US09943018B2
An electronic device is provided that includes a PCB including a first surface, a second surface, and a side surface; an electronic component arranged on the first surface, adjacent to a portion of the side surface; a shield structure including a cap that covers the electronic component and a sidewall extending from a periphery of the cap toward the first surface of the PCB, wherein the sidewall extends in a first direction that is non-parallel to the first surface of the PCB; a first conductive structure that is formed on a portion of the side surface of the PCB; and a second conductive structure that is formed on a portion of the first surface to be connected to the first conductive structure. The sidewall contacts with the first surface of the PCB and overlaps with the second conductive structure, when viewed from above the first surface of the PCB.
US09943017B2
Embodiments herein include display enclosure devices and related methods. In an embodiment, a display enclosure device enclosing an interior volume is included. The housing can include a front panel defining an aperture. The display enclosure device can also include a translucent pane of material occluding the aperture in the front panel and an air intake vent disposed on the housing adjacent the bottom of the housing. The display enclosure device can also include a first fan in fluid communication with the air intake vent to move air from the air intake vent, through the filter, and into the enclosed interior volume. The display enclosure device can also include an air exhaust turret disposed on top of the housing. The air exhaust turret can include an air exhaust vent to convey air from inside the air exhaust turret to the exterior environment. Other embodiments are also included herein.
US09943014B2
Some modular heat-transfer systems can have an array of at least one heat-transfer element being configured to transfer heat to a working fluid from a heat dissipator. A manifolded heat exchanger can be configured to receive heated working fluid from a plurality of heat-transfer elements and to reject heat to a working fluid of a second fluid circuit. In some embodiments, the heat exchanging manifold can split an incoming flow of working fluid from the second fluid circuit into two or more streams having different bulk flow directions. In some instances, heat exchanger portions of the heat exchanging manifold are configured to provide counter flow heat exchange between the working fluid of the first fluid circuit and the working fluid of the second fluid circuit.
US09943010B2
Air in a thermally insulated space, which has been expanded by heat resulting from heating treatment for curing a thermosetting potting material, is prevented from entering the potting material. A casing has a partition wall that partitions an opening into a heat-generating-electronic-component placement section, where a heat generating electronic component is placed, and an adjacent section that is adjacent to the heat-generating-electronic-component placement section, when a heat releasing member is fixed to the opening. The heat-generating-electronic-component placement section is filled with a thermosetting potting material for moisture prevention up to a height which allows at least the heat generating electronic component to be buried in the potting material. The adjacent section has in the casing a communicating portion that communicates with a position which is apart from the heat-generating-electronic-component placement section filled with the potting material.
US09943008B2
An electronic device includes an integrated circuit, a flexible heat spreader, an actuator, and a controller. The actuator is coupled to the flexible heat spreader and the controller is configured to control the actuator between a first actuation mode and a second actuation mode. When in the first actuation mode, the actuator positions the flexible heat spreader with an air gap between the flexible heat spreader and the integrated circuit such that the flexible heat spreader is thermally separated from the integrated circuit to increase a thermal impedance between the flexible heat spreader and the integrated circuit. When in the second actuation mode, the actuator positions the flexible heat spreader in thermal contact with the integrated circuit without the air gap there between to reduce the thermal impedance between the flexible heat spreader and the integrated circuit.
US09943004B2
A latch mechanism is provided for latching a field-replaceable unit within an enclosure. The latch mechanism includes a pivotable latch coupled to the field-replaceable unit via a pivot, at a first side of the unit, and a spring member associated with the enclosure. The spring member is engaged by the latch and deflects with rotating of the latch from an open position to a latched position. The pivotable latch includes the first end and a second end, with the pivot being disposed closer to the first end than the second. The deflecting spring member facilitates provision of positive pressure on the unit directed towards a second side of the unit opposite to the first side to facilitate, for example, fixedly coupling a first connector at the second side to a second connector associated with the enclosure when the unit is latched within the enclosure.
US09943001B2
Provided is a switch box comprising: a first circuit board; a pair of bus bars provided to the first circuit board; and a first switch portion that is provided to the first circuit board and that opens and closes a circuit between the bus bars. A second circuit board can be attached to and detached from the first circuit board, and the second circuit board comprises: one bus bar; and a second switch portion that opens and closes a circuit between the one bus bar and the bus bar of the first circuit board.
US09942996B2
An electronic circuit unit is provided that allows the increase in the size thereof to be suppressed. An electronic circuit unit 1 includes a board, a housing, and a cover. A board mount portion is disposed in the closest position to an outer edge of the housing, except for peripheral walls of the housing. An outer edge of the board is placed on the board mount portion of the housing, and a peripheral portion of the cover is placed on the outer edge of the board. Screws are inserted into screw holes of the housing; spaces defined by recess portions of the board 10 and the peripheral walls; and screw holes of the cover. Then, the outer edge of the board is sandwiched between the board mount portion of the housing and the peripheral portion of the cover.
US09942993B2
An approach for through-hole component soldering for a PCB, and a resulting PCB assembly, that eliminates protruding solder joints, is provided. The approach comprises back-drilling, from a bottom surface of a PCB, one or more through-holes, wherein each back-drilled through-hole is back-drilled to a depth partially through the PCB and at a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the through hole. Solder paste is applied to the PCB. The components are placed on the PCB, inserting each pin into a corresponding through-hole. The PCB is passed through a solder process, whereby, within each through-hole having a component pin inserted therein, the solder paste is wicked into the through-hole, and forms a solder joint with the respective pin. Each solder joint of a back-drilled through-hole is situated within the through-hole in a manner whereby the solder joint does not protrude beyond the bottom surface of the PCB.
US09942990B2
A circuit apparatuses include at least one circuit feature formed from patterning a conductive sheet. The conductive sheet includes an irregular surface and a planarized surface. Conductive sheet roughness is minimized in first regions of the circuit apparatus and is maintained in second regions of the circuit apparatus. Selectively planarizing portions of the conductive sheet allows for the utilization of lower cost rougher conductive sheets. The planarized surface allows for increased signal integrity and reduced insertion loss and the irregular surface allows for increased adhesion and enhancing reliability of the circuit apparatus.
US09942989B2
The present invention provides an insulation film and a method for making the insulation film, comprising a film upper layer and a film lower layer, wherein both of the film upper layer and film lower layer are made of a heat conduction plastics material, the heat conduction plastics material contains a heat conduction additive; and a film intermediate layer located between the film upper layer and the film lower layer. The film intermediate layer is made of a heat conduction plastics material, and the heat conduction plastics material contains a conductive additive An upper surface of the film intermediate layer is bound together with a lower surface of the film upper layer, and a lower surface of the film intermediate layer is bound together with an upper surface of the film lower layer.
US09942986B1
Components may have substrates with metal traces that form mating contacts. The components may be bonded together using anisotropic conductive adhesive bonding techniques. During bonding, conductive particles may be concentrated over the contacts by application of magnetic or electric fields or by using a template transfer process. Gaps between the contacts may be at least partially free of conductive particles to help isolate adjacent contacts. Polymer between the substrates may attach the substrates together. The conductive particles may be embedded in the polymer and crushed or melted to short opposing contacts together.
US09942981B2
A catalytic resin is formed by mixing a resin and either homogeneous or heterogeneous catalytic particles, the resin infused into a woven glass fabric to form an A-stage pre-preg, the A-stage pre-preg cured into a B-stage pre-preg, thereafter held in a vacuum and between pressure plates at a gel point temperature for a duration of time sufficient for the catalytic particles to migrate away from the resin rich surfaces of the pre-preg, thereby forming a C-stage pre-preg after cooling. The C-stage pre-preg subsequently has trenches formed by removing the resin rich surface, the trenches extending into the depth of the catalytic particles, optionally including drilled holes to form vias, and the C-stage pre-preg with trenches and holes placed in an electroless bath, whereby traces form in the trenches and holes where the surface of the cured pre-preg has been removed.
US09942978B2
A flexible display device includes a display panel configured to display images, a first substrate having a plurality of pixels disposed therein, and a second substrate coupled to the first substrate. The first substrate includes a display area, a bent part extending from the display area, and a pad part extending from the bent part. The flexible display device further includes a panel driver coupled to the pad part of the first substrate and configured to supply signals to the plurality of pixels on the display panel for displaying images. The first substrate further includes a first surface and a second surface, and the second substrate includes a third surface and a fourth surface. The first surface of the first substrate faces the fourth surface of the second substrate. The first substrate is curved at the bent part of the first substrate such that the pad part of the first substrate and the panel driver are disposed below the display area.
US09942973B2
An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus may be configured to generate extreme ultraviolet light by irradiating a target with a pulse laser beam outputted from a laser apparatus to generate plasma. The extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus may include a chamber; a target supply device configured to supply a target to a plasma generation region inside the chamber; a target sensor located between the target supply device and the plasma generation region and configured to detect the target passing through a detection region; and a shield cover disposed between the detection region and the target supply device, having a through-hole that allows the target to pass through, and configured to reduce pressure waves that reach the target supply device from the plasma generation region.
US09942967B2
A method of controlling a lighting system comprising one or more illumination sources to render a dynamic lighting scene, the method comprising: receiving a first user input to select one or more colors for the lighting scene; receiving a second user input to select a dynamic effect for the lighting scene; and rendering the lighting scene with the one or more colors and the dynamic effect based on the first and second user inputs respectively; wherein the second user input comprises the user performing a motion with a mobile user terminal, and the receiving of the second user input comprises detecting the motion of the mobile user terminal.
US09942963B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing fluorescent layers and, more particularly, to an apparatus for manufacturing fluorescent layers, which converts light from a light-emitting diode into white light by varying a wavelength of the light emitted from the light-emitting diode. The present invention provides the apparatus for manufacturing fluorescent layers includes a vertical frame and a fluorescent layer pattern hole formed in a direction vertical to the vertical frame in a fluorescent layer pattern form within the vertical frame.
US09942961B2
A backlight module and a display apparatus are provided. The backlight module comprises a backlight source and optical sheets, wherein the backlight source is an organic electroluminescent device, the optical sheets are directly adhered to a light emitting side of the organic electroluminescent device facing a display panel. The light emitted by the organic electroluminescent device is directed emitted after passing through the optical sheets. The display apparatus comprises such a backlight module. A thickness of such backlight module can be efficiently reduced.
US09942960B2
The described embodiments relate to systems, methods, and apparatuses for controlling a lighting unit to provide multiple different static and dynamic illumination patterns. The illumination patterns can be provided in response to changes in environmental conditions detected by sensors of the lighting unit. For instance, the lighting unit can provide a flame-like illumination pattern when the sensor is detecting a first threshold amount of motion, and a static illumination pattern when the sensor is detecting a second threshold amount of motion. The flame-like illumination pattern can be expressed using multiple light guides that extend from the lighting unit and receive different colors of light that imitate the motion of a flame. The light guides can be, for example, cylindrical or pipe-shaped, and etched with different patterns to absorb and reflect incident light.
US09942959B1
The present invention discloses a wide input voltage phase-cut dimming power supply, which is embedded in an overall dimming circuit. The overall dimming circuit includes an electric network power supply, a phase-cut dimmer, a dimming power supply, and an LED light. The dimming power supply includes an anti-interference circuit, an active power factor correction circuit, a power conversion circuit, a dimmer current maintaining circuit, a wide input voltage phase-cut dimming control circuit, and a filed effect transistor. Compared to the prior art, the present invention can realize a wide input voltage within 90-305V, which is suitable for most of electric networks around the world. Furthermore, the present invention uses a PWM control mode, so that it can control brightness of the LED lights with different colors, and be compatible with a leading edge dimmer or a trailing edge dimmer.
US09942958B2
A method of controlling illumination, including transmitting location information from a communication device to a computer; receiving illumination data with the communication device, where the illumination data is generated by the computer based at least in part on the location information; and transmitting an illumination signal from the communication device to a wearable accessory containing at least one light source, where the illumination signal is based at least in part on the received illumination data and is operable to actuate the at least one light source.
US09942955B2
Disclosed is an LED lamp using a switching circuit, configured to prevent occurrence of electric shock caused by a contact of a conductive metal or the human body by arranging the switching circuit between a first rectifier circuit and an LED circuit. The disclosed LED lamp using a switching circuit connects the switching circuit to at least one line among a plurality of lines connecting a rectifier circuit and an LED circuit, wherein the switching circuit may comprise: a switching element comprising at least one from among an SCR, a TRIAC, a TR, and an FET; and a driving element comprising at least one from among a capacitor, a TVS, a ZENER, a SIDAC, a resistance, and an inductor.
US09942946B2
In a device for generating a vapor for a CVD or PVD apparatus, at least two thermal transfer bodies are arranged successively in the direction of flow of a carrier gas. The device also includes an inlet pipe for feeding an aerosol to one of the thermal transfer bodies for vaporization of the aerosol by bringing the aerosol particles into contact with thermal transfer surfaces of the thermal transfer body. At least one of the thermal transfer bodies has an opening for an inlet pipe that has a first flow channel for feeding the aerosol in and a second flow channel for feeding a carrier gas in. Gas passage openings are provided through which the carrier gas flows out of the second flow channel into the first flow channel. The second flow channel is sealed in the area of the mouth of the inlet pipe.
US09942941B2
A method in a UE comprises monitoring a downlink control channel during a duration of at least a first timer, and receiving an indication of a downlink or uplink transmission for the UE. The method comprises after receiving the indication of the downlink or uplink transmission for the UE, stopping monitoring the first timer, wherein after the first timer is stopped the UE does not need to monitor the downlink control channel. The method comprises performing an uplink transmission associated with the indicated downlink or uplink transmission for the UE. The method comprises starting a second timer after receiving the indication for the downlink or uplink transmission for the UE, the duration of the second timer comprising an offset period, and, when the second timer expires, starting a third timer. The UE monitors the downlink control channel for the duration of the third timer.
US09942937B1
A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium provide storing context information pertaining to an end device and previous attachments of the end device to the network; receiving an indication that the end device requests an attachment to the network subsequent to the storing and subsequent to previously occurring detachments of the end device; authenticating the end device using the context information during the attachment; and causing a creation of a bearer connection between the end device and the network using the context information and during the attachment.
US09942931B2
A method of beamforming a transmission from an antenna array having rows of antenna elements and columns of antenna elements may include determining a first precoding matrix associated with a first orientation. The method may further include determining a second precoding matrix associated with a second orientation. The method may further include transmitting a transmission having beamforming based at least in part on the first precoding matrix and based at least in part on the second precoding matrix.
US09942925B2
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to station backoff behavior in uplink (UL) multiple user (MU) operations. Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide an apparatus for wireless communications. The apparatus generally includes a processing system configured to generate an unsolicited single user (SU) frame for transmission to an access point (AP) while the apparatus is configured to communicate with the AP via MU transmissions and a transmit interface configured to output the unsolicited SU frame for transmission. Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide another apparatus for wireless communications. The apparatus generally includes a processing system configured to contend for access to a medium by generating a first frame to trigger MU transmissions from a plurality of apparatuses and a transmit interface configured to output the first frame for transmission.
US09942910B2
The present invention discloses a method for transmitting data on a wireless local area network (WLAN), user equipment (UE), and an access point (AP). The method includes: receiving first indication information sent by an AP, where the first indication information is used to indicate that UE can preferentially send data to the AP when the UE obtains a transmission resource through contention; determining, according to the first indication information, a first moment for sending current data to the AP, where an interval between a second moment at which the UE receives a first feedback message sent by the AP and the first moment is a first sending interval, the first feedback message is used to indicate whether a previous piece of data is successfully received, and the first sending interval is less than a distributed interframe space (DIFS); and sending the current data to the AP at the first moment.
US09942902B2
A method and apparatus for operating a communication system that includes a plurality of base stations. The method includes receiving a route, the route including an array of locations and times. The method further includes determining a plurality of modulation schemes by determining at least one modulation scheme for each of the plurality of base stations. The method further includes determining a quality of service having a guaranteed bit rate. The method further includes determining an allocation scheme based on the route, at least one of the plurality of modulation schemes, and the guaranteed bit rate. Wherein determining the allocation scheme includes allocating an amount of resources such that a consumed bit rate is substantially constant with respect to the guaranteed bit rate.
US09942897B2
A method and base station in a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes transmitting, to a terminal, system information including information associated with a sub-frame configuration of multimedia broadcast multicast service single frequency network (MBSFN) sub-frames, identifying whether the transmission mode of the terminal is a first transmission mode or a second transmission mode, transmitting, to the terminal, dedicated message including configuration information of the identified transmission mode of the terminal, transmitting, to the terminal, control information in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and data in a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) in a first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frames, if the terminal is configured in the first transmission mode, and transmitting, to the terminal, the control information in the PDCCH and the data in the PDSCH in a second sub-frame of a non-MBSFN sub-frames, if the terminal is configured in the second transmission mode.
US09942896B2
A base station may allocate resources of an unlicensed radio frequency (RF) spectrum band among multiple operator networks, associated with different network operators, that use different licensed RF spectrum bands. The base station may receive downlink traffic destined for a user equipment. The base station may identify an operator network, of the multiple operator networks, associated with the user equipment. The base station may provide the downlink traffic to the user equipment using one or more unlicensed RF channels of the unlicensed RF spectrum band based on identifying the operator network and based on allocating the resources of the unlicensed RF spectrum band among the multiple operator networks.
US09942878B2
A method and apparatus for selecting a TFC in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) is disclosed. The WTRU estimates a transmit power for each of a plurality of available transport format combinations (TFCs). A TFC is selected for an uplink dedicated channel and a TFC is selected for an enhanced uplink (EU) channel. The TFC for the dedicated channel is selected first and independently of the TFC selection of the EU channel. The TFC for the EU channel is selected within a remaining WTRU transmit power after the TFC selection for the dedicated channel.
US09942876B2
A method is provided for managing the spatial reuse of slots in a mobile network comprising several nodes Ni, said network comprising one or more Potentially Disruptive Nodes (PDN), said nodes Ni and PDN comprising a local table, a global table, and a summary of the global table comprising the interleaving of two sub-cycles: a first sub-cycle, the normal S-cycle, where S-SLOTs are all assigned statically and where each node has one or only one S-SLOT allocation, a second sub-cycle, the improved S-cycle, where each node has one S-SLOT assigned statically, and where for all nodes except PDN nodes, one or more additional S-SLOTs is assigned dynamically when topology makes it possible, dynamic S-SLOT allocation being equitably shared in a 2-hop neighborhood, and determined by performing S-SLOT spatial reuse.
US09942873B2
Performing concurrent data communication and voice call monitoring using a single cellular radio. According to some embodiments, the UE may perform data communication, via the radio, using a first RAT, supported by a first SIM. The UE may also perform paging functions for a voice communication, via the radio, using a second RAT, supported by a second SIM. In some scenarios, the first and second RATs are the same. The data communication and the paging functions may be performed concurrently using shared physical layer resources. For example, the shared physical layer resources may comprise a shared software defined radio (SDR) configured to demodulate and/or decode signals of the data communication and the paging function. As another example, the shared physical layer resources may comprise a shared Rake receiver configured to demodulate signals of the data communication and the paging function.
US09942867B2
A synchronization apparatus in a control base station is disclosed. A GNSS synchronization unit receives a GNSS signal through a GNSS antenna to obtain time information. A clock generation unit adjusts a clock of the control base station based on the time information provided by the GNSS synchronization unit. A traffic base station synchronization unit transmits and receives information with a traffic base station through a wired connection. A user data sample generation unit generates data required by a mobile user including network time information, and transmits the data to the mobile user equipment through a control base station antenna.
US09942852B2
Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communications and, more specifically, to power savings based on distributed enhanced machine type communication (eMTC) functions, for example, between an applications processor and a modem of an eMTC device. An example method generally includes entering a power saving mode (PSM), wherein entering the PSM includes performing a first power collapse of an applications processor of the wireless node and a modem of the wireless node into a low power state; exiting the PSM at expiry of a wake-up timer, wherein exiting the PSM includes waking up the applications processor and the modem from the low power state to an active power state; and in response to exiting the PSM, performing a second power collapse of the applications processor into the low power state while the modem operates in the active power state.
US09942850B2
An apparatus may comprise a radio-frequency (RF) transceiver and a message aggregation module arranged to intercept multiple messages from one or more mobile data applications during an idle mode of a device, one or more of the multiple messages operable to trigger a transition of the device from the idle mode to a connected mode by causing a radio resource control message to be sent from the device to a radio access network, the message aggregation module to store the multiple messages in a buffer associated with the one or more mobile data applications in order to maintain the device in the idle mode, and schedule for transmission by the RF transceiver the stored messages at a defined time instance based on a delay tolerance for the one or more mobile data applications when the device is in the connected mode. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
US09942848B2
A technique for arbitrating conflicting usage of a communications channel of a wearable communications device is disclosed. In at least one embodiment of the invention, a method includes transmitting a voice signal from a microphone to a portable device using a first communications channel in a first mode of operating a system. The method includes transmitting a monitor signal to the portable device using the first communications channel for a predetermined period of time in response to detection of a beacon signal initiated by an application executing on the portable device. The first and second signals may be ultrasonic signals received over the first communications channel and may have the same frequency and different phases. The beacon signal may be detected based on the first and second signals. The first communications channel may include an audio jack of the portable device.
US09942845B2
Nodes and methods of operation thereof for use with a UE capable of utilizing power saving mode. A Home Location Register/Home Subscriber Server (HLR/HSS) network node includes a receiver configured to receive power saving mode status data relating to a user equipment, a status flag determiner configured to set a status flag based on the received power saving mode status data and to store the status flag in a memory, and an access controller configured to control access to the user equipment by a terminating service originating in a Circuit Switched domain and/or an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem domain of the telecommunications network, in which access is controlled based on the stored status flag. A Serving General Packet Radio Service Support Node/Mobile Management Entity (SGSN/MME) network node is also provided.
US09942837B2
An apparatus and method are described for adjusting a scan interval or scan width of a BTLE device. For example, one embodiment of a method comprises: placing a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) device of an IoT device into a low power or sleep state; waking the BTLE device from the low power or sleep state in response to a specified schedule or set of conditions; attempting to establish a connection between the BTLE device and a BTLE device of an IoT hub using a first scan width and/or scan interval; dynamically adjusting the first scan width and/or scan interval to a second scan width and/or scan interval, respectively, based on a randomly-selected value if a connection is not established after a specified time period; and reattempting to establish a connection between the BTLE device of the IoT device and the BTLE device of the IoT hub using the second scan width and/or scan interval.
US09942830B2
The present invention provides a random access procedure for establishment of a data connection between a terminal and a SA-cell in an energy-efficient network, such as e.g. a BCG2 network, wherein the total session setup time is shortened. An information request message (IRM) transmission from the mobile terminal is used for selecting the SA-cell that will serve the mobile terminal (i.e. set-up a data session with this SA-cell) and is simultaneously used for performing a ‘contention-free-like’ random-access procedure towards all candidate SA-cells. In this way performing a RACHSA procedure after selecting a SA cell becomes unnecessary, the random access time is shortened and the uplink resources (at the selected SA-cell) and the uplink transmissions from the terminal are more effectively used.
US09942823B2
To provide a communication terminal capable of selecting a communication interface corresponding to a communicable wireless network without the use of a route determination dedicated packet. A packet generation means 93 generates a packet based on data for receiving a service from a destination device. A control means 94 selects a communication interface 91 from among a plurality of communication interfaces 91, instructs a packet processing means 95 to send a packet generated by the packet generation means 93 to the communication interface 91, and when a response packet for the packet is not input until a timeout determination reference time, selects a different communication interface 91 from the communication interface 91, instructs the packet processing means 95 to send a copy of the packet to the communication interface 91.
US09942817B1
Radios configured to operate in a satellite-based mobile user system and methods configured to support seamless beam and satellite handoff of such radios are disclosed. A radio may include a receiver, a transmitter, and one or more receiver-exciter in communication with the receiver and the transmitter. The receiver-exciter may include a bi-directional path configured to support radio communications and a receive-only path configured to receive signals on all frequencies utilized by a mobile user system. The radio may further include one or more waveform processor in communication with the receiver-exciter. The waveform processor may be configured to: digitize signals received on all frequencies utilized by the mobile user system; separate the signals into multiple channels; estimate quality measurements for the multiple channels; select a channel from the multiple channels based on the quality measurements; and establish a connection with the mobile user system using the selected channel.
US09942812B2
This disclosure relates generally to improving wireless data rates, and more particularly to methods and systems for dynamic CoMP-link maintenance. In one embodiment, a system may identify a default coordinated multipoint set of neighboring base stations for a user equipment associated with a serving base station. The system may detect at least one of: a change in a data rate requirement for the user equipment, and a stale coordinated multipoint link for the user equipment to one of the neighboring stations in the default coordinated multipoint set. The system may also determine, after detecting at least one of the change in the data rate requirement and the stale coordinated multipoint link, whether to perform at least one coordinated multipoint link maintenance procedure, including at least one of: a coordinated multipoint link handover, a coordinated multipoint link replacement, a coordinated multipoint link consolidation, or a coordinated multipoint scheme modification.
US09942798B2
Methods and apparatus for efficiently directing communications are disclosed. On example entails receiving, from a mobile terminal, a communication directed to a cellular communication network, the communication being received in an alternative channel that differs from a channel of the cellular communication network. The communication is then converted for a relayed communication to the cellular communication network on behalf of the mobile terminal, the relayed communication being made through the cellular communication network.
US09942797B2
A system and method of permitting coexistence of WiFi and Bluetooth® data transfer on a single chip in UE including a transceiver includes using CTS data packets to protect Bluetooth® signals for SCO communication links; using only WiFi circuitry in the chip to determine when Bluetooth® data transfer is required by the UE; establishing a specified period of the Bluetooth® data transfer; and starting WiFi medium contention only upon an end of the specified period of the Bluetooth® data transfer on the single chip. The power save mode of the WiFi circuitry may be used with Bluetooth® ACL data packets in WiFi periodic data transfer gaps. The WiFi data transfer has no timing constraints, whereas the Bluetooth® data transfer has timing constraints and can only occur during the specified period. The WiFi data transfer does not occur when the Bluetooth® data transfer is occurring.
US09942792B2
In embodiments of the present disclosure improved capabilities are described for increasing the bandwidth in a wireless communication network, where centralized optimization servers with publish-subscribe broker services are utilized in conjunction with a queuing service application that provides packet service continuity when a mobile device moves between different access control nodes of the wireless communication network, and wherein the queuing service application is connected to a publish/subscribe broker network to receive service packets matching the service packets directed to the mobile device, wherein the service application makes the matching service packets available to the mobile device to replace service packets that the mobile device did not receive during a time in which the mobile device is in transition between being connected to any of the access nodes.
US09942781B2
A status report transmission of the PDCP layer for a PDCP status report can reduce radio resources by transmitting the reception success or failure of a series of PDCP SDUs in the form of a bitmap when configuring the PDCP status report for reporting a reception status of the PDCP SDU to another party in the PDCP layer in the LTE system.
US09942778B2
A virtual base station apparatus (virtual AP) formed by a plurality of base station apparatuses (APs) requests a terminal apparatus (STA) to start beamforming training. The terminal apparatus transmits a plurality of first training frames to the virtual base station apparatus. The virtual base station apparatus receives the plurality of first training frames by using the plurality of base station apparatuses, and transmits a plurality of second training frames including information on a training frame received under the best conditions from a first base station apparatus that has received the training frame received under the best conditions to the terminal apparatus. The terminal apparatus receives the plurality of second training frames, and transmits to the virtual base station apparatus a second frame including information on a frame received under the best conditions among the plurality of second received training frames.
US09942775B2
Transmitter localization and signal mapping may be accomplished by receiving measurement data from a plurality of nodes, the measurement data including a signal strength value and a geographic location for the signal strength value, triangulating the plurality of measurements using triangulation, and establishing at least one contour representing a level of signal strength. A system may receive measurement data from a plurality of user equipment, and use that data to localize an interference source and create a contour map.
US09942772B2
Example embodiments presented herein are directed towards a wireless device and base station, and corresponding method therein, for dynamic synchronization of communications for the wireless device. The wireless device is configured to receive communications on first and second carriers, and wherein the first carrier is configured for synchronous communications and the second carrier is configured for shared communications. The dynamic synchronization is of communications on the second carrier to a predefined frame structure on a first carrier.
US09942771B2
A method for routing and switching operator RF signals includes providing one or more Digital Remote Units (DRUs) and providing at least one Digital Access Unit (DAU) configured to communicate with at least one of the one or more DRUs. A first DRU is operable to communicate using a first set of frequencies characterized by a first frequency band over a first geographic footprint and a second set of frequencies characterized by a second frequency band different from the first frequency band over a second geographic footprint including and surrounding the first geographic footprint. A second DRU is operable to communicate using the first set of frequencies over a third geographical footprint and a third set of frequencies characterized by a third frequency band different from the first frequency band and the second frequency band over a fourth geographic footprint including and surrounding the third geographic footprint.
US09942769B2
Methods and systems for determining the identity of a genuine Base Station (BS) that serves a rogue BS, i.e., the genuine BS used by the rogue BS to exchange the communication between the solicited terminal and the cellular network. The ability to identify rogue-serving BSs is a valuable tool in combatting rogue BSs. For example, the rogue BS will often be located in close proximity to the rogue-serving BS, at least in closer proximity than other genuine BSs. Identifying the rogue-serving BS may therefore assist in locating the rogue BS. Additionally or alternatively, identifying the rogue-serving BS may assist in interfering with the operation of the rogue BS, and/or obtaining information regarding wireless terminals solicited by the rogue BS.
US09942765B2
A method of providing service information using an electronic device is provided. The method includes receiving a service information packet, determining whether a service IDentification (ID) included in the received service information packet is a registered service ID, determining whether a service condition corresponding to the service ID and a registered condition are matched, and in response to determining that the service condition corresponding to the service ID and the registered condition are matched, displaying information corresponding to the matched condition.
US09942764B1
System and methods for a membership-based service or network to enable access to membership-related services are provided. A portal application for members, which is accessible via a mobile device of a member, transforms the mobile device of the member into a membership card, an instrument to provide information employable to access membership services, and an apparatus to access the membership-related services. A membership management server supports the portal application and facilitates provision of services to members by a membership provider.
US09942745B1
A method, system and server comprise determining, at a server, an appropriate Position Determining Entity (PDE) to forward data to based on a network in which a mobile station is roaming and forwarding the data from the server to the PDE.
US09942743B2
A user terminal exists in a first cell operating at a first frequency, in a mobile communication system that supports a D2D (Device to Device) proximity service. The user terminal includes a transmitter configured to transmit a D2D interest indication indicating that the user terminal has an interest in the D2D proximity service, to a base station forming the first cell.
US09942742B2
A technique may include transmitting, by a user device in a proximity-based services wireless network via a first time-frequency resource identified by a first logical time index within N logical time resources and a first logical frequency index in the range from 0 to M−1, a first occurrence of a signal for the user device during a transmission period; determining a time index adjustment associated with the first logical frequency index; determining, by the user device, a second logical time index of a second time-frequency resource for transmitting from the user device a second occurrence of the signal within the transmission period, the second logical time index being determined based on the first logical time index and the time index adjustment associated with the first logical frequency index; and transmitting, by the user device via the second time-frequency resource, a second occurrence of the signal during the transmission period.
