Patent application number | Description | Published |
20150039541 | Feature Extraction and Machine Learning for Evaluation of Audio-Type, Media-Rich Coursework - Conventional techniques for automatically evaluating and grading assignments are generally ill-suited to evaluation of coursework submitted in media-rich form. For courses whose subject includes programming, signal processing or other functionally expressed designs that operate on, or are used to produce media content, conventional techniques are also ill-suited. It has been discovered that media-rich, indeed even expressive, content can be accommodated as, or as derivatives of, coursework submissions using feature extraction and machine learning techniques. Accordingly, in on-line course offerings, even large numbers of students and student submissions may be accommodated in a scalable and uniform grading or scoring scheme. Instructors or curriculum designers may adaptively refine assignments or testing based on classifier feedback. Using developed techniques, it is possible to administer courses and automatically grade submitted work that takes the form of media encodings of artistic expression, computer programming and even signal processing to be applied to media content. | 02-05-2015 |
20150066820 | Feature Extraction and Machine Learning for Evaluation of Image-Or Video-Type, Media-Rich Coursework - Conventional techniques for automatically evaluating and grading assignments are generally ill-suited to evaluation of coursework submitted in media-rich form. For courses whose subject includes programming, signal processing or other functionally expressed designs that operate on, or are used to produce media content, conventional techniques are also ill-suited. It has been discovered that media-rich, indeed even expressive, content can be accommodated as, or as derivatives of, coursework submissions using feature extraction and machine learning techniques. Accordingly, in on-line course offerings, even large numbers of students and student submissions may be accommodated in a scalable and uniform grading or scoring scheme. Instructors or curriculum designers may adaptively refine assignments or testing based on classifier feedback. Using developed techniques, it is possible to administer courses and automatically grade submitted work that takes the form of media encodings of artistic expression, computer programming and even signal processing to be applied to media content. | 03-05-2015 |
20150147728 | Self Organizing Maps (SOMS) for Organizing, Categorizing, Browsing and/or Grading Large Collections of Assignments for Massive Online Education Systems - For courses that deal with media content, such as sound, music, photographic images, hand sketches, video, conventional techniques for automatically evaluating and grading assignments are generally ill-suited to direct evaluation of coursework submitted in media-rich form. Likewise, for courses whose subject includes programming, signal processing or other functionally-expressed designs that operate on, or are used to produce media content, conventional techniques are also ill-suited. Instead, it has been discovered that media-rich, indeed even expressive, content can be accommodated as, or as derivatives of, submissions using feature extraction and machine learning techniques. In this way, e.g., in on-line course offerings, even large numbers of students and student submissions may be accommodated in a scalable and uniform grading or scoring scheme. Likewise, large collections of coursework submissions (whether or not graded or scored) or media content more generally, may be efficiently browsed and grouped using techniques described herein. | 05-28-2015 |
20150262496 | MULTIMEDIA EDUCATIONAL CONTENT DELIVERY WITH IDENTITY AUTHENTICATION AND RELATED COMPENSATION MODEL - High-quality multimedia content of on-line course offerings can be made available to users on both a free-of-direct-charge basis and on a fee-bearing subscription, member or for-credit basis, while providing a revenue split with originators and/or sponsors of educational content. In general, such compensation models rely on computational techniques that reliably authenticate the identity of individual student users during the course of the very submissions and/or participation that will establish student user proficiency with course content. | 09-17-2015 |
20150379253 | User Identity Authentication Techniques for On-Line Content or Access - On-line course offerings can be made available to users using computational techniques that reliably authenticate the identity of individual student users during the course of the very submissions and/or participation that will establish student user proficiency with course content. Authentication methods and systems include applications of behavioral biometrics. | 12-31-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140215556 | Authentication within OpenFlow Network - An OpenFlow network controller controls an OpenFlow network. A networking connection is established between the OpenFlow network controller and an OpenFlow network device attempting to become part of the OpenFlow network. After establishing the networking connection with the OpenFlow network device, the OpenFlow network controller attempts to authenticate the OpenFlow network device. Where authentication of the OpenFlow network device is successful, the OpenFlow network controller sends a message to the OpenFlow network device to indicate that the authentication was successful and permits the OpenFlow network device to join and perform OpenFlow messaging. | 07-31-2014 |
20150023347 | MANAGEMENT OF A MULTICAST SYSTEM IN A SOFTWARE-DEFINED NETWORK - A system and method are provided for of a Multicast system by a controller in a software defined network. The method may include, receiving a request for a multicast stream from a first switch of the software defined network. The request may have originated from a requestor using an Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP). The method may further include, adding the request to a table, wherein the table is designated to have requests from IGMP using requestors for multicast streams. The method may further include, determining whether the request for the multicast stream matches with a multicast data transmission from a sender received by the controller. The method may further include, initiating a connection of the multicast between the requestor and the sender if the request matches the multicast data transmission. | 01-22-2015 |
