by IP address, and makes an entry therein that points to the selected MPE.
US09397888B2

It is presented a user equipment (20), UE for assisting a centralized initialization of a radio access node (10). The UE (20) comprises a communication interface (22) arranged for wireless communication, a processor (23) and a memory (24) for storing a software package comprising computer program code. When the software package is run in the processor (23) it causes the user equipment (20) to collect configuration data useable for the centralized initialization of the radio access node (10). The UE (20) establishes a communication link with a centralized server (50) and communicates the collected configuration data to the centralized server (50) via the established communication link. Also a corresponding centralized server (50) for assisting the centralized initialization of the radio access node is presented. Furthermore corresponding methods, computer programs and computer program products are disclosed.
US09397886B2

In a multi-tenancy information processing system, a necessary setting change item and a target NW device are specified at the time of changing a configuration of a virtual machine of a tenant. A management server 116 includes a device management table 352 for each tenant and each segment, in which an NW setting item set for a network (NW) device is stored for each of the NW devices corresponding to the segment of the tenant, in advance. The management server 116 receives a configuration change request including type information on a request representing addition, deletion, or movement of the virtual machine, an identifier of a target tenant, and an identifier of a target segment.
US09397879B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, apparatus and method for address management in a distributed mobile core network. The apparatus includes a user equipment for managing multiple addresses for connecting at least one application client of the user equipment to a respective application server via at least one network. The user equipment includes a mobile address unit configured to manage a principal address, a local macro network (LMN) address, and a local area network (LAN) address. The principal address is used for data transmissions of a first type, the LMN address is used for data transmissions of a second type, and the LAN address is used for data transmission of a third type.
US09397876B2

A method and apparatus of synchronization and frame structure determination of a base station are disclosed. One method includes the base station determining an initial frame structure including an active region and a dummy region, wherein the regions are sets of OFDM symbols. The base station receives timing information from at least one of a mobile station and a second base station, wherein the mobile station is simultaneously communicating with the base station and the second base station. The base station adjusts its frame structure based at least in part on the timing information, wherein adjusting its frame structure includes at least one of adjusting the active region and the dummy region. The base station adjusts its internal timing to improve synchronization with the second base station based on the timing error information.
US09397874B2

A method and a radio base station for interleaving control channel data to be transmitted in a telecommunications system are described. The method comprises grouping the control channel elements CCE1-CCEn into a first order of control channel symbol groups, adding symbol groups comprising dummy values or zeros to the first order of control channel symbol groups based on a number of available symbol group positions for the shared control channel, interleaving the first order of the control channel symbol groups resulting in an a second order, and mapping the second order of control channel symbol groups to the available control channel transmission resources.
US09397870B2

A signal receiving device for measuring a characteristic of a wireless communication channel is provided. The signal receiving device includes an analog signal processor, an analog-digital converter, and a digital signal processor. The analog signal processor generates a band-limited signal by decreasing an intensity of a signal having an image frequency in a correlation operation result signal being a result of correlation operation, and generates an intermediate frequency signal by transforming the band-limited signal. The analog-digital converter converts the intermediate frequency signal into a digital signal. The digital signal processor generates a demodulated signal by performing in-phase/quadrature-phase modulation on the digital signal, the demodulated signal including a baseband signal, which includes a direct current component, and signals repeated at constant frequency intervals with a same bandwidth as the baseband signal, and generates an impulse response signal by decreasing intensities of the repeated signals in the demodulated signal.
US09397866B2

Example embodiments are directed to methods of reducing inter-cell interference in wireless networks using successive interference cancellation (SIC). Example embodiments use inter-cell cooperation between cells and/or sectors to successfully decode their associated users' data signals and pass on the decoded data signals to other cells/sectors in order to reduce inter-cell interference and allow for improved decoding of users' data signals. Example embodiments include passing the decoded data signals via the backhaul. Example embodiments also include static and dynamic ordering of user data signals in conjunction with the application of SIC.
US09397863B2

A cellular telecommunications network for facilitating communication connections for terminals having token identification modules, the network including: a location register for receiving requests to access the network and, if the requests are associated with a token identification module, redirecting the requests; a token register which receives redirected requests, generates connection identification data and transmits the connection identification data to the location register to identify the terminal to the location register; a network gateway component for establishing a communication between the network and the terminal in accordance with the connection identification data; and a network monitoring component for performing service management, such as a session authentication check. A network implementing the invention is capable of providing data communication sessions to terminals having identification modules that are not associated with MSISDN numbers. Embodiments described are directed to laptops and M2M terminals with embedded token identification modules.
US09397856B2

A virtual host computer is presented that includes a virtualization software platform, at least one virtual machine executed by the virtualization software platform, a private network segment configured to prevent communications with at least one external computer, a public network segment configured to facilitate communications with the at least one external computer, and a virtual routing module that is executed as a virtual image by the virtualization software platform. The virtual routing module is configured to communicate with the at least one virtual machine via the private network segment, communicate with the public network segment, and execute a tunneling layer to form a private virtual network segment between the at least one virtual machine and the at least one external computer.
US09397847B2

Techniques are provided to manage how router advertisement messages are forwarded for ultimate wireless transmission in a wireless network. In one embodiment, a multicast router advertisement message intended for a virtual local area network is converted into individual unicast router advertisement messages directed to specific wireless mobile client devices that are part of that virtual local area network. In another embodiment, router advertisement messages are routed between controllers according to the current location of a wireless mobile client device. In still other embodiments, techniques are provided to minimize the volume of the router advertisement messages sent over a wireless network, and to proactively send a unicast router advertisement message to a mobile client device that has performed a handoff, without waiting for a router solicitation message.
US09397845B2

Systems and methods for an integrated communication system for sports timing systems having a data interface, a memory and a processor. The data interface is for communicating over a data communication network. The memory includes executable instructions for operating the data interface to communicate over the data communication network and for storing participant data including participant data that includes a participant identifier for uniquely identifying each participant and participant timing data. The processor is coupled to the memory and the data interface and executes the executable instructions for operating the data interface to transmit datagram messages over a stateless packet data communication network wherein the datagram messages include multicast and unicast messages, each of which includes at least a portion of the participant data.
US09397843B2

A method configures billing processes in the network elements of data path for the transmission of packet data in a communications system. According to said method, network elements that are located between a first and a second element of the data path are configured and the packet data transmission that is associated with a terminal is carried out between the first network element and the second network element via the data path. The terminal transmits or receives the associated packet data transmission via the second network element. In a central third network element, which is not assigned to the data path, a stored billing control function generates a configuration message, which is used to configure the network elements. The configuration message is transmitted to the network elements of the data path, said network elements at least partially evaluating the configuration message for initialization and configuration purposes.
US09397840B2

In a digital certificate automatic application method, device and system, a digital certificate applicant notifies a digital certificate issuer of supported digital certificate generation methods. If a digital certificate issued by the issuer is available, then the issuer is notified of the existing digital certificate information. Otherwise, the issuer is notified of the certificate information required to be contained in a newly applied digital certificate. The issuer selects a digital certificate generation method from the digital certificate generation methods supported by the applicant, and notifies the applicant. If the applicant must apply for a new digital certificate, then the new digital certificate information is generated and the applicant is notified. Otherwise, the applicant is notified of the invalid digital certificate information. The applicant determines the digital certificate to be used according to the notification from the issuer. The present application achieves automatic application, updating and issuing of a digital certificate.
US09397836B2

Techniques for securing a device for use in or with a process plant include provisioning the device with a key generated at least in part from data indicative of necessary conditions and/or attributes that must be met before the device is allowed access to a network of the process plant. Upon initialization, the device determines, based on the key, whether or not the necessary conditions are met, and the device isolates itself or accesses the process control network accordingly. Keys and the necessary conditions/attributes indicated therein may be based on, for example, location, time, context, customer, supplier, particular plant, manufacturer, user, data type, device type, and/or other criteria. Additionally, sub-keys associated with a key may be generated from another set of necessary conditions/attributes. Sub-keys may be provided by a different entity than the key provider entity.
US09397830B2

A method and system is disclosed for encrypting and decrypting data, with decryption contingent upon user-defined conditions being met. The encryption process comprises a method for using pointers to indicate the locations and sizes of encryption components, utilizing randomly determined patterns to be used for a random number of characters of text data being encrypted. For each randomly determined block of text, a randomly determined pattern is selected, which specifies how to combine the encryption components, including the shuffled and encrypted text, and references to that block's seed key, the size and composition of which are randomly determined. Decryption comprises of a methodology for reversing the process to decode encrypted text, iteratively extracting the decryption components in accordance with the pattern indicator identified for each block of encrypted text, as determined by the pointers, and dependent upon satisfying all user-defined conditions necessary to enable decryption.
US09397820B2

Radio devices having separate transmission and reception reflectors for transmitting and receiving wireless signals that detect interference in a transmission channel and may be automatically or manually switch duplexing schemes when reflections, radar or other interference is detected. These devices typically include both a transmission antenna reflector and a receiving transmitter reflector, which may be connected or formed of a single housing, that are operatively coupled to radio circuitry for transmission and reception of wireless signals. Interference, and particularly reflected signals between the transmitter and receiver, are avoided by including a detector coupled to either (or both) reflectors that monitors the transmitting frequency channel; reflections and/or radar signals may be detected and may trigger switching (manual or automatic switching) to a different duplexing modes such as frequency-division duplexing (FDD), time-division duplexing (TDD), etc.
US09397818B2

A radio base station communicates with mobile terminals and is configured to be able to execute radio transmission to the mobile terminals using resources that are the same as resources used by a second radio base station forming a second cell having a smaller area within a first cell formed by the radio base station itself and is configured to collaborate with the second radio base station for inter-cell interference control. The radio base station sets a modulation system having a modulation level that is less than that of the modulation system provisionally determined as the modulation system for mobile terminals to which a resource group having a low transmission power is assigned and adjusts transmission parameters in a case in which the modulation system provisionally determined for the mobile terminals to which the resource group having the low transmission power is assigned, is inappropriate for the low transmission power.
US09397809B2

In a terminal, a control unit transmits a bundle response signal using a resource in a basic region of an uplink control channel in an uplink unit band of a unit band group when no error is detected in each of a plurality of pieces of downlink data of the unit band group, the uplink control channel in the uplink unit band being associated with a downlink control channel in a basic unit band that is a downlink unit band in which a broadcast channel signal including information relating to the uplink unit band is transmitted, and the control unit transmits the bundle response signal using a resource in an additional region of the uplink control channel when an error is detected in each of the plurality of pieces of downlink data.
US09397806B2

Techniques are disclosed for signaling a pattern of cyclic shifts and orthogonal cover codes for use by a wireless device in multi-layer transmissions. In one example method, a signal includes B bits for identifying a reference signal is received, wherein each of several available reference signals is defined by a cyclic shift and an orthogonal cover code. The B bits are used to identify the cyclic shift and orthogonal cover code according to pre-determined tables that map each value of the B bits to a pattern of cyclic shift and orthogonal cover code combinations for a multi-layer transmission scheme. The patterns for the multi-layer transmission scheme include first and second patterns based on the same cyclic shifts, but where some, but not all, of the cyclic shifts in the first pattern are associated with the same corresponding orthogonal cover codes in the second pattern.
US09397799B2

A method and apparatus is provided for transmitting an orthogonal frequency domain multiple access (OFDMA) signal including a synchronization channel signal transmitted including a plurality of sequence elements interleaved in time and frequency. The synchronization channel signal sequence elements enable an initial acquisition and cell search method with low computational load by providing predetermined time domain symmetry for common sequence elements in OFDMA symbol periods for OFDMA symbol timing detection and frequency error detection in an OFDMA system supporting multiple system bandwidths, both synchronized and un-synchronized systems, a large cell index and an OFDMA symbol structure with both short and long cyclic prefix length.
US09397793B2

A method for securely transmitting packets on a wireless link is disclosed. This method advantageously uses a type II HARQ protocol. In a first step, a first version of a packet is transmitted, so that the receiver cannot decode it. The receiver generates a couple of public and private keys, and sends back to the transmitter a negative acknowledgment as well as the public key. The transmitter then transmits a second version of the packet, encrypted using the public key. The receiver tries to decode a combination of the first and the second versions of the packet. In case of success, a positive acknowledgment is transmitted to the transmitter and, in case of failure, the retransmission process is iterated.
US09397790B2

The present invention relates to a system and method for unidirectional data transmission. Data is unidirectionally transmitted from a network having a higher security level to a network having a lower security level and a corresponding data verification result is received through a separate line. Hence, it is possible not only to physically block access to the network having a higher security level from the network having a lower security level but also to improve reliability of data delivery by appropriately handling packet loss and bit errors that may occur during data transmission.
US09397787B2

A method and an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals thereof are disclosed. The apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals comprises an encoder encoding service data, a time interleaver interleaving the encoded service data, a mapper mapping the interleaved service data into a plurality of OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex) symbols to build at least one signal frame, a frequency interleaver interleaving data in the at least one signal frame by using a different interleaving-seed which is used for every OFDM symbol pair comprised of two sequential OFDM symbols, wherein the frequency interleaver calculates an interleaving address for the different interleaving-seed based on a main-PRBS sequence and a cyclic shifting value, a modulator modulating the frequency interleaved data by an OFDM scheme and a transmitter transmitting the broadcast signals having the modulated data, wherein an interleaving-seed is generated based on a cyclic shift value and an FFT size of the modulating.
US09397777B2

A method and apparatus for authentication in a passive optical network are disclosed. In the disclosure, a first terminal serial number of an ONU and a first logic registration code are transmitted from the ONU to an OLT; if the OLT determines that the first terminal serial number does not match a second terminal serial number stored on the OLT, the OLT judges whether the first logic registration code received from the ONU matches a second logic registration code stored on the OLT; the OLT stores the first terminal serial number received from the ONU on the OLT if the first logic registration code matches the second logic registration code.
US09397773B2

A method and apparatus for obtaining content distributed to a wireless communications device is provided. The method may comprise receiving, by a wireless communications device (WCD), a first content item distributed by a first service provider, obtaining a bookmark, wherein the bookmark couples at least one WCD operation identifying item to the first content item, transmitting, from the WCD, to a second service provider, a content item request coupled to the bookmark, and receiving, from the second service provider, a second content item associated with the first content item through the transmitted content item request and the bookmark.
US09397771B2

Representations of spatial audio scenes using higher-order Ambisonics HOA technology typically require a large number of coefficients per time instant. This data rate is too high for most practical applications that require real-time transmission of audio signals. According to the invention, the compression is carried out in spatial domain instead of HOA domain. The (N+1)2 input HOA coefficients are transformed into (N+1)2 equivalent signals in spatial domain, and the resulting (N+1)2 time-domain signals are input to a bank of parallel perceptual codecs. At decoder side, the individual spatial-domain signals are decoded, and the spatial-domain coefficients are transformed back into HOA domain in order to recover the original HOA representation.
US09397770B2

A system is disclosed for providing supplemental information to a user receiving a broadcast of audio information. A radio system is used for wirelessly receiving broadcast content. The broadcast content may be provided with a signal component indicating that supplemental information is available for the broadcast content. A smartphone is in communication with the radio system. The radio system and the smartphone communicate to enable supplemental information from the smartphone to be presented to the user, upon a user selection, while the radio system buffers the broadcast content for playback after the supplemental information has concluded.
US09397766B2

Described is a calibration technique for an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) having a scalable, analog monopulse network.
US09397760B2

A communication system is provided with wireless microphones each including a first control panel, a first controller, a first codec, and a first ultrasound-based communications module, the first ultrasound-based communications module for emitting ultrasonic sound and receiving ultrasonic signals; and a wireless transceiver including a second control panel, a second controller on the second control panel for setting an operating frequency and an ID thereof and an operating frequency and an ID of each microphone, a second codec on the second control panel, and a second ultrasound-based communications module on the second control panel, the second ultrasound-based communications module. Data is sent from the transceiver to the microphone in an encrypted form and vice versa.
US09397738B2

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques that may be utilized in networks with base stations and/or mobile devices that use large number of antennas or multi-dimensional arrays of antennas. According to certain aspects, a method for wireless communications is provided. The method may be performed, for example, by a base station and generally includes mapping N physical antennas arranged in at least two dimensions to K virtual antennas, wherein K is less than N, transmitting reference signals (RS) via the K virtual antennas, and receiving, from a user equipment, feedback based on the RS transmitted on the K virtual antennas.
US09397734B2

A method of signal transmission based on differentially quantized channel information in a multi-antenna wireless communication system which can transmit signal to multiple mobile stations simultaneously through multiple transmit antennas includes a main codebook reporting step of each mobile station for quantizing channel correlation information (CCI) using a main-codebook and reporting an index of the main codebook, which corresponds to the quantized CCI, to a base station. A sub-codebook reporting step of each mobile station for quantizing the change of the CCI between the quantization interval using a sub-codebook and reporting an index of the sub-codebook, which corresponds to the quantized CCI change, to a base station. A multi-user eigen-beam transmission step of the base station for generating multiple eigen-beams using the index of the main-codebook or sub-codebook reported from mobile stations and transmitting them to multiple users simultaneously.
US09397720B2

A radio transceiver is disclosed. The transceiver comprises an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit comprises a transmit path; a first switch coupled in series with the output of the transmit path; a receive path; and a second switch coupled as a shunt with the input of the receive path. The transceiver further comprises a plurality of external matching networks coupled to the transmit and receive paths of the integrated circuit to ensure minimal loading from one path to the other. The transceiver also comprises a shared balun for converting differential signals from the plurality of external matching networks to single ended signals; and an antenna to interface with the single ended signals. A method and system in accordance with an embodiment enables tying together the transmit path and the receive paths of a radio transceiver without the need for an external T/R switch. A method and system in accordance with an embodiment minimizes the loading effects between the transmit path and the receive path such that output power and NF noise figure are not degraded after tying the transmit path and the receive path together.
US09397715B2

A method for displaying contact information and an electronic device thereof are provided. The method for displaying the contact information in the electronic device includes the operations of confirming service provider information corresponding to displayed contact information, and displaying the confirmed service provider information together with the contact information.
US09397708B2

A method and system for flexible radio communications using a wideband radio includes a wideband radio and multiple separable radio definition modules, wherein the wideband radio is configured to operate over a large portion of the radio-frequency (RF) spectrum and each of the radio definition modules are configured to operate in a specific frequency band. The separability of the radio definition modules maintains the capability of the wideband radio to operate over the large portion of the RF spectrum, as well as enabling its robust and reliable operation in a specific frequency band associated with the attached radio definition module.
US09397698B1

Systems and methods for error recovery are presented. Data is decoded with an iterative decoding scheme having a first set of parameters. In response to a determination that the iterative decoding scheme has failed, the data is re-read. While the data is being re-read, the iterative decoding scheme is reconfigured with a second set of parameters, and the data is decoded with the reconfigured iterative decoding scheme. In response to determination that the reconfigured iterative decoding scheme has failed, an error type associated with the data is determined. An error recovery scheme is selected from a plurality of error recovery schemes for the data based on the determined error type.
US09397695B2

Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for generating a code alphabet for use by a deployed program to determine codewords for words. A first code alphabet has a first number of symbols that provide variable length codings of the words. A second code alphabet is generated having a second number of symbols formed by merging the symbols in the first code alphabet, wherein the second code alphabet comprises the code alphabet used by the deployed program.
US09397689B2

A digital to time converter is disclosed and includes a code logic and an interpolator. The code logic is configured to receive a first phase signal and a second phase signal and generate a select signal according to the first phase signal and the second phase signal. The interpolator has a bank of inverters. The interpolator is configured to generate an interpolator signal based on the select signal and an input signal.
US09397677B1

A system and method: provide a digital input signal to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) which, in response to a DAC clock signal, converts the digital input signal to an analog output signal; generate from the DAC clock signal a sampling clock signal having pulses spaced apart from each other in time by a plurality of DAC clock periods, wherein a timing of at least one of the pulses is offset with respect to the DAC clock signal by a first fraction of a DAC clock period, and a timing of at least an other one of the pulses of the sampling clock signal is offset with respect to the DAC clock signal by a second fraction of the DAC clock period; sample-and-hold the analog output signal in response to the sampling clock signal; and digitize the sampled-and-held analog output signal to output digital values representing the sampled-and-held analog output signal.
US09397676B1

