US08037332B2

A method, system and computer program product for reducing the collective power consumption of a plurality of storage devices including a plurality of associated storage volumes is provided. The storage volumes are grouped by a last access time according to a plurality of ranks. The plurality of ranks corresponds to a level of power consumption based on device activity. A volume of the plurality of storage volumes is moved between the plurality of ranks according to an access pattern of the volume.
US08037329B2

According to one embodiment, a system comprises a plurality of resources. The resources may be any limited-capacity computing resource that is capable of serving a computing demand of a resource user. A resource user refers to any entity which consumes computing capacity of a resource. The system comprises at least one power consumption profile associated with a respective resource user. The system also comprises at least one power management agent for measuring power consumption by ones of the plurality of resources in serving computing demands of the resource user, wherein said power consumption profile contains information based at least in part on the measured power consumption. The system also comprises at least one allocation agent for dynamically allocating the resource user to at least one of the resources based at least in part on the resource user's power consumption profile.
US08037327B2

A system for improving dynamic response in a power supply includes a mainframe module having a memory and a mainframe microprocessor, the mainframe processor configured to calculate a plurality of tables in which each table represents a current/voltage (I/V) characteristic curve for the power supply, at least two power supply modules coupled to the mainframe module, each power supply module having a random access memory element, the random access memory element configured to receive and store a first table and a second table, wherein the mainframe microprocessor transfers the first table to each power supply module, and wherein each power supply module executes a respective first table while the mainframe processor calculates the second table for each power supply module and while the mainframe processor transfers the second table to each power supply module.
US08037325B1

A system and method is provided to measure the power consumption of circuits whereby, in one aspect, a processor's temperature is maintained so that its power consumption is measured at the point the processor throttles.
US08037321B2

In one embodiment, a method, system and apparatus for recording audio is provided so that the recording can be authenticated. The system may be implemented as a central server that is accessed via one or more lines for audio communication, or as a stand-alone unit. The system operates by encrypting communicated data (e.g., audio signals), storing the encrypted information, and providing at least one user with a key that can be used to decrypt the stored information.
US08037320B2

Systems and methods for easily and at high speed re-encrypting data recorded on a magnetic recording medium when the data is encrypted using an encryption key and the encryption key is changed. A track where effective user data is not recorded is set as a first reserved track, then data is read out from the first updating source track and decrypted using a first encryption key KEY 1, which is reencrypted using a second encryption key KEY 2 and recorded in the first reserved track, next, the first updating source track is set as a second reserved track, and a second updating source track is set, and the encryption key is updated by repeating these steps until all tracks to be subjected to the key updating processing have been subjected to the key updating processing.
US08037317B2

Unlike the technology for a program downloaded through conventional broadcast waves, in the case of downloading a program via a network, there is a possibility that such program will be activated without noticing that the program is tampered with. For this reason, when a program is downloaded via a network, a file hierarchy for the program located on a server is constructed in a local area of a terminal. Subsequently, the authentication of the program is performed with respect to the file hierarchy constructed in the local area, and the credibility of the program is guaranteed.
US08037312B2

An apparatus for digital signature authentication includes a dividing unit that divides streaming data into plural pieces of partial data in a predetermined unit; a first creating unit that creates a hash value string including plural hash values corresponding to the pieces of partial data; a second creating unit that creates a first binary tree using the hash value string; and a third creating unit that creates a digital signature of a signer using a root value of the first binary tree.
US08037306B2

A method for realizing network access authentication, wherein a network access authentication device pre-storing a system integrity value of a device waiting to access and a correspondence between each device waiting to access and its system integrity value. When the device waiting to access needs to access the network, it acquires its current system integrity value, and sends the current system integrity value to the network access authentication device; the network access authentication device judges whether the received current system integrity value of the device waiting to access and its stored integrity value of the device waiting to access are identical or not, and in a case where the received current system integrity value of the device waiting to access and its stored integrity value of the device waiting to access are identical, it determines that the network access is authenticated. As such, the network access device could determine the real status of the device waiting to access, and ensure the device accessing to the network is really secure, thereby ensuring the security of the network.
US08037304B2

A data security system and method protects stored data from unauthorized access. According to one aspect of the invention, a client computing device communicates periodically with a server. If communications is note established between the client and the server for a selected activation interval and a subsequent grace period, the data is determined to be lost, and programmed security rules are automatically executed. Rules relating to encryption, as well as other security procedures, can be defined and entered by an administrator with access to the server, and then disseminated to each of a plurality of clients that access the server.
US08037300B2

An information processing apparatus includes a verification unit for verifying validity of a certificate that certifies a communication party and a transmission unit for externally transmitting information for identifying the information processing apparatus and a result of verification of the certificate.
US08037297B2

According to the present invention a telecommunication network with a first domain (PLMN-A) comprising at least one mobile application part protocol instance is connected to a gateway node (MSEGA) which is adapted to send and receive mobile application part messages and which is connectable to a second domain. The telecommunication network is remarkable in that the gateway node (MSEGA) is adapted to receive a mobile application part message from the first domain, to convert the received mobile application part message obtaining a secured mobile application part message, and to send the obtained message to the second domain. The gateway node (MSEGA) is further adapted to receive a secured mobile application part message from the second domain, to extract an unsecured mobile application part message from the received secured mobile application part message and to send the extracted message to the first domain.
US08037293B2

Pervasive logic is provided that includes a random event generator. The random event generator randomly selects which processor of a plurality of processors in the multiprocessor system is to be a boot processor for the multiprocessor system. A corresponding configuration bit for the randomly selected processor is set to identify the processor as a boot processor. Based on the setting of the configuration bits for each processor in the plurality of processors, a selection of a security key is made. The security key is then used to decrypt the boot code for booting the multiprocessor system. Only the randomly selected boot processor is able to select the correct security key for correctly decrypting the boot code, which it then executes to bring the system to an operational state.
US08037292B2

The present invention provides a method for accelerating the BIOS running by means of Cache-As-RAM, comprising steps of: a CPU reading a first instruction from a BIOS Flash ROM and beginning to run BIOS programs after a computer is powered on; the CPU turning on a No-Eviction Mode (NEM) of a cache and initializing a Cache-As-RAM (CAR); the CPU copying the BIOS programs to the CAR space from the BIOS Flash ROM and running the BIOS programs completely in the CAR space; at the end of running the BIOS programs in the CAR space, the CPU initializing a system memory; after the system memory is initialized, the CPU again reading the BIOS programs from the Flash ROM; the CPU copying the BIOS program modules that have not been run yet to the system memory from the BIOS Flash ROM; and the CPU running the BIOS programs from the system memory, so as to finish the initialization of the computer platform.
US08037291B2

In one embodiment a computer system comprises a processor and a memory module coupled to the processor and comprising logic instructions stored in a computer readable medium. The logic instructions, when executed, configure the processor to initiate power on self test processing in the basic input/output system of a computing device, compare a first identifier derived from a master boot record on the computing device with a second identifier stored in a memory location on the computing device, and implement a master boot record recovery process when the first identifier does not correspond with the second identifier.
US08037283B2

In a multi-core stream processing system and scheduling method of the same, a scheduler is coupled to a number (N) of stream processing units and a number (N+1) of stream fetching units, where N≧2. When the scheduler receives a stream element from a Pth stream fetching unit, the scheduler assigns a Pth stream processing unit as a target stream processing unit when the Pth stream processing unit does not encounter a bottleneck condition, assigns a Qth stream processing unit, which does not encounter the bottleneck condition, as the target stream processing unit when the Pth stream processing unit encounters the bottleneck condition, where 1≦P≦N, 1≦Q≦N, and P≠Q, and dispatches the received stream element to the target stream processing unit such that the target stream processing unit processes the stream element dispatched from the scheduler.
US08037282B2

A register having a security function is provided. The register includes: a write security unit and a storage unit. The write security unit outputs a first control signal to control whether a write operation is permissible, in response to a write signal, an address signal, and a write permission signal. The storage unit writes and stores input data, in response to the first control signal. The write permission signal is received from an external source and indicates whether to protect the written data.
US08037277B2

A computer-readable storage medium stores a program for causing a processor to perform a process including: acquiring a first address that specifies a start address of a first area on the main memory where a target data to be cached is stored and range information that specifies a size of the first area on the main memory; converting the first address into a second address that specifies a start address of a second area on the local memory, the second area having a one-to-n correspondence (n=positive integer) to a part of a bit string of the first address; copying the target data stored in the first area specified by the first address and the range information onto the second area specified by the second address and the range information; and storing the second address to allow accessing the target data copied onto the local memory.
US08037274B2

A path creation support apparatus acquires either a portion of the parameters required for path creation or parameter decision information for deciding this portion of the parameters from a storage system or a host. The path creation support apparatus decides the portion of the parameters based on the parameter decision information. Upon receiving an access path creation start request, the path creation support apparatus sends an access path creation indication to the host and the storage system which specifies the parameters together with the access path creation start request, and either the parameters acquired beforehand or the acquired parameters decided based on the parameter decision information.
US08037271B2

Methods copying data from one location to another in a main memory of a cell processor are disclosed. A portion of the data is transferred a first main memory location to the local store of one or more SPU and then transferred from the local store to a second main memory location.
US08037269B2

Versatility of a memory card is improved by providing a memory card where data protection mode and normal mode can be selected at discretion. A portable auxiliary storage device includes a mode setting section, a mode detecting section and a memory access control section. The mode setting section allows a user to set a normal mode permitting reading data stored in a memory section or writing the data to the memory section without restriction and a data protection mode for restricting the reading or writing. The mode detecting section detects a mode set in the mode setting section. The memory access control section controls the read or write according to a state of the mode setting section detected by the mode detecting section.
US08037249B1

A method for queuing asynchronous memory accesses includes pinning memory buffers in a managed memory environment, issuing data transfer requests to a peripheral device, each request corresponding to at least one of the pinned memory buffers, and asynchronously accessing at least one of the pinned buffers responsive to the requests.
US08037243B1

Data storage system software is installed from nonvolatile memory. A storage processor is booted, transferring information stored in a nonvolatile memory module to a disk drive system, thereby enabling the system processor to boot directly from the disk drive system in subsequent boots. After the information is transferred the storage processor reboots using the information transferred to the disk drive system.
US08037240B2

A system and method for providing reversed backup operation for keeping local hard drives in a stand-by (non-spinning) mode thereby extending the life of local hard drives and reducing power consumption, heat and noise produced by the local drives. The present invention uses remote storage systems as primary storage systems when the network connectivity and its bandwidth are sufficient so that the local hard disk can stay in the stand-by mode. If the network connectivity is unavailable or insufficient to handle the data flow, the local hard disk is spun up and temporarily used as the primary storage for reads and writes. When necessary and possible, the data on both storage locations is synchronized.
US08037233B2

A system, a controller, and a method for data storage are provided. The system includes a first storage unit, a second storage unit, and a controller. The first storage unit comprises a single-layer structure for storing data, and the second storage unit comprises a multi-layer structure for storing data. The controller is coupled to the first storage unit, the second storage unit, and a host and controls the host to set the first storage unit as a master storage device and set the second storage unit as a slave storage device. As a result, the host can recognize the first storage unit and the second storage unit as two independent storage devices for storing data. Thereby, the data storage process can be simplified.
US08037231B2

Code, data, and/or other information types, may be isolated from one another and stored in distinct regions within the memory array of a nonvolatile memory. The distinct regions in memory may have corresponding read/write interfaces that are optimized for each information type.
US08037225B2

In a communication system, one of a plurality of communication apparatuses that acts as a host controls data transmission and the other communication apparatuses that act as devices perform data transmission under control of the host over a predetermined communication interface. The communication apparatuses have both host and device roles, and are configured to exchange the host and device roles by using a predetermined communication protocol are connected to the predetermined communication interface. A first apparatus acts as a host and a second apparatus as a device. The second apparatus transmits information concerning the second apparatus to the first apparatus. The first apparatus compares the transmitted information with information concerning the first apparatus to determine whether or not to switch the host and device roles according to a predetermined criterion. In response to an affirmative determination, the host and device roles are switched by using the predetermined communication protocol.
US08037222B2

Two or more electronic devices are connected via a bus system building a cluster or chain of devices. A device can be selected using a control device, wherein an user interface for the selected device is generated based on description data which are stored in the selected device and are transferred to the control device. A single user interface is shown on a display of the control device which allows to operate at least two devices simultaneously. The user interface of a first device is displayed as main user interface and the user interface of a second device is rendered within the main interface as reduced user interface which includes only operation elements necessary for operation of the second device in combination with the first device.
US08037216B2

A DMA transfer control device includes a setting register group for setting transfer informations, a number-of-transfers register to which the number of transfers to be performed is set, and which updates a value thereof every time one DMA transfer is completed, a transfer control unit, a secondary setting register group for setting other transfer informations different from the transfer informations, and a specified ordinal-number-of-transfer register. Every time one DMA transfer is initiated, either a value of the setting register group or a value of the secondary setting register group is selected for each of the transfer informations in accordance with a result of an arithmetic operation between a value of the number-of-transfers register and a value of the specified ordinal-number-of-transfer register, and inputted to the transfer control unit. As a result, by making settings for one DMA transfer, it is possible to temporarily change the transfer informations.
US08037212B2

A technique for user notification involves modifying a title associated with a process to include information about an event that calls for user notification. A method according to the technique may include running a process, processing an event, generating a string of characters that includes information associated with the event, and displaying the string of characters as a title associated with the process. A system constructed according to the technique may include a client, a title array, an event processing engine, and a title provisioning engine.
US08037207B2

An apparatus and method for synchronizing data between a terminal and a server. The apparatus synchronizes presence attribute data when the terminal and the server are connected to each other to establish a messenger service between them. The client terminal requests presence attribute data to be updated from a server when it is reconnected to the server having been previously connected to the client terminal to perform the messenger service, and updates presence attribute data stored at a time of a previous connection upon receiving the presence attribute data to be updated from the server. The server receives a presence attribute data request to be updated from the client terminal, and transmits only updated presence attribute data, created after releasing the previous connection, from among current presence attribute data to the client terminal.
US08037197B2

A method, system, and computer program product for performing network device management and client load distribution to a number of the Common Information Model Object Manager (CIMOM) servers via a network path. A client-side server selection (CSS) utility allows a client to choose the ideal server to fulfill a CIM request message. The client transmits the CIM request message to the CIMOM server based on service response time information utilized by the CSS utility. The CIM request message is forwarded to a CIM provider for processing. The provider returns a CIM response message to the CIMOM and a service response time is generated. Thereafter, the CIMOM returns the CIM response message to the client. At a preset time period, a Service Location Protocol (SLP) advertise generation facility initiates a multicast of the service response time information (from all network CIMOM servers) to the CSS utility.
US08037191B2

In one embodiment, a remote access session may be established between a first computer and a second computer. In response to detecting a device in low-level local communication with the first computer via a first local communication port of the first computer, the low-level local communication at the first local communication port may be intercepted and transmitted to the second computer via the remote access session. Then, the low-level local communication may be injected to a second local communication port of the second computer, wherein the second computer responds to the low-level local communication as though the device were located at the second local communication port of the second computer. For example, the device may be configured to autoconnect with the second computer via the remote access session when the device is connected to the first computer.
US08037183B2

It is the object of the present invention to provide a processing apparatus, processing method, processing program and recording medium capable of reducing the concentration of load upstream in the communication path of a network, and to improve the efficiency of a network system. A processing apparatus in a network system, which includes a plurality of processing apparatuses that are connected together via communication paths and in which identical data files are stored in the plurality of processing apparatuses, includes: a communication-load-information-acquisition means for acquiring communication-load information related to the communication loads of each of the communication paths between the one processing apparatus and each of the other processing apparatuses; a communication-load-comparison means for comparing the communication loads of each of the communication paths; a request-information-transmission means for sending request information based on the comparison results by the communication-load-comparison means to one of the other processing apparatuses, which is connected by the communication path for which the communication load is relatively small and which has the data file, requesting that specified data be sent; and a data-reception means for receiving the data that is sent from the other processing apparatus.
US08037175B1

A network device comprises a service card (e.g., a dynamic flow capture (DFC) service card) executing a communication protocol to receive, from one or more control sources, flow capture information specifying at least one destination and criteria for matching one or more packet flows. The network device includes a network interface card to receive a packet from a network, a packet replication module to replicate the packet, and a control unit to provide the replicated packet from the interface card to the DFC service card. The network device includes a filter cache that caches flow capture information recently received from the CSs. The network device may provide real-time intercept and relaying of specified network-based communications. Moreover, the techniques described herein allow CSs to tap packet flows with little delay after specifying flow capture information, e.g., within 50 milliseconds, even under high-volume networks.
US08037167B1

The present invention is a method and apparatus for counting the number of active hosts behind network address translation boxes. The technique is based on the observation that on many operating systems, the IP header's ID field is a simple counter. By suitable processing of trace data, packets emanating from individual machines can be isolated, and the number of machines determined.
US08037156B2

A method for discovering hosts on a multi-blade server chassis is provided. A switch, operational in the multi-blade server, is queried for first world-wide name (WWN) information of the hosts. The first WWN information is known to the switch. The first WWN information is saved on a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) subsystem of the multi-blade server chassis. A system location for each of the hosts is mapped to the RAID subsystem.
US08037154B2

A method for receiving data in a network acceleration architecture for use with TCP (transport control protocol), iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface) and RDMA (Remote Direct Memory Access) over TCP, including providing a hardware acceleration engine, called a streamer, adapted for communication with and processing data from a consumer application in a system that supports TCP, iSCSI and RDMA over TCP, providing a software protocol processor adapted for carrying out TCP implementation, the software control processor being called a TCE (TCP Control Engine), and providing an asynchronous dual-queue interface for exchanging information between the streamer and TCE, wherein the streamer and TCE are adapted to operate asynchronously and independently of one another.
US08037153B2

A dynamic topic partitioning messaging system. The messaging system can include a message server; one or more topics stored in the message server; one or more subtopics associated with at least one of the topics in the message server; and, a dynamic topic partitioning system configured to partition the topics into the subtopics. Notably, the message server can be Java message service (JMS) compliant. In that regard, the message server can reside in a single process address space. For example, the process address space can be a Java virtual machine (JVM).
US08037152B2

Mass amounts of information, such as entire libraries of songs or movies, for example, may be stored locally near end-users, and this information may be accessed and reproduced in response to commands received from a transmitting station via a network. When a radio or television station desires to transmit a song or movie, for example, the radio or television station can, rather than transmitting the entire song or movie, merely transmit a command for reproducing the song or movie. An end-user's performance reproduction device, such as an enhanced radio or a television set, then accesses and reproduces the locally stored song or movie. Since the radio or television station need not transmit the entire performance, network traffic can be significantly reduced. The performance reproduction device may actively request information from the radio or television station when fresh or additional information is needed.
US08037139B1

An instant messaging user may use a buddy list that includes a user-selected list of potential instant messaging recipients (“buddies”) to identify another instant messaging user with whom instant messages are to be exchanged. An instant messaging user also may use a buddy list for other purposes, such as to initiate playing of an on-line game or to invite participants to play an on-line game. Techniques are provided to transform a buddy list from one messaging-mode to another messaging-mode. The transformation may include, for example, substitution or re-ordering of groups of buddies, substitution of buddy icons associated with buddies, substitution of information displayed about buddies, and substitution of controls for directing operation of the buddy list.
US08037129B2

In continuous operation, for example during the control of a machine, PLCs (programmable logic controllers) execute as client a data transaction with a server. This data transaction is initiated by the PLC by implementing a communication with the server via web services. A WSDL file is called up and additional data during the generation of a user program of the PLC is provided. Function blocks for web applications are then automatically generated from this data and integrated in the user program.
US08037125B2

According to some embodiments, a registry is displayed. The registry may, for example, indicate resources available from a plurality of remote network access devices via a communications network. Moreover, a personal network address may be associated with each available resource, the personal network address including an destination address portion and an application program identifier portion. A direct communications link may then be established between a first network access device hosting an available resource and a second network address device using the personal network address associated with the resource.
US08037120B2

An improved technique that considerably reduces required logic and computational time for determining whether the difference between two multi-bit vectors is equal to a given number or lies between given two numbers in a digital logic circuit. In one example embodiment, this is accomplished by receiving a first N-bit vector A [N−1:0] and a second N-bit vector B[N−1:0] in the digital logic circuit, where N is a non-zero positive number. A third N-bit vector is then obtained by performing a bit-wise AND (A [N−1:0] & ˜B[N−1:0]) operation using A[N−1:0] and ˜B[N−1:0]. Further, a fourth N-bit vector is obtained by performing a bit-wise XOR (A[N−1:0]^˜B[N−1:0]) operation using A[N−1:0] and ˜B[N−1:0]. The difference between the first N-bit vector A[N−1:0] and the second N-bit vector B[N−1:0] is then declared as equal to a given number or to be within a given range of two numbers (+m and +n, m
US08037118B2

A three-path floating-point fused multiply-adder is disclosed. The fused multiply-adder is for the single instruction execution of (A×B)+C. The three-path fused multiply-adder is based on a dual-path adder and reduces latency significantly by operating on case data in parallel and by reducing component bit size. The fused multiply-adder is a common serial fused multiply-adder that reuses floating-point adder (FPA) and floating-point multiplier (FPM) hardware, allowing single adds, single multiplies, and fused multiply-adds to execute at maximum speed.
US08037115B1

A method and system to compensate for inaccuracy associated with processing values with finite precision includes a process for selecting a display value whereby an initial value is provided in a first numbering system. The initial value is then converted into an equivalent stored value in a second numbering system. Then a display value in the first numbering system is determined and selected such that the selected display value includes the least number of significant digits that convert from the first numbering system to the second numbering system exactly as the stored value. The selected display value in the first numbering system is then used for display and/or further processing when the stored value in the second numbering system is recalled.
US08037112B2

Techniques for efficient access to flash databases are described. In one implementation, a method includes performing an operation on a flash database, supplementing at least one portion of a node translation table corresponding to at least one node involved in the operation, and semantically compressing at least one portion of the node translation table. The semantic compression includes discarding at least one log entry that is rendered obsolete by at least one subsequent log entry, and incrementing a version number of the log entries corresponding to the at least one portion of the node translation table. In further embodiments, discarding at least one log entry includes discarding at least one log entry that is at least one of opposed by or overruled by at least one subsequent log entry.
US08037106B2

A database system for storing information technology (IT) management operational data and a method and apparatus for managing IT data are provided. The database utilizes an integrated database schema. IT operational data is stored into the database using the integrated database schema and the database is accessed by plural applications and/or products using the integrated database schema.
US08037105B2

A computer apparatus which uses a database (22) to offer persistent storage of metadata (36) describing the content of media files (32). Metadata is used to create a personalized media article (48) from those media files. That metadata also indicates relationships between those media files. In order to accelerate the creation of the personalized media article (48), media element metadata items are stored in a cache. The usefulness of this cache is improved further by reading related media elements data from retrieved metadata items (36), and then pre-fetching those items and placing them in the cache. Because the relatedness of the data items means that the related data item is more likely to be required in the near future, the caching method is more useful than known caching methods. Furthermore, the improved usefulness of the cache is achieved without placing constraints on where the data items are placed in the persistent storage.
US08037090B2

A method, computer readable medium, and system for processing a structured document are disclosed. The method, computer readable medium, and system include identifying a plurality of strings processed by a database, assigning an identifier to each of the plurality of strings, storing each of the plurality of strings and its assigned identifier in a table in the database, and utilizing the table during document processing.
US08037085B2

A method for performing verification includes selecting a first set containing a seed register and adding to a second set a result of a subtraction of a fanout of the first set from a fanin of the first set. A third set is rendered equal to a result of a subtraction of a fanin of the second set from a fanout of the second set, and whether a combination of the first set and the third set is equivalent to the first set is determined. In response to determining that the combination of the first set and the second set is not equivalent to the first set, a min-cut of the first set and the second set containing a minimal set of predicates between a first component and the logic to which the component fans out, wherein the logic is bordered by the second set is returned.
US08037083B2

Content stored in a plurality of electronic files that belong to a course of learning resources is read. An object-oriented representation of structures of the content is generated, where the representation includes objects that represent portions of the content, and a semantic content model of the content is generated based on the object-oriented representation of the content. Instructions to modify the content are received and the object-oriented representation of the structures of the content is modified in response to the instructions from the user. In response to the modified object-oriented representation of structures of the content the content is modified.
US08037080B2

Example collaborative filtering techniques provide improved recommendation prediction accuracy by capitalizing on the advantages of both neighborhood and latent factor approaches. One example collaborative filtering technique is based on an optimization framework that allows smooth integration of a neighborhood model with latent factor models, and which provides for the inclusion of implicit user feedback. A disclosed example Singular Value Decomposition (SVD)-based latent factor model facilitates the explanation or disclosure of the reasoning behind recommendations. Another example collaborative filtering model integrates neighborhood modeling and SVD-based latent factor modeling into a single modeling framework. These collaborative filtering techniques can be advantageously deployed in, for example, a multimedia content distribution system of a networked service provider.
US08037079B2

The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for filtering unsafe content items within a multimedia repository. The method of the present invention comprises automatically identifying a first plurality of unsafe content items from the content items and automatically identifying a second plurality of unclassifiable content items from the content items. The method identifies a third plurality of unsafe content items from the content items, the third plurality of unsafe content items identified according to a similarity to the first plurality and manually identifying a fourth plurality of unsafe content items, the fourth plurality of unsafe content items comprising a subset of the second plurality of unclassifiable items. A fifth plurality of unsafe content items is then identified, the fifth plurality of unsafe content items identified according to a similarity to the fourth plurality.
US08037069B2

The described implementations relate to data analysis, such as membership checking. One technique identifies candidate matches between document sub-strings and database members utilizing signatures. The technique further verifies that the candidate matches are true matches.
US08037057B2

In an example embodiment, a method is illustrated to determine multi-column indexes, the method including receiving one or more structured query language (SQL) queries, the one or more SQL queries defining a workload. A database index analysis tool may be used to determine a plurality of index configurations for executing the workload. Further, leading index configurations may be determined, leading index configurations including a subset of the plurality of index configurations. Also, a statistics database may be updated with complete statistics for the leading index configurations.
US08037055B2

Methods and systems for a sitemap generating client for web crawlers are described. The client accesses one or more sources of document information about the documents available on a website, such as the file system, access logs, or pre-made URL lists. Document information is extracted from the sources and one or more sitemaps are generated based on the extracted document information. A notification is transmitted to a remote computer, informing that the sitemap(s) are available for access and likely have been updated. If the remote computer is associated with a web crawler, the remote computer may access the sitemap(s) and use the sitemaps to schedule a crawl of documents included or available on the website.
US08037054B2

Methods and systems for a web crawler scheduler that utilizes sitemaps from websites are described. A web crawler scheduling system receives a notification from a website or web server. In response to the notification, the system accesses one or more sitemap(s) for documents associated with the website or web server. The system schedules crawls of the documents based on information identified from the sitemaps. The system crawls at least a subset of the documents scheduled for crawling.
US08037052B2

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for free text searching of electronic medical records. Certain embodiments provide a system including an interface configured to accept search criteria and display search results and a search engine accepting a free text search query from the interface. The free text search query is based on search criteria entered via the interface. The search engine communicates with a search crawler, which searches electronic medical record data based on the free text search query and provides search results. In certain embodiments, the system may de-identify patient/physician data from the search results. Certain embodiments provide a system for retrieving EMR search results. The system includes an interface configured to accept search criteria and display search results, a database interface adapter for interfacing with an electronic medical record database to transmit and receive data and a formatter for formatting search results.
US08037051B2

A computer-implemented system and process for generating video search engine results page is disclosed. The system provides a query term and retrieves a collection of search results. Tags are generated for each search result and used to match media objects to each search result. The search results and video objects related to each search result are returned as a video search engine results page.
US08037050B2

The application discloses a new system for performing queries and entity resolution on two or more data sources without having to ETL all the documents, entities, and descriptions of entities. Also disclosed, is a method to perform advanced entity resolution without divulging personally sensitive information to end-users and intermediate systems.
US08037049B2

A data retrieval system provides automatic retrieval of information based on a context-traversal history. A transferable object is identified in a first context while the user is operating in the first context. Information used to retrieve the transferable object is automatically stored without user interaction. The automatically stored information is used to copy the transferable object to an object receptor in a second context while the user operates in the second context. A marker stored in the memory signifies an end of a first historical period associated with the first context and a start of a second historical period associated with the second context, associates the transferable object identified in the first context with the first historical period, and separates the information automatically stored in the memory in the first historical period from information automatically stored in the memory in the second historical period.
US08037039B2

Programmers typically like operating with databases through use of classes. Classes allow a user to function with a database through use of a non-database programming language. To ease use of the classes, a class context is generated at runtime that does not force a programmer to handle various source files that are a product of class generation. Therefore, the user can have the ease of using classes without having to perform extra actions.
US08037038B2

A content management system (CMS) includes a content reuse mechanism that checks a reuse contract corresponding to a component in the repository, and determines if all relevant criteria in the reuse contract corresponding to the component are satisfied before allowing reuse of a component in the repository. In this manner the reuse of components is controlled in a way that allows reuse when stated criteria in the reuse contract are satisfied yet restricts reuse when the criteria in the reuse contract are not satisfied.
US08037034B2

Some aspects of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for creating a static dictionary in which longer byte-strings are preferred. To that end, in accordance with aspects of the present invention, a new heuristic is defined to replace the aforementioned frequency count metric used to record the number of times a particular node in a data tree is visited. The new heuristic is based on counting the number of times an end-node of a particular byte-string is visited, while not incrementing a count for nodes storing characters in the middle of the byte-string as often as each time such nodes are visited. The result is an occurrence count metric that favors longer byte-strings, by being biased towards not incrementing the respective occurrence count values for nodes storing characters in the middle of a byte-string.
US08037032B2

One embodiment is a method for providing incremental backups for a source computing machine, the method including: (a) creating a first backup snapshot including a virtual machine (VM) snapshot of an initial copy of a source computing machine volume, wherein said VM snapshot includes a timestamp and a first redo log file; (b) reconfiguring and customizing said first backup snapshot to create a first bootable VM, writing changes associated with said reconfiguring and customizing into said first redo log file, then creating a first bootable snapshot including a VM snapshot of said first bootable VM, wherein said VM snapshot of said first bootable VM includes a timestamp for said first bootable VM and a redo log file; (c) performing an incremental update of said first backup snapshot or a subsequent backup snapshot, then creating a subsequent backup snapshot including a VM snapshot of said incremental update, wherein said VM snapshot of said incremental update includes a timestamp for said incremental update and a redo log file; and (d) reconfiguring and customizing said subsequent backup snapshot to create a subsequent bootable VM, then creating a subsequent bootable snapshot including a VM snapshot of said subsequent bootable VM, wherein said VM snapshot of said subsequent bootable VM includes a timestamp for said subsequent bootable VM and a redo log file.
US08037029B2

A records management system and method includes sending periodic notifications to record owners and managers when their records are under a hold order. Also, return receipts in response to an e-mail message related to a record are automatically declared as records themselves and linked to the original record.
US08037025B2

A method for hosting versioned web services includes steps of: receiving a request from a service requestor, the request comprising version metadata; parsing the request; extracting the version metadata from the parsing step; and locating a target implementation version using the version metadata. If the target implementation version is located, the method proceeds by dynamically routing the versioned request to the target implementation version.
US08037023B2

Methods and systems are provided for optimally trading off replication overhead and consistency levels in distributed data replication where nodes are organized in a hierarchy. The root node has the original data that need to be replicated at all other nodes, and the replicated copies have a freshness threshold that must be satisfied. The data are propagated through periodic updates in the hierarchy. Each node periodically sends data to its child nodes. Given the freshness threshold, an algorithm and its distributed protocol can determine the optimal update period for each link of the hierarchy such that the freshness threshold is satisfied for every node and the overall replication overhead is minimized. The systems and methods can be used in any scenario where replicated data have consistency requirements, such as in a replicate overlay assisted resource discovery system.
US08037022B2

