Patents Issued in March 20, 2018
  • Patent number: 9921758
    Abstract: Avoiding long access latencies in redundant storage systems is disclosed, including: determining a first device associated with a request is in a slow access period based at least in part on a scheduled slow access period, wherein the first device is included in a plurality of devices associated with a redundant storage system; and reconstructing data associated with the request from one or more devices included in the plurality of devices other than the first device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Tintri Inc.
    Inventors: Shobhit Dayal, Edward K. Lee, Mark G. Gritter
  • Patent number: 9921759
    Abstract: A method for memory de-allocation may include identifying, by a processing device, a first memory object to be de-allocated within a scope of a function, creating a private freelist associated with the function, the private freelist comprising a reference to the first memory object, performing, within the scope of the function, a plurality of iterations to de-allocate a plurality of memory objects, wherein each iteration comprises adding, to the private freelist, a reference to a memory object of the plurality of memory objects, and causing, by a processing device, a public freelist to reference the private freelist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Red Hat, Inc.
    Inventor: Jesper Dangaard Brouer
  • Patent number: 9921760
    Abstract: Technical solutions are described for shifting wearout of an array of storage disks in a storage system. In an aspect, a method includes staggering completion of maximum number of writes for each storage disk in the array. The method also includes copying data from a storage disk in the array to a replacement disk and redirecting a request to access the data from the storage disk to the replacement disk. The method also includes, in response to passage of a predetermined duration of time since copying the data from the storage disk to the replacement disk, copying the data from the replacement disk to the storage disk and directing the request to access the data from the storage disk back to the storage disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffery M. Franke, James A. O'Connor
  • Patent number: 9921761
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to examples of controlling recycling of blocks of memory. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a method comprises allocating at least one block of memory selected from a subset of blocks to be written in accordance with an equalizing technique to equalize a variation between blocks of memory based on at least one factor. The method further comprises resupplying the subset of blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Radoslav Danilak
  • Patent number: 9921762
    Abstract: Data stored in a volatile memory subsystem is backed up redundantly into first and second channels of a non-volatile memory subsystem. The data is retrieved from the volatile memory subsystem upon detection of a trigger condition indicative of real or imminent power loss or reduction and multiple copies are stored in dedicated non-volatile memory channels. The stored copies may be error checked and corrected, and re-written if necessary. The redundantly backed up data can be subsequently retrieved from the non-volatile memory subsystem, error-corrected, and an error-free copy communicated to the volatile memory subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Netlist, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Hossein Amidi, Chi-She Chen, Jeffrey C. Solomon, Scott H. Milton, Jayesh Bhakta
  • Patent number: 9921763
    Abstract: Providing for a memory apparatus comprising multiple banks of non-volatile memory and a high-speed data bus is described herein. By way of example, the memory apparatus can employ a standard or near-standard DRAM bus as an interface to high-performance two-terminal memory arrays. Interleaved operation can facilitate throughputs over 2gigabytes/second, in various embodiments, and larger throughputs in at least some embodiments, by interleaving multiple memory banks that are separately addressed via one or more mode registers, referred to as an index register(s). Further, the memory apparatus can have one or two terabytes of total storage, with capacity to increase storage volume. According to various embodiments, the memory apparatus can operate with a standard DRAM controller, or a memory controller configured with a DRAM communication protocol, modified in software or firmware to match configurations of the non-volatile memory employed for the multiple banks of memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: CROSSBAR, INC.
    Inventor: Cliff Zitlaw
  • Patent number: 9921764
    Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for using inactive copy relationships to resynchronize data between storages. A first and second groups of active copy relationships are established to serially copy data among the storages in the first and second groups, respectively. At least one of the storages in both the first group and the second group comprise overlapping storages that are members of both the first and second groups and at least one of the storages in both the first and second groups comprise non-overlapping storages that are a member of only one of the first and second groups. At least one inactive copy relationship is established having as a source storage one of the non-overlapping storages in the first group and as a target storage one of the non-overlapping storages in the second group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Brian D. Hatfield
  • Patent number: 9921765
    Abstract: Systems and methods create partial snapshot for a volume. Files and folders are identified for inclusion in the partial snapshot. In response to writing updated data to the volume, a volume snapshot layer can determine of the updated data is associated with a file or folder in the partial snapshot. If the file or folder is included in the partial snapshot, original data at the volume location is read from the volume and written to the partial snapshot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: AVAST SOFTWARE S.R.O.
