Patents Issued in October 25, 2018
  • Publication number: 20180307222
    Abstract: A system and method for distributing data for a group of at least two electronic devices, wherein each of the devices has an electronic communication unit, each of which is designed for exchanging internal data among one another, wherein at least one of the communication units has a receiver unit which is designed for receiving external data from an external computer unit, has an arithmetic unit using an algorithm, wherein the algorithm is designed, based on the external data, to generate configuration data as internal data, and is designed to transmit the configuration data to at least one other communication unit of the system, and has a digital display device for the visual display of information for a user, wherein the display device is designed to display information which is updated based on the configuration data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Martin WINISTÖRFER, Bernd REIMANN, Asif RANA
  • Publication number: 20180307223
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein may relate to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigating to a target in order to provide medical support. An illustrative method involves a UAV (a) determining an approximate target location associated with a target, (b) using a first navigation process to navigate the UAV to the approximate target location, where the first navigation process generates flight-control signals based on the approximate target location, (c) making a determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target location, and (d) in response to the determination that the UAV is located at the approximate target location, using a second navigation process to navigate the UAV to the target, wherein the second navigation process generates flight-control signals based on real-time localization of the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Eric Peeters, Eric Teller, William Graham Patrick
  • Publication number: 20180307224
    Abstract: An improved snow blower apparatus is a snow blower that is able to be remotely controlled by a user located at a remote location. At least one video camera located on the snow blower allows the user to view the environment around the snow blower for safety purposes and to control the direction of travel and speed of the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: John Clifford Loghry, Sr.
  • Publication number: 20180307225
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for piloting a rotary wing drone, the method being implemented by an electronic apparatus for piloting the drone, the drone being configured to have an on board camera. The method comprises calculating different types of navigation setpoint(s) of the drone, based on different types of piloting instructions for the movement of the drone, a type of piloting instruction being capable of modifying at least an attitude angle of the drone and/or the movement speed of the drone, each type of piloting instruction respectively being associated with a type of navigation setpoints, the calculation comprising, for at least one type of piloting instructions: determining the sighting axis of the camera; obtaining at least one navigation setpoint associated with at least one type of piloting instructions based on the sighting axis of the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Martin Line, Edouard Leurent
  • Publication number: 20180307226
    Abstract: An intelligent vehicle charging system for charging a fleet of autonomous vehicles throughout a network of charging stations dispersed throughout a geographic area. The intelligent vehicle charging system includes a remote control system that is in operative communication with each of the autonomous vehicles in the fleet and each of the charging stations in the network. When an autonomous vehicle is in need of a power charge, or as directed by the remote control system, the remote control system will identify an available charging station, guide the autonomous vehicle to the charging station, verify that the autonomous vehicle has arrived at the charging station, initiate the power charging process, account and bill appropriate fees for the charging process, and log all associated activity. The remote control system is also capable of remotely and instantaneously terminating the power charging process to dynamically return a vehicle back to service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Arnold Chase, William Chase
  • Publication number: 20180307227
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to provide a remote vehicle controller a varied level of vehicle driving control, to drive a vehicle via the controller, responsive to a determination of the remote vehicle controller location relative to the vehicle. The controller interface may be visually adaptable based on a particular designated style of control, including, for example, in-vehicle control, near-vehicle control and far-from-vehicle control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Pietro BUTTOLO, Stuart C. SALTER, Annette Lynn HUEBNER, Paul Kenneth DELLOCK, James Stewart RANKIN, II
  • Publication number: 20180307228
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an actuator configured to control vehicle steering, acceleration, braking, or shifting. The vehicle additionally includes a vehicle control interface configured to control the actuator in response to user input. The vehicle further includes at least one controller. The controller is configured to automatically control the actuator based on an automated driving system algorithm. The controller is configured to, in response to receiving a learning mode activation input, monitor at least one user input to the vehicle control interface. The controller is further configured to generate a driving preference profile based on the monitored user input. The controller is further configured to receive a learning mode termination input, and subsequent the learning mode termination input, control the vehicle via the automated driving system in accordance with the driving preference profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Dustin H. Smith, Timothy Grost, Younghwa Yun, Emily M. Bowman, Anna M. Wagner
