US09706688B2

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a system may include a structural element and a heat pipe. The structural element may be for mechanically supporting an information handling resource. The heat pipe may be thermally and mechanically coupled to the structural element, such that the heat pipe conducts heat generated by an information handling resource supported by the structural element to the structural element.
US09706684B2

Exfoliated graphite materials, and composite materials including exfoliated graphite, having enhanced through-plane thermal conductivity can be used in thermal management applications and devices. Methods for making such materials and devices involve processing exfoliated graphite materials such as flexible graphite to orient or re-orient the graphite flakes in one or more regions of the material.
US09706678B1

Server chassis having a main chassis with a bottom surface and first and second lower sidewalls that extend vertically from opposing sides of the bottom surface. First and second flanges extend horizontally outward from the first and second lower sidewalls, respectively. First and second upper sidewalls vertically extend from the first and second flanges. The distance between the first and second upper sidewalls is greater than the distance between first and second lower sidewalls. A tray resting on each of the flanges divides a portion of the main chassis into an upper and a lower portion. A first lateral recess is defined by the first lower sidewall and the first flange, and a second lateral recess is defined by the second lower sidewall and the second flange. The first and second recesses are configured to receive a rail defining an outer boundary substantially flush with the first and second sidewalls.
US09706677B2

An information handling system includes a chassis having walls defining an interior cavity within the chassis and a bottom wall defining a backplane on which one or more processors are physically connected. At least one first storage device is connected to the chassis and communicatively coupled to the processor from another location within the chassis. A supplemental storage tray is provided having perimeter plates defining a bay within the supplemental storage tray for receiving a supplemental storage device that is communicatively coupled to the processor and provides additional storage capacity to the information handling system. The supplemental storage tray is physically located above the processor and in a different location from the first storage device.
US09706674B2

An authentication system for use in a surgical stapling device includes an authentication board assembly disposed at a proximal end of a loading unit and having a contact assembly, and an adapter board assembly disposed at a distal end of an adapter assembly. When the loading unit is engaged with the adapter assembly, the authentication board engages the adapter board assembly.
US09706673B2

A manufacturing method of an electronic device, that accommodates a gyro element as an electronic component in an inner space formed by a base and a lid as a lid body, includes: preparing the lid in which a groove is provided on the rear surface which is welded with the base, and an opening area of the groove on the inner space side which is greater than an opening area on the outer periphery side of the lid; welding, first, the base and the lid at a portion excluding an unwelded portion that includes at least apart of the groove, of a planned welding portion of the base and the lid; and welding, second, the base and the lid at the unwelded portion such that the groove is closed.
US09706672B2

Provided is a vehicle-mounted electronic control device including a control unit reduced in size, weight, and costs with improved contact reliability between electric components included in the control unit. In the vehicle-mounted electronic control device according to the present invention, a connector has a locking hole formed in a side surface relative to an upper surface that is an upward oriented surface, a fitting opening formed in a lower surface, and a waterway for preventing flowing down water from entering the locking hole and the fitting opening, which is formed on a surface of the connector.
US09706670B1

A micro-electronic cover has a planar portion sized and dimensioned to be positionable over and cover electronic components that are electrically connected on a board. The cover has a peripheral edge surrounding the planar portion and the electronic components. The peripheral edge connects the planar portion with the board to define a cover interior. The peripheral edge includes a side opening which provides access for passage of a connector part from a exterior to the cover to a position within the cover interior.
US09706665B2

A device for assembling an element on a surface of a substrate by providing a solder-forming mass. The device has a means for moving the element and a measurement means. The means for moving the element includes a support and an element gripper member. The gripper member has a vertical axis that is perpendicular to the surface of the substrate and is mounted to move freely in translation on the support in a direction parallel to its vertical axis. The measurement means measures a variation of the position of the element in vertical translation.
US09706664B2

An electronic component mounting system includes a screen printing device, an inspection device, an electronic component mounting device, a feedback part that generates, based on inspection data formed by the inspection device, first information about corrections on control parameters pertinent to positioning of a mask to a substrate in the screen printing device, and a feedforward part that generates, based on the inspection data, second information about corrections on electronic component mount coordinates in the electronic component mounting device. The feedback part generates the first information based on the first print displacement value. The feedforward part generates the second information based on the second print displacement value.
US09706653B2

The present specification relates to a conductive structure body and a method for manufacturing the same.
US09706651B2

To provide a prepreg resin composition which has good solubility in a solvent and with which moreover a cured product having excellent flame resistance and a low water absorption rate can be made simply and with good reproducibility, and a prepreg and a laminate and a printed wiring board and the like using the same. The prepreg resin composition of the present invention including at least a cyanate compound (A) obtained by cyanation of a phenol-modified xylene formaldehyde resin, an epoxy resin (B), and an inorganic filler.
US09706645B2

A L-Bending PCB includes a straight portion and a bending portion connecting to the straight portion, the straight portion has a metal substrate bottom, an insulation layer, a conductive layer and a protective layer. The insulation layer is disposed on a partial surface of the metal substrate bottom, the conductive layer is disposed on the insulation layer and the protective layer is disposed on the conductive layer.
US09706642B2

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to providing a time delay to a shortened trace in a differential microstrip trace pair. By adding back metal to a ground plane associated with a DC blocking capacitor, a time delay can be added to the shortened trace. The cutout associated with the longer trace remains unaltered. In a further embodiment, both cutouts can be modified with the addition of metal, with the cutout associated with the shorter trace receiving more metal than the other cutout. In a further embodiment of the present invention, a cutout associated with a connector can be modified to add back metal in the cutout. The cutout associated with the shorter trace is modified while the other cutout is left unchanged.
US09706640B2

A printed circuit board includes a first printed circuit substrate and a second printed circuit substrate. The first printed circuit substrate includes a substrate layer and a first conductive circuit layer. The first conductive circuit layer is formed on the substrate layer. The substrate layer includes at least two first grooves. The first conductive circuit layer includes at least one signal wire. The first grooves are defined in both sides of the signal wire. The second printed circuit substrate is formed on the first printed circuit substrate. The second circuit substrate includes a third copper layer. A second groove is defined in the third copper layer. The first grooves are opposite to the second groove. The first grooves and the second groove form a space. The signal wire is surrounded by air in the space. A method for manufacturing the printed circuit board is also provided.
US09706635B2

A dielectric resonator is excited at its natural resonant frequency to produce a highly uniform electric field for the generation of plasma. The plasma may be used in a optical or mass spectrometer.
US09706634B2

An apparatus to treat a substrate. The apparatus may include a reactive gas source having a reactive gas outlet disposed in a process chamber, the reactive gas outlet to direct a first reactive gas to the substrate; a plasma chamber coupled to the process chamber and including an extraction plate having an extraction aperture extending along a first direction, disposed within the process chamber and movable along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction between a first position facing the reactive gas source and a second position facing the extraction aperture; and a gas flow restrictor disposed between the reactive gas outlet and the extraction aperture, the gas flow restrictor defining a differential pumping channel between at least the plasma chamber and substrate stage.
US09706627B2

A format for controlling information between multiple masters and clients uses each of a plurality of ports over a specified line, where the specified line can be ethernet, and where the ports can be opened and closed, and where the ports are calculated based on the number assigned to the console, a console multiplier, and at least one increment that represents the kind of information where there are multiple kinds of information.
US09706619B2

A lighting fixture including a light source, a housing, an image sensor, and a lens is disclosed. The housing is coupled to the light source and includes an opening through which light from the light source is emitted to fill an illumination area. The image sensor is configured to capture one or more images of the illumination area. The lens is over the image sensor, and provides the image sensor a field of view that substantially corresponds with the illumination area. By tailoring the lens such that it provides the image sensor a field of view that substantially corresponds with the illumination area, the image sensor can collect information relevant to the lighting fixture.
US09706618B2

An audio output circuit of a condenser microphone includes a condenser microphone unit, first and second impedance conversion circuits that receive a positive phase output signal and a reverse phase output signal from the condenser microphone unit, first and second output circuits that output an audio signal from the condenser microphone unit in a balanced line to a balanced output terminals upon receipt of outputs of the first and second impedance conversion circuits. First and second impedance conversion circuits respectively use FETs as source follower circuits and supply first and second impedance conversion outputs generated across source resistors to the first and second output circuits. A voltage regulating device that generates a constant voltage is connected in series to the source resistors. With this configuration, an audio output circuit of a condenser microphone is provided, which solves a problem of operation instability caused by variation of Idss's of the FETs.
US09706614B2

An illumination system includes a master power supply providing power to several illumination modules. The master power supply is constructed and arranged to generate high-frequency and low-voltage electrical power provided to a primary wire forming a current loop. Each illumination module includes an electromagnetic coupling element and several light sources.
US09706611B2

A solid state lighting apparatus can include a variable color input signal configured to indicate a target color of light output from the apparatus. A string current Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) controller circuit can be coupled to the variable color input signal, where the string current PWM controller circuit can be configured to generate a plurality of PWM signals having respective variable duty cycles to enable/disable respective particular string currents for respective variable times as the variable color input signal changes.
US09706606B2

A method and an apparatus for detecting a ground fault in an induction furnace as well as an induction furnace are described. When a ground fault is detected by means of the ground-fault detector the ground fault is localized. By doing this it is determined if the ground fault is caused by a failure of the refractory lining or by other reasons. If the ground fault is caused by other reasons it is ascertained if it is caused by a defective magnetic yoke insulation. Furthermore, it can be ascertained which magnetic yoke of the induction furnace causes a ground fault. In this manner the induction furnace can be operated with improved security and smaller expense.
US09706601B1

An item-providing system supplies items to a user device for consumption at the user device via communication infrastructure. In one representative implementation, a user device includes a mode switching wireless communication module. The mode switching wireless communication module is adapted to receive a first paging signal via a first communication protocol when in a first mode of operation and adapted to receive a second paging signal via a second communication protocol when in a second mode of operation. The user device also includes a to-do list processing module. In response to receiving one of the first or second paging signal, the to-do list processing module sends a request to a remote network device. The request requests that one or more instructions be sent from the remote network device.
US09706600B2

System and method for communications in an ad-hoc multi-hop Wi-Fi network are disclosed. The MAC address of an intended recipient is propagated through an advertised SSID or probe response information element of multiple network participants. The group of network participants that convey the MAC address for the intended recipient are connect with each other as Wi-Fi Direct group owners connect to downstream Wi-Fi Direct clients. An access point may control when a Wi-Fi device is allowed to connect based upon whether or not the access point has data, commands, or information to be sent to the Wi-Fi device. If the access point has no data, commands, or information is ready to be sent to the Wi-Fi device, then the access point will add the Wi-Fi device to a list of excluded MAC addresses.
US09706599B1

A preamble, a first portion of a data payload, a midamble, and a second portion of the data payload of a single data unit are generated. The midamble is to be transmitted subsequent to transmission of the first portion of the data payload and prior to transmission of the second portion of the data payload. The midamble includes an indication of at least one characteristic of the data payload such as an indication of a size of the second portion of the data payload, or whether or not the data payload includes one or more other portions in addition to the first and second portions. A network interface of a communication device is configured to generate the preamble, the first and second portions of the data payload, and the midamble.
US09706587B2

The present invention discloses a method and an apparatus for establishing a direct tunnel, which relate to the field of communications network technologies and can reduce the number of signaling messages that need to be processed on a GGSN or an SGW and reduce signaling load on the GGSN or the SGW. In the embodiments of the present invention, a mobility management network element determines that a character of a user terminal satisfies a preset condition for establishing a direct tunnel; a request message is sent to a gateway to establish a downlink direct tunnel between a radio access network and the gateway; and a response message sent by the gateway is received, where the response message is used to confirm that the downlink direct tunnel between the radio access network and the gateway has been successfully established.
US09706580B2

A method for transmitting radio resources in a mobile communication system is disclosed. The method includes receiving a random access channel (RACH) preamble from a plurality of UEs and transmitting response information associated with the received preambles over a common channel wherein the plurality UEs can access the common channel and receive corresponding information. If a HARQ scheme is used when a UE transmits data to the eNode-B using uplink radio resources allocated over the RACH, the eNode-B does not pre-allocate uplink radio resources required for re-transmission and performs allocation of radio resources for a first transmission of HARQ. If the re-transmission is required, the eNode-B allocates the radio resources required for the re-transmission with the NACK signal. If re-transmission is not required, the present invention can reduce an amount of wasted radio resources.
US09706579B2

The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses (radio base station (120, 600) and UE (110, 700) for enabling a UE to perform a random access. According to embodiments of the present invention, an identification number of a dedicated random access preamble is, in a message, transmitted together with information indicating in which channel or channels the preamble is valid for the UE. The UE (110, 700) can then use the received information and based on that information perform a random access.
US09706573B2

A method is provided for routing data received during a first time window by a node-forming device of a network having a plurality of nodes suitable for communicating over a wireless communications channel. The method is adapted to select a time slot from a set of predefined time slots in a second time window consecutive with the first time window, to monitor the communications channel between the end of the first time window and the selected time slot in order to detect the presence or the absence of a signal on the channel, and to broadcast the data from an instant of the selected time slot in the event of detecting the absence of a signal and not to broadcast in the event of detecting the presence of a signal. Also provided is a node-forming device that performs the routing method.
US09706556B1

Systems and methods for limiting carrier aggregation for a wireless device are provided. A high mobility wireless device can be identified based on a number of carrier aggregation messages provided for the high mobility wireless device. An access node can receive a wireless device ID associated with the high mobility wireless device. The access node can obtain a wireless device ID from a wireless device being served by the access node. The wireless device ID of the served wireless device is compared with the wireless device ID of the high mobility wireless device. Carrier aggregation is denied based on the comparison.
US09706552B2

A method and a base station for transmitting information for cell measurements, and a method and a user equipment for performing cell measurements are discussed. The method for transmitting information for cell measurements according to an embodiment includes transmitting, by the base station, information indicating a first time domain measurement resource restriction pattern for measurements of a first cell. The first time domain measurement resource restriction pattern indicates which subframe among subframes corresponding to the first time domain measurement resource restriction pattern is used for the measurements of the first cell. The first time domain measurement resource restriction pattern is configured such that a subset of non-almost blank subframes in an almost blank subframe pattern configured in the first cell is used for the measurements of the first cell. The almost blank subframe pattern indicates which subframes are configured as almost blank subframes or as the non-almost blank subframes.
US09706549B2

A radio communication apparatus includes a FH control unit controlling frequency hopping for changing a frequency channel for each frame, a carrier sense unit performing carrier sense, for each of slots obtained by dividing the frame, a modulating unit determining transmission timing in the slot on the basis of a result of the carrier sense, a successive-transmission control unit generating a plurality of pieces of same data by duplicating transmission data, and a scheduler allocating, for each slot, a different communication time period to each mobile station. The radio communication apparatus transmits, on the basis of an allocation result of the communication time period, the transmission timing, and the instruction by the hopping control unit, the same data generated from same transmission data to the mobile stations in the frames different from each other and notifies the mobile stations of the allocation result.
US09706548B2

A user equipment, UE, (300), a radio base station, RBS, (400) and a respective method (100) and (200) therein for joint transmit and receive procedure are provided. The method (100) in the UE comprises receiving (110) at a time slot n, a first transmission from the RBS, the transmission comprising a first pre-coded symbol; and estimating (120) a real channel referring to a transfer function of the channel and an effective channel referring to the real channel adjusted by transmission weights for the received first transmission. The method further comprises determining (130) a combining vector based on the effective channel, and determining (140) a feedback vector based on the combining vector and the real channel. The method comprises transmitting (150) the feedback vector to the RBS, to be used by the RBS for determining an SLNR pre-coding vector for a second transmission to the UE in a subsequent time slot.
US09706542B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods for transmitting and receiving a control channel, a base station, and a user equipment, which relate to the communication field, and can solve a transmission problem of available changing transmission resources caused by introduction of an E-PDCCH. A method for configuring a control channel resource includes: determining, by a base station according to a system configuration and/or user configuration, resource elements REs included in an extended control channel element E-CCE, and transmitting an extended physical downlink control channel E-PDCCH to a user equipment, where the E-PDCCH is carried by the E-CCE; and receiving, by the user equipment, the E-PDCCH, and obtaining the REs included in the E-CCE, and receiving, over the REs included in the E-CCE, the E-PDCCH transmitted by the base station. The embodiments of the present invention are used for configuring and detecting a control channel resource.
US09706540B2

The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more specifically, to a method and an apparatus for enhanced-control channel-based operation. A method for a terminal for transmitting confirmation response information in a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a step for transmitting confirmation response information for a downlink data channel by means of an uplink control channel resource, wherein an index for the uplink control channel resource can be determined on the basis of a delegate antenna port of a downlink control channel derived from the identifier of the terminal.
US09706537B2

A method of transmitting HARQ feedbacks for a communication device comprises transmitting at least one first HARQ feedback triggered by at least one first DL packet to a primary base station, wherein the at least one first DL packet is transmitted by a first base station to the communication device; and dropping at least one second HARQ feedback triggered by at least one second DL packet, wherein the at least one second DL packet is transmitted by a second base station to the communication device.
US09706534B2

Methods, devices and a computer-readable medium are disclosed for an uplink transmission opportunity in a high-efficiency wireless local-area network (HEW) are disclosed. A HEW station is disclosed that may include circuitry configured to receive a trigger frame with a first duration from a HEW master station, determine a second duration based on the first duration, generate a packet with the second duration, and transmit the packet with the second duration in an uplink transmission opportunity to the master station in accordance with at least one from the following group: orthogonal frequency division multiple-access and multiple-user multiple-input multiple-output. The trigger frame may include a resource map and the HEW station may transmit the packet on a channel indicated in the resource map. The second duration may be indicated in a legacy portion of the packet. The second duration may extend to one short interframe space before an acknowledgement of the packet.
US09706533B2

A method for reference signal transmission is disclosed, wherein a demodulation reference signal DMRS and a sounding reference signal SRS is transmitted in a same time domain resource from a user terminal to an LTE base station. A single reference signal sequence is used both for demodulation and detection of a data channel, and for channel sounding, such that a reference signal sequence part used for the demodulation and detection of the data channel is in a power offset compared to a reference signal sequence part used for the channel sounding. Code division multiplexing is applied on a reference signal sequence by using a cyclic shift of a whole length of the sequence. The cyclic shift is selected such that reference signal sequences allocated to the different user terminals are orthogonal over a minimum allocation granularity of the data channel.
US09706526B2

Methods and nodes in a cellular communication system for supporting Random Access. A method in a first network node involves determining at least one uplink radio resource amongst a plurality of radio resources, and refraining from scheduling uplink communication in the at least one uplink radio resource, thus enabling a UE in an area with an uplink/downlink imbalance to perform Random Access to a neighbor second network node (B).
US09706524B2

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method of performing scheduling for D2D multicast communication, which is performed by a base station in a wireless communication system, includes the steps of receiving channel state measurement information from each of D2D reception UEs belonging to one or more multicast groups, generating representative information on each of the one or more multicast groups based on the received channel state measurement information and average data transmission rate demand information of each of the D2D reception UEs, performing scheduling by assigning a sub channel on which the D2D multicast communication is to be performed to each of the one or more multicast groups based on the generated representative information and transmitting a scheduling signal including information on the assigned sub channel to each UE belonging to the one or more multicast groups.
US09706521B1

A base station may use the quality of service (QoS) levels of the bearer connections of user equipment devices (UEs) as a basis to allocate paging resources to the UEs. In one example, a UE may receive from the base station a message defining a plurality of recurring paging occasions. The plurality of paging occasions may include a first set of paging occasions and a second set of paging occasions that are mutually exclusive. The UE may then make a decision, based on a QoS level of a bearer connection of the UE, of whether to monitor one or more paging occasions of the first set of paging occasions or rather to monitor one or more paging occasions of the second set of paging occasions. And the UE may monitor, in accordance with the decision, at least one paging occasion for paging messages destined for the UE.
US09706520B2

With a method, apparatus and system for determining a terminal state, that a network side considers that a terminal is in an offline state by mistake can be avoided. The method includes: judging that no location update initiated by the terminal is received when a reachable timer corresponding to the terminal is expired, then sending paging message to the terminal, and triggering the terminal to initiate an interaction process with a network side to determine the terminal state. The apparatus comprises a judgment module, a sending module, and a state determination module. By adopting the method, apparatus and system, the network side can timely acquire the state of an MTC terminal, and will not consider that the terminal is in the offline state and delete the mobility context of the terminal by mistake.
US09706514B2

Techniques are presented herein for improving location determination of a wireless device in environments where there can be multipath issues. A wireless device having a plurality of antennas receives a wireless transmission from a target device whose location is to be determined. Channel state information data is generated based on reception of the transmission at the plurality of antenna. The channel state information data is separated or partitioned into subcarrier group specific data for each of a plurality of groups of subcarriers within a bandwidth of the received transmission. Location probability data is computed for each of the plurality of groups of subcarriers from the subcarrier group specific data for respective ones of the plurality of groups of subcarriers. The location probability data for the plurality of groups of subcarriers is combined to produce aggregate location probability data, from which a location of the target device is determined.
US09706513B2

A user device may detect, using a first radio associated with the user device, a presence of a location reference device; and determine a location associated with the user device. When determining the location associated with the user device, the user device is to receive location information from the location reference device, via the first, and refrain, based on detecting the presence of the location reference device, from determining the location using a second radio associated with the user device while the user device is within a communication range of the location reference device.
US09706511B2

Various communication systems may benefit from an accurate detection method. The method may include determining correlation values between a first sequence of samples and at least one pre-defined sequence, detecting whether at least one first peak exists by comparing the correlation values with at least one first detection threshold. If the at least one first peak exists, the method may further include performing summing of at least a subset of the correlation values and detecting whether at least one second peak exists by comparing the summed correlation values with a second detection threshold.
US09706499B2

Wireless devices are provisioned using multiple factors. As part of a wireless detection phase, multiple wireless communications are received that were transmitted by multiple wireless devices. Individual wireless devices are distinguished from each other among the multiple wireless devices based on a distinguishing feature of each of the multiple wireless communications to obtain a provisional set of wireless devices. As part of an electrical load detection phase, one or more wireless devices connected to an electrical power circuit are identified based on time-based measurements of electrical power consumed by electrical loads on the electrical power circuit and/or powerline communications received via the electrical power circuit. The provisional set of wireless devices obtained by wireless detection may be filtered to obtain a filtered set of wireless devices that excludes wireless devices of the provisional set not connected to the same electrical power circuit.
US09706496B2

A technique to open a single receiving window to perform scanning and initiating operations in a Bluetooth Low Energy compliant device, instead of using two separate receiving windows to perform the equivalent operations. The combining of the scanning and initiating operations in one receiving window, instead of two separate windows, reduces power consumption and provides for bandwidth efficiency.
US09706493B2

An apparatus of a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) device is provided for decreasing awake time of a host by receiving and processing peripheral data along a sideband channel and waking the host upon an event of interest, the apparatus comprising circuitry configured to receive BLE GATT data from a BLE core along a sideband channel, process the BLE GATT data, monitor processed BLE GATT data for an event of interest, and send a notification of a detection of the event of interest to the host.
US09706491B2

The present disclosure discloses a method and network device for adaptive management of wireless clients based on clients' radio behaviors and capabilities. Specifically, a disclosed network device can dynamically select a location tracking mechanism based on a probing characteristic of a client device. The disclosed network device can also dynamically selects a communication mechanism based on a power saving characteristics of a client device. Moreover, the disclosed network device can determine whether to select a new access point for a client device based on roaming characteristics of the client device. The adaptive management of client devices can be performed on a group of client devices with similar radio behaviors and/or capabilities on a per-radio rather than per-BSSID (basic service set identifier) basis.
US09706480B2

A method includes receiving a signal including a two-dimensional signal pattern in a time-frequency representation, the two-dimensional signal pattern including reference signals at first predetermined positions in the two-dimensional signal pattern. The method further includes determining a frequency-time transformation based on the reference signals to obtain a time-domain signal. The method further includes determining a first cell identification information based on a threshold criterion with respect to the time-domain signal.
US09706479B2

A wireless device may receive a BA-list from a wireless service provider. Before removing any cell frequencies already stored in the wireless device, the wireless device may determine if the BA-list is complete. If the BA-list is not complete, the cell frequencies already stored in the wireless device may be retained, and the cell frequencies received in the BA-list may be added to the storage. However, if the BA-list is complete, the cell frequencies already stored in the wireless device may be removed if they are not in the BA-list.
US09706477B2

A method and a device for setting a multi-band based link in a wireless LAN system are disclosed. The method for configuring a wireless link comprises the steps of: receiving, from a wireless access device supporting the plurality of communication channels, a beacon message through a first communication channel among a plurality of communication channels; obtaining, from the beacon message, wireless access information which is used for accessing a first communication channel; and obtaining, from the beacon message, at least one available communication channel list except for the first communication channel among the plurality of communication channels. Thus, the time for configuring a link between wireless LAN apparatuses can be reduced.
US09706475B2

A core network node may send an overload indicator capable of distinguishing PLMNs to an access network node when the core network node is overloaded; and the access network node may learn a PLMN over which access control needs to be performed according to the overload indicator received. PLMNs are distinguished in access control according to an actual situation of overload of the network node caused by a PLMN sharing the network, ensuring fairness in access control over terminals of all PLMNs sharing the network.
US09706473B2

Methods and apparatuses are provided for mitigating interference among access points, and/or devices communicating therewith, in unplanned network deployments. Based on determining that one or more served devices potentially interfere with one or more access points, an inter-frequency handover (IFHO) threshold or data rate can be adjusted for the device to cause IFHO or reduce occurrence of interference, and/or a coverage area can be modified so the device can communicate with one or more other access points to mitigate potential interference. Based on determining interference from one or more devices served by other access points, an access point can switch operating modes to a hybrid or open access point to allow the one or more devices to handover to the access point, and/or can boost downlink transmit power to cause the one or more devices to perform IFHO from the other access points to mitigate potential interference.
US09706471B1

A method of controlling freebooting of a vehicle head unit in a vehicle includes: transmitting a beacon frame while an ignition of the vehicle is turned off; receiving a first signal indicating that a Bluetooth function has been activated by a user equipment (UE) which received the beacon frame; and performing a freebooting procedure of the vehicle head unit in response to reception of the first signal.
US09706470B2

A communications apparatus includes a reception signal processor that receives a wireless signal; a processor that controls a wait time that the reception signal processor waits for reception of wireless signals that include data to be transmitted and information of transmission paths; extracts from the information of the transmission paths included in the wireless signals received by the reception signal processor during the wait time, information of a common relay point in the transmission paths; determines a network state according to a ratio of transmission paths that include the common relay point, among a total count of the transmission paths; and generates based on the determined network state, a signal that includes information of a relay point; and a transmission signal processor that transmits the generated signal.
US09706468B2

A wireless communication node on the multi-hop wireless network has a control message exchanger for exchanging control messages with peripheral nodes to determine neighbor nodes whose information should be registered in a neighbor node information storage; a timing adjuster for adjusting, depending on a connective state of the wireless communication node in the network, a timing at which a first control message is sent back in response to a second control message arriving from other wireless communication nodes; and a registered node determiner for primarily referencing the order of arrival of a first control message from the other wireless communication node to determining neighbor nodes whose information should be registered in the neighbor node information storage.
US09706467B2

A communication control method in a mobile communication system including a first base station and at least one second base station having a smaller coverage area than the first base station, comprises: a step A of transmitting location information indicating a location of the second base station from the first base station; and a step B of transmitting proximity notification information to the first base station from a user terminal connected to the first base station after the user terminal receives the location information, the proximity notification information indicating that the user terminal is in proximity of the second base station and being used for making the user terminal use a different carrier from a carrier used by the second base station.
US09706463B2

A wireless communication network enables a user to select data communication accounting systems. A wireless communication device attaches to a wireless access system, and the wireless access system transfers network data characterizing Billing Identifiers (BIDs) to the wireless communication device. The wireless communication device processes the network data in combination with a user-prioritized list of accounting names to select one of the BIDs. The wireless communication device transfers the selected BID to the wireless access system, and the wireless access system directs a gateway system to use the selected BID for the wireless communication device. The gateway system exchanges user data for the wireless communication device and transfers usage data to the data communication accounting systems that is identified by the selected BID.
US09706461B2

Embodiments of the present application provide a method of handover in device to device communication, a base station and a communication system. The method of handover includes: transmitting, by a source base station, a handover request for handing over UE, the handover request comprising information indicating the UE to perform D2D communication with paired UE; receiving a response of the handover request transmitted by one or more base stations, and selecting one of the base stations as a target base station; and handing over the UE to the target base station according to the response of the handover request transmitted the target base station. With the embodiments of the present application, the UE and the paired UE may be made to proceed with performing D2D communication in the target base station, thereby further saving signaling overhead, and reducing waste of resources.
US09706456B2

In a cellular radio system measurement bandwidth for a plurality of base stations belonging to a cellular radio system is performed by configuring the base stations to signal the measurement bandwidth to user equipments connected to the cellular radio system for performing downlink neighbor cell measurements over the signaled measurement bandwidth in the user equipment by first receiving a set of information. The received information is used for configuring the measurement bandwidth using the received set of information and the configured measurement bandwidth is signaled to the base stations.
US09706454B2

A base station transmits, to a wireless device, at least one first RRC message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells being grouped into a plurality of cell groups. The base station makes a handover decision for the wireless device. The base station transmits a second RRC message causing in the wireless device, modification of a cell group of a cell without explicitly releasing the cell. The second RRC message comprises mobility control information.
US09706447B2

A method and an apparatus are provided for processing a Circuit-Switched (CS) call by User Equipment (UE) that is camped on a CSG cell, when a manually selected CSG cell is in a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), which is different from a Registered PLMN (RPLMN). The method includes registering, by the UE, with a manually selected Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) cell of a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), which is different from a Registered PLMN (RPLMN) of the UE; detecting the CS call; and processing the CS call in a non-CSG cell, when the manually selected CSG cell is unable to process the CS call.
US09706436B2

Frames in a variable length frame format which are addressed to a plurality of users are multiplexed and preferably transmitted. Data frames having different lengths are multiplexed on a same time through space division multiple access, but since the multiplexed frames are transmitted while eventually having a same length, when the multiplexed data frames from the access point STA0 are received in the respective communication stations STA1 to STA3 in FIG. 4 or when data simultaneously transmitted from the respective communication stations STA1 to STA3 are received in the access point STA0 in FIG. 5, it is possible to eliminate an operation instability of AGC.
US09706435B2

The present invention provides a method and system for dynamically changing upper bound on size of data packets. In one embodiment, a transmitting device determines a need to change existing negotiated maximum size for an active connection when size of data packets for an application is switched, a new application is mapped to the active connection or Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) of broadband wireless network is changed. Then, the transmitting device sends a request message indicating a new negotiated maximum size for changing the existing negotiated maximum size to the receiving device. The receiving device sends a response message confirming change to the new negotiated maximum size to the transmitting device. Accordingly, the transmitting device and the receiving device uses the new negotiated maximum size for building data packets and decoding the received data packets respectively based on a predefined parameter (e.g., sequence number/action time) indicated in the request/response message.
US09706428B2