    Inventor: Petr Kurtin
  • Patent number: 9921766
    Abstract: Methods and corresponding systems for managing memory of a storage drive are provided. The method includes determining a number of invalid pages in each memory block of a plurality of memory blocks in the storage drive. Thereafter, the method includes identifying a set of target memory blocks within the plurality of memory blocks. The set of target memory blocks is identified by determining a target memory block comprising the highest number of invalid pages amongst the plurality of memory blocks. The step of determining is iterated to determine further target memory blocks while the total number of valid pages in the set of target memory blocks is less than or equal to the total number of free pages in one of at least one free memory block and a garbage collection memory block in the storage drive. The method further includes recycling the set of target memory blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: WIPRO LIMITED
    Inventor: Manasa Ranjan Boitei
  • Patent number: 9921767
    Abstract: To provide enhanced operation of data storage devices and systems, various systems, apparatuses, methods, and software are provided herein. In a first example, a data storage device is presented that performs a write process to store data on a storage medium of the data storage device responsive to one or more write operations received over a host interface. The data storage device monitors a quality of the write process and determines when the quality of the write process falls below a threshold quality. Responsive to the quality of the write process falling below the threshold quality, the data storage device indicates the quality of the write process to a data protection node for determination of data parity information that compensates for the quality of the write process, where the data parity information is provided by the data protection node for storage in a selected parity storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Hassner, Satoshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9921768
    Abstract: Data is sent to correspond to a load/store-type operation associated with shared memory over a link according to a memory access link protocol and the memory access link protocol is to be overlaid on another, different link protocol. A request is sent to enter a low power state, where the request is to include a data value encoded in a field of a token, the token is to indicate a start of packet data and is to further indicate whether subsequent data to be sent after the token is to include data according to one of the other link protocol and the memory access link protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Michelle C. Jen, Debendra Das Sharma, Mahesh Wagh, Venkatraman Iyer
  • Patent number: 9921769
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed which allow a secondary storage system to provide data to non-production workloads in conjunction with performing data backup and protection tasks. As disclosed, a secondary storage system exposes backup data stored by the secondary storage system to other workloads, such as test and development applications, data analytics, etc. These non-production workloads can run at the same time the secondary storage system provides backup services to a primary storage system. This consolidation eliminates the need for an enterprise to deploy separate storage clusters for analytics, test and development applications, etc. and eliminates unnecessary copies of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Cohesity, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohit Aron, Vinay Reddy
  • Patent number: 9921770
    Abstract: Systems and procedures are provided to enable fixed block architecture (FBA) device support over fiber connections using transport mode protocol. The FBA devices may have a size greater than 2 terabytes. The system may be used with existing fixed block command sets according to the transport mode protocol. The existing fixed block command sets may be extended to permit addressing of greater than 2 terabytes. The transport mode protocol may be based on a high performance protocol implementation that facilitates processing of I/O requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: EMC IP Holding Company LLC
    Inventors: Martin J. Feeney, Douglas E. LeCrone
  • Patent number: 9921771
    Abstract: A system may be provided comprising: a local primary memory; an interconnect; and a processor, the processor configured to cause, in response to a memory allocation request from an application, allocation of a region of an external primary memory included in a memory appliance, the external primary memory in the memory appliance accessible by the system over the interconnect with client-side memory access, wherein the client-side memory access is independent of a central processing unit of the memory appliance, wherein the external primary memory is memory that is external to the system and primary memory to the system, and wherein the processor is further configured to operate the local primary memory as a cache for data accessed in the external primary memory included in the memory appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Kove IP, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy A. Stabrawa, Zachary A. Cornelius, John Overton, Andrew S. Poling, Jesse I. Taylor
  • Patent number: 9921772
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a NAND memory including a plurality of blocks, each of which is a unit of data erasing, and a controller. The controller is configured to select an initial value from a group of initial values, based on an address of the NAND memory in which data are to be written, set a value corresponding to the selected initial value to a linear feedback shift register circuit, randomize the data using an output value of the linear feedback shift register circuit, and write the randomized data to the address of the NAND memory. A size of each of the blocks S is smaller than 2n?1 bytes, n being a number of registers included in the linear feedback shift register circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Atsumi, Yasuhiko Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 9921773
