US08240329B1
Disclosed is an apparatus for providing in-line, three-state, dual flow metering, high pressure relief, for use in a system utilizing compressible or incompressible media, which includes a centrally disposed magnetically homed ball with opposing axially aligned ball mating valve seats, with a high pressure relief spring deployed to control the pressure necessary to trigger high pressure relief.
US08240321B2
A motorized system drives rotation of a rotatable sprayer of a dishwasher. The drive system includes a magnetic coupler. The magnetic coupler includes a first portion that resides inside the wash chamber of the dishwasher, and a second portion that resides outside the wash chamber, such that the motor and the output shaft of the drive system are located entirely outside of the wash chamber.
US08240320B2
Disclosed is a method for cleaning solar panels by means of a washing apparatus (1) which can be displaced on the solar panel (2) and applies rinsing water to the surface of the solar panel (2) and washes the surface with the help of washing nozzles and/or brushes. The washing apparatus (1) embraces the solar panel (2) in the edge region in such a way that the washing apparatus (1) is guided in a longitudinally movable way directly on the solar panel (2).
US08240318B2
A hair clip is provided. An upper clip includes a first body, a first pressing unit for separating the upper clip and a lower clip, and a first bracket having a first through hole. The lower clip includes a second body, a second pressing unit configured to separate the upper clip and the lower clip when a clamping force is applied thereto, and a second bracket having a second through hole, the second bracket being positioned on an upper portion of the second pressing unit of the lower clip. A fixing member having an elasticity has a first end coupled with the first body of the upper clip and a second end coupled with the first pressing unit of the upper clip. The spring provides an elastic force while pressing the upper clip. The hinge connects the upper and lower clips with the spring.
US08240310B2
Provided is a medical positioner having an immobilizer function. The medical positioner includes a vacuum pad allowing air to freely flow in and out through ports and regulating movement of beads, and is configured to firmly fix positioning lock bars to an outer surface of the vacuum pad. Thereby, when a patient wears the vacuum pad applied to the medical positioner, the beads held in the vacuum pad are prevented from being lopsided. The beads are grouped in cell units by partitions, so that movement of the beads from a designated cell to the neighboring cell through the ports is controlled. When the patient is examined using medical equipment, the medical positioner freely and accurately corrects a posture of the patient wearing the vacuum pad for diagnosis or treatment, and maintains the corrected posture to enhance accuracy of the diagnosis or treatment carried out through the medical equipment.
US08240304B2
An atomizer, a reservoir and a method are proposed for the delivery and in particular, the atomization of a formulation, particularly a powder. A pump and a spring are arranged inside the annular reservoir, the pump and the spring being moveable radially and in a sliding manner. The pump is actuated by the spring to put air under pressure for discharging powder from the reservoir. The reservoir comprises receptacles or cavities, each of which has an insert with a respective dose of the formulation. The receptacles are constructed as separate parts and/or arranged on a common or annular carrier and/or are sealed separately and/or on its outer circumferential periphery. The spring is tensioned and the air is sucked into the pump. Then, the next receptacle and a connecting element are aligned relative to each other. Finally, the aligned receptacle is pierced by the connecting element for supplying the air.
US08240303B2
A liquid ejection device of the present invention includes an inhaling port portion, an ejection head for ejecting a liquid to be inhaled by a user through the inhaling port portion, a first sensor for detecting an action of the user relating to inhalation, a second sensor for detecting another action of the user relating to inhalation, the second sensor being different from the first sensor, and a determining portion for determining an operation of ejecting the liquid of the ejection head in response to both a first signal output from the first sensor and a second signal output from the second sensor, wherein the determining portion enables ejection of the liquid from the ejection head when both the first signal and the second signal are signals indicating inhalation intention of the user.
US08240301B2
A dispensing device for dispensing a number of doses of medication to a patient, comprising a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the medication by actuation of the dispensing mechanism from a non-dispensing position to a dispensing position, a dose counter for counting the number of doses dispensed by said device, a first battery-less arrangement for providing power to said dose counter in response to the actuation of said dispensing mechanism, and an electronic display for displaying a dose indication, characterised in that the device includes a second battery-less arrangement for providing power to said electronic display when said dispensing mechanism is in said non-dispensing position.
US08240294B2
Various systems and method for heating an engine in a vehicle during a cold start are described. In one example, thermal efficiency of the engine is improved by heating engine coolant via a high-pressure exhaust gas recirculation (HP-EGR) system. For example, after light-off of an exhaust catalyst, exhaust gas is routed through the HP-EGR system which includes a HP-EGR cooler. Heat from the exhaust gas is then used to warm the engine coolant via the HP-EGR cooler.
