Patents Issued in April 18, 2023
  • Patent number: 11631404
    Abstract: Audio distortion compensation methods to improve accuracy and efficiency of audio content identification are described. The method is also applicable to speech recognition. Methods to detect the interference from speakers and sources, and distortion to audio from environment and devices, are discussed. Additional methods to detect distortion to the content after performing search and correlation are illustrated. The causes of actual distortion at each client are measured and registered and learnt to generate rules for determining likely distortion and interference sources. The learnt rules are applied at the client, and likely distortions that are detected are compensated or heavily distorted sections are ignored at audio level or signature and feature level based on compute resources available. Further methods to subtract the likely distortions in the query at both audio level and after processing at signature and feature level are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: ROKU, INC.
    Inventors: Jose Pio Pereira, Sunil Suresh Kulkarni, Mihailo M. Stojancic, Shashank Merchant, Peter Wendt
  • Patent number: 11631405
    Abstract: An exemplary supporting audio element for a furniture item may include a control circuit positioned within a body portion, a supporting leg, and a loudspeaker. The supporting audio element may be mounted to a furniture item, for supporting the furniture item, and configured for one or more of, without limitation, communicating with an external audio device, playing audio, controlling a function of the furniture item, voice recognition, and voice control. An exemplary supporting audio element may include a microphone connected to a phonetic recognition module, for receiving and recognizing voice commands and relaying the voice commands to the control circuit for controlling a function of the supporting audio leg and the furniture item. A furniture item may include an exemplary supporting audio element for incorporating the features thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: eMoMo Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wenji Tang, Daniel Jackson Beck, II, Mario Ernesto Fontana
  • Patent number: 11631406
    Abstract: In an embodiment of the disclosure, disclosed is an electronic device including a communication module, a microphone, a first and a second wake-up recognition module, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to receive a first user utterance through the microphone, recognize the first user utterance based on at least one of the first or the second wake-up recognition module, when the recognized first user utterance includes specified at least one first trigger information, record at least part of the first user utterance by activating the recording function, transmit recorded data to an external device, and receive at least one of second user utterance information, which is predicted to occur at a time after the function of the speech recognition service is activated by the first wake-up recognition module, or at least one response information associated with the second user utterance from the external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Inventors: Yongho Kim, Taeksoo Chun, Sunah Kim, Boram Lee, Kyoungsun Cho, Gahyun Joo
  • Patent number: 11631407
    Abstract: Smart speaker system mechanisms, associated with a smart speaker device comprising an audio capture device, are provided for processing audio sample data captured by the audio capture device. The mechanisms receive, from the audio capture device of the smart speaker device, an audio sample captured from a monitored environment. The mechanisms classify a sound in the audio sample data as a type of sound based on performing a joint analysis of a plurality of different characteristics of the sound and matching results of the joint analysis to criteria specified in a plurality of sound models. The mechanisms determine, based on the classification of the sound, whether a responsive action is to be performed based on the classification of the sound. In response to determining that a responsive action is to be performed, the mechanisms initiate performance of the responsive action by the smart speaker system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael S. Gordon, James Kozloski, Ashish Kundu, Clifford A. Pickover, Komminist Weldemariam
  • Patent number: 11631408
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for controlling data, a device for controlling data, an electronic equipment, and a storage medium. The method for controlling data includes receiving a first voice signal for a virtual object displayed on a first electronic device collected by the first electronic device; obtaining a first recognition result by parsing and recognizing the first voice signal; generating, based on the first recognition result, a control instruction for controlling the virtual object to perform an action corresponding to the control instruction; and sending the control instruction to the first electronic device and at least one second electronic device in the same virtual space. The disclosure is capable of controlling a process of the virtual object performing a live streaming interaction by using a voice interaction mode, thus reducing user operations and improving user experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: BEIJING DAJIA INTERNET INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhibo Wang
  • Patent number: 11631409