    Abstract: Deduplicated data storage is provided by presenting a virtual volume mapped by a translation table to a physical volume of a physical data storage system. The translation table maps sets of ranges of duplicate data blocks of the virtual volume to corresponding individual ranges of shared data blocks of the physical volume. A hash table for identifying duplicate data is indexed by a portion of a hash value calculated from newly written data blocks, and has entries each identifying an address alignment of the corresponding data block. In operation, existing entries are replaced with new entries for colliding data blocks having better address alignment, promoting wider address-space separation of the entries. Upon occurrence of a hit in the hash table, for a given data block in a range of newly written data blocks, data blocks of the range are compared to corresponding blocks in a range identified by the hit to maximize a size of a region to be identified by the translation table as duplicate data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Ivan Georgiev
  • Patent number: 9921774
    Abstract: The disclosure is related to systems and methods of managing data storage in a memory device. In a particular embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes receiving, in a data storage device, at least one data packet that has a size that is different from an allocated storage capacity of at least one physical destination location on a data storage medium in the data storage device for the at least one data packet. The method also includes storing the at least one received data packet in a non-volatile cache memory prior to transferring the at least one received data packet to the at least one physical destination location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Luke W. Friendshuh, Brian T. Edgar, Mark A. Gaertner
  • Patent number: 9921775
    Abstract: A method of managing memory of a control plane for services in a computer system that includes executing a service host process of the control plane on a software platform of the computer system, the service host process including runtime software configured to manage lifecycles of objects representing the services, the objects being associated with the service host process and being marked as available; determining an amount of memory in the computer system consumed by the objects; marking a plurality of the objects as paused in response to the amount of memory consumed by the objects exceeding a threshold; storing at least a portion of a runtime context of each of the plurality of objects in storage of the computer system; and disassociating the plurality of objects from the service host process to reclaim memory consumed by the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: VMware, Inc.
    Inventors: Georgios Chrysanthakopoulos, Pieter Noordhuis
  • Patent number: 9921776
    Abstract: A method to more efficiently utilize sidefiles in an asynchronous data replication system is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes maintaining, in memory of a primary storage system, a set of sidefiles for mirroring record sets from the primary storage system to a secondary storage system. Each sidefile has a status of either active or inactive. The method further establishes an upper threshold and lower threshold for each sidefile. The method receives, into active sidefiles, record sets that need to be mirrored to the secondary storage system. When record sets in each of the actives sidefiles reaches the upper threshold, the method activates a deactivated sidefile. When record sets in an active sidefile fall below the lower threshold, the method deactivates and drains the sidefile. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory E. McBride, David C. Reed, Warren K. Stanley
  • Patent number: 9921777
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes data transfer in a memory device from sensing circuitry to controller. An example apparatus includes a controller coupled to a memory device. The controller is configured to execute a command to transfer data from a latch component to a register file in the controller. The memory device includes an array of memory cells and the latch component is coupled to rows of the array via a plurality of columns of the memory cells. The latch component includes a latch selectably coupled to each of the columns and configured to implement the command to transfer the data. The memory device includes a data line to couple the latch component to the register file to transfer the data. The controller is configured to couple to the data line and the register file to perform a write operation on the transferred data to the register file in the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick A. La Fratta, James J. Shawver
  • Patent number: 9921778
    Abstract: A microcontroller includes a microprocessor, a serial flash memory interface, and input/output (I/O) terminals for coupling the serial flash memory interface to external serial flash memory. The microprocessor is operable to generate instruction frames that trigger respective commands to read data from specified addresses in the external serial flash memory. The serial flash memory interface receives and processes the instruction frames, obtains the data contained in the specified addresses in the external serial flash memory regardless of whether the specified addresses are sequential or non-sequential, and provides the data for use by the microprocessor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Frédéric Schumacher, Guillaume Pean, Renaud Tiennot
  • Patent number: 9921779
    Abstract: A memory apparatus, includes: a memory including memory regions; a table storing a memory address and a number of reading times of data; a first buffer storing first data from another memory apparatus and a first memory address of the first data; a second buffer storing second data to the another memory apparatus and a second memory address of the second data; and a controller configured to store, when a first number of reading times being minimum in the table is smaller than a second number of reading times of the first data, the first data and the first memory address into the first buffer and outputs third data in a memory region of the first number and a third memory address of the third data to the another memory apparatus via the second buffer, and rewrites the third data and memory address with the first data and memory address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Goto, Osamu Ishibashi, Sadao Miyazaki, Jin Abe, Masaru Itoh