  • Publication number: 20180307229
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for navigating an autonomous vehicle using reinforcement learning techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Gideon Stein, Shai Shalev-Shwartz, Shaked Shammah, Amnon Shashua
  • Publication number: 20180307230
    Abstract: A flight control device which controls an air vehicle flying around a structure, the flight control device including: a detection-position movement controller which causes the air vehicle to move to a detection position for detecting the designated sign, the detection position being given for the designated sign; a sign detector which, when the air vehicle arrives at the detection position, detects the identification code of the sign and measures a flight relative position which is a position of the air vehicle relative to the sign; and a designated-position adjustment unit which, when the sign detector detects the identification code of the designated sign, controls a flying position of the air vehicle, based on the flight relative position and a position of the via point relative to the designated sign, so that the flying position matches the via point
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi IWAKURA, Takayuki ISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20180307231
    Abstract: An intelligent electronic speed control (IESC) was developed that combines telemetry data from sensors on a small UAV with an intelligent rule set extracted from a trained artificial neural network (ANN) to detect and isolate faults and to predict future failures. IESCs integrated into the UAV's electronic architecture can serve to enhance UAV safety and reduce injury to personnel and damage to property by predicting failures and preventing accidents before they occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: 4D TECH SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Eric F. Sorton, Marjorie A. Darrah, Bradley G. DeRoos, Alex B. Rubenstein
  • Publication number: 20180307232
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing a map based on a hierarchical structure to produce a 3D high-precision map based on the hierarchical structure using a low-priced 2D laser scanner is provided. The apparatus and method produces the 3D high-precision map based on the hierarchical structure using the low-priced 2D laser scanner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Hyeon Myeong, Hyungjin Kim, Kwang Yik Jung, Seungwon Song
  • Publication number: 20180307233
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a replanning determination mechanism is utilized to determine whether an ADV needs replanning of the route or trajectory based on the driving status and conditions of the ADV at the point in time, such as, for example, the difference between the planned position and the actual position, difference between a current speed and a target speed, and a difference between a current heading direction and a target heading direction. Such differences as a whole represents an error between the planning and the actual response from the ADV. If the error is greater than a predetermined threshold, replanning may be performed; otherwise, a regular planning is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: Fan ZHU
  • Publication number: 20180307234
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a lane departure detection system detects at a first point in time that a wheel of an ADV rolls onto a lane curb disposed on an edge of a lane in which the ADV is moving. The system detects at a second point in time that the wheel of the ADV rolls off the lane curb of the lane. The system calculates an angle between a moving direction of the ADV and a lane direction of the lane based on the time difference between the first point in time and the second point in time in view of a current speed of the ADV. The system then generates a control command based on the angle to adjust the moving direction of the ADV in order to prevent the ADV from further drifting off the lane direction of the lane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Fan ZHU, Qi KONG, Qi LUO, Xiang YU, Sen HU, Zhenguang ZHU, Xiaoxin FU, Jiarui HE, Hongye LI, Yuchang PAN, Zhongpu XIA, Chunming ZHAO, Guang YANG, Jingao WANG
  • Publication number: 20180307235
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a human transport device and associated system to transport a user within an active workspace. The human transport device may include a platform to support a user, an enclosure coupled to the platform to surround the user, a drive subsystem to power the human transport device, and a control unit to control the movement of the human transport device in coordination with active mobile drive units moving within the workspace. A system implementing one or more human transport devices may include a management module to direct the movement of the one or more human transport devices and designate one or more areas within the workspace as protected areas. Unauthorized objects may be prohibited from entering the protected areas while the human transport device may be allowed within the protected areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Peter R. Wurman, Michael T. Barbehenn, Matthew David Verminski, Michael Cordell Mountz, Dennis Polic, Andrew Edward Hoffman, James Raymond Allard, Eryk Brian Nice
