US07681350B2
An exemplary flat panel display (1) includes a main body (10) and a transparent holding structure (12) fixed to the main body. The holding structure is configured to hold one or more thin insertions by itself at a side thereof and or by cooperation with the main body wherein one or more thin insertions are held between the holding structure and the main body at a side of the holding structure.
US07681348B1
An improved device for signaling traffic on roadways including a fixed display surface with one or more additional display surfaces rotatably attached, such that different indicia can be displayed to motorists. A rotation grip allows an operator to manually change the position of the additional display surfaces. This manual adjustment ensures the operator is displaying the appropriate messages not only to oncoming traffic but also to traffic approaching from the rear.
US07681334B2
A snowplow and mount assembly comprising a mount frame adapted to be secured to a vehicle, and a snowplow frame. One of the mount frame and the snowplow frame has first and second arms and the other of the mount frame and snowplow frame has first and second receivers, the first and second receivers receiving the first and second arms, respectively. Respective ones of first and second latch pins removably secure the first and second arms in the first and second receivers. A latch lever is operably associated with the first and second latch pins and simultaneously actuates the latch pins to latched and unlatched positions. The snowplow frame includes a jack stand movable to and between an extended ground contacting and snowplow frame supporting position and a retracted ground noncontacting and snowplow frame nonsupporting position. The latch lever operably frees the jack stand for movement into the extended position when the latch pins are in the unlatched position and operably prevents jack stand movement maintaining the jack stand in the retracted position when the latch pins are in the latched position.
US07681333B2
The present invention provides an interchangeable shoe footbed cartridge system. The system includes a footbed such as a midsole, insole or a sockliner. A cartridge is inserted into or otherwise attached to the forefoot section of the footbed. Multiple cartridges of varying depths, widths and/or lengths may be provided. The wearer can select a cartridge to achieve a desired fit. Because right and left feet may be of different sizes, different cartridges may be chosen for each foot. Furthermore, the user may swap cartridges depending upon different conditions, or to change the stiffness of the cartridge. Additionally, a slipcover having a stretchable portion may be placed over the cartridge system. The cartridges enable a footwear manufacturer to produce fewer shoe sizes while fitting more of the population. This reduces manufacturing, shipping, warehousing and accounting costs. All levels of the supply chain, as well as the end customers, will greatly benefit from the method of supplying footwear.
US07681330B2
Footwear having removable straps is disclosed herein. More specifically, the footwear disclosed herein includes a removable strap assembly having concealed releasable connection means for attaching to the sole of the footwear.
US07681325B2
An erosion gauge for measuring a chord length of an eroded turbine blade in a steam turbine that may include: a jaw that includes a lower jaw that includes a lower jaw surface and an upper jaw that includes an upper jaw surface such that the lower jaw surface and the upper jaw surface oppose each other; a sliding scale that connects the lower jaw to the upper jaw, wherein a first end of the sliding scale is fixed to the lower jaw and a second end of the sliding scale slides through the upper jaw such that the distance between the lower jaw surface and the upper jaw surface may be varied; and an electronic depth gauge that determines the distance between the lower jaw surface and the upper jaw surface. The lower jaw surface may include a valley insert.
US07681320B2
Shaving razors and razor cartridges are provided. In one embodiment, a razor is provided including (a) a handle, (b) a head, separable from and pivotally mounted on the handle, the head including a housing that is positioned to contact the user's skin during shaving and that carries one or more blades configured for wet shaving, (c) an electrical circuit, configured to power an electrical function associated with the head, a first portion of the circuit being disposed in the handle and a second portion of the circuit being disposed in the head, and (d) an electro-mechanical connector, pivotally joining the head to the handle, configured to provide electrical communication between the first and second portions of the circuit.
US07681319B2
The present invention is a portable compact cutting wheel assembly designed to be easy and convenient to use for cutting food items. The cutting wheel assembly includes a handle, a rotatably attached cutting blade and a conformal blade cover that fits over the cutting blade and secures to the handle for clean storage.
US07681308B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit device uses a mold which is provided with a plurality of air vents and movable pins which are formed such that the movable pins include grooves in the distal ends thereof which project into the air vents. By clamping the mold in a state such that the distal ends of the movable pins are pushed against a multi-cavity board at the time of clamping the mold, resin can be filled while leaking air inside the cavity through the grooves formed in the distal ends of the movable pins by setting the depths of the respective air vents to a fixed value irrespective of the irregularities in thickness of the multi-cavity boards. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent insufficient filling of resin in the cavity, the leaking of resin or defective welding, whereby the yield rate of products can be enhanced.
US07681294B2
A plurality of staking die sets is provided, each adapted to crimp an iron fence rail onto a picket where the latter passes through an aperture in the former. Each die set comprises a staking die matching the cross sectional shape of the picket and adapted to embrace one half of the picket on one side of the rail. A corresponding anvil die opposes the staking die on the opposite side of the rail. Mechanically leveraged, powered jaws force the staking die toward the anvil and against the rail to squeeze the rail in the immediate vicinity of the picket, causing rail metal around the aperture to flow toward the picket, reducing the aperture until the picket becomes immobilized. A plurality of such jaws and dies, adjustably arrayed at selected spacings and coupled to a common power source, allows a single staking operation to affix simultaneously all pickets in a given length of rail. Multiple arrays of jaws and dies may be arranged in parallel for simultaneously staking a like number of rails to the pickets to form an entire fence panel in a single powered operation. A novel method of fabricating an iron fence panel in a single operation includes arranging such jaws in a two dimensional array for staking multiple pickets to multiple rails in a single power operation.
US07681291B2
A piezoelectric resonator includes a resonator substrate, a base substrate supporting the resonator substrate, a lid substrate covering a surface of the resonator substrate, the surface being on an opposite side of a surface facing the base substrate, a first excitation electrode formed on the surface of the resonator substrate facing the lid substrate, a second excitation electrode formed on the surface of the resonator substrate facing the base substrate, and a third electrode provided on the surface of the resonator substrate facing the base substrate, the third electrode being electrically connected to the first excitation electrode through a concave portion which is formed on a side surface of the resonator substrate.
US07681290B2
A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric beam is provided. The method includes inserting a piezoelectric body and a pair of roller pins into an injection molding form. Once the piezoelectric body and roller pins are enclosed within the injection mold form a liquefied substance is injected into the injection molding form. The liquefied substance solidifies to substantially permanently affix the roller pins to opposing distal ends of the body.
US07681285B2
A detachable handle mounting structure includes a handle, a sleeve fixedly provided at one end of the handle for receiving a tool, a socket, which is fixedly provided at a recessed portion on the periphery of the sleeve and has an accommodation open chamber and a bottom center hole cut through the periphery wall of the sleeve, a plug partially inserted into the bottom center hole of the socket and vertically movable in the bottom center hole of the socket between a locking position where the plug is partially projecting into the inside of the sleeve to lock a tool to the sleeve and an unlocking position where the plug is moved away from the inside of the sleeve to unlock the tool that is inserted into the sleeve, and a rotary knob, which has a coupling member coupled to the plug and is rotatable to move the plug vertically in the bottom center hole of the socket between the locking position and the unlocking position.
US07681281B2
A vehicle door wedge assembly has an elastomeric wedge connected to a first member, and a second member. A wedge perimeter wall has exterior facing and engagement portions, and an interior wall equidistantly spaced from the engagement portion. The interior and engagement walls define an interior cavity. The exterior facing wall deflects into the interior cavity during engagement of the first and second members.
US07681271B2
A dock leveling system adapted to be disposed in a pit is disclosed. A hinge member with a hinge pin receiving area and a hinge pin disposed in the hinge member defines a center of rotation. A deck that is rotatable about the hinge pin includes a curved portion with a constant radius and a center of curvature substantially similar to the center of the hinge pin. The curved portion defines an elevation that remains constant as the deck rotates about the hinge pin.
US07681267B1
A collapsible and portable baby changing table has a collapsible frame and a changing pad. The collapsible frame has two sets of opposing sides. Each side has at least one pair of crossing support beams. The pair of crossing support beams is hinged where the crossing support beams cross. The crossing support beams have top ends and bottom ends. The collapsible frame is configured to be folded to a first position and unfolded to a second position. The changing pad is supported by the collapsible frame. When the collapsible frame is unfolded to the second position, the changing pad is contoured to cradle a baby's body when the baby is placed on the changing pad.
US07681260B2
A safety bed including a bed frame, pivotally attached guard rails, and a vertically adjustable mattress support structure. The mattress support structure capable of being lowered within the confines of the bed frame to prevent a patient from crawling out of the safety bed. The mattress support structure capable of being raised within the bed frame to grant a health care provider access to the patient.
US07681249B2
A conditioning garment has front and rear panels (11, 12) with a neck opening (13) between them. A manifold (17) extends along the lower edge of the front (11) panel and a manifold (24) extends along the lower edge of the rear panel (12). Tubes (27) extend between the manifolds (17, 24) and carry conditioned liquid over the torso of a wearer to heat/cool the torso. The tubes (27) are equally spaced and generally the same length to provide even heating/cooling. The garment (10) is easy to don and remove. The garment (10) can be modified by the addition of various chest compression devices, a neck support and a harness tensioning device. All these are designed to encounter increased +G-forces on the body of a wearer.
US07685646B1
A system and method for producing and using a protected optical media is described. One feature provides for a compact disc containing digital rights management protection to prevent unauthorized copying of copyrighted materials. Another feature provides for secure copying, storage, transfer, and playback of digital audio content from a protected compact disc or computer storage. Yet another feature provides for a versatile optical media that can be used in both traditional audio compact disc players and in computer CD-ROM drives without risking the security of the content on the media or preventing purchasers from having a robust content experience.
US07685642B2
A system and method for controlling a rights expression specifying a manner of use of an item, including specifying by a provider of an item a rights expression indicating a manner of use of the item by a recipient of the item and a condition for use of the item by the recipient, the condition indicating that the use by the recipient of the item is subject to control; associating the rights expression with the item; and controlling the use by the recipient of the item based on the condition in the rights expression. In further exemplary embodiments, the use by the recipient of the item is subject to control by a stakeholder and/or a provider of the item and can be used to provide consumer protection based on parameters of use.
US07685640B2
A virus detection mechanism is described in which virus detection is provided by a network integrated protection (NIP) adapter. The NIP adapter checks incoming media data prior to it being activated by a computing device. The NIP adapter operates independently of a host processor to receive information packets from a network. This attribute of independence allows NIP anti-virus (AV) techniques to be “always on” scanning incoming messages and data transfers. By being independent of but closely coupled to the host processor, complex detection techniques, such as using check summing or pattern matching, can be efficiently implemented on the NIP adapter without involving central processor resources and time consuming mass storage accesses. The NIP adapter may be further enhanced with a unique fading memory (FM) facility to allow for a flexible and economical implementation of polymorphic virus detection.
US07685639B1
An outgoing e-mail manager inserts headers into outgoing e-mail messages originating from at least one source on a computer. Each header includes data concerning the source of the e-mail. An e-mail header manager monitors an e-mail stream, and reads headers inserted into e-mail messages. The e-mail header manager applies a security policy to e-mail messages, responsive to the contents of the inserted headers.
US07685621B2
In a digital TV broadcast signal receiver connected to a multi-directional antenna called smart antenna, a time necessary for deciding an optimum signal receiving direction of each receivable channel is shortened with using local information relating to a location of the multi-directional antenna and information of TV towers including location information of TV towers and channel information of channels, TV broadcast signals of which are transmitted from each TV tower. When the local information is inputted, the digital TV broadcast signal receiver identifies at least one TV tower and selects a channel based on the channel information. An optimum signal receiving direction of the selected channel are decided as the optimum signal receiving directions of all the channels transmitted from the same TV tower.
US07685619B1
A system, method, and user interface for displaying electronic program guide (EPG) and personal video recorder (PVR) information as navigable three-dimensional images is described. In one embodiment, a three dimensional image is formed in which EPG data is presented on one surface of a three dimensional image and PVR data is presented on at least one other surface of the three-dimensional image.
US07685616B2
Strategies are described for coalescing the processing tasks associated with a series of control events that occur relatively close together in time. The coalescing can involve eliminating redundant tasks by more directly advancing to a terminal control state. One exemplary application of the control coalescing is in the playback of media content information in a networked environment. When a user enters a series of commands to repeatedly change the channel, or repeatedly seek new positions within a single stream, the control coalescing comes into play by aggregating these control events so that it requires fewer control processing tasks to perform. This provision helps reduce the latency associated with handling multiple control events that occur close together in time.
US07685614B2
An optical disk drive is adapted for reading data from an optical disk. The optical disk drive includes a housing, a tray, and a read module. The tray is disposed in the housing and is adapted for ejecting from the housing. The read module is adapted for reading data from an optical disk. The read module includes a turntable and an optical read head. The turntable includes a number of engaging springs, in which at least one of the engaging springs include added material for superposing the center of the optical disk and the center of the turntable. Furthermore, the optical read head is adapted to move along a tracking path for reading data from the optical disk.
US07685613B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for a combination storage extracting and biasing system. The method and apparatus comprise an enclosure having a first surface and a second surface inside the enclosure. The method and apparatus also comprise at least one random access memory device adapted to be disposed substantially in the enclosure having a third surface and a fourth surface. The device comprises at least one device contact located at the third surface and adapted to be electrically linked with at least one corresponding enclosure contact located at the first surface. The at least one spring member attached to the device and interposed between the second surface and the fourth surface wherein the spring member is adapted for use as a handle to remove the device from the enclosure and to provide pressure on the contacts.
US07685611B2
The present invention provides a disk drive of a compact size that can effectively utilize internal space within a disk drive and permit a straightforward arrangement of parts. The disk drive includes a disk holder that has a plurality of holder plates that individually hold disks, a drive unit that plays back disks, disk selectors that form a space above and below a desired disk by raising and lowering the holder plates; and a drive base that moves the drive unit into the space that is formed by raising and lowering the holder plates. The opening amount of the disk holder by the rise and fall of the holder plates, is fixed. The height of insertion of a disk into the disk holder is on an upper side between the highest holder plate and the lowest holder plate when the disk holder is open.
US07685596B1
A self-contained virtual file system is disclosed for deploying and distributing an application and/or software component. Executable files relating to the application are included in a distributable composite file. The composite file and a user front end application are deployed and distributed to an application user where the application is executed. An application provider can tag the composite file with the version information and other useful meta-data of the files for the application. The format of the composite file may support the storage of any kind of file types and associated meta-data. The composite file may contain the hierarchical directory structure of the files for the application so that the hierarchical directory structure is installed in the application user's electronic device.
US07685595B1
A method for a web browser-controlled installation of software on a remote computer system includes accessing at least one remote computer system; temporarily transferring a non-user interface, platform-independent installation program having an embedded web application and light-weight web server onto the at least one remote computer system, wherein the web application provides a web user interface; accessing a web browser and connecting to the light-weight web server via the web interface provided by the web application; providing instructions for installing software on the at least one remote computer to the web interface; the light-weight web server transferring the instructions to the non-user interface installation program; transferring and installing software on the at least one remote computer system; and removing the installation program, web application, and light-weight web server from the at least one remote computer.
US07685592B2
In an electronic device for implementing various functions using a DSP, the functionality can be updated as required. The electronic device is provided with a DSP and a flash memory for storing a program executed by the DSP. A program for implementing a new function implements both an old function and the new function, and for implementing a function corresponding to a version flag that has been set in version flags. When the program in the flash memory is updated to a program for implementing the new function, the program for implementing a new function is loaded into the flash memory, and a version flag corresponding to the new function is set in the version flags.
US07685583B2
We present a technique for implementing obstruction-free atomic multi-target transactions that target special “transactionable” locations in shared memory. A programming interface for using operations based on these transactions can be structured in several ways, including as n-word compare-and-swap (NCAS) operations or as atomic sequences of single-word loads and stores (e.g., as transactional memory).
US07685580B1
In a computer system that uses a “snapshot-at-the-beginning” garbage collector and in which write barrier code is generated for pointer write instructions in order to support the operation of the garbage collector, a static analysis of the computer program source code is performed prior to generating compiled code for the application and garbage collector in order to identify source code instructions that, at runtime, will perform initializing pointer writes as indicated by the fact that they overwrite memory locations that contain a predetermined pre-write value, such as NULL. The identified instructions are then compiled in a conventional manner, but no write barrier code is generated for them. Thus, at runtime, those instructions that perform initializing writes will incur no write barrier cost penalty.
US07685579B2
An adjustable precision exception handling technique is providing for handling exceptions encountered during translation of subject code to target code at varying levels of precision, depending upon the particular type of exception encountered. As an exception signal is detected by the translator, the state of the subject processor is captured at a precision determined to be sufficient for the detected exception.
US07685574B2
Authored code may include a notification that no tolerance for failure or corruption is expected for an identified sub-set of the code. Any potential failure point, which may be induced by a runtime environment routine or sub-routine, that is associated with the identified sub-set of code may then be identified and hoisted to a point apart from the identified sub-set of code.
US07685566B2
Trees are a common semantic denominator of XML data types and process calculi. This indicates a potential tight intertwining of the syntax and semantics of data and processes. The invention provides this intertwining via a process calculus wherein the data language syntax is a fragment of the programming language syntax.
US07685551B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a first transistor which is formed of a first gate extending in a first direction and a first diffusion region and which is capable of being active, a second transistor which is formed of a second gate extending in the first direction and a second diffusion region and which is arranged adjacent to the first transistor in a second direction intersected at a right angle with the first direction, and a third gate which extends in the first direction and which is arranged adjacent in the second direction to the first transistor on an opposite side to the second transistor. A space between the first gate and the second gate is larger than a space between the first gate and the third gate.
US07685545B2
The technology disclosed relates to granular analysis of design data used to prepare chip designs for manufacturing and to identification of similarities and differences among parts of design data files. In particular, it relates to parsing data and organizing into canonical forms, digesting the canonical forms, and comparing digests of design data from different sources, such as designs and libraries of design templates. Organizing the design data into canonical forms generally reduces the sensitivity of data analysis to variations in data that have no functional impact on the design. The details of the granular analysis vary among design languages used to represent aspects of a design. For various design languages, granular analysis includes partitioning design files by header/cell portions, by separate handling of comments, by functionally significant/non-significant data, by whitespace/non-whitespace, and by layer within a unit of design data. The similarities and differences of interest depend on the purpose of the granular analysis. The comparisons are useful in many ways.
US07685538B2
A method of triggering functions in a computer application comprises the steps of: providing a digitizer having a pointing device, wherein the digitizer and pointing device are operably associated with a computer having an operating system and an application; applying pressure to the digitizer with the pointing device; sensing the applied pressure; triggering in the application a first function if the sensed applied pressure exceeds a first pressure threshold; and triggering in the application a second function if the sensed applied pressure exceeds a second pressure threshold. The second pressure threshold is greater than the first pressure threshold.
US07685533B2
A method and apparatus for navigating a menu shown on a display unit of an electronic device is provided. By measuring a time for moving a cursor on the menu and determining whether the measured cursor input time exceeds a pre-set threshold, one or more cursor moving methods may be applied in order to increase user convenience.
US07685528B2
A graphical programming interface for use in developing computer programs uses a structure of graphically displayed elements representing positions, arguments and linkages to enable the development of computational decision making programs. The present invention provides new functionality to a clipper element that allows for simple division of a range of input values into contiguous sub-ranges, such as may be used to define a curve or other function.
US07685527B2
Embodiments of an apparatus, method, and article of manufacture for controlling view navigation in a workflow environment are disclosed herein. View navigation is controlled by incorporating and utilizing a user-interact operation in a workflow editing application. A workflow process designer may define the user-interact operation from one or more pre-designed views provided for the particular business objectives associated with the workflow process. In one embodiment, users may be navigated to specific views to gather information necessary to the completion of the workflow process, or to facilitate the processing of information across the workflow process to accomplish the business objectives embodied in the workflow process.
US07685526B2
When a user clicks a Back button or a Forward button while reviewing an application page in a browser, the client performs an action in response which is specified by a server. The Back and Forward buttons may be controlled by the server and may be used to provide real undo and redo functionality for stateful server applications. The functionality may be implemented using invisible pages loaded in the browser. If it is determined that undo or redo cannot be performed, the client may continue to display the application page, optionally with a message to the user.
US07685521B1
Range of the object of search is specified without specific designation by the user. In case changing of the image is instructed by an image operation portion, an image changing portion changes the image and displays such image on an image display portion, and the displayed image is held in a scope holding portion as the range of the object of search. The operation from a map operation portion also is similarly processed, whereby the range of the document constituting the object of search can be specified without specific designation by the user.
US07685509B1
In many situations, the objective of data entry is to obtain a complex or structured value. This has traditionally been accomplished by providing a discrete entry field for each element of data entry. By extending the notion of an entry filter, and introducing the notion of a discrete editable element within an entry field, it is possible to apply a structure to that entry field. A management component enables one or more entry filters to be associated in turn with each editable element, and ensures that the entry filters are applied correctly to the appropriate elements.
US07685505B2
Coding apparatus, and an associated method, for forming punctured binary convolutional codes for use in a multi-band OFDM ultra wide band radio communication system. Input data to be communicated is provided to a convolutional coder that forms a ⅓ rate code forming first-stage codes. The ⅓ rate code is punctured by a puncture matrix to form resultant code words. The puncture matrix is of values that optimize code performance at various code rates.
US07685504B2
A method and apparatus operable to execute an error correction decoding process, while controlling the increase in the amount of data that is stored in the receiving apparatus, is disclosed. Data is preferably transmitted to a receiving apparatus to execute the error correction decoding process using received data and re-transmitted data. Transmitting data is generated by executing the rate matching process to a first part of the error correction coded data and generating a second transmitting data. The second transmitting data includes at least the data not included in the first part by executing the rate matching process. Also included is a transmitting means for executing the transmission of the second transmitting data as the re-transmission after the transmission of the first transmitting data.
US07685503B2
A technique to perform fast decoding of a Reed-Solomon code. A first multiplier unit multiplies a matrix Bh with a column vector v using common adders to produce a column vector v1. The vector v represents one of an error locator polynomial, an error evaluator polynomial, and a derivative polynomial for a (n, k) Reed-Solomon code. The matrix Bh is over GF(2) including first h columns of a matrix B. A second multiplier unit multiplies non-unity components of a column vector A with non-zero components of the column vector v1 component-wise in GF(q) to produce a column vector v2, q being equal to n+1. A third multiplier unit multiplies diagonal sub-matrices of a matrix C with corresponding components of the column vector v2 in GF(2) to produce a column vector v3.
US07685496B2
In a method for data transmission, which transmits data through a transmission line, which integrates a plurality of links into one transmission line, a first link group, which transmits information data by at least one link out of a plurality of links, a second link group, which transmits parity data generated by the information data by at least one link out of a plurality of links, which are different from the first link group, and a third link group, which generates an error check data related to an error correction from the information data or the parity data, when an error occurs in the information data or the parity data, and transmits by at least one link out of a plurality of links, which are different from the first link group and the second link group, are integrated and transmitted.
US07685476B2
A method of providing error notification in a storage subsystem includes writing a first defined value by a host adapter of the storage subsystem to a system management interrupt (SMI) register to generate a hardware interrupt, registering and handling the hardware interrupt by a kernel module of the storage subsystem, writing a second defined value to a shared memory location of the storage subsystem by the kernel module, and reading a shared memory offset value by the host adapter. A system for providing error notification in a storage subsystem includes a controller including a serial management interface (SMI) register subcomponent, a first processing component connected to the controller having a kernel module, and a second processing component connected to the controller executing host adapter software.
US07685475B2
An application monitoring method and system. The method may comprise the steps of capturing raw performance data from one or more components of the application, converting the raw performance data of the one or more components to data records having a standard event data format, determining summary data for the one or more components based on the data records, and presenting the summary data to an end user.
US07685473B2
A computer system includes a processor that executes a device driver, and a bus controller that controls an input/output bus that connects a plurality of input/output devices. The bus controller includes a stall detector that detects a stall state of the input/output bus and an error reply generator that transmits an error reply to the processor regarding a transaction transmitted to the input/output bus where the stall state is detected.
US07685472B1
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates testing object-oriented programming (OOP) methods. During operation, the system receives a request from a client at a test-automation framework to execute a test case for the OOP methods. In response to the request, the system executes the test case in the test-automation framework. (Note that in this system, a class that includes the OOP methods inherits from an originally intended parent class, and calls to a test class are made via reflection.) The system then determines an outcome of executing the test case. Finally, the system reports the outcome of executing the test case.
US07685470B2
A method for debugging a multitask program executed by a processor includes interrupting the processor during the execution of a task of the program, and activating a debugging mode of the processor, wherein the instructions executed by the processor are supplied by an external emulator. The method comprises steps during which: the processor sends an activation message to the external emulator every time the debugging mode is activated, and upon receiving the activation message, the external emulator sends an acknowledgement message to the processor containing at least one portion of the activation message received.
US07685469B2
A method of analyzing a computer application interruption may analyze a cause of the computer application interruption, determine whether the cause of the computer application interruption was user disruptive or non-user-disruptive, determine whether the cause of the computer application interruption was operating system related or non-operating system related and determine whether the computer application interruption caused the computer application to stop operating or operate at a degraded level of performance.
US07685467B2
A method and/or a system of a processor-agnostic encoded debug architecture in a pipelined environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of a processor includes processing an event specified by a data processing system coupled to the processor to determine a boundary of the event, generating a matrix having combinations of the event and other events occurring simultaneously in the processor, capturing an output data of observed ones of the event and other events, and applying the matrix to generate an encoded debug data of the output data. The method may also include determining which of the combinations are valid based on an architecture of the processor. The event may be a trace-worthy event whose output value cannot be reliably predicted in an executable file in the data processing system and/or a sync event that is specified by a user of the data processing system.
US07685462B1
A method for operating a data storage system is described. The method first constructs an I/O tree representing a logical configuration of storage devices coupled to the storage system, the I/O tree representing a flow of I/O operations to the storage devices. Elements of the I/O tree are represented by objects. A freeze condition is imposed on a selected object of the I/O tree in order to disable a portion of the storage devices serviced by the selected object. Configuration management operations are performed on the portion of the storage devices serviced by the selected object. The freeze condition is removed from the selected object in response to completion of the configuration management, in order to resume I/O operations to the portion of the storage devices serviced by the selected object.
US07685460B1
A method and system for performing multiple concurrent recovery operations using a single instance of a user interface. One exemplary method includes initiating a first recovery operation via a single user interface. The first recovery operation includes copying a first data object from a first backup storage location to a first recovery storage location. The exemplary method further includes initiating a second recovery operation via the single user interface without requiring a user to open a separate instance of the user interface. Similarly, the second recovery operation includes copying a second data object from a second backup storage location to a second recovery storage location. At least a portion of the second recovery operation occurs concurrently with at least a portion of the first recovery operation.
US07685457B2
An integrated circuit including a pipeline and a method of operating the pipeline. Each stage of the pipeline is triggered by one or more triggering events and are individually, and selectively, stalled by a stall signal. For each stage a stall signal, delayed with respect to the stall signal of a downstream stage, is generated and used to select whether the pipeline stage in question is triggered. A data valid signal propagating with valid data adds further selection, such that only stages with valid data are stalled.
US07685452B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a power feed circuit operable to supply an Ethernet power signal to a coupled Ethernet network. This power feed circuit includes a number of input nodes, differential transistor pairs, active control circuits and output nodes. The input nodes receive a first power signal such as that provided by an isolated 48 volt power supply. Each transistor of the differential transistor pairs couples to one input node. These differential transistor pairs produce a second power signal which may be supplied to the Ethernet network. The active control circuits sense the second power signal passed by each transistor and are operable to apply a feedback signal to the differential transistor pairs based on the sensed power signal. At least one twisted pair couples to each differential transistor pair's output node and is operable to pass the Ethernet power signal.
US07685446B2
A method for scaling a dynamic voltage of a CPU is achieved by setting a voltage setting point for each of a plurality of code segments of a program, and profiling workload by measuring a workload variation of each of the code segments based on data that changes whenever measured, selecting a plurality of combinations, each having a plurality of voltage setting points, and calculating workload estimators corresponding to the voltage setting points of each of the selected combinations based on the workload variation measured in the workload profiling operation, selecting an optimal combination that consumes a least energy of the CPU based on the workload estimators, and determining whether a real time constraint is satisfied when an operating voltage is set based on the workload estimator corresponding to each of the voltage setting points of the optimal combination during runtime, and setting the operating voltage based on a result of the determination.
US07685445B2
Methods and apparatus to provide per die voltage programming for energy efficient integrated circuit (IC) operation are described. In some embodiments, the voltage potential supplied to an IC component is lowered below a peak performance voltage level, e.g., to reduce power consumption by the component. Other embodiments are also described.
US07685444B2
A method to manage power in an electronic device having at least one circuit function is provided. The method includes: the at least one circuit function determining a current performance requirement of the at least one circuit function; and the at least one circuit function selecting at least one power bus from a plurality of power buses. Each power bus of the plurality of power buses has a different voltage and the selected at least one power bus provides the current performance requirement with a smallest amount of voltage relative to other one or ones of the plurality of power buses.
US07685435B2
An development environment of a high security level is provided for a key-installed system. Development of a program for a system having an LSI device which includes a secure memory is performed by providing another LSI device having the same structure and setting the provided LSI device to a development mode which is different from a product operation mode. Alternatively, the provided LSI device is set to an administrator mode to perform development and encryption of a key-generation program. The LSI device is set to a key-generation mode to execute the encrypted key-generation program, thereby generating various keys.
US07685430B1
A method for remote services authentication in an internet hosted environment includes a high level process and functionality for a secure, practical and logically optimized inter-network authentication mechanism by employees, partners and customers of an enterprise into the hosted Internet site. The lightweight authentication and authorization mechanism can be most effectively implemented in Java as part of the application or web server servlet. The method for remote services authentication includes initial secure password establishment, subsequent authentication and authorization, as well as authentication and authorization upon resuming previously run sessions with the hosted server using Internet cookies.
US07685421B2
A method and apparatus for initializing operation for information security operation for an entity utilizes shared information, such as shared secret information, that may be shared between the entity and other applications or operations within a system to initialize an entity. Prestored shared information that can be used as entity identification data (RV) and authentication data (IAK) that is associated with the entity identification data is encrypted and sent in clear text fashion to an initialization authentication unit, such as a server or other processing unit. The initialization authentication unit requests stored shared data from another processing unit that maintains a database. The other processing system then responds to the request by providing prestored shared data that can be used to, for example, decrypt the encrypted information sent in a clear text fashion to determine whether an entity is a proper user of the information security operation. Accordingly, no secure session is required, and no new generation of identification data or authentication data is required.
US07685413B2
A configurator is provided with the ability to present a customer with information regarding desirable configuration bundles that are based upon specific intended use and to enable a customer to configure a system based upon the specific intended use. Additionally, based upon an indicated specific intended use, an information handling system manufacturer can optimize the configuration of the information handling system.