US09942738B2
Disclosed is a data delivery control system capable of allowing for data delivery to a large number of client terminal devices without imposing a heavy load on the network by flexibly dealing with the network configuration.The data delivery control system includes at least one second client terminal device among a plurality of client terminal devices and a data delivery control device. The second client terminal device includes a terminal detection unit that detects at least one logically proximate first client terminal device to which delivery data received from a server device can be transferred, and a terminal-to-terminal data transfer unit that transfers the delivery data to the at least one first client terminal device. The data delivery control device includes a data delivery unit that delivers the delivery data to the at least one second client terminal device.
US09942725B2
An alert system having a first wireless tag; and a control device capable of being in communication with the first wireless tag, wherein when the control device receives a signal from the wireless tag it is an indication of no event, and when the control device does not receive a signal from the wireless tag it is an indication of an even, thus the control device sends a notification to the user.
US09942722B2
A mobile unit in a housing facility for mobile units may be tracked by activating a first reading device at a first location of the housing facility upon detecting a first mobile unit arriving at or departing from the first location, wherein the first mobile unit has a first tag having an identification code (ID) readable by the first reading device. A set of readings may be performed by the first reading device to read a set of tag IDs during a time interval. Upon an ending of the time interval, tag IDs, in the set of tag IDs, that correspond to the first tag ID are identified based on the set of readings. A record is updated to associate the first tag ID with the first location.
US09942720B2
Mapping through crowdsourcing includes determining, using a processor, segments for a plurality of trajectories, wherein each trajectory includes radio frequency (RF) data from a communication device, determining, using the processor, RF features for the segments, and forming, using the processor, clusters of the segments according to the RF features. One or more routes of a map are generated from the clusters using the processor.
US09942719B2
Example methods, apparatuses, and/or articles of manufacture are disclosed herein that may be utilized, in whole or in part, to facilitate and/or support one or more operations and/or techniques for improving OTDOA positioning via one or more local wireless transmitters, such as for use in or with mobile communication devices, for example.
US09942707B2
A computing device and method is usable to determine a cognitive geofence according to a plurality of data points. The computing device may analyze the plurality of data points to determine a cognitive dimension associated with each of the data points and a location associated with each of the data points. The computing device may determine the cognitive geofence based at least in part on the determined cognitive dimension and the determined location associated with at least some of the plurality of data points. After determining the cognitive geofence, the computing device may transmit the determined cognitive geofence to a terminal device.
US09942703B2
Systems and methods of using a communication device having location identification technology to manage tracking information of a plurality of users, the method including storing identification information of a plurality of respective users, tracking locations of the users by receiving location information from each of the users' respective communication devices, and displaying the location information along with associated identification information of the users on a display screen of the communication device.
US09942694B2
An information transmission apparatus 2 makes transmission objective data redundant using a predetermined method, divides the redundant data into N (N≥2) data elements, the transmission objective data being reproducible on the basis of any arbitrary combination of m (m
US09942692B2
A computing device may execute a device connection application on a processor of the computing device to provide operations including establishing an ad-hoc data connection between the computing device and a machine-to-machine device, the computing device configured to set up the machine-to-machine device to interact with a network-based service using a user account of the network-based service; receiving device information from the machine-to-machine device over the established ad-hoc data connection; and connecting the machine-to-machine device to the network-based service based on the device information received from the machine-to-machine device and according to authentication of the computing device as being associated with the user account. The computing device may further be configured to authenticate and authorize a user to configure the machine-to-machine device to join the network and network-based service.
US09942691B2
Various systems, mediums, and methods may determine one or more configurations associated with a provider application. For example, a mobile system may determine a request to install a provider application, possibly based on one or more user inputs received by the mobile system. The mobile system may determine other applications installed on the mobile system. The mobile system may determine one or more configurations of the provider application based on the other applications installed. As such, the mobile system may install the provider application to the mobile system based on the one or more configurations determined.
US09942681B2
An appliance for receiving and reading audio signals, includes a receiver of high-frequency electromagnetic waves designed to capture radio broadcast signals including a plurality of audio tracks; a wireless communication interface, separate from the receiver and designed to receive at least one regulating parameter to be applied to at least one audio track of the captured signal; and a digital signal processor designed to apply the regulating parameter to the audio track and produce a mixed signal.
US09942673B2
The method for adjusting a hearing system (2) to the preferences of a user (3) of the hearing system comprises a) playing an audio sequence to said user (3); wherein the audio sequence comprises a first sound object representative of a first real-life sound source and a second sound object representative of a second real-life sound source; b) receiving an input (R) in response to step a); c) adjusting at least one audio processing parameter (P) of said hearing system (2) in dependence of said input (R). Preferably, the method further comprises d) providing the user (3) synchronously with step a) with a visualization of a scene to which said audio sequence belongs; and providing a user input (U) which is indicative of a sound source or of a sound object or of an instant in or a portion of the audio sequence; and automatically selecting an audio processing parameter (P) of the hearing system (2) in dependence of the user input (U) and offering the selected audio processing parameter (P) for adjusting.
US09942670B2
A method operates a system of a hearing aid device and a communication device. The hearing aid device has an acousto-electrical transducer, a signal processing device and an electro-acoustic transducer. The communication device has a controller and an electro-acoustic transducer. The method includes the steps of: receiving of an incoming call by the communication device, signaling of the incoming call by the communication device by a first acoustic signal via the electro-acoustic transducer, receiving of the first acoustic signal by the acousto-electrical transducer of the hearing aid device, identifying of the first acoustic signal and carrying out of a first change of adjustment on the hearing aid device when the first acoustic signal has been identified.
US09942665B2
A cover member is made of a crystalline material, and includes a first main surface that faces a display surface of a display, and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface. A vibration element produces flexural vibrations, and is disposed on the first main surface of the cover member. The cover member is bent in a second direction more easily than in a first direction from the viewpoint of anisotropy of a crystalline structure of the crystalline material. The first direction is parallel to the first and second main surfaces, and the second direction is parallel to the first and second main surfaces and vertical to the first direction. The vibration element produces flexural vibrations along the second direction.
US09942663B1
An electromagnetic transducer, such as an audio speaker, having a voicecoil disposed within a magnetic gap between a pair of magnetic arrays, e.g., Halbach arrays, is disclosed. In an example, the paired Halbach arrays include vertically-poled magnets to direct magnetic flux across the magnetic gap orthogonal to electrical current carried by a planar winding of the voicecoil. Accordingly, a Lorentz force may drive an oscillational mass, e.g., a speaker diaphragm, in a longitudinal direction orthogonal to the magnetic flux and the electrical current to generate vibration or sound. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US09942651B2
An acoustic filter includes holes and is configured to receive sound waves generated by an audio driver of a playback device. The sound waves comprise sound waves of a first frequency that radiate according to a first radiation pattern and sound waves of a second frequency that radiate according to a second radiation pattern that is less directed along an axis of the audio driver than the first radiation pattern. The second frequency is lower than the first frequency. The acoustic filter is configured to attenuate the sound waves of the first frequency so that the attenuated sound waves of the first frequency are emitted from the acoustic filter according to an effective radiation pattern that is less directed along the axis of the audio driver than the first radiation pattern and pass the sound waves of the second frequency in substantial accordance with the second radiation pattern.
US09942650B2
Speaker assemblies for a headphone device may include an audio speaker configured to produce audible sound in response to receiving an audio signal at the audio speaker. A tactile bass vibrator distinct from the audio speaker may be operatively connected to the audio speaker. The tactile bass vibrator may be configured to produce tactile vibrations in response to receiving the audio signal at the tactile bass vibrator. A current divider may be operatively connected to the audio speaker and the tactile bass vibrator. A pivoting portion of an attachment structure of an ear cup supporting the audio speaker, tactile bass vibrator, and current divider may intersect with a geometrical central axis of the ear cup, and the audio speaker and tactile bass vibrator may not intersect with the geometrical central axis of the respective ear cup.
US09942645B2
An audio device worn in a piercing in an ear of a user. The audio device extends through the piercing and includes a wireless communications unit disposed at a first end and a sound-production unit coupled to an opposite second end thereof. The signal path from a master device to the sound-production unit for producing audio outputs thus passes through the pinna of the ear. The sound-production unit may include an ornamental cover such that the device can be worn as jewelry. The speaker and the wireless communications unit may be removable from a body of the device to enable the body to be worn alone as jewelry and to allow replacement of the wireless communications unit with a wired connection. The device may include a control surface useable to provide inputs to the master device coupled to the device.
US09942637B2
Embodiments are disclosed that relate to mounting brackets for speakers. In some embodiments, a mounting bracket includes a first plate portion; a second plate portion, the second plate portion perpendicular to the first plate portion; and a slot extending continuously from the first plate portion to the second plate portion.
US09942635B1
An audio device is described which comprises a housing holding electronic components and having a face being substantially covered by a layer of transparent material. The audio device has a display comprising a layer of display material supported under at least part of the layer of transparent material; and at least one display actuating element in the housing configured to flex the display and the layer of transparent material to generate sound waves. There is at least one air cavity formed between the layer of display material and the housing; and an entrance formed in the layer of transparent material to allow air to pass between the air cavity and an exterior of the device.
US09942631B2
Devices and techniques for out-of-band platform tuning and configuration are described herein. A device can include a telemetry interface to a telemetry collection system and a network interface to network adapter hardware. The device can receive platform telemetry metrics from the telemetry collection system, and network adapter silicon hardware statistics over the network interface, to gather collected statistics. The device can apply a heuristic algorithm using the collected statistics to determine processing core workloads generated by operation of a plurality of software systems communicatively coupled to the device. The device can provide a reconfiguration message to instruct at least one software system to switch operations to a different processing core, responsive to detecting an overload state on at least one processing core, based on the processing core workloads. Other embodiments are also described.
US09942630B1
Devices in a building may be identified using a combination of power monitoring and network monitoring. Power monitoring may be performed by obtaining a power monitoring signal and processing the power monitoring signal with models to determine information about one or more devices in the building. Network monitoring may be performed by receiving information about network packets transmitted by devices in the building and processing the information about the network packets to determine information about one or more devices in the building. For some devices and some implementations, information about a device may be determined by using both power monitoring and network monitoring. The information about a device may include, for example, a type (e.g., a dishwasher), make, or version of a device.
US09942626B2
Wireless radio frequency communications platform may include a plurality of sensor units communicatively coupled over a wireless radio frequency communication network to a collector unit. The sensor units may be configured to collect data concerning monitored parameters and relay the collected data to a collector unit via a wireless radio frequency communication. The collector unit may be configured to receive and store the collected data received from the plurality of sensors and transmit the collected data to a computing device upon receiving an indication that the collector unit is communicatively coupled to the computing device. The computing device may execute a computer software application that facilitates communication between the computing device and collector unit.
US09942617B2
This application discloses a method for using closed captions to initiate display of related content. A computing device obtains closed captions of a video stream displayed to a user of the computing device, and identifies in the closed captions a set of information items including one or more emphasized words that are relevant for identifying information of one or more related content files. The computing device then transmits the emphasized words to a server that is distinct from a source of the video stream, and obtains therefrom the information of the one or more content files related to the emphasized words. In response to obtaining the information of the one or more content files and without user intervention, the computing device causes an application to be invoked for presenting the one or more content files to the user of the computing device.
US09942608B2
Systems and methods for changing TV operating mode in accordance with number of viewers present. In some implementations, a method includes: obtaining a total number of viewers of a connected TV, the connected TV having a plurality of operating modes and the total number is one or more; in accordance with a determination that the total number of viewers is within a first predefined range of a plurality of predefined ranges; placing or maintaining the connected TV in or into a first operating mode unrelated to media content being displayed on the connected TV; and in accordance with a determination that the total number of viewers is within a second predefined range of the plurality of predefined ranges: placing or maintaining the connected TV in or into a second operating mode unrelated to the media content, the second operating mode is different from the first operating mode.
US09942606B2
Television white space devices are operable to communicate information over television white space and, more specifically, to quiet a transmitter for sensing signals in the television white space. A method for inconspicuous quieting of the transmitter in a television white space device inserts, from an application layer, information into a transport stream for transmission by the transmitter of the television white space device to produce a null window of time within the transport stream at a predetermined time. The method also transmits the transport stream by the transmitter of the television white space device and quiets the transmitter during the null window of time. The method senses, by a white space sensor of the television white space device, existing signals in the white space during the null window of time.
US09942604B2
The present disclosure describes a legacy converter for an audio distribution system that uses a local area network where the legacy converter converts a digital audio signal to and from an analog audio signal and provides an external bridge connection between the audio system and one or more legacy sources and one or more legacy control networks. The legacy converter includes a network controller where the network controller further includes an embedded controller with memory and which is programmed to function as a web server. In addition, the legacy converter includes a network interface, an audio format converter that includes one or more audio encoders to provide multiple conversions of different legacy audio inputs simultaneously, an analog to digital converter, a legacy controller, a legacy audio network interface that bridges the legacy sources, and, a legacy control network interface.
US09942595B2
A plurality of controllable devices is in communication with and remotely operable by a media system controller. A storage device stores associations between respective passkeys and one or more of the controllable devices that are currently associated therewith. The controller generates a passkey in response to an occurrence of a first event associated with a particular one of the controllable devices, stores in the storage device an association between the passkey and the particular one of the controllable devices, and the passkey is displayed by the particular one of the controllable devices. The passkey is entered into a mobile device by a user. The controller receives the passkey from the mobile device, finds the particular one of the controllable devices currently associated with the passkey, and operates the particular one of the controllable devices in dependence upon commands received from the mobile device until an occurrence of a second event.
US09942591B2
Systems and methods for providing sports-related video sharing services to subscribers to such services are disclosed. The systems and methods enable the capture and storage of video data corresponding to sporting events held at sports venues, and the communication of captured video data to subscribers or others for viewing. The systems and methods also enable subscribers to create video highlight reels, with or without annotations and/or music, from the captured video data, to post the video highlight reels on web pages hosted by the system, and to communicate the video highlight reels for viewing by others.
US09942587B2
Systems and methods are provided for securely providing a media stream from a server device to a remote player via a communications network. A request for a connection is received from the remote player at the server device via the communications network. In response to the request for the connection, an authorization credential is requested from a central server via the communications network. Further, in response to the authorization credential received from the central server, the media stream between the server device and the remote player can be established over the communications network. At least a portion of the media stream may be encrypted based upon the authorization credential.
US09942581B2
Disclosed herein is a content-adaptive digital media content adjustment system, method and architecture. Playback rate of a media content item comprising audio and video content can be increased by removing a portion of the content item's audio content and a corresponding portion of the content item's video content. An increased playback rate of a multimedia content item is accomplished by decreasing the length of the multimedia content item by removing portions of the multimedia content item's audio and video content.
US09942580B2
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for encoding media content based on network quality of service parameters. A system configured to practice the method determines quality of service parameters for a network between a media server and a media client. The system selects an encoder based on a list of decoders available at the media client and the quality of service parameters, and encodes at least a portion of the media via the encoder. The system can further determine settings for the encoder based on a media type, and encode the media via the encoder according to the settings. The system can detect when the media client moves to a new network, detect new quality of service parameters, and select a new encoder based on the list of decoders available at the media client, the media type, and the new quality of service parameters.
US09942574B2
A method of reducing blocking artifacts associated with pixels of a block boundary of an image. Pixel values of pixels from a first block and a neighboring block, being located on opposite sides of a block boundary, are evaluated. A first offset for the two pixels of each block located next to the block boundary is calculated, after which the first offset is compared to a first threshold value. If abs[first offset]
US09942572B2
Techniques related to fusion improvement filtering of prediction signals for video coding are described.
US09942571B2
A method and apparatus for sharing context among different SAO syntax elements for a video coder are disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention apply CABAC coding to multiple SAO syntax elements according to a joint context model, wherein the multiple SAO syntax elements share the joint context. The multiple SAO syntax elements may correspond to SAO merge left flag and SAO merge up flag. The multiple SAO syntax elements may correspond to SAO merge left flags or merge up flags associated with different color components. The joint context model can be derived based on joint statistics of the multiple SAO syntax elements. Embodiments of the present invention code the SAO type index using truncated unary binarization, using CABAC with only one context, or using CABAC with context mode for the first bin associated with the SAO type index and with bypass mode for any remaining bin.
US09942570B2
A video processing system dynamically adjusts video processing prediction error reduction computations in accordance with the amount of motion represented in a set of image data and/or available memory resources to store compressed video data. In at least one embodiment, video processing system adjusts utilization of prediction error computational resources based on the size of a prediction error between a first set of image data, such as current set of image data being processed, and a reference set of image data relative to an amount of motion in a current set of image data. Additionally, in at least one embodiment, the video processing adjusts utilization of prediction error computation resources based upon a fullness level of a data buffer relative to the amount of motion in the current set of image data.
US09942567B2
An video decoding apparatus including a parser which obtains bit strings corresponding to current transformation coefficient level information by arithmetic decoding a bitstream based on a context model; a parameter determiner which determines a current binarization parameter by updating or maintaining a previous binarization parameter based on a comparison of a threshold and a size of a previous transformation coefficient; a syntax element restorer which obtains the current transformation coefficient level information by performing de-binarization of the bit strings using the determined current binarization parameter and generates a size of a current transformation coefficient using the current transformation coefficient level information, wherein the current binarization parameter has a value equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.
US09942564B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for encoding a video and a method and apparatus for decoding a video. The encoding method includes: splitting a picture of the video into one or more maximum coding units that are coding units having a maximum size; encoding the picture based on coding units according to depths which are obtained by hierarchically splitting each of the one or more maximum coding units according to depths in each of the one or more maximum coding units, determining coding units according to coded depths with respect to each of the coding units according to depths, and thus determining coding units having a tree structure; and outputting data that is encoded based on the coding units having the tree structure, information about the coded depths and an encoding mode, and coding unit structure information indicating a size and a variable depth of a coding unit.
US09942563B2
An intra prediction unit that performs intra-frame prediction includes a luminance reference pixel acquisition unit and a chrominance reference pixel acquisition unit. When the coding unit is set to a smallest CU block, the luminance reference pixel acquisition unit subsamples reference pixels arranged at integer pixel locates neighboring a luminance block that corresponds to a chrominance prediction target block, and acquires the pixel values of the reference pixels after the subsampling. Furthermore, when the coding unit is set to a smallest CU block, the chrominance reference pixel acquisition unit subsamples reference pixels arranged at integer pixel locates neighboring the chrominance prediction target block, and acquires the pixel values of the reference pixels after the subsampling. Such an arrangement is capable of reducing the number of reference pixels used to reduce the redundancy between the color components.
US09942561B2
A video encoder (70) for coding moving pictures comprising a buffer (16c) with a plurality of memory areas capable of storing frames composed of top fields and bottom fields, a motion estimation unit (19) operable to code, field by field, inputted pictures performing moving estimation and moving compensation by referring, field by field, to the picture data stored in a memory area, a motion compensation unit (16d), a subtractor (11), a transformation unit (13) and a quantization unit (14), a memory management unit (71) operable to manage, frame by frame, a plurality of memory areas, an inverse quantization unit (16a) and inverse discrete cosine transform unit (16b) operable to decode picture data in coded fields and store the picture data in the decoded field in any of the plurality of memory areas under the management by the memory management unit (71).
US09942558B2
Various implementations are directed to providing inter-layer dependency information. In one implementation, syntax elements are generated that indicate an inter-layer dependency structure among three-dimensional video (3DV) layers. Based on the inter-layer dependency structure, an inter-layer reference is identified for a picture from a layer of the 3DV layers. The picture is encoded based, at least in part, on the inter-layer reference. Corresponding decoding implementations are also provided. Additionally, in another implementation, a transmission priority and an indication of network congestion are used to determine whether to transmit data for a particular 3DV layer. The transmission priority is based on an inter-layer dependency structure among multiple 3DV layers. Another implementation is directed to a network abstraction layer unit that can explicitly identify and convey inter-layer references and corresponding dependencies.
US09942557B2
A computerized method and system of segment-based video encoding optimization, the method comprising obtaining a set of input segments constituting an input video stream; selecting one or more input segments in accordance with a selection criterion to be one or more representative segments; determining an encoding instruction and obtaining one or more encoded representative segments encoded from the representative segments in accordance with the encoding instruction and using a quality-driven video encoding scheme; determining, based on the encoded representative segments, an encoding configuration, and obtaining one or more encoded input segments encoded from at least a sub-set of the input segments using the encoding configuration; determining an evaluation instruction used to evaluate quality for each encoded input segment; and generating an output video stream, by selecting, for each input segment, a corresponding output segment from a group comprising at least one of the following candidate segments: the input segment, an encoded representative segment, and an encoded input segment.
US09942556B2
Disclosed are various embodiments for adjusting the encoding of a video signal into a video stream based on user attention. A temporary lapse of attention by a user is predicted. The encoding of the video signal into the video stream is adjusted from an initial state to a conservation state in response to predicting the temporary lapse of attention by the user. The conservation state is configured to conserve one or more resources used for the video stream relative to the initial state.
US09942554B2
The present invention relates to an image encoding and decoding technique, and more particularly, to an image encoder and decoder using unidirectional prediction. The image encoder includes a dividing unit to divide a macro block into a plurality of sub-blocks, a unidirectional application determining unit to determine whether an identical prediction mode is applied to each of the plurality of sub-blocks, and a prediction mode determining unit to determine a prediction mode with respect to each of the plurality of sub-blocks based on a determined result of the unidirectional application determining unit.
US09942549B2
A method of decoding an image in which wherein, when a prediction mode is an inter prediction mode, not an intra prediction mode, a size of at least one prediction unit in the coding unit is determined independently from a size of at least one transformation unit in the coding unit.
US09942548B2
Entropy coding of transform partitioning information may include decoding a current block by determining a probability for entropy decoding a transform partitioning flag based on a transform block size of an adjacent block that is available for decoding, entropy decoding the transform partitioning flag for the current block using the probability, generating a reconstructed block based on the current block by, on a condition that the transform partitioning flag indicates that transform partitioning is omitted for the current block, inverse transforming the current block using a current block size inverse transform, and, on a condition that the transform partitioning flag indicates transform partitioning for the current block, identifying sub-blocks from the current block, wherein each sub-block from the sub-blocks has a sub-block size smaller than the current block size, inverse transforming the sub-blocks using sub-block size inverse transforms, and generating the reconstructed block based on the residual block.
US09942546B2
In an example, a method of decoding video data includes decoding data that indicates a picture order count (POC) reset for a POC value of a first picture of a first received layer of multi-layer video data, where the first picture is included in an access unit. The method also includes, based on the data that indicates the POC reset for the POC value of the first picture and prior to decoding the first picture, outputting all pictures stored in a decoded picture buffer (DPB) that precede the first picture in coding order and that are not included in the access unit.
US09942545B2
A method for encoding a video sequence in a scalable video encoder to generate a scalable bitstream is provided that includes encoding the video sequence in a first layer encoder of the scalable video encoder to generate a first sub-bitstream, encoding the video sequence in a second layer encoder of the scalable video encoder to generate a second sub-bitstream, wherein portions of the video sequence being encoded in the second layer encoder are predicted using reference portions of the video sequence encoded in the first layer encoder, combining the first sub-bitstream and the second sub-bitstream to generate the scalable bitstream, and signaling in the scalable bitstream an indication of a maximum decoded picture buffer (DPB) size needed for decoding the second sub-bitstream and the first sub-bitstream when the second sub-bitstream is a target sub-bitstream for decoding.
US09942544B2
A method for deriving a set of enabled coding modes relative to the encoding of an image or image portion which forms part of an image sequence. The method comprises: obtaining information associated with coding modes of one or more previously encoded images of the sequence, and selectively enabling for the current image or image portion, coding modes based on said obtained information.
US09942541B2
Method and apparatus for generating a synchronization signal for a plurality of three-dimensional (3-D) image display devices is disclosed. The method and apparatus includes a synchronization manager configured for generating the synchronization signal utilized by the plurality of 3-D display devices for synchronously displaying respective content in accordance with a timing signal associated with the synchronization signal.
US09942533B2
An approach is provided for generating multi-channel video. A media platform segments a plurality of media items into one or more media segments based on a plurality of viewpoints of at least one event. The media platform then generates a plurality of media channels for respective one or more plurality of viewpoints. The plurality of media channels compiles the one or more media segments that depict the respective one or more of the plurality of viewpoints. The media platform then compiles the plurality of media channels into a multi-channel media item.
US09942523B1
A method and system for optimizing conference session activities within a conference space, the system comprising at least a first sensor for sensing session characteristics and a processor receiving the sensed session characteristics and identifying a conference paradigm based on the sensed session characteristics, identifying an action sequence to perform as a function of the conference paradigm and performing the action sequence, wherein the action sequence results in automatic presentation of at least some information to at least a subset of conferees within the conference space.
US09942518B1
In one embodiment, a method is provided to intelligently frame groups of participants in a meeting. This gives a more pleasing experience with fewer switches, better contextual understanding, and more natural framing, as would be seen in a video production made by a human director. Furthermore, in accordance with another embodiment, conversational framing techniques are provided. During speaker tracking, when two local participants are addressing each other, a method is provided to show a close-up framing showing both participants. By evaluating the direction participants are looking and a speaker history, it is determined if there is a local discussion going on, and an appropriate framing is selected to give far-end participants the most contextually rich experience.
US09942517B1
The present disclosure is directed to a video-enabled communication system that comprises a control unit, coupled with a camera, the camera acquiring an image of a local participant to provide to a remote participant during a video communication session. A microprocessor in the control unit executes an audio controller that causes the microprocessor to control, based on audio information collected by the control unit, movement and/or pan and/or tilt of a camera at a remote endpoint of the remote participant to capture a selected image of the remote participant for display to the local participant. The control unit can operate in multiple operating modes depending on the context of the video conference.
US09942511B2
In one aspect, a method related to data management. In addition, other method, system, and program product aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and/or text forming a part of the present application.
US09942507B2
A remote control apparatus for setting a mode according to a state of a broadcast receiving apparatus is provided. The remote control apparatus sets operation modes based on information regarding a state of a broadcast receiving apparatus received from the broadcast receiving apparatus. The operation mode of the remote control apparatus is automatically set based on information regarding a state of a broadcast receiving apparatus, so less power is consumed in the remote control apparatus.
US09942505B2
A system and method for driving a solid-state image pickup device including a pixel array unit including unit pixels. Each unit pixel includes a photoelectric converter, column signal lines and a number of analog-digital converting units. The unit pixels are selectively controlled in units of rows. Analog signals output from the unit pixels in a row selected by the selective control though the column signal lines are converted to digital signals via the analog-digital converting units. The digital signals are added among a number of unit pixels via the analog-digital converting units. The added digital signals from the analog-digital converting units are read. Each unit pixel in the pixel array unit is selectively controlled in units of arbitrary rows, the analog-distal converting units being operable to performing the converting in a (a) normal-frame-rate mode and a (b) high-frame-rate mode in response to control signals.
US09942502B2
A pixel architecture having an in-pixel amplifier comprising an NMOS transistor and a depletion-mode NMOS load is disclosed. In one aspect, the pixel architecture comprises a pixel core including a pixel photodiode for generating an output signal in accordance with incident light. Further, the in-pixel amplifier is connected to a pixel core to amplify the output signal before it is stored in a column buffer before being read out at output of the pixel architecture. By having an in-pixel amplifier that can be used for amplification of the output signal inside the pixel architecture, a larger output value is obtained which may be stored inside the pixel architecture on a small capacitor with improved signal-to-noise performance. This in-pixel amplification can also improve the quality of stored signals for global shutter operation.
US09942494B2
A current-voltage converter, comprising an operational amplifier having an input terminal and an output terminal, a first resistor portion connected to the input terminal, and a second resistor portion provided between the input and output terminals, the input terminal and the first and second resistor portions being connected to each other, the first resistor portion being connected to a current source on a side opposite to the input terminal, the second resistor portion including a diode, the first resistor portion having a first resistance value when a current of a first current amount is supplied to the first resistor portion, and having a second resistance value smaller than the first resistance value when a current of a second current amount larger than the first current amount is supplied to the first resistor portion.
US09942489B2
A method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer readable medium for video tone mapping. The method includes processing a video using at least first and second tone mapping functions to generate at least first and second tone mapped videos and identifying an amount of local contrast in one or more areas of each of the at least first and second tone mapped videos. The method further includes determining an amount of each of the at least first and second tone mapped videos to include in an output tone mapped video based at least in part on comparison of the identified amount of local contrast for each of the at least first and second tone mapped videos and generating the output tone mapped video in accordance with the determined amount of each of the at least first and second tone mapped videos.
US09942488B2
A method capable of combining data signals and video signals for transmission to a video display unit. The method comprises the steps of generating a data signal, transmitting the data signal to an apparatus, receiving the data signal at the apparatus, receiving a video/audio signal at the apparatus, combining the video/audio signal with the data signal to form a single combined signal, and displaying the combined signal on a video display unit.
US09942487B2
Data comprising a compressed image frame and temporal redundancy information is received. The image frame is decompressed. A plurality of bridge frames that are visually dissimilar to the image frame are generated. The image frame and the plurality of bridge frames are blended, generating a plurality of blended frames, and the plurality of blended frames are displayed.
US09942486B2
For cameras that capture several images in a burst mode, some embodiments of the invention provide a method that presents one or more of the captured images differently than the remaining captured images. The method identifies at least one captured image as dominant image and at least another captured image as a non-dominant image. The method then displays each dominant image different from each non-dominant image in a concurrent presentation of the images captured during the burst mode. The dominant images may appear larger than non-dominant images, and/or appear with a marking that indicates that the images are dominant.
US09942481B2
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for iterative adjustment of video-capture settings based on identified persona. In an embodiment, a method includes receiving video frames that are being captured by a video camera of an ongoing scene. The method also includes identifying a persona in one or more of the received frames at least in part by identifying, in each such frame, a set of pixels classified as being representative of the persona. The method also includes selecting, based collectively on the brightness values of the pixels in the identified set, a respective adjustment command for one or more adjustable video-capture settings of the camera, as well as outputting the selected commands to the camera for use in continuing to capture video data representative of the ongoing scene.
US09942478B2
An image stabilization apparatus includes a moving member configured to be movable within a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of an image pickup optical system, a stationary member configured to movably support the moving member within the plane orthogonal to the optical axis of the image pickup optical system, and a plurality of drive units configured to drive the moving member so as to move within the plane orthogonal to the optical axis of the image pickup optical system with respect to the stationary member, in which a first drive unit of the plurality of drive units is arranged on a first surface side of the moving member and a second drive unit of the plurality of drive units is arranged on a second surface side of the moving member.
US09942473B2
An apparatus for providing guidance for image capture includes a recognition module that recognizes data objects in data available to an image capture device. At least a portion of the data includes characters. The apparatus includes a context module that determines a context associated with a first image available from the image capture device. The context includes one or more expected data objects, where the first image includes at least a portion of the recognized data objects. The apparatus includes a data module that compares the expected data objects for the determined context, with the recognized data objects from the first image to identify missing expected data objects not found in the first image. The apparatus includes a guidance module that, in response to identified missing data, provides guidance for capturing a second image expected to include the missing expected data objects.
US09942469B2
Disclosed is a mobile terminal, by which an image can be easily attached. In particular, the present invention includes a 1st camera, a touchscreen, and a controller controlling the touchscreen to output a running screen of a prescribed application and a preview screen of the 1st camera to a 1st region and a 2nd region on the touchscreen, respectively, the controller, if a photograph command is received, attaching an image data photographed through the 1st camera to the prescribed application, wherein a data size of the attached image data is based on a size of the 2nd region.
