US09426935B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method for manufacturing a circuit board, and a circuit board. The method includes: separately fixing at least two function modules and a shielding frame on a circuit board, where the shielding frame is located between the at least two function modules; packaging the at least two function modules and the shielding frame by using a plastic package material; cutting the plastic package material corresponding to the top of the shielding frame to a surface of the shielding frame; and covering an outside of the plastic package material and an top part of the shielding frame with a conducting material, and covering a surface of the conducting material with an insulation material. In the embodiments, the cutting height is decreased, the processing time is short, and good manufacturability is provided.
US09426929B2

A MMIC package is disclosed comprising: a leadframe based overmolded package, a die positioned within the overmolded package; and a partial waveguide interface, wherein the partial waveguide interface is integral with the overmolded package facilitating low cost and reliable assembly. Also disclosed is an overmolded package where the die sits on a metal portion exposed on the bottom of the package and the package is configured for attachment to a chassis of a transceiver such that heat from the die is easily dissipated to the chassis with a direct thermal path. The disclosure facilitates parallel assembly of MMIC packages and use of pick and place/surface mounting technology for attaching the MMIC packages to the chassis of transceivers. This facilitates reliable and low cost transceivers.
US09426927B2

A scalable liquid submersion cooling system for electronics. The system includes a plurality of modular system components, such as electronics enclosures, manifolds, pumps, and heat exchanger units. The modular system components permit the liquid submersion cooling system to be scaled up or down to accommodate changing needs. In addition, the modularity of the components facilitates portability, allowing relatively easy transport and set-up/break-down of electronic systems.
US09426925B2

A container data center includes a container, a cooling room defined in the container, and a cabinet receiving a server. The cabinet includes a fan module opposite to the cooling room. An opening is defined in the cabinet. A box is attached to the cabinet. The box defines an inlet. A blocking plate is pivotably attached to the box to cover or uncover the inlet. An air plate is pivotably attached to the cabinet to cover or uncover the opening. When the server is moved into the cabinet through the inlet, the server pushes the corresponding blocking plate and the corresponding air plate to rotate. When the cabinet operates, the fan module operates to exhaust hot air from the cabinet, the cabinet then becomes negative pressure rooms to let the cooling air enter the cooling room through the inlet and the opening.
US09426923B2

The present invention relates to a device including a hollow frame forming an enclosure, at least two electronic circuits placed inside the enclosure, at least first and second connectors to connect each an external cable to each of the electronic circuits, each of the first and second connectors comprising a base intended to be mounted on the frame and a plug capable of being inserted into the base, the plug being connected to the cable and the base being connected to the electronic circuit, the base of the first connector being placed in a first aperture made in an end wall of the frame. The second connector is placed behind the base of the first connector inside the enclosure, the cable connected to the plug of the second connector penetrating inside the enclosure through a second aperture made in the end wall of the frame.
US09426916B1

A multi-rank memory module is operable in a memory system with a memory controller. The memory module according to one embodiment comprises at least one module board, memory devices organized in three ranks, and at least one register device providing control/address signals to the memory devices. Arrangement of the ranks on the at least one module board are made to balance memory device loadings on the C/A signals, and data/strobe signal hubs are designed to provide better alignment of different data bits in a data signal and to reduce reflection from discrete components disposed near an edge of the module board, resulting in improved signal quality and integrity.
US09426912B2

A gasket made of a rubber-like elastic material is mounted in a mounting groove provided in one of two opposing members and is gripped between the one member and the other member so as to be in pressure contact with the two members. The gasket includes: a body section inserted in the mounting groove; one support protrusion provided on one side of the body section so as to be located on the side of the body section, and mounted in a deep groove provided on the bottom; the other support protrusion extending in a tilted manner from the other end side, in the width direction, of the body section toward the bottom in the direction away from the one support protrusion; and a lip ridge protrusion provided on the side of the body section, and located so that the tip thereof does not overlap the one support protrusion.
US09426911B2

Disclosed herein is a protective apparatus for an electronic device. A first cover encloses a peripheral surface of the electronic device and a second cover, coupled to a lateral side of the first cover, rotates about a surface of the electronic device to cover or uncover a display unit.
US09426907B2

A containment system for internal arc generated gasses includes a compartment having an aperture through a wall thereof. A bus compartment includes an opening through a wall thereof. Arc chamber is in communication with the aperture and the opening. A vent flap member closes the opening and is moveable to an open position to permit gasses to flow through the opening into the arc chamber. Flap structure is associated with the aperture and includes a plurality of interconnected flaps for moving generally simultaneously from an open position, permitting gasses to flow through the aperture into the arc chamber, to a closed position, closing the aperture to prevent gasses from flowing through the aperture. The flap structure includes actuating structure coupled with the interconnected flaps. The vent flap member, when moved to the open position thereof, engages the actuating structure to move the interconnected flaps to the closed position thereof.
US09426902B2

The present invention relates to a method for drilling a printed circuit board, comprising: drilling down in an initial position, and when contacting a live superficial conductive layer of a PCB, acquiring a first conductive position and acquiring a first height difference between the initial position and the first conductive position; drilling onward after the first drill bit of the driller drills through the superficial conductive layer and when contacting another conductive layer of the PCB, acquiring a second conductive position and acquiring a second height difference between the initial position and the second conductive position; calculating a difference between the second and the first height difference to obtain a third height difference; and performing back-drilling, according to the third height difference, in a position that needs back-drilling. The present invention acquires precise depth information through a test blind via and reduces Stub length of back-drilling.
US09426900B2

A method includes fabricating a printed circuit board. The fabricating includes forming at least one conductive layer on top a first dielectric layer. The fabricating includes forming a second dielectric layer on top of the at least one conductive layer. The fabricating includes forming a thermal pad on top of the second dielectric layer. The fabricating includes forming a first through hole through the thermal pad, the second dielectric layer, the at least one conductive layer, and the first dielectric layer. The fabricating includes filling the first through hole with a conductive material to form a plated through hole. The fabricating includes topdrilling the plated through hole to remove a top portion of the conductive material from a top of the plated through hole, wherein a bottom portion of the conductive material remains in the plated through hole after removal of the top portion.
US09426899B2

An electronic component assembly including a first electronic component including a plurality of first electrodes provided on a first major surface of the first electronic component; and a second electronic component including a plurality of second electrodes provided on a first major surface of the second electronic component. A resin including solder powder is provided between the first electronic component and the second electronic component. Also, solder connections are provided to electrically interconnect the first and second electrodes. Elongated grooves are provided in surfaces of the electronic components. The grooves are provided for generation of bubbles during the process for producing the electronic component assembly to promote movement of the solder powder.
US09426891B2

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device substrate and a method for making the same. The semiconductor device substrate includes a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer and an electronic component. The first dielectric layer includes a body portion, and a wall portion protruded from a first surface of the body portion. The wall portion has an end. The second dielectric layer has a first surface and an opposing second surface. The first surface of the second dielectric layer is adjacent to the first surface of the body portion. The second dielectric layer surrounds the wall portion. The end of the wall portion extends beyond the second surface of the second dielectric layer. The electronic component includes a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact. At least a part of the electronic component is surrounded by the wall portion.
US09426889B2

An assembly includes a circuit board and a flexible flat cable. The circuit board includes a board body having top, bottom and side faces, and a connection module. The board body is formed with a positioning slot that is formed through the top and bottom faces and that has a first length, and an opening that extends from the side face and that is in spatial communication with the positioning slot. The opening is formed through the top and bottom faces and has a second length shorter than the first length. The flexible flat cable includes a connection unit and a cable main body that has a width greater than the second length. The cable main body is able to pass through the opening, and extends through and is positioned in the positioning slot.
US09426884B2

A method of forming an electronic component includes masking a lead frame to form a mask defining an exposed area, oxidizing the exposed area of the lead frame, wherein the mask inhibits oxidation of an unexposed area, and removing the mask from the lead frame following oxidizing. A lead frame can include a metal sheet patterned to define a pad region and leads. The metal sheet includes metal oxide in a select area. The pad region is substantially free of metal oxide.
US09426873B2

The embodiments of the invention include a method for controlling plasma conditions of a glow discharge system using the integrated electron (or ion) pulse area extracted from the total lamp current. The method of using an integrated electron/ion pulse area for controlling plasma conditions allows for controlled analysis of conductive, non-conductive and layered materials without the need for estimation of plasma voltages. The method allows for control of sputter rates and plasma emissions that cannot be achieved using other methods such as capacitive divider calculations where actual thicknesses and dielectric constants are not known or predefined.
US09426865B2

The present invention proposes a method, apparatus, controller and system for controlling illuminance. Specifically, the system comprises at least one light source, each of the at least one light source comprising a plurality of light modules and each of the plurality of light modules being adjustable independently; and a controller configured to control the illuminance of a target area in the lighting system. One or more light modules associated with the illuminance of the target area are selected from the at least one light source based on the position relationship between the at least one light source and the target area and a lighting distribution of each of the at least one light source. Then, at least one of the selected one or more light modules is adjusted to meet a certain requirement for the illuminance of the area. As a result, personalized lighting for an open area is effectively achieved.
US09426858B2

A device for driving a multi-channel light-emitting diode, includes a power supply unit for supplying power supplied from the outside; a light-emitting diode block, which is connected to a (+) terminal of the power supply unit and includes one or more light-emitting diode groups, each including at least one light-emitting diode; a current commutation unit, which is connected to a cathode of the light-emitting diode block and commutates a current flowing through the light-emitting diode groups; a reference voltage unit, which is electrically connected to the current commutation unit and provides a reference voltage to the current commutation unit; and a current driving unit for receiving power from the power supply unit, driving the light-emitting diode block through the current commutation unit, and determining a driving current flowing through the light-emitting diode groups.
US09426856B2

An apparatus, method and system are disclosed for providing AC line power to lighting devices such as light emitting diodes (“LEDs”). A representative apparatus comprises: a plurality of LEDs coupled in series to form a plurality of segments of LEDs; first and second current regulators; a current sensor; and a controller to monitor a current level through a series LED current path, and to provide for first or second segments of LEDs to be in or out of the series LED current path at different current levels. A voltage regulator is also utilized to provide a voltage during a zero-crossing interval of the AC voltage. In a representative embodiment, first and second segments of LEDs are both in the series LED current path regulated at a lower current level compared to when only the first segment of LEDs is in the series LED current path.
US09426854B1

An electronic driver for operating an illumination device is provided. The electronic driver includes a power converter configured to illuminate the illumination device. The power converter includes a switch capacitor circuit configured to perform at least one of a pulse width modulation dimming and a visible light communication using the illumination device. The switch capacitor circuit includes a plurality of split capacitors operatively coupled in series to a second end of a primary winding of a transformer in the power converter and a control switch operatively coupled to the plurality of split capacitors. The power converter also includes a controller operatively coupled to the control switch and is configured to control the control switch to perform at least one of the pulse width modulation dimming and the visible light communication.
US09426852B2

A controller for a lamp assembly is disclosed. The controller comprises: a mains sensing unit arranged to detect a mains voltage supplied to the lamp assembly; a waveform evaluation unit coupled with the mains sensing unit and arranged to generate a light control signal based on the mains voltage waveform; a demodulation unit coupled with the mains sensing unit and arranged to demodulate a data signal modulated on the mains voltage; an arbitration unit coupled with the demodulation unit and arranged to evaluate the results of the waveform evaluation unit and the demodulation unit and to decide an operation mode; and a control unit coupled with the arbitration unit and arranged to generate a drive signal to drive a light source of the lamp assembly based on the determined light control signal or the demodulated data signal depending on the decided operation mode.
US09426850B2

System and method are provided for generating a plurality of channel currents. The system includes a channel reference generator configured to receive a first reference current and generate at least a first channel driving current and a second channel driving current, a first channel current divider configured to receive the first channel driving current and generate a first input current, a second input current, and a third input current, a second channel current divider configured to receive the second channel driving current and generate a fourth input current, a fifth input current, and a sixth input current, a first channel driver configured to receive the first input current, the second input current, and the third input current and generate a first channel current, and a second channel driver configured to receive the fourth input current, the fifth input current, and the sixth input current and generate a second channel current.
US09426847B2

A heating device for heating a hollow component may include at least one inner induction coil and at least one outer induction coil, each configured to be heated. At least one element may be configured to influence a magnetic field formed between the inner and the outer induction coil during the operation of the heating device. The element may be arranged between the inner and the outer induction coils. Regions of the hollow component may be thinner and the thinner regions may be configured to heat more quickly than the remaining thicker regions. The thinner and thicker regions of the component may allow even heating of the component to be achieved.
US09426842B2

A distributed radio system comprising a plurality of receivers (1,2,15), each receiver being adapted to receive radio signals and to transmit respective digital signals. The system further comprises a digital communication channel (3) coupled to the plurality of receivers (1,2,15) and adapted to receive the digital signals and to transmit the digital signals. The system comprises a base-band unit (4) coupled to the communication channel (3) and adapted to combine and process the digital signals, the digital signals comprising information available in each receiver (1,2,15) of the plurality of receivers for exploiting a diversity gain.
US09426833B2

A system and method for performing an emergency call route failover between an Emergency Call Session Control Function (E-CSCF) and multi-homed remote end-point functions such as Border Gateway Control Function (BGCF)/Media Gateway Control Function (MGCF) or Interconnection Border Control Function (IBCF) in an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) uses Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and/or Domain Name System (DNS) methods. The E-CSCF and/or a DNS server monitors the availability of the remote end-points to create a peer list of route options. The E-CSCF or the DNS server selects a route option from the peer list to route an emergency call to an appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). In the event that the route option fails, the E-CSCF fails over to the next available route option to route the emergency call.
US09426831B2

An apparatus for transmitting and receiving signals in a wireless telecommunication system and to a method for transmitting random access bursts in such an apparatus. The apparatus includes a transmitter for transmitting random access bursts, a receiver for receiving acknowledgement information confirming a successful transmission of a random access burst, a decision unit for deciding if acknowledgement information has been received, and a control unit for randomly choosing a time point for an attempt to retransmit said random access burst from an interval if no acknowledgement information has been received after a random access burst had been transmitted.
US09426818B2

A method and an apparatus for performing a Coordinated Multi-Point (CoMP) transmission in a wireless communication system are provided. An operating method of a base station for the CoMP transmission in a wireless communication system includes performing a cell clustering for CoMP transmission of a terminal, receiving a reference signal from the terminal, determining cell IDentifier (ID) information of the terminal, when the terminal uses a cell ID for the CoMP transmission, comparing a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) value of the reference signal with a threshold, and when the CQI value of the reference signal is greater than or equal to the threshold, participating in the CoMP transmission of the terminal.
US09426815B2

A radio network node and a method therein, for controlling usage of RAT and bandwidth in a radio communication system. The method includes allocating a first RAT to a first bandwidth, allocating a second RAT to a second bandwidth, and allocating the first and second RATs to a third bandwidth comprising a part of the first bandwidth and/or a part of the second bandwidth. When the first RAT has a higher load than the second RAT, the method includes transmitting data for the first RAT in both the first third bandwidths, transmitting data for the second RAT only in the second bandwidth, and transmitting common control signals and/or pilot signals for the first RAT in the first and third bandwidths.
US09426808B2

A method of controlling uplink multiple input multiple output transmission between user equipment and a base station of a wireless communications network, user equipment and a computer program product are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: identifying whether insufficient capacity exists on a primary uplink stream to carry pending uplink data packets; and if insufficient capacity exists, preventing establishment of a secondary uplink stream when it is determined that pending uplink data packets which would not be carried by the primary uplink stream would under-utilize the secondary uplink stream. In this way, the disproportionate interference and consumption of resources that would otherwise result from the establishment of a secondary stream in order to carry relatively little data is avoided which reduces the resources utilized, increases power efficiency and minimizes interference.
US09426807B2

The present invention provides a method and apparatus thereof for acquirement of available spectrum. The method comprises: receiving an inquiring request sent from a main device, said inquiring request carrying the location information and coverage information of said main device; according to the location information and coverage information of said main device, acquiring the geographical range which said main device can cover; according to the geographical range which said main device can cover, the available spectrum set obtained in advance in the preset geographical range, and the geographical range which can be covered corresponding to each available spectrum in said available spectrum set, acquiring the available spectrum information in the geographical range which said main device can cover; sending said available spectrum information to said main device. The apparatus comprises: a receiving module, an inquiring module, a first inquiring module and a transmitting module.
US09426806B2

A method for wirelessly transmitting data using a plurality of transmission layers includes estimating a number of vector symbols to be allocated to transmission of user data codewords during a subframe and determining a number of bits in a plurality of user data codewords to be transmitted during the subframe. The method also includes calculating a number of control vector symbols to allocate to control information based at least in part on the estimated number of vector symbols and the determined number of bits. Additionally, the method includes mapping control codewords to the calculated number of control vector symbols and transmitting vector symbols carrying the user data codewords and the control codewords over the plurality of transmission layers during the subframe.
US09426805B2

A method and terminal in a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes receiving system information including information associated with a sub-frame configuration of a multimedia broadcast multicast service single frequency network (MBSFN) sub-frame, receiving dedicated message including information on configuration of a transmission mode of the terminal, detecting, if the terminal is configured in a first transmission mode, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in a first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frame, and decoding a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) in the first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frame.
US09426801B2

A method and apparatus for receiving a control signal in a wireless communication system in which a plurality of cells are merged. The method includes: receiving a signal indicating a deactivation of at least one cell from among the plurality of cells; and deactivating the at least one cell. The deactivation-indicating signal indicates the deactivation of the at least one cell to all of a plurality of user equipments configured to merge the at least one cell.
US09426794B2

A wireless communication system comprising first and second transceivers. The first transceiver communicate with a base station, wherein the base station communicates with the first transceiver and a plurality of other wireless communication devices according to a wide area wireless communication protocol. The second transceiver is coupled to the first transceiver and communicates with a first mobile station, wherein the second transceiver communicates with the first mobile station according to a local area wireless communication protocol. The first transceiver receives from the base station a first downlink signal intended for the first mobile station and transmits the first downlink signal to the second transceiver. The second transceiver re-transmits the first downlink signal to the first mobile station as a second downlink signal according to the local area wireless communication protocol.
US09426792B2

A method of transmitting uplink control information (UCI) in a wireless access system supporting carrier aggregation. A user equipment (UE) receives two or more physical downlink shared channels (PDSCHs) via two or more downlink component carriers, respectively. The UE performs channel coding with respect to the UCI according to a payload size of the UCI including acknowledgement information and channel quality information (CQI) for each of the two or more downlink carriers. The UE performs rate matching with respect to the channel coded UCI for a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) format 3. The UE transmits the rate matched UCI using the PUCCH format 3.
US09426785B2

A method and apparatus for allocating quasi-contiguous uplink data resources for a user device is provided. Transmission of data comprise at least two data clusters of sub carriers expanding over gaps reserved for uplink control channel in order, for example, to mitigate transmission power reductions due to multi-cluster transmission.
US09426782B2

Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a wireless system may be controlled to operate via time-division duplexing (TDD) in a first mode and operate via frequency-division duplexing (FDD) in a second mode. The mode of operation may be selected based at least in part on the available spectrum not utilized by a primary spectrum holder (PSH) in the vicinity of the wireless system. In one or more embodiments, control of operation between TDD and FDD, or between different realizations of the same duplex scheme, may be implemented by a cloud spectrum broker/controller, and in one or more alternative embodiments, control of operation between TDD and FDD may be implanted by the operator of the wireless system as an alternative spectrum holder (ASH).
US09426781B2

A method and apparatus for exchanging information between devices for use in the pairing process for Device To Device (D2D) communication is provided. A signal transmission/reception method of a device in a mobile communication system includes determining a resource for the device to transmit a pairing signal, transmitting a discovery signal including information on the determined resource, pairing with a neighbor device that received the discovery signal through the resource indicated by the resource information, and communicating data signals with the paired neighbor device. The information exchange method and apparatus for D2D communication is capable of preventing a plurality of devices from attempting pairing on the same frequency simultaneously, thereby improving pairing efficiency and reducing power consumption of the device.
US09426776B2

A disclosed method of operation includes generating a first resolution geographic descriptor that identifies a first size geographic grid area. The first size geographic grid area includes a specific location identified by mobile device location data but does not identify the specific location. The method proceeds with adjusting the first resolution geographic descriptor to a second resolution geographic descriptor, by increasing or decreasing the resolution to correspondingly decrease or increase, respectively, the corresponding geographic grid area to a second size geographic grid area that includes the specific location. An information update is then sent to a server. The information update includes the second resolution geographic descriptor but does not provide the mobile device location data, in order to preserve the mobile device user's anonymity.
US09426773B2

Improved methods and apparatus are described for adaptively adjusting a node power level in a wireless node network having a plurality of nodes and a server. In one method, the server is operative to fix an output power setting on a first node (such as an ID node or master node) to a first power level when the first node is located in a first area. The first power level corresponds to a density of the nodes operating within the first area. The server then detects if the first node has moved to a second area. When the first node is detected as being in the second area, the server adapts the output power setting on the first node to a second power level. The second power level corresponds and relates to a density of the nodes operating within the second area.
US09426757B2

A method and an apparatus for use in a multiuser radio communication system for transmitting and receiving a signal in a Multiple Input and Multiple Output (MIMO) broadcast channel with an imperfect Channel State Information at the Transmitter (CSIT) are provided. The signal transmission/reception method includes receiving CSI from each of a plurality of receivers, determining a transmit power and a transmission rate based on the CSI qualities of the plurality of receivers calculated from the CSI from each of the plurality of receivers, and transmitting the signal using the transmit power and the transmission rate. The present disclosure is capable of maximizing system throughput in wireless communication system.
US09426755B2

The objective of the present invention is to provide a terminal device capable of suppressing delay in switching between transmit/receive points, and of reliably switching between the transmit/receive points. In the device, a reception processing unit (203) receives control information including a transmission request for an A-SRS and a report request for a downlink CSI, whereupon a transmission signal formation unit (207) transmits the A-SRS at a transmission power set on the basis of the report request. In addition, if a report for each downlink CSI between a plurality of base stations is requested in the report request, the transmission signal formation unit (207) transmits the A-SRS at a first transmission power, whereas if a report for a downlink CSI between a single cell is requested in the report request, the A-SRS is transmitted at a second transmission power. The first transmission power is greater than the second transmission power.
US09426750B2

An apparatus, system, and method for parallelizing user equipment (UE) wakeup process are described. In one embodiment, power may be provided to a crystal oscillator to exit a first sleep state. One or more clocking signals may be provided to RF circuitry based on output from the crystal oscillator. Calibration and state restoration of the RF circuitry may be performed independent of baseband circuitry. State restoration of the baseband circuitry may be performed. Data may be received from a wireless communication network using the RF circuitry. The data may be processed using the baseband circuitry. State retention for the RF circuitry and the baseband circuitry may be performed. Finally, the crystal oscillator may be powered down to enter a second sleep state.
US09426731B1

A mobile communication device may include a universal integrated circuit card to store a plurality of mobile network operator (MNO) profiles. The mobile communication device may further include logic configured to retrieve the stored plurality of MNO profiles from the UICC; obtain a list of available MNOs by communicating with base stations located within a transmission range of the mobile communication device; obtain a list of partner MNOs from a subscription system; filter the obtained list of available MNOs based on the obtained list of partner MNOs; and display selectable MNOs based on the retrieved MNO profiles and based on the filtered list of available MNOs.
US09426718B2

Systems, methods, and devices for network communication of data are described. One method described includes determining a characteristic of data to be communicated. The method includes selecting, via a processor, one of a plurality of communication pathways based at least on the determined characteristic, wherein selecting is independent of an air interface used to communicate the data. The method further includes establishing the selected communication pathway if the selected pathway has not been established. The method further includes communicating the data via the selected communication pathway.
US09426712B2

Handover is a main function that is used to support mobility in the network. In a cellular communication network having adaptive antennas for enabling narrow beam operation, it is assumed that a mobile unit is served by an active cell set (S1). A basic idea according to the present invention is to select, prior to establishment of a new serving radio link for a mobile unit, a narrow target beam within a neighbor area of the current active cell set of the mobile unit based on pre-established information of narrow beams within the neighbor area (S2), and to initiate establishment of the new serving radio link directly with the selected narrow target beam (S3). In this way, the narrow target beam can be selected at handover initiation and the new radio link can be established directly with a target narrow beam without first establishing the radio link with a cell-wide beam and then, after uplink measurements, reconfiguring the radio link onto a narrow beam.
US09426710B2

In a wireless communication network where base stations receive protocol data units (PDUs) from mobile stations for decompression and deciphering for ordered, sequential transfer as service data units (SDUs) to an associated core network, the teachings presented herein provide a method of supporting seamless handover of a mobile station from a source base station to a target base station. By way of example, the teachings herein apply to a network based on the E-UTRA specifications, as promulgated by the 3GPP. However, that example is non-limiting, as the teachings herein apply to any network that employs in-sequence data delivery and duplicate data detection at handover. Broadly, the source base station forwards out-of-sequence SDUs and corresponding sequence number information to the target base station in support of seamless handover, and the target base station uses that information to request retransmissions as needed for packet reordering.
US09426707B1

A first access node receives, from a wireless device, a first indicator. This first indicator corresponds to a downlink reference signal power as measured by the wireless device. The first indicator is associated with a second access node. The first access node determines a second indicator. The second indicator corresponds to an uplink reference signal power as measured by the first access node. The second indicator is associated with the wireless device. Based on the first indicator and the second indicator, a handoff of the wireless device from the first access node to a second access node is initiated.
US09426704B2

An apparatus and a method for managing an access mode of an NB in a wireless communication system. The method includes receiving, from a first NB, a request to change the access mode of the second NB from a first mode into a second mode; determining, by the CN, to change the access mode of the second NB into the second mode; transmitting, to the second NB, a request message requesting to change the access mode of the second NB; and receiving, from the second NB, a response message informing of an access mode control result. If the first mode allows access only to terminals having a registration in the second NB, and the second mode allows access to terminals, the second NB further grants access to at least one terminal not registered in the second NB, after changing the access mode.
US09426702B2

A method and an apparatus for providing preamble information in a wireless communication system are provided. The method of a Base Station (BS) of a first system for providing neighbor BS information of a second system in a communication environment covering the first system and the second system together includes generating a message comprising information indicating a superframe boundary of a neighbor BS of the second system, and transmitting the message comprising the information indicating the superframe boundary to a Mobile Station (MS).
US09426698B2

Methods and apparatus for transmitting extended service request messages in a congested network are described. An apparatus includes a timer, a receiver and a processor. The receiver receives a message that includes a timer value. The processor sets the timer based on the timer value, activates the timer, and attempts mobile-originated circuit switched fallback for an emergency call during a period that corresponds to the timer value and during which mobile-originated circuit switched fallback is otherwise prohibited.
US09426691B2

A load balancing method for a wireless communication device includes checking a total loading of the wireless communication device, wherein the total loading comprises a first loading of an omni antenna and a second loading of a directional antenna; and adjusting transmission power of the wireless communication device according to the total loading of the wireless communication device and information sent by at least one neighbor wireless communication device, in order to perform load balancing.
US09426688B2

A device is configured to obtain network information indicating an amount of client devices, of each device type, registered in an operator network. The device is configured to obtain client device information identifying a client device and determine a device type of the client device based on the client device information. The device is configured to determine a frequency for the client device to use to communicate with the operator network based on the device type of the client device and the amount of client devices of each of the device types registered in the operator network. The device is configured to provide an instruction to the client device to use the frequency to communicate with the operator network.
US09426683B2

A method in a base station (110) for providing an estimate of interference and noise power of an uplink resource block. The base station (110) is comprised in a cellular communications network (100). The base station (110) receives (401, 901) on multiple antenna elements (112a-c) of a receiver antenna (112) a signal comprising interference and noise. The base station (110) calculates (402, 902) an interference and noise covariance matrix for the resource block based on the received signal. The base station (110) then calculates (903, 403) the estimate based on the calculated interference and noise covariance matrix, the number of the multiple antenna elements (112a-c) of the receiver antenna (112) and a channel covariance matrix for a virtual user equipment. The provided estimate enables an interference and noise measure when Interference Rejection Combining (!RC) is applied in the uplink. Thereby more efficient use of uplink Frequency Selective Scheduling (FSS) together with uplink IRC and improved performance in the cellular communications network is enabled.
US09426680B2

A multichannel radio receiver configured for real-time radio channel assessment is described herein. In one example, a radio frequency (RF) front end provides a frequency spectrum which is converted into a digitized spectrum. Within a digital subsystem, resources (e.g., software or a hardware device) may analyze channels or portions of spectrum within the digitized spectrum for a packet error rate (PER) at a plurality of power levels and a plurality of modulation schemes. The analysis may result a required received signal strength indicator (RSSI) that is needed to result in a particular read reliability requirement (RRR). Using the required RSSI, endpoints communicating with the multichannel radio may be associated with a channel(s), modulation scheme(s) and/or power level(s) that results in the RRR. The analysis may be performed by one or more resources operating in parallel and operating in the background to other communications between the endpoints and multichannel radio receiver.
US09426679B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a base station antenna apparatus and an apparatus for collecting an engineering parameter of a base station antenna. A device for testing an antenna engineering parameter is integrated with a base station antenna, so as to improve collection efficiency, accuracy, and timeliness of an engineering parameter of a base station antenna. A base station antenna apparatus includes a base station antenna, an apparatus for collecting an engineering parameter of a base station antenna, and a base station antenna housing, where the apparatus for collecting an engineering parameter of a base station antenna is configured to collect, save, and manage the engineering parameter of the base station antenna; the base station antenna and the apparatus for collecting an engineering parameter of a base station antenna are connected and located in the base station antenna housing.
US09426676B2

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method and apparatus for enhancing coverage in a TDD system, wherein there is at least one TDD UL/DL configuration for subframes in the TDD system, and the at least one UL/DL configuration comprises at least one special subframe and at least one normal subframe. In the method according to embodiments of the present invention, whether a special subframe is to be applied in TTI bundling is determined first, and then a message with an indication indicating that a special subframe is to be applied in TTI bundling is sent to a UE in response to determining that a special subframe is to be applied in TTI bundling, such that the UE transmits TTI bundling packets on at least one special subframe.
US09426667B2

Methods and apparatus that enable a wireless femtocell to operate in its designated frequency so as to minimize interference between the wireless femtocell and neighboring base stations (and other femtocells or nomadic cells). In one exemplary embodiment, the femtocell cell comprises a UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) femtocell which has the ability to scan the air interface in a manner similar to that associated with a UE in order to identify unallocated resources within the wireless network, and subsequently request access for the unallocated resources. Business methods useful in combination with the aforementioned methods and apparatus are also disclosed.
US09426664B2

There is provided a mechanism for controlling communications conducted via different frequency bands or communication spectrums. When a communication via a first communication path, for example an unlicensed or white space communication spectrum, is to be established, e.g. for offloading traffic from a second communication path, for example a licensed cellular communication spectrum, a preamble transmission command is generated and transmitted from a communication network control element, such as an eNB, via the second communication path to a communication element, such as a UE. By means of the preamble transmission command, the transmission of a preamble signal by the receiving communication element on the first communication path with predetermined communication resources is triggered. Based on a receipt or non-receipt of the preamble signal via the first communication path, the communication network control element is able to determine that the communication element can establish a connection on the first communication path, for example the unlicensed or white space communication spectrum.
US09426651B2

