Patents Issued in June 27, 2017
  • Patent number: 9691401
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a new method and apparatus for improvement of High Frequency Reconstruction (HFR) techniques using frequency translation or folding or a combination thereof. The proposed invention is applicable to audio source coding systems, and offers significantly reduced computational complexity. This is accomplished by means of frequency translation or folding in the subband domain, preferably integrated with spectral envelope adjustment in the same domain. The concept of dissonance guard-band filtering is further presented. The proposed invention offers a low-complexity, intermediate quality HFR method useful in speech and natural audio coding applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Lars G. Liljeryd, Per Ekstrand, Fredrik Henn, Kristofer Kjoerling
  • Patent number: 9691402
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a new method and apparatus for improvement of High Frequency Reconstruction (HFR) techniques using frequency translation or folding or a combination thereof. The proposed invention is applicable to audio source coding systems, and offers significantly reduced computational complexity. This is accomplished by means of frequency translation or folding in the subband domain, preferably integrated with spectral envelope adjustment in the same domain. The concept of dissonance guard-band filtering is further presented. The proposed invention offers a low-complexity, intermediate quality HFR method useful in speech and natural audio coding applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Lars G. Liljeryd, Per Ekstrand, Fredrik Henn, Kristofer Kjoerling
  • Patent number: 9691403
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a new method and apparatus for improvement of High Frequency Reconstruction (HFR) techniques using frequency translation or folding or a combination thereof. The proposed invention is applicable to audio source coding systems, and offers significantly reduced computational complexity. This is accomplished by means of frequency translation or folding in the subband domain, preferably integrated with spectral envelope adjustment in the same domain. The concept of dissonance guard-band filtering is further presented. The proposed invention offers a low-complexity, intermediate quality HFR method useful in speech and natural audio coding applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Lars G. Liljeryd, Per Ekstrand, Fredrik Henn, Kristofer Kjoerling
  • Patent number: 9691404
    Abstract: A method performed in an audio decoder for decoding M encoded audio channels representing N audio channels is disclosed. The method includes receiving a bitstream containing the M encoded audio channels and a set of spatial parameters, decoding the M encoded audio channels, and extracting the set of spatial parameters from the bitstream. The method also includes analyzing the M audio channels to detect a location of a transient, decorrelating the M audio channels, and deriving N audio channels from the M audio channels and the set of spatial parameters. A first decorrelation technique is applied to a first subset of each audio channel and a second decorrelation technique is applied to a second subset of each audio channel. The first decorrelation technique represents a first mode of operation of a decorrelator, and the second decorrelation technique represents a second mode of operation of the decorrelator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Mark F. Davis
  • Patent number: 9691405
    Abstract: A method performed in an audio decoder for decoding M encoded audio channels representing N audio channels is disclosed. The method includes receiving a bitstream containing the M encoded audio channels and a set of spatial parameters, decoding the M encoded audio channels, and extracting the set of spatial parameters from the bitstream. The method also includes analyzing the M audio channels to detect a location of a transient, decorrelating the M audio channels, and deriving N audio channels from the M audio channels and the set of spatial parameters. A first decorrelation technique is applied to a first subset of each audio channel and a second decorrelation technique is applied to a second subset of each audio channel. The first decorrelation technique represents a first mode of operation of a decorrelator, and the second decorrelation technique represents a second mode of operation of the decorrelator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Mark F. Davis
  • Patent number: 9691406
    Abstract: The invention introduces a new concept for hierarchical coding of HOA content. A method for encoding a hierarchical audio bitstream comprises rendering a HOA input signal to surround sound, encoding the surround sound for a base layer output signal, decoding the encoded surround sound to obtain a reconstructed surround sound signal, performing dimensionality reduction on the received HOA input signal, calculating a residual between the dimensionality-reduced HOA signal and the reconstructed surround sound signal, encoding the residual signal, and multiplexing structural information about the HOA input signal, the encoded residuals and the encoded surround sound into a bitstream to obtain a hierarchical audio bitstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Jax, Alexander Krueger
  • Patent number: 9691407
    Abstract: A noise reduction apparatus according to the present invention includes: a sudden sound information storage unit that stores an input signal that are input before a current input signal is input as sudden sound information, the input signal having a signal level of voice components equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold and including a sudden sound to be suppressed; a phase difference calculation unit that calculates a phase difference between the sudden sound information and a sudden sound in the current input signal based on a maximum value of a correlation value between the sudden sound information and the current input signal; an addition signal generation unit that shifts a phase of the sudden sound information based on the phase difference to generate an addition signal; and a sudden sound suppression unit that adds the addition signal and the current input signal to output an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: JVC KENWOOD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Oda, Takaaki Yamabe
  • Patent number: 9691408
    Abstract: A system for processing audio data is disclosed that includes a plurality of gain adjustment devices, each gain adjustment device having an associated audio input frequency band. A plurality of control signal processing systems are configured to receive audio input data for one of the associated audio input frequency bands and to generate a gain adjustment device control signal. The gain adjustment device control signal is configured to decrease a gain setting of an associated gain adjustment device for a predetermined period of time as a function of a transient in the associated audio input frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: PSYX RESEARCH, INC.
