Patents Issued in June 13, 2017
  • Patent number: 9679557
    Abstract: An adaptive dialogue system and also a computer-implemented method for semantic training of a dialogue system are disclosed. In this connection, semantic annotations are generated automatically on the basis of received speech inputs, the semantic annotations being intended for controlling instruments or for communication with a user. For this purpose, at least one speech input is received in the course of an interaction with a user. A sense content of the speech input is registered and appraised, by the speech input being classified on the basis of a trainable semantic model, in order to make a semantic annotation available for the speech input. Further user information connected with the speech input is taken into account if the registered sense content is appraised erroneously, incompletely and/or as untrustworthy. The sense content of the speech input is learned automatically on the basis of the additional user information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: ELEKTROBIT AUTOMOTIVE GmbH
    Inventors: Karl Weilhammer, Silke Goronzy-Thomae
  • Patent number: 9679558
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for training language models using in-domain-like data collected automatically from one or more data sources. The data sources (such as text data or user-interactional data) are mined for specific types of data, including data related to style, content, and probability of relevance, which are then used for language model training. In one embodiment, a language model is trained from features extracted from a knowledge graph modified into a probabilistic graph, where entity popularities are represented and the popularity information is obtained from data sources related to the knowledge. Embodiments of language models trained from this data are particularly suitable for domain-specific conversational understanding tasks where natural language is used, such as user interaction with a game console or a personal assistant application on personal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Murat Akbacak, Dilek Z. Hakkani-Tur, Gokhan Tur, Larry P. Heck, Benoit Dumoulin
  • Patent number: 9679559
    Abstract: A method estimates source signals from a mixture of source signals by first training an analysis model and a reconstruction model using training data. The analysis model is applied to the mixture of source signals to obtain an analysis representation of the mixture of source signals, and the reconstruction model is applied to the analysis representation to obtain an estimate of the source signals, wherein the analysis model utilizes an analysis linear basis representation, and the reconstruction model utilizes a reconstruction linear basis representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Le Roux, John R. Hershey, Felix Weninger, Shinji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9679560
    Abstract: A mobile device is adapted for automatic speech recognition (ASR). A user interface for interaction with a user includes an input microphone for obtaining speech inputs from the user for automatic speech recognition, and an output interface for system output to the user based on ASR results that correspond to the speech input. A local controller obtains a sample of non-ASR audio from the input microphone for ASR-adaptation to channel-specific ASR characteristics, and then provides a representation of the non-ASR audio to a remote ASR server for server-side adaptation to the channel-specific ASR characteristics, and then provides a representation of an unknown ASR speech input from the input microphone to the remote ASR server for determining ASR results corresponding to the unknown ASR speech input, and then provides the system output to the output interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Willett, Jean-Guy E. Dahan, William F. Ganong, III, Jianxiong Wu
  • Patent number: 9679561
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for generating domain-specific speech recognition models for a domain of interest by combining and tuning existing speech recognition models when a speech recognizer does not have access to a speech recognition model for that domain of interest and when available domain-specific data is below a minimum desired threshold to create a new domain-specific speech recognition model. A system configured to practice the method identifies a speech recognition domain and combines a set of speech recognition models, each speech recognition model of the set of speech recognition models being from a respective speech recognition domain. The system receives an amount of data specific to the speech recognition domain, wherein the amount of data is less than a minimum threshold to create a new domain-specific model, and tunes the combined speech recognition model for the speech recognition domain based on the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Srinivas Bangalore, Robert Bell, Diamantino Antonio Caseiro, Mazin Gilbert, Patrick Haffner
  • Patent number: 9679562
    Abstract: A method of managing speech interfaces to computer-based services includes beginning a first speech session that is carried out in a vehicle over a short-range wireless connection between a vehicle occupant and a mobile device; detecting an initiation of a second speech session while the first speech session is being carried out; determining an assigned priority level of the first speech session relative to an assigned priority level of the second speech session based on a first speech context identified in the first speech session and a second speech context identified in the second speech session; and when the assigned priority level of the second speech session has a higher priority than the assigned priority level of the first speech session, carrying out a session-appropriate action on the first speech session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Denis R. Burke, Danilo Gurovich, Daniel E. Rudman, Keith A. Fry, Shane M. McCutchen, Marco T. Carnevale, Mukesh Gupta
  • Patent number: 9679563
