Patents Issued in March 7, 2017
  • Patent number: 9589565
    Abstract: Environmental conditions, along with other information, are used to adjust a response of a conversational dialog system. The environmental conditions may be used at different times within the conversational dialog system. For example, the environmental conditions can be used to adjust the dialog manager's output (e.g., the machine action). The dialog state information that is used by the dialog manager includes environmental conditions for the current turn in the dialog as well as environmental conditions for one or more past turns in the dialog. The environmental conditions can also be used after receiving the machine action to adjust the response that is provided to the user. For example, the environmental conditions may affect the machine action that is determined as well as how the action is provided to the user. The dialog manager and the response generation components in the conversational dialog system each use the available environmental conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Boies, Larry Heck, Tasos Anastasakos, Ruhi Sarikaya
  • Patent number: 9589566
    Abstract: Embodiments of techniques or systems for fraud detection are provided herein. A communication may be received where the communication includes one or more voice signals from an individual. Frequency responses associated with these voice signals may be determined and analyzed and utilized to determine whether or not potential fraudulent activity is occurring. For example, if a frequency response is greater than a frequency threshold, potential fraudulent activity may be determined. Further, frequency responses may be cross referenced with voice biometrics, voice printing, or fraud pathway detection results. In this way, voice stress or frequency responses may be utilized to build other databases related to other types of fraud detection, thereby enhancing one or more aspects of fraud detection. For example, a database may include a voice library, a pathway library, or a frequency library which include characteristics associated with fraudulent activity, thereby facilitating identification of such activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.
    Inventor: Raymond F. Jones
  • Patent number: 9589567
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling processing equipment. The system includes a control computer communicatively coupled to a terminal computer. Voice data for each of several authorized operators at a plant is stored. The control computer is programmed to implement a voice recognition and authenticated voice-activated control program. The control computer, responsive to receiving a voice-derived input, analyzes the voice-derived input to determine if the voice-derived input matches the voice data for any of the authorized operators. Provided the voice-derived input matches the voice data, the control computer determines at least one command from the voice-derived input for controlling the processing equipment to modify an operation at the plant. The control computer executes the command to control the processing equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Sridhar Sankaranarayanan, Sriram Ranganathan
  • Patent number: 9589568
    Abstract: Method and device of extending a signal band of a voice or audio signal are provided. The bandwidth extension method includes the steps of: performing a modified discrete cosine transform (MDCT) process on an input signal to generate a first transform signal; generating a second transform signal and a third transform signal on the basis of the first transform signal; generating normalized components and energy components of the first transform signal, the second transform signal, and the third transform signal therefrom; generating an extended normalized component from the normalized components and generating an extended energy component from the energy components; generating an extended transform signal on the basis of the extended normalized component and the extended energy component; and performing an inverse MDCT (IMDCT) process on the extended transform signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignees: LG Electronics Inc., Gwangju Institute Of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Gyu Hyeok Jeong, Young Han Lee, Hye Jeong Jeon, Hong Kook Kim, In Gyu Kang, Lag Young Kim
  • Patent number: 9589569
    Abstract: Provided is an audio encoding method. The audio encoding method includes: acquiring envelopes based on a predetermined sub-band for an audio spectrum; quantizing the envelopes based on the predetermined sub-band; and obtaining a difference value between quantized envelopes for adjacent sub-bands and lossless encoding a difference value of a current sub-band by using a difference value of a previous sub-band as a context. Accordingly, the number of bits required to encode envelope information of an audio spectrum may be reduced in a limited bit range, thereby increasing the number of bits required to encode an actual spectral component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Anton Porov, Konstantin Osipov, Ki-hyun Choo
  • Patent number: 9589570