A radio communication system including a base station apparatus which includes a first communicable area; and a terminal apparatus which connects to and performs radio communication with the base station apparatus in the first communicable area, wherein the base station apparatus includes a determination unit which decides a destination of the terminal apparatus based on a changeable movement condition according to sizes of the first, a second, and a third communicable areas or power residual quantity of the terminal apparatus transmitted from the terminal apparatus, when the terminal apparatus moves from the first communicable area to the second or the third communicable area whose size is different from the first communicable area and which is overlapped with a part or all of the first communicable area; the terminal apparatus includes a reception unit which receives the information of the decided destination.
US09706423B2

Methods and apparatus for offloading traffic from a cellular network to a wireless local area network (WLAN) are described. One example method generally includes receiving, from a serving base station, a request to measure one or more WLAN access points (APs), determining one or more metrics for the WLAN APs, comparing the metrics for the WLAN APs to a threshold, and reporting metrics for at least a first AP of the WLAN APs if the metrics for the first AP exceed the threshold.
US09706414B2

A method and an apparatus for determining a data flow rate on a service access port are provided. The method includes: acquiring data traffic information of existing service access ports; classifying the service access ports according to the data traffic information of the service access ports, and determining a data traffic model of a service access port of each class; and when it is determined that a new service access port is to be added to a network, determining a data traffic model corresponding to the new service access port that is to be added, and determining, according to the data traffic model corresponding to the new service access port that is to be added, a data flow rate on the new service access port that is to be added, thus costs of determining a data flow rate on a new service data port to be added can be reduced.
US09706410B2

A system comprising at least one component running on at least one server and receiving vulnerability data and, for each device of a plurality of devices, device data that includes data of at least one device component. The system includes a trust score corresponding to each device of the plurality of devices and representing a level of security applied to the device. The trust score is generated using a severity of the vulnerability data. The system includes an access control component coupled to the at least one component and controlling access of the plurality of devices to an enterprise using the trust score.
US09706393B2

The present document discloses a method and apparatus for updating a local gateway (LGW) address. The method may include a destination donor NodeB receiving local gateway address assignment information and, according to the local gateway address assignment information, if the destination donor NodeB determines that an IP address is required to be assigned to a local gateway co-located in a mobile relay node, then assigning an IP address to the local gateway, and sending the IP address of the local gateway to a service gateway. An apparatus, located in the destination donor NodeB, may include a receiving module, an assigning module, and a sending module. Another apparatus, located in the mobile relay node, may include a judgment module and a storage module. Another apparatus, located in the service gateway servicing a UE, may include a receiving module and an updating module.
US09706391B2

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for initiating signaling in mobile management entity pools using workflows. A processor can execute an orchestrator application. The processor can receive location data that indicates a geographic location at which a virtual mobility management entity has been instantiated and registered. The processor can obtain a mobility management entity topology that defines boundaries of two or more mobile management entity pools and identify, based on the location data, one of the mobility management entity pools in which the virtual mobility management entity is located. The processor can identify pool elements included in the mobility management entity pool, obtain a workflow for establishing and configuring the pool elements, and request establishment of signaling between the virtual mobile management entity and the pool elements.
US09706379B2

A method for transmitting alert messages relating to a crowd gathering to one or more user devices in a communication network comprising the steps of receiving data from one or more data sources at a central alert system, wherein said data comprises the geo-location of the crowd gathering; classifying the crowd gathering based on processing the received data on one or more pre-determined criteria stored in the central alert system; identifying the geo-location of one or more user devices in proximity to the identified geo-location of the crowd gathering; generating an alert message based on the classification of the crowd gathering; and transmitting the generated alert messages to the one or more user devices.
US09706351B1

Techniques for originating an emergency call over a data network include determining whether or not a location services are currently available. Call control may be released to the native dialer when the location services are currently unavailable. Otherwise, the call may be processed by the application dialer, and may be routed from the mobile device towards a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) by using a private packet backbone network exchange. The application dialer may be configured to utilize a packet header format that indicates a geographic location of the mobile device when communicating with an emergency call router interconnected with the private packet backbone network exchange.
US09706342B2

A communication apparatus may determine whether specific apparatus identification information for identifying a specific external apparatus is stored in a memory in a case where the specific apparatus identification information is received via a second interface from the specific external apparatus, shift an operating state of the communication apparatus from a non-parent station state to a parent station state in a case where it is determined that the specific apparatus identification information is stored in the memory, receive a wireless connection request from the specific external apparatus via a first interface after the operating state has been shifted from the non-parent station state to the parent station state, and form the wireless network in which the communication apparatus operates as the parent station and the specific external apparatus operates as a child station, in a case where the wireless connection request is received from the specific external apparatus.
US09706339B2

A method of connecting an Access Point (AP) is disclosed. The method includes, if a device having a nearfield wireless communication tag is tagged with a mobile terminal apparatus having a nearfield wireless communication reader, providing connecting information stored on the device to the mobile terminal apparatus, connecting the mobile terminal apparatus, receiving AP information from the connected mobile terminal apparatus, and connecting to an AP using the received AP information. As a result, connecting to the AP can be implemented more conveniently.
US09706335B2

Cellular devices and a pairing server implementing a Pairing method are described. The first cellular device includes a first subscriber identity module (SIM) card, a controller and a transceiver. The first SIM card is configured to store a first international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI). The controller is configured to receive a pairing command. The transceiver is configured to transmit the first IMSI without a Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network-Number (MSISDN) in response to the pairing command.
US09706334B2

Provided are a method for sending information, a machine type communication (MTC) server, a user equipment and an MTC system. According to the method for sending information, an MTC server or a short message entity (SME) adds triggering identification to information, wherein the triggering identification is used for indicating that the information is triggering information; and the MTC server or the SME sends the information to a user equipment. By means of the technical solution, sending triggering information to a correct application is realized.
US09706332B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus for providing assistance to a user of a mobile application are described. A request is issued to a remote from a mobile device for assistance. Information indicative of a sequence of states of an execution of a mobile application is periodically transmitted from a mobile device to the remote device.
US09706328B2

A sound apparatus includes: an acceptance unit that accepts an input of an input audio signal from outside; a communication unit that accepts from a terminal apparatus first direction information indicating a first direction, the first direction being a direction in which a virtual sound source is arranged; a position information generation unit that generates virtual sound source position information based on listening position information, the first direction information and boundary information, the listening position information indicating a listening position, the boundary information indicating a boundary of a space where the virtual sound source is arranged, the virtual sound source position information indicating a position of the virtual sound source on the boundary; a signal generation unit that imparts, based on loudspeaker position information, the listening position information and the virtual sound source position information, a sound effect to the input audio signal such that a sound is heard at the listening position as if the sound comes from the virtual sound source, to generate an output audio signal, the loudspeaker position information indicating positions of a plurality of loudspeakers; and an output unit that outputs the output audio signal to outside.
US09706316B2

A binaural hearing aid system (100) is configured to execute a method of auditory training, wherein the hearing aid user is trained by trying to bring a randomly moving simulated acoustic source to a desired position. The invention further provides a method of auditory training.
US09706312B2

A sensing circuit includes: a follower transistor, having a control terminal; a follower terminal for connection to a load; a bias-current generator, coupled to the follower terminal; and a feedback stage, configured to control the bias-current generator as a function of an input signal on the control terminal of the follower transistor.
US09706304B1

In one aspect, a device includes a processor and storage accessible to the processor. The storage bears instructions executable by the processor to, based on input received from a sensor, control a first audio output per at least a first setting for a left ear of a user. The instructions are also executable by the processor to, based on input received from a sensor, control a second audio output per at least a second setting for a right ear of the user.
US09706299B2

A method of processing audio received at a plurality of microphones in a vehicle includes receiving the audio as a first audio stream and second audio stream at respective first and second microphones that are positioned at different locations within the vehicle; creating a first digital time series and a second digital time series that represent the first audio stream and the second audio stream, respectively; calculating a delay that exists between the first audio stream and the second audio stream based on a cross-correlation of the first digital time series and the second digital time series; and processing the received audio using the calculated delay.
US09706298B2

Embodiments include a method and an apparatus for the localization of at least one source of an acoustic signal including: temporally sampling the acoustic signal with a plurality of microphones to obtain a (D+1)-dimensional space-time matrix representation of the acoustic signal, wherein D is the number of spatial dimensions, applying a (D+1)-dimensional Fourier transform to the matrix representation, determining a first peak in a spectrum obtained based on the application of the Fourier transform, and calculating the direction of arrival of the acoustic signal at at least one of the plurality of microphones based on the determined first peak.
US09706297B2

An audio processing apparatus including an audio phase detecting device and an adjusting device is provided. After detecting a phase relationship between a first channel signal and a second channel signal, the audio phase detecting device generates a phase control signal. The adjusting device is coupled to the audio phase detecting device and used for selectively adjusting the first channel signal according to the phase control signal.
US09706294B2

According to an embodiment, a transducer package includes a circuit board including a port, a lid disposed over the port, an acoustic transducer disposed over the port and including a membrane, and an environmental transducer disposed at the circuit board in the port. The lid encloses a first region, and the membrane separates the port from the first region. Other embodiments include corresponding systems, apparatus, and structures, each configured to perform the actions or steps of corresponding embodiment methods.
US09706276B2

A switch module and optoelectronic switch incorporating the same. The optoelectronic switch includes an N-dimensional array of switch modules arranged in a topology in which each switch module is a member of N sub-arrays, the sub-arrays defined with reference to the coordinates of the constituent switch modules, and wherein all of the members of each sub-array are connected by an active switch, which in some embodiments may be an optical active switch or an electronic active switch.
US09706275B2

The invention relates to a method for performing network functions for a subscriber-sided (CPE) network access unit (ONT) in a telecommunication's access network with a central unit (CO, OLT), a distribution network (AN), and a multiple of network-sided network termination units (DPD) with subscriber-sided network access units (ONT) connected or connectable thereto, in which network a bidirectional communication path (1) is present between the central unit (CO) and that network-sided network termination unit (DPD), to which the subscriber-sided network access unit (ONT) under consideration is connected, in which for performing network functions a further bidirectional communication path (2) between the subscriber-sided network access unit (ONT) under consideration and the corresponding network-sided network termination unit (DPD) is used in connection with the bidirectional communication path (1) between the central unit (CO, OLT) and that network-sided network termination unit (DPD), as well as to a telecommunication's access network (FIG. 1), a central unit (CO, OLT), a network-sided network termination unit (DPD), and a subscriber-sided network access unit (ONT).
US09706273B2

The invention relates to a method for auto-configuring a wavelength selective switch (WSS) device having an output port and a plurality of input ports and coupled to a WSS controller. When connected to a WDM optical network, the WSS controller is programmed to utilize one or more optical channel monitors (OCM) coupled to the input and/or output ports to detect which of the wavelengths are present at the input ports. Wavelengths that are not detected on any input port are blocked by the WSS. Any wavelength detected as present at one and only one input port is switched by the WSS to the output port. If a wavelength is detected at two or more input ports, it is either blocked by the WSS at each of the input ports until user intervention, or is blocked at all but one of the input ports as defined by assigned port priorities.
US09706270B2

A method of routing packets between nodes of a packet switched network, the method comprising receiving a packet at a first node, the packet comprising routing information and payload data, sending said routing information to a second node in the routing path via a first transmission medium having a relatively high transmission speed, and sending said payload data to said second node via a second transmission medium having a relatively low transmission speed. Upon receipt of said routing information, said second node is able to prepare or begin preparation for onward routing of the packet in advance of receipt of said payload.
US09706265B2

A method, apparatus and system related to zero configuration communication between a sandboxed program and a networked service are disclosed. In one aspect a system includes a networked device configured to announce a networked service to a discovery service, and/or perform the discovery service for a private network; and/or a client device configured to execute a sandboxed program in a security sandbox. The system also includes automatically instantiating a connection between the sandboxed program and the networked device and/or the networked service. The discovery agent may be running with the sandboxed program is configured to query the discovery service for a service information associated with of the networked device and/or the networked service. The service information may include a global unique identifier (GUID), an alphanumeric name, a public address pair, and/or a private address pair.
US09706263B2

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a device that performs operations including receiving user input associated with a group of emergency alert service messages, assigning a plurality of severity codes to the group of emergency alert service messages according to the user input, each of the plurality of severity codes indicating a presentation format, determining a first location of a mobile communication device, determining a second location of a premises of a user of the mobile communication device. The operations can also include, responsive to detecting a first emergency alert service message associated with the first location, determining a first severity code of the plurality of severity codes assigned to the first emergency alert service message and providing the first emergency alert service message to the mobile communication device for presentation in a first format according to the first severity code. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09706261B2

The disclosed system and method receives, from a media device, a query fingerprint that includes an ordered sequence of frames of content being consumed, and matches the query fingerprint with frame fingerprints by determining a distance between respective frame fingerprints and corresponding ones of the ordered sequence of frames. The matching may be performed by populating a binary tree structure with respective distances, chronologically across leaf nodes of the binary tree structure, and then noting a value of the root node. If below a maximum threshold, then there is a match. The system and method may detect a channel change at the media device by traversing a right or a left sub-tree of the binary tree structure, and locating a low value (or a zero) at the first or second nodes of the sub-tree. This channel change may be useful in targeting media to content being streamed to the media device.
US09706260B2

A media source device includes media files in either original source format or in alternative digital formats, based on a content descriptor indicated by a client device from a plurality of content descriptors generated to represent possible transcodings of the source format. In the alternative, a media source device can receive a client device report and subsequent request for a media file. The media source device can send the media file to the client device in a particular digital format based on whether the content descriptor corresponding to the media file is compatible or incompatible with the client device. The bit rate used to send the media file to the client device can be adjusted based on the available transmit bit rate.
US09706258B2

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media processor having a controller to receive from a media communication system metadata describing one or more marketable items depicted in a media program supplied by the media communication system, present images of the media program at a media presentation device without highlighting the one or more marketable items, present an icon at least at one of a remote controller managing operations of the media processor or the media presentation device to indicate a presence of the one or more marketable items in one or more of the images presented at the media presentation device, detect a selection of the icon, and highlight the one or more marketable items. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09706245B2

An interactive television program guide system based on multiple user television equipment devices in a single household is provided. The system provides a user with an opportunity to adjust program guide settings with a given one of the interactive television program guides. The system coordinates the operation of the interactive television program guides so that the program guide settings that were adjusted with the given interactive television program guide are used by the other interactive television program guides. Program guide setting include features related to setting program reminders, profiles, program recording features, messaging features, favorites features, parental control features, program guide set up features (e.g., audio and video and language settings), etc. The operation of applications such as web browser applications, home shopping applications, home banking applications, game applications, etc. may also be coordinated.
US09706242B2

An improved image display system configured to receive and display content, including one or more images and/or parametric data, associated with the flight trajectory of an aircraft is described herein. At least one or more images of the sky and/or earth may be retrieved and stored in an aircraft. Based on the location of the aircraft, the image display system selects a subset of the one or more stored images and displays the subset of the one or more images to at least one interior surface in the aircraft such that passengers may experience the imagery of the open sky or earth while in-flight.
US09706241B2

Exemplary multi-screen casting systems and methods are disclosed. For example, systems and methods for casting a graphical user interface display of a mobile device to a display screen associated with a set-top-box device are disclosed. An exemplary method includes a multi-screen casting system establishing a multi-screen display relationship between a mobile device and a set-top-box device, identifying data associated with a graphical user interface display of the mobile device, and transmitting the identified data associated with the graphical user interface display of the mobile device to the set-top-box device for display by a display device associated with the set-top-box device. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
US09706233B2

A media system replaces content in a first sequence of media content. The media system presents the first sequence of media content to an end-user and generates a fingerprint of the sequence of media content. The fingerprint is for comparison with a plurality of reference fingerprints so as to identify the first sequence of media content and determine a reference position within the first sequence of media content. The media system sends a request for a replacement sequence of content to a content replacement system, and receives replacement media content selected based on the identified first sequence of media content. The media system presents the replacement media content to the end-user instead of the first sequence of media content. Presenting the replacement media content begins at a position in the first sequence of media content that is determined based on the reference position.
US09706232B2

Provided are a method and device for sending media data. The method is realized by providing a media substitute node between a sender and a receiver. The method comprises: a media substitute node receives an original media data stream from a sender; the media substitute node acquires substitute data for substituting for the original media data stream within a designated interval; the media substitute node converts the format of the acquired substitute data into a media format which conforms to a media parameter of the original media data stream; and the media substitute node sends the converted substitute data to the receiver within the designated interval. The technical solution provided in the disclosure is adopted to solve the technical problems in the related art, such as the reduction in communication efficiency due to the need for re-negotiating a media parameter between substitute data and original media data.
US09706212B2

An encoding apparatus, decoding apparatus, and coding methods. The encoding apparatus includes a processor configured to receive a video frame including screen content, generate a block containing an index map of colors for screen content in the video frame, wherein the block includes strings of index values sharing a same escape color index value, wherein the escape color index value represents an escape color, encode each of the strings of index values in the block, and sequentially encode the escape colors after each of the strings of index values in the block has been encoded. A transmitter operably coupled to the processor is configured to transmit the strings of index values and the escape colors in a bitstream to a decoding apparatus.
US09706209B2

The present invention provides a system and method for adaptively compensating distortion caused by video compression, the method first conducts an edge texture detection and block boundary detection to an image, classifies the area where the pixels to be processed is located to determine whether the pixel is located at a ringing artifact prone area or near the block boundary with blocking artifact. Next, according to the area of the pixel to be processed and the degree of distortion, the present invention adaptively compensate the distortion using different filtering strategies, so as to improve image effect of low bit-rate transmission at the display end, so that a real time requirement that playing at a high-definition, and ultra high-definition display is satisfied.
US09706208B2

In a first inter-image prediction mode in which information on a motion vector is used, a first mode detection unit constructs a first candidate list from a plurality of reference block candidates based on a first predetermined order, assigns indices for designating reference block candidates added in the first candidate list, and outputs the indices of the plurality of reference candidate blocks. In a second inter-image prediction mode in which is used a motion vector difference between a motion vector predictor based on information on a motion vector, and a motion vector of a coding target block, a second mode detection unit constructs a second candidate list from a plurality of reference block candidates based on a second predetermined order, assigns indices for designating reference block candidates added in the second candidate list, and outputs the indices of the plurality of reference block candidates and motion vector differences.
US09706203B2

The invention concerns a method comprising: encoding, by a video encoder and based on a first quantization factor (QP), one or more first groups of image blocks of a video frame; estimating, by a processing device, the size of an image slice comprising a plurality of further groups of image blocks to be encoded; and determining, based on the estimated size of the image slice, a second quantization factor (QP) to be applied to one or more of the further groups.
US09706194B2

Disclosed herein are an electronic device and a method of controlling the same. The electronic device may include a sensor configured to detect the location of at least one viewer, a display configured to generate a 3D image and generate at least one 3D-visible area where a 3D image is able to be recognized and at least one 3D-invisible area where a 3D image is unable to be recognized, and a control unit configured to change a display state of a 3D image if the detected at least one viewer is placed in the 3D-invisible area. In accordance with the present invention, a viewer may smoothly view an image because the display state of a 3D image is changed if the viewer is placed in a 3D-invisible area.
US09706189B2

A method for calibrating image defection of an image capturing device having a first and second lens, a focusing actuator, and a prestored first focusing step-to-focusing distance relation includes the following steps. A plurality of image sets are captured by the first and second lens, where each of the image sets includes a first and second image, and the images sets include a reference image set. It is detected whether the reference image set is defective. When the reference image set is detected to be defective, the first focusing step-to-focusing distance relation is calibrated according to a focusing step and a focusing distance corresponding to each of the image sets, where the focusing step corresponding to each of the image sets is the number of steps that the focusing actuator is required to move the first and second lens to a focusing position to generate each of the image sets.
US09706178B2

An audio-video communication system comprises a wireless exterior module located proximate an entrance, a computerized controller running a software application, and a remote peripheral device. The wireless exterior module includes a proximity sensor for detecting a person at the entrance, a video camera for recording an image of the person at the entrance, a microphone for recording the person at the entrance, a speaker for playing audio to the person at the entrance, a transmitter for communicating sounds and images of the person at the entrance, and a receiver for receiving communications at the wireless exterior module. The computerized controller is disposed in wireless electronic communication with the wireless exterior module via the transmitter and the receiver of the wireless exterior module. The remote peripheral device is configured to electronically communicate with the computerized controller for viewing an image from the video camera communicated from the wireless exterior module.
US09706175B2

In an image processing device configured to be installed in a vehicle, an image acquirer acquires camera images captured by cameras provided on the vehicle. A synthetic image generator generates synthetic images, which include downward views of the vehicle and a periphery thereof viewed from viewpoints different from one another, based on the camera images. A display image provider outputs, to the display device installed in the vehicle, information corresponding to a display image in which the synthetic images are continuously reproduced.
US09706174B2

The present invention relates to a sighting device (1) providing an automatically updated reticule. The control unit (4) acquires the output level of the encoder (22) and calculates the expected distance between the dots of the reticule accordingly. The control unit (4) calculates the expected distance between the dots of the reticule and draws the reticule generated for that specific zoom level on the display means (3).
US09706172B1

The present disclosure describes roof inspection devices, methods, and systems. One roof inspection device includes a pole, a camera coupled to an end of the pole and configured to capture an image of a roof, and a number of attachments coupled to the pole and configured to stabilize the pole on the roof or other elevated surface.
US09706171B1

Techniques are described herein that are capable of providing a polyptych view that includes three or more designated video streams. A polyptych view is a view that includes multiple discrete sections. Each section includes a respective designated video stream. A designated video stream is a video stream of a participant of a video conference who is identified to be a designated participant in the context of the video conference. For example, a participant of a video conference may become a designated participant by speaking for at least a first threshold duration of time during the video conference and/or having a priority greater than or equal to a priority threshold. In another example, a participant may no longer be deemed a designated participant if the participant does not speak for a second threshold duration of time, speaks less than others, and/or has a priority that is less than others.
US09706170B2

A communication apparatus outputs data received from another communication apparatus. The communication apparatus includes: a notification unit that notifies an external information processing apparatus of an output state of data received from the other communication apparatus; and a display processing unit that, while a session for receiving data with the other communication apparatus is established, acquires an output state of data transmitted to the other communication apparatus at the other communication apparatus from the information processing apparatus and displays output state information representing the acquired output state on a display device.
US09706165B2

A method of aggregating displays of performances into an aggregate site on a network is provided. The aggregated performances originate from at least one performance site on a network. The method includes the steps of selecting a performance criterion; observing at least one performance originating from at least one performance site on a network, the performance being associated with a link; determining when at least one performance meets the performance criterion; establishing an aggregation link to the link associated with the performance meeting the performance criterion; and providing the aggregation link to an aggregate site on a network such that the performance is accessible on the aggregate site.
US09706164B2

A communication management system manages group information regarding one or more groups of a plurality of communication terminals, while the plurality of communication terminals are communicating in the same communication session. In response to a request from one communication terminal, the communication management system updates the group information to reflect the currently-established groups, and transmits updated group information to all of the plurality of communication terminals communicating in the same communication session.
US09706160B2

At least one server is queried to obtain program data. DVR data is obtained from a digital video recorder, substantially in real time, over a content-based network. The program data and/or the DVR data are displayed on a separate remote device, in communication with the content-based network. A request to record a given program on the at least one digital video recorder is received at the separate remote device. A conflict associated with the request to record the given program is detected, and the conflict is resolved based at least on a user input received at the separate remote device.
US09706159B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for processing transactions and associated dated. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a method for processing information associated with transactions involving a product, wherein the product may comprise an experience, a physical product, and/or a digital product. Moreover, illustrative methods may include performing processing associated with a plurality of subroutines, such as a first subroutine for handling an experience, a second subroutine for handling a physical and/or a digital product, and/or one more additional subroutines associated with fulfillment.
US09706157B2

A digital television (DTV) operating screen is displayed on the cathode ray tube (CRT) display screen of a DTV which is the controlling apparatus of a network. In the event that the user selects a digital video home system (DVHS) from the buttons displayed on the DTV operating screen, data corresponding to the DVHS operation screen is input to the DTV, and a DVHS operation screen is displayed on the CRT display screen 61. The user operation instructions executed regarding the DVHS operation screen are notified from the digital television DTV to the DVHS, so the DTV can execute control corresponding to the operations of the user, without transmitting commands for directly controlling the DVHS.
US09706156B2

In one embodiment, an image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels, an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert analog pixel signals output from the pixels into digital signals, a first cluster configured to store a first group of digital signals among the digital signals and to output first image data, a second cluster configured to store a second group of digital signals among the digital signals and to output second image data, and at least one cluster switch connected to the first cluster and the second cluster, a first channel, and a second channel. The image sensor is configured to transmit at least one among the first image data and the second image data to at least one among the first channel and the second channel based on an operation mode.
US09706140B2

A method for thermally imaging a moving workpiece of a gas turbine engine using long wavelength infrared (LWIR) images of the workpiece captured during operation of the gas turbine engine. The method comprises determining average pixel intensity and pixel variation in intensity for each pixel across the plurality of LWIR images, determining average area intensity and area variation in intensity across a range of areas defined by increasing length scales about a selected pixel, and identifying as a critical length scale a length scale at which area variation in intensity is minimized as a function of length scale, for which the area intensity remains substantially the same as the average pixel intensity of the selected pixel. A composite image is built such that each pixel of the composite image has intensity equal to an average area intensity centered on that pixel, over the critical length scale.
US09706138B2

Various techniques are provided for an infrared sensor assembly having a hybrid infrared sensor array. In one example, such a hybrid infrared sensor array may include a plurality of microbolometers and a non-bolometric infrared sensor. The non-bolometric infrared sensor may be a thermopile or other type of infrared sensor different from a bolometer-based sensor. The non-bolometric infrared sensor may be utilized to provide a more accurate and stable temperature reading of an object or area of a scene captured by the array. In some embodiments, the non-bolometric infrared sensor may also be utilized to perform a shutter-less radiometric calibration of the microbolometers of the array. An infrared sensor assembly may include, for example, the hybrid infrared sensor array, as well as a substrate including bond pads and/or appropriate circuits to obtain and/or transmit output signals from the non-bolometric infrared sensor.
US09706137B2

Various techniques are provided to monitor electrical equipment. In some implementations, a monitoring system for a cabinet may include an infrared camera configured to capture thermal images of at least a portion of electrical equipment positioned in an interior cavity of the cabinet. In some implementations, the monitoring system also includes a communication interface configured to transmit the thermal images from the infrared camera for external viewing by a user. In some implementations, the thermal images may be provided through various wired and wireless communication techniques. In some implementations, the infrared camera may receive electrical power through a physical coupling to an electrical connector within the cabinet and/or through electromagnetic energy harvesting techniques. Other implementations are also provided.
US09706136B2

A handheld communication device is used to capture video streams and generate a multiplexed video stream. The handheld communication device has at least two cameras facing in two opposite directions. The handheld communication device receives a first video stream and a second video stream simultaneously from the two cameras. The handheld communication device detects a speech activity of a person captured in the video streams. The speech activity may be detected from direction of sound or lip movement of the person. Based on the detection, the handheld communication device automatically switches between the first video stream and the second video stream to generate a multiplexed video stream. The multiplexed video stream interleaves segments of the first video stream and segments of the second video stream. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US09706132B2

Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention pattern array camera modules with π filter groups. In one embodiment, an array camera module includes: an M×N imager array including a plurality of focal planes, where each focal plane includes an array of pixels; an M×N optic array of lens stacks, where each lens stack corresponds to a focal plane, and where each lens stack forms an image of a scene on its corresponding focal plane; where each pairing of a lens stack and focal plane thereby defines a camera; where at least one row in the M×N array of cameras includes at least one red camera, one green camera, and one blue camera; and where at least one column in the M×N array of cameras includes at least one red camera, one green camera, and one blue camera.
US09706130B2

An electronic device is described. The electronic device includes a flash configured to generate a pre-flash and a regular flash and a camera. The electronic device also includes a processor communicatively coupled to the flash and the camera. The processor is configured to, in response to receiving a picture request: determine one or more high dynamic range (HDR) settings and configure an HDR mode of the camera with the determined HDR settings; cause the flash to generate a pre-flash while the HDR mode of the camera is configured with the determined HDR settings; obtain an HDR image from the camera after causing the flash to generate the pre-flash and while the camera is configured with the determined HDR setting; and determine one or more camera configuration settings based on the obtained HDR image.
US09706123B2

Techniques to permit a digital image capture device to stabilize a video stream in real-time (during video capture operations) are presented. In general, techniques are disclosed for stabilizing video images using an overscan region and a look-ahead technique enabled by buffering a number of video input frames before generating a first stabilized video output frame. (Capturing a larger image than is displayed creates a buffer of pixels around the edge of an image; overscan is the term given to this buffer of pixels.) More particularly, techniques are disclosed for buffering an initial number of input frames so that a “current” frame can use motion data from both “past” and “future” frames to adjust the strength of a stabilization metric value so as to keep the current frame within its overscan. This look-ahead and look-behind capability permits a smoother stabilizing regime with fewer abrupt adjustments.
US09706122B2

The purpose of the present invention is to provide image processing technology that can reduce shimmering in the entirety of images that include both still regions and moving bodies. This image processing device finds gradient distribution for each of a frame to be corrected and a frame for correction, changes, according to the degree of similarity in the gradient distribution, the proportion in which the frame to be corrected and the frame for correction are used, and then corrects the frame to be corrected using the frame for correction (see FIG. 1).
US09706121B2

An image processing apparatus calculates correlation values between a plurality of images with respect to relative positions, and detects a motion vector between the plurality of images based on the calculated correlation values. The image processing apparatus then determines the reliability of the motion vector based on a value indicating the highest correlation among the correlation values and a correlation value obtained at a position that is distant by a predetermined distance or longer from a position at which the value indicating the highest correlation is obtained. In this way, the reliability of the motion vector can be determined with high accuracy.
US09706117B2

A system for capturing aerial images, the system comprising at least one camera unit, the at least one camera unit comprising at least one detail camera, the pointing direction of the at least one detail camera time-multiplexed via a steerable mirror to implement a virtual array of cameras with overlapping fields of view, thereby to allow the at least one detail camera to capture an extended field of view.
US09706111B2

Techniques related to no-reference image and video quality evaluation are discussed. Such techniques may include generating, for a still image or video frame, features including a natural scene statistics based feature and an image quality based feature and determining an image evaluation indicator associated with the still image or video frame based on a mapping of the generated features to the image evaluation indicator.
US09706104B2