20150110105 | IMPLEMENTATION OF PROTOCOL IN VIRTUAL LINK AGGREGATE GROUP - Switches in a virtual networking environment may be synchronized by providing virtual networking policies to multiple switches connected to a virtual machine. The multiple switches may form a virtual link aggregate group. Virtual networking policies corresponding to the virtual machine may be provided via packets sent to the multiple switches in the link aggregate group. In some embodiments, the packet may be sent under the IEEE 802.1Qbg protocol. | 04-23-2015 |
20150113612 | AUTHENTICATION WITHIN OPENFLOW NETWORK - An OpenFlow network controller controls an OpenFlow network. A networking connection is established between the OpenFlow network controller and an OpenFlow network device attempting to become part of the OpenFlow network. After establishing the networking connection with the OpenFlow network device, the OpenFlow network controller attempts to authenticate the OpenFlow network device. Where authentication of the OpenFlow network device is successful, the OpenFlow network controller sends a message to the OpenFlow network device to indicate that the authentication was successful and permits the OpenFlow network device to join and perform OpenFlow messaging. | 04-23-2015 |
20150117451 | COMMUNICATION BETWEEN HETROGENOUS NETWORKS - A system to communicate between a first network and a second network includes a first network, a second network, and a connecting device connected there between. The first network has a first network protocol and includes a plurality of network nodes. The second network has a second protocol different from the first protocol and includes a plurality of network switches and a controller. The connecting device transmits data from an originating network node to a destination network switch and transmits data from an originating network switch to a destination network node according to a packet routing table populated from the plurality of network nodes and a packet flow table populated from the plurality of network switches. The controller may determine the destination network switch by constructing and transmitting an ARP broadcast message to the plurality of network switches and receiving an ARP response from the destination network switch. | 04-30-2015 |
20160087845 | SUPPORT FOR CONVERGED FIBER CHANNEL OVER ETHERNET (FCOE) TRAFFIC ON SOFTWARE DEFINED NETWORKS (SDNS) - In one embodiment, a system includes a software defined network (SDN) controller connected to SDN-capable switch(es), the SDN controller being configured to communicate with and program the SDN-capable switches, wherein each of the SDN-capable switches is configured to communicate with the SDN controller, one or more fiber channel forwarders (FCFs) connected to the SDN-capable switches, storage area network (SAN) fabric(s), and local area network (LAN) fabric(s), and at least one end node connected directly or indirectly to the SDN-capable switches and/or the one or more FCFs, wherein the SDN controller is configured to collect information from the one or more FCFs that corresponds with each of the one or more FCFs via fiber channel initialization protocol (FIP) advertisement frames, and create and manage a FCF database, the FCF database including the information that corresponds with each of the one or more FCFs. | 03-24-2016 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140244561 | PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS TO MEMBERS OF A SOCIAL NETWORK - Systems and methods for providing career recommendations to a member of a social network are described. In some example embodiments, the systems and methods receive input associated with a professional or aspirational goal from a member of a social network, determine a recommendation based on information stored by the social network, and provide the recommendation to the member of the social network, among other things. | 08-28-2014 |
20140245184 | PRESENTING ACTIONABLE RECOMMENDATIONS TO MEMBERS OF A SOCIAL NETWORK - Systems and methods for providing career recommendations to a member of a social network are described. In some example embodiments, the systems and methods receive input associated with a professional or aspirational goal from a member of a social network, determine a recommendation based on information stored by the social network, and provide the recommendation to the member of the social network, among other things. | 08-28-2014 |
20140297746 | RECOMMENDING RESOURCES TO MEMBERS OF A SOCIAL NETWORK - Systems and methods for presenting recommendations for resources to be used by members in learning about and/or acquiring a skill are described. In some example embodiments, the systems and methods receive information associated with a skill from a member of a social network, identify members of the social network that are associated with the skill, receive information from the identified members of the social network that identifies one or more resources associated with the skill, and generate a list of recommended resources that is based on the information received from the identified members of the social network. | 10-02-2014 |
20150213063 | DATA STANDARDIZATION - Disclosed in some examples are methods, systems, and machine readable mediums which automatically convert an unstandardized attribute value of a member profile of a social networking service to one of a plurality of standardized values for that attribute. In some examples, the method utilizes various matching and similarity metrics in combination with social aspects available to a social networking service to determine the best standardized value that matches the unstandardized value entered by the user. | 07-30-2015 |
20150379538 | TECHNIQUES FOR OVERINDEXING INSIGHTS FOR SCHOOLS - A method can include receiving a request for content including an attribute for a school. The method can analyze a social graph to identify a first set of nodes representing members, which can connect to a first node representing a first school, the social graph can be represented by a graph data structure having nodes representing various entities and edges representing associations between entities. The method can analyze a social graph to identify a second set of nodes representing members, the second set of nodes representing members connecting to a second node representing a school. The method can generate a central tendency of a number of the first set of nodes representing members and a number of the second set of nodes representing members and using the central tendency and a number of the first set of nodes representing members, can determine an index number for the first school. | 12-31-2015 |