    Abstract: The quality of encoded signals can be improved by reclassifying AUDIO signals carrying non-speech data as VOICE signals when periodicity parameters of the signal satisfy one or more criteria. In some embodiments, only low or medium bit rate signals are considered for re-classification. The periodicity parameters can include any characteristic or set of characteristics indicative of periodicity. For example, the periodicity parameter may include pitch differences between subframes in the audio signal, a normalized pitch correlation for one or more subframes, an average normalized pitch correlation for the audio signal, or combinations thereof. Audio signals which are re-classified as VOICED signals may be encoded in the time-domain, while audio signals that remain classified as AUDIO signals may be encoded in the frequency-domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yang Gao
  • Patent number: 9589571
    Abstract: Conventional audio compression technologies perform a standardized signal transformation, independent of the type of the content. Multi-channel signals are decomposed into their signal components, subsequently quantized and encoded. This is disadvantageous due to lack of knowledge on the characteristics of scene composition, especially for e.g. multi-channel audio or Higher-Order Ambisonics (HOA) content. An improved method for encoding pre-processed audio data comprises encoding the pre-processed audio data, and encoding auxiliary data that indicate the particular audio pre-processing. An improved method for decoding encoded audio data comprises determining that the encoded audio data had been pre-processed before encoding, decoding the audio data, extracting from received data information about the pre-processing, and post-processing the decoded audio data according to the extracted pre-processing information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Olivier Wuebbolt, Johannes Boehm, Peter Jax
  • Patent number: 9589572
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a noise reduction method for speech processing includes estimating a noise/interference component signal by subtracting voice component signal from a first microphone input signal wherein the voice component signal is evaluated as a first replica signal produced by passing a second microphone input signal through a first adaptive filter; a stepsize is estimated to control adaptive update of the first adaptive filter, wherein the stepsize is evaluated by combing an open-loop approach and a closed-loop approach, the open-loop approach comprising voice/noise/interference classification and SNR estimation in voice area, and the closed-loop approach comprising calculating a normalized correlation between the first replica signal and the first microphone input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Inventor: Yang Gao
  • Patent number: 9589573
    Abstract: A method of wind noise reduction. Left side and right side microphone signals are obtained. In a first stage wind noise reduction is applied to a first sub-band of one of the signals, below a spectral threshold NA. In a second stage the wind noise reduced first side signal, and the second side signal, are both split into a sub-band below a threshold NB less than NA. The sub-band of the first side signal is mixed with the sub-band of the second side signal to produce an aggregate third sub-band signal having reduced wind noise, which is recombined with the respective sub-bands above the threshold NB to produce output first and second side signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Thomas Ivan Harvey, Vitaliy Sapozhnykov
  • Patent number: 9589574
    Abstract: Personal audio systems and methods are disclosed. A personal audio system includes a voice activity detector to determine whether or not an ambient audio stream contains voice activity, a pitch estimator to determine a frequency of a fundamental component of an annoyance noise contained in the ambient audio stream, and a filter bank to attenuate the fundamental component and at least one harmonic component of the annoyance noise to generate a personal audio stream. The filter bank implements a first filter function when the ambient audio stream does not contain voice activity, or a second filter function when the ambient audio stream contains voice activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Doppler Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Gints Klimanis, Anthony Parks
  • Patent number: 9589575
    Abstract: An echo cancellation system that detects and compensates for differences in sample rates between the echo cancellation system and a set of wireless speakers based on a frequency-domain analysis. The system generates Fourier transforms for a microphone signal and a reference signal and determines a series of angles for individual frames. For each tone in the Fourier transforms, the system determines the angles and uses linear regression to determine an individual frequency offset associated with the tone. Using the individual frequency offsets associated with the tones, the system uses linear regression to determine an overall frequency offset between the audio sent to the speakers and the audio received from a microphone. Based on the overall frequency offset, samples of the audio are added or dropped when echo cancellation is performed, compensating for the frequency offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Ayrapetian, Philip Ryan Hilmes
  • Patent number: 9589576
