US08051493B2
A method of determining the position of a probe tip. An evanescent electromagnetic field is generated extending beyond an interface boundary between a first medium, having a first refractive index, and a second medium, having a second refractive index which is greater than the first refractive index, the interface boundary extending in a plane. A probe tip is positioned in the evanescent field in the first medium thereby causing propagating electromagnetic radiation to be produced as a result of the disruption of the evanescent field by the probe tip, and at least a portion of the propagating electromagnetic radiation is collected. The spatial intensity distribution of the collected radiation is detected with respect to an image plane. An at least one dimensional position of the probe tip in a probe tip plane is determined from the detected spatial intensity distribution, the probe tip plane being a plane which contains the probe tip and which is substantially parallel to the plane of the interface boundary.
US08051490B2
There is provided a computer system comprising a storage system, a terminal, a management server and the terminal, and a positioning module for identifying a location of the terminal. The terminal identifies the location of the terminal by the positioning module in a case of using the data, transmits terminal information including the identified location of the terminal to the management server; and transmits a usage request for the data to the management server. The management server judges whether or not use of the data is to be permitted based on the terminal information, and transmits permit information including usage conditions for the data to the terminal in a case where the use of the data is to be permitted. The terminal selects at least one of the volatile storage area and the nonvolatile storage area based on the usage conditions, and stores the copy of the data therein.
US08051471B2
An information processing device, comprising a reading unit that reads, from a recording medium that records information relevant to authentication, the information relevant to authentication, an acquisition unit that acquires information about a contact destination designated in association with the recording medium, when reading of the information from the recording medium by the reading unit remains continuously possible during a period of time between completion of a process instructed by a user who is authenticated based on the information recorded in the recording medium and elapse of a predetermined period of time after the completion, and a transmission unit that sends predetermined information to the contact destination specified by the acquired information.
US08051468B2
This invention discloses a system for determining whether a purported or alleged authorized user is in fact the authorized user, by comparing new data on a real-time basis against probability distribution representations including an authorized user probability distribution representation and a global or wide population probability distribution representation, to provide a probability as to whether the purported authorized user is the authorized user. This invention may utilize keyboard dynamics, data, X-Y device data, or other data from similar measurable characteristics, to determine the probability that the new data from the purported authorized user indicates or identifies that user as the authorized user.
US08051465B1
Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF) and other types of fraudulent submission in an electronic environment can be mitigated using state information that typically is already maintained for various users. Each submission requiring authentication includes a state identifier (ID). The state ID is compared to corresponding a state ID submitted in a relatively secure format, such as in a secure token or cookie. If the state ID matches a state ID in the secure token received from the user, and the state ID is valid, the submission is processed. Otherwise an interstitial page, including the state ID and a secure token, is generated to prompt the user to confirm the submission. A subsequent confirmation submission will contain the proper state ID and the new cookie, and can be processed. If no confirmation is received from the user with a valid state ID, the submission is not processed.
US08051461B2
A system and method for establishing a secured connection between home network devices are provided. Particularly, a system and method for establishing a secured connection between a home network including a plurality of non-secured Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) devices and a secured external UPnP device by creating virtual UPnP devices for the respective corresponding non-secured UPnP devices are provided. The system for establishing a secured connection between home network devices includes a virtual UPnP device creation unit which creates a secured virtual UPnP device for a non-secured UPnP device, an information storage unit which stores correspondence information regarding the non-secured UPnP device and the virtual UPnP device, and a secured communication unit which securely communicates with a secured UPnP device with reference to the correspondence information.
US08051460B2
A new approach to network security includes manipulating an access point such that an initial communication from an external device is passed to a restricted subset of a computing network including a gatekeeper. The gatekeeper is configured to enforce a security policy against the external device before granting access to a less-restricted subset of the computing network. If requirements of the security policy are satisfied, then the gatekeeper reconfigures the access point such that further communication from the external device may be received by elements of the less-restricted subset. Enforcement of the security policy optionally includes performing a security audit of the external device.
US08051456B2
A broadcasting program storing method of a mobile communication terminal and a mobile communication terminal using the same are disclosed. The method includes according to an embodiment allocating and storing a presently receiving broadcasting stream to and in at least one time section of a plurality of time sections while playing a broadcasting stream, and selecting at least one time section from the plural time sections to reproduce a broadcasting stream allocated to the selected time section. Thus, the broadcasting stream can be stored in real time while viewing the broadcasting program and the stored broadcasting stream can be easily searched for or reproduced.
US08051454B2
A personal media broadcasting system enables video distribution over a computer network and allows a user to view and control media sources over a computer network from a remote location. A personal broadcaster receives an input from one or more types of media sources, digitizes and compresses the content, and streams the compressed media over a computer network to a media player running on any of a wide range of client devices for viewing the media. The system may allow the user to issue control commands (e.g., “channel up”) from the media player to the broadcaster, causing the source device to execute the commands. The broadcaster and the media player may employ several techniques for buffering, transmitting, and viewing the content to improve the user's experience.
US08051453B2
A handheld electronic device for use at a venue hosting a live sporting event, having a receiver for receiving a wireless RF transmission conveying a plurality of video streams derived from video cameras filming the live sporting event, a display and a user interface for selecting a video stream among the plurality of video streams to be displayed on the display. The handheld electronic device is capable to acquire a locked mode of operation and an unlocked mode of operation, in the locked mode of operation the handheld electronic device being precluded from displaying the video streams to a spectator, in the unlocked mode of operation the handheld electronic device being enabled to display the video streams to the spectator, the handheld electronic device capable to acquire the unlocked mode of operation in response to reception of authentication data wirelessly transmitted to the handheld electronic device.
US08051450B2
An electronic program guide (EPG) organizes and presents programming information to the viewer and allows for creation of queries to facilitate both simple and complex searches of the programming information. The EPG is configured to automatically identify programs that a viewer is likely to prefer. The EPG collects viewing preferences of a viewer and, using these preferences; automatically develops queries for identifying programs that the viewer is likely to watch. The EPG also enables multiple viewers to merge their individual queries into one composite query or to run queries in background to periodically check for programs and notify the viewer when a program is identified. Queries are saved in an EPG database in a hierarchic structure with directories and sub-directories to make it easy for a viewer for organizing and retrieval. Also the EPG creates queries for a channel, network name or program using a 10-key keypad. The EPG is configured to interpret the data as representing all possible choices.
US08051446B1
Creating semantic summaries and abstractions of video requires high level knowledge of the domain of the video. Obtaining this high level information without human intervention is problematic. A method of producing video summaries and abstractions is provided where high level knowledge necessary for meaningful summarization is obtained from existing sources such as the worldwide web or an electronic programming guide. With this information, the summarization system can automatically identify significant events or subjects and extract video related to these events or subjects.
US08051444B2
In an automatic, computer-implemented method, a selected television advertisement is presented automatically in association with a television program or channel. A relationship is identified between an online user profile and the television program or channel, and the television advertisement is selected based at least in part on information from the online user profile. The selected television advertisement is presented, in association with the television program or channel that is identified as being related to the online user profile, via a set-top box having a corresponding set-top box identifier that is associated with the online user profile.
US08051443B2
A method and apparatus for content substitution, consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention involves receiving data representing content, the data having at least first and second packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with first and second portions of content. The content having the first PID is placed into a data stream. An initiation flag is received indicating initiation of a PID mapping operation. The content having the second PID is then mapped to the first PID and the mapped content is placed into the data stream. A termination flag is received indicating termination of the PID mapping operation at which point the process returns to placing content having the first PID into the data stream. The content substitution process can be used to replace advertisements, provide multiple plots, multiple endings, multiple views as well as other applications. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US08051438B2
A method for transporting discs, A disc transporting device and a drawer type disc transporting device are disclosed. The disc transporting device comprises a lifting mechanism, a swing mechanism and a control element, wherein the lifting mechanism further comprises a clipper element, a drive element and a rotational connection element, the swing mechanism further comprises a corresponding connection element and a swing rotation element. The clipper element can grab at least one disc. The drive element is coupled with the clipper element and drives the lifting mechanism. The rotational connection element engages with the drive element; the corresponding connection element of the swing mechanism corresponds to the rotational connection element to enable the lifting mechanism going up/down along the swing mechanism. The control element engages with the swing rotation element of the swing mechanism to control the swing mechanism. Hence, the clipper element of the lifting mechanism grabs the disc and the drive element drives the lifting mechanism to go up and down. The control element controls the swing mechanism to swing the lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism for holding the disc can go up/down. The grabbed disc is swung back and forth controlled by the swing mechanism.
US08051435B2
Software for dynamically previewing changes to hardware driver settings for a graphics adapter is disclosed. Changes to the driver settings are dynamically previewed by forcing an executable graphics program module to load hardware parameter settings as changed, and drawing a region reflecting the changes using the executable graphics program library. The graphics program module may be forced to load new settings as a result of being newly instantiated. Conveniently, a preview region reflecting changes may be drawn in place of an already existing preview region.
US08051425B2
Systems and methods are provided for reducing latency in distributed systems by executing commands as sufficient information and system resources become available. In one embodiment, commands in a transaction include dependency information and an execution engine is configured to execute the commands as the dependencies become satisfied. In some embodiments, the commands also include priority information. If sufficient resources are not available to execute two or more commands with satisfied dependencies, the execution engine determines an order for executing the commands based at least in part on the priority information. In one embodiment, time-intensive commands are assigned a higher priority than commands that are expected to take less time to execute.
US08051417B2
In an embodiment of the invention, an apparatus and method for a target thread selection in a multi-threaded process perform the steps of receiving a signal that may or may not be masked by threads in the process; and searching a thread subset for a target thread that can handle the signal. A signal daemon may search for the target thread if the target thread is not found in the thread subset.
US08051413B2
A method and apparatus for reducing a memory footprint of an embedded system. The method may include analyzing packages installed in a root file system of the embedded system, and determining which package components are not required for the operation of the embedded system. The method further includes reducing a memory footprint of the embedded system based on the above determination.
US08051410B2
An apparatus migrates and/or converts any source application working on any platform into a format of any target platform. It comprises an inputting means for accepting the entire source code of sample part in ASCII to analyze the business logic of the source application and corresponding data; an analyzing means for analyzing the source schemes; a setting up means for generating (updating or creating) custom knowledge base; a processing means for conversion of source code in format of target specification; and A documenting means for generation of reports during review of the process stage and a summary report after the end of the conversion process, which consists of the code that is not converted automatically.
US08051407B2
A method for controlling a software maintenance process in a software system landscape has a plurality of logical systems, wherein independent service software components are executed in a central control system and used to perform actions of the software maintenance process for servicing the logical systems. The service software components communicate with a phase controller that coordinates the software service components and allows and denies actions based on a phase of the software maintenance process and on phase definitions comprising allowed and/or barred actions.
US08051397B2
Method and system for conducting design explorations of an integrated circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes obtaining a design description of the integrated circuit that includes a virtual design block, creating a representative netlist for representing the virtual design block, where the representative netlist includes one or more soft design models, and each soft design model comprises one or more template cells for modeling a portion of the integrated circuit. The method further includes defining physical attributes for the one or more soft design models in accordance with area requirements of the virtual design block, where the one or more soft design models are described with flexible shape and pin locations, performing design explorations of the integrated circuit using the one or more soft design models and their corresponding template cells, and generating a representative implementation of the integrated circuit using results of the design explorations.
US08051392B2
A method for forming masks for manufacturing a circuit includes providing a design of the circuit, wherein the circuit comprises a device; performing a first logic operation to determine a first region for forming a first feature of the device; and performing a second logic operation to expand the first feature to a second region greater than the first region. The pattern of the second region may be used to form the masks.
US08051391B2
Exemplary embodiments provide a method for laying out an integrated circuit (“IC”) design and the IC design layout. In one embodiment, the IC design layout can include a first feature placed on a first intersecting point of a grid. The placed first feature can define a local grid area. The local grid area can further include a plurality of local intersecting points having an outer perimeter spaced from any outermost local intersecting point in a spacing ranging from a length of a grid side to a length of a grid diagonal of a grid unit. A second feature can either be restrictively placed on any local intersecting point of the local grid area, or be randomly placed on any location outside the outer perimeter of the local grid area.
US08051390B2
A method of design of a standard cell and a standard cell is disclosed. The method design comprising the steps of: identifying a non-uniformity in a boundary condition of said standard cell that would affect a characteristic of a neighbouring standard cell; introducing a further non-uniformity into said cell to mitigate the effect of said identified non-uniform boundary condition on said characteristic of said neighbouring standard cell.
US08051389B2
A method of using a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to display relationships amongst resources of a system can include illustrating at least two overlapping but separate hierarchies in the same mosaic-like graphic, each hierarchy representing one or more of the relationships amongst the resources.
US08051384B2
An on-site system construction support tool 11 has a display device that displays a configuration example of an on-site system of a plurality of machines 1601-1607, 1610, 1611. The display device opens a process window 1100 having a plurality of process buttons 1101-1112, which identify processes 1501-1511 required for the on-site system, when one of the process buttons is operated, causing the display device to open a setup window 1210, 1220, 1230, 1240, 1250, 1260 for specifying the machine to be used in the associated process. The burden that is imposed on the environment by the on-site system is calculated in accordance with information concerning the fuel consumption of the specified machine and the amount of work and displayed. This makes it possible to flexibly support the construction of the on-site system and calculate a value of the expected environmental burden.
US08051383B2
The graphical controller provides a graphic user interface for monitoring and managing multiple chemical feed constituents, and displays a breakpoint curve specific to water being treated and a given ammonia set point, based on operator input and data from measurement of total chlorine, free chlorine, monochloramine, combined chlorine, ammonia residual, and the like. The graphical interface determines where on the curve the process is, provides immediate visual feedback to the water treatment operator and allows control of chlorine and ammonia feed rates to a fixed or new chloramination and ammonia set point.
US08051378B1
The present invention comprises a generic mechanism for reporting on backup operations. An object is abstracted in order to provide a generic reporting object, and the generic reporting object is displayed by the reporting GUI. The GUI is thus provided for handling any object which is abstracted to the generic format. The generic format is applicable to any number of objects which would otherwise require the GUI to contain code specific for displaying the object.
US08051371B2
A document analysis system which can execute a layout analysis intended by a document provider and an exhaustive title analysis and output the analysis result which can be used by a third person is provided by the present invention. The input unit (11) obtains a structured or semi-structured document and renders it. The basic layout analysis unit (14) obtains the rendering result and analyzes the layout by grouping document description elements juxtaposed in a determined direction by referencing an arrangement of the document description elements. The title analysis unit (15) obtains the rendering result and a title analysis rule from the title analysis rule storing unit (23) and analyzes the title by comparing the name, attribute, style or the content of the document analysis elements with the title analysis rule. The layout analysis unit (16) obtains the layout components and the hierarchical relationship thereof and the titles for generating a new layout by grouping the layout components. The output unit (13) obtains the layout components and the hierarchical relationship thereof, the relationship between the components and the titles, shapes them into a format having an expression which uses the reference to the document description elements and output them.
US08051367B2
The present invention provides means for effectively reducing the amount of data by means of de-duplication in a disk array apparatus having a data guarantee code.A control means for the disk array apparatus that adds a data guarantee code to each logical data block and checks the data guarantee code when reading data has a de-duplication performing function and control means for: generating LA substitution information for a function checking the data guarantee code or read data location address substitution information when performing the de-duplication and storing data; performing the de-duplication using the above-mentioned information when reading data; and thereby avoiding false diagnosis of the data guarantee code check.
US08051352B2
Disclosed herein are exemplary methods, apparatus, and systems for performing timing-aware automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) that can be used, for example, to improve the quality of a test set generated for detecting delay defects or holding time defects. In certain embodiments, timing information derived from various sources (e.g. from Standard Delay Format (SDF) files) is integrated into an ATPG tool. The timing information can be used to guide the test generator to detect the faults through certain paths (e.g., paths having a selected length, or range of lengths, such as the longest or shortest paths). To avoid propagating the faults through similar paths repeatedly, a weighted random method can be used to improve the path coverage during test generation. Experimental results show that significant test quality improvement can be achieved when applying embodiments of timing-aware ATPG to industrial designs.
US08051344B2
The semiconductor memory testing device includes a test signal decoder decoding burn-in test mode signals which generates a first test signal for use in controlling entire main wordlines and which generates a second test signal for use in controlling sub wordlines. When the first and second test signals are in an disabled state, the semiconductor memory testing device also includes a plurality of bank control units generating a multi wordline test mode signal as a multi wordline test signal corresponding to a bank control signal, and simultaneously enabling a plurality of wordlines in accordance to the multi wordline test signal to perform a test. The semiconductor memory testing device reduces a testing time and current consumption and thus enhances a more stable voltage drop when performing continuous multi wordline test on a per bank basis.
US08051340B2
A method of balancing signal interconnect path delays between an analog domain and a digital domain of an integrated circuit includes applying a test signal to a selected one of a plurality of communication paths between the analog domain and the digital domain. A rising edge delay and a falling edge delay of the test signal is equalized by adjusting a body bias voltage of a delay element configured within the selected communication path. A rising edge delay and a falling edge delay for each of the remaining communication paths is compared with the equalized rising edge delay and falling edge delay of the selected communication path, and a body bias voltage for one or more of a plurality of delay elements configured within each of the remaining communication paths is adjusted until corresponding rising and falling edge delays thereof match the equalized rising edge delay and falling edge delay of the selected communication path.
US08051338B2
An apparatus includes a SerDes circuit and a link control block (LCB). The SerDes circuit is a first end of a SerDes circuit pair of a SerDes lane. A SerDes lane includes the SerDes circuit pair coupled by a communications medium. The LCB includes an error tracking circuit and a controller. The controller includes an error recovery module configured to retry a data communication when an error is detected and deactivate the SerDes lane when a rate of errors on the SerDes lane exceeds a threshold error rate value. Other devices, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08051335B1
Lun communications between a storage server and a storage subsystem for a particular lun are assigned both a current path and an alternate path. Lun communications use the current path unless the current path is determined to be faulty. Path errors may result in the storage server determining a path to be faulty. If the current path for a lun communication is determined to be faulty, then the lun communications will be sent through the alternate path so long as the alternate path is determined to be reliable. Over time, a path previously determined to be faulty may recover and be used again for lun communications.
US08051322B2
In a communication system using an IP tunnel for communication between application processing apparatuses (hereinafter, processing apparatuses), an application can be moved to an arbitrary processing apparatus, update of tunnel tables included in the respective processing apparatuses is quickly performed, and a buffer for waiting for packets during the table update is made small. A redundancy managing apparatus manages a correspondence between a virtual IP address (VIP) of an application in a communication system and an IP address (RIP) of an processing apparatus to execute the application. The processing apparatus notifies the VIP of the communication partner application of the application to the redundancy managing apparatus. The redundancy managing apparatus notifies the VIP of the communication partner application of the moved application and the RIP of the processing apparatus to execute the communication partner application to the processing apparatus of the movement destination (failover destination) of the application.
US08051318B2
A method for controlling power in a battery-powered electronic apparatus is disclosed. The electronic apparatus includes a battery, a detection unit and a power consumption estimation unit. The battery supplies electric power to each device within the electronic apparatus. The detection unit periodically detects total power consumption of the electronic apparatus and device information representing an operating state of each device within the electronic apparatus. The power consumption estimation unit estimates power consumption of the each device based on the detected total power consumption and the detected device information of each device.
US08051315B2
Disclosed is an apparatus which deactivates both the AC as well as the DC component of power for various functions in a CPU. The CPU partitions dataflow registers and arithmetic units such that voltage can be removed from the upper portion of dataflow registers when the software is not utilizing same. Clock signals are also prevented from being applied to these non-utilized components. As an example, if a 64 bit CPU (processor unit) is to be used with both 32 and 64 bit software, the mentioned components may be partitioned in equal sized upper and lower portions. The logic signal for activating the removal of voltage may be obtained from a software-accessible architected control register designated as a machine state register in some CPUs. The same logic may be used in connection with removing voltage and clocks from other specialized functional components such as the floating point unit when software instructions do not presently require same.
US08051311B2
A power supply circuit for a CPU includes a first control circuit, a switch circuit, an operational amplifying circuit, and a second control circuit. The first control circuit is connected to a BIOS to receive a CPU identification signal. The switch circuit is connected to the first control circuit, and also connected between a CPU and a PSI pin of a VRM. The operational amplifying circuit is connected to the VRM to receive a current monitor signal output from the VRM. The second control circuit is connected to the operational amplifying circuit, the first control circuit and the PSI pin of the VRM. When the CPU identification signal is at a high level and the current monitor signal output from the VRM is lower than a reference voltage of the operational amplifying circuit, the switch circuit turns off, and the operational amplifying circuit outputs a second control signal to make the PSI pin of the VRM grounded.
US08051306B2
The invention provides a portable computer with shared hardware resources that can be used by other computers. The portable computer includes an interface converter, a control module, a power management module, and a power path switch. When the portable computer is powered off and connected with a computer host through a serial bus interface, the shared hardware resources of the portable computer obtain power from the computer host through the serial bus interface. The interface converter converts data between a shared hardware resource interface format and a serial bus interface format, and enables the shared hardware resources to communicate with the computer host and therefore are employed by the computer host. In one embodiment, the shared hardware resources include a keyboard. In another embodiment, the shared hardware resources include a keyboard and a display.
US08051300B2
Systems and methods for reducing latency on a remotely-booted information handling system are disclosed. A method may include remotely booting an information handling system having a local storage resource. The method may also include establishing, at the start of a session, an encryption key for the local storage resource for use during the session. Additionally, the method may include using the encryption key to encrypt data written to the local storage resource during the session. The method may further include permanently disabling access to the encrypted data written to the local storage resource at the end of the session.
US08051295B2
The presently claimed invention relates generally to digital watermarking of data, e.g., representing video or audio. One claim recites a method including: obtaining data representing video or audio; using a multi-purpose electronic processor programmed for: transforming the data into a transform domain, analyzing the transformed data to identify a plurality of transform coefficients according to predetermined criteria, and altering the identified plurality of transform coefficients to carry a digital watermark; and analyzing the data to determine a baseline state for the digital watermark. Of course, other combinations and claims are provided too.
US08051291B2
Authenticating the source of digital media is performed by using unique, randomly generated variably encoded frequency patterns to create mastering specific, profiles for sets end user media which can be verified by a manufacturer. A method for verifying the authenticity of an optical storage device includes the steps of: reading a randomly generated signature key value for the optical storage device; determining manufacturing information for the optical storage device; and matching read randomly generated signature key values and manufacturing information with known valid key the to determine the authenticity of the device.
US08051285B2
Systems and methods for providing a battery module 110 with secure identity information and authentication of the identity of the battery 110 by a host 120. In one embodiment, the system for providing a battery module with secure identity information includes: (1) a tamper resistant processing environment 200 located within the battery module 110 and (2) a key generator configured to generate a key based on an identity of the battery module 110 and cause the key to be stored within the tamper resistant processing environment 200.
US08051284B2
A system structured from a management device, a content key distribution device and a plurality of terminals suppresses the data volume of a terminal revocation list (TRL). The management device generates and transmits a TRL formed from data that expresses terminal IDs of all terminals to be invalidated, by only a value and a position of a common bit string in the IDs, to the content key distribution device. Each terminal holds a terminal ID that includes a manufacturer ID and a serial number, and requests the distribution of a content key by sending the terminal ID to the content key distribution device. The content key distribution device refers to the TRL, judges whether the terminal ID transmitted from the terminal is that of an invalidated terminal, and if negative, encrypts and transmits the content key to the terminal.
US08051281B2
An operating system startup control method includes the steps of continuing an operation of a program loader for a specific processor among program loaders for the other processors that are started up by turning on of the power supply to the plural processors, while terminating the program loaders for the other processors; starting up an OS bridge that manages a hardware resource shared by the plural processor, using the program loader and starting up an operating system corresponding to the specific processor and another operating system corresponding to the other processors, using the OS bridge that is started up.
US08051276B2
A method and system for thread scheduling for optimal heat dissipation are provided. Temperature sensors measure temperature throughout various parts of a processor chip. The temperatures detected are reported to an operating system or the like for scheduling threads. In one aspect, the observed temperature values are recorded on registers. An operating system or the like reads the registers and schedules threads based on the temperature values.
US08051271B2
Address translation circuitry for translating virtual addresses to physical addresses for a data processor in response to access requests from said data processor targeting virtual addresses is disclosed. The address translation circuitry comprises: a data store comprising a plurality of entries for storing a plurality of mappings of ranges of virtual addresses to ranges of physical addresses for said data processor and additional data associated with each of said plurality of mappings within a table; updating circuitry for updating said table in response to an access request for a virtual address that is not mapped by said table, said updating circuitry being responsive to receipt of a mapping for said virtual address to: select a plurality of entries in said table suitable for storing said received mapping; and determine one of said plurality of selected entries to be overwritten by said received mapping in dependence upon at least a portion of said additional data stored in said one of said plurality of selected entries.
US08051270B2
Memory controller, nonvolatile storage device, nonvolatile storage system, and memory control method
A memory controller for reducing a time to create an address management table during initialization of a memory card. The memory controller includes a read-write memory for temporarily storing the address management table and a second memory controller for writing, in a nonvolatile memory, an address management table temporarily stored in the read-write memory. The second memory controller also writes address range specifying information that specifies an address range, when a data writing destination is changed from a first address range to a second address range. The memory controller includes an address management table generator for reading distributed management information used for managing a state of at least one physical block included in the destination address range specified by the address range specifying information during initialization, and to generate the address management table based on the distributed management information.
US08051269B2
A computer program product and apparatus for reallocating memory in a logically partitioned environment. The invention comprises a Performance Enhancement Program (PEP) and a Reallocation Program (RP). The PEP allows an administrator to designate several parameters and identify donor and recipient candidates. The RP compiles the performance data for the memory and calculates a composite parameter. For each memory block in the donor candidate pool, the RP compares the composite parameter to the donor load threshold to determine if the memory is a donor. For each memory block in the recipient candidate pool, the RP compares the composite parameter to the recipient load threshold to determine if the memory is a recipient. The RP calculates the recipient workload ratio and allocates the memory from the donors to the recipients. The RP monitors and update the workload statistics based on either a moving window or a discrete window sampling system.
US08051267B1
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that uses versioned pointers to facilitate reusing memory without having to reclaim the objects solely through garbage collection. The system operates by first receiving a request to allocate an object. Next, the system obtains the object from a pool of free objects, and sets an allocated/free flag within the object to indicate that the object is allocated. The system also increments a version number within the object, and also encodes the version number into a pointer for the object. The system then returns the pointer, which includes the encoded version number. In this way, subsequent accesses to the object through the pointer can compare the version number encoded in the pointer with the version number within the object to determine whether the object has been reused since the pointer was generated.
US08051266B2
The present invention manages the execution of multiple AMM cycles to reduce or eliminate any overlap. Specifically, the present invention provides an external supervisory process to monitor the AMM behavior of VMs on one or more nodes, and intervene when coincident AMM activity appears to be imminent. If AMM patterns suggest that two VMs are likely to perform a (e.g., a major) AMM cycle simultaneously (or with significant overlap) in the near future, the supervisory process can trigger one of the VMs to AMM immediately, or at the first ‘safe’ interval prior to the predicted AMM collision. This will have the effect of desynchronizing the AMM behavior of the VMs and maintaining AMM latency for both VMs within the expected bounds for their independent operation, without any inter-VM effects.
US08051264B2
A portable terminal and a method of controlling a shared memory, the portable terminal are disclosed. The portable terminal includes a memory unit, being equipped with at least 2 ports and having a storage block partitioned into partitioned blocks in a quantity of n, and a plurality of processors, reading or writing data by accessing a particular partitioned block through each dedicated port. At least one of the partitioned blocks is assigned to a common storage block, accessible by a processor having an access privilege, and the access privilege is transferred between the plurality of processors. The common storage block can be partitioned into k sub partitioned blocks, which the data type and process to be stored are predetermined. With the present invention, in the case of the common storage block for the plurality of processors, by allowing the partitioned storage blocks to be partitioned again into sub partitioned blocks depending on a type of data to be stored, the data processing/transmission speed and efficiency can be optimized.
US08051261B2
A method of locating a storage device of a number of storage devices is provided. A request for a data item is received. The request includes a globally unique identifier (GUID) that is associated with a user. A start number is generated based on the GUID, and the storage device that stores the data item is located based on the start number. The data item is then read from the located storage device. Other techniques for locating a storage device are also described.
US08051260B1
A method for safeguarding data stored in a memory of a data storage system includes monitoring values of a subset of environmental variables associated with the data-storage system and updating a portion of a table containing values of environmental variables associated with the data-storage system. The table includes values for environmental variables that are not in the subset of environmental variables monitored. The values of the environmental variables are then inspected. On the basis of the inspection, a condition in which there exists a high-risk of data loss is determined.
US08051256B2
The device of the present invention manages changes in the construction of a storage system in a unified manner, and optimally disposes resources. The servers are logically divided into a plurality of virtual servers, the switches are logically divided into a plurality of zones, and the storage devices are logically divided into a plurality of virtual storage devices. The respective logical devices are respectively managed by respective managing parts. These respective managing parts are connected to a managing device via a network used for management. The managing device re-disposes resources in application program units on the basis of the load states of the respective resources in the storage system.
US08051255B2
Embodiments include a device and a method. In an embodiment, a method applies a first resource management strategy to a first resource associated with a first processor and executes an instruction block in a first processor. The method also applies a second resource management strategy to a second resource of a similar type as the first resource and executes the instruction block in a second processor. The method further selects a resource management strategy likely to provide a substantially optimum execution of the instruction group from the first resource management strategy and the second resource management strategy.
US08051248B2
In one embodiment, a processor comprises an execution core, a level 1 (L1) data cache coupled to the execution core and configured to store data, and a transient/transactional cache (TTC) coupled to the execution core. The execution core is configured to generate memory read and write operations responsive to instruction execution, and to generate transactional read and write operations responsive to executing transactional instructions. The L1 data cache is configured to cache memory data accessed responsive to memory read and write operations to identify potentially transient data and to prevent the identified transient data from being stored in the L1 data cache. The TTC is also configured to cache transaction data accessed responsive to transactional read and write operations to track transactions. Each entry in the TTC is usable for transaction data and for transient data.
US08051244B2
A disk storage system for controlling a plurality of disk devices in multiple disk array systems consisting of disk array switches in a fiber channel connection where the disk devices are organized as multiple logical units. The multiple logical units are mapped between each other to improve high speed operation of the disk storage system and the disk storage system transfers data mutually between the two or more disk array switches improving performance and throughput.
US08051241B2
A method for managing wear levels in a storage device having a plurality of data blocks, the method comprising moving data to data blocks having higher erasure counts based on a constraint on static wear levelness that tightens over at least a portion of the lives of the plurality of data blocks.
US08051238B2
An on-chip bus includes a plurality of switch points including first and second switch points, a plurality of inter-switch links including at least one inter-switch link coupled between the first switch point and the second switch point and configured to communicate data between the first switch point and the second switch point, and a plurality of functional block cores including first and second functional block cores coupled directly to the first switch point and configured to communicate data through the first switch point. Data transmitted from the first functional block core to the second functional block cores may pass through the first switch point without traversing any of the plurality of inter-switch links. Methods for communicating data on an on-chip bus are also disclosed.
US08051235B1
Upon execution of an interrupt return (IRET) instruction when a second interrupt is pending, rather than popping a stack, obtaining processor state information, and then pushing the state information back onto the stack prior to vectoring off to a second interrupt service routine, direct vectoring is employed such that the stack is not pushed or popped but rather the processor vectors directly from the IRET instruction in the first interrupt service routine to the second interrupt service routine. A novel stored interrupt enable (SIE) bit stores whether maskable interrupts were enabled at the time the first interrupt service routine was entered. Execution of IRET automatically checks the SIE. If the SIE indicates interrupts were enabled, then direct vectoring occurs. If the SIE indicates that interrupts were disabled, then the second interrupt remains pending, and an interrupt return operation is performed by popping the stack and restoring the prior processor state.
US08051224B2
The invention provides a method for serial data transmission. First, a chip select signal is enabled to a device for serial data transmission. Data stored in a first buffer of a controller is then transmitted to a second buffer of the device. A clock signal is then halted after data stored in the first buffer is completely transmitted. The first buffer is then refreshed with data newly received by the controller while the clock signal is halted. The clock signal is the restarted to operate the device after the first buffer is refreshed. Refreshed data stored in the first buffer is then transmitted to the second buffer while the clock signal is oscillating.