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide improved switching techniques for controlling three-level DAC cells employing a return-to-hold scheme. Disclosed techniques include switching a DAC cell off for at least the duration of a time period between two hold periods while a digital value of zero is being converted. Because the DAC cell is switched off between two hold periods, the current source drain voltage is not disturbed during the critical transient times when D flip-flop outputs change, which happens during the hold periods, in response to change of digital values to be converted. In this manner, power consumption may be reduced while preserving the high performance properties of a three-level return-to-hold DAC.
US09397673B2

Systems and methods for mitigating crosstalk between controlled oscillators of Phase-Locked Loops (PLLs) are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a first PLL including a first controlled oscillator and a second PLL. The system further includes a compensation signal generator adapted to generate a compensation signal at an offset frequency that is approximately equal to an offset between output frequencies of the first and second PLLs and apply the compensation signal to the first controlled oscillator such that the output signal of the first controlled oscillator is modulated by the compensation signal. An amplitude and a phase of the compensation signal are such that, when the compensation signal is applied to the first controlled oscillator, a crosstalk signal output by the first controlled oscillator resulting from crosstalk from the second controlled oscillator of the second PLL to the first controlled oscillator of the first PLL is mitigated.
US09397672B2

A semiconductor device includes a package substrate having a plurality of external connection terminals disposed on a first surface thereof and a plurality of internal connection terminals disposed on a second surface thereof and electrically connected with corresponding one of the external connection terminals, a first semiconductor chip stacked over the second surface of the package substrate and having a first flag pad for providing first information and a first internal circuit for adjusting a parameter by a first correction value in response to the first information provided from the first flag pad, and a second semiconductor chip stacked over the first semiconductor chip and having a second flag pad for providing second information and a second internal circuit for adjusting the parameter by a second correction value in response to the second information provided from the second flag pad.
US09397671B2

A delay locked loop includes: a variable delay unit configured to delay a reference clock signal in response to a delay code and generate a delay locked loop clock signal; a delay model unit configured to delay the delay locked loop clock signal by a modeled delay value and output delayed delay locked loop clock signal as a feedback clock signal; a calculation code generation unit configured to convert a phase of the reference clock signal and a phase of the feedback clock signal into a first code and a second code, respectively, and perform a calculation on the first and second codes so as to generate a calculation code; and a delay code generation unit configured to control the delay code in response to the calculation code.
US09397660B2

A touch panel including a substrate, first electrodes, second electrodes, first wires, second wires and a means for shortening a gap between the second electrodes in a third direction is provided. The first electrodes are arranged sequentially in a first direction. Each first electrode has openings arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The second electrodes are located in the openings. Each first electrode and the second electrodes surrounded by the first electrode constitute a sensing unit. The first wires and the second wires connect the first electrodes and the second electrodes to a driving circuit. The means for shortening the gap between the second electrodes in the third direction renders a ratio of the gap between the second electrodes in the third direction to that in the second direction to be smaller than 1:3.4, where the third direction intersects either the first direction or the second direction.
US09397659B2

A touch screen panel for a display device includes layers of polymer formed on both sides of a substrate for forming driving electrodes and sensing electrodes. The substrate may be made of materials such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Instead of bonding a window cover made of a heavy material, layers or polymer are formed on both sides of the substrate to afford rigidity to the touch screen panel. By removing the window cover, the weight and thickness of the touch screen panel can be reduced.
US09397655B2

A discharge circuit includes a pulse width modulator (PWM) chip, a first and second electronic switch, and a resistor. The first electronic switch receives a voltage creep from the PWM chip. When the voltage creep is less than a voltage making the first electronic switch to turned on, the voltage creep is discharged through the resistor and the second electronic switch.
US09397654B2

Various methods and devices that involve power-on-reset (POR) circuits are disclosed herein. An exemplary POR circuit for generating a POR signal upon detecting that a supply voltage has reached a desired level comprises a sense circuit and a delayed buffer. The sense circuit comprises: (i) an inverter powered by a known bias voltage; (ii) a feedback circuit powered by the supply voltage; and (iii) an output node of the sense circuit that experiences a voltage transition when the supply voltage has reached the desired level. The delayed buffer is coupled to the output node of the sense circuit that generates the POR signal in response to the voltage transition. The feedback circuit shuts off the sense circuit in response to the voltage transition. The POR circuit generates the POR signal for a local system. The known bias voltage is provided by an external system.
US09397647B2

Aspects of the disclosure provide a circuit having a jittered clock generator. The jittered clock generator is configured to add jitter of a controlled characteristic to a first clock signal of a clock frequency to generate a second clock signal to be used by a transceiver for operating at a radio frequency. The jitter of the controlled characteristic adjusts a clock harmonic at the radio frequency of the transceiver.
US09397644B2

A frequency doubler includes a voltage controlled oscillator outputting N (where, N is a natural number) signals having a first period and having different phases, and an XOR circuit receiving the N signals and outputting a signal having a second period that corresponds to a half of the first period, wherein the voltage controlled oscillator includes N nodes that correspond to the N signals and inverter units respectively connecting the N nodes, the N nodes are arranged so that, if a signal that starts from any one start node of the N nodes passes through the same number of the inverter units, it recurs to the corresponding start node, the XOR gate includes a first unit block set including N unit blocks that are connected to the same output node and match the N nodes in a one-to-one manner, and a second unit block set that is substantially the same as the first unit block set, wherein the first and second unit block sets share the output node.
US09397642B2

A latch circuit includes a first PMOS transistor suitable for pull-up driving a second node based on a voltage of a first node, a first NMOS transistor suitable for pull-down driving the second node based on a voltage of the first node, a second PMOS transistor suitable for pull-up driving the first node based on a voltage of the second node, a second NMOS transistor suitable for pull-down driving the first node based on a voltage of the second node, a first separation element suitable for electrically separating the first NMOS transistor from the second node when the first PMOS transistor is turned on, and a second separation element suitable for electrically separating the second NMOS transistor from the first node when the second PMOS transistor is turned on.
US09397632B2

The present invention provides a filter. The filter includes two common electrode layers and two inner electrode layers, where the two inner electrode layers are located between the two common electrode layers, and an electrical insulation layer is disposed between any two adjacent electrode layers of the two common electrode layers and the two inner electrode layers; each of the two common electrode layers is connected to at least one grounding electrode; and each of the two inner electrode layers is connected to at least one signal electrode. The filter provided by embodiments of the present invention can perform filtering processing on low-frequency noise such as that of a direct current power supply, and has a good filtering processing effect.
US09397627B2

A network-enabled audio device that provides a display device that allows the user to select playlists of music much like a jukebox is disclosed. The user can compose playlists from disk files, CD's, Internet streaming audio broadcasts, online music sites, and other audio sources. The user can also select a desired Web broadcast from a list of available Web broadcasts. In addition, the user can play standard audio CD's and MP3 encoded CD's and have access to local AM/FM stations. Further, the software, the user controls, and the display in the network-enabled audio device are operably configured and connected such that the user can listen to playlists that include CD's and other audio sources just as the user would choose a playlist in a jukebox. The user accesses a server site via a PC and the Internet. From the server site, the user obtains a list of the devices in his or her Internet Personal Audio Network (IPAN) and what songs are on those devices. The IPAN includes an IPAN server, an IPAN client, and IPAN software stored on the network-enabled audio device. Thus, the network-enabled audio device provides people who are or are not comfortable with computers a way of taking music from various sources and putting it into one place for listening pleasure. In one embodiment, the Personal Computer (PC) is used to compose the playlists, but the user is able to listen to playlists and other audio sources without using the PC.
US09397617B2

Radio frequency (RF) amplification devices are disclosed that include Doherty amplification circuits and methods of operating the same. In one embodiment, a Doherty amplification circuit includes a main carrier RF amplifier, a peaking RF amplifier, and a periodic quadrature coupler. To provide Doherty amplification, the peaking RF amplifier is configured to be deactivated while an RF signal is below a threshold level and is configured to be activated while the RF signal is above the threshold level. The periodic quadrature coupler is configured to combine a first RF split signal from the main carrier RF amplifier and a second RF split signal from the peaking RF amplifier into the RF signal, such that the RF signal is output from an output port while the peaking RF amplifier is activated. The periodic quadrature coupler allows the Doherty amplification circuit to provide broadband amplification in various RF communication bands.
US09397614B2

An apparatus includes a first capacitor, an inductor coupled to the first capacitor, and a second capacitor coupled to the inductor. The second capacitor is coupled to a first output of a differential amplifier.
US09397610B2

A photovoltaic module includes: a solar cell module including a plurality of solar cells; a junction box including a capacitor unit to store DC power supplied from the solar cell module, a dc/dc converter unit to level-convert the stored DC power and output the same; and a controller to control a voltage or current based on the supplied DC power from the solar cell module among a plurality of sections, calculate a local maximum power point in each of the sections using the controlled voltage or controlled current, determine a maximum power value among a plurality of calculated local maximum power points, and to control the dc/dc converter unit to output the level-converted DC power based on the determined maximum power value when a hot spot occurs in the solar cell module.
US09397609B2

A photovoltaic module includes: a solar cell module including a plurality of solar cells; and a junction box including a capacitor unit attached to one face of the solar cell module and that to stores DC power supplied from the solar cell module, and a dc/dc converter unit to convert the level of the stored DC power and output the same. Thus, power may be easily supplied through the junction box.
US09397606B2

A system for removably and adjustably mounting a device on an object is provided. The system for removably and adjustably mounting a device on an object, according to the present invention, includes an apparatus and method useful for removably and adjustably mounting one or more photovoltaic modules on an object such as a pole or roof, and includes one or more triple track rails. Also included are one or more connector brackets that are demountably attachable to the one or more triple track rails and to the object.
US09397600B2

A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control.
US09397599B2

A harmonic predictor for a wind farm comprising at least two wind turbines, each having a generator with a converter for generating electrical energy. The harmonic predictor determines the harmonic component expected from the wind farm in order to limit the harmonic component to a harmonic limit. The harmonic predictor comprises a calculation module, an iteration module and a summing module. The calculation module calculates a complex mean value over at least one period of the harmonic component of one of the wind turbines and determines a first equivalent vector therefrom. The iteration module successively connects the calculation module to at least one other of the wind turbines to form at least one second equivalent vector. The summing module sums the equivalent vectors to form a total vector and compares the total vector with the harmonic limit.
US09397596B2

A mixer with a DC motor with a reducing gear is coupled to a speed control circuit. An output shaft from the reducing gear is coupled to a hub drive gear which meshes with a planetary drive gear coupled to a rotary output drive to which mixing implements are removably attached.
US09397595B2

A method and a control device for identifying the angle and polarity of the rotor of a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM), the motor including a stator, including windings and a rotor including at least two permanent magnets. The method includes the steps of determining the rotor d-axis direction by supplying a stator voltage vector pulses to the motor terminals at at least two different stator angles, measuring the phase current at each angle, and determining rotor d-axis position based on motor inductance value in each stator angles calculated from the measured values and determining the rotor d-axis polarity by supplying a current vector to the motor terminals at the q-axis direction, and determining the magnet polarity by observing the direction of the rotor rotation during the test pulses.
US09397584B2

A multi-level converter includes first and second DC buses, a plurality of transistors coupled in series between the first and second DC buses and a clamp circuit configured to clamp a node joining a first transistor and a second transistor of the plurality of transistors. The converter further includes a bias circuit coupled to the clamped node, which may reduce or prevent voltage stress on the transistors. Related methods of operation are also described.
US09397583B2

An inverter control is used to control the output of a distributed power generating station, such as a photovoltaic (PV) solar power station, connected to a power grid. The power station is connected to an inverter output. Pulse width modulation is used to shape the output in order to maximize power output within power quality parameters and provides control of a switching frequency of the inverter responsive to a sensed parameter. The technique allows an increase in output efficiency and provides for adjustment of power output to meet power quality parameters to an extent required in order to connect to the power grid.
US09397579B2

A controller for a DC/DC converter controls a first, second, third, and fourth switches according to pulse signals generated alternately. The controller turns off the third switch on detection of a first edge of a first pulse signal, turns on the first switch after a delay from the detection of the first edge, turns off the fourth switch on detection of a second edge of the first pulse signal, turns on the second switch after a delay from the detection of the second edge, turns off the first switch on detection of a third edge of a second pulse signal, turns on the third switch after a delay from the detection of the third edge, turns off the second switch on detection of a fourth edge of the second pulse signal, and turns on the fourth switch after a delay from the detection of the fourth edge.
US09397578B2

A digital control unit generates a control signal to control a duty cycle of a switched mode power supply such that a faster response to an input voltage transient is achieved. The digital control unit comprises a feedback compensator, a feed forward compensator, a transient detector, and a controller. The transient detector receives a signal indicative of the input voltage of the switched mode power supply and detects transients on the received signal. The feedback compensator receives a signal indicative of the output voltage of the switched mode power supply and adjusts the control signal. The feed forward compensator receives a signal indicative of the input voltage of the switched mode power supply, performs a relatively fast, but coarse, adjustment of the control signal, and then performs a more accurate, but relatively slow, adjustment of the control signal.
US09397564B2

A switching regulator comprising a droop amplifier responsive to a reference voltage and a feedback voltage to generate a droop voltage. The droop amplifier includes a boost circuit configurable to increase a transconductance of the droop amplifier during an upward transition of the reference voltage. The switching regulator further includes a comparator responsive to the droop voltage and a current sense signal. The comparator is configured to initiate switching in the switching regulator.
US09397562B1

A negative reference voltage generating circuit generating a negative reference voltage is provided, including a differential amplifier, a first diode, second diodes, and a third resistor. The differential amplifier includes a non-inverting input terminal, an inverting input terminal, and an output terminal, and is driven by a positive and a negative power voltages. The output terminal is connected with the non-inverting input terminal via a first resistor and connected with the inverting input terminal via a second resistor. The first diode includes a cathode connected with the non-inverting input terminal of the differential amplifier and an anode connected with a ground. The second diodes respectively include a cathode connected with a predetermined connection point and an anode connected with the ground, and are connected in parallel. The third resistor is connected between the connection point and the inverting input terminal of the differential amplifier.
US09397560B2

A method for regulating a flow of energy from an input to an output of a power converter includes receiving a first signal representative of an output voltage, and receiving a second signal representative of a current of the power converter. An output current of the power converter is determined in response to at least one of the first and second signals. A power switch of the power converter is switched to regulate the output current of the power converter to a substantially constant output current value for a first range of power converter output voltages, to regulate an output power of the power converter to a substantially constant power value for a second range of power converter output voltages, and to regulate the output voltage of the power converter at substantially a highest output voltage value of the second range of power converter output voltages.
US09397558B1

An apparatus including: a current source configured to generate current; a switching current source circuit coupled to the current source and a first bias node to allow the current to flow through the switching current source circuit into the first bias node; a first bias circuit configured to receive a first control signal from a phase detector, the first bias circuit configured to mirror the current flowing through the switching current source circuit in response to the first control signal; a second bias circuit coupled to the first bias circuit at an output node and a second bias node, the second bias circuit configured to receive a second control signal from the phase detector; and a transconductance amplifier configured to receive a feedback signal from the output node and generate an output current to control the second biasing node.
US09397549B2

A power conversion system for controlling harmonics, which uses the Fourier transform analysis to calculate the harmonics element of each current, and adds the harmonics compensation strategy into the control strategy of the DC-AC power converter so as to decrease the harmonics element generated from the actual current.
US09397546B2

A field rotor of a superconducting rotary machine, includes a rotary shaft, a plurality of coil boxes, and a plurality of superconducting coils. The coil boxes extend in a center axis direction of the rotary shaft, have walls defining spaces within the coil boxes, respectively, and are removably fastened to a peripheral surface of the rotary shaft. The superconducting coils are disposed in the spaces of the coil boxes, respectively, and constitute field windings of the superconducting rotary machine.
US09397528B2

A shaft linear motor includes an armature portion, a magnetic way and a sealing resin. The armature portion includes a frame, two ribs and a bobbin. The frame is formed with a receiving space therein. The two ribs are disposed on an inner wall of the frame. The ribs are respectively formed with a sectional surface. The bobbin is disposed in the receiving space and formed with an axially penetrated hole. The magnetic way is linearly and movably disposed in the axially penetrated hole. The sealing resin is fully filled in the receiving space for wrapping the inner wall of the frame and the sectional surfaces.
US09397522B2

A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for controlling radio-frequency (RF) energy for wireless devices. In one embodiment, the method comprises determining to increase radio-frequency (RF) energy available to power a wireless tag and controlling the RF energy delivered to the wireless tag to provide tag energy, using one or more of: a) increasing transmission RF power of one or more wireless communication devices, b) increasing a duty cycle associated with wireless transmissions of one or more wireless communication devices, and c) decreasing path loss of the power to the wireless tag.
US09397519B2

A method of operating a battery charger electrically connected with a power distribution circuit having a power line and return line includes determining at least one of a temperature and a change in temperature of at least one of the power line and return line, and controlling a current through the power line based on the at least one of temperature and change in temperature.
US09397499B2

Methods and apparatus for supplying power to an electrical line or grid by using high-frequency alternating current (HFAC) are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for collecting and transmitting electrical power to an AC line operating at a line frequency may include a plurality of high frequency AC power sources; a high frequency AC bus, connected to each of the high frequency AC sources; and a line frequency converter, the input of which is connected to the high frequency AC bus and the output of which is connectable to the AC line.
US09397491B2

An electrical installation bracket includes a body that may telescope to allow the length of the bracket to be changed to accommodate installation in different configurations, for example to accommodate different spacing between mounting studs. The bracket has rails on a face that allow an electrical box to be positioned, by sliding, at any of a variety of locations along the length of the body. The body has holes in it for securing the box to the bracket at a desired location along the body, with a front of the box for example protruding through an opening in the body. The body includes ears on opposite sides of the opening, with mounting holes for mounting the bracket to studs or other structure (or other hardware or devices). The electrical installation bracket advantageously provides more flexibility in placement of electrical boxes, with pre-prepared holes available for securing boxes.
US09397482B2

A spark plug for an internal combustion engine includes a tubular housing, a tubular insulator held inside the housing, a center electrode held inside the insulator, a ground electrode disposed so as to form a spark discharge gap with the center electrode, and a plug cover fixed to a distal end portion of the housing so as to form an auxiliary combustion chamber with the housing. The plug cover is formed with at least one through hole for communicating between inside of the auxiliary chamber and outside of the plug cover. The ground electrode is formed so as to project from an inner surface of the plug cover toward the inside of the auxiliary combustion chamber.
US09397479B2

The present invention relates to a silicon DBR structure-integrated light device, and a preparation method thereof, and more specifically, to a silicon DBR structure-integrated light device or vertical cavity light emitting diode, and a preparation method thereof, enabling preparation by a small number of layers and capable of reducing process time and costs due to a large contrast in refractive index of a silicon DBR structure formed by depositing silicon in a slanted or vertical manner.
US09397469B1

A method of operating a q-switch Er,Yb:YAB laser includes providing a pump bias current to a pump source, the pump source output directed to an Er,Yb:YAB gain medium where the Er,Yb:YAB gain medium is in a resonator cavity. The bias current at or below a lasing threshold of the Er,Yb:YAB gain medium. Providing a pump pulse to the gain medium, the pump pulse over the lasing threshold of the Er,Yb:YAB gain medium, the pump pulse causing the Er,Yb:YAB gain medium to emit a laser pulse. Reducing the pump bias current, wherein the pump current reduction brings the pump bias current to at least below the gain medium lasing threshold, the combination of the pump bias, the pump pulse, and the pump reduction having a current profile.
US09397466B2

An optical amplification system is disclosed which includes a seed source providing a seed beam, and a chirally coupled core fiber amplifier optically coupled to the seed beam and configured to convert the coupled seed beam into an amplifier output beam, wherein the polarization of the seed beam is controllably launched into the chirally coupled core fiber in order to reduce nonlinearities in the amplifier output beam. Peak output powers in excess of 500 kW can be realized for short-pulsed single-mode beams having mode field diameters greater than 30 μm.
US09397459B2