    Abstract: Audio decoder and method therein for supporting bandwidth extension (BWE) of a received signal. The method involves receiving a first signal representing the lower frequency spectrum of a segment of an original audio signal; receiving a second signal, being a BWE signal, representing a higher frequency spectrum of the segment of the original audio signal. The method further comprises determining a degree of voicing in the lower frequency spectrum of the audio signal, based on the received first signal; and selecting a spectral tilt adaptation filter, out of at least two spectral tilt adaptation filters having different spectral attenuation characteristics, based on the determined degree of voicing. The selected spectral tilt adaptation filter is then applied on the received second signal. Thus, a differentiation of spectral tilt in the higher frequency spectrum of a reconstructed audio signal, based on lower frequency spectrum characteristics of the original audio signal is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventors: Sigurdur Sverrisson, Erik Norvell, Volodya Grancharov
  • Patent number: 9589577
    Abstract: A speech recognition apparatus and a speech recognition method are provided. In the invention, whether an original voice sampling signal corresponding to a target voice frame is a consonant signal is determined according to at least one of a ratio of an energy of a low-pass sampling signal to an energy of the original voice sampling signal and a ratio value of an energy of a second consonant frequency band signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Acer Incorporated
    Inventors: Po-Jen Tu, Jia-Ren Chang, Kai-Meng Tzeng
  • Patent number: 9589578
    Abstract: Technologies are described herein for invoking API calls through voice commands. An annotated API description is received at a voice API interface. The annotated API description comprises descriptions of one or more APIs and speech annotations for the one or more APIs. The voice API interface further receives a voice API command from a client. By utilizing the annotated API description and the speech annotations contained therein, the voice API interface converts the voice API command into an API call request, which is then sent to the corresponding service for execution. Once the service returns an API call result, the voice API interface interprets the API call result and further converts it into an audio API response based on the information contained in the annotated API description and the speech annotations. The audio API response is then sent to the client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Andries Petrus Johannes Dippenaar
  • Patent number: 9589579
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a tool, referred to herein as “Active Lab” that can be used to develop, debug, and maintain knowledge bases. These knowledge bases (KBs) can then engage various applications, technology, and communications protocols for the purpose of task automation, real time alerting, system integration, knowledge acquisition, and various forms of peer influence. In at least some embodiments, a KB is used as a virtual assistant that any real person can interact with using their own natural language. The KB can then respond and react however the user wants: answering questions, activating applications, or responding to actions on a web page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Next IT Corporation
    Inventors: Fred Brown, Mark Zartler, Tanya M Miller, Scott Buzan
  • Patent number: 9589580
    Abstract: A method for processing sound that includes, generating one or more noise component estimates relating to an electrical representation of the sound and generating an associated confidence measure for the one or more noise component estimates. The method further comprises processing, based on the confidence measure, the sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Adam A. Hersbach, Stefan J. Mauger, John M. Heasman, Pam W. Dawson
  • Patent number: 9589581
    Abstract: A microwave-assisted magnetic recording head according to an embodiment includes: a magnetic pole; a magnetic shield including a first portion and a second portion connecting to the first portion, a gap being present between the first portion and the magnetic pole; a recording coil disposed to at least one of the magnetic pole and the magnetic shield; and a spin torque oscillator including a nonmagnetic intermediate layer extending within and outside the gap, an oscillation layer disposed on a portion of the nonmagnetic intermediate layer in the gap, and a spin injection layer in which a magnetization direction is pinned and which is disposed on a portion of the nonmagnetic intermediate layer outside the gap so as to be separated from the oscillation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masayuki Takagishi, Hitoshi Iwasaki, Kenichiro Yamada
  • Patent number: 9589582
    Abstract: A PMR writer is disclosed wherein a hot seed layer (HS) made of a 19-24 kilogauss (kG) magnetic material is formed between a gap layer and a 10-16 kG magnetic layer in the side shields, and between the leading gap and a 16-19 kG magnetic layer in the leading shield to improve the track field gradient and cross-track field gradient while maintaining write-ability. The HS is from 10 to 100 nm thick and has a first side facing the write pole with a height of ?0.15 micron, and a second side facing a main pole flared side that may extend to a full side shield height of ?0.5 micron. The trailing shield has a second hot seed layer on the write gap and a 16-19 kG magnetic layer that contacts the 10-16 kG side shield magnetic layer thereby forming an all wrap around (AWA) shield configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignees: Headway Technologies, Inc., TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Yue Liu, Atsushi Yamaguchi, Yuhui Tang, Jiun-Ting Lee, Yaguang Wei, Xiaomin Liu, Hideyuki Ukita, Moris Dovek, Michitaka Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 9589583