    Inventor: Robert W. Reams
  • Patent number: 9691409
    Abstract: Disclosed are an earset that may correct a frequency band of a voice coming from a user's ears into a frequency band of a voice coming from the user's mouth, and a control method for the same. According to an embodiment, the control method for the earset including a first earphone unit that is inserted into ears of a user while including a first microphone and a first speaker, and a main body in which a second microphone is disposed, the control method includes: determining whether a voice correction function is activated; and correcting a frequency band of a voice input to the first microphone into a frequency band of a voice input to the second microphone, when the voice correction function is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Haebora Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Doo Sik Shin
  • Patent number: 9691410
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a frequency band extending device and method, an encoding device and method, a decoding device and method, and a program, whereby music signals can be played with higher sound quality due to the extension of frequency bands. A bandpass filter 13 divides an input signal into multiple sub-band signals, a feature amount calculating circuit 14 calculates feature amount using at least one of the multiple divided sub-band signals and the input signal, a high frequency sub-band power estimating circuit 15 calculates an estimated value of a high frequency sub-band power based on the calculated feature amount, a high frequency signal generating circuit 16 generates a high frequency signal component based on the multiple sub-band signals divided by the bandpass filter 13, and the estimated value of the high frequency sub-band power calculated by the high frequency sub-band power estimating circuit 15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Yamamoto, Toru Chinen, Hiroyuki Honma, Yuhki Mitsufuji
  • Patent number: 9691411
    Abstract: A method for assessing suicide risk for a human subject including receiving recorded voice data of the subject; and classifying the subject as suicidal or non-suicidal based upon a computerized analysis of one or more nonverbal characteristics of the speech data, especially features associated with a breathy phonation type. The analysis of the nonverbal characteristics of the voice data can include an analysis of acoustic characteristics of speech, and/or an analysis of prosodic and voice quality-related features of the voice data. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignees: CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Stefan Scherer, John P. Pestian, Louis-Philippe Morency
  • Patent number: 9691412
    Abstract: A communication system and a method can be configured to facilitate the performance of a conference. The system can include a conference organizer terminal and at least two participants' terminals each assigned to respective conference participants who each log in to start a conference on the communication system. The communication system can be configured to calculate a decision situation at a particular point in time of the ongoing conference by analyzing the views expressed by the conference participants during the conference and send data relating to the decision situation for that point in time to the conference organizer's terminal and/or other conference participant terminals for use in facilitating the conference. IN some embodiments, such data can be used to assist the conference participants' in recognizing when there is a consensus made on at least one decision to be made during the conference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jurgen Totzke, Karl Klug
  • Patent number: 9691413
    Abstract: Methods and systems for identifying sound from a source of interest are provided for herein. In some embodiments, a first audio feed is captured by a first microphone and a second audio feed is captured by a second microphone. The first microphone may be located closer in proximity to the source of interest than the second microphone. The first audio feed can be processed utilizing the second audio feed to produce a first processed audio feed that can enable identification of sound originating from the source of interest. In some embodiments, the second audio feed can be additionally processed utilizing the first audio feed to produce a second processed audio feed. In such embodiments, frequencies from the first processed audio feed can be compared against frequencies of the second processed audio feed to identify sound originating from the source of interest. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Syavosh Zad Issa
  • Patent number: 9691414
    Abstract: A tape head includes a body, which includes a transducer. The transducer may be a read or write element, respectively configured so as for the tape head to read from or write to a tape, in operation. The body exhibits a tape-bearing surface, which is typically configured to face and interact with the tape, in operation. The tape head further includes a closure. The closure is fixed on a leading side or a trailing side of the body and includes a skiving edge vis-à-vis the transducer. The skiving edge is adjoined by non-skiving edges. Finally, the closure has a top surface that meets the skiving edge; the top surface is level with the tape-bearing surface. Also included are related devices; tape head apparatuses for recording and/or reproducing tapes, comprising such tape heads; and methods of fabrication thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert G. Biskeborn, Johan B. C. Engelen, Mark A. Lantz, Hugo E. Rothuizen