The present disclosure provides a method for calculating a focusing evaluation value. The method may be applied in a scene having a dynamic light source and include: dividing an image region of a camera into a plurality of sub-regions; selecting a first sub-region which is affected by a dynamic light source from the plurality of sub-regions; correcting a focusing evaluation value of the first sub-region with the focusing evaluation value of each of sub-regions adjacent to the first sub-region; and calculating a focusing evaluation value of the whole image region based on the focusing evaluation value of each of the sub-regions. The present disclosure improves the performance of auto-focusing in a scene having a dynamic light source.
US09706092B1

An imager module having an interposer chip with castellated contacts electrically connected to and routing signals between an image sensor, a printed circuit board (PCB), and a voice coil motor (VCM) is disclosed. The VCM may be electrically coupled to the interposer chip via the castellated contacts. The castellated contacts may be formed by fabricating annular through silicon vias (TSVs) and then sawing through those annular TSVs. In some example embodiments, one or more surface mount devices (SMDs) may further be attached to the interposer chip with castellated contacts. The interposer chip may further have a cavity therein within which the image sensor may be attached.
US09706087B2

A polymer element includes a pair of electrode layers of which at least one includes a porous carbon material, and a polymer layer between the pair of electrode layers, in which the porous carbon material is provided with a first hole in a surface and a second hole which is smaller than the first hole and which communicates with the first hole.
US09706079B2

An image sensor is wieldy used in many fields, including medical field and security device. Specifically, the image sensor is most widely used in digital camera and mobile phone. The digital camera and the mobile phone requires capture image of higher resolution and higher quality. However, a preview size of the mobile phone or digital camera requires a small size because of a display limitation. Therefore, a function of reducing an image size or magnifying a specific portion of the picture is essential in the image sensor. Accordingly, there is provided an image sensor with a scaler. The image sensor with the scaler can arbitrarily adjust a size of an image without any additional scaling chip.
US09706070B2

The image reading apparatus includes a reading unit configured to read the image of the original placed on the platen glass. The image reading apparatus determines whether the original is on the platen glass or not. If it is determined that the original is on the platen glass, the image reading apparatus determines whether the original is blank or not based on the image read by the reading unit. If it is determined that the original is not on the platen glass, or if it is determined that the original is blank, the image reading apparatus notifies the user that the original is not on the platen glass or the original is blank.
US09706068B2

An upstream-side unit of a reading unit of an automatic document feeder has protruding portions that protrude toward a surface that forms a document feeding path in a mechanism body unit on both sides of a document in the width direction outside a feeding portion that forms the document feeding path. Positioning of the upstream-side unit provided so as to be rotatable with respect to the mechanism body unit is performed by making protruding portions come in contact with a guide surface of the mechanism body unit, the guide surface forming the document feeding path. By adopting this configuration, because the protruding portions provided on both sides of the document in the width direction outside the document feeding path are used to perform positioning, it is possible to increase the accuracy of clearance for allowing a document to pass through the document feeding path.
US09706067B2

An information processing terminal includes an operating system that runs applications. A first application is run by the operating system and manages a file, and a second application is run by the operating system when a request to output the file is issued by the first application. The information processing terminal further includes a hardware processor that, by the second application, obtains the file from the first application via the operating system, refers to file processing information and determines a process that should be performed about the obtained file, and processes the obtained file according to the determined process. The process that should be performed when the file is obtained is associated with the first application and registered with the file processing information.
US09706066B2

An image processing device capable of communicating with an information processing terminal and a cloud server. The image processing device comprises a communication controller to communicate with the information processing terminal, a server connecting unit to make connection to the cloud server based on connection information received from the information processing terminal and acquire an operational screen about a job from the cloud server, a remote screen generating unit to generate a remote screen based on the operational screen acquired by the server connecting unit and transmit the remote screen to the information processing terminal, the remote screen being used for remote control from the information processing terminal, and a job controller, if operational information received by the communication controller is an order made on the remote screen to execute a job, the job controller executing the job in cooperation with the cloud server.
US09706058B2

The disclosure discloses a method of monitoring Machine-Type Communication device events, wherein a network side detects Machine-Type Communication (MTC) device events; when the occurrence or termination of a MTC device event is detected, sends an event report to a MTC server through a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), in which the MTC device event that has occurred or terminated is indicated. The disclosure further discloses, at the same time, a system and network of monitoring MTC device events. With the solution of the disclosure, it can be implemented that the network side reports a MTC device event to the MTC server and processes the MTC device according to the MTC device event that has occurred, as well as recovers normal activities of the MTC device when the termination of the MTC device event that has occurred is detected.
US09706057B2

A threshold control system for controlling a non-linear processor in an echo canceller, the non-linear processor being configured to remove any signal energy below a threshold that remains in a microphone signal after the echo canceller has subtracted an echo estimate from it, the threshold control system comprising a convergence unit configured to determine an indication of the stability of an adaptive filter, the adaptive filter being configured to continuously model an echo path so as to generate the echo estimate, and a threshold tuner configured to adjust the threshold of the non-linear processor in dependence on the indication.
US09706051B2

An apparatus includes a communications module that establishes a telephonic connection between a customer service representative of a company and a customer through an electronic device. An identification module receives an identifier that alerts the customer service representative and/or a computer system of the company that the customer has a customer profile that includes information to identify the customer. The identifier is received in conjunction with the telephonic connection. The customer profile is stored previous to the telephonic connection. An ID request module sends a request to the customer to provide identifying information via the electronic device of the customer. The identifying information is input to the electronic device by the customer using an electronic, non-verbal technique. An ID confirmation module receives an identification confirmation in response to the identifying information input by the customer matching the information to identify the customer in the customer profile.
US09706049B2

Individuals often place calls on behalf of a group or collection of individuals. As provided herein, a caller may access or establish a group number to be presented to a callee. The callee then receives the call, such as by answering, caller identifier display, etc., and may wish to return the call. The callee then places a call to the group, rather than the individual who placed the call, which is then routed to members of the group. Any member of the group may then answer the call, thus avoiding issues associated with the originating caller being unavailable when any member of the group could address the purpose of the call. Additionally, status information may be automatically provided to allow group members to receive activity notification for calls to and/or from the group. For example, an indication that a call to an individual was placed on behalf of the group and, optionally, the status (e.g., answered, voicemail, etc.) of the call.
US09706048B2

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for nuisance call management. In one example, a method includes receiving, at a telecommunications signaling computer system for routing telecommunications signaling messages in a core network of a telecommunications signaling network, a message from a subscriber's user equipment (UE) indicating that the subscriber has flagged a first call as a nuisance call. The method includes storing, in a subscriber-level nuisance call database, an association between a calling party identifier for the calling party and a subscriber identifier for the subscriber. The method includes, in response to a second call from the calling party to the subscriber, blocking, at the telecommunications signaling computer system, the second call using the association between the calling party identifier and the subscriber identifier in the subscriber-level nuisance call database.
US09706045B2

In one embodiment, an IMS network node is operable, responsive to receiving a SIP INVITE request from an enterprise user to initiate origination of an outgoing cellular call to a called party, for establishing a first call leg to the enterprise user by sending a SIP INVITE message back to the enterprise user. The IMS network node includes functionality for establishing a second call leg to the called party. The first and second call legs are patched to establish an end-to-end communications path between the enterprise user and the called party, wherein an enterprise address instead of a non-enterprise address of the enterprise user is presented to the called party as a calling line identity with respect to the outgoing cellular call from the enterprise user.
US09706044B2

A computer-implemented method for managing voicemails includes receiving, at an intermediate server communicatively coupled to a mobile phone associated with a first phone number corresponding to a first contact group and a second phone number corresponding to a second contact group, a request to receive an incoming call associated with a caller phone number. The intermediate server identifies a contact group associated with the request. The identified contact group comprises the first contact group in response to the received request corresponding to the first phone number, and the identified contact group comprises the second contact group in response to the received request corresponding to the second phone number. The intermediate server selects a voicemail setting based on the identified contact group. In response to determining to route the incoming call to voicemail, the voicemail is configured based at least in part on the selected voicemail setting.
US09706041B2

A method of accessing a web page using a near field communication (NFC) tag is provided. The method includes receiving a tag ID from the NFC tag using an application program installed in a mobile terminal, the application program transmitting the tag ID to a first ID search engine, the application program receiving a uniform resource locator (URL) of a management system corresponding to the tag ID from the first ID search engine, the application program accessing the management system using the URL of the management system and requesting a URL of the web page from the management system, the application program receiving the URL of the web page from the management system, and the application program accessing the web page using the URL of the web page.
US09706033B2

A display method and apparatus for a mobile terminal are disclosed. In the method, traffic display identifiers are set corresponding to different wireless local area network traffic conditions of the mobile terminal, and a traffic display identifier is displayed corresponding to the current wireless local area network traffic condition of the mobile terminal. The schemes can truly display the current wireless local area network traffic condition of the mobile terminal in real time, thereby improving the validity and authenticity of displaying the wireless local area network traffic and facilitating the improvement of the user experience.
US09706028B1

A system and method for protecting devices from impact damage is provided. Prior to impact between a surface and a device, a determination of a risk of damage to the device is made. If the risk of damage to the device exceeds a threshold, a protection system is activated to reduce or substantially eliminate damage to the device.
US09706020B2

The invention relates to a textile surface for at least partially absorbing electromagnetic waves. The textile surface comprises textile elements, such as threads or fibers, of at least first and second types. The textile elements of the first and second types have electrical-conduction properties. Each textile element of the first type comprises a synthetic-material core coated with a first metal. The textile elements of the second type are made of a second metal. The invention also relates to a textile material comprising at least two textile surfaces, and to a protective device comprising a textile surface or a textile material.
US09706019B2

A method, a system, and a network element for service processing after data of a network element is invalid or a network element fails are provided. When the service network element (1) receives the service request message from the network and initiated to a called end and the user data is invalid, the service network element (1) returns a data invalid message of the called end to the network. When a network element containing registration data of a user is abnormal and the registration data of the user is invalid, by using the present invention, the service unavailable time is shortened, and user services can be recovered rapidly.
US09706012B2

In a relay communication system, if a request to perform a first remote operation on a first client terminal selected based on relay server information is received from a third client terminal, then a first relay server relays an operation event and image data, which are operation data of the first remote operation performed based on the first remote operation request, via an operation-performing session established between the second relay server and the first client terminal. If a monitoring request to monitor the first remote operation is received from a second client terminal, then the first relay server establishes a monitoring session with the second client terminal and transmits the operation data of the first remote operation via the monitoring session. As a result, a terminal other than the terminal that performs the remote operation or the terminal that undergoes the remote operation is capable of acquiring the content of the remote operation.
US09705999B1

A system includes an ingestion component configured to receive a request from an entity for content related to a content item and a user identity. The request has a content identifier representative of the content item and a token. A request processing component of the system is configured to access a database associated with the system and identify the content item and the user identity using the content identifier and the token, wherein the database has information associating the token with the user identity and associating the content identifier with the content item. In response to identification of the content item and the user identity, the request processing component directs a recommendation engine associated with the system to identify the content related to the content item and the user identity. Information identifying the content related to the content item and the user identity is then transmitted back to the entity.
US09705997B2

The present disclosure provides a system and method that generates and provides access to communication forums based on metadata associated with images. For example, when a first user captures an image with his or her computing device, the computing device will associate metadata with the image, which may include at least location information and time information. A control server having access to only the metadata may cluster the image individually or with one or more other images that were captured within a threshold proximate distance and a threshold proximate time of where and when the image was captured, respectively. The control server may associate a communication forum with the cluster, such that only users associated with images that are within the cluster are provided access to the communication forum. The user's computing device may then associate the communication forum with the image content stored on the user's computing device.
US09705996B2

Systems and methods are provided for providing location-based communication services, such as location-based chat sessions and location based-data feeds. Access to a chat session or data feed may be provided to a user of a mobile device when the current location of the mobile device is determined to be within a predetermined geographic region. In one implementation, the chat session or data feed relates to content provided by members of a group or social network. In other implementations, the content related to chat session or data feed is provided by members of the general public.
US09705994B2

A method and apparatus for recommending multimedia content in a communication system are provided. The method includes generating recommendation information for recommending content, and transmitting a message including the recommendation information, wherein the recommendation information includes information necessary for joining a session carrying the recommended content. The apparatus includes a control unit configured to generate recommendation information for recommending content; and a communication unit configured to transmit a message including the recommendation information, wherein the recommendation information includes information for joining a session carrying the content.
US09705984B2

A fault-tolerant configuration to share computer accessible data storage devices contained in a computer system with other such computer systems. Embodiments of the present invention allow sharing data storage devices contained in a first computer storage system with a second computer system by providing two or more independent connections to the data storage devices, such connections to the second computer system being independent of a motherboard (or a component thereon) contained in the first computer system, and thus ensuring continued access to the storage devices in the presence of component failures of the first computer system, such components being redundant.
US09705980B2

Systems and methods for visualization of performance parameters of distributed computer systems. An example method may comprise: receiving data representing a geographic location of a client computer system issuing a plurality of requests to a server computer system, the data further comprising a plurality of values representing one or more parameters of request processing by the server computer system; and generating a sequence of video frames, each video frame of the sequence of video frames comprising a visual element of a pre-defined shape overlaid over a geographic map in a position corresponding to the geographic location of the client computer system, wherein a pre-defined attribute of the visual element visually represents one or more values of the plurality of values.
US09705978B1

A mechanism for employing dependency graph in build projects is disclosed. A method of implementation of the disclosure includes receiving a request to change a first network entity attribute of a first network entity in a network system from a first value to a second value, the network system including the first network entity having the first network entity attribute and a second network entity having a second network entity attribute. The method can include retrieving a dependency graph of the network system, the dependency graph indicating a mapping of the first network entity and the second network entity and a dependency link between the first network entity attribute and the second network entity attribute. The method can include changing a first value of the first network entity attribute to a second value and change a third value of the second network entity attribute to the second value.
US09705976B2

Systems and methods for providing navigation filters within content items distributed via a computer network are provided. A navigation filter includes a heading and a plurality of items associated with the heading and can function as a summary of a resource associated with a distributed content item. A described method includes receiving a request for content from a user device, selecting a content item in response to the request, identifying one or more navigation filters associated with the selected content item, generating display data including the selected content item and the one or more navigation filters, and providing the display data for presentation to the user device.
US09705970B2

A database contains available cloud environments to which a virtual image workload may be deployed. The database includes ratings for each available cloud option, such as cost, distance, reliability, which workloads that environment may handle. A table of attributes and weights is used to create a rating of the requested deployment. This rating determines where the image is deployed. The invention discloses techniques for gathering additional information from the user about the virtual image workload to be deployed. A mapping algorithm applies the attributes and weights to the gathered information to create a rating for the deployment. An algorithm is then used to determine to which available cloud environment the workload will be deployed.
US09705969B2

A method, system, and medium are provided for sharing items residing on a computing device. Items selected for sharing can be made simultaneously available to users on a local network and to users outside of the local network. A remote sharing service allows access to copies of items based on user identifiers associated. Local attributes associated with items are modified such that the user identifiers are associated with the items for providing access via a local network.
US09705956B2

An image transmitting method is used to transmit image data from an image transmitting apparatus to an image receiving apparatus. The image transmitting device receives operation events generated in the image receiving device through a network. The image transmitting apparatus calculates a determination time of the image data, in a transmission control based on a previously determined transmission interval, based on an amount of the image data to be transmitted to the image receiving apparatus, information regarding the network through which the image data is transmitted, and a number of the operation events that have been received from an immediately previous transmission time until a time of transmitting the image data. The image transmitting apparatus compares the determination time with a transmission time indicating a time of transmitting the image data, and prevents a transmission of the image data when the determination time is later than the transmission time.
US09705950B2

An example method includes receiving an indication that a user was at a location at a particular time; identifying at least one portion of media content playing at the location at the particular time; and transmitting data that indicates the identified at least one portion of media content to a computing device associated with the user. A second example method includes transmitting an indication that a user was at a location at a particular time; receiving data identifying at least one portion of media content played by a second playback device at the location at the particular time when the user was at the location; and causing, by the control device, a graphical display to display the data identifying the at least one portion of media content played at the location at the particular time when the user was at the location.
US09705944B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a multi-terminal synchronous play control method and apparatus. The method includes: receiving, by a virtual server, a play instruction issued by a user, where the play instruction is an instruction for playing a media file; and sending, by the virtual server, control information respectively to player terminals entering a virtual studio, where the control information is used to control the player terminals to play the media file synchronously on corresponding channels at corresponding play time. With the multi-terminal synchronous play control method and apparatus, multiple player terminals can play the same media file synchronously, and different player terminals can play different channels of the same media file synchronously, which achieves a good play effect and improves the play experience of the user.
US09705936B2

A method for providing control and visualization of media. A first media stream having an initial resolution is received from a source computer; the first media stream is rescaled to generate a second media stream with a second resolution; the second media source stream is transmitted to a destination computer; after receiving instructions from the destination computer indicating a selection of the second media stream, the stream is rescaled in accordance with the received rescaling information, to generate a third media stream with a third resolution, which is transmitted to the destination computer.
US09705932B1

The invention relates to object storage and methods systems for storing data objects that overcome the pitfalls of using traditional object storage systems. Advantages include an easily searchable database and multiversion concurrency control meaning one version of the database may be read from and written to at the same time.
US09705927B2

A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and apparatus for processing a request from a server of a machine-to-machine service provider are provided. For example, the method receives the request from the server of the machine-to-machine service provider to communicate with a machine-to-machine device, determines whether to authorize the request based upon a policy in a privacy database, and enables communications between the server of the machine-to-machine service provider and the machine-to-machine device if the request is authorized based upon the policy.
US09705919B1

Techniques for network-based security for mobile devices based on device state are disclosed. In some embodiments, network-based security for mobile devices based on device state includes receiving a Host Information Profile (HIP) report for a mobile device from a mobile device management (MDM) service at the security device, in which the HIP report includes device state information for the mobile device; applying a policy based on the HIP report for the mobile device and the device state; and performing access control at the security device based on the policy based on the HIP report for the mobile device.
US09705916B2

Systems and methods may provide for establishing an out-of-band (OOB) channel between a local wireless interface and a remote backend receiver, and receiving information from a peripheral device via the local wireless interface. Additionally, the information may be sent to the backend receiver via the OOB channel, wherein the OOB channel bypasses a local operating system. In one example, a secure Bluetooth stack is used to receive the information from the peripheral device.
US09705914B2

In one embodiment, a device in a network generates an expected traffic model based on a training set of data used to train a machine learning attack detector. The device provides the expected traffic model to one or more nodes in the network. The device receives an unexpected behavior notification from a particular node of the one or more nodes. The particular node generates the unexpected behavior notification based on a comparison between the expected traffic model and an observed traffic behavior by the node. The particular node also prevents the machine learning attack detector from analyzing the observed traffic behavior. The device updates the machine learning attack detector to account for the observed traffic behavior.
US09705912B2

A device for processing a virus file, including a memory, and a processor in communication with the memory, the memory stores a virus file information providing instruction, a cleaning instruction, an isolating instruction and a transferring instruction, which are executable by the processor; the virus file information providing instruction indicates to provide virus file information; the cleaning instruction indicates to clean a virus file in a User Equipment (UE) corresponding to the virus file information, based on the virus file information; the isolating instruction indicates to provide isolation space, and utilize the isolation space to isolate the virus file, and the transferring instruction indicates to transfer the virus file, which is cleaned based on the cleaning instruction, to the isolation space.
US09705909B2

Some embodiments provide a self-configuring firewall for automatic detection and mitigation of security weaknesses. The self-configuring firewall performs passive and active vulnerability detection. Passive detection involves scanning software resources and configurations under firewall protection for vulnerabilities present in the software and software configurations. Active detection identifies vulnerabilities by subjecting the software resources and configurations to simulated malicious traffic. The identified vulnerabilities are mapped to attack signatures. The self-configuring firewall enables the attack signatures which in turn allow the firewall to detect traffic containing attacks directed to exploiting the vulnerabilities.
US09705904B1

As part of an analysis of the likelihood that a given input (e.g. a file, etc.) includes malicious code, a convolutional neural network can be used to review a sequence of chunks into which an input is divided to assess how best to navigate through the input and to classify parts of the input in a most optimal manner. At least some of the sequence of chunks can be further examined using a recurrent neural network in series with the convolutional neural network to determine how to progress through the sequence of chunks. A state of the at least some of the chunks examined using the recurrent neural network summarized to form an output indicative of the likelihood that the input includes malicious code. Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture are also described.
US09705901B2

There is provided an unauthorized-communication detecting apparatus. A measuring unit measures a transition of a communication state value between the unauthorized-communication detecting apparatus and a client apparatus. A transition pattern storage unit stores a transition pattern of the communication state value. An unauthorized-communication detecting unit detects unauthorized communication of the client apparatus on the basis of the transition pattern and a transition of the measured communication state value.
US09705899B2

A digital filter correlation engine, wherein the correlation engine combines N arbitrary digital filter states based on the weights and along with a threshold generate a network incident. This network incident in turn can be feedback to another digital filter. This multi-layering capability allows the creation of higher level event detections that are time-based for a cyber security analyst to analyze, thereby reducing the amount of manual work the analyst has to do in inspecting behaviors within the network.
US09705897B2

A streaming environment includes at least a first processing element of a first compute node and a second processing element of a second compute node. A tuple encryption operation is determined of the first processing element and the second processing element. The first processing element includes a first encryption key for encrypting the tuples as the leave the first processing element. An encryption workload is measured of the tuple encryption operation of a processing workload of the use of the first encryption key of a transfer of the stream of tuples. A threshold of the tuple encryption operation is determined. The second processing element is migrated to the first compute node and fused to the first compute node with the first processing element. The tuple encryption operation is removed from the first processing element.
US09705892B2

Systems and methods for providing trusted time service for the off-line mode of operation of a processing system. An example processing system comprises: a first processing device communicatively coupled to a real-time clock, the first processing device to modify an epoch value associated with the real-time clock responsive to detecting a reset of the real-time clock; and a second processing device to execute, in a first trusted execution environment, a first application to receive, from the first processing device, a first time value outputted by the real-time clock and a first epoch value associated with the real-time clock.
US09705885B2

A trust management engine maintains transferable files in a file data store of a data server accessible to users in a trust list of trusted users authorized to access the transferable files. The trust management engine facilitates a transmission of an email message containing a link to the transferable files to each of the users in the trust list. The email message is stored in an email server that is separate from the data server. The trust management engine receives a request from one of the users in the trust list of trusted users to access the transferable files in response to a selection of the link in the email message. In response to the request, the trust management engine facilitates a transmission of the one or more transferable files from the file data store to the requesting user.
US09705883B2

The present invention provides a communications terminal and system and a rights management method, comprising: setting a rights list; listing unique identification information of user identity of each mobile terminal device that is allowed to access to the WiFi hot spot communications terminal; the communications terminal performing authentication on unique identification information in a mobile terminal authentication request; and establishing a connection. It is made convenient for the communications terminal to effectively manage access rights, and the management becomes simpler and easier to operate. Meanwhile, the communications terminal performs authentication on the unique identification information of the user identity, thereby making the authentication process more efficient and improving the security of the authentication process. Meanwhile, priorities of the access rights of users are set, so as to ensure that a user of a high priority has preferential access, thereby making the access rights management more user-friendly.
US09705882B2

The present invention discloses methods and systems for managing a node through a management server. The management server verifies whether a management confirmation has been received and allows a second user group to manage the node if the management confirmation is received. If the management confirmation is not received by the management server, the second user group is not allowed to manage the node through the management server.
US09705879B2

A computing device, or a security component of a computing device, implements delayed attestation by initially providing first credentials to a remote access device to establish a first level of trust. The first credentials may be provided before or while the computing device or the security component is obtaining security information from a remote security device. The security information is used to generate second credentials that are subsequently provided to the remote access device to establish a second level of trust. The first credentials may comprise an encryption key that can be generated by the security component without having to retrieve information via a network, and the second credentials may comprise an attestation statement that is more trustworthy than the encryption key and that is generated based on a certificate retrieved from a remote security device (e.g., a certificate authority server).
US09705877B2

A method for detecting the sharing of a password related to a password protected user account provided by an organization, by multiple entities of the organization is disclosed. In one embodiment, input associated with a training word is received from a user of a user computing device. In some examples, the input may include a sequence of user input entries related to the training word. In some embodiments, metadata associated with the sequence of user input entries is derived and a user input pattern profile is generated based on the metadata. In some embodiments, an authorized user of the organization is identified based at least in part on comparing the received input to the user input pattern profile.
US09705875B2

The present invention proposes a data storage system and method used for the security information interaction. Said data storage system used for the security information interaction comprises a security information storage device, an unlock password generating device and an unlock server. The data storage system and method used for the security information interaction disclosed in the present invention reduce the potential security risks due to the divulgement of unlock passwords, and reduce the complexity of the unlock process, as well as reduce the potential security risks existed in the generating and writing process of the unlock password on the whole.
US09705862B2

A thick client installed on a client device includes a network protocol server that serves thin client requests for digital fingerprints of the client device. A thin client requests a digital fingerprint of the client device in which the thin client is executing by forming a URL according to a protocol served by the server of the thick client and addressing the URL to the local client device. The thick client returns the digital fingerprint as a response to the request from the thin client.
US09705861B2

The invention relates to a method for authorizing a person. The method comprises the step of receiving authentication data from a personal authentication device transmitting said data to a reader associated with a central authorization system. Further, the method comprises the steps of including the received authentication data in a request message and transmitting the request message to the central authorization system, receiving the request message at the central authorization system and retrieving the authentication data from the request message. The method also comprises the steps of performing an authentication process at a central authentication system using said reader authentication data and executing an authorization process at the central authorization system based on the authentication process result.
US09705859B2

Clients within a computing environment may establish a secure communication session. Sometimes, a client may trust a cryptography service to perform some cryptographic operations and access some cryptographic resources while simultaneously not trusting the cryptography service to perform other operations and access other resources. Two or more clients may utilize a cryptography service to perform certain authentication and verification operations to establish a secure communication session, while simultaneously denying the cryptography service access to the secure communication session.
US09705856B2

Methods (500) of a network node (111) for creating and joining secure sessions for members (111-114) of a group of network nodes are provided. The methods comprise receiving an identity certificate and an assertion for the network node as well as a secret group key for the group. The method for creating a session further comprises creating (501) a session identifier and a secret session key for the session, and sending (502) an encrypted and authenticated broadcast message comprising the session identifier. The method for joining a session further comprises sending an encrypted and authenticated discovery message comprising the identity certificate and the assertion, and receiving an encrypted and authenticated discovery response message from another network node which is a member of the group. The disclosed combined symmetric key and public key scheme is based on the availability of three credentials at each node, i.e., the identity certificate, the assertion, and the secret group key, which are received from a trusted entity. Further, a computer program, a computer program product, and a network node are provided.
US09705852B2

A traffic management device (TMD), system, and processor-readable storage medium are directed to determining that an end-to-end encrypted session has been established between a client and an authentication server, intercepting and decrypting subsequent task traffic from the client, and forwarding the intercepted traffic toward a server. In some embodiments, a second connection between the TMD and server may be employed to forward the intercepted traffic, and the second connection may be unencrypted or encrypted with a different mechanism than the encrypted connection to the authentication server. The encrypted connection to the authentication server may be maintained following authentication to enable termination of the second connection if the client becomes untrusted, and/or to enable logging of client requests, connection information, and the like. In some embodiments, the TMD may act as a proxy to provide client access to a number of servers and/or resources.
US09705850B2

A new efficient framework based on a Constant-size Ciphertext Policy Comparative Attribute-Based Encryption (CCP-CABE) approach. CCP-CABE assists lightweight mobile devices and storing privacy-sensitive sensitive data into cloudbased storage by offloading major cryptography-computation overhead into the cloud without exposing data content to the cloud. CCP-CABE extends existing attribute-based data access control solutions by incorporating comparable attributes to incorporate more flexible security access control policies. CCP-CABE generates constant-size ciphertext regardless of the number of involved attributes, which is suitable for mobile devices considering their limited communication and storage capacities.
US09705842B2

Systems, methods and computer readable media for persistent conversations are described. In some implementations, a method can include receiving a communication message sent from a first user to at least one other user and generating a persistent conversation object having a conversation content section and conversation state information. The method can also include storing the communication message in the conversation content section of the persistent conversation object and forwarding the communication message to the at least one other user. The method can further include updating the conversation state information to reflect the receiving, storing and forwarding of the communication message.
US09705840B2

An automation platform for a hub-based system federating disparate unified communications systems is provided. According to one embodiment, the method includes connecting a first unified communications system supporting a first domain and an automation platform to a federation server, where the automation platform includes a plurality of automated applications that includes a social media automated application, an instant messaging automated application and a directory search automated application. The method further includes routing a message from the first unified communications system to an automated application of the plurality of automated applications, processing the message by the automated application, and issuing a command based on the processed message.
US09705838B2

A method for using a wireless receiver may include receiving subscribed messages for a user identified with a user account of a hub, being messages posted by other uses of the hub to which the user has subscribed. The method may include automatically processing the messages to determine content for display on a display device, and displaying the content on the display device. The display device may be configured as two separate screens mounted at separate locations on the user's body. The messages may include user status messages, which are messages posted to the hub by the user, and the user status messages and subscription messages may be displayed on separate ones of the two screens. An apparatus for performing the method may include a processor coupled to a memory holding encoded instructions for performing operations of the method.
US09705835B2

Systems, configurations, and methods of managing collaboration of content are disclosed. A content collaboration system can be configured to manage collaborating subject matter within one or more activity streams. A user can create a new collaboration object associated with particular content using the content collaboration system. The content collaboration system is configured to format data related to the collaboration object according to the different activity stream formats and to insert the formatted data into the one or more activity streams. Other users are allowed to collaborate around the particular content on the different activity streams. The content collaboration system is configured to update the collaboration object according to the collaboration on the different activity streams.
US09705818B2

Embodiments of the present invention relate a method, an apparatus, and a system for assigning a tributary port number. The method includes: receiving a service path request message including a service type for establishing a service path used to bear a Lower Order ODU service; determining an OTU link; determining a free tributary slot resource in the OTU link; if a MSI bytes in the OTU link indicates a service type, assigning a tributary port number other than tributary port numbers used by Lower Order ODU services having the same type as the Lower Order ODU service in the OTU link; or if the MSI bytes in the OTU link does not indicate a service type, assigning a tributary port number other than tributary port numbers used by all types of Lower Order ODU services in the OTU link; and sending a service path acknowledgment message to the neighboring node.
US09705811B2

A method for receiving a packet descriptor associated with a packet and a queue number indicating a queue stored within a memory unit, determining a priority level of the packet and an amount of free memory available in the memory unit. Applying a global drop probability to generate a global drop indicator and applying a queue drop probability to generate a queue drop indicator. The global drop probability is a function of the amount of free memory. The queue drop probability is a function of instantaneous queue depth or drop precedence value. The packet is transmitted whenever the priority level is high. When the priority level is low, the packet is transmitted when both the global drop indicator and the queue drop indicator are a logic low value. When the priority level is low, the packet is not transmitted when either drop indicator is a logic low value.
US09705810B2