Disclosed is a method for providing contents in a mobile communication system and apparatus thereof. The apparatus comprises a contents provider access unit for responding to an inquiry request related to a service provision using contents providing terminal connected through a communication network and managing a rule related to the contents providing terminal and a connection and an inquiry request of the contents providing terminal; a central management unit for managing a predetermined service, a subscriber affiliated with the service, apparatus information of a subscriber terminal and an operation and an authentication of the service based on a data inputted from a contents providing terminal connected through the contents provider access unit; a transmission unit for receiving terminal information of a subscriber affiliated with the service and transmitting a menu of the service and contents in accordance with an apparatus of many piece of the terminal information of a subscriber affiliated with the service; and an interface unit for performing an interface with an external server interlocked with the service, providing the service and the contents and managing a rule to the external server.
US09426649B2

Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems of securing communications of a User Equipment (UE) in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). For example, a cellular node may transmit to a UE a cellular message including a UE security key, and a WLAN access device may communicate with the cellular node security information including the UE security key. The WLAN access device may communicate with the UE based on the UE security key, e.g., to authenticate the UE and/or encrypt communications with the UE.
US09426640B2

Method and apparatus for transferring a file from a sending wireless device to a receiving wireless device in a short-range wireless system. A file to be sent to the receiving wireless device is selected on the sending wireless device. The sending wireless device has a device list of receiving wireless devices. If the receiving wireless device is absent on the device list, the sending wireless device searches and identifies new devices. A device among the identified new devices is selected as the receiving wireless device. A connection is established between the sending wireless device and the receiving wireless device; and the file is sent to the receiving wireless device.
US09426638B1

Disclosed is a system and method for signaling the presence of an emergency situation. The system includes a personal emergency device in communication with a dispatch station over a wireless network. Upon encountering an emergency situation, a user signals an alert using the personal emergency device, which includes a mobile device running custom security software. The device subsequently transmits information about the users location and personal characteristics to the dispatch station, where it is interpreted by a computer running custom emergency alert monitoring and reporting software, enabling a dispatcher to notify emergency service personnel about the location and characteristics of the user in an emergency situation. The system further enables a user to communicate with emergency personnel and other predetermined third parties in real time during the emergency situation.
US09426636B2

A method and apparatus for providing both Mobile Terminated, MT, and Mobile Originated, MO, circuit switched (CS) services such as Short Message Service, SMS, services in networks utilizing CS Fallback and CSoLTE-I architectures. An extended SGs interface referred to as SGs+ is implemented between a Mobility Management Entity, MME, in an SAE core network and a Mobile Switching Center Server, MSC-S. The SGs+ interface supports transmission of upper layer CS packet data units while utilizing either connectionless or connection-oriented Signaling Connection Control Part, SCCP, operation. The non access stratum, NAS, signaling support between the User Equipment, UE, and the MME is extended to provide support for both MT SMS and MO SMS service.
US09426632B2

An embodiment is directed to switching between server-arbitrated group communication sessions at an access terminal (AT) within a wireless communications system. The AT participates in a first group communication session when it receives an announce message announcing a second group communication session, acquires priority levels for the first and/or second group communication sessions and determines whether to switch between sessions based on the priority level(s). In another embodiment, the AT participates in a given processing task (e.g., a gaming session, a voice call, a group session, etc.) when it receives an alert that relates to a group communication session. If the alert is specially configured to force the given access terminal to drop the given processing task, the AT drops the given processing task irrespective of whether the AT later joins the announced group communication session.
US09426629B2

A user's experience is enhanced with respect to location based services (LBS) applications that can be employed by a user via a mobile device using techniques described herein. In an aspect, a device is provided that includes a memory to store instructions and a processor, coupled to the memory, that facilitates execution of the instructions to perform various operations. The operations can include determining a context of the device comprising determining a current location of the device, identifying an application of the device that enables a function related to the current location of the device, determining that the application is relevant to a user identity associated with the device based on the context of the device, adapting a set of graphical images for display by the device to comprise a graphical image associated with the application.
US09426628B1

An identifier for a mobile device and information to include in an alert message are received. An alert rule is generated and stored in a plurality of alert filters, each alert filter is associated with a respective building, such that when a mobile device with the identifier attempts to connect to a network in any of a plurality of buildings, the alert message is issued with the information. Additionally, an address of a portable device is received in a search request. A database containing entries for a plurality of locations associated with a plurality of networks is searched to find locations where the portable device connected to a network. A list of locations and times where the portable device connected to a network is returned.
US09426618B2

A method and mechanism to allow a location server to initiate a user plane location service (e.g., SUPL defined by OMA) procedure to a user plane enabled device via Instant Messaging, or alternatively, via an existing SIP session if a multimedia session is already established. The location request is signaled to the user plane enabled device via a SIP INFO message. The location request uses SIP messaging to overcome firewall and other network security issues. Location using SUPL over SIP may be provided about a caller making an E911 emergency call. An Instant Message may be sent to the user plane enabled device, e.g., a VoIP wireless phone.
US09426615B2

Techniques and systems for prioritizing beacon messages are disclosed. Such a technique can include receiving, at a mobile device, beacon messages from multiple beacon devices over short-range communication links, the beacon devices being within a vicinity of an establishment, the beacon messages being configured to provide content associated with the establishment; determining, at the mobile device, priorities of the beacon messages based on one or more criteria; selecting, at the mobile device, a beacon message of the beacon messages based on the priorities to produce a selected beacon message; and presenting the selected beacon message through the mobile device.
US09426612B2

A location tracking hospital grade power cord and method therefore is taught in the various embodiments. The hospital grade power cord includes a location module housing having a location circuit board therein. Within the location module housing, a power supply is positioned and in electrical communication with conductors extending through the cord housing. The location module housing also provides location for a communication module including a location module such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite receiver and at least one cellular transceiver.
US09426607B2

An automatic wireless pairing method includes causing a base unit to wirelessly communicate with a number of wireless peripheral devices and wirelessly receive a peripheral device data signal from each of the wireless peripheral devices, wherein the peripheral device data signal received from each of the wireless peripheral devices is based on one or more measurements made by a sensor of the wireless peripheral device, analyzing in the base unit each of the peripheral device data signals, selecting in the base unit one or more of the wireless peripheral devices based on the analyzing of the peripheral device data signals, and responsive to the selecting step, establishing or maintaining wireless communication according to the wireless communications protocol between the base unit and the selected one or more of the wireless peripheral devices and not the wireless peripheral devices other than the selected one or more of the wireless peripheral devices.
US09426601B2

A method and non-transitory computer readable medium for provisioning services for machine to machine communication devices in a communications network. For example, the method receives a request from a third party service provider to provision a service to a user of the third party service provider, determines whether a communication network service provider of the communications network and the third party service provider have a pre-existing agreement to provision the service, and provisions the service of the third party service provider to the user via the communications network in accordance with the pre-existing agreement, wherein the user is a subscriber of the communication network service provider.
US09426594B2

A miniature speaker is disclosed. The miniature speaker includes a frame providing a receiving space, a magnetic circuit accommodated in the receiving space, a voice coil, a membrane activated by the voice coil for generating sounds, a number of contacts for electrically connected to the voice coil, and a front cover for fixing the membrane to the frame. The front cover includes an outer ring and a top cover coupled with the outer ring. The top cover includes a step engaging with the outer ring. By virtue of the configuration of the front cover, the assembling precision of the outer ring and the top cover is ensured, and the thicknesses of the outer ring and the top cover are maintained for providing sufficient strength.
US09426586B2

The present subject matter includes a system for communications between a transmitter and a receiver. In various embodiments, the system uses a sleep interval to allow the receiver to go to sleep between wake up times to “sniff” for transmissions from the transmitter. The system adjusts the length of the preamble of the transmitted signal to allow the receiver to detect a transmitted signal based on drift in the clocks of the system. In various embodiments, a receive channel is changed if a signal is not received at a prior channel selection. In various embodiments, the transmission is determined by detection of an event. In various embodiments, the event is an ear-to-ear event. In various embodiments, the receiver and transmitter are in opposite hearing aids adapted to be worn by one wearer.
US09426581B2

A top port microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphone is presented herein. A device can include a substrate and a MEMS acoustic sensor mechanically attached to the substrate utilizing anchors. Spaces between the anchors can connect a first back volume corresponding to a bottom portion of the MEMS acoustic sensor with a second back volume to form a combined back volume. An acoustic seal can be placed on the MEMS acoustic sensor, and an enclosure placed on the acoustic seal and secured to the substrate. The acoustic seal can isolate a first portion of the enclosure corresponding to a front volume from a second portion of the enclosure corresponding to the combined back volume. The first portion of the enclosure can include an opening adapted to receive acoustic waves into the front volume, and the front volume can be acoustically coupled to a top portion of the MEMS acoustic sensor.
US09426574B2

A method for automatically switching an audio source includes the steps of receiving an audio signal from a video display device, and receiving a digital audio signal from one of a plurality of audio/video source devices which each can supply audio and video information to the video display device. The digital audio signal is compared with the audio signal from the video display device. The digital audio signal is output to a supplemental audio system of the video display device when the comparing step indicates that the digital audio signal and the audio signal from the video display device contain substantially similar audio programs.
US09426573B2

In a system and method for encoding a sound field the orientation of a computing device may be detected. Several orientation indications may be used to detect the computing device orientation. The detected orientation may be relative to a sound field that is a spatial representation of an audible environment associated with the computing device. Microphones associated with the computing device may be selected in order to receive the sound field based on the detected orientation. The received sound field may be processed and encoded with associated descriptive information.
US09426570B2

An audio processing device includes a setting section that sets a reproduction sampling frequency Fplay and a recording sampling frequency Frec higher than Fplay, a digital-to-analog converter that based on Fplay converts a sound source signal that is a digital signal into a reproduction signal that is an analog signal, an analog-to-digital converter that based on Frec converts a recording signal that is an analog signal converter into an input signal that is a digital signal, a signal separator that separates the input signal into a low region signal contained in a band of less than Fplay and a high region signal contained in a band of the Fplay and higher, and a breakup detector that detects whether or not breakup is occurring in the reproduced sound based on power of the high region signal.
US09426567B2

An electronic device manages a plurality of microphones comprising a first microphone unit installed in a front side of the electronic device, a second microphone unit installed in a back side of the electronic device and a third microphone unit installed at a position within the electronic device. At least one sensor installed in the electronic device senses a usage condition of the electronic device comprising a physical orientation of the electronic device relative to a plane. A processor selectively operates at least two of the first, second and third microphone units in response to the sensed usage condition of the electronic device.
US09426560B2

Disclosed herein is a waterproof case for protecting electronic devices. The waterproof case includes a flexible waterproof bag attached to a rigid lid that can be opened to allow electronic devices to pass into the bag. When closed, the lid forms a watertight seal that protects the inside of the bag from ingress of water. The lid can include a pass-through jack which allows a user to connect an electronic device, such as an audio device, to an output through the lid. The case may also be incorporated into a flexible attachment system, such as an armband or swimbelt. Methods of connecting an electronic device to an electronic output, such as an audio output, through a waterproof case are also provided.
US09426556B2

Enhanced safety headphones for listening to audio and music, wherein the wearer decides the degree of sound isolation desired, i.e. audio via bone conduction (no isolation from the surrounding environment), in-ear earpiece (medium isolation from ambient noise), or earpieces covering the outer ear (high isolation from ambient noise). By connecting the preselected adaptor, one will obtain automatic volume adjustment and sound equalization, necessary for an optimal listening result under all conditions. A single product will thus be able to cover three different operating requirements. When worn on bicycles, skis or scooters, an indicator light will warn other circulating vehicles of the user's presence (position light). An acceleration sensor will signal any braking (stop light).
US09426555B2

The acoustically tunable headphones comprises of a flexible headband with a speaker housing affixed on either end of the flexible headband. The speaker housing encloses one or more speakers behind a grill with multiple openings. A soft and flexible ear pad is removably affixed in front of the grill. A corresponding grill with corresponding openings is affixed in the ear pad. By rotating the ear pad to various positions and repositioning the grills openings, the acoustics of the headphones may be adjusted.
US09426548B2

A loudspeaker includes a rigid enclosure, and a sound projecting region formed in a wall of the rigid enclosure. The sound projecting region includes one or more active driver speakers rigidly connected with the rigid enclosure, the active driver speakers to project sound outward from the sound projecting region and to reflect sound waves within the rigid enclosure. The loudspeaker includes flexible inner surrounds that frame each active driver speaker, and a passive radiator at least partially around the active driver speakers and connected between the inner surround and a flexible outer surround. The outer surround is connected with the rigid enclosure. Electronic circuitry of the loudspeaker includes an audio data receiver to receive audio data, one or more processors to process the audio data, and an amplifier to amplify the processed audio data for playback by the one or more active driver speakers.
US09426541B2

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media processor that includes a memory and a controller coupled with the memory. The controller can be operable to provide an electronic program guide for display on a video display device, where the electronic program guide includes a surveillance entry associated with a security system in communication with the controller. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09426526B2

An image processing apparatus includes a chipset unit which processes data; a connector which includes a plurality of terminals, and is configured to connect with a cable so that the chipset unit can transmit and receive a signal to and from an external device; a switching unit which supplies power to the external device through a first terminal of the connector, and selectively controls a switching operation regarding whether or not to supply power to the first terminal on the basis of a signal state of a second terminal of the connector when the cable is connected to the connector. A control method of the image processing apparatus is also disclosed.
US09426525B2

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to count people in an audience are disclosed. An example method includes analyzing location information collected by a portable device indicative of a location of the portable device. The method also includes analyzing proximity information collected by the portable device indicative of when a person is near the portable device. The example method further includes generating presence information based on (1) the location information and (2) the proximity information, the presence information being indicative of whether the person is present in a media exposure environment associated with a media presentation device.
US09426522B2

The disclosure relates to techniques for switching between channels of digital multimedia content. In particular, a decoding device decodes and renders to a display at least one frame of a segment of data prior to receiving the entire segment. In certain aspects, the decoding device may render one of the frames of the segment and freeze the rendered frame until the decoding device receives all of the frames of the segment. In other aspects, the decoding device may render frames of one or more segments at a reduced rendering rate until the receiving and rendering operations of decoding device are synchronized such that the rendering of the current segment occurs at substantially the same time as the receiving of the next segment. By rendering at least frame prior to receiving the entire segment the decoding device more quickly displays content to a user during a channel switching event.
US09426521B2

A garbled closed captioning detector analyzes closed captioning data at predetermined intervals to determine whether a metric derived from the closed-captioning data exceeds a threshold. If the metric exceeds the predetermined threshold, the closed captioning data is presumed to be garbled. For example, the metric may be the percentage of words in the closed captioning data having a desired word length observed in a particular interval compared to all words in the closed captioning data observed in the interval. If the percentage of words having a desired word length exceeds a predetermined threshold, the closed captioning data is presumed to be garbled.
US09426513B2

An information manager includes a network interface, a user interface, and a controller. The network interface establishes a connection with at least one content provider server through a network. The user interface receives an input signal selecting an icon for display. The controller controls output of the selected icon for display along with an image corresponding to the selected icon. The selected icon corresponds to the content provider and is displayed with one or more other icons that correspond to additional content providers, and the image is based on information received through the network interface from the content provider.
US09426510B2

A method and apparatus for performing global searching using second display devices. In an IPTV system, a second display application is typically a more complex application. There are typically many features, which increase complexity when a user attempts to find an asset, a service, a utility, a shortcut, or other information and/or content of the second display application. The use of a global search tool enhances the usage of the second display application, especially when a utility is buried in the second display application, making that utility more difficult to access.
US09426505B1

Disclosed herein is a system and method for simultaneously broadcasting video components (VCs). In one example, a method includes an automation-system (AS) selecting a log entry including (i) a first identifier that maps to a first VC, and (ii) a second identifier that maps to a second VC; a recording-and-playout device (RAPD) retrieving the first VC; the RAPD sending the retrieved first-VC to an encoder; the encoder generating a first transport-stream (TS) having (i) program-identification (PID) data, and (ii) payload data including the sent first-VC; the encoder sending the generated first-TS to a first outbound-broadcast device (OBD); the encoder sending the generated first-TS to a transport-stream splicer; the AS loading the splicer with the second VC; the splicer generating a second TS having (i) the PID data of the generated first-TS, and (ii) payload data including the loaded second-VC; and the splicer sending the generated second-TS to a second OBD.
US09426491B2

Video encoding/decoding method and apparatus using a block transformation are disclosed. The apparatus encodes the video through predicting each pixel in a current block of the video by using one or more adjacent pixels, which are encoded prior to encoding the current block and have the closest proximity to the pixels respectively in a predetermined prediction direction, and wherein the current block is sized L×M with L being unequal to M. It has become possible to predict the pixels in the block starting from closest one of the pixels in the prediction direction in order to provide more accurate block predictions and then raise the compression efficiency that leaps to more efficient video encoding/decoding performance.
US09426489B2

A video decoding apparatus includes a reference picture list storing unit configured to store picture information of pictures; a motion vector information storing unit configured to store motion vector information including motion vectors of blocks that are spatially and temporally adjacent to a target block to be decoded and reference picture identifiers indicating pictures that the motion vectors refer to; and a vector predictor generating unit configured to scale a vector predictor candidate for a motion vector of the target block based on the picture information and the motion vector information and to correct the scaled vector predictor candidate toward 0 by a predetermined amount.
US09426488B2

A video decoding apparatus includes a reference picture list storing unit configured to store picture information of pictures; a motion vector information storing unit configured to store motion vector information including motion vectors of blocks that are spatially and temporally adjacent to a target block to be decoded and reference picture identifiers indicating pictures that the motion vectors refer to; and a vector predictor generating unit configured to scale a vector predictor candidate for a motion vector of the target block based on the picture information and the motion vector information and to correct the scaled vector predictor candidate toward 0 by a predetermined amount.
US09426486B2

A method and an apparatus of encoding/decoding intra prediction mode using a plurality of candidate intra prediction modes are disclosed. A method of decoding an intra prediction mode can comprise deriving three candidate intra prediction modes about a current block and deriving an intra prediction mode of the current block. Therefore, by predicting an intra prediction mode of the current block based on a plurality of candidate intra prediction modes, video encoding efficiency can be improved.
US09426478B2

In one embodiment, a video processing system includes a processor to read a mapping between a peak signal to noise ratio, PSNR, and a video quality metric, M, for an encoded version of a first video portion encoded at full resolution Rmax, read an up-sampled peak signal to noise ratio, uPSNR(Rx) of an up-sampled decoded video portion deriving from the first video portion being encoded at a resolution Rx, which is less than the full resolution Rmax, yielding an encoded video portion, the encoded video portion being decoded and then up-sampled to the full resolution Rmax; and lookup a value, V′, that maps to uPSNR(Rx) in the mapping, V′ representing a resolution normalized M value of the encoded video portion encoded at the resolution Rx. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
US09426465B2

A prediction unit (PU) of a coding unit (CU) is split into two or more sub-PUs including a first sub-PU and a second sub-PU. A first motion vector of a first type is obtained for the first sub-PU and a second motion vector of the first type is obtained for the second sub-PU. A third motion vector of a second type is obtained for the first sub-PU and a fourth motion vector of the second type is obtained for the second sub-PU, such that the second type is different than the first type. A first portion of the CU corresponding to the first sub-PU is coded according to advanced residual prediction (ARP) using the first and third motion vectors. A second portion of the CU corresponding to the second sub-PU is coded according to ARP using the second and fourth motion vectors.
US09426455B2

Certain aspects pertain to aperture-scanning Fourier ptychographic imaging devices comprising an aperture scanner that can generate an aperture at different locations at an intermediate plane of an optical arrangement, and a detector that can acquire lower resolution intensity images for different aperture locations, and wherein a higher resolution complex image may be constructed by iteratively updating regions in Fourier space with the acquired lower resolution images.
US09426454B2

A 3D display system is provided. The 3D display system includes a shutter glasses, a display apparatus and a transmitter module. The shutter glasses includes a left eye shutter and a right eye shutter. The shutter glasses controls a switching frequency of the left eye shutter and the right eye shutter according to a radio frequency signal. The display apparatus alternately displays left and right eye images according to an update frequency. The transmitter module detects the update frequency and provides the radio frequency signal to the shutter glasses when detecting that the update frequency has changed, wherein the radio frequency signal includes the changed update frequency.
US09426452B2

An electrically controlled spectacle includes a spectacle frame and optoelectronic lenses housed in the frame. The lenses include a left lens and a right lens, each of the optoelectrical lenses having a plurality of states, wherein the state of the left lens is independent of the state of the right lens. The electrically controlled spectacle also includes a control unit housed in the frame, the control unit being adapted to control the state of each of the lenses independently.
US09426442B2

A source video comprising a sequence of 2D image frames is acquired, and an image frame that includes two or more motion vectors that describe motion in the image frame is obtained from the source video, wherein each of the motion vectors is associated with a region of the image frame. A respective parameter is calculated for each of the following: (a) a lateral speed of the image frame, using the two or more motion vectors, and (b) a direction of motion of the image frame, using the two or more motion vectors. A deformation value is generated by applying an algorithm that uses both of the parameters, and the deformation value is applied to the image frame to identify a modified image frame. The modified image frame is blended with a bridge frame that is a non-solid color and is different from the modified image frame, to generate a blended frame. The direction of motion and velocity of motion parameters in the calculating step are calculated only from the motion vectors input along with the image frame.
US09426435B2

A scanning projector suitable for projecting an image comprising a plurality of wavelength signals (i.e., light signals having different wavelengths) is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention comprise a beam combiner comprising a planar lightwave circuit that includes a plurality of surface waveguides arranged in define a plurality of input ports, a mixing region, and an output port. Different wavelength signals received at the input ports are combined into a composite output beam that is scanned over a region. The projector (1) scans a first wavelength signal over a plurality of image points in the region, (2) detects an amount of the first wavelength signal reflected from each image point, whose reflectivity at the first wavelength is based on a measurand, and (3) projects an image onto the region using a second wavelength signal, where the image is based on the reflected first wavelength signal at each of the image points.
US09426434B1

An apparatus having a first circuit and a second circuit is disclosed. The first circuit may be configured to (i) generate a sequence of intermediate matrices by multiplying a sequence of original matrices by a predetermined matrix and (ii) write the intermediate matrices into a memory in a first order that alternates between (a) a first of the intermediate matrices in a row order and (b) a second of the intermediate matrices in a column order. The second circuit may be configured to (i) read the sequence of the intermediate matrices from the memory in a second order that alternates between (a) the first intermediate matrix in the column order and (b) the second intermediate matrix in the row order and (ii) generate a sequence of transform matrices by multiplying the intermediate matrices as read from the memory by another predetermined matrix.
US09426427B2

The invention proposes a storage system having a number of M storage media, having a number of N data producers each providing a data stream and each having one or more data members, and having a storage management device for distributing the data streams from the N data producers to the M storage media, wherein a group of (A+1) of the M storage media is statically assigned to each of the N data producers, where 1
US09426421B2

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for tracking engagement of participants in a presentation. An example system implementing the method can identify a presenter in a conference and participants in the conference. Then the system can gather, during a presentation by the presenter in the conference, engagement data about the participants. The system can generate or calculate an engagement score based on the engagement data, and present the engagement score to the presenter during the presentation. The system can gather the engagement data from participant devices through which the participants are accessing the presentation or from other participant devices not directly involved with the presentation. The engagement data can include participant voice activity in the conference, participant voice activity with others outside of the conference, participant audio data, participant video data, participant mute status, participant interactions with other applications, participant interactions with computing devices and participant multi-tasking.
US09426405B2

A system and method of determining the appropriate mixing volume corresponding to an impact related event is described herein. The instant invention facilitates determination of the appropriate mixing volume for the event sound corresponding to an impact related event in an related audio-video feed so as to account for the perceived visual proximity of the event and variations in the loudness of accompanying event audio, thereby enabling perfect mixing of event audio and event sound. The instant invention further discloses method/s of minimizing any unwarranted/drastic increase in the overall volume during the mixing process.
US09426401B2

A method and device for obtaining information from a scene. A beam of photons associated with a scene is separated into a plurality of photon sub-beams. At least two photon sub-beams are optically encoded to generate at least two corresponding encoded photon sub-beams. Each encoded photon sub-beam is encoded based on a corresponding encoding function. The encoded photon sub-beams are combined to generate a combined photon beam. A detection device detects the combined photon beam to generate image data. The image data is decoded based on the plurality of encoding functions to generate a plurality of sub-images. Each sub-image corresponds to one of the at least two photon sub-beams of the plurality of photon sub-beams.
US09426397B2

An apparatus and corresponding method for line-scan imaging can include a 2D array of light-sensitive detector elements that detect light from a target scene. The 2D array can be divided into a plurality of sub-arrays and supported by an analog amplification and signal conditioning module portion of a read-out integrated circuit (ROIC), the analog module having one or more replicated amplification and signal conditioning circuits in communication with the 2D array detector elements. An analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion electrical circuit module and one or more digital time-delay and integration (TDI) modules can be situated in a portion of the ROIC not supporting the 2D array. The TDI modules can perform TDI of the detector sub-arrays. Embodiments enable hyperspectral images to be obtained with greater imaging range and higher signal-to-noise ratios.
US09426395B2

Methods of performing two point calibration of a linear-logarithmic image sensor pixel include measuring voltages of a floating diffusion region of the pixel after establishing a plurality of unequal sub-threshold currents through a transfer transistor of the pixel. These sub-threshold currents operate to sequentially increase a voltage of the floating diffusion region to respective voltage levels that enable knee-point (KNPT) voltage and logarithmic sensitivity (LOGS) determination. The methods also include depleting a photodiode within the pixel by driving a cathode of the photodiode with a pull-up current in advance of establishing the sub-threshold currents. The method is photocurrent-independent.
US09426394B2

A method of processing signals from an image sensor outputting signals from rows of pixels in the image sensor having optical signals, outputting signals from rows of pixels in the image sensor not having optical signals, and correcting the signals from the rows of pixels having optical signals based on the signals corresponding to the rows of pixels not having optical signals.
US09426387B2

Embodiments include a system, a device, an apparatus, a method, and a computer program product. An embodiment provides a system that includes an imaging device operable to acquire an image of a subject. The system also includes an anonymizer circuit operable to generate an anonymized image that includes a decreased fidelity of a property of a subject of the acquired image in response to an anonymization policy. The system further includes a display operable to provide a human-perceivable indication of the anonymization policy.
US09426378B2

Electronic apparatuses and adjustment methods thereof are provided. The electronic apparatus includes an input interface and a processor. The input interface is configured to receive a reference frame, wherein the reference frame corresponds to a plurality of luminance values. The processor is electrically connected to the input interface and configured to adjust at least a portion of the luminance values that are greater than a predetermined threshold, calculate a weighted luminance value of the reference frame according to the luminance values, generate a comparison result by comparing the weighted luminance value and a luminance target, and decide the luminance values according to the comparison result.
US09426373B2

In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining a first signal from a first microphone, and determining when the first signal is indicative of activity on a first surface. The method also includes controlling a camera to focus on the first surface when it is determined that the first signal indicates the activity on the first surface. In such an embodiment, the first microphone and the camera may be part of a collaboration system, and the first surface may be a surface of a whiteboard.
US09426372B2

An imaging device, capable of shooting a combined photograph that is a single image made up of a plurality of images, and capable of live view display, comprises a first display section, a second display section, an imaging section for converting a subject image to image data, an image processing section for subjecting the image data to image processing, and a combined photograph processing section, for combining a plurality of image data subjected to image processing by the image processing section to create a single image, wherein, when a live view image is to be displayed on the first display section an image that has been subjected to processing by the combined photograph processing section is displayed, while when a live view image is to be displayed on the second display section an image that has been subjected to image processing by the image processing section is displayed.
US09426358B2

A method comprising receiving information indicative of an object sharing input, receiving video information from a camera module that is configured to have a field of capture that corresponds with a field of view through a see through display, identifying at least one object representation comprised by the video information, the object representation being a visual representation of an object that within the field of view of the see through display, causing display of the video information on a different display, determining that the video information fails to comprise the object representation, and terminating display of the video information on the different display based, at least in part, on the determination that the video information fails to comprise the object representation is disclosed.
US09426347B2

An imaging operation terminal includes: a storage section which stores software identification information for identifying imaging and editing software which performs at least one of an operation relating to imaging of an imaging module mounting an optical module and to editing of an image imaged by the imaging module in association with each combination of imaging module identification information for identifying imaging module and optical module identification information for identifying optical module; a communicating section which wirelessly receives the imaging module identification information for identifying the imaging module and the optical module identification information for identifying the optical module mounted to the imaging module from the imaging module when establishing wireless connection with the imaging module; and a software extracting section which extracts the software identification information corresponding to the combination of imaging module identification information and optical module identification information received by the communicating section from the storage section.
US09426337B2

A method of processing image data includes detecting a contour between an occlusion region and a non-occlusion region in a motion vector field of input video, generating a first contour and a second contour from the detected contour based on motion vectors of blocks corresponding to the detected contour, and separating the occlusion region into a first occlusion region adjacent to the first contour and a second occlusion region adjacent to the second contour. The method further includes reconstructing motion vectors of the first occlusion region based on motion vectors of the first contour and reconstructing motion vectors of the second occlusion region based on motion vectors of the second contour.
US09426336B2

An alternative content system receives a primary content data stream and a secondary content data stream associated with an event. The alternative content system provides an alternative content data stream associated with the event. The alternative content system extracts a primary content identifier from the primary content data stream. The alternative content system identifies an alternative content identifier based on the alternative content data stream. The alternative content system synchronizes the alternative content data stream to the primary content data stream based on the alternative content identifier and the primary content identifier. The alternative content system transmits the synchronized alternative content data stream based on the primary content identifier.
US09426335B2

In one method embodiment, providing a multiplex of compressed versions of a first video stream and a first audio stream, each corresponding to an audiovisual (A/V) program, the first video stream and the first audio stream each corresponding to a first playout rate and un-synchronized with each other for an initial playout portion; and providing a compressed version of a second audio stream, the second audio stream corresponding to a pitch-preserving, second playout rate different than the first playout rate, the second audio stream synchronized to the initial playout portion of the first video stream when the first video stream is played out at the second playout rate, the first audio stream replaceable by the second audio stream for the initial playout portion.
US09426327B2

An image forming apparatus which enables a user to, even in a case of transmitting image data to the party at the other end of the line who is making a phone call over IP telephony, transmit the image data to the party at the other end of the line by one key operation without inputting an address or searching an address book. When a phone call to an external apparatus to which the image forming apparatus is connected via a network is in progress, a communication with the external apparatus is established. When the communication is established, a response transmitted from the external apparatus is received, and destination information on the external apparatus is obtained from the received response. When the destination information on the external apparatus is obtained, an operation unit for transmitting data to the external apparatus is offered.
US09426323B2

An imaging device includes an imaging unit that includes an imaging element for imaging a lower surface of continuous forms paper, an image processing unit that image-processes an image of the lower surface of the continuous forms paper captured by the imaging unit, a cable that electrically connects the imaging unit and the image processing unit with each other, and an electric box that covers the imaging element, the image processing unit, and the cable and functions as an electromagnetic shield.
US09426321B2

This invention provides a technique which allows the user to select whether or not to make print settings without any special operation such as key operations or button operations upon printing information held by a mobile terminal using a printer. To this end, in a case where it is detected that a mobile terminal is located with an NFC communication range, an NFC communication is established to exchange information so as to prepare for transition to a BT communication, information to be printed is received via the BT communication, thus printing the information. At this time, only in a case where an established state of the NFC communication is continued for a predetermined period of time since the NFC communication is established, a detailed print setting menu is displayed.
US09426319B2