    Abstract: The CPPGMR element of the present invention has an orientation layer 12 formed on a substrate 11 to texture a Heusler alloy into a (100) direction, an underlying layer 13 that is an electrode for magneto-resistance measurement stacked on the orientation layer 12, a lower ferromagnetic layer 14 and an upper ferromagnetic layer 16 each stacked on the underlying layer 13 and made of a Heusler alloy, a spacer layer 15 sandwiched between the lower ferromagnetic layers 14 and the upper ferromagnetic layers 16, and a cap layer 17 stacked on the upper ferromagnetic layer 16 for surface-protection. This manner makes it possible to provide, inexpensively, an element using a current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magneto-resistance effect (CPPGMR) of a thin film having a trilayered structure of a ferromagnetic metal/a nonmagnetic metal/a ferromagnetic metal, thereby showing excellent performances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR MATERIALS SCIENCE
    Inventors: Ye Du, Takao Furubayashi, Yukiko Takahashi, Kazuhiro Hono
  • Patent number: 9589584
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention relates to magnetic powder, which is magnetoplumbite hexagonal strontium ferrite magnetic powder comprising 1 atomic percent to 5 atomic percent of Ba per 100 atomic percent of Fe, the average particle size of which ranges from 10 nm to 25 nm, and which is magnetic powder for magnetic recording.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Shirata
  • Patent number: 9589585
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention relates to magnetic powder, which is magnetoplumbite hexagonal strontium ferrite magnetic powder comprising 0.05 atomic percent to 3 atomic percent of Ca per 100 atomic percent of Fe, but comprising no rare earth elements or transition metal elements other than Fe, the average particle size of which ranges from 10 nm to 25 nm, and which is magnetic powder for magnetic recording.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Shirata
  • Patent number: 9589586
    Abstract: A glass for a magnetic recording medium substrate permitting the realization of a magnetic recording medium substrate affording good chemical durability and having an extremely flat surface, a magnetic recording medium substrate comprised of this glass, a magnetic recording medium equipped with this substrate, and methods of manufacturing the same. The glass compositions disclosed comprise oxides of at least Si, Al, Li, Na, K, Sn and Ce, optionally Sb, but not comprising As or F. Additional oxides of Mg, Cs, Sr and Ba may be present. The oxides are presented as molar percentages, mass percentages and ratios thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi Hachitani, Kinobu Osakabe
  • Patent number: 9589587
    Abstract: During field operation of a heat-assisted magnetic recording data storage device, a laser adjustment procedure is performed. The laser adjustment procedure involves writing on a recording medium at least three tracks. If a bit error rate of a middle tracks has increased, the laser current is swept while recording test tracks to determine a new laser current that results in a minimum bit error rate. The new laser current is used for subsequent write operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Alfredo Sam Chu, Drew Michael Mader, Wenzhong Zhu, Michael A. Cordle
  • Patent number: 9589588
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a spindle to rotate a magnetic recording medium and a magnetic field generator to expose a track of the medium to a DC magnetic field. The magnetic field generator is configured to saturate the track during an erase mode and reverse the DC magnetic field impinging the track during a writing mode. A laser arrangement heats the track during the erase mode and, during the writing mode, heats the track while the track is exposed to the reversed DC magnetic field so as to write a magnetic pattern thereon. A reader reads the magnetic pattern and generates a read signal. A processor is coupled to the reader and configured to measure one or more magnetic properties of the track using the read signal. The apparatus can further comprise a Kerr sensor that generates a Kerr signal using the magnetic pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Kangkang Wang, Xiaobin Zhu, Ganping Ju, Kai Chieh Chang, Yingguo Peng, Timothy J. Klemmer, Jan-Ulrich Thiele
  • Patent number: 9589589
    Abstract: A motor may include a bearing mechanism including a shaft arranged along a center axis, a sealing member has one-end closed cylindrical shape and a recess receiving a lower portion of the bearing mechanism, a stationary portion including a base defining a part of the housing, and a rotary portion rotating relative to the stationary portion about the center axis. The base has a through hole defined therein so as to have a center aligned with the center axis and pass through the base in an axial direction. The sealing member is fixed in a fixing region defined between an outer circumferential portion of the sealing member and an inner circumferential portion that defines the through hole in the base. The fixing region includes a sealing region where a clearance between the sealing member and the base is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiro Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 9589590