  • Publication number: 20180307236
    Abstract: Systems and method are provided for controlling a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes: determining, by a controller onboard the vehicle, a lateral plan for the operating vehicle along a route; obtaining, by the controller, pitch data pertaining to the lateral plan; and determining, by the controller, a longitudinal plan for operating the vehicle along the route based on the pitch data and the lateral plan, wherein the pitch data influences a planned rate of longitudinal movement of the vehicle at one or more points along the lateral plan. In this regard, the planned vehicle velocity or acceleration at a point in the future may be constrained by pitch data corresponding to the expected vehicle location at that point in the future.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Brooks Reed
  • Publication number: 20180307237
    Abstract: A vehicle running on a road with a curved wall, may include a speed detector configured to detect driving speed of the vehicle; a capturer configured to detect lighting irradiated from a headlamp of the vehicle onto the wall and lighting irradiated from a headlamp of a target vehicle onto the wall; and a controller configured to determine a risk level of the vehicle colliding with the target vehicle based on a length that the lighting irradiated from the headlamp of the vehicle onto the wall moves and a length that the lighting irradiated from the headlamp of the target vehicle onto the wall moves when the vehicle is driven for a predetermined time, and control a driving route of the vehicle based on the determined risk level of collision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicants: Hyundai Kia Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Sungmin JI
  • Publication number: 20180307238
    Abstract: Systems and method are provided for controlling a vehicle. In one embodiment, a vehicle includes: an imaging device, a reference data source, one or more sensors, one or more actuators, and a controller. The controller detects a stationary condition based at least in part on the sensor output, obtains an image during the stationary condition, identifies a reference position for a reference object based on reference data for a field of view of the imaging device during the stationary condition, identifies the reference object at a second position within the image, validates a transformation associated with the imaging device based on a difference between the reference position and the second position, and thereafter autonomously operates the one or more actuators in a manner that is influenced by the validated transformation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Matthias Wisniowski
  • Publication number: 20180307239
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for navigating an autonomous vehicle using reinforcement learning techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Shai Shalev-Shwartz, Shaked Shammah, Amnon Shashua, Yoav Taieb, Gideon Stein
  • Publication number: 20180307240
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for navigating an autonomous vehicle using reinforcement learning techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Shai Shalev-Shwartz, Amnon Shashua, Shaked Shammah
  • Publication number: 20180307241
    Abstract: Example embodiments include determining a map of an environment of a robotic vehicle. The map includes locations of a plurality of mapped landmarks within the environment and a false detection source region within the environment. The embodiments further include detecting a plurality of candidate landmarks, and determining which of the detected candidate landmarks correspond to one of the plurality of mapped landmarks and which correspond to false detections. The embodiments additionally include estimating a pose of the robotic vehicle within the environment. The embodiments further include determining which of the detected candidate landmarks determined to correspond to false detections fall within the false detection source region. The embodiments still further include determining a confidence level of the pose estimate based on which of the detected candidate landmarks determined to correspond to false detections fall within the false detection source region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: Dirk Holz
  • Publication number: 20180307242
    Abstract: A self-propelled robot unit including a navigation system and movement items for positioning of the robot unit on an even base and a system for impacting predefined areas of the base during the unit's movement between two points on the base is provided. The robot unit's system for impacting predefined areas of the base includes at least one effect unit provided by an outer side of the wheels in relation to the center axis, but upwards one of the driven wheels. An embodiment also relates to a method for creation of a plan for the robot unit's movements and placement of markings for a ball game field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: Intelligent Marking ApS
    Inventors: Anders Ulrik Sørensen, Andreas Ydesen
  • Publication number: 20180307243
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and a device for drawing a room layout. The method includes obtaining a sweeping path graph of a sweeping robot, the sweeping path graph comprising positions of N first obstacles and shapes and positions of M second obstacles encountered by the sweeping robot when sweeping a room, a bottom area of each of the N first obstacles being less than or equal to a first preset threshold, a bottom area of each of the M second obstacles being greater than or equal to a second preset threshold, wherein N and M are integers greater than or equal to 0; determining Q pieces of furniture arranged in the room based on the positions of the N first obstacles and the shapes and the positions of the M second obstacles, wherein Q is an integer greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to (N+M); and marking the Q pieces of furniture on a plan of the room to generate the layout of the room.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yongfeng Xia, Ke Wu