A manual disconnect includes a housing and a base attached to the housing by a fastener. The base includes primary terminals. The manual disconnect also includes a plug assembly that includes fuse terminals and a bolt cover. The plug assembly is movable relative to the base between a disconnected position wherein the fuse terminals are not engaged with respective primary terminals, and a primary circuit engaged position, wherein the fuse terminals are engaged with respective primary terminals. When the plug assembly is in the primary circuit engaged position the bolt cover is positioned to prevent the fastener from being removed from the housing. A handle or cover part of the plug assembly is then rotated to a locked position with respect to the base. Then, the plug assembly can be moved further in the insertion direction to close an interlock circuit, allowing current to flow in the primary circuit.
US09397452B1

A connecting device includes a connector and a jumper. The connector includes an enclosure and two terminals mounted in the enclosure. The two terminals are spaced apart. Each terminal includes a contact defining a latching hole. The jumper includes a case and a conductor received in the case. The conductor includes two contacting arms. Each contacting arm includes a latching portion. Each contact extends into the case, each latching portion is engaged in one of the two latching holes to mount the jumper to the connector, and the two terminals are electronically coupled to each other.
US09397447B2

To allow easy and reliable establishment of electromagnetic shielding regarding a portion connected to a circuit board with a simple structure, a shield plate provided to a fit-in holding member which keeps a state of fitting in a counterpart connector externally covers board connection legs of counterpart contact members and, simultaneously with an operation of rotating the fit-in holding member when connectors fit together, electromagnetic shielding with respect to the board connection legs is immediately established. Also, a ground connecting units provided to the fit-in holding member are connected to ground connection conductive paths provided at positions near the board connection legs of the counterpart contact members, thereby obtaining favorable electromagnetic shielding characteristics. Also, a connected state at the board connection legs can be favorably confirmed.
US09397443B2

A plug-in system is provided for a control unit of a vehicle, including a plug, such as a cable harness, and a plug module. The plug is designed to produce an electrical connection with the plug module. The plug has a plug body that accommodates a multiplicity of electrical contacts and that has a plug base that is designed to accommodate a shroud of the plug module. In addition, the plug has a plug lever that is designed to be moved from a start position to an end position, while pulling the plug in the direction of the plug module using a lever arm that engages in the plug module. The plug lever can be mounted on the plug body in two orientations, and in both the orientations the lever arm and the plug module engage in one another in such a way that the plug can be pulled in the direction of the plug module.
US09397433B2

An electrical plug connector includes an insulated housing, terminals and a fixing base. The insulated housing includes a base member and terminal slots defined through the base member along a longitudinal direction. The terminals are at the insulated housing, and each of the terminals includes a body portion and a tail portion. The connecting segments are at the terminal slots respectively, and the tail portions are respectively extending from the connecting portions and protruded out of a rear side of the base member. The fixing base is at the rear side of the base member, and includes a partition board and barriers. The partition board defines two lateral surfaces corresponding to each other. The barriers are respectively extending from the lateral surfaces, and through grooves are defined between the barriers. Each of the barriers is covered to two sides of the corresponding soldering portion.
US09397426B2

An electrical connector includes an insulative housing and a plurality of contacts received in the housing. At least a retainer is retained in the insulative housing. The retainer includes a soldering portion leaning on a bottom side of the housing and said housing defines a hole corresponding to said soldering portion. The hole communicates with exterior in both a lengthwise direction and an inserting direction which is perpendicular to the lengthwise direction for enhancing the stability of welding.
US09397422B2

A circuit board assembly is provided. The circuit board assembly includes: a first circuit board; a second circuit board; a bracket for supporting the second circuit board; and an interconnect apparatus for a connection and a disconnection of the first circuit board and the second circuit board, wherein the interconnect apparatus includes a first connector disposed on the first circuit board and a second connector disposed on the second circuit board (one is a male connector and the other is a female connector). The circuit board assembly includes a lifting and lowering apparatus for vertically lifting or lowering the bracket so that after the connection the second connector is vertically disconnected from the first connector and after the disconnection the second connector is vertically connected to the first connector. An electronic device having the circuit board assembly is further provided.
US09397419B2

A solderable electric connector formed of a metal sheet as a single body includes a flat bottom portion soldered to a conductive pattern of a printed circuit board (PCB), an elastic fastening portion bent and extended from one end of the bottom portion in a longitudinal direction thereof, and a housing vertically bent and extended from one end of the bottom portion in a width direction and surrounding the elastic fastening portion. Herein, a front end of the housing is vertically bent downwards and forms a supporting plate and a penetration hole is formed in a certain location on the supporting plate. Also, a pressurizing projection projects from a top surface of the elastic fastening portion and a metal core of a wire passing through the penetration hole is pressurized between the pressurizing projection and a bottom surface of the housing and coupled therewith.
US09397412B2

The invention relates to an IDC (Insulation Displacement Connector) contact for an electrical plug. The IDC contact includes a wire contact section and a secondary contact section. The wire contact section includes a cable receiving opening at a proximal end thereof and extending into a slotted cable receiving section. The secondary contact section includes a contact spring extending from and positioned adjacent to the wire contact section and a contact arm extending from the contact spring and extending to a contact point.
US09397401B2

The present invention relates to a magnetic antenna for information communication using a magnetic field component which is capable of satisfying both reduction in size and improvement in communication sensitivity. The magnetic antenna of the present invention is used for transmitting and receiving information using an electromagnetic induction method, and comprises a central core formed of a magnetic material and a non-magnetic material, a coil-shaped electrode material wound around the core, and an insulating layer formed on at least one outside surface of the core on which the coil-shaped electrode material is provided, in which the magnetic material is separated into two or more parts through the non-magnetic material when viewed in a section of the core which is perpendicular to a magnetic flux passing therethrough.
US09397395B2

A low complexity/cost beamsteering antenna includes a central line feed affixed to a radial waveguide structure, radiating elements positioned along the circumference of the radial waveguide structure, and a plurality of active elements interspersed along the surface of the radial waveguide structure between the central line feed and the radiating elements. The active elements may comprise PIN diodes or microelectromechanical system (MEMS) components, and may be selectively activated/deactivated by DC switches in order to direct the propagation of an RF signal over the radial waveguide structure in a manner similar to a power divider. As a result, the RF signal may be funneled to selected radiating elements, thereby effectively directionally aiming the main lobe of the emitted radiation pattern to beamsteer the wireless transmission.
US09397390B2

Provided is a terminal including a high frequency (HF) communication line using a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). The terminal includes a base board, a main board, an antenna, a battery, and an FPCB connected between the main board and the antenna and formed with an HF communication line for radio frequency (RF) communication. The FPCB includes a first connection formed on one end thereof and electrically connected to the main board, a second connection formed on another end thereof and electrically connected to the antenna, and a connector connecting the first connection with the second connection and bent at the right angle with the first connection and the second connection to vertically stand between the battery and the wall plate of the base board, thereby maximizing an area for the battery.
US09397389B2

A ring antenna has a C-shaped loop element formed on the upper surface of a main body part including a ring-shaped dielectric material having a square cross-sectional shape. A cut part is formed in a portion of this C-shaped loop element, which is formed in the shape of a loop. In addition, an arc-shaped radiation element is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the main body part so as to be concentric with the C-shaped loop element, with a prescribed interval therebetween. The C-shaped loop element is excited by the radiation element. The tip of a feed conductor is connected to a feed part that is connected to one end of the radiation element formed on the lower surface of main body part, and electrical power is fed to the radiation element from the feed conductor.
US09397382B2

A logarithmic amplifier (LDA) is described that includes an amplifier configured to oscillate a modulated input signal, a feedback establishing a 180 degree phase shift between the amplifier input and the output and maintaining oscillation of the input signal, a parallel resonant circuit connected to the amplifier output causing the amplifier to resonate at or around a center frequency, and a controller connected to the amplifier input cyclically terminating oscillation of the input signal each time a pre-determined threshold of current is detected, the controller including a low pass filter configured to generate a second output signal having a repetition frequency. The LDA may be used for AM with or without a PLL and/or a superhetrodyne. The LDA may be implemented as a mixer and used for phase demodulation. The LDA may be used for phase demodulation. The LDA may be used in place of a low noise amplifier.
US09397379B2

A multi-junction circulator assembly comprises a waveguide housing including first and second sets of waveguide arms, and a junction section therebetween. A first circulator component located in the waveguide housing comprises a ferrite element including a plurality of leg segments, with one of the leg segments extending toward the junction section. A second circulator component located in the waveguide housing operatively communicates with the first circulator component and comprises a ferrite element including a plurality of leg segments, with one of the leg segments extending toward the junction section. A dielectric transition segment is located in the junction section between the leg segments of the ferrite elements that extend toward the junction section. The dielectric transition segment is separated from the leg segments by opposing gaps at opposite ends of the dielectric transition segment. The gaps provide dielectric-free regions in the direction of signal flow between the ferrite elements.
US09397374B2

A secondary battery module includes a battery information storage unit for storing electric characteristic information and usage history information of the secondary battery module. A battery information management device and a terminal device respectively include interfaces to be connected to the secondary battery module. The battery information management device is provided with a battery information database. The battery information management device is connected to the terminal device through a communications network. In this way, battery information stored in the battery information storage unit, which is acquired by the battery information management device and the terminal device, is accumulated in the battery information database. Moreover, the battery information management device grades the secondary battery module for reuse based on the battery information and a predetermined threshold.
US09397372B2

Provided is a sealed battery with improved safety and reliability in which no spark discharge or voltage recovery occurs after a current interrupt mechanism has been actuated. A sealed battery 10 includes a current interrupt mechanism 40: having an inversion plate 50 and a collector 60. The collector 60 and the inversion plate 50 are electrically and mechanically joined in the easily breakable section 61 and the inversion section 51, the easily breakable section 61 is broken and displaced together with the inversion section 51 by the displacement of the inversion section 51, and the electric connection of the collector 60 and the inversion plate 50 is interrupted. The distance between the collector 60 and the easily breakable section 61 after the displacement is within a range of 0.3 mm to 1.5 mm.
US09397367B2

Provided are a non-aqueous electrolyte, which includes an organic solvent, a lithium salt, and a phosphorus compound including an acryloyloxy group, and a lithium secondary battery including the non-aqueous electrolyte. Since the non-aqueous electrolyte includes the phosphorus compound to form a stable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) on an electrode during charge and discharge of the battery, initial capacity and power characteristics at room temperature and low temperature as well as lifetime characteristics of the battery may be improved.
US09397363B2

A method of preparing a lithium secondary battery is disclosed, the method including coating a coating layer-forming composition including an inorganic compound and an organic/inorganic bindable silane compound having a first reactive functional group on a substrate to form a separator including a coating layer; preparing an electrode including an active material and a binder having a second reactive functional group; stacking the electrode to contact the coating layer of the separator, and adding an electrolyte to the electrode and separator to prepare a lithium secondary battery; and heat-treating the lithium secondary battery to react the first reactive functional group with the second reactive functional group and form a chemical bond.
US09397353B2

The object is to suppress degradation of the durability of an electrolyte membrane caused by deformation by expansion and contraction of the electrolyte membrane. A controller 150 calculates a humidity P of an electrolyte membrane 112 based on a cell resistance value (step S11) and determines whether the humidity P of the electrolyte membrane 112 is less than a humidity threshold A (step S12). When the humidity P is less than the humidity threshold A, the controller 150 determines that a dimensional change rate of the electrolyte membrane is not greater than a predetermined value and performs a process of increasing the humidity of the electrolyte membrane 112 (step S13). The predetermined value is a dimensional change rate that is unlikely to have damage by drying stress. This enables the electrolyte membrane 112 to be humidified before the electrolyte membrane 112 is excessively dried and thereby suppresses tensile stress from being applied to the electrolyte membrane 112 by drying of the electrolyte membrane 112. Accordingly this suppresses cracking and thinning of the electrolyte membrane 112 and improves the durability of the electrolyte membrane 112.
US09397351B2

Embodiments relate to a fuel cell including, an ion conducting component, two or more electrode coatings and one or more interconnects. The interconnects include a non-conductive interface region having a first surface and a second surface in which the first surface is in contact with the ion conducting component, an electron conducting component having two surfaces and a length that is parallel to the two surfaces wherein one of the surfaces is disposed adjacent to the second surface of the interface region. The electron conducting component provides an electrically conductive pathway between one of the electrode coatings and an external circuit, said pathway extending along the length of the electron conducting component.
US09397347B2

An electrode for use in a fuel cell comprises a flexible carbon-fiber nonwoven fabric and a fuel cell catalyst, such as a metal catalyst or a carbon alloy catalyst, supported on the surfaces of the carbon fibers constituting the flexible carbon-fiber nonwoven fabric. The flexible carbon-fiber nonwoven fabric is formed by carbonizing a nonwoven fabric obtained by electrospinning a composition containing: an electrospinnable macromolecular substance; an organic compound that is different from the macromolecular substance; and a transition metal. This structure allows the provision of an electrode, for use in a fuel cell, which uses a flexible carbon-fiber nonwoven fabric as a substrate and combines the functions of a gas-diffusion layer and an electrocatalyst layer.
US09397337B2

The invention relates to an electrode binder composition, an electrode made using the described binder composition, and an electrochemical cell made using the described electrode, where the all of these materials are made using a composition of a poly(dialkylene ester) thermoplastic polyurethane composition. The electrode is made using the described thermoplastic polyurethane and an electrode active material. The electrochemical cells can be made using the described electrodes and also using (i) membranes and/or separators made using the described poly(dialkylene ester) thermoplastic polyurethane composition; (ii) an electrolyte system based on the described poly(dialkylene ester) thermoplastic polyurethane composition; or (iii) a combination thereof.
US09397334B2

There are provided a Si alloy powder for a lithium ion secondary battery negative electrode active material, which has a high discharge capacity and excellent cycle life, and a method for producing the same. The Si alloy powder of the present invention comprises a eutectic structure including a Si phase and a CrSi2 phase, and the average value of thicknesses in a thin width direction in each phase of the Si phase and the CrSi2 phase is 4 μm or less. This Si alloy powder is produced by quenching and solidifying a dissolution material which gives the composition of the Si alloy powder at a cooling rate of 100° C./s or more.
US09397332B2

The present invention relates to a combustion method for producing a lithium insertion material for a cathode in a Li-ion battery, the material comprising iron, lithium, silicon, and carbon.
US09397329B2

A rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator, the separator being between the first electrode and the second electrode, a case including a space that receives the electrode assembly therein, a cap plate coupled with an opening of the case, a top cover covering the cap plate, a protective circuit module between the cap plate and the top cover, and a lead tab that electrically connects the protective circuit module and the cap plate. The lead tab includes fixing protrusions and the top cover includes fixing grooves into which the fixing protrusions are inserted.
US09397326B2

The invention relates to a battery (1) comprising a casing having one or more gas vents (3) and a manifold (4) arranged to collect gas emerging from the gas vents wherein the manifold is fixed to the casing using a double sided adhesive gasket (6).
US09397324B2

A system for the storage of electrical energy for a vehicle with electric propulsion; the storage system presents: at least one group of chemical batteries, which are arranged aligned with one another and each of which presents an upper wall, which is provided with a pair of electrical terminals and with a safety valve, and a lower wall, which is parallel and opposite to the upper wall; a container, which houses the group of chemical batteries; a relief duct, which rests against the upper walls of the chemical batteries and presents, for each safety valve, a corresponding opening, which is coupled to the safety valve; and a cooling element, which is parallel and opposite to the relief duct and rests against the lower walls of the chemical batteries.
US09397322B2

A battery is provided including a battery element including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte; and a laminate film for packaging the battery element, wherein the laminate film includes a first portion including a first portion thickness, a second portion including a second portion thickness and a third portion including a third portion thickness, wherein the second portion is located between the first portion and the third portion, wherein a first side of the third portion is not in contact with a second side of the third portion, and the third portion thickness includes a thickness of the first side and the second side of the third portion, wherein the first portion thickness of at least a part of the first portion is thinner than the second portion thickness, wherein the third portion thickness of at least a part of the third portion is thicker than the first portion thickness, and wherein the third portion includes an edge portion of the laminate film.
US09397321B2

A molding packaging material includes a heat resistant resin layer as an outer layer, a metal foil layer, and a first adhesive agent layer arranged there between. The first adhesive agent layer is constituted by an adhesive agent containing a two-part curing type polyester polyurethane resin made of a polyester resin as a main ingredient and a multifunctional isocyanate compound as a curing agent. The polyester resin is made from dicarboxylic acid and dialcohol, the dicarboxylic acid contains aliphatic carboxylic acid whose number of methylene of a methylene chain is an even number and aromatic carboxylic acid, and a content rate of the aromatic carboxylic acid to a total amount of aliphatic carboxylic acid and aromatic carboxylic acid is 40 to 80 mol %. The polyester resin is 8,000 to 25,000 in number average molecular weight (Mn) and 15,000 to 50,000 in weight average molecular weight (Mw), and a ratio thereof (Mw/Mn) is 1.3 to 2.5.
US09397318B2

Methods and apparatus for encapsulating organic light emitting diode (OLED) structures disposed on a substrate using a hybrid layer of material are provided. The encapsulation methods may be performed as single or multiple chamber processes. The processing parameters used during deposition of the hybrid layer of material allow control of the characteristics of the deposited hybrid layer. The hybrid layer may be deposited such that the layer has characteristics of an inorganic material in some sublayers of the hybrid layer and characteristics of an organic material in other sublayers of the hybrid layer. Use of the hybrid material allows OLED encapsulation using a single hard mask for the complete encapsulating process with low cost and without alignment issues present in conventional processes.
US09397317B2

Each pixel of the organic light-emitting display apparatus comprises a plurality of sub-pixels by using an organic light-emitting transistor (OLET). The OLET includes a plurality of gate electrodes that have different areas and are arranged adjacent to one another, a plurality of source electrodes and a plurality of drain electrodes, and an organic thin film layer disposed between or below the source electrodes and drain electrodes, the organic thin film layer including an organic light-emitting material, wherein the sub-pixels of the pixel selected by a scan signal are selectively turned-on/off by a data signal to represent a gradation.
US09397314B2

Devices and techniques are provided in which a transparent substrate is scored to provide a non-planar surface on one side of the substrate. An OLED is then disposed on the other side of the scored substrate and optically coupled to the substrate. The scored surface provides improvements to outcoupling of light generated by the OLED, with little or no additional thickness relative to the OLED alone.
US09397313B2

The present invention relates to an organic light emitting diode, comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; an organic material layer which is interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a light extraction layer which is disposed on the first electrode or under the second electrode, wherein the light extraction layer has a wave surface. The present invention also relates to a display device which comprises the above-mentioned organic light emitting diode.
US09397311B2

An object of the present invention is to reduce the thickness of a lighting device using an electroluminescent material. Another object of the present invention is to simplify the structure of a lighting device using an electroluminescent material to reduce cost. A light-emitting element having a stacked structure of a first electrode layer, an EL layer, and a second electrode layer is provided over a substrate having an opening in its center, and a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion for supplying electric power to the light-emitting element are provided in the center of the substrate (in the vicinity of the opening provided in the substrate).
US09397310B2

A first device comprising a first organic light emitting device (OLED) is described. The first OLED includes an anode, a cathode and an emissive layer disposed between the anode and the cathode. The emissive layer includes a phosphorescent emissive dopant and a host material, that includes nanocrystals. The phosphorescent emissive dopant is bonded to the host material by a bridge moiety.
US09397302B2

Novel ligands for metal complex compounds that are useful as a phosphorescent emitter in organic light emitting devices that incorporate fluorinated side chains in the ligands are disclosed. Such metal complex has at least one substituent R selected from the group consisting of partially fluorinated alkyl, partially fluorinated cycloalkyl, and combinations thereof, wherein R is directly bonded to an aromatic ring, In the compound, C having an F attached thereto is separated by at least one carbon atom from the aromatic ring.
US09397298B2

The present invention provides an organic compound having a basic skeleton which has an emission wavelength in the yellow region, a high luminous efficiency, and good sublimability.
US09397290B2