US08240288B2
An internal combustion engine includes an exhaust valve for removing exhaust gas from a combustion chamber and an engine braking device with a hydraulic valve control unit by which the exhaust valve is held in an intermediate open position when the engine braking device is actuated. The internal combustion engine includes a hydraulic valve lash compensation mechanism for the exhaust valve and a control channel formed between the hydraulic valve control unit and an oil feed channel for feeding oil to the hydraulic valve control unit which can be closed by a closure element to compensate for valve lash of the exhaust valve. A counter-holder is constructed as a piston-cylinder unit that forms a variable stop for a valve bridge cooperating with the valve lash compensation mechanism.
US08240277B1
An internal combustion engine suppressing trouble in a fuel feed system or lubrication system even when using ammonia as fuel. The internal combustion engine is able to be fed ammonia as fuel and is provided with a fuel tank storing ammonia in a liquid state, a fuel injector injecting ammonia in a gaseous state into a combustion chamber or intake port, and a fuel passage connected to the fuel tank and fuel injector. Inside the fuel tank or fuel passage, there is arranged a substance that can absorb or adsorb water and cannot absorb and adsorb ammonia.
US08240273B2
In at least one embodiment, an animal treat dispenser includes a treat container having an aperture, an aperture adjustment mechanism that is capable of varying an effective size of the aperture to regulate passage of animal treats through the aperture, and a plush toy at least partially covering the treat container.
US08240270B2
An impact detecting apparatus that is configured to be attached to an object and includes a drop-impact display unit configured to display a direction of drop impact when the object is dropped; and a tilt display unit configured to display a direction of tilting when the object is tilted. The drop-impact display unit and the tilt display unit displays the direction of drop impact and the direction of tilting at the same time.
US08240261B2
A method for delivering a beneficial agent is disclosed in one embodiment of the invention as including a water collection chamber. A water-transporting membrane is provided to communicate with the water collection chamber. An extraction chamber receives water through the water-transporting membrane, expanding the extraction chamber. A dispensing chamber, containing a beneficial agent, is configured to contract upon expanding the extraction chamber. This causes the dispensing chamber to expel the beneficial agent through a subterranean delivery channel, such as a rigid hollow spike. In certain embodiments, a rate adjustment mechanism may control the rate that water is received through the water-transporting membrane, thereby controlling the rate the beneficial agent is expelled. The water-transporting membrane has features that repel osmagent from passing through to the water collection chamber. The method features steady rate performance without refreshing the water chamber and low temperature sensitivity.
US08240259B2
A method and device for cooling hot crude gas and slag from entrained flow gasification of liquid and solid combustibles at crude gas temperatures ranging from 1,200 to 1,800° C. and at pressures of up to 80 bar in a cooling chamber disposed downstream of the gasification reactor by injecting water. The cooling water is distributed, with a first portion being finely dispersed into to cooling chamber and a second portion being fed at the bottom into an annular gap provided between the pressure-carrying tank wall and an incorporated metal apron for protecting said pressure-carrying tank wall. The second portion of the cooling water flows upward in the annular gap and trickles down the inner side of the metal apron in the form of a water film.
US08240258B2
The present invention provides a burner which uses solid fuels, especially waste plastic fuels. Burner size is minimized by having multiple combustion chambers concentrically located around a rotating screw conveyor. Heat efficiency is improved by having air passages disposed around the combustion chambers, thus preheating air for the combustion prior to its delivery to the combustion chambers, while simultaneously thermally insulating the combustion chambers against the environment. Waste plastic is transported from a fuel hopper to the combustion chambers by a rotating screw conveyor having the spiraling auger blades. Speed of screw conveyor rotation controls the consumption of waste plastic and, thus, the amount of thermal energy generated in the burner.
US08240257B2
The invention relates to an article of furniture, such as a sitting/standing table, wherein an adjustable element, such as a table top, may be adjusted by a drive unit (8) based on an electric motor. An electrical control unit (6) has a plurality of externally accessible gates and is arranged so as to meet a number of requirements for services and/or optional special functions which may be modified, activated or deactivated with a plurality of external modules (5) configured with a plug (11) when said plug is inserted into a gate (9).
US08240251B2
Embodiments of a reactive shaped charge, a reactive liner, and a method for penetrating a target are generally described herein. The reactive shaped charge comprises a reactive liner having a matrix of reactive metal particles in a hydrocarbon fuel, a high explosive, and an inner barrier separating the reactive liner from the high explosive. The hydrocarbon fuel fills the interstitial spacing between the reactive metal particles, and the matrix is tightly packed or compresses to exhibit a solid like property.