  • Publication number: 20180307244
    Abstract: A storage maintains energy estimates corresponding to function requests for vehicles. A processor of a server is programmed to receive a function request for a vehicle, and direct the vehicle to perform the function request responsive to determining, according to battery information received from the vehicle and an energy estimate corresponding to the function request, that the vehicle has sufficient energy to perform the function request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: William DIERKER, Douglas B. THORNBURG
  • Publication number: 20180307245
    Abstract: System and methods are provided for creating perception-based intelligence for augmenting the on-board capabilities of autonomous vehicles and for coordinating the traffic flow of connected-autonomous vehicles. Perception-based intelligence is created on the basis of leveraging the perception outputs of, one or more vision-perception sensors in various locations, while having a field-of-view, or a range-of-perception-sensing, of a pre-determined physical space. Perception-based intelligence is made shareable, in a shared coordinate-frame. Various methods are disclosed for encoding and representing the locations coordinates of perception outputs relating to transient, obstacles and any free-space, such that these encoded outputs, could be efficiently provisioned to various types of connected-autonomous vehicles, either directly or through an intelligent transport system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Muhammad Zain Khawaja, Sabdezar Ilahi
  • Publication number: 20180307246
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to mobile correctional facility robots and systems and methods for coordinating mobile correctional facility robots to perform various tasks in a correctional facility. The mobile correctional facility robots can be used to perform many of the tasks traditionally assigned to correctional facility guards to help reduce the number of guards needed in any given correctional facility. When cooperation is employed among multiple mobile correctional facility robots to execute tasks, a central controller can be used to coordinate the efforts of the multiple robots to improve the performance of the overall system of robots as compared to the performance of the robots when working in uncoordinated effort to execute the tasks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: Global Tel*Link Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen HODGE
  • Publication number: 20180307247
    Abstract: An operation support apparatus comprises an information acquisition unit configured to acquire vehicle information that is information relating to a vehicle capable of participating in convoy travel; a convoy formation unit configured to form a convoy including a plurality of vehicles; a profit calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the vehicle information, a profit generated by performing the convoy travel for each vehicle forming the convoy; and a profit distribution unit configured to generate distribution data that is data for distributing the profits among the plurality of vehicles forming the convoy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru TANIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20180307248
    Abstract: A method includes receiving location information for each of a plurality of autonomous vehicles in a zone, wherein the location information indicates locations of the autonomous vehicles in the zone, determining a mapping of locations of each of the autonomous vehicles in the zone based on the location information, and computing a set of coordinated movements for one or more of the autonomous vehicles based on the mapping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: Thomas Danaher Harvey
  • Publication number: 20180307249
    Abstract: A method includes receiving from a client computing device of a user, a request for access to an autonomous vehicle, determining one of a plurality of autonomous vehicles to provide the user access to in response to the request, wherein the determined autonomous vehicle is blocked by one or more other ones of the autonomous vehicles, determining locations of the determined autonomous vehicle and the blocking autonomous vehicles, and computing based on the locations of the determined autonomous vehicle and the blocking autonomous vehicles, coordinated movements to provide access to the determined autonomous vehicle as requested by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: Thomas Danaher Harvey
  • Publication number: 20180307250
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a request for access associated with a pre-assigned parking space of a particular one of a plurality of autonomous vehicles in a parking area, determining that the pre-assigned parking space of the particular autonomous vehicle has at least one blocking parking space that is pre-assigned to another autonomous vehicle, determining a state of the at least one blocking parking space with respect to the autonomous vehicle pre-assigned to it, and accessing pre-computed coordinated movements for the autonomous vehicles corresponding to the state of the at least one blocking parking space to provide the requested access.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: Thomas Danaher Harvey
  • Publication number: 20180307251