US09942466B2
A convertible computer includes a transparent optical element in the keyboard base that provides light pass-through for the camera but does not interfere with the user's experience. The transparent optical element may include a transparent glass or plastic element that maintains the imaging specifications of the rear-facing camera. In some implementations, the transparent optical element can maintain the f-number of the optical system that includes the camera and the transparent optical element and may not affect image quality of images captured by the camera. In some arrangements, the transparent optical element can include an optical system that can increase the light-gathering ability of the camera (e.g., decreases f-number), effectively converting the camera lens into a macro lens. In other arrangements, the transparent optical element can include an optical system that can improve the imaging of distant objects (e.g., increases f-number), effectively converting the camera lens into a telephoto lens.
US09942464B2
A method and apparatus are provided for capturing video on an electronic device having a touch screen. The method involves detecting a contact with the touch screen at a first predefined location corresponding to an image capture key, detecting movement of the contact, while continuous contact with the touch screen is maintained, from a first predefined location, and initiating video capture if the moving of the image capture key on the touch-sensitive display results in movement of the image capture key from the first predefined location to a second predefined location on the touch-sensitive display.
US09942460B2
There is provided an image processing device including a camerawork determination unit configured to determine camerawork at a time of imaging and set a determination start timing of a main subject in image data on the basis of the determination, and a main subject determination unit configured to determine the main subject among subjects contained in the image data from the image data from the determination start timing.
US09942455B2
An automated system and method for managing a participant's participation in an event having a participant event management system (PEMS), a participant proximity detector, an image capture system and a timing system. The participant event management system (PEMS) receives a request for capturing an image of the participant during the event. The participant proximity detector detects the proximity of the participant to a detection point and receives the participant number. The image capture system receives an instruction for capturing an image of the participant, receives an indication that the participant has been detected, and captures an image of the participant. The timing system receives the preorder request from the PEMS, determines a time of passing of the detection point of the participant, associates the participant event number with the participant identifier number, generates the instruction for capturing the image of the participant, and receives the transmitted captured image.
US09942451B2
A photographing apparatus includes a chassis, in which a recess is formed; the recess including at least one pair of inner wall surfaces which face each other; an imaging unit positioned in the recess; an intermediate frame which is interposed between the recess and the imaging unit, the intermediate frame including a pair of support walls which correspond to the pair of inner wall surfaces of the recess; a first cushioning member which is interposed between one of the pair of support walls of the intermediate frame and an adjacent outer wall surface of the imaging unit; and a second cushioning member which is interposed between the other of the pair of support walls of the intermediate frame and an adjacent inner wall surface of the pair of inner wall surfaces of the recess.
US09942443B2
An information processing apparatus includes plural communication interfaces, a specifying unit, a network determining unit, and a transmission controller. The plural communication interfaces are individually connected to plural communication networks having different security levels. The specifying unit specifies a destination terminal to which a file stored in a data memory is to be transmitted. The network determining unit determines a communication network, among the plural communication networks, via which the file is to be transmitted to the destination terminal. The transmission controller prohibits transmission of the file to the destination terminal in a case where a security level set to the file is higher than a security level set to the communication network determined by the network determining unit.
US09942442B2
An object of the present invention is to prevent a deterioration in image quality of an acquired image resulting from the shape of an object. The present invention is an image reading apparatus that irradiates an object placed on a read table with light by using an irradiation unit, captures an image of the object by using an image capturing unit, and reads an image of the object, and the image reading apparatus includes: a measurement unit configured to measure a shape of the object; and a correction unit configured to correct an amount of light with which the irradiation unit irradiates the object based on image data of the object acquired by performing the image capturing while the irradiation unit is irradiating the object with light, and on the results of the measurement.
US09942429B2
An image forming apparatus comprises an automatic document feeder (ADF); a light source configured to irradiate the document conveyed by the ADF with light; a glass member which can be switched to a first mode in which the light from the light source is transmitted and to a second mode in which the light from the light source is reflected; a signal processing circuit configured to include an image sensor for respectively receiving the reflected light of the document and the glass member, read an image of the document in the first mode and generate a signal of a white reference value based on the reflected light of the glass member in the second mode; and a shading correction circuit configured to correct, based on the signal of the white reference value, image data of the document read such that the brightness in the horizontal scanning direction is uniform.
US09942421B2
An information processing system includes a determining unit configured to determine, based on use amounts, for predetermined respective periods, of a device, whether a period during which a use amount of the device increases is present; a deciding unit configured to determine whether maintenance work is to be performed on the device in a case where the determining unit determines that the period during which the use amount of the device increases is present and to decide details of the maintenance work; and an outputting unit configured to output the details of the maintenance work. The deciding unit decides the details of the maintenance work including at least one of a check item name that is in accordance with the device and a replacement component name that is in accordance with a predicted use amount of the device in the period.
US09942416B2
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to telecommunications networks, processing and routing calls between networks, a computing system and methodologies for optimizing pricing particularly in situations with massive amounts of data, processing call volume data, deseasonalizing data, minutes of use data, establishing and distributing pricing data for use in routing decisions, among other features and advantages.
US09942415B2
A Charging Data Function (CDF) unit of an Offline Charging System (OFCS) receives Accounting Charging Request (ACR) messages from Charging Trigger Functions (CTFs). The CDF stores ACRs in designated buckets based on the source CTF and its determined status. If there is no change in the status of the source CTF, the CDF continues to store ACRs as they are received in the designated bucket. If the source CTF status has changed (i.e., a reboot or restart has occurred), the CDF allocates a new bucket for the given CTF and stores ACR messages indicating the new status in the new bucket. In addition, the receiving CDF stops storing ACR messages in the previous bucket and deprecates it as being obsolete. The CDF processes the obsolete bucket to generate incomplete Charging Data Records (CDRs) for any ACRs for which complete CDRs cannot be generated.
US09942413B2
Disclosed embodiments include a multi-network gateway system providing one or more third-party telecommunications service providers access to a third-party network interface across an otherwise proprietary access network maintained by a primary telecommunications service provider. Specifically, one embodiment includes an access network provided by a primary telecommunications service provider in communication with a multi-network access gateway. One subset of telecommunications information conveyed across the access network is provided to a customer of the primary telecommunications service provider. Another subset of telecommunications information conveyed across the access network is provided to a third-party network interface and to a third-party network, for the use of the third-party telecommunications service provider.
US09942411B2
Network resources for a call are allocated. The network resources for the call are reserved based on a reservation. The network resources are reserved before any one network resource is committed. If the call is confirmed, then the network resources are committed.
US09942406B2
A system and method for managing telephone calls is disclosed. The system includes a central controller that receives and processes telephone calls. The identity of a caller is first determined. Based on predetermined settings designated by an end user, a call is directed to one or more telephones of the end user. Preferably, the end user's telephones ring simultaneously. The user may answer any of his/her telephones and choose from among several options of how to handle the call. If the user chooses to answer the call, the call may be transferred to that telephone and the conversation may commence.
US09942402B1
Modifications to the call acceptance process in a call handler allows determination of how to process a call before the call is answered. In one embodiment a call handler receives an incoming call notification message that include call related information, such as the calling and called telephone numbers. A call acceptance timer is started after the incoming call notification message is received. Prior to accepting the call, the call handler uses the call related information to ascertain an appropriate queue and an available agent in that queue. If an appropriate agent is available, the timer is stopped, the call is accepted, and the call is routed to the appropriate agent. If an agent is not available, then upon expiry of the timer, the call is accepted and an announcement may be played to the calling party, while awaiting for an agent to become available.
US09942400B2
Methods, behavioral assessment computer program products, and systems for analyzing electronic customer communication data, generating behavioral assessment data and displaying instructions to a user that include receiving a plurality of types of electronic customer communication data by one or more servers configured to provide a user interface including a web site, web portal, or virtual portal or application, wherein at least one of the types of electronic communication data includes voice data, generating a text file from the voice data, identifying a customer associated with the electronic communication data received by the one or more servers, generating behavioral assessment data for the electronic communication data for that identified customer by analyzing the customer's electronic communication data, and displaying instructions to a user via a reporting engine, wherein the instructions are based on the generated behavioral assessment data, and wherein the user includes the identified customer or a customer service agent.
US09942398B2
Methods, non-transitory computer readable media and devices are disclosed for caching data associated with a second state in a customer service interaction call flow when a first state in the customer service interaction call flow is reached. For example, a method includes a processor for initiating a customer service transaction associated with a customer service interaction flow in response to a communication from a user, determining that a first state in the customer service interaction flow is reached during the customer service transaction, calculating that a likelihood of needing data associated with a second state in the customer service interaction flow during the customer service transaction exceeds a threshold, retrieving, from a data store, data associated with the second state, and storing data associated with the second state in a cache.
US09942395B2
A method receives a call from a device of a caller destined to a device of a subscriber of a communication network. The method connects the call to the device of the subscriber and then receives from the device of the subscriber an indication that the call is an undesirable call. The indication further includes a description of the call. The method then provides a reward to the subscriber when the indication further includes the description of the call.
US09942386B2
A mobile device with a touch panel and a touch-lock operating method thereof are provided. The mobile device preferably includes an RF communication unit for supporting communication services; a touch panel for sensing input touches; a display unit for displaying a screen, where the screen includes at least one of a preset image, text, and map; and a controller for setting a touch-lock in the touch panel according to a preset condition. The controller also controls the display unit to display at least one of a text and image or at least one particular icon corresponding to the information reception event that occurs, based on the RF communication unit, in the touch-lock state. A portion of the display screen can be locked, or only certain predetermined touch functions permitted.
US09942373B2
To increase the accuracy of identification of nuisance calls, a list generation device acquires, as input data, at least one of information included in second history information and an evaluation value stored in a user evaluation database. The list generation device calculates a nuisance level for a telephone numbers of each caller based on a factor determined by the acquired input data. The list generation device compares the calculated nuisance level with threshold to generate shared list including the telephone number of the caller who makes an incoming call identified as a nuisance call.
US09942371B2
A communications device having a user configurable speakerphone feature is provided. A user may be provided with a plurality of selectable settings for configuring the operation of a microphone or the processing of speech. For example, a user may select settings to filter ambient noise for a cleaner sound or increase a microphone's sensitivity in a conference call environment. In one embodiment, the user may select a setting that changes a microphone level or microphone operating range. When the microphone detects speech, the speech may be processed in accordance with user selected processing settings. For example, a user may select settings to specify a gain control, a frequency response, or an activity threshold. Thus, a user may configure a speakerphone to improve sound quality on the receiving end.
US09942368B2
The present disclosure describes a projector which has: an image projection portion; an image provision portion that provides a projection image to the image projection portion; a deviation movement detection portion that detects a deviation movement of the image projection portion; and an image process portion that based on detection by the deviation movement detection portion, shifts the image provided by the image provision portion in a direction where the deviation movement is corrected. According to this, even if an image projection function does not include a deviation correction function, it is possible to perform the deviation correction by means of the image process.
US09942364B2
An encoding device performing an encoding process according to an encoding scheme using a CTS indicating time at which presentation or reproduction is performed, comprising: an encapsulator that generates a media unit in which one or more access units encoded by the encoding scheme are capsulated, and a transmitter that transmits information indicating an absolute time of an access unit included at a top portion of the media unit, in addition to the media unit, wherein the encapsulator adds a CTS relative value to the nth access unit included in the media unit, the CTS relative value being a difference between the CTS of the nth access unit and the DTS of the n+1th access unit.
US09942359B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus that receives, over a network from a computing device being used by a user, a request to configure a first software module host with respect to a software module, the first software module host associated with the user. The apparatus transmits over the network to the computing device instructions to configure, for display by the computing device, the first software module host in accordance with the request. The apparatus computer transmits over the network to the computing device instructions to apply the same configuration with respect to the software module to a second software module host, the second software module host also associated with the user.
US09942358B2
A method includes receiving, at data processing hardware, a notification corresponding to an application and associated with a user. The method includes determining, by the data processing hardware, notification data associated with the notification. The notification data includes one or more of sender data, receiver data, subject data, and message data. The method also includes identifying, by the data processing hardware, one or more applications of a collection of applications associated with the user as one or more recommended applications satisfying criteria for a user selection based on the notification data. In addition, the method includes displaying, on a screen in communication with the data processing hardware, a user selectable link for each recommended application. Each user selectable link is associated with an application access mechanism that has a reference to the corresponding recommended application and that indicates a performable operation for the corresponding recommended application.
US09942355B2
Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for monitoring the current context of a computing device. In some implementations, a context daemon can collect context information about the computing device. The context information can include current device hardware state information. The context information can include current software state information. The context can be derived or implied from a combination of hardware state information, software state information, or any other type of state information. For example, the derived context can be a user state (e.g., a user activity, sleeping, running, etc.) derived from or implied by hardware or software state information.
US09942353B2
In one embodiment, a method for managing execution of software operations is provided. The method includes a computer processor determining that a software program executing on a computing device utilizes a server to execute at least one software operation. The method further includes identifying a first server from a plurality of servers that are capable of executing the at least one software operation of the software program based, at least in part, on a responsiveness associated with the first server and responsiveness associated with the plurality of servers. The method further includes executing the at least one software operation of the software program on the identified first server. The method further includes updating the responsiveness of the first server based, at least in part, on one or more responsiveness values attributed to the execution of the at least one software operation of the software program on the first server.
US09942351B2
The method includes receiving a request to access an application. The method further includes identifying features of the application comprising one or both of an application dependency framework, and an application context root. The method further includes determining if a first cluster member is available to process the request for access to the application based at least in part on one or more of the identified feature of the application, a load on the first cluster member, and a resource utilization on the first cluster member. The method further includes, in response to determining that the first cluster member is not available, sending a request to enable an execution environment associated with the first cluster member, based upon the identified feature of the application.
US09942345B2
A machine-controlled method may include a web server identifying data to be cached and caching the data at the web server, the data originating from an external data source, an application server generating metadata that corresponds to the cached data, determining whether external data corresponding to the cached data has changed, receiving information corresponding to the changed external data, and updating the cached content based on the metadata and the received information.
US09942343B2
A client device implements a streaming client and a proxy server. The proxy server intercepts one or more playlist requests from the streaming client directed to one or more network servers external to the client device. Responsive to interception of a sliding-window playlist request of a particular type, the proxy server generates a corresponding on-demand playlist request. The intercepted sliding-window playlist request and the corresponding on-demand playlist request are sent from the proxy server to the one or more network servers. The proxy server receives an on-demand playlist from the one or more network servers responsive to the on-demand playlist request, and generates a local copy of the on-demand playlist. A current version of the local copy of the on-demand playlist is subsequently provided by the proxy server to the streaming client responsive to interception in the proxy server of a request from the streaming client for the on-demand playlist.
US09942338B2
A presence aggregation system provides a presence aggregation server that allows for the publication of presence state of a publisher from the publisher's multiple endpoints. A presence state includes an availability value and an activity. An activity may include an activity token and/or a custom string. When any one of the publisher's endpoints makes a presence state publication on the presence aggregation server, the presence aggregation server generates an aggregated state of the publisher (i.e., the availability of the publisher aggregated across all of the publisher's endpoints) and publishes the generated aggregated state to each of the publisher's endpoints. The presence aggregation server may also provide the publisher's aggregated state to the subscribers of the publisher's aggregated state information.
US09942322B1
Systems, methods, and applications for providing consolidated call logs for both cellular and internet calls. The application (or, “app”) can retrieve (pull), or push, information from a cellular call log to a web real-time communications (WebRTC) call log, and vice-versa. The applications can retrieve call log information from a WebRTC client, for example, and then push this information to user equipment (UE) using a suitable messaging protocol. The app can also retrieve the cellular call log from the call log on the UE, or from cloud-based storage, and push it to the WebRTC client. A consolidated call log can be provided that provides all calls (i.e., cellular- and web-based calls) in a single log. The consolidated call log can also include tabs, or other features, to enable the calls to be displayed separately by source.
US09942321B2
A method, program product, and apparatus for managing profiles in an access management domain. In an embodiment, attribute field mapping rules are generated for an identity profile schema applied to a plurality of identity profiles and an account profile schema applied to a plurality of account profiles. Each of the identity profiles includes one or more identity attribute fields and each of the plurality of account profiles includes one or more account attribute fields. As part of generating attribute field mapping rules, a synchronization manager iteratively compares data in each of the identity attribute fields with data in one or more of each of the account attribute fields. In response to detecting a match between data in a given identity attribute field and data in a given account attribute field, the synchronization manager increments an attribute correlation value that is associated with the given identity attribute field and the given account attribute field. The synchronization manager compares attribute correlation values that are each associated with a same identity attribute field and identifies a dominant attribute correlation value based on said comparing attribute correlation values.
US09942320B2
A method for moving application related records (220) between distributed cloud domains (206a to 206w) when a user terminal (210) changes its physical location and a predetermined condition is fulfilled. The user terminal (210) is connected to a telecommunication network (201) and uses an application (App). The method determines that a user terminal location has changed at least from a first network area (202) of the telecommunication network (201) to a second network area (204), considering one or more constraints associated with (i) a location of the user terminal (210) in the second network area (204), (ii) a location of a cloud component of the application (App) in a first cloud domain (206n) associated with the first network area (201), and (iii) a location of a second cloud domain (206w) associated with the second network area (204), and moves, when the predetermined condition is fulfilled, the application related records (220) from the first cloud domain (206n) to the second cloud domain (206w).
US09942319B2
A technique is described providing offline support to business applications. Offline support allows a business application running on a portable electronic device without connectivity to a backend server to operate as though the business application has access to a backend server. The technique receives a sync request for content from the portable electronic device. A sync task is generated from the sync requests and processed to generate a package that contains the desired content. Once the package is generated, the package is stored in a package repository and a download notification is transmitted to the portable electronic device to notify the user that the package is ready. The package can in turn be delivered to the portable electronic device when a download request is received from the portable electronic device.
US09942308B2
An information processing apparatus includes a communication unit, a storage, an operation reception unit, and a controller. The communication unit is capable of communicating with a different information processing apparatus and a server on a network. The storage is capable of storing data. The operation reception unit is capable of receiving an operation of a user that selects the data. The controller is capable of controlling the communication unit to transmit the selected data to the server and transmit notification information to the different information processing apparatus, the notification information indicating transmission of the data to the server.
US09942302B2
A mobile device is provided. The mobile device includes: a display; a communicator configured to communicate with a terminal apparatus which displays items classified into a plurality of groups in a form of a list; and when the mobile device is connected with the terminal apparatus for communication, a controller configured to hop over the groups of the items displayed on the terminal apparatus according to a touch manipulation which is performed on a screen of the display. Accordingly, the mobile device can provide various services by being interlocked with the terminal apparatus mounted in a vehicle.
US09942297B2
A system and methods for facilitating the sourcing of content and its management by one or more contributors or collaborators in order to assist in the development of a creative asset. Certain embodiments include one or more media devices for the receipt, review, annotation, editing, and transfer of content to assist in the formation of a creative asset such as but not limited to a motion picture.
US09942292B2
In a broadcast scheme of transportation in an IP scheme, clock synchronization and presentation synchronization are well implemented. A clock synchronizing with time information acquired from an outside is generated. Time information including frequency information of the clock and synchronizing with the time information acquired from the outside is generated. A broadcast signal including transmission media, time acquisition information for acquiring decoding time and presentation time for every presentation unit of the transmission media obtained based on the generated time information, and the generated time information is transmitted.
US09942282B2
In one embodiment a router connects to a cellular network using at least one authentication credential stored on a smart card of the router. The router receives, from a client device coupled to the router, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) request to register with an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network coupled to the cellular network. The router sends a SIP registration request for the client device to the IMS network, the SIP registration request comprising authorization information associated with the router, wherein the authorization information associated with the router is used by the IMS network to register the client device with the IMS network.
US09942274B2
A method for protecting application servers from network-based attacks and verifying the security posture of end client systems is disclosed. A trust broker system receives a request from a user agent associated with a client system remote from the trust broker to connect to applications and resources associated with the trust broker. The trust broker system verifies the integrity of the client system and verifies the identity of a user of the client system. The trust broker system then determines the access level permitted to the identified user and based on the access level. The trust broker system establishes a connection with the user agent and transmits session information to the server system. The trust broker system sends the user agent connection information, wherein the connection information enables the requesting user agent to connect to the requested server system.
US09942272B2
Processing streaming data in accordance with policies that group data by source, enforce a maximum permissible late arrival value for streaming data, a maximum permissible early arrival for data and/or a maximum degree to which data can be out of order and still be compliant with the out of order policy is described. The correct starting point for reading a data stream so as to produce correct output from a given output start time can be enabled using the early arrival policy. Using combinations of policies, output can be generated promptly (with low latency). When input from a given source is not disrupted, output can be generated with low latency. Output can be generated even when the input stops by applying a late arrival policy.
US09942270B2
A system includes one or more “BotMagnet” modules that are exposed to infection by malicious code. The BotMagnets may include one or more virtual machines hosing operating systems in which malicious code may be installed and executed without exposing sensitive data or other parts of a network. In particular, outbound traffic may be transmitted to a Sinkhole module that implements a service requested by the outbound traffic and transmits responses to the malicious code executing within the BotMagnet. Credentials for services implemented by a BotSink may be planted in an active directory (AD) server. The BotSink periodically uses the credentials thereby creating log entries indicating use thereof. In response to an attacker accessing the services using the credentials, the BotSink engages and monitors an attacker system and may generate an alert.
US09942255B1
A hosted service monitoring system detects abuse of a hosted service by monitoring user actions over a period of time. The system will identify an entity, which is a subset of the user actions that share one or more features in common. The system will also identify feature statistics to measure how often the features are associated with the user actions in the entity. The system will project the feature statistics to a vector and use the vector to generate an anomaly score for the entity. The system will determine that the entity is associated with an automated initiator if it generates an anomaly score that exceeds a threshold. Upon determining that the entity that is associated with an automated initiator, the system will cause the hosted service to take an action that will block the automated initiator from accessing the hosted service.
US09942241B2
A server includes a processor and a storage unit. The storage unit stores a program code, and when the program code is executed by the processor, the processor executes the following steps: when receiving an operation request from outside the server, if an effective identity (ID) code of a worker executing the operation request is set to be a default ID code and the default ID code does not have an authority for executing the operation request, setting the effective ID code as a specific ID code, and executing the operation request through the worker having the specific ID code, wherein the specific ID code has the authority for executing the operation request; and after the operation request is executed, setting the effective ID code as the default ID code.
US09942233B2
A system for the identification of patterns in stateful transactions may include a message interceptor, a message pattern processor, a message handler, and a memory. The message interceptor may be operative to intercept messages transmitted by a first device over a network to a recipient. The message interceptor may be operative to intercept the messages before the messages are received by the recipient. The message pattern processor may be operative to add the message to a message pattern and store the message pattern in a memory. The message pattern processor may compare the message pattern to a plurality of exemplary message patterns and identify when the message pattern matches at least one of the exemplary message patterns. The message handler may be operative to determine an action to take with respect to the message based on the at least one matching exemplary message pattern identified by the message pattern processor.
US09942232B2
A method for transmitting, storing and sharing data collected by a wearable device is provided. In one example, data related to one or more measurements obtained by the wearable device configured to be mounted to a body surface of a wearer is received in addition to an input by the wearer of the device. The input selects at least one identification rule that determines whether or how the wearer is identified in connection with the data from the wearable device. The data is stored in a database based, at least in part, on the at least one identification rule. The input from the wearer may also select at least one permission rule that determines whether third parties can access the data from the wearable device. A third party may be required to provide payment for access to or use of the data according to the at least one permission rule.
US09942231B1
Particular systems, methods, and program products for web-based security systems for user authentication and processing in a distributed computing environment are disclosed. A computing sub-system may receive an electronic processing request and a first signed data packet having a first payload that was hashed and encrypted using a first private key. The first payload may comprise first processing output and a first timestamp. The sub-system may verify the first signed data packet by decrypting it using a first public key. The sub-system may execute computing operations to satisfy the electronic processing request, producing second processing output. The sub-system may configure a data packet with a second payload comprising at least the second processing output and a second timestamp. The sub-system may encrypt the second payload using a second private key producing a second signed data packet. The sub-system may transmit to a second sub-system the second signed data packet.
US09942226B2
An electronic device includes a biometric sensor configured to generate biometric data by sensing a biometric characteristic and to encrypt the biometric a near field communication (NFC) controller configured to perform a near field communication, and a secure storage device coupled to the NFC controller, and configured to receive the encrypted biometric data from the biometric sensor through an internal communications channel, which may include an application processor and the NFC controller, and to store the biometric data by decrypting the encrypted biometric data.
US09942223B2
Automated device discovery of pairing-eligible devices for authenticating an unidentified user of a computing device is provided. When the user initiates a login on the computing device on which the user's identity is not known, an automated pairing-eligible device discovery authentication system interrogates a resource (e.g., subnetwork router, calendaring server) for identifying pairing-eligible devices that may be used as a second factor for authentication. A list of the pairing-eligible devices is presented to the user on the computing device. Upon selection of a pairing-eligible device to use as a second factor to verify the user's identity, the user's identity is determined, and a notification is sent to the selected pairing-eligible device for enabling the user to verify his/her identity using a second factor. Upon completion of an authentication challenge on the selected pairing-eligible device, authentication of the user is completed, and a signed token is sent to the computing device.
US09942222B1
Described are techniques and systems for providing authentication credentials associated with a user. The user is authenticated using one or more techniques, such as multi-factor authentication using one or more biometric characteristics, biomedical data, passwords, and so forth, to generate authentication data. The authentication data may be used in conjunction with information about a wearable device (“wearable”), such as a wristband. Authentication may be confirmed upon an indication that the wearable has not been removed, tampered with, and so forth. In some implementations the wearable device may store and distribute the authentication credentials to requesting devices so long as the wearable has not been removed, tampered with, and so forth.
US09942208B2
Technologies described herein provide enhanced security for storing and updating secret data, such as a password. Based on one or more conditions, an existing encryption key or a new encryption key may be used to generate encrypted data at a client computing device. The encrypted data may be communicated from the client computing device to a secret store managed by a first entity for storage of the encrypted data in the secret store. Based on one or more conditions, the new encryption key may be communicated from the client computing device to a key store managed by a second entity for storage of the new encryption key in the key store.
US09942203B2
According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for increasing security when sending a plurality of messages over a network connection is provided. The method may include determining if the plurality of messages on a staging queue satisfies a batch threshold value. The method may also include determining a security key with a message destination based on determining that the plurality of messages on the staging queue satisfies the batch threshold value. The method may then include encrypting the plurality of messages based on the determined security key. The method may further include sending the encrypted plurality of messages to the message destination over the network connection.
US09942198B2
A host computer supports a virtual guest system running thereon. The host system has a firewall that prevents it from communicating directly with the Internet, except with predetermined trusted sites. The virtual guest runs on a hypervisor, and the virtual guest comprises primarily a browser program that is allowed to contact the Internet freely via an Internet access connection that is completely separate from the host computer connection, such as a dedicated network termination point with its specific Internet IP address, or by tunneling through the host machine architecture to reach the Internet without exposing the host system. The virtual guest system is separated and completely isolated by an internal firewall from the host, and the guest cannot access any of the resources of the host computer, except that the guest can initiate cut, copy and paste operations that reach the host, and the guest can also request print of documents. The host can transfer files to and from a virtual data storage area accessible by the guest by manual operator action. No other transfer of data except these user initiated actions is permitted.
US09942196B2
A method for isolating a computer platform includes receiving a service request from an external requestor via a network at processing circuitry associated with a hardware barrier between the computer platform and the network, causing the service request to be loaded into a first buffer having a dual port connection to a corresponding second buffer of the computer platform, providing an indication to the computer platform to indicate the service request is loaded into the first buffer to be pulled into the second buffer of the computer platform, responsive to processing of the service request by the computer platform, receiving a message indicating a response loaded in the second buffer has been pushed to the first buffer, and communicating the response to the external requestor. The buffers form the only access point to the computer platform. The indication is the only communication initiated from the external requestor that crosses the hardware barrier without control by the computer platform.
US09942191B2
A method and system for universal social messaging is disclosed where an event is detecting on a host device by the electronic social messaging platform, an option associated with the event is selected by the electronic social messaging platform, and the option associated with the event is provided to the user of the host device by the electronic social messaging platform.
US09942190B2
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for group messaging are disclosed. An exemplary method includes a group messaging system receiving a broadcast message from an originating user, imposing a limit on a number of text characters included in the broadcast message, identifying a group of intended recipients of the broadcast message, determining contact information for an intended recipient included in the group, determining at least one broadcast message sending method for the intended recipient, and sending the broadcast message to the intended recipient using the at least one broadcast message sending method.
US09942187B2
A system and method to provide a message handling system (eg email) user an alert when one or more messages remain in the outbox of the message handling system after the message transmission process has completed more than a user definable number of times or has been in the outbox longer than a user definable amount of time. Once alerted the user will have the option to take one or more actions (independent of the system and method) to remove the message or messages from the outbox.
US09942186B2
Technical solutions are described to arbitrarily order and access email messages based on text analysis and social network analysis. One general aspect includes a system that includes an email server and an email client. The email server generates a topic map of email messages stored on the email server. The email server also generates a social map of users with accounts on the email server. The email server receives an email message from a first user, the email message directed to a second user. The email server sends the email message to a third user in response to determining that the email message is relevant to the third user. The present document further describes examples of other aspects such as methods, computer products.
US09942181B2
Examples of systems and methods for context based virtual area creation are described. Some examples provide a quick and easy way for users to wrap virtual areas around contexts of interest. Examples of such contexts may be defined in terms of one or more of content, people, and real-world location. The virtual areas support realtime communications between communicants (e.g., one or more of text chat, voice, video, application sharing, and file sharing) and provide a persistent historical repository for interactions in the virtual area. Summaries of activities and other events in virtual areas typically are published in realtime so that other communicants can readily obtain a quick summary of the activities occurring in a particular context and decide whether or not to join or otherwise participate in those activities.
US09942174B2
A bus control device (401a) includes a storage (408) that stores a transmission order of data pieces transmitted from a first node (402) to each second node (403); a sorter (413) that receives data pieces transferred from each second node toward the first node and refers to a predefined sorting rule to determine a sorting destination of each data piece; a buffer (409) that stores the sorted data pieces while classifying the sorted data pieces by the second node as a transmission source; and a connection controller (410) that refers to change permission/rejection information indicating whether or not an order is permitted to be changed while the data piece is transferred from each second node to the first node, and transmits data pieces, the order of which is not changed, from the buffer to the first node in the same order as the transmission order stored on the storage.
US09942167B2
A utility computing portal supports public and private modules for application development in a cloud computing environment. The public nodules support downloads, customer support and access to a development community. The private modules are accessible to users with valid login credentials or those authenticated via a related entity, such as a Live ID. The private modules may include modules for testing, analysis, and billing. The utility computing portal also supports access to application configuration, for example, allowing a manager to change the number of front end and backend physical/virtual machines available to various application roles.
US09942165B2
A method for transmitting data in a packet-oriented communications network, in particular of a motor vehicle and to a user terminal configured for carrying out the method. In the method, data packets are transmitted without a guaranteed transmission time for the data packets and with a guaranteed maximum transmission time for the data packets in said communications network. For a data transmission with a guaranteed transmission time, a specific quality of service is reserved prior to the data transmission by reservation request from the sender of the data to the receiver of the data and the data transmission with a guaranteed transmission time is only started once a confirmation of the reservation request sent by the sender has been received. In addition, selected data that is to be transmitted in a guaranteed transmission time is sent directly as a data stream of data packets and a reservation request is sent after the start of the data stream.