US08051220B2
A process control system is provided having a plurality of I/O devices in communication using a bus. A primary redundant I/O device and a secondary redundant I/O device are coupled to the bus, where the secondary redundant I/O device is programmed to detect a primary redundant I/O device fault. The secondary redundant I/O device, upon detecting the primary redundant I/O device fault, publishes a primary redundant I/O device fault message on the bus. The controller may deactivate the primary redundant I/O device and activate the secondary redundant I/O device responsive to the primary redundant I/O device fault message.
US08051212B2
A network interface adapter includes an outgoing packet generator, adapted to generate an outgoing request packet for delivery to a remote responder responsive to a request submitted by a host processor and a network output port, coupled to transmit the outgoing request packet over a network to the remote responder. A network input port receives an incoming response packet from the remote responder, in response to the outgoing request packet sent thereto, as well as an incoming request packet sent by a remote requester. An incoming packet processor receives and processes both the incoming response packet and the incoming request packet, and causes the outgoing packet generator, responsive to the incoming request packet, to generate, in addition to the outgoing request packet, an outgoing response packet for transmission to the remote requester.
US08051204B2
An information asset management system in a network environment includes a monitoring program 11 that monitors operation events performed by users and creates terminal logs 12, a terminal log collection program 21 that stores an integrated log 22 created by collecting the terminal logs 12, and a correlation analysis program 31 that analyzes the whereabouts of information assets using the integrated log 22. When the user exports an information asset from the network environment and when the user imports the information asset into the network environment, the monitoring program 11 monitors these export and import events including feature values of the information assets. The correlation analysis program 31 compares a pre-export feature value of each information asset with a post-import feature value of each information asset to determine whether the information assets are identical and reports a list of information assets in the organization.
US08051197B2
Systems, methods and software useful for overcoming network congestion problems including head-of-line blocking issues and other network congestion problems. In certain aspects, flow control mechanisms implemented in a switch device or other network device manage buffer and system level resources using a scheduler to control the amount of data requested from a local SAN fabric. Switches and other network devices configured according to the present invention monitor each individual SCSI task, and are configured to apply flow control measures to each active session when buffering resources become scarce, such as when buffering data for a slower-speed WAN link or TCP/IP based interconnects of any speed.
US08051196B2
A download and data transfer gaming method utilizes a hybrid peer-to-peer, segmented file distribution protocol to vastly improve the download capabilities of a gaming system by improving the upload cost burdened by the download host. The method redistributes this cost to the download clients by allowing clients on the gaming system to upload pieces of a file to each other. This method is much more redundant by eliminating the possibility of a client missing a download broadcast. The method alleviates this possibility of missing packets and bad data integrity by using SHA-1 verification of the file pieces. The benefits of the improved bandwidth capabilities enable the download of much larger files, thus enhancing the game play experience.
US08051187B2
Methods for automatic categorization of internal and external communication for preventing data loss
Disclosed are methods for automatic categorization of internal and external communication, the method including the steps of: defining groups of entities that transmit data; monitoring data flow of the groups; extracting the data, from the data flow, for learning traffic-flow characteristics of the groups; classifying the data into group flows; upon the data being transmitted, checking the data to determine whether the data is designated as group-internal; and blocking data traffic for data that is group-internal. Preferably, the step of monitoring includes assigning data weights to the data using Bayesian methods. Most preferably, the step of classifying includes classifying the data using Bayesian methods for evaluating the data weights. Preferably, the step of blocking includes blocking data traffic between members of two or more groups. Preferably, the method further includes the step of: enabling an authorized entity to unblock the data traffic.
US08051185B2
A method of routing communications over a network includes routing the communications to an intermediate destination, for example, a “universal proxy,” using a first transport control protocol (TCP), and then routing the communications from the intermediate destination to a recipient using a second TCP. The intermediate destination optionally masks the source when transmitting information to the recipient, and performs packet loss recovery. Optionally, the second TCP includes TCP acceleration not utilized by the first TCP.
US08051170B2
A network provides distributed computing services based on participation in respective resource groups by computing nodes, each resource group including a corresponding resource requirement for any computing node that joins the corresponding resource group for execution of the corresponding distributed computing service. Each computing node, in response to determining its corresponding available node capacity, is configured for selectively creating and joining at least one new resource group for execution of a corresponding distributed computing service having a corresponding resource requirement, and/or selectively joining at least one of the available resource groups, based on the corresponding available node capacity satisfying the corresponding resource requirement. Each computing node also is configured for selectively leaving any one of the joined resource groups based on determined conditions. Hence, each computing node may choose to participate in as many resource groups as needed for respective computing services, based on the corresponding available node capacity.
US08051151B2
A system and method for providing service in a network having a wireless component is disclosed. The system and method comprise receiving a request for a dynamic address from a user node connected to a subscriber station having a convergence sub-layer, providing the dynamic address to the user node, associating the dynamic address with a service flow associated with the subscriber station, and sending data addressed to the dynamic address through the service flow. The dynamic address is based on a subscriber identifier associated with the subscriber station and a client identifier associated with the user node.
US08051150B2
A computer implemented method for facilitating a transaction between a subscriber and a vendor through an intermediary may include: receiving, at the intermediary, personal information from the subscriber to establish a user account; storing the personal information for subsequent access; receiving a request from the subscriber to access the user account, upon which the subscriber's identity is verified by the intermediary against the personal information; the intermediary entering into a transaction with the vendor on behalf of the subscriber based on the subscriber's instruction once the subscriber's identity is successfully verified; and notifying the subscriber upon completion of the transaction. Importantly, the transaction is completed without disclosing the subscriber's personal information to the vendor. As such, the consumer remains anonymous with respect to the vendor.
US08051148B2
System and method for determining and/or merging differences between configuration diagrams. First information is received regarding a first configuration diagram comprising a first plurality of nodes and graphically representing a first system, and second information is received regarding a second configuration diagram comprising a first plurality of nodes and graphically representing a second system. At least a portion of the nodes may correspond to hardware devices, programs, and/or configuration data of the respective systems, and may be interconnected. The first and second information is analyzed to determine and/or merge differences between the first configuration diagram and the second configuration diagram, e.g., differences between hardware, software, configuration, and/or connectivity, e.g., by traversing the configuration diagrams or data structures representing the diagrams. An indication of the differences and/or a merged configuration diagram may be displayed on a display device, e.g., where the differences are indicated graphically, e.g., via highlighting.
US08051147B2
A internet access server for isolating the internal network from the external network and a process method thereof, the server is used to isolate the user computer from internet. The computer server universal-based includes a graphics terminal service module, a graphics terminal network transmission module, a internal network transmission control module, a document transmission control module, a system configuration and user management module, and a internet access transmission module. By using the invention, the isolation and security of the internal network and the external network are realized by the special access mode and transmission control. All the authorized computer in the internal network could access the internet via the internet access server which includes a image terminal.
US08051146B2
A personalized audio system and method that overcomes many of the broadcast-type disadvantages associated with conventional radio stations.
US08051141B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to maintain a repository of stored executable images including a unique instance of an executable image comprising an operating system and at least a portion of one or more applications, and to provide substantially simultaneous executable access to a plurality of virtual or physical machines to execute portions of the executable image without constructing additional instances of the executable image. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08051140B2
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for exposing imaging device functions to an application.
US08051137B2
A disclosed multifunctional input/output device has an e-mail client function for sending/receiving e-mails to/from a mail server. The multifunctional input/output device includes a storing unit configured to store a first e-mail acquired from the mail server; a printing unit configured to print the first e-mail stored by the storing unit onto a print medium and to add code information to the print medium, wherein the code information is obtained by encoding a source e-mail address of the first e-mail; a reading unit configured to read the code information printed onto the print medium by the printing unit; and an e-mail sending unit configured to send a second e-mail to the source e-mail address acquired from the code information read by the reading unit.
US08051134B1
Systems, methods, and programs, for evaluating audio messages store a model that may include language patterns, audio patterns, and/or metafeatures that indicate a likelihood that the audio message is a spam message or a non-spam message and compare the content of the input audio message with the model. Based on the comparison, the systems, methods, and programs identify the input audio message as a spam message or a non-spam message.
US08051129B2
An arrangement and method for reducing memory usage for communications between servers in a communication network utilizing the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) by controlling establishment of SIP dialogues. A single SIP dialogue for a certain event package is utilized for multiple subscriptions between one instance of a requesting server such as a Resource List Server (RLS) and one instance of an Application Server such as, for example, a Presence Server. The SIP dialogue is then used to send all SIP NOTIFY messages between these two entities to reduce memory usage at both ends by removing the overhead created by SIP.
US08051126B2
A novel network architecture that integrates the functions of an internet protocol (IP) router into a network processing unit (NPU) that resides in a host computer's chipset such that the host computer's resources are perceived as separate network appliances. The NPU appears logically separate from the host computer even though, in one embodiment, it is sharing the same chip.
US08051125B2
Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and devices for imaging device event notification administration and subscription. Some aspects relate to selective imaging device event notification based on user credentials and/or job execution timing. Some aspects may limit notification subscription to authorized credential holders. Some aspects relate to event notification message formats and destinations.
US08051120B2
A circuit and design structure for a streaming digital data filter embodied in a machine readable medium, the design structure including: a data processing unit and a pointer processing unit, the data processing unit and the pointer unit connected to a control logic; the pointer processing unit consisting of n serially connected pointer processing stages from a first to a last pointer processing stage, each pointer processing stage except for the first and last processing stages of the pointer processing unit including a pointer register and a multiplexer, wherein n is a positive integer greater than 2; the data processing unit consisting of n serially connected data processing stages from a first data processing stage to a last data processing stage, each data processing stage including a multiplexer, a data register and a comparator; and one or more filter output stages connected to the data processing unit.
US08051118B2
A decimal floating point finite number in a decimal floating point format is composed from the number in a different format. A decimal floating point format includes fields to hold information relating to the sign, exponent and significand of the decimal floating point finite number. Other decimal floating point data, including infinities and NaNs (not a number), are also composed. Decimal floating point data are also decomposed from the decimal floating point format to a different format.
US08051117B2
A decimal floating point finite number in a decimal floating point format is composed from the number in a different format. A decimal floating point format includes fields to hold information relating to the sign, exponent and significand of the decimal floating point finite number. Other decimal floating point data, including infinities and NaNs (not a number), are also composed. Decimal floating point data are also decomposed from the decimal floating point format to a different format. For composition and decomposition, one or more instructions may be employed, including a shift significand instruction.
US08051114B2
A computer system having a transaction based file system is disclosed. The computer system includes file system software that manages the file data and the file system structure of files stored on a persistent data storage device and maintains a transaction file that includes a plurality of transaction records. Each of the transaction records has a header section and a data section. The header section of each transaction record includes one or more fields that are designated to store information corresponding to a file transaction that is represented by the transaction record. The file system software executes a startup process in which a reconstructed file system is generated in random access memory. The startup process skips verification of the data section of a transaction record when the transaction record meets one or more predetermined criterion.
US08051110B2
A method and a system for identifying screen flows. An instance of an application utilized by a first entity locates a first key in a first table to identify a first procedure. The same instance of the application utilized by a second entity locates a second key in the first table to identify a second procedure. Using the first procedure, a method and a parameter set based on rules of the first entity are located in a second table. Using the second procedure, the method and a parameter set based on rules of the second entity are located in the second table. The method is executed with each of the parameter sets to identify a first screen flow for the first entity and a second screen flow for the second entity. The first screen flow includes data elements that are different from data elements included in the second screen flow.
US08051109B2
Document classification systems are valuable tools for searching and retrieving classified documents but can be prohibitively complex and cumbersome for users.A system for the indexing and retrieval of classified documents inserts keywords, titles or definitions of previously applied classifications into the document record and provides the resulting record to a search engine. Searchers are able to retrieve documents by searching on keywords from the classification system without looking up class coding.
US08051102B2
Associative Data Management and Knowledge Operating System using a Data Instance centric architecture, where Data Instances are typically atomic. Each Data Instance can be at the center with all its associations. The base structures encapsulate the Data Instances and can generally be identical in form and function, and application independent. Encapsulate references can include references to all other directly related independently encapsulated Data Instances. The encapsulated references can be both unique identifiers for each and every associated Data Instance and also logical indexes that encode the abstracted location of each Data Instance, making it possible to both identify and locate any Data Instance using the same reference key.
US08051077B2
A user may use a mobile device to request information related to a selected topic or a point of interest. A location of the mobile device may be determined in order to provide the user with informational content related to the selected topic or point of interest in close proximity to the user. The mobile device may receive and display the informational content as a set of search results. The user may select one or more of the search results in order to review the information content referenced by the selected one or more search results. A verification process or step may ensure that the selected information is relevant to the selected topic or determined location, and a link may be generated relating the topic, the selected search result(s), and the determined mobile device location. Moreover, a rating system may be used to provide an indication of the relevancy of one or more search results. Thereafter, additional users, or the same users, may be provided access to the link when located in close proximity to the determined location.
US08051072B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide for methods, systems and computer program products for learning ranking functions to determine the ranking of one or more content items that are responsive to a query. The present invention includes generating one or more training sets comprising one or more content item-query pairs, determining preference data for the one or more query-content item pairs of the one or more training sets and determining labeled data for the one or more query-content item pairs of the one or more training sets. A ranking function is determined based upon the preference data and the labeled data for the one or more content-item query pairs of the one or more training sets. The ranking function is then stored for application to query-content item pairs not contained in the one or more training sets.
US08051041B2
File difference is managed. Group data and difference detection data tables are stored. A previous difference detection file, which is an original file of a difference management object file, is searched, and a difference between the previous difference detection file and the difference management object file is detected. Difference detection data is used to detect the difference, and is recorded on the difference detection data table. A group to which the difference management object file belongs is selected based on a group condition registered in the group data table. The difference is detected based on comparing extracted difference detection data and file data of the difference management object file. A set of the file data and the group is recorded as a new difference detection data on the difference detection data table, when the difference is detected.
US08051028B2
A method and apparatus for generating computer configuration rules comprising receiving configuration data regarding a plurality of computers, analyzing the configuration data to determine associations within the configuration data, and generating configuration rules from a result of the analysis.
US08051025B2
A system and method for intelligent data management enables the transport of items within a network by creating a first database defining a transport path of an item from an origin facility to a destination facility, and operations that affect the transport of items. In order to update the transport path and operations, a data management application receives changes. The application, and associated data storage device, includes user profile, table, network model and development model databases. Modules within the application manage users and data, implement ad hoc and holiday schedules, report errors, verify changes and create new databases to reflect the changes.
US08051024B1
Techniques for tuning motion recognizers in motion detections are described. The motion recognizers are created or generated in advance by trained users. The motion recognizers are then loaded into a processing unit that receives motion signals from a handheld motion sensitive device being controlled by an end user. While motion recognition of the motion signals is being made, some or all of the motion recognizers are tuned by the motion signals to make the motion recognizers more adaptive to the user.
US08051023B2
A system, method and computer program product for interfacing a decision engine and a marketing engine in order to provide vendor-related data in response to decision-related data is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the system and method may include providing a decision engine on a user-accessible network; interfacing a marketing engine with the decision engine on the network; receiving a plurality of user inputs with the decision engine; processing decision-related data with the decision engine in accordance with the plurality of user inputs; sharing the decision-related data with the marketing engine; processing the decision-related data with the marketing engine; and transmitting vendor-related data via the network.
US08051009B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates maintaining software at a third-party server. During operation, the system receives the software at the third-party server, wherein the end-user has rights to the software. The system also receives information which is associated with the software at the third-party server. The system then stores the software and the information at the third-party server on behalf of the end-user. Furthermore, note that storing the software and the information at the third-party server facilitates subsequent installations of the software on a client.
US08051006B1
A payment system for spending accounts is provided. The payment system includes a qualified vendor system, such as a point of sale system at a doctor's office, that generates purchase data and point of sale data, such as a co-pay amount, a credit card number, and a point of sale device identifier. An account management system receives the purchase data and point of sale data and generates authorized purchase data, such as by determining whether payment of co-pay can be automatically authorized based on pre-qualification of the doctor's office as an authorized source.
US08051002B1
Disclosed are systems and methods for providing a loan having an interest rate and a loan period. The systems and methods dynamically adjust the interest rate during the loan period based on actual payment performance of a borrower, thereby resulting in an improved reward structure, greater borrower loyalty and an improved experience for the borrower.
US08050999B2
Lender anonymity securities lending where trade criteria associated with a security owned by a client are determined. Bids for the security are monitored by a first entity. A trade related to the security is executed by accepting a best bid from the monitored bids based on the trade criteria. An identical trade related to the security is automatically executed with a second entity. A second identical trade as the trade related to the security is automatically executed with inter-dealer brokers without any knowledge of the first entity. The first entity may be a banking division of a financial institution and the second entity may be a broker/dealer division of a financial institution. Complete anonymity is provided to the client from the inter-dealer brokers since the trade executed automatically with the second entity is put into a separate trading book maintaining a firewall between the client and the inter-dealer brokers.
US08050994B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for financing acquisition of a vehicle is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a future interest in a vehicle in consideration for a future interest price upon transfer of a legal title in the vehicle in consideration for a legal title price.
US08050993B2
A semi-quantitative analysis on the risk management process increases the possibility of performing an accurate risks comparison, making easier the identification of which risks shall be prioritized and shall receive the greatest mitigation efforts. Specifically, the semi-quantitative risk analysis enables an improved risks comparison for evaluating the consequences of each risk considering its impacts on the project's Net Present Value (NPV), reflecting the project's cash flow at different times. The use of such method makes the prioritization process more efficient, helping the managers and other personnel involved on the process to focus their efforts to the most critical risks for the project's success. In this sense, the risk management process becomes more efficient and better able to provide better support to the project decision makers.
US08050991B2
Electronic balance checking and credit approval system for use in conducting electronic transactions
An electronic balance checking and credit approval system includes consumer transaction accounts, tokens, input devices, authentication hardware and software code capable of execution by the hardware, and output devices. The consumer transaction account is held in trust on behalf of a consumer by a credit extending company. The token is specific to and held by the consumer, and includes a consumer account identifier that is associated with the consumer transaction account. The input device receives the consumer account identifier concurrent with a consumer-initiated request for account balance information. The authentication hardware and software code verifies the consumer-initiated request and the consumer account identifier and authorizes access to the consumer transaction account. The consumer interface apparatus provides the consumer with a real-time account balance datum that is currently associated with the consumer transaction account. The system also includes a system and method for securely and quickly approving credit card transactions by comparing generated checksums with stored historical transaction results.
US08050980B2
A download processor for secure downloading of a digital product file when ordered by a user. The order includes a file identifier related to the file and an order identifier related to the order. The download processor performs security checks related to the file, the order, and the user. The file identifier and order identifier are verified based upon information related to the file and the order, and information related to the user is also verified. Based upon the verifications, the download processor selectively permits or denies download of the file to a user machine.
US08050967B2
A method of efficiently detecting a visit to a web site participating in an incentive award program, wherein the visit is detected at an information gathering system and wherein the information gathering system provides the incentive award program, the method including receiving a request message from a user including an award identifier, wherein the award identifier is associated with a predefined user activity and wherein the user sends the request message by activating a hyperlink presented on the participating web site during the visit; identifying a desired destination based on the request message received from the user, wherein the hyperlink advertises the desired destination to the user and wherein the desired destination is distinct from an address of the information gathering system at which the request message is received; and sending a redirect message to the user, wherein the redirect message includes an Internet address of the desired destination.
US08050965B2
Embodiments relate to generating and using a directed graph as an advertising network taxonomy. Individual delivery locations provided by publishers for presenting advertisements are identified. A directed graph is generated that includes specific advertising opportunities that each correspond with an individual delivery location. The directed graph also includes multiple general advertising opportunities that correspond with aggregations of delivery locations. Multiple aggregations may each include all or part of the same set of delivery locations. Advertisers may then use the directed graph to purchase advertising opportunities, and advertisements may be served to delivery locations based on the advertiser selections.
US08050964B2
A user-computer-readable medium provides all or part of a product labeling system for engaging purchasers. Executables, data, or both are recorded in the medium embodied in a tag or other product labeling structure, in order to deliver to a consumer or purchaser engaging presentations of products, information, or registration templates. As a result, purchasers may receive launchers, browsers, viewers, e-mail systems, facsimile centers, players, or interface brokers for the foregoing, if organically installed already on a workstation of a purchaser. Software may provide catalog presentations, user registration templates, communications, linkers, or engines, and the like. Operation modules and profile builders may provide information over ready links implemented by software on the medium. In certain embodiments, entertainment, games, skill tests, and the like, recorded in the medium as a tag or label may execute to engage a purchaser and provide purchaser profiling information, product purchasing information, and the like to a vendor, while providing additional product information, warranty registrations, applications, entertainment, or the like, to a purchaser.
US08050947B2
An insurance enrollment and underwriting method includes comprising providing a first user interface with one or more controls for enabling a user to specify one or more health conditions in an enrollment application for pet health insurance. Data representing one or more health conditions specified through the first user interface is received and electronically processed, flagging each condition as a condition that is acceptable, precluded, or for manual review.
US08050945B2
A method for adjudicating and reimbursing a care provider for services provided for a clinical event is provided. The method includes the step of receiving a transaction having a number of clinical data elements. The method also includes the steps of accessing a data store including payer information and determining whether the transaction is eligible for reimbursement by at least one payer. The method also includes the steps of accessing a first knowledge base comprising evidence-based standards for providing medically appropriate care and selectively performing analysis of the clinical data elements of the transaction against at least one standard to determine if the care provided is medically appropriate. The method further includes the steps of accessing a second knowledge base containing at least one criterion for assessing quality of care and selectively performing analysis of the clinical data elements of the transaction against the at least one criterion to determine if the care provided is medically appropriate. Also, the method includes determining a level of reimbursement based on the medical appropriateness and quality of the care provided and authorizing reimbursement of the care provider from at least one payer.
US08050941B2
A computer system and method manages the dispersal and replenishment of medications. Participating health care providers are associated with a code that corresponds to medication units dispersed by a pharmacy. The amount of medication units corresponding to the code and dispersed to patients of the health care providers is tracked. When the amount of dispersed medication units reaches a replenishment threshold, replacement medication units are ordered.
US08050939B2
A system for more optimally providing a service, such as a communications service, in an institutional setting by use of smart context-aware approaches. The system comprises an environmental context processing engine configured to transform sensed data indicative of activity relevant to provision of said service into data indicative of an environmental context in which said activity is deemed to have occurred; a situational context processing engine configured to transform the data indicative of the environmental context into data indicative of a situational context in which said activity is deemed to have occurred; and a decision making engine configured to apply data indicative of an institutional context to the data indicative of the situational context in order to determine an action to be taken in accordance with provision of said service.
US08050937B1
A method including receiving claim data corresponding to a subscriber from a health plan server, analyzing the claim data to select a medical code, and displaying health content related to the medical code.
US08050932B2
An apparatus and an associated method for facilitating selection of CODEC availability from amongst a set of CODECs at a communication device. A battery power measurer measures the stored energy level of a battery power supply that powers a communication device of which the CODEC forms a portion. A selector selects the available CODECs responsive to the measured power level. If the measured level is less than a threshold, then high-sampling-rate CODECs are at least selectably made unavailable for use. If the battery level is higher than the threshold, then the high-sampling-rate CODECs are made available for use. If the level is greater than a threshold then both a high sampling-rate and the low sampling-rate CODEC are available. An indication generator generates an indication of selection made by the selector.
US08050930B2
An administration method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing system, a telephone call from an administrator. The computing system presents an audible menu associated with a plurality of computers to the administrator. The computing system receives from the administrator, an audible selection for a computer from the audible menu. The computing system receives from the administrator, an audible verbal command for performing a maintenance operation on the computer. The computing system executes the maintenance operation on the computer. The computing system receives from the computer, confirmation data indicating that the maintenance operation has been completed. The computing system converts the confirmation data into an audible verbal message. The computing system transmits the second audible verbal message to the administrator.
US08050925B2
A system and a method are provided. A speech recognition processor receives unconstrained input speech and outputs a string of words. The speech recognition processor is based on a numeric language that represents a subset of a vocabulary. The subset includes a set of words identified as being for interpreting and understanding number strings. A numeric understanding processor contains classes of rules for converting the string of words into a sequence of digits. The speech recognition processor utilizes an acoustic model database. A validation database stores a set of valid sequences of digits. A string validation processor outputs validity information based on a comparison of a sequence of digits output by the numeric understanding processor with valid sequences of digits in the validation database.
US08050922B2
Voice recognition methods and systems are disclosed. A voice signal is obtained for an utterance of a speaker. The speaker is categorized as a male, female, or child and the categorization is used as a basis for dynamically adjusting a maximum frequency fmax and a minimum frequency fmin of a filter bank used for processing the input utterance to produce an output. Corresponding gender or age specific acoustic models are used to perform voice recognition based on the filter bank output.
US08050920B2
A large-scale attendance, productivity, activity and availability biometric control method using the telephone network, for individual client users with speaker verification technology based on limited enrolling data and short verification sentences. The method includes the steps of registering and enrolling a client user; generating, storing and indexing a template and a reference average spectrum with a client user PIN; prompting the client user during a future verification event to pronounce the enrolling/verification sentence associated with the PIN to provide a speech signal; estimating a verification distance between the PIN indexed template and the speech signal pronounced by the client user, using the PIN reference average spectrum indexed; validating the telephone number; deciding if the pronounced speech signal pronounced by the client user has been validated based on the verification distance, with unsupervised compensation of the noisy input signal's spectrum if its difference from the speaker model is small, instead of adapting the user model spectrum; optionally repeating the steps of prompting, estimating, validating and deciding for a limited number of times; and accepting or rejecting the future verification event.
US08050908B2
A context-free grammar can be represented by a weighted finite-state transducer. This representation can be used to efficiently compile that grammar into a weighted finite-state automaton that accepts the strings allowed by the grammar with the corresponding weights. The rules of a context-free grammar are input. A finite-state automaton is generated from the input rules. Strongly connected components of the finite-state automaton are identified. An automaton is generated for each strongly connected component. A topology that defines a number of states, and that uses active ones of the non-terminal symbols of the context-free grammar as the labels between those states, is defined. The topology is expanded by replacing a transition, and its beginning and end states, with the automaton that includes, as a state, the symbol used as the label on that transition. The topology can be fully expanded or dynamically expanded as required to recognize a particular input string.
US08050907B2
An embodiment of the present invention is a method for generating software components from one or more business rule statements expressed in a language. Symbols of a vocabulary of a language and business rule statements expressed using the symbols of the vocabulary of the language are received as input. The language has grammatical rules. Each of the business rule statements is parsed in accordance with the grammatical rules to generate a language-based structure. The language-based structure is processed to generate an expression model. The expression model is processed to generate a logical model. The logical model is processed to generate platform-independent implementation model in response to a user request for such generation. A target platform description is received. The platform-independent implementation model is processed to generate a platform-specific implementation model using the target platform description. Software components are generated from the platform-specific implementation model for deployment.
US08050903B1
Apparatus for storing all logic simulation signal values generated by a logic simulator during a simulation run is provided. The apparatus includes a runtime array for storing a plurality of signal values for each time instance in a predetermined time period, and a checkpoint cache for selectively storing the plurality of signal values stored in the runtime array at selected time instances. A hyper-checkpoint array is further provided to checkpoint the signal values in the checkpoint cache. In addition, the time instances and values of memory writes are also checkpointed. A user may retrieve the value of any signal values generated during the simulation run and may additionally rewind the simulator to a user-specified time in the simulation run.
US08050901B2
A modeling system for modeling integrated circuits includes a process variation generator for generating a first statistic distribution of a process parameter; a performance parameter distribution generator for generating a second distribution of a performance parameter; a stress generator for generating a third statistic distribution of the performance parameter under a stress condition; and a circuit simulator for receiving data randomly generated based on the first, the second and the third distributions and for generating a statistic distribution of a target performance parameter.
US08050900B2
A method, system, and computer readable medium for facilitating a process performed by a semiconductor processing tool. The method includes inputting data relating to a process performed by the semiconductor processing tool, and inputting a first principles physical model relating to the semiconductor processing tool. First principles simulation is performed using the input data and the physical model to provide a virtual sensor measurement relating to the process performed by the semiconductor processing tool, and the virtual sensor measurement is used to facilitate the process performed by the semiconductor processing tool.
US08050899B2
A method for determining wind turbine location within a wind power plant based on at least one design criteria. A wind turbine layout including at least one wind turbine location is prepared and site conditions at each wind turbine location are determined. One or more plant design metrics are evaluated in response to the site conditions. The plant design metrics are analyzed in response to the site conditions. The method further includes applying constraints to the wind turbine layout and comparing the plant design metrics to the design criteria and constraints. Thereafter, the wind turbine locations are selectively adjusted within the layout in response to the comparing step until a stop criteria is reached.
US08050893B2
Disclosed are a method, a computer-based system and a computer-readable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein for creating the specifications for the fabrication of a fully customized enclosure housing internal components. First a suitable three dimensional template representing a basic form of the enclosure is chosen from a plurality of predetermined three dimensional templates and sized. Each face of the enclosure is selected and customized by selecting specific design features from a range of predetermined design options as necessary until a complete set of specifications for the enclosure is obtained.
US08050889B2
A system and method is described herein that includes a software-based functionality to assess the relationship between reliability, operational, maintenance and plant betterment activities and to determine the frontier of efficient spending and other measures of performance to achieve a level of reliability that is based on data from units of similar design and performance.
US08050888B2
A method of automatically applying a hypothesis test to a data set. The method reduces errors made in failing to appreciate predicate assumptions of various statistical tests, and elicits a series of indications from the user regarding characteristics of interest embodied by the data set to select an appropriate statistical test. The system also reduces errors in constructing competing null and alternative hypothesis statements by generating a characterization of the data and defining null and alternative hypotheses according to the indications, selected statistical test, and conventions adopted with respect to the tests. The system also establishes a significance level, calculates the test statistic, and generates an output. The output of the system provides a plain interpretation of the quantitative results in the terms indicated by the user to reduce errors in interpretation of the conclusion.
US08050881B1
A system for synchronizing data after they are collected and stored locally in sensor units in a distributed sensor system, so that wired or wireless communication is not required during a data-collection session. Each sensor unit has a local clock providing local-clock times before and after a data-collection session, and a data processor uses its local clock or a sensor unit's local clock as the reference to compute each sensor unit's time-scaling factor, which is the ratio of the elapsed reference local-clock time and the elapsed local-clock time. The data processor uses the time-scaling factor to convert each sensor unit's local-clock data-sampling times to the reference local-clock data-sampling times, and the data processor subsequently interpolates sensor data to approximate simultaneous sensor-data values at desired reference local-clock times. A physical-activity monitoring system can use this synchronization method to reduce the size, power consumption, and cost of the sensor units.
US08050877B2
A method for the determination of the electrical work in systems in which the voltage is switched. At preset times for this purpose current values are measured and interpolated between the measurement. With the help of the switched voltage a classification of each interpolated current path is performed. The interpolated current value is then multiplied or integrated by the voltage value/values between the preset times respectively for the determination of the work. Along with the electrical work moreover in accordance with a further method similarly the electrical power in such systems can be determined.
US08050867B2
Method for conducting a seismic survey (23) wherein the acquisition parameters are modified as the survey progresses using information (24) from sensors located to monitor structures and fixtures located in the survey area. The sensor output is compared to acceptable levels, and acquisition parameters such as the seismic source strength are adjusted (26) to prevent exceeding the acceptable levels. An automated arbitration scheme (22) is used to resolve conflicting system goals within survey resource constraints.
US08050862B2
A vehicular navigation system includes a display, a memory configured to store data related to a plurality of preset map view, and a user input configured to permit the selection of a map view from the plurality of preset map views. A controller is coupled to the user input, the display, and the memory. The controller is configured to generate the selected map view on the display.
US08050859B2
A navigation apparatus includes a route searching unit 130 for searching for a route from a current position determined by a current position determining means to a destination inputted by an input unit on the basis of map data acquired by a map data acquiring means, and for, when a road where a car pool lane is also provided is included in a route acquired through the route search, presenting, as a recommended route, the route using the car pool lane if the distance from an entrance of the road to an entrance of the car pool lane is equal to or longer than a predetermined value, or if the distance from an exit of the car pool lane to an exit of the road is equal to or longer than a predetermined value.