20160034852 | NEXT JOB SKILLS AS REPRESENTED IN PROFILE DATA - A machine may be configured to identify skills for a projected next job position. For example, the machine performs an analysis of profile data associated with a plurality of members of a social network service. Based on the analysis of the profile data and a present job position of a particular member of the social network service, the machine identifies a projected next position in a career path model. The machine identifies a cohort of other members of the social network service. The identifying of the cohort may be based on each cohort member holding the projected next position in a respective career. Each cohort member may be associated with one or more skills. The machine identifies one or more over-indexed skills for the cohort based on the one or more skills of the cohort members. The machine generates a recommendation that includes the one or more over-indexed skills. | 02-04-2016 |
20160086195 | DETERMINE A COMPANY RANK UTILIZING ON-LINE SOCIAL NETWORK DATA - Method and system to determine a company rank utilizing on-line social network data is described. A company ranking system may examine member profiles representing respective members of an on-line social network system and extract transition data. From the transition data, the company ranking system may construct a company transition graph having nodes that represent respective companies and edges that represent transitions of employees from one company to another. A rank or a node score for each node of the company transition graph may be determined by applying a ranking algorithm to the graph. The scores generated for respective nodes in the company transition graph may be stored for future use in a database. | 03-24-2016 |
20160086289 | DETERMINE A SCHOOL RANK UTILIZING ON-LINE SOCIAL NETWORK DATA - Method and system to determine a school rank utilizing on-line social network data is described. A school ranking system may be configured to determine a ranking of a school based on career outcomes data which may be Obtained from member profile data stored by an on-line social network system. The school ranking system may examine the member profiles and determine how many of the target school alumni can be considered successful alumni and then calculate a success score for a school as a number of successful alumni divided by the total number of the school's alumni. | 03-24-2016 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110256654 | DOUBLE-SIDED REUSABLE TEMPLATE FOR FABRICATION OF SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATES FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL AND MICROELECTRONICS DEVICE MANUFACTURING - This disclosure presents manufacturing methods and apparatus designs for making TFSSs from both sides of a re-usable semiconductor template, thus effectively increasing the substrate manufacturing throughput and reducing the substrate manufacturing cost. This approach also reduces the amortized starting template cost per manufactured substrate (TFSS) by about a factor of 2 for a given number of template reuse cycles. | 10-20-2011 |
20120305063 | HIGH-EFFICIENCY PHOTOVOLTAIC BACK-CONTACT SOLAR CELL STRUCTURES AND MANUFACTURING METHODS USING THIN PLANAR SEMICONDUCTOR ABSORBERS - Back contact back junction solar cell and methods for manufacturing are provided. The back contact back junction solar cell comprises a substrate having a light capturing frontside surface with a passivation layer, a doped base region, and a doped backside emitter region with a polarity opposite the doped base region. A backside passivation layer and patterned reflective layer on the emitter form a light trapping backside mirror. An interdigitated metallization pattern is positioned on the backside of the solar cell and a permanent reinforcement provides support to the cell. | 12-06-2012 |
20130167915 | HIGH-EFFICIENCY PHOTOVOLTAIC BACK-CONTACT SOLAR CELL STRUCTURES AND MANUFACTURING METHODS USING THREE-DIMENSIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR ABSORBERS - Back contact back junction three dimensional solar cell and methods for manufacturing are provided. The back contact back contact back junction three dimensional solar cell comprises a three-dimensional substrate. The substrate comprises a light capturing frontside surface with a passivation layer, a doped base region, and a doped backside emitter region with a polarity opposite the doped base region. A backside passivation layer is positioned on the doped backside emitter region. Backside emitter contacts and backside base contacts connected to metal interconnects and selectively formed on three-dimensional features of the backside of three-dimensional solar cell. | 07-04-2013 |
20130213469 | HIGH EFFICIENCY SOLAR CELL STRUCTURES AND MANUFACTURING METHODS - Fabrication methods and structures relating to multi-level metallization for solar cells as well as fabrication methods and structures for forming back contact solar cells are provided. | 08-22-2013 |
20130228221 | MANUFACTURING METHODS AND STRUCTURES FOR LARGE-AREA THIN-FILM SOLAR CELLS AND OTHER SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - Fabrication methods and structures relating to multi-level metallization for solar cells as well as fabrication methods and structures for forming back contact solar cells are provided. | 09-05-2013 |
20130233378 | HIGH-EFFICIENCY PHOTOVOLTAIC BACK-CONTACT SOLAR CELL STRUCTURES AND MANUFACTURING METHODS USING SEMICONDUCTOR WAFERS - A back contact back junction solar cell using semiconductor wafers and methods for manufacturing are provided. The back contact back junction solar cell comprises a semiconductor wafer having a doped base region, a light capturing frontside surface, and a doped backside emitter region. A frontside and backside dielectric layer and passivation layer provide enhance light trapping and internal reflection. Backside base and emitter contacts are connected to metal interconnects forming a metallization pattern of interdigitated fingers and busbars on the backside of the solar cell. | 09-12-2013 |