US09942157B2
An apparatus and method for avoiding negative compression in communication networks. A TCP connection is identified from traffic data being received across the communication network. TCP connections which facilitate HTTP transactions are examined to determine whether compression eligible information is being transmitted. All packets associated with the TCP connection are compressed, if the transaction includes compression eligible information. All packets associated with the TCP connection are output in compressed form. All other packets are output in their originally received form.
US09942150B2
A method for optimizing throughput of a network with stations adapted to transmit data to an access point includes the step of determining a respective required throughput for each station based on: respective time periods required for decreasing a count of a respective back-off counter associated with each of the stations, a transmission packet length of the respective station, and a probability of successful transmission for of the respective station. The respective required throughput so determined is a function of a respective transmission attempt rate for the station. The method further includes the step of determining the respective transmission attempt rate for each station for maximizing a sum of the respective required throughput such that a respective fixed throughput is provided for inelastic data flow in the network, a respective proportional throughput ratio is provided for elastic data flow in the network, and the throughput of the network is maximized.
US09942147B2
A method, unit and computer program performed by a packet separation unit in a communications network for enabling of data traffic separation comprising: obtaining a traffic rule set from a rule manager, determining a complementary rule related to the traffic rule set, arranging the rules in an hierarchical order such that a received data packet will be evaluated with the rule with the most likeliness to comply with a received data packet, receiving the data packet, directing the data packet to a local shared environment.
US09942145B2
Present disclosure relates to methods for preparing BGP update messages for transmission and processing received update messages. The methods are based on grouping path attributes common to a plurality of IP address prefixes into respective sets identified with respective set identifiers and, instead of duplicating path attributes in each BGP update message, including a respective identifier referring to a certain set of path attributes provided in an earlier BGP update message when sending subsequent update messages. Grouping of path attributes into individual sets associated with respective identifiers provides significant advantages by enabling re-use of the results of previous processing on both the sending and receiving sides associated with transmission of BGP update messages. In addition, such an approach limits the amount of information transmitted in the control plane because duplicate sets of path attributes may only be transmitted once and merely be referred to in subsequent update messages.
US09942139B2
The embodiments described herein provide a data transmission system comprising a plurality of video routers, a supervisory system for transmitting one or more router configuration signals to one or more video routers, and a control communication network for coupling the plurality of video routers and the supervisory system. Each router in the system comprises a backplane including a plurality of backplane connections, at least one line card and at least one fabric card. Each line card comprises a plurality of input ports and output ports where each input and output port is coupled to a respective external signal through the backplane. Each line card further comprises a line card cross-point switch having a plurality of input switch terminals and a plurality of output switch terminals. Each fabric card comprises a fabric card cross-point switch having a plurality of input switch terminal and a plurality of output switch terminals. Furthermore, each line card and each fabric card comprises a card controller where the card controller selectively couples one or more input switch terminals of a cross-point switch to the output switch terminals of that cross-point switch. The cross-point switches being manipulated by the card controller may belong to one or more different cards within the same video router.
US09942136B2
This application discloses a packet processing method and an LSR. The method includes: receiving, by an Ingress LSR of a first MPLS tunnel, a first notification packet that is based on an IGP, where the first notification packet includes an ELC flag, which is used to indicate that the first Egress LSR has ELC; after learning from the first notification packet that the first Egress LSR has ELC, inserting a label into a first packet, to generate a second packet, where the label forms an MPLS label stack, which includes, from bottom to top, a first EL, a first ELI, and a first TL; and sending the second packet to the first Egress LSR through the first MPLS tunnel. According to the solutions of this invention, a Transit LSR of the first MPLS tunnel may perform load balancing when forwarding the second packet.
US09942131B2
For multipathing using a network of overlays, a set of virtual network interfaces (VNICs) corresponding to a physical network interface (PNIC) is created in a first data processing system. A first virtual network interface (VNIC) from the set of VNICs is bound to a virtual machine (VM) executing in a first data processing environment across a data network from the first data processing system. During a data communication with a second data processing system, data is divided into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion using a first path from the first VNIC to the first VM to the second data processing system, and the second portion using a second path from the PNIC to the second data processing system.
US09942117B1
Metric anomaly detection techniques in a digital medium environment are described. An input time interval is identified by an analytics system for the presence of an anomaly of a metric. Inclusion of a scheduled event in the input time interval is identified, and a historical time interval is determined that also includes the scheduled event. Usage data describing values of the metric is then obtained for both the input time interval and the historical time interval. The usage data corresponding to the input time interval is then compared with the usage data corresponding to the historical time interval to detect effects of the scheduled event and whether the input time interval includes an anomaly in the metric.
US09942116B2
A first electronic device can receive an identifying signal broadcast from a second electronic device located within a wireless communication range of the first electronic device, and in response, establish a first, local electronic communication path between the first and second electronic devices. The first electronic device can then receive a set of status data from the second electronic device over the local electronic communication path. The first electronic device can then establish a second, remote electronic communication path to a remote server and subsequently transmit, over the remote electronic communication path, the status data from the second electronic device along with status data from the first electronic device.
US09942115B2
Techniques for providing visualization and analysis of performance data are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a system for providing visualization and analysis of performance data. The system may comprise one or more processors communicatively coupled to a mobile communications network. The one or more processors may be configured to monitor data traffic within the mobile communications network. The one or more processors may further be configured to collect network performance data associated with the mobile communications network. The one or more processors may also be configured to provide user-selectable options to a user at a mobile device for viewing the network performance data. The one or more processors may further be configured to process the network performance data based on the user-selectable options identified by the user. The one or more processors may also be configured to provide a visualization to be displayed at the mobile device based on the processed network performance data, where the visualization presents the processed network performance data that improves customer experience assurance.
US09942114B1
Techniques for automatically generating a graphical representation of the architecture of a computer system are described herein. After receiving a system specification indicating a set of computer system resources, a set of dependencies between pairs of those resources and a set of metadata associated with the resources, the set of resources can be filtered using one or more filtering processes, the filtering processes based at least in part on the metadata. For example, a filtering process may specify including only those resources that have metadata indicating their membership in a certain environment. A graphical representation of the filtered set of resources and the dependencies between pairs of those resources is created, indicating the architecture of the computer system.
US09942113B2
An entry adding method includes: a switch receives a first group entry sent by a controller, where the first group entry includes importance indication information of the first group entry, and a first action bucket; the switch determines that the first group entry cannot be added to a group table, and that a second group entry exits in the group table, the switch deletes the second group entry and adds the first group entry to the group table. Where importance of the second group entry is lower than importance of the first group entry; the second group entry includes a second action bucket; a quantity of first action buckets is not greater than the sum of a first value and a quantity of second action buckets; and the first value is a quantity of available action buckets in the group table.
US09942112B2
An information collection system includes a server apparatus, a plurality of edge apparatuses, and a collection rules storage unit. The edge apparatus includes a first information generation unit that generates first information and a second information generation unit that generates second information. The collection rules storage unit stores collection rules so as to be associated with the edge apparatus and the first information that the server apparatus acquires from the edge apparatus. The server apparatus includes a first information acquisition unit that acquires the first information from the edge apparatus, a second information acquisition unit that acquires the second information from the edge apparatus, and a collection rules acquisition unit that acquires collection rules from the collection rules storage unit.
US09942108B2
In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method provides a service on a network. The method includes the following steps: (a) requesting, on a router, executable instructions from a remote server, the executable instructions specifying how the router is to operate to provide a service requested for a user of the network; (b) receiving the instructions; (c) initializing, on the router, a thread to execute the received instructions; (d) determining that a configuration of the router has changed; and (e) when the configuration of the router is determined to have changed, executing, on the initialized thread, the instructions to apply the service in accordance with the change in the router's configuration.
US09942079B2
According to some embodiments, a method of decoding a transport block in a wireless network element comprises receiving a first transmission of a transport block. The transport block is modulated according to a first modulation coding scheme. The method further comprises determining a number of soft channel bits SB1 in the first transmission of the transport block based at least on a category type of a wireless device. The category type of wireless device is capable of supporting the first modulation coding scheme and a second modulation coding scheme of a different order than the first modulation scheme and both the first and second modulation schemes are associated with the same number of soft channel bits and soft buffer size. The method further comprises storing SB1 soft channel bits of the first transmission of the transport block in a soft buffer.
US09942075B2
A broadcast signal transmitter is disclosed. A broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises an input formatting module performing baseband formatting and outputting at least one Physical Layer Pipe (PLP) data; a BICM module error-correction processing the PLP data; a framing & interleaving module interleaving the PLP data and generating a signal frame; and a waveform generating module inserting a preamble into the signal frame and generating a broadcast signal by performing OFDM modulation.
US09942068B1
Devices and methods for enabling the use of legacy-equipment in light of evolving and conflicting standards used by new-equipment are provided. When a standard for transmission on a network conflicts with an existing standard, legacy-equipment, which uses the existing standard, may prevent the implementation of new-equipment, which uses a new or updated standard, on the network. Although many standards strive for backwards compatibility or interoperability with other standards, not all standards are compatible, or they achieve backwards compatibility by disabling features of new-equipment until legacy-equipment has been upgraded or removed from the network. Devices and methods therefore are provided to isolate legacy-equipment and new-equipment so that the new features of evolving standards may be implemented for new-equipment without materially impacting the operation of legacy-equipment.
US09942067B2
Provided is a transmission method that contributes to an increase in data reception quality when iterative detection is performed at a receive apparatus side. A transmit apparatus alternates between two types of modulation scheme that each shift amplitude and phase, performs mapping to constellation points according to a selected modulation scheme, and transmits a modulated signal obtained by mapping.
US09942057B2
In one embodiment, micro-loops are avoided in ring topologies of packet switching devices by changing the order of propagation of link state information concerning failed communications between a particular packet switching device and a neighbor packet switching device. In one embodiment, the particular packet switching device communicates link state information of a high cost of the particular communications (e.g., in the direction from particular to neighbor packet switching devices) such that this link state information will propagate towards the particular packet switching device from at least from the furthest packet switching device in the ring topology that is currently configured to forward packets having a destination address of the neighbor packet switching device through the particular packet switching device.
US09942056B2
A method for home automation system is described. In one embodiment, the method may include receiving input regarding a list of predetermined activities. The method may further include receiving monitored activity data of at least one authorized user. The method may further include comparing the received monitored activity data with the received input regarding the list of predetermined activities, and operating at least one aspect of the home automation system based, at least in part, on the comparing.
US09942047B2
There is described a method of controlling application access to predetermined functions of a mobile device. The described method comprises (a) providing a set of keys, each key corresponding to one of the predetermined functions, (b) receiving an application from an application provider together with information identifying a set of needed functions, and (c) generating a signed application by signing the received application with each of the keys that correspond to one of the needed functions identified by the received information. There is also described a device for controlling application access and a system for controlling and authenticating application access. Furthermore, there is described a computer program and a computer program product.
US09942039B1
In a general aspect, approximate modular reductions are applied in cryptographic protocols. In some aspects, an array of integers defined for a lattice-based cryptography system is obtained. A transformation is applied to the array of integers, which includes applying a modular reduction to a product of a first integer and a second integer. The first integer is based on the array of integers, and the second integer is based on the transformation. Applying the modular reduction includes operations mathematically equivalent to multiplying the product by a first constant to yield a first intermediate value, applying a bit shift operation to the first intermediate value to yield a second intermediate value, multiplying the second intermediate value by a modulus value to yield a third intermediate value, and subtracting the third intermediate value from the product.
US09942033B2
A system for performing encryption and/or decryption may include a parent cryptographic device. The parent cryptographic device may be configured to receive a first cryptographic key. The parent cryptographic device may be configured to determine one or more session keys based on the first cryptographic key and/or internally generated random data bits. The parent cryptographic device may be configured to insert the one or more session keys onto one or more child cryptographic devices that are operably connected to the parent cryptographic device. The one or more child cryptographic devices may be configured to receive the one or more session keys from the parent cryptographic device, and perform one or more of encryption or decryption of communications exchanged with another child cryptographic device of the one or more child cryptographic devices. The one or more child cryptographic devices may perform encryption/decryption after separation from the parent cryptographic device.
US09942029B2
An envelope extracting apparatus includes: a clock extracting device arranged to extract a clock signal of a receiving modulation signal according to a first biasing voltage; and an edge detecting device arranged to generate a detecting signal to indicate an envelope edge of the receiving modulation signal according to a delayed clock signal of the clock signal and a second biasing voltage; wherein the second biasing voltage or a delay time of the clock signal is adjustable.
US09942027B2
A system and method for measuring propagation delays and other delays in an optical switching system. A transmitter is connected, through a circuit switch, to a receiver. To measure the propagation delay between the transmitter and the receiver, the transmitter sends one or more time-tagged ranging messages and the receiver calculates a propagation delay from the difference between the time of receipt and the time of transmission. In another embodiment, a time delay between message transmission and transition of a CDR of the receiver to a fast acquisition mode is adjusted, by trial and error, to find a range of such time delays for which transmission is successful. A time delay between the transmitter and the switch is measured by establishing or breaking the connection and determining, for various tentative time delay values, whether transmission succeeds.
US09942021B2
A method and apparatus are described which perform bandwidth aggregation by simultaneously monitoring and processing a number of simultaneous, non-contiguous or contiguous component carriers in the downlink. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) can be configured by an evolved Node-B (eNodeB) to support additional component carriers. A pre-configured additional component carrier may be used. Various methods for activating and deactivating the additional component carrier are also described.
US09942016B2
System and method embodiments are provided for network adaptation and discovery. A method in a network controller includes transmitting a measurement reporting signaling to a user equipment (UE), the measurement reporting signaling indicating a radio resource management (RRM) measurement reporting configuration comprising a discovery reference signal (DRS) configuration of the UE; and controlling a network component to transmit only the DRS signal in response to the network component being deactivate.
US09942011B2
In one exemplary embodiment, a wireless communication apparatus transmitting data by using several sub-carriers. The wireless communication apparatus comprises a signal modulator, a signal processor, a storage, a computing processor, and a transmitter. The signal modulator generates a modulated signal in time domain based on the data. The signal processor performs signal processing on the modulated signal, and comprises a window module and a filter module. The window module performs windowing operation on the modulated signal to generate a window-operated signal. The filter module performs filtering operation on the window-operated signal to generate a transmitting signal in time domain. The computing processor performs operations of setting up the window module and the filter module according to a window characteristic function and a filter characteristic function. The transmitter transmits the transmitting signal.
US09942006B2
The present invention discloses a method for determining an interleaver, including: determining an interleaver identifier according to a binding parameter and a preset association relationship between the interleaver identifier and the binding parameter; performing interleaving processing on to-be-sent data by using an interleaver corresponding to the interleaver identifier; and performing de-interleaving processing on received data by using the interleaver corresponding to the interleaver identifier. An embodiment of the present invention further provides a corresponding device. According to technical solutions of the present invention, during data transmission, a UE and an eNodeB can accurately learn an interleaver that is used by the other party, thereby de-interleaving data correctly.
US09942005B2
A sequence detector is provided for detecting symbol values corresponding to a sequence of input samples obtained from a transmission channel. The sequence detector comprises a branch metric unit (BMU), a path metric unit (PMU) and a survivor memory unit. The branch metric unit calculates branch metrics for respective possible transitions between states of a trellis. The path metric unit accumulates branch metrics provided by the branch metric unit in order to establish path metrics. The survivor memory unit selects a survivor path based on the path metrics and outputs a survivor sequence of the detected symbols corresponding to the survivor path. The sequence detector is configured such that the synchronization length is different than the survivor path memory length.
US09941993B2
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to an optical node comprising of at least two degrees, a plurality of directionless add/drop ports, a plurality of primary WDM transmitters and receivers, and at least one protection WDM transmitter and receiver, wherein the at least one protection WDM transmitter and receiver can transmit and receive in place of any of the plurality of primary WDM transmitters and receivers.
US09941987B2
According to a first aspect of the embodiments, a microphone mixer is provided comprising: an input adapted to receive differential microphone (mic) output signals; a gain-trim circuit adapted to receive the differential mic output signals, and which includes a substantially fully differential amplifier adapted to amplify the received differential mic output signals through use of a gain-trim output adjustment device that provides a variable gain amount ranging from a first gain-trim gain value to a second gain-trim gain value, to produce differential gain-trim circuit output signals; a fader circuit adapted to receive the differential gain-trim circuit output signals, and which includes a differential amplifier adapted to attenuate the received differential gain-trim circuit output signals through use of a fader output adjustment device that provides a variable gain amount ranging from a first fader gain value to a second fader value; and a common adjustment apparatus that mechanically ties the gain-trim output adjustment device with the fader output adjustment device such that the first gain-trim gain value and first fader gain value are obtained substantially simultaneously at a first position of the common adjustment apparatus, and the second gain-trim gain value and second fader gain value are obtained substantially simultaneously at a second position of the common adjustment apparatus.
US09941984B2
The present disclosure provides a CSI measurement method and a CSI measurement device. The CSI measurement method includes steps of: receiving channel state measurement information from a network side, the channel state measurement information including a CRS from a set of CRS ports corresponding to vertical beams having an identical Vshift in a vertical dimension, the Vshift determines shift values of CRS patterns in different vertical beams in the vertical dimension in a frequency domain; and performing CSI measurement in accordance with the channel state measurement information. According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the CSI measurement is performed in accordance with the CRS of the set of CRS ports corresponding to the vertical beams having an identical Vshift in the vertical dimension, so that a common signal/channel in the vertical dimension is covered by several vertical beams. Each vertical beam has a small main lobe width, so a constant modulus weight vector may be used. As a result, it is able to improve the power efficiency.
US09941983B1
A test apparatus for testing a wireless device, said test apparatus comprising a transceiver unit adapted to communicate with said device under test, DUT, via a wireless link; a processing unit adapted to control said transceiver unit and to detect a communication service used by said device under test, DUT, during communication with said transceiver unit; and an output unit adapted to output the communication service detected by said processing unit.
US09941963B2
A method (10) of non-linear propagation impairment equalization, the method comprising the steps of: a. receiving (12) communications traffic carried by an optical communications signal transmitted over an optical communications link; b. generating (14) a time dependent filter representation of a nonlinear time-variant impulse response of the inverse of the optical communications link; and c. applying (16) the time dependent filter representation to the received communications traffic to form non-linear propagation impairment equalized communications traffic. An optical communications link nonlinear propagation impairment equalizer and optical communications signal receiver apparatus are also provided.
US09941962B2
An apparatus and method for computer network security based on Free-Space Optical Interconnections (FSOI) for board-to-board information transmission. The addition of a controllable, interlocked shutter system creates air-gapped isolation of the boards, allowing for increased obfuscation, and enhanced security.
US09941960B2
An aspect of the disclosure provides methods and systems for encoding a data bit stream onto a pilot tone signal. Another aspect of the disclosure provides method and systems for pilot tone detection. In both, a coded pilot tone signal is encoded using a code sequence m1 for each bit value of 1 (b1) and a code sequence m0 for each bit value of 0 (b0) of a data bit stream including pilot tone data bit values of 1 (b1) and bit values of 0 (b0), with each code sequence having multiple coding bits in the duration of each bit. Pilot tone detection can further include decoding each code sequence of the coded pilot tone signal using a plurality of successive overlapping measurement windows. In some embodiments each measurement window is of the same duration, being of the duration of each code sequence, and detecting each code sequence comprises selecting one of the plurality of measurement windows to represent a complete code sequence.
US09941939B2
A method for operating a random access channel (RACH) by a base station (BS) performing beamforming with at least one receive chain includes broadcasting RACH configuration information; and receiving an RACH signal with at least one receive chain, wherein the RACH configuration information includes threshold information to divide an RACH groups into a first group and a second group. A BS for operating a RACH by performing beamforming with at least one receive chain in a communication system, the BS comprising a controller configured to broadcast RACH configuration information and control at least one receive chain to receive an RACH signal, wherein the RACH configuration information includes threshold information to divide RACH groups into a first group and a second group. Other embodiments including a user equipment are also disclosed.
US09941938B2
A method and apparatus for mapping/demapping a resource efficiently in a wireless communication system are provided. A resource mapping method of a transmitter in a wireless communication system includes precoding pairs of symbols, arranging the pairs of precoded symbols adjacently in a resource block, and transmitting the pairs of precoded symbols in the resource block.
US09941930B2
An article of manufacture for supplying a power to a load connected in a capacitive power transfer system comprises a sheet (210) of a non-conductive material; and a plurality of conductive stripes (220), each two adjacent conductive stripes being electrically insulated from each other, wherein the sheet forms an insulating layer of the capacitive power transfer system and the plurality of conductive stripes form at least a pair of transmitter electrodes of the capacitive power transfer system.
US09941928B2
An apparatus comprises at least one vectoring engine and a cross-connect coupled to the vectoring engine. The cross-connect is to couple with each of a plurality of customer premises equipment (CPE) devices via a respective DSL loop. An interface is to receive instructions for the cross-connect to couple the vectoring engine to a nonoverlapping subset of the CPE devices via the respective DSL loops. The interface is further to receive instructions for the vectoring engine to apply vectoring to the DSL loop via which to couple one of the CPE devices to the cross-connect.
US09941927B2
A microwave backhaul system may comprise a monolithic integrated circuit comprising an on-chip transceiver, digital baseband processing circuitry, and auxiliary interface circuitry. The on-chip transceiver may process a microwave signal from an antenna element to generate a first pair of quadrature baseband signals and convey the first pair of phase-quadrature baseband signals to the digital baseband processing circuitry. The auxiliary interface circuitry may receive one or more auxiliary signals from a source that is external to the monolithic integrated circuit and convey the one or more auxiliary signals to the digital baseband processing circuitry. The digital baseband processing circuitry may be operable to process signals to generate one or more second pairs of phase-quadrature digital baseband signals.
US09941926B2
Apparatus for determining a time of arrival of a message signal comprising: a quadrature mixer (13, 14) for mixing a received message signal with the signal of a local oscillator, wherein the received message signal comprises a binary sequence modulated by binary frequency shift keying with pulses corresponding to a first value at a first frequency and with pulses corresponding to a second value at a second frequency, wherein the local oscillator has a frequency between the first frequency and the second frequency; a time of arrival detector (18) for determining a time of arrival of the message signal on the basis of the output of the quadrature mixer (13, 14).
US09941923B2
The disclosure relates to transceivers incorporating a transmit-receive switching circuit, embodiments of which include a radio transceiver circuit comprising: a first amplifier for amplifying signals received from an antenna via an antenna connection; a second amplifier for amplifying signals to be transmitted by the antenna via the antenna connection; and a switching circuit connected between an input of the first amplifier and the antenna connection, the switching circuit comprising a capacitor, a switching element and an impedance matching element, wherein the switching element is configured to connect a node between the capacitor and the impedance matching element to a signal ground when the transceiver is in a transmit mode.
US09941922B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a matching network including a tunable reactance circuit configured to be coupled to at least one of a transmitter portion and a receiver portion of a communication device, wherein the tunable reactance circuit is adjustable to a plurality of tuning states, and wherein the determination of a tuning state is based on parameters associated with a detected interference. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US09941917B2
An embodiment of the present invention discloses a base station, including: a baseband unit, a radio remote unit, a power supply device, a signal transmission device, and a backup power supply device. The baseband unit and the radio remote unit are mounted on an antenna tower or a pole. At least one of the power supply device, the signal transmission device, or the backup power supply device is also mounted on the antenna tower or the pole.
US09941906B2
An apparatus for polar coding includes an encoder circuit that implements a transformation c=u1N-sBN-s{tilde over (M)}n, where u1N-s, BN-s, {tilde over (M)}n, and C are defined over a Galois field GF(2k), k>1, N=2k, s
US09941904B2
The present invention provides a decoding method, a decoding apparatus, and a communications system, which implement multi-level coding in a manner combining soft-decision error correction coding and hard-decision error correction coding, implement multi-level decoding in a manner combining soft-decision error correction decoding and hard-decision error correction decoding, so as to integrate advantages of the two manners: compared with a manner in which soft-decision error correction coding and decoding are performed on multiple levels, a manner in which soft-decision error correction coding and decoding are performed on only one level reduces system complexity and resource overhead; and performing hard-decision error correction coding and decoding on other levels on a basis of performing soft-decision error correction coding and decoding on one level ensures gain performance, thereby meeting a gain requirement of a high-speed optical transmission system.
US09941891B2
A digital phase-locked loop includes a digital loop filter, a digitally controllable oscillator (DCO), and an injection-locked calibration-free time-to-digital converter (TDC) having a ring oscillator connected to the DCO via an input buffer that converts a sinusoidal DCO signal to a differential square wave signal provided to the ring oscillator such that ring oscillator frequency matches DCO frequency. A spur cancellation loop between the TDC and digital loop filter generates a spur cancellation signal based on an estimate of a spurious tone amplitude and phase. The spur cancellation signal is subtracted from TDC output signals prior to input to the digital loop filter. The spur cancellation loop may include a gradient descent strategy, or a feedforward strategy having a high-pass filter, integer delay chain, adaptive fractional delay, and signal averaging logic to cancel multiple internal and external spurs having frequencies that are not related to the reference clock frequency.
US09941885B2
Disclosed herein is an low power output stage coupled between a supply node and a ground node, configured to drive an output, and controlled by first, second, and third control nodes. A current sinking circuit controlled by an input signal and configured to sink current from the first and second control nodes when the input signal transitions to a first logic level, thereby resulting in decoupling of the output stage from the ground node and sourcing of current to the output by the output stage. When the input signal transitions to a second logic level different than the first logic level, the current sinking circuit sinks current from a third control node, thereby resulting in decoupling of the output stage from the supply node and sinking of current from the output by the output stage.
US09941881B1
A latch circuit includes an AND-NOR gate, a NAND gate, and a NOR gate. The AND-NOR gate includes a first AND-input configured to receive input data and a second AND-input coupled to an output of the NAND gate. The AND-NOR gate includes a NOR-input coupled to an output of the NOR gate, and an output configured to generate output data. The NAND gate includes a first input coupled to the output of the AND-NOR gate and a second input configured to receive a clock signal. The NOR gate includes a first input coupled to the output of the AND-NOR gate and a second input configured to receive a complementary clock signal. During a first half clock cycle, the AND-NOR gate passes the data from the input to the output. During a second half clock cycle, the feedback configuration of the AND-NOR gate and the NOR gate latches the data.
US09941876B2
Bootstrap diode circuits are disclosed. Example bootstrap diode circuits disclosed herein include a first diode having a first diode input coupled to a voltage supply and a first diode output. Disclosed bootstrap diode circuits additionally include a second diode having a second diode input coupled to the first diode output and a second diode output and a plurality of zener diodes coupled in series. The plurality of series-coupled zener diodes are further coupled in parallel with the second diode.
US09941875B2
A power management circuit includes both a power on reset (POR) circuit and a voltage monitoring circuit. Explicit testing of these circuits is accomplished by controlling voltages applied to the circuits and monitoring an output signal responsive to a logical combination of outputs from the POR circuit and voltage monitoring circuit. The applied voltages are controlled with respect to timing of application, fixing of voltages and varying of voltages in a manner where a certain one of the circuits for explicit test is isolated with change in logic state of the output signal being indicative of operation of that isolated circuit.
US09941867B1
One embodiment relates to a pulse latch that includes a latch control logic circuit and a pulse latch circuit. The latch control logic circuit generates a plurality of control signals and selects a control signal of the plurality of control signals to output to the pulse latch circuit. Each control signal of the plurality of control signals causes the pulse latch circuit to operate in a different operating mode. Another embodiment relates to a method of generating control signaling for a pulse latch. A clock signal and a shifted clock signal are received. A plurality of inputs to a multiplexor are generated using the clock signal and the shifted clock signal. An input of the plurality of inputs is selected as an output of the multiplexor. The input is selected by the multiplexor using a plurality of multiplexor configuration bits.
US09941866B2
In an aspect of the disclosure, a method and an apparatus are provided. The apparatus is a register array including first and second flip-flop latch arrays. The first flip-flop latch array includes a first set of master latches, a first set of slave latches coupled to the first set of master latches, and a first address port. The second flip-flop latch array includes a second set of master latches, a second set of slave latches coupled to the second set of master latches, and a second address port. The register array includes an address counter, coupled to the first flip-flop latch array and the second flip-flop latch array. The address counter is shared by the first flip-flop latch array and the second flip-flop latch array and configured to address, in parallel in a test mode, the first flip-flop latch array through the first address port and the second flip-flop latch array through the second address port.
US09941851B2
An amplifier arrangement comprises N amplifier stages 101 to 10N, wherein N is an integer equal or greater than five. The amplifier arrangement comprises a cascade of quarter wavelength transmission line segments 111 to 11M coupled between an output of an amplifier of a first amplifier stage and an output node 15 of the amplifier arrangement. At least one intermediate junction 12 in the cascade of quarter wavelength transmission line segments comprises: a first amplifier coupled directly to the intermediate junction 12; and a second amplifier coupled to the same intermediate junction 12 via a connecting quarter wavelength trans mission line 131.
US09941848B1
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a transconductance with capacitances feedback compensation amplifier may include a capacitor in parallel with an inner feedback loop of the amplifier for providing cascade compensation to the amplifier.
US09941846B2
Techniques for providing multiple power supplies in electronic devices are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, an appropriate power supply is provided only to accommodate a volume setting. In other words, there are at least two power supplies, one with a low voltage and the other with a high voltage. The high voltage power supply is only applied when there is a need to accommodate a volume setting. Thus the power consumption of the amplifiers is well controlled. As a result, the designs of the device and heat dissipation therein can be simplified and lowered in cost.
US09941840B2
A pulse generator is disclosed. The pulse generator can include a pulsed switch, such as a diode. The pulsed switched can be connected between an input source, such as an oscillator and a frequency multiplier.
US09941836B2
The present invention relates to a transient current and voltage protection device for electrical energy conversion systems connected to the power grid, comprising a diode bridge connected between the power grid and the power section of said inverter, upstream of the main filtering inductors.
US09941833B2
Provided is a converter for an HEV system. The converter includes a PCB, a PWM (IC) mounted on the PCB to output a plurality of PWM signals including a first PWM signal and a second PWM signal, a plurality of MOSFETs mounted on the PCB, the plurality of MOSFETs including a first MOSFET, which performs a switching operation according to the first PWM signal, and a second MOSFET which performs a switching operation according to the second PWM signal, and a plurality of inductors including a first inductor, which is magnetized according to the switching operation of the first MOSFET to operate in one phase, and a second inductor which is magnetized according to the switching operation of the second MOSFET to operate in other one phase.
US09941830B2
The current application is directed to various types of linear vibrational modules, including linear-resonant vibration modules that can be incorporated in a wide variety of appliances, devices, and systems to provide vibrational forces. The vibrational forces are produced by linear oscillation of a weight or member, in turn produced by rapidly alternating the polarity of one or more driving electromagnets. Feedback control is used to maintain the vibrational frequency of linear-resonant vibration module at or near the resonant frequency for the linear-resonant vibration module. Both linear vibration modules and linear-resonant vibration modules can be designed to produce vibrational amplitude/frequency combinations throughout a large region of amplitude/frequency space.