Techniques described herein provide a system and methods for adding latency to improve the perceived performance of computing devices. For instance, the techniques may calculate transaction latencies for a given session based on the time between sending requests for content and receiving the requested content. The calculated latencies may be aggregated or averaged in such a way that a specific latency may be selected for improving the perceived performance. A client device may then render subsequent content based on the selected latency or a server may serve subsequent content based on the selected latency. This artificial addition of latency may enhance the user experience by creating a more consistent environment.
US09705803B1

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and software for operating a wireless access node are provided herein. In one example, a method includes providing wireless access from the wireless access node for one or more wireless devices using an initial protocol data unit (PDU) size for at least a portion of the wireless access. The method also includes receiving wireless transmission metrics transferred by a second wireless access node, and establishing a new PDU size for the portion of the wireless access at the wireless access node based at least on the wireless transmission metrics.
US09705785B2

An enterprise computer system efficiently adjusts the number of middleboxes associated with the the enterprise, for example, with changes in demand, by transferring not only flows of instructions but also middlebox states associated with those flows. Loss-less transfer preventing the loss of packets and its state, and order-preserving transfer preserving packet ordering may be provided by a two-step transfer process in which packets are buffered during the transfer and are marked to be processed by a receiving middlebox before processing by that middlebox of ongoing packets for the given flow.
US09705784B2

A network device receives multicast packets that include information identifying destinations in the network, identifies next hops associated with the destinations, and populates a cache with the destinations and addresses of the identified next hops. The network device receives a particular multicast packet that includes information identifying particular destinations included in the cache, identifies one or more next hops for the particular destinations from the cache, and forwards the particular multicast packet to the identified one or more next hops to permit the identified one or more next hops to forward the multicast packet toward the particular destinations.
US09705775B2

A method is implemented by a network device to monitor the performance of packet processing in an in-line service chain, the network device one of a plurality of network devices forming a software defined network (SDN) and the in-line service chain. The SDN includes a controller to configure the plurality of network devices. The method includes receiving a sequence of packets of a data flow traversing the in-line service chain, applying a hash function to the sequence of packets of the data flow to generate a set of hash values for the sequence of packets, and sending the set of hash values and a set of timestamps for the sequence of packets to the controller to determine delay and loss across a service of the in-line service chain.
US09705768B2

A method is described for determining, via a local fault poller, a list of local unreachable devices of a plurality of devices within a local domain, wherein the local unreachable devices are coupled for communication with the local fault poller. The method comprises determining selected neighboring domains of a plurality of neighboring domains, wherein the selected neighboring domains comprise neighboring devices which are coupled for communication with the local unreachable devices, each neighboring domain having a respective neighboring global fault poller. The method comprises requesting an operational test of the local unreachable devices from the respective neighboring global fault pollers of the selected neighboring domains, and receiving responses, via the respective neighboring global fault pollers, indicating whether the local unreachable devices are operational. The method further comprises determining, based on the responses, a root cause device from the list of local unreachable devices.
US09705762B2

A system and method is provided for determining a client device identity. In one implementation, a method is provided that can include receiving a request from a client device. The method can also include determining, based on the client device request, a subscriber identification. After determining the subscriber identification, the method can include acquiring, from a transactional history database, transactional device data associated with the subscriber identification. In some embodiments, the transactional device data can include one or more counts associated with one or more device types. The method can also include determining, based on the transactional device data, the client device identity. In some embodiments, the determination of the client device identity can include selecting a device type of the one or more device types with the maximum count and setting the client device identity to the selected device type.
US09705754B2

A device supporting content delivery is configured to run at least one content delivery (CD) service of a plurality of CD services. The plurality of CD services include rendezvous services.
US09705749B2

In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes receiving a network graph describing a network having two or more nodes. An application graph is received describing a data stream application. The application graph includes one or more vertices, each corresponding to an operator of the application and associated with a list of nodes. A first vertex of the application graph corresponds to a first operator and is associated with two or more nodes. The application graph is augmented, which includes replicating the first operator such that the augmented graph includes a copy of the first operator at each of the nodes associated with the first vertex. The application is deployed over the network based on the augmented graph, such that a copy of the first operator is deployed at each of the nodes associated with the first vertex. A route through the augmented graph is selected for a data stream.
US09705745B2

A system and method for virtualizing SDN-based network monitoring. The system for includes: an information collector, a monitoring component, an information converter, and a resource allocator, in which a user-defined virtual monitor is included so that integrated monitoring may be performed, and expandability may be guaranteed to dynamically respond to a user's, demands.
US09705741B2

Network addresses are dynamically allocated to devices based on demand. It is determined that a quantity of virtualized machine instances executed on a plurality of computing devices has changed. An updated network address allocation is dynamically assigned to a subdivision of a network in response to the quantity of virtualized machine instances. The subdivision includes the plurality of computing devices. A router for the subdivision is reconfigured to implement the updated network address allocation.
US09705740B2

As an overview, the present disclosure presents a system for increasing network optimization. In particular, the disclosure discusses a unified system for control of data routing in a dynamic network. In some implementations, edge devices (i.e., hosts or exterior switches) are interconnected through a network fabric (i.e., a plurality of interior switches). The hosts and switches include forwarding engines, which determine the next destination of incoming traffic. The disclosure discusses a network controller that collects application requirements and programs the forwarding engines of the edge devices and the network fabric responsive to the application requirements.
US09705737B2

In one embodiment, a scheduling device in a network receives routing metrics regarding a network path between a device controller and a networked device. The scheduling device also receives controller metrics for the device controller. The scheduling device determines time costs associated with the network path and one or more control operations performed by the device controller, based on the routing and controller metrics. The scheduling device generates a communication schedule based on the time costs and instructs the device controller and the networked device to use the communication schedule.
US09705735B2

A system, method and apparatus adapting one or more routers or nodes in a network to operate in a first mode to exchange hello messages with neighboring nodes to indicate thereby active or live status, and to operate in a second mode to avoid the use of hello messages by opportunistically relying upon service or management protocols to convey active or live status.
US09705733B2

Throttling polling may include sending a request to an agent device and determining whether a response to the sent request is successfully received from the agent device. A result of the determination may be stored in a memory and associated with the agent device. Further, a success rate is calculated for the agent device based on a plurality of the results. A metric related to the sent request and a subsequently sent request is adjusted for the agent device in accordance with an algorithm based on the calculated success rate for the agent device. The metric may be an amount of time between the sent request and a subsequently sent request for the agent device or a number of subsequently sent requests for the agent device.
US09705726B2

A method is provided for receiving an OQAM multi-carrier signal, which implements a step of estimating, in the time domain, at least one time, phase, and/or frequency shift of the multi-carrier signal. The estimation step implements at least one estimator in order to estimate the time shift, referred to as a time estimator, and/or at least one estimator for estimating the phase shift, referred to as a phase estimator, and/or at least one estimator for estimating the frequency shift, referred to as a frequency estimator. The multi-carrier signal includes at least one preamble, and at least one of the estimators takes into account coefficients of a prototype filter used in transmission in order to shape at least one preamble inserted into the multi-carrier signal.
US09705725B2

Systems and methods for transmitting and receiving OFDM symbols are provided which enable the otherwise wasted transmission time normally used as a prefix for each OFDM symbol to contain useful information. At the receiver, the received signal is processed to convert received OFDM symbols from a linear convolution with the channel to a cyclic convolution.
US09705724B2

A method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving a preamble having sequence information for an OFDM system is provided. The preamble transmission method includes generating a preamble block including at least one frame having a header with a known sequence and a code block containing control information and transmitting the preamble block mapped to Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) cells by repeating in frequency axis direction.
US09705715B2

Automatic Gain Control (AGC) system for multi-channel signals attenuates an incoming multi-channel signal by providing a gain. The system further adjusts each individual channel, of the multi-channel signal, by supplying a second gain if needed. The AGC system is designed to ensure a received signal power is at an optimal level for analog to digital conversion or any other form of signal processing. The system also enables elimination of mid-packet gain adjustments.
US09705707B1

Embodiments are disclosed for improving precoder-matrix computations in a MIMO base station. Particularly, various embodiments implement methods for interpolating pilot signal results from multiple calibration transmissions. A subchannel of a resource block is selected as an anchor subchannel and the channel matrices for each subchannel are then determined using weights associated with each subchannel that are determined from the subchannel's distance away from the anchor subchannel. Selecting variable subchannels allows the accuracy of the channels matrices for the subchannels to be tailored where more accuracy is desired.
US09705702B2

A software defined network service (SDNS) node for altering a logical flow of data packets in a network to accommodate predetermined ordered service chains, comprising a receiver configured to receive an encapsulated data packet comprising a tag via a encapsulated tunnel from another SDNS node, wherein the tag identifies an ordered service chain or a next hop in the ordered service chain, a processor coupled to the receiver and configured to decapsulate the encapsulated data packet, and a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to forward the decapsulated data packet to a service device attached to the SDNS node when the processor determines, based on the tag, that a service on the service device should be applied to the data packet.
US09705701B2

The present invention relates to a method in an Ethernet ring for protecting the Ethernet ring from a superloop going through the Ethernet ring, wherein the Ethernet ring comprises at least one ring node and two interface nodes between the Ethernet ring and a VPLS-domain, the Ethernet ring further comprises a ring protection link, the method comprises the steps of: receiving in one of the interface nodes a withdrawal message intended to indicate that the other interface node is malfunctioning, the method being further characterized by the further step of; maintaining said ring protection link in the Ethernet ring in response to the withdrawal message.
US09705700B2

Embodiments provide techniques for transmitting data packets across a deterministic Ethernet network. Embodiments receive, at a first device in the deterministic Ethernet network, a deterministic binary schedule specifying timing information for transmitting data fragments relating to a plurality of data flows. Data packets to transmit to a destination device within the deterministic Ethernet network are received at the first device. Embodiments include fragmenting each of the data packets into two or more fragments and encoding at least one of the two or more fragments for each of the data packets with a respective sparse graph code. The encoded fragments are transmitted to the destination device, across multiple paths through the deterministic Ethernet network, according to timing information specified in the deterministic binary schedule.
US09705697B1

An example embodiment provides a transceiver for communication includes a timing determiner that detects a fall from high level to low level of a bus signal generated by pulse width modulation of a clock signal and input from a communication bus; a transmission data signal delay adjuster that determines a second timing having a predetermined time difference from a first timing, the bus signal rising from the low level to the high level at the first timing; an encoder that extends a low level of the bus signal by changing a data signal to be output to the communication bus from high level to low level; and a timing adjustment circuit that changes the data signal to the low level at the second timing.
US09705696B2

In a monitoring system, a master device transmits predetermined sound source list data to a mobile phone terminal in response to a first operation on a display/input unit. The mobile phone terminal displays the predetermined sound source list data transmitted from the master device on the display/input unit, and transmits information regarding a selected sound source to the master device in response to an operation of selecting one sound source from the sound source list data. When the information regarding the sound source is received from the mobile phone terminal, the master device outputs selection audio data corresponding to the information regarding the selected sound source from a speaker of a monitoring camera.
US09705695B1

This invention relates to apparatus and systems for providing home and building security and condition monitoring. More particularly, the invention relates to a plurality of devices, including intelligent, multi-sensing, network-connected devices, that communicate dynamically with each other and a remotes server.
US09705694B2

Wi-Fi services multicast to a subnet in a software-defined network (SDN) are extended. An SDN controller centrally monitors a data plane of a Wi-Fi network. Advertisements for services within a first subnet by an advertising station are forwarded to the SDN controller. Parameters of the service of the advertising station are extracted for storage by performing deep packet inspection on the one or more packets. Queries for services within a second subnet by a querying station are also forwarded to the SDN controller. Parameters of the service of the querying station are extracted for storage by performing deep packet inspection on the one or more packets. The query for service to the advertisement matches responsive to the advertisement parameters compared to the query parameters. Responsive to matching, a set of connection parameters necessary for the querying station at the second subnet to connect to the advertising station at the first subnet is sent.
US09705693B1

A first communication device detects a plurality of multicast packets transmitted by a second communication device. The first communication device determines information contained in media access control (MAC) address fields of the plurality of multicast packets. The first communication device determines wireless local area network (WLAN) provisioning information for gaining access to the WLAN, wherein the provisioning information is determined from the information contained in the MAC address fields of the plurality of multicast packets.
US09705692B2

The present invention relates to a method and device for receiving a multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) in a mobile communication system. The method for receiving the MBMS of a terminal in the mobile communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that it includes: determining whether service area ID (SAI) information on a serving cell is broadcast during the MBMS; receiving the SAI information on the serving cell when it is determined that the SAI information is broadcast; determining, by using the received SAI information of the serving cell, whether an SAI of the MBMS matches the SAI of the serving cell; and changing the cell reselection priority of the frequency of the serving cell to the highest priority if it is determined that the SAI of the MBMS matches the SAI of the serving cell.
US09705685B2

A charging control method and system are provided that can reduce the processing load on a function of performing charging control. The charging control system includes a policy and charging rules function (PCRF), a plurality of gateways (P-GWs) each including a policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF), and a relay section including a relay server and a switch that connects the PCRF and the plurality of PCEFs in a hierarchical manner. The PCRF is directly connected to the relay section, whereby the number of sessions is reduced.
US09705676B2

A mobile device implements a state machine with full authentication, continuous authentication, and invalidation states. To access the device, the full authentication state requires the user to confirm his or her identity using some robust authentication technique. Upon success, the state machine transitions to the continuous authentication state wherein data samples are captured as the user interacts with the device and compared with stored exemplary fingerprints. Preferably, the state machine enforces a negative identification technique to determine whether the individual currently interacting with the touchscreen is not the user from which the exemplary fingerprints were generated. Upon such negative authentication, the state machine transitions to the invalidation state. In this state, operations (e.g., screen lock) are performed to secure the device against an unauthenticated use. On a next interaction, the state machine transitions to full authentication requiring robust authentication to continue operating in a normal mode.
US09705669B2

Provided is a signal processing device including: a valid clock width calculation unit configured to calculate a valid clock width corresponding to a bit rate of a valid section in which a transport stream (TS) packet exists; and a TS clock signal generation unit configured to generate, on a basis of the valid clock width calculated by the valid clock width calculation unit, a TS clock signal by combining clocks with different frequency dividing rates.
US09705658B2

In order to support low latency and bursty internet data traffic, the 3GPP LTE wireless communication system uses dynamic allocation. To keep the allocation overhead lower, the system is designed such that the client terminal must perform a number of decoding attempts to detect resource allocations. During course of the decoding attempts a false resource allocation may be decoded by the client terminal. The false detection may lead to multiple issues for the performance efficiency of the client terminal and the overall communication system. A method and apparatus are disclosed than enable the detection of false resource allocation. This in turn improves the performance and efficiency of the client terminal and the wireless communication system.
US09705656B2

Systems, methods, and devices for concurrently allowing station-to-station transmissions and access point-to-station transmissions are described herein. In some aspects, a method comprises transmitting, to an access point, a request for an available channel frequency. The method further comprises receiving a coordination message from the access point. The coordination message may indicate that a first frequency channel is allocated for transmissions between a first device and a second device and that a second frequency channel is allocated for transmissions between a third device and a fourth device. The method further comprises transmitting a first data packet to the fourth device using the second frequency channel concurrently with a transmission of a second data packet between the first device and the second device using the first frequency channel.
US09705651B2

A method of transmitting pilot signals in a system which performs communication using two or more earners comprises transmitting first pilots and second pilots from at least one user equipment to a base station, the first and second pilots, which are transmitted from the at least one user equipment, being multiplexed by code division multiplexing, and the first and second pilots, which are transmitted from a specific user equipment, having different transmission powers, and transmitting data from the at least one user equipment to the base station depending on the first pilots and the second pilots. Since many UEs can transmit CQ pilots, exact channel estimation can be performed and thus communication efficiency can be improved.
US09705646B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide efficient greedy LLL algorithms that not only converge faster but also exhibit much lower complexity than the existing greedy LLL variants while similar error performance is maintained. First, a relaxed Lovász condition is designed for searching the candidate set of LLL iterations with column swap operations. This relaxation does not need size reduction operations so that it can save complexity compared to the existing greedy LLL algorithms. Further, a relaxed criterion of the decrease in LLL potential is designed to select the optimal one in the candidate set of LLL iterations, which also exhibits lower complexity than the existing greedy LLL algorithms. Furthermore, simulations show that the inventive algorithm needs less LLL iterations compared to the existing greedy LLL algorithms.
US09705645B2

Disclosed in the present application is a method for performing HARQ for device-to-device communication by a first user equipment in a wireless communication system. Particularly, the method comprises: receiving scheduling information for signal transmission from an eNode B to a second user equipment; transmitting data to the specific user equipment in a first subframe according to the scheduling information; and transmitting the data or new data to the second user equipment in a third subframe according to a response signal to the data, wherein the response signal is transmitted from the second UE to the eNode B in a second subframe positioned between the first subframe and the third subframe, and an interval between the first subframe and the third subframe, which is an HARQ period for the device-to-device communication, is set as a power number of an HARQ period between the first user equipment and the eNodeB.
US09705637B2

Techniques for guard band utilization for wireless data communication are described. In at least some embodiments, guard bands can be leveraged to transmit wireless broadband data and/or other forms of wireless data. According to one or more embodiments, signal activity in a wireless channel that is adjacent to a guard band is monitored, e.g., while the guard band is being utilized for wireless data communication. In at least some implementations, if the signal activity exceeds a signal activity threshold, usage of the guard band channel can be adjusted to mitigate interference with signal activity in an adjacent channel.
US09705636B2

A wireless communication method and apparatus are provided for selecting quality-reporting sub-carrier bands based on sub-carrier band quantity information received from a base station. The method includes generally four steps. First, from a base station, information indicating quantity of sub-carrier bands is acquired. Second, channel quality of each of a plurality of sub-carrier bands within a communication band is measured from a received signal. Third, sub-carrier bands are selected from the plurality of sub-carrier bands, wherein quantity of the selected sub-carrier bands corresponds to the quantity of sub-carrier bands indicated by the acquired information. Fourth, information indicating channel quality of the selected sub-carrier bands is reported to the base station.
US09705634B2

The system of the present invention allows a user to select one or multiple SATCOM radio and antenna equipment types, select their current location(s) or a route and select the UHF SATCOM satellite for a multi-user communication network or architecture. The system presents an assessment of the level of performance of the selected system equipment and provides a capability to assess the impact of degrading factors, such as man-made interference (jamming) and natural phenomena (e.g. rain, clouds, ionospheric scintillation). This predictive assessment is a tailored result showing the phenomenology effects. Natural phenomenology like ionospheric scintillation, clouds, and precipitation, plus man-made phenomenologies like SATCOM jammers need to be differentiated by behavior characteristics and performance on a SATCOM frequency. If the system assessment determines the communication link is weak or ineffective based off the user's inputs, the application provides the ability to select alternative configurations, e.g. other radio and antenna equipment pairing and/or other satellite options or access times. The system of the present invention can be updated and modified as the satellite communication community and users identify new equipment and additional ionospheric scintillation data resources. Using satellite communication equipment (radio, antenna and satellite specifications) databases and near-real time external data, if available, allows the system of the present invention to generate an assessment tool that shows the quality of the communication overarching architecture.
US09705628B2

The present applies to digital wavelength converters that convert, independently of the format in which optical data may be encoded, an input waveform at a first wavelength to an output waveform at a second wavelength. When operating in an environment where an input waveform has a pilot tone associated thereto, the method and system of the present disclosure allows for the removal of the pilot tone from the input waveform, and also allows for the addition of another pilot to the output waveform.
US09705627B2

A method of transporting a client signal across an optical transport network (OTN) comprises dividing a received client signal into a plurality of parallel signals at a lower bit rate. The parallel signals are mapped into a respective number of optical data units (ODUs), each ODU having payload bytes and overhead bytes. Each ODU is mapped into a respective optical transport unit (OTUs) having payload bytes and overhead bytes. The OTUs are transmitted across respective optical carriers. Optical channel control information is inserted into the overhead bytes of the ODU and/or OTU. The optical channel control information is used to request a change in the optical carriers used to transport the client signal.
US09705608B2

The disclosure discloses a method for interference cancellation of a data channel. The method includes that: bit-level channel recoding is performed on received transport block data, and then channel estimation is performed on the coded data and multiplexed antenna data of a data channel to obtain channel estimation data; data channel reconstruction is performed on the coded data with a Reconstruction Unit (RU) as a unit by virtue of the channel estimation data; and obtained reconstruction data is subtracted from the antenna data to implement interference cancellation. The disclosure further discloses a system for interference cancellation of a data channel.
US09705594B2

The disclosure relates to a lighting fixture, which includes an array of solid-state light sources that are configured to generate light for general illumination lighting purposes and control circuitry. A drive signal is used to drive solid-state light sources. The control circuitry is configured to use a control output to control the drive signal to at least one of the solid-state light sources. The control output is configured to control the drive signal to 1) set at least one characteristic of the light generated by the array of the solid-state light sources, and 2) modulate the light with data for transmission. The light is modulated such that any change in the at least one characteristic based on the light being modulated is anthropically imperceptible. The characteristic of the light generated by the array of solid-state light sources may include the intensity, color, color temperature and the like.
US09705591B2

Mechanisms, in a data processing system comprising an input/output subsystem implementing an industry standard optical bus, for handling a failure of an optical channel in an optical bus are provided. The mechanisms detect, by failure detection logic of the input/output (I/O) subsystem, failure of an optical channel of the optical bus. The mechanisms send, by a controller of the I/O subsystem, a control signal to channel routing logic of the I/O subsystem to control a routing of data signals between active bus lanes of the data processing system and optical channels of the optical bus in response to detecting the failure of the optical channel. The mechanisms control, by the channel routing logic, routing of data signals between the active bus lanes and the optical channels so as to remove the failed optical channel from further use and use a spare optical channel instead of the failed optical channel.
US09705588B2

A wireless communication system is provided that is capable of enabling more wireless devices to perform concurrent communication using a polarized wave technology. The wireless communication system is configured from carrier wave generation modules and, each of which generates a first carrier wave and a second carrier wave that have mutually different frequencies; a transmitter that has a rotational wave generation module that generates a rotational wave based on the first and second carrier waves; a rotational wave demodulation module that, for the rotational wave that is received, selectively demodulates an electric wave which has a desired rotational frequency, based on a result of multiplying a sine wave that has the same frequency as a frequency of a desired carrier wave and a sine wave that has the same frequency as the desired rotational frequency; and a receiver that has a rotational phase determination module that determines a phase shift of the received rotational wave from an output of the rotational wave demodulation module.
US09705572B2

A communication control method used in a mobile communication system in which a plurality of cells managed by different eNBs 200 cooperate with one another to perform communication with one UE 100. The communication method comprises the steps of: in a eNB 200-1 that manages a cell #1, receiving a BCI fed back from each of a plurality of UEs 100-1 connected with the cell #1; generating, on the basis of the received BCI, mapping information that includes a plurality of BCIs with which a frequency resource is associated respectively; and transmitting the mapping information to a eNB 200-2 that manages a cell #2.
US09705570B2

Embodiments relate generally to methods and systems for configuring a gas detector using near-field communication (NFC). A gas detector may be equipped with an NFC reader that will allow the gas detector to scan and read NFC tags. Compatible NFC tags may be acquired and programmed with the configuration settings information. The NFC tag may then be attached to a poster with instructions that show where to place the detector in order to confirm their device's configuration. When the detector is placed in the appropriate location near the tag on the poster, the detector may receive information from the NFC tag, implement the configuration settings, and possibly display a confirmation message to the user. The NFC tag may also be attached to a card carried by a monitor for that work area.
US09705567B2

A system for storing long-term digital data comprises data storage equipment including one or more data storage devices 26 stored in a sealed data storage module 10, which is positioned within a data center enclosure 101, which contains a body 12 that is surrounded by a strengthening shield 14. The body contains a network of tunnels 16. One or more data storage modules 10 are stored in a tunnel 16 that is inaccessible to human beings and comprises robotic movement means. Data can be stored before or after the data storage device 26 is sealed within the data storage module body. A utility distribution system can be positioned in proximity to the data storage module 10 for the utility distribution module to provide contactless power and network connection to the data storage module and for the data storage module to retrieve and transmit to the utility distribution module 34 data that is held in the data storage device 26. Powering of the data storage module occurs only when access to the data storage devices is required. One the other or both of the data storage module 10 and the tunnel 16 is operable to self-destruct when tampering is detected. The data storage module can also process the data stored under user instruction and store the results, including secure encryption and decryption of data.
US09705563B2

An information processing device includes: an information acquisition unit which acquires information; and a communication unit which communicates with an external device via near field communication. The communication unit divides data of the information into a plurality of blocks, each including a plurality of packets, transmits the plurality of blocks with a first characteristic provided with a property of read with no acknowledge, and receives a receiving result of the blocks in the external device, with a second characteristic provided with the property of write with acknowledge.
US09705554B2

Circuits, devices and methods for achieving fast changes in voltage regulator outputs. In some embodiments, a voltage regulation system can include a voltage regulator configured to receive an input voltage Vin and generate an output voltage Vout at an output node, and to transition Vout between V1 and V2. The voltage regulation system can further include a transition circuit coupled to the output node. The transition circuit can include a first voltage source that is switchably coupled to the output node and configured to provide a voltage associated with one of the V1 and V2 voltages to the output node during at least the transition of the voltage regulator. The voltage provided by the first voltage source can be substantially equal to one of the V1 and V2 voltages.
US09705545B2

An apparatus comprising an amplifier comprising an input, a capacitor having a capacitor first side and a capacitor second side, wherein the capacitor first side is coupled to the input, a switch having a switch first side and a switch second side, wherein the switch first side is coupled to the capacitor second side, and a transistor having a transistor gate, and a transistor source, wherein the transistor gate is coupled to the input and the capacitor first side, wherein the transistor source is coupled to the switch second side and wherein the switch is positioned directly between the capacitor second side and the transistor source.
US09705542B2

A reconfigurable RF filter, which includes a first resonator, a second resonator, and a first coupling circuit, is disclosed. The first coupling circuit is coupled between the first resonator and the second resonator. The reconfigurable RF filter operates in one of a group of operating modes, which include a first operating mode and a second operating mode. During the first operating mode, the reconfigurable RF filter is a bandpass filter having a first bandwidth and a first insertion loss via the first resonator. During the second operating mode, the reconfigurable RF filter is a bandpass filter having a second bandwidth and a second insertion loss via the first resonator, such that the first bandwidth is greater than the second bandwidth and the first insertion loss is less than the second insertion loss.
US09705537B1

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a multi-mode RF system, which is capable of transmitting and receiving RF signals using any of multiple RF communications bands. The multi-mode RF system may integrate RF band specific bandpass filters and low noise amplifiers (LNAs) into a single front-end module, such that each filter and amplifier pair provide selection and gain for at least one RF communications band. Outputs of the LNAs may be combined to provide one or more common signals to a transceiver module, which processes baseband signals associated with the RF communications bands. By integrating the filters and amplifiers into a single module, the filters and amplifiers may be closely coupled to one another, thereby supporting short signal paths between the filters and amplifiers, and having impedances high enough to provide good filter selectivity.
US09705532B2

Systems and methods for parallel accumulation of information bits as part of the generation of low-density parity-check codes are provided. Consecutive information bits can be accumulated through vector operations where the parity addresses used for accumulation can be made contiguous through a virtual to private parity address map. The method for accumulating a set of parity bits for an encoding operation may comprise the steps of performing an exclusive or (XOR) between a multi-bit vector containing information bits and a multi-bit vector of parity bits in an encoder, and storing results of the XOR as a set of parity bits. An encoder for accumulating the set of parity bits is also provided.
US09705527B2

A method for data compression includes reading first data representing sensor data capture, compressing the data with a lossless algorithm, transmitting the compressed data as a reference frame, reading subsequent data, calculating a delta between the first data and the subsequent data, compressing the data delta, and determining if the compression ratio of the compressed data delta is within a predetermined tolerance threshold. If the compression ratio is within the threshold, transmitting the compressed data delta frame, and repeating the calculating, compressing, and determining steps for subsequent data; Else if the compression ratio is not within the threshold, compressing the current subsequent data and transmitting the result as an updated reference frame. Then repeating the calculating, compressing, and determining steps for subsequent data. A system and a non-transitory computer-readable medium for implementing the method are also disclosed.
US09705522B1

Systems and methods according to one or more embodiments are provided for a high speed digital to analog upconverter that provides for converting a plurality of parallel digital data bits to an analog output signal. In one example, a system includes a decoder circuit configured to receive a plurality of decoder input data bits and provide a plurality of decoded parallel digital data bits. The system also includes a mixer circuit configured to combine each of the decoded parallel digital data bits with a conversion clock signal to provide frequency shifted digital data bits, wherein the frequency shifted digital data bits are time misaligned with each other. The system also includes a synchronizer circuit configured to time align the frequency shifted digital data bits. The system further includes a switching network configured to generate an analog output signal in response to the time aligned frequency shifted digital data bits.
US09705519B1

A circuit for correcting time encoder errors including a time encoder having a time encoder input, a time encoder output, and a current summing point, and a pulse width modifier coupled to the time encoder output, the pulse width modifier having a current output coupled to the current summing point, and having a corrected output. The pulse width modifier is configured to calibrate duty cycle errors and nonlinearity errors on the time encoder output, to correct the duty cycle errors and the nonlinearity errors on the time encoder output, and to output the corrected output.
US09705518B2

An ultrasound device including an asynchronous successive approximation analog-to-digital converter and method are provided. The device includes at least one ultrasonic transducer, a plurality of asynchronous successive-approximation-register (SAR) analog-to-digital converters (ADC) coupled to the at least one ultrasonic transducer, at least one asynchronous SAR in the plurality having a sample and hold stage, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a comparator, and control circuitry, wherein a DAC update event following at least one bit conversion is synchronized to a corresponding DAC update event of at least one other ADC in the plurality of ADCs.
US09705517B2

A quantum interference device includes: a gas cell in which metal atoms are sealed; a light emitting unit which emits light to the gas cell; a light receiving unit which receives the light penetrating the gas cell and outputs a light receiving signal; an input unit which inputs the light receiving signal; a light receiving circuit which processes the light receiving signal output from the input unit; a high frequency current generation unit which is arranged with the light emitting unit in a line, and generates high frequency current; and a first output unit which outputs the high frequency current output from the high frequency current generation unit to the light emitting unit, in which the gas cell is disposed between the input unit and the first output unit.
US09705511B2