In one embodiment, a method is performed at a control point (CP) in a network. An action is invoked to create a synchronization data structure on a media server that includes a content directory service (CDS) in the network, wherein the synchronization data structure includes a synchronization relationship describing a relationship between the CP and the CDS. Then an action is invoked to add synchronization pair information to one or more objects on the CDS. A change log is requested from the CDS. Then the change log is received from the CDS, wherein the change log contains information about changes to the one or more objects to which synchronization pair information for the CP was added.
US08037019B2

A computer-implemented approach for organizing input listings from various sources of input listings. Input listings are organized by mapping the input listings to consolidated listing that correspond to the input listings. The mapping of the input listings are based on various techniques such as a Stock Keeping Unit item-listing-to-consolidated-listing matching technique, a name/title item-listing-to-consolidated-listing matching technique, and a model item-listing-to-consolidated-listing matching technique.
US08037015B2

The present invention provides a method and system of storing information for drawing an object on a computer system that includes providing a palette file that includes a set of first labels matched with numerical values, tagging a vector graphics file for drawing the object with second labels, translating the second labels into one or more of the first labels, and plugging in values stored in the palette file associated with the translated second labels into the tagged vector graphics file.
US08037008B2

A DBMS-based knowledge extension and inference service method recorded on a computer-readable medium includes creating knowledge represented as a triple by using ontology schemas and instances (first step); receiving the knowledge and extending the knowledge by using a knowledge extension rule (second step); and providing an inference service by using the extended knowledge, converting a user query, and processing the query (third step). Further, the third step includes receiving and converting a user query to create the converted query (31st step); determining whether the query is a previously-input query (32nd step); receiving the converted query and the determination result to create a query result (33rd step); receiving the query result of the 33rd step and performing post-processing to create a post-processing result (34th step); and creating a message and protocol suitable for a user interface by using the post-processing result and then presenting an inference result.
US08036995B2

A system (100), apparatus (106 107), and method are provided for an end-user to program-by-rehearsal an Ambient Intelligence environment comprising an Ambient Narrative of at least one beat (104). The end-user's rehearsal actions are visualized on a screen 106) of a portable device (101) that the end-user carries and uses to make inputs while rehearsing a beat being programmed in the actual physical space where the beat is active. The programming-by-rehearsal actions are instantly visualized on a virtual stage (106), i.e., screen, of the portable device (101) so that the end-user has immediate feedback concerning the effects of programming-by-rehearsal actions taken by the end-user.
US08036992B2

A method of increasing the number of applications for enrollment at an institution of higher learning, including the initial profiling of the institution's candidate inquiry pool against the institution's enrollment objectives, the electronic solicitation of additional information and the reiterative profiling of candidates during the period before an application is sent to determine the candidate's continued interest, the customization of interest piquing communications with the candidates and the application itself, the offering of choices as to the method of completing the application and incentives to do so, and the evaluation of the program from the monitoring of the application responses.
US08036990B1

Systems and methods are provided for electronically managing content licenses. In one embodiment, information identifying content items found on a page is received from a client system through code embedded on the page, and a licensing database is searched to determine if the content is licensed and to determine the terms or payment method of the license. Systems and methods for associating advertisement data with licensed content items are also disclosed.
US08036988B2

A method and system of performing secure credit card purchases in the context of a remote commercial transaction, such as over the telephone, wherein only the customer, once generally deciding upon a product or service to be purchased, communicates with a custodial authorizing entity, such as a credit card company or issuing bank wherein such entity has previous knowledge of the credit card number as well as custodial control of other account parameters such as interest rate, payment history, available credit limit etc. The customer supplies the custodial authorizing entity with the account identification data such as the credit card number and a requested one of a possible plurality of predetermined payment categories which define the dollar amount for the purchase and specific, predetermined time parameters within which authorization by the custodial authorizing entity will remain in effect. The custodial authorizing entity then generates a transaction code which is communicated exclusively to the customer wherein the customer in turn communicates only the transaction code to the merchant instead of a credit card number. The transaction code is indicative of merchant identification, credit card account identification and a designated one of the plurality of predetermined payment categories.
US08036986B2

An automated method is provided for processing large deposits that exceed an established deposit insurance limit so that the large deposits are fully insured. The large deposits are received by a plurality of unaffiliated banks from their depositors. For selected large deposits received at an unaffiliated bank, a first deposit portion that does not exceed the established deposit limit is retained at the unaffiliated bank that received the large deposit. An order is received from the unaffiliated bank that received the large deposit to process the remaining amount of the large deposit. The processor partitions each of the large deposits into a plurality of second deposit portions, each of which do not exceed the established deposit insurance limit. The processor then assigns at least some of the second deposit portions to at least some of the other unaffiliated banks for deposit therein.
US08036983B2

The present invention is directed to a system for and a method of a disbursement system which includes an input module configured to receive a disbursement request and an authorization module configured to apply predetermined rules to the disbursement request. Also included in the present invention is an accounting module configured to track available funds from which particular disbursements are to be made and an output module configured to process approved disbursement requests.
US08036982B2

Apparatus (method implemented with a machine, the machine, and the method for making the machine, and products produced thereby) for controlling a system of managing cash flows for a transaction, the apparatus including: data processing means arranged for receiving information into memory, said information including respective descriptions of risks, statistical assumptions for said risks, and financial assumptions for said risks, the data processing means further including: calculating means, responsive to said descriptions and said assumptions, for calculating expected cash flows corresponding to said risks for time periods; accounting means for determining, responsive to actual cash flow information from occurrence of events corresponding to said risks, for a first party to the transaction owing the expected cash flows to a second party to the transaction, and for determining, for the second party owing the actual cash flows to the first party, a net settlement, for each of said time periods, between the parties in the transaction, to manage the actual cash flows and the expected cash flows.
US08036981B2

A system for processing transaction data is provided. The system includes a fraud policy system that provides merchant fraud policy data. An order information data system receives order information data and the merchant fraud policy data and generates order information fraud score data, such as by modifying the order information data using the merchant fraud policy data and then scoring the modified order information data. A transaction authorization system receives the order information fraud score data and the merchant fraud policy data and generates client authorization data.
US08036973B2

The present invention relates to synthetic funds for purchase by investors. A structured note is structured to provide customized equity returns/exposure. Terms of each structured note may be specified by the purchaser and the structured notes may be unsecured liabilities of the obligor, e.g., there are no underlying assets upon which the structure note is based. Thus, there will be no limits on the use of structured note proceeds and management of assets and liabilities will be left entirely to the obligor's discretion. Structured note payment obligations may be related to the performance of an objective valuation, but structured note holders will depend on the good credit of the obligor for payment.
US08036967B2

Bank card fraud detection and/or prevention methods can generally involve determining a common point of compromise and/or identifying merchants associated with bank card transaction frequencies which exceed a predetermined threshold value which is indicative of potentially fraudulent bank card activity. These methods can further involve identifying other bank cards used at the common point of compromise.
US08036952B2

Methods and systems for automated alternative selection for compound price quotes are provided. A requesting party submits a request that includes information regarding at least one specification. A database is searched based on the information provided by the request. The search results are evaluated to determine whether they meet a predefined target. When the search results do not meet a predefined target, an alternative specification is identified. At least a second set of search results is retrieved from the database that may be used to meet the target. Vehicles are selected for inclusion in a compound price quote. A compound price quote including multiple price quotes for each selected vehicles is generated.
US08036945B2

Methods of the present invention allow a static product category to be received from a user for a product on an ecommerce site. The user may then be enabled to dynamically associate the product with the static product category using a metadata tag.
US08036944B2

A system and method for conducting a gift value transaction is described herein. The method includes receiving a request for payment for a gift; notifying a gift recipient of the gift; prompting the gift recipient to accept or reject the gift; and receiving a response from the gift recipient, wherein if the response is to accept the gift, the gift is released to the gift recipient, and if the response is to reject the gift, prompting the gift recipient to select an alternative gift in place of the gift.
US08036940B2

An embodiment of the invention provides the ability for forest products sellers to provide potential buyers with price and availability information about their products, whether or not those products are in existing inventory. It gives the seller control over which products can be pre-sold prior to production or purchase, and control over pre-sold quantities so that the seller may be not committed beyond his capacity to produce or purchase to fill orders and inquiries. An embodiment of the invention provides sellers a means for indicating willingness to sell specific forest products under specific conditions of price, time, delivery, and other terms.
US08036934B2

Disclosed are methods and systems for redeeming virtual coupons by associating the coupons with consumers' credit cards for redemption. In disclosed methods, coupon databases are associated with consumers and associated with the consumers' credit cards. Coupon offers are stored in the coupon databases and are redeemed by consumers by the use of the credit cards that are associated with the consumers' coupon databases.
US08036933B2

A system provides advertising links. The system may received a query and provide a number of advertising links in response to the query. The number of advertising links may be dynamically adjusted based at least in part on the commercial-ness of the query. The display format of the advertising links may also be altered based at least in part on the commercial-ness of the query.
US08036928B2

Methods and apparatus for assessing operational process quality and risk of an entity or a group of entities. The present invention enables a user to effectively compare one or more events, representing what actually happened, with a reference, which represents ideal performance in terms of operational process quality and risk, and express the corresponding results in quantitative terms. The present invention is capable of presenting results in a form and with sufficient rapidity that a human decision-maker is able to timely observe conditions which represent unacceptable quality or excessive risk and respond appropriately.
US08036927B2

The present invention relates to a method, computer system and computer program for stock keeping. An embodiment of the invention determines forecast values of quantities to be consumed of a stock keeping unit for at least two different forecast time spans depending on a historical consumption data. The invention further determines order values of order quantities for each forecast value depending on a respective forecast value, stock keeping costs and ordering costs. The invention further determines an associated order quantity time span for each order value. The invention further determines a respective pair of forecast value and order value with the least deviation between forecast time span and order quantity time span from forecast values, forecast values respective forecast time spans, the order values and the order values respectively associated with order quantity time spans. The invention further processes the determined pair of forecast value and determined order value.
US08036919B2

A quantitative system and method that utilizes data sources external to a company, and when available, traditional data sources, e.g., internal company information, to (i) provide an easily accessible means for matching criteria such as, for example, demographic needs, to a database that can quickly provide a number of potential recruits or customers and that can also be used to screen both current and prospective company employees matching the criteria, and (ii) generate a statistical model that can be used to accurately and consistently predict future profitability and productivity of licensed professionals.
US08036918B1

Systems and methods may be provided for claim denial conversion. The systems and methods may include receiving a prescription claim from a pharmacy, where the prescription claim is associated with a drug or other product requested by a customer, routing the prescription claim to a claims processor for adjudication, and receiving, from the claims processor, a denied claim response for the claim request. The systems and methods may further include determining that funding is available to cover at least a portion of a price of the requested drug or other product, converting the denied claim response to an approved claim response upon determination of the available funding, and transmitting the approved claim response to the pharmacy.
US08036914B1

Systems and methods may be provided for supporting drug or product recalls. The systems and methods may include receiving a healthcare transaction request from a pharmacy computer associated with a pharmacy, wherein the healthcare transaction request includes an identification of a prescribed drug or product; determining, based upon the identification of the prescribed drug or product, that the prescribed drug or product is associated with a recall; providing, in response to the determination that the prescribed drug or product is associated with the recall, a response that includes information for accessing a web portal interface; receiving, over the web portal interface, lot numbers associated with pharmacy inventory of the prescribed drug or product; determining that one or more of the received lot numbers are affected by the recall; and generating a notification identifying the received lot numbers that are associated with the pharmacy inventory.
US08036912B2

The present invention is directed to a computer-based weight loss system for supporting bariatric treatment of obesity that is accessible to both the patient and the medical practitioner. The system has a central server maintaining a library of information related to the treatment of obesity and a patient interface and a medical practitioner interface linked to the central server for uploading and downloading of information. The patient interface also provides access to information selected from the group consisting of bariatric care pathway, behavioral modification planning, fitness, preoperative diet, postoperative diet, monitoring of a gastric band, monitoring of a patient's weight, monitoring caloric intake and nutritional information. The uploaded information is processed by the central server and then made available to the medical practitioner and the patient.
US08036911B2

A system and method in accordance with the invention allow a user to select when messages relating to medication events are sent and to select the content parameters of those messages. In one aspect, a user selects certain event types, the occurrence of which will cause a message to be sent to the user. For example, the user may select a message type that pertains to the availability of a medication in an automated dispensing machine for that user's patient. In another aspect, the user may customize the contents of the message to include or exclude certain information. For example, the user may desire the message to indicate only the patient's name and not the patient's gender or age. In yet another aspect, the user may filter messages so that only certain messages are sent. For example, the user may select a filter that permits only messages pertaining to his or her patients to be sent. The system further comprise a user interface disposed on an automated dispensing machine that enables a user to configure the messaging system as he or she desires. A method in accordance with the invention comprises selecting medication event types about which a message will be sent to the user, the content of the message, and filters for messages.
US08036905B2

The present invention provides a method and system for local return of a remotely purchased product. A guidelines-based validation and disposition decision process allows for a collection and disposition decision regarding a remotely purchased product to be made prior to returning the product to a remote retailer via an expensive shipping and handling process. By providing a dispersed method of disposition for returned product through online auction web sites, the returned product may be disposed of for consumers/partners one item at a time and the optimal financial return on the returned products may be captured.
US08036900B2

A device for playing audio clips, a method of playing audio clips and a data storage medium having stored thereon computer code means for instructing a computer system to execute a method of playing audio clips. The device comprising a processor scalable in voltage, frequency, or both; a switch for selecting one of a plurality of output modes of the device; and a controller for controlling the processor to decode input joint/MS stereo mode encoded audio data representing said audio clip based on the selected output mode; wherein each output mode defines a number, m, of subbands of an M channel and a number, s, of subbands of an S channel of the joint/MS stereo mode encoded data; and the controller controls the processor to decode and store only data from the m and s subbands for playback.
US08036897B2

A voice integration platform and method provide for integration of a voice interface with a data system that includes stored data. The voice integration platform comprises one or more generic software components, the generic software components being configured to enable development of a specific voice user interface that is designed to interact with the data system in order to present the stored data to a user.
US08036896B2

A server for providing language and literacy tutoring information to a plurality of user devices connected to a communications network, comprising a network adapter for connection to the network; a content database for providing learning content to devices via the network adaptor and the network; a plurality of speech recognition models stored in the server; a processor for processing speech data and session control data generated by a user and sent to the server by the network, the processor evaluating which of the speech recognition models provides most accurate speech recognition results; and a performance evaluator for evaluating speech produced by the user using the speech recognition model that produces the most accurate results. A system, including user devices. A method for operating the system, and a program storage medium having computer code thereon for implementing the method and system.
US08036895B2

A handheld device includes an image input device capable of acquiring images, circuitry to send a representation of the image to a remote computing system that performs at least one processing function related to processing the image and circuitry to receive from the remote computing system data based on processing the image by the remote system.
US08036893B2

A system for use in speech recognition includes an acoustic module accessing a plurality of distinct-language acoustic models, each based upon a different language; a lexicon module accessing at least one lexicon model; and a speech recognition output module. The speech recognition output module generates a first speech recognition output using a first model combination that combines one of the plurality of distinct-language acoustic models with the at least one lexicon model. In response to a threshold determination, the speech recognition output module generates a second speech recognition output using a second model combination that combines a different one of the plurality of distinct-language acoustic models with the at least one distinct-language lexicon model.
US08036890B2

A speech recognition circuit comprises an input buffer for receiving processed speech parameters. A lexical memory contains lexical data for word recognition. The lexical data comprises a plurality of lexical tree data structures. Each lexical tree data structure comprises a model of words having common prefix components. An initial component of each lexical tree structure is unique. A plurality of lexical tree processors are connected in parallel to the input buffer for processing the speech parameters in parallel to perform parallel lexical tree processing for word recognition by accessing the lexical data in the lexical memory. A results memory is connected to the lexical tree processors for storing processing results from the lexical tree processors and lexical tree identifiers to identify lexical trees to be processed by the lexical tree processors. A controller controls the lexical tree processors to process lexical trees identified in the results memory by performing parallel processing on a plurality of said lexical tree data structures.
US08036889B2

A system and method for filtering documents to determine section boundaries between dictated and non-dictated text. The system and method identifies portions of a text report that correspond to an original dictation and, correspondingly, those portions that are not part of the original dictation. The system and method include comparing tokenized and normalized forms of the original dictation and the final report, determining mismatches between the two forms, and applying machine-learning techniques to identify document headers, footers, page turns, macros, and lists automatically and accurately.
US08036888B2

A sound input from sound sources existing in a plurality of directions is accepted and converted into a signal on a frequency axis. A suppressing function to suppress the converted signal on a frequency axis is computed, an amplitude component of a signal on a frequency axis is multiplied by the computed suppressing function and the converted signal on a frequency axis is corrected. A phase component of each converted signal on a frequency axis is computed for each frequency and a difference of phase components is computed. A probability value indicative of probability of existence of a sound source in a predetermined direction is specified based on the computed difference and a suppressing function to suppress a sound input from a sound source other than a sound source in a predetermined direction is computed based on the specified probability value.
US08036885B2

A pitch search method and device for digitally encoding a wideband signal, in particular but not exclusively a speech signal, in view of transmitting, or storing, and synthesizing this wideband sound signal. The new method and device which achieve efficient modeling of the harmonic structure of the speech spectrum uses several forms of low pass filters applied to a pitch codevector, the one yielding higher prediction gain (i.e. the lowest pitch prediction error) is selected and the associated pitch codebook parameters are forwarded.
US08036873B2

Methods simulating a system of devices are described. A model that simulates the system is executed. The system model includes a plurality of modules. A clock object for a module can be disabled when it is not needed or not being used.
US08036869B2

A method, system and computer readable medium for controlling a process performed by a semiconductor processing tool. The method includes inputting data relating to a process performed by the semiconductor processing tool, inputting a first principles physical model relating to the semiconductor processing tool, performing first principles simulation using the input data and the physical model to provide a first principles simulation result. The first principles simulation result is used to build an empirical model, and at least one of the first principles simulation result and the empirical model is selected to control the process performed by the semiconductor processing tool.
US08036867B2

Computing units are determined for performing molecular docking calculations in parallel with the number of computing units and the width of the data paths allocated by relative complexity of operations. Data can be expected to arrive at downstream computing units as it is needed, leading to higher utilization of computing units. Computing units are hardware components that are specific to a calculation performed. For molecular docking calculations, functions of molecular subsets or of combinations of molecular subsets are calculated. Determinations include fit between molecular subsets, affinity or energy of “fit” between molecular subsets, etc. Affinity might include inter-atomic energy, bond energy, energy of atoms immersed in a field, etc. The calculations could be used to simulate and/or estimate likelihoods of molecular interactions.
US08036864B2

A method for predicting the formation of silicon nanocrystals in an oxide matrix is disclosed. Initially, fundamental data for a set of microscopic processes that can occur during one or more material processing operations are obtained. Kinetic models are then built by utilizing the fundamental data for a set of reactions that can contribute substantially to the formation of silicon nanocrystals in a silicon oxide matrix. Finally, the kinetic models are applied to predict shape, size distribution, spatial arrangements of silicon nanocrystals.
US08036863B2

A method for customizing a bearing bore in a housing so that the bearing assembly will transmit load in a desired manner over a predetermined range of operating temperatures.
US08036855B2

A failure diagnosis apparatus for a homogeneous charge compression ignition engine having combustion modes switchable between HCCI combustion, performed together with internal EGR, and SI combustion. The engine includes an intake variable valve mechanism and an exhaust variable valve mechanism. The apparatus includes an airflow meter detecting an intake amount of mixture drawn into a combustion chamber of the engine and a control computer determining whether a failure has occurred in the intake variable valve mechanism and the exhaust variable valve mechanism from intake amount change information. The control computer determines whether a failure has occurred based on information on switching from SI combustion to HCCI combustion, intake amount change information, and predetermined first reference change information, and determines whether a failure has occurred based on information on switching from HCCI combustion to SI combustion, intake amount change information, and predetermined second reference change information.
US08036851B2

An activity monitor, comprises housing for attachment to a person; at least one accelerometer disposed within the housing; and a processor disposed within the housing, for processing signals from the accelerometer to assess activity of the person. A method assesses activity of a person, including: sensing acceleration at a first location on the person; processing the acceleration, over time, to assess activity of the person; and wirelessly communicating information indicative of the activity to a second location.
US08036849B2

A module for measuring physical attributes linked to includes a pad that is attachable or wearable to the body of a person; a signal sensing unit installed on the pad to sense at least one type of physical attributes signal that changes according to motions of the body; and a transmitting unit transmitting the physical attributes signal sensed by the signal sensing unit. A system including the module and a method of applying the module is also provided.
US08036845B2

The present invention provides a method of correcting coordinates so as to quickly and properly arrange a sample in a field of view in a review apparatus for moving a sample stage onto the specified coordinates to review the sample. A review apparatus according to the present invention, which is a review apparatus for moving a sample stage onto coordinates previously calculated by a checking apparatus to review the sample, has a function of retaining a plurality of coordinate correction tables to correct a deviation between a coordinate value previously calculated by a checking apparatus and an actual sample position detected by the review apparatus. The review apparatus evaluates correction accuracy of the plurality of coordinate correction tables and applies one of the coordinate correction tables with the maximum evaluation value.
US08036835B2

Methods and systems for identifying and selecting nucleic acid probes for detecting a target with a nucleic acid probe array or comparative genome hybridization microarray, comprising selecting a plurality of potential target sequences, generating a plurality of candidate probes from the target sequences, filtering the plurality of candidate probes by analyzing candidate probes for selected probe properties in silico. Microarrays comprising probes selected by the methods of the invention are particularly useful for comparative genome hybridization and location analysis.
US08036829B2

An instrumentation system for assessing operation of a reciprocating pump system which produces hydrocarbons from a non-vertical or a vertical wellbore. The instrumentation system periodically produces a downhole pump card as a function of a directly or indirectly measured surface card and a friction law function from a wave equation which describes the linear vibrations in a long slender rod. A control signal or command signal is generated based on characteristics of the downhole pump card for controlling the pumping system. It also generates a pump and well analysis report that is useful for a pump operation and determination of its condition.
US08036827B2

A method of detecting a changed condition within a geographical space from a moving vehicle. Images of that geographic space are memorialized in conjunction with GPS coordinates together with its GPS coordinates. The same geographic space is traversed from the moving vehicle while accessing the route's GPS coordinates. The memorialized images are played back by coordinating the GPS data on a memorialized images with that of the traversed geographic space such that the memorialized images are viewed simultaneously with the geographic space being traversed. An observer traveling within the moving vehicle can compare the memorialized images with those being traversed in order to identify changed conditions.
US08036825B2

A navigation system includes current position calculating sections 10, 13, 14, and 15 calculating the current position; an input section 3 inputting the destination and transit points; a route searching section 130 searching a route from the current position calculated by the current position calculating section to the destination or the transit points inputted by the input section; and a guiding section 140 guiding a user along the route searched by the route searching section. The navigation system further includes a control section 10, which, when the route searched by the route searching section contains special roads, causes the propriety of use of the special roads contained the searched route to be individually selected, and makes a re-search for a route containing the special roads the use of which is selected by control of the control section.
US08036824B2

A system and method for setting a rideshare transaction fee is provided. Data is maintained for rideshare transactions, each associated with a route. At least one rideshare transaction that travels along a particular route is identified. A number of drivers offering transportation on that particular route and a number of passengers seeking transportation on the particular route are determined. A transaction fee for the rideshare transaction along the particular route is set. The transaction fee is increased when there are more passengers seeking transportation than drivers offering transportation. The transaction fee is decreased when there are more drivers offering transportation than passengers seeking transportation.
US08036817B2

There is provided a method for starting a spark ignition engine having multiple cylinders. The method may comprise supplying air and fuel for restart into a first cylinder before said engine completely stops, and igniting the mixture of said air and said fuel in said first cylinder in response to an engine restart request, wherein said first cylinder is on an expansion stroke when said engine stops. The method may also include, after said piston in said first cylinder starts moving, injecting fuel into a second cylinder that is on a compression stroke when said engine stops, on a compression stroke where a piston of said second cylinder is moving in a direction opposite to an operative direction of said piston in said first cylinder.
US08036798B2

A control apparatus for a vehicular drive system arranged to electrically transmit a portion of an output force of an engine through an electric path. The control apparatus is configured to reduce loads of components associated with the electric path and to restrict a temperature rise of the components associated with the electric path, making it possible to reduce the required size of a cooling system. This is accomplished by placing a differential portion in a non-differential state or placing a switching clutch or switching brake in a partially engaged state when electrical energy through the electric path has increased to a thermal limit. As a result, the amount of generated electric energy is reduced, making it possible to restrict the temperature rise of the components associated with the electric path. Accordingly, the cooling system size can be reduced for these components.
US08036794B2

In a method and a device for preventively actuating a vehicle occupant protection means in a vehicle having a vehicle movement dynamics control system, the vehicle occupant protection elements can be activated before a collision time and thus placed in an operative position. An evaluation variable relating to a state of “oversteering” is monitored, and when the state of “oversteering” is identified the vehicle occupant protection elements are activated. The evaluation variable for monitoring the state of “oversteering” is determined by using a manipulated variable of the vehicle movement dynamics control system.
US08036792B2

The invention relates to a method for determining a set steering angle βo of steered wheels of a vehicle comprising a tractor and a trailer that is articulated with regard to the tractor. This method makes it possible to produce a set value that can be used for various purposes. This set value can thus be used for controlling an actuator acting upon the steering angle or for being communicated in order to inform the driver. According to the invention, during reversing maneuvers: based on a target point C via which the driver would like the path of the vehicle to pass, an angle set value ?c between the axes of the trailer and of the tractor is determined according to said target point C and to the dimensions of the vehicle, and; the set steering angle β of the steered wheels is determined according to a servo-system causing the measured angle ? between the axis of the trailer and the tractor to tend toward said angle set value ?c.
US08036785B2

A method for controlling a powertrain of a hybrid vehicle having an engine, a motor/generator, a battery that is rechargeable using at least one of the engine and the motor/generator, and a powertrain control module (PCM) includes determining a current location of the vehicle as a starting point of a preferred route, recording a user-selected ending point of the preferred route, and processing route information using the PCM to thereby determine an optimally fuel efficient route for reaching the ending point. The method includes automatically executing the powertrain control strategy over the optimally fuel efficient route by substantially depleting a charge level of the battery as the vehicle travels over the optimally fuel efficient route such that the charge level of the battery is depleted when the vehicle reaches the ending point. When the ending point is not recorded, the PCM can default to a charge-sustaining mode.
US08036773B2

A system, method and corresponding apparatus are provided for storing, retrieving and delivering unit dose blisters in their natural, raw state (i.e., without over-wrapping or repackaging). In particular, a plurality of unit dose blister mounts are configured to position a corresponding plurality of different types of unit dose blisters in a predetermined, repeatable orientation, so that they can be retrieved and delivered using, for example, an automated retrieval system. The storage apparatus (or unit dose blister mount) may include a cavity that is configured to receive a unit dose medication or medication cavity of the unit dose blister in such a way that the unit dose blister lies substantially flat in the horizontal plane, enabling any identification information displayed on the underside of the unit dose blister (i.e., the side opposite the unit dose medication, or medication cavity) to be viewed.
US08036771B2

A transportation vehicle measures its own absolute position, and transmits the measured absolute position to a ground controller. The ground controller keeps track of positions of a plurality of transportation vehicles in real time, and sends running instructions to travel, while avoiding interference between the transportation vehicles. As a result, the ground controller can control travel of the transportation vehicles in real time.
US08036767B2

A method and apparatus for extracting and changing the reverberant content of an input signal is provided. The method of estimating an impulse response for a reverberant system includes sampling a signal from a reverberant system, having an impulse response, into a sequence of blocks, for each block of the sequence, determining a magnitude in dependence upon a magnitude of a previous block, forming an estimate of the impulse response using determined magnitudes as parameters for a finite impulse response filter. The method of creating a multi-channel signal using a signal with fewer channels from a reverberant system includes sampling the signal from a reverberant system, having an impulse response, into a sequence of blocks, for each block of the sequence, determining a magnitude in dependence upon a magnitude of a previous block, forming an estimate of the impulse response using determined magnitudes as parameters for a finite impulse response filter, applying an inverse of the estimated impulse response to the signal to derive at least one of a direct signal component and a reverberant signal component, and recombining the direct signal component and the reverberant signal component to create a multi-channel signal.
US08036761B2

A simulation apparatus is composed of an integrated plant model process unit 1, virtual ECUs 50A to 50C that simulate other controllers, and a simulation management unit 2 that manages the execution of an input and output process to a real ECU 300, a process by the integrated plant model process unit 1, and a process by the virtual ECUs 50A to 50C, and so on, and the simulation management unit 2 causes the integrated plant model process unit 1, the virtual ECUs 50A to 50C, and so on to execute the processes required for the operation of the real ECU 300 during a given period on the basis of the operation of the real ECU 300.
US08036758B2

A system includes a first controller configured to monitor processes associated with a process facility and to generate control data for optimizing the process facility. The system also includes a second controller configured to use stochastic calculus of variations calculations to modify at least a portion of the control data and provide one of (i) continuous supply chain control and optimization for the process facility and (ii) discrete supply chain control and optimization for the process facility. The system further includes third controllers configured to operate in accordance with the control data to control the processes and to optimize the process facility.
US08036748B2

An ingestible therapy activator system and method are provided. In one aspect, the ingestible therapy activator includes an ingestible device having an effector module to send an effector instruction and a responder module associated with a therapeutic device. The responder module may receive and process the effector instruction, resulting in a response by the therapeutic device. Examples of responses by therapeutic device include activating a therapy, deactivating a therapy, modulating a therapy, and discontinuing a therapy.
US08036747B2

A system and method for rapidly switching stimulation parameters of a Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) system increases the number of stimulation parameter sets that may be tested during a fitting procedure, or alternatively, reduces the time required for the fitting procedure. The switching method comprises selecting a new stimulation parameter set, and setting the initial stimulation levels to levels at or just below an estimated perception threshold of the patient. The estimated perception level is based on previous stimulation results. The stimulation level is then increased to determine a minimum stimulation level for effective stimulation, and/or an optimal stimulation level, and/or a maximum stimulation level, based on patient perception.
US08036745B2

A treatment method is provided, including identifying a subject as one who is selected to undergo an interventional medical procedure, and, in response to the identifying, reducing a likelihood of a potential adverse effect of the procedure by applying an electrical current to a parasympathetic site of the subject selected from the group consisting of: a vagus nerve of the subject, an epicardial fat pad of the subject, a pulmonary vein of the subject, a carotid artery of the subject, a carotid sinus of the subject, a coronary sinus of the subject, a vena cava vein of the subject, a jugular vein of the subject, a right ventricle of the subject, a parasympathetic ganglion of the subject, and a parasympathetic nerve of the subject.
US08036744B2

A cardiac rhythm management device predicts defibrillation thresholds without any need to apply defibrillation shocks or subjecting the patient to fibrillation. Intravascular defibrillation electrodes are implanted in a heart. By applying a small test energy, an electric field near one of the defibrillation electrodes is determined by measuring a voltage at a sensing electrode offset from the defibrillation electrode by a known distance. A desired minimum value of electric field at the heart periphery is established. A distance between a defibrillation electrodes and the heart periphery is measured, either fluoroscopically or by measuring a voltage at an electrode at or near the heart periphery. Using the measured electric field and the measured distance to the periphery of the heart, the defibrillation energy needed to obtain the desired electric field at the heart periphery is estimated. In an example, the device also includes a defibrillation shock circuit and a stimulation circuit.
US08036741B2