    Abstract: A method includes causing an autonomous vehicle in a zone controlled by the zone authority to enter a controlled mode of operation according to which the autonomous vehicle follows one or more zone rules for operation of the autonomous vehicle in the zone, causing the autonomous vehicle to follow the zone rules while operating in in the zone, and causing the autonomous vehicle to be released from the zone rules and to exit the controlled mode when the autonomous vehicle leaves the zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: Thomas Danaher Harvey
  • Publication number: 20180307252
    Abstract: A method including receiving, by a computing device of a convoy comprising one or more escorted autonomous vehicles information that indicates a location of each of the escorted autonomous vehicles and one or more operational aspects of each of the escorted autonomous vehicles, computing based on the information, one or more instructions to be executed by one or more of the escorted autonomous vehicles, wherein the instructions direct at least movement of the one more of the escorted autonomous vehicles, and causing the instructions to be transmitted to and autonomously executed by the one or more of the escorted autonomous vehicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: Thomas Danaher Harvey
  • Publication number: 20180307253
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system and method for interfacing with an irrigation controller based on rainfall, the system comprising: an interface unit including a housing and a control unit within the housing and configured to: cause an interruption of one or more watering schedules executed by the irrigation controller, which is separate from the interface unit, based on signaling received from a rain sensor including hygroscopic material, when a sensed expansion of the hygroscopic material is above a set rainfall accumulation threshold parameter, the rain sensor being separate from the interface unit and the hygroscopic material being configured to expand in response to being contacted by the rainfall and to contract in response to an absence of the rainfall; and remove the interruption after a completion of a predetermined interval of time after a sensed contraction of the hygroscopic material indicative of a rainfall stop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Steven W. Weiler, Joseph G. Porrazzo, JR.
  • Publication number: 20180307254
    Abstract: A method (400) for controlling a proportional valve. The method includes the steps of: (i) providing (410) a proportional flow valve system that includes: a closed loop flow controller (110) including a proportional flow control valve (140), a flow sensor (150), and an adjustable gain (180); and an adaptive controller (120) including a model (160) of the closed loop flow controller, and a gain control (170); (ii) actuating (420) the proportional flow control valve; (iii) measuring (430) actual gas flow; (iv) determining (440) a difference between the measured gas flow rate and a desired gas flow rate; (v) adjusting (450) the proportional flow valve using the determined difference; (vi) initiating (460) a response from the model of the closed loop flow controller; (vii) determining (470) a gain for the closed loop flow controller; and (viii) adjusting (480) the adjustable gain of the closed loop flow controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: MICHAEL ANTHONY BORRELLO
  • Publication number: 20180307255
    Abstract: The present application is directed to a manifold system for low pressure and high pressure fluids. The manifold system may include one or more manifold sub-assemblies that may be assembled together, separated apart and replaced as desired. In oil and gas hydraulic fracturing operations, each manifold sub-assembly includes two or more low pressure fluid lines and two or more high pressure fluid lines for fluidly communicating with hydraulic fracturing pumps. High pressure fluid may exit the manifold system via a single line or multiple lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: Mark Daniel BISHOP
  • Publication number: 20180307256
    Abstract: An interface device includes: at least one configuration channel terminal for communicating configuration information, wherein whether the interface device itself is in connection and whether the interface device itself is at a high voltage side or a low voltage side are determined according to a voltage or current status at the configuration channel terminal; a multi-functional transmission line, which includes a thermistor; and a temperature monitor circuit, coupled to the multi-functional transmission line, for sensing a temperature status to generate a temperature sensing signal. When two interface devices are connected with each other, the thermistor and the temperature monitor circuit can be located together in one of the interface devices or separately located in different interface devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Chen-Hui Chan, Wei-Hsu Chang, Ta-Yung Yang
  • Publication number: 20180307257
    Abstract: Described is an apparatus which comprises: a first power supply node to supply input power supply; a power transistor coupled to the first power supply node; a multiplexer to selectively control gate terminal of the power transistor according to whether the power transistor is to operate as part of a low dropout voltage regulator (LDO-VR) or is to operate as a digital switch; and a second power supply node coupled to the power transistor, the second power supply node to provide power supply to a load from the power transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kosta Luria, Alexander Lyakhov, Joseph Shor, Michael Zelikson
  • Publication number: 20180307258