US09941828B2
The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for stabilizing sub-synchronous interaction (SSI) of a wind turbine generator connected to a power grid. More specifically, the method includes measuring an alternating-current (a-c) quantity of the power grid. Another step includes converting the a-c quantity to a d-q quantity and providing the d-q quantity to a d-q control loop within the controller. Another step includes altering, with a symmetric control component, a transfer function of the d-q control loop. The method also includes generating at least one d-q reference signal for the wind turbine generator based on the altered transfer function so as to achieve symmetric control of the generator. A further step includes generating a control signal for the generator based, at least in part, on the at least one d-q reference signal. The method also includes operating the generator based on the control signal.
US09941823B2
This disclosure discloses a motor control device configured to control a motor. The motor control device includes an inverter part, a gate driving circuit, a PWM generation circuit, at least one gate buffer, and a control part. The inverter part is configured to convert direct current into alternate current in response to a motor drive command. The gate driving circuit is configured to drive the inverter part. The PWM generation circuit is configured to generate a PWM signal applied to the gate driving circuit. The at least one gate buffer is disposed between the gate driving circuit and the PWM generation circuit. The control part is configured to apply a test signal to the gate buffer to determine abnormality of the gate buffer.
US09941822B2
Disclosed is an electromechanical generator for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy, the electromechanical generator comprising: a mass resiliently connected to a body by a biasing device and adapted to oscillate about an equilibrium point relative to the body with an oscillation amplitude, a transducer configured to convert oscillations of the mass about the equilibrium point relative to the body into electrical energy, and a resilient device disposed between the biasing device and one of the mass and the body, wherein the resilient device is configured to be deformed between the biasing device and the one of the mass and the body only when the oscillation amplitude exceeds a predetermined non-zero threshold amplitude. The resilient device may comprise one of a helical spring, an O-ring and a spring washer, such as a Belleville washer, a curved disc spring, a wave washer, and a split washer.
US09941817B2
High transfer sound pressure and high reception sensitivity are realized, and reliability is improved in terms of long term operation, in a capacitive detector-type ultrasonic transducer (CMUT). The ultrasonic transducer, which has a lower electrode (201), a hollow portion (202) that is formed on the lower electrode and surrounded by insulating films (209,208), an upper electrode (205) that is formed on the hollow portion, and a plurality of insulating film projections (204) that are formed in the hollow portion (202), comprises a plurality of rigid members (203) that are formed on the hollow portion, either the lower electrode (201) and/or the upper electrode (205) is disposed in a position that does not overlap with the insulating film projections (204) when viewed from the upper surface by carving out the portion that overlaps with the insulating film projections (204), and the respective rigid members (203) are disposed such that a region is present that overlaps with the insulating film projections (204) when viewed from the upper surface.
US09941816B2
A bidirectional current sensing circuit includes: a sensing resistor coupled between a load and a reference ground, a first and second auto-zero amplifiers coupled to the sensing resistor to sense the voltage across the sensing resistor, and an output transistor. One of the first and second auto-zero amplifiers operates in an output mode and the other of the first and second auto-zero amplifiers operates in a zeroing mode according to a polarity of a voltage across the sensing resistor. The output transistor has a first terminal providing a current sensing signal indicating a load current, a second terminal electrically connected to an inverting terminal of the one of the first and second auto-zero amplifiers operating in the output mode, and a control terminal electrically connected to an output terminal of the one of the first and second auto-zero amplifiers operating in the output mode.
US09941815B2
An object of the invention is to diagnose whether an overcurrent detecting function with respect to a power semiconductor element of a power conversion apparatus is normal. The power conversion apparatus of the invention is provided with IGBTs as the power semiconductor element which performs a switching operation to convert DC power supplied from a DC power source into AC power, an overcurrent detecting circuit, and an overcurrent simulating circuit. The IGBTs include an emitter sensing terminal which outputs a sense current according to a current flowing to an emitter electrode. The overcurrent detecting circuit detects the overcurrent flowing to the IGBTs on the basis of the sense current output from the emitter sensing terminal. The overcurrent simulating circuit outputs a simulation signal which simulates the overcurrent flowing to the IGBTs and toward the overcurrent detecting circuit.
US09941809B2
An inverter device includes an inverter device body portion and a protective cover that covers the inverter device body portion, and the protective cover integrally includes a front surface portion that covers the front surface of the inverter device body portion, a top surface portion that covers the top surface of the inverter device body portion, a first side surface portion that covers a first side surface of the inverter device body portion, and a second side surface portion that covers a second side surface of the inverter device body portion.
US09941798B2
In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a switched-mode power converter includes defining at least one of a minimum switching frequency threshold and a maximum switching frequency threshold; detecting valleys occurring in a voltage over the switching element when the switching element is in an off-state; and either in a quasi-resonant mode, switching the switching element on when an nth consecutive valley occurs, n being an integer equal to or greater than one, so that the actual switching frequency is at least one of: below the maximum switching frequency threshold and above the minimum switching frequency threshold, or in a forced switching frequency mode, switching the switching element on so that the actual switching frequency is the maximum or the minimum switching frequency.
US09941793B2
A voltage regulator includes circuitry for regulating a voltage output of the voltage regulator and a snubber circuit. The snubber circuit includes a switching device which is controlled to electronically connect or disconnect the snubber circuit with the circuitry of the voltage regulator device. The switching device may be controlled by a controller based on one or more parameters indicating a load of the voltage regulator device.
US09941792B2
Embodiments of a circuit for controlling DC offset error for an inductor current ripple based, constant-on time DC-DC converter are disclosed. The circuit includes a ripple generation circuit coupled to a reference voltage input and to a sense voltage input, and having a reference voltage output to form a main loop. The circuit also includes a DC error correction circuit connected between the reference voltage input and the sense voltage input, and the reference voltage output of the ripple generation circuit. The DC error correction circuit includes a coarse DC error correction loop coupled between the sense voltage input and the reference voltage output and a fine DC error correction loop coupled between the reference voltage input and the reference voltage output. A method for controlling DC offset error for an inductor current ripple based, constant-on time DC-DC converter, is also disclosed.
US09941788B2
A switching power supply in an integrated circuit, an integrated circuit comprising a switching power supply, and a method of assembling a switching power supply in an integrated circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, the invention provides a three-dimensional switching power supply in an integrated circuit comprising a device layer. The switching power supply comprises three distinct strata arranged in series with the device layer, the three distinct strata including a switching layer including switching circuits, a capacitor layer including banks of capacitors, and an inductor layer including inductors. This switching power supply further comprises a multitude of connectors electrically and mechanically connecting together the device layer, the switching layer, the capacitor layer, and the inductor layer. The switching circuits, the capacitors and the inductors form a switching power supply for supplying power to the device layer.
US09941777B2
An electrical rotating machine comprises a stator including armature pole coils 14 capable of generating magnetic flux when energized, an inner rotor driven to rotate when the magnetic flux passes therethough, and an outer rotor driven to rotate in a magnetic path of the magnetic flux that passes through the first rotor, the outer rotor having portions of different materials, in permeability, which are situated along the periphery of the outer rotor, the inner rotor having a plurality of salient poles situated along the periphery of the inner rotor and wound by wound coils 34 which induce induced current when linked by the magnetic flux generated by the armature pole coils, the stator including a plurality of wound coils 51, 52, 53 winding around each of poles to constitute the armature pole coil for each of the plurality of salient poles.
US09941771B2
A number of variations may include a product comprising: a rotor core comprising a body, wherein the body includes an inner surface and an outer surface, a first end cap which extends radially from a first end of the body and a second end cap which extends radially from a second end of the body, wherein the first end cap, the second end cap, and the outer surface define an annular cavity; at least one sleeve adjacent at least one of the first end cap or the second end cap; at least one magnet contained within the annular cavity; and at least one bearing operatively attached to the at least one sleeve.
US09941752B2
Embodiments disclosed herein disclose a wireless charging system configured to generate and transmit power waves that, due to physical waveform characteristics, converge at a predetermined location in a transmission field to generate a pocket of energy. Receivers, associated with an electronic device being powered by the wireless charging system, may extract energy from these pocket of energy and then convert that energy into usable electric power for the electronic device associated with a receiver. The pocket of energy may manifest as a three-dimensional field (e.g., transmission field) where energy may be harvested by a receiver positioned within or nearby the pocket of energy. Video sensors capture actual video images of fields of view within the transmission field, and a processor identifies selected objects, selected events, and/or selected locations within the captured video images.
US09941751B2
A method for performing wireless charging control of an electronic device and an associated apparatus are provided, where the method includes: performing at least one detection operation at a direct current (DC) output terminal of a rectifier of the electronic device to generate at least one detection result, wherein two alternating current (AC) input terminals of the rectifier are coupled to two terminals of a power input coil of the electronic device, and the at least one detection operation is not performed at the power input coil; and estimating input power of the power input coil according to the at least one detection result with aid of a set of predetermined data, and sending a packet carrying information corresponding to the estimated input power, for performing wireless charging foreign object detection (FOD), wherein the set of predetermined data is stored in a non-volatile (NV) memory of the electronic device.
US09941747B2
A system for selecting a deselecting charging devices in a wireless power network is disclosed here. The system includes a graphical user interface from which a user may select or deselect devices to be charged in a wireless power network. The disclosed system may store records from different components of a wireless power network into a database distributed throughout said network with copies stored within the memory of wireless power transmitters.
US09941735B2
An uninterruptible power supply operates between a main supply input, a battery and a load, and comprises an input converter and an output converter. In a first mode of operation, AC mains power received at the supply input is converted by said input converter and output converter in series to provide an AC power supply to the load. In a second mode of operation, stored energy is released from the battery via the output converter to maintain the AC power supply to the load. A further converter can be used during the first mode of operation to charge the battery from a charging supply input. The charging current bypasses the input converter, allowing charging rate to be increased, without increasing a power rating of the input converter. The further converter may be bidirectional and be used also in the second mode.
US09941733B2
An electronic device includes a solar cell, a secondary battery that is charged by the solar cell, and a control circuit that switches between a charging period during which the charging of the secondary battery from the solar cell is performed and a communication period during which an optical signal is received by the solar cell. The optical signal includes a synchronization signal indicating the transmission of data and the data, and the communication period is configured to detect the synchronization signal. The control circuit extends the communication period to enable the solar cell to receive the whole data included in the optical signal.
US09941724B2
A method for controlling charging in an electronic device for managing the electronic device, to stably charge a battery is provided. The method includes setting alarm such that a wake up signal is generated after a time elapses when entry into a suspend mode is requested during charging a battery or in a charging stop state, entering the suspend mode, waking-up and determining a state of the battery wake up, and turning-on or -off the battery charging according to the determined state of the battery.
US09941722B2
A system (1-2) for efficiently transferring harvested vibration energy to a battery (6) includes a piezo harvester (2) generating an AC output voltage (VP(t)) and current (IPZ(t)) and an active rectifier (3) to produce a harvested DC voltage (Vhrv) and current (Ihrv) which charge a capacitance (C0). An enable circuit (17) causes a DC-DC converter (4) to be enabled, thereby discharging the capacitance into the converter, when a comparator (A0,A1) of the rectifier which controls switches (S1-S4) thereof detects a direction reversal of the AC output current (IPZ(t)). Another comparator (13) causes the enable circuit (17) to disable the converter (4) when the DC voltage exceeds a threshold (VREF), thereby causing the capacitance be recharged.
US09941720B2
In a lighting device, each of n circuit blocks includes a current controller, a storage element, a charging current controller, a charging rectifier element, and a discharging rectifier element. A first circuit block of the n circuit blocks is configured such that a pulsating voltage generated by rectifying a sine wave AC voltage is applied to the series circuit of the current controller and one light source electrically connected to the first circuit block. An i-th circuit block of the n circuit blocks is electrically connected in parallel to the current controller of an i-1-th circuit block via an i-1-th connection rectifier element.
US09941711B2
A method is provided for managing the level of charge of at least two batteries respectively powering a first and a second device. The devices are able to cooperate physically with one another via a modular interface, and the method includes a step of transferring energy from one of the batteries to the other of the batteries, the transferring step being implemented as a function of a level of charge of at least one of the batteries.
US09941707B1
The embodiments described herein include a transmitter that transmits a power transmission signal (e.g., radio frequency (RF) signal waves) to create a three-dimensional pocket of energy. At least one receiver can be connected to or integrated into electronic devices and receive power from the pocket of energy. The transmitter can locate the at least one receiver in a three-dimensional space using a communication medium (e.g., Bluetooth technology). The transmitter generates a waveform to create a pocket of energy around each of the at least one receiver. The transmitter uses an algorithm to direct, focus, and control the waveform in three dimensions. The receiver can convert the transmission signals (e.g., RF signals) into electricity for powering an electronic device. Accordingly, the embodiments for wireless power transmission can allow powering and charging a plurality of electrical devices without wires.
US09941696B2
Establishing communication and power sharing links between components of a distributed energy system
Disclosed herein is a method and system for sharing power or energy across various power supply and control modules. More specifically, disclosed herein are systems and methods for distributing energy. As explained herein, the method discloses receiving, at a microgrid, data from a plurality of data sources. The data is then analyzed to forecast power needs associated with the microgrid. Using the data, the microgrid may determine whether and when to share power with the requesting module.
US09941694B2
A power supply system includes first and second DC power supplies and a power converter. The power converter includes first and third semiconductor elements electrically connected between respective nodes of a first node and a second node and a power line, second and fourth semiconductor elements electrically connected between respective nodes of the first node and the second node and a second power line, a fifth semiconductor element electrically connected between the first and second nodes, and first and second reactors. The first reactor is electrically connected in series with the first DC power supply, between the first node and the second power line. The second reactor is electrically connected in series with the second DC power supply, between the second power line and the second node. A control device controls on and off of the switching element included in the semiconductor element.
US09941693B2
In one embodiment, a bus coupled includes a voltage control circuit configured to selectively conduct a current from the first current source away from an output of the coupler to regulate a voltage drop across the another current source to a first value. An embodiment of a method of forming a bus coupler may include configuring a circuit to store energy from the input into a first storage element in response to receiving an active portion of an input signal, and to transfer energy from the storage element to the output after termination of the active portion of the input signal.
US09941687B2
Methods for operating a wind turbine system are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes adjusting a threshold direct current (DC) bus voltage for a dynamic brake in a wind turbine power converter above a reference DC bus voltage based on at least one system condition. The method further includes gating the dynamic brake on when an experienced DC bus voltage is equal to or greater than the threshold DC bus voltage, and inputting a dynamic brake condition into a controller when the dynamic brake is gated on. The method further includes determining if a grid fault has occurred, reducing power generation of the wind turbine if no grid fault has occurred, and blocking the power converter if a grid fault has occurred. The method further includes gating the dynamic brake off when the experienced DC bus voltage is less than the threshold DC bus voltage.
US09941679B1
An interlocking floor box assembly including one or more electrical boxes which may be securely ganged together to form a multi-gang floor box for mounting one or more electrical components, such as duplex outlets, directly in a concrete pour area or in a floor above a concrete base. Opposing side walls include an internal hub and an external hub respectively for interlocking two or more electrical boxes together. Other embodiments may include a tab and a corresponding slot on opposing walls on the electrical boxes to enable interlocking two or more boxes. The interlocking floor box assembly enables secure side to side interlocking of two or more boxes to form a multi-gang floor box. A cover plate and a lid assembly enable plug in of electrical cords into the duplex outlets with the plug ends of the cords recessed below the floor level.
US09941663B2
Vertical cavity light emitting sources that utilize patterned membranes as reflectors are provided. The vertical cavity light emitting sources have a stacked structure that includes an active region disposed between an upper reflector and a lower reflector. The active region, upper reflector and lower reflector can be fabricated from single or multi-layered thin films of solid states materials (“membranes”) that can be separately processed and then stacked to form a vertical cavity light emitting source.
US09941654B2
An apparatus for generating and amplifying laser beams at approximately 1 micrometer wavelength is disclosed. The apparatus includes an ytterbium-doped gain-crystal pumped by an ytterbium fiber-laser. The fiber-laser enables a pump wavelength to be selected that minimizes heating of the gain-crystal. The apparatus can be configured for generating and amplifying ultra-fast pulses, utilizing the gain-bandwidth of ytterbium-doped gain-crystals.
US09941648B2
A multi-outlet power strip comprises a channel assembly that includes a front channel having an integrated ground clamp configured to couple a ground wire of a received receptacle harness. In an example embodiment, the ground clamp is disposed at a first end of the channel assembly. A back channel can be mounted at a desired location. Supply wiring from a junction box or other type of power source can be provided to the back channel and coupled to receptacle wiring at a second opposing end of the front channel. The front channel can be coupled to the back channel. A back channel can be configured to engage an angle mount bracket in a manner that allows channel translation and passage of supply wiring. The angle mount bracket can independently support a back channel at an angled orientation while an installer secures the back channel to a mounting surface.
US09941643B2
Switchable grounded terminal loads are built into, or otherwise coupled to, connectors on motherboards and control devices. The terminal loads are coupled to the bus termination at the connector when the connector is “stuffed” (connected to a mating connector). The switchable grounded terminal loads replace dummy connectors in preventing empty “unstuffed” connectors from increasing error risks on active channels.
US09941638B2
An electrical cord having improved safety features comprises a plug having a body portion surrounding respective ends of first, second, and third electrical wires. A live receptacle is in electrical communication with the end of the first electrical wire. A neutral receptacle is in electrical communication with the end of the second electrical wire. A ground receptacle is in electrical communication with the end of the third electrical wire. The body portion surrounds and maintains the live, neutral, and ground receptacles in spaced apart orientation corresponding to blades on an electrical plug. An indicator is provided to indicate a state of the plug in which electricity is supplied to the plug in a proper polarity.
US09941637B2
A connection device in the present disclosure, which is a connection device capable of detachably connecting a cable, includes a first terminal to be connected to a second terminal of the cable, a holding mechanism for maintaining a connection state between the first terminal and the second terminal, and a controller that acquires environment information around the connection device and changes holding force of the holding mechanism based on the environment information.
US09941631B1
A plug attached to a terminal part of a cable includes a plug main body to be connected to an adaptor, a latch, which is provided at the plug main body so as to be elastically displaceable from an outside of the plug main body toward an outer surface of the plug main body and which is engaged to the adaptor, and a slider including a cover part that is disposed at the outside of the latch. When the cover part is pushed down toward the outer surface or when the slider is moved in an extraction direction in which the plug main body is to be extracted from the adaptor, the latch is pushed down toward the outer surface and the engaging state of the latch is released.
US09941627B2
This application relates to magnetically actuated electrical connectors. The electrical connectors includes movable magnetic elements that move in response to an externally applied magnetic field. In some embodiments, the electrical connectors includes recessed contacts that move from a recessed position to an engaged position in response to an externally applied magnetic field associated with an electronic device to which the connector is designed to be coupled. In some embodiments, the external magnetic field has a particular polarity pattern configured to draw contacts associated with a matching polarity pattern out of the recessed position.
US09941622B1
Various connectors are disclosed. The connectors include a sealing assembly for providing a seal around a cable extending through the connector. The sealing assembly can include a moveable shuttle, a sleeve, a stop component and a sealing boot. The sealing boot can be compressed between the sleeve and the shuttle as the shuttle moves towards the stop component. The sealing boot can be configured to change shape (e.g., buckle) around the cable in response to movement of the shuttle. The change in shape of the sealing boot can facilitate sealing around the cable. The connector can be configured to inhibit or prevent the sealing boot from being extruded of out of position in response to a pressure gradient between first and second ends of the connector.
US09941621B2
A card edge connector includes an insulative elongated housing and a plurality of contacts disposed in the housing. The housing includes a pair of side walls extending along a longitudinal direction with a central slot therebetween in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Each side wall includes a plurality of passageways to receive the corresponding contacts, respectively. Each contact has the retaining section, a contacting section extending from one side of the retaining section, and a tail section extending from the other side of the retaining section. Each contact at a lower position is associated with a corresponding wiping terminal at an upper position in the same passageway.
US09941614B2
A socket connector includes a housing mounted on a substrate, a plurality of socket terminals that is held by the housing. The plurality of socket terminals is, on one end side thereof, conductively connected to a single connection pad provided in a circuit pattern of the substrate, and is, on the other end side thereof, conductively connected to a plug terminal that is to be a connection mate. Each of the socket terminals includes a substrate connection portion that is fixed to a connection pad, a contact portion that comes into conductive contact with the substrate, and a connection piece portion that connects the contact portion and the substrate connection portion to each other. The connection piece portion including a plurality of branched pieces forming conductive paths that connect, in a parallel manner, the contact portion and the substrate connection portion splits an electric current in a parallel manner.
US09941613B2
An electrical connector is disclosed. The electrical connector has an insulating housing extending in a longitudinal direction and having a first insertion slot and a second insertion slot parallel to the first insertion slot, a plurality of first terminals disposed separately on an upper portion of the first insertion slot along the longitudinal direction, a plurality of second terminals disposed on the upper portion of the first insertion slot and spaced apart from the plurality of first terminals, a plurality of third terminals disposed separately on a lower portion of the first insertion slot along the longitudinal direction, a plurality of fourth terminals disposed separately on an upper portion of the second insertion slot along the longitudinal direction, and a balance structure disposed on an end of the insulating housing in the longitudinal direction.
US09941608B2
A plug connector arrangement having a plug connector and a cable connected thereto, at least one inner conductor and an outer conductor surrounding the inner conductor, wherein the outer conductor of the cable is electrically connected to an outer conductor housing of the plug connector. The plug connector arrangement additionally has a sleeve part which surrounds the inner conductor, has approximately the same inner diameter (D) as the outer conductor (34) of the cable, adjoins a front axial end (A) of the outer conductor, and continues a shielding of the inner conductor in the direction of the front cable end.
US09941592B2
Unit cell including a receive antenna, a transmit antenna, and including first and second radiation surfaces separated from each other by a separation area, a phase-shift circuit comprising switches, each having an on, respectively off, state, wherein the corresponding switch allows, respectively blocks, the flowing of a current between the first and second radiation surfaces; a ground plane; a first printed circuit board including a first surface provided with the receive antenna, and a second opposite surface provided with the ground plane; a wafer of a semiconductor material including a first surface provide with first and second radiation surfaces and wherein the switches are formed in the separation area, monolithically with the transmit antenna.
US09941590B2
Various embodiments of a single structure multiple mode antenna are described. The antenna is preferably constructed having a first inductor coil that is electrically connected in series with a second inductor coil. The antenna is constructed having a plurality of electrical connections positioned along the first and second inductor coils. A plurality of terminals facilitates connection of the electrical connections thereby providing numerous electrical connection configurations and enables the antenna to be selectively tuned to various frequencies and frequency bands. In addition, the antenna comprises a variety of magnetic shielding materials that are positioned through the antenna structure. These magnetic materials are designed to help shape the magnetic fields being emitted by the respective inductor coils.
US09941581B2
A housing for an electronic device, including an aluminum layer enclosing a volume that includes a radio-frequency (RF) antenna is provided. The housing includes a window aligned with the RF antenna; the window including a non-conductive material filling a cavity in the aluminum layer; and a thin aluminum oxide layer adjacent to the aluminum layer and to the non-conductive material; wherein the non-conductive material and the thin aluminum oxide layer form an RF-transparent path through the window. A housing for an electronic device including an integrated RF-antenna is also provided. A method of manufacturing a housing for an electronic device as described above is provided.
US09941576B2
An antenna device includes a power supply coil to which a near field communication circuit is connected, a near field communication coil that is coupled to an antenna coil of a communication target and the power supply coil via a magnetic field and that resonates at the frequency of a near field communication signal, and a non-contact charging coil that is connected to a non-contact charging control circuit and that is coupled to a target coil for non-contact charging. The power supply coil and the non-contact charging coil are provided on the same plane or on planes that are close to each other. The non-contact charging coil is superposed with the near field communication coil when viewed in plan view, and the shortest distance between the power supply coil and the NFC coil is smaller than the shortest distance between the power supply coil and the non-contact charging coil.
US09941573B2
A problem with conventional article management systems has been that the management scheme for articles. The present invention addresses this problem by providing an article management system comprising: a transmitting antenna for transmitting a radio signal; a receiving antenna for receiving a radio signal; a article to be managed positioning region whereat articles to be managed are placed; an RF tag provided with a tag transmitting unit which electromagnetically couples with the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna; and an RFID reader which sends a transmission signal to the RF tag via the transmitting antenna and receives a response signal outputted by the tag transmitting unit via the receiving antenna. The RFID reader detects whether or not a article to be managed is present by detecting for changes in the operation characteristics of the tag transmitting unit due to the article to be managed according to changes in either the strength or phase of the response signal from the RF tag.
US09941566B2
Disclosed are various embodiments for transmitting energy conveyed in the form of a guided surface-waveguide mode along the surface of a lossy medium such as, e.g., a terrestrial medium by exciting a guided surface waveguide probe.
US09941560B2
Non-contact on-wafer S-parameter measurements of devices at millimeter-wave to terahertz frequencies
A broadband fully micromachined transition from rectangular waveguide to cavity-backed coplanar waveguide line for submillimeter-wave and terahertz application is presented. The cavity-backed coplanar waveguide line is a planar transmission line that is designed and optimized for minimum loss while providing 50 Ohm characteristic impedance. This line is shown to provide less than 0.12 dB/mm loss over the entire J-band. The transition from cavity-backed coplanar waveguide to a reduced-height waveguide is realized in three steps to achieve a broadband response with a topology amenable to silicon micromachining. A novel waveguide probe measurement setup is also introduced and utilized to evaluate the performance of the transitions.
US09941559B2
A metal-air battery comprising an emulsified or dispersed aqueous/ionic liquid two phase electrolyte system is provided. The two phase electrolyte system contains an aqueous phase and an ionic liquid phase wherein an amount of water exceeds the aqueous solubility of the ionic liquid. In one embodiment the metal-air battery is a lithium-air battery.
US09941545B2
Disclosed is an electrolyte solution for lithium secondary batteries, including a cyclic sulfonic acid ester represented by the general formula (1): wherein, in the general formula (1), R1 and R2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, halogen or an amino group with the proviso that R1 and R2 do not represent hydrogen atoms at the same time; and R3 represents methylene which may be substituted with fluorine. Batteries using this electrolyte solution are excellent in battery properties and storage characteristics.
US09941541B2
In a fuel cell stack, voltage detecting terminals are disposed on a second separator and a third separator of a power generation unit, whereas a voltage detecting terminal is not disposed on a first separator of the power generation unit. Among terminal plates of the fuel cell stack, another voltage detecting terminal is disposed only on the terminal plate that is in contact with the first separator.
US09941537B2
Problem: To provide a fuel cell module and a fuel cell device with improved power output.Resolution means: A fuel cell module (27) according to the present invention includes: a housing (2); a plurality of cell stack devices (1) arranged inside the housing (2), each cell stack device (1) including a cell stack (3) in which a plurality of fuel cells (2) that generate power using fuel gas and oxygen-containing gas are arranged; and exhaust gas discharge paths (39, 40) formed between the cell stack devices (1) for discharging the exhaust gas from the fuel cells. Consequently, the exhaust gases can be efficiently discharged, thereby improving the power output. A fuel cell device (52) can have improved power output by being provided with the above-described fuel cell module (27).
US09941532B2
An objection is to provide a technology by which a decline in the starting performance of a fuel cell system may be controlled in a low-temperature environment. A control method of a fuel cell system includes a temperature acquisition step of acquiring a temperature of the fuel cell at start-up of the fuel cell; and an exhaust gas control step of restricting, when the temperature of the fuel cell is below a predetermined value, a flow rate of an exhaust gas flowing into a flow path configuring portion that configures at least a part of a flow path of the exhaust gas of the fuel cell as compared to the flow rate of the exhaust gas flowing into the flow path configuring portion when the temperature of the fuel cell is equal to or less than the predetermined value.
US09941521B2
The disclosure is to provide a method for producing a core-shell catalyst that is able to increase the power generation performance of a membrane electrode assembly. A dispersion is prepared, in which a palladium-containing particle support, in which palladium-containing particles are supported on an electroconductive support, is dispersed in water; hydrogen gas is bubbled into the dispersion; the palladium-containing particles are acid treated after the bubbling; copper is deposited on the surface of the palladium-containing particles by applying a potential that is nobler than the oxidation reduction potential of copper to the palladium-containing particles in a copper ion-containing electrolyte after the acid treatment; and then a shell is formed by substituting the copper deposited on the surface of the palladium-containing particles with platinum by bringing the copper deposited on the surface of the palladium-containing particles into contact with a platinum ion-containing solution.
US09941506B2
Part of an electrode, specifically a current collector and an active material layer, for a secondary battery is subjected to cutting processing to have a complex shape. For example, a stack of the first current collector and the first active material layer has a first slit and a second slit. The first slit extends from a first edge of the stack. The second slit extends from a second edge of the stack, is the slit closest to an electrode tab, and is not parallel or vertical to the longest edge of the current collector.
US09941505B2
A battery includes a shell, a core and a protection component received in the shell. The core includes a first electrode tab connected to a first current collector and a second electrode tab connected to a second current collector of the core. The protection component includes two insulating layers and a conducting layer disposed between two insulating layers. The conducting layer defines a first end electrically connected to the first electrode tab and a second end configured as a free end, and an outmost current collector of the core is configured by the second current collector.
US09941504B2
The present invention is an all-solid-state electrode body including: a positive electrode via that is formed in a negative electrode connection layer, and connects a plurality of a positive electrode connection layers adjacent to each other in a first direction; a negative electrode via that is formed in the positive electrode connection layer, and connects a plurality of the negative electrode connection layers adjacent to each other in the first direction; a positive electrode current collector layer which is exposed on a first surface that faces one side of the first direction in a stacked body, and is connected to the positive electrode connection layer via the positive electrode via; and a negative electrode current collector layer which is exposed on the first surface in the stacked body, and is connected to the negative electrode connection layer via the negative electrode via.
US09941503B2
A rechargeable battery according to one or more exemplary embodiments includes: a pair of electrode assemblies, each including a first electrode including a coated region, a tab, and a connecting tab, a second electrode including a coated region, a tab, and a connecting tab, and a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode, the first electrode, the separator, and the second electrode being wound; a case accommodating the pair of electrode assemblies; a cap plate at an opening of the case and defining terminal openings; and first and second electrode terminals respectively connected to the tabs of the first and second electrodes and respectively passing through the terminal openings. The pair of electrode assemblies are electrically connected to each other via the connecting tabs.
US09941502B2
A signal collection and power connection assembly of a power battery module, a power battery module and a vehicle are provided. The assembly includes a substrate, a power connection member fixed on the substrate, a power connection line formed by a first sheet-like conductor disposed on the substrate, a signal collection line formed by a second sheet-like conductor disposed on the substrate, and a signal collection member disposed on the substrate and coupled with the signal collection line. A terminal of the power connection line is coupled with the power connection member, and a terminal of the signal collection line is coupled with the power connection member.
US09941497B2
Provided are a secondary battery separator having good heat durability, high adhesion property with the electrode active material layer formed on the current collector, and good anti-blocking property, and a secondary battery having such a secondary battery separator. The secondary battery separator of the present invention includes an organic separator layer, a heat-durable layer formed adjacent to at least one surface of the organic separator layer, and an adhesive layer formed on the heat-durable layer, wherein the heat-durable layer contains non-conductive particles and a binder, and the adhesive layer contains a particulate polymer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 10 to 100° C.
US09941494B2
A battery pack including a battery cell, a plurality of electrode tabs coupled to and extending from terminals of the battery cell, a protect circuit module (PCM) to control charging and discharging of the battery cell, a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) including a plurality of connection pads coupled to the electrode tabs and electrically coupling the battery cell to the PCM, and a case accommodating the battery cell, the electrode tabs, the PCM, and the FPCB, wherein the case includes a first case accommodating the battery cell and a second case covering the first case, and wherein the first case includes ribs extending toward the second case and has cut-out grooves at regions corresponding to the connection pads.
