US08210083B1
An energetic material initiation device having a receiver assembly and an initiator assembly that includes an electronic initiator and a pellet assembly with an energetic material. The receiver assembly is configured to be coupled to a firing circuit. When the firing circuit is to be armed, the initiator assembly can be pressed into a socket in the receiver assembly to electrically couple the receiver assembly and the initiator assembly. A method for mounting an energetic material initiation device to a firing circuit is also provided.
US08210076B2
A power tool in one embodiment includes a work-piece support surface, a swing arm assembly movable along a swing path between a first swing arm position whereat a portion of a shaping device supported by the swing arm assembly extends above the work-piece support surface and a second swing arm position whereat the portion of the shaping device does not extend above the work-piece support surface, a mechanical fuse positioned to maintain the swing arm assembly in the first swing arm position, an actuator configured to apply a force to the mechanical fuse sufficient to break the mechanical fuse and to force the swing arm assembly away from the first swing arm position and toward the second swing arm position, and a control system configured to actuate the actuator in response to a sensed condition.
US08210075B2
A pen-shaped cutting apparatus and a method for its use is disclosed. The cutting apparatus has a body and a cutter head pivotally mounted thereto. The cutter head includes a swivel-mounted cutter housing that includes a cutter protruding slightly from a lower surface of the cutter housing. The cutting apparatus enables continuous non-linear cutting of an underlying surface.
US08210073B2
A ratchet wrench includes a head having a compartment rotatably receiving a drive member. A pawl groove is formed in an inner periphery of compartment and slideably receives two pawls. A slot is formed in a side of the head and in communication with the pawl groove. A first end of a control plate is pivotably mounted to an engaging portion of the drive member extending beyond the side of the head via a hole in the side. A second end of the control plate includes two legs extending through the slot into the pawl groove for actuating the pawls upon rotation of the control plate to change a driving direction of the ratchet wrench. A positioning device is provided to position the control plate.
US08210071B2
A fluid drive system for vertical mixer tubs is provided. Rotational power from the power take-off of a tractor or other suitable vehicle is increased in rotational speed by an input gearbox. The input gearbox is, in turn, coupled to a fluid coupler that locks up when the input rotational speed reaches an optimum speed. The output of the fluid coupler is coupled to an output gearbox that reduces the rotational speed of the fluid coupler. The output of the output gearbox is connected to the drive mechanism of the mixer tub auger.
US08210068B2
A rotation mechanism includes a flange, a shaft, a first swing member, and a second swing member. The shaft extends along a first axis. The first swing member is rotatably connected to and received in the flange around a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis. The second swing member is rotatably connected to and received in the first swing member around a third axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis. The shaft extends through the flange, the first swing member, and the second swing member. The shaft is non-rotatably and slidably received in the second swing member. A robot using the rotation mechanism is also provided.
US08210064B2
An actuator includes a base, a motor mounted on the base for driving a worm to rotate a worm gear of a transmission gear set that is set in an accommodation chamber inside the base and has a gear shaft pivotally inserted through the worm gear and fixedly mounted with an output gear, a brake module rotatable with said worm gear, a linking rod assembly having a driven gear meshed with the output gear, a screw rod rotatable with the driven gear, a movable member threaded onto the screw rod and an extension rod connected to the movable block and movable in and out of a sleeved outside the base upon rotation of the screw rod for biasing a crane beam of a lifting device.
US08210063B2
A twin clutch type speed-change apparatus applies a dog clutch to speed-change gears slid on a main shaft and a counter shaft for changing the number of speed-change steps. A twin clutch type speed-change apparatus includes a transmission having a plurality of gear pairs between a main shaft and a countershaft and a twin clutch. The rotational drive force of the engine is connected/disconnected between the transmission and the engine by the twin clutch. A dog clutch with dog teeth and a dog hole is applied between an axially slidably attached slidable gear and an axially non-slidably attached non-slidable gear to select an on gear pair for transmitting the rotational drive gear, from a plurality of gear pairs in the transmission. Rotational drive force is transmitted between the slidable gear slid by a shift fork and the coaxially adjacent non-slidable gear by engagement of the dog clutch.
US08210062B2
An attitude control system for a spacecraft is disclosed that includes a scissored pair of control moment gyroscopes for delivering an output torque to the spacecraft along a an output axis, wherein each gyroscope has a spin motor for spinning a rotor about a rotor axis and a gimbal torque motor for rotating the rotor about a gimbal axis, and wherein the system includes a generator for extracting kinetic energy from the rotors during rotor deceleration to power the gimbal torque motors of the gyroscopes.
US08210060B2
The invention relates to a method and equipment for the testing of quality of polymer-bound rubber additives.According to the method, a polymer-bound rubber additive (3) is mixed with an EPDM masterbatch (2). The resultant test mixture (5) is forced through a test sieve (10), and the number of undispersed particles (14) removed by sieving is determined.
US08210055B2
A strain gage rosette for internal stress measurement on workpieces according to the bore hole method has at least three pairs of diametrically opposed measuring grids all at an equal radial spacing and in different directions radially about a centering mark. The two measuring grids of each diametrically opposed pair are circuit-connected or coupled with one another such that the measurement signals thereof are averaged.
US08210052B1
The invention includes a method for forecasting fatigue damage of a solid rocket motor through ignition, where over the lifetime of the motor it can be exposed to a plurality of stressing events, which may have a broad spectrum of mechanical loads with multiple modes. For instance, a mode may be a change in the thermal contraction or a change in a direct mechanical load. The method expresses all stressing events in terms of a common mode. The thermal contraction is the selected common mode measured in units of stress. The stress is proportionally adjusted according to the conditioning temperature, the stress free temperature, the pressures, and the age. Cumulative damage for the time before and after ignition is determined. Finite element analysis reference points are adjusted for the stressing events.
US08210049B2
A pressure measurement device isolates liquid, such as blood, from an intermediate fluid, such as air, by means of a diaphragm. The diaphragm is arranged between first and second chambers of respective first and second shells of a pressure pod body. The first shell has first and second ports, which are connected to the first chamber. The second shell has a measurement port with a connector in communication with the second chamber. A pressure transducer with a mating connector is directly connected to the measurement port connector to minimize the sealed volume between the diaphragm and the pressure transducer.
US08210045B2
A new invention for the laser-based generation of ultrasound is described. In conventional laser-based ultrasound, a pulse of light is incident on a solid. The light is converted to heat expanding the material near the surface. This thermoelastic expansion creates an acoustic wave in the material. Detection of the ultrasound allows the nondestructive inspection of the material. The rate of performing an ultrasound scan is inherently limited by the pulse rate of the laser. In this invention, a continuous wave (cw) high-power laser sweeps across the material, using thermoelastic expansion to create an ultrasound wavefront on the surface of and in the material. Detection of the ultrasound wavefront provides evidence of the strength of the material and the presence of defects. With Continuous Laser Generation of Ultrasound, material analysts will be able to perform ultrasound scans potentially hundreds of times faster than the current methods.
US08210044B1
Designs of single-beam laser vibrometry systems and methods. For example, a method for detecting vibrations of a target based on optical sensing is provided to include operating a laser to produce a laser probe beam at a laser frequency and modulated at a modulation frequency onto a target; collecting light at or near the laser to collect light from the target while the target is being illuminated by the laser probe beam through an optical receiver aperture; using a narrow-band optical filter centered at the laser frequency to filter light collected from the optical receiver aperture to transmit light at the laser frequency while blocking light at other frequencies; using an optical detector to convert filtered light from the narrow-band optical filter to produce a receiver electrical signal; using a lock-in amplifier to detect and amplify the receiver electrical signal at the modulation frequency while rejecting signal components at other frequencies to produce an amplified receiver electrical signal; processing the amplified receiver electrical signal to extract information on vibrations of the target carried by reflected laser probe beam in the collected light; and controlling optical power of the laser probe beam at the target to follow optical power of background illumination at the target.
US08210037B2
A sensor module has a housing that may be mounted about a through opening of an assembly surface. The housing extends at least partly through the through opening when the housing is disposed on the assembly surface. The sensor module further has a sealing body, between the outer surface of the housing and the through opening of the assembly surface and an attachment device, by way of which the housing is fixed to the assembly surface. The attachment device lies on the through opening in order to bring about a mechanical fixation of the housing to the assembly surface.
US08210034B2
An abnormality determination apparatus for an oxygen sensor provided on the downstream side of a catalyst includes: a first determination portion that determines whether a rich-output continuation time during which output value of the oxygen sensor continues being an output value that shows a rich state before a fuel cut is started is longer than a set continuation time; a second determination portion that determines whether degree of change in the output value when the output value changes from a first reference value to a second reference value that shows a leaner state than the first reference value is more gradual than a set degree of change after the fuel cut is started; and a third determination portion that determines whether the oxygen sensor is abnormal based on determinations by the first determination portion the second determination portion.
US08210032B2
An electronic device having an enclosure is disclosed. The electronic device includes a hole disposed at least partially through the enclosure. The electronic device also includes a detector configured to provide at least one visual indication after being immersed in water. The detector may include a moisture-indicating portion and a light-permitting moisture-proof membrane. The detector may be disposed inside at least one of the enclosure and the hole such that at least a portion of the detector is visible through the hole from outside of the enclosure without dismantling or opening the electronic device. The distance between the light-permitting moisture-proof membrane and an opening of the hole in the enclosure may be less than the distance between the moisture-indicating portion and the opening of the hole.
US08210015B2
A method for rolling plate or strip in a rolling stand with work rolls supported on backup rolls or on intermediate rolls with backup rolls, wherein the adjustment of the roll gap profile is carried out by axial shifting of pairs of rolls provided with curved contours. The adjustment of the roll gap profile is carried out by at least two pairs of rolls, which have differently curved contours and can be axially shifted independently of each other and whose different contours are calculated by splitting the resultant desired roll gap profiles that describe the roll gap profile into at least two different desired roll gap profiles and are transferred to the pairs of rolls.
US08210013B2
In a method to replace a pair of rolls of a rolling mill stand during a downtime period, worn rolls fitted with chocks are extracted from the mill stand and positioned on means of displacement that bear a pair of new rolls without chocks. The method sets the means of displacement in motion so that the worn rolls are aligned with a chock extraction device. The chock extraction device is used to remove the chocks from the worn rolls. The means of displacement are actuated so that new rolls are now aligned with the chock extraction device. The chock extraction device is used to reinstall, on the new rolls, the chocks. After the new rolls have been fitted with the chocks, the new rolls are inserted in the mill stand so that the downtime period is reduced and the number of chocks in service is likewise reduced.
US08210002B2
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to glass fiber forming bushings, to methods of controlling the temperature of bushings having multiple segments, to systems of controlling the temperature of bushings having multiple segments, and to other systems and methods. In one embodiment, a method of controlling the temperature of a bushing having multiple segments comprises forming a plurality of filaments from a bushing comprising at least two segments, gathering the filaments into at least two ends, measuring the size of each of the at least two ends, comparing the measured size of the at least two ends to a desired end size, adjusting the amount of current passing through the at least two bushing segments in response to the end size comparisons.
US08209999B2
Silica glass granule having the following features: Area:100 to 5000 μm2, ECD:5 to 100μm, Circumference:20 to 400μm, Maximum diameter:10 to 140μm, Minimum diameter:5 to 80μm, where all values are medium values, Specific BET surface area:<1m2/g Impurities:<50ppm It is prepared by a) compacting pyrogenic silicon dioxide powder with a tamped density of 15 to 190 g/l to slugs, b) subsequently crushing them and removing slug fragments with a diameter of <100 μm and >800 μm, c) the slug fragments having a tamped density of 300 to 600 g/l, and d) subsequently treating them at 600 to 1100° C. in an atmosphere which comprises one or more compounds which are suitable for removing hydroxyl groups, and e) then sintering them at 1200° C. to 1400° C.
US08209994B1
A community-scale water condensing system which reclaims and stores double-filtered potable water from the air utilizing at least one condenser unit including polyethylene pipe suspended over a collection tank and shaken by a self-contained power source upon activation of a moisture sensor to release water into the collection tank. Water flows from the collection tank into a storage tank through a ball valve and a water storage filter. At least one dispensing unit operationally communicates with the storage tank, each dispensing unit including at least one feeder line with an output valve that can be accessed by an individual through a water tap or other outlet mechanism. A water usage filter disposed between each output valve and each water tap removes debris from the water prior to dispensing the water from the water tap. An auxiliary dispensing unit selectively dispenses additional water during maintenance or shutdown of the other dispensing units.
US08209991B2
The liquid refrigerant from the compressor 20 and the condenser 21 is alternately supplied to the cooling device for the freezing room 27F and the evaporator for the refrigeration room 27R through the three-way valve 24, so that the freezing room and the refrigeration room are alternately cooled. Here, the ratio of the refrigerant supply time to each evaporator is controlled based not on a deviation between a target temperature set for each storage room and an actual storage room temperature measured in each storage room, but on an integrated value obtained by integrating the difference of these deviations. In a cooling storage, in which from one compressor a refrigerant is selectively supplied to multiple evaporators respectively disposed in multiple storage rooms of varied thermal loads, a one-storage room cooling mode is prevented from being unnecessarily switched to a alternate cooling mode.
US08209989B2
An integrated circuit is cooled by microarchitecture controlled Peltier effect cooling. In one embodiment, a temperature sensor thermally coupled to at least a portion of the integrated circuit of a die is adapted to provide an output as a function of the temperature of an integrated circuit portion. Operation of a thermoelectric cooler thermally coupled to the integrated circuit portion is controlled as a function of the sensor output, wherein a controller of the integrated circuit controls the thermal electric cooler. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08209983B2
A turbocharger system for an internal combustion engine includes a turbocharger with a utility pedestal extending between the turbocharger and a mounting point associated with the cylinder block. The utility pedestal includes a mounting pad for attaching the combined turbocharger and pedestal assembly to an engine, as well as oil and coolant supply passages for supplying the turbocharger with coolant and lubricating oil under pressure. The utility pedestal's fastening system is configured so as to cover a minimum amount of space of the engine surface to which the pedestal is mounted, so as to reduce the footprint of the turbocharger system.
US08209981B2
Methods and systems for controlling an engine are provided. In some examples, the engine has at least a cylinder and a compression device coupled to an intake of the engine, and the method includes, during engine re-start operation of an engine idle-stop condition, commencing combustion in the cylinder from a non-combusting condition, the combustion in a two-stroke combustion cycle of the cylinder. However, in some examples, at least partially electrically powered boosting operation may also be used to extend the two-stroke operation during a start.
US08209963B2
An engine system includes an integrated engine and aftertreatment control system via an electronic aftertreatment controller that is in communication with the electronic engine controller. An aftertreatment control algorithm is operable to generate an exhaust control signal and a reductant dosing control signal. The dosing control signal is used to control a flow rate of a reductant (e.g. urea) injection rate into the exhaust system for facilitating a reduction reaction with NOx in the exhaust flow at a suitable downstream catalyst location. The exhaust control signal is communicated to the electronic engine controller, which responds by altering engine operation to change some aspect of the engine exhaust. In one specific example, an ammonia slip event precondition is detected by the electronic aftertreatment controller, and an exhaust control signal in the form of an increase NOx request is communicated to the engine controller, which responds by altering engine operation to increase NOx output in the hopes of preempting the expected ammonia slip event prior to its actual occurrence to maintain undesirable emissions low at the tailpipe.
US08209961B2
A method of managing vapors generated from an ammonia-containing reductant delivery system for a vehicle is described. The method may include storing ammonia containing vapors generated in the reductant delivery system during engine-off and then purging said stored ammonia into an exhaust of the engine to react in a catalyst in the exhaust flow during engine operation.
US08209957B2
A heatable hose conduit system is provided for an arrangement for the aftertreatment of exhaust gas in an internal combustion engine. The arrangement introduces a liquid reduction agent into the exhaust gas of the engine. The heatable hose conduit system has hose conduits that conduct the liquid reduction agent and are arranged in pairs in close proximity to hose conduits that conduct heating water. At least one end of at least one pair of hose conduits (6, 7 or 8, 9) terminates at a common connecting block that has a plug member of a plug-and-socket connector. The liquid reduction agent is conducted via the connecting block into the interior of the unit (11) to be connected and the heating water is conducted through a throughflow channel (20) which has an outlet outside the unit (11).
US08209951B2
A power generation system having an exhaust gas attemperating device and method for controlling a temperature of exhaust gases is provided. The exhaust gas attemperating device includes a first conduit and a venturi member. The first conduit is configured to receive at least a portion of exhaust gases from a gas turbine. The venturi member is disposed in the first conduit and defines a flow path therethrough for receiving the exhaust gases in the first conduit. The first conduit and the venturi member have an aperture extending therethrough communicating with the flow path, such that the exhaust gases flowing through the flow path draws ambient air through the aperture into the flow path for reducing a temperature of the exhaust gases flowing through the first conduit.
US08209946B2
A rotary mower has a center deck and wing decks extend laterally outward from the center deck and are oriented horizontally when in the field position. An actuator moves each wing deck from the field position to the raised transport position where the wing decks extend upward. A transport wheel and a field wheel are mounted on each side so that in the field position, the transport wheel is above the ground and the field wheel is supports the wing deck and in the raised transport position the field wheel is above the ground and the transport wheel supports the wing deck. A wing wheel supports each wing deck when in the field position. As the center deck is towed forward in the raised transport position, the wing decks pivot rearward with respect to the center deck from the raised transport position to the trailing transport position.
US08209944B1
A pharmaceutical storing and dispensing device including a child resistant mode and a non-child resistant mode between the container and the closure. The closure comprises a non-child resistant cap shaped to removeably engage the container and a child-resistant cap shaped to be permanently fixed to the non-resistant cap. The non-child resistant cap and child resistant cap are provided in intentionally varying quantities such that the quantity of child resistant caps is less than the quantity of non-child resistant caps.
US08209939B2
A system for supporting a load across non-intersecting beams each having a web depending from an upper chord with an upper surface generally parallel with a chordal plane includes at least one crossing member intersecting the beams at intersection loci. At each intersection locus the beam presents a channel receiving a crossing member in a nesting orientation in an installed orientation. The crossing member includes a support expanse configured for an abutting relation with the upper chord to present the upper surface and a top surface of the crossing member as coplanar in the installed orientation. The beam and the crossing member have aperture-pairs in register in the installed orientation. The apertures accommodate tension resisting members or compression resisting members coupled with the upper chord and traversing the crossing member for resisting tension or compression forces on the upper chord in the installed orientation.
US08209934B2
A wall tie being a steel rod having a first end and a second end, the first end having a tapered helical screw with a crimped stop located a predetermined length from the end thereof, the crimped stop adapted to retain a stopping means, e.g., a washer. The washer serves as a depth gauge such that when the wall tie is screwed into a stud and the washer reaches the stud it acts as a stop preventing the wall tie from further penetrating the stud.
US08209924B2
A steel structural member such as a joist or beam is secured to a vertical cast concrete member or wall by a connector system including a fabricated steel receiver embedded within the wall. Embedded anchors are attached to the receiver which has front wall portions flush with the concrete wall and define a front opening. A support bracket has a horizontal plate attached to the beam and a vertical plate which fits through the front opening within the receiver. The bracket is attached to the beam which is then elevated, and the vertical plate is inserted through the opening into the receiver. The beam and vertical plate are then shifted until opposite edge portions of the vertical plate are blocked by the front wall portions of the receiver. In the illustrated embodiment, the front opening and vertical plate are generally triangular, and the support bracket has a welded reinforcing gusset.
US08209908B2
A vehicle windowpane holder for connecting a vehicle windowpane to a window regulator mechanism, including: a leg section to be connected to the window regulator mechanism; a glass holding section including opposed surface portions extending from the leg section and a bottom surface portion, each of the opposed surface portions having a width in a longitudinal direction thereof that gradually increases as the surface portions extend away from the leg section, and the opposed surface portions and the bottom surface portion defining a windowpane receiving groove; and weir portions at both side edges of the opposed surface portions so as to close both ends of the windowpane receiving groove, each of the weir portions extending obliquely relative to a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface portion and are removed upon insertion of the windowpane into the windowpane receiving groove.
US08209900B2
Rodent bait station assemblies and methods for assembly and bundling.
US08209894B2
Provided is a multi-display apparatus formed by connecting a plurality of display devices. The multi-display apparatus includes a first display device, a second display device, and a transparent plate. The second display device may partially overlap with the first display device. The transparent plate covers at least some parts of the first display device and the second display device.
US08209891B2
A memorial marker having a base for placement on a grave marker is provided. A spring element is coupled to the base and configured to affix the base to the grave marker. A rod having a first end and a second end is coupled to the base at the first end. The rod is disposed in a substantially upright position. The second end of the rod permits an ornament such as at least one of a medallion and a flag to be coupled to the second end of the rod. A kit for the memorial marker and a related method for memorializing a deceased individual are also provided.
US08209890B2
A decorative theme plate with a display region, and adapted to releasably engage the receiving plate of an apparatus for holding a calendar.
US08209885B2
Shoes and shoe sole assemblies and associated methods of manufacture are disclosed herein. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a shoe and shoe sole assembly made of a non-linearly viscous, SEBS block copolymer-based material that becomes more resilient as more energy is applied. The shoe and shoe sole assembly is configured with a heel and forefoot insert configured to fit within a recess in a midsole. In other embodiments, the non-linearly viscous, SEBS block copolymer-based material is mixed with at least one other polymer in a foam. The midsole is formed with a heel impact region and a forefoot region made of the foam.
US08209878B2
A drying system for a hair removing device is safe and convenient for drying and sterilizing a cutter head with a sufficient amount of heat. The drying system includes a casing having a dry chamber with a top opening for detachably receiving a cutter head of the hair removing device, and a heater for heating the cutter head, a blower for generating a forced air flow and drying the cutter head. A lid is provided to close the top opening of the dry chamber such that the drying chamber is kept free from the entry of the environmental dust, which enables to heat the cutter head at an elevated temperature for effective sterilization.
US08209874B1
A frame construction tool system, for wood frame buildings, or for metal, polymer, concrete, or composite frame buildings, and methods of using some or all of the tools of said tool system, are particularly well-adapted for roof and/or wall construction. Preferably, a laser light unit comprises a plurality of adjustments for directing the laser light in a variety of directions, preferably for vertical, horizontal, and pivotal adjustment. The laser light unit may be used with targets, cuttings guides, and/or prism units for splitting and/or redirecting the laser beam. In one embodiment, the laser light unit is used with reflective and/or translucent/transparent targets to accurately build a “build-over roof” wherein the laser light unit maps out points and lines of an accurate connection between the roofs. In another embodiment, the laser light unit is used with one or more targets used at the top of a stud wall, to produce a straight line reference from one end/corner of a wall to another. In another embodiment, the laser light unit may be used with a cooperating cutting guide, to measure and properly cut a straight overhang for the roof or a deck and/or to measure and properly cut upending stud members in a pony wall. The preferred laser unit may be used with prism units to layout an entire building.
US08209857B2
A thin-film device and a method of fabricating the thin-film device are provided herein. The thin-film device comprises a bond layer, a film layer that has bulk material properties, and a substrate that has a heat-sensitive component disposed thereon. The method of fabricating the thin-film device comprises the step of providing an active material that has bulk material properties. The active material is bonded to the substrate through the bond layer. After bonding the active material to the substrate, the active material that is bonded to the substrate is thinned to produce the film layer of the thin-film device. The substrate is provided with the heat-sensitive component disposed thereon prior to bonding the active material to the substrate.
US08209854B2
Method for manufacturing a plastic fuel tank equipped with an internal accessory such as a liquid/vapor separation capacity for a venting system according to which: a parison is molded by blow molding or thermoforming, the accessory is equipped with a metal part and is fastened to the internal wall of the tank at the same time as it is molded, the tank is removed from the mold and the position of the metal part is located, and an opening is made in the wall of the tank depending on the position of the metal part.
US08209852B2
An arrangement for securing at least one screw of an electric terminal includes a deformable insulating housing element, and at least one shaft having a shaft wall extending vertically in the housing element. The shaft wall includes profiling in an area thereof. The shaft is configured to receive a screw having a screw-head so that the screw is countersunk. The profiling is elastically deformable and configured to deform during insertion of the screw and to elastically return towards an interior of the shaft so as to secure the screw. At least one of the shaft and the screw has a non-circular shape.
US08209850B2
In a method for manufacturing pencil cores a continuous strip of electrical steel is provided. The continuous strip is cut to create a plurality of starting strips as laminations each having a length longer than a desired length of the pencil cores and at least one of the strips having a strip width at least equal to or larger than a desired diameter of a cross-section of the pencil cores. The starting strips are provided with a bonding layer. The starting strips are stacked and then heated and cured to create a bonded stack. The bonded stack is machined to a substantially circular cross-section. Without a de-burring or de-smearing operation after the machining, the machined bonded stack is cut to create a plurality of pencil cores of the desired length. The pencil cores created by the method are substantially round, and have no welds at end faces.
US08209847B2
A method of fabricating a magnetic head is provided. The method of fabricating the magnetic head includes forming a writing head on a writing head area, forming an insulating layer having an inclined surface, forming a reading head on the inclined surface of the insulating layer, and forming an air bearing surface by polishing the surfaces of the writing head. Forming the reading head includes forming a first shield layer, a reading sensor, and a second shield layer.
US08209842B2
A stud mount for detachably mounting a traction stud to a snowmobile track assembly including an endless drive belt having at least one laterally extending reinforcing rod embedded in the drive belt. At least one stud mount is secured about the reinforcing rod by way of a mounting head and is opened to the ground-engaging side of the track to receive a traction stud. One or more stabilizing arms project laterally from the mounting head and are adapted embedded in the endless drive belt to provide lateral stability to the stud mounts under torque load.
US08209838B2
The design for a repair of an area of a composite structure is at least partially automated. Electronic data defining the boundaries of the area is used to calculate the boundaries of a cutout in the composite structure encompassing the area. Components used to repair the area are automatically designed based on the location of the cutout. Following removal of the cutout, the repair components are installed.
US08209824B2
A magnetic jewelry clasp is described that includes a first body member having a magnet that defines a first magnetically attractive surface. The clasp includes a second body member that has a magnet that defines a second magnetically attractive surface that magnetically connects to the first magnetically attractive surface to define a first locking arrangement of the clasp. The clasp includes a safety catch that has a first protuberance that is adapted to open and close the safety catch. The safety catch includes a second protuberance that fits over the end of the second body member which defines a second locking arrangement of the clasp. The Safety catch is designed so that it will function whether the two bodies are brought together with both right side up or with one up side down. It includes a pair of side panels that prevent misalignment of the first and second body members. There is also disclosed a safety catch with a magnet.
US08209816B2
A first locking arm connected to a second locking arm on a locking hinge axis. A pair of bearing surfaces on the first locking arm have a first axial spacing, and the second locking arm having a bearing block carrying bearing counter surfaces engaging the bearing surfaces providing a hinged connection between the locking arms. The bearing counter surfaces having a second axial spacing. A first locking element having a first locking surface affixed on one of the bearing surfaces, and a second locking surface affixed on one of the bearing counter surfaces engaging the first locking surface. A spring element biasing the first and the second locking surfaces together. The first axial spacing is less than the second axial spacing so that there is a second spring force acting on the first and second locking surfaces superimposed on the first spring force.
US08209814B2
There is provided an air intake for a vacuum-conveyance waste collection system, to form a high-speed air flow by allowing air to enter a conveying line through which waste being put into a waste receiving device is conveyed to a central waste collection station.The air intake for the vacuum-conveyance waste collection system according to the present invention comprises: an air inflow pipe 1 including an upper air inflow opening 1a and a lower air inflow opening 1b to allow outside air to enter; a noise pipe 4 with an upper end inserted under the air inflow pipe 1 and a sound absorption material 4c attached to an inner wall of the noise pipe 4; and a housing 5 including an air suction valve 6 installed inside and a sound absorption material 5a attached to an inner wall of the housing 5, the housing connected to a lower end of the noise pipe 4, to guide the air entered through the air inflow pipe 1 to a waste conveying line 10, wherein un upper rain cap in a cone shape is installed at an upper position in the air inflow pipe, a mesh is installed at the upper end of the noise pipe, and a lower rain cap in a frustum shape including a central through-hole is installed between the upper rain cap and the mesh.
US08209813B2
In a vehicle windshield wiper system, a support base includes a connecting rod (9) fixedly attached to a vehicle body and extending across a width of the vehicle body, and a base member (10, 11) depending from an intermediate part of the connecting member. A wiper motor (2) attached to a lower surface of a horizontal wall portion (11) of the base member, and a crank arm (3) is attached to an output shaft of the wiper motor. The base member is formed with an opening (13) to avoid an interference with the crank arm as the crank arm undergoes the rotative movement. The opening in the support base prevents an interference with the movement of the crank arm, and this allows the crank arm and an associated link mechanism (6) to be placed opposite to a vertically intermediate part of the support base, and immediately adjacent to the support base. Therefore, the windshield wiper system can be accommodated in a readily available space (24) under the lower edge of the windshield.
US08209812B1
The grill cleaning brush provides for the cleaning of accumulated deposits from the sides of grill grate bars, along with the simultaneous cleaning of collected grease, oil, fat and other liquids or semi-liquids that have accumulated on the grill grate. The grill cleaning brush includes a base having opposed upper and lower surfaces, a gripping handle mounted on the upper surface of the base, and a cleaning layer attached to the lower surface of the base. The cleaning layer includes both a wire scrubber and a grease absorbent pad embedded within the wire scrubber. Preferably, the wire scrubber is provided as first and second wire scrubber pads attached to the lower surface of the base, the grease absorbent pad being sandwiched therebetween. The grease absorbent pad may be formed from cotton, paper, a combination of the two, or the like.
US08209806B2
A guided pool brush and pool cleaning method are described. A guided pool brush may comprise a guiding member and a brush. The guiding member may comprise at least one of a front concave downforce portion, a rear concave downforce portion, a rear concave upforce portion, and a rear flat upforce portion. A pool cleaning method may include pushing a guided pool brush alternately in a backward movement and a forward movement proximate a pool surface, the forces on the guiding member causing the guided pool brush to maintain on the pool surface during the forward movement and at least one of maintain on the pool surface or maintain slightly above the pool surface during the backward movement. The guided pool brush may allow a user to more easily and/or more effectively clean a pool surface by ensuring proper contact of the brush with the pool surface when desired.
US08209802B2
A combination patient support table and stretcher assembly having a patient support surface including at least first and second planar sections convertible between first end-to-end secured and second collapsible arrangements. A plurality of legs extend from corner locations associated with the planar support sections, the legs are convertible at least between first downwardly supporting and second outwardly pivoting positions. The assembly operates in a selected configuration as a ground supported and elevated table, and which can further be reconfiguring through actuation of the legs to reconfigure as a patient transportable stretcher.
US08209798B2
A crib is provided having a plurality of sides, at least one side being made of a flexible material. One or more sides may be retractable. The retractable side may have a first edge and a second edge each being captured in a track. The crib also includes at least one locking mechanism and an actuating mechanism for releasing the locking mechanism. When the actuating mechanism is actuated, the retractable side moves along the track from a locked first position where the retractable side is fully extended into a second position where the retractable side curves under the base or rolls up into a spool.
US08209797B2
The present disclosure relates to a deployable bed assembly and associated method for using the deployable bed assembly with a conventional sofa, chair, and the like. The deployable bed is configured to rest upon and/or connect to the conventional sofa, chair, and the like with the conventional sofa, chair, and the like providing support and acting as a head board.
US08209794B1
An automatic pool level controller that maintains a water level water in a swimming pool to protect the pool both from a low water level and from overflow conditions that disable pool equipment from operating. The controller monitors water level with a plurality of adjustable conducting sensors that connect to a plurality of relays that control a plurality of switches and a solenoid valve to automatically add water to the pool when the water level falls below the desired level, and halt addition of water when the desired level is achieved, automatically turning on a pump to expel water to reduce the water level, and automatically turning a pump off to halt the discharge of water when the water is reduced to the desired level, maintaining the water level sufficient for operating pool equipment. The controller has an immersible sensor board, a submersible pump and runs on household current.