    Abstract: A low-voltage bandgap reference circuit includes a current source supplying a reference voltage rail. A first BJT has a collector coupled to the voltage rail via a resistor, a base coupled directly to the voltage rail, and an emitter coupled to ground via an emitter resistance. A second BJT has a collector coupled to the voltage rail via a resistor, a base coupled to voltage rail by a first base resistance and to ground via a second base resistance, and a collector coupled to the emitter resistance via an intermediate resistance. A third BJT has a collector driven by a current source, a base coupled to a node between the first and second base resistances, and an emitter coupled to ground. A feedback amplifier regulates the reference voltage rail to equalize collector voltages of the first and second BJTs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Petr KADANKA
  • Publication number: 20180307259
    Abstract: A power supply device has an input and output, a first transistor between the input and output, and a differential circuit responding to a difference between output voltage and a reference voltage with an output connected to a gate of the first transistor. A current monitoring circuit comprises a second input transistor with a gate connected to the gate of the first transistor and causes monitor current corresponding to current flow in the first transistor to flow. A comparator compares the monitor current to a reference and activates a switch to control a zero-point circuit which is connected between an output of the differential circuit and an input of the differential circuit and minimizes oscillation without the necessity of an output capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: Akio OGURA
  • Publication number: 20180307260
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a constant-voltage power supply circuit includes: an error amplifier including an inverting input terminal and a noninverting input terminal, a reference voltage source connected with the inverting input terminal of the error amplifier, an output transistor, the transistor having a source connected with a power supply terminal, a drain connected with a circuit output terminal, and a gate connected with an output terminal of the error amplifier, and an output voltage detecting circuit, the circuit being connected between the circuit output terminal and a power supply terminal, detecting voltage of the circuit output terminal to apply the detected voltage to the noninverting input terminal of the error amplifier. The constant-voltage power supply circuit further includes a positive feedback circuit connected between the output terminal of the error amplifier and the gate of the output transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: Toshiyuki NAGAI
  • Publication number: 20180307261
    Abstract: A portable green power device includes a case, an energy storage module, a kinetic power generating module, a control unit, and a port for discharging. The energy storage module has an input terminal set, an output terminal set, a protection circuit, and a parallel dynamic self-balancing mechanism. The output terminal set may be connected to an additional energy storage unit to expand power storage capacity of the portable green power device. The parallel dynamic self-balancing mechanism enables synchronous charging and discharging under a voltage level which is dynamically reached and falls between voltages of all the energy storage units connected in parallel. The control unit tracks and collects energy generated by the kinetic power generating module at a maximum power point and allows transfer of the generated energy to the energy storage module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: Che-Peng Liang
  • Publication number: 20180307262
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a simple, inexpensive circuit to extract the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) threshold voltage (Vt) from an integrated circuit. The threshold voltage may be used elsewhere in the circuit for a variety of purposes. One example use of threshold voltage is to sense the temperature of the circuit. The CMOS Vt extraction circuit of this disclosure includes a current mirror and an arrangement of well-matched transistors and resistors that takes advantage of the square law equation. The structure of the circuit may make it well suited to applications that benefit from low-power radiation hardened circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Xiaoxin Feng, Weston Roper
  • Publication number: 20180307263
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides devices and techniques to dynamically change the operating frequency of an interface where components on the interface have non-common clocks. An interface component may be provided with a frequency negotiation component to negotiate a shift in an operating frequency with other component on an interface where the different components have non-common clocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: ANOOP MUKKER, ENG HUN OOI, ROBERT J. ROYER, JR., BRIAN R. MCFARLANE
  • Publication number: 20180307264
    Abstract: Examples herein disclose an identification of a set of skew requirements corresponding to a set of data signals. Based on the set of skew requirements, the examples prioritize an order of transmission for the set of data signals. The example queue the set of data signals in accordance with the prioritized order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: David Maciorowski, Christopher Kroeger
  • Publication number: 20180307265