20130241038 | STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR CREATING A REUSABLE TEMPLATE FOR DETACHABLE THIN FILM SUBSTRATES - A structure and method operable to create a reusable template for detachable thin semiconductor substrates is provided. The template has a shape such that the 3-D shape is substantially retained after each substrate release. Prior art reusable templates may have a tendency to change shape after each subsequent reuse; the present disclosure aims to address this and other deficiencies from the prior art, therefore increasing the reuse life of the template. | 09-19-2013 |
20130288425 | END POINT DETECTION FOR BACK CONTACT SOLAR CELL LASER VIA DRILLING - Methods and structures for fabricating photovoltaic back contact solar cells having multi-level metallization using laser via drilling end point detection are provided. | 10-31-2013 |
20140147944 | RESISTANCE COMPONENT EXTRACTION FOR BACK CONTACT BACK JUNCTION SOLAR CELLS - Methods and structures for extracting at least one electric parametric value from a back contact solar cell having dual level metallization are provided. | 05-29-2014 |
20140158193 | STRUCTURES AND METHODS OF FORMATION OF CONTIGUOUS AND NON-CONTIGUOUS BASE REGIONS FOR HIGH EFFICIENCY BACK-CONTACT SOLAR CELLS - Fabrication methods and structures relating to back contact solar cells having patterned emitter and non-nested base regions are provided. | 06-12-2014 |
20140360567 | BACK CONTACT SOLAR CELLS USING ALUMINUM-BASED ALLOY METALLIZATION - Methods and structures for photovoltaic back contact solar cells having multi-level metallization with at least one aluminum-silicon alloy metallization layer are provided. | 12-11-2014 |
20140370650 | MONOLITHICALLY ISLED BACK CONTACT BACK JUNCTION SOLAR CELLS USING BULK WAFERS - According to one aspect of the disclosed subject matter, a method for forming a monolithically isled back contact back junction solar cell using bulk wafers is provided. Emitter and base contact regions are formed on a backside of a semiconductor wafer having a light receiving frontside and a backside opposite said frontside. A first level contact metallization is formed on the wafer backside and an electrically insulating backplane is attached to the semiconductor wafer backside. Isolation trenches are formed in the semiconductor wafer patterning the semiconductor wafer into a plurality of electrically isolated isles and the semiconductor wafer is thinned. A metallization structure is formed on the electrically insulating backplane electrically connecting the plurality of isles. | 12-18-2014 |
20150101761 | SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC BLINDS AND CURTAINS FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS - Solar photovoltaic window blind slats for power generation from internal and external light sources are provided are provided. A plurality of solar cells are attached to at least two sides of a slat core. Distributed maximum power point tracking optimizer components are associated with each solar cell. The solar cells and corresponding distributed maximum power point tracking optimizer components on each slat side are connected in electrical series. | 04-16-2015 |
20150129030 | DIELECTRIC-PASSIVATED METAL INSULATOR PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR CELLS - A photovoltaic solar cell is described that, according to one example embodiment, includes a semiconductor light absorbing layer and a dielectric stack on at least one of a front side of the light absorbing layer or a back side of the light absorbing layer. The dielectric stack includes a tunneling dielectric layer being sufficiently thin for charge carriers to tunnel across, and an overlaying dielectric layer being a different material than the overlaying dielectric. The solar cell also includes an electrically conductive contact physically contacting the overlaying dielectric. The electrically conductive contact and the overlaying dielectric together have either a work function suitable for selective collection of electrons that closely matches a conduction band of the light absorbing layer, or a work function suitable for selective collection of holes that closely matches a valence band of the light absorbing layer. | 05-14-2015 |
20150129031 | METAL FOIL METALLIZATION FOR BACKPLANE-ATTACHED SOLAR CELLS AND MODULES - A back contact solar cell is described which includes a semiconductor light absorbing layer; a first-level metal layer (M1), the M1 metal layer on a back side of the light absorbing layer, the back side being opposite from a front side of the light absorbing layer designed to receive incident light; an electrically insulating backplane sheet backside of said solar cell with the M1 layer, the backplane sheet comprising a plurality of via holes that expose portions of the M1 layer beneath the backplane sheet; and an M2 layer in contact with the backplane sheet, the M2 layer made of a sheet of pre-fabricated metal foil material comprising a thickness of between 5-250 μm, the M2 layer electrically connected to the M1 layer through the via holes in the backplane sheet. | 05-14-2015 |
20150130499 | RESISTANCE COMPONENT EXTRACTION FOR BACK CONTACT BACK JUNCTION SOLAR CELLS - Methods and structures for extracting at least one electric parametric value from a back contact solar cell having dual level metallization are provided. | 05-14-2015 |
20150132931 | HIGH-THROUGHPUT THERMAL PROCESSING METHODS FOR PRODUCING HIGH-EFFICIENCY CRYSTALLINE SILICON SOLAR CELLS - A method for thermal processing of a silicon substrate wherein first a silicon substrate is heated to an idle load temperature in the range of approximately 700° to 900° C. The silicon substrate is then heated to a temperature in the range of approximately 975° to 1200° C. in less than approximately 20 minutes. After thermal processing, the silicon substrate is cooled to an idle unload temperature in the range of approximately 700° to 900° C. in less than approximately 20 minutes. | 05-14-2015 |
20150136227 | TRENCH ISOLATION FOR MONOLITHICALLY ISLED SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS AND MODULES - Fabrication methods and structures are provided for the formation of monolithically isled back contact back junction solar cells. In one embodiment, base and emitter contact metallization is formed on the backside of a back contact back junction solar cell substrate. A trench stop layer is formed on the backside of a back contact back junction solar cell substrate and which is electrically isolated from the base and emitter contact metallization. The trench stop layer has a pattern for forming a plurality semiconductor regions. An electrically insulating layer is formed on the base and emitter contact metallization and the etch stop layer. And a trench isolation pattern is formed through the back contact back junction solar cell substrate to the trench stop layer which partitions semiconductor layer into a plurality of solar cell semiconductor regions on the electrically insulating layer. | 05-21-2015 |