  • Patent number: 9921780
    Abstract: A memory system may include a memory device including a plurality of memory blocks each memory block including a plurality of pages, and a controller suitable for storing data in a first memory block of the memory blocks, generating map data for the stored data in the first memory block by sorting map segments of the map data based on logical information of the data, and storing the map data in a second memory block of the memory blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Jong-Min Lee
  • Patent number: 9921781
    Abstract: A plurality of storage apparatuses including a first and second storage apparatus, wherein said first storage apparatus is configured to have a first virtual volume composed of a plurality of virtual segments, at least said second storage apparatus is configured to have a pool composed of a plurality of real pages, each storage apparatus is configured to manage a virtual pool comprising one or more pools including at least said pool, said virtual pool is composed of a plurality of virtual pages, each virtual page corresponding to any real page, and said first storage apparatus is configured to receive a write command that specifies an address belonging to an unallocated virtual segment, allocate a free virtual page to said unallocated virtual segment, and write data to the real page corresponding to the allocated virtual page, even when said first storage apparatus does not have a pool composed of real pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Ai Satoyama, Yoshiaki Eguchi
  • Patent number: 9921782
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a magnetic memory device that emulates DRAM and provides a plug-in or drop-in replacement for DRAM. The memory device includes one or more magnetic memory banks for storing data; a controller configured to issue a dormant write command upon receiving a refresh command for recharging DRAM capacitors; and a memory cache for storing temporary data and configured to save the temporary data to the one or more magnetic memory banks upon receiving the dormant write command from the controller. The memory device may be compliant with at least one version of low power DDR (LPDDR) Specification or at least one version of DDR SDRAM Specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dean K. Nobunaga
  • Patent number: 9921783
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a system, including: one or more processors; a network interface for communication with a remote bank of available storage; a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) operatively coupled to the one or more processors; and a memory operatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to: ascertain at least one unavailable hard disk drive (HDD) of the RAID; determine an available remote storage target; dynamically update a storage destination for data to be stored from the at least one unavailable HDD of the RAID to the available remote storage target; and send the data over the network interface to the available remote storage target. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte Ltd.
    Inventors: Amy Leigh Rose, Nathan J. Peterson, Jennifer Lee-Baron, John Scott Crowe, James C. Loebach
  • Patent number: 9921784
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus is connected to one or more apparatuses via a network and includes a first acquisition unit that acquires communication information for communicating with any of the one or more apparatuses and authority information for writing the communication information to a predetermined information medium, a determination unit that determines whether the writing the communication information to the information medium is permitted based on the acquired authority information, and an updating unit that writes the communication information to the information medium when it is determined that the writing the communication information is permitted, to update the information medium with the written communication information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Mikiya Ichikawa, Tomoaki Okamura, Akio Ishida
  • Patent number: 9921785
    Abstract: There is provided an electronic apparatus including a connection section that performs connection with a host apparatus and an operation section. The operation section includes at least a first mode and a second mode which is different from the first mode, the first mode of receiving the instruction of the host apparatus to be operated, and the second mode of being operated as a storage of the host apparatus. The operation section causes the second mode to be switched to the first mode in accordance with any one of whether a time when there is no access from the host apparatus exceeds threshold, whether there is a switching access from the host apparatus, and whether there is an extraction instruction from the host apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yutaka Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9921786
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a division unit and a generation unit. The division unit divides an image represented by image forming data into multiple division regions. The generation unit generates a piece of bitmap image data by causing a hardware processing unit to process a piece of division-region data selected from among pieces of division-region data of the multiple division regions in descending order of processing loads of image processing performed when pieces of bitmap image data are generated from the respective pieces of division-region data, the processing loads being obtained for the respective division regions, and by causing a CPU to perform software processing on a piece of division-region data selected from among the pieces of division-region data in ascending order of the processing loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuta Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9921787