    Abstract: An electronic device which includes a plurality of microphones and an audio data processing module is provided. The plurality of microphones is operatively coupled to the electronic device, and the audio data processing module is capable of being implemented with at least one processor. The audio data processing module recognizes a specified command, based on first audio data collected using a portion of the plurality of microphones and executes a function or an application corresponding to second audio data collected using all the plurality of microphones, when the specified command is recognized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang Hoon Lee, Kyung Tae Kim, Chakladar Subhojit, Seok Yeong Jung
  • Patent number: 9679564
    Abstract: A graphical user interface is described for human guided audio source separation in a multi-speaker automated transcription system receiving audio signals representing speakers participating together in a speech session. A speaker avatar for each speaker is distributed about a user interface display to suggest speaker positions relative to each other during the speech session. There also is a speaker highlight element on the interface display for visually highlighting a specific speaker avatar corresponding to an active speaker in the speech session to aid a human transcriptionist listening to the speech session to identify the active speaker. A speech signal processor performs signal processing of the audio signals to isolate an audio signal corresponding to the highlighted speaker avatar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Johnathon Daborn, Uwe Helmut Jost
  • Patent number: 9679566
    Abstract: The apparatus for synchronously processing text data and voice data, comprises: a storing unit for storing text data and voice data; a text data dividing section for dividing the text data; a text data phoneme converting section for phonemically converting the divided text data; a text data phoneme conversion accumulated value calculating section for calculating accumulated values of text data phoneme conversion values; a voice data dividing section for dividing the voice data; a reading data phoneme converting section for phonemically converting the divided voice data; a voice data phoneme conversion accumulated value calculating section for calculating accumulated values of voice data phoneme conversion values; a phrase corresponding data producing section for producing phrase corresponding data; and an output section for synchronously outputting the text data and the divided voice data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SHINANO KENSHI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoki Kodaira, Tatsuo Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 9679567
    Abstract: The present invention is directed generally to linking a collection of words and/or phrases with locations in a video and/or audio stream where the words and/or phrases occur and/or associations of a collection of words and/or phrases with a call history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Doyle, Thomas Greenwood
  • Patent number: 9679568
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for training a dialog system using user feedback. According to one implementation, a method includes receiving, by a dialog engine, a first input that specifies a question; providing, by the dialog engine, an answer to the question; receiving, by the dialog engine, a second input; and determining, by the dialog engine, that the second input is classified as feedback to the answer, then determining a feedback score associated with the second input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Gabriel Taubman, Andrew W. Hogue, John J. Lee
  • Patent number: 9679569
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for a dynamic threshold for speaker verification are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, for each of multiple utterances of a hotword, a data set including at least a speaker verification confidence score, and environmental context data. The actions further include selecting from among the data sets, a subset of the data sets that are associated with a particular environmental context. The actions further include selecting a particular data set from among the subset of data sets based on one or more selection criteria. The actions further include selecting, as a speaker verification threshold for the particular environmental context, the speaker verification confidence score. The actions further include providing the speaker verification threshold for use in performing speaker verification of utterances that are associated with the particular environmental context.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jakob Nicolaus Foerster, Diego Melendo Casado
  • Patent number: 9679570
    Abstract: Topics of potential interest to a user, useful for purposes such as targeted advertising and product recommendations, can be extracted from voice content produced by a user. A computing device can capture voice content, such as when a user speaks into or near the device. One or more sniffer algorithms or processes can attempt to identify trigger words in the voice content, which can indicate a level of interest of the user. For each identified potential trigger word, the device can capture adjacent audio that can be analyzed, on the device or remotely, to attempt to determine one or more keywords associated with that trigger word. The identified keywords can be stored and/or transmitted to an appropriate location accessible to entities such as advertisers or content providers who can use the keywords to attempt to select or customize content that is likely relevant to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Kiran K. Edara
  • Patent number: 9679571
    Abstract: An encoder and an encoding method for a multi-channel signal, and a decoder and a decoding method for a multi-channel signal are disclosed. A multi-channel signal may be efficiently processed by consecutive downmixing or upmixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Seung Kwon Beack, Tae Jin Lee, Jong Mo Sung, Jeong Il Seo, Kyeong Ok Kang, Dae Young Jang, Jin Woong Kim
  • Patent number: 9679572
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for encoding/decoding scalable digital audio are disclosed. An apparatus for decoding scalable digital audio according to the present invention includes: an audio packet reception unit configured to receive a digital audio packet, including a plurality of pieces of direct audio channel data mapped to respective physical channels and a plurality of pieces of indirect audio channel data indirectly mapped to respective physical channels; an indirect audio channel extraction unit configured to extract the digital audio packet from the pieces of indirect audio channel data; an indirect audio channel decoding unit configured to generate pieces of audio channel data corresponding to a number of physical channels more than the number of pieces of indirect audio channel data using the pieces of indirect audio channel data; and an audio channel output unit configured to match the pieces of audio channel data to the respective physical channels and perform output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: THE KOREA DEVELOPMENT BANK