US07685410B2
In one embodiment, a processor comprises a branch resolution unit and a redirect recovery cache. The branch resolution unit is configured to detect a mispredicted branch operation, and to transmit a redirect address for fetching instructions from a correct target of the branch operation responsive to detecting the mispredicted branch operation. The redirect recovery cache comprises a plurality of cache entries, each cache entry configured to store operations corresponding to instructions fetched in response to respective mispredicted branch operations. The redirect recovery cache is coupled to receive the redirect address and, if the redirect address is a hit in the redirect recovery cache, the redirect recovery cache is configured to supply operations from the hit cache entry to a pipeline of the processor, bypassing at least one initial pipeline stage.
US07685409B2
A device includes a multimedia processor that can concurrently support multiple applications for various types of multimedia such as graphics, audio, video, camera, games, etc. The multimedia processor includes configurable storage resources to store instructions, data, and state information for the applications and assignable processing units to perform various types of processing for the applications. The configurable storage resources may include an instruction cache to store instructions for the applications, register banks to store data for the applications, context registers to store state information for threads of the applications, etc. The processing units may include an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) core, an elementary function core, a logic core, a texture sampler, a load control unit, a flow controller, etc. The multimedia processor allocates a configurable portion of the storage resources to each application and dynamically assigns the processing units to the applications as requested by these applications.
US07685399B2
A method for moving the data between the memory addresses in a computer system in which data referenced by memory addresses is stored in physical memory. The method comprises providing a translation mechanism for mapping respective pages of contiguous memory addresses to corresponding locations in the physical memory in accordance with a specified mapping, whereby a first page of memory addresses is mapped to a first location in the physical memory and a second page of memory addresses is mapped to a second location in the physical memory; and changing the specified mapping of the translation mechanism to a new mapping in which the second page of memory addresses is mapped to the first location in the physical memory, thereby effectively moving the data stored at the first location from the first page of memory addresses to the second page of memory addresses without moving the data between locations in the physical memory.
US07685395B1
Described are a storage network and method of presenting a virtual array in the storage network. The storage network includes a first storage array and a second storage array. At least one of the first and second storage arrays has one or more logical units of storage assigned to a virtual array that spans the first and second storage arrays. In addition, at least one of the first and second storage arrays has one or more physical ports coupled to the virtual array. The virtual array is assigned a unique virtual port identifier (ID) for each physical port coupled to the virtual array. A host coupled to a switch can communicate with the virtual array using a virtual port ID assigned to the virtual array.
US07685392B2
A method for providing indeterminate read data latency in a memory system. The method includes determining if a local data packet has been received and storing it into a buffer device. The method also includes determining if the buffer device contains a data packet and determining if an upstream driver for transmitting data packets to a memory controller via an upstream channel is idle, and in response thereto the data packet is transmitted to the upstream driver. The method further includes determining if an upstream data packet has been received and the upstream driver is not idle, then the upstream data packet is stored into the buffer device. The upstream data packet is selectively transmitted to the upstream driver. If the upstream driver is not idle, then any data packets in progress are continued being transmitted to the upstream driver.
US07685389B2
Apparatus, system, and method for setting protection states of protected partitions in storage media
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for setting protection states of protected partitions in storage media. The apparatus includes a control module configured to receive protection state transition commands from a host for a target partition, a check module configured to verify a protection state for the target partition, and a write module configured to perform the protection state transition according to a plurality of defined allowable state transitions. The system includes a host device, a storage device coupled with the host, the storage device comprising an enclosure having storage media and a control module, and the apparatus. The method includes receiving protection state transition commands from a host for a target partition, verifying a protection state for the target partition, and performing the protection state transition according to a plurality of defined allowable state transitions.
US07685381B2
A data structure of readily accessible units of memory is provided. The data structure includes designations of one or more units of memory that while represented in the data structure do not need expensive address translation, other tests or special handling in order to access the units of memory. By employing such a data structure, memory access and system performance are enhanced.
US07685380B1
Individual storage locations in a PROM that stores a configuration file for a PLD may be directly addressed so that selected portions of the data stored therein may be replaced or updated with new data without having to erase all the contents of the PROM, reprogram the PROM with a new configuration file, and/or reconfigure the FPGA with the new configuration file. For some embodiments, a PROM includes a JTAG-compatible interface that is coupled to a JTAG-compatible test circuit provided within the PLD, and circuit within the PLD is configured to directly address individual storage locations in the PROM via the PROM's JTAG interface using well-known JTAG commands.
US07685377B1
A method for storing data that is reconstructable in a piecewise manner comprises receiving a user data unit in the form of a data stream to be stored in the data storage system. A plurality of logical data units associated with the user data unit are then identified. A digital signature is associated with each logical data unit and stored within a component of the data storage system. The logical data unit digital signature is used by the data storage system to determine whether or not to actually store each logical data unit. A digital signature for the entire user data unit is also determined and associated with the user data unit. A reconstructed user data unit when desired is then assembled by examining the stored logical data unit digital signatures.
US07685369B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for tuning the size of the cache. In particular, when a page fault occurs, non-resident page data is checked to determine if that page was previously accessed. If the page is found in the non-resident page data, an inter-reference distance for the faulted page is determined and the distance of the oldest resident page is determined. The size of the cache may then be tuned based on comparing the inter-reference distance of the newly faulted page relative to the distance of the oldest resident page.
US07685343B2
A data access method for serial bus is provided. During a write/read cycle, the write/read cycle is divided into a plurality of transmitting intervals and a plurality of suspending intervals. In each of the transmitting intervals, a clock signal is transmitted on a clock pin and a data signal is transmitted on a data pin. In each of the suspending intervals, the clock signal stop being transmitted on the clock pin. In other words, the present invention uses an interrupted clock signal, such that an embedded controller can directly write a received data in a flash memory or directly output the data read from the flash memory, so as to avoid using a plurality of registers. Therefore, the present invention can decrease the cost of the embedded controller and reduce the area of the integrated circuit.
US07685342B2
A storage control apparatus of the present invention controls the number of multiple commands issued from a host machine without shutting down the host machine. A communication port of the storage control apparatus carries out communications with the hosts in accordance with the iSCSI protocol. Command processing resources are managed for each communication port. A resource allocation control part calculates the number of commands capable of being received on the basis of the remaining amount of command processing resources inside shared port resources, a change in the number of commands received from a host, communication delay time, and the state of execution of a command issued from a host or the like. A MaxCmdSN is calculated by adding the results of command processing by a command execution part and the receivable number calculated by the resource allocation control part to the value of the latest CmdSN received from a host. The storage control apparatus adds the MaxCmdSN to a transmission frame and transmits it to the host.
US07685341B2
An apparatus for the remote wireless control of a consumer electronic audio visual appliance such as a TV set, and/or for internet uploading, includes a remote control handset and a wireless receiver for connection to the appliance. The remote control unit is adapted to transmit audio and/or visual data (A/V data) and control codes to the receiver. The receiver is responsive to the A/V data and control codes to control the appliance to play and/or display the A/V data. The remote control unit includes a reader for a storage medium for A/V data, or a cable or wireless interface to an A/V acquisition device such as digital video or digital still camera or digital music player or recorder.
US07685339B2
A remote control system and a method thereof are provided. The remote control system includes a first host, an adapter, and a peripheral device. The first host converts a first serial signal into a first network packet, and then outputs the first network packet through a network. The adapter is connected to the network to receive the first network packet, and then converts the first network packet into a second serial signal complying with a universal serial bus (USB) format. The peripheral device is coupled to the adapter through the USB, and receives the second serial signal, so that the user can control the peripheral device at a remote site through the network.
US07685332B2
A system for data processing comprises a host circuit (104) and an integrated circuit (102), the host circuit (104) being external to the integrated circuit (102). The integrated circuit (102) includes a plurality of programming elements (300), each element (300) including a host interface (606) for receiving data and a first control signal from the host circuit (104), a control interface (604) for receiving a second control signal. Each element (300) includes a crosspoint switch (318), and a register array (628) for receiving and storing data from the crosspoint switch (318) according to the first and second control signals, for receiving and storing data from the host interface (606) according to the first and second control signals, and for communicating stored data to the crosspoint switch (318) according to the first and second control signals.
US07685331B2
A direct memory access controller (DMAC) is disclosed. In one case, the DMAC is configured to manage a DMA transmission of mass data with non-continuous addresses with a nonvolatile memory. The DMAC has to transmit them in batches according to their respective continuous addresses but, different from the prior art systems, does not interrupt a CPU for each batch of the DMA transmissions. In a DMA transmission between a functional device and the nonvolatile memory, a central processor configures a link-list of cluster addresses, which is obtained from a FAT (i.e., a file allocated table) in the nonvolatile memory and may be non-continuous, in a logic address buffer. Then, a divide unit provided in the DMAC divides a non-continuous link-list of cluster addresses from the logic address buffer into a plurality of continuous sub-link-list of cluster addresses, thus the DMAC can configure each batch of DMA transmission according to the continuous sub-link-list of cluster addresses without causing impact on the CPU.
US07685330B2
A memory registration abstraction layer includes decision logic for dynamic, efficient determination of memory copy versus registration. The exemplary embodiments apply to direct memory access environments. The memory registration abstraction layer also includes tracking logic for monitoring the usage history for certain ranges of memory registration requests. The registration logic chooses to copy memory or map memory based on training and observation of application behavior, taking the more efficient performance path without requiring changes to the application.
US07685325B2
A system for generating bus signals for a plurality of remote stations. Bus data packets are comprised of a plurality of data blocks. Each data block is directed to a remote station. The position of each data block in the data packet identifies the remote station to which the data block is directed. Each of the remote stations receives each data packet substantially synchronously. The remote stations decode the data packets to determine the type of data packet and identify the content of the data packet directed to it. Each remote station loads the corresponding content from the data packet. Each of the remote stations can then generate output signals based on the data packet content substantially synchronously with the other remote stations.
US07685323B1
A method for automating configuration of devices in a network having a network bus for communicating with the devices, wherein the network is implemented in a physical environment the method comprising detecting a device assembly that is connected to the network bus, wherein the device assembly includes a plurality of devices assembled thereon in a predetermined physical order; upon detecting a device assembly connected to the network bus, determining whether the detected device assembly is of a predetermined first type; upon determining that the detected device assembly is of the first type, reading data from the plurality of devices assembled thereon in an order corresponding to the predetermined physical order of the plurality of devices as assembled on the device assembly; and identifying a physical location in the physical environment of each of the plurality of devices on the first-type device assembly based on the order in which data of the plurality of devices is read from the first-type device assembly.
US07685320B1
A power management system may be configured to allow digital information relating to the power management functions of sequencing and fault spreading to be passed between POL regulators using a standard multi-master multi-slave interface such as I2C bus interface or SMBus interface. POL regulators may be configured via pin strapping, and coupled to a serial data bus where they may monitor bus transactions initiated by other similar POL regulators. Each POL regulator may respond to the bus transactions initiated by other POL regulators according to its configuration, and may perform a variety of tasks associated with sequencing and fault spreading in addition to regulating its own voltage output. When configured with a standard multi-master/multi-slave interface such as an I2C bus interface or SMBus interface, the POL regulators may report information to multiple other POL regulators while maintaining compatibility with non-POL devices also connected to the bus.
US07685317B2
The present invention allows a mobile node to seamlessly move across IP (Internet Protocol) subnets. In one embodiment, the invention includes registering a mobile device with a home agent (HA) through a proxy server, receiving a home internet protocol (IP) address assignment from the HA, assigning the home IP address to the mobile device as an inner IP address, mapping the inner IP address to a physical point-of-attachment of the mobile device, and assigning an outer IP address. The embodiment further includes tunneling packets for the mobile device to the proxy server using the inner and outer IP address, and delivering packets from the proxy server to the mobile device at the point-of-attachment.
US07685314B2
The present invention provides a system and method that facilitates system integration through standardized messages. In one embodiment, standardized-message processing is enabled through the configuration of internal and external integration objects through a user interface.
US07685305B2
An improved loss recovery method for coding streaming media classifies each data unit in the media stream as an independent data unit (I unit), a remotely predicted unit (R unit) or a predicted data unit (P unit). Each of these units is organized into independent segments having an I unit, multiple P units and R units interspersed among the P units. The beginning of each segment is the start of a random access point, while each R unit provides a loss recovery point that can be placed independently of the I unit. This approach separates the random access point from the loss recovery points provided by the R units, and makes the stream more impervious to data losses without substantially impacting coding efficiency. The most important data units are transmitted with the most reliability to ensure that the majority of the data received by the client is usable. The I units are the least sensitive to transmission losses because they are coded using only their own data. While they provide the best coding efficiency, the P units are the most sensitive to data loss because the loss of one P unit renders useless all of the P units that depend on it. The remotely predicted units are dependent on the I unit, or in an alternative implementation, on another R unit.
US07685294B2
Methods and devices for querying any-service-any-port policy systems. A method for a network device to route calls using policy considerations receives a call request associated with a call and queries a policy system to determine if the network can accept the call. A message is then generated that includes a response to the request.
US07685293B2
A mobile communication system that utilizes multiple access technologies achieves multiple session registrations by deriving a plurality of extended unique device identifications from a specific unique device identification (e.g., private user identification (PIID) stored on a subscriber identity module (SIM)) assigned to a user equipment. Each of the plurality of extended unique device identifications have the benefit of allowing multiple registrations with one or more access networks while allowing a home subscriber system to detect the one unique device identification embedded in the extended unique device identifications for authentication purposes. Thereby, a large population of deployed UEs and access network infrastructure may benefit without replacement by allowing a UE to maintain session continuity when transitioning between access networks, to select a preferred access technology when in overlapping coverage areas without session interruption, or to maintain multiple sessions (e.g., simultaneous Voice over IP (VoIP) and media streaming) with different access networks.
US07685291B2
Messaging service interoperability methods. A client implements a messaging service version (X.Y), in which X is a major version number and Y is a minor version number. The client sends a PDU (Protocol Data Unit) with version (X.Y) to a server. If the PDU with version (X.Y) is not accepted by the server, the client reselects a messaging service version (Z.H), and sends a PDU with the reselected version (Z.H) to the server. Reselection of the messaging service version and sending of a PDU with the reselected version are repeated until the PDU is accepted by the server or all possible reselected versions have been selected.
US07685285B2
Method and apparatus for managing executions of a management program within a data processing system
A management apparatus for managing executions of a management program within an information processing apparatus is disclosed. The management apparatus includes a use state acquisition means, an index value recording means, a time band selection means, and a program execution instruction means. After acquiring a use state of the information processing apparatus, the use state acquisition means quantifies the acquired use state into an index value. The index value recording means then records the index value for a time band. The time band selection means selects a time band where an index value indicates that the information processing apparatus has not been used at or above a predetermined reference rate. The program execution instruction means causes the management program to be executed on the information processing apparatus at the scheduled time band selected by the time band selection means.
US07685277B2
A method and system for automatically identifying an optimal set of attributes of entities included in a networked system. Entity types are ranked based on information gain. A first classification accuracy relative to a first entity type is determined. The first entity type is the top-ranked entity type or a first aggregate entity type. A second entity type is selected based on the ranking. A database join of a first set of attributes associated with the first entity type and a second set of attributes associated with the second entity type is performed. A second classification accuracy relative to a second aggregate entity type generated by the join is determined. In response to determining that the second classification accuracy is not greater than the first classification accuracy, an optimal set of attributes contributing to a problem in the networked system is identified as the first set of attributes.
US07685274B2
A method for removing duplicate data entries from a database that includes a plurality of application server nodes in an application server cluster includes tracking items using a plurality of ADA devices in a plurality of locations, receiving ADA observations over a network from the plurality of ADA devices, and balancing a load of data communications including the ADA observations so that the ADA observations are sent to different application server nodes of the application server cluster. The method further includes filtering duplicate observations at each application server node and separately filtering duplicate observations between the plurality of application server nodes.
US07685273B1
A system obtains a script containing at least one transaction to be performed with the web site, the at least one transaction defining a sequence of page requests identifying at least one web page to obtain from the web site. The system executes the script to perform the at least one transaction, performance of the at least one transaction including retrieving the sequence of the at least one web page. The system detects a capture event associated with the at least one web page, and in response to the capture event, captures content of the at least one web page. The system packages the content of the at least one web page into a container capable of being rendered, such that the container provides a plurality of components associated with the at least one captured web page, and delivers the container to a repository.
US07685258B2
Embodiments provide mechanisms and methods for providing disconnectible applications capable of executing at least semi-autonomously, i.e., without needing constant contact with a server, on a client substantially independent of server connectivity. The ability of a disconnectible application to execute on a client substantially independent of server connectivity can enable enhanced flexibility in organizing applications to build data processing systems.
US07685249B2
The cellular phone 1a sends a printing request to the PC 2 using a protocol that is allowed to connect bi-directionally between an internal network and an external network at the firewalls 5a and 5b, the PC 2 uploads a printing job to the file server 4 using a protocol that is allowed to connect only from an internal network to an external network at the firewall 5a, and the printer 3a downloads the printing job to print from the file server 4 using a protocol that is allowed to connect only from an internal network to an external network at the firewall 5b. The present invention enables one to form images of files stored on an image forming data transmission device on a first intranet on an image forming device on a second intranet using a portable terminal and a file server on an external network.
US07685248B1
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for data forwarding storage. A user system communicates with a network of interconnected computer system nodes. The user system includes an input/output device including a user interface to initiate the sending of a request from the user system to store data on the network of nodes; to control at least one function of storage of the data in the network of nodes, wherein the data is continuously forwarded from one node memory to another node memory in the network without storing on any physical storage device in the network; and to display information regarding file storage in the network.
US07685240B2
To provide an e-mail communication apparatus, an e-mail communication method and a program capable of, in the case of receiving e-mail which is split e-mails including request-to-send (RTS) information for transmitting the e-mail to a predetermined destination, suitably performing transmittal confirmation without transmitting to a source the e-mail of the transmittal confirmation as to each of multiple pieces of the split e-mails. First, an MFP 100 having received the e-mail determines whether or not the e-mail is one of multiple divided data pieces generated by dividing image data by a data amount so as to store it. In the case where the received data is the divided data, the MFP 100 determines whether or not all the divided data pieces of the image data are stored, and transmits transmittal confirmation mail based on an MDN request if all are stored.
US07685238B2
Privacy protection of data content is provided by identifying one or more applications running on a suitably configured device, and marking each of the applications to indicate that a respective one of the applications is permitted or not permitted to issue messages in an all share public mode. The data content of such messages is hidden from public view in response to the application not having the requisite permission to issue messages in the all share public mode. A computer program and mobile terminal device for providing privacy protection of data content are also presented.
US07685229B1
A system and method allows a user to view server side code results on a computer system by storing source code for a web page on the server, retrieving the web page from the server, associating the server side code results with the server side code that caused the server to produce them, and displaying the server side code results, for example in place of the server side code. The operation of the method and system may be periodically repeated to incorporate updates to the server side code results. The user may graphically adjust characteristics of the server side code results, and if the user so adjusts them, the system and method adjusts the source code for the web page consistent with the adjustments made by the user.
US07685208B2
Modeling an electronic data interchange (EDI) document using extensible Markup Language (XML) at runtime. A plurality of structural elements is identified in the EDI document. A plurality of corresponding data values is identified from the identified plurality of structural elements in the EDI document. A plurality of annotations is generated for a plurality of rules included in the EDI document. The plurality of rules defines operations associated with the plurality of corresponding data values. The determined data values and the generated annotated is transformed into an XML schema corresponding to the EDI document. The XML schema is processed at runtime.
US07685202B2
An event importance adjustment device which extracts events which reflect a course of video contents, and extracts scenes which reflect the course of the video contents. The event importance adjustment device comprises a digest scenario information storing unit that manages a digest scenario information indicative of an extraction condition and an extraction order of an event. The event importance adjustment device further comprises a scenario importance adjusting unit that inputs event information with importance containing the events and situation information to extract an appropriate event.
US07685191B1
A tracking system passively tracks and records searches conducted by actual search engine users. The recorded data for each search event preferably includes the search query submitted, the search engine used, the search result item (e.g., web page) selected, the position (e.g., page number) of this item, and the user's IP address. The collected data is aggregated and analyzed to generate data regarding the search queries used to locate and access particular destinations (e.g., web pages and sites). This data may be used for various purposes, such as (1) to, generate reports showing, e.g., how users reach a particular destination from different search engines and geographic locations, (2) to select content to display on a destination page, such that the content is relevant to search queries commonly used to locate that page, and (3) to update the database of one search engine to reflect searches conducted on other search engines.
US07685188B2
Mechanisms for executing a transaction such that it may be undone after being committed. The mechanism maintains a mapping between each of a number of groups of one or more direct methods with a corresponding group of one or more inversion methods, that, when executed, causes the computing system to at least partially undo the effects of the execution of the corresponding group of direct methods. Upon beginning a transaction, the computing system runs a one or more groups of one or more direct methods that are part of the transaction. The mapping is then used to identify the corresponding group(s) of inversion methods. The identities of each corresponding group of inversion methods are then saved to a compensation record. The transaction is then committed, and the compensation record is saved to a persistent media along with a transaction identifier.
US07685186B2
In-place data transformations are performed on file data by moving data blocks from a source file into a temporary file and then from the temporary file into a destination file each time in a back to front fashion enabling truncation of the source file while the temporary file is being expanded and written into. Similar read, write, and truncate operations are performed between the temporary and destination files as well resulting in optimized use of available disk and/or memory space. An initial log file with information such as source file name, size, transformation type and direction is generated for recovery from a mid-transaction interruption. Based on a state (truncation, data content) of the temporary and source files, a status of data transfer prior to interruption is determined and remaining data transferred.
US07685180B2
Provided is a system and program for automatically handling an error when retrieving a file for an application. An error is detected while the application retrieves a file from the storage device. A user defined policy is checked to determine whether a backup copy should be restored, and the file is restored from the backup copy if the user defined policy indicates that the backup copy should be used.
US07685178B2
A system and method for examining the content of a client file system stored on an exported lun is provided. A client agent interfaces with a client file system to determine block layout information of data containers within the client file system. This block layout information is then transmitted to the storage system exporting the lun. The storage system utilizes the block layout information to generate a shadow volume utilizing the storage system's file system.
US07685176B2
The present invention relates to systems and methods of asynchronous data replication. In an embodiment, the system includes a primary host that asynchronously transmits write and sync commands where each write and sync command includes a data set ID and a sequence number. A secondary host coupled to the primary host receives the write and sync commands out of order, tracks receipt of write and sync commands, and after receipt of the write and sync commands of the data set writes blocks associated with the write commands to data storage coupled to the secondary host.
US07685174B2
A method for regenerating computer files on a computer system having a computer with an operating system, the method includes receiving an input from a user to specify monitored files, detecting modification of at least one of the monitored files, and replacing the at least one modified monitored file with a backup copy of the at least one modified monitored file.
US07685171B1
Described are techniques for performing restoration processing for a data segment. A list of tokens is received. The list represents a first data state of said data segment. Each of the tokens correspond to a data portion of said data segment. Data portions of the data segment are scanned. A token is determined for each data portion. The token represents the data currently stored in said data segment at said each data portion. For each data portion of said data segment, it is determined whether a first token from said list associated with said each data portion is different from a second token associated with said each data portion. The second token is determined as part of said scanning and corresponds to data currently stored at said each data portion. Each data portion of the data segment determined to have a first token that is different from a second token representing data currently stored at said each data portion is restored.
US07685169B2
Maintenance of plural active file systems, wherein each of the active file systems initially access data shared with another of the active file systems, and wherein changes made to each of the active file systems are not reflected in other active file systems. When a second active file system is created based on a first active file system, the first active file system and the second active file system initially share data. When changes are made to the first active file system, modified data is recorded in the first active file system in a location that is not shared with the second active file system. When changes are made to the second active file system, modified data is recorded in the second active file system in a location that is not shared with the first active file system. Also, creation of the plural active file systems.
US07685168B2
A web page is rendered under the control of a client. A content server divides a webpage in multiple empty partitions. Each of the partitions has an associated pointer to data that can populate the partition. When data changes, the content server transmits pointers for all data for all of the partitions, including new pointers to new changed data. If an old pointer to old data is the same as a new pointer to the new data, the client ignores the new pointer. If the new pointer and the old pointer are different, then the client uses the new pointer to obtain the new data for that particular partition.
US07685161B2
Methods, media data structures, and systems are provided for compressing, streaming, and playing media data. Data sections for frames of media data are compared, and similar data sections are stored once in a compressed media data. A meta data structure maps each similar data section in the compressed media data to its appropriate frame in the media data. A media player that is self-loading and executing is transmitted to a recipient. In one embodiment, the media player detects a network data transmission rate and configures accordingly. Next, the media player requests the meta data structure and the compressed media data and automatically begins receiving, decompressing, and playing the frames of the media data.
US07685149B2
A system and method for identifying and removing potentially unwanted software. A mechanism is provided that identifies suspect programs to a user and allows the user to prevent the suspect programs from running without actually deleting them. In one embodiment, scanner data identifying potentially unwanted software is displayed in a GUI that allows the user to inhibit its continued execution. For example, any software not on a list of known, benign applications/processes may be identified as potentially unwanted. Similarly, software that displays one or more suspect behaviors may be so identified, allowing the user to distinguish between normal and suspect software without irreversibly altering the user's system.
US07685141B2
Techniques are described herein for a connection sub-graph generator that identifies important relationships between entities in entity relationship graphs. The generator first identifies two entities in an entity relationship graphs. A plurality of candidate path relationships between the two entities may be determined. For each such candidate path relationship, the generator determines a path type based on types of edge relationships that make up the candidate path relationship and generates a score value for the candidate path. This score value is based in part on the path type of the candidate path relationship. One or more candidate path relationships that have score values that indicate a high likelihood of interest to a user is selected to be included in a connection sub-graph.
US07685140B2
This invention discloses the concept of a dynamic metasystem managing a dynamic system, achieved through the use of, and an environment (i.e., tools and ontologies) supporting dynamic artifacts. A system for generating a dynamic information system comprises a persistent dynamic repository of data and an integration metasystem. The repository forms an asymmetric navigational database, and the database includes an ontology model. The ontology model has an abstract model framework that supports creation and use of multi-dimensional and asymmetric abstract models of data, and views which define the content and form of presentation of that data using a computer. The integration metasystem includes components that describe components of shared infrastructure and services of an enterprise architecture, and a dynamic information system software tool generating artifacts representing information and views that define the presentation of data. The artifacts are provided to the ontology model, and have interfaces to the abstract model framework that permit creation, reading and modification of the contents of the asymmetric navigational database.
US07685136B2
Summary information for documents are stored as entries in a table in a relational database. Each entry includes a unique identifier, value(s) for a set of attributes and rendering information for the corresponding document. A collation order is obtained that defines a sort order for the documents based on the set of attributes. An index is generated based on the collation order and includes the rendering information for each document. In response to a rendering request or other query, a query that uses index-only access for the summary table can be used to obtain the rendering information. Further, a set of marker values can be included to provide efficient navigation of the index. Still further, additional functionality can be included to display the documents in a hierarchical structure. To this extent, the invention can automatically re-categorize data when the child locations of a hierarchical location exceed a specified number and/or link other relational data to a hierarchical location.
US07685134B2
The present invention provides for systems and methods for communicating media files and creating a collection of media files, also referred to herein as a master media file. In addition, the systems and methods of the present invention provide for the creation of automatic metadata and compilation of metadata associated with the collection of media files. The present invention is able to bond devices, referred to herein as slave devices, such as media capture devices, presence devices and/or sensor devices and instruct the slave devices, particularly the media capture devices, to communicate captured media files with a specified set of metadata included.
US07685124B2
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for performing an authorization check for a user. In one implementation, a data processing system is provided that includes means for storing first data descriptive of at least one directed acyclic graph and for storing second data descriptive of an assignment of a user to a first node of the graph. The data processing system also includes means for receiving an access request of the user, the access request specifying a second node of the graph. Furthermore, the data processing system includes means for determining a least common ancestor of the first and second nodes of the graph and means for performing an authorization check adapted to grant authorization for the access request if the least common ancestor of the first and second nodes is the first node.
US07685119B2
A system is disclosed for expanding a user query based on user learned popularity rankings. User queries often have no exact match, resulting in a user having to refine or abandon the search. The disclosed system obtains popularity rankings based on the content of a user query. The system expands the user query based on the popularity rankings. Thereafter, query results based on the expanded user query may be provided to the user. The system also regularly learns from user behavior and adapts the popularity rankings according to the learned information.
US07685114B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for mapping at run time a value, such as a technical identification (ID) key, to text based on a text association. In one exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes receiving at run time a request, from a user interface at a client computer, the request associated with an object at a server; instantiating, at a server, a service for mapping at run time the value to text based on the text association, the text association being determined before run time; and at run time providing to a user interface at the client computer, the text based on the text association, such that the text is responsive to the request from the user interface.
US07685104B2
A method, system and article of manufacture for query execution management in a data processing system and, more particularly, for managing execution of queries having one or more related query conditions. One embodiment provides a method for managing execution of a query against data of a database. The method comprises receiving a current query against the data of the database, the current query including a plurality of query conditions, for each query condition of the plurality of query conditions, determining whether a previously generated dynamic bitmap index can be re-used for the query condition of the current query, the dynamic bitmap index having been previously generated for a previous query condition associated with a previous query executed against the data of the database; and if the dynamic bitmap index has been generated for the previous query condition, retrieving the dynamic bitmap index, and determining a query result for the current query using all retrieved dynamic bitmap indexes.
US07685100B2
Techniques for analyzing and modeling the frequency of queries are provided by a query analysis system. A query analysis system analyzes frequencies of a query over time to determine whether the query is time-dependent or time-independent. The query analysis system forecasts the frequency of time-dependent queries based on their periodicities. The query analysis system forecasts the frequency of time-independent queries based on causal relationships with other queries. To forecast the frequency of time-independent queries, the query analysis system analyzes the frequency of a query over time to identify significant increases in the frequency, which are referred to as “query events” or “events.” The query analysis system forecasts frequencies of time-independent queries based on queries with events that tend to causally precede events of the query to be forecasted.
US07685086B2
A scheme is used to automatically discover algebraic constraints between pairs of columns in relational data. The constraints may be “fuzzy” in that they hold for most, but not all, of the records, and the columns may be in the same table or different tables. The scheme first identifies candidate sets of column value pairs that are likely to satisfy an algebraic constraint. For each candidate, the scheme constructs algebraic constraints by applying statistical histogramming, segmentation, or clustering techniques to samples of column values. In query-optimization mode, the scheme automatically partitions the data into normal and exception records. During subsequent query processing, queries can be modified to incorporate the constraints; the optimizer uses the constraints to identify new, more efficient access paths. The results are then combined with the results of executing the original query against the (small) set of exception records.
US07685068B2
A system with a transaction operator processor (1) for supporting a business transaction, the business transaction, including at least receiving an order from a communication device (7(j)) of a client, and arranging for an automatic payment transaction associated with said business transaction from a client account to a merchant account; the system has at least one client service provider processor (5(i)) provided with a memory storing client profile data necessary for the business transaction and arranged to communicate the client profile data to the transaction operator processor (1) during the business transaction, the transaction operator processor (1) performing the business transaction upon receipt of the client profile data.