US08240243B2
A fluid operated linear drive in which on the outer periphery of a centering portion (24) fitting in a housing tube (4) at least one housing cover (5) has an annular groove (28) accommodating an annular seal (32). The outer flank (36), which is on the side of the housing tube (3), of the annular groove (28) is a component of cap part (42), which is coaxially mounted on the centering portion (24) and fixed on the housing cover (5). This division into two parts facilitates production of a flash-free annular groove (28) without fettling.
US08240241B2
A method and apparatus are provided for hydraulic fluid supply between a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic drive unit, switching hydraulic fluid flow direction to the hydraulic drive unit or stopping hydraulic fluid flow to the hydraulic drive unit when measured hydraulic fluid pressure crosses a predetermined pressure threshold value. The method further comprises calculating an amount of mechanical work done by the hydraulic drive unit and warning an operator or limiting hydraulic fluid flow rate to the hydraulic drive unit when the calculated mechanical work for the drive cycle is less than an expected amount of mechanical work. The apparatus for practicing the method further includes a pressure sensor associated with a hydraulic fluid supply conduit between the pump and the drive unit, and an electronic controller programmed to operate the drive system according to the method.
US08240232B2
A power screwdriver is disclosed including a screw advance mechanism for advancing a screwstrip, and a hinged feed track for feeding the screwstrip to the screw advance mechanism.
US08240211B2
An ultrasonic probe for optical detection of ultrasonic waves includes a membrane integrated into the probe for contact with a body, the membrane being excited to vibration by reflected ultrasonic waves, leading to a change in optical path length of a beam of light directed at the membrane, which change is determined interferometrically.
US08240207B2
An optical sensor in which acceleration, acoustic velocity, or displacement (vibration) causes a corresponding shift in the center wavelength of the sensor output. The sensor can be coupled to a high-speed interferometric interrogator through an unbalanced fiber interferometer. The unbalanced interferometer functions to translate optical wavelength shift into phase shift, which is easily demodulated by the interrogator. A method of measuring acceleration uses the sensor.
US08240195B2
An apparatus includes: an control portion that controls fluctuating the air/fuel ratio; a data acquisition portion that acquires a responsiveness parameter during change of output of the sensor between a rich peak to a lean peak; and a determination portion that determines presence/absence of abnormality of the sensor based on an abnormality criterion value and a data average. When the number of the acquired data becomes equal to or greater than a first number, if the number of the acquired data during a large intake-air-amount of an engine is greater than or equal to a second number, the determination portion determines the presence/absence of abnormality, or if the number of the acquired data during the large intake-air-amount is less than the second number, the determination portion does not determines that, but acquires the data until the number of the acquired data during the large intake-air-amount reaches the second number.
US08240194B2
Methods and systems for controlling and/or diagnosing an emission control system of a vehicle having a first SCR region upstream of a second SCR region are provided herein. One exemplary method includes, indicating degradation based on a first SCR region performance during a first condition; and indicating degradation based on a second SCR region performance during a second condition, the first condition different than the second condition. In this way, different levels of degradation among different SCR regions may be used to indicate emissions levels have increased above a threshold value, for example.
US08240189B2
A method of using photoacoustic spectroscopy to determine chemical information about an analyte includes the steps of emitting a light ray for interaction with a sample of an analyte; transmitting the light ray through a fill fluid disposed in a detection cell, the fill fluid having molecules substantially similar to molecules of the analyte to absorb the light ray; producing a thermal wave and oscillation in the fill fluid proportional to an intensity of the light ray; including a pressure oscillation in the fill fluid by the thermal wave; and detecting the pressure oscillation by a microphone to determine information about the analyte sample.
US08240183B2
Method upon heating of extrusion tools (1) for the extrusion of metal into a profile and which extrusion tool is formed by an internal tool (5) that is receivable by a tool ring (4) and that has the intended hole-profile openings (6). In that connection, the entire extrusion tool (1) is heated, after which the temperature of the tool ring (4) only is lowered before subsequent introduction of the extrusion tool (1) into the press and the execution of the extrusion.
US08240182B2
A stamping die (20) includes a base set (21), a punch (241, 242, 243, 244, 245) detachably assembled on the base set, and a stripper plate (23) disposed on top of the base set. The stripper plate defines a through hole (231) through which the punch passes, and at least one elastic member (28) is disposed between the base set and the stripper plate. The stamping die can punch different shaped holes by means of changing the punch.