    Inventors: Seung-Min Park, Jae-Yong Ihm, Dong-Jun Kim
  • Patent number: 9679573
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for adding pitch shift resistance to an audio fingerprint are presented. In particular, an audio track for a media file is received. A first audio fingerprint for the audio track with a first pitch shift and an Nth audio fingerprint for the audio track with an Mth pitch shift are generated, where N is an integer greater than or equal to two and M is an integer greater than or equal to two. A combined audio fingerprint is generated from at least the first audio fingerprint and the Nth audio fingerprint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Gheorghe Postelnicu, Matthew Sharifi, Yaniv Bernstein
  • Patent number: 9679574
    Abstract: Methods are provided for encoding watermark information into media data containing a series of digital samples in a sample domain. The methods involve: dividing the series of digital samples into a plurality of sections in the sample domain, each section comprising a corresponding plurality of samples; processing the corresponding plurality of samples in each section to obtain a single energy value associated with each section; grouping the sections into groups, each group containing three or more sections; for each group, assigning a nominal bit value according to a bit assignment rule, assigning a watermark bit value and comparing the watermark bit value to the nominal bit value. If the nominal bit value and the watermark bit value do not match, modifying one or more energy values of one or more corresponding sections in the group where re-application of the bit assignment rule would assign the watermark bit value to the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Destiny Software Productions Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Erik Vestergaard, Che-Wai Tsui
  • Patent number: 9679575
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed for reproducing a voice for a speaker based on vocal tract sensing using ultra wide band (UWB) radar. These examples may include sensing a vocal tract of the speaker during non-sounded speech communication and mapping information associated with the sensed vocal tract to a voice model to generate a simulation of the vocal tract during sounded speech communication. The examples may also include reproducing a voice for the speaker based on the simulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventor: William C. Deleeuw
  • Patent number: 9679576
    Abstract: A speech/audio coding apparatus and method is provided. The number of encoding bits allocated to encoding of extended-band spectrum is reduced while degradation of sound quality in the extended band is suppressed. A band compression unit creates combinations of sub-band spectra in pairs of two samples each in order from a low-range side in a band compression target sub-band, selects a spectrum having a large absolute-value amplitude among the combinations, and arranges the selected spectrum close to the low-range side on a frequency axis. A number-of-units recalculation unit redistributes bits saved in the sub-band for which band compression was performed to a low range outside the extended band, and redistributes the number of units on the basis of the redistributed bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Takuya Kawashima, Masahiro Oshikiri
  • Patent number: 9679577
    Abstract: A voice switching device includes a learning unit configured to learn a background noise model expressing background noise contained in a first voice signal, based on the first voice signal, while the first voice signal having a first frequency band is received; a pseudo noise generation unit configured to generate pseudo noise expressing noise in a pseudo manner, based on the background noise model, after a first time point when the first voice signal is last received in a case where a received voice signal is switched from the first voice signal to a second voice signal having a second frequency band narrower than the first frequency band; and a superimposing unit configured to superimpose the pseudo noise on the second voice signal after the first time point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Kaori Endo
  • Patent number: 9679578
    Abstract: A method may include determining that values of a plurality of samples of a digital audio signal that are stored in an input buffer exceed a clipping threshold value. The method may further include identifying the plurality of samples that exceed the clipping threshold value as potentially clipped samples of the digital audio signal. In addition, the method may include generating, based on identification of the potentially clipped samples, attenuated samples by uniformly applying a fixed attenuation factor to the potentially clipped samples and to every sample of the digital audio signal included in the input buffer that follows the potentially clipped samples. Further, the method may include generating a plurality of modified attenuated samples by applying interpolation to the attenuated samples that correspond to the potentially clipped samples. The method may also include outputting the attenuated samples and the modified attenuated samples as a modified digital audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SORENSON IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey C. Bullough
  • Patent number: 9679579
    Abstract: Systems and methods facilitating removal of content from audio files are described. A method includes identifying a sound recording in a first audio file, identifying a reference file having at least a defined level of similarity to the sound recording, and processing the first audio file to remove the sound recording and generate a second audio file. In some embodiments, winner-take-all coding and Hough transforms are employed for determining alignment and rate adjustment of the reference file in the first audio file. After alignment, the reference file is filtered in the frequency domain to increase similarity between the reference file and the sound recording. The frequency domain representation (FR) of the filtered version is subtracted from the FR first audio and the result converted to a time representation of the second audio file. In some embodiments, spectral subtraction is also performed to generate a further improved second audio file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Francis Lyon, Ron Weiss, Thomas Chadwick Walters