    Abstract: Provided are a device control method and apparatus. The method is applied to a server, and includes: receiving user voice instruction information, wherein the user voice instruction information is sent by a voice acquisition device after acquiring a user voice instruction, and the user voice instruction information indicates to-be-processed information and an information processing mode; determining, from a device set according to device information of devices in the device set, a target device capable of processing the to-be-processed information in the information processing mode, wherein the device set comprises the voice acquisition device, and all devices in the device set are bound to a same login account for logging into the server; and controlling the target device to process the to-be-processed information in the information processing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Guohui Qiao
  • Patent number: 11631410
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for receiving a signal from each microphone of a plurality of microphones, thus defining a plurality of signals. One or more inter-microphone gain-based augmentations may be performed on the plurality of signals, thus defining one or more inter-microphone gain-augmented signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Dushyant Sharma, Patrick A. Naylor, Rong Gong, Stanislav Kruchinin, Ljubomir Milanovic
  • Patent number: 11631411
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for receiving information associated with an acoustic environment. Acoustic metadata associated with audio encounter information received by a first microphone system may be received. One or more speaker representations may be defined based upon, at least in part, the acoustic metadata associated with the audio encounter information and the information associated with the acoustic environment. One or more portions of the audio encounter information may be labeled with the one or more speaker representations and a speaker location within the acoustic environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Dushyant Sharma, Patrick A. Naylor
  • Patent number: 11631412
    Abstract: Implementations can reduce the time required to obtain responses from an automated assistant through proactive caching, locally at a client device, of proactive assistant cache entries—and through on-device utilization of the proactive assistant cache entries. Different proactive cache entries can be provided to different client devices, and various implementations relate to technique(s) utilized in determining which proactive cache entries to provide to which client devices. In some of those implementations, in determining which proactive cache entries to provide (proactively or in response to a request) to a given client device, a remote system selects, from a superset of candidate proactive cache entries, a subset of the cache entries for providing to the given client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Cotting, Zaheed Sabur, Lan Huo, Bryan Christopher Horling, Behshad Behzadi, Lucas Mirelmann, Michael Golikov, Denis Burakov, Steve Cheng, Bohdan Vlasyuk, Sergey Nazarov, Mario Bertschler, Luv Kothari
  • Patent number: 11631413
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus is provided. The electronic apparatus includes a memory and a processor configured to control the electronic apparatus to: classify a plurality of input data into a plurality of types to store in the memory, determine at least one among the input data of the classified plurality of types based on a voice command being recognized among the input data, and provide response information corresponding to the voice command based on the input data of the determined type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Inchul Hwang, Hyeonmok Ko, Munjo Kim, Hojung Lee
  • Patent number: 11631414
    Abstract: A speech recognition method includes receiving speech data, obtaining candidate texts corresponding to the speech data and respective scores of the candidate texts using a speech recognition model, adjusting the score of a current candidate text, from among the obtained candidate texts, in response to a text length of the current candidate text satisfying a condition determined based on text lengths of the obtained candidate texts, and determining a target text corresponding to the speech data, from among the obtained candidate texts and the current candidate texts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jihyun Lee
  • Patent number: 11631415
    Abstract: Methods for a voice processing system comprising P microphone units (102A . . . 102D) and a central unit (104) are disclosed. Each microphone unit is linked to a person and derives from N microphone signals a source localisation signal. The source localisation signal is used to control an adaptive beam form process to obtain a beam formed audio signal. The microphone unit is further configured to derive metadata from for N microphone signals, such direction the sound is coming from. Packages with the metadata and beam formed audio signal are transmitted to the central unit. The central unit processes the metadata to determine which parts of the P beam formed audio signal comprises speech from a person that is linked to another microphone unit. By removing said parts from the audio signals before transcription, the quality of the transcription is improved. The transcriptions are displayed on a remote device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Inventors: Marcellus Wilhelmus Van Der Ven, Jari Tamas Hazelebach
  • Patent number: 11631416
    Abstract: Data-analysis-based processing is provided to validate audio content delivery via embedded inaudible sound signals. The processing obtains, by a validation system, an indication of detection of an inaudible sound signal embedded in an audio output of provided content initiated by a user on a user-device. The inaudible sound signal is inaudible to the user, and the audio output is from the user-device. Based on obtaining the indication of detection of the inaudible sound signal embedded in the audio output, the validation system validates that the audio output of the provided content is ON with respect to the user-device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Kyndryl, Inc.