Memory cells useful in phase change memory include a phase change material between first and second electrode and having a surface facing a surface of the second electrode. The second electrode comprises a plurality of portions of material, each portion having a respective distance from the surface of the phase change material and each portion having a respective resistivity. A portion of the plurality of portions of material farthest from the surface of the phase change material has a lowest resistivity and a portion of the plurality of portions of material closest to the surface of the phase change material has a highest resistivity. The resistivity of each individual portion is lower than the resistivity of each portion located closer to the surface of the phase change material, and higher than the resistivity of each portion located farther from the surface of the phase change material.
US09397287B1

According to an embodiment of the invention, a method of making a magnetic random access memory device includes: forming a magnetic tunnel junction on an electrode, the magnetic tunnel junction comprising a reference layer positioned in contact with the electrode, a tunnel barrier layer arranged on the reference layer, and a free layer arranged on the tunnel barrier layer; depositing an encapsulating layer on and along sidewalls of the magnetic tunnel junction; depositing an interlayer dielectric layer on the encapsulating layer disposed on the magnetic tunnel junction; annealing the magnetic tunnel junction; and implanting hydrogen in a portion of the magnetic tunnel junction. According to another embodiment of the invention, implanting of hydrogen in a portion of the magnetic tunnel junction occurs after forming a magnetic tunnel junction trench. An MRAM device with hydrogen atoms incorporated in a portion of the magnetic tunnel junction is also disclosed.
US09397273B2

An optoelectronic device includes a layer sequence having an active layer that emits electromagnetic primary radiation, and at least one converter carrier layer arranged in the beam path of the electromagnetic primary radiation. The at least one converter carrier layer includes converter particles and an inorganic-organic hybrid material and/or a silicate glass.
US09397272B2

A phosphor and a light emitting device are provided. The phosphor comprises a composition having a formula of (BaaSr1-a)2-zSi5ObNn:EuZ, 0.03
US09397267B2

A semiconductor light emitting element of an embodiment includes a laminated body having first, second, and third semiconductor layers stacked on each other in a first direction, the third semiconductor layer being between the first and second semiconductor layers in the first direction. The laminated body includes a first region and a second region spaced from the first region a second direction which intersects the first direction. The first electrode is electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer. The second electrode is disposed between the first region and the second region along the second direction. The first conductive layer electrically connects the second semiconductor layer and the second electrode to each other. An outer edge of the first conductive layer is positioned inside an outer edge of the laminated body.
US09397265B2

In a method for forming a phosphor-converted LED, an array of vertical LEDs is printed over a conductive surface of a substrate such that a bottom electrode of the LEDs ohmically contacts the conductive surface. A dielectric layer then formed over the conductive surface. An electrically conductive phosphor layer is deposited over the dielectric layer and the LEDs to ohmically contact the top surface of the LEDs and connect the LEDs in parallel. The conductive phosphor layer is formed by phosphor particles intermixed with a transparent conductor material. One or more metal contacts over the conductive phosphor layer conduct current through the conductive phosphor layer and the LEDs to illuminate the LEDs. A portion of light generated by the LED leaks through the conductive phosphor layer, and the combination of the LED light and phosphor light creates a composite light.
US09397261B2

A light emitting device is provided a transmissive substrate; a first pattern portion including a protrusions; a second pattern portion including a concaves having a width smaller than a width of each protrusion; a light emitting structure under the transmissive substrate and including a first conductive semiconductor layer, a second conductive semiconductor layer and an active layer; a first electrode under the first conductive semiconductor layer; a reflective electrode layer under the second conductive semiconductor layer; a second electrode under the reflective electrode layer; a first connection electrode under the first electrode; a second connection electrode under the second electrode; and an insulating support member around the first electrode and the first connection electrode and around the second electrode and the second connection electrode and including a ceramic-based thermal diffusion agent.
US09397260B2

A device having a layer with a patterned surface for improving the growth of semiconductor layers, such as group III nitride-based semiconductor layers with a high concentration of aluminum, is provided. The patterned surface can include a substantially flat top surface and a plurality of stress reducing regions, such as openings. The substantially flat top surface can have a root mean square roughness less than approximately 0.5 nanometers, and the stress reducing regions can have a characteristic size between approximately 0.1 microns and approximately five microns and a depth of at least 0.2 microns. A layer of group-III nitride material can be grown on the first layer and have a thickness at least twice the characteristic size of the stress reducing regions.
US09397258B2

Semiconductor structures include an active region between a plurality of layers of InGaN. The active region may be at least substantially comprised by InGaN. The plurality of layers of InGaN include at least one well layer, and at least one barrier layer proximate the at least one well layer. Methods of forming semiconductor structures include growing such layers of InGaN to form an active region of a light emitting device, such as an LED. Luminary devices include such LEDs.
US09397254B2

A superluminescent diode and a method for implementing the same, wherein the method includes growing a first epi layer on top of an SI (semi-insulating substrate); re-growing a butt based on the first epi layer; forming a tapered SSC (spot size converter) on the re-grown butt layer; forming an optical waveguide on an active area that is based on the first epi layer and on an SSC area that is based on the tapered SSC; forming an RWG on the optical waveguide; and forming a p-type electrode and an n-type electrode.
US09397243B2

Various embodiments of a germanium-on-silicon (Ge—Si) avalanche photodiode are provided. In one aspect, the Ge—Si avalanche photodiode utilizes a silicon carrier-energy-relaxation layer to reduce the energy of holes drifting into absorption layer where the absorption material has lower ionization threshold, thereby suppressing multiplication noise and increasing the gain-bandwidth product of the avalanche photodiode.
US09397242B2

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a novel silicon substrate having a textured surface by dry-etching the surface of a silicon substrate having (111) orientation and thereby forming a texture thereon. The present invention provides a silicon substrate having (111) orientation, said silicon substrate having a textured surface that includes multiple protrusions which each comprise three slant faces and have heights of 100 to 8000 nm. This process for producing a silicon substrate includes: a step of preparing a silicon substrate having (111) orientation; and a step of blowing an etching gas onto the surface of the silicon substrate, said etching gas containing one or more gases selected from the group consisting of ClF3, XeF2, BrF3, BrF5 and NF3.
US09397240B2

A reflective article includes a transparent substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface. A base coat is formed over at least a portion of the second major surface. A primary reflective coating having at least one metallic layer is formed over at least a portion of the base coat. A protective coating is formed over at least a portion of the primary reflective coating. The article further includes a solar cell and an anode, with the solar cell connected to the metallic layer and the anode.
US09397231B2

A semiconductor device having a wide depletion region for increasing the breakdown voltage of the device includes an epitaxial layer of a first conductive type. An anode electrode and a cathode electrode are arranged on the epitaxial layer to be separated from each other. A first drift layer of the first conductive type formed in the epitaxial layer. A Schottky contact area is at a region of contact between the anode electrode and the first drift layer. An impurity region of a second conductive type is different from the first conductive type at the epitaxial layer. An insular impurity region is formed below the Schottky contact area.
US09397229B2

A nano resonance apparatus includes a gate electrode configured to generate a magnetic field, and a nanowire connecting a source electrode to a drain electrode and configured to vibrate in the presence of the magnetic field. The nanowire includes a protruding portion extending in a direction of the gate electrode.
US09397214B1

A semiconductor device is provided includes a substrate, a gate structure formed on the substrate, an epitaxial source/drain structure respectively formed at two sides of the gate structure, and a boron-rich interface layer. The boron-rich interface layer includes a bottom-and-sidewall portion and a top portion, and the epitaxial source/drain structure is enclosed by the bottom-and-sidewall portion and the top portion.
US09397209B2

A semiconductor structure has a second portion with an appendage on one side of the second portion and extruding along the longitudinal direction of the second portion. Moreover the semiconductor structure also has a gate line longitudinally parallel to the second portion, wherein the length of the gate line equals to the longitudinal length of the second portion.
US09397206B2

A semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate in which a diode region and an IGBT region are formed is provided. In the semiconductor device, the diode region includes a second conductivity type cathode layer. An impurity concentration of second conductivity type impurities of the cathode layer is distributed in a curve pattern having at least two peaks, and the impurity concentration of the second conductivity type impurities is higher than that of first conductivity type impurities at all depths of the cathode layer.
US09397203B2

Device structures, fabrication methods, and design structures for a bipolar junction transistor. A first terminal of the bipolar junction transistor is formed from a section of a device layer of a semiconductor-on-insulator wafer. An intrinsic base of the bipolar junction transistor is formed from an epitaxially-grown section of a first semiconductor layer, which is coextensive with a sidewall of the section of the device layer. A second terminal of the bipolar junction transistor is formed from a second semiconductor layer that is coextensive with the epitaxially-grown section of the first semiconductor layer. The epitaxially-grown section of a first semiconductor layer defines a first junction with the section of the device layer, and the second semiconductor layer defines a second junction with the epitaxially-grown section of the first semiconductor layer.
US09397201B2

A method of forming a flash memory cell includes forming a first hard mask and a second hard mask on a substrate. A select gate is formed as a spacer around the first hard mask. A charge storage layer is formed over the first and second hard masks and the select gate. A control gate is formed as a spacer around the second hard mask. A recess in the control gate is filled with a dielectric material. The recess is formed between a curved sidewall of the control gate and a sidewall of the charge storage layer directly adjacent the curved sidewall of the control gate.
US09397197B1

A technique relates to a transistor. Dummy gates are formed on top of an isolation layer and over fins. Pillars are along sides of fins such that trenches separate the pillars from the sides of the fins. The pillars include a first intermediate layer formed on an isolation layer and a second intermediate layer formed on the first intermediate layer. An epitaxial layer is deposited in the trenches such that the epitaxial layer is laterally confined by the pillars. The top of the epitaxial layer forms a triangular shape that extends higher than the pillars. The pillars are removed such that straight sidewalls of the epitaxial layer are exposed. Dummy gates are replaced with replacement gates. A metal silicide contact that wraps around a source part and a drain part of the epitaxial layer is formed, by forming a conductive layer on top of the structure.
US09397196B2

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a preliminary gate insulation layer is formed on a substrate, and at least a portion of the substrate serves as a channel region. A hydrogen plasma treatment is performed on the preliminary gate insulation layer to form a gate insulation layer, and the hydrogen plasma treatment supplying a hydrogen-containing gas and an inert gas supply in a chamber via different gas supply parts to form a hydrogen plasma region and an inert gas plasma region in the chamber, respectively. A gate electrode is formed on the gate insulation layer, and impurity regions are formed at upper portions of the substrate adjacent to the gate electrode.
US09397191B2

An isolation region is formed in a semiconductor substrate to laterally define and electrically isolate a device region and first and second laterally adjacent well regions are formed in the device region. A gate structure is formed above the device region such that the first well region extends below an entirety of the gate structure and a well region interface formed between the first and second well regions is laterally offset from a drain-side edge of the gate structure. Source and drain regions are formed in the device region such that the source region extends laterally from a source-side edge of the gate structure and across a first portion of the first well region to a first inner edge of the isolation region and the drain region extends laterally from the drain-side edge and across a second portion of the first well region.
US09397165B2

A method to form a semiconductor structure with an active region and a compatible dielectric layer is described. In one embodiment, a semiconductor structure has a dielectric layer comprised of an oxide of a first semiconductor material, wherein a second (and compositionally different) semiconductor material is formed between the dielectric layer and the first semiconductor material. In another embodiment, a portion of the second semiconductor material is replaced with a third semiconductor material in order to impart uniaxial strain to the lattice structure of the second semiconductor material.
US09397163B2

A gate-all around fin double diffused metal oxide semiconductor (DMOS) devices and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a plurality of fin structures from a substrate. The method further includes forming a well of a first conductivity type and a second conductivity type within the substrate and corresponding fin structures of the plurality of fin structures. The method further includes forming a source contact on an exposed portion of a first fin structure. The method further comprises forming drain contacts on exposed portions of adjacent fin structures to the first fin structure. The method further includes forming a gate structure in a dielectric fill material about the first fin structure and extending over the well of the first conductivity type.
US09397151B1

A packaged integrated circuit includes an integrated circuit substrate and a cap bonded to a surface of the integrated circuit substrate. The cap has a recess therein that is at least partially lined with at least one segment of an inductor. This inductor may be electrically coupled to an electrical component within the integrated circuit substrate. In some embodiments, the inductor is patterned to extend along a sidewall and interior top surface of the recess, which extends opposite the integrated circuit substrate. The inductor may include a plurality of arcuate-shaped segments and may be patterned to be symmetric about a center-tapped portion thereof. The cap may also include a magnetic material therein that increases an effective inductance of the inductor relative to an otherwise equivalent cap and inductor combination that is devoid of the magnetic material.
US09397145B1

A memory structure comprises first conductive lines extending in a first direction over portions of a base structure, storage element structures extending in the first direction over the first conductive lines, isolated electrode structures overlying portions of the storage element structures, select device structures extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction over the isolated electrode structures, second conductive lines extending in the second direction over the select device structures, additional select device structures extending in the second direction over the second conductive lines, additional isolated electrode structures overlying portions of the additional select device structures, additional storage element structures extending in the first direction over the additional isolated electrode structures, and third conductive lines extending in the first direction over the additional storage element structures. Cross-point memory arrays, electronic systems, and related methods are also described.
US09397143B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a liner for a phase change memory (PCM) array and associated techniques and configurations. In an embodiment, a substrate, an array of phase change memory (PCM) elements disposed on the substrate, wherein individual PCM elements of the array of PCM elements comprise a chalcogenide material and a liner disposed on sidewall surfaces of the individual PCM elements, wherein the liner comprises aluminum (Al), silicon (Si) and oxygen (O). Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09397139B1

Devices and methods of forming a device are disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate defined with at least first and second regions. A first upper dielectric layer is provided over the substrate. The first upper dielectric layer comprises a first upper interconnect level with a plurality of metal lines. A dielectric layer is formed over the first upper dielectric layer. The dielectric layer includes a second upper interconnect level with a plurality of metal lines. A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cell is formed between the first and second upper interconnect levels in the first region. An inductor is formed in the second region. The inductor includes a lower inductor level formed from metal lines in the first upper interconnect level and an upper inductor level formed from metal lines in the second upper interconnect level. The metal lines in the lower inductor level and upper inductor level are coupled by via contacts to form loops of the inductor.
US09397138B2

A manufacturing method of a semiconductor structure includes the following steps. A carrier and a dam element are provided, and the dam element is adhered to the carrier by a temporary bonding layer. The dam element is bonded on the wafer. A first isolation layer, a redistribution layer, a second isolation layer, and a conductive structure are formed on the wafer in sequence. The carrier, the dam element and the wafer are diced to form a semiconductor element. The semiconductor element is disposed on a printed circuit board, such that the conductive structure is electrically connected to the printed circuit board. An adhesion force of the temporary bonding layer is eliminated to remove the carrier. A lens assembly is disposed on the printed circuit board, such that the semiconductor element without the carrier is located in the lens assembly.
US09397137B2

A device includes a metal pad at a surface of an image sensor chip, wherein the image sensor chip includes an image sensor. A stud bump is disposed over, and electrically connected to, the metal pad. The stud bump includes a bump region, and a tail region connected to the bump region. The tail region includes a metal wire portion substantially perpendicular to a top surface of the metal pad. The tail region is short enough to support itself against gravity.
US09397136B2

A solid-state imaging device includes, in a semiconductor substrate, a pixel portion provided with a photoelectric conversion portion, which photoelectrically converts incident light to obtain an electric signal and a peripheral circuit portion disposed on the periphery of the pixel portion, wherein a gate insulating film of aMOS transistor in the peripheral circuit portion is composed of a silicon oxynitride film, a gate insulating film of aMOS transistor in the pixel portion is composed of a silicon oxynitride film, and an oxide film is disposed just above the photoelectric conversion portion in the pixel portion.
US09397132B2

The present invention provides a solid-state imaging device including a pad capable of reducing inferior connection with an external terminal. The solid-state imaging device includes a first substrate provided, on its front face, with photoelectric conversion elements, a first wiring structure, a second substrate provided, on its front face, with at least a part of peripheral circuits, and a second wiring structure. The first substrate, the first wiring structure, the second wiring structure, and the second substrate are provided in this order. The first wiring structure includes a wiring layer including wirings made mainly of copper. The second wiring structure includes a wiring layer including wirings made mainly of copper. Wirings made mainly of copper in the first wiring structure are bonded with wirings made mainly of copper in the second wiring structure. The solid-state imaging device includes a pad formed of a conductive element made mainly of aluminum.
US09397130B1

A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a semiconductor layer, light-sensing devices, a transparent dielectric layer and a grid shielding layer. The semiconductor layer overlies the substrate, and has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The semiconductor layer includes microstructures disposed on the second surface of the semiconductor layer. The light-sensing devices are disposed on the first surface of the semiconductor layer. The transparent dielectric layer is disposed on the second surface of the semiconductor layer, and covers the microstructures. The grid shielding layer extends from the first surface of the semiconductor layer toward the second surface of the semiconductor layer, and surrounds each of the light-sensing devices to separate the light-sensing devices from each other, in which a depth of the grid shielding layer is greater than two-thirds of a thickness of the semiconductor layer.
US09397129B2

Among other things, one or more image sensors and techniques for forming such image sensors are provided. An image sensor comprises a photodiode array configured to detect light. The image sensor comprises a calibration region configured to detect a color level for image reproduction, such as a black calibration region configured to detect a black level for an image detected by the photodiode array. The image sensor comprises a dielectric film that is formed over the photodiode array and the calibration region. The dielectric film is configured to balance stress between the photodiode and the calibration region in order to improve accuracy of the calibration region.
US09397125B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of manufacturing a pixel unit, in which only a single patterning process and a single doping process are performed on a polysilicon layer so as to form heavily doped regions of a thin film transistor and a lower electrode of a storage capacitor respectively, thereby reducing numbers of photolithography and masking processes required to manufacture a LTPS-TFT, shortening time periods for development and mass production, and reducing complexity of processes as well as monitoring difficulty, and decreasing the production cost. The present invention further provides a pixel unit manufactured according to the method, an array substrate and a display device including the same.
US09397116B2

A semiconductor device may include a first dielectric layer. The semiconductor device may further include a second dielectric layer overlapping the first dielectric layer and having a closed cavity structure. The semiconductor device may further include a first transistor disposed between the first dielectric layer and the closed cavity structure. The semiconductor device may further include a second transistor disposed between the first dielectric layer and the closed cavity structure. The semiconductor device may further include a trench isolation structure disposed between the first transistor and the second transistor and disposed between the first dielectric layer and the closed cavity structure.
US09397113B2

A vertical gate nonvolatile NAND array includes a plurality of vertically stacked NAND strings of nonvolatile memory cells, a plurality of word lines arranged orthogonally over the plurality of vertically stacked NAND strings, and a plurality of vertical columns of conductive gate material electrically coupled to the plurality of word lines. The plurality of vertically stacked NAND strings are with vertically stacked semiconductor strips having opposite sides including a first side and a second side. The vertical columns in the plurality of vertical columns are gates to only one side of the first side and the second side of the opposite sides of the vertically stacked semiconductor strips. The vertical columns in the plurality of vertical columns are gates to adjacent stacks in the plurality of vertically stacked NAND strings.
US09397111B1

A fabrication process for a 3D memory structure provides a single crystal silicon channel for a drain-side select gate (SGD) transistor using a laser thermal anneal (LTA). The 3D memory structure includes a stack formed from an array of alternating conductive and dielectric layers. A NAND string is formed by filling a memory hole with memory films, including a charge trapping material, a tunnel oxide and a polysilicon channel. In one case, a separate oxide and polysilicon forms the SGD transistor gate oxide and channel respectively, where LTA is performed on the polysilicon. In another case, the same oxide and polysilicon are used for the SGD transistor and the memory cells. A portion of the polysilicon is converted to single crystal silicon. A back side of the single crystal silicon is subject to epitaxial growth and thermal oxidation via a void in a control gate layer.
US09397101B2