US08050855B2
A method for transmitting data to a traffic information server includes obtaining, at a mobile vehicle, data including at least one of a vehicle speed and a vehicle location at a then-current time, and determining whether the data is redundant. Determining whether the data is redundant may be accomplished by at least one of comparing the data with other data previously transmitted to the traffic information server from an other mobile vehicle or determining whether the data falls within an expected range for a predetermined time interval. The method further includes transmitting the data, via a wireless communication system, to the traffic information server from the mobile vehicle if the data is determined to be non-redundant. Also disclosed herein is a system to perform the method.
US08050854B1
An adaptive control system controls a traffic signal at a critical intersection that has a most conflicting volume of traffic among volumes of traffic at intersections in a traffic network. The adaptive control system determines a plan identifying a guaranteed green light time and a minimum green duration and a period for the plan. The adaptive control system determines, based on the plan, a non-linear schedule with one or more states corresponding to one or more individual phases with each state having a state start time and a state duration. Queues for individual traffic movements at the critical intersection also may be used to determine the non-linear schedule. The adaptive control system controls the traffic signal according to the non-linear schedule. The adaptive control system transmits its plan to one or more other adaptive control systems for other intersections. The other adaptive control systems determine other plans based on the plan from the adaptive control system and an expected travel time between the critical intersection and the corresponding intersection.
US08050846B2
An engine controller capable of reducing torque fluctuation and the like in change between spark ignition combustion and homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion is provided. Spark ignition burning mode or homogeneous charge compression ignition burning mode is selectively set as burning mode according to the operating state of an engine. In spark ignition burning mode, a spark plug is used. In homogeneous charge compression ignition burning mode, fuel is burned utilizing pressure rise in a combustion chamber in conjunction with the ascent of a piston. The burning mode is changed between these modes. In transition for change between the spark ignition burning mode and the homogeneous charge compression ignition burning mode, the following measure is taken: a period during which the lift amount and/or the valve opening period (IVevent) of an intake valve is made smaller than a set value for the homogeneous charge compression ignition burning mode is provided.
US08050838B2
A system and method for estimating vehicle lateral velocity. The method uses a kinematic estimator constructed as a closed-loop Leunberger observer. The kinematic estimator is based on a kinematic relationship between lateral acceleration measurement and rate of change of lateral velocity. The method provides measurement updates based on virtual lateral velocity measurements from front and rear axle lateral force versus axle side-slip angle tables using the lateral acceleration, yaw-rate, longitudinal speed, and steering angle measurements. The method calculates front and rear axle lateral forces from the lateral acceleration and yaw-rate measurements. The method estimates front and rear axle side-slip angles from the calculated front and rear axle lateral forces using the tables. The method calculates multiple virtual lateral velocities from the front and rear side-slip angles and selects one of the virtual lateral velocities that minimizes an error between a measured force and an estimated force as the lateral velocity.
US08050826B2
The input rotation speed of an automatic transmission is fixed, and an output shaft is fixed. Oil pressure supplied to a measurement subject engagement element is then increased, and a determination is made as to whether or not rotary variation in a turbine rotation speed is equal to or greater than a set value. When the rotary variation reaches or exceeds the set value, an oil pressure controlled variable at this time is measured and stored. Then, on the basis of the measurement data, a correction amount relating to the unique characteristic variation of the automatic transmission incorporated into a vehicle body is determined and written to a TCU.
US08050816B2
A periodic test signal (44) is injected into a sensor and the sensor output (46) is compared to a threshold to determined whether the sensor is functioning properly.
US08050814B2
An improved method for predicting the remaining useful life of transmission oil and an apparatus for practicing the same are provided. The method includes: detecting if the transmission has completed a new shift; if yes, determining a total shift count; determining accumulated distance and accumulated time parameters; determining a transmission temperature degradation factor; detecting if the lockup clutch is open and if the transmission is in range; if yes, determining a converter degradation factor; determining a total degradation factor based at least in part upon the transmission temperature degradation factor and converter degradation factor; determining an oil life time limit and oil life distance limit; determining if either the accumulated time parameter is greater than the oil life time limit or the accumulated distance parameter is greater than the oil life distance limit; if yes, activating a service indicator to notify vehicle occupants that transmission oil service is required.
US08050809B2
The present invention is directed to the remote control of locomotives, and more particularly to various methods and apparatus employed in implementing systems for such remote control. Contemplated in the present invention are systems and methods for not only reliable remote-control communications, but also the use of repeaters and communications servers to assure reliable, centralized communication between locomotives and operator control units. In another embodiment, there is described a reliable distributed communication mode using an uncorrelated time sequence that does not interfere with a time division multiple access network. Differentiation between the centralized mode and the distributed mode is accomplished by assessing whether a locomotive and control unit is within a rail yard's infrastructure. Moreover, reliability is assured using a coordination server that dynamically routes packets between multiple satellite RCL repeaters based on received signal strength. Lastly, the present invention further contemplates the use of an out-of-band transmission to upgrade and test operator control units, thereby allowing for field maintenance and software upgrades.
US08050806B2
A ground fault interruption (GFI) system is incorporated onto a DSP based LRM of an aerospace vehicle. The GFI system operates with digital controls and, unlike the prior art, the system does not employ current transformers. Synchronization pulses are employed to coordinate instantaneous current measurement samplings in each phase of a multi-phase power system. Coordinated sampling may reduce phase angle current differential errors and improve operational precision of the GFI system.
US08050805B2
Aspects of this invention relate to an adjustable bed that may include one or more articulating portions, and may include one or more components, including an air inflatable mattress associated with the adjustable bed frame, a programmable logic controller, a remote memory storage facility, a remote storage location of user preferences, a cell phone remote control, a modular control device, an air purification facility, a power outlet controller, a Bluetooth remote control, an ultra wide band remote control, a wireless USB remote control, and the like.
US08050804B2
An electronic module compares the output voltage of a solar panel to an expected value and controls the power demand from the solar panel such that the output voltage does not vary from the expected value by more than a predetermined value. The predetermined value may be determined by correcting a room temperature value for the temperature dependence of the photodiodes comprising the solar panel and manufacturing tolerance.
US08050800B2
One embodiment of a system and method for meeting end conditions of a path plan utilizing a path generator that continuously generates commands for a path plan while tracking the total time expired in the path plan. The path generator computes the time remaining in the path plan and substitutes the remaining time for the length of the final sample period in the path plan when the length of the remaining time is less than the length of a full sample period.
US08050798B2
A system and method for generating a set of programming instructions for manipulating a vehicle frame are provided. A frame computing device obtains configuration information for an identified vehicle frame. The frame computing device sub-divides the selected vehicle frame into a set of regions and obtains programming modules for each of the components mounted in the set of regions. The frame computing device processes the program modules to generate a cumulative set of programming instructions for manipulating the vehicle frame.
US08050796B1
Implementations of a public use tag marking kiosk. Aspects associated with particular implementations of a tag marking kiosk comprise, among others, automatically marking two sides of a tag within the kiosk, receiving the tag to be marked from the customer, engaging and aligning the tag to be marked, providing a closeable door between the marking implement and the customer while the tag is being marked, ejecting the tag from a tag holder after the tag is marked, and aligning the tag so that a desired tag side is required to be initially facing up on the tag holder. Housing for the kiosk may surround all of the system parts or may be split into a housing shell and a marking unit that fits inside the shell. Marking implements may be laser, mechanical stylus, paint, or others. Tags may be suspended in a cantilevered manner during marking.
US08050789B2
A method of manufacturing electronic circuits including generating CAD data, a bill of materials and an approved component vendor list for an electronic circuit and employing the CAD data, the bill of materials and the approved component vendor list for automatically generating a pick & place machine-specific component loading specification, a pick & place machine-specific component placement sequence and pick & place machine-specific component data for governing the operation of at least one specific pick & place machine in a manufacturing line.
US08050787B2
A recording medium production control device, recording medium production control method, and program instructions stored on a tangible computer-readable medium acquire the operating status of the existing data recording device, printer, and other devices in the recording medium production device, plans an operating command sequence for each of the devices to process a request from an application based on the acquired operating status information for the devices, and controls the operation of the devices according to this operating command sequence to produce optical recording media with maximum production efficiency without the devices interfering with each other. The recording medium production control device 10 has a system control unit 40, a data recording unit driver 51, an auto loader driver 53, and a printer driver 60. The system control unit 40 manages the operating sequence of the devices in the recording medium production device 90 to control the devices of the recording medium production device 90 to not interfere with each other.
US08050786B2
A method for modifying a computer-aided design model of a three-dimensional object, the method comprising establishing a threshold wall width, providing at least one sliced layer polyline of the computer-aided design model, determining a first distance between first and second portions of the at least one sliced layer polyline, and adjusting locations of the first and second portion to provide a second distance if the first distance is less than the threshold wall width, where the second distance is about equal to the threshold wall width, or greater.
US08050783B2
A method for pre-distorting an input for a device is provided. A partial set of known data pairs is acquired during a closed-loop device calibration period. The partial set of known data pairs is searched for at least one missing data pair, and at least one data value is interpolated for the missing data pair. An augmented set of data pairs, including the known data pairs and the interpolated data value, is stored in a lookup table. During an open-loop operation period subsequent to the closed-loop device calibration period, the device input is pre-distorted based on the augmented set of data pairs stored in the lookup table.
US08050779B2
To easily decide parameters of a model structure of a controlled object suitable for non-interference control.Parameters K and T of a model structure (A structure) comprising a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, wherein a difference on the output side is fed back to the input side, are calculated based on parameters a and b of a black box model (P structure) calculated through system identification or the like in accordance with predetermined conversion expressions K=f(a,b) and T=f(a,b).
US08050777B2
Producing complicated effects based on image processing operations. The image processing operations are defined for a processor which may be different than the processor which is actually used. The processor that is actually used runs an interpreter that interprets the information into its own language, and then runs the image processing. The actual information is formed according to a plurality of layers which are combined in some way so that each layer can effect the layers below it. For example, the layers may add to, subtract from, or form transparency to the layer below it or make color filtering the layer below it. This enables many different effects computed and precompiled for a hypothetical processor, and a different processor can be used to combine and render those effects.
US08050775B2
A lead having pre-formed biased portion is adapted for implantation on or about the heart within the coronary vasculature and for connection to a signal generator. The lead is constructed and arranged so that when it is implanted, the electrodes are housed in the coronary vasculature and are biased toward a vessel wall by the preformed biased portion, which operates to fixate the lead against the vessel wall.
US08050772B1
In one embodiment, a kit, for securing a lead or cannula within a burr hole, comprises: a base structure to be positioned immediately adjacent to or partially within the burr hole; a lead securing member for securing the lead within the burr hole, the lead securing member comprising a first arm structure and a second arm structure, at least one spring loaded structure adapted to exert a force to bring the first arm structure and the second arm structure together; and a positioning tool having a distal end adapted to be inserted within the lead securing member; wherein when the distal end of the positioning tool is positioned within the lead securing member, the distal end holds the first and second arm structures a sufficient distance apart to receive a lead or a cannula between the first and second arm structures.
US08050765B2
A neural stimulation system controls the delivery of neural stimulation using a respiratory signal as a therapy feedback input. The respiratory signal is used to increase the effectiveness of the neural stimulation, such as vagal nerve stimulation, while decreasing potentially adverse side effects in respiratory functions. In one embodiment, the neural stimulation system detects apnea and, in response, adjusts the delivery of the neural stimulation pulses and/or delivers a respiratory therapy treating the detected apnea.
US08050763B2
An implantable medical device is provided for isolating an elongated medical lead from internal device circuitry in the presence of a gradient magnetic or electrical field. The device includes an isolation circuit adapted to operatively connect an internal circuit to the medical lead in a first operative state and to electrically isolate the medical lead from the internal circuit in a second operative state.
US08050760B2
Techniques are provided for evaluating mechanical dyssynchrony within the heart of patient in which a pacemaker, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or other medical device is implanted. In one example, a set of cardiogenic impedance signals are detected along different sensing vectors passing through the heart of the patient, particularly vectors passing through the ventricular myocardium. A measure of mechanical dyssynchrony is detected based on differences, if any, among the cardiogenic impedance signals detected along the different vectors. In particular, differences in peak magnitude delay times, peak velocity delay times, peak magnitudes, and waveform integrals of the cardiogenic impedance signals are quantified and compared to detect abnormally contracting segments, if any, within the heart of the patient. Warnings are generated upon detection of any significant increase in mechanical dyssynchrony. Diagnostic information is recorded for clinical review. Pacing therapies such as cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) can be activated or controlled in response to mechanical dyssynchrony to improve the hemodynamic output of the heart.
US08050757B2
A system and method for classifying cardiac complexes sensed during a tachycardia episode. A first cardiac signal and a second cardiac signal are sensed, where the first cardiac signal has a voltage. A first cardiac complex and a second cardiac complex of a cardiac cycle are detected in the first and second cardiac signal, respectively. A predetermined alignment feature is identified in the second cardiac complex. A datum is defined, or positioned, at a specified interval from the predetermined alignment feature of the second cardiac complex. Voltage values are then measured from the first cardiac complex at each of two or more measurement intervals from the datum. The voltage values are then compared voltage values measured from NSR cardiac complexes to classify the first cardiac complex is either a ventricular tachycardia complex or a supraventricular tachycardiac complex.
US08050754B2
The present invention is directed toward a detection architecture for use in implantable cardiac rhythm devices. The detection architecture of the present invention provides methods and devices for discriminating between arrhythmias. Moreover, by exploiting the enhanced specificity in the origin of the identified arrhythmia, the detection architecture can better discriminate between rhythms appropriate for device therapy and those that are not.
US08050741B2
A biopsy cannula and a delivery catheter are configured to deliver one or more absorbable sponge pledgets to a biopsy site after removal of one or more tissue samples from the site. The delivery catheter allows a large amount of hydrated sponge material to be delivery to the biopsy site to facilitate hemostasis. One example of the delivery catheter includes a closed distal end, a side port, a tapered section, and an enlarged proximal portion for receiving the pledget. The side port of the delivery catheter is arranged to delivery the pledget through the side port of the biopsy cannula. In order to fill a relatively large biopsy site where multiple tissue samples have been taken in a radial pattern, the biopsy cannula is rotated and additional pledgets are delivered to the biopsy site at different radial locations. The absorbable sponge pledget may also be used as a marker for location of the biopsy site at a later time.
US08050739B2
Systems and methods for facilitating visual detection of one or more catheter tips in relation to the morphology of an anatomical structure include locating reference catheters relative to heart tissue using an automated navigation support that draws upon prominent image features that are visible in the x-ray fluoroscopy images. The prominent features include catheter tips of reference catheters that are placed at known standard positions in relation to the anatomical structures. Based on the noted prominent features, the systems and methods achieve alignment of the anatomical structures, e.g., the heart morphology, with the interventional devices, e.g., ablation catheter(s) introduced by the physician, and generate a fused or overlaid image.
US08050736B2
This invention discloses a method and apparatus to deliver medical devices to targeted locations within human tissues using imaging data. The method enables the target location to be obtained from one imaging system, followed by the use of a second imaging system to verify the final position of the device. In particular, the invention discloses a method based on the initial identification of tissue targets using MR imaging, followed by the use of ultrasound imaging to verify and monitor accurate needle positioning. The invention can be used for acquiring biopsy samples to determine the grade and stage of cancer in various tissues including the brain, breast, abdomen, spine, liver, and kidney. The method is also useful for delivery of markers to a specific site to facilitate surgical removal of diseased tissue, or for the targeted delivery of applicators that destroy diseased tissues in-situ.
US08050731B2
The invention provides an implantable membrane for regulating the transport of analytes therethrough that includes a matrix including a first polymer; and a second polymer dispersed throughout the matrix, wherein the second polymer forms a network of microdomains which when hydrated are not observable using photomicroscopy at 400× magnification or less. In one aspect, the homogeneous membrane of the present invention has hydrophilic domains dispersed substantially throughout a hydrophobic matrix to provide an optimum balance between oxygen and glucose transport to an electrochemical glucose sensor.
US08050730B2
The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for eliminating interference in pulse oxygen measurement. The method comprises the steps of: collecting a first wavelength light and a second wavelength light transmitting through the object to be measured and converting collected optic signals into electric signals to form a plethysmogram; processing the plethysmogram so as to normalize it, in order to decompose the normalized plethysmogram into a combination of an ideal plethysmogram and noise, and expand the ideal plethysmogram by using functions that can make up a complete orthonormal system; eliminating the noise in the plethysmogram through differential operation; and restoring the plethysmogram free of noise through integral operation for calculating oxygen saturation. The apparatus comprises a collecting module, a processing module, a noise eliminating module, and a restoring module. The method and apparatus suitable for the measurement of oxygen saturation under weak perfusion and movement conditions.
US08050726B2
A sliding mechanism (100) for use in a portable electronic device (500) is provided. The sliding mechanism includes a first plate (10), a second plate (20), a plurality of limiting structures (17), and a linkage module (30). The second plate is longitudinally slidably connected with the first plate. The limiting structures are secured on/to the first plate for limiting a position of the second plate with respect to the first plate. The linkage module is positioned between the first plate and the second plate and connects the first plate and the second plate. The linkage module particularly includes an elastic unit (34). The elastic unit is able to store spring energy that can be used to drive the linkage module. Specifically, such spring energy enables the second plate to automatically slide along the first plate after the second plate is manually moved an initial amount.
US08050725B2
A method for paging access terminals. The method includes: a network entity sends a paging message to a target AN. The paging message carries the information required for calculating the time when the AT wakes to monitor the paging message. The information includes the absolute time that is determined according to the time when the AT previously shifts from the connected state to the idle state. Upon receipt of the paging message, the target AN determines when to send the paging message to the AT according to the information carried in the paging message. The present embodiments also disclose a system and apparatus for paging access terminals. The apparatus is a network entity that sends the paging message. The method, system and apparatus can be used to determine the time when the AT wakes to monitor the paging message, thus ensuring that the AT paging is not missed.
US08050715B1
Embodiments provide a shell module that accommodates form factors that define operational and aesthetic aspects of a modular device. Operational form factors of the shell module include constituent components that provide functional capabilities of the modular device. These constituent components are manipulated and powered by a core module, upon engagement thereto. In particular, the core module includes a power-source component for supplying power to the shell module and a processing component for managing the constituent components. The process of engagement includes executing a recognition procedure to determine a configuration of the shell module. The recognition procedure includes extracting available properties from the constituent components, utilizing the properties to determine an identity of each of the constituent components, and integrating operational control of the constituent components with the processing component. Accordingly, the core module communicates with the constituent components as if they are native to the core module.
US08050712B2
A method is provided for expanding the input and output capabilities of a mobile communications device. If a received signal should be immediately outputted, then a user of the mobile communications device selects an open interface output port for the received signal prior to receiving the signal. Upon reception, the received signal may be transmitted via the open-interface output port on the mobile communications device to an external device. If the received signal may be outputted at another time, then the user of the mobile communications device selects the open interface output port before or after receiving the signal. Upon reception, the signal may be stored as one or more files on the mobile communications device. At another time, the user may use the mobile communications device to transmit, via the open interface output port, a second signal having the one or more files to the external device.
US08050710B2
A cellular phone includes, for the sake of privacy protection, a camera for outputting a pick up image in which an operator is photographed, a touch panel to accept designation of at least a partial region of the pick up image, and a control portion to determine a masked region to mask at least a part of the pick up image based on the accepted region, generate a composite image in which the masked region of the pick up image is converted to another image, and transmit the composite image.
US08050708B2
The option management approach for SDRs includes control of installation and/or access to waveform features and/or platform features. A software-defined radio may include an antenna, a radio transceiver coupled to the antenna, and at least one memory storing a master feature database including a plurality of selectable waveform features and a plurality of selectable platform features, and a selected options database including selected waveform features and selected platform features from the master feature database. A controller cooperates with the at least one memory to configure the selected options database based upon an input options file and to permit reconfiguration of the selected options database based upon a subsequent input options file. The controller also cooperates with the radio transceiver and the selected options database to operate the SDR based upon the selected waveform features and the selected platform features.
US08050707B2
Methods and systems are disclosed for selecting performance settings for one or more wireless technologies, presenting a graphical representation of the relative performance of the wireless technologies for each performance setting, and allowing a selection of at least one of the performance settings. The performance settings can be associated with wireless technologies, or location types. Performance characteristics may include noise, power, quality, speed, and interference. The performance setting of one wireless technology may be manually adjusted and the impact on other wireless technologies can be a graphical displayed or numerical display. Adjustments can be made by a user or a platform designer. In a preset mode, a user make select between preset performance settings that are graphically displayed. In an advanced mode, adjustments to wireless performance characteristics of all the wireless interfaces on a specific platform may be selectively made with the relative effects on other wireless interfaces graphically displayed.
US08050706B2
The present invention discloses a terminal and a method for controlling audio alarm of the terminal. The method comprises detecting whether a valid wireless signal can be received, and setting said terminal to a non-audio alarm mode when it is determined that said valid wireless signal cannot be received. With the terminal and the method of the present invention, it is possible to suppress noise pollution caused by the ringing of the terminal.
US08050701B2
Assigning power spectrum density to access terminals within a wireless network environment is provided. Assignment information that includes assignment of reverse link transmission resources is determined and a power control instruction is created for the assigned reverse link transmission resource. An assignment message that includes both the assignment information and the power control instruction is formatted and communicated to the access terminals. The assignment message includes a Reverse Link Power Control field that indicates a transmit power spectral density assigned by the access point to the reverse-link transmission by the terminal.
US08050698B2
An apparatus and methods are disclosed for enabling the response to a command at a personal wireless terminal to be based at least partially on the presence or absence of other users nearby, and possibly the identity of those users. In the illustrated embodiment, the personal wireless terminal determines wirelessly (e.g., via Bluetooth, etc.) whether there are any other nearby personal wireless terminals (and inferentially, the users associated with these terminals), and then determines whether the command is authorized in that particular environment of nearby users. In some embodiments, authorization is also at least partially based on one or more additional factors, such as the identity of the user of the personal wireless terminal, the identify of nearby users, the nature of the command, one or more arguments of a command, the value of a datum retrieved by a query, and the date and time (i.e., “calendrical time”).
US08050692B2
The present invention discloses a method for improving paging speed of a called user in CDMA trunking system. For a first trunking terminal supporting minus time slot call manner, said method includes: it makes minus time slot paging cycles of the first trunking terminal and a trunking core network keep synchronous; the first trunking terminal selects a minus time slot paging cycle to calculate a paging time slot according to the presence of its own minus time slot paging cycle and the presence of a minus time slot paging cycle contained in an overhead message of a call channel, and monitors the call channel on the calculated paging time slot; the base station system selects a minus time slot paging cycle to calculate a paging time slot of the user according to the presence of its own minus time slot paging cycle and the presence of a minus time slot paging cycle contained in a paging request message, and transmits a paging message on the call channel according to the calculated paging time slot. The method of the present invention effectively shortens the duration of establishment of a trunking call, and simultaneously maintains the compatibility for the existing trunking terminals.
US08050690B2
A method and system for providing location based presence status and enhancing location privacy management in a mobile, instant messaging or social networking environment. A user specifies or saves their favorite locations (e.g. home, work, school, or particular business or point of interest locations), and specifies or selects names and/or categories to be shared for each user-specified location. In addition, the system provides multiple sharing levels for sharing multiple types of location contextual information. When user's current location corresponds to user-specified locations, location based presence status is provided to specified contacts according to the sharing level settings, and provides user the option to share location contextual information without sharing location coordinates of the user. When user is driving, location based presence status is updated accordingly, and when user is at other business or POI locations, corresponding location contextual information is shared based on user's settings for each sharing level.
US08050687B2
A method of calculating the position or state of motion of one or more terminals is proposed in which each has a receiver capable of making measurements of signals received from one or more transmission sources for use in calculating the unknown position or state of motion of the or each terminal. At least one transmission source has a known directional transmission pattern, and the bearing from one of the receivers of the or each of the transmission source having a known directional transmission pattern is estimated. Weights are assigned to the measurements made by the one receiver, the weights being calculated from the bearing or bearings and the known directional transmission pattern of the transmission sources.
US08050686B1
In a wireless communication network having remote receivers (subscriber units) communicating through base units in a service area, each of the base units servicing a cell area encompasses one or more identifiable zones which can be occupied by receivers. According to the invention, at least one measure of the spatial size of the cell is reported to a receiver communicating with a base station, for use in location specific applications. The measure can be a size category, an average diameter or another measure, such as a shape and orientation of the cell, a boundary apex, and a boundary line of the cell. The base station coordinates are conventionally available to the receiver. By providing a measure of size, the receiver can resolve its zone or location to a coarse or low level of resolution. The zone occupied by the receiver is at least within the cell and the size of the cell and location of the base station are now known. According to additional embodiments, the resolved zone known to be occupied by the receiver is refined to an area within the defined cell area. The size of the cell or service area of the location transmitter can be appended to the identification code of the base station. Reporting the cell size and location is sufficient to facilitate some location applications in the receiver, and can reduce or eliminate reliance on satellite and other positioning systems, particularly if the zone initially defined as the cell size is resolved further, for example using time-of-arrival, power level, angular bearing and similar techniques.
US08050685B2
An apparatus and method for UpLink (UL) radio resource allocation in a wideband wireless communication system are provided. In a method of operating a Relay Station (RS) for UpLink (UL) radio resource allocation in a wideband wireless communication system, the method includes relaying to a Base Station (BS) a resource request message of at least one or more Mobile Stations (MSs); receiving data from the at least one or more mobile stations; if the received data is non-real time traffic, queuing the data received from the mobile stations according to a traffic type; and requesting the base station to allocate necessary radio resources by checking a queue status. Accordingly, a delay can be reduced when the UL resource is allocated to an relay station for real time traffic.
US08050684B2
A wireless router employing a technique to couple a plurality a host services or host systems and a plurality of wireless networks. A method to route data items between a plurality of mobile devices and a plurality of host systems through a common wireless router. A point-to-point communication connection is preferably established between a first host system and a common wireless router, a mobile network message at a mobile device is generated, the mobile network message is transmitted via a wireless network to the common wireless router which in turn routes a data item component of the mobile network message to the appropriate host service.
US08050683B2
A method of determining handoff of a user equipment (UE) to a transferee serving station from a transferor serving station at the transferee serving station is provided. The transferee serving station (e.g., a Node B) measures an energy level in a first portion of an uplink channel (e.g., an uplink high-speed dedicated physical control channel (HS-DPCCH)), the first portion of the uplink channel associated with the transferee serving station. In an example, the first portion of the uplink channel is where a channel quality indicator (CQI) is expected to be reported from the UE for the transferee serving station. The transferee serving station also measures an energy level in a second portion of the uplink channel, the second portion of the uplink channel associated with the transferor serving station. In an example, the second portion of the uplink channel is where a CQI is expected to be reported from the UE for the transferor serving station. The transferee serving station then determines when the UE has handed off to the transferee serving station based upon the measured energy levels.
US08050678B2
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for executing the handoff process in the wireless networks. The apparatus comprises a processor to execute an identity checking mechanism. When a wireless network station wants to move from a source AP to a destination AP, the wireless network station sends an authentication request message to the destination AP. The identity checking mechanism searches a R0KH table of the destination AP for the R0KH ID contained in the authentication request message, and determines a setting parameter for executing a handoff process. Thereby, the wireless network station may execute the handoff process. A R0KH table of an AP consists of all IDs of R0KHs that can be accessed by the AP.
US08050677B2
Disclosed is a mobile communication terminal including: a user information storage unit for storing user information having a terminal identifier for identifying an arbitrary communication terminal, and a user identifier for identifying the user of the communication terminal associated with each other; an identifier storage unit for storing, at the time of beginning of a call with the other party of the call, a first identifier for identifying the communication terminal of the other party of the call; a terminal identifier determination unit for determining whether the first terminal identifier and a second terminal identifier are associated with the same user identifier, with reference to the user information, upon receipt of a call-out signal including the second terminal identifier during the call with the communication terminal of the other party; and a call controller for handing over the call to a communication terminal indicated by the second terminal identifier when the terminal identifier determination unit determines that the first and second terminal identifiers are associated with the same user identifier.
US08050670B2
A method for testing a mobile telephony network having a plurality of cells whose sizing depends on at least one selection or reselection parameter comprises a step for the recording, on an onboard computer connected to a mobile telephone, of predefined values of selection and reselection parameters for each cell to be tested, a step for the presetting, for each cell to be tested, of the predefined values of the selection and reselection parameters, and for the capture of data obtained by the mobile telephone for each cell, and a step for the processing of the captured data and the determining of the sizing of each cell. The system for implementing this method is also disclosed.
US08050669B2
A method of merging two or more beacon groups (BGs), each BG comprising one or more wireless devices, the method comprising, determining a leader BG based on merging information broadcast by two or more devices of different BGs, said devices being within radio range of each other; and merging the two or more BGs into the leader BG; wherein the merging information of each device comprises an extension indication, the extension indication being positive if another device of a same BG as said each device is out of radio range of said each device, and negative otherwise.
US08050666B2
A method, device and computer program for coordinating a communication session between an individual and a user of a portable communication device. A portable communication device is provided having an appointment application program stored in memory. The appointment application program includes a queue indicative of a plurality of contacts that are required to contact an associated user of the portable communication device during a predetermined period from an authorized contact number. When the user of the portable communication device 10 receives a telephone call, the call is processed to determine if the telephone call is from one of the authorized contact numbers associated with one of the contacts from queue.
US08050664B2
The invention relates to a method and system for booking a reservation in a booking system and synchronizing bookings in several booking systems comprising at least one booking systems; at least one service provider; a mediator service; a client, and at least one client terminal device that can be a mobile device and that includes a dialogue. In addition, the system comprises telecommunication connections that are used to connect the booking systems, the service providers, the mediator, and the client terminal device. The client uses the dialogue to enter information into the system. There mediator gets inquiries and answers from booking systems, service providers, and dialogues, and transfers and adapts information between them.
US08050659B2
A mobile terminal and protection method for the same are disclosed. The mobile terminal includes: a wireless communication unit receiving first authentication information and identification information during an initial setting mode; a memory unit, having at least two authentication regions to register the received first authentication information and second authentication information derived from the first authentication information, and registering the received identification information; a comparator comparing, upon power on, the first and second authentication information to each other; and a control unit controlling an operation to perform communication using the identification information when the first and second authentication information match, and to set a lock function when the first and second authentication information do not match. Thus, when the mobile terminal is stolen, new identification information is not registered and existing identification information is not changed, contributing to solving the problem of lost or stolen mobile terminals.
US08050649B2
A downconversion mixer with IM2 cancellation includes a mixer, an IM2 generator, and a scaling unit. The mixer frequency downconverts an input RF signal with an LO signal and generates an output baseband signal. The IM2 generator includes first and second field effect transistors (FETs) that receive the input RF signal and generate an intermediate signal having IM2 distortion. The scaling unit scales the intermediate signal to generate a scaled signal and further combines the scaled signal with the output baseband signal to cancel IM2 distortion in the output baseband signal. The IM2 generator may further include first and second amplifiers coupled between the source and gate of the first and second FETs, respectively. Different amounts of IM2 distortion and different temperature variation patterns may be generated in the intermediate signal by using different gains for the amplifiers.
US08050648B1
Digital mixers which permit mixing of asynchronous signals may be constructed of Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ) logic elements. The logic elements may include an RSFQ non-destructive readout cell (NDRO), an RSFQ D flip-flop, an RSFQ XOR circuit, and an RSFQ T flip-flop. A binary tree arrangement of T flip-flops can be used to provide in-phase and quadrature phase-divided replicas of a reference signal. The mixing elements can be either an XOR circuit, a dual port NDRO circuit functioning as a multiplexer or an RS type NDRO functioning as an AND gate. The RSFQ logic elements utilize Josephson junctions which operate in superconducting temperature domains.
US08050644B1
A highly linear mixer and method for cancelling field effect transistor channel resistance modulation are provided. At least a portion of the voltage of an input signal is added to a drive signal to cancel distortion arising from modulation of the voltage of the input signal.
US08050634B2
A transceiver includes a transmitter configured to transmit a first radio frequency signal, a switching device connected to the transmitter and configured to receive and transmit the first radio frequency signal to an antenna, a receiver connected to the switching device via an input and configured to receive a second radio frequency signal from the switching device, the receiver including an electrostatic discharge protection device connected to the input, and a biasing device connected to the electrostatic discharge protection device and configured to forward bias the electrostatic discharge protection device.