US08240181B2
An extrusion die device includes a first die having a shaping hole. An inner periphery of the shaping hole has a plurality of twisted guiding portions. A second die includes a plurality of guiding holes. A bridge is formed between two adjacent guiding holes. A plurality of tongues extends from a surface of each bridge and each includes an input end face contiguous to the bridge and an output end face whose projection on the surface of the bridge has an angular shift relative to the input end face. A side of the second die is coupled to an input side of the first die. The tongues are received in the shaping hole. Material is squeezed through a passage between each tongue and the inner periphery of the shaping hole and rotates according to the twisting direction of the tongues, forming a hollow object with an integrally formed helical rib.
US08240180B2
An apparatus for continuously forming an extruded sheet product having an extruder assembly with a sheet die for delivering flowable material. A roll stand assembly has a main frame with first and second rolls. A vertical height positioning mechanism is operated to vary the relationship between the sheet die and nip location between rolls and has first and second lift components that cooperate with the main frame at first and second laterally spaced locations. The first and second lift components are each movable in first and second opposite paths to selectively elevate and lower the nip location relative to the sheet die. The vertical height positioning mechanism further has an actuating system to selectively and simultaneously cause the first and second lift components to move.
US08240177B2
A door handle assembly that can be locked and unlocked using a key. The door handle assembly includes a bolt that is movable from an extended position to a retracted position. The first handle is coupled to the bolt and adapted to cause the bolt to retract when the first handle is pushed. A second handle is coupled to the bolt and adapted to cause the bolt to retract when the second handle is pulled. A key locking mechanism is coupled to the first handle. The key locking mechanism is adapted to selectively prevent the bolt from moving to the retracted position. A safety locking mechanism is coupled to the second handle. The safety locking mechanism is adapted to selectively prevent the bolt from moving to the retracted position.
US08240169B2
A vitreous silica crucible manufacturing apparatus includes a plurality of carbon electrodes configured to heat and melt raw material powder by arc discharge, and a value of a ratio R2/R1 of a diameter R2 of a front end of each of the carbon electrodes to a diameter R1 of a base end is set in a range of 0.6 to 0.8. Each carbon electrode has a diameter reduction portion formed at a front end position and reduced in diameter from a diameter R3 of a base end side to the diameter R2 of the front end. When a length of the diameter reduction portion is L1, the diameter of the front end is R2, the diameter of the base end is R1, an angle between the axis lines of the carbon electrodes is θ1, and X=(R1−R2)/2, a value of L1−(X/tan(θ1/2)) is set in a range of 50 to 150 mm.
US08240161B2
A refrigerant system is provided with a pulse width modulation valve. A compressor temperature is monitored to prevent potential reliability problems and compressor failures due to an excessive temperature inside the compressor. A control changes the pulse width modulation valve duty cycle rate to maintain temperature within specified limits, while achieving the desired capacity, and complying with design requirements of a conditioned environment, without compromising refrigerant system reliability. As the compressor temperature increases, the pulse width modulation valve duty cycle time is adjusted to ensure that adequate amount of refrigerant is circulated through the compressor to cool the compressor internal components.
US08240156B2
An ice-making device that includes a duct through which ice is dispensed and a duct-covering part for opening and closing the duct. An ice conveying part conveys the ice dispensed through the duct. A driving speed of the ice conveying part increases for a previously set initial driving time when the dispensing of the ice starts, and the ice conveying part is driven at a previously set target speed when the initial driving time elapses.
US08240152B2
Control systems and a method for controlling a load point of a gas turbine engine are provided. A control system includes a controller that receives a temperature signal and a pressure signal associated with exhaust gases from the gas turbine engine. The controller is further configured to generate the fuel control signal. The controller is further configured to generate an actuator control signal such that flow restriction member is moved from the first operational position to the second operational position to restrict the flow path such that the exhaust gases have a temperature level within a desired turndown temperature range, the pressure level in the exhaust gases is less than a threshold pressure level, and the load point of the gas turbine engine is adjusted to toward a target load point.
US08240142B2
A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control.
US08240124B2
A method for producing the electrical power required for equipment on board an airplane is disclosed. Auxiliary power is taken off by a shaft driven by the high pressure turbine and, when idling, the efficiency of the low pressure turbine is degraded so as to enable the high pressure turbine to operate at a speed that is sufficient for delivering the required auxiliary power.
US08240121B2
A dirt separator may be retrofit into existing gas turbine engines since it is formed of circumferentially separate pieces which may be assembled together in the gas turbine engine.