US09941493B2
A power storage device packaging material includes: a base material layer; a metal foil layer formed on one surface of the base material layer via an adhesive layer; and a sealant layer arranged on a surface of the metal foil layer, the surface of the metal foil layer being on the opposite side to the base material layer, wherein the base material layer contains a polyester resin that contains a polyester elastomer and/or an amorphous polyester.
US09941492B2
A flexible secondary battery includes an electrode assembly and external material surrounding the electrode assembly having at least one bonding portion, wherein the external material is bonded to itself at the at least one bonding portion, and the at least one bonding portion extends in a lengthwise direction of the electrode assembly at an edge of the electrode assembly.
US09941489B2
An organic light emitting diode display device includes a first driving voltage line including a first portion extending in a first direction and a second portion having a larger width than the first portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The second portion overlaps a gate electrode of a driving thin film transistor, an interlayer insulating layer is between the second portion and the gate electrode of the driving thin film transistor.
US09941480B2
A method for processing a perovskite photoactive layer. The method comprises depositing a lead salt precursor onto a substrate to form a lead salt thin film, depositing a second salt precursor onto the lead salt thin film, annealing the substrate to form a perovskite material.
US09941477B2
A compound for an organic photoelectric device is represented by Chemical Formula 1, and an organic photoelectric device, an image sensor and an electronic device include the same.
US09941475B2
Provided is a method for manufacturing a highly reliable display device. The method includes steps of providing a first layer, a first insulating layer, an electrode, and a second insulating layer over a first surface of a first substrate; removing a part of the second insulating layer to provide a first opening; providing a display element and a second layer over the second insulating layer; providing a third layer and a third insulating layer over a second surface of a second substrate; removing part of the third layer and part of the third insulating layer to provide a second opening; overlapping the first substrate and the second substrate with a bonding layer positioned therebetween such that the first surface and the second surface face each other and the first opening and the second opening have an overlap region; separating the first substrate and the first layer from the first insulating layer; providing a third substrate such that the first insulating layer and the third substrate overlap with each other; separating the second substrate, part of the bonding layer, part of the second layer, and the third layer from the third insulating layer; and providing a fourth substrate such that the third insulating layer and the fourth substrate overlap with each other.
US09941473B2
Various embodiments relate to a method for closely connecting an organic optoelectronic component to a connection piece, including forming a first cavity in the organic optoelectronic component, wherein the first cavity has at least a first opening, introducing a connecting structure through the first opening into the first cavity, wherein the connecting structure has a first fixing area, wherein the first fixing area is configured partially complementarily to the form of the first cavity, forming a second cavity in a connection piece, wherein the second cavity has at least a second opening, wherein the second cavity is configured partially complementarily to the form of the second fixing area, and introducing a second fixing area through the second opening into the second cavity, and forming a friction-fitting connection of the organic optoelectronic component with the connecting piece once the connecting structure has been introduced into the first and the second cavity.
US09941471B2
A method for manufacturing a PCRAM memory includes forming in a first dielectric layer arranged on a substrate, which includes bottom electrodes, a first rectilinear trench opening onto the set of electrodes; depositing a first active layer in the first trench, such that the first active layer is in electrical contact with the electrodes; covering the first active layer with a second dielectric layer; etching, in the second and second dielectric layers and the first active layer, additional rectilinear trenches oriented perpendicularly to the first trench, to obtain a group of memory devices each including a portion of the first active layer in electrical contact with one of the electrodes; filling the additional trenches with a sacrificial dielectric material; performing an anisotropic etching of the sacrificial material to expose a side surface of each portion of the first active layer; and covering the side surface with a second active layer.
US09941466B2
A method used while forming a magnetic tunnel junction comprises forming non-magnetic tunnel insulator material over magnetic electrode material. The tunnel insulator material comprises MgO and the magnetic electrode material comprises Co and Fe. B is proximate opposing facing surfaces of the tunnel insulator material and the magnetic electrode material. B-absorbing material is formed over a sidewall of at least one of the magnetic electrode material and the tunnel insulator material. B is absorbed from proximate the opposing facing surfaces laterally into the B-absorbing material. Other embodiments are disclosed, including magnetic tunnel junctions independent of method of manufacture.
US09941463B2
Embodiments are directed to a sensor having a first electrode, a second electrode and a detector region electrically coupled between the first electrode region and the second electrode region. The detector region includes a first layer having a topological insulator. The topological insulator includes a conducting path along a surface of the topological insulator, and the detector region further includes a second layer having a first insulating magnetic coupler, wherein a magnetic field applied to the detector region changes a resistance of the conducting path.
US09941456B2
Disclosed is a thermoelectric material with excellent thermoelectric conversion performance. The thermoelectric material includes a matrix having Cu and Se, a Cu-containing particle, and an Ag-containing structure.
US09941453B2
A light emitting device includes a light emitting element having a first face positioned on an emission face side of the light emitting device, a second face opposing the first face, and lateral faces disposed between the first face and the second face, a light transmissive member formed from a resin-containing material, covering at least a portion of the lateral faces of the light emitting element and having a first face positioned on the emission face side, a covering member covering an exterior of the light transmissive member and having a first face positioned on the emission face side, a wavelength converting member covering the first face of the light emitting element, the first face of the light transmissive member, and the first face of the covering member, and a light reflective film including a first reflective film portion made of an inorganic material disposed between the exterior of the light transmissive member and the covering member, and a second reflective film portion made of an inorganic material disposed between the first face of the covering member and the wavelength converting member.
US09941452B2
A display device is provided. The display device includes a first substrate, a display unit, a second substrate, and a light shielding structure. The display unit is disposed on the first substrate and includes at least one light emitting diode chip. The light shielding structure surrounds the light emitting diode chip of the display units and is located between the first substrate and the second substrate.
US09941451B2
A light emitting device includes a wiring board, a light emitting element, and a protection film. The wiring board includes a base member, and positive and negative wiring layer parts. The positive and negative wiring layer parts are arranged on or above the upper surface of the base member. The light emitting element is mounted on the wiring layer parts in a flip-chip manner. The protection film covers the base member, the wiring layer parts and the light emitting element, and is formed of an inorganic material for serving as the exterior surface of the light emitting device. Each of the wiring layer parts has a curved outer-side edge. The curvature of the outer-side edge is substantially constant.
US09941450B2
A bottom electrically conductive surface is disposed on the top surface of a substrate and a top electrically conductive surface disposed on the bottom surface of a superstrate. A bare die electronic device is disposed with at least one of its top conductor in direct electrical communication with the bottom electrically conductive surface and/or its bottom conductor in direct electrical communication with the top conductive surface. A non-conductive adhesive secures the substrate to the superstrate so that the bare die electronic device is retained in direct electrical communication. The non-conductive adhesive has a melting point temperature at least greater than a minimum operating temperature of the operating temperature range of the bare die, so that the non-conductive adhesive does not melt and flow thereby preventing a separation or degradation of the direct electrical connection of the bare die electronic device.
US09941445B2
The invention relates to a method for texturing a semiconductor substrate (1), comprising steps consisting in forming a plurality of cavities of random shapes, depths and distribution, in an etch mask (2), by means of non-homogeneous reactive-ion etching, forming a first rough random design, and etching the substrate using the etch mask, by means of reactive-ion etching, in such a way as to transfer the first rough random design into the substrate and to produce a second rough random design (200), comprising cavities (20) of random shapes, depths (d2r) and distribution, on the surface of the substrate.
US09941439B2
A thyristor includes a first conductivity type semiconductor layer, a first conductivity type carrier injection layer on the semiconductor layer, a second conductivity type drift layer on the carrier injection layer, a first conductivity type base layer on the drift layer, and a second conductivity type anode region on the base layer. The thickness and doping concentration of the carrier injection layer are selected to reduce minority carrier injection by the carrier injection layer in response to an increase in operating temperature of the thyristor. A cross-over current density at which the thyristor shifts from a negative temperature coefficient of forward voltage to a positive temperature coefficient of forward voltage is thereby reduced.
US09941435B2
A photovoltaic module is disclosed. The photovoltaic module has a first side directed toward the sun during normal operation and a second, lower side. The photovoltaic module comprises a perimeter frame and a photovoltaic laminate at least partially enclosed by and supported by the perimeter frame. The photovoltaic laminate comprises a transparent cover layer positioned toward the first side of the photovoltaic module, an upper encapsulant layer beneath and adhering to the cover layer, a plurality of photovoltaic solar cells beneath the upper encapsulant layer, the photovoltaic solar cells electrically interconnected, a lower encapsulant layer beneath the plurality of photovoltaic solar cells, the upper and lower encapsulant layers enclosing the plurality of photovoltaic solar cells, and a homogenous rear environmental protection layer, the rear environmental protection layer adhering to the lower encapsulant layer, the rear environmental protection layer exposed to the ambient environment on the second side of the photovoltaic module.
US09941430B2
A silicon-based quantum dot device (1) is disclosed. The device comprises a substrate (8) and a layer (7) of silicon or silicon-germanium supported on the substrate which is configured to provide at least one quantum dot (51, 52: FIG. 5). The layer of silicon or silicon-germanium has a thickness of no more than ten monolayers. The layer of silicon or silicon-germanium may have a thickness of no more than eight or five monolayers.
US09941426B2
Provided is a method for fabricating a nanopatterned surface. The method includes forming a mask on a substrate, patterning the substrate to include a plurality of symmetry-breaking surface corrugations, and removing the mask. The mask includes a pattern defined by mask material portions that cover first surface portions of the substrate and a plurality of mask space portions that expose second surface portions of the substrate, wherein the plurality of mask space portions are arranged in a lattice arrangement having a row and column, and the row is not oriented parallel to a [110] direction of the substrate. The patterning the substrate includes anisotropically removing portions of the substrate exposed by the plurality of spaces.
US09941423B2
A method for manufacturing a thin film solar cell includes: depositing a transparent first rear electrode on a first surface of a transparent substrate; depositing a second rear electrode having a high-conductive metal on the first rear electrode; performing a first laser scribing process to separate a double layer of the first and second rear electrodes; depositing a light absorption layer having selenium (Se) or sulfur (S) on the second rear electrode; performing a second laser scribing process by inputting a laser to a second surface of the transparent substrate to separate the light absorption layer; depositing a transparent electrode on the light absorption layer; and performing a third laser scribing process by inputting a laser to the second surface to separate the transparent electrode. Accordingly, patterning may be performed in a substrate-incident laser manner to improve price, productivity and precision of the patterning process.
US09941422B2
Provided are a transparent conductive film having a simple manufacturing process and high transparency, high photoelectric conversion efficiency, and excellent durability and an organic photoelectric conversion element using this transparent conductive film.The transparent conductive film of the present invention is formed by laminating a ground layer which contains a nitrogen-containing organic compound and a metal thin film layer which contains a metal element of Group 11 of the periodic table and has a thickness of from 2 to 10 nm. In addition, the organic photoelectric conversion element of the present invention has a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer present between the first electrode and the second electrode, and at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the organic photoelectric conversion element is a transparent conductive film formed by laminating the ground layer which contains the nitrogen-containing organic compound and the metal thin film layer which contains a metal element of Group 11 of the periodic table and has a thickness of from 2 to 10 nm.
US09941413B2
It is an object to provide a semiconductor device having a new productive semiconductor material and a new structure. The semiconductor device includes a first conductive layer over a substrate, a first insulating layer which covers the first conductive layer, an oxide semiconductor layer over the first insulating layer that overlaps with part of the first conductive layer and has a crystal region in a surface part, second and third conductive layers formed in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer, an insulating layer which covers the oxide semiconductor layer and the second and third conductive layers, and a fourth conductive layer over the insulating layer that overlaps with part of the oxide semiconductor layer.
US09941409B2
A thin film transistor substrate includes a semiconductor channel layer made of an oxide semiconductor, protective insulating layers that cover the semiconductor channel layer, a first source electrode, a first drain electrode, a second source electrode, and a second drain electrode. The second source electrode is located on the first source electrode and connected with the semiconductor channel layer through a first contact hole. The second drain electrode is located on the first drain electrode and connected with the semiconductor channel layer through a second contact hole.
US09941404B2
A Fin Field-Effect Transistor (FinFET) includes a semiconductor layer over a substrate, wherein the semiconductor layer forms a channel of the FinFET. A first silicon germanium oxide layer is over the substrate, wherein the first silicon germanium oxide layer has a first germanium percentage. A second silicon germanium oxide layer is over the first silicon germanium oxide layer. The second silicon germanium oxide layer has a second germanium percentage greater than the first germanium percentage. A gate dielectric is on sidewalls and a top surface of the semiconductor layer. A gate electrode is over the gate dielectric.
US09941402B2
A semiconductor device includes a guard structure located laterally between first and second active areas of a semiconductor substrate. The guard structure includes a first doping region at a front side surface of the substrate and a wiring structure electrically connecting the first doping region to a highly doped portion of a common doping region. The common doping region extends from a backside surface of the substrate to at least a part of the front side surface in contact with the wiring structure. An edge termination doping region laterally surrounds the first and second active areas. The edge termination doping region and the first doping region have a first conductivity type, and the common doping region has a second conductivity type. A resistive connection between the edge termination doping region and the first doping region is present at least during reverse operating conditions of the semiconductor device.
US09941401B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor stacked structure in which a semiconductor layer including an electron supply layer and an electron transit layer is stacked, and a gate electrode contacting with the semiconductor layer included in the semiconductor stacked structure or an insulating layer. The portion of the gate electrode contacting with the semiconductor layer or the insulating layer is an oxide of a metal configuring the portion of the gate electrode contacting with the semiconductor layer or the insulating layer.
US09941399B2
A III-N semiconductor device that includes a substrate and a nitride channel layer including a region partly beneath a gate region, and two channel access regions on opposite sides of the part beneath the gate. The channel access regions may be in a different layer from the region beneath the gate. The device includes an AlXN layer adjacent the channel layer wherein X is gallium, indium or their combination, and a preferably n-doped GaN layer adjacent the AlXN layer in the areas adjacent to the channel access regions. The concentration of Al in the AlXN layer, the AlXN layer thickness and the n-doping concentration in the n-doped GaN layer are selected to induce a 2DEG charge in channel access regions without inducing any substantial 2DEG charge beneath the gate, so that the channel is not conductive in the absence of a switching voltage applied to the gate.
US09941397B2
In a trench deeper than a thickness of a p-type base layer and configured by a first trench and a second trench, a second trench positioned at a lower portion is configured by a third trench and a fourth trench. A width of the second trench along an X direction is expanded more than the first trench positioned above the second trench. Along the X direction, the extent to which the second trench is expanded differs for the third trench and the fourth trench. Thus, a width of the lower portion of the trench differs along a Y direction, enabling reduced gate capacitance compared to uniform expansion along a transverse direction of the trench. Further, ON voltage may be reduced and switching capability may be improved.
US09941393B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate having an insulating surface; a light-transmitting first electrode provided over the substrate; a light-transmitting second electrode provided over the substrate; a light-transmitting semiconductor layer provided so as to be electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode; a first wiring electrically connected to the first electrode; an insulating layer provided so as to cover at least the semiconductor layer; a light-transmitting third electrode provided over the insulating layer in a region overlapping with the semiconductor layer; and a second wiring electrically connected to the third electrode.
US09941384B2
A semiconductor device includes a first III-V compound layer on a substrate, a second III-V compound layer on the first III-V compound layer, in which a material of the first III-V compound layer is different from that of the second III-V compound layer, a gate metal stack disposed on the second III-V compound layer, a source contact and a drain contact disposed at opposite sides of the gate metal stack, a gate field plate disposed between the gate metal stack and the drain contact, an anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer formed on the source contact and the drain contact, and an etch stop layer formed on the ARC layer.
US09941382B2
In one aspect, a diode comprises: a semiconductor layer having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the semiconductor layer having a thickness between the first side and the second side, the thickness of the semiconductor layer being based on a mean free path of a charge carrier emitted into the semiconductor layer; a first metal layer deposited on the first side of the semiconductor layer; and a second metal layer deposited on the second side of the semiconductor layer.
US09941370B2
Various embodiments disclose a method for fabricating a semiconductor structure including a plurality of vertical transistors each having different threshold voltages. In one embodiment the method includes forming a structure having at least a substrate, a source contact layer on the substrate, a first spacer layer on the source contact layer, a replacement gate on the first spacer layer, a second spacer layer on the replacement gate, and an insulating layer on the second spacer layer. A first trench is formed in a first region of the structure. A first channel layer having a first doping concentration is epitaxially grown in the first trench. A second trench is formed in a second region of the structure. A second channel layer having a second doping concentration is epitaxially grown in the second trench. The second doping concentration is different from the first doping concentration.
US09941368B2
Embodiments include Multiple Gate Field-Effect Transistors (MuGFETs) and methods of forming them. In an embodiment, a structure includes a substrate, a fin, masking dielectric layer portions, and a raised epitaxial lightly doped source/drain (LDD) region. The substrate includes the fin. The masking dielectric layer portions are along sidewalls of the fin. An upper portion of the fin protrudes from the masking dielectric layer portions. A first spacer is along a sidewall of a gate structure over a channel region of the fin. A second spacer is along the first spacer. The raised epitaxial LDD region is on the upper portion of the fin, and the raised epitaxial LDD region adjoins a sidewall of the first spacer and is disposed under the second spacer. The raised epitaxial LDD region extends from the upper portion of the fin in at least two laterally opposed directions and a vertical direction.
US09941367B2
A fin structure is on a substrate. The fin structure includes an epitaxial region having an upper surface and an under-surface. A contact structure on the epitaxial region includes an upper contact portion and a lower contact portion. The upper contact portion includes a metal layer over the upper surface and a barrier layer over the metal layer. The lower contact portion includes a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) contact along the under-surface. The MIS contact includes a dielectric layer on the under-surface and the barrier layer on the dielectric layer.
US09941357B2
A power MOSFET includes a substrate, a semiconductor layer, a first gate, a second gate, a thermal oxide layer, a first CVD oxide layer, and a gate oxide layer. The semiconductor layer is formed on the substrate and has at least one trench. The first gate is located inside the trench. The second gate is located inside the trench on the first gate, wherein the second gate has a first portion and a second portion, and the second portion is located between the semiconductor layer and the first portion. The thermal oxide layer is located between the first gate and the semiconductor layer. The first CVD oxide layer is located between the first gate and the second gate. The gate oxide layer is generally located between the second gate and the semiconductor layer.
US09941356B1
A junction field effect transistor includes a substrate and a gate region having a first conductive type in the substrate. Source/drain regions of a second conductive type opposite to the first conductive type are disposed in the substrate on opposite sides of the gate region. A pair of high-voltage well regions of the second conductive type are disposed beneath the source/drain regions. A channel region is provided beneath the gate region and between the pair of high-voltage well regions. The channel region is of the second conductive type and has a dopant concentration lower than that of the pair of high-voltage well regions.
US09941354B2
A semiconductor device includes a first gate trench and a second gate trench in a first main surface of a semiconductor substrate. A mesa is arranged between the first gate trench and the second gate trench. The mesa separates the first gate trench from the second gate trench. Each of the first and second gate trenches includes first sections extending in a first direction and second sections connecting adjacent ones of the first sections. The second sections of the first gate trench are disposed opposite to the second sections of the second gate trench with respect to a plane perpendicular to the first direction.
US09941352B1
A semiconductor structure and a method for fabricating the same. The semiconductor structure includes a gate stack disposed on a substrate. A gate contact is disposed in contact with an end portion of the gate stack. An air gap spacer is disposed in contact with a portion of the gate stack. The end portion of the gate stack is absent the air gap spacer. The method includes forming a gate contact in contact with a gate stack. A spacer surrounding at least a portion of the gate stack is removed after the gate contact has been formed. The removal of the spacer forms a trench surrounding the gate stack and stopping at the gate contact. An air gap spacer is formed within the trench.
US09941345B2
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display is disclosed. In one aspect, the OLED display includes a scan line configured to transmit a scan signal and a data line crossing the scan line and configured to transmit a data voltage. The OLED display also includes a driving voltage line crossing a scan line and configured to transmit a driving voltage, a switching transistor connected to the scan and data lines, and a driving transistor connected to the switching transistor and including a driving gate electrode configured to function as a first storage electrode. The OLED display further includes a second storage electrode overlapping the first storage electrode and an expansion portion of the driving voltage line, an OLED electrically connected to the driving transistor and a blocking layer extending from the driving drain electrode and overlapping a portion of the data.
US09941344B2
Embodiments relate to an organic light emitting display device according to the present disclosure including: a plurality of pixels which includes red, white, blue, and green sub-pixels; driving transistor, each of which is disposed in each sub-pixel; and organic light emitting diodes, each of which is disposed corresponding to each sub-pixel, wherein a first step portion, first and second bank layers, and a first step compensation portion are disposed between the white sub-pixel and a sub-pixel adjacent thereto, thereby having an effect of suppressing a short circuit defect and a light leakage defect. In addition, an organic light emitting display device according to the present disclosure includes: red, white, blue, and green sub-pixels; at least one step portion between the sub-pixels; first and second bank layers; and a step compensation portion, thereby having an effect of suppressing a short circuit defect and a light leakage defect.
US09941339B2
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display is disclosed. In one aspect, the OLED display includes a plurality of pixels, each including a driving thin film transistor (TFT) formed over a substrate and including a driving gate electrode, a first storage capacitor comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, and a second storage capacitor comprising a third electrode and a fourth electrode. The first electrode is electrically connected to the driving gate electrode and the second electrode is formed over the first electrode and electrically insulated from the first electrode. The third electrode is electrically connected to the first electrode, is formed on a different layer from each of the first and second electrodes, and does not overlap the second electrode. The fourth electrode is formed over the third electrode and electrically insulated from the third electrode.
US09941338B2
An organic light-emitting diode display and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the display includes a substrate including a display area configured to display an image and a peripheral area surrounding the display area. The display also includes a thin film transistor formed in the display area over the substrate, a first planarization layer covering the TFT in the display area, and an OLED formed over the first planarization layer and electrically connected to the TFT. The display also includes a second planarization layer formed in the peripheral area, the second planarization layer including a plurality of out-gassing holes formed therein, and at least a portion of the second planarization layer thinner than the first planarization layer.
US09941337B2
There is provided a flexible display having a plurality of innovations configured to allow bending of a portion or portions to reduce apparent border size and/or utilize the side surface of an assembled flexible display.
US09941336B2
The light emitting display device comprises: a substrate including a plurality of pixels that are arranged in a first direction and a second direction that crosses the first direction; a first electrode for each pixel on the substrate; a pixel defining layer on the substrate, the pixel defining layer having an opening for exposing the first electrode; a hole injection layer on the first electrode; a lyophilic pattern extending on the hole injection layer to cover the first electrode and the pixel defining layer that are on a same line in the first direction, and extending up to an outer region of outermost pixels of the plurality of pixels in the first direction; a hole transport layer on the lyophilic pattern; a light emitting layer on the hole transport layer; and a second electrode on the light emitting layer, wherein the lyophilic pattern includes a first lyophilic pattern having a plurality of grooves on one end portion thereof in the first direction and a second lyophilic pattern having a plurality of grooves on another end portion thereof in the first direction, and wherein the first lyophilic pattern and the second lyophilic pattern are alternately arranged in the second direction.
US09941335B2
A display device is provided. A display panel includes a display area and a pad area. A connector is connected to the pad area. A PCB is connected to the connector. A filling member is disposed between a side surface of the display panel and the connector.
US09941327B2
A detector module for detecting photons includes a detector formed from a semiconductive material, the detector having a first surface, an opposing second surface, and a plurality of sidewalls extending between the first and second surfaces, and a guard band coupled to the sidewalls, the guard band having a length that extends about a circumference of the detector, the guard band having a width that is greater than a thickness of the detector such that an upper rim segment of the guard band projects beyond the first surface of the detector, the upper rim segment being folded over a peripheral region of the first surface along the circumference of the detector, the guard band configured to reduce recombinations proximate to the edges of the detector.
US09941322B2
A semiconductor unit includes: a first device substrate including a first semiconductor substrate and a first wiring layer, in which the first wiring layer is provided on one surface side of the first semiconductor substrate; a second device substrate including a second semiconductor substrate and a second wiring layer, in which the second device substrate is bonded to the first device substrate, and the second wiring layer is provided on one surface side of the second semiconductor substrate; a through-electrode penetrating the first device substrate and a part or all of the second device substrate, and electrically connecting the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer to each other; and an insulating layer provided in opposition to the through-electrode, and penetrating one of the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate.
US09941320B2
An interconnect apparatus and a method of forming the interconnect apparatus is provided. Two substrates, such as wafers, dies, or a wafer and a die, are bonded together. A first mask is used to form a first opening extending partially to an interconnect formed on the first wafer. A dielectric liner is formed, and then another etch process is performed using the same mask. The etch process continues to expose interconnects formed on the first substrate and the second substrate. The opening is filled with a conductive material to form a conductive plug.
US09941315B2
A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric conversion unit including a first and second electrodes, a photoelectric conversion layer between the first and second electrodes, and an insulating layer between the photoelectric conversion layer and the second electrodes, an amplifier unit connected to the second electrode and outputs a signal generated in the photoelectric conversion unit, and a reset unit for resetting a voltage of the second electrode. An accumulating operation for accumulating signal charges in the photoelectric conversion unit and a charge removing operation for removing the signal charges from the photoelectric conversion unit are alternately executed in accordance with a voltage applied between the first and second electrodes, and the charge removing operation is executed multiple times between a first accumulating operation and a second accumulating operation which is executed after the first accumulating operation.
US09941312B2
The invention provides a manufacturing method for LTPS TFT substrate. After forming N+ areas on both sides of polysilicon layer, the first gate insulating layer, first gate, second gate insulating layer, and second gate are sequentially formed on polysilicon layer, and the second gate is wider than first gate to produce a low electric field region in the polysilicon layer to reduce leakage current; alternatively, forming first gate and first gate insulating layer, forming polysilicon layer and N+ areas on both sides of polysilicon layer, forming second gate insulating layer and second gate on polysilicon layer, the second gate insulating layer is thicker than first gate insulating layer and the second gate is wider than first gate, so that the second gate insulating layer sandwiched by the second gate beyond first gate and polysilicon layer is thicker and produces a smaller electric field, which simplifies process and reduce cost.
US09941307B2
A thin-film transistor (TFT) array substrate including: a first conductive layer selected from an active layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode of a TFT; a second conductive layer in a layer different from the first conductive layer; and a connection node coupling the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer. Here, the TFT array has a node contact hole formed by: a first contact hole in the first conductive layer; and a second contact hole in the second conductive layer, the second contact hole being integral with the first contact hole and not being separated from the first contact hole by an insulating layer, and at least a portion of the connection node is in the node contact hole.
US09941305B2
A pixel structure and a fabrication method thereof are provided, and the fabrication method includes steps as follows. A gate and a scan line connected to the gate electrode are formed on a substrate. An insulation layer is formed on the substrate and is patterned to form an opening corresponding to the gate electrode. A gate insulation layer is formed to cover the gate electrode and the scan line. A channel layer is formed on the gate insulation layer and is located in the opening. A first ohmic contact layer and a second ohmic contact layer are formed on the channel layer and are located in the opening. A source electrode, a drain electrode and a data line connected to the source electrode are formed on the first ohmic contact layer and the second ohmic contact layer. A first electrode is formed and is electrically connected to the drain electrode.
US09941303B1
The present application provides an array substrate, a display panel and a display device. The array substrate includes: a substrate; gate lines and data lines located on the substrate, intersecting and insulated from each other, which define a plurality of sub-pixel areas; the sub-pixel areas each comprises: a thin-film transistor; a pixel electrode, a barrier metal electrode. An orthographic projection of the drain electrode on the substrate is located between orthographic projections of two adjacent data lines on the substrate, an orthographic projection of the barrier metal electrode on the substrate is located between the orthographic projection of the drain electrode on the substrate and the orthographic projection of at least one of the two adjacent data lines on the substrate.
US09941298B2
Some embodiments include an integrated structure having vertically-stacked conductive levels. Upper conductive levels are memory cell levels, and a lower conductive level is a select device level. Conductively-doped semiconductor material is under the select device level. Channel material extends along the memory cell levels and the select device level, and extends into the conductively-doped semiconductor material. A region of the channel material that extends into the conductively-doped semiconductor material is a lower region of the channel material and has a vertical sidewall. Tunneling material, charge-storage material and charge-blocking material extend along the channel material and are between the channel material and the conductive levels. The tunneling material, charge-storage material and charge-blocking material are not along at least a portion of the vertical sidewall of the lower region of the channel material, and the conductively-doped semiconductor material is directly against such portion. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated structures.
US09941297B2
A vertical, columnar resistor in a semiconductor device is provided, along with techniques for fabricating such a resistor. The resistor may be provided in a peripheral area of a 3D memory device which has a two-tier or other multi-tier stack of memory cells. The structure and fabrication of the resistor can be integrated with the structure and fabrication of the stack of memory cells. The resistor may comprise doped polysilicon. In an example implementation, a polysilicon pillar extends a height of a first tier of the stack and a metal pillar above the polysilicon pillar extends a height of a second tier of the stack.
US09941284B2
A semiconductor device aims to prevent a leak current from flowing between a well and a corner of an active region formed on an upper surface of another well in an SRAM. In a memory cell of the SRAM, a load MOSFET is formed. An end of an active region extending in y-direction is arranged to gradually go away from a p-well as it goes from a gate electrode G2 side to a gate electrode G4 side in such a manner that a distance in x-direction between the end of the active region and the p-well is larger than a shortest distance in the x-direction between the p-well and the active region.
US09941283B2
A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first fin-type pattern on a substrate, a first interlayer insulating layer on the substrate, covering the first fin-type pattern and including a first trench, the first trench intersecting the first fin-type pattern, a first gate electrode on the first fin-type pattern, filling the first trench, an upper surface of the first gate electrode being coplanar with an upper surface of the first interlayer insulating layer, a capping layer extending along the upper surface of the first interlayer insulating layer and along the upper surface of the first gate electrode, and a second interlayer insulating layer on the capping layer, the second interlayer insulating layer including a material different from that of the capping layer.
US09941279B2
A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, at least one active fin present on the substrate, and at least one isolation dielectric surrounding the active fin. The isolation dielectric has at least one trench therein. The semiconductor structure further includes at least one dielectric liner present on at least one sidewall of the trench of the isolation dielectric, and at least one filling dielectric present in the trench of the isolation dielectric.
US09941274B2
A semiconductor device includes at least one IGBT cell region, at least one switchable free-wheeling diode region, and at least one non-switchable free-wheeling diode region integrated in the same semiconductor substrate as the at least one IGBT cell region and the at least one switchable free-wheeling diode region.
US09941269B2
A drift region has a first conductivity type. A well region is at least partially included in an interface area, has an end portion between the interface area and an edge termination area, and has a second conductivity type. An extension region extends outward from the well region, is shallower than the well region, and has the second conductivity type. A plurality of field-limiting rings are provided outside the extension region in the edge termination area. Each of the field-limiting rings together with the drift region located on the inner side forms a unit structure. The field-limiting ring located closer to the outside has a lower proportion of a width to a width of the unit structure. The unit structure located closer to the outside has a lower average dose.