    Abstract: Disclosed are techniques and systems for manufacturing an optical disc having a stochastic (i.e., non-deterministic) anti-piracy feature in the form of a multi-spiral structure, and for verifying the feature on the optical disc to authenticate the disc for playback. The multi-spiral structure may be comprised of multiple partially interleaved, and partially overlapping, spiral data tracks formed in a designated area of the optical disc. A process of forming the multi-spiral structure may include forming, in the designated area, a first spiral data track with first track pitch and a second spiral data track with second track pitch that is different than the first track pitch. The multi-spiral structure may be analyzed to determine verification parameters for verifying the multi-spiral structure, and those verification parameters may be encrypted so that they may be subsequently decrypted and used to verify the multi-spiral structure on a disc reading device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Felix Domke, Kenneth M McGrail
  • Patent number: 9589591
    Abstract: There is provided a signal processing device including a signal coincidence detection portion which detects samples, in which values based on a number of times of appearance of bits coincide with each other over a plurality of samples within a pre-set period, between a first modulated signal obtained by delaying an input signal obtained by ?? modulation and a second modulated signal obtained by subjecting the input signal to the ?? modulation again, a signal changeover portion which switches between the first modulated signal and the second modulated signal for outputting, and a switching control portion which controls the switching between the first modulated signal and the second modulated signal by the signal changeover portion in the samples in which the values based on the number of times of the appearance coincide with each other obtained by the signal coincidence detection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuuki Matsumura, Shiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9589592
    Abstract: Implementations disclosed herein provide a method comprising applying voltage to a read head during an unload state, detecting characteristic read head data, and storing the detected characteristic read head data in a buffer. In another implementation, the method further comprises performing a read retry operation in response to a read failure, reading the detected characteristic read head data from the buffer, determining if the detected characteristic read head data meets a threshold for a first predetermined criterion, performing a correction operation if the threshold for the first the first predetermined criterion is met, determining whether a media sector is read successfully, and ending the read retry operation if the media sector is read successfully.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Mingyeong Son, Seungyoul Jeong, Man Sik Shim, Woo Chan Kim
  • Patent number: 9589593
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, in the case of rereading of data from a storage area of a storage is performed, data is read from the storage area a plurality of times, and a weighted average of pieces of the data read from the storage area the plurality of times is calculated, according to weights added to the pieces of data, as data reread from the storage area, in which the weights decreases as quality of the pieces of data read from the storage area decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Keiichi Kishino
  • Patent number: 9589594
    Abstract: Providing a method for organizing portions of videos called video previews. The video previews may be associated with a playable group (e.g., one or more other videos that play simultaneously), a video channel (e.g., a collection of videos), or in a particular order for a viewer to browse. Each video channel or video in a channel can provide short, playable video preview that users can use to better decide whether to watch the full video or video channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: ALC HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: David McIntosh, Chris Pennello
  • Patent number: 9589595
    Abstract: A method includes selecting at least two objects within a primary video stream, generating a first video stream from the primary video stream that includes a first of the selected objects, and generating a second video stream from the primary video stream that includes a second of the selected objects. The primary video stream has a primary field of view, and the first and second video streams have respective first and second fields of view that are more narrow than the primary field of view. The first field of view includes a portion of the primary field of view that is not within the second field of view, and the second field of view includes a portion of the primary field of view that is not within the first field of view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Dashan Gao, Xin Zhong, Ananthapadmanabhan Arasanipalai Kandhadai, Scott Beith, Steven Douglas Laver
  • Patent number: 9589596
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and a device for playing multimedia. The method may comprise: obtaining at least one of audio data and subtitle data of a first preset time length before a pause position of a multimedia; determining a starting position of a complete semantic statement according to at least one of the audio data and the subtitle data; and continuing to play the multimedia according to the starting position when an instruction of continuing to play the multimedia is detected or a condition of continuing to play the multimedia is met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Xiaomi Inc.