  • Patent number: 9691415
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a disk includes a recording layer, a recording head includes a main pole configured to apply a recording magnetic field onto the recording layer, and a microwave oscillator adjacent to the main pole, configured to apply a microwave magnetic field to the recording layer, a current supply circuit configured to supply a current to the microwave oscillator, and a switching circuit configured to switch a direction of current flow to the microwave oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Koui
  • Patent number: 9691416
    Abstract: A magnetic write head having a heat sink structure located adjacent to a trailing magnetic shield. The heat sink structure prevents heat generated by the magnetic oscillator current from causing damage to and reducing reliability of the magnetic write head. The trailing magnetic shield is substantially aligned with the magnetic oscillator, allowing the heat sink structure to wrap around the sides and back of the trailing magnetic shield and to provide good heat conduction away from the write pole, magnetic oscillator and trailing magnetic shield. The heat sink structure can be constructed of a material such as Ru, TiN, Cu, Au, Ag and AlN, and is preferably constructed of Au, which has excellent thermal properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, INC.
    Inventors: Takahiko Izawa, Hideaki Tanaka, Yoshinori Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 9691417
    Abstract: A reader includes a bearing surface, a sensor stack and a bottom shield below the sensor stack. The bottom shield has a synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) structure that includes a first magnetic layer that has a first width at the bearing surface and a second magnetic layer that has a second width at the bearing surface. The second width is less than the first width. The second magnetic layer has a magnetic orientation with at least a component that is substantially orthogonal to the bearing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Wonjoon Jung, Victor Sapozhnikov
  • Patent number: 9691418
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a relationship between write fault threshold and temperature are described. The systems and methods include measuring an operating temperature of the storage device, determining a current operating temperature of the storage device, determining whether the current operating temperature of the storage device satisfies a temperature threshold, and upon determining the current operating temperature of the storage device satisfies the temperature threshold, modifying a write fault threshold associated with a data track of the storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Wenzhong Zhu, Kenneth A. Haapala, Bin Huang
  • Patent number: 9691419
    Abstract: Electrostatic discharge protection can be afforded to a data recording head in accordance with various embodiments. A data recording head may consist of a circuit having a preamp ground connected to a ground substrate via a ground trace. The ground trace can consist of a first leg connected to the ground substrate and a second leg with an open connection extending from a dice line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Daniel W. Olson, John M. Wolf, Declan Macken, Gavin L. Brinkley
  • Patent number: 9691420
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disc device outputs a first signal for canceling out a first disturbance at a predetermined frequency of a position error, outputs a second signal which gain or phase of the first signal are changed, and corrects an operation amount or the position error by using the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takuji Matsuzawa
  • Patent number: 9691421
    Abstract: A reference spiral is written on a recording surface of a magnetic storage disk that is free of position or timing information. The reference spirals are written on the recording surface with a substantially uniform slope by using open loop control of the position of a read/write head in conjunction with an iterative learning control scheme. A voltage profile applied to a voice coil motor is adapted over multiple iterations of moving the read/write head across the recording surface to closely approximate a target voltage profile, and the reference spiral is written using the adapted voltage profile. In addition, ramp contact detection based on actuator current profile may be employed to achieve full utilization of available actuator stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Gabor Szita, Jiangang Liang, Li Zhang, Gary W. Calfee
  • Patent number: 9691422