US09941268B2
Some embodiments relate to a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a drain region and a channel region surrounding the drain region. A source region surrounds the channel region such that the channel region separates the drain region from the source region. A gate electrode is arranged over the channel region and has an inner edge proximate to the drain. A resistor structure, which is made up of a curved or polygonal path of resistive material, is arranged over the drain and is coupled to the drain. The resistor structure is perimeterally bounded by the inner edge of the gate electrode.
US09941264B2
In one embodiment, an overvoltage protection device may include a semiconductor substrate comprising an n-type body region. The overvoltage protection device may further include a first p-type region disposed in a first surface region of the semiconductor substrate, and forming a first P/N junction with the n-type body region, and a second p-type region disposed in a second surface region of the semiconductor substrate opposite the first surface, and forming a second P/N junction with the n-type body region, wherein the n-type body region, first p-type region, and second p-type region form a breakdown device having a breakdown voltage greater than 100 V when an external voltage is applied between the first surface region and second surface region.
US09941262B2
A laser liftoff process is provided. A device layer can be provided on a transfer substrate. Channels can be formed through the device layer such that devices comprising remaining portions of the device layer are laterally isolated from one another by the channels. The transfer substrate can be bonded to a target substrate through an adhesion layer. Surface portions of the devices can be removed from an interface region between the transfer substrate and the devices by irradiating a laser beam through the transfer substrate onto the devices. The laser irradiation decomposes the III-V compound semiconductor material. The channels provide escape paths for the gaseous products (such as nitrogen gas) that are generated by the laser irradiation. The transfer substrate is separated from a bonded assembly including the target substrate and remaining portions of the devices. The devices can include a III-V compound semiconductor material.
US09941255B2
A power semiconductor module includes: a positive arm and a negative arm that are formed by series connection of self-arc-extinguishing type semiconductor elements and that are connected at a connection point between the self-arc-extinguishing type semiconductor elements; a positive-side DC electrode, a negative-side DC electrode, and an AC electrode that are connected to the positive arm and the negative arm; and a substrate on which a wiring pattern is formed, the wiring pattern connecting the self-arc-extinguishing type semiconductor elements of the positive arm and the negative arm to the positive-side DC electrode, the negative-side DC electrode and the AC electrode. The positive-side DC electrode, the negative-side DC electrode, and the AC electrode are insulated from one another and arranged such that one of the electrodes faces each of the other two electrodes.
US09941244B2
In accordance with a method embodiment includes providing a die having a contact pad on a top surface and forming a conductive protective layer over the die and covering the contact pad. A molding compound is formed over the die and the conductive protective layer. The conductive protective layer is exposed using a laser drilling process. A redistribution layer (RDL) is formed over the die. The RDL is electrically connected to the contact pad through the conductive protective layer.
US09941239B2
In a process, at least one circuit element is formed in a substrate. A conductive layer is formed over the substrate and in electrical contact with the at least one circuit element. Electrostatic charges are discharged from the substrate via the conductive layer.
US09941230B2
The present invention provides an electrical connecting structure between a substrate 21 and a semiconductor chip 22. The electrical connecting structure comprises a metal bump 26 formed on a contact pad 28 of a semiconductor chip 22 and a coating layer 25 formed on the metal bump 26 of the semiconductor chip 22. The coating layer includes material not wettable with solder. The electrical connecting structure further comprises a metal pad 24 formed on the substrate 21. The electrical connecting structure further comprises a solder 29 connecting to a side surface of the metal bump 26 and an outer surface of the metal pad 24. The outer surface is not covered by the coating layer 25.
US09941227B2
A package is provided. The package comprises a die and an impedance matching network. The die has a first terminal and a second terminal. The impedance matching network is coupled to the second terminal and comprises a first inductor and a first capacitor. The first inductor comprises first bond wire connections coupled between the second terminal and a first bond pad on the die, and second bond wire connections coupled between the first bond pad and a second bond pad coupled to the first capacitor.
US09941221B2
A package includes a bottom substrate and a bottom die over and bonded to the bottom substrate. A metal-particle-containing compound material is overlying a top surface of the bottom die, wherein the metal-particle-containing compound material comprises metal particles. A molding material molds at least a lower part of the bottom die therein, wherein the molding material is overlying the bottom substrate.
US09941214B2
Semiconductor devices, methods of manufacture thereof, and IMD structures are disclosed. In some embodiments, a semiconductor device includes an adhesion layer disposed over a workpiece. The adhesion layer has a dielectric constant of about 4.0 or less and includes a substantially homogeneous material. An insulating material layer is disposed over the adhesion layer. The insulating material layer has a dielectric constant of about 2.6 or less. The adhesion layer and the insulating material layer comprise an IMD structure.
US09941209B2
Conductive structures include stair step structures positioned along a length of the conductive structure and at least one landing comprising at least one via extending through the conductive structure. The at least one landing is positioned between a first stair step structure of the stair step structures and a second stair step structure of the stair step structures. Devices may include such conductive structures. Systems may include a semiconductor device and stair step structures separated by at least one landing having at least one via formed in the at least one landing. Methods of forming conductive structures include forming at least one via through a landing positioned between stair step structures.
US09941206B2
An interconnection structure includes an underlying layer including a lower interconnection, and an interlayered dielectric layer including a contact hole and a trench therein. The contact hole exposes a portion of the lower interconnection, and the trench extends along a first direction to be connected to the contact hole. A contact plug extends through the contact hole in the interlayered dielectric layer, and an upper interconnection line extends in the trench of the interlayered dielectric layer and connects to the contact plug. The contact plug includes lower and upper sidewalls inclined at first and second angles, respectively, relative to the underlying layer, and the second angle is less than the first angle. Related devices and fabrication methods are also discussed.
US09941204B2
An anti-fuse is provided above a semiconductor material. The anti-fuse includes a first end region including a first metal structure; a second end region including a second metal structure; and a middle region located between the first end region and the second end region. In accordance with the present application, the middle region of the anti-fuse includes at least a portion of the second metal structure that is located in a gap positioned between a bottom III-V compound semiconductor material and a top III-V compound semiconductor material. A high-k dielectric material liner separates the second metal structure from a portion of the first metal structure.
US09941200B1
A first semiconductor substrate layer supports a first transistor including a first source-drain formed by a doped region of the substrate layer. A second semiconductor substrate layer supports a second transistor including a second source-drain formed by a doped region of the substrate layer. The second semiconductor substrate layer is stacked over the first semiconductor substrate layer and separated therefrom by an insulating layer. A metal wiring extends from an electrical contact with the doped region for the first source-drain, through the insulating layer and passing through an electrical isolation structure in the second semiconductor substrate layer to make an electrical contact with the doped region for the second source-drain. The electrical isolation structure is formed by one of a trench isolation or the doped region of the second source-drain itself. The isolation structure has a thickness equal to a thickness of the second semiconductor substrate layer.
US09941186B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure is disclosed. The method includes: providing a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of dies thereon; dispensing an underfill material and a molding compound to fill spaces beneath and between the dies; disposing a temporary carrier over the dies; thinning a thickness of the semiconductor substrate; performing back side metallization upon the thinned semiconductor substrate; removing the temporary carrier; and attaching a plate over the dies. An associated semiconductor structure is also disclosed.
US09941185B2
A method and apparatus for a variable heat conductor that is able to increase heat conduction capacity based on operating temperature. The variable heat conductor is to be positioned between an electronic device and a heat sink to facilitate cooling of the electronic device. During cold start-up of the electronic device, the variable heat conductor acts as a thermal isolator, causing the electronic device to warm more quickly following the cold start-up. The variable heat conductor may fully conduct heat at higher temperatures that are at or above a desired temperature set-point.
US09941174B2
Semiconductor devices are providing including a first isolation region configured to define a first fin active region protruding from a substrate, first gate patterns on the first fin active region, and a first epitaxial region in the first fin active region between the first gate patterns. Sidewalls of the first epitaxial region have first inflection points so that an upper width of the first epitaxial region is greater than a lower width of the first epitaxial region.
US09941170B2
A PNP transistor is manufactured in parallel with the manufacture of NPN, NMOS, and PMOS transistors. A first semiconductor layer is deposited on a P-type doped semiconductor substrate and divided into first, second, and third regions, with the third region forming the base. An insulating well is deeply implanted into the substrate. First and second third wells, respectively of N-type and P-type are formed to extend between the second region and third region and the insulating well. A third well of P-type is formed below the third region to provide the collector. Insulating layers are deposited over the third region and patterned to form an opening. Epitaxial growth of a second P-type doped semiconductor layer is performed in the opening to provide the emitter.
US09941166B2
The invention relates to a method of processing a substrate, having a first surface with a device area and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the device area has a plurality of devices formed therein. The method comprises applying a pulsed laser beam to the substrate from the side of the second surface, in a plurality of positions along the second surface, so as to form a plurality of hole regions in the substrate, each hole region extending from the second surface towards the first surface. Each hole region is composed of a modified region and a space in the modified region open to the second surface. The method further comprises grinding the second surface of the substrate, where the plurality of hole regions has been formed, to adjust the substrate thickness.
US09941165B2
A semiconductor manufacturing method includes forming a first metal film on a semiconductor wafer by plating, ejecting liquid from a washer bar spaced from the wafer while rotating at least one of the washer and the semiconductor, and forming a second metal film on the first metal film. A plurality of nozzles are located on the washer bar and displaced from the position of the washer bar opposed to the center of the wafer, and a greater number of nozzles are adjacent the peripheral area of the semiconductor wafer than the central area of the semiconductor wafer. The nozzles in the peripheral area of the wafer eject the washing liquid in a direction inclined from the direction of the washer bar, and a nozzle arranged on the central area of the one main surface of the semiconductor wafer ejects the washing liquid towards the center position of the semiconductor wafer.
US09941162B1
Disclosed are methods and integrated circuit (IC) structures. The methods enable formation of a gate contact on a gate above (or close thereto) an active region of a field effect transistor (FET) and provide protection against shorts between the gate contact and metal plugs on source/drain regions and between the gate and source/drain contacts to the metal plugs. A gate with a dielectric cap and dielectric sidewall spacer is formed on a FET channel region. Metal plugs with additional dielectric caps are formed on the FET source/drain regions such that the dielectric sidewall spacer is between the gate and the metal plugs and between the dielectric cap and the additional dielectric caps. The dielectric cap, dielectric sidewall spacer and additional dielectric caps are different materials preselected to be selectively etchable, allowing for misalignment of a contact opening to the gate without risking exposure of any metal plugs and vice versa.
US09941158B2
A process for fabricating an Integrated Circuit (IC) and the IC formed thereby is disclosed. The process comprises providing a substrate. The process further comprises forming a plurality of longitudinal trenches in the substrate and depositing a layer of a first conductive material on at least one longitudinal trench of the plurality of longitudinal trenches. A first layer of a second conductive material is deposited on the layer of the first conductive material. Thereafter, the process includes depositing a second layer of the second conductive material on the first layer of the second conductive material. The second layer of the second conductive material at least partially fills the at least one longitudinal trench. The first conductive material is selected such that a reduction potential of the first conductive material is less than a reduction potential of the second conductive material.
US09941150B1
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of stacked portions spaced apart from each other on a substrate, each of the plurality of stacked portions including a semiconductor fin, a dielectric layer on the semiconductor fin, and a polymer layer on the dielectric layer. The method also includes forming an inter-level dielectric layer on the substrate between the plurality of stacked portions, forming a doped region in the inter-level dielectric layer at a depth below a top surface of the inter-level dielectric layer, and recessing the inter-level dielectric layer down to the doped region to form a plurality of isolation regions between the plurality of stacked portions.
US09941149B2
The invention relates to a retaining system for handling substrate stacks, including a retaining surface for retaining a first substrate, and one or more recesses provided relative to the retaining surface, for retaining first magnetic bodies for securing the first substrate relative to a second substrate that is aligned with the first substrate. Second magnetic bodies are applied on a holding side of the second substrate.
US09941147B2
A transfer apparatus includes a supporting member, a free electron excitation device and a detection device; the free electrons excitation device is configured to excite semiconductor material of an object to be transferred to generate free electrons, and the detection device is configured to detect whether material of a surface of the transferred object in contact with the support surface of the supporting member is conductive under excitation by the free electron excitation device. A laser annealing apparatus comprising the transfer apparatus is further provided.
US09941141B2
Among other things, one or more semiconductor arrangements and techniques for forming such semiconductor arrangements are provided. A semiconductor arrangement comprises a first guard ring surrounding at least a portion of a device, and a first poly layer formed over the first guard ring.
US09941140B2
Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In some embodiments, a semiconductor device includes a substrate, and a plurality of contact pads disposed over the substrate. The contact pads may be arranged in a ball grid array (BGA), and the may include a plurality of corners. A metal dam is disposed around each of the plurality of corners, such as corners of the BGA.
US09941132B2
A plasma processing apparatus includes: a reaction chamber; a plasma generation unit; a stage disposed inside the reaction chamber; an electrostatic chuck mechanism including an electrode portion inside the stage; a heater inside the stage; a support portion which supports a conveyance carrier between a stage-mounted position on the stage and a transfer position distant from the stage upward; and an elevation mechanism which elevates and lowers the support portion relative to the stage. In a case in which the conveyance carrier is mounted on the stage by lowering the support portion, application of voltage to the electrode portion is started in a state that the stage is being heated, and the plasma generation unit generates plasma after at least a part of an outer circumferential portion of a holding sheet holding the conveyance carrier contacts the stage and also after the heating of the stage is stopped.
US09941128B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor circuit includes obtaining a semiconductor structure having a gate stack of material layers including a high-k dielectric layer; oxidizing in a lateral manner the high-k dielectric layer, such that oxygen content of the high-k dielectric layer is increased first at the sidewalls of the high-k dielectric layer; and completing fabrication of a n-type field effect transistor from the gate stack after laterally oxidizing the high-k dielectric layer of the gate stack.
US09941127B2
A semiconductor includes a first electrode, a first semiconductor region, a second semiconductor region, a third semiconductor region, and a gate electrode. The gate electrode has a first portion arranged with the second semiconductor region in a direction perpendicular to a first direction extending from the first electrode to the first semiconductor region, and has a second portion on the first portion. The semiconductor also includes a gate insulating layer between the gate electrode and each of the three semiconductor regions. The gate insulating layer extends to the upper surface of the third semiconductor region to form an extending portion. The second portion of the gate electrode protrudes in an upward direction from the upper surface of the extending portion of the gate insulating layer, and a lower part of the second portion of the gate electrode is embedded in the first portion of the gate electrode.
US09941123B1
A method for etching features in a stack comprising a patterned hardmask over a carbon based mask layer is provided. A pattern is transferred from the patterned hardmask to the carbon based mask layer, comprising providing a flow of a transfer gas comprising an oxygen containing component and at least one of SO2 or COS, forming the transfer gas into a plasma, providing a bias of greater than 10 volts, and stopping the flow of the transfer gas. A post treatment is provided, comprising providing a flow of a post treatment gas comprising at least one of He, Ar, N2, H2, or NH3, wherein the flow is provided to maintain a processing pressure of between 50 mTorr and 500 mTorr inclusive, forming the post treatment gas into a plasma, providing a bias of greater than 20 volts, and stopping the flow of the post treatment gas.
US09941116B2
In this method for manufacturing a semiconductor element, a modified layer produced by subjecting a substrate (70) to mechanical polishing is removed by heating the substrate (70) under Si vapor pressure. An epitaxial layer formation step, an ion implantation step, an ion activation step, and a second removal step are then performed. In the second removal step, macro-step bunching and insufficient ion-implanted portions of the surface of the substrate (70) performed the ion activation step are removed by heating the substrate (70) under Si vapor pressure. After that, an electrode formation step in which electrodes are formed on the substrate (70) is performed.
US09941112B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which includes, in the following order: a first step of preparing a semiconductor element which includes a pn junction exposure portion; a second step of forming an insulation layer such that the insulation layer covers the pn junction exposure portion; and a third step of forming a glass layer on the insulation layer where a layer made of glass composition for protecting a semiconductor junction is formed on the insulation layer and, thereafter, the layer made of glass composition for protecting a semiconductor junction is baked.
US09941109B2
A method is presented that includes the step of polishing a wafer positioned on a platen. After polishing the wafer, the method includes initiating a high pressure rinse on the wafer while the wafer is positioned on the platen, wherein the high pressure rinse includes a hydrophilic solution. The wafer is soaked in the hydrophilic solution, and after soaking the wafer, the wafer is cleaned.
US09941107B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for improving resolution and duty-cycle of a multi-reflecting TOF mass spectrometer (MR-TOF) by arranging a cylindrical analyzer having an appropriate radial deflection means, means for limiting ion divergence in the tangential direction and a pulsed source providing ion packet divergence of less than 1 mm*deg. There are disclosed embodiments for fifth-order focusing cylindrical ion minors. Separate embodiments provide parallel tandem MS-MS within a single cylindrical MR-TOF.
US09941103B2
A bias-variant photomultiplier tube (PMT) includes a photocathode that when operating absorbs photons and emits photoelectrons responsive to the absorbed photons. The bias-variant PMTO also includes a plurality of dynodes that receive the photoelectrons emitted by the photocathode. The plurality of dynodes include a first pair of dynodes having a first bias difference and at least a second pair of dynodes having a second bias difference. The second bias difference is greater than the first bias difference. The bias-variant PMTO also includes an anode to receive photoelectrons directed from the plurality of dynodes.
US09941102B2
Work piece processing is performed by pulsed discharges between an anode (2) and a magnetron sputtering cathode (1) in solid-gas plasmas using a chamber (2) containing the work piece (7). A system (12) maintains a vacuum in the chamber and another system (14) provides sputtering and reactive gases. The pulses are produced in a plasma pulser circuit including the anode and the cathode, the discharges creating gas and partially ionized solid plasma blobs (3) moving or spreading from a region at a surface of the cathode towards the work piece and the anode. A pulsed current comprising biasing pulses arises between the second electrodes. Biasing discharges are produced between the anode and the work piece when said plasma blobs have spread to regions at the anode and at the work piece so that the pulsed current is the current of these biasing discharges.
US09941093B2
The invention relates to a target processing unit (10) comprising a vacuum chamber (30) for accommodating a target to be processed, a projection column (46) within the vacuum chamber for generating a beam and projecting the beam towards the target, and a first conduit arrangement (26,36,37,60) for connecting the projection column to external equipment (22). The vacuum chamber can comprise a positioning system (114) for supporting the target, and a second conduit arrangement (110) distinct from the first conduit arrangement for connecting the positioning system to external equipment, wherein the positioning system is moveably arranged with respect to the projection column, and wherein the positioning system and the projection column occupy spatially distinct portions of the vacuum chamber. The first conduit arrangement extends through an upper side of the vacuum chamber, and the second conduit arrangement extends through a lower side of the vacuum chamber.
US09941090B2
Disclosed herein are a high-voltage generator for an x-ray source, an x-ray gun, an electron beam apparatus, a rotary vacuum seal, a target assembly for an x-ray source, a rotary x-ray emission target, and an x-ray source. These various aspects may separately and/or together enable the construction of an x-ray source which can operate at energies of up to 500 kV and beyond, which is suitable for use in commercial and research x-ray applications such as computerised tomography. In particular, the high-voltage generator includes a shield electrode electrically connected intermediate of a first voltage multiplier and a second voltage multiplier. The electron beam apparatus includes control photodetectors and photo emitters having a transparent conductive shield arranged therebetween. The rotary vacuum seal includes a pumpable chamber at a position intermediate between high-pressure and low-pressure ends of a bore for a rotating shaft. The rotary target assembly is configured such that when a torque between a bearing housing and a vacuum housing exceeds a predetermined torque, the bearing housing rotates relative to the vacuum housing. The rotary x-ray emission target has a plurality of target plates supported on a hub, the plates being arranged on the hub to provide an annular target region about an axis rotation of the hub. The x-ray gun is provided with a shield electrode maintained at a potential difference relative to the x-ray target different to the electron beam emission cathode.
US09941086B2
Provided is a fusible link unit (electrical component unit) including a fusible link (electrical component), a battery terminal fixed to an electrode post (electrode) of a battery, and a support member formed as a different body from the battery terminal and fixed to the battery, the support member supporting the fusible link (electrical component), in which the fusible link (electrical component) includes a main link body (main electrical component body) and a power supply terminal made of conductive metal to be exposed from the main link body (main electrical component body) and electrically connected to the electrode post (electrode) through the battery terminal, and the support member supports the main link body (main electrical component body) such that the main link body extends in an orthogonal direction substantially orthogonal to an installation surface portion.
US09941083B2
A pressure switch is disclosed. The pressure switch includes a housing and a pressure-receiving chamber that communicates with a duct to which an operating pressure is supplied. The pressure switch also includes a diaphragm assembly with a diaphragm that is displaced in response to a pressure inside the pressure-receiving chamber. The pressure switch also includes a movable contact that comes into contact with a fixed contact accommodated in a center portion of an inside of the housing when the pressure inside the pressure-receiving chamber is above a certain value. One of the movable contact and the fixed contact has radially diverging contact faces that are arranged such that contact between the fixed contact and the moveable contact can be established with at least two of the radially diverging contact faces at the same time.
US09941076B2
An illuminated keyboard device includes plural keys, plural light-emitting elements and a membrane switch circuit module. Each key includes a keycap and an elastic element. Each elastic element has a protrusion. The plural elastic elements are located over plural contacts of the membrane switch circuit module and connected with the plural keycaps. The plural light-emitting elements are located under the corresponding elastic elements. Moreover, the protrusions within the elastic elements and the contacts of the membrane switch circuit module are all ring-shaped structures, and each light-emitting element is aligned with the center region of the corresponding contact of the membrane switch circuit module. Consequently, while the protrusion is moved downwardly to push the corresponding contact, a corresponding key signal is generated.
US09941057B2
A thermal transfer device for generating a thermal transfer between an energy store and a temperature-control panel for the temperature-control of the energy store. The thermal transfer device has a thermal insulation layer made of an unevenly distributed insulation material and a tolerance compensating layer made of a compressible material for compensating different material strengths of the thermal insulation layer.
US09941048B2
A chargeable communication module is provided, which includes: a wireless power charging coil; a wireless communication coil being electrically isolated from the wireless power charging coil; and a magnetic body. The wireless power charging coil is disposed on a surface of the magnetic body. The wireless communication coil is arranged adjacent to and outside of the wireless power charging coil. At least a portion of the wireless communication coil is disposed on the surface of the magnetic body.
US09941047B2
A shield for a toroidal transformer that includes a toroidal assembly that comprises a toroidal magnetic core and a first winding includes a sheet of flexible non-magnetic conductive material. The sheet of flexible non-magnetic conductive material comprises a trunk portion extending along a longest dimension of the sheet of flexible non-magnetic conductive material and configured to wrap along an outer dimension of the toroidal assembly, and a plurality of fingers extending outwardly from the trunk portion and configured to wrap around portions of the first winding along portions of sides of the toroidal assembly in a direction towards the center of the toroidal magnetic core and folding into an inner dimension of the toroidal assembly.
US09941046B2
A circuit arrangement for reducing unidirectional flux component in a transformer core includes a compensation winding magnetically coupled to the transformer core, a transductor series connected with the compensation winding in a compensation current path, wherein the compensation current path has two parallel branches each containing a power winding of the transductor and an uncontrolled valve connected in series, where flow directions of the valves run counter to one another, and where each power winding is magnetically coupled to a control winding via a saturable transductor core, and includes a controller to which a detector supplies magnitude and direction information of the unidirectional flux component, and which generates a control variable supplied to each control winding such that the saturation state of the transductor core is variable such that a compensation current is formed in the compensation current path that counteracts the unidirectional flux component in the transformer core.
US09941044B2
An insulation type step-down converter includes first and second step-down transformers each of which includes an input-side coil and an output-side coil. An intermediate portion of the output-side coil of the first step-down transformer and an intermediate portion of the output-side coil of the second step-down transformer are connected to each other. First, second, third, and fourth rectifier elements are connected in series with first, second, third, and fourth output-side coils, respectively. Smoothing coils are connected to the first to fourth output-side coils. The first, second, third, and fourth rectifier elements are connected such that electric currents flow simultaneously in the first output-side coil and the third output-side coil, and electric currents flow simultaneously in the second output-side coil and the fourth output-side coil in a manner alternating with the electric currents in the first output-side coil and the third output-side coil.
US09941041B2
An electromechanical assembly is provided controlled by voltage across a motor or with an electronic system. The electromechanical assembly includes a control circuit coupled to sense voltage at the motor or within the electronic system, and an electromechanical actuator energized by the voltage sensed by the control circuit. A movable element is movable by the electromechanical actuator from an operational position to a quiesced position when the voltage sensed by the control circuit falls below a quiesced threshold. In certain embodiments, the voltage being sensed is across a motor of an air-moving assembly, which resides within a support structure, or the voltage being sensed is within the electronic system, which resides within the support structure, and the movable element is an interlock element which interlocks to the support structure to prevent removal of one or more components from the structure when sensed voltage is above the quiesced threshold.
US09941040B2
A soft magnetic core is provided, in which permeabilities that occur at least two different locations of the core are different. A method for producing a soft magnetic core that has different permeabilities at at least two different locations is also provided.
US09941039B2
A soft magnetic member is formed such that, when a differential relative permeability in an applied magnetic field of 100 A/m is represented by a first differential relative permeability μ′L, and when a differential relative permeability in an applied magnetic field of 40 kA/m is represented by a second differential relative permeability μ′H, a ratio of the first differential relative permeability μ′L to the second differential relative permeability μ′H satisfies a relationship of μ′L/μ′H≤10, and a magnetic flux density in an applied magnetic field of 60 kA/m is 1.15 T or higher.
US09941033B2
A method and system for manufacturing a superconducting material is described. In one embodiment, a layer of refractory cushion is placed over a spool. A first layer of superconducting cable is wound over the first layer of refractory cloth. The superconducting cable is reaction heat-treated on the spool. A first layer of refractory fabric can be placed over the layer of refractory cushion. One or more adjustment mechanisms can be disposed between the first layer of the superconducting cable and the spool.
US09941028B2
An electrical conductor has at least one conducting strand made up at least of a layer of copper and of a layer of silvered copper alloy, in which the silver content by mass is between 0.1% and 0.5%.
US09941027B2
The invention relates to a method for producing a radioisotope, which method comprises irradiating a volume of radioisotope-precursor fluid contained in a sealed cell of a target using a beam of particles of a given current, which beam is produced by a particle accelerator. The target is cooled and the internal pressure in the sealed cell is measured. During the irradiation, the internal pressure (P) in the sealed cell is allowed to vary freely. The irradiation is interrupted or its intensity is reduced when the internal pressure (P) in the sealed cell departs from a first tolerated range defined depending on various parameters that influence the variation in the internal pressure in the sealed cell during the irradiation. These parameters for example comprise, for a given target, particle beam and radioisotope-precursor fluid: the degree of filling of the hermetic cell, the cooling power used to cool the given target, and the beam current (I). The invention also relates to an installation for implementing the method.
US09941024B2
In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes two internal magnetic coils suspended within an enclosure, a center magnetic coil coaxial with the two internal magnetic coils and located proximate to a midpoint of the enclosure, a plurality of encapsulating magnetic coils coaxial with the internal magnetic coils, and two mirror magnetic coil coaxial with the internal magnetic coils. The fusion reactor further includes one or more electromagnetic wave generators operable to inject a beam of electromagnetic waves into the enclosure.
US09941023B2
Example implementations relate to post package repair (PPR) data in non-volatile memory. In example implementations, PPR data may be stored in non-volatile memory on a memory module. PPR data may indicate how many PPRs have been performed on the memory module.
US09941018B2
A gate driving circuit and a display device using the same are discussed. The gate driving circuit according to an embodiment includes a first shift register configured to sequentially shift a gate start pulse in response to a gate shift clock and output a gate pulse shifted on a per block basis, each block including a plurality of gate lines, a second shift register configured to sequentially shift the gate start pulse in response to the gate shift clock and output a gate pulse shifted on a per gate line basis, and a controller configured to supply the gate shift clock to one of the first and second shift registers.
US09941014B2
A nonvolatile memory device includes a memory cell array having a normal area and a temporary area. A page buffer stores data to be written to the normal area in a normal program operation and store a temporary data to be written to the temporary area in a temporary program operation. A control logic performs the normal program operation including a plurality of program loops. The control logic receives a suspend command before the normal program operation is completed and determines, in response to the suspend command, whether to complete the normal program operation or to suspend the normal operation and perform the temporary program operation based on a reference value representing a time for performing at least one program loop of the plurality of program loops.
US09941004B2
An arming switch structure and method of operation. The arming switch is integrated with a reactive material erasure device and phase change memory cell array and is coupled to a tamper detection device configured to trigger a signal for conduction to the reactive material erasure device that generates heat and induces a phase change in the phase change memory cell array. Prior to packaging, the memory chip is “armed” in a high-resistance state to prevent conduction of any signal to the reactive material erasure device. After the memory chip is packaged, the Reactive Material can be “disarmed” at a chosen time or condition by applying a bias to the arming switch activation layer, thereby heating and crystallizing the arming switch material, placing it in a low resistance state. In the disarmed state, the arming switch may conduct the trigger signal from tamper detection device to the reactive material erasure device.
US09940987B2
A memory is provided that includes a row decoder that decodes an address into a plurality of decoded signals for selecting a word line to be asserted from a plurality of word lines. Each word line is driven through a decoder level-shifter that processes the decoded signals. Each decoder level-shifter corresponds to a unique combination of the decoded signals. The row decoder is in a logic power domain such that the decoded signals are asserted to a logic power supply voltage. When a decoder level-shifter's unique combination of decoded signals are asserted by the row decoder, the decoder level-shifter drives the corresponding word line with a memory power supply voltage for a memory power domain.
US09940962B2
In some embodiments, a thermally assisted data recording medium has a recording layer formed of iron (Fe), platinum (Pt) and a transition metal T selected from a group consisting of Rhodium (Rh), Ruthenium (Ru), Osmium (Os) and Iridium (Ir) to substitute for a portion of the Pt content as FeYPtY-XTX with Y in the range of from about 20 at % to about 80 at % and X in the range of from about 0 at % to about 20 at %.
US09940960B2
A slider design for a hard disk drive (HDD) features an air-bearing surface (ABS) topography with arrays of micro-dots formed on bases of a multiplicity of cavities at different depths. The design eliminates the accumulation of hydrocarbons (e.g., spindle oil and disk lubricant) deposits in regions of air stagnation within the cavities where backflows and foreflows of air meet and cancel during HDD operation. The micro-dots are small raised regions of various shapes having sizes and spacings in the range between 2 and 100 microns and, in a preferred embodiment, heights of 0.15 microns above the cavity bases.
US09940952B2
A method according to one embodiment includes measuring an initial coating thickness on a tape bearing surface of a module in a carrier, running a tape across the tape bearing surface, and at intervals, measuring a residual thickness of the coating.
US09940949B1
In a speech-based system, a wake word or other trigger expression is used to preface user speech that is intended as a command. The system receives multiple directional audio signals, each of which emphasizes sound from a different direction. The trigger expression is detected in an individual directional audio signal by comparing a confidence score with a confidence threshold. An individual confidence threshold is specified for each directional audio signal. The confidence thresholds are adjusted during operation of the system based on performance information that is generated during operation of the system. As an example, performance information may include the number of times that the trigger expression has been detected in each of the directional audio signals.