US08050629B2
A method includes a first step of monitoring a noise floor. A next step includes determining if the noise floor crosses a threshold level. A next step includes preventing any further increases in a Common Pilot Channel power level. A next step includes randomly selecting and performing an interference mitigation measure. A next step includes monitoring an interference level. A next step allows further increases in a Common Pilot Channel power level if the interference abates by more than a predetermined amount.
US08050622B2
A method and system are provided for detecting messages using enhanced distributed signaling in a wireless communication network that offers transmission diversity to improve the throughput of participating wireless stations.
US08050620B2
A wireless station is used as one of a plurality of relay stations forming transmission paths, respectively, different from each other, in a wireless transmission system for transmitting a packet from a transmitting station to a receiving station through the plurality of relay stations. The wireless station includes a reception section for receiving a packet transmitted from the transmitting station, and receiving a packet which is transmitted, based on the packet transmitted from the transmitting station, from another relay station, and is transmitted before the one of the plurality of relay stations performs transmission, by using a transmission parameter for obtaining a path diversity effect in the wireless transmission system.
US08050619B2
Provided is a mobile communication system capable of obtaining a diversity effect even when a signal received by a relay station has an error in a corporate relay to which time space encoding is applied. In this mobile communication system, when S1 has no error and S2 has an error, a relay station (1) does not perform relay transmission at time t (Null) and relay-transmits S1* to a base station at time t+T. That is, in this case, the relay station (1) relay-transmits at time t+T only S1 to be transmitted at time t when no error is contained in either S1 or S2. Moreover, when S1 has an error and S2 has no error, the relay station (1) relay-transmits S2 at time t and does not perform relay transmission at time t+T (Null). That is, in this case, the relay station (1) relay-transmits only S2 to be transmitted at time t+T at time t if no error is contained in either S1 or S2.
US08050616B2
In an image forming apparatus having a registration roller that aligns the leading edge of the sheet and feeds it to the image forming section, a plurality of loop forming rollers that convey the sheet, and a loop forming space for forming a loop in the sheet are placed on the upstream side of the registration roller, and a plurality of loop amount detecting sensors that detect the amount of loop are provided, and the image forming apparatus has the feature that it is provided with a mechanism and a control device for varying the rotational speeds of said plurality of loop forming rollers individually and separately, wherein the loop amounts in a cross-section of the sheet along the sub-scanning direction are adjusted to be at a prescribed value.
US08050608B2
A fusing device comprising: a frame; a cover hinged to the frame, a heating roller mounted in the cover; a first pressing roller to form a first fusing nip through contact with the heating roller; a second pressing roller to form a second fusing nip, through which a printing medium passes, after passing through the first fusing nip; and a first resilient member connected to the frame and the cover, to bias the first and second pressing rollers toward the heating roller.
US08050602B2
A developing device includes: a developer containing a toner and a carrier; a first transporting member placed at an opening portion of a developer vessel used for housing the developer; a second transporting member that faces the first transporting member with a first area interposed therebetween, and also faces an electrostatic latent image-supporting member with a second area interposed therebetween; a first electric-field-forming unit that forms a first electric field between the first transporting member and the second transporting member; and a second electric-field-forming unit that forms a second electric field between the second transporting member and the electrostatic latent image-supporting member. An image-forming apparatus includes the above-mentioned developing device.
US08050600B2
There is provided an image formation device comprising an developer holding body having a holding surface parallel with a main scanning direction and holding thereon developer; an developer supplying unit to carry developer along a carrying path, wherein the developer supplying unit comprises first carrying electrodes arranged along the carrying path and serving to carry the developer in a carrying direction; second carrying electrodes arranged along the carrying path to face the first electrodes and serving to carry the developer in the carrying direction; a first voltage applying unit to apply a first carrying voltage having a first frequency to the first carrying electrodes; and a second voltage applying unit to apply, to the second carrying electrodes, a second carrying voltage having a second frequency different from the first frequency.
US08050595B2
A replenishment carrier injection system is provided for adding carrier particles to a developer housing in a two-component developer toner imaging machine. The replenishment system includes (i) a carrier-only hopper for receiving and containing a first quantity of carrier particles; (ii) metering valves connected to a discharge end of the carrier-only hopper; (iii) a pneumatic plenum connected to the metering valves; (v) an air pump connected to the carrier-only hopper and to the pneumatic plenum for pressurizing the carrier-only hopper and for pneumatically conveying a metered quantity of carrier particles in an air stream from the pneumatic plenum; and (vi) carrier injection assemblies each being connected to the pneumatic plenum and including a conduit for carrier flow, a direct injector elbow connecting the conduit to a developer housing for directly injecting fresh carrier from the pneumatic plenum into the developer housing; and a fresh carrier current collector for detecting any fault in fresh carrier flow through said direct injector elbow the system into the developer housing.
US08050594B2
A conductive drum flange is provided in a cylindrical member of a photoconductive drum. A first gear is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the drum flange. A nonconductive gear member is provided in a shaft member of a transfer roller. A second gear to which driving force is transmitted from the first gear is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the gear member. A groove is formed in at least one of two sides of the gear member. A distance for insulation along the side is increased by groove walls of the groove.
US08050593B2
An image forming apparatus capable of reliably positioning a process unit in a main image forming apparatus body, without impairing ease of mounting/dismounting of the process unit achieved by a simple structure. The image forming apparatus including a convex section, provided on the process unit, that projects towards the insertion side; an engagement section, provided on the main apparatus body, that positions the process unit in a width direction by engaging with the convex section; and a guidance section, provided on at least one of a tip end of the convex section and the main apparatus body, that guides the convex section towards the guidance section when mounting the process unit.
US08050590B2
This is a device for cleaning a corona grid used in electrostatic printing or copying machines. This device has a cleaner pad that cleans the outer surface of the grid, that is the surface closest to the photoreceptor surface. This pad is located between the outer surface of the grid and the surface of the photoreceptor. It can be used together with a cleaner pad that cleans the inner surface of the grid.
US08050586B2
In a case where a display unit displays a setting screen having a first display area to display a draft graphical image in accordance with draft setting and a second display area to display a finished graphical image in accordance with sheet setting, and a user designates a position to be stapled, a staple region mark is superimposed and displayed on a region corresponding to the position to be stapled in the draft graphical image in accordance with the draft setting, and a staple position mark is superimposed and displayed on a position corresponding to the position to be stapled in the finished graphical image in accordance with the sheet setting.
US08050585B2
In an embodiment of the invention, a metal shield case and a metal shutter are electrically conducted to each other by using a contact part and are made to have the same potential. By this, the shutter does not electrically exert a bad influence on detection accuracy of a surface potential sensor, the closing performance of the shutter is improved, and the miniaturization or reduction in cost of the surface potential sensor can be realized.
US08050571B2
An illumination light receiver includes: a wavelength separation mechanism separating visible light containing optical signal data distributed among wavelengths corresponding to three primary colors into the wavelengths corresponding to the three primary colors; a dispersion restraining mechanism restraining dispersion of light outputted from the wavelength separation mechanism; and a light receiving portion illuminated, separately for each of the separated wavelengths corresponding to the three primary colors, by the light outputted from the dispersion restraining mechanism, the light receiving portion converting the optical signal data into and extracting an electrical signal.
US08050570B2
An optoelectronic sensor includes at least one light transmitter for the transmission of light signals into a monitored zone, at least one light receiver for the reception of light signals transmitted from the light transmitter and a control device for the generation and/or influencing of the light signals and for the generation of an object detection signal in the case of the presence of an object in the monitored region in dependence on the output signals of the light receiver. In this connection, the light signals transmitted into the monitored zone by the light transmitter are each generated by an output signal modulated in accordance with the spread spectrum method using a random pseudo-noise code.
US08050561B2
A passive optical network (PON) system comprising a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) having one downstream receiver and one upstream transmitter, an optical line terminal (OLT) having a downstream transmitter and a plurality of upstream receivers, wherein each upstream receiver is associated with a subset of the ONUs, and an optical distribution network (ODN) that connects the OLT to the ONUs is disclosed. An OLT for a PON, comprising a downstream transmitter, and a plurality of upstream receivers, wherein a downstream transmitter bandwidth is greater than each upstream receiver bandwidth is also disclosed. A network component comprising a processor configured to implement a method comprising determining a downstream bandwidth and an upstream bandwidth for a PON, and increasing a number of upstream channels per downstream channel for the PON when asymmetry between the downstream bandwidth and the upstream bandwidth is greater than a threshold amount is also disclosed.
US08050555B2
The invention relates to an optical waveguide device that includes a waveguide phase modulator (WPM). A waveguide monitoring structure is coupled optically in parallel with the WPM so as to form a Mach-Zehnder interferometer therewith for producing monitor light indicative of a phase shift imparted by the WPM. The waveguide monitoring structure includes a first optical tap for tapping off a fraction of light entering the first WPM for providing first tapped-off light, a second optical tap for tapping off a fraction of light exiting the first WPM for providing second tapped off light, and an ancillary phase modulator for modulating the optical phase of the first or second tapped-off light so as to modulate the intensity of the monitor light in dependence upon the first phase shift. A feedback circuit controls the phase shift imparted by the WPM based on a modulation index of the monitor light.
US08050550B2
A digital camera is provided with a vertically long camera body having an approximately rectangular solid shape. An LCD panel provided in a rear surface of the camera body is arranged such that longitudinal directions of the display screen and the camera body correspond to each other. The digital camera is operated through a touch panel provided in a lower portion of the display screen. In a taking mode, an image is displayed in a small size on an upper portion of the display screen. In reproducing, the camera body is rotated sideways by 90 degree. In a reproducing mode, display posture of the image is also rotated by 90 degree, and the image is displayed in a large size on the entire display screen.
US08050543B2
A trigger mechanism for starting current acquisition for motor control applications is disclosed. The present invention may generate an edge (ADC trigger) that can be used to start current acquisition by the ADC. The present invention may reduce the overhead involved in synchronizing the current acquisition with PWM generation and also minimize the wait period for software conversions to complete by replacing software-based timing with a hardware-based trigger mechanism.
US08050540B2
A reproduction route composed of a still image section and a motion image section is recorded on a recordable DVD. A drive device (93) reads picture data from the DVD-RAM. An MPEG decoder (95) decodes and displays the read picture data. By referring to cell information, the judgment is performed as to whether the read picture data belongs to the still image section or the motion image data. If the read picture data belongs to the still image section, the next picture data is read out after a predetermined wait time.
US08050521B2
The present invention provides a true-scale, coordinate-matched, linked in real-time, dual three-dimensional/two-dimensional visual display/viewer. The display simultaneously shows a 3D digital image and an associated 2D digital image of a selected drawing. The display of the present invention allows a user to visualize an asset's location, surrounding environment and hazards and true scale structural details for interior or external structural scenes. Using the display and associated tools, the user can obtain real-time information of an environment, true-scale measurement, plan ingress/egress paths, shortest paths between points and the number of doorways in a structure and track objects within the displayed environment. The intelligence gained using the tools and 3D/2D display may be used and further manipulated by a single user or may be distributed to other users.
US08050516B2
A method of determining a plurality of positions associated with a plurality of reaction chambers of a microfluidic device includes a) providing a baseline image; b) providing a template image of a reaction chamber; and c) selecting a region of the baseline image. The method also includes d) performing a matching process including matching the template image to one or more portions of the region of the baseline image; e) determining a position of a first chamber; and f) predicting a position of a second chamber. The method further includes g) repeating steps c) through f) for subsequent chambers.
US08050512B2
A method for displaying an image includes receiving an image having a first luminance dynamic range and modifying the image to a second luminance dynamic range free from being based upon other images, where the second dynamic range is greater than the first dynamic range. The modified image is displayed on a display.
US08050509B2
A method and apparatus are provided for eliminating image noise to remove spatial-temporal noise and improve visibility. The method includes extracting a spatial-temporal noise level of neighbor pixels around a current pixel, filtering noise of the current pixel by applying a weight to spatial-temporal pixels around the current pixel based on the extracted spatial-temporal noise level, and applying a weight to the noise-filtered pixel and a boosted-up pixel based on an edge intensity and summing the weight-applied pixels. The spatial-temporal noise level is extracted based on spatial-temporal information of neighbor pixels around a current pixel in a current frame and spatial-temporal information of neighbor pixels around a current pixel in a previous frame.
US08050504B2
A line scan imager is used to determine the motion of a subject. Each line of image data from the line scan imager is compared with a reference image. The location of a matching line in the reference image reveals the displacement of the subject. The current subject displacement can be determined based on each line of image data. The resulting displacement information can be used to correctly place other optical beams on the subject. The method can be applied to tracking the human eye to facilitate measurement, imaging, or treatment with a beam of optical radiation.
US08050502B2
A two-dimensional code in which given data is encoded as a two-dimensional image. The two-dimensional code includes as image elements: points each of which is placed at point placement reserved position in a two-dimensional region based on a binary data string uniquely associated with the given data according to a preset binary data string placement condition; and a line connecting each of the points and a connection target point according to a preset connection condition. The two-dimensional code is formed as a two-dimensional image by causing the line connecting the points to have a given width.
US08050497B2
An image processing apparatus, includes: a contrast enhancer which changes a color coordinate value of a color correction region in an image signal, which corresponds to a color to be corrected within the image signal, to a corrected color coordinate value in a range to perform a color correction; and a controller which determines a difference between the color coordinate values before and after the color correction by the contrast enhancer, and controls the contrast enhancer to output the image signal having the unchanged color coordinate value if the difference is greater than or equal to a reference value.
US08050495B2
A rich media file is a self-contained file, including both the information to be viewed by a user and the viewer that displays the information to the user. The information can be formatted however the client likes: for example, the information can be split across several pages, and can include text and still and animated images. There can also be web links to pages on a network, and e-mail forms to simplify sending an e-mail message to the client. The rich media file can include viewing limitations, so that only the proper password can unlock the file, or that the rich media file will automatically expire after a specified condition occurs. The rich media file also assists the user in obtaining the latest version of the rich media file, by offering to retrieve a newer version for the user.
US08050477B2
An improved radiation therapy planning procedure is suggested. The procedure comprises the steps of specifying and determining the absolute grade of cell degeneracy by in-vitro tests, whereby marker(s) indicative for specific cell degeneracy are detected and quantified, establishing a biology-based segmentation of areas with similar grade of relative cell degeneracy and applying the absolute grade of cell degeneracy to the biology-based segmentation data, thereby establishing an improved radiation therapy planning procedure. Moreover, the present invention suggests a system for an improved radiation therapy planning procedure and its use in procedures of diagnosis and/or therapy management of cancer.
US08050469B2
The present invention relates to the field of digital imaging, in particular to the field of estimating geometrical properties of an anatomical object. According to the present invention, geometrical properties are automatically measured and geometrical properties which have a definition based on sub-parts of the object are derived. To do this, additional geometrical information is integrated into a surface model. Geometrical properties are included into the surface model by identifying and labelling sub-parts of the surface model and fitting geometric primitives to these sub-parts. This advantageously allows to identify these sub-parts on an unseen object surface and to automatically extract relevant geometric properties.
US08050463B2
An iris recognition system implementing image quality metrics to assess the quality of an acquired eye image for reliable operation. Images with low image quality may be rejected or flagged based upon the application. The image quality may be determined with a preprocessing module in the recognition system. The processing may be configured based on a quality assessment.
US08050462B2
Systems and methods are described that provide a fast and simple way of administering a drug program related to an animal. Specifically, systems are provided that can receive, compile and analyze information regarding the condition of an organ in a form that is readily readable, transferable to others, and associated with, or linked to, other information such as the presence or absence of an administered drug, combination of drugs, or drug program.
US08050456B2
A vehicle and road sign recognition device each includes: image capturing means (2) which captures a color image of a road via imaging means (6); feature value calculation means (4) which calculates a feature value of each pixel corresponding to the color of a road sign on the road from the color components of each pixel in the color image so as to reduce the effect of brightness on the color components; and road sign detection means (5) which detects the road sign on the road from the feature image in which the feature value of each pixel in the color image is arranged so as to match with the position of each pixel in the color image. Thus, it is possible to accurately detect a road sign such as a lane mark from the color image of the road captured via the imaging means such as a camera even if the road illumination state is partially different.
US08050455B2
A photographing apparatus and a method for controlling target tracking are provided. The photographing apparatus includes a target extractor for extracting target information in a present frame based on the difference between a pixel value of one pixel among previous pixels constituting the target of the previous frame in an area adjacent to the present pixel constituting the present frame and a pixel value of the present pixel, and a tracking controller for controlling automatic tracking for the target based on the target information. Accordingly, the target can be extracted more precisely.
US08050453B2
A method for tracking objects includes identifying a target, identifying a plurality of auxiliary objects related to the target, and tracking the target using the plurality of auxiliary objects.
US08050451B2
The present disclosure relates to creating and managing electronic documents. One claim recites a computerized tablet including: electronic memory for storing electronic data corresponding to an application document, an electronic processor, and a display. The electronic processor is programmed for: obtaining the electronic data corresponding to an application document; analyzing the electronic data to detect steganographic indicia encoded therein, the steganographic indicia comprising a plural-bit identifier; and generating an electronic form based at least in part on the steganographic indicia, the electronic form comprising at least one field to receive user input. The display is for displaying the electronic version of the application document, and for receiving user input corresponding to the at least one field. Other claims and combinations are provided as well.
US08050449B2
A display apparatus, a fan unit and a fan speed control method thereof are provided. The display apparatus includes an image processing unit that performs image processing for an image signal; a display unit that displays an image based on the image signal; a fan unit that comprises a fan for discharging heat generated in the display apparatus; and a controller that controls the fan unit to adjust a rotation speed of the fan based on an attribute of the image displayed on the display unit.
US08050446B2
Disclosed is a method and system for digital watermarking of multimedia signals. The input multimedia signal is represented using an inverse difference pyramid decomposition. Spectrum coefficients may be calculated for each level of the pyramid using a new kind of complex Hadamard transform, the matrix of which is distinguished from the known ones by the fact that only one-fourth of its coefficients are complex numbers. The phases of a previously selected part of the low-frequency coefficients are modified with the watermark data, limiting the angles of the phase changes in a gap of several degrees only. After an inverse complex Hadamard Transform, the values of the coefficients from all pyramid levels are summed up and the result is the watermarked signal. The watermark can contain multiple independent levels for each level of the pyramid.
US08050443B2
A microphone contains a capacitor in a capsule with a diaphragm serving as one of electrodes of the capacitor. The microphone is mounted on a mounting board when external terminals installed on an external surface of a circuit board which closes an opening of the capsule are connected face to face with connection terminals on the mounting board. A sound hole is formed in the circuit board and through-hole is formed in the mounting board, being placed in such a position as to avoid overlapping each other when the microphone is mounted. An enclosed space which communicates the through-hole and sound hole is formed when the external terminals are connected with the connection terminals on the mounting board.
US08050440B2
A hearing aid (2) is provided which includes a receiver tube (14) containing waterproof ear wax mesh trap (16). The receiver tube is removably connected directly to the hearing aid receiver (12) and the tube may be cleaned or replaced by a hearing aid dispenser or audiologist during a patient office visit. The receiver tube includes a waterproof ear wax trap lodged within, that is made of a foamed and stretched PTFE membrane. Further, the length of the receiver tube may be adjusted by the dispenser or audiologist during the office visit by clipping it accordingly.
US08050437B2
An earpiece auditory device is described which includes a behind-the-ear component shaped to fit behind the ear of a user. The behind-the-ear component can also have at least one microphone and processing circuitry, where the processing circuitry is used to processes audio signal from the microphone. The device also includes a speaker sized to fit in the ear canal of a user, and an ear mold holding the speaker in place. The ear mold can also be position to touch the bony portion of the ear canal and provide sound attenuation in the ear canal. A connector physically and electrically connects the behind-the-ear component to the speaker. The connector is capable of being used to insert and remove the speaker and ear mold from the ear canal of the user.
US08050430B2
A sound wave generator includes one or more carbon nanotube films. The carbon nanotube film includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes substantially parallel to each other and joined side by side via van der Waals attractive force therebetween. At least part of the sound wave generator is supported by a supporting element. The one or more carbon nanotube films produce sound by means of the thermoacoustic effect.
US08050426B2
Mixer apparatus includes: a plurality of input channels, mixing buses and output channels; a monitor section that outputs, for a monitoring purpose, signals of one or more of the channels selected in response to monitoring selecting operation; and a plurality of effecters. For each of the plurality of effecters, setting is performed to insert the effecter in a designated one of the input or output channels, to allow the inserted effecter to be used in the designated channel. The mixer also permits editing of a selected one of the effecters while causing an editing screen for the selected effecter to be displayed. When any one of the effecters has been selected for editing while the mixer is set in the interlock mode, control is performed to automatically output, for the monitoring purpose, the signal of the channel having the selected effecter inserted therein.
US08050422B2
A audio test method for decreasing noise influence, which includes the following steps: obtaining analog signals; converting the analog signals into digital signals; intercepting digital signals of a first predetermined length and executing a first Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), then obtaining an first Fourier spectrum; recording the amplitudes of frequency values of the first Fourier spectrum; intercepting digital signals of a second predetermined length and executing the second FFT, then obtaining an second Fourier spectrum; recording the amplitudes of the frequency values belonging to odd points of the second frequency spectrum, which are the amplitudes of the noise composition; subtracting the amplitudes of the noise composition from the amplitudes of frequency values of the first Fourier spectrum and obtaining a frequency domain signals without noise composition; executing inverse Fast Fourier Transform (iFFT) for the frequency domain signals and obtaining time domain signals, testing each parameter of the time domain signals.
US08050421B2
According to one embodiment, an acoustic correction apparatus includes: a signal obtaining module configured to obtain an acoustic signal from a target space including an object and an external space; a signal output module configured to output to the target space a measurement signal; a coefficient identifying module configured to identify, on the basis of a response acoustic signal, a correction coefficient of a correction filter that reduces a resonance frequency component of a resonance in the object; a filtering module configured to use the correction filter, and filter the signal provided to the object; a noise cancelling module configured to remove, on the basis of the acoustic signal, a noise component comprised in the acoustic signal from the filtered signal; and an output module configured to output the acoustic signal, from which the noise component is removed by the noise cancelling module, to the object.
US08050419B2
A vehicle audio system such as a vehicle radio is integrated with a vehicle speech system so that outputted speech by the vehicle speech system is played through the audio system. When a speech session begins, the audio system mutes any entertainment audio being played and outputs audio speech received from the vehicle speech system at an initial volume that is constrained to be between minimum and maximum initial volume settings. These initial volume settings are automatically adjusted by the audio system if it detects that the user has a tendency to repeatedly adjust the volume past one of these settings each time a speech session is carried out.
US08050410B2
A method and system for providing communication over arbitrary distances with a desired probability of security is disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention shares of a random key are encoded, the random key for effecting communication of a message through a network employing a cryptographically strong forward security system having a limited effective communications distance. A distributed re-randomization of the encoded shares is then effected at a plurality of intermediate network nodes.
US08050406B2
A receiver device consistent with certain embodiments that receives and decrypts digital cable or satellite television signals has a receiver that tunes and demodulates the television signal into a digital transport stream. A decrypter decrypts the digital transport stream using a pair of decryption keys. A first decryption key array stored in a first storage location forming a part of the receiver device, and a second key array stored in a second storage location forming a part of the receiver device, the first and second key arrays representing ordered pairs of keys. An authorization table is stored in a third storage location forming a part of the receiver device, the authorization table containing a mapping, wherein each ordered pair of decryption keys corresponds to a different one of a plurality of Multichannel Video Program Distributors (MVPD). This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US08050405B2
Methods of securely communicating a message from a first terminal to a second terminal include generating a keypad including a random sequence of bits having a length L, encrypting the message at the first terminal using a bit string beginning at an offset O in the keypad, and transmitting the encrypted message and an indicator of the offset O to the second terminal. A communication terminal includes a controller, a communication module configured to establish a location-limited communication channel, and an encryption unit configured to store a keypad including a random sequence of bits having a length L, to encrypt an outgoing message using the keypad, and to decrypt an incoming message using the keypad.
US08050403B2
A public key for an Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem is generated in a manner that acts as a countermeasure to power analysis attacks. In particular, a known scalar multiplication method is enhanced by, in one aspect, performing a right shift on the private key. The fixed-sequence window method includes creation and handling of a translated private key. Conveniently, as a result of the right shift, the handling of the translated private key is made easier and more efficient.
US08050399B2
A power transformation device of a powered device in a power over Ethernet system includes a first transformer coupled between a first pin and a second pin of an Ethernet terminal, a second transformer coupled between a third pin and a sixth pin of the Ethernet terminal, and a bridge rectifier coupled between a center tap of the first transformer and a center tap of the second transformer, for rectifying power outputted from the center taps of the first transformer and the second transformer, so as to provide power for the powered device.
US08050388B2
A presence aware communications system, comprising a messaging system configured to perform at least one of the following operations:(a) provide a subscriber's communication device with information regarding an incoming contact during a messaging session between the subscriber's communication device and the messaging system;(b) provide the subscriber's communication device with a text message containing information regarding one or more messages when a notification is received that the subscriber's communication device is available;(c) provide the subscriber's communication device with a text message relating to a voice message from a different first party received by the messaging system;(d) in response to the subscriber's communication device requesting a connection with at least one of an inputted telephone number and address, provide the subscriber's communication device with a notification respecting at least one eligible message from a second party associated with the at least one of an inputted telephone number and address;(e) while a contact between the subscriber and a different third party is in progress, provide the subscriber's communication device with information respecting the at least one eligible message from the third party;(f) transform an audio messaging session between the messaging system and the communication device of a contacting party into a graphical user interface-based audio session; and(g) transform the audio messaging session into a session having a video channel or both audio and video channels.
US08050385B2
Photon counting detectors may suffer from pulse sharing effects and fluorescence photon generation, which may lead to a degradation of the measured signals. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a detector unit is provided which is adapted for performing a coincidence detection and correction by comparing detection events of neighbouring cells, thereby providing for a coincidence identification followed by an individual coincidence correction. In order to reduce the number of coincidence detection and corresponding units per detector unit, a specific detector cell geometry may be applied.
US08050382B2
An x-ray analysis system with an x-ray source for producing an x-ray excitation beam directed toward an x-ray analysis focal area; and a sample chamber for presenting a fluid sample to the x-ray analysis focal area. The x-ray excitation beam is generated by an x-ray engine and passes through an x-ray transparent barrier on a wall of the chamber, to define an analysis focal area within space defined by the chamber. The fluid sample is presented as a stream suspended in the space and streaming through the focal area, using a laminar air flow and/or pressure to define the stream. The chamber's barrier is therefore separated from both the focal area and the sample, resulting in lower corruption of the barrier.
US08050379B2
An exemplary shift register (20) includes a plurality of shift register units (200) connected one by one. Each of the shift register units includes a clock signal input terminal (TS), a high level signal input terminal (VH), a low level signal input terminal (VL), an input terminal (VIN), a first output terminal (VOUT1), a second output terminal (VOUT2), a first common node (P1), a second common node (P2), a first switch circuit (31), a second switch circuit (32), a third switch circuit (33), a fourth switch circuit (34), a fifth switch circuit (35), a six switch circuit (36), a nor gate, an inverter, and an and gate.
US08050367B2
Input average levels and output average levels of digital channel filters 217 and 218 are computed in amplitude calculation circuits 101 and 102. In a gain difference calculation circuit 103, a gain difference of the input levels and the output levels is computed as a multiplier α so that a difference between the input levels and the output levels are eliminated or adjusted to be within a certain value. The outputs of the digital channel filters 217 and 218 are multiplied by the multiplier α in multiplier units 104 and 105. The multiplication results are outputted as corrected digital signals to a subsequent digital signal processing circuit.
US08050365B2
A radio communication device performs baseband processing by subjecting a received signal to an AD conversion at a predetermined sampling frequency and converting a digital signal resulting from the AD conversion into a baseband signal by frequency conversion. The device includes a frequency converting unit configured to convert the resulting digital signal into a complex baseband signal. The device further includes a waveform shaping unit configured to subject the baseband signal to waveform shaping, and a down-sampling unit configured to subject the baseband signal to sample discrete reduction.
US08050354B2
Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating communication of a data block communicated in an OFDM-based, communication system. Side-information required to be transmitted by many PAPR reduction schemes in OFDM is carried and transmitted by sending orthogonal binary sequences superimposed on the OFDM data sequence carrying the information to be transmitted. In one embodiment, a selected scrambling sequence is multiplied with an input data block to yield a desired Peak-To-Average Power Ratio. An identification sequence one-to-one corresponding to the scrambling sequence is superimposed on the resultant sequence and transmitted together. In the receiving station, the identification sequence is determined through correlation operations. This also determines the scrambling sequence. The effects of both sequences are finally removed from the information-carrying data sequence.
US08050349B2
The present invention, generally speaking, provides interleavers and methods of interleaving that satisfy the need for backward compatibility while effectively addressing competing design objectives. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, data is transmitted using a number of transmit antennas greater than an expected number of receive antennas. At least one pair of transmit antennas (ant′—1, ant′_N) is formed, and multiple second data streams (610a, 610u) are formed from a first data stream, successive bits in said first data stream being assigned to different ones of said second data streams. Block interleaving of multiple respective ones of said second data streams is individually performed (611a, 611u). During successive transmission intervals (617), the pair of transmit antennas is used to transmit a pair of data symbols taken from different ones of said second data streams, followed by an equivalent transformed pair of data symbols.
US08050346B2
Provided are a method of estimating an encoder for dual stream transmission, and an encoder using the same. The method includes the steps of: a) setting up the number of memories required for an encoder, a free distance condition for robust data, and a free distance condition for mixed stream of robust data and normal data; b) obtaining ½ rate encoder combinations that sustain backward compatibility with a typical trellis encoder; c) obtaining encoder combinations H that satisfy the free distance condition for the robust data and the free distance condition for the mixed stream from the ½ rate encoder combinations; d) obtaining relations between memories and input/output signals, which satisfy the encoder combinations H; and e) configuring an encoder according to the obtained relation between the memories and the input/output signals.
US08050344B2
Improved beamforming techniques are provided for use in MIMO (multiple-input, multiple-output) communication systems, including MIMO-OFDM systems. The techniques include: (1) determining beamforming (BF) weights using a smoothed singular value decomposition (SVD) of the channel matrix; (2) determining BF weights using a power-optimized minimum mean-square error (MMSE) technique when the number of available transmit antennas exceeds the number of signal streams; and (3) determining BF weights using a hybrid SVD-MMSE technique. Additional techniques for reducing the impulse response length of the BF weights and/or normalizing the power per transmit antenna or per data stream may be used in conjunction with these or other beamforming techniques.
US08050337B2
A wireless communications system configured for Low Probability of Intercept (LPI), Low Probability of Detection (LPD) and/or Low Probability of Exploitation (LPE) communications may use waveforms substantially devoid of a cyclostationary signature to improve a LPI/LPD/LPE property. A set of M independent “seed” waveforms that satisfy a time-bandwidth constraint may be used via a Gram-Schmidt Orthogonalization (GSO) procedure to generate M orthonormal functions. In accordance with exemplary embodiments, the M seed waveforms may be chosen from a band-limited Gaussian-distributed process and may be used to generate, via an orthogonalization operation a corresponding set of M Gaussian-distributed orthonormal functions substantially devoid of a cyclostationary property.
US08050334B2
According to the present invention, a shift amount Sj−1 of the previous frame is held in a shift amount buffer of an integer signal coder. At least as many last sample values in the previous frame as the number of an order P used in linear predictive analysis are held in a sample buffer of the integer signal coder. The last P sample values in the previous frame held in the sample buffer of the integer signal coder are corrected in an interframe correction section by Sj-Sj−1 on the basis of the shift amount Sj of the current frame and the shift amount Sj−1 of the previous frame determined by a shift amount determining section.
US08050333B2
In a data transfer device which cancells an offset of a differential amplifier for amplifying a received signal and an offset caused by characteristics of a differential transmission line and selects optimum conditions such as pre-emphasis amount of an output pre-emphasis circuit, a first chip (transmission side LSI=transfer engine 210) and a second chip (reception side LSI=multiplexing engine 330) are connected to each other through differential transmission line 430 and a SerDes (serializer) 401 and a SerDes (deserializer) 402 are used to make signal transmission, so that optimum setting conditions of an offset amount of an offset cancellation circuit included in an input buffer amplifier and a pre-emphasis amount of pre-emphasis circuit included in an output buffer are decided in training using a training PRBS generator 560 and a training PRBS comparator 570.