US08209791B2
Embodiments of the invention include devices for reliably indicating when the water level in a toilet tank rises to the top of the overflow tube. Indicators use the presence of water in the overflow to provide for visual, olfactory and/or auditory indication of the malfunction. Features of the invention provide for a safe, inexpensive and reliable device for detecting toilet malfunction. Indicators are housed in a device that is positioned to intercept overflow water passing from the toilet tank to the toilet bowl. The presence of water in the device housing is used to release indicators into the toilet bowl water or into the air. Improvements are provided that eliminate false positive indications and prevent inadvertent damage to the toilet.
US08209785B2
Fire resistant garments are disclosed made from a fabric containing a fiber blend. The fiber blend contains meta-aramid fibers, fire resistant cellulose fibers, non-aromatic polyamide fibers, and optionally para-aramid fibers. The non-aromatic polyamide fibers are present in an amount sufficient to dramatically improve the abrasion resistance of the fabric without adversely interfering with the flame resistant properties. In addition to abrasion resistance, the particular blend of fibers has also been found to dramatically improve or increase various other properties. In one embodiment, the fabric is made with a herringbone weave which has been found to unexpectedly improve tear properties and porosity.
US08209778B2
The headgear of the present invention includes a headcover with a headcover attaching part on right and left sides of the headcover, wherein a goggle attaching part provided at a back side of an end portion of a belt of a goggle is detachably attached to the headcover attaching part so that the goggle can be attached to the headcover. The goggle of the present invention includes a goggle attaching part at a back side of an end portion of a belt, wherein the goggle attaching part is detachably attached to a headcover attaching part provided at right and left sides of the headcover so that the goggle can be attached to the headcover of the headgear.
US08209772B2
The teacher's strategies tool apron of the present invention provides easy access and organization to the tools needed to enhance any instructional segment and promote student retention in PreK to 8th grade. The “tools of the trade” are located in the appropriately matched pockets of the apron, paired with researched best practices education strategies. Together they maximize the attention and involvement of the learning audience while simultaneously giving easy access and organization to the tools themselves to the presenter. The pockets have a signifying visual cue logo identifying the purpose of the tool that goes into that pocket and create a memory map for the presenter. When worn by the presenter the aprons bring the focus of the presentation's participants to its wearer.
US08209771B1
A protective pad for the palm of a wearer's hand consisting of a compressible, sponge-like material contained within an impervious material held in the palm region by a single attachment strap surrounding the wearer's hand. The attachment strap uses an adjustable fastener, preferably hook-and-loop material or a self-adhesive system. The pad shape is chosen to be non-obvious to others when in place on a user's hand. It may be provided in more than one size to help accomplish that objective. The palm pad is designed as a low-cost, disposable unit to promote sanitation (e.g., prevent infection, etc.) through daily exchanges of the pads. The compressibility of the pads is believed to provide therapeutic benefit by preventing further tightening of the hand while preventing nail impaction.
US08214918B2
Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM) probe tips that provide enhanced spatial resolution and methods of manufacture are provided. In one aspect, two or more magnetically-decoupled layers may be deposited on an AFM probe in order to create an active magnetic region at about the apex of the probe tip with dimensions less than about 10 nanometers. In another aspect, nanoscale patterning techniques may be employed to fabricate probe tips that possess plateau features. These plateau features may serve as substrates for the deposition of magnetic films having properties similar to magnetic recording media. Machining techniques, such as Focused Ion Beam (FIB) may be further employed to reduce the size of the magnetic materials deposited upon the substrate. Beneficially, because the plateaus of the substrate are substantially flat and of known geometry, and the magnetic properties of magnetic films deposited on flat surfaces are similar to those deposited upon the plateau, the magnetization of the MFM probe tips may be determined to high accuracy. In this manner, fine control over the magnetic properties of MFM probe tips may be achieved, providing enhanced MFM resolution.
US08214917B2
A microfluidic cell includes a compressible block and a cantilever. The compressible block includes a first horizontal surface, an opposite second horizontal surface and a plurality of vertical surfaces therebetween. A gasket structure depends downwardly from the second horizontal surface. The gasket structure defines an open cavity therein. The compressible block defines a fluid inlet passage and a fluid outlet passage each in fluid communication with the cavity and opening to a selected one of the first horizontal surface and one of the plurality of vertical surfaces. The cantilever includes body portion and a beam extending laterally therefrom. The body portion is embedded in the compressible block and a portion of the beam extends into the cavity defined by the gasket structure.
US08214902B2
An embodiment may include circuitry that may be comprised in a host. The host may include memory and a host processor to execute an operating system. The circuitry may be to determine, independently of the operating system and the host processor, the authenticity of signature list information, based at least in part upon authentication information received by the circuitry from a remote server. The circuitry also may be to determine, independently of the operating system and the host processor, based at least in part upon comparison of at least one portion of the signature list information with at least one portion of contents of the memory, whether authorized and/or malicious data are present in the at least one portion of the contents of the memory. Of course, many variations, modifications, and alternatives are possible without departing from this embodiment.
US08214898B2
A system receives a first part of a response that includes a number of parts, determines whether there is a security issue associated with the first part of the response, stores the first part of the response when there is no security issue associated with the first part of the response, and causes the first part of the response to be transmitted toward a destination when there is no security issue associated with the first part of the response. The system also receives a last part of the response, combines the last part of the response with at least the first part of the response to obtain combined parts of the response, processes the combined parts of the response to determine whether there is a security issue associated with the combined parts of the response, and causes the last part of the response to be transmitted toward the destination when there is no security issue associated with the combined parts of the response.
US08214879B2
A system for enforcing policy in a communication network includes a policy server which is operable to receive a request to invoke an application, receive a policy profile for a network user, and decide a proper allocation of network users based on the policy profile, the application, and available network resources. The policy server is further operable to communicate with a non-SIP application. The system also includes a network resource manager operably associated with the policy server and operable to monitor available network in the resources in the communication network. In addition, the network resource manager is functional to allocate network resource amongst a plurality of network users. The system also contains an application control point which is operably associated with the policy server and operable to communicate with a SIP application. The system is operable to use policy peering between the home and visited network to enable user-specific policies to be enforced while roaming.
US08214873B2
A method for playing music includes displaying a list of playlists names, selecting one of the displayed playlists names, sending at least one attribute of a playlist corresponding to the selected playlist name to a playlist server, receiving a playlist from the playlist server wherein the received playlist corresponds to the attribute(s), selecting at least one song from the received playlist, sending information representative of the selected song to a content server, receiving the selected song from the content server, and playing the selected song(s). Requesting a playlist on the first device based on attributes, sending the same attributes to a second device having the second device request the playlist and start playing.
US08214866B2
A video processing apparatus, a mobile apparatus and a control method of the video processing apparatus are provided. The video processing apparatus includes: a communicating unit which communicates with a video file supplying source that stores a video file and a header file corresponding to the video file, in which the video file contains video information and header information stored behind the video file information and transmitted later than the video information and used for reproducing the video information; a video processing unit which processes the video file to be reproduced; and a controller which receives the header file and the video file from the video file supplying source through the communicating unit and controls the video processing unit to reproduce the video file on the basis of the header file.
US08214865B2
A video signal receiving apparatus, includes: a plurality of receiving parts which receive a video signal; a plurality of communicating parts which transmit the video signal to a plurality of external display devices, and transmit and receive control data for changing a display property of the video signal and a setting of the display devices to and from the external display devices; and a control part which controls the communicating parts to transmit the video signal received by the receiving part to the external display devices, and to receive the control data and to transmit a signal which controls the corresponding display devices if the control data is input from the external display devices.
US08214862B1
A system and method for managing bandwidth used by videos in a wireless telecommunications network is provided. In one embodiment, the videos originate at mobile devices generating videos of a single event such as a concert, sporting event, graduation, or other event attended by multiple users. The mobile devices may communicate the videos to social networking websites where the videos may be viewed by multiple users. Embodiments of the present invention conserve bandwidth by selecting one or more of the videos of the single event to send to each of the destinations specified by all of the videos capturing the event. An instruction is then sent to each of the mobile devices generating nonselected video streams to discontinue transmission of the video streams.
US08214853B2
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for providing content to a subscriber of a first video service provider through a second video service provider and for facilitating the subscriber incurring a fee for viewing the content. In particular embodiments, the systems and methods authenticate a subscriber of a first video service provider and allow the subscriber to view content through a second video service provider and incur the fee for viewing such content. Various embodiments may make use of a content brokerage provider to facilitate the brokerage of content between video servicer providers. Further, in various embodiments, the first video service provider (and/or content brokerage provider) bills the subscriber for the fee incurred for viewing the content through the second video service provider and, in particular embodiments, a portion of the fee is paid to the second video service provider.
US08214852B2
In a disc device including a disc loading mechanism for transporting a disc between an inside and an outside of the disc device, a frame acting as an exterior of the disc device is disposed with at least a motor as a power source, and a switch for controlling the rotation or the stop of the motor by switching on or off, and a pressing unit for switching on or off of the switch is disposed integrally with the frame. With the configuration, the rotation control of the motor as the power source is realized by a simple structure.
US08214835B2
A scheduler of a virtual machine (VM) module, a scheduling method thereof, and a device containing computer software are provided. The scheduler has a classification module and a scheduling module. The classification module receives at least one VM module and analyzes a resource proportion parameter to generate classification result information. The scheduling module has a first schedule queue and a second schedule queue, sort an immediately resource-required VM module to the first schedule queue and a non immediately resource-required VM module to the second schedule queue, and determine whether the VM module of the first schedule queue exists or not, and if yes, it outputs the VM module of the first schedule queue to a processor; otherwise, outputs the VM module of the second schedule queue to the processor.
US08214832B2
A technique for implementing separation of duties for transactions includes determining a current task assignment number of an entity. The technique also includes determining whether the entity can perform a new task based upon the current task assignment number and a task transaction number (which is based on at least one prime number) assigned to the new task.
US08214826B2
A mechanism is provided that utilizes the attributes of the nodes to build a target list and creates filters based on the node attributes. The filters are installed on the mediators. Each mediator then applies that filter to its own local node list to create a local target list. This local target list will then contain the list of local nodes that need to have a targeted action applied, such as software installed, on them. The mediator then carries out the targeted action, such as software installation, on those nodes. By extending discovered node information with arbitrary attributes, the resolution of target lists defined by filters applied to the master node list is increased.
US08214825B2
A peripheral for a computer and a method of using the peripheral is for installing software onto the computer using Direct Memory Access. The peripheral comprises a computer accessible medium and a program product. The program product has codes to read and write to the Random Access Memory of the computer; and to bypass restrictions of the host computer Operating System that prevent the peripheral from gaining full access to all portions of the host computer's Random Access Memory. The preferred methods of using the peripheral automatically install software on a computer or copies forensic data from the computer's Random Access Memory once the peripheral is connected to the computer.
US08214822B2
Methods and systems are disclosed for updating a candidate computer program file. An exemplary method includes loading a first and second revisions of a first computer program file, loading a first revision of a second computer program file, and generating a candidate computer program file. References are made to the first and second revisions of the first computer program file and the first revision of the second computer program file in generating the candidate computer program file.
US08214819B2
Function calls for a program are sampled to determine call counts in the program. The call counts are determined based on sampled function calls collected during sampling intervals.
US08214810B2
A method of compiling source code, involving a pre-processing step for including at least one additional source code file into the source code prior to generating target code from the source code. The proposed method further comprises the steps of: establishing, during the pre-processing step, at least one network connection to at least one remote server; and downloading the additional source code file from the remote server.
US08214809B2
A grid-enabled ANT system that includes ANT XML task files that can run on both grid-enabled machines or stand-alone computers is disclosed. A network file server is used to store files accessed during the build process, and ANT's standard XML tagging and parameters are used, thus enabling the user to use a standardized format for entering XML information. This grid-enabled ANT is transparent to the user since ANT parses the tasks and automatically sends jobs to the grid, when appropriate, instead of the user deciding which tasks to implement as grid tasks.
US08214802B1
A step-by-step visual preview into a guided software configuration process is provided, where the preview is updated in real time as users specify the parameters of the software during the software configuration process, thereby providing a visual explanation of the various components of the software and their relationship to one another. Before the newly assembled software configuration is actually performed, the complete graphical representation of the software configuration is displayed for approval.
US08214801B2
A process for managing customizations for components in a component tree includes for each customization associated with the parent of a component, matching the pathname of the component with the customization path. The process further includes associating the customization with the component, if the matching results in a partial match. The process further includes applying the customization to the component, if the matching results in a complete match.
US08214791B1
Certain embodiments of the present invention enable a user to display and edit the effects of inherited connections in a circuit that is characterized as a hierarchical arrangement including cell instances and connectors. The hierarchical arrangement may include a tree structure where the cell instances include devices and the connectors include wires and pins. Property names are associated with connectors for identifying corresponding signal sources, and property-setting expression are associated with cell instances for specifying property-name values and making the corresponding identifications. Displays may include a path along the hierarchical arrangement from a given connector to a corresponding signal source including the effects of property names and property-setting expressions along the path. Displays may enable editing by the user to change property names and property-setting expressions along the path and view corresponding results for the inherited connections.
US08214785B2
The method comprises a number of simultaneously switching signals calculation step in which the number of simultaneously switching signals is calculated for each set of user setting information for the input and output signal on the basis of pin arrangement information and the user setting information of the pins in a neighboring area of a pin to be executed in the estimation process; and a simultaneous switching noise calculation step in which a difference is calculated between noise corresponding to an initial point and that to a terminal point in a range of the number of simultaneously switching signals calculated for each set of user setting information on the basis of a relationship between the number of simultaneously switching signals and the noise caused by the number of simultaneously switching signals for each set of user setting information.
US08214782B1
In some embodiments of the invention, a method and apparatus of consolidating all types of coverage metrics, obtained from an HDL simulator, under a single common framework is described. In other embodiments of the invention, a method and an apparatus are disclosed for performing ranking from a verification plan using total coverage metric.
US08214781B1
In an example embodiment, the system obtains the mutual inductance (e.g., Mij) between a quiet I/O buffer and each switching I/O buffer on a PLD from an automatic SSN measurement system. The system calculates the corrected mutual inductance between the quiet I/O buffer and each switching I/O buffer by multiplying the mutual inductance by a correction factor (e.g., αj). The system multiplies each corrected mutual inductance by the rate of current flowing through the switching I/O buffer to obtain an induced voltage resulting from the switching I/O buffer. The system sums the induced voltages for all the switching I/O buffers on the PLD to obtain an estimate of total induced voltage caused in the quiet I/O buffer by all switching I/O buffers. The correction factor is based on bench measurements and depends on the amplitude of the simultaneous switching noise affecting each switching I/O buffer.
US08214780B2
Embodiments of methods and apparatus for optimization of verification of a chip design are disclosed. In various embodiments, a method for reducing a number of points to be verified during a verification process is disclosed, the method comprising selecting a first and a second verification point of a model of an integrated circuit design, determining whether the first and second verification points are isomorphic, and outputting the result of the determining to enable the first and second verification points being verified by verifying only a selected one of the first and second verification points in case the first and the second verification points are isomorphic. Additional variants and embodiments may also be disclosed and claimed.
US08214775B2
During a method for generating a mask pattern for a photo-mask, a target pattern is partitioned into subsets of the target pattern. The subsets of the target pattern may be selected so that at least some of the subsets are approximately identical, thereby dividing the subsets into a degenerate group and a non-degenerate group. A group of the subsets may include multiple shapes, and a given target pattern may be significantly larger than a pre-determined length scale and a given shape in the multiple shapes is smaller than the pre-determined length scale. The non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern may be distributed to multiple processors. These processors may be used to determine subsets of the mask pattern based on the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern. The subsets of the mask pattern may be combined to generate the mask pattern.
US08214768B2
Methods, systems, and graphical user interfaces for viewing multiple application windows are disclosed. In one embodiment, a portable electronic device with a touch screen display: displays an application, which includes a displayed window and at least one hidden window; displays an icon for adding windows to the application; detects activation of the icon for adding windows; in response to detecting activation of the icon for adding windows, adds a window to the application; detects a gesture on the touch screen display; and, in response to detecting the gesture, moves a displayed window in the application off the display and moves a hidden window onto the display.
US08214762B2
An approach is described for recording the selections made by a user and then presenting information regarding these selections to the user in various contexts. Each selection corresponds to the user's express request to receive information (such as a telephone number) that is useful in performing a transaction (such as calling a particular business entity).
US08214753B2
A computer-implemented method, system and computer program product of designing views of portlets are presented. The computer-implemented method, which is executed on a specific processor, receives, from a client, multiple requirements for portlets and views of a portal application. Common business components are then extracted from the multiple requirements, and the business components are classified into categories of containers, data entry forms, or tables. A library of implemented common business components is created and provided to multiple developers, who are then able to design the views of the portlets, such that the portal application views will have a similar look and feel.
US08214752B2
A method for dynamically constructing a user interface definition is disclosed. A request for an information list is sent. The user interface definition with the information list is received. A filter script is applied to the user interface definition to provide a filtered user interface definition. The filtered user interface definition is sent to an application. The filtered user interface definition is constructed. The filtered user interface definition is displayed.
US08214751B2
In various embodiments, the density of a plurality of virtual universe avatars within a predetermined proximity from a designated focal point object in a virtual universe is determined. One or more auxiliary focal point objects associated with the designated focal point object are dynamically spawned within the virtual universe based on the determined density of the virtual universe avatars. Dynamic spawning of auxiliary focal point objects can reduce the load on virtual universe host servers and the corresponding client devices, and thus may improve performance of the virtual universe system.
US08214734B2
Evaluating the performance of a text analysis engine is provided. A plurality of pre-annotated reference documents and a set of annotation types associated with the pre-annotated reference documents are received. Annotation contexts of reference annotations in the plurality of pre-annotated reference documents are analyzed using the set of annotation types. Similar annotation contexts are identified between the reference annotations and the set of annotation types. Responsive to identifying the similar annotation contexts, the similar annotation contexts are clustered thereby forming a plurality of reference annotation clusters. A set of reference content heterogeneity scores are computed based on the number of reference annotation clusters for each annotation type in the set of annotation types. An integral reference content rate for the set of annotation types is then computed and output to a user.
US08214732B2
Disclosed are a method and system for grouping columns of data into different levels for subsequent multiple level operations. The method comprises the steps of providing sub-columns within a single table column, said table columns and each of the sub-columns having an associated header; and using multiple dummy tables and displaying them separately on different locations, one of the dummy tables including one or more of the associated headers. The preferred embodiment of the invention uses a tool, referred to as the Jtable class, which is used to display and edit regular two-dimensional tables of cells. The present invention is able to support multilevel headers and column spanning by using multiple tables and displaying them separately. Preferably, this is done using another tool, GridBagLayout, which is associated with Jpanel tool.
US08214717B2
Provided is an apparatus and method for decoding a Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) code based on prototype parity check matrixes. The apparatus, includes: a parity check matrix selecting means for determining multiple prototype parity check matrixes according to a sub-matrix size and a parallelization figure for processing the parity check matrix; a bit input means for receiving a log likelihood probability value for input bit according to the sub-matrix size and the parallelization figure; a check matrix process means for sequentially performing a partial parallel process on the parity check matrix based on the received log likelihood probability value and the determined multiple prototype parity check matrixes; and a bit process means for determining a bit level based on the partial-parallel processed parity check matrix value and recovering the input bit according to the sub-matrix size and the parallelization figure.
US08214716B2
A method for processing noise interference in a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) interface. In the method, when a receiver does not receive a SOF primitive (start of frame primitive) but does receive an EOF primitive (end of frame primitive) or WTRM primitive (wait for frame termination primitive), the receiver outputs a R_ERR primitive (reception error primitive) to enable a transmitter to resend original data and thus to eliminate the interference. In addition, if the transmitter detects an error during the data transmission, a HOLD primitive (hold data transmission primitive) will be issued to temporarily stop the data transmission.
US08214699B2
Disclosed is a semiconductor chip with a digital integrated circuit, such as a memory device (e.g., static random access memory (SRAM) arrays, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) arrays, content addressable memory (CAM) arrays, etc), that can be selectively operated in either a functional mode or in a performance screening mode. In the functional mode, a first signal supplied by an external signal generator is used to activate a first device in the circuit and, in response, a second device in the circuit outputs a data output signal. In the performance screening mode, a second signal is internally generated by an internal signal generator based on the data output signal. This second signal is then used to activate the first device in the circuit and, in response, the second device outputs the data output signal. Thus, in the performance screening mode, the digital integrated circuit is effectively converted into a performance screen ring oscillator (PSRO), the output of which can be monitored to determine whether performance criteria for the digital integrated circuit are met.
US08214696B2
An apparatus and method for transmitting a signal using a bit grouping method in a wireless communication system is disclosed. Interleaved subblocks are maintained, and output bit sequences are modulated in due order after bit grouping and bit selection. The bit grouping method is advantageous in that bit reliability is uniformly distributed.
US08214694B1
A system for monitoring a device under test implemented within an integrated circuit (IC) can include at least one probe that detects a designated type of data transaction, where in response to detecting the designated type of data transaction, each probe outputs a single data transaction detection signal. The system also can include a data collector coupled to each probe, where the data collector stores an indication of each data transaction detection signal that is output by each probe. The data collector can be configured so that no value of any probed signal is stored.
US08214692B1
A system and method is disclosed for enforcing a third-party factory test during a quality verification of a newly-manufactured computing device. During an assembly line quality verification, a factory implemented test and a required third-party factory test are executed on a computing device, and then the execution verified by an external process. On verifying the required third-party factory test was executed, the computing device is configured to execute a release image on a subsequent startup of the computing device.
US08214691B1
A system and method is disclosed for testing internet functionality of a computing device in a simulated Internet environment. In a testing environment, one or more local web servers are isolated from the Internet and configured to simulate one or more websites on the Internet. A request for a website located on the Internet is received from a computing device under test at a testing station. In response to receiving the request, information which simulates the website located on the Internet is provided to the computing device by the one or more local web servers, without access to the Internet.
US08214690B2
A method is described and represented for testing a control apparatus with a test device, where the control apparatus has at least one state variable and at least one actual functionality that contains a time dependency, and the control apparatus and the test device are connected to each other via a signal interface.The problem of the present invention is to prevent—at least partially—the disadvantages known from the state of the art, and, particularly, to provide a method for testing a control apparatus, which allows as simple and flexible an acquisition of the target functionality of a control apparatus is possible, and which takes into account the time dependency of the target functionality as comprehensively as possible during the test case generation.
US08214685B2
To make available a backup copy of source data in a multi-site storage system, the source data is provided at a first storage site and an operational copy of the source data is provided at a second storage site. In response to a request to create a backup copy of the source data, the backup copy of the source data is produced at each of the first and second storage sites. In response to failure that causes the first storage site to be unavailable, recovery of a version of the source data is enabled based on accessing the backup copy of the source data at the second storage site, and accessing the operational copy of the source data at the second storage site.
US08214683B2
An image forming apparatus that can be used even when an access error occurs due to replacement of component elements. When replacement of a component element of the image forming apparatus is detected, it is determined whether or not a predetermined process has been normally carried out on the component element. When it is determined that the predetermined process has not been normally carried out, another process different from the predetermined process is carried out. When the other process has been normally carried out, the predetermined process for the component element is changed to the other process.
US08214677B2
A system is disclosed. The system includes a central processing unit (CPU) to operate in one or more low power sleep states, and a power converter. The power converter includes phase inductors; and one or more power switches to drive the phase inductors. The one or more power switches are deactivated during the CPU sleep state.
US08214673B2
A server system, method, and program product are provided for setting a power level of a central processing unit (CPU) included in the server computer system—the CPU being operable at a plurality of levels of power, and the server providing a service that follows a predetermined protocol identified by a port number to a client computer via a computer network. The method includes the steps of monitoring connection establishment or close of communication with the client computer and a port number for the established or closed communication, determining a power level to be set as the power level of the CPU in accordance with the port number, and setting the determined power level as the power level of the CPU.
US08214670B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit has an internal circuit to which operation power is supplied or interrupted, and a power supply control circuit for controlling the supply and interruption of operation power to the internal circuit in accordance with an operation mode. The power supply control circuit has a storage circuit and a power supply control sequence circuit. The storage circuit inputs and holds switching instruction data for instructing switching between supply and interruption of the operation power and low-power-consumption-mode data determining an operation mode of the interruption of operation power and cancellation of the interruption. The power supply control sequence circuit performs a control of transition between the interruption and supply of the operation power with reference to the switching instruction data and the low-power-consumption-mode data held in the storage circuit and, at the time of cancelling a state of interrupting the supply of operation power in response to the switching instruction data in the operation power supply interruption state according to the low-power-consumption-mode data, stops newly referring to the low-power-consumption mode data until an operation of the internal circuit to which the operation power is to be supplied is assured.
US08214655B2
In a data structure of a multimedia file format, a movie box and a media data box are provided. In each box, a non-encrypted size field, a non-encrypted type field and box data field are provided. In box data of the movie box, information data regarding multimedia data is stored. The multimedia data is encrypted and stored in box data of the media data box. The information data is obtained by referring to the container in the movie box. This information data is held as encryption and encoding information data. By referring to the information data, a data unit of the encrypted multimedia data in the media data box is obtained, and the unit data is decrypted.
US08214654B1
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for loading a secure firmware update onto an adapter device in a computer system. The method includes the steps of sending a duplet of encrypted data conveying a same portion of an encrypted update image along a transfer path to the adapter device, restoring two portions of source data from the duplet, and determining whether to accept the source data based on the result of a comparison of the two portions of source data.
US08214650B2
A system for performing authentication of a first user to a second user includes the ability for the first user to submit multiple instances of authentication data which are evaluated and then used to generate an overall level of confidence in the claimed identity of the first user. The individual authentication instances are evaluated based upon: the degree of match between the user provided by the first user during the authentication and the data provided by the first user during his enrollment; the inherent reliability of the authentication technique being used; the circumstances surrounding the generation of the authentication data by the first user; and the circumstances surrounding the generation of the enrollment data by the first user. This confidence level is compared with a required trust level which is based at least in part upon the requirements of the second user, and the authentication result is based upon this comparison.
US08214638B1
A source computer is associated with multiple certificates. The source signs each certificate with a separate private key. From time to time, the source generates (a) new key pair(s) to replace (an) old one(s). The source uses the new private key(s) to sign the associated certificate(s). The source then requests a connection to a destination computer, the request being associated with the multiple certificates which identify the source. The source also transmits the new public key(s). The destination receives the request, and checks the certificates for validity. If less than all but at least a threshold number of the certificates are valid, the destination notes that one or more new public keys are being distributed. The destination accepts the connection, receives the new public key(s) associated with the invalid certificate(s), and replaces the corresponding old public key(s).
US08214636B2
A public key infrastructure comprises a client side to request and utilize certificates in communication across a network and a server side to administer issuance and maintenance of said certificates. The server side has a portal to receive requests for a certificate from a client. A first policy engine to processes such requests in accordance with a set of predefined protocols. A certification authority is also provided to generate certificates upon receipt of a request from the portal. The CA has a second policy engine to implement a set of predefined policies in the generation of a certificate. Each of the policy engines includes at least one policy configured as a software component e.g. a Java bean, to perform the discreet functions associated with the policy and generate notification in response to a change in state upon completion of the policy.
US08214621B2
A storage device can comprise storage media that can have differing characteristics. A storage manager can obtain the characteristics of a storage device, and of individual portions, such as individual media, of the storage device, by querying the device, querying a database, or through empirical observation or testing. The storage manager can then divide the media of the storage device into storage media parts, that can comprise some or all of the individual storage media. Data can then be stored on one or more storage media parts in accordance with the information provided by metadata associated with the data, such that the data is stored on storage media parts that are optimal for such data, from among the available storage media parts, based on the information from the associated metadata.
US08214616B2
A memory controller is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the memory controller may comprise a first transmitter to output first and second write commands synchronously with respect to a clock signal, a second transmitter to output first data using a first timing offset such that the first data arrives at a first memory device in accordance with a predetermined timing relationship with respect to a first transition of the clock signal, and a third transmitter to output second data suing a second timing offset such that the second data arrives at a second memory device in accordance with a predetermined timing relationship with respect to a second transition of the clock signal.
US08214612B1
A method, system, and program product for ensuring consistency of dynamically changing volumes comprising creating a production change map for a first volume; wherein the production change map is marked to represent pending IO, creating a replication change map for a second volume; wherein the replication change map is marked to represent pending IO, transferring a first signature corresponding to a portion of the first volume to the replication volume, wherein the signature does not include the portion marked as pending IO in the production change map, comparing the first signature to a second signature, the second signature corresponding to a portion of the replication volume corresponding to the portion of the production volume; wherein portions marked as dirty in the replication change map are not included in the signature.
US08214610B2
A system includes a data storage device, a controller coupled with the data storage device, a backup device coupled with the controller for backing up a modified portion of data and volatile memory metadata stored by the controller, and a backup power source for powering the controller. The controller includes a pre-specified region of volatile memory for storing backup device metadata for managing a modified portion of data, the metadata comprising one or more intents corresponding to modified data written back to the data storage device. The controller is configured to invalidate the one or more intents. During a restore operation, the controller is configured to store the backup device metadata in the pre-specified region of volatile memory when a charge on the backup power source is at least a minimum threshold charge and to store the updated backup device metadata in the backup device during an interruption of power.
US08214609B2
Some embodiments comprise a method for selecting data to be transferred to a storage space of virtual memory and include identifying a set of data and determining subsets. Determining subsets may allow for delays before transferring the subsets and allow access to memory of the subsets during the delays. Accesses during the delays may enable embodiments to select other data to be transferred to the storage space and prevent transference of the accessed data. Other embodiments comprise apparatuses that have a paging space, a page identifier, and a page transferrer to transfer pages to the paging space after a delay. The delay may prevent a number of pages from being transferred to the paging space, such as for pages that were accessed during the delay.
US08214601B2
The present invention provides a system with a cache that indicates which, if any, of its sections contain data having spent status. The invention also provides a method for identifying cache sections containing data having spent status and then purging without writing back to main memory a cache line having at least one section containing data having spent status. The invention further provides a program that specifies a cache-line section containing data that is to acquire “spent” status. “Spent” data, herein, is useless modified or unmodified data that was formerly at least potentially useful data when it was written to a cache. “Purging” encompasses both invalidating and overwriting.
US08214593B2
A serial interface cache controller, control method and micro-controller system using the same. The controller includes L rows of address tags, wherein each row of address tags includes an M-bits block tag and an N-bits valid area tag. The M-bits block tag records an address block of T-byte data stored in an internal cache memory, and the N-bits valid area tag records valid bit sectors in the address block. Each valid bit sector has the size of T/N bytes. The controller needs to read T/N bytes of data from an external memory to the internal cache memory at each time without the need of reading the T-byte data of the whole address block. Because the T-byte data of the whole address block is not necessary to be read by the micro-controller, the waiting time of the micro-controller may be shortened, and the performance can be increased.
US08214591B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for a front-end, distributed redundant array of independent drives (“RAID”). A storage request receiver module receives a storage request to store object or file data in a set of autonomous storage devices forming a RAID group. The storage devices independently receive storage requests from a client over a network, and one or more of the storage devices are designated as parity-mirror storage devices for a stripe. The striping association module calculates a stripe pattern for the data. Each stripe includes N data segments, each associated with N storage devices. The parity-mirror association module associates a set of the N data segments with one or more parity-mirror storage devices. The storage request transmitter module transmits storage requests to each storage device. Each storage request is sufficient to store onto the storage device the associated data segments. The storage requests are substantially free of data.
US08214585B2
Parallel, coordinated, and optimized access of real Base and Alias DASDs by one or more virtual machines, each utilizing one or more virtual Base and Alias DASDs. Each of a plurality of virtual machines defines a virtual Base DASD device and a modified operating system may coordinate the virtual machine activity on real Base and Alias devices to maximize overall system throughput. In more complex embodiments, one or more virtual machines define one or more virtual Bases and associated virtual Alias devices in which case wherein the embodiments described coordinate their activity on one or more real Base and Alias devices to maximize overall system throughput.