20150155398 | PHOTOVOLTAIC MONOLITHIC SOLAR MODULE CONNECTION AND FABRICATION METHODS - Solar cell array solutions including monolithic solar cell arrays and fabrication methods. A first patterned cell metallization contacts base and emitter regions of each of a plurality of solar cells having a light receiving frontside and a backside. An electrically insulating continuous backplane layer is attached to the backside of the solar cells and covers the first cell metallization of each of the solar cells. Via holes through the continuous backplane layer provide access to the first cell metallization. A second cell metallization is connected to the first cell metallization of each of the solar cells and electrically interconnects the solar cells in the array. | 06-04-2015 |
20150162465 | STRUCTURES AND METHODS FOR IMPROVING SOLAR CELL EFFICIENCY AND MECHANICAL STRENGTH - The present disclosure presents a three-dimensional thin film solar cell (3-D TFSC) substrate having enhanced mechanical strength, light trapping, and metal modulation coverage properties. The substrate includes a plurality of unit cells, which may or may not be different. Unit cells are defined as a small self-contained geometrical pattern which may be repeated. Each unit cell structure includes a wall enclosing a trench. Further, the unit cell includes an aperture having an aperture diameter. For the purposes of the present disclosure, the dimensions of interest include wall thickness, wall height, and aperture diameter. A pre-determined variation in these dimensions among unit cells across the substrate produces specific advantages. | 06-11-2015 |
20150162486 | LASER PROCESSING FOR SOLAR CELL BASE AND EMITTER REGIONS - The present application provides effective and efficient structures and methods for the formation of solar cell base and emitter regions using laser processing. Laser absorbent passivation materials are formed on a solar cell substrate and patterned using laser ablation to form base and emitter regions. | 06-11-2015 |
20150162487 | ALUMINUM OXIDE PASSIVATION FOR SOLAR CELLS - The present application provides effective and efficient structures and methods for the formation of solar cell base and emitter regions and passivation layers using laser processing. Laser absorbent passivation materials are formed on a solar cell substrate and patterned using laser ablation to form base and emitter regions. | 06-11-2015 |
20150200313 | DISCONTINUOUS EMITTER AND BASE ISLANDS FOR BACK CONTACT SOLAR CELLS - Back contact solar cells having a discontinuous emitter comprising a plurality of emitter islands are provided. The back contact solar cell comprises a semiconductor layer with a background base doping and having a sunlight-receiving frontside and a backside opposite said sunlight-receiving frontside. An emitter layer having a doping opposite said semiconductor layer background doping is positioned on the semiconductor layer backside. A trench isolation pattern partitions the emitter layer and semiconductor layer into a plurality of discontinuous emitter regions on the semiconductor layer backside. At least one base island region contacting the semiconductor layer is positioned within each of the discontinuous emitter regions on the semiconductor layer backside. | 07-16-2015 |
20150206998 | PASSIVATED CONTACTS FOR BACK CONTACT BACK JUNCTION SOLAR CELLS - Passivated contact structures and fabrication methods for back contact back junction solar cells are provided. According to one example embodiment, a back contact back junction photovoltaic solar cell is described that has a semiconductor light absorbing layer having a front side and a backside having base regions and emitter regions. A passivating dielectric insulating layer is on the base and emitter regions. A first electrically conductive contact contacts the passivating dielectric insulating layer together having a work function suitable for selective collection of electrons that closely matches a conduction band of the light absorbing layer. A second electrically conductive contact contacts the passivating dielectric insulating layer together having a work function suitable for selective collection of electrons that closely matches a valence band of the light absorbing layer. | 07-23-2015 |
20150207002 | MONOLITHIC SOLAR CELL ARRAYS AND FABRICATION METHODS - Solar cell array solutions including monolithic solar cell arrays and fabrication methods. A first patterned cell metallization contacts base and emitter regions of each of a plurality of solar cells having a light receiving frontside and a backside. An electrically insulating continuous backplane layer is attached to the backside of the solar cells and covers the first cell metallization of each of the solar cells. Via holes through the continuous backplane layer provide access to the first cell metallization. A second cell metallization is connected to the first cell metallization of each of the solar cells and electrically interconnects the solar cells in the array. | 07-23-2015 |
20150221792 | Self Aligned Contacts for Solar Cells - Fabrication methods for forming self aligned contacts for back contact solar cells are provided. | 08-06-2015 |
20150236174 | SINGLE PASSIVATED CONTACTS FOR BACK CONTACT BACK JUNCTION SOLAR CELLS - Passivated contact structures and fabrication methods for back contact back junction solar cells are provided. According to one example embodiment, a back contact back junction photovoltaic solar cell is described that has a semiconductor light absorbing layer having a front side and a backside having base regions and emitter regions. A passivating dielectric insulating layer is positioned on the base regions. A first level base and emitter metallization contacts the emitter regions and passivating dielectric insulating layer on the base regions. An electrically insulating backplane is positioned on the first level base and emitter metallization. A second level metallization contacts the first level base and emitter metallization through conductive vias in the electrically insulating backplane. | 08-20-2015 |