    Abstract: A relay apparatus executes: a first receiving process of receiving service requesting information and first identification information from an image forming apparatus through a communicator, the service requesting information being information requesting a service provided by the service providing apparatus; a first read-out process of reading out, from the memory, the first authentication information identified by the first identification information; a first transmitting process of transmitting, to the service providing apparatus through the communicator, the service requesting information and the first authentication information; a second receiving process of receiving service information corresponding to the service requesting information from the service providing apparatus through the communicator, the service information being information provided by the service providing apparatus in response to the service requesting information; and a second transmitting process of transmitting the service informati
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoto Shiraga, Takao Yasuda
  • Patent number: 9921788
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a communication portion that is connected to an external device via a network and communicates with the external device and a control portion that controls communication by the communication portion and executes a restart process for restarting the image forming apparatus. When a preset restart target error has occurred, the control portion executes the restart process in a state where a network port used for communication with the external device is disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9921789
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus is configured to transmit setting related information to the portable terminal in response to performing one of receipt of identification information through a receiving unit and establishment of wireless communication with a portable terminal in a first communication method within a prescribed period of time from performing another of the receipt of the identification information through the receiving unit and the establishment of the wireless communication with the portable terminal in the first communication method. The setting related information is one of: setting information stored in a storage unit in association with identification information received through the receiving unit; and acquisition information used for acquiring the setting information stored in the storage unit in association with the identification information received through the receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toyoshi Adachi, Masashi Ohhashi
  • Patent number: 9921790
    Abstract: A combination of physical and logical components of an apparatus to establish a persistent connection over a network with a source that is provided with or part of a job service. The components extract a job instruction embodied in a first communication that is received from the source over the persistent connection, without the apparatus having provided a request for the first communication. Based on the job instruction, the components send a request to the job service for job data when the job service is able to process job data for a corresponding job, without the apparatus polling the job service or waiting for the job service to receive the corresponding job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Pankaj Anand, Laurent Pizot, Pankaj Sharma, Jacob Refstrup
  • Patent number: 9921791
    Abstract: A wearable device is disclosed. In one aspect, the wearable device includes a display device and a control processor. The display device includes at least one display panel including a main display area and at least one sub-display area. The display device further includes a driver integrated circuit (IC) configured to generate a signal to drive the display panel and a memory configured to store identification information of at least one device which is connected to the wearable device. The sub-display area is configured to display the identification information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyun Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 9921792
    Abstract: A vehicle information display apparatus includes display areas displaying information concerning an in-vehicle device and displaying an operation screen page for operating the in-vehicle device; an operating part for performing an operation on the operation screen page and a control part receiving an operation signal corresponding to the operation performed on the operating part, controlling a display on the plurality of display areas and determining, based on the operation signal, an operation valid display area from among the display areas. The control part executes the operation on the operation screen page in the operation valid display area based on the operation signal corresponding to a first operation performed on the operation part. The control part changes the operation valid display area based on the operation signal corresponding to a second operation performed on the operating part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keigo Hori, Hiroyasu Ishioka, Yukihiko Yamazaki, Takashi Yanatsubo, Hisashi Fujiwara, Yohsuke Hemuki
  • Patent number: 9921793
    Abstract: Disclosed are a display device and controlling method thereof. The present invention includes a display unit configured to display a first content, a communication unit configured to connect communications with a plurality of external mobile terminals, and a controller configured to obtain personalization information corresponding to each of a plurality of the external mobile terminals, recognize an occurrence of an event related to the personalization information of a specific one of a plurality of the external mobile terminals, control the communication unit to transmit a signal indicating the event occurrence to the specific external mobile terminal, control the communication unit to receive a command signal for controlling the display device from the specific external mobile terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Chala Park
  • Patent number: 9921794