US08050330B2
An integrated receiver with multiple, independently synchronized clock signals for multiple channel transport stream decoding and delivery substantially implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit is described. An integrated circuit that services two satellite programs must generate and distribute corresponding time domain clocks to the various components of the integrated circuit. The transport block that receives one or more satellite signals from a demodulating block will extract program clock recover values from each signal being decoded and use these values to produce an error signal or control word that serves as an input to a clock generator. Based upon this input, the clock circuit will produce a corresponding time domain clock for each channel serviced by the integrated circuit. The output of the clock circuit is distributed to the various processing blocks within the integrated circuit that operate upon channel content received and processed by the transport block.
US08050316B2
A DTV receiver includes a tuner, a demodulator, a known sequence detector, and a frequency domain equalizer. The tuner initially receives a broadcast signal including valid data in which a known data sequence is periodically repeated. The demodulator demodulates the broadcast signal, and the known sequence detector detects the known data sequence from the demodulated signal. The frequency domain equalizer compensates channel distortion of the demodulated broadcast signal in a frequency domain using the detected known data sequence. In addition, the DTV receiver may further include a time domain equalizer which compensates channel distortion of the time domain signal, or a noise canceller which removes a predicted noise from the time domain signal.
US08050313B2
A single chip radio platform is disclosed for communicating with an RF channel. An RF front end is provided having a receive/transmit capability to receive an RF carrier modulated with digital data and convert the data to analog baseband data, and modulate an RF carrier with baseband data. A digital signal processor (DSP) engine is provided for interfacing with the RF front end to form in conjunction therewith the PHY layer, and interfacing with the MAC layer to demodulate the baseband data and in the transmit mode to generate the baseband data for modulation and transmission by the RF front end. A microcontroller unit (MCU) is provided for performing the functionality of the MAC, network and application layers and interfacing with the DSP. Clock circuitry is provided including a stable reference clock for generating a first fixed clock for providing MCU clocks for the operation of the MCU, and for providing a reference for a local oscillator at substantially the channel frequency for use by the RF front end and a DSP clock for use by the DSP, both the MCU clocks, the local oscillator and the DSP clock having the stability of the first fixed clock. Periodic power management circuitry is provided for controlling the operation of the radio platform to operate in a sleep.
US08050308B2
A means for optically coupling a semiconductor laser to an optical fiber is disclosed. In one embodiment, a volume phase holographic element is disposed on a light-emitting surface of a semiconductor laser. The volume phase holographic element acts as an aberration-corrector for a lens that is disposed between the semiconductor laser and the optical fiber. In this way, an inexpensive lens that is not aberration free can be used. In some embodiments, the volume phase holographic element converts a Gaussian light beam emitted by the semiconductor laser into an annular beam that is more suitable for long distance transmission in multimode fibers.
US08050307B2
A compact mid-IR laser device utilizes a quantum cascade laser to provide mid-IR frequencies suitable for use in molecular detection by signature absorption spectra. The compact nature of the device is obtained owing to an efficient heat transfer structure, the use of a small diameter aspheric lens and a monolithic assembly structure to hold the optical elements in a fixed position relative to one another. Efficient heat transfer is achieved using a thermoelectric cooler TEC combined with a high thermal conductivity heat spreader onto which the quantum cascade laser is thermally coupled. The heat spreader not only serves to dissipate heat and conduct same to the TEC, but also serves as an optical platform to secure the optical elements within the housing in a fixed relationship relative on one another.
US08050303B2
A laser gain medium. The novel laser gain medium includes a host material, a plurality of quantum dots dispersed throughout the host material, and a plurality of laser active ions surrounding each of the quantum dots. The laser active ions are disposed in close proximity to the quantum dots such that energy absorbed by the quantum dots is non-radiatively transferred to the ions via a Forster resonant energy transfer, thereby exciting the ions to produce laser output. In an illustrative embodiment, each quantum dot is surrounded by an external shell doped with the laser active ions.
US08050300B2
A laser beam source device includes: a light source which emits light having fundamental wavelength; a wavelength conversion element which converts the light having fundamental wavelength into light having conversion wavelength; a resonance element which transmits first light converted into the conversion wavelength light and reflects light not converted; an optical path conversion element which releases second light contained in the light reflected by the resonance element and converted into the conversion wavelength light in the same direction as the direction of the first light, and releases the light not converted toward the light source; and a supporting member. The resonance element is disposed in such a position that one end surface of the resonance element on the second light side is shifted to the supporting member from one end surface of the wavelength conversion element on the second light side.
US08050292B2
A method used in a medium access control, hereinafter called MAC, layer of a wireless communications system for performing transmission and prioritization for packets of a radio link control, hereinafter called RLC, layer including a plurality of RLC entities coupled to a plurality of logic channel includes determining a size of a MAC protocol data unit, hereinafter called PDU according to a grant provided by a lower layer, selecting MAC control elements for use in a MAC PDU header, determining MAC sub-headers for use in the MAC PDU header according to the selected MAC control elements, determining a total transmission payload size according to total sizes of the control elements and the MAC sub-headers, and then allocating a transmission payload size for each RLC entity according to the total transmission payload size, a data volume provided by each of the plurality of RLC entities, and logic channel priority.
US08050291B1
A method and system for communicating an ultra-wideband signal carrying a combined digital signal that represents digital signals for multiple communication channels of a wireless communication system. A distributed antenna system includes multiple remote antenna entities. Each remote antenna entity may include an ultra-wideband transceiver for sending or receiving the ultra-wideband signal. The multiple remote antenna entities may be spaced apart within an indoor premises so as to extend cell coverage of a base transceiver station. The ultra-wideband signal may be transmitted in a forward-link direction towards one or more wireless communication devices or in a reverse-link direction towards the base transceiver station. An aggregator within a remote antenna entity may aggregate multiple combined digital signals so as to form an aggregated combined digital signal that may be transmitted in a reverse-link direction towards the base transceiver station.
US08050284B2
A method for controlling burst assembly, device, and communication equipment thereof are provided. In the present invention, an assembly time and a predetermined time threshold are compared to determine a load change in a cache queue. If the load is increased or decreased suddenly, a length threshold is directly increased or decreased. If the load is to be increased, the length threshold is randomly increased according to a certain probability. If the load is to be decreased, the length threshold is randomly decreased according to a certain probability. If the load is in a normal state, the length threshold is maintained. Therefore, the length threshold is dynamically adjusted with the load change. The method and device provided by the present invention ensure an end-to-end (E2E) delay of the services and optimize the network performance.
US08050277B2
The present invention discloses a control method for cross-domain call and connection of ASON. Firstly, a multi-layer network structure is constructed; a network element in parent domain corresponds to a child domain and can communicate with the network elements in the child domain; after the input NCCdi of the bottom-layer domain Ddi receives a cross-domain call processing request from the CCCc1 at the calling side, it sends the request up to the input NCCfi of the parent domain Dft; the NCCfi transmits a call coordination to the output NCCfo, and NCCfo sends a call indication to the CCCc2 at the called side through the output NCCdo corresponding to the child domain Ddo; NCCdo transfers a call confirmed to NCCfi via NCCfo, and NCCfi transmits a connection processing request to CCfi; CCfi triggers a local connection processing, and when the parent domain CCf performs SNC processing during this process, it needs to implement the sub-connection processing of the corresponding child domain and return the SNC Confirmed; CCfi returns the Connection Confirmed to NCCfi, and then to CCCc1 via NCCdi. The present invention solves the control problem that the present standards and techniques can not realize the cross-domain call and connection of ASON.
US08050263B1
A method and apparatus for allocating pointers in a network switch managing a multicast transmission includes receiving a frame in the switch and assigning pointers in an ingress module to buffer the frame, forwarding pointers along with a header including an egress variable indicative of a number of transmissions in the multicast transmission to an egress module for transmission of the frame, forwarding the egress variable after transmission of the frame to a multicast module, monitoring the transmission of the frame based upon the egress variable, and returning pointers to a free list responsive to the monitoring step and a value of the egress variable.
US08050261B2
Embodiments according to the invention relate to frame redirection, which includes methods to intercept and re-route traffic between an initiator and a target. When a frame is redirected, an initiator issues a frame to the target, but the frame is received by a virtual target in a redirection switch by allowing the redirection switch to use the WWN of the actual target. From the perspective of the initiator, the target resides on the redirection switch. From the redirection switch, the frame is sent to the actual target by allowing the redirection switch to use the identity of the initiator. In other words, the redirection switch presents the WWN of the initiator to the target when the redirected frame is sent to the target. From the perspective of the target, the frame is received as if it originated at the initiator.
US08050258B2
The invention relates to a method for handling, namely forwarding and extracting, data, especially messages, in a system comprising at least one data source and a plurality of data receivers. The invention also relates to a corresponding system comprising at least one data source and at least one data receiver. At least one set of data, especially a message, is forwarded to a plurality of data receivers from a data source. According to the invention, when a set of data forwarded from the data source is acknowledged by one of the data receivers, said acknowledged data is preferably automatically extracted from the data source for the rest of the data receivers.
US08050256B1
A processor includes a plurality of processor tiles, each tile including a processor core, and an interconnection network interconnects the processor cores and enables transfer of data among the processor cores. The interconnection network has a plurality of dimensions in which an ordering of dimensions for routing data is configurable.
US08050250B2
The present invention discloses a random access method for user equipment (UE) in time division synchronization code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA) communication system, including the following steps: (a) the system broadcasts the configured ASC and the configuration information thereof to the UE, the UE records these information; (b) the MAC of the UE sends RACH transmission request to the physical layer, the physical layer selects one RACH; (c) the physical layer of the UE randomly selects an uplink synchronization code and an uplink synchronization sub-channel; (d) after the physical layer of the UE transmits the selected uplink synchronization code in the uplink pilot time slot corresponding to the selected uplink synchronization sub-channel, if the UE receives the access confirmation message from the network, the UE completes the uplink synchronization and selects PRACH to send out the message, otherwise, the access to the network is re-performed. By using this invention, during the random access process of the UE in the TD-SCDMA system, the physical layer of the UE can select the resources configured by the system for the ASC, thereby meeting the QoS requirements and avoiding the generation of conflicts by all means.
US08050246B2
A method of scheduling time division duplex frames at a base station in a time division duplex system is provided. The method includes determining if the round-trip propagation delay between the base station and a communicatively coupled subscriber station is greater than the difference between the base station turn-around time and the minimum allowed subscriber station turn-around time, and modifying time slots in a time division duplex frame being sent to the subscriber station over a communication link to extend the range of signals sent from the base station.
US08050241B2
A method for determining an identifier of a wireless network to which a mobile device can connect. For at least one wireless network, an identifier and at least one address for component(s) in that network is stored on the mobile device. An address of a component in an available network is received. If the address of the component is received without an identifier for the network, the received address is compared with at least one stored address. If the received address matches one of the at least one stored address, the identifier stored in association with that address is obtained. A module and a mobile device for implementing the method comprise a memory, a receiver, a comparison module and an interface module.
US08050240B2
A wireless local area network is provided with simplified RF ports which are configured to provide lower level media access control functions. Higher level media access control functions are provided in a cell controller, which may service one or more RF ports that are capable operating with at least two wireless local area subnetworks occupying common physical space. Mobile units can also be configured with the higher level media access control functions being performed in a host processor.
US08050238B2
Various embodiments are described for improving network access through multi-stage signaling. Logic flow diagram 10 in FIG. 1 depicts functionality performed by a wireless communication system in accordance with multiple embodiments of the present invention. A network node configures (12) a shared indicator code for indicating an emergency and/or a group call access occurring in that sector. Thus, when an MS performs an emergency access, it transmits (13) an access signal on both the shared indicator code and on a randomly selected code. This more quickly notifies the network that there is at least one MS in the sector. Once aware that such an access is occurring in that sector, the network may (14) provision additional access resources, estimate the number of MSs transmitting based on the received power on that indicator code, start backing off non-emergency traffic, and/or begin transmitting communication without waiting for authentication to complete.
US08050235B2
Apparatus and method of providing transparent relay service to a Mobile Station (MS) in a multihop relay Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) communication system. The communication method includes checking, at least one relay station (RS), a sounding channel allocated to an MS by analyzing a message broadcast from a Base Station (BS); measuring, at the BS, an BS-MS signaling level using a sounding signal of the MS, the sounding signal received in the sounding channel; measuring, at the at least one RS, an RS-MS signaling level using a sounding signal of the MS, the sounding signal received in the sounding channel; reporting, at the at least one RS, the RS-MS signaling level measurement value to the BS; and selecting, at the BS, an RS suitable for the MS using the BS-MS signaling level measurement value and at least one RS-MS signaling level measurement value reported from the at least one RS. Accordingly, the BS can select a suitable RS for the MS by taking into account the RS-MS channel status.
US08050232B2
The invention provides a method for assisting handover of a communication session associated with a UT from a first radio access point, AP1, to a second radio access point, AP2, in a radio access network, said method to be carried out by said AP1 and comprising the steps of:—receiving a handover intention notify message comprising a session identifier identifying said session and indicating that said UT intends to perform a session handover,—assigning said session a buffer memory space in a memory of said AP1,—buffering downlink data packets addressed to said UT in said buffer memory as a response on receiving said handover intention notify message. The invention further provides a UT, an AP1, AP2, an AR, and software program/s co-operating and/or realizing the method according to the invention. The invention provides a smoother handover.
US08050229B2
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for IP mobility management for persistent connections. Without affecting the applications on the network domain, it provides for domain hand-off for a mobile node so that the mobile node can maintain the persistent connection. The mobility management apparatus may comprise a Mobility-Aware Socket module (MAS) and one or more mobility management servers. Each mobility management server communicates with a corresponding mobile node. When a mobile node roams from a first network domain to a second network domain, the mobile node and its target mobile nodes execute the MAS module to support the mobility management for persistent connections through their corresponding mobility management servers.
US08050228B2
In a retransmission control method, a transmitting-side apparatus manages an acknowledgement information reception window and the transmitting-side apparatus does not perform the window control processing and the retransmission control processing of a packet on the basis of the acknowledgement information for a sequence number of the packet which is included in the acknowledgement information received from the receiving-side apparatus, when the sequence number takes a value outside a range of the acknowledgement information reception window.
US08050227B2
A method of transmitting uplink signals is disclosed. The method includes transmitting, by a user equipment, periodic control information on a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) at a predetermined period, dropping the periodic control information and multiplexing uplink signals except the periodic control information when the user equipment is operating in subframe bundling transmission mode where the uplink signals are transmitted in a plurality of consecutive subframes, and transmitting the multiplexed uplink signals on a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH).
US08050225B2
Techniques for assigning primary synchronization code (PSC) sequences and secondary synchronization code (SSC) sequences to cells in a wireless communication system are described. At least one PSC sequence and multiple SSC sequences may be used for multiple cells in a Node B. In one design, the available SSC sequences in the system may be arranged into groups, with each group including M different SSC sequences. Additional groups of M SSC sequences may be formed with different permutations (e.g., different cyclic shifts) of each group of M SSC sequences. In one design, three SSC sequences SSC(G1), SSC(G2) and SSC(G3) may be used for three cells in one Node B. A first permutation including SSC(G3), SSC(G1) and SSC(G2) may be used for three cells in another Node B. A second permutation including SSC(G2), SSC(G3) and SSC(G1) may be used for three cells in yet another Node B.
US08050219B2
In one aspect, a new radio protocol architecture is proposed. The proposed architecture is applicable to wireless networks such as a wireless metropolitan area network (WMAN). In the new architecture, there is a clear-cut separation of control, management, and data planes. New control service access points (SAP) are introduced to allow interaction between the protocol layers of the architecture. Also, data SAPs are introduced between the protocol layers. The layer separation idea extracts the functionalities of the architecture and grouped into MAC CPS-H (common part sublayer-high) and MAC CPS-L (common part sublayer-low). Further, a new concept of “control information base” (CIB) is introduced.
US08050218B2
With a system having no paging function, dead peer detection control and cutoff of a session are implemented as is the case with a system having a paging function. There is provided a method for dead peer detection of a mobile terminal, to be executed in a mobile communications system including a mobile terminal connected to plural wireless systems, a first connection device terminating a first wireless system with access points managing a connection status between the mobile terminal and a wireless link, and a second connection device terminating a second wireless system with access points not managing a connection status between the mobile terminal and a wireless link, said method comprising the steps of the second connection device acquiring the connection status of the mobile terminal in the first wireless system from the first connection device, and the second connection device changing a dead peer detection control process on the basis of the connection status of the mobile terminal, as acquired.
US08050217B2
A mobility condition determination unit, provided in an MIP controller that manages moving of a communication node, obtains and examines various conditions that have occurred as the communication node is moving, selects an appropriate HoA (e.g., the home address of an MN1) for the current connection situation, and transmits, to a multihoming controller, a notification indicating that a set of the selected HoA and a CoA constitutes appropriate addresses to be used. Upon receiving the notification from the mobility condition determination unit, the multihoming controller transmits, to the MIP controller, an address (Addr2) consonant with the received HoA, and the MIP controller performs packet communication using the HoA or the CoA consonant with the address.
US08050213B2
A method for relaying a signal in a wireless communication system is provided. The method comprises receiving in at least one of a base station and a relay station information regarding a mobile station group (MSG) of a mobile station, scheduling within a given duration uplink information to be transmitted from a first mobile station and downlink information to be transmitted to at least one mobile station, wherein the first mobile station is in each of the at least one mobile station's MSG, receiving in a relay station the uplink information and the downlink information to be transmitted within the given duration, network coding the uplink information and the downlink information in the relay station, and transmitting from the relay station a network-coded packet, wherein the network-coded packet can be received by the base station and the at least one mobile station.
US08050211B2
It is advantageous for present invention to suitably determine amounts of transmission data for links in a multilink communication. In a mobile communication system (10) for making a multilink communication through which a communication is performed by using a plurality of links relayed by a plurality of base station apparatus (30), respectively, each of the base station apparatuses (30) acquire transmittable data amount information representing amounts of data able to be transmitted through the respective links by a mobile station apparatus (20) or a server apparatus (40), and the mobile station apparatus (20) or the server apparatus (40) determines amounts of transmission data to be transmitted to the respective links in correspondence to the transmittable data amount information, and transmits communication data of amounts of data corresponding to the amounts of transmission data determined to the respective links.
US08050208B2
An extended paging indicator-based adaptive discontinuous reception method is proposed so as to improve a power saving performance of a terminal in an asynchronous wideband code division multiple access schemes. To this end, a plurality of terminals for performing power saving receive an extended paging indicator for a discontinuous reception cycle, conform a type of a bit Run for configuring the extended paging indicator, and change the discontinuous reception period. In addition, the terminals set the discontinuous reception period update factor value to be varied according to the extended paging indicator as an initial value so as to determine a next paging occasion block, change the discontinuous reception period update factor value according to the paging indicator of the bit Run received from base station, and change the discontinuous reception period according to the variance of the discontinuous reception period update factor value. The extended paging indicator-based adaptive discontinuous reception method may improve transmission time delay and transmission failure probability performances for packet reception as well as a power saving performance in comparison with a conventional fixed discontinuous reception method.
US08050200B2
A system includes a signal processing module and a control module. The signal processing module receives a first clear channel assessment (CCA) signal for a first sub-channel of a communication channel, increases a pulse width of the first CCA signal by a predetermined period of time, and generates a second CCA signal. The control module receives the second CCA signal and a third CCA signal for a second sub-channel of the communication channel. The control module transmits data via one of the second sub-channel and the communication channel based on the second and third CCA signals.
US08050193B2
A method for determining prospective peering partners for an internet service provider, includes gathering internet service provider's routing and traffic information; gathering additional routing information from sources other than the internet service provider; identifying uncovered target autonomous systems based on the internet service provider's routing and traffic information, the uncovered target autonomous systems being autonomous systems with non-null traffic and that are reachable by the internet service provider via a transit relationship; identifying paths from the internet service provider to the uncovered target autonomous systems based on the additional routing information; identifying intermediate autonomous systems along the identified paths; and determining at least a prospective peering partner for the internet service provider based on the identified intermediate autonomous systems.
US08050188B2
A method is provided for suppressing redundant packet message transmissions a multi-hop message delivery system. The vehicle receives message packets from any one of a plurality of vehicles within a broadcast range of the vehicle. The vehicle includes a buffer for holding the received message packets prior to re-broadcasting the message packets. A first estimation value is calculated as a function of a signal strength of the vehicle receiver for a respective received message packet. A second estimation value is calculated as a function of the buffer. A re-broadcast estimation threshold value is determined as a function of the first estimation value and the second estimation value. At least one triggering function is provided for generating an at least one triggering indicator. The respective message packet is re-broadcast in response to the re-broadcast estimation threshold value satisfying the at least one triggering indicator.
US08050187B2
A system and method for detecting channels in a network using messages passing through the network is provided. An embodiment comprises detecting AAL2 channels communicating between a Node B and an radio network controller and also between two radio network controllers. In the case of communication between a NodeB and a radio network controller, the AAL2 channels are detected by matching pairs of Random Access Channel (RACH) and Forward Access Channel (FACH) associated with a user equipment identity along with a Dedicated Channel (DCH) until the AAL2 channels present between the Node B and the RNC are determined to a desired level of confidence. In the case of communication between two radio network controllers, only the DCH channels need to be detected to completely detect the AAL2 channels.
US08050185B2
One embodiment disclosed relates to a method of sampling network traffic. A data packet is received by a network device. Information is extracted from fields in the data packet, and a look-up word is created using the extracted information. A content addressable memory is searched for entries matching the look-up word. If a match is found, then a sampling circuit is queried, and a response is received therefrom. The data packet may be sent to a destination port. In addition, if the response from the sampling circuit indicates that the data packet is chosen to be mirrored, then the data packet may be also sent to a mirror port. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08050168B2
An optical head device compatible to different types of optical discs and capable of guaranteeing a sufficiently wide dynamic range for a low density optical disc, and the like are provided.The optical head device includes a plurality of light sources switchably usable; an objective lens for converging light emitted from one of the plurality of light sources to an information recording layer of an optical disc; and a light detector for receiving the light reflected by the information recording layer and outputting an electric signal based on the amount of the received light. The plurality of light sources include a first light source for emitting light having a first wavelength and a second light source for emitting light having a second wavelength shorter than the first wavelength. In the optical head device, a defocus detection range of a focusing error signal obtained based on the light having the first wavelength is set to be wider than a defocus detection range of a focusing error signal obtained based on the light having the second wavelength.
US08050161B2
An optical disk drive capable of reproducing data even when warpage is present in an optical disk. A system controller of the optical disk drive reproduces data by setting a maximum speed in accordance with the type of an optical disk, an amount of side-to-side runout, or the like. In the meantime, when a read error arises as a result of trial reproduction being performed at an outer radius of the disk at startup, warpage is determined to be present in the optical disk, and a limitation on the maximum speed is raised. The rotational speed is set to allowable maximum speed of the optical disk drive, and warpage is corrected by means of centrifugal force. When reproduction becomes impracticable for reasons of meandering of a tack, or the like, during the course of reproduction of data, the rotational speed is decreased, to thus perform a retry.
US08050149B2
The gong for the striking work or alarm of a watch is configured to produce a sound within the audible frequency range when it is struck by at least one hammer. This gong is made of a material, wherein the square root of the ratio of the elasticity module of the material divided by the volumic mass of the selected material is less than 3300 m/s, so as to allow the gong to produce a rich sound, comprising a large number of partials, within the audible frequency range. The selected material may be, for example, a material having an amorphous structure, such as a metallic glass.
US08050142B2
A sound collection environment deciding device for deciding whether the sound was collected in air or in water by utilizing an audio signal of collected sound is provided. Methods of Utilizing the audio signal of collected sound include, for instance, utilizing a difference of frequency characteristics between in-air and in-water of the audio signal of collected sound, utilizing a difference of propagation characteristics between in-air and in-water of the audio signal of collected sound, or the like.
US08050137B2
The semiconductor integrated circuit includes a command decoder, a shift register unit and a command address latch unit. The command decoder is responsive to an external command defining write and read modes and configured to provide a write command or a read command according to the external command using a rising or falling clock. The shift register unit is configured to shift an external address and the write command by a write latency in response to the write command. The column address latch unit is configured to latch and provide the external address as a column address in the read mode, and to latch a write address, which is provided from the shift register unit, and provide the write address as the column address in the write mode.
US08050126B2
One or more sense amplifiers for sensing the conduction current of non-volatile memory is controlled by signals that are timed by a reference sense amplifier having similar characteristics and operating conditions. In one aspect, a sensing period is determined by when the reference sense amplifier sensing a reference current detects an expected state. In another aspect, an integration period for an amplified output is determined by when the reference sense amplifier outputs an expected state. When these determined timings are used to control the one or more sense amplifiers, environment and systemic variations are tracked.
US08050119B2
A semiconductor memory device can output data according to a predetermined data output timing, in spite of a high frequency of system clock, even when a delay locked loop is disabled. The semiconductor memory device includes a delay locked loop configured to perform a delay locking operation on an internal clock to output delay locked clock, and a data output control unit configured to determine a data output timing, according to whether the delay locked loop is enabled or disabled, in response to a read command.
US08050115B2
In one embodiment, the non-volatile memory device includes a plurality of normal memory cells, and at least one flag memory cell associated with one of the plurality of normal memory cells. A normal page buffer is configured to store data read from one of the plurality of normal memory cells. The normal page buffer includes a main latch storing the read data. A control circuit is configured to selectively change data stored in the main latch during a read operation based on a state of the flag memory cell.
US08050114B2
A memory device, and method of operation of such a device, are provided. The memory device comprises an array of memory cells arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, at least one bit line being associated with each column. Column multiplexer circuitry is coupled to the plurality of columns, for inputting write data into a selected column during a write operation and for outputting an indication of read data sensed from a selected column during a read operation. The column multiplexer circuitry comprises a single pass gate transistor per bit line, and latch circuitry is then used to detect the read data from the indication of read data output by the column multiplexer circuitry during the read operation, and to store that detected read data. Such an approach provides a particularly area efficient construction for the column multiplexer circuitry whilst enabling correct evaluation of the read data held in the addressed memory cell.
US08050111B2
A data strobe signal generating circuit includes a pre-driver control unit for selectively transferring a ground voltage and a supply voltage, as a first control signal and a second control signal, in response to first and second clock pulse signals, wherein the second control signal is driven in response to a preamble signal, a pre-driver for generating a driving signal in response to the first and second control signals and the preamble signal, and an output buffer for driving an output pad in response to the driving signal.
US08050108B2
Provided is a destructive readout semiconductor memory device capable of avoiding concentration of a writeback current, in which a switch circuit (24) is provided between each bit line (21) and each sense amplifier (26). In writeback, the switch circuits are turned on at staggered time points. In readout, the switch circuits are turned on to read memory cell data to the sense amplifiers while the sense amplifiers are turned off, and the switch circuits are then turned off once. After that, the sense amplifiers are turned on to amplify the read data. The switch circuits are subsequently divided into groups and turned on again to write back the data amplified by the sense amplifiers to the memory cells. The switch circuits are divided into groups to be turned on at staggered time points during the writeback, to thereby avoid concentration of the writeback current in one time period.
US08050103B2
In one aspect of the method of programming a nonvolatile memory device, memory cells selected for a program are determined to belong to a first memory cell group or a second memory cell group based on address information and a program command. According to this determination, to-be-programmed data are input based on information about the number of set data bits, and programming and verification are performed.
US08050099B2
An apparatus for generating a voltage includes a first voltage outputting circuit configured to receive an input voltage and adjust and output a first voltage in accordance with a temperature, a buffer circuit configured to receive the first voltage and output the received first voltage as a second voltage at an output node of the buffer circuit, and a second voltage outputting circuit configured to receive the second voltage at an input terminal and output a third voltage by dividing a driving voltage in accordance with a resistance ratio, wherein the second voltage outputting circuit includes a sub-voltage outputting circuit and a controlling circuit configured to adjust a voltage level of the third voltage through a feedback of the third voltage to the input terminal.
US08050094B2
A memory cell array, divided into multiple row memory cell arrays, includes multiple memory banks and sense amplifiers. Each of the memory banks includes multiple logical sectors and at least two sub-memory banks of multiple sub-memory banks. The at least two sub-memory banks are included in different row memory cell arrays, and each of the sub-memory banks includes multiple physical sectors. The sense amplifiers are dedicated to the sub-memory banks, respectively.
US08050088B2
A programming method of a non-volatile memory device having a drain select transistor, a source select transistor, and a plurality of memory cells connected between the drain select transistor and the source select transistor includes applying a program voltage, which increases stepwise according to a repetition of a program cycle, to a selected memory cell and applying a pass voltage, which decreases in inverse proportion to change of the program voltage, to some of unselected memory cells.
US08050082B2
An integrated circuit device includes a first word-line; a second word-line; a first bit-line; and a static random access memory (SRAM) cell. The SRAM cell includes a storage node; a pull-up transistor having a source/drain region coupled to the storage node; a pull-down transistor having a source/drain region coupled to the storage node; a first pass-gate transistor comprising a gate coupled to the first word-line; and a second pass-gate transistor including a gate coupled to the second word-line. Each of the first and the second pass-gate transistors includes a first source/drain region coupled to the first bit-line, and a second source/drain region coupled to the storage node.
US08050081B2
A non-volatile memory device includes lower and upper electrodes over a substrate, a conductive organic material layer between the lower and the upper electrodes, and a nanocrystal layer located within the conductive organic material layer, wherein the nanocrystal layer includes a plurality of nanocrystals surrounded by an amorphous barrier, wherein the device has a multi-level output current according to a voltage level of an input voltage coupled to the lower and the upper electrodes during a data read operation.
US08050072B2
A method and apparatus for accessing a non-volatile memory cell. In some embodiments, a memory block provides a plurality of memory cells arranged into rows and columns. A read circuit is configured to read a selected row of the memory block by concurrently applying a control voltage to each memory cell along the selected row and, for each column, using a respective local sense amplifier and a column sense amplifier to successively differentiate a voltage across the associated memory cell in said column to output a programmed content of the row.
US08050068B2
A resonant converter is provided which may be used for supplying power to the primary conductive path of an inductively coupled power transfer (ICPT) system. The converter includes a variable reactive element in the resonant circuit which may be controlled to vary the effective inductance or capacitance of the reactive element. The frequency of the converter is stabilised to a nominal value by sensing the frequency of the converter resonant circuit, comparing the sensed frequency with a nominal frequency and varying the effective inductance or capacitance of the variable reactive element to adjust the converter frequency toward the nominal frequency.
US08050066B2
The present invention aims to enhance the reliability of a semiconductor device having first through fourth capacitive elements. The first through fourth capacitive elements are disposed over a semiconductor substrate. A series circuit of the first and second capacitive elements and a series circuit of the third and fourth capacitive elements are coupled in parallel between first and second potentials. Lower electrodes of the first and third capacitive elements are respectively formed by a common conductor pattern and coupled to the first potential. Lower electrodes of the second and fourth capacitive elements are respectively formed by a conductor pattern of the same layer as the above conductor pattern and coupled to the second potential. Upper electrodes of the first and second capacitive elements are respectively formed by a common conductor pattern and brought to a floating potential. Upper electrodes of the third and fourth capacitive elements are respectively formed by a conductor pattern of the same layer as the above conductor pattern and brought to a floating potential, but not coupled to the upper electrodes of the first and second capacitive elements by a conductor.
US08050063B2
Systems and methods for controlling a converter for powering a load are provided. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for powering a load is provided. A power converter may be provided. At least one gating control signal having a switching pattern may be supplied to the power converter, wherein the switching pattern has a waveform with an effective switching frequency greater than 1 times the fundamental frequency of the switching pattern and less than 2 times the fundamental frequency of the switching pattern. At least one output power signal may be output to the load responsive at least in part to the at least one gating control signal supplied.
US08050061B2
A control circuit for a switching power supply (SPS) includes power input and output interfaces, a relay, a relay driving circuit, a microprocessor, and an alternating current/directing current (AC/DC) converter. The power input interface receives an external alternating current (AC) power signal, and transmits the AC power signal to the SPS via the power output interface. The AC/DC converter transforms the AC power signal into a direct current (DC) power signal to supply for the relay, the relay driving circuit, and the microprocessor. When a computer is turned on, the microprocessor sends a first control signal to control the relay driving circuit to drive the relay to connect the power input and output interfaces. When the computer is turned off, the microprocessor sends a second control signal to control the relay driving circuit to drive the relay to cut off connection between the power input and output interfaces.