A method of performing a medical procedure, such as surgery, is provided. A nerve is stimulated in order to adjust the beating of the heart to a first condition, such as a stopped or slowed condition. The medical procedure is performed on the heart or another organ. The stimulation of the nerve is stopped in order to adjust the beating of the heart to a second condition, such as a beating condition. The heart itself may also be stimulated to a beating condition, such as by pacing. The stimulation of the nerve may be continued in order to allow the medical procedure to be continued. A sensor to sense a characteristic of a fluid or tissue, such as an impending contraction, may be also used during the medical procedure. Systems and devices for performing the medical procedure are also provided.
US08036740B2

A method of reforming a wet-tantalum capacitor includes providing a medical device comprising a wet-tantalum capacitor. The capacitor has a rated voltage and including a hydrated anodic deposit. The method further includes charging the capacitor to a voltage that is less than approximately seventy-five percent of the rated voltage and at least partially discharging the capacitor after the charging step. The charging step is performed at a sufficient voltage to dehydrate the anodic deposit while not significantly decreasing the service life of the capacitor.
US08036737B2

Aspects of the present invention relate to automatic impedance measurements between one or more electrodes in a set of electrodes that may be associated with a lead of an implanted device. A voltage measurement that is associated with a stimulation pulse between the two electrodes may be made. The voltage measurement may be used to determine the impedance between the two electrodes. The impedance measurement may be made for each possible pair of electrodes in the set of electrodes. The impedance measurements may be displayed to a clinician on a user interface.
US08036728B2

The present disclosure describes a method and an apparatus for analyzing measured signals using various processing techniques. In certain embodiments, the measured signals are physiological signals. In certain embodiments, the measurements relate to blood constituent measurements including blood oxygen saturation.
US08036722B2

A mobile communication device having a first housing and a second housing proximally coupled to the first housing. The first housing and the second housing can be, for example, rotationally or translationally coupled. A clamshell form factor and a rotator form factor are rotationally coupled. In another example, a slider phone form factor is translationally coupled. In these examples, the devices are configured to have an open position and configured to have a closed position. A speakerphone microphone is located in the first housing. A speakerphone speaker is located in the second housing wherein the speakerphone microphone is substantially distal the speakerphone speaker.
US08036721B1

A portable access point comprises a wireless LAN transceiver that selectively establishes a plurality of Ethernet wireless links with a plurality of wireless client devices, respectively. A wireless WAN transceiver establishes an Ethernet data connection with an Internet Service Provider (ISP), receives and forwards Ethernet data packets from at least one of said wireless client devices to said ISP and receives and forwards Ethernet data packets from said ISP to said one of said wireless client devices. A routing device routes Ethernet data packets between said wireless LAN transceiver and said wireless WAN transceiver. A control module controls operation of said wireless LAN transceiver and said wireless WAN transceiver. A first storage device stores operating system and application instructions for said control module.
US08036695B2

An apparatus for controlling power of a mobile terminal is provided. The apparatus includes a power conversion for providing a ground connection during a time interval if a power value is input for testing the mobile terminal and a power control unit having one terminal for controlling the power of the mobile terminal wherein, if the given power value is grounded during the time interval and a voltage level required to control power of the mobile terminal changes, the power control unit turns on power to the mobile terminal.
US08036691B2

A first signal containing first data multiplied by a first weight factor is transmitted from a first radio station to a first terminal. The first weight factor is calculated taking into account a second weight factor to be used by a second radio station for transmission of a second signal containing the first data multiplied by the second weight factor, such that simultaneous reception of both the first signal and the second signal at the first terminal will cause the first data to be substantially cancelled. Further, the first weight vector is calculated taking into account first and second channel state information received from the first terminal.
US08036688B2

Disclosed are a method and a mobile communication system for sharing at least one schedule between the members of a group. A user can first register one or more groups and members of each group, which will receive a group schedule, and store schedules in relation to corresponding groups in a master terminal. Each group schedule is stored with an identifier representing a specific group and indicating that the schedule is related to the specific group. When the user selects a group which will receive a group schedule in a schedule transmission mode, the master terminal extracts only the schedules related to the group using the identifier of the selected group, and sends the extracted schedules to every member of the selected group at one time. With a single transmission, every member of the group can share the schedules common to the group members.
US08036685B2

A location services controller (104) for locating multimode communication devices (MCDs) (102) has a communication element (302) for communicating with two or more communication networks (106) and MCDs coupled thereto, a memory (304), and a processor (306) for controlling operations thereof. The processor is programmed to request (402) location information of an MCD from at least two sources selected among a group that can include the MCD and one or more communication networks coupled to the MCD, and determine (426) from the sources of location information the location of the MCD.
US08036679B1

A location-aware method that dynamically adjusts software parameters in Location-Based Service (LBS) applications in real-time based on environmental conditions and application requirements. The invention saves power expended during position calculations while increasing application performance, optimizes settings for the application based on real-time conditions, and reduces bandwidth used. In an embodiment, the present method comprises a state machine or a plurality of state machines.
US08036676B2

In a frequency sharing radio system including a plurality of systems that share a specific frequency, upon establishment of a new system using a frequency that an existing system uses, a receiving station of the existing system receives a signal from a transmitting station of the existing system at a transmission frequency. The receiving station of the existing system transmits a beacon signal indicating a reception range thereof at the transmission frequency. A transmitting station of the new system detects a beacon signal transmitted from a receiving station of another system, and judges whether signal transmission is possible based on a result of the detection.
US08036670B2

Concurrent WIMAX and GSM operation is facilitated in a user device by coordinating for WiMAX absence periods during WiMAX frames that may conflict with corresponding GSM frames.
US08036667B2

The invention relates to methods and devices for generating a distribution function. To that end preference vectors are defined for each instance something is distributed to from which elements are selected by means of an arbitration vector.
US08036663B2

A handover control method in a broadband wireless access system is disclosed. In a broadband wireless access system supporting multiple frequency allocations, in which a serving base station controls a handover, the present invention includes the steps of receiving from a mobile subscriber station a handover request message including an identifier of the mobile subscriber station, transmitting a handover request notification message including the identifier of the mobile subscriber station to a handover target base station, receiving a handover request notification response message including information for frequency allocation supportable by the target base station, and transmitting a handover response message including the information for the frequency allocation to the mobile subscriber station. Accordingly, in the broadband wireless access system supporting the multiple FA, the present invention enables the handover between FAs within one cell or between FAs in different cells.
US08036625B1

In a method for mixing an information signal, a digital information signal at a sampling frequency fs is generated. A mixed signal is generated as a multiplication of the digital information signal with a mixing signal at the sampling frequency fs, wherein the mixing signal corresponds to a sinusoid having a frequency fm equal to fs/8.
US08036609B2

A device for connecting a personal audio/video player to a vehicle equipped with a FM radio. The device connects to the lighter/DC connector of the vehicle with a power block 1 to provide a source of power for the player and recharges the internal battery of the player. The device also connects to docking receptacles of a personal audio player with a receive port 6 allowing unattenuated sound and recharging connection. A wire 4 serves as an antenna for a FM transmitter 3 to make a wireless connection to the vehicle radio.
US08036604B2

An object is to provide a circuit configuration with which the number of transistors can be reduced and power conversion efficiency can be prevented from being reduced, in a transmitting and receiving circuit. The transmitting and receiving circuit includes a voltage doubler rectifier circuit having N stages, each of which includes a capacitor, where N is a positive integer. The voltage doubler rectifier circuit having N stages is connected to a circuit having a modulation function. In the capacitor in any one of the N stages, one electrode of the one capacitor is connected to an input terminal of the transmitting and receiving circuit, and a node to which the other electrode of the one capacitor is connected is connected to a circuit having a demodulation function. Since the transmitting and receiving circuit can be formed of fewer transistors, it can be reduced in size. Since a reduction in power conversion efficiency can be prevented, a power supply potential can be efficiently generated.
US08036601B2

A method for filtering in a wireless downlink channel, where all dominant transmitting sources use inner codes from a particular set, includes the steps of estimating a channel matrix seen from a desired transmitter source in response to a pilot or preamble signal; converting the estimated channel matrix into an effective channel matrix responsive to the inner code of the desired transmitting source; estimating a covariance matrix of noise plus interference in a linear model whose output is an equivalent of the received observations and in which the effective channel matrix corresponding to each dominant transmitting source inherits the structure of its inner code; computing a signal-to-noise-interference-ratio SINR responsive to the covariance matrix and the effective channel matrix corresponding to the desired source; and feeding back the computed SINR to the transmitter source.
US08036598B1

A method of data transfer using short range technology. An originating short range wireless technology enabled device wirelessly communicates a first portion of content to a destination short range wireless technology enabled device along with location information that enables retrieval of a remaining portion of the content from a back office location. The destination short range wireless technology enabled device processes the first portion of content. The remaining portion of the content may be retrieved for processing by the destination short range wireless technology enabled device before the completion of processing of the first portion of content.
US08036597B2

In a wireless communication system comprising a plurality of mesh points (MPs), a method for determining a level of involvement of MPs within the system includes a first MP transmitting a network status request signal to a second MP. The second MP responds to the first MP with network status information. The first MP receives the network status information from the second MP, and determines a level of involvement in the wireless system based on the network status information.
US08036595B2

The present invention relates to systems and methods that facilitate wireless device communications and configuration. A detection component identifies N devices that are coupled together via a biological medium, N being an integer, wherein the medium includes direct or indirect touching to a device or devices. After biological contact, a configuration component initiates a configuration between a subset of the devices. Although configurations and/or other communications can be conducted through a medium such as the human body, the present invention can employ an initial touch to identify respective devices whereby other electronic configuration sequences commence without further device contact. Other aspects include chain touching between users and/or devices to facilitate contact between the devices. Location detection components can also be provided to identify when users are present near a device, the detected presence to commence further automated procedures, and/or the location detection components can enable devices to identify other devices in a crowded wireless environment.
US08036591B2

A bookbinding apparatus which forms a booklet by coating adhesive onto a spine of a sheet bundle, the bookbinding apparatus comprising: an adhesive tank which stores adhesive; a supplying section which supplies solid adhesive to the adhesive tank; a melting section which melts the solid adhesive supplied to the adhesive tank; a coating section which coats the adhesive onto the spine of the sheet bundle; and a controller which controls the supplying section to supply the solid adhesive from the supplying section to the adhesive tank when an amount of adhesive that has been coated by the coating section reaches equal to or more than a predetermined value.
US08036590B2

Disclosed is an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a housing having a discharge port, a plurality of photosensitive bodies mounted in the housing, a transfer unit to transfer visible images formed on the plurality of photosensitive bodies onto a printing medium, a fusing unit to fuse transferred visible images to the printing medium, and a reverse unit to reverse a moving direction of the printing medium, after the printing medium has passed through the fusing unit. As the moving direction of the printed printing medium is reversed by the reverse unit, the printing medium may be discharged while a printed surface of the printing medium is directed downward, allowing a user to easily draw out the printing medium.
US08036588B2

In an image forming apparatus including an image forming section which forms an image on a sheet and a conveyance section which conveys the sheet to the image forming section, the conveyance section includes: a registration roller, a plurality of loop forming rollers which cause the sheet to form a loop, provided upstream of the registration roller in a sheet conveyance direction and arranged in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction, a skew detection sensor which detects a skew of the sheet, and a conveyance roller provided upstream of the loop forming roller; and a control section which controls independently each of the plurality of loop forming rollers based on the detected result of the skew detection sensor. The conveyance roller is swung in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction.
US08036587B2

An image forming apparatus 10 includes: a body frame 11 including an image forming section 60; and an image reading section 40, as an upper member openably mounted on top of the body frame, that is provided with a document stage on which a document is loaded and that reads an image of the document. The image forming apparatus further includes: first holding member 6 placing the image reading section 40 over the image forming section and holding it in a closed state; and second holding member 1 holding the image reading section rotatably relative to the image forming section and having a guide shaft and guide slots that are in a disengaged state when the image reading section is in the closed state and that engage with each other so as to function as a hinge when the image reading section is rotated from the closed state to the open state, relative to the image forming section.
US08036586B2

The developer delivering device includes a first delivering path, a second delivering path, a helical delivering blade disposed in the second delivering path, and a developer breaking member disposed in a connecting portion of the first delivering path and the second delivering path. The developer breaking member includes a breaking portion disposed opposite to a side wall of the second delivering path in a developer delivering direction of the second delivering path, a contact portion that is in contact with the helical delivering blade and extended in the developer delivering direction between the breaking portion and a center of the rotation of the helical delivering blade, and a coupling portion. The breaking portion has a first breaking portion and a second breaking portion. The contact portion has a first contact portion and a second contact portion. The coupling portion couples the first contact portion to the second contact portion.
US08036585B2

A lubricant supplying unit, which can be incorporated in a process unit for use in an image forming apparatus, includes a rotary lubricant supplying member to contact a surface of an image carrier to rotate with the image carrier, a lubricant having an opposed face disposed opposite the rotary lubricant supplying member and side faces, a lubricant holder to hold the lubricant, and a pressing member to press the lubricant toward the lubricant supplying member either directly or via an intermediate transfer member. The rotary lubricant supplying member rotating to scrape the lubricant to supply the scraped lubricant to the image carrier. The lubricant holder supporting at least the entire side face of the lubricant intersecting the opposed face of the lubricant in a cross-section of the lubricant and the lubricant holder in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the rotary lubricant supplying member.
US08036576B2

A developing device including a developing unit configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on a latent image bearing member with a developer comprising a toner and a carrier, and a circulation unit configured to collect the developer from the developing unit and return the developer to the developing unit. The circulation unit includes a container including a main body having an inverted cone shape, a supply opening provided in a top thereof, and a discharge opening provided in a bottom thereof, configured to hold a part of the developer and provided on an upstream side from the developing unit relative to a direction of circulation of the developer. The container includes a plurality of agitation members configured to agitate the developer collected from the developing unit and fresh toner so that a plurality of flows of the developer is produced in the container.
US08036575B2

In a development device for containing a developer and developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier, a supplier supplies fresh developer to the development device. A developer carrier carries the developer to be supplied to the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier. A plurality of conveyance members conveys the developer contained in the development device in an axial direction of the development device to form a circulation path. An outlet is provided in a wall of a conveyance path formed by one of the plurality of conveyance members and discharges the developer to an outside of the conveyance path. A discharge conveyance member forms a discharge conveyance path to convey the developer discharged from the outlet in the axial direction of the development device and to discharge the developer to an outside of the development device.
US08036572B2

A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus including: an opening in a main body; a door opening and closing the opening; a first tray movable between an inside position and an outside position through the opening while removably supporting drum cartridges having photosensitive drums; a second tray movable between the inside position and the outside position through the opening while removably supporting developing cartridges having developing rollers; a transfer member to which toner images are transferred from the photosensitive drums; and a positioning member, which releases, when the door is opened, an engagement between engaging portions of the developing cartridges and engaged portions of the drum cartridges to hold the developing cartridges so that the second tray can be pulled out, and which engages, when the door is closed, the engaging portion with the engaged portion to position the developing cartridges for image formation.
US08036570B2

A process cartridge includes a photosensitive member, a charger, which charges the photo sensitive member, and a process frame, which supports the photo sensitive member and the charger. The charger includes a charged wire, a grid that is interposed between the charged wire and the photosensitive member, a wire-side connecting portion that applies a voltage to the charged wire, and a grid-side connecting portion that applies a voltage to the charged wire. The process frame comprises an exposure opening that faces the photosensitive member, the exposure opening being provided between the wire-side connecting portion and the grid-side connecting portion when viewed from a first direction in which the charged wire is stretched.
US08036567B2

An image forming apparatus includes an endless belt that is rotated, an image forming device configured to form an image on a recording medium which fed on the endless belt, a cleaning roller configured to be rotated and clean the endless belt, a pair of registration rollers configured to be rotated in a recording medium feeding direction and to feed a recording medium to the image forming device, and a motor configured to rotate in two directions. The image forming apparatus may further include first, second, and third gear mechanisms. The first and second gear mechanisms are configured to switch between transmission and non-transmission of a driving force to the cleaning roller according to rotational direction of the motor. The third gear mechanism is configured to switch between transmission and non-transmission of the driving force to the registration roller according to the rotational direction of the motor.
US08036566B2

A control method and an image forming apparatus. The apparatus includes a latent image carrier; a development apparatus for developing a liquid developer containing a toner, a carrier liquid and a dispersant soluble in the carrier liquid therein on the latent image carrier; an intermediate transfer medium to which a developer image developed on the latent image carrier is transferred; a transfer apparatus for transferring the developer image on the intermediate transfer medium to a transfer material; and a dispersant collecting liquid application unit for applying a dispersant collecting liquid on the intermediate transfer medium. The method includes performing the control such that after finishing of transfer of the developer image onto intermediate transfer medium, application of the dispersant collecting liquid on the intermediate transfer medium is started by the dispersant collecting liquid application unit.
US08036561B2

Aspects of the disclosure provided a method to improve performance of a cleaning device to extend a usage life of the cleaning device. The method can include obtaining a performance characteristic of an electrostatic brush that degrades operations of the electrostatic brush, determining at least one parameter that compensates for the degradation, and controlling the electrostatic brush by the at least one parameter to maintain the electrostatic brush operating within a failure boundary.
US08036559B2

A fixing unit that heat-fixes the toner image onto the sheet, has an information acquisition section that acquires information concerning a factor causing the input voltage which is supplied to a heater for heating the heating roller to vary; a temperature setting section that sets a target temperature of the heater based on the information acquired by the information acquisition section; and a temperature controller that controls the temperature of the heater such that the heating roller becomes the target temperature set by the temperature setting section.
US08036555B2

A liquid measuring device includes a floating member that is moved in accordance with a liquid surface, a first magnetic field generator that is disposed in the floating member and positions its north (N) pole to face a first direction, a second magnetic field generator that is disposed in the floating member to be spaced apart from the first magnetic field generator and positions its south (S) pole to face the first direction, and a plurality of proportional output-type hole elements that detect magnetic fields generated by the first magnetic field generator and the second magnetic field generator in positions facing the first direction.
US08036549B2

A method of revising a medium resistance to determine a transfer voltage and an image forming device to perform the same. The method includes supplying a medium recognition voltage to recognize a print medium, and reading medium resistances according to a predetermined reading cycle, calculating an estimated medium resistance based on the read medium resistances, by referring to a pattern of medium resistance in an interval between a time at which the medium recognizing voltage is supplied and a predetermined stabilizing time, and determining a medium resistance to be applied when a transfer voltage is supplied, by comparing the calculated estimated medium resistance with the read medium resistances obtained after the predetermined stabilizing time.
US08036548B2

A replaceable unit to participate in an image forming job of an image forming apparatus includes a storage unit to store therein a driving condition corresponding to an operation environment, a detecting unit to monitor the operation environment, a controlling unit to detect a corresponding driving condition from the storage unit if the detecting unit detects the driving environment, and an interface unit to provide a main body of the image forming apparatus with the detected corresponding driving condition. Accordingly, the replaceable unit can be driven under optimum driving conditions.
US08036545B2

An image forming apparatus which is capable of detecting occurrence of an abnormality that a fixing member which is actually in an unpressurized state is detected to be in a pressurized state, and supply of electric power to a heating member is continued. A fixing device includes a fixing belt and a pressure roller. The fixing belt and the pressure roller are pressed against each other such that a nip is formed therebetween, for nipping and conveying a transfer material through the nip while heating and pressing the same. A pressurizing unit selectively switches between a pressurizing state and an unpressurizing state. When the pressurizing unit is in the pressurized state, a heater heats the fixing belt. The heating of the fixing belt is stopped based on a temperature detected by a thermistor after a lapse of a predetermined time period from start of the heating.
US08036536B2

An optical transmitter apparatus for use in an optical communications network has a polarization dithering unit, an optical transmitter unit, and a transmission fiber. The polarization dithering unit is connected in series between an output of the optical transmitter unit and the transmission fiber.
US08036532B2

In a PON system by WDM, IP broadcast can be received without oppressing a band used by a user for Internet communication. An OLT provides a first wavelength received in common by respective ONUs and plural second wavelengths by which the OLT and the respective ONUs perform communication individually. With respect to signals in the downstream direction, each of the OLTs includes a transmitter to transmit the first wavelength and plural transmitters to transmit the second wavelengths used for the individual communication with the respective ONUs. Each of the ONUs includes a receiver to receive the first wavelength and a receiver to receive the second wavelength used in the ONU itself. The OLT transmits data of the IP broadcast by the first wavelength and transmits individual data of each of the ONUs by the second wavelength corresponding to the ONU.
US08036530B2

A translation agent adapts DOCSIS information, primarily QoS information, for transmission over a PON. The agent places into an IP address field of a DHCP message the MAC address of an ONU associated with a CPE device attempting to register with a CMTS. The translation agent intercepts DHCP reply messages from the DHCP server using the MAC address of the ONU. The translation agent extracts information, including an IP address of the client CPE assigned by the DHCP server. The agent downloads a configuration file for the CPE device using the configuration filename and configuration file server contained in a DHCP reply message. Information contained in the configuration file is converted from content in a format used by DOCSIS, to content in a format used by PON devices. The translated content includes QoS parameters, functions related to which are controlled at the ONU by an OLT coupled to the CMTS.
US08036528B2

The invention relates to a data transmission unit for high bit-rate optical data signals, in particular, high bit-rate optical data signals with a backplane, which has a line structure connecting several plug-in positions for several receiver or transceiver cards to each other and/or to one or more additional data processing cards, with the cards, each held in one of the plug-in positions and each having at least one input port for a high bit-rate data signal. Each card also has at least one output port, to which the relevant one or more high bit-rate data signals can be fed, and each of these output ports is connected via a serial data line between the plug-in position holding the relevant receiver or transceiver card and an input port of a central selection unit with the relevant input port. The output ports connect serially to the central selection unit.
US08036525B2

A motion compensation apparatus for a camera module with a half-shutter function is provided. The apparatus includes an initialization unit for selecting a subject, a motion of which is to be detected, from images secured in a half-shutter state, and calculates motion information of the subject; a tracking unit for tracking the selected subject and the motion information provided from the initialization unit, and calculates prediction information of the subject; and a controller for generating a control signal for controlling a speed of a shutter and a sensibility of an image sensor based on the prediction information provided from the tracking unit.
US08036522B2

Method and system for auto-focusing. The method includes checking for presence of a subject in a first frame. The method also includes determining a second frame indicative of an in-focus position of the subject if the presence of the subject is detected. The method further includes causing to focus on the subject based on the second frame. Further, the method includes checking for a change in at least one of location of the subject in the second frame, and sharpness and luminance in an area corresponding to the subject in the second frame. Moreover, the method includes causing to refocus on the subject if the change is detected.
US08036513B2

In the Local Storage (18), a plurality of files, merge management information which specifies a file out of the plurality of files to be used in combination with what is recorded on a Read-Only recording medium, and signature information used for judging the authenticity of the merge management information. The Virtual File System unit (38) judges the authenticity of the merge management information based on the signature information. In the case where the merge management information is judged to be authentic, the Virtual File System unit (38) generates package information which indicates a new file structure obtained by adding the file specified by the merge management information to the file structure of the Read-Only recording medium.
US08036511B2

A resin composition for an optical material, which is excellent in heat resistance and transparency and is soluble in an aqueous alkali solution, a resin film for an optical material made of the resin composition, and an optical waveguide using the same are provided. The resin composition for an optical material includes: (A) an alkali-soluble (meth)acrylate polymer containing a maleimide skeleton in a main chain; (B) a polymerizable compound; and (C) a polymerization initiator. The resin film for an optical material is made of the resin composition for an optical material. The optical waveguide has a core part and/or a clad layer formed using the resin composition for an optical material or the resin film for an optical material.
US08036505B2

An athermal AWG module 10 comprises: an AWG 11 having waveguides partially divided to separate a chip, separated chips being connected by a compensation plate 33 to achieve temperature-independence; an athermal AWG chip 12 having a substrate and the AWG 11 formed on the substrate; a package 13 having an opening 14 and accommodating the athermal AWG chip 12; and a cover for blocking the opening 14. The athermal AWG chip 12 is fully covered with a gelled refractive index matching agent 16 that is matched in refractive index to the waveguides of the AWG 11. As the gelled refractive index matching agent 16 is excellent in water resistance and hardly passes water, the adhesive agent for fixing the compensation plate 33 to the surfaces of the separated two chips is prevented from being deteriorated due to ingress of water, thereby enhancing the reliability.
US08036503B2

An optical delay line is formed from a coil of optical fiber (in many cases microfiber), where the radius of the optical fiber is greater than the wavelength λ of the propagating signal and the radius R of the coil is selected, in consideration with the optical fiber radius, to limit propagation loss by minimizing coupling between adjacent turns of the coil. The difference in dimension between the fiber diameter and wavelength prevents the mode propagating along one turn from coupling into an adjacent turn. It has been discovered that the modal intensity at the interface between the central rod and the coil will be minimized when the radius of the fiber satisfies the following condition: r >> ( R β 2 ) 1 / 3 , where β=(2πn)/λ, and n is the refractive index of the fiber.
US08036499B2

Optical waveguides are provided on a substrate, a thin film whose refractive index is optically less than the refractive indices of the optical waveguides is provided on the surface of the substrate, and a surface-acoustic-wave waveguide is arranged on the thin film so as to cross the optical waveguides in a direction oblique thereto. The optical waveguides are not directly influenced by the location of the SAW waveguide and the phase matching condition of the optical waveguides is not changed, whereby the sidelobe characteristic of an optical filter is not degraded by assigning weights to the SAW intensity.
US08036495B2

An apparatus includes a first-acquisition unit acquiring, from target image data, an input image pattern including pixel values within a predetermined range with reference to each of ideal corresponding points, a second-acquisition unit acquiring, as candidate image patterns, from search-image-pattern data, a first candidate image pattern including pixel values within the predetermined range, a finding unit finding, from the search-image-pattern data, an estimated image pattern as a second candidate image pattern of the candidate image patterns which has a smaller difference from the input image pattern than other candidate image patterns, a first setting unit setting pixel values of positions corresponding to the ideal corresponding points in the estimated image pattern as pixel values at the ideal corresponding points, and a conversion unit converting a resolution of the target-image data using the N-dimensional coordinate values and the pixel values corresponding to the N-dimensional coordinate values.
US08036488B2

An image processing apparatus includes a plurality of addition means and an image processing means. The addition means performs addition processing of adding pixels of a differential image at a second resolution representing a difference between an inputted image at a first resolution and an image at the second resolution higher than the first resolution as pixels of an inputted image at the second resolution. The image processing means is configured to perform second and subsequent addition processing, and generate an image of the second resolution as a processing result by performing the addition processing for a predetermined number of times. The addition processing is performed with inputs of an image at the first resolution and an image at the second resolution obtained by an immediately preceding addition processing, which are different from each other.
US08036487B2

An image processing method, comprises: an input step of inputting a color digital image; a white balance correction step of correcting white balance of the inputted digital image; an exposure correction step of correcting exposure of the digital image having the corrected white balance; a determination step of determining a pixel in which an output pixel value is saturated without being corrected to be underexposed by the exposure correction, among respective pixels in the digital image having the corrected white balance; and a pixel value correction step of setting only the determined pixel to be saturated as a correction target pixel and correcting the pixel value of the correction target pixel to be more than or equal to the pixel value. Thereby, the color attachment with respect to the blown-out highlight portion can be prevented at the time of the desensitization process.
US08036480B2

An image processing system for restoring a resolution of a pixel-mixed image represented by a mixed-pixel signal which is acquired when a plurality of pixel signals in an image pickup device are mixed and are read out includes a shooting situation acquiring section, a restoration matrix generating section, and a restoration processing section. The shooting situation acquiring section acquires a shooting situation when the mixed-pixel signal is acquired. The restoration matrix generating section generates a pixel mixture restoration matrix based on the shooting situation acquired by the shooting situation acquiring section. The restoration processing section restores a resolution of the pixel-mixed image using the mixed-pixel signal and the pixel mixture restoration matrix.
US08036479B2

An image processing apparatus includes an input unit configured to input a moving image on a frame-by-frame basis, a feature quantity calculating unit configured to calculate a feature quantity of the input image, a storing unit configured to store the feature quantity corresponding to a plurality of frames, a motion determination unit configured to determine whether an object of the input image is moving or motionless, a smoothing unit configured to smooth feature quantity of a plurality of images in accordance with a result of determination made by the motion determination unit, and an image correcting unit configured to correct the input image in accordance with an output from the smoothing unit.
US08036478B2

A color image residue transform and/or inverse transform method and apparatus, and a color image encoding and/or decoding method and apparatus using the same are provided. The residue transform method includes: obtaining a residue corresponding to the difference of an original image and a predicted image; and transforming the residue by using a relation between residues of color image components. The residue inverse transform method includes: generating a residue for each component by performing residue inverse transform of the residue transformed original image; and restoring the original image by adding a predicted image to the residue of each component. Also, the color image lossless encoding method using the residue transform includes: obtaining a residue corresponding to the difference of an original image and a predicted image; and performing encoding by transforming the residue by using the relation between residues of predetermined components. The decoding method includes: extracting residue transformed image data from the coded data of the original image; generating a residue for each component by performing residue inverse transform of the residue transformed image data; and restoring the original image by adding a predicted image to the residue of each component. According to the methods and apparatuses, by performing transform between residues of each color component, the redundancy of the residue of each color component is removed such that when a color image is encoded, a higher compression efficiency can be achieved.
US08036476B2

The invention provides an image encoding/decoding device and method. An encoding/decoding architecture of the invention includes: encoders for encoding image data into data blocks; a reordering multiplexer for receiving the data blocks and determining an order by which the data blocks are written into a memory according to an order of an achieved percentage of an encoding progress for each encoder; a memory writing unit, a memory dispatcher, a memory controller, and a memory reading unit, for writing the data blocks into the memory and reading the data blocks from the memory; a request demultiplexer for receiving the read data blocks from the memory reading unit and outputting the received data blocks according to data request signals; and decoders for generating the data request signals, receiving the output data blocks from the request demultiplexer, decoding the received data blocks, and then outputting the decoded data blocks.
US08036474B2

A method of processing information, includes: creating threads for respective input data streams, and switching them for processing, the threads each being for applying predetermined processing to an input data stream and storing the resulting intermediate data into a buffer; and reading multiple pieces of the intermediate data from the respective corresponding buffers to output multiple pieces of output data in parallel. The switching for processing includes: detecting the amount of intermediate data that is stored and yet to be read in the buffers when starting processing the threads; and stopping processing of the thread when the amount of the intermediate data thereof exceeds a set value, and switching processing to other threads.
US08036470B2

An image processing apparatus includes a compressed-feature extractor configured to extract a compressed feature from image data, the compressed feature being a feature having a less amount of data than the image data; a display controller configured to display the compressed feature; a processing-information determining unit configured to determine processing that is to be executed on the image data and to output processing information representing the processing; and a recorder configured to record the processing information on a recording medium in association with a processing feature, the processing feature being a specific feature of the image data on which the processing represented by the processing information is to be executed.
US08036467B2

An image file for storing a still digital image and metadata related to the still digital image, the image file including digital image data representing the still digital image, and metadata that categorizes the still digital image as an important digital image, wherein the categorization uses a range of levels and the range of levels includes at least three different integer values.
US08036466B2