An image reading apparatus includes a document feeder, a platen, an image reader, a drive unit, a memory, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the image reader to read a document fed by the document feeder over the platen at a reading position, control the image reader to read a reference plate over the platen at the reading position, to generate read data, determine whether the read data has an abnormality, store a value of the reading position of the image reader in the sub-scanning direction in the memory in response to determining that the read data has an abnormality, set a value of a position of the image reader in the sub-scanning direction to a value being different from the stored value within the predetermined range in response to determining that the read data has an abnormality and in response to receiving a reading instruction of another document, control the drive unit to move the image reader to the position of the set value, and control the image reader to read the other document fed by the document feeder over the platen after the image reader is moved to the position of the set value.
US09426309B1

A method and apparatus are provided for presenting multimedia content to a caller and/or a called party in association with a telephone call. Content may be presented pre-ring (before the called party's telephone rings), in-call, and/or post-call. Content presented to a party may be related to another party participating in the call or may be related to a third party. Presented content may be actuable, and allow a caller to change the destination of a call, take advantage of an offer presented to him, redeem a coupon, schedule or queue a subsequent call, etc. To find a desired destination party, a caller may initiate a manual or automatic search of his local contacts (on his telephone) and/or a central or global directory or contact list. A party to a call may be offered one or more payment mechanisms for completing a purchase in an on-line or real-world transaction.
US09426302B2

A system and method are disclosed herein for providing mitigation of VoIP PBX fraud while having minimal impact on authorized VoIP PBX users. The method includes a system for detecting potential fraud based on multiple and configurable fraud indicators as well as historical data, which can be customized for individual users or groups, which in turn can trigger the other parts of the system to mitigate fraud. The system can terminate in-process calls that are potentially fraudulent and reset the network access credentials for the user accounts or device(s) that have been potentially compromised. The system can use historical data to block further calls from the compromised user accounts or devices to specific locations where the presumed fraudulent calls were directed. In a further aspect, the system and method can automatically reset the network access credentials for authorized users with minimal down time.
US09426289B2

Techniques for topical customer service menu reconfiguration based on social media are claimed. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise a social media gateway and an adjustment component. The social media gateway may be operative to receive social media information from one or more social media networks. The adjustment component may be operative to data mine the social media information to extract one or more characteristics, infer a trend from the extracted one or more characteristics, and adjust a customer service menu tree based upon the inferred trend. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09426287B2

A computer system for connecting a user to a scheduled call, including a processor in communication with non-volatile memory and code for receiving a user phone number where the user may be contacted and information allowing access to the user's calendar or email, code for accessing the user's calendar or email and identifying the scheduled call in the user's calendar or email, the scheduled call having information including at least a scheduled call number and a scheduled call time, code for placing a call to the scheduled call number before the scheduled call time, code for placing a call to the user at the user phone number before the scheduled call time, code for confirming the user has answered the call to the user, and code for connecting the call to the user to the call to the scheduled call number.
US09426284B2

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for call flow analysis using comparison level indicators (CLIs) are disclosed. One exemplary method includes emulating a plurality of user devices, transmitting test traffic to at least one device under test (DUT) using the emulated user devices, receiving traffic from the at least one DUT in response to the traffic transmitted by the emulated user devices, and analyzing the traffic received from the at least one DUT using one or more CLIs, wherein each CLI indicates particular information associated with the traffic to analyze or compare.
US09426283B2

The present invention relates to a method by which an xDSL modem can be properly connected and/or optimally tuned to achieve a desired performance goal based on knowledge obtained by first performing a SELT test and then post-processing the results of that test. In embodiments, the processed SELT results are used to detect bad connections or other anomalies such as split pairs. In embodiments, the processed SELT results are used to configure programmable components and filters in the analog front end in a manner that achieves the performance goal. In these and other embodiments, the performance goal is to maximize the attainable data rate. As such, through various hardware design options and configurations according to the invention, the performance of the modem can be tuned such that even in the presence of undesirable loop characteristics, adequate, or even good performance, can be achieved.
US09426279B2

Traditionally, echo cancellation has employed linear adaptive filters to cancel echoes in a two way communication system. The rate of adaptation is often dynamic and varies over time. Disclosed are novel rates of adaptation that perform well in the presence of background noise, during double talk and with echo path changes. Additionally, the echo or residual echo can further be suppressed with non-linear processing performed using joint frequency-time domain processing.
US09426274B2

A device, method, and system for portable configuration of vehicle controls includes a mobile communication device configured to communicate with an in-vehicle computing system of a vehicle. The mobile communication device stores user vehicle configuration settings, which are selectively transmitted to the in-vehicle computing system to cause the in-vehicle computing system to adjust vehicle controls based on the user vehicle configuration settings.
US09426272B2

A wireless communication device may generate an interactive digital diary for one or more users. The device may handle location information, multimedia data, transactions and/or secure communications via a plurality of technologies. Digital diary information may be stored internally or externally, it may be searchable and/or may comprise moving images, still images, audio, text, geographic location, entity information, time, date, transactions, financial information, consumer information, security information, user input, communications, user contacts, software applications, user profiles, scheduled events, prompts and/or reminders. The digital diary may comprise an interactive user interface which may have mapping capability and may provide link access to digital diary information and/or associated entities. User input methods may comprise screen touch, pressure sensor, key entry and/or voice. Information may be captured via a camera, microphone, geo-location data receiver, transaction write/reader, digital clock, digital calendar, key entry and/or tactile sensor.
US09426260B2

A method performed in a first communication device for real-time communication over a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) with a second communication device comprises obtaining a first TCP segment having a first sequence number from a TCP buffer in the first communication device, forming a first IP packet comprising the first TCP segment, and transmitting the first IP packet towards the second communication device. The method comprises receiving an indication that the first TCP segment should be retransmitted, and forming a second IP packet comprising the first sequence number of the first TCP segment, and payload data for a second TCP segment which is next in line after the first TCP segment in the TCP buffer. The method comprises transmitting the second IP packet comprising the payload data for the second TCP segment in place of a retransmission of the first TCP segment towards the second communication device.
US09426244B2

An embodiment of a method includes receiving a request for the content from a requester, retrieving the content from a media access server, and while retrieving the content from the media access server, simultaneously streaming the content to the requester. An embodiment of a system includes an edge server having a media streaming server configured to receive the request and stream the specified content to a requester from a local memory, and a stream caching server configured to retrieve the requested content from a media access server while the media streaming server is streaming at least a specified portion of the content, and wherein the stream caching server is further configured to store the retrieved content in a local cache and notify the media streaming server that content is stored in local cache.
US09426240B2

An audience measurement system for gathering data reflecting usage of media data by a user on a processing device configured to process and present the media data locally on the processing device. Report objects may be generated by the processing device, wherein each of the report objects reflect usage of media data by each user of a processing device. Each of the report objects are configured to be generated regardless whether the media data was received from a network source or a source local to each processing device. In certain exemplary embodiments, report objects may correspond to different media data categories, and/or different user agents. The report objects may be assembled into a macro report.
US09426235B2

This present disclosure discloses techniques for establishing social network service (SNS) relationship. According to the techniques, online payment information of the first user and/or the second user are obtained from the database of the online transaction platform. Using this online payment information, it is determined whether the first user and the second user know each other. If they do, a message to establish an SNS relationship establishment is sent to the first user. The message contains personal information of the second user and allows the first user to decide whether to establish the relationship. The techniques therefore improve security and success rates in establishing SNS relationships.
US09426225B2

A cloud system that includes one or more servers for communicating with vehicles and processing information received from vehicles and processing information sent to vehicles is disclosed. The system processes instructions for establishing a communication link between a computing device associated with a vehicle and a server of the cloud system. The communication link is over a wireless network. The communication link is established in association with a user account that is managed by the cloud system. The communication link is configured to be established for one or more sessions. The system enables receiving, at the server, a plurality of actions associated with inputs made at the vehicle for the vehicle when associated with the user account, and the plurality of actions being received during the one or more sessions. Then, updating, by the server, data associated with the user account to identify certain ones of the plurality of actions at the vehicle. The server is configured to generate an instruction to apply a setting at the vehicle. One or more of the plurality of actions for the vehicle made during the one or more sessions are analyzed to identify a pattern that is indicative of a preference for a setting by a user of the vehicle that used the vehicle via the user account when the actions were made. The server then sends to the user account the instruction to apply the setting for the vehicle. The computing device associated with the vehicle enables acceptance and application of the setting.
US09426222B2

Systems, methods and apparatus for managing machine-to-machine (M2M) entities are disclosed. Included herein is a method that may include implementing one or more management layers for managing M2M entities in an M2M environment. The method may also include using a plurality of management layers to manage a M2M area network, wherein the M2M area network may include one or more M2M end devices. The M2M end devices may include, for example, an M2M gateway and/or an M2M device. The management layers may include any of an application management layer, service management layer, network management layer and a device management layer. The management layers may provide any of configuration management, fault management, and performance management of the M2M entities.
US09426220B2

The present application is directed towards using a distributed hash table to track the use of resources and/or maintain the persistency of resources across the plurality of nodes in the multi-node system. More specifically, the systems and methods can maintain the persistency of resources across the plurality of nodes by the use of a global table. A global table may be maintained on each node. Each node's global table enables efficient storage and retrieval of distributed hash table entries. Each global table may contain a linked list of the cached distributed hash table entries that are currently stored on a node.
US09426215B2

Systems and methods are provided for managing workloads across multiple resources in a distributed computing system. A data traffic flow between a source device and each of a plurality of target devices within the distributed computing system is monitored. A load state of each of the plurality of target devices is determined based on the monitored data traffic flow. Upon detecting a resource constraint for at least one of the plurality of target devices, at least a portion of the data traffic flow between the source device and the resource-constrained target device is adjusted such that the device operates at a reduced load state. The data traffic flow to the particular target device may be readjusted so as to restore its load state to a default or predetermined operating level once the resource constrained has been resolved.
US09426213B2

A method includes receiving a request for an edge cache address, and comparing a requester address to an anycast group. The method can further include providing an anycast edge cache address when the requestor address is in the anycast group. Alternatively, the method can further include determining an optimal cache server, and providing a unicast address of the optimal cache server when the requester address is not in the anycast group.
US09426198B2

Systems and methods for executing multiple video games, or other sources of video, include a cloud game execution environment in which each game application is executed on the same operating system but within a virtual I/O shell. The virtual I/O shell includes virtual video, audio and input channels that allow each game application to operate as if it had dedicated drivers. In some embodiments, the systems and methods of the invention are used to provide video streams to a plurality of clients over the internet.
US09426186B2

Systems (10), nodes (11, 12) and methods for load balancing telecommunication sessions over a dual ring Internet Protocol (IP) network (100) allow load balancing between first and second rings (1, 2) of the IP network. Transmission quality is determined by monitoring packets received over the first ring from a first IP subnetwork (21) of one or more remote sites and monitoring packets received over the second ring from a second IP (22) subnetwork of the one or more sites. A determination is made as to which one of said first and second rings (1, 2) is associated with the highest packet transmission quality towards a site based on the monitoring. Packets of a call session can be exchanged between nodes over the same one of the first and second rings (1, 2) associated with the highest packet transmission quality between sites containing the nodes.
US09426183B2

A system and method for authentication policy orchestration may include a user device, a client device, and a server. The server may include a network interface configured to be communicatively coupled to a network. The server may further include a processor configured to obtain, from a client device via the network, a transaction request for a transaction, determine an authorization requirement for the transaction request based, at least in part, on a plurality of authorization policies, individual ones of the plurality of authorization policies being separately configurable by at least one of a relying party and an authorizing party, and complete the transaction based on the authorization requirement having been met.
US09426178B1

A method and apparatus for centralized policy programming and distributive policy enforcement is described. A method comprises centrally maintaining a plurality of policy definitions for one or more subscribers, generating policy configurations using the plurality of policy definitions, each of the policy configurations being specific to one of the plurality of policy definitions, and disseminating the policy configurations to the appropriate ones of the subscribers' networks.
US09426173B2

A method for elimination of spam in a data stream according to information density, includes receiving, by a computing device, a stream of messages. The method includes directing, by the computing device, the stream into at least one buffer. The method includes repeatedly compressing, by the computing device, data in the buffer using a lossless compression algorithm. The method includes identifying, by the computing device, at least one first message in the buffer as spam, by determining that the at least one first message has been compressed below a threshold level.
US09426171B1

Techniques for analyzing access to a network-based resource may be provided. For example, a client record associated with the access to the network-based resource over a network may be compared to a provider record. The client record may indicate an address of the network based resource and can be received from a computing resource. The provider record can also indicate the address and can be received from a trusted computing resource. Based on the comparison, an issue associated with the access to the network-based resource over the network may be detected.
US09426162B2

Location-based configuration profile toggling may be provided. Configuration profiles associated with user devices may be identified, determinations of whether the user devices are authorized to enable the configuration profiles on the user devices may be made based at least in part on location constraints, and the configuration profiles may be enabled on the user devices if the location constraints are satisfied.
US09426161B2

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for providing device-based authentication for secure online access are provided. An authentication request is received from an online service. The authentication request may be associated with a login request received by the online service from a user. The authentication request may further indicate a list of device identifiers for computing devices connected to a provider network and previously designated by the user as authorized to access the online service. Communication logs collected from the provider network are analyzed to determine whether the login request originated from one of the authorized computing devices based on the list of device identifiers. If it is determined that the login request originated from one of the authorized computing devices, an indication is returned to the online service that the login request was received from an authorized computing device.
US09426157B2

The present invention provides a system and method for providing a social context to software applications. According to one embodiment of the invention, a user of a social network authorizes access by an external software application to information available in the social network. At some time later, the user of the social network uses an application designed by a third-party software developer. The application contacts the social network provider for permission to access the information available in the social network. If access has been authorized, the application incorporates the information from the social network into its interaction with the user, providing a social context to the user's interaction with the application.
US09426153B2

The present disclosure relates to the setup of multiple devices on a local area network. Specifically, various techniques and systems are provided for utilizing a network device to efficiently add a new device to a local area network using an existing network device. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention include a computer-implemented method. The method comprises receiving, at a network device on a network, credentials identifying a network gateway in the network; receiving a communication including an indication that a new network device has generated a new access point; transmitting a query, wherein the query includes a request to determine whether the new network device is associated with the network; receiving a communication including a response to the query indicating that the new network device is associated with the network; establishing a connection with the new access point of the new network device; and transmitting the credentials identifying the network gateway, wherein the credentials are used for the new network device to join the network.
US09426148B2

A method of increasing communication security may include receiving, at a first computer system, a first message including a first data portion and a second data portion, wherein the first data portion is associated with a security token, wherein the first data portion includes a first instance of a session key, and wherein the second data portion includes a second instance of the session key. The method may also include generating a second message including the first data portion. The method may further include communicating the second message from the first computer system for delivery to a second computer system.
US09426144B1

One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving, from an end user device, authentication data of a user of a web service; storing, in a single sign-on service, the authentication data; receiving, at the single sign-on service, one or more initiations for the web service; generating, using a processor, real-world placeholder data for the user; and employing the real-world placeholder data in an automated sign-on process to the web service. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09426136B2

Authentication data may be generated and included in a Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) message communicated from a first computer system for delivery to a second computer system. The authentication data may allow the second computer system to perform message validation for verifying the authenticity of the first computer system and/or the integrity of the CoAP message. And in one embodiment, where the CoAP message includes a nonce, security can be improved by allowing the second computer system to advantageously detect and/or act on a replay attack.
US09426131B2

A server apparatus according to an embodiment generates a random number on receiving from a user apparatus a notification showing that a re-encryption key should be updated, and calculates re-encryption key data on the basis of the re-encryption key stored and the random number generated. The server apparatus transmits the re-encryption key to the user apparatus and receives, from the user apparatus, the user private key not updated yet and re-encryption key updating data calculated from the re-encryption key data on the basis of the user private key updated. The server apparatus calculates the re-encryption key updated, on the basis of the re-encryption key updating data and the random number, and replaces the re-encryption key stored in the storage device with the updated re-encryption key.
US09426130B2

An anti-counterfeiting authentication method is provided. The method includes: generating an encrypted message corresponding to an i-th authentication step, wherein the i-th authentication step is one of n authentication steps arranged in a predetermined order, and 1≦i≦n; sending the encrypted message to a terminal device; receiving, from the terminal device, a call request for initiating the i-th authentication step; executing the i-th authentication step if the request is initiated based on the encrypted message; if the i-th authentication step succeeds and i is less than n, increasing i by one and repeating the generating of an encrypted message; if the i-th authentication step fails, sending an indication to the terminal device indicating an authentication failure; and if the i-th authentication step succeeds and i equals to n, sending an indication to the terminal device indicating an authentication success.
US09426129B2

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to proxying one or more email resources in transit to the client devices from the email services, removing one or more email attachments from the email resources, and encoding the stripped email attachments based at least in part on one or more cryptographic keys.
US09426128B2

A system for generating a security document includes a plurality of computing nodes forming a computing cluster, each computing node having a node identifier for uniquely identifying the node within the cluster, each node being capable of running multiple concurrent processes, and each process having a process identifier for uniquely identifying the process within the node, at least some of the processes on at least some of the nodes being adapted to perform the steps of: a. collecting information for inclusion in the document, the information including at least a subject identifier for uniquely identifying a subject of the document; b. generating a first random value and a second random value; c. concatenating the subject identifier and the second random value; d. applying a cryptographic hash function to the concatenation of the subject identifier and the second random value, resulting in a message digest value; e. truncating the message digest value; f. generating a document identifier comprising a concatenation of the node identifier, a first delimiter, the process identifier, the first delimiter, the first random value, a second delimiter, and the truncated message digest value; g. generating the security document, and applying the document identifier visibly to the document; and h. storing the document and the document identifier in a database, the document being retrievable from the database by means of the document identifier.
US09426119B2

A system and method of external link processing is disclosed. The system includes an interface configured to receive a user request to access an encoded external link in networked content. The encoded external link comprises a domain name of an external link server and an encoded portion which is an encoded result of an original external link encoded with an encoding function, wherein the original external link is an address to an external destination. One or more processors determine a safety level of the encoded external link using a criterion. In the event that the determined safety level of the encoded external link is determined unsafe, a warning message is generated indicating that the original external link is unsafe and the user is prevented from directly navigating to the original external link.
US09426117B2

When communication from a first virtual device to a second virtual device is received, it is determined a first virtual interface associated with the first virtual device and a second virtual interface associated with the second virtual device. It is then determined a first security domain associated with the first virtual interface and a second security domain associated with the second virtual interface to implement a security policy between the first security domain and second security domain. The communication between the virtual devices is allowed or blocked.
US09426115B1

In a message delivery system, messages are published by publishers and delivered to subscribers based on subscriptions relating to message content. Activation and de-activation notifications are supplied to applications that are bound to a queue in the message delivery system.
US09426101B2

Systems and techniques of providing suggestions for email recipients to a user who is composing an email communications are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a user may register a plurality of email accounts with an email application. Once an email account is registered with the email application, contact data from each such registered email account may be received. In another embodiment, if the user employs a plurality of devices from which the user composes and/or sends email communications, device-specific contact information may also be received. Relevance metrics may be applied to such suggestions depending upon the contact data received from the various email accounts. Dynamic correction factor may be applied to such relevance metrics—e.g., a decay factor, decrement factor or the like that may or may not be time dependent.
US09426095B2

A method and network switch for switching data units assigns a unique virtual port to each end-node operating on a physical machine connected to a physical port of network switch. A data unit, sent by a given end-node operating on the physical machine, is received at the physical port. The received data unit is switched to the virtual port assigned to the given end-node. Based on the virtual port assigned to the given end-node, the data unit is switched to a second physical port of the network switch for subsequent forwarding of the data unit towards its destination.
US09426093B2

Systems and methods according to these exemplary embodiments provide for methods and systems for interworking between an Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) and a MAC address Multiple Registration Protocol (MMRP). For example, an IGMP join or leave message which is received at node is translated into an equivalent MMRP message for forwarding into an MMRP portion of a network.
US09426089B2

Techniques for serving a manifest file of an adaptive streaming video include receiving a request for the manifest file from a user device. The video is encoded at different reference bitrates and each encoded reference bitrate is divided into segments to generate video segment files. The manifest file includes an ordered list of universal resource locators (URLs) that reference a set of video segment files encoded at a particular reference bitrate. A source manifest file that indicates the set of video segment files is identified based on the request. An issued manifest file that includes a first URL and a second URL is generated based on the source manifest file. The first URL references a first domain and the second URL references a second domain that is different from the first domain. The issued manifest file is transmitted to the user device as a response to the request.
US09426088B2

A system and method for cloud-based implementation of control of focused overload of service elements is disclosed. Resource blocks are obtained for a signaling part of a service element from a variety of networked resources. The signaling part of the service element controls allocation of resources from a media part of the service element via instructions over virtual private network links. Resource blocks for the media part of the service element are obtained from a variety of networked resources, wherein the resource blocks are integrated into a pool and a unified view is presented to the signaling part of the service element. The media part of the service element uses the resource blocks for the applications and services for a specific (e.g., session or transaction length) duration of time, and additional borrowed resources are released after successful utilization.
US09426066B2

An Ethernet switch which is connected to a plurality of external devices using an encapsulating I/O protocol over Ethernet, and is connected to a I/O protocol switch using N_Port ID virtualization includes: a storage unit which stores destination information describing an external device whose connection is established in the FCoE in the plurality of external devices; and a processor. When the processor receives a packet addressed from a first external device to a second external device in the external devices, the processor checks whether or not the destination information describes the second external device. When the second external device is described in the destination information, the processor transmits the packet to the second external device.
US09426065B2

The embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, apparatus and system for implementing routing aggregation, which relate to communication field, and solve the problem that too many routings advertised on the DHCPv6 relay agent leads to huge number of routing table entries of the backbone network. The technical solution of the present invention comprises: sending a message to a dynamic host configuration protocol DHCPv6 relay agent, such that the DHCPv6 relay agent generates an aggregation routing of requesting router prefix routings according to the message; wherein the message comprises information about a prefix pool which assigns address prefixes to the requesting routers access to the DHCPv6 relay agent or aggregation routing destination address information generated according to the information about the prefix pool. The method, apparatus and system for implementing routing aggregation may be applied in DHCPv6 network constructions.
US09426057B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for data routing alteration to avoid a specified end user. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for data re-routing for specific end user avoidance includes receiving a request to route a file to a primary location and identifying an end user excluded from accessing the document. The method also includes computing a likelihood that the excluded end user may contemporaneously access the primary location. Finally, the method includes responding to a determination that the excluded end user is likely to contemporaneously access the primary location by taking corrective measures to re-route the file to an alternate location.
US09426053B2

Systems, methods and computer program products for aliasing of named data objects (in named data networks) and entities for named data networks (e.g., named graphs for named data networks). In various examples, aliasing of named data objects may be implemented in one or more named data networks in the form of systems, methods and/or algorithms. In other examples, named graphs may be implemented in one or more named data networks in the form of systems, methods and/or algorithms.
US09426040B2

In one embodiment, a routing topology of a network including nodes interconnected by communication links is determined, and activity in the network is monitored to determine a normal behavior of the communication links. Weak communication links in the network that deviate from the determined normal behavior are detected, and it is then determined whether the weak communication links are spatially correlated based on the determined topology of the network. In response to the weak communication links being spatially correlated, a region of the network affected by the weak communication links is identified as a dark zone that is to be avoided when routing data packets in the network.
US09426037B2

In some embodiments, a non-transitory processor-readable medium stores code representing instructions for execution by a computer processor. The instructions cause the processor to produce a list of subjects by identifying a plurality of subjects based on information associated with an analyst-selected topic. The list of subjects is expanded to include subjects that have a relationship with at least one subject from the first list of subjects. Subjects are removed from the list based on either a filter or a scoring threshold. The expanding and removing subjects is iterated until the list of subjects is substantially stable to produce a final list of subjects. A graphical network is defined based on the final list of subjects and a signal is sent representing the graphical network (e.g., to a computer monitor for display).
US09426035B2

In one embodiment, a node may determine a topology of a plurality of reporting nodes within a directed acyclic graph (DAG) in a computer network. The reporting nodes may then be assigned to one of a plurality of reporting groups, where reporting nodes are allowed to report only during designated time windows corresponding to their assigned reporting group. The reporting nodes may then be informed of at least their own assignment to a particular reporting group. In another embodiment, a particular reporting node may join the DAG, and may also receive an assignment to one of a plurality of reporting groups. Accordingly, the particular reporting node may also determine designated time windows corresponding to the assigned reporting group, where the particular reporting node is allowed to report only during the designated time windows.
US09426032B2

An intelligent network patch field management system is provided that includes active electronic hardware, firmware, mechanical assemblies, cables, and software that guide, monitor, and report on the process of connecting and disconnecting patch cords plugs in an interconnect or cross-connect patching environment. The system is also capable of monitoring patch cord connections to detect insertions or removals of patch cords or plugs. In addition, the system can map embodiments of patch fields.
US09426031B2

Personalization data such as settings and/or state is migrated across devices including mobile phones. Device personalizations are pushed to a cloud service or other mechanism for backup and subsequent transmission to other devices. The personalization data can later be employed to configure one or more other devices in the same manner as a first device.
US09426020B2

In one embodiment, a particular node in a shared-media communication network determines a resource level and in response to determining a trigger condition (e.g., that the resource level is below a threshold), the particular node enters a selective forwarding mode. In the selective forwarding mode, the particular node does not forward non-critical messages. The particular node also notifies one or more neighboring nodes in the shared-media communication network of the entered selective forwarding mode. In another embodiment, a node may receive from a neighboring node, an indication of having entered a selective forwarding mode, and in response the node may forward only critical messages to the neighboring node.
US09426015B2

A method of operating a base station in a wireless communication system supporting Frequency-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (FQAM) and Multi-Tone FQAM (MT-FQAM) is provided. The method includes determining a modulation scheme of data to be transmitted, and modulating the data according to the determined modulation scheme, wherein if at least one resource block is included in the data and if the at least one resource block is mapped to at least one tone in a distributed manner, the MT-FQAM scheme is selected, or if one resource block is included in the data and if the one resource block is mapped to at least one tone in a continuous manner, the FQAM scheme is selected, or if multiple resource blocks are included in the data and if the multiple resource blocks are mapped to at least one tone in a continuous manner, the MT-FQAM scheme is selected.
US09426014B1

Methods, systems, and apparatus for receiving an input signal, where the input signal includes a carrier signal modulated with a first modulation signal and a second modulation signal, and where the second modulation signal is a TM signal. Demodulating the first modulation signal from the input signal. Modulating an unmodulated carrier signal with the first modulation signal to generate a third signal, where the third signal includes the carrier signal modulated by the first modulation signal. And, removing the first modulation signal from the input signal by subtracting the third signal from the input signal to extract the TM signal from the input signal.
US09426013B2

OFDM signal communication methods and apparatus are described. In accordance with the invention OFDM signals are generated in the time domain with symbols being mapped to specific points in time. Training symbols may be included in the transmitted OFDM signal to facilitate symbol recovery. An exemplary receiver of the invention receives the OFDM signal from the communications channel, converts it into the frequency domain, and then filters it in the frequency domain to eliminate tones corresponding to other users. The filtered signal free of MAC interference is then converted into the time domain where channel estimation and compensation operations are performed. After channel compensation symbol recovery is performed in the time domain.
US09426012B2

A method for reducing the peak-to-average ratio in an OFDM communication signal is provided. The method includes defining a constellation having a plurality of symbols, defining a symbol duration for the OFDM communication signal, and defining a plurality of time instants in the symbol duration. A plurality of tones are allocated to a particular communication device, and a discrete signal is constructed in the time domain by mapping symbols from the constellation to the time instants. A continuous signal is generated by applying an interpolation function to the discrete signal such that the continuous signal only includes sinusoids having frequencies which are equal to the allocated tones.
US09426008B2

Disclosed herein is a signal processing device including: a correlation signal output unit configured to, about a received signal transmitted from another device, calculate a correlation value between the received signal and a pattern of a waveform of a known signal and output the calculated correlation value as a correlation signal in a time corresponding to one symbol; a known signal determiner configured to determine, based on the correlation signal, whether or not the received signal is modulated by the known signal in a first interval defined when the time corresponding to one symbol is divided into a plurality of intervals; and an identifier configured to identify a series of the symbol based on a result of the determination.
US09426006B2

A low power partial functionality communication link that includes a first mode of operation for transmitting a first high throughput data stream including a plurality of data types over wires, and a second low power partial functionality mode of operation for transmitting, over a subset of the wires used for transmitting the first data stream, a second low throughput bidirectional data stream that may include less data types than the first data stream.
US09426000B2

System and method for equalizing a high bit rate optical communication channel in a symbol spaced adaptive Multiple-In-Multiple-Out (MIMO) system, where the optical communication channel carries a signal that is sampled at a symbol rate. Accordingly, Anti Aliasing Filtering (which introduces distortions in the form of Deterministic Inter Symbol Interference D-ISI) is applied in a MIMO channel, in order to reduce the aliasing effect associated with symbol rate sampling. The Polarization Mode Dispersions introduced in the optical communication channel are solely compensated by a MIMO Equalizer, which ignores the Deterministic ISI (D-ISI) distortion. Then the Deterministic ISI (D-ISI) distortion is solely compensated by an independent Deterministic Equalizer (DE).
US09425991B2

The present invention discloses a network communication system that includes a network processing center for receiving and converting an electronic or electro-magnetically transmissible data/content into a physically deliverable object and/or network transmissible content data files for carrying out a hybrid delivery of the data/content by a physical delivery process and/or a network electro-magnetic delivery process to a recipient or an ECRMA. The delivery status of the electronic content and the post-delivery activities are tracked by a variety of mechanisms and the information obtained from the tracking is send back to the content-sender.
US09425988B2

Multi-mode communication devices capable of wLAN and WAN wireless network communication modes and/or wired modes can be configured to communicate for backend services (e.g. Web Services, database, events) via a network gateway to operate in response to available modes. For example, for some activities (e.g. notification messages), the devices may be configured to communication in any available mode (WAN or wLAN) while for other activities (e.g. high bandwidth communications), the devices may be restricted to one mode only (e.g. wLAN). Component applications for execution by the devices can specify message delivery properties to indicate the mode(s) to may used for a particular message. Runtime mode information may be provided and maintained automatically by a communications subsystem interface for determining mode availability. A programming tool and gateway are also described.
US09425985B1

A system for protection switching in radio networks includes a plurality of nodes, a plurality of links of Ethernet interconnecting the nodes and forming a network, at least one wireless link interconnecting two of the nodes, and two Virtual Local Area Networks (VLAN) within the network, only the first VLAN comprising the wireless link. The network transports packets of Ethernet associated with a first Classes of Service (CoS) and a second CoS via the first VLAN. Upon detection of a reduction in performance of the wireless link, the network maps the second CoS to the second VLAN, and by that offloading traffic associated with the second CoS from the wireless link.
US09425975B2

Method for multicast transmission between a server and at least one of a plurality of clients using a unicast protocol, said method comprising a step of providing by the server to the client information permitting to said client to communicate with the server over a multicast path, in order to enable a joint operation of multicast and unicast paths between the server and the client.
US09425973B2