A system for providing ultra low phase noise frequency synthesizers using Fractional-N PLL (Phase Lock Loop), Sampling Reference PLL and DDS (Direct Digital Synthesizer). Modern day advanced communication systems comprise frequency synthesizers that provide a frequency output signal to other parts of the transmitter and receiver so as to enable the system to operate at the set frequency band. The performance of the frequency synthesizer determines the performance of the communication link. Current days advanced communication systems comprises single loop Frequency synthesizers which are not completely able to provide lower phase deviations for errors (For 256 QAM the practical phase deviation for no errors is 0.4-0.5°) which would enable users to receive high data rate. This proposed system overcomes deficiencies of current generation state of the art communication systems by providing much lower level of phase deviation error which would result in much higher modulation schemes and high data rate.
US09705507B1

Disclosed examples include frequency divider circuits to divide a high frequency first clock signal to generate an output clock signal at a lower frequency, including a delay circuit to provide a delayed clock signal, a divider circuit to provide a divided clock signal, a sub-sampling circuit to sub-sample the first clock signal with the divided clock signal, and a feedback circuit to set the delay value of the adjustable delay circuit according to the sub-sampled output signal.
US09705506B2

A field programmable gate array (“FPGA”) is provided having integrated application specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”) fabric. The ASIC fabric may be used to implement one or more custom or semi-custom hard blocks within the FPGA. The ASIC fabric can be made up of a “custom region” and an “interface region.” The custom region can implement the custom or semi-custom ASIC design and the interface region can integrate and connect the custom region to the rest of the FPGA circuitry. The custom region may be based on a structured ASIC design. The interface region may allow the ASIC fabric to be incorporated within the hierarchical organization of the FPGA, allowing the custom region to connect to the FPGA circuitry in a seamless manner.
US09705505B2

There is provided a reconfigurable semiconductor device including a plurality of logic units connected to each other using an address line or a data line, each logic unit including a plurality of address lines, a plurality of data lines, a clock signal line configured to receive a system clock signal, a delay element configured to delay the system clock signal, a memory cell unit configured to operate in synchronization with a clock signal, and an address decoder configured to decode an address signal to output the decoded signal to the memory cell unit. The logic unit configuring a combination logic circuit operates in synchronization with a delayed clock signal outputted from the delay element.
US09705500B2

The present invention provides integrated circuit chips having chip identification aspects. The chips include magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures, and more specifically, include permanent bit strings used for chip identification and/or authentication. Systems and processes for chip identification are also disclosed herein. The MTJ element structures provided herein can have a defined resistance profile such that the intrinsic variability of the MTJ element structure is used to encode and generate a bit string that becomes a fingerprint for the chip. In some embodiments, an oxygen treatment covering all or a selected portion of an array of MTJ elements can be used to create a mask or secret key that can be used and implemented to enhance chip identification.
US09705497B2

System and method for providing precision a self calibrating resistance circuit is described that provides for matching a reference resistor using dynamically configurable resistance networks. The resistor network is coupled to the connection, wherein the resistor network provides a configurable resistance across the connection. In addition, the resistor network comprises a digital resistor network and an analog resistor network. Also, the circuit includes control circuitry for configuring the configurable resistance based on a reference resistance of the reference resistor. The configurable resistance is configured by coarsely tuning the resistor network through the digital resistor network and fine tuning the resistor network through the analog resistor network.
US09705491B1

A power gating circuit including a set of weak-strong switch cells and strong-only switch cells daisy chained together. Each of the weak-strong cell is layout (footprint) compatible with the strong-only cell such that swapping a weak-strong cell for a strong-only cell or vice-versa during the design phase of the power gating circuit does not affect routing to or the timing operation of the circuit to which the power gating circuit supplies power. This allows the ratio of weak to strong switches for minimizing in-rush currents to be optimally set during the design phase of an IC. Each of the weak-strong cells couples power rails together via a weak transistor in response to a weak enable signal, and via a strong transistor in response to a strong enable signal. Each of the strong-only cell couples the power rails together via weak and strong transistors in response to the strong enable signal.
US09705489B2

A cascode transistor circuit comprising a depletion-mode switch in series with a normally-off switch between a drain output terminal and a source output terminal. The circuit also includes a controller comprising a controller output terminal configured to provide a normally-on control signal for a normally-on control terminal of the depletion-mode switch, wherein the normally-on control signal is independent of the normally-off control signal; a negative voltage source configured to provide a negative voltage to the normally-on control terminal of the depletion-mode switch; and a feedback capacitance between the drain output terminal and a control node in a circuit path between the controller output terminal and the normally-on control terminal of the depletion-mode switch.
US09705488B2

A horizontal MOSFET is arranged in parallel to a horizontal MOSFET and a portion of a return current IL which flows to a linear solenoid flows as a current to the horizontal MOSFET. Therefore, a current which flows to a parasitic transistor is reduced and it is possible to suppress the current which flows to the parasitic transistor provided in the horizontal MOSFET. Since the current which flows to the parasitic transistor is reduced, it is possible to prevent the erroneous operation and breakdown of a semiconductor device forming a synchronous rectification circuit.
US09705486B1

A semiconductor device is described that includes a transistor chain which is configured as a stacked switch device that switches on and off in response to a drive voltage. The transistor chain includes a first transistor connected in series to a plurality of second transistors. Each transistor in the transistor chain is located at a particular position in the transistor chain according to at least one of a respective capacitance of the transistor and a respective threshold voltage of the transistor.
US09705484B2

A delay cell for generating a desired delay exceeding a minimum delay defined in a standard cell library is provided, which includes a delay element and an output inverter. The delay element receives an input signal to generate an internal signal with a propagation delay relative to the input signal, which includes a P-type transistor, a first resistor, a second resistor, and an N-type transistor. The P-type transistor applies a supply voltage to the first resistor by the input signal. The first resistor is coupled between the P-type transistor and the output inverter. The second resistor is coupled to the output inverter and coupled to the ground through the N-type transistor by the input signal. The output inverter receives the internal signal to generate an output signal with the desired delay, which is dominated by the propagation delay, relative to the input signal.
US09705469B2

A resonator including a piezoelectric plate and an interdigital electrode is provided. A ratio between a thickness of the plate and a pitch of the interdigital electrode may be from about 0.5 to about 1.5. A radiation detector including a resonator and an absorber layer capable of absorbing at least one of infrared and terahertz radiation is provided. A resonator including a piezoelectric plate and a two-dimensional electrically conductive material is provided.
US09705465B2

A control apparatus is provided that can provide high dynamic resolution and is suitable for inclusion within an integrated circuit. The control apparatus receives a demand signal representing a desired value of a measurand, and a feedback signal representing a present value or a recently acquired value of the measurand. The processing circuit forms a further signal a further signal which is a function of the demand and feedback signals. The further signal is then subjected to at least an integrating function. The demand signal, feedback signal or the further signal is processed or acquired in a sampled manner. The use of such sampled, i.e. discontinuous, processing allows integration time constants to be synthesized which would otherwise require the use of unfeasibly large components within an integrated circuit, or the use of off-chop components. Both of these other options are expensive.
US09705461B1

The invention relates to the measurement and control of the perceived sound loudness and/or the perceived spectral balance of an audio signal. An audio signal is modified in response to calculations performed at least in part in the perceptual (psychoacoustic) loudness domain. The invention is useful, for example, in one or more of: loudness-compensating volume control, automatic gain control, dynamic range control (including, for example, limiters, compressors, expanders, etc.), dynamic equalization, and compensating for background noise interference in an audio playback environment. The invention includes not only methods but also corresponding computer programs and apparatus.
US09705459B2

An electronic device with faders. In order to enable a user to readily ascertain which of a plurality of faders belongs to the same group and which one of the faders in the group is a master fader, indicators of all of the faders in the group are lighted when the thus-set master fader in the grouped faders is operated. When the user operates slave faders, the operation is revoked, and only the indicator corresponding to the master fader is lighted or blinked.
US09705457B2

A signal level detector comprising and a Burst-Mode Trans Impedance Amplifier (BM-TIA) using the same. The signal level detector includes a level detector configured to detect peak voltage of an input voltage signal, a reference voltage generator configured to generate second reference voltage by receiving first reference voltage, a comparator configured to compare the peak voltage and the second reference voltage and output a discrimination value according to a comparison result, and a latch configured to store the differential output from the comparator, wherein the level detector and the reference voltage generator have differential amplifier in the same structure.
US09705455B2

A random chopper control circuit is disclosed. The random chopper control circuit is coupled to an operational amplifier. The random chopper control circuit includes a random generator. The random generator is configured to generate a random chopper control signal and output the random chopper control signal to the operational amplifier to control an operation of the operational amplifier.
US09705450B2

An oscillatory apparatus and methods of utilizing the same. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a force sensor having a proof mass, with one or more sensing electron tunneling electrodes disposed thereon, and a frame comprising one or more reference electron tunneling electrodes. Conductive plates disposed on the sensor base and capping wafers induce oscillations of the proof mass. The sensing and the reference electrode pairs are disposed in a face-to-face configuration, thus forming a digital switch characterized by one or more closed states. In the closed state, the switch generates triggering events, thereby enabling the sensing apparatus to generate a digital output indicative of the mass position. The time period between consecutive trigger events is used to obtain mass deflection due to external forcing. Time separation between the triggering events is based on the physical dimensions established during fabrication, thus not requiring ongoing sensor calibration.
US09705449B2

Solar energy collection and storage systems and processes of using such systems. Non-direct solar energy collection and storage systems can generate electricity from solar radiation using a solar thermoelectric generator and at the same time capture solar thermal energy in a working fluid. The working fluid can then transfer the heat to a thermal storage medium where the heat can be retrieved on demand to generate electricity and heat a fluid. Direct solar energy collection and storage systems can store solar thermal energy in a thermal storage medium directly from solar radiation and the heat from the thermal storage medium can be used on demand to generate electricity and heat a fluid.
US09705446B1

A modular, electricity generating apparatus comprises an elongate, central member comprising a first end and a second end; at least one solar foil disposed about the central member in fluid interacting relation thereto; the solar foil comprising an outer surface having photovoltaic properties; the first end and the second end dimensioned and configured to be connected to a connecting node; and, the elongate central member at least partially comprised of an electrically conductive material and configured to conduct electricity from at least one of the connecting nodes to the other of the connecting nodes.
US09705441B2

A circuit includes phase windings to receive alternating current (AC) line voltage. The circuit has a direct current (DC) power supply, a power switch circuit comprising at least one power switch, and a control circuit to turn off the power switch circuit when a rotor associated with the circuit is in an identified rotor position, rotor magnet polarity, or speed relative to the AC line voltage. The circuit also has at least one non-collapsing DC power supply component to prevent the DC power supply from collapsing when the at least one power switch is on and conducting during at least a portion of a cycle. One or more of the DC power supply, power switch circuit, and control circuit may be at a midpoint of the phase windings.
US09705439B1

A fan driver system is provided, which includes a PWM generator, a DC generator, a control unit, a pull-down resistor and an integrator. The DC generator generates a DC test voltage, and a voltage of the pull-down resistor is detected to generate a determination signal. The PWM generator provides first and second PWM test signals having different duty cycles to the fan, respectively. The integrator integrates speed signal from the fan and corresponding to the first PWM test signal, to output a first integral signal, and integrates the speed signal corresponding to the second PWM test signal, to output a second integral signal. According to the first and second integral signals, and the determination signal, the control unit drives the PWM generator to selectively provide PWM working signal to the fan, and drive the DC generator to provide DC working voltage to the fan.
US09705437B2

A method of determining the angular position (θ) of a rotor of an N-phase permanent magnet motor (PMM) includes providing a processor having an associated memory, wherein the memory stores an angular position determination (APD) equation or hardware is included implementing the APD equation. The APD equation determines the angular position from N-phase measurements obtained from the stator windings associated with each of the N-phases. A voltage or a current is forced upon the stator terminals of the stator windings for each of the N-phases, a resulting stator current or stator voltage is sensed to provide the N-phase measurements responsive to the forcing of the voltage or current, and the APD equation is used to determine the angular position from the N-phase measurements.
US09705436B2

A motor control system for a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) uses two linear Hall devices to produce a first signal indicative of a strength of a first magnetic field component produced by a set of rotor magnets and to simultaneously produce a second signal indicative of a strength of second magnetic field component produced by the rotor magnets that is approximately orthogonal to the first magnetic field component. An angular position and angular velocity of the rotor is calculated based on the first signal and the second signal. A plurality of phase signals is produced based on the calculated angular position and angular velocity. Current in a plurality of field windings of the motor is controlled using the plurality of phase signals.
US09705434B2

In a method for ascertaining a commutation angle in a permanently excited synchronous motor, the commutation angle indicates the position of a rotor within a magnetic period of the synchronous motor and is used for the field-oriented energization of the synchronous motor. The method includes the steps of specifying a random commutation angle as starting point of the method, impressing a current vector into the motor using the initially randomly specified commutation angle, ascertaining a positional deviation of the rotor, varying the commutation angle used for the energization with the aid of a controller structure in order to counteract the ascertained positional deviation, so that the commutation angle that comes about after a stabilizing period corresponds to the actual commutation angle of the rotor, an initial speed of the rotor being taken into account when ascertaining the positional deviation of the rotor.
US09705432B2

Systems and methods for aligning a transfer head assembly with a substrate are disclosed. In an embodiment a pivot mount is used for generating a feedback signal in a closed-loop motion control system. In an embodiment, the pivot mount includes primary spring arms and secondary spring arms extending between a pivot platform and a base of the pivot mount. The secondary spring arms are characterized by a lower stiffness than the primary spring arms, and strain sensing elements are located along the secondary spring arms.
US09705431B2

A useful technique for the temporary modification of Fermion mass at room temperature in certain metalloids is disclosed. This technique has demonstrated an easily observable weight modification effect, using novel but comparatively inexpensive materials, in an industrial or every-day environment, at room temperature. Various simple and easily engineered methods for converting this modification into a useful source of propulsive directed force are disclosed.
US09705425B2

A piezoelectric motor with improved efficiency and improved specific power is disclosed. The piezoelectric motor has two frictionally engaged components mounted in such a way that they can move relative to each other. One component is a piezoelectric element in the form of a rectangular plate with metal coatings on its main planar surfaces. This component defines electrodes, where either some or all of the electrodes have leads for connection to a source of alternating voltage. The piezoelectric element is pressed by either its peripheral surfaces or by some parts of its peripheral surfaces at least by one of its sides or a section of one of its side against a cylindrical or planar surface of the other frictionally engaged component. The shape of the piezoelectric element, the arrangement and the number of the electrodes are configured to satisfy the condition of resonant excitation in the piezoelement of the first order mode of bending vibration along the length in the plane of the piezoelement during operation of the motor in one direction, and resonant excitation of the first order mode of longitudinal vibrations along the length during operation of the motor in the opposite direction.
US09705420B2

An exemplary electrical converter includes a plurality of semiconductor switches. The electrical converter is configured for generating a two-level or multi-level output voltage from an input voltage by switching the plurality of semiconductor switches. A method for controlling the electrical converter includes receiving a reference electrical quantity (iS*) and an actual electrical quantity (iS), determining a sequence of future electrical quantities of the electrical converter from the actual electrical quantity, determining a maximal cost value based on the sequence of future electrical quantities, and iteratively determining an optimal switching sequence for the electrical converter. A switching sequence includes a sequence of future switching states for the semiconductor switches of the electrical converter. The method also includes selecting the first switching state of the optimal switching sequence as the next switching state (u) to be applied to the semiconductor switches of the electrical converter.
US09705416B2

A converter arrangement with at least two single LLC converters, a pulse generator per single LLC converter wherein each pulse generator is configured to supply switching pulses to one single LLC converter and an output controller configured to use switching frequency control and/or phase-shift control to control the pulse generators comprises a load balancing control for overcoming unbalanced loading of the converter arrangement.
US09705413B2

In accordance with an embodiment, a method of controlling a switched-mode power includes generating a feedback signal proportional to an output of the switched-mode power supply, and operating the switched-mode power supply in a normal mode. If the feedback signal crosses a first threshold, the switched-mode power operates in a second operating mode. In the first operating mode the pulse modulated signal is adjusted to regulate a feedback signal to a first signal level, and in the second operating mode, a dead-time of the pulse modulated signal is adjusted to signal to regulate a feedback signal to a second signal level different from the first signal level. The method further includes driving a switch of the switched-mode power supply with the pulse modulated signal.
US09705411B2

A bidirectional buck-boost converter includes at least one soft-switching cell to reduce switching losses by providing soft-switching of all semiconductor devices. A soft-switching cell comprises an active switch coupled in series with an inductor, a two-winding transformer, and a reset-voltage circuit. The soft-switching cells enable the buck and boost rectifiers to turn off with a controlled turn-off rate of their current to minimize their reverse-recovery losses, the power-controlling buck and boost switch to turn on with zero-voltage switching (ZVS), and the switch of the soft-switching cell to turn off with zero-current switching (ZCS).
US09705408B2

Offline power converters draw very small amounts of power when unloaded or inactive (no load demand), power consumption may be further reduced by allowing the start-up controller and/or secondary-side controller to enter into a sleep mode (functions within the controllers shut down). When the energy storage capacitors for either the start-up controller or the secondary-side controller reach a low state-of-charge, either controller can wake itself and the other controller, thereby allowing the power converter to become active until both energy storage capacitors are refreshed enough for the controllers to go back into a low power sleep mode. This cycle, which draws very little average power from the AC line, continues until the power converter is required to remain awake (operational mode) and deliver power to the load.
US09705403B2

An apparatus and a method for selective and adaptive slope compensation in peak current mode controlled power converter are disclosed. The selective and adaptive slope compensation in peak current mode controlled power converter is implemented by hardware, software, and/or combination of both to carry out start of a pulse width modulated period and delay of a start of slope compensation by a first time from the starting of the pulse width modulated period.
US09705395B2

A fault tolerant power supply system includes at least one load switch configured to connect an input voltage to an output node of the load switch when the load switch is turned on and at least one power channel coupled to the load switch to receive the input voltage. The power channel is configured as a buck converter and includes at least a high-side power switch and a low-side power switch. The fault tolerant power supply system is configured to measure a current flowing through the low-side power switch, to determine that the current flowing through the low-side power switch has exceeded a current limit threshold, and to disable the low-side power switch and the load switch in response to the determination that the current flowing in the low-side power switch has exceeded the current limit threshold.
US09705393B2

A method of operating a voltage regulator including a source voltage rail and a plurality of output voltage rails, the method including: converting a source voltage on the source voltage rail to a respective output voltage on each output voltage rail; selecting an output voltage rail; comparing the output voltage on the selected output voltage rail to a reference voltage for the selected output voltage rail; and if the output voltage of the selected output voltage rail is less than the reference voltage for the selected output voltage rail, controlling the voltage regulator to increase the output voltage on the selected output voltage rail, wherein the frequency at which an output voltage rail is selected is dependent upon the rate at which the voltage regulator has previously increased the output voltage on that output voltage rail.
US09705392B2

A phase gating controller includes a thyristor/triac having a control terminal and two power terminals, a sampling device for sampling a voltage present across the power terminals of the thyristor/triac and a control device configured to provide a control voltage at the control terminal in order to trigger the thyristor/triac. The control device is further configured to switch off the control voltage at the triggered thyristor and to detect an unexpected turning-off of the thyristor/triac if the sampled voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
US09705386B2

Disclosed herein is a laminated core for a motor manufactured by laminating sheets of a plurality of cores. The laminated core is formed by connection of a plurality of split cores, yoke parts of the split cores which are adjacent to each other get in contact with each other so as to form a contact part, and a connection caulking part is formed at the contact part.
US09705385B2

A product specification setting apparatus includes: an electronic tag for updatably storing specifications of a product; and a control computer for controlling the product according to the stored specifications. A fan motor includes: a motor driving unit for driving a motor for rotating a fan; an electronic tag for updatably storing specifications of the fan motor; and a control computer for controlling the motor driving unit according to the stored specifications.
US09705377B2

A system having a damper with six or more indentations on alternating sides of the damper, where each indentation is open to an outer circumferential surface of the damper and extends over halfway through a width of the damper, and six or more slots, each slot open to an undulating inner circumferential surface of the damper and extending through the width of the damper.
US09705369B2

A method of resin-sealing a laminated core, including inserting permanent magnets 24 into magnet insertion holes 18 of a core body 15, pressing the body 15 with upper and lower dies 11, 12, and injecting resin 29 to the holes 18 from a resin reservoir 17 of the die 11 or 12 via a runner 19 in a removable cull plate 14, one end of the runner 19 having plural resin injection holes 33, 34 per hole 18. The resin 29 presses the magnets 24 in the holes 18 to one sides in a radial direction of the holes 18. Thereby, resin-sealing is performed using the plate 14 and the magnets 24 are arranged in radially outward or inward sides even with narrow gaps between the magnets 24 and the holes 18 or without resin injection holes in centers in a width direction of the holes 18.
US09705362B2

A power converter can include an inverter including, connected in series, switching elements, the inverter circuit being connected to both ends of a DC power source series circuit resulting from connecting in series a DC power source and a DC power source. Also included can be an AC output terminal that is connected to a connection point of the switching element and the switching element, an AC output terminal that is connected to a connection point of the DC power source and the DC power source, a bidirectional switch element one end of which is connected to the AC output terminal and the other end of which is connected to a terminal of an AC power source and a bidirectional switch element one end of which is connected to the AC output terminal and the other end of which is connected to the AC power source.
US09705361B2

A converter which converts first AC power input from an external power system to DC power, a storage device charged with the DC power from the converter, an inverter which converts DC power from the storage device to second AC power, an output AC power generating unit to which the first AC power and the second AC power are input, the unit which generates output AC power, and a controller which obtains external power information indicating a relationship between a power supply and a power demand in the external power system through a network and outputs a control signal to control the output AC power generating unit according to the external power information are provided. The controller controls the output AC power generating unit according to a state of a margin of the power supply.
US09705360B2

A system is provided. The system includes a plurality of uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs), a ring bus, at least one load electrically coupled to the plurality of UPSs and the ring bus, and a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of UPSs. The controller is configured to calculate an output voltage frequency for each UPS of the plurality of UPSs, and control operation of each UPS based on the respective calculated output voltage frequencies.
US09705359B2

A mobile cart has a battery assembly, which includes an on-board charger for selectively recharging one or more batteries to ensure constant operation of the powered equipment provided on the cart. The battery assembly possesses a removable battery configuration and is operated by a Battery Control System (BCS). The BCS is an intelligent control system for removable batteries and battery cell packs to provide an improved system of charging and discharging the individual batteries.
US09705347B2

A charging socket comprises a casing. A press and detain switch and a circuit board are accommodated and positioned inside the casing. A movable base is positioned above an opening of the casing. The movable base is connected with an end of a press portion. One end of the movable base is pivotally connected with the casing. At least one plugging base is inbuilt inside another end of the movable base. The plugging base is electrically connected with the circuit board. Accordingly, when the movable base is pressed to move together with the press portion and expose the plugging base, an electrical device can be charged electrically. When the movable base is pressed to hide the plugging base, the plugging base is open-circuited for safety.
US09705343B2

A voltage equalizer includes voltage detectors that detect voltages of respective cells, switches, and a controller that repeatedly sets a lowest voltage among voltages detected by one of the voltage detectors to be a target voltage Vt1 or Vt2 in each of the battery packs, and that repeatedly turns on/off each of the switches such that the voltages of the cells other than the cell having the lowest voltage become the target voltage Vt1 or Vt2 in each of the battery packs, until the controller determines on the basis of the respective voltages detected by the voltage detectors that a cell balance control operation does not need to be performed.
US09705340B2

A method and system for management of electric charges of cells of an electricity storage battery, which are electrically connected in series and/or in parallel, the method including: balancing states of charge of the cells, performed only during a battery charging phase; and balancing quantities of charge contained in the cells, performed only during a battery discharging or rest phase.
US09705338B2

A wireless power transmission apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a power transmission antenna, receiver circuits, and a control circuit. The power transmission antenna transmits high-frequency power at each of frequencies to wireless power reception apparatuses. Each of the receiver circuits obtains, from a corresponding one of the wireless power reception apparatuses, the value of a required voltage of the wireless power reception apparatus and the value of a power reception voltage received by the wireless power reception apparatus from the wireless power transmission apparatus. The control circuit obtains the required voltage value and the power reception voltage value from each of the receiver circuits, and controls the frequency of the high-frequency power. The control circuit changes the frequency of the high-frequency power so that the sum total of errors between the required voltage and the power reception voltage is minimized.
US09705336B2

The teachings herein disclose an advantageous method and apparatus for performing Security Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) for a hybrid power system that includes one or more AC grids interconnected with one or more multi-terminal High Voltage DC (HVDC) grids. The teachings include optimizing a non-linear objective function, subject to a set of constraints that include AC and DC grid constraints, for determining the SCED solution using successive linear approximation. The linear programming model used in the linear approximations is advantageously augmented with a DC grid portion in a manner that accounts for the effects of the DC grid on the AC grid, but which does not require exposing proprietary DC grid modeling details, and which conforms the resultant SCED solution to all applicable AC and DC grid constraints, including AC grid line flow constraints, AC grid power balance constraints, DC grid line flow constraints, and DC grid power balance constraints.
US09705334B2

The present invention concerns a method of feeding electric power into an electric network wherein the feed is effected by means of at least one wind power installation with a first feed-in arrangement at a feed-in point into the electric network, and the feed is effected in dependence on electric parameters in the network and measurement values of the electric parameters or measurement values for determining the electric parameters are detected at measurement times at predetermined time intervals and wherein the measurement times are synchronized to an external time signal available outside the first feed-in arrangement.
US09705332B2

A method for controlling an energy storage system for connection to a power system, and such an energy storage system are provided. The method makes use of a model based predictive controller to optimize the charging/discharging rates of energy storage elements in a hybrid energy storage system. The method includes determining respective desired charging/discharging rates for the energy storage elements in dependence upon state of charge predictions from respective models of the storage elements, using model predictive control, and adjusting respective charging/discharging rates of the storage elements in accordance with the determined rates. The energy system includes a controller configured to control respective charging/discharging rates of the energy storage elements in accordance with the method.
US09705330B1

A system and method for remotely monitoring, measuring and controlling power to furniture having an electrically powered feature is disclosed herein. The furniture is preferably modular furniture (such as a cubicle) and the electrically powered feature is at least one of lighting or a power outlet. Alternatively, the furniture is a lectern and the electrically powered feature is at least one of lighting or a power outlet. Alternatively, the furniture is a charging cart and the electrically powered feature is at least one of lighting or a power outlet.
US09705328B2

A startup control method of controlling startup of a PV PCS 150 configured to perform interconnected operation in which a PV 100 is interconnected to a grid 10 to supply power to a load 400: supplies power from independent operation output of the PV PCS 150 to a storage PCS 250 by an independent operation that does not interconnect the PV 100 to the grid 10 before starting the interconnected operation; measures the output power amount of the PV 100 or the PV PCS 150 when the power is supplied to the storage PCS 250; and stops the independent operation to start the interconnected operation when the measured output power amount is larger than a predetermined amount.
US09705318B2

Protection circuits and methods for protecting an integrated circuit against an over-limit electrical condition are provided. One example includes a snapback circuit having at least a portion formed in an isolated doped well region and configured to switch to a low impedance state in response to an input exceeding a trigger condition and further having a control circuit coupled to a reference voltage and further coupled to the isolated doped well region and the portion of the snapback circuit formed in the doped well region. The control circuit includes an impedance adjustable in response to a control signal and configured to adjust an isolated doped well impedance in which at least a portion of the snapback circuit is formed relative to the reference voltage. A modulated trigger and hold condition tot the snapback circuit can be set according to a control signal adjusting an electrical impedance of the control circuit.
US09705317B2

A power supply device and an overvoltage protection method are disclosed. The power supply device includes an energy storage unit, a first switch, a second switch and a driving module. The energy storage unit generates a driving voltage according to a supplied voltage. The first switch selectively transmits the supplied voltage to the energy storage unit according to a first driving signal. The second switch is selectively conducted to adjust the driving voltage according to a second driving signal. The driving module conducts the second switch when the supplied voltage is rose at a first predetermined value, and generates the first driving signal and the second driving signal after the supplied voltage is rose at a second predetermined value. The first predetermined value is smaller than the second predetermined value.
US09705313B2

A series circuit of capacitors and a series circuit of semiconductor switches such as SiC-MOSFETs are connected in parallel to a direct current power source, and one end of a bidirectional switch formed of semiconductor switches, such as IGBTs, and diodes, such as SiC-SBDs (Silicon Carbide Schottky Barrier Diodes), is connected to a series connection point (an M point) of the capacitors, while the other end of the bidirectional switch is connected to a series connection point of the semiconductor switches, in a three-level inverter that outputs three voltage levels by operating the semiconductor switches so as to satisfy at least one of the condition that the peak value of an alternating current output voltage Vo is a value of 80% or more of the voltage of the capacitors and the condition that an output power factor is 0.8 or more.
US09705310B2

A system includes a current measurement unit, an overload timer, and a processing unit. The current measuring unit measures current through a power transistor, and the overload timer measures an overload time associated with the measured current. The processing unit receives a user-specified overload time setting or a user-specified overload amperage setting associated with a protection device connected in series with a load, receives a temperature measurement of a component associated with the power transistor or a measurement of overload time associated with the current, wherein the power transistor supplies the current to the load and the protection device, and selectively turns off the power transistor based on the measured temperature, the measured current through the power transistor, and the user-specified overload amperage setting or based on the measured temperature, the measured overload time, and the user-specified overload time.
US09705300B1

A busway system is provided. The busway system includes a first electrical busway section and a busway joint. The busway joint includes a plurality of conductors spaced apart in parallel and a first assembly. The conductors and the first assembly are coupled to the first busway section. The first assembly includes a plurality of insulation laminations spaced apart to define a plurality of gaps, a plurality of insulating spacers positioned within the gaps adjacent the conductors, and a plurality of bracing fasteners extending through the insulation laminations and the insulating spacers. Each gap receives at least one conductor. A width of the gap is substantially filled by the conductors and the insulating spacers. The bracing fasteners secure the conductors within the first assembly.
US09705292B2

A spark plug comprising a center electrode, a ground electrode disposed on the center electrode across a gap, and a tip joined to an opposed surface of the ground electrode that is opposed to the center electrode, the tip has a discharge layer and a relieving layer, the relieving layer is formed from a Pt—Ni alloy and joined to the opposed surface via a diffusion layer, the discharge layer is formed from a Pt—Rh alloy and joined via a clad diffusion layer to a side of the relieving layer opposite to a side of the relieving layer at which the ground electrode is joined, and 0.81≦A/B≦1.21 is satisfied when an average cross-sectional area of the discharge layer is A mm2 and an average cross-sectional area of the relieving layer is B mm2, and a method for producing the spark plug.
US09705286B2