    Inventors: Rhonda L. Childress, Michael Bender, Jeremy R. Fox, Yinghui Zeng
  • Patent number: 11631417
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, devices and computer program products for encoding and decoding a stereo audio signal based on an input signal. According to the disclosure, a hybrid approach of using both parametric stereo coding and a discrete representation of the stereo audio signal is used which may improve the quality of the encoded and decoded audio for certain bitrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Heiko Purnhagen, Kristofer Kjoerling
  • Patent number: 11631418
    Abstract: An audio encoder for providing an output signal using an input audio signal includes a patch generator, a comparator and an output interface. The patch generator generates at least one bandwidth extension high-frequency signal, wherein a bandwidth extension high-frequency signal includes a high-frequency band. The high-frequency band of the bandwidth extension high-frequency signal is based on a low frequency band of the input audio signal. A comparator calculates a plurality of comparison parameters. A comparison parameter is calculated based on a comparison of the input audio signal and a generated bandwidth extension high-frequency signal. Each comparison parameter of the plurality of comparison parameters is calculated based on a different offset frequency between the input audio signal and a generated bandwidth extension high-frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Frederik Nagel, Sascha Disch, Guillaume Fuchs, Juergen Herre, Christian Griebel
  • Patent number: 11631419
    Abstract: A recording device records a video and an imaging time, and a voice. Based on the voice, a sound parameter calculator calculates a sound parameter for specifying magnitude of the voice in a monitoring area at the imaging time for each of pixels and for each of certain times. A sound parameter storage unit stores the sound parameter. A sound parameter display controller superimposes a voice heat map on a captured image of the monitoring area and displays the superimposed image on a monitor. At this time, the sound parameter display controller displays the voice heat map based on a cumulative time value of magnitude of the voice, according to designation of a time range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryota Fujii, Hiroyuki Matsumoto, Hiroaki Hayashi, Kazunori Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11631420
    Abstract: It is disclosed a voice pickup method and apparatus for an intelligent rearview mirror, an electronic device and a computer readable storage medium which relates to the technical field of vehicle-mounted equipment, and may be used in the field of automatic driving technologies. A voice pickup implementation of the intelligent rearview mirror according to some embodiments includes: acquiring an image of the interior of the vehicle; determining the position of a person in the vehicle with the image of the interior of the vehicle; and adjusting a beamforming direction of a microphone array according to the position of the person in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: APOLLO INTELLIGENT CONNECTIVITY (BEIJING) TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gang Xu, Zhengbin Song, Danqing Yang
  • Patent number: 11631421
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described to increase a signal-to-noise ratio difference between a main channel and reference channel. The increased signal-to-noise ratio difference is accomplished with an adaptive threshold for a desired voice activity detector (DVAD) and shaping filters. The DVAD includes averaging an output signal of a reference microphone channel to provide an estimated average background noise level. A threshold value is selected from a plurality of threshold values based on the estimated average background noise level. The threshold value is used to detect desired voice activity on a main microphone channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: SOLOS TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Dashen Fan, Xi Chen, Hua Bao
  • Patent number: 11631422
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed, configured to receive, from first and second spatial audio capture apparatuses, respective first and second composite audio signals comprising components derived from one or more sound sources in a capture space. The apparatus is further configured to identify a position of a user device corresponding to one of first and second areas respectively associated with the positions of the first and second spatial audio capture apparatuses, and to render audio representing the one or more sound sources to the user device, the rendering being performed differently dependent on, for the spatial audio capture apparatus associated with the identified first or second area, whether or not individual audio signals from each of the one or more sound sources can be successfully separated from its composite signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventors: Sujeet Shyamsundar Mate, Arto Lehtiniemi, Antti Eronen, Jussi Leppänen
  • Patent number: 11631423
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording device includes a magnetic head and a controller. The magnetic head includes a first magnetic pole, a magnetic element including a first magnetic layer, and a coil. The controller is electrically connected to the magnetic element and the coil. The controller is configured to supply a recording current to the coil and supply an element current to the magnetic element. The recording current includes a first period of a first polarity, a second period of a second polarity, a third period that shifts from the first to second period, and a fourth period that shifts from the second to first period. The element current includes DC and AC components. The AC component in the first period is the same as the AC component in the second period, the AC component in the third period, and the AC component in the fourth period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuji Nakagawa, Naoyuki Narita, Masayuki Takagishi, Tazumi Nagasawa, Tomoyuki Maeda