  • Patent number: 9679580
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for performing signal processing. The signal processing comprises demultiplexing input encoded data into data including information for a segment including frames and coefficient information for a coefficient selected in the frames of the segment, and low band encoded data, decoding the low band encoded data to produce a low band signal, selecting a coefficient of a frame to be processed from a plurality of the coefficients based on the data, calculating a high band sub-band power of a high band sub-band signal of each sub-band constituting a high band signal of the frame to be processed based on a low band sub-band signal of each sub-band constituting the low band signal of the frame to be processed and the selected coefficient, and producing the high band signal of the frame to be processed based on the high band sub-band power and the low band sub-band signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Yamamoto, Toru Chinen, Hiroyuki Honma, Yuhki Mitsufuji
  • Patent number: 9679581
    Abstract: The present invention relates to implementing a system and method for enhancing the recording of a sign-language video by automatically associating the prompter text with the segment(s) of the sign-language video recording. The segment(s) of the sign-language video recording is automatically determined based on the phrases identified within the video recording. Further, the system and method implements a plurality of features to manage the sign-language video and facilitates a means to actively collaborate, upload, and store the sign-language video within the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Inventor: Trausti Thor Kristjansson
  • Patent number: 9679582
    Abstract: A user device provides dynamic speech processing services during variable network connectivity with a network server. The user device includes a monitor that monitors a level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server. A user device speech processor processes speech data and is initiated based on a determination that the level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server is impaired. The monitor determines when the level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server is no longer impaired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Horst Schroeter
  • Patent number: 9679583
    Abstract: An audio identification system determines whether a portion of a sample of an audio signal includes silence and generates a test audio fingerprint for the audio signal based on the presence of silence. In one embodiment, the audio identification system uses a value indicating silence for a portion of the test audio fingerprint corresponding to the portion of the audio signal that includes silence. When comparing the test audio fingerprint to reference audio fingerprints, the portion of the test audio fingerprint including the value indicating the presence of silence is not used. In another embodiment, the audio identification system replaces the portion including silence with additive audio and generates a test audio fingerprint for comparison based on the resulting modified sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Sergiy Bilobrov
  • Patent number: 9679584
    Abstract: A system and method matches a digitized stream of audio signals to a known audio recording by receiving an audio stream from an application. The method performs signal analysis on sound and silence in the audio stream to compute a stream audio print of the audio stream, to identify a pattern associated with the audio stream. The method compares the stream audio print to one or more known audio prints from a library of known audio prints. The method first applies a silence constraint to match periods of silence. If application of the silence constraint is successful, the method computes a total scoring metric function to identify a match between the stream audio print and the known audio print. The total scoring metric function employs a scoring metric function that is computed at a subset of temporal points in the non-silent portion of the audio stream audio print.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Ampersand, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Smith, George Howitt
  • Patent number: 9679585
    Abstract: A record player includes a base including a front surface, a plinth including a front surface, a platter, and a tone arm. The base includes a base height, a base width, and a base depth, with the base height being the shortest dimension and the base width being the greatest dimension. The plinth is mounted atop the base and connected to a motor housed within the base. The plinth includes a plinth height, a plinth width, and a plinth depth, the plinth height being greater than the plinth width. The platter is rotationally mounted to the front surface of the plinth so that a diameter of the platter is nearly vertical above the base. The tone arm is secured to the front surface of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Gramovox, LLC
    Inventors: Pavan Bapu, Daniel Schaumann, Frank Pistorio
  • Patent number: 9679586
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a write portion for a thermally assisted magnetic head slider includes providing a write portion including a write element, a waveguide, and a plasmon unit; lapping opposed-to-magnetic recording medium surfaces of the write element and the waveguide, and an near-field light generating surface of the plasmon unit; only forming a carbon layer on the opposed-to-magnetic recording medium surface of the write element. Corrosive elements in the write portion can be prevented from being corroded and the write element can be prevented from being worn and abraded not only, stable thermal ability for a plasmon unit can be maintained but also.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SAE MAGNETICS (H.K.) LTD.