    Abstract: A device may include an input for receiving information communicated from a host to the device and a controller configured to recover a device reference clock on the device, the device reference clock proportional to a host reference clock of the host, when clock signaling from the host to the device is unavailable. The controller may recover the device reference clock by measuring a ratio between the host reference clock and the device reference clock of the device by monitoring, with the device, host start-of-frame markers communicated from the host to the device via the input, creating a recovered reference clock based on the measured ratio, and creating local start-of-frame markers that are phase locked with the host start-of-frame markers based on the recovered reference clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Bruce E. DUEWER, Brad Allan LAMBERT, Michael A. KOST, Marc J. KOBAYASHI, David HISKY, Vitaliy KULIKOV
  • Publication number: 20180307266
    Abstract: A reduced-volume all-in-one computer includes a shell, a display unit received in the shell, a supporting brace, a host adapter, and a transfer board. The display unit includes a display port. The supporting brace includes a base and a supporting member and the host adapter is received in the supporting member and integrates numerous electronic elements of a computer system. The electronic elements include a central processing unit, a memory chip, an image processor, and a memory. The transfer board in the supporting member includes a power port and a video port connecting to the display port. The transfer board is connected to the host adapter and forms a communication bridge between the host adapter and the display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: CHUN-BAO GU, CHEN-XI YANG, WEN-HSIANG HUNG
  • Publication number: 20180307267
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a number of embodiments related to a fabric having one or more embedded wires, with the computer node integrated into the fabric that has a base conductive fabric and one or more system leads coupled to the base conductive fabric to electrically couple a computer node removably seated in the computer node seat with one or more embedded wires in the fabric, where the computer node seat has a thickness or a flexibility substantially similar to the fabric and is substantially flat. In other embodiments, the computer node may include a single housing or double housing and may attach to the computer node seat such that a portion of the computer node is disposed both above and below a plane of the computer node seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: Eric Lewallen
  • Publication number: 20180307268
    Abstract: A finger-wearable computing device comprises a ring base configured to be worn on a finger of a wearer's hand, and a track pad supported by the ring base and configured to detect a location of engagement between a marker point on a thumb of the wearer's hand and the track pad. The finger-wearable computing device is configured to generate a command signal indicative of the location of engagement for controlling a component of the finger-wearable computing device or for controlling a remote electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: James G. Stotler
  • Publication number: 20180307269
    Abstract: A mobile electronic device, for example a smartphone, may feature thin or curved borders at the left, right, top, and/or bottom edge of the display screen. To accommodate front-facing optical sensor(s) and/or emitter(s) despite a border that is too thin (e.g., too thin for a front camera module and lens), two or more corners of the display panel have a cutout, and the optical sensor(s) and/or emitter(s) are disposed, at least in part, in the areas of these cutouts at the corners. The cutouts may have a convex shape for the most part, thereby maximizing the remaining screen area. At least one embodiment may display scrollable screen content that extends over the entire height of the screen, such that the uppermost part is displayed between two cutouts. To adjust the layout, the elements displayed on the screen may be categorized by relevance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: Inodyn NewMedia GmbH
    Inventor: Lothar Pantel
  • Publication number: 20180307270
    Abstract: A mobile electronic device, for example a smartphone, may feature thin or curved borders at the left, right, top, and/or bottom edge of the display screen. To accommodate front-facing optical sensor(s) and/or emitter(s) despite a border that is too thin (e.g., too thin for a front camera module and lens), two or more corners of the display panel have a cutout, and the optical sensor(s) and/or emitter(s) are disposed, at least in part, in the areas of these cutouts at the corners. The cutouts may have a convex shape for the most part, thereby maximizing the remaining screen area. At least one embodiment of the mobile electronic device may have a display panel with at least three curved edges, a maximized screen surface, and minimized outer dimensions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: inodyn NewMedia GmbH
    Inventor: Lothar Pantel
  • Publication number: 20180307271
    Abstract: A portable computer that is configurable between a plurality of display modes including a laptop mode (in which the portable computer has a conventional laptop appearance) and an easel mode in which the base of the computer and its display component stand vertically forming an inverted “V.” The portable computer includes a hinge assembly that couples the display component to the base of the computer, and allows the display component to be rotated about an axis along an interface between the display component and the base to configure the portable computer between a closed position, the laptop mode and the easel mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: LiTL LLC
    Inventors: Yves Behar, Joshua Morenstein, Christopher Hibmacronan, Naoya Edahiro, Matthew David Day