With a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a semiconductor layer having a protrusion on a main face is formed. The protrusion includes an upper face and side faces. A conductive layer on a region that includes at least the upper face and the side faces of the protrusion is formed. A first mask that partially covers a surface of the conductive layer is formed. A part of the conductive layer is etched by using the first mask in a first etching process. A second mask that at least partially covers the surface of the conductive layer that has undergone the first etching process is formed. A part of the conductive layer is etched by using the second mask to expose a part of the semiconductor layer and to form the conductive layer into an electrode in a second etching process.
US09705283B1

A semiconductor vertical resonant cavity light source includes an upper mirror and a lower mirror that define a vertical resonant cavity. A first active region is within the vertical resonant cavity for light generation between the upper mirror and lower mirror. The vertical resonant cavity includes an inner mode confinement region and an outer current blocking region. A depleted heterojunction current blocking region (DHCBR) is within the outer current blocking region of at least one of the upper mirror, lower mirror, and first active region. A conducting channel within the inner mode confinement region is framed by the DHCBR. The DHCBR forces current flow into the conducting channel during operation of the light source. A cavity length within the inner mode confinement region equals or exceeds the cavity length formed in the DHCBR.
US09705279B2

In a resonator arrangement (1) including a resonator (2), an interferometer (9) is arranged inside the resonator (2) and includes at least a first and a second interferometer leg (9a, 9b). The two interferometer legs (9a, 9b) have optical path lengths (L1, L2) that differ from each other. According to the invention a splitting ratio is variably adjustable, with which the interferometer (9) splits radiation (8) circulating in the resonator (2) into the first and second interferometer legs (9a, 9b).
US09705275B2

The invention relates to a laser assembly (100) having a laser (L) for generating primary laser pulses (1), beam splitting optics (15) for splitting a primary laser pulse into a plurality of temporally staggered sub-pulses, and having focusing optics (17-19) for focusing the sub-pulses in or on an object (20) so that every sub-pulse is focused in a separate focus volume (F). The invention is characterized in that the mutual spatial and/or temporal relationship of the focus volumes (F) of the sub-pulses originating from a common primary laser pulse is variably adjustable. The invention also relates to a corresponding method.
US09705272B2

A restricting member is provided that is in contact with respective bent lead portions of a long-sized lead and a short-sized lead and imparts a tension to linear lead portions thereof in a mold for insert molding. The restricting member reliably prevents the leads from displacement and deformation resulting from the pressure of the resin at the time of insert molding, and allows the long-sized lead and the short-sized lead to be disposed at proper positions in a molded body.
US09705264B2

A component loading system includes a board having a socket. A first base member is secured to the board through a plurality of first heat dissipater coupling posts. A first securing member is moveably coupled to the first base member. A second base member is secured to the board through a plurality of second heat dissipater coupling posts. A second securing member is moveably coupled to the second base member. A loading member is moveably coupled to the first base member. A heat dissipater is operable to be coupled to the plurality of first heat dissipater coupling posts and the plurality of second heat dissipater coupling posts. The loading member is operable to be secured to the board by moving the first securing member into engagement with the second base member and moving the second securing member into engagement with the first base member.
US09705260B2

Connectors with internal noise filter (10A, 10B) are provided with a uniting means (17, 18) for uniting the connectors with internal noise filters with each other. A terminal fitting (20) connected to one electrode portion (32A) of a capacitor (30) is provided in a connector housing (11a, 11B). A ground connection terminal (40A, 40B) is composed of an electrode connecting portion (42) to be connected to the other electrode portion (32B) of the capacitor (30) and a ground connection portion (41A, 41B) extending outwardly of the connector housing (11A, 11B) from the electrode connecting portion (42) and including a bolt hole (46H) into which a bolt (B) is fittable. When the respective connectors with internal noise filter (10A, 10B) are united by the uniting means (17, 18), the respective ground connection portions (41A, 41B) are overlapped and the respective bolt holes (46H) are aligned.
US09705255B2

An improved broadside coupled, open pin field connector. The connector incorporates lossy material to selectively dampen resonance within pairs of conductive members connected to ground when the connector is mounted to a printed circuit board. The material may also decrease crosstalk and mode conversion. The lossy material is selectively positioned to substantially dampen resonances along pairs that may be connected to ground without unacceptably attenuating signals carried by other pairs. The lossy material may be selectively positioned near mating contact portions of the conductive members. Multiple techniques are described for selectively positioning the lossy material, including molding, inserting lossy members into a housing or coating surfaces of the connector housing. By using material of relatively low loss, loss when the conductive members are used to carry signals is relatively low, but an appreciable attenuation of resonances is provided on pairs connected to ground.
US09705237B2

An electrical connector has a mating cavity opening forwardly. The electrical connector has a main body, a terminal module and a sealing member. The terminal module has an insulator and a plurality of conductive terminals received therein. The conductive terminals have contacting portions exposed into the mating cavity and connecting legs. The terminal module is received in the main body. The sealing member is filled in a gap between the terminal module and main body to seal the gap.
US09705224B2

A card connector includes an insulative housing defining a front-and-rear direction, a number of contacts accommodated in the insulative housing, a metallic shell enclosing the insulative housing to form a receiving space and an ejector having a shaft received in the right of the receiving space and an actuator driven by the ejector. The metallic shell has a receiving slot receiving the shaft, and an upper wall and a lower wall around the receiving slot. The upper wall and the lower wall restrict the shaft in an up-and-down direction perpendicular to the front-and-rear direction.
US09705223B2

A socket-side retaining fitting includes: a rising portion extending toward a header; a locking piece portion being a part continuing to an upper end portion of the rising portion while curving, and configured to lock a locked portion of a header-side retaining fitting attached to the header. A socket housing includes a covering portion provided in such a way as to cover at least part of the locking piece portion, and configured to restrict movement of the locking piece portion.
US09705220B2

A connector mateable with a mating connector along a predetermined direction. The mating connector comprises a ground member and a mating signal terminal. The ground member has a ground contacted portion and a locked portion. The connector comprises a first portion, a second portion and a signal terminal. The first portion has a lock portion and a lock spring portion. The lock portion is brought into contact with the ground contacted portion in a process where the connector and the mating connector are mated with each other. The lock portion locks the locked portion under a state where the connector is mated with the mating connector. The signal terminal has a signal contact portion. The signal contact portion is to be brought into contact with the mating signal terminal.
US09705215B2

A housing of a lower connector has an opening on a side of an upper connector, and houses two movable parts movably from a first state of, by having upper portions thereof engaged with the opening, being in proximity to each other to form a guide hole, and a second state of, by releasing the engagement, being distanced from an external signal terminal. At positions contactable with the two movable parts, the housing has a protrusion whose tip gradually tapers toward the two movable parts in directions in which the two movable parts face each other. The protrusion guides the two movable parts in mutually separating directions, when the engagement between the opening of the housing and the upper portions of the two movable parts is released associated with depression of the upper connector, and the tip enters the gap through which the two movable parts face each other.
US09705212B1

A structure improvement for connection terminals of a terminal block includes a frame body (1) and an elastic part (2). The frame body (1) has a bottom plate (10) and a standing plate (11) bending and extending from a side of the bottom plate (10). The standing plate (11) further extends to form a resisting portion (110) and a first frame (111) curved opposite to the resisting portion (110). The elastic part (2) has a contact portion (20), a hook portion (210) extending from the contact portion (20), and a second frame (22) curved opposite to the hook portion (210). The resisting portion (110) passes through and is against the second frame (22). The hook portion (210) passes through and hooks on the first frame (111). The contact portion (20) is disposed toward the resisting portion (110) from a side of the first frame (111).
US09705210B2

A refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet having a temperature-controlled compartment defined therein, a shelf ladder disposed in the temperature-controlled compartment and providing a plurality of shelf mounting positions, an electrical connector corresponding to each of the plurality of shelf mounting positions, wherein each of the electrical connectors comprises an actuator movable from a first position to a second position and an electrical contact configured to automatically move from a disengaged position to an engaged position in response to the actuator moving from the first position to the second position, and an adjustable shelf removably mountable in one of the plurality of shelf mounting positions such that the actuator of the corresponding electrical connector is held in the second position by a weight of the adjustable shelf and the electrical contact of the corresponding electrical connector engages the adjustable shelf.
US09705207B2

A network device comprising, a first radio module configured to transmit and receive first radio signals in a first frequency band, a first antenna array configured to transmit and receive the first radio signals for the first radio module in the first frequency band, a second radio module configured to transmit and receive second radio signals in the first frequency band, a second antenna array configured to transmit and receive the second radio signals for the second radio module in the first frequency band, wherein, in operation, the first radio module and the second radio modules function concurrently using the first frequency band while at least 40 dB of antenna isolation is maintained between the first antenna array and the second antenna array.
US09705197B2

The disclosure concerns a method of designing antennas to reduce the amount of rejection and complexity from the filter system. A superposition of a symmetrical frequency response from the antenna structure coupled with a non-symmetrical frequency response from a counterpoise structure generates increased rejection of out-of-band components.
US09705196B2

In an antenna, an antenna element interval is reduced without depending on an interval between converters, to widen the range of a phase folding angle to widen a detection angle range. The antenna includes a first antenna element including a feeder line extending from a first converter and a plurality of radiating elements. A second antenna element includes a feeder line extending from a second converter aligned together with the first converter and a plurality of radiating elements. The first and second antenna elements respectively include, at partial line portions of the feeder lines which extend from the converters to closest radiating elements, bend portions which are bent in directions which the bend portions come close to each other. The partial line portions of the first and second antenna elements are disposed so as to be linearly symmetrical about a virtual line.
US09705191B2

A device according to claim 6, characterised in that the interrupting zone is positioned outside the switch zone in which two wires (54, 56) of a circuit are so arranged as to cooperate with the switch are positioned.
US09705190B2

An apparatus forms a weight for each signal path associated with an antenna of a plurality of antennas around a test zone in an over-the-air chamber by a comparison of a desired target electric field based on a radio channel model and an electric field obtainable by the plane waves associated with the test zone, the plane waves being transmittable by the antennas and being based on at least one basis waveform in each signal path.
US09705183B2

A reconfigurable antenna element is controlled using a wirelessly powered and wirelessly activated switch, where the antenna element is part of an antenna or antenna array. A control signal for reconfiguring the antenna element is embedded into a wirelessly transmitted data signal for transmission by the antenna.
US09705179B2

An antenna structure includes a feed portion, a ground portion, a connecting portion, a first metallic sheet, a second metallic sheet, and a coupling portion. The connecting portion is electrically connected to the feed portion. The first metallic sheet is electrically connected to the ground portion. The second metallic sheet is spaced apart from the first metallic sheet and is electrically connected to the connecting portion. The coupling portion is coupled to the connecting portion and spaced apart from the first metallic sheet.
US09705177B1

Antenna mount systems and methods for deploying small cells are disclosed. The antenna mount system may include an outer housing and an inner antenna enclosure at least partly positioned inside the outer housing, with the inner antenna enclosure movably coupled to the outer housing. The antenna mount system can include an orientation member that can aid in maintaining a particular orientation of an antenna so as to maintain a radiation pattern substantially on a defined area, independent of the position of the antenna mount system.
US09705169B2

An electronic device includes a central control unit and a waveguide device. The waveguide device includes a high-frequency signal waveguide for transmitting a high-frequency signal emitted from a communication module having a communication function, and an attachment/detachment unit capable of attaching/detaching the communication module so that coupling between the high-frequency signal waveguide and the high-frequency signal is possible. The communication module includes a communication device and a transfer structure configured to cause the high-frequency signal emitted from the communication device to be transferred to the high-frequency signal waveguide of the waveguide device.
US09705167B2

A lithium ion conducting protective film is produced using a layer-by-layer assembly process. The lithium ion conducting protective film is assembled on a substrate by a sequential exposure of the substrate to a first poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) layer including a cross-linking silane component on the first side of the substrate, a graphene oxide (GO) layer on the first PEO layer, a second poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) layer including a cross-linking silane component on the GO layer and a poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) layer on the second PEO layer, The film functions as a lithium ion conducting protective film that isolates the lithium anode from the positive electrochemistry of the cathode in a lithium-air battery, thereby preventing undesirable lithium dendrite growth.
US09705165B2

The present invention provides a lithium-air battery air electrode, the air electrode comprises: a collector, an in-situ loading catalyst on collector. The invention also provides a preparation method of the air electrode for lithium-air batteries and the lithium-air batteries. The air electrode of the present invention can greatly improve the performance of the lithium-air battery.
US09705153B2

A rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly for charging and discharging a current, a case having an opening in a direction intersecting a plane of the electrode assembly, and a cover for sealing the opening in the case which houses the electrode assembly therein, wherein the case further includes a vent integral with the case on one side of an extension direction of the plane of the electrode assembly, and a vent protective portion formed adjacent to the vent.
US09705148B2

Provided is a stacked structure for a fuel cell in which the plurality of fuel cells are stacked. Each of the fuel cells includes an electrolyte layer, and a cathode layer and an anode layer disposed on both surfaces of the electrolyte layer. The stacked structure includes at least one interconnector, at least one frame, and at least one complex functional part. The interconnector includes a central area electrically connected to the fuel cell, and edge area outwardly extending with respect to end portions of the fuel cell. The frame supports a side portion of the fuel cell to reinforce strength of the fuel cell supported by the interconnector. The complex functional part is disposed between the interconnector and the frame to constantly maintain an interval therebetween.
US09705136B2

An energy storage device includes a nano-structured cathode. The cathode includes a conductive substrate, an underframe and an active layer. The underframe includes structures such as nano-filaments and/or aerogel. The active layer optionally includes a catalyst disposed within the active layer, the catalyst being configured to catalyze the dissociation of cathode active material.
US09705132B2

A rechargeable lithium battery with improved electro-conductivity and improved rate characteristics and capacity characteristics is disclosed. The battery includes a positive active material that includes an olivine-type composite oxide; and a metal or an alloy thereof adhered to a surface of the olivine-type composite oxide, wherein the metal or the alloy is selected from the group consisting of germanium (Ge), zinc (Zn), gallium (Ga), and a combination thereof.
US09705130B2

An electrochemical battery is provided with an aluminum anode current collector and an antimony (Sb)-based electrochemically active material overlying the aluminum current collector. The Sb-based electrochemically active material may be pure antimony, Sb with other metal elements, or Sb with non-metal elements. For example, the Sb-based electrochemically active material may be one of the following: Sb binary or ternary alloys of sodium, silicon, tin, germanium, bismuth, selenium, tellurium, thallium, aluminum, gold, cadmium, mercury, cesium, gallium, titanium, lead, carbon, and combinations thereof. The aluminum current collector may additionally include a material such as magnesium, iron, nickel, titanium, and combinations thereof. In one aspect, the anode further composed of a coating interposed between the aluminum current collector and the Sb-based electrochemically active material. This coating may be a non-corrodible metal or a carbonaceous material. The cathode is may be composed of a number of different active materials including sodium-based Prussian Blue analogs.
US09705129B2

The subject matter of the present is a method for manufacturing an electrode for an electrochemical energy reservoir, in particular for a lithium-ion battery, encompassing the method steps of: a) furnishing a mixture of initial substances for formation of a lithium titanate; b) calcining the mixture of initial substances for formation of a lithium titanate; c) adding to the mixture of initial substances for formation of a lithium titanate, before and/or after calcination, a component encompassing sulfur and optionally lithium; and/or d) adding a pore former, before and/or after calcination, to the mixture of initial substances for formation of a lithium titanate; e) sintering the calcined product; and f) optionally removing the pore former from the calcined and optionally sintered product. Electrodes having a particularly defined pore structure can be generated with a method of this kind, thereby making possible particularly good capacity that is stable over the long term. A further subject is an electrode for use in a lithium-ion battery, as well as a lithium-ion battery.
US09705126B2

An objective is to reduce the sheet resistance and gas evolution in a battery electrode comprising a conductive intermediate layer capable of reducing or shutting off a current when overcharged. A battery electrode (12) comprises a conductive intermediate layer (123) being placed between a current collector (122) and an active layer (124) while comprising conductive particles (50) and a binder (60). The mass proportion of conductive particles (50) is equal to or larger than the mass proportion of the binder (60). Conductive particles (50) has a size distribution that exhibits a first peak with the maximum at a first particle diameter value and a second peak with the maximum at a second particle diameter value larger than the first particle diameter value. The intermediate layer (123) contains 10% to 60% by mass of conductive particles (52) having particle diameters that belong to the second peak.
US09705125B2

A method for covering particles having a diameter of maximally 60 μm by means of atomic layer deposition, whereby said method comprises the step of fluidizing said particles in a fluidized bed reactor using a first reactant gas comprising a first reactant for substantially completely covering said particles with a monolayer of said first reactant.
US09705124B2

A method of preparing a high capacity nanocomposite cathode of FeF3 in carbon pores may include preparing a nanoporous carbon precursor, employing electrochemistry or solution chemistry deposition to deposit Fe particles in the carbon pores, reacting nano Fe with liquid hydrofluoric acid to form nano FeF3 in carbon, and milling to achieve a desired particle size.
US09705110B2

A cell is provided. The cell includes a cell element including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, an electrolyte and a laminate film including an exterior layer, a metal layer, an interior layer, and a welded layer formed of the interior layer; wherein a thickness of the welded layer is larger than 5 μm in a flat portion of the interior layer, wherein the welded layer increases in thickness from the flat portion to an end portion of the welded layer, and wherein when a thickness of the laminate film is t, a thickness of the interior layer is p and a thickness of the laminate film in the welded layer is t1, a following equation is satisfied: t×2−p×2+5
US09705100B2

Organic electroluminescent element capable of conveniently and precisely establishing the emission color of the element and capable of fine-adjusting the emission color in the white region. The organic electroluminescent element includes a pair of electrodes and a light-emitting layer provided between the electrodes and presents an emission color at the coordinate Ao (Xo, Yo) in the CIE 1931 chromaticity coordinate system. The light-emitting layer contains in the same layer, a white light emitting material A1 that presents an emission color at the coordinate A1 (x1, y1) in the CIE 1931 chromaticity coordinate system and a white light emitting material A2 that presents an emission color at the coordinate A2 (x2, y2) different from the coordinate A1(x1, y1) in the CIE 1931 chromaticity coordinate system. A distance LA1-A2 between the coordinates A1 (x1, y1) and A2 (x2, y2) in the CIE 1931 chromaticity coordinate system satisfies LA1-A2<0.13.
US09705088B2

A triazine-based compound is represented by Formula 1 and an organic light-emitting device includes the triazine-based compound.
US09705087B2

Provided is an organic light emitting device with enhanced durability during continuous driving. The organic light emitting device includes: an anode, a cathode, and an organic compound layer being placed between the anode and the cathode and including at least a hole transport layer and an emission layer, in which: the emission layer contains a blue light emitting material; the hole transport layer contains a plurality of kinds of organic compounds; and an organic compound having the smallest ionization potential among the organic compounds includes a compound having no absorption spectrum peak in a blue color wavelength region in a radical cation state.
US09705085B2

The present application relates to a method of preparing an organic light emitting device. The method of preparing the organic light emitting device according to the present application includes: 1) forming a first electrode on a substrate; 2) forming an auxiliary electrode on at least a partial region on the first electrode; 3) forming an insulating layer on the auxiliary electrode, and forming an overhang structure, in which the insulating layer has a greater width than that of the auxiliary electrode; and 4) forming a second electrode on the first electrode and the insulating layer, so that the second electrode provided on the first electrode and the second electrode provided on the insulating layer are electrically short-circuited to each other.
US09705084B2

An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes a red pixel, a green pixel, and a blue pixel. The red pixel, the green pixel and the blue pixel each includes: a pixel electrode; a hole auxiliary layer on the pixel electrode; a blue organic emission layer on the hole auxiliary layer; an electron auxiliary layer on the blue organic emission layer; and a common electrode on the electron auxiliary layer. The red pixel and the green pixel include: a red boundary layer and a green boundary layer, respectively; a red resonance assistance layer and a green resonance assistance layer, respectively; and a red organic emission layer and a green organic emission layer formed between the red resonance assistance layer and the blue organic emission layer, and between the green resonance assistance layer and the blue organic emission layer, respectively.
US09705083B2

In a method for stretching a vapor deposition mask including a metal mask in which a slit is formed and a resin mask in which an opening corresponding to a pattern to be produced by vapor deposition is formed at a position overlapping with the slit, a stretching assistance member is overlapped on one surface of the vapor deposition mask, the stretching assistance member is fixed to the vapor deposition mask in at least part of a portion in which the one surface of the vapor deposition mask and the stretching assistance member overlap with each other, and the vapor deposition mask fixed to the stretching assistance member is stretched by pulling the stretching assistance member fixed to the vapor deposition mask.
US09705071B2

A method of making a magnetic random access memory device includes forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) on an electrode, the MTJ including a reference layer, a tunnel barrier layer, and a free layer; disposing a hard mask on the MTJ; etching sidewalls of the hard mask and MTJ to form a stack with a first width and redeposit metal along the MTJ sidewall; depositing a sacrificial dielectric layer on the hard mask, surface of the electrode, exposed sidewall of the hard mask and the MTJ, and on redeposited metal along the sidewall of the MTJ; removing a portion of the sacrificial dielectric layer from sidewalls of the hard mask and MTJ and redeposited metal from the MTJ sidewalls; and removing a portion of a sidewall of the MTJ and hard mask to provide a second width to the stack; wherein the second width is less than the first width.
US09705067B2

A piezoelectric fan includes a vibration sheet, piezoelectric elements, a reinforcing sheet bonded to at least one of principal surfaces of the piezoelectric element, a reinforcing sheet bonded to at least one of principal surfaces of the piezoelectric element, and a fixing sheet. The vibration sheet is fixed to the inside of an electronic device by the fixing sheet disposed at one end of the vibration sheet. The total thickness of the reinforcing sheets and a region of the vibration sheet adjacent to the piezoelectric elements is greater than the average thickness of a region of the vibration sheet in which the piezoelectric elements are not disposed. The piezoelectric elements are disposed symmetrically to the center plane of the thickness direction of the vibration sheet. The reinforcing sheets are disposed symmetrically to the center plane of the thickness direction of the vibration sheet.
US09705036B2

Disclosed are a light emitting device and a light emitting device package. The light emitting device includes a light emitting structure including a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer on the first conductive semiconductor layer and a second conductive semiconductor layer on the active layer; a first electrode pad on the first conductive semiconductor layer; a second electrode pad on the second conductive semiconductor layer; and a current blocking pattern overlapping an edge of at least one of the first and second electrode pads.
US09705034B2

A light-emitting diode, a method of manufacturing the same, a lamp and an illumination device. A light-emitting diode (100) is provided with a compound semiconductor layer (10) including a light-emitting layer (24) provided on a substrate (1); an ohmic contact electrode (7) provided between the substrate and compound semiconductor layer; an ohmic electrode (11) provided on the side of the compound semiconductor layer opposite the substrate; a surface electrode (12) including a branch section (12b) provided so as to cover the surface of the ohmic electrode and a pad section (12a) coupled to the branch section; and a current-blocking portion (13) provided between an under-pad light-emitting layer (24a) arranged in an area of the light-emitting layer that overlaps the pad section (12a) and a light-emitting layer arranged in an area except the area that overlaps the pad section, to prevent current from being supplied to the under-pad light-emitting layer.
US09705033B2

A lighting emitting diode including: an n side layer and a p side layer formed by nitride semiconductors respectively; an active layer comprising a nitride semiconductor is between the n side layer and the p side layer; wherein, the n-side layer is successively laminated by an extrinsically-doped buffer layer and a compound multi-current spreading layer; the compound multi-current spreading layer is successively-laminated by a first current spreading layer, a second current spreading layer and a third current spreading layer; the first current spreading layer and the third current spreading layer are alternatively-laminated layers comprising a u-type nitride semiconductor layer and an n-type nitride semiconductor layer; the second current spreading layer is a distributed insulation layer formed on the n-type nitride semiconductor layer; and the first current spreading layer is adjacent to the extrinsically-doped buffer layer; and the third current spreading layer is adjacent to the active layer.
US09705029B2

The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a light-emitting device, comprising: providing a first substrate; providing a semiconductor stack on the first substrate, the semiconductor stack comprising a first conductive type semiconductor layer, a light-emitting layer on the first conductive type semiconductor layer, and a second conductive type semiconductor layer on the light-emitting layer, wherein the semiconductor stack is patterned and comprises a plurality of blocks of semiconductor stack separated from each other, and wherein the plurality of blocks of semiconductor stack comprise a first block of semiconductor stack and a second block of semiconductor stack; performing a separating step to separate the first block of semiconductor stack from the first substrate, and the second block of semiconductor stack remained on the first substrate; providing a permanent substrate comprising a first surface, a second surface, and a third block of semiconductor stack on the first surface; and bonding one of the first block of semiconductor stack and the second block of semiconductor stack to the second surface.
US09705028B2

Light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) with N-polarity and associated methods of manufacturing are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for forming a light emitting diode on a substrate having a substrate material includes forming a nitrogen-rich environment at least proximate a surface of the substrate without forming a nitrodizing product of the substrate material on the surface of the substrate. The method also includes forming an LED structure with a nitrogen polarity on the surface of the substrate with a nitrogen-rich environment.
US09705024B2

The present invention provides an invisible light flat plate detector and a manufacturing method thereof, an imaging apparatus, relates to the field of detection technology, can solve problems that the structure of the invisible light flat plate detector in the prior art is complex and the manufacturing method thereof is tedious. The invisible light flat plate detector of the present invention comprises a plurality of detection units and an invisible light conversion layer provided above the detection units for converting invisible light into visible light, each of the detection units comprising a thin film transistor provided on a substrate, and a first insulation layer, a first electrode, a semiconductor photoelectronic conversion module, a second electrode which are successively provided above the thin film transistor and of which projections on the substrate at least partially overlap with a projection of the thin film transistor on the substrate.
US09705009B2

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, and the semiconductor layer having a first and a second surfaces; a first conductive layer penetrating from the first surface side to the second surface side of the semiconductor layer; a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type surrounding part of the first conductive layer on the second surface side of the semiconductor layer, a portion other than a front surface of the first semiconductor region being surrounded by the semiconductor layer; and a first insulating film provided between the first conductive layer and the semiconductor layer and between the first conductive layer and the first semiconductor region, a concentration of an impurity element contained in the first semiconductor region being higher than a concentration of an impurity element contained in the semiconductor layer.
US09705005B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device combining transistors integrating on a same substrate transistors including an oxide semiconductor in their channel formation region and transistors including non-oxide semiconductor in their channel formation region. An application of the present invention is to realize substantially non-volatile semiconductor memories which do not require specific erasing operation and do not suffer from damages due to repeated writing operation. Furthermore, the semiconductor device is well adapted to store multivalued data. Manufacturing methods, application circuits and driving/reading methods are explained in details in the description.
US09704995B1

A system and method for fabricating non-planar devices while managing short channel and heating effects are described. A semiconductor device fabrication process includes forming a non-planar device where the body of the device is insulated from the silicon substrate, but the source and drain regions are not insulated from the silicon substrate. The process builds a local silicon on insulator (SOI) while not insulating area around the source and drain regions from the silicon substrate. A trench is etched a length at least that of a channel length of the device while being bounded by a site for a source region and a site for a drain region. The trench is filled with relatively thick layers to form the local SOI. When nanowires of a gate are residing on top of the layer-filled trench, a second trench is etched into the top layer for depositing gate metal in the second trench.
US09704993B2

After forming a gate spacer on each sidewall of a sacrificial gate structure, portions of each dielectric fin cap portion underneath the gate spacer is intentionally etched and undercut regions that are formed are filled and pinched off with a dielectric material of a conformal dielectric liner. Portions of the conformal dielectric liner in the undercut regions are not subject to the undercut during an epitaxial pre-clean process performed prior to forming an epitaxial source region and an epitaxial drain region on opposite sides of the sacrificial gate structure and remain in the undercut regions after forming the epitaxial source region and the epitaxial drain region.
US09704986B2

A VDMOS includes a substrate; an epitaxial layer; first and second trenches defined in the epitaxial layer; a shielding gate and a control gate formed in the trenches; a body region formed at the epitaxial layer and between the first and second trenches; a N+ source region formed at the body region; a distinct doping region formed in the epitaxial layer underneath the body region, extending towards bottoms of the trenches; a channel defined between the N+ source region and epitaxial layer adjacent to the trenches; an insulating layer defining a contact hole extending into the body region and the first trench; a P+ body pickup region formed in the body region corresponding to the contact hole; and a metal layer haying a butting contact filled in the contact hole, connecting the N+ source region, P+ body pickup region, and control gate and/or shielding gate in the first trench.
US09704985B2

A semiconductor device of the present invention includes a semiconductor layer, a source region and a drain region formed in a surface of the semiconductor layer, both having a first conductivity type, a plurality of gate trenches each formed so as to extend across the source region and the drain region, in a plan view observed in a direction of a normal to the surface of the semiconductor layer, a channel region of a first conductivity type made of the semiconductor layer sandwiched by the gate trenches adjacent to each other, having a channel length along a direction extending from the drain region to the source region, and a gate electrode buried in the gate trench via a gate insulating film, and the channel region has a thickness in the plan view not more than two times a width of a depletion layer to be generated due to a built-in potential between the channel region and the gate electrode.
US09704984B2

A super-junction semiconductor device includes a junction termination area at a first surface of a semiconductor body and at least partly surrounding an active cell area. An inner part of the junction termination area is arranged between an outer part of the junction termination area and the active cell area. A charge compensation device structure includes first regions of a first conductivity type and second regions of a second conductivity type disposed alternately along a first lateral direction. First surface areas correspond to a projection of the first regions onto the first surface, and second surface areas correspond to a projection of the second regions onto the first surface. The super-junction semiconductor device further includes at least one of a first junction termination extension structure and a second junction termination extension structure.
US09704982B2

A semiconductor device comprises a Group III nitride semiconductor lamination structure including a hetero-junction; an insulating layer formed on the Group III nitride semiconductor lamination structure, the insulating layer including a gate opening portion extending to the Group III nitride semiconductor lamination structure; a gate insulating film configured to cover a bottom portion and a side portion of the gate opening portion; a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film in the gate opening portion; a source electrode and a drain electrode disposed in a spaced-apart relationship with the gate electrode to sandwich the gate electrode and electrically connected to the Group III nitride semiconductor lamination structure; and a conductive layer embedded in the insulating layer between the gate electrode and the drain electrode and insulated from the gate electrode by the gate insulating film, the conductive layer electrically connected to the source electrode.
US09704978B2

An approach for heat dissipation in integrated circuit devices is provided. A method includes forming an isolation layer on an electrically conductive feature of an integrated circuit device. The method also includes forming an electrically conductive layer on the isolation layer. The method additionally includes forming a plurality of nanowire structures on a surface of the electrically conductive layer.
US09704972B2

A method is provided for fabricating transistors. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate. The substrate has a gate film and a mask film formed on a top surface. The mask film contains implanted carbon ions. The method further includes forming a mask layer by etching the mask film and then forming a gate layer by etching through the gate film using the mask layer as a mask until the substrate is exposed. The method also includes forming a first sidewall containing implanted carbon ions on the side surface of the gate layer and the mask layer; forming a stress layer in the substrate on both sides of the gate layer and the first sidewall; and forming a source region on one side of the gate layer and the first sidewall and a drain region on the other side of the gate layer and the first side wall.
US09704958B1