  • Patent number: 11631424
    Abstract: The technology disclosed herein provides a method including determining an acceptable parameter rate for a dual reader storage device having dual readers, identifying one of the dual readers as the preferable reader, comparing an actual parameter rate of the storage device to the acceptable parameter rate of the storage device, and in response to determining that the actual parameter rate is below the acceptable parameter rate, operating the storage device using only the preferable reader. In one implementation, the parameter rate is bit-error rate (BER) of the dual readers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Xiong Liu, Quan Li
  • Patent number: 11631425
    Abstract: A magnetic recording head includes a write pole including an end proximal to a media-facing surface of the magnetic recording head, a return pole disposed a distance from the write pole in a down-track dimension of the magnetic recording head, and a writer coil configured to produce a magnetic flux in the write pole. The writer coil includes a first segment and a second segment. The first segment is disposed proximal to the end of the write pole and between the write pole and the return pole. The second segment is electrically coupled to the first segment. A thickness of the second segment in the down-track dimension is greater than a thickness of the first segment in the down-track dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventor: James Wessel
  • Patent number: 11631426
    Abstract: A hard disk drive suspension assembly includes a pad base layer, a pad-end fixing layer, and a plurality of electrical pads each comprising a conductive layer on the pad base layer, where the base layer extends to the fixing layer, to which a distal end of the base layer is fixed. This configuration inhibits the delamination or deformation of the end edge of each pad. An additional cover layer may be implemented to cover the distal end of the conductive layer(s), further inhibiting deformation of the pads. These techniques are especially relevant with narrow, high-density, small pitch electrical pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kohichiroh Naka, Hiroyasu Tsuchida, Kenichi Murata, Yuhsuke Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11631427
    Abstract: The magnetic recording medium includes a non-magnetic support; and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder and a binding agent on the non-magnetic support, in which an isoelectric point of a surface zeta potential of the magnetic layer is equal to or greater than 5.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Norihito Kasada
  • Patent number: 11631428
    Abstract: The magnetic tape cartridge includes a magnetic tape that is accommodated in the magnetic tape cartridge while being wound around a reel hub. A water absorption amount of the magnetic tape measured after the magnetic tape cartridge is stored in a storage environment of a temperature of 32° C. and a relative humidity of 80% for 10 days is 0.30 g or less as a value in terms of a length of the magnetic tape of 1000 m, and the water absorption amount is a value measured in a measurement environment with a temperature of 21° C. and a relative humidity of 50% within 1 hour after the storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Kaneko, Norihito Kasada
  • Patent number: 11631429
    Abstract: The magnetic tape cartridge includes a magnetic tape that is accommodated in the magnetic tape cartridge while being wound around a reel hub. A water absorption amount of the magnetic tape measured after the magnetic tape cartridge is stored in a storage environment of a temperature of 32° C. and a relative humidity of 80% for 10 days is more than 0.30 g as a value in terms of a length of the magnetic tape of 1000 m, and the water absorption amount is a value measured in a measurement environment with a temperature of 21° C. and a relative humidity of 50% within 1 hour after the storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Kaneko, Norihito Kasada
  • Patent number: 11631430
    Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is provided and includes a magnetic layer, a non-magnetic layer, a base layer and a back layer, wherein an average thickness tT of the magnetic recording medium is tT?5.3 a dimensional change amount ?w in a width direction with respect to a change in tension in a longitudinal direction is 700 ppm/N??w, a thickness of the non-magnetic layer is 2.0 ?m or less, a squareness ratio measured in a vertical direction of the magnetic recording medium is 65% or more, and the magnetic layer includes a magnetic powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Yamaga, Noboru Sekiguchi, Tooru Sato, Takashi Aizawa
  • Patent number: 11631431