A system for providing resource-based synchronization between clients in a Web-based real-time collaboration, in which a session front end on the server layers a transaction history on top of all session resources. HTTP operations are issued by client systems to request changes to session resources and to request session updates. The HTTP resource change requests include hierarchical pointers containing session identifiers and resource identifiers within a URL. The client generated resource change request operations may be HTTP PUT, HTTP DELETE, and HTTP POST commands. The HTTP session update request operations may be HTTP GET commands. A session front end stores each received resource change request operation in a resource-specific transaction history of change request operations received from all client systems. The session front end maintains a current session state indicating the number of resource change request operations stored for each session resource. A last session state for each client system indicates the number of change request operations that client system has previously received for each session resource. For a session update, the session front end compares the last client session state for the requesting client with the current session state and determines the change request operations that need to be forwarded to the requesting client system to bring it up to date. The session front end removes negating change request operations from the change request operations forwarded to the requesting client system.
US09425969B2

Apparatus for use within an IP Multimedia Subsystem network and comprising a receiver for receiving for a given user a charging type defining whether the user is a pre-paid user and or a post-paid user. The apparatus further comprises a Charging Triggering Function, CTF, entity for sending accounting information messages relating to said user to an Online Charging Function over an Ro interface or to a Charging Data Function over an Rf interface, and for including with the accounting information messages said charging type.
US09425960B2

A method for performing data analytics on outsourced data may include receiving, at a data analyst, cipher text representing data from a data owner such that the data remains hidden from the data analyst, generating a query token using a constant provided by the data analyst such that the constant remains hidden from the data owner, and analyzing the cipher text using the query token.
US09425958B2

A technique that binds encryption and decryption keys using a UID, a UDID, and a Pswd to a client mobile device in an enterprise. In one example embodiment, this is achieved by creating a new user account using the UID and the DPswd in an inactive state and communicating the UID and the DPswd to an intended user using a secure communication medium by an administrator. The intended user then logs into a cryptography key management system using the UID and the DPswd via a client mobile device. The UDID associated with the client mobile device is then hashed to create a H(UDID). The H(UDID) is then sent to the cryptography key management system by a local key management application module. The H(UDID) is then authenticated by the cryptography key management system. An encryption/decryption key is then assigned for the client mobile device.
US09425955B2

Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for a cipher then segment approach in a Power Line Communication (PLC). A node or device generates frames to be transmitted to a destination node in the PLC network. A processor in the node is configured to generate a data payload comprising data to be sent to the destination node. The processor divides the data payload into two or more payload segments and encrypts the payload segments. The processor creates a frame for each of the encrypted payload segments, wherein each frame comprises a message integrity code. The processor creates a segment identifier for each frame using the message integrity code and an authentication key that is shared with the destination PLC node. The segment identifier is added to each frame.
US09425948B2

An apparatus and method for synchronizing a multimedia interface clock between a multimedia source device and a multimedia sink device connected over a wireless channel. The method comprises measuring a frequency of the source clock signal generated by the multimedia source device, wherein the measurement of the frequency is performed using a first reference clock signal; generating a frequency-stamp message including in part the measured frequency; encapsulating the frequency-stamp message in at least one packet; and transmitting the at least one packet to a wireless receiver connected to the multimedia sink device over the wireless channel.
US09425947B2

A wireless device includes an input/output port that receives a first transmission signal subjected to transmission processing by another wireless device, the first transmission signal being output from the another wireless device, the another wireless device using a second frequency band adjacent to a first frequency band used by the wireless device, a synthesis circuit that synthesizes the first transmission signal received via the port and a second transmission signal subjected to transmission processing by the wireless device and that outputs the synthesized signal via an antenna, and a splitting circuit that splitbranches a first reception signal of the first frequency band and a second reception signal of the second frequency band, the first and the second reception signals being included in a reception signal received via the antenna, the splitting circuit outputting a split reception signal of the second frequency band via the port to the other wireless device.
US09425941B2

A method for allocating physical resources to an Acknowledgement (ACK)/Negative Acknowledgement (NACK) signal channel representative of a response signal in a wireless communication system. The method includes grouping ACK/NACK signal channels corresponding to a plurality of resource blocks used for transmission of a data channel or a control channel into a plurality of groups so ACK/NACK signal channels having consecutive indexes do not belong to the same group; and allocating same frequency resources to ACK/NACK signal channels belonging to the same ACK/NACK signal channel group and allocating orthogonal sequences so ACK/NACK signal channels in each ACK/NACK signal channel group are distinguished in a code domain.
US09425925B2

The present application discloses a method for executing a hybrid automatic repeat and request (HARQ) process from a particular layer at a receiving end in a wireless communication system. Specifically, the method comprises the steps of: receiving predetermined information regarding one or more HARQ processes from a subordinate layer so as to change a configuration of a previously configured first uplink/downlink subframe configuration to a configuration of a second uplink/downlink subframe configuration; and processing one or more HARQ processes on the basis of the predetermined information when changing to the second uplink/downlink subframe configuration, wherein the one or more HARQ processes are HARQ processes, from among the HARQ processes linked to the first uplink/downlink subframe configuration, which cannot be linked to the second uplink/downlink subframe configuration.
US09425924B2

Automatic retransmission in communications systems. In one embodiment, a portion of data is identified to be retransmitted based on feedback information indicating a negative acknowledgement (NACK) during a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) on a previous transmission of the portion of data. A retransmission mode is selected for the portion of data, from at least a first mode that retransmits the portion of data on at least a first transmitter antenna while transmitting new data on at least a second transmitter antenna, based on first desired transmission characteristics; and a second mode that retransmits the portion of data simultaneously on at least the first and second transmitter antennas, based on second desired transmission characteristics.
US09425918B2

An apparatus comprising an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) comprising a plurality of AWG ports, a power splitter comprising a plurality of splitter ports, and a plurality of optical interleavers, each coupled to a respective AWG port and a respective splitter port, for directing incoming optical signals to one of the AWG and the power splitter.
US09425909B2

A method and apparatus for transmitting emergency messages is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device, of a communication system, having a controller element to send a selection of types of emergency alert messages to be transmitted to one or more associates of a subscriber corresponding to the communication device; and receive an emergency alert message of a public emergency alert system for a zone of coverage, wherein the subscriber is in the zone of coverage and wherein the emergency alert message is transmitted to one or more associate communication devices of each of the one or more associates according to the selection of types of emergency alert messages to be transmitted. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US09425901B2

In order to be able to receive any digital optical signals in the bandwidth range from zero bits per second to the high Gbits/second range with as little circuit complexity as possible and to be able to process said signals with the least possible energy requirement for reprocessing, the invention proposes a circuit arrangement as well as a method for receiving digital optical signals by means of at least one light-receiving component connected upstream of at least one signal input port, particularly by means of at least one photodiode, wherein the unipolar current signal coming from the light-receiving component through the signal input port is transformed into a bipolar current signal by means of a compensation current provided by at least one current source, the value of said current being defined by means of at least one digital register.
US09425891B2

A very small aperture terminal (VSAT) installation tool is provided having the ability to measure cable loss along an interfacility link (IFL) between an outdoor unit and an indoor unit of the VSAT. Radio frequency (RF) signals can be transmitted from the indoor unit to the outdoor unit, where the RF signals are intercepted along the IFL prior to reaching the outdoor unit, and the output power is determined. The determined output power is compared to an expected output power at the indoor unit. The delta between the determined output power and the expected output power can be used to adjust the power of the indoor unit such that the outdoor unit can operate without reaching its compression point.
US09425890B2

In an exemplary embodiment, a phased array antenna comprises multiple subcircuits in communication with multiple radiating elements. The radio frequency signals are independently adjusted for both polarization control and beam steering. In a receive embodiment, multiple RF signals of various polarizations are received and combined into at least one receive beam output. In a transmit embodiment, at least one transmit beam input is divided and transmitted through multiple radiating elements, with the transmitted beams having various polarizations. In an exemplary embodiment, the phased array antenna provides multi-beam formation over multiple operating frequency bands. The wideband nature of the active components allows for operation over multiple frequency bands simultaneously.
US09425886B2

Methods and systems involving network coding (NC) atoms as building blocks of NC networks solve the scheduling problem in NC networks using a decomposition framework based on NC atoms. Ten physical-layer network coding (PNC) atoms and their straightforward network coding (SNC) counterparts are disclosed. SNC network can generate a transmission schedule based on SNC atoms. PNC network can generate transmission schedule based on PNC atoms. Performance evaluation results indicate that decomposition based on PNC atoms outperforms the traditional multi-hop (non-NC) scheduling by about 100% and can yield performance gain of 40% or more compared with decomposition based on the PNC TWRC atom alone. Further performance evaluation results indicate that decomposition based on SNC atoms outperforms the traditional multi-hop (non-NC) scheduling by about 33% and can yield performance gain of 14% or more compared with decomposition based on the SNC TWRC atom alone.
US09425878B2

A base station is described herein which implements a method that uses different aspects of reported channel quality information (CQI) measurements to help select the “best” transmit antenna(s) on which to transmit control channel information to mobile terminal(s). The base station can also transmit a format indicator to communicate the assigned control channel transmit antenna(s) and the assigned data transmit antenna(s) to the mobile terminal(s).
US09425877B2

A method for transmitting sounding reference signals by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, and the UE therefore are discussed. The method according to one embodiment includes configuring an initial cyclic shift (CS) value and an initial comb value via a higher layer; and setting a comb value for at least one antenna port according to an Equation A. The method according to the embodiment further includes transmitting the sounding reference signals using the comb value via at least one antenna port.
US09425875B2

Various embodiments include an apparatus to be employed by an enhanced Node B (eNB), the apparatus comprising communication circuitry to receive, from a user equipment (UE), feedback information and control circuitry, coupled with the communication circuitry, to identify a codeword from a three-dimensional codebook based on the feedback information received from the UE, wherein the communication circuitry is further to precode data to be transmitted to the UE based on the codeword. An apparatus to be employed by a UE and additional methods are described.
US09425872B1

A first communication device receives a non-sounding data unit from a second communication device that does not support beamforming training procedures. The first communication device develops an estimate of a reverse channel via which the non-sounding data unit traveled based on the non-sounding data unit. The first communication device develops a transmit beamforming matrix based on the estimate of the reverse channel, the transmit beamforming matrix for the first communication device to utilize when transmitting via a forward channel.
US09425871B2

Channel state information (CSI) feedback in a wireless communication system is disclosed. A precoding matrix is generated for multi-antenna transmission based on precoding matrix indicator (PMI) feedback, wherein the PMI indicates a choice of precoding matrix derived from a matrix multiplication of two matrices from a first codebook and a second codebook. In one embodiment, the first codebook comprises at least a first precoding matrix constructed with a first group of adjacent Discrete-Fourier-Transform (DFT) vectors. In another embodiment, the first codebook comprises at least a second precoding matrix constructed with a second group of uniformly distributed non-adjacent DFT vectors. In yet another embodiment, the first codebook comprises at least a first precoding matrix and a second precoding matrix, where said first precoding matrix is constructed with a first group of adjacent DFT vectors, and said second precoding matrix is constructed with a second group of uniformly distributed non-adjacent DFT vectors.
US09425863B2

An apparatus and a method for wirelessly receiving power, and an apparatus and a method for wirelessly transmitting power, are provided. A wireless power receiver includes a receiving unit configured to wirelessly receive a power, and a controller configured to control a length of a clock signal based on the power. The wireless power receiver further includes a modulator configured to change an impedance based on the length of the clock signal to perform load modulation.
US09425857B2

A method is described for reducing interferences in communications exchanged along a plurality of communication channels operated by a first operator, caused by one or more alien communication channels operated by a second operator. The method comprises the steps of: (i) providing the second operator with information that relates to interferences experienced at the plurality of communication channels operated by a first operator, due to traffic conveyed along alien communication channels operated by the second operator; (ii) modifying the original signals conveyed by the second operator along the alien communication channels; (iii) sending the modified signals to the first operator; and (iv) applying the modified signals by the first operator to reduce interferences in communications exchanged along the plurality of communication channels and operated by the first operator.
US09425851B2

The present invention relates to a method for controlling performance in a radio base station communicating in a Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode in a cellular network. The radio base station has a transceiver comprising a transmitter part, a receiver part, and an antenna, the antenna being alternately connectable to the transmitter part and the receiver part. The method comprises: estimating, at the receiver part, a leakage signal in the receiver part, the leakage signal originating from a local oscillator of the transmitter part; and removing, at the receiver part, the estimated leakage signal from a received uplink signal. The present invention also relates to a corresponding radio base station.
US09425850B2

A wireless device configured for simultaneous voice and data communications is described. The wireless device includes a voice and data transceiver. The voice and data transceiver includes data path circuitry, voice path circuitry, a first multiplexer and a second multiplexer. The first multiplexer sends a primary data receive signal to the data path circuitry and receives a data transmit signal from the data path circuitry. The second multiplexer sends a diversity data receive signal to the data path circuitry, sends a voice receive signal to the voice path circuitry and receives a voice transmit signal from the voice path circuitry. The wireless device also includes a first antenna coupled to the first multiplexer. The wireless device further includes a second antenna coupled to the second multiplexer.
US09425849B1

The present invention is an explosion-proof case for a tablet computer that has a tablet computer having a screen and an outer periphery, an upper shell having an open area such that the screen is exposed through the open area, and a lower shell being in sealed relation to the upper shell. The upper shell is sealed against the periphery of the tablet computer. The upper shell and the lower shell contain the tablet computer therein. The tablet computer and the lower shell define an interior volume. This interior volume has at least one atmosphere of a gas contained therein. The gas is an inert gas. A valve is in communication with the interior volume so as to allow the gas to be introduced into the interior volume. The gas is maintained at a pressure of at least one atmosphere above atmospheric pressure. A subframe is interposed in sealed relationship between the upper shell and the lower shell.
US09425842B2

A wireless receiver automatic gain control system includes: a coarse amplification subsystem that receives and amplifies a carrier-modulated signal; a demodulator that generates a baseband signal from the amplified carrier-modulated signal; a fine amplification subsystem that amplifies the baseband signal; and a controller connected to the amplification subsystems. The controller: obtains a unified gain value for the amplification subsystems; based on the unified gain value, selects (i) one of a plurality of coarse gain values defining a set of coarse gain steps each spanning a plurality of unified gain steps, and (ii) one of a plurality of fine gain values defining a set of fine gain steps each spanning a single unified gain step; and sets (i) the gain of the coarse amplification subsystem to the selected coarse gain value, and (ii) the gain of the fine amplification subsystem to the selected fine gain value.
US09425839B2

A method, communication apparatus, and computer program product is provided for mitigating interference experienced by a wireless communication device, WCD (102). The interference is caused by signals transmitted by an interfering node (106). The communication apparatus determines information related to the interfering node (106). The communication apparatus selects, based at least in part on the determined information related to the interfering node (106), a WCD receiver configuration from a set of available WCD receiver configurations. The set of available WCD receiver configurations comprises i) a first WCD receiver configuration that mitigates only interference caused by physical signals transmitted by the interfering node (106) and ii) a second WCD receiver configuration that mitigates only interference caused by physical channels transmitted by the interfering node (106).
US09425838B1

A system and method for receiving a signal, comprising an input adapted to receive a radio frequency signal having a strong interferer; a signal generator, adapted to produce a representation of the interferer as an analog signal generated based on an oversampled digital representation thereof; and a component adapted to cancel the strong interferer from radio frequency signal based on the generated analog signal to produce a modified radio frequency signal substantially absent the interferer. The system typically has a nonlinear component that either saturates or produces distortion from the strong interferer, which is thereby reduced. The system preferably employs high speed circuits which digitize and process radio frequency signals without analog mixers.
US09425835B2

A mixer for a transmitter includes a voltage converter to convert a baseband voltage to a baseband current. A mixer component mixes the baseband current with a local oscillator frequency. An output of the mixer component includes a radio frequency signal and a higher order radio frequency signal. A coupler sends the radio frequency signal and the higher order radio frequency signal to a differential output. A filter is integrated into the coupler to filter the higher order radio frequency signal before being output by the differential output.
US09425832B2

A device includes a first amplifier circuit coupled to a first transformer and a second transformer, the first transformer selectively coupled to a first shared power distribution network through a first switch, the second transformer selectively coupled to a second shared power distribution network through a second switch.
US09425828B2

A memory device and a memory system, the memory system including a data compressor for generating compressed data by compressing program data in a first unit, and an error correction block generator for dividing the compressed data in a second unit to obtain a plurality of pieces of normal data, and generating error correction blocks for correcting errors of the plurality of pieces of normal data, wherein each of the error correction blocks comprises the normal data, invalid data having a size corresponding to the size of the normal data, and parities for the normal data and the invalid data.
US09425818B1

An analog-to-digital converter includes: a first input terminal to receive a first input signal; a second input terminal to receive a second input signal; a noise shaping module configured to compare the first input signal to the second input signal received, and to output a digital output signal and a residue signal in a first phase of a noise shaping operation; and a storage module configured to store the residue signal during the first phase of the noise shaping operation, the storage module configured to receive an analog input signal and remove the residue signal from the analog input signal in a second phase of the noise shaping operation to output a new first input signal to the noise shaping module.
US09425812B2

A circuit calibrating method, applied to an ACS generating circuit, which comprises a plurality of ACS generating units and activates the ACS generating unit corresponding to different DCCs to generate difference ACSs. The circuit calibrating method comprises: (a) determining which one of the ACSs has a large difference from an ideal value thereof; (b) adjusting a number of the ACS generating units, which are activated by a DCC corresponding to the ACS acquired in the step (a), or a next stage of the DCC corresponding to the ACS acquired in the step (a); and (c) generating the ACS to a target circuit, according to the number of the ACS generating circuits adjusted in the step (b).
US09425810B2

A frequency signal generating system comprises a digital phase-locked loop for receiving a source frequency signal; a loop filter for filtering out high frequency components of a signal output from the digital phase-locked loop; and a voltage controlled oscillator for outputting a target frequency signal according to a signal from the loop filter, wherein an output terminal of the voltage controlled oscillator is connected to a first output terminal of the digital phase-locked loop so that the target frequency signal output from the voltage controlled oscillator is fed back to the digital phase-locked loop, the digital phase-locked loop performs frequency-dividing and phase-detecting on the source frequency signal and the fed back target frequency signal so that the target frequency signal output from the voltage controlled oscillator and the source frequency signal satisfy a definite mathematical relationship therebetween.
US09425808B1

A frequency detection technique includes generating first and second signals such that a frequency of the first signal is the same as a frequency of the second signal and such that the second signal is phase-shifted by a fixed amount with respect to the first signal. The technique further includes generating a third signal having a frequency that corresponds to an absolute value of a difference between the frequency of the first signal and an integer multiple of a frequency of the reference signal. The technique further includes generating a fourth signal having a frequency that corresponds to an absolute value of a difference between the frequency of the second signal and an integer multiple of the frequency of the reference signal. The technique further includes generating an fifth signal indicative of whether a phase relationship between the third and fourth signals is a leading phase relationship, a lagging phase relationship, or an in-phase relationship.
US09425806B2

According to one embodiment, a phase estimating device includes a periodic signal obtaining unit that obtains a first periodic signal, and a wireless time synchronizing unit that synchronizes a reference time with that of a signal generating device by wirelessly communicating with the signal generating device that outputs a second periodic signal according to phase information. The phase estimating device includes a reference time storing unit that stores the reference time synchronized with that of the signal generating device by the wireless time synchronizing unit. The phase estimating device includes a phase determining unit that obtains sampled times from the reference time storing unit at timing at which the first periodic signal rises above or falls below a predetermined level, and determines phase information on a phase of the first periodic signal based on the obtained sampled time and period information on a period of the first periodic signal.
US09425805B2

A frequency dividing circuit includes: a mode selection section configured to determine an exclusive OR of a first clock signal and a first signal and output the exclusive OR as a second signal in a first operation mode, and to output the first clock signal as the second signal in a second operation mode; and a clock generation section configured to generate and output a second clock signal, based on the second signal and the second clock signal, and to output one of the second clock signal and a third clock signal, as the first signal, the third clock signal having a phase same as a phase of the second clock signal.
US09425797B2

In this disclosure, new structures for high-performance voltage buffers (source followers and emitter followers) are described. The structures achieve high performance (linearity) and reduce power consumption. In addition, they are reconfigurable to optimize the performance and power consumption depending on the input frequency range.
US09425790B2

A conductive element which can serve as capacitive sensing element comprises a conductive pad comprising relatively low conductivity material, such as carbon-based ink, and a conductive mesh comprising relatively high conductivity material, such as silver-based ink, underlying or overlying the pad to form a composite conductive element.
US09425779B2

A delay circuit may include a delay path including a fine delay line and a coarse delay line, a replica delay path including a replica fine delay line and a replica coarse delay line, and a tuning unit that compares a phase of a first signal obtained by delaying an input signal through the delay path with a phase of a second signal obtained by delaying the input signal through the replica delay path, and generates a tuning code in a tuning mode.
US09425775B2

A data processing system includes first and second power distribution networks to provide power at first and second voltages, and a flip-flop. The second voltage is less than the first voltage. The flip-flop includes a master latch with a power node connected to the first power distribution network, a data signal input, and an output signal output that is driven at the first voltage, and a slave latch with a power node connected to the first power distribution network, an input coupled to the output of the master latch, a slave latch output signal output that is driven by the first voltage, and a feedback circuit with a first latch inverter having a power node connected to the second voltage, an input coupled to the master latch output, and an output terminal to provide an output signal that is driven by the second voltage.
US09425773B2

A digital control ring oscillator (DCO) generally comprises a first delay element and at least one second delay element that is coupled to the first delay element, wherein each of the first and second delay elements are disposed laterally with respect to one another in a first direction and include at least one cell. The cell includes a plurality of transistors arranged in at least one stack.
US09425767B2

An acoustic wave device includes a piezoelectric substrate, comb-shaped electrodes, wires, a sealing body, terminal electrodes, and connection electrodes. The comb-shaped electrodes are disposed on the piezoelectric substrate and are connected to the wires. The sealing body is disposed on the piezoelectric substrate in such a manner that the comb-shaped electrodes are sealed between the piezoelectric substrate and the sealing body. The terminal electrodes are disposed on the sealing body. The connection electrodes penetrate the sealing body so as to electrically connect the wires and the terminal electrodes, respectively. A first linear expansion coefficient in a first temperature range below a first glass transition temperature of the sealing body is larger than a second linear expansion coefficient in a second temperature range above the first glass transition temperature.
US09425756B2

It is presented an amplifier device comprising: a primary amplifier arranged to receive at least part of an input signal; a secondary amplifier arranged to receive at least part of the input signal; a first directional coupler device, wherein one input of the first directional coupler device is connected to the primary amplifier and a second input of the first directional coupler device is connected to the secondary amplifier; and a first multiband termination device arranged to reflect signals with a predetermined reflection phase in at least two frequency bands. One output of the first directional coupler device is a main output of the amplifier device and a second output of the first directional coupler device is connected to the first multiband termination device. A corresponding radio base station and mobile communication terminal are also presented.
US09425747B2

A system and method of improving the efficiency in the power consumption of an audio system. In essence, the technique is to adjust the power delivered from the power supply to the analog section, such as the power amplifier, in response to the volume level indicated by the volume control module and/or in response to the detected characteristic of the input audio signal. Thus, in this manner, the analog section is operated in a manner that is related to the level of the signal it is processing. Additionally, the system and method also relate to a technique of adjusting the dynamic ranges of the digital signal and the analog signal to improve the overall dynamic range of the system without needing to consume additional power.
US09425741B2

Systems and methods are provided for generating an amplitude modulation signal to a switchmode power amplifier. A DC to DC switch is configured to receive a DC input voltage and to provide a DC output voltage. A low dropout regulator is configured to provide the amplitude modulation signal according to a modulation control signal received by the low dropout regulator. A control circuit is configured to establish a nominal operating power level for the power amplifier via the amplitude modulation signal and to maintain a minimum voltage difference between the DC output voltage and the low dropout regulator output. A modulator control circuit is configured to provide the modulation control signal to the low dropout regulator. The modulator control circuit provides the transition from a high amplitude to a low amplitude and a transition from the low amplitude to the high amplitude at configurable first and second slopes, respectively.
US09425734B2

A junction cover for a photovoltaic (PV) panel module system that includes a PV panel mounting structure, a rail, a PV module with a junction box and wiring extending between the rail and the junction box. The junction cover encloses the junction box and wiring and includes a lid and a wire housing. The lid has a plurality of sides and is releaseably attached to the junction box. The wire housing includes a top plate having proximal and distal ends, first and second sides and first and second side walls extending downwardly from the first and second sides. The top plate extends from a first side of the lid and slopes downwardly to the distal end. The top plate and side walls define an interior and an opening at the distal end. When the lid is attached to the junction box, the wiring extending between the rail and the junction box is within the wire housing.
US09425733B2

The invention relates to a support structure for solar modules, with an arrangement of posts mounted on a base. A carrier unit is pivotably mounted on each post, the carrier unit having two struts supporting a crossbeam. The ends of the struts facing away from the crossbeam are mounted in a pivot bearing. The crossbeam is mounted on the post by guide means so as to be movable. Receiving means for mounting solar modules are provided on the crossbeam. The inclination of the solar modules is defined by adjusting and fixing a pivot position of the carrier unit.
US09425732B2

A solar panel rack may comprise one or more sheet metal brackets configured to attach solar panels to the solar panel rack. The sheet metal brackets may include clinching tabs configured to be clinched to features on the solar panels to attach the solar panels to the solar panel rack. The sheet metal brackets may further include protrusions configured to facilitate electrical contact between the brackets and the solar panels when the clinching tabs are clinched to features on the solar panels. The sheet metal brackets may additionally or alternatively include positioning tabs configured to contact features on the solar panels to position the solar panels in desired locations on the solar panel rack.
US09425728B2

An example electric motor including a conductive winding, a switching device, a rotor, and a controller is disclosed. The switching device is configured to selectively energize, by an AC source, a first portion of the conductive winding in a first state and a second portion of the conductive winding in a second state. The conductive winding generates a magnetic field having a first strength in the first state and a second strength in the second state. The rotor magnetically interacts with the magnetic field such that a torque is applied to the rotor. The amount of torque applied is related to the strength of the magnetic field. The controller is configured to: (i) determine a metric indicative of a load condition of the electric motor; and (ii) based on the determined metric, cause the switching device to switch between the first state and the second state one or more times.
US09425727B2

Some embodiments relate to a power management system. The power management system includes a variable speed generator that provides a voltage output to a bus that is adapted to be connected to a load and an energy storage device. The power management system further includes a generator controller that controls the speed of the variable speed generator and monitors a charge level of the energy storage device. The generator controller also remotely displays information relating to the charge level of the energy storage device by supplying information relating to operation of the power management system over a network. The generator controller may remotely display information relating to the charge level of the energy storage device by supplying information relating to operation of the power management system over the Internet. The generator controller may also start/stop the variable speed generator based on the charge level of the energy storage device.
US09425724B2

A MGECU includes a locked state check part for checking whether a motor generator is in a locked state, a current value check part for checking whether a current command value or an actual current value as a current value is in a predetermined disconnection undetectable range including a current value of zero, a phase shift part for shifting a phase of the current command value so that the current command value is outside the disconnection undetectable range with a direction of rotation being unchanged in a case that the motor generator is determined to be in the locked state and the current value is determined to be in the disconnection undetectable range, and an abnormality check part for checking whether the motor generator has a disconnection in windings based on a result produced by controlling the motor generator with a phase-shifted current command value.
US09425722B2

An electric motor control device includes: a motor constant generator configured to generate a motor constant by using a temperature; a current control unit configured to generate a current command value to an electric motor based on the motor constant and a torque command value and execute a current control mode; a voltage phase control unit configured to calculate a torque estimation value of the electric motor and execute a voltage phase control mode in which a feedback operation is performed for a voltage phase based on the difference between the torque estimation value and the torque command value; and a control mode switching unit configured to switch to the voltage phase control mode in a high rotation area where a flux weakening control is performed. The torque estimation value is calculated using the motor constant common to generation of the current command value in the current control mode.
US09425720B2

Various embodiments of an electric motor and electronic control for an electric motor are disclosed. An exemplary electric motor comprises a single-phase brushless permanent magnet electric motor. In exemplary embodiments, the electronic motor control is configured to commutate an electric motor at a frequency other than line frequency, perform pulse width modulation, and drive the electric motor with a drive waveform that approximates the counter-electromotive force of the motor.
US09425711B2

A piezoelectric actuator that may include a monolithic frame having an integral bias band that provides a resilient restoring force between a first contact surface and a second contact surface of the actuator that may be used to rotate an adjustment shaft. In some cases, a preload mechanism may also be included with the frame. Such piezoelectric actuators may be used for adjustable optical mounting devices such as optical mounting devices.
US09425709B2

A vibration driven power generation element according to the present invention includes: a three dimensionally shaped movable comb tooth electrode comprising a plurality of comb teeth of which interiors are filled with an insulating material, and having an SiO2 layer into which alkali ions are injected provided upon its outer surface; and a fixed type comb tooth electrode provided with a plurality of comb teeth made from Si the interiors of which are doped so as to have low electrical resistance, being arranged with the three dimensionally shaped movable comb tooth electrode opposed thereto and interleaved thereinto.
US09425698B2

A power conversion apparatus includes: a primary side full bridge circuit having a first arm circuit and a second arm circuit in parallel, a secondary side full bridge circuit having a third arm circuit and a fourth arm circuit in parallel, and a control unit configured to adjust a first phase difference between switching of the first arm circuit and switching of the third arm circuit and a second phase difference between switching of the second arm circuit and switching of the fourth arm circuit to control transmitted power that is transmitted between the primary side full bridge circuit and the secondary side full bridge circuit, wherein the control unit, among the first phase difference and the second phase difference, causes the phase difference between arm circuits having a higher efficiency to be larger than the phase difference between arm circuits having a lower efficiency.
US09425697B2

A power supply has a power factor correction (PFC) circuit and a DC to DC conversion circuit. A DC to DC controller of the DC to DC conversion circuit acquires zero-crossing information and load information from the PFC circuit through a communication protocol, and performs a low-frequency compensation on a control command using a table-mapping means, thereby resolving the issues of higher controller complexity, changes of entire response characteristics and cost increase in conventional compensation technique.
US09425692B2

A DC to DC converter including a buck converter, a boost converter, and a control unit, wherein the control unit is arranged to calculate an error voltage of the buck converter Verr_buck based on a feedback output voltage Vout_FB of the DC to DC converter and a reference voltage of the buck converter Vref_buck, and wherein the control unit is arranged to calculate an error voltage of the boost converter Verr_boost based on the feedback output voltage Vout_FB of the DC to DC converter and a reference voltage of the boost converter Vref_boost, wherein the reference voltage of the boost converter Vref_boost is shifted by an offset Voffset as compared to the reference voltage of the buck converter Vref_buck.
US09425688B2

A converter control circuit for converting an input voltage to an output voltage comprises: an error amplifier, coupled to an output voltage or a feedback output signal from the output voltage, and a reference signal, operable to generate an error signal accordingly; a ramp signal generator, generating a first ramp signal and a second ramp signal; a first comparator, coupled to the error signal and the first ramp signal, operable to generate a first comparing signal accordingly; a second comparator, coupled to the error signal and the second ramp signal, operable to generate a second comparing signal accordingly; and a control signal generator, coupled to the first comparing signal and the second comparing signal, operable to generate a control signal to turn switches in the converter circuit ON and OFF accordingly.
US09425686B2