US08050058B2
A switch apparatus and an electronic device using the switch apparatus are provided. The switch apparatus includes a first transmitting element, a second transmitting element, an elastic element, and a linkage pole located in the interior space of the electronic device and a slidable actuator mounted above an aperture defined in the electronic device. The slidable actuator is movable along the aperture between a first position and a second position. The first transmitting element is elastically supported by the elastic element and electrically coupled to an electronic board of the electronic device. The second transmitting element is electrically coupled to batteries received in the electronic device. The movement of the slidable actuator from the first position to the second position pushes the linkage pole, causing the linkage pole to move the first transmitting element and separate the first transmitting element from the second transmitting element.
US08050055B2
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus having a circuit board supporting structure, the circuit board supporting structure including: a casing including a first body and a second body, the first body having a first boss portion, the second body having a second boss portion; a jig including a cylindrical portion having, and a flange portion formed on an outer periphery, the cylindrical portion configured to slidably receive the first boss portion and the second boss portion in an inner peripheral wall; and a circuit board disposed in the casing. The first and second boss portions are configured to be fastened by a bolt member; the circuit board has a hole and a joining region provided around the hole, the hole configured to allow the cylindrical portion to penetrate therethrough; and the joining region is configured to be soldered to the flange portion.
US08050043B2
Disclosed herein is a printed circuit board facilitating expansion of number of memory modules and memory system including the same. The printed circuit board of the present invention includes a plurality of slots and a plurality of controller terminals. Each of slots disposed in locations ranging from a 2n−1+1th location to a 2nth location with respect to the controller terminals includes 2k−n module terminals connected to the module terminals of slots ranging from the slot disposed in the first location to a slot disposed in a 2n−1th location; wherein, in the printed circuit board and memory system including the printed circuit board according to the present invention, dummy modules are not required to expand the number of memory modules. Further, according to the printed circuit board of the present invention, the expansion of the number of memory modules is facilitated.
US08050042B2
The terminating module and method include integrated circuits and a termination circuit which receive clock signals from the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes at least one memory integrated circuit mounted on a printed circuit board. An electrical connector is configured to couple the terminating module to a motherboard. Additionally, the termination circuit includes a resistor. In another embodiment, the terminating module provides a printed circuit board, a memory integrated circuit mounted on the circuit board, a terminator circuit which includes a resistor, and an electrical connector. The electrical connector couples the terminating module to a motherboard.
US08050039B2
An enclosed electronic apparatus including a first continuous heat-transfer band forming at least a portion of the exterior surface of the enclosure, with continuous lateral edges on either side thereof, and mounting points on an internal side of the continuous heat transfer band to which a printed circuit board assembly is mountable. A printed circuit board assembly is mounted to the heat transfer band at the mounting points, with a thermally conductive portion forming a thermal path between a heat-producing electronic component of the printed circuit board assembly and the heat transfer band. A thermally conductive gasket between the printed circuit board assembly and the heat transfer band at the mounting points facilitates heat transfer. Opposing first and second enclosure portions seal the respective continuous lateral edges of the heat transfer band against penetration of fluid or debris. It is small, compact, lightweight, rugged and otherwise ergonomic for ease of use and protection from accidental impact caused by, for example, dropping the unit. The reliability of the system is improved because the internal electronic components are protected from moisture, dust, and other liquid or particle contaminants, all while maintaining an internal temperature that is lower than a maximum permissible operating temperature.
US08050036B2
A heat receiver includes a casing defining a flow passage on a thermal conductive plate. The thermal conductive plate is received on an electronic component. An outflow nozzle has an inflow opening at the downstream end of the flow passage at a position outside the thermal conductive plate. Since the thermal conductive plate is received on the electronic component, the outflow nozzle is connected to the flow passage at a position outside the electronic component. This results in avoidance of increase in the thickness of the casing as compared with the case where the outflow nozzle directly extends into the flow passage on the thermal conductive plate.
US08050032B2
A laptop elevation device (1) that attaches to a bottom surface (13) of a laptop (12). Each laptop elevation device has a fold-up leg (2) pivotally or hingedly attached to a base (3). An arm (5) is pivotally attached to the base. When the laptop elevation device is in an open position, the arm may be folded downward to engage one of a plurality of holes (9) located on the leg, thereby locking the laptop elevation device at a desired height. The base may be built into a laptop or attached to the underside of an existing laptop using an attachment means (14). The leg may also have a layer of rubber (11) to prevent the leg from slipping while in use. A clip (11) located on the base locks the leg and arm in place while the laptop elevation device is in folded position. An alternative embodiment of the laptop elevation device provides a handle (17) for carrying the laptop computer.
US08050028B2
A computing device is disclosed. The computing device includes a shock mount assembly that is configured to provide impact absorption to sensitive components such as a display and an optical disk drive. The computing device also includes an enclosureless optical disk drive that is housed by an enclosure and other structures of the computing device. The computing device further includes a heat transfer system that removes heat from a heat producing element of the computing device. The heat transfer system is configured to thermally couple the heat producing element to a structural member of the computing device so as to sink heat through the structural member, which generally has a large surface area for dissipating the heat.
US08050026B2
A hardware fastening structure for fastening hardware of a computer includes a housing, a brace, a number of sliding bars. The housing includes a bottom plate and an attaching structure formed on the bottom plate. The brace is mounted on the bottom plate via the attaching structure of the housing. The sliding bars are respectively mounted on opposite sides of the hardware to fix the hardware on the brace, wherein the brace forms fixing structures corresponding to the sliding bars and the sliding bars being operable to slide in the brace, and engage and disengage with the brace via the fixing structures.
US08050024B2
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a first casing, a second casing, a plurality of connecting rods and a connecting part. The first casing has an upper surface, and an end of each of the connecting rods is connected to the second casing. The connecting part connected to the first casing has a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion having a lower surface and two corresponding side surfaces adjacent to the first connecting portion. The lower surface faces the upper surface of the first casing and is parallel with the upper surface. A runner is formed at each of the side surfaces, and the other ends of the connecting rods are slidingly disposed in the runners correspondingly to allow the second casing to move relative to the first casing via the runners of the connecting part and the connecting rods.
US08050022B2
A screen cover temporarily protects the screen of flat panel monitors. The screen cover generally includes a planar screen shield, which may be positioned in front of the monitor screen, and a plurality of elongated retention arms that are moveable between releasing and secured positions, which engage a rear surface of the monitor. The retention arms may include one or more articulating joints that employ springs to bias the retention arms toward a secured position. Some of the retention arms may extend from corner covers that removably receive corner portions of the shield. Springs may be slidably coupled with the corner covers to removably secure the corner covers with the shield under tension.
US08050016B2
Disclosed is a control device, particularly a remote control for industrial appliances, comprising a housing for accommodating the control electronics and at least one control element. The housing (10) is formed by a wall part (11) and holding elements (13, 14) which close the two faces of the wall part (11) and can be interconnected by means of bars (17, 18, 19). Preferably the holding elements are molded plastic parts while the wall part (11) and/or the bars (17, 18, 19) are profiled metal parts. The housing can thus be assembled from simple components, i.e. a wall part and holding elements that close the faces, as basic modules which can be expanded in many different ways, allowing an individually configured control device to be designed like a module or kit. Various requirement levels regarding mechanical stability, durability, service life, production costs, etc. can be met by adequately selecting the materials.
US08050015B2
A composite electric element includes a solid electrolytic capacitor and an electric element disposed on the solid electrolytic capacitor. A conductive plate, which is less resistive than an internal conductive layer, is connected to and covers the composite electric element. A current from a power source and its return current from an electric load flow across the internal conductive layer of the composite electric element in opposite directions. The composite electric element is disposed on a surface of a module substrate, and a slit is provided on the ground so that more current flows inside the electric element in opposite directions.
US08050008B2
A relay device includes mechanical relays, a first bus bar, a second bus bar, and a relay drive circuit. The relay includes a coil, a moving contact whose position changes according to whether the coil is energized, a load terminal conductive to the contact and connected to the first bar, and a coil terminal connected to the coil and second bar. The first bar includes a loading circuit. A current flows to an external load through the loading circuit opened/closed when the position of the contact changes. The second bar includes a coil circuit through which the coil is energized. The drive circuit is packaged on the second bar and opens/closes the coil circuit based on an operation signal. The first and second bars are stacked at predetermined intervals. The relays are between the first and second bars.
US08050005B2
A programmable fuse and fuse panel are described. Unlike conventional fuses and fuse panels, the trip values of the fuses of the panel—i.e., the current values at which the fuse trips—are field programmable. One of many advantages includes the ability to adaptively set the trip value of a fuse—depending on the operating needs of a load device—without having to physically exchange the fuse. In an embodiment, electronic fuses are used.
US08049999B2
There are provided a magnetoresistance effect element, a magnetic head, a magnetic head assembly and a magnetic recording system, which have high sensitivity and high reliability. The magnetoresistance effect element has two ferromagnetic layers, a non-magnetic layer provided between the ferromagnetic layers, and a layer containing an oxide or nitride as a principal component, wherein the layer containing the oxide or nitride as the principal component contains a magnetic transition metal element which does not bond to oxygen and nitrogen and which is at least one of Co, Fe and Ni.
US08049996B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward the field of spintronics, and in particular, systems and devices capable of performing spin coherent quantum logic operations. The inventive spin valve comprises two ferromagnetic electrode layers, and a non-magnetic conducting layer positioned therebetween. An external magnetic field B0 is applied in the Z direction, such that the two electrode layers are each magnetized in a direction substantially parallel to the external magnetic field. Rather than attempting to change the magnetization of one of the ferromagnetic layers, as is the case in prior art technologies, it is the direction of the electron spin that is manipulated in the present embodiments while the electron is traveling through the middle, nonmagnetic layer. One of the ferromagnetic electrodes may be the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). This configuration may further comprise a bias voltage source connected between the STM tip and the other ferromagnetic electrode, such that a spin polarized tunneling current is conducted between the two.
US08049994B2
A slider assembly for supporting a recording element in operative relation to a flexible moving recording medium is disclosed. The slider may have a face including air bearing surfaces positioned toward the recording medium. A recording element may be in an air bearing surface near the trailing edge of the face, wherein there is no other slider or other supporting surface on an opposite side of the recording medium. A vacuum cavity may be formed in the face for creation of sub-ambient pressure to attract the slider toward the recording medium. An air bearing surface may be provided with a transverse pressure contour (TPC) along at least one of its edges for providing flying height control, with the TPC having a step geometry. A mounting device may mount the slider in a biased manner toward the recording medium and urge the slider toward the recording medium.
US08049991B2
A cartridge for use by print-disabled users to play digital audio content and a player having a receptacle for receiving the cartridge are provided. The cartridge includes a random-access digital storage device storing the digital audio content and having a connector providing access to the digital audio content; and a casing permanently housing the digital storage device and allowing access to the connector of the digital storage device. The casing has a form facilitating handling of the cartridge by the print-disabled users which includes bevelled edges, and has dimensions comparable to dimensions of a standard compact audio cassette. Preferably, the cartridge has a hole extending through the casing at its back end and a sloped surface on the bottom side of the casing at the back end. The receptacle has a form and shape facilitating insertion of the cartridge therein. It has a lower surface defining an elevated ramp along which the cartridge slides as it is inserted into the player.
US08049987B2
According to one embodiment, a position control apparatus includes: a digital control module that performs position control including disturbance adaptive control with a predetermined sampling period using a control constant, in accordance with a position error between a target position and a current position of the object; and a table that stores the control constant corresponding to a value of sin(ωT) or cos(ωT), wherein the digital control module is configured to determine a control value of the actuator in accordance with the position error, calculates the value of sin(ωT) or cos(ωT) according to an adaptive law from a signal based on the position error, reads the corresponding control constant from the table in accordance with the calculated value of sin(ωT) or cos(ωT), and updates the control constant, to perform the position control including the disturbance adaptive control.
US08049983B1
Methods and apparatus are provided for performing interpolated timing recovery using a frequency and phase estimate. An analog signal representing a sector is asynchronously sampled and stored in a storage device. A retiming circuit reads the stored samples and, based on first portions of first and second timing portions of the sector, determines phase adjustments. The retiming circuit generates a signal representing the samples at the adjusted phase and determines sample shift adjustments based on the generated signal and second portions of the first and second timing portions. The retiming circuit computes start and end indices of the sector in the buffer based on the sample shift adjustment and phase adjustment. The start and end indices may be used to compute a frequency estimate. The frequency estimate and a phase adjustment is used to interpolate the asynchronous samples at the appropriate frequency and phase.
US08049978B1
An assembling structure for a magnifying glass comprises a magnifying lens element and an annular lens frame. The annular lens frame is formed with a through assembling hole and provided with a guiding portion and a stopping portion. In an inner surface of the annular lens frame is formed an engaging groove. The guiding portion and the stopping portion are located at two opposite sides of the engaging groove. The annular lens frame is made of polypropylene. After being heated, the polypropylene-made annular lens frame can be softened slightly and enhanced in terms of elasticity, so that the magnifying lens element can be placed from the guiding portion and engaged into the engaging portion. By such an arrangement, the installation of the magnifying lens element in the annular lens frame is simple, quick, labor-saving and stable.
US08049975B2
An apparatus for assembling a lens module, is provided. The lens module includes a lens and a lens holder for receiving the lens. The lens holder has a through hole and a retainer formed in the through hole. The apparatus includes a base for supporting the lens holder, and a supporter formed on the base, for extending through the through hole of the lens holder and supporting the lens thereon. A height of the supporter is greater than a depth of the through hole of the lens holder. The supporter is movable relative to and away from the lens holder so as to place the lens on the retainer in the through hole of the base.
US08049968B2
The invention is directed to inner-focusing zoom lenses that include multi groups of lens pieces, namely, the first lens group or the leading lens group of positive refractivity, the second lens group of negative refractivity, and the remaining trailing groups of positive refractivity, as a whole. At least one group of positive refractivity among the trailing groups includes two or more negative lens pieces, at least one of which is connected on its surface to another lens piece to form a duplicated composite lens so that the junction between two of them functions to diverge incident beams. Assuming now that a sum of the refractivities of all the junctions of the composite lenses can be expressed as Σφ=Σ|(N1−N2)/R| where N1 and N2 are refractivities that substances before and after the junction of the composite lenses respectively have, R is a radius of curvature of the junction, ft is a focal length of the comprehensive lens optics of the zoom lens at the telephoto end.
US08049964B2
An optical element (14) transparent for radiation with a wavelength λ in the ultraviolet wavelength range below 250 nm, in particular at 193 nm, comprises a substrate (17) with a refractive index nS larger than 1.6, and an antireflection coating (16) formed on at least part of the surface of the substrate (17) between the substrate (17) and an ambient medium with a refractive index nA, preferably with nA=1.0. The antireflection coating (16) consists of a single layer of a material with a refractive index nL of about nL=√{square root over (nAnS)}, in particular nL>1.3, and the optical thickness dL of the single layer is about λ/4. The optical element (14) is preferably part of a projection objective (5) in a microlithography projection exposure apparatus (1) and located adjacent to a light-sensitive substrate (10).
US08049960B1
A three-dimensional rear projection screen that has substantially improved contrast by using a tinted layer disposed between the source of the projected light and the light diffusion layer. This tinted attenuation layer diminishes the back-scattered light more than it diminishes the desired forward-scattered light which makes up the image on the screen. The contrast of the image is thus improved because the reduction of the back-scattered light relative to the forward-scattered light diminishes the degradation of contrast caused by the impingement of spurious light onto opposite portions of the rear projection screen.
US08049959B2
Various embodiments described herein comprise a scope for a firearm having a large range of zoom. The scope comprising a movable zoom selector for adjusting magnification of an image viewed through the scope. The scope further comprises an objective, an ocular, and an erector assembly positioned between the objective and ocular. The erector assembly comprises at least three optical elements movable relative to one another in response to operation of the zoom selector.
US08049958B2
A changing device (60) for an optical examination device, for example a microscope, comprising two beam paths (61.1, 61.2) for a first optical image, and a changing optics (21) which is rotatably arranged in the changing device and is, for example, a Galilei magnification changer having at least two, here three pairs of beam paths (35.1, 35.2 and 45.1, 45.2 and 55.1, 55.2, respectively) which can optionally be switched into the beam paths (61.1, 61.2) of the changing device by rotating the changing optics. In accordance with the invention, the changing optics (21) comprises for each pair of beam paths at least one, here two additional beam paths (36.1, 36.2 and 46.2, 46.2 and 56.1, 56.2, respectively), assigned to the respective pair of beam paths, and the changing device (60) likewise comprises at least one, here likewise two additional beam paths (61.3, 61.4). The changing optics (21) is designed in such a way that it is simultaneously possible during rotation of the changing optics (21) for the beam paths (35.1, 35.2 and 45.1, 45.2 and 55.1, 55.2, respectively) of one pair to be inserted into the beam paths (61.1, 61.2) or removed therefrom, and for the additional beam paths (36.1, 36.2 and 46.2, 46.2 and 56.1, 56.2, respectively) assigned to the respective pair to be inserted into the additional beam paths (61.3, 61.4) of the changing optics or removed therefrom.
US08049951B2
Devices for providing illumination to a display and method for manufacturing the same. In one embodiment, a display device includes a reflective display and turning features for turning light propagating from opposite directions in a light guide to the reflective display.
US08049944B2
A two-axis tiltable linear array of MEMS micromirrors is described. The individual micromirrors of the array are flexibly suspended over a common substrate by using two pairs of serpentine hinges coupled by a gimbal ring and are actuated by using tilt and roll electrodes. The tilt actuator regions of the micromirrors are disposed within the gimbal rings, the roll hinges connecting the tilt actuator regions to the micromirrors, which provides for decoupling of the tilt and the roll of the micromirror. The structure allows for considerable decoupling of the tilt and the roll and, or the pistoning effects observed upon micromirror actuation. The structure is suitable for application in a wavelength selective optical switch.
US08049931B2
An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a transfer sheet based on image data, comprises an operating section to determine a setup about a margin region on which an image is not formed at an edge portion of the transfer sheet, a control section to determine an inner region having a specified width and being adjacent to the determined margin region as a density change region in which an image density is changed, and determines a more inner region located inward more from the density change region as a regular density region in which an image is formed with a regular image density, and an image forming section to form an image in the density change region based on image data on the condition where the image density is reduced and to form an image in the regular density region based on image data without changing the image density.
US08049925B2
An image processing apparatus is disclosed. The image processing apparatus comprises a dividing module, a calculating module, a judging module and an adjusting module. The dividing module is used for dividing an image into a plurality of sub-images. The calculating module is used for generating a lightness threshold of the image. The judging module is used for comparing an original average lightness of a target sub-image among the plurality of sub-images with the lightness threshold. The adjusting selectively increases the original average lightness of the target sub-image according to the first judging module.
US08049924B2
This disclosure relates to the color management of image output devices. Specifically, this disclosure provides methods, apparatus and systems to generate a destination printer profile for coated images. According to one exemplary method, the destination printer profile is generated by printing a plurality of color patches which are then coated, measuring the color attributes associated with the coated color patches, and modifying a destination printer profile to compensate for differences between the printed and coated color patches, relative to a respective reference color.
US08049923B2
An image processing apparatus includes a signal input mechanism, a signal output mechanism and a control device. The control device controls a writing of data received from the signal input mechanism and outputs the data to a plurality of digital signal processors for image processing through the signal output mechanism. The control device includes a decision mechanism and a write administration mechanism. The decision mechanism is configured to decide data to be written to the plurality of digital signal processors. The write administration mechanism is configured to administrate writing operations of the data decided by the decision mechanism to be written relative to the plurality of digital signal processors.
US08049916B2
When a process which does not carry out printing of image data by a print function is designated, based on the setting for the process, a determination is made as to whether a print function restriction setting is to be applied or not. As a result of the determination, when it is determined that the print function restriction setting is to be applied, a predetermined image is merged with the image data.
US08049915B2
An image processing apparatus stores moving image data including a plurality of frames and enables a user to select at least one frame from the plurality of frames included in the moving image data and select a type of processing that is to be performed to the selected frame. The apparatus executes control to perform the selected type of processing to the selected frame. Further, the apparatus manages history information indicating the frame to which the processing is performed and the type of the performed processing.
US08049911B2
An image forming apparatus which eliminates the necessity of carrying out wasteful operations such as retry of a job and therefore improves work efficiency. A print job is carried out to thereby form an image on a recording sheet. When an image abnormality formed on the recording sheet is detected, a controller temporarily suspends the print job. An operating unit displays a screen for prompting a user to input an instruction as to whether to continue the print job. The controller determines whether to continue the print job based on the instruction input by the user.
US08049908B2
To obtain an image with good visibility by identifying an original document as being a color original document or a monochrome original document for every original document and using processing suitable for each for an image read by the image reading device.To achieve the object, the invention includes: a color processing portion 77 that performs color image forming processing for a multi-color color original document made of more than one color; a color original document monochrome processing portion 74 that performs monochrome image forming processing for a monochromatic color original document made of a single color; a monochrome original document processing portion 73 that performs monochrome image forming processing different from the monochrome image forming processing by the color original document monochrome processing portion 74 for a monochrome original document; and a CPU 75 that enables appropriate selective use of the color processing portion 77, the color original document monochrome processing portion 74, and the monochrome original document processing portion 73 for each original document.
US08049906B2
A print control unit, a control method of the print control unit, a print control program, and a computer readable recording medium are disclosed, The print control unit that performs print control of document data includes: an intermediate data generating unit for generating intermediate data containing print setup information of the document data, and drawing information for a printer to draw the document data; a setup screen display unit for causing a display unit to display a setup screen for setting up a common setup that is commonly applied to one or more sets of the intermediate data, which are objects to be displayed; a print setup unit for applying the common setup to each set of the intermediate data; and a printing data generating unit for generating printing data that can be processed by the printer based on the intermediate data.
US08049905B2
A computer readable recording medium bearing a printer driver program for controlling a print device, which is installed in a print job data processing apparatus constituting a printing system together with the printing device, the printer driver program comprising computer executable instructions of; receiving a print job data from an application program which has a print command; analyzing the received print job data from the application program to identify respective objects included in the page description language data; calculating a position where each object is arranged on a printable area designated depending on output paper size; and modifying the object to allow the object to be accommodated within the printable area, thereby accomplishing a correct print operation such that a print region designated by a user is accommodated to a predetermined output paper size without depending on a function of an application.
US08049902B2
A mobile vehicle provided with moving means and a moving control device automatically travels while detecting an advance distance and a turning angle by means of one optical displacement sensor. The mobile vehicle comprises a moving unit (2) for moving a body (1), one optical displacement sensor (7) as a displacement sensor provided on the body (1), and a moving control device for controlling the moving unit (2) based on a moving distance detected by the optical displacement sensor (7). The moving control device determines the distance of rectilinear movement and a turning angle of the body (1) from an amount detected by the optical displacement sensor (7). The optical displacement sensor (7) picks up patterns or the like on a traveling floor surface at specified time intervals and detects a moving distance by comparing images before and after the specified time.
US08049890B2
A system and method for facilitating passive alignment of an optical component in an optical bench. A groove is etched into the optical bench. The groove has two sections. The first section is configured to act as an optical guide. The second section is configured to receive the optical component. An optical component is inserted into the first section and moved into the second section. The optical component may be bonded to the optical bench.
US08049889B2
A polarimeter and method of polarizing incoming light includes an optical assembly, a first adjustable circular retarder that rotates the polarization content of incoming light, a polarization beam splitter that receives light from the adjustable circular retarder and polarizing the light into a first portion of light having a first polarization and a second portion of light having a second polarization. The first portion of light is directed to a focal plane and the second portion of light is directed to the optical assembly. The optical assembly is switchable between a polarizing mode of operation in which the first portion of light is viewable at the focal plane in absence of the second portion of light and an imaging mode of operation in which the first portion of light and the second portion of light are viewable at the focal plane.
US08049886B1
A spectrometer is presented that can include a spectrally dispersive optical element to spectrally disperse a received light, a leveraged-optics adjustable deflector to adjustably deflect the spectrally dispersed light, and a detector array to receive the spectrally dispersed and adjustably deflected light. The received light can include an interference beam combined from a returned image beam and a reference beam in a Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomograph. The detector array can include a linear sensor array. The leveraged-optics adjustable deflector can include an optical element with an adjustable transmissive property or an adjustable reflective property, wherein the adjustable deflector is adjustable by a mechanical adjustment being optically leveraged into a smaller optical adjustment.
US08049884B2
A liquid sample is dropped onto the upper surface of a transparent and cylindrical light-transmitting body (22), and the liquid sample is maintained as a droplet by the surface tension. From above the liquid sample, a transparent cover plate (25) is lowered down to the position where the lower surface thereof touches a spacer (23) in order that the liquid sample is held in the small gap formed between the upper surface of the light-transmitting body (22) and the lower surface of the transparent cover plate (25). A measurement light is provided into the liquid sample held in this manner from immediately above it, and passes through the liquid sample. The transmitted light emitted downwards through the light-transmitting body (22) is introduced into a spectro-detecting unit to be spectro-measured. The measurement optical path length can be adjusted by the height of the spacer (23). This enables an easy transmission spectro-measurement of an extremely small amount of liquid sample.
US08049876B2
An object, such as a robotically controlled television camera undergoes alignment with a reflective target by directing a coherent beam of radiation, e.g., a laser beam, into an opening in an enclosure having a reflective interior such that the radiation strikes a reflector in axial alignment with the enclosure opening. Upon striking the target, the beam undergoes reflection through the enclosure opening back to the object for detection. Alignment between the object and the target occurs when substantially all of the radiation undergoes reflection from the target to the object.
US08049873B2
A surgical microscopy system is provided wherein an optical coherence tomography facility is integrated into a microscopy system. A beam of measuring light formed by collimating optics of an OCT system is deflected by a beam scanner, traverses imaging optics, and is reflected by a reflector such that the beam of measuring light traverses an objective lens of microscopy optics and is directed to an object region of the microscopy optics. A position of the beam of measuring light being incident on the reflector is substantially independent on a direction into which the beam of measuring light is deflected by the beam scanner. When traveling through the beam scanner, the beam of measuring light is comprised of a bundle of substantially parallel light rays.
US08049871B2
An apparatus and method for measurement of the stress in and thickness of flat glass or curved glass segments is disclosed that uses fluorescence to quickly and accurately ascertain both the thickness of the stress layers and the wall thickness in addition to the stress curve in flat glass or curved glass segments. The apparatus and method may be used to quickly and accurately measure both the stress in and the thickness of flat glass or curved glass segments at a plurality of various locations therein. The apparatus and method are adapted for large scale flat glass or curved glass segment manufacturing, and are capable of high speed measurement of the stress in and the thickness of the flat glass or curved glass segments.
US08049868B2
A concave-convex surface inspection apparatus includes a slit light source unit emitting a slit light to a concave-convex surface of an object to be inspected, an image-taking unit taking an image of the concave-convex surface illuminated by the emitted slit light with an imaging optical axis intersecting with an optical axis of the slit light with a narrow-angle equal to or narrower than 30 degrees, and an evaluation section obtaining a three dimensional shape of the concave-convex surface and evaluating the obtained three dimensional shape, wherein the slit light source unit includes a slit light source and a cylindrical lens, the image-taking unit includes a telecentric lens unit, an image-taking section having an imaging surface tilted relative to the imaging optical axis for increasing a focusing range of the concave-convex surface, and a P polarizer.
US08049865B2
A lithographic system comprises an array of individually controllable elements, a projection system, datapath hardware, and a conversion system. The array of individually controllable elements is capable of modulating a radiation beam. The projection system is configured to project the modulated radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate. The datapath hardware converts an input pattern file into a control signal for controlling the array of individually controllable elements. The conversion system is configured to convert a requested device layout pattern into an input pattern file for the datapath hardware. The input pattern file is a spatial-frequency-restricted representation of the requested device layout pattern.
US08049858B2
A liquid crystal display element of a dot matrix structure comprises a liquid crystal panel constituted by a first substrate equipped with a first electrode, a second substrate equipped with a second electrode, and a liquid crystal layer furnished between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises a support column of a wall structure possessing adhesiveness, wherein a part of each of the support columns has a wider part.
US08049850B2
A liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal panel in which liquid crystals having negative dielectric anisotropy are interposed between upper substrate and lower substrate that have been vertically oriented on the surface, the orientation of the liquid crystals being almost vertical with no applied voltage, almost horizontal when a predetermined voltage is applied, and tilted when a smaller voltage than the predetermined voltage is applied; a first polarizer and a second polarizer disposed on both sides of the liquid crystal panel such that the absorption axes of the polarizers are perpendicular to each other; a first retardation film disposed between the liquid crystal panel and the first polarizer; and a second retardation film disposed between the liquid crystal panel and the second polarizer, wherein the polarizer comprises a polarizing film and a pair of protective films having the polarizing film in between, and wherein at least one of the protective films is a cellulose acylate film satisfying: 0≦Re(630)≦10 and |Rth(630)|≦25.
US08049847B2
A pixel structure of a transflective liquid crystal display array substrate includes a first patterned conductive layer, a second patterned conductive layer and a transparent patterned conductive layer. The first patterned conductive layer is formed on a substrate and includes a first part coupled to a pixel electrode voltage. The second patterned conductive layer includes a first part coupled to a common electrode voltage. The transparent patterned conductive layer is coupled to the pixel electrode voltage. The first part of the second patterned conductive layer and the first part of the first patterned conductive layer form a first storage capacitor. The first part of the second patterned conductive layer and the transparent patterned conductive layer form a second storage capacitor. A method for fabricating the pixel structure of the transflective liquid crystal display array substrate is also disclosed.
US08049844B2
A color filter includes red, green and blue filter segments and is adapted to be used in a liquid crystal display device using, as a light source, a white LED having specified spectral properties. The red filter segment has a 50% transmittance wavelength within a range of 595 to 610 nm and a transmittance of 85% or more at a wavelength of 630 nm. The blue filter segment has a maximum transmittance wavelength of 455 nm or less and a transmittance of 55% or more at a wavelength of 450 nm. A thickness of each of the red, green and blue filter segments is 3.0 μm or less. A liquid crystal display device including this color filter and the white LED is also disclosed.
US08049841B2
An image is displayed by modulating TM-polarized light between the polarizer 2 and the wire grid polarizer 18 through the variation of the optical characteristic of the liquid crystal layer 12 interposed between the transparent plate 4 and the transparent plate 26. Degradation of contrast in the bright ambience is avoided by providing an absorption layer for absorbing TE-polarized light on that surface of the wire grid polarizer 18 which faces the liquid crystal layer 12.
US08049819B2
A method of shoot suppression when transition properties of an image signal are improved. The method includes improving transition properties of an original image signal and filtering a local overshoot and/or undershoot at edges of the transient-improved image signal. Accordingly, a transition time of the original image signal may be reduced and generation of shoots may be suppressed so that a quality-improved image is generated.
US08049816B2
The present invention is a camera system which is usable with a mobile terminal. The camera system includes a lens module and at least one mechanism for changing optical properties by interacting with the lens module. The camera system may be built into the mobile terminal or attached thereto as an external module.
US08049814B2
The preferred embodiments of the present invention include a holography attachment device that is attachable to a digital imaging device to form a holographic microscope. The holography attachment device includes a chamber having at least one attachment mechanism to facilitate attachment of the chamber to a digital imaging device. The holography attachment device also includes a light source and a sample holder section, which is located between a proximate end and the distal end of the chamber. The light source is configured to radiate light within the chamber. The light passes through the sample holder section and impinges on an imaging sensor of a digital imaging device when the chamber is attached to the digital imaging device. The digital imaging device is capable of recording hologram information related to a sample held by the sample holder in the sample holder section.
US08049809B2
A solid-state image pickup device which includes a circuit board provided with a hole and with a circuit layer formed thereon, a solid-state image pickup element housed in the hole and having an upper surface constituting a light-receiving face and electrodes formed on a peripheral portion of the upper surface, and a glass plate disposed over the light-receiving face and provided with a connecting conductive layer which is extended from the underside of the glass plate, via the sidewall of the glass plate, to the upper surface of the glass plate. The electrode is electrically connected with the connecting conductive layer formed on the underside of glass plate, and the connecting conductive layer is electrically connected with the circuit layer formed on the upper surface of the circuit board.