A method of approximating the inner or outer boundary of an iris comprises generating an approximate boundary representation (20) comprising a least squares approximation by a cosine transform series of a function of the angle (θ) about a fixed point (A) of the distance of measured points (10) on the boundary from the fixed point (A). More broadly, the method may be used to approximate the shape of any two-dimensional curve or figure.
US08036464B2

Text segmentation based on topic boundary detection has been an industry problem in automating information dissemination to targeted users. A system for automatic segmentation of ASR output text involves boundary identification based on “topic” changes. The proposed approach is based on building a weighted graph to determine dependency in input sentences based on bi-directional analysis of the input sentences. Furthermore, the input sentences are segmented based on the notion of segment cohesiveness and the segmented sentences are merged based on preamble and postamble analyses.
US08036463B2

The present invention provides a technique of accurately extracting areas of characters included in a captured image. A character extracting device of the present invention extracts each character in an image with compensated pixel values. In more detail, the character extracting device integrates pixel values at each coordinate position in the image along a character extracting direction. Then, the character extracting device predicts the background area in the image based on the integrated pixel value. The compensated pixel values are compensated based on integrated pixel values at the predicted background area from integrated pixel values at each coordinate position.
US08036460B2

A method for red-eye detection in an acquired digital image includes acquiring a first image, and analyzing one or more partial face regions within the first image. One or more characteristics of the first image are determined. One or more corrective processes are identified including red eye correction that can be beneficially applied to the first image according to the one or more characteristics. The one or more corrective processes are applied to the first image.
US08036459B2

An image processing apparatus enhances contrast without producing color balance distortion or color collapse by generating a gradation-scale correction table from a distribution of a characteristic quantity of an input image signal, using the gradation-scale correction table to derive a gradation correction parameter for each pixel from a maximum component value of the pixel, and multiplying all components of the pixel by the gradation correction parameter.
US08036448B2

A robotic tattoo application and tattoo removal methods and systems are described. This technology involves the use of a robotic system guided by control of a graphics capable computer in order to perform various types, including artistic, recreational, cosmetic, or therapeutic tattooing, or tattoo removal.
US08036445B2

A pattern matching method includes: detecting an edge of a pattern in a pattern image obtained by imaging the pattern; segmenting the detected pattern edge to generate a first segment set consisting of first segments; segmenting a pattern edge on reference data which serves as a reference for evaluating the pattern to generate a second segment set consisting of second segments; combining any of the segments in the first segment set with any of the segments in the second segment set to define a segment pair consisting of first and second segments; calculating the compatibility coefficient between every two segment pairs in the defined segment pairs; defining new segment pairs by narrowing down the defined segment pairs by calculating local consistencies of the defined segment pairs on the basis of the calculated compatibility coefficients and by excluding segment pairs having lower local consistencies; determining an optimum segment pair by repeating the calculating the compatibility coefficient and the defining new segment pairs by narrowing down the segment pairs; calculating a feature quantity of a shift vector that links the first and second segments making up the optimum segment pair; and performing position matching between the pattern image and the reference data on the basis of the calculated feature quantity of the shift vector.
US08036443B2

An image processor executes an image processing under an appropriate condition. The image possessor comprises an important area detecting section (120) for detecting a bone portion or soft portion as an important area included in an X-ray image, a weight image creating section (130) for creating a weight image for imparting a predetermined weight to the pixels of the important area, histogram computing section (140) for multiplying the weight of the weight image by the pixel value of the X-ray image and computing a weighted histogram from the results of the multiplication, evaluating section (150) for evaluating the weighted histogram with a predetermined evaluation function and computing a shift value at which the evaluation result takes on a maximum value, image processing condition determining section (160) for so determining an image processing condition so as to obtain a predetermined processing result from the pixel value of the X-ray image corresponding to the maximum value of the evaluation function for obtaining a shift value, and image processing section (170) for executing an image processing under the image processing condition.
US08036442B2

In a method for the processing of radiology images for detection of radiological signs, an algorithm is provided to detect such radiological signs on projections as a function of their contrasts. These contrasts are measured by using the responses of linear differential filters with different scale parameters. The method can be used to color or enhance the intensity of the radiological signs detected as a function of their degree of malignancy. The algorithm may be applied directly to the signal given by the detector.
US08036434B2

A method and a device are disclosed for selecting at least one post-processing method for the post-processing of medical measurement data. In this method, different post-processing components are registered. In addition to the measurement data, context data with respect to the measurement data are acquired and/or derived. Following this, a structured document is evaluated so that at least one post-processing method, for example an optimally designed method, can be selected for the respective measurement data.
US08036419B2

The present invention relates generally to digital watermarking and steganographic data hiding. In one embodiment a method of rendering content to a user is provided. The rendered content includes a digital watermark embedded therein. In another embodiment, digital watermarking is utilized to facilitate purchase or lease of audio or video content over a network or with a remote computer. In still another embodiment, a compression characteristic is determined, and subsequent steganographic embedding is influenced based on the characteristic. Other embodiments are provided as well.
US08036416B2

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that enables a user to visually compare the effects of one or more clothing sets in front of a mirror. During operation, the system detects and stores images of a user wearing a piece of clothing in front of mirror. Similar stored poses from either the user or from members of the user's social network can be retrieved later to compare the effects of the current piece of clothing to the retrieved clothing. The poses are then displayed in close proximity to the mirror so that the user can visually compare the effects. Displaying multiple such poses in sequence and in fast response to changes in the user's orientation creates the effect that the system is tracking the user's movements and presenting poses that are substantially synchronized to the user's movements.
US08036414B2

This invention provides an audio speaker with improved physical safety isolation between a voice coil and other electrically live elements.
US08036402B2

A distortion compensation system minimizes distortion in an audio system by monitoring a supply voltage and adjusting a clipping threshold and/or compression knee. An adjustable gain circuit controls the gain of the audio signal according whether the audio signal exceeds a variable threshold. The variable threshold is adjusted within a threshold range based on the supply voltage. Distortion due to clipping of the audio signal is minimized while available power at any given time is maximized.
US08036401B2

A MEMS microphone comprising a MEMS transducer having a back plate and a diaphragm as well as controllable bias voltage generator providing a DC bias voltage between the back plate and the diaphragm. The microphone also has an amplifier with a controllable gain, and a memory for storing information for determining a bias voltage to be provided by the bias voltage generator and the gain of the amplifier.
US08036399B2

An audio output apparatus includes: an audio codec outputting an analog audio signal corresponding to a digital audio signal from a system controller; a switch unit having a first end coupled to the audio codec through a capacitor, and a grounded second end; and a switch controller triggered by a trigger signal to output a control signal to a control end of the switch unit such that the switch unit couples the capacitor to ground in response to the control signal. The trigger signal is generated by one of the system controller, the audio codec, and a power circuit supplying electric power to the system controller, the audio codec and the switch controller upon occurrence of a condition associated with pop noise, and is outputted to the switch controller before the pop noise is generated, such that the pop noise is conducted to ground via the switch unit.
US08036393B2

A method for providing audio-guided deployment of a data processing system is disclosed. An unpack instruction related to a data processing system in a first container for audio presentation is designated, and one or more position sensors in the first container are queried to determine whether the position sensors are spatially configured for audible presentation of the unpack instruction. In response to determining that the position sensors are not spatially configured for the audible presentation of the unpack instruction, a position sensor error message is audibly presented. One or more radio frequency sensors associated with the first container are queried to determine whether the first container contents are ready for audible presentation of the instruction, and in response to determining that the first container contents are not ready for audible presentation of the unpack instruction, a radio-frequency sensor error message is audibly presented. In response to determining that the first container contents are ready for audible presentation of the unpack instruction, audio-guided deployment of the data processing system is provided by audibly presenting the unpack instruction.
US08036392B2

The acoustic properties of so-called instant fit ear tips, which in contrast to otoplastics are not produced individually, should be able to be better taken into consideration when adjusting a hearing aid for an individual wearer. To this end a method is proposed in which an OLG measurement, in other words an open loop gain measurement, is performed on the hearing aid when it is being worn. The OLG measurement curve obtained is compared with an OLG reference curve. A value is ascertained from the comparison which represents the level of closure of the hearing aid or of its otoplastic in the ear of the wearer. On the basis of this value the gain of the hearing aid is finally corrected. Furthermore, a corresponding adjustment device is provided. It is thus possible in a simple manner to take into consideration the individual, current level of closure during the adjustment.
US08036390B2

A scalable encoding device prevents sound quality deterioration of a decoded signal, reduces the encoding rate, and reduces the circuit size. The scalable encoding device includes a first layer encoder for generating a monaural signal by using a plurality of channel signals (L channel signal and R channel signal) constituting a stereo signal and encoding the monaural signal to generate a sound source parameter. The scalable encoding device also includes a second layer encoder for generating a first conversion signal by using the channel signal and the monaural signal, generating a synthesis signal by using the sound source parameter and the first conversion signal, and generating a second conversion coefficient index by using the synthesis signal and the first conversion signal.
US08036383B2

Provided are a method and apparatus for secure communication between cryptographic systems using a Real Time Clock (RTC). The method and apparatus allow a transmitting cryptographic system to transfer partial RTC data and a receiving cryptographic system to restore entire RTC data, thereby minimizing data to be transferred between the cryptographic systems. The method includes: calculating a largest RTC deviation between a transmitting cryptographic system and a receiving cryptographic system; calculating the smallest number of bits of partial data on an RTC required for restoring entire data on the RTC on the basis of the calculated largest RTC deviation; calculating the partial RTC data on the basis of the calculated smallest number of bits of the partial RTC data; and transferring the calculated partial RTC data to the receiving cryptographic system.
US08036365B2

A communication assistance system is provided for accessing information corresponding to a plurality of subscribers. This system is comprised of a telephone switch for receiving calls from a plurality of requesters, a call center for routing each of said received calls to an operator terminal, and a first database configured to store said information corresponding to each of said subscribers. The system provides: a dynamically controlled closing prompt; an interface feature allowing subscribers to update their own information; a dial string translator for identifying service provider of the requester; a billing database for transferring call charges of the subscriber to the requester; a processor to notify subscribers to update their information; the ability to store license plate numbers of the subscribers; a masking feature that allows system to connect requester to subscriber without revealing subscriber's mobile telephone number, a searchable database of subscriber information based on particular information found in the subscriber listing.
US08036361B2

A ringback tone, indicative of an emotional state that is input by a user of a called communication device, is selected to play to a calling communication device during a call to the called communication device.
US08036360B1

In one embodiment of the invention, a method produces a hook status notification. The method comprises detecting an off-hook state, allocating a half-dialog identification, generating an off-hook notification message, and associating the half-dialog identification with the off-hook notification message. In an alternative embodiment, a communication platform is adapted to comprise a processor component operable to receive an off-hook notification message comprising a half-dialog identification, and to store the half-dialog identification. The communication platform subsequently receives a signaling protocol message initiating a dialog, wherein the signaling protocol message is associated with the half-dialog identification. The communication platform then correlates the second signaling protocol message with the stored half-dialog identification.
US08036340B2

An X-ray apparatus includes a converter into which there is integrated a control logic circuit configured to regulate the supply voltage of a high-voltage power supply source of the X-ray apparatus. To this end, the intelligent voltage-voltage, converter is placed between the power battery and the capacitor bank. This intelligent converter is capable of determining the optimum voltage to be delivered to the generator for the radiology examination to be undertaken in regulating the current of the power battery at the necessary level of current.
US08036338B2

Since measurement of magnetostriction is accompanied by measurement of magnetization, magnetostriction and magnetization are measured conventionally by separately prepared devices, with efforts for observing the same region of the sample. Measurement of the magnetostriction is difficult due to the difficulty of compensation and calibration. The value of magnetostriction coefficient in low temperature region cannot be correctly determined. A convenient method which can measure magnetostriction and magnetization simultaneously at the same region of the sample and at the same time is developed by combining the method of measurement of magnetostriction by X-ray diffraction and the method of measurement of magnetic X-ray diffraction. The observed X-ray diffraction intensity as a function of the magnetic field from the sample can be separated to symmetric component and asymmetric component, which contain signals proportional to the magnetostriction and magnetization, respectively.
US08036332B2

Communication signal symbol timing error detection and recovery apparatus and techniques are disclosed. A communication signal that includes symbols is sampled according to receive symbol timing. The samples are band-edge filtered to provide a filtered output signal including band edges of the samples. The filtered output signal is converted to baseband, and a phase error of the receive symbol timing is calculated based on the down converted baseband signal. The communication signal may include symbols associated with quadrature channels, in which case a respective filtered output signal that includes band edges of samples associated with each quadrature channel may be down converted. The down converted baseband signals may then be separated into upper and lower band-edge signals, which are used to calculate a phase error of the receive symbol timing. The upper and lower band-edge signals may also be used for other purposes, such as slope equalization and/or carrier synchronization.
US08036325B2

A method and apparatus for cancelling interference in received signals are disclosed. A receiver includes a knowledge-based interference cancellation unit, a blind interference cancellation unit and a trade-off management unit. The knowledge-based interference cancellation unit cancels interference in the received signals based on pre-known knowledge and the blind interference cancellation unit cancels interference in the received signals without the pre-known knowledge. The trade-off management unit determines a trade-off between knowledge-based interference cancellation and blind interference cancellation, whereby at least one of the knowledge-based interference cancellation and the blind interference cancellation is selectively preformed based on the trade-off. The interference cancellation may be performed by implementing at least one of a successive interference cancellation (SIC), a principal component analysis (PCA) and an independent component analysis (ICA). The knowledge-based and the blind interference cancellation may be performed in parallel, in series or in any combination.
US08036319B2

A direct conversion receiver and a method for correcting phase imbalance including applying an input signal to an in-phase channel and a quadrature channel of the receiver. The input signal is processed by the receiver to obtain an in-phase zero intermediate frequency (IF) signal in the in-phase channel and a quadrature zero-IF signal in the quadrature channel. The in-phase zero-IF signal and the quadrature zero-IF signal are filtered to obtain a fixed band signal. A phase imbalance correction value is obtained for the fixed-band quadrature zero-IF signal as a function of the frequency of the fixed-band in-phase zero-IF signal and the fixed-band quadrature zero-IF signal. The in-phase zero-IF signal and the quadrature zero-IF signal are sampled and the phase imbalance correction value is applied using an interpolation to the sampled quadrature zero-IF signal or to the sampled in-phase zero-IF signal to correct the phase imbalance in the direct conversion receiver.
US08036318B2

The phase detector compares the phases of a synchronous clock signal and serial data and outputs a phase error signal corresponding to a comparison result. The second integrator performs integration of the phase error signal to obtain a phase correction control signal for tracking phase shift of the serial data. The first integrator performs integration of the phase error signal in each smoothing period with a predetermined length to obtain a smoothed error signal. The pattern generator generates a pattern for changing the phase of the synchronous clock signal at a frequency corresponding to the smoothed error signal in each pattern generation period with a predetermined length and outputs the pattern as a frequency correction control signal. The first integrator receives the frequency correction control signal which is fed back and changes the length of the smoothing period according to the direction of a change in the frequency of generating the frequency correction control signal.
US08036317B2

Apparatus and methods for estimation and compensation of phase imbalance and gain imbalance are provided. A receiver for estimation or compensation of phase imbalance or gain imbalance utilizing a QPSK modulation and a modulation scheme based on a complex scrambling code includes means for estimating the phase imbalance or gain imbalance prior to symbol synchronization. Thus, the phase imbalance and gain imbalance will not introduce losses in subsequent phases of signal processing.
US08036313B2

Provided are an apparatus and method for interference cancellation in a BWA communication system. In a receiving apparatus for the interference cancellation, a preamble correlation measurer measures a preamble correlation coefficient from a preamble of a signal received signal. A data rearranger determines a block size to divide the received signal from the preamble correlation coefficient, divides the signal according to the determined block size, and rearranges the divided signals in a Space-Time coding (STC) mode. An estimate weight calculator cross-correlates the output signals of the data rearranger, rearranges the cross-correlated signals, auto-correlates the rearranged signals, and calculates an estimate weight to perform an interpolation operation. An estimate signal decoding/combining unit detects desired signals from signals estimated by the estimate weight calculator and combines the detected signals.
US08036312B2

A receiver circuit (200) is provided, comprising: an agile clock (250) configured to generate an agile clock signal having a controllable agile clock phase based on agile clock control signals; a code processor (260) configured to receive an incoming signal and the agile clock signal, and to generate an on-time signal (110) and an error signal (120) corresponding to the incoming signal; a coarse acquisition circuit (270, 310) configured to identify a coarse acquisition phase based on a total power of the on-time signal and plus a total power of the error signal; a fine acquisition circuit (270, 320) configured to identify a fine acquisition phase based on the coarse acquisition phase and a magnitude of the on-time signal; and an acquisition controller (270, 330) configured to control operation of the coarse acquisition circuit and the fine acquisition circuit, and to provide a final acquisition phase as a current phase based on the one or more fine acquisition phases.
US08036309B2

A method is provided which improves reliability of channel estimation in a digital communication system by reducing the ambiguity in the recognition of received symbols evaluated for the channel estimation. A data word transmitted according to a first mapping of data word values to modulation states is re-transmitted at least once with a second, re-arranged mapping of data word values to modulation states. The second mapping and possible further mappings are generated from the first mapping in a way that the number of different results which can be obtained from combining the transmitted original data symbol and the re-transmitted counterpart data symbol(s) is lower than the number of original modulation states in the first mapping.
US08036304B2

A balanced transmitter up-converts I and Q baseband signals directly from baseband-to-RF. The up-conversion process is sufficiently linear that no IF processing is required, even in communications applications that have stringent requirements on spectral growth. In operation, the balanced modulator sub-harmonically samples the I and Q baseband signals in a balanced and differential manner, resulting in harmonically rich signal. The harmonically rich signal contains multiple harmonic images that repeat at multiples of the sampling frequency, where each harmonic contains the necessary information to reconstruct the I and Q baseband signals. The differential sampling is performed according to a first and second control signals that are phase shifted with respect to each other. In embodiments of the invention, the control signals have pulse widths (or apertures) that operate to improve energy transfer to a desired harmonic in the harmonically rich signal. A bandpass filter can then be utilized to select the desired harmonic of interest from the harmonically rich signal.
US08036293B1

A transceiver having shared and discrete components forming a transmit path and a receive path configured to couple to a communication medium for establishing a multi-tone modulated communication channel thereon. The transceiver includes a line driver component on the transmit path. The line driver is configured to respond to a protocol determination and by configuring at least one of a transmit power level and a transmit bandwidth of the multi-tone modulated communication channel on the communication medium. The line driver includes a plurality of pre-amplifiers each exhibiting a combination of transmit power and bandwidth for amplification of a transmit signal modulated with a selected multi-tone modulation protocol. The line driver also includes a single output amplifier having an output coupled to the communication medium and an input switchably coupled to an output of a selected one of the plurality of pre-amplifiers in response to the protocol determination.
US08036287B2

A multi-carrier spread spectrum device using cyclic shift orthogonal keying includes: a modulation unit for receiving a first part of data bits and transforming the first part of data bits to a modulation symbol di by modulation; a cyclic-shift unit for receiving a base code c(0) and a second part of data bits, and performing a cyclic-shift to the base code c(0) in accordance with the second part of data bits to generate a CSOK symbol c(mi); and a multiplier for multiplying the modulation symbol di by the CSOK symbol c(mi) to generate a spread spectrum signal ci.
US08036286B2

A phase-shift based pre-coding scheme used in a transmitting side and a receiving side that has less complexity than those of a space-time coding scheme, that can support various spatial multiplexing rates while maintaining the advantages of the phase-shift diversity scheme, that has less channel sensitivity than that of the pre-coding scheme, and that only requires a low capacity codebook is provided.
US08036281B2

There is provided an image coding apparatus for outputting an image stream in which random access and easy editing are possible without reducing encoding efficiency. The image coding apparatus sets, in the image stream, a picture in which the random access is possible based on camera control data or correlation between the images.
US08036275B2

A water ring scanning method is disclosed for use in processing an initial data set, such as a video image frame, by writing a portion of data from the initial data set into a data string with a scanner. The initial data set is organized with at least one initial origin enveloped by a plurality of nested initial environs successively surrounding each other in the initial data set. The writing step starts by writing of the portion of the data from the initial data set into the data string at the RC grouping corresponding to the initial origin (initial water ring (0)) and by sequentially progressing the writing outwardly from the family of RC groupings corresponding to the nearest nested initial environ (initial water ring (1)) towards the family of RC groupings corresponding to a furthest nested initial environ (initial water ring (n)).
US08036270B2

The embodiments of the present invention provide for methods, devices, and systems adapted to reduce flickers introduced in the encoding process, particularly during the generation of intra-coded pictures. The method provides for the determination of flicker areas within pictures and applying a flicker-control cost function, for example, on those determined flicker areas when selecting an intra-prediction mode.
US08036261B2

A feature-vector generation apparatus includes an input unit configured to input content data including at least one of video data and audio data, a generation unit configured to generate a feature vector, based on information indicating a time at which a characterizing state of the content data appears, the characterizing state being characterized by a change of the at least one of the video data and the audio data, and a storage unit configured to store the content data and the feature vector.
US08036254B2

The output voltage of a cathode drive-type semiconductor laser driving circuit is set to a minimum, power consumption by a driving circuit portion is suppressed, and the heat that is generated by the optical head or the optical disc device is reduced. In addition to a conventional configuration, the semiconductor laser driving circuit of the invention measures the cathode voltage (Vout) of a semiconductor laser (1) and controls the anode voltage (Vld) such that the cathode voltage (Vout) becomes a predetermined level, and by doing so sets the output voltage of the semiconductor laser driving circuit to a predetermined level in order to curtail power consumption by the driving circuit and minimize the rise in temperature of the optical head or the optical disc device.
US08036250B1

An apparatus and method for generating a multiplex of media streams, the method includes the steps of: (i) receiving a set of media streams that comprises first type media stream components and second type media stream components; (ii) applying a modification process that is not adapted to modify second type media stream components, such as to provide at least one modified first type media stream component; and (iii) multiplexing at least the second type media stream components and the modified first type media stream components.
US08036246B2

In general, in one aspect, the disclosures describes a method that includes receiving multiple ingress Internet Protocol packets, each of the multiple ingress Internet Protocol packets having an Internet Protocol header and a Transmission Control Protocol segment having a Transmission Control Protocol header and a Transmission Control Protocol payload, where the multiple packets belonging to a same Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol flow. The method also includes preparing an Internet Protocol packet having a single Internet Protocol header and a single Transmission Control Protocol segment having a single Transmission Control Protocol header and a single payload formed by a combination of the Transmission Control Protocol segment payloads of the multiple Internet Protocol packets. The method further includes generating a signal that causes receive processing of the Internet Protocol packet.
US08036242B2

A variable rate vocoder is configured to encode speech signals with a plurality of encoding rates and to change from a first encoding rate to a second encoding rate according to a received signal indicating reverse link load.
US08036240B2

A computing device with a software defined radio. The software defined radio has an architecture with separate components to provide control functions and data processing functions. The control components configure the data processing components so that the software defined radio provides desired operating characteristics. Components in the data plane may derive information indicating operating conditions, which can be provided to one or more of the control components. In response, the control components can modify components in the data plane to adjust to operating conditions.
US08036239B2

A method for processing signals in a communication system is disclosed and may include pipelining processing of a received HSDPA bitstream within a single chip. The pipelining may include calculating a memory address for a current portion of a plurality of information bits in the received HSDPA bitstream, while storing on-chip, a portion of the plurality of information bits in the received HSDPA bitstream that is subsequent to the current portion. A portion of the plurality of information bits in the received HSDPA bitstream that is previous to the current portion may be decoded during the calculating and storing. The calculation of the memory address for the current portion of the plurality of information bits may be achieved without the use of a buffer. Processing of the plurality of information bits in the received HSDPA bitstream may be partitioned into a functional data processing path and functional address processing path.
US08036231B2

In one embodiment, a media converter comprises a power interface that extracts power from a communication medium coupled to the media converter for powering the media converter. In another embodiment, a connector comprises a first media attachment interface to physically attach a first communication medium to the connector and a second media attachment interface to physically attach a second communication medium to the connector. The connector further comprises a mounting interface to physically attach the connector to a structure. The connector communicatively couples the first communication medium and the second communication medium. The connector processes management data communicated over at least one of the first communication medium and the second communication medium.
US08036227B2

An access control mechanism in a network connecting one or more sink devices to a server providing audio/visual data (A/V) in streams. As a sink device requests access, the server measures available bandwidth to the sink device. If the measurement of available bandwidth is completed before the sink device requests a stream of audio/visual data, the measured available bandwidth is used to set transmission parameters of the data stream in accordance with a Quality of Service (QoS) policy. If the measurement is not completed when the data stream is requested, the data stream is nonetheless transmitted. In this scenario, the data stream may be transmitted using parameters computed using a cached measurement of the available bandwidth to the sink device. If no cached measurement is available, the data stream is transmitted with a low priority until a measurement can be made. Once the measurement is available, the transmission parameters of the data stream are re-set. With this access control mechanism, A/V streams may be provided with low latency but with transmission parameters accurately set in accordance with the QoS policy.
US08036226B1

In general, the invention is directed to techniques of dynamically balancing network traffic load among multiple paths through a computer network. The techniques distribute and redistribute flows of network packets between different paths based on dynamically measured path bandwidth and loads of each flow. In distributing the flows, Quality of Service (QoS) bandwidth requirements of the flows may be maintained.
US08036214B2

The present invention describes a system and method for communicating voice and data over a packet-switched network that is adapted to coexist and communicate with a legacy PSTN. The system permits packet switching of voice calls and data calls through a data network from and to any of a LEC, a customer facility or a direct IP connection on the data network. The system includes soft switch sites, gateway sites, a data network, a provisioning component, a network event component and a network management component. The system interfaces with customer facilities (e.g., a PBX), carrier facilities (e.g., a LEC) and legacy signaling networks (e.g., SS7) to handle calls between any combination of on- network and off-network callers. The soft switch sites provide the core call processing for the voice network architecture. The soft switch sites manage the gateway sites in a preferred embodiment, using a protocol such as the Internet Protocol Device Control (IPDC) protocol to request the set-up and tear-down of calls. The gateway sites originate and terminate calls between calling parties and called parties through the data network. The gateway sites include network access devices to provide access to network resources. The data network connects one or more of the soft switch sites to one or more of the gateway sites. The provisioning and network event component collects call events recorded at the soft switch sites. The network management component includes a network operations center (NOC) for centralized network management.
US08036213B1

A system and method for facilitating connecting a switch to a network to improve network performance. In an illustrative embodiment, the system includes a first module for determining when the switch is initially connected to a network and providing a signal in response thereto. A second module selectively forms adjacencies with peers of the switch in response to the signal and based on one or more predetermined parameters. In a more specific embodiment, the switch is a router or Layer-3 (L3) switch. The one or more predetermined parameters include a load factor, values pertaining to capabilities of a processor included in the router, bandwidth capabilities of the interface and/or the router, internal router queue counts, and so on. The router employs a routing protocol such as Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP). The second module throttles and adjacency-formation rate based on the predetermined parameters.
US08036212B2

Systems and methods for integrating analog voice service and derived POTS voice service in a DSL environment are provided. One embodiment is a system comprising: a first communication path for carrying plain old telephone service (POTS) voice signals between a telephone-type device and a subscriber line of a telephone network; a second communication path for carrying derived POTS voice signals between the telephone-type device and the subscriber line; and a switching mechanism configured to switch the telephone-type device between the first communication path and the second communication path.
US08036202B2

Disclosed, inter alia, is a Physical Layer Transceiver (PHY) with integrated time synchronization, such as, but not limited to, IEEE 1588 Standard for a Precision Clock Synchronization Protocol for Networked Measurement and Control Systems. The PHY includes circuitry to maintain a current time, and to trigger the storage of timestamps corresponding to received frames. Typically, in response to a request from an external device, the timestamps are retrieved from storage and are communicated to the external device. By moving the triggering of the storage of the timestamps by the PHY itself, rather than by a monitoring of the traffic between the PHY and the Media Access Controller (MAC), higher accuracy can typically be achieved.
US08036201B2

A data session with a wireless device ordinarily cannot be initiated from the network side because the wireless device has no predetermined IP or other network address. Methods are disclosed for instead causing the wireless unit to initiate a data session with a target destination, thereby obviating the IP addressing problem. A voice call is first initiated by a requester application to a remote wireless unit. The requester transmits a request message to the remote wireless unit via the wireless voice channel using in-band techniques; preferably including a payload in the polling message that identifies the target destination. In response, the remote wireless unit initiates a packet data session with the target destination.
US08036200B2

A technique is disclosed for dealing with transmissions between telecommunications stations on a shared-communications channel that avoids some of the costs and disadvantages for doing so in the prior art. The present invention introduces transmission rules that alleviate timing constraints. By following the transmission rules in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, stations exchanging data with each other can prepare frames for transmission far enough in advance to overcome timing constraints.
US08036196B2

A wireless communication apparatus includes: a channel setting portion that sets an working channel and an acquisition channel; a remainder obtaining portion that obtains a remaining time length that can be used to wirelessly communicate with the wireless communication apparatuses that form part of the same wireless network using the working channel; a remainder determination portion that determines if the remaining time length is equal to or less than a specified acquisition reference remaining number and equal to less than a specified change reference remaining number; and if the remainder determination portion determines that the remaining time length is equal to or less than the change reference remaining number, an acquisition portion acquires signals transmitted using the acquisition channel and the channel setting portion changes the working channel based on the signals that have been acquired by the acquisition portion.
US08036188B2

Disclosed is a frame structure in a high-speed wireless personal area network (WPAN) and a message transmitting method thereof which enable communications among devices existing in different piconets by using a device that provides a bridging function in the IEEE 802.15.3 WPAN. In a high-speed WPAN system which includes a parent piconet having a plurality of devices and a child piconet using time slots allocated by the devices located in the parent piconet, and a bridge device located in the child piconet, that broadcasts information about the devices of the parent piconet and information about the devices of the child piconet to the devices included in the high-speed WPAN, and operates to perform a data transfer between a first specified device in the child piconet and a second specified device in the parent piconet. A specified device included in the high-speed WPAN constructs a MAC (Media Access Control) header data structure for a data transmission so that the data structure includes a source piconet identification (ID) field for indicating the piconet to which the specified device belongs, and a destination piconet ID field for indicating the destination piconet to which the destination device, to which the specified device intends to transmit data, belongs.
US08036186B2

A method of adaptively setting a transmission power level of a node within a wireless mesh network is disclosed. The method includes monitoring a quality of a plurality of reverse direction links between the node and downstream nodes, and between the node and an upstream node, of the wireless mesh network. At least one worst quality reverse direction link is identified. If the at least one worst quality link is greater than a high threshold, then the transmission power level of the node is decreased. If the at least one worst quality link is less than a low threshold, then the transmission power level of the node is increased. A method of adaptively selecting transmission power of gateway nodes of a wireless mesh network is also disclosed. The method includes each gateway node monitoring a quality of a plurality of reverse direction links between the gateway node and downstream nodes of the wireless mesh network. Each gateway node identifies at least one worst quality reverse direction link. For each gateway node, if the at least one worst quality link is greater than a high threshold, then decreasing the transmission power level of the gateway node is decreased. For each gateway node, if the at least one worst quality link is less than a low threshold, then the transmission power level of the gateway node is increased.
US08036176B2

A system and method for performing MIH pre-authentication, which includes providing support for both direct and/or indirect pre-authentication and providing support for both network-initiated and mobile-initiated pre-authentication.
US08036169B2