An electrical device comprising a base semiconductor layer of a silicon including material; a dielectric layer present on the base semiconductor layer; a first III-V semiconductor material area present in a trench in the dielectric layer, wherein a via of the III-V semiconductor material extends from the trench through the dielectric layer into contact with the base semiconductor layer; a second III-V semiconductor material area present in the trench in the dielectric layer wherein the second III-V semiconductor material area does not have a via extending through the dielectric layer into contact with the base semiconductor layer; and a semiconductor device present on the second III-V semiconductor material area, wherein the first III-V semiconductor material area and the second III-V semiconductor material area are separated by a low aspect ratio trench extending to the dielectric layer.
US09704956B2

Methods of forming and resulting devices are described that include graphene devices on boron nitride. Selected methods of forming and resulting devices include graphene field effect transistors (GFETs) including boron nitride.
US09704954B2

A semiconductor device comprises at least one strip-shaped cell compensation region of a vertical electrical element arrangement, at least one strip-shaped edge compensation region and a bridge structure. The at least one strip-shaped cell compensation regions extends into a semiconductor substrate and comprises a first conductivity type. Further, the at least one strip-shaped cell compensation region is connected to a first electrode structure of the vertical electrical element arrangement. The at least one strip-shaped edge compensation region extends into the semiconductor substrate within an edge termination region of the semiconductor device and outside the cell region. Further, the at least one strip-shaped edge compensation region comprises the first conductivity type. The bridge structure electrically connects the at least one strip-shaped edge compensation region with the at least one strip-shaped cell compensation region within the edge termination region.
US09704941B2

An organic light-emitting display device/panel includes, in part, at least a red organic light-emitting element, a green organic light-emitting element and a blue organic light-emitting element. The organic light-emitting display device/panel optionally includes a white organic light-emitting element. The organic light-emitting display device/panel further includes, in part, a first power line coupled to the red organic light-emitting element, a second power line coupled to the green organic light-emitting element, and a third power line coupled to the blue organic light-emitting element. The power supplies a high voltage level to the organic light-emitting elements.
US09704928B2

An organic light emitting diode display including a substrate, a thin film transistor on the substrate, a first electrode connected to the thin film transistor, a first layer on the first electrode, an emission layer on the first layer, a second layer on the emission layer, and a second electrode on the second layer.
US09704925B2

An EL display device including a light emitter configured to emit at least red, green, and blue light; and a thin film transistor array that controls light emission. The light emitter includes light-emitting layers within areas defined by a bank that emit at least red, green, and blue light. The light emitter further includes electrodes that extend under the bank and hole transport layers that are above the electrodes within the areas defined by the bank, the light-emitting layers being formed on the hole transport layers. The hole transport layers each have a main portion and a peripheral protrusion in contact with a side surface of the bank that protrudes upwards from the main portion. The light-emitting layers each have a peripheral protrusion in contact with a side surface of the bank, formed above a corresponding one of the peripheral protrusions.
US09704923B1

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques and configurations for a memory device comprising a memory array having a plurality of wordlines disposed in a memory region of a die. Fill regions may be disposed between respective pairs of adjacent wordlines of the plurality of wordlines. The fill regions may include a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer disposed on the first dielectric layer. The first dielectric layer may comprise organic (e.g., carbon-based) spin-on dielectric material (CSOD). The second dielectric layer may comprise a different dielectric material than the first dielectric layer, such as, for example, inorganic dielectric material. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09704915B2

A member for a solid-state image pickup device having a bonding plane with no gaps and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The manufacturing method includes the steps of providing a first substrate provided with a photoelectric converter on its primary face and a first wiring structure, providing a second substrate provided with a part of a peripheral circuit on its primary face and a second wiring structure, and performing bonding so that the first substrate, the first wiring structure, the second wiring structure, and the second substrate are disposed in this order. In addition, at least one of an upper face of the first wiring structure and an upper face of the second wiring structure has a concave portion, and a conductive material forms a bottom face of the concave portion.
US09704909B2

An image sensor is provided. The sensor comprises a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements each including a charge accumulation region of a first conductivity type arranged in a semiconductor substrate and an element isolation region arranged between the charge accumulation regions adjacent to each other. The element isolation region includes an insulator isolation portion arranged on an inner side of a trench on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and includes a semiconductor region of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type arranged along a side surface of the insulator isolation portion. A gettering region is arranged between the semiconductor region and the insulator isolation portion along at least a part of the side surface of the insulator isolation portion.
US09704908B2

System, devices and methods are presented that provide an imaging array fabrication process method, comprising fabricating an array of semiconductor imaging elements, interconnecting the elements with stretchable interconnections, and transfer printing the array with a pre-strained elastomeric stamp to a secondary non-planar surface.
US09704902B2

A backside illumination image sensor that includes a semiconductor substrate with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a read circuit formed on a front surface side of the semiconductor substrate, and captures an image by outputting, via the read circuit, electrical signals generated as incident light having reached a back surface side of the semiconductor substrate is received at the photoelectric conversion elements includes: a light shielding film formed on a side where incident light enters the photoelectric conversion elements, with an opening formed therein in correspondence to each photoelectric conversion element; and an on-chip lens formed at a position set apart from the light shielding film by a predetermined distance in correspondence to each photoelectric conversion element. The light shielding film and an exit pupil plane of the image forming optical system achieve a conjugate relation to each other with regard to the on-chip lens.
US09704898B2

A bio-sensor includes a substrate having a light-sensing region thereon. A first dielectric layer, a diffusion barrier layer, and a second dielectric layer are disposed on the substrate. A trenched recess structure is formed in the second dielectric layer, which is filled with a light filter layer that is capped with a cap layer. A first passivation layer and a nanocavity construction layer are disposed on the cap layer. A nanocavity is formed in the nanocavity construction layer. The sidewall and bottom surface of the nanocavity is lined with a second passivation layer.
US09704894B2

To provide a display device including a transistor that includes an oxide semiconductor and has favorable characteristics, a pixel electrode electrically connected to the transistor, and a capacitor electrically connected to the pixel electrode. To provide a display device that can be manufactured at low cost. The display device includes a display element including a pixel electrode, a transistor that performs switching of the display element and includes a first oxide semiconductor layer serving as a channel formation region, a capacitor that is electrically connected to the display element and includes a dielectric layer between a pair of electrodes. The pixel electrode is a second oxide semiconductor layer formed on the same surface as that on which the first oxide semiconductor layer is formed, and also serves as one electrode of the capacitor.
US09704888B2

A display may have a color filter layer and a thin-film transistor layer. A layer of liquid crystal material may be located between the color filter layer and the thin-film transistor (TFT) layer. The TFT layer may include thin-film transistors formed on top of a glass substrate. A passivation layer may be formed on the thin-film transistor layers. An oxide liner may be formed on the passivation layer. A first low-k dielectric layer may be formed on the oxide liner. A second low-k dielectric layer may be formed on the first low-k dielectric layer. A common voltage electrode and associated storage capacitance may be formed on the second low-k dielectric layer. Thin-film transistor gate structures may be formed in the passivation layer. Conductive routing structures may be formed on the oxide liner, on the first low-k dielectric layer, and on the second low-k dielectric layer. The use of routing structures on the oxide liner reduces overall routing resistance and enables interlaced metal routing, which can help reduce the inactive border area outside the active display regions.
US09704885B2

A pixel structure, an array substrate and a display device. The pixel substrate comprises a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode arranged in a first direction, and a thin film transistor (TFT) disposed between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode. The TFT includes a comb-shaped source, a comb-shaped first drain and a comb-shaped second drain; and a channel region of the TFT is defined by the comb-shaped source respectively and the comb-shaped first drain and the comb-shaped second drain. The channel region has a greater ratio of width to length, thus improving the driving capability of the TFT for driving the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode.
US09704880B2

A semiconductor structure having multiple semiconductor-device layers is provided. The semiconductor structure comprises a first buried oxide and a first semiconductor device layer fabricated above the first buried oxide. The first semiconductor device layer comprises a patterned top surface. A blanket layer comprising insulator material is fabricated over the patterned surface. The semiconductor structure further comprises a second buried oxide bonded to the blanket layer and a second semiconductor device layer fabricated above the second buried oxide.
US09704876B2

Apparatus and methods are disclosed, including an apparatus that includes a number of tiers of a first semiconductor material, each tier including at least one access line of at least one memory cell and at least one source, channel and/or drain of at least one peripheral transistor, such as one used in an access line decoder circuit or a data line multiplexing circuit. The apparatus can also include a number of pillars of a second semiconductor material extending through the tiers of the first semiconductor material, each pillar including either a source, channel and/or drain of at least one of the memory cells, or a gate of at least one of the peripheral transistors. Methods of forming such apparatus are also described, along with other embodiments.
US09704870B2

An integrated circuit including a link or string of semiconductor memory cells, wherein each memory cell includes a floating body region for storing data. The link or siring includes at least one contact configured to electrically connect the memory cells to at least one control line, and the number of contacts in the string or link is the same as or less than the number of memory cells in the string or link.
US09704866B2

In one aspect thereof the invention provides a structure that includes a substrate having a surface and a plurality of fins supported by the surface of the substrate. The plurality of fins are formed of Group IVA-based crystalline semiconductor material and are spaced apart and generally parallel to one another. In the structure at least some of the plurality of fins comprise an amorphous region forming a nanowire precursor structure that is located along a length of the fin where a Group III-V transistor is to be located. A method to fabricate the structure and other structures is also disclosed.
US09704856B1

A method for forming an on-chip capacitor with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices includes forming a first capacitor electrode between gate structures in a capacitor region while forming contacts to source and drain (S/D) regions in a CMOS region. Gate structures are cut in the CMOS region and the capacitor region by etching a trench across the gate structures and filling the trench with a dielectric material. The gate structures and the dielectric material in the trench in the capacitor region are removed to form a position for an insulator and a second electrode. The insulator is deposited in the position. Gate metal is deposited to form gate conductors in the CMOS region and the second electrode in the capacitor region.
US09704855B2

A method of integrating at least one passive component and at least one active power device on a same substrate includes: forming a substrate having a first resistivity value associated therewith; forming a low-resistivity region having a second resistivity value associated therewith in the substrate, the second resistivity value being lower than the first resistivity value; forming the at least one active power device in the low-resistivity region; forming an insulating layer over at least a portion of the at least one active power device; and forming the at least one passive component on an upper surface of the insulating layer above the substrate having the first resistivity value, the at least one passive component being disposed laterally relative to the at least one active power device and electrically connected with the at least one active power device.
US09704851B2

A silicon controlled rectifier, an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit including the silicon controlled rectifier and an integrated circuit including the silicon controlled rectifier or ESD protection circuit. The silicon controlled rectifier includes a first region having a first conductivity type and a second region having a second conductivity type located adjacent the first region in a semiconductor substrate. A junction is formed at a boundary between the first region and the second region. Contact regions of the first conductivity type and the second conductivity type located in each of the first region and the second region. A further contact region of the second conductivity type is located in the second region, in between the contact region of the first conductivity type and the junction. The further contact region and the contact region of the second conductivity type in the second region are connected together for biasing the second region.
US09704847B2

A variable capacitance device that includes a semiconductor substrate, a redistribution layer disposed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of terminal electrodes including first and second input/output terminals, a ground terminal and a control voltage application terminal. Moreover, a variable capacitance element section is formed in the redistribution layer from a pair of capacitor electrodes connected to the first and second input/output terminals, respectively, and a ferroelectric thin film disposed between the capacitor electrodes. Further, an ESD protection element is connected between the one of the input/output terminals and the ground terminal is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US09704845B2

A linear-shaped core structure of a first material is formed on an underlying material. A layer of a second material is conformally deposited over the linear-shaped core structure and exposed portions of the underlying material. The layer of the second material is etched so as to leave a filament of the second material on each sidewall of the linear-shaped core structure, and so as to remove the second material from the underlying material. The linear-shaped core structure of the first material is removed so as to leave each filament of the second material on the underlying material. Each filament of the second material provides a mask for etching the underlying material. Each filament of the second material can be selectively etched further to adjust its size, and to correspondingly adjust a size of a feature to be formed in the underlying material.
US09704844B2

To improve the reliability in applying a tape to the rear surface of a substrate while securing the heat resistance of the tape applied to the rear surface of the substrate. There is a gap between a bottom surface of a ditch provided in a support member and an upper surface of a driver IC chip. On the other hand, the upper surface side of a lead frame is supported by the support member so that the bottom surface of the ditch contacts the upper surface of a Low-MOS clip mounted over a Low-MOS chip. Thus, even in a state where the driver IC chip and the Low-MOS chip are mounted on the upper surface side of the lead frame, the tape can be reliably applied to the rear surface of the lead frame (in particular, to the rear surface of the product region).
US09704836B2

The invention provides a semiconductor package assembly. The semiconductor package assembly includes a first semiconductor package including a first semiconductor die. A first redistribution layer (RDL) structure is coupled to the first semiconductor die. The first redistribution layer (RDL) structure includes a first conductive trace disposed at a first layer-level. A second conductive trace is disposed at a second layer-level. A first inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer and a second inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer, which is beside the first inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer, are disposed between the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace.
US09704835B2

A method comprises providing a first substrate having dielectric structures and conductive structures. Ions are implanted into the first substrate, the ions traveling through the dielectric structures and the conductive structures to define a cleave plane in the first substrate. The first substrate is cleaved at the cleave plane to obtain a cleaved layer having the dielectric structure and the conductive structures. The cleaved layer is used to form a three-dimensional integrated circuit device having a plurality of stacked integrated circuit (IC) layers, the cleaved layer being one of the stacked IC layers.
US09704833B2

A full-color display panel includes a plurality of sub-pixel units. The sub-pixel unit includes an LED unit and a filter layer transmitting light of a specific color. The LED unit includes an LED semiconductor chip emitting light of a specific color. The LED semiconductor chips of the plurality of sub-pixel units are homochromatic LED semiconductor chips emitting light of a same color. In each sub-pixel unit, a position of the filter layer corresponds to a position of the LED semiconductor chip, and the filter layer is located on a side of the LED semiconductor chip that emits light.
US09704828B2

A semiconductor module according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a first circuit board having thermal conductivity; a second circuit board having thermal conductivity and disposed opposing the first circuit board; a first semiconductor element joined to an opposing surface of the first circuit board opposing the second circuit board; a second semiconductor element joined to an opposing surface of the second circuit board opposing the first circuit board; and a connector electrically connecting the first semiconductor element and the second semiconductor element. The connector includes a portion which is sandwiched between the first semiconductor element and the second circuit board without through the second semiconductor element, and which is in contact with the first semiconductor element and the second circuit board.
US09704820B1

A semiconductor manufacturing method is disclosed. The method includes: providing a first wafer and a second wafer, wherein the first wafer and the second wafer are bonded together; submerging the bonded first and second wafers in an ultrasonic transmitting medium; producing ultrasonic waves; and directing the ultrasonic waves to the bonded first and second wafers through the ultrasonic transmitting medium for a predetermined time period. An associated semiconductor manufacturing system for at least weakening a bonding strength of bonded wafers is also disclosed.
US09704819B1

A power electronic package includes a first substrate, a second substrate oppositely disposed from the first substrate, one or more chips disposed between the substrates, and at least three spacers. The spacers control a height variation of the power electronic package and protect the chips and other electronics from experiencing excessive stress. The height of the spacers is determined based on a height of the chips, on a height of solder blocks that connect the chips to the top substrate, and on a height of solder blocks that connect the chips to the bottom substrate.
US09704814B2

A semiconductor device includes a cooling plate made of metal, one or more laminated substrates each formed by laminating a circuit board, an insulating board, and a metal board, and one or more first semiconductor elements each made of a wide-band-gap semiconductor and disposed over outer peripheral edge portions of the circuit board. The metal board and the cooling plate are joined by the use of a joining material. As a result, even if temperature rises due to the operation of the one or more first semiconductor elements and heat radiation is not performed properly, the one or more first semiconductor elements operate stably.
US09704811B1

An electric device and method of fabrication of that electric device is disclosed. The electric device includes one or more electrical devices attached to a substrate. The electric device further includes one or more grounding pads attached to the substrate. The electric device further includes a perforated conductive material placed on the substrate. The electric device further includes a molding compound deposited to cover the perforated conductive material, the one or more devices, and the one or more grounding pads.
US09704807B2

A method includes forming a first conductive feature positioned in a first dielectric layer. A conductive polymer layer is formed above the first dielectric layer and the first conductive feature. The conductive polymer layer has a conductive path length. A second dielectric layer is formed above the first dielectric layer. A first via opening is formed in the second dielectric layer and the conductive polymer layer to expose the first conductive feature. A conductive via is formed in the first via opening. The conductive via contacts the first conductive feature and the conductive polymer layer.
US09704804B1

An integrated circuit and method comprising an underlying metal geometry, a dielectric layer on the underlying metal geometry, a contact opening through the dielectric layer, an overlying metal geometry wherein a portion of the overlying metal geometry fills a portion of the contact opening, and an oxidation resistant barrier layer disposed between the underlying metal geometry and overlying metal geometry. The oxidation resistant barrier layer is formed of TaN or TiN with a nitrogen content of at least 20 atomic % and a thickness of at least 5 nm.
US09704800B2

In various embodiments a method for manufacturing a metallization layer on a substrate is provided, wherein the method may include forming a plurality of groups of nanotubes over a substrate, wherein the groups of nanotubes may be arranged such that a portion of the substrate is exposed and forming metal over the exposed portion of the substrate between the plurality of groups of nanotubes.
US09704792B2

The invention provides a semiconductor package assembly. The semiconductor package assembly includes a redistribution layer (RDL) structure die-attach surface and a bump-attach surface opposite the die-attach surface. A semiconductor die is mounted on the die-attach surface of the redistribution layer (RDL) structure. A first solder mask layer is disposed on the die-attach surface. The first solder mask layer surrounds the semiconductor die. An additional circuit structure is disposed on a portion of the first solder mask, surrounding the semiconductor die. The additional circuit structure includes a pad portion having a first width and a via portion has a second width that is less than the first width. The via portion passes through the first solder mask layer to be coupled the redistribution layer (RDL) structure.
US09704791B2

This wiring board is provided with: an insulating base that has a lateral surface having an incision part; an electrode that is provided on the inner surface of the incision part; and a wiring conductor that is provided within the insulating base or on the surface of the insulating base and is electrically connected to the electrode via a connection conductor. The width of the incision part is larger than the depth thereof, and the connection conductor is connected to the electrode at an end of the incision part in the width direction. An electronic device according to the present invention is provided with this wiring board and an electronic component that is mounted to the upper surface of this wiring board.
US09704785B2

The invention provides a semiconductor package. The semiconductor package includes a lead frame including a die paddle. A supporting bar connects to the die paddle, extending in an outward direction from the die paddle. At least two power leads are separated from the die paddle and the supporting bar, having first terminals close to the die paddle and second terminals extending outward from the die paddle. A power bar connects to the at least two power leads, having a supporting portion. A molding material encapsulates the lead frame leaving the supporting portion exposed.
US09704765B2

A method of controlling an etch-pattern density of a polysilicon layer includes depositing polysilicon on a wafer. The method includes determining polysilicon-etch regions that include DMOS source regions within circuit-device areas of the wafer. The method includes calculating an etch area of the polysilicon-etch regions and then comparing the calculated etch area of the polysilicon-etch regions to a predetermined minimum etch area. If the calculated etch area is less than a predetermined threshold, the method adds polysilicon-etch regions within non-circuit-device areas to the determined polysilicon-etch regions within the circuit-device areas until the comparing step results in the calculated etch area of the polysilicon-etch regions being greater than the predetermined minimum etch area. The method includes etching the polysilicon from the polysilicon-etch regions in both the circuit-device areas and the non-circuit-device areas. Adding polysilicon-etch regions in non-circuit device areas can advantageously facilitate automatic process control of an etch step.
US09704763B2

Various embodiments include approaches for predicting unity gain frequency in a MOSFET. In some cases, a method includes predicting a unity gain frequency (fT) in a MOSFET device in a manufacturing line, the method including: measuring a first set of in-line direct current (DC) parameters of the MOSFET on the manufacturing line at a first drain voltage (Vd1); extracting a transconductance (Gm) from the first set of in-line DC parameters as a function of a gate-voltage (Vg) and the first drain-voltage (Vd1); measuring a second set of in-line DC parameters of the MOSFET on the manufacturing line at a second drain voltage (Vd2); extracting a total gate capacitance (Cgg) from the second set of in-line DC parameters as a function of the gate-voltage (Vg); and predicting the unity gain frequency (fT) of the MOSFET based upon the extracted transconductance (Gm) and the extracted total gate capacitance (Cgg).
US09704760B2

A method of forming logic cell contacts, forming CMOS integrated circuit (IC) chips including the FETs and the IC chips. After forming replacement metal gates (RMG) on fin field effect transistor (finFET) pairs, gates are cut on selected pairs, separating PFET gates from NFET gates. An insulating plug formed between the cut gates isolates the pairs of cut gates from each other. Etching offset gate contacts at the plugs partially exposes each plug and one end of a gate sidewall at each cut gate. A second etch partially exposes cut gates. Filling the open offset contacts with conductive material, e.g., metal forms sidewall cut gate contacts and stitches said cut gate pairs together.
US09704752B1

A method for fabricating a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) comprising the following steps is provided. A substrate comprising a plurality of trenches and a plurality of semiconductor fins between the trenches is provided. A plurality of insulators are formed in the trenches. A fin cut process is performed to remove portions of the semiconductor fins until a plurality of concaves are formed between the insulators. A gate stack is formed to partially cover the semiconductor fins and the insulators.
US09704751B1

A substrate having a first area and a second area is provided. The substrate is patterned to form trenches in the substrate and semiconductor fins between the trenches, wherein the semiconductor fins comprises first semiconductor fins distributed in the first area and second semiconductor fins distributed in the second area. A first fin cut process is performed in the first area to remove portions of the first semiconductor fins. Insulators are formed in the trenches after the first fin cut process is performed. A second fin cut process is performed in the second area to remove portions of the second semiconductor fins until concaves are formed between the insulators in the second area. A gate stack is formed to partially cover the first semiconductor fins, the second semiconductor fins and the insulators.
US09704747B2

Provided are a semiconductor device having a stably formed structure capable of being electrically connected to a second electronic device without causing damage to the semiconductor device, and a manufacturing method thereof. In one embodiment, the semiconductor device may comprise a semiconductor die, an encapsulation part formed on lateral surfaces of the semiconductor die, a dielectric layer formed on the semiconductor die and the encapsulation part, a redistribution layer passing through a part of the dielectric layer and electrically connected to the semiconductor die, a plurality of conductive balls extending through other parts of the dielectric layer and electrically connected to the redistribution layer where the conductive balls are exposed to an environment outside of the semiconductor device, and conductive vias extending through the encapsulation part and electrically connected to the redistribution layer.
US09704743B2

An insulating layer is formed on a substrate made of silicon carbide. By performing etching using a mask layer formed on the insulating layer, a contact hole is formed in the insulating layer to expose a contact region, which is a portion of a main surface of the substrate. The step of forming the contact hole includes a step of providing the contact region with a surface roughness Ra of not less than 0.5 nm. An electrode layer is formed in contact with the contact region. By heating the electrode layer and the substrate, siliciding reaction is caused between the electrode layer and the contact region.
US09704741B2

Methods, algorithm and signal processing means utilizing an explosively formed Harbinger (H) wave to forecast an imminent shock wave and in conjunction with the this trailing Main (M) shock wave determination of H wave velocity and M shock wave velocities, overpressure, dynamic pressure, and density and further the M shock wave epicenter location co-ordinates. These parameter determinations are based on the discovery of a Harbinger wave launched upon formation of the M shock wave which annunciates the incoming M shock wave before its arrival. These variables are further used to devise methods and systems to simultaneously detonate an array of munitions, deploy just in time personnel and/or equipment protection, determine the wave epicenter for identifying enemy combatants and terrorist positions, alert response teams to a deleterious event and its magnitude, signal the location of these deleterious events and determine if a munition has functioned.
US09704728B2

A substrate cleaning apparatus performs scrub cleaning of a surface of a substrate with an elongated cylindrical roll cleaning member. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes a roll holder for supporting the cleaning member and rotate the roll cleaning member, a vertical movement mechanism for vertically moving the roll holder so that the roll cleaning member applies a roll load to the substrate at the time of cleaning the substrate by actuation of an actuator having a regulating device, a load cell for measuring the roll load, and a controller for performing feedback control of the roll load through the regulating device based on the measured value of the load cell. The substrate cleaning apparatus further includes a monitor unit for monitoring whether an operation amount of the regulating device falls outside an allowable range of a preset reference value of an operation amount corresponding to a preset roll load.
US09704726B2

A structural member for use in semiconductor packaging is disclosed. The structural member includes a plurality of packaging regions to facilitate packaging dies in, for example, a wafer format. A packaging region has a die attach region surrounded by a peripheral region. A die is attached to the die attach region. In one aspect, the die attach region has opening through the surfaces of the structural member for accommodating a die. Through-vias disposed are in the peripheral regions. The structural member reduces warpage that can occur during curing of the mold compound used in encapsulating the dies. In another aspect, the die attach region does not have an opening. In such cases, the structural member serves as an interposer between the die and a substrate.
US09704725B1

A semiconductor package or device including a uniquely configured leadframe defining a plurality of leads which are arranged and partially etched in a manner facilitating a substantial reduction in burr formation resulting from a saw singulation process used to complete the fabrication of the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a die pad defining multiple peripheral edge segments. In addition, the semiconductor device includes a plurality of leads which are provided in a prescribed arrangement. Connected to the top surface of the die pad is at least one semiconductor die which is electrically connected to at least some of the leads. At least portions of the die pad, the leads, the lands, and the semiconductor die are encapsulated by the package body, with at least portions of the bottom surfaces of the die pad and the leads being exposed in a common exterior surface of the package body.
US09704718B2

A method for manufacturing a silicon carbide device includes providing a silicon carbide wafer and manufacturing a mask layer on top of the silicon carbide wafer. Further, the method includes structuring the mask layer at an edge of a silicon carbide device to be manufactured, so that the mask layer includes a bevel at the edge of the silicon carbide device to be manufactured. Additionally, the method includes etching the mask layer and the silicon carbide wafer by a mutual etching process, so that the bevel of the mask layer is reproduced at the edge of the silicon carbide device.
US09704706B2

A novel bulk GaAs with an increased carrier lifetime of at least 10 microseconds has been produced. This novel GaAs has many uses to improve optical and electrical devices. The method of producing the GaAs crystal involves using a technique called low pressure hydride vapor phase epitaxy (LP-HVPE). In this technique, a gas containing Ga (typically GaCl) is reacted with a gas containing As (typically AsH3) at the surface of a GaAs substrate. When grown under the proper conditions, the epitaxial, vapor grown GaAs crystal has ultra-long free carrier lifetimes of at least one order of magnitude greater than that of the previous art of 1 microsecond. This very long free carrier lifetime GaAs will be particularly useful as a semiconductor radiation detector material and is also expected to be useful for many other applications than include medical imaging, solar cells, diode lasers, and optical limiters and other applications.
US09704701B2

Methods and devices for ion separations or manipulations in gas phase are disclosed. The device includes a single non-planar surface. Arrays of electrodes are coupled to the surface. A combination of RF and DC voltages are applied to the arrays of electrodes to create confining and driving fields that move ions through the device. The DC voltages are static DC voltages or time-dependent DC potentials or waveforms.
US09704696B2

An ion spectrometer is provided, comprising: an ion source, arranged to generate ions continuously with a first range of mass to charge ratios; and an ion trap, arranged to receive ions from the ion source along an axis, and to eject ions with a second range of mass to charge ratios orthogonally to that axis, the second range of mass to charge ratios being narrower than the first range of mass to charge ratios. In some embodiments, ions generated by the ion source continuously flow into the ion trap. Additionally or alternatively, ion optics receive ions ejected from the ion trap and cool the ions without substantial fragmentation. An ion analyser receives ions ejected from the ion trap or ion optics and separates the ions in accordance with at least one characteristic of the ions.
US09704694B2

A plasma spraying device may include a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode may define an ionizing gas channel and at least one cooling channel. A distal end of the at least one cooling gas channel opens to an exterior of the plasma spraying spray gun proximate to a distal end of the first electrode. The second electrode is at least partially disposed in the ionizing gas channel.
US09704688B2

An x-ray analysis apparatus comprises an electron beam assembly for generating a focused electron beam within a first gas pressure environment. A sample assembly is used for retaining a sample within a second gas pressure environment such that the sample receives the electron beam from the electron beam assembly and such that the gas pressure in the second gas pressure environment is greater than the gas pressure within the first gas pressure environment. An x-ray detector is positioned so as to have at least one x-ray sensor element within the first gas pressure environment. The sensor element is mounted to a part of the electron beam assembly which is proximal to the sample assembly and further arranged in use to receive x-rays generated by the interaction between the electron beam and the sample.
US09704685B2

Embodiments related to the use and production of porous carbon materials in ion emitters and other applications are described.
US09704683B2

A relay for closing or interrupting the electric circuit between two relay connection contacts includes two contact springs which are each fixed in an electrically conductive manner to the relay connection contacts with the spring ends thereof facing away from each other and which face each other with the other free, deflectable spring ends thereof. A stationary, electrically conductive contact bridge, against which the free spring ends abut in the closed relay position and from which the free spring ends are lifted in the open relay position, is included. A single solenoid-operated mechanism is for the synchronous, parallel deflection of the two contact springs into the closed or open relay position.
US09704676B1

A modular slot motor assembly and arc plate assembly combination for a circuit breaker is disclosed. The modular slot motor assembly is positioned proximate the arc plate assembly by lockingly securing it to a subcomponent housing in order to better provide an enhanced separation of the contact arms. During a short circuit event the modular slot motor assembly provides added acceleration to a moving contact arm. To protect the modular slot motor assembly from damage, an insulating casing is applied to at least a portion of the modular slot motor assembly.
US09704674B2

A fuse holder for a fuse cutout includes a molded member including a short fuse tube section and a downwardly extending fin member adapted for securing to a trunnion assembly. An arc quenching liner is disposed in the interior of the tube section and a top casting is connected to the top of the fuse holder and adapted to receive and hold an arc flange of an arc sleeve on a top edge, thereby keeping the arc flange above the top casting. A conductive screw cap seals the assembly. The shorter tube and the provision of the arc flange above the top casting provides superior arc quenching properties.
US09704669B2