The present invention provides a voltage conversion device and a method for adjusting common mode noise impedance, which relates to the circuit field, and enables a common mode impedance value of a noise source and an impedance value of an EMI filter to enter a mismatch state, so as to reduce a restriction on design of the EMI filter, so that a size of the EMI filter is smaller and utilization efficiency of the EMI filter is higher. The method is: adjusting a common mode impedance value of a noise source by adjusting a balanced impedance value in a balanced winding on a voltage conversion device, so as to enable the common mode impedance value of the noise source and an impedance value of an EMI filter to enter a mismatch state.
US09425676B2

Disclosed is a control method for a series resonant converter is provided, which includes: a feedback signal is acquired by collecting an analog output signal of a series resonant converter, and an operating frequency of the series resonant converter is changed according to the feedback signal; the series resonant converter adopts a hybrid control mode combing frequency and width modulation with width-fixed frequency modulation when lightly loaded or unloaded and a frequency modulation control mode when heavily loaded, wherein a switching can be conducted between the hybrid control mode and the frequency modulation control mode through hysteresis control. By adopting a hybrid control mode when a series resonant converter is lightly loaded or unloaded and switching between the hybrid control mode and a frequency modulation control mode through hysteresis control, the disclosure effectively addresses the problem that the voltage of a series resonant converter is unstable when the series resonant converter is lightly loaded or unloaded at a low voltage, effectively expands the output range of the series resonant converter, and also addresses the problems that it is difficult to control a loop due to the monotony of the gain of an output voltage during a duty cycle adjustment process.
US09425670B2

A reversible electrical machine (1) comprising: a first electrical device (10) having a first stator (11) and a first rotor (12); a second electrical device (20) including a second rotor (22) and a second stator (21) together with an outlet shaft (50) and first disengageable coupling means (30) enabling said first and second rotors (12, 22) to be associated and dissociated in rotation. Said reversible electrical machine (1) also includes second disengageable coupling means (40) that are disengageable under a predetermined force and that mechanically connect said second rotor (22) to said outlet shaft (50). Said first electrical device (10) is a motor for transmitting high mechanical power to said outlet shaft (50), while said second electrical device (20) is a motor-generator for operating in motor mode to transmit additional mechanical power to said outlet shaft (50), and in generator mode for receiving mechanical power from said outlet shaft (50).
US09425664B2

A rotating electromechanical apparatus includes a cylindrical ironless stator coil comprising a plurality of wires, a magnetic rotor arranged with the stator coil, wherein the magnetic field flux associated with the rotor interacts with the stator coil wires by electromagnetic induction, a cylindrical bobbin arranged to support the wires, a strand woven on at least the outer circumference of the wire-wrapped cylindrical bobbin, and a curable potting material potting the wires, bobbin and strand to provide an ironless composite stator coil when cured.
US09425657B2

A reluctance motor system includes a reluctance motor having a stator and a rotor, and a driving circuit. The stator includes phase winding sets each of which includes two windings that are connected in series at a corresponding node. The driving circuit includes switching members each of which is coupled electrically to a respective phase winding set, and each of which includes a first switch, a second switch, a first flyback diode, and a second flyback diode. The driving circuit further includes damping capacitor sets each of which includes a first capacitor coupled between the node and a positive terminal of a DC power source, and a second capacitor coupled between the node and a negative terminal of the DC power source.
US09425654B2

A rotatable LIDAR device including contactless electrical couplings is disclosed. An example rotatable LIDAR device includes a vehicle electrical coupling including (i) a first conductive ring, (ii) a second conductive ring, and (iii) a first coil. The example rotatable LIDAR device further includes a LIDAR electrical coupling including (i) a third conductive ring, (ii) a fourth conductive ring, and (iii) a second coil. The example rotatable LIDAR device still further includes a rotatable LIDAR electrically coupled to the LIDAR electrical coupling. The first conductive ring and the third conductive ring form a first capacitor configured to transmit communications to the rotatable LIDAR, the second conductive ring and the fourth conductive ring form a second capacitor configured to transmit communications from the rotatable LIDAR, and the first coil and the second coil form a transformer configured to provide power to the rotatable LIDAR.
US09425653B2

Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A wireless power transmitter includes a transmit antenna configured as a resonant tank including a loop inductor and an antenna capacitance. The transmitter further includes an amplifier configured to drive the transmit antenna and a matching circuit operably coupled between the transmit antenna and the amplifier. The transmitter also includes a capacitor integrating the antenna capacitance and a matching circuit capacitance.
US09425648B2

Apparatus, methods, and systems are described for a solar powered charger that is configured for charging a mobile device using solar panels or solar technology. The solar powered charger conditions the solar power into a form that is suitable for charging a mobile device. The charger controls the charging, may provide useful user feedback, and may provide for device selection. The charger may also comprise a storage bank and a way to control it, such that, power may be stored up for later use when desired.
US09425643B2

A wireless charging system with double detecting circuits comprises a detecting circuit connected to an inductive loop to detect the induced electric field of the inductive loop; an auxiliary detection circuit connected to a power loop to detect the induced electric field of the power loop, wherein when the waveform detected by the detecting circuit is not applicable, it is replaced by the waveform detected by the auxiliary detecting circuit in order to determine the condition of the electrical receiver device and thus adjust the output to the inductive loop from the power loop.
US09425639B2

A charging device for a rechargeable energy store which has a first induction coil includes: a coupling surface for positioning the first energy store; a second induction coil for generating a magnetic field in the area of the coupling surface to transfer electrical energy between the first and second induction coils; and a direction control system for bringing an alignment of the field of the second induction coil in line with an alignment of the first induction coil.
US09425635B2

A radiation imaging apparatus taking an image data of a subject by detecting radiations having passed through the subject, includes a charging control unit configured to control a battery internally attached to the radiation imaging apparatus such that a first charge amount up to which the battery is charged using an external power source connected to the radiation imaging apparatus is different from a second charge amount up to which the battery is charged using an external apparatus.
US09425629B2

A wireless power receiver is provided for wirelessly receiving driving power from a wireless power transmitter. The wireless power receiver includes a power reception unit for wirelessly receiving the driving power from the wireless power transmitter. The wireless power receiver also includes a rectifier for rectifying the driving power from the power reception unit into a Direct Current (DC) power type. The wireless power receiver additionally includes a load unit for storing the rectified driving power from the rectifier. The wireless power receiver further includes a controller for detecting an amount of the rectified driving power stored in the load unit to control output from the rectifier to the load unit. The wireless power receiver also includes an impedance adjuster for adjusting an impedance in the power reception unit according to the amount of the rectified driving power stored in the load unit.
US09425625B2

The present invention relates to a switched power converter system (1), comprising at least a first power converter (2) and a second power converter (3). Each power converter (2, 3) has a corresponding input terminal (4a, 5a) and output terminal (4b, 5b), where each power converter (2, 3) comprises a corresponding switch arrangement (6, 7). The system further comprises a control unit (8) that at least at start-up is connected to each power converter (2, 3) in the system (1) and arranged to control each switch arrangement (6, 7) by means of spread spectrum modulation, such that cross correlation between the conducted or radiated emissions of the switch arrangements (6, 7) is avoided.
US09425624B2

An electrical network of an aircraft and a method of operation comprises: an AC bus, a DC bus, a rectifier providing a DC voltage to the DC bus with the help of the AC bus, a plurality of bidirectional converters comprising two linkup points, each bidirectional converter being linked up at its first linkup point to the DC bus and being able to be linked up at its second linkup point to a load of the aircraft so as to power it, the network being able to be linked up to at least two generators each capable of delivering the AC voltage to the AC bus by the rectifier. At least one link links up at least one of the generators to the second linkup point of at least one of the bidirectional converters. The network can change generator with no cutoff and with no particular synchronization of the generators.
US09425610B2

A power supply control device includes an inverter having plural switching elements, an inverter controller that controls the inverter, a device power supply that generates a first power supplied to the inverter controller, a detector that detects whether there is an abnormality relating to the compressor, and a power supply controller. The inverter generates drive voltages usable to drive a compressor motor that is a drive source of a compressor as a result of the switching elements switching on or off, and outputs the drive voltages to the compressor motor. The power supply controller stops generation of the first power by the device power supply to thereby stop the control of the inverter controller in a case where there is an abnormality relating to the compressor.
US09425609B2

A method and apparatus are provided for differential protection of a three phase electric connection of an electric system. The apparatus includes means for determining a value of an operate quantity, which operate quantity is based on a difference between current quantities at a first point and a second point of the electric connection, and means for detecting a fault in the electric connection between the first point and the second point if the value of the operate quantity exceeds a value of a predetermined threshold quantity. The operate quantity is based on a difference of residual currents at the first point and the second point, or a quantity indicative thereof, and a coefficient indicative of an angle between a residual voltage of the electric connection and the difference of residual currents at the first point and the second point.
US09425598B2

A sliding type clamp includes a clamp fixing part adapted to be fixed to a stud bolt, and a clamp body adapted to clamp an objected member. The clamp fixing part and the clamp body are integrally formed. The clamp fixing part has a first sliding structure which slides along a direction perpendicular to an axis of the stud bolt. The clamp body has a second sliding structure which slides with respect to the objected member along a longitudinal direction of the objected member.
US09425594B2

A relay harness (30) connects a first harness (10) and a second harness (20). The relay harness (30) includes relay wires (31) and first and second housings (36, 37) connected to ends of the relay wires (31). Each relay wire (31) has a third conductor (32) surrounded by a third coating (33). The first housing (36) is configured to connect to a first connector (16) of the first harness (10). The second housing (37) is configured to connect to a second connector (26) of the second harness (20). A coating resin for the third insulation coatings (33) and a housing resin for the first and second housings (36, 37) are synthetic resins having a higher flame retardancy than a resin material for the first harness (10).
US09425587B2

An embodiment of the invention relates to busbars having different cross sections for a busbar system with a common protection and/or neutral conductor for the transport of electrical energy. The busbar system includes at least one first segment and a second segment, the segments having each at least one first busbar with a first cross-sectional area, at least a second busbar with a second cross-sectional area, a holding element and at least one connection. According to an embodiment of the invention, the busbars of the segments are held by the respective holding element and are electrically connected to each other via the at least one connection, and a busbar from either the first busbars or second busbars serves as a common protection conductor and/or as a common neutral conductor.
US09425583B2

An aluminium gallium indium phosphide (AlGaInP)-based semiconductor laser device is provided. On a main surface of a semiconductor substrate formed of n-type GaAs (gallium arsenide), from the bottom layer, an n-type buffer layer, an n-type cladding layer formed of an AlGaInP-based semiconductor containing silicon (Si) as a dopant, an active layer, a p-type cladding layer formed of an AlGaInP-based semiconductor containing magnesium (Mg) or zinc (Zn) as a dopant, an etching stopper layer, and a p-type contact layer are formed. Here, when an Al composition ratio x of the AlGaInP-based semiconductor is taken as a composition ratio of Al and Ga defined as (AlxGa1−x)0.5In0.5P, a composition of the n-type cladding layer is expressed as (AlxnGa1−xn)0.5In0.5P (0.9
US09425577B2

An optical fiber includes a first optical fiber body, a second optical fiber body and a first end cap. The first optical fiber body includes a first core and a first cladding. The second optical fiber body includes a second core and a second cladding, and is joined at a first end surface thereof to a first end surface of the first optical fiber body. The first end cap has light permeability and is joined to a second end surface of the second optical fiber body. The first core is doped with a laser medium. A mass content of the laser medium in the second core is lower than that of the laser medium in the first core.
US09425568B2

A conductor rail connector to connect the ends of two conductor rails may have first and second connection elements able to be connected to the conductor rail ends using at least one screw element supported on one side on a first side of a conductor rail end and supported on the other side on the first connection element.
US09425564B2

A connector including: multiple coaxial terminals each of which is formed into a shape of L, and has a connecting part attached to a coaxial cable and a terminal part bent with respect to the connecting part; a housing including a housing body having storage parts storing the coaxial terminals arrayed side by side and a cover closing the respective storage parts of the housing body; and a radio wave absorbing member disposed between the coaxial terminals stored in the respective storage parts and the cover and extending over the coaxial terminals, wherein the radio wave absorbing member is disposed so as to face at least a bent part in which the terminal part is bent with respect to the connecting part of each of the coaxial terminals, and provided in contact with or in proximity to each of the coaxial terminals.
US09425562B2

In one embodiment, an electrical connector is disclosed. The electrical connector comprises a shell having a mating end and a cable end. The shell has a cavity with at least one conductor therein. The at least one conductor is arranged at the mating end for termination to a mating connector. The shell has a cable extending from the cavity through the cable end being electrically connected to the at least one conductor. The electrical connector also includes a shielding insert received proximate to the cable end. The shielding insert circumferentially surrounds the cable and is configured to block transmission of electromagnetic radiation through the cable end.
US09425557B2

An improved electronic receptacle connector with portions thereof formed from an electrically conductive polymer is disclosed. A conductive polymer front face enables improved device aesthetics and can discharge electrostatic energy from a plug before it is mated with the connector. A conductive polymer housing with internal ground structures may provide electromagnetic interference shielding and improved data transfer speed.
US09425549B2

A connector includes a housing capable of fitting with a mating housing, a locking arm swingably disposed on the housing and having a locking portion capable of locking with a locked portion of the mating housing, and locking arm protective walls disposed on the housing and arranged on both sides in a width direction of the locking arm. An engaging protrusion is disposed on each of the locking arm protective walls so as to protrude toward a side of the locking arm. An engaging recess portion is disposed on the locking arm. The engaging recess portion is positioned on a surface facing each of the locking arm protective walls, engages with the engaging protrusion, and regulates displacement toward one side of a swinging direction of the locking arm.
US09425535B2

A connector cover in an eco-friendly vehicle covers the outside of a connector for an electronic part mounted to the eco-friendly vehicle. The cover covers the outside of the connector, and a width thereof is adjusted. The cover grasps both sides of the connector, is coupled to the outside of the connector as the width of the cover becomes narrower, and maintains a state in which the width is narrowed.
US09425527B2

Provided is a different-pitch flat cable connection structure for connecting a first flat-cable part that includes a plurality of first conductors arranged in a stripe pattern with a first pitch to a second flat-cable part that includes a plurality of second conductors arranged in a stripe pattern with a second pitch smaller than the first pitch, and establishing electrical continuity between the first conductors and the second conductors. The different-pitch flat cable connection structure includes a connection sheet laminated on one surface side of ends of the first conductors and ends of the second conductors in which at least the one surface side of the ends is exposed. The connection sheet includes a base layer, a plurality of third conductors laminated on another surface side of the base layer so as to extend between the first conductors and the corresponding second conductors in a one-to-one relationship, and a plurality of conductive adhesive layers disposed between facing surfaces of the first conductors and the third conductors and between facing surfaces of the second conductors and the third conductors.
US09425522B2

The present invention is a circuit board connector, and the circuit board connector comprises an insulative block and at least one electric connecting bar. The insulative block has a supporting surface. The at least one electric connecting bar is mounted through the insulative block, and each electrical connecting bar has two terminals bent to the supporting surface. Each of the terminals has a bending part and a welding part, and the welding part is close to the supporting surface. When two circuit boards are connected, the welding parts of the terminals of the electric connecting bar are welded with bond pads of each of the circuit boards to electronically connect the circuit boards, and the insulative block is connected to the circuit boards to fix the circuit boards. Therefore, the circuit boards can be fixed and electronically connected for forming a large circuit board.
US09425519B2

An electrical connection terminal having a holder and a clamping lever pivotably arranged on the holder and having a clamping unit for clamping a conductor between the clamping unit and a current bar. A manual lever is provided which is pivotably accommodated on the clamping lever in order to enable a dynamic transformation ratio in the closing operation.
US09425515B2

Horizontally polarized and dual polarized antennas are described herein. In some examples, a horizontally polarized and dual polarized antenna may be mounted or operated with the physical vertical axis of the antenna being substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by the surface of the earth, and emanate an electric field that is parallel to the surface of the earth. The antenna may have a multi-slot aperture that reduces a variation in the far field omni-directional pattern. The antenna may have various cross-sectional configurations, and may have a radome at least partially surrounding the antenna and a supporting structure.
US09425510B2

A planar dipole antenna for dual-band Wi-Fi application is disclosed. The antenna has a ground copper and a radiation copper. The ground copper is adhered to a substrate and has an upper, shorter and generally horizontal segment and a lower, longer and also generally horizontal segment that are connected at one end thereof by a vertical segment. The radiation copper is adhered to the substrate and has a copper shaped substantially as a mirror symmetry of the ground copper and spaced apart from the ground copper by a gap at the end of the ground and radiation coppers where the shorter and longer horizontal segments thereof are connected. The antenna has a gross span of approximately 42 mm and a height of approximately 7 mm. The gap is approximately 0.6 mm.
US09425504B2

An antenna module having a side-edge balance-to-unbalance (BALUN). The antenna module may include a flexible substrate with one or more layers that may be configured to receive one first and second conductive patterns, the substrate may have opposed first and second ends which may define a longitudinal length and/or opposed side edges situated between the first and second ends. The first conductive pattern may form an antenna loop situated adjacent to the first end of the flexible substrate and be suitable for transmitting or receiving signals at one or more frequencies. The second conductive pattern may form at least part of the BALUN and may include one or more of a center portion, side portions which may extend from the center portion at opposite sides of the center portion, and electrically neutral slots situated between a corresponding side portion and the center portion.
US09425501B2

Methods for producing cost effective and reliable antennas and circuits for wireless devices are disclosed. The antennas and circuits are formed by applying a conductive layer to one side of a carrier sheet and attaching a second carrier sheet to encapsulate and protect the conductive layer. The combination of the two carrier sheets and the conductive layer are then formed into one or more three-dimensional antenna structures or circuits in a thermoforming process. This technique enables high volume production of antennas and RF circuits in a fast, reliable, and cost-efficient manner that provides for encapsulation of the conductive layer. The plurality of antennas and circuits formed in this fashion may then be separated by a cutting apparatus to obtain individual devices that are ready for integration into myriad communication devices.
US09425495B2

An active antenna may be installed within a ceiling of a building to improve the range of a wireless and/or cellular network. Further, a ground plane may be installed throughout the ceiling to reduce the occurrence of multipath interference of radio frequency (RF) signals. In addition, one or more passive antennas may also be installed in the ceiling to further extend the range of the wireless and/or cellular network within the building. Each of the antennas may be designed to facilitate (RF) signal gain for a collection or range of frequencies. In some instances, the installation of active and passive antennas may increase the range of a communications network, while the installation of a ground plane throughout the ceiling may reduce the occurrence on multipath interference resulting in improved wireless and/or cellular network performance including increased bandwidth and range.
US09425487B2

A battery monitoring device configured to monitor a storage battery. The battery monitoring device includes Kelvin connectors configured to couple to the terminals of the storage battery. The battery monitoring device is configured to receive data from a second battery monitoring device. Further, the battery monitoring device is configured to measure a parameter of the storage battery. The measured parameter and the data received from the second battery monitoring device are communicated to a receiving station.
US09425485B1

Combinations of additives for use in electrolyte formulations that provide a number of desirable characteristics when implemented within batteries, such as reduction, suppression, and/or inhibition of undesirable gas generation over several cycles of charging and discharging, in some cases during operation at high temperature and in some cases during high temperature storage.
US09425484B2

The invention provides a non-aqueous electrolyte solution containing a phosphonosulfonic acid compound represented by formula (I): wherein, in formula (I), R1, R2 and R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a haloalkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, a benzyl group, or a group represented by formula (II); R4 and R5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and n represents an integer from 1 to 6; and wherein, in formula (II), R6, R7 and R8 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, or a benzyl group; m represents an integer from 0 to 2; and * represents a position of bonding with the oxygen atom in formula (I).
US09425483B2

An electrolyte solution including a non-aqueous organic solvent and a magnesium salt represented by Formula 1: wherein in Formula 1, groups CY1, CY2, A1 to A10, and variable n are defined in the specification.
US09425481B2

A secondary battery includes: a cathode; an anode; and a non-aqueous electrolytic solution, wherein the cathode includes a second lithium-containing compound having an olivine-type crystal structure, a photoelectron spectrum of oxygen 1s obtained by surface analysis of the cathode with the use of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy includes a third peak and a fourth peak, the third peak having an apex in a range in which binding energy is equal to or larger than 530 electron volts and less than 533 electron volts, and the fourth peak having an apex in a range in which binding energy is from 533 electron volts to 536 electron volts both inclusive and having spectrum intensity smaller than spectrum intensity of the third peak, and a ratio IE/ID between a spectrum intensity ID of the third peak and a spectrum intensity IE of the fourth peak is larger than ¼.
US09425480B2

The object is to provide a secondary battery with higher performance, and especially to provide a secondary battery having low impedance. An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a secondary battery, comprising an electrode assembly in which a positive electrode and a negative electrode are oppositely disposed, an electrolyte liquid, and a package which encloses the electrode assembly and the electrolyte liquid inside; wherein the negative electrode is formed by binding a negative electrode active substance to a negative electrode collector with a negative electrode binder; and wherein the electrolyte liquid comprises a fluorine-containing cyclic ether compound.
US09425476B2

A manufacturing system and method of an membrane electrode assembly (MEA) for a fuel cell is provided which increases performance and durability of an MEA and ensures productivity of the MEA therein. In particular, electrodes and an electrolyte membrane are bonded together and the membrane electrode assembly manufactured in the bonding process is pressed at a predetermined temperature.
US09425454B2

To provide a lithium secondary battery which has high capacity while maintaining excellent cycle characteristic. The lithium secondary battery cathode of the present invention includes a cathode collector formed of a conductive substance, and a cathode active material layer formed of a sintered lithium composite oxide sheet. The cathode active material layer is bonded to the cathode collector by the mediation of a conductive bonding layer. A characteristic feature of the present invention resides in that the cathode active material layer has a thickness of 30 μm or more, a mean pore size of 0.1 to 5 μm, and a voidage of 3% or more and less than 15%.
US09425450B2

A stainless steel separator for fuel cells and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The method includes preparing a stainless steel sheet as a matrix, performing surface modification on a surface of the stainless steel sheet to form a Cr-rich passive film having a comparatively increased amount of Cr in a superficial layer of the stainless steel sheet by decreasing an amount of Fe in the superficial layer of the stainless steel sheet, and forming a coating layer on the surface of the surface-modified stainless steel sheet. The coating layer is one selected from a metal nitride layer (MNx), a metal/metal nitride layer (M/MNx), a metal carbide layer (MCy), and a metal boride layer (MBz) (where 0.5≦x≦1, 0.42≦y≦1, 0.5≦z≦2).
US09425448B2

A sealed battery includes a return type safety valve. An annular projection that projects toward a valve body from a valve port is formed on a valve seat for the safety valve. The projection includes a first projection region and a second projection region that are defined by a shape of a tip of the projection and arranged in parallel in a circumferential direction of the valve port. The first projection region and second projection region have different curvature radii in a cross-section of the projection taken along an axial direction of the valve body. The pressure per unit area applied to the second projection region by the valve body is higher than the pressure per unit area applied to the first projection region by the valve body.
US09425446B2

An assembled battery includes: a case in which plural electric cells are accommodated; and an abutment member which abuts against the electric cells accommodated in the case to position the electric cells with respect to the case. The abutment member includes a first projection inserted into a first gap defined by the case and the mutually adjacent electric cells to align the abutment member.
US09425444B2

A vehicle battery assembly includes a housing defining a plenum having an inlet, and a plurality of battery cells disposed within the housing. The plenum has an effective cross-sectional area that decreases as a distance from the inlet increases and is arranged to promote development of generally uniform pressure within the plenum.
US09425438B2

In an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device and a method for fabricating the same, OLED pixels are patterned through a photolithography process, so a large area patterning can be performed and a fine pitch can be obtained, and an organic compound layer can be protected by forming a buffer layer of a metal oxide on an upper portion of the organic compound layer or patterning the organic compound layer by using a cathode as a mask, improving device efficiency. In addition, among red, green, and blue pixels, two pixels are patterned through a lift-off process and the other remaining one is deposited to be formed without patterning, the process can be simplified and efficiency can be increased.
US09425414B2

Disclosed are an organometallic complex, and an organic electroluminescence device and a display device including the same. The organometallic complex is represented by the following Chemical Formula 1. The definition of the above Chemical Formula 1 is the same as described in the detailed description.
US09425411B2

To provide an organic electroluminescent element that can attain efficiency improvement by forming an electron injection layer by a film that is stable and excellent in uniformity, and forming a charge generation layer capable of effectively exhibiting the function. In an organic electroluminescent element provided with at least one organic layer between a pair of electrodes, an electron injection layer comprising a ZnO-containing layer, and a charge generation layer containing an electron acceptor-containing film in contact with the cathode side thereof and an electron donor-containing film adjacent thereto are formed.
US09425407B2

A compound represented by Formula 1 or Formula 2 and an organic light-emitting device including the same:
US09425403B2

By repeating a purification process of a light-emitting organic compound several times, a thin film made of the light-emitting organic compound to be used in an EL display device contains ionic impurities at the concentration of 0.1 ppm or lower and has a volume resistivity in the range of 3×1010 Ωcm or larger. By using such a thin film as a light-emitting layer in the EL device, a current caused by reasons other than the carrier recombination can be prevented from flowing through the thin film, and deterioration caused by unnecessary heat generation can be suppressed. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain an EL display device with high reliability.
US09425398B2

The invention describes electronic devices comprising a metal complex compound having at least one anionic ligand containing two P donors, having the formula (I), in which R1 to R4 are, independently of one another, an atom or radical from the group comprising hydrogen, a halogen, R, RO—, RS—, RCO—, RCOO—, RNH—, R2N—, RCONR— and —Si(R)X(OR)3-X, where R=a C1-C40-hydrocarbon and X=1, 2 or 3, and E is a bridge atom from the group with carbon or boron, where an atom or radical from the group with hydrogen, halogen, —CN, R, RO—, RS—, RCO—, RCOO—, RNH—, R2N—, RCONR— and —Si(R)X(OR)3-X, where R=the C1-C40-hydrocarbon and X=1, 2 or 3, is optionally bonded to the carbon, and two radicals from the group with halogen, R, RO—, RS—, RCO—, RCOO—, RNH—, R2N—, RCONR— and —Si(R)X(OR)3-X, where R=the C1-C40-hydrocarbon and X=1, 2 or 3, are optionally bonded to the boron. The invention furthermore describes a process for the production of an electronic device of this type and processes for the generation of light or blue emission using a metal complex compound of this type.
US09425397B2

The fabrication and characterization of large scale inverted organic solar array fabricated using all-spray process is disclosed. Solar illumination has been demonstrated to improve transparent solar photovoltaic devices. The technology using SAM has potential to revolute current silicon-based photovoltaic technology by providing a complete solution processable manufacturing process. The semi-transparent property of the solar module allows for applications on windows and windshields. The inventive arrays are more efficient than silicon solar cells in artificial light environments, permitting use of the arrays in powering microelectromechanical systems and in integration with microelectromechanical systems.
US09425391B1

A method is provided for manufacturing a memory. An insulating layer is formed over an array of interlayer conductors, and etched to define a first opening corresponding to a first interlayer conductor in the array, where the etching stops at a first top surface of the first interlayer conductor. A metal oxide layer is formed on the first top surface. A first layer of barrier material is deposited conformal with and contacting the metal oxide layer and surfaces of the first opening. Subsequently the insulating layer is etched to define a second opening corresponding to a second interlayer conductor in the array, where the etching stops at a second top surface of the second interlayer conductor. A second layer of barrier material is deposited conformal with and contacting the first layer of barrier material in the first opening. The first opening is filled with a conductive material.
US09425389B2

Provided are resistive random access memory (ReRAM) cells with embedded resistors and methods of fabricating these cells. An embedded resistor may include a metal silicon nitride of a first metal and may be doped with a second metal, which is different from the first metal. The second metal may have less affinity to form covalent bonds with nitrogen than the first metal. As such, the second metal may be unbound and more mobile in the embedded resistor that the first metal. The second metal may help establishing conductive paths in the embedded resistor in addition to the metal nitride resulting in more a stable resistivity despite changing potential applies to the ReRAM cell. In other words, the embedded resistor having such composition will have more linear I-V performance. The concentration of the second metal in the embedded resistor may be substantially less than the concentration of the first metal.
US09425379B2

A piezoelectric element including a first electrode 60, a piezoelectric body layer 70, and a second electrode 80, in which a seed layer 65, which performs control such that the piezoelectric body layer 70 is preferentially oriented with respect to a specific crystal plane, is formed between the first electrode 60 and the piezoelectric body layer 70, and the seed layer 65 is formed from a composite oxide with a perovskite structure that includes at least Bi, Sr, Fe and Ti and an element ratio of Bi, Sr, Fe, and Ti in the seed layer satisfies the Formula (1) below. Bi:Sr:Fe:Ti=x·(1−y):y:1−z:z  (1) (1.0≦x<1.3, 0
US09425377B2

A method for fabricating a tunnel junction includes depositing a first electrode on a substrate, depositing a wetting layer having a thickness of less than 2 nm on the first electrode, using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to deposit an oxide layer on the wetting layer, and depositing a second electrode on the oxide layer. The wetting layer and the oxide layer form a tunnel barrier, and the second electrode includes a superconductor.
US09425366B2

A light emitting device includes a substrate member, a light emitting element, a resin member, an insulating layer and a fluorescent material layer. The light emitting element is arranged on the substrate member. The resin member surrounds sides of the light emitting element, and has a top portion located higher than a light emission surface of the light emitting element. The insulating layer covers the light emission surface of the light emitting element and an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface of the top portion of the resin member. The fluorescent material layer covers a surface of the insulating layer.
US09425365B2

Lighting devices having highly luminescent quantum dots are described. In an example, a lighting apparatus includes a housing structure or a substrate. The lighting apparatus also includes a light emitting diode supported within the housing structure or disposed on the substrate, respectively. The lighting apparatus also includes a light conversion layer disposed above the light emitting diode. The light conversion layer includes a plurality of quantum dots. Each quantum dot includes an anisotropic nanocrystalline core having a first semiconductor material and having an aspect ratio between, but not including, 1.0 and 2.0. Each quantum dot also includes a nanocrystalline shell having a second, different, semiconductor material at least partially surrounding the anisotropic nanocrystalline core.
US09425352B2

Disclosed are a semiconductor device, a light emitting device, and a method of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a plurality of rods aligned on the substrate, a metal layer disposed on the substrate between the rods, and a semiconductor layer disposed on and between the rods. Electrical and optical characteristics of the semiconductor device are improved due to the metal layer.
US09425348B2

In a group III nitride semiconductor device according to one aspect of the present invention, in a p-type group III nitride semiconductor region formed on a semi-polar plane substrate, the concentration of hydrogen (H) contained in the p-type group III nitride semiconductor region is 25% or less of the concentration of a p-type dopant therein, and the concentration of oxygen contained in the p-type group III nitride semiconductor region is 5×1017 atoms/cm3 or lower, and an angle between a normal axis of a primary surface of the semi-polar plane substrate and a c-axis of the semi-polar plane substrate is not lower than 45 degrees and not higher than 80 degrees or not lower than 100 degrees and not higher than 135 degrees in a waveguide axis direction of the group III nitride semiconductor device.
US09425340B2