US07685065B2
Method and system for providing minimum contract values in an annuity with lifetime benefit payments
A data processing method administers a deferred annuity product during the accumulation phase for a relevant life. The annuity product has a contract value, a guarantee of lifetime benefit payments and a minimum contract value. Administration of the product determines a minimum contract value, while paying a lifetime benefit payment and a guaranteed death benefit. The lifetime benefit payment does not reduce the contract value below the minimum contract value. If necessary, the lifetime benefit payment is funded by the general account assets of the company that issues the annuity product.
US07685061B2
Methods and systems for collecting payments from customers having delinquent accounts are disclosed. Under a debt recovery partnership, a debt recovery service extends an offer for a debt recovery product to a customer with a delinquent account. If the offer is accepted, the debt recovery service receives an acceptance to the offer from the customer and, thereafter, pays a commission for the delinquent account to the partner. The partner ceases attempts to collect payments on the delinquent account corresponding to the accepted offer and continues attempts to collect payments on delinquent accounts not corresponding to an accepted offer.
US07685053B2
An electronic system, the system for selling fixed income instruments, the system including a second computer having an output device and at least one buyer's computer having an electrically coupled input device and a monitor, the buyer's computer and the second computer being respectively located, the computers being used in cooperation in a multiple computer system in electronically communicating data between the computers.
US07685052B2
A method for facilitating trading of securities over a computer system comprises electronically receiving a buy or sell order for a security from a first user; determining that the order is reasonably priced; transmitting to a second user an electronic notification that a reasonably priced order for the security is present, but without notifying the second user of the side of the first user's order; receiving an order from the second user, wherein the second user's order is a contra to the first user's order and sufficiently aggressive in price to cross the first user's order; and executing a trade comprising the first user's order and the second user's order at the limit price of the first user's order. Also described is an electronic system for facilitating securities trading that comprises a facilitator module, a financial information exchange server, a transactional database, and an analytics server.
US07685046B2
Smaller investors can create and manage on a cost-effective basis a complex portfolio of securities using a mechanism that enables the investor to provide to the system the investor's preferences regarding his portfolio, to generate a portfolio, including fractional shares, that reflects the investor's preferences. The system then permits aggregation of the orders, and netting of orders, generated by multiple investors at various times during the day for execution. In addition, the structure of the computer-based system of the present invention allows its cost to be based on access to or usage of the system (such as a monthly fee) as opposed to by securities orders entered into the system as per common brokerage. The result is that the investor can create a portfolio of directly owned securities with attributes, such as diversification, similar to a mutual fund.
US07685043B2
Apparatuses, computer media, and methods for determining a value of a forest factory. A stump land value component and a biomass component of a forest factory are determined. A value of the forest factory is obtained by combining the components. The stump land value component may be normalized by a crop rotation time period. A carbon value component of a forest factory may be determined and the value of the forest factory adjusted. A land parcel may be partitioned into land partitions, in which forest parameters are associated with each land partition. A stump land value component, a biomass fuel value component, and a carbon credit value component may be determined from the land partitions. The carbon credit value component may be determined a percentage of coniferous trees, deciduous trees, and corresponding constant values of oxygen generation.
US07685025B2
A web-based or computer-implemented system for planning and managing events such as weddings, bar mitzvahs, parties, and any other events involving multiple service providers or vendors including, but not limited to, caterers, entertainers, limousine drivers, and so forth, by means of a single website or portal and forms or contracts that can be customized to meet the service offerings, policy requirements, and pricing structures of individual providers or vendors.
US07685022B1
A system and method of offering media content is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a selection of a disaggregated media content item from a user computer at a server via an online site that offers a catalog of items. The method also includes identifying a catalog item related to the selected disaggregated media content item. Further, the method includes displaying a detail interface via the online site, the detail interface including details related to the disaggregated media content item and a recommendation of the identified catalog item. A graphical user interface (GUI) is disclosed that includes a song-level detail page including a plurality of details related to an individual song available for download via an online site. The GUI includes at least one recommendation of at least one other item associated with a performer of the individual song, where the other item(s) are offered via the online site.
US07685020B2
A mobile commerce receipt system and method providing a user of a mobile telecommunications terminal with a reliable electronic proof of reservation, purchase and/or payment made. By e-commerce means, the user places an order with a vendor or merchant and makes electronic payment. The vendor issues an electronic contract, sending the contract to a Trusted Third Party (TTP) receipt server. The TTP validates the contract, generates an electronic, digital receipt which is to sent the vendor. The vendor sends the receipt to the mobile terminal of the user, the mobile terminal storing the receipt for subsequent presentation at the point of delivery of the ordered goods or services.
US07685011B2
The present invention is a method for improving resource allocation comprising the steps of identifying at least one criteria; Identifying sets of information wherein each set of information includes a unique unit of analysis (UOA-ID), a calendar/clock time (CCT), a CATVAR and a VAR Value; grouping each UOA-ID into an appropriate specific population (Type); identifying a Start Time wherein each UOA-ID has met said at least one criteria; forming at least one prospective or retrospective Cohort time segment for each UOA-ID based on their Start Time; placing the UOA-ID into the appropriate time segment; calculating an eligibility score for each UOA-ID for each time segment; calculating an Eligible Adjusted Variable Value; and generating at least one Output Expression that can be subdivided by each CATVA.
US07685008B2
An account management system has been developed that enables customer or client-related information to be stored, viewed and manipulated in a manner that reflects the relationship among different customers. The account management system includes an account data structure that defines accounts and relates customers to accounts so that the accounts include a group of related customers. In addition, a method of managing an underwriting account for an insurance policy has been developed. In particular, a method comprises the steps of establishing a plurality of participants; assigning each participant of the plurality of participants to an account; establishing business rules at an account level; and providing an underwriting decision for an account based upon the business rules.
US07685005B2
A system and method for computer enabled network patient management of medical devices used in chronic disease management. Utilizing web site and push alert notification of alert level physiologic data derived via analysis of continuous stream wireless data transmissions from a patient, a full cycle improvement over existing modalities is achieved. Proxy and medical device user integration and access is enabled to achieve further contribution to the technical advantages of the system.
US07684998B1
The methods to provide emergency health care to patients with insurance entail creating a special care unit in a hospital and creating a contractual relationship between the special care unit and an association. The qualified patient is insured through the association and is provided with an indicator. An interface is provided for the qualified patient to request an actual time to be seen by the team; confirming the actual time; receiving the qualified patient with the indicator at the actual time, wherein the qualified patient is seen by the team in less processing time than the emergency department; evaluating the qualified patient within 30 minutes of the actual time to ascertain a medical problem; determining if the qualified patient stays in the special care unit or is to be transferred to the hospital's emergency department; treating the qualified patient based on the evaluation; and dispositioning the qualified patient.
US07684992B2
A data processing system (CAR), particularly a smart card coupled to a communication device (MOB), communicating with a remote entity (OP). The data processing system has a location for storing a file (F) which can be downloaded from said remote entity, A program (GS) of the data processing system performs the following steps: before performing data correction in the system, a checking step in which said program (GS) checks whether a file (F) has been downloaded, if such a file (F) is present, the program (GS) modifies the application (APP) on the basis of the data stored in the file (F).
US07684991B2
A digital audio file search method and apparatus for digital audio files is provided that allows a user to navigate the audio files by generating speech sounds related to the information of the audio files to facilitate searching and playback. The digital audio file search method and apparatus searches for audio files in a portable digital audio player in combination with an automobile audio system through speech sounds by utilizing text-to-speech processing and by prompting response from a user in response to the generated speech sounds. The text-to-speech technology is utilized to generate the speech sound based on tag-data of the audio files. When hearing the speech sounds, the user gives instruction for searching the files without being distracted from driving the automobile.
US07684989B1
The present invention relates particularly to a method and system for integrating an interactive voice response (IVR) environment into an existing host processing system to provide automated telephone responses to callers to the host system. The integrated IVR environment is highly scaleable with hardware and software open to the host system for in-house modification and/or addition of components and applications to accommodate additional and/or modified host business logic, host applications, and other host requirements. The integrated IVR environment also alleviates the high cost often associated with the purchase, installation, and maintenance of the IVR functionality for a host processing system.
US07684984B2
To improve the performance and the recognition rate of a method for recognizing speech in a dialogue system, or the like, it is suggested to derive emotion information data (EID) from speech input (SI) being descriptive for an emotional state of a speaker or a change thereof based upon which a process of recognition is chosen and/or designed.
US07684979B2
A band extending apparatus includes a spectral parameter calculating circuit for calculating spectral parameters of a narrow-band input signal, a coefficient calculating circuit supplied with the spectral parameters to convert the spectral parameters into coefficients of a band extended signal, and a gain circuit supplied with a gain from a gain adjustment circuit and multiplying an output signal of a noise generating circuit with the gain to output the resulting signal to a synthesis filter circuit. The synthesis filter circuit forms a filter by receiving coefficients from the coefficient calculating circuit. The signal from the gain circuit is passed through the filter. The synthesis filter circuit outputs a high band signal for band extension. The band extending apparatus also includes a sampling frequency converting circuit, supplied with the narrow-band input signal to output a signal up-sampled to a preset sampling frequency, and an adder for summing the high band signal to the up sampled signal to output a band extended signal.
US07684978B2
The present invention overcomes problems of tandem coding method such as degradation of speech quality, increased system latency and computations. An apparatus for trans-coding between code excited linear prediction (CELP) type codecs with different bandwidths, includes: a format parameter translating unit for generating output formant parameters by translating formant parameters from input CELP format to output CELP format; a formant parameter quantizing unit for receiving the output format formant parameters and quantizing the output format formant filter coefficients; an excited parameter translating unit for generating output excitation parameters by translating excitation parameters from input CELP format to output CELP format; and an excitation quantizing unit for receiving the output format excitation parameters and quantizing the output format excitation parameters.
US07684962B2
Techniques and tools for rating computer products are described. For example, software ratings are based on subjective evaluations to determine computer system requirements for a positive user experience, while a computer running a capability tool rates a computer system's (or hardware component's) ability to run software. A capability rating for hardware is determined by comparing a set of features and performance results with capability rating requirements. In another aspect, a capability rating is communicated using a standardized presentation. In another aspect, capability rating level requirements are proposed (e.g., by a ratings board) and then finalized. A capability rating level is determined for computer products (e.g., by a testing organization) based on the finalized requirements and analysis of the products (e.g., by a computer running a capability tool). In another aspect, a software system comprises an inventory module, a performance testing module, and an inventory and performance evaluator module.
US07684956B2
A method of extracting the shape of a probe tip of a probe-based instrument from data obtained by the instrument is provided. The method employs algorithms based on the principle that no reconstructed image points can physically occupy the same region as the tip during imaging. Sequential translates of the tip shape or volume sweep out an area or volume that is an “exclusion zone” similar to morphological erosion. The embodiments of the alternative method use either the region defined by the tip boundary or simply the tip boundary.
US07684944B2
There is provided a calibration apparatus that calibrates a jitter measuring circuit for outputting a jitter measuring signal with a level according to an amount of jitter in an input signal based on the input signal and a delay signal obtained by delaying the input signal by means of a variable delay circuit. The calibration apparatus includes a delay control section that sequentially sets a first delay amount and a second delay amount in the variable delay circuit and a gain computing section that computes gain in the jitter measuring circuit based on the jitter measuring signal respectively output from the jitter measuring circuit for the first delay amount and the second delay amount.
US07684942B2
A battery management system and a driving method thereof includes a sensing unit and a micro control unit (MCU). The sensing unit measures a battery temperature and a battery current. The MCU receives the battery temperature and current, detects battery internal resistance corresponding to an estimated state of charge (SOC) and the battery temperature when the estimated SOC is included within an SOC area corresponding to the transmitted battery temperature, and estimates a battery state of health (SOH) by using the battery internal resistance. In the SOC area, a variation of the battery internal resistance is minimized.
US07684938B1
Acoustic windows that are portions of an ultrasonic sensor used to measure a rate of flow of a fluid are wetted whenever the fluid is present. These windows may become coated with a contaminant film during operation. The contaminant may be removed by applying an acoustic cleaning signal to the same ultrasonic transducers used in the flow measurement. The cleaning signal frequency is commonly on the order of one to a few tens of kilohertz, which is substantially less than the measurement signal frequency, which is commonly on the order of a few megahertz. Several approaches are described that isolate the cleaning and measurement functions and that provide protection to signal amplifiers that are used in the measurement process and that could be damaged by high cleaning voltages.
US07684927B2
A system and method for performing distributed sequential node localization in active sensor deployment is presented. An equilateral orthogonal reference frame is defined. The reference frame includes s+1 anchor nodes that is placed in s-dimensional physical space. New nodes are sequentially placed in a natural sequential ordering within the s-dimensional physical space to form a sequentially well-connected network. For each of the new nodes, location estimates are obtained for the new node from at least s+1 of the anchor nodes previously placed in the s-dimensional physical space. A location is determined for the new node based on the location estimates. The new node are placed in the s-dimensional physical space as a new anchor node proximate to at least one of the s+1 previously-placed anchor nodes upon satisfactory location determination.
US07684922B2
A cam sensor is provided in a position opposing one surface side of a cam driven sprocket in a valve timing control device. When the valve timing control device is in a high revolution state, a weight is pivoted by centrifugal force caused by the rotation. This allows a projection at the weight to be detected by the cam sensor. In this case, for each rotation of the valve timing control device, the projection of the weight passes the detectable position of the cam sensor and a pulse is generated in a cam signal to be transmitted from the cam sensor to an ECU.
US07684921B2
The present invention can realize a vehicle running control apparatus including ACC function and map information data recording medium to obtain effective information for safety driving capable for running control meeting a driver's feeling. The first running speed is decided on the basis of the distance between the vehicles and the relative speed. The position detecting means detects the position of own vehicle on a map. The map information getting means gets road information, the width of the road, the radius of curvature, and slope on the basis of the map information. The visible distance estimating means estimates the visible distance on the basis of the map information, deciding the second running safety speed with the estimated visible distance. The running control means decides the object running speed of smallest one of the set speed, the first running speed, and the second running speed.
US07684920B2
In a method for parameter-related driver input gauging in motor vehicles, with the position of a moveable control element being determined, a theoretical maximum value of at least a parameter relevant for the drive system is defined and an actually recallable value of this parameter is determined. A change from a static to a dynamic driver input gauging is carried out below the actually recallable value of the parameter relevant for the drive system. A static gauging is carried out in a lower value range of this parameter such that the maximum displacement of the movable control element is assigned to the theoretical maximum value of the parameter, and if a threshold of the driver input is exceeded in an upper value range, a dynamic gauging is carried out such that the maximum displacement of the moveable control element is assigned to an actually recallable value of the parameter.
US07684899B2
A method and related non-linear level controller (NLLC) for controlling surge capacity in a processing system including at least one vessel receiving an inlet flow of a fluid including a liquid subject to variation and supplying an outlet flow to at least one downstream unit includes the step of computing a first parameter relating to a difference between a current inventory in the vessel and a prevailing inventory limit for the vessel and a second parameter relating to a difference between the current inventory and an inventory set point. An unforced time to reduce the first parameter by a first percentage (T*) is compared to a first time T1. The inlet flow or outlet flow is then controlled based on the first parameter if T*≦T1 and based on the second parameter if T*>T1.
US07684890B2
In order to improve a simulation system for representing actions of machining units of a machine tool, in particular actions in the machining of a workpiece, in accordance with a CNC machining program complex by means of at least one first visualization unit in the form of actions of virtual machining units of a virtual machine tool, comprising an action control, which has at least one first data processing unit, which establishes control commands for actions of the virtual machining units by a control program processing CNC blocks of the CNC machining program complex, and a visualization control, which has at least one second data processing unit, which represents actions of the virtual machining units on the first visualization unit by a visualization program on the basis of configuration data of a stored machine model and the control commands determined by the action control, in such a way that it can be operated more easily, it is proposed that the simulation system comprises an operating control with a third data processing unit, which operates the action control by an operating program, and that the operating program has a program management function, which transfers at least program parts of the CNC machining program complex in a workpiece-related manner from said CNC machining program complex stored in a memory of the third data processing unit to the action control for executing said program complex.
US07684873B2
An implantable medical elongated member includes a first outer surface portion and a second outer surface portion extending around at least ten percent of an outer perimeter of the elongated member. A fixation element extends a distance from the first outer surface portion of the implantable medical elongated member. A longitudinally-extending section of the second outer surface portion proximate to a distal end of the elongated member is substantially devoid of any fixation elements that extend the distance from second outer surface portion. In some embodiments, the longitudinally-extending section of the second outer surface portion is substantially devoid of any exposed electrodes.
US07684863B2
The invention provides methods and apparatus for determining in a non-tracking pacing mode (e.g., DDI/R, VVI/R) whether a ventricular pacing stimulus is capturing a paced ventricle, including some or all of the following aspects. For example, increasing a ventricular pacing rate a nominal amount to an overdrive pacing rate higher than a most recent heart rate and evaluating a conduction interval from a first pacing ventricle to a second sensing ventricle and then continuing to monitor the underlying rate to ensure that a threshold testing pacing rate will not exceed a predetermined minimum interval and providing pacing stimulation to the first ventricle and sensing the second ventricle to determine whether the pacing stimulation to the first ventricle was one of sub-threshold and supra-threshold. The methods and apparatus are especially useful in conjunction with ensuring actual delivery of a ventricular pacing regime (e.g., cardiac resynchronization therapy or “CRT”).
US07684859B2
Apparatus is provided including one or more electrodes, adapted to be applied to an otic-ganglion site of a patient selected from the group consisting of: an otic ganglion, an associated neural tract of the otic ganglion, an afferent fiber going into the otic ganglion, and an efferent fiber going out of the otic ganglion. The apparatus further includes a stimulator, configured to drive the one or more electrodes to apply a current to the otic-ganglion site, and to configure the current to activate the otic-ganglion site sufficiently to induce at least one effect selected from the group consisting of: a change in cerebral blood flow (CBF) of the patient, and a change in permeability of a blood-brain-barrier (BBB) of the patient. Other embodiments are also described.
US07684854B2
The present invention relates generally to an electric non-contact apparatus and method for taking electrocardiograms and, more particularly, to an electric non-contact apparatus and method for taking electrocardiograms, in which an examinee can have an electrocardiogram taken in a comfortable position because the apparatus and method are applied to a chair, a bed or a vehicle seat, which are widely used in daily life, and in which the examinee can unnoticeably have an electrocardiogram taken without being conscious of the taking of the electrocardiogram because the taking of the electrocardiogram is performed on the body of a human wearing clothes without directly contacting the body.
US07684853B2
A method for suppressing power frequency common mode interference comprises the following steps of: receiving a bioelectrical signal from a living body on examination by phase compensating and processing circuitry; analyzing the characteristics of the bioelectrical signal and determining a phase compensation amount by the phase compensating and processing circuitry; performing a corresponding time delay processing on an amplified signal outputted by the driving circuit; and providing the delay signal to the living body on examination.
US07684850B2
A method for position sensing includes placing at a known position within a body of a subject a reference probe including at least one reference electrode. Electrical currents are passed through the body between the reference electrode and body surface electrodes. Characteristics of the electrical currents are measured and are used to generate an approximation of the known position of the reference probe. A correction factor is determined based on a relationship between the approximation and the known position. A target probe including at least one target electrode is placed within the body of the subject and second electrical currents are passed through the body between the target electrode and the body surface electrodes. Characteristics of the second electrical currents are measured and used to generate a calculated position of the target probe. The correction factor is applied to correct the calculated position.
US07684849B2
A receiver for determining the location of a marker that is excited with an exciting waveform. A sensing array having coils is used to sense magnetic flux from the resonating marker. The coils provide inputs to the receiver. The receiver includes a correlation processor for analyzing the inputs in a coherent manner. Further, the receiver is synchronized to act on inputs that are gathered when a treatment radiation source is inactive.
US07684847B2
When performing imaging in synchronization with a biological movement of an examinee by using a pulse sequence applying a pre-saturation pulse, it is possible to reduce irregularities of echo signal intensity and artifact on the image generated by the irregularities. Especially, it is possible to prevent artifact attributed to blood in the ventricle when performing delay contrast imaging. For this, before measuring the echo signal, an IR pulse or the like for adjusting magnetization to a desired state is applied so as to suppress irregularities of the echo signal intensity and prevent artifact.
US07684838B2
The present invention relates to a mobile device cradle, having one or more docking members for removably receiving a mobile device capable of sending and receiving communications via a communication network in the form of signals, a connection to an antenna capable of communicating signals to and from a base station of the communication network, and a means for communicating signals to and from the mobile device. In the preferred embodiment, the mobile device cradle is mounted inside a vehicle and is used to improve the signal between the mobile device and the communication network.
US07684827B2
A method for enabling a communication via a mobile phone enables a comfortable creation of communications during a context of a mobile phone provided by a conventionally static application. It is proposed that the method comprises as a first step displaying information 2,3,4 available for a specific content on a display of the mobile phone. In a next step, it is detected whether a user selected a displayed information 4,5. In case an information 4,5 is selected, the kind of the selected information is determined. Then, functions 6,7 associated to the kind of the selected information are presented on the display. To at least one kind of possible information the establishment of at least one kind of communication is associated as at least one function. Finally, a function 7 selected by a user is activated. The invention relates equally to a corresponding mobile phone.
US07684826B2
A transmit digital processing system for wireless transmission of HDMI and/or DVI data using an FPGA. The FPGA converts the data into two data streams and includes a front end component multiplexing video data with control data. A complementary receive FPGA is also disclosed.
US07684820B2
Systems and methods for selecting a ground station for air-ground communications are disclosed. In an embodiment, a system includes a communications device operable to maintain bi-directional communications between an aircraft and a selected ground station, and a communications processor coupled to the device that is configured to select the ground station by executing a logical rule that is based upon a signal strength value of the ground station and at least one of an aircraft altitude and an occupancy value of the frequency channel.
US07684801B2
An object of the present invention is to avoid packet loss and implement a seamless handover by minimizing the handover latency when a handover is implemented by a multihomed moving network (MN) or a mobile host (MH). The present invention is a mobile communication system that is constituted comprising an MN, a plurality of AI each constituting an interface for the connection to a core network at the MN, and a control device (MMF), wherein the MMF dynamically changes the AI adopted as the connection interface when a predetermined condition is satisfied on the basis of the connection status to the core network at each AI or the prediction information for a subsequent handover. In so doing, the control device continues the transmission and receipt of data with respect to an appropriate AI capable of maintaining a predetermined communication quality, and maintains the connection to the core network of another AI while causing this AI to enter a closed state in which the transmission and receipt of data is disabled.
US07684799B2
A method for sleep mode during an impending handover is disclosed. The method comprises receiving (104) from a network a handover threshold value. Then once in sleep mode, monitoring (128) a channel condition of a handover candidate cell and determining that the handover threshold value of the handover candidate cell has been exceeded. After receiving a pending data indicator, remaining awake (134) to receive a data set associated with the pending data indicator. The network re-schedules (216) transmission of the data set to the mobile station.
US07684798B2
An apparatus and method is provided for facilitating the handoff of a mobile terminal from a first access device in a first network to a second access device in a second network. Prior to performing a handoff operation, the first access device inquires as to whether the mobile terminal is authorized to be handed off to the second access device and, in response thereto, completes the handoff. If the mobile terminal is not authorized to be handed off to the second access device, the handoff operation is inhibited, preferably without using any radio frequency resources of the second access device.
US07684792B2
The present invention provides safe and secure application distribution and execution by providing systems and methods that test an application to ensure that it satisfies predetermined criteria associated with the environment in which it will execute. Furthermore, by using rules and permission lists, application removal, and a modification detection technique, such as digital signatures, the present invention provides mechanisms to safely distribute and execute tested, or untested, applications by determining whether the application has been modified, determining if it has permission to execute in a given wireless device environment, and removing the application should it be desirable to do so.
US07684789B2
A transceiver, comprising an interface for receiving at least one message, a display unit provided to assume at least one switched-on operating state and at least one switched-off operating state, a message indicator indicating a receipt of a message by a unit of a signal, independent of the operating state of the display unit, wherein the message is associated with at least one message parameter, and a unit for evaluating the message parameter with the signal provided as a function of evaluation of the message parameter.
US07684788B2
A method and apparatus for processing messages received by a device from a network. The method comprises receiving a message that indicates that the device should be in a dedicated channel state (such as Cell_DCH), wherein the message is a message other than a reconfiguration message (e.g. CUC) and, in response to the message, clearing from the device any record of a cell identifier (C_RNTI).
US07684782B2
A method and system of making an emergency voice call is disclosed. Location data is received from a positioning device. A location area identifier is determined. The location area identifier corresponds to a geographical area encompassing a geographical location being represented by the location data. A voice call destination number is identified. The voice call destination number is associated with the location area identifier. The voice call destination number is utilized in order to communicate with a public safety answering point.
US07684781B2
An object is to reduce troubles during pressure bonding of an antenna in a wireless chip including a thin film. A wireless chip made from a thin film is formed, in particular a wireless chip including a memory area including an organic compound layer, and a distance between the memory area and a pad is a prescribed value or longer. As a result, data writing can be carried out without being affected by stress or heat during pressure bonding of the antenna. For a substrate over which the wireless chip is provided, a glass substrate or a silicon wafer can be used.
US07684773B2
Disclosed is a mobile communication terminal which is provided with an equalizer function of audio equipment to adjust a timbre of transmitting/received speech sounds so as to satisfy a great number of users having various individualities and tastes simultaneously. The mobile communication terminal according to the present invention includes an equalizer connected to a CODEC, a speaker and a microphone for adjusting a timbre of an analog speech signal inputted thereto from the CODEC and/or a speech signal inputted thereto through the microphone, and an equalizer control circuit for controlling a timbre control operation of the equalizer according to a control signal of a CPU.
US07684772B2
A tuner down-converts a Radio Frequency (RF) wireless signal and outputs the converted signal. The tuner compensates for a TOP depending on a temperature and: detects a received signal strength depending on a RF output of the tuner and transmitting the detected strength to a gain control unit; measures an operating temperature of the tuner and transmits the measured temperature value; receives the measured temperature value to compare the received temperature value with a reference TOP value, compensating compensates for the TOP value depending on variation in temperature and outputting outputs the compensated value; and receives the compensated value to control the RF output based on the TOP value and the received signal strength.
US07684770B2
There are disclosed a transmission device and a reception device having a high secrecy making it difficult to wire tap by a third device. The transmission device includes a modulation section which can be modulated by a plurality of modulation methods and a transmission section which can transmit a radio signal by using a plurality of carrier frequencies. Moreover, the reception device includes a demodulation device which can demodulate by using a plurality of demodulation methods and a reception section which can receive a radio signal by using a plurality of carrier frequencies. The transmission communication method or the reception communication method is changed as the time elapses by changing the combination of the modulation method or demodulation method and the carrier frequency, thereby transmitting or receiving data.
US07684758B2
A system and method of reducing interference in a wireless communication network is disclosed. The method comprises adapting a transmission power of a signal of a wireless communication device when a clear channel assessment threshold equals a predetermined limit and a packet error rate exceeds a predetermined packet error rate threshold. In particular, the method includes increasing the transmission power of the signal when the clear channel assessment threshold equals a lower limit and the packet error rate exceeds an upper packet error rate threshold and decreasing the transmission power of the signal when the clear channel assessment threshold equals an upper limit and the packet error rate falls below a lower packet error rate threshold.
US07684747B2
In an image forming apparatus including a toner image forming section, a transfer section, a recording medium supplying section, and a control unit, an image forming unit that forms, for example, a yellow toner image causes liquid-repellent particles to be adhered onto a part of a photoreceptor drum other than an electrostatic latent image, causes fixing fluid to be adhered onto a part of the electrostatic latent image such that only the fixing fluid is transferred onto an image forming roller, and causes the fixing fluid to be supplied on the image forming roller.
US07684740B2
A belt driving controller is disclosed. The belt driving controller executes driving control of a belt that is wound around plural sustaining rollers by controlling a driving sustaining roller that transmits driving force to the belt. The belt driving controller executes the driving control of the belt by controlling the driving sustaining roller so that a moving velocity fluctuation of the belt caused by a PLD (pitch line distance) fluctuation in the belt circumference direction becomes small, based on rotation information of rotation angle displacement or rotation angle velocities of two sustaining rollers in the plural sustaining rollers, in which two sustaining rollers, the diameters thereof are different from each other and/or the degrees to which the PLDs of parts of the belt which wind around the two sustaining rollers influence the belt moving velocity and the rotation angle velocities of the two sustaining rollers are different from each other.
US07684738B2
A developer feeder for wet developing apparatus having a developing roller rotationally engaged with a photoconductor drum and a feed roll in part immersed in a liquid developer and rotationally engaged with the developing roller for supplying the liquid developer onto the developing roller can be made to furnish the peripheral surface of the developing roller with the liquid developer even in thickness by using a plurality of feed rollers which are not mesh rollers but whose peripheral surfaces are smooth and which are arranged circumferentially of the rotational developing roller.
US07684726B2
An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device for fixing a toner image formed on a recording material by heat and an outer cover, and the outer cover is configured to be the multi-layer of an intermediate layer having a metal made wall and an acoustic absorption member for absorbing a sound, and the intermediate layer is provided with the outer cover configured to have an heat conductive member higher in heat conductivity than the acoustic absorption member.
US07684722B2
Disclosed is an image forming apparatus which registers jobs in an order of acceptance of the jobs and which carries out an image forming process and a post-processing for a recording medium according to a content of the registered jobs comprising a comparing unit to compare a time needed for a post-processing of a first job which is being executed with a time needed for an image forming process of a second job which is on stand-by and which is registered and a control unit to execute the image forming process of the second job which is on stand-by after an image forming process of the first job which is being executed is ended and while the post-processing of the first job is being executed according to a comparison result of the comparing unit.
US07684720B2
A metered device includes a printing system for generating billable and non-billable electrostatographic images. The device includes a billing meter configured to store usage data related to the generation of the electrostatographic images. A CPU or processing unit is configured to increment the billing meter for each billable and non-billable electrostatographic image generated by the printing system. A user interface configured for controlling the image capture device, enables interrogation of the CPU. The device further includes a service counter for storing usage data related to the generation of non-billable electrostatographic images. The service counter is configured for editing by the CPU through the user interface to credit the usage data stored on the billing meter. The device further includes a network interface for transmitting the usage data stored on the billing meter to a billing service and a memory for storing the usage data that is transmitted to the billing service.
US07684719B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a charging member for electrically charging the image bearing member through electric discharge by applying, to the charging member, a DC voltage biased with an AC voltage; and voltage condition determination means for determining a voltage condition during image formation on the basis of each of the values of AC currents obtained by applying a plurality of DC voltages biased with the AC voltages to said charging member.
US07684713B2
A calculation processing unit controls temperature of a Peltier device based on a slope of a waveform obtained by subtracting a waveform of a B-arm monitoring signal from a waveform of an A-arm monitoring signal and a value obtained by subtracting a value B of the B-arm monitoring signal from a value A of the A-arm monitoring signal. Similarly, the calculation processing unit controls a phase of the A-arm and a phase of the B-arm. An A-arm side micro-controller controls temperature of an A-arm side heater 22 based on the value of the A-arm monitoring signal, and controls the phase of the A-arm. A B-arm side micro-controller controls temperature of a B-arm side heater based on the value B of the B-arm monitoring signal, and controls the phase of the B-arm.