    Inventors: Natsuo Nishijima, Dong Sheng Li
  • Patent number: 9679587
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording head includes an air-bearing surface, a main magnetic pole, a write shield opposed to the main magnetic pole with a write gap therebetween, a high-frequency oscillator which includes a spin injection layer and a oscillation layer and is provided between the main magnetic pole and the write shield, the oscillation layer and the spin injection layer including a stack surface extending in a direction intersecting with the air-bearing surface, and a magnetic material layer which is provided in at least one of the main magnetic pole and the write shield, faces the high-frequency oscillator, and has negative magnetic anisotropy with respect to a direction intersecting with the stack surfaces of the high-frequency oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tomoko Taguchi, Katsuhiko Koui
  • Patent number: 9679588
    Abstract: A structure includes an air bearing surface including a plurality of material layers arranged in at least one dimension on the air bearing surface. The structure further includes a microelectronic device and a resistive heating element, which each include at least one of the plurality of material layers. The resistive heating element is electrically isolated from the microelectronic device. The microelectronic device is heated by said resistive heating element. Optionally, a structure includes a tape reader or a tape writer, located at an air bearing surface. A resistive heating element is electrically isolated from the tape reader or writer and heats the tape reader or the tape writer. Optionally, a method includes identifying a microelectronic device located at an air bearing surface, identifying a resistive heating element, which is electrically isolated from the microelectronic device, applying a bias current through the resistive heating element to heat the microelectronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Icko E. T. Iben, Lee C. Randall
  • Patent number: 9679589
    Abstract: A read sensor that includes a free layer having a magnetization that changes according to an external magnetic field. The read sensor also includes an additional magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer. The non-magnetic layer may include a corrugated surface facing the additional magnetic layer. The corrugated surface is configured to enhance uniaxial anisotropy in the read sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Sameh Hassan, Wonjoon Jung, Mark Kief, Marcus Ormston
  • Patent number: 9679590
    Abstract: A device including a magnetic structure, the magnetic structure having a substrate adjacent surface and a second, opposing surface, the magnetic structure having a near field transducer (NFT), wherein the NFT includes gold or an alloy thereof, and is positioned at the second surface an overcoat structure; and a film structure, the film structure positioned between the magnetic structure and the overcoat structure, the film structure having a total thickness of not greater than about 100 ?, and the film structure including: a first interfacial structure having a first and a second opposing surface; a second interfacial structure having a first and a second opposing surface; and an intermediate structure wherein the first surface of the first interfacial structure is positioned adjacent the NFT of the magnetic structure, and the second surface of the second interfacial structure is positioned adjacent the overcoat structure, and the intermediate structure is positioned between the first interfacial structure an
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Philip G. Pitcher, Sami Antrazi
  • Patent number: 9679591
    Abstract: A scissor type magnetic sensor for magnetic data recording having a flux closure magnetic side shield structure. The magnetic sensor has a magnetic side shield structure that includes a non-magnetic layer within a magnetic material layer, with the non-magnetic layer being removed from the sensor stack so as to define upper and lower magnetic portions of the magnetic structure that are separated from one another at a region away from the sensor stack. The upper and lower magnetic portions are connected with one another in a region near the sensor stack so as to magnetic flux closure structure. The novel magnetic side shield structure provides net neutral magnetization that does not provide an inadvertent biasing to the magnetic free layers of the magnetic sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Wenqin Hao, Quang Le, Xiaoyong Liu, Suping Song, Lei Wang
  • Patent number: 9679592
    Abstract: A suspension includes a load beam and a flexure. The flexure has a metal base and a conductive circuit portion. The conductive circuit portion has an insulating layer formed on the metal base, and a conductor formed on the insulating layer. The conductive circuit portion includes a first region which constitutes a part of the conductive circuit portion in the longitudinal direction, and a second region which constitutes another part of the same in the longitudinal direction. The conductor includes a thin conductor portion having a first thickness arranged in the first region, and a thick conductor portion having a second thickness arranged in the second region. The second thickness is greater than the first thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sei Kawao
  • Patent number: 9679593
    Abstract: Disk drives including head suspensions within dual stage actuation systems have improved electrical connectivity between electrical connection pads from flexible circuits as are applied to head suspension assemblies with piezoelectric microactuators as also provided to head suspension assemblies. A more robust electrical connection provides for better control of microactuator actuation for fine movements and positioning of magnetic read/write heads relative to disk data tracks as part of dual stage actuated suspension systems. Electrical connections utilize conductive epoxy for physically and electrically connecting electrically conductive trace connection pads with one or more surfaces of piezoelectric microactuators. Electrical connections include better conductivity by utilizing plural surface portions of electrical connection pads. The result is a more robust and predictable performance for high data resolution within disk drives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Gary Berscheit, Jackson Brandts