A MOS device includes a first FinFET having a first transistor source, drain, gate, and set of fins, and includes a second FinFET having a second transistor source, drain, gate, and set of fins. The MOS device further includes a gate interconnect extending linearly to form and to connect together the first and second transistor gates. The MOS device further includes a first interconnect on a first side of the gate interconnect that connects together the set of first transistor fins at the first transistor drain and the set of second transistor fins at the second transistor source, a second interconnect on a second side of the gate interconnect that connects together the set of first transistor fins at the first transistor source, and a third interconnect on the second side of the gate interconnect that connects together the set of second transistor fins at the second transistor drain.
US09397100B2

An integrated circuit and method with a metal gate NMOS transistor with a high-k first gate dielectric on a high quality thermally grown interface dielectric and with a metal gate PMOS transistor with a high-k last gate dielectric on a chemically grown interface dielectric.
US09397096B2

A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same, wherein an example method may include: forming a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer sequentially on a substrate; patterning the second semiconductor layer to form an initial fin; performing anisotropic etching on the first semiconductor layer to form a Σ-shaped lateral recess therein; forming an isolation layer on the substrate to have a portion that fills the lateral recess, wherein the isolation layer, except the portion that fills the lateral recess, has a top surface located between a top surface and a bottom surface of the first semiconductor layer, and thus defines a fin above the isolation layer; and forming a gate stack intersecting the fin on the isolation layer.
US09397095B1

A FinFET comprises a substrate, an array of substantially parallel fins formed on the substrate and extending in a first direction, and an array of gates on the fins. First gates extend across the same fins of a first plurality of the fins in a second direction transverse to the first. Second gates extend across the same fins of a second plurality of fins in the second direction; the second gates having a length that is larger than that of the first gates. Third gates extend across the same fins of a third plurality of fins in the second direction; the third plurality of fins being located between the first and second pluralities. The third gates provide a transition between the first gates and the second gates in which a first portion of the third gates are dummies and a second portion are active devices such as pass gates.
US09397093B2

A method of making a monolithic three dimensional NAND string includes forming a stack of alternating layers of a first material and a second material, etching the stack to form a front side opening in the stack, selectively forming a plurality of discrete semiconductor, metal or silicide charge storage regions on portions of the second material layers exposed in the front side opening, forming a tunnel dielectric layer and semiconductor channel layer in the front side opening, etching the stack to form a back side opening in the stack, removing at least a portion of the second material layers through the back side opening to form back side recesses between the first material layers, forming a blocking dielectric in the back side recesses through the back side opening, and forming control gates over the blocking dielectric in the back side recesses through the back side opening.
US09397088B2

In order to provide a semiconductor device having high ESD tolerance, a plurality of source wirings (22) are formed of metal films having the same shape and electrically connect a plurality of sources (12) to a ground voltage wiring (22a), respectively, a plurality of drain wirings (23) are formed of metal films having the same shape and electrically connect a plurality of drains (12) to an input voltage wiring (23a), respectively, and a plurality of gate wirings (21) are formed of metal films having the same shape and electrically connect a plurality of gates (11) to the ground voltage wiring (22a), respectively. Further, a back gate wiring (24) is formed of a metal film and electrically connects a back gate (14) to the ground voltage wiring (22a), and the back gate wiring (24) is separated from the source wiring (22) formed on the source (12).
US09397084B1

A structure of ESD protection circuits on a BEOL layer includes a substrate. A plurality of interconnect layers and an inter-level dielectric layer are disposed on the substrate. The inter-level dielectric layer is disposed between the plurality of interconnect layers. The last layer of the interconnect layers comprises an I/O pad, a first pad and a second pad. A first diode and a second diode are disposed on the last layer of the inter-level dielectric layer, wherein the first diode electrically connects to the I/O pad and the first pad and the second diode electrically connects to the I/O pad and the second pad.
US09397077B2

A display device comprises: a film substrate; display pixels; a flexible printed circuit board and/or a driver integrated circuit; a protective resin that covers, in a plan view of the film substrate, an outer edge of the driver integrated circuit and/or part of the flexible printed circuit board; a fixing substrate; and an adhesive layer that bonds the film substrate to the fixing substrate. The film substrate has a first area including at least an outer edge of the protective resin in a plan view of the film substrate. In the first area, a product of a thickness t [m] of the film substrate by a shear strength X [N/m2] of the film substrate is greater than a peel strength Y [N/m] with which the film substrate is separated from the fixing substrate.
US09397071B2

A microelectronic package of the present description may comprises a first microelectronic device having at least one row of connection structures electrically connected thereto and a second microelectronic device having at least one row of connection structures electrically connected thereto, wherein the connection structures within the at least one first microelectronic device row are aligned with corresponding connection structures within the at least one second microelectronic device row in an x-direction. An interconnect comprising an interconnect substrate having a plurality of electrically isolated conductive traces extending in the x-direction on a first surface of the interconnect substrate may be attached to the at least one first microelectronic device connection structure row and the at least one second microelectronic device connection structure row, such that at least one interconnect conductive trace forms a connection between a first microelectronic device connection structure and its corresponding second microelectronic device connection structure.
US09397065B1

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a fixture design for pre-attachment package on package component assembly. The fixture design includes a plurality of pockets arranged in a N×M array. The plurality of pockets is sized to receive bottom packages. The fixture design includes global fiducials that are used to locate positions of the pockets on the fixture, and sets of local fiducials, with each set being specific to one of the pockets and used to refine the position of the location of a corresponding pocket. Each of the pockets can include one or more ear cuts for easy component placement and component removal. The fixture design can include a vacuum port for coupling with a vacuum source for drawing a vacuum to hold the bottom packages down. The fixture design can also include a cover that is used with the fixture to keep the components from being disturbed.
US09397062B2

The described embodiments of mechanisms of forming a die package and package on package (PoP) structure involve forming a solder paste layer over metal balls of external connectors of a die package. The solder paste layer protects the metal balls from oxidation. In addition, the solder paste layer enables solder to solder bonding with another die package. Further, the solder paste layer moves an intermetallic compound (IMC) layer formed between the solder paste layer and the metal balls below a surface of a molding compound of the die package. Having the IMC layer below the surface strengthens the bonding structure between the two die packages.
US09397061B2

A semiconductor device includes a wiring layer formed on a first surface of a first insulation layer and including an external connection pad and an internal connection pad located at an inner side of the external connection pad. A semiconductor element facing the first surface of the first insulation layer includes an electrode pad located corresponding to the internal connection pad, a bump formed on the electrode pad and connected to the internal connection pad, and a circuit element region defined in a first surface of the semiconductor element at an inner side of the electrode pad. A second insulation layer fills a gap between the first surfaces of the semiconductor element and the first insulation layer. A third insulation layer covers a second surface of the semiconductor element and the second insulation layer and includes an opening that exposes the external connection pad connected to an external connection terminal.
US09397059B2

The embodiments described provide elongated bonded structures near edges of packaged structures free of solder wetting on sides of copper posts substantially facing the center of the packaged structures. Solder wetting occurs on other sides of copper posts of these bonded structures. The elongated bonded structures are arranged in different arrangements and reduce the chance of shorting between neighboring bonded structures. In addition, the elongated bonded structures improve the reliability performance.
US09397056B2

In some embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure, a semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate is received. An interconnect structure is provided over the semiconductor substrate, and a passivation is provided over the interconnect structure. The passivation includes an opening such that a portion of the interconnect structure is exposed. Moreover, a dielectric is provided over the passivation, and a post-passivation interconnect (PPI) is provided over the dielectric. The PPI is configured to connect with the exposed portion of the interconnect structure through an opening in the dielectric. Furthermore, the PPI includes a receiving area for receiving a conductor, and a trench adjacent to the receiving area. In certain embodiments, the receiving area is defined by the trench.
US09397054B2

A semiconductor structure with an interconnect level above a substrate and including a conductive pad and a metallic structure, such as a base of a crackstop. A first dielectric layer is above the conductive pad and above the metallic structure. A first opening in the first dielectric layer is aligned with and exposes the conductive pad and a second opening is aligned with and exposes the metallic structure. A metallic liner lines the first opening and the second opening and is on the top surface of the first dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer is above the metallic liner and a third dielectric layer is above the second dielectric layer. A third opening exposes a portion of the metal liner above the conductive pad and a copper plug and pedestal are in the third opening on the exposed portion of the metal liner.
US09397049B1

A method for forming a gate tie-down includes opening up a cap layer and recessing gate spacers on a gate structure to expose a gate conductor; forming inner spacers on the gate spacers; etching contact openings adjacent to sides of the gate structure down to a substrate below the gate structures; and forming trench contacts on sides of the gate structure. An interlevel dielectric (ILD) is deposited on the gate conductor and the trench contacts and over the gate structure. The ILD is opened up to expose the trench contact on one side of the gate structure and the gate conductor. A second conductive material provides a self-aligned contact down to the trench contact on the one side and to form a gate contact down to the gate conductor and a horizontal connection within the ILD over an active area between the gate conductor and the self-aligned contact.
US09397048B1

A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a first through hole disposed in the substrate and filled with conductive material, and a second through hole disposed in the substrate and filled with isolation material, which a Young's modulus of the isolation material is smaller than a Young's modulus of the conductive material to balance stress from the conductive material.
US09397034B2

Provided is a multi-chip package in which a plurality of semiconductor chips having different sizes are stacked. A multi-chip package may include a substrate, and a plurality of semiconductor chips stacked on the substrate, each of the plurality of semiconductor chips having a different size. Each of the plurality of semiconductor chips including a pad group and a reference region associated with the pad group, each pad group having a plurality of pads, and the plurality of pads in each pad group located at same coordinates with respect to the associated reference region, and each of the plurality of semiconductor chips having their reference regions vertically aligned.
US09397027B1

A semiconductor package device, electronic device, and fabrication methods are described that include at least one sacrificial contact pad as a portion of the semiconductor package device for preventing and reducing stress on the semiconductor package device and increasing board level reliability. In implementations, the semiconductor package device includes a lead frame substrate including at least one lead frame contact pad and at least one sacrificial contact pad, an integrated circuit device electrically coupled to the lead frame substrate, and an encapsulation layer that encapsulates the lead frame substrate and the integrated circuit device. In implementations, one process for fabricating the semiconductor package device includes placing an integrated circuit device on a lead frame substrate, where the lead frame substrate includes at least one lead frame contact pad and at least one sacrificial contact pad, and encapsulating the integrated circuit device and the lead frame substrate with an encapsulation layer.
US09397022B2

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first side, at least a first area formed in the semiconductor substrate, at least a second area formed in the semiconductor substrate, a first metal layer structure having at least a first metal portion in the first area and at least a second metal portion in the second area, and a second metal layer structure on and in ohmic contact with the first metal portion in the first area while leaving the second metal portion of the first metal layer structure in the second area uncovered. The second metal layer structure and the first metal portion of the first metal layer structure form together a common metallization structure on the first side of the semiconductor substrate in the first area.
US09397021B2

An electrical connector for electrically connecting a chip module to a circuit board, includes an insulating body, multiple conducting bodies, and multiple pieces of low melting point metal. The insulating body has multiple accommodating spaces. Each accommodating space runs through upper and lower surfaces of the insulating body. The multiple conducting bodies are respectively received in the accommodating spaces. Two ends of each conducting body are exposed on the upper and lower surfaces of the insulating body. The low melting point metal is gallium or gallium alloy. Each piece of the low melting point metal is correspondingly arranged at at least one end of one of the conducting bodies. The low melting point metal protrudes from the insulating body, and is electrically connected to the chip module.
US09397019B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an integrated circuit (IC) package including a die having a first side and a second side disposed opposite to the first side. The IC package may further include an encapsulation material encapsulating at least a portion of the die and having a first surface that is adjacent to the first side of the die and a second surface disposed opposite to the first surface. In embodiments, the second surface may be shaped such that one or more cross-section areas of the IC package are thinner than one or more other cross-section areas of the IC package. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09397008B1

A manufacturing method of a conductive structure in a semiconductor device includes the following steps. A plurality of gate structures are formed on a semiconductor structure, and a first dielectric layer is formed in space between the gate structures. A first process is then performed to remove at least a part of the first dielectric layer in the space between the gate structures. A second dielectric layer is then formed and covers the gate structures so as to form at least one air void in the space between the gate structures. A second process is performed to form at least one opening penetrating the second dielectric layer and exposing the air void. The air void exposed by the opening is then filled with at least one conductive material for forming a conductive structure between the gate structures.
US09397007B2

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure, which comprises: a) forming gate lines extending in a direction on a substrate; b) forming a photoresist layer that covers the semiconductor structure; patterning the photoresist layer to form openings across the gate lines; c) narrowing the openings by forming a self-assembly copolymer inside the openings; and d) cutting the gate lines via the openings to make the gate lines insulated at the openings. Through forming an additional layer on the inner wall of the openings of the photoresist layer, the method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure provided by the present invention manages to reduce the distance between the two opposite walls of the openings in the direction of gate width, namely, the method manages to reduce the distance between the ends of electrically isolated gates located on the same line where it is unnecessary to manufacture a cut mask whose lines are extremely fine. Working area is therefore saved, which accordingly improves integration level of semiconductor devices. In addition, the present invention further provides a semiconductor structure according to the method provided by the present invention.
US09397005B1

In one example, a method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes etching a layer of silicon to form a plurality of fins and growing layers of a semiconductor material directly on sidewalls of the plurality of fins, wherein the semiconductor material and surfaces of the sidewalls have different crystalline properties.
US09396996B2

A method of forming a semiconductor structure comprises forming pools of acidic or basic material in a substrate structure. A resist is formed over the pools of acidic or basic material and the substrate structure. The acidic or basic material is diffused from the pools into portions of the resist proximal to the pools more than into portions of the resist distal to the pools. Then, the resist is exposed to a developer to remove a greater amount of the resist portions proximal to the pools compared to the resist portions distal to the pools to form openings in the resist. The openings have wider portions proximal to the substrate structure and narrower portions distal to the substrate structure. The method may further comprise forming features in the openings of the resist. The features have wider portions proximal to the substrate structure and narrower portions distal to the substrate structure.
US09396986B2

Forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure filled with a flowable dielectric layer involves performing an implant to generate passages in the upper portion of the flowable dielectric layer. The passages enable oxygen source in a thermal anneal to reach the flowable dielectric layer near the bottom of the STI structure during the thermal anneal to convert a SIONH network of the reflowable dielectric layer to a network of SiOH and SiO. The passages also help to provide escape paths for by-products produced during another thermal anneal to convert the network of SiOH and SiO to SiO2.
US09396978B2

A substrate processing apparatus can efficiently perform a trial operation in conditions close to those of an actual operation. In the substrate processing apparatus 1 for taking substrates W out of a transfer chamber (FOUPs 1 to 4), processing the substrates W in each of processing modules 2 and returning the processed substrates W to the transfer chamber, a mode selection unit 31 selects an operation check mode for performing an operation check of wafer transfer devices 15 and 17 or the processing modules 2. Further, a job setting unit 32 sets control jobs for the operation check and a process job as a recipe executed on the substrate W. A controller 3 determines whether or not a first control job and a second control job to be executed subsequently after the first control job are allowed to be executed in parallel.
US09396973B2

A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a bond pad above the substrate, a guard ring above the substrate, and an alignment mark above the substrate, between the bond pad and the guard ring. The device may include a passivation layer on the substrate, a polymer layer, a post-passivation interconnect (PPI) layer in contact with the bond pad, and a connector on the PPI layer, wherein the connector is between the bond pad and the guard ring, and the alignment mark is between the connector and the guard ring. The alignment mark may be at the PPI layer. There may be multiple alignment marks at different layers. There may be multiple alignment marks for the device around the corners or at the edges of an area surrounded by the guard ring.
US09396972B2

An IC assembly includes multiple microelectronic dies embedded in a substrate material using capillary forces such that the contact surface of each microelectronic die is coplanar with a planar upper surface of the substrate material. The substrate material is deposited as a layer of uncured polymer in a paste (or other solid form) on a base chip, and then the microelectronic dies are mounted on the layer surface in a predefined pattern. The uncured polymer is then heated until becomes a flowable liquid, causing the microelectronic dies to be pulled into the liquid polymer by capillary forces until the contact surface of each microelectronic die is coplanar with the upper liquid polymer surface. The liquid polymer is then cured to form the substrate material as a cross-linked robust solid film that fixedly secures the microelectronic dies in the predefined pattern. The microelectronic dies are then interconnected using standard metallization techniques.
US09396969B2

A manufacturing method of a glasswork component, includes: forming a compressive stress layer which ranges from one main surface to the other main surface of a glass substrate, along a scheduled cutting line, so as to be adjacent to the scheduled cutting line of the glass substrate; and cutting the glass substrate in the scheduled cutting line.
US09396968B2

An etching method is provided that includes the steps of supplying an etching gas containing a fluorocarbon (CF) based gas into a processing chamber, generating a plasma from the etching gas, and etching a silicon oxide film through a polysilicon mask using the plasma. The polysilicon film has a predetermined pattern and is arranged on the silicon oxide film. The silicon oxide film has at least one of a silicon content per unit volume, a fluorine content per unit volume, and a volume density that varies in a depth direction.
US09396958B2

Techniques herein provide methods for self-aligned etching that use existing features for patterning or registering a pattern, without damaging existing features. Existing substrate structures are used to create a surface that enables directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers (BCP) without a separate lithographic patterning layer. Methods herein include recessing at least one existing material or structure on a substrate, and adding a film that remains on the recessed material only. This film can be selected to have a preferential surface energy that enables controlled self-assembly of block copolymers. The substrate can then be etched using both existing structures and one polymer material as an etching mask. One example advantage is that self-assembled polymer material can be located to protect exposed corners of existing features, which reduces a burden of selective etch chemistry, increases precision of subsequent etching, and reduces sputter yield.
US09396956B1

A method for etching a layer on a substrate includes at least one etching cycle, wherein an etching cycle includes: continuously providing an inert gas into the reaction space; providing a pulse of an etching gas into the continuous inert gas flow upstream of the reaction space to chemisorb the etching gas in an unexcited state on a surface of the substrate; and providing a pulse of RF power discharge between electrodes to generate a reactive species of the inert gas in the reaction space so that the layer on the substrate is etched.
US09396953B2

A method includes forming a dummy gate stack over a semiconductor substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate is comprised in a wafer. The method further includes removing the dummy gate stack to form a recess, forming a gate dielectric layer in the recess, and forming a metal layer in the recess. The metal layer is over the gate dielectric layer. The formation of the metal layer includes placing the wafer against a target, applying a DC power to the target, and applying an RF power to the target, wherein the DC power and the RF power are applied simultaneously. A remaining portion of the recess is then filled with metallic materials, wherein the metallic materials are overlying the metal layer.
US09396952B2

Some embodiments include methods of forming charge storage transistor gates and standard FET gates in which common processing is utilized for fabrication of at least some portions of the different types of gates. FET and charge storage transistor gate stacks may be formed. The gate stacks may each include a gate material, an insulative material, and a sacrificial material. The sacrificial material is removed from the FET and charge storage transistor gate stacks. The insulative material of the FET gate stacks is etched through. A conductive material is formed over the FET gate stacks and over the charge storage transistor gate stacks. The conductive material physically contacts the gate material of the FET gate stacks, and is separated from the gate material of the charge storage transistor gate stacks by the insulative material remaining in the charge storage transistor gate stacks. Some embodiments include gate structures.
US09396950B2

In aspects of the present invention, a method of forming a semiconductor device is disclosed, wherein amorphous regions are formed at an early stage during fabrication and the amorphous regions are conserved during subsequent processing sequences, and an intermediate semiconductor device structure with amorphous regions are provided at an early stage during fabrication. Herein a gate structure is provided over a semiconductor substrate and amorphous regions are formed adjacent the gate structure. Source/drain extension regions or source/drain regions are formed in the amorphous regions. In some illustrative embodiments, fluorine may be implanted into the amorphous regions. After the source/drain extension regions and/or the source/drain regions are formed, a rapid thermal anneal process is performed.
US09396946B2