US08214583B2
Host system data files are written directly to a large erase block flash memory system with a unique identification of each file and offsets of data within the file but without the use of any intermediate logical addresses or a virtual address space for the memory. Directory information of where the files are stored in the memory is maintained within the memory system by its controller, rather than by the host. The file based interface between the host and memory systems allows the memory system controller to utilize the data storage blocks within the memory with increased efficiency.
US08214569B2
A method for reading non-standard register of Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) devices discloses an unused input parameter of standard command setting up as an executive parameter. While receiving the standard command, a SATA host controller converts the executive parameter and the standard command into input frame information structure (FIS) that is sent to the SATA devices for the SATA devices to detect the executive parameter for reading corresponding value of non-standard register and saving the value into an output register of the SATA devices. The value of the non-standard register is converted into output frame information structure for being sent to the SATA host controller and the value of the non-standard register is saved to the output register of the SATA host controller. Then by reading the value of the output register of the SATA host controller, the value of the non-standard register is learned.
US08214561B2
A peripheral interface and process for data transfer, especially for laser scanning microscopes. The peripheral interface permits a gap-free transfer of data with high transmission speed using a non-real-time-enabled operating system of the control computer. A peripheral connection for a peripheral device and a control unit serving for one-way transmission of a predetermined amount of data from the control computer to the peripheral device and/or vice versa accesses via a system bus of a control computer, a work memory region of the control computer serves as buffers preassigned to it, where the control unit prepares for the control computer a progress report of the transfer for retrieval and the control unit of the control computer is informed of the progress of the processing of the buffer independently of the transfer.
US08214558B1
A computer-implemented method for managing access to a peripheral device is described. A request is received from an operating system to interface with a peripheral device. The operating system requesting to interface with the peripheral device is analyzed. A determination is made as to whether the operating system is a host operating system based on the analysis of the operating system. The operating system is prevented from interfacing with the peripheral device if the operating system is a host operating system.
US08214554B2
In one cycle for transferring data, a controller forming a data transfer circuit stores pointer information P_A for periodic transfer and pointer information P_B for non-periodic transfer read from a memory respectively in first and second storage areas. The controller sequentially transfers, to a communication bus, data D_A for periodic transfer and data D_B for non-periodic transfer read from the memory by referring to the P_A and P_B. If transfer by a data length indicated in the P_B has not been completed upon the transfer of the D_B, the controller updates the data length to a data length of the remaining data, and updates an address indicated in the P_B to an address on the memory of the remaining data. In the next cycle for transferring data, the controller reads the remaining data from the memory by referring to the P_B, and transfers the remaining data to the communication bus.
US08214544B2
A system and a method are disclosed for allowing a host device to communicate with an accessory device using a lightweight communications protocol. A communications link is first established between the connected accessory and host device. The host device sends a request for a register map file (RMF) to the accessory device. A RMF identifies registers for elements of the accessory device. The accessory device sends the RMF to host device, responsive to the request and the host device maps the RMF to interface with a higher level language such as C++ or JavaScript, allowing the host to act on the register mapping. Such interaction can be handled at the driver layer of an operating system, the application framework layer or the application layer. This permits both a layered service model and a fine-grant access at the application layer of the host device.
US08214525B2
An initial configuration is maintained assigning multiple local interfaces to one initial local address. For each local interface, a remote address of a remote interface on at least one remote device to which the local interface connects is received. The initial local address is used to identify the local interfaces assigned to the initial local address in response to receiving a same remote address for each remote interface connected to the local interfaces assigned the initial local address.
US08214524B2
A system and method for selecting an optimal authoritative name server includes global authoritative name servers and regional authoritative name servers. The local name server receives a request for target objects from a client. The local name server inquires one of the global authoritative name servers about an IP address of a requested domain. The selected global authoritative name server initially responds to the local name server. For subsequent requests, the selected global authoritative name server guides the local name server to inquire one of the regional authoritative name servers by providing a new authoritative name server list including a group of regional authoritative name servers designated to serve a network location of the local name server. The system and method for selecting the optimal authoritative name server may have practical applications in a content delivery network system.
US08214522B2
A method for sharing a network connection between a host system and a virtual machine is disclosed. The method includes sending an outgoing data frame from the virtual machine to a computer network. The host system is enabled to use the network connection using a first layer 2 address and a first layer 3 address. The first layer 2 and the first layer 3 addresses are associated with the network connection. The virtual machine is enabled to attempt to use the network connection using a second layer 2 address and a second layer 3 address. The first layer 3 and the second layer 3 addresses are compliant with IPv6. An occurrence of the second layer 2 address is replaced within the outgoing data frame with the first layer 2 address. If the outgoing data frame includes a network discover protocol (NDP) message of a selected type, the second layer 2 address in the NDP message is replaced by the first layer 2 address.
US08214521B2
Systems and methods are disclosed to process streaming data units (tuples) for an application using a plurality of processing units, the application have a predetermined processing time requirement, by changing an operator-set applied to the tuple by a processing unit, on a tuple-by-tuple basis; estimating code requirement for potential operators based on processing unit capability; and assigning the potential operators to the processing units.
US08214508B2
The following solution means are provided for easily specifying property items that have to be revised in order to satisfy a SLO (Service Level Objective): A storage unit (121) for storing an application SLO table that associates a standard SLO item defining a standard SLO with an application SLO item defining a SLO required for executing an application system, and a correspondence table that associates a standard SLO item with a property item having an impact on the standard SLO element. By specifying an application SLO item, a standard SLO item corresponding to that item is extracted from the application SLO table, and a property item corresponding to the extracted standard SLO item is acquired from the correspondence table.
US08214489B2
Peer-to-peer networks employing simple peers and super peers strike a balance between centralized (client-server based) and entirely flat peer-to-peer approaches. They introduce hierarchy into peer-to-peer networks in the form of super peer nodes, peers which have extra capabilities and duties in the network. There are problems in the identification and election of peers to take the role of super peer: in particular, the need for regular update messages to communicate peer availability across the network significantly impacts discovery times (when a simple peer attempts to advertise a service or requests a service from another peer). A presence server is implemented in the network in order to monitor the availability of each peer. A device called the “super peer elector” subscribes to receive updated availability information from the presence server and assigns super peer status to the most appropriate, and available, simple peer.
US08214486B2
Disclosed is an internet traffic monitoring method. In the method, a first packet, sent from a user client, having a web content request meeting certain monitoring selection criteria is detected. Upon detection of the first packet, a second packet is forwarded to the user client. The second packet has a redirection with a fabricated web content request to a monitoring web page including at least one monitoring implement.
US08214484B2
To predict edges in a non-cumulative graph, based on a sequence of non-cumulative previous occurrences of the graph, the sequence of non-cumulative previous occurrences of the graph is obtained, and topological properties of each of the previous occurrences of the graph are extracted. Topological similarities between each of the previous occurrences of the graph are computed based on the topological properties. The edges of the graph are predicted by computing a score for each possible edge of the graph, based upon the topological similarities.
US08214472B2
A mechanism is provided for registering a Common Information Model (CIM) provider to at least one Common Information Model Object Manager (CIMOM). The CIMOM pre-stores at least one class definition. The CIMOM sends information to the Common Information Model (CIM) provider in order for the CIM provider to determine the at least one CIMOM existing in a network. The CIMOM sends thee at least one class definition stored in the CIMOM in order for the CIM provider to determine if the CIMOM comprises a class definition suitable for the CIM provider to operate. Responsive to the CIM provider determining that the CIMOM comprises a suitable class definition, the CMOM registers the CIM provider by recording an identifier of the CIM provider under the name of the class definition suitable to the CIM provider in the at least one CIMOM.
US08214470B2
A cluster-based, delegated software upgrade scheme facilitates software upgrade for radio base station nodes comprising a cluster of a flat radio access telecommunications network. The plural radio base stations are grouped into clusters (30), and a master radio base station (RBSM) designated for each cluster. The master radio base station (RBSM) is used to initiate software upgrade of the radio base stations comprising the cluster. The master radio base station (RBSM) can also perform a monitoring of implementation of the software upgrade at the radio base stations of the cluster, and on the basis of the monitoring, determine whether a cluster-wide software upgrade is successful. In one of its example modes, the master radio base station can further prepare a software upgrade report which confirms/summarizes implementation of the software upgrade at the radio base stations of the cluster.
US08214467B2
Migrating port-specific operating parameters during blade server failover including querying, by a system management server of a data center, a switch for port-specific operating parameters of a first port, the data center comprising blade servers coupled for data communications to one another and to the system management server by a network, the system management server comprising a computer subsystem that automates server management processes in the data center, the switch comprising a data communications component of the network, the switch comprising ports, the ports comprising physical points of connection between the switch and blade servers, each port having associated port-specific operating parameters, the switch connected at the first port to a failing blade server; and assigning, by the system management server, the port-specific operating parameters to a second port in a same switch or another switch connected at the second port to a replacement blade server.
US08214459B2
A portable terminal includes a receiving unit which receives content information, an external device communication unit which conducts communication with an external information device, a display unit which displays the content information received by the receiving unit, an acquiring unit which acquires identification information identifying the content information displayed by the display unit, an operation unit which receives an operation indication from a user, and a control unit which conducts control such that if a transmission indication of the identification information is received by the operation unit while the content information is being displayed, the identification information acquired by the acquiring unit is transmitted to the external information device and the display of the content information by the display unit is terminated.
US08214455B2
A human-machine-interface (HMI) system comprises a machine interface, a communication interface, and a processing system. The machine interface receives operation data from a plurality of machines within an industrial automation environment, wherein the operation data corresponds to operations of the plurality of machines. The communication interface receives a request for a remote viewing session from a communication device, and in response to the request, transfers graphics data and the operation data for delivery to and display by the communication device. The processing system monitors for changes to the graphics data and the operation data during the remote viewing session. The communication, upon a change occurring to the graphics data, transfers updated graphics data for delivery to and display by the communication device, and upon a change occurring to the operation data, transfers updated operation data for delivery to and display by the communication device.
US08214453B2
The concept and associated device enabling multi-camera video & audio recording for synchronization with long term ambulatory electroencephalography allows for multiple cameras and microphones to be used in a home setting monitoring from various locations in the home for long term ambulatory EEG monitoring. No longer is Video EEG monitoring with multiple cameras and microphones limited to a cabled hospital type setting. This device could also be utilized by hospitals to conduct video monitoring from any hospital type room.
US08214446B1
Systems and methods are provided for fine level access control over message content in an electronic messaging system. Access criteria associated with the message content define requirements that a user must satisfy in order to perform specified actions on message content. The user's complete profile is examined at run time and compared to access criteria to make a real time decision about the level of access that a user should have to message content. Depending on the access criteria associated with content, stronger authentication or weaker authentication of the user profile information may be performed on the user profile to determine the level of access that should be granted to the user.
US08214444B2
An e-mail management system that includes an e-mail browser having a time variance interface that provides for storage into a storage media of e-mail messages that have been received over time. The time variance interface of the e-mail browser also provides for retrieval, from the storage media, of the e-mail messages corresponding to a user specified date. The retrieved e-mail messages each include an indication of the presence of an accompanying attachment(s) in the e-mail message. An affirmative indication provides the user with an option of retrieving content of the attachment(s) from the storage media such that the content of the attachment(s) is retrieved by the e-mail browser only when specifically requested by the user.
US08214442B2
A method includes steps of: receiving a prompt from a user to activate a message interface in order to begin a session; activating the message interface such that said message interface is presented to the user and is able to receive input from the user; receiving user input from the message interface, including: a user selection of at least one target correspondent; and a first message to be sent to the at least one target correspondent; identifying the session with a unique identifier; and sending the first message to a messaging system for delivery to the target correspondent when the target correspondent is available.
US08214439B2
The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that facilitate interpreting Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) data to view and/or edit MIME content. An interface can obtain MIME data. For instance, this MIME data can be obtained from a stream of MIME data, from loading a static file including the MIME data, etc. Moreover, any disparate type of RFC 822 data can additionally or alternatively be received by the interface. In an embodiment, a MIME reader analyzes the MIME data (and/or normalized RFC 822 data) to interpret encoded structural information and generates at least one primitive based on the encoded structural information. A MIME writer which complements the MIME reader then generates MIME data from the at least one primitive. Further, a hierarchical model can be built utilizing the at least one primitive.
US08214435B2
Disclosed are systems, methods, and computer readable media for providing a collaborative communication environment. The method embodiment comprises receiving user profiles, establishing a collaborative communication environment where a plurality of users simultaneously interact over a network, converting data to be sent to each user in a collaborative environment based on the respective user's profile, and presenting a localized experience to each user using the converted data.
US08214431B2
A content providing method includes the steps of preparing, on a network, a bulletin board server that provides an electronic bulletin board and a content server that accommodates content; enabling, by the bulletin board server, a second user to make a post on a topic when a first user introduces the topic under a predetermined title on the electronic bulletin board; outputting, by the bulletin board server, a list indicating recommended content as a playlist to an apparatus of a user who accesses via the network when the second user posts information on the recommended content that suits the title in the topic; and outputting, by the content server, designated content to the apparatus of the user to which the playlist is output when the content included in the playlist is designated.
US08214429B2
A system for enabling nodes of a client-server network to interact with broadcast program content, the system includes a server node that can detect the presence on the network of one or more client nodes; a trigger extractor that can extract program-synchronous triggers from within the content of a broadcast program; and an application manager that, in response to extraction of a program-synchronous trigger from a broadcast program, can facilitate interactive communication, relating to the broadcast program content, between the server node and one or more client nodes whose presence on the network has been detected.
US08214428B1
A backup cache on a client is prepopulated with fingerprints corresponding to data stored on a backup server. A plurality of fingerprints of data are received from the client, each received fingerprint corresponding to data present on the client which is subject to backup to the server. For each received fingerprint, an attempt is made to locate data corresponding to the received fingerprint stored on the backup server. Responsive to locating data corresponding to a received fingerprint stored on the backup server, data stored on the backup server considered to be “in the neighborhood” of the located data is identified. Fingerprints (e.g., hashes) identifying data stored on the backup server in the neighborhood of the located data are created and transmitted to the client, for prepopulating the backup cache on the client.
US08214427B2
The present invention concerns a content server device and a content receiver device, and a method at said devices for sending content in a robust mode. In particular the invention concerns a method at a peer to peer client to receive content from a server, the method comprising the steps of receiving content from a server in a multicast mode, indicating to the server the content that has been correctly received, receiving from the server in a multicast mode a content availability map indicating the content available at each peer and requesting the missing content from the peer indicated in the content availability map.
US08214425B2
A method is set forth for compressing a file of size C for storage in a memory space of size F, where C>F, comprising compressing successive portions of the file until C≦F, creating a header to the file including an offset value indicating a location separating compressed and uncompressed portions of the file, and appending the header to the file. A further method is set forth for executing a file comprising reading the header to determine the predetermined compression algorithm and the offset, copying the uncompressed portions from the memory to a RAM, decompressing the compressed portions starting at the offset, storing the decompressed portions of the load into RAM in sequence after the uncompressed portions, and executing the file from the RAM.
US08214424B2
A data processing system is programmed to provide a method for enabling user-level one-to-all message/messaging (OTAM) broadcast within a distributed parallel computing environment in which multiple threads of a single job execute on different processing nodes across a network. The method comprises: generating one or more messages for transmission to at least one other processing node accessible via a network, where the messages are generated by/for a first thread executing at the data processing system (first processing node) and the other processing node executes one or more second threads of a same parallel job as the first thread. An OTAM broadcast is transmitting via a host fabric interface (HFI) of the data processing system as a one-to-all broadcast on the network, whereby the messages are transmitted to a cluster of processing nodes across the network that execute threads of the same parallel job as the first thread.
US08214422B1
Sending content between client devices connected to a computer network is described. According to one described aspect, a server maintains a database correlating unique identifiers for client devices to their network address information. A first client device may query the server for network address information of a second client device by sending the unique identifier to the server. The server returns the network address of the second client device, which is used to send a message directly from the first client device to the second client device, indicating the availability of content. Also, the message is preferably formatted such that it automatically populates a content guide of the second client device, with an entry used to initiate a transmission of the content from the first client device to the second client device.
US08214416B2
Embodiments of the present invention generate a normalized floating-point sum from at least two floating-point addends. The mantissa of an un-normalized floating-point sum is generated. A pointer is generated which indicates the location of the left-most significant digit (LSD) in the mantissa of the un-normalized floating-point sum. A plurality of possible values for the exponent of the normalized floating-point sum are generated, in parallel with each other and in parallel with the mantissa addition, based on a common exponent value (e.g., the largest of the two addends' exponent values). Based on the LSD pointer, one of the possible values is selected as the exponent of the normalized floating-point sum. The mantissa of the un-normalized floating-point sum is normalized to yield the mantissa of the normalized floating-point sum. By generating the possible exponent values in parallel, embodiments of the present invention can result in significant time savings over prior-art methods.
US08214409B2
A data architecture provides View objects that define an enterprise data source interface to an application through connectors, and also by Data Objects defined by Commands. Thus, a Data Object comprises a configurable request for data that is issued through Commands to the Adapters of the enterprise data sources. The architecture provides an application developer with the ability to create custom enterprise connectivity to disparate backend enterprise data sources.
US08214406B2
Performing a backup is disclosed. A changed portion of a file system tree is determined based at least in part on a stored state of the file system tree at a time a prior block based backup of the file system tree was performed. Incremental metadata associated with the changed portion is obtained. The obtained incremental metadata is stored where there is at least some metadata associated with an unchanged portion of the file system tree that is not stored when storing the obtained incremental metadata.
US08214405B2
A coupled node tree comprises a root node and a node pair, the node pair being a branch node and leaf node, or a pair of branch nodes, or a pair of leaf nodes located in adjacent storage areas. The branch node includes a discrimination bit position of the search key and a position information of a primary node, which is one node of a node pair of a link target. The leaf node includes an index key that is a bit string that is the target of a search. A coupled node tree is searched using a longest-match/shortest-match search key and the longest-match/shortest-match node is determined through a comparison of the difference bit position between the index key resulting from the search and the longest-match/shortest-match search key and the discrimination bit position of a branch node on the search path memorized when the search is performed.
US08214403B2
An index creating unit divides text information into words and creates index information associated with schema identification information and identification information for each of the words divided. When the number of pieces of the index information stored in a file format exceeds a threshold, an index analyzing unit analyzes a distribution of a schema identification information group and an identification information group. When an analysis shows that more than a predetermined number of the schema identification information substantially match the schema identification information stored in a first rule storage unit, a first compressing unit compresses the schema identification information group using group identification information and in-group identification information stored in the first rule storage unit. A second compressing unit compresses at least one of the schema identification information group and the identification information group using a compression rule stored in a second rule storage unit and determined in accordance with a analysis of the index information.
US08214401B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for generating ontologies. In one embodiment, techniques are provided for automatically generating an ontology based upon input information. The input information may, for example, be in the form of XSD, XML, WSDL, or WSRP, etc. The automatically generated ontology may be encoded in OWL or other RDF-compliant language. A set of inference rules may also be automatically generated using the input information. The automatically generated ontology and the set of inference rules may be stored in a database for further processing.
US08214385B1
A stopword detection component detects stopwords (also stop-phrases) in search queries input to keyword-based information retrieval systems. Potential stopwords are initially identified by comparing the terms in the search query to a list of known stopwords. Context data is then retrieved based on the search query and the identified stopwords. In one implementation, the context data includes documents retrieved from a document index. In another implementation, the context data includes categories relevant to the search query. Sets of retrieved context data are compared to one another to determine if they are substantially similar. If the sets of context data are substantially similar, this fact may be used to infer that the removal of the potential stopword(s) is not material to the search. If the sets of context data are not substantially similar, the potential stopword can be considered material to the search and should not be removed from the query.
US08214382B1
A method of enforcing database predicate constraints on database accesses is provided. The method comprises receiving a database query, parsing the query based on constraints defined in system tables, and examining the query for the existence of a where clause. The method also comprises examining the where clause to determine compliance with the constraints defined in the system tables and executing the query only when the query contains a where clause and the where clause complies with the constraints defined in the system tables. The method also comprises rejecting the query when the query one of does not contain a where clause and does contain a where clause and the where clause does not comply with the constraints defined in the system tables.
US08214379B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for composing views with automatic creation of links. Generally, views receive data through a query. Views also can have bindings to variables, for example, to represent what is selected in the view. Analyzing these queries can be used to determine whether a composition is valid, and how to compute a new query for a composed second view. In a composite view, a selection variable is utilized, and is bound to the selection parameter of the new first view. The data query for the second new view is re-written to refer to the selection variable in the composite.
US08214375B2
A user data engine records profile data supplied by a user and usage data that is based on interactions between the user and a software application. A group data engine receives a set of user data comprising the profile data and the usage data for each user of a plurality of users. The group data engine determines a similarity value between each pair of users of the software application. The group data engine identifies groups of similar users based on the similarity values by executing one or more clustering algorithms. A user may then search for other users and groups of users of the software application and may then receive information from the users and/or groups of users that is related to use of the software application.
US08214372B2
Configuration parameter name-value pairs are obtained for each of a plurality of component instances in a deployed software solution. A candidate set of configuration dependencies between different ones of the plurality of component instances in the deployed software solution is identified, based on the configuration parameter name-value pairs. The candidate set of configuration dependencies includes true dependencies and false dependencies. The candidate set of configuration dependencies is rank-ordered to obtain a rank-ordered list, such that a probability of the true dependencies getting a higher rank is greater than a probability of the false dependencies getting a higher rank.
US08214368B2
An extracting unit extracts keywords from metadata extracted from played scenes. An attaching unit attaches a semantic class to the keywords. A semantic class determining unit determines whether the semantic class is a should-be-played class. When there is a keyword with the should-be-played class attached, an acquiring unit acquires at least one keyword without having the should-be-played class as a should-be-observed keyword. When the metadata includes the should-be-observed keyword and a keyword to which a should-be-stopped class is attached, an appearance determining unit determines that a scene including the should-be-observed keyword appears in contents.
US08214364B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a method for detecting changes in behavior of authorized users of computer resources and reporting the detected changes to the relevant individuals. The method includes evaluating actions performed by each user against user behavioral models and business rules. As a result of the analysis, a subset of users may be identified and reported as having unusual or suspicious behavior. In response, the management may provide feedback indicating that the user behavior is due to the normal expected business needs or that the behavior warrants further review. The management feedback is available for use by machine learning algorithms to improve the analysis of user actions over time. Consequently, investigation of user actions regarding computer resources is facilitated and data loss is prevented more efficiently relative to the prior art approaches with only minimal disruption to the ongoing business processes.
US08214353B2
A method to replicate data is provided. A first replicate comprises a plurality of participants. The first replicate replicates one or more columns of a table. Replication data is transformed between a first local dictionary format and a first common dictionary format at a first participant of the plurality of participants. The replication data is transported in the first common dictionary format among the plurality of participants of the first replicate. The replication data is applied to a table on at least one other participant.
US08214352B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for modular query optimizer. In one aspect, a method includes selecting one or more projections from a set of projections for each table in a database query wherein each of the selected projections for the table has leads to an estimated lower execution cost for the query as compared to non-selected projections; generating join orders for the query based on data distribution of one or more of the selected projections among sites in a computer network wherein the join orders reflect different combinations of data distribution operations applied to the output of one or more of the query's joins; and selecting a join order from the join orders based on evaluation of the join orders using a cost model.
US08214348B2
Systems and methods for finding related terms based on three different sources are disclosed. Generally, a first plurality of distances is determined based on one or more received terms and a first plurality of terms derived from an algorithmic search list. A second plurality of distances is determined based on the one or more received terms and a second plurality of terms derived from a sponsored search list. A third plurality of distances is determined based on the one or more received terms and a third plurality of terms derived from search logs. The first, second, and third pluralities of distances are combined to derive a fourth plurality of distances. Finally, a plurality of related terms related to the one or more received terms is generated based on the fourth plurality of distances.
US08214346B2
Unstructured electronic documents are classified for profiling and targeting users for additional relevant content. Behavioral data is gathered from user activity, and user documents and actions are categorized. Profile information is combined with collaborative and editorial data to provide users with credible information regarding products. Author-generated document classification information is analyzed and assigned a first taxonomic noun to characterize the document. User-generated tags characterizing a portion of the document are assigned a second taxonomic noun. Search terms that resulted in the user accessing the document are identified and assigned a third taxonomic noun. Attributes related to how the document was accessed are evaluated and assigned a fourth taxonomic noun. The document is processed using pattern rules to extract a fifth taxonomic noun. The taxonomic nouns are aggregated to determine term vectors representing the document, and the document is categorized using the term vectors, the taxonomic nouns, or the author-generated classification.
US08214341B2
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for managing writes received to data units that are being transferred to a secondary storage as part of a mirror relationship. Synchronization information indicates data units to transfer from a primary storage to a secondary storage, wherein the synchronization information data is updated to indicate the transfer of one of the data units from the primary storage to the secondary storage. A storage controller receives a write request having an update to a target data unit comprising one of the data units indicated in the synchronization information that has not been transferred from the primary storage to the secondary storage. The write request is allowed to apply the update to the target data unit in response to transferring the data in the target data unit to a network adapter of the storage controller and before the data in the target data unit is transferred to the secondary storage.
US08214337B2
Systems and methods for decomposing and decaying data over time by decomposing a type of data item into constituent units of the data item, establishing relationship factors between data items to other data items and between constituent units, creating a shelf-life criterion for the constituent units priority dimensions, calculating or updating a decomposability index for each constituent unit as a function of the priority dimensions while also applying a relationship factor and optionally incrementing for another dimension, and then decaying over time the data items by deleting all constituent units which have decomposability indices exceeding a configured threshold.
US08214336B2
Methods for generating a characterizing summary and generating a collection of relevant preservation objects in a preservation system are provided. A characterizing summary is generated by collecting first information about a preservation object; collecting second information about other preservation objects or other metadata; generating a characterizing summary according to the first information and the second information; and adding the characterizing summary to the preservation object. A collection of relevant preservation objects is generated by accessing one or more preservation objects by way of one or more metadata included in a target preservation object constructed for content data; determining whether each of the accessed preservation objects is relevant to the target preservation object; adding each relevant preservation object to a list of relevant preservation objects; and generating the collection of relevant preservation objects according to the list of relevant preservation objects.
US08214329B2
The present disclosure provides remote data collection systems and methods for retrieving data including financial, sales, marketing, operational and the like data from a plurality of databases and database types remotely over a network in an automated, platform-agnostic manner. The present invention is designed to work across a plurality of LOB applications, database vendors and business models or businesses, as well as business infrastructure (various PCs, embedded devices and POS devices) and business processes while still providing the centralized ability to automatically collect data from multiple remote business sites. The present invention includes one or more central servers communicating with a plurality of remote data collection agents. The remote data collection agent is designed to overcome existing requirements or limitations as it is able to automatically collect remote data from a wide range of businesses, as well as multiple LOB applications while connecting to multiple databases vendors and formats.
US08214328B2
Database content changes are asynchronously remotely copied from a primary site to a remote site by associating sequential identification with each respective log record write and each corresponding data record write received at the primary site. Each respective log record write is asynchronously remotely copied from the primary site to the remote site, and an acknowledgement corresponding to a log record write that has been completed at the remote site is received at the primary site. Each data record write having a sequential identification that is prior to or equal to the sequential identification of the log record write corresponding to the received acknowledgement is then asynchronously remotely copied to the remote site. A log record write is asynchronously remotely copied from the primary site to the remote site before a data record write is asynchronously remotely copied from the primary site to the remote site.
US08214322B2
According to this invention, whether to automatically install the device driver of a discovered network device can be set in accordance with the network configuration of a connected network. A client terminal stores, for each network, network configuration information capable of specifying a network, and mode setting information describing whether or not to install the device driver of a network UPnP device upon connection to the network. When the client terminal is connected to a given network, a Plug and Play mode setting utility reads out mode setting information which matches the connected network configuration. In accordance with the setting information, the Plug and Play mode setting utility switches whether or not to send a message to the OS upon reception of a Hello message, or whether or not to transmit a Probe message requested by the OS onto the network.
US08214321B2
Data processing methods and systems are provided. The data processing methods and systems may include providing a set of database tables in a data warehouse, each one of the database tables being assigned to an entity type and storing entities of its entity type, providing at least one application program for processing of classes of database tables, assigning at least one of the database tables to each one of the classes of database tables of the application program, and processing entities stored in the assigned database tables by the application program.
US08214318B2
An attribute weight adjustment engine adjusts a weight of a user in accordance with a record of an identified member ID out of records of an attribute weight adjustment database. The weight adjustment is performed through the multiple regression analysis based on a target similarity resulting from the record of the attribute weight adjustment database and a similarity of each attribute of the attribute weight adjustment database. The resulting weight is identified as the weight of each attribute of the identified user. To account for the weight of each attribute of the user, an attribute weight database is updated, and an unwanted record is deleted from the attribute weight adjustment database.
US08214316B2
In an embodiment, a computer system determines that a first rule in a ruleset comprising a plurality of rules is to be executed, where the first rule includes a condition and an action that is to be performed when the first rule's condition is met. The computer system dynamically modifies the first rule's condition to include a portion of software code configured to monitor and receive notifications from a data-change notification system. The computer system executes the dynamically modified first rule and executes a second rule in the ruleset. The computer system receives a notification from the data-change notification system indicating that execution of the second rule's action has modified data values being monitored by the first rule's software code portion and that, as a result of the modification, the first rule is to be re-executed. The computer system also re-executes the first rule based on the received notification.
US08214301B2
Techniques for social network mapping are described. In an implementation, properties of a user's contacts with two services are analyzed to identify matching contacts. Contacts may be determined to correspond to the same user when sufficient common properties are found between the contacts. For unmatched contacts following the property analysis, additional processing may be conducted to identify contacts that the unmatched contacts have in common. A number of common contacts found through this processing may be used, alone or in combination, with information regarding common properties to determine when unmatched contacts correspond to the same user.
US08214295B2
An Internet system for disseminating information regarding works or authorship, including a server and a client device connected to the Internet and wherein when any one web page out of a set of web pages is displayed on the client device and when a work of authorship is displayed as part of the web page, an image is also displayed near the work of authorship, as part of the webpage and when a user clicks on the image, copyright information concerning the work of authorship is presented in a user-perceivable manner.
US08214291B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed that operate to register one time, at a financial entity, information comprising an identity uniquely associated with an individual having a financial account held by the financial entity. Additional actions include receiving a request at the financial entity from a requesting party to authenticate a customer purporting to be the individual, authenticating, by the financial entity, the customer as the individual by matching a token presented by the customer to the identity uniquely associated with the individual, and providing to the requesting party a previously-authorized portion of a profile associated with the individual. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08214290B1
Apparatus and methods for monitoring a plurality of electronic self-service devices. The apparatus and methods may involve a receiver module, a database module, and a web server module. The receiver module may receive from each of the electronic self-service devices information regarding a fault-related event. The database module may associate each of the fault-related events with one of multiple event types. The database module may store the fault-related event information in machine readable memory. The web server module may provide reporting information based on the fault-related events to a user.
US08214283B2
Methods and systems are provided which enable options broker-dealers to execute a listed options contract trade order while simultaneously eliminating (or at least reducing) exposure to the negative consequences associated with toxic (or likely toxic) trades in the options market. By using toxicity and/or profit analyzers, for example, to detect, track and respond to the level of toxic (or likely toxic) orders present in an option contract order flow, a broker dealer can reduce the level of risk inherent in serving as a counter-party in listed options transactions, and inherent in offering a rapid execution guarantee. Various alternative embodiments are also disclosed.
US08214278B2
A system and method for analyzing correlation between the assets given by the trader for collateral and that trader's open positions is disclosed. Thus, if the collateral is correlated to the trader's open positions, then some offset can be given. If there is no correlation then the collateral is valued in the conventional way. For example, if a trader provides t-bills as collateral for an account that has open positions (e.g. short futures) in T-bills, then that trader's account can be credited with some offset since the value of T-bills and T-bill futures are highly correlated.
US08214271B2
Various embodiments of the invention are directed to methods and systems for assigning credit to the external and intermediate inputs of an enterprise-level system or other aggregate process with one or more global outputs that is composed of a number of interconnected local processes. Assigning credit is a mechanism for evaluating the impact of a particular variable, e.g., an input to one of the local processes, on the final output of the aggregate process. In certain embodiments of the invention, credit is assigned to the local inputs of each local process in two steps. First, for each local input, a local credit assignment is obtained. For chained outputs, credit assignment data is provided as calculated for the later stage processes to which the outputs are chained. Second, a global credit assignment is derived for the local inputs from the local credit assignment and the credit assignment information from later stage processes.
US08214267B2
A computer-implemented framework and method for maintaining product allocation data objects comprising a plurality of product allocation data objects, a plurality of software modules, an interface for the software modules, and a plurality of computer-applications, wherein the product allocation data objects are representative of product allocations for several participants within an e-business system, wherein a product allocation data object is processed by at least one of the plurality of computer-applications, the software modules providing access to the product allocation data objects, and the interface provides concurrent access to the software modules for online collaboration, wherein a collaborative planning process of the product allocation data objects is executed by the software modules and controlled by the applications.
US08214260B2
An on-line sales method includes providing a website operated by at least one computer connected to the Internet, receiving a user's submission of an amount for conducting a sales transaction, providing a plurality of items available for the user to select from and to potentially purchase at the submitted amount, and providing a selection option of the user determined based on the submitted amount. The method further includes receiving, on the website, the user's selection of multiple ones among the plurality of items in accordance with the user's selection option, conducting a computerized drawing to draw one out of the multiple items selected by the user. The drawn item has a published price that is equal to or higher than the submitted amount.
US08214254B1
A system and method is provided for interactive exchange of information. A processor is in operable connection with processor readable media, a database provided on the processor readable media stores preference information related to a plurality of individuals. The processor is operable to retrieve and provide search results from the database in response to prompted requests for information. A module is provided on the media, and is operatively coupled to the processor to receive requests for information from a user and the database provider in tandem. A search results module is operable to provide a first search result in response to a search by the user, and is further operable to provide a second search result that relates to the first search results. The first search result relates to a first group of the plurality of users and the second search result relates to a second group of a plurality of the users of the database that is distinct from the first group, and the first search result includes first preference information and the second search result includes second preference information, wherein the first preference information is at least partially different from the second preference information.
US08214243B2
Systems and methods for managing large oil field operations are provided. A oil field map is displayed on a monitor. The oil field map includes oil well objects, oil field facility objects, surface work crew objects, sub-surface work crew objects, safety zones objects, and work equipment rig objects associated with at least one work crew object and having a geographic locater device for tracking its location, each of the objects include a date attribute and a location attribute. The oil field map is customizable by date and has a date selector tool. At least two surface or sub-surface work crew objects are scheduled via a domain-specific software application from which the surface or sub-surface work crew object was extracted. The scheduling of the surface or sub-surface work crew objects is repeated until all surface and sub-surface work crews are scheduled for a date range of interest.
US08214236B2
A business wishes to improve its capabilities by developing and sustaining its communities of practice. A business model is provided having components and attributes for various levels of each component. The community is assessed based on the attributes. A community development roadmap is developed of activities for improving the level of the community. Funding is negotiated to carry out the activities, and the community is subsequently reassessed.
US08214235B2
A method of enterprise risk management includes defining a hierarchical organizational model to represent an enterprise. The model has a master level and one or more levels subordinate to the master level. The master level has plural materiality grades and plural probability grades, each subordinate level including one or more entities have a reporting relationship to one of the entities in the preceding level, each entity having plural materiality grades. Risk information is collected which includes risk items, each associated with a particular entity in the hierarchical organizational model and having a materiality measure and a probability measure. Selected portions of the collected risk information is output in an output view that for each selected risk item relates the probability measure to the plural probability grades and the materiality measure to either the plural master level materiality grades or the plural entity level materiality grades depending on a selected level. The output view may be presented in a graphical or tabular format. The materiality grades may be defined in financial terms and/or in synonymous terms.
US08214234B2
A system and method for generating and/or updating a personal/individual health record. Inputs of data to the system may come from diverse sources including, but not limited to, patient questionnaires, insurance company (or other payor) claims data, hospitals, clinics and other institutional providers, and individual physicians and physicians' offices.
US08214222B2
A method for identifying a frame type is disclosed. The present invention includes receiving current frame type information, obtaining previously received previous frame type information, generating frame identification information of a current frame using the current frame type information and the previous frame type information, and identifying the current frame using the frame identification information.And, a method for identifying a frame type is disclosed. The present invention includes receiving a backward type bit corresponding to current frame type information, obtaining a forward type bit corresponding to previous frame type information, generating frame identification information of a current frame by placing the backward type bit at a first position and placing the forward type bit at a second position.
US08214219B2
A speech communications system for a vehicle includes a microphone system provided in the vehicle interior in order to detect audio information. An interaction manager provides grammar information to a speech recognizer. The speech recognizer provides speech recognition results to the interaction manager. An acoustic echo canceller eliminates portions of the audio information detected by the microphone system. A sound localizer determines a sound source location in the vehicle interior. A method of operating a speech communications system in a vehicle is also provided. An interruptible text-to-speech operation provides a speech output to a user. Voice information is requested from the user for a maximum number of times if insufficient voice information or no voice information is provided in response to the speech output provided by the interruptible text-to-speech operation. The dialog context of an unfinished speech interaction is saved.
US08214217B2
Disclosed are systems, methods, and computer readable media for performing speech synthesis. The method embodiment comprises applying a first part of a speech synthesizer to a text corpus to obtain a plurality of phoneme sequences, the first part of the speech synthesizer only identifying possible phoneme sequences, for each of the obtained plurality of phoneme sequences, identifying joins that would be calculated to synthesize each of the plurality of respective phoneme sequences, and adding the identified joins to a cache for use in speech synthesis.
US08214211B2
In a voice processing device, a male voice index calculator calculates a male voice index indicating a similarity of the input sound relative to a male speaker sound model. A female voice index calculator calculates a female voice index indicating a similarity of the input sound relative to a female speaker sound model. A first discriminator discriminates the input sound between a non-human-voice sound and a human voice sound which may be either of the male voice sound or the female voice sound. A second discriminator discriminates the input sound between the male voice sound and the female voice sound based on the male voice index and the female voice index in case that the first discriminator discriminates the human voice sound.
US08214207B2
Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for quantizing a joint-channel-encoded audio signal, e.g., by: identifying a target quantization unit for reduction of quantization step size based on quantization errors; determining whether the target quantization unit has been jointly sum/difference encoded with another quantization unit; if the target quantization unit has been jointly sum/difference encoded with another quantization unit, then (i) designating the sum or difference channel quantization unit as a target S/D quantization unit in based on which has a greater quantization error and (ii) re-quantizing the target S/D channel quantization using a decreased quantization step size; recalculating the quantization error for the target quantization unit; and repeating the process until a specified criterion is satisfied.
US08214204B2
A method for compressing data, the data being represented by an input vector having Q features, wherein Q is an integer higher than 1, including the steps of 1) providing a vector codebook of sub-sets of indexed Q-feature reference vectors and threshold values associated with the sub-sets for a prefixed feature; 2) identifying a sub-set of reference vectors among the sub-sets by progressively comparing the value of a feature of the input vector which corresponds to the prefixed feature, with the threshold values associated with the sub-sets; and 3) identifying the reference vector which, within the sub-set identified in step 2), provides the lowest distortion with respect to the input vector.
US08214192B2
A system and method is disclosed in an emulation environment that dynamically remaps user designs. In one embodiment, a request is received to load an integrated circuit design to be emulated in a desired partition within the emulator. The emulator automatically determines the availability of the partition requested. If the partition is not available, the design is dynamically remapped to a different partition that is available. In another embodiment, clocks associated with the integrated circuit design are also dynamically remapped. In yet another embodiment, the user can control the size of the partitions (e.g., the number of printed circuit boards in a partition).
US08214191B2
Embodiments include a device, apparatus, and a method. A device includes an input circuit for receiving data corresponding to a runtime execution of a first instruction by a first processor having a first architecture. The device also includes a generator circuit for creating an execution-based optimization profile useable in an execution of a second instruction by a second processor having a second architecture.
US08214188B2
A method and apparatus associated with the production of hydrocarbons is disclosed. The method, which relates to modeling and operation of drilling equipment, includes constructing one or more surrogates for at least a portion of a bottom hole assembly (BHA) and calculating performance results from each of the one or more surrogates. The calculated results of the modeling may include one or more vibration performance indices that characterize the BHA vibration performance of the surrogates for operating parameters and boundary conditions, which may be substantially the same as conditions to be used, being used, or previously used in drilling operations. The selected BHA surrogate may then be utilized in a well construction operation and thus associated with the production of hydrocarbons.
US08214185B2
A system and method for simulating the flow of a viscoelastic fluid through a channel. The simulation including a interface between a first fluid and a second fluid. The simulation including the formation of a droplet. The simulation includes solving equations governing the viscoelastic flow of the first fluid through the channel, including viscoelastic stress equations that include a normalized relaxation time greater than or equal to 5. The calculations simulate the flow of the first fluid through the channel. The simulation is stable over a period time in which a droplet is formed. The simulation including a level set function that describes the position of the interface between the first and second fluids, and the evolution of the level set function over time describes the shape and position of the interface.
US08214178B2
A structural optimization engine generates a response profile based on a vibrational analysis of a three-dimensional (3D) structure. The structural optimization engine determines whether the 3D structure complies with one or more design goals set for the 3D structure based on the response profile. When the 3D structure does not comply with the design goals, the structural optimization engine retrieves dependency data from a structure database. The dependency data indicates various dependencies between response characteristics included in the response profile and specific regions of the 3D model. Based on the dependency data, the structural optimization engine determines structural modifications that can be made to the 3D structure to bring the 3D structure into compliance with the design goals. A multi-axis computer-aided manufacturing unit then makes the structural modifications to the 3D structure.
US08214157B2
The present invention relates to methods for representing multidimensional data. The methods of the present invention are well suited but not limited to the representation of multidimensional data in such a way as to enable the comparison and differentiation of data sets. For example, the invention may be applied to the representation of flow cytometric data. The invention further relates to a program storage device having instructions for controlling a computer system to perform the methods, and to a program storage device containing data structures used in the practice of the methods.
US08214154B2
“The present invention provides systems for: identifying pathogens in biological samples from humans and animals, resolving a plurality of etiologic agents present in samples obtained from humans and animals, determining detailed genetic information about such pathogens or etiologic agents, and rapid detection and identification of bioagents from environmental, clinical or other samples.”
US08214151B2
Methods are provided for determining the locations and heights of fractures in a subterranean formation using a neutron-emitting logging tool. Utilizing predetermined relationships (1) between logging tool count rates and associated apparent formation hydrogen index values and (2) between logging tool count rate ratios and associated apparent formation hydrogen index values, the methods detect the presence and heights in the formation of proppant containing high thermal neutron capture cross section material in a manner substantially eliminating proppant determination uncertainty resulting from a prior change in formation hydrogen index values. A second, associated, method employing logging tool count rates and count rate ratios to determine the presence of proppant containing high thermal neutron capture cross section absorbers utilizes a crossplot of count rate versus ratio. Logged intervals containing no proppant will fall on a trend/trendline on the crossplot, whereas logged intervals containing proppant will fall off from this trend/trendline.
US08214146B2
A route data compression method to compress the recording points of a line of a route planning data by means of setting the values of predetermined distance, predetermined angle and predetermined number of compression points and then determining whether or not the distance between every two recording points is greater than the predetermined distance and whether or not the contained angle of the two link lines of every three recording points is greater than the predetermined angle. After determination of all recording points, the recording points are compressed. If the number of points after compression is greater than the predetermined number of compression points, increase the value of the predetermined distance, and then repeat the determination procedure. When the number of points after compression becomes smaller than the predetermined number of compression points, the compression is done. Thus, the amount of storage data that records the route is greatly reduced, saving data storage space and enhancing data transmission speed.
US08214144B2
A computer-implemented system and method for the processing and optimization of flight plans is disclosed. Information regarding a plurality of previous flight plans is received over a digital network and is stored in at least a database. The database preferably includes aviation fuel price information, aircraft performance information, and aviation weather information as well. Upon receiving a request, a server generates at least an optimized portion of a flight plan. In one form, historical flight plan data of others is automatically used to aid in the determination of the optimized route offered to the user for review, with the resulting final flight plan being electronically filed with the FAA upon approval. In a further form, the user may arrange fuel transactions at intermediate destinations with the service provider receiving a fee in exchange for facilitating the transaction.
US08214142B2
Embodiments provide systems and methods that find the quickest route between two locations on a graph with multi-edge constraints in a time and space efficient manner. In some embodiments, Dijkstra's algorithm is split into separate universes when a) a multiple-edge constraint is reached, and b) along each edge of a multi-edge constraint. In some embodiments, the split is performed for the purpose of finding the quickest (i.e. lowest weighted) route to the intersection(s) at the end of the constraints. These universes, in some embodiments, are merged or discarded when the intersection at the end of the constraint is found. Using these systems and methods, in some embodiments, the shortest path between two locations of a multi-edge constrained road network can be efficiently determined.
US08214141B2
A route evaluation system includes a processor, a computer readable memory and a database that stores roadway data pertaining to a route. A first routine is arranged to obtain selected roadway data from the database. A second routine is arranged to determine a route from an origin to a destination based at least in part on the roadway data. A third routine is arranged to compute a set of navigation parameters for the route. A fourth routine is arranged to compare the set of navigation parameters to at least one vehicle maneuverability parameter of a vehicle.
US08214135B2
A particulate filter ash loading prediction method including the steps of determining a maximum average time for the filter; performing a calculation of a running average of time between regenerations of the filter; calculating an end-of-service life ratio of the filter dependent upon the maximum average time and the running average. The method further includes the steps of determining a delta pressure adjustment factor to compensate for ash loading of the filter depending upon the end-of-service life ratio; and comparing the delta pressure adjustment factor to a predetermined maximum delta pressure value, and, if the delta pressure adjustment factor exceeds the predetermined maximum normalized delta pressure adjustment factor, then indicating that a service or replacement of the filter is needed due to the ash loading.
US08214129B2
A method for registering a content change in a fuel system of a motor vehicle, where the fuel system is configured to receive a first fuel and a second fuel into a common space. A first condition is correlated to receiving the first fuel, and a second condition is correlated to receiving the second fuel. The method comprises admitting fuel to the fuel system and indicating that the first fuel has been admitted if a condition responsive to admitting the fuel matches the first condition and does not match the second condition.
US08214128B2
Disclosed is a method of injecting LPG gas into a diesel fuel engine for combustion with diesel fuel therein. One aspect includes injecting LPG gas into an air-stream of an engine air intake or manifold, measuring the percentage of LPG gas injected into the airstream or other efficiency gauge, varying the rate of injection of LPG gas into the airstream in response to the measured percentage of LPG gas therein and injecting the LPG gas at a pre-determined rate so as to maintain an LPG gas concentration in the air intake stream in the range of 0.2% to 0.6% by volume of LPG gas.
US08214127B2
An engine control system comprises a clutch cut off enable module and a torque control module. The clutch cut off enable module generates an enable signal based on a clutch engagement signal and an accelerator pedal signal. The torque control module reduces a spark advance of an engine to a minimum value and disables fueling of cylinders of the engine based on the enable signal. The minimum value is a minimum allowed spark advance for current engine airflow.
US08214123B2
A running control apparatus for a vehicle includes a required driving output deciding unit that decides a required driving force of a driving system of the vehicle on the basis of an integrated value of a difference between a target vehicle speed and an actual vehicle speed, a driving control unit that controls the actuation of the driving system on the basis of the required driving force, and a determination unit that determines whether or not the required driving force is unrealizable in the control of the driving system due to the intervention of additional control. The required driving output deciding unit imposes a limit on an increase or a decrease in the required driving force when the determination unit determines that the required driving force is unrealizable in the control of the driving system.
US08214121B2
A brake control circuit for determining if a brake command from a brake pedal is valid is provided. The brake control circuit includes at least two independent channels configured to receive data indicative of brake pedal deflection for the brake pedal, and logic circuitry operatively coupled to the at least two independent channels. The logic circuitry is configured to generate a valid brake flag when the respective channels receive data that are within a predetermined range of one another, and to generate an invalid brake flag when the respective channels receive data that are not within a predetermined range of one another.
US08214114B2
An internal combustion engine is mechanically coupled to a hybrid transmission to transmit mechanical power to an output member. A method for controlling the internal combustion engine includes determining an accelerator output torque request based upon an operator input to the accelerator pedal, and determining an axle torque response type. A preferred input torque from the engine to the hybrid transmission is determined based upon the accelerator output torque request. An allowable range of input torque from the engine which can be reacted with the hybrid transmission is determined based upon the accelerator output torque request and the axle torque response type. The engine is controlled to meet the preferred input torque when the preferred input torque is within the allowable range of input torque from the engine. The engine is controlled within the allowable range of input torque from the engine when the preferred input torque is outside the allowable range of input torques from the engine.
US08214103B2
Systems and methods for monitoring of vehicle efficiency use wireless remote sensors associated with the vehicle and with a fueling station. Vehicle data is collected from the wireless sensors in conjunction with fueling of the vehicle. Efficiency is calculated, such as by calculating miles per gallon for the vehicle, and the information is stored in a computing system. Vehicle efficiency may be tracked over time to identify deviations or irregularities that may be addressed to improve overall vehicle efficiency, and overall vehicle efficiency for a fleet of vehicles that are all monitored in such a manner.
US08214099B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for monitoring the operating conditions of motor vehicles, with a drive system with at least one differential that distributes drive torque to the driven wheels. To avoid unacceptable wear in the differential of the drive system, it is proposed that at least the output speeds of the differential, and, via a steering angle sensor, an at least approximate driving of the motor vehicle in a straight line are detected and are compared over a time interval, and that in the case where the differential speed of the output shafts is above a defined speed threshold and prevails over the time interval and the vehicle is driven in a straight line, a warning signal is generated.
US08214098B2
A method is disclosed for controlling at least one remotely operated unmanned object. The method may involve defining a plurality of body movements of an operator that correspond to a plurality of operating commands for the unmanned object. Body movements of the operator may be sensed to generate the operating commands. Wireless signals may be transmitted to the unmanned object that correspond to the operating commands that control operation of the unmanned object.
US08214088B2
The device (10) for piloting a drone (8) comprises a housing having a tilt detector (12) for detecting tilts of the housing, and a touchpad (16) displaying a plurality of touch zones (30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42). A self-contained stabilizer system to stabilizes the drone in hovering flight in the absence of any user commands. The device comprises a controller controlled by a touch zone (30) forming an activation/deactivation button to cause the drone piloting mode to switch in alternation between an activation mode in which the self-contained stabilizer system of the drone is activated, in which mode said piloting commands transmitted to the drone result from transforming signals delivered by the touch zones and a deactivation mode in which the self-contained stabilizer system of the drone is deactivated, in which mode the piloting commands transmitted to the drone result from transforming signals emitted by the tilt detector of the housing.
US08214085B2
A ventilator control optimizer allowing the control of a ventilator without the need for manual input. The ventilator control optimizer analyzes trends in indoor environmental conditions (dew point, relative humidity, etc.) and makes decisions based on these trends. The ventilator control optimizer is able to change ventilator fan speeds depending on the detected trends. This will prevent the ventilator from operating under conditions which might aggravate the humidity problem indoors. The ventilator control optimizer also allows auxiliary systems (dehumidifier, etc.) to be controlled automatically to deal with high humidity conditions.
US08214073B2
The invention relates to a method and a software product for designing a drilling pattern for excavating a rock cavern. The invention further relates to a rock-drilling rig, in whose control unit the software product and the method are executable. During designing of the drilling pattern, drill hole bottom locations are placed at a blast plane at the bottom of a round. A drilling pattern design program determines the missing properties of the drill holes viewed from the bottom of the round towards a navigation plane. The program is able to determine a starting location for a drill hole based on the location and the direction of the bottom. The program also performs blasting calculation on the drill holes positioned.
US08214055B2
In one embodiment, a pulse generator for generating electrical stimulation for delivery to a patient, comprises: a hermetically sealed housing containing pulse generating circuitry; a header coupled to the housing for receiving one or more stimulation leads, wherein feedthrough wires are provided to conduct electrical pulses from the pulse generating circuitry to the header; the header comprising a plurality of connectors for electrically connecting to each terminal of the one or more stimulation leads, wherein an inductive winding is disposed around or adjacent to each of the connector structures and is electrically connected between the respective connector structure and a corresponding feedthrough wire to limit MRI induced heating of a respective electrode of the one or more stimulation leads.
US08214052B2
There are disclosed methods of vein closure. In an embodiment, a method includes elevating a leg of a patient during a vein closure procedure so as to effect substantial emptying of the vein. The method also includes applying radio-frequency energy to a vein within the leg of the patient to cause the vein closure. In another embodiment, a method includes elevating a leg of a patient during a vein closure procedure within a range of about 30 degrees to about 45 degrees from a horizontal position. The method also includes applying radio-frequency energy to a vein within the leg of the patient. In one embodiment, a method includes elevating a leg, and emptying of a segment of the vein prior to applying radio-frequency energy. In another embodiment, the method includes elevating a leg of a patient, and applying energy to a vein. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08214048B1
An implantable stimulator(s), small enough to be located near or adjacent to an autonomic nerve(s) innervating urinary and/or gastrointestinal structures, uses a power source/storage device, such as a rechargeable battery. Periodic recharging of such a power source/storage device is accomplished, for example, by inductive coupling with an external appliance. The small stimulator provides a means of stimulating a nerve(s) or other tissue when desired, without the need for external appliances during the stimulation session. When necessary, external appliances are used for the transmission of data to and/or from the stimulator(s) and for the transmission of power, if necessary. In a preferred embodiment, the system is capable of open- and closed-loop operation. In closed-loop operation, at least one implant includes at least one sensor, and the sensed condition is used to adjust stimulation parameters.
US08214043B2
An electronic medical monitoring and treatment apparatus allows a person access to a medical professional (MP) who can monitor, diagnose and treat the person from a remote site. The apparatus includes a medical monitoring and treatment device (MMTD) coupled to an electronic adapter designed to communicate with a local, first transmitting/receiving (T/R) device which, in turn, is adapted to electronically communicate with a remote, second transmitting/receiving (T/R) device used by the MP. The MMTD may comprise a cardiac treatment circuit for effecting cardiac pacing and/or defibrillation and a cardiac signal circuit for receiving cardiac signals. The cardiac signals are (1) transmitted from the signal circuit to the second T/R device for evaluation by the MP, (2) the MP may transmit a control signal to the treatment circuit, and (3), in response thereto, the treatment circuit may generate one or more electrical pulses for treatment of the person.
US08214041B2
This document provides a simple and automatic method for determining an optimal AV interval and/or range of AV intervals for, in an exemplary embodiment, LV-only pacing. Such a method provides significant advantages for patients while reducing burdens related to post-implant follow-up by clinicians in that it greatly reduces the need for doing echocardiographic-based AV interval optimization procedures as well as providing a way to dynamically optimize AV intervals as the patient moves about their activities of daily living (ADL).
US08214039B1
A method of determining pacing therapy for an individual patient including determining representative electromechanical physiologic characteristics for a plurality of normal patients having a range of anatomical dimensions and developing a plurality of normal templates. Each template indicates the representative electromechanical physiologic characteristics of a group of normal patients having similar anatomical dimensions. The method can include measuring the anatomical dimensions of a dysfunctional patient, matching the dysfunctional patient with a template for normal patients having similar anatomical dimensions as the dysfunctional patient, determining the physiologic characteristics for the dysfunctional patient, determining indicated correction factors corresponding to any differences between the dysfunctional patient's physiologic characteristics and those of the matched template, and adjusting therapy delivery by any indicated correction factors to stimulate the patient in a pattern more closely matched to the physiologic characteristics of the matched template.
US08214036B2
An active implantable medical device that is able to perform an atrial capture test. The device includes circuits for delivering atrial stimulation pulses, and testing atrial capture, namely to detect the occurrence of an atrial contraction after the application of an atrial stimulation pulse. An acceleration sensor is used to deliver an EA signal representative of the movements produced by the contractions of the atrial cavity. The EA signal is analyzed to recognize and isolate in this EA signal a component EA4 corresponding to the fourth endocardiac acceleration peak (PEA4) associated with the atrial activity. The presence or absence of this component EA4 is used to define the atrial capture or loss of capture. The signal analysis preferably quantifies an EA parameter (T, T+D), such as the energy of the EA signal within analysis time windows, each having duration D, of successive analysis (W1 . . . Wn) triggered after the atrial stimulation (P) and ending before a ventricular detection or stimulation.
US08214019B2
Apparatus is provided for use with a steerable catheter that includes a thumb control adapted to control a deflection of a distal tip of the catheter. The apparatus includes a robot, including an end-effector, adapted to be coupled to the thumb control, and a controller, adapted to drive the end-effector to deflect the distal tip by manipulating the thumb control.
US08214018B2
An volume of a patient can be mapped with a system operable to identify a plurality of locations and save a plurality of locations of a mapping instrument. The mapping instrument can include one or more electrodes that can sense a voltage that can be correlated to a three dimensional location of the electrode at the time of the sensing or measurement. Therefore, a map of a volume can be determined based upon the sensing of the plurality of points without the use of other imaging devices. An implantable medical device can then be navigated relative to the mapping data.
US08214017B2
A capsule guiding system includes a magnetic guiding unit, a displaying unit, an operation unit, and a control unit. The magnetic guiding unit guides, using magnetic force, a capsule-shaped medical apparatus introduced inside a subject. The displaying unit displays an image of the subject and an image of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus as an overlapped image, and changes relative position and relative direction between the two images as the capsule-shaped medical apparatus is guided by the magnetic guiding unit. The operation unit inputs coordinate information which specifies movement direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus. The control unit adjusts coordinate system of the displaying unit and coordinate system of the operation unit to be consistent with each other, transforms the coordinate information input from the operation unit into the coordinate system of the magnetic guiding unit, and controls the guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus based on the transformed coordinate information.
US08214009B2
A biosignal measurement device includes an electrode and a signal processing member. The electrode includes an insulation sheet having a hole, a device contact portion provided on the top surface of the insulation sheet and a body contact portion provided on the bottom surface of the insulation sheet, the device contact portion and the body contact portion electrically connected to each other via the hole. The signal processing member includes an externally exposed terminal to make surface contact with the device contact portion, an analog signal processing unit, an A/D signal converter and a digital signal processing unit. Also, the device contact portion and the body contact portion are formed of a material which is both conductive and adhesive. Accordingly, the signal processing member may be directly attached. Noise may be reduced. Also, a biosignal may be accurately measured.
US08214007B2
A body worn patient monitoring device includes at least one disposable module including a plurality of electrical connections to the body. The body worn patient monitoring device also includes at least one communication-computation module, the communication-computation module having at least one microprocessor to actively monitor the patient and to perform a real-time physiological analysis of the physiological signals. A radio circuit communicates a raw physiological signal or a result of the physiological analysis at a predetermined time or on the occurrence of a predetermined event, via a radio transmission to a remote radio receiver, wherein the at least one disposable module is mechanically and electrically coupled directly to the at least one communication-computation module. The body worn patient monitoring device, including the at least one disposable module and the at least one communication-computation module, is directly non-permanently affixed to the skin surface of the patient.
US08214004B2
A driver information system comprises an operating device 10 having at least two operational control units 20 and a holding unit 12 for the operational control units 20. A control device 62 for validating control signals delivered by the operational control units 20 is also provided. The operational control units 20 are freely arrangeable within the holding device 12.
US08214003B2
A case for a wireless device includes a number of RF coupling elements mounted in the case and configured such that RF radiation is coupled from an internal antenna of the wireless device out of the device to a first RF coupling element, and from the first RF coupling element to a RF redirector coupling element that redirects the RF radiation in a direction outward from said wireless device that is opposite to a user side of the wireless device. A corrugated metallic shield is optionally provided on an opposite side of the case, facing a user of the device.
US08214001B2
A portable communication device includes a housing body and a display. The housing body includes a hinge portion at one side. A block is formed at each side of the hinge portion. A display forms two knuckles at the other end. Each knuckle forms a plurality of teeth portions, and the hinge portion rotatably connects to the two knuckles. The blocks engage with the teeth portions allowing the display to hold any of a variety of selectable positions relative to the housing body.
US08213986B2
The present invention relates to a communication system and a communication method for simply and quickly starting communication. A cellular phone is loaded with a non-contact IC card that communicates with a reader/writer of a personal computer using an electromagnetic wave. When the non-contact IC card receives the electromagnetic wave emitted from the reader/writer with the cellular phone placed close to the personal computer, the cellular phone notifies the personal computer of a card ID set in the non-contact IC card. When the personal computer acquires Bluetooth device names of the cellular phone and PDA with intra-piconet synchronization established between the cellular phone and the PDA, the personal computer identifies the cellular phone as a communication partner based on the Bluetooth device names already notified of as the card ID. The present invention is applicable to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer and a cellular phone.
US08213984B2
An auxiliary interface device, comprising an electronic circuit to interface to the signal output of a signal source, said signal source developing or receiving more than one signal, and providing for the user selection of at least one of the signals in deference to the others so that said apparatus provides for the selection of at least one special signal having predetermined characteristics, a detector which recognizes the presence of the at least one said special signal when present or part of a signal developed by the apparatus to which said auxiliary interface device is connected, said detector being able to distinguish between said at least one special signal and other signals ordinarily present or developed by the apparatus to which said auxiliary interface device is interfaced, a signal switch to substitute at least one auxiliary signal in place of a signal output by the apparatus to which said auxiliary interface is interfaced, said signal switch being configured to substitute said at least one auxiliary signal for the signal normally developed by said apparatus to which said auxiliary interface device is interfaced when said detector recognizes the presence of the at least one special signal in the signal normally developed by said apparatus to which said auxiliary interface device is interfaced.
US08213981B2
A mobile terminal apparatus is provided. The mobile terminal apparatus includes a base station communication unit configured to perform a communication with a base station via a pubic communication network; a short-range communication unit configured to perform a short-range communication with a short-range communication device, wherein a communication distance of the short-range communication unit is shorter than that of the base station communication unit; and a control unit configured to control the base station communication unit to receive broadcast information transmitted from the base station. When a first communication is performed between the short-range communication unit and the short-range communication device, the control unit controls the base station communication unit to be capable of receiving the broadcast information.
US08213978B1
Characterization and enhancement of a mobile local scattering environment. The system includes a channel component and a link control component, wherein the channel component facilitates communication of a ping signal, which is used to estimate the delay spread characteristics and/or angle of arrival in order to characterize the mobile local scattering environment. This information is sent to the link control component, which enhances radio link performance based on the received information. The system can be used to assist in E-911 location applications, such as determining the location of an indoor user.
US08213972B2
Mobile advertising packages offered for sale on personal cellular telecommunications devices for displaying advertisement display messages on personal cellular telecommunications devices. Mobile advertising packages specify the contents of advertisement display messages, and their transmission details including inter alia geographical area, number of exposures, schedule.
US08213963B2
The present invention provides a network-based location measurement method using a pCELL database, comprising the steps of establishing a pCELL database in which a location measurement service target area is divided into lattices each having a predetermined size; continuously determining whether a request for location measurement occurs by a service subscriber; and, when the request for location measurement is generated, comparing fundamental information received from a mobile terminal with the pCELL database, determining a matching pCELL, and reporting the pCELL to the service requester. Furthermore, the present invention is constructed to periodically update a initially established pCELL database using the results of A-GPS-based location measurement and reflect variation in BTSs within a mobile communication network to the pCELL database, thereby always maintaining the optimal database. The present invention contributes to the activation of location-based services by resolving problems related to stability of location measurement due to relays, and the degrading of accuracy of location measurement in a network-based location measurement method in a mobile communication system. Furthermore, the present invention improves the service usage rate of indoor subscribers, occupying about 70% of overall location measurement attempts and service quality and minimizes the need for human and physical resources upon initial commercialization and optimization by resolving the problem due to the considerable amount of human and physical resources required upon initial commercialization and optimization. Therefore, it is possible to replace A-GPS-based location measurement with relatively small costs.
US08213960B2
A method for positioning a femtocell base station through a SUPL platform includes the steps of: initiating a SUPL program in the femtocell base station to establish communication between the femtocell base station and the SUPL platform so as to obtain assistant positioning information and approximate location information of the femtocell base station through the SUPL platform; the femtocell base station capturing related satellite signals according to the assistant positioning information, and if the captured related satellite signals are sufficient for positioning calculation, performing the positioning calculation to obtain precise location information of the femtocell base station and replacing the approximate location information with the precise location information. The location information obtained by positioning will be provided by the femtocell base station to a core network for registration or broadcast by the femtocell base station within its coverage.
US08213956B2
The invention relates to a method of tracking a state of a mobile electronic device and to a mobile electronic device including processing apparatus arranged to perform the method.A method of tracking a state of a mobile electronic device, the method comprising iteratively performing: (i) representing the state of the mobile electronic device using a grid comprising a plurality of cells, each cell representing a region in state space defined by one or more state variables and having a probability value that the state of the mobile electronic device is within that region in state space, the grid being bounded to include only cells having a probability value above a predetermined threshold; (ii) obtaining measurement signalling indicating values of one or more state variables; (iii) updating the probability values of the grid based on the measurement signalling and rebounding the grid.
US08213949B1
What is claimed is a method of transferring overhead information in a wireless communication system, where the overhead information is encoded with a first modulation scheme, and where the overhead information is wirelessly transferred to a plurality of wireless communication devices in communication with the wireless communication system. The method includes receiving signal quality information from each of the plurality of wireless communication devices, processing the signal quality information to determine a second modulation scheme for the overhead information, where the second modulation scheme is determined to allow the overhead information to be decoded by each of the plurality of wireless communication devices, and the second modulation scheme is of a higher order of modulation than the first modulation scheme. The method also includes transferring an indicator of the second modulation scheme to the plurality of wireless communication devices, and transferring the overhead information to the plurality of wireless communication devices encoded with the second modulation scheme.
US08213946B2
Method and system for managing delivery of communications such as advertisements to mobile telephone subscribers where delivery to subscribers is temporarily prevented or blocked at the request of the subscribers. In particular, a subscriber can temporarily suspend delivery of advertisements when they are roaming.
US08213941B2
The present invention relates to a cellular communications network and in particular to the problem of identifying cells for neighbor lists, or handover candidates when the cells are identified by a limited number of non-unique identities. The present invention includes a method for a radio base station, wherein the base station receives reports from one or more terminals in neighbor cells quality and non-unique identities. The match is sought in a neighbor cell list non-unique identity with a unique cell identity. If the match cannot be made without ambiguity, the base station causes the terminal to detect the unique cell identity. If the reason for the ambiguity is the particular cell is not included in the neighbor cell list it is included when its unique identity has been established. The uniquely identified cell is used if it is determined to perform a handover.
US08213927B2
A mobile phone utilizes a radio frequency (RF) chip transceiving RF signals via a front end circuit. A power detector detects power output from a power amplifier and converts the power to voltage to transmit to a central processing unit (CPU). A base station tester measures output power of the mobile phone and transmits to the CPU in a test mode. A microwave chamber measures power radiated by the antenna in an operation mode. A high voltage circuit provides a high voltage signal continuously. A detection circuit detects a connection status of the base station tester and the testing connector and outputs the high voltage signal to the CPU according to the connection status. The CPU determines an operating mode of the mobile phone based on output of the detection circuit, and outputs a maximum output power according to the test mode and operation mode maximum output power calibration tables.
US08213925B2
Selecting a service for a mobile computing device includes receiving a message from the mobile computing device via a wireless network, storing data from the message, querying the data to identify a characteristic, selecting a service from a plurality of services based on the identified characteristic, and sending the selected service to the mobile computing device.
US08213924B2
A device, system, and method is provided for running mobile applications, including a server for running applications and a client installed in a mobile device. The client may connect to the server via a network. The client may display content, receive user input, and send user input to the server. The server may use the client to receive user input and to display content for running applications for the mobile device.
US08213921B2
A communications system is to communicate with an application server storing a plurality of applications. The communications system includes a mobile wireless communications device configured to store at least one application from among the plurality of applications, the at least one application having stored version information associated therewith. An intermediate server is configured to update the mobile wireless communications device by at least obtaining respective current version information for associated current versions of the plurality of applications and obtaining the stored application version information from the mobile wireless communications device for the at least one stored application. The stored application version information is compared with the current version information for the at least one stored application. New application portions are downloaded from a current application associated with the current version information, and the new application portions are sent to the mobile wireless communications device.
US08213916B1
A picture captured via an optical input of a mobile device is received. A selection of an area of the picture via the touch screen input on the mobile device is received. An item in the selected area of the picture is identified. The picture is tagged with an identification of the item. An offer related to the identified item is generated.
US08213911B2
A mobile communication device is provided for enabling a user to establish an automated call back from a communication system, such as a call center, for example. A software device application enables the mobile communication device to communicate with the call center through the exchange of data. The mobile communication device includes a display screen for displaying controls for allowing the user to interact with the communication system. The controls allow the user to request a list of providers from which to select a provider or company to contact. The mobile communication device further provides controls for allowing the user to select a queue to join from a list of queues associated with the selected provider. For example, one queue may be related to billing and another queue may be related to another aspect of customer service. The user may then request the expected wait time in the selected queue for receiving a call-back from the communication system. Typically, the mobile communication device receives the expected wait time, and then the user may send a confirmation to the communication system for a voice call-back.
US08213909B2
To use the supplementary services of a conventional mobile communication service, such as Short Message Service (SMS) and Voice Mail System (VMS) service, there are problems in that an access method to each service must be known and several steps must be undergone. The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for sending voice messages in a mobile communication network and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus that gain access to the service providing page of the wireless Internet in such a way as to input the telephone number of a counterpart and a wireless Internet access key, and send a voice message to the counterpart.
US08213908B2
Embodiments of software-supervised pairing processes are provided. The processes enable a user to pair a mouse and keyboard with a Bluetooth transceiver without having to use a second mouse and keyboard. At least two separate processes are provided, including a long transition for initial pairing or re-pairing and a short transition for re-establishing a connection after devices have already been paired.
US08213906B2
A method for generating one-time password (OTP) using a mobile phone registers a telephone number of the mobile phone on a website at first. A communication server generates a first random number and a second random number. Furthermore, the communication server generates a first OTP according to the first random number, and a subscriber identity module (SIM) card of the mobile phone generates a second OTP according to the second random number. The communication server checks if the second OTP is the same as the first OTP. If the second OTP is the same as the first OTP, the mobile phone has successfully logged onto the website.
US08213905B2
The present invention discloses a method and a device for realizing PUSH service of GAA. The method includes the steps: the network side determines a PUSH service cryptographic key; the subscriber side communicates with the network side, and determines the PUSH service cryptographic key in accordance with the network side, and communicates with the network side using the PUSH service cryptographic key. By means of the method, the cryptographic key type of the PUSH service can be selected conveniently and agilely according to the actual application situation, and the network side and the subscriber side can select the derivation cryptographic key of the cryptographic key type meeting the requirement to communicate with each other.
US08213898B2
A method of limiting presentation of rules based events includes receiving a request to view a rules based event at a computer. A first estimate of a first geographic location of the computer is obtained. The first estimate includes a first confidence determination. If the first confidence determination is less than a first established confidence level, a second estimate of the first geographic location of the computer is obtained. The second estimate includes a second confidence determination for comparison to a second established confidence level. The first estimate and the second estimate define a composite estimated geographic location of the computer. Information on a second geographic location of the rules based event is retrieved. The retrieved information is compared with the composite estimated geographic location of the computer. Access to the rules based event is provided based on access rules, the comparison, and the composite estimated geographic location.
US08213894B2
For one disclosed embodiment, an integrated circuit may comprise an internal transmission line in one or more layers of the integrated circuit. The internal transmission line may be coupled to receive a signal from an external transmission line at a first end of the internal transmission line without use of termination circuitry. The internal transmission line may transmit the signal passively to a second end of the internal transmission line. The integrated circuit may also comprise first circuitry having an input coupled to the internal transmission line at a first location of the internal transmission line to receive the signal and second circuitry having an input coupled to the internal transmission line at a second location of the internal transmission line to receive the signal. The second location may be different from the first location. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08213892B2
A FM-AM demodulator includes a FM signal amplifier, a local oscillator, an image oscillator, a first selector, a first orthogonal mixer, an AM signal amplifier, a first frequency divider, a second frequency divider, a second selector, a second orthogonal mixer, a third selector, a first filter, a first amplifier, a fourth selector, a second filter, a second amplifier, a first gain controller, an I/Q compensation unit, an IF oscillator, a third orthogonal mixer, an adder, a channel filter configured to extract a signal with a predetermined frequency band output from the adder, a third amplifier, a second gain controller, a demodulator, and an I/Q compensation controller configured to generate an I/Q compensation signal to use for adjusting phase and gain of the I signal used in an I/Q compensation unit by detecting amplitude of the output signal from the demodulator, and output the generated signal to the I/Q compensation unit.
US08213889B2
A multi-channel receiver capable of minimizing an interference effect occurring among mounted receivers and a method of reducing interference of the multi-channel receiver capable of minimizing the interference effect occurring among the mounted receivers are provided. The multi-channel receiver includes an antenna, a first receiver, and a second receiver. The antenna receives an RF signal in a predetermined frequency band. The first receiver down-converts the RF signal received through the antenna into a first IF signal. The second receiver down-converts the RF signal received through the antenna into a second IF signal. Here, the first and second receivers down-convert the RF signal by exclusively using a local oscillation frequency signal generated by using a low side LO injection method or a local oscillation frequency signal generated by using a high side LO injection method.
US08213888B2
There is provided a power control circuit having a stable high-speed operation, and a semiconductor device and a transceiver circuit using it. The power control circuit controls the gain of an amplifier so that power outputted from the amplifier reaches a desired value according to a digital control signal. The power control circuit includes a digital feedback loop which converts a detected signal obtained by detecting a value of the output power of the amplifier to a digital signal, determines a differential between the digital signal and the digital control signal, converts the differential to an analog signal and outputs a first feedback signal, an analog feedback loop which outputs a high frequency element corresponding to a differential between an analog signal to which the digital control signal is converted and the detected signal, as a second feedback signal, and an adder which determines the sum of the first and the second feedback signal and outputs a gain control signal for controlling the gain of the amplifier.
US08213887B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a pre-driver to receive data of a first clock phase and to pre-drive the data, a driver coupled to the pre-driver to drive the data onto a link operable to be coupled to a receiver, and an offset driver to drive an offset value associated with the first clock phase onto the link with the data. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08213886B2
An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a transceiver, an antenna tuner connecting the transceiver to an antenna, a power sensor adapted to acquire measurements about transmit power, a receive signal strength indicator (RSSI) adapted to acquire measurements about receive power and wherein the tuner tunes the antenna based upon the transmit and receive measurements to optimize the antenna in both the receive and transmit bands.
US08213882B2
A common resistor is connected to load impedances that convert differential currents respectively generated by current sources into differential voltages. A constant current generated by the current sources is supplied to the common resistor to cause the common resistor to generate an in-phase current and set a common potential.
US08213877B1
Systems and methods are disclosed for an electronically adjustable signal filter system, which comprises, in some embodiments, a first filter coupled to an antenna coupling network and a second filter, a power amplifier coupled to the first filter, an antenna connected to an antenna coupling network, a pilot tone generator coupled to the first filter, and a first signal source connected to the power amplifier and first filter. In some embodiments, the power amplifier amplifies the first signal, the first filter places a notch into the first signal transmitted to the antenna coupling network, the antenna coupling network combines the first signal and a second signal received from the antenna and transmits a third signal to the second filter.
US08213861B2
A method of communicating information that has been formatted for Internet publication from a principal vehicle using short range wireless communication components to communicate with a second vehicle. The method includes storing a web page (blog, social networking page, etc.) or other information formatted for Internet publication in the principal vehicle. An introductory signal is transmitted to the second vehicle. A communication link is established between the principal vehicle and the second vehicle using the respective short range wireless communication components. The second vehicle is then queried for authorization to transmit the information and, if given, the information is then transmitted to the second vehicle via the communications link. User-selected categories can be used to identify common interests between users of the two vehicles. The method can be used to share user information with other potentially interested drivers to facilitate human interactions and relationships.
US08213858B2
A wireless display system is disclosed comprising a host-side data communication apparatus connected to a host and configured to acquire media data containing at least display data from the hardware of the host, generate data message and transfer the data message wirelessly, and a display-device side data communication apparatus configured to receive the data message transferred wirelessly, interpret it into media data and then output to a display device. With the system of the present invention, CPU does not need to execute a screen-capturing program to acquire display information from a display memory unit and thus has a reduced work load, and transmission delay can also be reduced.
US08213854B2
A sheet pre-processing device includes a space portion as a sheet receiving unit that receives a pre-processed sheet, a first sheet conveying path for discharging the sheet to the sheet receiving unit, and a second sheet conveying path for reversing the sheet. A sheet post-processing device is removably attached into the space portion. When the sheet post-processing device is attached into the space portion, a conveying path and a reversing path works are provided, which are switched over by a switching unit.
US08213848B2
An image forming apparatus includes a first fixing device that applies heat to a non fixed toner image and a second fixing device arranged downstream of the first fixing device, which applies pressure and fixes the non-fixed toner image onto a recording member.
US08213843B2
A developing device includes: a developing housing having a developer accommodating chamber; a developer bearing member which is supported rotatably inside a developing housing, and which holds on a circumferential surface thereof a two-component developer composed of a magnetic carrier and toner; a toner bearing member which is supported rotatably with respect to the developer bearing member inside the developing housing, and to which the toner in the developer held on the developer bearing member adheres electrostatically; and a toner recovery tray which has an opening in an upper end thereof, and which is installed removably in the developing housing below the developer bearing member and the toner bearing member.
US08213833B2
An image forming apparatus including at least an image bearer; a charger charging the image bearer; an irradiator irradiating the image bearer to form an electrostatic latent image thereon; an image developer developing the electrostatic latent image with a developer comprising a toner and a carrier to form a toner image on the image bearer; a developer feeder feeding a supplemental developer including the toner and the carrier into the image developer; and a developer collector collecting the developer in the image developer, wherein the developer feeder includes a cylindrical supplemental developer container containing the supplemental developer, including a spiral developer guide race on the inner circumferential surface thereof; and a sub-hopper configured to store the supplemental developer, and wherein the carrier includes a core material; and a layer coated on the core material, including a binder resin and non-black or a non-color inorganic particulate material.
US08213828B2
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a main assembly mounting a process cartridge, a movable member movable from outside to inside the main assembly while supporting the cartridge, and an intermediary electrical contact supplying a bias voltage to the cartridge and disposed at a downstream side of the movable member. The cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, process means actable on the drum, an input electrical contact at a leading end with respect to the moving direction of the movable member when the cartridge is supported on the movable member and contacting the intermediary electrical contact when the cartridge is supported on the movable member, a contact portion provided at an upstream side with respect to the moving direction and contactable to the movable member when the input electrical contact is contacted by the intermediary electrical contact and is elastically urged by the intermediary electrical contact.
US08213826B2
A developing cartridge includes a case having a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, and a developing roller disposed between the first sidewall and second sidewall. The developing roller can include a developing roller shaft and a developing roller member configured to carry a developing agent thereon, the developing roller member disposed around the developing roller shaft. Also, the developing cartridge can include an electrode disposed on the first sidewall adjacent to the developing roller shaft, the electrode electrically connected to the developing roller member, and a driven coupling disposed on the second sidewall. The electrode can include, an extending portion extending in a direction away from the first sidewall. An outermost periphery of the driven coupling defines a projection plane projecting in a direction towards the electrode, wherein at least a part of the extending portion is disposed within the projection plane.
US08213820B2
A toner amount measuring unit irradiates a toner image formed on an image carrying member with light, and an image capturing unit captures an image of a reflected waveform according to light reflected by the toner image. Then, an amount of applied toner is calculated based on the peak position or peak height of the reflected waveform in accordance with information associated with the density of the toner image to be formed.
US08213815B2
An image forming apparatus includes a sheet conveying path that conveys a sheet from a paper feeding tray to a secondary transfer position, an image transfer unit that transfers an image onto the sheet conveyed to the secondary transfer position via the sheet conveying path, a detection sensor that optically acquires information concerning a dirty spot on the sheet in a detection position located further on an upstream side than the secondary transfer position in the sheet conveying path, and a CPU that determines, on the basis of the information acquired by the detection sensor, whether a dirty spot is present in a predetermined region of the sheet.
US08213814B2
An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a developer carrier being in contact with the image carrier and configured to develop the electrostatic latent image on the image carrier with a developer; a temperature humidity measurement unit configured to measure the temperature and humidity around the developer carrier; a pressure changing mechanism configured to change a pressure of a contact between the image carrier and the developer carrier; and a pressure controller operable to change, based on the temperature and humidity measured by the temperature humidity measurement unit, the pressure by controlling the pressure changing mechanism.
US08213811B2
Provided is an image forming apparatus having a network connecting portion, a control portion, and a status information storage portion. When a status request is sent from an external apparatus while the image forming apparatus is in a power-saving status, based on a condition set by a setting portion, the control portion makes a determination of whether (a) to perform supply of power to the main body of the image forming apparatus and acquire a status information to transmit it through the network portion or (b) not to perform supply of power to the main body of the image forming apparatus, but to transmit through the network portion a status information that has been stored in the status information storage portion before the status request, and performs controls based on the determination.
US08213807B1
A tunable photonic channelizer includes an optical signal generator and an optical modulator. The optical modulator receives a first optical signal as an input from the optical signal generator and modulates the first optical signal to create a second optical signal. The tunable photonic channelizer includes an optical filter that is selectively tunable. The optical filter receives the second optical signal, filters the second optical signal, provides a third optical signal as a filtered version of the second optical signal. The tunable photonic channelizer includes a feedback loop between the optical filter and the optical signal generator to provide temperature and/or environmental feedback from the optical filter to the optical signal generator to enable the first optical signal to float in relation to the temperature and/or environmental feedback.
US08213796B2
The invention concerns a method as a pre-condition for a gain control of an optical amplifier that amplifies a whole signal out of a multiple of optical signals and where each of these signals includes regular gaps, in which these optical signals are synchronized with respect to each other such that the gaps coincide, as well as a tree-shaped optical access network, a central station, and a terminal.
US08213793B2
A method may include inputting parameters that characterize an optical network, inputting one or more demands to be routed, selecting routes, wavelengths, and wavelength translation nodes simultaneously for the one or more demands of the optical network based on the parameters, where each demand includes a working path and one or more protect paths, and configuring the optical network based on the selected routes, wavelengths, and wavelength translation nodes associated with the one or more demands.
US08213791B2
A communication light detecting device interconnecting light transmission paths and collocated therebetween, comprises: an optical coupling body including a core portion for photo coupling with the light transmission paths, and a light extracting portion for extracting a part of the communication light as a leakage light; and a light detecting portion having a light receiving member for receiving the leakage light. The light extracting portion is preferable to possess a lower refractive index than that of the core portion. Besides, the light extracting portion is preferable to include a light detecting use groove with a groove width of 50 μm or more and 140 μm or less formed by cutting and separating the core portion. Besides, the light extracting portion is preferable to be the optical coupling body in which outer diameter of the core portion is different from the outer diameter of a core of the light transmission path.
US08213790B2
The present invention encompasses a method for 1+1 protection of an optical transmission path comprising a working path and a protection path that connect a first and second terminal node. In a working mode, an optical transmission signal is transmitted via the working path from the first to the second terminal node. At the second terminal node, the optical transmission signal is split into two optical sub-signals, and one of the optical sub-signals is sent via the protection path to a protection-path connection node as a working-path control signal. In the case of an interruption of the signal transmission via the working path, the protection-path connection node detects the absence of the working-path control signal and switches the system from the working mode to a protection mode in which signal transmission is conducted via a separate protection path.
US08213777B2
The present invention aims to certainly use an electronic program guide. According to the present invention, a switch circuit part 24 for connecting a first tuner 2 and a second tuners 3 that take in a television signal S2 on plural channels including a program guide providing channel and select one of them, to a first and a second signal processing systems 30 and 31 that perform predetermined processing to the television signal S2, and a VBI slicer 23 that extracts an electronic program guide from the television signal S2 on the program guide providing channel, is controlled so that the first and the second signal processing systems 30 and 31 that simultaneously perform predetermined different processing to the above one television signal S2, are collectively connected to one of the first tuner 2 and the second tuner 3. Thereby, even in the case where predetermined plural different processing is simultaneously performed to one television signal S2, the first or the second tuner 2 or 3 can be kept for selecting the program guide providing channel, and an electronic program guide can be certainly obtained. Thus, a recording/reproducing apparatus capable of certainly using an electronic program can be accomplished.
US08213765B2
A recording and playback apparatus of the present invention comprises a part for measuring a speed for recording data into a recording medium, a part for detecting a bit rate of data inputted to this apparatus, a part for changing the bit rate of the data, a part for setting a bit rate to the part for changing the bit rate and a part for detecting the recording medium and recording and reading out data into/from the recording medium.
US08213764B2
An information processing apparatus includes area image extracting means for extracting, as a telop image, an area displaying a telop in contents, detecting means for detecting a scene change in images of the contents, recording means for converting an image at the time when a scene change is detected by the detecting means to a thumbnail image and recording the thumbnail image, display control means for controlling to arrange and display a plurality of the thumbnail images and a plurality of the telop images chronologically, and playing means for playing the contents from the position corresponding to the selected thumbnail image or telop image.
US08213763B2
The present invention achieves an electronic device that, when copying video data from a high-capacity recording medium to a plurality of low-capacity recording media, prevents the video data from being divided at an unnatural position. With this electronic device, if the amount of space remaining in a copy destination recording medium is less than the size of the scene to be copied, the scene data is copied into a different copy destination recording medium in the case where the amount of time of the scene data that can be copied into the copy destination recording medium is less than or equal to a predetermined amount of time.
US08213759B1
A system for organizing and retaining optical devices and fiber optic cable includes a housing, at least one module, and a tray coupled to the housing and including a first portion defining a receiving area and a second portion defining a track. The at least one module is releasably retained in a selected portion of the receiving area. The track extends along the receiving area and is configured for guiding cable to the retained module.
US08213754B2
An optical splitter, a combiner and a device. The optical splitter comprises a first longitudinal waveguide for receiving an incoming light wave; at least first and second pairs of output waveguides, the output waveguides of each pair being disposed on opposite sides of the first waveguide; wherein each of the output waveguides of each pair comprises a longitudinal portion disposed parallel to the first waveguide and such that optical power is coupled from the first waveguide into the respective longitudinal portions and the longitudinal portions of output waveguides of the first and second pairs are displaced along a length of the first waveguide; wherein each of the output waveguides of each pair further comprises a substantially S-shaped portion continuing from the respective longitudinal portions and such that optical power coupling between the respective S-shaped portions of output waveguides of the first and second pairs is substantially inhibited.
US08213753B2
A termination for an optical fiber is disclosed, including an end cap optically connected to a delivery end of the fiber and tapering its towards its proximal end so as to expand the signal beam output by the fiber, a capillary having a bore mounted so that the end cap and an end portion of the delivery fiber are mounted within the bore, the capillary having an end which is angled so as to reflect undesired radiation within the capillary away from the fiber, and a cladding mode stripper arranged upstream of the delivery end.
US08213750B2
A laser system includes a multimode fiber (MMF) receiving a single-mode input beam and a mechanical oscillator coupled to the MMF. The oscillator is operative to modulate a phase of interference wave by periodically extending the fiber total length at such a frequency that a cross-coupling coefficient between fundamental and at least one high-order modes is substantially minimized.
US08213732B2
Today's computer programs that convert raster images into vector-based images do not optimize/compress the vector representation of the vector-based images. Instead, they simply keep all of the complex edges for the vector objects within the vector-based images. The present invention described herein functions to create a compressed vector-based image by simplifying the shapes of common complex edges which are shared by adjacent vector objects. The compression (lossless compression) of the vector objects is done without affecting the perceived quality of the vector-based image.
US08213728B2
A method of compressing an image by saving the compressed color components into multiple temporary buffers with each time slot saving the color component to the different buffer. A method deciding when to shift the compressed color components to another device is applied to avoid underflow and overflow of the output buffer.
US08213725B2
A method for facilitating semantic event classification of a group of image records related to an event. The method using an event detector system for providing: extracting a plurality of visual features from each of the image records; wherein the visual features include segmenting an image record into a number of regions, in which the visual features are extracted; generating a plurality of concept scores for each of the image records using the visual features, wherein each concept score corresponds to a visual concept and each concept score is indicative of a probability that the image record includes the visual concept; generating a feature vector corresponding to the event based on the concept scores of the image records; and supplying the feature vector to an event classifier that identifies at least one semantic event classifier that corresponds to the event.
US08213712B2
A method of representing at least one image comprises deriving at least one descriptor based on color information and color interrelation information for at least one region of the image, the descriptor having at least one descriptor element, derived using values of pixels in said region, wherein at least one descriptor element for a region is derived using a non-wavelet transform. The representations may be used for image comparisons.
US08213711B2
The invention relates to a method and a graphical user interface for modifying a depth map for a digital monoscopic color image. The method includes interactively selecting a region of the depth map based on color of a target region in the color image, and modifying depth values in the thereby selected region of the depth map using a depth modification rule. The color-based pixel selection rules for the depth map and the depth modification rule selected based on one color image from a video sequence may be saved and applied to automatically modify depths maps of other color images from the same sequence.
US08213707B2
A system and method for measuring and surface reconstruction of a 3D image of an object comprises a projector arranged to project a pattern onto a surface of an object to be imaged; and a processor stage arranged to examine distortion or distortions produced in the pattern by the surface. The processor stage is arranged to convert by, for example, a triangulation process the distortion or distortions produced in the pattern by the surface to a distance representation representative of the shape of the surface. The processor stage is also arranged to reconstruct electronically the surface shape of the object.
US08213706B2
A method for real-time visual odometry comprises capturing a first three-dimensional image of a location at a first time, capturing a second three-dimensional image of the location at a second time that is later than the first time, and extracting one or more features and their descriptors from each of the first and second three-dimensional images. One or more features from the first three-dimensional image are then matched with one or more features from the second three-dimensional image. The method further comprises determining changes in rotation and translation between the first and second three-dimensional images from the first time to the second time using a random sample consensus (RANSAC) process and a unique iterative refinement technique.
US08213703B2
A defect to be reviewed is selected from a plurality of defects obtained from inspection results. When the selected defect is a defect of a pattern written using an iteration expression in design data on the mask, another pattern written using the iteration expression in the design data is extracted. A defect present in another pattern is extracted. A peripheral pattern portion located at the periphery of the selected defect and a peripheral pattern portion located at the periphery of the extracted defect are extracted. It is determined whether the peripheral pattern portions extracted are similar to each other. When the peripheral pattern portions are similar to each other, the selected defect and the extracted defect are grouped. It is determined whether the selected defect is an actual defect or a pseudo defect. The determination result is applied to the other grouped defect.
US08213701B2
An image processing apparatus and method including executing high-pass filtering in a column direction on the pixel values of original image data read from a flat panel detector to obtain first image data, and subtracting a value obtained by converting each of the pixel values of the first image data in accordance with an absolute value of a statistic calculated from pixel values in the same pixel row of the first image data from the value of a corresponding pixel of the original image data to obtain processed image data.
US08213697B2
The present invention include a method of determining an agglutination pattern type of a pattern formed in a reaction vessel, comprising setting a reference space based on one or a plurality of types of typical reaction images setting one or a plurality of types of unit regions in each of the reference spaces and determining a Mahalanobis distance for each unit region setting a threshold value from each of the Mahalanobis distances obtained setting one or a plurality of unit regions for a reaction image as an object image and determining the Mahalanobis distance, and (E) determining a pattern type for the object image by comparing the threshold value with the distances.
US08213689B2
Methods and systems for automated annotation of persons in video content are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of identifying faces in a video includes the stages of: generating face tracks from input video streams; selecting key face images for each face track; clustering the face tracks to generate face clusters; creating face models from the face clusters; and correlating face models with a face model database. In another embodiment, a system for identifying faces in a video includes a face model database having face entries with face models and corresponding names, and a video face identifier module. In yet another embodiment, the system for identifying faces in a video can also have a face model generator.
US08213681B2
A moving object detection method with which a region of a moving object is accurately extracted without being affected by a change in shape or size or occlusion of the moving object and in which a distance indicating a similarity between trajectories of an image in each of the blocks included in video is calculated (S203) and a group of similar trajectories is identified as one region based on the distance (S209). Step S209 includes, for each of the thresholds, (1) non-linearization of the distance, (2) calculating a geodetic distance between plural trajectories from the distance after non-linearization (S204), (3) specifying, as region candidates, a group of trajectories which are distant from each other by the geodetic distance of a finite value, from among the trajectories (S205), calculating an interregional geodetic distance that is a scale indicating the similarity between the region candidates (S206), and selecting, from the region candidates, a region candidate having the interregional geodetic distance that satisfies a predetermined condition, as a result of segmentation (S207).
US08213679B2
The invention discloses a method for moving targets tracking and number counting, comprising the steps of: a). acquiring continuously the video images comprising moving targets; b). acquiring the video image of a current frame, and pre-processing the video image of the current frame; c). segmenting the target region of the processed image, and extracting the target region; d). matching the target region of the current frame obtained in step c) with that of the previous frame based on an online feature selection to establish a match tracking link; and e). determining the number of the targets corresponding to each match tracking link based on the target region tracks recorded by the match tracking link. The invention can solve the problem of low precision of the number statistic results caused by the bad environment, such as that the distribution of the illumination is extremely not equilibrium spatially, the change in a time period is complicated, the change of the gesture during the people goes by is evident, and the like, under the normal application condition.
US08213673B2
The problem of watermarking a sequence of images from a motion picture can be divided into two parts. The first part is embedding watermarks in the sequence of images. The second part is detecting embedded watermarks in a target sequence of images where the target sequence may have resulted from one or more attacks on an original sequence of images in which the watermarks were embedded. Motion pictures are watermarked by embedding information in different ways in different images. In general, the information to be embedded is used to define a plurality of watermark images. Each watermark image is an apparent pattern of noise in both signal and frequency domains, and is different from the other watermark images. Preferably, each watermark image is temporally uncorrelated with the other watermark images. Each watermark image is used to modify a corresponding image from the motion picture. To detect the presence of the information in a target sequence of images from a motion picture, the target images are processed to determine an alignment with a watermark sequence. When an alignment with the watermark sequence is determined, a sliding window detector is applied to detect the watermark and read the information embedded by the watermark. By embedding the same information in different ways in different images, and then detecting this information by combining data from the different images, the sensitivity of the detector is increased.
US08213669B2
A rotary tweeter mounting arrangement used in a speaker assembly is disclosed to include a hollow holder member affixed to a T-iron of the speaker assembly and having a cup portion at the top, a semispherical carrier member rotatably supported on the cup portion of the hollow holder member, a circular spring plate mounted in a lower part inside the carrier member, a screw inserted through a center mounting hole of the circular spring plate and a center through hole of the semispherical carrier member to pivotally secure the semispherical carrier member to the hollow holder member, and a face panel fastened to the semispherical carrier member to hold a tweeter for allowing rotation of the tweeter with the face panel and the semispherical carrier member relative to the hollow base member.
US08213663B2
A bowl-shaped cover (1) with a hole at the bottom replaces the cover with a sound hole of the conventional earphone, thus creating a constant space. The earphone sound vibrates the cover (1) by beating the inside of the cover (1) and then the vibration is transmitted to a rubber drumhead (vibrating membrane) (2) which is attached onto the cover (1). The rubber drumhead (vibrating membrane) (2) of the earphone works as a soft earmuff and makes wearing feel soft and comfortable. The present invention relates to the earphone that converts sound into vibration and also isolates sound.
US08213662B2
There is provided an earpad that is attachable to a housing capable of containing an audio signal processing unit and includes a ring-shaped cushioning member and a covering member covering the ring-shaped cushioning member. In the earpad, the ring-shaped cushioning member includes an outer ring member, a middle ring member and an inner ring member, and the hardness of the middle ring member is different from the hardness of the outer ring member and the inner ring member.
US08213653B2
The hearing device to be worn by a user of the hearing device comprises an input transducer for transducing incoming acoustical sound into audio signals; a signal processor for processing audio signals; an output transducer for transducing audio signals into outgoing acoustical sound. Said signal processor is designed such that there exists an input SPL range of at least a portion of said incoming acoustical sound, in which an increase in input SPL of said at least one portion of said incoming acoustical sound results in a decrease in output SPL of at least a portion of said outgoing acoustical sound, wherein SPL stands for sound pressure level. Through this, at high input SPL the hearing device's power consumption can be reduced by making use of direct sound, which propagate as sound waves from outside the user's ear canal to the user's ear drum.
US08213652B2
The invention relates to a multi-component hearing aid system, comprising at least one first component that is designed to be disposed on or in the ear of a patient for the purpose of generating and/or amplifying an auditory stimulus and at least one further component which can engage at least partially and/or temporarily in a wireless communication connection via which a data transmission can take place with the first component that is to be worn on or in the ear, wherein circuitry means are included which can place at least one source of interference contained in the hearing aid system at least during the transmission of data into an operating mode in which interference signals are coupled by said at least one source of interference into a receiver involved in the data transmission in a manner that is at least attenuated compared to the normal operating mode.
US08213650B2
The setting and/or adjustment of a hearing device for a user is provided. The hearing device includes a signal processing facility for processing an input sound to form an output sound, with a perceptive model being implemented in the signal processing facility or in a processing facility connected in a data link therewith, with which perceptive model a psychoacoustic variable can be provided in respect of the output sound. A visualization facility, for instance integrated in a remote control comprising the processing facility, is preferably wirelessly connected to the signal processing facility. A value of the psychoacoustic variable can thus be visualized accordingly. In this way an assisting person obtains an item of information relating to the perception of the sound supplied by the hearing device by the user, as a result of which the setting is facilitated for the assisting person.
US08213640B2
There is described a hearing device especially for musicians. For this purpose a hearing device is proposed, in whose housing a music device is integrated with which tones or signals can be emitted via the signal processor and the loudspeaker to the hearing device wearer. This music device can, for example, be a tuner with tone pitch analysis or sound playback, a metronome and/or a tone pitch processing unit. A remote control for receiving pieces of music and for playback via a hearing device may also be provided.
US08213630B2
Practical speaker connection is identified using a device having a sound channel of a 5.1 channel or 7.1 channel, and a device is provided that can easily reproduce the optimum multiple channels. Actual speaker arrangement can be identified by, for example, measuring the impedance of a terminal at the side of an audio amplifier. If incorrect connection is found, a warning is issued. This information is transmitted to a signal source with an EDID and a signal with the optimum a number of sound channel is sent. The EDID is also used for the connection with a display unit and the speaker connection with which the display unit is provided uniquely. For example, a sound through the 7.1 channel is easily reproduced using the speaker of the display unit in the channel of the front speaker.
US08213629B2
A method to automatically adjust listening levels to safe listening levels is provided. The method can include the steps of monitoring an audio content level, monitoring a sound pressure level within an ear canal, and gradually reducing over time a volume of the audio content responsive to detecting intermittent manual volume increases of the audio content.
US08213627B2
A hearing aid contains a microphone detecting an acoustic input signal and converts it to an electrical output signal, a receiver producing an acoustic output signal being dependent on an electrical output signal of the microphone, and a transmitter transmitting a monitoring signal, which is dependent on the electrical output signal. A transceiver contains a receiver for receiving the monitoring signal, and a signal processing device for processing the monitoring signal. The signal processing device processes the monitoring signal to produce an indication signal which is acoustically restricted with respect to the monitoring signal such that it simulates a restricted hearing capability of a person, or which indicates an operating/signal state of the hearing aid. The transmission of the monitoring signal to the transceiver and the processing to form the indication signal provides information about the state of the hearing aid for monitoring of the hearing aid.
US08213616B2
Systems and methods of providing opportunistic security for physical communication channels are disclosed. One disclosed method is for opportunistic secure communication on a main channel between a sender device and a receiver device when an eavesdropper device is listening on an eavesdropper channel. This example method includes transmitting, in a first time period in which signal quality on the main channel is better than signal quality on the eavesdropper channel, symbols that are randomly selected from a set of symbols. The method also includes transmitting, in a second time period in which signal quality on the main channel is not better than signal quality on the eavesdropper channel, coding information associated with the randomly selected symbols. The method also includes reconciling the randomly selected symbols using the coding information.
US08213611B2
A two-stage block synchronization and scrambling module includes a synchronization PRNG module, a scramble PRNG module, a summing module, and a storage module. The synchronization PRNG module is clocked once per N+1 bit PCS frame (N arbitrary) to produce a synchronization bit and a pseudo-random starting state for the scramble PRNG. The scramble PRNG module is clocked N times per PCS frame to produce a cipher stream starting with a pseudo-random state from the synchronization PRNG. The summing module is operably coupled to sum the cipher stream and a PCS frame payload to produce scrambled payload. The storage module is operably coupled to store the scrambled payload with the synchronization bit. Synchronization bits from successive frames are a running bit-serial representation of the synchronization PRNG state and are used by the receiver to synchronize with the transmit scrambler.
US08213602B2
There is provided a method for encrypting a data stream using multiple algorithms. In one embodiment, a first portion of the data stream is encrypted with a first algorithm utilizing a first key to generate a first encrypted portion. The first algorithm can be, for example, a Triple Data Encryption Algorithm (TDEA). Data indicating the first algorithm and the first key is then transmitted. Then, the first encrypted portion of the data stream is transmitted. Thereafter, a second portion of the data stream is encrypted with a second algorithm utilizing a second key to generate a second encrypted portion. The second algorithm can be, for example, a Single Data Encryption Algorithm (SDEA). Next, data indicating the second algorithm and the second key is transmitted. Thereafter, the first encrypted portion of the data stream is transmitted.
US08213599B2
A spring employed in a semi-automatic sliding device of a sliding-type portable communication terminal is provided. The spring includes a first spring including a first coil spring having a first end and a first other end connected to the first end by means of a first link spring and arranged at a center of the first coil spring in the form of being wound at least one time, a second spring including a second coil spring having a second end and a second other end connected to the second end by means of the first link spring and arranged at a center of the second coil spring in the form of being wound at least one time and a connector for integrally fixing the first and second coil springs to the connector. The spring assists in the opening and closing of the portable terminal, allows the portable terminal to be made thinner and is simple to manufacture based on having few parts.
US08213595B2
A method for adjusting caller ID information includes receiving at a call device a caller ID message that includes a calling number. An address book associated with the call device is searched. An address book telephone number having the matching area code or local exchange number is analyzed to determine if the first digits of both address book phone number and calling number constitute a “1.” If the first digit in both numbers is the same, the calling number is stored unadjusted, while if the first digits differ, the calling number is adjusted. A method for adjusting caller ID information includes comparing the format of a received calling phone number to a set of predetermined criteria that are used to enable a “truncate” function in a context-sensitive “delete” button only when a predetermined criterion is met. Accordingly, a user is provided with a means to assure in a single pressing of a button that the proper deletion of numbers takes place for any calling number that is identified as needing truncation.
US08213591B2
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for processing a ring tone. A communication is processed from a calling number to a called number. An electronic database is queried for the calling number, and contact information associated with the calling number is retrieved. A ring tone database is queried for the contact information, and the ring tone database stores an association between the contact information and a ring tone. The ring tone associated with the contact information is retrieved and processed to alert the called number to the communication from the calling number.
US08213580B2
A method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for managing a communications session. The process monitors a bandwidth of the communications device in response to detecting an exchange of audio-based messages on a communications device. In response to detecting the bandwidth below a threshold, the process converts a subsequent outgoing audio-based message into an outgoing text-based message and associates a low bandwidth indicator to the outgoing text-based message to form a distinguished text-based message. The process then transmits the distinguished text-based message for receipt by an intended recipient.
US08213578B2
A method of and system for operating a captioned telephone service, the method comprising the steps of providing words spoken by a remote user to a relay, at the relay, a call assistant listening to the words spoken by the remote user and re-voicing the words into a computer with voice recognition software trained to the voice of the call assistant to create a text stream of the words spoken by the remote user and presenting the text stream to an assisted user via a display.
US08213576B2
Conventionally, the magnetic field generator was arranged perpendicularly to the axis of the electron beam. The magnetic field generator of this invention is arranged so as to be inclined relative to the plane perpendicular to the axis of the electron beam. Specifically, the magnetic field generator is arranged so as to be inclined relative to the plane perpendicular to the axis of the electron beam within the range in the cathode side from the focused and deflected electron beam. Inclination up to the anode side opposite to the cathode side will lead to a possibility of increasing the reduced X-ray source diameter. Thus, arranging the magnetic field generator so as to be inclined within the range in the cathode side from the electron beam may reduce the X-ray source diameter.
US08213573B2
A method for imaging an object includes radiating the object of interest and sensing the radiation that penetrates through the object using a detector having at least one active area and at least one inactive area, determining when the radiation is completed using information received from the inactive area of the imaging detector, and reconstructing an image of the object using information received from the active area of the imaging detector. A medical imaging system and a computer-readable medium are also provided.
US08213571B2
Methods and systems for X-ray imaging enable inspection of an area of an object that is located separate and apart from a location of an X-ray generator. An X-ray imaging system includes an X-ray generator to generate X-rays. A collimator filters the generated X-rays to consolidate the generated X-rays and move the generated X-rays in a direction parallel to a centerline axis of the collimator. A small diameter tube transmits the directed X-rays and an end retainer emits the transmitted X-rays at an inspection object. A first filter of the collimator may initially filter the generated X-rays that are not parallel to the centerline axis of the collimator by passing the X-rays through a plurality of apertures. A second filter of the collimator may consolidate the generated X-rays and move the generated X-rays in a direction parallel to the centerline axis of the collimator by passing the generated X-rays through a channel.
US08213560B2
Disclosed herein is a phase-locked loop circuit including: a voltage controlled oscillator; a variable frequency divider circuit for frequency-dividing an oscillating signal of the voltage controlled oscillator into a 1/N (N is an integer) frequency; a phase comparator circuit for comparing phases of a frequency-divided signal and a reference signal of a reference frequency with each other; a charge pump circuit for outputting a charge pump current changed in pulse width; a loop filter for being supplied with the charge pump current and outputting a direct-current voltage changed in level; and a control circuit for calculating a value of the charge pump current as a function of the oscillating frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator and a coefficient for setting a phase locked loop band, and setting the value of the charge pump current in the charge pump circuit.
US08213559B2
A parallel sampling device includes a memory that stores the values of the sampling function (Sin πt/πt), a low pass filter, a sampler that samples a signal, which has passed through low pass filter, at a sampling period of Ts, and a parallel sampler provided in a stage following the sampler. The parallel sampler generates parallel sampled values at an interval of the sampling period Ts/N (N is a natural number equal to or larger than 2) based on sampled values obtained by the sampler and the values of the sampling function stored in the memory. This configuration allows parallel sampling to be performed easily even if the frequency is high or the sampling period of parallel sampling is narrow.
US08213556B1
Signal power of a received signal, which has a plurality of preamble sequences associated with sub-carrier signals received from a plurality of sub-carriers, in a cellular Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing system may be estimated by estimating as power for at least one preamble sequence of a signal received at a selected receive antenna. The preamble sequence is associated with a base station and a set of sub-carriers. A differential received signal developed for one of the set of sub-carriers is correlated with a normalized differential transmit signal for the preamble sequence, and the estimate of the power for the at least one preamble sequence is extracted based on the correlation.
US08213552B2
A method of calculating at least one soft bit corresponding to a data symbol received by a radio receiver is described. In one form the method (300) includes, calculating an average amplitude at least one received data symbol. The method also includes calculating (304) at least one threshold amplitude in respect of the data symbol on the basis of the calculated average amplitude. Next a subset of constellation symbols is determined (310) at least partly on the basis of the at least one threshold, and for which a distance determination will be made. The distance between the position of the data symbol and each of the symbols in the subset of constellation symbols is determined (312) and then a soft bit corresponding to the received symbol is calculated (314) on the basis of said determined distances.
US08213546B2
A method performed by a receiver is provided. The method includes generating an RDS/RBDS candidate codeword from a set of RDS/RBDS symbols where the RDS/RBDS candidate codeword has a subset of RDS/RBDS values that differs from corresponding subsets of RDS/RBDS values in all other possible RDS/RBDS codewords and determining whether the RDS/RBDS candidate codeword meets an acceptance criterion by comparing a first subset of reliability values determined from the set of RDS/RBDS symbols and having signs that differ from corresponding signs in the subset of RDS/RBDS values with a second subset of reliability values determined from the set of RDS/RBDS symbols and mutually exclusive with the first subset of the reliability values. A first number of values in the first and the second subsets of reliability values is less than a second number of values in the RDS/RBDS candidate codeword.
US08213543B2
A transmitter (102) generates a first set of data symbols and a first pilot symbol (601) at a first time, and a second set of data symbols and a second pilot symbol (602) at a different, second time. The first (601) and second (602) pilot symbols are each represented by first (701) and second (702) pilot carriers, respectively, located at first (703) and second (704) predetermined sample frequencies, respectively, in a channel bandwidth. For the first pilot symbol (601), the first (701) and second (702) pilot carriers have first and second predetermined values, respectively. For the second pilot symbol (602), the first (701) and second (702) pilot carriers have third and fourth predetermined values, respectively. A receiver (104) measures the first, second, fourth and third predetermined values responsive to receiving the first (601) and second (602) pilot symbols to determine first, second, third and fourth estimates of channel distortion, respectively, for compensating and recovering the first and the second sets of data symbols.
US08213542B2
Circuitry separates a modulation signal into digital sign and magnitude signal components. The digital magnitude signal is converted to an analog magnitude signal. The analog magnitude signal is the mixed with an in-phase or quadrature carrier signal under the influence of the digital sign signal and routed to a driver output stage.
US08213540B1
A system and method of beamforming facilitate beam selection without requiring an exhaustive search. In some implementations, a beamforming technique may select candidate vectors to construct a beamforming matrix without having to compute each matrix element.
US08213539B2
A wireless communication system and method uses a spatial spreading matrix to distribute the encoded spatial data streams to a number of transmit chains and further uses the spatial spreading matrix for antenna selection computation in a transmitter. The spatial spreading matrix is designed such that a receiver is able to know and utilize the spatial spreading matrix for computing transmission antenna selection, receiver antenna selection and joint transmission/receiving antenna selection. The use of this spatial spreading matrix for antenna selection computation provides increased accuracy in antenna selection for transmission of spatial data streams, where the number of spatial data streams is less than the number of transmit or receive chains between the transmitter and receiver, and the number of transmit or receive chains is less than the corresponding transmission or receiving antennas.
US08213535B2
A method of transmitting data by transmitting apparatus, that includes controlling generation of bit sequences to adjust an occupation rate of systematic bits in a first data block including systematic bits and parity bits, which is obtained by encoding first data in a first encoding process, and is equal or closer to an occupation rate of systematic bits in a second data block including systematic bits and parity bits, which is obtained by encoding second data in a second encoding process, and to adjust an occupation rate of parity bits in the first data block that is closer to an occupation rate of parity bits in the second data block, in regard to first bit positions of the bit sequences generated using bits included in the first and second data blocks and performs multi-level modulation for transmission based on the generated bit sequences.
US08213531B2
An apparatus for transmitting a signal in a semiconductor integrated circuit includes a multilevel transmission control block that outputs a plurality of bits of an input signal in serial or parallel according to whether a multilevel transmission operation is performed or not, and a signal processing block that selectively performs the multilevel transmission operation according to a form of the input signal, which are output in serial or parallel from the multilevel transmission control block.
US08213530B2
According to one embodiment, a method of receiving signals from a transmitter having a plurality of antennas includes: receiving the signals from the transmitter; selecting a precoding matrix based on a multiplexing rate (R) by selecting R column vectors from a single matrix corresponding to a maximum multiplexing rate, wherein the maximum multiplexing rate corresponds to a number (Nt) of the plurality of antennas, wherein each column vector of a first precoding matrix corresponding to a first multiplexing rate is included as a part of column vectors of a second precoding matrix corresponding to a second multiplexing rate when the second multiplexing rate is greater than the first multiplexing rate; and processing the received signals using the selected precoding matrix.
US08213529B2
There is provided a method for MIMO decoding, based on a channel estimated value between a plurality of transmitting antennas and a plurality of receiving antennas, a received signal received by the plurality of receiving antennas, including: in obtaining a unitary matrix Q and a triangular matrix R through QR decomposition of a channel estimated value matrix H, creating the triangular matrix R such that a sum of scalars of non-diagonal elements of the triangular matrix R is the minimum; and estimating a signal transmitted from the plurality of transmitting antennas through the use of the created triangular matrix R, the unitary matrix Q, and the received signal received by the plurality of receiving antennas.
US08213528B2
An apparatus and associated methods for performing space-frequency interleaving in a multicarrier wireless communication system is generally described.
US08213526B2
A receive station of the present invention despreads a received signal over both long and short despreading periods to determine individual channel estimates over each symbol period of an extended period for multiple pilot signals. As a result, the present invention provides channel estimates sufficient for both slow and fast fading conditions. The receive station determines an average channel estimate for each of the pilot signals over the extended period by despreading the received signal over the extended period using mutually orthogonal extended spreading sequences. The receive station further determines a combined channel estimate for the pilot signals over each symbol period of the extended period by despreading the received signal over each symbol period using a common spreading sequence. Based on the average and combined channel estimates, the receive station determines individual channel estimates for each pilot signal over each symbol period of the extended period.
US08213524B2
A DTMB-based control system includes a carrier mode detector, a TPS decoder, a first latch, a second latch, and a latch controller. The carrier mode detector receives a number of NTPS and NCS of input signals to thereby produce an amplitude sign signal and a carrier sign signal for accordingly determining a carrier mode to be multi- or single-carrier mode. The TPS decoder receives the NTPS input signals and accordingly determines a codeword index signal. The first latch locks the amplitude sign signal and the carrier sign signal. The second latch locks the codeword index signal. The latch controller receives a frame number and drives the first latch to lock the amplitude sign signal and the carrier sign signal or drives the second latch to lock the codeword index signal.
US08213521B2
Methods and apparatus for audience measurement using global signature representation and matching are disclosed. An example method to determine whether a monitored media content presentation corresponds to a reference content source disclosed herein comprises creating a track corresponding to the reference content source and representative of a history of signature matching results when a first site signature in a plurality of site signatures corresponding to the monitored media content presentation and a first reference signature in a plurality of reference signatures corresponding to the reference content source are determined to match at a particular time offset between the first site signature and the first reference signature according to a histogram representing a plurality of distances between the first site signature and the first reference signature corresponding to a respective plurality of time offsets between the first site signature and the first reference signature.
US08213511B2
This invention is a method of video encoding. The number N macroblocks stored in a temporary buffer depends upon an estimated number of motion vectors. N macroblocks of current and prior frame data is transferred to the temporary buffer. The invention determines for each macroblock whether to be inter frame predicted or intra frame predicted. The inter and intra macroblocks are separately encoded based upon this determination and stored in an output buffer. Output macroblocks are output from the output buffer in raster scan order. This technique permits the process to loop over differing number of macroblocks in differing parts of the encoding process. Entropy encoding complexity from separating inter and intra macroblock encoding is avoided by separating a symbol generation phase from an encoding phase.
US08213504B2
The present invention provides an image display apparatus capable of suppressing deterioration in picture quality resulting from precision of detection of a motion vector at the time of performing a predetermined video signal process to improve picture quality. In consideration of reliability in detection of a motion vector mv by a motion vector detector 44, a video signal process in an interpolation section 45, an imaging blur suppression processor 13, and an overdrive processor 10 is performed. Concretely, the video signal process is performed so that a degree of the video signal process rises as reliability increases and, on the other hand, a degree of the video signal process falls off as the reliability decreases. In the case of performing the video signal process using a motion vector, even when a motion vector lies out of a motion vector search range (block matching range), the video signal process according to the motion vector detection precision can be performed.
US08213502B2
A system and method for controlling video compression quantization comprising generating a quantizer scale offset based on diagonal frequencies of luminance components of a data block samples, luminance intensity of the samples and motion activity of the data block, adjusting a first quantizer scale using the quantizer scale offset to receive a second quantizer scale and quantizing the data block using the second quantizer scale.
US08213497B2
A moving image converting apparatus includes: a block dividing unit executing block division processing for each of frames that form the moving image data; a motion amount detecting unit detecting a block motion amount corresponding to a motion amount of an object contained in each of blocks obtained; a line-of-sight motion amount detecting unit calculating a line-of-sight motion amount of a viewer who views the moving image data; a sampling point phase change amount determining unit receiving the block motion amount and the line-of-sight motion amount as input, and determining a block-corresponding sampling point phase change amount to be applied to spatial decimation processing on each of the blocks; and a decimation executing unit receiving the blocks obtained as input, executing the spatial decimation processing on the inputted blocks, the spatial decimation processing being executed by applying the block-corresponding sampling point phase change amount determined.
US08213495B2
Provided is a picture decoding method in which a less degraded decoded picture can be reconstructed even if an error has occurred. A picture decoding method for decoding coded data on a block-by-block basis and smoothing, using a deblocking filter, blocking distortion which occurs in a boundary between decoded blocks. In this method, a variable length decoding unit VLD detects whether or not each block in the coded data contains an error; and a deblocking filter DBF determines, based on the result of the detection, (i) whether or not filtering should be performed on a boundary between two adjacent blocks, and (ii) which one of deblocking filters with different smoothing levels should be used for filtering of the boundary.
US08213490B2
In the example embodiments, test signals sent from a transmitting system are received at a receiving system. The receiving system generates a determination signal indicating, in one embodiment, whether received signals have a desired relationship with respect to a clock signal at the receiving system. Timing of the clock signal or timing for transmitting signals may be adjusted based on the determination. In another embodiment, the receiving system generates a determination signal indicating whether the pulse width of a lone pulse signal equals a desired time interval. Equalization or pre-emphasis is controlled based on the determination signal.
US08213487B2
A method according to an embodiment obtains a list of peaks for each of a number of frequency hypotheses. Each peak has an energy result and corresponds to a code phase hypothesis. Embodiments include methods and apparatus that may be used in identifying a location of a signal (such as a GPS signal) in a two-dimensional search space. Location information may be further applied to operations such as signal acquisition, signal tracking, position location of a receiver, and timing operations such as the synchronization of one or more other processes.
US08213486B2
A method for simplifying calculations for pre-whitening in a G-RAKE receiver, comprising receiving at least two signals with at least two antennas via a channel, where each one of said received signals comprises time delayed and attenuated versions of the original signals. Each received signal forms a corresponding vector of received signal versions and the vectors form a matrix of received signals, where, due to correlation between the antennas, the received signals are correlated. Each version also comprises a certain amount of colored noise. The correlating effect of the antennas is estimated and formulated in matrix form and used to acquire essentially uncorrelated received signal vectors in an essentially uncorrelated received signal matrix. A calculated inverse of a covariance matrix of the calculated essentially uncorrelated signal vectors is used to pre-whiten the noise. A G-RAKE receiver arranged for applying the method above.
US08213482B2
A method of synchronizing wireless devices includes establishing a recurring sequence of frequency channels at which the wireless devices are to communicate. The frequency channels are divided into a plurality of groups. Synchronization information is transmitted at a respective first frequency channel in each of the groups of frequency channels during a first sampling time period. One of the groups of frequency channels is selected. A wireless device is used to sample each of the frequency channels in the selected group during the first sampling time period. Non-synchronization information is transmitted after the first sampling time period. Synchronization information is transmitted at a next respective frequency channel in each of the groups of frequency channels during a next sampling time period. The next sampling time period occurs after the transmitting of the non-synchronization information.
US08213481B2
A light-emitting element mount (4) is fixed onto a base (8), and a semiconductor laser element (1) is fixed onto the light-emitting element mount (4). An anchor member (5), which is in the shape of a roughly rectangular plate, is fixed onto the base (8). An optical fiber (2) is fixed onto the anchor member (5) by means of an anchoring material (6). The optical fiber (2) is aligned and optically coupled with the semiconductor laser element (1). A cut-out (9) is formed in the part of the base (8) corresponding to the anchoring material (6) (below the anchoring material (6)). Thus the anchor member (5) is fixed onto the base (8) so as to straddle the cut-out (9). Since the cut-out (9) is formed below the anchor member (5), a spot heater (10) or like can be used to heat the anchor member (5) from the bottom surface thereof. Thus, the anchoring material (6) on top of the anchor member (5) can be efficiently heated.
US08213479B2
The invention discloses a high power laser diode comprising a plurality of laser light emitters (2) and a plurality of light collimating means (33), wherein each of the laser light emitters (2) defines, in a direction perpendicular to a direction of propagation (32) of an output laser beam, a fast axis (y) and a slow axis (x), and wherein each of the light collimating means is associated with a laser light emitter and configured for collimating the output laser beam at least in a fast axis (y) direction. In order to enable a simple and cost-efficient assembly of the diode laser with collimating means, having a layered structure consisting of a plurality of plane-parallel substrates. For this purpose, the diode laser comprises planar substrate means (10, 30) which serves to precisely define a distance between a respective laser light emitter (2) and an associated light collimating means to the order of one or several millimetres and to support the collimating means (33) such that the optical axis of said laser light emitters are parallel to each other and for defining a precise location of emitters on the planar substrate (10), preferably at predetermined distance in fast axis direction between said laser light emitters. The collimating means is an array or multiple single of micro-optical lenses having a rear side which is bonded to the upper surface of the planar spacer means. The submounts of the light emitters (2) are mounted to the planar substrate means (10, 30) and to a heatsink (6).
US08213464B2
Normally ordered robust VSB data are reordered in accordance with a first interleave to produce reordered robust VSB data. The reordered robust VSB data and ATSC data are reordered in accordance with a second interleave to produce normally ordered robust VSB data and reordered ATSC data. The normally ordered robust VSB data and reordered ATSC data are time multiplexed for transmission to a receiver. The receiver discards the reordered ATSC data or the normally ordered robust VSB data depending upon receiver type or user selection. A robust VSB receiver is able to process the normally ordered robust VSB data upstream of an outer decoder without an interleave thereby avoiding the delay associated with an interleave.
US08213462B2
Provided is a media player comprising a connector to which a cable for transmitting a media signal from an external source is connected, and a user manipulator, the media player including a signal processor for processing the media signal transmitted through the cable; a UI generator for generating a setting menu for setting characteristics of the cable; and a controller for controlling the signal processor to process the media signal on the basis of the set characteristics of the cable inputted through the setting menu by the user manipulator. The media player and a control method thereof provides a user interface (UI) allowing a user to input information about cable characteristics, and process a signal according to the cable characteristics inputted by a user.
US08213458B2
According to the invention, a method for establishing a personal communication between an originating end and a terminating end of a communication system is disclosed. In one step, a first number of personal communication modes associated with the originating end is retrieved. A determination is made if a second number of personal communication modes associated with the terminating end comprises any personal communication modes compatible with the first number of personal communication modes. A compatible personal communication mode from the first number of personal communication modes and the second number of personal communication modes is chosen to indicate the compatible personal communication mode to the terminating end.
US08213456B2
Disclosed herein is a communications system that uses multiple transmission media, the system including: communications interface combining adapters connected via a power-line transmission path and a wireless transmission path between wireless LAN access points, each adapter having a power line communication interface and a wireless LAN interface, the wireless LAN interface having an access point function and an inter-access point communication function; wireless LAN terminals connected to the access points included in the adapters; and a wired LAN terminal connected to a wired LAN interface included in at least some of the adapters. Data transfer between the wireless LAN terminals or between one of the wireless LAN terminals and the wired LAN terminal is performed via a high-speed combined interface logically formed by using the power-line transmission path and inter-access point communication between the adapters to which the terminals participating in the data transfer are connected.
US08213448B2
A serial buffer monitors an incoming stream of packets to identify single missing packets and multiple consecutive missing packets. Upon detecting multiple consecutive missing packets, an interrupt is generated, thereby stopping the data transfer. Upon detecting a single missing packet, a single missing packet identifier is inserted into the packet header of the packet that resulted in identification of the single missing packet. The incoming packets, including any inserted single missing packet identifiers, are written to a queue. When the water level reaches the water mark of the queue, the stored packets are read to create an outgoing packet stream. When a packet read from the queue includes an inserted single missing packet identifier, a dummy packet (e.g., a packet having a data payload of all zeros) is inserted into the outgoing packet stream. As a result, real-time applications are capable of processing the outgoing packet stream in a constant fashion.
US08213443B2
A hub-free network system is provided in which control systems can operate normally for mutual communications, even though one of the plurality of control systems malfunctions.Each of the plurality of control systems has a network interface card, and each of the network interface cards has a plurality of communication ports. Each of the network interface cards has a phase structure of ring topology by sequentially connecting a plurality of the communication ports. The plurality of the control systems perform the communications in the phase structure of ring topology, and perform the communications by changing the phase structure of ring topology to a phase structure of bus topology if an error occurs in the communications.
US08213424B2
A device for connecting base station(s) to a cellular label switched network in a cellular network. The cellular network includes: base station(s), the connecting device(s); cellular label switched network(s); and service area(s). The base station(s) communicates with mobile terminals using wireless technology. The wireless technology uses a protocol layer architecture that includes at least one of the following: a wireless physical layer; a wireless medium access control protocol layer; a radio link control layer; and a network layer. The connecting device(s) include: a first interface to connect to the base station(s); a second interface to connect to cellular label switched network(s); and a label forwarding layer that: forwards packets between base station(s) and cellular label switched network(s); attaches label(s) to packets and removes label(s) from packets. A service area divided into a multitude of cells through which mobile terminals can move through and communicate with base station(s).
US08213421B2
The present invention relates to communications networks, and more particularly to packet switching and routing devices used in communication networks that provide efficient multicast services. The invention provides methods and systems for switching and routing of multicast data packets in two stages. In particular, in the first stage a received multicast data packet is in an internal multicast operation by an ingress line card across a switching fabric to a plurality of egress line cards through which multicast destinations of the packet are reachable. In a second stage each egress line card further replicates the data packet to the actual transmission links across which the multicast group are reachable. This invention also includes system performing this method. The invention reduces the service time for the multicast packets making it the same as for the unicast packets, and provides for better system throughput in comparison to traditional systems.
US08213417B2
A system for communication between a mobile node and a communications network is provided for use with a communications network having one or more communications network nodes that define a foreign agents and that communicate with the mobile node in a predefined region. The system includes a ghost-foreign agent that advertises a foreign agent so that the mobile node is aware of the foreign agent when the mobile node is located outside the predefined region. The system further includes a ghost-mobile node that signals the foreign agent in response to the foreign agent advertising and based upon a predicted future state of the mobile node.
US08213399B2
Systems for multiple use subchannels are provided. In one embodiment, a bidirectional communication system comprises: a first remote unit for communicating with a host using OFDM, the host communicatively coupled to a plurality of remote units in a multipoint-to-point configuration. The first remote unit is configured to transmit up to a plurality of tones, the up to a plurality of tones modulated with upstream information using OFDM, the first remote unit including a modulator for modulating the up to a plurality of tones using OFDM. The modulator is configured to adjust a carrier frequency and timing of the plurality of tones such that when any tones are transmitted from the first remote unit and at least one other remote unit, the orthogonality of the tones when received at the host unit is improved. Both control data and payload data are transmitted on a first tone of the plurality of tones.
US08213391B2
Time synchronization of an access point base station. The method may include receiving an assignment message from a service provider comprising a plurality of parameters. The plurality of parameters may include an access point base station frequency assignment, a network identifier, an access point base station identifier, a neighbor list, a PN offset, and/or a scrambling code. The access point base station may then synchronize with the macro base station. Synchronizing may include searching for a strongest macro base station in the neighbor list, synchronizing a long code of the access point base station to the macro base station, estimating a propagation delay between the macro base station and the access point base station, and initializing a state of the access point base station PN code using the propagation delay to provide system time synchronization.
US08213390B2
Upon successful decoding of a first set of slots of a first data packet, an Access Network (AN) can send an acknowledge message (ACK) to an Access Terminal (AT) to indicate that the AN has successfully decoded the data received in the first set of slots of the first data packet. Upon unsuccessful decoding of the first set of slots of the first data packet, the AN can send a negative acknowledge message (NAK) to the AT to indicate that the AN has not successfully decoded the data received in the first set of slots of a first data packet. Based upon receipt of the NAK, the AT can resend the data by sending a second set of slots of the first data packet containing redundant data. Based upon receipt of the ACK, the AT can send a first set of slots of another packet.
US08213387B2
A method for transmitting a media independent handover (MIH) message includes the following steps: The MIH message is divided into segments and the segments are encapsulated into transmission control protocol (TCP) segments; the TCP segments are then encapsulated into Internet protocol (IP) data packets; the IP data packets is transmitted to a receiving end. The method, system, and device for transmitting an MIH message described herein provide flow controls for the MIH message transmission, thereby enhancing the transmission efficiency of the MIH message.
US08213379B2
Wireless stations and methods thereof are provided. Allocations in a frame are considered to have a predetermined transmission sequence. MAP in the frame arranges zone allocation IEs of the allocations by following the predetermined transmission sequence so that a station receive the frame can know the predetermined transmission sequence. By having the predetermined transmission sequence, zone allocation IE of each of the allocations in the frame can be described by only two parameters: number of time units and number of frequency bands.
US08213376B2
The OFDMA power allocation method provides for supporting absolute proportional rate constrains for scalable OFDMA systems. Network scheduling procedures implementing the prescribed method can provide absolute guarantees for satisfying the specified rate constrains while maximizing the throughput of the network.
US08213375B2
In a mobile electronic communication device for receiving a downlink radio link control (RLC) data block, the improvement comprising determining whether an Extension (E) bit within a header of the data block has been reset to zero, thereby denoting the existence of extension octets within the data block, summing the lengths of the extension octets, calculating the number of bytes in the data block, and discarding the data block in the event the sum of the lengths is greater than the number of bytes in the data block.
US08213369B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a method and a system for obtaining home agent information of a mobile node. The method includes: when a DHCPv6 server receives a request message from a mobile node, it obtains the home agent information of the mobile node; the DHCPv6 server includes the home agent information into the response message, and sends the response to the mobile node. With embodiments of the present invention, a mobile node may obtain its home agent information (such as its home agent address information) simultaneously when it requests related information. When the request message is a home address request message or a care-of address request message, the invention provides a clearly defined process for a mobile node to obtain home agent information when it is started up on a home link or foreign link. The invention avoids a special message interaction procedure to obtain home agent information. It increases the efficiency in obtaining home agent information, refines the RFC and improves the handover speed of the mobile node.
US08213354B2
Disclosed is a structure of a downlink common channel for transmitting an ACK/NACK to notify whether retransmission should be performed through a transmission position of the downlink common channel according to a channel code of a time slot allocated to a UE, and a method for distinguishing an ACK from a NACK, in using a HARQ scheme for uplink transmission of a TDD CDMA scheme in a 3G mobile communication.
US08213353B2
This document proposes soft activation and inactivation of (network) repeaters that are, for example, activated on an as-needed basis. With soft activation, repeater gain ramps upward at a controlled rate, thereby avoiding rapid changes in interference caused by the repeater. Likewise, with soft inactivation, repeater gain ramps downward at a controlled rate. Soft activation/inactivation results in more gradual changes in the interference contribution of the repeater, thereby improving the performance of interference-compensating radio receivers operating in proximity to the repeater.
US08213342B2
A system and method for indicating user information in a conference event package. An extension is added to the current conference event package in various embodiments of the present invention. This extension adds a new attribute to user information, including an indicator that explicitly indicates to a user that certain information is the user's own information. Therefore, when a user desiring anonymity joins a conference and then subscribes to the conference event package in order to obtain the roster, the conference lists one of the participants with an indicator that indicates to the user that this particular participant is the user.
US08213339B2
The invention can achieve a recovery time that satisfies the demands of real-time transmission processing by performing, in an extremely short time period, an RSTP process in a network, which is configured in a ring topology and wherein a plurality of IEEE 802.3 compliant nodes is connected via prescribed transmission lines, using hardware to execute processes related to the physical layer and the data link layer of the OSI reference model—without software processing. The RSTP processing unit of each node: receives BPDU data, which is received from the network by one of two PHY units and stored in a BPDU send/receive buffer of a corresponding MAC unit that is connected to that PHY unit, via a BPDU data bus that is connected to that MAC unit; decodes the received BPDU data; performs a prescribed process; transfers the BPDU data, via the BPDU data bus that is connected to the other MAC unit, to the other BPDU send/receive buffer; and transmits that BPDU data from the PHY unit connected to the other MAC unit to the network.
US08213338B2
A system includes a first device and a second device. The first device is configured to transmit a discover message on a first upstream channel, where the discover message includes information representing capabilities of the first device. The second device is configured to receive the discover message from the first device and determine whether to switch the first device to a second upstream channel based on the capabilities information in the discover message. The second device makes the determination before a registration of the first device. The second device transmits a message to the first device instructing the first device to switch to the second upstream channel based on a result of the determination.
US08213329B2
A base station apparatus for communicating a mobile station over a downlink shared channel includes a reception unit configured to receive acknowledgement information for the downlink shared channel from the mobile station over a control channel frequency-multiplexed with an uplink shared channel, a measurement unit configured to measure a radio quality of the control channel, and a determination unit configured to determine based on the radio quality whether the mobile station has transmitted the acknowledgement information. Also, a communication control method at a base station apparatus for communicating a mobile station over a downlink shared channel includes receiving acknowledgement information for the downlink shared channel from the mobile station over a control channel frequency-multiplexed with an uplink shared channel, measuring a radio quality of the control channel, and determining based on the radio quality whether the mobile station has transmitted the acknowledgement information.
US08213326B2
A method and apparatus for classifying a port on a node in a data communications network, such as a router. The node, itself or in some embodiments though another network device, determines whether the port in question is currently receiving packets from a single address, for example a MAC address, only. If so, incoming packets of at least a first type are selected for inspection. The inspection criteria may vary with the type or types of packets selected, but in any case the results of the inspection are used to determine whether the single address corresponds with a client device. If so, selective security measures may be applied to the port. If security measures are applied to a port, the port is preferably monitored periodically to ensure that it remains a client port. The frequency of inspections or monitoring may vary depending on the port's classification history.
US08213322B2
Techniques are given for determining the data transmission or sending rates in a router or switch of two or more input queues in one or more input ports sharing an output port, which may optionally include an output queue. The output port receives desired or requested data from each input queue sharing the output port. The output port analyzes this data and sends feedback to each input port so that, if needed, the input port can adjust its transmission or sending rate.
US08213318B2
A system for performing remote supervision and diagnosis, having a plurality of local terminals for performing supervision and diagnosis on an object, by executing a mobile program transmitted from a central system. When a disaster occurs and the network is cut, inevitably disconnecting the local terminals from the central system, one of the local terminals is set as a representative local terminal. The representative local terminal collects from the local terminals the maintenance information required for supervising and diagnosing the object.
US08213317B2
Errors of e.g database synchrony between radio-connected stations can be especially troublesome if continued and repeated, in that the task of detecting and correcting errors in transmissions between a mobile station and a server can quickly deplete resources in the mobile station. This problem is addressed by keeping an error-event-count in the server; when the count exceeds a threshold, the server signals the mobile to immediately transmit the recent-activity-log in the mobile, i.e the log in the mobile in which are recorded the detailed elements relating to assembling and transmitting the data packet in which the error was detected. Using the information in the recent-activity-log, the server can institute de-bugging strategies, and correct the problem. Preferably, the threshold is in two stages; above the first threshold, the mobile station is signalled to increase the level of detail as recorded in the recent-activity-logs (if the mobile is able to do so), and the actual transmission of the log only takes place above the second threshold.
US08213316B1
A method and apparatus control effects of packet transmission delay on recorded audio information by determining if received audio information is to be used for a real time conversation or to be recorded; using a first size of jitter buffer upon the determined use being for the real time conversation; and using a second size of jitter buffer upon the determined use being to record the audio information whereby the second size of jitter buffer is larger than the first size of jitter buffer.
US08213309B2
Systems and methods for reducing reservation request overhead in a communications network in which devices are connected via a coax network are provided. A method for managing transmission of data over a MoCA network according to the invention may include monitoring data transmission requirements at a node on the network; generating statistics of the data transmission requirements; predicting transmission requirements from the statistics; and reserving future transmission opportunities in view of the predicted transmission requirements.
US08213301B2
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems and methods for detecting and applying network channel characteristic measurements.
US08213299B2
Methods and systems for providing redundant telephony call processing in geographically separate locations are disclosed. First and second telephony call processing hosts are provided in first and second geographic locations separated from each other. The telephony call processing hosts are located on the same LAN, which is also divided among the geographically separated locations. The geographically separate LAN or LANs are bridged using either a customer's IP network or isolation routers associated with the redundant telephony call processing hosts.
US08213298B2
A path selecting device of a bus master (300) includes a path information generating unit (302) generating path information indicating paths from the bus master (300) to a bus master (400), and including a path malfunction predicting unit (303) predicting a malfunction on each of NoC routers, using a number of flows as a scale for an occurrence of a malfunction on the respective NoC router, at least one of which is determined for each path indicated by the path information. The bus master (300) also includes a bypass path selecting unit (304) selecting, when the malfunction is predicted on an NoC router that is a candidate for monitoring, a path that should be used for transmitting the data from the bus master (300) to the bus master (400), from the paths indicated by the path information except the path including the NoC router on which the malfunction is predicted.
US08213289B2
The optical recording medium has a recording layer sensitive for recording at a first wavelength and sensitive for reading at a second wavelength, the recording layer having a groove structure, wherein at the first wavelength the groove structure has a diffraction efficiency into a first diffraction order sufficiently large to generate a push-pull signal, and at the second wavelength it has a diffraction efficiency into a first diffraction order close to zero. The optical pickup for recording on an optical recording medium intended to be read with a second wavelength and a second numerical aperture is characterized in that it has a light source for generating a light beam at a first wavelength and a numerical aperture given by the second numerical aperture multiplied with a ration of the first wavelength and the second wavelength.
US08213283B2
A recording method suitable for high-density recording is provided to increase the reproduction quality. An optical information recording method is for recording information on an optical recording medium by irradiation of a write pulse of a laser beam to perform reproduction in a production system using a PRML detection scheme. The method includes recording a recording mark by a single write pulse, when the total length of the recording mark to be recorded and a space adjacent to the recording mark is less than a diameter of an effective reproduction spot, being 0.82×(λ/NA), where λ is a wavelength of a reproduction laser beam and NA is a numerical aperture.
US08213282B1
The invention provides a method for identifying a disk type of an optical disk in an optical disk drive. First, a pickup head of the optical disk drive is moved towards the optical disk. A reflected signal is then observed as said pickup head of the optical drive is moving on the optical disk. A motion behavior is then detected from said reflected signal. A first period between motion initiation of the pickup head and a first peak occurrence of the power of the reflected signal is then determined, the first peak occurrence take places while the pickup head detects said motion behavior of said reflected signal is in accordance with a motion reflected by an polycarbonate layer of the optical disk. A second period between the first peak occurrence and a second peak occurrence of the power of the reflected signal is then determined, the second peak occurrence takes place while the pickup head detects said motion behavior of said reflected signal is in accordance with a motion reflected by an reflection layer of the optical disk. An identification threshold value is then determined according to the first period. The second period is then compared with the identification threshold value to obtain a comparison result. Finally, the disk type of the optical disk is identified according to the comparison result.
US08213277B2
In a servo controller and an optical disk device (FIG. 4), the following performance for disturbance is improved. By disposing a characteristic change section to change a characteristic to improve the following performance for disturbance, the disturbance is detected by use of a signal in a stage after the characteristic change section.
US08213273B2
The present invention provides a content reproduction system that can continue reproduction of a plurality of content even if a part of content is unreproducible. The content reproduction system includes a content storage apparatus including a content storage section that stores a plurality of content whose reproduction order has previously been specified based on reproduction order information, and a content reproduction apparatus including a communication section that communicates with the content storage apparatus, a request section that requests the content storage apparatus to transmit content stored in the content storage section in the order according to the reproduction order information, and a reproduction section that reproduces the content, wherein when content that the request section has requested from the content storage apparatus is unreproducible, the request section requests the content storage apparatus to transmit content which is listed as content to be reproduced subsequent to the unreproducible content in the reproduction order information.
US08213264B2
Disclosed is a moving object and a location measuring device and method thereof that may transmit an ultrasound signal to the moving object through a plurality of ultrasound transmitting units, and may estimate a location of the moving object at a current time based on distance information of distances between the moving object and the plurality of ultrasound transmitting units measured based on the transmitted ultrasound, inertia information, and location information of the moving object at a time prior to the current time.
US08213260B2
A technique for performing a fast residual migration of seismic data through parsimonious image decomposition is presented. In one aspect, the technique includes a software-implemented method for processing a set of seismic data includes through parsimonious image decomposition. Other aspects of the technique include a program storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform such a method or a computing apparatus programmed to perform such a method.
US08213259B2
A non-volatile memory cell and associated method of use. In accordance with some embodiments, the memory cell includes a transistor comprising source and drain regions spanned by a gate region, and a resistive sense element (RSE) connected to the drain region of the transistor. The RSE is programmed to a first resistance by flowing a first write current through the RSE and then through the drain and source regions of the transistor. The RSE is programmed to a second resistance by flowing a second write current through the drain region and then through the RSE, the second write current bypassing the source region.
US08213258B2
According to the system of the present invention, data (DQ) signals are outputted/received between a controller 100 and a memory 200 based on a data strobe signal sent out from the controller 100. The data strobe signal is independently and completely separated from a clock signal. The data strobe signal has a frequency different from a clock signal. Therefore, the memory 200 is not required to generate a read data strobe signal from the clock signal nor to send the read data strobe signal in synchronization with the clock signal.
US08213248B2
A data path circuit of a semiconductor memory device includes: a bit line sense amplifier driven by a first power supply voltage; a local input/output line sense amplifier; a column selecting unit operatively connecting a pair of bit lines connected to the bit line sense amplifier and a pair of local input/output lines connected to the local input/output line sense amplifier in response to a column selection signal; and a local input/output line precharge unit precharging the pair of local input/output lines with a second power supply voltage different from the first power supply voltage during a period for which the column selection signal is in an inactive state.
US08213246B2
A semiconductor device includes a test circuit that generates a pulse signal from a timing signal. The test circuit outputs the pulse signal and a first set of address signals in response to a first type transition of the timing signal. The test circuit outputs the pulse signal and a second set of address signals in response to a second type transition of the timing signal. The second set of address signals is different from the first set of address signals.
US08213243B2
A non-volatile storage system includes technology for skipping programming cycles while programming a page (or other unit) of data. While programming a current subset of the page (or other unit) of data, the system will evaluate whether the next subsets of the page (or other unit) of data should be programmed into non-volatile storage elements or skipped. Subsets of the page (or other unit) of data that should not be skipped are programmed into non-volatile storage elements. Some embodiments include transferring the appropriate data to temporary latches/registers, in preparation for programming, concurrently with the evaluation of whether to program or skip the programming.
US08213242B2
A circuit comprises a plurality of memory cells in a row, at least one write word line, and a write support circuit coupled to the at least one write word line and to the plurality of memory cells in the row. The write support circuit includes a first current path and at least one second current path. A current path of the at least one second current path corresponds to a respective write word line of the at least one write word line. A write word line of the at least one write word line is configured to select the first current path when the plurality of memory cells in the row operates in a first mode, and to select a second current path of the at least one second current path when the plurality of memory cells in the row operates in a second mode.
US08213238B2
A non-volatile memory device and a driving method thereof. The non-volatile memory device includes a floating gate formed on and/or over a first type well, and transistors formed on and/or over a second type well and connected in series to the floating gate. One of the transistors is a first transistor for program and erase operations, and the other one is a second transistor for a reading operation.
US08213234B2
Source-side sensing techniques described herein determine the data value stored in a memory cell based on the difference in current between the read current from the source terminal of the memory cell and a sink current drawn from the read current. The sink current is drawn in response to the magnitude of a reference current provided by a reference current source such as a reference cell.
US08213224B2
A memory cell device includes a semiconductor nanowire extending, at a first end thereof, from a substrate; the nanowire having a doping profile so as to define a field effect transistor (FET) adjacent the first end, the FET further including a gate electrode at least partially surrounding the nanowire, the doping profile further defining a p-n junction in series with the FET, the p-n junction adjacent a second end of the nanowire; and a phase change material at least partially surrounding the nanowire, at a location corresponding to the p-n junction.
US08213218B2
A microelectronic programmable structure suitable for storing information and array including the structure and methods of forming and programming the structure are disclosed. The programmable structure generally includes an ion conductor and a plurality of electrodes. Electrical properties of the structure may be altered by applying energy to the structure, and thus information may be stored using the structure.
US08213212B2
In an example embodiment, an optical device includes an integrated circuit, an array of conductive regions, and an optically sensitive material over at least a portion of the integrated circuit and in electrical communication with at least one conductive region. In another example embodiment, a method of forming a nanocrystalline film includes fabricating nanocrystals having a plurality of first ligands attached to their outer surfaces, exchanging the first ligands for second ligands of a different chemical composition, forming a film of the ligand-exchanged nanocrystals, removing the second ligands, and fusing the cores of adjacent nanocrystals in the film to form an electrical network of fused nanocrystals. In another example embodiment, a film includes a network of fused nanocrystals with at least portions of the fused nanocrystals being in direct physical contact with adjacent nanocrystals, the film having substantially no defect states in regions where cores of the nanocrystals are fused.
US08213206B2
An electronic apparatus is provided. A PCB has first and second signal paths therein. First and second fingers are disposed on the first and second signal paths, respectively. A controller is coupled to a first memory via the first finger and a second memory via the second finger, and accesses the first and second memories through the first and second signal paths, respectively. The first and second signal paths share a common segment between the controller and a branch point. First and second components are disposed between the first finger and the branch point and between the second finger and the branch point, respectively. The distances between the first component and the branch point and between the second component and the branch point are smaller than or equal to the distance between the first component and the first finger and between the second component and the second finger, respectively.
US08213203B2
A controller for providing a constant output current control signal in a switched mode power supply (SMPS) includes a conduction time compensation circuit that is configured to produce a compensated conduction time interval signal that includes compensation for a ringing waveform of a feedback signal. The compensated signal reflects more accurately the actual conductive time of a rectifying diode in a secondary winding of the switched mode power supply. In one embodiment, the compensated conduction time interval signal is used to generate a fixed ratio between the conduction time and the non-conduction time of the rectifying diode. In another embodiment, the controller also provides a constant voltage control signal.
US08213202B2
The present invention relates to a current distributing circuit arrangement (20, 20′), adapted for charging a plurality of arrays of co-ordinated energy supplying DC-networks (“A” (DC)), (“B” (DC)), wherein the circuit arrangement (20) includes a plurality of setup-related circuits (21, 22, 23, 24) each of which is adapted to a pre selected energy supplying DC-network, (“A” (DC)) with, inter alia, its allocated terminal voltage (350V DC), its allocated capacity and/or its allocated maximized loading current. Respective circuit arrangements (20, 20′) can be allocated an AC-supplied rectifying bridge (21), an after-coupled sinus pump unit (23) and a DC/DC-converter (24) that includes a maximum current limiting circuit (43). A conductor (25) required for a first circuit (20) may be related to earth system (2q) and coupled electrically (61) to a conductor (25′) required for a second circuit (20′) and related to said earth system (2q), wherein said earth system (2q) is connected directly to the rectifying bridge (21) supplied with an alternating current. The circuit arrangement (20) includes a DC/DC-converter (24), constructed of solely a few components, and an energy storage circuit, which is related to a sinus pump unit, a SP-unit, and which has the form of a capacitor (40) adapted for a high capacitance value and/or for a high voltage valve (420V DC).
US08213201B2
An electronic device that includes a motion activated amplifier structured to receive a first DC signal having a first DC voltage level and output a second DC signal having a second DC voltage level that is greater than the first DC voltage level. The motion activated amplifier includes a motion activated switch operatively coupled to transformer/rectifier circuitry, wherein the motion activated switch is structured to receive the first DC signal and in response to being moved output an AC signal, and wherein the transformer/rectifier circuitry is structured to receive the AC signal and convert the AC signal into the second DC signal.
US08213197B1
Methods and systems related to capacitive voltage converters are disclosed. Such voltage converters may use a plurality of capacitors each having a first terminal and a second terminal. By periodically switching each first terminal between an input/supply voltage line and an output voltage line while also periodically switching each second terminal between the output voltage line and a reference voltage line, an output voltage having little ripple may be efficiently produced.
US08213196B2
A power supply circuit includes a direct current (DC) voltage source, a protecting circuit having a first switching element, a pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit having a first terminal, a switching circuit, and a transformer. The DC voltage source is configured to provide a first DC voltage. The first terminal is configured to receive the first DC voltage via the first switching element to enable the PWM circuit. The PWM circuit is configured to switch on or switch off the switching circuit. The transformer is configured to convert the first DC voltage to an alternating current (AC) voltage in cooperation with the switching circuit.
US08213182B2
A housing case housing an electronic circuit board, includes: a lower case portion which internally houses a circuit board for mounting electronic components; and an upper case portion which is externally fitted to the lower case portion to form a box-like member. Each of the lower case portion and the upper case portion includes a planar portion, and sidewall portions which stand from the peripheral edge of the planar portion. The planar portion and the sidewall portions are formed by using a plate-like member made of a metal material. Engaging projections which are outwardly projected are disposed on the sidewall portions of the lower case portion. Engaging holes which are passed through the sidewall portions of the upper case portion are disposed in the sidewall portions, in positions corresponding to the engaging projections of the lower case portion. The upper case portion is externally fitted to the lower case portion, and the engaging projections are engaged with the engaging holes, whereby the lower case portion and the upper case portion are fixed to each other.
US08213178B2
An electronic device includes a housing, a module, a main board, and a fan. The module, the main board and the fan are all installed in the housing. The main board divides the interior of the housing into a first space and a second space, and there exists a channel opening between the main board and the module so as to communicate the first space with the second space. The fan is electrically connected to the main board, has a fan outlet and is capable of outputting airflow through the fan outlet to the outside of the housing.
US08213175B2
An electronic device includes a body and an input device. The body includes a shell and a non-conductive rear cover. The shell defines an opening. The rear cover tightly covers the opening and defines a through hole. The input device includes a resistor, a wire, a non-conductive rotating plate, and a conducting member. The resistor and the wire both are discontinuous ring-shaped, and concentrically disposed on the rear cover surrounding the through hole. The rotating plate is rotatably inserted through the through hole. The conducting member is disposed on the rotating plate and connects the resistor and the wire. The conducting member is operable to move around the resistor and the wire such that a resistance between one end of the resistor and one end of the wire is changed.
US08213174B1
In an example, a vibration-damping mount comprises a bolt including a threaded shaft and a bolt head fixed to the threaded shaft, and a vibration-damping base. The vibration-damping base includes a head segment that envelops the bolt head and a neck segment adjacent to the head segment and opposite to the threaded shaft. The vibration-damping base further includes a rear segment adjacent to the neck segment and opposite to the head segment. The head segment, the neck segment and the rear segment combine to form a notch configured to mate with a hole in a mounting board, such as a printed circuit board. The vibration-damping mount may be suitable to mount a mass data storage device such as a hard disk drive to a printed circuit board in a chassis system and simultaneously isolate the mass data storage device from vibrations in the chassis system.
US08213172B2
A hard disk mounting device for fixing two hard disks with fixing members includes a pedestal, and two latching members. The pedestal includes a bottom plate, and two side plates extending from the bottom plate. Each side plate includes a first mounting portion and two second mounting portions extending from opposite ends of the first mounting portion. Each first mounting portion includes a first receiving portion. Each second mounting portion defines two latching grooves to receive corresponding fixing members of the hard disks. Each latching member includes a first engaging portion to resist against a corresponding hard disk, and two first latching portions protruding from opposite ends of the first engaging portion. One latching portion includes a first fixing portion received in the first receiving portion and a second receiving portion, the other latching portion includes a second fixing portion received in the second receiving portion.
US08213169B2
A sliding hinge for a portable electronic device has a stationary leaf, a link assembly, a main sliding leaf and a side sliding leaf. The linking assembly is mounted pivotally on the stationary leaf via a pivoting middle. The main and side sliding leaves are connected respectively to two ends of the linking assembly. With the linking assembly, the main and side sliding leaves are moved simultaneously. Therefore, when the portable electronic device is not used, the main and side sliding leaves fully overlap with the stationary leaf to achieve a smallest footprint. When the portable electronic device performs multiple functions, the main and side sliding leaves are slid out to reveal control buttons.
US08213165B2
A key assembly comprises a base plate, a connecting member, a first key and a second key. The base plate has an opening defined therein. The connecting member is rotatably accommodated in the opening. The first key is rotatably hinged one side of the connecting member. The second key is rotatably hinged another side of the connecting member opposite to the first key. When the first key or the second key is pressed, the pressed key is rotated toward the base plate and rotates the connecting member, and the connecting member rotates the non-pressed key away from the base plate.
US08213159B2
An electrode foil includes a structure a structure in which metal particles and ceramic particles, which primarily include at least one of valve metal particles having a dielectric constant and ceramic particles, are deposited on a surface of a metal foil.
US08213158B2
Provided is a solid electrolytic capacitor comprising an anode of a porous body formed of a valve metal or its alloy, a dielectric layer formed on the surface in the inside part of the porous body and on the surface in the outer peripheral part thereof, a conductive polymer layer formed on the dielectric layer, a cathode layer formed on the conductive polymer layer in the outer peripheral part of the porous body, and an anode lead of which one end is embedded inside the anode, wherein the conductive polymer layer in the first region which is in the inside part of the porous body and the periphery around the anode lead as the center is formed of a polypyrrole layer, and the conductive polymer layer in the second region which is the periphery around the first region is formed by laminating a polypyrrole layer on a polyethylenedioxythiophene layer.
US08213157B2
A supercapacitor comprising a cathode, an anode, a first single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) film electrode adjacent the cathode, a second SWNT film electrode adjacent the anode, and separator disposed between the first and second electrodes. The SWNT film electrodes may be manufactured by a non-filtration process comprising depositing the SWNT film on a foil via CVD; separating the SWNT film from the foil; heating the SWNT film; treating the SWNT film with an acid solution; washing the SWNT film; and excising the electrodes from the SWNT film.
US08213149B2
A stack of ferromagnetic sheets is gripped, lifted, and transported by first engaging with an uppermost sheet of the stack a plurality of magnet assemblies of a magnetic grab, each assembly having at least one electromagnet, then electrically energizing the electromagnets and lifting the stack with the grab while monitoring a magnetic flux of each electromagnet. A controller then compares the fluxes of the electromagnets, and varies the electrical energization of at least one of the electromagnets such that the fluxes of all the electromagnets are generally equal. The system has at least one flux sensor on each of the magnet assemblies and connected to the controller.
US08213148B2
A double-sided printed circuit board may include: electrical conductor tracks fitted thereon and serving for electrically connecting components mounted on the printed circuit board, which has at least one conductor track fuse in the form of a conductor track with a fusible link part, wherein, upon the occurrence of an abnormal operating state, in particular an electrical short circuit, the electric circuit is interrupted by melting and evaporation of the fusible link part and plasma arises upon the evaporation of the fusible link part, wherein the fusible link part lies on the other side of the printed circuit board with respect to the supply line.
US08213139B2
A leakage current protection plug includes a plug housing, a power supply cord, two copper legs embedded within the plug housing, a leakage current protection device composed of two main moving contacts. A reset button presses the moving contacts to contact the two copper legs, a winding assemble, an iron core, a circuit board assemble, an ZCT. Ends of moving contacts are arranged with contacts that conduct individually with the two copper legs upon coming into contact; the power supply cord, through the ZCT, is connected with the moving contacts; the output of the ZCT is connected with the input of the amplification circuit on the circuit board, while the output of the amplification circuit is connected with the winding assemble.
US08213123B2
An actuator latch system of a hard disk drive (HDD) retains a rotatable swing arm of the HDD in place when a magnetic head of the HDD is parked. The actuator latch system includes a portion of the swing arm that defines a notch at an end portion of a swing arm, and a latch lever that has at least one main hook and a rebound hook, and an elastic buffering arm. The latch lever is disposed on the base member adjacent the end portion of the swing arm and is supported so as to be rotatable. The at least one main hook prevents the swing arm from initially rotating in one direction beyond a certain point, and the rebound hook prevents the swing arm from rotating beyond a certain point after the swing arm rebounds upon colliding with the at least one main hook.
US08213113B2
In a brushless motor, the rotational frequency N (Hz) of the hub satisfies N
US08213111B2
A hard disk drive includes a base member, a disk which is a data storage medium to rotate at a high speed on the base member, and a head stack assembly (HSA) having a head slider including a magnetic head to write data on the disk or to reproduce data recorded on the disc, and an ABS pattern formed on a disk facing surface of the head slider to generate a lifting force, and is rotatably mounted on the base member so that the head slider moves between inner circumferences and outer circumferences of the disk in a floating state over the disc, wherein if a center line of the ABS pattern is an ABS line and a straight line extending in a direction in which an air flow induced due to the high speed rotation of the disk enters the ABS pattern is an air flow line, a crossing angle between the ABS line and the air flow line is reduced as the head slider moves from the outer circumferences to the inner circumferences.
US08213107B2
A method, system, apparatus, and computer readable medium storing instructions for recording data tracks and a method and system for reading data tracks. For recording data tracks, virtual boundary of a first data track recorded on the storage medium is determined. The recording element is positioned based on the determined virtual boundary of the first track and a second data track is recorded by the positioned recording element. For reading data tracks, a first virtual boundary of a first data track and a second virtual boundary of the first data track are determined and a reading element is positioned at a center of the first data track based on the determined virtual boundaries. In the system of reading recorded data tracks, a number of forward reading elements and backward reading elements are provided. The forward reading elements have different pitches.
US08213106B1
A disk drive includes a plurality of servo zones of different servo frequencies and a read channel. The disk drive also includes a frequency detector operable to determine a servo frequency associated with a servo sector. The read channel includes a voltage-controlled oscillator operable to provide a reference clock; frequency multiplier/divider circuitry operable to multiply or divide the reference clock from the voltage-controlled oscillator by a first factor to generate a first servo timing recovery clock for the first servo zone, the first factor selected based at least in part on the servo frequency determined by the frequency detector; and a servo demodulator operable to demodulate the at least a portion of a servo sector using the first servo timing recovery clock.
US08213094B2
The lens barrel of the present invention includes: a lens; and a light blocking member provided in the vicinity of the lens for blocking part of light traveling toward the lens, a main constituent of the light blocking member being a polymer alloy resin.
US08213090B2
An electrowetting pixel structure includes a substrate, a hydrophobic dielectric layer, a non-polar liquid, a polar liquid, at least one electrode, and at least one contact hole. The hydrophobic dielectric layer is formed on the substrate, the non-polar liquid covers one surface of the hydrophobic dielectric layer, and the polar liquid is provided on the hydrophobic dielectric layer where the non-polar liquid and the polar liquid are immiscible. The electrode is formed on the substrate and divides the substrate into an electrode section and a non-electrode section. When a voltage is applied to the electrowetting pixel structure, the non-polar liquid contracts on the hydrophobic dielectric layer and is confined to an area substantially overlapping the non-electrode section. The contact hole is formed on the substrate at a position away from the non-electrode section of the electrowetting pixel structure.
US08213089B2
Disclosed are a projecting type hyper-lens and a method of manufacturing the same. The projecting type hyper-lens includes a main lens layer and a substrate layer. A front surface of the main lens layer is recessed. The substrate layer supports the main lens layer. A front central portion of the main lens layer protrudes beyond a surface of the substrate layer. The projecting type hyper-lens allows an object to move towards a front surface of the hyper-lens until a distance between the front surface of the hyper-lens and the object is smaller than a half-wavelength of light, and thus images an object smaller than a half-wavelength of used light. Evanescent waves scattered from an object is used in a manner convenient to a user.
US08213085B2
An anti-reflection structure for transmitting a light source is disclosed. The anti-reflection structure comprises a first dielectric layer of a first refractive index and a second dielectric layer of a second refractive index different from the first refractive index. The first dielectric layer has a plurality of protrusions randomly arranged on a top surface thereof, in which the plurality of protrusions and the intervals therebetween has an average size smaller than the wavelength of the light source. The second dielectric layer has a bottom surface conformally attached to the top surface of the first dielectric layer. The invention also discloses an image sensor device having the anti-reflection structure.
US08213068B1
A scanning optical apparatus includes a light source, a deflecting element for deflecting a beam of light emitted from the light source, an optical device for causing the beam of light emitted from the light source to be imaged into a linear shape long in the main scanning direction on the deflecting surface of the deflecting element. The optical device is comprised of a first optical element and a second optical element, and a third optical element for causing the beam of light deflected by the deflecting element to be imaged into a spot-like shape on a surface to be scanned. The third optical element includes a single lens, the opposite lens surfaces of which both include a toric surface of an aspherical surface shape in the main scanning plane, the curvatures of the opposite lens surfaces in the sub scanning plane being continuously varied from the on-axis toward the off-axis in the effective portion of the lens.
US08213064B2
A system and method for providing extended field of view. In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to provide extended field of view for a user of a personal display system. The system may include an image source coupled to relay optics, to redirecting unit and to reflecting unit, and may optionally be mounted in a helmet.
US08213059B2
An original reader which is capable of continuously performing a reading operation for reading images from originals without causing degradation of the quality of the read images, even when a light emitter of an illumination unit or a driving circuit for the light emitter fails. An original illuminating lamp including two LED circuit boards each having eight LED blocks linearly arranged in the main scanning direction of an original illuminates the original. An image sensor reads an image from the original illuminated by the original illuminating lamp. When it is detected that at least one of the LED blocks does not emit light, a CPU performs control such that the light amount of an LED block opposed to the LED block emitting no light is increased to be larger than when it is not detected that at least one of the LED blocks does not emit light.
US08213055B2
The disclosure describes methods for color printing, performing a color separation process and performing a halftoning process. Furthermore, the disclosure describes the color separation process determining one or more Neugebauer Primaries, tessellating the Neugebauer Primaries, and generating one or more Neugebauer Primary area coverage vectors, whose area coverages are linear with respect to a device-independent color space. The disclosure further describes that the color separation process communicates with the halftoning process using one or more Neugebauer Primary area coverage vectors.
US08213054B2
An image processing apparatus includes a dividing portion that divides input multivalue image data into a plurality of bands, an error diffusion process portion that carries out an error diffusion process on each divided band to quantize each pixel, and a controlling portion that controls the dividing portion and error diffusion process portion. The error diffusion process portion, following control by the controlling portion, operates in a first mode to repeat the error diffusion process not accompanying quantization given times on each noted pixel included in a given line of the each band (head line, etc.), and operates in a second mode to carry out the error diffusion process on the each band sequentially from the head line of the each band on the basis of an error value obtained in the first mode to put out quantized data.
US08213050B2
An image processing device, which includes: an original reception unit that receives an original image; a dot image generation unit that generates, on the basis of additive information to be added to the original image, a dot image in which a plurality of dots each formed by one or more pixels are arranged; a state alteration unit that, when any of the dots in the dot image is determined to be not extractable, alters a state of the non-extractable dot on the basis of a relationship between a position on the dot image generated by the dot image generation unit and a corresponding position on the original image; and a composite image generation unit that generates a composite image by superimposing, on the original image, the dot image having the state of the non-extractable dot altered by the state alteration unit.
US08213049B2
An image forming apparatus which can perform a multiple exposure with a plurality of laser lights driven by the PWM signal without deteriorating the image quality of a line image and a character image. Scanning start points are controlled to be different between a first light beam and a second light beam, among a plurality of light beams emit from a light source, exposing the identical pixel position.
US08213037B2
A system and method are provided for appending element files to a print container in a multifunctional peripheral (MFP) device. The method accepts a first element file and a print container including a second element file. Examples of element files other print containers, fixed documents, application-specific documents, page description language (PDL) documents, extensible markup language (XML) paper specification (XPS) fixed documents, facsimile documents, and scanned documents. The method modifies the print container to include the second element file and the first element file preserved as separate entities, and stores the modified print container in a tangible memory medium.
US08213036B2
A disclosed information processing device connected to an image forming device having a distribution destination setting unit setting a distribution destination of image data scanned by a scanning unit includes: a distribution procedure storage unit storing a distribution procedure for each distribution destination of the image data; a validation information storage unit storing validation information for validating the image data; an image information obtaining unit obtaining the image data and destination information set in the image data from the image forming device; a validation unit validating the image data obtained by the image information obtaining unit using the validation information stored in the validation information storage unit; and a distribution performing unit distributing, based on a result of validation by the validation unit, the image data in accordance with the distribution procedure for the destination information obtained by the image information obtaining unit.
US08213035B2
From an external device, a print job which includes application data generated by an application on the external device and print data printable by a printing apparatus is received. The print data in the received print job is rasterized into bitmap data. The application data in the received print job is converted into bitmap data which represents encrypted information rasterizable by the printing apparatus. The converted bitmap data and rasterized bitmap data are composited. The composited bitmap data is printed.
US08213031B2
An image forming apparatus and a method of preventing a printing error thereof. If the image forming apparatus is able to recognize a printer language category when printing data has normal printer language category information, it analyzes the printing data using a printer language analyzer suitable for the printer language category, and normally prints data on a sheet of paper. If the printer language category information is distorted or lost such that the printer is unable to recognize the printer language category, the printer prints data on the paper using a basic printer language analyzer capable of supporting a text printing function, and at the same time determines whether an amount of the printing data for each line is higher than a maximum amount of printable data. Then, the printer determines occurrence of a printing error, stops the printing operation, and at the same time prints an error message. Therefore, when the printing data is analyzed by a printer language analyzer and is then printed, the printer prints the error message without printing all the printing data, to prevent papers or toners from being wasted.
US08213027B2
A system and process for ensuring the smooth flow of electronic ink is described. Dynamic rendering is given priority over other event handlers. Priority may be the use of one or more queues to order when events occur and may be performing dynamic rendering prior to other steps.
US08213026B2
An image processing apparatus is disclosed connected to a multiple number of external devices by way of a LAN. The apparatus has a main board for expanding the image data received as a print job from one of the external devices and a sub board serving as a connecting port with the LAN. In the power saving mode, the apparatus supplies power to the sub board only, when cutting off power supply to the main board. A time-designated printing data storage stores the data therein when receiving time-designated printing data in the power saving mode. A time-designated printing data extractor extracts at least one set of time-designated printing data, in accord with predetermined conditions, from (i) the sets of time-designated printing data being stored in the time-designated printing data storage and (ii) a newly received set of time-designated printing data. A time-designated printing data forwarding portion transfers the time-designated printing data extracted at the time-designated printing data extractor to an external device that is different from the external device from which the image data was originally transmitted.
US08213021B2
Correction factors for the ALR and PTR parameters of magnetic-head sliders are determined by calculating an effective reflectivity and a corresponding PCOR at each pixel of the air-bearing surface. The absolute value of reflectivity at each pixel of the AlTiC air-bearing surface is obtained from an empirical equation relating it to modulation. The ratio of Al2O3 and TiC in the AlTiC surface is then calculated at every pixel assuming a linear relationship between the absolute value of AlTiC reflectivity and the theoretical reflectivity of each constituent. The linear relationship is then also used to calculate the effective (complex) reflectivity for the AlTiC material from the relative concentrations of Al2O3 and TiC at each pixel.
US08213019B2
A RFOG comprises a reference laser configured to produce a reference laser beam; a first laser source configured to produce a first laser beam; a second laser source configured to produce a second laser beam; a sensing resonator coupled to the first and second laser sources such that the first and second laser beams propagate through the sensing resonator in first and second directions, respectively; resonance tracking electronics configured to generate first and second control signals that indicate when the first and second laser beams, respectively, are off resonance; first and second optical combiners configured to beat the first and second outputs of the sensing resonator with the reference laser beam creating first and second beat signals, respectively; wherein the resonance tracking electronics is configured to discriminate between at least one rotation-sensing error and the first and second outputs of the resonator based on the first and second beat signals.
US08213017B2
The invention relates to an analytical system and method for generating and metering optical signals. The invention includes an optical system having an illuminating system and a sensor platform. The illuminating system includes an arrangement identified as “SLM” for the temporally rapidly variable spatial light modulation, by which in an operating state, illuminating patterns of a freely selectable and rapidly variable geometry, which can be determined by the settings of the SLM, can be generated on the sensor platform from an illuminating light, which enters into this SLM and which includes a substantially homogenous intensity distribution in the in the cross section of the illuminating light at right angles to its direction of expansion.
US08213007B2
A sensor-network system for spectrally sensing a chemical or biological substance includes a plurality of probe assemblies that each includes a sensor comprising a nano structured surface, wherein the nano structured surface can adsorb molecules of a sample material captured adjacent to the sensor; a laser configured to emit a laser beam to illuminate the molecules adsorbed to the nano structured surface, and a spectrometer that can obtain spectral data from light scattered by the molecules adsorbed to the nano structured surface. A control center includes a computer storage configured to store spectral signatures each associated with a chemical or biological substance and a spectral analyzer that can determine a spectral signature matching at least one of the spectral signatures stored in the computer storage thereby to identify, in the sample material, the chemical or biological substance associated with the one of the spectral signatures.
US08213005B2
The method for discriminating between benign and malignant prostate tumors relates to analyzing samples of blood, urine and tissue by fluorescence spectroscopy in order to detect the presence of naturally occurring molecules in the fluids and tissue that serve as biomarkers indicative of cancer in the human body. The analysis can be carried out based on fluorescence emission spectra, fluorescence excitation spectra and synchronous (emission and excitation) spectra of bio-samples. The detection, diagnosis, and follow-up and also discrimination between malignant and benign prostate tumors may be made by comparison of ratios of fluorescence emissions and/or excitation intensities of tryptophan, tyrosine, elastin, collagen, bile pigments, NADH, flavins and various species of porphyrins.
US08213001B2
A method and apparatus of the present invention determines whether zero, one, or a plurality of microscope slide coverslips are about to be applied to a microscope slide. Light, such as ultraviolet light, may be directed toward a coverslip testing region, in which a number of coverslips reside. The amount of light passing through the coverslip testing region is collected and measured. Based on the measured amount, the method and apparatus determine the number of coverslips present in the coverslip testing region.
US08212986B2
An LCD device comprises upper substrate, lower substrate, and a liquid crystal (LC) cell disposed therebetween. The LC cell comprises liquid crystals. According to the present invention, in the LCD device which applies voltage to the liquid crystals to control transmissive light for proceeding display, the liquid crystals are applied with a voltage larger than a predetermined voltage for proceeding display. The reflect light and the transmissive light of the liquid crystals are the predetermined color under a condition without applying the voltage thereto.
US08212984B2
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an in-plane switching mode LCD, in which data electrodes and common electrodes in a unit pixel have the same light transmitting area to reduce the luminance difference according to positive or negative polarity of an applied DC voltage, the method of manufacturing comprise preparing the first and second substrates; forming a plurality of gate lines and data lines on the first substrate to define a plurality of pixel areas; forming a plurality of data electrodes and the common electrodes to be alternately formed in each pixel area and having the same light transmitting area in applying voltage; and forming a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.
US08212983B2
In a liquid crystal display panel, a liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between a TFT substrate and a color filter substrate. An ITO film is formed on a front surface of the color filter substrate. By supplying an electric current to the ITO film at the time of staring an operation of the liquid crystal display panel, a temperature of the liquid crystal layer is elevated to a level which allows the liquid crystal layer to perform a normal operation within a short time. By forming a plating electrode on two sides of the color filter substrate, it is possible to uniformly supply an electric current to the ITO film thus enabling uniform heating of the color filter substrate.
US08212982B2
A liquid crystal display unit includes: a first substrate having an under-layered insulation film, a common electrode formed on the under-layered insulation film, and a pixel electrode formed over the common electrode with a pixel insulation film in between; a second substrate provided on pixel electrode side of the first substrate so as to oppose thereto; a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a spacer provided to retain a distance between the first substrate and the second substrate, in such a manner that one end of the spacer is contacted with a top face of the pixel electrode. A thickness of the under-layered insulation film in a spacer region which is defined as a region occupied by the spacer is smaller than a thickness of the under-layered insulation film in a region other than the spacer region.
US08212981B2
A liquid crystal display device including first and second substrates with liquid crystal contained therebetween, and a plurality of picture elements located on the first substrate. Each of the picture elements is defined between a pair of gate bus lines and a pair of data bus lines. At least one of the picture elements includes a switching element connected to one of the data bus lines, a first sub picture element electrode, and a second sub picture element electrode. At least one of the first and second sub picture element electrodes has a body portion and a plurality of branches that extend from the body portion. A neighboring two of the branches are parallel with each other. The first sub picture element electrode connects to the switching element, and the second sub picture element electrode connects, via capacitive coupling, to the switching element.
US08212980B2
An active matrix substrate is provided. The active matrix substrate includes a substrate, a plurality of scan lines disposed on the substrate, a plurality of data lines disposed on the substrate, a plurality of pixel units disposed on the substrate and a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate. The pixel units are electrically connected with the corresponding scan lines and data lines. Each pixel unit includes an active device and a pixel electrode electrically connected with the active device, such a pixel electrode includes at least a first slit. The dielectric layer covers the first slit, and the dielectric layer includes a plurality of second slits for exposing a part of each of the pixel electrodes.
US08212976B2
A liquid crystal display device includes opposing substrates. One of the substrates has a thin film transistor and a color filter formed thereon. A spacer formed between the substrates maintains a cell gap. A light shielding layer is formed at a lower portion of the spacer and overlaps the thin film transistor. The light shielding layer has a pattern substantially identical to the spacer. The light shielding layer and the spacer are simultaneously formed using the same photolithographic process steps.
US08212964B2
A backlight unit includes a reflection sheet, lamps arranged over the reflection sheet and with a first distance between adjacent lamps, a first diffuser plate disposed over the lamps and spaced apart from the reflection sheet with a second distance, the first diffuser plate having a first surface facing the reflection sheet and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein the first surface is flat and the second surface includes first patterns, and a second diffuser plate disposed over the first diffuser plate, the diffuser plate having a third surface facing the first diffuser plate and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface, wherein the third surface is flat and the second surface includes second patterns, wherein a ratio of the first distance over the second distance is within a range of more than 0 and less than and/or equal to 2.75.
US08212962B2
An optical device is provided, for example for use as a brightness enhancing film in a display. The device comprises a sheet (31) carrying a plurality of light-concentrating elements in the form of prism-like structures (171). The sheet (31) is non-flat, for example by being bent or curved, in one direction. Each of the prism-like structures (171) has first and second surfaces (34, 35) extending from the sheet (31) and intersecting at a line (33). A line (32) parallel to the viewing direction and passing through the intersection line (33) bisects the opposite surface (36) where it intersects (38) the film (31). When used in a display, such a device provides improved and uniform display brightness across a display of curved or other non-flat shape.
US08212958B2
A display panel fitting structure includes two or more pairs of fitting means 8, 9 between two panels 1, 2 which are detachably fixed to and held by each other with the mating faces thereof mated with each other. Each fitting member is disposed such that the fit between each of the two or more pairs of fitting means is made by slide of one of the two panels in a predetermined sliding direction Z determined as a direction in which the panel is slid with respect to the other panel when the panels are assembled, and the fitting structure further includes a lock means 30 enabling to maintain the fitting state established by the fitting means and release the fitting engagement of the fitting means.
US08212941B2
A digitized analog television signal processing system is disclosed, comprising an analog-to-digital converter, a demodulation unit, a decoding unit, and a control unit. The analog-to-digital converter samples a television signal comprising a video signal. The demodulation unit demodulates the video signal. The decoding unit decodes the demodulated video signal. The control unit adjusts the demodulation unit according to a signal quality indicator generated during and/or after the decoding of the decoding unit.
US08212934B2
A method for processing an analog television signal. A reference signal based on a field synchronizing signal of the analog television signal and equalizing the analog television signal based on the reference signal are determined. The reference signal is determined by calculating a difference between a first part of the field synchronizing signal and a second part of the field synchronizing signal, wherein the first and second parts are selected such that the reference signal is non-zero.
US08212933B2
Noise-reduced pixels may be generated using outputs of filtering via a first filter and/or a second filter, and/or a blend of both outputs. Blending a current pixel and an output of filtering of current pixel via the first filter may generate a first blended current pixel. Filtering via the first filter may be based on the current pixel, a previous collocated pixel, and a next collocated pixel. Blending the current pixel and an output of filtering of current pixel via the second filter may generate a second blended current pixel. Filtering via the second filter may be based on the current pixel and a collocated pixel of the previous second blended video image or of the previous filtered output video image. Blending the first blended current pixel and the second blended current pixel using an adaptive blending factor may dynamically generate a filtered output pixel.
US08212932B1
A method and system for detecting and estimating noise in a video signal. For example, with a video signal containing low power Gaussian noise, identifying a low-activity region in the input video signal, in which the pixels in the identified region have magnitude values within a range, and creating a histogram from the pixels in the identified region. Once a minimum number of pixels have been sorted into the histogram, estimating the standard deviation on the magnitude values of the pixels to estimate the noise that should be removed from the signal. An edge map or a binary map indicating pixels for inclusion in the estimation may be used to aid in the detection of low-activity regions of the input video signal.
US08212931B2
An image processing and controlling system is provided in the present invention. In addition to adjusting the image displaying modes according to the ergonomic look-up table, the present invention is further capable of adjusting the weighting value with respect to each image characteristic value of an initial image according to lighting characteristics of an ambient light system such that a display unit can provide the most comfortable viewing conditions and the best image quality under different ambient lighting characteristics. In another embodiment, the present invention further functions to control the ambient light system according to the image characteristics of the weighted output image. By means of the foregoing dual controlling ways, the image processing and controlling system may provide appropriate output images corresponding to different viewing scenario and conforming to the requirement of output quality.
US08212930B2
A method of controlling a display characteristic in a television receiver enables automatic adjustment of the display characteristic according to ambient illuminance levels. The television receiver includes a display module for displaying a video signal; an illuminance sensor for detecting an ambient illuminance, the detected ambient illuminance corresponding to one of a plurality of primary display grades for controlling at least one display characteristic of the display module; a system controller for determining, based on the detected ambient illuminance, the primary display grade corresponding to the detected ambient illuminance and for determining a final display grade with respect to the determined primary display grade; and a display characteristic controller for generating at least one display characteristic control value corresponding to the final display grade and for controlling the display module using the generated at least one display characteristic control value. A user interface device is provided to the television receiver for selecting one of a plurality of secondary display grades with respect to the determined primary display grade. The system controller determines the final display grade based on the determined primary display grade and the selected secondary display grade, where each of the plurality of secondary display grades corresponds to the determined primary display grade.
US08212928B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for maintaining smooth video transition between distinct applications. Preferably, the apparatus implementing the present invention includes a processor, a secondary memory and a system memory. In providing a smooth transition between two applications, the apparatus and method provides synchronization of the video and graphics components while transitioning from a first application to a second application. If there is no video component in either application, no action is needed to provide a smooth transition between applications, and when only the first application includes a video component, the video component need only be turned off for smooth transition between the applications to occur. When both the first application and the second application include video components, smooth transition between the applications according to the present invention is dependent upon the display window size of the first application in comparison to the second application. The apparatus and method of the present invention triggers a process according to the size of the display windows of the first and second applications.
US08212927B2
The present invention relates to a technology of appropriately improving image resolution. According to an image signal processing method of the present invention, an input video signal contains an image signal whose pixel size is converted at a specified magnification scale. The input image signal is used to calculate sampling frequencies for image signals before and after the pixel size conversion. A ratio of sampling frequencies before and after the pixel size conversion is used to determine the specified magnification scale. A sampling phase for the image signal before the pixel size conversion is calculated from the input image signal after the pixel size conversion. A sampling carrier for the image signal before the pixel size conversion is generated from the sampling frequency and the sampling phase both before the pixel size conversion.
US08212926B2
A TV signal determining system utilized for determining a type of a TV signal includes: a detection unit, for utilizing a predetermined profile to detect if the TV signal has a signal segment corresponding to the predetermined profile to generate a detection result signal; and a determining unit, coupled to the detection unit, for determining the type of the TV signal according to the detection result signal. A TV signal processing system utilizing the TV signal determining system and a related method are also disclosed.
US08212921B2
A display apparatus displaying video input through various ports is provided. The display apparatus includes a board which is disposed behind a display module, wherein the board includes a universal serial bus (USB) port which receives a USB standard signal, a decoder which decodes a video signal from the USB standard signal and outputs a decoded signal, a video output unit which outputs a displayable video signal to the display module corresponding to the video signal, wherein the USB port is disposed at an edge of a first side of the board, and the video output unit is disposed at an edge of a second side which is different from the first side of the board. The video output unit receives video from an external apparatus such as a computer through a USB port in addition to a DVI port and D-SUB port, and displays the received video. Display apparatuses having additional ports than the DVI ports and D-SUB ports may be connected to a computer without requiring additional hardware.
US08212916B2
An image display device that is capable of checking a focusing operation at the time of shooting by a user easily even if a small-sized monitor is used. A luminance-signal extracting unit extracts a luminance signal from a video signal. An amplitude change calculating unit calculates an amplitude change component of the luminance signal extracted. An edge-signal extracting unit extracts an edge signal from the luminance signal extracted. An amplitude calculating unit calculates an amplitude of the edge signal extracted. An amplitude-ratio calculating unit calculates a ratio of the amplitude of the edge signal to the amplitude change component of the luminance signal. A color conversion unit converts the edge signal to add colors according to the calculation result. An adder unit adds the color-converted edge signal and the luminance signal. A display unit displays the video signal to which the color-converted edge signal is added.
US08212904B2
A solid-state imaging device includes plural pixel cells, arranged in a matrix, each of which includes a photodiode that photoelectrically converts incident light. The solid-state imaging devices also includes a transferring transistor that transfers a charge generated by the photodiode, a floating diffusion that accumulates the transferred charge, a reset transistor that resets a potential of said floating diffusion, and an amplifying transistor that converts the charge accumulated in the floating diffusion into a voltage. The solid-state imaging device further includes column signal lines, each connected to associated ones of plurality of amplifying transistors, including the amplifying transistor corresponding to a corresponding one of columns having the associated plurality of pixel cells, and a voltage control circuit which increases a voltage of the column signal line to a predetermined voltage between the reset of the potential by the reset transistor and the transfer of the charge by the transferring transistor.
US08212902B2
In an apparatus, operation is switchable between first and second modes. In the first mode, a photoelectric conversion part and a charge storage part are released from a reset state for all pixels included in an image acquisition area to start a period, and, when a predetermined time has elapsed, the photoelectric conversion part and an overflow drain region of each pixel are turned onto end the period, and finally the charge stored in the charge storage part is transferred to the amplifier part. In the second mode, after a mechanical shutter is opened to start a period, the mechanical shutter is closed to end the period, and stored charge is transferred to the amplifier part.
US08212898B2
When focal lengths are discretely set, zoom positions are set, relative to a focal length fr at a position at which a movement direction of a correction group, is reversed, such that a difference value between a focal length which is the closest to the focal length fr and falling between a focal length fw at a wide angle end and the focal length fr, and a next focal length is larger than a difference value between any remaining adjacent focal lengths. By moving from the zoom position of the closest focal length directly to the zoom position of the next focal length, a movement range of the correction group can be made smaller than a movement range in the case where the lens position of the focal length fr is set as the zoom position.
US08212888B2
An image pickup apparatus which can improve convenience of white sheet data used for correcting the color of a picked-up image. Each image pickup data is converted into a file by an image filing unit and recorded by a medium-recording unit. Average value data of each color component data for part of the picked-up data is stored in an area different from the image pickup data recording area in each file.
US08212884B2
A method of one aspect may include monitoring movement of a scanning beam image acquisition device. Images may be acquired with the scanning beam image acquisition device using a first image acquisition mode when the monitoring indicates that the scanning beam image acquisition device is moving. Images may be acquired with the scanning beam image acquisition device using a second image acquisition mode when the monitoring indicates that the scanning beam image acquisition device is substantially still. The second image acquisition mode is different than the first image acquisition mode. In one aspect, the first mode has a relatively higher frame rate and relatively lower number of lines of image resolution than the second mode.
US08212883B2
A system is disclosed for performing a method of distributing video data over an electrical power line. The system includes but is not limited to a processor in data communication with a computer readable medium and a computer program comprising instructions embedded in the computer readable medium, the computer program further comprising instructions to detect first event data at a first controllable device in an internet protocol television system; instructions to send second event data over the electrical power line to a second controllable device in the internet protocol television system from the first controllable device in response to the detecting the first event data at the first controllable device; and instructions to receive video data concurrently at a first internet protocol television client device over the electrical power line from the first and second controllable devices in response to the detecting the first event data at the first controllable device.
US08212882B2
A digital camera 10 has a pair of angular rate-sensing gyroscopic sensors 130 with mutually perpendicular axes and an electronic circuit 120 responsive to the sensor output signals to discriminate between voluntary and involuntary movements of the article as a function of the number of zero crossings per unit time of the signal and the average of the absolute amplitude of the signal.
US08212869B2
A substrate inspection method capable of accurately inspecting a substrate is provided. A jig having reference points represented by known coordinates in a three-dimensional world coordinate system is photographed by a camera and coordinates of the reference points in a pixel image coordinate system defined by pixels of an image forming device is determined. The coordinates in the pixel image coordinate system are transformed into those in a camera coordinate system set on the camera, and world-camera coordinate system transformation parameters are calculated. Image data in the pixel image coordinate system obtained by photographing a substrate to be inspected is transformed into image data in a world coordinate system for inspection. The accurate inspection of the substrate to be inspected can be achieved because distortion in the image of the substrate to be inspected in the world coordinate system attributable to the position and attitude of the camera is reduced.
US08212868B2
A jewelry fixture having a mounting pedestal cooperatively engaged with the top side of a base is disclosed. First and second angled surface are cooperatively positioned on the top side of the base. The angled surfaces have a reflective or mirrored surface. The angled surfaces are positioned adjacent and perpendicular to each other. A jewelry holder allowing cooperative engagement with an item of jewelry is positioned between the angled surfaces and cooperatively engaged with the mounting pedestal on the top side of the base. The base has reference and prime positioning guides. The full-image jewelry positioner (fixture) improves the development of images for duplication or replication of jewelry or other items having detailed structures. When combined with a camera or a camera and a computer system, the images developed may be captured and manipulated for auto-tracing and duplication or replication of the item of jewelry.
US08212867B2
Disclosed is an underwater CCD camera for visual testing of a reactor cooling system. The underwater CCD camera includes a CCD camera, a casing having a supporter supporting the CCD camera and a cooling pin on a top surface thereof, a Pb-glass window on a front side of the easing to shield the CCD camera from radiation and to reduce a temperature difference between the interior and exterior of the casing, a sealing O-ring preventing a coolant from being introduced into a gap between the Pb-glass window and the casing, a sealing nut providing a fastening force to bring the Pb-glass window into close contact with the sealing O-ring, a rear cap, a silicon O-ring preventing the coolant from being introduced into a gap between the rear cap and the casing, and a fastening nut providing a fastening force to prevent leakage between a camera cable and the casing.
US08212865B2
This is a microscope image pickup apparatus for shooting and forming the observation images of a specimen in order to observe it by a microscope. The microscope image pickup apparatus comprises an image pickup unit for shooting and forming the observation images, a display unit for dynamically displaying the observation images shot and formed by the image pickup unit in succession and an operating state detection unit for detecting an operating state of a microscope operation part in order to operate the microscope on the basis of the change of the observation images dynamically displayed on the display unit. The present invention provides a microscope image pickup apparatus, a microscope image pickup program product, a microscope image pickup program transmission medium and a microscope image pickup method which are capable of displaying an optimum moving image according to the operating state of the microscope.
US08212860B2
A digital camera having an image mover includes a controller, a location information inputter, an orientation information inputter, a focal length information inputter, and an exposure time setter which sets an exposure time for which a celestial body image is exposed to an image sensor. The controller calculates a movement path of the celestial body image, which moves relative to the photographing optical system due to the rotation of the earth within the exposure time, using the location information that is input to the controller via the location information inputter, and the azimuth information and the altitude information that are input to the controller via the orientation information inputter. The controller drives the image mover in accordance with the calculated movement path to move the image sensor in a manner such that the image of the celestial body remains at a stationary position on the image sensor.
US08212859B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for projecting a source image in a head-mounted display apparatus for a user. A first display projects an image viewable by a first eye of the user. A first peripheral light element is positioned to emit light of one or more colors in close proximity to the periphery of the first display. A receives data representing a source image, processes the data representing the source image to generate a first image for the first display and to generate a first set of peripheral conditioning signals for the first peripheral light element, directs the first image to the first display, and directs the first set of peripheral conditioning signals to the first peripheral light element. As a result, an enhanced viewing experience is created for the user.
US08212855B2
Embodiments of the disclosed invention include an apparatus, method, and computer program product for enabling a user to participate in a videoconference. For example, in one embodiment, a video conferencing eyewear apparatus that includes a network interface for receiving a data stream from a video conference server, the data stream including a video and audio associated with a first party, and a shared presentation. In addition, the video conferencing eyewear apparatus includes a data storage component that stores computer executable instructions; and a processor that executes the computer executable instructions to display the video on a first display of the video conferencing eyewear apparatus; display the shared presentation on a second display of the video conferencing eyewear apparatus; and output the audio to an audio output component of video conferencing eyewear apparatus.
US08212849B2
There are provided a method of manufacturing a thermal head having a hollow portion at a position opposing a heating resistor, the manufacturing method assuring a sufficient strength to an upper plate substrate of the thermal head. The manufacturing method includes: processing a top surface of the upper plate substrate bonded to a support substrate to thin the upper plate substrate to a thickness T; wherein the processing comprises processing the top surface of the upper plate substrate so that a roughness Ra of the top surface of the upper plate substrate satisfies the following expression: Ra≦loge(T2)/(3×106)+6.5×10−6.
US08212847B2
A method is provided for decoupling the control of dot gain and optical density in electrophotographic based printing by varying the exposure level for each dot in an image.
US08212845B2
An LCD device includes: a liquid crystal panel configured to include liquid crystal cells formed in regions defined by crossing gate lines and data lines; an image analyzer configured to analyze whether or not an image data corresponds to a specific pattern in which a black or white gray-scale data having a large difference between positive and negative data voltages is continuously opposed to the liquid crystal cells of a vertical direction; a polarity control signal modulator configured to respond to a control signal from the image analyzer and modulate a polarity control signal, so as to prevent the black gray-scale data continuously opposed to the liquid crystal cells of the vertical direction from being polarity-inverted; and a data driver configured to apply the data voltages to the data lines on the basis of the modulated polarity control signal applied from the polarity control signal modulator.
US08212843B2
Embodiments of a system that includes one or more integrated circuits are described. During operation, the system reduces power consumption by changing an intensity setting of a light source, which illuminates a display that is configured to display a video image, and scales brightness values for the video image based on a brightness metric associated with the video image. Then, the system calculates the error metric for the video image based on the scaled brightness values and the video image.
US08212841B2
A display processing system for providing video signals for displaying an image is provided. The display processing system comprises input channels for receiving a plurality of component images, each component image being a portion of the complete image for display, the image data of each component image being defined by a view frustum having a clipping plane, and a combiner for combining the image data of the component images. According to the present invention, at least two clipping planes of two of the view frustums are non-coplanar. Such display processing system corrects for the defect of driving angular resolution to the edges of the field of view of a display system, in particular for large field-of-view display systems, and balances the overall system angular resolution by allowing each image generator channel to render to an optimal view frustum for its portion of the complete image.