US07684712B1
A method of recovering a most likely value of each symbol transmitted through an optical communications network using a high speed optical signal. A stream of multi-bit digital samples of the optical signal is processed to generate a respective multi-bit estimate X′(n) of each transmitted symbol. A first function is applied to each symbol estimate X′(n) to generate a corresponding soft decision value {tilde over (X)}(n). Each soft decision value {tilde over (X)}(n) is processed to generate a corresponding hard decision value. {circumflex over (X)}(n) having an ideal amplitude and phase. A plurality of successive soft decision values and hard decision values are processed to determine a second function, which is applied to each soft decision value {tilde over (X)}(n) to generate a most likely symbol value {circumflex over ({circumflex over (X)}(n).
US07684710B2
Adaptive transmission of optical signals. A dynamically adaptive optical receiver can include a receive optical subassembly (ROSA). The ROSA can include an opto-electronic transducer configured to receive an incoming optical signal from an incoming optical transmission link, circuitry for evaluating one or more properties related to the incoming optical signal, logic for comparing the one or more properties of the incoming optical signal to stored information representing threshold values, and circuitry for controlling a transmission characteristic of an outgoing optical signal based on a result of the comparison.
US07684693B2
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to convert an object image formed by an imaging optical system into an electrical signal, a power supply unit capable of being supplied with power from first and second power supply systems, and a control unit configured to cause the imaging unit to operate in different control modes according to whether power is supplied from the first power supply system or the second power supply system.
US07684690B2
A method for automatic exposure compensation is disclosed. A shutter is activated and the environmental brightness is detected using a sensor. An exposure value is calculated according to the detection result to obtain a default exposure time. It is determined whether the exposure value is equal to a normal value. If not, a compensation value is calculated based on a shutter-closing curve and a compensation operation is thus executed. Thus, an exposure signal is generated by advancing a first predefined time or postponing a second predefined time, enabling the amount of exposure time to be equal to the addition or subtraction of the default exposure time and the first predefined time.
US07684687B2
To enable easy ascertainment of operating status of an imaging device having multiple optical systems. The imaging apparatus has a first imaging optical system and a second imaging optical system. When the two optical systems are actuated simultaneously, an image captured through the first imaging optical system and an image captured through the second imaging optical system are displayed side by side on an LCD, and an indicator is displayed concurrently on the LCD. The LCD displays a zoom position of each of the optical systems as well as the operating statuses of the optical systems.
US07684678B2
A disc reproducing apparatus connected to a monitor of an image output system controls image display on the monitor. According to information about an instruction given by a user through operation of a remote controller or a front panel key, an MPU sets one of a screen display mode and a screen blanking mode. If the screen display mode is set while audio information is reproduced, a control unit permits a video driver to output a display signal to the monitor. If the screen blanking mode is set while audio information is reproduced, the control unit outputs a inhibit signal to the video driver so as to inhibit output of the display signal to the monitor. When a CD is played, a display image on the monitor is thus erased by output of the inhibit signal as requested according to an externally provided instruction.
US07684677B2
With this invention, at least one of a video file containing video information, a still picture file containing still picture information, and an audio file containing audio information and a management file having management information on a control method of reproducing the information in the file are recorded on an information storage medium. This realizes a data structure that causes the recording and deleting places on the information storage medium to correspond spuriously to places on a single tape, such as a VTR tape. Use of the data structure provides users with an easy-to-use interface.
US07684676B2
With this invention, at least one of a video file containing video information, a still picture file containing still picture information, and an audio file containing audio information and a management file having management information on a control method of reproducing the information in the file are recorded on an information storage medium. This realizes a data structure that causes the recording and deleting places on the information storage medium to correspond spuriously to places on a single tape, such as a VTR tape. Use of the data structure provides users with an easy-to-use interface.
US07684670B2
A wire accommodating apparatus includes a cylindrical portion around which a wire connected to a signal transmission part is wound; a number of wire holding portions which incline externally from the bottom of the cylindrical portion and are disposed pivotably; and a fixed portion formed in the cylindrical portion so as to project downward, passing through an attachment hole of a to-be-mounted member, and fixed therein.
US07684668B2
An exemplary directional light homogenizer includes a one-piece, hollow hexagonal cross-section tube. The tube has an internal highly light reflective surface. The tube defines a first end configured to receive a non-homogenous light from a light source and a second end configured to output homogenized light. At least one curved section is disposed between the first end and the second end, and the curved section has a curvature greater than zero degrees and less than one hundred eighty degrees. An output section of the tube is straight, has a finite length, and terminates at the second end.
US07684666B2
The present invention is a method and an apparatus for tuning an optical delay line. In one embodiment, an optical delay line includes at least one ring resonator in which light is guided or is confined and at least one heater positioned laterally from the ring resonator. The heater produces heat in a localized area, allowing for the tuning of individual delay elements with minimal crosstalk.
US07684664B2
An optical switch includes a microresonator comprising a plurality of nanoparticles. The microresonator is configured to receive signal light having a signal wavelength and to receive a pump pulse having a pump wavelength. At least a portion of the microresonator is responsive to the pump pulse by undergoing a refractive index change at the signal wavelength.
US07684663B2
One embodiment of the present invention includes a flexible interconnect assembly that can convert between optical and electrical signals and that is configured to be easily secured to an electrical device, such as a printed circuit board or integrated circuit chip. The flexible interconnect assembly includes a flexible substrate and one or more optical waveguides that are mounted on the flexible interconnect and suitable for transmitting optical signals. One or more conversion devices for converting between electrical and optical signals are arranged on the flexible substrate. The flexible interconnect assembly optionally includes an attachment fixture that enables the flexible substrate to be reversibly coupled to an attachment apparatus. Particular embodiments of the present invention involve methods, devices and systems for using a flexible interconnect assembly with one or more electronic substrates configured with an attachment apparatus.
US07684661B2
An optical module where breaking of an optical fiber is avoided to improve ease of handling in the assembly process of the module and mechanical reliability of the module including resistance to impact. The optical module has a PD (3) and an optical fiber (5a) that are mounted on the same substrate (2). A covering section (6) for covering the optical fiber (5a) is placed on a deep trench section (24) having a predetermined depth in the Z2 direction from a V-groove-formed surface where a V-groove for mounting the optical fiber (5a) is formed. The distance h from an end face (3a) of the PD (3) to an end face (24a) of the deep trench section (24) and the distance k from an end face (51a) of the optical fiber (5a) to an end face (6a) of the covering section (6) satisfy the relationship of h>k. The optical fiber (5a) is mounted with both the end face (6a) of the covering section (6) and the end face (24a) of the deep trench section (24) made to be in contact with each other.
US07684657B2
An optical sensor and a method of manufacturing such as sensor are provided. The sensor includes a lead optical fiber with a single piece optical element joined permanently joined to its forward end. The optical element defines a spacer with a cavity therein at one end, and a diaphragm at the opposite end. The diaphragm is flexible in response to a parameter and the sensor defines a sensing Fabry-Perot resonator.
US07684655B2
An electro-optic device includes a semiconducting layer in which is formed a waveguide, a modulator formed across the waveguide comprising a p-doped region to one side and an n-doped region to the other side of the waveguide, wherein at least one of the doped regions extends from the base of a recess formed in the semiconducting layer. In this way, the doped regions can extend further into the semiconducting layer and further hinder escape of charge carriers without the need to increase the diffusion distance of the dopant and incur an additional thermal burden on the device. In an SOI device, the doped region can extend to the insulating layer. Ideally, both the p and n-doped regions extend from the base of a recess, but this may be unnecessary in some designs. Insulating layers can be used to ensure that dopant extends from the base of the recess only, giving a more clearly defined doped region. The (or each) recess can have non-vertical sides, such as are formed by v-groove etches, A combination of a vertical sidewall at the base of the recess and a non-vertical sidewall at the opening could be used.
US07684652B2
A system and method for authenticating a plurality of items each of which has a respective readable validation reference, in which information is read from the validation references, one or more items of the items is identified based on information read by the reading means, and the information is verified by comparison with stored data relating to location, origin or ownership of the one or more items.
US07684646B2
A system and method for determining skew of a document image. An image processing system is provided, comprising: an image segmentation system that identifies and segments a line of printed characters; and a skew processing system that determines the skew by calculating slope values for pairs of characters in the line.
US07684645B2
A method for enhancing wide dynamic range in images is disclosed. The method comprises acquiring at least two images of a scene to be imaged, the images acquired using different exposure times. For a first image an illumination mask is constructed corresponding to the illumination in the scene, comprising a set of continuous weight values distinctively identifying respective areas of pixels of high or low illumination, over-exposed or underexposed with respect to a predetermined threshold illumination value, assigning one of the weight values to each pixels, whereas other weight value is assigned to other pixels of the other images. A spatial low-pass filter is used to smooth border zones on the illumination mask, thus assigning pixels in the border zones new continuous weight values in a range between the weight values. A combined image is constructed using combined weight values with image data of pixels assigned with one weight value of the first image and image data of pixels assigned with other weight value of the other images and in pixels corresponding to the border zones using image data from the images proportional to the new weight values.
US07684640B2
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for digital image contrast enhancement.
US07684639B2
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for digital image contrast enhancement.
US07684637B2
An image processing apparatus includes an image input device that reads an original image and obtains image data from the original image by selecting one of plural types of image reading modes of the image input device, an image pre-processing mechanism that performs at least one pre-processing relative to the image data obtained by the image input device, an image pre-processing selecting mechanism that selects at least one pre-processing according to the image reading mode selected by the image input device and causes the image pre-processing mechanism to perform the selected at least one pre-processing, and an information extracting mechanism that extracts specific information included in the image data subjected to the at least one pre-processing performed by the image pre-processing mechanism.
US07684630B2
A method of adjustable spatial and/or temporal compression of an image including a face includes identifying a group of pixels that correspond to a face within a digitally-acquired image. A first compression portion of the image including the group of pixels is determined. A second compression portion of the image other than the group of pixels is also determined. The first compression portion may be automatically compressed with higher-grade compression than the second compression portion to generate a compressed image including the face, or an option to provided the compressed image including the different grade compressions may be provided.
US07684629B2
According to a data compression apparatus for compressing data such as image data, there is determined a difference between adjacent numerical values on the continuity of numerical values constituting data to be compressed. Of the numerical values appearing in the difference data, only the numerical value “YY” is encoded. There is performed such a coding that a continued number Z of the numerical value “YY” is expressed with different bit numbers in accordance with Z<128 or z≧128. In the coding, when data to be compressed is concerned with the binary data represented by only two sorts of numerical values, there is created new data to be compressed, which consists of continued numerical values represented by a unit bit number, in such a manner that the two sorts of numerical values are discriminated in one bit and the continuity of the one bit is expressed for unit bit number on a batch basis, and the created new data is transferred to the first data compression section.
US07684628B2
A fast non-iterative Global Motion Estimation (GME) algorithm is disclosed for estimating the perspective transform global motion parameters from the Motion Vectors (MV) obtained from the block matching process that includes grouping a plurality of motion vectors in the input video stream into a predetermined number of groups of motion vectors, calculating a set of global motion parameters from each of the predetermined groups of the motion vector, and processing the set of global motion parameters generated from the calculation to obtain a final estimation.
US07684627B2
Techniques are provided for image decompression. Compressed pixels are pipelined through various decompression processes. As contexts for some pixels are resolved, the resolved contexts are fed back into selective portions of the decompression processes in order to resolve contexts for other pixels currently being processed.
US07684623B2
The disclosure describes pattern recognition detectors and software used to detect patterns in image streams. The detectors operate on streams of image data, making them suitable for detecting certain types of patterns in documents and images passed between processes and devices. For instance, the streaming mode detectors operate in printer drivers on streams of image data being passed to a printer. Also, the streaming mode detectors operate in scanner drivers on streams of image data being passed from a scanner. The disclosure describes pattern detectors for shapes with complex features as well as objects comprised of many smaller shapes. The disclosure also describes novel raster line and edge tracing pattern techniques.
US07684617B2
In one embodiment, a system for processing an image receives color information including three variables representing a color of each of a plurality of pixels which constitute the image. The system derives a target characteristic value corresponding to a target pixel among the plurality of pixels based on the three variables of the target pixel. The system derives proximate characteristic values corresponding to a plurality of proximate pixels which are proximate to the target pixel. The system replaces the three variables of the target pixel with the three variables of one of the proximate pixels depending on a relationship between the target characteristic value and the proximate characteristic values.
US07684609B1
One embodiment pertains to a method for reviewing a potential defect on a substrate from one electron image. An image of an area containing the potential defect is obtained using a charged-particle apparatus. At least three image segments within the image are determined. The three segments are transformably identical to each other, and one of said three segments includes the potential defect. Another embodiment pertains to a method for reviewing a potential defect on a substrate by obtaining an electron-beam image of a relatively large field of view containing a first image segment. The first image segment is substantially smaller than the field of view and includes a location of the potential defect. A comparison image segment within the field of view is determined. The comparison image segment is transformably identical to the first image segment. Other embodiments and features are also disclosed.
US07684593B2
A driving support system which includes: at least two cameras to take images of areas around a vehicle, whose ranges of field of view partially overlap with each other; a control unit performing a predetermined coordinate transformation on the images taken by the cameras and joining the transformed images together to produce an overhead view image; and a display unit to display the overhead view image. The control unit changes the position of the joint of the transformed images in the overhead view image.
US07684592B2
A real-time computer vision system tracks one or more objects moving in a scene using a target location technique which does not involve searching. The imaging hardware includes a color camera, frame grabber and processor. The software consists of the low-level image grabbing software and a tracking algorithm. The system tracks objects based on the color, motion and/or shape of the object in the image. A color matching function is used to compute three measures of the target's probable location based on the target color, shape and motion. The method then computes the most probable location of the target using a weighting technique. Once the system is running, a graphical user interface displays the live image from the color camera on the computer screen. The operator can then use the mouse to select a target for tracking. The system will then keep track of the moving target in the scene in real-time.
US07684590B2
In a method of recognizing and/or tracking objects which correspond to real objects in at least one sensing zone of at least one sensor for electromagnetic radiation on the basis of images of the sensing zone repeatedly sensed by means of the sensor, succeeding images are evaluated in succeeding cycles and a search is made for at least one respective object found in a cycle on the basis of a corresponding image in a correspondingly later image in a later cycle to track the object. At least one part of an earlier image and/or at least one indication with respect to an earlier state of the object or of a real object corresponding to it, which is determined using a corresponding earlier image in the current cycle, is associated with at least one part of a current image determined in the current cycle or with an object recognized in the current cycle during at least one current cycle on the basis of the results of an at least preliminary evaluation of a current image.
US07684582B2
An acoustic transducer includes a frame, voice coil movable along a pole, magnetic structure generating magnetic flux in a gap where the voice coil moves, diaphragm attached to the coil, waveguide extension in front of the pole, inner flexible roll seal connecting the waveguide extension to neck area of the diaphragm, and outer seal connecting outer periphery of the diaphragm to the frame. The inner flexible roll seal seals the gap between the voice coil and the pole, isolating the air in front of the diaphragm from the air behind the diaphragm. The inner seal provides damping of unwanted resonances of the diaphragm. Together, the inner seal and the outer seal do not substantially decrease the piston area of the transducer, and do not substantially affect the transducer's movement. In combination, the inner seal and the waveguide extension tend to increase efficiency and decrease audio distortions of the transducer.
US07684580B2
The hearing device comprises an insertable part, which is to be inserted into an ear canal of a user of the hearing device. The insertable part may be identical with the hearing device itself, and the insertable part comprises a casing, which casing comprises a deformable part. The hearing device can include at least one deformable volume containing a fixed amount of a filler for changing a cross-sectional area of the deformable part. The cross-sectional area of the deformable part can be changed through changing the axial extension of the deformable part. The hearing device can include a variable volume arranged within the hearing device, the deformable part being arranged on the outside of the variable volume.
US07684577B2
In correspondence with the left and right external ears of a listener occupying a seat, a three dimensional sound field reproducing unit includes at least more than two speakers disposed on a headrest on the top of a backrest of the seat, and three dimensional signal processing means which converts an output signal from a sound source into a three dimensional sound field signal for supplying it to each of the speakers. Three dimensional sound field with high accuracy and fidelity is reproduced near the external ears of the listener.
US07684568B2
A method for communicating in a network is presented. The method includes encapsulating content from a plurality of high level data units from a high level layer to generate a stream; dividing the stream into a plurality of segments; individually encrypting at least some of the segments, wherein an encrypted segment includes a plurality of encrypted blocks, and at least some of the encrypted blocks are encrypted based on at least one other encrypted block within the encrypted segment; and supplying low level data units to a physical layer that handles physical communication over the network, at least some of the low level data units each including a plurality of encrypted segments.
US07684566B2
A stream of content has multiple sub-streams, where each sub-stream comprises a part of the content and is divisible into logical blocks bounded by intrinsic partitions. For each sub-stream, a specification of the logical blocks bounded by the intrinsic partitions is defined and the sub-stream is divided into the logical blocks bounded by the intrinsic partitions. Each divided logical block is encrypted and then divided into one or more portions to produce corresponding pieces of data, and each piece of data is placed into a data packet as a payload thereof. Each data packet is transmitted to a recipient thereof, and the recipient can retrieve the pieces of data from the payloads of the packets, reconstruct the encrypted logical blocks, and manipulate the sub-stream on a per-logical block basis without necessarily decrypting each encrypted logical block.
US07684563B1
An apparatus and method for implementing a unified hash algorithm pipeline. In one embodiment, a cryptographic unit may include hash logic configured to compute a hash value of a data block according to a hash algorithm, where the hash algorithm is dynamically selectable from a plurality of hash algorithms, and where the hash logic comprises a plurality of pipeline stages each configured to compute a portion of the hash algorithm. The cryptographic unit may further include a word buffer configured to store the data block during computing by the hash logic.
US07684562B1
A telephone sanitizing glove that is formed by a glove body of a sound permeable cloth material impregnated with a disinfectant or a sanitizing solution which includes two covers each having a circular cup shape for covering the mouthpiece and the earpiece of a telephone.
US07684555B2
A method for providing fail-over capability in a local branch of a call center includes determining, by a local device, which of a plurality of phones are call center phones. The determination is based on a predetermined rule set. In an alternative embodiment, the method may also include determining, by the local device, which of the plurality of call center phones are available for receiving calls. This may include determining whether a “do not disturb” function of each respective call center phone is invoked, and in response, determining whether the call center phone is available. In addition, this method may involve placing, by the local device, each call center phone into a “do not disturb” mode if the call center phone does not answer a call sent to the call center phone.
US07684551B2
A method of online charging in a communication network. The method includes receiving a service request from a user, determining whether the service request is an access network session, a media network session or a service network session, determining if a type of charging model the user wants to use to provide the service request is an event based model, a volume based model, a time based model, an event based model or a combination of the models, determining which network element corresponding to the access network session, the media network session and the service network session in the communication network is responsible for providing the service request from the user, and provisioning identification rules for providing the service request to the network element that is determined to be responsible for providing the service request from the user. Further, the step of provisioning the identification rules comprises updating the rules when the access network session, the media network session and the service network session interact with each other in a charging transaction requested in the service request from the user.
US07684550B2
A system is provided for managing incoming communications placed in response to advertising, online content, and/or special service numbers. Information extracted from incoming communications can be received by a system server and cross-referenced with a database to obtain cross-referenced customer information pertaining to previous customer communications in the form of online communications, telephone calls, and/or in person customer meetings. The cross-referenced customer information can be passed to a client workstation and displayed to the user in the form of an industry-specific template formatted in accordance with the business needs of the user. The template can be automatically populated with the cross-referenced customer information. The user can view and update the customer information, thereby maintaining a retrievable record of the communication. With regard to the multi-housing industry in particular, customer information can be displayed in the form of a guest card template and/or a service card template.
US07684548B1
A notification and response system utilizes an administrator interface to transmit an attendance messages from an administrator to a contact devices for guardians, employees, and students associated with an institution. The system comprises a dynamic information database that includes guardian, employee and student contact data, priority information, and response data. The administrator initiates distribution of the attendance message based upon grouping information, priority information, and the priority order. The message is transmitted through at least two industry standard protocol simultaneously to groups of guardian, employee, and student contact devices based upon priority information. Once the attendance message is received by the guardian, employee, or student contact devices, the guardian, employee, and student contact devices transmit a response through the industry standard protocol back to the dynamic information database.
US07684545B2
The system includes a conductive window, a spectrum changing layer, a fiber optic bundle, a camera sensor, and a power supply. The spectrum changing layer is excited by the x-rays and emits a different wavelength of light, such as visible light. The fiber optic bundle receives the visible light from the spectrum changing material and transmits the visible light to the camera sensor. The camera sensor detects the light emitted from the spectrum changing layer and converts the information to electronic signals. The camera sensor is cooled by a cooling device, as such thermal conduction may cool the fiber optic bundle. To avoid condensation, current may flow through the conductive window thereby heating the conductive window.
US07684544B2
A portable handheld digital radiographic device is disclosed. The device has a touchscreen interface, an x-ray generator, and a computer system. These components are integrated into one combined device that is designed to be small, lightweight and portable.
US07684543B2
An X-ray beam conditioning device that has a crystal holder and a motor is provided. The crystal holder supports a first crystal block and a second crystal block, each of which diffracts X-ray by a specific diffraction angle. The motor can rotate the crystal holder around an axis extending at right angles to a plane including an optical axis of X-ray and can fixedly support the crystal holder at the rotated position. The crystal holder holds the first and second crystal blocks at such angles to each other such that both crystal blocks diffract X-ray. The optical axes of the two crystal blocks can be adjusted by rotating the crystal holder about the axis, that is, the only one axis.
US07684537B2
In X-ray CT imaging for scanning a subject in the same anatomical region with two kinds of X-rays having different energy distributions, for the purpose of reducing a subject's positional offset between two kinds of tomographic images representing the same slice by a simple control scheme while reducing stress on the subject, a cardiac cycle identifying section 30b identifies a cardiac cycle of a subject 6 by an electrocardiograph 5 or the like, and a scan start time interval setting section 30c sets a time interval from the start of a first scan with first X-rays to the start of a second scan with second X-rays to a time approximately the same as the aforementioned cardiac cycle. A scan control section 30a controls several sections to keep a constant rotation speed of a rotating section 27 and start the scans at the aforementioned time interval. In each scan, projection data over a given view angle sufficient for reconstruction processing for a tomographic image are collected at once.
US07684533B2
A jitter measurement circuit and method having an input for receiving a reference signal whose jitter is to be measured, an input for receiving a clock signal having a series of cycles, and a measurement circuit for measuring the delay between the reference signal and the clock signal on a cycle by cycle bases, giving a cycle to cycle jitter measurement. The measurement circuit includes a plurality of n stages, each stage having a delay element including an input. The second and later delay elements have their inputs connected to the output of the previous stage and the first delay element has an input for receiving the reference signal. One of n latches is connected to the input of a corresponding one of the delay elements. Each latch has a clock input for receiving the clock signal, and an output for latching the value on the latches input when the clock input is clocked by an edge of the clock signal. An analysis logic circuit is provided having a plurality of n inputs connected to the outputs of the latches. The analysis logic circuit analyzes the values on the latches to give a measure of jitter.
US07684512B2
In an example method of scheduling mobile users, mobile users are assigned to one of at least a first layer and a second layer, where each of the first and second layers are associated with a same frequency band. The mobile users are further assigned, in the first layer, to different frequency sub-bands in the frequency band such that the users in the first layer have non-overlapping first sub-band assignments. The mobile users are further assigned, in the second layer, to different frequency sub-bands in the frequency band such that the users in the second layer have non-overlapping second sub-band assignments. The mobile users are then scheduled for transmission based on the first and second layer and the first and second sub-band assignments. In a further example decoding method, layer transmissions are decoded in succession with interference cancellation performed between each layer decoding step. In a second example decoding method, mobile users in multiple layers and within assigned channels are jointly decoded.
US07684511B2
Communication systems and methods are described in which multiple transmit signals are generated from an input stream or signal. The communication systems and methods, collectively referred to as antenna virtualization or virtual antenna systems, generate from each input stream multiple transmit signals that when driven into multiple antennas create a radiation pattern that effectively appears to originate from a single antenna. The communications operations include receiving at least one input stream. Multiple transmit signals are generated from the received input stream; the number of transmit signals generated is greater than the number of received input streams. Generation of the transmit signals involves transforming the input stream. The transforming includes applying one or more of a variable delay, a phase shift, and signal shaping to information of the input stream. The transmit signals are transmitted by a separate antenna of an antenna system.
US07684499B2
A line interface circuit with line side cancellation of a communication device is described herein. In one embodiment, a communication device includes a line interface circuit for interfacing a communication line. The line interface circuit includes a driver for driving multiple transmitting signals onto the communication line over multiple transmitting frequency bands. The line interface circuit further includes multiple transmitting filters each corresponding to one of the transmitting frequency bands. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US07684489B2
A unified solution to coding/decoding of different video formats such as 4:2:0, 4:2:2 and 4:4:4 is provided. A method of video coding includes transforming a first m×n macro block of residual chrominance pixel values of moving pictures by a first integer-transform function generating a corresponding second m×n macro block of integer-transform coefficients, further transforming DC values of the integer-transform coefficients by a second integer-transform function to generate a third block of integer-transformed DC coefficients. The method further includes generating the second m×n macro block of integer-transform coefficients by utilizing a k×k integer-transform function on each k×k sub-block of the first m×n macro block, wherein n and m are each a multiple of k, and generating the third block of coefficients by utilizing a second i×j integer-transform function on the DC values resulting in a (m/k)×(n/k) third block of integer-transformed DC coefficients.
US07684487B2
A method and apparatus for coding an image includes calculation of motion vectors of vertices of a patch in an image being encoded and transmitting information of horizontal and vertical components of the motion vectors of the vertices and information specifying that values of the horizontal and vertical components of a motion vector for each pixel in the patch are integral multiples of 1/d of a distance between adjacent pixels, where d is an integer not less than 2.
US07684485B2
A video encoding method comprises selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations each including a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture, generating a prediction picture signal in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination, generating a predictive error signal representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal, and encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination.
US07684483B2
A method and apparatus for digitizing and compressing video signals for transmitting the signals between a remotely located computer and a host or local computer. The digitization and compression method and apparatus is capable of dividing frame buffers into cells and comparing image data from previously captured frame buffers to create synchronized video signals and transmit the video signals over an extended range by limiting the portions of the transmission bandwidth of pixel data transferred between the remote computer and the local computer. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, a keyboard video mouse switch is disposed between the remotely located computer and the local computer.
US07684474B2
Demodulator architectures for processing a received signal in a wireless communications system. The demodulator includes a number of correlators coupled to a combiner. Each correlator typically receives and despreads input samples (which are generated from the received signal) with a respective despreading sequence to provide despread samples. Each correlator then decovers the despread samples to provide decovered “half-symbols” and further demodulates the decovered half-symbols with pilot estimates to generate correlated symbols. The decovering is performed with a Walsh symbol having a length (T) that is half the length (2T) of a Walsh symbol used to cover the data symbols in the transmitted signal. The combiner selectively combines correlated symbols from the assigned correlators to provide demodulated symbols. One or more correlators can be assigned to process one or more instances of each transmitted signal. The pilot estimates used within each assigned correlator to demodulate the decovered half-symbols are generated based on the signal instance being processed by that correlator.
US07684465B1
A Master-Slave Dwelling technique associated with modified Bluetooth hopping provides performance gains and extended ranges of operation for slow Doppler situations (slower than 1-3 Km/h). The Master and Slave make use of only the good frequencies (frequencies for which the channel is not in a fade due to Raleigh fading) over the Bluetooth transmission bandwidth.
US07684461B2
The present invention relates to a receiver for processing a received signal (SEQ), said receiver being multimode. The invention is characterized in that it comprises; a) a single RF chip for processing the received signal (SEQ) in any mode, said chip comprising a spreading section (SPREAD SEC) for spreading and downconverting to baseband a received signal (SEQ), and a channel filtering section (CH SEC) for DC offsets rejection on a received signal (SEQ), and b) a single baseband chip (BB) comprising despreading means (DSPR) for despreading a spread signal (SEQ).
US07684459B2
There is provided a semiconductor laser apparatus. An electrode of a semiconductor laser diode is bonded via a die attach and the electrode of the semiconductor laser diode includes Au and at least one of materials that compose the die attach except Au, in advance.
US07684453B2
A surface light emitting semiconductor laser element, comprises a substrate, a lower reflector including a semiconductor multi-layer disposed on the substrate, an active layer disposed on the lower reflector, an upper reflector including a semiconductor multi-layer disposed on the active layer, a compound semiconductor layer having a first opening for exposing the upper reflector and extending over the upper reflector, and a metal film having a second opening for exposing the upper reflector disposed inside of the first opening and extending over the compound semiconductor layer, wherein the metal film and the compound semiconductor layer constitute a complex refractive index distribution structure where a complex refractive index is changed from the center of the second opening towards the outside. A method of emitting laser light in a single-peak transverse mode is also provided.
US07684443B2
An IP network includes a central entity and at least one customer premises equipment (CPE) device. The central entity generates a program clock reference (PCR) clock and provides audio-visual packets to a CPE based on the PCR clock. The CPE sets a first clock based on the PCR clock for decoding operations. The CPE sets a second clock that is independent from the first clock for audio and video output operations. For example, the CPE can process the audio-visual packets using the second clock.
US07684437B2
A system and method transmits graphic data received at varying frequencies at a fixed data rate. The frequency dependent data and associated data clock signal are received and the frequency dependent data is converted to frequency independent data. A ratio of a number of data clock cycles to a number of reference clock cycles is determined and transmitted. The frequency independent data and header data are transmitted, at a fixed rate, to a receiver, the fixed rate being a frequency greater than the frequency of the associated data clock signal. The received the frequency independent data is converted to frequency dependent data based upon the received determined ratio. The communication channel may include an optical fiber and a tension member wherein control data is transmitted along the tension member and graphic data is transmitted along the optical fiber.
US07684435B2
A base station system for mobile communication between a mobile terminal and a base station controller, the base station system utilizing a digital modem unit for receiving a signal to be transmitted to the mobile terminal from the base station controller, framing the received signal according to a frame format for transmission different than an Ethernet specified data format, the frame format being a predetermined remote RF (radio frequency) unit frame, the digital modem unit transmitting a plurality of the remote RF unit frames in series over an Ethernet using twisted pair cable, at least one remote RF unit hub receiving the remote RF unit frames transmitted by the digital modem unit and distributing the received remote RF unit frames to a plurality of remote RF units via the Ethernet using twisted pair cable, and the plurality of remote RF units producing a deframed signal by deframing the remote RF unit frames received from the remote RF unit hub, modulating the deframed signal to an RF signal, and transmitting the RF signal to the mobile terminal, wherein the remote RF unit frames are divided into a traffic frame for use in transmitting traffic data, which is transmitted and received by the mobile terminal and a control frame for use in transmitting a control address and control data, the control address differentiating the plurality of remote RF units from one another, the control data containing a command to control operation and functions of the plurality of remote RF units.