20150236175 | AMORPHOUS SILICON PASSIVATED CONTACTS FOR BACK CONTACT BACK JUNCTION SOLAR CELLS - Passivated contact structures and fabrication methods for back contact back junction solar cells are provided. According to one example embodiment, a back contact back junction photovoltaic solar cell is described that has a semiconductor light absorbing layer having a front side and a backside having base regions and emitter regions. An amorphous silicon passivating layer is positioned on the base regions. A first level base and emitter metallization contacts the emitter regions and the amorphous silicon passivating layer on the base regions. An electrically insulating backplane is positioned on the first level base and emitter metallization. A second level metallization contacts the first level base and emitter metallization through conductive vias in the electrically insulating backplane. | 08-20-2015 |
20150311378 | ALUMINUM OXIDE PASSIVATION AND DAMAGE REMOVAL FOR SOLAR CELLS - The present application provides effective and efficient structures and methods for the formation of solar cell base and emitter regions and passivation layers using laser processing. Laser absorbent passivation materials are formed on a solar cell substrate and patterned using laser ablation to form base and emitter regions. Laser damage to the solar cell substrate is removed using an etch. | 10-29-2015 |
20150325714 | STRUCTURES AND METHODS FOR HIGH-EFFICIENCY PYRAMIDAL THREE-DIMENSIONAL SOLAR CELLS - The present disclosure enables high-volume cost effective production of three-dimensional thin film solar cell (3-D TFSC) substrates. First, the present disclosure discloses pyramid-like unit cell structure | 11-12-2015 |
20160049540 | REAR WIDE BAND GAP PASSIVATED PERC SOLAR CELLS - A photovoltaic solar cell comprises a light absorbing layer of n-type crystalline silicon. An emitter layer is on the front side of the n-type crystalline silicon. A front passivation layer physically contacts the emitter layer. A front metal contact is on the front passivation layer and contacts the emitter layer. A back layer of wide bandgap semiconductor physically contacts a back side of the n-type crystalline silicon layer. A back metal contact physically contacts the wide bandgap semiconductor layer. | 02-18-2016 |
20160093763 | DAMAGE FREE LASER PATTERNING OF TRANSPARENT LAYERS FOR FORMING DOPED REGIONS ON A SOLAR CELL SUBSTRATE - The laser patterning methods utilizing a laser absorbent hard mask in combination with wet etching to form patterned solar cell doped regions which may further improve cell efficiency by completely avoiding laser ablation of an underlying semiconductor substrate associated with ablation of an overlying transparent passivation layer. | 03-31-2016 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080272391 | SILICON COMPATIBLE INTEGRATED LIGHT COMMUNICATOR - Various methods and devices are implemented using efficient silicon compatible integrated light communicators. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor device is implemented for communicating light, such as by detecting, modulating or emitting light. The device has a silicon-seeding location, an insulator layer and a second layer on the insulator layer. The second layer includes a silicon-on-insulator region and an active region surrounded by the silicon-on-insulator region and connected to the silicon-seeding location. The active region includes a single-crystalline germanium-based material that extends from the silicon-seeding location through a passageway with a cross-sectional area that is sufficiently small to mitigate crystalline growth defects. The single-crystalline germanium-based material is physically coupled to the insulating layer such that the insulating layer introduces a high tensile strain to the germanium-based material, and a more specific aspect is directed to an SOI implementation. | 11-06-2008 |
20100149864 | MEMORY CIRCUIT WITH QUANTUM WELL-TYPE CARRIER STORAGE - Data is stored in a quantum-well type structure with double gate control. According to an example embodiment, a transistor-based data storage circuit includes a gate, a back gate and a semiconductor channel between the gate and the back gate. Carriers are stored in a storage pocket structure in the channel, in response to biases applied to the gate and back gate. Current passing through the channel is sensed and used to detect the stored carriers and, correspondingly, a memory state of the storage circuit. | 06-17-2010 |
20100294333 | STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING SOLAR CELL EFFICIENCY AND MECHANICAL STRENGTH - The present disclosure presents a three-dimensional thin film solar cell (3-D TFSC) substrate having enhanced mechanical strength, light trapping, and metal modulation coverage properties. The substrate includes a plurality of unit cells, which may or may not be different. Unit cells are defined as a small self-contained geometrical pattern which may be repeated. Each unit cell structure includes a wall enclosing a trench. Further, the unit cell includes an aperture having an aperture diameter. For the purposes of the present disclosure, the dimensions of interest include wall thickness, wall height, and aperture diameter. A pre-determined variation in these dimensions among unit cells across the substrate produces specific advantages. | 11-25-2010 |
20100304522 | ION IMPLANTATION FABRICATION PROCESS FOR THIN-FILM CRYSTALLINE SILICON SOLAR CELLS - A front contact thin-film solar cell is formed on a thin-film crystalline silicon substrate. Emitter regions, selective emitter regions, and a back surface field are formed through ion implantation processes. In yet another embodiment, a back contact thin-film solar cell is formed on a thin-film crystalline silicon substrate. Emitter regions, selective emitter regions, base regions, and a front surface field are formed through ion implantation processes. | 12-02-2010 |
20110014742 | METHOD OF CREATING REUSABLE TEMPLATE FOR DETACHABLE THIN FILM SUBSTRATE - A structure and method operable to create a reusable template for detachable thin semiconductor substrates is provided. The template has a shape such that the 3-D shape is substantially retained after each substrate release. Prior art reusable templates may have a tendency to change shape after each subsequent reuse; the present disclosure aims to address this and other deficiencies from the prior art, therefore increasing the reuse life of the template. | 01-20-2011 |
20110108098 | STRUCTURES AND METHODS FOR HIGH-EFFICIENCY PYRAMIDAL THREE-DIMENSIONAL SOLAR CELLS - The present disclosure enables high-volume cost effective production of three-dimensional thin film solar cell (3-D TFSC) substrates. First, the present disclosure discloses pyramid-like unit cell structure | 05-12-2011 |