  • Patent number: 9679594
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a waveguide that has a core between the first and second cladding layers. A near-field transducer in the first cladding layer is configured to receive the energy from the waveguide and deliver the energy to a recording medium. A reflector in the second cladding layer is configured to reduce reflection of the energy from the recording medium back to an energy source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Chubing Peng, Michael Allen Seigler, Weibin Chen, Werner Scholz
  • Patent number: 9679595
    Abstract: A method comprises sensing for thermal asperities while sequentially scanning a plurality of tracks of a magnetic recording medium in a first direction relative to an inner or outer diameter of the medium. The method comprises halting the scanning at a first track in response to detecting a thermal asperity at the first track, and skipping a predetermined number of tracks in the first direction to a second track. The method also comprises sensing for the thermal asperity while sequentially scanning the plurality of tracks beginning with the second track in a second direction opposite the first direction. The method further comprises halting the scanning at a third track in response to detecting the thermal asperity at the third track, and logging the first and third tracks as tracks between which the thermal asperity is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Lihong Zhang, Xiong Liu, Samuel Gan
  • Patent number: 9679596
    Abstract: A portable computing device prevents a magnetic disk unit protecting function from impairing usability for a user when the processor is used as a tablet PC. The portable computing device includes a magnetic disk unit, a magnetic disk unit protecting section operable when predicting an occurrence of an impact to carry out a magnetic disk unit protecting function for retracting a head of the magnetic disk unit, and a detecting section that detects whether a user is holding the portable computing device or not, and responsive to detecting that the user is holding the portable computing device, temporarily deactivating the magnetic disk unit protecting function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kosugi, Takashi Yomo, Mamoru Okada, Tomoaki Kosugi
  • Patent number: 9679597
    Abstract: An apparatus and method involves a writer configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording of data to a magnetic storage medium. A controller is coupled to the writer. The controller and writer are configured to write data to a plurality of concentric bands of the medium each comprising a plurality of partially overlapping narrow data tracks and a wide track. The wide tracks of successive bands are positioned adjacent to one another with no intervening narrow data track therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Wenzhong Zhu, Alfredo Sam Chu
  • Patent number: 9679598
    Abstract: A writer core of a transducer is configured to interact with a magnetic recording medium and comprises an upper core and a lower core. At least one of the upper and lower cores comprises a return pole having a return shield. The apparatus also comprises a writer pole between the upper and lower cores, and a writer gap defined between the writer pole and the return shield. The apparatus further comprises a sensor element within one of the upper and lower cores that includes the writer gap. The sensor element has a temperature coefficient of resistance and is configured to sense for a change in temperature indicative of one or both of a change in spacing and contact between the transducer and the magnetic recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Peng Peng, Declan Macken, Michael Thomas Johnson, Zheying Guo
  • Patent number: 9679599
    Abstract: Method and apparatus adaptively adjusting power levels of a data transducer in a data storage device. In some embodiments, an initial power value is applied to a powered element of a transducer to write user data from a host device to a rotatable data recording medium. An exception condition is declared responsive to a measured parameter. The transducer is used to read data from an evaluation track using a range of different input power values for the powered element. A different, new power value is selected for the powered element responsive to an error rate associated with each of the range of different input power values, with the new power value being lower than the initial power value. Thereafter, the new power value is applied to the powered element during a subsequent writing of user data to the rotatable data recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Jason M. Feist
  • Patent number: 9679600
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a cold storage system that processes an input/output (I/O) request. The cold storage system can have a buffer rack and one or more archival storage racks. The buffer rack can be closer to an I/O drive of the cold storage system than the archival storage racks. The cold storage system can operate a fetcher robot to pre-fetch a first data storage medium from the archival storage racks to the buffer rack. The cold storage system can operate a buffer robot to move a second data storage medium from a slot in the buffer rack to the I/O drive. The cold storage system can execute, according to the I/O request, an I/O operation on the second data storage medium at the I/O drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason David Adrian