US08049805B2
A color imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of photoelectric transducers, and a color filter including a plurality of coloring layers provided to associate with the photoelectric transducers of the semiconductor substrate. Each of the coloring layers of the color filter including a side surface that is erected with respect to a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and an inclined surface that is continuous from an end of the side surface located in the opposite side of the semiconductor substrate toward an end portion of the coloring layer located in the opposite side of the semiconductor substrate. The coloring layers are arranged with their side surfaces being in contact with each other without a gap therebetween, and the end portion of the coloring layer has a curved surface shape protruding toward the opposite side of the corresponding photoelectric transducer.
US08049803B2
A solid state image pickup device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a well formed in a surface layer of the semiconductor substrate; a light reception region formed in the well and including a plurality of charge accumulation regions formed in a matrix shape and a plurality of vertical CCDs formed along each column of the charge accumulation regions; a horizontal CCD formed in the well and coupled to ends of the vertical CCDs; a peripheral circuit formed in the well in partial regions of the light reception region and the horizontal CCD; a shield layer formed on the semiconductor substrate including a partial area above the peripheral circuit, made of conductive material and surrounding the light reception region, the shield layer being electrically connected to the semiconductor substrate; a support disposed above the shield layer and made of conductive material; and a translucent member placed on the support.
US08049801B2
An image sensor captures an image formed through an optical system and includes a plurality of types of imaging pixels with spectral sensitivity characteristics different from one another, two dimensionally disposed in a predetermined array. The image sensor includes a plurality of focus detection pixel rows that are disposed so as to occupy part of the predetermined array and extend along a plurality of directions intersecting each other, each made up with a plurality of focus detection pixels set along one of the plurality of directions, and the focus detection pixel rows are used to detect a focusing condition of the optical system. A focus detection pixel occupying a position at which the focus detection pixel rows intersect is set at a position equivalent to a position of an imaging pixel with specific spectral sensitivity characteristics corresponding to imaging pixels disposed with a highest level of density in the predetermined array.
US08049800B2
An imaging device includes a solid state imaging element that includes a plurality of pixels; and a driving unit; wherein each pixel includes: a photoelectric converting element includes a pair of electrodes stacked above a semiconductor substrate and a photoelectric converting layer arranged between the electrodes; a connecting portion that is arranged in the semiconductor substrate; a potential barrier portion; a first charge accumulating portion; and a signal output circuit, and wherein the driving unit executes such a same potential driving that the connecting portion and the potential barrier portion are set to have a same potential by varying the potential of the potential barrier portion.
US08049799B2
When a horizontal skipping operation is performed in a solid-state imaging apparatus that includes an A/D converting circuit in each column and that applies an arithmetic operation process to a digitalized signal and an arithmetic operation is performed with signals held by a plurality of register circuits, A/D converters and register circuits in columns in which signals are skipped, or not read out, are not involved in the operations. A more consideration is needed in terms of the use efficiency of circuits. A unit for connecting a register circuit of a certain column and a register circuit of a different column is arranged.
US08049796B2
An object of the invention is to provide a method of correcting sensitivity and an imaging apparatus, by which shading correction can be performed with good accuracy even with a simple structure. A method of correcting sensitivity includes providing imaging elements each including a photosensitive section (15) which performs photoelectric conversion of incident light, an electric charge accumulation section (18) which accepts transfer of electric charge accumulated in the photosensitive section (15) and temporarily accumulates the electric charge, and an electric charge correction section (20) which estimates electric charge intruding into the electric charge accumulation section (18); receiving light from an object by the imaging elements (3) to accumulate electric charge; thereafter transferring electric charge accumulated in the photosensitive section (15) to the electric charge accumulation section (18); correcting a first amount of electric charge (p1) accumulated therein with a second amount of electric charge (p2) having intruded into the electric charge correction section (20) to produce a third amount of electric charge (p3); and sequentially outputting third amounts of electric charge (p3) as amounts of electric charge of the respective imaging elements (3), thereby removing shading.
US08049792B2
An image capture apparatus includes an image capture unit, a writing unit, a calculation unit, and a determination unit. The image capture unit captures an image. The writing unit writes the captured image in a recording medium. The calculation unit calculates a number of free clusters in the recording medium. The determination unit determines whether the recording medium has been removed from the image capture apparatus. If the determination unit determines that the recording medium has been removed from the image capture apparatus, a free space in the recording medium is calculated from the calculated number of free clusters. If the determination unit determines that the recording medium has not been removed from the image capture apparatus, the number of free clusters from a predetermined area in the recording medium is acquired and the free space in the recording medium is calculated from the acquired number of free clusters.
US08049789B2
A method and apparatus for white balance correction using illuminant estimation includes calculating a weighted average of the color coordinates of points in a color image to determine an estimated illuminant of the color image in the color space of an image sensor and selecting white balance correction factors for the color image using the estimated illuminant of the color image and color coordinates of one or more of a number of reference illuminant points in the color space of the image sensor.
US08049788B2
An image signal processing device for correcting color difference signals includes a first correcting unit configured to set a correction amount for input color difference signals to “0” and generating output color difference signals when a colorless area containing the original point of a color difference space in which the two color difference signals are set as two intersecting axes, a first boundary line through which the inside and outside of the colorless area are partitioned, a suppression area which is nearer to the original point than the first boundary line and defined by a color difference suppression width, and a second boundary line through which the interior of suppression area and the inside area of the suppression area are partitioned are set in the color difference space and the values of the color difference signals are at the outside of the colorless area.
US08049777B2
According to an insertion support system of the present invention, when a biopsy area is specified at a periphery of the bronchi, the barycenter of the biopsy area is extracted. A circle centering on the barycenter is determined as a search area. The search area is expanded until the bronchi are located within the search area. A point in the search area to which the bronchi first reach is determined as an end point. A first route choice connecting the end point and a start point is determined. If the first route choice has not been registered yet, the first route choice is registered as a first registered route. Accordingly, a location of interest can be specified as an arbitrary region, and navigation leading to the specified region is appropriately set.
US08049772B2
A method and system for displaying autostereoscopic images is presented. The design comprises a display device, a lenticular array and a computational engine associated with the lenticular array. The computational engine is configured to assess temperature expansion effects for the lenticular array and perform an interdigitation function based on the temperature expansion effects for the lenticular array. Alternately, the design comprises computing a temperature adjustment factor, the temperature adjustment factor relating an amount of expected lenticular array dimensional change to an expected temperature encountered by the lenticular array. Images are interdigitated based on the temperature adjustment factor.
US08049770B2
A printing apparatus includes a pulse motor which operates to carry a recording medium, a thermal head to print on the recording medium, a pulse motor control unit which controls the pulse motor so that the pulse motor is operated at a carrying velocity based on a print ratio of input print data, a head control unit which controls the thermal head in a first or second head control mode, a head detection unit which detects the type of thermal head attached in the printing apparatus and a judgment unit which judges on the basis of the type of head detected by the head detection unit whether to control the thermal head by the first head control mode or the second head control mode.
US08049769B2
The thermal printhead (A1) performs printing on RFID tag (T) as a print target that includes a coil antenna and a memory. The thermal printhead includes a coil antenna (3) as a part of a data transmitter-receiver for the transmitting and receiving of data with respect to the RFID tag (T) by wireless communication.
US08049768B2
A disc processor such as a disc burner and printer, is provided in a housing. A drawer is slidably mounted on the bottom wall of the housing and is positionable in a retracted position in a recess with a portion underneath the processor and is slidably extendable from the processor. The disc output storage drawer carries ramps that will, when the disc output storage drawer is extended move to a position to provide a guide surface to guide a disc dropped thereon into a storage bin on the disc output storage drawer, and when the disc output storage drawer is in its retracted position, the ramps are automatically pivoted to a folded position and stored underneath the processor.
US08049761B1
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a protocol for packing and transferring pixel data between integrated circuits. The data transfer protocol may be used between a graphics processing unit and a video output encoder unit. The data transfers may include up to 20 pixels per arbitration cycle. By packing pixel data for transfer over a bus with a relatively small set of output pins, overall package pin count is reduced, while maintaining sufficient bandwidth to carry the pixel data the output pins. By moving the analog circuitry to a separate device, linked to the GPU via the bus, noise from the GPU may be effectively mitigate through physical separation.
US08049757B2
To control screen display using moving pictures for a plurality of users.Respective moving pictures for a plurality of users are acquired, and each of the acquired moving pictures are displayed on a screen.Display content for the screen is controlled in response to content of each moving picture. At this time, it is also possible to move a specified movement image on the screen according to display position of each moving picture on the screen and content of each moving picture, or to change a display region of the moving picture on the screen according to content of each moving picture.
US08049756B2
A method for managing a multi-user animation platform is disclosed. A three-dimensional space within a computer memory is modeled. An avatar of a client is located within the three-dimensional space, the avatar being graphically represented by a three-dimensional figure within the three-dimensional space. The avatar is responsive to client input commands, and the three-dimensional figure includes a graphical representation of client activity. The client input commands are monitored to determine client activity. The graphical representation of client activity is then altered according to an inactivity scheme when client input commands are not detected. Following a predetermined period of client inactivity, the inactivity scheme varies non-repetitively with time.
US08049754B2
A method of waveform drawing, including generating a plurality of waveforms with certain waveforms being in the same space in a display, eclipsing the waveforms in a rank order and storing the related data in an eclipsed list, the related data of the eclipsed list including a plurality of drawing points with the results of eclipsing the waveforms in the rank order, performing a reduction of flicker on a displayed image from the data outputted from the eclipsing of the waveforms in rank order, an erasure list and a draw list including the results of the reduction of flicker, optimizing the erasure list from the data outputted from performing the reduction of flicker and storing in an optimized erasure list, and copying from the eclipsed list to a predecessor list, the predecessor list including drawing units representing vertical stripes at a given x-axis position.
US08049752B2
A system and method of determining a sampling rate for rendering a volumetric image, the method includes determining a regional variation value representing regional data, color, and/or alpha variation. An accumulated opacity value is determined that represents opacity accumulated over a ray in the image, and a regional opacity value is determined that represents regional opacity. A quality setting is accessed that represents a default image quality, and the sampling rate is adjusted as a function of the regional variation value, the accumulated opacity value, the regional opacity value, and the quality setting. The regional variation value may be determined by iteratively generating a maximum regional variation table during pre-processing, quantizing the maximum regional variation table where the transfer function is defined based on a histogram of the volumetric image, and computing the regional variation value using the maximum regional variation table. Also disclosed are methods to calculate the accumulated opacity value, and the regional opacity value, as well as systems and methods of rendering a volumetric image by using the sampling rate.
US08049747B2
An apparatus (100) including a pixel diffuser for a stretchable display is disclosed. The apparatus may include an elastic viewable display (110) that is stretched in a first viewable display area configuration and contracted in a second viewable display area configuration. The apparatus can also include a plurality of addressable picture elements (120 and 125) disposed on the elastic viewable display, an optical barrier (132) between each of the plurality of addressable picture elements, and an elastic diffuser (140) optically coupled to the plurality of addressable picture elements on the elastic viewable display. The apparatus can also include an electrical interface (150) coupled to the elastic viewable display.
US08049734B2
A haptic feedback planar touch control used to provide input to a computer. A touch input device includes a planar touch surface that inputs a position signal to a processor of the computer based on a location of user contact on the touch surface. The computer can position a cursor in a displayed graphical environment based at least in part on the position signal, or perform a different function. At least one actuator is also coupled to the touch input device and outputs a force to provide a haptic sensation to the user contacting the touch surface. The touch input device can be a touchpad separate from the computer's display screen, or can be a touch screen. Output haptic sensations on the touch input device can include pulses, vibrations, and spatial textures. The touch input device can include multiple different regions to control different computer functions.
US08049733B2
A transfer function is provided for use with computer pointing devices such as trackpads. The transfer function includes a first component having characteristics of a positional transfer function and a second component having characteristics of a velocity-based transfer function. The first (positional) component and the second (velocity-based) component of the transfer function are blended so that the transfer function exhibits purely positional behavior in response to a first range of inputs and exhibits combined positional and velocity-based behavior in response to a second range of inputs. The first range of inputs may, for example, correspond to a region in the input coordinate space that is bounded by a circle having a predetermined threshold radius.
US08049731B2
A method for implementing a control function via a sensor having a touch sensitive control input surface. The method includes detecting a contact with the touch sensitive control input surface, determining a pressure value corresponding to the contact, and initiating a control function from a set of possible control functions based at least in part on the pressure value.
US08049728B2
A touch key assembly includes a cover having at least one touch key which is identified by an optically transmissive region of the cover. The cover is also shaped to define a push key opening. The assembly also includes a touch pad structured to operatively couple to the cover such that the touch pad is positioned relative to the touch key. A push key is positioned within the push key opening of the cover. The touch key assembly may be implemented in a portable electronic device, such as a mobile terminal or a personal digital assistant (PDA).
US08049722B2
A vehicular operating apparatus in which an operating portion on which operating switches are arranged is arranged in a vehicle cabin in a separate location that is physically distanced from a display portion that displays an operation menu image showing the positional arrangement and function of the operating switch of the operating portion. An imaging mechanism captures an image of a hand of a user that operates the operating portion, a combining and displaying mechanism combines the captured image of the hand with the operation menu image and displaying the combined image on the display portion, and a light emitting portion illuminates the operating portion.
US08049715B2
A method and a system for accessing data stored in an electronic device (102) are disclosed. The data is stored in a data structure. The data structure includes a plurality of sets. Each of the plurality of sets includes at least one entry with an identical first character. The method includes varying (302) the speed of navigation through the data structure by using the input device (204). The method also includes displaying (304) a pre-defined entry from each of the plurality of sets, based on a pre-defined actuation of the input device.
US08049703B2
A flat display structure including a substrate, a pixel matrix, a driving circuit and several voltage adapting devices and driving method thereof are provided. Each of voltage adapting devices includes an input terminal, a first control terminal and an output terminal. The input terminal is electrically connected to the i-th gate line Gi corresponding to the i-th pixel row Ri. The first control terminal is adapted to receive a first control signal. The output terminal is adapted to receive a working voltage.
US08049693B2
The invention relates to a display element, an element drive method, and an information display system having the element, and has an object to provide a display element capable of stably acting even if a received electric power reduces, a method for driving the element, and an information display system having the element. The system comprises: a display section having laminated display layers; a wireless transmitting/receiving section for receiving electric waves containing the display data of the display layers; a driving voltage generating circuit for generating drive voltages to drive the display layers from the electric waves received; and a control section for simultaneously driving the display layers of the number which is determined on the basis of the receiving situations of the electric waves.
US08049683B2
There is provided a driving circuit capable of driving current flowing in cathode electrodes with high accuracy and displaying without brightness variation. For driving a cathode electrode in a display panel, a first current mirror circuit is fabricated by connecting a gate of first FET and a gate of second FET and a second current mirror circuit is fabricated by connecting a gate of a third FET connected in series to the second FET and a gate of a fourth FET. A brightness signal controls the magnitude of current flowing in the first FET, so that the current flowing to the cathode electrode via the fourth FET can be controlled with high accuracy.
US08049678B2
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a mobile communication terminal comprises a first display and a second display and a user interface for allowing a user to select one or more images to be displayed on either of the first and second displays, wherein images displayed on both the first and the second display are viewable from a first viewing angle.
US08049677B2
Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and devices for imaging device display content localization. Some aspects relate to methods and systems for sending geographical-locale-related information from an imaging device to a remote computing device where the geographical-locale-related information is matched with related data comprising a language and at least one of a time format, a date format, an address format, a calendar format, a currency type and a geographical-locale-related cultural custom, which is then sent to the imaging device for output to a user.
US08049676B2
A planer antenna structure includes a first planer antenna and a second planer antenna. The first planer antenna has a first axial orientation and a conductive antenna pattern on a first surface of a supporting substrate. The second planer antenna has a second axial orientation and the conductive antenna pattern on the first surface of the supporting substrate.
US08049666B2
A regional positioning method and apparatus in a wireless sensor network (WSN) is provided. The regional positioning method in a WSN, the regional positioning method including: setting a locating premise in the WSN based on a signal strength of an anchor node; sensing an event where a sensor node, installed in a target and called a target node, joins the WSN; detecting a locating premise where the target node is located based on the sensing of the event; and recognizing a location of the target based on the detected locating premise.
US08049660B2
A radar apparatus has a plurality of receiving antennas and an array transmitting antenna controlled to successively vary the direction of a transmitted beam within a range which includes a target detection range of directions. The direction of any target within the target detection range is detected based on a phase difference between incident reflected waves of adjacent receiving antennas. To eliminate false targets resulting from aliasing, each detected target is authenticated based upon closeness of its detected direction to the current transmitted beam direction. The receiving antennas and transmitting antenna are configured to exclude directions of grating lobes of the transmitted beam from the detection range, and thereby suppress effects of received reflected waves that originate from grating lobes.
US08049659B1
An aimed or aiming firearm can be detected before it is able to shoot. Wideband radar signals can be used to identify the barrel of a firearm when the radar antenna and barrel are aiming at or near each other. Signal processing correlates reflected signals to the characteristics of specific firearms of interest, and alerts the user when someone is pointing such a firearm at them. Modern wideband radar systems with fast signal processing speed can enable real-time detection of firearm threats in crowded and cluttered areas before they shoot, which has never before been possible. Related systems, apparatus, methods, and articles are also described.
US08049658B1
A method for determining, in three dimensions, the location of a moving ground object observed in a region by a video camera. A terrain map supplies altitude for the latitude and longitude of each terrain point. The terrain information is combined with camera location, field of view, and orientation to produce a computed terrain map relative to the camera. A video analytics step processes the video and locates moving target(s) in two Cartesian coordinates. The coordinates are processed with the camera information to produce target location in terms of azimuth and elevation angle. The computed map information is combined with the angular target location to produce latitude, longitude, and altitude of the target. The target location information is used for further investigation or to attack the target. Also, a method for determining the third dimension of a 2-D radar track to cue a camera or fuse with camera data.
US08049654B2
Successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) generally employ capacitive digital-to-analog converters (CDACs) to perform data conversions. In these CDACs, matching of capacitive values is important, and for conventional high resolution SAR ADCs, complex trimming or calibration procedures can be too costly. Here, however, a SAR ADC is provided that performs error correction so as to reduce the overall cost compared to conventional SAR ADCs.
US08049651B2
A ΔΣ modulation circuit that includes a first integrator and second integrator coupled in series, a quantizer coupled to an output of the second integrator, a delay device disposed in a feedback path from an output of the quantizer to an input of the first and second integrators, an adder which generates a difference between an output and an input of the quantizer, and a feedback circuit including a delay device which couples an output of the adder to an output of one of the first and second integrators.
US08049636B2
The present invention relates to hand held tool monitoring apparatus (10). The hand held tool monitoring apparatus (10) comprises a mount, which in use of the hand held tool monitoring apparatus forms part of a hand held tool (22), and a monitoring component (12) configured to be releasably attached to the mount. The monitoring component (12) comprises an operative part of the hand held tool monitoring apparatus (10) and the hand held tool monitoring apparatus further comprises a vibration sensor and a timer. The vibration sensor is operable to sense vibration of the hand held tool (22) and to provide a vibration signal in response to sensed vibration when the monitoring component is attached to the mount. The timer is operative in dependence on the vibration signal to record a duration of vibration of the hand held tool (22).
US08049627B1
A container may be formed with a pocket to securely receive a tag, such as a radio-frequency identification tag. The tag is secured within the pocket such that it remains within the pocket during ordinary use and handling of the container, but it is substantially completely removable from the pocket without tools or solvents.
US08049626B2
An RFID tag mounting circuit board has a configuration in which an RFIC chip, a minimum antenna, a circuit which matches the impedance of the RFIC chip and that of the antenna are mounted on a printed circuit board. With this configuration, the area occupied by the antenna of an RFID tag is suppressed, and a decrease in the component mounting density of the printed circuit board is also suppressed. The RFID tag mounting circuit board is configured to be capable of managing the histories of all components on a per-printed-circuit-board basis by attaching a reading device for an RFIC chip to a chip mounter which mounts an IC chip.
US08049612B2
A hazard detector monitoring system comprises one or more smoke detectors each provided with an electronic device containing information unique to the detector so as to identify the detector. A testing device is located at the end of a pole and held adjacent the detector to read and write to the electronic device through a wireless communication link. The testing device causes the detector to carry out a predetermined operation and the result of the operation is read by the testing device from the electronic device using the wireless communication link together with the identity of the detector.
US08049611B2
A location mechanism for a mobile device, in which an electronic communication including a code is received at the mobile device and the code is parsed from within the received electronic communication. The code parsed from within the electronic communication is used to determine whether to classify the received electronic communication as a coded electronic communication, and the received electronic communication is classified as a coded electronic communication based on results of the determination. In response to classification of the electronic communication as a coded electronic communication, a process is initiated that facilitates location of the mobile device. For instance, volume control settings at the mobile device may be overridden and an audible alert at the device may be invoked, and/or a response electronic communication that includes location information indicative of a current location of the communication device may be generated and sent.
US08049604B2
A shock-detecting apparatus for an industrial vehicle has a shock-detecting sensor that is fixed to the industrial vehicle for detecting a shock and generating an output signal, a shock value computer for computing a shock value based on the output signal which is received sequentially, a judging device for judging whether or not the shock value is greater than a threshold value, a warning generator for generating a warning signal when the judging device judges that the shock value is greater than the threshold value and a threshold value setting device for setting the threshold value. The threshold value setting device includes a display for displaying a peak value in a predetermined period which allows a user to read the peak value, wherein the peak value is determined by the computed shock value during the predetermined period and a threshold value input unit for inputting the threshold value manually.
US08049591B2
A tactile sensor for curved surfaces applicable to objects with multi-dimensional curvature and a small radius of curvature and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The tactile sensor for curved surfaces includes a lower pattern including a plurality of lower polymer film layers spaced at specified intervals in a lower direction, lower metal layers disposed on the lower polymer film layers, and a number of lower resistors disposed on the lower metal layers, an upper pattern including a plurality of upper polymer film layers spaced at specified intervals in a direction perpendicular to the lower direction, upper metal layers disposed on the upper polymer film layers, and a number of upper resistors disposed below the upper metal layers to be electrically connected to the lower resistors, and a lower polymer layer and an upper polymer layer to bond the lower pattern and the upper pattern to each other.
US08049587B2
An air-core reactor with natural-air cooling of a winding includes first open spaces to let air flow through the winding in parallel with an axis of symmetry of the reactor and second open spaces crossing the first open spaces to let air flow through the winding angular to the axis of symmetry. A ventilation unit to produce a forced-air flow is arranged in such a way to the air-core reactor that a first part of the forced-air flow enters one of the first or second open spaces and at least one guiding element is arranged with respect to the crossing of the first and the second open spaces in such a way that the first part of the forced-air flow leaves and a second part of the forced-air flow enters the one of the first or second open spaces. A shielding element is arranged at another crossing of the first and the second open spaces so that substantially no air can leave or enter the one of the first or second open spaces.
US08049581B2
A piezoelectric filter of the present invention is provided with first and second piezoelectric vibrators, each having a substrate, a lower load film formed on the substrate, a lower electrode formed on the lower load film, a piezoelectric element formed on the lower electrode, an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric element and an upper load film formed on the upper electrode, and the piezoelectric filter is configured by electrically connecting the first and second piezoelectric vibrators to each other, and the piezoelectric element of the first piezoelectric vibrator and the piezoelectric element of the second piezoelectric vibrator correspond to respectively different areas of the same piezoelectric element; thus, the resonance frequencies of the first and second piezoelectric vibrators are adjusted by the respective lower load films and upper load films of the first piezoelectric vibrator and the second piezoelectric vibrator so that the resonance frequencies of the first and second piezoelectric vibrators are made different from each other.
US08049580B2
An array of micromechanical oscillators have different resonant frequencies based on their geometries. In one embodiment, a micromechanical oscillator has a resonant frequency defined by an effective spring constant that is modified by application of heat. In one embodiment, the oscillator is disc of material supported by a pillar of much smaller diameter than the disc. The periphery of the disc is heated to modify the resonant frequency (or equivalently the spring constant or stiffness) of the disc. Continuous control of the output phase and frequency may be achieved when the oscillator becomes synchronized with an imposed sinusoidal force of close frequency. The oscillator frequency can be detuned to produce an easily controlled phase differential between the injected signal and the oscillator feedback. A phased array radar may be produced using independent phase controllable oscillators.
US08049577B2
An elastic wave device includes resonators having a piezoelectric substrate, a resonation unit formed on the piezoelectric substrate, and reflectors formed on respective sides of the resonation unit on the piezoelectric substrate, and bumps formed on the piezoelectric substrate. The resonators are configured such that two or more split resonators are connected in parallel, and a bump is formed in a region sandwiched between reflectors of the split resonators.
US08049570B1
An electrical/magnetic current sensing system includes a first collection mechanism configured to convert an electric field into surface charge, a second collection mechanism comprising a magnetic reactive material, and a sensor coupled to the first and second collection mechanisms. The sensor comprises an odd number, greater than or equal to three, of unidirectionally-coupled non-linear over-damped bi-stable elements. Each element comprises a resistive load, an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) with a bipolar junction transistor differential pair, a cross-coupled OTA, and a non-linear OTA. Each element may comprise fully differential inputs and outputs. The sensor may be contained in a microchip or on a printed circuit board. A resident time difference readout device may be connected to the sensor, and may be configured to perform a power spectral density calculation. The sensor may include a resistance to voltage circuit connected between the second collection mechanism and the elements.
US08049557B2
An amplification device, comprising a device input receiving a device input signal, an amplifier unit comprising a zero crossing detector unit, an output filter and a lead-lag compensation network. The zero crossing detector unit compares the device input signal with a reference potential and switches a pulse width modulated detector output signal between first and second voltage levels dependent on the comparison. The amplifier unit provides an actual device output signal, e.g., an amplified representation of the device input signal. The amplification device further comprises a device output providing the actual device output signal, a control loop bridging the amplifier unit and comprising a forward filter, e.g., an integrating filter, for increasing loop gain improving the signal-to-noise ratio of the actual device output signal, and a deviation detection unit detecting over modulation of the amplifier unit, so that the amplification device disables forward filter functioning upon over modulation.
US08049555B2
An electronic device includes a cascade of a plurality of transistors. Each transistor of the cascade receives an input voltage at a first terminal of its source/drain channel and receives a sampling clock signal at a control gate. The second terminal of the source/drain path of a first transistor drives a sampling capacitor. The second terminal of the source/drain channel of each subsequent transistor is connected to a backgate of a previous transistor. The backgate of the last transistor is connected to a supply voltage level. The second terminals of the subsequent transistors may be connected to corresponding buffer capacitors. The backgate of the last transistor may be supplied with the input during sampling and the supply voltage level at other times.
US08049554B2
An integrated circuit includes a first internal voltage generating unit configured to receive an external power and to generate a first internal voltage, and a second internal voltage generating unit configured to receive the first internal voltage, and to generate a second internal voltage having an absolute value of a target voltage level that is less than an absolute value of the first internal voltage, wherein the second internal voltage generating unit is initially enabled at a later time than the first internal voltage generating unit is initially enabled.
US08049548B2
A digital synchronous circuit includes a clock generator for generating a reference clock signal, a plurality of delays for delaying the reference clock signal by predetermined different times, a transition varying buffer for controlling input transitions of the clock signals received from the plurality of the delays, a transition controller for controlling operation of the transition varying buffer, and a plurality of registers driven by the clock signals from the plurality of delays.
US08049542B2
In response to an input signal, in a first delay line, a delay amount is added to a phase of the input signal by each delay unit. In a DLL circuit, in response to an external signal that can be externally switched to a signal different in frequency is accepted, in a second delay line, a delay amount is added to the phase of the external signal by each delay unit. The phase of a delay signal delayed by all delay units of the second delay line and the phase of the external signal to which no delay amount added are compared to output a phase difference. A control voltage value that is a value for synchronizing the delay signal to be compared by the phase comparator and is generated from the phase difference output from the phase comparator is input to each of the delay units.
US08049537B2
As part of a transmitter and receiver system a droop compensator is provided between the channel isolation device and the driver system to compensate for reduced transition densities. The droop compensator is configured to improve power transfer to the channel in response to reductions in transition density without affecting power transfer during periods of high transition density. The droop compensator creates an impedance mismatch between the matching circuit and driver in relation to the line impedance. The droop compensator may comprise passive elements, such as capacitors, inductors, or resistor, or active elements including transistors or power control modules. The droop compensator may be configured to operate with transformer line couplers or capacitor line couplers, and either current drivers or voltage drivers.
US08049531B2
A system for general purpose input-output (IO), including a first pad; an IO buffer comprising the first pad; and an IO datapath logic block operatively connected to the IO buffer, where the IO datapath logic block and the IO buffer are associated with a general purpose IO block in a heterogeneous configurable integrated circuit (HCIC).
US08049523B2
A device having a switch with a voltage applied across the switch. A current sensing circuit is connected to one terminal of the switch. The current sensing circuit receives power independently of the voltage applied across the switch. The power supply shares the other terminal of the switch with the current sensing circuit. The switch is adapted for opening and closing. When the switch closes, the current sensing circuit senses current through the switch and upon opening the switch the high voltage of the switch is blocked from the current sensing circuit. The sense current is caused to flow from the current sensing circuit to the other terminal when the switch is closed. The flow of the sense current produces a voltage which is compared differentially to another voltage referenced by the other terminal.
US08049522B2
An ice thickness probe includes a longitudinally-extending probe rod, an insulator casing and a sleeve. The probe rod is fabricated from an electrically-conductive material. The insulator casing is fabricated from an electrically-insulative material and is wrapped around, is in contact with and extends along the probe rod. The sleeve is fabricated from a stiff yet resilient material and is wrapped around, is in contact with and extends along the insulator casing. The insulator casing and the sleeve are concentrically disposed about the probe rod as viewed in cross-section. An ice thickness probe assembly includes a frame structure, a reference bar and at least one ice thickness probe. An ice thickness monitoring apparatus is used in a thermal storage coil having a tank containing water and a tube disposed in the water so that, when the thermal ice storage coil is energized, ice is produced and accumulates on the tube.
US08049519B2
The present invention relates to a medication delivery device for expelling set doses of medicament, the medication delivery device comprising a position determining assembly for detecting absolute positions of a rotatably mounted member arranged within the device, the position determining assembly comprising a plurality of transmitter electrodes arranged on a first exterior surface part of the rotatably mounted member, a plurality of receiver electrodes arranged on a second exterior surface part of the rotatably mounted member. A number of transmitter electrodes form pairs of interconnected electrodes with a number of receiver electrodes. A reading assembly fixedly arranged relative to for example the housing of the medication delivery device is also provided. The reading assembly comprises a plurality of transmitters arranged to electrically couple to one or more receiver electrodes, the reading assembly further comprising a plurality of receivers arranged to electrically couple to one or more transmitter electrodes.
US08049518B2
The present invention relates to a capacitive sensor system provided for a moving object 21.The system comprises an antenna device with a first 26 and a second portion 39 which are movable in relation to each other, the two portions 26,39 being connected in parallel for capacitive influence from the surroundings. The first portion 26 constitutes in an electrical conductive part of said moving object 21 and the second section 39 constitutes in an electrical conductive device arranged at a rest position for the moving object 21.
US08049513B2
A method for adjusting an output signal produced by a device under test from an input variable by: a) positioning the device under test at a first test device with a physical disturbance variable and a known input variable value, b) acquiring at least one measured value for the output signal, c) changing the adjustment state, d) acquiring a further measured value for the output signal, e) positioning the device under test at a further test device having a further disturbance variable value and the input variable value, f) acquiring a further measured value for the output signal, g) changing the adjustment state, h) acquiring a further measured value for the output signal, i) comparing the measured values acquired at the test devices for each adjustment state and determining a first adjustment state in which the correlation between the measured values is larger than in a second adjustment state.
US08049505B2
The present invention relates to magnetic resonance imaging system and to a direct digital receiver (18) for an RF coil (D1, D2), in particular of a magnetic resonance imaging system. To obtain that the sampling frequency of an analog-to-digital converter (33) of the digital receiver can be chosen independently of the digital operating frequency at which the subsequent digital down converter (38), which particularly includes a demodulator (34), operates, a resampling unit (37) is introduced which is coupled between said analog-to-digital converter and said digital down converter for resampling a first digital sample signal at said sampling frequency to a second digital sample signal at said digital operating frequency.