Embodiments of a semiconductor device having increased channel mobility and methods of manufacturing thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, the semiconductor device includes a substrate including a channel region and a gate stack on the substrate over the channel region. The gate stack includes an alkaline earth metal. In one embodiment, the alkaline earth metal is Barium (Ba). In another embodiment, the alkaline earth metal is Strontium (Sr). The alkaline earth metal results in a substantial improvement of the channel mobility of the semiconductor device.
US09396944B2

An apparatus for irradiating a semiconductor is disclosed. The apparatus has a curved mirror with a reflective surface of revolution, and a point source generating an irradiation beam being incident on the curved mirror along an incident direction. The curved mirror and the point source form a system having an axis of revolution wherein the point source is provided on or near said axis of revolution. The axis of revolution substantially coincides with a straight line projection to be generated on a semiconductor substrate. Additionally, the use of such an apparatus for manufacturing a selective emitter grid, or for irradiating a large area semiconductor surface in a scanning movement, is disclosed.
US09396934B2

Methods of forming germanium-tin films using germane as a precursor are disclosed. Exemplary methods include growing films including germanium and tin in an epitaxial chemical vapor deposition reactor, wherein a ratio of a tin precursor to germane is less than 0.1. Also disclosed are structures and devices including germanium-tin films formed using the methods described herein.
US09396929B2

Provided are: forming a thin film made of a specific element alone on a substrate by performing a specific number of times a cycle of: supplying a first source to the substrate, the first source containing the specific element and a halogen-group; and supplying a second source to the substrate, the second source containing the specific element and an amino-group, and having amino-group-containing ligands whose number is two or less in its composition formula and not more than the number of halogen-group-containing ligands in the composition formula of the first source.
US09396926B2

A cleaning method is provided that includes a step of preparing a cleaning composition containing 57 to 95 wt % of (component a) water, 1 to 40 wt % of (component b) a secondary hydroxy group- and/or tertiary hydroxy group-containing hydroxy compound, (component c) an organic acid, and (component d) a quaternary ammonium compound, the composition having a pH of 5 to 10, and a step of removing plasma etching residue formed above a semiconductor substrate by means of the cleaning composition. There are also provided a process for producing a semiconductor device that includes a step of cleaning plasma etching residue formed above a semiconductor substrate using the cleaning method, and a cleaning composition for removing plasma etching residue formed above a semiconductor substrate that contains 57 to 95 wt % of (component a) water, 1 to 40 wt % of (component b) a secondary hydroxy group- and/or tertiary hydroxy group-containing hydroxy compound, (component c) an organic acid, and (component d) a quaternary ammonium compound, the composition having a pH of 5 to 10.
US09396925B1

An automotive lamp capsule (12) containing filament (24) mounted within a capsule envelope (20) that has a light-transmissive coating (60) that increases the color temperature of light passing therethrough. Two uncoated windows (62) on envelope (20) in register with filament (24) extend towards capsule base (20) and alternate, in a direction circumferentially around capsule envelope (20), with two coated portions (64) at that axial location along optical axis (O). A distance from filament (24) to a lower edge (68) of window (62) bounds a region of light emitted from filament (24) whose color temperature is not increased by coating (60) and defines the hot spot (105) in a beam projected from a vehicle reflector (14) in which capsule (12) is mounted. Light emitted by filament (24) passing adjacent to windows (62) through regions of coating (60) form a spread light pattern (112) of advantageous, higher color temperature than previously achievable.
US09396921B2

A method and apparatus for conducting the rapid pyrolysis of peptides, proteins, polymers, and biological materials. The method can be carried out at atmospheric pressures and takes only about 5 to 30 seconds. The samples are cleaved at the C-terminus of aspartic acid. The apparatus employs a probe on which the sample is heated and digested components analyzed.
US09396901B2

A field emission device may comprise: an emitter comprising a cathode electrode and an electron emission source supported by the cathode electrode; an insulating spacer around the emitter, the insulating spacer forming an opening that is a path of electrons emitted from the electron emission source; and/or a gate electrode around the opening. The electron emission source may comprise a plurality of graphene thin films vertically supported in the cathode electrode toward the opening.
US09396900B2

A radio frequency (RF) power coupling system is provided. The system has an RF electrode configured to couple RF power to plasma in a plasma processing system, multiple power coupling elements configured to electrically couple RF power at multiple power coupling locations on the RF electrode, and an RF power system coupled to the multiple power coupling elements, and configured to couple an RF power signal to each of the multiple power coupling elements. The multiple power coupling elements include a center element located at the center of the RF electrode and peripheral elements located off-center from the center of the RF electrode. A first peripheral RF power signal differs from a second peripheral RF power signal in phase.
US09396897B1

A timed electrical power strip assembly allows each of a plurality of electrical outlet receptacles to be controlled by a separate timer. The assembly includes a power strip housing having a top wall, a bottom wall and a peripheral wall attached to and extending between the top and bottom walls. A plurality of electrical outlet receptacles is disposed within the housing and extends through the top wall. Each of the receptacles has a plurality of openings therein wherein each of the openings is configured to receive a male plug-in end of an external electrical cord. A plurality of individual timer switches is provided. Each of the individual timer switches is electrically coupled to an associated receptacle wherein manipulation of the individual timer switches selectively provides power to the associated one of the receptacles for a selectable period of time.
US09396892B2

A keyboard structure for improving the uniformity of illumination comprises a substrate having a reflective surface and a key switch assembly. The key switch assembly is disposed adjacent and specifically on top of the substrate and comprises a keycap, a contact assembly and a light emitting means. The light emitting means can be located either between the keycap and the contact assembly or on the substrate and adjacent to the contact assembly. The keycap further has a portion which is optically transmissive. The light from the light emitting means, directly and/or after reflecting from the reflective surface passes through one or more of the gap between adjacent keycaps or a row of keycaps and through the optically transmissive portion of the keycaps, thus illuminating the keyboard structure. Different colors may be used in different zones of the keyboard. The reflective surface and the light emitting means can have the same color.
US09396884B2

The present invention relates to ionic liquids comprising, as cation, a specific phosphonium cation, as anion, a formate anion, which can be used, alone or as a mixture, to constitute electrolytes for energy storage devices.
US09396882B2

The present invention refers to using the principal of a room temperature molten ionic liquid, to an electrolyte, to devices comprising the ionic liquid co-melting, and to the preparation of a room temperature ionic liquid via various physical and chemical methods. The room temperature molten ionic liquid comprises at least two component salts, at least one of which is not molten at room temperature, but, if combined with another salt, is in the molten state at room temperature.
US09396878B2

There are provided multilayer ceramic capacitor, a manufacturing method therefor, a circuit board having a multilayer ceramic capacitor embedded therein, and a polishing device for a multilayer ceramic capacitor.
US09396849B1

The present technology is directed toward a resistor and method of manufacturing the resistor. One or more layers of insulative material are formed on a length of resistive material. Portions of the one or more layers insulative material are removed from the resistive material in a pattern based on a predetermined approximate dimension and predetermined approximate resistance value. A first set of one or more conductive layers are formed on the portions of the resistive material exposed by the insulative coating to form a plurality of conductive pads on the resistive material between the patterned insulative material. The sets of conductive pads are probed to measure a preliminary resistance value between the sets of conductive pads. For one or more sets of conductive pads, a calculated amount of additional insulative material adjacent the respective conductive pads is removed based upon the preliminary resistance value between the corresponding set of conductive pads and a final resistance value to exposed additional portions of resistive material. The conductive pads and resistive material is cut at substantially the middle of each conductive pad to form pieces. A second set of one or more conductive layers are formed on the first set of one or more conductive layers at opposing ends of each piece, and the additionally exposed portions of the resistive material.
US09396840B2

A pipe includes a cylindrical tube main body in which electric wires are arranged, and a partition wall extending from an inner wall of the tube main body and partitioning an inner space of the tube main body into a first area and a second area. The partition wall includes: a pair of end convex portions and a concave portion. The end convex portions are edge portions of the partition wall and adjacent to the inner wall of the tube main body. Each of the end convex portions curves so as to protrude in a direction from the first area toward the second area. The concave portion is between the pair of end convex portions and curves so as to be recessed in an opposite direction from the direction in which the end convex portion protrudes. The inner wall of the tube main body includes ribs protruding inward of the tube main body and extending in the axial direction of the tube main body.
US09396838B2

A system for providing cable support may be provided. The system may comprise a conductor core, a filler that may provide integral core support, and armor. The conductor core may comprise at least one conductor. The filler may be applied around at least a portion of the conductor core. The armor may be applied around at least a portion of the filler. The applied armor may be configured to cause the filler to apply a strong enough force on an exterior of the conductor core configured to keep the conductor core from slipping down an interior of the filler due to a gravitational force. In addition, the applied armor may be configured to cause the filler to apply a strong enough force on an interior of the armor configured to keep a combination of the conductor core and the filler from slipping down the interior of the armor due to the gravitational force.
US09396836B2

A polyester composition contains polyester, a phosphoric acid and an alkali metal phosphate, a phosphorous element content P (mol/t) is 1.8 mol/t or more and 5.0 mol/t or less relative to the whole of the polyester composition. The polyester composition contains at least one metal element of Mn and Ca, any divalent metal element content other than Mn and Ca is 5 ppm or less, and when an alkali metal element content relative to the polyester composition is denoted by M1 (mol/t), and a total amount of Mn element content and Ca element content relative to the polyester composition is denoted by M2 (mol/t), a metal element content M (mol/t) in the polyester composition which is calculated by expression (i) below and the phosphorous element content P (mol/t) satisfy expression (ii): (i) M=M1/2+M2 and (ii) 1.1≦M/P≦3.0.
US09396835B2

The present invention is a method for preventing copper sulfide generation in oil-filled electrical equipment having an inhibitor of copper sulfide generation in insulating oil, and the method is characterized in monitoring characteristics of the insulating oil and performing re-addition of the inhibitor at an appropriate moment in accordance with a result of the monitoring.
US09396834B2

A metal foil is provided with a filler-containing resin layer that is thin and has a smooth surface as a metal foil provided with an insulating layer. The filler-containing resin layer having a thickness of 0.1 μm to 3.0 μM, the gloss at the surface of the filler-containing resin layer is 200 or more, and the surface roughness (Ra) measured by an atomic force microscope in a measurement area of 5 μm×5 μM on the filler-containing resin layer is 25 nm or less is stacked on the smooth surface of the metal foil having a gloss exceeding 400 and surface roughness (Ra) measured by an atomic force microscope in a measurement area of 5 μm×5 μm of 10 nm or less.
US09396819B2

The disclosed embodiments relate to ion delivery mechanisms, e.g., for fusion power. Particularly, some embodiments relate to systems and methods for delivering ions to a fuel source in such a manner to initiate fast ignition. The ions may be accumulated into “microbunches” and delivered to the fuel with considerable energy and velocity. The impact may compress the fuel while delivering sufficient energy to begin the fusion reaction.
US09396818B2

A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells and a plurality of redundancy memory cells, a fuse array to be programmed with information of a defective memory cell among the memory cells of the memory cell array, and a control unit suitable for setting up a program operation section for programming the fuse array in response to an external command, wherein when the control unit sets up the program operation section, the control unit sets up a refresh operation section for refreshing the memory cell array, which is terminated before the program operation section ends without overlapping with the program operation section.
US09396816B2

A semiconductor system includes: a memory controller; and a memory which determines whether to enable a control signal in response to block mode entry signals applied from the memory controller, enters a repair mode in response to a first address and a first command applied from the memory controller, and blocks an entry to the repair mode during an enabling section of the control signal.
US09396801B1

Memory, and erasing, programming and reading method thereof are provided. In the memory, a first isolation cell, a second isolation cell and a memory cell have same structure. A first doped region of the memory cell and a second doped region of the first isolation cell are connected with a first bit line, a second doped region of the memory cell and a first doped region of the second isolation cell are connected with a second bit line. A first doped region of the first isolation cell serves as a connection terminal thereof, first and second control gate structures of the first isolation cell are connected together to serve as a control terminal thereof, a second doped region of the second isolation cell serves as a connection terminal thereof, first and second control gate structures of the second isolation cell are connected together to serve as a control terminal thereof.
US09396799B2

A semiconductor memory device and a method of operating the same are provided. The device may include a memory cell array including a plurality of memory blocks and a peripheral circuit configured for selecting one of the plurality of memory blocks and performing a program operation on selected memory cells of the selected memory block when the program operation is performed. The peripheral circuit may be configured to float a plurality of source select lines and a plurality of drain select lines of an unselected memory block of the plurality of memory blocks when the program operation is performed.
US09396785B2

On the fly switching from one memory device refresh rate to another is provided. Control logic associated with the memory device detects a condition to switch from a currently-applied refresh rate to a different refresh rate. In response to the condition, the refresh rate is dynamically switched. The switching does not require a change of a mode register. Thus, a refresh rate for the memory device can be dynamically changed on the fly.
US09396780B1

A memory system has a decoder circuit that includes a first driver circuit having an input coupled to receive a first pre-decode signal. The first driver circuit includes transistors wherein a first current electrode of a first transistor is coupled to receive a second pre-decode signal. The decoder circuit includes a second driver circuit having an input coupled to receive a third pre-decode signal. The second driver circuit includes transistors wherein a first current electrode of a third transistor in the stack is coupled to receive the second pre-decode signal. A fifth transistor has a first current electrode coupled to an output of the first driver circuit, a second current electrode coupled to an output of the second driver circuit, and a control electrode coupled to a fourth pre-decode signal.
US09396777B1

A stack memory device may include a core chip and a base chip. The core chip may include a data receiver, a strobe signal generation unit, and a test register. The data receiver may be configured for receiving data outputted from the core chip through a first normal port. The strobe signal generation unit may be configured to generate a data strobe signal based on one of a normal strobe signal and a test strobe signal depending on an operation mode. The test register may store data outputted from the data receiver in response to the data strobe signal.
US09396775B2

A memory device includes first and second memory cell arrays, and a control circuit configured to output first information indicating whether the first memory cell array is in a ready state in which the control circuit is ready to receive a command to access the first memory cell array or a busy state in which the control circuit is not ready to receive the command to access the first memory cell array, and second information indicating whether the second memory cell array is in a ready state in which the control circuit is ready to receive a command to access the second memory cell array or a busy state in which the control circuit is not ready to receive the command to access the second memory cell array.
US09396754B1

A data storage library is described that essentially provides a write once and read many (WORM) conversion device integrated with a picker device all of which are inside of the data storage library. One embodiment contemplates that after receiving a request to store data in a WORM arrangement on a tape cartridge in the data storage library a tape cartridge selected from a scratch pool of tape cartridges can be converted to a WORM tape cartridge via the picker device, during the normal activity of using a picker device to grasp the selected tape cartridge.
US09396752B2

Embodiments of methods and systems for controlling access to information stored on memory or data storage devices are disclosed. In various embodiments, methods of retrieving information from a data storage device previously deactivated by modification or degradation of at least a portion of the data storage device are disclosed.
US09396748B2

A method is provided for characterizing the peg region of a near-field transducer incorporated into a write head of a HAMR magnetic recorder. The method includes providing excitation radiation to one or more near-field transducers. The near-field transducers include an enlarged disk region and a peg region at least partially in contact with the enlarged disk region. The method further includes filtering output radiation from the near-field transducers by passing a portion of photoluminescent radiation emitted by the near-field transducers in response to the excitation radiation and substantially blocking the excitation radiation transmitted by the near-field transducers. The method also includes detecting the portion of photoluminescent radiation and characterizing the peg region of at least one of the plurality of near-field transducers.
US09396745B2

Apparatus for sensing data from a magnetic recording medium using a multi-sensor reader with different readback sensitivities. In accordance with some embodiments, a data transducing head has first and second read sensors. The first read sensor is optimized for reading data and the second read sensor is optimized to detect thermal asperity (TA) events.
US09396741B1

A data writer can be fabricated by constructing a write pole to continuously extend from an air bearing surface prior to depositing a first gap layer to continuously extend from the ABS in contact with a first write pole sidewall. A first side shield protrusion can then be formed on the air bearing surface to be separated from the write pole by the first gap layer. A second gap layer may be deposited to continuously extend from the first side shield protrusion along the first write pole sidewall to define a dielectric region on which a second side shield protrusion is formed with the second side shield protrusion separated from the write pole by the first and second gap layers and the first and second side shield protrusions each cantilevered from a common side shield body.
US09396739B2

The invention discloses a method including: performing in a unit of first timeframe frame length, framing on a continuous voice sample to obtain a plurality of first timeframes, detecting energy of each of the first timeframes, and determining a target first timeframe including a potential abrupt exception of a voice signal by analyzing a relationship between the energy of the plurality of first timeframes; performing, in a unit of second timeframe frame length, framing on the continuous voice sample to obtain a plurality of second timeframes, and processing each of the second timeframes to acquire a tone feature, and determining, by analyzing a tone feature of at least one of the second timeframes including at least one target second timeframe, whether the potential abrupt exception of a voice signal included in the target first timeframe included in the target second timeframe is a real abrupt exception of a voice signal.
US09396737B2

An electronic apparatus is provided, which includes an output, a voice collector configured to collect a user voice, and a controller configured to control the output to output a system response corresponding to the user voice, in which the controller is further configured to control the output such that a voice command guide applicable to a current situation of the electronic apparatus is outputted.
US09396735B2

Provided are methods and systems for processing audio using a combination of interrupts and timer events. Buffer queues and timer events are configured and utilized between audio capture and encoding processes, and also between audio decoding and playout processes to deliver a fixed-rate audio packet and higher quality audio output. Thread execution priorities may be assigned to the capture and/or playout timer events, and such priorities may be automatically adjusted to conserve processing resources. By configuring timer events to drive audio encoding and decoding processes, and utilizing buffer queues to absorb variances in the timing of audio capture and playout interrupts, the methods and systems provided are able to deliver improved audio quality while conserving processing resources.
US09396729B2

Devices, methods, and computer program products are for facilitating enhanced social interactions using a mobile device. A method for facilitating an enhanced social interaction using a mobile device includes receiving an audio input at the mobile device, determining a salient portion of the audio input, receiving relevant information associated with the salient portion, and presenting the relevant information via the mobile device.
US09396717B2

A system and method for reducing unwanted sounds in signals received from an arrangement of microphones including: sensing sound sources distributed around a specified target direction by way of an arrangement of microphones to produce left and right microphone output signals; determining the power of the left and right microphone signals; determining the minimum of the two microphone power measures; and, attenuating the signals based on a comparison of the left and right microphone power measures with the minimum power measure.
US09396716B2

A whistle assembly may include a main body, a cord insert, and a cord. The main body may include a mouth-receiving end connected to a cord end. A channel may be formed through at least a portion of the cord end. The cord insert may include a housing having a cord passage. The cord insert is retained within the channel of the main body. The cord has an end that is securely retained within the cord passage of the cord insert that is within the channel of the main body.
US09396708B2

Stringed instrument having an elongated neck member optionally including a fingerboard, with a plurality of frets fixedly positioned at predetermined spaced locations along the neck. The frets include a tang and a mushroom shaped crown, each positioned and secured in a corresponding fret slot formed in the neck. The neck member includes a carbon fiber based support member that can be T-shaped. In its method aspects, the neck can be straight and of neutral strain or a desired backbow/underbow or curvature in the elongated neck member is created, such as by introducing a carbon fiber T-bar support member in the neck member in a “neutral” state while clamping the neck member in an underbow shape, or forming underbow directly into the finished neck in which a carbon fiber T-bar is already present, and then introducing crown bar style frets to wedge the neck back to an optimum playable shape.
US09396704B2

An electronic device and method for displaying a display item is disclosed. A first pattern comprises an image at a first image size and a character string at a first character string size. A second pattern comprises the image at a second image size and the character string at a second character string size, the character string not overlapping the image at the second image size. The second image size is larger than the first image size, and the second character string size is larger than the first character string size. A selected size comprises at least a first size and a second size. The first pattern is displayed for the display item if the selected size is the first size, and the second pattern is displayed for the display item if the selected size is the second size.
US09396697B2

Some embodiments provide a mapping application that displays a rotation of a 3D map and corresponding rotation of a set of map labels overlaying the 3D map in response to receiving input to rotate the 3D map. When a particular map label in the set of map labels rotates towards an upside down orientation, the mapping application also replaces the particular map label with a version of the particular map label arranged in a right side up orientation to prevent the particular map label from being displayed in the upside down orientation in the 3D map.
US09396694B2