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for transferring data in a data storage system, such as but not limited to a hard disc drive (HDD). An optical link is provided between an analog front end (AFE) of a data storage device controller circuit (SOC) and a preamplifier/driver circuit (preamp) mounted to a rotary actuator to transfer an analog domain signal. A selected component is extracted from the signal using a modulation element such as a micro-resonance ring (MRR) or a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer Modulation (MZM) device. The extracted component is forwarded to a processing circuit to facilitate a transfer of data between a local memory and a non-volatile memory (NVM). The optical link includes a flexible portion in a flex circuit affixed to the rotary actuator and which supports the preamp. Multiplexed read, write, and power control signals are concurrently transmitted via the optical link. The link can concurrently service multiple head-disc assemblies (HDAs).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Kevin A. Gomez, Aditya Jain, Anil J. Reddy, Todd Michael Lammers
  • Patent number: 11631432
    Abstract: An apparatus for visualizing physical movements includes: a device for acquiring video image files; a data analysis system including processor and memory; a computer program operating in the processor to identify an area in the images where periodic motions associated with physical movement of an object may be detected and quantified, and compute a new image sequence in which the motions are visually amplified; and, a user interface that displays the motion-amplified video image of the mechanical component. An associated method for using the apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: RDI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Hay, Mark William Slemp
  • Patent number: 11631433
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for segmenting and recombining video segments of an input video based on prerequisites is disclosed. The computer-implemented method includes classifying video segments of an input video with respective activities associated with the video segments. The computer-implemented method further includes determining one or more prerequisites for performing classified activities associated with video segments of the input video. The computer-implemented method further includes determining respective users which satisfy the one or more determined prerequisites for performing the classified activities associated with the video segments of the input video. The computer-implemented method further includes generating a new video for a user based, at least in part, on merging those video segments in which the user satisfies the one or more determined prerequisites for performing a classified activity associated with a video segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Venkata Vara Prasad Karri, Partho Ghosh, Gayaz Shaik, Sarbajit K. Rakshit
  • Patent number: 11631434
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to techniques for interacting with a hierarchical video segmentation. In some embodiments, the finest level of the hierarchical segmentation identifies the smallest interaction unit of a video—semantically defined video segments of unequal duration called clip atoms. Each level of the hierarchical segmentation clusters the clip atoms with a corresponding degree of granularity into a corresponding set of video segments. A presented video timeline is segmented based on one of the levels, and one or more segments are selected through interactions with the video timeline (e.g., clicks, drags), by performing a metadata search, or through selection of corresponding metadata segments from a metadata panel. Navigating to a different level of the hierarchy transforms the selection into corresponding coarser or finer video segments defined by the level. Any operation can be performed on selected video segments, including playing back, trimming, or editing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Adobe Inc.
    Inventors: Seth Walker, Joy Oakyung Kim, Aseem Agarwala, Joel R. Brandt, Jovan Popović, Lubomira Dontcheva, Dingzeyu Li, Hijung Shin, Xue Bai
  • Patent number: 11631435
    Abstract: Media items captured by a media capture device may include and/or be associated with values of a clock-change identifier. The values of the clock-change identifier may be set based on when and how many times the time of the media capture device was changed. Based on a capture-time of a media item being incorrect, other media items with the same value of the clock-change identifier may be determined to be incorrect. Capture-times of the other media items may be corrected based on capture-time correction of the media item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventor: Otto Sievert
  • Patent number: 11631436
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes embodiments of an electronic device having a housing that defines an interior gas space, and desiccant disposed therein. The desiccant includes one or more zeolite compositions to manage the relative humidity of the interior gas space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Silvia Luebben, Dipeshkumar J. Purani, Brenda K. Drake, Jeffrey James Croxall, Paul A. Beatty
  • Patent number: 11631437
    Abstract: A memory module is provided including a plurality of semiconductor memory devices mounted on a circuit board. A control device is mounted on the circuit board and configured to receive a command signal, an address signal, and a clock signal and to provide the command signal, the address signal, and the clock signal to the plurality of semiconductor memory devices. A first group of the semiconductor memory devices is disposed between the control device and a first edge portion of the circuit board, and a second group of the semiconductor memory devices is disposed between the control device and a second edge portion of the circuit board. The control device is configured to transmit the address signal to the first group of the semiconductor memory devices and the second group of the semiconductor memory devices through a first transmission line and a second transmission line, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO, LTD.