    Abstract: A blind display device includes a plurality of curved display panels, a support, and a plurality of rotators. Each of the curved display panels includes a curved display area between a flat display area and a bezel area. The support guides movement of the curved display panels. The rotators couple corresponding ones of the curved display panels to the support and rotate corresponding ones of the curved display panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Chan Lee, So-Young Koo, Myoung-Geun Cha, Yoon-Ho Khang, Myoung-Hwa Kim, Woong-Hee Jeong
  • Patent number: 9921795
    Abstract: A system, mobile device and method for displaying a medical image using multiple mobile devices are disclosed. A master mobile device for displaying a medical image includes a communication unit, a device information collection unit, and an arrangement designation unit. The communication unit wirelessly communicates with surrounding mobile devices and a medical image provision system. The device information collection unit searches for surrounding slave mobile devices that are to operate as slaves via the communication unit, collects the device information of each of the retrieved slave mobile devices while communicating with the retrieved slave mobile devices, and control the communication unit to transmit device information of the master mobile device and the collected device information to the medical image provision system. The arrangement designation unit receives recommended arrangement information from the medical image provision system, and outputs the recommended arrangement information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Infinitt Healthcare Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang Wook Cho, Jin Jun Kim
  • Patent number: 9921796
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus comprises a first display and a controller. The controller is configured to switch between a first display mode in which the first display is configured to display a first image and a second display mode in which the first display is configured to display a second image. The controller is configured to cause the first display in the second display mode to superimpose first input information input to the electronic apparatus or an apparatus other than the electronic apparatus onto the second image, and is configured to cause first display to superimpose, in a case where a display mode of the first display is switched from the second display mode to the first display mode, the first input information superimposed on the second image in the second display mode onto an image corresponding to the second image in the first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Sakurako Ayabe
  • Patent number: 9921797
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes identifying a document that is operated upon by a real-time collaborative editing system. The document includes a first active region and additional active regions. The method identifies a first node and one or more additional nodes, all accessing the document via the real-time collaborative editing system. The method identifies a second node that is one of the one or more additional nodes. The method identifies a second active region, which is one of the additional active regions. The method identifies a first node view, which displays the first active region via the first node. The method identifies a second node view. The second node view displays the second active region via the second node. The method responds to input from the first node by creating a third node view that is displayed via the second active region and presented via the first node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan Dunne, Ming Zhe Jiang, Hua Shao, Zhi Yong Xue
  • Patent number: 9921798
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a system (100, 130) for a USB to Bluetooth audio bridging method and apparatus. The system includes a host device (102) having a first universal serial bus (USB) interface (107) and a second USB interface (110); an adaptor (108) in connection with the first USB interface (107) which is compatible to operate based on a Bluetooth-type communication protocol; a peripheral device (106) coupled to the second USB interface (110); and a mobile communication device (104) linked to the host device (102) via the adaptor (108). The mobile communication device (104) communicates an audio data signal to the adaptor (108) and an audio bridging device (116). The audio bridging device (116) maps the second USB interface (110) to the adaptor (108) and routes audio data signals alone or in combination with another audio data signals to the peripheral device (106) via the second USB interface (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: CIearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter H. Manley, Balasubramaniyan Krishnamoorthy, Derek Graham
  • Patent number: 9921799
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to streaming influencer device audio content to listener devices. In some embodiments, a computing platform may receive, from a first influencer device, first stream information associated with a first music stream. Subsequently, the computing platform may identify a plurality of listener devices that subscribe to receive music streams from the first influencer device. The music sharing computing platform then may evaluate first tracking information associated with a first listener device of the plurality of listener devices to enforce one or more playback restrictions on the first listener device, and may evaluate second tracking information associated with a second listener device of the plurality of listener devices to enforce the one or more playback restrictions on the second listener device. Based on evaluating the tracking information, the computing platform may share the first music stream with the first listener device and the second listener device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: MUMO, Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Touch, Ryan Britt, Jon Kraft, Edward Chan
  • Patent number: 9921800