A display device and a driving method thereof is disclosed. In one aspect, the display device includes: a display panel including a plurality of pixels, a plurality of gate lines arranged in a column direction, and a plurality of data lines intersecting the plurality of gate lines; a data driver transferring data voltages to the plurality of data lines; a gate driver transferring gate signals to the plurality of gate lines; and a signal controller controlling the data driver and the gate driver. The signal controller includes: a vertical boundary detector determining whether a first pixel among the plurality of pixels is positioned in the vicinity of a boundary region of an image pattern based on an input image signal for the first pixel; and a first adjuster adjusting an image signal of the first pixel based on an image signal of a second pixel positioned in a row previous to the first pixel and the image signal of the first pixel to output an adjusted image signal, in the case in which it is determined by the vertical boundary detector that the first pixel is positioned in the vicinity of the boundary region of the image pattern.
US09396693B2

A controller configured to control a display unit configured to change a maximum luminescence level is provided, the controller including a setting acquirer acquiring a setting value associated with the maximum luminescence level, an image data acquirer acquiring target image data, a feature value acquirer acquiring a feature value correlated with a brightness of a target image expressed by the target image data, using pixel values contained in the target image data, a corrector applying to the target image data a correction for adjusting the brightness of the target image using the setting value associated with the maximum luminescence level and the feature value correlated with the brightness of the target image, and a display controller controlling the display unit to display the target image expressed by the corrected target image data.
US09396690B2

An LCD panel includes first to fifth data lines, which are sequentially arranged, intersecting first to third scan lines, which are sequentially arranged, for forming first to fourth pixel units sequentially arranged in an identical row as well as fifth to eighth pixel units sequentially arranged in another row. The first pixel unit and the fourth pixel unit are respectively coupled to the first data line and the fifth data line, and the second pixel unit and the third pixel unit are respectively coupled to the second data line and the fourth data line. The fifth pixel unit and the eighth pixel unit are respectively coupled to the second data line and the fourth data line, and both the sixth pixel unit and the seventh pixel unit are coupled to the third data line.
US09396689B2

A driving method for a display is provided. This display includes a first driver, a second driver, a plurality of first signal lines coupling with the first driver, and a plurality of second signal lines coupling with the second driver. The first lines cross the second lines to form a pixel array with a plurality of pixels. The driving method includes the following steps. First, an image signal with a polarity is applied to the pixel array. The polarity is a first polarity or a second polarity opposite to the first polarity. Then, the image signal applied to at least one pixel of the pixel array is maintained in a same polarity during two successive frames.
US09396686B2

A display device includes a display panel body that has a display surface emitting light, and a brightness sensor unit that is fixed on the display surface of the display panel body and includes a brightness sensor detecting a brightness of the light from the display surface.
US09396684B2

A display may have an array of display pixels to display images. Digital display data may be received by a digital-to-analog converter. The digital-to-analog converter can convert the digital display data to analog display data for the display pixels. The magnitudes of the analog display data signals that the digital-to-analog converter provides to the display pixels can be controlled by a control signal such as a reference voltage received by the digital-to-analog converter. A brightness controller may have multiple peak luminance control profiles. A brightness setting may be processed by a look-up table to produce information identifying a selected one of the peak luminance control profiles. The brightness controller may use the selected peak luminance control profile and average frame luminance for the digital display data to produce the reference voltage that controls the digital-to-analog controller.
US09396680B2

A display device includes a normal pixel including a first driving transistor and a first compensation transistor connected to a gate and drain of the first driving transistor, and a compensation pixel including a second driving transistor and a second compensation transistor connected to a gate and drain of the second driving transistor. The second compensation transistor is open.
US09396679B2

An organic light emitting display includes a display panel, which includes a plurality of pixels and displays an image, and a data driving circuit differently outputting a compensation voltage depending on a sensing value based on a driving current. Each of the plurality of pixels includes an organic light emitting diode, a driving thin film transistor (TFT) having a double gate structure including a main gate electrode and a sub-gate electrode, a switching TFT applying a data voltage determining the driving current to the main gate electrode of the driving TFT, and a compensation TFT applying the compensation voltage for compensating for a shift amount of a threshold voltage of the driving TFT to the sub-gate electrode of the driving TFT.
US09396669B2

A system for generating surgical procedure training media draws upon the realistic data of an actual surgical procedure for realistic training without the risks. A 3D capturing component records three-dimensional model plus imaging data over time of a portion of a patient's body undergoing a surgical procedure. A spatial detection system detects an orientation of a surgical instrument relative to the patient's body during the surgical procedure. A modeling component creates a four-dimensional model (3D model+time) of the portion of the patient's body. Animation such as contingent events, trainee prompts, a virtual surgical instrument, etc., can be added to the model to expand upon the training potential. A user interface processes and edits training media for playback of the four-dimensional model including defining triggers responsive to a trainee simulated surgical inputs to pace sequencing of playback. An interactive player responds to pacing the playback of the editing training media or to a spatially detected simulated surgical instrument held by the student for direct tissue interaction.
US09396668B2

Systems and methods for identifying and connecting complementary users of a language learning exchange are provided herein. One aspect includes registering through a computing device one or more users in a user community of an online language learning platform, the one or more users associated with profile information comprising user name, native language, and language of interest elements; receiving search terms associated with a first user; matching the first user with a complementary user based on the search terms and profile information; and presenting the first user and the complementary user with a learning exchange interface via which they each use local devices to communicate over a network.
US09396664B2

An aspect of the present invention relates to an online test platform adapted to facilitate the development, delivery, and management of educational tests with interactive participation by students, teachers, proctors, and administrators even when some or all of them are remotely located. The platform may include administrator interfaces, test proctor interfaces, and test taker (e.g. student) interfaces to allow each participant to view, navigate, and interact with aspects of the online test platform that are intended to meet their needs.
US09396663B2

A particular method includes sending a taxiing routing message from a device to a vehicle. The taxiing routing message indicates a route assignment associated with an airport. The method also includes in response to receiving an acknowledgment of the taxiing routing message from the vehicle, indicating a status at a graphical user interface. The status is associated with the taxiing routing message.
US09396656B2

A vehicle system may include a communication device configured to receive road data. The system may also include an application, having a processor and a memory, configured to analyze the road data in view of the at least one vehicle attribute included in vehicle data. The application may also determine whether the road data is relevant and transmit, in response to the road data being relevant, a command to a display unit to display information based on the analysis of the road data.
US09396654B2

An object of the present invention is to provide an in-vehicle traffic information notification device which, even when it is difficult to specify a traveling route of an own car, can notify adequate traffic information to users. A passage probability calculator of the traffic information notification device calculates a passage probability which is a probability that the own car passes an occurrence position of each traffic hazard obtained by a traffic information receiver, based on a current position of the own car detected by a current position detector and traveling history data stored in a traveling history data storage. A display unit and a sound output unit notify occurrence information of the traffic hazard to the user by a mode corresponding to the passage probability of the traffic hazard.
US09396653B2

A traffic lane control method for controlling lane traffic around an intersection is provided. The method includes dividing a road into one or more lanes. The method also includes providing a control line with a traffic light system or a lane control light system. Further, the method includes providing a control area with a pre-determined length before or after the control line in the direction of the traffic. The method also includes controlling traffic movement on the road by permitting a vehicle on one or more lanes to pass the control line, and controlling a traffic movement on the road by prohibiting a vehicle on other lane to pass the control line.
US09396650B2

The present invention discloses a method of describing infrared signal, and infrared signal has a continuous infrared wave type, the method comprises: a step (a) separating the continuous infrared wave into at least one frame; a step (b) separating the at least one frame into at least one signal sequence and at least one data sequence; a step (c) separating the at least one signal sequence into a signal with a level and a duration; a step (d) separating the at least one data sequence into at least one logic signal set, wherein the at least one logic signal set is separated into at least one signal with a level and a duration; and (e) unifying description for the plurality of infrared signals having the same control function.
US09396639B2

A method includes receiving activity data from a plurality of sensors associated with at least a portion of an industrial process system. The method also includes monitoring the activity data to identify a period of inactivity of all of the plurality of sensors. The method also includes responsive to identifying the period of inactivity, issuing an alarm.
US09396632B2

An audio surveillance system includes a plurality of nodes and each node includes a microphone, a speaker, and a control unit. The microphone is configured to detect sound and the speaker is configured to provide sound. The control unit is configured to receive a plurality of inputs from the plurality of nodes and the plurality of inputs are based on a detected sound; determine a location of the source of the detected sound based on the plurality of inputs; classify the detected sound according to predefined alert conditions and based on the location of the source of the detected sound; provide an alert to a monitoring device regarding the detected sound based on the classification of the detected sound; and control at least one node from the plurality of nodes to provide an audio response to the detected sound.
US09396631B2

A programmable security system and method for protecting an item of merchandise includes a programming station, a programmable key and a security system. The programming station generates a security code and communicates the security code to a memory of the programmable key. The programmable key initially communicates the security code to a memory of the security device and subsequently operates the security device upon a matching of the security code in the memory of the security device with the security code in the memory of the programmable key. The programmable key may also transfer power via electrical contacts or inductive transfer from an internal battery to the security device to operate a lock mechanism. The security code may be communicated by wireless infrared (IR) systems, electrical contacts or inductive transfer. A timer inactivates the programmable key and/or the security device after a predetermine period of time. A counter inactivates the programmable key after a predetermined maximum number of activations.
US09396623B2

A unique alarm system and mobile security system that utilizes the existing wiring in the area the user is trying to secure, and so it is very easy to install. The alarm system is when the security of the user's dwelling is breached, when the monitors are separated from each other, similar to a traditional alarm system. The monitors comprise one receiver and one magnet. The receiver and magnet are placed next to each other; one usually goes is placed on the window or window frame, door or door frame. The receiver sends a remote signal to the alarm system Debo Alarm System (D.A.S.) when the magnet is removed, saying that the window or door is open. The receiver or magnet can be stationary or movable.
US09396621B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method, and program product to determine whether a product has been successfully purchased by identifying in a video record when a movement of a product adjacent to a scanner occurs, and whether the scanner did not record a purchase transaction at that time; measuring a difference in time between the time of the movement of the product and a time of another movement of a product, and determining by a trained support vector machine a likelihood that the product was successfully purchased. Alternately, the difference in time can be measured between the time of the movement of the product and a time of a transaction record, or between the time of the movement of the product and a boundary time. The support vector machine can use a radial basis function kernel and can generate a decision value and a confidence score.
US09396615B2

A method of gaming comprising: (a) selecting a plurality of symbols from a source symbol set to form a selected symbol set for display at a plurality of display positions, the source symbol set comprising at least one removable symbol and at least one designated symbol different to each removable symbol; and if a removal condition is met, the removal condition including at least that the selected symbol set includes at least one designated symbol within the display positions; (b) removing at least one removable symbol from the source symbol set from which it was selected to form a modified source symbol set; (c) selecting at least one symbol from the modified source symbol set to form a modified selected symbol set; and (d) determining whether to make an award based on the modified selected symbol set.
US09396611B2

A system for interactive gaming among a plurality of players includes a host computer system and a plurality of player terminals communicably coupled to the host computer system via a network. The plurality of player terminals are located at a plurality of licensed gaming locations. The plurality of player terminals are configured to engage the plurality of players in a common interactive game operated by the host computer system. The plurality of player terminals include means for dispensing player winnings from the player terminal.
US09396610B2

A gaming system comprises a wager input device for receiving a primary wager from a player, the player associated with a player account, and at least one display for displaying a primary wagering game and a secondary wagering game. Secondary wagering game outcomes are independent of the primary wagering game. The system further comprises a controller operative to cause the at least one display to display a randomly selected outcome of the primary wagering game; upon the occurrence of a first triggering event, enter a player into the secondary wagering game, wherein the player is represented in the secondary wagering game by a player avatar; upon the occurrence of a second triggering event, end the player?s participation in the secondary wagering game; award the player any awards collected by the player avatar in the secondary wagering game; and credit the player account by the amount of the collected awards.
US09396608B2

A system and method for managing a computer-implemented online game provides dynamically variable rewards to incentivize player interaction with sponsored content presented within the game. The particular reward offered to incentivize player interaction with particular sponsored content (e.g., a particular advertisement) can be dynamically variable based on the attributes of the player, thus providing user-specific custom rewards for interaction with sponsored content. Properties of incentive rewards that may be dynamically variable can include a custom type of in-game asset or resource, and/or a custom amount of a particular in-game asset or resource.
US09396605B2

The vending machine includes a housing with an openable wall. In the housing, devices for the preparation of at least one beverage are arranged. At least some of the devices are supported by a supporting structure, which is pivotally arranged in the housing. Access to the devices through the openable wall is facilitated by pivoting the supporting structure around a pivoting axis.
US09396604B2

A vending machine with selectable internal heating and internal cooling functions includes a cabinet and a heat transmitting system. The cabinet includes a heat source and a goods storage space. The heat transmitting system includes a first air inlet tube, a second air inlet tube, an air outlet tube, and a gas valve. The first air inlet tube connects the heat source to the gas valve. The second air inlet tube connects the goods storage space to the gas valve. The air outlet tube connects the gas valve to the outside of the vending machine. The gas valve can connect the first gas inlet tube to the second gas inlet tube to heat the goods storage space using heat generated by the heat source, or can connect the first gas inlet tube to the gas outlet tube to dissipate heat generated by the heat source.
US09396601B2

The disclosure relates to a cash box comprising a housing with an opening for feeding and/or removing notes of value and a closing unit for closing the opening. Further, the cash box has a locking unit which, in a locked state, prevents the opening of the closing unit and, in an unlocked state, enables an opening.
US09396594B1

The system comprising a first communication device and a second communication device, wherein when the door is locked by the first communication device, a door locked message is displayed on the first communication device and/or the second communication device, wherein when the door is unlocked by the first communication device, a door unlocked message is displayed on the first communication device and/or the second communication device, and wherein the first communication device comprises a moving picture replaying implementer.
US09396592B2

Methods and maintenance systems for use in analyzing data related to maintenance of at least one vehicle are disclosed. One example method includes retrieving, by a computing device, a plurality of diagnostic entries associated with at least one fault message from a database of diagnostic entries, each diagnostic entry including an identified corrective action and a date on which the identified corrective action was taken; identifying a plurality of groups of diagnostic entries, wherein the diagnostic entries in a group have a same corrective action, and each group has a confidence level associated with its corrective action; and weighting the confidence level for each group based on an age of the plurality of diagnostic entries in the group.
US09396588B1

A virtual reality virtual theater system that generates or otherwise displays a virtual theater, for example in which to view videos, such as movies or television. Videos may be for example 2D or 3D movies or television programs. Embodiments create a virtual theater environment with elements that provide a theater-like viewing experience to the user. Virtual theaters may be for example indoor movie theaters, drive-in movie theaters, or home movie theaters. Virtual theater elements may include for example theater fixtures, décor, and audience members; these elements may be selectable or customizable by the user. One or more embodiments also render sound by placing virtual speakers in a virtual theater and projecting sounds from these virtual speakers onto virtual microphones corresponding to the position and orientation of the user's ears. Embodiments may also employ minimal latency processing to improve the theater experience.
US09396581B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a process for creating contact shadows. Specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure include converting an original image to an initial shadow image, cropping the initial shadow image to obtain at least two slices of the initial shadow image, blurring the slices, overlaying the slices to create a combined shadow image, compressing the combined shadow image to create a contact shadow, and displaying the contact shadow on a virtual surface relative to the original image. Further, a user can change the amount of blurring the contact shadow has, the apparent offset from the surface, the perspective, the opacity, and the color of the contact shadow.
US09396576B2

A contact region between an object and a holding member is acquired based on the image obtained by imaging the object in a held state in which the object is held by the holding member. The three-dimensional shape of the object in a held state is estimated based on the contact region.
US09396570B2

An image processing device includes an item image acquisition unit that acquires an item image, a model image acquisition unit that acquires a model image, a correction unit that corrects a tilt of a correction target region being at least a part of an item region being a region where an item is shown in the item image so that a direction of a center of gravity position of the correction target region with respect to a support position of the correction target region is along a direction of gravity in the model image, and an output unit that outputs the model image and the item region so that the item region is displayed superimposed on the model image. A composite image closer to the state where the item is actually worn on the human body is thereby provided.
US09396567B2

A processor-implemented method for generating a chart specification is provided. The method may include identifying at least one chart component within a plurality of chart components associated with an image of a chart. The method may also include determining whether the at least one chart component meets a threshold score. The method may further include identifying elements associated with the at least one chart component when the at least one chart component is determined to meet the threshold score. Additionally, the method may include generating a chart specification based on the identified elements.
US09396566B2

With some splines, such as cardinal splines, irregularly spaced data points may cause undesired bumps. Bump moderation makes a spline curve more visually appealing by reducing bumps, and by doing so even if the curve happens to be already smooth in a mathematical sense. Data points P1, P2, and P3 are not suitably spaced an outlier is present in a set of linear distances between the points. The bump is moderated by moving a point of the spline along a pathway to a position for which the data points P1, P2, and P3 are suitably spaced. The pathway may be a Bezier segment or a line segment. A point is moved on the pathway to its midpoint, or to a particular portion of the pathway such as its central third or central fifth.
US09396565B2

Systems and methods are described to render borders of controls and indicators in a graphical user interface (GUI), such that the rendered borders have continuous curvatures. In one aspect, a method includes generating a border of a GUI element to be represented in a GUI. The border includes a first straight side, a second straight side, and a corner portion that joins together the first straight side and the second straight side, such that a portion of the border that includes the first straight side, the corner portion and the second straight side is continuous and has continuous curvature. Additionally, the method includes representing the GUI element in the GUI.
US09396537B2

In a system for determining liveness of an image presented for authentication, a reference signal is rendered on a display, and a reflection of the rendered signal from a target is analyzed to determine liveness thereof. The analysis includes spatially and/or temporally band pass filtering the reflected signal, and determining RGB values for each frame in the reflected signal and/or each pixel in one or more frames of the reflected signal. Frame level and/or pixel-by-pixel correlations between the determined RGB values and the rendered signal are computed, and a determination of whether an image presented is live or fake is made using either or both correlations.
US09396535B2

An image processing apparatus includes: a subtraction unit that generates subtraction images constituted by a plurality of frames from X-ray images of an object acquired before and after injecting a radiopaque dye; an evaluation unit that calculates evaluation values indicating states of the injection of the radiopaque dye for the frames constituting the subtraction images; and a selection unit that selects at least one of the frames constituting the subtraction images using the evaluation values and outputs the selected frame as a reference image.
US09396532B2

An automated method for detecting circulating tumor cells in a microscopic image of a blood sample includes receiving, by a computer, a plurality of low-resolution images, each low resolution image providing a representation of the blood sample with one of a plurality of stains applied. The computer determines a threshold value for each of the plurality of stains based on the low resolution images and identifies a list of potential cells based on the threshold values. A gating process is performed on the list of potential circulating tumor cells to identify one or more likely or highly likely circulating tumor cells. The computer presents the subset of the low-resolution images in a verification interface comprising one or more components allowing a user to confirm that a respective low-resolution image included in the subset of the low-resolution images includes one or more circulating tumor cells.
US09396530B2

Techniques are disclosed for generating a modified image. A source image at an original, or high, resolution is downsampled to a lower resolution. One or more mappings between different patches, or regions, of pixels within the source image or across several images are generated from the downsampled image using a patch-based sampling algorithm. Such patch-based sampling algorithms may be used find correspondences between patches of one or more images by defining a nearest-neighbor field as a function of offsets for some distance function of the patches. The mapping is then upsampled to a higher resolution for coherent regions and used to identify fill content in the source image for filling patches in other portions of the image or other images. The fill content is derived from regions of the source image corresponding to the coordinates of the source patch in the upsampled mapping.
US09396526B2