A key input device includes: keys each including a contact portion provided on its back surface; a holder holding the keys movably; a conductive member opposed to the holder; and a circuit board having a switch surface and switches arranged on the switch surface and each contactable with the contact portion of a corresponding key. The conductive member is interposed between the switch surface and the holder. The holder has first through holes, and the conductive member has second through holes. At least one of the contact portion and the switch is inserted in a corresponding one of the first through holes, and at least one of the contact portion and the switch is inserted in a corresponding one of the second through holes.
US09704661B2

A component monitoring system structured to monitor circuit breaker assembly operating mechanism component characteristics is provided. The component monitoring system includes a record assembly, at least one sensor assembly and a comparison assembly. The record assembly includes selected nominal data for a selected circuit breaker component. The least one sensor assembly is structured to measure a number of actual component characteristics of a selected circuit breaker component and to transmit actual component characteristic output data. The comparison assembly is structured to compare the sensor assembly actual component characteristic output data to the selected nominal data and to provide an indication of whether the sensor assembly output data is acceptable when compared to the selected nominal data. The at least one sensor assembly is in electronic communication with the comparison assembly.
US09704659B2

A device for operating multiple functions includes an operating element and a base. The base has side bearings and pins. The operating element has rotational axle end sections mounted in guide slots of the side bearings, respectively, to pivotably be mounted to the base about an axis of rotation to thereby be movable between at least two positions. At least one of the positions is assigned to a switching function. The operating element is further mounted to the base on a centered bearing between the side bearings of the base, and the operating element is supported on the pins of the base.
US09704656B2

The invention relates to lithium perfluoroalkylfluorosilicates, to their preparation, and to their use as conductive salts in electrochemical cells, more particularly in lithium batteries, lithium ion batteries or lithium ion capacitors, and also to electrolytes or electrochemical cells comprising these lithium perfluoroalkylfluorosilicates.
US09704654B2

Supercapacitor is an energy storage device with high power density and low energy density, and is normally used with a battery to satisfy one's needs for high power density and high energy density. The present invention provides a method to fabricate a novel battery type supercapacitor, with a multi-layered structure composed of a plurality of thin layers which is formed by alternately stacking high specific energy battery material and/or supercapacitor material such as metal oxides, metal hydroxides, metal sulfides, conductive polymers, carbon materials with reduced graphene oxide (rGO), to obtain a supercapacitor with both high specific energy density and high specific power density. Such a novel multi-layered structure composed of a plurality of thin layers formed by alternately stacking battery or capacitor material and rGO can not only ensure the obtained electrode to greatly improve the diffusion control of reaction particles, but also enhance its kinetic characteristic, so as to achieve both high power density and high energy density when used as a capacitor.
US09704653B2

A photovoltaic cell including: (a) a housing adapted to enclose the photovoltaic cell, and including an at least partially transparent cell wall; (b) an electrolyte, disposed within the cell wall, and containing a corrosive redox species; (c) an at least partially transparent conductive coating disposed on an interior surface of the cell wall, within the photovoltaic cell; (d) an anode disposed on the conductive coating, the anode including a porous film adapted to make intimate contact with the redox species, and a dye, absorbed on a surface of the porous film, the dye and the film adapted to convert photons to electrons; (e) a cathode, disposed within an interior surface of the housing and disposed substantially opposite the anode, including a conductive carbon layer, and a catalytic component, associated with the carbon layer and adapted to catalyze a redox reaction, the carbon layer adapted to transfer electrons from the catalytic component to a current collection component of the cathode, and (f) at least one metal strip or wire, electrically associated with the anode and with the conductive coating, the strip or wire having sufficient thickness to form a protrusion protruding above a plane of the porous film by at least 50 micrometers, wherein a distance between a surface of the catalytic component and a surface of the porous film is less than 20 micrometers.
US09704640B2

There is provided a chip electronic component including; a magnetic body containing magnetic metal powder; an internal coil part embedded in the magnetic body; and a plating spreading prevention part coated on a surface of the magnetic body. The plating spreading prevention part contains phosphate-based glass. Whereby, plating spread generated in the surface of the chip electronic component at the time of forming the external electrodes may be prevented.
US09704636B2

An apparatus may include a ferromagnetic housing defining a housing cavity, an electrically-conductive coil disposed in the housing cavity and defining a coil cavity, a ferromagnetic core piece disposed in the coil cavity, a ferromagnetic pole piece comprising a first face in contact with the core piece and a projection extending from a second face of the pole piece opposite the first face, a flexible element defining an opening, where the projection is disposed within the opening and the flexible element is disposed between a portion of the projection and the first face of the pole piece, and a ferromagnetic armature coupled to the flexible element, where the flexible element is disposed between at least a portion of the armature and the first face of the pole piece.
US09704618B2

The present invention relates to a nuclear power plant cable including: conductors; at least one or more insulation layers adapted to correspondingly surround the conductors; a sheath adapted to surround the insulation layers; and monitoring means adapted to monitor the states of the insulation layers or the state of the sheath in real time.
US09704610B2

Disclosed is a manganese tin oxide-based transparent conducting oxide (TCO) with an optimized composition, which has low surface roughness, low sheet resistance and high transmittance even when deposited at room temperature, a multilayer transparent conductive film using the same and a method for fabricating the same. The manganese tin oxide-based transparent conducting oxide has a composition of MnxSn1-xO (0
US09704606B2

A closure device for containers for transporting radioactive substances, having a first and a second component each with a comb-like portion, wherein the comb-like portions, with the closure device locked, has a bolt element passing through them. The bolt element has a head with an accommodating recess running transversally to the longitudinal axis of the bolt element, that one of the components has a through-opening which, with the bolt passing through the comb-like portions, is aligned with an accommodating recess.
US09704599B1

A memory device includes: a memory array comprising a plurality of bits, wherein a first bit of the plurality of bits is coupled to a first assist circuit; a test engine, coupled to the memory array, and configured to examine whether each bit is functional; and an assist circuit trimming (ACT) circuit, coupled to the memory array and the test engine, and in response to the examination, configured to selectively activate the first assist circuit.
US09704577B2

A two transistor SONOS flash memory is disclosed. In one aspect, an apparatus, includes a control gate transistor having source and drain diffusions deposited in an N-well, a charge-trapping region formed on the N-well that overlaps the source and drain diffusions, and a control gate formed on the charge-trapping region. A channel region of the N-well between the source and drain diffusions is less than 90 nm in length. The apparatus also includes a select gate transistor having a select source diffusion deposited in the N-well. A drain side of the select gate transistor shares the source diffusion. A channel region of the N-well between the select source diffusion and the source diffusion also is less than 90 nm in length.
US09704576B2

A ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) cell may include a first resistive memory element, a second resistive memory element, a third resistive memory element, and a first switching element. The first resistive memory element may be disposed between a true data bit line node and a common node. The second resistive memory element may be disposed between a complement data bit line node and the common node. The third resistive element may be coupled to the common node and a word line node. The first switching element may have a control terminal coupled to the common node.
US09704574B1

Aspects of the disclosure provide an apparatus that includes a key generator, a first memory, a second memory, and a controller. The key generator is configured to generate a first search key, and one or more second search keys in response to a pattern. The first memory is configured to compare the first search key to a plurality of entries populated in the first memory, and determine an index of a matching entry to the first search key. The second memory is configured to respectively retrieve one or more exact match indexes of the one or more second search keys from one or more exact match pattern groups populated in the second memory. The controller is configured to select a search result for the pattern from among the index output from the first memory and the one or more exact match indexes output from the second memory.
US09704573B1

A pair of adjacent ReRAM cells in an array includes a first bit line for a row of the array, a second bit line for the row of the array, a p-channel word line associated with two adjacent columns in the array, and an n-channel word line associated with the two adjacent columns. A pair of ReRAM cells in the adjacent columns in the row each includes a switch node, a first ReRAM device connected between the first bit line and the source of a p-channel transistor. The drain of the p-channel transistor is connected to the switch node, and its gate is connected to the p-channel word line. A second ReRAM device is connected between the second bit line and the source of an n-channel transistor. The drain of the n-channel transistor is connected to the switch node, and its gate is connected to the n-channel word line.
US09704567B1

A memory cell that is readable through a bit line and addressable through a word line can be stressed using a method that includes addressing the memory cell, through the word line, for an addressing time. The memory cell can be stressed by applying a stress voltage to the bit line for a stress voltage time that overlaps with the addressing time for a stress time Δt. A method for testing a memory cell can include writing a data value into the memory cell, stressing the memory cell, reading a stored value from the memory cell and determining whether the stored value corresponds to the data value. A testable memory array can include at least one memory cell that is addressable through a word line and readable through a bit line and a stress circuit for applying a stress voltage to the bit line.
US09704563B2

Techniques and mechanisms to provide write access to a memory device. In an embodiment, a memory controller sends commands to a memory device which comprises multiple memory banks. The memory controller further sends a signal specifying that the commands include back-to-back write commands each to access the same memory bank. In response to the signal, the memory device buffers first data of a first write command, wherein the first data is buffered at least until the memory device receives second data of a second write command. Error correction information is calculated for a combination of the first data and second data, and the combination is written to the memory bank. In another embodiment, buffering of the first data and combining of the first data with the second data is performed, based on the signal from the memory controller, in lieu of read-modify-write processing of the first data.
US09704562B2

A semiconductor device with low power consumption or a semiconductor device with a reduced area is provided. The semiconductor device includes a cell array including a first memory cell and a second memory cell; and a sense amplifier circuit including a first sense amplifier and a second sense amplifier. The cell array is over the sense amplifier circuit. The first sense amplifier is electrically connected to the first memory cell through a first wiring BL. The second sense amplifier is electrically connected to the second memory cell through a second wiring BL. The first sense amplifier and the second sense amplifier are electrically connected to a wiring GBL. The sense amplifier circuit is configured to select one of a potential of the first wiring BL and a potential of the second wiring BL and output the selected potential to the wiring GBL.
US09704552B2

According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording apparatus includes a spin-torque oscillator, a recording unit, and a controller. The spin-torque oscillator includes an oscillation layer. The recording unit includes at least one recording layer. Magnetization reversal in each recording layer is performed by excitation of cooperative dynamics between magnetization of the oscillation layer and magnetization of the recording layer. The controller controls precession of the magnetization of the oscillation layer, which is induced by application of an electric current to the spin-torque oscillator.
US09704539B2

A hermetically-sealed hard disk drive (HDD) utilizes a laminated film seal to seal an interface of an electrical flexible cable assembly and an HDD enclosure base. The laminated film seal may be constructed of a heat sealant layer that bonds with a surface of the base and a surface of the flex cable, a barrier layer which inhibits gas from escaping from inside the HDD, and a film surface protective layer which protects the heat sealant and barrier layers. Embodiments may include a heat sealant layer comprising a thermoplastic polymer such as polypropylene, a barrier layer comprising a metal such as aluminum, and a film surface protective layer comprising a thermoplastic polymer such as polyethylene terephthalate.
US09704534B2

A method for generating a consolidated video includes receiving a user indicated path of interest on an electronic map, determining geographical coordinates situated along the received path of interest, identifying video content that display a plurality of regions corresponding to the geographical coordinates situated along the received path of interest, filtering the identified video content into a set of video segments based on a set of user preferences, and stitching the set of video segments into one contiguous video.
US09704533B2

Audio capture techniques on mobile client devices are described. In one or more implementations, techniques are described for leveraging availability of audio data captured by other devices involving a video scene that have an increased proximity to the video scene. Video data is obtained by one or more computing devices from a first client device associated with a first user, the video data captured by the first client device of a video scene. Audio data is obtained by the one or more computing devices from a second client device associated with a second user, the second user included in the video data of the video scene. The one or more computing devices ascertain that the audio data is associated with the video data. The association is exposed by the one or more computing device of the audio data to the video data as indicating availability of at least a portion of the audio data as a replacement to audio data captured by the first client device as part of the video data.
US09704521B1

An actuator rotational limiter mechanism for a multiple disk-stack, shared actuator hard disk drive includes an actuator comb with a protruding pin, whereby rotation of the actuator comb is limited by an attraction between the pin and a magnet. An enclosure base may include a curved slot in which the pin is disposed, where one end of the slot may correspond to the head slider being near the inner diameter of a first disk stack and the other end of the slot may correspond to the head slider being near the inner diameter of a second disk stack adjacent to the first disk stack. The magnet may be disposed within or adjacent to the curved slot, at a midway location, whereby the pin is held in place by the magnet at a position that corresponds to the head slider being parked on a ramp positioned between the disk stacks.
US09704519B1

For each head in a collection of heat-assisted magnetic recording read/write heads, a reader width and a writer width is measured. A predicted life is determined for each head based on the respective reader width and writer width. In a first set of drives having relatively fewer heads per drive, a first subset of the heads having a higher value of the predicted life are used. In a second set of drives having relatively more heads per drive, a second subset of the heads having a lower value of the predicted life are used.
US09704518B2

A tape head is provided for use with a tape drive that is configured to receive a length of tape. The tape head includes a head body including at least one head element for performing read and/or write operations on the tape, and a protective layer extending over at least a portion of the head body for inhibiting wear of the head body when the tape is moved with respect to the head body. Furthermore, the protective layer is made of titanium oxide, chromium oxide, zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, or zinc oxide.
US09704504B2

The voice analysis device includes: a voice information acquiring unit that acquires a voice signal generated by plural voice acquiring units disposed at different distances from a speaking section of a speaker and acquiring voice of the speaker; and an identification unit that identifies the speaker corresponding to the voice having been acquired, on the basis of intensities of respective peaks in a frequency spectrum of a first enhanced waveform and a frequency spectrum of a second enhanced waveform. The first enhanced waveform is a waveform where a voice signal of a predetermined target speaker has been enhanced, and the second enhanced waveform is a waveform where a voice signal of a speaker other than the target speaker has been enhanced.
US09704499B1

A method performed in an audio decoder for decoding M encoded audio channels representing N audio channels is disclosed. The method includes receiving a bitstream containing the M encoded audio channels and a set of spatial parameters, decoding the M encoded audio channels, and extracting the set of spatial parameters from the bitstream. The method also includes analyzing the M audio channels to detect a location of a transient, decorrelating the M audio channels, and deriving N audio channels from the M audio channels and the set of spatial parameters. A first decorrelation technique is applied to a first subset of each audio channel and a second decorrelation technique is applied to a second subset of each audio channel. The first decorrelation technique represents a first mode of operation of a decorrelator, and the second decorrelation technique represents a second mode of operation of the decorrelator.
US09704498B2

A vector joint encoding/decoding method and a vector joint encoder/decoder are provided, more than two vectors are jointly encoded, and an encoding index of at least one vector is split and then combined between different vectors, so that encoding idle spaces of different vectors can be recombined, thereby facilitating saving of encoding bits, and because an encoding index of a vector is split and then shorter split indexes are recombined, thereby facilitating reduction of requirements for the bit width of operating parts in encoding/decoding calculation.
US09704497B2

Method of audio power reduction and thermal mitigation using psychoacoustic techniques starts by receiving a decoded audio signal in a reproduction system. Decoded audio signal is a signal that is decompressed and to be played back by a speaker. A masking curve is generated based on psychoacoustic models and the decoded audio signal. The masking curve is applied to the decoded audio signal to remove unheard frequencies and to generate a power-reduced audio signal. Other embodiments are also described.
US09704488B2

A computer system may communicate metadata that identifies a current speaker. The computer system may receive audio data that represents speech of the current speaker, generate an audio fingerprint of the current speaker based on the audio data, and perform automated speaker recognition by comparing the audio fingerprint of the current speaker against stored audio fingerprints contained in a speaker fingerprint repository. The computer system may communicate data indicating that the current speaker is unrecognized to a client device of an observer and receive tagging information that identifies the current speaker from the client device of the observer. The computer system may store the audio fingerprint of the current speaker and metadata that identifies the current speaker in the speaker fingerprint repository and communicate the metadata that identifies the current speaker to at least one of the client device of the observer or a client device of a different observer.
US09704486B2

Power consumption for a computing device may be managed by one or more keywords. For example, if an audio input obtained by the computing device includes a keyword, a network interface module and/or an application processing module of the computing device may be activated. The audio input may then be transmitted via the network interface module to a remote computing device, such as a speech recognition server. Alternately, the computing device may be provided with a speech recognition engine configured to process the audio input for on-device speech recognition.
US09704475B2

A pleasant sound making device processes temporal variation characteristics in nature such that a frequency component and a peak frequency component in a frequency band which coincide with or are approximate to a housing of an indoor unit provided with a driving part (a fan, a motor, etc.) do not coincide with or are not approximate to the housing, on the basis of subjective view and physiological response evaluations of humans, and operates the driving part with a signal based on the processed waveform.
US09704474B2

An ultrasound transducer probe (104) includes a transducer array (108) of elements (110) that emit an ultrasound signal and receive analog echo signals produced in response thereto and a beamformer (112), housed by the probe, that converts the analog echo signals to digital signals, applies delays to the digital signals, and sums the delayed digital signals, produces a value of a bit stream, wherein the beamformer apodizes the signals.
US09704469B2

A vehicle combustion noise-masking control method is provided that includes the steps of determining whether a combustion noise that is equal to or greater than a predetermined level is generated in a driving condition of a vehicle engine, determining whether the level of the combustion noise generated in the driving condition is within a predetermined range, and outputting a masking sound reducing the combustion noise to the inside of the vehicle when the level of the combustion noise is within the predetermined range.
US09704464B1

An apparatus for enhancing the output of a stringed musical instrument having a plurality of offset substantially parallel strings, the apparatus comprising a pickup assembly having tapered poles so as to incrementally vary the relative volume of adjacent strings.
US09704459B1

A musical instrument accessory for optimizing the comfort and ease with which musicians can play instruments. The accessory can be manufactured as a high end accessory made with gems and/or can be customized to provide a unique aesthetic appearance. In a preferred embodiment, the accessory allows for multiple picks to be detachably stored which may have different sizes and shapes.
US09704447B2

A display device includes pixel electrodes formed in an image display area of a substrate, a common electrode formed in the image display area, inside signal lines formed inside the image display area, and electrically connected to the pixel electrodes, outside signal lines formed outside the image display area, and electrically connected to the inside signal lines, and a common line formed inside and outside the image display area, and electrically connected to the common electrode. An image is displayed under a control of a light using an electric field developed between the pixel electrodes and the common electrode. A coupling capacitance is formed between the inside signal lines and the common electrode. The outside signal lines each include a first portion, and a second portion higher in electric resistance than the first portion and the inside signal lines.
US09704444B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a small-sized active matrix type liquid crystal display device that may achieve large-sized display, high precision, high resolution and multi-gray scales. According to the present invention, gray scale display is performed by combining time ratio gray scale and voltage gray scale in a liquid crystal display device which performs display in OCB mode. In doing so, one frame is divided into subframes corresponding to the number of bit for the time ratio gray scale. Initialize voltage is applied onto the liquid crystal upon display of a subframe.
US09704438B2

A pixel circuit and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display including the same are disclosed. In one aspect, a pixel circuit comprises an OLED electrically connected between a first node and a low power supply voltage, a driver electrically connected to the OLED at the first node and configured to drive the OLED with a voltage corresponding to a data signal based at least in part on a scan signal, a read-out unit configured to measure an anode current of the OLED based at least in part on a read control signal, and a compensation unit electrically connected to the OLED at the first node and configured to provide the OLED with a compensation current corresponding to a compensation data signal based at least in part on the measured anode current and a compensation control signal.
US09704434B2

A display device includes a plurality of pixel rows including a plurality of pixel circuits; a scan driver supplying scan signals to the plurality of pixel rows; and a data driver supplying a data voltage to the plurality of pixel circuits of the plurality of pixel rows, wherein the plurality of pixel circuits each include driving transistors and an organic light emitting diode which emit light depending on a current flowing in the driving transistors, the plurality of pixel rows are divided into a plurality of blocks, each of the blocks including at least one pixel row, and a period for which the data voltage is written in the plurality of pixel circuits in a first block among the plurality of blocks and a period for which a threshold voltage of the driving transistors of the plurality of pixel circuits in a second block temporally close to the first block is compensated partially overlap each other.
US09704426B2

A display device includes a first processing circuit mounted on a substrate separate from a translucent substrate constituting a display panel, and a second processing circuit mounted on the translucent substrate. The first and the second processing circuits receive the same image data. The first processing circuit includes a determination unit that uses color values of a plurality of pixels constituting an image based on the image data to determine an expansion coefficient value serving as a value for improving luminance of the image, and outputs the expansion coefficient value to the second processing circuit. The second processing circuit includes an expansion processing unit that uses the expansion coefficient value to provide expansion processing for improving the luminance of the image for the image based on the image data.
US09704423B2

A driving circuit is disclosed. The driving circuit includes at least four drivers. Each of the drivers includes a scan direction control unit, a driving signal output unit, a first, second, and third control units, and a signal output interface. The scan direction control unit is utilized for controlling the driving signal output unit to output the driving signal. The first control unit, the second control unit, and the third control unit are commonly utilized for controlling the driving signal output unit. The present invention can scan in two directions including a forward direction and a reverse direction.
US09704418B2

The present invention relates to an ocular surgery training device, which includes an eye model having a hole at one side, and a catheter inserted into the hole, wherein a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure applied to the hole by the catheter is provided at one end of the catheter. The present invention may provide the ocular surgery training device which may enhance the skill of users in performing ocular surgery, thereby preventing complications.
US09704414B2

A blind aid device designed for non-verbal communication between a blind person and a companion includes a body-worn sensor system to be worn by the companion, a body-worn actuation system to be worn by the blind person and a wireless communication link between the body-worn sensor system and the wearable body-worn actuation system. The body-worn sensor system includes a gyroscope configured to detect and record a velocity of tilting and turning head movements of the companion, an accelerometer configured to detect and record an extent of the tilting head movements of the companion, and a magnetic compass sensor configured to detect and record an extent of the turning head movement of the companion. The wearable body-worn actuation system includes an array of control electronics and actuators configured to translate electronic signals transmitted from the body-worn sensor system into physical movements, in real time.
US09704409B2

Various embodiments include methods for piggybacking an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on a vehicle (e.g., motor vehicles and trailers coupled to motor vehicles) to reach a destination. Various embodiments may include determining whether to dock on a vehicle. One or more candidate vehicles may be identified for docking. Travel profile characteristics of the one or more candidate vehicles may be identified. A first vehicle may be selected from the one or more candidate vehicles based on one or more travel profile characteristics that assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination. The UAV may dock with the first vehicle. While docked to the first vehicle the UAV may charge an onboard battery via an electrical connection in a docking structure or by harvesting energy in the wind caused by movement of the vehicle by configuring the UAV rotors to charge the battery.
US09704408B2

Systems, methods, and devices are provided for providing flight response to flight-restricted regions. The location of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may be compared with a location of a flight-restricted region. If needed a flight-response measure may be taken by the UAV to prevent the UAV from flying in a no-fly zone. Different flight-response measures may be taken based on the distance between the UAV and the flight-restricted region and the rules of a jurisdiction within which the UAV falls.
US09704403B2

The disclosure is related to a system and a method for collision avoidance for vehicle. In the method, the system predicts multiple routes of an abnormal vehicle in a period of time according to historical data when a nearby vehicle receives an alert from the abnormal vehicle. A route potential pattern can be created when the system gets the historical data. The system also computes one or more available routes for the nearby vehicle based on its vehicle information. Every available route has its collision risk value. The system finally provides a recommended route with lower collision risk value when it considers a time of the abnormal vehicle reaches its great change, a time of predicting the nearby vehicle meets the range of route potential pattern, and a safe distance there-between.
US09704399B2

A system and method for adaptive motion sensing with location determination is described. In one embodiment, the adaptive motion sensor is based on vibration sensor readings and can identify different states of motions based on modifiable parameters.
US09704386B2

A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which a mobile terminal of a watch type or an external device can be remotely controlled. The present invention includes a display unit configured to display information, a wireless communication unit configured to communicate with an external device as a target of a remote control, a sensing unit configured to sense a motion of the mobile terminal and a variation according to a muscle movement of a part having the mobile terminal worn thereon, and a controller creating a control command for remotely controlling either the mobile terminal and the external device based on a sensing signal of the sensing unit.
US09704383B2

A method of and apparatus for calibration of instrumentation and provision of calibration certificates comprises a portable field operable communication device and a remote information management device in wireless communication with one another, a data store comprising information related to each instrument to be calibrated, the portable device being operable to receive calibration requests from the management device and to facilitate input of data from an instrument the subject of calibration, and the management device being operable to facilitate generation of a calibration certificate or error report subsequent to receipt of input data from the portable device.
US09704378B2

A rescuer locator using a bidirectional signal transmitter wherein each rescuer who is dispatched to a disaster spot so as instantly recognize a dangerous state of other rescuers who had been dispatched for rescue or fire suppression, carries a signal transmitter which may be taken by another rescuer when in emergency and may be configured to ask help in such a way to transmit an emergency signal to a base unit installed at a control vehicle, and the signal transmitter equips with a motion detection sensor so as to automatically transmit signals to the base unit depending on the movements of a rescuer who is dispatched to a disaster spot, thus checking in real time a dangerous state of each rescuer.
US09704364B2

A notification appliance is disclosed. The notification appliance may be a strobe notification appliance, such as an LED strobe notification appliance. The notification appliance may be wall-mounted or ceiling-mounted. Further, the notification appliance may include an optic that is configured to shape the light output from the notification appliance. For example, in a wall-mount, the optic may be mounted off-axis of a plane defined by a back plate of the notification appliance. Further, the notification appliance may be composed of a back plate, a driver board, and a front housing, with the front housing being attached to one or both of the back plate and the driver board. Moreover, the notification appliance may be used with an adapter bracket, which may be used to connect the notification appliance with one or more types of junction boxes.
US09704355B2

Methods and systems for processing secure information are disclosed. One method includes receiving secure data from a user via an input device. The method also includes routing the secure data to a secure processor using a hardware multiplexer. The method also includes processing the secure data using the secure processor. The method also includes receiving non-secure data from the user via the input device. The method also includes routing the non-secure data to a second processor using the hardware multiplexer. The method also includes processing the non-secure data using the second processor. The method also includes altering a routing state of the hardware multiplexer using the secure processor. The routing state of the hardware multiplexer is only controlled by the secure processor.
US09704349B1

A method, apparatus, and computer readable storage to implement a networked entertainment system. A game such as blackjack can be offered to multiple (e.g. 10 or more) simultaneous players. The game has decision points in which each player makes a strategic decision. For those situations where players make the mathematically incorrect decision, the significance of the error can be computed as a decrease in expected value of the award that the player would have won. This error can then be returned back to the player immediately or accumulated and returned at a later time.
US09704345B1

A method and system are disclosed for placing a bet via the Internet on a computing device. The bet is placed by a player using the computing device and received by a backend system over a link using a single action methodology.
US09704342B2

A gaming system or gaming device for conducting a wagering game includes a display device, a processor, and a memory device. The memory device stores instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device to determine an outcome of the wagering game, which is randomly determined from plural available wagering-game outcomes, and display, in an array located at a first position on the display device, symbols indicative of the wagering-game outcome. The processor, in conjunction with the memory device, determines a value associated with the wagering-game outcome. The symbol array is then shown moving from the first position to a second position on the display device. The second position is based on a random determination and/or player input. The value of the wagering-game outcome is modified based upon one or more modifiers achieved due to movement of the array to the second position.
US09704329B2

A networked system for providing and maintaining a set of liquid dispenser stations is described. The fluid dispensers communicate with a managing/supervisory cloud server via an interposed base station. The fluid dispensers communicate locally with the base station via wireless communication network links. The base station operates as an accumulator of status/usage information provided by the dispenser stations and bridge for passing information and control commands between the cloud server and the individual dispenser stations. The dispenser stations are configured with control processors (controllers) to facilitate performing a variety of local control operations associated with dispensing liquids that have been cooled (or heated) prior to dispensing by the dispenser stations. Additionally, the dispenser stations cooperatively operate with the cloud server (via the base station) to support a variety of real time control and maintenance operations relating to the dispenser stations operating at potentially thousands of distinct geographic locations.
US09704325B2

A cashbox is provided with a movable latch that is driven by a banknote to a blocking position if an attempt to ‘phish’ a stacked banknote from the cashbox occurs. The latch arrangement is easily pivoted in one direction from a neutral position to a clear position during stacking of a banknote. If an attempt is made to ‘phish’ a stacked banknote, the banknote being “phished” causes rotation of the latch arrangement from the neutral position to a banknote inlet blocking position retaining the banknote in the cashbox.
US09704315B2

An electronic lockbox system allows both sales agents and sales prospects to communicate either with the lockbox, or with the central clearinghouse computer. Contextual data then is provided to the sales prospect while the prospect is visiting a specific property that is the site of a lockbox installation. Both the agent and the prospect use smart devices, such as smart phones, that have both wide area network capability and low power radio capability. In other situations, contextual data can be sent to a user having a smart device, in which that contextual data pertains to at least one human occupant of the specific property where that lockbox has been installed, which can be useful where a medical caregiver arrives to visit a human occupant of a specific property that is protected by the electronic lockbox.
US09704311B2

The present invention relates to systems and methods relating to security checkpoints. In some embodiments the present invention includes a security checkpoint system that is optimized in one or more of design and decor, audio characteristics, and efficiency in passing customers through the security checkpoint and generating revenue with adverting and sponsorships.
US09704309B2

A method for recognizing and classifying damage incidents and/or contact incidents, in particular on motor vehicles, the different forms of damage incident shall be detected, evaluated and classified by way of detecting and evaluating at least one impact sound signal. An amplitude envelope of the impact sound signal is determined and the impact sound signal is classified based on the time progression of the amplitude envelope. This involves assigning different damage incidents or contact incidents to different kinds of time progression of the amplitude envelope.
US09704308B2

An instant detection system of a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has wheel assemblies and a brake system, and the wheel assemblies are coupled with the brake system. The instant detection system includes temperature detectors, rotational speed detectors, acoustic detectors, an analysis host and an alarm device. The temperature detectors are disposed on the brake system, and the acoustic detectors and the rotational detectors are disposed adjacent to the wheel assemblies for respectively detecting temperature information and sound information of the wheel assemblies and the brake system, and speed information of the vehicle. The analysis host is coupled with the above-mentioned detectors to receive and analyze the temperature, the sound and the speed information, so as to generate alarm information. The alarm device generates breakdown information according to the alarm information.
US09704301B2

A container having postage printed on the container and having integrated authenticating security features is provided. The container can further include a recipient address field and a sender address field.
US09704288B2

Techniques are disclosed for providing a learning-based clothing model that enables the simultaneous animation of multiple detailed garments in real-time. A simple conditional model learns and preserves key dynamic properties of cloth motions and folding details. Such a conditional model may be generated for each garment worn by a given character. Once generated, the conditional model may be used to determine complex body/cloth interactions in order to render the character and garment from frame-to-frame. The clothing model may be used for a variety of garments worn by male and female human characters (as well as non-human characters) while performing a varied set of motions typically used in video games (e.g., walking, running, jumping, turning, etc.).