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are hard disk drive sliders having an air-bearing surface (ABS) with an efficiency-flattening hole (EFH). The sliders comprise a trailing edge pad that has a first surface at a first level with a first perimeter, a second surface at a second level, the second level being below the first level, the second surface being substantially parallel to the first surface, the second surface having a second perimeter, wherein the second perimeter is within the first perimeter, and a third surface at a third level, the third level being below the second level, the third surface being substantially parallel to the first and second surfaces, the third surface having a third perimeter, wherein the third perimeter is within the second perimeter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Yong Hu
  • Patent number: 9691423
    Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT having at least one external surface; and at least one adhesion layer positioned on at least a portion of the at least one external surface, the adhesion layer including oxides of yttrium, oxides of scandium, oxides of lanthanoids, oxides of actionoids, oxides of zinc, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Xiaoyue Huang, Michael C. Kautzky
  • Patent number: 9691424
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a slider having an air-bearing surface (ABS), a write pole at or near the ABS, and a reader at or near the ABS and connected to a pair of reader bond pads of the slider. A near-field transducer (NFT) is formed on the slider at or near the ABS, and an optical waveguide is formed in the slider and configured to receive light from a laser source. A sensor is situated proximal of the write pole at a location within the slider that receives at least some of the light communicated along the waveguide. The sensor may be electrically coupled to the reader bond pads in parallel with the reader, and configured to generate a signal indicative of output optical power of the laser source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: John Charles Duda, Ruoxi Yang, James Gary Wessel
  • Patent number: 9691425
    Abstract: A laminating structure includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, a first spacer disposed between the first and second magnetic layers and a second spacer disposed on the second magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert E. Fontana, Jr., William J. Gallagher, Philipp Herget, Eugene J. O'Sullivan, Lubomyr T. Romankiw, Naigang Wang, Bucknell C. Webb
  • Patent number: 9691426
    Abstract: According to an optical disc, a track, where data is recorded in predetermined block units, is formed by wobbling at a spatial period in accordance with a radial position, and the track is divided into zones in a radial direction. Data is recorded in each of the zones at a predetermined line density based on a ratio n/m of the number of bits of a bit pattern of recording data to one wavelength of wobbling. The optical disc includes a first area having one of the zones, a second area having one of the zones different from the one of the zones in the first area, and a line density of data different from a line density of data in the first area, and a BCA where a zone format identifier specifying a zone table defining a boundary position of each of the zones and the ratio n/m is recorded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohei Nakata, Harumitsu Miyashita
  • Patent number: 9691427
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting tightness of a pick-up head, and a method and apparatus for controlling the moving of the pick-up head are disclosed. The method for detecting the tightness of the pick-up head includes moving the pick-up head to an inner area of the disc reading device when then disc reading device is powered on, moving the pick-up head to an outer area of the disc reading device within a predetermined time period, moving the pick-up head from the outer area of the disc reading device to the inner area at a constant speed by a first fixed force, and recording the moving duration for moving the pick-up head from the outer area of the disc reading device to the inner area at the constant speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: AutoChips Inc.
    Inventor: Jian Zhou
  • Patent number: 9691428
    Abstract: System, apparatuses, and methods can provide customized exercise sessions and customized videos corresponding to the exercise session. Exercise components that are available to a user for an exercise category can be determined based on a user rank in the category and a rank of the components in the category. Certain available components can be selected to include in a customized session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Maser, Dave Grijalva
  • Patent number: 9691429
    Abstract: Systems and methods for creating music videos synchronized with an audio track are provided. In some embodiments, an audio track may be selected and one or more video takes may be captured while the selected audio track plays. The video takes may be analyzed while they are captured to determine, for example, a video intensity level and/or a number of faces recognized within each take. By capturing the video takes with the audio track, the video takes may be synchronized to the audio tracks so that they are in time with one another. Portions or subsets of the video takes may be paired or matched with certain sections of the audio track based on, for example, the audio characteristics for a particular section and video characteristics of a particular take.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: MIBBLIO, INC.