    Inventors: Bin Wang, Zhiguang Zheng, Dongfang Ji
  • Patent number: 9589597
    Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses for small-screen movie-watching using a viewport. These techniques enable viewers to experience movies and other media programs using a small screen as a viewport to the movie rather than dramatically compressing or cropping the movie to fit the small screen. A viewer may select whatever portion of the movie imagery he or she desires to experience through the small screen at a size sufficient to perceive details of plot elements and an environment in which the plot elements interact. Thus, the viewer may follow plot elements central to the plot while also exploring the environment that provides context for these plot elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Darren Mark Austin, Baback Elmieh, Douglas Paul Sweetland, Brian M. Collins, Mark Jason Oftedal, Jan J. Pinkava
  • Patent number: 9589598
    Abstract: A configurable mission processor (CMP) is disclosed that includes a chassis with a plurality of reprogrammable processor modules (RPMs) disposed within the chassis. Each RPM has a baseboard with at least one field programmable gate array (FPGA) and a configuration manager configured to accept a configuration file through an externally accessible signal connector, store the configuration file, and selectably program the at least one FPGA using the configuration file. The RPM includes a power submodule that accepts unregulated power through an externally accessible power connector, generates regulated power at a plurality of voltages, and provide the regulated power to the RPM. The RPM may also include an input/output submodule configured to provide a communication channel between the at least one FPGA and external devices through its own externally accessible signal connector. The CMP also includes a backplane that provides only signal and ground interconnections between the baseboards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel J. Gilley, Edwin Y. Wong, Gary L. Heinz
  • Patent number: 9589599
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first signal generation unit suitable for generating a first enable signal which is activated during an initial setting period; a second signal generation unit suitable for generating a second enable signal which is activated in response to a command for performing a preset operation, after the initial setting period; and a temperature code generation unit suitable for generating temperature codes in response to activation of the first and second enable signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Won-Sun Park
  • Patent number: 9589601
    Abstract: Various implementations described herein may refer to and may be directed to circuitry for an integrated circuit using topology configurations. For instance, in one implementation, such circuitry may include a memory array having a plurality of memory cells. Such circuitry may also include one or more reconfigurable sense amplifier devices coupled to the memory array and configured to amplify differential voltage levels received from the memory array. The reconfigurable sense amplifier devices may include a plurality of sense amplifier circuits configured to be arranged in one of a plurality of topology configurations, where the topology configurations include a parallel configuration and a cross parallel configuration. The reconfigurable sense amplifier devices may also include one or more switches configured to set the plurality of sense amplifier circuits into the plurality of topological configurations based on one or more control bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignees: ARM Limited, The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Mahmood Khayatzadeh, Massimo Bruno Alioto, David Blaauw, Dennis Michael Chen Sylvester, Fakhruddin Ali Bohra
  • Patent number: 9589602
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to performing comparison operations in memory. An example apparatus can include a first group of memory cells coupled to a first access line and configured to store a plurality of first elements, and a second group of memory cells coupled to a second access line and configured to store a plurality of second elements. The apparatus can include a controller configured to cause the plurality of first elements to be compared with the plurality of second elements by controlling sensing circuitry to perform a number of operations without transferring data via an input/output (I/O) line, and the plurality of first elements and the plurality of second elements can be compared in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Sanjay Tiwari
  • Patent number: 9589603