A method of improving a high-speed downlink operation in CELL_FACH state for a network terminal of a wireless communications system includes using a first function but not using a second function when a user equipment, hereinafter called UE, initiates a cell update procedure. The network terminal wirelessly communicates with the UE, and the network terminal and the UE both support the high-speed downlink operation in CELL_FACH state. The first function is used for allocating a dedicated HS-DSCH radio network transaction identifier (H-RNTI) to the UE, so as to manage the UE to perform the high-speed downlink operation in CELL_FACH based on the dedicated H-RNTI. The second function is used for not allocating the dedicated H-RNTI to the UE.
US08036168B2

A method and apparatus for link adaptation is provided. A node stores a set of transmit parameters and corresponding selection probabilities for each of the transmit parameters. The node stochastically selects a particular transmit parameter based on the selection probabilities, and then transmits a packet according to the particular selected transmit parameter. From received transmission feedback information, the node derives performance statistics, and uses the performance statistics to specify an estimated performance function for the particular transmit parameter. The node updates a selection probability computation function (SPCF), and uses the SPCF to generate updated selection probabilities corresponding to each transmit parameter in the set of available transmit parameters.
US08036151B2

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate utilizing power-based rate signaling for uplink scheduling in a wireless communications system. A maximum nominal power (e.g., relative maximum transmit power that may be employed on an uplink) may be known to both a base station and a mobile device. For example, the base station and the mobile device may agree upon a maximum nominal power. According to another example, signaling related to a maximum nominal power for utilization on the uplink may be provided over a downlink. Further, selection of a code rate, modulation scheme, and the like for the uplink may be effectuated by a mobile device as a function of the maximum nominal power. Moreover, such selection may be based at least in part upon an interference cost, which may be evaluated by the mobile device.
US08036150B2

The invention discloses a method (700) for a cellular system (100), in which traffic can be exchanged between first (110, 120) and second (110, 120) transceivers. The traffic is sent in data units, each of which is given an identifier, and which data units may be divided into segments. A receiving transceiver (110, 120) may send status information in data frames or data units (200, 300) about properly received, partially received, or non-received data units to a sending transceiver, i.e. the transceiver from which the data was sent. In the case (705) of partially or non-received data units, the status information includes (710) information about whether the data unit or units were non-received or partially received, and in the case of one or more partially received data units, which (715) parts of those data units that were not received.
US08036144B2

A gateway selection method for a wireless mesh network is provided for selecting an optimal gateway includes building a spanning routing tree to a given network. Reference factors of routers are calculated regarding the network to total network capacity in association with the spanning routing tree. A router is selected which has the greatest reference factor as being an optimal gateway of the network.
US08036143B2

Information may be transferred between dissimilar communication devices through a common interface. The common interface may operate on the dissimilar communication devices in accordance with aspects of the dissimilar communication devices that have been abstracted.
US08036140B2

Methods and computer readable mediums are described that facilitate inviting user entities on a network. The method may include initiating a first application for sending an invitation by a first user entity on a first endpoint, selecting a second user entity to receive the invitation, and selecting an activity. The method may also include sending from the first endpoint to the second user entity the invitation to participate in the activity if the first endpoint determines the activity is supported by a computing application on the first endpoint.
US08036137B2

Embodiments include methods performed in time division duplex (TDD) radio communication systems in which information is communicated between a first node (e.g., a base) and a second node (e.g., user equipment) in a context of a data frame that includes a plurality of slots. The second node applies an adjustment to an alignment between a second node transmit clock and a second node receive clock based on a propagation delay between the first node and the second node. The adjusted alignment ensures that second node receive slots and second node transmit slots are non-overlapping with each other in time, and that the second node will operate in a half-duplex mode of operation. The second node transmits a transmit burst during the second node transmit slots, and receives a first node transmit burst from the first node during the second node receive slots.
US08036134B2

A device enables a disabled timer state for a link aggregation group (LAG) link if a disabled timer condition is determined for the LAG link, and enables a disabled state for the LAG link if a disabled condition is determined for the LAG link in the disabled timer state.
US08036132B1

Certain exemplary embodiments comprise a method, which can comprise automatically generating a trouble ticket responsive to a determined failure of one or more elements of a management Permanent Virtual Circuit (PVC). The management PVC can be established between a signaling device and a device communicatively coupled to a backbone network.
US08036123B1

An integrated circuit having a corresponding method comprises a plurality of ports to transmit and receive packets of data; a forwarding engine to transfer the packets of data between the ports; and a controller to receive one or more packet definitions that specify characteristics of a packet; and wherein at least one of the ports comprises a packet generator to originate one or more packets of data according to one or more of the packet definitions received by the controller.
US08036104B2

Techniques for supporting fault tolerance in communications systems are described. Fault notification messages are communicated which may be affected by a detected/reported service disruption. End nodes receiving a fault notification message determine if the message indicates a disruption in a node that is critical to the end node receiving the message. If the indicated disruption is in a critical node, the end node takes action to ameliorate the effect of the reported condition. Fault notification messages indicating disruptions in nodes which are not critical to the end node receiving the fault notification message may be ignored once it is determined that the indicated disruption is in a node which is not critical to the end node receiving the message. The invention described herein minimizes service disruption following fault, failure or outage of critical network nodes, improving overall system robustness and resiliency.
US08036102B2

A method, data processing system, and computer usable code are provided for protocol definition for software bridge failover. In a first aspect of the present invention, a first software bridge determines the proper working operation of a physical adapter. Limbo packets are sent to a second software bridge alerting the second software bridge that the first software bridge is no longer bridging traffic responsive to the physical adapter failure in the first software bridge. The second software bridge receives the limbo packets, and, in response to receiving the limbo packets, asserts primary control and initiates bridging of traffic. In an alternative aspect of the present invention a first software bridge sends keep-alive packets. A second software bridge monitors the keep-alive packets from the first software bridge and, in response to a failure to detect the keep-alive packets from the first software bridge, the second software bridge initiates bridging of traffic.
US08036095B2

A signal processing device for optical disks includes a reflected light process section configured to convert reflected light received by an optical pickup into an electric signal based on a first gain, wherein the optical pickup emits laser light to an optical disk and receives reflected light from the optical disk; a servo signal generation section configured to generate a servo signal by using the electric signal generated by the reflected light process section; a servo signal control section configured to control the servo signal so that a change in the amplitude of the servo signal, in response to an increase or decrease of the amount of the reflected light from the optical disk, is suppressed using an attenuator that attenuates the servo signal generated by the servo signal generation section by a factor of a second gain; and a gain setting section configured to set the first gain to the reflected light process section and the second gain to the servo signal control section substantially simultaneously.
US08036088B1

In an optical tape drive system, a movable planarizer subsystem includes a tape planarizer support structure for supporting an optical tape planarizer. The support structure is moveable between an operational position and a non-operational position. The movable planarizer subsystem also includes an actuator for moving the support structure and the optical tape planarizer between the operational position and the non-operational position. The operational position of the support structure positions the optical tape planarizer to permit reading/writing of information from/to an optical tape via an optical pickup unit (OPU), and the non-operational position of the support structure positions the optical tape planarizer to permit passage of a tape leader though the tape drive system without damage to the OPU.
US08036086B2

In a multilayer optical disc having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, because the type of each information layer is not recorded in the other information layers, in read and write operations by a compatible optical disc device conforming to a plurality of optical disc standards, every time the information layer being accessed changes, it has been necessary to read the type of the information layer and select a method of generating a tracking error signal adapted to the type of information layer, so access has taken time. In order to solve the above problem, in the optical multilayer disc according to the present invention, having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, in an area in one of the information layers, information about the other information layers is recorded. The time required to access the other information layers can be reduced.
US08036082B2

An optical disk drive includes a servo control unit 7 for causing an optical disk A to be driven; an optical pickup 2 for reading recorded data from the recording surface of the optical disk A after carrying out focus pulling-in of an object lens; a CPU 8 for controlling the servo control unit 7 and optical pickup 2 to perform readout operation of data recorded on the optical disk A; and a temperature detecting unit 9 for detecting temperature in the optical disk drive. The CPU 8 calculates the focus pull-in level in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit 9, and carries out the focus pulling-in of the optical pickup 2 using the focus pull-in level.
US08036073B2

A storage medium managing device is provided which can employ a set of management information containing suitable information from a plural sets of management information contained in the storage medium. An optical disc apparatus (1) manages an optical disc (2) having a plurality of management areas for containing management information with which data is managed and which is recorded in the management areas in a predetermined sequence. The apparatus includes a management information retrieving section (52) for reading the management information in the same sequence as the predetermined recording sequence to retrieve primary management information which is management information that is first retrieved normally.
US08036047B2

A circuit for generating a pumping voltage in a semiconductor memory apparatus includes a control signal generation block configured to generate a first control signal obtained by level-shifting a voltage level of a test signal to a first driving voltage level, a voltage application section configured to supply an external voltage to a first node in response to a first transmission signal, a first charge pump configured to raise a voltage level of the first node by a first predetermined level in response to an oscillator signal, and a first pumping voltage output section configured to select at least one of a first connection unit and a second connection unit in response to the first control signal, and to interconnect the first node with a second node using the selected connection unit when a second transmission signal is enabled, wherein a first pumping voltage is output through the second node.
US08036044B2

Degradation of non-volatile storage elements is reduced by adaptively adjusting erase-verify levels and program-verify levels. The number of erase pulses, or the highest erase pulse amplitude, needed to complete an erase operation is determined. When the number, or amplitude, reaches a limit, the erase-verify level is increased. As the erase-verify level is increased, the number of required erase pulses decreases since the erase operation can be completed more easily. An accelerating increase in the degradation is thus avoided. One or more program-verify levels can also be increased in concert with changes in the erase-verify level. The one or more program-verify levels can increase by the same increment as the erase-verify level to maintain a constant threshold voltage window between the erased state and a programmed state, or by a different increment. Implementations with binary or multi-level storage elements are provided.
US08036042B2

A method of operating a nonvolatile memory device includes performing a reset operation for setting a level of a program voltage to a first level, performing a program operation and a verification operation on memory cells included in a first page of a first memory block while raising the program voltage from the first level, storing a level of the program voltage, supplied to the first page when memory cells programmed to have threshold voltages with at least a verification voltage are detected during the verification operation, as a second level, while raising the program voltage from the second level, performing the program operation and the verification operation on each of second to last pages of the first memory block, and after completing the program operation for the first memory block, performing the reset operation for setting the level of the program voltage to the first level.
US08036041B2

Part of the latency from memory read or write operations is for data to be input to or output from the data latches of the memory via an I/O bus. Methods and circuitry are present for improving performance in non-volatile memory devices by allowing the memory to perform some of these data caching and transfer operations in the background while the memory core is busy with a read operation. A read caching scheme is implemented for memory cells where more than one bit is sensed together, such as sensing all of the n bits of each memory cell of a physical page together. The n-bit physical page of memory cells sensed correspond to n logical binary pages, one for each of the n-bits. Each of the binary logical pages is being output in each cycle, while the multi-bit sensing of the physical page is performed every nth cycles.
US08036035B2

Memory devices and methods are disclosed to facilitate adjustment of program voltages applied during a program operation based upon erase operation cycle counter values stored in the memory device. In one such embodiment, an erase cycle counter is maintained for each block of a memory device and is stored in the associated block of memory. Programming voltage levels utilized during program operations of memory cells are determined, at least in part, based upon the value of the erase cycle counter stored in a memory block undergoing a programming operation, for example.
US08036031B2

A semiconductor device includes an active region defined in a semiconductor substrate, and gate electrodes crossing over the active region. Source/drain regions are defined in the active region on two sides of the gate electrode. At least one of the source/drain regions is a field effect source/drain region generated by a fringe field of the gate. The other source/drain region is a PN-junction source/drain region having different impurity fields and different conductivity than the substrate. At least one of the source/drain regions is a field effect source/drain region. Accordingly, a short channel effect is reduced or eliminated in the device.
US08036026B2

A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of memory cells configured to store data having a polarity corresponding to a direction of current flowing through a source line and a bit line; and a precharge driving unit configured to precharge the bit line to a voltage corresponding to the data in response to a precharging signal before the data are stored in the memory cells.
US08036016B2

Subject matter disclosed herein relates to enhancing an operational lifespan of non-volatile memory.
US08036007B2

A bus connection for connecting a field device to a field bus whereby the bus connection has a circuit for sending and receiving databus signals and for generating at least one regulated operating voltage, and the regulated operating voltage is generated from a bus voltage supplying the field bus, characterized in that a controllable resistor is provided for generating an additional operating voltage; circuitry means are provided, controlling the controllable resistor as a function of the bus voltage such that the input voltage of the circuit is regulated at its minimum required power supply voltage; and the sum of the regulated operating voltage and the additional operating voltage is supplied to the field device as the power supply voltage.
US08036004B2

An uninterruptible power supply includes an isolation transformer having dual primary windings. The secondary winding generates an output voltage based on the magnetic field generated in one of the dual primary windings. A first primary winding is coupled to an inverter circuit that receives an alternating current input voltage and applies a clean and filter alternating current to the first primary winding. A second primary winding is coupled to a bypass circuit that applies a bypass voltage when the inverter circuit is in a failure state. The power supply also includes a compensation circuit to maintain the output voltage at a desired level.
US08036001B2

A converter and a driving method thereof are provided. The converter includes first and second switches, and generates a square wave signal according to operations of the first and second switches. The converter includes a first capacitor and a primary coil, and resonates a driving voltage by using a driving voltage with the first capacitor and the primary coil so as to generate a driving current. The converter includes a secondary coil that forms the primary coil and the transformer, and generates output power by rectifying a current and a voltage generated in the secondary coil. In addition, the converter detects the phase of the driving current, and increases switching frequencies of the first and second switches if a phase difference of the phase of the driving current and that of the driving voltage is smaller than a predetermined value.
US08035970B2

A server blade chassis having at least one mechanically actuated variable air flow damper is presented. One or more variable air flow dampers are aligned with server blades in the server blade chassis. When a server blade is pressed into a slot in the server blade chassis, one or more of the variable air flow dampers are mechanically opened, to variable degrees of movement, by the server blade pressing against the variable air flow dampers.
US08035967B2

A cooling fan assembly includes a cooling fan unit having a rotating shaft and a plurality of rotating vanes combined with the rotating shaft, and a flow control unit provided in a front of a ventilation direction of the cooling fan unit to control a flow of air to reproduce a rotational directional flow component and to reduce a resistance of the flow of the air in a central portion thereof.
US08035963B2

A multiple-fold portable electronic device is provided. The portable electronic device in one embodiment includes a first, second and third planar sections. The first and second planar sections are connected by a first joint and foldable in relation to each other. The second and third planar sections are connected by a second joint and foldable in relation to each other. Each planar section can include an input device or an output device or both.
US08035945B2

A power supply controller having final test and trim circuitry. In one embodiment, a power supply controller for switched mode power supply includes a selector circuit, a trim circuit, a shutdown circuit and a disable circuit. The trim circuit includes a programmable circuit connection that can be selected by the selector circuit by toggling a voltage on an external terminal such as for example a power supply terminal, a control terminal or a function terminal of the power supply controller. The programmable circuit connection in the trim circuit can be programmed by applying a programming voltage to the external terminal. The shutdown circuit shuts down the power supply controller if the temperature rises above an over temperature threshold voltage. The shutdown circuit includes adjustment circuitry that can be used to test the shutdown circuit. The adjustment circuitry can adjust and reduce the over temperature threshold of the power supply controller. Thus, the power supply controller can be tested without having to actually heat the part. The disable circuit includes a programmable circuit connection, which when programmed prevents further trimming of power supply controller and prevents adjustment of the shutdown circuit over temperature threshold.
US08035940B2

An over-voltage protection circuit structure for protecting a high power translation circuit is provided. The over-voltage protection circuit structure receives an alternating current input and comprises a relay circuit, a voltage detection module, and an energy supply circuit. The relay circuit relays the alternating current input to the high power translation circuit. The energy supply circuit provides power to the voltage detection module in response to the alternating current input. The voltage detection module detects a voltage value of the alternating current input continuously. When the voltage value is greater than or equal to a first reference value, the voltage detection module generates an over-voltage signal. The relay circuit opens to cease delivering the alternating current input into the high power circuit in response to the over-voltage signal, thus the purpose of protecting the high power circuit is achieved.
US08035939B2

A plurality of DC power supply modules have track pins interconnected for tracking of output voltages of the modules during power-up and normal power-down. Each module pulls down its track pin voltage in response to any fault, and detects a track pin voltage below a threshold to detect a fault communicated from any other module, to facilitate fault power-down. The track pin voltage is initially raised above the threshold for power-up. One module can be designated a master for monitoring an input voltage to the modules and for determining the track pin voltage for normal power-up and power-down.
US08035934B2

A shift-by-wire shift switching device and shift switching method that switch a shift range of an automatic transmission using an electric motor. The shift switching device includes a controller that determines whether a fault has occurred in a current supply line of each phase of the electric motor on a phase-by-phase basis, executes an open-loop control of the electric motor using only the phases in which it has been determined that a fault has not occurred, and determines whether a fault has occurred in the current supply line by detecting an activation state of the electric motor when the open-loop control of the electric motor is executed. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether a fault in the motor is a short-circuit fault or a break fault, without addition of a part such as a short-circuit detection sensor.
US08035925B2

An actuator latch system of an HDD retains a swing arm in place when the magnetic head of the HDD is parked and includes a rotatable latch lever having a hook that absorbs shock when engaging the swing arm. A rear end of the swing arm has a corner portion. The hook has first and second portions with a third portion extending there between Inner surfaces of the first through third portions delimit a slot. The inlet of the slot has a width less than the corner portion. The inner surface of the first portion of the hook contacts a first surface of the rear end of the swing arm, and the inner surface of the second portion of the hook contacts a second surface of the rear end of the swing arm, when a shock rotates the swing arm while the magnetic head is parked.
US08035924B2

A suspension for disc drive includes a base plate, a load beam, and a flexure. The flexure includes a metal base member and a circuit member disposed along the metal base member. The circuit member extends in a longitudinal direction of the load beam. The circuit member includes a resin base member formed of an electrically insulating resin and conductors. The conductors are formed into predetermined circuit patterns by etching a deposited copper layer deposited on the resin base member. Each conductor has a cross section in the shape of a trapezoid such that the width of a surface of the conductor which faces the resin base member is greater than that of a surface of the conductor on the side opposite from the resin base member.
US08035912B2

A system and method for controlling the traveling of a tape is provided. The system and method include passing data in a buffer to a channel input/output unit for writing the data to a tape. A determining unit determines if second data is to be written to the tape without performing a backhitch after first data is written to the tape. The determination unit also determines a state of the system before writing the first data to the tape and compares an amount of second data written to the tape prior to writing first data to the tape with an amount of second data expected to be written to the tape to an area up to a position on the tape where writing the first data commenced, for determining if the second data is to be written to the tape without performing a backhitch. A speed adjusting unit adjusts the speed of the tape to prevent a backhitch due to the buffer running out of data when the determination unit determines that the second data is to be written to the tape without performing a backhitch.
US08035908B2

A method of forming a servo track on a recording medium includes; forming a magnetic layer, defining a first servo track region having a plurality of first magnetic segments and a second servo track region having a second plurality of magnetic segments in the magnetic layer, applying a first magnetic field to induce a first magnetization direction in the first and second pluralities of magnetic segments, forming first magnetic patterns, each having a first width, and second magnetic patterns, each having a second width different from the first width, on a first side of a substrate, disposing the substrate on the recording medium, such that the first magnetic patterns are aligned in correspondence with the plurality of first magnetic segments and the second magnetic patterns are aligned in correspondence with the plurality of second magnetic segments, and applying a second magnetic field to the recording medium to selectively induce a second magnetization direction into first selected ones of the first plurality of magnetic segments and second selected ones of the second plurality of magnetic segments.
US08035900B2

An objective lens for an endoscope is provided and has a lens group A and a lens group B that are movable in a direction of an optical axis. In the objective lens, first focal adjustment for observing a point between a most-distant point and an intermediate point is performed by moving the lens group A from a lens arrangement for observing the most-distant point; and second focal adjustment for observing a point between the intermediate point to a nearest point is performed by moving the lens group B from a lens arrangement for observing the intermediate point.
US08035898B2

One embodiment of a method of calculating an optical surface comprises calculating a meridional optical line of the surface. A ray is selected that passes a known point defining an end of a part of the optical line already calculated. The optical line is extrapolated from the known point to meet the ray using a polynomial with at least one degree of freedom. The polynomial is adjusted as necessary so that the selected ray is deflected at the extrapolated optical line to a desired target point. The polynomial is added to the optical line up to the point where the selected ray is deflected. The point where the selected ray is deflected is used as the known point in a repetition of those steps.
US08035897B2

In one embodiment of the present invention, a process for making a lenticular card includes the steps of: (a) providing a transparent sheet having a first planar side and a second side having a lenticulated region; and (b) forming a printed image on the first planar side. The printed image is formed from a plurality of inks including a first set of ink layers and a second ink layer that is disposed on the first set of ink layers and is located a greater distance from the first planar side. The first set of ink layers are formed from a first family of inks, while the second ink layer is formed from a second family of inks that has a different cure process compared to the first family of inks. The outer ink layer is a solvent-based continuous white topcoat, while the first set of ink layers that underlie the second ink layer is defined by a plurality of UV curable inks.
US08035895B2

In a transmission grating as a dispersive element, diffraction efficiency is enhanced and manufacturing costs are considerably reduced. A dispersive element includes resin members for forming a diffraction grating, being composed of a plurality of diffraction grating members having a cross-sectional shape respectively surrounded by two straight lines such as a triangular shape, and metal members as light-shielding members each being formed on corresponding one of the diffraction grating members at one side of the diffraction grating member along any of the straight line and the curved line of the cross-sectional shape of the diffraction grating member formed by the resin member. The metal members are configured to reduce zero-order transmitted light with respect to incident light, and to enhance diffraction efficiency of first-order transmitted light.
US08035893B2

A collapsible projection screen system mountable on or at a moveable carriage (10), the system comprising a flexible projection screen (16) moveable between a collapsed position and an erect position in which the screen (16) is supported by a support arrangement (14, 15), and a screen tensioning mechanism (64, 40, 56) operable on the screen (16) in the erect position to provide a generally flat screen surface. In another embodiment there is disclosed a mounting assembly for a flexible projection screen in a collapsible projection screen system having a roller, a mechanism for applying tension across and between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the screen in the erect position, the mechanism comprising a braking device and a drive apparatus.
US08035890B2

The object of this invention is to provide a phase stabilization device for stimulated brillouin scattering-phase conjugate mirrors and a light amplification apparatus using the phase stabilization device. A light amplification apparatus of the present invention includes a polarizer (70) for polarizing light beams reflected from a plurality of stimulated brillouin scattering-phase conjugate mirrors and causing the light beams to interfere with each other. A detector (80) acquires an interfering beam resulting from interference of the polarizer (70), and outputs the interfering beam. A phase controller (90) controls phase using the interfering beam acquired by the detector. Therefore, the apparatus of the present invention can stably lock the phase for a long period of time, and can be used in various industries and for scientific research in cases where a high repetition rate and high power are required.
US08035889B2

A nonlinear optical crystal having a chemical formula of YiLajAlkB16O48, where 2.8≦i≦3.2, 0.8≦j≦1.2, i and j sum to about four, and k is about 12 is provided. The nonlinear optical crystal is useful for nonlinear optical applications including frequency conversion. Nonlinear optical crystals in a specific embodiment are characterized by UV blocking materials (e.g., some transition metals and lanthanides) at concentrations of less than 1,000 parts per million, providing high transmittance over portions of the UV spectrum (e.g., 175-360 nm).
US08035888B2

The present invention relates to a frequency shifter in an optical path containing a pulsed laser source, and it is characterized in that it comprises at least one frequency shifter (12, 13) containing an optical propagation medium, the optical path length of which is modified according to the desired frequency shift during at least one pulse among n consecutive pulses from the laser, where n≧1.
US08035886B2

A system of electronically active inks is described which may include electronically addressable contrast media, conductors, insulators, resistors, semiconductive materials, magnetic materials, spin materials, piezoelectric materials, optoelectronic, thermoelectric or radio frequency materials. We further describe a printing system capable of laying down said materials in a definite pattern. Such a system may be used for instance to: print a flat panel display complete with onboard drive logic; print a working logic circuit onto any of a large class of substrates; print an electrostatic or piezoelectric motor with onboard logic and feedback or print a working radio transmitter or receiver.
US08035879B2

An electrowetting display device includes a first and a second transparent substrates, multiple partition walls, a polar liquid, a non-polar liquid, and a phosphor layer. The non-polar liquid is opaque and immiscible with the polar liquid. The phosphor layer is formed on at least one of the first and the second transparent substrates. The phosphor layer comprises a first part that transforms the short-wavelength light into red light, a second part that transforms the short-wavelength light into green light, and a third part that transforms the short-wavelength light into blue light or allows the short-wavelength light to pass therethrough without transformation. Each of the first, the second, and the third parts is corresponding to one pixel unit.
US08035878B2

An actuator, includes: a weight part; a supporting part supporting the weight part; a connecting part coupling the weight part rotatable to the supporting part and having an elastic part; a driving member for driving and rotating the weight part; and a semiconductor circuit for driving the weight part. The driving member is operated to torsionally deform the elastic part and rotate the weight part. The elastic part has a first silicon part that is mainly made of silicon and a first resin part that is mainly made of resin and coupled to the first silicon part. The supporting part has at least a second silicon part made mainly of silicon and coupled to the first silicon part of the elastic part. The semiconductor circuit is provided on the second silicon part of the supporting part.
US08035875B2

An object detector has a light projecting unit that projects light, a light scanning actuator that scans the light, and a light receiving unit. The light scanning actuator includes plate springs, each having a thin-plate shape and one end in a longitudinal direction thereof being fixed; a movable part attached to the other ends in the longitudinal directions of the plate springs; and an electromagnetic driving unit having a magnet that generates a magnetic flux, a yoke that forms a closed magnetic circuit with the magnet and has a part being stacked on the magnet, and a coil held by the movable part and positioned in a gap between the magnet and the yoke such that an aperture plane is substantially orthogonal to a stacking direction of the magnet and the yoke, the electromagnetic driving unit configured to drive the movable part by an electromagnetic force applied to the coil.
US08035871B2

A bright luminance value, a dark luminance value, and an average luminance value relating to a face image portion included in an image represented by fed image data are calculated in calculating circuits. Further, a target bright luminance value and a target dark luminance value are calculated in a calculating circuit on the basis of a target average luminance value and a dynamic range that are inputted from an input device and the calculated bright luminance value, dark luminance value, and average luminance value. Interpolation processing based on a correspondence between the calculated bright luminance value, dark luminance value, and average luminance value relating to the face image portion and the target bright luminance value, the target dark luminance value, and the target average luminance value respectively corresponding thereto is performed in a corrected value calculating circuit, to create a look-up table.
US08035868B2

A light source unit and reader can include a line light source that is attached to a radiator and a rod lens that is attached above the line light source. The radiator with the line light source and the rod lens attached thereto, and a linear strip-shaped reflector arranged in front of the rod lens, are housed in a carriage. The carriage is supported beneath a contact glass and movable in a direction normal to a longitudinal axis of the line light source. The lens has a section in a plane normal to a longitudinal axis of the lens, in which a surface of the lens facing the light source has a curved line that expands or is convexly facing toward the light source. The opposite surface of the lens from the light source has composite curves including a plurality of continuous curves with different radii of curvature. The composite curves are located on both sides of a plane containing the optical axis of the LED and expand or are convex in an opposite direction from the light source.
US08035866B2

An image reading device of the present invention includes a reading means for reading a manuscript along a main-scanning direction as well as reading image information of the manuscript which relatively moves along a sub-scanning direction and a determination means for determining whether there is a specific image in the image information or not. The determination means makes determination by giving precedence to the center portion over end portions in the main-scanning direction in a reading range by the reading means.
US08035865B2

An original size detecting apparatus is capable of carrying out accurate original size detection without erroneous detection of the size of an original due to the influence of external scattered light. A CCD reads reflected light of light irradiated from a light source onto an original placed on an original platen glass. Optical sensors detect two open states of the original presser plate, and a scanner controller performs predetermined control corresponding to each of the open states of the original presser plate detected by the optical sensors, to determine the size of the original based on the result of the reading by the CCD.
US08035864B2

Depending on processing to be executed, the processing is prevented from being restricted even if a particular image is included in image data. There is provided an image processing apparatus comprising an authentication section 67 which distinguishes a user; a particular-image judgment section 63 which detects particular images from inputted image data and judges whether or not the number of the particular images exceeds a threshold; and a threshold determination section 66 which determines a threshold according to the user and processing to be executed; and a control section 7 which restricts the processing to be executed when the number of the particular images exceeds the threshold. Depending on the importance degree of the security of the processing to be executed, the threshold determination section 66 lowers the threshold as the importance degree is higher and raises the threshold as the importance degree is lower. Furthermore, the threshold is raised in the case of a registered user and lowered in the case of an unregistered user.
US08035863B2

Systems and methods are described that facilitate calibrating a print engine using calibration data sets generated at at least two different L* levels to provide additional calibration measurement resolution toward the darker end of the grayscale spectrum. For instance a first, light grey (e.g., 70-90L*) calibration strip is scanned at a first resolution (e.g., 70-90L*) to generate a first calibration data set, and a second darker grey (e.g., 30-50L*) calibration strip is scanned at high resolution (e.g., 100L*) to generate a second calibration data set. The first calibration data set is used to calibrate the print engine for high L* values (e.g., 50-100) and the second calibration data set is used to calibrate the print engine for low L* values (e.g., 0-50). Alternatively, a single calibration strip having a known L* value can be scanned once at the known L* value and again at a higher L* value (e.g., 100L*) to generate two calibration data sets, which are used to improve calibration resolution in the darker part of the spectrum.
US08035862B2

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a fax decoding/re-encoding system for transferring fax images between a sending fax machine and a receiving fax machine includes a decoder responsive to an encoded fax image defined by rows of scan lines. The decoder decodes the scan lines of the encoded fax image and generates run-length representation of the encoded fax image. A scanline manipulation device is responsive to the run-length representation for manipulating the same and generating a manipulated fax image without generating a bitmap of the encoded fax image. The fax decoding/re-encoding system further including a re-encoder responsive to the manipulated fax image and adaptive to generate a re-encoded fax image that is substantially the same as the encoded fax image, wherein the fax decoding/re-encoding system avoids the need for a bitmap for generating a re-encoded fax image thereby substantially reducing re-encoding time.
US08035850B2

A method of retrieving display data for a handheld display device. The method comprises the steps, in a server, of: receiving interaction data from the handheld display device, the interaction data being generated by the device using image data acquired by imaging an area of a printed substrate containing printed content; identifying a page description corresponding to the interaction data; retrieving display data using the identified page description, the display data corresponding to at least some of the printed content imaged by the device; and sending the display data to the handheld display device.
US08035848B2

A method of filling in a form using a handheld display device having a touch-sensitive screen and a transceiver for sending and receiving digital information. The method comprises the steps of: imaging an area of a printed substrate and generating image data using an optical sensor, the printed substrate containing a printed form; determining interaction data using the image data, the interaction data identifying a substrate identity; retrieving display data corresponding to the form; displaying, on the touch-sensitive screen, display information based on the display data, the displayinformation including a displayed form field of the form; and interacting with the displayed form field via the touch-sensitive screen so as to enter form data into the device and cause the page description to be updated with the form data.
US08035844B2

This invention is directed to an image printing apparatus which prints an original image as image information on a recording sheet and performs postprocessing on the recording sheet after printing operation. According to the image printing apparatus of the invention, image printing conditions include conditions concerning postprocessing to be executed by a punch unit and postprocessing device and selection information of a main tray or sub-tray. The image printing conditions are stored after being set as individual image printing conditions for each image information and linked to the image information. When image printing conditions are to be read out by a page readout unit, such individual image printing conditions are read out together with image information, printing and postprocessing are executed for each image information, i.e., each original image.
US08035840B2