    Inventors: Gyuchae Lee, Kyudong Lee
  • Patent number: 11631438
    Abstract: A voltage generation circuit includes a plurality of rectification circuits configured to be selectively activated depending on a plurality of first control signals, and to generate an internal voltage according to respective reference voltages capable of being independently trimmed depending on a plurality of second control signals; a detection circuit configured to generate a detection signal by comparing a pre-detection signal, generated in each of the plurality of rectification circuits, and a reference signal; and a storage circuit configured to store a pre-select signal provided from an external system, and to output a stored signal to each of the plurality of rectification circuits as the plurality of second control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Myung Hwan Lee
  • Patent number: 11631439
    Abstract: Various implementations described herein are directed to a device having memory control circuitry having global passgates and a read-write driver that provides a global read-write signal to the global passgates. The device may have sense amplifier circuitry with local-drivers and a sense amplifier driver that provides a sense amplifier enable signal to the local-drivers, wherein the local-drivers may include multiple buffers coupled to the sense amplifier driver in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Arm Limited
    Inventors: Sriram Thyagarajan, Yew Keong Chong, Munish Kumar, Andy Wangkun Chen, Rajiv Kumar Sisodia
  • Patent number: 11631440
    Abstract: A sensing amplifier, coupled to at least one memory cell, includes an output terminal and a reference terminal, a multiplexer circuit, and a plurality of reference cells having equal value. An output terminal of the multiplexer circuit is coupled to the reference terminal of the sensing amplifier. Each of the reference cell is coupled to each input node of the multiplexer circuit. The multiplexer circuit is controlled by a control signal to select one of the reference cells as a selected reference cell to couple to the reference terminal of the sensing amplifier when each read operation to the at least one memory cell is performed. The plurality of reference cells are selected sequentially and repeatedly, and the one of the reference cells is selected for one read operation to the at least one memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Noguchi, Ku-Feng Lin, Yih Wang
  • Patent number: 11631441
    Abstract: A memory device supporting multi-address read operations improves throughput on a bi-directional serial port. The device includes a memory array and an input/output port having an input mode and an output mode. The input/output port has at least one signal line used alternately in both the input and output modes. A controller includes logic configured to execute a multi-address read operation in response to receiving a read command on the input/output port, the multi-address read operation including receiving a first address and a second address using the at least one signal line before outputting data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kuen-Long Chang, Su-Chueh Lo, Yung-Feng Lin
  • Patent number: 11631442
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing memory access commands to memory circuitry using a multi-clock cycle memory command protocol is described. A command decoder (or controller) of the memory circuitry may efficiently receive a memory access request (or a memory command) provided using multiple clock cycles. For example, the command decoder may receive a header and a first portion of address bits of target memory cells of the memory command in a first clock cycle and a second portion of the address bits of the target memory cells in a subsequent clock cycle. Accordingly, the memory circuitry may receive a memory command provided over multiple clock cycles with one header. Such memory commands may efficiently include a high number of address bits received using input circuitry of the memory circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Kwang-Ho Cho
  • Patent number: 11631443
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a memory device which has improved reliability is provided. The semiconductor device comprises at least one data pin configured to transfer a data signal, at least one command address pin configured to transfer a command and an address, at least one serial pin configured to transfer a serial data signal, and processing circuitry connected to the at least one data pin and the at least one serial pin. The processing circuitry is configured to receive the data signal from outside through the at least one data pin, and the processing circuitry is configured to output the serial data signal through the at least one serial pin in response to the received data signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Jun Yu, Nam Hyung Kim, Do-Han Kim, Min Su Kim, Deok Ho Seo, Won Jae Shin, Chang Min Lee, Il Gyu Jung, In Su Choi
  • Patent number: 11631444
    Abstract: A high bandwidth memory system includes a motherboard; and a semiconductor package coupled to the motherboard. The semiconductor package includes a package substrate mounted on the motherboard and including signal lines providing a plurality of channels; a first semiconductor device mounted on the package substrate and including a first physical layer (PHY) circuit; and a second semiconductor device mounted on the package substrate and including a second PHY circuit. The first semiconductor device and the second semiconductor device exchange a data signal with each other through the plurality of channels, the data signal is a multilevel signal having M levels, where M is a natural number greater than 2, and the first PHY circuit compensates for distortion of the channels and performs digital signal processing to compensate for a mismatch between the channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Byungsuk Woo, Changkyu Seol, Cheolmin Park, Sucheol Lee, Chanik Park
  • Patent number: 11631445
    Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus includes a memory controller and data storage configured to input and output data in synchronization with a clock signal provided from the memory controller. The data storage includes a memory cell array and a data output apparatus configure to output read data from the memory cell array by sensing a logic level of the read data during a low-level period of a first clock, which is an inverted signal of a divided clock of the clock signal, and a low-level period of a second clock, the second clock having a set to phase delay amount from the divided clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Eun Ji Choi