20130171808 | DOUBLE-SIDED REUSABLE TEMPLATE FOR FABRICATION OF SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATES FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL AND MICROELECTRONICS DEVICE MANUFACTURING - This disclosure presents manufacturing methods and apparatus designs for making TFSSs from both sides of a re-usable semiconductor template, thus effectively increasing the substrate manufacturing throughput and reducing the substrate manufacturing cost. This approach also reduces the amortized starting template cost per manufactured substrate (TFSS) by about a factor of 2 for a given number of template reuse cycles. | 07-04-2013 |
20130330872 | ION IMPLANTATION FABRICATION PROCESS FOR THIN-FILM CRYSTALLINE SILICON SOLAR CELLS - A front contact thin-film solar cell is formed on a thin-film silicon solar cell. Emitter regions, selective emitter regions, and a back surface field are formed through ion implantation processes. In one embodiment, front contact thin-film solar cell is formed on a thin-film silicon solar cell. Emitter regions, selective emitter regions, base regions, and a back surface field are formed through ion implantation processes. | 12-12-2013 |
20130337601 | STRUCTURES AND METHODS FOR HIGH EFFICIENCY COMPOUND SEMICONDUCTOR SOLAR CELLS - Methods and structures are provided for the growth and separation of a relatively thin layer crystalline compound semiconductor material containing III-V device layers, including but not limited to Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), on top of a crystalline silicon template wafer. Solar cell structures and manufacturing methods based on the crystalline compound semiconductor material are described. | 12-19-2013 |
20140318611 | MULTI-LEVEL SOLAR CELL METALLIZATION - Fabrication methods and structures relating to multi-level metallization for solar cells as well as fabrication methods and structures for forming thin film back contact solar cells are provided. | 10-30-2014 |
20150020877 | HIGH-EFFICIENCY SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS AND MODULES USING THIN CRYSTALLINE SEMICONDUCTOR ABSORBERS - Fabrication methods and structures relating to backplanes for back contact solar cells that provide for solar cell substrate reinforcement and electrical interconnects as well as Fabrication methods and structures for forming thin film back contact solar cells are described. | 01-22-2015 |
20150243814 | HIGH-EFFICIENCY PHOTOVOLTAIC BACK-CONTACT SOLAR CELL STRUCTURES AND MANUFACTURING METHODS - Back contact back junction solar cell and methods for manufacturing are provided. The back contact back junction solar cell comprises a substrate having a light capturing frontside surface with a passivation layer, a doped base region, and a doped backside emitter region with a polarity opposite the doped base region. A backside passivation layer and patterned reflective layer on the emitter form a light trapping backside mirror. An interdigitated metallization pattern is positioned on the backside of the solar cell and a permanent reinforcement provides support to the cell. | 08-27-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120110186 | Disaster Recovery and Automatic Relocation of Cloud Services - Techniques are provided to move the services performed on one device to another device in a cloud computing system for a variety of reasons including failure, maintenance or upgrade of the device. A notification is received that services performed by an impacted device in a domain of a plurality of hierarchical domains need to be moved. A determination is made as to whether there are replacement resources available in the domain to perform the services, and if so, the replacement resources are automatically rendered to perform the services. The process continues to higher level domains that have a view into the capabilities of subordinate domains in order to determine where to move the services within the cloud computing system. | 05-03-2012 |
20120226789 | Hiearchical Advertisement of Data Center Capabilities and Resources - A cloud computing system is provided comprising a plurality of data centers, each data center comprising a plurality of pods each of which comprises network, compute, storage and service node devices. At a designated device of a data center, data center level capabilities summary data is generated that summarizes the capabilities of the data center. Messages advertising the data center level capabilities summary data is sent from a designated device of each data center to a designated device at a provider edge network level of the computing system. At the designated device at the provider edge network level, provider edge network level capabilities summary data is generated that summarizes capabilities of compute, storage and network devices for each data center as a whole and without exposing individual compute, storage and service node devices in each data center. | 09-06-2012 |
20120226790 | Extensible Attribute Summarization - In one embodiment a method includes at first a network device, identifying an attribute of the first network device, selecting a function that defines how the attribute is to be summarized together with a same attribute of a second network device, generating a message that comprises a set of information comprising an identification of the attribute and the function, and sending the message to, e.g., a next higher node in a network hierarchy of which the network device is a part. Multiple such messages may be received at an aggregation node that then summarizes the attributes according to respective functions, and sends or publishes a summarized version of the attributes to a still next higher node in the network hierarchy. | 09-06-2012 |
20120226797 | Active Load Distribution for Control Plane Traffic Using a Messaging and Presence Protocol - Techniques are provided herein for a device in a network to receive information configured to indicate a control plane traffic load level for one or more server devices that are configured to manage traffic for messaging and presence clients communicating via a messaging and presence protocol. The control plane traffic is associated with the messaging and presence protocol. A determination is made as to when the control plane traffic load level has become unbalanced among the two or more server devices and in response to determining that the control plane traffic load level has become unbalanced, sending a transfer message to one or more clients comprising information configured to initiate migration of one or more clients from a server device that is relatively overloaded to a server device that is relatively underloaded in order to balance the control plane traffic load level among the two or more server devices. | 09-06-2012 |