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include: a fuse array including a plurality of fuses; a voltage generation unit suitable for generating a first measurement voltage having a preset level; and a measurement unit suitable for supplying the first measurement voltage to a sourcing node of the fuse array and a second measurement voltage, which is provided from an external through a first pad, to a sinking node of the fuse array, and outputting a current, which is caused by voltage difference between the first and second measurement voltages and passes through one or more of the multiple fuses, through the first pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Kang-Seol Lee
  • Patent number: 9589604
    Abstract: Single ended bitline current sense amplifier for SRAM applications. The present disclosure relates to current sense read amplifier for use as a read amplifier in a memory arrangement of memory cell groups, wherein in each of the memory cell groups cells includes at least one read port connected to a read amplifier by a bitline, and wherein said read amplifiers are connected to a data output. The current sense read amplifier includes a voltage regulator to keep a bitline voltage at a constant voltage level below a power supply voltage and above a ground, a measurement circuit to detect a high current value and a low current value in a input signal, and a generator to generate a high voltage level output signal when the high current value input is detected and to generate a low voltage level output signal when the low current level value is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Fritsch, Shankar Kalyanasundaram, Michael Kugel, Juergen Pille
  • Patent number: 9589605
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device may include a plurality of mats configured to input and output the data of memory cells through a plurality of mat input/output lines. The semiconductor device may include a plurality of input/output lines coupled to the plurality of mat input/output lines and configured to input and output data. The semiconductor device may include mat control units disposed between the plurality of mats and configured to control the operations of the mats. The plurality of mat input/output lines may be grouped into a plurality of data line groups having the same characteristic, and some of the plurality of data line groups may be disposed to overlap with the mat control units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SK HYNIX INC.
    Inventors: Tae Kyun Kim, Jin Hee Cho
  • Patent number: 9589606
    Abstract: Efficiently tracking activations to rows of memory using a reduced number of row activation counters that indicate whether a memory row is activated during an activation period and row activation counters that indicate a number of permitted activations to a memory row within a maximum activation window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiang Lin, Matthew Garrett
  • Patent number: 9589607
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to performing logical operations using sensing circuitry. An example apparatus comprises an array of memory cells and sensing circuitry comprising a primary latch coupled to a sense line of the array. The sensing circuitry can be configured to perform a first operation phase of a logical operation by sensing a memory cell coupled to the sense line, perform a number of intermediate operation phases of the logical operation by sensing a respective number of different memory cells coupled to the sense line, and accumulate a result of the first operation phase and the number of intermediate operation phases in a secondary latch coupled to the primary latch without performing a sense line address access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Troy A. Manning
  • Patent number: 9589608
    Abstract: In a semiconductor memory device storing a resistance difference as information, a long time is taken so as to charge and/or discharge a selected cell by an equalizer circuit, which results in a difficulty of a high speed operation. A selection circuit puts, in a selected state, at least three bit lines which includes a selected bit line connected to a selected memory cell together with unselected bit lines adjacent to the selected bit line on both sides of the selected bit line. The selected and the unselected bit lines are coupled to sense amplifiers through an equalizer circuit. The equalizer circuit puts both the selected and the unselected bit lines into charging states and thereafter puts only the selected bit line into a discharging state to perform a sensing operation. On the other hand, the unselected bit lines are continuously kept at the charging states during the sensing operation. This makes it possible to perform the sensing operation at a high speed with a rare malfunction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Longitude Semiconductor S.A.R.L.