    Inventors: David Leiberman, Samuel Rubin
  • Patent number: 9691430
    Abstract: Enhanced, efficient source frame decoding for user previewing is implemented by decoding and caching source frames of an input file that a user is interested in. Source frames for a user preview session are identified and decoded first to enhance user satisfaction with more timely preview segments for review. Additional source frames continue to be decoded on the fly to opportunistically enhance the current preview segment and to be prepared for additional preview segments and/or output file generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Giedrius Zizys, Tzong-Jhy Wang, Victor E. Santodomingo, William David Sproule, Mike W. Morrison
  • Patent number: 9691431
    Abstract: A method includes grouping media items associated with a user into segments based on a timestamp associated with each media item and a total number of media items. The method also includes selecting target media from the media items for each of the segments based on media attributes associated with the media item. The method also includes generating a video that includes the target media for each of the segments by generating a first animation that illustrates a first transition from a first item from the target media to a second item from the target media with movement of the first item from an onscreen location to an offscreen location, wherein the first item is adjacent to the second item in the first animation and determining whether the target media includes one or more additional items. The method also includes adding a song to the video.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Shengyang Dai, Timothy Sepkoski St. Clair, Koji Ashida, Jingyu Cui, Jay Steele, Qi Gu, Erik Murphy-Chutorian, Ivan Neulander, Flavio Lerda, Eric Charles Henry, Shinko Yuanhsien Cheng, Aravind Krishnaswamy, David Cohen, Pardis Beikzadeh
  • Patent number: 9691432
    Abstract: A method for generating a post-produced video from an original video includes the following. For an (i)th one of a plurality of original video segments, a number (M+1) of video data sets respectively from (k×j)th ones of original video frames of the original video segment is generated. A plurality of post-produced video segments are generated, each of which includes the video data sets for a respective one of the original video segments. A user input selects any one of the post-produced video segments. A post-produced video is generated according to the selection indicative of the user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: TRANS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Pao-Shun Huang, Kang-Yuan Liu
  • Patent number: 9691433
    Abstract: A medical image diagnosis apparatus including an image collection system that collects first dynamic images extending over a first period and a display control circuit that uses the first dynamic images and time information related to an image corresponding to a first predetermined time phase in the first period to simultaneously display the first dynamic images, the first predetermined time phase, and a relationship of the image currently displayed with a time phase in the first period at least in a predetermined period going back from the predetermined time phase in a monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Sasaki, Kuramitsu Nishihara, Mio Azegami
  • Patent number: 9691434
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is one embodiment of an apparatus that includes a housing that defines an interior cavity. The housing also includes a spring aperture. The apparatus further includes a spring coupled to the housing over the spring aperture, with the spring having a deflection portion and a feedthrough aperture. The apparatus also has an electrical connector coupled to the spring and extending through the feedthrough aperture and the spring aperture. The electrical connector may have a plurality of electrical traces extending from a location external to the housing to a location within the interior cavity of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Toshiki Hirano, Vipin Ayanoor Vitikkate
  • Patent number: 9691435
    Abstract: Technology is provided for a memory drive carrier. The memory drive carrier adapts a memory drive for insertion into a drive bay that is larger than the memory drive. The memory drive carrier includes an adapter body having a frame that defines an envelope compatible with the drive bay. The adapter body also includes a plurality of spaced apart walls defining a slot sized to receive the memory drive and position the memory drive's connector within the envelope adjacent an associated drive connector of the drive bay. The frame includes a plurality of interconnected wall portions and partitions that have one or more vent openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Jon Brian Ehlen
  • Patent number: 9691436
    Abstract: A case of a disk drive apparatus includes a housing in which a disk is accommodated, and a top cover arranged to close an opening of the housing. The top cover includes a top cover body and a flow control member. The top cover body is a plate-shaped member arranged to extend perpendicularly to a central axis. The flow control member is fixed to a lower surface of the top cover body. The flow control member includes a lower surface arranged axially opposite to at least a portion of an upper surface of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuo Kodama, Hiroyuki Abe, Katsuya Takahashi, Yuya Saito, Masahiro Shiraishi, Yoshinobu Arao