US07684433B2
A bi-directional communications interface includes a source multiplexer for connecting to a video source. The source multiplexer includes a source multiplexer input port for receiving an analog video signal from the video source, a source multiplexer output port for driving the video source with an upstream data signal, and a source multiplexer bi-directional port for coupling the analog video signal from the source multiplexer input port to the video cable and for coupling the upstream data signal from the video cable to the source multiplexer output port.
US07684425B2
A process is described to build physical layer frames with a modcode adapted to the signal quality of a destination terminal. Data packets assigned to the same modcode may be sent in the same frame, although packets associated with higher modcodes may be used to complete a frame before switching to the applicable higher modcode for construction of subsequent frames. After an interval, the order of progression is restarted with an out of order packet above a threshold age. Flow control filtering mechanisms and a variable reliability margin may be used to adapt dynamically to the current data traffic conditions.
US07684424B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, a system for memory interleaving in a high-speed switching environment includes multiple memory units that each include one or more memory devices. The system also includes multiple port modules. Each port module can receive a packet communicated from a component of a communications network, write the received packet to one or more of the memory units, and read a packet from one or more of the memory units for communication to the component of the communications network. The system also includes an interconnection network including a hierarchical structure that includes one or more switching stages. The interconnection network couples the memory units to the port modules such that each of the port modules can write to each of the memory units according to a first schedule and read from each of the memory units according to a second schedule and such that a first port module can read a first portion of a packet from one or more memory units for communication to a first component of the communications network before a second port module has received a second portion of the packet communicated from a second component of the communications network.
US07684419B2
A method and system for encapsulating a frame for transport over an optical transport network are disclosed. A method includes receiving a packet at a network device and encapsulating the packet. The packet is received from a network having a line frequency different than a payload frequency of the optical transport network and the encapsulated packet is configured for transport directly over the optical transport network without modification to compensate for the different frequencies.
US07684417B2
To eliminate interruption of a service used by a user and reset of communication caused by switching of an operating server such as a process migration or the like. On receiving a session migration start request, server/network cooperation control means 2 issues an operating server-switching control start notification to an operating server switching control means 3 (step S702). On receiving the operating server switching control start notification, the operating server switching control means 3 switches an operating server. Next, on receiving an operating server switching control completion notification, the server/network cooperation control means 2 sends a connection destination target network-switching request to a connection control means 4 (step S707). The connection control means 4 switches the connection destination target network of the user corresponding to a user name whose connection destination target network is to be switched, from a target network including a main server to a switch destination target network including a backup server (step S708).
US07684416B2
Method and system for automatically identifying the physical location and/or end-to-end connectivity of end-devices, each of which having a unique ID and, normally, being connected to an access point of a network, each access point having a known physical location and being connected to a port of a Switch. Whenever required, the physical location of each end-device is updated.
US07684413B2
A system for transmitting a clock signal through a packet-based network is disclosed. The system comprises a first node configured to measure a clock frequency of the clock signal and calculate an accuracy indicator of the measured clock frequency; a second node configured to receive the clock frequency measurement and the accuracy indicator of the clock frequency measurement, and synthesize the clock signal therefrom; and a packet-based network for transmitting the measured clock frequency and accuracy indicator from the first node to the second node. A method of deriving a clock frequency by identifying packets with the shortest total transmission time is also disclosed.
US07684407B2
A method for reporting missing data of a re-segmented data transmission in a wireless communication device is disclosed. The method comprises determining that a last re-segmented protocol data unit (PDU) segment of a re-segmented PDU has not been received. In response to determining that the last PDU segment has not been received, the method further comprises generating a status report, at a receiving wireless communication device. The status report comprises a beginning segment offset value identifying the byte position from an original PDU that begins the sequence of bytes that are carried in at least the re-segmented last PDU segment and an end segment unknown indicator.
US07684404B1
A method for formatting ATM cells compliant with SPI-4 Phase 2 specification is presented. The method enables selection among various cell formats depending on the devices employed, and enables use of a payload-only test format, a typical format having payload and header data, a format having header error correction (HEC) data and dummy data, and a format having HEC data and user data.
US07684401B2
A fiber channel switch element and method for routing fiber channel frames is provided. The switch element includes a receive segment that can add a virtual storage area network (“VSAN”) tagging header to frames that are received by the receive segment; and strip the VSAN tagging header before frames are sent to ports that do not support virtual fabric capability. The receive segment includes a table used for matching fabric extension parameters. An incoming frame's VSAN identity value is compared to a control word entry to generate a value used for routing the incoming frame. The table is used to determine if a frame is part of a virtual fabric. The routing table for each port is used to route frames and the routing table includes entries for supported virtual fabrics.
US07684398B2
Hardware-enforced zoning is provided in Fibre Channel switches to protect against breaching of assigned zones in a switch network which can occur with software-based zoning techniques. The invention provides logic for performing a hardware-based validation of the Source ID S_ID of frames both at the point where the frame enters the Fibre Channel fabric, and at the point where the frame leaves the fabric. The S_ID is verified against an inclusion list or table of allowable S_IDs, which can be unique for each fabric port. The invention provides a way to increase the range of sources an inclusion table can express, by implementing wild cards, on an entry-by entry basis. If the S_ID is valid, it will enter the fabric and route normally. If invalid, the frame will not be routed but will be disposed of by the fabric according to FC rules. This prevents incorrect S_IDs from breaching the table-driven zoning at the point where frames exit the fabric, to prevent unauthorized access to devices connected to the switch network.
US07684397B2
In a symmetric network address translation system using a Simple Traversal of UDP over NAT (STUN) technique and a method for implementing the same, a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) network includes a STUN server for transmitting, to a private network terminal, a public Internet Protocol (IP) address and first port information of a router which is used for a VoIP call. The private network terminal transmits a session setup request message, including the public IP address and the first port information of the router, through its private IP address and a second port, and the router maps and stores the public IP address and the first port information of the router, and the private IP address and the second port of the private network terminal, and routes a packet received through the public IP address and the first port to the private IP address and the second port. Thus, a VoIP call is performed using the symmetric network address translation system to which the STUN technique is applied.
US07684395B2
Encrypted communications are performed between private networks over a wide-area network (e.g., the Internet) by way of routers, each of which includes a management table for storing entries including identifiers and control parameters. Uplink control connections are established between routers so as to mutually communicate and update stored contents of management tables therebetween. Updated stored contents of management tables are subjected to publication to other routers. Alternatively, stored contents of management tables are periodically subjected to publication to other routers. Thus, it is possible for operations managers to reduce manual operations for setting up control parameters in management tables of routers.
US07684391B2
A communications system and method enables delivery of packets over network boundaries while preserving the QoS bits configuration. The communications system includes at least one sending site configured to send the packet. The packet may have a first set of bits in a first bit-set location that indicates an intended packet forwarding priority of the packet. A data network is included that has a traffic class identification. The data network associates the packet forwarding priority with the traffic class identification and writes a second set of bits into the first bit-set location of the packet based on the traffic class identification. The second set of bits indicates a delivery priority that corresponds to the packet forwarding priority. The packet is forwarded based on at least one of the packet forwarding priority and the delivery priority, wherein the delivery priority is based on the data traffic class identification.
US07684387B2
A method for routing a plurality of calls to a single endpoint of a plurality of endpoints at a common destination is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of: initiating (202) a call over a first network (118) having a first network type, the call being directed to a destination (106) that has a plurality of endpoints 108, 110, 112, 114. Establishing (204) the call over the first network with a first final endpoint (108) of the plurality of endpoints. Receiving (206) a temporary endpoint identifier. Initiating (208) a second call to the destination by sending a request message for a second call of a second network (120), having a second network type, the request message including the temporary endpoint identifier. Establishing (210) the second call, simultaneously with the first call, over the second network with the same final endpoint.
US07684382B2
The provider network that interconnects user networks includes a plurality of edge routers. At least one of the plurality of edge routers includes an obtaining unit for obtaining information of a packet transferred by the edge router itself, a creating unit for creating a flow list in which flow information of packets transferred from the user network side to the provider network side is registered based on the packet information, a monitoring unit for monitoring a traffic state of a flow of each packet registered in the flow list based on information of packets transferred from the provider network to the user network, and a notifying unit for notifying the traffic state of the flow registered in the flow list to a maintenance engineer.
US07684381B2
Using this methodology, a wireless network can be self-forming or “ad-hoc” in nature. That is, the formation of the network does not depend upon the presence of a pre-determined central coordinator. Second, it can accommodate relatively rapid changes in network configuration, including changes in the number and location of the devices participating in the network, and changes in the channel conditions experienced by communication devices. Third, it can accommodate an extended network system where the population of devices that are able to communicate wirelessly, either directly, or indirectly via devices that also act as repeaters, may be spread over a relatively large geographic area. Fourth, it can provide robust Quality of Service through the use of time reservations or “slots” during which one device or a limited number of devices are allowed to transmit. Fifth, it can provide good power management qualities, such that there are mechanisms which allow devices minimize active time and to transition in and out of reduced power “sleep” states while still maintaining the ability to communication.
US07684379B2
Provided are an orthogonal frequency division multiple assess (OFDMA) system and a method for controlling frequency offsets of subscribers in uplink communication. The OFDMA system solves a problem that the system performance is deteriorated in uplink communications because subscriber stations have different carrier frequency offsets. Each subscriber station compensates for a frequency offset thereof in response to a frequency offset control signal provided by a base station and then transmits an uplink frame to the base station. The base station compensates for an average frequency offset using the uplink frame, which has a small frequency offset shift because each subscriber station compensates for the frequency offset thereof previously, and thus the frequency offset of each subscriber station can be correctly compensated to prevent inter-carrier interference.
US07684375B2
A communication system and method for enhancing the effectiveness of wireless and wired systems. The communication system is comprised of a communication management system and at least one wireless communication device to initiate the communication of marketing messages for marketing to the wireless communication device.
US07684369B2
The invention provides a radio base station apparatus forming a wireless zone in a mobile communication system and to a base station controller performing channel control over a terminal visiting a wireless zone. The radio base station apparatus has an identifying section identifying a particular radio base station that is to maintain a radio channel between the radio base station apparatus and a terminal during a process of diversity handover, a network interface section delivering a signal to a network if a local station is not the particular radio base station, and an inter-office interface section delivering to the network a composite wave of the signal and a signal having arrived and forwarded from the terminal via the radio channel at a radio base station forming a wireless zone adjacent to a wireless zone formed by the local station if the local station is the particular radio base station.
US07684366B2
Apparatus, and an associated method, for reporting QoS information associated with a reverse link communication service effectuated in a radio communication system, such as a CDMA2000 cellular communication system. The mobile station includes a service quality level selector that selects a selected service quality level, such as a communication rate, at which the communication service is to be effectuated. The mobile station further selectably includes a message generator that generates a service quality indication message. A detector detects the scheduling architecture of a network part of the communication system with which the mobile station communicates. And, information contained in the message generated by the message generator is dependent, in part, upon the scheduling architecture.
US07684357B2
A system and method for reducing idle mode power consumption for mobile stations (MS) that have joined a Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) session and are waiting for the session to start. The invention is also directed to reducing the power consumption of an MS for which an MBMS session is inactive. In alternative aspects of the invention, the power consumption of mobile stations is reduced in the absence of ongoing MBMS session activity. Reduced power consumption is achieved by eliminating the need to read notification messages from an MBMS specific notification paging group when the notification message is for a different MBMS session than the paging group that the MS has currently joined.
US07684354B2
In general, embodiments of the invention relates to a method for analyzing a topology of a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS)/Virtual Private Network (VPN) network. The method includes obtaining logical communication channel information for a plurality of virtual routing and forwarding (VRF) instances, wherein each of the plurality of VRF instances are located on one of a plurality of routers, wherein the logical communication channel information specifies a plurality of logical communication channels between the plurality of VRF instances, and wherein at least two VRF instances are located on one of the plurality of routers. The method further includes constructing an audit matrix representing the logical communication channel information, wherein the audit matrix specifies the topology of the MPLS/VPN network, analyzing the audit matrix to obtain an analysis result, and presenting the analysis result.
US07684346B2
A client and a host communicate in a packet data network including a plurality of routing nodes such as routers and firewalls. The host is configured to provide the client with a session and to detect the accessibility of the client by repeatedly sending keep-alive messages to the client. In order to reduce the traffic actually arriving at the client, at least some of the keep-alive message are adjusted such that their routing towards the client will be stopped before the client by storing in a Time-To-Live field specified in the Internet Protocol a value of maximum routing hops defined to correspond with the last routing node before the client on a route from the host to the client. The adaptation of the keep-alive message can also be configured to allow some keep-alive message to reach the client to occasionally test the communication path between the client and server.
US07684344B2
Certain aspects of a method and system for transparent transmission control protocol (TCP) offload are disclosed. Aspects of a method may include collecting TCP segments in a network interface card (NIC) processor without transferring state information to a host system. The collected TCP segments may be buffered in a coalescer. The coalescer may verify that the network flow associated with the collected TCP segments has an entry in a flow lookup table (FLT). When the FLT is full, the coalescer may close a current entry and assign the network flow to the available entry. The coalescer may also update information in the FLT. When an event occurs that terminates the collection of TCP segments, the coalescer may generate a single aggregated TCP segment based on the collected TCP segments. The aggregated TCP segment and state information may be communicated to the host system for processing.
US07684340B2
A packet forwarding device is disclosed. The packet forwarding device includes: a transmission interface, coupled to a second network device; a processing unit, coupled to a first network device; a forwarding unit, coupled between the transmission interface and the processing unit; and an interface loop-back, coupled between the forwarding unit and the processing unit.
US07684319B2
Techniques for managing a TCP congestion window. Such techniques include incrementing an acknowledgement (ACK) count for non-duplicate Transmission Control Protocol ACKs received, comparing the ACK count to a congestion window factor representing the ratio of a congestion window size associated with a connection to a maximum segment size associated with the connection, and, based on the comparing, incrementing the congestion window factor.
US07684318B2
A technique is disclosed that enables latency-tolerant and latency-intolerant applications to intelligently share a shared-communications channel in a manner that seeks to satisfy the needs of all of the applications. In particular, the illustrative embodiment enables each application to be associated with a different class of service, wherein each class of service is associated with one or more quality-of-service parameters (e.g., minimum throughput, maximum latency, etc.). The illustrative embodiment then effectively apportions access to the shared-communications channel by regulating different degrees of bursting (i.e., the transmission of multiple frames at a single transmission opportunity) based on the class of service associated with the application.
US07684314B2
A communication node of the present invention includes a two-hop neighbor management portion, a routing table management portion, and a multi-path establishment portion. The two-hop neighbor management portion manages a plurality of neighbor routes to a communication node that can be reached by two hops. The routing table management portion stores a routing table for performing routing within a network. The multi-path establishment portion establishes spare routes by, when the number of hops from a destination node to an own node is a multiple of two on a standard route, identifying neighbor routes to a specific node among a plurality of neighbor routes managed by the neighbor management portion and by adding them to the routing table.
US07684312B2
A method and corresponding apparatus for fast FFT processing of paging information includes receiving an analog signal that is converted to a first digital signal and digitally filtered through a first filter having a first bandwidth (BWA) to obtain a second digital signal. The second digital signal is stored in a buffer. The first digital signal is further digitally filtered through a second filter having a second bandwidth (BWB) to obtain a third digital signal. An FFTM processing of the third digital signal is initiated and simultaneously, an FFTN processing of the second digital signal is initiated. The FFTM processed third digital signal is then decoded and, based on the decoding of the FFTM processed third digital signal, a determination is made of whether to complete the FFTN processing of the second digital signal from the buffer.
US07684309B2
An optical recording medium includes a first half-disc and a second half-disc. The first half-disc includes a substrate and an information layer (including a reflective layer) formed on a first side of the substrate. The second half-disc is bonded by an adhesive to a second side of the substrate of the first half-disc. In addition, a cover layer is formed over the first reflective layer. The cover layer has a thickness of approximately 0.1 mm. The substrate of the first half-disc has a thickness in a range of 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm. The first and second half-discs together have a combined thickness in a range of 0.8 mm to 1.3 mm.
US07684290B2
In an object lens actuator, stiffness of a lens holder is improved and the higher order resonance frequency is sufficiently increased. The stiffness of the lens holder is improved by providing a flat plate perpendicular to the focusing direction between the side wall of a lens holding part and the outer sidewall along the tracking direction at approximately the middle of both ends of the lens holder along the focusing direction.
US07684284B1
The current invention minimizes the energy losses by pointing the geophone's internal system, which consists of a magnet bar, coil, and springs, towards signals reflected from targets.
US07684281B2
Signals of pressure sensors and particle motion sensors located in marine seismic streamers are combined to generate a seismic wavefield. At least a part of the particle motion sensor signal is calculated from a recorded pressure signal and the calculated at least a part of the particle motion sensor signal is used to generate a particle motion sensor signal in which noise is substantially attenuated in at least a lower frequency range thereof. The pressure sensor data and the noise attenuated particle motion sensor signal can then be combined to calculate up- and down-going wavefields.
US07684268B2
A semiconductor memory device includes: a plurality of cell array blocks; a boosted voltage driving unit for selectively supplying a boosted voltage to the cell array blocks; and a controller controlling a driving operation of the boosted voltage driving unit in response to a cell array block select signal.
US07684264B2
A memory system including a random access memory (RAM) array and a corresponding redundant RAM array which stores information redundant to the RAM array, where a designed cell circuit topology of cells within the redundant RAM array differs from a designed cell circuit topology of cells within the RAM array. The redundant RAM array is selectively accessed when accessing the RAM array to store data to the redundant RAM array for failed cells of the RAM array.
US07684252B2
Charge trapping memory devices and methods are included for increasing a second bit operation window by a fringe-induced effect. The fringe-induced effect occurs in areas underneath a word line so that when a hole injection method is applied to a memory device, hole charges are stored in a charge trapping layer that intersects with a word line and the hole charges are stored along fringes of the word line. In one embodiment, a virtual ground array includes a charge trapping layer that is disposed between two dielectrics such that there is not a charge trapping layer over source and drain regions. After a hole injection is applied to the virtual ground array, hole charges are stored along fringes of each word line given the fringes of the word line has a larger electrical field relative to non-fringe areas of the word line.
US07684248B2
Embodiments relate to a method for measuring a threshold voltage of a flash device including inputting a voltage and a pulse width. The dependence of threshold voltage on the applied voltages and the pulse width may be determined by using a threshold voltage measuring equation, and equations regarding a plurality of device variables included within the threshold voltage measuring equation.
US07684233B2
A multi-bit magnetic memory device using a spin-polarized current and methods of manufacturing and operating the same. The magnetic memory device includes a switching device and a magnetic storage node connected to the switching device, wherein the magnetic storage node includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer and a free magnetic layer which are vertically and separately disposed from one another. The first and second magnetic layer have transmission characteristics opposite to each other for spin-polarized electrons, and have magnetic polarizations that are opposite to each other. The free magnetic layer may include first and second free magnetic layers, which are separately disposed from each other. The magnetic storage node may further include third and fourth magnetic layers that are separately disposed between the first and second free magnetic layers.
US07684232B1
A memory cell stores a data bit value despite atomic radiation. The memory cell includes two inverters, an access circuit, and two switch circuits. Each inverter has an input and an output. The access circuit is arranged to write and read the data bit value in the memory cell. The switch circuits cross couple the outputs of the two inverters to the inputs of the two inverters. The switch circuits are arranged to alternately decouple and couple the inputs of the two inverters to limit corruption from atomic radiation of the data bit value in the memory cell.
US07684229B2
A method and apparatus for scaling an embedded DRAM array from a first process to a second process, wherein the scaling involves reducing the linear dimensions of features by a constant scale factor. From the first process to the second process, DRAM cell capacitor layout area is reduced by the square of the scale factor, while cell capacitance is reduced by the scale factor. The voltage used to supply the logic transistors is scaled down from the first process to the second process. However, the voltage used to supply the sense amplifiers remains constant in both processes. Thus, in an embedded DRAM array of the second process, sense amplifiers are supplied by a greater voltage than the logic transistors. This allows the sensing voltage of DRAM cells to be maintained from one process generation to another, while allowing memory size to scale with the square of the process scale factor.
US07684227B2
A resistive memory structure, for example, phase change memory structure, includes one access device and two or more resistive memory cells. Each memory cell is coupled to a rectifying device to prevent parallel leak current from flowing through non-selected memory cells. In an array of resistive memory bit structures, resistive memory cells from different memory bit structures are stacked and share rectifying devices.
US07684223B2
An automatic power supply converting circuit includes a live input terminal, a neutral input terminal, a relay, a regulator, a voltage divider circuit, an identifying circuit, a switch circuit and a voltage doubling circuit. The live input terminal and the neutral input terminal are configured for receiving a first alternating current (AC) voltage. The regulator is configured for filtering and steadying the first AC voltage and outputting a regulated voltage. The voltage divider circuit is configured for sampling the first AC voltage and outputting a divided voltage. The identifying circuit is configured for comparing a divided voltage with a reference voltage, and outputting a control signal. The switch circuit is configured for controlling the relay to be conductive or not. The voltage doubling circuit is capable of being controlled by the relay and outputting a doubled voltage.
US07684222B2
A power conversion apparatus, such as a UPS, includes a DC link including first and second DC busses and a reference bus and a DC generator circuit coupled to the DC link and operative to generate first and second DC voltages with respect to the reference bus on respective ones of the first and second DC busses. The apparatus further includes a precharge circuit coupled to the DC link and operative to charge a first capacitance between the first DC bus and the reference bus and to transfer charge from the charged first capacitance to a second capacitance between the second DC bus and the reference bus. The DC generator circuit may be operative to commence generation of the first and second DC voltages on the first and second DC busses after the precharge circuit precharges the first and second DC busses. Related operating methods are also discussed.
US07684200B2
An electronic apparatus includes: a main body; and a front face panel movably supported to cover a front face of the main body or to expose at least a portion of the front face thereof, and the front face panel is provided with a housing portion detachably retaining a portable apparatus; and the front face side of the main body is provided with an insertion/ejection slot for inserting or ejecting a memory medium.
US07684190B2
A heat sink includes a generally rectangular flat base, a plurality of fins provided on the surface of the base in parallel to each other, a protrusion provided on the surface of the base along substantially the overall width of the base in the transverse direction to the fins. The fins become gradually shorter on one end side of the base. The ends of the fins are arranged on an oblique line with respect to a line perpendicular to the fins.
US07684189B2
A portable electronic device for locking up a locking component is composed of a body having a fillister; and at least one locking axis disposed in the fillister for the locking component fastening together, so that the portable electronic device can be firmly connected to the locking component and a lock for an anti-theft purpose.
US07684188B2
A media base security device and method of use is disclosed. According to one aspect, a media base security device can include a lock rod mechanism coupled to a portion of a media base housing including a security lock aperture operable to receive a security lock. The media base security device can also include a release lever accessible external to the housing. The release lever can be operable to release the media base housing when coupled to a portable computer system. The release lever can include a lock rod seat operable to engage a lock rod extending from the lock rod mechanism in response to locking the security lock.
US07684183B2
An impact buffer having a high buffering effect includes two or more impact buffering members with different hardness, contacted with at least one surface of a side surface part of an HDD unit positioned orthogonally to the rotation surface of a magnetic disk of the HDD unit, supports the HDD unit, buffers an impact applied to the HDD unit by expansion and contraction, further moderates the rotation of the HDD unit in the direction causing a head arm to move onto the disk at rest, prevents the head detachment, and can overcome the weaknesses of the head arm and an inertial latch structure.
US07684176B2
An information processing apparatus includes a housing with a top surface and a rear surface, a CPU (central processing unit) provided in the housing, a keyboard placed on the top surface of the housing and including a plurality of keys which input key data to the CPU, a display unit attached to the housing rotatably between a closed position in which the display unit covers the keyboard and an open position in which the keyboard is exposed, and at least one switch provided on the rear surface of the housing and configured to input key data to the CPU.
US07684170B2
A multi-layer capacitor includes several electrically insulating layers that are stacked on top of one another. Parallel electrode plates are arranged between the insulating layers alternately one on top of the other, with each of the plates being separated by an intervening insulating layer. At least one first connecting line which extends perpendicularly through the layers is connected to one set of electrode plates and is insulated in relation to the other set of second electrode plates. Similarly, second connecting lines extend perpendicularly through the layers and are connected to the other set of plates and are insulated in relation to the one set of plates. The first connecting line extends centrally through the stacked electrode plates and is designed to carry a high-frequency signal.
US07684168B2
The present teachings generally include a method of controlling a relay. The method generally includes momentarily initiating a pull-in pulse when an input signal indicates a first state. A sense resistor controller is activated based on the pull-in pulse. A current flow is controlled to bypass a sense resistor and flow to the relay based on the activation of the sense resistor controller. The relay is controlled based on the current flow.
US07684164B2
An automatic power-off protection apparatus includes an alternating current (AC) input; an AC output connected to the AC input via power wires that comprises a naught wire and a live wire; a switching unit for enabling and disabling a connection between the AC input and the AC output; a first pair of coupling coils for producing a first induced AC voltage; a second pair of coupling coil for a second induced AC voltage; an operational amplifier for amplifying a voltage difference between induced voltages across the first secondary coil and the second secondary coil; a first and second comparator for comparing the amplified voltage difference with a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage respectively. The automatic power-off protection apparatus cuts off the path between the AC input and the AC output when detecting current leaks.
US07684162B2
A leakage current protection device with a single laminated magnetic core transformer that is formed by punch pressing an amorphous metal material, or a nanocrystalline soft metal material, in a high punch velocity press to form the ring laminations for the magnetic core. In a ground fault circuit interrupter, the single laminated magnetic core transformer serves as the input sensor for both the current imbalance detection circuitry and the low impedance ground fault protection circuitry.
US07684161B2
Methods and apparatus for a synthetic anti-ferromagnet structure with reduced temperature dependence
A synthetic antiferromagnet (SAF) structure includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a first insertion layer, a coupling layer, a second insertion layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer. The insertion layers comprise materials selected such that SAF exhibits reduced temperature dependence of antiferromagnetic coupling strength. The insertion layers may include CoFe or CoFeX alloys. The thickness of the insertion layers is selected such that they do not increase the uniaxial anisotropy or deteriorate any other properties.
US07684156B2
According to one embodiment of the invention, a disk drive apparatus includes a case, a disk-shaped recording medium, a drive motor, a head, a head actuator, and a latch mechanism configured to latch the head actuator and hold the head actuator at a retracted position when the head actuator receives an external force. A latch member of the latch mechanism is arranged to be movable between a latch position and a release position and has an abutment portion, which abuts the head actuator when the head actuator moves from the information processing position to the retracted position, and a latch claw which latches the head actuator. The abutment portion has a first abutment portion, which abuts the head actuator first, and a second abutment portion, which abuts the head actuator following the first abutment portion, and the first abutment portion being formed less rigid than the second abutment portion.
US07684155B1
A disk drive comprises a disk drive base, an actuator rotatably coupled to the disk drive base, a magnet disposed adjacent the actuator, and a latch. The latch is coupled to the disk drive base. The latch includes a latch body, a retention bore, a seating cavity, and a biasing ball. The retention bore extends into the latch body along a bore longitudinal axis. The retention bore includes a ball entrance defining a ball entrance diameter. The seating cavity extends from within the retention bore into the latch body. The seating cavity has an interior dimension perpendicular to the bore longitudinal axis greater than the ball entrance diameter. The biasing ball is disposed at least partially in the retention bore and at least partially within the seating cavity. The biasing ball comprises a magnetic material and has a ball diameter greater than the ball entrance diameter.
US07684152B2
A disk drive with DTR media and method of assembly is described. The method may include aligning a discrete track recording (DTR) track pattern center on a DTR disk with a rotational center of a spindle hub and mounting the DTR disk on the spindle hub to minimize eccentricity. After the DTR disk is mounted to the spindle hub, it may be rotated to a designed rotational speed and the mass imbalance of the rotating DTR disk/spindle hub may be measured. The mass imbalance may be mitigated using a mechanical component such as a counter weight coupled to a spindle rotatable component, for example, the spindle hub, a spacer assembly, a clamp assembly, etc. The method may mitigate the eccentricity associated with DTR media and minimize run-out due to the mass imbalance of an otherwise rotated DTR disk/hub aligned for eccentricity correction.
US07684151B2
A pole layer of a magnetic head incorporates a soft magnetic film made of an iron-cobalt-nickel-base alloy. When the total of the iron, cobalt and nickel contents of the soft magnetic film is assumed as 100 weight percent, the iron content of the soft magnetic film is within a range of 42 to 90 weight percent inclusive, the cobalt content thereof is within a range of 0 to 48 weight percent inclusive, and the nickel content thereof is within a range of 10 to 20 weight percent inclusive. The soft magnetic film has a crystal structure that is a mixed crystal of a body-centered cubic structure phase and a face-centered cubic structure phase. The soft magnetic film is manufactured by performing electroplating using a plating current whose direction is alternately switched.
US07684146B1
A hermetic seal is provided for sealing discrete openings in a disk drive, such as an opening made in a base plate of the drive for a spindle motor shaft and openings made in the base plate for spindle motor lead wires. The hermetic seal for the spindle motor shaft comprises an undercut made in the portion of the spindle shaft that is secured to the base plate, and an epoxy material fills the gap between the surface defining the opening and the undercut made in the spindle motor shaft. Epoxy is also used to seal the openings made for the motor lead wires. The invention also comprises the method by which the base plate casting may be sealed by a two-time resin impregnation process which fills exposed pores on the surfaces of the castings.
US07684144B1
In a method of multi-rate tracking with a multi-actuator servo control, a track position error is sampled at an asynchronous sample rate for operating a first actuator. The track position error is also sampled at a synchronous sample rate for operating a second actuator. The sampling from the synchronous sample rate is utilized to reduce a delay associated with the sampling at the asynchronous sample rate.
US07684142B2
A disk device has a positioning control system which has a disturbance suppression function in which the disturbance is suppressed quickly to prevent vibration of the head. In a positioning system having a disturbance suppression function of a disk device, an interface circuit for setting a known disturbance frequency to an initial value from the outside is installed. An unknown disturbance frequency can be immediately suppressed, or disturbance frequency control can be started from a known disturbance frequency, and even if the frequency changes thereafter, the estimated frequency can follow up to the disturbance, and the vibration of the head can be quickly prevented.
US07684140B2
Provided are techniques for determining an angular position of a tape reel. A first edge of a hall sensor is identified. A number of format transitions on a timing based servo formatted tape are counted until detecting a predetermined edge of the hall sensor. A reel circumference is determined. A radius is determined using the determined reel circumference. A new circumference of a next revolution is determined using the determined radius and a tape thickness. A current angular position is determined using the determined new circumference and the counted format transitions.
US07684138B2
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to detecting a micro-relief that exists on surfaces of a magnetic disk. A phase or frequency of a read signal obtained when data written to a minute projection or a minute concavity on a recording surface of a magnetic disk is read out, differs from that of a read signal obtained when data written to a flat recording surface is read out. The phase progresses in the minute projection, whereas the phase is delayed in the minute concavity. A micro-relief is detected by measuring a deviation value of this frequency, and then defect registration is performed. Embodiments in accordance with the present invention are configured to detect a minute projection whose level does not cause TA. Embodiments in accordance with the present invention may also be configured to provide a highly reliable magnetic disk drive by controlling the flying height in response to a state of a minute projection and that of a minute concavity.
