US08161553B2

A system for determining the validity of a received cryptographic message while ensuring for out-of-order messages is utilized to provide for secure communications among peers in a network. In particular, a secure communication module may be configured to accept the cryptographic message in response to a received nonce value of the received message is greater than the largest nonce value yet seen. Otherwise, when the received nonce value is not the largest nonce value yet seen, the secure communication module may be configured to compare the received nonce value with a nonce acceptance window. If the received nonce value falls outside the nonce acceptance window, the secure communication module may be further configured to reject the received message and assume that a replay attack has been detected. If the received nonce value falls within the nonce acceptance window, the secure communication module may be further configured to determine if the received nonce value has been seen before by comparing the received nonce value with a replay window mask. If the received nonce has been seen before, the secure communication module may be further configured to reject the received message and assume a replay attack. Otherwise, the secure communication module may be further configured to accept the message and add the received nonce value to the replay window mask.
US08161552B1

A white list (or exception list) for a behavior monitoring system for detecting unknown malware on a computing device is maintained automatically without human intervention. A white list contains process IDs and other data relating to processes that are determined to be (or very likely be) free of malware. If a process is on this list, the rule matching operations of a conventional behavior monitor are not performed, thereby saving processing resources on the computing device. When a process start up is detected, the behavior monitor performs a series of checks or tests. If the process has all valid digital signatures and is not launched from a removable storage device (such as a USB key) and is not enabled to make any inbound or outbound connections, it is eligible for being on the white list. The white list is also automatically maintained by removing process IDs for processes that have terminated or which attempt to make a new outbound or inbound connection, such as a TCP/UDP connection. Scheduled integrity checks on the white list are also performed by examining the process stack for each process to ensure that there are no abnormal files in the process stack.
US08161550B2

Apparatus and systems, as well as methods and articles, may operate to monitor communications between network nodes coupled to each other via at least one network, and map the communications to one or more communications graphs which are physically distributed over a plurality of network hosts. Network intrusion is detected using distributed graph-based data mining with respect to a selected subgraph and the communications graphs. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08161542B2

A Radio Frequency based security system for providing security for wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) that allows the creation and maintenance of arbitrarily shaped secure wireless access areas with boundaries around said wireless Local Area Network and prevents access to the said wireless LAN from outside the perimeter of the secure area. The system includes a plurality of perimeter Radio Frequency Sentry Devices (RFSDs) that are employed to establish the boundaries of said secure area around said wireless LAN. The wireless LAN being secured may be an industry standard IEEE 802.11a, 801.11b or 802.11g based wireless LAN or any other wireless LAN that uses packet based communication protocols. The said RFSDs may be stand-alone devices or they may be connected to a wired or wireless Local Area Network.
US08161537B2

A tool kit for accessing data stored on an electronic SMART card is provided, the kit comprising a SMART card reader and recorder, at least one storage card, and a control card. The card reader and recorder is operative to read and copy the electronic SMART card onto the storage card, and to read the control card, the storage card comprising a storage card security key. The control card comprises code generation means operative to generate a control card security key, copying of the electronic SMART card onto the storage card being prevented unless the control card security key is verified against the storage card security key.
US08161533B2

A network has network nodes and a software system distributed over the network nodes within which, on first access to an access-protected object of the system, an authentication of the user is provided. The authentication is valid at least for a further access to an access-protected object. The duration of the validity of the authentication is dependent on the duration of access to the access-protected object and/or on the context of the use of the system.
US08161525B2

A system and method of designing a secure solution which meets the needs of a customer but which is appropriate and repeatable and may use components which are insecure or not trusted. In its preferred embodiment, the security system includes subsystems selected from access control, information flow, identity and credentials management, integrity and assurance. In each subsystem, elements are employed to reduce the effect of perils and to provide a repeatable system design.
US08161521B1

A device may monitor a security policy that governs a user access to a zone in a private network, propagate a change in status of the security policy to one or more devices that coordinate with each other to implement a super policy, detect whether conditions for triggering actions that are associated with the super policy are present based on the change in status, and perform the actions if the conditions for triggering the actions are present.
US08161520B1

An automated method for securing a target system is provided. In this method, a request to change an entity in the target system is detected. The target system has an existing security profile or one is created. As a result, a security configuration group associated with the changed entity is constructed. The security configuration group is then fused with the existing security profile to form a unified security profile, and the unified security profile is prosecuted onto the target system. Other methods and a system for securing the target system are also described.
US08161518B2

In a contents distribution system for distributing contents from a distribution server to a display terminal through a transmission path, the distribution server detects a region in which a character is displayed from an image of video contents, generates an image of a high resolution of the detected region as character information for use in confirming a character displayed in the detected region and text data obtained by character read and distributes the generated character information with the video contents multiplexed to the display terminal, and the display terminal presents the character information received from the distribution server.
US08161510B2

An apparatus performs a data caching operation responsive to a channel change event which reduces channel change times. According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a cache memory operative to cache an incoming data stream responsive to a channel change command. A processor is operative to find program specific information included within the incoming data stream. A decoder is operative to decode the cached data stream responsive to the processor finding the program specific information.
US08161507B2

A channel-switching apparatus and method in a digital broadcasting system omits conditional access control in logical channel-switching in one physical channel from processes that are executed for channel-switching in a digital broadcasting system, thereby reducing channel-switching time.
US08161499B2

A data processing method using a data processing apparatus on a transmitting side having an application for performing processing using an internal device set in the data processing apparatus, a driver that accepts an access request to the internal device from the application, a handler that performs access processing to the internal device and transmitting a message to an external device set outside the data processing apparatus, and a storage device that stores a device ID as a transmission destination for specifying the internal or external device and the handler in association with each other, and a data processing apparatus on a receiving side that receives the message transmitted from the data processing apparatus on the transmitting side.
US08161491B2

The present disclosure is based on a multi-core or multi-processor virtualized environment that comprises both time-sensitive and non-time-sensitive tasks. The present disclosure describes techniques that use a plurality of criteria to choose a processing resource that is to execute tasks. The present disclosure further describes techniques to re-schedule queued tasks from one processing resource to another processing resource, based on a number of criteria. Through load balancing techniques, the present invention both (i) favors the processing of soft real-time tasks arising from media servers and applications, and (ii) prevents “starvation” of the non-real-time general computing applications that co-exist with the media applications in a virtualized environment. These techniques, in the aggregate, favor the processing of soft real-time tasks while also reserving resources for non-real-time tasks. These techniques manage multiple processing resources to balance the competing demands of soft real-time tasks and of non-real-time tasks.
US08161479B2

A virtual environment can be configured to coordinate life cycles of virtual machines and application programs executing therein. In one implementation, the virtual environment includes an application layer and a virtual machine layer. The application layer communicates with the virtual machine layer to coordinate and directs virtual machine creation and deletion in a coordinated fashion with application programs. For example, the application layer receives a request to initiate an application program. The application layer determines from associated application properties the type and/or number of virtual machines to be created. The application layer then directs creation of the appropriate virtual machines (through the virtual machine layer), and further directs installation of the requested application programs therein. When detecting removal of the application program from the created virtual machines, the application layer can automatically direct removal or decommissioning of the corresponding virtual machine.
US08161478B2

A method and system for managing a computing system by using a hierarchy of autonomic management elements are described. The autonomic management elements operate in a master-slave mode and negotiate a division of management responsibilities regarding various components of the computing system.
US08161475B2

The embodiments contemplate a system and method for a provisioning, retirement and configuration of virtual machines. A predefined policy may include a desired target state of the virtual machines, as well as an action to initiate in order to reach the desired state. The action may be initiated if the state varies from the desired level by a predetermined amount or percentage over a predetermined period of time. Data from the virtual machines is analyzed to determine if the desired state of the virtual machines is satisfied. The analysis may be continuous or periodic. If it is determined that the desired state is not satisfied, then predefined actions are performed until the desired state is attained. The predefined actions may be the removal or addition of one or more virtual machines or other actions necessary to reach the desired state.
US08161474B2

A method and system for failsafe preservation of diagnostic information that identifies problems encountered during installation of over the air updates of wireless handset software includes logging code stored in an area of the handset that is not updated during over the air updates and that is executable to generate and store diagnostic information in an area of the handset that is not updated during over the air updates. By disposing a logging code and diagnostic information in areas of the handset that are invulnerable to corruption during installation of over the air updates, diagnostic information is guaranteed to be generated by the handset and transferable to an external diagnostics system for analysis even in the event of a fatal error.
US08161472B2

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for regenerating portions of the page that have changed and transmitting only those portions to the client for display. Executing only the necessary parts of the page generation code and transmitting only changes to the client improves the efficiency of using the resources of the network communication channel, the client node and the server node. Performing these operations only when required, when the data has changed, improves the efficiency of use even further. The invention also takes advantage of any portions of the page that are already on the client by reusing them and thus eliminates the need to regenerate or transmit those reusable portions.In one aspect, the invention relates to a method for incorporating a partial page into a transmitted page displayed on a client. The method includes displaying the transmitted page on a client, receiving by the client a regenerated portion of the transmitted page from a server and incorporating by the client the regenerated portion into the transmitted page displayed on the client. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving by the client a modification list from the server instructing the client on the incorporation of the regenerated page portion into the transmitted page. In another embodiment, the method includes receiving by the client additional code instructing the client on how to interpret commands contained in the modification list.
US08161470B2

Automated injection of Java bytecode instructions for Java load time optimization via runtime checking with upcasts. Exemplary embodiments include a method including generating a stack for each of a plurality of bytecodes, generating a subclass configured to keep a history of instructions that have modified the stack, statically scanning a plurality of Java classes associated with the plurality of bytecodes to locate class file configurations and bytecode patterns that cause loading of additional classes to complete a verification of each of the classes in the plurality of Java classes, rewriting the bytecodes to delay the loading of the additional classes until required at a runtime, recording modifications that have been made to the stack by the instructions, and applying the modifications to each of the bytecodes in the plurality of bytecodes.
US08161464B2

A method of compiling source code. The method includes converting pointer-based access in the source code to array-based access in the source code in a first pass compilation of the source code. Information is collected for objects in the source code during the first pass compilation. Candidate objects in the source code are selected based on the collected information to form selected candidate objects. Global stride variables are created for the selected candidate objects. Memory allocation operations are updated for the selected candidate objects in a second pass compilation of the source code. Multiple-level pointer indirect references are replaced in the source code with multi-dimensional array indexed references for the selected candidate objects in the second pass compilation of the source code.
US08161461B2

In one embodiment, a method for evaluating code usage includes monitoring instructions executed by a processor, counting instances of execution of each instruction, correlating the executed instructions with source code instructions, and providing an indication of source code usage to a user.
US08161459B2

The present invention provides a method, system and computer program product for generating one or more functional test cases for testing a software application. One or more use-case activity diagrams are developed for the software application on the basis of a predefined set of rules. The consistency of the use-case activity diagrams is checked automatically. Further, the consistent use-case activity diagrams are validated with one or more users. Furthermore, the one or more functional test cases are generated automatically from the validated use-case activity diagrams.
US08161458B2

Techniques for efficiently isolating software regressions are provided. A system test tool determines that a particular regression is present in a particular build of a software system, but not in a baseline build. Using historical data, the tool determines, for each of a plurality of intermediate builds between these two builds, a likelihood that that intermediate build introduced the particular regression. A particular intermediate build can be identified as a build to be tested. Here, the particular intermediate build comprises a plurality of layered putbacks, each of which putbacks comprises one or more code changes in the software system. The tool determines, for each putback, a likelihood that that putback introduced the particular regression. A particular putback in the plurality of putbacks may be selected as a putback to be tested. In some embodiments, the particular putback is the putback that has the greatest likelihood of introducing the particular regression.
US08161456B2

A method for managing a configuration of heterogeneous software artifacts through a common central configuration representation includes adding a plurality of software artifacts from an initial software solution to a heterogeneous configuration tool. Using this heterogeneous configuration tool, artifact-level configuration parameters are extracted out of selected software artifacts by the heterogeneous configuration tool. The extracted artifact-level configuration parameters are then presented in a single representation. A subset of the presented extracted artifact-level configuration parameters is mapped to a set of solution-level parameters, which are then exposed in a subsequent software solution. Thereafter, parameters for one or more of the solution-level parameters, which are used by the subsequent software solution, are exposed. These parameters for the subsequent software solution are then mapped back to the artifact-level configuration parameters of the subsequent software solution.
US08161446B2

A system and method of connecting a macro cell to a system power supply network is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method includes determining a distance of an edge of the macro cell from a power line or a ground line of the system power supply network. The method further includes selectively adding at least one line to the system power supply network.
US08161445B2

A novel logic design method for avoiding wiring congestion. According to the novel logic design method, an original gate having multiple inputs coming from different directions and having multiple outputs coming to different directions can be transformed to a logic block that has an input stage and an output stage. The gates of the input stage receive signals from the multiple inputs of the original gate. The gates of the output stage send signals to the multiple outputs of the original gate. Each gate of the input stage is placed in a vicinity of its inputs. Each gate of the output stage is placed in a vicinity of its outputs. The gates of the input and output stages are functionally equivalent to the original gate.
US08161441B2

A method for performing robust scan synthesis for soft-error protection on a design for generating a robust scan design in a system. The system is modeled selectively at a register-transfer level (RTL) or a gate level; the design includes at least a sequential element or a scan cell for mapping to a robust scan cell of a select robust scan cell type. The method comprises performing a scan replacement and a scan stitching on the design database based on a given control information file for synthesizing the robust scan cell on the design database; and generating the synthesized robust scan design at a pre-determined RTL or a pre-determined gate level.
US08161438B2

Various methods for analyzing mutual inductance in an integrated circuit layout are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, for example, circuit design information indicative of a first inductor and a second inductor is received. A dipole moment associated with the first inductor is determined, where the magnetic field associated with the dipole moment is representative of magnetic fields created by respective turns in the first inductor. A mutual inductance between the first inductor and the second inductor is determined by determining a magnetic flux of the magnetic field of the dipole moment through surfaces bounded by respective wire segments of the second inductor.
US08161437B2

Methods and apparatuses to automatically generate time multiplexed multi-channel circuits from single-channel circuits. At least one embodiment of the present invention automatically and efficiently synthesize multi-channel hardware for time-multiplexed resource sharing by automatically generating a time multiplexed design of multi-channel circuits from the design of a single-channel circuit. Channel specific elements of the single-channel design (e.g., registers and memories) are replaced with corresponding elements of N-times more capacity for pipelining the signal processing for multiple channels.
US08161422B2

A method is provided for modeling lithographic processes in the design of photomasks for the manufacture of semiconductor integrated circuits, and more particularly for simulating intermediate range flare effects. For a region of influence (ROI) from first ROI1 of about 5λ/NA to distance ROI2 when the point spread function has a slope that is slowly varying according to a predetermined criterion, then mask shapes at least within the distance range from ROI1 to ROI2 are smoothed prior to computing the SOCS convolutions. The method provides a fast method for simulating intermediate range flare effects with sufficient accuracy.
US08161420B2

A security management system of a home network is provided. The home network includes a home gateway and one or more user devices connected to the home gateway. The security management system further includes a security management server adapted to provide a security management service for the home network. Within the home network, a security management module is disposed to provide a security service for the user devices within the home network. The user devices and a device where the security management module locates have unique device identifications, and the home network has a unique network identification. By the home gateway, the security management server communicates with the security management module. With the network identification and the device identification, the security management server and the security management module achieve a security management for the home network through a registration of the home network and a registration of the user device. A security management method of home network devices is also provided.
US08161415B2

Method, article, apparatus and computer system facilitating the easy and intuitive inputting of a desired graphical object into an electronic system from a large plurality of predetermined graphical objects. In one example embodiment, this is achieved by assigning each of said graphical objects into one of a plurality of groups in accordance with a predetermined similarity criterion, associating respective base shapes to each of said groups, wherein said base shapes having a certain degree of similarity to the objects assigned to the associated group according to said similarity criterion and associating in each of said groups at least one gesture to each of said graphical objects, so that the associated gestures are distinguishable from each other. In order to input the desired graphical object, one of the groups is selected by selecting its base shape and then the desired graphical object is identified by drawing the respective gesture associated thereto.
US08161412B2

Exemplary embodiments include a system for providing interactive content including: an input for receiving a hot key signal related to interactive content, the hot key signal indicative of an availability and a location of an alternate content; and a processor which indicates that the hot key signal has been received, and responsive to receiving an indication that the hot key is accepted, redirects a user to the alternate content, wherein the alternate content is an interactive user interface related to the interactive content.
US08161408B2

A method for providing an energy map may include receiving an indication of status for each of a plurality of individual entities with respect to corresponding priorities defined for each respective individual entity, correlating received indications of status to respective group priorities, providing a representation of a plurality of the group priorities, and mapping an amount of energy associated with the group priorities by providing a graphical representation of a respective amount of resources associated with the group priorities based on the received indications.
US08161405B2

Methods, systems, and computer program products are provide for accepting a user's selection of sort options for sorting a table according to embodiments of the present invention. Embodiments include selecting a representative shape for displaying sort options; identifying one or more columns in the table available for selection as a key for sorting; displaying, together in a GUI, identifications of the one or more columns and the representative shape; and receiving, as a user's selection of one of the columns as a key for sorting, an invocation of a GUI control associated with an identification of the selected columns.
US08161402B1

A graphical interface is provided to manage interfaces with hardware and software devices. The graphical communication interface can be operated on an electronic device to simplify management of one or more interfaces, while providing opportunities for enhanced capabilities and control of the interfaces. The graphical communication interface can create objects that are associated with hardware or software devices. The objects are representative of the device and are depicted in the graphical interface. The object is configured to be interactive with the device and enable communication between the graphical interface and the hardware device. The graphical interface can include both software objects and hardware objects and the objects can include user-defined protocols to communicate with the device, allowing communications with a wide variety of devices. Analysis objects may also be created for interaction with the hardware objects or software objects.
US08161400B2

An apparatus and method for processing data of a mobile terminal are disclosed to easily and quickly process data stored in a mobile terminal. When particular data is associated with a particular menu linked to a program for processing the particular data by a user, the program linked to the particular menu is automatically executed to automatically process the particular data.
US08161398B2

Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for presenting a visual cue to a user in a virtual world. A cursor cycle allows the user to specify an avatar of focus by cycling through avatars in the virtual world. Visual cues of an avatar of focus are presented to the user. The user may define a cursor mask to include specific avatars. Visual cues of the cursor mask or of all avatars may be summarized and presented to the user. The user may also specify a threshold for a visual cue. A visual cue that is detected to exceed the specified threshold is presented to the user.
US08161391B2

An on-board input and management device is disclosed. In an exemplary implementation, a method of managing a blade computing system may include monitoring current systems status in a blade computing system with an integrated management controller. The method may also include using the integrated management controller for user interaction to monitor and modify configuration of a plurality of modules in the blade computing system. In an exemplary embodiment, all of the modules in the blade computing system may be monitored and managed.
US08161388B2

A system and method for determining the characteristics of a device coupled to a client device are disclosed. A method, according to one embodiment, includes driving a display device with a first video output signal formatted according to a first video interface specification; responsive to driving the display device, soliciting user input based on information included in the first video output signal; determining a characteristic of the display device based on the user input; and driving the display device according to the determined characteristic.
US08161386B1

A system provides task-oriented enhancement of a software application that allows for remote, Web-based, technical support. The system observes user-interactive elements in the software application. Based on the observed user-interactive elements, the system generates at least one task indication and at least one respective instruction indication associated with the software application. Generation of the indications may be done dynamically as the software application loads or executes. The system may be activated locally or remotely to provide technical support, or “coaching”, to a user. The system may also be used to generate documentation for the software application.
US08161383B2

An information processing apparatus for processing documents of multiple kinds generated by applications of multiple kinds includes a data processing unit configured to process the documents of multiple kinds; a determining unit configured to execute a validity period management program in response to a request to the data processing unit to process one document among the documents of multiple kinds to determine whether the request is within a validity period associated with a content item in the document; and a switching unit configured to switch the content item that is referred to and that is to be processed by the data processing unit between when the determining unit determines that the content is not within the validity period and when the determining unit determines that the content is within the validity period.
US08161373B2

Preventing the inclusion of a reference to a host cell in a formula to avoid a circular reference in the formula is disclosed. In some embodiments, an indication of a selection or an attempted selection of a host cell into which a formula is being entered is received wherein the selection or attempted selection is made by a user via a user gesture associated with adding to a formula a reference to a selected cell or range of cells with respect to which the user gesture is made, and a reference to the host cell is not inserted into the formula in response to the indication. In some embodiments, a host cell is not allowed to be selected.
US08161370B2

In a system having a page server for transmitting pages upon request and a page client (or “web browser”) for requesting pages and presenting those pages to an operator, the page client dynamically identifies links subsequent to the loaded page and preloads pages identified by those links for subsequent presentation to the operator, so that the preloaded pages are preloaded dynamically in response to operator selections and are available for presentation to the operator when ultimately selected. The page server and the page client may act independently or may cooperate so as to dynamically select and preload pages from the page server to the page client using parameters indicated by the page client (such as parameters selected by the operator or adaptively determined by the page client), parameters indicated by the web server (such as parameters selected by the page under presentation or adaptively determined by the page server), or parameters indicated by links to those subsequent pages, or responsive to a combination thereof. The page client may dynamically save and recall behavior information about pages to be presented, such behavior information possibly being independent of actual links indicated on the pages. The behavior information may be responsive to parameters selected by the operator parameters adaptively determined by the page client, or responsive to a combination thereof.
US08161369B2

A method and system creates an interactive multimedia document that incorporates references to multimedia files that support a particular logical step or argument presented within the document. The method and system utilizes several modules including a builder module and a presenter module. The references are configured to determine, upon selection, a visual format and a relevant portion of the multimedia file to be displayed. Thus, only one copy of the multimedia file needs to be incorporated into the document. The multimedia files include text documents, portable document files, PowerPoint® presentations, audio files, video files, voice narrated graphics, and other types of files. In some embodiments, the interactive multimedia document is a legal brief and the multimedia files include depositions, supporting case law, evidence, and other materials.
US08161363B2

An apparatus and method to encode a block Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) code in a signal transmission apparatus is disclosed. The method includes generating a first block LDPC codeword by encoding an information vector using a first parity check matrix when a code rate to be used in the signal transmission apparatus is a first code rate as a code rate of the first parity check matrix, and generating a second block LDPC codeword by encoding the information vector using a second parity check matrix when the code rate to be used in the signal transmission apparatus is a second code rate as a code rate of the second parity check matrix.
US08161355B2

A method for selectively refreshing data in a nonvolatile memory array based on failure type detected by an error correction code. If the page is determined to be error-free, no refresh operation takes place. Otherwise, if single-error words on a page contain erased and programmed bit errors, then a refresh operation, consisting of an erase and program, takes place. The erase operation is skipped if single-error words on a page solely contain a program failure.
US08161346B2

According to one embodiment, a data refresh apparatus which refreshes data stored in a storage device having storage areas, comprises an error detector configured to detect a number of errors of data stored in a storage area of the storage device, an error correction unit configured to execute an error correction for the data stored in the storage area and generate corrected data, a refresh unit configured to write the corrected data to one of the storage areas, and a refresh controller configured to control an operation cycle of the refresh unit according to a number of times of write operations with respect to the storage area.
US08161339B2

When a content playback apparatus has detected a content data acquisition error in a process of acquiring title screen content serving as next content that is to be reproduced after top screen content, the content playback apparatus reproduces sub-content contained as error-handling information in the top screen content, and then displays an error screen. The error screen is contained as sub-content in the top screen content, and therefore can be changed flexibly. This makes it possible to provide a content playback apparatus capable of performing error handling flexibly in accordance with the content being reproduced.
US08161333B2

An information processing system includes a dynamic random access memory, a processor for information processing in cooperation with the dynamic access memory, and a built-in diagnosis module including a longevity evaluation device, the longevity evaluation device comprising, a timer for measuring an elapsed time after data is entered into a memory device, a read controller for reading the data from the memory device when the elapsed time reaches a predetermined time, and an evaluator for evaluating a longevity of the memory device based on an existence of an error in the data read by the read controller and the elapsed time.
US08161332B2

Pluggable transceiver modules with additional functions and circuitry contained within the module. In a first embodiment, additional circuitry is added to determine bit error rates at the point of the module itself. This allows a much better diagnostic evaluation of location of problem. In an alternate embodiment, various logic is placed in the module. In a first alternate embodiment encryption/decryption units are placed in the converter module so that encryption and decryption operations on the serial bitstream do not need to be performed in a switch. Existing switches can be used but the interconnecting links can still be encrypted. A second alternate embodiment includes compression/decompression units placed in the module to allow effective higher throughput on the selected links.
US08161331B2

A data training system and method thereof are provided. The example data training system may include a memory controller transmitting a given data pattern to a memory device, the memory controller first determining whether an error is present within the transmitted data pattern based on at least one error detection code, the at least one error detection code based on at least one of the given data pattern and the transmitted data pattern and second determining a data delay time for reducing an amount of skew based on whether the first determining step determines an error to be present within the transmitted data pattern.
US08161330B1

A method for determining for determining a root cause of each of a plurality of operational faults is provided. The method includes receiving electronic notification of the plurality of operational faults. The method may also include analyzing the plurality of operational faults to determine whether a shared characteristic of the plurality of operational faults exists. And, if a shared characteristic of the plurality of operational faults exists, the method may include terminating generation of operator notifications in response to receiving electronic notification of operational faults comprising the shared characteristic.
US08161328B1

A system is disclosed comprising a processor, and a debug circuit. The debug circuit comprises a reset circuit configured to detect when the system is released from a reset, a debugger detection circuit configured to detect whether an external debugger is connected to the system at a time the reset circuit detects a release from the reset, and a halt circuit configured to halt operation of the processor when the debugger detection circuit detects the debugger at the time of release from the reset.
US08161326B2

The present invention provides a method, system and computer program product for managing the Information Technology (IT) infrastructural elements of multiple organizations. The system monitors various IT infrastructural elements, such as networks, operating systems, databases, and software applications of multiple organizations. Alerts corresponding to various issues related to the IT infrastructural elements are generated. Based on the alerts, the system provides information related to the issues to a support team for solving them.
US08161324B2

A system and method for recording fault information in an electronic system are disclosed herein. A system includes fault analysis logic and a plurality of field replaceable units (“FRUs”). The fault analysis is configured to analyze system error information, and identify at least one of the FRUs in the system to be a possible cause of a detected fault based on the analysis. Each FRU includes writeable non-volatile storage including storage locations reserved to store information including a result of the analysis. The result of the analysis indicates a reason that the FRU storing the information was determined, by the fault analysis logic, to be a possible cause of the fault.
US08161321B2

Embodiments disclosed herein related to a virtual machine-based on-demand parallel disaster recovery system and a method thereof. By integrating context of processes of virtual machine, the system and method build a process tree related to applications and support the operation of freezing the context and intercept memory image consistent with the virtual machine environment, based on which, a method for on-demand parallel recovery is provided. In the method, while monitoring file system data that processes of virtual machine are to visit by a kernel intercept unit, recovery of related data blocks of the applications is conducted in the background in order to make applications and recovery procedure of the virtual machine run simultaneously. The recovery procedure is divided into two phases, recovering memory image first and then recovering file system or volume data. Through the procedure, applications can be recovered precisely to the running state when they are backup. The method realizes the scheduling of multiple backup tasks and recovery tasks in client and realizes the prefetching of the recovered data. The embodiments described herein consume less time for recovery, enhances the reliability of the protected applications, has a low cost and practical value; and it is transparent to users.
US08161317B2

Provided is a storage system, including: one or more disk drives storing data; a disk controller for controlling data access to the disk drive; a power supply controller for autonomously turning off a power source of the disk drive according to the data access status to the disk drive, and autonomously turning on the power source of the disk drive, which was turned off, after the lapse of a prescribed period from the time the power source was turned off irrespective of the data access status to the disk drive; and a media inspection unit for inspecting a failure in the disk drive in which the power source thereof was autonomously turned on irrespective of the data access status to the disk drive.
US08161310B2

A memory system has mechanisms for scavenging capacity of a super capacitor by removing, or reducing, system load from the super capacitor when the super capacitor voltage decays below a low threshold. The mechanisms then restore the system load to the super capacitor when the super capacitor voltage ramps back above a high threshold. A controller may reduce system load by placing a volatile memory system in a standby state and disabling a field effect transistor to remove power from a non-volatile memory system. A controller may adjust the high threshold and/or a low threshold by setting a digitally controlled potentiometer in a threshold detect circuit via an I2C bus.
US08161309B2

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for controlling power sequence in a blade center environment. A blade center environment has many devices requiring power. A relationship component module creates a topology of interdependent relationships of the devices. A monitor component module monitors commands to regulate power for devices. A validating module validates that the commands do not violate the interdependent relationships defined in the topology and returns a failure message if the command is not validated.
US08161306B2

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that enables a computing device to save additional power by entering a “hibernation mode,” wherein the active state of the computing device is preserved in non-volatile storage while power to volatile storage is turned off. During operation, the system reanimates a computing device from a hibernation image by restoring reanimation code from the hibernation image and then executing the reanimation code. While executing this reanimation code, the system restores the rest of the hibernation image by, reading compressed data containing the rest of the hibernation image, and decompressing the compressed data using computational circuitry within the computing device. During this process, the decompression operations are overlapped with the reading operations to improve performance.
US08161299B2

A system and method for changing compute environments for a mobile platform device. The mobile platform includes a sensory and location determination engine coupled to a policy engine. The sensory and location determination engine determines a current location of the mobile platform device and the policy engine determines what applications to launch, what applications not to launch, and what core usage to invoke for the determined location of the mobile platform device.
US08161292B2

Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for identifying, authenticating and securing code through proscribed code detection and deletion are shown. The preferred embodiments provide for scanning code to determine the presence of proscribed code and then transmitting the code to a file reconstructor upon the detection of proscribed code. At the file reconstructor, templates of the specific document type are used to provide the document file structure, and so delete with precision the proscribed code from the original code.
US08161282B2

A device and method for supporting the issuing of an authorization document (6) to an applicant; the said device comprising: a computer (10(i)) comprising a first processor and a first memory containing stored first data and instructions to allow the first processor to execute a first defined program, a clerk unit (13(i)) comprising a second processor (17) and a second memory containing stored second data and instructions to allow the second processor (17) to execute a second defined program, as well as a secure application module (41), and a client unit (15(i)) comprising at least a biometric characteristic reader unit (27; 31) for reading a biometric characteristic of the applicant, wherein the client unit (15(i)) and the second processor (17) can communicate with each other, and the first processor and the second processor (17) can communicate with each other in the form of a secure session that makes use of a cryptographic key stored in the secure application module (41).
US08161275B1

A media player is executed on an electronic device by implementing a runtime of a media player in a modular framework on the electronic device. The modular framework is configured to have each of multiple types of media player runtimes implemented therein and to host modules that configure any of the types of media player runtimes for respective device types. The runtime is configured for the electronic device using a module hosted by the modular framework. The module abstracts at least one resource in the electronic device available to the media player. The electronic device is prepared for execution of the media player on the electronic device, and the media player uses the resource during the execution based on configuration according to the module.
US08161262B2

A storage system allocates a data storage area in response to an access request from a first computer if the capacity of a first physical storage device configuring a first logical storage area, provided to the first computer, is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold. The storage system associates the first logical storage area with another physical storage device, which is different from the first physical storage device associated with a second logical storage area provided to the first computer and a second computer, and allocates a data storage area from the another physical storage device if the capacity of the first physical storage device associated with the first logical storage area exceeds the predetermined threshold.
US08161261B2

A totaling device includes a first specification unit comprising a first storage unit for storing first dividing information and first interpolation value information, a second storage unit for storing second dividing information and second interpolation value dividing information and a third storage unit for storing information of a totaling information storage unit for storing totaling information; a second specification unit for specifying the third storage unit related to the second dividing information which coincides with second total dividing information or the third storage unit related to the second interpolation value dividing information which coincides with the second total dividing information; and a totaling unit for specifying a totaling information storage unit and storing the totaling information of the totaling target information in the totaling information storage unit.
US08161257B2

Provided is a remote copy system capable of guaranteeing the time ordering of data to be handled by a remote site even when the tasks at the remote site are operated across a plurality of storages or a plurality of volume groups. A consistency group consisting of a secondary journal volume and a replica is associated with a journal group consisting of a primary data volume, a primary journal volume, a secondary journal volume, and a secondary data volume. Upon backing up a secondary data volume and forming a replica, the host system issues a backup time reservation command to a storage apparatus, and the storage apparatus creates a replica by comparing the time stamp added to the journal data and the backup reservation time.
US08161253B2

A method maintains a valid volume table of contents (VTOC) written to in a fast replication relationship. A fast replication query is issued to a track in which the volume table of contents (VTOC) resides. If the query determines that a background copy is in progress, a volume having the track is designated as unusable. An apparatus maintains a valid volume table of contents (VTOC) written to in a fast replication relationship. A controller issues a fast replication query to a track in which the volume table of contents (VTOC) resides. If the query determines that a background copy is in process, a volume having the track is designated as unusable.
US08161252B1

Devices and methods provide data from multiple storage locations to a processor. A data block containing data required by a processor is stored in two or more locations, e.g., in a local memory and a system memory, both of which are accessible to the processor's memory interface. The memory interface directs each read request for mirrored data to one or another of the mirror locations. Selection of a mirror location to be read is based on substantially real-time information about which mirror location is best able to handle the request. For instance, the selection of a mirror location to access can be based at least in part on information about the level of activity on various buses that connect the processor to the mirror locations.
US08161243B1

Methods and apparatus relating to improving address translation caching and/or input/output (I/O) cache performance in virtualized environments are described. In one embodiment, a hint provided by an endpoint device may be utilized to update information stored in an I/O cache. Such information may be utilized for implementation of a more efficient replacement policy in an embodiment. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08161242B2

Improving cache performance in a data processing system is provided. A cache controller monitors a counter associated with a cache. The cache controller determines whether the counter indicates that a plurality of non-dedicated cache sets within the cache should operate as spill cache sets or receive cache sets. The cache controller sets the plurality of non-dedicated cache sets to spill an evicted cache line to an associated cache set in another cache in the event of a cache miss in response to an indication that the plurality of non-dedicated cache sets should operate as the spill cache sets. The cache controller sets the plurality of non-dedicated cache sets to receive an evicted cache line from another cache set in the event of the cache miss in response to an indication that the plurality of non-dedicated cache sets should operate as the receive cache sets.
US08161241B2

A system and method for managing a cache includes monitoring a temperature of regions on a secondary storage based on a cumulative cost to access pages from each region of the secondary storage. Similar temperature pages are grouped in logical blocks. Data is written to a cache in a logical block granularity by overwriting cooler blocks with hotter blocks.
US08161238B2

Storage space on one or more hard disks of a network caching appliance is divided into a plurality S of stripes. Each stripe is a physically contiguous section of the disk(s), and is made up of a plurality of sectors. Content, whether in the form of objects or otherwise (e.g., byte-cache stream information), is written to the stripes one at a time, and when the entire storage space has been written the stripes are recycled as a whole, one at a time. In the event of a cache hit, if the subject content is stored on an oldest D ones of the stripes, the subject content is rewritten to a currently written stripe, where 1≦D≦(S−1).
US08161234B2

A method, device, and system are disclosed. In one embodiment method begins by receiving a first new mass storage disk access request. The method then determines the total number of access requests to the mass storage disk received in a window of time. If the total number of requests received over the period of time is greater than or equal to a request threshold number then a request frequency counter is decremented. Otherwise, the counter is incremented. The method continues by generating a legacy advanced technology attachment (ATA)-type command for the first new access request when the counter is greater than or equal to a counter threshold number. Otherwise, the method generates a native command queue (NCQ)-type command for the first new access request.
US08161232B2

Embodiments include a system, a memory controller, an apparatus, a device, and a method. An embodiment provides a device that includes a memory that requires a periodic refresh and having a nominal refresh period, and a processor operably coupled with the memory. The device also includes a hardware-implemented control circuit for periodically discovering a retention time of at least a portion of the memory that requires a periodic refresh. The hardware-implemented control circuit is also for determining a refresh period that is not more than the discovered retention time of the at least a portion of the memory that requires a periodic refresh, and for scheduling a refresh of the at least a portion of the memory that requires a periodic refresh at least once each refresh period.
US08161231B2

A memory card has a data scrambler that performs a data scrambling operation on data stored in the memory card according to a device ID associated with the memory card. The device ID is either set at the factory and permanently stored in the card, or configurable by a user or a host system.
US08161226B2

Example methods and apparatus to share a thread to reclaim memory space in non-volatile memory file systems are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes associating a memory reclaim thread with first and second flash memory volumes to reclaim memory space in the first and second flash memory volumes and reclaiming the memory space in at least one of the first and second flash memory volumes via the memory reclaim thread.
US08161225B2

A card information-storing portion is provided in a semiconductor memory card, and information relating to access performance such as access condition and access rate is held in the storing portion. Further, an access device acquires the held information from the semiconductor memory card to make it possible that the information can be used for control of a file system. This optimizes processing of the access device and the semiconductor memory card independent of differences in characteristics of semiconductor memory cards and management methods used, realizing high-rate access from the access device to a semiconductor memory card.
US08161224B2

A method and a device for converting a first bus including at least a data wire and a clock wire into a single-wire bus, wherein a data bit of the first bus is converted on half a period of the clock signal for transmission over the second bus, a waiting pattern being placed on the second bus during the other half-period.
US08161223B1

Systems and methods for storage devices are presented. More specifically, in one embodiment a storage device may comprise have an enclosure comprising an interface which may be coupled to an I/O bus of a computing system with which it is being utilized. Commands may be received through the interface and, invisibly to the computing system which issues the commands, translated into a set of commands configured to effectuate the received command in conjunction with one or more storage media coupled to the interface, where this set of commands may also be configured to implement additional functionality such as RAID or data encryption in conjunction with the storage media.
US08161220B2

A system for enhancing universal serial bus (USB) applications comprises an upstream processor, a downstream processor and a main controller. The upstream processor accepts standard USB signals from a USB host and independently provides responses required by USB specification within the required time frame. The upstream processor also contains storage for descriptors for a device associated with this upstream processor. The main controller obtains the descriptors by commanding the downstream processor, and passes them to the upstream processor. The downstream processor connectable to USB-compliant devices accepts the USB signals from the USB-compliant devices and provides responses required by USB specification within the required time frame. The main controller interconnects the upstream and downstream processors, and provides timing independence between upstream and downstream timing. The main controller also commands the downstream processor to obtain device descriptors independent of the USB host.
US08161219B2

Distributed command and address bus architecture for memory modules and circuit boards is described. In one embodiment, a memory module includes a plurality of connector pins disposed on an edge of a circuit board, the plurality of connector pins comprising first pins coupled to a plurality of data bus lines, second pins coupled to a plurality of command and address bus lines, wherein the second pins are disposed in a first and a second region, wherein a portion of the first pins is disposed between the first and the second regions.
US08161217B2

Methods and systems for a RFIC master are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include configuring an on-chip programmable device that may function as a master on a bus that has at least one device interface, for example, RFIC interface, coupled to the bus. The on-chip programmable device may generate at least one signal to control at least one device coupled to at least one device interface. The on-chip programmable device may communicate the generated signal via the bus upon receiving an input timer signal and may be configured by writing at least one event data and an index-sample data to the on-chip programmable device. The index-sample data may comprise at least a count value and an event data index. When the count value equals a value of the timer signal, event data may be fetched and executed starting with the one specified by the event data index.
US08161216B2

An interface transmission device and method are disclosed. The interface device, located in a first device, includes a transmission interface and a receiving circuit. The transmission interface receives an initialization signal and an interface signal. The receiving circuit receives the initialization signal through the transmission interface, and acquires a bit length of the interface signal according to the initialization signal. Thereby, the first device resolves the interface signal according to the bit length.
US08161212B1

An embodiment of a system for implementing parallel usage of a plurality of non-volatile input/output (I/O) devices can include an interface configured to receive, from a source, a source request and a first memory coupled to the interface. The first memory can be configured to store a data unit specified by the source request. The system can include an I/O device controller coupled to the interface. The I/O device controller can be configured to correlate the source request with a plurality of I/O device requests and initiate sending of the plurality of I/O device requests to the plurality of non-volatile I/O devices in parallel. The system also can include a decoder coupled to the first memory and the I/O device controller. The decoder can be configured to receive data from the plurality of non-volatile I/O devices in parallel.
US08161209B2

A peer-to-peer special purpose processor architecture and method is described. Embodiments include a plurality of special purpose processors coupled to a central processing unit via a host bridge bus, a direct bus directly coupling each of the plurality of special purpose processors to at least one other of the plurality of special purpose processors and a memory controller coupled to the plurality of special purpose processors, wherein the at least one memory controller determines whether to transmit data via the host bus or the direct bus, and whether to receive data via the host bus or the direct bus.
US08161206B2

In a computer system supporting memory compression and wherein data is stored on a disk in a different compressed format, and wherein an IOA (input/output adaptor)/IOP (input/output processor) selectively reads from and writes to a main memory through a direct memory access (DMA) operation, a method for transmitting compressed data from the IOA/IOP to the main memory includes reserving a set of free memory sectors to contain the data in said main memory, sending to the IOA/IOP addresses of said memory sectors, copying the data from the IOA/IOP to said memory sectors using said DMA operation, constructing at the IOA/IOP compressed memory directory information defining how and where the data is stored in memory, sending the memory directory information to a memory controller, and storing the memory directory information in the compressed memory directory structure.
US08161193B1

A system, device, and method for sending keep-alive messages in a communication network involves determining a reliability factor for communicating with a neighbor and setting the frequency for sending keep-alive messages to the neighbor based upon the reliability factor. The reliability factor is determined based upon the reliability of the neighbor as well as the reliability of the communication link to the neighbor. The frequency for sending keep-alive messages to the neighbor is relatively high if the reliability factor is low. The frequency for sending keep-alive messages to the neighbor is relatively low if the reliability factor is high. The frequency for sending keep-alive messages to the neighbor is dynamically adjusted based upon an updated reliability factor.
US08161192B2

An intermediary infrastructure that facilitates the interconnection of multiple IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) networks. The interconnections may span one or more of the IMS logical planes Services Plane, Control Plane, and Network or Transport Plane. The intermediary offers among other things a process, routing, and switching complex that is able to among other things process incoming messages including using a comprehensive routing repository to complete message routing operations.
US08161186B2

A system for communications between a vehicle network and a wayside network includes a router in the vehicle network configured to manage routing of data over one of at least two clients, and a radio-frequency based communication network for providing a connection between each client and an access point linked to the wayside network. A monitoring device in a vehicle of the vehicle network is configured to control a quality of the connection in order to configure the router so that one of the clients is selected for the data routing between the vehicle and the wayside network.
US08161185B2

In one embodiment, a technique is used by a routing system to generate a link state identifier for a link state advertisement message. The routing system generates the link state advertisement message. A prefix length is read from the link state advertisement message. Further, a prefix is read from the link state advertisement message. A hash function is performed on the prefix and the length to produce a result by appending the length to the prefix to generate a combined value, inputting the combined value to a hash algorithm, and using at least a portion of an output of the hash algorithm as the result. The link state identifier is determined from the result of the hash function.
US08161176B2

A system and method for providing message connectivity between a first network using a first protocol and a second network using a second protocol is described. If a message is received from the first network, the message is processed using one or more digital signal processors, a destination in the second network is determined, the processed message is logged and translated into the second protocol, and the translated message is sent to the destination in the second network. If the message is received from the second network, the message is translated into the first protocol, a destination in the first network is determined, the translated message is logged and processed using one or more digital signal processors, and the processed message is sent to the destination in the first network. One example method can be implemented as a computer program embodied on a computer readable medium.
US08161170B2

In order to make it possible to confirm an electronic device installation place where communication trouble occurrence is reduced, settings for communication via a second interface are made via a first interface when the electronic device is connected to a host device to install a device driver. After that, a message is displayed to a user to the effect that the electronic device should be placed at a location where it is actually used to cause user to place the electronic device at the location where it is actually used. After the installation of the electronic device, the communication state via the second interface is measured to determine whether the electronic device installation place is suitable or not.
US08161165B2

The present invention relates to a system and methodology providing a user interface that can be employed by contactors and contactees in conjunction with a communications architecture for identifying and establishing an optimal communication based on preferences, capabilities, contexts and goals of the parties to engage in the communication. The user interface can include a graphical display having a plurality of display objects and associated input fields operable by one or more parties to a communication in order to facilitate convenient access, control, personalization and communications via the communications architecture. For example, configuration capabilities are provided in the user interface to enable operational adjustments to one or more operating parameters, communications groupings, policies and/or context preferences relating to a preferred modality of communication and to potential parties of communication between the contactors and contactees. User interface controls are also provided for defining deterministic policies and for encoding preferences for cost-benefit analyses.
US08161162B1

The invention facilitates remote management of a computer via a network. Remote computer management in which communication between a managed computer and a remote computer management server is initiated by the managed computer is implemented so that the communication is formatted in accordance with a network communications protocol that can be used to format communication that is allowed to pass through a firewall and/or gateway that mediates communication with the managed computer.
US08161159B1

A collaboration network is defined by creating a virtual meeting room on a central server. The central server negotiates with one or more edge servers for remote management of selected collaboration parameters, which control such things as shared objects, group connections, streaming video, and video on-demand. Using the selected collaboration parameters, the edge servers manage the meeting participation of the network clients connected to the virtual meeting room through the individual edge servers. When management of the meeting participation requires either parameters that the edge server does not have or when the parameters of the edge server are out of date, the management responsibility is transferred to the central server for that request.
US08161154B2

An encrypted credential is received from a client terminal, where the encrypted credential is based on encryption of an authentication credential input by a user at the client terminal for allocating resources from a central server, the resources to provide a thin client terminal services session. A thin client terminal services session is established between the client terminal and the central server using the allocated resources, where establishing the thin client terminal services session include receiving a decryption key from a remote system, and decrypting the encrypted credential using the decryption key.
US08161152B2

The disclosed methods and systems include collecting routing data from a plurality of network routers, and correlating the routing data across routers and across time to obtain network data. The network data can be streamed to a user in real-time and the user can interactively query the data. In one embodiment, interactive routing analyses, drill-down, and forensics can be performed using a repository of Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) update traffic. Alarms can be set to detect selected routing problems. In setting the alarms, the message data for each router can be processed in timestamp order. Current message data from each router can be compared with previous message data to determine a condition status. An alarm can be provided when the condition status meets a temporal correlation criterion and/or a spatial correlation criterion.
US08161151B2

The invention relates to a method for modifying the operating mode of a technical communications group platform (TCGPL) of a telecommunications network (TC network) for at least one driving object 1 which is controlled by a subscriber object (SUBC), by modifying by means of at least one modifying object 2 the operating mode of at least one object 3 which is to be modified or has been modified, and a telecommunications group platform (TCGPL) for producing technical communications group processes (TCGPs). The invention further relates to a method for managing technical communications group processes (TCGPs) with the steps: provision of a driving object which defines at least one further object to be provided; making available of at least one modifying object for the provision of the further object defined by the driving object; generation of an algorithm from the modifying object; and provision of the further object by execution of the algorithm.
US08161147B2

A method of organizing a plurality of servers defines a set of servers. The method also defines one of the servers of the set of servers as a server which is configured to control the communication of information to other servers in the set to support heterogeneous application requirements and interoperability between hardware and software systems.
US08161146B2

Method, system, and program product for assigning device identifiers. A device requests a device identifier from a server. The server obtains the device identifier, marks a status of the device identifier as pending, and sends it to the device. The device sends an acknowledgment back to the server. The server then marks the status of the device identifier as in use and sends a confirmation to the device. The device starts to use the device identifier after receiving the confirmation.
US08161143B2

The present invention provides prioritization of networks for preferred groups, which decreases network delays when a person from a preferred group is using networks. Generally, the present invention determines if network information is assigned to a preferred group, and configures a network to assign a higher priority to the network information when the network information is assigned to a preferred group, the higher priority being relative to network information not assigned to one or more preferred groups. There are a variety of techniques that can be used to assign higher priority to network information, such as using any of the following exemplary techniques: marking network information as being assigned to a preferred group; preferentially handling, transmitting and receiving network information assigned to a preferred group; determining faster routes for network information assigned to a preferred group; and assigning additional resources to applications that handle network information assigned to a preferred group.
US08161140B2

In one embodiment, a method for interfacing between a command-line-interface (CLI)-based application program (CLI-AP) residing in a client network device, and remote network devices. The method includes predefining at least one CLI-based program routine (CLI-PR) comprising at least one CLI-based command wherein the CLI-PR is defined externally to the CLI-AP, determining by CLI-AP a set of data to be obtained from the remote network device; selecting by CLI-AP a predefined CLI-PR from the predefined CLI-PRs, the selected predefined CLI-PR corresponding to the remote network device and determined set of data to be obtained; instructing the client network device by CLI-AP to execute the selected predefined CLI-PR, wherein executing selected predefined PR will cause the selected predefined CLI-PR to obtain the determined set of data from remote network device and to configure the obtained data in a predetermined format; and querying configured data by CLI-AP to retrieve the determined set of data.
US08161136B2

A method and system for monitoring and optimizing performance and availability of a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) service provided by one or a plurality of DHCP servers (602) in an Internet Protocol (IP) network comprising one or a plurality of IP subnetworks. The method comprises in a DHCP server (602) defining one or a plurality of groups of subnetworks, a group of subnetworks comprising one or a plurality of subnetworks; retrieving information related to resources, in particular IP addresses, allocated within said DHCP server to each group of subnetworks; transferring said information to a DHCP service monitoring system (600). The method comprises in a DHCP service monitoring system (403) retrieving (501 to 505) from one or a plurality of DHCP servers (401), information related to resources, in particular IP addresses, allocated within each DHCP server (401) to groups of subnetworks, each group of subnetworks comprising one or a pluarlity of subnetworks and aggregating (506 to 511) the information for each group of subnetworks.
US08161135B2

A method for addressing a client device, wherein a unique identification code, such as a serial number or an International Mobile Equipment Identity code of a mobile device, is attached to the device name. The unique identification code can be used as a part of the name or attached to the name by using additional information field in a name record that is stored on the name server. The rest of the name may be service dependent for allowing an easy automatic generation of the names for providing services, such as automatic updates, to client devices.
US08161132B1

A media access gateway includes a wireless network interface that establishes a wireless link with a wireless terminal. An address assignment module transmits N address assignment messages to the wireless terminal. The N address assignment messages include a plurality of address components and associate the plurality of address components with a plurality of packet data networks, where N is an integer greater than zero.
US08161124B2

In a printer connected to a network, email appended with link information is prepared for enabling an administrator to access information about the printer network terminal. The email is transmitted to the administrator terminal at a predetermined timing. Then, the administrator terminal accesses the information based on the link information appended to the email. As such, when a problem occurs in the printer, operations for resolving the problem can be quickly undertaken by the administrator.
US08161122B2

A system and method for managing electronic communications more effectively utilizes electronic communications. The method assigns a prioritization score and category to each electronic communication so that a user can more effectively manage the communications. The user interacts with a graphical user interface to effectively manage electronic communications. The system arranges and displays the electronic communications according to prioritization scores and categories, and includes interactive modules to override a system assigned prioritization scores and assign any score or category the user selects. The method also measures productivity of users as a function of at least three different metrics, a decision-making metric; a communication metric; and a processing metric, and takes into account prioritization scores and the amount of time it takes users to effectively utilize the electronic communications. The method also generates reports of the productivity of individual users, and the productivity of relationships between multiple users of electronic communications.
US08161111B2

A system and a method identify common media content with two or more terminals that are remote with respect to each other for users to access, to consume and/or to experience a multimedia file of the common media content. A list of the common media content of the first terminal and to the second terminal is displayed via the first terminal and the second terminal. The first terminal and the second terminal may be synchronized for the first user and for the second user to experience the multimedia file via the shared viewing session. A communication associated with the multimedia file may be transmitted between the first terminal and the second terminal via a shared communication channel over the network before, during and/or after a playback of the multimedia file.
US08161109B2

A resource management module detect and prevents redundant resources in a client side application. The resource management module is initialized on the client side in a browser or similar application. The resource management module then searches for already executing resources or resources that are already in use. The discovered resources are then compiled and stored in a resource directory. When subsequent pages are loaded the resource management module searches the pages for resources that the page utilizes. The resources are added to the directory if not already present in the resource directory. If the resources are already present in the directory, then the web page being reviewed is modified to remove or replace the multiple resource before being passed on to the browser for loading of resources. In this manner the amount of memory and processing resourced utilized by the client computer can be reduced.
US08161106B2

The disclosed functionality enables non-sessions users of an activity session to be provided awareness of the session. The non-sessions users are made aware of the session and can then choose to join (or not join) the session in an ad hoc manner based on the exposed session information. This functionality encourages serendipitous group interactions (or participations) that might not otherwise occur, does not require that all relevant and/or interested people be identified, and removes the overhead of explicitly inviting everyone who might be interested in the activity and managing responses received from each of the users. Rather than requiring an explicit invitation to join as in conventional applications systems, users can implicitly invite friends to join an activity.
US08161105B2

A client for a text-based messaging application for a dual-mode mobile communication device may initiate an audio conference based on a text-based message. Contents of fields of the text-based message may be extracted and utilized to construct an audio conference request message that is subsequently transmitted to an audio conference gateway. Where the text-based messaging application is an instant messaging (IM) client application, it may be configured to recognize a voice connection as being related to an ongoing Data Mode IM conversation. As a consequence of the recognition, the IM client application may maintain the user interface for facilitating participation in the Voice Mode IM conversation. Updates related to the status of the Voice Mode IM conversation may be received at the dual-mode mobile communication device over the voice connection and reflected in changes to the user interface.
US08161094B2

Methods are provided for event notification in a decentralized peer-to-peer (P2P) network. Each node within the P2P network can publish a subscription object for a published resource. Through the use of common identifiers, each subscription object is co-located with a corresponding publish object for the resource. Upon receiving notification of an event associated with the resource, the node responsible for the publish object for the resource distributes the event notification to each node present on the corresponding subscription registry. Therefore, nodes within the P2P network that are interested in a resource are capable of establishing a persistent query for the resource by publishing a subscription object for the resource on the responsible node.
US08161086B2

There is provided a recording device for generating and coding metadata, the recording device including a metadata describing part for describing the metadata; and a coding part for coding the metadata described in the metadata describing part in a binary format, and generating coded data; wherein the metadata describing part describes alternative information for embedding alternative data to the coded data when data is not present for a non-essential item in the metadata; and the coding part performs coding with the alternative data embedded when the alternative information is described.
US08161079B2

A plurality of components of a storage area network is grouped into a plurality of component groups, wherein a component group includes one or more of the plurality of components of the storage area network. A group relationship data structure provides relationships among one or more of the plurality of component groups, wherein a relationship indicates a supported configuration of the storage area network.
US08161077B2

Information from multiple databases is retrieved and stored on a database storage system. Multiple point-in-time copies are obtained for each database. A point-in-time copy retrieves data changed in the database since the retrieval of a previous point-in-time copy. A virtual database (VDB) is created by creating a set of files in the data storage system. Each file in the set of files created for a VDB is linked to the database blocks on the database storage system associated with a point-in-time copy of the source database. The set of files associated with the VDB are mounted on a database server allowing the database server to read from and write to the set of files. Workflows based on VDBs allow various usage scenarios based on databases to be implemented efficiently, for example, testing and development, backup and recovery, and data warehouse building.
US08161072B1

A system plots results of a data search. The system executes one or more search queries to search stored data. The system receives results of the executed one or more search queries, where the results are orderable by at least one search characteristic. The system designates a visual representation for each of the results. The system plots each of the visual representations on a multi-dimensional graphical display, where at least one dimension of the multi-dimensional graphical display corresponds to the at least one search characteristic.
US08161064B2

A Sales-Chip Relevance Alert extends the capability of the regenerating search engine by allowing users to become informed about relevant information that has changed to a second query or search request that is run after a first query or search request. The user can narrowly and specifically describe with a high degree of precision what is relevant and meaningful to the user and how the user is notified. The Alert provides a timely notice to the user about the relevant information change through user-defined means and user defined messages.
US08161063B2

A method for identifying multi-media assets from a multi-media collection, and the method implemented at least in part by a data processing system and comprising the steps of: receiving a search query, the search query, or a derivative thereof, including a possessive phrase, wherein the possessive phrase includes a possessor and a possession category; identifying a denoted object referred to by the possessive phrase using a predefined relationship database that establishes social relationships between objects; identifying one or more additional possessors of the denoted object using the predefined relationship database; generating one or more additional possessive phrases for the denoted objects relating the identified additional possessors to the denoted object; and identifying one or more multi-media assets from the multi-media collection containing the denoted object responsive to the one or more additional possessive phrases.
US08161057B2

A method and apparatus for automatically detecting and extracting information from dynamically generated web pages are disclosed. For example, the present method stores user provided information that is entered into a form interface of a web page for a first query. Responsive to the first query, a first response web page is received and stored. The present method then automatically generates a second query to acquire a second response web page that is responsive to the second query. Finally, the present method compares the first response web page and the second response web page. In one embodiment, the present invention extracts information that is dissimilar between the first response web page and the second response web page. This extracted information is deemed to be the pertinent information requested by the user.
US08161055B2

A method for filter extraction in a service registry includes receiving a user's request in a registry for a list of items in the registry; generating a set of item results by the registry; passing the item results from the registry to a framework; retrieving a list of filter providers by the framework; determining whether all of the filter providers have been used; wherein if all have been used: displaying a list that includes a filter provider title, and one or more filters for each filter provider; wherein if all the filter providers have not been used: retrieving the next filter provider; calling the next filter provider; passing the item results to the next filter provider; determining which filters are applicable based on metadata of the item results; generating a list of applicable filters by the next filter provider; passing the list of applicable filters back to the framework.
US08161052B2

A method of information module recommendation is provided. The method comprises collecting a first set of user information associated with a user from an electronic device that is associated with the user, and identifying an information topic associated with the first set of user information. The method further comprises accessing a module database comprising a plurality of information modules, identifying an information module from among the plurality of information modules configured to deliver information pertaining to the information topic, and recommending the information module to the user.
US08161047B2

A computer system is disclosed that includes a repository, a discovery section, a determining section, and a data creating section. The repository holds, for each configuration item, data indicating at least one predetermined attribute of the configuration item and a relationship with another configuration item. The discovery section detects information on configuration items. The determining section determines association of a first configuration item with a second configuration item and association of the first configuration item with a third configuration item. The data creating section creates common data including an attribute common to attributes of the first configuration item associated with the second configuration item and attributes of the first configuration item associated with the third configuration item and plural derived data items, each including an attribute that is not common thereto. The common data and the plural derived data items are stored in the repository.
US08161035B2

The approaches described herein provide an efficient way for a database server to process certain kinds of queries over XML data stored in an object-relational database that require the evaluation of a predicate expression with one or more path-based operands. A predicate expression part of a XQuery or SQL WHERE clause that returns a boolean value. A database server first determines whether the query qualifies for this particular kind of optimization, then rewrites the query using an enhanced query operator syntax for specifying the predicate expression to be evaluated. The enhanced query operator subsumes the work of a second path-based query operator, resulting in the suppression of the WHERE EXISTS subquery. The rewritten query operator is used to generate a query execution plan that provides for several query execution optimizations.
US08161029B2

The present invention is related to methods and systems for processing search requests and for performing searches over a network. In an embodiment, a recipient designation is received from a user over a network. The designation indicates that future searches performed by the user are to be associated with the recipient (even if the subject matter of the search is not related to the recipient). A search request is received from the user; causing a search to be performed in response to the search request. An identifier corresponding to the recipient is stored in association with an indication regarding the occurrence of the first search request.
US08161027B2

The present invention describes a system and method of managing digital content received from content providers and for facilitating access to the digital content to many subscribers. The method includes receiving from the content providers incoming feed files where each feed file contains information describing the content. The method determines if the feed files are approved by applying a template to the feed files and also receives request files from the subscribers where each request file contains search criteria. The method provides one or more answer files in response to the request files where each answer file identifies feed files that meet the search criteria of a corresponding request file. The answer files are used to access or permit access to digital content on the web. In addition, a graphical user interface is described to manage, edit, promote and delete the feed files provided to the system.
US08161020B2

Keys on an input device are selected to input a first selection and a second selection to form a byte. The byte is compared to a first byte of identification codes in a database. Such a method may use identification codes to identify pointers that correspond to objects in the database, and the pointers may indicate the address in a database where desired objects are stored. The input device has a database, a processor and executable instructions. The executable instructions may cause the processor to carry out a method of providing the objects.
US08161019B2

A computing device includes a processing unit, and a memory with instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to create: a document processing module that processes the creation and editing of document content; and a metadata processing module that generates, monitors and stores metadata for a document on the computing device, the metadata processing module generating lock creation metadata that include information about a new lock that is created when a user begins to edit a portion of a document, lock removal metadata that includes information about removing a lock, and lock deletion metadata that includes information about deleting a lock, the metadata processing module writing lock creation metadata to both a data channel and to a separate metadata channel, the metadata processing module writing lock removal metadata to the data channel and the metadata processing module writing lock deletion metadata to the metadata channel.
US08161012B1

In general, the invention is directed to techniques for verifying the integrity of a file system and individually verifying files contained therein based on the integrity of the file system. For example, a computer-based device is described in which a computer-readable storage medium stores a file system stored as an image file. The device comprises a virtual file system comprising a mount list entry that corresponds to the file system, wherein the file system is mounted on the virtual file system, and wherein the mount list entry comprises a first verified flag that indicates whether the file system is verified. A verified execution module determines whether the image file is corrupt, and a kernel module sets the first verified flag when the image file is not corrupt. An image verify module verifies the integrity of files stored by the file system by determining whether the file system is verified.
US08161011B2

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for analyzing a file system. A record module records file parameters comprising a file size, a file age, a time of last access, a file type, a recovery time objective, and an initial access time service level objective for each file in the file system. A file score module calculates a file score for each file using the file parameters. A system score module calculates the file system score as the sum of the normalized file scores. A process module processes the file system if the file system score exceeds a specified threshold.
US08161010B2

Embodiments may recover from faults by forming a new set of rows by removing rows associated with faulting save operations and repeating the saving and forming operations using the new set of rows until a set of rows that can be saved from the known start state without fault is determined. When the subset of successful rows is found, embodiments are able to provide assurance that no side effects (i.e., code or operations triggered by saving of a data to a particular location) have been executed on behalf of any of the failed rows (side effects from custom PL/SOQL code included) by deferring execution of triggers until an entire set of rows can be saved and committed.
US08161007B2

A system and method for improving the efficiency of the transmission of updated blocks generated by logging all the block allocations and deletes as well as CPs and PCPI creation and deletion in a persistent log. The log is scanned during each update cycle (in which changes are transmitted to a destination mirror) by the storage operating system, and only changed blocks that are referenced by the file system as it existed at the end of the update cycle or referenced by PCPIs that existed at the end of the update cycle are actually sent in the transmission. This reduces the number of changes being transmitted.
US08160999B2

Methods and systems for implementing a splitter operation in an extract, transform, and load (ETL) process are provided. In one implementation, the method includes receiving a data flow including a splitter operation, and generating an execution plan graph based on the data flow. The execution plan graph includes structured query language (SQL) code for implementing the splitter operation, in which the structured query language (SQL) code is respectively executable among database servers associated with different vendors.
US08160995B1

A method of predicting information related to a characteristic of a tropical cyclone includes obtaining a plurality of model tracks corresponding to the tropical cyclone from at least one forecast center. A factor from a set of factors is assigned to each of the plurality of model tracks. A value for at least one characteristic for the tropical cyclone at the intersection of each of the plurality of model tracks with a boundary is predicted. A set of probabilities for the value of the at least one characteristic corresponding to an actual value of the at least one characteristic at the time of intersection of the tropical cyclone with the boundary is calculated.
US08160991B2

A method for automatically estimating a country where a client computer is configured to operate. The method gathers information of the client computer (e.g., GMT offset, time zone name, daylight savings status, desktop language, etc.) and estimates a country where the client computer is configured to operate using the gathered information and country estimation programming. The method may send information regarding the identity of the estimated country to a server and then receive information from the server based on the estimated country. In other embodiments, the gathered information is sent to the server and the server estimates the country where the client computer is configured to operate. In some embodiments, the country estimation programming comprises a rule engine implemented by rule programming. In some embodiments, the rule engine comprises a recursive rule program.
US08160990B2

Various systems and methods for integrating procedural logic with a stateless constraint engine are disclosed. One method involves accessing a first set of values generated by a stateless constraint engine based upon a first set of inputs and then accessing a second set of values generated by the stateless constraint engine subsequent to the first set of values and based upon a second set of inputs. The second set of values is validated based upon a procedural constraint. The procedural constraint can include a precondition and a postcondition. The precondition is dependent upon at least one value from the first set of values, and the postcondition is dependent upon at least one value from the second set of values.
US08160984B2

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for identifying a classification scheme associated with product attributes of a grouping of products of an entity, receiving a record of data relating to an item of a competitor to the entity, the classification of which is uncertain, receiving a dictionary of attributes associated with products, and assigning a product code to the item, based on probabilistic matching among the attributes in the classification scheme, the attributes in the dictionary of attributes and at least one known attribute of the item.
US08160978B2

A method for computer-aided control of any technical system is provided. The method includes two steps, the learning of the dynamic with historical data based on a recurrent neural network and a subsequent learning of an optimal regulation by coupling the recurrent neural network to a further neural network. The recurrent neural network has a hidden layer comprising a first and a second hidden state at a respective time point. The first hidden state is coupled to the second hidden state using a matrix to be learned. This allows a bottleneck structure to be created, in that the dimension of the first hidden state is smaller than the dimension of the second hidden state or vice versa. The autonomous dynamic is taken into account during the learning of the network, thereby improving the approximation capacity of the network. The technical system includes a gas turbine.
US08160977B2

Techniques for estimating a probability that a future event will occur based on user input includes decomposing a data input stream to build a database of precursor data to build at least one predictive model, building a database of at least one model generated by a model building process using the precursor data in the database, with the at least one model being a model that produces predictions of the likelihood of an event occurring in the future based on analysis of data in the database and storing the at least one model in a second database that stores models, with the database being searchable, to permit the models in the database to be accessed by users. Also disclosed are techniques in which by using a search engine to search a database of models to find a model and a user can query a found model to develop an inference of the likelihood of a future event.
US08160974B2

Systems and methods including mailing machines having postage meters including multiple postal security devices are described. In one illustrative configuration, a postage meter having multiple postal security devices for use with different postal carriers is described. In another illustrative configuration, a postage meter is configured to apply two postage payment information indicia to a single mail piece using two separate postal security devices.
US08160962B2

An installation image for installing an unprotected software product is used to install a protected version of the same product. A protected version of the executable file is embedded in a new installation image with the original installation image, in which the unprotected version of the executable file is damaged so as to be unusable and unreadable. The new installation image causes the original installation image to operate, installing the damaged installation file and other data files. The new installation image then replaces the damaged installation file with the protected installation file.
US08160959B2

Methods and systems for conducting financial transactions in a mobile environment utilizing a mobile device such as a mobile telephone or wireless connected personal digital assistant (PDA) that communicates with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) that stores user and transaction information. The MFTS receives information on behalf of a mobile device user corresponding to bills to pay or other payments to make. The MFTS also receives information corresponding to payment sources available for use in making payments. Selected payments information and payment source information are communicated to the mobile user via a wireless network and displayed for user selection. The user selects a payment to make and a payment source. A mobile payment instruction is generated and communicated to the MFTS. The MFTS instructs a payment instruction recipient to make a payment to an identified payee. Real-time updated account and payment balances are provided to the user's mobile device.
US08160957B2

Methods and systems for opening an account with a financial institution. One method can include electronically storing at least one rule for opening an account with a financial institution. The method can also include electronically receiving account application information from a remote device over at least one network, wherein the account application information includes personal information of a customer requesting to open an account. In addition, the method can include generating at least one risk score based on the account application information and applying the at least one rule to the at least one risk score in order to determine a decision regarding the account application information and to determine at least one funding constraint associated with the account.
US08160948B2

A retirement fund program managed by computer software requiring an initial fixed investment and producing an ever increasing revenue stream to a group of participant investors organized by life expectancy and grouped into an investment partnership. A financial portfolio is created from the monies invested by each investor and is used to manage high quality securities to generate income for the partnership. Periodically, the surviving members of the partnership are entitled to receive the revenue generated from the portfolio, which statistically will increase as fewer participant investors survive. The partnership can purchase term life insurance on each participant investor, so that the initial investment can be returned to the estate of a participant investor if the participant investor becomes deceased during the program. Upon termination of the program, all remaining assets will be distributed pro rata among the living participant investors of the investment partnership.
US08160947B2

Methods and systems for identifying and tracking potential property rights in a software product and useful in auditing the software product are disclosed. Files of the software product are scanned to determine potential property rights, preferably by scanning the source code of the files to identify certain textual strings and/or by scanning the file system information for the files. The files are fingerprinted, which can be used to retrieve previous audit records in the event of a match. New audit records are established for unmatched files, which are automatically populated with potential property rights information determined during the scan. Each audit record is opened in a record viewing/auditing application to allow diligence information to be reviewed and/or entered for each of the files. Licensing records are also preferably established, which summarize relevant licensing obligations, and which are linked with the audit records of affected files. From the audit records and/or the license records, various reports can be generated to allow the user to review relevant property rights diligence information and/or to take appropriate action in response.
US08160937B2

A system and method for a manufacturer to attract a customer for a distributor, via a public access network, and perform product information and ordering transactions with the customer, where payment is made to the manufacturer by credit card or from another financial account maintained by or on behalf of the customer and where the manufacturer subsequently pays the distributor and an associated manufacturer's representative. The system and method includes the customer submitting a price/quotation request or product order to a host system via the public access communications network. The host system interacts with the customer, the manufacturer, the distributor (who provides purchase order information) and a third party who provides financial approval in order to fulfill the customer request. The host system also interacts with the manufacturer, customer, distributor, manufacturer's representative and third party who provided financial approval to fulfill the order.
US08160927B1

Methods, systems and apparatus, including computer program products, for generating cookies. Multiple advertisements for multiple advertisers are stored on an ad server. Hostnames specific to each of the multiple advertisers are generated dynamically. The generated hostnames identify the ad server. A reference is generated identifying a particular advertisement of the multiple advertisements and the ad server. The ad server is identified in the reference with the generated hostname associated with the advertiser of the advertisement. The reference is provided to a client. A request is received from the client for the advertisement. The request includes the generated hostname. In response to the request, a client cookie, which includes a unique identifier, is sent to the client.
US08160917B1

Computer-implemented systems and methods for determining promotion prices for a plurality of items. A system and method can be configured to receive electronic data about items for a promotion event and to receive electronic data about vehicles for a promotion event. An optimizer, which is implemented on a data processor, includes or has access to an optimization formulation for determining optimal promotion prices for the items and for determining assignments of the vehicles to the items for promoting the items during the promotion event.
US08160915B2

A system and method is provided that provides an early indication of consensus of opinion among a number of users regarding an event or observation indicated by a user. Such an opinion may be interesting to an information consumer, who may be interested in determining the outcome of the consensus relating to the event or observation, or may otherwise desire to perform surveillance or survey of a particular issue or subject. Such recognition of early events or observations may be useful in different areas, such as healthcare, finance, etc., where initial observations, if provided early, allow resulting decisions to be made much earlier. The opinion may, for instance, be used as an early indicator of problem with a product, company, etc. that would permit an information consumer to perform an action at a much earlier point than if he/she relied on traditional sources of information. Thus, such opinion information may be invaluable as a tool for monitoring events.
US08160910B2

A method within a system wherein a first user of the system provides information on social patterns to a second user includes: receiving a request for social pattern information from the second user, the request comprising a query; assigning authorization level to the second user for restricting the type and amount of data provided to the second user; providing information on social patterns to the second user according to the second user's authorization level; and storing information about the second user to be used in future transactions with the second user, the information including transactional fee data and subscription data for notifying the second user of additional social patterns as they develop.
US08160908B2

An interface to a transactional system of a trading partner provides electronic communications to at least one participant in a supply chain for a product or service provided by the trading partner. The interface provides the electronic communications in a common format used by an interface to the at least one participant's transactional system. The electronic communications include at least automated messages providing a current progress of the supply chain.
US08160890B2

It possible not only to reduce a delay, but also to enhance the coding efficiency and reduce audio artifact upon coding.An audio signal coding method for coding an audio signal to be coded, the method comprising: judging for each of frames whether or not coding should be performed on each of two or more subframes into which the frame is divided, based on an audio signal contained in the frame into which the audio signal to be coded is divided for every set of samples; and when judged that the coding should be performed on each of the subframes, performing, for each subframe, subframe processing of (i) determining a value representing a characteristic of an audio signal of the subframe, and (ii) coding the audio signal using the determined value, wherein in the performing of the subframe processing, whether or not all the values determined for the subframes are the same is judged, and when all the values are the same, the audio signal is coded as exceptional processing, using a characteristic different from characteristics of audio signals indicated by the values.
US08160886B2

A system and method for processing voice requests from a user for accessing information on a computerized network and delivering information from a script server and an audio server in the network in audio format. A voice user interface subsystem includes: a dialog engine that is operable to interpret requests from users from the user input, communicate the requests to the script server and the audio server, and receive information from the script server and the audio server; a media telephony services (MTS) server, wherein the MTS server is operable to receive user input via a telephony system, and to transfer the user input to the dialog engine; and broker coupled between the dialog engine and the MTS server. The broker establishes a session between the MTS server and the dialog engine and controls telephony functions with the telephony system.
US08160882B2

A temporary child set is generated. An elastic ratio of an elastic section of a model pattern is calculated. A temporary typical pattern of the set is generated by combining the pattern belonging to the set with the model pattern having the elastic pattern expanded or contracted. A distortion between the temporary typical pattern of the set and the pattern belonging to the set is calculated, and a child set is determined as the set when the distortion is below a threshold. A typical pattern as the temporary typical pattern of the child set is stored with a classification rule as the classification item of the context of the pattern belonging to the child set.
US08160874B2

An audio decoding device performs frame loss compensation capable of obtaining a decoded audio which is natural for ears with little noise. The audio decoding device includes a non-cyclic pulse waveform detection unit for detecting a non-cyclic pulse waveform section in a n−1-th frame, which is repeatedly used with a pitch cycle in the n-th frame upon compensation of loss of the n-th frame. The audio coding device also includes a non-cyclic pulse waveform suppression unit for suppressing a non-cyclic pulse waveform by replacing an audio source signal existing in the non-cyclic pulse waveform section in the n−1-th frame by a noise signal. The audio coding device further includes a synthesis filter for using a linear prediction coefficient decoded by an LPC decoding unit to perform synthesis by a synthesis filter by using the audio source signal of the n−1-th frame from the non-cyclic pulse waveform suppression unit as a drive audio source, thereby obtaining the decoded audio signal of the n-th frame.
US08160872B2

A layered code-excited linear prediction (CELP) encoder, an Adaptive Multirate Wideband (AMR-WB) encoder and methods of CELP encoding and decoding. In one embodiment, the encoder includes: (1) a core layer subencoder and (2) at least one enhancement layer subencoder, at least one of the core layer subencoder and the enhancement layer subencoder having first and second adaptive codebooks and configured to retrieve a pitch lag estimate from the second adaptive codebook and perform a closed-loop search of the first adaptive codebook based on the pitch lag estimate.
US08160867B1

At least one computer-mediated communication produced by or received by an author is collected and parsed to identify categories of information within it. The categories of information are processed with at least one analysis to quantify at least one type of information in each category. A first output communication is generated regarding the at least one computer-mediated communication, describing the psychological state, attitudes or characteristics of the author of the communication. A second output communication is generated when a difference between the quantification of at least one type of information for at least one category and a reference for the at least one category is detected involving a psychological state, attitude or characteristic of the author to which a responsive action should be taken.
US08160865B1

A method for managing coordinate geometry information for a user interface template to be applied to multiple languages is described. Strings of text in a file are translated from a first language to a pseudo language. Data field sizes associated with a first user interface are analyzed. The first user interface is in the first language. The data fields are resized to match strings of text sizes if the data field sizes of the data fields do not match strings of text sizes. A user interface template is stored with data field geometry information that indicates the data field sizes. Language specific data field geometry information is also stored that indicated the data field sizes.
US08160864B1

A synchronized boot process for an In-Circuit Emulator system. A real microcontroller is operated in lock-step synchronization with a virtual microcontroller to permit In-Circuit Emulation that allows debugging of the real microcontroller without interfering with its real time operation. The synchronized boot is accomplished by running boot code in the real microcontroller while the virtual microcontroller runs dummy code with the same timing as the boot code. Registers and memory contents are then copied from the real microcontroller to the virtual microcontroller to complete initialization and enter a state of readiness for lock-step operation.
US08160863B2

A system and method for connecting a running logic circuit simulation to a network running at a higher speed that includes a computer for receiving data packets from the network and storing the received data packets in a first buffer. The computer next transmits the received data packets to an electronic circuit in the logic circuit simulation at a slower speed. The computer also receives data packets from the electronic device under simulation, and stores the data packets received from the electronic device under simulation in a second buffer. The computer then transmits the data packets received from the electronic device under simulation to the network at a higher speed.
US08160858B2

A method of efficient library characterization of a circuit of a logic gate having a plurality of transistors and a plurality of nodes defining interconnection points in the circuit is disclosed. The method includes determining a plurality of vectors for a plurality of arcs. Each of the plurality of vectors represents possible data bits to inputs and nodes of the logic gate. The method performs circuit pruning for each of distinct vectors. The circuit pruning includes identifying an active circuit for each vector. Then, the circuit simulations limited to a plurality of transistors in the active circuit are performed. The circuit pruning and circuit simulations are repeated for remaining ones of the plurality of substantially distinct vectors. The results of the circuit simulations are then stored on a non-volatile compute readable media, for each active circuit corresponding to each of the plurality of substantially distinct vectors.
US08160853B2

Systems and methods for modeling wellbore trajectories, which can be used to model corresponding drillstring trajectories and transform the torque-drag drill string model into a full stiff-string formulation.
US08160852B2

Distributed computation of multiple body interactions in a region uses multiple processing modules, where each of the processing modules is associated with a respective corresponding portion of the region. In some examples, the approach includes establishing multiple coordinate frames of reference, each processing module corresponding to one the coordinate frames of reference. In some examples, efficient techniques are used for selecting elements for computation of interactions according at least in part to a separation-based criterion.
US08160839B1

A computationally implemented method for recognizing devices based on detected signal patterns includes generating a plurality of signal pattern templates for a plurality of radio frequency communication signals, determining a matching signal pattern template for the detected signal pattern, and overlaying the matching signal pattern over the detected signal pattern.
US08160837B2

Methods and apparatus to determine statistical dominance point descriptors for multidimensional data are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein comprises determining a first joint dominance value for a first data point in a multidimensional data set, data points in the multidimensional data set comprising multidimensional values, each dimension corresponding to a different measurement of a physical event, the first joint dominance value corresponding to a number of data points in the multidimensional data set dominated by the first data point in every dimension, determining a first skewness value for the first data point, the first skewness value corresponding to a size of a first dimension of the first data point relative to a combined size of all dimensions of the first data point, and combining the first joint dominance and first skewness values to determine a first statistical dominance point descriptor associated with the first data point.
US08160836B2

A user obtains an individual's body temperature data and transmits the data to a medical monitor (e.g., a medical device) for display. Additional data includes a timestamp and location of the body temperature data. Once the data is transmitted, a user may view the medical monitor for a temperature reading. For example, a doctor may take a patient's temperature and the temperature reading is displayed on a medical monitor. The body temperature data of each patient is detected using a preferred temperature detector, such as a temporal artery thermometer using an arterial heat balance approach. After collecting an individual's body temperature data, the body temperature data can be transferred to a processor. By sending body temperature data for many individuals for a geographic region, the processor can identify a pattern (e.g., a pandemic) in the body temperature data.
US08160829B2

The current measuring device comprises a first measuring resistor to receive a measurement current, and a first signal amplifier having an input connected to said first measuring resistor and an output to provide a first measurement signal. A second measuring resistor is connected in series with said first measuring resistor, and first voltage limiting means are connected in parallel on the first measuring resistor to branch a first shunt current off when a first limiting voltage is reached on said first measuring resistor. The value of the first measuring resistor is greater than the value of the second measuring resistor A processing unit comprises one such current measuring device.
US08160824B2

An intelligent electronic device (IED) has enhanced power quality and communications capabilities. The power meter can perform energy analysis by waveform capture, detect transient on the front end voltage input channels and provide revenue measurements. The power meter splits and distributes the front end input channels into separate circuits for scaling and processing by dedicated processors for specific applications by the power meter. Front end voltage input channels are split and distributed into separate circuits for transient detection, waveform capture analysis and revenue measurement, respectively. Front end current channels are split and distributed into separate circuits for waveform capture analysis and revenue measurement, respectively.
US08160819B2

Embodiments of the present invention relate to the identification of proteins using laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry, the identification of source organisms from which the identified proteins are derived and a computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for the identification of proteins using mass spectra generated through the application of laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry of the proteins.
US08160818B2

A system, method and computer readable medium of instructions are provided which are useful for determining whether an evaluation testing method or device is clinically equivalent to a reference testing method or device. The report can include a modified mean difference plot, a variability chart, confidence intervals for bias and a plot of the intervals. A graphical user interface is provided to allow data associated with the reference and evaluation methods or devices to be identified. A level of variance in the reference method is determined. An observed bias between the evaluation methods or devices and the reference methods or devices is calculated. A confidence interval for the bias is calculated. The biases between the evaluation methods or devices and reference method or device is compared relative to the level of variance in the reference method, and a report is generated including a conclusion about whether the evaluation methods or devices are clinically equivalent to the reference method or device.
US08160812B1

A tracking and guidance system is provided. The system comprises a first device configured to transmit a location of the first device. The system further comprises a second device configured to receive the location from the first device, to display the location on a common map view, to receive inputs comprising a drawn directional data and a verbal directional data, and to transmit the drawn and verbal directional data to the first device, wherein the drawn and verbal directional data is received by the first device and the drawn directional data is displayed on the common map view displayed by the first device.
US08160803B2

A valve and cylinder head assembly, configured to fit a bank of cylinders of an internal combustion engine, can include a first exhaust valve for each corresponding cylinder of the bank of cylinders; a second exhaust valve for each corresponding cylinder of the bank of cylinders; a first exhaust port for each corresponding cylinder of the bank of cylinders, the first exhaust port configured to direct flow of exhaust to a first manifold in fluid communication with a first turbocharger; and a second exhaust port for each corresponding cylinder of the bank of cylinders, the second exhaust port configured to direct flow of exhaust to a second manifold in fluid communication with a second turbocharger; where the shape of the first exhaust ports differs from the shape of the second exhaust ports; where each of the first exhaust valves controls flow of exhaust to a respective one of the first exhaust ports; and where each of the second exhaust valves controls flow of exhaust to a respective one of the second exhaust ports. Various other devices, assemblies, controllers, etc., are also disclosed.
US08160792B2

A failure detection system for accurately detecting a failure of a clutch. A clutch actuation mechanism changes the relative positions of drive-side and driven-side members of the clutch. A position detector detects a position of the clutch actuation mechanism as a clutch position. A control unit obtains torque transmitted from the drive-side member to the driven-side member as actual transmission torque. The control unit detects a failure of the clutch based on the actual transmission torque and the clutch position.
US08160791B2

A method for detecting a fault in a coupling having the coupling elements that are movable against each other, which are situated between a first drive unit and a second drive unit, having the steps of providing a torque by the second drive unit, activating the coupling so that the coupling elements are moved into a position which, in the normal state of the coupling, corresponds to a touch point position which corresponds to a position of the coupling elements in which, in the normal state of the coupling, the coupling elements lie against each other, but no torque is able to be transmitted between the coupling elements, determining, after the setting in of the touch point position, whether a torque is being transmitted from the second drive unit to the first drive unit via the coupling, as well as detecting a fault in the coupling if it is determined that a certain torque is being transmitted via the coupling.
US08160789B2

When a downshift is performed while a vehicle travels in a coasting state, a determination is made as to whether or not a fuel cut recovery will be performed. When a fuel cut recovery will be performed, an offset oil pressure is set and an initial oil pressure set after raising an oil pressure of an engagement side frictional engagement element to a pre-charge oil pressure is set at an oil pressure obtained by subtracting the offset oil pressure from a reference initial oil pressure.
US08160786B2

A mobile crane has at least one memory unit in which limit curves or limit values are stored for various crane parameters and which should not be exceeded, or only exceeded by issuing an alarm signal, to ensure safe operation of the crane. Crane safety is ensured by monitoring the individual limit values of the various parameters and checking the current position of the extendable and retractable props which serve to support the mobile crane. Depending upon the actual position the supporting cylinders reach, the tilting edge of the mobile crane is determined as a limit value. Furthermore, depending on the individual parameters of the mobile crane and the suspended load, whether the operating condition of the mobile crane lies within this limit value is determined.
US08160779B2

A control system for fault detection with a control device including a processor having a control program that calculates at least one actuating value signal outputted to an actuator. At two process points in the control program, at least one control point (K) is defined at which a program output value is outputted to form a monitoring signal that is outputted to a monitoring device. The monitoring signal contains at least two signal elements of three possible signal elements. A first signal element represents the control point through which the control program should have directly run before the control point, a second signal element represents the present control point, and a third signal element represents the next control point in the program process. The monitoring device checks the monitoring signals for the correct state, and a state signal can be output as a fault signal.
US08160766B2

A method of detecting a low tire pressure condition on a machine is disclosed. The method may include determining at least one of an actual pitch of the machine and an actual roll of the machine, at a known location and determining at least one of an expected pitch of the machine at the known location and an expected roll of the machine at the known location. The method may further include comparing at least one of the actual pitch to the expected pitch of the machine and the actual roll to the expected roll of the machine. The method may also include outputting a signal indicative of the low tire pressure condition of at least one tire, if at least one of the actual pitch and the actual roll deviate from the expected pitch and the expected roll of the machine, respectively.
US08160765B2

A control system controls a pair of vehicles in coordination to traverse a respective pair of trajectories. The control system is configured to specify a plurality of successive waypoints, a safe stopping interval and an intermediate interval greater than the safe stopping interval, and exchange waypoints between vehicles. The system controls each vehicle in coordination with the other, senses a rate of exchange of waypoint data between the vehicles, and determines the safe stopping interval. The control system updates positions with additional waypoints as the respective vehicles pass by waypoints of the forecasted trajectory, determines the length of the forecasted trajectory remaining and compares it with the intermediate interval and the safe stopping interval. The system generates a warning signal if distance is less than the intermediate interval, and if the distance is less than the safe stopping interval, stops within the safe stopping interval.
US08160761B2

A method for controlling a hybrid powertrain system based upon a predicted speed of an output member, a predicted operator torque request, and a predicted accelerator pedal position is disclosed. The method comprises predicting the accelerator pedal position based upon a monitored accelerator pedal position and a filtered accelerator pedal position, predicting the speed of an output member based upon a monitored speed of the output member, and predicting the operator torque request based upon the predicted speed of the output member and the predicted accelerator position.
US08160760B2

An apparatus for generating autonomic control mode commands to an autonomic control system in a vehicle to execute an autonomic vehicle maneuver in response to an operator command includes a control module signally connected to the autonomic control system and an input device. The input device is manipulated by an operator to transition among operator command positions and configured to generate signal outputs monitored by the control module indicating the operator command positions including a neutral position, a detent position and an extended detent position. The input device further includes a reset state corresponding to the neutral position and monitored by the control module, an initiation state corresponding to the extended detent position and monitored by the control module, and a command state corresponding to the detent position and monitored by the control module.
US08160757B1

The present invention is a method for providing optimum multi-map overlay in a flight deck navigation display of an aircraft. The method includes outputting absolute terrain data to the navigation display for display by the navigation display. The method further includes receiving a threshold elevation input, the threshold elevation input including a threshold elevation. The method further includes receiving relative terrain data. The method further includes, when the aircraft is located below the threshold elevation, overlaying the relative terrain data onto the absolute terrain data based on the received threshold elevation input. Further, the absolute terrain data and the relative terrain data are concurrently displayed by the navigation display, the displayed relative terrain data being overlaid onto the displayed absolute terrain data.
US08160751B2

Systems, devices, and methods to mitigate the pressure disturbance associated with the injection of low-pressure analyte samples into a high-pressure HPLC fluid stream, to enhance chromatographic performance related to retention time and reproducibility. The preferred embodiment coordinates the injection run with active pressure control of a binary solvent delivery system to virtually eliminate the customary pressure drop when the low-pressure loop is brought on line. An additional benefit that enhances reproducibility is accomplished by forcing a consistent timing relationship between the injection run, the mechanical position of the delivery pump pistons, and the start and subsequent gradient delivery.
US08160743B2

An anthropomorphic medical robot arm includes a base end, a first arm element, a base joint coupling the base end to the first arm element, a second arm element, a middle joint coupling the second arm element to the first arm element, a distal functional end, a distal joint coupling the distal functional end to the second arm element, and at least one selectively operable movement inhibitor operable on the base joint, middle joint and/or distal joint so as to restrict the functionally possible range of movement of the robot arm to the range of movement of a human arm.
US08160740B2

A sorting system for mail items includes sorting registers, a storage module operating on a last-in/first-out principle, a sorting circuit to convey a stream of mail items. The sorting registers and the storage module are connected via switch points to the sorting circuit, wherein the storage module comprises a storage area and an insertion function. An extraction function extracts mail items from the storage area, and a process controller controls the mail item stream and the switch points. The process controller sets, if there is a conveyance fault, part of the switch points so mail items intended for the faulty sorting registers are introduced into the storage area. When the fault is rectified and/or a predefined occupancy level is reached, mail items stored in the storage area are extracted by adjusting a remaining feeding of mail items into the mail item stream, and fed to the sorting registers.
US08160736B2

Efficient manufacturing automation system and methods are described. The automation system controls movement of materials for processing by tools in a manufacturing facility. The system and methods include pre-emptive dispatching for transferring of materials. With the pre-emptive dispatching, the next destination and next lot to be processed is determined prior to a first lot being converted to a ready to unload state. This reduces wait time or idle time to improve tool utilization.
US08160733B2

An audio system for an information handling system, the audio system comprising an audio interface operable to connect a mobile information handling device and a docking station, an audio module in the docking station, and an audio jack configured to connect the audio module to a speaker.
US08160727B2

A mobile workstation includes a control system having computer readable memory storing a power sourcing algorithm and a data processing algorithm, a power interface having a first input interface and a second input interface, and an output interface configured to supply power from either of the input interfaces to a plurality of computerized devices resident on the mobile workstation. A microprocessor is configured to execute the power sourcing algorithm to switch the power interface from a first power sourcing mode to a second power sourcing mode and further configured to execute the data processing algorithm to control a peripheral device of the mobile workstation in response to inputs received via a data interface. The control system is part of a power system resident on the mobile workstation and operable independently of a plurality of computerized devices also resident on the mobile workstation.
US08160726B2

There are provided systems and methods for reading identification information and storing identification information in a medical device. More specifically, in one embodiment, there is provided a method for accessing a medical device, the method including reading identification information from an identification tag and storing identification information in the medical device as patient information of a patient identification system. Medical devices having a reader and patient identification system are also disclosed.
US08160725B2

A control for a field device comprises a monitoring unit that is separate from a control unit for controlling the field device which monitoring unit, when the control unit is in a sleep mode, waits for an activation signal in order to switch the control unit to the operating mode.
US08160719B2

An implantable electrical lead having a plurality of insulated conductor strands and a plurality of non-conductor strands braided together to maintain the spacing of the conductors from each other to prevent the crossing of the insulated conductor strands. The non-conductor strands are often polymeric strands. In some leads, the conductor strands and non-conductor strands are braided in opposite clockwise directions from each other. The conductor strands may travel adjacent each other in a clockwise direction, crossing non-conductors alternately over then under, with the immediately adjacent conductor strand doing the same but being out of phase. A diamond braid pattern is used in some embodiments. Braids may be formed over a removable mandrel, or a non-removable shaft or tube. Braiding can provide a structure which maintains its configuration after removal from a mandrel without requiring undue stress application to the strands.
US08160718B2

An apparatus and method for performing warming therapy is described. In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a warming platform, a heating source, a controller, and a plurality sensors. The heating source comprises a plurality of heating elements forming a matrix, wherein each heating element is operable to heat a corresponding region of the warming platform. The controller is operatively coupled to the heating source for controlling the temperature in each region of the warming platform. The plurality of sensors are operatively coupled to the controller for sensing a physiological parameter of a patient (e.g., body temperature) residing on the warming platform, and providing one or more control signals to the controller for selectively controlling the heating elements.
US08160716B2

An apparatus and method for adjusting the performance of an implanted device based on data including contextual information. Contextual information, including operational and performance data concerning the implanted device as well as the patient with the implanted device, is stored by a portable electronic device. In one embodiment, the portable electronic device is adapted for battery operation and includes a personal digital assistant (PDA). The portable electronic device is adapted for use as an interface to conduct wireless communications with the implanted device. In one embodiment, the portable electronic device interfaces with a clinical programmer for use by a physician.
US08160709B2

The present invention describes methods and devices using low frequency electrical stimulation or neural high frequency stimulation to modulate lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure. The electrical stimulation may be delivered to the LES via one or more electrodes that is placed in contact with the LES tissue. The methods and devices are useful to treat a number of conditions or disease conditions, including for example, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
US08160703B2

Signal data obtained from a piezoelectric sensor placed on a patient's body is used to detect the presence of a cardiac pulse. The piezoelectric sensor has a transducing element adapted to sense movement due to a cardiac pulse and produce piezoelectric signal data in response thereto. Processing circuitry analyzes the piezoelectric signal data for a feature indicative of a cardiac pulse and determines whether a cardiac pulse is present in the patient based on the feature. In one aspect, the feature may be a temporal feature such as a relative change in energy. In another aspect, the feature may be a spectral feature such as the energy or frequency of a peak in the energy spectrum of the signal. In yet another aspect, the feature may be obtained by comparing the piezoelectric signal data with a previously-identified pattern known to predict the presence of a cardiac pulse. Multiple features may also be obtained from the piezoelectric signal data and classified to determine the presence of a cardiac pulse.
US08160697B2

Adaptive methods for initiating charging of the high power capacitors of an implantable medical device for therapy delivery after the patient experiences a non-sustained arrhythmia. The adaptive methods adjust persistence criteria used to analyze an arrhythmia prior to initiating a charging sequence to deliver therapy.
US08160695B2

Methods and related systems for modulating neural activity by repetitively blocking conduction in peripheral neural structures with chemical blocking agents are disclosed. Methods and systems for reversing effects of chemical blocking agents and/or for producing substantially permanent conduction block are also disclosed.
US08160677B2

A method for determining anatomical landmarks is provided. The anatomical landmarks can be used to determine anatomical targets of a patient. The method may be used for planning a procedure and performing a procedure, such as performing a procedure in the brain.
US08160674B2

The invention relates to an upper body MRI scanner comprising a magnet arrangement for producing a horizontally oriented homogeneous main magnetic field, said magnet arrangement being designed to examine the upper body of a standing patient. An image acquisition unit is provided for continuously creating upper body image of the standing patient. A quality checking unit is designed for automatically determining a quality metric characterizing the quality of the upper body images. An imaging controller connected to the image acquisition unit and the quality checking unit is provided for activating the image acquisition unit and outputting signals for influencing the position and/or behavior of the patient as a function of the characteristic quality metric. An output unit connected to the image acquisition unit is used for displaying and/or storing at least some of the upper body images.
US08160666B2

A system for determining the concentration of an analyte in at least one body fluid in body tissue comprises an infrared light source, a body tissue interface, a detector, and a central processing unit. The body tissue interface is adapted to contact body tissue and to deliver light from the infrared light source to the contacted body tissue. The detector is adapted to receive spectral information corresponding to infrared light transmitted through the portion of body tissue being analyzed and to convert the received spectral information into an electrical signal indicative of the received spectral information. The central processing unit is adapted to compare the electrical signal to an algorithm built upon correlation with the analyte in body fluid, the algorithm adapted to convert the received spectral information into the concentration of the analyte in at least one body fluid.
US08160663B2

An apparatus including a first rail part and a second rail part which are allowed to slide with respect to each other. The apparatus further includes a wearable protrusion in one of the rail parts to set a pre-defined clearance between the rail parts. A method is also disclosed.
US08160658B2

To aim to provide a mobile telephone capable of reducing a physical space necessary for providing a reflector compared with that in conventional mobile telephones, and reducing the SAR by securing a distance between an antenna and a passive element operating as a reflector. A cabinet of a top housing 2 includes a passive element 22 in an overlap region overlapping between the top housing 2 and the bottom housing 3 in an unfolded state, and the bottom housing includes an antenna in the overlap region. This can suppress the thickness of the mobile telephone in a folded state and secure a distance between the antenna 31 and the passive element 22 operating as a reflector.
US08160652B2

A mobile terminal and method for displaying on a touch screen information associated with an item displayed on the touch screen when an object is in near-proximity to the displayed item. A sensing unit senses a real-touch and a proximity-touch of the touch screen and a controller displays the information associated with the specific item on the touch screen.
US08160647B2

A co-site including at least two antenna/base transceiver station pairs operating on different frequency bands has a filter system that includes a first filter including a low band control port, a high band control port, a low band diversity port, and a high band diversity port and a second filter including a low band control port, a high band control port, a low band diversity port, and a high band diversity port. The second filter adjusts an adjustable load on each of the low band control port, the high band control port, the low band diversity port, and the high band diversity port of the second filter to simulate a current consumption of the low band control port, the high band control port, the low band diversity port, and the high band diversity port of the first filter, respectively.
US08160638B2

In an example embodiment, a technique for automatically controlling radio interfaces of a multi-mode device. Wireless interfaces are enabled or disabled based on the probability of network availability of the interfaces at a current geographical location.
US08160632B2

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a transmission power of a dual standby mode mobile terminal. A method of controlling a transmission power of the invention includes performing a conversation standby service with a first communications network while performing a conversation service with a second communications network, and receiving a first power control level from a base station of the first communications network; comparing a second power control level that corresponds to a power code, which is set for a current output signal power, with the first power control level; and decreasing a current power code when the first power control level is greater than or equal to the second power control level.
US08160628B1

Systems and methods of setting up a push-to-talk call are provided. When a push-to-talk server receives a request for a push-to-talk call from an originating mobile station, the server sends a push-to-talk call notification to a destination mobile station identified in the request and starts a timer. Upon expiration of the timer the server determines whether the originating mobile station has a traffic channel for the push-to-talk call.
US08160611B1

A radio access network (RAN) may base the number of wireless coverage areas that it uses for substantially simultaneous communication with a wireless communication device (WCD) on the location and/or movement of the WCD. Thus, for instance, if the WCD has been in a particular geographical location for a period of time, the RAN may use fewer wireless coverage areas when communicating with the WCD. But, if the WCD has not been in any particular geographical location for the period of time, the RAN may use more wireless coverage areas when communicating with the WCD. Similarly, if the WCD is moving at a speed at or below a given velocity, the RAN may use fewer wireless coverage areas when communicating with the WCD. But, if the WCD is moving at a speed above the given velocity, the RAN may use more wireless coverage areas when communicating with the WCD.
US08160604B2

A system for and method of deriving a position estimate of a receiver from a plurality of parameter measurements is provided. Each measurement is derived from a correlation function, which in turn is derived by correlating a signal received at the receiver with an identification code uniquely identifying a transmitter visible to the receiver. A plurality of position estimates are derived, each from a different subset of the plurality of measurements. Based on local topography, one of the position estimates is selected as the best estimate of the position of the receiver.
US08160596B2

A method and system for providing asymmetric modes of operation in multi-carrier wireless communication systems. A method may assign a long code mask (LCM) to an information channel associated with a plurality of forward link carriers to transmit data from an access network to an access terminal; and multiplex the information channel on a reverse link carrier. The information channel may include one of data source channel (DSC), data rate control (DRC) and acknowledgment (ACK) information, and the multiplexing may be code division multiplexing (CDM). The AN may instruct the AT on whether to multiplex the DSC information based on feedback from the AT. The method may further offset the ACK information on the reverse link to reduce the reverse link peak to average, CDM the information channel on an I-branch and on a Q-branch, and transmit the code division multiplexed information channel on the reverse link carrier.
US08160592B2

A data relay apparatus and method using a telephone number are provided. The data relay apparatus includes: a searching unit that searches for an IP address of a host apparatus corresponding to a receiver's telephone number received from a sender; and an output unit that outputs information transmitted from the sender to the host apparatus having the searched IP address.
US08160569B1

The present invention is a wireless communication system and method. In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes a plurality of transceiver nodes arranged in a network and configured to communicate between transceiver nodes using an Orthogonal Domain Multiple Access (ODMA) frame structure, each of the plurality of transceiver nodes having neighboring nodes. Each ODMA structure may include a plurality of bootstrap slots for each of the plurality of transceiver nodes. Further, a plurality of correlation sequences may be defined within each of the plurality of bootstrap slots in which each correlation sequence included within the plurality of correlation sequences is located in a separate antenna sector and sub-sector. Addition of the plurality of correlation sequences to each of the plurality of bootstrap slots allows for recursive directional determination of which antenna sector and sub-sector is to be used to communicate with one of the plurality of transceiver nodes.
US08160567B2

A method, including receiving at a network element, from a first telecommunications enabled device, a control connection request directed to a second telecommunications enabled device, connecting a control connection to the second telecommunications enabled device wherein the control connection is connected without requiring user input at the second telecommunications enabled device to answer the control connection request, and providing access to one or more functionalities of the second telecommunications enabled device to the first telecommunications enabled device through the control connection.
US08160566B2

The present invention relates to a mobile phone and a method for its operation and control. The mobile phone is capable of receiving the message sent by other mobile phones through a message transmission system. The method comprises: receiving the message from another mobile phone, wherein the received message comprises a presentation part and an associated control part, the control part being used for the control and management of the processing of the received message; extracting the control part from the received message; and executing the operation related to the message based on the extracted control part. According to an embodiment, if the control part received by the mobile phone comprises the notification mode control command, the mobile phone issues a message notification according to the notification mode control command, disregarding the message notification mode pre-configured on the mobile phone. Thus the requirement of the sender personalized message service can be satisfied.
US08160559B2

In one embodiment, a scheme is disclosed for managing delivery of a Mobile-Terminated (MT) call via an IMS network, wherein the MT call is originated by a calling party towards a User Equipment (UE) device that is CS-attached. An IMS-capable network node is operable to associate the received call information with an IP Multimedia Routing Number (IMRN) and provide the call information and the IMRN via alternative signaling (e.g., USSD or SMS messaging) to the UE device. A Mobile-Originated (MO) call process is initiated by the UE device using the received IMRN as the destination number, which terminates at the network node. Upon verifying that the returned IMRN is valid, the network node bridges the access and remote legs to establish the end-to-end path for the MT call between the UE device and the calling party.
US08160558B2

Extensions are provided for mobile electronic devices including cellphones, wherein different extensions may correspond to different communication contexts. In an exemplary embodiment, a call is answered using an automated answering system. The caller is requested to enter an extension number. In response to the extension number, a call alert (such as a ring tone) unique to that extension is activated.
US08160557B2

Information is received from a caller via a wireless device and communicated to an external computing device. Contact information for the caller is located using at least one of a name and phone number of the caller, and when the contact information for the caller is located, it is displayed on a display of the external computing device.
US08160555B2

System and method for determining whether an incoming call originates from inside or outside of a mobile carriers network. An example system performs a GTT (global title translation) on an incoming number to determine the hosting carrier of any mobile phone number. After the result of the matching determination is made, a message is generated and sent to a caller associated with the call page. The generated message includes any of directory information associated with the subscriber, information associated with cost savings or comparisons associated with in-network calling, information regarding promotions for calling plans, mobile devices or device upgrades, requests to join a network, requests to join a social call plan, information regarding instant savings or call rebates, offers for online services or software, offers for reduced cost or free phone service in exchange for adoption of a predefined product or entering into a social network group.
US08160551B2

Disclosed are a method, system and computer program product for processing voicemail messages to a user's wireless communication device based on a location of a caller's wireless communication device. Call answering protocols are assigned for implementation based on the location of the caller's wireless communication device at a time a call is received from the caller's device. Call answering protocol entries are received via a wireless communication device. When a call is received, a location of the caller's wireless communication device is detected. Location information regarding the caller's wireless communication device is received at a call switching component. The call is processed at the call switching component based on the call answering protocol for handling a caller's call received from the location of the caller's wireless communication device.
US08160550B2

A mobile terminal and a method for downloading a message in a mobile terminal, the method includes receiving a notification message comprising information indicating whether a media file included in a transmitted message is modified, and selectively requesting downloading of the transmitted message to the mobile terminal, if the media file is modified, based upon a message reception mode of the mobile terminal.
US08160548B2

Presented are apparatus and method for distributed authentication and control of an electronic security device. The method includes prompting an authority for access to an ESS and providing a response package by the authority, wherein the response package comprises a first hash value combining challenge data and a pass code for the ESS. Upon receipt of the response package, the first hash value and a second hash value generated by the by the ESS may be prepared and if the first hash value and the second hash values match, the ESS may be unlocked.
US08160534B2

Frequency translation and applications of same are described herein. Such applications include, but are not limited to, frequency down-conversion, frequency up-conversion, enhanced signal reception, unified down-conversion and filtering, and combinations and applications of same.
US08160533B2

Mixer circuits (1) comprise mixers (2) for receiving input signals and oscillation signals and for outputting output signals. By providing the mixers (2) with loads (3) having adjustable load values and by introducing adjustors (4) for adjusting and sweeping the loads (3), which adjusted loads (3) have different load values at different moments in time, and by introducing detectors (5) for detecting components such as second order intermodulation products of the output signal per load value and selectors (6) for selecting detection results and for instructing the adjustors (4) to set the loads (3) in response to the selected detection result, the mixer (2) is calibrated. The detectors (5) comprise filtering circuitry (52) for filtering the components and comprising slope detection circuitry (53) and the electors (6) comprise comparison circuitry (61) for comparing slope values with each other for finding an extreme slope value that defines the detection result to be selected. The input signals comprise amplitude modulation jammer signals or two tones signals.
US08160532B2

Techniques are provided for delivering content to mobile communication devices related to interactions of members with a user community. The method involves detecting a communication session involving a mobile communication device; determining one or more context parameters associated with the communication session; and delivering content related to the context parameters to one or more mobile communication devices. Data is stored at a central computing entity that indicates association or membership of a plurality of mobile communication device users in a user community. The central computing entity detects when an action is taken by one mobile device user that is a member of the user community, and sends a notification to members of the social circle based on the detected action. These techniques allow individuals who are involved in a user community to maintain their interaction with the user community using their mobile communication devices.
US08160517B2

Various embodiments described herein relate to a power management block and an amplification block used in the transmitter of a communication subsystem. The power management block provides improved control for the gain control signal provided to a pre-amplifier and the supply voltage provided to a power amplifier which are both in the amplification block. The power expended by the power amplifier is optimized by employing a continuous control method in which one or more feedback loops are employed to take into account various characteristics of the transmitter components and control values.
US08160504B2

Embodiments relate to a mobile device comprising: a processor; a display responsive to the processor; a plurality of wireless communication subsystems responsive to the processor; and a memory. The memory is accessible to the processor and stores program code executable by the processor for executing a user interface application. The user interface application is configured to determine a first connection status of the mobile device with respect to a cellular network and a second connection status with respect to a wireless local area network (WLAN). The user interface application, when executed by the processor, is further configured to cause the display to display a selected combination of icons in three display fields in a banner area of the display. The combination of icons is selected from a plurality of icon combinations based on the determined first connection status and the second connection status.
US08160501B1

What is disclosed is a test device for a wireless repeater system in a wireless communication network. The test device includes a transmitter configured to establish a call with the wireless communication network through the wireless repeater system and determine a number of probes required to establish the call. The test device also includes a receiver configured to receive the call from the wireless communication network through the wireless repeater system and determine a signal strength of the received call. The test device also includes a control processor configured to process the number of probes required to establish the call and the signal strength of the received call to determine a gain level for the wireless repeater system. The test device also includes a control interface configured to transfer the gain level to the wireless repeater system.
US08160496B2

An object of the invention is to provide a wireless communication unit capable of suppressing interference of signal resend of one controlled device with reception of a signal transmitted from another controlled device to conduct wireless authentication with two or more controlled devices. In the wireless communication unit of the invention, a short-range wireless control section 162 controls to perform wireless authentication processing with a controlled device 2 using a radio wave at a different frequency depending on whether wireless authentication in an authentication mode with the controlled device 2 results in success or failure.
US08160482B2

A belt member is supported by a plurality of roller members including a first roller member and moves in a predetermined direction of movement. A coupling member is coupled with the first roller member. An abutting member makes contact with the coupling member by changing tilting of a rotational axis of the first roller member and moves the coupling member in a forward direction and a reverse direction to correct meandering of the belt member. Abutting positions of the coupling member with respect to the abutting member when moving the coupling member in the forward direction and in the reverse direction are variable to support respective movement directions.
US08160479B2

An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member; a corona charger provided with a discharging wire for electrically charging the photosensitive member; an exposure device for exposing to light the photosensitive member; a developing device for developing the electrostatic image; a transfer device for transferring the toner image onto a sheet; an adjusting device for adjusting a distance from the discharging wire to the photosensitive member; a detecting device for detecting information corresponding to a surface potential of the photosensitive member at least two points; and an executing device configured to execute an operation in a mode in which an image including a reference mark positioned at a reference portion of said corona charger, for adjusting the position of the discharging wire by the adjusting mechanism and an adjusting mark for adjusting a distance of the discharging wire from the photosensitive member.
US08160477B2

A process cartridge and an image forming apparatus in which a charging roller is separated from a photosensitive drum by a predetermined distance and in which the separation between the charging roller and the photosensitive drum is released at the time of use without involving an increase in the burden on the user and erroneous releasing of the separation by user is prevented prior to use. The process cartridge, which is detachably mountable to the apparatus main body having an acting portion, includes a process cartridge frame, a locking portion locked with the frame to separate the charging roller from the photosensitive drum, a separation holding member having an acted portion which penetrates the frame and on which the acting portion can act, and a protruding portion provided on the frame and protruding beyond the acted portion at the position where the separation holding member is locked with the frame.
US08160465B2

An image forming apparatus and a control method thereof to improve quality of an image in consideration of a change in posture of a print media. The image forming apparatus can include a transferred unit on which a visible image is formed, a transferring unit to form a transfer region through which the visible image is transferred onto a print medium, along with the transferred unit, a bias supplying unit to supply bias to the transferring unit so that a transfer electric field is produced in the transfer region, and a controller to control the bias supplying unit to supply different first to third biases to the transferring unit while at least first to third regions of the print medium pass through the transfer region, respectively.
US08160452B1

An acquisition, pointing and tracking system for free space optical communications systems performs the pointing and tracking function internally by way of translating an internal optical fiber in the focal plane of the transceiver telescope with a reflecting mirror in the telescope focal plane of each linked transceiver. The beam reflected from the mirror records the exact direction of the reflected beam at the transmitting beam's transceiver terminal, providing the transmitting source to lock on to the receiving telescope, allowing for the link to be acquired.
US08160445B2

A digital cross-connect (DXC) (10) comprises: a plurality of ports (30-100) for receiving/outputting signals and switching and switching means (20) for selectively cross-connecting signals applied to one port to one or more other ports. The cross-connect (10) is characterized in that the switching means (20) comprises a single switching matrix which is arranged to be capable of switching Optical Data Units (ODU). Alternatively or in addition the switching matrix is arranged to be capable of transparently switching complete Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) synchronous transport modules STM-N and/or complete SONET synchronous transport transport signal STS-N derived from optical carriers OC-N and/or SDH vitual containers VC-3, VC-4, and/or concatenated virtual containers VC4-nc where n=4, 16, 64 or 256 as defined in ITU-Recommendation G.707 and/or SONET synchronous transport system STS-1s, STS-nc where n=3, 12, 48, 192 or 768 as defined in Telcordia GR253.
US08160436B2

Methods and systems to relay short duration coded pulses of light emitted by a first flash device to a second flash device, which may be remote, using radio signals, wherein radio signals comprise data representative of short duration coded pulses of light from the first flash device which may comprise one or more binary commands and/or activation signals emitted by the first flash device. A first radio communication device may sense coded pulses of light from a first flash device and in response transmit radio signals representative of the coded pulses of light, and may subsequently stop transmitting radio signals following the transmission of radio signals representative of the coded pulses of light. A second radio communication device may receive the transmitted radio signals from the first radio communication device and may cause a light element comprised of the second radio communication device to emit coded pulses of light to a second flash device wherein the coded pulses of light to the second flash device may be substantially representative of the coded pulses of light emitted by the first flash device.
US08160429B2

A video image data compression archiver is composed of an encoder and an encoder controller. The encoder compresses non-compressed video image data to generate compressed video image data. The encoder controller is connected to said encoder to control a frame size, a frame rate, and an average bit rate of said compressed video image data in response to at least one parameter selected from a group consisting of a number of frames of said non-compressed video image data, a recording time of said non-compressed video image data, and a free area of a recording medium for recording said compressed video image data.
US08160428B2

A video player provides a video signal to a display device. A selection unit outputs a first signal of an interlaced format or outputting a second signal of a progressive format according to a state of a selection signal. A frequency generator outputs a first frequency or a second frequency according to the state of the selection signal. An adjuster executes a first operation with the signal output from the selection unit for generating a process signal according to the frequency output from the frequency generator. A processor executes a second operation with the process signal for generating the video signal.
US08160423B2

An apparatus for applying an anti-copy protection signal for use with switchable head recorders, such as Video Hi-Fi recorders, is described. A high frequency pulsed signal is added to an original signal. The pulses interfere with the compensator circuitry such that the switching of the record head cannot adequately be masked on recording of a signal. On playback, the switching of the recording heads can subsequently be heard. In Video Hi-Fi recorders, the effect of the high frequency signals also interferes with the compressor-expander circuits to worsen the sound of the head switching.
US08160418B2

Systems and methods are described for personal video recorders (PVRs) and other devices configured for recording and playing back media content from a data storage unit, preferably a random access unit such as a hard drive. A system is described having network connectivity, such as a power-line communications, with other PVRs or similar units, wherein media content can be automatically shifted from one unit to another over the network, such as in response to changes in available storage space. Content transfers and deletions within the system being intelligently performed based on content status, user preference settings, and user preference information such as received from a preference engine, toward optimizing the value to the user of the content which is retained network wide. An additional aspect provides content restoration after mistaken deletion by the user or automated deletion functions.
US08160415B2

A high power fiber laser system has a combiner configured of a plurality of single mode (SM) fibers which are fused together so as to define an output end of the fiber combiner. The fused SM fibers radiate respective fiber outputs, which collectively define a multimode (MM) combiner output. The SM fibers each are configured with such an optimally small numerical apertures (NA) that the MM combiner output is characterized by a minimally possible beam quality factor (M2) for the plurality of SM fibers. To reduce the possibility of burning of the components of the fiber laser system with a multi-kilowatt combiner output, a coreless termination block is fused to the output end of the fiber combiner and configured so as to provide expansion of the combiner output without modifying the minimally possible M2 factor thereof.
US08160413B2

A fiber loop formed by bending of a connection section between the first fiber and the second fiber includes a coupling region and an upper taper region as well as a down taper region arranged symmetrically on two sides of the coupling region. Then the fiber optic splitter with the fiber loop is assembled with a splitting ratio modulation mechanism. Thus the manufacturing of the fiber optic power splitter with variable splitting ratio is simplified and this favors production and applications of the device. Moreover, the splitting and modulation quality of the splitter are stable and are controlled precisely. Thus the economic benefits of the device in manufacturing, operation quality and product competitiveness are all improved.
US08160408B2

An optical rotary joint comprises a first collimator arrangement for coupling-on first light-waveguides, and a second collimator arrangement for coupling-on second light waveguides, with the second collimator arrangement being supported to be rotatable relative to the first collimator arrangement about a rotation axis. At least one derotating optical element is provided in the light path between the first collimator arrangement and the second collimator arrangement. At least one collimator arrangement comprises a rod-shaped lens that is fastened on a support plate so that the axis of the lens is tilted at a given angle relative to the rotation axis of the rotary joint.
US08160406B2

An acoustic sensor includes at least one structure including at least one photonic crystal slab and an optical fiber optically coupled to the at least one photonic crystal slab, and having at least one optical resonance with a resonance frequency and a resonance lineshape. The acoustic sensor further includes a housing mechanically coupled to the at least one structure. At least one of the resonance frequency and the resonance lineshape is responsive to acoustic waves incident upon the housing.
US08160400B2

Over the past few years there has been a dramatic proliferation of digital cameras, and it has become increasingly easy to share large numbers of photographs with many other people. These trends have contributed to the availability of large databases of photographs. Effectively organizing, browsing, and visualizing such .seas. of images, as well as finding a particular image, can be difficult tasks. In this paper, we demonstrate that knowledge of where images were taken and where they were pointed makes it possible to visualize large sets of photographs in powerful, intuitive new ways. We present and evaluate a set of novel tools that use location and orientation information, derived semi-automatically using structure from motion, to enhance the experience of exploring such large collections of images.
US08160399B2

An image processing apparatus has a plurality of serially connected image processing blocks for sequentially processing image data input thereto. After a first command for controlling the plurality of image processing blocks and image data to be processed by the plurality of image processing blocks are output to the leading image processing block, a second command indicating end of this output is output to the leading image processing block. When the second command is output from a final image processing block, the next first command and image data are output to the leading image processing block.
US08160397B1

The present invention relates to methods for aligning raster and vector data.In an embodiment, a raster/vector aligner receives raster data and an approximate vector of a feature within the raster data. The raster/vector aligner generates an edge signal by edge filtering the raster data along a direction of the approximate vector and a smoothness signal by smoothness filtering the raster data along a direction of the approximate vector. The raster/vector aligner combines the edge signal and the smoothness signal into a combined signal which is used to generate a translation vector or a signal weight for the feature within the raster data.
US08160392B1

Methods and systems can allow a user to avoid the inconvenience of selecting which of several computational photography techniques to apply when blending images. Instead, the user's workflow can be simplified in some cases and/or the image processing software can be less confusing to the user. For example, the user may import a set of images to image editing software. The software can automatically suggest a computational photography technique or techniques to apply to the set of images identified by the user. For example, the software may determine that the set of images comprise a stack or that the set of images comprise a panorama and suggest an appropriate technique for confirmation by the user. The software may apply the computational photography technique without the need for user intervention.
US08160391B1

Systems and methods for filling panoramic images having valid and invalid pixel regions are provided. An invalid region is identified in an initial panoramic image. Pixel data of invalid pixels in the initial panoramic image are replaced with pixel data of pixels from a valid region in at least one nearby panoramic image to obtain a valid fill region.
US08160388B2

A method and system for selectively transforming a spatially varying optical characteristic (F) of an image in a pixel array. The pixel array is segmented into stripes of contiguous rows. A two-dimensional convolution C(x, y) of F is determined at only selected pixels (x, y). C(x, y) is a function of a product of a horizontal kernel h(x) and a vertical kernel v(y). Determining C(x, y) at each selected pixel (x, y) includes determining n vertical convolutions, wherein each vertical convolution is equal to a scalar product of F and v(y) in a kernel space surrounding (x,y), forming an array (V) from the n vertical convolutions, and computing C(x,y) as a scalar product of V and a constant horizontal vector (H) formed from h(x). The stripes are collected to form a transformed image which is stored and/or displayed. A cache facilitates selective reuse of vertical convolutions for determining C(x,y).
US08160384B2

A suppression method that provides adaptive (i.e., selective) processing of an input picture to generate an enhanced output picture with ringing-like areas of the input picture suppressed. For each window in the input picture, if the window is detected as around a ringing-like area in the picture, then the output pixel for the position of the window comprises the low-pass filtered (i.e., smoothed) pixel in the input picture. If the window is not detected as around a ringing-like area, then the output pixel for the position of the window comprises essentially the unchanged window in the input picture. No blurring is introduced in areas where ringing-like patterns are not detected. The output picture is an enhanced version of the input picture comprising portions of the input picture where ringing-like patterns were not detected, and portions of the input picture with suppressed (i.e., smoothed) ringing-like patterns where detected.
US08160381B2

A method and apparatus for processing imager pixel signals to reduce noise. The processing includes receiving a target pixel signal, receiving at least one neighboring pixel signal, formulating a dynamic noise signal based at least in part on a value of the target pixel signal, and controlling a noise reduction operation using the dynamic noise signal.
US08160362B2

Described is a technology by which online recognition of handwritten input data is combined with offline recognition and processing to obtain a combined recognition result. In general, the combination improves overall recognition accuracy. In one aspect, online and offline recognition is separately performed to obtain online and offline character-level recognition scores for candidates (hypotheses). A statistical analysis-based combination algorithm, an AdaBoost algorithm, and/or a neural network-based combination may determine a combination function to combine the scores to produce a result set of one or more results. Online and offline radical-level recognition may be performed. For example, a HMM recognizer may generate online radical scores used to build a radical graph, which is then rescored using the offline radical recognition scores. Paths in the rescored graph are then searched to provide the combined recognition result, e.g., corresponding to the path with the highest score.
US08160361B2

The object of the invention is to achieve a correctly positioned print in duplex-printing mode. A method for the detection of marks (1, 1′, 1″) by a sensor array (10) for a printing machine has been provided, whereby the marks (1) on the first (recto) printing side (5) of a sheet (3) are detected, the sheet is turned over and shifted in a direction transverse to the transport direction, and the marks (1′) on a second (verso) printing side (6) of said sheet are detected. Furthermore, a printing machine is provided with an alignment device (40) for shifting a sheet (3) in a direction transverse to the transport direction for the detection of marks (1′) on the second printing side, said marks being offset relative to the marks (1) on the first printing side, after said sheet (3) has been turned over.
US08160356B2

A method and apparatus for correcting a preferred color, which is capable of correcting the preferred color in consideration of an input image and the visual characteristics of a person by correcting differences between colors preferred by the person and an average color coordinate of a color to be corrected in the input image, and a liquid crystal display device using the same are disclosed. The method for correcting a preferred color includes converting data of an input image into lightness (L), chroma (C) and hue (H) data, detecting a preferred-color pixel from the input image, calculating average values of the L, C and H data of the preferred-color pixel, correcting the C and H data of the preferred-color pixel according to differences between the average values of the C and H data and reference values of the C and H data, correcting the L data of the preferred-color pixel according to the average value of the L data according to the hue of the preferred-color pixel, and inversely converting the corrected L, C and H data into image data.
US08160345B2

A custom arthroplasty guide and a method of manufacturing such a guide are disclosed herein. The guide manufactured includes a mating region configured to matingly receive a portion of a patient bone associated with an arthroplasty procedure for which the custom arthroplasty guide is to be employed. The mating region includes a surface contour that is generally a negative of a surface contour of the portion of the patient bone. The surface contour of the mating region is configured to mate with the surface contour of the portion of the patient bone in a generally matching or interdigitating manner when the portion of the patient bone is matingly received by the mating region. The method of manufacturing the custom arthroplasty guide includes: a) generating medical imaging slices of the portion of the patient bone; b) identifying landmarks on bone boundaries in the medical imaging slices; c) providing model data including image data associated with a bone other than the patient bone; d) adjusting the model data to match the landmarks; e) using the adjusted model data to generate a three dimensional computer model of the portion of the patient bone; f) using the three dimensional computer model to generate design data associated with the custom arthroplasty guide; and g) using the design data in manufacturing the custom arthroplasty guide.
US08160340B2

Tomographically reconstructing a 3D image object corresponding to a data set includes for each step in a series of iteration steps, determining an updated object by performing a combined operation, which includes performing an update operation for updating an input object and performing a pixon smoothing operation, and following a last iteration, outputting one of the updated objects as the 3D image object.
US08160337B2

The invention relates to an imaging system and a method for generating high-quality X-ray projections (24) of a patient (1). The system comprises a rotational X-ray device (10), for example a cone-beam CT-gantry (12), and an associated data processing unit (20). During a medical intervention, low-dose raw projections (22) of the patient (1) are continuously generated from different directions. A volume of interest (23) is then reconstructed from said projections (22), from which high-quality virtual projections (24) can be calculated for a display on a monitor (25). The number and direction of said virtual projections (24) can be arbitrarily chosen by the user.
US08160327B2

A computer-implemented method for generating digital images encoded into a format readable by medical imaging apparatus defines, in a tridimensional continuous space, a tridimensional scene including a tridimensional continuous shape and an encompassing medium, the tridimensional shape being constituted from basic primary shapes by rotation, translation, overlapping or gathering of one or several basic primary shapes; discretizes the tridimensional scene obtained at the previous step into volume elements (voxels) using a weighting mechanism; segments the discretized tridimensional scene into voxels by creating bidimensional cross-sections of the tridimensional scene; and encodes the information describing the obtained bidimensional cross-sections of the tridimensional scene into a format readable by medical imaging apparatus.
US08160326B2

A method of surgical modeling is disclosed. A set of related two-dimensional (2D) anatomical images is displayed. A plurality of anatomical landmarks is identified on the set of related 2D anatomical images. A three-dimensional (3D) representation of at least one prosthesis is scaled to match a scale of the 2D anatomical images based at least in part on a relationship between the anatomical landmarks. 3D information from the at least one prosthesis along with information based on at least one of the plurality of anatomical landmarks is utilized to create procedure-based information. A system for surgical modeling is also disclosed. The system has a prosthesis knowledge-based information system, a patient anatomical-based information system, a user interface, and a controller. The controller has an anatomical landmark identifier, a prosthesis-to-anatomical-feature relator, and a procedure modeler.
US08160324B2

A method for analyzing image errors in an image dataset of a medical imaging device is provided. The method includes transmitting the image dataset to a central computing center, analyzing the image errors by a server of the computing center, determining a type of image error in the image dataset, and forwarding the image dataset to a service technician who is responsible for the type of image error determined in the image dataset.
US08160321B2

An imaging device includes an imaging unit (120) having a sensor in which pixels including a defective pixel are arrayed in a matrix, and sensing an image, a first image reduction unit (151) reducing the image by adding pieces of pixel information of pixels adjacent in the row direction in the sensor including pixel information of the defective pixel, and adding pieces of pixel information of pixels adjacent in the column direction excluding pixel information of the defective pixel, a second image reduction unit (152) reducing the image by adding pieces of pixel information of pixels adjacent in the column direction in the sensor including pixel information of the defective pixel, and adding pieces of pixel information of pixels adjacent in the row direction excluding pixel information of the defective pixel, and a selection unit (153) selecting the unit (151) or the unit (152) when reducing the image.
US08160310B2

An image processing apparatus determines, when white balance correction is executed on an image signal of a face area detected by face detection unit, based on a first white balance correction value obtained by detecting white pixels, whether the corrected image signal of the face area is present in a second color signal area around a first color signal area indicating a flesh color. When the corrected image signal of the face area is determined to be present in the second color signal area, the image processing apparatus calculates a second white balance correction value for correcting the image signal based on a relationship between the corrected image signal of the face area and the first color signal area.
US08160309B1

A method of face recognition includes generating a recognition database for at least one identified face by obtaining multiple images for each identified face; selecting a subset of distinctive features for each identified face from a set of features, where each of the distinctive features in the subset have at least one calculated value representative of that distinctive feature of the identified face that exceeds a threshold level of distinction from at least one corresponding calculated value for a reference set of faces, and, for each identified face, recording in the recognition database the selected subset of distinctive features. To recognize an image of an unidentified face, a comparison metric is calculated for at least one identified face in the recognition database comparing at least a portion of the selected subset of distinctive features of that identified face with corresponding features for the unidentified face. The comparison metric for that identified face is used to determine if there is a correlation between the unidentified face and the identified face.
US08160303B2

A camera device is capable of detecting a motion scene. The camera device captures a number of consecutive images of the motion scene, calculates characteristic values of the plurality of consecutive images, and stores the characteristic values. The camera device further matches two consecutive images among the plurality of consecutive images according to the characteristic values of the two consecutive images to obtain a corresponding area and compares the characteristic values of the corresponding area in the two consecutive images to obtain a motion area of the motion scene, with different characteristic values of the corresponding area.
US08160285B2

The present invention concerns a waveguide unit, for use with a transducer unit, and in particular transducer of the dome type, where the wave guide unit is substantially circular, and suitable to be arranged around the transducer, where the wave guide unit has a front side on which front side means are provided for reflecting the sound waves from the transducer, and a substantially flat backside, and where substantially centrally in the unit an aperture is provided which aperture is suitable for accommodating a transducer unit, and the side of said aperture connects the front and back sides, where said waveguide comprises one or more diffraction edges arranged concentric with the circular shape of the unit on said front side of the unit, and where adjacent on both sides of said one or more diffraction edges, substantially flat conical surfaces are provided.
US08160284B2

Certain embodiments of the present technology provide improved amplification circuits and hearing aids that can utilize such amplification circuits. In an embodiment, for example, an amplification circuit includes: a first sub circuit configured to create a voltage drop when a supply voltage is above a first voltage; and a second sub circuit configured to create a reverse voltage drop when the supply voltage is below a second voltage, wherein the first and second sub circuits operate to maintain idling current within a range. Certain embodiments of the present technology also provide hearing aids that include removable dampers.
US08160276B2

Audio system and related method integrated with ultrasound communication functionality are provided. A communication transmitting device of proposed invention modulates a communication signal of communication functionality to a high-frequency sound and transmits the high-frequency sound by an ordinary audio transmitter. A communication receiving device of proposed invention receives the high-frequency sound with an ordinary audio receiver and demodulates it to retrieve the communication signal, and then the communication device can use the communication signal. The proposed audio sound transmitter/receiver can be implemented using low-cost audio speaker/microphone, such that a cost for implementing communication functionality can be reduced.
US08160270B2

Provided are a method and an apparatus for acquiring a multi-channel sound by using a microphone array. The method estimates positions of sound sources corresponding to sound source signals, which are mixed together, from the sound source signals input via a microphone array; and generates a multi-channel sound source signal by compensating for the sound source signals, based on differences between the estimated positions of the sound sources and a position of a virtual microphone array substituting for the microphone array. By doing so, the multi-channel sound having a stereoscopic effect can be acquired from a plurality of distant sound source signals which are input via the microphone array from a portable sound acquisition device.
US08160268B2

The invention is a multi-channel loudspeaker system that provides a compact loudspeaker configuration and filter design methodology that operates in the digital signal processing domain. Further, the loudspeaker system can be designed as a multi-way loudspeaker system comprised of a symmetric arrangement of loudspeaker drivers in a two-dimensional plane and can achieve high-quality sound, constant directivity over a large area in both the vertical and horizontal planes and can be used in connection with stereo loudspeaker systems, multi-channel home entertainment systems and public address systems.
US08160258B2

An encoding method and apparatus and a decoding method and apparatus are provided. The decoding method includes extracting a down-mix signal and down-mix identification information from an input bitstream, determining, based on the down-mix identification information, whether the down-mix signal is a 3D down-mix signal obtained by performing a three-dimensional (3D) rendering operation, and if the down-mix signal is not 3D down-mix signal, generating a 3D down-mix signal by performing a 3D rendering operation. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently encode multi-channel signals with 3D effects and to adaptively restore and reproduce audio signals with optimum sound quality according to the characteristics of an audio reproduction environment.
US08160251B1

A system providing a scalable distributed operating environment is provided. The system may include a cryptographic module for encrypting communications for transmission over an external network. Further, more than one classified processor may be communicatively coupled to the cryptographic module for handling classified processes and information. In addition, more than one unclassified processor may also be communicatively coupled to the cryptographic module for handling unclassified processes and information. The number of classified and unclassified processors activated upon selection of a waveform is dependent upon the degree of complexity of the waveform.
US08160244B2

Stateless hardware security modules facilitate securing data transfers between devices in a data communication system. The stateless hardware security module may communicate with other devices via a secure communication channel to securely transfer information between the client device and another device. As a result, sensitive information such as cryptographic keys and data may be securely routed between the client device and another device. The stateless hardware security module may support a limited set of key management operations to facilitate routing of information between the client device and another device. However, the stateless hardware security module does not need to maintain state information for the keys it maintains and/or uses. As a result, the stateless hardware security module may be advantageously integrated into a variety of client devices. A stateless hardware security module may support receiving keys in a secure manner from another device and storing and using these keys within a secure boundary. A stateless hardware security module may support generating a private/public key pair within a secure boundary, maintaining the private key within the secure boundary, and exporting the public key to an authenticating entity.
US08160229B2

A method and system is provided wherein routing information is obtained from previously cached information or from a gatekeeper. An originating gateway in a network receives a request for a connection and determines whether pertinent routing information is cached. If available, the cached routing is used to attempt to establish a connection. If no previously established routing is available, the originating gateway requests preferred routing from a gatekeeper, including prioritized selections of terminating gateways through which to make a connection to a designated call recipient.
US08160212B2

Systems and methods for voicemail filtering and transcription are described herein. According to various embodiments, an integrated communication system performs filtering and transcription of voicemail messages (“voicemails”) and forwards the voicemails via email to a user's email-capable device. Filtering includes generating a priority flag based on a word search of the voicemail. The integrated communication system further performs a rough transcription of the voicemail, either automatically or on demand as specified by the user. According to embodiments, the rough transcription is entered as text in an email that is sent to the user. In an embodiment, a user may request a refined transcription of the voicemail by pressing a button on the user's device. In an embodiment, the rough transcription is replaced by the refined transcription in the original email and the original is marked “unread” in the user's email inbox on the user's device.
US08160210B2

A system [100] is provided that includes a first set of sensors [140] to sense a set of conditions of at least one participant in a conversation and generate raw data corresponding to the sensed set of conditions. A first aggregation engine [160] aggregates the raw data and outputs a file corresponding to the raw data. A heuristic engine [175] receives the file and compares the raw data with predetermined state data and outputs a state based on a comparison of the raw data and the predetermined state data. A feedback device [180] determines a corrective action to enhance an outcome of the conversation based on the state.
US08160208B2

Systems and methods for monitoring a telephone line connected to a port of a voice gateway are described. In one embodiment, the method includes: obtaining a value representing an electrical characteristic of the port of the voice gateway; determining whether the value is within an acceptable range; determining whether a call originating from, or terminated at, a device connected to the telephone line completed successfully; and in response to determining that the call completed successfully, creating a new acceptable range based, at least in part, on the obtained value.
US08160202B2

A radiographic apparatus includes a radiation source for emitting radiation, a radiation detecting device with detecting elements arranged two-dimensionally, a radiation grid with absorbing foil strips for removing scattered radiation, a physical quantity acquiring device for calculating predetermined physical quantities based on outputs of the radiation detecting device, a physical quantity map generating device for generating a physical quantity map by mapping the predetermined physical quantities, and a physical quantity map smoothing device for smoothing the physical quantities arranged on the physical quantity map in a direction of extension of the absorbing foil strips, thereby to generate an average value map.
US08160199B2

A method and system provides medical image processing and 3-dimensional image construction of an examination subject. A user is enabled to selectively orient an x-ray imaging system having a variable 3-dimensional acquisition axis relative to an examination subject support for holding an examination subject. A non-planar image data acquisition path is set for the x-ray imaging system oriented around the variable 3-dimensional acquisition axis in response to user instruction. Acquisition of image data of the examination subject is initiated by the x-ray imaging system at a plurality of points along the non-planar image data acquisition path. A 3-dimensional image is constructed from the acquired image data such that any metal artifacts introduced by radio-opaque objects within the examination subject are minimized. The 3-dimensional image is displayed.
US08160180B2

A method and apparatus of high speed multi-dimensional signaling via a modem has a processing method of utilizing prolate pulses to optimize the transmission capacity of the channel. The modem includes a process that segments the channel bandwidth and allocates the power and bit loading in relation to a measure of the noise in each spectral bin. Data are carried over a plurality of frequencies across the channel, and within each spectral bin, a plurality of orthogonal signaling dimensions.
US08160179B2

A receiver with selective sign inversion which can compensate for cross-over conversion is described. Some inputs may be a differential data inputs; a sign select input; a converter having inputs coupled to the differential data inputs and having first and second outputs, wherein the converter is adapted to convert a differential data signal received at the differential data input into a digital data output at the first output and a sign signal at the second output; and a selective sign inverter having a first input coupled to the sign output of the analogue-to-digital converter, a second input coupled to the sign select input and an output, wherein the signal received at the first input of the selective sign inverter is selectively inverted in dependence on the signal received at the second input in order to provide the modified sign select signal.
US08160176B2

A method and apparatus for reducing group delay and/or amplitude errors applied to a transmission signal by one or more transmission filters is described herein. The present invention characterizes the errors introduced by one or more transmission filters relative to a desired frequency response, e.g., the group delay and/or amplitude errors relative to a flat group delay and flat amplitude, respectively. Based on the errors, the present invention pre-compensates the digital frequency domain samples used to generate the transmission signal. In so doing, the present invention reduces the errors in the filtered transmission signal without placing limits on the design of the transmission filters.
US08160173B2

At the transmitter side, carrier waves are modulated according to an input signal for producing relevant signal points in a signal space diagram. The input signal is divided into, two, first and second, data streams. The signal points are divided into signal point groups to which data of the first data stream are assigned. Also, data of the second data stream are assigned to the signal points of each signal point group. At the receiver side, the first and/or second data streams can be reconstructed from a received signal. Furthermore, a communication system based on an OFDM system is utilized for data transmission of a plurality of subchannels, wherein the subchannels are differentiated by changing the length of a guard time slot or a carrier wave interval of a symbol transmission time slot, or changing the transmission electric power of the carrier.
US08160171B2

A DTV receiver includes a tuner tuning to a channel to receive a broadcast signal, and a demodulator demodulating the broadcast signal. The receiver further includes a first decoder which decodes main and enhanced data included in the demodulated signal by calculating soft decision values for the enhanced data and hard decision values for the main data. The receiver further includes a second decoder for decoding the main and enhanced data for first forward error correction, and a third decoder for decoding the FEC-decoded enhanced data for second forward error correction.
US08160164B2

A method is provided for estimating at least one offset of a communication in a multicarrier communication system. The method comprises receiving a plurality of subcarriers wherein the plurality of subcarriers contain the subcarrier that is subject to the distortion; and generating a plurality of first channel estimates for a respective plurality of received subcarriers that are not subject to the distortion. The method further comprises processing a number of the plurality of first channel estimates for the respective plurality of received subcarriers that are not subject to the distortion to generate a second channel estimate for the subcarrier that is subject to the distortion; and estimating an offset associated with the subcarrier that is subject to the distortion.
US08160162B2

A method for transmitting signals over a power line network, wherein within the power line network at least one transmitter and at least one receiver communicate via at least two channels, each channel including a respective feeding port of at least one transmitter and the respective receiving port of the at least one transmitter and transmitter including at least two feeding ports. The method: determines a channel characteristic of each of the channels; applies a feeding port selection criterion based on the channel characteristic; and selects an excluded feeding port among the at least two feeding ports based on the feeding port selection criterion, wherein the excluded feeding port is not used during further communication. A corresponding power line communication modem can implement the method.
US08160160B2

Systems and methods for reducing a bit-rate in a multimedia data stream while maintaining high image quality. Two consecutive frames of the multimedia data stream are spatially filtered, temporally filtered, and combined into a pre-processed frame. In one embodiment, the two consecutive frames are consecutive fields of an interlaced data stream that are deinterlaced by the spatial and temporal filtering process. The pre-processed frame is encoded multiple times using different quantization values to produce a plurality of encoded frames. One of the encoded frames is selected based on its image quality and/or size for inclusion in an encoded data stream. In one embodiment, the pre-processed frame undergoes a motion estimation method that performs an integer level search of overlapping locations around a co-located macroblock in a reference frame followed by a sub-pixel level diamond pattern search.
US08160145B2

A temporal error concealment is described. A video stream comprises a current frame comprising a lost image region, and a reference frame. The method comprises forming a list of motion vector candidates, the list of motion vector candidates including a set of one or more motion vectors from the current frame and a set of one or more motion vectors from the reference frame; testing each of the motion vector candidates using a matching error measure; selecting a replacement motion vector from the list based on the matching error measures; and using the selected replacement motion vector to conceal the lost image region. A mode selection method is also described. A motion vector is used to identify a motion compensated reference image region in the reference frame. A motion compensated temporal activity of an image region in the current frame is calculated based on a comparison between the image region in the current frame and the motion compensated reference image region in the reference frame. A spatial or temporal error concealment mode is then selected based on the calculated temporal activity.
US08160143B2

The present invention is a decoding device, an encoding device, an interpolation frame creating system, an integrated circuit device, a decoding program and an encoding program capable of creating interpolation frames at a high precision with an improved encoding efficiency. The decoding device includes a decoding section, a motion vector detection section, and an interpolation frame creation section. The decoding section decodes an encoded image signal obtained by encoding image frames which form an image signal and additional information for creating an interpolation frame for interpolating the image frames based on a motion vector which is a motion vector between the image frames. The motion vector detection section detects a motion vector which is a motion vector between decoded image frames. The interpolation frame creation section creates an interpolation frame based on the motion vector, the decoded image frame, and the decoded additional information.
US08160139B2

Activities of a video signal are obtained for subblocks of each macroblock of each picture. The smallest activity is detected as an input-picture activity per macroblock. Obtained are activities of a motion-compensated predictive signal per first picture and activites of the video signal per second picture, for the subblocks of each macroblock. A mean value of the activities is obtained per macroblock for each picture, as an error activity per macroblock. A mean error activity is obtained for error activities per picture. A quantization step size for quantization of the video signal is adjusted per macroblock, according to the input-picture activity, to obtain a smaller step size when the error activity is equal to or larger than the mean error activity than when the former is smaller than the latter.
US08160133B2

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an encoder having a controller adapted to receive a Digital Video (DV) stream with metadata, retrieve from at least a portion of the metadata a native video format, configure encoding of at least a portion of the DV stream according to the retrieved native video format, generate from at least the portion of the DV stream an encoded video stream conforming to a Moving Picture Experts Group format and the native video format, and submit the encoded video stream to an Acquisition server for multicast distribution. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08160128B2

Techniques for performing equalization at a receiver are described. In an aspect, equalization is performed by sub-sampling an over-sampled input signal to obtain multiple sub-sampled signals. An over-sampled channel impulse response estimate is derived and sub-sampled to obtain multiple sub-sampled channel impulse response estimates. At least one set of equalizer coefficients is derived based on at least one sub-sampled channel impulse response estimate. At least one sub-sampled signal is filtered with the at least one set of equalizer coefficients to obtain at least one output signal. One sub-sampled signal (e.g., with largest energy) may be selected and equalized based on a set of equalizer coefficients derived from an associated sub-sampled channel impulse response estimate. Alternatively, the multiple sub-sampled signals may be equalized based on multiple sets of equalizer coefficients, which may be derived separately or jointly. The equalizer coefficients may be derived in the time domain or frequency domain.
US08160127B2

An apparatus is disclosed to compensate for non-linear effects resulting from the transmitter, the receiver, and/or the communication channel in a communication system. A receiver of the communication system contains an image cancellation module that compensates for images generated during the modulation and/or demodulation process. The image cancellation module includes a fine carrier correction loop to correct for frequency offsets between the transmitter and receiver. The image cancellation module includes a coarse acquisition mode and a decision directed mode. The decision directed mode allows for a larger signal-to-noise ratio for the receiver when compared against the coarse acquisition mode.
US08160124B1

A discriminator for a code tracking block of a navigation satellite system (NSS) receiver is provided. This discriminator can advantageously use only four complex correlators, i.e. early (E), prompt (P), late (L), and one of very early (VE) and very late (VL), while providing optimized multipath mitigation. This NSS discriminator can be derived from the first-order derivative of a Teager-Kaiser (TK) operator. This differential TK (DiffTK) discriminator is more sensitive to multipath dispersions than other discriminators or correlators, thereby providing enhanced performance in the presence of multipath.
US08160111B2

A system and method of transmitting client data encoded according to an 8B/10B encoding between a client side and an optical communication network side, including inserting padding signals in an amount corresponding to a rate difference between a clock on the client side and a clock in the optical transmission device and controlling a clock to be used as a reference in transmitting the client data to synchronize with a clock having been used as a reference in transmitting the client data on the basis of a ratio of padding signals having been inserted in the client data.
US08160110B2

A device is dedicated to assisting the reconstruction of synchronization signals, for example within an item of communication equipment of an IP network. This device comprises i) a phase-locked loop charged with reconstructing, on the basis of a second sampled ramp signal received, a reference clock signal and a second ramp signal identical to, and in phase with, that having been sampled, and ii) processing means charged with determining in a first sampled ramp signal received, representative of a synchronization signal to be reconstructed and each sample of which is associated with a sample of the second ramp signal corresponding to a determinable sampling period, the value which corresponds to the first sample of this first sampled ramp signal received as well as the sampling period corresponding to this value, and then to initialize with this value a synchronization counter which is synchronized with respect to the second reconstructed ramp signal, on the basis of the reconstructed reference clock signal.
US08160106B2

Technique for transmitting Ethernet packets from an Ethernet source point to an Ethernet destination point via a communication link, comprising compression of the packets in such a manner that the source point transmits complete Ethernet packets, the communication link carries shortened information blocks (SIB) obtained from said complete Ethernet packets, while the destination point receives complete Ethernet packets essentially identical to those transmitted from the source point.
US08160099B2

A radio communication terminal according to the present invention transmits and receives multiple types of packets including a RTP packet to and from a communication destination device. The radio communication terminal sets an auxiliary service instance used for transmitting the RTP packet and a main service instance used for transmitting another type of packet between the radio communication terminal and the communication destination device. Depending on radio quality information, the radio communication terminal selects any one of a mode in which a service instance flow ID to identify a service instance is added to the RTP packet and a mode in which the addition of the service instance flow ID is omitted.
US08160095B2

A communication device includes: a transmission label table storage that stores a transmission label table that holds pseudo wire labels for each header information of Ethernet (standardized by IEEE 802.3 committee) frames; and an encapsulation unit that deletes the header information from the Ethernet (standardized by IEEE 802.3 committee) frame, adds a pseudo wire label and an MPLS tunnel label to the Ethernet (standardized by IEEE 802.3 committee) frame and transmits a packet to an MPLS network via a pseudo wire, when the header information of the received Ethernet (standardized by IEEE 802.3 committee) frame agrees with the header information held in the transmission label table.
US08160089B1

The present invention facilitates network throughput by dynamically generating IPG values, which are employed when recovering from network collisions. Testing a number of IPG values and tracking collisions that occur as a result for each value generate the IPG value. The IPG value that yielded the lowest collisions is then programmed as the IPG value for a network device. This value remains in use by the network device for a stable state time period. After this period, another dynamically generated IPG value is obtained.
US08160084B2

A method for calculating message queue times. The method includes queuing a message into a buffer at a first time, generating a time stamp message representative of a number of messages in the buffer at the first time, transmitting the message to another device, transmitting the time stamp message to a trace device, and calculating the message queue time based upon the time stamp message, the first time, and an amount of data in the buffer.
US08160082B2

A communication device communicates with an originating device during an originating session and receives originating data from the originating device over a wireless communication link and then communicates with a receiving device during a receiving session and sends the originating data to the receiving device over a wireless communication link, such that the originating session and the receiving session occur at different times, and at least one of the sessions is an ad hoc communication session.
US08160080B1

A method of controlling a plurality of forwarding databases provided in an Ethernet bridge having a plurality of devices. The method includes aging a first set of entries in a first forwarding database maintained by a first one of the plurality of devices. The first set of entries are owned by the first one of the plurality of devices. The method also includes transmitting one or more new address messages from the first one of the plurality of devices to a second one of the plurality of devices. The method further includes aging a second set of entries in the first forwarding database. The second set of entries are owned by the second one of the plurality of devices.
US08160073B2

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a controller operable to receive signaling information from a local resource manager (LRM) identifying a recipient media processor (RMP) and describing at least one media characteristic of media content selected by an initiating media processor (IMP) to be presented at the RMP, determine a location of the RMP and a media capability of the RMP, compare the media capability of the RMP to the at least one media characteristic of the media content, determine a media configuration of at least one network element in an interactive television network based on the comparison, configure at least one network element of a virtual private network (VPN) based on the media configuration, and transmit signaling information to the LRM to enable the IMP to present the media content at the RMP over the VPN. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08160071B2

An L2/L3 packet processing and method are disclosed to process various Ethernet packets by interworking with a PBBN (Provider Backbone Bridges Network), a PBN (Provider Bridges Network), and an IPN (Internet Protocol Network).
US08160067B2

A wireless access point (200), upon determining (101) that a need exists to support a communication need of a mobile station, acquires (102) a first Internet Protocol (IP) address and automatically transmits (103) a gratuitous Address Resolution Protocol message to a local router to thereby cause the latter to correlate the first IP address to a Medium Access Control address for the wireless access point. In a preferred embodiment the wireless access point can also automatically transmit a registration request to a remote network element (such as a Home Agent) that presents this first IP address as a care-of address to use in conjunction with another IP address that serves as a home address for the mobile station.
US08160063B2

A system for commoditizing data center networking is disclosed. The system includes an interconnection topology for a data center having a plurality of servers and a plurality of nodes of a network in the data center through which data packets may be routed. The system uses a routing scheme where the routing is oblivious to the traffic pattern between nodes in the network, and wherein the interconnection topology contains a plurality of paths between one or more servers. The multipath routing may be Valiant load balancing. It disaggregates the function of load balancing into a group of regular servers, with the result that load balancing server hardware can be distributed amongst racks in the data center leading to greater agility and less fragmentation. The architecture creates a huge, flexible switching domain, supporting any server/any service, full mesh agility, and unregimented server capacity at low cost.
US08160061B2

In one embodiment, a computer cluster network includes at least three switches communicatively coupled to respective at least one client nodes. At least one of the at least three switches communicatively couples together at least two other ones of the plurality of switches. In a method embodiment, a method of networking client nodes includes communicatively coupling each switch of at least three switches to respective at least one client nodes. The method also includes communicatively coupling together at least two switches of the at least three switches through at least one other switch of the at least three switches.
US08160060B2

A system and method for providing data transfer from a source node to a destination node in a network using variance based messaging is provided. The method comprises the steps of receiving one or more messages by the source node; selecting a plurality of messages to be grouped from the one or more messages, wherein the plurality of messages comprise data with minimum deviation in content; creating an integrated message from the plurality of messages; sending the integrated message from the source node to the destination node; and recreating each message of the plurality of messages at the destination node.
US08160053B2

A clock tracing method includes: determining a shortest path to each source network element, and selecting a best source network element among all the source network elements; determining a shortest path to the best source network element according to the shortest path, using the shortest path to the best source network element as a clock tracing path if the shortest path to the best source network element is different from an old clock tracing path and a traceable message is received, and using the clock tracing path for tracing clocks; and using the old clock tracing path for tracing clocks if the shortest path to the best source network element is the same as the old clock tracing path or no traceable message is received. A clock tracing apparatus and a network element are also provided. The provided clock tracing method, apparatus and network element may ensure high-quality clock transmission, and the fast performance of automatic clock tracing.
US08160038B1

A wireless terminal comprises a wireless network interface, an address determination module, and an application module. The wireless network interface receives N address assignment messages over a wireless link, where N is an integer greater than zero. The address determination module extracts a plurality of address components from the N address assignment messages and associates the plurality of address components with a plurality of packet data networks. The application module selectively exchanges packets with one of the plurality of packet data networks based on an associated one of the plurality of address components.
US08160034B1

Methods and systems provide dynamic determination of a control-channel bit rate. An access node provides service on a carrier comprising active and idle timeslots, active timeslots comprising a data channel for carrying a control channel at a bit rate that can be set to a lower value or a higher value, and traffic channels. The access node determines whether the number of active timeslots over a time period is less than a first threshold. If so, the access node sets the bit rate to the lower value. If not, the access node sets the bit rate to the higher value if at least one of the following is true: (a) control-channel occupancy exceeds a second threshold, (b) the amount of data in a traffic buffer exceeds a third threshold, and (c) control-channel occupancy exceeds a fourth threshold and the amount of data in the traffic buffer exceeds a fifth threshold.
US08160032B2

Embodiments of a multi-radio wireless communication device having two or more radio modules are generally described herein. In some embodiments, an initiating link manager may generate and transmit messages to a responding link manager. The messages may include a desired slot offset value and a desired point in time to perform slot adjustment. The responding link manager may return with a message indicating acceptance or nonacceptance of the desired slot offset value. If the responding link manager accepts the desired slot offset value, the message may also include whether the slot adjustment may be implemented at the desired point in time or incrementally. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08160028B2

Stations in a N×N multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless network always puncture the weakest spatial channel. N−1 spatial channels are always used regardless of the channel state.
US08160027B2

Uplink power control is provided to maintain the integrity of the uplink HS-DPCCH when the UE goes into SHO. The target pilot SNR threshold is controlled by considering the pilot signal strength of the serving Node-B and/or the uplink channel condition of the serving Node-B when deciding to increase or decrease the target pilot SNR threshold of Nodes-B.
US08160026B2

Disclosed is a system and a method for controlling a handover of a mobile subscriber station in a broadband wireless access communication system. When serving base station determines to perform a handover of the mobile subscriber station, neighbor base stations to which the mobile subscriber station can be handed over, from among neighbor base stations of the mobile subscriber station, are determined based on a service quality level of service being currently provided to the mobile subscriber station. A handover request signal containing information related to the determined neighbor base station to which the mobile subscriber station can be handed over is transmitted to the mobile subscriber station. The serving base station receives from the mobile subscriber station in response to the request of the handover information about one neighbor base station to which the mobile subscriber station will be handed over, and informs the neighbor base station that the mobile subscriber station will be handed over to the neighbor base station.
US08160017B2

A mobile communication method according to the present invention includes the steps of; (A) notifying, from a radio base station (eNB) to a mobile station (UE), a first cycle and information on the uplink radio resource; and (B) determining, at the mobile station (UE), a first allocation starting time, receiving a downlink data via a downlink radio resource and transmitting an acknowledgement information via an uplink radio resource at and after the first allocation starting time, when receiving a fixed allocation signal from the radio base station (UE). In the step (B), the uplink radio resource is adjusted by an adjustment signal included in the fixed allocation signal and the acknowledgement information is transmitted via the adjusted uplink radio resource.
US08160014B2

Systems and methods for determining the periodicity for a multiple periodicity SPS allocation using implicit rules for a TDD communications system are disclosed. A communication terminal such as a UE is provided that may determine the periodicity for a multiple periodicity SPS allocation using implicit rules to calculate a delta value to form a long time period and a shorter time period, forming a periodic pattern where the rules depend on the TDD configuration being used. In another embodiment a communication terminal such as a UE is provided that may determine the periodicity for a multiple periodicity SPS allocation using implicit rules to calculate a delta value to form a long time period and a shorter time period forming a periodic pattern, where the rules depend on the TDD configuration being used and the HARQ process being used.
US08160011B2

There is provided a femtocell device for communicating with one or more user devices in a communication network, the network having a plurality of subchannels available for transmissions, wherein the femtocell device is adapted to use a first subset of the plurality of subchannels for communicating with user devices that are in a closed subscriber group of the femtocell device and within a first area, and a second subset of the plurality of subchannels for communicating with other user devices.
US08160009B2

An apparatus for transmitting a broadcast signal includes an encoder encoding mobile data for FEC (Forward Error Correction) to build RS (Reed Solomon) frames, wherein each row of a payload of each of the RS frame includes transport packets of the mobile data including IP datagrams; a signaling encoder encoding signaling data, wherein the signaling data includes TPC (transmission parameter channel) data and FIC (fast information channel) data, wherein the TPC data includes transmission parameters and the FIC data includes channel binding information between services and ensembles; a group formatter forming data groups including the encoded mobile data and encoded signaling data; a packet formatter formatting data packets including data in the data groups; a multiplexer multiplexing the mobile data in the data packets and main data in main data packets; and a transmission unit transmitting a transmission frame including the multiplexed data.
US08160003B2

The present invention provides a system and method to selectively negotiate different delivery styles for different types of packets sent from the Mobile Node to the Foreign Agent, which will allow the Mobile Node to negotiate a delivery style that will permit the Foreign Agent to transmit certain selected outbound traffic directly without reverse tunneling that traffic back to the home network. Specifically, the present invention allows the Foreign Agent to distinguish between certain types of BC/MC packets that are designated to be processed and routed to their destinations by the Foreign Network directly, as opposed to reverse tunneling the outbound traffic from the Foreign Agent back to the Home Agent on the home network. By selecting processing by the Foreign Network, the efficiency of the system will improve because the transmission of outbound traffic and inbound responses will not need to be tunneled through the Home Network.
US08159999B2

A peer-to-peer communication system using a direct link setup (DLS) is disclosed. A mobile station (STA) establishes a direct communication link with another STA by sending a message requesting a DLS to an access point (AP), (i.e., a centralized controller). The AP may accept or reject the DLS request based on channel measurements. If the DLS request is accepted, the DLS is established such that the STAs may directly communicate with each other. An established DLS connection may be torn down by the AP sending a message including a DLS teardown request to one of the STAs, or based on channel measurements. The system may be an Ad hoc network comprising a plurality of STAs without an AP where each STA maintains a database of one-hop and two-hop STAs, and establishes a direct link to other STAs after informing neighboring STAs of an intention to establish a direct communication link.
US08159996B2

The present invention relates to a control method for re-access after the terminal in the trunking system exits the group call, which includes the following steps: it is to maintain one message number for every group call for updating and send the message number to the terminal when the call is established, and the terminal retains the message number after accessing the call; the terminal sets the exit symbol as “unable to passively access” when it exits the call normally, and as “able to passively access” when it exits the call abnormally; after the terminal has received periodically transmitted paging message in its idle state, it judges whether the exit symbol of the corresponding group is the type of “able to passively access”, if yes, it accesses the call and then the procedure end; if the exit symbol is “unable to passively access”, then the terminal judges whether the message number retained in the group is the same as the message number in the paging message, if not, it accesses the call, otherwise discards the paging message. According to the present invention, the terminal will not passively re-access the call because of receiving the periodical paging message after normally exiting the call, and at the same time, the terminal can re-access the call after abnormally exiting the call.
US08159988B2

A relay apparatus includes: a terminal position information updating part for updating position information of a wireless terminal and position information of a wired terminal stored in a terminal position information storing part, to position information of the wireless terminal and position information of the wired terminal obtained by a terminal position measuring device, based on IP addresses of the wireless terminal and the wired terminal; a terminal-to-terminal distance calculating part for calculating a distance between the wireless terminal and the wired terminal; a distance determining part for determining whether or not the calculated distance falls in a predetermined distance range represented by communication condition data stored in a communication condition data storing part; and a communication control part for controlling the communication between the wireless terminal and the wired terminal according to communication conditions represented by the communication condition data, when the calculated distance falls in the predetermined distance range.
US08159972B2

A network management apparatus is for managing a plurality of switching devices that relay data through a data communication network. The network management apparatus includes a configuration information storage, a connectivity relationship detector and a configuration information modifier. The configuration information storage stores first configuration information. The first configuration information is configured in the switching devices and includes information to be determined in accordance with connectivity relationships among the switching devices. The connectivity relationship detector detects changes of connectivity relationships among the switching devices. The configuration information modifier dynamically modifies the first configuration information in accordance with detected changes of connectivity relationships.
US08159970B2

Disclosed is a method of communicating image data to a second communications device from a first communications device while the first communications device is in an image communications mode of operation. The method includes the steps of checking the codecs of the second communications device when receiving an image communication; storing the codecs of the second communications device if the codecs of the first communications device do not match with the codecs of the second communications device; and encoding selected image data using one of the codecs of the second communications device when the encoded selected image data is to be transmitted to the second communications device.
US08159967B2

A method and apparatus for wirelessly transmitting real-time data streams is described. To ensure continuous data flow, fast diversity and slow diversity can be used. Fast diversity chooses a receive antenna based on received signal parameters, such as signal strength, during the transmission header and prior to information transfer. Slow diversity stores received signal parameters from previous packets, associates the parameters with a selected antenna, and uses the parameter history to denote a “default” antenna. Additionally, receive and/or transmit beam forming can be used to maintain continuous communication between stations. Beam forming, which combines antenna signals to maximize performance, is possible when at least two transmit/receive signal processing chains are available.
US08159959B2

A graphic user interface is provided to facilitate a playback of a movie from any desired point. The graphic user interface includes a track bar to reflect how much time data pertaining to the movie title is available for playback. After it is determined that a current data point is being dragged along the track bar, a time corresponding to the current data point is tracked as such a subsequent playback of the movie starts right from the current data point. In one embodiment, dragging the current data point along the track bar is achieved by a scroll wheel.
US08159955B2

The invention relates to determination of a link cost employable in route determination and data forwarding in a multihop communication network (1). This link cost is adapted to the particular characteristics of wireless contention-based networks (1), in which both network nodes (10, 20) involved in node-to-node data forwarding block neighbor nodes (30, 40, 50) that have to defer medium access during the data forwarding. The link cost is determined based on the estimated total number of nodes (30, 40, 50) that are blocked if data is forwarded on a wireless link (12) from a node (10) to another node (20). The link cost may also be based on a per bit normalized expected transmit duration for the data forwarding in combination with said estimated number of nodes. Usage of the link cost in route determination minimizes the number of truly blocked nodes in the network (1) and increased the network capacity.
US08159952B2

Techniques of scheduling data packets are disclosed. For example, such data packet scheduling techniques may be employed to schedule data packets on wired and/or wireless networks. An example embodiment includes techniques for scheduling voice-over-Internet protocol data packets transmitted between a base station and a subscriber station on a WiMAX network.
US08159949B2

A system and method is described for formulating a linked-list hybrid peer-to-peer sub-network that analyzes capabilities of a plurality of nodes, and creating at least two linked-list hybrid peer-to-peer sub-networks by forming a first group of nodes of the plurality of nodes having similar capabilities and establishing serial connections between nodes of the first group of nodes to form a first linked-list hybrid peer-to-peer sub-network.
US08159940B1

The present invention relates to increasing performance of Wide Area Network (WAN) communications and in particular to a redundant proxy device associated with one end of a transport layer connection that monitors packet traffic and selectively reroutes packets to a proxy application.
US08159933B2

A method and system for providing broadband access to a data network via gas pipes is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention utilize Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) or Frequency-Division Multiplexing (FDM) as a modulation technique in order to protect against the effects of dispersion in the gas pipes. An OFDM transceiver modulates a digital data stream into an OFDM signal, RF up-converts the OFDM signal, and transmits the RF up-converted OFDM modulated signal through a gas pipe.
US08159923B2

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus and an optical information recording/reproducing method that record information using holography, wherein the optical information recording/reproducing apparatus includes a signal generation unit that generates two-dimensional data by a two-dimensional encoding method in which a lower-limit value of a number of continuous ON/OFF pixels in an array in one direction of pixels in a two-dimensional spatial light modulator is K(K≧2, K: natural number); and a pickup that records the two-dimensional data, generated by the signal generation unit, on a hologram disc.
US08159922B2

A high-density optical disc such as a high density-digital versatile disc (HD-DVD) or Blu-ray disc, and a method for reproducing or recording data of the high-density optical disc. The high-density optical disc includes a lead-in area, a data area and a lead-out area. The lead-in area has control information. A minimum mark or space length of the control information recorded in the lead-in area is longer than that of data recorded in the data area. The control information of the lead-in area is copied to the lead-out area. On the basis of the data reproduction or recording method, an optical disc device can correctly read and confirm the control information from the high-density optical disc, minimize the interference between a mark and space in high-density recording data, reduce the effects of scratches or dust on the disc, and efficiently prevent an erroneous data reproduction or recording operation.
US08159921B2

According to one embodiment, an optical recording medium is provided in which interlayer crosstalk is low and in which stable and high-quality recording characteristics can be obtained. To this end, an optical recording medium comprises a first recording part which includes a first recording layer and a first light reflecting layer and which is disposed on a side closer to a light receiving surface, and a second recording part which includes a second recording layer and a second light reflecting layer and which is disposed on a side farther from the light receiving surface, the first recording part and the second recording part being stacked, wherein the thickness of the second light reflecting layer is larger than the thickness of the first light reflecting layer.
US08159908B2

A photodetector detecting reflected light components from an optical medium, the photodetector including a first detector divided into eight sections detecting the reflected light components and converting the light components into electrical signals, a first calculating portion calculating a first tracking error signal from the electrical signals by a differential push-pull method, a second calculating portion calculating a first focusing error signal by an astigmatism method and calculating a second tracking error signal by a differential phase detection method from the electrical signals converted by the first detector; a second detector divided into four sections detecting the reflected light components reflected by the optical recording medium to convert the light components into electrical signals; and a third calculating portion calculating a second focusing error signal by the astigmatism method and calculating a third tracking error signal by the differential phase detection method from the electrical signals converted by the second detector.
US08159897B2

Systems and methods involve the use of a flash memory device having multiple flash memory cells. A first interface is adapted to receive power for selectively programming each flash memory cell. A second interface is adapted to receive power supplied to logic level circuitry to perform the selection of flash memory cells to be supplied with power from the first input during a write operation.
US08159895B2

Methods and systems for split threshold voltage programmable bitcells are disclosed and may include selectively programming bitcells in a memory device by applying a high voltage to a gate terminal of the bitcells, where the programming burns a conductive hole in an oxide layer above a higher threshold voltage layer in a memory device. The bitcells may comprise an oxide layer and a doped channel, which may comprise a plurality of different threshold voltage layers. The plurality of different threshold voltage layers may comprise at least one layer with a higher threshold voltage and at least one layer with a lower threshold voltage. The oxide may comprise a gate oxide. The bitcell may comprise an anti-fuse device. The layer with a higher threshold voltage may be separated from an output terminal of the bitcell by the at least one layer with a lower threshold voltage.
US08159890B2

Memories and methods for replacing memory sections of a main memory array by mapping memory addresses for an entire main memory section to at least one memory section of a redundant memory array. One such memory includes a fuse block having programmable elements configured to be programmed to identify main memory sections to be mapped to redundant memory sections of the redundant memory array. The memory further includes a redundant memory logic circuit coupled to the redundant memory array and the fuse block. The redundant memory logic is configured to map the memory for a main memory section identified in the fuse block to at least one of the redundant memory sections of the redundant memory array.
US08159882B2

A semiconductor memory device executes a writing operation based on a first bit assignment pattern at the time of writing. The first bit assignment pattern is created such that pieces of x-bit data assigned to adjacent threshold distributions have only a one-bit difference therebetween and an alignment of data on the same digit of 2x pieces of x-bit data corresponding to an alignment of 2x pieces of threshold distributions contains at least two transition points of “0” and “1”. The semiconductor memory device operates at the time of reading such that a read voltage corresponding to the transition points of “0” and “1” is applied to the word line on a page basis to determine x-bit data stored in the memory cell one-bit by one-bit based on the first assignment pattern. The page contains a set of data on the same digit bit in pieces of x-bit data stored in the memory cells connected to the word line.
US08159880B2

In a state in which a first and second selection gate transistors are turned off and a first voltage is applied to a control gate of a second memory cell transistor which is connected to a source line side of a first memory cell transistor selected from among the memory cell transistors and which is to be cut off, a second voltage which is higher than the first voltage and which causes a plurality of third memory cell transistors remaining unselected in the memory cell transistors to conduct is applied to control gates of the third memory cell transistors, and thereafter a threshold voltage of the first memory cell transistor is changed to a threshold voltage higher than the first threshold voltage corresponding to the erase state by applying a third voltage which is higher than the second voltage to a control gate of the first memory cell transistor.
US08159877B2

An NVM cell design enables direct reading of cell output voltage to determine data stored in the cell, while providing low current consumption and a simple program sequence that utilizes reverse Fowler-Nordheim tunneling.
US08159872B2

An MRAM has: a memory cell including a first magnetoresistance element; and a reference cell including a second magnetoresistance element. The first magnetoresistance element has a first magnetization fixed layer, a first magnetization free layer, a first nonmagnetic layer sandwiched between the first magnetization fixed layer and the first magnetization free layer, a second magnetization fixed layer, a second magnetization free layer and a second nonmagnetic layer sandwiched between the second magnetization fixed layer and the second magnetization free layer. The first magnetization fixed layer and the first magnetization free layer have perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, and the second magnetization fixed layer and the second magnetization free layer have in-plane magnetic anisotropy. The first magnetization free layer and the second magnetization free layer are magnetically coupled to each other. Center of the second magnetization free layer is displaced in a first direction from center of the first magnetization free layer in a plane parallel to each layer. Whereas, the second magnetoresistance element has: a third magnetization free layer whose magnetization easy axis is parallel to a second direction; a third magnetization fixed layer whose magnetization direction is fixed in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction; and a third nonmagnetic layer sandwiched between the third magnetization fixed layer and the third magnetization free layer. The third magnetization fixed layer and the third magnetization free layer have in-plane magnetic anisotropy.
US08159869B2

A circuit for generating a reference voltage includes at least one reference cell, a reference cell write driver, a reference cell sense amplifier, and a voltage compensation unit. The reference cell is a variable resistance memory cell. The reference cell write driver writes data to the reference cell. The reference cell sense amplifier reads out the data stored in the reference cell on the basis of a predetermined reference voltage. A voltage compensation unit outputs a compensation reference voltage by controlling the reference voltage in accordance with the output value of the sense amplifier.
US08159867B2

A phase change memory device performs a program operation by receiving program data to be programmed in selected memory cells, sensing read data already stored in the selected memory cells by detecting respective magnitudes of verify currents flowing through the selected memory cells when a verify read voltage is applied to the selected memory cells, determining whether the read data is identical to the program data, and upon determining that the program data for one or more of the selected memory cells is not identical to the corresponding read data, programming the one or more selected memory cells with the program data.
US08159864B2

Systems, circuits and methods for controlling the word line voltage applied to word line transistors in Spin Transfer Torque Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (STT-MRAM) are disclosed. One embodiment is directed to a STT-MRAM including a bit cell having a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) and a word line transistor. The bit cell is coupled to a bit line and a source line. A word line driver is coupled to a gate of the word line transistor. A write-back circuit configured to detect a read value of the bit cell and is configured to write back the read value to the bit cell after a read operation.
US08159863B2

An SRAM cell containing an auxiliary driver transistor is configured for a single sided write operation. The auxiliary driver transistor may be added to a 5-transistor single-sided-write SRAM cell or to a 7-transistor single-sided-write SRAM cell. The SRAM cell may also include a read buffer. During read operations, the auxiliary drivers are biased. During write operations, the auxiliary drivers in half-addressed SRAM cells are biased and the auxiliary drivers in the addressed SRAM cells may be floated or biased.
US08159862B2

A circuit includes a first node; a second node; a first PMOS transistor having a source coupled to the first node, a drain coupled to a first control transistor, and a gate driven by a first voltage; and a first NMOS transistor having a source coupled to the second node, a drain coupled to the first control transistor, and a gate driven by a second voltage. The first PMOS transistor is configured to automatically turn off based on the first voltage and a first node voltage at the first node. The first NMOS transistor is configured to automatically turn off based on the second voltage and a second node voltage at the second node. When the first PMOS transistor, the control transistor, and the first NMOS transistor are on, the first node voltage is lowered while the second voltage is raised.
US08159854B2

A piezo-effect transistor (PET) device includes a piezoelectric (PE) material disposed between first and second electrodes; and a piezoresistive (PR) material disposed between the second electrode and a third electrode, wherein the first electrode comprises a gate terminal, the second electrode comprises a common terminal, and the third electrode comprises an output terminal such that an electrical resistance of the PR material is dependent upon an applied voltage across the PE material by way of an applied pressure to the PR material by the PE material.
US08159851B2

A matrix converter includes a matrix converter main circuit, an input voltage detector group configured to detect an input voltage of an alternating current source, a gate driver configured to drive a bidirectional switch, and a controller having a pulse width modulation operation unit and a commutation operation unit. The pulse width modulation operation unit is configured to fix one output phase in a conduction state, configured to pulse-width-modulate one of remaining two output phases by using all three input phases, and configured to pulse-width-modulate the other output phase by using only two input phases of a reference input voltage and a middle input voltage.
US08159844B2

A full-wave rectifying device includes a first rectification module and a second rectification module. The first rectification module includes one or a plurality of first rectification units. The second rectification module includes one or a plurality of second rectification units. In each of a plurality of transistors, the substrate is connected to the source so as to reduce the body effect of the rectifying circuit efficiently and enable generation of a dc voltage signal through rectification by a plurality of capacitors. A multistage rectifying circuit architecture including a plurality of first rectification units and second rectification units is provided, so as to reduce the body effect of transistors of a conventional rectifier and significantly stabilize the voltage output level, thereby allowing the rectifying circuit to generate a dc voltage level of designed value.
US08159843B2

An example apparatus to regulate an output voltage of a power converter at light/no load conditions includes a driver circuit, a feedback circuit, and an adjustable voltage reference circuit. The driver circuit is coupled to output a drive signal to switch a power switch between an ON state and an OFF state to regulate an output of the power converter. The feedback circuit is coupled to the driver circuit and is further coupled to output an enable signal to switch the power switch to an ON state in response to an output voltage signal. The adjustable voltage reference circuit is coupled to adjust a voltage reference such that a bias winding voltage of the power converter is adjusted nonlinearly in response to a load that is to be coupled to the output of the power converter.
US08159835B2

A laser apparatus comprises: a lead frame comprising a first outer lead and a first inner lead connected to the first outer lead; mold resin that has a top surface, does not seal the first outer lead but does seal the first inner lead and cleaves part of the first inner lead exposed on the top surface; a sub-mount comprising a mounting surface and a back surface facing each other, the mounting surface facing the top surface of the mold resin and the back surface being not covered with the mold resin; and a laser element mounted on the mounting surface of the sub-mount and electrically connected to the exposed part of the first inner lead.
US08159829B2

Relay substrate (1) connecting between at least a first circuit board and a second circuit board, including housing (10) having recess (10a) provided in the outer circumference and hole (22) provided in the inner circumference; plural connecting terminal electrodes (12a, 12c) connecting between the top and bottom surfaces of housing (10); shield electrode (11) provided in recess (10a); and ground electrode (13) provided on a part of the top and bottom surfaces of housing (10).
US08159823B2

The present invention relates to an electric vehicle and a method of cooling a vehicular DC/DC converter. A fuel cell vehicle, as one example of an electric vehicle, includes a DC/DC converter connected between an electricity storage device and a fuel cell for converting a voltage generated by the electricity storage device and applying the converted voltage to a motor, and converting a regenerated voltage produced by the motor in a regenerative mode or a voltage generated by the fuel cell and applying the converted voltage to the electricity storage device, and a cooling apparatus for cooling the DC/DC converter. The cooling apparatus includes a cooling fluid passage therein for a cooling fluid that flows therethrough, the cooling fluid passage including a bend. The cooling apparatus is constructed such that the cooling fluid flowing upstream of the bend cools upper arm devices, while the cooling fluid flowing downstream of the bend cools lower arm devices.
US08159816B2

A computer component securing device includes a rack and a pair of rail assemblies. The rail assemblies are mounted respectively on two sides of a computer component and are disposed on the rack. Each rail assembly includes a rail and a handle pivoted to a front end of the rail. The handle is disposed to facilitate manipulation by a user. By turning the handle pivotally relative to the rail about an angle, a portion of the rail is urged in a direction away from the computer component to interferingly engage the rack so as to position the computer component in the rack.
US08159806B2

A bistable electromagnetic actuator comprising a magnetic circuit comprising a magnetic yoke in which a shunt extends perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of said yoke and comprising a permanent magnet positioned between a first surface of the yoke and the shunt. A plunger core is fitted with axial sliding between a latched position and an unlatched position. A coil extending between the shunt and a second surface of the yoke is designed to generate a first magnetic control flux to move the plunger core from an unlatched position to a latched position. A second magnetic control flux enables the plunger core to move from the latched position to the unlatched position by the action of a return spring.
US08159805B2

A quick response mechanism for a switching power system includes a detector and an adjustor connected to the detector. The detector is configured to directly monitor the drop of the output voltage of the switching power system so that a quick response could be immediately triggered when a load transient occurs. The adjustor is configured to adjust the duration of the quick response, thereby preventing the output voltage from undershoot or ringback.
US08159794B2

A self test (ST) ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) provides improved end of life (EOL) detection by rejecting false EOL information. A processing device receives fault detection signals indicating when faults are detected, and input signals indicating when contacts used to interrupt power to a load are closed. The processing device rejects the fault detection signals when they fail to meet a selected condition and the contacts are closed, and declares end of life (EOL) when the selected condition is met. The fault detection signals can correspond to pulses at an output of a gated device between the processing device and a GFCI chip, and the selected condition can be a selected integer number of pulses.
US08159791B2

A Lorentz Magnetoresistive sensor having an ultrathin trapping layer disposed between a quantum well structure and a surface of the sensor. The trapping layer prevents charge carriers from the surface of the sensor from affecting the quantum well structure. This allows the quantum well structure to be formed much closer to the surface of the sensor, and therefore, much closer to the magnetic field source, greatly improving sensor performance. A Lorentz Magnetoresistive sensor having a top gate electrode to hinder surface charge carriers diffusing into the quantum well, said top gate electrode being either a highly conductive ultrathin patterned metal layer or a patterned monoatomic layer of graphene.
US08159790B2

A system and method for the prevention of electrostatic discharge (ESD) by a hard drive magnetic head is disclosed. The magnetic head is secured to a head-gimbal assembly (HGA) by anisotropic conductive paste (ACP) to provide an improved electrostatic discharge path.
US08159772B2

A foldable portable electronic device, a system and a method for protecting a built-in hard disk thereof are disclosed. The foldable portable electronic device includes a display and a main body. The system includes a trigger, a lid switch, and a logic judgment module. When the foldable portable electronic device is away form a flat surface, the trigger generates a first signal; when the display is folded onto the main body, the lid switch generates a second signal. The logic judgment module determines the method to control and protect the hard disk in accordance with the first signal and the second signal.
US08159763B2

To provide a vibrating element which can be driven by a low voltage, a vibration actuator, a lens barrel, a camera system and a method for driving a vibration actuator. A vibrating element (10) is provided with an elastically deformable tube-like member (11) having a hollow section (15); and an input sections (13 (13-1 to 13-4)), which are arranged on the outer surface of the tube-like member (11) and/or the inner surface of the tube-like member on the side of the hollow section (15), are divided into n (n is an integer of 3 or more) in the circumference direction of the tube-like member (11), and permit the tube-like member (11) to input a physical signal.
US08159762B2

A lens actuating module. The module includes a housing and a lens barrel. received in an accommodating space of the housing and having a lens therein. A driving unit applies a driving force to the lens barrel such that the barrel can be moved up in an optical axis direction by a pulling force of contraction of an SMA (shape memory alloy) wire fixed to the housing. A rotary member is interposed between the housing and the lens barrel. A preload unit pulls the lens barrel in the optical axis direction such that the lens barrel can move down to an original position, and pulls the lens barrel in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis to maintain a contact of the lens barrel with the rotary member. The lens barrel is moved by the contracted or extended amount of the SMA wire, thus realizing a simple structure and miniaturization.
US08159755B2

A zoom lens includes: a first lens group having two lens components including a negative lens component of negative refractive power and a positive lens component of positive refractive power; a second lens group including a negative lens, a first positive lens and a second positive lens; a fourth lens group having one lens component including a negative lens component having a concave surface directed to the object side; the negative lens components in the first and fourth lens groups satisfying conditional formula (1): −0.80
US08159754B2

Disclosed herein is an optical device including: a light-transmitting first main body which constitutes a part on a light incidence side; a light-transmitting second main body which constitutes a part on a light outgoing side; a third main body which is stacked between the first main body and the second main body in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and which defines a liquid chamber between the first main body and the second main body; a lens surface which is formed by an interface between a plurality of liquids differing in refractive index and sealed in the inside of the liquid chamber, and which is electrically deformable; and a jig which clamps the mutually stacked first main body, second main body, and third main body in the second direction by the third engaging part and the fourth engaging part.
US08159752B2

Head-up display scenery alignment system, the head-up display being mounted in an aircraft and including an image projector and a combiner. The combiner is optically located between a user and a scenery of interest, optically transmitting a scene image of the scenery of interest to the user. The image projector projects an image toward the combiner, and the combiner reflects the image toward the user. The aircraft includes a heading angle sensor, determining the heading angle of the aircraft. The HUD scenery alignment system includes a moving mechanism coupled with the combiner; and a processor coupled with the heading angle sensor, with the moving mechanism and with the projector. The processor receives heading angle information from the heading angle sensor, and the processor determines the deviation of the heading of the aircraft from the longitudinal axis of the aircraft according to the heading angle information. The processor directs the moving mechanism, according to the deviation, to move the combiner to a position which is located between the scenery of interest and the user and which aligns the reflection of the image toward the user, with the scene image.
US08159748B2

An optical article includes: an optical base; and a layer that is provided on the optical base and contains SiO2 as a main component, the layer being a silicon-nitride-containing silicon oxide layer containing SisOtNu (s>0, T≧0, u>0).
US08159747B2

A diffractive optical element includes at least one element portion including a base, a diffraction grating, a substrate, and an intermediate layer. The base and the diffraction grating are disposed above the substrate through the intermediate layer, and are formed of a same material. An extinction coefficient for the d-line of the material of the diffraction grating and an extinction coefficient for the d-line of a material of the intermediate layer are properly set to satisfied conditional expressions.
US08159744B2

To provide a laser scanning apparatus and a laser scanning microscope capable of securely conducting a condition setting at the time of laser scanning while suppressing a damage on a plane to be irradiated. Accordingly, a laser scanning apparatus includes a light deflecting unit disposed in a light path of laser light directed toward a plane to be scanned, user interfaces through which operational contents of the light deflecting unit are designated by a user, generating units generating driving signals of the light deflecting unit in accordance with the designated operational contents, and testing units test-driving the light deflecting unit with the driving signals while keeping the laser light off and measuring the operational contents of the light deflecting unit during the driving.
US08159742B2

Embodiments of optical fiber may include cladding features that include a material (e.g., fluorine-doped silica glass) that may produce a very low relative refractive index difference with respect to cladding material in which the cladding features are disposed. This relative refractive index difference may be characterized by (n1−n2)/n1, where n1 is the index of refraction of the cladding material in which the cladding features are included, and n2 is the index of refraction of the cladding features. In certain embodiments, the relative refractive index difference may be less than about 4.5×10−3. In various embodiments, the configuration of the cladding features including, for example, the size and spacing of the cladding features, can be selected to provide for confinement of the fundamental mode yet leakage for the second mode and higher modes, which may provide mode filtering, single mode propagation, and/or low bend loss.
US08159739B2

A display apparatus comprises a spatial light modulator and optical elements in series therewith. The optical elements provide a first parallax element being a parallax barrier capable of directing light output from the display apparatus into a first plurality of viewing windows, and a second parallax element capable of directing light output from the display apparatus into a second plurality of viewing windows. In a first mode, the first and second parallax elements have substantially no directional effect on the light output from the display apparatus. In a second mode, the first parallax element directs light output from the display apparatus into the first plurality of viewing windows and the second optical element has substantially no directional effect. In a third mode, the second optical element directs light output from the display apparatus into the second plurality of viewing windows and the first parallax element has substantially no directional effect.
US08159737B2

A system and method for locking the relative phase of multiple coherent optical signals, which compensates for optical phase changes induced by vibration or thermal changes in the environment.
US08159732B2

An apparatus and methods of use for adjusting a sliding guide rod for an imaging device of a flatbed scanner to improve scanner skew misalignment comprising an attachment member movably mounting the sliding guide rod at one end thereof to one side of the flatbed scanner so as to allow skew-adjusting movement of the sliding guide rod at an opposite end thereof relative to the flatbed scanner and a skew adjustment assembly attached to an opposite side of the flatbed scanner and movably coupling and supporting the opposite end of the sliding guide rod to the opposite side of the flatbed scanner and being actuatable to cause the sliding guide rod to undergo skew adjustment relative to the flatbed scanner to correct scanner skew misalignment of the imaging device. The skew adjustment assembly includes a skew adjustment bracket mounted to the opposite side of the flatbed scanner and movably coupled to and supporting the opposite end of the sliding guide rod to the opposite side of the flatbed scanner and a tension spring and a plurality of bracket locking fasteners coacting with the skew adjustment bracket and movably actuatable relative thereto to move the sliding guide rod to undergo the skew adjustment relative to the flatbed scanner.
US08159730B2

An image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus having an original base plate, a conveying unit which separates and conveys a bundle of original sheets sheet by sheet, a first image reading unit which reads image information from the one side of the original sheet, a second image reading unit which reads image information from the other side of the original sheet, and a detecting unit which detects image existence/non-existence information of each original sheet in a state that the bundle of original sheets is mounted on the original base plate, wherein the detecting unit includes an oscillating unit which oscillates an electromagnetic wave of 30 GHz to 100 THz and a receiving unit which receives a reflected wave of the electromagnetic wave reflected on each side of the sheet, thereby detecting the image existence/non-existence information of each original sheet based on the received electromagnetic wave information.
US08159728B2

An image reading apparatus, in which sheets being transported are illuminated by an illuminating unit, one after another, and a sensor having an imaging elements arranged in a line photographs the sheets, one after another. A white-reference part is provided in a part of the photographing region of the sensor. A black-reference part guides the light reflected by the illuminating unit to the sensor when a sheet lies in the photographing region of the sensor, and to restrict application of the light reflected by the illuminating unit to the sensor when no sheets lie in the photographing region of the sensor.
US08159727B2

An image reading apparatus is disclosed that includes a contact glass on which a document is placed; an imaging device configured to image a document image based on light reflected from the document through the contact glass; plural line image sensors arranged along a main scanning direction at positions where the document image is imaged and configured so that end portions of the line image sensors adjacent to each other similarly read same image data imaged at an overlapping area; a transmitted light quantity reduction unit disposed in the overlapping area on the contact glass and configured to reduce transmitted light quantity of a light transmitted through the contact glass; and a signal correction device configured to correct the signal intensity of the image data similarly read by the line image sensors adjacent to each other.
US08159718B2

An image processing apparatus includes a decision unit which decides a color selection threshold based on received compressed data from external apparatus, and a determination unit which determines according to the color selection threshold if a pixel included in the compressed data is a chromatic color pixel or an achromatic color pixel.
US08159713B2

A printing system capable of binding a modified image data to an individual print engine in a multiple print engine system. The system includes an image processor such as a digital front end, a set of transformations, and a configuration of printers. The system can also include a scanner that scans a test image so that this image binding process can be repeated. Furthermore, the transformation binding can also take place in real time.
US08159705B2

A communication device includes a receiving unit, a printing unit, a writing unit, and a control unit. The receiving unit receives incoming data including first image data created based on a first image on a document and additional data indicating transmitting source of the first image data. The control unit controls the printing unit to print on a first recording paper a second image based on the first image data and controls the writing unit to write the additional data in a wireless tag provided on the first recording paper.
US08159702B2

Disclosed are methods of controlling operation of a printer, apparatus and computer-readable medium. The embodiments control operation of a printer by receiving a print command for printing from a user, displaying a print user interface including selectable document settings, receiving an indication from the user of selected ones of the documents settings, receiving an indication from the user to save the selected document settings as a document default setting, and controlling printing of the document to print on the printer using the document default setting and the selected document settings.
US08159697B2

A method and system for tracking and controlling the distribution of information on a networked system. The method includes scanning at least one job on a multi-function peripheral device, sending the at least one job to a destination device, sending the at least one job to a storage remote from the destination device, and storing the at least one job in the storage. In certain embodiments, the storage is at least partially secure from a user.
US08159695B2

If a user specifies shutdown of the power supply of an apparatus from a console, another apparatus connected to the same network is notified so as not to issue a request for a new shared job, and it is determined whether a scheduled shared job exists. The display on a display screen is changed in accordance with the result of the determination. If it is determined that a shared job exists, shutdown of the power supply is controlled in accordance with the status of execution of the shared job.
US08159689B2

An image forming apparatus that can reduce a difference in fog or image density between two facing pages of a booklet formed after duplex printing is provided. A CCD line sensor inputs a series of pieces of image data whose order of printing has been determined in advance. The CCD line sensor, a first storage section, a second storage section, and a calculation section determine a difference in printing density between the first face and the second face of the printing medium after duplex printing. A judgment section judges whether or not to change the order of printing based on the difference in printing density. A control unit controls the order of printing of the image data based on the judgment. An image forming section, a paper supply section, an image reading section, and an operation section print the image data on the printing medium.
US08159685B2

In one embodiment of an image processing apparatus, when multi-feeding during transport of originals is detected, except for the multi-fed originals, which are all of the originals simultaneously multi-fed by the multi-feeding, the images written on only the other remaining originals are recorded on recording paper; and a shifted discharge position in the discharge tray of only pre-multi-feeding original recording paper is different from a standard discharge position of other recorded recording paper, the pre-multi-feeding original recording paper being recording paper on which is recorded the image written on the original transported immediately before the original initially transported among the multi-fed originals.
US08159683B1

A scanner for a keyboard device having a reflective surface for each key has a sensor associated with each key that includes an LED and a photo-transistor. The LED is turned ON for a first measurement, followed by a second measurement with the LED turned off, and a subtraction of the second measurement from the first yields an illumination value for a key x. The LEDs and associated photo-transistors are sequentially enabled in groups of n, thereby eliminating optical interference. Each key x has associated correction parameters of LinRest(x) associated with illumination value with the key in the rest (up) position, LinDown(x) associated with illumination value with the key in the down position, TrebErr(x) associated with the reflectivity effect of one adjacent key(x+1), and BassErr(x) associated with the reflectivity effect of another adjacent key(x−1). By reading a single illumination value in combination with these correction parameters, the key position may be accurately extracted and the effect of ambient light and surrounding key interference removed.
US08159680B2

Disclosed herein are a system and method for three-dimensional imaging using a single transducer. A laser in a transmitter emits a sequence of short pulses, each of which is at a different center wavelength (frequency). A dispersive element in the transmitter spatially separates the pulses according to wavelength, with different pulses mapped to different spatial locations in a target volume via a lens. The pulses travel to the target, which scatters or back-reflects the pulses towards the dispersive element via the lens. The lens collects the returned pulses and transmits them to a single transducer via the dispersive element. The transducer measures the time of arrival for each returned pulse. Because the arrival time depends on the range to the object in the portion of the target illuminated by the corresponding emitted pulse, the measured arrival time can be used to reconstruct a 3D (angle-angle-range) image of the object.
US08159677B2

Variants of an interferometric device are developed for examining internal structures of objects by means of optical coherence tomography, which allow for controlling a boundary location of the observation range. The device also allows for correcting a distortion of the tomographic image of the object under study, caused by lateral scanning, due to aberrations of the optical path length for the low-coherence optical radiation directed towards the object. Embodiments of the device include either one, or two fiber-optic controlled scanners, which in different combinations perform a function of in-depth scanning of the coherence window of low-coherence optical radiation within the observation range, a function of controlling a boundary location of the observation range, and a function of compensating the optical path length aberration for the low-coherence optical radiation directed towards the object, caused by lateral scanning.
US08159675B2

An observation device observing a sample cultured in a culture vessel includes an illuminating unit including an illumination optical system and illuminating the sample, an image-capturing unit including an imaging sensor and generating an image by capturing an image of the sample illuminated by the illuminating unit, and a wavelength limiting filter being placed on an optical axis of the illumination optical system and between the illuminating unit and the image-capturing unit, and limiting a part of wavelengths of an illumination light from the illumination optical system in accordance with optical absorption properties of an additive contained in a culture medium used for culturing the sample. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress a change of the image resulting from the additive and to enable to generate an appropriate image in an automatic observation.
US08159674B2

An exposure method capable of performing accurate exposure without using a large photomask. The exposure method performs exposure while relatively moving a photomask above a substrate and includes a step of performing position correction of the photomask by performing, on a front side of the photomask relatively moved in a moving direction, image recognition of a pattern prearranged on the substrate such as a line and a black matrix and by correcting deviation of the photomask with respect to the pattern, and a step of checking the position correction of the photomask by performing image recognition of a reference mark arranged on the photomask and by determining whether or not the position correction of the photomask is accurately performed in the step of performing the position correction of the photomask.
US08159671B2

A treatment pattern (such as a focused spot, an image, or an interferogram) projected on a treatment target may lose precision if the treatment beam must pass through a birefringent layer before reaching the target. In the general case, the birefringent layer splits the treatment beam into ordinary and extraordinary components, which propagate in different directions and form two patterns, displaced from each other, at the target layer. The degree of birefringence and the orientation of the optic axis, which influence the amount of displacement, often vary between workpieces or between loci on the same workpiece. This invention measures the orientation of the optic axis and uses the data to adjust the treatment beam incidence direction, the treatment beam polarization, or both to superpose the ordinary and extraordinary components into a single treatment pattern at the target, preventing the birefringent layer from causing the pattern to be blurred or doubled.
US08159668B2

An optical or infrared spectrometer is suitable for on-line measurements for industrial, agricultural, field, commercial and other applications. Optical spectrometers are very useful for various analytical measurements. On-line operation is needed for obtaining real-time information, which is useful e.g. for process automation and quality control needs. The invention is based on optical design optimized for measuring moving samples at a distance and includes a light guide for signal homogenization, a linear variable filter for defining multiple measurement wavelengths as well as a linear detector array for detecting optical signals relating to the different wavelengths. There is an element for cooling and stabilizing the operating temperature of both the linear detector array and the linear variable filter, while the spectrometer is operating in variable environmental conditions. Thanks to the optical signal chain designed to maximize the radiance at the detector, the proposed spectrometer can provide high signal-to-noise ratio and high speed.
US08159662B2

A Raman spectroscopy sensor integrated with an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) includes a UGV having a robot arm and a camera mounted on the robot arm. A laser and telescope associated with a Raman sensor are mounted on the robot arm in such a way as to point in substantially the same direction in which the camera is pointed. A Raman spectral data acquisition and control module is mounted on the UGV and is configured to receive Raman spectral data from the telescope. A remote base station having a display and a data processing and analysis module is configured to receive data from the data acquisition and control module and to display for an operator images from the camera and information related to the Raman sensor. An autofocus system is preferably employed to automatically control telescope focus and thereby enable the Raman sensor to operate over a wide range, e.g., 0.5 m to 10 m.
US08159656B2

A first step of measuring a change over time in the spectral transmission spectrum of a measurement sample by its exposure to the light of a light source including an ultraviolet radiation for a preset light exposure time, a second step of performing a correction according to the change over time in the spectral transmission spectrum of the measurement sample based on the result of the measurement obtained by the first step, and a third step of calculating the final in vitro predicted SPF of the measurement sample using the result of the correction obtained by the second step are included.
US08159655B2

An optical blind-guide apparatus for detecting an object is provided. The optical blind-guide apparatus includes an illuminant module illuminating the object to form a reflection light from the object; a sensor sensing the reflection light to generate a digital message; a system module receiving and processing the digital message to obtain a blind-guide information; and an output device coupled with the system module and outputting the blind-guide information.
US08159642B2

An in-plane switching (IPS) liquid crystal mode liquid crystal display device that prevents signal interference of a data line and disclination is disclosed. The in-plane switching (IPS) mode liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes first and second substrates; a gate line on the first substrate; a data line crossing the gate line to form a pixel region; a thin film transistor at the crossing of the gate line and the data line; a plurality of pixel electrodes and common electrodes alternately arranged in parallel in an extended direction of the gate line and generating an in-plane field of a first direction; an alignment film rubbed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the data line; and a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates, wherein the pixel electrode and the common electrode are bent at both ends thereof and the in-plane field in the first direction is generated from both ends of the pixel electrode and the common electrode.
US08159641B2

An array substrate includes a substrate, a switching element, a pixel electrode, and a common electrode. The substrate includes a plurality of gate lines, data lines insulated from the gate lines, and the data lines extend in a direction crossing the gate lines. The switching element is connected to the gate lines and data lines. The pixel electrode is arranged in a pixel area which is defined on the substrate, and is connected to an output electrode of the switching element. The common electrode corresponds to the pixel area and is insulated from the pixel electrode, and the common electrode has at least one first slit corresponding to the data line.
US08159640B2

A liquid crystal display device in which alignment control in a vertical-alignment-type liquid crystal layer is excellent at a side portion or a corner portion of a pixel electrode.The liquid crystal display device includes a pixel electrode 17 including openings 18 of slits as an alignment control mechanism, a common electrode 33 including linear protrusions 34 to 34c as an alignment control mechanism, the electrodes being opposed to each other, and a vertical-alignment-type liquid crystal layer 40 which is sandwiched between the electrodes, wherein the linear protrusion 34c is placed at a position where the linear protrusion 34c controls alignment in the liquid crystal layer inside a position where an oblique electric field 59 which is generated at the edge of an corner portion 17e of the pixel electrode 17 at the time when a voltage is applied between the electrodes controls the alignment in the liquid crystal layer.
US08159631B2

An exemplary backlight module (1) includes a light guide plate (122), a first light source (125) and a second light source (126). The first light source includes first light emitting diodes (1252) and first reflective members (1253). The second light source includes second light emitting diodes (1262) and second reflective members (1263). The light guide plate includes a first light incident surface (1220) and a second light incident surface (1221) opposite to the first light incident surface. The first light source and the second light source are provided adjacent to the first light incident surface and the second light incident surface, respectively. The first light emitting diodes face the second reflective members, and the second light emitting diodes face the first reflective members.
US08159629B2

There is provided a slim liquid crystal display unit having a large screen by providing a slim structure capable of sufficiently radiating the heat from a light source. The liquid crystal display unit according to the present invention includes: a liquid crystal panel; an optical guiding board installed on a rear face thereof; a pair of light source-mounted substrate disposed, opposing right and left side faces thereof; a light source mounted on the light source-mounted substrate; a metal frame connected on the opposite side to the optical guiding board of the light source-mounted substrate; a chassis member for supporting the optical guiding board and a reflection sheet group; and a thermal diffusion member fixed onto the metal frame along with the chassis member. The chassis member has a stepped portion in the vicinity of the light source. Between the stepped portion and the reflection sheet group, a thermal insulation member is attached.
US08159621B2

A power supply of a video and audio system is coupled to a first switch and a second switch. A power management unit is coupled between the first switch and at least one electronic device. An integrated circuit includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit is coupled to the power management unit and the at least one electronic device for controlling the operation of the at least one electronic device. The second circuit is coupled to a battery, the first switch, the second switch, and the first circuit for controlling the first switch and the second switch.
US08159615B2

A system and method of geometrical predistortion of a graphical source signal is provided in which the graphical source signal is merged with an input video signal for display on a display device. The input video signal is received at a hardware scaler device and a predistorted video signal is generated there from. A warping map is calculated using a programmed processor and a graphics source signal is then predistorted, in software, using the warping map to generate a warped graphical overlay signal. The predistorted video signal from the hardware scaler is then merged with the warped graphical overlay signal from the programmed processor.
US08159613B2

A method for setting caption window attributes and an associated television system are concerned. The method includes steps of providing a plurality of attributive bit sets corresponding to a plurality of pixels in a caption; utilizing a window condition to compare the plurality of attributive bit sets in response to a setting caption window attribute command for changing window color to a destination color-change value, so as to selectively update partial bits of the attributive bit sets in response to the window condition; and displaying colors of the pixels according to the attributive bit sets and a palette, thereby changing the color of the caption window.
US08159606B2

A method and apparatus are provided for reversible, polynomial based image scaling. The apparatus includes a video scaler for performing image scaling from a first base resolution image to a higher resolution image, and from the higher resolution image to a second base resolution image. The first and the second base resolution images are equal on a pixel-by-pixel basis for an entirety of the first and the second base resolution images. A scaling function used for the image scaling is based on a polynomial function having two or more degrees.
US08159605B2

A motion vector is searched for each block of the current video frame by using a previous average motion vector within a screen as a reference motion vector, and whether or not interpolation is effective is determined by using the obtained motion vector. If the interpolation is determined to be effective, an interpolation frame is generated between the current video frame and a preceding video frame by using the obtained motion vector.
US08159603B2

An optical member is provided, in front of an image sensor to convert an optical image of an object into an electric signal, and on a photographing optical axis. The optical member is vibrated, thereby foreign substances attached to the optical member are removed. Further, a frame member is held between the optical member and the image sensor. In the frame member, a first pair of opposing sides are brought into contact with the optical member at nodes of vibration of the optical member. The thickness of a second pair of opposing sides in a direction of the photographing optical axis is thicker than that of the first pair of opposing sides.
US08159593B2

A display apparatus includes a hinge unit that couples a display unit to an apparatus body rotatably around first and second rotational axes along different directions. When the display unit and the hinge unit are rotated together around the first rotation axis, the display unit is opened or closed with respect to the apparatus body. When the display unit is rotated with respect to the hinge unit, the display unit inverted or not inverted. A single detection object is provided in the hinge unit. An open/close detection sensor at a position deviated from the first rotation axis detects an open/close state of the display unit in accordance with a positional relationship relative to the detection object. An inversion detection sensor at a position deviated from the second rotation axis detects whether the display unit is inverted or not in accordance with a positional relationship relative to the detection object.
US08159588B2

An imaging system utilizes an exposure control circuit to control the length of an exposure in full frame mode. The exposure control circuit receives as an input the antiblooming current from at least a representative sample of pixels and determines when to end an exposure based on the amount of current received.
US08159587B2

A method of reading voltages from an image sensor having an array of pixels, each pixel Having at least one photodiode connectable to a storage node, the method including: controlling each pixel in a row of pixels to store and output a first voltage value at a first instance, a second voltage value at a second instance, and a third voltage value at a third instance, the first, second and third voltage values being representative of charge accumulated by the photodiodes during an integration phase; comparing the first voltage value from each pixel with a reference threshold; sampling for each pixel, based on the comparison, one of the second and third voltage values, and generating an output pixel value based on the sampled one of the second and third voltage values.
US08159578B2

An imaging system includes an image sensor and a mechanical shutter which controls the termination of exposure of the image sensor. The image sensor includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed in a matrix, and a vertical scanning unit which scans the pixel array for each row. The vertical scanning unit parallelly executes some of the reset operations of pixels on at least two adjacent rows of the pixel array. The charge accumulation operation of pixels starts upon completion of the reset operation and terminates in response to light shielding by the mechanical shutter.
US08159567B2

An image processing apparatus and an image processing method, enabling achievement of both an effect of improvement of motion-picture response and a reduction of flicker even in a case of a low frame rate, are provided. The apparatus has a processing region detection portion 120 including a first detection portion 121 detecting motion of an image in a sub frame from a continuous plurality of sub frames, and a second detection portion 122 detecting a component having a predetermined value or more of level difference to peripheral pixels of pixels forming an image in the sub frame; and a gradation conversion portion 130 including a plurality of adaptive gradation conversion portions 131 and 132 converting the gradation for a region of the component having a level difference at which motion is detected in the corresponding sub frame among the plurality of sub frames in accordance with the output signal of the processing region detection portion 120 and a sub frame selecting and outputting portion 133 alternately selecting and outputting the selectively graduation converted sub frames for each sub frame rate.
US08159565B2

An electronic imaging apparatus includes a zoom optical system having, in order from the object side, a first lens unit with positive power, a second lens unit with negative power, and an aperture stop, in which the first lens unit is composed of a single positive power unit and the second lens unit has a single negative lens element located at the most object-side position, both surfaces of which are concave, and a positive lens component located at the most image-side position; an electronic image sensor located on the image side of the zoom optical system; and an image processing section electrically processing image data obtained by the electronic image sensor to change the form thereof.
US08159563B2

Provided are a digital photographing apparatus having a zoom function, which may easily obtain still images having various viewing angles, a method of controlling the same, and a recording medium storing a computer program for executing the method. The digital photographing apparatus obtains data regarding a first still image at a first zoom ratio, and then automatically obtains data regarding a second still image at a second zoom ratio that is different from the first zoom ratio.
US08159560B2

When image shooting is performed in a mode that records plural images in response to a single shooting instruction and deletion is instructed on a shot-image confirmation screen that displays the shot image data immediately after the shooting, the plural image data generated by the same shooting instruction are all collectively deleted. On the contrary, in a playback mode, when deletion is instructed to one of the plural image data shot by the same shooting instruction, only the one image that has been instructed for deletion is deleted. This feature improves usability of the image sensing apparatus capable of recording plural images in response to a single shooting instruction.
US08159557B2

A method of generating a gain of an image frame according to a look up table of gain which is set up based on luminance sensitivity of human eyes is proposed. The method includes setting a gain of an image frame to 1, scanning images of a plurality of front rows of the image frame, averaging the images of the plurality of the front rows of the image frame to generate an average value of the images of the plurality of the front rows of the image frame, finding a gain from the look up table of gain according to the average value of the images of the plurality of the front rows of the image frame, and adjusting remaining rows of the image frame according to the gain to generate images of the remaining rows of the image frame.
US08159553B2

A method of generating a color characterization model for an input imaging device includes capturing a target having plural patches using the input imaging device to produce plural digital values in a device-dependent color space, the plural digital values having corresponding target measurements in a color characterization set. The method further includes determining if any of the plural digital values are collinear with each other, and removing, in a case where it is determined that digital values are collinear with each other, at least one of the collinear digital values and corresponding target measurements from the color characterization data set. In addition, the method includes generating the color characterization model for the input imaging device based on the plural digital values and corresponding target measurements remaining in the color characterization set. An apparatus for generating a color characterization model for an input imaging device is also provided.
US08159552B2

An apparatus and method for restoring an image are provided. The apparatus includes an edge-strength-detection module which detects an R-channel edge strength, a G-channel edge strength and a B-channel edge strength from an input image and generates an R-channel edge map, a G-channel edge map and a B-channel edge map based on the R-channel edge strength, the G-channel edge strength and the B-channel edge strength; an edge-strength-compensation module which compensates for the R-channel edge strength and the B-channel edge strength based on the G-channel edge strength; a valid-value-generation module which generates a valid value indicating a blur level based on the compensated R-channel edge strength and the compensated B-channel edge strength; a point spread function (PSF) estimation module which estimates a PSF corresponding to the valid value; and an image-restoration module which restores the input image using the PSF.
US08159549B2

An in-vivo imaging device including a camera may include a frame storage device. Systems and methods which vary the frame capture rate of the camera and/or frame display rate of the display unit of in-vivo camera systems are discussed. The capture rate is varied based on physical measurements related to the motion of the camera. Alternatively, the frame capture rate is varied based on comparative image processing of a plurality of frames. The frame display rate of the system is varied based on comparative image processing of a multiplicity of frames. Both the frame capture and the frame display rates of such systems can be varied concurrently.
US08159546B2

Images captured at a venue and relating to one or more patrons of the venue are incorporated into one or more products in accordance with image selections and/or product selections made by the patron(s). The images may be captured at venues with a variety of image capture devices such as pre-mounted cameras, cell phones, cameras brought by patrons to the venue, or cameras provided to patrons by the venue or another entity. The patrons may obtain products such as T-shirts, coffee mugs, prints, slideshows, or other products incorporating one or more selected images. Patrons may also view the images on portable electronic devices.
US08159535B2

A communication system has a communication terminal and information processing device that can be mounted on a movable body. The information processing device includes a request transmission part that transmits to a communication terminal within a predetermined range a request signal, the request signal requesting the transmission of an image, through broadcast communication for transmitting information to a plurality of transmitting partners. The request signal contains a positional information indicative of a position. The communication terminal includes: an image shooting part that shoots an image around the communication terminal; a position acquisition part that obtains a position at which the image is shot; a recording part that associates and records the shot image and the position; and a receiving part that receives the request signal; and an image transmission part that transmits an image.
US08159534B2

This invention addresses remote inspection of target in monitored space. A three dimensional (3D) microwave image of the space is obtained using at least two emitters. The data undergoes coherent processing to obtain maximum intensity of the objects in the area. This image is combined with a 3D video image obtained using two or more video cameras synchronized with the microwave emitters. The images are converted into digital format and transferred into one coordinate system. The distance l is determined between the microwave and the video image. If llo then the presence of cavities is analyzed. If the cavity depth h is greater than the threshold value ho a concealed dielectric object at the target is ascertained: h 0 = l 0 ⁢ ɛ - 1 √ ɛ where ∈ is dielectric permeability of the sought dielectric object.
US08159529B2

An operation unit switches the operating mode between a 3D display output mode in which the images of the 3D image file are displayed as a stereoscopic images and a 2D display output mode in which one of the images of the 3D image file is displayed as an ordinary planar image. The 3D image file is composed of stereoscopic image data which represents a plurality of monocular images constituting a multi-ocular stereoscopic image and information which is added to the stereoscopic image data and which indicates that the data is stereoscopic data. In the 2D display output mode, a control unit makes an output unit display an image of the 3D image file read from a medium by a media reader and also display a mark on the same screen, indicating that the image displayed in the 2D display output mode is based on the 3D image file.
US08159522B2

There is provided a camera unit used in a communications system having a display section and arranged to exchange sound and images via communication between at least two locations. The camera unit includes a camera section having an image sensor for photoelectrically converting a visual image to an electric signal; a transparent filter section having signal lines for supplying power to the camera section and transferring the image signal supplied thereto from the camera section; a frame section for holding the transparent filter section therein, the frame section having a power input terminal for supplying power to the camera section and a video output terminal for outputting the image signal transferred thereto from the camera section; and attaching members for attaching the frame section holding the transparent filter section therein, to a front surface of a display screen of the display section of the communications system.
US08159510B2

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display including a liquid crystal display panel and a drive section performing divisional drive operation which includes first and second drive operations. The first drive operation performs a driving process with a first drive voltage higher than an original application voltage, and the second drive operation performs a driving process with a second drive voltage lower than the original application voltage. The liquid crystal display panel includes one or more pixel electrodes each having a plurality of slits, and one or more alignment control electrodes provided in one or more regions corresponding to one or more of the slits of the pixel electrode. The alignment control electrode configures a capacitive element in cooperation with the pixel electrode. Electric potential of the pixel electrode is lower than that of the alignment control electrode.
US08159509B2

A color display device has a display screen having pixels arrayed, each of which is composed of primary color sub-pixels capable of reproducing respective primary colors and at least one subsidiary color sub-pixel capable of reproducing gray. While gradation signals are generated and supplied to the primary color sub-pixels on the basis of the primary color components of an image to be displayed, the gradation signal to be supplied to the subsidiary color sub-pixel is generated on the basis of the intensity component of the image. The color display device is attained in which the number of gradation levels can be substantially increased without increasing the number of gradation levels of the primary colors.
US08159502B2

The invention is characterized by the fact that an area sensor for outputting an analog signal responsive to the light reception amount of light of CMYG is used and when CMYG image data is converted into RGB image data, RGB image data having a domain also in negative values is generated without performing processing of putting the RGB image data into values of 0 or more, without decreasing the information amount of the CMYG image data. Further, the invention is characterized by the fact that when the image data is recorded in a file section 16 finally as a JPEG file, the pixel data of each color of YCbCr is represented as data type of eight bits and the information amount per pixel is 24 bits for recording more color information without increasing the memory capacity.
US08159501B2

A system and method are provided that allows a speaker to provide real-time annotations to one or more displayed images during a presentation. The speaker inputs the annotations my manually identify a portion of the displayed image using an input mechanism such as a touch screen that is in communication with a presentation monitor and a control system that is controlling the presentation. The identified portions are annotated onto the displayed images using a adaptive color that is selected to provide optimum contrast with the existing colors in the displayed image. In addition to providing adaptive, contrasting colors for the annotations, imperfection such as waviness are removed from the identified portions to created corrected portions that are then annotated onto the presentation image. Annotation is accomplished through computer generated graphics or through the use of a motorized, controllable laser pointer.
US08159497B2

A computer-program product may have instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations including managing execution of application functions that access data in a shared buffer; determining if a first instruction that is stored at a first memory location causes, upon execution, data to be read from or written to the shared buffer; and when it is determined that the first instruction causes data to be read from or written to the shared buffer, 1) identify one or more replacement instructions to execute in place of the first instruction; 2) store the one or more replacement instructions; and 3) replace the first instruction at the first memory location with a second instruction that, when executed, causes the stored one or more replacement instructions to be executed.
US08159496B1

Methods and apparatus for subdividing a shader program into regions or “phases” of instructions identifiable by phase identifiers (IDs) inserted into the shader program are provided. The phase IDs may be used to constrain execution of the shader program to prohibit texture fetches in later phases from being executed before a texture fetch in a current phase has completed. Other operations (e.g., math operations) within the current phase, however, may be allowed to execute while waiting for the current phase texture fetch to complete.
US08159489B2

A display apparatus includes an image display unit including electro-optic elements and pixel drive circuits arranged two-dimensionally in row and column directions, a first power supplying line for supplying a first potential to the image display unit, and plural data lines severally connected to columns of the image display unit for supplying data signals to the pixel circuits. In addition, plural scanning lines cross the data lines, a data line drive circuit drives the data lines, and a scanning line drive circuit drives the scanning lines. A second potential is supplied to the scanning line drive circuit through a second power supplying line, and the display apparatus is provided with elements for shifting potential of the scanning lines to the first potential of the first electric power supplying line when the second potential is lower than the first potential.
US08159486B2

A display device includes a pixel driver circuit. Each of level converter circuits in the pixel driver circuit has an input terminal supplied with a signal swinging between a first voltage and a second voltage lower than the first voltage; a first first-conductivity-type transistor having a gate electrode coupled to the input terminal, and a source region coupled to a reference voltage; a second second-conductivity-type transistor having a gate electrode coupled to a drain region of the first transistor, a source region-coupled to a power supply, and a drain region coupled to an output terminal; one circuit element among a diode, a resistor and a fourth second-conductivity-type transistor, coupled between the gate electrode of the second transistor and the power supply; a third first-conductivity-type transistor having a source region coupled to the input terminal, a drain region coupled to the output terminal, and a gate electrode supplied with a do voltage.
US08159485B2

A method of using a customer pole display, point-of-sale pole display, point-of sale display, or pole display includes connecting a Universal Serial Bus, inputting a power signal from the Universal Serial Bus, translating the power signal to a display power signal, and connecting the display power signal to the display. A Universal Serial Bus-compatible interface adapted to provide power to a point-of-sale display includes a connector adapted to be coupled to a Universal Serial Bus and a converter operatively coupled to the connector and adapted to translate a power signal input from the Universal Serial Bus to a display power signal. A point-of-sale display assembly includes a display, a connector adapted to be coupled to a Universal Serial Bus, and a converter operatively coupled to the connector and adapted to translate a power signal input from the Universal Serial Bus to a display power signal.
US08159483B2

A plurality of pixels, each including first and second electrodes and an electrolytic solution, are arranged. When a voltage between the first and the second electrodes increases into a precipitation critical value or more, the precipitation of electroplating starts. When the voltage decreases into a value smaller than the deposition overvoltage value, the precipitation ends. A control unit controlling the voltage between the first and second electrodes repeats a subfield operation including a first operation of selectively supplying any of first, a second voltage and third voltages to the plurality of pixels, and a second operation of collectively supplying the second voltage value to the plurality of pixels after the first operation, at least two times or more, to control the gradation of each pixel based on a timing of supplying the third voltage.
US08159476B2

This document relates to a mobile terminal comprising a rotary type input device and a method of setting a sensitivity using the same. The mobile terminal comprises a display unit for displaying a selection indicator, an input unit comprising a rotary type input device, which is rotated and moved in one or more directions, and configured to set sensitivity information indicating a sensitivity when the rotary type input device is rotated and moved, and a controller for sensing the rotary movement of the rotary type input device and controlling movement of the selection indicator, based on the sensitivity information set by the input unit. Accordingly, there is an advantage in that a user can set a rotation sensitivity of the rotary type input device.
US08159475B2

In a device for providing information to a vehicle user about various functional elements using a display screen system, having an overview image to display the functional elements, having a rotating actuator, which is assigned to the functional elements, rotatable arbitrarily around its axis for the individual selection of the functional elements, and having the property of displaying further information about the particular functional element using an axial movement of the actuator, the functional elements are marked in the overview image. The functional elements are individually selectable by a rotational movement of the actuator and an enlarged detail of the overview image containing the particular functional element is displayable as the information.
US08159470B2

There is disclosed an interactive display system comprising an interactive surface for displaying an image and for receiving inputs from remote devices, the system being adapted to detect the presence of at least two remote devices proximate the interactive surface.
US08159467B2

Meshed touchscreen pattern. A conductive pattern implemented within a touchscreen (e.g., using indium tin oxide (ITO) such as may be deposited on a substrate composed of polyester or some other material) provides paths for signals traveling through the touchscreen. By monitoring these signal in accordance with some means (e.g., cross point detection, zone detection, etc.) an estimate may be made as to a location of user's interaction with the touchscreen (e.g., finger or stylus touching of the touchscreen). The conductive pattern includes a number of conductors aligned in various directions (e.g., row and column conductors) across the touchscreen, and they are separated by a dielectric layer (e.g., air, SiO2, or any other desirable dielectric layer). The conductors include a great deal of interlacing and meshing as achieved by spurs, extensions, and/or protrusions (e.g., of any desired shape) extending from one conductor into an adjacent conductor within the conductive pattern.
US08159456B2

A mobile communication device capable of providing a candidate phone number list and a method of controlling an operation of the mobile communication device is provided. The method includes displaying a phone number input window and a display window on the touch screen, displaying a string of numbers input to the phone number input window in the display window and displaying a candidate phone number list on the touch screen if a touch input to the display window is detected when the input number string is displayed in the display window, the candidate phone number list including a plurality of phone numbers that contain the input number string.
US08159454B2

The present invention relates to a device for individually driving OLED/LED elements of an OLED/LED string, comprising for each OLED/LED element of the string: a controllable shunting switch (22, 42) coupled with the respective OLED/LED element (14, 15), switch controller means (30, 44) for controlling said shunting switch (22, 42) and having a control output port coupled to said switch (22, 42), a data input port and a clock input port, level shifting means (32) assigned to said switch controller means (30, 44) and adapted to bring the control input data to a level sufficient to be accepted by the switch controller means (30, 44) during a programming mode and to allow the control of said shunting switch (22, 42). Said switch controller means (30, 44) of said OLED/LED elements (14, 15) are provided to form a serial-to-parallel converter means (31).
US08159446B2

A gate driving circuit has a first stage which includes: a pull-up driving unit which receives a first carry signal from a second stage and outputs a control signal having first, second, third and fourth voltages to a first node during a preliminary period, a gate active period, a first gate inactive period and a second gate inactive period, respectively; a pull-up unit which receives the control signal and outputs a gate-on signal to a second node during the gate active period; a carry output unit which receives the control signal and outputs a second carry signal to a third stage during the gate active period; and a pull-down unit which receives a gate-off signal and the second carry signal from the second stage and outputs the control signal having the fourth voltage level to the first node during the second gate inactive period.
US08159437B2

A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a first register which latches display data, a second register which latches the display data of the first register in accordance with a first clock, a gray scale voltage generator which outputs a plurality of gray scale voltages, a decoder which selects a gray scale voltage in accordance with the display data of the second register from the plurality of gray scale voltages, and an amplifier including a first transistor, and a second transistor. A first terminal of the first transistor and a first terminal of the second transistor are connected to a first voltage line, and the gray scale voltage outputted from the decoder is supplied to one of input terminals of the first transistor and the second transistor in accordance with a control signal. A phase of the control signal is reversed at intervals of two frame periods.
US08159434B2

A liquid crystal display panel driving device is provided which is capable of reliably improving a response speed of a liquid crystal and of obtaining good display quality. When overshooting driving is performed in a current frame for displaying, an excessive response level in a next frame is predicted based on a combination of a gray level in one past frame and a gray level in a current frame and, when an excessive response is predicted, a corrected gray-level value to prevent (or to cancel) the excessive response is calculated in advance. By applying a voltage corresponding to the corrected gray-level value, an excessive response in a next frame can be suppressed. Irrespective of whether or not an excessive response is predictable in a next frame, an overshooting driving can be performed at an applied voltage sufficiently corresponding to a target gray-level value and, as a result, a response speed of a liquid crystal can be reliably made high and good display quality can be obtained.
US08159433B2

A liquid crystal drive apparatus includes: a storage unit storing an enhancement correction coefficient having (1/2n)×m below a decimal point where n is 3 or 4, and m is an integer which is at least 0 and less than 2n; a frame memory holding digital image information of a second frame located one frame before a first frame; a first computation unit computing a difference between digital image information of the first frame and digital image information of the second frame; a second computation unit computing enhancement image information for conducting enhancement display of an image on a liquid crystal panel on the basis of the difference and the enhancement correction coefficient; a third computation unit computing addition information by adding the digital image information of the second frame to the enhancement image information; and a drive signal generation unit generating a drive signal on the basis of the addition information to drive the liquid crystal panel.
US08159426B2

Organic light emitting display (OLED) devices and methods of rendering image of an OLED device. A pixel of the OLED device includes a first sub-pixel corresponding to a first color, comprising a first pixel electrode and a second sub-pixel corresponding to a second color, comprising a second pixel electrode. A portion of the second pixel electrode is operatively associated with a portion of the first sub-pixel, such that activation of second pixel electrode activates both the first sub-pixel and said portion of the first sub-pixel independent of activation of the first pixel electrode.
US08159424B2

Disclosed herein is a sampling transistor in an embodiment of the present invention is kept at the on-state with a time width shorter than one horizontal cycle, during the period from the rising of a control pulse supplied from a scanner to a scan line WS to the falling of the control pulse, and samples a video signal from a signal line SL to write the video signal to a hold capacitor. The sampling transistor includes the channel region between the source and the drain and has a sandwich gate structure in which a shield that electrically shields the channel region is disposed on the other side of the channel region. This suppresses change in the threshold voltage of the sampling transistor.
US08159422B2

A light emitting display device using a drive circuit formed of only unipolar thin film transistors, which suppresses effects of characteristic shifts of transistors, and is applicable to large, high-resolution light emitting displays. The device includes a pixel having an organic EL device (LED) and a drive circuit thereof. In a current writing period, the drive circuit sets TFT3, TFT4 and TFT5 ON and sets a ground line and one end of LED to the same voltage through TFT3. A current from a data line is supplied to transistors L-TFT and D-TFT forming a current mirror circuit through TFT4 and TFT5, and a voltage between gate and source terminals of L-TFT and D-TFT is retained in a capacitor. During a LED driving period, TFT3, TFT4 and TFT5 are interrupted, and a current flowing between the source and drain of D-TFT is supplied to LED according to the retaining voltage.
US08159420B2

An electro-optical device that includes: a first scanning line; a first data line; and a first unit circuit. The first unit circuit includes a driving transistor that sets a driving current in accordance with a voltage of a gate of the driving transistor, an electro-optical element that is driven by the driving current, a first capacitative element that has a first electrode and a second electrode, and a second capacitative element that has a third electrode and a fourth electrode. The first electrode is connected to the gate of the driving transistor, whereas the third electrode is connected to either the first electrode or the second electrode. At least a part of the second capacitative element is arranged between the first data line and the first capacitative element in a layout of the first unit circuit.
US08159417B2

An image display device includes: a display part, a measuring instrument, a determination unit, a detection unit, a decision unit, and a notification processing unit. The display part allows a user to visually recognize a display image by projecting an image light corresponding to the display image on an eye of the user in a state where some ambient light reaches at least either one of eyes of the user. The measuring instrument measures brightness of the ambient light. The determination unit determines brightness of the display image. The detection unit detects the difference between the brightness of the ambient light and the brightness of the display image. The decision unit decides timing of temporarily stopping the use of the display part. The notification processing unit performs notification which prompts the user to stop the use of the display part at the timing.
US08159414B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide programmable keys in a keyboard that provide the user with added functionalities and versatility to enhance the usage of the computer for game play or the like. In one embodiment, an input device for use with a computer comprises an input device housing; at least one input member disposed on the input device housing; and an auxiliary display connected to the input device housing, the auxiliary display being configured to display information received from the computer including images provided by the computer.
US08159412B2

Provided is an isolation antenna for a repeater which can acquire high isolation by using loop and dipole antennas, which are positioned in opposite directions to each other based on a shielding means, in a unidirectional repeater generally used in broadcasting or wireless communications even though transmitting antenna/receiving antennas having a co-channel are set up closely to each other. The transmitting/receiving isolation antenna includes: a shielding means including an electric conductor; a first antenna of a dipole antenna type in one side of the shielding means; and a second antenna of a loop antenna type in an opposite side of the shielding means where the first antenna is positioned.
US08159407B2

Radome with an integrated plasma shutter covering an antenna and method for selectively shielding an antenna. The radome includes a honeycomb core formed to contain a plasma-guiding layer, and coverplates arranged to sandwich the honeycomb core. Electrodes are structured and arranged for plasma excitation, the electrodes being high frequency (HF)—transparent at least in an operating frequency range of the antenna. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
US08159406B2

A phased-array antenna radiator for a super economical cellular communication system is provided. The phased-array antenna radiator comprises two dipole radiators. The first dipole radiator includes a first monopole radiating element supported by a first outer conductor, a second monopole radiating element supported by a second outer conductor, a first inner conductor, disposed within the first outer conductor and extending therethrough, having an upper termination, a first feed strap, attached to the upper termination of the first inner conductor, and a first stub, disposed within the second outer conductor and attached to the first feed strap. The second dipole radiator includes a third monopole radiating element supported by a third outer conductor, a fourth monopole radiating element supported by a fourth outer conductor, a second inner conductor, disposed within the third outer conductor and extending therethrough, having an upper termination, a second feed strap, attached to the upper termination of the second inner conductor, and a second stub, disposed within the fourth outer conductor and attached to the second feed strap.
US08159404B2

A helical element, which is operated in the frequency band of FM broadcast, is wound around the outer periphery of a rod-shaped support member 10. A line-shaped element 12, which is operated in the frequency band of terrestrial digital television broadcast, is disposed in a first groove 10a of a predetermined length formed on the outer periphery of the support member 10 from the lower end thereof. With this arrangement, a multi-frequency antenna 1, which is operated in the frequency band of FM broadcast and the frequency band of terrestrial digital television broadcast, can be arranged, and the entire length L of the helical element can be reduced and it can be operated in a plurality of frequency bands with the effect of the line-shaped element 12.
US08159396B2

A proximity probe, for use in determining a distance to a probe target, includes a first antenna configured to wirelessly receive a radio-frequency signal at a first predetermined frequency and a converter configured to convert the received signal to a driving signal and to an electrical signal. The proximity probe also includes a second antenna configured to receive power via the driving signal and to generate a signal indicative of a distance from the proximity probe to the probe target, and a third antenna configured to transmit the generated signal.
US08159395B2

There is provided a communication device including: a receiving unit that receives radio signals transmitted from another communication device using a plurality of transmitting antennas by a plurality of receiving antennas; an estimation unit that estimates a range of a position where said another communication device possibly exists based on a phase of each radio signal received by the receiving unit and antenna spacing between the transmitting antennas; and a position determination unit that determines an existing position of said another communication device within the range estimated by the estimation unit.
US08159394B2

A selectable beam antenna of generally linear, polygonal, planar or polyhedral form, able to operate at microwave and millimetre wave frequencies, and constructed from associated networks that incorporate radio frequency switches, time delays and amplitude weights positioned within a set of interleaved transmission, lines or waveguides to simultaneously perform both beam-forming and beam selection operations, which selectable beam antenna comprises: (i) a single RP antenna port connected to a 1-to-N corporate feed means, where N is greater than or equal to 2; (ii) a EF switch network means of N/q multi-pole-multi-throw radio frequency switch means (qPMT) connected to the corporate feed means; (iii) a RF distribution means of N×M singularly or multiply interleaved lines arranged so as to have approximately equal transmission length connected to the switch means, where M is the number of throws associated with each radio frequency switch means (qPMT); (iv) an antenna launch means of M×M interleaved antenna element sub-groups of S linear or planar elements, where S is greater than or equal to one, σorporately connected to the distribution means and arranged to closely follow at sub-wavelength intervals a closed are or segment of a closed surface; and (v) an overall electronic control means to set all radio frequency switches in such a way to select, to time delay and to amplitude weight the activated interleaved antenna launch elements and thus generate one of the possible directed, antenna beams.
US08159392B2

A method and apparatus for estimating oscillator signal variation due to temperature and for providing an estimated frequency to a GPS receiver in order to assist the GPS receiver to acquire the signals quickly is disclosed. A temperature sensor is closely thermally coupled with the crystal oscillator in the GPS receiver and during GPS tracking mode, when the error in the oscillator signal is known with precision, outer bounds of TCXO frequency at given temperatures are maintained, which may correspond to rising and falling temperature conditions. During acquisition mode, an estimated frequency value is provided to the GPS receiver based on a determined average of these bounds. Optionally, an uncertainty factor associated with the frequency estimated may also be provided. The two bounds take into account the hysteresis effects of the oscillator signal drift due to temperature so that a more accurate initial frequency estimate can be provided to the GPS receiver, thus reducing its average time to first fix.
US08159386B2

A method for ascertaining and monitoring fill level of a medium in a container by means of a field device by a travel time measuring method, wherein transmission signals are transmitted in the direction of the medium and reflection signals are received, wherein received reflection signals are registered as echo signals in an echo function dependent on travel time or travel distance, wherein position and/or amplitude at least of a wanted echo signal in the echo function are/is ascertained by means of an echo search algorithm and a continuous echo tracking of changes of position and/or of changes of amplitude of the wanted echo signal in the echo function is performed in a defined search window, wherein position and/or amplitude at least of a wanted echo signal is maintained, in case no wanted echo signal is ascertained in the search window, wherein from position and/or amplitude at least of a wanted echo signal, fill level is ascertained, and wherein a measured value of fill level is output. For this, an asymmetric search window is used for ascertaining the wanted echo signal.
US08159385B2

A conductive line radar comprising at least one signal surface wave launcher, which comprises a signal surface wave transceiver, which is physically attached to a power line. The signal surface wave transceiver transmits a wave signal along the power line with another signal radiating from the wave signal in a plurality of directions along the power line. The at least one signal surface wave transceiver receives reflected signals from a target within a distance of the power line. The at least one signal surface wave launcher includes at least one RF communications transceiver and can be inductively powered from the power line.
US08159384B2

To suppress cross-ambiguities in the examination of an ice region or dry region by means of aircraft- or aerospace-supported radar echo sounding, the region to be examined is overflown by a radar sensor (6) by multiple compatible radar sensors of the same operating wavelength on multiple spatially separated, substantially parallel paths, wherein the radar signal data received on each path are recorded. The radar signal data recorded for each of the different paths are summed coherently and using a weighting to form a radargram, wherein an adaptive complex-valued weighting for each of the individual paths is performed using a geometrical model which takes into account the topography of the environment of the region to be examined. The weighting for every depth of the examined region is determined by solving a system of linear equations from which is calculated a synthetic antenna pattern which has zeros in the direction of the ambiguities.Implementation in radar systems for echo sounding in ice and in dry regions on earth or other planets and extraterrestrial objects.
US08159379B2

A method relates to a technique for reducing the readout time of switched capacitor array circuitries. An implementation is a SCA chip capable of sampling 12 differential input channels at a sampling speed of 10 MSPS to 5 GSPS. The analog waveform can be stored in 1024 sampling cells per channel, and can be read out after sampling via a shift register. The write signal for the sampling cells is generated by a chain of inverters. The domino wave runs continuously until stopped. A read shift register clocks the contents of the sampling cells to outputs, where it can be digitized. It is possible to read out only a part of the waveform for reducing the digitization time. The high channel density, high analog bandwidth of 450 MHz, and low noise of 0.35 mV makes this chip suited for low power, high speed, high precision waveform digitizing.
US08159373B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for encoding and decoding information. In one aspect, methods of encoding information in an encoder include the actions of receiving a signal representing information using a collection of discrete digits, converting, by an encoder, the received signal into a time-based code, and outputting the time-based code. The time-based code is divided into time intervals. Each of the time intervals of the time-based code corresponds to a digit in the received signal. Each digit of a first state of the received signal is expressed as a event occurring at a first time within the corresponding time interval of the time-based code. Each digit of a second state of the received signal is expressed as a event occurring at a second time within the corresponding time intervals of the time-based code, the first time is distinguishable from the second time. All of the states of the digits in the received signal are represented by events in the time-based code.
US08159366B2

An apparatus comprises switches, a measurement unit, and a telemetry subsystem. The switches connect the current sources to a power bus when in a first position and to the measurement unit when the switches are in a second position. The measurement unit generates a ramp signal to control the solar strings from an open circuit state to a short circuit state linearly in a short duration and provides continuous current and voltage telemetry data at the output while the set of switches is in the second position. The telemetry subsystem is pre-set to a dwell mode and samples a large amount of voltage and current telemetry data. The telemetry subsystem transmits this data to ground directly to eliminate the need for processing and storage resources in the spacecraft. The telemetry data is used to plot I-V curve for health monitoring.
US08159362B2

A faulted circuit indicator utilizes digitized fault indication curves to determine if a fault has occurred in a monitored conductor. Fault indication curves are intended to be similar to trip curves of common power protection devices, and consist of a plurality of associated fault current levels and fault times. The faulted circuit indicator only displays a fault when the current within the monitored conductor exceeds one of the fault current levels for its associated fault time. This results in more accurate fault detection through the ability to distinguish between small and large amplitude faults coupled with the flexability of a fault indicator suitable for use on many different power systems.
US08159357B1

Apparatus and a method are described for prospecting for water ice on heavenly bodies with the apparatus consisting of site preparation tools and a water ice detector unit. The apparatus is attached at the end of any robotic arm equipped lander or rover spacecraft; for instance, lander designs such as Mars Phoenix or rover designs such as Mars Spirit and Opportunity. Supported on an internal, moveable carriage, the apparatus is also incorporated into smaller, dedicated water ice detection rover spacecraft. The water ice detection unit inserts electrodes into or against a potential water ice deposit and confirms the presence of water ice by making combination impedance and thermal conductivity measurements.
US08159354B2

A system for use in playing a video game, the system acting to measure the position of transponders for testing and to train the user to manipulate the position of the transponders while being guided by interactive and sensory feedback. A bidirectional communication link to a processing system supporting the video game provides functional movement assessment.
US08159336B2

Communications are maintained between a base station and a stolen vehicle tracking (SVT) module disposed with a vehicle. At the SVT module at the vehicle, it is determined whether jamming is occurring with communications between the SVT module and the base station and a temperature is measured at the SVT module. When jamming is detected, an adjustment is determined for a frequency of an oscillator of the SVT module and the adjustment is based at least in part upon the temperature. The frequency of operation of an oscillator is adjusted according to the adjustment. A message is transmitted to the base station according to the adjusted frequency.
US08159331B2

A method and system for power control for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag reading is provided. The system includes a power amplifier for providing an RF transmit signal for the RFID tag reading. The RF transmit signal is provided to an antenna for radiating the transmit signal. The power of the radiated transmit signal defining a read range for the RFID tag reading. The system includes an attenuator provided between the power amplifier and the antenna for controlling the power of the radiated transmit signal to adjust the read range. A handheld RFID reader may include the system. The method includes calibrating the output power of a reader having a power amplifier and an attenuator provided between the power amplifier and an antenna. The step of calibrating includes at least one of controlling power of the power amplifier in its linear region, and controlling attenuation level of the attenuator.
US08159328B2

Biometric authentication and verification are described. A method in biometric identification includes establishing a foundational biometric measurement based on a first user input. The method also includes providing a second user input at a biometric terminal, the second user input used by the biometric terminal to determine whether to acknowledge a verifying biometric measurement, in response to receipt of the established foundational biometric measurement and the second user input. The method may also include establishing the foundational biometric measurement, by the user, utilizing biometric equipment. Alternatively, the establishing of the foundational biometric measurement based on first user input is performed by providing the first user input to a biometric kiosk, the biometric kiosk using the first user input to establish the foundational biometric measurement. Advantages of the present invention include the ability to perform more secure biometric transactions.
US08159326B2

A present locking device is a locking device for locking/unlocking a lock of a door of a closed space, including: a first transmission antenna for transmitting a first signal to a range including an outside of the closed space; a second transmission antenna for transmitting a second signal to an inside of the closed space as a target; a key which transmits a first response signal when receiving the first signal and not receiving the second signal, and which transmits a second response signal when receiving the first signal and also receiving the second signal; a reception antenna for receiving at least the first response signal from the key; and a control unit for controlling whether locking or unlocking can be performed on the lock or not, based at least on whether the reception antenna receives the first response signal or not.
US08159319B2

A concept of a double-breaking contact system with a rotating contact arm is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, a novel arrangement of fixed conductors that cross over the contact arm is presented. A double-breaking contact system for a low voltage circuit breaker of at least one embodiment includes a double-breaking contact arm extending along a longitudinal axis and being rotatable across a central bearing; a first fixed conductor and a second fixed conductor, each conductor contacting one end of the contact arm, respectively and having first segments below the contact arm, second segments above the contact arm and third segments crossing over the contact arm and connecting the first segments with the corresponding second segments of each conductor; wherein the first segments and/or the second segments are arranged parallel to each other for guiding a current in a parallel direction through the respective first and/or second segments, but reverse to the current in the contact arm.
US08159318B2

A circuit breaker includes a trip unit and an electronic fault detection unit sharing a common trip latch for causing the circuit breaker to trip upon detection of a fault by either unit. The circuit breaker has an electromagnet for causing the circuit breaker to trip upon detection of a fault by an electronic fault detection unit. The electromagnet is oriented in the housing proximal the trip latch without any components interposed between them, and directly attracts the latch. Advantageously the electromagnet orientation does not impact operation or the range of motion of the latch or other trip unit components. Advantageously the circuit breaker of the present invention does not increase the trip latch mass, its bulk swept volume through its range of motion or require additional linkage components that potentially might increase trip cycle time. In some embodiments the electromagnet core is reciprocable.
US08159315B2

A substrate for mounting a filter has a connection line layer having a transmission line for connecting a filter, a ground layer placed below the connection line layer and having a ground, and an insulation layer placed between the transmission line and the ground layer and having a thickness which satisfies a characteristic impedance of the transmission line in a range 0.1 to 50 ohms, the characteristic impedance determined by the thickness and a dielectric constant of the insulation layer and a width of the transmission line.
US08159314B1

An actively tuned filter providing a constant bandwidth at a plurality of frequencies. The filter includes first and second electromagnetically coupled coiled resonators, each resonator having an open end configured to receive an input and a shorted end configured to connect the resonator to a ground. The filter further includes a variable capacitance allowing selection of a capacitance to be applied to the first and second resonators, each variable capacitance being connected to the shorted end of the first and second resonators between the resonator and the ground where the axes of the coils of the first and second resonators are aligned along a single axis.
US08159312B2

A method and class of circuit configurations for coupling low-frequency signals from one stage of an electronic apparatus to another stage, from the outside world to such a stage, or from such a stage to the outside world, through the use of a plurality of symmetrical double-layer capacitors combined with other electronic components are disclosed. The capacitors are used for signal transmission while blocking direct current, rather than for energy storage. Use of double-layer capacitors in place of more conventional capacitors permits the transmission of a much wider range of signals with far less distortion. The technology is particularly well-adapted to use in medical devices, including bioelectronic stimulators, where redundant devices are required for safety in case of single component failure while unacceptable levels of distortion may occur when conventional components are used.
US08159310B2

Provided is a microstrip transmission line for reducing far-end crosstalk. In a conventional microstrip transmission line on a printed circuit board, a capacitive coupling between adjacent signal lines is smaller than an inductive coupling therebetween, so that far-end crosstalk occurs. According to the present invention, the capacitive coupling between the adjacent signal lines is increased to reduce the far-end crosstalk. A vertical-stub type microstrip transmission line is provided.
US08159297B2

A transmission device includes an amplifier that amplifies a transmission signal according to a voltage to be applied, an envelope detector that detects an envelope signal of the transmission signal, a rate decreasing unit that decreases changing rate of the envelope signal detected by the envelope detector, and a voltage controller that changes the voltage applied to the amplifier according to the envelope signal whose changing rate is decreased by the rate decreasing unit.
US08159295B2

An embodiment of the invention is a method of generating a reduced bandwidth envelope signal VDD(t) for the power supply modulator of an RF amplifier. An envelope signal of an RF amplifier input Venv(t) is low pass filtered. The filtered envelope signal is subtracted from the envelope signal to obtain a difference signal, which is rectified to produce a residue signal. The residue signal is low pass filtered and added back into the filtered envelope signal. An iterative process of the rectifying, low pass filtering the residue signal adding it back is continued until a condition of VDD(t)≧Venv(t) is met. Another embodiment provides a method of generating a reduced bandwidth envelope signal VDD(t) for the power supply modulator of an RF amplifier. An envelope signal of an RF amplifier input Venv(t) is low pass filtered. The filtered envelope signal is subtracted from the envelope signal to obtain a difference signal, which is rectified to produce a residue signal. The residue signal is low pass filtered and multiplied by a first constant that is greater than one, and then added back into the filtered envelope signal. A second constant is added into the filtered envelope signal so that the condition VDD(t)≧Venv(t) is met.
US08159294B2

The present invention discloses a multi-voltage headphone driver circuit comprising: at least one operational amplifier having an output supplied to a headphone speaker, the operational amplifier receiving a first power supply as its high operation voltage; a charge pump receiving a second power supply to generate a negative voltage corresponding to the second power supply in magnitude; and an m-fold circuit multiplying the negative voltage by m and providing the result to the operational amplifier as a low operation voltage thereof, wherein m is a real number.
US08159290B2

Provided is a test apparatus for testing a device under test that outputs, as an output signal, an amplitude-phase modulated signal having a level and a transition point phase selected from among a plurality of levels and a plurality of phases according to transmission data, the test apparatus comprising a comparing section that compares the output signal to a first comparison level, which is less than the expected level, before the expected phase, and compares the output signal to a second comparison level, which is greater than the expected level, and to a third comparison level, which is less than the expected level, after the expected phase; and a judging section that judges that the output signal matches the expected values on a condition that (i) the output signal is less than or equal to the first comparison level before the expected phase and (ii) the output signal is less than or equal to the second comparison level and greater than or equal to the third comparison level after the expected phase.
US08159280B2

A noise generator for generating band-limited noise from a plurality of sinusoidal signals at the same level and equidistant frequency position in the noise spectrum is provided. A noise signal has a low crest factor and for this purpose the phase position of each individual sinusoidal signal is determined.
US08159279B2

In current driving circuit a desired value of a driving current is promptly written in a load of each pixel despite load variations that may occur in each pixel. A constant current source circuit delivers a driving current Idata to a load. An output voltage difference amplifier circuit detects a voltage change produced at a load driving end within a preset time period, and delivers a current or a voltage corresponding to the voltage change during a time period different from the preset time period. The output voltage difference amplifier circuit temporally repeats detection of the voltage change and delivery of the current or the voltage to the load.
US08159274B2

A data transmission circuit includes a clock driver to obtain a clock signal having a first rate and to drive the clock signal onto one or more transmission lines. The data transmission circuit also includes a timing circuit to obtain the clock signal and to generate a symbol clock having a second rate. The first rate is a multiple of the second rate, wherein the multiple is greater than one. The data transmission circuit further includes a data driver synchronized to the symbol clock. The data driver obtains a data signal and drives the data signal onto the one or more transmission lines at the second rate. The data signal and the clock signal are driven onto the one or more transmission lines simultaneously.
US08159273B2

A transmission circuit including a first circuit outputting a first signal based on an input data, a second circuit outputting a second signal based on the input data, where each of the first signal and the second signal functions as a differential signal, a correction circuit generating a correction signal for correcting variation in current drive capabilities of two transistors of a first buffer included in at least one of the first circuit and the second circuit, and a second buffer coupled in parallel with the first buffer and reducing, based on the correction signal, the variation in the current drive capabilities of the two transistors.
US08159270B2

Disclosed herein are circuitry and methods for transmitting data across a parallel bus using both high common mode and low common mode signaling. The transmitter stages are configured to work with two of three possible power supply voltages: a high Vddq voltage, a low Vssq voltage, and an intermediate Vx voltage. In one embodiment, the odd numbered transmitter stages, that drive the odd numbered outputs to the bus, use the Vddq and Vx supplies, such that the odd numbered outputs comprise high common mode signals. The even numbered transmitter stages, that drive the even numbered outputs to the bus, use the Vx and Vssq supplies, such that the even numbered outputs comprise low common mode signals. With the transmitter and power supplies so configured, no one of the three power supplies must source or sink current to or from more than half of the transmitters at any given time, which reduces power supply loading and minimizes switching noise. As a result, use of the technique may dispense with the need to provide power supply isolation at the transmitters.
US08159267B2

To provide a semiconductor device which operates stably with few malfunctions due to noise, with low power consumption, and little variation in characteristics; a display device including the semiconductor device; and an electronic device including the display device. An output terminal is connected to a power supply line, thereby reducing variation in electric potential of the output terminal. In addition, a gate electrode potential which turns ON a transistor is maintained due to the capacitance of the transistor. Further, change in characteristics of the transistor is reduced by a signal line for reverse bias.
US08159263B1

A programmable integrated circuit having a plurality of individually controlled voltage domains. Each voltage domain includes logic circuitry powered by a respective power network. The voltage magnitude of each power network is independently selectable. Each of a plurality of level shifters couples a first and second one of the voltage domains, couples a first port of the logic circuitry of the first voltage domain to a second port of the logic circuitry of the second voltage domain, and shifts from a first signaling protocol of the first port to a second signaling protocol of the second port. The first signaling protocol is referenced to the voltage magnitude of the first voltage domain, and the second signaling protocol is referenced to the voltage magnitude of the second voltage domain. Means are disclosed for controlling the voltage magnitude of the respective power network of one or more of the voltage domains.
US08159256B2

A method for manufacturing a probe needle having beams and a contactor placed on tips of the beams comprises preparing a Si wafer 20, forming a seed layer 21 on the Si wafer 20, and forming grooves in a desired shape of the beams on the seed layer 21 by patterning a photoresist 23. Subsequently, the grooves are filled up with metal-plated layers 24a, 24b to form the desired shape of beams.
US08159253B2

An exemplary method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display (LCD) includes providing an LCD panel (201) including a common voltage initialization circuit (2011); testing and inspecting the LCD panel for defects of the LCD panel, and thereby obtaining a preferred common voltage for the LCD panel; writing parameters of the preferred common voltage to the common voltage initialization circuit; and mounting a driving integrated circuit on the LCD panel, the driving integrated circuit being connected to the common voltage initialization circuit. The driving integrated circuit is connected to the common voltage initialization circuit.
US08159248B2

Flexible and rigid interposers for use in the semiconductor industry and methods for manufacturing the same are described. Auto-catalytic processes are used to minimize the costs associated with the production of flexible interposers, while increasing the yield and lifetime. Electrical contact regions are easily isolated and the risk of corrosion is reduced because all portions of the interposer are plated at once. Leads projecting from the flexible portion of the interposers accommodate a greater variety of components to be tested. Rigid interposers include a pin projecting from a probe pad affixed to a substrate. The rigidity of the pin penetrates oxides on a contact pad to be tested. Readily available semiconductor materials and processes are used to manufacture the flexible and rigid interposers according to the invention. The flexible and rigid interposers can accommodate pitches down to 25 μm.
US08159240B2

A Bulk Current Injection (BCI) transformer is provided herein with a magnetic core and a plurality of windings. The magnetic core is configured for encircling one or more electrical conductors under test. Each of the plurality of windings are wrapped, at least in part, around a longitudinal dimension of the magnetic core and spaced apart around an azimuthal dimension of the magnetic core. During injection tests, a power source may be coupled for supplying current to each of the windings at a respective “feed point.” Arranging multiple feed points around the magnetic core enables current flow through the windings to generate an azimuthally-uniform magnetic flux density in the magnetic core. The uniform magnetic flux density enables the BCI transformer to excite only common mode currents in the electrical conductors under test. BCI test methods, including injection tests and current sensing tests are also provided herein, along with a test setup for characterizing BCI transformers.
US08159233B2

An arrangement for detecting in-situ arcing events within a processing chamber of a plasma processing system during substrate processing is provided. The arrangement includes a probe arrangement, which is disposed on a surface of the processing chamber and is configured to measure at least one plasma processing parameter. The probe arrangement includes a plasma-facing sensor and a measuring capacitor, wherein the plasma-facing sensor is coupled to a first plate of the measuring capacitor. The probe arrangement also includes a detection arrangement that is coupled to a second plate of the measuring capacitor, wherein the detection arrangement is configured for converting an induced current flowing through the measuring capacitor into a set of digital signals, which is processed to detect the in-situ arcing events.
US08159228B2

A method of determining an internal resistance of a energy source that can be modeled as a voltage generator with a series resistance, such as but not limited to a battery or ultracapacitor. The internal resistance may be determined by averaging one or more weighting internal resistance values calculated from a number of sampled current and/or voltage measurement taken from the energy source.
US08159222B2

Accumulated spin magnetization phase within a RF MRI procedure can be used for providing an orderly k-space traversal. By operating a transmit array adapted to produce two B1 fields in alternation, where the B1 fields are substantially uniform in amplitude over a sample volume of the MRI setup, and the B1 fields have respective spatial phase distributions such that selection of a difference in spatial derivatives of the spatial phase distributions permits control over a size of a step in k-space applied by successive refocusing pulses for generating the B1 fields in alternation. Each alternating refocusing pulse issued within a T2 time causes a step through k-space in an encoding direction determined by the difference in spatial derivatives.
US08159218B2

A method of manufacturing an apparatus 200 comprising forming an integrated magnetometer package 202. Forming an integrated magnetometer package 202 includes forming a movable part 215 from a MEM magnetometer substrate 210, and attaching an integrated circuit 910 to one side 212 of the MEM magnetometer substrate. A spacer structure 410 is formed on an opposite side of the MEM magnetometer substrate such that the moveable part is exposed through an opening 420 in the spacer structure. But the moveable part cannot escape through said opening. A permanent magnet 1010 is mounted through the opening to the movable part.
US08159216B2

This eddy current imaging method includes the steps of: positioning (72), in the vicinity of a large inspection region, elements for the measurement of a surface magnetic field, generating (74, 92) a global exciting magnetic field over the observation inspection region, measuring (76, 84) a resultant magnetic field at the surface, in the form of images, processing (90) the images. The generating step (74, 82) involves generating a set of at least two exciting magnetic field waveforms; the measuring step (76, 86) involves measuring a set of configurations of the resultant magnetic field in the form of images; the step (90) of treating the images by combining them allows defects to be detected and the position and the nature thereof to be determined.
US08159199B2

An integrated electronic device includes circuitry for providing a system supply voltage from a primary power supply. The circuitry has a high power (HP) stage coupled to the primary power supply and having an output node coupled to a supply system node for providing a HP system supply voltage level and a HP output current such that the HP stage is configured to be active in a full power mode, and a low power (LP) stage coupled to the primary power supply and to the supply system node through a voltage follower for providing a LP supply voltage level and an LP output current such that the LP stage is configured to be active in a low power mode. The HP system supply voltage level is greater than the LP system supply voltage level and the voltage follower of the LP stage is adapted to switch off in response to a voltage level at the supply system node becoming greater than the HP system supply voltage level and to switch on in response to the voltage level at the supply system node becoming lower than the HP system supply voltage level.
US08159197B2

A circuit and method are proposed for constant on-time control for an interleaved multiphase voltage regulator, which monitor the channel currents of all the channels of the interleaved multiphase voltage regulator to select one from the channels to drive and so achieve interleaved phase operation.
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