An image forming apparatus spools normal print requests received from external equipment as normal print jobs which are sequentially executed by a printer, spools a private print request received from an external equipment in a spooler as a private print job executed by a printer in response to an instruction by a user who has requested the private print, and changes a normal print job in an execution waiting state of the user which is spooled in the spooler to a private print job of the user in response to a request from the user authenticated by a user authenticating portion.
US08035839B2

A document processing system may include at least one document processing device for performing document processing jobs. A controller connected to the at least one document processing device may be for recording job attribute usage history based upon document processing jobs performed by the at least one document processing device with a job attribute, and selectively restricting processing of new print jobs by the at least one document processing device with the job attribute based upon the recorded job attribute usage history exceeding a job attribute control threshold.
US08035838B2

A mobile phone transmits an e-mail with attaching captured image data thereto to a data center. In response to arrival of the e-mail from the mobile phone, the data center transfers the image data attached to the e-mail to a database for storing while associating the image data with user ID information for identifying a user who sent the e-mail concerned. Responding to access with ID notification, the data center retrieves designated image data from the database, and transmits the retrieved image data to a photo vending machine. The photo vending machine transmits request information including the user ID information to said data center, and receives the image data which are transmitted by the data center in response to the request information. The photo vending machine prints the arrived image data in accordance with the user's instruction.
US08035835B2

Stop of print operation in the middle of printing is prevented from causing a stripe or unevenness on a print medium. A print control apparatus for creating print data for printing with a printing apparatus, and transmitting the created print data to the printing apparatus, includes: judging means for judging whether to transmit print data by page to the printing apparatus; and transmission controlling means for transmitting the print data by page when the judging means judges to transmit the print data by page, and transmitting each print data, into which the print data for a page is divided, when the judging means judges not to transmit the print data by page.
US08035834B2

A method for a computer system for transmitting a facsimile to an electronic destination, includes receiving the facsimile comprising an instruction page with an optical representation of the electronic destination address and an optical representation of a user selection of an option, and a document encoded in a fax format, determining the electronic destination address from the optical representation of the electronic destination address, wherein the electronic destination address need not be known to the computer system before receiving the facsimile, determining the one selected option in response to the optical representation of the user selection of the option, determining a modified document in response to the document and in response to the one selected option, encoding the modified document into a second transmission format, and transmitting the modified document and additional service provider data encoded in the second transmission format to the electronic destination address.
US08035826B2

In a method of processing an image, a plurality of pages of data is reduced and created as collected data, and specific information corresponding to a sheet of a print medium is created. The collected data and the specific information are edited in a data editing section and transmitted to a printing section. Even when a plurality of the pages of data is printed in a sheet after reduced, the specific information is printed under a non-reduced condition, thus making it possible to print the specific information which is easily distinguished.
US08035824B2

A method is described for measuring a dimension on a substrate, wherein a target pattern is provided with a nominal characteristic dimension that repeats at a primary pitch of period P, and has a pre-determined variation orthogonal to the primary direction. The target pattern formed on the substrate is then illuminated so that at least one non-zero diffracted order is detected. The response of the non-zero diffracted order to variation in the printed characteristic dimension relative to nominal is used to determine the dimension of interest, such as critical dimension or overlay, on the substrate. An apparatus for performing the method of the present invention includes an illumination source, a detector for detecting a non-zero diffracted order, and means for positioning the source relative to the target so that one or more non-zero diffracted orders from the target are detected at the detector.
US08035815B2

Disclosed herein is an optical detection method and optical detection apparatus, the apparatus including: a light irradiation section configured to irradiate a laser beam upon one of fine particles which are successively fed in a flow path; and a light detection section configured to detect fluorescent light and/or scattered light generated from any of the fine particles upon which the laser beam is irradiated; the method including the steps of: irradiating a laser beam upon one of fine particles which are successively fed in a flow path; and detecting fluorescent light and/or scattered light generated from the fine particle; wherein the laser beam being formed as a pulse laser beam whose pulse intensity is modulated such that one laser beam or two or more laser beams having different wavelengths are irradiated by a plural number of times upon one fine particle with the intensity varied.
US08035814B2

In a spectroscopy module 1, a light passing hole 50 through which a light L1 advancing to a spectroscopic portion 4 passes is formed in a light detecting element 5. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the relative positional relationship between the light passing hole 50 and a light detecting portion 5a of the light detecting element 5 from deviating. Moreover, the light detecting element 5 is bonded to a front plane 2a of a substrate 2 with an optical resin adhesive 63. Thus, it is possible to reduce a stress generated onto the light detecting element 5 due to a thermal expansion difference between the light detecting element 5 and the substrate 2. Additionally, on the light detecting element 5, a first convex portion 101 is formed so as to be located at least between the light detecting portion 5a and the light passing hole 50 when viewed from a direction substantially perpendicular to the front plane 2a. Thus, when the light detecting element 5 is attached to the substrate 2 via the optical resin adhesive 63, the optical resin adhesive 63 is dammed at the first convex portion 101. Thus, the optical resin adhesive 63 is prevented from penetrating into the light passing hole 50.
US08035807B2

The present invention is an engraved gemstone viewer for viewing a smooth surface of a gemstone that has been micro or nano etched, engraved or embossed with an inscription such as an identification number. The gemstone is mounted on a piece of jewelry or can remain unmounted when received by the viewer. A source of light directs a light beam toward a magnifying lens coated with a reflection enhancing coating. The lens reflects the light beam along a path incident to the surface of the gemstone containing the inscription. The smooth gemstone surface specularly reflects the light beam along a path back toward the magnifying lens, which produces a viewable light image that reveals the inscription. The inscription is shown as a combination of darkened or lightened areas, lines and characters given the reduction or absence of light reflected, or highlighted by the reflection of light.
US08035800B2

An exposure apparatus EX includes a liquid immersion system and an exchange system which performs exchange of the liquid immersion member. The exchange system has a holding device which holds the liquid immersion member detachably and a transport device. By using the exchange system, it is possible to suppress the lowering in the working rate due to the cleaning or exchange of the liquid immersion member.
US08035797B2

A projection exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with a liquid interposed between a surface of the substrate and an optical element on the substrate side of a projection optical system; includes liquid supply and discharge mechanisms, which supply the liquid via a liquid supply tube as they recover the liquid via a liquid recovery tube, and an adhesion preventing mechanism that prevents an adhesion of impurities on member forming a flow path for the liquid.
US08035786B2

A liquid crystal display includes a pair of transparent substrates opposed to each other with liquid crystal therebetween, and one of the substrates has a plurality of drain signal lines, gate signal lines, and pixel regions defined by the drain signal lines and the gate signal lines. The pixel regions include a TFT element, a first electrode formed of a transparent electrode, a second electrode formed of a transparent electrode. The second electrode is disposed between the first electrode and the one of the substrates, the second electrode is overlapped with the first electrode in the pixel region, is overlapped with the gate signal line, and is connected with the second electrode of an adjacent pixel region. A metal line is arranged for a plurality of the pixel regions, is overlapped with the second electrode, and is connected to the second electrode electrically.
US08035779B2

A thin film transistor (“TFT”) array panel includes; a substrate including a display and peripheral area, a display area signal line and a display area TFT disposed in the display area, the display area TFT connected to the display area signal line, a plurality of peripheral area signal lines, a light blocking member disposed on the display area signal line, the display area TFT, and the peripheral area signal lines, a transparent connector connecting one of peripheral area signal lines and another one of the peripheral area signal lines through a contact hole passing through the light blocking member, a pixel electrode connected to the display area TFT, a spacer disposed on a layer above the light blocking member, and a light blocking assistance member composed of the same material as the spacer on the transparent connector, the light blocking assistance member covering at least the contact hole.
US08035772B2

A backlight unit for a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) device includes a light emitting diode (“LED”) light source and a light conversion layer disposed separate from and above from the LED light source. The light conversion layer includes a semiconductor nano crystal, converts light emitted from the LED light source to white light and provides the white light to a liquid crystal panel of the LCD.
US08035770B2

A liquid crystal display includes a panel, a frame, a bottom cover, and a top cover. The panel has at least one protrusion. The frame has at least one elastic positioning element abutting against the protrusion. The bottom cover accommodates the frame and the panel. The top cover covers the bottom cover.
US08035765B2

A TFT array substrate includes gate lines, data lines, and first and second common lines. The gate lines are disposed on a transparent substrate. The first gate lines to the N+1-th gate lines are arranged in order, and N is a positive number. The data lines cross the gate lines. There is no pixel region defined by the N-th and N+1-th gate lines and adjacent two of the data lines, when N is an even number. There are two pixel regions being left and right pixel region defined by the N-th and N+1-th gate lines and adjacent two of the data lines, when N is an odd number. The first common lines are parallel to the gate lines. The second common lines are parallel to the data lines and electrically connected to the first common lines, wherein each second common line is disposed between the left and right pixel regions.
US08035764B2

There is provided an MVA type liquid crystal display device having high brightness and excellent display quality. The liquid crystal display device includes a pair of substrates disposed to be opposite to each other, a liquid crystal sealed between the pair of substrates, plural pixel areas each including a pixel electrode 16a formed on one of the substrates and a pixel electrode 16b separated from the pixel electrode 16a, a TFT 20 disposed in each of the pixel areas and including a source electrode 22 electrically connected to the pixel electrode 16a, a linear projection 42 formed on the other substrate and to regulate alignment of the liquid crystal, and a control capacitance section to capacity couple the source electrode 22 and the pixel electrode 16b and including a control capacitance electrode 33 which is electrically connected to the source electrode 22, is opposite to at least part of the pixel electrode 16b through an insulating film, and at least part of which is disposed to overlap with the linear projection 42 when viewed perpendicularly to a substrate surface and extends along the linear projection 42.
US08035762B2

A display (8) comprises a display panel (9), a polariser (10), a polarisation rotator (13), and a scatterer (12) arranged to scatter light having a first polarisation as compared with light having a second polarisation. The display (8) can be switched between 2D and 3D modes by operating the polarisation rotator (13) accordingly. In 3D mode, the polarisation rotator (13) transmits light with relatively little or no change to its polarisation. Light transmitted by the scatterer (12) is then used to present a three-dimensional image (50). In 2D mode, the polarisation rotator (13) alters the polarisation of the light and light that is scattered by the scatterer (12) is used to present a two-dimensional image (51). The polarisation rotator (13) maybe arranged so that light incident on a first area thereof undergoes a different change in polarisation to light incident on a second area, in order to allow simultaneous presentation of 2D and 3D images (51, 50).
US08035757B2

The system of the invention involves an anti-slip alignment plate used with a mounting bracket for mounting a device, such as a flat video screen having video mounting holes. The anti-slip plate is aligned with protrusions, or other means, with a plurality engagement members on the bracket which receives the protrusions. Once the plate and bracket have mated in a particular position, a fastener can secure the plate, bracket and device together. The result is that the fastener need not be torqued so tightly because slippage is prevented by the engagement points on the anti-slip plate. Furthermore, the number of position available for the anti-slip plate to secure the device is often substantially greater than would be achieve if the bracket merely had series of adjacent mounting holes.
US08035751B2

A system and method for detecting the presence and location of pull-down fields in a video field stream. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise method steps and circuit structure for generating an array of variance indications, each of which represents a degree of variance between two video fields in the video field stream. Various aspects may comprise comparing the array of variance indications to a pattern to detect a pull-down field in the video field stream. Various aspects may comprise comparing corresponding portions of video fields and generating a histogram of differences between the corresponding portions. Various aspects may comprise generating an indication of variance of the histogram and analyzing the indication of variance. Various aspects may comprise analyzing an array of such indications of variance and may comprise comparing the array of such indications to a pattern or plurality of patterns.
US08035744B2

A television receiver includes: an audio processor configured to extract a demonstrative pronoun from an input voice; an image processor configured to cut out an object from an input image; and a comparison-translation module configured to associate the demonstrative pronoun with the object based on a positional relationship indicated by the demonstrative pronoun.
US08035726B2

A focus evaluation value representing a focusing state of a taking lens is repeatedly calculated on the basis of an image signal output from an imaging section of a digital camera, a change in the focus evaluation value generated by the movement of the taking lens is detected, when a predetermined change in the focus evaluation value is detected in manual focusing, at least one of a first mode for continuing manual focusing and a second mode for making the transition to auto-focusing, in which the taking lens is automatically moved, is selected, when the predetermined change in the focus evaluation value is detected in the case in which the second mode is selected, the focusing operation is automatically switched to auto-focusing, whereby the taking lens is automatically moved such that the focus evaluation value is the peak value.
US08035716B2

An image sensor includes a unit cell of four pixels. The unit cell includes four photosensitive regions that collect charge in response to light; four transfer transistors that respectively pass the charge from each of the four photosensitive regions to one common charge-to-voltage conversion mechanism; three control wires in which a first control wire controls two of the transfer transistors and a second control wire controls one of the transfer transistors and a third control wire controls one of the transfer transistors; an amplifier connected to the common charge-to-voltage conversion mechanism that outputs an output signal in response to a signal from the charge-to-voltage conversion mechanism; and a reset transistor connected to the common charge-to-voltage conversion mechanism for resetting the charge-to-voltage conversion mechanism to a predetermined signal level.
US08035714B2

Disclosed is a solid-state imaging device includes for each pixel a photoelectric conversion unit, a charge accumulating portion, and a potential barrier provided between the photoelectric conversion unit and the charge accumulating portion, in a thickness direction of a substrate. When light is received, a first charge derived from one of electron-hole pairs generated by photoelectric conversion is accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit as signal charge, and the potential barrier is modulated by a second charge derived from the other of the electron-hole pairs so that the first charge that has accumulated in the charge accumulating portion is supplied to the photoelectric conversion unit.
US08035712B2

If a horizontal skipping operation is performed and operations are performed on the basis of the signals severally held in a plurality of register circuits in a solid-state imaging apparatus including an AD converting circuit in each column to perform the arithmetic processing of a digitized signal, then the AD converters and the register circuits in the columns to be skipped, that is, not to be read out become the state of not participating in the operations, and there is room for an examination in the aspect of the utilization efficiency of the circuits. A unit for connecting a register circuit in a certain column to a register circuit in another column is provided to the solid-state imaging apparatus.
US08035700B2

An information processing apparatus including: a registration portion that, every time a new image is input, registers the image and an identifier with a storage; a reception portion that receives a delivery request including an identifier of an image and a delivery condition from an external terminal; a transmission portion that, when the identifier satisfying the delivery request is registered, transmits the image corresponding to the identifier to the external terminal; an addition portion that, when the identifier satisfying the delivery request is not registered, adds a set of the identifier, the delivery condition, identification information of the external terminal, and a registration time to the storage; and a notification portion that, when the identifier is not registered although a given period has passed from the registration time, notifies the external terminal of information showing that the image corresponding to the delivery request does not exist.
US08035699B2

An image capturing apparatus comprises an image capturing unit which has an image sensor, a storage unit which stores foreign substance information of a foreign substance adhering to an optical element arranged in front of the image sensor, a buffer unit which temporarily stores the image signal output from the image capturing unit, a correction unit which corrects, based on the foreign substance information, an image signal corresponding to a shadow of the foreign substance among image signals output from the buffer unit and outputs a corrected image signal, and a control unit which controls the buffer unit and the correction unit to change, in accordance with a free area of the buffer unit, an amount of the image signal corresponding to the shadow of the foreign substance that is to be corrected among image signals output from the image capturing unit.
US08035687B2

An image processing apparatus includes unit reading, from first objects, information items for determining program procedures used to detect the first objects by image processing, unit selecting, from the program procedures, program procedures corresponding to the information items, and to determine an order of execution of the selected program procedures, unit acquiring an initial image including images corresponding to the first objects, the initial image being used for executing a first program procedure of a first order of execution, which is included in the selected program procedures, unit detecting, using the initial image, at least one of the first objects by executing the first program procedure corresponding to at least one of the first objects, and unit generating a post-removal image obtained by removing, from the initial image, image data corresponding to one of the images, which is on a first area corresponding to at least one detected object.
US08035686B2

There are provided a method, a system and machine-readable medium for managing surveillance video at a broadcast video terminal device. The method comprises detecting a security event associated with at least one surveillance video camera communicatively coupled to the broadcast video terminal device and requesting insertion of a surveillance entry associated with storage of a surveillance video of each of the at least one surveillance video camera into an electronic program guide that includes at least one broadcast entry. There is also provided a method, system and machine-readable medium for managing surveillance video entries and a method, system and machine-readable medium for playing a surveillance video.
US08035684B2

An image-signal generating apparatus comprises a solid-state image pickup device-equivalent load circuit unit including a load approximately equivalent to a solid-state image pickup device such as a charge coupled device, etc. The image-signal generating apparatus further comprises an image-signal generating circuit for generating an image signal corresponding to an output signal output from the solid-state image pickup device through the solid-state image pickup device-equivalent load circuit unit, which is a load to which a driving signal for driving the solid-state image pickup device is applied.
US08035683B2

When three-dimensional images are displayed on various display apparatuses, the images are displayed in a state that allows for stereoscopic vision even if the size of the display apparatus is large or even if the resolution of the display apparatus is low.The apparatus includes: a decision means for deciding based on the standard information contained in the control information whether the amount of parallax on the display screen when three-dimensional image data is displayed is greater than the amount of parallax on the optimal display apparatus for displaying the three-dimensional image data; and an image processing means for implementing an image process for changing the amount of parallax, and adjusts the amount of parallax of three-dimensional images in accordance with the ratio between the pitch between dots of the standard display apparatus for displaying three-dimensional images and the pitch between dots of an own terminal.
US08035673B2

A system and method for watermarking a film includes a light source array including one or more light sources having light directed toward a film to be watermarked. A control mechanism is configured to synchronize a position of the film with the light sources such that the light sources are activated to record a watermark on the film to identify an aspect of the film, wherein the watermark includes a plurality of spots aligned transversely to a direction of film motion during printing of the film.
US08035671B2

A sensor apparatus for providing two sensing operations within a thermal printer includes a densitometer with at least one light source that discriminates color and that is positioned in a first position for sensing donor patches within the thermal printer; the densitometer while in a second position provides signals from printed receiver media for internal color calibration of the thermal printer. At least one reflector directs light from the light source to the densitometer through a donor web when the densitometer is in the first position; and a switchable device repositions the densitometer from either the first position or the second position.
US08035664B2

Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for increasing the perceived brightness of an image. In some embodiments this increase compensates for a decrease in display light source illumination.
US08035654B1

Tuning sizes of cells of an interpolated lookup table may be performed based at least in part on an area specific behavior of a quality metric. A weighted input shaper curve may be determined to reduce interpolation errors in a multi-dimensional color lookup table. An initial input shaper curve may be applied to a color lookup table to create an interpolation result. The interpolation result may then be assessed for accuracy. The accuracy assessment may include comparing the interpolation result with a reference representation. An interpolation error may be calculated as the error between one or more intervals in a prospective color lookup table as compared to a reference representation. The weighted input shaper curve may be based at least in part on the calculated interpolation error.
US08035648B1

A method, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, includes detecting a memory page miss associated with a thread operating on a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). A request can be issued to receive the memory page associated with the memory page miss. There can be a switch into a runahead mode. During the runahead mode, a future memory page miss can be detected. During the runahead mode, a request can be issued to receive the future memory page associated with the future memory page miss.
US08035647B1

A raster operations (ROP) unit interleaves read and write requests for efficiently communicating with a frame buffer via a PCI Express (PCI E) link or other system bus that provides separate upstream and downstream data transfer paths. One example of a ROP unit processes pixels in groups, performing read modify writeback sequences for each group. The read requests associated with pixels in a second group are advantageously interleaved with the writeback requests for pixels in the first group prior to sending the requests on the system bus.
US08035646B2

Systems and methods for downloading algorithmic elements to a coprocessor and corresponding processing and communication techniques are provided. For an improved graphics pipeline, the invention provides a class of co-processing device, such as a graphics processor unit (GPU), providing improved capabilities for an abstract or virtual machine for performing graphics calculations and rendering. The invention allows for runtime-predicated flow control of programs downloaded to coprocessors, enables coprocessors to include indexable arrays of on-chip storage elements that are readable and writable during execution of programs, provides native support for textures and texture maps and corresponding operations in a vertex shader, provides frequency division of vertex streams input to a vertex shader with optional support for a stream modulo value, provides a register storage element on a pixel shader and associated interfaces for storage associated with representing the “face” of a pixel, provides vertex shaders and pixel shaders with more on-chip register storage and the ability to receive larger programs than any existing vertex or pixel shaders and provides 32 bit float number support in both vertex and pixel shaders.
US08035643B2

Systems and methods are described, which create a mapping from a space of a source object (e.g., source facial expressions) to a space of a target object (e.g., target facial expressions). In certain implementations, the mapping is learned based a training set composed of corresponding shapes (e.g. facial expressions) in each space. The user can create the training set by selecting expressions from, for example, captured source performance data, and by sculpting corresponding target expressions. Additional target shapes (e.g., target facial expressions) can be interpolated and extrapolated from the shapes in the training set to generate corresponding shapes for potential source shapes (e.g., facial expressions).
US08035642B2

In an apparatus and method for processing information, the font sizes of characters in display content are changed in different magnifications for each of the font sizes so as to display the content in a legible size when the size of the display area is changed. A program makes a computer execute the method.
US08035635B2

A system and system for positioning content elements in a virtual 3D space. A 2D base plane is designated in the 3D space, and the visual content is positioned in the 3D space with at least one page being parallel to the base plane. A viewpoint and a viewing ray are selected in the 3D space from which to view the 3D space with the viewing ray being neither parallel or perpendicular to the base plane. A 2D surface is then positioned in the 3D space so that the 2D surface intersects the view ray between the viewpoint and the base plane. At least a portion of the 3D space is then projected onto the 2D surface by a perspective projection determined by the viewing ray. The process may be repeated as desired each time optionally selecting a new viewpoint and/or selecting a new viewing ray and/or altering a property of one or more content elements. The projection onto the viewing surface may be displayed on a display device such as a computer monitor.
US08035634B2

A driving circuit includes a plurality of scanning lines, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of capacitor lines, pixels, a scanning line driving circuit, a capacitor line driving circuit, a first capacitive signal output circuit, and a data line driving circuit. Each of the pixels includes a pixel switching element, a pixel capacitor, and a storage capacitor. The capacitor line driving circuit supplies a first capacitive signal to the capacitor line when the one scanning line is selected, and changes a voltage value of the first capacitive signal when a scanning line, located a predetermined number of scanning lines away from the one scanning line, is selected. The first capacitive signal output circuit adjusts and outputs a voltage of the first capacitive signal when the one scanning line is selected. The data line driving circuit supplies the pixels with data signals of voltages corresponding to gray scale levels.
US08035629B2

In one embodiment an input device is provided. The input device includes a central body. A response and communications system is included in the input device. The response and communication system enables communication between the input device and a computing device. At least one protrusion extending from the central body are included. The central body and the at least one protrusion are configured to capture a user's hand movements. The input device is configured to be held by the user. An input detection program, a computing system, computer program instructions and a method for communicating commands to a computer system from an external input device are provided.
US08035626B2

A current drive circuit which can improve a rate for signal writing and a driving rate of an element even when a signal current is small, and a display device using the current drive circuit are provided. The current drive circuit for supplying a signal current to a node of a driven circuit through a signal line includes a precharge function for supplying a precharge voltage to the node through the signal line and the precharge function includes a supply function for supplying the precharge voltage to the node and the signal line prior to supplying the signal current.
US08035623B2

An electronic circuit including a microchip for use as an intelligent user interface also comprises touch sensor technology that differentiates between proximity and physical contact events to activate and control various loads including light bulbs, products with radio frequency circuitry or electric motors. An input to the microchip is connected to a switch or sensing structure that does not form a serial link between the power source and the load. The electronic circuit controls various functions in response to user actions including automatic delayed shut-off functions, find-in-the-dark indicator and power source level/product state indications. The microchip allows the user to select specific functions based on the time duration of activation signals, the time duration between activation signals and the number of activation signals at the input. The microchip is further configured to interpret and react to the signals received from a user in a way that enhances ease of use of the product and to use the indicators to provide information to the user that is influenced by the signals received as well as the state of the product.
US08035622B2

An apparatus for generating an image of touch on or about a touch-sensitive surface comprising a touch panel is disclosed. The touch panel can include a plurality of touch sensors configured for detecting one or more touch events occurring at distinct locations at about the same time. Each touch event can comprise a touching of an object against the touch-sensitive surface. A plurality of receive channels can be coupled to the touch panel for generating values representative of detected touch events. The receive channels can include a charge redistribution successive approximation register digital-to-analog converter (SAR ADC) configured to convert an analog waveform into a digital representation via a binary search and outputting the digital representation to an output register. The SAR ADC architecture can be such that it the dynamic input range can be scaled and offset adjusted.
US08035612B2

A self-contained interactive video display system. A projector projects a visual image onto a screen for displaying the visual image, wherein the projector projects the visual image onto a back side of the screen for presentation to a user on a front side of the screen. An illuminator illuminates an object near the front side of the screen. A camera detects interaction of an illuminated object with the visual image, wherein the screen is at least partially transparent to light detectable to the camera, allowing the camera to detect the illuminated object through the screen. A computer system directs the projector to change the visual image in response to the interaction.
US08035608B2

An inverter circuit for driving a lamp and a backlight module using the same are provided. The inverter circuit includes a signal generation module, a switching unit, a first capacitor, a transformer and a first detecting module. The signal generation module generates a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal, wherein the duty cycle of the PWM signal is controlled by a feedback signal and a sensed signal. The switching unit has a control terminal receiving the PWM signal, and has a first current terminal and a second current terminal respectively coupled to a first terminal and a second terminal of the first capacitor. The transformer generates an AC driving signal to the lamp according to a signal variation of the primary winding coupled the first current terminal of the first transistor. The first detecting module generates the sensed signal according to the flowing current of the switching unit.
US08035604B2

Methods and systems process image data made up of a series of frames for displaying on a dual modulation display system having a first modulator disposed to illuminate a second modulator. A first modulation signal and a luminance map are not calculated for every frame. Instead, certain frames referred to as “key frames” are used to provide the first modulation signal and the luminance map for at least some other frames.
US08035597B2

In the display device and the display method of the present invention, a scanning signal line driving circuit controls falls of a scanning signal line, so as to make level shifts occurring to pixel potentials substantially uniform throughout display plane, the level shifts being caused by parasitic capacitances which parasitically exist in scanning signal lines. Fall waveforms of the scanning signal change at a change rate Sx which is a change quantity per unit time, and by desirably setting the change rate Sx, a change rate Sx1 in the vicinity of an input-side end of the scanning signal line and a change rate SxN in the vicinity of the other end thereof are substantially equal to each other, not being influenced by signal delay transmission characteristic which the scanning signal line possesses, like scanning signal line waveforms Vg(1, j) and Vg(N, j).
US08035594B2

Disclosed is an LCD and driving method thereof. The present invention comprises a data gray signal modifier for receiving gray signals from a data gray signal source, and outputting modification gray signals by consideration of gray signals of present and previous frames; a data driver for changing the modification gray signals into corresponding data voltages and outputting image signals; a gate driver for sequentially supplying scanning signals; and an LCD panel comprising a plurality of gate lines for transmitting the scanning signals; a plurality of data lines, being insulated from the gate lines and crossing them, for transmitting the image signals; and a plurality of pixels, formed by an area surrounded by the gate lines and data lines and arranged as a matrix pattern, having switching elements connected to the gate lines and data lines.
US08035583B2

An active matrix type EL display device is provided, which is capable of suppressing the unevenness of luminance display due to the unevenness of the characteristics of TFTs which constitute pixels, or due to variations in the environmental temperature at which the display device is used. The active matrix type EL display is driven by a time gray scale method, and is capable of keeping the drain current of each of its EL driving TFTs constant by operating each of the EL driving TFTs in a saturation region in an ON state. Accordingly, constant current can be made to flow in each of the EL elements, whereby it is possible to provide an active matrix type EL display device with accurate gray scale display and high image quality.
US08035581B2

Embodiments of a scan driver capable of freely adjusting the width of emission control signals are disclosed. One embodiment of the scan driver comprises a shift register configured to sequentially shift a start pulse in response to a clock signal to generate sampling pulses, a NOR gate coupled to each emission control line and configured to generate emission control signals in response to at least two sampling pulses, and a NAND gate coupled to each scan line to generate scan signals in response to at least two sampling pulses. At least one of the two sampling pulses input to the NAND gate is input via an inverter. The width of the start pulse is thus controllable to freely adjust the width of the emission control signals. Accordingly, the brightness of an organic light emitting display employing the scan driver can be freely adjusted.
US08035578B2

A display apparatus, which displays a color image by controlling the number of emissions or the intensity thereof in accordance with primary color video signals input thereto, has a detection portion and a white balance correction portion. The detection portion is used to detect the number of emissions or the intensity, and the white balance correction portion is used to correct white balance by adjusting the amplitudes of the primary color video signals in accordance with the detected number of emissions or the detected intensity. Therefore, correct white balance can be maintained regardless of the number of emissions or the intensity of emission.
US08035569B2

An antenna core produced by shaping a soft magnetic metal powder with the use of a resin as a binder, wherein the soft magnetic metal powder is an amorphous soft magnetic metal powder or a nanocrystal-containing amorphous soft magnetic metal powder, of the general formula (1): (Fe1-x-yCoxNiy)100-a-b-cSiaBbMc (1), and wherein the resin as a binder is a thermosetting resin. In the formula, M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Nb, Mo, Zr, W, Ta, Hf, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Y, Pd, Ru, Ga, Ge, C, P, Al, Cu, Au, Ag, Sn and Sb. Each of x and y is an atomic ratio and each of a, b and c an atomic %, satisfying the relationships: 0≦x≦1.0, 0≦y≦0.5, 0≦x+y≦1.0, 0≦a≦24, 1≦b≦30, 0≦c≦30 and 2≦a+b≦30.
US08035557B2

A system and method for determining whether a wireless device has transmitted one or more forged satellite measurements. An estimated location of the wireless device may be determined as a function of information from a cellular network. Acquisition assistance data may be determined for a first set of satellites as a function of the estimated location, the assistance data including an uncertainty window. If measured code phase information in the satellite measurements substantially correlates to the uncertainty window, then the wireless device may be transmitting forged satellite measurements.
US08035548B2

An evaluation method, e.g., for a driver assistance system of a motor vehicle, is provided for object detection using a radar sensor, which synchronously emits at least two separate radar beam lobes, that cover an angular range to be scanned, and which receives respective target responses as measured values. At least two target responses of the at least two separate radar beam lobes of the radar sensor are arithmetically superposed in such a way that a synthetic radar beam lobe is created having at least one predetermined zero value in the scanned angular range.
US08035540B2

Systems, methods and apparatus for a scalable quantum processor architecture. A quantum processor is locally programmable by providing a memory register with a signal embodying device control parameter(s), converting the signal to an analog signal; and administering the analog signal to one or more programmable devices.
US08035536B2

A robust decoder generates an output state from input signals related to the line-voltage signals of a three-phase power system, using a segment identification method based on zero-crossings derived from line-voltage difference signals. The robust decoder includes a basic decoder that provides a current output state based on the input signals, a state table that provides a presumed previous state based on the current output state of the basic decoder, a binary feed back loop including a state element for storing a previous output state, and a selector for providing the output state based on the stored previous output state and the presumed previous state. The robust decoder may be implemented as hardware or software in a digital power converter. Such a digital power converter may include boost inductors each receiving an input line voltage signal from the three-phase power system to provide phase voltage signals, switches receiving the phase voltage signals to provide an intermediate voltage signal, the plurality of switches each being control by a driving signal, an output circuit coupled to the intermediate voltage signal to provide a rectified output voltage signal for digital power converter, and a digital control circuit receiving the input line voltages and the output voltage signal, the digital control circuit generating the driving signals to control the switches. The switches may be configured according to a state machine.
US08035523B2