US08049497B2
A common method of RF encoding assumes that the B1 field generated by the RF coils is linear, which is likely not the case in many situations. It is therefore desirable to have a method of operating an MR system to reconstruct an image of a subject, wherein the method is capable of also handling arbitrary B1 fields used for RF encoding. Accordingly, such an MR system employing one or more RF coils is disclosed herein. The method comprises obtaining transmit sensitivities and weighting factors for individual RF coils. Each RF coil is activated based on its respective weighting factor to apply RF excitation to a subject under examination in the MR system. MR signals—such as free induction decays (FID) signals or echo signals—generated from the subject in response to the RF excitation are received and processed based on the transmit sensitivities to generate an MR image or spectrum representative of the subject.
US08049480B2
The comparator-system DC-DC converter 1 comprises the voltage conversion section 100 and the control unit 200. The control unit 200 comprises comparator sections 20 and 40 which compare the output voltage of the voltage conversion section 100 and the reference voltage, and determine a predetermined ON width of the ON pulse or the OFF width of the OFF pulse of the control signal Ssw, and a counter section 60 which counts at least either one of the ON pulses and OFF pulses of the control signal and counts the reference clocks to adjust the predetermined ON width so that the ratio between the count value of the control signal Ssw and the count value of the reference clock is M:N where M and N are natural numbers.
US08049473B2
A power supply circuit includes a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal generator, a current adjustment unit, a drive unit, and a feedback unit. The PWM signal generator outputs a PWM voltage signal to the drive unit. The drive unit outputs a first control signal to control the current adjustment unit to work, and outputs a first direct current signal and a direct voltage signal. The current adjustment unit outputs a second direct current signal. A working current of the electrical device comes from the first and second direct current signals. The feedback unit generates a feedback voltage signal according to the direct voltage signal, and transmits the feedback voltage signal to the PWM signal generator to adjust the PWM voltage signal.
US08049453B2
A static switch for DC motors of climate control units, comprising a signal side and a power side, which are mutually separated by means of optoisolators, the side comprising in input at least one terminal for a motor on/off signal and a terminal for a pulse width modulation signal PWM to provide the amplitude modulation, on the power side, of a motor speed signal, the switch comprising a precharging device which has a control terminal connected to a power-on optoisolator and a precharging current supply terminal connected to a motor power supply pole, the switch further comprising at least one power-on transistor connected to the same motor supply pole of the power supply terminal of the device, so that a voltage applied across the power-on transistor that exceeds a certain threshold switches off the motor power-on transistor.
US08049452B2
A control method can stop motor operation reliably when a mirror rotator is mechanically locked at a driven end of the mirror rotator. The control method operates a motor 18 according to battery voltage. The motor 18 is operated with an operating time set and is stopped after a lapse of the set operating time, where the operating time is a time required for the motor 18 to drive the mirror rotator 14 from the retracted position or the working position to the working position or the retracted position at which the mirror rotator 14 is locked by a stopper. The control method detects the battery voltage, and decreases the set operating time of the motor 18 when the detected battery voltage is high or increases the set operating time of the motor 18 when the detected battery voltage is low.
US08049442B2
An electric injection molding machine includes a motor driving circuit for driving a motor, and a delivery pipe. The motor driving circuit includes a rectifier circuit, a switch control circuit, a heater, a direct current (DC) link circuit, and an inverter circuit. The switch control circuit is configured for controlling the motor to output a regenerative current generated in a deceleration period of the motor. The heater is configured for receiving the regenerative current to heat the delivery pipe via the switch control circuit. A micro control unit (MCU) outputs a heat control signal according to the voltage from the DC link circuit to turn on the switch control circuit so as control deceleration of the motor such that a regenerative current from the motor is supplied to the heater to heat the delivery pipe.
US08049439B2
A voltage source provides an output voltage to drive a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) strings. A LED driver adjusts the level of the output voltage so as to maintain the lowest tail voltage of the LED strings at or near a predetermined threshold voltage so as provide sufficient headroom voltages for current regulators for the LED strings. The LED driver operates in an operational mode and a calibration mode, which can be implemented in parallel with, or part of, the operational mode. During the calibration mode, the LED driver determines, for each LED string, a code value representative of the level of the output voltage necessary to maintain the tail voltage of the corresponding LED string at or near the predetermined threshold voltage. In the operational mode, the code values from the calibration mode are used to control the voltage source to provide an appropriate level for the output voltage.
US08049438B2
A driving circuit for driving loads includes a switch circuit, a transformer, a current sensing circuit, and an inverter controller. The switch circuit and the transformer are used for converting a DC electric power to an AC electric power so as to energize the loads. The current sensing circuit coupled to the loads generates a feedback current signal indicative of a current flowing through the loads. The inverter controller includes a switch drive circuit, a current regulation circuit receiving the feedback current signal, and a mode controller circuit. The switch drive circuit controls the switch circuit so as to adjust power delivered to the primary winding of the transformer in accordance with the feedback current signal. The mode controller disables the switch circuit through the switch drive circuit if the external signal is in an absence state for a predetermined period.
US08049433B2
Disclosed is an inverter circuit. The inverter circuit comprises a transformer comprising a primary coil and a secondary coil wound at a predetermined turn ratio, a first switch circuit comprising first and second switch devices commonly connected with a first end of the primary coil of the transformer, a second switch circuit comprising third and fourth switch devices commonly connected with a second end of the primary coil of the transformer, and a third switch circuit comprising fifth and sixth switch devices commonly connected with a part of the primary coil of the transformer.
US08049432B2
An electronic ballast for driving a gas discharge lamp comprises a measurement circuit for measuring a lamp current flowing through the lamp and a lamp voltage produced across the lamp. The ballast comprises a first winding magnetically coupled to a main transformer of an inverter circuit, and a second winding magnetically coupled to a resonant inductor of a resonant tank circuit. The first and second windings are coupled in series electrical connection to generate a voltage representative of the magnitude of the lamp voltage. The ballast further comprises a current transformer having primary windings coupled in series with the electrodes of the lamp. The measurement circuit integrates the current conducted through secondary windings of the current transformer only during every other half-cycle of the lamp voltage to generate a control signal representative of the magnitude of the lamp current that is in-phase with the lamp voltage.
US08049422B2
An electric discharge lamp has a ceramic luminous tube 5 and filled with xenon gas, a pair of electrodes 9, 10 held by the ceramic luminous tube, and a glass outer tube 6 accommodating the ceramic luminous tube and the pair of electrodes. The ceramic luminous tube includes a luminous portion 7 emitting light by electric discharge, and a pair of small diameter tube portions 8, 8 respectively connected to both end portions of the luminous portion in a longitudinal direction. Value of P/(r•t) is not less than 4.8 and not more than 32, where P (atm) is pressure of xenon gas filled into the ceramic luminous tube, r (mm) is an inner diameter of the luminous portion of the ceramic luminous tube, and t (mm) is thickness of the luminous portion of the ceramic luminous tube.
US08049420B2
An organic light emitting device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a substrate including a first region, a second region, and a third region; a thin film structure disposed on the substrate; a first color filter, a second color filter, and a third color filter formed on the thin film structure, and respectively corresponding to the first region, the second region, and the third region; a first light emitting member formed on the first region and the second region; and a second light emitting member disposed on the third region, wherein the first light emitting member has a maximum light emitting value in a wavelength range of about 500 nm to 800 nm, and the second light emitting member has a maximum light emitting value in a wavelength range of about 400 nm to 500 nm.
US08049419B2
A light-emitting device having the quality of an image high in homogeneity is provided. A printed wiring board (second substrate) (107) is provided facing a substrate (first substrate) (101) that has a luminous element (102) formed thereon. A PWB side wiring (second group of wirings) (110) on the printed wiring board (107) is electrically connected to element side wirings (first group of wirings) (103, 104) by anisotropic conductive films (105a, 105b). At this point, because a low resistant copper foil is used to form the PWB side wiring (110), a voltage drop of the element side wirings (103, 104) and a delay of a signal can be reduced. Accordingly, the homogeneity of the quality of an image is improved, and the operating speed of a driver circuit portion is enhanced.
US08049416B2
Electroluminescent devices, and methods of making and using such devices, are disclosed. The electroluminescent devices include a patterned layer on a solvent-susceptible layer. The electroluminescent devices may be used, for example, as full color display devices.
US08049408B2
An organic light emissive device comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; and an organic light emissive region between the first and second electrodes comprising an organic light emissive material which has a peak emission wavelength, wherein at least one of the electrodes is transparent and comprises a composite of a charge injecting metal and another material which is codepositable with the charge injecting metal, the other material having a different refractive index to that of the charge injecting metal and wherein the other material has a lower degree of quenching at the peak emission wavelength than the charge injecting metal whereby quenching of excitons by the at least one electrode is reduced, the charge injecting metal comprising either a low work function metal having a work function of no more than 3.5 eV or a high work function metal having a work function of no less than 4.5 eV.
US08049400B2
A surface light source apparatus with dual-side emitting light includes a transparent cathode structure, a transparent anode structure, a fluorescent layer and a low-pressure gas layer. The transparent cathode structure and the transparent anode structure are opposite to each other and respectively a surface structure. The fluorescent layer is located between the transparent cathode structure and the transparent anode structure. The low-pressure gas layer fills a space between the transparent cathode structure and the transparent anode structure and functions to induce the cathode for evenly emitting electrons. In addition, the electron mean free path of the low-pressure gas layer allows at least sufficient electrons to directly impact the fluorescent layer under an operation voltage.
US08049399B2
A spark-ignited, internal combustion engine ignition device to increase electrical transfer efficiency of the ignition by peaking the electrical power of the spark during the streamer phase of spark creation and improving combustion quality, incorporating an electrode design and materials to reduce electrode erosion due to high power discharge, an insulator provided with capacitive plates to peak the electrical current of the spark discharge, and concomitant methods.
US08049397B2
There are some cases where cracks occur at a plurality of areas on an external electrode when a displacement quantity of a laminated piezoelectric element is large. In such cases, there is a possibility of a voltage not being applied to a portion of the laminated structure due to the cracks caused by a long time drive to cause a reduction in the displacement quantity. A low rigidity layer is arranged on the laminated structure to form a plurality of portions divided by the low rigidity layer in a laminating direction. Each portion is provided with power feeding members on the anode side and the cathode side. Thus, a voltage can be stably supplied to each internal electrode.
US08049388B2
The object of the invention is a rotor for an electrical machine excited by permanent magnets, said rotor comprising a substantially cylindrical magnetic body of the rotor fitted onto the shaft of the electrical machine and a set of permanent magnets used to create a first and a second pole alternately in the circumferential direction, excited in opposite directions. The permanent magnets are fitted into openings arranged within the rotor. The rotor comprises a body part with several segments extending to the outer circumference in the circumferential direction and an outward tapered section remaining between the segments in the radial direction of the rotor. Permanent-magnet pieces are arranged between each section and segment.
US08049381B2
An end cover for an external rotor motor. The external rotor motor has a stator core having a center hole, and the end cover including a body, a cylindrical connecting portion, and multiple protruding bars each having an arc-shaped top surface. The cylindrical connecting portion is extended from the center of the body and received in the center hole of the stator core, the protruding bars are disposed on outer surface of the cylindrical connecting portion and extended in an axial direction, and the arc-shaped top surface of the protruding bar is fit with inner wall of the center hole of the stator core. The end cover is accurately fit with a stator core, requires no further processing after die-casting and thus reducing production cost, and is capable of preventing aluminum scraps from entering a stator.
US08049375B2
An electromagnetic transducer apparatus (10) includes a core (30, 31) providing a pair of yokes (34, 35) between which there is an air gap (38, 39), at least one coil (32) disposed about the core (30, 31), an armature (14) moveable in the air gap (38, 39) in response to the coil (32) being energised, the armature (14) being mounted between a pair of suspension springs (22, 23), and characterized in that the armature (14) includes a cylinder (14) in which is disposed a piston (12) which is immovable relative to the core (30, 31).
US08049373B2
In a cooling system used in cooling of a heater housing box, the present invention presents an apparatus for stabilizing power supply of heater housing box cooling apparatus capable of changing over a plurality of taps provided in the winding of a power transformer before the output voltage exceeds an allowable voltage range when turning on alternating-current power supply. For this purpose, first resistor 1 for elevating slowly the output voltage of the power transformer when turning on the alternating-current power supply is provided at the secondary side of the power transformer, direct-current voltage V1 rectified and smoothed from the output voltage is delayed by the charging time of a first capacitor, and an electronic controller for operating a tap changeover relay for automatically changing over the plurality of taps provided in the power transformer is started before the output voltage exceeds the allowable voltage range.
US08049372B2
Systems and methods are provided for precharging high-voltage buses. The precharge system comprises an energy source having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein a first voltage is equal to a potential difference between the first terminal and the second terminal. The precharge system further comprises a bus having a first rail and a second rail, wherein a second voltage is equal to a potential difference between the first rail and the second rail. A first contactor is coupled between the first terminal and the first rail and a second contactor is coupled between the second terminal and the second rail. A controller is coupled to the energy source, the bus, and the contactors. The controller is configured to activate the second contactor, and thereafter activate the first contactor if the magnitude of a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is less than a threshold tolerance.
US08049367B2
When a vehicle is set to a travel control mode or external charging mode, a vehicle system is activated for executing the control mode to which the vehicle is set. A converter ECU selects one sub power storage unit to be used first after activation of the vehicle system, based on a power storage unit used after preceding activation as read from a memory unit contained in the converter ECU and based on respective states of charge of sub power storage units, and electrically connects the selected sub power storage unit and a converter via a switch circuit. When the vehicle system is activated for executing the travel control mode, the converter ECU updates information about the power storage unit used after preceding activation as stored in the memory unit, to information about the power storage unit used first after the present activation of the vehicle system. When the vehicle system has been activated for executing the external charging mode, the converter ECU maintains the information about power storage used after the preceding activation as stored in the memory.
US08049364B2
A substantially uninterruptible backup power system to provide power to common household appliances comprises a rechargeable battery, a trickle-charging circuit to keep the battery fully charged at all times from the receptacle power, a DC to AC inverter to supply standard AC line voltage from the battery to the lamp, a relay switch, controlled by main power voltage, to switch to the backup system when main power fails, and a timing circuit to optimize a voltage output of the system based on current battery voltage and a desired time period for the voltage output. The system can be set to operate only when the appliance is turned on, which optimizes the current and power required to provide backup power to the appliance for a maximum period of time.
US08049362B2
A method and system of inverting DC energy stored within a vehicle to AC energy sufficient for supplying appliances or other devices that traditionally receive AC energy from a wall outlet. The inverting may be executed without feedback control in that switching operations used to controller boosting and inverting the DC energy are controller solely from inputs and without regard to the actual output.
US08049353B1
A electrical power plant with a gas turbine engine that drives two electric high speed generators connected on the two ends of the engine rotor shaft in a direct drive relation without the need for a gear box. The high speed generators can be of the same or different power rating and connected in series such that the total power output can easily be changed without the need to redesign larger high speed generators. Because the generators use permanent magnets, they can be operated as motors to drive two or more compressors. A turbine can be used to drive two or more high speed generators connected in series. Since the high speed generator/motors have thrust bearings, the thrust bearing in the turbomachine can be eliminated.
US08049344B2
A semiconductor apparatus according to the present invention includes one or a plurality of pairs of a standard pattern and an offset pattern formed therein with respect to the standard pattern as manufacturing information and other information at an information writing position, which is visible from the outside, of each semiconductor chip on a wafer.
US08049341B2
A stacked semiconductor package and a method for manufacturing the same are presented which exhibit a reduced electrical resistance and an increased junction force. The semiconductor package includes at least two semiconductor chips stacked upon each other. Each semiconductor chip has a plurality of bonding pads formed on upper surfaces and has via-holes. First wiring lines are located on the upper surfaces of the semiconductor chips, on the surfaces of the via-holes, and respectively connected onto their respective bonding pads. Second wiring lines are located on lower surfaces of the semiconductor chips and on the surfaces of the respective via-holes which connect to their respective first wiring lines. The semiconductor chips are stacked so that the first wiring lines on an upper surface of an upwardly positioned semiconductor chip are respectively joined with corresponding second wiring lines formed on a lower surface of a downwardly positioned semiconductor chip.
US08049337B2
A substrate board and a manufacturing method of a package structure are provided. The substrate board includes a first surface, a die-attaching area, a cutting area, a plurality of first pads and a first solder mask. The die-attaching area for attaching a die is located on the first surface. The first pads are disposed on the first surface. The first solder mask is partially disposed on the first surface to expose part of the cutting area and the first pads. The first solder mask is divided into a first inner area and a first outer area via the cutting area. The die-attaching area and the first pads are located in the first inner area. Wherein, part of the first mask is located on the cutting area for connecting the first inner area and the first outer area.
US08049336B2
One or more embodiments relate to a semiconductor device, comprising: a Si-containing layer; a barrier layer disposed over the Si-containing layer, the barrier layer comprising a compound including a metallic element; a metallic nucleation_seed layer disposed over the barrier layer, the nucleation_seed layer including the metallic element; and a metallic interconnect layer disposed over the nucleation_seed layer, the interconnect layer comprising at least one element selected from the group consisting of Cu (copper), Au (gold), and Ag (silver).
US08049332B2
A flexible semiconductor package apparatus having a responsive bendable conductive wire member is presented. The apparatus includes a flexible substrate, semiconductor chips, and conductive wires. The semiconductor chips are disposed on the flexible substrate and spaced apart from each other on the flexible substrate. Each semiconductor chip has bonding pads. The conductive wires are electrically connected to the bonding pads of the semiconductor chip. Each conductive wire has at least one elastic portion. One preferred configuration is that part of the conductive wire is wound to form a coil spring shape so that the coil spring shape of the conductive wire aid in preventing the conductive wire from being separated from the corresponding bonding pad of the semiconductor chip when the flexible substrate on which the semiconductor chips are mounted are bent, expanded or twisted.
US08049321B2
A semiconductor device assembly includes a first semiconductor die, a second semiconductor die, at least one semiconductor package component or another semiconductor die, a first conductive element and a second conductive element. The first semiconductor die includes at least one bonding pad. The second semiconductor die includes a bonding pad module. The first conductive element is coupled between the bonding pad module of the second semiconductor die and the bonding pad of the first semiconductor die, and the second conductive element is coupled between the bonding pad module of the second semiconductor die and the semiconductor package component or the another semiconductor die, wherein the first semiconductor die is coupled to the semiconductor package component or the another semiconductor die via the bonding pad and the bonding pad module and the first and second conductive elements.
US08049314B2
An integrated circuit package system includes: providing a connection array; attaching a base integrated circuit adjacent the connection array; attaching a package integrated circuit over the base integrated circuit; attaching a package die connector to the package integrated circuit and the connection array; and applying a wire-in-film insulator over the package integrated circuit, the package die connector, the base integrated circuit, and the connection array, wherein the connection array is partially exposed.
US08049311B2
An electronic component includes a number of leads and at least one cooling element. The bottom surface of the cooling element is exposed and the material of the cooling element is different from the material of the leads. At least one semiconductor chip is provided on the cooling element. An encapsulation compound covers at least part of the leads, at least part of the semiconductor chip(s), and at least part of the cooling element(s).
US08049310B2
A semiconductor device is provided configured to be electrically connected to another device by through silicon interconnect technology. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate with at least one through hole. A through silicon conductor extends inside the through hole from the upper side to the bottom side of the semiconductor substrate. The through silicon conductor is electrical isolated from the semiconductor substrate and includes a conductor bump at one of its ends. Between the inner surface of the through hole and the through silicon conductor a gap is formed. The gap surrounds the through silicon conductor on one side of the semiconductor substrate having the conductor bump, and extends from this side of the substrate into the substrate. The gap is filled with a flexible dielectric material.
US08049305B1
A resistance-change memory device using stress engineering is described, including a first layer including a first conductive electrode, a second layer above the first layer including a resistive-switching element, a third layer above the second layer including a second conductive electrode, where a first stress is created in the switching element at a first interface between the first layer and the second layer upon heating the memory element, and where a second stress is created in the switching element at a second interface between the second layer and the third layer upon the heating. A stress gradient equal to a difference between the first stress and the second stress has an absolute value greater than 50 MPa, and a reset voltage of the memory element has a polarity relative to a common electrical potential that has a sign opposite the stress gradient when applied to the first conductive electrode.
US08049303B2
A semiconductor chip and a semiconductor device mounting the semiconductor chip capable of increasing a capacitance of a capacitor without reducing the number of signal bumps or power bumps of a package and the number of C4 solder balls of the semiconductor chip, and achieving a stable power supply with suppressing fluctuations of power at a resonance frequency without a limitation in a position to mount a capacitor for lowering noise of a signal transceiving interface block. In the semiconductor device, a via hole is provided to the semiconductor chip, a power-supply electrode connected to the via hole is provided to a back surface of the semiconductor chip, and a capacitor is mounted to the electrode on the back surface. And, a high-resistance material is used for a material of a power-supply via hole inside the semiconductor chip, thereby increasing the resistance and lowering the Q factor.
US08049299B2
An antifuse (40, 80, 90′) comprises, first (22′, 24′) and second (26′) conductive regions having spaced-apart curved portions (55, 56), with a first dielectric region (44) therebetween, forming in combination with the curved portions (55, 56) a curved breakdown region (47) adapted to switch from a substantially non-conductive initial state to a substantially conductive final state in response to a predetermined programming voltage. A sense voltage less than the programming voltage is used to determine the state of the antifuse as either OFF (high impedance) or ON (low impedance). A shallow trench isolation (STI) region (42) is desirably provided adjacent the breakdown region (47) to inhibit heat loss from the breakdown region (47) during programming. Lower programming voltages and currents are observed compared to antifuses (30) using substantially planar dielectric regions (32). In a further embodiment, a resistive region (922) is inserted in one lead (92, 92′) of the antifuses (90, 90′) with either planar (37) or curved (47) breakdown regions to improve post-programming sense reliability.
US08049297B2
In various embodiments, semiconductor structures and methods to manufacture these structures are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes removing a portion of a semiconductor material to form a cavity that extends at least about one micron or greater below the surface of the semiconductor material, filling the cavity with a sacrificial material, forming a dielectric material over the sacrificial material and over at least a portion of the surface of the semiconductor material, and removing a portion of the dielectric material to form an opening to expose a portion of the sacrificial material, wherein the opening has a width that is substantially less than a width of the cavity and the dielectric material is rigid or substantially rigid. The method further includes removing the sacrificial material. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08049293B2
A back-illuminated type solid-state image pickup device (1041) includes read circuits (Tr1, Tr2) formed on one surface of a semiconductor substrate (1042) to read a signal from a photo-electric conversion element (PD) formed on the semiconductor substrate (1042), in which electric charges (e) generated in a photo-electric conversion region (1052c1) formed under at least one portion of the read circuits (Tr1, Tr2) are collected to an electric charge accumulation region (1052a) formed on one surface side of the semiconductor substrate (1042) of the photo-electric conversion element (PD) by electric field formed within the photo-electric conversion element (PD). Thus, the solid-state image pickup device and the camera are able to make the size of pixel become very small without lowering a saturation electric charge amount (Qs) and sensitivity.
US08049292B2
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits bonded to a structure body in which a fibrous body is impregnated with an organic resin. The plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits are provided at openings formed in the structure body and each include a photoelectric conversion element, a light-transmitting substrate which has stepped sides and in which the width of the projected section on a first surface side is smaller than that of a second surface, a semiconductor integrated circuit portion provided on the second surface of the light-transmitting substrate, and a chromatic color light-transmitting resin layer which covers the first surface and part of side surfaces of the light-transmitting substrate. The plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits include the chromatic color light-transmitting resin layers of different colors.
US08049289B2
Disclosed are an image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same. The image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate including a unit pixel, first to third color filters provided on the semiconductor substrate, a first micro-lens provided on each of the first and third color filters, and a second micro-lens provided on the second color filter, in which an outer periphery of the first micro-lens has a square shape, and an upper portion of the first micro-lens has a semi-spherical or convex shape.
US08049281B1
A technique for and structures for camouflaging an integrated circuit structure. The technique including forming active areas of a first conductivity type and LDD regions of a second conductivity type resulting in a transistor that is always non-operational when standard voltages are applied to the device.
US08049278B2
An ESD device includes a low doped well connected to a first contact and a diffusion area connected to a second contact. A substrate between the low doped well and the diffusion area has a dopant polarity that is opposite a dopant polarity of the low doped well and the diffusion area. A distance between the low doped well and the diffusion area determines a triggering voltage of the ESD device. A depletion region is formed between the low doped well and the substrate when a reverse bias voltage is applied to the ESD device. A current discharging path is formed between the first contact and the second contact when the depletion region comes in to contact with the diffusion area. The substrate is biased by a connection to the second contact. Alternatively, an additional diffusion area with the same dopant polarity, connected to a third contact, biases the substrate.
US08049262B2
A semiconductor device includes a trench formed in a predetermined portion of a substrate and a first recess region beneath the trench. A field oxide layer is buried into both the trench and the first recess region. An active region is defined by the field oxide layer, having a first active region and a second active region. The latter has a second recess region formed in a lower portion of the active region than the former. A step gate pattern is formed on a border region between the first active region and the second active region. The gate pattern has a step structure whose one side extends to a surface of the first active region and the other side extends to a surface of the second active region. Other embodiments are also described.
US08049261B2
In various embodiments, semiconductor structures and methods to manufacture these structures are disclosed. In one embodiment, a capacitor embedded in a dielectric material below the surface of a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08049251B2
In a semiconductor film having a heterojunction structure, for example a semiconductor film (11) including a SiGe layer (2) and a Si layer (3) formed on the SiGe layer (2), impurity concentration is controlled in such a manner that the concentration of impurity in the lower, SiGe layer (2) becomes higher than that in the upper, Si layer (3) by exploiting the fact that there is a difference between the SiGe layer (2) and the Si layer (3) in the diffusion coefficient of the impurity. The impurity contained in the semiconductor film 11 is of the conductivity type opposite to that of the transistor (p-type in the case of an n-type MOS transistor whereas n-type in the case of a p-type MOS transistor). In this way, the mobility in a semiconductor device including a semiconductor film having a heterojunction structure with a compression strain structure is increased, thereby improving the transistor characteristics and reliability of the device.
US08049249B1
A semiconductor wafer with an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protective device is disclosed. The semiconductor wafer includes first and second adjacent semiconductor die regions, a protective device in a scribe line region between the first and second die regions, and at least one metal line on a surface of the first die region, wherein the metal line(s) is/are in electrical communication with the protective device.
US08049245B2
This organic light emitting apparatus includes: a filling material between a diode substrate on which an organic light emitting unit is formed and an encapsulation substrate; and an organic protection layer that is interposed between the organic light emitting unit and the filling material and includes at least one thermally depositable organic material.
US08049242B2
An optoelectronic device such as a light-emitting diode chip is disclosed. It includes a substrate, a multi-layer epitaxial structure, a first metal electrode layer, a second metal electrode layer, a first bonding pad and a second bonding pad. The multi-layer epitaxial structure on the transparent substrate comprises a semiconductor layer of a first conductive type, an active layer, and a semiconductor layer of a second conductive type. The first bonding pad and the second bonding pad are on the same level. Furthermore, the first metal electrode layer can be patterned so the current is spread to the light-emitting diode chip uniformly.
US08049241B2
A light emitting device is provided. The light emitting device comprises a conductive substrate, a reflection layer, a support layer, an ohmic contact layer, and a light emitting semiconductor layer. The reflection layer is disposed on the conductive substrate. The support layer is disposed partially on the reflection layer. The ohmic contact layer is disposed at the side of the support layer. The light emitting semiconductor layer is disposed on the ohmic contact layer and the support layer.
US08049240B2
A dual emission organic light emitting display device and method of driving the same. The display device includes a pixel driver and an organic light emitting diode that can display different images on a top surface and a bottom surface and/or a same image on both the top and bottom surfaces. The display device includes a top/bottom selector that receives a driving current from the pixel driver and selectively supplies the driving current to a top organic light emitting diode or a bottom organic light emitting diode. The top/bottom selector includes transistors, which are connected between the pixel driver and the organic light emitting diode and select a top emission operation or a bottom emission operation. Here, the circuit configuration of the pixel driver is reduced so that the dual emission organic light emitting display device can be improved in terms of a layout, an interconnection, and an aperture ratio.
US08049235B2
Provided is a nitride semiconductor light emitting element that has improved light extraction efficiency and a wide irradiation angle of outgoing light irrespective of the reflectance of a metal used for an electrode. An n side anti-reflection layer 2 and a p side Bragg reflection layer 4 are formed so as to sandwich an MQW active layer 3 that serves as a light emitting region, and the nitride semiconductor light emitting element has a double hetero structure. On top of the n side anti-reflection layer 2, an n electrode 1 is formed. Meanwhile, at the lower side of the p side Bragg reflection layer 4, a p electrode 5, a reflection film 7, and a pad electrode 8 are formed, and the pad electrode is bonded to a support substrate 10 with a conductive bonding layer 9 interposed in between. Both the n side anti-reflection layer 2 and the p side Bragg reflection layer 4 also serve as contact layers. The n side anti-reflection layer 2 is disposed on the light-extracting-direction side while the p side Bragg reflection layer 4 is disposed on the opposite side to the light-extracting-direction side. Consequently, the light extraction efficiency is improved.
US08049234B2
Light emitting devices with improved light extraction efficiency are provided. The light emitting devices have a stack of layers including semiconductor layers comprising an active region. The stack is bonded to a transparent optical element.
US08049232B2
To provide an organic EL element in which the hue of display light can be restrained from varying according to a change of the viewing angle. The organic EL element includes: a first electrode (anode) 4 having translucency; an organic layer 7 at least including a charge injection transport layer (hole injection transport layer) 7a formed on the first electrode 4, and a plurality of light-emitting layers 7b, 7c formed on the charge injection transport layer 7a and different in emission color; and a second electrode (cathode) 8 formed on the organic layer 7. The organic EL element is characterized in that a total film thickness T of the first electrode 4 and the charge injection transport layer 7a is in such a range that change of hue of display light according to a viewing angle θ cannot be recognized.
US08049224B2
Semiconductor wafers having a thin layer of strained semiconductor material. These structures include a substrate; an oxide layer upon the substrate; a silicon carbide (SiC) layer upon the oxide layer, and a strained layer of a semiconductor material in a strained state upon the silicon carbide layer, or a matching layer upon the donor substrate that is made from a material that induces strain in subsequent epitaxially grown layers thereon; a strained layer of a semiconductor material of defined thickness in a strained state; and an insulating or semi-insulating layer upon the strained layer in a thickness that retains the strained state of the strained layer. The insulating or semi-insulating layers are made of silicon carbide or oxides and act to retain strain in the strained layer.
US08049223B2
A junction FET having a large gate noise margin is provided. The junction FET comprises an n− layer forming a drift region of the junction FET formed over a main surface of an n+ substrate made of silicon carbide, a p+ layer forming a gate region formed in contact with the n− layer forming the drift region and a gate electrode provided in an upper layer of the n+ substrate. The junction FET further incorporates pn diodes formed over the main surface of the n+ substrate and electrically connecting the p+ layer forming the gate region and the gate electrode.
US08049222B2
A display device includes first and second substrates, and first and second alignment keys. The first and second substrates have first and second display regions and first and second peripheral regions, respectively. The first alignment key is disposed in the first peripheral region of the first substrate. The first alignment key includes a first pattern and a second pattern. The second alignment key is disposed in the second peripheral region of the second substrate such that the second alignment key faces the first alignment key. As a result, first alignment key may be formed through a procedure of forming the pixel electrode. Therefore, there exists no deviation between the first alignment key and the pixel electrode and the first alignment key may be easily detected because of the first pattern that is opaque, so that misalignment is prevented.
US08049207B2
A method for manufacturing an organic electronic device including a stack of layers including a release layer, the stack having a lateral structure on a substrate, at least one of the layers being an organic material layer. A method includes with the step of providing a stamp with at least one protrusion of the surface area corresponding to the lateral structure. The stack of layers is deposited with a first face on the surface area of the protrusion of the stamp. A second face of the stack that is opposite to the first face is brought into adhesive contact with the substrate. The stamp is released from the stack.
US08049205B2
An electronic device comprising a semiconductive material of Formula (I) wherein R is a suitable hydrocarbon or a heteroatom containing group; and n represents the number of repeating units.