US07684136B2
A driving system for driving an optical element in a first direction includes a linear actuator for producing a displacement in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a displacement picking unit being extendable in a third direction, perpendicular to both of the first and second directions, for picking out a displacement of the linear actuator, and a direction converting unit disposed at the third-direction side of the linear actuator, for converting a direction of the displacement picked out by the displacement picking unit.
US07684132B2
A third holding barrel is set to a stationary work holder, and a lens frame holding an eighth lens group is set to a movable work holder. The movable work holder is moved to insert the lens frame inside the third holding barrel. In this state, a chart image through the eighth lens group is projected on a screen. While checking the center and clarity of the projected image on the screen, position of the eighth lens group is adjusted. After the position adjustment, an adhesive is injected through openings of the third holding barrel by an injector, thereby fixing the lens frame to the third holding barrel.
US07684130B2
A lens device includes a seat unit, a swingable lens module having a guide member, a rotatable cam unit, first and second biasing components, and a first lens module. The swingable lens module is movable relative to the seat unit along an optical axis while the guide member is biased by the first biasing component to abut against a spiral guide surface of the rotatable cam unit. The swingable lens module is pivotable relative to the seat unit about a pivot pin that extends parallel to the optical axis with the guide member being pushed by a pushing surface of the rotatable cam unit to a retreating position, and is biased by a second biasing component toward a retracting position. The first lens module is disposed at one side of the swingable lens module opposite to the seat unit along the optical axis.
US07684126B2
Provided is a Fresnel lens for use with an array of semiconductor pixels that are separated by inactive areas, comprising a faceted surface with a plurality of facets for receiving an imaging beam, the facets being arranged into a plurality of zones separated by zone edges, and wherein the zone edges are generally aligned with the inactive areas throughout the array. Also provided are an optical detector and an imaging system incorporating such a Fresnel lens system.
US07684121B2
A variable focal length lens includes a deformable lens body and at least one lens deforming device arranged around the lens body configured for radially deforming the lens body so as to adjust an effective focal length associated with the lens body. A lens module with the variable focal length lens is provided in the present invention. The lens module can auto focus and zoom without requiring an actuator.
US07684120B2
An optical product that is a cross dichroic prism formed by putting together vertexes forming right angles of a first prism element, a second prism element, a third prism element, and a fourth prism element made of glass that have a shape of a right isosceles triangle right prism and joining respective optical sides adjacent to one another among optical sides orthogonal to one another via dichroic films made of multilayer films, wherein, when a section between the optical side of the first prism element and the optical side of the second prism element is set as a first junction, a section between the optical side of the second prism element and the optical side of the third prism element is set as a second junction, a section between the optical side of the third prism element and the optical side of the fourth prism element is set as a third junction, and a section between the optical side of the fourth prism element and the optical side of the first prism element is set as a fourth junction, an uppermost layer of the dichroic film provided on the optical side of any one of the first to the fourth junctions is made of a silicon oxide layer and the silicon oxide layer of the uppermost layer of the dichroic film and the optical side are joined according to an optical contact method.
US07684118B2
A diffusion plate assembly includes a diffusion plate made from transparent material. Pluralities of bar-type patterns are disposed on the emission surface of the diffusion plate. The outline of these patterns has a first curve and a second curve. The protruding direction of the first curve and the second curve are inversed. The second curve is an arc whose radius curvature is between 0.05 mm and 0.3 mm.
US07684112B2
The present invention relates to a method and system of generating backward stimulated Rayleigh-Bragg scattering by focusing activating radiation through a multi-photon absorbing dye solution, thereby producing coherent output radiation with no measured frequency shift and measured pump threshold values independent of the spectral line width of the input activating radiation.
US07684101B2
A microshutter array has a frame having a light transmissive portion. Linear microshutter elements extend across the light transmissive portion and in parallel to each other. Each microshutter element has a flat blade extended in a length direction and first and second torsion arms extending outwards from each side of the blade in the length direction, the blade extending across the light transmissive portion. There is at least one electrode associated with each linear microshutter element and extended in the length direction parallel to the microshutter element.
US07684100B2
An optical-element holding device includes an elastic member that presses an optical element with an elastic force in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the optical element and orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the optical element, and a support member that forms a pair with the elastic member and supports the optical element against a pressing force of the elastic member. At least three pairs of the elastic member and the support member are provided.
US07684096B2
Automatic color correction is applied to a scene or clip, including a sequence of images, in a motion picture by selecting a representative image of the scene, analyzing the image and adjusting parameters of a color correction operation that is performed on the sequence of images included in the scene. This operation can be repeated automatically for all scenes or for selected scenes in the motion picture. The parameters may be adjusted to automatically color balance the image while maintaining substantially constant contrast. Analysis of the representative image may include identifying an offset of a peak in a two-dimensional histogram of the colors in the representative image from a white point. Parameters of a color correction operation are adjusted according to this offset. Separate histograms and offsets may be determined for shadows, midtones and highlight regions of the representative image. Analysis of the representative image may include determining a one-dimensional histogram of the luminance information in the representative image. The darkest level and the brightest level in the image are used to balance the image. In particular, the histograms for color channels in the image, such as red, green and blue, are adjusted to match the darkest level and brightest level identified by the luminance histogram.
US07684091B2
Reference images on the respective surfaces of a reference document transported on a transportation path are read out by a first image reading section and a second image reading section, respectively. As a result a first reference readout image and a second reference readout image are acquired. in accordance with the difference between the changes in the sub-scanning direction in the first reference readout image and the changes in the sub-scanning direction in the second reference readout image, the reading cycle of the first image reading section X1 and the reading cycle of the second image reading section X2 are set. This makes it possible to equalize the magnifications of the respective images on the front and back sides of the document, even if the speeds of the document at the times of passing through readout positions for the front and back sides change over time, on account of the wear of a transportation roller.
US07684084B2
Linear transformations of L*a*b* color space are provided to minimize interpolation errors when performing multi-dimensional color space conversions involving lookup tables. Methods are provided for linear transformations (e.g., rotation and shear) to substantially fit the sampling grid to a given printer gamut.
US07684072B2
A method and apparatus of providing a level of priority for printing a document in a company having a plurality of departments, which includes receiving a print job for printing at least one document. A department is determined from the plurality of departments which sent the print job, and a priority is assigned to the print job based on the determined department. After the print job has been printed, a print amount is determined from the determined department during a fixed time interval. The priority assigned to the determined department is lowered if the print amount exceeds a threshold value.
US07684069B2
A document management system is provided which makes it possible to easily obtain original electronic document data of a printed material from the printed material. The document management system is arranged such that a host computer, an image information processing apparatus, and a document management server which manages electronic document data are connected to each other on a network. In the image information processing apparatus, a reader section reads image information, a printer section outputs the read image information and print data output from the host computer, a document searching section searches the electronic document data within the document management server for original electronic document data corresponding to electronic document data within the read image information, and a controller notifies a search result.
US07684068B2
According to the present invention, an automatic archiving system that makes document archiving largely transparent to the user. In one embodiment, documents scanned in or printed during the course of office equipment operation are automatically archived. For example, an office local area network (LAN) may interconnect a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, and a document management workstation. Whenever, a document is copied, printed, or faxed, a document image is archived by the document management workstation without further user intervention. A single user command results in the document being copied and archived, printed and archived, or faxed and archived.
US07684060B2
In a sealing machine a pair of juxtaposed foils are sealed together at web regions having oppositely directed outer surfaces between a pair of dies, at least one of which is formed with an array of bumps that taper outwardly toward a respective one of the outer surfaces. The bumps press into the one outer surface and form therein permanent cavities of a predetermined imprint depth so as to bond together the foils at the web region. A quality of seal is determined by measuring after formation of the cavities surface features of the cavities at a level of the one outer surface of the respective foil, and calculating based on the measured surface features an imprint depth of the cavity.
US07684053B2
An optical displacement sensor for measuring distance or surface displacement of an object by surface profile scanning includes an optical source, a first optical detector and a second optical detector. The optical source is located intermediate the first and second optical detectors. The first and second optical detectors are arranged to collect light emitted by the optical source when scattered by and/or reflected from the object.
US07684047B2
A system and method for detecting ultrasonic surface displacements at a remote target are disclosed, one embodiment of the system comprising: a first laser to generate a first laser beam. The first laser beam produces ultrasonic surface displacements on a surface of the remote target. A second laser generates a second laser beam operable to detect the ultrasonic surface displacements on the surface of the remote target and to provide a reference beam to an interferometer. The second laser beam is split, at a beam-splitter, into a pump beam and a probe beam. The pump beam is amplified by a first amplifier and the probe beam is amplified by a second amplifier. The pump beam is then provided to the interferometer as a reference beam and the probe beam is directed to the target to detect the ultrasonic surface displacements. The first and second amplifiers can be controlled independently of one another to control their respective laser beam's power. Collection optics collect phase modulated light from the probe beam either reflected or scattered by the remote target, which can be optionally optically processed to increase the light intensity. The interferometer is a TWM interferometer that receives and processes the phase modulated light and generates at least one output signal based on the phase-modulated light and the amplified reference laser beam.
US07684034B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods to recognize features on bottom surfaces of containers on a container production line, detect defects in the containers, and correlate the defects to specific production equipment of the container production line, based in part on the recognized features. The system includes imaging apparatus, programmable processing devices, and controllers. The methods include imaging techniques and estimation techniques.
US07684033B2
In an apparatus at a spinning preparatory plant for detecting foreign objects, for example, pieces of cloth, tapes, string, pieces of sheeting and the like, in fibre material, the fibre material is transportable in an air flow through a fibre transport duct or a feed chute and an optical sensor system is associated with the duct or chute, the wall surfaces of which have at least one transparent region through which the sensor system detects the fibre-air flow. To permit the at least one transparent region to be kept clean in a simple manner during operation, and to permit an unobstructed detection of the foreign objects, the transparent region projects into the fibre-air flow and the fibre-air flow is able to flow along the transparent region in force-applying contact therewith.
US07684032B1
The disclosed system provides a method and apparatus for automated detection of a variety of defects within an epitaxial layer by way of an optical surface analysis device containing at least two wavelengths of incident light. A unique defect detection algorithm is provided for generating defect maps for each wavelength of incident light and merging each defect map into one overall defect map in order to detect all defects within an epitaxial layer. The present system is enabled for detecting defects within an epitaxial layer independent of the thickness of the epitaxial layer. Topography, scatter, and phase measurements can also be made in order to increase the accuracy of defect detection.
US07684029B2
In one embodiment, a sensed dataset includes data produced by a plurality of light sensors that have been exposed to a light environment. The data of the sensed dataset corresponds to different ranges of light, and at least a portion of one of the ranges of light is outside the visible (VIS) light spectrum. The sensed dataset is compared to a plurality of known datasets representative of known light environments, and at least one known dataset that is similar to the sensed dataset is identified. In response thereto, an indication of the sensed light environment is provided. Apparatus for implementing this and related methods is also disclosed. In some embodiments, the light sensors are ultraviolet, visible and infrared sensors, and the indication of the sensed light environment is used to control the color of data acquired by an image sensor, or the color of a display backlight.
US07684028B2
A remote sensing angle gauge includes a sensor responding to physical stimulus and transmitting a resulting impulse for measuring an angle, and a user interface separate and remote from said sensor and in communication with said sensor unit. The user interface receives a signal from the resulting impulse of said sensor unit, and determines the angle measurement according to the received signal from said sensor unit and inputted data from said interface unit. The inputted data by a user includes an offset and orientation of the sensor. The gauge can be zeroed before initiating the measurement. The sensor can be connected to the user interface through a detachable electrical connection. The sensor can include an adaptor accommodating a detachable and adjustable connection to an area being measured. The results of the measurement on the user interface can be remotely monitored, while measuring the angle with the sensor.
US07684011B2
Method to calibrate a substrate table position in a lithographic apparatus includes providing a substrate on the substrate table with a two dimensional arrangement of patterns; positioning the substrate table with a positioning system; measuring positions of the substrate table in at least two dimensions with a position measurement system; reading out the arrangement of patterns as a function of the measured positions of the substrate table with a pattern read out system to obtain pattern read out results; deriving position errors as a function of the measured positions of the substrate table compared with the pattern read out results; calibrating the positioning system using the position errors, the calibrating including determining drift influences of the positioning system, correcting the position errors as a function of the corresponding two dimensional position of the substrate table with the determined drift influences, and calibrating the positioning system with the corrected position errors.
US07684008B2
A lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method makes use of a liquid confined in a reservoir between the projection system and the substrate. Bubbles forming in the liquid from dissolved atmospheric gases or from out-gassing from apparatus elements exposed to the liquid are detected and/or removed so that they do not interfere with exposure and lead to printing defects on the substrate. Detection may be carried out by measuring the frequency dependence of ultrasonic attenuation in the liquid and bubble removal may be implemented by degassing and pressurizing the liquid, isolating the liquid from the atmosphere, using liquids of low surface tension, providing a continuous flow of liquid through the imaging field, and/or phase shifting ultrasonic standing-wave node patterns.
US07684004B2
A liquid crystal display panel comprises a color filter substrate, a thin film transistor array substrate, and a liquid crystal layer sealed between the two substrates. The color filter substrate has a plurality of first spacers and a plurality of second spacers thereon. The thin film transistor array substrate has a plurality of recesses for containing the second spacers. The ratio of the number of the second spacers to the number of the first spacers is between about 10 and about 90.
US07683992B2
A multi-domain liquid crystal display (LCD) including an active device array substrate, an opposite substrate, an electric field shielding layer, and a liquid crystal layer is provided. The active device array substrate has a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel has a pixel electrode. The opposite substrate has a common electrode disposed between the opposite substrate and the active device array substrate. The electric field shielding layer is disposed on a part of each pixel electrode. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between the active device array substrate and the opposite substrate. The liquid crystal layer corresponding to each pixel is divided into a low-voltage domain and a high-voltage domain having the same cell gap, wherein the position of the electric field shielding layer is corresponding to the position of the low-voltage domain. Color shift of the multi-domain LCD is improved effectively at oblique viewing angles.
US07683989B2
A birefringent lens structure comprises a birefringent lens array capable of directing light of a given polarisation into a directional distribution, the birefringent lens comprising a solid birefringent material and an isotropic material having an interface having a refractive structure. A switchable liquid crystal layer capable of rotating the polarisation of light passing therethrough is arranged adjacent the first birefringent material. The interface between the birefringent material and the liquid crystal layer has an alignment microstructure providing alignment of the birefringent material and the liquid crystal layer. A pair of electrodes for applying an electric field to switch the liquid crystal are arranged with both the lens array and the switchable liquid crystal layer therebetween and a conductive material is incorporated in the lens array to reduce the voltage drop across the lens array. To reduce reflection, the interface between the birefringent material and the isotropic material has an interface having alignment microstructure providing alignment of the birefringent material, and the refractive index of the isotropic material is substantially equal to the extraordinary refractive index of the birefringent material.
US07683979B2
Each Multi-domain Vertical Alignment (MVA) pixel structures on a display panel array includes at least two sub-pixels. By adjusting the channel W/L ratios of the transistors in the sub-pixels, the sub-pixels may have different display voltages so as to improve the display quality in a slant vision. A transistor is disposed between one of the sub-pixels and a common line (Vcs) as the dispersion path for remaining electric charges to improve the condition of burn-in.
US07683976B2
A liquid crystal display panel is provided. The liquid crystal display panel includes an active device array substrate, an opposite substrate, a plurality of scan lines, a plurality of data patterns, a plurality of connecting patterns, a plurality of active devices, a plurality of transparent pixel electrodes, a plurality of common lines, at least one polymer layer, and a liquid crystal layer. The opposite substrate is disposed above the active device array substrate. The scan lines, the data patterns and the connecting patterns are disposed on the active device array substrate, and the data patterns and the connecting patterns form data lines via contact holes. The common lines are disposed between the transparent pixel electrodes and the data lines, and a part of each common line overlaps the corresponding data pattern. The polymer layer is disposed on at least one of the active device array substrate and the opposite substrate.
US07683975B2
An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic focusing apparatus which can reduce the time required to detect focused position in accordance with the operating environment by adjusting the voltage applied to a liquid crystal lens. The apparatus includes a liquid crystal lens whose focal length varies with an applied voltage, a liquid crystal lens driving unit which applies a prescribed voltage to the lens, an optical-to-electrical converter which produces an image signal from an optical image passed through the lens, a temperature sensor which detects temperature near the lens, and a control unit which extracts a plurality of focus signals by adjusting the prescribed voltage and controlling the driving unit based on the temperature or on the image signal acquisition period of the converter, and which controls the driving unit based on the extracted plurality of focus signals so that a maximum focus signal is achieved.
US07683969B2
A system is for supporting a camera for hands free filming includes a vest, and a camera mounting apparatus attached to the vest. In one aspect the system also includes a material overlay attached to the vest, the overlay including opposing end flaps and opposing side flaps the adjacent flap edges zippered for enabling the vest to be converted to an enclosure.
US07683968B2
An image-taking apparatus which captures object light to take an image includes: an optical device through which the object light is transmitted; an image pickup device which generates an image signal representing an object image; and a cleaning section which is deformed by receiving a predetermined stimulus, the cleaning section being brought into contact with, and being separated from, the optical device and/or the image pickup device to clean substances attached to the contact portion. The apparatus further includes: a stimulus application section which applies the stimulus to the cleaning section; and a control section which controls the deformation of the cleaning section by controlling the stimulus applied from the stimulus application section, and which thus causes the cleaning section to clean the contact portion.
US07683959B2
A method of controlling a digital photographing apparatus that can easily determine a quality of a photographed image from an image displayed on a display panel included in the digital photographing apparatus, and the digital photographing apparatus using the method. The method includes: performing photographing operation in two or more photographing modes to obtain photographed images in response to a single activation of a shutter button; and displaying simultaneously: (1) a plurality of first images obtained by reducing the photographed images or by reducing the photographed images that are corrected, and (2) a plurality of second images that correspond to parts of the first images.
US07683956B2
Provided is a solid-state imaging device including a plurality of vertical transfer units (VCCDs), a horizontal transfer unit (HCCD) and a driving unit. In a vertical final stage of the VCCDs, there are same transfer electrode structures in every m columns, where m is equal to or more than 2, the vertical final stage being a vertical transfer stage located the closest to the HCCD, in each vertical final stage of columns except one column among the m columns or of all columns among the m columns, there are transfer electrodes independent from electrodes in the other columns in the m columns, and the independent transfer electrodes are driven independently to perform transfer processing from the corresponding vertical final stage to the HCCD, the driving being independent from driving for the electrodes in the other columns in the m columns, and the driving unit performs sequential vertical transfer driving, by which first packets and second packets are sequentially and vertically transferred within one horizontal transfer period, the first packet including a signal component to be used as an image signal and the second packet not including any signal component to be used as an image signal, and to apply, in the sequential vertical transfer driving, respective transfer pulses to the transfer electrodes in the vertical transfer stage and transfer electrodes of the HCCD, so that the first packets and the second packets are separated to be allocated into respective different horizontal transfer stages of the HCCD.
US07683932B2
A storage apparatus includes first, second and third interface units. The first interface unit has a first port for connection to a first external apparatus. The second interface unit has a second port for connection to a second external apparatus. The third interface unit is for connection to a removable storage medium. The storage apparatus sets the second port in a disabled state responsive to a determination that the first external apparatus connected to the first port is capable of accessing the removable storage medium connected to the third interface unit. The storage apparatus sets the first port in the disabled state responsive to a determination that the second external apparatus connected to the second port is capable of accessing the removable storage medium connected to the third interface unit.
US07683928B2
The system and method relate to detection of objects that are submerged, or partially submerged (e.g. floating), relative to a water surface. One aspect of the invention emits LIDAR fan-beam pulses and analyzes return-pulse portions to determine water-surface orientations and derive submerged-object images corrected for refractive distortion. Another defines simulated images of submerged objects as seen through waves in a water surface, prepares an algorithm for applying a three-dimensional image of the water surface in refractive correction of LIDAR imaging through waves—and also models application of the algorithm to the images, and finally specifies the LIDAR-system optics. Yet another emits nearly horizontal pulses to illuminate small exposed objects at tens of kilometers, detects reflected portions and images successive such portions with a streak-tube subsystem. Still others make special provisions for airborne objects.
US07683925B2
A mobile communication terminal for transmitting/receiving image data over a group communication network includes: a push-to-talk (PTT) key for requesting a transmission right in a group communication mode; a vocoder for encoding a user voice signal received via a microphone; a memory for storing various image data; a controller for combining voice data received from the vocoder with the image data read from the memory to form a packet, or separating the image data from the received packet to perform an output control process; and a transceiver for transmitting packet data received from the controller to a group communication management center, or receiving the packet data from the group communication management center.
US07683917B1
Methods and products are disclosed concerning extraction of selected components of a warping of an image. Given a warped image and a distortion grid, the distortion at any point in the image may be viewed locally as a displacement and a linear transform. The linear transform can be manipulated to extract elements of the local distortion such as skew, rotation, magnification and combinations. The selected components may then be selectively applied at other locations of the same or a different image, using a variety of virtual paintbrushes for different effects.
US07683916B2
A method and system for enabling a user to import a user-defined graphics edit into at least one template, the method including the steps of selecting, by the user, at least one first editable object, editing, by the user, at least part of the at least one first editable object, thereby producing a user-defined graphics edit, saving the user-defined graphics edit, selecting, by the user, a template containing at least one second editable object; and applying at least part of the user-defined graphics edit to at least part of the at least one second editable object within the template.
US07683905B1
Apparatuses and methods for detecting position conflicts during fragment processing are described. Prior to executing a program on a fragment, a conflict detection unit, within a fragment processor checks if there is a position conflict indicating a RAW (read after write) hazard may exist. A RAW hazard exists when there is a pending write to a destination location that source data will be read from during execution of the program. When the fragment enters a processing pipeline, each destination location that may be written during the processing of the fragment is entered in conflict detection unit. During processing, the conflict detection unit is updated when a pending write to a destination location is completed.
US07683901B2
An efficient system and method for adaptive tile depth filter (ATDF) is disclosed. The key concept of this system and method is to consider more occlusion conditions in order to achieve a better performance of filter before the conventional Z test process in three dimensional graphics pipeline. Two occlusion criteria, Zmax and Zmin (depth range in a tile), are introduced first for occlusion and non-occlusion fragments in a tile. The points between Zmax and Zmin are in uncertain fragment which may need to go through the later Z test. Moreover, a new technique, coverage mask, can further filter the points in the uncertain fragment to a final uncertain fragment and non-occlusion fragment. Besides, the coverage mask can be used to efficiently decide which tile needs the further sub-tile depth filter.
US07683896B2
A two-stage pixel skew compensation circuit for use with digital display monitors. The first stage of the compensation circuit aligns the edges of the pixels received on the color component signal lines of an analog video signal. The second stage of the de-skew compensation circuit realigns the pixels themselves so that no skew exists between the digitized video color components. The digitized video signals drive a digital video monitor.
US07683892B2
A touch sensing apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a sensor (13), a flip-flop (16), and a microcontroller unit (17). The sensor is connected to one of input of the flip-flop for receiving electricity signals from an object that touches the sensor. The MCU respectively supplies two AC signals at two outputs thereof to two inputs of the flip-flop. The flip-flop outputs a first type output signal at the output thereof when the sensor not being touched. When being touched, the sensor receives electricity signals from an object, and causes a delay of an AC signal to be inputted to the input of the flip-flop to which the sensor is connected, the delay of the AC signal to be inputted to the input of the flip-flop further causes the flip-flop to output a second type output signal at a output thereof. The MCU detects a change of the output signals of the flip-flop from the first type output signal to the second type output signal and accordingly identifies a touch on the sensor.
US07683885B2
A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software that is operable to disambiguate text input. In addition to identifying and outputting representations of language objects that are stored in the memory and that correspond with a text input, the device is able in certain circumstances of erroneous input to provide proposed corrected output.
US07683880B2
A method of displaying a color image for a field sequential liquid crystal display device is provided. The method includes dividing a liquid crystal panel into n numbers of driving areas and turning on each of light sources Red, Green and Blue sequentially for every divided driving area. Furthermore, the method includes providing a time interval between driving sections of a previous light source and a next light source.
US07683867B2
A system, method, and computer-usable medium are presented for controlling viewing angle characteristics by performing a color palette gradation control of a liquid crystal display, such that adjustment effects on a viewing angle range are improved.
US07683866B2
A display capable of rendering flickering hard to visually recognize and reducing power consumption is obtained. This display comprises first and second pixel portions including subsidiary capacitors having first electrodes connected to pixel electrodes and second electrodes respectively, first and second subsidiary capacitance lines connected to the second electrodes of the first and second pixel portions respectively and a signal supply circuit supplying first and second signals having first and second voltages to the first and second subsidiary capacitance lines respectively.
US07683856B2
An interface apparatus includes a main unit, an array of interface modules, driver circuitry, and a remote unit. The main unit outputs files to an output unit, is detachably couplable to interface modules and assigns content identifiers to interface modules. The array presents an image to the user and each interface module can be engaged by a user. The driver circuitry is adapted to drive the array to present an image to the user based upon the user's engagement with an interface module. The remote unit is coupled to the output unit and can be detachably coupled to the interface module. When coupled to the interface module, the remote unit can access the assigned identifier and transmit a request signal to the main unit based on the identifier. The request signal is adapted to cause the main unit to output a file identified by the identifier to the output unit.
US07683844B2
In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes a semiconductor antenna having a plurality of antenna elements and a switching network formed in the same semiconductor die. The switching network is to control activation of the antenna elements.
US07683840B2
An integrated broadband antenna device with wide band function is disclosed. The antenna device comprises a ground plate, a feeding wire, a first metal radiator, a second metal radiator, a ground metal radiator and a parasitic metal radiator. The first metal radiator is connected with the positive ends of signals of the feeding wire for transmitting electric signals and producing a high frequency mode. The first metal radiator is coupled to and energizes the second metal radiator and the parasitic metal radiator, and then the two metal radiator producing a low frequency mode and a second high frequency mode along with the ground metal radiator obtains a wider bandwidth. The broadband antenna device integrating various kinds of antennas is able to have a enough bandwidth to meet the requirements of AMPS (824˜894 MHz), GSM (880˜960 MHz), GPS (1575 MHz), DCS (1710˜1880 MHz), PCS (1850˜1990 MHz), UMTS (1920˜2170 MHz) and Wi-Fi (2400˜2500 MHz).
US07683839B2
The invention relates to a radio antenna and, more specifically, to an internal multiband antenna for use e.g. in a portable telecommunication device, such as a mobile phone. In particularly the invention relates to an antenna module for a mobile terminal including a non-resonant antenna element, two resonant antenna elements each covering at least any one of a first, second, third or fourth frequency band, said two resonant elements are substantially in the same plane and define a planar surface wherein the two resonant elements are each positioned at a corner of the planar surface and the non-resonant element is positioned along an edge of the planar surface.
US07683837B2
A dielectric substrate has a first face which is formed with a cavity, and a second face opposite to the first face. The dielectric substrate formed with a substrate hole which connects the cavity and the second face. An antenna radiation electrode is comprised of a conductive film and is formed on the first face of the dielectric substrate. A ground electrode is comprised of a conductive film, is formed on the second face of the dielectric substrate and is formed with a ground hole which is substantially concentric with the substrate hole and has a diameter larger than that of the substrate hole. One end of a feeding pin is connected to the antenna radiation electrode and the other end of the feeding pin is extended toward the second face of the dielectric substrate through the substrate hole and the ground hole.
US07683836B2
An antenna includes an element that is made by thermally bonding a patterned conductive layer to a dielectric sheet. The antenna can be redesigned easily for prototype or low volume production yet the invention is suitable for volume production as well. The antenna, or an element thereof, can be made from a xerographic print using toner as an adhesive.
US07683831B2
Each of a first and a second navigation satellite system (NSS) are adapted to operate according to a first and a second specification, respectively, and each includes a first and a second plurality of space vehicles (SV), respectively. Each of the first and the second plurality of SVs are adapted to be identified by a first and a second plurality of unique corresponding identifications (IDs), respectively. A processor is adapted to receive and identify a first plurality of corresponding signals transmitted from the first plurality of SVs in response to the first plurality of unique corresponding IDs. The processor is adapted to receive and identify a second plurality of corresponding signals transmitted from the second plurality of SVs in response to the second plurality of unique corresponding IDs. The processor is adapted to determine position location information in response to receiving and identifying the first plurality of corresponding signals and the second plurality of corresponding signals.
US07683824B2
A radar apparatus includes a sending unit for sending a transmission wave, a plurality of receiving parts for receiving a reflected wave from a reflecting object in a parallel manner, beat signal generation parts for acquiring beat signals at the receiving parts, respectively, from the transmission wave and the wave received at the receiving parts, a beat signal processing part for individually processing the beat signals of the receiving parts, a DBF processing part for DBF processing a beat signal processing result, and an object detection part for acquiring information on the reflecting object from frequency components of a DBF processing result or the beat signal processing result. Amounts of phase lag of the receiving parts are set to different values. The beat signal processing part includes a phase correction part that corrects the phase lag amounts corresponding to the individual receiving parts so as to make them equal to one another.
US07683817B2
The present invention provides a solid-state imaging device which can output a digital signal at a high speed without using a high-speed clock. The solid-state imaging device includes light receiving elements provided in an array and generating signal voltages based on light intensity of received light and AD converters each of which is provided in each of columns in the array. Each of the AD converters includes: a reference voltage generating unit (10) generating reference voltages; comparators (11a through 11c) comparing in parallel a current signal voltage which is one of signal voltages generated by the light receiving elements in the respective matrix columns with the reference voltages generated by the reference voltage generating unit; a digital signal generating circuit (23) generating a digital signal showing a result of the comparison and outputting the digital signal out of the AD converter.
US07683811B2
Methods of storing and retrieving compressed data and uncompressed data in a mixed mode are described. Generally, the method comprises the steps of compressing a fixed amount of input data within a sequence of frames to provide storage and retrieval in a sequential manner and random manner. The sequence of frames includes at least a first frame and a final frame. Each frame includes a first portion for storing uncompressed data and a second portion for storing compressed data. The uncompressed data is stored within a first portion of the first frame. The compressed data is stored within a second portion of the first frame.
US07683810B2
In accordance with one or more embodiments data may be encoded into a code word that meets run length constraints and has a reduced running digital sum by encoding (N−y)−1 data bits and y flag bits into m first n-bit patterns that form a first N-bit code word, producing a second N-bit code word by encoding the (N−y)−1 data bits and the y flag bits into m second n-bit patterns in which corresponding first and second n-bit patterns combine to meet a first predetermined running digital sum threshold, and selecting the code word that satisfies selection criteria. The selection criteria may, for example, be the word with the fewest transitions, the word with the smallest running digital sum, and so forth.
US07683797B2
A damage locating system also provides thermal protection. An array of sensors substantially tiles an area of interest. Each sensor is a reflective-surface conductor having operatively coupled inductance and capacitance. A magnetic field response recorder is provided to interrogate each sensor before and after a damage condition. Changes in response are indicative of damage and a corresponding location thereof.