An improved RFID tag reader is provided. More specifically, an RFID tag reader is provided that includes a plurality of antenna panels arranged to form a sensing volume in which RFID tags are read. Additionally, the RFID tag reader includes a novel switching mechanism that activates the antenna panels in sequence while minimizing cross coupling between the antenna panels. Furthermore, a novel antenna geometry also reduces antenna cross coupling.
US08035522B2

A circuit chip having a loop-shaped antenna coil on a main surface and a tag sheet having an antenna pattern on a main surface are prepared, and the circuit chip is mounted on the main surface of the tag sheet so as not to place over the antenna pattern. The circuit chip is placed closely to the antenna pattern, and at least the half of the main surface is desirably faced against the antenna pattern. Thus, signals and/or power can be securely exchanged between the circuit chip (or antenna coil) and the antenna pattern. Therefore, a high-performance and rigid RFID tag can be obtained by roughly aligning the circuit chip and the tag sheet.
US08035521B2

An RFID or NFC reader is associated via a data link with a tag module such that when the reader transmits an interrogation signal the tag module responds with a random, or constrained random, information signal. The information signal masks a signal transmitted by an RFID or NFC tag which the reader is interrogating, making fraudulently obtaining details contained in the tag transmission more difficult.
US08035517B2

The present invention relates to management of information relating to medical fluids, containers therefor, and medical fluid administration devices for administering such medical fluids to patients. Data tags (e.g., RFID tags) are generally associated with containers of the invention and may be electromagnetically read from and/or written to using an electromagnetic device, for example, that may be associated with a medical fluid administration device of the invention.
US08035502B2

A tire module for sensing deflection of a tire and a method of sensing deflection of the tire. The tire module includes a piezoelectric converter that is configured for installation on an inside surface of the tire. The piezoelectric converter includes at least one elastically deformable region that is formed from piezoelectric material. A deflection limiting means is configured to delimit deflection of the elastically deformable region.
US08035496B2

A method and a computer program for identifying when the driver of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, is not paying attention. In order to make it possible to make a more reliable statement on the presence of any inattentiveness by the driver, the method observes a steering action following a steering quiescent phase, in addition to detecting the steering quiescent phase. The extent of the steering quiescent phase and of the steering action found are logically linked to one another, and the result of this logical operation is then used as a measure for the severity of the inattentiveness of the driver.
US08035490B2

In a wireless tag identification and processing architecture and infrastructure, a method and system that eliminates redundant reporting and processing of the same event observed by different reader/sensors. Reader/sensors and their respective connected controllers are configured as peers when they observe or cover the same spatial region. When an event is observed within the spatial region, the first controller to receive the event data reports the electronic tag data and event data to the next higher processing domain and to its peer controllers. Then when the same electronic tag data or other event data indicating that a subsequent event is actually the same event as observed earlier is received by another peer controller, the another peer controller does not report nor process the electronic tag data and other event data to the next higher processing domain or to its peer controllers.
US08035485B2

A system for automation of laboratory analyzers that utilizes radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and radio frequency identification (RFID) readers to identify containers and vessels, and the contents thereof, that are employed in the system. Radio frequency identification tags, conforming to the guidelines of ISO 18000 and either of ISO 14443 or ISO 15693, are positioned on the items of interest, such as, for example, reagent containers, sample containers, and microplates. These tags can be read by and written to by a stationary antenna connected to a radio frequency identification reader. Reading of radio frequency identification tags and writing to radio frequency identification tags are controlled by software.
US08035484B2

A charge accumulation circuit having a structure in which a capacitor is divided into a plurality of pieces and the divided capacitors are connected in parallel through switches is provided. The charge accumulation circuit controls the switch provided between the capacitors and thus can dynamically vary electrostatic capacitance of the charge accumulation circuit which applies a voltage to a constant voltage circuit.
US08035483B2

An oscillator tuning system and an oscillator tuning method are provided. The system includes a determination unit which determines whether a power which is used in an RFID tag having an RFID oscillator is greater than a reference value; and a frequency tuner which tunes a driving frequency of the RFID oscillator according to a result of the determination. The method includes determining whether a power which is used in an RFID tag having an RFID oscillator is greater than a reference value; and tuning a driving frequency of the RFID oscillator according to a result of the determination.
US08035478B2

Disclosed is an easy-to-retrofit, electronically controlled door lock system designed to change or expand functions of a door lock without having to replace the door lock as a whole. The door lock system includes a door lock 100 for locking and unlocking a door in response to an input signal from a key means, the door lock having predetermined inherent functions, and a function expanding device 200 having additional functions other than the predetermined inherent functions of the door lock, the function expanding device being replaceably attached to the door lock.
US08035473B2

A mounting assembly couples a current limiting fuse to an element that defines a longitudinal axis. The mounting assembly includes a mounting member on the element; a first attachment member coupled to the mounting member in a fixed position relative to the mounting member; and a second attachment member coupleable to the current limiting fuse. The first and second attachment members are configured to be attached to one another in a plurality of discreet positions about an axis that is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis.
US08035471B2

A power inductor comprises a magnetic core material having first and second ends. An inner cavity arranged in said magnetic core material extends from the first end to the second end. A conductor passes through the cavity. A slotted air gap is arranged in the magnetic core material and extends from the first end to the second end. An eddy current reducing material is arranged in the cavity. The eddy current reducing material has a permeability that is lower than said magnetic core material.
US08035465B2

A cavity resonator having temperature compensation which comprises a pot and a cover, which together enclose a cavity resonance volume. The pot comprises a first material, which has a first temperature expansion coefficient and the cover comprises a second material, which has a second temperature expansion coefficient. The second temperature expansion coefficient is greater than the first temperature expansion coefficient, and an expansion of the pot and a deformation of the cover results upon a temperature increase, which each independently and also together cause an enlargement of the cavity resonance volume. Simultaneously, the resonance frequency remains essentially constant.
US08035463B2

A Lamb-wave resonator includes: a piezoelectric substrate; an interdigital transducer electrode formed on a main surface of the piezoelectric substrate, the interdigital transducer electrode including a plurality of electrode finger elements being interdigitated, and a bus bar electrode coupling the plurality of electrode finger elements; and a pair of reflectors disposed on opposite sides of the interdigital transducer electrode in a propagation direction of a Lamb wave. A thickness t of the piezoelectric substrate is in a range expressed by 0
US08035461B1

A filter according to a present invention embodiment reduces the effects of microphonic behavior in a communications network. The filter passes a network signal, while filtering out unwanted voiceband leakage (e.g., emissions of plaintext voice signals) due to microphonic behavior of the network equipment. The filter employs inductive units each including at least two inductive elements connected in series and arranged to cancel current within the inductive elements induced by vibrations and/or sound pressure (or acoustic) waves in the surrounding environment, thereby reducing extraneous signals produced within the filter (e.g., signals produced from microphonic behavior that may be in the form of perceivable voice or audio, noise, etc.). The filter reduces the extraneous signals in active and passive modes, and prevents compromise of secure or sensitive information (e.g., in the form of perceivable voice or audio) due to microphonic behavior of filter elements.
US08035458B2

A semiconductor die has an RF coupler and balun integrated on a common substrate. The RF coupler includes first and second conductive traces formed in close proximity. The RF coupler further includes a resistor. The balun includes a primary coil and two secondary coils. A first capacitor is coupled between first and second terminals of the semiconductor die. A second capacitor is coupled between a third terminal of the semiconductor die and a ground terminal. A third capacitor is coupled between a fourth terminal of the semiconductor die and the ground terminal. A fourth capacitor is coupled between the high side and low side of the primary coil. The integration of the RF coupler and balun on the common substrate offers flexible coupling strength and signal directivity, and further improves electrical performance due to short lead lengths, reduces form factor, and increases manufacturing yield.
US08035457B2

A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) includes a voltage controlled current source (VCCS), a negative resistance circuit (NRC), a first transformer, a second transformer, a first transistor and a second transistor. A current terminal of the VCCS receives a control voltage. First terminals of first and second current paths in the NRC are coupled to a current terminal of the VCCS. Primary sides of the first and the second transformers are respectively coupled to second terminals of the first and the second current paths. Secondary sides of the first and the second transformers are first and second output terminals of the VCO, respectively. First terminals of the first and the second transistor are respectively coupled to the secondary sides of the first and the second transformers. Control terminals of the first and the second transformers are respectively coupled to the primary sides of the first and the second transformers.
US08035454B2

The crystal oscillator device includes an air-tight case (1) forming a vacuum chamber (23), a piezoelectric resonator element (11), oscillation circuitry, a temperature sensor, and a heating unit implemented in an integrated-circuit (IC) chip (13) with an active surface (13a). The piezoelectric resonator element (11) and the oscillation circuitry are connected together to form an oscillation circuit. Furthermore, the temperature sensor and the heating unit are enclosed in the vacuum chamber (23) with the piezoelectric resonator element (11).The piezoelectric resonator element is attached in a heat conductive manner to the active surface (13a) of the integrated-circuit chip (13) in such a way that the IC chip provides mechanical support for the piezoelectric resonator element.
US08035438B2

An alternating-current (AC) coupling integrated circuit (IC) suppresses signal errors introduced by a steady-state input signal. The IC includes an operational amplifier, a true direct-current (DC) bias network, a complimentary DC-bias network and first and second feedback elements. The operational amplifier has an inverting input, a non-inverting input and an output. The true DC-bias network has first and second branches that are coupled to one another and the non-inverting input. The complimentary DC-bias network has third and fourth branches that are coupled to one another and the inverting input. First and second feedback elements generate first and second control signals in response to a characteristic of one of the true input signal and the complimentary input signal. The control signals prevent the voltage at the inputs to the operational amplifier from reaching an equivalent, steady-state, DC-bias voltage.
US08035437B2

A phase interpolator receiving a first signal having an oscillation frequency Fin and providing a second signal having said oscillation frequency and having a phase shift Δφ with respect to the first signal which depends on a third signal. The interpolator includes a variable phase-shifter receiving the first signal and providing the second signal, the phase-shifter circuit includes an oscillator having a variable natural frequency Fo controlled by a fourth signal; a phase comparator capable of receiving the first and second signals and of providing a fifth signal representative of said phase shift; and a unit capable of providing the fourth signal which depends on the third and fifth signals.
US08035427B2

A signal generating apparatus that is capable of accurately measuring a trip point of a power-up signal without installing a separate measuring instrument is described. An apparatus for generating a signal includes a power-up signal generating unit that generates a power-up signal using an external voltage and a measuring unit that outputs, when the power-up signal is enabled, the comparison result between a voltage generated on the basis of the external voltage and a reference voltage as a trip point.
US08035420B2

A semiconductor device includes a plurality of CML buffering units configured to buffer, in parallel, a plurality of serially applied data signals to CML levels in a sequence responding to multi-phase source clocks; and a CMOS amplification block configured to amplify a plurality of buffered data signals, sequentially outputted from the plurality of CML buffering units, to CMOS levels in response to the multi-phase source clocks, and output amplified data signals in parallel at the same timing.
US08035419B2

A system comprises signal paths. There are first through n signal paths, n being a positive integer. A critical one of the first through n signal paths is based on being a respective one of the first through n signal paths having a slowest signal propagation and/or a path in which a signal propagates slower than a clock cycle. The critical one of the first through n signal paths comprises a first size of a standard cell including corresponding logic devices. The non-critical ones of the first through n signal paths comprise a second size of a standard cell including corresponding logic devices, the second size being smaller than the first size.
US08035415B2

The invention provides a shift register which can operate normally while suppressing a delay of signal and a rounding of waveform. The shift register of the invention includes a plurality of stages of flip-flop circuits each of which includes a clocked inverter. The clocked inverter includes a first transistor and a second transistor which are connected in series, a first compensation circuit including a third transistor and a fourth transistor which are connected in series, and a second compensation circuit including a fifth transistor and a transmission gate. According to the first compensation circuit, a timing at which a signal outputted from the flip-flop circuit rises or falls can be controlled in synchronization with an output of two stages before. The second compensation circuit can control a clock signal input can be controlled.
US08035413B2

A system and method of performing off chip drive (OCD) and on-die termination (ODT) are provided. A common pull-up network composed of transistors and a common pull-down network composed of transistors are employed to implement both of these functions. In drive mode, the pull-up network is configured to produce a calibrated drive impedance when an “on” output is to be generated, and the pull-up network is configured to produce a calibrated drive impedance when an “off” output is to be generated. In termination mode, the pull-up network and the pull-down network are configured to produce a calibrated pull-up resistance and pull-down resistance respectively such that together, they form a split termination.
US08035411B2

Provided is a semiconductor integrated circuit capable of testing power control operation in the semiconductor integrated circuit including a power controllable region. Power control switches have switch series each constituted by a plurality of switch cells. A power controllable region includes output nodes in the switch series. The output nodes output power control signals that have passed through final stages of the respective switch series of the power control switches to the outside of the power controllable region. A chip on which the semiconductor integrated circuit is mounted has output terminals that output outputs of the output nodes to the outside of the chip. In the case of inserting a scan path test, observation flip-flops that load the outputs of the output nodes to data terminals, and load scan data to scan-in terminals are disposed in correspondence with the respective output nodes. Those observation flip-flops are connected to constitute a scan path chain.
US08035409B2

A system and method for performing a test for characterizing high frequency operation of PCB boards. More particularly, a system and methodology is provided to implement a time-domain short pulse propagation (SPP) technique on the production line, on large, multi-layer, product-level PCB boards, for large volume testing, by people who are not familiar with advanced, delicate, measurement techniques, who need robust test facilities, and cannot afford the time or expense of other lab-type approaches.
US08035402B2

A sensor including a carrier, a plurality of conductive bumps, a capacitive sensing element connected to the carrier through the conductive bumps, and a cover is provided. The capacitive sensing element has a membrane, and a channel is formed among the capacitive sensing element, the conductive bumps, and the carrier. The cover is disposed on the carrier for covering the capacitive sensing element. A chamber is formed between the capacitive sensing element and the cover. The chamber and the channel are respectively located at two sides of the membrane.
US08035401B2

A self-calibration system includes a variable current source to generate a default source current for charging a capacitive load, and a load charge calibrator to detect a voltage associated with the capacitive load when charged by the default source current, and to generate a current control feedback according to the detected voltage and a desired charged voltage of the capacitive load, the current control feedback to indicate to the variable current source a charge current capable of charging the capacitive load to the desired charged voltage.
US08035390B2

At least one antenna array including three mutually orthogonal antennas each sharing a common center point senses an electromagnetic signal emitted by a buried object such as a utility line, pipe or sonde. A circuit at least partially mounted in a housing is connected to the array and determines a location of the buried object by measuring signal strength and field angles in three dimensions without having to align the antenna array relative to the buried object while eliminating nulls and false peaks. A graphical user interface (GUI) has user-friendly icons, symbols, menus, numbers and graphical and auditory representation of signal strength. A SEARCH view indicates signal strength by showing a rotating strength indicator, a trace mode MAP view in which line location is shown by a line that moves side-to-side, and a sonde mode MAP view in which sonde location is shown by a moving line, pole and equator.
US08035387B2

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method or determining location(s) at which at least one magnetic article is to be positioned during a magnetic resonance imaging procedure of at least one subject. A magnetic field Bo is applied to a region that includes the at least one subject and does not include the at least one magnetic article. First magnetic resonance information about the region in response to the applied magnetic field BO is received. The first magnetic resonance information relates at least in part to one or more magnetic field inhomogeneities in the region. Based at least in part on the first magnetic resonance information, at least one first location proximate the at least one subject at which at least one paramagnetic article and/or diamagnetic article is to be positioned is determined, so as to at least partially compensate for the one or more magnetic field inhomogeneities.
US08035378B2

A magnetic resonance system has multiple individual transmission antennas each charged with a transmission current to emit an individual excitation field in an examination volume to excite magnetic resonances in a subject, producing a total excitation field as a superimposition of the individual excitation fields. A determination device provided with a spatial distribution of an absorption rate of the examination subject, determines a combination of amplitudes and phase positions for the transmission currents relative to one another such that a locally absorbed power at a first point of the examination subject relative to a locally absorbed power at a second point of the examination subject satisfies a relative condition. The determined combination of amplitudes and phase positions are communicated to a control device, which charges the transmission antennas with transmission currents having the communicated phase positions and amplitudes scaled with a uniform scaling factor for all transmission currents relative to the communicated amplitudes.
US08035377B2

A method to screen individuals specifically for paramagnetic or ferromagnetic objects they may be carrying or wearing, before they enter the high-field region of an MRI suite. The device used comprises either a screening portal or a compact, hand-held magnetic gradiometer and its electronics. The method places all of the sensor arrays in close proximity to all parts of a subject's body, for screening purposes.
US08035365B2

A DC (direct current) converter includes a PWM (pulse width modulation) pulse generation unit outputting a PWM pulse signal whose duty ratio is controlled in accordance with an output voltage, a PFM (pulse frequency modulation) pulse generation unit outputting a PFM pulse signal whose pulse output interval is controlled in accordance with an output voltage, a selection circuit selecting and outputting any one of the PWM pulse signal and the PFM pulse signal in response to a selection signal, a drive circuit unit driving a load and generating an output voltage on the basis of a signal outputted from the selection circuit, and a switching control unit outputting the selection signal. When the selection signal is in a second state, the switching control unit detects a fact that the number of pulses of the PFM pulse signal in a measurement period increases to or above a set value of the maximum number of pulses, and switches the selection signal to a first state.
US08035363B2

A procedure for triggering a load element using an electronic switch element is presented, in which voltage on the load element is controlled with a maximum specified increase. The increase does not remain constant, but is controlled via the switching procedure in dependence on the effectively occurring power loss or a value which is dependant on it (Ua/Ubat), preferably in several phases, whereby preferably at the beginning and the end of the switch-over procedure in the phase where the output voltage changes, the increase is selected as being low relative to the increase in the middle phase, since as a result, the power loss is only insignificantly raised, yet the high-frequency interferences can be noticeably dampened.
US08035358B2

A voltage regulator is provided that includes a plurality of buck-boost transformers each having primary and secondary windings. The secondary windings of the transformers are electrically disposed in series between a source and a load. Each transformer is controlled by a plurality of control switches configured to control the voltage across the primary winding of a corresponding transformer. A controller monitors the output voltage and generates control signals for the switches. The transformers generate different voltage level changes in between the source and load and the voltages across the primary windings are capable of assuming opposite polarities to enable scaling of resolution and range. The voltage regulator efficiently regulates power with relatively few or no moving parts and also partially protects the power switching components by removing them from the path of the load current thereby producing a device that is smaller in size, costs less and is more reliable.
US08035350B2

A setting current switching circuit 120 includes a comparator 127. A battery temperature signal corresponding to a battery temperature detected by a battery temperature detecting unit 8 is inputted to one input terminal (−) of the comparator 127 and a reference signal corresponding to a reference temperature is inputted to the other input terminal (+) of the comparator 127 to vary the setting charging current value of a charging current setting unit 80 and the setting full-charge current value of a full-charge current setting unit 90 correspondingly to the output of the comparator 127.
US08035349B2

The invention relates to a system for absorbing electric energy from regenerative braking. The system includes a battery, a thermoelectric module in thermally-conductive contact with the battery, a generator for generating an electric current from regenerative braking, the generator connected to the battery via a first switch and connected to the thermoelectric module via a second switch, and a sensor for measuring a temperature and a charge state of the battery. The system also comprises a controller for activating and deactivating the first switch and the second switch when certain conditions have been met.
US08035334B2

A voltage-command correction unit provided between an electric-power conversion unit and a voltage-command calculation unit provides a predetermined current range including the zero level for the detected output current, and, at a first clock time when the output current enters from outside to inside of the current range, sets a zero cross timing of the output current as a clock time for switching the polarity of the correction voltage that corrects the AC voltage command calculated and output by the voltage-command calculation unit based on the first clock time and the frequency, thereby making a configuration capable of correcting the AC voltage command with the correction voltage with the same polarity as the polarity of the output current around the zero cross point of the output current.
US08035332B2

A method of operating a motor, the method comprising: operating a motor at a first speed; operating the motor in negative slip; imbalancing at least one phase of the motor to dissipate regeneration energy using windings of the motor; and wherein a next motor speed is decreased to a speed less than the first speed. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also presented.
US08035328B2

A state memorizing device for a movable member, includes a lock state determining portion for determining whether or not the movable member, driven by a motor, is in a locked state, based on a motor current, an initial positional information memorizing portion for memorizing an initial positional information indicative of a current position of the movable member before the motor is started, a current positional information calculating portion for calculating a current positional information indicative of the current position of the movable member on the basis of the position indicated by the initial positional information and the motor current, and a current positional information correcting portion for determining the current position of the movable member based on the initial positional information in a case where the locked state of the movable member is detected and an electrification of the motor is stopped after the motor has just been started.
US08035326B2

A fan is electrically connected with an alternating current power source. The fan includes an impeller, a motor and a controlling device. The controlling device includes a commutating unit, a magnetic detecting unit, a first switching unit, a second switching unit, a third switching unit and a controlling unit. The alternating current power source is electrically connected with the first switching unit, the second switching unit and the commutating unit, respectively. The commutating unit is electrically connected with the magnetic detecting unit and the controlling unit, respectively. The controlling unit is electrically connected with the third switching unit and the first switching unit, respectively. The third switching unit is electrically connected with the second switching unit. The first switching unit and the second switching unit are electrically connected with the motor, respectively. A controlling device of the fan is also disclosed.
US08035317B2

According to one embodiment, there is provided an optocoupler system configured to generate current signals having high, low and no amplitude portions in response to the receipt of logic high and low input signals. The varying amplitude portions of the current signals are used to drive other portions of the isolation circuitry, and result in reduced power consumption and dissipation, as well as reduced pulse width distortion.
US08035314B2

Disclosed are example open channel detection techniques at a light emitting diode (LED) driver of an LED system. The LED driver does not enable its LED channels before normal operation so as to inhibit current flow through the LED channels during start-up. While the LED channels are disabled, the LED driver compares the voltages at the LED channel inputs with a predetermined voltage to determine whether an operational LED string of an associated LED panel is connected to the LED channel. In the event that an LED channel is determined to be an “open” channel, the LED driver further disables the LED channel for the following normal operational mode. Otherwise, if the LED channel is determined to be connected to an operational LED string, the LED driver enables the LED channel for the normal operational mode, during which the LED channel can be selectively activated for light output subject to display data for the LED panel.
US08035311B2

An electronic device includes circuitry for driving a light-emitting diode (LED) or other light-emitting semiconductor device. The circuitry includes a first switch (NM5) coupled with the light-emitting semiconductor device (LED) for switching a current (ILED) through the light-emitting semiconductor device (LED); a sensing means (RSENS) for sensing a magnitude of the current (ILED) and outputting a respective sensing signal (SEN); an error amplifier (AMP2) for receiving the sensing signal (SEN) and a target value (ISET) for the current (ILED) for providing a first control voltage (VG1) based on the deviation of the actually sensed current magnitude and the current target value (ISET); a lowpass filter coupled to the error amplifier (AMP2) for filtering the first control voltage (VG1) and providing a second control voltage (VG2); a voltage follower (NM3) coupled to the lowpass filter and the first switch for receiving the second control voltage (VG2) and providing a third control voltage (VG3) for controlling the first switch's (NM5) switching activity; and a second switch (PM1, NM4) for switching a supply current (IDS3) of the voltage follower (NM3) for switching the voltage follower (NM3) on and off.
US08035309B2

A light emitting device includes an electronic driver and a planar light emitting element. The driver is connected with a source and the light emitting element, where the light emitting element has an internal capacitance and is connected to the driver in such a way that the internal capacitance serves as a passive output filter of the driver.
US08035302B2

A plasma display panel includes a front substrate providing an image display surface, a rear substrate facing the front substrate, barrier ribs arranged between the front and rear substrates to defining a plurality of discharge cells, a plurality of discharge electrodes extending across the discharge cells to generate a discharge, a front dielectric layer on the front substrate to bury the discharge electrodes, first phosphors coated within the discharge cells, second phosphors on upper surfaces of the barrier ribs and extending from the first phosphors, and a discharge gas filled into the discharge cells, wherein one or more of the front substrate, the front dielectric layer, and/or the barrier ribs is colored with a first color, and the first and second phosphors are colored with a second color.
US08035299B2

An organic EL display includes an organic material, a gas barrier layer on the member, and an organic EL unit on the gas barrier layer. The gas barrier layer comprises AlxTiyOz, wherein Al represents aluminum, Ti represents titanium, O represents oxygen, x represents the ratio of atoms of Al, y represents the ratio of atoms of Ti, and z represents the ratio of atoms of O. A Ti-atom ratio of the gas barrier layer is given in the units of atom % and defined by the following equation: Ti-atom ratio={y/(x+y)}·100. The gas barrier layer has a first portion at an interface with the member and a second portion at an interface with the organic EL unit. The Ti-atom ratio of the first portion is 0 atom %. The Ti-atom ratio of the second portion is greater than or equal to 10 atom %.
US08035298B2

An organic light emitting display in which an electrostatic discharge circuit is formed on a non-pixel area of a substrate is disclosed. The electrostatic discharge circuit comprises a first electrode layer, a first insulating layer formed on the first electrode layer and a second electrode layer formed on the first insulating layer. The first electrode layer and the second electrode layer each comprise a protruding electrode formed to extend horizontally toward the other of the first and second electrode layers. According to the organic light emitting display, it is possible to prevent a pixel and a driver included in the organic light emitting display from being damaged by electrostatic discharge by dissipating the electrostatic discharge current through the protruding electrode.
US08035293B2

A light emitting device has an enclosure with a face portion, a cold cathode within the enclosure, a phosphor layer disposed on an interior surface of the face portion, an extracting grid between the cold cathode and the phosphor layer and a defocusing grid between the extracting grid and the phosphor layer. Electrons emitted from the cold cathode are defocused by the defocusing grid and impact the phosphor layer when an electric field is created between the cold cathode and the phosphor layer due to applied voltages at the cold cathode, extracting grid, defocusing grid and phosphor layer. The phosphor layer emits light through the face portion in response to electrons incident thereon. Secondary electron emission may also occur resulting in increased electron impact upon the phosphor layer, thereby increasing light output. A mirror layer may be included to reflect light toward the face portion of the light emitting device. The mirror layer also inhibits low energy electrons from impacting the phosphor, thereby enhancing the blink rate of the light emitting device.
US08035292B2

A planar light source device includes a lower substrate, a cathode electrode a carbon nanotube, an upper substrate, a fluorescent layer, and an anode electrode. The cathode electrode is on the lower substrate. The carbon nanotube is electrically connected to the cathode electrode. The upper substrate faces the lower substrate. The fluorescent layer and the anode electrode are formed on the upper substrate. Therefore, the planar light source device generates light without using mercury.
US08035291B2

An electron emission film having a pattern of diamond in X-ray diffraction and formed of a plurality of diamond fine grains having a grain diameter of 5 nm to 10 nm is formed on a substrate. The electron emission film can restrict the field intensity to a low level when it causes an emission current to flow, and has a uniform electron emission characteristic.
US08035286B2

A spark plug casing includes a single-piece shell having a nut portion, first and second tubular portions and a converging shell portion, which are configured to be removed from a cylinder head as an integral device. The first tubular portion extends from the nut portion and has a first cross-sectional size. The second tubular portion has a second cross-sectional size less than the first cross-sectional size. The converging shell portion is coupled between the first and second tubular portions. The casing further includes a ground strap having a third cross-sectional size less than the second cross-sectional size. The ground strap is received within an end portion of the second tubular portion opposite the converging shell portion, such that the ground strap and the cylinder head are in a spaced relationship with respect to each other for preventing carbon buildup from binding the ground strap to the cylinder head.
US08035282B2

Provided are a piezoelectric vibrator and an electrode structure of the piezoelectric vibrator. The piezoelectric vibrator includes a piezoelectric material vibrating according to an electric signal, first and second electrode structures formed on the upper surface and the undersurface of the piezoelectric material, and including first to fourth layers sequentially stacked thereon, respectively. The first and third layers are formed of an alloy including Cr. The second and fourth layers are formed of Ag or an alloy including Ag.
US08035279B2

There are provided methods for creating energy conversion devices based on the giant flexoelectric effect in non-calamitic liquid crystals. By preparing a substance comprising at least one type of non-calamitic liquid crystal molecules and stabilizing the substance to form a mechanically flexible material, flexible conductive electrodes may be applied to the material to create an electro-mechanical energy conversion device which relies on the giant flexoelectric effect to produce electrical and/or mechanical energy that is usable in such applications as, for example, power sources, energy dissipation, sensors/transducers, and actuators.
US08035271B2

A stator core includes: an assembled stator core formed of annularly arranged, divided stator cores; a fixing member disposed at an outer circumferential surface of the assembled stator core and capable of pressing the divided stator cores inward in a radial direction of the assembled stator core to annularly arrange and thus fix the divided stator cores; and a weak portion provided between the divided stator cores and the fixing member and deformable by a force exerted from the fixing member to press the divided stator cores.
US08035266B2

An axial gap motor includes: a rotor; and a stator, wherein: the rotor includes a plurality of main permanent magnet parts and a plurality of auxiliary permanent magnet parts, the auxiliary permanent magnet parts being disposed near an end portion of each of the main permanent magnet parts and a magnetizing direction of each of the auxiliary permanent magnet parts corresponding to a direction perpendicular to the direction of the rotational axis; each of the stators includes a plurality of teeth arranged in a circumferential direction and protruding toward the rotor along the rotational axis, and a circumferential distance between a circumferential direction first end and a circumferential direction second end of each of the auxiliary permanent magnet parts on a surface opposite the stator is larger than a slot width of a slot defined between the teeth adjacent in the circumferential direction.
US08035264B2

The invention provides a motor including a terminal block that is insert molded into a core, so as to increase the strength to support the terminal block. A stator has paired inner cores configured by two inner cores facing back to back and each having a disk part and pole teeth. Each of the disk parts is provided with a terminal block holding part. The terminal block is connected with the terminal block holding parts via a resin connection part that is insert molded. The terminal block holding parts are provided with recesses configured by cutouts in portions to face the terminal block, respectively. The resin connection part has a thickness increased by filling the recesses so as to increase the strength at a connection portion thereof. The cutouts in the terminal block holding parts facing back to back are offset with respect to a radial line, terminal block facing ends are generally spaced apart from the terminal block by a constant distance. Therefore, the terminal block is prevented from being unstable.
US08035257B2

A method and apparatus for coupling power to an AC power grid. In one embodiment, the method comprises interleaving a storage period and a burst period, wherein (i) energy is stored during the storage period for a predetermined number of grid voltage cycles, and (ii) stored energy is converted to AC power and coupled to the AC power grid during the burst period.
US08035255B2

Described herein are improved capabilities for a source resonator having a Q-factor Q1>100 and a characteristic size x1 coupled to an energy source, and a second resonator having a Q-factor Q2>100 and a characteristic size x2 coupled to an energy drain located a distance D from the source resonator, where the source resonator and the second resonator are coupled to exchange energy wirelessly among the source resonator and the second resonator.
US08035246B2

A direct-drive power train of a wind power plant is protected from over-torque by a torque limiting device. The power train includes a turbine rotor including a hub and blades supported on the hub, and a generator including a stator and a generator rotor rotatably disposed within the stator. The generator rotor includes a generator rotor body, a rotor shaft, and the torque limiting device connects the generator rotor body to the rotor shaft. The torque limiting device is configured to support the generator rotor body within the stator and allow coaxial rotation of the rotor body relative to the stator. The hub and the generator rotor are connected by the rotor shaft, and the rotor shaft rotates at the same frequency as the hub.
US08035238B2