    Inventor: Akiyoshi Seko
  • Patent number: 9589609
    Abstract: A static RAM having a plurality of word lines; a plurality of bit line pairs; a plurality of memory cells provided at intersections of the plurality of bit line pairs and the plurality of word lines; a write driver connected between a high potential power source line, of which potential is higher than a reference potential, and a drive line; a column switch having transistor pairs which connect one of the plurality of bit line pairs, which is selected, to the write driver; and a boost circuit which boosts the drive line of the write driver to a negative potential, which is a potential lower than the reference potential, at a time of writing of the memory cell, where a well of the transistor pairs of the column switch is connected to the drive line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SOCIONEXT INC.
    Inventor: Wenhao Wu
  • Patent number: 9589610
    Abstract: A memory circuit includes a pre-charging unit configured to charge a metal bit line during a pre-charging period, a sensing unit configured to sense a status of a memory cell coupled to the metal bit line during the pre-charging period, and a sink circuit configured to provide a sink current during the pre-charging period based on the status of the memory cell sensed by the sensing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chung-Kuang Chen
  • Patent number: 9589611
    Abstract: A column driver includes an amplifier circuit for amplifying data of a read bit line and a latch circuit for retaining the amplified data. The latch circuit includes a pair of nodes Q and QB for retaining complementary data. Data is read from a memory cell in each write target row to a read bit line, and amplified by the amplifier circuit. The amplified data is written to the node Q (or QB) of the latch circuit. In a write target column, write data is input to the latch circuit through the node Q (or QB) to update data of the latch circuit. Then, in each column, data of the latch circuit is written to a write bit line, and the data of the write bit line is written to the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiko Ishizu, Shuhei Nagatsuka
  • Patent number: 9589612
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to enhance the functionality of an integrated circuit. Such an integrated circuit may include a primary circuitry and an embedded programmable logic programmable to adjust the functionality of the primary circuitry. Specifically, the embedded programmable logic may be programmed to adjust the functionality of the primary circuitry to complement and/or support the functionality of another integrated circuit. Accordingly, the embedded programmable logic may be programmed with functions such as data/address manipulation functions, configuration/testing functions, computational functions, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Arifur Rahman, Bernhard Friebe
  • Patent number: 9589614
    Abstract: A storage device includes first and second nonvolatile memory groups that respectively include first and second nonvolatile memory chips, a memory controller connected to the first and second nonvolatile memory groups in common through input/output lines and at least one control line, and a group select circuit connected to the memory controller through the at least one control line and chip enable lines. The group select circuit is connected to the first and second nonvolatile memory groups through a plurality of first and second chip enable lines, respectively. The group select circuit, in response to receiving a control signal through the at least one control line, is configured to transmit chip enable signals to a selected memory group among the first nonvolatile memory group and the second nonvolatile memory group through selected chip enable lines among the first chip enable lines and the second chip enable lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chulseung Lee, Kyuwook Han, Jake Eu
  • Patent number: 9589615
    Abstract: Embodiments include a resistor, coupled on a signal path, that includes one or more resistive memory elements, such as one or more magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs). The resistance of the resistive memory elements may be digitally trimmable to adjust a resistance of the resistor on the signal path. The resistor may be incorporated into an analog or mixed signal circuit to pass an analog signal on the signal path. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jaydeep P. Kulkarni, Ashoke Ravi, Dinesh Somasekhar, Ganesh Balamurugan, Sudip Shekhar, Tawfiq Musah, Tzu-Chien Hsueh
  • Patent number: 9589616
    Abstract: Memory cell, method for operating the memory cell and method for fabricating the memory cell are disclosed. The memory cell includes at least three terminals, a first magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure and a second MTJ structure. The first MTJ is coupled between a first terminal (FT) and a third terminal. A portion of the first MTJ is configured to include a first barrier layer disposed between a first fixed layer and a free layer (FL). A magnetization direction of the FL is used to store data, the magnetization direction being controlled by an electric field. The second MTJ is coupled between the FT and a second terminal, where a portion of the second MTJ is configured to include a second barrier layer disposed between a second fixed layer and the FL, where a tunnel magnetoresistance of the second barrier layer is used to read the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Hao Meng, Yong Wee Francis Poh, Tze Ho Simon Chan