  • Patent number: 11631446
    Abstract: A memory device includes a plurality of word lines elongated along a first direction, and at least one memory unit. The at least one memory unit includes a plurality of memory cells, at least one bit line, and at least one column word line. The plurality of memory cells are arranged along a second direction different from the first direction. The at least one bit line is elongated along the second direction, and configured to transmit data of a selected memory cell. The at least one column word line is elongated along the second direction, and configured to control electrical connections between the memory cells and the at least one bit line, wherein the selected memory cell is selected by a corresponding word line and the at least one column word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Inventor: Chih-Cheng Hsiao
  • Patent number: 11631447
    Abstract: A memory circuit includes a memory cell and a source line transistor. The memory cell includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, and a fourth transistor. The second transistor and the third transistor form an inverter electrically connected to a drain of the first transistor. The inverter is configured to store two states with different applied voltages. The fourth transistor is electrically connected to a node of the inverter. The source line transistor is electrically connected to the fourth transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignees: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., NATIONAL YANG MING CHIAO TUNG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Wei-Xiang You, Pin Su, Kai-Shin Li, Chenming Hu
  • Patent number: 11631448
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory cell array, an address manager and a refresh controller. The memory cell array includes a plurality of memory cells coupled to a plurality of word-lines. The address manager samples access addresses provided from a memory controller to generate sampling addresses and determines a capture address from among the access addresses, based on a time interval between refresh commands from the memory controller. The refresh controller refreshes target memory cells from among the plurality of memory cells based on one of a maximum access address from among the sampling address and the captured address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eunae Lee, Sunghye Cho, Kijun Lee, Junjin Kong, Yeonggeol Song
  • Patent number: 11631449
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device having a flexible refresh skip area includes a memory cell array including a plurality of rows to store data, a row decoder connected to the memory cell array, a refresh area storage unit to store a beginning address and an end address of a memory area that is to be refreshed in which the memory area that is to be refreshed does not include a refresh skip area having a size is selectively and/or adaptively changed, and a refresh control circuit connected to the row decoder and the refresh area storage unit. The refresh control circuit controls a refresh operation for the area that is to be refreshed and not for the refresh skip area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Inventors: Uksong Kang, Hoiju Chung
  • Patent number: 11631450
    Abstract: In a conventional memory subsystem, a memory controller issues explicit refresh commands to a DRAM memory device to maintain integrity of the data stored in the memory device when the memory device is in an auto-refresh mode. A significant amount of power may be consumed to carry out the refresh. To address this and other issues, it is proposed to allow a partial refresh in the auto-refresh mode in which the refreshing operation may be skipped for a subset of the memory cells. Through such selective refresh skipping, the power consumed for auto-refreshes may be reduced. Operating system kernels and memory drivers may be configured to determine areas of memory for which the refreshing operation can be skipped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jungwon Suh, Yanru Li, Michael Hawjing Lo, Dexter Tamio Chun
  • Patent number: 11631451
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory training method includes: selecting two adjacent reference voltages from a plurality of reference voltages as a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage; obtaining a first minimum margin value for the plurality of target signal lines under the first reference voltage; obtaining a second minimum margin value for the plurality of target signal lines under the second reference voltage, according to a minimum margin value for each target signal line under the second reference voltage; determining a target interval for an expected margin value according to the first minimum margin value and the second minimum margin value, the expected margin value being the maximum one among the minimum margin values for the plurality of target signal lines under the plurality of reference voltages; and searching for the expected margin value in the target interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Guangteng Long, Xiaofeng Xu, Junwei Lian
  • Patent number: 11631452
    Abstract: A memory apparatus and an initialization method thereof are provided. The initialization method includes the following steps. A power-up operation is performed on the memory apparatus to provide an internal voltage to a memory array. After the internal voltage is stabilize, a refresh operation is performed on all storage cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Kuen-Huei Chang
  • Patent number: 11631453
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses. One of the apparatuses includes multiple levels of two-transistor (2T) memory cells vertically arranged above a substrate. Each 2T memory cell includes a charge storage transistor having a gate, a write transistor having a gate, a vertically extending access line, and a single bit line pair. The source or drain region of the write transistor is directly coupled to a charge storage structure of the charge storage transistor. The vertically extending access line is coupled to gates of both the charge storage transistor and the write transistor of 2T memory cells in multiple respective levels of the multiple vertically arranged levels. The vertically extending access line and the single bit line pair are used for both write operations and read operations of each of the 2T memory cells to which they are coupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kamal M. Karda, Haitao Liu, Karthik Sarpatwari, Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy