US08151368B2
A dynamic mode AFM apparatus for allowing high-speed identification of atoms of a sample surface, which comprises a scanner for performing three-dimensional scanning; an AC signal of a resonance frequency in a mode with flexural vibration of a cantilever; an AC signal of a second frequency which is lower than the frequency of the flexural vibration; a probe-sample distance modulated with the second frequency; a detector for detecting fluctuation of the resonance frequency; a detector for detecting vibration of the cantilever; and a detector for detecting a fluctuation component which is contained in a detected signal by detecting the resonance frequency fluctuation and synchronized with a modulation signal of the probe-sample distance, wherein an inclination of the resonance frequency against the probe-sample distance is obtained from the strength and polarity of the fluctuation component.
US08151365B2
In one embodiment, a code server and edit server are provided. The code server stores the source code. Users do not access the code server directly. Rather, an edit server is used where users can log in to the edit server and send requests to edit portions of the source code. The edit server then sends requests to the code server for requested portions of the source code. Different users may have different access-rights to portions of the code. When the request is received from the edit server, if the code server determines the user requesting the portion of the source code does not have access rights to it, then the code server does not allow the portion of code to be accessed. However, if the user does have access rights, then the portion of the source code is retrieved and sent to the edit server. The user can then edit the source code on the edit server.
US08151355B2
Systems and methods that can detect known undesired computer files in protected archives are provided. According to one embodiment, an archive file in transit across a network as an attachment to an email message destined for a client workstation is scanned, without decrypting or decompressing contents of the archive, by an anti-virus detection module running on a network gateway. A type and associated structure of the archive are identified by examining primary or secondary identification bytes of the archive. Based on the type and structure, descriptive information regarding a contained file is obtained. The descriptive information includes a hash value of the contained file in uncompressed format. If the descriptive information matches a signature of a known undesired computer file, then a clean version of the archive is produced by removing the contained file and regenerating the archive. Finally, the clean version of the archive is delivered.
US08151350B2
A method and device for detecting a network worm on the network allows early detection of an unknown network worm with less computational quantity based on a change of randomness occurring to network traffic without using a pattern-matching-based worm detecting method or a behavior-based worm detecting method.
US08151345B1
Self-authorizing cards and cellular network adapters for authorization of financially payments and other secure transactions. In some embodiments a smart card is provided with a connector for a USB port on a computer terminal such as a personal computer (PC). Embodiments are also provided for mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and similar devices. The self-authorizing devices typically include a secure element that has been previously provisioned with information about a particular card holder account. A secure element reader interrogates the smart element and derives information needed to authorize the transaction. A communications controller transmits the information to a host device, such as a PC, PDA, or a mobile phone.
US08151343B1
A method for authenticating a user, that includes receiving an account identifier from the user, obtaining a media prompt from an account based on the account identifier, presenting the user with the media prompt and a question prompt, wherein the question prompt references the media prompt, receiving input answering the question prompt, comparing the input with a valid response to determine whether the user is authentic, wherein the valid response requires personal knowledge of the media prompt and the question prompt, and authorizing the user to access a resource when the user is authentic.
US08151341B1
Disclosed are systems, methods and computer program products for reduction of false positives during detection of network attacks on a protected computer. In one example, the system comprises a proxy device configured to redirect and mirror traffic directed to the protected computer; a traffic sensor configured to collect statistical information about the mirrored traffic; a data collector configured to aggregate information collected by the traffic sensor and to generate traffic filtering rules based on the aggregated statistical information; a filtering center configured to, in parallel with collection of statistical information, filter redirected traffic based on the traffic filtering rules provided by the data collector; and a control module configured to collect and store statistical information about known network attacks and to correct traffic filtering rules used by the filtering center for purpose of reducing false positives during detection of network attacks on the protected computer.
US08151337B2
Each virtualized environment on a computer has its own set of firewall rules. The virtualized environments share a single instance of the operating system image, a filter engine and a single network stack. A virtualized environment may be a compartment or a server silo. A virtualized environment is a network isolation mechanism and may be used to prevent use of a computer to traverse network boundaries by creating a separate virtualized environment for each network, enabling a separate set of rules to be applied to each virtualized environment and the network interfaces within it. Virtualized environments may also be used to assign different trust levels to the same physical network. Firewall rules are applied by virtualized environment identifier (ID), enabling separate filters to be applied to each virtualized environment on a computer. A virtualized environment may include or be associated with one or more network interfaces.
US08151336B2
Devices and methods are disclosed which provide a mobile communications device with multiple methods of wireless communication which can use one method, such as WiFi, to connect to an independent wireless access point while using another method, such as cellular, to verify the security of the wireless access point. The wireless access point provides two SSID's: one private SSID, which is usually encrypted to prevent access, and one public SSID, which is open to any mobile communications device. The mobile communications device connects to the public SSID and downloads a digital certificate. The mobile communications device then uses its cellular connection to verify the authenticity of the digital certificate with its service provider. If verified, the mobile communications device can make use of the wireless access point.
US08151334B2
A removable communication card for mobile network devices, respectively a corresponding authentication method, which communication card includes a network interface module for bidirectional transmission of data with a network, an identification module for storing identification data for users, a measurement device for capturing biometric features of a user, and an analysis module with a processor unit for comparison with the stored identification data for the user.
US08151333B2
Technologies for distributed single sign-on operable to provide user access to a plurality of services via authentication to a single entity. The distributed single sign-on technologies provide a set of authentication servers and methods for privacy protection based on splitting secret keys and user profiles into secure shares and periodically updating shares among the authentication servers without affecting the underlying secrets. The correctness of the received partial token or partial profiles can be verified with non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs.
US08151331B2
A design information providing system, which does not allow continuation of manufacturing of products unless a patent license contract is concluded, includes a terminal apparatus (40a) of a user manufacturing a product (BD player (50)) and includes a patent license issuing server (20a) issuing, to the terminal apparatus (40a), a contract certificate (60) certifying the conclusion of the contract, when a contract for a license necessary for manufacturing the BD player (50) is concluded with the user of the terminal apparatus (40a). Further, the design information providing system includes a design information providing server (an encryption key issuing server (30a)) transmitting an encryption key (80) to the terminal apparatus (40a) on condition of the confirmation of the contract certificate (60), when a request for design information (encryption key (80)) unique to the BD player (50) is transmitted from the terminal apparatus (40a).
US08151329B2
An approach to managing stored-value data objects, such as electronic tickets, comprises secure systems and procedures for ticket issuing, storage, and redemption. With these systems and procedures in place, stored-value data objects may be securely transferred to remote systems, such as a user's personal electronic device, for subsequent secure redemption, thus allowing the user to gain access to the desired goods or service upon redeeming the data object. Techniques provide secure delivery of the requested data object to the requesting device, and provide secure redemption and disposal of the data object. Ticket issuing systems may be Internet-accessible systems, and users may purchase and redeem tickets using mobile terminals or other devices adapted for wireless communication. Standardized WPKI and Internet access procedures may be employed in ticket issuance and redemption. Techniques further provide temporary and rapid verification data objects useful where rapid ticket verification is essential, such as mass transit systems.
US08151321B2
The present invention relates to a policy resolution method and system, access network and terminal device for enabling modular network-assisted policy resolution, wherein the policy resolution is divided into separate stages each handling specific types of trigger events and performing specific types of policy actions. The separate stages are processed in a chronological order during a policy resolution round, and trigger events which occur during a policy resolution round are frozen until the start of the next policy resolution round. Thereby, modular policy resolution with reduced delays and oscillations can be achieved. Moreover, policy processing can be divided into a policy decision point functions in the network and a policy enforcement point function in the network or terminal device, so that terminal resources used for policy resolution can be saved.
US08151310B2
A data delivering system comprises a video server receiving and processing oilfield data into a video delivery, and a network delivering the video delivery from the video server to at least one client device, where the video delivery including a plurality of sections.
US08151308B1
Modifying the behavior of a multimedia transport system in response to a detected capability of a client system. A client system may include the capability to perform portions of a multimedia manipulation function, such as a VCR-like function, by using components solely included in the client system. A client system may also include the capability to simultaneously receive multimedia content in excess of what the client system may essentially simultaneously output. This capability may be used to improve the bandwidth utilization of the multimedia server. This may be a result of components, such as a mass storage device or multiple signal input interfaces, being included in the client system. If a client system includes such capabilities, the underlying executable instructions associated with an input device, such as a remote control or keyboard, may be modified to utilize the detected capability.
US08151303B2
A television device for receiving and storing an electronic programme guide, the electronic programme guide including a plurality of programme entries for respective television programmes, each programme entry having a title field including title data for the title of the respective programme and having a timing field including timing data for timing of the respective programme. Title fields of the electronic programme guide are searched to find titles matching the title of the start programme and candidate programmes are identified accordingly. The timings of the identified candidate programmes are compared with a timing profile representing expected consecutive programme occurrences. On the basis of correlation of the timing data with the timing profile, a consecutive programme in the programme series is identified.
US08151301B2
An Internet based television program delivery server, communicatively coupled to a plurality of television source devices and a plurality of recipient devices, that receives a plurality of Internet protocol television programs, buffers them, converts recipient device selected Internet protocol television programs to preview Internet television programs (having reduced per video frame data size) and transmits the preview Internet protocol television programs to the recipient device, for a short duration, until full scale Internet protocol television programs become available for viewing on the recipient device. A video conversion circuitry built into the Internet based television program delivery server performs the conversion of some of these television video contents to preview television video contents, to compensate for delay in full scale television program delivery during. The conversion itself includes reductions in frame rate, color and pixel resolutions, screen size and aspect ratios such that it produces lower bandwidth Internet protocol television program packets, during channel changing.
US08151299B2
The present invention relates to a method of changing between a plurality N of distinct services, e.g. television channels, receivable on a receiving unit, such as a mobile phone/cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld television unit, or similar devices. The receiving unit is adapted to receive the plurality of services in a time slicing mode with services being arranged in a certain time slice sequence. The receiving unit is capable of receiving a first service (S1). When “zapping” from the first service to a second service, the second service (S4) being chosen is the currently next service in time within the time slice sequence so as to minimize the time (t2) between service changes. Thereby, a fast method of changing between services is provided in a simplified manner, the speed of change reaching the theoretical maximum when using time slicing.
US08151290B1
The present invention provides a data structure for selection of products containing presentable programming as well as a computerized user-interactive system for facilitating allowing a user to select and be provided with deliverable entities including one or more presentable programs. The system and data structure of the invention allow effective, organized, and convenient browsing, selection, conceptual packaging of presentable program-containing products. The system and data structure of the invention further allow efficient structuring and storage of information associated therewith and useful in facilitating effective computerized representation, storage, and delivery of such products. Each product may include multiple deliverable entities, such as multiple programs and merchandize.
US08151285B2
An optical disk drive includes a cassette mechanism and a protective structure. The protective structure includes a protective member. The protective member includes a protective portion with a passage that can deform to increase the width of the passage when an optical disk enters the passage, and returning to the original width of the passage when the optical disk has passed through the passage.
US08151283B2
An invoking request processing method in distributed system. The method makes a judgment according to the interface performance of an invoking object, and transforming an invoking request being sent to an intermediate object into a transferring request, which makes the intermediate object only needing to perform the transferring operation for the invoking request. The actual implemental object directly returns the result to the requesting party. And an corresponding distributed system, distributed server and object implementing module are provided. The requesting party may directly obtain the implement result from the actual implemental object by launching only one invocation, which enhanced the requesting efficiency. Meanwhile the intermediate object only needs to implement the transferring interface, which simplifies the development difficulty of the intermediate object.
US08151282B2
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for decomposing a complex problem or task into one or more constituent components, operating in parallel over a plurality of computing devices in communication over a network. A system according to the present invention comprises one or more pipelets. A given pipelet comprises a read data interface operative to receive incoming data, one or more functions for processing the incoming data, and a write data interface operative to make the processed incoming data available as output data to be further processed. The system according to the present embodiment further comprises a controller operative to receive a pipeline specification that identifies the one or more pipelets as belonging to a pipeline, generate a dependency map that identifies an order in which to execute the one or more pipelets and execute the pipelets according to the dependency map to generate a result.
US08151281B2
The present invention provides a method and system of mapping. In an exemplary embodiment, the method and system include (1) creating a proxy bundle corresponding to the at least one web service, (2) registering a proxy web service corresponding to the proxy bundle in a service registry, (3) searching for the at least one web service in the service registry, (4) returning a reference to the proxy web service from the service registry in response to the searching, and (5) invoking at least one method on the returned reference, thereby invoking the at least one web service.
US08151274B2
A task management system for executing a task selected from tasks structuring a task combination, includes a judging unit for judging whether there is a task combination switchover request or not, a switchover unit for switching over the task combination after completing an execution of a specified task in the tasks structuring the task combination before the switchover when judging that there is the switchover request, and an execution unit for executing the task selected from the tasks structuring the task combination switched over by the switchover unit.
US08151269B1
A database system includes a regulator subsystem that is configured to attempt to satisfy service level goals of multiple workloads that are executing in the database system. The regulator subsystem is configured to monitor execution of a particular request belonging to a particular workload and to assign, at plural event intervals, corresponding priority levels to the particular request based on the monitored execution.
US08151262B2
A system, method, and program product is provided that executes a start sequence of an information handling system that includes a hardware based TPM. Multiple PCRs are stored in the TPM and are initialized to a predetermined state when the start sequence commences. During execution of the start sequence, software modules, including a hypervisor, are loaded the system's memory. PCR values resulting from the loading of the software modules are calculated. The resulting PCR values are compared with expected PCR values. If the PCR values match the expected PCR values, then a virtual environment is created under the hypervisor. The virtual environment includes a VM and a virtual trust platform module (vTPM) that is used by the virtual machine to satisfy the virtual machines TPM requests.
US08151259B2
Improved techniques for interaction between a host device (e.g., host computer) and a portable media device (e.g., media player) are disclosed. According to one embodiment, interaction between the host device and the portable media device can be performed over a network. The network can include wired and/or wireless components. The network can also be local, regional or global in geographic coverage. The interaction over the network can be initiated by the portable media device, manually or automatically, so as to request a content update from the host device. In response to the requested content update, updated content is received at the portable media device from the host device, provided a network connection between the portable media device and the host device is available through the network.
US08151258B2
In one embodiment, the method includes determining a first set of software patches based on a group of software patches installed on a computing device and a group of available software patches. The method can also include receiving the first set of software patches over a network connection. The method can also include determining, after receiving the first set of software patches, a second set of software patches based on the group of software patches installed on the computing device and the first set of software patches, wherein the group of installed software patches has changed since determining the first set. The method can also include installing on the computing device the second set of software patches.
US08151256B2
A method for managing a software application. The method involves receiving an abstract API command to perform a life cycle operation (LCO) on a target system, where the LCO identifies the software application, where the software application is associated with a software application schema, and where the target system is associated with a platform independent registry, determining whether the LCO is compatible with the target system using the software application schema and the platform independent registry, where the LCO is compatible with the target system; mapping the abstract API command to an operating system (OS)-specific command for performing the LCO, where the OS-specific command is associated with an OS executing on the target system; executing the OS-specific API command to perform the LCO on the target system to obtain a result; and updating the platform independent registry based on the result.
US08151248B1
A computer readable medium implementing a method for managing software defects is provided. The method comprises capturing a plurality of test cases into a test case database, a plurality of software defects into a software defect record database, and a plurality of change requests into a change request database. The method also comprises managing one of test-identifiable defects using one of the plurality of test cases, one of the plurality of defect records, and one of the plurality of change requests in a first specified order. The method additionally comprises managing one of defects not-identifiable-by-test by identifying an inconsistency between two software artifacts and using the change request from the change request database, the defect record from the defect database, and the test case in the test case database in a second specified order.
US08151244B2
System and method for merging graphical programs. Information is received regarding first, second, and third graphical programs, where the third graphical program is an ancestor graphical program of the first and second. The information is analyzed to determine differences among the graphical programs. The first and second graphical programs are merged based on the determined differences, generating a merged graphical program, which is displayed. The analyzing may include determining first differences between the first and third graphical programs, and determining second differences between the second and third graphical programs, where the merging includes: for each of at least a subset of the differences: if the difference does not conflict with any other differences, incorporating the difference into the merged graphical program; and if the difference conflicts with another difference, prompting the user to resolve the conflict, receiving user input resolving the conflict, and modifying the merged graphical program accordingly.
US08151242B1
With use of a relationship analyzing section for analyzing the relationship between constituent elements of a requisition sheet model described, for example, in the form of use case, and a relationship output section for outputting the analysis result to, for example, a display unit, an operator can check the presence/absence of an omission, contradiction, and the like in the displayed relationship between constituent elements, thereby easily checking whether the requisition sheet is accurately described. In addition, with use of a use case executing section for sequentially executing use cases included in a requisition sheet and a log recording section for recording a log by recording the process of executing each use case, the process of executing each use case included in the requisition sheet is recorded as a log, thereby allowing a scenario representing the operation of a system to be easily created by only sequentially executing use cases. The user can easily check the presence/absence of an omission of a use case or a description omission in a described requisition sheet by referring to the created scenario.
US08151231B2
A method and apparatus for viewing and/or analyzing the operations and logical states of an integrated circuit. The logical state of various flip-flops within the ASIC may be determined at a specified time. The embodiment may store these flip-flop states in a computer-readable data structure, such as a file or database. By repeating this process and incrementing or decrementing the time with each repetition, a more complete picture of the ASIC's operation may be captured. Additionally, the embodiment may graphically display the flip-flop states, for example as a graph or waveform.
US08151226B2
An FPGA-design-CAD interface unit retrieves pin assignment information created by an FPGA-designing CAD apparatus. An FPGA-pin-information managing unit manages the pin assignment information as FPGA pin information. A temporary-library creating unit creates a temporary component shape type library by using the FPGA pin information and outputs the temporary component shape type library in a form capable of being read by a package-designing CAD apparatus to a file.
US08151225B2
A graph is created in which mask patterns adjacent to one another at a distance in which desired printing resolution cannot be obtained in a lithography process among mask patterns generated based on a pattern layout design drawing are set as nodes connected to one another by edges. An odd number loop formed by an odd number of nodes is selected from closed loops. When the selected odd number loop is not isolated, based on whether a closed loop group in which a plurality of closed loops including the odd number loop are connected includes an even number loop formed by an even number of nodes, rearrangement target nodes are selected from the odd number loop included in the closed loop group according to different selection references. The layout of patterns described in the pattern layout design drawing is rearranged corresponding to the selected rearrangement target nodes.
US08151220B2
Various computer-implemented methods are provided. One method for generating a process for inspecting reticle layout data includes identifying a first region in the reticle layout data. A printability of the first region is more sensitive to changes in process parameters than a printability of a second region in the reticle layout data. The method also includes assigning one or more inspection parameters to the first region and the second region such that the first region will be inspected during the process with a higher sensitivity than the second region. Another method includes inspecting the first region with a higher sensitivity than the second region. An additional method includes simulating how the reticle layout data will print. Simulation of the first and second regions is performed with one or more different simulation parameters such that the first region is simulated with a higher fidelity than the second region.
US08151211B1
A home entertainment device eliminates the need to use multiple remotes. The device is connected (by wired and/or wireless links) to electronic consumer devices (ECDs) to be controlled. A user uses a portable display device to view pages served by the device, and thereby to communicate with the device and indirectly control the ECDs. In a first aspect, a HDMI-CEC communication is used to identify a codeset from a codeset database. In a second aspect, the codeset of a remote is identified by serving pictures of remotes to the user. The user selects a picture and the system looks up its codeset. In a third aspect, keys on an illustration of a remote are dragged and dropped to create a new custom remote. In a fourth aspect, the user supplies a digital photograph of a remote. The system performs optical recognition and identifies the type of remote and its codeset.
US08151201B2
A user interface manager, interposed between a Windows service and user interface modules that communicate with the Windows service in distinct system status scenarios, can record interaction between the Windows service and each of the user interface modules. The recorded interaction, along with information collected from the user interface modules, can be used in conjunction so that user interaction with a first one of the user interface modules may continue with a second one of the user interface modules after a switch from one system status (e.g., logged on) to another system status (e.g., locked). Alternatively, responsive to the switch from one system status to another system status the user interface manager may simply stop the executing user interface module so that the interaction may be started over in the new system status.
US08151196B2
A technique is provided for configuring and interface device. The interface device includes a plurality of device elements, each having visual representation and a state engine defining a functionality. A server module in the interface device receives a query from a user viewable screen that includes the visual representations. The server module serves the user viewable screen to a general purpose viewer or browser, which may include a design-time environment. An access module, then, prompts each device to send an image defining its visual representation to a memory display context for inclusion in the user viewable screen. The access module works without reference to the respective functionality of the device elements.
US08151194B1
A system, method, and various software tools enable a video hosting website to graphically display statistics of data associated with videos posted on a video hosting website. Data associated with videos is collected, analyzed and stored. A graphical representation of the data and corresponding geographic map are generated based on the collected data. The graphical representation shows the data along a timeline. The corresponding geographical map shows the data by geographic market. The graphical representation and geographical map are associated such that a modification to the graphical representation modifies the geographical map accordingly and a modification to the geographical map modifies the graphical representation accordingly.
US08151192B2
Systems and methods for providing context sensitive help on an electronic device. The system include a processor, an application attributes discovery module which provides one or more attributes associated with an application running on the electronic device, a system state discovery module which provides system information associated with components of the electronic device, a help infrastructure module which uses the system information and application attributes to determine a help context at the time a user invokes a request for help, a help context mapping module which includes one or more help contexts including a context node that best matches the system state information and which contains one or more help topic identifiers that are mapped to help topics, a help topic collection module that provides one or more help topics corresponding to the help topic identifiers and a help viewer that displays the help topics.
US08151185B2
A method of displaying an on-screen graphical user interface comprising reading data for a plurality of user-selectable icons associated with attributes and data for a plurality of content icons representing respective items of contents and generating image data for the on-screen graphical user-interface with a two-dimensional array which includes a first array comprising the plurality of user-selectable icons adapted to be arranged in a specific direction on a screen and which is also adapted to include a second array comprising the plurality of content icons in a direction intersecting the first array on the screen, and outputting the image data for the on-screen graphical user interface related to displaying the contents to a display device.
US08151183B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for facilitating a universal file conversion hub to convert structured or unstructured data to structured data suitable for display on mobile or hand-held devices. During operation, the system receives a file which contains structured or unstructured data, or a mixture of both. The system determines a type of the received file and analyzes content, formatting style, or both, of the received file based on the file type. The system further generates a processable extensible markup language file, which substantially retains a layout of the received file, thereby facilitating display of the file on mobile or hand-held devices.
US08151180B2
A system and method of embedding symbology in alphabetic letters and then linking the letter to a site or sites on the global computer network, i.e., the Internet, are provided. The system and method provide for capturing an image of at least one character fixed in a medium; determining at least one letter of an alphabet corresponding to the at least one character; determining a numerical value for the determined at least one letter; looking up in a database a hyperlink corresponding to the numerical value; and presenting the hyperlink on a display device. The system and method further provide determining at least one marking within the at least one letter; and determining a location for the at least one marking within the at least one letter, wherein the combination of the at least one marking and the location for the at least one marking corresponds to the numerical value.
US08151174B2
Block modulus coding (BMC) systems implement block coding on non-binary modulus m symbols, where m is greater than 2. BMC systems can be used for, among other things, forward error correction (FEC) of source data in communication systems or parity backup for error correction of source data in storage systems where the source data is represented by non-binary symbols that may be corrupted by burst errors. The block coding is preferably performed using a distributed arrangement of block encoders or decoders. A distributed block modulus encoder (DBME) encodes sequential source data symbols of modulus m with a plurality of sequential block encoders to produce interleaved parity codewords. The codewords utilize modulus m symbols where the medium can reliably resolve m symbol states. The interleaved parity codewords enable decoding of error-corrected source data symbols of modulus m with a distributed block modulus decoder (DBMD).
US08151166B2
A method for operating a memory that includes multiple analog memory cells includes storing data in the memory by writing first storage values to the cells, so as to cause the cells to hold respective electrical charge levels. After storing the data, second storage values are read from at least some of the cells, including at least one interfered cell that belongs to a group of cells. A Back Pattern Dependency (BPD) distortion caused by the electrical charge levels of one or more interfering cells in the group to at least one of the second storage values read from the at least one interfered cell is detected and canceled. The second storage values, including the at least one of the second storage values in which the BPD distortion was canceled, are processed so as to reconstruct the data.
US08151159B2
A data communications system having a plurality of processing devices connected to a serial via a serial bus interface. The processing device provides a communication control line which connects each processing device in order and performs the transfer of transmission right of the serial bus, a transmission right management unit which is connected to the communication control line, performs the transfer of the transmission right and manages the state of the transmission right within its own processing device, a data transmission unit which starts data transmission when the transmission right is valid and holds the data transmission when the transmission right is invalid, and a state initialization unit which sets the initial state of the transmission right so that the transmission right of only one processing device is made to be valid at the initialization.
US08151153B1
A output storage latch within a combinational logic circuit may be adapted to form a scan flip-flop latch that supports both functional operation and scan chain testing of a combinational logic matrix included in the combinational logic circuit. A described master/slave clock approach allows the scan flip-flop latch to support receiving into a scan chain a sequence of test input data, execution of combinational logic matrix testing based on the test input data, and sequentially outputting test results to a test result register for comparison with expected results. The described scan flip-flop latch may be used along side unaltered output storage latches thereby allowing flexibility with respect to the number and placement scan chain test points within an integrated circuit. Use of the described dual-use scan flip-flop latch results in a less complex circuit design, reduced circuit area requirements and improved reliability.
US08151152B2
A latch circuit includes a first latch that stores data provided from a data input terminal when a clock is provided from a clock input terminal, and stores scan data provided from a scan data input terminal when a first scan clock is provided from a first scan clock input terminal, a logical circuit that performs a logical operation for a second scan clock provided from the second scan clock input terminal and for an operational mode signal provided from the operation mode input terminal, and generates an update clock and a second latch including an update input terminal connected to an output terminal of the first latch, and an update clock input terminal connected to an output terminal of the logical circuit, the second latch holds the data or the scan data provided from the update input terminal when the update clock is provided.
US08151151B2
An integrated circuit comprising (i) a plurality of portions, each portion including test control circuitry; and (ii) at least one test input arranged to receive test signals, the circuit having a test mode in which one or more of the plurality of portions are testable, wherein the circuit has a reset mode which has priority over the test mode.
US08151150B2
The invention provides a method for writing test data to a memory. In one embodiment, the memory comprises a data register. First, test data is written to a memory space of the memory. A read-back command and a read-back address of the memory space are then sent to the memory to direct the memory to read the test data from the memory space to the data register. A copy-back command and a copy-back command in a test range of the memory are then sent to the memory to direct the memory to write the test data stored in the data register to the copy-back address. Finally, when the test range of the memory has not been filled with the test data, the step of sending the read-back command and the read-back address is repeated, and the step of sending the copy-back command and the copy-back address is repeated.
US08151144B2
The invention provides a method for managing writing errors for a nonvolatile memory. In one embodiment, the nonvolatile memory is coupled to a controller. First, data received from the controller is stored in a data register of the nonvolatile memory. The data stored in the data register is then written to a first memory space with a first write address according to instructions from the controller. The data stored in the data register is kept from being changed after the data is written to the first write address. When an error occurs in writing of the data to the first memory space, a rewrite command is sent from the controller to the nonvolatile memory. After the nonvolatile memory receives the rewrite command, the data stored in the data register is written to a second memory space with a second write address according to the rewrite command.
US08151143B2
A method and apparatus of partitioned memory dump in a software system is provided, the apparatus comprising: a monitor for, during the execution of the software system, monitoring the memory allocations and deallocations of objects in the software system and according to the results of the monitoring, assigning the allocated objects in the software system into corresponding memory partitions, wherein the memory space of the software system is partitioned according to a given partitioning scheme; an event detector for detecting a triggering event of memory dump; and a dumper for dumping related memory partitions according to the detected triggering event of memory dump. Preferably, the apparatus further comprises an analyzer for analyzing the dumped information, and generating a new dump triggering event or a new partitioning scheme based on the analysis results.
US08151139B1
Various methods and systems are presented to restore a logical data object from a backup to a working copy, in a manner that allows for the return of the working copy to a prior state of the working copy. One such method and system copies data to a restore backup of a working copy, by copying (sequentially, or in parallel) portions of a version of the logical data object from the working copy to the restore backup.
US08151138B2
A method for managing a redundant memory architecture for an information handling system (IHS) may include providing redundant memory for a portion of system memory wherein the redundant memory is configured to mirror data stored in the portion of system memory. The method may further include reporting a parameter associated with the portion of system memory to an operating system of the IHS and executing a program from the portion of system memory.
US08151130B2
A microcontroller including: a first voltage detection circuit that generates a first detection signal when a power supply voltage decreases to a voltage lower than a first voltage value; a second voltage detection circuit that generates a second detection signal when the power supply voltage decreases to a voltage lower than a second voltage value that is smaller than the first voltage value; a CPU that has a function of switching between a normal operation mode and a standby mode, performs an interrupt processing operation to shift from the normal operation mode to the standby mode when the first detection signal is generated, and shifts to the standby mode independently of the interrupt processing operation when the second detection signal is generated; and a first memory circuit that stores information indicating that the CPU has shifted to the standby mode before completing the interrupt processing operation.
US08151127B2
A battery operated device includes a receiver for receiving a transmission that includes a postamble. A sensor, in a tire, measures a parameter of the tire and outputs data indicative of the parameter. A microprocessor is coupled to the receiver and the sensor. The microprocessor is configured to periodically partially awaken to determine whether the transmission is likely a forward link packet (FLP) by examining the postamble, and to transmit the data in a reverse link packet (RLP) in response to confirming that the transmission is a FLP.
US08151126B2
A data processing apparatus, bus logic and method are provided for controlling power consumption within a data processing apparatus. The data processing apparatus has a plurality of logic elements, at least one of the logic elements being an initiator logic element for initiating transfers, and at least one of the logic elements being a recipient logic element for receiving transfers. A communication path is provided between an initiator logic element and a recipient logic element to enable payload data the subject of a transfer to be passed from the initiator logic element to the recipient logic element. The communication path has at least one buffer circuit provided therein for propagating at least the payload data along the communication path. Further, a power control circuit is associated with the at least one buffer circuit, which is responsive to a control signal indicating whether the payload data on the communication path is valid. If the control signal indicates that the payload data is not valid, the power control circuit causes the associated at least one buffer circuit to enter a power saving state. The control signal is derived from at least one pre-existing signal associated with the transfer. This has been found to provide a particularly efficient and flexible technique for reducing leakage current in buffer circuits within the data processing apparatus.
US08151125B1
A system and method is disclosed for providing multi-point calibration of an adaptive voltage scaling (AVS) system. A plurality of Reference Calibration Codes (RCCs) within a multi-point calibration table is provided. Each code is associated with one of the clock frequencies of the adaptive voltage scaling (AVS) system. The present invention provides multi-point calibration by calibrating a Reference Calibration Code (RCC) for each operating point (clock frequency) of the adaptive voltage scaling (AVS) system.
US08151122B1
In a method for managing power budgets among a plurality of electronic components having respective power budgets, at least part of the power budget of an electronic component that has failed is dynamically re-allocated to at least one of the other plurality of electronic components, to thereby increase performance of the plurality of electronic components.
US08151116B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for authenticating users through multiple communication channels. The authentication method of the present invention may be used to supplement password systems or replace password authentication, effectively enabling secure sharing, auditing, delegation, and revocation of authority.
US08151113B2
A portable device uses a microphone to listen to ambient audio, derives data from captured audio signals, and uses the derived data to request delivery of the audio or related information to the user's home or other location. The device is desirably pocket-sized, or suitable for carrying on a key-ring. The device may also detect a watermark signal that is present in the user's environment (e.g., played through a public address speaker system) to aid the user in recalling the context from which the audio was requested.
US08151109B2
Systems and methods for selective authorization of dependent code modules are provided. According to one embodiment, file system or operating system activity relating to a first code module is initiated by a running process associated with a second code module. The file system or operating system activity is intercepted by a kernel mode driver of a computer system. The kernel mode driver selectively authorizes loading of the first code module by the running process based at least in part on one or more attributes of the second code module.
US08151106B2
Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate identifying messages generated on a mobile device while the device is offline as requiring encryption, storing the messages in a message outbox with a flag indicating that encryption is required, and identifying recipients of the flagged messages to generate a recipient list. The recipient list can be piggybacked on a server synchronization request when the mobile device enters a period of online activity, and a server can return public keys associated with identified recipients to permit an encryption component, such as a secure/multipurpose Internet mail extension protocol (S/MIME) encryption component, in the mobile device to encrypt the messages.
US08151093B2
The present invention provides software programmable hardware state machines to detect a cause of an error in a processor and prevent the error from occurring. In example embodiments, processors, systems and methods are provided to prevent an unwanted change in architectural state from occurring as a result of execution of a specific sequence of instruction types. A processor core is provided that includes an execution unit, a programmable mask register and a buffer that stores values representing instructions dispatched to the execution unit. The processor core also includes control logic to determine whether there is a match between a sequence in the mask register and a sequence in the buffer and, upon detecting a match, to generate control signals to perform a desired action. The desired action prevents an unwanted change from occurring to the architectural state of the processor. The desired action may be preventing the dispatch of a next instruction, flushing a pipeline, clearing an instruction fetch buffer, generating an exception etc. The processor core further comprises a programmable fix register. In an embodiment, the control logic generates the control signals based on control bits stored in the fix register.
US08151091B2
A data processing system and method are disclosed. The system comprises an instruction-fetch stage where an instruction is fetched and a specific instruction is input into decode stage; a decode stage where said specific instruction indicates that contents of a register in a register file are used as an index, and then, the register file pointed to by said index is accessed based on said index; an execution stage where an access result of said decode stage is received, and computations are implemented according to the access result of the decode stage.
US08151085B2
The invention relates to a method for address translation in a system running multiple levels of virtual machines containing a hierarchically organized translation lookaside buffer comprising at least two linked hierarchical sub-units, a first sub-unit comprising a lookaside buffer for some higher level address translation levels, and the second sub-unit comprising a lookaside buffer for some lower level address translation levels, and said second sub-unit being arranged to store TLB index address information of the upper level sub-unit as tag information in its lower level TLB structure, comprising the steps of collecting intermediate address translation results on different virtual machine levels; and buffering the intermediate translation results in the translation lookaside buffer.
US08151083B2
What is disclosed is a frame management function defined for a machine architecture of a computer system. In one embodiment, a frame management instruction is obtained which identifies a first and second general register. The first general register contains a frame management field having a key field with access-protection bits and a block-size indication. If the block-size indication indicates a large block then an operand address of a large block of data is obtained from the second general register. The large block of data has a plurality of small blocks each of which is associated with a corresponding storage key having a plurality of storage key access-protection bits. If the block size indication indicates a large block, the storage key access-protection bits of each corresponding storage key of each small block within the large block is set with the access-protection bits of the key field.
US08151080B2
Proposed are a storage system and its management method having at least two storage apparatuses capable of partitioning an internal resource into logical partitions and managing the logical partitions, and which replicates data written into a primary volume of a primary storage apparatus as the replication source storage apparatus to a secondary volume of a secondary storage apparatus as the replication destination storage apparatus. With this storage system and its management method, configuration information of the logical partition, to which the primary volume belongs, is sent to the secondary storage apparatus, and the configuration of the logical partition to which the secondary volume belongs is set based on the configuration information of the logical partition to which the primary volume belongs.
US08151073B2
A security system designed to trap computer viruses is described. The system storage has an external alarm configured to monitor the time every file takes to load by monitoring the drive activity LED of the storage device. The document storage location is hidden and can optionally be accessed via password. If a virus spends an unexpected amount of time attempting to access storage the alarm will trigger. Downloads and other untrusted files are stored in quarantine storage. Documents can only be transferred from the quarantine storage to the system storage via a copy and paste program.
US08151068B2
Multiple copy sets of data are maintained on one or more storage devices. Each copy set includes at least some of the same data units as other sets. Different sets optionally have data units stored in different orders on the storage device(s). A particular one of the sets of data is selected as the set to be accessed in response to detecting a particular scenario.
US08151041B2
Methods and removable storage devices are provided. Some such removable storage devices may include a file specifying a name of a program to be executed automatically by a host, may include settings for a secure storage area, where the settings are user-configurable, may include a secure partition that is not accessible by an operating system of a host, may be configured to cause a health of the removable device to be automatically checked when the removable device is coupled to a host, may be configured to cause a program for formatting the removable device to be executed when the removable device is coupled to a host, or may include a secure partition configured to store information so that formatting/reformatting does not alter the stored information.
US08151038B2
An integrated circuit includes a first serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) channel, a plurality of second SATA channels, and a channel multiplier. The first SATA channel is configured to be coupled to a corresponding serial data bus of a host device. Each of the plurality of SATA channels is configured to be coupled to a respective separate memory device channel. The channel multiplier is configured to couple the first SATA channel to each of the plurality of second SATA channels.
US08151033B2
In one embodiment, a mechanism for virtual logical volume management is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for virtual logical volume management includes writing, by a virtual machine (VM) host server computing device, a control block to each of a plurality of network-capable physical storage devices and mapping, by the VM host server computing device, physical storage blocks of the plurality of network-capable physical storage devices to virtual storage blocks of a virtual storage pool by associating the physical storage blocks with the virtual storage blocks in the control block of the network-capable physical storage device housing the physical storage blocks being mapped. Furthermore, the method includes assigning, by the VM host server computing device, a block range of the virtual storage blocks to a VM allocated by the VM host server computing device by writing a unique identifier (ID) of the VM to one or more entries in the control block having the physical storage blocks associated with the block range of the virtual storage blocks assigned to the VM.
US08151032B2
Described techniques increase runtime performance of workloads executing on a hypervisor by executing virtualization-aware code in an otherwise non virtualization-aware guest operating system. In one implementation, the virtualization-aware code allows workloads direct access to physical hardware devices, while allowing the system memory allocated to the workloads to be overcommitted. In one implementation, a DMA filter driver is inserted into an I/O driver stack to ensure that the target guest physical memory of a DMA transfer is resident before the transfer begins. The DMA filter driver may utilize a cache to track which pages of memory are resident. The cache may also indicate which pages of memory are in use by one or more transfers, enabling the hypervisor to avoid appropriating pages of memory during a transfer.
US08151023B2
A hybrid storage apparatus for retaining printed content and storing digital content includes a loose-leaf binder configured to retain printed pages containing printed content, and a storage device that is fixedly attached to the loose-leaf binder. The storage device includes a socket port detachably connect to a cable, and a non-volatile memory coupled to the socket port and configured for storing digital content. The cable is separate from the hybrid storage apparatus and used for communicating with a host. Also provided is a hybrid storage apparatus for holding print media and for storing digital content that includes a plurality of pages containing printed content, a cover for retaining the pages, and a storage device that is fixedly attached to or embedded within the cover. The pages include at least one page that displays a table of contents and refers to the digital content items stored in the non-volatile memory.
US08151022B2
A method and apparatus compress projection data and store the compressed projection data in a rotatable part that is mounted for rotation within a stationary part. The data acquisition source, compressor and storage device are connected to the rotatable part. The compressor compresses projection data samples provided by the data acquisition source to form compressed packets. The compressed packets are stored in the storage device, for example one or more solid state drives mounted on the rotatable part. A data access array contains information related to the location of the stored compressed packets. Compressed packets are retrieved and transferred across the interface to the stationary part. A decompressor at the stationary part decompresses the received compressed packets to form decompressed samples of the corresponding projection data. This abstract does not limit the scope of the invention as described in the claims.
US08151018B2
A system and corresponding method for transferring data. Data may be selectively communicated via a USB port of a device. An indication of a device type may be received at the USB port from an external interface. USB protocol data or uncompressed high definition media data may be caused to be selectively supplied to the USB port as a function of the indication. The selected data may be transmitted via the USB port to an external interface. The uncompressed high definition media data may include at least one lane of media data or multimedia data in accordance with a DisplayPort standard. In some embodiments, either USB protocol data or multimedia data comprising audio data and uncompressed high definition video data may be caused to be selectively supplied to the USB port as a function of the indication. The indication may be a data format signal.
US08151016B2
A system for communicating an electromagnetic service, such as power or data, with an electromagnetic service communicating device. An electromagnetic service switch is provided for selectively transferring the electromagnetic service from a host or other electromagnetic service source to an electromagnetic service consumer. The electromagnetic service switch is activated to transfer the electromagnetic service from the electromagnetic service source to the electromagnetic service consumer in response to movement of a component associated with the electromagnetic service source.
US08151009B2
A translator of an apparatus in an example through a serial connection external interface of a printed circuit board (PCB) communicates between a serial memory protocol within the PCB and a parallel memory protocol outside the PCB.
US08151006B2
A method, storage medium, and system for a managed audio bell/intercom including a controller and audio devices connected by an industry standardized network, wherein the controller contains logic to distribute action via the network to the audio devices.
US08150997B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products for improving the efficiency of data transfer within interconnected components of a virtual network, and in particular components of a single physical computing device, where the components exchange data as if they were communicating over an actual communications network using networking protocols. Data packets to be sent from one component to another are buffered by next-hop address (and optionally by final destination address as well) to improve efficiency of packet delivery.
US08150993B2
A content delivery system includes a unicast content delivery module, a multicast content delivery module, and a content monitor module. The unicast content delivery module is configured to provide content using a unicast protocol, and the multicast content delivery module is configured to provide the content using a multicast protocol. The content monitor module is configured to receive requests from a plurality of clients for the content, count the requests to determine if the number of requests exceeds a threshold, and instruct the plurality of clients to receive the content from the multicast content delivery module when the number of requests exceeds the threshold.
US08150989B2
A multimedia messaging method and system, wherein the same multimedia message can be used to encapsulate both non-streamable media components and descriptors relating to streamable media components. A recipient extracts the descriptors from the multimedia message and initiates streaming sessions accordingly. The notification process by which a recipient user agent is informed of the availability of a multimedia message is the same regardless the type of the components within the message.
US08150988B2
A real-time protocol for real-time network programming applications is disclosed. The protocol is executable on a computer network having a plurality of nodes that include applications, a network stack, an operating system, and middleware capable of executing real-time operations. The protocol can use group objects to model physical and logical devices connected to the network wherein each group object comprises at least one variable. Changes in these variables are encapsulated in variable change messages which are propagated in the network using communication objects. Also described is a real-time messaging format useful for implementing the protocol.
US08150984B2
A software system for controlling the unauthorized transfer of data from a data processing system to a network is provided. A file monitor module monitors requests made by a process to access a data file within the computer system, and cross-checks the data file name against a protected file list database. If the file is listed in the protected file list database, the process name is added to a process list for the data file. A process monitor module monitors all processes contained in the process list, and if a process in the process list transfers the data file to another process, the receiving process is added to the process list. An upload monitor module searches the process list for any process that requests a network data transfer. The upload monitor module holds the transfer request for any process listed within the process list, and displays a warning message to the system user indicating that a process having had access to protected data is requesting network access to upload a data file. The data file is permitted to be transferred to the network in response to a user authorization command or the transfer request is cancelled.
US08150983B2
A system and method for analyzing traffic to a website is provided that is based on log files and that uses both server-side and client-side information channeled through one source to create a more complete picture of activity to a website. In one preferred embodiment, a sensor code is embedded in a requested web page, and sends information back to the web server where the website resides. This additional information is logged along with normal requests.
US08150974B2
A method and apparatus for character differentiation based on pattern recognition is provided. A sequence of events is received that have been generated from a given session or connection and determines if the sequence of events is likely to have come from an existing, known character, or if the events are from a previously unknown character. A character identifier (ID) is tagged onto (i.e. associated with) the event for further processing in another system that can, for example, provide different content based on the identified character and an associated preference profile.
US08150966B2
A method and apparatus for transmitting data are described including partitioning a stream of data into a plurality of sub-streams, establishing an allocation of the plurality of sub-streams among a plurality of sending devices, enabling the plurality of sending devices to simultaneously begin transmitting the plurality of sub-streams in accordance with the allocation and adjusting the allocation.
US08150965B2
A network communication node includes a request distribution manager that combines a plurality of permutations of sequences for routing requests to a plurality of servers. The request distribution managers also generates instructions for routing the requests to the plurality of servers, based on the combination of the plurality of permutations. The network communication node also includes a router that routes the requests to the plurality of servers based on the instructions.
US08150961B1
Systems and methods for updating distributed network inventory services are disclosed. A network or a portion thereof is scanned to identify at least one computing asset within the scanned portion. A scan file is compiled based on the information obtained. A first inventory service is updated based on the scan file. A second inventory service is identified. The scan file is transmitted to the second inventory service, and the second inventory service is updated based on the scan file. In one embodiment, the inventory services are selectively updated based on specific types of data, such as hardware or software inventory data, within the scan file. In addition, a specialized database management system may be used to enable data gathering techniques specific to inventory data.
US08150956B2
Various embodiments of alerts on mobile devices are described. Other embodiments are described.
US08150942B2
An exemplary method for conveying access to digital content using a physical token comprises receiving a first identifier, receiving a second identifier, determining whether any of the first and second identifiers is associated with digital content, associating the digital content associated with one of the first and second identifiers with another of the first and second identifiers, and enabling a conveyance of the another of the first and second identifiers as a physical token.
US08150937B2
Improved techniques for interaction between a host computer (e.g., personal computer) and a media player are disclosed. According to one embodiment, interaction between a host device (e.g., host computer) and a media player can be performed over a wireless channel. The interaction over the wireless channel can be used to automatically synchronize media contents stored on the media player with media contents stored on the host device. According to another embodiment, interaction between a host device and a media player, such as automatic synchronization of media contents stored on a media player with media contents stored on a host device, can be restricted. In still another embodiment, synchronization can be automatically performed when the media player is placed in a docking station that supports wireless communications.
US08150930B2
Automatic sorting and grouping of electronic mail items in an electronic mail system is provided. An automatic mail grouping property may be selected for electronic mail received, sent or stored in a variety of storage folders. For a given mail location (e.g., received mail, sent mail, or a given mail storage folder), a selected automatic grouping property causes mail to be displayed to a user in one or more categories that make location of specific mail items easier and more efficient. Visible dividers with optional headings may be provided between mail categories to quickly draw a user's attention to a given mail category and to separate large numbers of mail into logical groupings that make location of specific mail items more manageable.
US08150929B2
Systems and methods for interconnecting media services to an interface for transport of media assets
Systems and methods are provided to integrate disparate media services and applications across an organization. The media services are connected to an interoperable media services bus by creating a connector API for each service, thereby enabling the media services to exchange messages in a standardized format related to transactions to be performed involving media assets and/or metadata associated with media assets. Media assets are advantageously transported between different media systems using a transport interface that hides details of the transport operation from the sender and recipient media services. Each media service provides its own file transport parameters defining procedures for obtaining media assets therefrom and writing media assets thereto; the transport service determines particular protocols for each transport operation based on the information provided by the sender and recipient media services.
US08150927B2
The invention relates to processing, at a transmitting entity, messages to be transferred between a transmitting entity and a receiving entity. The method comprises: obtaining a message to be transferred to the receiving entity, defining a substantially unique identifier at least for one part of the message to be transferred, conditionally replacing said part of the message to be transferred with said substantially unique identifier, and forwarding the message for transfer to the receiving entity. Further the invention relates to processing, at a receiving entity, messages transferred between a transmitting entity and a receiving entity The method comprises: receiving a message transferred from the transmitting entity, the message comprising a substantially unique identifier as a substitute of a part of the message, and retrieving said substituted part of the message on the basis of said substantially unique identifier.
US08150923B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, computer program products, and data structures for efficiently storing and accessing electronic messages. Generally, electronic messages are created and transformed in accordance with an electronic message schema hierarchy. Electronic messages can be created according to a general message schema that defines a format for data fields that are common to all types of electronic messages (e.g. electronic mail, instant message, fax message). Electronic messages can also be extended according to message extension schemas that define formats for adding protocol specific and/or or application specific data fields to an electronic message. Data fields added in accordance with message extension schemas can differ between electronic messages types. Having some commonly defined fields and other differently defined fields promotes efficient storage and access of electronic messages, while also facilitating message compatibility with existing message protocols and message applications.
US08150922B2
A single content region in a chat history display is used to display entries representative of a plurality of messages corresponding to all chat histories for all of chat threads currently engaged in by a given mobile terminal. Additionally, a buddy list display supports management of chat buddies, a detail view display allows otherwise truncated messages to be displayed, and a text message editor display supports the composition of text messages. Each chat user may designate public display identifiers for purposes of identification to other chat users. Additionally, each user may designate private display identifiers for each of his/her buddies, which private display identifiers may be used to replace the public display identifiers for that user's buddies when displayed on the user's mobile terminal. In this manner, the use of speech and text based group chatting and similar services in wireless communication environments is more readily enabled.
US08150914B1
Example systems and methods for downloading an application file are presented herein. In an example, configuration information for downloading the application file is received. The configuration information indicates a partition quantity indicating a number of file portions into which the application file is partitioned at one or more server computers. Network addresses for the file portions are determined based on the configuration information. A request is issued for each of the multiple file portions based on the network addresses, with the requests being issued over multiple network connections. The multiple file portions are received over the multiple network connections, with at least two of the multiple file portions being received simultaneously over separate ones of the multiple network connections. The received multiple file portions are combined to form the application file.
US08150910B2
A service providing device, program, method and system. The service providing device receives, from the different service providing device, an additional information piece including at least one of: (i) advertising information to be provided to a user of the different service, and (ii) a terms of use agreement for the different service. This allows the service providing device to output or provide, to the user, advertising information and/or terms of use agreement associated with the different service, simultaneously with providing a separate new service by using the different service.
US08150908B2
System and method for notifying of the posting of a web logging message via a dispatch communication
A system for posting web logging (blog) messages, retrieving blog messages, and being notified of the posting of blog messages by way of dispatch communications. The system includes a wireless communication system capable of setting up dispatch communications links between subscriber units and a dispatch server. The dispatch server interfaces with a blog server. Using dispatch communications, subscriber units may send messages to the blog server for posting by way of the dispatch server, may receive notification of the posting of messages from the blog server by way of the dispatch server, and may retrieve messages from the blog server by way of the dispatch server.
US08150905B2
A network is configured or made configurable to provide a process exploiting services distributed among nodes of the network by means of a step-by-step search, the search for one service starting at a node providing a previous service.
US08150895B2
A quality improvement system using an FMEA table of the invention includes a defect data collecting unit to collect defect data about a defect in a manufacturing or inspection process and an FMEA table update unit to update the FMEA table online based on the data collected by the defect data collecting unit. The FMEA table includes a failure mode, the number of occurrences of the failure mode, and an effect caused by the failure mode. The FMEA table update unit includes an FMEA table editing unit to edit the FMEA table. The FMEA table editing unit edits the number of occurrences of the failure mode when a row including a set of an occurred failure mode and an effect corresponding to the occurred failure mode is previously defined in the FMEA table, and inserts the row into the FMEA table when the row is not defined in the FMEA table.
US08150889B1
Data can be processed in parallel across a cluster of nodes using a parallel processing framework. Using Web services calls between components allows the number of nodes to be scaled as necessary, and allows developers to build applications on the framework using a Web services interface. A job scheduler works together with a queuing service to distribute jobs to nodes as the nodes have capacity, such that jobs can be performed in parallel as quickly as the nodes are able to process the jobs. Data can be loaded efficiently across the cluster, and levels of nodes can be determined dynamically to process queries and other requests on the system.
US08150888B2
In business systems, one or more methods can be used to reduce an amount of redundant data. In one implementation, a method to reduce redundancy within a data model in a database, in which the data model is represented by at least one table, includes determining a number of distinct values of partial keys in a table. Each partial key represents at least one row in the table. The method includes reordering one or more columns of the table by cardinality of partial keys, in which the cardinality of a partial key represents a number of distinct values of the partial key. The method further includes determining whether pairs of partial keys are functionally dependent and eliminating one or more columns having functional dependencies from the table.
US08150886B2
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that generates or creates database entity models using entity models. The system can include devices and components that receive database vendor specific store schema descriptions. The vendor specific store schema descriptions can be employed in conjunction with mapping files that characterize a instance of a database to generate a common object model that can be used to provide a common interface comprehensible across multiple vendor or database types.
US08150885B2
Method and apparatus for organizing data by overlaying a searchable database with a directory tree structure. The method includes generating the directory tree structure that includes nodes comprising a designated category for each node and branches comprising links between the nodes, and generating one or more pointers. Each pointer corresponds to a specific node and the pointer links the specific node to an item of data within the searchable database. All pointers associated with the specific node link related items of data corresponding to the designated category. Each node within the directory tree structure can include a corresponding html address. Items of data can be web-based multimedia including audio, video, images, and appropriately formatted text, displayed in an encyclopedia-like format. Nodes, branches, and pointers within the directory tree structure can continually be added, edited, or deleted.
US08150883B2
Data elements for a data component are specified by creating a data type that includes several data elements, the data type to be used in creating data components for specific contexts. Each of the several data elements is associated with a harmonization indicator that causes the associated data element to be included, or not included, in the data components for any of the specific contexts. A method of performing a predefined operation on a data component includes receiving a user input specifying at least one context value for performing a predefined operation on a data component for a specific context characterized by the at least one context value. The predefined operation is performed using a harmonization indicator included in a data type that is context independent. Data components are used in software components or application components.
US08150868B2
Conventionally, there are communities of individuals who perform Internet searches and communities of individuals who utilized Internet communications. While there is commonly a large amount of overlap between the two communities, there is little interaction between the two communities. Internet searches can be used to recommend interesting people to a user. Furthermore, Internet communications can be used to recommend content that is likely to be of interest to the user. In addition, previously engaged communications or searches can be used to disambiguate terms in a subsequent search.
US08150862B2
In a method and system for collecting event information, XML documents specifying event parsing logic for respective groups of related events are loaded. Representations for the parsing logic contained in the plurality of XML documents are stored in one or more parsing trees. Events are received, including events in a plurality of groups of events. The received events are processed in accordance with the event parsing logic in the one or more parsing trees. The received events are also processed in accordance with stored program instructions that are independent of the parsing logic for the plurality of groups of events. Event information for the received events is stored. The stored event information includes information determined in accordance with the event parsing logic in at least one or more parsing trees.
US08150855B2
A method, system, method and computer program product for retrieving data. Records are retrieved from a hierarchical database. The records are categorized into a plurality of record types. Each record comprises a unique identifier field. A record map contains zero or more entries. Each entry comprises an identifying value, data from at least one record and a set of Boolean flags. Each flag corresponds to a record type. A computer iterates over the retrieved records. Data from each record is stored at an entry in the record map having an identifying value equal to the value included in the unique identifier field of the record. Moreover, the flag in this entry which corresponds to the record type of the record is set. Inner joins and outer joins are then performed using the contents of the record map.
US08150854B2
An image search apparatus has: a dimension reducing unit for reducing dimensions of multidimensional feature data to be produced as approximate data; an approximate-data storing unit for storing the produced approximate data with corresponding to the multidimensional feature data before the dimension reduction; a search request receiving unit for receiving an identifier which identifies multidimensional feature data of a person to be searched, at least as a search key; an approximate-space searching unit for calculating distances between approximate data corresponding to the received search key, and plural approximate data stored in the approximate-data storing unit, and for arranging the distances in order of similarity; and a real-space final ranking unit for again performing a distance calculation with using the multidimensional feature data before the dimension reduction, on a group of results in which the similarity is high, and for determining final rankings.
US08150852B2
A converter for converting an application program that is executed for every job request into a batch processing program for collectively processing a plurality of job requests. The converter includes: a code identifier for identifying a portion of the application program that includes a service request to another server, and a portion that does not include a service request; an integration unit for converting the service request into a collective service request that collectively issues a plurality of service requests corresponding to the plurality of job requests; a multiplexing unit for converting the processing code in the application program into a multiplexed code for executing multiple processings corresponding to the plurality of job requests; and an output unit for outputting, as the batch processing program, the application program that the integration unit and the multiplexing unit have processed.
US08150835B2
An approach is provided for efficiently searching information in an information space utilizing information signatures. A signature application receives queries over information sources. The signature application, for each of the queries, generates a polynomial by defining the each query against the information sources as input parameters in polynomial form. The signature application provides irreducible polynomials over a finite field of a degree of orthogonality by factoring polynomials generated from the queries. The signature application adjusts the degree of orthogonality of the irreducible polynomials to provide adjusted irreducible polynomials, each of which is a signature and corresponds to a signature fragment, such that the signature fragments have overlapping portions. The signature application causes at least in part storage of the signatures or the signature fragments in a signature domain over an information space.
US08150833B1
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for storing a formula having first and second object fields. These mechanisms and methods for storing a formula having first and second object fields can allow access to data from related object types other than the object type being currently accessed. The ability of embodiments to provide such access may allow access to additional contents of a database for performing validations, calculations, etc.
US08150812B2
Methods, apparatus and computer programs are provided for data replication, such as for replicating a database or updating a cache. Source database change transactions are captured and batched together for efficient data transfer. On receipt at a target replica system, the batch of transactions within a message is separated and separate apply transactions corresponding to the source transactions are performed in parallel. A ‘transaction processed’ table is updated to reflect apply processing for each apply transaction. This table provides a confirmation of the status of each transaction that can be used during recovery processing to prevent re-apply of an apply transaction. The table can also be used to determine when it is safe to delete an incoming message from persistent storage on the target system, and to facilitate one-phase commit processing.
US08150797B2
A method for enhancing directory service performance includes determining one or more data types to be loaded. Retrieving data objects that includes the determined data types from storage. Preloading object name and determined data type data into a directory service alternate evaluator for each data object retrieved from storage.
US08150789B2
A model, which defines a mathematical problem, and multiple directives may be received. Each of the multiple directives may be mapped to a respective linear solver instance. The linear solver instances may be launched to execute in parallel. Each of the linear solver instances may use either a primal or a dual algorithm and may further use double arithmetic, exact arithmetic, or hybrid arithmetic, as specified by corresponding ones of the multiple directives. A linear solver instance that uses hybrid arithmetic may start by using double arithmetic and may use exact arithmetic after experiencing a numerical difficulty. After the numerical difficulty is resolved, the linear solver instance that uses hybrid arithmetic may restart and continue to solve the mathematical problem using double arithmetic. After one of the linear solver instances finds an optimal solution, others of the linear solver instances may be stopped and a report may be provided.
US08150783B2
Security system for and method of detecting and responding to cyber attacks on large network systems
An improved security system for and method of detecting and responding to cyber attacks on a network or network element. The system comprises: (a) an intelligent agent-based information retrieval subsystem configured so as to automatically search for and retrieve relevant data from distributed sources; (b) a rule-based inferencing mechanism configured so as to interpret retrieved data within the situational context to support event and alert generation for cyber threat assessment and prediction; and (c) a threat assessment and prediction mechanism configured so as to capture relating to the interrelationship between cyber sensor outputs and cyber attacks.
US08150769B2
Techniques are described for facilitating interactions between computing systems, such as by performing transactions between parties that are automatically authorized via a third-party transaction authorization system. In some situations, the transactions are programmatic transactions involving the use of fee-based Web services by executing application programs, with the transaction authorization system authorizing and/or providing payments in accordance with private authorization instructions previously specified by the parties. The authorization instructions may include predefined instruction rule sets that regulate conditions under which a potential transaction can be authorized, with the instruction rule sets each referenced by an associated reference token. After one or more of the parties to a potential transaction supply reference tokens for the parties, the transaction authorization system can determine whether to authorize the transaction based on whether the instruction rule sets associated with the reference tokens are compatible or otherwise satisfied.
US08150767B2
A method is provided for conducting a transaction over a computer network (such as the Internet) where the remote wallet server conducts a transaction with a merchant computer in a format substantially compliant with a chip card electronic commerce protocol or specification, regardless of whether or not the payment card of the consumer involved in the transaction is a chip card.
US08150765B1
A method for one of approving and denying a credit offering to a borrower is disclosed. The method includes calculating a probability of default rating of the borrower and calculating a loss given default rating for the borrower. The method also includes integrating the probability of default rating and the loss given default rating with other information relating to the credit offering to produce a credit memorandum and automatically outputting the credit memorandum to a user so that the user can recommend one of approval and denial of the credit offering.
US08150761B2
A system and methods for processing and charting security exchange trading and market information shows security traders if current transactions originated as buy orders or sell orders, and simultaneously indicates traded quantity. Security exchange trading information is received that includes the price, volume and time of each trade. In addition, security exchange market information is received from buyers, specifying bide prices and quantities, and from sellers, specifying asking prices and quantities. The security exchange trading and market information is processed simultaneously and displayed as a continuously updated real-time chart depicting the exchange auction process whereby buyers and sellers agree to trade at specified prices, including details of individual transactions. The chart is formed by plotting each trade at the price traded, and for each plot point shows a distinctive icon indication whether the transaction was initiated by a buyer or seller.
US08150753B2
A system, method and computer program product are provided for e-commerce. In use, a plurality of suppliers are registered. In addition, goods-related information from customers is received, where the goods-related information is associated with goods. Access to the goods-related information by the suppliers is allowed utilizing a network. Further, offers relating to the goods from the suppliers are received utilizing the network, and the customers are informed of the offers. Still yet, a guarantee is provided to the customers regarding a qualification of at least one supplier with respect to a provision or fulfillment of the offer received therefrom. Such guarantee is provided as a function the at least one supplier or at least one action thereof.
US08150731B1
The present disclosure is a method and system for providing targeted content with verification information including additional selectable content. A method for providing targeted content with verification information may include receiving data associated with verification information, the receiving of data associated with verification information may include time information and location information; retrieving content related to the verification information, the content being based upon the time information and the location information; and presenting verification information, the verification information including targeted content related to the verification information and based upon the time information and location information.
US08150722B2
A system and method are disclosed that provide for processing claims. The system and method include receiving a claim from a customer and determining if a customer average value associated with the customer is greater than or equal to a threshold value. The system and method also include processing the claim when the customer average value is less than the threshold value and determining if the claim meets one or more predetermined parameters when the customer average value is greater than or equal to the threshold value. In addition, the system and method include processing the claim when the claim meets the one or more predetermined parameters and forwarding the claim for further investigation when the claim fails to meet the one or more predetermined parameters and the customer average value is greater than or equal to the threshold value.
US08150718B2
The system and method for automatically scheduling appointments includes receiving, at the appointment server system, appointment preference information from a client system associated with a user, wherein the appointment preference information includes contact details for one or more contacts of the user. In response to receiving the appointment preference information from the user, the appointment server system automatically, without human intervention, schedules a first proposed appointment based at least in part on the appointment preference information, wherein the first proposed appointment includes a first location, a first plurality of participants including the user and a first contact of the one or more contacts, and a first date that was not selected by any of the first plurality of participants. The appointment server sends an electronic message to the first plurality of participants including an invitation to the first proposed appointment.
US08150714B2
A system and method for providing healthcare-related services according to which the healthcare-related services include, but are not limited to, health insurance benefit activation services and/or healthcare-related education services.
US08150710B2
A medical information system includes a patient server that retains vital information received from a patient terminal. The patient server transmits the vital information to a medical care provider server through a network. The vital information retained in the medical care provider server can then be browsed from a doctor terminal.
US08150706B2
A prescription refill system having Voice-over-IP (VoIP) capabilities is provided. A central station remote from a pharmacy is provided for receiving phone calls (e.g., PSTN or VoIP calls) relating to prescription information. The central station obtains the prescription information, and automatically dispatches same to a pharmacy for filling. The pharmacy can dial into the central station to receive prescription information, or the information can be periodically faxed, e-mailed, or sent via the Internet to the pharmacy. A computer at the pharmacy allows for information to be retrieved from the central station, including voice messages stored at the central station. Calls made to the pharmacy can be forwarded to the central station automatically. A caller calling the central station can be switched to a live operator at the pharmacy for additional assistance.
US08150703B2
Systems are disclosed for operating a communications network. The system includes a module to buffer frames of a signal, and a module to determine an access delay. The system also includes a module to compress a portion of the signal based on the access delay by removing a first portion of a frame of the signal and generating an overlap-added segment from a first segment and a second segment of the frame. In another embodiment, the system includes a module to buffer frames of a signal, a module to establish a communication channel with a handset, and a module to determine an access delay. The system also includes a module to compress a portion of the signal based on the access delay by removing a first portion of a frame of the signal and generating an overlap-added segment from a first segment and a second segment of the frame.
US08150699B2
In embodiments of the present invention, a system and method for enabling a user to interact with a computer platform using a voice command may comprise the steps of defining a structured grammar for handling a global voice command, defining a global voice command of the structured grammar wherein the global voice command enables access to an object of the computer platform using a single command, and mapping at least one function of the object to the global voice command, wherein upon receiving voice input from the user of the computer platform the object recognizes the global voice command and controls the function.
US08150687B2
An example embodiment of the invention includes a speech recognition processing unit for specifying speech segments for speech data, recognizing a speech in each of the speech segments, and associating a character string of obtained recognition data with the speech data for each speech segment, based on information on a time of the speech, and an output control unit for displaying/outputting the text prepared by sorting the recognition data in each speech segment. Sometimes, the system further includes a text editing unit for editing the prepared text, and a speech correspondence estimation unit for associating a character string in the edited text with the speech data by using a technique of dynamic programming.
US08150678B2
The present invention provides a spoken document retrieval system capable of high-speed and high-accuracy retrieval of where a user-specified keyword is uttered from spoken documents, even if the spoken documents are large in amount. Candidate periods are narrowed down in advance on the basis of a sequence of subwords generated from a keyword, and then the count values of the candidate periods containing the subwords are each calculated by adding up certain values. Through such simple process, the candidate periods are prioritized and then selected as retrieved results. In addition, the sequence of subwords generated from the keyword is complemented assuming that speech recognition errors occur, and then, candidate period generation and selection are performed on the basis of the complemented sequence of subwords.
US08150667B2
Discrete Element Modeling (DEM) of rock subject to high confining pressures, such as in a subterranean drilling environment, may be used to predict performance of cutting structures used in drill bits and other drilling tools, as well as of the tools themselves. DEM may also be used to create “virtual” rock exhibiting specific drillability characteristics with or without specific reference to any actual rock, for purposes of assessing cutting efficiency of various cutting structure configurations and orientations, as well as of drilling tools incorporating same.
US08150664B2
The present invention relates generally to a software architecture for simulation of physical entities. The invention provides an object-oriented container based framework architecture for simulator software implementations, methods, and objects in a time domain on a distributed computer network. The invention further provides an interface system and a plug-in definition which allows compartmentalization of participants in the container and easy extensibility of the system.
US08150656B2
Sensors and techniques for an automated data acquisition and notification system having a plurality of receptacles adapted to store items. In each of the plurality of receptacles, at least one sensor is operated to detect a presence of an item in that receptacle. Light is emitted from a planar surface within the receptacle to a space within the receptacle opposite the planar surface. While that light is emitted light incident on the planar surface is detected. A determination is made whether an amount of light that is detected is significant to indicate a presence of the item.
US08150655B2
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that characterizes a computer system using a pattern-recognition model. First, values for an environmental parameter are monitored from a set of sensors associated with the computer system. Then, a baseline for the environmental parameter is calculated based on the monitored values from a subset of the set of sensors. Next, the baseline is subtracted from the monitored values from sensors in the set of sensors to produce compensated values. Then, the compensated values are used as inputs to the pattern-recognition model, which produces estimates for the compensated values based on correlations between the compensated values learned during a training phase. Next, residuals are calculated by subtracting the estimates for the compensated values from the compensated values. Then, the residuals are analyzed to characterize the computer system.
US08150651B2
An inclinometer using a speedometer and a forward-looking accelerometer for measuring inclination angle.
US08150643B1
Real-time battery impedance spectrum is acquired using a one-time record. Fast Summation Transformation (FST) is a parallel method of acquiring a real-time battery impedance spectrum using a one-time record that enables battery diagnostics. An excitation current to a battery is a sum of equal amplitude sine waves of frequencies that are octave harmonics spread over a range of interest. A sample frequency is also octave and harmonically related to all frequencies in the sum. The time profile of this signal has a duration that is a few periods of the lowest frequency. The voltage response of the battery, average deleted, is the impedance of the battery in the time domain. Since the excitation frequencies are known and octave and harmonically related, a simple algorithm, FST, processes the time record by rectifying relative to the sine and cosine of each frequency. Another algorithm yields real and imaginary components for each frequency.
US08150628B2
A method and system are described for transmitting a timing estimate record responsive to a systemic flow of one or more artificial markers.
US08150615B2
An improved system for delivering propane or other consumable liquid to remotely located storage tanks including a novel combination of remote monitoring of customer tanks and an improved method of using the remote monitoring data to optimally schedule deliveries, improve safety, and more efficiently operate a propane dealership. More accurate and timely information concerning the status of customer tanks serves to improve operational efficiencies and increase safety. Data received from remote sensors can be collected and organized so that it is easily understood and utilized through the implementation of a user interface accessible via the Internet that allows the information to be presented in an efficient graphical and contextual fashion. Operational efficiencies can also be improved by taking historical propane usage for each tank, weather conditions, and projected fuel usage into account. The system can calendar required inspections of customer tanks, homes, and appliances, and data can be combined with accounts receivable information. Remote monitoring of customer tanks can be combined with other products using similar equipment to provide additional non-seasonal revenue streams.
US08150606B2
An electrical ignition method for a combustion engine employing the use of an arrangement of several coils and a magnet wheel or magnet generator which rotates synchronously with the combustion engine, wherein the magnetic field of the magnet generator intermittently flows through the coils and therein generates a sequence of magnetic flux changes per revolution, whereby a sequence of corresponding alternating voltage half-waves is induced in the coils, which are used for charging an energy storage element. Through the use of a stop and/or switch-off system for the combustion engine, the disclosed method prevents a discharge of the energy storage element during the stopping and coast down procedure of the combustion engine and/or to actuate its charging, so that a charged energy storage element is available for the next start of the combustion engine.
US08150605B2
Systems and methods are provided for operating an internal combustion engine including a variable cam timing (VCT) mechanism in cooperation with a plurality of deactivatable cylinders, each cylinder with a plurality of cylinder valves. One example method comprises, operating at a first cylinder valve timing before a transition of reactivating deactivated cylinders, and, before the transition, advancing cylinder valve timing from the first valve timing, where after the transition the cylinder valve timing remains at a second valve timing, the second valve timing advanced relative to the first valve timing.
US08150603B2
A control system for an engine having a cylinder is disclosed having an engine valve movable to regulate a fluid flow of the cylinder and an actuator associated with the engine valve. The control system also has a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of an amount of an air/fuel mixture remaining within the cylinder after completion of a first combustion event and a controller in communication with the actuator and the sensor. The controller may be configured to compare the amount with a desired amount, and to selectively regulate the actuator to adjust a timing of the engine valve associated with a subsequent combustion event based on the comparison.
US08150597B2
Methods and systems for controlling an internal combustion engine are provided. One example method may include closing an intake valve later during a cylinder cycle than a timing with which an amount of air inducted into a cylinder from an air intake passage would be maximized, and earlier during the cylinder cycle as a desired amount of air to be inducted into the cylinder increases, while an engine is operating at a given engine speed. The method may further include closing the intake valve earlier during a cylinder cycle as the engine speed increases when the desired amount of air to be inducted into the cylinder is at a maximum.
US08150595B2
A control method for a hybrid powerplant includes receiving a pre-transition signal, and selectively adjusting a combustion torque of an engine of the powerplant between a first torque value and a second torque value prior to a deactivation transition period based on the pre-transition signal, wherein the second torque value is less than the first torque value. The method further includes selectively adjusting an electric drive torque of an electric machine of the powerplant prior to the deactivation transition period based on the pre-transition signal and the combustion torque. The selectively adjusting the electric drive torque includes adjusting the electric drive torque such that a sum of the combustion torque and the electric drive torque is equal to a desired drive torque of the powerplant during a pre-transition period prior to the deactivation transition period. A related control system is also provided.
US08150592B2
A method for preventing spinning of at least one drive wheel in a motor vehicle that has a dual clutch transmission, including the process steps of: a vehicle placed in a first gear unit of the dual clutch transmission; placement of a higher gear for the vehicle in a second gear unit of the dual clutch transmission; detecting whether the at least one drive wheel is spinning; disengaging the clutch that is assigned to the first gear unit, depending on whether spinning was detected; and engaging the clutch that is assigned to the second gear unit, depending on whether spinning was detected.
US08150588B2
Methods and a system for vehicle control are provided. The system includes an input device configured to receive a required time of arrival at a waypoint and a processor communicatively coupled to the input device. The processor is programmed to determine a forward late time profile, determine a forward early time profile representing the earliest time the vehicle could arrive at a point along the track and still arrive at the waypoint while transiting at a maximum available speed, and determine an estimated time uncertainty (ETU) associated with at least one of the forward late time profile and the forward early time profile. The system also includes an output device communicatively coupled to the processor, the output device configured to transmit the determined uncertainty with a respective one of the at least one of the forward late time profile and the forward early time profile to a display.
US08150582B2
A system for decoupling steering rack force disturbances in electric steering may comprise a steering wheel angle sensor, a yaw rate sensor, a lateral acceleration sensor, and a steering torque sensor. The system may also comprise a tire force generator configured to receive signals from the steering wheel angle sensor, the yaw rate sensor, and the lateral acceleration sensor and send a reference rack force to a controller. The system may further comprise a rack force observer configured to receive signals from the steering torque sensor and send an estimated rack force to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive signals from the tire force generator and the rack force observer, compare the estimated rack force with the reference rack force to determine a rack force disturbance, and adjust an auxiliary torque based on the rack force disturbance.
US08150581B2
In a driving assistance system having an actuator (16) for steering steered wheels of a vehicle, a positional deviation detecting unit (9) detects a deviation of a position of the vehicle from a forward travel path of the vehicle based on information around the vehicle. A steering control variable determination unit (2) determines a steering control variable to cancel the deviation. If a vehicle speed detected by a vehicle speed detecting unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed, the steering control variable determined by a steering control variable determination unit (2) decreases with an increase of the vehicle speed under the condition that the deviation of the position of the vehicle from the forward travel path is same. The driving assistance system can reduce a driver's discomfort caused by the steering control through the actuator (16) when the vehicle is running at a high speed.
US08150579B2
A method for determining a speed of a power steering pump used in a power steering assembly of a vehicle that has particular application in a vehicle using a magneto-rheological hydraulic power steering (MRHPS) system for improving the fuel efficiency and ride comfort of the vehicle, and for reliable functioning of the power steering system. The method includes determining an angle of rotation of the steering wheel and a rate of change of the angle of rotation of the steering wheel based on the angle of rotation of the steering wheel of the vehicle. The method further includes determining the speed of the vehicle and the speed of the power steering pump based on the angle of rotation of the steering wheel, the rate of change of the angle of rotation of the steering wheel and the speed of the vehicle.
US08150577B2
Modular device for turning on the power supply of an electronic item of equipment in a secure manner
The present invention relates to a device making it possible to turn on a sub-assembly of an electrical item of equipment hosted in a bigger system, which, if turned on unchecked, may impair the operation of the other items of equipment of the system. An embodiment includes three make/break switches in series in the power supply line and a control of the opening or closing of these make/break switches. Two of the make/break switches are controlled by two independent discrete state indicators, to determine whether the power supply of the sub-assembly of the item of equipment may be energized without undue risk to other equipment of the system. The third make/break switch is controlled by a validation command based on the two discretes, actuating the third make/break switch only if the discretes are in the desired state and if a switching of these discretes has been noted. An embodiment of the invention applies to the protection of the onboard equipment of an aircraft in the flight phase against the turning on of ancillary equipment not used in the flight phase and transmitting radioelectric waves that may catastrophically impair the operation of the other items of equipment.
US08150575B2
A method for plausibilizing sensor signals of a vehicle system, the sensor signals being monitored with regard to compliance with one plausibility criterion or a plurality of plausibility criteria with the aid of a plausibilization algorithm. The function of the vehicle system is able to be maintained even in critical driving situations, in particular following a collision, if the driving status of the vehicle is monitored with regard to a collision and the plausibilization algorithm is modified if a collision was detected.
US08150569B2
A marine vessel running controlling apparatus is applicable to a marine vessel which includes a propulsive force generating unit arranged to generate a propulsive force to be applied to a hull of the marine vessel, and a steering unit arranged to turn the hull. The marine vessel running controlling apparatus includes an operational unit to be operated by an operator of the marine vessel to control a steering angle of the steering unit, and a control unit arranged to update control information related to the steering angle of the steering unit with respect to an operation amount of the operational unit based on data acquired during travel of the marine vessel.
US08150562B2
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.
US08150558B2
The temperature of an object is controlled by a feedback control algorithm based on the temperature control characteristics of a homeothermic plant.
US08150550B2
A legged robot that runs while repeating a jump cycle including a ground-contact phase from a landing to a takeoff and an aerial phase from a takeoff to a landing is provided. The legged robot adjusts the landing timing after a jump in accordance with a planned timing, thereby attaining a smooth landing. A measuring unit of the legged robot measures an actual aerial phase period in a k-th jump cycle. A subtractor calculates a time difference between a target aerial phase period and the actual aerial phase period in the k-th jump cycle. A target velocity determining unit calculates a target vertical velocity of a center of gravity on a takeoff timing in a (k+1)-th jump cycle so as to eliminate the time difference. Motors in respective joints are controlled so as to realize the calculated target vertical velocity in the (k+1)-th jump cycle. As a result, the time difference generated in the k-th jump cycle in the (k+1)-th jump cycle can be compensated, thereby adjusting the landing timing with the planned landing timing, resulting in the jump motion with smooth landing.
US08150549B2
An electronic storage device is coupled with a container capable of holding liquid for electronically storing information relating to the liquid stored in the container. The system can be configured with an antenna, for storing information to and reading information from the electronic storage device. A microprocessor-based controller, coupled with the antenna, may be employed for controlling processing of the liquid based on information read from the electronic storage device by the antenna. A connector of a secure reader system having a reader is provided to physically couple to a container having an information storing mechanism, for periodically reading information from an information storing mechanism. The connector may draw material from the container simultaneous with the reading.
US08150547B2
A method and system are provided for updating address information and using document processing equipment to print delivery point information, including a barcode or readable text, on mail pieces. The address data is processed and updated by a service provider or by an address service provider. When the mailpieces are processed on document processing equipment, the printed address data is compared with an updated address data record to retrieve the updated address and apply the correct delivery point information. The delivery point information representing the most current and accurate address for the addressee of the mail piece.
US08150545B2
A method and a device for position-dependent compliance compensation in a machine tool is disclosed. The compliance of the machine tool is derived at a position of a tool of the machine tool from machine data stored in memory, a machining force acting on the tool during a machining process at this position is determined, and at least one machining parameter that has an influence on the machining process is derived at this position in dependence on the derived compliance and the machining force so as to counteract a displacement of the tool with respect to a desired position caused by the compliance of the machine tool and the machining force. This optimizes the machining time and/or contour fidelity when machining a workpiece with a machine tool.
US08150543B2
In some embodiments, a method includes providing a first controller; providing a second controller; using the second controller to control a plurality of valves to provide a sequence of air jets that propel a weft thread across at least a portion of a weft insertion region of an air jet loom; and using the first controller to control at least one aspect of the air jet loom not controlled by the second controller. In some embodiments, a method for a controller in an air jet loom includes (a) defining a reference loom configuration; (b) determining a characterization of the reference loom configuration; (c) determining a modified loom configuration by at least one change to the reference loom configuration; (d) determining a characterization of the modified loom configuration; and (e) revising the reference loom configuration if the characterization of the modified loom configuration satisfies a criteria.
US08150541B2
Example methods and apparatus to modify a recipe process flow during recipe execution are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves executing a recipe, and before completion of execution of the recipe, receiving process flow change information indicative of a modification to a process flow of the recipe. Process flow rules are then retrieved from a process flow rules data structure. The recipe process flow is modified based on the process flow change information in response to determining that at least one requested change indicated by the process flow change information does not violate one of the process flow rules.
US08150535B2
Implantable cardiac monitoring and stimulation methods and devices with epicardial leads having sensor feedback. A fixed or extendable/retractable sensor may be displaceable within the lead's lumen and configured to sense the presence of an anatomical feature or physiological parameter of cardiac tissue in proximity with the lead body's distal end. The sensor may include an ultrasonic sensing element, a perfusion sensor, a photoplethysmographic sensor, or a blood oximetry sensor. Methods of determining suitability for implanting a lead involve the steps of accessing an epicardial surface of the heart, and moving the cardiac lead to an implant site at the epicardial surface. A transmitted signal is directed at the implant site. A reflected signal is received, indicative of the presence of a blood vessel at the implant site. A determination may be made to determine whether the implant site is suitable or unsuitable based on the reflected signal.
US08150534B2
An electrode array attached to neural tissue, such as the retina, necessarily has graded pressure exerted on the tissue, with higher pressure near the attachment point. Greater pressure improves contact between the electrodes and neural tissue while too much pressure may damage neural tissue. Hence it is advantageous to obtain equal pressure across the array field. In the present invention multiple and selective attachment points are provided on an electrode array allowing a surgeon to select the attachment points providing the best electrode tissue contact.
US08150523B2
Disclosed is a method for improving cognitive function or for improving coordination of function across a patient's cortical regions. The method includes applying electrical stimulation to at least a portion of the patient's subcortical structures involved in the generation and control of generalized efference copy signals. Internally generated movement of the patient is then detected and, in response to such internally generated movement, application of electrical stimulation is controlled. The method of the present invention has a number of benefits, including increasing flexibility in identifying targets for stimulation, improving the probability of successfully treating brain injury, and permitting patient biofeedback and self-regulation.
US08150512B2
A process for determining whether the location of a stimulation electrode meets a selected heart performance criteria includes providing stimulation to the heart through the electrode and obtaining an impedance measurement during stimulation delivery using an impedance sensing vector formed by electrodes that do not include the stimulation electrode. The impedance measurements are processed, either alone or in combination with an electrogram, also obtained during stimulation, to obtain a measure of hemodynamic performance.
US08150505B2
Disclosed is an apparatus that creates a number of microconduits, i.e., small holes in the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of human skin tissue, to provide a pathway therethrough, which can be used, for example, for transdermal drug delivery.
US08150504B2
A method of operating a local body fat measurement device including: measuring a body fat thickness of the at least one predetermined measurement point of the predetermined anatomical area; displaying a measured body fat thickness at each measurement point on a output device; and maintaining a memory device storing a local body fat measurement table storing the at least one measurement point. The local body fat measurement table comprises an anatomical area image portraying a shape of the predetermined anatomical area, and the at least one measurement point is displayed in the anatomical area image.
US08150495B2
Generally, systems, methods, and apparatus related to the use of a dynamic imaging modality in an image guided intervention are disclosed herein. More specifically, the use of such modalities in sealing a bodily opening, such as those that may be formed during an invasive medical procedure are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method includes viewing a representation of an instrument within a body of a patient, adjusting a position of the instrument based on the viewing such that a portion of the instrument is at a location within the body of the patient, and delivering a sealant via the instrument to the location within the body of the patient. The sealant is configured to seal an opening in the body part.
US08150477B2
Provided are a mobile station and a method for providing an ultra power-saving mode in a mobile station. The method for providing an ultra power-saving mode in a mobile station includes: inactivating a communication function in a standby mode of the mobile station; extracting a DRX (discontinuous reception) cycle length coefficient K of the mobile station; determining a class-specific DRX cycle length coefficient Ni of the mobile station; replacing K with Ni; and monitoring a paging signal at a paging cycle corresponding to Ni.
US08150472B2
Function distinguishing marks are efficiently displayed which correspond to a plurality of functions assigned to a single operation key, respectively.A mobile phone (1) changes in accordance with the number of functions assigned to a single operation key the number of the function distinguishing marks to be displayed which indicate functions.
US08150464B2
A method and apparatus for providing a mobile video blog (vlog) service in a communication network are disclosed. For example, the method captures video content sourced from a mobile device used by a mobile user through a mobile vlog posting service portal, and provides a vlog viewing function accessible to a viewer through a vlog viewing service portal, wherein the vlog viewing function affords viewing of the video content and is provided in accordance with a user profile of the viewer, wherein the user profile comprises a viewing preference of the viewer.
US08150463B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a tablet adapted to detect a presence of another communication device with a display, determine operating characteristics of the display, create according to the operating characteristics of the display a first user interface (UI) portion to be presented by the display of the other communication device and a second UI portion to be presented by a touch-sensitive display of the tablet, transmit the first UI portion by way of the base unit using the wireless data protocol for presentation at the display of the other communication device, present the second UI portion at the touch-sensitive display of the tablet, and navigate between the first and second UI portions as a single UI of the tablet. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08150459B2
An information processing apparatus and method include mode controlling. A first information processing unit controls a telephone process using a radio communication unit and displays the image to display unit in response to a request, and a second information processing unit mutually operable in parallel with the first information processing unit controls a telephone process using the radio communication unit and makes the display unit display the image in response to a request. The mode controlling sets one of the first information processing unit and the second information processing unit to a master mode and sets other of the first information processing unit and the second information processing unit to a slave mode.
US08150458B1
A communication device which implements a voice communicating function, an OS updating function, a communication device telephone remote controlling function, a communication device computer remote controlling function, a shortcut icon displaying function, an OCR function, a word processing function, a start up software function, and a stereo audio data output function.
US08150445B2
Provided is a wireless base station comprising: a power control unit, a reference information acquisition unit and a reference information storing unit, wherein the wireless base station comprises a first control signal receiving unit for receiving a first uplink control signal used by a mobile station connected to the wireless base station and for requesting the power control unit to control the transmission, and a second control signal receiving unit for receiving a second uplink control signal used by a mobile station connected to the neighbor base station and for requesting the power control unit to control the transmission power, and wherein the power control unit controls the transmission power of the downlink signal based on the request to control the transmission power from the first control signal receiving unit and the request to control the transmission power from the second control signal receiving unit.
US08150443B2
The exemplary embodiments of the invention include a method, apparatus, and program to determine actions to be taken upon receiving overload indicators. In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method includes: determining if more than a first predetermined number of overload indicator messages are received within a first predetermined period of time. If such a determination is made that more than the first predetermined number of overload indicator messages are received within the first predetermined period of time is made, a value of a power output parameter is adjusted by decreasing the value of the power output parameter, and the adjusted value of the power output parameter is sent. If a determination is made that less than a second predetermined number of overload indicator messages are received within a second predetermined period of time, the value of the power output parameter is adjusted by increasing the value of the power output parameter, sending the adjusted value of the power output parameter is sent.
US08150442B2
[Object] To implement wireless communication also with a communicating apparatus that is a limited band terminal capable of receiving only part of frequencies.[Overcoming Means] Provided are a frequency channel allocating section (10) that allocates frequency channels, a terminal reception quality information processing section (6) that calculates an optimal modulation rate and required transmit power for each subcarrier, a subcarrier power control section (12) that controls a level of transmit power for each subcarrier, and a determining section (10) that checks a reception bandwidth of a communicating apparatus, while determining whether the communicating apparatus is a full band terminal capable of receiving all the frequency channels in the system band or is a limited band terminal capable of receiving only part of frequencies, and when the communicating apparatus is the limited band terminal, the transmit power of all or part of subcarriers is decreased in a frequency channel that is adjacent to a reception band allocated to the communicating apparatus and that is allocated to another communicating apparatus.
US08150440B2
A system and method are provided for facilitating reduced power consumption when communicating between a wireless communication device and a wireless communication controller. A power management controller comprising a power saving detection unit and a power level controller is provided. The power savings detector detects when power savings can be applied in accordance with whether or data loss between the base state controller and the wireless communication device can be tolerated. The power level controller selects a reduced transmission power level at which to transmit data if a data loss can be tolerated.
US08150434B2
A leadership support system includes a leader terminal and plural member terminals. The member terminals, according to either the relay of communication information not addressed thereto or the reception of communication information addressed thereto, send back a response to the appropriate communication information. The leader terminal determines, based on the times of relaying the communication information, whether or not the member terminal that transmitted the communication information is in danger of isolation. When the leader terminal determines the member terminal in danger of isolation, it outputs a warning signal indicative of a ranger of isolation to that member terminal.
US08150427B2
A wireless messaging system includes a message controller and a delivery controller. The message controller provides a message to be delivered, and the delivery controller handles transmission of the message to a wireless device. To prevent delivery of a message after a desired expiry time or when a delivery window is closed, the message controller sends a cancellation request to the delivery controller. In response to the cancellation request, the delivery controller cancels any previously scheduled delivery attempts, and inhibits scheduling of future delivery attempts, at least temporarily.
US08150419B2
A manner of invoking privacy related to user equipment in a telecommunications network, involving sending a location service request from a location service client to a location service center. The location service center sends a privacy request to the user equipment to be located, which prompts the user of the user equipment to accept or reject the specific location service request. The user equipment sends to the location service center a privacy request response. The location service center provides the location information to the requesting client if the location service request is accepted in the privacy response, and rejects the location service request otherwise.
US08150413B2
Disclosed is a technology for easy balancing between cells by securing a cell balance, using an optimization process adopting a radio parameter as a parameter of an objective function. Objective function extractor 11 sets up optimizing condition at least including an objective function that has a radio parameter of a base station as the objective function parameter and is used for an optimization process to balance traffic loads between cells, using cell balance values between a target cell whose characteristic changes by modification of the parameter and neighboring cells existing around the target cell. Optimizer 12 performs an optimization process in accordance with the optimizing condition set by objective function extractor 11 to determine the value of the parameter to be the solution.
US08150412B2
The present invention provides a method of interference mitigation in a wireless communication system. The method that may include reducing transmission power associated with at least one first channel provided by at least one first base station associated with at least one corresponding first coverage area adjacent a second coverage area associated with a second base station concurrently with maintaining at least one transmission power associated with the second base station(s). The method may also include increasing the transmission power associated with the first channel(s) provided by the first base station(s) concurrently with reducing at least one transmission power associated with at least one first channel provided by the second base station(s).
US08150411B2
An improved admission control procedure for an admission control entity (e.g., Radio Network Controller (RNC), Node B, etc.) in a network that admits a terminal (mobile station, user equipment, etc.) having a certain receiver performance. Without improperly assuming one receiver performance or referring to a reference minimum receiver performance to calculate the resources that will be used, more accurate radio resources that should be used by the terminal when admitted to the cell can be determined by using appropriate information about the receiver performance of the terminal to be admitted.
US08150409B2
A data transmission method in a wireless relay system, and a method of selecting an optimal transmission mode based on a channel capacity of an individual link that is measured by a mobile station. The data transmission method includes: transmitting a first ratio of first partial data of the data from a base station to a mobile station; transmitting a second ratio of second partial data of the data from the base station to a first relay station; and forwarding the second partial data from the first relay station to the mobile station, wherein the first ratio or the second ratio is determined based on any one of a channel capacity of a first link between the base station and the mobile station, and a channel capacity of a second link between the first relay station and the mobile station.
US08150406B1
A system and method for anticipating wireless signal loss and providing location based services in view of the anticipated wireless signal loss is disclosed.
US08150395B2
A method of communicating data in a wireless communication system is disclosed. More specifically, a method discloses transmitting a request by a mobile subscriber station (MSS) to a network entity via a de-registration request message requesting the network entity to retain a preferred session information, and receiving a selected session information via a de-registration command response from the network entity.
US08150392B1
A private wireless network is able to provide wireless telecommunication services to subscriber mobile stations that also subscribe to a public wireless network. The private wireless network includes a private base transceiver station (BTS), a private mobile switching center (MSC), and a gateway service control point (SCP). The private BTS provides a private network wireless coverage area within which the mobile station can communicate with the base transceiver station over an air interface. The gateway SCP has a private network database containing private network data records for subscribing mobile stations. A private network data record includes a private network service profile and a private network locator address. The public wireless network has a home location register (HLR) with a public network database containing public network data records for subscribing mobile stations. A public network data record includes a public network service profile and a public network locator address. When a subscriber mobile station is active on the private wireless network, the private network locator address identifies the private MSC, and the public network locator address identifies the gateway SCP. By providing the private network wireless coverage area so that it overlaps the public network's wireless coverage area, the subscriber mobile station may be handed off between the private and public wireless networks.
US08150389B2
A portable communication terminal device includes a section for detecting a call from a calling party; a section for obtaining position data for a present position of the portable communication terminal device; a section for storing data of a plurality of areas and a plurality of messages to the calling party, which respectively correspond to the areas; and a section for performing a determination when the call is detected. In the determination, it is determined whether the present position based on the position data belongs to one of the plurality of the areas stored in advance. The terminal also includes a section for performing message transmission when it is determined that the present position belongs to one of the plurality of the areas. In the message transmission, one of the plurality of the messages is transmitted, which corresponds to the one of the plurality of the areas.
US08150386B2
A Call-To-Action Lockout on a mobile device coupled to a data network is disclosed as a method and apparatus comprising providing a media application configured to respond to a control point associated with media content, providing media content which has at least one associated control point, triggering at least one control point while experiencing the media content; and performing an appropriate Call To Action Script (CTAS) in response to the triggered control point.
US08150368B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing a usage monitoring telephony service. A service-providing network, which has the capability of monitoring attributes, including duration, for calls that traverse it, provides usage-monitoring services for calls directed to a telephony device on a native transport network. The native transport network is a network that naturally carries a subscriber's calls but does not have the capabilities required to provide usage monitoring. The system uses a virtual number to map a service in the service-provider network with a device in the native transport network. The usage monitoring services capture usage-monitoring data for multiple telephone numbers in multiple native transport networks.
US08150367B1
A system and method is provided that allows a client device to determine its position based on the location of signals detected by the device. The signals' locations may be obtained from a server, and some of the information may be pre-fetched and sent to the client device before the client device detect the signals. The pre-fetched data may also be encrypted so that a client device cannot determine the location of a signal unless it is proximate to the signal.
US08150366B2
A mobile terminal UE according to the present invention performs, in an IP network, a normal communication between the mobile terminal and a normal communication terminal via a first call control apparatus S-CSCF#1, and an emergency-communication between the mobile terminal and an emergency-communication terminal via a second call control apparatus S-CSCF#2, including an emergency-communication session establishment processing unit 14 configured to perform an emergency-communication session establishment process between the mobile terminal UE and the emergency-communication terminal, without performing an emergency-communication location registration process for the mobile terminal in the second call control apparatus S-CSCF#2, when a normal-communication location registration process for the mobile terminal is completed in the first call control apparatus S-CSCF#1.
US08150365B2
A base station (BS), a subordinate station (SS) and emergency information transmission methods thereof are provided. The SS is in a power-saving state. The BS shall allocate an emergency alert indicator and emergency information in a transmission channel. The SS in the power-saving state receives the emergency information according to the emergency alert indicator and proceeds with a handshake protocol with the BS to establish an emergency service flow between the BS and the SS.
US08150364B2
A switched emergency call (e.g., a 911 call, an alarm company call) forwarded by a telematics call center is converted into a session initiation protocol (SIP) packetized phone call at the call center, and routed over an IP network, for presentation to an emergency services gateway, which connects to a selective router via dedicated circuits, gaining full access to the Enhanced 911 network. This provides a PSAP receiving a call from a telematics call center or other call center with all features available in an Enhanced 911 network, e.g., callback number of the 911 caller, and location of the 911 caller. Location of the caller is provided using a VoIP positioning center (VPC), queried from the call center. In this way, the switched emergency call is converted into a SIP packetized phone call and routed without further passage through the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
US08150363B2
An emergency call (e.g., a 911 call, an alarm company call) forwarded by a telematics call center is routed over the switched PSTN to a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call server, where the switched call is converted to a session initiating protocol (SIP) packetized IP call for presentation to an emergency services gateway, which reconverts the call to TDM and connects to a selective router via dedicated circuits, gaining full access to the Enhanced 911 network. This provides a PSAP receiving a call from a telematics call center or other call center with all features available in an Enhanced 911 network, e.g., callback number of the 911 caller, and location of the 911 caller. Location of the caller is provided using a VoIP positioning center (VPC).
US08150361B2
In one aspect this invention provides a radio frequency receiver for coupling to an antenna. The receiver includes a downconversion mixer, an amplifier having an input coupled to the antenna and an output coupled to a first input of the mixer for providing a received frequency signal to the mixer and a voltage controlled oscillator having an output coupled to a second input of the mixer for providing a mixing frequency signal to the mixer. In the preferred embodiments the components of the amplifier and the voltage controlled oscillator are arranged to exhibit a substantially identical resonant circuit topology and are implemented in the same integrated circuit. In the preferred embodiments the amplifier and the voltage controlled oscillator each include calibration circuitry coupled to a calibration signal for compensating for integrated circuit component value variations, and where a calibration signal used for the voltage controlled oscillator is used as well for the amplifier.
US08150339B2
Switchable voltage level supplies for circuitry in a multi-mode communications chipset are disclosed. In an embodiment, a first voltage level is supplied to TX circuitry operating in a first mode having a first set of linearity and/or noise requirements. A second voltage level lower than the first voltage level is supplied to TX circuitry operating in a second mode having a second set of linearity and/or noise requirements looser than the first set of requirements. The first mode may be operation according to the GSM standard, and the second mode may be operation according to the W-CDMA standard.
US08150335B2
A Cartesian transmitter and a method of linearizing a Cartesian transmitter. In one embodiment, the transmitter includes: (1) a transmit chain configured to receive an input signal having in-phase and quadrature components and having a predistorter configured to employ at least one compensation lookup table to carry out in-phase and quadrature compensation predistortion with respect to the input signal, a combiner configured to combine outputs of the predistorter and a nonlinear element configured to process an output of the combiner, (2) a receiver coupled to the transmit chain and (3) predistortion compensation circuitry associated with the receiver and configured to update the at least one compensation lookup table based on the input signal and a signal from the receiver.
US08150323B2
A mobile communication terminal and a voice input/output method for inputting/outputting voice during playback of music data by using a Bluetooth communication scheme are disclosed. The method includes connecting to a headset via a simplex channel according to the Bluetooth communication scheme when music data is played; determining if a call has been connected; terminating current connection to the headset via the simplex channel and connecting to the headset via a duplex channel according to the Bluetooth communication scheme while maintaining the playback of music data when the call has been connected; mixing decoded music data with data obtained by decoding incoming voice data received from the communication partner as a result of a call connection; and outputting the mixed data to the headset via a transmission channel of the duplex channel and receiving originating voice data of the user from the headset via a reception channel of the duplex channel.
US08150317B2
A method for managing mobility of an AT in a mobile communication system using Mobile IPv4. The AAA and the AT generate a first key for mutual authentication between the AT and a HA, and the AAA and the AG generate a second key for mutual authentication between the AG and the HA. The AG generates a third key for mutual authentication between the AG and the AT. The AT acquires a CoA that it will use in a foreign network. The AT sends an RRQ message to the AG. The AG verifies the RRQ message received from the AT, using a third authentication key. The AG then sends to the HA an RRQ message. The HA verifies the AT and the AG, and allocates an HoA of the AT. The HA sends an RRP message including the allocated HoA of the AT in response to the RRQ message.
US08150311B2
The present application relates to a wireless communication system and related methods and apparatuses for transmitting a signal from a source apparatus to a destination apparatus, via at least one intermediate apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to techniques which seek to improve the throughput of data in multi-hop communication systems.
US08150310B2
It is difficult that a providing apparatus which provides communication parameters is decided by a receiving apparatus which receives the communication parameters from the providing apparatus. Based on a discrimination condition, a first communicating apparatus selects whether the communicating apparatus operates as a relay apparatus in a communication parameter setting protocol between the providing apparatus and the receiving apparatus or operates as a proxy apparatus which executes the communication parameter setting protocol as a proxy of the providing apparatus between the providing apparatus and the receiving apparatus.
US08150304B2
A fixing device includes a fixing belt for fixing an unfixed toner image onto a recording medium, a planar heating member for heating the fixing belt, and a pressure roller. The heating member includes a ceramic heat generating element having a PTC characteristic, and a high-thermal-conductive heat diffusion member. The fixing belt is formed in an endless shape and is supported around, at least, the high-thermal-conductive heat diffusion member, thereby to be heated. The ceramic heat generating element comes into contact with the fixing belt over the full width thereof with the high-thermal-conductive heat diffusion member interposed therebetween. The high-thermal-conductive heat diffusion member comes into contact with the fixing belt over the full width thereof and diffuses heat generated by the heat generating element, in the traveling direction of the fixing belt.
US08150293B2
An image forming apparatus has a tray, which is able to be drawn out of the apparatus and on which a plurality of cartridges of different sizes can be mounted. A cartridge, being the largest in size among a plurality of process cartridges, is detachably arranged at a location at which it is first exposed to outside when a cartridge tray is drawn out. A developer storage portion of the largest cartridge has the largest capacity and stores a developer of a black color.
US08150292B2
A developing unit includes a unit main body having an internal space defined by a predetermined frame and capable of supplying a developer to the outside while agitating the developer within the internal space, a unit-side cooling duct attached to the unit main body, and a duct connecting member connecting the unit-side cooling duct and an external duct which supplies a cooling gas to the unit-side cooling duct from outside the unit main body. The unit-side cooling duct is structured by a duct piece and a part of the predetermined frame. The duct piece is detachably attached to the unit main body in opposed relation to the part of the predetermined frame, and has an end that is fitted to the duct connecting member.
US08150285B2
A toner supplier apparatus 1 is provided for stabilizing the concentration of toner reserved in a main tank. A concentration sensor for measuring the concentration of the toner is provided in a toner-feeding pipeway for supplying liquid toner from a main tank for adjusting the concentration to the developer apparatus. High concentration toner and diluent supplied to the main tank are controlled based on the concentration measured by the concentration sensor. Accordingly, accuracy of the toner supplier apparatus used for an electronic photograph printer in measuring the concentration of the toner can be improved, thereby permitting accurate control for the concentration in a printed image.
US08150282B2
An apparatus includes an irradiation unit configured to irradiate a light onto a toner image, a detection unit configured to detect reflected light from the toner image, and a deriving unit configured to derive a toner adhesion amount of the toner image, based on detection result by the detection unit in measurement range of integer multiple of screen pitch of the toner image.
US08150273B2
An optical receiver includes an optical detector having an input that is positioned to detect an optical data signal. The optical detector generates a voltage at an output that is proportional to an optical intensity of the optical data signal. A differential amplifier includes a data input that is electrically connected to the output of the optical detector and a decision threshold voltage signal input. The differential amplifier generates a data signal at a data output and an inverse data signal at a data_bar output. A decision threshold voltage signal generator includes an output that is coupled to the decision threshold voltage signal input of the differential amplifier. The decision threshold voltage signal generator generates a decision threshold voltage signal having an amplitude that causes the differential amplifier to maintain a substantially constant differential voltage between the data signal and the inverse data signal generated.
US08150264B2
A method for providing multi-wavelength switching. The method comprising receiving a plurality of signals through at least one input port, and separating the plurality of said signals into at least one wavelength signal set based on wavelengths, wherein a first wavelength signal set of said at least one wavelength signal sets corresponds to a first wavelength. The method further comprises providing a plurality of output lanes to at least one output port, and determining if two signals from said first wavelength signal set traveling on said first wavelength are scheduled output from an output port during an overlapping time period through said plurality of output lanes. The method further comprises determining if one of said plurality of output lanes is available during said overlapping time period when said two signals are schedule for said output port during the overlapping time period, wherein a first signal of said two signals is routed for output on an available lane if one of said plurality of output lanes of said output port is available.
US08150249B2
A method for detecting horizontal orientation of the picture in a camera device, and the method includes the following steps. A plurality of orientation changes are detected in the camera device and converted to voltage signals by a gravity sensor module. The voltage signals are received by a data processing module and value of the angle in which the camera device deviated from a defined horizontal orientation is calculated. The value of the angle in which the camera device deviated from the defined horizontal orientation is received by an output module. The output module indicates how to adjust the camera device to the defined horizontal orientation.
US08150246B1
A tankless water heating assembly that heats water on a continuous basis as it passes from a conventional water source and through a heating system. It basically includes a housing assembly, a plumbing assembly, a heating system, and an electrical system. The tankless water heater assembly heats water in a real time basis, as is being used, resulting in an efficient method of hot water utilization. The heating system comprises heating elements that are submerged within water as the water passes continuously through the heating units to prevent heating unit burnout, and the electrical system has means to properly measure water temperature as it is flowing within the heating system.
US08150245B2
An electric shower water heater unit for connection to a water supply and a mains electricity supply comprises a housing having a shower water outlet to which a shower hose is connectable; an electric water heater housed in the housing and fluidly connectable to a water supply outlet of the water supply and electrically connectable to the mains electricity supply, the electric water heater supplying water to the shower water outlet of the housing; a user-operable controller (20) for controlling a temperature and a flow rate of water supplied to the shower water outlet of the housing, and a control circuit which is housed in the housing and which controls the electric water heater based on inputs received from the user-operable controller (20). The user-operable controller includes a touch-pressure sensitive element (40, 49) for pressing by a user and which is in communication with the control circuit. The control circuit only controls the electric water heater when a pressure imparted by a user pressing the touch-pressure sensitive element (40, 49) is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.
US08150238B2
A pair of main-view and sub-view video streams and a graphics stream are recorded on a BD-ROM disc. Metadata is provided in each GOP in the sub-view video stream. The metadata includes offset information. The offset information specifies offset control for a plurality of pictures constituting a GOP. Offset control is to provide a left offset and right offset for the horizontal coordinates in a graphics plane to generate a pair of graphics planes, and to combine them separately with main-view and sub-view video planes. The sub-view video stream is packetized and multiplexed in a transport stream. A header of each TS packet includes a TS priority flag. TS packets containing the metadata have a different value of TS priority flag from TS packets containing sub-view pictures.
US08150233B2
According to one embodiment, in an apparatus according to the present invention, an event detection module detects a section in which a specific feature is produced from video images. An event time information storage module stores therein a start time, and an end time of the detected event section, obtains an analysis time between the start time and the end time, and stores therein the obtained analysis time. A plural event section specification module specifies event sections adjacent to each other as event sections in a group, when an interval between two analysis times adjacent to each other satisfies a predetermined condition. And a video image type distinction module distinguishes first and second types of video image, the first type being sections in the group and the second type being other sections.
US08150230B2
A high-voltage bushing has a conductor and a core surrounding the conductor, wherein the core comprises a sheet-like spacer, which spacer is impregnated with an electrically insulating matrix material. The spacer is wound in spiral form around an axis, the axis being defined through the shape of the conductor. Thus, a multitude of neighboring layers is formed. The core further comprises equalization elements in appropriate radial distances to the axis. The equalization elements comprise electrically conductive layers, which layers have openings, through which openings the matrix material can penetrate, and in that the equalization elements are applied to the core separately from the spacer. The electrically conductive layers can be net-shaped, grid-shaped, meshed or perforated. The openings are fillable with the matrix material, e.g., a particle-filled resin can be used.
US08150227B2
Composite fiber optic cables having exposed, conductive traces external to the cable jacket enable non-invasive, wireless electrical tone tracing of fiber optic cables. The cross sectional geometry of the fiber optic cable prevents conductive traces from short circuiting when abutting other cables or grounded conductive elements. Moreover, the structure allows convenient electrical contact to the conductive traces at any location along the longitudinal extent of the cable without requiring penetration of the cable jacket or removal of fiber optic connectors. Traceable fiber optic cables of various types are disclosed, including simplex, duplex and ribbon cables. Systems of traceable cables utilizing connectors with integrated electrical antenna elements attached to the conductive elements of cable and RFID tags for remote connector port identification are further disclosed.
US08150224B2
A spot-size converter is equipped with a substrate, a clad that is formed on the substrate, a core that is embedded inside the clad, and an input/output end face. The core is tapered toward the input/output end face along a light propagation direction. In the clad, groove portions that expose a substrate face are formed extending as far as the input/output end face and on both sides of the core along the light propagation direction.
US08150220B2
A main path in an optical waveguide with a light-emitting element has two sides faced to each other: one side has a plurality of branched points and the other side does not have any branched points. A width W of the main path becomes narrower as the main path moves away from a light-emitting element. An angle α formed by the main path and a light guiding direction in each branched point of each branched path is 0.1° to 2.0°. An angle θ formed by the other side without branched points and the light guiding direction of the main path is 0.3° to 1.7°.
US08150217B2
An image processing apparatus, comprising: a master image acquisition part for acquiring a master image that is the multiple viewpoint image data taken from two or more viewpoints; a recording part capable of recording the image data; a recording control part for recording the master image acquired by the master image acquisition part in the recording part; and an edit part for editing the master image recorded in the recording part according to a desired edit content; wherein the recording control part records an edited image that is the image edited by the edit part distinguishably from the master image in the recording part, and records the edit history information indicating the edit content made by the edit part associated with the master image in the recording part.
US08150216B2
The present invention is an automated and extensible system for the analysis and retrieval of images based on region-of-interest (ROI) analysis of one or more true objects depicted by an image. The system uses a ROI database that is a relational or analytical database containing searchable vectors that represent the images stored in a repository. Entries in the ROI database are created by an image locator and ROI classifier that work in tandem to locate images within the repository and extract the relevant information. The ROI classifier analyzes objects in an image to arrive at the actual features of the true object, instead of merely describing the features of the image of that object. Graphical searches are performed by the collaborative workings of an image retrieval module, and an image search requestor that translates user or agent search requests into a language understood by an ROI query module.
US08150212B2
Described is a system for automatic digital photo orientation detection. We leverage online public photos with great content variation to extract effective features with layout information. Classification proceeds using an approximate nearest neighbors approach which scales well to massive training sets, hardly compromising efficiency. We have tested the method successfully on the largest data set to date of nearly 30,000 Flickr photos as well as both difficult and typical consumer usage scenarios. Though limited data are available for comparison across different systems, the proposed system significantly outperforms a state of the art system on a common data set.
US08150211B2
An image feature within image data may be identified and located from the maximum values in a Hough voting table. The Hough voting table may be generated by converting edge pixels identified with an image data into an array. The array may be read in row order with theta on the outside loop and rho on the inside loop. In some embodiments, the storage requirements for the Hough voting table may be reduced.
US08150208B2
A digital still camera includes a CCD image sensor for photographing an object image by photoelectric conversion, to obtain image data. A face detector determines a face feature value of a human face at an object image by image recognition according to the image data, and detects the face. A stability checker monitors the face feature value, and outputs stable result information when the face feature value is within a prescribed range consecutively for time of a predetermined length or consecutively for a predetermined number of times. A controller automatically starts image pickup of the CCD image sensor when the stable result information is output by the first stability checker.
US08150206B2
To characterize film grain, a Film Grain Characterizer (23) receives an incoming information stream (12) and a filtered information stream (24) from which the film grain has been removed. From these streams, the Film Grain Characterizer (23) outputs a message that contains an identity of a model for simulating grain, as well at least one of a set of several parameters, including correlation parameters, intensity-independent parameters and intensity-dependent parameters used by the identified model. An encoder (26, 13) encodes the film grain information for subsequent transmission.
US08150205B2
An image processing apparatus comprises a first and a second eyes-and-mouth detecting units, a first and a second skin model generating units, an inside-of-mouth model generating unit, an eyeball model generating unit, a first and a second deformation parameter generating units, and an output unit. The first and second eyes-and-mouth detecting units detect eye boundaries and a mouth boundary from a first and a second face images, respectively. The first and second skin model generating units generate a first and a second skin models, respectively. The inside-of-mouth model generating unit and the eyeball model generating unit generate an inside-of-mouth model and an eyeball model, respectively. The first and second deformation parameter generating units generate a first and a second deformation parameters, respectively. The output unit output the first and second skin models, the first and second deformation parameters, the inside-of-mouth model, and the eyeball model as animation data.
US08150198B2
An image processing apparatus receives n-bit image data, carries out an α-bit bit extension, and outputs (n+α)-bit image data, where n and α are positive integers. The apparatus also performs an epsilon filtering operation that uses the additional gray levels provided by the bit extension to smooth out false edges caused by the bit extension without smoothing out real edges. The output image preserves both the smoothness of regions of gradual change and the sharpness of abrupt changes in the input image.
US08150195B2
Multi-field taps are defined based on a decimated field. The multi-field taps are used to generate correlation matrices, the elements of which are used to generate covariance matrices. A principal component space is obtained by projecting the correlation matrix elements on to eigenvectors. The principal component space is partitioned into classes and a least square filter set is generated for each class.
US08150193B2
An erosion image is generated from an original digital image utilizing a processing image (b) and a target image (T), where each pixel in the target image is processed in parallel. The process entails, for each target pixel, i) determining coordinate values for the target pixel, ii) determining a surrounding pixel area for the target pixel, iii) and processing each pixel in the surrounding pixel area to determine whether or not to updated the value of the target pixel. In processing each surrounding pixel, a determination is made whether the pixel has a value of 1. If not, then the next surrounding pixel is processed. If so, then a determination is made which pixel element of a structuring element overlays the target pixel, and whether that SE pixel has a value of 1. If so, then the value of the target pixel is updated. If not, then the next pixel in the surrounding pixel area is processed. Once the target pixel has been updated a set number of times to a predetermined value (e.g., 2), the processing of the remaining surrounding pixels is terminated. After all target pixels have been processed, an output image is obtained by setting target pixels having a value of 2 to a binary value of 1, and setting the other pixels to a binary value of 0. The resultant output image is an erosion image that is then output.
US08150183B2
A method, system, and apparatus are directed towards computing minimum mean squared error (MMSE) predictive-transform (PT) source coding integrated with subband compression to further improve the performance of low bit rate MMSE PT source coders. A desirable byproduct of the advanced scheme is that the incorporation of joint optimum prediction and transformation from subband to subband is ideally suited to its integration with JPEG2000 to yield even higher compression levels while producing an outstanding objective as well as subjective visual performance.
US08150175B2
Certain embodiments provide systems and methods for adaptive compression, transmission, and display of clinical images. Certain embodiments provide a method for adaptive compression of image data for transmission and display at a client workstation. The method includes identifying one or more images for display, the one or more images including a plurality of image slices. The method also includes determining a compression scheme for the one or more images based on at least one of bandwidth, processing power, and diagnostic modality. The method further includes transferring the one or more images for display at the client workstation. The method additionally includes adapting the compression scheme based on resource availability.
US08150173B2
In an image coding apparatus, a ROI setting unit sets a ROI region in an image. An entropy coding unit entropy-codes the image. A ROI information coding unit encodes information for specifying the ROI region. A codestream generator generates a codestream in a manner that the coded image and the coded information are explicitly included in the codestream. When a plurality of ROI regions are set in the image, the information may include a degree of priority.
US08150172B2
A method and system for coding mode selection using estimated coding costs. To provide high compression efficiency, for example, an encoding device may attempt to select a coding mode for coding blocks of pixels that codes the data of the blocks with high efficiency. To this end, the encoding device may perform coding mode selection based on estimates of coding cost for at least a portion of the possible modes. The encoding device may estimate the coding cost for the different modes without actually coding the blocks. In fact, in some aspects, the encoding module device may estimate the coding cost for the modes without quantizing the data of the block for each mode. In this manner, the coding cost estimation techniques may reduce the amount of computationally intensive calculations needed to perform effective mode selection.
US08150168B2
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus extracts face images of persons from video content data and outputs timestamp information indicating time points at which each extracted face image appears in the video content data, and displays face images in each column of a plurality of face image display areas arranged in a matrix based on the time stamp information. The apparatus detects presence or absence of a face area in each frame consisting of the video content data and decides a cutout range of the detected face area. And, the apparatus adjusts a case in which the cutout range of the decided face area protrudes outside the frame.
US08150166B2
Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and devices for detection of text in an image using an initial text classification result and a verification process.
US08150162B2
The present invention provides a 3D handwriting recognition system that allows users to freely write words or characters in a 3D space in a touchless manner, without requiring any physical medium such as a pad or a tablet. The users' handwriting input in a 3D space will be tracked by an input device of the system that generates corresponding 3D motion data and wirelessly transfers the 3D motion data to a recognition device of the system. The 3D motion data will be converted and then mapped onto a 2D plane to generate corresponding 2D images for handwriting recognition. In this way, the users' inputting will never be limited to any screen, pad or plane, and the users will have more flexibility and enjoyable writing experience.
US08150155B2
The disclosure is directed to techniques for automatic segmentation of a region-of-interest (ROI) video object from a video sequence. ROI object segmentation enables selected ROI or “foreground” objects of a video sequence that may be of interest to a viewer to be extracted from non-ROI or “background” areas of the video sequence. Examples of a ROI object are a human face or a head and shoulder area of a human body. The disclosed techniques include a hybrid technique that combines ROI feature detection, region segmentation, and background subtraction. In this way, the disclosed techniques may provide accurate foreground object generation and low-complexity extraction of the foreground object from the video sequence. A ROI object segmentation system may implement the techniques described herein. In addition, ROI object segmentation may be useful in a wide range of multimedia applications that utilize video sequences, such as video telephony applications and video surveillance applications.
US08150150B2
A method and system of extracting a perceptual feature set for image/video segmentation are disclosed. An input image is converted to obtain a hue component and a saturation component, where the hue component is quantized into a number of quantum values. After weighting the quantized hue component with the saturation component, the weighted quantized hue component and the saturation component are subjected to a statistical operation in order to extract feature vectors. Accordingly, the method and system provide overall segmentation results that are very close to human interpretation.
US08150148B2
Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for detecting a preferred color, which is capable of accurately detecting a preferred-color area with a small amount of computations, and a liquid crystal display device using the same. The method for detecting a preferred color includes comparing a hue value of an input pixel with hue reference values and detecting a first preferred-color pixel, and performing a best linear estimation (BLE) operation with respect to the first preferred-color pixel and detecting a second preferred-color pixel.
US08150126B2
A method and system for scale-based vessel enhancement in x-ray angiography images is disclosed. An input x-ray image is denoised. A lighting field is estimated in the denoised image. Vessels are extracted from the denoised image by dividing the denoised image by the estimated lighting field. Vessels are enhanced in the input x-ray image by linearly combining the extracted vessels with the input x-ray image, resulting in an enhanced image.
US08150122B2
Method for controlling an image data acquisition and/or evaluation procedure in medical examinations
In a method to control the acquisition and/or evaluation procedure of image data in medical examinations, in a previously acquired planning image data set entirely or partially covering a target volume, spatial information of the target volume is determined automatically using a statistical model of the target volume based on data about real anatomy. The acquisition and/or evaluation operation is controlled using the spatial information. A statistical model of at least one greyscale value distribution in the region of the surface of the target volume is used to calculate the location information.
US08150115B2
A chemistry strip reader and method for analyzing chemistry strips. A conveyor moves chemical strips through different imaging positions at discrete points in time across the field of view of a camera, which captures images of each chemistry strip at different discrete times. A processor determines reflectance values for each of the chemical strips from the captured images at the discrete points in time. Calibration targets adjacent the chemistry strips can be used to adjust the determined reflectance values. The light source can sequentially illuminate each chemistry strip with three different wavelengths of light, where the processor calculates a concentration determination associated with the chemistry strip by calculating different chromaticity coordinates for the different wavelengths of light, and comparing them to known chromaticity coordinates for known analyte concentrations.
US08150107B2
A portable reading machine that operates in several modes and performs image preprocessing to prior to optical character recognition. The portable reading machine receives a low resolution image and a high resolution image of a scene and processing the low resolution image to recognize a user-initiated gesture using a gesturing item that indicates a command from the user to the reading machine and the high resolution image to recognize text in the image of the scene, according to the command from the user to the machine.
US08150105B2
A three-dimensional profile of at least a portion of an object, such as a vehicle, is generated using image data corresponding to the object. The image data can be acquired as the object passes an inspection location and can be enhanced using emitted electromagnetic radiation or the like. The three-dimensional profile is analyzed to identify any anomalies that are associated with the object. The analysis can include comparing the three-dimensional profile to a standard three-dimensional profile corresponding to a type of the object. Further, the analysis can include comparing the three-dimensional profile to a previously acquired three-dimensional profile for the object. The three-dimensional profile can be generated using visible light-based image data, and one or more additional profiles based on non-visible data also can be generated and analyzed.
US08150102B2
System and method for interacting with a media device using faces and palms of video display viewers
Systems and method which allow for user interaction with and control of televisions and other media device are disclosed. A television set is provided with a face and/or palm detection device configured to identify faces and/or palms and map them into coordinates. The mapped coordinates may be translated into data inputs which may be used to interact with applications related to the television. In some embodiments, multiple faces and/or palms may be detected and inputs may be received from each of them. The inputs received by mapping the coordinates may include inputs for interactive television programs in which viewers are asked to vote or rank some aspect of the program.
US08150078B2
An electret condenser microphone is provided that can reduce parasitic capacitance and realize enhanced sensitivity. The electret condenser microphone includes a capacitor section including a fixed electrode having an electret member and a diaphragm electrode, a casing section housing the capacitor section, a circuit board including a converter circuit 4 for converting variations of capacitance of the capacitor section caused by vibrations of the diaphragm electrode to electric signals for output, and conducting elements for making the capacitor conductive with the circuit board, in which the casing section has a shape as viewed from top different from a shape of the capacitor as viewed from top to provide different distances between outer sides of the capacitor section and the casing section circumferentially of the capacitor section as viewed from top.
US08150073B2
A semiconductor circuit including an input terminal, an impedance converting portion configured to receive an input signal from the input terminal and to output an output signal corresponding to the input signal, an input impedance of the semiconductor circuit being higher than an output impedance of the semiconductor circuit, a detecting portion connected to a node between the input terminal and the impedance converting portion, and configured to detect whether the input signal is higher than a predetermined threshold, and a variable impedance connected to a reference voltage and the node, an impedance of the variable impedance configured to decrease after the input signal is detected as higher than the predetermined threshold.
US08150072B2
A vibration generator for a portable electronic device includes a speaker driver and a counterweight retained by a housing to form a closed assembly. When a communications transmission is received by the electronic device, an input force signal is transmitted to the speaker driver to apply a force at a frequency substantially below its resonance frequency. Air sealed within the vibration generator between the speaker driver and the counterweight transmits the force signal inputted to the speaker driver to the counterweight with minimal dissipation, thereby causing the counterweight to vibrate at substantially the same frequency as that of the input force signal. The vibrations of the counterweight alert a user that a communications transmission is being received.
US08150058B2
An audio host device has an electrical interface having a speaker contact, a microphone contact, and a reference contact. The reference contact is shared by a microphone and a speaker. The reference contact is also directly coupled to a power return plane of the audio host device. A difference amplifier is provided, having a cold input and a hot input. The hot input is coupled to the microphone contact. A switched attenuator circuit is also provided that has first and second states. In the first state, the attenuator circuit couples a sense point of the reference contact to the cold input, while in the second state the cold input is isolated from the reference sense point. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08150055B2
An active noise control system includes a filter coefficient updating unit including an imaginary term estimator. The imaginary term estimator estimates an imaginary term Ie from a real term Re of an error signal e supplied from a microphone. The filter coefficient updating unit updates a filter coefficient W of an adaptive filter based on the imaginary term Ie, the real term Re, and a corrective signal supplied from a reference signal corrector. The filter coefficient updating unit updates the filter coefficient W successively in respective sampling periods.
US08150049B2
The present invention relates to a digital hearing aid, which models the structures of external ear canals, sizes and shape characteristics of which differ between respective persons, obtains resonance gains generated due to the structural characteristics of the external ear canals, and performs digitization and signal processing to allow the resonance gains to be used as the gain factors of the digital hearing aid, and thus applies the gain factors to digital signal processing units. Further, the present invention proposes a gain obtainment unit capable of taking both resonance gains, generated due to the structural characteristics, and gains, obtained through a hearing test, into account, thus reducing the time required for gain fitting and possible errors, and optimizing the performance of the digital hearing aid for each individual.
US08150047B2
An automated process for equalizing an audio system and an apparatus for implementing the process. An audio system includes a microphone unit, for receiving the sound waves radiated from a plurality of speakers, acoustic measuring circuitry, for calculating frequency response measurements; a memory, for storing characteristic data of the loudspeaker units and further for storing the frequency response measurements; and equalization calculation circuitry, for calculating an equalization pattern responsive to the digital data and responsive to the characteristic data of the plurality of loudspeaker units. Also described is an automated equalizing system including a acoustic measuring circuitry including a microphone for measuring frequency response at a plurality of locations; a memory, for storing the frequency responses at the plurality of locations; and equalization calculation circuitry, for calculating, from the frequency responses, an optimized equalization pattern.
US08150043B2
Methods of acoustic dose monitoring and acoustic dose systems are provided. An acoustic dose system includes a first device configured to measure sound pressure levels directed to an ear drum and a second device configured to convert the sound pressure levels into a sound pressure level dose. The second device sends a notification signal to a third device if the sound pressure level dose is larger than a threshold value.
US08150039B2
A method and apparatus for securely booting software components in an electronic device to establish an operating environment are described herein. According to an aspect of the invention, software components are to be executed in sequence in order to establish an operating environment of a device. For each software component, a security code is executed to authenticate and verify an executable code image associated with each software component using one or more keys embedded within a secure ROM (read-only memory) of the device and one or more hardware configuration settings of the device. The security code for each software component includes a common functionality to authenticate and verify the executable code image associated with each software component. In response to successfully authenticating and verifying the executable code image, the executable code image is then executed in a main memory of the device to launch the associated software component.
US08150036B2
A base encryption method may be applied to plain data to form base encrypted data. An installation encryption method may be applied to the base encryption data to provide encrypted installation data. During installation, the encrypted installation data are encrypted to form encrypted storage data for storage on a storage medium such as a hard drive. Preferably, the data are not fully decrypted at any stage of the installation process. The host CPU may be minimally involved (or not involved) in the encryption/decryption process. Some embodiments provide a logic seal (a/k/a a “tell-tale circuit”) that monitors access to a machine. In some such implementations, an encryption/decryption key may be stored in the logic seal. When the logic seal is broken, countermeasures may be taken, e.g., at least some data may be deleted. For example, one or more cryptographic keys may be erased.
US08150025B2
A subscriber associates a ring-tone media selection based on a media genre, author, or title to a calling number. When an incoming call is detected, a particular ring-tone media selection, based on the subscriber's association, may be streamed from a central server to the subscriber's customer premises equipment and then played. Alternatively, when an incoming call is detected, a particular ring-tone selection indicator, based on the subscriber's association, may be sent from a central server to the subscriber's customer premises equipment which then plays a pre-stored ring-tone selection media associated with the indicator.
US08150024B1
Methods and systems are disclosed for setting a volume level of ringback media presented to a calling party. The method may include receiving at a ringback server an indication of ambient noise at a client device, using the received indication as a basis to set a volume level of the ringback media, and transmitting the ringback media at the volume level, for receipt by the client device.
US08150015B1
A method for providing a dynamic bridge service is provided. The method comprises provisioning a dynamic bridge service associated with at least a first private number and a second private number. The method also comprises receiving an origination attempt from an electronic device associated with a third private number to establish a call to an electronic device associated with the first private number, requesting the bridge to be opened in response to receiving the origination attempt, and connecting the electronic device associated with the third private number to the bridge. The method also comprises connecting the electronic device associated with the first private number to the bridge, receiving a request to join the bridge from an electronic device associated with the second private number, and connecting the electronic device associated with the second private number to the bridge in response to receiving the request to join the bridge from the electronic device associated with the second private number.
US08150011B2
An apparatus, method, system, and computer program product are provided for producing a geographical mapping of the status, activity, security, work-force, and other information of call centers. The systems and methods may receive call center data and call data, generate a geographical data, and display at least a portion of the geographical data.
US08150002B2
A Voice over IP (VoIP) or Real Time Messaging (RTM) firewall device is claimed that protects VoIP or RTM network traffic by identifying and controlling the delivery of such network traffic that is unsolicited and undesired by the recipient (i.e. VoIP or RTM spam). The system involves applying a unique marking to RTM messages close to a point of message origination and then at a point close to message termination for the intended recipient examining a reputation store for information on the unique marking and using that information in conjunction with a set of policy rules to decide whether to pass, reject, pass on to an RTM store or otherwise filter the RTM message. The unique marking serves to identify a source characteristic of the message such as the message originator, a corporate affiliation for the originator, or a RTM network characteristic of the originator such as a transmission gateway.
US08150000B2
A system and method that notifies a voice mailbox subscriber of the receipt of a message at a voicemail server using instant messaging. A preferred embodiment of the invention includes an enhanced notification server that receives a notification of the message from the voicemail server, queries the availability of an instant messaging client via an instant messaging presence server, and forwards the notification to the instant messaging client via the instant messaging presence server if the instant messaging client is available. In preferred embodiments, provisions are made to forward the message to the subscriber via instant messaging.
US08149992B2
According to one embodiment, there is provided an X-ray tube target. The X-ray tube target has a structure in which a carbon base material is bonded with an Mo base material or Mo alloy base material with a joint layer. The joint layer includes an MoNbTi diffusion phase, an NbTi alloy phase, an Nb-rich phase and a ZrNb alloy phase when the ratios of components in the joint layer are detected by EPMA.
US08149989B2
A device for non-destructive inspection of a conveyor belt made from an elastomeric material has a carrying side for the goods to be conveyed, a running side, and an embedded strength support, whereby the conveyor belt is set in motion. A radiation source emits rays in the direction of the belt surface, which rays are so energy-rich that they pass through the conveyor belt, whereby a process computer evaluates the result of the irradiation test.
US08149984B2
A new nuclear fuel element has been developed to be used in particular in fourth generation gaseous heat exchanger reactors working with a fast neutron flow.With a composite plate structure, the element (1) according to the invention comprises a network of cells (8), more preferably of honeycomb shape, in each of which is placed a nuclear fuel pellet (10). Radial and axial gaps are provided in each cell (8) to compensate for the differential expansion between fissile materials and structural materials inherent in the operation of the plate (1).
US08149983B2
A method is provided for evaluating pellet-cladding interaction (PCI) in a nuclear core having a reactor protection system and a plurality of elongated fuel rods each having fuel surrounded by cladding with a gap therebetween. The method includes: selecting a number of core parameters to be analyzed; evaluating the selected parameters at a plurality of statepoints; generating a model of an operating space of the core based, at least in part, upon the statepoints; selecting a subset or loci of statepoints from the model wherein each of the statepoints of the loci of statepoints, when subjected to a predetermined transient, falls within the operational limits of the reactor protection system; and evaluating the loci of statepoints for PCI in response to the transient. In this manner, the potential for PCI can be accurately determined without requiring every statepoint for every fuel rod in the core to be individually analyzed.
US08149982B2
A tool to slide a channel on a nuclear reactor fuel bundle assembly, the tool includes: a plate having a slot to receive a handle of the fuel bundle and a lower surface that engages an upper edge of the channel; at least one post extends up from the plate, and an arm is attached to a pivot on the post and includes a first end to receive a downward force and a second end adapted to engage the handle of the fuel bundle to apply an upward force to the handle and push down on the channel.
US08149981B2
A method of determining the R-factor for a bundle of nuclear fuel rods in a nuclear light water reactor of the boiling water reactor kind. The R-factor is a factor that accounts for the weighted local power influence on a fuel rod. A local R-factor (Ri(z)) is determined for each fuel rod (i) in said bundle and for each of a plurality of levels (z) in an axial direction. The individual axial heat generation profile for a certain fuel rod (i) is taken into account when determining the local R-factors (Ri(z)) for said fuel rod (i). A processor is configured for automatically determining the R-factor. A computer program product, a method of determining the critical power for a bundle of fuel rods, a nuclear energy plant, and a method of operating a nuclear energy plant are also described.
US08149972B2
A data receiver circuit includes an interface to receive an input signal that includes a data signal and a clock signal superimposed on the data signal. The data signal has an associated symbol rate and an associated symbol period equal to the reciprocal of the associated symbol rate. The clock signal has a frequency N times the associated symbol rate, where N is an integer. A phase-locked loop (PLL) coupled to the interface extracts the clock signal from the input signal to provide an extracted clock signal. A phase interpolator adjusts the phase of the extracted clock signal to provide a phase-adjusted extracted clock signal. A sampling circuit samples the data signal at a sampling point. The sampling circuit is synchronized to the phase-adjusted extracted clock signal.
US08149967B2
An embodiment is a method and apparatus to process an input signal. An analog automatic gain control (AGC) processor controls an analog adjustable gain of the input signal using a feedback mechanism. The analog AGC processor generates a first signal. A processing circuit transforms the first signal into a second signal. A digital AGC processor controls a digital adjustable gain of the second signal using a feed-forward mechanism.
US08149965B2
An packet detection controller accepts an input from an AGC controller which indicates the presence of an increased signal energy and also completion of an AGC process and generates an output to suspend the AGC process. The packet detection controller also receives a plurality of IQ receiver streams and forms a single stream for use by a packet detector, which is controllable by an SNR_MODE indicating whether the signal to noise ratio is above or below a particular threshold, and a PD_RESET signal indicating that no packet detection should occur. The controller also receives a PACKET_DET signal indicating that packet detection is completed. The packet detection controller examines the incoming receiver streams and suspends AGC process if a packet detect is generated, or suspends the packet detector if an AGC process is required.
US08149962B2
Techniques, systems and apparatus are described for estimating a frequency shift. An apparatus for estimating a frequency shift includes a fast Fourier transform unit to transform a signal of a time domain into a frequency domain and output fast Fourier transform symbols. A complex conjugate multiplier is in communication with the fast Fourier transform unit and output a continual pilot correlation between every two of the fast Fourier transform symbols output from the fast Fourier transform unit. A correlation memory unit is in communication with the complex conjugate multiplier to store the continual pilot correlation output from the complex conjugate multiplier. An adder is in communication with the correlation memory unit to add the continual pilot correlations stored in the correlation memory unit and generate an output signal comprising estimated values of the frequency shift.
US08149961B1
System and methods include transmitting the same signal in all sub-bands in different time intervals and processing the corresponding received signals to achieve a time resolution proportional to the inverse of the whole bandwidth as opposed to that of a single sub-band. The systems and methods refine the coarse resolution that is achieved by conventional approaches, such as the correlation method, in a single sub-band by aligning the outputs of the matched filters to the received signals from all sub-bands and applying a fast Fourier Transform (FFT) in each time bin along the sub-band index.
US08149945B2
A space-time code has a codeword matrix. The codeword matrix is a square matrix with dimension equal to the number of the transmit antennas, wherein a row of the codeword matrix represents combined signals transmitted by each transmit antenna and a column of the codeword matrix represents timeslots of the number of the transmit antennas. Signals are transmitted through the rows of the number of spatial multiplexing rate, in each column of the matrix. Further, the symbols of the number of the transmit antennas are combined by way of utilizing complex weights, in each row of the matrix. With this space-time code, a delay is minimized, so that change of channels can be managed efficiently. Also, the space-time code has minimum number of data symbols, and thus its complexity is minimized.
US08149940B2
A digital television (DTV) transmitter and a method of coding data in the DTV transmitter are disclosed. A data formatter generates an enhanced data packet including the enhanced data and a known data sequence. A data randomizer randomizes the enhanced data packet. A RS encoder RS-codes the randomized data packet by adding first parity data, and a data interleaver interleaves the RS-coded data packet. A trellis encoding unit trellis-encodes the interleaved data packet. Herein the trellis encoding unit includes a TCM encoder for generating a first output bit by trellis-encoding a first input bit and generating a second output bit by bypassing the first input bit, and a pre-coder for generating a third output bit by pre-coding a second input bit, wherein memories included in the TCM encoder and the pre-coder are initialized when the known data sequence is inputted to the trellis encoding unit.
US08149939B2
A DTV signal is transmitted that avoids legacy DTV receivers regarding data segments used in other than ordinary 8VSB transmissions being mistaken for (207, 187) R-S FEC codewords that appear to free of byte error or can be corrected to appear so. The DTV signal is analyzed prior to its transmission, for detecting those data segments used in other than ordinary 8VSB transmissions that legacy DTV receivers could mistake for correct (207, 187) R-S FEC codewords or correctable (207, 187) R-S FEC codewords. Twenty bytes of each segment of data that could be so mistaken are modified to prevent such mistake. Complementing certain bits in the final twenty bytes of each segment of data is preferred if data are transmitted at one-half or one-quarter ordinary 8VSB code rate. Segments of control data, each pertaining to a respective future group of said segments of data, are transmitted in a further aspect of the invention for indicating which data segments are modified. These segments of control data can further include information concerning the type of modulation used in each data segment.
US08149938B2
A transmission of information within a wireless cellular network may include a first and second type of information. A subframe is produced that includes a plurality of symbols, wherein at least one symbol is designated as a data symbol and at least one symbol is designated as a reference signal symbol that contains a pre-defined reference signal. The first type of information is embedded in the data symbols. If the second type of data is expected, then the second type of information is embedded in at least one reference symbol by quadrature amplitude modulating the pre-defined reference signal. The subframe is then transmitted from one node in the network to a second node. In some embodiments, if it is determined that the second node is not expecting the second type of information, then a discontinuous transmission (DTX) response is embedded in the reference symbol instead of the second type of information.
US08149931B2
The invention proposes a data transmission process, from a first unit (1) situated at a predetermined depth of an oil well to a second unit (2) situated at the surface of this well, the process comprising a digital-analog conversion stage (8) of the data to obtain an analog signal forming support of the data, and an amplification stage (9) of this signal prior to its emission in a cable (11) connecting the two units, characterized in that at least two distinct scramblings (20, 21) of the data are completed, such that there is a first and a second set of scrambled data. After passage in a single complex inverse Fourier transform, that intended for emission is selected (26), whereof the dynamic in amplitude is the lowest. If the probability of saturating with a single set is 10−q, then due to this process the probability will be 10−2q.
US08149929B2
A receiver and method for receiving and processing a sequence of transmitted symbols in a digital communication system utilizing soft pilot symbols. A set of soft pilot symbols are transmitted with higher reliability than the remaining symbols in the sequence by modulating the soft pilot symbols with a lower order modulation such as BPSK or QPSK while modulating the remaining symbols with a higher order modulation such as 16QAM or 64QAM. The receiver knows the modulation type and location (time/frequency/code) of the soft pilot symbols, and demodulates them first. The receiver uses the demodulated soft pilot symbols as known symbols to estimate parameters of the received radio signal. Unlike traditional fixed pilots, the soft pilots still carry some data. Additionally, the soft pilots are particularly helpful in establishing the amplitude reference essential in demodulating the higher order modulation symbols.
US08149928B2
Some embodiments include a transmitter having a cycle encoding circuit to receive a data input signal and to provide a full cycle encoded signal in response thereto by continuously joining portions of different encoding signals. Some of the encoding signals have a different frequency than others of the encoding signals and some of the encoding signals have a different phase than others of the encoding signals. Data is represented in data time segments of the full cycle encoded signal and no data time segment has more than one cycle of an encoding signal. In some embodiments, a receiver receives the cycle encoded signal and recovers data of the data input signal.
US08149925B2
A novel apparatus and method of differential decoding for use in a communication system such as a cable system. The differential decoding mechanism of the present invention enables the use of the Chase algorithm for Reed Solomon (RS) codes (i.e. non-binary codes). The mechanism is well suited for use in systems employing QAM data modulation/demodulation techniques and that also incorporate use of a differential encoder such as in DOCSIS capable cable modem systems. The differential decoding mechanism is operative to analyze the input to the differential decoder and adjust the decoding action accordingly. The mechanism generates the first and second candidate constellation points needed by the Chase algorithm. Considering the differential encoding, there are four possible constellation candidates. The differential decoder reduces these four possible options to two by eliminating from consideration two of them. Depending on the number of symbols to be improved by the Chase algorithm, this reduction can potentially reduce the number of options significantly.
US08149924B2
A video decoder, encoder, and corresponding methods for processing video signal data for an image block and a particular reference picture index to predict the image block are disclosed that utilize adaptive weighting of reference pictures to enhance video compression, where a decoder includes a reference picture weighting factor unit for determining a weighting factor corresponding to the particular reference picture index; an encoder includes a reference picture weighting factor assignor for assigning a weighting factor corresponding to the particular reference picture index; and a method for decoding includes receiving a reference picture index with the data that corresponds to the image block, determining a weighting factor for each received reference picture index, retrieving a reference picture for each index, motion compensating the retrieved reference picture, and multiplying the motion compensated reference picture by the corresponding weighting factor to form a weighted motion compensated reference picture.
US08149923B2
To provide an image decoding method allowing decoding of a multiview video even when no prefix NAL units are used. The image decoding method includes: parsing NAL units of a base view; decoding an image of the base view; parsing MVC extension parameters of a non-base view; searching whether or not prefix NAL units for a base view are present; either computing MVC extension parameters for the base view when no prefix NAL units are present or parsing the MVC extension parameters of the base view when prefix NAL units for the base view are present; and decoding the non-base view using the MVC extension parameters of the base view and the MVC extension parameters of the non-base view.
US08149922B2
A video unified codec device and corresponding video method. The unified codec device includes parsing and decoding functional units (PD FUs) extracting and grouping context information, control signals, and data in bit streams inputted according to different syntax data per codec, macro-block-based functional units (MB-based FUs) comprising block-based process units of each codec, for decoding data outputted from PD FUs, and a global control unit (GCU) for controlling MB-based FUs grouped after corresponding control signals and context information received from PD FUs to each codec and processing.
US08149911B1
An apparatus including a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate (i) a first series of sequential frames, (ii) a plurality of local motion vectors for each of said frames, (iii) one or more global motion vectors for each of said frames, (iv) a second series of stabilized sequential frames, (v) a plurality of rough motion vectors and (vi) a digital bitstream in response to (i) a video input signal. The second circuit may be configured to store (i) the first series of sequential frames, (ii) the plurality of local motion vectors, (iii) the one or more global motion vectors, (iv) the second series of stabilized sequential frames and (v) the plurality of rough motion vectors.
US08149910B2
An image coding method includes dividing an input picture into a plurality of pixel block signals, performing intra prediction for extrapolating or interpolating a prediction pixel using reference pixels changed in number according to a distance between the prediction pixel and a reference pixel in plural prediction modes each representing a prediction direction, generating a predictive image signal by extrapolating or interpolating the prediction pixel, calculating a prediction error signal from the pixel block signal and the predictive image signal, selecting one prediction mode of the plural prediction modes using the prediction error signal, and performing entropy-coding using the prediction error signal based on the selected prediction mode.
US08149909B1
In some embodiments, macroblock-level encoding parameters are assigned to weighted Linear combinations of corresponding content-category-level encoding parameters. A macroblock quantization parameter (QP) modulation is set to a weighted linear combination of content category QP modulations. Content categories may identify potentially overlapping content types. The combination weights may be similarity measures describing macroblock similarities to content categories. A macroblock may be associated with multiple content categories, with different similarity levels for different content categories. A similarity measure for a given macroblock with respect to a content category may be defined as a number (between 0 and 8) of neighboring macroblocks that meet a similarity condition, provided the macroblock meets a qualification condition. The similarity condition may be computationally simpler than the qualification condition. Content-category-level statistics are generated by combining block-level statistics. Content-category-level statistics may be used in encoding subsequent frames.
US08149878B2
In one embodiment, the method includes receiving audio frame data having at least first and second channel data. The first and second channel data includes a plurality of blocks, where the blocks are classified by a block type. The first and second channel data is provided jointly if the first and second channel data are paired with each other. The method further includes obtaining frame length information indicating a length of the audio frame data, obtaining block information indicating a block type, and lossless decoding the first and second channel data based on the frame length information and the block information.
US08149872B2
An integrated circuit device for use in connecting synchronous optical networks to packet networks and synchronous time division multiplexed subscriber lines and a method of operation of same is disclosed. An embodiment of the invention may include SONET/SDH compatible optical carrier framing, cross connect, and packet mapping functionality. In addition, it may support Ethernet packet network connections and DS1/E1 and DS3/E3 time division multiplexed subscriber circuits, and may include a telecom bus compatible interface for the connection of additional communications devices. An embedded microprocessor core and embedded memory may permit the present invention to support enhanced remote diagnostic, trouble reporting, traffic management, and software update capabilities.
US08149863B1
A method is provided for controlling access to a wireless communications medium. The method includes: sampling RF activity on the medium; autocorrelating samples to produce a first value indicative of autocorrelation computed with a first delay substantially matching periodicity of a signal of interest and to produce a second value indicative of autocorrelation computed with a second delay different from the first delay; monitoring the first value to determine whether the first value is possibly indicative of the signal of interest; monitoring the second value to determine whether the second value is indicative of an interferer signal; and preventing transmission of an RF transmit signal on the medium in response to the first value indicating that activity on the medium includes the signal of interest when the second value indicates that activity on the medium does not include an interferer signal.
US08149862B1
A multi-protocol communication circuit, for example, a serializer-deserializer (SerDes) circuit for communicating between an internal logic circuit and an external link includes a select terminal configured to accept a select signal representing a plurality of mode select signal. A SerDes core is coupled to the select terminal and configured to transmit outbound data conforming with a first communication protocol in response to a first mode select signal and conforming with a second communication protocol in response to a second mode select signal. The SerDes core is also configured to receive inbound data respective to a first communication protocol in response to a first mode select signal and respective to a second communication protocol in response to a second mode select signal. Advantages of the invention include the ability to provide high bandwidth communications between integrated circuits that employ different SerDes protocols.
US08149858B2
A system and method of analyzing a powered device (PD) in a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) system are presented. The system includes an Ethernet interface having a physical layer (PHY) chip capable of providing a signal pulse in addition to physical layer 1 functions. The system further includes a pulse transformer, coupled to the PHY chip, capable of relaying the signal pulse provided by the PHY chip to the PD via the transmit line and a second PHY chip. The first PHY chip receives one or more return pulse signals from the PD, analyzes characteristics such as voltage and/or frequency of the return pulse signal(s), and determines attributes of the PD based on those characteristics. The attributes can include powered device validity and power classification. A method of supplying power to a PD is also presented.
US08149854B2
An embodiment of the present invention is a technique to process a plurality of I/O sequences associated with a storage device. A task context pre-fetch engine pre-fetches a task context from a task context memory based on a pre-fetch request. At least a multi-threaded transmit transport layer (T×TL) processes the plurality of I/O sequences from an I/O pool simultaneously. The multi-threaded T×TL generates the pre-fetch request and one or more frames from the plurality of I/O sequences. A switch fabric and controller routes the frame to a link layer associated with the storage device.
US08149835B2
Provided is an apparatus and method for varying the length of an error check code of a PDU according to the length of a payload in a broadband wireless communication system. A transmitting apparatus includes a first generator and a second generator. The first generator generates a payload of a PDU. The second generator selects the length of an error check code according to the length of the generated payload, generates an error check code according to the selected length, and suffixes the error check code to the payload.
US08149834B1
Packet switch operating methods and packet switches receive a packet from a port and then forward the packet to the port from which the packet was received. The packet switch receives a packet having a first transport identifier from a port, modifies the packet to have a second transport identifier, and forwards the modified packet to the port while retaining a layer-two source address and a layer-two destination address. Other methods and packet switches transmit modified, duplicated packets on a single port. The packet switch receives a packet on a first port and creates at least one duplicate of the packet. The packet switch modifies the packet and the duplicate so that they have different transport identifiers. The packet switch then transmits the modified packets on a single port.
US08149832B2
An MPLS network is operated by pushing a plurality of MPLS shim headers onto a packet at network node. The packet is replicated to obtain a plurality of packets for transmission on a plurality of paths associated with a plurality of nodes, respectively. At least one MPLS shim header is popped from respective ones of the plurality of packets. The one or more MPLS shim headers that are popped correspond to at least one of the plurality of nodes that is not associated with one of the plurality of paths for which one of the plurality of packets comprising the one or more MPLS shim headers is destined for transmission. The plurality of packets is then transmitted on the plurality of paths, respectively.
US08149818B2
A radio transceiver device includes circuitry for radiating electromagnetic signals at a very high radio frequency both through space, as well as through wave guides that are formed within a substrate material. In one embodiment, the substrate comprises a dielectric substrate formed within a board, for example, a printed circuit board. In another embodiment of the invention, the wave guide is formed within a die of an integrated circuit radio transceiver. A plurality of transceivers with different functionality is defined. Substrate transceivers are operable to transmit through the wave guides, while local transceivers are operable to produce very short range wireless transmissions through space. A third and final transceiver is a typical wireless transceiver for communication with remote (non-local to the device) transceivers.
US08149817B2
Systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products are provided for causing a dataframe to be emitted at an air interface of an antenna. A memory stores a transmission to antenna delay value (TAD). An offset calculator calculates an offset value based on an epoch of a global timebase generator and the transmission to antenna delay value (TAD). An interface controller in communication with the offset calculator communicates a segment synchronization signal and a field synchronization signal based on the offset value.
US08149815B2
A communication system for carrying out data communication among a plurality of communication stations is disclosed in which a first communication station for transmitting to other communication stations a Request To Send (RTS) signal for requesting a transmission upon the start of the data transmission; and a plurality of second communication stations transmitting to other communication stations a Clear To Send (CTS) signal for notifying the completion of preparing the reception, wherein the first communication station transmits the RTS signal describing at least each of addresses the second communication stations that are desired to receive the data, and receives a plurality of CTS signals transmitted from each of the second communication stations in order to increase communication capacity.
US08149803B2
An apparatus for a beacon-enabled wireless network, a transmission time determination method, and a tangible machine-readable medium thereof are provided. The apparatus is located within the coverage area of the first equipment. The second equipment is located within the coverage area of the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a receive/transmission module and a decision module. The receive/transmission module is configured to receive the beacon of the first equipment. The decision module is configured to decide information of an upload time slot and a download time slot of the apparatus according to the beacon so that the receive/transmission module can perform data transmission with the first equipment by the upload time slot and perform data transmission with the second equipment by the download time slot. According to the aforementioned allocations, transmission collisions can be avoided and delay of transmission times is decreased.
US08149800B2
When a first communication apparatus issues a request for communication quality securement to a control station in order to select communication using a communication path via a control station or communication using a direct communication path between communication apparatuses, it is determined whether the communication partner of the first communication apparatus is a communication apparatus accommodated in the same control station. The control station selects a communication path on the basis of the determination.
US08149799B2
A method and system for interfacing to a plurality of antennas is provided. The method may comprise scheduling signals within different frequency ranges communicated from different antennas to use different timeslots in a TDM frame, such as a GSM frame. A plurality of antennas may be used, and at least one high frequency antenna may be adapted to operate at frequencies above 700 MHz and at least one low frequency antenna may be adapted to operate at frequencies below 700 MHz. The high frequency antenna may support WCDMA, HDSPA, HSUPA, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and/or DVB communication. The low frequency antenna may support FM or NFC. NFC may be enabled by applying a DC bias voltage to the low frequency antenna. The method may also comprise dynamically tuning the antennas to frequency bands corresponding to particular communication protocols. The dynamic tuning may further comprise compensating the antennas for changes in frequency.
US08149796B2
A wireless local area network that carries mixed traffic of voice and data communications may be provided. The wireless local area network may include an access point and a plurality of remote terminals that are associated with the access point. The access point may be operably coupled to a wireline network. The access point may receive voice and other communications packets from the remote terminals and the wireline network. Some of the packets may be for transmission to the remote terminals. The access point manages which packets to transmit and when to transmit packets. The access point may manage traffic to maintain a fair distribution of packets and to give priority to voice communications over other communications.
US08149793B2
A method of operating a radio network, such as UMTS or cdma2000, which comprises at least one primary station (PS), i.e. and access point or bare station, and a plurality of secondary stations (SSI, SS2, SS3), i.e. mobile stations. The primary station determines the level of interest of the users of the secondary stations in a particular service, such as Multimedia Broadcasting and Multicast Services (MBMS), by allocating a respective plurality of access slots in which the secondary stations can transmit an indication of its interest. The primary station receives the indications of interest to and estimates the level of interest from the number of transmitted indications, for example whether or not they exceed a threshold value. Depending on the result of the estimation process the primary station selects a particular one of at least two transmission modes for transmitting the service. According to said “approximation counting” of users interested in an MBMS service, the primary station selects a certain transmission mode for the implementation of the service (i.e. a point-to-point or a point-to-multipoint basis).
US08149775B2
A transmitting/receiving system and a data processing method of the same are disclosed herein. The receiving system may include a receiving unit, a signaling decoder, and an FIC handler. The receiving unit receives a broadcast signal including mobile service data configuring a data group. Herein, a transmission frame consists of multiple sub-frame, a sub-frame consists of multiple slots, and the data group is allocated to at least one slot. The signaling decoder acquires an FIC segment from the broadcast signal. Herein the FIC segment consists of an 35-byte FIC segment payload including a portion of a signaling information between at least one ensemble and at least one mobile service, and an 2-byte FIC segment header including current/next (C/N) indication information indicating whether data of the FIC segment payload corresponds to information of a current transmission frame or to information of a next transmission frame. The FIC handler recovers at least one of an FIC chunk including signaling information between at least one ensemble and at least one mobile service of the current transmission frame and an FIC chunk including signaling information between at least one ensemble and at least one mobile service of the next transmission frame, from the payload of each FIC segment by using the C/N indication information.
US08149771B2
A system, apparatus, and method for transmitting data in a broadcast mode to multiple devices operating in a network. The invention enables the efficient utilization of bandwidth while providing a desired level of quality of service for the applications executing on the devices that utilize the broadcasted data. The invention utilizes a set of bandwidth constraints in combination with a set of heuristics and rules for the allocation and re-allocation of bandwidth among multiple applications in a manner that minimizes the impact on the quality of service metrics of importance to the affected applications when contention exists for the network resources. The present invention implements processes to cause the quality of service provided to each application to degrade smoothly, with certain priorities and guarantees being maintained. The present invention also provides event segmentation and reassembly functions for applications, and includes reliability mechanisms to increase the ability to provide data to client devices that have not been actively receiving for significant periods of time.
US08149770B2
A method (200) for determining capability of a serving system for anchoring a call using an intelligent network protocol is provided. A communication network (100) includes a plurality of serving systems. Each serving system of the plurality of serving systems is associated with a unique identifier (ID). The method at a communication device (124) includes detecting (204) a movement of the communication device from a first serving system (102) to a second serving system (104) based on the unique ID of the first serving system and the unique ID of the second serving system. Further, the method includes accessing (206) a list that includes a mapping of the unique ID of each serving system with the intelligent network protocol capability of the serving system. Furthermore, the method includes determining (208), based on the list, whether the second serving system supports the intelligent network protocol for anchoring a call.
US08149751B2
A method for transmitting/receiving multimedia contents via a radiocommunication network includes a first step of a first server transmitting an identifier specific to a multimedia content over a dedicated point-to-point transmission channel to all terminals registered with the first server as interested in the content, a second step of the first server transmitting to a second server adapted to provide a broadcast content transmission service a request to broadcast a message including the content in its entirety and its identifier, and a third step of the second server broadcasting the message over a broadcast channel.
US08149743B1
A communication system that is particularly suited to switch a full duplex session to a half duplex session. The system includes a VoIP server that sets up a full duplex session; and a dispatch call controller server that receives a request to switch the full duplex session to a half duplex session; forwards the request to the target subscriber unit; receives an acceptance of the request; and sets up the half duplex session between the subscriber units. In another embodiment, the VoIP server receives the request to switch to the half duplex session; forwards the request to the target subscriber unit; receives an acceptance of the request; and instructs the dispatch call controller to set up the half duplex session. In yet another embodiment, a service broker receives the request, instructs the dispatch call controller to set up the half duplex session, and instructs the VoIP server to terminate the full duplex session. In yet another embodiment, the switch from full-to-half is network-driven instead of user-driven.
US08149740B2
A method and apparatus for enabling an event such as a telecollaboration or conference event in a communication network. The apparatus is tree-structured, and comprises a main site and one or more descendent sites, each site comprising one or more servers. Each site is a parent site, a descendent site, or both. Two sites may be connected via a dedicated or controlled connection. The apparatus further comprises client devices, each client device connecting to one site. The method of the disclosed invention comprises passing information between a client device and a server or between two servers exactly once. The information is propagated by each server to all the components connected to the server, i.e. the parent site if any, descendent sites if any, and client devices if any, excluding the component from which the server received the information.
US08149738B2
A PT (Push-To) service among SIP based session services, and particularly, a method and terminal for establishing a PT session in order to allow a certain user to use a PT box service under control of a PT server in a SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) based service, are discussed. According to an embodiment, the method of providing a Push-To (PT) box service, includes storing, in a PT server, PT box setting information of a terminal; receiving, by the PT server, a session invitation directed to the terminal; and determining, by the PT server, a routing of the session invitation to a PT box for the terminal based on at least the PT box setting information.
US08149734B2
A communication network apparatus and method for routing communication signals from a source device to a receiving device. The apparatus performs only local processing on communication signals to thereby increase the speed of processing the signals. A plurality of the processing nodes are combined into a plurality of sub-networks that comprise the network apparatus. Each processing node of a sub-network need only process address information pertaining to the node's current layer, one layer above it, if any, and one layer below it, if any. Additionally, each processing node has associated communication signal frequencies/wavelengths that identify the processing node as the intended recipient of the communication signal. When a communication signal having a carrier signal with a frequency/wavelength corresponding to the processing node is received, the processing node demodulates the carrier signal and forwards the communication signal data to a processing module used to process address information to determine how to route the communication signal through the network. Communication signals may be assigned “express” frequencies/wavelengths, in which case, all of the processing nodes, except the destination processing node, of the network pass the communication signal without performing processing on the communication signal.
US08149732B1
Systems and methods are provided for efficiently permitting the transmission and receipt of trading messages between message sources configured to use a variety of different protocols. Messaging gateways may be configured to reformat messages for proper transmission across a transport mechanism. Routers may be dynamically partitioned so that manual reconfiguration is not required when sources and/or routers are added or deleted. The routers may be configured to route messages based on content to limit the amount of formatting required at message sources.
US08149731B2
A technique transfers data over a packet-switched network (PSN), comprising a plurality of intermediate nodes, in a manner that does not require that the intermediate nodes support a network layer infrastructure. A network controller coupled to the intermediate nodes acquires topology information associated with the PSN's topology. This information may include pseudo-wire definitions, ingress and egress interface information, ingress and egress labels, and so on. The network controller generates a transport database from the topology information and distributes the transport database to the intermediate nodes. An intermediate node acquires the transport database information and configures a packet-processing engine (PPE), contained within the intermediate node, to process packets acquired by the intermediate node.
US08149727B2
Provided is a communication device, which is enabled to improve the throughput of a communication system by reducing the difference of a transmission power between an SCCH and an SDCH thereby to satisfy the required quality of a PAPR. In this device, an MCS selection unit (111) of a transmission unit (110) decides, with reference to a CQI lookup table, an MCS pattern (MCS1) of the SDCH, an MCS pattern (MCS2) of the SCCH and information (multiplex information) on multiplex positions on the time axes of those two channels, on the basis of the CQI information. On the basis of the MCS2 and the MCS1, encoding modulation units (112 and 113) perform encoding and modulating operations. According to the multiplex information, a channel multiplexing unit (114) time-division multiplexes the SCCH and the SDCH thereby to generate a transmission signal.
US08149718B2
Disclosed is a management system for a communication network including a diagnostic module to determine a diagnosis based on information provided by network elements this diagnosis identifying a failure within the network. The management system also includes a repair module to determine one or several corrective actions based on at least this diagnosis and to transmit one or several commands corresponding to the corrective actions, to one or several network elements, to correct the failure.
US08149716B2
The systems and methods described herein include adaptive routing processes for packet-based wireless communication networks. This routing approach works both in MANETs (when a contemporaneous end-to-end path is available) and in DTNs (when a contemporaneous end to end path is not available, but one of formed over space and time). In particular, the methods include adaptively selecting a routing process for transmitting a packet through a node in the network based on available information on the network topology and/or the contents of the packet.
US08149715B1
Various embodiments provide improved mesh networks with properties that address various shortcomings of current mesh network implementations. At least some embodiments are directed to improving operations of mesh networks in connection with battery powered devices and address concerns associated with latency issues due to power save nodes as well as load balancing. Yet other embodiments address route cache timeouts, reduce route discovery overhead, perform proactive route maintenance based on a node's battery, and provide a straightforward battery-aware process based sleep protocol.
US08149699B2
There is provided a method and apparatus for controlling traffic according to user that includes a statistics processing unit measuring traffic volume used according to user, calculating a traffic variation ΔV by using the measured traffic volume, and updating a traffic user list by comparing the calculated traffic variation ΔV; a traffic detecting unit determining whether abnormal traffic is generated in a network and transferring a control command according to priority in the traffic user list; and a packet controlling unit controlling a user's traffic according to the control command received from the traffic detecting unit.
US08149698B1
A switch that interconnects networks provides a scheduling algorithm that determines a number of active events to be processed by a processor in the switch. The active events involve processing of bearer traffic. A schedule tailored to the number of active events is generated. In response to a change affecting the schedule, the schedule is modified. The active events are processed by the processor according to the modified schedule.
US08149696B2
Methods and system for admission control and scheduling in ad hoc wireless networks are provided. The method for admission control and scheduling in ad hoc wireless networks for different class of flows C1, C2 and C3 is provided where said admission control mechanism evaluate the probability of QoS violation and admit those calls whose probability of QoS violation is below a specified threshold. Admission Control for Class C1 evaluates the probability where destination node is a one-hop neighbor of the source node. Admission Control for Class C1 evaluates the probability where source and destination nodes are not one hop neighbors. Admission Control for Class C2 and class C3 flows evaluates the average or mean delay requirement and a requirement on the rate. Scheduling class C1 flows when admitted flows violate the QoS requirements; and Scheduling class C2 and class C3 flows.
US08149689B2
A packet communication system of this invention includes a user access device at a user point for providing a user with connectivity to a plurality of carriers, carrier communication networks linked to the user access device, and a carrier management network which controls and manages the user access device and communication devices. A communication device receives a control frame-inserting command from the carrier management network, and sends a control frame containing therein control frame transfer information that indicates which one of termination and send-back processing is performed at a destination device. In response to receipt of the control frame, a user access device that is the destination of this frame extracts therefrom the control frame transfer information. If this information indicates the termination then perform termination; if send-back, add thereto a header necessary for the send-back and then transfer it.
US08149676B2
A method and apparatus for recording and/or reproducing holographic data and a holographic information storage medium, wherein the apparatus for recording and/or reproducing holographic information includes an optical pickup emitting light onto a holographic information storage medium and receiving the emitted light. The optical pickup includes: a light source unit emitting a signal beam and a reference beam in a recording mode; and a focusing optical system focusing the signal beam and the reference beam on one focal point in the holographic information storage medium so that information can be recorded by using an interference pattern formed along a depth direction of the holographic information storage medium in the vicinity of the focal point, wherein the numerical aperture of the focusing optical system for the signal beam is different from the numerical aperture of the focusing optical system for the reference beam.
US08149675B2
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus, a recording method, a program, and a recording medium whereby data is reproduced from a two-layer optical disk that has yet to be formatted completely. A control section 51 divides a recording area of a layer L0 of the optical disk 33 into a plurality of recording regions and a recording area of a layer L1 of the same disk 33 into a plurality of recording regions at substantially the same physical positions as the recording regions of the layer L0. A control section 51 records the region where user-designated data was last written. The control section 51 controls a signal processing section 56 to write dummy data to the recording area of the layer L0 or L1 different from the layer that includes the region to which the user-designated data was last written. The signal processing section 56 is then controlled to write dummy data to the recording area of the layer containing the region where the user-designated data was last written, thus formatting the optical disk 33. This invention can be applied advantageously to the recording apparatus for recording data to optical disks.
US08149665B2
Means (101a) for evaluating positional control deviation and means (102a) for outputting a corrective signal, this being a set of signals with kick and brake functions, to an actuator (10) on the basis of the evaluation result are provided. Although control deviation may increase due to external shock or vibration acting on the disc device or when a disc having eccentricity, wobble, or another physical deformity is reproduced, the control deviation is suppressed without loss of control stability, and stable recording and reproducing is always possible.
US08149660B2
A drive apparatus that handles and operates a recording medium attached with a memory tag, the drive apparatus include: a recording medium mounting part on which the recording medium is mounted; an information readout part configured to read information out of a memory tag attached to a recording medium before the recording medium is mounted on the recording medium mounting part; a determining part configured to determine whether the recording medium can be handled and operated based on the information read out by the information readout part; and an informing part configured to inform a determined result determined by the determining part.
US08149657B2
An apparatus includes a waveguide having a core layer and first and second cladding layers on opposite sides of the core layer, wherein the cladding layers comprise a binary oxide composition. In another example, the cladding layers include a ternary or quaternary combination of oxides and/or oxynitrides. In another example, the cladding layers include a silicon oxynitride.
US08149656B2
A reproduction system 100 includes a rotating body on which a rotary operation is conducted by a user, a rotary movement detector 810 that detects the rotation of the rotating body and outputs a detection signal in accordance with a rotary condition thereof, and a restricting unit that conducts a restriction processing for restricting the rotation of the rotating body based on the detection signal. Accordingly, different resistance feeling in accordance with the rotary operation on the rotating body is provided to a user, thereby exhibiting excellent operational feeling just like a rotation of a turntable of a record player.
US08149650B2
A wearable electronic device of the type wherein information is conveyed in an analog manner at least in part by the use of at least one display hand, wherein the wearable electronic device includes a dial having a dial side and an opposite side, wherein the display hand is positioned on the dial side of the dial, wherein the wearable electronic device comprises among other things, a casing having a frontside and a backside, wherein the dial is viewable from the frontside thereof; and a digital display, operatively coupled to a controller assembly, wherein the digital display displays at least mode specific informational indicia and is viewable only from the backside of the device; at least one actuator, operatively coupled to the controller assembly, for changing the mode specific informational indicia displayed on the digital display; and wherein the controller assembly causes the mode specific informational indicia displayed on the digital display to be thereafter reflected in the information displayed in the analog manner by the at least one display hand.
US08149642B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a first power switch for interrupting supply of a first power voltage to a first node in a standby mode, and a second power switch connected between the first node and a second node applied with a second power voltage.
US08149640B2
The differential sense amplifier according to one aspect of the present invention includes a first differential amplification unit that detects a difference between the pair of complementary signals inputted from a first bit line and a second bit line, a second differential amplification unit that detects a difference between one of the complementary signals inputted from the first bit line and a first reference signal, and a third differential amplification unit that detects a difference between the other complementary signal inputted from the second bit line and a second reference signal.
US08149628B2
A non-volatile memory device includes memory cells having a semiconductor substrate, a stack layer, and source and drain regions disposed below a surface of the substrate and separated by a channel region. The stack layer includes an insulating layer disposed on the channel region, a charge storage layer disposed on the insulating layer, a multi-layer tunneling dielectric structure on the charge storage layer, and a gate disposed on the multi-layer tunneling dielectric structure. A negative bias is supplied to the gate to inject electrons into the charge storage layer through the multi-layer tunneling dielectric structure by −FN to tunneling so that the threshold voltage of the device is increased. A positive bias is supplied to the gate to inject holes into the charge storage layer through the multi-layer tunneling dielectric structure by +FN tunneling so that the threshold voltage of the device is decreased.
US08149609B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprising: a memory cell array including memory cells each provided at individual intersection between a first wiring and a second wiring, the memory cell comprising a variable resistive element, and predetermined numbers of the memory cells sharing the same first wiring to configure a page; a first control circuit configured to select a page subjected to data-writing, and to supply a constant voltage to the first wiring belonging to the selected page; a writing-voltage generating circuit configured to generate plural kinds of writing voltages for programming a resistance of the variable resistive element to one of three or more values based on a write-in data specifying three or more values; and a second control circuit configured to select the page subjected to data-writing, and to supply the writing voltages to predetermined numbers of the respective second wirings belonging to the selected page.
US08149608B2
A multi-level phase change random access memory device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a phase change material disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The multi-level phase change random access memory device also includes a variable bias source coupled to the first electrode. The variable bias source provides a respective bias applied at the first electrode to form a portion of the phase change material to have one of an amorphous state and different crystal states for storing multi-bits data.
US08149593B2
A radiation level reducing device, including: a metal plate for covering surface of an electromagnetic wave generation source for radiating an electromagnetic wave; a cover region, set within a plane of the metal plate, for covering the surface; and a plurality of slits formed to a band-shape in the cover region, and spaced apart from each other, wherein each of the plurality of slits includes, a drawing slit extending towards a central part of the cover region from an intense electric field position where an electric field generated in between the electromagnetic wave generation source by the electromagnetic wave is stronger than other positions at an outer periphery of the cover region, and a coupling slit extending so as to line in parallel to another slit from an end in the central part direction of the cover region in the drawing slit.
US08149586B2
A tray keying mechanism is mounted on a backplane inside a modular chassis and has a protrusion that stands out like a post for each of several equipment bays. A modular tray can be inserted into each of the equipment bays, but it will not be allowed to be fully inserted and to engage the electrical connectors on the backplane if the corresponding post meets an obstruction on the rear apron of the tray. If the particular tray is the correct type, and is not upside down, the post will encounter no obstructions during the insertion of the tray, and the electrical connectors will be allowed to engage. In one embodiment, the keying mechanism comprises a bracket of molded plastic that fits all around the several connectors on the backplane, and could be patterned to fit an already existing and in-service backplane and chassis.
US08149585B2
Means for Solution: This interposer (10) comprises the silicon substrate (12), a plurality of through-hole conductors (20) formed on the above-described silicon substrate, and a capacitor (15) formed with the upper electrodes (14) and the lower electrodes (18) formed by extending the land portions of the above-described through-hole conductors and the dielectric layer (16) formed between the both electrodes. The rewiring layers (23-1, 23-2) formed as desired are formed on the layers other than the above-described capacitor layer.
US08149583B2
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a first board, a second board facing the first board, a cover facing the second board from a side opposite to the first board, a first fixing portion attached to the first board and the cover, and a second fixing portion attached to the first board and the second board.
US08149580B2
A heat dissipation device adapted for cooling an electronic device mounted on a printed circuit board comprises a base plate adapted for being thermally attached to the electronic device and a clip attached on a top face of the base plate. The base plate comprises two protruding poles protruding downwardly from a bottom face thereof. The protruding poles are capable of extending through the printed circuit board, thereby establishing a location for the heat dissipation device on the printed circuit board. The clip fastens the heat dissipation device on the printed circuit board after the location for the heat dissipation device on the printed circuit board has been established.
US08149578B2
An airflow restrictor door is pivotably supported by and extends from a support towards a card receiving bay.
US08149577B2
The present invention relates to a self-cooled thyistor device for ultra-high voltage fault current limiter. a self-cooled thyristor valve, it adopts horizontal structure consisted by frames, frames is divided into upper and below two spaces by crossbeams, the bottom of frames is supported by insulators. There is a cross plate between two vertical said frames, the cross plate mounts resistors connect with a high potential plate and capacitor through two wires. There is a thyistor string in said frame upper space, which is constituted of thyistors and cooler series. The thyistor string is compressed tightly by press-fit mechanism, thyistor string crosses current transformers. There are high potential plates on both sides of the thyistor, the number of the potential plates is equal to that of thyistor. One side of the high potential plates links frames, said current transformers connects with high potential plates. There are capacitors and resistors connected with the bottom plate of said frames in the below space. The small and well-structured invention meets the requirement of the energy on continuous trigger condition, improves the global reliability of thyristor valve.
US08149575B2
A waterproof electronic device includes an upper shell and a lower shell configured for detachably and hermetically assembling with the upper shell. At least one of the upper shell and lower shell comprising a rubber layer disposed thereon to hermetically assemble with each other. The invention further provides a method for making the waterproof electronic device.
US08149574B2
A cooling fan housing assembly for assembling to a heat sink includes a boosting portion and a connecting portion extended from the boosting portion. The connecting portion includes a first part and a second part for covering on and fixing to the heat sink. The second part of the connecting portion is provided with at least one hooking section for firmly hooking to the heat sink, so that a cooling fan supported on the cooling fan housing assembly can be quickly assembled to the heat sink without the risk of producing vibration during the operation of the cooling fan. Therefore, the cooling fan housing assembly not only reduces assembling labor and time and manufacturing cost, but also enables stable operation of the cooling fan.
US08149569B2
A solid electrolytic capacitor including a capacitor element having an anode member and a cathode member, an anode terminal electrically connected with the anode member, a cathode terminal electrically connected with the cathode member, and a mold resin portion covering the capacitor element; wherein the cathode terminal has an upper step portion in face-to-face contact with the cathode member and a lower step portion exposed out of the mold resin portion and a bottom surface of the mold resin portion and an upper surface of the lower step portion of the cathode terminal are disposed in an approximately same plane.
US08149566B2
A method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component includes the steps of preparing a component main body having a laminated structure, the component main body including a plurality of internal electrodes formed therein, and each of the internal electrodes being partially exposed on an external surface of the component main body, and forming an external terminal electrode on the external surface of the component main body such that the external terminal electrode is electrically connected to the internal electrodes. The step of forming the external terminal electrode includes the steps of forming a first plating layer on exposed surfaces of the internal electrodes of the component main body, applying a water repellant at least on a surface of the first plating layer and on a section in the external surface of the component main body at which an end edge of the first plating layer is located, and then forming a second plating layer on the first plating layer having the water repellant applied thereon.
US08149561B2
An ion generator is capable of efficiently generating ions and includes a case accommodating an ion-generating element that generates ions by discharging electricity from a discharging needle electrode and a cover having openings for ion discharge. Resistive elements are disposed at peripheral portions of the openings, and the resistive elements are grounded. Since the resistive elements are grounded, the peripheral portions of the openings are prevented from being electrostatically charged. As a result, retention of ions at the openings is suppressed, and ions are efficiently generated and discharged.
US08149551B2
A method comprises determining whether a ground fault on a bus (110) operative to drive the system (100) exceeds a first threshold level, (502) receiving values of phase currents of a first motor, (504) calculating a sum of the values of the phase currents of the first motor (106) responsive to determining that the ground fault on the bus exceeds the first threshold value, and (504) determining whether the sum of the values of the phase currents of the first motor (106) exceeds a second threshold value (506).
US08149547B2
Magnetoresistive effect element and thin-film magnetic head with the magnetoresistive effect element
An MR element includes a pinned layer, a free layer and a nonmagnetic space layer or a tunnel barrier layer sandwiched between the pinned layer and the free layer. A magnetization direction of the free layer is substantially perpendicular to a film surface thereof, and a magnetization direction of the pinned layer is substantially parallel to a film surface thereof.
US08149546B2
A magnetic field detecting element comprises a stack including upper and lower magnetic layers, and a non-magnetic intermediate layer sandwiched therebetween, wherein magnetization of the magnetic layers changes in accordance with an external magnetic field; upper and lower shield electrode layers sandwiching the stack in a direction of stacking, wherein the upper and lower shield electrode layers supply sense current in the direction of stacking, and magnetically shield the stack; a bias magnetic layer provided on a surface of the stack opposite to an air bearing surface, and wherein the bias magnetic layer applies a bias magnetic field to the upper and lower magnetic layers in a direction perpendicular to the air bearing surface; and insulating layers provided on both sides of the stack in a track width direction thereof, wherein the stack has a stepped portion formed at the non-magnetic intermediate layer.
US08149545B1
A dual-stage actuator disk drive suspension load beam has a recessed cavity formed in it into which the microactuator motor is partially or completely placed. The cavity may be formed by partially etching the load beam during the same etching process that creates the load beam from a sheet of stainless steel material. The partially etched load beam having a cavity for the microactuator motor has the advantages of a lower profile, improved inertial balancing of the suspension, and increased sway resonant frequency.
US08149538B2
According to one embodiment, a magnetic head for perpendicular recording includes a slider includes a facing surface, and a head section on the slider. The head section includes a main pole, a recording coil configured to excite the main pole, a write/shield pole opposed to a trailing side of the main pole across a write gap, and side shields disposed individually on opposite sides of the main pole transversely relative to a track to face side faces of the main pole and magnetically separated from the main pole. That part of a side face of each of the side shields opposed to each corresponding side face of the main pole which is located at the shortest distance from a leading end of each of the side faces of the main pole, on the facing surface, includes a permeability lower than that of the other part of the side shield.
US08149524B2
An optical system includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens having a negative refractive power and having a meniscus shape whose surface on the object side has a convex shape and whose surface on the image side has an aspheric shape, a second lens having a negative refractive power, and a third lens having a negative refractive power. In the optical system, a focal length of the entire optical system (f), a focal length of the first lens (f1), and respective radii of curvature of lens surfaces of the second lens on the object side and on the image side (G2R1, G2R2) satisfy the following conditions: −1.6
US08149522B2
There is provided an image forming optical system in which, it is possible to achieve both, the small-sizing and slimming of an optical system, and a favorable correction of various aberrations, mainly the chromatic aberration.In an image forming optical system including a lens component in which, a shape of another optical surface C of an intermediate layer L2 which is made of a transparent material having Abbe's number νd2 which is in a close contact with one optical surface B of a lens L1 which is made of a transparent material having Abbe's number νd1, is an aspheric shape differing from (a shape of) the optical surface B, and furthermore, a lens L3 which is made of a transparent material having Abbe's number νd3 is in a close contact with the optical surface C, the following conditions are satisfied 0.012<1/νd3−1/νd1<0.090 (1) 0.010<1/νd3−1/νd2 (2) where, νd1 denotes Abbe's number for the lens L1, νd2 denotes Abbe's number for the intermediate layer L2, and νd3 denotes Abbe's number for the lens L3.
US08149519B2
Embodiments of an optical zoom lens system may comprise three lens groups with a PNP power sequence. The first lens group may vary focus. The second and third lens groups may be movable to vary magnification during zoom. The first lens group may include three lens subgroups with an NNP power sequence: a stationary first lens subgroup, a second lens subgroup including a movable lens element, and a stationary or movable third lens subgroup. The second lens subgroup may include two parts, which may be movable at different rates of travel to vary focus. One part may include the movable lens element. Lens elements of the first lens group may be movable according to different focus movement plans. In the first lens group, lens element movement and lens element power may contribute to provide low focus breathing over the entire zoom range. The F-number may be F/2.8 or less.
US08149516B2
A zoom lens comprises, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit, and a fourth lens unit having a positive refractive power. The fourth lens unit includes a forty-first lens unit having a negative refractive power and arranged at the object side with reference to the longest air gap and a forty-second lens unit having a positive refractive power and arranged at the image side with reference to the air gap. The forty-first lens unit includes a negative 411st lens, and the forty-second lens unit includes a positive 421st lens. Abbe numbers and partial dispersion ratios of materials of the 411st lens and the 421st lens νd411, θgF411, νd421 and θgF421 are appropriately set.
US08149491B2
A scan unit according to the present invention is a scan unit including: a reflecting portion for reflecting laser light; and an enclosure portion having a movable object enclosed within a hollow, characterized in that the movable object moves in accordance with an angular velocity of the scan unit, thereby changing a reflecting state of the reflecting portion with respect to the laser light. In one embodiment, the movable object moves in accordance with the angular velocity of the scan unit to cover at least a part of the reflecting portion. In one embodiment, the movable object moves in accordance with the angular velocity of the scan unit to deform the reflecting portion.
US08149481B2
The invention relates to a sheet-fed scanner (300) comprising: an illumination device for emitting a luminous flux covering several spectral bands which is intended to illuminate a sheet (204) to be scanned, a focussing device (150), and a detection module (360) comprising a sensor (164) which comprises a plurality of rows (166, 168, 170) of sensitive elements, each sensitive element being provided to deliver an electrical energy that is proportional to the intensity of the luminous flux received, and each row being provided to have its sensitivity peak for one of said spectral bands, the focussing device being provided to focus, onto each of the rows, part of the luminous flux reflected by said sheet, the sheet-fed scanner (300) being characterised in that the detection module (360) comprises a non-prismatic spectral shift device (305) for shifting each part of the luminous flux thus focussed, parallel to said rows (166, 168, 170), the shift being different for each row (166, 168, 170).
US08149476B2
Provided is a document reading apparatus in which an original document fed by feeding means to contact glass having a predetermined reading position is read by reading means. Then, the document reading apparatus is provided with a guide unit having a guide member for guiding the original document to be fed to the contact glass, and a backup unit to back up the original document to be read, and the guide unit is configured to be able to travel between a close position to near the contact glass and an open position to distance from the contact glass. In the guide unit is formed a concave portion for removably accommodating the backup unit, and the backup unit is configured so that an original document guide face of the guide member and an original document guide face in the backup unit form a continuous guide face when the guide unit travels to the close position.Then, the guide unit is moved to the open position to perform cleaning of the backup unit and contact glass. Further, the backup unit is removed to perform maintenance.
US08149473B2
An image reading apparatus is provided that can prevent image streaks due to dirt, stain or the like from being produced in an image of an original that is read while being conveyed. The image reading apparatus (A) includes an ADF (40) having a scanner unit (59) incorporated therein and comprised of a cylinder (60) having an outer peripheral surface thereof on which a plurality of read pixels (61) are arranged in a matrix. In reading an original (D), the scanner unit is rotatably driven in an original conveying direction at a circumferential speed approximately equal to an original conveying speed, and reads image information on the original passing through an image reading position (P1).
US08149471B2
An image reading apparatus in which cross-talk noise occurring between plural reading units is reduced, an image reading method and an image reading program are provided. There are included plural reading units that respectively operate at different timings, a noise calculation unit that acquires first read data as a result of reading of a first read object as the read object by the plural reading units, acquires an operation state of the plural reading units during the reading of the first read object, and calculates, based on the operation state and the first read data obtained in the operation state, noise information based on the operation state, and a noise removal unit that acquires second read data as a result of reading of a second read object as the read object different from the first read object by the plural reading units, and removes noise from the second read data based on the noise information calculated by the noise calculation unit.
US08149458B2
A test pattern printed by a printer is assessed—without colorimetric equipment—to provide data used in recalibrating the printer. The assessment may be made by an unskilled operator, and can include discerning whether a particular pattern is visible in the printed test pattern, or whether a feature in the test pattern is relatively wider or narrower. From such assessment, needed changes to the printer's calibration data are inferred and implemented. A variety of other printer calibration techniques are disclosed. The technology is illustrated in the context of dye sublimation printers, and is particularly useful in optimizing printing of digitally-watermarked graphics.
US08149453B2
When a printing apparatus is connected to a personal computer, an editing program for editing an object to be printed by the printing apparatus is actuated. The printing apparatus connected is set as a printing apparatus to be used, and a layout-editing screen is displayed. A layout image in which a medium set in the printing apparatus is set as a medium to be used is displayed on the layout-editing screen. When the printing apparatus is changed, or the medium set in the printing apparatus is changed while the editing program is being operated, a new layout-editing screen is displayed in which a new printing apparatus, or a new medium, is set as the printing apparatus, or the medium, to be used.
US08149443B2
A sufficient number of packets necessary for analysis of a fault in a network communication apparatus are obtained. A multi function peripheral (MFP) temporarily stores received packets as a file for every print job, and stores communication failure information as a log (communication failure log). The MFP deletes data in which no error has occurred in an application among the stored files. Then, in a case where an error has occurred during processing of a certain print job, the MFP stores received packets in a storage device, and compares a communication failure in the job packet in which the error has occurred with a communication failure in packets associated with all the received print jobs. As a result of the comparison, the MFP extracts a communication failure in only the job packet in which the error has occurred, and creates a log so that the extracted result can be identified.
US08149436B2
A communication apparatus is connected to a terminal apparatus via a network. The communication apparatus includes a storage that stores a document file and an HTML file of a user setting page. A file manager stores a storage period for the document file, determines whether or not the document file has been stored in the storage for the storage period, and deletes the document file when the document file has been stored in the storage for the storage period. A web server transmits, to the terminal apparatus, the HTML file of the user setting page, the user setting page configured so that a user at the terminal apparatus can request a change of the storage period. The web server further instructs the file manager to change the storage period, when the user requests the change of the storage period.
US08149430B2
A method is provided for improving printing performance of a print job from a Graphics Device Interface (GDI) based Windows® application submitted to an XPSDrv printer driver which is utilized by a filter pipeline service, wherein a required conversion from an existing GDI/device driver interface (DDI) to an XML Paper Specification (XPS) performed by a GDI-to-XPS conversion unit is eliminated to reduce latency. The method includes replacing the GDI-to-XPS conversion unit with a printer graphics driver which converts DDI calls into raw spool data; and adding a dual head filter as a first filter to the filter pipeline service to handle the raw spool data generated from the printer graphics driver.
US08149429B2
In acquiring setting information from a user, a multifunctional apparatus can be switched between (i) a first input mode in which an operation panel displays a setting window and accepts an operation from the user and (ii) a second input mode in which a printing section prepares an entry sheet on which setting information is written to be designated and a scanner section reads the entry sheet on which the setting information has been written. A control server controls such multifunctional apparatuses, and includes: an input mode selecting section for selecting either of the two input modes in accordance with a predetermined condition when the multifunctional apparatus acquires setting information from a user; and a command generating section for generating a control command for instructing the multifunctional apparatus to acquire setting information in the input mode selected by the input mode selecting section. This provides a user-friendly input environment.
US08149419B2
An object of the invention is to provide an optical reflectometry and an optical reflectometer, in which accurate measurement can be performed irrespective of a measurement distance. In the optical reflectometry and optical reflectometer according to the invention, in which a distribution of backscattered light intensity from a measurement target in an optical propagation direction is measured using Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR), a coherence monitor unit 12 that monitors a coherence property of a frequency sweep light source 1 is provided, and measurement result of a measuring unit 11 is corrected based on the monitor result of the coherence monitor unit 12.
US08149414B2
The method and device for measuring the spectral phase or combined spectral and spatial phases of ultra short light pulses, consisting of a decomposition of the light pulse to be measured in two identical replicas called signal pulse and primary reference pulse, respectively, of different polarization or direction and the phase characteristics of which are essentially identical to the original pulse, a temporal filtering of the primary reference pulse by a nonlinear interaction generating a secondary reference pulse of average frequency essentially identical and of spectral width greater than the spectral width of the primary reference pulse, and a spectral interferometry measurement by recombination of this secondary reference pulse and the signal pulse with a given temporal offset.
US08149409B2
There is provided an on-line detection system and method for a weld of a steel strip, which can emit a laser beam onto the surface of a steel strip moving at a high speed and measure the reflectivity of the laser beam reflecting from the same, thereby detecting the weld of the steel strip easily on-line. In the on-line detection system, reflectivity measuring means emits a laser beam onto a moving steel strip and continuously measuring the reflectivity of the laser beam returning from the surface of the steel strip, and signal processing means detects a weld of the steel strip based on change in the reflectivity measured on the weld.
US08149406B2
The invention describes a method of controlling the color of the light output of a lamp (1), which method comprises electronically collecting color data pertaining to a first color (C1) to obtain a first color description (D1), electronically collecting color data pertaining to a second color (C2) to obtain a second color description (D2), and combining the first color description (D1) with the second color description (D2) to obtain a target color description (DT). The target color description (DT) is transferred to a control unit (4) of the lamp (1), and the lamp (1) is driven according to the target color description (DT) to give a target color light output. The invention also relates to a system (3) for controlling the color of the light output of a lamp. Furthermore, the invention relates to a color data collection device (2) for use in a system (3) for controlling the color of the light output of a lamp (1), which color data collection device (2) comprises a color detector (20) for electronically converting captured light (Lr, Lsp) into color data pertaining to a color (C1, C2), a conversion unit (21) for translating the color data pertaining to a color (C1, C2) into a corresponding color description (D1, D2), a combining unit (22) for combining a first color description (D1) with a second color description (D2) to obtain a target color description (DT), and a transfer interface (23) for transferring the target color description (DT) to a control unit (4) of the lamp (1).
US08149404B2
A method of aligning a wafer includes recognizing images of the wafer accommodated on a work table and a notch of the wafer using a camera, designating at least one notch point of the notch in a recognized image, producing at least one reference line using the designated notch point in the recognized image, designating a center point of the reference line in the recognized image, producing an imaginary line having an angle with respect to the reference line from the center point of the reference line in the recognized image, producing a center line of the wafer using the imaginary line in the recognized image, and aligning the wafer using an alignment apparatus to allow the center line of the wafer and an alignment line of the work table to be matched.
US08149401B2
A method for detecting a presence of a particle in a fluid is disclosed. The method includes the steps of directing a beam of electromagnetic radiation into the transient fluid; providing a sensor to detect an intensity of the radiation after passing through at least a portion of the fluid; generating a data representing the intensity detected by the sensor; and analyzing the data based upon a statistical analysis to detect the presence of a particle in the fluid and determine whether the particle is water or a solid particle.
US08149397B2
The disclosure relates to metallic nanophotonic crescent structures, or “nanocrescent SERS probes,” that enhance detectable signals to facilitate molecular detections. More particularly, the nanocrescent SERS probes of the disclosure possess specialized geometries, including an edge surrounding the opening that is capable of enhancing local electromagnetic fields. Nanosystems utilizing such structures are particularly useful in the medical field for detecting rare molecular targets, biomolecular cellular imaging, and in molecular medicine.
US08149392B1
A method for reducing handoff inaccuracies in a DIRCM countermeasures system comprising the step of adding a second on-axis camera to the DIRCM countermeasures system.
US08149386B2
An illumination optical system includes a pair of fly-eye mirrors configured to receive light from a light source, a first condenser configured to condense light from the pair of fly-eye mirrors, a reflection type integrator configured to receive light from the first condenser, the reflection type integrator including a plurality of cylindrical reflective surfaces having parallel generating line directions, an aperture stop arranged perpendicular to the generating line direction, and a second condenser configured to superpose on an illuminated surface luminous fluxes from a plurality of cylindrical reflective surfaces of the reflection type integrator.
US08149382B2
A surface position detection apparatus capable of highly precisely detecting the surface position of a surface to be detected without substantially being affected by relative positional displacement due to a polarization component occurring in a light flux having passed through a reflective surface. In the apparatus, a projection system has a projection side prism member (7) having first reflective surfaces (7b, 7c), and a light receiving system has a light receiving prism member (8) having second reflective surfaces (8b, 8c) arranged in correspondence with the projection side prism member. The surface position detection apparatus further has a member for compensating relative positional displacement due to a polarization component of a light flux having passed through the first and second reflective surfaces.
US08149381B2
An optical element is used for an exposure apparatus which is configured to illuminate a mask with an exposure light beam for transferring a pattern on the mask onto a substrate through a projection optical system and to interpose a given liquid in a space between a surface of the substrate and the projection optical system. The optical element includes a first anti-dissolution member provided on a surface of a transmissive optical element on the substrate's side of the projection optical system.
US08149380B2
An exposure apparatus is configured to expose a pattern of an original on a substrate by using light from a light source. The exposure apparatus includes an illumination optical system configured to illuminate the original by polarized light by using the light from the light source, and a correction unit configured to correct misalignment of the optical axis of the light from the light source and the optical axis of the illumination optical system. The correction unit includes a first lens and a deflecting member, the first lens can move in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens, and a deflecting direction of the light deflected by the deflecting member is variable.
US08149378B2
A cleaning apparatus for an exposure apparatus that projects a pattern of an exposing mask onto a substrate with first light through an optical element is provided. The cleaning apparatus cleans the optical element with second light having a wavelength different from that of the first light, and includes a recording part configured to record information on exposure history of the exposure apparatus, and an information producing part configured to produce information on a cumulative irradiation light amount of the second light at each of regions in a predetermined cleaning area on the optical element, based on the information on the exposure history.
US08149371B2
A liquid crystal display device which can be manufactured at a low cost is provided. The liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate, a CF substrate of a size smaller than a size of the TFT substrate, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the TFT substrate and the CF substrate. A ground pad is formed on a portion of the TFT substrate where the CF substrate does not overlap with the TFT substrate. A transparent conductive film is formed on an upper surface of the CF substrate. The transparent conductive film of the CF substrate and the ground pad formed on the TFT substrate are electrically connected with each other via a thermocompression bonding conductive tape. A double-sided adhesive tape is arranged between the thermocompression bonding conductive tape and an upper surface of the CF substrate and between the thermocompression bonding conductive tape and the TFT substrate.
US08149368B2
The present invention discloses an array substrate for an IPS-LCD device. The IPS-LCD device according to the present invention implements a multi-domain for a liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal molecules are aligned in various directions with respect to each different domain. Therefore, the different domains compensate for one another such that a color shift is prevented in spite of wide viewing angles. To form the multi-domain, the present invention provides an array substrate having divided common electrode or pixel electrode or both. In another aspect, to form the multi-domain, the present invention provides an array substrate having multi-bar shaped common and pixel electrodes. Each of the common and pixel electrodes has a transverse portion and a perpendicular portion. The transverse portions of the common and pixel electrodes induce a first domain, whereas the perpendicular portions of the common and pixel electrodes induce a second domain.
US08149353B2
A method of adapting a visual unit having a first screen (10) in a first focal plant by the addition of one or more at least partially transparent display screens (20) at least partially overlapping said first screen (10) and located in focal planes distinct from said first focal plane, characterized in that an at least partially transparent emissive layer (21) is provided between said first screen (10) and at least one said additional display screen (20).
US08149349B2
A liquid crystal display (“LCD”) module includes an LCD panel, a light source unit, a mold frame, a bottom chassis and a driving circuit substrate. The light source unit supplies light to the LCD panel. The mold frame includes a bottom part and sidewall part, and receives the LCD panel and the light source unit. The bottom chassis covers the mold frame and includes a first opening. The driving circuit substrate is disposed between the mold frame and the bottom chassis, and includes a circuit component. The circuit component is formed corresponding to the first opening.
US08149341B2
An LCD panel (214) is provided on the light-incidence side thereof with a reflective polarizer. An optical compensator (213) is provided between a reflective polarizer (211) and the LCD panel (214) to reduce birefringence that takes place in the liquid crystal of the LCD panel (214). A further absorptive polarizer (212) is provided between a reflective polarizer (211) and the optical compensator (213). The reflective polarizer (211) and the absorptive polarizer (212) are arranged so that their transmission axes coincide to each other. Thus, the absorptive polarizer and optical compensator together cooperate to compensate for the deficient polarization degree of the reflective polarizer to improve the contrast of a displayed image. The absorptive polarizer absorbs unwanted catoptric light. The optical compensator removes irregularity in the blackness of the LCD panel that would otherwise appear in the black display screen. Thus, degradation of picture quality of a displayed image caused by unwanted catoptric light undergoing multiple reflections in the LCD panel can be eliminated by the absorptive polarizer in collaboration with the optical compensator.
US08149335B2
A picture display apparatus, comprising: a synthesizing section for synthesizing divided screens to display a plurality of pictures on a single screen; a menu display section for displaying a menu in which a list of options is displayed, the options enabling a user to select a change to be made to at least one of a number, shapes, relative sizes, and relative positions of the divided screens and types of the pictures, so that the user can select from the options to switch to a corresponding screen arrangement; an icon display section for displaying an icon indicating a border between the divided screens in association with the options; and a border changing section for updating the divided screens according to a change in position of the border, wherein the icon display section displays the icon indicating a result of the change in position of the border before the border changing section updates the divided screens according to the change in position of the border. Thus, the user is informed of what the screen will look like before entering a change of the border.
US08149330B2
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for automated correction of closed-captioning data. Patterns of characters are stored in memory. A digital stream is received having the closed captioning data encoded therein. The closed captioning data is decoded from the received digital stream. A sequence of closed captioning characters is acquired from the decoded closed captioning data. The memory is queried for the sequence of closed captioning characters. If the sequence of closed captioning characters contains a pattern stored in the memory, then the sequence of closed captioning characters is diverted to a syntactical checker. If the sequence of closed captioning characters fails to contain the patterns of characters, then the sequence of closed captioning characters is processed for display.
US08149323B2
In a particular embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes comparing a frame rate of image capture by an image sensor to a frame rate threshold at an image capture device. The method also includes when the frame rate is less than the frame rate threshold, increasing the frame rate to a modified frame rate that is greater than or at least equal to the frame rate threshold. The method further includes performing an autofocus operation on an image to be captured at the modified frame rate.
US08149321B2
Provided is a camera module including a housing that is formed in a rectangular box shape and has a cylindrical barrel coupling portion extending upward from the central portion thereof; an image sensor module that is mounted in the housing; a lens barrel that has a lens insertion port provided in the central portion thereof and a housing coupling portion extending downward therefrom, the housing coupling portion being closely coupled to the barrel coupling portion of the housing; a wafer lens that is mounted in the lens insertion port of the lens barrel; and a lens fixing cap that is covered on the upper end portion of the lens barrel.
US08149319B2
An electro-optic color imaging system includes an optical subsystem, a detector subsystem and a digital image processing subsystem. The system is used to image a color-correlated object. In the optical subsystem, the image surfaces for different color channels of the object are substantially separated. Thus, one color channel may be in focus while others are out of focus. The detector subsystem is located at a fixed image distance from the optical subsystem and captures the different color channel images of the object. The image processing subsystem estimates the image of the object by combining the captured color channel images based at least in part on an a priori estimate of the correlation between the color channels.
US08149311B2
A CMOS image sensor includes a unit pixel including controlled by a high voltage; a reference high voltage generator for generating a reference high voltage; and a high voltage output unit for generating the high voltage by using the reference high voltage as an operating voltage to thereby output the high voltage to the unit pixel, wherein a level of the high voltage is stably maintained regardless of a variations of the reference high voltage level.
US08149309B2
A solid-state imaging device and a camera system are disclosed. The solid-state imaging device includes a pixel unit and a pixel signal readout circuit. The pixel signal readout circuit includes a plurality of comparators disposed to correspond to a pixel column array, and a plurality of counters. Each counter includes a first amplifier, a second amplifier, and a mirror circuit to from a current mirror in parallel with the second amplifier. The first amplifier includes differential transistors, initializing switches connected between gates and collectors of the differential transistors, and first and second capacitors connected to each of the gates of the differential transistors. The second amplifier includes an initializing switch and a third capacitor. The mirror circuit includes a gate input transistor whose gate is inputted with a voltage sampled by the first amplifier or a voltage sampled by the second amplifier.
US08149305B2
A method and apparatus to detect a dead pixel in an image sensor having a pixel array to generate a plurality of image frames, and a method and apparatus to capture an image from the image sensor detect a dead pixel in the image sensor. A change of a scene of the image frames is sensed, and a detection operation to detect a dead pixel in the pixel array is performed if the change of the scene is sensed.
US08149301B2
An image processing device that corrects and interpolates pixel values of defective pixels present upon an image sensor, includes: a position information storage memory that stores a position of a defective pixel of a first type whose pixel value can be utilized after correction, and a position of a defective pixel of a second type whose pixel value is to be interpolated using pixel values of other pixels, distinguished from one another; a correction amount storage memory that stores a correction amount for the defective pixel of the first type; a correction unit that corrects the pixel value of the defective pixel of the first type according to the correction amount; and an interpolation unit that interpolates the pixel value of the defective pixel of the second type, using the pixel values of pixels including the defective pixel of the first type whose pixel value has been corrected by the correction unit.
US08149292B2
The specification disclosed embodiments of an apparatus comprising an automatic white balance (AWB) circuit coupled to a pixel array to transform red, green, and blue color data obtained from each pixel into x and y chromaticity values for each pixel, determine a distance between the Planckian locus and the x and y chromaticity values for each pixel, determine a weight for each pixel based on the distance between its x and y chromaticity values and the Planckian locus, determine red, green, and blue adjustments for each pixel using its weight, and apply a white balance adjustment to the red, green and blue values obtained from each pixel. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.
US08149286B2
In an image sensing apparatus capable of sensing a moving image, when sensing of the moving image, image data of the sensed moving image and image sensing condition data of such moving image are stored, a frame for printing is selected from among multiple frames of the image data forming the stored moving image, and a number of frames to synthesize is determined based on image sensing conditions for the selected frames. Of the plurality of frames of image data forming the moving image/image data of the selected frame and of the determined number of frames sensed before and after the selected frame is synthesized to generate image data for printing.
US08149278B2
A method and system tracks models and predict object movement in an environment. Sequences of temporally and spatially adjacent events sensed by the set of sensors are linked to form a set of tracklets. Each tracklet has an associated starting and terminating location. The tracklets are used to construct a directed graph including starting nodes, terminating nodes, and, intermediate nodes connected by edges. The intermediate nodes can be split nodes where tracklets diverge onto different tracks, and join nodes where multiple tracklets converge onto a single path. Probabilities are assigned to the edges to model and predict movement of the objects in the environment.
US08149269B2
An Emergency Services Application Server (ES-AS) that obtains routing instructions for both VoIP-originated and non-VoIP-originated calls to emergency services numbers (e.g., 9-1-1). If the emergency request is a VoIP-originated call and includes a location object, the ES-AS queries its database using the location object to obtain routing information. If a location object is not provided, the ES-AS queries a location information server to obtain a location object. The ES-AS then uses the location object to query its database. If the call is originated by legacy user equipment, the ES-AS accesses a legacy automatic location information system to obtain location information and the associated PSAP. The ES-AS then queries its database with the returned information to refine routing information needed to route the call to the identified PSAP. The ES-AS includes a web services interface that allows a PSAP or authorized agency to change routing instructions dynamically, which overrides any static data in the ES-AS's routing database.
US08149267B2
A recording medium according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a base-view stream and a dependent-view stream. The base-view stream is used for monoscopic video playback. The dependent-view stream is used for stereoscopic video playback in combination with the base-view stream. The recording medium further includes a first file and a second file. The first file refers to the base-view stream in monoscopic video playback, and the second file refers to the base-view stream in stereoscopic video playback.
US08149265B2
A holographic video display comprises a monochromatic light source, a video signal generator, guided-wave acousto-optic modulators for diffracting light according to signals received from the video signal generator, a vertical scanning subsystem, and an optical path between the acousto-optic modulator and the vertical scanning subsystem. The optical path preferably comprises a Bravais lens system, first and second Fourier transform lens systems, and at least one holographic optical element or stationary mirror of continuous helical shape. In a method for generating a holographic image, monochromatic light is provided to at least one guided-wave acousto-optic modulator, the received light is diffracted according to a video signal, the guided-wave modulator aperture is scanned to produce a holo-line, the motion of the diffraction pattern is undone to render the holo-line stationary, the guided-wave modulator aperture is demagnified to create a wide field of view, and the holo-lines are tiled vertically to create the image.
US08149262B2
A method, system, and computer program product are disclosed to manage multiple operating modes in a video conferencing network under which different sets of policies can operate. The system is a network management server, also referred to herein as the ELASTIC GATEKEEPER™, that includes a Conference Management System, which selectively implements one or more different sets of operating policies. The Conference Management System is integrated and linked with a gatekeeper, which is responsible for setting up calls that are using end point alias addresses. The gatekeeper works with the Conference Management System to control access to network resources. Upon receiving a request to access a call, the gatekeeper passes the request to the Conference Management System for its approval. The Conference Management System has access to a robust set of policies, a detailed description of the network resources, and an awareness of the current System Operational Mode upon which to base a decision about the conditions and resources that can be granted to the requested call.
US08149259B2
A drive device for outputting a drive signal for driving a plurality of light emitting elements time-divisionally, the drive device includes a plurality of input terminals receiving input of a drive control signal for the light emitting elements, and a plurality of output terminals connected to the light emitting elements, for outputting the drive signal based on the drive control signal input into the input terminals, in which the input terminals and the output terminals are arranged substantially in a line.
US08149253B2
The present invention relates to a display, a timing controller and a data driver for transmitting a serialized multi-level data signal, and more particularly to a display, a timing controller and a data driver for transmitting a serialized multi-level data signal for reducing the number of wirings between the timing controller and the data driver, and for reducing an EMI component. The display of the present invention comprises a display panel, a scan driver, a timing controller and a plurality of data drivers, wherein the timing controller transmits a transmission signal including a serialized data signal to one of the plurality of the data drivers, wherein a level of the data signal is selected from at least four different levels according to a value of a data having a length of at least two bits, and wherein the data driver restores the data from the transmitted transmission signal.
US08149252B2
A display uses x illuminator systems to produce x primary colors and y overlap colors, which are combinations of primary colors, to illuminate a spatial light modulator in a display system. A first set of n duty cycles for the x primary colors over a frame is provided, wherein the display system can select any one of the duty cycles to produce a desired white point. A second set of n duty cycles of x+y colors over a frame corresponding to the first set of duty cycles is determined, where the second set of duty cycles are generated responsive to a specified desired allocation of the frame to the y overlap colors, such that each of the overlap colors can be displayed from a dark shade to a bright shade while maintaining a constant color point.
US08149245B1
A method may include the steps of segmenting an image into a plurality of tiles, calculating an upper clip limit and a lower clip limit for each tile of the plurality of tiles based upon a user input standard deviation, generating a lookup table for each tile of the plurality of tiles by linearly mapping the pixels of the image based upon the calculated upper clip limit and lower clip limit, processing each tile of the plurality of tiles based upon the generated lookup table, and generating a processed image by combining each of the processed tiles. The method may include the steps of scaling the image between zero and one and/or scaling the image based upon the display type. The method may be stored on a computer readable medium and may be used in an image processing system having memory, a processor, and a display.
US08149243B1
A three dimensional (3D) graphics applications programming interface (API) extension provides support for specifying images in a packed float format. In the packed float format, floating point values of three color components are represented as N bits, where N is less than the total number of bits required for a standard half-precision or full precision format. For example, the blue, green, and red components may each be encoded to have a 5-bit exponent and a 5- or 6-bit mantissa with an implied leading 1. The packed float format is used to represent high dynamic range textures in a compact encoding to reduce the memory footprint needed to store the image data compared with other high dynamic range formats.
US08149229B2
An image apparatus for processing 3D images and a method for controlling thereof are provided. The apparatus includes: a display unit onto which data is scanned; and a display driver which makes left frame image data and right frame image data be alternately scanned onto the display unit and makes removal data for removing the left frame image data or the right frame image data be scanned onto the display unit between the left image frame data and the right image frame data. Therefore, while an image is being scanned, a residual image of the previous frame image is not displayed.
US08149228B2
An active matrix substrate including a substrate, a plurality of scan lines, a plurality of data lines and a plurality of sub-pixels is provided. The scan lines and the data lines are disposed on the substrate, and define a plurality of sub-pixel regions distributed in a delta arrangement. The sub-pixels corresponding to the sub-pixel regions are disposed on the substrate. The sub-pixels are electrically connected with corresponding scan lines and corresponding data lines. Between two sub-pixel regions corresponding to any two adjacent sub-pixels at a same side of one scan line, there are two data lines. Each sub-pixel includes an active device and a pixel electrode. The active device is electrically connected with a corresponding scan line and a corresponding data line. The pixel electrode is electrically connected with the active device, and extends from the sub-pixel region corresponding to the sub-pixel to a position over the data line.
US08149221B2
A touch panel that has a front surface, a rear surface, a plurality of edges and an interior volume. An energy source is positioned in proximity to a first edge of the touch panel and is configured to emit energy that is propagated within the interior volume of the touch panel. A diffusing reflector is positioned in proximity to the front surface of the touch panel for diffusively reflecting at least a portion of the energy that escapes from the interior volume. At least one detector is positioned in proximity to the first edge of the touch panel and is configured to detect intensity levels of the energy that is diffusively reflected across the front surface of the touch panel. Preferably, two detectors are spaced apart from each other in proximity to the first edge of the touch panel, to allow calculation of touch locations using simple triangulation techniques.
US08149216B2
An electronic device with joystick is provided. The joystick includes a receiving space includes a plurality of first conductive elements. The device further includes a plurality of resistors, a chip, and a rotatable post. Each of the first conductive elements is electrically connected to the ground via a resistor. The chip includes a plurality of input pins, and each of the pins is electrically connected to a node between a first conductive element and a resistor. The rotatable post includes a second conductive element. The second conductive element is electrically connected to a direct current power source. When the joystick is rotated, causing the second conductive element to contact with one of the first conductive elements, the voltage of the pin connected to the second conductive element is changed. The chip detects a change of the voltage of the pins and executes corresponding functions according to the detected change.
US08149213B2
An apparatus and a method for executing a mouse pointer function in a portable terminal equipped with a camera are disclosed. The method includes: capturing an external image signal by a camera module; sampling the external image signal and converting a sampled image signal into image data; mapping a group of pixels of the image data generated by the sampling to a group of pixels of an image sensor for each unit pixel on a one-to-one basis; detecting coordinate values of image data including a point light source in the group of the mapped pixels; determining if a point light source is actually included in the detected coordinate values of the image data; and displaying the detected coordinate values of the image data determined to include the point light source on a screen.
US08149207B2
A touch signal transmission circuit for a touch control LCD is mounted to an inner side of an upper substrate of the LCD, having a first patterned electrode layer and a second patterned electrode layer, which are electrically insulated from each other and partially overlap each other in intervals to define a touch control section. Each of the first and second patterned electrode layers includes a plurality of electrodes in the shape of footsteps. The electrodes are interlaced with one another, having some parts overlapping and right corresponding to each other to define a plurality of touch-sensitive points. In this way, only fewer footstep-shaped electrodes are needed to cover the whole touch control section to decrease the number of bonding pads and pins of a touch control IC. Besides, a lot of touch sensitive points are closely disposed in the touch control section to keep quick detection and decoding.
US08149204B2
A liquid crystal display (LCD) includes a plurality of gate line drivers that are to be sequentially activated during a display frame in response to an input vertical synchronization start signal having a predefined waveform. However, during shift of display mode it is possible that the vertical synchronization start signal will be asserted more then once in a frame and cause a problem. The LCD includes an error detecting and blocking unit which detects when the vertical synchronization start signal is asserted more then once in a frame and blocks the second assertion from being passed forward during the one frame so as to erroneously reactivate the plurality of gate line drivers a second time during the same frame.
US08149195B2
A method of driving a liquid crystal display device includes extracting brightness components of a portion of the first data for a current frame, arranging the brightness components for the current frame into a brightness histogram, retrieving brightness histograms for at least two frames prior to the current frame to generate an average histogram, generating second data for the current frame based on the average histogram, comparing the histogram for the current frame with the average histogram to determine whether an image at the current frame is a moving image or a still image, and driving the liquid crystal display device in accordance with one of the first data and the second data based on the comparison result.
US08149179B2
There is disclosed a reflect array including a dielectric substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The first surface may support an array of phase-shifting elements. The second surface may support a conductive layer. At least some of the phase-shifting elements may be dual resonance phase-shifting elements.
US08149171B2
A miniature antenna includes a radiating arm that defines a grid dimension curve. In one embodiment, the radiating arm includes a planar portion and at least one extruded portion. The planar portion of the radiating arm defines the grid dimension curve. The extruded portion of the radiating arm extends from the planar portion of the radiating arm to define a three-dimensional structure. In one embodiment, the miniature antenna includes a first radiating arm that defines a first grid dimension curve within a first plane and a second radiating arm that defines a second grid dimension curve within a second plane. In one embodiment, the miniature antenna includes a radiating arm that forms a non-planar structure.
US08149166B1
A scalable phased array beamsteering control system to beamsteer a phased array antenna. The control system includes an overlord controller, a plurality of master controllers and a plurality of groups of slave controllers arranged in a daisy chain configuration.
US08149162B1
A technique for determining the position of a device involves generating a set of N measurements from signals transmitted by a respective set of N references devices, where the N measurements are suitable for determining a position of the device using N-lateration. Respective reliability metrics are generated for the N measurements based on information about uncertainty of individual measurements. An N-lateration computation is used to iteratively refine an estimate of the position of the device. Each iteration includes adjusting the estimate of the position of the device based on a least squares function that minimizes a sum of squares of errors between the N measurements and distances between the estimate of the position of the device and the N reference sources. The least squares function is weighted in accordance with the reliability metrics for the N measurements.
US08149160B2
A non-contact, distance traveled measurement system (DTMS) to calculate speed and distance traveled by a vehicle over rails—more specifically, by trains traveling on standard railroad tracks. Preferably, a pair of short range (near field) microwave-based transmitters/sensors (transceivers) are mounted on the underside of the train and used to key on rail-bed features such as cross ties or tie plates. Preferred embodiments also include infrared sensors as a redundant channel that is less sensitive to moisture in the track bed. Data from the sensors is correlated to determine the time delay between the first and second sensors' passage over objects on the rail bed such as cross-ties or tie-plates. From this time delay, nearly instantaneous velocity can be computed at each given target such as a tie plate (metal target) or a tie (dielectric contrast target). Velocity versus time curves can be integrated over time to derive distance traveled.
US08149143B2
Methods and apparatus for implementing an n-state ripple-adder scheme coder with n≧2 using an n-state reversible switching function and a non-reversible n-state switching function acting upon a first and a second word of at least 2 n-state symbols are disclosed. Corresponding decoding methods and apparatus are also disclosed. A resulting codeword may be a codeword which can be decoded by using the identical or different n-state switching functions in a corresponding ripple adder scheme decoder. Feistel networks and LFSRs apply the coding and decoding. Systems using the coding and decoding methods may be communication, storage and/or financial systems.
US08149119B2
A method includes activating a tamper monitoring circuit of a security seal configured to securely lock a utility meter. The method also includes wirelessly transmitting an identification data and/or an integrity information associated with the security seal and/or the utility meter to the external transceiver upon activating the tamper monitoring circuit or being queried by the external transceiver through a transceiver of the tamper monitoring circuit. The transceiver of the tamper monitoring circuit and the external transceiver are configured to securely communicate with each other through a secure protocol. Further, the method includes detecting a tamper condition associated with tampering of the security seal through the tamper monitoring circuit, and wirelessly transmitting data associated with the tamper condition to the external transceiver.
US08149116B2
Portable radiographic image conversion device, warning device and computer-readable recording medium
A determination unit of a portable radiographic image conversion device determines, when image information has been generated by an electronic circuit, whether or not a state of connection between a connection terminal and a communication cable is abnormal. Then, when it has been determined by the determination unit that the state of connection is not abnormal, a control unit causes the image information that has been generated to be transmitted by a communication unit, and, when it has been determined by the determination unit that the state of connection is abnormal, the control unit causes the image information that has been generated to be stored in a memory.
US08149110B2
A movable boundary detection apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a receiver operable to receive a positioning signal including actual position coordinates of a movable device in a first space and a memory module including a memory to store predefined position coordinates for defining boundaries of a second space being located within the first space. A processor module is communicatively coupled to the receiver and the memory module and operable to compare the actual position coordinates to the predefined position coordinates. An indicator is communicatively coupled to the processor module and operable to indicate when the actual position coordinates are outside the predefined position coordinates for indicating that the device is outside the second space.
US08149105B2
A communications system for an alarm panel including: an alarm panel adaptor in operable communication with the alarm panel generating analog alarm signals; a first powerline communications device in operable communication with a the alarm panel adaptor converting the analog alarm signals to powerline alarm signals; a second powerline communications device receiving the powerline alarm signals over an electrical grid and converting the powerline alarm signals to internet protocol alarm signals; and a broadband connection in operable communication with the second powerline communications device for transmitting the internet protocol alarm signals to a remote central control station.
US08149103B2
Methods and apparatus for providing multi-stage signal amplification in a medical telemetry system are provided.
US08149101B2
A control unit of a display device controls the display device in a normal mode of operation to operate in a normal state. The control unit controls the display device to enter into an anti-crime security mode of operation, when a state representing that the external information processing device may not be currently used is determined. The control unit cancels the anti-crime security mode of operation, when the information indicative of an authorized user for confirmation has been entered through the operation buttons by a user in the anti-crime security mode of operation. The control unit controls the display device to operate in an alarm mode of operation, when information indicative of the authorized user for confirmation has not been entered by a user in the anti-crime security mode of operation. The control unit performs an alarm operation in the alarm mode of operation.
US08149098B2
A human-bicycle interaction device has an interface for a person to enter electronic commands and a display unit responding to the commands, wherein the interface has a directional button with a non-operating position and at least two operating positions. The use of the device is intuitive and requires few hardware connections and the display is tightly sealed.
US08149093B2
A method of detecting position of a moving RFID tag relative to an antenna, includes continually receiving a signal from the RFID tag at the antenna. The phase of the received signal over a time period is detected and, based on a maximum detected phase, the position of the RFID tag relative to the antenna is detected.
US08149092B2
The subject of the invention is a device for managing equipment maintenance. It relates to a device for managing maintenance of a number N of items of equipment EQi built into a system, i designating an index identifying the item of equipment EQi and lying between 1 and N, the system furthermore comprising a main computer RC, the equipment EQi exchanging data with the main computer RC through a communication network, the equipment EQi being capable of being built into the system or of being removed from the system, each item of equipment EQi being protected by a protective housing BPi, the communication node Nj occupying a position internal to the housing BPi and being devised to exchange data with the radio tag ETi, the radio tag ETi being fixed securely to the housing BPi and being devised to deliver data through a contactless link.
US08149089B2
A method for unlocking a locked computing device includes obtaining biometric information utilizing the computing device, determining whether the biometric information meets a predetermined requirement, unlocking the computing device when the biometric information obtained meets the predetermined requirement, and maintaining a locked status of the computing device when the biometric information does not meet the predetermined requirement. A computing device includes a sensor utilized for obtaining biometric information, wherein the computing device is for determining whether the biometric information meets a predetermined requirement, for unlocking the computing device when the biometric information obtained meets the predetermined requirement, and for maintaining a locked status of the computing device when the biometric information does not meet the predetermined requirement.
US08149087B2
A device for hands-free locking/unlocking of doors/windows of a vehicle implements at least two modes of operation: an approach-detection mode D and a tracking mode P. At least two antennas 14a, 14b are respectively coupled to amplifiers 12a, 12b that are active in tracking mode P. In approach-detection mode D the antennas are decoupled from the amplifiers used in mode P and coupled to an additional amplifier 12c that is active in mode D. Preferably, elements are provided to reduce the consumption of the amplifiers when the device is in a mode of operation where they are inactive.
US08149084B2
A remote control apparatus and method of using are disclosed for controlling an electronic appliance such as a television set, radio, computer, or other. The remote control apparatus may include a hand held housing, a wireless transmitter for sending signals to the appliance, and a manually operated rotary controller for causing operation adjusting signals to be generated and supplied to the transmitter.
US08149082B2
The resistor device is provided with a resistive plate (11) of metal plate material, which is used as a resistance body; a radiative plate (15) of metal plate material, which is spaced from the resistive plate and intercrossed on the resistive plate; a molded resin body (19), which encloses an intercrossing portion of the resistive plate and the radiative plate; terminal portions of the resistive plate (11a), which comprises so that both ends of the resistive plate extending from the molded resin body are bent along an end face and a bottom face of the molded resin body; and terminal portions of the radiative plate (15a), which comprises so that both ends of the radiative plate extending from the molded resin body are bent along an end face and a bottom face of the molded resin body. Accordingly, the surface-mountable resin-sealed metal plate resistor device is enabled to increase the power capacity drastically and to improve the reliability without changing most of the size.
US08149079B2
A levitating mount apparatus is provided which utilizes a permanent magnetic male and female levitation support as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,501,922. The mount has two general forms. In one general class, the mount is attached to an axle aligned with the axis of symmetry of the female part of the permanent magnetic male and female levitation support. In the second class, the female part of the permanent magnetic male and female levitations support is attached to the bottom of the mount, and no axle is utilized. The mount is stabilized using a stationary support structure which has limited contact with the levitating portion of the apparatus at the top of the mount.
US08149068B2
A temperature controlled oscillator is provided with a circuit substrate having a crystal resonator, an oscillating circuit, and a temperature control circuit, arranged on one or both principal surfaces, and a container main body that accommodates the circuit substrate and has mount terminals on an outer bottom surface thereof. The temperature control circuit includes at least a first temperature sensor that detects an operating temperature of the crystal resonator, a second temperature sensor that detects a surrounding temperature of the container main body, and a heating resistor that applies heat to the crystal resonator, and lead wires extend from the circuit substrate and are connected electrically to the mount terminals. An insulation groove that passes through the circuit substrate in a thickness direction is formed between: a first lead wire closest to the second temperature sensor, and the second temperature sensor; and the heating resistor.
US08149063B2
A current-restriction circuit includes an input terminal to which an input voltage is input, an output terminal from which an output voltage is output, a driver transistor connected to the input terminal as well as the output terminal, a sense transistor connected to the output terminal as well as the input terminal via a sense resistor, a first operational amplifier circuit, and a bias-voltage change circuit. Control terminals of the driver transistor and the sense transistor are connected together and connected to an output terminal of the first operational amplifier circuit. The first operational amplifier circuit receives both a bias voltage with reference to an electrical potential at the input terminal and a decrease in a voltage at the sense resistor. The bias-voltage change circuit keeps the bias voltage below a predetermined bias voltage according to a voltage difference between the input voltage and the output voltage.
US08149059B2
In a method and apparatus for compensating for gain changes in an amplifier circuit comprising radio-frequency modules and attenuation elements, a radio-frequency module is driven with a first temperature-dependent monitoring voltage UHF(T), and an attenuation element with a second temperature-dependent monitoring voltage UVG(T). The first temperature-dependent monitoring voltage UHF(T) is produced by applying a temperature dependency to an individual monitoring voltage Uopt, which is predetermined for a predetermined temperature for a radio-frequency module, in order to set the optimum operating point of the radio-frequency module. The second temperature-dependent monitoring voltage UVG(T) is produced by applying a temperature dependency to a predetermined monitoring voltage UVG—T for the attenuation element. The monitoring voltage UVG—T is determined in an iteration method, such that the output power of the amplifier circuit reaches a predeterminable level at a constant input power. Memory devices are provided for storing values for producing monitoring voltages for the radio-frequency modules and attenuation elements.
US08149054B2
An operational amplifier includes a differential amplifier input stage that supplies an operating current to a differential pair, the differential amplifier input stage including a first transistor having a first polarity, a push-pull amplifier output stage that includes a second transistor having the first polarity, and a third transistor having a second polarity, the second transistor and the third transistor being connected in series, and a capacitive element that connects a gate of the first transistor and a gate of the second transistor.
US08149050B2
Cascaded amplifiers with a transformer-based bypass mode are described. In an exemplary design, an apparatus includes first and second amplifiers and a circuit. The first amplifier (e.g., a driver amplifier) provides amplification in a high gain mode and a bypass mode. The second amplifier (e.g., a power amplifier) provides amplification in the high gain mode. The circuit is coupled between the first and second amplifiers and includes a transformer having (i) a primary coil coupled to the first amplifier and (ii) a secondary coil that provides an output signal in the bypass mode. The primary coil may be a load inductor for the first amplifier. The circuit may further include a series combination of a capacitor and a switch coupled in parallel with the primary coil, a switch coupled in series with the secondary coil, and/or a capacitor coupled in parallel with the secondary coil.
US08149046B2
The present disclosure relates to constructing and operating a transistor or other active device with significantly reduced flicker noise.
US08149045B2
An embodiment of a variable stage charge pump includes a plurality of pump stages. Each stage is configured to generate an intermediate boosted output voltage. A pump stage selector selects the number of charge pump stages to be coupled between an input and output terminal of the variable stage charge pump. The pump stage selector may control a plurality of switches to select the number of stages. For example, two stages maybe coupled in parallel and the parallel combination coupled in series to a third stage, resulting in a two stage charge pump. For a three stage charge pump, all three stages are coupled in series.
US08149043B2
The transistor suffers the variation caused in threshold voltage or mobility due to gathering of the factors of the variation in gate insulator film resulting from a difference in manufacture process or substrate used and of the variation in channel-region crystal state. The present invention provides an electric circuit having an arrangement such that both electrodes of a capacitance element can hold a gate-to-source voltage of a particular transistor. The invention provides an electric circuit having a function capable of setting a potential difference at between the both electrodes of the capacitance element by the use of a constant-current source.
US08149040B2
A system is provided for generating a plurality of different voltage level clock signals. The system comprises an electrical energy storage pack having a plurality of series coupled electrical energy storage cells that provide a plurality of different output voltage level, a reference oscillator that provides a reference clock signal and a plurality of voltage clamps that receive the plurality of different output voltage levels and output the plurality of different voltage level clock signals at respective output nodes. The plurality of voltage clamps are configured to clamp each of a given output node to a respective high-side voltage level in response to pulling up of the given output node toward a respective high output voltage level and to clamp each of the given output node to a respective low-side voltage level in response to pulling down of the output node toward a low output voltage level.
US08149031B1
A charge pump includes a reference charge pump with an input interface to accept a phase detector signal and a duty-cycle feedback signal, and an output to supply a control voltage. A replica charge pump accepts the phase detector signal supplies the duty-cycle feedback signal. If the reference charge pump source current (Ip) becomes mismatched with the sinking current (In), non-equal Tn and Tp time periods may result. The phase detector accepts reference and data signals having a steady state offset error and supplies a non-50% duty cycle square wave phase detector signal. The replica charge pump supplies a duty-cycle feedback signal to the reference charge pump responsive to the non-50% duty cycle phase detector signal and the reference charge pump equalizes the source and sink currents. When the phase detector measures reference and data signals fully orthogonal in phase, it supplies s 50% duty cycle signal.
US08149030B2
A clock generator includes a controller, a digital phase locked loop (PLL) circuit, a charge pump phase locked loop (PLL) circuit and a divider. The controller generates a division factor and a first internal clock signal in response to a low-frequency reference clock signal and a multiplication factor. The digital PLL circuit generates a second internal clock signal in response to the reference clock signal, the division factor and the first internal clock signal. The charge pump PLL circuit generates a plurality of third internal clock signals by using the second internal clock signal. The divider generates a high-frequency clock signal in response to a phase selection signal, the division factor and the third internal clock signals.
US08149028B2
A method for dividing a frequency includes the steps of receiving a first signal having a first frequency as a clock input to a first digital counter and outputting a second signal as a clock input to a second digital counter having a higher counting capacity than the first counter. The output occurs when the first counter reaches a first number of count cycles. The method also includes generating a third signal having a high cycle and a low cycle, which are determined at least as a function of the first number of count cycles. Depending on a desired division ratio, the high and low cycles may also be a function of a second number of count cycles associated with the second counter. The third signal has a frequency lower than the first frequency.
US08149027B2
An H-bridge circuit formed from two sub-circuits coupled to each other by a load network across a respective load node of each of the sub-circuits. Each sub-circuit of the two sub-circuits comprises a depletion mode upper transistor with a second electrode coupled to a first electrode of a lower transistor. The load node of the sub-circuit is disposed between the second electrode of the upper transistor and the first electrode of a lower transistor. There is a first voltage supply node coupled to a first electrode of the upper transistor and a second voltage supply node is coupled to a second electrode of the lower transistor. An upper driver transistor selectively couples a gate electrode of the upper transistor to an upper drive voltage node, the upper driver transistor having a control electrode coupled to an upper switched voltage supply circuit. There is also a lower switched voltage supply circuit coupled to a gate electrode of the lower transistor and a voltage dependent non-linear resistor is coupled across the gate electrode and second electrode of the upper transistor. In use, when the lower transistor and upper driver transistor are in a non-conductive state a potential difference across the voltage dependent non-linear resistor is sufficiently small enough to control the upper transistor into a conductive state. Conversely, when the lower transistor and upper driver transistor are in a conductive state the potential difference across the voltage dependent non-linear resistor provides a negative bias to the gate electrode of the upper transistor that has a negative potential sufficient to control the upper transistor into a non-conductive state.
US08149022B2
A frequency synthesizer is disclosed. The frequency synthesizer includes a period control word generator, a delta-sigma modulator, and a delay line unit. The period control word generator generates a period control word. The delta-sigma modulator receives the period control word and generates a phase selection signal. The delay line unit generates an output clock based on the phase selection signal. The delta-sigma modulator performs a carry-in operation based on a base number and the base number is adjustable and determined by a calibration process of the delay line unit.
US08149015B2
A transceiver system includes a first semiconductor device having a first input/output (I/O) pad connected with an I/O channel and a second semiconductor device having a second I/O pad connected with the I/O channel. The first semiconductor device is configured to terminate the first I/O pad with a first voltage when data is received, and maintain the first I/O pad and the I/O channel at the first voltage when data is transmitted. The second semiconductor device is configured to terminate the second I/O pad with a second voltage higher than the first voltage when data is received, and maintain the second I/O pad and the I/O channel at the second voltage when data is transmitted.
US08149012B2
A method is provided for intentionally permanently disabling a target device. The target device comprises an integrated circuit having one or more electronic devices, where the target device is disabled by destroying at least one or more electronic devices. The method comprises charging at least one capacitor in an integrated circuit disabling device, detecting when at least one capacitor is charged, and selecting at least one target signal path associated with the target device for disabling. The method further includes connecting the integrated circuit disabling device to the target signal path and rapidly discharging at least one capacitor to the selected target signal path. The discharging step may apply a high energy impulse to destroy the one or more electronic devices of the target device.
US08149009B2
A probe apparatus and method of terminating a probe that probes a semiconductor device with a signal cable from a tester side by side at a proximal end of the probe and a distal end of the signal cable. In one embodiment, the probe apparatus includes: a chassis; a dielectric block mounted in the chassis for retaining the probe, the probe extending on the chassis from a proximal end of the probe to the dielectric block, extending through the dielectric block, and projecting from the dielectric block towards the semiconductor device at a distal end of the probe; and a terminating apparatus, mounted in the chassis, for terminating the proximal end of the probe with a distal end of the signal cable side by side.
US08149005B2
A position alignment of a transfer point of a transfer arm is performed by using a position detecting wafer capable of being loaded into an apparatus having a thin transfer port. The position detecting wafer S includes an electrostatic capacitance detecting sensor 50 for detecting an electrostatic capacitance in relation with a reference object for the position alignment. The electrostatic capacitance detecting sensor 50 includes a plurality of electrostatic capacitance detecting electrodes 52, each forming the electrostatic capacitance in relation with the reference object; and a control circuit 51 for controlling a detection of the electrostatic capacitance by each electrostatic capacitance detecting electrode 52, while communicating with each electrostatic capacitance detecting electrode 52. The electrostatic capacitance detecting electrodes 52 are provided on a rear surface of the position detecting wafer S, and the control circuit 51 is provided on a front surface of the position detecting wafer S.
US08149002B2
A device for capacitive measurement by a floating bridge, including: a sensor module including at least one measuring electrode and at least one guard electrode arranged close to a target connected to a general earth, at least one integrated circuit for capacitive measurement, provided with a guard to which the guard electrode is connected, having an input connected to the measuring electrode, a guard connected to the reference earth of the integrated circuit, an excitation output connected to the general earth, a measurement output, and structure for supplying the integrated circuit for capacitive measurement in floating mode.
US08148999B2
A circuit for generating an indicative signal regarding the approach of an object to an observation area has a send electrode device, a generator circuit for supplying alternating voltage to the send electrode device, a receive electrode device which extends in or along the observation area, and an output circuit for generating an output signal correlating with the field at the receive electrode device. A compensation circuit is provided to add a compensation current i2 to a signal current i1 flowing from the receive electrode device.
US08148996B2
The invention discloses a circuit testing apparatus for testing a device under testing. The circuit testing apparatus includes a logic tester and a signal-measuring module. The logic tester is coupled to the device under testing for providing a testing signal and a trigger signal, and then determining a testing result for the device under testing according to a digital measuring result. The signal-measuring module coupled to the device under testing and the logic tester, is utilized for measuring a DC signal generated by the device under testing according to the testing signal after receiving the trigger signal, and generating the digital measuring result.
US08148993B2
An abnormality of a current sensor or a voltage sensor is detected. An abnormality detecting section reads out a charging/discharging current I of a secondary battery detected by the current sensor and a battery voltage V of the secondary battery, calculates an estimated battery voltage Vs on the basis of an electromotive force E and an internal resistance r of the secondary battery, and judges the current sensor to be abnormal if the difference between the battery voltage V and the estimated battery voltage Vs is greater than a predetermined threshold and the charging/discharging current I exceeds a predetermined allowable range, and judges the voltage sensor to be abnormal if the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold and the charging/discharging current I is within the predetermined allowable range.
US08148989B2
An apparatus for increasing the ability to detect ferromagnetic objects by increasing the magnetization of the objects. The apparatus includes at least one coil to generate a magnetic field positioned in the area of the object to be detected. The apparatus includes an electrical energy storage capacitor bank capable of quickly releasing stored energy. The apparatus includes a high speed, high current electronic switch capable of quickly transferring the stored energy from the capacitor bank to the coil thereby producing in the coil a short duration, single polarity magnetic field pulse. The apparatus includes a sample and hold circuit capable of acquiring magnetic field sensor data during periods when the pulsed magnetic field is not present. The apparatus includes a microprocessor controller to control timing and sequence of the magnetic pulse generation and the sensor data sample and hold process. The apparatus may be for portal handheld or head mounted applications.
US08148988B2
A magnet arrangement includes (a) a first and a second head ring magnet each having a substantially circular geometry with respect to a center axis and (b) a central ring magnet having a substantially circular geometry with respect to a center axis. The central ring magnet is disposed between the first and second head ring magnet in direction of the center axis. At least one of the magnets includes a first number of first magnets having at least one trapezoidal cross section and a second number of second magnets having at least one rectangular cross section. The second magnets are disposed in between the first magnets in circumferential direction. With this geometrical arrangement, magnets having a trapezoidal cross section include a guidance for a magnet having a rectangular cross section allowing the movements in radial direction of these last magnets.
US08148987B2
A magnetic resonance device has a cryostat and a gradient coil assembly situated within an inner bore of the cryostat. A seal is positioned between the gradient coil assembly and the inner bore. The seal includes a first fluid filled toroid or helix mounted concentrically with the gradient coils; and a second fluid filled toroid or helix situated within the first toroid, or first helix.
US08148983B2
In a method for calibration of a magnetic resonance acquisition channel having a magnetic resonance acquisition antenna in a magnetic resonance system, in a test signal is emitted by the transmission antenna in the magnetic resonance system and is received by the acquisition antenna. Acquisition channel calibration data for the appertaining magnetic resonance acquisition channel are determined on the basis of the received test signal. The method can be implemented by a calibration data determination device for a magnetic resonance system as well as by a magnetic resonance system itself.
US08148981B2
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes an input unit, a data acquisition unit and an image generating unit. The input unit inputs information indicating a matter of which resonance frequency is a center frequency of an excitation pulse. The data acquisition unit acquires magnetic resonance data with obtaining a steady state free precession. Each of the plural excitation pulses has a transmission phase varying by a variation amount determined based on a difference between a resonance frequency and the center frequency. The image generating unit generates an image of the desired matter based on the magnetic resonance data.
US08148977B2
Apparatus for characterizing a magnetic field in a magnetically enhanced substrate processing system
Embodiments of sensor devices for characterizing magnetic fields formed in substrate processing systems and methods of use thereof are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for characterizing a magnetic field in a substrate processing system may include a carrier having a form substantially similar to a substrate to be processed in the substrate processing system. One or more magnetic sensors are disposed on the carrier for measuring a magnitude of a magnetic field formed in the processing system in an x-, y-, and z-direction. A microprocessor is coupled to the one or more magnetic sensors to sample data representative of the magnitude of the magnetic field in the x-, y-, and z-directions proximate a position of each sensor. A memory device is coupled to the microprocessor for storing the sampled data. A power source is provided to supply power to each magnetic sensor and the microprocessor.
US08148969B2
A circuit arrangement (1) for the regulation of a current (IL) through a load (RL) comprises: a resistance (RS), through which a load current (IL) flows and across which a voltage (VS) drops, which serves as a control variable (X) for the regulation of the load current (IL), a tapping point (P) for a reference voltage (Vref), which serves as a command variable (W) for the regulation of the load current (IL), and a differential amplifier for the amplification of the control deviation (W−X) between command variable (W) and control variable (X). In the circuit arrangement (1) are provided for the regulation of the load current (IL) as a function of the load voltage (VL) a transistor (Q4) and also a collector resistance (R2) and an emitter resistance (R6), wherein the series connection of the base-emitter section of the transistor (Q4) and the emitter resistance (R6) is arranged parallel to the load (RL), and wherein the tapping point (P) for the reference voltage is arranged between the collector resistance (R2) and the transistor (Q4).
US08148965B2
A power controller includes a digital control circuit which performs a digital control on a basis of a difference between an output voltage supplied to a power control target device and a voltage reference, so that the output voltage is equal to the voltage reference, and a processor control circuit which conducts an operation of a processor in the digital control circuit, in response to a change of a control signal supplied by the power control target device and indicating a state of a load in the power control target device, which monitors an output from the digital control circuit, and which stops the operation of the processor when the load is judged to have no change.
US08148964B2
A power arrangement that includes a monolithically integrated III-nitride power stage having III-nitride power switches and III-nitride driver switches.
US08148960B2
It is desired for semiconductor devices to reduce an inrush current and an overshoot. According to the voltage regulator circuit of the present invention, when a power supply is turned on, a switch SW1 is turned on in response to a control signal CTR1, a switch SW2 is turned off, and a reference voltage Vref is input to the first (+IN) and second (−IN) inputs of a differential amplifier AMP1 as a common voltage. When a common voltage is supplied to the first (+IN) and second (−IN) inputs, the current I flows into a smoothing capacitor C1 from the high-voltage power supply (VDD) via the differential amplifier AMP1 is regulated to be small. Namely, an inrush current can be reduced. Further, according to the voltage regulator circuit 30 of the present invention, the increase of the output voltage Vout from the differential amplifier AMP1 is relaxed so that the overshoot can be suppressed.
US08148955B2
A motor vehicle includes an on-board vehicle electric system, an electric consumer, whose resistance decreases with the decreasing voltage dropping at the consumer, an electric energy accumulator, and a switching arrangement. The switching arrangement is designed and is connected or connectable to the on-board vehicle electric system, the consumer and the energy accumulator such that in a first switching position, the energy accumulator, and in a second switching position, the switching arrangement, is connected in parallel to the on-board vehicle electric system. The energy accumulator in the second switching position is connected in series to the consumer, and the energy accumulator in the first switching position is not connected in series to the consumer.
US08148953B2
An apparatus and method for recycling and reusing charge in an electronic circuit. The apparatus includes at least one capacitor coupled to a circuit block in the electronic circuit, the capacitor being configured to collect current charge consumed by the circuit block when set to a charge collection mode, and a voltage level comparator configured to detect a fully charged state when the capacitor is fully charged. Further, the apparatus includes a first electrical switch configured to allow, once the fully charged state is detected, the capacitor to switch to a discharge mode for discharging the current charge collected back into the power supply for reuse by the electrical system and a second switch configured to allow, after the capacitor has fully discharged the current charge collected, the capacitor to switch back to the charge collection mode, such that, the current charge is recycled and reused by the electrical system.
US08148952B2
A system and method for equalizing the state of charge of the cells of a battery in an electric vehicle while the vehicle is being driven. The method includes monitoring the state of charge of the battery cells in the battery and measuring the actual current of the battery. The method also includes determining a maximum charge current limit of the battery and comparing the actual battery current and the charge current limit. The method also includes modifying the charge current limit based on the comparison between the actual battery current and the charge current limit. The method then converts the modified charge current limit to a power charge limit and then over charges the battery using a small amount of current and the power charge limit so that all of the cells in the battery become fully charged.
US08148949B2
A system for charging a high voltage battery includes a low DC voltage battery, a DC-to-AC converting circuit, a controller, an AC-to-DC converting circuit and a high DC voltage battery. The low voltage battery outputs a low DC voltage signal. The DC-to-AC converting circuit receives the low DC voltage signal to convert into a chopped DC voltage signal. The DC-to-AC converter outputs a high AC voltage signal corresponding to the chopped DC voltage signal. The controller controls a duty cycle of the chopped DC voltage signal. The AC-to-DC converting circuit converts the high AC voltage signal into a high DC voltage signal. The high voltage battery charges using the high DC voltage signal. A method for charging a high voltage battery is also provided.
US08148948B2
Provided herein is a controller for a low voltage disconnect (LVD), a method of protecting and providing a maximum or substantially maximum battery reserve coupled to a DC load bus and a power system manager. In one embodiment, the LVD controller includes an adaptive disconnect system configured to determine a variable LVD threshold voltage value and instruct the LVD to disconnect a battery reserve from a DC load bus based thereon. The variable LVD threshold voltage is determined based on a current of the battery reserve during a battery-discharge event.
US08148947B2
A circuit for displaying the state of a battery that is almost discharged features a battery, an inductive load, and a controllable switch connected in series. The circuit also includes a display element connected in series with the inductive load and the battery. The controllable switch is opened when a voltage of the battery is lower than a first threshold level and is only closed again when the voltage of the battery is greater than a second threshold level. The circuit may also include a control circuit having a comparator which compares the voltage of the battery with the first threshold level and the second threshold level and triggers the controllable switch accordingly.
US08148937B2
When a rectangular wave voltage control mode is selected, a control apparatus estimates the output torque of an alternating-current motor based on the outputs of a current sensor and a rotation angle sensor, and executes torque feedback control by adjusting the phase of rectangular wave voltage based on the difference between the torque estimated value and a torque command value. The control apparatus executes a switching interruption that outputs a control command to a switching element of an inverter every 60 degrees of electrical angle, and executes an angle interruption that samples the phase currents of the alternating-current motor based on the output of the current sensor and converts those phase currents into a d-axis current and a q-axis current every predetermined electrical angle that is set beforehand. The control apparatus for the alternating-current motor then sets the predetermined electrical angle such that the number of angle interruptions between switching interruptions varies according to the rotation speed of the alternating-current motor.
US08148930B2
A control device for controlling a machine tool which can be used to drive tools includes a memory for storing a movement limit value which is respectively assigned to the tools and is specific to the respective tool. A desired value generating unit generates desired values for controlling the movement of the tool. The desired values are limited by a limiting unit on the basis of the assigned movement limit value in such a manner that the movement limit value is not exceeded when moving the tool.
US08148923B2
Low-injection energy electrons are accelerated in a continuous standing wave linear accelerator. Electron flow is supplied directly from a low-energy electron source to subsequent sequential accelerating units interconnected via connection cells. By grouping electrons in the first bunch resonator at a determined gap voltage, increasing the electron energy in a booster resonator and accelerating the electron energy in the accelerating unit, the optimal phase of particles with respect to the electromagnetic field is ensured. The length of each accelerating structure segment, which is located between centers of the adjacent cells, is based on the equality between the relation of the length of each following segment to the length of the previous segment and the relation of the average electron speed in the previous segment to the average electron speed in the following segment.
US08148907B2
Various embodiments of a dimmable power supply are disclosed herein. For example, some embodiments provide a dimmable power supply including an output driver, a variable pulse generator and a load current detector. The output driver has a power input, a control input and a load path. The variable pulse generator includes a control input and a pulse output, with the pulse output connected to the output driver control input. The variable pulse generator is adapted to vary a pulse width at the pulse output based on a signal at the control input. The load current detector has an input connected to the output driver load path and an output connected to the variable pulse generator control input. The load current detector has a time constant adapted to substantially filter out a change in a load current at a frequency of pulses at the variable pulse generator pulse output.
US08148900B1
Methods and systems for providing illumination of a specimen for inspection are provided. One embodiment relates to a system configured to provide illumination of a specimen for inspection. The system includes an electrodeless lamp configured to generate light. The system is further configured such that the light illuminates the specimen during the inspection. Another embodiment relates to a system configured to inspect a specimen. The system includes an electrodeless lamp configured to generate light and one or more optical elements configured to direct the light to the specimen. The system also includes a detection subsystem configured to generate output responsive to light from the specimen. The output can be used to detect defects on the specimen. An additional embodiment relates to a method for providing illumination of a specimen for inspection. The method includes illuminating the specimen during the inspection with light generated by an electrodeless lamp.
US08148897B2
A backlight unit for a liquid crystal display (LCD) using a light emitting diode (LED) is provided. The backlight unit includes a blue light source, a red light source, and a green light source. The green light source includes an ultraviolet (UV) LED and a green phosphor excited by light emitted from the UV LED.
US08148896B2
The present invention provides an organic electroluminescent display device and a method of repairing a defective pixel of an organic electroluminescent display device which can realize the repairing a defective pixel to a light emitting pixel by electrically separating a leak portion which generates a defective pixel. To be more specific, a peeling suppression layer is formed between an anode and an organic light emitting layer formed on a main substrate, and a cavity is formed between the main substrate and the peeling suppression layer due to the evaporation generated by an absorption of laser beams thus electrically separating a defective portion so as to repair a black-dot defective pixel to form a light emitting pixel.
US08148895B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a display device in which unevenness generated under a light-emitting element does not impart an adverse effect on the light-emitting element. It is another object of the invention to provide a method for manufacturing a display device in which penetration of water into the inside of the display device through a film having high moisture permeability can be suppressed without increasing processing steps considerably. It is another object of the invention to provide a display device and a method for manufacturing a display device satisfying the above two simultaneously. A display device of the present invention to solve the above problems comprising a thin film transistor and a light-emitting element over an insulating surface formed on a substrate, wherein the light-emitting element includes a light-emitting laminated body interposed between a first electrode and a second electrode; wherein the first electrode is formed over an insulating film formed over the thin film transistor; and wherein a planarizing film is formed in response to the first electrode between the first electrode and the insulating film.
US08148892B2
A system for displaying images is provided, including an active-matrix organic light emission display. The active-matrix organic light emission display comprises an active-matrix array on a display area of an array substrate, a peripheral circuit on a peripheral area of the array substrate, a reflective layer on the peripheral area of the array substrate, between a light emission plane and the peripheral circuit and covering the peripheral circuit, an organic light emission layer on the active-matrix array and a cover layer over the organic light emission layer, covering the display area and the peripheral area.
US08148884B2
An electrodeless discharge lamp is provided which prevents the problem of decrease in strength due to degradation of resin material, allowing secure fitting of a lamp part and a coupler member to a base even if it is used for a long time. A bulb containing a discharge gas and a coupler member for generating a high frequency electromagnetic field to excite the bulb are detachably fitted to each other via a base for fixing and supporting the bulb. The bulb and the base form a lamp part. The base comprises a base frame formed of a metal such as aluminum and a base cover formed e.g. of synthetic resin. The base frame has a coupler member fitting portion which is provided at a lower part thereof and fitted to the coupler member, wherein bulb fixing posts provided to stand on the coupler member fitting portion fix a bulb outer tube. Thus, the fitting portions of the lamp part and the coupler member to the base undergo less material degradation than a conventional one which uses a base of resin material.
US08148883B2
The present invention provides a highly reliable spark plug used for an internal-combustion engine and including an insulator with a high withstand voltage, and a method for manufacturing the same. Namely, it provides a spark plug containing a cylindrical metal shell having an insulator holding hole, a cylindrical insulator including an axial hole therein which extends in an axial direction, and engaging with said insulator holding hole of said metal shell, and a center electrode held in said axial hole of said insulator, wherein said insulator has a texture in which one or more pores exposed in a judgment area with 50 μm in diameter occupy 40% or less of said judgment area at any locations in an observation area, in the case where a predetermined mirror-finishing section of an enclosed portion surrounded by said metal shell is used as said observation area to observe pores exposed in said observation.
US08148875B2
A piezoelectric vibrator which can be manufactured efficiently and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The piezoelectric vibrator includes: a tuning-fork-type piezoelectric vibrating piece which has a pair of vibration arm portions, excitation electrodes formed on base end portions of the vibration arm portions, and weight metal films formed on distal end portions of the vibration arm portions; and a package which houses the piezoelectric vibrating piece therein. A gettering film on which a laser radiation flaw is formed is formed on intermediate portions between the base end portions and the distal end portions of the vibration arm portions. A first metal film included in the excitation electrode, a second metal film included in the weight metal film and the gettering film are formed using the same material.
US08148871B2
Disclosed is a structure of a casing of a small stepping motor having an outer diameter of 8 mm or less, in which yoke teeth are integrally formed on the inner surface of the casing, and the thickness of the outer wall of the casing is different from the thickness of each of the yoke teeth. The casing of a small stepping motor includes yoke teeth integrally formed on an inner surface of the casing, in which a thickness of an outer wall of the casing is different from a thickness of the yoke tooth.
US08148865B2
Permanent magnet rotating electrical machine and permanent magnet rotating electrical machine system
Movement of magnets due to centrifugal force is restricted. In a permanent magnet rotating electrical machine 100 having a stator 1 and a rotor core 5 provided with a plurality of permanent magnets 3 inserted in an outer circumferential portion of the rotor 5, each permanent magnet 3 has inclined surfaces on the outer circumferential side of the rotor 2 and the thinnest portions of the inclined surfaces are adjacent to permanent magnets of the opposite polarity. Further, each magnet 3 has a convex-shaped cross section and is divided into two magnet segments 3, 3. A magnetic pole bridge 15 is formed at the boundary of the permanent magnet segments 3, 3. Thus, movement of the permanent magnet segments 3, 3 due to centrifugal force is firmly restricted, and the peeling off of the rotor core 5 and the permanent magnet segments 3, 3 from each other is prevented.
US08148858B2
A totally enclosed motor comprising a housing totally encloses an electrical package that includes plurality of slot vents extending radially outward from a shaft on which the electrical package is mounted. The electrical package being operable to generate a closed circuit electrical package cooling air flow that circulates through the slot vents and is confined within the housing. The motor additionally including an exterior cooling assembly that is operable to generate a directed exterior air flow along an exterior portion of the housing. The motor further including a plurality of heat pipes having evaporator ends disposed within the closed circuit electrical package cooling air flow and condenser ends disposed within the exterior air flow, whereby heat is removed from the electrical package chamber such that the ‘Totally Enclosed’ more provides a power output substantially equivalent to that of an ‘Open’ motor of approximately the same size.
US08148855B2
A method and apparatus for supplying cordless power to a remotely-located load device. A first power supply unit of a portable power supply system is configured to operate in a charge receive mode and/or a charge supply mode. When the first power supply unit is in the charge receive mode, a first energy storage device of the first power supply unit is configured to receive electrical energy via a first switch from one of a second power supply unit or an external power source. When the first power supply unit is in the charge supply mode, the first energy storage device of the first power supply unit is configured to supply electrical energy via a second switch to one of a third power supply unit or a remotely-located load device.
US08148854B2
Managing solid-state luminary (SSL) fixtures over power line carrier (PLC) networks is described herein. Devices provided in this description include SSL arrays, and converter circuitry coupled to drive the SSL arrays. More specifically, the converter circuitry is adapted to convert input voltage received from a power distribution network into a level suitable for driving the SSL arrays. The devices also include (PLC) modems for coupling to PLC networks, and coupled to the converter circuitry. In particular, the PLC modems interface the converter circuitry to the PLC networks.
US08148850B2
A device for balancing power generators, including a plurality of converters each including an elementary conversion cell with a switch driven by a comparator that receives a ramp on one input thereof and, on another input, a voltage from a driving amplifier wherein the driving amplifiers receive on their negative input an image of the cell current and have their positive input connected to an adjustment loop including a common path CS_Bus, and wherein the CS_Bus path directly connects the positive inputs of the driving amplifiers to the outputs of transconductance amplifiers associated with the elementary conversion cells.
US08148849B2
There is described a plant (1) for converting solar energy into electrical energy, comprising a photovoltaic generator (2a) including at least one string (2) of photovoltaic modules (M), a pulse generator (31) able to send electrical pulses to the input of the string (2), a signal detector (OP) arranged at the output of the string (2) and able to detect, at the output of the string (2), the presence of a signal which is a function of the electrical pulses at the input, and alarm means connected to the signal detector (OP) and able to generate an alarm in the event that there is no signal at the output of the string (2).
US08148846B2
Power supply systems and methods are provided. In one aspect, a power supply system includes a frame, a power input to receive input power from a power source, a power output to provide output power to a load, at least one battery module mounted in the frame and having a battery output that provides battery power, at least one power module mounted in the frame and coupled to the power input to receive the input power, coupled to the battery output to receive the battery power, and coupled to the power output to provide the output power from at least one of the battery power and the input power, a first controller coupled to the at least one power module, and a second controller, substantially similar to the first controller, coupled to the first controller, and coupled to the at least one power module, wherein each of the first controller and the second controller are configured to determine operational parameters of the power supply system and store a first set of parameters determined by the first controller and a second set of parameters determined by the second controller.
US08148841B1
A windmill includes a rotor having an outer blade edge of a stacked blade configuration windmill which generates electricity through outside rings which include wire windings. The outer blade edges are configured in a C-shape to enclose as much as ¾ of the outside ring to give mounting areas and overall blade stability. The system can be mounted in vehicles to charge batteries or provide for hydrogen separation in hydrogen cars as well as many other applications. The system can be modular so that a windmill of any suitable size can be constructed.
US08148838B2
According to some embodiments, a plurality of airborne bodies may each extend horizontally along an axis between a first point and a second point. Each body may be, for example, at least partially filled with a gas and two or more vanes may be provided airborne with each body such that the vanes, when acted upon by a wind force perpendicular to the axis, are operable to cause rotation about the axis. Moreover, one or more electrical generators may be airborne with each body to convert rotational energy produced by the rotation about the axis into electrical energy.
US08148832B2
An electrical power generating system includes a spring system that stores stored energy, the spring system having an input for recharging the stored energy and an output for releasing the stored energy, wherein the spring system generates a monitor signal based on a status parameter of the spring system and wherein the spring system releases the stored energy in accordance with an output control signal. A generator converts the stored energy released by the spring system into electric power. A spring recharge module recharges the stored energy of the spring system in response to a recharge control signal, based on a supplemental source of power. A control module generates the recharge control signal and the output control signal, based on the monitor signal.
US08148831B2
The present invention provides a latent catalyst for epoxy resin, comprising: a cation moiety having an activity of accelerating curing reaction of epoxy resin; and a silicate anion moiety of suppressing the curing reaction-accelerating activity. Also disclosed are an epoxy resin composition comprising the latent catalyst and a semiconductor device using the epoxy resin composition.
US08148816B2
A semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor chips is stacked. A first semiconductor chip is stacked in a region, on a second semiconductor chip, in which a circuit that generates noise is not disposed within said second semiconductor chip, and a wire of a circuit that easily receives noise within said first semiconductor chip is disposed so as not to extend over said circuit that generates noise.
US08148807B2
Packaged microelectronic devices and methods for manufacturing packaged microelectronic devices are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a packaged microelectronic device can include a support member, a first die attached to the support member, and a second die attached to the first die in a stacked configuration. The device can also include an attachment feature between the first and second dies. The attachment feature can be composed of a dielectric adhesive material. The attachment feature includes (a) a single, unitary structure covering at least approximately all of the back side of the second die, and (b) a plurality of interconnect structures electrically coupled to internal active features of both the first die and the second die.