US07683796B2
An open-wire detection system and method includes a current transmitter that can be connected to one or more wires, wherein the current transmitter provides a minimum current and/or a current that is greater than the minimum current. An anti-aliasing filter is connected to an analog-to-digital converter, such that the anti-aliasing filter receives the minimum current provided by the current transmitter and provides an output signal to the analog-to-digital converter. A noise filter is generally connected to an open-wire threshold detector, wherein the noise filter and the open-wire threshold detector permit detection of input levels below the minimum current provided by the current transmitter. An output from the open-wire threshold detector can be sampled multiple times at intervals that correlate with a frequency of a plurality of digital signals to produce sampled data, such that if the sampled data is below the minimum current, one or more of the wires (e.g., a return field wire and/or a field wire connected to a power supply) is reported as constituting an open-wire.
US07683788B2
An RFID reader system comprises one or more transceiver modules (10) for communicating with a plurality of RFID tags, a control unit (8) having a reference frequency generator for providing a reference frequency to said one or more transceiver modules (10), a control bus (16) connecting the control unit (8) to said one or more transceiver modules (10) for communicating with said one or more transceiver modules (10) and the control unit (8) having a communications port allowing the control unit to communicate with an application host system. The control unit (8) provides a common reference frequency to said transceiver modules. The invention also relates to a method of reading tags, comprising the steps of providing a plurality of transceiver modules (10) with a common reference frequency, and controlling at least one of the transceiver modules (10) from a control unit (8) to read one or more of the plurality of tags.
US07683782B2
The present invention provides an RFID system for locating an entity within a structure, the system comprising a portable RF transmitter/receiver transported by the entity within the structure, a base unit, and a plurality of passive RFID tags, wherein the RF transmitter/receiver records the location of an RF tag and broadcasts the location of the RF tag to the base unit.
US07683775B2
A modular sensor architecture. A sensor includes multiple planes that are in electrical communication. A power plane provides a power source and a communications module that can be optical and/or electrical in nature. The power source can be upgraded using optical power delivered over an optical fiber. The sensor can also both transmit/receive data over the optical fiber. A processing plane provides memory and processing power. The processing plane can be updated/upgraded via the communications module or the optical fiber. A sensor plane includes multiple sensors. Deployed sensors can transmit and receive data or programming using mesh networks and using low power pulse modulation.
US07683771B1
A control panel and/or dashboard display system which allows a user to selectively configure at least one of position and characteristic, items displayed on the control panel and/or dashboard display system. A system is provided and includes an interactive database of menu items that is accessible by the user for selecting the items to be displayed on the control panel and/or dashboard display system using touch screen technology or actuatable buttons to select the desired displayed items and the appearance of the displayed items. The user has the ability to save the customized configurations to memory and to lock out change. Further provides for applications wherein said control/panel and/or dashboard display systems are used in multiple locations.
US07683767B2
A vehicular control device includes (i) situation detection units that detect situation of the vehicle, occupants, or a surrounding area; (ii) a storage unit for storing a model representing association between variables indicating the situation and variables indicating presence or absence of operation needs for each in-vehicle unit, (iii) an inference execution unit that determines presence or absence of the operation needs for each in-vehicle unit using the stored model; (iv) a control unit that controls each in-vehicle unit based on a result of determination by the inference execution unit; (v) an operation detection unit that detects the operation of each in-vehicle unit; and (vi) a model learning unit that learns the stored model using the detected situation when the operation of each in-vehicle unit is detected by the operation detection unit, and an event involving the presence of operation needs for the in-vehicle unit.
US07683760B2
A mobile portal for RFID applications includes an RFID reader for reading identifications of proximately located RFID tagged items in the environment. A communicator is coupled to the RFID reader to receive the read identifications and then communicate the received read identifications over the wireless interface, through one of the gateways, to the central data processing system. Each mobile portal may be actuated for RFID read operations in response to information sensed concerning operation of the mobile asset/vehicle. Additionally, the central data processing system may issue instructions concerning mobile asset/vehicle operation, with those instructions communicated over the wireless interface to the mobile portal. Responsive to implementation of those instructions, the mobile portal actuates the RFID reader and compares the read identifications to identifications of certain RFID tagged items to be manipulated which were identified in the received instruction.
US07683759B2
A patient identification device is disclosed. The device includes a first sensor, a second sensor, and a processor. The first sensor may be configured to be positioned on the patient's finger. The device may include a camera. The device may include an identifier. The identifier displays a randomly generated alphanumeric code for further identification of the patient.
US07683757B2
A system and method for remotely controlling a function. The system includes a transmitter and a receiver control circuit having a plurality of antennas. The transmitter transmits a wireless control signal having first and second signal portions. An antenna is selected based on the first signal portion. A function is performed when the second signal portion is received by the selected antenna and successfully decoded.
US07683756B2
The disclosed embodiments include a wireless access system and method that enable the transmission of wireless access signals having a desired power level. In some embodiments, the wireless access system determines the amount of supply current drawn by certain devices and causes adjustment of the wireless access signal power level based on an assessment of the supply current.
US07683752B1
A fuse box system that combines a series of specially designed fuses in a fuse box that allows an individual to see if one or more particular fuses within the fuse box are broken. The fuse has one of two different configurations, depending on whether the fuse is used in a system that is used in a polarized or non-polarized system. In each scenario, the fuse includes a number of diodes, one of which is a light emitting diode (LED) that will be lit up when the fuse is working and will not be lit up when the fuse is broken and/or not working.
US07683746B2
The present invention provides an electromechanical switch enabled to achieve a high-speed switching response at a low driving voltage. An electromechanical switch body 10, which is an MEMS switch, has a first movable electrode 14 and a second movable electrode 16, both ends of each of which are respectively fixed to and laid on a first anchor 12 and a second anchor 13 formed on a silicon substrate 2, and also has a fixed electrode 18 that faces these movable electrodes. A first electromechanical switch 22 enabled to be driven at a low voltage is constituted by the first movable electrode 14, which has a relatively weak spring force, and the fixed electrode 18. A second electromechanical switch 24 enabled to be latched at a low voltage is constituted by the second movable electrode 16, which has a relatively strong spring force, and the fixed electrode 18. Consequently, the first movable electrode 14 is displaced at high speed at a low driving voltage, so that the first electromechanical switch is turned on at high speed. A restoring force causes the second movable electrode 16 to perform natural vibrations at high speed, so that the second electromechanical switch is turned off at high speed. The restored second movable electrode 16 is latched at a low driving voltage, so that the second electromechanical switch is turned on.
US07683743B2
A filtering circuit and a structure thereof are provided. The filtering circuit includes an input terminal, an output terminal, a resonant circuit, a first coupling portion, and a second coupling portion. The resonant circuit is coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal and includes M resonators which are arranged in sequence. A signal received by the input terminal can be transmitted to the output terminal by the resonant circuit through inter-coupling between adjacent resonators. The first coupling portion and the second coupling portion are respectively coupled to non-adjacent resonators. A part of the signal received by the input terminal is transmitted to the second coupling portion via the first coupling portion through cross-couple. Thereby, sideband interference can be further suppressed.
US07683742B2
An electronic circuit includes: an acoustic resonator of BAW or SAW type, said resonator having a series resonance frequency and a parallel resonance frequency; an active circuit which is coupled in parallel to said acoustic resonator, said active circuit having a negative capacity acting on the parallel resonance frequency of said resonator.
US07683739B2
Disclosed is a signal filter assembly, which includes a circuit board electrically connected between a cable and a high frequency electric connector, and a plurality of filters installed in the circuit board and respectively electrically connected to the signal wires of the transmission wires of the cable, each filter being formed of a parallel circuit of a resistor and a capacitor.
US07683718B2
An RF power amplifier includes first and second field effect transistors having a gate, a source, and a drain, having an output power rating of at least 200 watts, and operating with a drain-to-source voltage that is greater than 50 VDC. The transistors are configured as a push-pull amplifier. The amplifier further includes an RF signal input. A input transformer is connected to the RF signal input. The input transformer has respective balanced outputs connected to the gates of the transistors. A broadband output transformer has a first balanced input connected to the drain of one the transistors, and a second balanced input connected to the drain of the other transistor. The broadband output transformer has an input to output impedance ratio of 1:4.
US07683717B2
Fully differential amplifier circuits are described herein that set the common mode voltage as well as reduce the output offset voltage (offset cancellation). A circuit according to one embodiment includes a first section for generating first and second output signals on first and second outputs from first and second input signals, a first negative feedback loop coupled to the first section, and a second negative feedback loop coupled to the first section. A second section controls the first negative feedback loop for adjusting the first output signal towards a common mode voltage level, and for reducing an offset voltage of the first output signal in different loop bandwidths. A third section controls the second negative feedback loop for adjusting the second output signal towards the common mode voltage level, and for reducing an offset voltage of the second output signal in different loop bandwidths.
US07683707B2
A self-oscillating modulator operates at a two-level output. The modulator comprises an alternating output stage (13), an optional output filter (14), a feedback (16) including a function block with a transfer function (MFB), a forward block (12) having a transfer function (MFW) and is provided with means (17) for calculating the difference between the signal originating from said function block and a reference signal. The output voltage of the modulator either from the alternating output stage (13) and/or the output filter (14) is fed back through the function block, and a multiplication element (11) is placed together with the forward block (12) before the alternating output stage (13).
US07683706B2
Provided is a gain amplifier having a switched-capacitor structure capable of minimizing settling time, in which an input capacitor is connected to an input terminal during a first clock sampling an input signal, and thus an output terminal of the amplifier is reset in advance to an estimated output voltage value rather than 0 by the input capacitor. Accordingly, the slight move of the output terminal of the amplifier is sufficient to settle to a desired value in an amplification mode, so that slewing time can be reduced, and as a result, overall settling time and power consumption can be minimized.
US07683705B2
A circuit arrangement for matching a demodulator to operating conditions comprises a demodulator designed to demodulate an analog input signal to a demodulated signal. The demodulator is also designed to be driven by a control signal. The circuit arrangement further comprises a sensor which is designed to provide a sensor status signal, and a control unit to whose input side the sensor status signal is applied and which is designed to provide the control signal for the demodulator during operation.
US07683704B2
A single-ended low pass filter and its double-ended or balanced version comprising a first coil (Lp1) coupled between a first input (Vin1) and a first output (Vout1) terminal of the filter, a second coil (Lp2) coupled between a second input (Vin2) and a second output (Vout2) terminal of this filter, and a capacitor (C) coupled between the first and second output terminals. The single-ended or balanced low pass filter further includes filter enhancement means (FEM) comprising a current sense circuit (CS) having first inputs coupled across a first impedance (Rsense1) coupled between the first input terminal and the first coil, second inputs coupled across a second impedance (Rsense2) coupled between the second input terminal and the second coil, and an amplifier (A) having an input coupled to an output of the current sense circuit and having an output connected to a ground terminal (Vgrd) via a third (Ls1) and a fourth (Ls2) coils, preferably mounted in parallel and also forming part of the filter enhancement means. The coils are magnetically coupled by pairs and are located on a same core of a transformer (T1). This filter is used in xDSL splitters. The amplifier may comprise the cascade coupling of a frequency dependent amplifier and a transconductance amplifier. The coil is then enhanced in value and is made frequency dependent, giving a multiple order low pass filter.
US07683701B2
Bandgap reference (BGR) circuits and methods are described herein for providing high accuracy, low power Bandgap operation when using small, low voltage devices in the analog blocks of the BGR circuit. In some cases, chopped input stabilization and dynamic current matching techniques may be combined to compensate for input voltage offsets in the operational amplifier portion and current offsets in the current mirror portion of the Bandgap circuit. When used together, the chopped stabilization and dynamic current matching techniques provide a significant increase in accuracy, especially when using small, low voltage devices in the analog blocks to reduce layout area and support low power supply operation (e.g., power supply values down to about 1.4 volts and below).
US07683699B2
An improved charge pump design useful in low power applications derives an alternative voltage from a supply voltage. The design can be constructed using PMOS manufactured according to standard processes such that triple well manufacturing processes are not required. The design can incorporate control gate circuitry to increase efficiency and decrease degradation due to the threshold voltage of the transistors used.
US07683688B2
An integrated circuit (400) includes at least one clocked latch circuit (410). The clocked latch circuit (400) includes a first stage (415) including a latch node (420) positioned between a first pull up device (416) and a first (417) and at least a second pull down device (418), wherein the first stage (415) is operative to receive inputs comprising a data signal (D), a clock signal (CLK) and a clocked complement of the data signal (CDXX). A second stage (441) includes a second pull up device (442) and a third pull down device (445) having the latch node (420) therebetween, wherein at least one gate of the first pull up device (416) and the first (417) and second pull down device (418) is directly coupled to a gate of the second pull up device (442) or the third pull down device (445). An output inverter is coupled to the latch node (420). The clocked latch circuit is operable to pull the latch node (420) low under at least one logical combination of the inputs, and pull the latch node high under at least one other logical combination of the inputs.
US07683687B2
In a hysteresis characteristic input circuit, first and second resistors are connected in parallel between a first power supply terminal and a connection point, and first and second MOS transistors are connected in parallel between the connection point and a second power supply terminal and are controlled by an input voltage. An inverter has an input connected to the connection point and an output adapted to generate an output voltage. A first switching element is connected in series to the second resistor, and a second switching element is connected in series to the second MOS transistor. The first and second switching elements are complementarily controlled by the output voltage.
US07683683B1
An apparatus includes a controllable delay circuit, a clock doubler circuit, a low-pass filter, and a comparator. The controllable delay circuit generates a delayed clock signal from a reference clock signal. The clock doubler circuit generates an output clock signal from the delayed clock signal. A frequency of the output clock signal is twice a frequency of the reference clock signal. The low-pass filter receives the output clock signal and generates a filtered signal. The comparator generates an output signal by comparing the filtered signal with a reference signal.
US07683682B1
A frequency divider for a wireless communication system is provided. A frequency divider includes a body bias voltage generator and a divider. The body bias voltage generator generates a body bias voltage including a PMOS body bias voltage and an NMOS body bias voltage whose voltage levels are controlled according to an input signal. The divider includes a plurality of flip-flops whose operation points are determined according to the body bias voltage, and generates an output signal by dividing a frequency of the input signal by N. Each of the flip-flops may include a PMOS logic and an NMOS logic. The PMOS logic may include a plurality of PMOS transistors whose operation points are determined according to the PMOS body bias voltage. The NMOS logic may be connected electrically to the PMOS logic and include a plurality of NMOS transistors whose operation points are determined according to the NMOS body bias voltage.
US07683673B2
Differential signal transmission circuitry in which multiple differential signal transmission circuits are coupled in a stacked relationship between the power supply electrodes to minimize power dissipation by reusing the signal currents among the channels.
US07683669B2
The invention provides a semiconductor device which consumes less power in pending. The invention further provides a semiconductor device in which a gate electrode is provided over both sides of a semiconductor thin film which forms a transistor, a logic signal is applied to a first gate electrode, a threshold value control signal is applied to a second gate electrode, and a threshold value of a transistor which forms the semiconductor device is controlled by a potential of the second gate electrode, and a driving method thereof. Then, the invention provides a semiconductor device provided with a plurality of logic circuits formed of such a transistor with a back gate and a driving method thereof.
US07683659B1
Integrated circuits contain core logic that is powered using a power supply signal. The core logic contains simultaneously switching circuitry. The simultaneously switching circuitry contributes to noise on the power supply signal. Balancing circuitry may be provided on the integrated circuit to compensate for the simultaneously switching circuitry in the core logic. The balancing circuitry may receive an input signal that is out of phase with respect to the input to the core logic. As the balancing circuitry switches out of phase with the simultaneously switching circuitry of the core logic, the noise contribution from the core logic is compensated and power supply noise on the power supply signal is minimized.
US07683651B2
A test structure for electromigration and related method are disclosed. The test structure may include an array of a plurality of multilink test sets, each multilink test set including a plurality of metal lines positioned within a dielectric material and connected in a serial configuration; each multilink test set being connected in a parallel configuration with the other multilink test sets, the parallel configuration including a first electrical connection to a cathode end of a first metal line in each multilink test set and a second electrical connection to an anode end of a last metal line in each multilink test set.
US07683646B2
A method of producing a probe card where a sintering process is not required for each ejection of a droplet and fine bumps that become probes can be formed in a short time. A liquid material containing metal ultra-fine particles is ejected onto a substrate in accordance with a fine inkjet process, and fine bumps are formed on the substrate. The manufacturing process is simplified so that energy can be saved and resources can be saved.
US07683644B2
A structure and method for monitoring extrusion failures. The structure includes: a test wire having first and second ends; first and second vias contacting first and second ends of the test wire; a first monitor structure electrically isolated from the test wire and surrounding a periphery of the test wire; and a second monitor structure over the test wire, the second monitor structure electrically isolated from the test wire, the second monitor structure extending over at least the first end of the test wire.
US07683642B2
An arrangement for use in connection with an electricity meter includes an electricity meter housing and at least one connection between a first conductor and a second conductor carrying line voltage. The arrangement further includes a processing circuit that is configured to obtain a first voltage measurement within the meter housing on a first side of the at least one connection, and to obtain a second voltage measurement on a second side of the at least one connection. The processing circuit is further configured to determine a value corresponding to an impedance across the at least one connection.
US07683640B2
A capacitive fingerprint sensor comprises a fingerprint capacitor, an integrator, a first transistor, a second transistor and a third transistor. The fingerprint capacitor has a capacitance that is either a valley capacitance CFV or a ridge capacitance CFR, wherein CFV is smaller than CFR. The integrator has a reference capacitor Cfb. The first transistor is configured to control the fingerprint capacitor during a scan line period. The second transistor is configured to discharge the fingerprint capacitor. The third transistor is configured to precharge the fingerprint capacitor and to redistribute the charges between the fingerprint capacitor and the reference capacitor Cfb.
US07683636B2
An improved relative humidity sensor apparatus that provides a more accurate measurement of humidity in the presence of water condensation. A series capacitive sensor includes a thin porous platinum top plate, a humidity sensitive polyimide dielectric, and two metal bottom plates on a semiconductor substrate. The two capacitors can be wired in series such that the metal bottom plates form independent, electrically driven connections. The thin top layer can form a top plate. Changes in humidity affect the humidity sensitive dielectric thereby causing changes in the capacitive value. A P-well layer and a P-plus layer can be added at the perimeter of the substrate to create a path for a parasitic capacitance caused by water condensation to connect to one or more connection nodes, thereby preventing erroneous measurements of humidity in the presence of water condensation.
US07683635B1
An adjustable sensor strip assembly for use with a digital readout includes a plurality of sensor strip segments and a plurality of readout tracks for supporting the sensor strip segments. The readout tracks are fastened together with a wedge assembly. An alignment gauge is used to align the adjoining sensor strip segments so that precise measurements are achieved.
US07683632B2
A disclosed specific absorption rate measurement system according to an embodiment of the present invention measures a specific absorption rate of electromagnetic waves from a radiating source absorbed in a dielectric medium. The system includes a measurement portion that measures a first electric field vector on an observation surface which is a two-dimensional surface in the dielectric medium; an electric field calculation portion that calculates a second electric field vector in a point excluded from the observation surface in accordance with electric field components of the first electric field vector measured on the observation surface, the electric field components being parallel to the observation surface; and a calculation portion that calculates the specific absorption rate from the calculated second electric field vector.
US07683623B2
A radio frequency coil for magnetic resonance imaging or spectroscopy includes a plurality of generally parallel conductive members (70) surrounding a region of interest (14). One or more end members (72, 74) are disposed generally transverse to the plurality of parallel conductive members. A generally cylindrical radio frequency shield (32) surrounds the plurality of generally parallel conductive members. Switchable circuitry (80, 80′) selectably has: (i) a first switched configuration (90, 90′) in which the conductive members are operatively connected with the one or more end members; and (ii) a second switched configuration (92, 92′) in which the conductive members are operatively connected with the radio frequency shield. The radio frequency coil operates in a birdcage resonance mode in the first switched configuration and operates in a TEM resonance mode in the second switched configuration.
US07683622B2
A radio-frequency transmission arrangement for an MR system for generation of a total B1 field which has a first antenna device that generates a first portion of the total B1 field and at least one antenna insert that generates a second portion of the total B1 field, such that the resulting B1 field is generated by the first antenna device and the at least one antenna insert.
US07683619B2
Antenna assemblies for magnetic resonance signals comprise a non-resonant loop antenna and a high impedance differential amplifier. The amplifier can include first and second high electron mobility transistors that have gates coupled to an antenna loop that is defined on a rigid substrate. The non-resonant loop has an effective length of less than about 1/10 of a wavelength of a signal to be detected. Arrays of such loops can be defined on the rigid substrate, and HEMTs for the loops secured to the substrate.
US07683615B2
A method and apparatus for improving spectral resolution of an NMR measurement in the presence of an inhomogeneous magnetic field. According to one embodiment, a method producing a high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum for a sample in an inhomogeneous magnetic field may comprise generating a first magnetic pulse and a second magnetic pulse, the first and second magnetic pulses being separated in time by a first time period, during the first time period, generating a gradient pulse, repeating the steps of generating the first and second magnetic pulses and generating the gradient pulse N times for different values of a field strength of the gradient pulse, wherein N is an integer greater than one, after each second magnetic pulse, acquiring a signal from the sample, and producing a reconstructed high resolution NMR spectrum from the acquired signals.
US07683609B2
A vehicle wheel speed sensor 10 includes a cover member 21 having a mounting hole 26, a detection unit 31, a connector terminal 38, and a connector 61. The connector 61 is arranged on a surface of the cover member 21 at a side opposite to a rotor 17. The detection unit 31 is arranged on a surface of the cover member 21 at a side of the rotor 17. The detection unit 31 includes a Hall device 32, which detects change in a magnetic flux caused by rotation of the rotor 17. A connector terminal 38 is electrically connected to the Hall device 32 and is inserted in the mounting hole 26 of the cover member 21 and in the connector 61. A resin molding portion 71 integrates the detection unit 31 and the connector 61 through the mounting hole 26 to integrate the cover member 21, the connector 61, and the detection unit 31.
US07683607B2
A connection testing apparatus, a connection testing method, and a chip using the same are provided. The method can be used for testing connections between chips, so as to solve the problems that a conventional multi-chip connection test needs a plenty of test patterns, resulting in a long test time and a high test cost, and the condition of a connection failure is hard to be analyzed after a test failure. In the present invention, a voltage variation caused when an ESD element in a chip is conducted and a comparison circuits are used to determine whether a connection is correct. Furthermore, the test apparatus is built in the chip, so that the connection test may be accomplished quickly and efficiently. Once a connection failure occurs, the failed connection pin can also be found, so as to be favorable for engineering analysis and thereby effectively saving the test cost.
US07683604B1
Amplifier topology and method for connecting to printed circuit board traces used as shunt resistors
An integrated circuit current shunt amplifier (2A) includes an amplifier (9) having a (+) input connected to a first terminal (5A) of a shunt resistor (RSHUNT). An output transistor (24) has a gate coupled to an output of the amplifier, a source coupled to a (−) input of the amplifier, and a drain coupled to a first terminal of an output resistor (ROUT). A gain resistor (RGAIN) is coupled between the (−) input of the amplifier and a second terminal of the shunt resistor. The gain resistor has a temperature coefficient which is essentially the same as that of the shunt resistor. A voltage regulator (26) can be coupled between the second terminal of the shunt resistor and a low-side supply voltage terminal (27) of the amplifier. A charge pump (30) can provide a below-ground voltage on a second terminal of the output resistor. A difference amplifier (31) coupled to the drain and referenced to the below-ground voltage produces an output voltage (Vout) referenced to ground.
US07683601B2
The invention relates to a digital acquisition device for an amplitude modulation signal of a carrier. The acquisition device digitally acquires a useful signal. The useful signal modulates the amplitude of a carrier HF1 which has a frequency and a phase that are known. A modulation of the amplitude of the carrier by the useful signals forms a signal to be processed. According to the invention, the device has a summing device for creating an aggregate signal from a sum of the signal to be processed and a neutralizing signal. The neutralizing signal is a product of the carrier HF1 and of a neutralizing coefficient that can evolve over time, produced by a controlled-gain amplifier device. A load amplifier device amplifies the aggregate signal and produces an amplified aggregate signal. A quadrant comparison device QC is provided for the signal of the amplified aggregate signal and the sign of the carrier which delivers a comparison signal. A sampling device produces a bitstream from the comparison signal. The bitstream forms an image of the useful signal. An integration device produces the neutralizing coefficient, from the bitstream.
US07683597B2
To provide a power supply apparatus having high control resolution of an output power. A PWM signal generating circuit includes: a non-inverting element 31, and an inverting element 32; and further includes a counter 11 for performing count operation in response to rising of a clock signal, a counter 12 for performing count operation in response to falling of the clock signal, comparison circuits 21, 22, and a multiplexer 20. These circuit elements are controlled by PWM control means 10. As another circuit element, the PWM signal generating circuit includes a logical sum element 33. The PWM signal generating circuit serves to arbitrarily change both period and logic “H” time of a PWM signal to be outputted at a time interval which is one half of the clock period. Thus, there is provided a power supply apparatus in which resolution of a PWM signal has been improved within a broad duty range, and fine control of an output power has been performed within a broad output power range.
US07683596B1
A control loop system is provided that employs an active DC output control circuit that more accurately calibrates the desired voltage at a load, e.g. 3.3 volts, by adjusting a trim pin on a DC/DC converter.
US07683594B2
A circuit for reducing switching losses in a synchronous rectifier of a switching stage including a high-side control transistor and a low-side synchronous transistor coupled at a switching node, the switching stage receiving an input voltage and providing a controlled output voltage at an output node. The circuit including a first circuit portion for sensing waveshape edges of a first signal at a gate terminal of the low-side synchronous transistor and a first voltage to determine a delay between the waveshape edge of the first signal and the waveshape edge of the first voltage; and a second circuit portion for calibrating the first signal and the first voltage to align the waveshape edge of the first signal and the waveshape edge of the first voltage, with an optional offset to achieve minimal power loss.
US07683588B2
A device for controlling vehicle power generation that controls duty cycle of an excitation winding in a vehicle power generator and controls an output voltage from the vehicle power generator to a predetermined value includes a power generation controlling circuit that, when the output voltage from the vehicle power generator is less than the predetermined value, gradually increases the value of a gradual excitation duty and gradually increases the excitation current, the gradual excitation duty being a limit value for increasing and decreasing an excitation drive duty intermittently controlling the electrification of the excitation winding, and in an opposite situation, gradually decreases a value of the excitation drive duty and gradually decreases the excitation current. The power generation controlling circuit changes the rate at which the value of the gradual excitation duty is decreased.
US07683586B2
A method and system for supply voltage regulation in a motor circuit protector (MCP) that includes a current transformer coupled to a rectifier and a stored energy circuit. A solenoid is actuated by that circuit when a sufficient voltage is present. A controller having a configurable input is coupled to the stored energy circuit. Upon startup of the motor circuit protector, the controller causes the stored energy circuit to be charged to a startup voltage level via secondary current from the current transformer. The controller periodically interrupts the charging to measure the secondary current to detect fault levels. During startup, the configurable input is set to a comparator input for rapid current measurements. During run mode, the configurable input is set to an A/D input for accurate measurements. The controller measures the voltage of the stored energy circuit while charging it to a power level sufficient to actuate the solenoid.
US07683583B2
In a cooling system for cooling a battery pack mounted in a vehicle, the battery pack is mounted at an inner lower end of the vehicle constructed in a corrugated structure including alternating valleys and peaks. Battery modules of the battery pack are arranged such that unit cells of each battery module are mounted vertically on the corrugated lower end of the vehicle. The cooling system includes a coolant inlet port and a coolant outlet port formed at a lower-end member of a housing surrounding an outer surface of the battery pack. The coolant inlet port and the coolant outlet port are formed using a structure of the vehicle.
US07683577B2
A battery pack including at least one battery cell, a switch, and battery state monitoring circuitry. The battery state monitoring circuitry may be configured to control an ON resistance of the switch to a first ON resistance when the switch is ON and the battery pack is in a stand-by-state and to control the ON resistance to a second ON resistance when the switch is ON and said battery pack is not in said stand-by-state, the first ON resistance greater than the second ON resistance. A cordless electrical device and method consistent with embodiments are also provided.
US07683563B2
A protective device for a power-assisted steering system, such a power-assisted steering system, and a method for protecting a power-assisted steering system are described. Provided in the described power-assisted steering system is a circuit that closes a separation in the neutral point of an electric motor when the rotational speed of the electric motor exceeds a prespecified value.
US07683560B2
A brushless DC motor operated by a microcontroller has a unique pole construction that enables it to reliably start and operate as a unipolar device so that a reduced number of electronic power switches can be used to reduce cost and complexity. The microcontroller calculated rotor position to eliminate the need for a separate sensor and thereby further reduce manufacturing cost.
US07683559B2
The present invention relates to a method of recovering energy from the turntable motor (12) in an optical disc drive comprising a power supply and a circuitry (10) that is capable of selectively feeding a current from the power supply into the motor in a first state and from the motor into the power supply in a second state, the method comprising the steps of: decelerating the motor, during decelerating the motor, repeatedly calculating a ratio between a duration of the first state and a duration of the second state in dependence on an angular velocity of the motor, such that a current integrated over the whole decelerating process is fed from the motor into the power supply, and after calculating the ratio, selecting the duration of the first state and the duration of the second state in accordance with the calculated ratio. The present invention further relates to an optical device.
US07683553B2
Embodiments of the present invention include circuits and methods for electrical current control. In one embodiment, a regulator provides power to the anode end of a set of LED strings. A current setting circuit derives its current from a current reference and generates multiple matching currents that drive the low side (cathode end) of the set of LED strings. The current setting circuit also contains a feedback signal to the regulator that helps maintain a desired voltage level to the anode end of the LED strings. This embodiment is designed to be expandable and drive any number of LED strings. The present invention may be implemented with a high or low side driver scheme to drive the current. Also, the present invention may be implemented with bipolar, nmos, pmos, or any device that operates as a transistor.
US07683550B2
A low-pressure discharge lamp (1) is provided that includes a glass tube (2) having an inner diameter in a range of 1 to 5 mm and a pair of electrodes (3) disposed at end portions in the glass tube (2). The pair of electrodes (3) contain at least one transition metal selected from transition metals of Groups IV to VI. Mercury and a rare gas containing argon and neon are sealed in an inner portion of the glass tube (2). A relationship between a cathode glow discharge density J and a composition index α of the sealed rare gas of the low-pressure discharge lamp (1) satisfies the following expression α≦J=I/(S·P2)≦1.5α (where S represents an effective discharge surface area (mm2) of an electrode, I represents a RMS lamp current (mA), P represents a pressure (kPa) of a sealed rare gas, and α represents a composition index of a sealed rare gas that is a constant expressed by α=(90.5A+3.4N)×10−3 when a total of a composition ratio A of argon and a composition ratio N of neon is expressed by A+N=1).
US07683549B2
A metal halide fill for forming an ionizable fill comprises at least one inert gas, mercury and metal halides, comprising the constituents Na halide, Tl halide, Ca halide and halides of the rare earths. It also comprises Pb halide. This fill may be present in particular in the discharge vessel of a metal halide lamp which has an outer bulb.
US07683543B2
The present invention relates to a plasma display panel. According to the present invention, a width of an inner barrier rib formed in an inner region within a display region of a rear substrate is smaller than a width of an outer barrier rib formed in an outer region of the rear substrate. Therefore, the barrier ribs can be prevented from being damaged due to pressure applied when a front substrate and the rear substrate are adhered. Furthermore, a height of the inner barrier rib and a height of the outer barrier rib are substantially the same. It is thus possible to minimize noise incurred by a step between the barrier ribs.
US07683542B2
An arrangement of a low-pressure mercury amalgam lamp includes an amalgam deposit and a cladding tube surrounding a lamp, wherein the lamp has a mechanical contact to the cladding tube in a region of the amalgam deposit. A ring-shaped band contacting and surrounding the lamp in the region of the amalgam deposit represents the mechanical contact to the cladding tube.
US07683539B2
The present invention relates to a light emitting device package and a method for manufacturing the same. The present invention has advantages in that a light emitting device is electrically connected to other devices without use of wire bonding, thereby saving a space for wire bonding and reducing the size of a package.
US07683512B2
A motor used to drive optical elements includes a stator, a rotor revolved relative to the stator, and a feedback apparatus used to sense the position of the rotor. The feedback apparatus is an encoder. Such described structure eliminates the system's instability caused by the drift of a conventional capacitive type transducer or an inductance type transducer. Moreover, the response of the motor used to drive optical elements has been improved greatly by utilizing a multipole motor.
US07683498B2
A method for operation of a wind energy installation having a rotor (18) which can be driven by wind and has at least one rotor blade (22), a generator for conversion of the mechanical energy of the rotor (18) to electrical energy, a tower (14) on which the rotor (18) is arranged, and to guy the wind energy installation (10) a guy apparatus that is changed as required automatically from an unstressed state which stabilizes the wind energy installation (10), and a wind energy installation having these features.
US07683485B2
When a BGA package device is mounted to another substrate and tested for packaging strength, solder balls (8) frequently come detached in places where the edges of a semiconductor chip (1) align with the centers of the solder balls (8) on a BGA substrate (9) in the perpendicular direction of the substrate. In a semiconductor device of the present invention, the center of a semiconductor chip and the center of a BGA substrate to which the chip is mounted do not coincide with each other, and edges of the semiconductor chip do not align with the ball center positions on the BGA substrate in a direction perpendicular to the chip.
US07683475B2
The difficulties encountered in conventional LED multiple chip modules where wire bonding is used to connect the chips to electrodes can be overcome by using an interconnect to connect the chip to electrodes in a module where the interconnect is supported at points along its length other than at endpoints thereof, by a carrier either directly or indirectly. This improves reliability of the interconnect over conventional designs. Preferably, the contacts of the chips, and the electrodes are all within, or do not extend beyond, two parallel planes that are 400 microns apart for a compact design.
US07683470B2
A Chip on Board (COB) package which can reduce the manufacturing costs by using a general PCB as a substrate, increase a heat radiation effect from a light source, thereby realizing a high quality light source at low costs, and a manufacturing method thereof. The COB package includes a board-like substrate with a circuit printed on a surface thereof, the substrate having a through hole. The package also includes a light source positioned in the through hole and including a submount and a dome structure made of resin, covering and fixing the light source to the substrate. The invention allows a good heat radiation effect by using the general PCB as the substrate, enabling manufacture of a high quality COB package at low costs. This in turn improves emission efficiency of the light source, ultimately realizing a high quality light source.
US07683469B2
A package-on-package system includes: providing a base substrate; mounting an integrated circuit on the base substrate; positioning a stacking interposer over the integrated circuit; and forming a heat spreader base around the integrated circuit by coupling the base substrate and the stacking interposer to the heat spreader base.
US07683467B2
An integrated circuit package system that includes: providing an electrical interconnect system including a support structure and a lead-finger system; stacking a first device over the support structure; stacking a second device over the first device; connecting the first device and the second device to the lead-finger system; stacking a dummy device over the second device; and exposing a support structure bottom side and a dummy device top side for thermal dissipation.
US07683465B2
A semiconductor device is provided that includes a leadframe, a die, and a clip. The leadframe has a flag and a power pad. The die is coupled to the flag. The clip comprises a die retaining section and a pad section. The die is coupled to the die retaining section, and the pad section extends from the die retaining section. The pad section is coupled to the power pad.
US07683458B2
A through-wafer interconnect for imager, memory and other integrated circuit applications is disclosed, thereby eliminating the need for wire bonding, making devices incorporating such interconnects stackable and enabling wafer level packaging for imager devices. Further, a smaller and more reliable die package is achieved and circuit parasitics (e.g., L and R) are reduced due to the reduced signal path lengths.
US07683451B2
An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate including an active pixel region and an optical black region, a wiring pattern on the active pixel region and on the optical black region, and a light shielding pattern on the wiring pattern in the optical black region, the light shielding pattern including an opening therein. A dummy pattern is in the optical black region and is spaced apart from the light shielding pattern. The dummy pattern blocks light incident through the openings of the light shielding patter. An inter-metal dielectric layer fills spaces between the patterns, and a passivation layer is on the inter-metal dielectric layer. The dummy pattern includes an opening therein, and a hydrogen diffusion path is provided from the passivation layer, through the opening in the light shielding pattern and the opening in the dummy pattern, to the semiconductor substrate. The dummy pattern may be on the same level as the wiring pattern.
US07683450B2
The invention is directed to preparing optical elements having a thin, smooth, dense coating or film thereon, and a method for making such coating or film. The coated element has a surface roughness of <1.0 nm rms. The coating materials include hafnium oxide or a mixture of hafnium oxide and another oxide material, for example silicon dioxide. The method includes the use of a reverse mask to deposit the coating or film on a rotating substrate.
US07683449B2
An optoelectronic component that includes a semiconductor device and an optical component is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes at least one radiation-sensitive zone configured to detect electromagnetic radiation. The optical element for focusing is configured to focus the electromagnetic radiation in the at least one radiation-sensitive zone. The optical element includes a diffractive element having structures on the order of magnitude of the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation.
US07683447B2
A method for fabricating a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) device having a plurality of memory cells includes: forming a fixed magnetic layer having magnetic moments fixed in a predetermined direction; forming a tunnel layer over the fixed magnetic layer; forming a free magnetic layer, having magnetic moments aligned in a direction that is adjustable by applying an electromagnetic field, over the tunnel layer; forming a hard mask on the free magnetic layer partially covering the free magnetic layer; and unmagnetizing portions of the free magnetic layer uncovered by the hard mask for defining one or more magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) units.
US07683436B2
A semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a square pole-shaped channel portion made from a first semiconductor layer formed on a substrate, and surrounded with four side faces; a gate electrode formed on a first side face of the channel portion, and a second side face of the channel portion opposite to the first side face through respective gate insulating films; a source region having a conductivity type different from that of the channel portion and being formed on a third side face of the channel portion, the source region including a second semiconductor layer having a lattice constant different from that of the first semiconductor layer and being formed directly on the substrate; and a drain region having a conductivity type different from that of the channel portion and being formed on a fourth side face of the channel portion opposite to the third side face, the drain region including the second semiconductor layer being formed directly on the substrate.
US07683429B2
A microstructure which forms a micromachine is formed by using a silicon wafer as a mainstream, conventionally. In view of this, the invention provides a manufacturing method of a micromachine in which a microstructure is formed over an insulating substrate.The invention provides a micromachine including a layer containing polycrystalline silicon which is crystallized by thermal crystallization or laser crystallization using a metal element and including a space over or under the layer. Such polycrystalline silicon can be formed over an insulating surface and has high strength, therefore, it can be used as a microstructure as well. As a result, a microstructure formed over an insulating substrate or a micromachine provided with a microstructure can be provided.
US07683412B2
An ultra-thin semiconductor chip of an FeRAM, which is miniaturized and highly integrated with characteristic degradation of a ferroelectric capacitor suppressed though a thin package structure is applied to the FeRAM is realized. The semiconductor chip is molded up by using a sealing resin with a filler content set at a value in a range of 90 weight % to 93 weight % to produce a package structure.
US07683407B2
A pixel cell and imager device, and method of forming the same, where the pixel cell has a plurality of metallization and via layers formed over a photosensitive region. The metallization and via layers form a step-like light tunnel structure that augments the photosensitive region's ability to capture light impinging on the photosensitive region.
US07683401B2
Provided is a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of contact metals, and a gate electrode. The semiconductor substrate has an active region and a dummy active region, and a plurality of contact metals are formed in the active region. A gate electrode is located between the contact metals in the active region. A first distance between the active region and the dummy active region, and a second distance between an edge of the contact metal and an edge of the active region are set such that a channel characteristic of the active region is improved.
US07683400B1
A Si(1-x)MxC material for heterostructures on SiC can be grown by CVD, PVD and MOCVD. SIC doped with a metal such as Al modifies the bandgap and hence the heterostructure. Growth of SiC Si(1-x)MxC heterojunctions using SiC and metal sources permits the fabrication of improved HFMTs (high frequency mobility transistors), HBTs (heterojunction bipolar transistors), and HEMTs (high electron mobility transistors).
US07683398B2
A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided which enable reduction and enhanced stability of contact resistance between the back surface of a nitride substrate and an electrode formed thereover. A nitride semiconductor device includes an n-type GaN substrate (1) over which a semiconductor element is formed, and an n-electrode (10) as a metal electrode formed over the back surface of the GaN substrate (1). A connection layer (20) is formed between the GaN substrate (1) and the n-electrode (10), and the connection layer (20) is composed of a material that is other than nitride semiconductors and that contains silicon.
US07683397B2
An avalanche photodetector is disclosed. An apparatus according to aspects of the present invention includes a mesa structure defined in a first type of semiconductor. The first type of semiconductor material includes an absorption region optically coupled to receive and absorb an optical beam. The apparatus also includes a planar region proximate to and separate from the mesa structure and defined in a second type of semiconductor material. The planar region includes a multiplication region including a p doped region adjoining an n doped region to create a high electric field in the multiplication region. The high electric field is to multiply charge carriers photo-generated in response to the absorption of the optical beam received in the mesa structure.
US07683395B2
A light-emitting diode arrangement having at least one light-emitting diode chip (1), each light-emitting diode chip (1) being assigned at least one optical element (4). In addition, the light-emitting diode arrangement has at least one heat-conducting element (13) which is suitable to carry away the heat generated by the light-emitting diode chip, and at least one cooling apparatus which is suitable to carry heat away from the heat-conducting element. The light-emitting diode arrangement is particularly well suited, for example, to use in motor vehicle headlamps.
US07683388B2
An image pickup device is characterized by including a plurality of pixels having a plurality of photoelectric conversion units, convex interlayer lenses with respect to incident light, the convex interlayer lenses being arranged correspondingly to a photoelectric conversion devices and color filters being arranged for each color on the interlayer lenses correspondingly to the photoelectric conversion devices, wherein the color filter is formed to match the shape of the interlayer lens and the top surface thereof is substantially flat. This configuration reduces the amount of light which is incident on the gaps between adjacent microlenses and passes through the color filters at the boundary of pixels, decreasing color mixture of camera image.
US07683387B2
According to an embodiment, there is provided a thin film transistor substrate divided into a display area displaying the image and a non-display besides the display area, the thin film transistor substrate comprising: a common voltage line for MPS (mass production system) test and a grounding line for MPS (mass production system) test formed at the edge of the non-display area in parallel; an insulating layer covering the common voltage line for MPS (mass production system) test and the grounding line for MPS (mass production system) test; and an electrode layer formed on the insulating layer corresponded to the common voltage line for MPS (mass production system) test and the grounding line for MPS (mass production system) test. Thus, the present invention provides a thin film transistor substrate and a fabricating method thereof for minimizing defects due to static electricity.
US07683376B2
A liquid-crystal display device of OCB mode, comprising: signal and scanning lines arranged on an insulator substrate as the signal lines are intersected by the scanning lines to form intersections; pixel-dot TFTs arranged respectively in vicinity of the intersections and connected respectively with pixel electrodes, with the signal lines and with the scanning lines; and a repair-use construction for each pixel dot, which is convertible to a diode electrically connecting one of the pixel electrodes on the each pixel dot, to one of the signal lines.
US07683373B2
Provided are a thin film transistor and method of fabricating the same, in which an amorphous silicon layer is formed on a substrate, a capping layer containing a metal catalyst having a different concentration according to its thickness is formed on the amorphous silicon layer, the capping layer is patterned to form a capping layer pattern, and the amorphous silicon layer is crystallized, such that the density and position of seeds formed at an interface between the amorphous silicon layer and the capping layer pattern is controlled, thereby improving the size and uniformity of grains, and in which polycrystalline silicon of desired size and uniformity is selectively formed at a desired position by one crystallization process, resulting in a thin film transistor having excellent and desired properties. The thin film transistor includes a substrate; a plurality of semiconductor layers formed on the substrate, the semiconductor layers including grains of different sizes obtained by crystallizing an amorphous silicon layer beneath a capping layer into a polycrystalline silicon layer using the capping layer pattern containing a metal catalyst with a predetermined distribution and having a predetermined height and width; and a gate insulating layer, a gate electrode, an interlayer insulting layer, and source and drain electrodes formed on the semiconductor layers. Therefore, the crystallization process is performed using the capping layer pattern containing the metal catalyst, which has concentration and distribution varying depending on the thickness of the capping layer pattern, thereby improving the size and uniformity of grains. In addition, the polycrystalline silicon of desired size and uniformity is selectively formed in a desired position by one crystallization process, resulting in the thin film transistor having excellent and desired properties.
US07683371B2
A display panel has a protection film having a recess. The recess is arranged above a storage electrode and corresponds to a location of the storage electrode in a plan view. A width of the recess is larger in plan view than a width of the storage electrode, and a pixel electrode is arranged on the protection film. The capacitance of a storage capacitor formed by charges stored in the pixel electrode and the storage electrode is determined by a thickness of the protection film and an overlapping area of the pixel electrode and the storage electrode.
US07683366B2
Provided are an organic thin film transistor providing smoother movement of holes between a source electrode or a drain electrode and a p-type organic semiconductor layer, and a flat panel display device including the organic thin film transistor. The organic thin film transistor includes a substrate, a gate electrode disposed on the substrate, a p-type organic semiconductor layer insulated from the gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode separated from each other and insulated from the gate electrode, and a hole injection layer interposed between the source and drain electrodes and the p-type organic semiconductor layer.
US07683365B2
An image pickup device comprises an organic photoelectric conversion film sandwiched between at least two electrodes, wherein the organic photoelectric conversion file comprises a specific quinacridone derivative or a specific quinazoline derivative.
US07683362B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed that is able to suppress a short channel effect and improve carrier mobility. In the method, trenches are formed in a silicon substrate corresponding to a source region and a drain region. When epitaxially growing p-type semiconductor mixed crystal layers to fill up the trenches, the surfaces of the trenches are demarcated by facets, and extended portions of the semiconductor mixed crystal layers are formed between bottom surfaces of second side wall insulating films and a surface of the silicon substrate, and extended portion are in contact with a source extension region and a drain extension region.
US07683358B2
A reference light source produces a reference light having a predetermined light intensity. A sensitivity measuring device acquires a detection signal from an operation, in which the reference light having been produced by the reference light source is photoelectrically detected with the photomultiplier. The sensitivity measuring device measures a sensitivity of the photomultiplier in accordance with a relationship between the thus acquired detection signal and a reference signal, which has been set previously and which has a level in accordance with the predetermined light intensity of the reference light.
US07683357B2
A gas species monitoring system includes a laser, a fiber amplifier configured to receive an input signal from the laser and generate an amplified signal, and a variable optical attenuation system configured to receive at least a portion of the amplified signal and generate an attenuated signal for delivery to a measurement point, where the measurement point includes a gaseous fluid. The system further includes a detector configured to receive and process a signal from the measurement point so as to obtain a measured signal that correlates with the presence of a gas species within the gaseous fluid at the measurement point, and a processor in communication with at least the variable optical attenuation system and the detector. The processor controls the variable optical attenuation system based upon the measured signal.
US07683351B2
A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a support for a patterning device, a substrate table for a substrate, a projection system, and a control system. The patterning device is capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. The projection system is configured to project the patterned radiation beam as an image onto a target portion of the substrate along a scan path. The scan path is defined by a trajectory in a scanning direction of an exposure field of the lithographic apparatus. The control system is coupled to the support, the substrate table and the projection system for controlling an action of the support, the substrate table and the projection system, respectively. The control system is configured to correct a local distortion of the image in a region along the scan path by a temporal adjustment of the image in that region.
US07683350B2
An ion implantation method is provided. The method, before ion implanting, is to rotate the substrate by an angle and shift the scan path of the ion beam with an interlace pitch in the direction perpendicular to the scan direction and on the plane of the substrate. Therefore a plurality of interlaced and not overlapped ion implantation scan lines are formed on the surface of the substrate, so the method can enhance the uniformity of the dose of the ion implantation in the substrate.
US07683343B2
A treatment system or treatment reactor (1) comprising at least one dielectric barrier discharge lamp (2) with a first electrode (20) and a housing (10) for containing a medium (3) like a fluid and/or a gas and/or a solid material which is to be treated by means of the radiation generated by the lamp (2) is disclosed which is especially characterized in that at least one second electrode of at least one lamp (2) is provided in the form of at least one intermediate counter electrode (3, 4) which is positioned within a volume (31) between at least one dielectric barrier discharge lamp (2) and the housing (10). By this, influences of the treated medium on the electrical behavior of the treatment system or reactor (1) and especially power losses in the medium can be avoided or considerably be decreased. Furthermore, losses of the lamp light due to absorption and/or shadowing at an outer electrode surrounding the lamp are avoided as well.
US07683342B2
A plasma source, particularly for disinfection of wounds, comprising: an ionization chamber having an inlet for introducing a gas into the ionization chamber and further having an outlet for dispensing the ionized gas onto an object; several ionization electrodes being disposed within the ionization chamber for ionizing the gas and a predetermined ratio of the electrode-electrode distance on the one hand and the electrode-wall distance on the other hand, wherein the ratio is in a range approximately between about 1.8 and about 2.2.
US07683341B2
A large field of view projection image is obtained and a small field of view projection image is obtained. The two images are normalized, to take into account the difference between the count data between the images, and the way the images represent data. The large field of view image does not include truncation errors that are present in the small field of view image and therefore is stitched together with the smaller field of view image to use the improved data within the small field of view image with the truncation reduction enabled by the larger field of view image.
US07683336B2
A gamma-ray detector (42, 52, 72, 92) comprising a large-area plastic scintillation body (44, 64, 74, 94) and a photon detector (38, 58, 68, 78) optically coupled to the scintillation body to receive and detect photons (P1, P2, P3) generated by gamma-ray interactions. Selected portions of the scintillation body surface are provided with a reflective layer (46, 60, 80) in planar contact with the scintillation body. Other regions are not provided with a reflective layer. Thus specular reflection is promoted in at the surfaces provided with the reflective layer, while total internal reflection may occur in the regions which are not provided with a reflective layer, hi a scintillation body generally in the form of a plank, the photon detector is coupled to one end, and the regions provided with the reflective layer are the edges of the plank. The scintillation body may be shaped so that it reduced in cross section in a direction away from the photon detector. The spectrometer may include photon detectors coupled to both ends of the scintillation body.
US07683334B2
A phoswich radiation detector for simultaneous spectroscopy of beta rays and gamma rays includes three scintillators with different decay time characteristics. Two of the three scintillators are used for beta detection and the third scintillator is used for gamma detection. A pulse induced by an interaction of radiation with the detector is digitally analyzed to classify the type of event as beta, gamma, or unknown. A pulse is classified as a beta event if the pulse originated from just the first scintillator alone or from just the first and the second scintillator. A pulse from just the third scintillator is recorded as gamma event. Other pulses are rejected as unknown events.
US07683333B2
A radiation imaging device suitable for SPECT or other nuclear imaging includes a detector (22) which receives radiation. A fan beam-slit collimator (20) is positioned adjacent a radiation receiving face (32) of the detector, intermediate the detector and a radiation source (12, 18). The collimator includes a plurality of slats (30) having a common focus. A body (44) adjacent the slats defines one or more elongate slits (46). The slit is arranged such that radiation passes through the slit and between the slats to the detector face. The body is at least substantially impermeable to the radiation. The fan beam-slit collimator (20) enables higher resolution or efficiency to be achieved from the detector.
US07683332B2
This invention features an integrated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/transmission computed tomography (TCT) system for cardiac imaging including an open arc-shaped frame. A collimator system is shaped to approximately match the thoracic contour of patients having different sizes and weights and shaped to surround and position the collimator closely proximate a heart of a patient of said patients encompassed by at least one predetermined image volume for optimizing collimation of radiation photons emitted from the heart. An arc-shaped detector system is coupled to the collimator subsystem having a shape closely matching the shape of the collimator subsystem for detecting collimated radiation photons from the collimator subsystem and generating output electrical signals. A patient positioning subsystem positions a patient to a predetermined central longitudinal axis of the three-dimensional imaging volume and for intermittently and incrementally rotating the patient about the predetermined central longitudinal axis for generating a plurality of TCT images.
US07683324B2
Bolometers utilize an organic semiconductor diode layer assembly for temperature measurement. These bolometers are particularly sensitive to the infrared wave range so that they are employable as infrared sensors and may be combined to form one-dimensional sensor rows or two-dimensional microbolometer arrays.
US07683321B1
An infrared imaging system having functionality for maintaining image quality in the presence of temperature drift of the system. Such functionality is applied repetitively to maintain image quality of a target scene, yet without continuous actuation of a shutter of the system. The functionality of the imaging system results from implementing an imager algorithm. In use, the imager algorithm functions with a calibration curve created for the imaging system, with the curve comprising a plot of system output versus target scene temperature.
US07683317B2
A method for detecting hidden defects and patterns, the method includes: receiving an object that comprises an opaque layer positioned above an intermediate layer; defining an energy band in response to at least one characteristic of the opaque layer and at least one characteristic of a scanning electron microscope; illuminating the object with a primary electron beam; and generating images from electrons that arrive to a spectrometer having an energy within the energy band. A scanning electron microscope that includes a stage for supporting an object that comprises an opaque layer positioned above an intermediate layer; a controller, adapted to receive or define an energy band in response to at least one characteristic of the opaque layer and at least one characteristic of a scanning electron microscope; illumination optics adapted to illuminate the object with a primary electron beam; an electron spectrometer, controlled by the controller such as to selectively reject electrons in response to the defined energy band; and a processor, coupled to the spectrometer, adapted to generate images from detection signals provided by the spectrometer.
US07683315B2
A FAIMS cell has an elongated inner electrode with a longitudinal axis extending along a first direction. The inner electrode has a curved outer surface that defines a circle when viewed in a cross section that is taken in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis, which itself passes through the center of the circle so defined. An outer electrode having an inner surface is disposed in a spaced-apart facing relationship relative to the outer surface of the inner electrode so as to define an analytical gap therebetween. A first ion inlet orifice is defined through a first portion of the outer electrode, and an ion outlet orifice is defined through a second portion of the outer electrode. In particular, the first ion inlet orifice has a first ion injection axis that does not pass through the center of the circle. Furthermore, the second electrode does not have defined through any portion thereof an ion inlet orifice having an ion injection axis that passes through the center of the circle.
US07683310B1
A laser warning receiver is disclosed which has up to hundreds of individual optical channels each optically oriented to receive laser light from a different angle of arrival. Each optical channel has an optical wedge to define the angle of arrival, and a lens to focus the laser light onto a multi-wavelength photodetector for that channel. Each multi-wavelength photodetector has a number of semiconductor layers which are located in a multi-dielectric stack that concentrates the laser light into one of the semiconductor layers according to wavelength. An electrical signal from the multi-wavelength photodetector can be processed to determine both the angle of arrival and the wavelength of the laser light.
US07683289B2
A number of RF power transmission paths are defined to extend from an RF power source through a matching network, through a transmit electrode, through a plasma to a number of return electrodes. A number of tuning elements are respectively disposed within the number of RF power transmission paths. Each tuning element is defined to adjust an amount of RF power to be transmitted through the RF power transmission path within which the tuning element is disposed. A plasma density within a vicinity of a particular RF power transmission path is directly proportional to the amount of RF power transmitted through the particular RF power transmission path. Therefore, adjustment of RF power transmitted through the RF power transmission paths, as afforded by the tuning element, enables control of a plasma density profile across a substrate.
US07683282B2
The invention relates to a mechanical switching contact having an insulating material support (1), on which fixed contacts (4, 5, 6) are arranged. Furthermore, a switching lever (2) is mounted such that it can rotate on the insulating material support (1) and has a pivoting arm (22). In addition, a pivotable contact housing (3) is also mounted on the insulating material support (1), which contact housing bears parallel contact fingers (9, 10), which surround the respectively connected fixed contacts (4, 5, 6) on both sides when contact is made.
US07683280B2
Key structures are provided. A key structure comprises a substrate, a first rod, a second rod, and a key cover. The substrate comprises a first surface, a through hole, and a plurality of contact portions fixed to the first surface. Each of the contact portions has a contact surface partially covering the through hole. The first rod comprises a first primary pivot accommodated in the through hole and slidable on one of the contact surfaces, and a first auxiliary pivot slidable on the first surface. The second rod is movably connected to the first rod, comprising a second primary pivot accommodated in the through hole and a second auxiliary pivot abutting the first surface. The key cover is movable with respect to the substrate and connected to the first and second rods.
US07683274B2
The invention relates to a force-measurement cell for insertion in a bore of a pin, the cell comprising a bushing: having a generally cylindrical tubular wall with an outside surface adapted to extend against an inside surface of the bore in the pin; and within which there extends at least one sensor suitable for measuring at least one parameter representative of the stresses to which the wall is subjected. The invention also relates to a pin provided with such a force-measurement cell.
US07683271B2
A system for accurately weighing a mass of material, including a closed chamber (20) having a gas inlet (22) and a gas outlet (24). A scale (30) is disposed in the closed chamber (20). An inert gas supply, under positive pressure, is connected to the gas inlet (22) and a vacuum powered pressure regulator (100) is connected to the gas outlet (24) to maintain a predetermined pressure level within the closed chamber (20) and to substantially inhibit pressure fluctuations within the chamber (20) that may affect accuracy of the scale (30).
US07683270B2
Embodiments of a storage cabinet and methods for making and using such cabinet are disclosed. In one embodiment of an apparatus. a tubular sealed chamber for storing telecommunications equipment is coupled to a sealed chamber to support the sealed chamber. The tubular sealed chamber comprises at least one mount configured to attach and remove the telecommunications equipment, a tube and at least one door to enclose one end of the tube. The support structure partially surrounds the sealed chamber and an area between the sealed chamber and the support structure defines an inter-tube space that functions as a thermal barrier.
US07683268B2
A semiconductor element and a passive element are embedded in an insulating resin film by thermocompression bonding. After formation of a interconnection, a layered film which contains a film insulating between elements and is provided with a recess or penetrated portion is pressure-bonded followed by formation of a member with a high resistance or a high dielectric constant by embedding a material of a member constituting an element such as a resistor and a capacitor in the recess. Furthermore, after formation of the upper layer insulating resin film, a photoimageable solder resist layer containing the cardo type polymer is formed, and interconnection formation and solder electrode formation are performed.
US07683260B2
A high-pressure connector for an electrical power cable section having a central stranded conductor encased in a polymeric insulation jacket and having an interstitial void volume in the region of the stranded conductor, the high-pressure connector being suited for confining a fluid within the interstitial void volume at a residual pressure above atmospheric, but below the elastic limit of the polymeric insulation jacket, the high-pressure connector comprising a housing having a wall defining an interior chamber configured to be in fluid communication with the interstitial void volume and an end portion sized to receive the insulation jacket within the interior chamber and to overlap at least a portion of the insulation jacket at an end thereof with the cable section extending from the housing end portion and at least a portion of the stranded conductor positioned within the interior chamber. The housing wall of the housing end portion has an engagement portion comprised of a swagable material to secure the housing wall to the insulation jacket in fluid-tight sealed engagement therewith upon inward swaging of the engagement portion of the housing wall of the housing end portion to the insulation jacket to confine the fluid at the residual pressure within the interior chamber and the interstitial void volume. The housing includes at least one axially-projecting engagement member located within the interior chamber at the engagement portion of the housing wall of the housing end portion.
US07683259B2
For improving durability of a wiring harness of a power supply system used in a sliding structure, a power supply system includes a casing; a wiring harness; a harness supporter arranged along a base of the casing so as to move freely back-and-forth in the casing; and a constant force spring arranged along the base of the casing. The wiring harness is bent and wired along an outer surface of the harness supporter, and the harness supporter is biased with a spring force by the constant force spring so as to absorb an extra length of the wiring harness. A winding part of the constant force spring is separated from a harness receiving space of the casing, and an end of the constant force spring led from the winding part is connected and fixed to the harness supporter at an outside of the casing.
US07683256B1
A protective insert for wires in a junction box is formed by a lockable cover having a frame with an opening and a pivotable cover for covering the opening. The frame is sized to rest on an inner lip of the box, which lip normally holds a lid for the box. The lid rests on the lockable cover. The cover may be pivoted open for access to wires in the junction box and may be pivoted closed, and locked, to protect the wires from theft or vandalism. The lockable cover is held down on the lip preferably by chains fixed to the frame with stakes fixed to a free end of the chains, and by pounding the stakes into the ground at the bottom of the box.
US07683252B2
Aspects of the invention use music to influence a person's performance in a physical workout. A computing device receives and analyzes data indicating current physiology and movement of the user in order to provide a music piece that will influence the user to speed up, slow down, or maintain current pace so to achieve a desired exercise performance level. Information specific to the user may be considered in providing the music piece.
US07683251B2
The invention disclosed is a system for playing a music sequence such as a MIDI file in synchronization with a prerecorded digital audio data file, such as an MP3 file. The synchronization is accomplished by using the digital media sample rate as a common time base for progression of the playing of the digital media and the music sequence.
US07683247B2
A keyboard apparatus in which the radius of turning motion of a mainly operated portion of each black key in a key depressing/releasing direction is maximized so as to enhance the operability of the black key for performance. The keyboard apparatus has a key frame formed with fixing parts. In the key frame, there are arranged a plurality of key units each having a plurality of white keys and a plurality of black keys integrally connected to a common base end part held by the fixing parts of the key frame. Each of the white keys and the black keys comprises a base end part, a key main body, and a hinge part connecting the key main body to the base end part such that the key main body is swingable about the base end part in the key depressing/releasing direction, and the hinge part of each of the black keys is located rearward of the hinge part of each of the white keys.
US07683245B2
A pick for strumming stringed musical instruments is provided, wherein some embodiments the strumming pick are fabricated from a compliant material. In other embodiments of the present invention, an ergonomically contoured depression is formed into the front side of the pick and means corresponding ergonomically contoured protrusion is formed upon the backside of the pick. Yet other embodiments combine the foregoing compliant aspect and the ergonomic aspects.