A tape carrier package (TCP) includes a film, a plurality of output leads and a plurality of input leads on the film, the plurality of output leads and the plurality of input leads being disposed on different sides, first and second TCP alignment marks arranged on opposing sides of the plurality of output leads, and a third TCP alignment mark at a central portion of the plurality of output leads.
US08035234B2

There is provided a wiring substrate for connecting a mounting board on one surface thereof and mounting an integrated circuit chip on the opposite surface to the surface. The wiring substrate has a conductive connecting portion penetrating the substrate for connecting to at least a portion of a wiring layer of the integrated circuit chip, with the portion of a wiring layer formed on the substrate, and an insulating portion formed at a lateral side of the connecting portion for surrounding the connecting portion via a portion of the wiring substrate.
US08035233B2

A Three-Dimensional Structure (3DS) Memory allows for physical separation of the memory circuits and the control logic circuit onto different layers such that each layer may be separately optimized. One control logic circuit suffices for several memory circuits, reducing cost Fabrication of 3DS memory involves thinning of the memory circuit to less than 50 μm in thickness and bonding the circuit to a circuit stack while still in wafer substrate form. Fine-grain high density inter-layer vertical bus connections are used. The 3DS memory manufacturing method enables several performance and physical size efficiencies, and is implemented with established semiconductor processing techniques.
US08035228B2

Interconnect, i.e., BEOL structures comprising at least one thin film resistor that is located at the same level as that of a neighboring conductive interconnect are provided. The present invention also provides a method of fabricating such interconnect structures utilizing processing steps that are compatible with current interconnect processing. Moreover, the inventive method of the present invention provides better technology extendibility in terms of higher density than prior art schemes.
US08035225B2

A semiconductor chip dual-sided assembly which has a higher degree of reliability of connections between semiconductor chips and a circuit substrate is realized. This is achieved by the assembly including a plurality of upper side pads (2a) provided on a substrate upper surface (1a); a plurality of lower side pads (2b) provided on a substrate lower surface (1b) corresponding to the upper side pads (2a) across the substrate (1), respectively; a first semiconductor chip (4) having first bumps (8a) joined to the upper side pads (2a), respectively; and a second semiconductor chip (5) having second bumps (8b) joined to the lower side pads (2b), respectively.
US08035224B2

A semiconductor package includes a semiconductor chip having an integrated circuit, a functional element electrically coupled with the integrated circuit, and an array of contact elements connected with the integrated circuit and the functional element. The functional element is configured to protect the integrated circuit from transient voltage.
US08035204B2

A method for fabricating large die package structures is provided wherein at least portions of the leadtips of at least a plurality of leadfingers of a leadframe are electrically insulated. A die is positioned on the electrically insulated leadtips. The die is electrically connected to at least a plurality of the leadfingers.
US08035203B2

An over-molded leadframe (e.g., a Quad Flat No-lead (QFN)) package capable of operating at frequencies in the range of about five gigahertz (GHz) to about 300 GHz and a method of making the over-molded leadframe package are disclosed. The over-molded leadframe package includes a capacitance lead configured to substantially reduce and/or offset the inductance created by one or more wirebonds used to connect an integrated circuit (IC) chip on the package to an input/output (I/O) lead. The IC chip is connected to the capacitance lead via one or more wirebonds, and the capacitance lead is then connected to the I/O lead via at least a second wirebond. Thus, inductance created by the one or more wirebonds on the package is substantially reduced and/or offset by the capacitance lead prior to a signal being output by the package and/or received by the IC chip.
US08035197B2

An electronic device has an element formed in the chip region of a substrate, a plurality of interlayer insulating films formed on the substrate, a wire formed in the interlayer insulating films in the chip region, and a plug formed in the interlayer insulating films in the chip region and connecting to the wire. A seal ring extending through the plurality of interlayer insulating films and continuously surrounding the chip region is formed in the peripheral portion of the chip region. A stress absorbing wall extending through the plurality of interlayer insulating films and discretely surrounding the seal ring is formed outside the seal ring.
US08035195B2

A semiconductor element includes a semiconductor layer having a first doping density, a metallization, and a contact area located between the semiconductor layer and the metallization. The contact area includes at least one first semiconductor area that has a second doping density higher than the first doping density, and at least one second semiconductor area in the semiconductor layer. The second semiconductor area is in contact with the metallization and provides lower ohmic resistance to the metallization than a direct contact between the semiconductor layer and the metallization provides or would provide.
US08035179B2

Microelectronic imagers, methods for packaging microelectronic imagers, and methods for forming electrically conductive through-wafer interconnects in microelectronic imagers are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a microelectronic imaging die can include a microelectronic substrate, an integrated circuit, and an image sensor electrically coupled to the integrated circuit. A bond-pad is carried by the substrate and electrically coupled to the integrated circuit. An electrically conductive through-wafer interconnect extends partially through the substrate and is in contact with the bond-pad. The interconnect can include a passage extending partially through the substrate to the bond-pad, a dielectric liner deposited into the passage and in contact with the substrate, a conductive layer deposited onto at least a portion of the dielectric liner, a wetting agent deposited onto at least a portion of the conductive layer, and a conductive fill material deposited into the passage and electrically coupled to the bond-pad.
US08035173B2

An NFET containing a first high-k dielectric portion and a PFET containing a second high-k gate dielectric portion are formed on a semiconductor substrate. A gate sidewall nitride is formed on the gate of the NFET, while the sidewalls of the PFET remain free of the gate sidewall nitride. An oxide spacer is formed directly on the sidewalls of a PFET gate stack and on the gate sidewall nitride on the NFET. After high temperature processing, the first and second dielectric portions contain a non-stoichiometric oxygen deficient high-k dielectric material. The semiconductor structure is subjected to an anneal in an oxygen environment, during which oxygen diffuses through the oxide spacer into the second high-k dielectric portion. The PFET comprises a more stoichiometric high-k dielectric material and the NFET comprises a less stoichiometric high-k dielectric material. Threshold voltages of the PFET and the NFET are optimized by the present invention.
US08035156B2

A method is disclosed for making a non-volatile memory cell on a semiconductor substrate. A select gate structure is formed over the substrate. The control gate structure has a sidewall. An epitaxial layer is formed on the substrate in a region adjacent to the sidewall. A charge storage layer is formed over the epitaxial layer. A control gate is formed over the charge storage layer. This allows for in-situ doping of the epitaxial layer under the select gate without requiring counterdoping. It is beneficial to avoid counterdoping because counterdoping reduces charge mobility and increases the difficulty in controlling threshold voltage. Additionally there may be formed a recess in the substrate and the epitaxial layer is formed in the recess, and a halo implant can be performed, prior to forming the epitaxial layer, through the recess into the substrate in the area under the select gate.
US08035153B2

A method for fabricating a memory device with a self-aligned trap layer which is optimized for scaling is disclosed. In the present invention, a non-conformal film is deposited over the charge trapping layer to form a thick film on top of the core source/drain region and a pinch off and a void or a narrow channel at the top of the STI trench. An etch is performed on the non-conformal film to open pinch-off or widen the narrow channel in the non-conformal. The trapping layer is then completely or partially etched between the core cells. The non-conformal film is removed. And a top oxide is formed. The top oxide converts the remaining trap layer to oxide if the trapping layer is partially etched and thus isolate the trap layer.
US08035144B2

The invention relates to image sensors produced on a thinned silicon substrate. To limit the optical crosstalk between adjacent filters and, notably filters of different colors, the invention proposes positioning, between the adjacent filters of different colors (FR, FB, FV), a wall (20) of a material tending to reflect the light so that the light arriving obliquely on a determined filter corresponding to a first pixel does not tend to pass toward an adjacent filter or toward a photosensitive zone corresponding to an adjacent pixel but is returned by the wall to the first filter or the photosensitive zone corresponding to the first pixel. The wall is preferably made of a material with a high reflection coefficient such as aluminium and it is sunk depthwise into the thinned semiconductor layer (16), preferably in p+ diffusions formed in the layer if it is of p-type.
US08035141B2

A semiconductor structure including a bi-layer nFET embedded stressor element is disclosed. The bi-layer nFET embedded stressor element can be integrated into any CMOS process flow. The bi-layer nFET embedded stressor element includes an implant damaged free first layer of a first epitaxy semiconductor material having a lattice constant that is different from a lattice constant of a semiconductor substrate and imparts a tensile strain in a device channel of an nFET gate stack. Typically, and when the semiconductor is composed of silicon, the first layer of the bi-layer nFET embedded stressor element is composed of Si:C. The bi-layer nFET embedded stressor element further includes a second layer of a second epitaxy semiconductor material that has a lower resistance to dopant diffusion than the first epitaxy semiconductor material. Typically, and when the semiconductor is composed of silicon, the second layer of the bi-layer nFET embedded stressor element is composed of silicon. Only the second layer of the bi-layer nFET embedded stressor element includes the implanted source/drain regions.
US08035131B2

A method for forming a nitride semiconductor laminated structure includes forming a first layer that is an n-type or i-type first layer composed of a group III nitride semiconductor using an H2 carrier gas; forming a second layer by laminating a p-type second layer composed of a group III nitride semiconductor and containing Mg on the first layer using an H2 carrier gas; and forming a third layer that is an n-type or i-type third layer composed of a group III nitride semiconductor on the second layer using an H2 carrier gas after forming the second layer. A method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor device includes the method steps for forming the nitride semiconductor laminated structure.
US08035128B2

There is provided a semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the same whose withstanding characteristic may be enhanced and whose ON resistance may be reduced. A MIS-type HEMT includes a carrier traveling layer made of a group-III nitride semiconductor and formed on a supporting substrate, a carrier supplying layer made of a group-III nitride semiconductor and formed on the carrier traveling layer, source and drain electrodes formed on the carrier supplying layer, insulating films formed on the carrier supplying layer and a gate electrode formed on the insulating films. The insulating film is formed in a region interposed between the source and drain electrodes and has a trench whose cross-section is inverted trapezoidal and whose upper opening is wider than a bottom thereof. The gate electrode is formed at least from the bottom of the trench onto the insulating films on the side of the drain electrode.
US08035120B2

A semiconductor light emitting device capable of improving the light extraction efficiency while preventing deterioration of the light emission characteristic with time and a semiconductor light emitting device assembly including the semiconductor light emitting device are provided. The semiconductor light emitting device includes a semiconductor light emitting element containing a metal element, a cap portion formed from a material which contains a sulfur or halogen element and which is capable of transmitting the light from the semiconductor light emitting element, and a shielding film which is disposed between the semiconductor light emitting element and the cap portion, which transmits the light from the semiconductor light emitting element to the cap portion, and which separates the semiconductor light emitting element side and the cap portion side.
US08035119B2

A discontinuity-containing, light-diffusing substrate is placed within an LED light source. In one embodiment, the substrate is placed between an LED light source and a light guide. The light diffusing substrate may include a plurality of air bubbles, grooves or both, effective to mix the colored light and yield a white light exiting the light guide. Methods of constructing optical devices and light sources having a bubble-containing substrate are also disclosed.
US08035115B2

A semiconductor apparatus includes a substrate; and a plurality of semiconductor thin films formed on said substrate, each of said semiconductor thin films having a pn-junction, and electrodes of p-type and n-type for injecting carriers to the pn-junction, wherein said semiconductor thin films are formed so that all or a part of said pn-junctions are connected serially. As different from a semiconductor thin film constituted of a single pn-junction, the light emission with the invented semiconductor apparatus is the summation of the light emission intensities of the entire pn-junctions, so that the light emitting intensity can be increased largely.
US08035114B2

An optical device includes: a surface-emitting type semiconductor laser section; at least one isolation section formed above the surface-emitting type semiconductor laser section; and a photodetector section formed above the isolation section, wherein the surface-emitting type semiconductor laser section includes a first mirror, an active layer formed above the first mirror and a second mirror formed above the active layer, the photodetector section includes a first contact layer, a photoabsorption layer formed above the first contact layer and a second contact layer formed above the photoabsorption layer, and the isolation section includes a first isolation layer of a conductivity type different from a conductivity type of the second mirror, and a second isolation layer formed above the first isolation layer and having a conductivity type different from the conductivity type of the first contact layer and the first isolation layer.
US08035111B2

Monolithic electronic devices are providing including a high bandgap layer. A first type of nitride device is provided on a first portion of the high bandgap layer, the first nitride device including first and second implanted regions respectively defining source and drain regions of the first type of nitride device. A second type of nitride device, different from the first type of nitride device, is provided on a second portion of the high bandgap layer, the second type of nitride device including an implanted highly conductive region. At least a portion of the implanted highly conductive region of the second type of nitride device is coplanar with at least a portion of both the first and second implanted regions of the first type of nitride device.
US08035102B2

An improved display substrate is provided to reduce surface defects on insulating layers of organic thin film transistors. Related methods of manufacture are also provided. In one example, a display substrate includes a base, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of gate lines, a pixel defined by the data lines and the gate lines, an organic thin film transistor, and a pixel electrode. The data lines are on the base and are oriented in a first direction. The gate lines are oriented in a second direction that crosses the first direction. The organic thin film transistor includes a source electrode electrically connected to one of the data lines, a gate electrode electrically connected to one of the gate lines, and an organic semiconductor layer. The pixel electrode is disposed in the pixel and electrically connected to the organic thin film transistor. The pixel electrode comprises a transparent oxynitride.
US08035094B2

A method for measuring the physical characteristics of a component includes associating a component with the system such that the component is positioned within the retention mount and operating the system to cause the light source to emit a collimated light beam along a source optical path, where the collimated light beam is reflected to cause a reflected collimated light beam to propagate along a sensor optical path to be incident upon the component to produce a component silhouette where the sensing device generates data responsive to the silhouette. The image data is processed to generate resultant data responsive to the component, wherein the resultant data is further responsive to at least one of a smoothing algorithm, a functional size algorithm and a centering algorithm.
US08035091B2

A passive outdoor millimeter wave illuminator for use with a concealed object detection system is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the illuminator includes a panel having a plurality of horizontal louvers each having reflective properties for reflecting millimeter wave energy from the sky to a target and a pair of rear support arms for biasing the panel upwards. The illuminator further includes a base wherein a lower portion of the panel is rotatably mounted to a front edge of the base and the rear edge of the base is fixed to a lower end of the rear support so that the panel is capable of rotatable motion in a horizontal plane relative to the base. In addition, a slidable bushing engaged with a portion of the rear support arms is frictionally operable as to maintain the panel at the desired angle.
US08035087B2

The present invention is an electromagnetic controller assembly for use in ion implantation apparatus, and provides a structural construct and methodology which can be employed for three recognizably separate and distinct functions: (i) To adjust the trajectory of charged particles carried within any type of traveling ion beam which is targeted at a plane of implantation or a work surface for the placement of charged ions into a prepared workpiece (such as a silicon wafer or flat glass panel); (ii) concurrently, to alter and change the degree of parallelism of the ions in the traveling beam; and (iii) concurrently, to control the uniformity of the current density along the transverse direction of traveling ion beams, regardless of whether the beams are high-aspect, continuous ribbon ion beams or alternatively are scanned ribbon ion beams.
US08035082B2

A sample is evaluated at a high throughput by reducing axial chromatic aberration and increasing the transmittance of secondary electrons. Electron beams emitted from an electron gun 1 are irradiated onto a sample 7 through a primary electro-optical system, and electrons consequently emitted from the sample are detected by a detector 12 through a secondary electro-optical system. A Wien filter 8 comprising a multi-pole lens for correcting axial chromatic aberration is disposed between a magnification lens 10 in the secondary electro-optical system and a beam separator 5 for separating a primary electron beam and a secondary electron beam, for correcting axial chromatic aberration caused by an objective lens 14 which comprises an electromagnetic lens having a magnetic gap defined on a sample side.
US08035069B2

A physical information acquisition method in which a corresponding wavelength region of visible light with at least one visible light detection unit coupled to an image signal processing unit is detected, each said visible light detection unit comprising a color filter adapted to transmit the corresponding wavelength region of visible light; a wavelength region of infrared light with at least one infrared light detection unit coupled to the image signal processing unit is detected; and, with the signal processing unit, a first signal received from the at least one visible light detection unit by subtracting a product from said first signal is corrected, said product resulting from multiplication of a second signal received from the at least one infrared light detection unit and a predetermined coefficient factor.
US08035063B2

A power control system for an electric cooktop. The power level is set by a knob connected to a potentiometer. Potentiometer information is digitally communicated by a controller over a serial communication bus to a power unit. The power unit communicates power level display information back to the controller over the same serial communication bus. The display information is displayed as numbers on a digital display by the controller. The power unit controls a heating element of the cooktop according to the potentiometer information. A second potentiometer can be added to control a second heating element by operating as a slave to the first controller. Further, multiple heating elements can be controlled by a single potentiometer by dividing the angular rotation into multiple segments or ranges.
US08035061B2

A hairdressing device is designed to heat a hair at different temperatures. The device includes first and second arms coupled together by a hinge so that the arms can be closed together when pressed toward each other, each of the first and second arms including a grip portion and a head portion extending from the grip portion. The first arm includes a first heat generating body having at least one electric heater arranged in the head portion for heating a hair. The second arm includes a second heat generating body having two electric heaters arranged side by side in the head portion for heating the hair at different temperatures and a digital display part provided on an outer surface of the second arm for indicating information on a permanent to be performed.
US08035050B1

A deformable cap for a computer pointing device is provided that may be particularly useful for miniature joystick-type pointing devices such as the TrackPoin™ and ScrollPoint™ devices manufactured by the IBM corporation of Armonk, N.Y. When an operator places a fingertip on the cap, the cap deforms thereby advantageously increasing the surface area of contact between the cap and the fingertip. All embodiments of the cap are placed on an upper portion of a control stick of the pointing device. A first embodiment of the cap includes a bottom support, a disc, a plurality of wire supports, and an elastic cover that overlays the disc and wire supports. An inner surface of the cover may be scored to ensure repeatable deformation of the cap. A spring may be attached to a lower surface of the disc to assist the cap in regaining its original shape once the operator's fingertip is removed. A second embodiment of the cap includes a bottom support, a plurality of wire supports, and an elastic cover overlaying the wire supports. An inner surface of the cover may be scored. The cap may be hollow or may be filled with a deformable material. A third embodiment of the cap includes a bottom support and an elastic cover in which an inner surface of the cover may be scored. The cap may be hollow or may be filled with a deformable material.
US08035046B2

A control device (1) for a bicycle for providing at least one electrical-electronic command to at least one bicycle component is provided, comprising a support body (2), at least one switch (47, 48), and a respective manual actuation member (34, 35, 70), the switch (47, 48) and the respective manual actuation member (34, 35, 70) are included in a switch unit (30) so as to be integrally removable from the support body (2). By so including said components (47, 48, 34, 35, 70) in a self-standing switch unit (30), in the case of a failure or malfunction of the switch (47, 48), the switch unit (30) can be easily inspected and possibly replaced.
US08035035B2

A multi-layer wiring board without a core substrate includes: a multi-layer laminated structure; first terminals provided on a front surface of the multi-layer laminated structure; second terminals provided on a rear surface of the multi-layer laminated structure; a solder resist which covers the rear surface and which has solder resist openings formed at positions corresponding to the second terminals; a reinforcing plate which is made of a non-metal material and which has reinforcing plate openings formed at positions corresponding to the second terminals; and an adhesive layer interposed between the solder resist and the reinforcing plate to fix the reinforcing plate to the solder resist and which includes adhesive layer openings formed at positions corresponding to the second terminals. A diameter of the solder resist openings and a diameter of the reinforcing plate openings are smaller than that of the adhesive layer openings.
US08035034B2

A printed circuit board includes a base and a signal trace laid on the base. The signal trace includes a plurality of straight line segments parallel to the first fibers. The signal trace is laid on the base in such a manner that the line segments of the signal trace mapped on the base partly superpose the first fibers and partly superpose gaps between two adjacent first fibers.
US08035031B2

A system for data transmission over an electricity distribution network. The system having an electrical apparatus having a shielded cable connected thereto. The cable has a core surrounded by a metallic sheath and armour surrounding the metallic sheath, wherein the armour is disengaged from around the metallic sheath at a position where the cable enters the apparatus and is supported relative to the apparatus at a position spaced from that position such that a portion of the metallic sheath is exposed.
US08035023B2

An entertainment system has a music storage system storing a plurality of music pieces, a playback system coupled with the music storage system, a navigation system providing current map information including a present location, wherein a current map has a plurality of zones each being assigned to one of a plurality of zone types, and a controller for controlling playback of selected music pieces, wherein the controller maintains a plurality of playlists, each having a plurality of music pieces and being assigned to at least one zone type. The controller receives information of a present location and a current zone type and selects an assigned playlist, wherein the navigation system further provides information about a distance and/or time to a next zone. The controller modifies the assigned playlist such that a transition to the next zone is timely synchronized with the ending of a music piece of the assigned playlist.
US08035018B2

A shell for a drum adapted to have at least one drum head fixedly secured thereto, includes at least one sidewall, a height and a plurality of flared vertical slots. The shell is comprised of a plurality of staves spaced from one another to create flared slots. The staves are of rectangular cross section. Each of the flared slots may be extends in length a major portion of the height of the drum shell. The flared slots may be non-linear or horizontally directed. Filler elements may be located within at least one of the slots.
US08035016B2

Provided are methods and compositions for inhibiting expression of one or more target genes. The compositions contain RNA polynucleotides that can inhibit expression of a target gene via RNA interference (RNAi) electrostatically complexed with surface functionalized gold nanorods (GNRs). The RNA polynucleotides are not covalently bound to the surface functionalized GNRs. The method involves inhibiting expression of a target gene in an individual. The method is performed by administering to the individual an effective amount of a composition containing surface functionalized GNRs electrostatically complexed with RNA polynucleotides, such as siRNA, that can inhibit expression of the target gene via RNAi. The siRNA is not covalently bound to the surface functionalized GNRs.
US08035012B2

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH776843. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH776843, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH776843 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH776843.
US08035004B1

A soybean cultivar designated 98193227 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 98193227, to the plants of soybean 98193227, to plant parts of soybean cultivar 98193227, and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar 98193227 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars, or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean variety 98193227, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 98193227, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar 98193227 with another soybean cultivar.
US08035002B2

A soybean cultivar designated 7702022 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 7702022, to the plants of soybean 7702022, to plant parts of soybean cultivar 7702022, and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar 7702022 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars, or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean variety 7702022, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 7702022, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar 7702022 with another soybean cultivar.
US08034993B2

The present invention is directed to plants that display an improved oil quantity phenotype or an improved meal quality phenotype due to altered expression of an IMQ nucleic acid. The invention is further directed to methods of generating plants with an improved oil quantity phenotype or improved meal quality phenotype.
US08034989B2

High temperature reaction of halogen-containing carbon, boron, silicon and nitrogen compounds with other compounds generates energy.
US08034981B2

A modified bio-related substance, wherein at least one poly(alkylene glycol)oxy group represented by the following formula (1) is combined in a molecule: wherein R is a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 24 carbon atoms, OA1 and OA2 are each an oxyalkylene group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, the groups represented by R are the same or different from each other in one molecule, and the groups represented by OA2 are the same or different from each other in one molecule, n and m are each average number of moles of the oxyalkylene group added, n represents 0 to 1000, and m represents 10 to 1000.
US08034979B2

The present invention generally relates to a process for preparing the alkoxylated alkylamines and/or alkyl ether amines. The process consists of three stages, and utilizes an alkali catalyst. The alkoxylated alkyl amines and alkoxylated alkyl ether amines prepared by the process possess the peaked distribution and contain less hazardous by-product.
US08034975B2

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a highly pure ammonium succinate solution including the steps of (A) producing calcium succinate trihydrate by crystallization fermentation of a microorganism; (B) converting calcium succinate trihydrate to calcium succinate monohydrate by transition crystallization; (C) separating the calcium succinate monohydrate crystals; (D) substituting the calcium salt in the calcium succinate monohydrate with ammonium salt resulting in an ammonium succinate solution; and (E) removing the solid calcium carbonate from the ammonium succinate solution.
US08034971B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a method capable of producing a 1,2-phenylethane compound with extremely high yield in a short amount of time. Disclosed is a method for producing a 1,2-phenylethane compound, which comprises subjecting a compound represented by formula (I): wherein Ra represents a hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group; Rb represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent; n represents an integer of 1 to 5 and, when n is 2 or more, Rb may be the same or different, or may be combined with each other to form a ring; and X represents a halogen atom; to a coupling reaction in the presence of a transition metal complex to produce a compound represented by formula (II):
US08034967B2

A method of producing a purified ester-substituted phenol stream is provided. The method includes a first step of obtaining from a melt transesterification reaction a byproduct stream containing a residual ester-substituted diaryl carbonate, an ester-substituted phenol, a residual melt transesterification catalyst, and a catalyst degradation product. A second step includes treating the reaction byproduct stream to separate ester-substituted phenol and catalyst degradation product from residual ester-substituted diaryl carbonate and residual melt transesterification catalyst to create a light recycle stream containing ester-substituted phenol and catalyst degradation product and a heavy recycle stream containing residual ester-substituted diaryl carbonate and residual melt transesterification catalyst. A third step includes treating the light recycle stream to reduce catalyst degradation product concentration thereby producing a purified ester-substituted phenol stream.
US08034966B1

The present invention provides a process for the synthesis of substituted arylureidophenoxymethylpropionic acid and related compounds including bifunctional and tetrafunctional derivatives. The compounds are useful for inhibiting the formation of AGEs (Aminaglycation end products).
US08034965B2

Disclosed are a radiation-polymerizable functional group-containing organosilicon compound, including (A) a norbornane skeleton structure, (B) a hydrolyzable silyl group bonded directly to the norbornane skeleton structure, and (C) a radiation-polymerizable functional group bonded to the norbornane skeleton structure, either directly or via a carbon atom, a hetero atom, or a combination thereof, and a method of producing the radiation-polymerizable functional group-containing organosilicon compound. Also disclosed are a haloalkyl group-containing organosilicon compound, including (D) a norbornane skeleton structure, (E) a hydrolyzable silyl group bonded directly to the norbornane skeleton structure, and (F) a haloalkyl group, which is bonded directly to the norbornane skeleton structure and either contains or does not contain a hetero atom, and a method of producing the haloalkyl group-containing organosilicon compound. These organosilicon compounds are useful as silane coupling agents having superior heat resistance stability.
US08034956B2

An ionic liquid formed of a cationic component and an anionic component characterized in that the cationic component contains fluorine atoms. When defects of an oxide film formed on the surface of a metal are anodized by a two-electrode system under existence of the ionic liquid, a current-voltage curve being obtained by applying a forward voltage from 0 V at a constant voltage rate of 1 V/s has an initial peak voltage and gives a withstand voltage of 50 V or above. This ionic liquid does not evaporate easily, exhibits hydrophobicity and low hygroscopicity, and has excellent metal oxide film-repairing ability.
US08034949B2

The present invention relates to a novel pyrrolidine compound, which has a potent antagonistic activity against central cannabinoid (CB1) receptor, having the formula [I]: wherein each of R1 and R2 is (A) optionally substituted aryl (or heteroaryl) group, or (B) both of the groups combine to form a group of the formula: one of R3 and R4 is hydrogen and another is hydrogen, hydroxyl, hydroxyalkyl, etc., or both of R3 and R4 combine to form oxo group, R5 is hydrogen or alkyl, Y is single bond, oxygen atom or a group of the formula: —N(R7)—, R6 is optionally substituted hydrocarbon group or optionally substituted cyclic group, R7 is alkyl or alkyloxycarbonylalkyl, provided that R6 is not 4-amino-5-chloro-2-methoxyphenyl group when Y is single bond and one of the R3 and R4 is hydrogen and another is hydroxymethyl, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US08034945B2

The invention relates to a 4-phenyl-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydroquinoline derivative according to Formula (I), wherein the substituents are defined as in the description, or a pharmaceutically salt thereof. The compounds of this invention are potent FSH receptor activators and may be used for treating fertility disorders in e.g. controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and IVF procedures.
US08034934B2

Disclosed is a process for producing an ortho-metalated 1:3 complex of iridium with homoligands which is useful as a luminous material for an organic EL device in high yield at high purity in a short time by a simple procedure. An example of the complex is tris(2-phenylpyridine)iridium(III) and this complex can be produced by reacting iridium(III) acetylacetonate with an organic ligand consisting of 2-phenylpyridine in the copresence of an acidic substance, either an organic acid such as tartaric acid or an inorganic acid such as phosphoric acid.
US08034931B2

A process for producing a substituted aminoquinazolinone derivative of formula (I), characterized by reducing a substituted iminoquinazolinone derivative of formula (II) with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst and either of a halogen compound and a sulfur compound; a substituted iminoquinazolinone derivative of formula (II′); and a pest control agent containing the derivative of formula (II′) or a salt thereof as an active ingredient and a method of using the same (in the formulae, R represents hydrogen, formyl, (C1-C6) alkyl, (C1-C6)alkoxy(C1-C3)alkyl, (C1-C6) alkylsulfonyl, optionally substituted phenylcarbonyl, etc.; R1 represents an optionally substituted, 5- or 6-membered heterocycle having one to three heteroatoms selected among oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen; R2 represents hydrogen or (C1-C3) alkyl; X and X′ may be the same or different and each represents (C1-C6) haloalkyl, (C1-C6) haloalkoxy, etc.; n is an integer of 0; and n′ is an integer of 1-4).
US08034927B2

Chemically reactive carbocyanine dyes that are intramolecularly crosslinked between the 1-position and 3′-position, their bioconjugates and their uses are described. 1,3′-crosslinked carbocyanines are superior to those of conjugates of spectrally similar 1,1′-crosslinked or non-crosslinked dyes. The invention includes derivative compounds having one or more benzo nitrogens.
US08034926B2

A process for preparing a crystalline rapamycin analog includes: combining the rapamycin analog with an organic medium to form a mixture; incubating the mixture until the rapamycin analog crystallizes; and recovering the crystalline rapamycin analog. The organic medium can be a solvent, and the process can include causing the rapamycin analog to dissolve into the solvent, and incubating the solvent until the rapamycin analog crystallizes. The following can also be performed: forming a slurry of crystalline rapamycin analog; stirring the rapamycin analog mixture until the rapamycin analog crystallizes; saturating the rapamycin analog solution; forming a supersaturated rapamycin analog solution; combining an antisolvent with the rapamycin analog and the solvent to form a biphasic mixture, and incubating the biphasic mixture to cause a liquid-liquid phase split.
US08034913B2

Polynucleotides and polypeptides relating to a recombinantly-modified plasmin(ogen) molecule are provided. The plasmin(ogen) molecule has a single kringle domain N-terminal to the activation site present in the native human plasminogen molecule, and exhibits lysine-binding and significant enzymatic characteristics associated with the native enzyme.
US08034912B2

The present invention provides massively parallel oligonucleotide synthesis and purification for applications that utilize large collections of defined high-fidelity oligonucleotides (e.g., from about 101 to about 105 different sequences, generally between 25-160 bases in length).
US08034908B2

Novel glycolipid derivatives, where the substituent of the sphingosine base part is a short carbon chain alkyl group, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group, substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group and efficient synthetic methods for practical mass production of the same and intermediates useful for the synthesis of these compounds.Glycolipids having the formula (I): where R3 indicates a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C7 linear alkyl group, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group, substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, or substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group and R8 indicates a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C35 alkyl group, substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group are chemically synthesized.
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