A method for improving image quality for display device has steps of inputting an image; computing a probability density function based on the image; generating a first luminance histogram; computing a weighing distribution function based on the first luminance histogram; generating a second luminance histogram through pixel redistribution of the first luminance histogram; computing a cumulative density function based on the second luminance histogram; computing a gamma conversion function based on the cumulative density function based on the second luminance histogram; and adjusting luminance distribution of the input image based on the gamma conversion function.
US09396523B2

Image restoration cascades are described, for example, where digital photographs containing noise are restored using a cascade formed from a plurality of layers of trained machine learning predictors connected in series. For example, noise may be from sensor noise, motion blur, dust, optical low pass filtering, chromatic aberration, compression and quantization artifacts, down sampling or other sources. For example, given a noisy image, each trained machine learning predictor produces an output image which is a restored version of the noisy input image; each trained machine learning predictor in a given internal layer of the cascade also takes input from the previous layer in the cascade. In various examples, a loss function expressing dissimilarity between input and output images of each trained machine learning predictor is directly minimized during training. In various examples, data partitioning is used to partition a training data set to facilitate generalization.
US09396517B2

The production of a cutting pattern of a graphic placed upon a cutting mat is disclosed. A source image of the graphic overlaid on a cutting mat is received, and includes a plurality of registration marks as well as one or more distortions introduced during acquisition. The registration marks are identified from the source image by matching candidate sets of a plurality of center points of regions of adjacent groupings of pixels within the source image against predetermined positional relationships thereof corresponding to an actual arrangement of the registration marks on the cutting mat. An inverse transformation of the source image with values derived from the registration marks is applied. A corrected image aligned to physical coordinates of the cutting mat and referenced to the cutting machine is generated. A cut path is defined from vectors of the corrected image, and transmitted to the cutting machine for execution thereon.
US09396516B2

An apparatus for displaying ordinate-abscissa value pairs with discrete display points in the abscissa and ordinate directions determines an interpolated ordinate value at half the abscissa spacing between the respective abscissa value and the respective abscissa value of the display points to the left and right. A maximum ordinate value and a minimum ordinate value are then determined from the ordinate value of the respective ordinate-abscissa value pair, and the respectively interpolated ordinate values on the left and right. A random or pseudo-random ordinate value is then selected between the determined maximum and minimum ordinate values for every abscissa value of the display points. The ordinate resolution of the display points is thus reduced by comparison with the ordinate resolution of the ordinate-abscissa value pairs.
US09396512B2

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer system to perform a method for constructing k-d trees, octrees, and quadtrees from radix trees is disclosed. The method includes assigning a Morton code for each of a plurality of primitives corresponding to leaf nodes of a binary radix tree, and sorting the plurality of Morton codes. The method includes building a radix tree requiring at most a linear amount of temporary storage with respect to the leaf nodes, wherein an internal node is built in parallel with one or more of its ancestor nodes. The method includes, partitioning the plurality of Morton codes for each node of the radix tree into categories based on a corresponding highest differing bit to build a k-d tree. A number of octree or quadtree nodes is determined for each node of the k-d tree. A total number of nodes in the octree or quadtree is determined, allocated and output.
US09396499B2

An environment for facilitating the management of content for users associated with specific partner networks is provided. Users may be granted access to such specific partner networks in accordance with each user's affiliation with one or more organizations. In accordance with the above, a content management system facilitates the content/information exchange by accepting software applications from content providers. Additionally, the content management system accepts software application specifications or manifests from partner network administrators. Accordingly, the content management system can audit and recommend actions to users regarding applicable software application based one user organizational associations. Still further, the content management system can facilitate requests from affiliated users for specific types of content that can be forwarded to content providers and later made available to affiliated users.
US09396495B2

Items are sold via a wireless mobile telecommunications network in which multimedia presentations describing items offered for sale are broadcast for reception by wireless mobile devices. Users of the devices can transmit responses indicating requests to buy the items or bid for them in auctions.
US09396492B2

Embodiments of the invention relate to a computer-implemented method and system for providing personalized recommendations for a target user based at least on stored data about the target user. The method comprises obtaining a plurality of feedback data from a plurality of users, wherein the feedback data comprises an indication of a media object, a response obtained from target user related to the feedback data, and at least one demographic data element associated with the target user. A set of personalized recommendations for the target user are identified based at least on stored data about the target user and the feedback data related to the user. The personalized recommendations system identifies media objects to potentially provide to the target user, and selects or filters the identified media objects to form a set of personalized media objects associated with the set of personalized recommendations.
US09396488B1

A message selection system may store message selection information. The processor may receive a request to determine a suggested message to transmit to a user interface. In one example, the suggested message may be selected to prompt a predetermined user-based response to be received through the user interface. Based on the received request, the processor may select a plurality of candidate messages from a plurality of messages included in the message selection information. The processor may select a numerical score associated with each of the candidate messages. Based on the numerical scores, the processor may select the suggested message from the plurality of candidate messages. A method and computer-readable medium may also be implemented.
US09396485B2

Systems and methods for providing content. In one embodiment, a method for providing user access to online content can be provided. The method can include aggregating content from one or more third party webpages; storing at least a portion of the content in at least one data storage device; and when the user requests, via a browser program, a selection of content from the one or more third party webpages, providing the user with access to the stored portion of content.
US09396482B2

A method includes providing identifying application information associated with a user device in a network. The application information is information associated with at least one application running on the at least one user device. The method may further include identifying data usage information associated with the user device. The data usage information includes information associated with data used by the user device. In addition, the method may include associating the application information and the data usage information to determine application data usage for the user device. The method may also include identifying a data usage plan associated with the user device, and applying the data usage plan in the network based on the application data usage.
US09396481B1

A system and method for communicating gaming machine information to a player is disclosed herein. The system includes a mobile communication device for the player, a server and a gaming machine at a venue. The gaming machine comprises a transceiver for receiving and transmitting short-range communication transmissions, and a maximum payoff event. The communication informs the player that the maximum payoff event for the gaming machine has not occurred and invites the player to visit the venue during the interval between visits.
US09396477B2

There is provided an information processing system including a service provider unit, a communication terminal and an information processing unit. The communication terminal includes a terminal first communication section, a terminal second communication section to communicate with the information processing unit through a first communication channel, a terminal third communication section to communicate with the information processing unit through a second communication channel, and a terminal communication control section. The information processing unit includes a unit first communication section to communicate with the communication terminal through the first communication channel, a unit second communication section to communicate with the communication terminal through the second communication channel, a unit communication control section to switch communication channels with the communication terminal from the first communication channel to the second communication channel, and a unit processing section to perform service processing with the service provider unit.
US09396474B2

A dashboard application can enable a user to quickly view data (and, in a particular aspect, data from one or more business applications) in an efficient manner. The dashboard application can be used to view data about one or more metrics that reflect the performance of a business, as derived from data maintained (perhaps in an associated data store) by the business application(s). The dashboard application can provide the ability to select a level of granularity at which data should be displayed and/or filtered for display.
US09396472B2

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can receive a set of accounts associated with a specified time frame. One or more features and one or more feature combinations can be analyzed for each account in the set. Feature metrics for the one or more features and the one or more feature combinations can be determined for each account in the set. Threshold values for the feature metrics can be acquired. At least one rule can be implemented based on at least some of the feature metrics and at least some of the threshold values.
US09396471B1

A system and method for generating a mobile autonomous dynamic graphical user interface is described. An illustrative system comprises a location-capable component, a user preference module, a server, a means for generating a display menu, and a wireless formatting engine. The location-capable component determines a location for a wireless device. The user preference module includes a variety of user preferences. The server selects targeted content based on the user preferences and the location of the wireless device. The selected content includes at least one user selectable menu button. A display menu is generated that includes the user selectable button. The wireless formatting engine formats the display menu and selected content for the wireless device.
US09396462B2

A vehicle charging station for use with a system for transmitting charging power to an electric vehicle is configured to receive a unique identifier from the electric vehicle and determine a preferred electrical charging power provider based on the identifier. Vehicle charging station is further configured to determine an account associated with the preferred provider and with the identifier, deliver a quantity of electrical charging power to the electric vehicle, and meter the quantity of electrical charging power delivered to the electric vehicle.
US09396457B2

Embodiments provide electronic note-taking and application features and functionality, but the embodiments are not so limited. In an embodiment, a computer-based method can be configured to provide note-taking features, including using blank notes as focus placeholders and resurfacing triggers. Other embodiments are included.
US09396453B2

A waste management system for associating a collected refuse bin with a corresponding user of that bin. The system comprises a GPS tracker unit on-board a collection vehicle for recording the GPS co-ordinates of each refuse bin during refuse collection therefrom by the collection vehicle. A central server is configured for communication with each of a plurality of collection vehicles so that the GPS co-ordinates of each refuse bin collected during a refuse collection may be communicated to the central server. The server is further configured to effect a datastore lookup for comparing the GPS co-ordinates of the collected refuse bins with pre-recorded geographical data of a plurality of users for associating each refuse bin to a corresponding user.
US09396448B2

A system or method may receive, on a distributed computing system comprising a plurality of computing nodes, raw interaction data describing at least one interaction between two or more parties. The distributed computing may implement a map-reduce algorithm to map the raw interaction data into one or more entities, wherein each entity describes an attribute of an interaction. The distributed computing system my further update an interaction table to include each of the entities, wherein entities describing attributes of the same interaction are correlated.
US09396443B2

A system and method for learning and/or optimizing processes related to semiconductor manufacturing is provided. A learning component generates a set of candidate process models based on process data associated with one or more fabrication tools. The learning component also selects a particular process model from the set of candidate process models that is associated with lowest error. An optimization component generates a set of candidate solutions associated with the particular process model. The optimization component also selects a particular solution from the set of candidate solutions based on a target output value and an output value associated with the particular solution.
US09396434B2

An electronic device for predicting or anticipating a user's operational desires. The electronic device is ready to perform the anticipated function without input from the user by using sensors to sense environmental attributes. The sensors can include an ambient light sensor, a force sensor, a temperature sensor, an ambient noise sensor, and a motion sensor. The electronic device also includes a control mechanism for switching between modes for the device.
US09396429B2

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a memory, controller, wireless antenna, interface terminal, and board. The controller is electrically connected to the memory. The controller is capable of communicating with a first outside device. The wireless antenna includes a first pattern. The interface terminal is capable of electrically connecting a second outside device. The board includes the interface terminal. The memory and the controller are disposed in a first area of the board. The wireless antenna surrounds the first area. A projection of the first pattern overlaps the interface terminal.
US09396426B2

Techniques that enable a device to advertise its mode of operation using an RFID tag attached to the device. Techniques are provided for programmatically controlling an RFID tag. An RFID tag attached to a device is programmatically enabled or disabled depending upon the mode(s) of operation of the device. The RFID tag is able to transmit a signal when enabled and not able to transmit a signal when disabled. Using such a controllable RFID tag, a device can efficiently indicate or advertise its mode of operation to an RFID reader or sensor.
US09396424B1

A mobile communication device. The mobile communication device comprises a motherboard comprising a communication bus, a cellular radio frequency transceiver connected to the communication bus, a plurality of antennas, at least one of the antennas communicatively coupled to the cellular radio frequency transceiver, and a processor connected to the communication bus. The mobile communication device further comprises a radio frequency identity (RFID) chip connected to the communication bus, wherein the RFID chip comprises a memory, provides wireless read access to the memory, and provides write access to the memory to the communication bus. The mobile communication device further comprises an antenna switch to selectably couple at least one of the antennas to the RFID chip and an application that selects the antenna switch to couple one of the antennas to the RFID chip based on a state of the mobile communication device.
US09396422B1

Some embodiments are directed to a system, an apparatus, and a method for automatically detecting and localizing Aztec barcodes in noisy and low-resolution images. The disclosed method detects Aztec barcodes having a resolution of less than two pixels. The disclosed method can process a gray image that is subjected to a coarse localization process in which the barcode region is segmented from the image consisting of other contents like text, graphics, etc. The localized and segmented barcode is then processed separately to locate the encoded data in the Aztec barcode by considering unique Aztec patterns in the barcode.
US09396409B2

A method includes receiving image data corresponding to an image and detecting an object represented within the image. The method further includes selecting a portion of the image data that corresponds to the object and determining object quality values based on the portion of the image data. The method also includes determining an object category corresponding to the object and accessing object category metrics associated with the object category. The method includes performing a comparison of the object quality values to the object category metrics associated with the object category and initiating an action based on the comparison.
US09396387B2

An image identification method and an image identification device are provided. The method comprises acquiring a hand feature region within a sight from a first view by skin color detection; acquiring a feature and a position of a tip of a finger from the hand feature region by performing a pattern recognition for a morphological feature of a stretched hand; recording an interframe displacement of a feature point of the tip of the finger when the tip of the finger delimits a periphery of a target object to obtain a delimiting trajectory from the interframe displacement, closing the delimiting trajectory to form a full-perimeter geometry; projecting the full-perimeter geometry on a plane where a direction of the sight is perpendicular to a plane where the target object is located to obtain a projection region, performing an image identification using the projection region as an identification region of the target object.
US09396375B2

A portable data terminal including a processor having an instruction set architecture and data storage means configured to store a plurality of operating systems and a virtual machine monitor application program configured to receive at least one instruction from each operating system, communicate with the processor according to the instruction set architecture, and switch operating system access to the processor upon receipt of an electrical signal representing an event.
US09396372B2

A method for monitoring a system includes reading devices and a plurality of portable communication units, wherein during operation of the system, for a communication unit there are carried out a plurality of data transactions between at least one reading device and the communication unit via a corresponding communication interface. Within the framework of a data transaction a first data set is transferred from a reading device to the communication unit and stored. A second data set stored in the communication unit is transferred to the reading device. Chaining occurs with first and second data sets of the respective data transactions are formed so that in two consecutive data pairs the first data set of the one data pair corresponds to the second data set of the other data pair, and a criterion is checked for being fulfilled.
US09396371B2

A non-contact type information processing device may include a flat plate-shaped substrate on which a communication antenna formed in a ring shape and a signal processing circuit part electrically connected with the communication antenna are mounted; and a connector member structured to electrically connect a host device on which the non-contact type information processing device is mounted with the non-contact type information processing device. The signal processing circuit part may be mounted on the substrate on an outer peripheral side relative to the communication antenna formed in the ring shape; and the connector member may be mounted on the substrate on an inner peripheral side relative to the communication antenna formed in the ring shape so that an inserting direction of a second connector member which is inserted and connected with the connector member is substantially parallel to a thickness direction of the substrate.
US09396366B2

A magnetic sensor device includes magnetic detection elements arrayed along a line intersecting the relative movement direction of a medium, and a magnet applying a bias magnetic field to the magnetic detection elements with a line of magnetic force in the constant direction. The magnetic sensor device detects a magnetic field change when a medium with a magnetic pattern passes through the bias magnetic field as an electric signal through the magnetic detection elements and reads the magnetic pattern of the medium. A plurality of reading switches is connected to the respective magnetic detection elements and an output line common to the magnetic detection elements. The magnetic sensor device includes a shift register closing the reading switches sequentially one by one to transfer the outputs from the magnetic detection elements sequentially one by one to the output line.
US09396359B2

A system and method for first changing the encryption key on a self-encrypting disk drive followed by a complete disk wipe. Either process can be separately performed, and they can be performed in any order. In fact, one embodiment of the invention, resets the symmetric key, wipes the disk a predetermined number of times with different predetermined data patterns, and then resets the key a second time. This assures that there is absolutely no way to recover the original key or to read the original plain text data, even if some of it's encrypted values remain on unallocated tracks after wiping. A user can be assured that in milliseconds after starting the wiping process, the entire disk is rendered unreadable and unrecoverable.
US09396355B2

Methods and arrangements for handling encrypted messages are disclosed. The method comprising: generating a multi-part encrypted support message responsive to a request therefor; the generating comprising: inputting a base message; identifying at least one span of sensitive information; visually suppressing the at least one span of sensitive information; replacing the at least one span of sensitive information with a redaction notation; and appending at least one redaction message for the at least one span of sensitive information, the at least one redaction message containing data redacted from the at least one span of insensitive information and being encrypted for subsequent opening via at least one key. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09396347B2

Concepts and technologies are described herein for providing status of site access requests. In accordance with the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a user attempts to access functionality of a server application that is limited to authorized users. In response to the access attempt, the server application determines if the user is authorized to access the functionality and if the user has previously requested access to the functionality. If the user has not previously requested access to the application, the server application can present a user interface to the user for requesting access to the server application. If the user has previously requested access to the application, the server application can present an indication that an access request already exists, history and status information associated with the access request, and/or an interface for submitting messages to the site owner or other entity.
US09396345B2

An electronic data sharing device configured to exchange a first tag with a corresponding tag from a further electronic data sharing device, wherein the first and second tags provide information that enables respective users of the electronic data sharing devices to share information via a server enabled internet-connected software system associated with the electronic data sharing devices, wherein the electronic data sharing device is either configured with a pre-shared key or is able to encrypt a session key, wherein the pre-shared key or session key are used to generate tags to ensure that: the electronic data sharing device and tags can only be made use of by the server.
US09396342B2

A computer-implemented method for generating role-based authorizations includes collecting, by a processor, a plurality of permissions from an access control list, creating, by the processor, a plurality of content space specification files that includes the plurality of permissions from an access control list, processing, by the processor, the plurality of content space specification files to generate a plurality of access control list roles and outputting, by the processor, the plurality of access control list roles.
US09396333B1

A system for scanning a file for malicious codes may include a client agent running in a client computer and a scan server running in a server computer, the client computer and the server computer communicating over a computer network. The client agent may be configured to locally receive a scan request to scan a target file for malicious codes and to communicate with the scan server to scan the target file using a scan engine running in the server computer. The scan server in communication with the client agent allows the scan engine to scan the target file by issuing file I/O requests to access the target file located in the client computer. The client agent may be configured to check for digital signatures and to maintain a file cache of previously scanned files to minimize network traffic.
US09396331B2

Systems and methods for security management based on cursor events. Click coordinates on a webpage of user's activity are logged in order to detect multiple or repeated transactions that bare the same exact coordinates. Such multiple or repeated activity may be helpful in detecting scripted attacks or bot net activity in a variety of environments and transactions. Further, the invention may also capture the coordinates of the location of submit buttons, and similar buttons, on a webpage to analyze whether a click action or other pointer action occurred within the button's parameters.
US09396329B2

Described herein are articles, systems, and methods for using a storage controller to protect secure data blocks through the enforcement of a read only policy. In some embodiments, the articles use a combination of hardware protections and software protections (e.g., virtualization) to protect a system against attack from malware while such secure data is updated. Also described are systems and methods for securely updating data blocks secured in this fashion, and detecting and preventing the corruption of data stored on secondary storage media using a disk eventing mechanism.
US09396326B2

A secure computing environment that prevents malicious code from “illegitimately” interacting with programs and data residing on the computing platform. While the various embodiments restrict certain programs to operate in a virtualized environment, such operation is transparent to the user from the operational point of view. Moreover, any program operating in the virtualized environment is made to believe that it has full access to all of the computing resources. To prevent a user from unknowingly or inadvertently allowing the program to adversely affect the computer, the user is also presented with “feel” that the program is able to perform all operations in the computing environment.
US09396320B2

A system, apparatus, method, and machine readable medium are described for non-intrusive privacy-preserving authentication. For example, one embodiment of a method comprises: entering into a legitimate user state on a client device for a time period following an explicit authentication by an end user; recording reference data related to user behavior while in the legitimate user state; measuring user behavior when outside of the legitimate user state and arriving at an authentication assurance level based on a distance between the measured user behavior and the recorded reference data; in response to an authentication request within the legitimate user state, providing an authentication assurance level at or above a defined threshold, the authentication assurance level being sufficient to authenticate the user to a relying party; and in response to an authentication request while outside of the legitimate user state, providing the authentication assurance level based on a distance between the measured user behavior and the recorded reference data.
US09396315B2

A method of performing an image forming operation using user information, the method including receiving domain information of a user and performing user authentication using the received domain information; receiving a request for the image forming operation after successfully performing the user authentication; querying a lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) server using the domain information used for the user authentication to acquire user information necessary for performing the image forming operation; and performing the image forming operation using the user information acquired by querying the LDAP server.