  • Patent number: 9691437
    Abstract: A microelectronic package has terminals at a surface of a substrate having first and second half areas, each half area extending from a diagonal that bisects the first surface and a respective opposite corner of the first surface. Terminals for carrying data and address information in the first half area provide first memory channel access to a first memory storage array, and terminals for carrying data and address information in the second half area provide second memory channel access to a second memory storage array. The package may include first and second microelectronic elements overlying a same surface of the substrate which may be stacked in transverse orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Invensas Corporation
    Inventors: Zhuowen Sun, Yong Chen
  • Patent number: 9691438
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: first and second memory cell regions disposed adjacent to each other in a first direction, and suitable for sharing a sub-word line driving signal, and a first sub-word line driving unit disposed in a crossing area that is disposed between the first and second memory cell regions in a diagonal direction. The first sub-word line driving unit includes a first sub-word line driver for driving the first memory cell regions, a second sub-word line driver for driving the second memory cell regions, and an interconnection for transmitting the sub-word line driving signal, which extends in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Seol Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 9691439
    Abstract: A circuit structure for suppressing electromagnetic interference (EMI) of DDR SDRAM signals, applied to a memory interface unit (MIU) of a DDR SDRAM, includes: a first conducting line, coupled to a reference level; a second conducting line, parallel to the first conducting line, coupled to the reference level; a third conducting line, between and parallel to the first and second conducting lines, transmitting a signal, the first, second and third conducting lines located on a same plane; and a connecting component, having two ends, one of the two ends electrically connected to the first conducting line and the other of the two ends electrically connected to the second conducting line, the connecting component crossing and electrically insulated from the third conducting line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuan-De Jian, Ting-Kuang Wang
  • Patent number: 9691440
    Abstract: A control method for a data reception chip. The data reception chip includes a voltage generation module including a plurality of resistors and a selection unit. The resistors are connected in series with one another and divide an operation voltage to generate a plurality of divided voltages. The selection unit selects one of the divided voltages as a reference voltage according to a control signal. The control method includes controlling the selection unit to set the level of the reference voltage to an initial level; receiving data and comparing the data with the reference voltage to generate a compared result; determining whether the compared result is equal to pre-determined data; and directing the selection unit to select another divided voltage when the compared result is not equal to the pre-determined data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: VIA ALLIANCE SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hongquan Sun
  • Patent number: 9691441
    Abstract: Memory programming methods and memory systems are described. One example memory programming method includes programming a plurality of main cells of a main memory and erasing a plurality of second main cells of the main memory. The memory programming method further includes first re-writing one-time programmed data within a plurality of first one-time programmed cells of a one-time programmed memory during the programming and second re-writing one-time programmed data within a plurality of second one-time programmed cells of a one-time programmed memory during the erasing. Additional method and apparatus are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Takafumi Kunihiro
  • Patent number: 9691442
    Abstract: In some examples, a memory device includes multiple memory banks equipped with an isolation switch and dedicated power supply pins. The isolation switch of each memory bank is configured to isolate the memory bank from global signals. The dedicated power supply pins are configured to connect each of the memory banks to a dedicated local power supply pads on the package substrate to provide local dedicated power supplies to each of the memory banks and to reduce voltage transfer between memory banks over conductors on the device, the device substrate, or the package substrate of the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Everspin Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Andre, Syed M. Alam, Dietmar Gogl
  • Patent number: 9691443
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for compensating for variations in process, voltage, temperature, or combinations thereof in an apparatus. An example apparatus may be a memory circuit. A pre-driver circuit and driver circuit may be associated with the memory circuit. A reference generator may provide the pre-driver circuit with reference signals that are insensitive to process, voltage, and temperature. The pre-driver circuit may receive the reference signals and the pre-driver circuit output ramping rate may then be made less sensitive to variations in process, voltage, and temperature. The pre-driver circuit output may then be supplied to a driver circuit that may then output a final driver data output with reduced noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Jiawei Chen