US09940948B2
Described is a computer-implemented method performed in connection with a computerized system incorporating an audio capture device, a central processing unit, a display device and a memory, the computer-implemented method involving: capturing an audio signal using the audio capture device; using the central processing unit to analyze the captured audio signal; when the audio signal satisfies a predetermine criterion, using the central processing unit to generate a hash of the captured audio signal; finding a similar audio signal hash among a plurality of stored audio signal hashes; and identifying a device associated with the captured audio signal using the found similar audio signal hash.
US09940940B2
An encoding method and encoder is provided for transparent lossless audio watermarking by quantizing an original PCM audio signal twice, each quantization quantizing to a quantization grid. As a PCM signal is inherently already quantized, there are three quantization grids to consider, the first being the quantization grid of the original PCM signal, the second being that of the watermarked signal and the third being that of an intermediate signal. The technique reduces the amount of introduced quantization error, spectrally shapes the error and fully decorrelates signal alterations from the original audio, thus making the error more similar to additive noise. A decoding method and decoder is also provided, as is a method of altering the watermark without fully decoding the encoded signal.
US09940938B2
An audio decoder for providing at least four audio channel signals on the basis of an encoded representation is configured to provide a first residual signal and a second residual signal on the basis of a jointly encoded representation of the first residual signal and of the second residual signal using a multi-channel decoding. The audio decoder is configured to provide a first audio channel signal and a second audio channel signal on the basis of a first downmix signal and the first residual signal using a residual-signal-assisted multi-channel decoding. The audio decoder is configured to provide a third audio channel signal and a fourth audio channel signal on the basis of a second downmix signal and the second residual signal using a residual-signal-assisted multi-channel decoding. An audio encoder is based on corresponding considerations.
US09940937B2
This disclosure describes techniques for coding of higher-order ambisonics audio data comprising at least one higher-order ambisonic (HOA) coefficient corresponding to a spherical harmonic basis function having an order greater than one. This disclosure describes techniques for adjusting HOA soundfields to potentially improve spatial alignment of the acoustic elements to the visual component in a mixed audio/video reproduction scenario. In one example, a device for rendering an HOA audio signal includes one or more processors configured to render the HOA audio signal over one or more speakers based on one or more field of view (FOV) parameters of a reference screen and one or more FOV parameters of a viewing window.
US09940935B2
A method is performed at a device having one or more processors and memory. The device establishes a first-level Deep Neural Network (DNN) model based on unlabeled speech data, the unlabeled speech data containing no speaker labels and the first-level DNN model specifying a plurality of basic voiceprint features for the unlabeled speech data. The device establishes a second-level DNN model by tuning the first-level DNN model based on labeled speech data, the labeled speech data containing speech samples with respective speaker labels, wherein the second-level DNN model specifies a plurality of high-level voiceprint features. Using the second-level DNN model, registers a first high-level voiceprint feature sequence for a user based on a registration speech sample received from the user. The device performs speaker verification for the user based on the first high-level voiceprint feature sequence registered for the user.
US09940934B2
An adaptive voice authentication system is provided. The adaptive voice authentication system includes an adaptive module configured to compare a feature quality index of the plurality of authentication features and the plurality of enrollment features and dynamically replace and store one or more enrollment features with one or more authentication features to form a plurality of updated enrollment features. The adaptive module is configured to generate an updated enrollment voice print model from the plurality of the updated enrollment features. The adaptive module is further configured to compare the updated enrollment voice print model with the previously stored enrollment voice print model and dynamically update the previously stored enrollment voice print model with the updated enrollment voice print model based on a model quality index.
US09940933B2
A speech recognition method includes receiving a sentence generated through speech recognition, calculating a degree of suitability for each word in the sentence based on a relationship of each word with other words in the sentence, detecting a target word to be corrected among the words in the sentence based on the degree of suitability for each word, and replacing the target word with any one of candidate words corresponding to the target word.
US09940930B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for securing audio data. In one aspect, a method includes restricting access by the device to audio information detected by a microphone, receiving data indicating that the device is authorized to access audio information detected by the microphone during a limited period of time, and in response to receiving data indicating that the device is authorized to access audio information detected by the microphone during the limited period of time, providing audio information to the device. The method also includes monitoring audio information detected by the microphone during the limited period of time for the presence of a hotword and after the end of the limited period of time, restricting access by the device to audio information detected by the microphone.
US09940927B2
In some aspects, a method of recognizing speech that comprises natural language and at least one word specified in at least one domain-specific vocabulary is provided. The method comprises performing a first speech processing pass comprising identifying, in the speech, a first portion including the natural language and a second portion including the at least one word specified in the at least one domain-specific vocabulary, and recognizing the first portion including the natural language. The method further comprises performing a second speech processing pass comprising recognizing the second portion including the at least one word specified in the at least one domain-specific vocabulary.
US09940906B2
A write circuit of a storage device, in a first mode, writes a plurality of first pixel data units, each of the first pixel data units being constituted by data for pixels that are on the same data line and on different scan lines in a display panel, into a plurality of memory cells connected to a selected word line, and in a second mode, writes a plurality of second pixel data units, each of the second pixel data units being constituted by data for pixels that are on the same scan line and on different data lines in the display panel, into a plurality of memory cells connected to a selected word line.
US09940903B2
Apparatus and methods for managing, manipulating and presenting data objects within a graphical user interface with variable dimensions, shapes, locations and interactions. The apparatus and methods allow for variable data objects to be both pinned and liquid depending on a larger management and manipulation apparatus. The apparatus consists of databases that store the data objects to be displayed within the user interface and the layout coordinates, variable potential object size, and whether the object can move or not based on the graphical user interface dimensions. The object manipulations include the representation of such objects on the graphical user interface in a defined sequence.
US09940897B2
A method for sharing a mixed reality experience (mixed reality content, mixed reality event) between one or more computing devices is disclosed. The method includes: determining a spatial location and a spatial orientation (spatial data) of the one or more computing devices each having a camera; mapping the (spatial) location and/or the spatial orientation (spatial data) of each of the one or more computing devices into a mixed reality manager; and presenting an event that is shared among the one or more computing devices, and, the presenting of the event is experienced simultaneously and varies among each of the one or more computing devices depending on the location or the orientation or both.
US09940893B2
A head mounted device control method includes capturing situation data, using the situation data to determine whether a wearer of a head mounted device is inside a moving vehicle, and when it is determined that the wearer is inside a moving vehicle, controlling an image capture apparatus in the head mounted device to capture an environmental image, using the captured environmental image to determine whether a seat taken by the wearer is a driver's seat, and when it is determined that the seat taken by the wearer is the driver's seat, disabling a preset service, where the preset service includes a screen display service of a near-eye display. The method may reduce diversion of attention of the wearer, and improve driving safety.
US09940890B2
Provided is a liquid crystal display device, including: a plurality of scanning connection lines formed on at least one side of edges of the image display region, the plurality of scanning connection lines connecting together a scanning signal drive circuit and a plurality of scanning signal lines; a selection circuit formed so as to be interposed between the plurality of scanning connection lines and the plurality of scanning signal lines, the selection circuit being configured to selectively short-circuit one of a plurality of the scanning signal lines to one of the plurality of scanning connection lines based on a selection signal; and a selection signal line connected to the selection circuit, the selection signal line transmitting the selection signal to the selection circuit.
US09940876B2
A display device including a display area including a plurality of pixel circuits, a peripheral area including a scanning circuit, a plurality of first scanning lines, a plurality of second scanning lines, and a plurality of third scanning lines. Each of the plurality of pixel circuits includes a write transistor, a drive transistor, a first switching transistor, a second switching transistor, a third switching transistor, a fourth switching transistor, a capacitor, and a light emitting element. Duration of a light emitting period of respective light emitting element in each of the pixel circuits within one frame period is variably controlled by changing a width of an input pulse.
US09940874B2
The present disclosure provides a pixel compensating circuit. The circuit includes a driving module and a resetting module connected to a reference voltage line for providing an initial potential and a reset-control potential, a scanning signal line, and the driving module. The circuit further includes a data-writing module connected to a data signal line, the scanning signal line, and the driving module.
US09940870B2
An image processing unit includes: a gain calculating section obtaining, based on first luminance information for each pixel, a first gain, in which the first gain is configured to increase with an increase in pixel luminance value in a range where the pixel luminance value is equal to or larger than a predetermined luminance value, and in which the pixel luminance value is derived from the first luminance information; and a determination section determining, based on the first luminance information and the first gain, second luminance information for each of the pixels.
US09940869B2
A display device includes a display panel and a display driver driving the display panel. The display driver is connected to a host with a clock lane and at least one a data lane. The display driver includes: an interface circuit configured to receive an external clock signal from the host via the clock lane, receive a data signal from the host via the data lane, and output reception data transmitted over the data signal; a control circuit configured to output an internal clock signal synchronous with the external clock signal; and a drive circuitry configured to drive the display panel in response to image data included in the reception data in synchronization with the internal clock signal fed from the control circuit. The control circuit is configured to feed the internal clock signal in response to a type of a reception packet included in the reception data.
US09940864B2
There is provided a display device that is capable of suppressing occurrence of brightness drop which is caused by refresh of a display image during pause driving. In a normal driving mode, input image data (SsD0) according to a continuous tone method is supplied to a source driver (310) through a data selector (230) as an image signal (SsD) for driver. On the other hand, in a low-frequency driving mode in which pause driving is performed, the input image data (SsD0) is converted into dithered input image data (SsD1) by a dithering processing circuit (220), and is supplied to the source driver (310) through the data selector (230) as the image signal (SsD) for driver. A gradation of the dithered input image data (SsD1) is represented in a pseudo manner by an area coverage modulation method by using two values of a maximum value and a minimum value that can be taken as the gradation value of the input image data (SsD0).
US09940860B2
A display device includes a pixel array, a switch element, and inspection lines. In a display area, at least a portion of an outer region includes a curved section and pixels to which a data line is connected are disposed. The switch element is disposed in a bezel area outside the display area, and supplies a test voltage to the data line in response to an enable signal. The inspection lines connect an inspection pad part and switch elements and are disposed in a staircase form along the curved section. The switch elements are disposed along the inspection lines and include first and second switch elements disposed to be adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to each other.
US09940849B2
A surgical simulation system is provided. The system includes at least one simulated body organ placed upon the base of an organ tray and at least one covering layer placed over the simulated body organ. At least one of the simulated body organ and covering layer includes electro-conductive gel that is operably severable under application of electrical current to simulate electrosurgery in a training environment. The training environment comprises a top cover connected to and spaced apart from a base to define an internal cavity that is partially obstructed from direct observation by a practitioner. The tray, simulated body organs and covering layer are placed inside the internal cavity for the practice of laparoscopic surgical procedures.
US09940848B1
Methods, computer-readable media, software, and apparatuses provide a tool for use by drivers and/or coaches throughout the pre-license stage of obtaining a driver's license. A pre-license program may control a computing device to collect drive data while a driver is driving a vehicle. This drive data may be used to detect a drive event. Then, the computing device may present coaching information associated with the detected drive event. The coaching information may provide a passenger, such as a coach or parent, with real-time advice for instructing the driver how to improve his/her driving skills. Moreover, the drive data collected may be used to prepare reports providing feedback to the drivers and coaches.
US09940847B1
A virtual reality exercise device including : at least one actuator; at least one of a handle, a foot stirrup, a step, and a limb strap, where the at least one actuator is coupled to the at least one of a handle, a foot stirrup, a step, and a limb strap, where the actuator is designed to provide resistance force to at least one motion carried out by the user; a computer processor; computer readable non-transitory medium coupled in communication with the computer processor; an actuator control circuit coupled in communication to the computer processor and adapted to receive signals from the computer processor and output the signals to control the at least one actuator; a software algorithm stored on the computer readable non-transitory medium, where the computer processor executes the software algorithm, where the computer processor outputs a signal that is at least partially used by the actuator control circuit to control the at least one actuator; a virtual reality display coupled in communication to the processor, wherein the virtual reality display is adapted to create a visual display for the user, wherein the communication between the processor and the virtual reality display is adapted to synchronize the force output of the at least one actuator and the virtual reality display. The virtual reality exercise device is preferably designed to provide variable, interactive, and immersive exercises that include force the follows along with either real world physical activities, or fantasy activities, while at the same time providing physical exercise for the user. There may, however, be any suitable use for the virtual reality exercise device.
US09940842B2
Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to intelligent drone traffic management via a radio access network (“RAN”). As disclosed herein, a RAN node, such as an eNodeB, can receive, from a drone, a flight configuration. The flight configuration can include a drone ID and a drone route. The RAN node can determine whether capacity is available in an airspace associated with the RAN node. In response to determining that capacity is available in the airspace associated with the RAN node, the RAN node can add the drone ID to a queue of drones awaiting use of the airspace associated with the RAN node. When the drone ID is next in the queue of drones awaiting use of the airspace associated with the RAN node, the RAN node can instruct the drone to fly through at least a portion of the airspace in accordance with the drone route.
US09940838B2
Negotiating a multi-vehicle environment using vehicle-to-vehicle network tokens for intra-vehicle communication. Preliminary routing assignments are efficiently improved by available intra-vehicle communication.
US09940835B2
A method, system and computer program product for dynamically routing messages in a publish/subscribe system. A messaging application receives messages from sensors (e.g., road condition sensors). Upon analyzing the messages using data analytics, an event (e.g., icy road condition) may be correlated with the analyzed messages. In such a scenario, a temporal topic based on the triggered event is created. Furthermore, a temporal publication (e.g., “icy road condition near exit 40”) and a temporal subscription are created. Potential subscribers to be associated with the temporal subscription are identified by using either geo-location information or social media information. Once those subscribers are identified, they are associated with the temporal subscription. The temporal publication is then published to the subscribers associated with the temporal subscription. In this manner, messages are dynamically routed to the appropriate subscribers that may have previously been excluded based on dynamically created temporal topics, subscriptions and publications.
US09940830B2
A wireless switch assembly, comprising: a wireless switch comprising a control switch; a wireless transmitter connected to the control switch and transmitting a corresponding control signal according to the instruction of the control switch; a first identification card pluggably mounted in the wireless switch and connected to the wireless transmitter; a wireless receiver connected to a controller of a controlled piece and communicating with the wireless switch through radio frequency signal or optical signal. The wireless receiver has a second identification card pluggably mounted therein. The present invention can achieve a remote control by a low power consumption wireless transceiver module and matches the wireless switch to the wireless receiver via the identification cards, thus eliminating the need for complicated control wiring, therefore greatly reducing the complexity of wiring, saving electric wires and cables, and reducing cost.
US09940828B2
A home appliance control method and device are provided. The method includes: receiving operation mode information from a home appliance, wherein the operation mode information indicates a current operation mode of the home appliance; and sending the operation mode information to another home appliance to cause said another home appliance to operate in the indicated operation mode. Accordingly, a wearable device can receive from a home appliance operation mode information, and then send the same to another home appliance to cause said another home appliance to operate in the operation mode of the home appliance.
US09940824B2
Systems and methods of self-monitoring notification appliances are provided. A self-monitoring notification appliance can include a notification device and a monitoring sensing device. The notification device can produce one or more signals, and the monitoring device can sense a visual and/or acoustic characteristic of the one or more signals to determine successful operation thereof.
US09940823B2
An emergency method, system, and non-transitory computer readable medium include a detection device configured to detect an emergency situation and switch a first device to emergency mode, an emergency mode device configured to gather information regarding the emergency situation while the first device is in emergency mode, and an actuation and discovery device configured to discover a second device in a vicinity of the first device and actuate the second device to perform an action based on the emergency situation detected by the detection device.
US09940814B1
An apparatus for an embedded sensor cable assembly, where a first cable assembly includes a cable portion and a connector portion. The cable portion includes a first embedded sensor and a second embedded sensor, where the first embedded sensor is electrically coupled to the second embedded sensor and where the first embedded sensor and the second embedded sensor is capable of registering orientation measurements. A microcontroller is electrically coupled to the connector portion, first embedded sensor and the second embedded sensor, where the microcontroller is capable of receiving the orientation measurements from the first embedded sensor and the second embedded sensor.
US09940799B2
A fence alarm, having a plurality of laterally spaced electrically conductive fence elements, the fence elements electrically being connected in series with each other, a sensing arrangement electrically connected to the plurality of conductive fence elements, the sensing arrangement being calibrated to a nominal electrical value, the sensing arrangement further being operable to sense a predefined deviation from the nominal electrical value caused by a deviation in an electrical property of the conductive fence elements.
US09940798B2
A magnet and magnetometer may be integrated into a smart home environment and allow it to be placed into an away mode of operation despite an entry point being semi-open. The disclosed implementations can detect a magnetic field strength and determine, based on the detected field strength, an approximate distance that a moveable partition is open. In some configurations, the presence of a second magnetic source can be detected. A notice may be generated based on one or more signals received from the magnetometer. The notice may be sent to a controller, a remote system, a remote device, and/or a client device as disclosed herein.
US09940784B2
An apparatus and method for a game of play for use in a casino establishment, or on a general purpose computing device for offering games with multiple outcomes and including blockading game elements or symbols. A base game, or an outcome on a base game that triggers a sub-game or a bonus game involves forming winning combinations from combinations of symbols in a matrix using only accessible symbol positions. Achieving winning combinations of symbols among accessible symbols results in awards to players. The apparatus and method are offered on electronic gaming machines such as slot machines and video poker machines, but may also be deployed on other devices such as on a general purpose computing device or mobile phone in stand-alone form or connected to a network, such as the internet.
US09940780B2
A system for interactive gaming among a plurality of players includes a host computer system and a plurality of player terminals communicably coupled to the host computer system or gaming platform via a network. The plurality of player terminals may be located at a plurality of licensed gaming locations. The plurality of player terminals may be configured to engage the plurality of players in a common interactive game operated by the host computer system. The plurality of player terminals can include means for dispensing player winnings from the player terminal.
US09940766B2
Lock arrangement and method for detecting the presence and location of a device sending a radio signal, which lock arrangement includes a lock case that can be fixed into a door, which lock case includes a locking latch and a latch mechanism. The lock arrangement further includes at least two antennas fitted into connection with the lock arrangement and a device for receiving radio signals connected to the antennas. The lock arrangement is able to determine on the basis of the signals measured from the antennas on which side of the lock arrangement the device sending a radio signal is located.
US09940762B2
A vehicle computing system having a computer processor in communication with a wireless transceiver, such that the wireless transceiver is capable of communication with a wireless communication device located remotely from the processor. The computer processor may be configured to receive input identifying at least one checksum value from one or more modules in the vehicle. The computer processor may transmit the at least one checksum value to a remote server through the wireless communication device. The remote server may compare the at least one checksum value to a predetermined value. Based on the compared results, the processor may receive one or more messages from the remote server to indicate whether the at least one checksum is equal to the predetermined value. The processor may generate one or more remedial actions if the at least one checksum is not equal to the predetermined value.
US09940756B2
An object-image alignment data generating method for use in an object recognition system is presented. The method obtains a 3D model and a set of 2D images of the object. Each 2D image from the set is captured based on a particular camera point of view. The method then uses the 3D model of the object to generate multiple silhouettes of the object according to different camera point of views. Each silhouette is then matched and aligned with a 2D image based on the corresponding camera point of view. The method also derives at least one descriptor from the 2D images and compiles feature points that correspond to the descriptors. Each feature point includes a 2D location and a 3D location. The method then generates an object-image alignment packet by packaging the 2D images, the descriptors, and the feature points.
US09940746B2
Disclosed are systems, methods, devices and computer-readable mediums for image fetching for timeline scrubbing of digital media. In some implementations, a method comprises: receiving at a first time prior to receiving a scrub command, a first set of scrub images associated with digital media, the first set of scrub images having a first set of positions on a timeline of the digital media; receiving a first scrub command; receiving at a second time after the first time, a second set of scrub images associated with the digital media, the second set of scrub images having a second set of positions on the timeline that fill time gaps in the first set of positions on the timeline; animating, a timeline overlay including the timeline, a playhead and a scrub image window; and selecting a scrub image from the first or second sets of scrub images for presentation in the scrub image window.
US09940744B2
Remote font management techniques are described. In one or more implementations, one or more layout tables are obtained, located remotely via a network by a computing device, that correspond to a font associated with a request to output text using the font. A layout and glyph dependencies of the text is generated by the computing device using the obtained one or more layout tables to identify glyphs that are involved in an output of the text. The identified glyphs are obtained by the computing device from a font file located remotely from the computing device via the network and the text is rendered by the computing device using the obtained glyphs.
US09940736B2
According to one embodiment, a medical image diagnostic apparatus includes a storage memory, processing circuitry, and a display. The storage memory stores data of a plurality of FFR distribution maps constituting a time series regarding a coronary artery, and data of a plurality of morphological images corresponding to the time series. The processing circuitry converts the plurality of FFR distribution maps into a plurality of corresponding color maps, respectively. The display displays a plurality of superposed images obtained by superposing the plurality of color maps and the plurality of morphological images respectively corresponding in phase to the plurality of color maps. The display restricts display targets for the plurality of color maps based on the plurality of FFR distribution maps or the plurality of morphological images.
US09940735B2
The present invention provides a system and method for generating a CT slice image. The system comprises an MIP image generation module, a region of interest determination module, an angle setting module, a curve determination module, a match module and a slice generation module. The MIP image generation module generates MIP images of a reconstructed image; the region of interest determination module determines an image range in an original slice, and determines the parts of the MIP images within the image range as regions of interest; the angle setting module rotates the regions of interest to a plurality of specific angles for a plurality of times; the curve determination module generates a plurality of two-dimensional projected curves of the regions of interest for the plurality of specific angles; the match module selects a two-dimensional projected curve matching with a part to be diagnosed based on features of the plurality of two-dimensional projected curves; the slice generation module determines a slice position range and a slice angle based on the features of the matched curve and the corresponding specific angle.
US09940731B2
Asymmetries are detected in one or more images by partitioning each image to create a set of patches. Salient patches are identified, and an independent displacement for each patch is identified. The techniques used to identify the salient patches and the displacement for each patch are combined in a function to generate a score for each patch. The scores can be used to identify possible asymmetries.
US09940727B2
The present disclosure describes systems and techniques relating to generating three dimensional (3D) models from range sensor data. According to an aspect, frames of range scan data captured using one or more three dimensional (3D) sensors are obtained, where the frames correspond to different views of an object or scene; point clouds for the frames are registered with each other by maximizing coherence of projected occluding boundaries of the object or scene within the frames using an optimization algorithm with a cost function that computes pairwise or global contour correspondences; and the registered point clouds are provided for use in 3D modeling of the object or scene. Further, the cost function, which maximizing contour coherence, can be used with more than two point clouds for more than two frames at a time in a global optimization framework.
US09940723B2
In part, the disclosure relates to method for identifying regions of interest in a blood vessel. The method includes the steps of: providing OCT image data of the blood vessel; applying a plurality of different edge detection filters to the OCT image data to generate a filter response for each edge detection filter; identifying in each edge detection filter response any response maxima; combining the response maxima for each edge detection filter response while maintaining the spatial relationship of the response maxima, to thereby create edge filtered OCT data; and analyzing the edge filtered OCT data to identify a region of interest, the region of interest defined as a local cluster of response maxima. In one embodiment, one or more indicia are positioned in one or more panels to emphasize a reference vessel profile as part of a user interface.
US09940712B2
Methods and systems are provided for the automated detection and analysis of structural tissue alterations related to myelin and axons/neurons in one or more biological structures of a patient's nervous system obtained from data from a medical imaging system, or the initial sensing or data collection processes such as, those that could be used to generate an image. In some embodiments, the method comprises, at a system having a memory and one or more processor for processing and displaying images of the biological structure, computationally processing at least a T1 weighted magnetic resonance image of the structure and a T2 weighted magnetic resonance image of the structure in order to analyze at least a portion of the structure of the nervous system using a plurality of stored tissue classifier elements to determine if the portion of the structure correlates with the presence of myelin. Such methods are useful for the detection of diseases associated with demyelination.
US09940706B2
An image processing apparatus which extracts a lesion having a ground glass opacity from an image includes a change unit which changes a pixel value corresponding to a candidate region for the ground glass opacity to a predetermined pixel value range, a first feature amount extraction unit which obtains a first feature amount from the image, the pixel value of which is changed, and an extraction unit which extracts the lesion from the image based on the first feature amount.
US09940696B2
A display assembly includes a display console displaying at least one image on an image plane. The image is divided into a plurality of pixels. A controller is operatively connected to the display console and includes a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method for dynamically adjusting the image in real-time for off-axis viewing. The controller is programmed to generate a compensation-over-viewing-angle map which includes respective compensation factors for each of the plurality of pixels for multiple viewing positions. In one embodiment, the controller is programmed to apply separate respective compensation factors for the instantaneous viewing positions of a first user at a time j and a second user at a time k. In another embodiment, the controller is programmed to apply first and second compensation factors simultaneously at a time m, for a first image and a second image, respectively.
US09940685B2
The present disclosure relates to digital watermarking. One claim recites a method to detect two or more different digital watermarks in media. The method includes: receiving captured imagery of the media, the captured imagery comprising a plurality of image frames; for a first image frame applying a first watermark detector to search for a first digital watermark hidden within the first image frame, in which an electronic processor is programmed as the first watermark detector; and for a second image frame applying a second, different watermark detector to search for a second, different watermark hidden within the second image frame, in which an electronic processor is programmed as the second watermark detector. Other claims and combinations are provided too.
US09940684B2
The disclosure relates to image signal processing, encoded signals and fingerprinting. Lighting information, associated with image capture, is used to adapt a signal encoder to fingerprint generator. The encoder or generator can be adapted by applying different weightings to different color channels, the different weightings being associated with the lighting information.
US09940679B2
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for verifying parameters for a user-created event. In accordance with one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided that comprises receiving a set of parameters for an event created by a user. Further, the method includes verifying the set of parameters for the event by comparing the set of parameters to source data and determining, based on a result of the verification, replacement data for one or more of the set of parameters for the event. The method also includes presenting, on a display device, the replacement data for selection by the user and updating, based on a selection received from the user, the set of parameters for the event to include the replacement data.
US09940676B1
System and methods are disclosed for determining properties of vehicle insurance policies for vehicles that engage in autonomous driving. Vehicle driving data, an autonomous driving system quality rating, and/or other information may be used to determine, for example, a premium, a deductible, a coverage term, and/or a coverage amount of an automobile insurance policy of an automobile that engages in autonomous driving. In addition, vehicle driving data and/or other information may be used to determine a distance-based autonomous driving insurance factor based at least in part on a distance traveled by the vehicle while the vehicle was engaged in autonomous driving.
US09940673B2
The systems and methods described herein can identify meaningful relationships between variables, such as particular investments or general asset classes. Unlike conventional correlation analysis, these systems and methods provide an improved technique of comovement analysis that implements a threshold to eliminate data “noise” and then discretizes the remaining observations to normalize any outliers. Such comovement analysis has numerous advantages over known techniques for characterizing relationships between variables. In some embodiments, this improved comovement analysis can be used to calculate a covariance matrix for purposes of mean-variance optimized portfolio construction.
US09940663B2
An Indoor location mapping and wayfinding system for mapping waypoints on an interactive mapping system that can function both indoors and outdoors based on user selections and location. It can include a shopping system that allows users to pre-select items for purchase, maps the items on an indoor map of the store, and provides a route to the user for the collection of the selected items.
US09940659B1
Techniques for determining and providing a preferred layout of a network page may be provided. For example, the system may receive a query with a keyword, access data regarding previous users' interactions associated with the results of the keyword, determine a category associated with the interactions, and provide a display (e.g., on the original network page) for that particular category. In some examples, the system may provide generic network pages and item- or category-specific network pages associated with a particular layout or presentation characteristics. The system can identify the presentation characteristics of the category-specific network page and incorporate them with the generic network page, without redirecting the user to the category-specific network page.
US09940651B2
A transport arrangement system operates to receive a transport request from a user, and to make a selection of a vehicle type for the user based at least in part on a set of criteria associated with the transport request or user information. For example, the determination of whether an autonomous vehicle is to be provided can be based at least in part on the destination specified with the transport request.
US09940647B2
A video server is configured to provide streaming video to players of computer games over a computing network. The video server can provided video of different games to different players simultaneously. This is accomplished by rendering several video streams in parallel using a single GPU. The output of the GPU is provided to graphics processing pipelines that are each associated with a specific client/player and are dynamically allocated as needed. A client qualifier may be used to assure that only clients capable of presenting the streaming video to a player at a minimum level of quality receive the video stream.
US09940636B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for reverse couponing. An exemplary apparatus is configured to determine user information and account information associated with a user; adjust offer information associated with an offer based on the user information and the account information, wherein the offer enables the user to receive at least one of a discount or a rebate on a purchase from a merchant; and transmit the adjusted offer to the user.
US09940633B2
A system and method for detection of drive-arounds in a retail setting. An embodiment includes acquiring images of a retail establishment, analyzing the images to detect entry of a customer onto the premises of the retail establishment, tracking a detected customer's location as the customer traverses the premises of the retail establishment, analyzing the images to detect exit of the detected customer from the premises of the retail establishment, and generating a drive-around notification if the customer does not enter a prescribed area or remain on the premises of the retail location for at least a prescribed minimum period of time.
US09940628B2
Various systems and methods for measuring ad impression effectiveness are provided. A method is provided comprising selecting, by an ad impression processor, a target consumer for an ad impression, delivering the ad impression to the target consumer, determining, by the processor, a behavior of the target consumer after a time period elapses, wherein the determining comprises analyzing internal data relating to the target consumer.
US09940626B2
Methods and apparatus to provide an electronic agent are disclosed. An example method includes receiving an interactive program via a network at a first information presenting device, accessing a list of keywords associated with the interactive program via the network, accessing a first database using at least one of the keywords, and presenting an electronic agent on the first information presenting device to at least one of present information retrieved from the first database or offer to retrieve information identified via the first database.
US09940612B1
A payment reader and a POS terminal may communicate over a wireless connection. The methods and systems include receiving, from POS terminal, a request for establishing a network connection with the payment card reader. The server determines whether the payment card reader is associated with the POS terminal or a payment application thereon. If the payment card reader is not associated with the POS terminal or the payment application thereon, the server determines the probability of the request being fraudulent.
US09940607B2
A system and method for recording electronic attendance, comprising the steps of: establishing, by a mobile device, a communication link between a server and the mobile device; activating, an application of the mobile device via an verification process; upon activation of the application, detecting and identifying, by the application, a checkpoint station carrying information relating to a checkpoint identifier; establishing, by the mobile device, a communication link between the checkpoint station and the mobile device for data transmission; reading, by the application, information relating to the checkpoint identifier from the checkpoint station; generating, by the application, an encrypted attendance record; transmitting, by the application, the encrypted attendance record to the server via the communication network; decrypting, by a decoder of the server, the encrypted attendance record; and updating, by the server, the record to an attendance report of an account.
US09940606B2
Employers or recruiters populate an online database with job postings. The concepts that job applicants need to have learned to be successful applicants for a job are stated or inferred from the job posting and optionally resumes of others who have held that job. A student's own learning activities are logged by an online education platform. From a comparison between the student's completed learning units and a job posting's required learning units, a personalized learning unit gap can be identified for a student. The online education platform can then recommend how the student can fill the gap by undertaking the study of learning units on the education platform.
US09940605B2
In one embodiment, a server providing an on-line service identifies a change associated with a mobile computing device of a user of the on-line service, the on-line service being accessible to the user through a website hosted by the system; the server also in response to the change and without manual user input from the user, modifies aspects of web pages of the website that are associated with use of the on-line service by the user.