To provide a solar cell having improved photoelectric conversion efficiency and a solar cell module. A solar cell (10) is provided with a photoelectric conversion portion (20), a light receiving surface electrode (21a) and a back surface electrode (21b). The light receiving surface electrode (21a) is arranged on the light receiving surface (20a) of the photoelectric conversion portion (20). The back surface electrode (21b) is arranged on the back surface (20b) of the photoelectric conversion portion (20). The back surface electrode (21b) includes metal film (21b1) and an electrical connection electrode (21b2). The metal film (21b1) at least partially covers the back surface (20b). The electrical connection electrode (21b2) is arranged on the metal film (21b1).
US09425337B2

A solar cell can include a built-in bypass diode. In one embodiment, the solar cell can include an active region disposed in or above a first portion of a substrate and a bypass diode disposed in or above a second portion of the substrate. The first and second portions of the substrate can be physically separated with a groove. A metallization structure can couple the active region to the bypass diode.
US09425336B2

Provided is a photo active layer for a solar cell or a light emitting diode and a fabricating method thereof. The photo active layer is formed by alternately stacking silicon quantum dot layers in which a plurality of silicon quantum dots containing conductive type impurities are formed in a medium, which is a silicon compound, and conductive layers, which are polycrystalline silicon layers, containing the same conductive type impurities as those of the silicon quantum dots.
US09425334B2

A picosecond laser beam shaping assembly is disclosed for shaping a picosecond laser beam for use in patterning (e.g., scribing) semiconductor devices. The assembly comprises a pulsed fibre laser source of picosecond laser pulses, a harmonic conversion element for converting laser pulses at a first laser wavelength having a first spectral bandwidth to laser pulses at a second laser wavelength having a second spectral bandwidth, and a beam shaping apparatus for shaping the laser beam at the second laser wavelength, the beam shaping apparatus having a spectral bandwidth that substantially corresponds to the second spectral bandwidth so as to produce a laser beam having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional profile.
US09425333B2

A device including a surface layer of a selected material in a predetermined pattern on a substrate surface. A groove or ridge arranged in the substrate surface includes a bottom or top face, respectively, and at least one side face sloping relative to the bottom or top face. The surface layer is deposited on a part of the substrate including the groove or ridge by vacuum chamber sputtering the selected material from a sputtering source while moving the substrate past the sputtering source in a direction substantially perpendicular to a sputtering main lobe direction and with a normal to the substrate surface substantially in a predefined angle with the main lobe direction. By uniformly etching away surface layer material deposited on the substrate by the sputtering until freeing a substantial part of the side face, the predetermined pattern becomes defined substantially by the bottom face or the top face.
US09425329B2

Disclosed herein are a rectifying device and a method of fabricating the same. The rectifying device includes a first electrode formed in a flat shape, an insulating layer deposited on the first electrode and a second electrode formed on a preset region of the insulating layer in a nanaopillar shape in a longitudinal direction to be asymmetrical to the first electrode, thereby increasing current flow.
US09425327B2

A junction field effect transistor cell of a semiconductor device includes a top gate region, a lateral channel region and a buried gate region arranged along a vertical direction. The lateral channel region includes first zones of a first conductivity type and second zones of a second conductivity type which alternate along a lateral direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. A pinch-off voltage of the junction field effect transistor cell does not depend, or only to a low degree depends, on a vertical extension of the lateral channel region.
US09425326B2

Described herein is a method for forming a vertical memory device (150) having a vertical channel region (113) sandwiched between a source region (109, 112) and a drain region (114). A charge trapping layer (106) is provided either side of the vertical channel region (113) and associated source and drain regions (109, 112, 114). The source region (109, 112) comprises a junction between a first region (109) comprising a first doping type with a first doping concentration and a second region (112) comprising a second doping type which is opposite to the first doping type and with a second doping concentration. The drain region (114) comprises the first doping type with a first doping concentration. In another embodiment, the drain region has two regions of differing doping types and concentrations and the source region comprises the first doping type with the first doping concentration.
US09425325B2

The present claimed subject matter is directed to memory device that includes substrate, a tunneling layer over the substrate, a floating gate over the tunneling layer, a dielectric over the floating gate and including silicon oxynitride, and a control gate over the dielectric.
US09425322B2

A highly reliable semiconductor device having stable electric characteristics is provided by suppressing, in a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, diffusion of indium into an insulating film in contact with the oxide semiconductor film and improving the characteristics of the interface between the oxide semiconductor film and the insulating film. In an oxide semiconductor film containing indium, the indium concentration at a surface is decreased, thereby preventing diffusion of indium into an insulating film on and in contact with the oxide semiconductor film. By decreasing the indium concentration at the surface of the oxide semiconductor film, a layer which does not substantially contain indium can be formed at the surface. By using this layer as part of the insulating film, the characteristics of the interface between the oxide semiconductor film and the insulating film in contact with the oxide semiconductor film are improved.
US09425321B2

A thin-film transistor includes an oxidic semiconductor channel, a metallic or oxidic gate, drain and source contacts and at least one barrier layer positioned between the oxidic semiconductor channel and the drain and source contacts to inhibit an exchange of oxygen between the oxidic semiconductor channel and the drain and source contacts.
US09425320B2

Provided is a thin film transistor on fiber and a method of manufacturing the same. The thin film transistor includes a fiber; a first electrode, a second electrode and a gate electrode formed on fiber; a channel formed between the first and second electrodes; an encapsulant encapsulating the fiber, the first, second, and gate electrodes, and an upper surface of the channel; and a gate insulating layer formed in a portion of the inner area of the encapsulant.
US09425319B2

Integrated circuits and methods for fabricating integrated circuits are provided. In one example, an integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate. A first fin and a second fin are adjacent to each other extending from the semiconductor substrate. The first fin has a first upper section and the second fin has a second upper section. A first epi-portion overlies the first upper section and a second epi-portion overlies the second upper section. A first silicide layer overlies the first epi-portion and a second silicide layer overlies the second epi-portion. The first and second silicide layers are spaced apart from each other to define a lateral gap. A dielectric spacer is formed of a dielectric material and spans the lateral gap. A contact-forming material overlies the dielectric spacer and portions of the first and second silicide layers that are laterally above the dielectric spacer.
US09425318B1

Integrated circuits and methods for producing the same are provided. A method for producing an integrated circuit includes forming a stack overlying a substrate. The stack includes a silicon germanium layer and a silicon layer, where the silicon germanium layer has a first germanium concentration. The stack is condensed to produce a second germanium concentration in the germanium layer, where the second germanium concentration is greater than the first germanium concentration. A fin is formed that includes the stack, and a gate is formed overlying the fin.
US09425312B2

Tunneling field-effect transistors including silicon, germanium or silicon germanium channels and III-N source regions are provided for low power operations. A broken-band heterojunction is formed by the source and channel regions of the transistors. Fabrication methods include selective anisotropic wet-etching of a silicon substrate followed by epitaxial deposition of III-N material and/or germanium implantation of the substrate followed by the epitaxial deposition of the III-N material.
US09425299B1

A cylindrical confinement electron gas confined within a two-dimensional cylindrical region can be formed in a vertical semiconductor channel extending through a plurality of electrically conductive layers comprising control gate electrodes. A memory film in a memory opening is interposed between the vertical semiconductor channel and the electrically conductive layers. The vertical semiconductor channel includes a wider band gap semiconductor material and a narrow band gap semiconductor material. The cylindrical confinement electron gas is formed at an interface between the wider band gap semiconductor material and the narrow band gap semiconductor material. As a two-dimensional electron gas, the cylindrical confinement electron gas can provide high charge carrier mobility for the vertical semiconductor channel, which can be advantageously employed to provide higher performance for a three-dimensional memory device.
US09425290B2

The present disclosure discloses a method of fabricating a semiconductor device. A fin structure is formed over a substrate. The fin structure contains a semiconductor material. A first implantation process is performed to a region of the fin structure to form a fin seed within the region of the fin structure. The fin seed has a crystal structure. The first implantation process is performed at a process temperature above about 100 degrees Celsius. A second implantation process is performed to the region of the fin structure to cause the region of the fin structure outside the fin seed to become amorphous. The second implantation process is performed at a process temperature below about 0 degrees Celsius. Thereafter, an annealing process is performed to recrystallize the region of the fin structure via the fin seed.
US09425286B2

Various source/drain stressors that can enhance carrier mobility, and methods for manufacturing the same, are disclosed. An exemplary source/drain stressor includes a seed layer of a first material disposed over a substrate of a second material, the first material being different than the second material; a relaxed epitaxial layer disposed over the seed layer; and an epitaxial layer disposed over the relaxed epitaxial layer.
US09425279B1

A semiconductor device having a reduced variation in threshold voltage includes a semiconductor substrate with a high dielectric-constant (high-k) layer deposited in a gate trench and on a semiconductor portion of the substrate. At least one workfunction layer has an arrangement of first and second workfunction granular portions on an upper surface of the high-k layer to define a workfunction of the semiconductor device. The arrangement of first and second workfunction granular portions define a granularity of the at least one workfunction layer. A gate contact material fills the gate trench, wherein the high-k layer has a concentration of oxygen vacancies based on the granularity of the at least one work function metal layer so as to reduce the variation in the threshold voltage.
US09425275B2

An integrated circuit chip includes a semiconductor substrate, a first back-end-of-line unit circuit that includes a first group of field effect transistors, a second gate-loaded unit circuit that includes a second group of field effect transistors. The first group of field effect transistors includes a first transistor and the second group of field effect transistors includes a second transistor. A bottom surface of a gate electrode of the first transistor extends closer to a bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate than does a bottom surface of a gate electrode of the second transistor.
US09425274B2

The semiconductor device structures and methods for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a metal gate over a substrate. A first spacer is formed over sidewalls of the metal gate and having a first height. A second spacer is formed over the sidewalls of the metal gate and having a second height. The first height is higher than the second height. The first spacer is farther from the sidewalls of the metal gate than the second spacer. In addition, the semiconductor device structure includes a dielectric layer formed over the substrate to surround the first spacer and the metal gate.
US09425273B2

A semiconductor chip region includes a first conductive structure (CS) that forms a gate electrode (GE) of a first transistor of a first transistor type (TT) and a GE of a first transistor of a second TT, a second CS that forms a GE of a second transistor of the first TT, a third CS that forms a GE of a second transistor of the second TT, a fourth CS that forms a GE of a third transistor of the first TT, and a fifth CS that forms a GE of a third transistor of the second TT. Diffusion terminals of the first and second transistors of the first TT are electrically connected. Diffusion terminals of the first and second transistors of the second TT are electrically connected. Diffusion terminals of the second and third transistors of both the first TT and second TT are electrically connected.
US09425269B1

Device structures for a bipolar junction transistor and methods for fabricating such device structures. An emitter structure is formed that has a semiconductor layer with a top surface defining a recess and a sacrificial layer comprised of a disposable material in the recess. A contact opening is formed that extends through one or more first dielectric layers to the sacrificial layer. After the contact opening is formed, the sacrificial layer is removed from the recess. Alternatively, the layer in the recess may be comprised of a non-disposable material that may occupy the recess at the time that a contact is formed in the contact opening.
US09425263B2

A method for manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device includes the following steps. A silicon carbide substrate is prepared. A first heating step of heating the silicon carbide substrate in an atmosphere of oxygen is performed. A second heating step of heating the silicon carbide substrate to a temperature of 1300° C. or more and 1500° C. or less in an atmosphere of gas containing nitrogen atoms or phosphorus atoms is performed after the first heating step. A third heating step of heating the silicon carbide substrate in an atmosphere of a first inert gas is performed after the second heating step. Thus, the silicon carbide semiconductor device in which threshold voltage variation is small, and a method for manufacturing the same can be provided.
US09425240B2

Embodiments of forming an image sensor with organic photodiodes are provided. Trenches are formed in the organic photodiodes to increase the PN-junction interfacial area, which improves the quantum efficiency (QE) of the photodiodes. The organic P-type material is applied in liquid form to fill the trenches. A mixture of P-type materials with different work function values and thickness can be used to meet the desired work function value for the photodiodes.
US09425237B2

Solid-state memory having a non-linear current-voltage (I-V) response is provided. By way of example, the solid-state memory can be a selector device. The selector device can be formed in series with a non-volatile memory device via a monolithic fabrication process. Further, the selector device can provide a substantially non-linear I-V response suitable to mitigate leakage current for the non-volatile memory device. In various disclosed embodiments, the series combination of the selector device and the non-volatile memory device can serve as one of a set of memory cells in a 1-transistor, many-resistor resistive memory cell array.
US09425232B2

An imaging device includes a first semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface and a first photodetector having a first implanted region formed in the first semiconductor layer and a pad formed over the first implanted region. The imaging device also includes a readout circuit disposed over the first surface of the first semiconductor layer. The readout circuit has a plurality of contact plugs facing the first surface of the first semiconductor layer. The imaging device further includes a second semiconductor layer disposed below the second surface of the first semiconductor, a second photodetector having a second implanted region formed in the second semiconductor layer, and a metalized via extending through the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer and electrically connecting the second implanted region to a second of the contact plugs of the readout circuit.
US09425231B2

An image sensor includes: a first inter-layer dielectric layer formed over a front side of a substrate including photoelectric conversion regions; isolation structures each of which penetrates through the first inter-layer dielectric layer and has a portion buried in the substrate; first metal lines formed over the first inter-layer dielectric layer to correspond to the photoelectric conversion regions; and an optical filter and a light condenser formed over a back side of the substrate.
US09425223B1

The present invention provides a manufacture method of a TFT substrate, and the method comprises steps of: 1, deposing a first metal layer (2) on a substrate (1); 2, coating a first photoresistor layer (3) and implementing gray scal exposure; 3, removing a part of the first metal layer (2) to form a gate (21) and a source/a drain (23); 4, implementing ashing process to the first photoresistor layer (3); 5, deposing an isolation layer (4); 6, removing a part of the first photoresistor area (3) and a part of the isolation layer (4); 7, forming an oxide semiconductor layer (5); 8, deposing a protecting layer (6); 9, coating a second photoresistor layer (7) and implementing gray scal exposure; 10, removing a part of the protecting layer (6); 11, implementing ashing process to the second photoresistor layer (7); 12, deposing a transparent conducting thin film (8); 13, removing a part of second photoresistor layer (7) and a part of the transparent conducting thin film (8); 14, forming a pixel definition layer (9); 15, forming photo spacers (10).
US09425219B2

An array substrate, a manufacturing method thereof and a display panel are provided. The array substrate includes: a substrate; and first pixel groups and second pixel groups which are disposed on the substrate and are alternately arranged to form a pixel array. Each first pixel group includes two first pixel units, each first pixel unit includes a first pixel electrode connected with a common electrode and a second pixel electrode connected with a drain electrode of a drive TFT of the first pixel unit. Each second pixel group includes two second pixel units, each second pixel unit includes a third pixel electrode connected with a drain electrode of a drive TFT of the second pixel unit and a fourth pixel electrode connected with the common electrode.
US09425215B2

The invention provides a processor obtained by forming a high functional integrated circuit using a polycrystalline semiconductor over a substrate which is sensitive to heat, such as a plastic substrate or a plastic film substrate. Moreover, the invention provides a wireless processor, a wireless memory, and an information processing system thereof which transmit and receive power or signals wirelessly. According to the invention, an information processing system includes an element forming region including a transistor which has at least a channel forming region formed of a semiconductor film separated into islands with a thickness of 10 to 200 nm, and an antenna. The transistor is fixed on a flexible substrate. The wireless processor in which a high functional integrated circuit including the element forming region is formed and the semiconductor device transmit and receive data through the antenna.
US09425208B2

A vertical memory device includes a substrate including a cell region and a peripheral circuit region, the peripheral circuit region including a gate structure comprising a transistor, a plurality of channels on the cell region, each of the channels extending in a first direction that is vertical with respect to a top surface of the substrate, a plurality of gate lines stacked in the first direction and spaced apart from each other, the gate lines surrounding outer sidewalls of the channels, and a blocking structure between the cell region and the peripheral circuit region, wherein a height of the blocking structure is greater than a height of the gate structure in the peripheral region.
US09425197B2

A semiconductor device includes a P-channel DMOS transistor provided with an N-type gate electrode, a P-channel MOS transistor provided with a P-type gate electrode, and an N-channel MOS transistor provided with an N-type gate electrode. The N-type gate electrode of the P-channel DMOS transistor desirably has a first end portion that is located on a source side of the P-channel DMOS transistor, a second end portion that is located on a drain side of the P-channel DMOS transistor, and a P-type diffusion layer at the first end portion.
US09425184B2

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) devices and methods of manufacture are provided. The method includes forming a plurality of fin structures and a mesa structure from semiconductor material. The method further includes forming an epitaxial material with doped regions on the mesa structure and forming gate material over at least the plurality of fin structures. The method further includes planarizing at least the gate material such that the gate material and the epitaxial material are of a same height. The method further includes forming contacts in electrical connection with respective ones of the doped regions of the epitaxial material.
US09425179B2

Chip packages and methods of manufacture thereof are described. In an embodiment, a method for manufacturing a chip package may include: providing a support structure including: a base; and a stage pivotably attached to the base, the stage having a surface facing away from the base; attaching a first die having at least one second die disposed thereon to the surface of the stage; pivotably tilting the stage; and after the pivotably tilting, dispensing an underfill over the first die and adjacent to the least one second die, the underfill flowing through a first standoff gap disposed between the first die and the at least one second die.
US09425178B2

A method includes forming a first plurality of Redistribution Lines (RDLs) over a carrier, and bonding a device die to the first plurality of RDLs through flip-chip bonding. The device die and the first plurality of RDLs are over the carrier. The device die is molded in a molding material. After the molding, the carrier is detached from the first plurality of RDLs. The method further includes forming solder balls to electrically couple to the first plurality of RDLs, wherein the solder balls and the device die are on opposite sides of the first plurality of RDLs.
US09425172B2

Lamps, luminaries or solid state lighting components are disclosed having multiple discrete light sources whose light combines to provide the desired emission characteristics. The discrete light sources are arranged in an array pursuant to certain guidelines to promote mixing of light from light sources emitting different colors of light. One embodiment solid state lighting component comprises a light emitting diode (LED) component having an array of LED chips having a first group of LED chips and one or more additional groups of LED chips. The array is arranged so that no two LED chips from said first group are directly next to one another in the array, that less than fifty percent (50%) of the LED chips in the first group of LEDs is on the perimeter of the array, and at least three LED chips from the one or more additional groups is adjacent each of the LED chips in the first group.
US09425171B1

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for packaging an integrated circuit die. The technique includes bonding a first surface of the integrated circuit die to a first substrate via a first plurality of solder bump structures and bonding a second substrate to a second surface of the integrated circuit die. The technique further includes bonding the first substrate to a third substrate via a second plurality of solder bump structures and, after bonding the first substrate to the third substrate, removing the second substrate from the second surface of the integrated circuit die. The technique further includes disposing a heat sink on the second surface of the integrated circuit die.
US09425169B2

A flexible stack package includes a first package and a second package. Each of the first and second packages includes a flexible layer, a chip embedded in the flexible layer, and a contact portion disposed on the chip to penetrate the flexible layer and exposed at a surface of the flexible layer. Each of the first and second packages includes a fixing portion and a wing portion. A first adhesion part is disposed between the fixing portion of the first package and the fixing portion of the second package to combine the first package with the second package. A first stretchable interconnector electrically connects or couples the contact portion of the first package to the contact portion of the second package.
US09425168B2

A stud bump structure, a package structure thereof and method of manufacturing the package structure are provided. The stud bump structure include a first chip; and a silver alloy stud bump disposed on the substrate, wherein the on-chip silver alloy stud bump includes Pd of 0.01˜10 wt %, while the balance is Ag. The package structure further includes a substrate having an on-substrate bond pad electrically connected to the on-chip silver alloy stud bump by flip chip bonding.
US09425161B2

An embodiment of a method of attaching a semiconductor die to a substrate includes placing a bottom surface of the die over a top surface of the substrate with an intervening die attach material. The method further includes contacting a top surface of the semiconductor die and the top surface of the substrate with a conformal structure that includes a non-solid, pressure transmissive material, and applying a pressure to the conformal structure. The pressure is transmitted by the non-solid, pressure transmissive material to the top surface of the semiconductor die. The method further includes, while applying the pressure, exposing the assembly to a temperature that is sufficient to cause the die attach material to sinter. Before placing the die over the substrate, conductive mechanical lock features may be formed on the top surface of the substrate, and/or on the bottom surface of the semiconductor die.
US09425152B2

An EMI shielding package structure includes a substrate unit having a first surface with a die mounting area and a second surfaces opposite to the first surface, metallic pillars formed on the first surface, a chip mounted on and electrically connected to the die-mounting area, an encapsulant covering the chip and the first surface while exposing a portion of each of the metallic pillars from the encapsulant, and a shielding film enclosing the encapsulant and electrically connecting to the metallic pillars. A fabrication method of the above structure by two cutting processes is further provided. The first cutting process forms grooves by cutting the encapsulant. After a shielding film is formed in the grooves and electrically connected to the metallic pillars, the complete package structure is formed by the second cutting process, thereby simplifying the fabrication process while overcoming inferior grounding of the shielding film as encountered in prior techniques.
US09425150B2

An interconnect structure and a method of forming the interconnect structure are provided. Two wafers (and/or dies) are bonded together. A multi-via interconnect structure is formed extending from a backside of a first substrate to interconnect structures in the metallization layers on the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit. The multi-via interconnect structure may be formed by thinning a first substrate of a first wafer and forming a first opening through the first substrate. A second opening extends from the first opening to a first interconnect structure on the first wafer, and a third opening extends from the first interconnect structure on the first wafer to a second interconnect structure on the second wafer. The first, second, and third openings are filled with a conductive material, thereby forming a multi-via interconnect structure.
US09425147B2

A semiconductor device includes an interlayer insulating film; a wiring formed on the interlayer insulating film so as to protrude there from and made of a material having copper as a main component, the wiring having a thickness direction and having a cross sectional shape of an inverted trapezoid that becomes wider in width with distance away from the interlayer insulating film; and a passivation film formed so as to cover the wiring. The passivation film is made of a laminated film in which a first nitride film, an intermediate film, and a second nitride film are laminated in that order from the wiring side. The intermediate film is made of an insulating material differing from those of the first and second nitride films, and has a tapered portion having a cross sectional shape of a trapezoid that becomes narrower in width with distance away from the interlayer insulating film.
US09425144B2

Structure providing more reliable fuse blow location, and method of making the same. A vertical metal fuse blow structure has, prior to fuse blow, an intentionally damaged portion of the fuse conductor. The damaged portion helps the fuse blow in a known location, thereby decreasing the resistance variability in post-blow circuits. At the same time, prior to fuse blow, the fuse structure is able to operate normally. The damaged portion of the fuse conductor is made by forming an opening in a cap layer above a portion of the fuse conductor, and etching the fuse conductor. Preferably, the opening is aligned such that the damaged portion is on the top corner of the fuse conductor. A cavity can be formed in the insulator adjacent to the damaged fuse conductor. The damaged fuse structure having a cavity can be easily incorporated in a process of making integrated circuits having air gaps.
US09425143B2

Some novel features pertain to an integrated device package that includes a die, an electromagnetic (EM) passive device, an encapsulation layer covering the die and the EM passive device, and a redistribution portion coupling the die and the EM passive device. In some implementations, the EM passive device includes an electromagnetic (EM) passive device. The EM passive device includes a base layer, a via traversing the base layer, a pad coupled to the via, and at least redistribution layer configured to operate as electromagnetic (EM) passive component, where the redistribution layer is coupled to the pad. The redistribution portion of the EM passive device includes at least one redistribution layer that is configured to electrically couple the die to the EM passive device. The redistribution portion includes at least one redistribution layer that is configured as an electromagnetic (EM) shield.
US09425137B2

A wiring board includes multiple insulating layers including first, second, third, fourth and fifth insulation layers laminated in the order of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth insulation layers. The first insulation layer has a first conductor including plating, the second insulation layer has a second conductor including plating, the third insulation layer has a third conductor including conductive paste, the fourth insulation layer has a fourth conductor including plating, the fifth insulation layer has a fifth conductor including plating, and the first conductor, the second conductor, the third conductor, the fourth conductor and the fifth conductor are formed along the same axis and are electrically continuous with each other.
US09425136B2

A pillar structure for a substrate is provided. The pillar structure may have one or more tiers, where each tier may have a conical shape or a spherical shape. In an embodiment, the pillar structure is used in a bump-on-trace (BOT) configuration. The pillar structures may have circular shape or an elongated shape in a plan view. The substrate may be coupled to another substrate. In an embodiment, the another substrate may have raised conductive traces onto which the pillar structure may be coupled.
US09425133B2

An integrated circuit includes circuitry, a first conductor coupled to the circuitry, a conductive pad coupled to the first conductor, and a second conductor coupled to the conductive pad. The second conductor would be floating but for its coupling to the conductive pad. The second conductor may be spaced apart from the first conductor by a distance that is substantially equal to a width of a merged spacer that was formed from a merging of single sidewall spacers over a conductive material from which the first and second conductors were formed.
US09425128B2

A package includes an interposer, which includes a first substrate free from through-vias therein, redistribution lines over the first substrate, and a first plurality of connectors over and electrically coupled to the redistribution lines. A first die is over and bonded to the first plurality of connectors. The first die includes a second substrate, and through-vias in the second substrate. A second die is over and bonded to the plurality of connectors. The first die and the second die are electrically coupled to each other through the redistribution lines. A second plurality of connectors is over the first die and the second die. The second plurality of connectors is electrically coupled to the first plurality of connectors through the through-vias in the second substrate.
US09425125B2

An interposer is provided. The interposer includes a silicon substrate layer, a glass substrate layer, and at least one through interposer via. The silicon substrate layer is formed on top of the glass substrate layer. The interposer may also be known as a hybrid interposer because it includes two different types of substrate layers forming one interposer. The through interposer via is formed to go through the silicon substrate layer and the glass substrate layer. The interposer may be used for forming an integrated circuit package. The integrated circuit package includes multiple integrated circuits that are mounted on the interposer.
US09425122B2

A method for manufacturing an electronic component packages is provided, wherein a package precursor is provided, in which an electronic component is embedded in a sealing resin layer such that an electrode of the electronic component is exposed at a surface of the sealing resin layer. A combination of a formation process of a plurality of metal plating layers and a patterning process of the plurality of metal plating layers is provided to form a step-like metal plating layer, the formation process being performed by sequential dry and wet plating processes with respect to the package precursor, and the patterning process being performed by a patterning of at least two of the plurality of metal plating layers.
US09425109B2

A planarization method is provided. The planarization method includes providing a wafer, in which the wafer includes a work function layer, a surface layer formed on the work function layer and oxidized from the work function layer, and a planarization layer disposed on or above the surface layer, performing a chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) process on the planarization layer, providing an incident light to a surface of the wafer under the CMP process, detecting absorption of the incident light by the surface layer; and stopping the CMP process in response to an increase in the detected absorption of the incident light.
US09425108B1

A method for preventing epitaxial growth in a semiconductor device is described. The method includes cutting the fins of FinFET structure to form a set of exposed fin ends. A set of sidewall spacers are formed on the set of exposed fin ends, forming a set of spacer covered fin ends. The set of sidewall spacers prevent epitaxial growth at the set of spacer covered fin ends. A semiconductor device includes a set of fin structures having a set of fin ends. A set of inhibitory layers are disposed at the set of fin ends to inhibit excessive epitaxial growth at the fin ends.
US09425106B1

A method includes forming a plurality of fins above a substrate. At least one dielectric material is formed above and between the plurality of fins. A mask layer is formed above the dielectric material. The mask layer has an opening defined therein. A portion of the at least one dielectric material exposed by the opening is removed to expose top and sidewall surface portions of at least a subset of the fins. An etching process is performed to remove the portions of the fins in the subset exposed by removing the portion of the at least one dielectric material.
US09425105B1

A semiconductor device includes at least one semiconductor fin on an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate, and at least one metal gate stack formed on the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate. One or more pairs of source/drain contact structures are formed on the upper surface of the semiconductor fin. Each source/drain contact structure includes a metal contact stack, a spacer, and a cap spacer. The metal contact stack is formed on the upper surface of the fin. The spacer is interposed between a contact sidewall of the metal contact stack and a gate sidewall of the at least one metal gate stack. The cap spacer is formed on an upper surface of the metal contact stack and has a cap portion disposed against the spacer such that the metal gate stack is interposed between the opposing source/drain contact structures.
US09425101B2

FinFET and fabrication method thereof. The FinFET fabrication method includes providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a plurality of trenches in the semiconductor substrate, forming a buffer layer on the semiconductor substrate by filling the trenches and covering the semiconductor substrate, and forming a fin body by etching the buffer layer. The FinFET fabrication method may further includes forming a insulation layer on the buffer layer around the fin body; forming a channel layer on the surface of the fin body; forming a gate structure across the fin body; forming source/drain regions in the channel layer on two sides of the gate structure; and forming an electrode layer on the source/drain regions.
US09425085B2

Structures, devices and methods are provided for fabricating memory devices. A structure includes: a first conductive line disposed in a first conductive layer; a first landing pad disposed in the first conductive layer and associated with a second conductive line disposed in a second conductive layer; and a second landing pad disposed in the first conductive layer and associated with a third conductive line disposed in a third conductive layer. The second conductive layer and the third conductive layer are different from the first conductive layer.
US09425080B2

Semiconductor nanoparticles are deposited on a top surface of a first insulator layer of a substrate. A second insulator layer is deposited over the semiconductor nanoparticles and the first insulator layer. A semiconductor layer is then bonded to the second insulator layer to provide a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate, which includes a buried insulator layer including the first and second insulator layers and embedded semiconductor nanoparticles therein. Back gate electrodes are formed underneath the buried insulator layer, and shallow trench isolation structures are formed to isolate the back gate electrodes. Field effect transistors are formed in a memory device region and a logic device region employing same processing steps. The embedded nanoparticles can be employed as a charge storage element of non-volatile memory devices, in which charge carriers tunnel through the second insulator layer into or out of the semiconductor nanoparticles during writing and erasing.
US09425078B2

Systems and methods for depositing film in a substrate processing system includes performing a first atomic layer deposition (ALD) cycle in a processing chamber to deposit film on a substrate including a feature; after the first ALD cycle, exposing the substrate to an inhibitor plasma in the processing chamber for a predetermined period to create a varying passivated surface in the feature; and after the predetermined period, performing a second ALD cycle in the processing chamber to deposit film on the substrate.
US09425074B2

A heat treatment apparatus performs a heat treatment on a plurality of target objects held by a holding unit while allowing an inert gas to flow upwardly in a vertical processing container with at least one heating unit provided in the vicinity of the processing container. The heat treatment apparatus includes: a main temperature control unit configured to control the heating unit; an inert gas passage through which the inert gas flows into the processing container; an inert gas heating unit installed in the inert gas passage and configured to heat the inert gas; a first temperature measuring unit installed in the inert gas heating unit; and a temperature controller configured to control the inert gas heating unit based on temperatures measured by the first temperature measuring unit.
US09425072B2

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming an etching target layer over a substrate including a first region and a second region; forming a hard mask layer over the etching target layer; forming a first etch mask over the hard mask layer, wherein the first etch mask includes a plurality of line patterns and a sacrificial spacer layer formed over the line patterns; forming a second etch mask over the first etch mask, wherein the second etch mask includes a mesh type pattern and a blocking pattern covering the second region; removing the sacrificial spacer layer; forming hard mask layer patterns having a plurality of holes by etching the hard mask layer using the second etch mask and the first etch mask; and forming a plurality of hole patterns in the first region by etching the etching target layer using the hard mask layer patterns.
US09425070B2

Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device, including: a mount body having a first principal surface on which a wiring pattern is formed; a semiconductor chip mounted above the principal surface of the mount body on which the wiring pattern is formed; an underfill material filled between the mount body and the semiconductor chip, thereby forming a fillet in an outer peripheral portion of the semiconductor chip; and an introduction portion formed outside a side portion, along which the fillet is formed so as to be longest, of four side portions which measure a chip mounting area, on the mount body, onto which the semiconductor chip is mounted, the introduction portion serving to introduce the underfill material between the mount body and the semiconductor chip.
US09425068B2

A method for manufacturing semiconductor device may include the following steps: performing an etching process to remove a sacrificial layer from a first composite structure, wherein the first composite structure includes a first substrate structure; performing a heat treatment to release a gas from the first composite structure; performing a cleaning process to remove an oxide layer from the first composite structure; and combining the first composite structure with a second composite structure that includes a second substrate structure and an electronic component positioned on the second substrate substructure, such that the first substrate structure is combined with the second substrate structure to form an enclosure structure that encloses the electronic component.
US09425066B2

A circuit substrate includes a dielectric layer and a plurality of conductive structures. The dielectric layer has a plurality of conductive openings, a first surface, and a second surface opposite to the first surface. Each of the conductive openings connects the first surface and the second surface. The conductive openings are respectively filled with the conductive structures. Each of the conductive structures is integrally formed and includes a pad part, a connection part, and a protruding part. Each of the connection parts is connected to the corresponding pad part and the corresponding protruding part. Each of the protruding parts has a curved surface that protrudes from the second surface. A process for fabricating the circuit substrate is also provided.
US09425060B2

A method for fabricating multiple layers of ultra narrow silicon wires comprises the steps of fabricating wet-etch masking layers of silicon; forming a Fin and source/drain regions located at both ends thereof by epitaxy; forming the multiple layers of ultra narrow silicon wires. The present invention has advantages in that: the atom layer depositing may define the position of the ultra narrow silicon wires accurately, having a good controllability; the anisotropic wet-etch for silicon is performed in a self-stop manner and has a large process window, so that the cross-section shape of the nanowires formed by wet-etch is uniform and smooth. The method to form multiple layers of wet-etch masks at the sidewalls of Fins, in which wet-etch masking layers are formed prior to the epitaxy of Fins is a simple process, so that the multiple sidewall wet-etch masking layers may be obtained by only one etching to the epitaxy window, regardless of the numbers of the wet-etch masking layers; a wire with a diameter less than 10 nm may be fabricated by virtue of the oxidation technology, and thus satisfies the small size devices; the TMAH solution, which is simple and safe to control, is used in the wet-etch for polysilicon, and metal ions are not introduced and thus suitable for the integrated circuit manufacturing process; the method according to the present invention is fully compatible with the planar transistor based on the bulk silicon, and thus the process cost is small.
US09425058B2

Methods of patterning a blanket layer (a target etch layer) on a substrate are described. The methods involve multiple patterning steps of a mask layer several layers above the target etch layer. The compound pattern, made from multiple patterning steps, is later transferred in one set of operations through the stack to save process steps.
US09425055B2

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a charge storage stack over a portion of the substrate. The charge storage stack includes a first dielectric layer, a layer of nanocrystals in contact with the first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer over and in contact with the layer of nanocrystals, a nitride layer over and in contact with the second dielectric layer, and a third dielectric layer over the nitride layer.
US09425049B2

The present disclosure relates to a method for performing a self-aligned litho-etch (SALE) process. In some embodiments, the method is performed by forming a first cut layer over a substrate having a multi-layer hard mask with a first layer and an underlying second layer. A first plurality of openings, cut according to the first cut layer, are formed to expose the second layer at a first plurality of positions corresponding to a first plurality of shapes of a SALE design layer. A spacer material is deposited onto sidewalls of the multi-layer hard mask to form a second cut layer. A second plurality of openings, cut according to the second cut layer, are formed to expose the second layer at a second plurality of positions corresponding to a second plurality of shapes of the SALE design layer. The second layer is etched according to the first and second plurality of openings.
US09425035B2

A mass or mass to charge ratio selective ion trap is disclosed which directs ions into a small ejection region. A RF voltage acts to confine ions in a first (y) direction within the ion trap. A DC or RF voltage acts to confine ions in a second (x) direction. A quadratic DC potential well acts to confine ions in a third (z) direction within the ion trap. The profile of the quadratic DC potential well progressively varies along the second (x) direction.
US09425033B2

The invention provides methods and devices to pulse ions from an RF ion storage into the flight tube of a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The pusher cell comprises essentially two parallel plates, both plates completely slotted into two electrically insulated halves. The four half plates can be supplied with RF voltages to form a two-dimensional quadrupole field in the center between the slits, or with DC voltages to form a homogeneous acceleration field to eject ions. The RF quadrupole field is not ideal, but sufficiently good to store ions, to damp the ions by an additional collision gas, and to form a fine thread of ions in the axis of the quadrupole field. The DC acceleration field is extremely homogeneous; slight distortions near the slits can be corrected by external electrodes. The ideal acceleration field results in a high mass resolution and the device does not show any mass discrimination.
US09425030B2

A photomultiplier tube having an ion suppression electrode positioned between a photocathode and an electron multiplying device in the photomultiplier tube is disclosed. The ion suppression electrode includes a grid that is configured to provide sufficient rigidity to avoid deformation during operation of the photomultiplier tube. The photomultiplier tube also includes a source of electric potential connected to the electron multiplying device and to the ion suppression electrode to provide a first voltage to the second electrode and a second voltage to the suppression grid electrode wherein the second voltage has a magnitude equal to or greater than the magnitude of the first voltage. A method of making the photomultiplier and a method of using it are also disclosed.
US09425028B2

A plasma processing apparatus includes an upper electrode arranged at a processing chamber and including a plurality of gas supplying zones, a branch pipe including a plurality of branch parts, an addition pipe connected to at least one of the branch parts, and a plurality of gas pipes that connect the branch parts to the gas supplying zones. The upper electrode supplies a processing gas including a main gas to the processing chamber via the gas supplying zones. The branch pipe divides the processing gas according to a predetermined flow rate ratio and supplies the divided processing gas to the gas supplying zones. The addition pipe adds an adjustment gas. A gas flow path of the gas pipe connected to the branch part to which the addition pipe is connected includes a bending portion for preventing a gas concentration variation according to an adjustment gas-to-main gas molecular weight ratio.
US09425027B2

Methods of affecting a material's properties through the implantation of ions, such as by using a plasma processing apparatus with a plasma sheath modifier. In this way, properties such as resistance to chemicals, adhesiveness, hydrophobicity, and hydrophilicity, may be affected. These methods can be applied to a variety of technologies. In some cases, ion implantation is used in the manufacture of printer heads to reduce clogging by increasing the materials hydrophobicity. In other embodiments, MEMS and NEMS devices are produced using ion implantation to change the properties of fluid channels and other structures. In addition, ion implantation can be used to affect a material's resistance to chemicals, such as acids.
US09425026B2

Systems and methods are provided for matching the impedance of a load to an impedance of a power generator. Embodiments include a matching network with a dynamically configurable component assembly array couplable to the variable impedance load and the RF power generator, wherein the component assembly array includes one or more tune and load electrical components. The component assembly array is adapted to be configured for each recipe step, and at least one of the electrical components is a variable impedance component adjustable to reduce RF energy reflected from the variable impedance load for each recipe step. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US09425024B2

A load simulator includes a passive element, two electrode plates that are connected to the passive element, and a bias applier. The bias applier is a coil spring, for example, and is provided between the two electrode plates. The bias applier biases at least one of the two electrode plates in a predetermined direction. The two electrode plates are disposed so as to be substantially parallel with each other, for example, and the bias applier biases the two electrode plates in the direction of separation from each other.
US09425023B2

An ion generator includes an arc chamber, a cathode that extends outward from the inside of the arc chamber in an axial direction and that emits a thermal electron into the arc chamber, a thermal reflector with a cylindrical shape provided around the cathode in a radial direction and extending in the axial direction, and a narrow structure configured to narrow a width in the radial direction of a gap between the cathode and the thermal reflector at a given position in the axial direction.
US09425022B2

Disclosed herein are a monochromator and a charged particle beam apparatus including the same. The monochromator may include a first electrostatic lens configured to have a charged particle beam discharged by an emitter incident on the first electrostatic lens, refract a ray of the charged particle beam, and include a plurality of electrodes and a second electrostatic lens spaced apart from the first electrostatic lens at a specific interval and configured to have a central axis disposed identically with a central axis of the first electrostatic lens, have the charged particle beam output by the first electrostatic lens incident on the second electrostatic lens, refract the ray of the charged particle beam, and comprise a plurality of electrodes. Accordingly, there is an advantage in that a charged particle beam can have an excellent profile even after passing through the monochromator.
US09425020B2

A miniaturized all-metal slow-wave structure includes: a circular metal waveguide; and metal electric resonance units provided in the circular metal waveguide; wherein the metal electric resonance unit provided in the circular metal waveguide includes a ring-shaped electric resonance metal plate with an electron beam tunnel provided on a center thereof, and a ring plate body of the ring-shaped electric resonance metal plate has two auricle-shaped through-holes symmetrically aside an axial-section; a main body of the auricle-shaped through-hole is a ring-shaped hole, two column holes extending towards a center of a circle are provided at two ends of the ring-shaped hole; the ring-shaped electric resonance metal plates are perpendicular to an axis and are provided inside the circular metal waveguide with equal intervals therebetween, external surfaces of the ring-shaped electric resonance metal plates are mounted on an internal surface of the circular metal waveguide.
US09425017B2

A manufacturing method of a complex type fusible link. The manufacturing method includes hollowing out a metal plate into a link-like conductor including a connecting plate and a terminal, cutting out the link-like conductor so as to separate the connecting plate and the terminal, forming, by insert molding, a block base including a cavity after setting the connecting plate and the terminal in a mold, and directly connecting a fusible element to an exposed portion of the connecting plate and an exposed portion of the terminal.
US09425012B2

There is provided an electromagnetic operation device for a vacuum circuit breaker, which controls by its electromagnetic operation, a speed of contact switching operation of a vacuum switch tube used in the vacuum circuit breaker, the electromagnetic operation device including a closing drive coil for the vacuum switch tube; and a first temperature sensor that measures a temperature surrounding the closing drive coil, wherein a current caused to flow through the closing drive coil is controlled based on the temperature measured by the first temperature sensor.
US09425008B1

A switch includes a switch housing, a button, a circuit board having at least one magnet sensor, and a magnet holder, including at least one magnet, movably mounted to the housing to move responsive to an actuation of the button. A vane interrupter in the switch includes a passage structure positioned proximate to each magnet sensor such that a respective magnet is movable at least partially within a passage defined by the passage structure, and a flange structure having a first flange and a second flange positioned on opposing ends of the passage structure, with the first flange positioned adjacent a portion of the magnet holder holding the magnet and with the second flange positioned adjacent a surface of the circuit board opposite a surface on which the at least one magnet sensor is positioned, such that the circuit board is positioned between the magnet holder and the second flange.
US09424986B2

A multi-function wireless power induction mousepad is composed of a lower soft pad, a foam pad and an upper soft pad, which is flexible and can be rolled for storage. A power module is embedded on the foam pad. The power module includes a power induction coil and a USB socket. The power module supplies power to a mouse having a charging induction coil or a cell phone to be charged. The present invention can cooperate with other peripheral devices, such as a display, a touch-control panel, an LED panel, a writing panel, electronic paper, electronic message board and the like, according to the demand of the user, providing a multi-function effect.
US09424985B2

A feed unit includes: a power transmission coil provided to perform power transmission with use of a magnetic field; a parallel LC resonance circuit including the power transmission coil; a series LC resonance circuit; an alternating-current signal generating section supplying the parallel LC resonance circuit and the series LC resonance circuit with an alternating-current signal used to perform the power transmission; and a control section controlling the alternating-current signal generating section with use of a predetermined control signal, the control section performing frequency control of the control signal to allow a circuit current that flows upon the power transmission to become smaller.
US09424979B2

A magnetic element includes a first magnetic core, a second magnetic core, an intermediate magnetic core, a first winding coil, and a second winding coil. The intermediate magnetic core is arranged between the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core. After the first magnetic core and the intermediate magnetic core are coupled with each other, a first winding space and a first air gap are defined. After the second magnetic core and the intermediate magnetic core are coupled with each other, a second winding space and a second air gap are defined. The first winding coil is disposed within the first winding space and arranged around the first air gap. The second winding coil is disposed within the second winding space and arranged around the second air gap. The first winding coil and the second winding coil are connected with each other in series.
US09424972B2

A solenoid for a vehicle starter includes at least one coil with a passage extending through the coil in an axial direction. The solenoid further includes a plunger configured to move in the axial direction within the passage. The plunger includes a cylindrical outer surface with a substantially uniform diameter and a circumferential notch. The cylindrical outer surface includes a first portion with a first diameter on one side of the circumferential notch, and a second portion with the first diameter on an opposite side of the circumferential notch. The circumferential notch includes a portion with a second diameter that is less than the first diameter.
US09424967B2

A varistor, or voltage-limiting composition has a polymer matrix and a particulate filler containing a partially conductive material applied to an electrically non-conductive carrier material. The carrier material has a lower density than the partially conductive material, so that the settling rate of the filler in the polymer matrix is reduced. The voltage-limiting composition can therefore also be used as a lacquer or for prepreg materials. A body which acts as a varistor may be produced using a composition of this kind by a method that includes annealing. The varistor may be used for surge arresters, in particular in medium-voltage systems, low-voltage systems, cable connections and cable fasteners.
US09424966B2

A method for forming an electrical connection structure part according to the present invention includes a step of covering, with an alloy body, a connection part between a first conductor part and a second conductor part, so as to form the electrical connection structure part. The first conductor part contains aluminum. The second conductor part has a surface covered with an ingredient containing nickel. The alloy body contains tin, silver, and nickel. The method further includes steps of: connecting the first conductor part and the second conductor part to each other to form the connection part; melting the alloy body; and dipping at least the connection part into the molten alloy body.
US09424957B1

A subdermal lighting apparatus with enhanced operational longevity, safety and biological compatibility with a user is provided. The subdermal lighting apparatus includes a housing unit to store a radioactive isotope, a phosphor layer affixed to an interior surface of the housing unit to interact with radiation emitted by the radioactive isotope to generate visible light, a radiation shielding layer disposed around the housing unit and able to permit the generated visible light to pass through, and a biologically safe layer disposed around the radiation shielding layer able to permit the generated visible light to pass through. The biologically safe layer serves as a barrier between the radiation shielding layer and biological tissue of the user, thereby enhancing user safety of the apparatus.
US09424956B2

This underwater electricity production module includes an elongated cylindrical box, which includes a reactor compartment and an electricity production unit. The reactor compartment includes a reservoir chamber and a dry chamber. A nuclear reactor is located in the dry chamber. The reservoir chamber forms a safety water storage reservoir. At least a radial wall of the reservoir chamber is in a direct heat exchange relationship with a marine environment that surrounds the cylindrical box. The nuclear reactor includes a nuclear boiler which includes a pressurizer connected through a depressurizing valve to the reservoir chamber.
US09424955B2

Embodiments of systems and methods for compressing plasma are described in which plasma pressures above the breaking point of solid material can be achieved by injecting a plasma into a funnel of liquid metal in which the plasma is compressed and/or heated.
US09424951B2

A sensor circuit is used to provide bit-cell read strength distribution of an SRAM array. A current-mirror circuit mirroring the bit-line current of an SRAM array is used to power the sensor circuit. A reference current representing nominal bit-cell read current is used as a reference. The current-mirror circuit senses the bit-line current. The current-mirror and the ring oscillator are not part of the bit-line read path.
US09424949B2

A shift register circuit includes a first transistor, a capacitor, a pull-up control circuit, a first pull-down circuit, a pull-down control circuit, a second pull-down circuit and a compensation circuit. The compensation circuit further includes a second transistor, a third transistor, a fourth transistor, a fifth transistor and a sixth transistor. The second transistor, the third transistor, the fourth transistor, and the fifth transistor are corporately used to output a compensation pulse; and the sixth transistor is used to output the compensation pulse to a gate terminal of the first transistor thereby compensating a control signal.
US09424944B2

Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for detecting voltage threshold drift. A method includes programming a predetermined pattern to one page of at least three pages of a set of memory cells. A pattern may have a configuration to reduce a number of bit transitions between abodes of a set of memory cells based on a coding scheme for the set of memory cells. A method includes reading data from a different page of at least three pages. A method includes determining a direction for adjusting a read voltage threshold for a set of memory cells based on read data.
US09424940B1

A nonvolatile memory device includes a substrate, a plurality of memory cells stacked in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, word lines connected to the memory cells, a ground select transistor between the memory cells and the substrate, a ground select transistor between the memory cells and the substrate, a ground select line connected to the ground select transistor, a bit line on the memory cells, and a string select transistor between the memory cells and the bit line. In an erase operation, the ground select line is floated at a time when a specific time passes after the erase voltage is provided to the substrate. And the ground select line is floated at different times depending on a temperature.
US09424934B2

A non-volatile semiconductor memory device utilized to implement the writing of data by adding a predetermined voltage for assigning a word line to a non-volatile memory cell includes a control process or generating and outputting control data implementing a program code for writing data including a word line assignment command and voltage source assignment data, a writing controller decoding the control data and generating a control signal of the word line assignment command and a control signal of the voltage source assignment data, a voltage generation circuit generating several voltages for writing data, and a switch circuit selecting a voltage, corresponding to voltage source assignment data, among several voltages, according to the control signal of the word line assignment command and the control signal of voltage source assignment data and outputting the selected voltage to the word line corresponding to the word line assignment command.
US09424932B2

A programming method is for programming a nonvolatile memory device including a plurality of strings disposed perpendicular to a substrate and connected between bitlines and a common source line. The programming method includes setting up the common source line to a predetermined voltage, floating the setup common source line, performing a program operation on memory cells connected to a selected wordline, and performing a verify operation on the memory cells.
US09424924B2

A non-volatile semiconductor memory device is proposed that has an unprecedented novel structure in which carriers can be injected into a floating gate by applying various voltages of the same polarity. According to the non-volatile semiconductor memory device of the present invention, in a memory transistor, a PN junction is formed at the boundary between a channel region and an opposite polarity type impurity diffusion layer, to allow a floating gate to be charged to have the same polarity as the polarity of the channel region, whereby a part of electrons accelerated in a depletion layer between the channel region and an opposite polarity type extension region, and secondary electrons generated by the accelerated electrons can be injected into the floating gate by being attracted to a gate electrode, as a result of which electrons can be injected into the floating gate even when, without simultaneously applying positive and negative voltages as in the conventional case, various voltages of the same polarity are applied to the floating gate, an impurity diffusion layer, and the opposite polarity type impurity diffusion layer.
US09424921B2

An object is to provide a signal processing circuit which can be manufactured without a complex manufacturing process and suppress power consumption. A storage element includes two logic elements (referred to as a first phase-inversion element and a second phase-inversion element) which invert a phase of an input signal and output the signal, a first selection transistor, and a second selection transistor. In the storage element, two pairs each having a transistor in which a channel is formed in an oxide semiconductor layer and a capacitor (a pair of a first transistor and a first capacitor, and a pair of a second transistor and a second capacitor) are provided. The storage element is used in a storage device such as a register or a cache memory included in a signal processing circuit.
US09424914B2

A resistive memory apparatus and a memory cell thereof are provided. The resistive memory cell includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a first resistor and a second resistor. First and second terminals of the first transistor are respectively coupled to a first bit line and a reference voltage. First and second terminals of the second transistor are respectively coupled to a second bit line and the reference voltage. The first resistor is serially coupled on a coupling path between the first terminal of the first transistor and the first bit line, or on a coupling path between the second terminal of the first transistor and the reference voltage. The second resistor is serially coupled on a coupling path between the first terminal of the second transistor coupled and the second bit line, or on a coupling path between the second terminal of the second transistor and the reference voltage.
US09424905B2

A semiconductor memory device includes a variable resistance memory element connected between first and second conductive lines intersecting each other, and a PN junction diode connected between the variable resistance memory element and the first conductive line. The method of operating the semiconductor device includes supplying the variable resistance memory element with a first directional current flowing from the second conductive line to the first conductive line by applying a first forward bias to the PN junction diode, and supplying the variable resistance memory element with a second directional current flowing from the first conductive line to the second conductive line by applying a reverse bias to the PN junction diode immediately after applying a second forward bias to the PN junction diode.
US09424896B2

Embodiments of a method for operating a computer system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the memory unit has a non-volatile memory array and processing logic and the non-volatile memory array stores initialization data that is used by the processing logic to perform input/output operations of the memory unit. The method involves storing the initialization data in retention registers within the memory unit, wherein the retention registers are separate from the non-volatile memory array and retain data while the memory unit is power gated, using the stored initialization data in the retention registers to initialize the memory unit upon exiting the power gating.
US09424895B2

A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a write driver configured to transfer input data to a data storage region. The semiconductor memory apparatus may also include a sense amplifier configured to sense and amplify the data stored in the data storage region and output output data. Further, the semiconductor memory apparatus may also include an enable signal generation block configured to generate a write driver enable signal and a sense amplifier enable signal according to a comparison result of the input data and the output data.
US09424870B2

Technologies are described herein for preventing adjacent track erasure in a storage device using position error signal compensation from a previously written track in a storage device. A first data track is written to a recording medium in the storage device while position error signal information regarding deviations of a read/write head from an ideal center of the first data track are recorded. The recorded position error signal information is then utilized during the writing of a second, adjacent data track to the recording medium to position the read/write head in order to compensate for non-uniformities in the writing of the first data track.
US09424861B2

The APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR A DIGITAL CONVERSATION MANAGEMENT PLATFORM (“DCM-Platform”) transforms digital dialogue from consumers, client demands and, Internet search inputs via DCM-Platform components into tradable digital assets, and client needs based artificial intelligence campaign plan outputs. In one implementation, The DCM-Platform may capture and examine conversations between individuals and artificial intelligence conversation agents. These agents may be viewed as assets. One can measure the value and performance of these agents by assessing their performance and ability to generate revenue from prolonging conversations and/or ability to effect sales through conversations with individuals.
US09424855B2

An audio device comprises a processor, an audio processing module, a high frequency noise generating circuit, a first switch control circuit, a second switch control circuit, a low pass filter circuit and an adder circuit. The audio device generates a watermark data, an original audio signal and a high frequency noise signal. The high frequency noise signal pass through a first switch control circuit and a second switch control circuit according to watermark data. A low pass filter circuit filters the high frequency noise signal received from the first switch control circuit to form a first add data. An adder circuit receives the first add data from the low pass filter circuit, receives the high frequency noise signal from the second switch control circuit as a second add data, and adds the first add data and the second add data to the original audio signal.
US09424840B1

A speech recognition platform configured to receive an audio signal that includes speech from a user and perform automatic speech recognition (ASR) on the audio signal to identify ASR results. The platform may identify: (i) a domain of a voice command within the speech based on the ASR results and based on context information associated with the speech or the user, and (ii) an intent of the voice command. In response to identifying the intent, the platform may perform a corresponding action, such as streaming audio to the device, setting a reminder for the user, purchasing an item on behalf of the user, making a reservation for the user or launching an application for the user. The speech recognition platform, in combination with the device, may therefore facilitate efficient interactions between the user and a voice-controlled device.
US09424832B1

A system that allows a vehicle operator to record and send a voice message without ever releasing their hands from the wheel and taking their eyes off the road is disclosed. This system also allows incoming notification of messages to be read out loud to the user if they choose. The recipient, if not driving, can choose to see a transcription of the voice message, otherwise the recorded message is played back as recorded by a sending user.
US09424827B2

Electronic percussion instruments with enhanced playing areas and methods and systems for generating electrical signals in response to impacts to a playing surface are disclosed. A semi-permeable playing surface covering an acoustic noise reducing cavity of an electronic percussion instrument may receive an impact within a predefined impact region, and an electrical signal may be generated in response by an electromechanical sensor that senses the impact. In many instances, the generated electrical signal may be configured to be equivalent in magnitude to any other electrical signal generated by the electromechanical sensor, in response to any other received impact within the same predefined impact region.
US09424825B2

A keyboard apparatus has a plurality of white keys and black keys each of which pivot. The keyboard apparatus also has a plurality of reaction force generation members 21w and 21b provided for the white keys and the black keys, respectively. The reaction force generation members 21w and 21b have dome portions 21w1 and 21b1, respectively, which are thin and shaped like a dome so as to be elastically deformed by depression, and base portions 21w3 and 21b3, respectively, which are thick and are formed integrally with the dome portions 21w1 and 21b1 to support the dome portions 21w1 and 21b1, the base portions 21w3 and 21b3 jutting outward from respective lower end surfaces of the dome portions 21w1 and 21b1. The vertical position of the lower end of the dome portion 21w1 is displaced from the vertical position of the lower end of the dome portion 21b1.
US09424815B2

Art stream commands comprising gestures, drawing state, and attribution information are received from one or more clients participating in a collaboration session. The art stream commands enable the rendering of and provide source control for a visual document. Attribution for visual differences may be provided. Each of the one or more clients may rewind and play back the art stream commands to provide a detailed understanding of what was contributed by whom. All changes and image variations are non-destructive.
US09424810B2

System and method for view navigation guidance system for a physical display that is smaller than the virtual display it needs to display. Guidance map placed in a heads-up display layer within a small user defined area of the physical display provides an instantaneous indication of the current position of the screen view with minimal obstruction of the contents information. Color selection for the guidance map is automatically determined based on the background color in the main display layer beneath the map. The guidance map area on a touch screen display may include tapping controls, and the position of the guidance map can be dynamically altered by the user during the view navigation to control the navigation parameters.
US09424809B1

A system for displaying a unified image on a multi-panel display includes a projector and a display engine. The projector is configured to project a patterned projection on a bezel region between an array of display panels arranged to be viewed as a multi-panel display. The display engine is coupled to drive the multi-panel display to display image sections. The patterned projection and the image sections combine to form a unified image.
US09424807B2

A multimedia system includes a main special function register (SFR) configured to store SFR information; a plurality of processing modules each configured to process frames of data, based on the SFR information; and a system control logic configured to control operations of the main SFR and the plurality of processing modules. The plurality of processing modules may process data of different frames at the same time period.
US09424805B2

A display drive integrated circuit includes a frame buffer, an output selector and a timing controller. The output selector selectively outputs one of image data read from the frame buffer and image data transmitted from a source external to the display drive integrated circuit. The timing controller controls output of the image data read from the frame buffer to the display panel in a self-refresh mode, and controls internal display timing to track external display timing when the display drive integrated circuit exits from the self-refresh mode to control the output selector to output the image data transmitted from the source to the display panel when the internal display timing is synchronized to the external display timing.
US09424792B2

A test method for line defect in a display panel (10) comprises: inputting a first ON signal and a first OFF signal into odd rows of gate scanning lines (GE12) and even rows of gate scanning lines (GS13) of the display panel (10) respectively, to turn on transistors controlled by the odd rows of gate scanning lines (GE12), and turn off transistors controlled by the even rows of gate scanning lines (GS13), thereby obtaining a first test image; inputting a second OFF signal and a second ON signal into the odd rows of gate scanning lines (GE12) and even rows of gate scanning lines (GS13) of the display panel (10) respectively, to turn off the transistors controlled by the odd rows of gate scanning lines (GE12), and turn on the transistors controlled by the even rows of gate scanning lines (GE13), thereby obtaining a second test image; comparing the first test image with the second test image to determine that line display defect appearing in the first test image or the second test image are true display defect. Also is disclosed a test device for line defect in a display panel (10). This method allows the test result to approach the lighting test result under module signal input state and can detect true defect of the display panel (10).
US09424790B2

Disclosed are a portable device and a control method thereof for convenient and accurate dimming control. The portable device includes a foldable display unit, a state sensor unit to detect folded and unfolded states of the foldable display unit, an input sensor unit to sense user input and a processor to control the respective units. The processor converts the portable device from a first dimming mode to a second dimming mode upon detection of change of the foldable display unit from the unfolded state to the folded state, perform dimming of the foldable display unit based on a dimming time different with the second dimming time when the user input is sensed in the second dimming mode within a second dimming time, and performs dimming of the foldable display unit after the second dimming time has passed when the user input is not sensed in the second dimming mode within the second dimming time.
US09424784B2

The present invention discloses a local backlight brightness adjustment method for a direct backlight in a display device, the method comprising the steps of: step 1: performing edge detection on an input image to determine whether a sensitive zone exists, the sensitive zone being a portion in the input image in which a gray level difference between adjacent pixels is greater than a predetermined threshold; and Step 2: if a sensitive zone exists, performing a backlight brightness adjustment with respect to a backlight region corresponding to the sensitive zone and a remaining backlight region other than the backlight region corresponding to the sensitive zone, respectively. According to the above-mentioned technical solution, since the backlight brightness adjustment are performed with respect to the backlight region corresponding to the sensitive zone and the remaining backlight region other than the backlight region corresponding to the sensitive zone, respectively, thus, when there is gray level abruptly-varying portion in the image, the display performance of the displayer can still be ensured.
US09424776B2

A pixel driving circuit includes a signal loading component, a storage capacitor, a compensation component, a mirror component, and a drive transistor. In a data transmission stage, the signal loading component transmits a received image data signal to the gate of a drive transistor, which is stored in a storage capacitor; and in a threshold voltage compensation stage, the compensation component connects the gate of the drive transistor to the source of the drive transistor so as to generate a drive signal dependent upon the threshold voltage of the drive transistor from the signal stored in the storage capacitor and to drive an organic light emitting diode to emit light, thus eliminating an influence of the threshold voltage of the drive transistor on the current through the organic light emitting diode and preventing the brightness of the organic light emitting diode from varying over its operating period of time.
US09424773B2

A display panel includes: a display section including a plurality of unit pixels; and a display drive section configured to generate first pixel packets and supply the first pixel packets to the display section, the first pixel packets each including luminance data of a digital signal, the pieces of luminance data determining respective luminances of respective predetermined number of unit pixels of the plurality of unit pixels, and the first pixel packets being equal in number to the predetermined number of unit pixels.
US09424771B2

A unit pixel includes a first sub-pixel that emits a first color light, a second sub-pixel that emits a second color light, a third sub-pixel that emits a third color light, and a fourth sub-pixel that emits a fourth color light. Here, the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, the third sub-pixel, and the fourth sub-pixel are arranged in a rhombus structure.
US09424759B2

Disclosed is a Braille display device. The device supports an array of individual Braille cells with corresponding tactile pins. The pins can be selectively lifted by way of reeds to generate Braille characters that can be felt by the user. The Braille characters can correspond to visible characters, such as characters on a computer screen. The display is refreshable to allow for the sequential display of lines, paragraphs, or pages. In accordance with the disclosure, the Braille cells are constructed in a manner that minimizes manufacturing costs and that also permits the size of the display to be greatly reduced.
US09424753B2

A user interface for an integrated autopilot and flight management system for an aircraft includes a plurality of tactical parameter controls for operation of the autopilot and a plurality of strategic parameter controls for operation of the flight management system.
US09424751B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for collecting vehicle data from a vehicle engine computer of a vehicle and a plurality of sensors disposed about the vehicle and generating feedbacks for a driver of the vehicle using at least the vehicle data. The systems and methods additionally provide for receiving user inputs from the driver responding to the feedbacks so that the user inputs are associated with corresponding rule violations that triggered the feedbacks.
US09424749B1

A traffic signal system for congested trafficways has a plurality of stationary alarm light/sensor-reader combinations and mobile alarm light/sensor-reader combinations monitoring each other and monitory tags placed on individuals, machines, and hazards to provide real time alarms to not only pedestrians but also machine operators, who are potentially approaching harm's way, or have the better ability to avert potential harm. Different forms of alarms are provided to indicate different kinds of alarm conditions and to reduce complacency to alarms, and thus improve effectiveness.
US09424748B2

Methods for reporting traffic conditions on road segments containing a bottleneck include: (a) calculating an amount of traffic congestion on a segment of a roadway, the segment containing a bottleneck, based on a free-flow speed specific to a subsection of the segment from which a report of an observed speed is received; and (b) communicating, by the computer processor, information indicative of the amount of traffic congestion on the segment to a client. Apparatuses for reporting traffic conditions on road segments containing a bottleneck are described.
US09424731B2

A multi level hazard detection system for home residents or owners or service providers that want to efficiently monitor and detect numerous common hazards in houses, offices or industrial structures. Hazards that may be dangerous their health or to the structural integrity of their houses, offices and industrial structures and all appliances and systems that are of these structures such as heating and cooling systems, pipes and more. By detecting hazards in advance, residents home owners and service providers can better protect their property. The multi level hazard detection system generally includes Single or Multi Sensor Device (170) that can be based on Low Power Communication Module (110), A Monitor and Control Device (140) which can be a mobile phone, desktop or laptop computer, an Analytic Server (150) and Relay Dongle (160).
US09424729B2

A mobile tracking unit includes a controller having a processor, a memory in electronic communication with the processor, and instructions stored in the memory. The instructions are executable by the processor to communicate with a control unit of an automation and security system, determine a position of the mobile tracking unit relative to a base station using a low power location module, and communicate the position of the mobile tracking unit to at least one of the base station and a control unit of the automation and security system. When the mobile tracking unit is outside a specified range from the mobile tracking unit, the controller continues tracking the position of the mobile tracking unit with the low power location module. When the mobile tracking unit is inside the specified range, the controller determines the position of the mobile tracking unit using a high power location module.
US09424728B2

The instant disclosure provides a child safety seat alarm to notify the driver of a vehicle that an infant is in its carrier inside of the vehicle when a personal electronic device carried by the driver is moved a great distance from the carrier. The instant disclosure provides a computer application for notification of user selected contacts via SMS messaging, e-mail messaging, or social media alerts.
US09424723B2

A luggage bag is disclosed which comprises electronic circuits comprising a geolocation module and a communication module that are designed such that an information item relating to the position of the luggage bag may be remotely accessible to a user, the communication module exhibiting a switch-off device allowing its deactivation by the user independently of the remainder of the electronic circuits. The electronic circuits comprise a detection module, designed to take measurements of at least one physical quantity and to identify conditions corresponding to the landing of an aircraft. They can also be programmed to operate in an aircraft mode in which, after deactivation of the communication module in response to an action of the user, the detection module performs measurements staggered over time, the electronic circuits being designed to automatically reactivate the communication module subsequent to the identification of conditions corresponding to the landing of an aircraft.
US09424707B2

An actuated castellation plate can be arranged across a length of a currency passageway of a currency acceptor assembly and configured in an open state. Pressure from an attempted string fraud, such as pulling in reverse a bill across the castellation plate, can actuate the castellation plate to a closed state, obstructing the currency passageway so that the bait bill cannot be retrieved. Embodiments can include a currency acceptor including a currency passageway, mounting assembly, currency storage assembly having an entrance, the currency passageway being arranged to guide a currency denomination to the entrance of the currency storage assembly, and an actuated castellation plate including an array of teeth coupled to a baseplate including a receptacle and two opposing mounting ends, the castellation plate being configured at the entrance of the cashbox assembly to transfer between an open and closed state. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.
US09424690B2

A method, comprising: obtaining an image data of a physical object; the physical object comprises a plurality of markers positioned on the outer surface of the physical object; analyzing, using a computer, the data, to identify visual markers information indicative of at least some of a plurality of markers; determining an orientation and a location of the physical object in response to predefined attributes of the plurality of markers and to the visual markers information.
US09424689B2

An augmented reality technique is implemented by, for example, an information processing apparatus which is configured to function and operate as an image acquiring unit that acquires an image of a real space captured by an imaging device, a feature detection unit that detects one or more features from the captured image, an image generating unit that generates an image of a virtual space and places a virtual object made to correspond to the detected feature at a position in the virtual space based on the position of the detected feature in the acquired real space image, and a display control unit that causes an image to be displayed on a display device such that a user sees the virtual space image superimposed upon the acquired real space image. In one example operation implementation, when a first feature and a second feature are detected together in a captured real space image, the image generating unit determines a first virtual object corresponding to a combination of the first feature and the second feature and places the first virtual object at a position in the virtual space based on a position of the second feature in the acquired real space image.
US09424683B2

A transposing apparatus is configured by a computer controlling a computing device having computing elements arranged into a matrix and memory devices connected to the computing elements. The computing device executes an electromagnetic field analysis process on latticed three-dimensional analysis subject data present in a three-dimensional coordinate system. The computer is configured to detect the number of lined-up lattices in a direction of a first axis, in a direction of a second axis, and in a direction of a third axis of the coordinate system, through detection on the three-dimensional analysis subject data; transpose a group of lattices of the three-dimensional analysis subject data, based on the detected numbers of lined-up lattices and on the number of lined-up computing elements in a row direction and in a column direction; and output to the computing device, the three-dimensional analysis subject data transposed.
US09424671B1

Implementations generally relate to optimizing a photo album layout. In some implementations, a method includes receiving a plurality of images and determining a target arrangement. The method also includes arranging the plurality of images in an N-dimensional arrangement based on a predetermined distance function. The method also includes arranging the plurality of images in the target arrangement based on the N-dimensional arrangement.
US09424669B1

A system comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program and a method for generating graphical representations of event participation flows are presented. In example embodiments, the method includes receiving a subject event identifier entered as user input via a user interface. The method further includes accessing event data including a plurality of event data records that include an event record corresponding to the subject event identifier. The event record includes a set of participant identifiers corresponding to participants of a subject event identified by the subject event identifier. The method further includes determining an event participation flow for the participants of the subject event using the event data, and causing presentation of a graphical representation of the event participation flow in the user interface.
US09424668B1

Systems and methods are provided for sharing a screen from a mobile device. For example, a method includes receiving an image from a mobile device, performing recognition on the image to identify space-delimited strings, and generating a content graph for the image, the content graph having content nodes that represent at least some of the strings and the content graph having edges that represent a relative position of strings associated with the content nodes connected by the edges. The method may also include repeating the receiving, performing recognition, and generating for a plurality of images, the plurality of images belonging to a session, and generating a combined graph from the plurality of content graphs based on similarity of content nodes between content graphs, the combined graph representing text from the plurality of images in reading order.
US09424657B2

An image processing method for detecting an image motion information between a first image unit and a second image unit is provided. The first image unit and second image unit respectively comprise a plurality of blocks, and each of the blocks comprises a plurality of pixels. The image motion detection method comprises: analyzing pixels at the same position in all blocks of the first image unit to generate a first image statistical information; analyzing pixels at the same position in all blocks of the first image unit to generate a first image statistical information; and comparing the first image statistical information with the second image statistical information to determine the image motion information.
US09424655B2

An image processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire a video, a superimposition unit configured to superimpose an image onto the video acquired by the acquisition unit, and a detection unit configured to detect the emergence of an object in a video in a detection area set on the video acquired by the acquisition unit, wherein the superimposition unit superimposes an image corresponding to the size of the object to be detected when emerging by the detection unit onto the video in the detection area, and outputs the resultant video to the detection unit.
US09424654B1

Analog circuits for detecting edges in pixel arrays are disclosed. A comparator may be configured to receive an all pass signal and a low pass signal for a pixel intensity in an array of pixels. A latch may be configured to receive a counter signal and a latching signal from the comparator. The comparator may be configured to send the latching signal to the latch when the all pass signal is below the low pass signal minus an offset. The latch may be configured to hold a last negative edge location when the latching signal is received from the comparator.
US09424653B2

A computer implemented method for generating a representative thumbnail for an image. The method comprises determining a representative area of an image, the determining comprising determining an absence of faces in the image; dividing the image into one or more zones; and selecting a zone with maximum edge strength as the representative area; and generating a thumbnail by cropping the image to the representative area.
US09424646B2

A control system executes a first control operation, and then executes a second control operation. In the first control operation, the image processing section obtains the image data and specifies a position of a characteristic part. The control section determines a control instruction for accelerating an object to a predetermined first speed based on the specified position of the characteristic part and then decelerating the object to a predetermined second speed lower than the first speed, to move the object to an intermediate target position away from the final target position by a predetermined margin distance. In the second control operation, the image processing section obtains the image data during movement of the moving mechanism and specifies the position of the characteristic part, and the control section determines a control instruction for positioning the object to the final target position based on the specified position of the characteristic part.
US09424635B2

Individual grain sorting of objects from bulk materials (3) on a conveying device (1) and an actuable discharge unit (2) which separates into fractions, the height distribution of the object (3.1) and the propagation of a light source (4) are advantageously used as sorting criterion, wherein a light-band (4.1) is projected transversely with respect to a conveying direction of the bulk material (3) on a plane of the conveying device (1), the objects (3.1) are moved through under the light-band (4.1), a first part (4.1.1) of the light is reflected, a second part (4.1.2) enters again at an entry point (11.1), is scattered and exits again at an exit point (3.1.2), a scattered propagation (B) is detected by a camera (9), and contiguous regions are identified in buffered rows (13), and the measured values are subjected to an evaluation and are combined to form characteristic values, and the discharge unit (2) is actuated in dependence on preset sorting parameters.
US09424633B2

Provided is an image processing apparatus including an acquisition section that acquires an object image which is an editing object, a feature quantity acquisition section that acquires a feature quantity of a reference image which is referred to when the object image is edited, a feature-reflected image generation section that reflects a feature of the reference image on the object image by using the feature quantity acquired by the feature quantity acquisition section, and generates a feature-reflected image which is the object image on which the feature is reflected, and a reflection degree changing section that changes a degree of reflection of the feature in the feature-reflected image by using an adjustment value which is input by a user.
US09424624B2

Systems and methods for upscaling graphics resolution are provided. The systems and methods may selectively upscale graphics frames having a first resolution to a second resolution by various scaling methods. Depending on a variety of factors, at least a first mode of upscaling and a second mode of upscaling may provide for improved upscaling on a variety of graphics data.
US09424623B2

An image processor includes: a first division control information acquiring circuit configured to acquire division control information of a first chip; a second division control information acquiring circuit configured to acquire division control information of a second chip; a division process control circuit configured to determine a ratio at which a process is performed by the first image processing circuit and a ratio at which a process is performed by the second image processing circuit, based on the division control information of the first chip and the division control information of the second chip; a division circuit configured to divide data to be subjected to image processing into first-chip data and second-chip data at the determined ratios; the first image processing circuit configured to perform image processing on the first-chip data; and the second image processing circuit configured to perform image processing on the second-chip data.
US09424622B2

Methods and apparatus for providing multiple graphics processing capacity, while utilizing unused integrated graphics processing circuitry on a bridge circuit along with an external or discrete graphics processing unit is disclosed. In particular, a bridge circuit includes an integrated graphics processing circuit configured to process graphics jobs. The bridge circuit also includes an interface operable according to interface with a discrete graphics processing circuit. A controller is included with the bridge circuit and responsive whenever the discrete graphics processing circuit is coupled to the interface to cause the integrated graphics processing circuit to process a task of the graphics job in conjunction with operation of the discrete graphics processing circuit that is operable to process another task of the graphics job. Corresponding methods are also disclosed.
US09424621B2

This invention relates to a method of processing a plurality of graphical programs on a centralized computer system whereby the images produced by the programs are compressed and transmitted to remote processing devices where they are decompressed. Compression assistance data (CAD) is produced by inspecting instructions outputted by the programs and the CAD is then used in the compression step.
US09424620B2

A method performed by a processor is described. The method may include identifying a graphics processing unit (GPU) phase of a frame, using said identified GPU phase to obtain frequency scalability information for said identified GPU phase, and determining whether to change a frequency at which a GPU is to draw said frame within said phase based on said frequency scalability information.
US09424615B2

A system and method are disclosed for determining and recommending a coaching decision during a football game, where the recommended coaching decision corresponds with the highest probability of winning the football game.
US09424606B2

An enhanced claims settlement apparatus may process insurance claims rapidly and accurately. The apparatus may first receive a notification of loss associated with an insured item (e.g., car, boat, truck, home, etc.). The apparatus may then apply various algorithms for using sensors to identify, analyze, and estimate the cost of damage associated with the insured item. The sensors that are a part of the enhanced claims settlement server may include cameras, tactile sensors, electromagnetic sensors, etc. that may communicate data to a processor associated with the server. Once the data has been generated and analyzed by the sensors, a claim settlement file may be transmitted to a claimant.
US09424604B2

Data streams are generally selected according to user preferences and transmitted to the user in general alignment with expressed preferences of the user. Such data streams may be music, including music videos. Users may indicate their general or specific preferences with regards to song, artists, or albums. Any other aspects or factors that might affect the user's preferences can be taken into account. A playlist is created that combines all of these factors. The playlist then serves as the basis for feeding the data streams to the user. Each user is able to express his or her own preferences and receive music corresponding to those preferences on an on-going basis.
US09424597B2

In an example embodiment, text is received at an ecommerce service from a first user, the text in a first language and pertaining to a first listing on the ecommerce service. Contextual information about the first listing may be retrieved. The text may be translated to a second language. Then, a plurality of text objects, in the second language, similar to the translated text may be located in a database, each of the text objects corresponding to a listing. Then, the plurality of text objects similar to the translated text may be ranked based on a comparison of the contextual information about the first listing and contextual information stored in the database for the listings corresponding to the plurality of text objects similar to the translated text. At least one of the ranked plurality of text objects may then be translated to the first language.
US09424590B2

A method and a system for real time targeted advertising using purchase transaction data and payment card holder activity and location information in a retail environment. The system includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader situated in a retail environment. The RFID reader communicates with an RFID tag that is situated on a payment card of a payment card holder to track the payment card holder as the payment card holder walks around in the retail environment. The system also includes a processor configured to select a predictive behavioral model based on payment activities attributable to the payment card holder and payment card holder activity and location in a retail environment, associate the predictive behavioral model with merchant advertising information, and convey the associated information to a merchant to enable the merchant to make a targeted offer to the payment card holder.
US09424587B2

System and method for facilitating advertisements within viewed content. The advertisements may be banner advertisements or other advertisement. The advertisements may be included in such a manner that if a user skips or otherwise fast forwards through the advertisements, the user if force to skip through at least a portion of the viewed content.
US09424586B1

Technologies are described herein for remote management of sensors and other functionalities in a digital signage device through a remote management server. In particular, a Digital Signage Control System (“DSCS”) facilitates delivery of sensor command parameters to particular signage devices or a network of signage devices as specified in a Sensor Command Deployment Plan. After receiving various sensor commands from a user at a user interface, a Sensor Command Deployment Module generates a Sensor Command Deployment Plan (“SCDP”), which specifies which sensors or controls should be adjusted on signage device(s) and when the adjustments should be made. Subsequently, a Signage Communication Module (“SCM”) waits for a request for sensor instructions from a signage device specified in the plan. Once the request is received, the SCM deploys specific instructions or commands (parameters) to a particular signage device wherein the command is executed at the signage device.
US09424582B2

A system and method for managing customer address information in electronic commerce using the Internet are provided. Customers' detailed address information is received from customer terminals connected over the Internet, a unique address number corresponding to the detailed address information is produced, and the produced unique address number and the corresponding detailed address information are separately stored and managed in separate database (DBs), thereby effectively preventing leakage of the customers' detailed address information due to hacking or a malicious program.
US09424578B2

Systems and methods for providing gesture functionality are provided. In example embodiments, a gesture input is received. The gesture input represents a commerce-related action, whereby the commerce-related action relates to an action to be performed within a networked environment. A determination is performed to determine that the commerce-related action is executable. The commerce-related action is then performed based on the determination that the commerce-related action is executable.
US09424574B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a financial institution system maintained by a financial institution and for tokenization of user accounts for using a direct payment authorization channel, whereby a third party payment authorization network is avoided. Embodiments establish a direct channel of communication between the system and a merchant or a merchant network in communication with the merchant; wherein the direct channel of communication comprises a network communication channel without a third party payment authorization system; receive a token issued by the financial institution and associated with a user account associated with a customer of the financial institution; receive transaction data comprising an amount associated with a transaction between the customer of the financial institution and the merchant; and determine whether to authorize the transaction based on the received token and the received transaction data.
US09424556B2

Techniques for linking multiple contact identifiers of an individual include receiving first data that indicates contacts of a first user at first services. Contact identifiers for a different second user at second services are determined based at least in part on the contacts. Second data that indicates an association among the second user and the candidate contact identifiers is sent to the first user. In some embodiments on a client, techniques include determining to send first data that indicates contacts of a first user at first services; and receiving second data. The second data indicates an association among a different second user and candidate contact identifiers for the second user at second services based at least in part on the contacts. A prompt is presented for the first user to approve an association between the second user and a candidate contact identifier.
US09424548B1

Disclosed are various embodiments for translation of destination identifiers. In one embodiment, an input including a destination identifier is received. For example, the destination identifier may be affixed to the exterior of a shipment and scanned. The destination identifier is translated into a geographic address based at least in part on a stored mapping. The geographic address is then rendered in a user interface.
US09424547B2

Methods of causing transport of one or more items between two or more locations using computerized apparatus. In one embodiment, the one or more items comprise one or more pieces of luggage of a user which are shipped from a transportation facility such as an airport via user-instigated actions at a kiosk located within the facility. In one variant, user information is provided to the kiosk via a personal electronic device of the user (e.g., provided wirelessly via a smartphone), and the kiosk accesses a travel reservation system to obtain information about the routing of the luggage.
US09424543B2

A method to authenticate an identity of a responder. The method includes receiving a request and determining, by one or more computer processors, a reviewer for the request. A custom key is generated for the reviewer and the request, and at least one URL is generated that contains the custom key. At least one URL is sent, along with the request, to the reviewer. Upon receiving a response to the request that includes a selection of one URL, it is determined whether the response was received from the determined reviewer for the request.
US09424538B1

A security aware email server and a method of managing incoming email are described. The server includes a memory device configured to store rules, instructions, and user preferences. The processor makes a determination of whether a sender of an incoming email used a secure or unsecure sending network to send the email and determines an action to take with the email based on the determination and the user preferences.
US09424536B2

A system and method for facilitating integrating enterprise data from multiple sources for display via in a common interface. An example method includes displaying, via a first user interface display screen, a first set of one or more personnel icons representative of one or more enterprise personnel, and providing a first user option to select one or more of the personnel icons. A second user interface display screen may be displayed in response to or after selection of one or more of the personnel icons. The second user interface display screen presents a first type of data. The second user interface display screen further provides a second user option to select one or more user interface features associated with the first type of data, and to then trigger display of a third user interface display screen. The third user interface display presents a second type of data that is associated with the first type of data.
US09424534B2

An apparatus includes a database of content and a content system. The database stores content related to a set of entities to be voted upon in a voting system, wherein there is at least one piece of content for each selection. The content system receives a vote of a user from the voting system and at least an identifier of a cellphone of the user and provides content related to the vote from the database to the cellphone. At least a portion of the content is playable on the cellphone.
US09424519B1

A diagnostic monitoring system and method is employed for one or more vapor compression systems such as air conditioners and heat pumps having a compressor, an indoor air handler fan coil and an outdoor condensor. Temperature, voltage and current sensors are provided at the outdoor condensor to determine that at least one vapor compression system is operating properly. Data obtained from the sensors is wirelessly transmitted to a receiving-device for use by the systems' custodian or repair service provider and includes information concerning an occurrence of periods when one or more of the vapor compression systems are operating at an abnormal state.
US09424518B1

A method of determining a set of prescribed actions includes receiving a configuration script identifying a set of influencers, a set of performance indicators, a model type, a target time, and a prescription method. The method further includes deriving a model of the model type based on data associated with the set of influencers or with the set of performance indicators. The method also includes projecting a set of future influencer values associated with the set of influencers and projecting a set of future indicator values of the set of performance indicators at the target time using the model. The method can further include prescribing using the prescription method and based on projecting using the model a set of prescribed actions associated with the subset of actionable influencers. The method also includes displaying the set of prescribed actions.
US09424517B2

A method of assessing chemical products includes: receiving input data including identification of a chemical substance at a processing device; evaluating a regulatory impact of the chemical substance based on at least one of global regulation data, regional regulation data and jurisdiction-specific regulation data, and outputting a regulatory impact assessment; evaluating potential hazards posed by the chemical substance based on available data related to characteristics of the chemical substance by comparing the characteristics to a plurality of criteria including environmental criteria, toxicity criteria related to effects on human health, and physical criteria related to hazards encountered during material transportation and handling, and outputting a chemical hazard assessment; and generating a chemical assessment report indicating potential impact due to use of the chemical substance, the chemical assessment report indicating chemical assessment results that include the regulatory impact assessment and the chemical hazard assessment.
US09424512B2

A hierarchy of computing modules is configured to learn a cause of input data sensed over space and time, and is further configured to determine a cause of novel sensed input data dependent on the learned cause. At least one of the computing modules has a sequence learner module configured to associate sequences of input data received by the computing module to a set of causes previously learned in the hierarchy.
US09424507B2

Dual-interface Integrated Circuit (IC) card components and methods for manufacturing the dual-interface IC card components are described. In an embodiment, a dual-interface IC card component includes a single-sided contact base structure, which includes a substrate with an electrical contact layer. On the single-sided contact base structure, one or more antenna contact leads are attached to the single-sided contact base structure to form a dual-interface contact structure, which is a component of a dual-interface IC card. Other embodiments are also described.
US09424505B2

A luminescent nanocomposite comprising functionalized graphene and a luminescent moiety, its fabrication, and uses are described. The luminescent moiety is anchored non-covalently to the functionalized graphene. Luminescence properties of the nanocomposite may be modulated by choosing appropriate luminescent moieties such as native lactoferrin, native lactoferrin protected gold clusters, and so forth. Mechanical properties of the nanocomposite may be modulated by adding a biopolymer such as Chitosan. The nanocomposite may be used as a luminescent ink for encoding information, or a luminescent film for tagging articles of manufacture such as electronic waste components.
US09424499B2

A method is provided for enhancing a grayscale raster image comprising pixels. The method comprises the steps of composing a second raster image of equal dimensions to said raster image, selecting a target pixel in the second raster image, having a target position, and deriving a grayscale value for the target pixel from a grayscale value of a pixel in said raster image that is in a neighborhood of a pixel on a position corresponding to the target position, thereby dispersing the gray value of a pixel in a predetermined range around its original position and working the second raster image up for a halftoning process without using pixel segmentation.
US09424496B2

An image forming apparatus for easily setting a parameter for avoiding an occurrence of defective image by the sector deformation is provided. The image forming apparatus forms a test image. The test image having a first line drawing and a second line drawing, each of which is extending in a first direction, and the first line drawing and the second line drawing are provided at different positions in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction. Further, the image forming apparatus obtains the length information of the first and the second line drawings. Based on the length information of the first and the second line drawings, a correction condition is set. Then, the image forming apparatus corrects the image data based on the correction condition according to a position of the second direction.
US09424494B1

An approach is provided in which a knowledge manager processes an image using a convolutional neural network. The knowledge manager generates a pixel-level heat map of the image that includes multiple decision points corresponding to multiple pixels of the image. The knowledge manager analyzes the pixel-level heat map and detects sets of decision points that correspond to target objects. In turn, the knowledge manager marks regions of the heat map corresponding to the detected sets of per-pixel decision points, each of the regions indicating a location of the target objects.
US09424482B2

A method and apparatus for image processing to avoid counting shelf edge promotional labels when counting product labels. Shelf edges are identified by detecting shelf edge content in a captured image by comparing the image to reference images of shelf edge content. Detected occurrences of shelf edge content are demarcated using a geometric pattern having corners at coordinates corresponding to positions around the identified shelf edge content. Corresponding corners are grouped into clusters, and the clusters are analyzed to define the upper and lower bounds of a shelf region in the image.
US09424481B2

Methods, systems, and computer-readable mediums are presented that process and store images efficiently in a memory system. When a new image is received, it is compared to a plurality of reference images. The most similar reference image is located, and a delta image is generated representing a difference between the reference image and the new image. Instead of storing the entirety of the new image, the delta image can be stored along with a reference to the corresponding reference image, such that the new image can be restored from the delta image and the reference image. The total number of reference images and delta images can be dynamically balanced such that predetermined ratios of image numbers or image sizes can be maintained.
US09424478B2

Multimodal biometric profiling may include receiving a cover image and a biometric template for a person. An indication of a security requirement related to biometric profiling for the person may be received. A threshold value may be determined based on the indicated security requirement. The threshold value may be used to limit a number of biometric template bits of the biometric template that are embedded in a predetermined bit position of a cover image pixel of the cover image based on cover image intensity associated with the predetermined bit position.
US09424476B2

A method for detecting a vehicle sunvisor's state includes obtaining a detected image; conducting a gray-scale preprocessing on the detected image, to obtain a gray-level image; conducting a main connected region extraction on the gray-level image, and calculating a geometric feature and a rectangle similarity of each main connected region; conducting a horizontal long edge extraction on the gray-level image, and conducting feature matching operation between horizontal long edges and main connected regions to obtain a region edge matching relationship; determining the sunvisor's state based on the region edge matching relationship, the geometric feature of main connected regions and rectangle similarity of main connected regions. The present invention can be widely applied in the field of image process.
US09424470B1

An example method includes receiving a plurality of templates of a plurality of objects, where a template comprises feature values sampled at corresponding points of a two-dimensional grid of points positioned over a particular view of an object and scaled based on a depth of the object at the particular view. The method may further include receiving an image of an environment and determining a matrix representative of the image, where a row of the matrix comprises feature values sampled at a particular point of the two-dimensional grid positioned over one or more locations within the image and scaled based on depths of the one or more locations. The method may additionally include determining at least one similarity vector corresponding to at least one template and using the at least one similarity vector to identify at least one matching template for at least one object located within the image.
US09424468B2

A position, behavior state and movement state of a moving object are detected, together with plural categories of track segment region and stationary object regions, using an environment detection section. A presence probability is applied to the detected track segment regions and stationary object regions and a presence probability map is generated, using a map generation section. A moving object position distribution and movement state distribution are generated by a moving object generation section based on the detected moving object position, behavior state and movement state, and recorded on the presence probability map. The moving object position distribution is moved by a position update section based on the moving object movement state distribution. The moved position distribution is changed by a distribution change section based on the presence probabilities of the presence probability map, and a future position distribution of the moving object is predicted on the presence probability map. Consequently, the future position of the moving object can be predicted with good precision under various conditions.
US09424465B2

A method for identifying sections of contracts. This method works well with documents that originated from scanned images, i.e., documents that could possibly include noise and misleading cues.
US09424463B2

A system for image manipulation enables an improved video conferencing experience. The system includes a camera; a display screen adjacent to the camera; a processor coupled to the camera and the display screen; and a memory coupled to the processor. Instructions executable by the processor enable receiving a source image from the camera and generating a synthetic image based upon the source image. The synthetic image corresponds to a view of a virtual camera located at the display screen.
US09424454B2

An apparatus for use in decoding a bar code symbol may include an image sensor integrated circuit having a plurality of pixels, timing and control circuitry for controlling an image sensor, gain circuitry for controlling gain, and analog to digital conversion circuitry for conversion of an analog signal to a digital signal. The apparatus may also include a PCB for mounting the image sensor integrated circuit and light source bank. The connection between the image sensor integrated circuit and/or light source bank and the PCB characterized by a plurality of wires connecting a plurality of bond pads and a plurality of contact pads, where the wires, bond pads, and contact pads provide electrical input/output and mechanical connections between the image sensor integrated circuit and the PCB. The apparatus may be operative for processing image signals generated by the image sensor integrated circuit for attempting to decode the bar code symbol.
US09424451B2

A low-energy transceiver tag is described, as well as methods of using the low-energy transceiver tag to enable secure communication with a vehicle. The low-energy transceiver tag includes a substrate, and electronic circuitry carried by the substrate having a transceiver circuit coupled to a power circuit. The transceiver circuit may be configured to transmit a preconfigured answer signal in response to receiving a query signal. In addition, the preconfigured answer signal may be a low-energy response associated with a remotely-located trust anchor.
US09424448B2

A locating device for determining a distance of an RFID tag with respect to an interface between two media comprising an inductive coupling antenna and a sensor for determining a distance between the antenna and the interface. There is an energizing circuit configured to energize the antenna to generate an electromagnetic field with various successive amplitude values and a detection device for detecting an electromagnetic field response from the RFID tag. There is a processing circuit configured to determine several pairs of information, each pair including: a distance between the antenna and the interface and a minimum electromagnetic field value detected by the detection device from the RFID tag at the determined distance between the antenna and the interface. The processing circuit also evaluates the distance between the RFID tag and the interface as a function of the several pairs.
US09424441B2

Disabling communication in a multiprocessor fabric. The multiprocessor fabric may include a plurality of processors and a plurality of communication elements and each of the plurality of communication elements may include a memory. A configuration may be received for the multiprocessor fabric, which specifies disabling of communication paths between one or more of: one or more processors and one or more communication elements; one or more processors and one or more other processors; or one or more communication elements and one or more other communication elements. Accordingly, the multiprocessor fabric may be automatically configured in hardware to disable the communication paths specified by the configuration. The multiprocessor fabric may be operated to execute a software application according to the configuration.
US09424439B2

Techniques for secure data synchronization are described. In one or more implementations, techniques may be employed to conserve high cost data storage by storing larger portions of encrypted data in low cost storage, while storing relatively smaller encryption keys in higher cost storage. A device that is granted access to the encryption keys can retrieve the encrypted data from the low cost storage and use the encryption keys to decrypt the encrypted data.
US09424434B2

Data theft prevention technology for a personal electronic device is provided. When an internet-communication address of the personal electronic device is detected by a server through the internet and the server determines that the detected internet-communication address has been listed in a lost list, a processing unit of the personal electronic device operates in accordance with anti-theft software to execute the codes contained in a BIOS memory of the personal electronic device to set a medium password for a user-data storage medium of the personal electronic device and to prohibit the use of the personal electronic device.
US09424432B2

An information processing system provisions a client account for a user to enable a client computer associated with the user to store information in an elastic storage system and to prohibit the client computer, the information processing system, and the elastic storage system from altering and from deleting the stored information during an authorized retention period. Data messages are received from one or more client computers and include information that is required to be stored for the authorized retention period. That information is transmitted via one or more data communications networks to the elastic storage system for storage so that the stored information is non-rewriteable and non-erasable during the authorized retention period. The secure data center receives the retrieved copy and provides it to the user device. The elastic storage system permits deletion, modification, or destruction of the stored information only when a trusted independent third party having predetermined authentication information associated with the client account provides the predetermined authentication information to the elastic storage system.