  • Patent number: 9691444
    Abstract: Memory devices and methods of making and operating them are shown. Memory devices shown include stacked memory dies with one or more buffer dies included. In one such memory device, a command die communicates with one or more downstream memory dies through the one or more buffer dies. The one or more buffer dies function to repeat signals, and can potentially improve performance for higher numbers of memory dies in the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy M. Hollis
  • Patent number: 9691445
    Abstract: A gain cell includes a write bit line input, a read bit line output, a write trigger input and a read trigger input. The gain cell also includes a write transistor, retention element and read transistor. Each of the transistors includes a respective first diffusion connection, gate connection and second diffusion connection. The write transistor first diffusion connection is connected to the write bit line input and the write transistor gate connection is connected to the write trigger input. The read transistor first diffusion connection being connected to the read bit line output and the second diffusion connection is connected to the read trigger input. The retention element buffers between write transistor and the read transistor during data retention. The retention element also connects or disconnects a write transistor diffusion connection to/from a constant voltage in accordance with a retained data level at the read transistor gate connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Bar-Ilan University
    Inventors: Robert Giterman, Adam Teman, Pascal Meinerzhagen, Andreas Burg, Alexander Fish
  • Patent number: 9691446
    Abstract: A memory device according to one embodiment includes a memory cell which transitions to a first state or a second state by a first current through the memory cell; and a first circuit configured to stop supplying the first current when a first number of cycles of a clock signal lapses from reception of write data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Naoki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9691447
    Abstract: A memory controller having a time-staggered request signal output. A first timing signal is generated while a second timing signal is generated having a first phase difference relative to the first timing signal. An address value is transmitted in response to the first timing signal and a control value is transmitted in response to the second timing signal, the address value and control value constituting portions of a first memory access request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Ian P. Shaeffer, Bret Stott, Benedict C. Lau
  • Patent number: 9691448
    Abstract: A method of operating a controller includes, determining whether an address corresponding to a program operation indicates a lower page or an upper page; waiting for a first waiting time for the program operation to the lower page when the address indicates the lower page; waiting for a second waiting time for the program operation to the upper page when the address indicates the upper page, wherein the second waiting time is longer than the first waiting time; and performing a status read operation on the semiconductor memory device after one of the first waiting time or the second waiting time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Young Dong Roh, Sok Kyu Lee
  • Patent number: 9691449
    Abstract: Provided is a memory control technique for avoiding that the issue of a refresh command and the issue of a calibration command are arranged in succession. The memory control circuit issues a refresh command to make a request for a refresh operation based on a set refresh cycle, and issues a calibration command to make a request for a calibrating operation based on a set calibration cycle, for which the control function of suppressing the issue of the calibration command only for a given time after the issue of the refresh command, and suppressing the issue of the refresh command only for a given time after the issue of the calibration command is adopted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Junkei Sato, Nobuhiko Honda
  • Patent number: 9691450
    Abstract: A memory circuit, such as an embedded DRAM array, stores information as groups of bits or data using information coding in storage and retrieval data, instead of each bit being stored separately. Write data words can be mapped to storage format words that are stored and defined by a Hadamard matrix. The storage format word is stored as charge levels in an addressable memory location. For retrieving stored data, charge levels are read from the storage cells and interpreted to a valid storage format word. Hadamard code maximal likelihood decoding can be used to derive a read data word corresponding to a previously written write data word. The write data word is then output as the result of a read of the selected addressable location, or a portion thereof. The mapping can be two or more Hadamard matrix mappings concatenated for each of a plurality of storage format words.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: KANDOU LABS, S.A.
    Inventors: Harm Cronie, Amin Shokrollahi