20120226799 | Capabilities Based Routing of Virtual Data Center Service Request - Systems and methods are provided for receiving at a provider edge routing device capabilities data representative of capabilities of computing devices disposed in a data center, the capabilities data having been published by an associated local data center edge device, and advertising, by the provider edge routing device, the capabilities data to other provider edge routing devices in communication with one another in a network of provider edge routing devices. The provider edge routing device also receives respective capabilities data from each of the other provider edge routing devices, wherein each of the other provider edge routing devices is associated with a respective local data center via a corresponding data center edge device, and stores all the capabilities data in a directory of capabilities. Thereafter, a request for computing services is received at the provider edge network and the methodology provides for selecting, based on the directory of capabilities, one of the data centers to fulfill the request for computing services to obtain a selected data center, and for routing the request for computing services to the selected data center. | 09-06-2012 |
20120239792 | PLACEMENT OF A CLOUD SERVICE USING NETWORK TOPOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE PERFORMANCE - Techniques are described for selecting an optimal data center for instantiating a first cloud service. Embodiments of the invention receive a request specifying a topology of a first cloud service to be hosted by one of a plurality of data centers which provide computing resources to host a plurality of cloud services. A suitability value is then determined for each of the data centers which measures a fitness of the data center for instantiating the first cloud service. In one embodiment, the suitability value is determined by calculating a plurality of metric values for the data center, normalizing the metric values and calculating a weighted average of the normalized values. One of the data centers is then selected for instantiating the first cloud service, based at least in part on the determined suitability values. | 09-20-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100035432 | CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - A method of and system for chemical vapor deposition of layers of material on substrates for producing thin film semiconductor devices provides for continuous in-line processing. The method and system are adapted for size and potential speed, and for scaling to further increase the rate of production. The method includes continuously conveying a plurality of substrates through a plurality of in-line deposition regions, continuously providing and distributing a chemical vapor at each region to deposit material for the layer, and continuously supplying a flow of chemical material for each region to provide the chemical vapor. The chemical vapor for deposition at each region covers an area that is substantial for substrates, then, also having a substantial area. The chemical vapor may include an organometallic material, such as diethyl zinc vapor, or dimethyl zinc vapor, as well as a material that provides oxygen, such as water vapor or nitrous oxide gas. It may also include a material that provides a dopant. Thus, the layers of material may be a zinc oxide material. The system includes a continuous in-line substrate conveyance apparatus for moving a plurality of substrates through a plurality of deposition regions, a deposition head for providing and distributing a chemical vapor at each of the regions to deposit material for the layers, and a chemical material supply apparatus for providing a flow of chemical materials to each of the heads for the chemical vapor. The chemical vapor deposition head includes an emission and distribution face at the region for the head, and wall structure defining a first plenum layer having a first plenum and a second plenum layer having a second plenum, for receiving chemical materials from the supply apparatus and for maintaining separation of received chemical materials. The head also includes wall structure defining a third plenum layer having a first set of elongated plenums for receiving chemical material from the first plenum and distributing such chemical material to the emission and distribution face, and a second set of elongated plenums for receiving chemical material from the second plenum and distributing such chemical material to the emission and distribution face. One exemplary number of deposition regions is seven. | 02-11-2010 |
20120017831 | CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - A method of and system for chemical vapor deposition of layers of material on substrates for producing semiconductor devices provides for continuous in-line processing. The method includes continuously conveying a plurality of substrates through a plurality of in-line deposition regions, continuously providing and distributing a chemical vapor at each region to deposit material for the layers, and continuously supplying a flow of chemical material for each region to provide the chemical vapor. The system includes a continuous in-line substrate conveyance apparatus for moving a plurality of substrates through a plurality of deposition regions, a deposition head for providing and distributing a chemical vapor at each of the regions to deposit material for the layers, and a chemical material supply apparatus for providing a flow of chemical materials to each of the heads for the chemical vapor. | 01-26-2012 |
20140011342 | METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR FORMING SEMICONDUCTOR FILMS - Described herein are systems and methods method for forming semiconductor films. In some embodiment, the methods comprising depositing the source solution containing a solvent and plurality of types of metal ionic species and a second type on a substrate heated to a temperature at or above the boiling point of the solvent. In some embodiments, methods and apparatus for exposing a substrate to a gas are also provided. | 01-09-2014 |