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for controlling audio output are provided. In some implementations, a method for controlling audio output is provided, the method comprising: receiving, by a computing device, audio content to be presented; determining that an output port of the computing device is connected to a corresponding connector; providing the audio content at the output port; recording a first portion of audio using a microphone; determining that the audio content is present in the first portion of audio; continuing to provide the audio content at the output port; recording a second portion of audio using the microphone; determining that the audio content is not present in the second portion of audio; and presenting the audio content using a speaker of the computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventor: Nima Lotfizadeh
  • Patent number: 9921801
    Abstract: Positional information indicative of positions of a plurality of terminals is acquired from the terminals through communication; one or more representative terminals are determined from among the terminals in accordance with a state of distribution of the positions; when the positional information satisfies a predetermined condition, a first command to cause the representative terminals to output a sound at a first sound volume being transmitted to the representative terminals, and a second command to cause general terminals to output a sound at a second sound volume different from the first sound volume being transmitted to the general terminals different from the representative terminals; and when the positional information does not satisfy the predetermined condition, a third command to cause the representative terminals and general terminals to output a sound at a third sound volume being transmitted to the representative terminals and general terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Yuki, Kazuki Funase
  • Patent number: 9921802
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system for presenting media content. A user device (such as a personal computer, tablet, or smart phone) receives media elements from a media repository. The media repository may be remote. The device displays references associated with the media elements in a display area. The device outputs media content (e.g., music or video) associated with each of the media elements for a limited duration (e.g., 30 seconds). While outputting, the references displayed in the display area are scrolled. The display area may be provided as a 3D drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Inventor: Kenneth Davis
  • Patent number: 9921803
    Abstract: A method comprises converting an audio frequency domain signal into one or more voltage signals. Then the characteristics of the one or more voltage signals are determined. Afterwards the characteristics of the one or more voltage signals are compared with one or more characteristics of an audio trigger command. Activation of an audio user interface is then activated on the basis of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Jari Tuomas Savolainen, Jukka Mikael Jalkanen, Jyrki Porio
  • Patent number: 9921804
    Abstract: A system and method is presented for awarding content to users of mobile devices for attending events, appearing at locations, or viewing audiovisual content. One embodiment also automatically alters the configuration of mobile devices, which is particularly useful in movie theaters. An application on the device recognizes an audible signal provided at the location or in the audiovisual content. The signal can also be used to unlock content. In this way, desired content is available only when the user has attended an event such as an event sponsored by the content creator. The content can relate to the event, and can be synchronized to the event. The signal can also trigger an application or unlock content at a store location. For example, a scavenger hunt can be guided by an application on the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: BBY SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Donald N. Pierce, Jaclyn Knapp, Dan Fox, Ken Slater, Tony Tung, Heather Look, Stacy Anderson, William Don Wortley, Carrie Barclay, Justin Ebert
  • Patent number: 9921805
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving, at an audio receiver of a device, a voice input; selecting, using a processor of a device, an active target voice enabled resource for the voice input from among a plurality of active target voice enabled resources; and providing, using a processor of the device, the voice input to the active target voice enabled resource selected. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Suzanne Marion Beaumont, Rod D. Waltermann, Antoine Roland Raux
  • Patent number: 9921806
    Abstract: A method for switching an audio output device includes after a predetermined event is captured on the information output interface, detecting whether a voice interface object representing a voice message is currently displayed on the information output interface. The method further includes detecting whether an external audio output device is currently connected to the mobile electronic apparatus. If it is detected that a voice interface object is currently displayed, and it is not detected that an external audio output device is connected to the mobile electronic apparatus, displaying an interface switching object on the information output interface, to correspondingly switch an audio output device of the mobile electronic apparatus according to an input operation of a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited
    Inventors: Yu Ding, Peng Zhang, Yecheng Xian, Kui Fang, Peiqiu Wu
  • Patent number: 9921807
    Abstract: A method of an aspect includes receiving a floating point scaling instruction. The floating point scaling instruction indicates a first source including one or more floating point data elements, a second source including one or more corresponding floating point data elements, and a destination. A result is stored in the destination in response to the floating point scaling instruction. The result includes one or more corresponding result floating point data elements each including a corresponding floating point data element of the second source multiplied by a base of the one or more floating point data elements of the first source raised to a power of an integer representative of the corresponding floating point data element of the first source. Other methods, apparatus, systems, and instructions are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Cristina S. Anderson, Amit Gradstein, Robert Valentine, Simon Rubanovich, Benny Eitan