  • Patent number: 9679601
    Abstract: A storage device includes a data degradation management module that tracks a risk of data degradation by incrementing a track write counter of a first data track responsive to each data write command to a second data track, such as a data track directly adjacent to the first data track. If a count of the track write counter exceeds a count threshold, one or more post-write scan operations are performed to assess and/or repair data degradation of the first data track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Kaizhong Gao, Wenzhong Zhu, Tim Rausch, Edward Gage
  • Patent number: 9679602
    Abstract: A method comprises creating calibration data using a first control circuitry of an apparatus, replacing the first control circuitry with a second control circuitry in the apparatus, and operating the apparatus with the second control circuitry using the calibration data. As an example, the apparatus may be a disc drive. The second control circuitry may be substantially similar to the first control circuitry such that calibration measurements using the first control circuitry are applicable to the second control circuitry. The first control circuitry may be included in a circuit board that is replaced with a second circuit board including the second control circuitry. In an exemplary embodiment, the second circuit board may include different and/or additional components relative to the first circuit board, such as integrated video inputs and/or video control circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Robert German, David Hartman, Michael Brady
  • Patent number: 9679603
    Abstract: A card recognition system comprises an imaging device configured to capture a raw image of at least a portion of a card, and a processor operably coupled with the imaging device. The processor is configured to perform an image processing analysis of the raw image to identify measurements of at least one of a rank area around a rank of the card, and a suit area around a suit of the card, and automatically generate a calibration file based, at least in part, on the image processing analysis. A card handling device comprises a card infeed, a card output, and a card recognition system. A method for tuning a card handling device comprises capturing a plurality of images from a deck of cards, storing the images in memory, analyzing the plurality of images for card identification information, and generating a calibration file including parameters associated with the card identification information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: James V. Kelly, Vladislav Zvercov, Brian Miller
  • Patent number: 9679604
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for playback of a moving picture, which compares an action speed of a specific action of an object in a moving picture played back and displayed by a playback unit with an action speed of a separately acquired specific action which is a comparison target, controls a playback speed during the playback of the specific action by the playback unit based on the comparison result, and displays comparison information relating to the comparison result during the playback of the specific action by the playback unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Yoshida, Katsunori Tsutsumi, Hiroyuki Kato, Jun Muraki
  • Patent number: 9679605
    Abstract: A playback speed effect is applied to a video using a playback speed template. The playback speed template specifies playback speed ratios (i.e., ratios between playback duration and capture duration) at the highlight moment, at a template start time, and at a template end time. A video associated with a highlight tag indicating a highlight capture time of a highlight moment within the video is accessed. An input portion of the video including the highlight moment is identified. The duration of the input portion has a duration depending on the template start time and the template end time. A playback speed template is applied to the input portion. A modified video including a modified video portion is generated from the input portion of the video according to the applied playback speed template and is provided for subsequent playback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Joven Michael Matias, Otto Kenneth Sievert, Joshua Edward Bodinet
  • Patent number: 9679606
    Abstract: A method of facilitating modified content play such that modification actions may be implemented during play of original content form. The modification actions may be specified by users to modify the original content form. The modification may be disseminated to subscribers or other users desiring similar content modifications. The method may be useful in social networking systems to allow social members to share commentary and otherwise modify original content forms to include their personal reflections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Cable Television Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Judson D. Cary, Frank Sandoval, David E. Agranoff, David K. Broberg, Stephen G. Glennon
  • Patent number: 9679607
    Abstract: Video and sensor data from multiple locations in a venue, in which multiple individuals are engaged in athletic performances, is stored and edited to create individualized video programs of athletic performances of individuals. Each camera provides a video feed that is continuously stored. Each video feed is stored in a sequence of data files in computer storage, which data files are created in regular time intervals. Each file is accessible using an identifier of the camera and a time interval. Similarly, data from sensors is continuously received and stored in a database. The database stores, for each sensor, an identifier of each individual detected in the proximity of the sensor and the time at which the individual was detected. Each sensor is associated with one or more cameras.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Fleye, Inc.
    Inventor: Cameron Miner