US08240120B2
Systems and methods involving vibration management of gas turbine engines are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes: detecting vibrations of a gas turbine engine; automatically adjusting rotational speed of a component of the gas turbine engine in order to attempt to reduce the vibrations to within predefined vibration limits; and automatically adjusting operating parameters of the gas turbine engine such that, if the vibrations are reduced to within the predefined vibration limits, thrust of the gas turbine engine is set to an amount of thrust corresponding to the amount of thrust provided prior to the adjusting of the rotational speed of the component.
US08240118B1
A hay rake having a central main frame member with left and right extendable spinner arms so that they swing toward and away from the main frame from a closed position for transportation to an open position for raking hay. Each spinner arm comprises at least one spinner disposed on its outer surface. Each spinner arm is attached to the main frame using a spinner arm knuckle-like joint which allows the spinner arm assemblies to move in both a horizontal and a vertical plane. Hay deflectors are attached under each spinner arm in front of the spinners to prevent wrapping of hay around rotating parts and to assist in moving tile hay toward the entrance of the baler.
US08240116B2
A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a draper assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly and operable to receive severed crop material from the cutterbar assembly. The draper assembly includes a center draper that delivers crop material to a feeder house of the harvesting machine and oppositely spaced side drapers that deliver crop material to the center draper. The harvesting header is operable to flex and thereby follow an uneven terrain.
US08240111B2
A holding device (1) by which one or more panes of glass (2) forming a balustrade (3) is/are supported on a wall (4) or ceiling (5), consisting of a carrier rail (7) holding or supporting the panes of glass (2) and a holding plate (9) attached to the ceiling (4) or the wall (5), with the carrier rail (7) held in a horizontal direction on the holding plate (9) by means of a U-shaped hook-in pocket (25) projecting from the carrier rail (7). A box rail (11) projecting from the holding plate (9) in the direction of the carrier rail (7) is attached directly or by supporting elements (12), such that the carrier rail (7) is in contact with the box rail (11) or the supporting element (12) in the vertical direction, and one or more setscrews (16) and clamping screws (34) project from the box rail (11) in the direction of the carrier rail (7) with the screws connected to the carrier rail (7), and the distance between the box section (11) and the carrier rail (7) can be varied by means of the setscrew(s) (16).
US08240109B2
Precise parameters are maintained in a support structure for solar panels or other panel-like structures through use of a collapsible folding structure which is preassembled to precise tolerances at a convenient staging site before being collapsed for shipment. Easy installation with unskilled labor is facilitated by attaching one support joist to a substrate and then unfolding the entire support structure.
US08240106B2
The invention provides load-resisting segments (e.g., panels or frames for openings) for transmitting loads through a building structure. In the context of a wall, the load-resisting segments transmit shear loads downward to structural elements below the wall, such as to a building foundation. The load-resisting segments may comprise a truss configuration, i.e., an assembly of members forming a rigid framework. Each load-resisting segment can include web members and pairs of truss plates secured to sides of the segment to secure connections of the web members to each other and to other members. The wall segments can include beam-separation blocks that reduce truss plate failure by spacing apart the ends of two web members bearing against a chord or post to position the intersection point of the load paths of the web members with the load path of the chord or post. Some of the truss plates can include strips of material to provide additional resistance to tearing of the truss plate due to loads experienced by the truss plate. Some of the load-resisting segments, particularly frames for doors or windows, may include compression plates that prevent point-loading of studs or chords against transversely oriented members. For example, a truss frame may include compression plates between ends of its columns and surfaces of a header or sill structure.
US08240097B2
A post anchoring foot is configured for use in securing a post to a surface. The foot includes a body dimensioned to snugly receive a portion of the post, with the body including a generally horizontal base portion and a generally vertical side wall that cooperatively present a laterally enclosed post-receiving area. The base portion defines a lowermost surface-engaging anchoring face and an elevated supporting face configured to engage an end of the post, with the supporting face being disposed above the anchoring face. The base portion further defines a plurality of anchor-receiving apertures extending therethrough, with each aperture being configured to receive an anchor therein to securely couple the foot to the surface. The side wall defines a fastener-receiving hole extending therethrough, with the hole being configured to selectively receive a fastener therein to securely couple the foot to the post.
US08240096B2
Disclosed herein is a bracket structure for increasing strength of a concrete structure and enabling easy construction. The bracket structure includes an affixing bracket and a pre-stressing steel plate. The affixing bracket comprises a holding member connected to a bottom of the concrete structure using an anchor bolt, and a support member connected to the holding member and forming a channel to increase the moment of inertia of area of the concrete structure. The pre-stressing steel plate is connected to the support member of the affixing bracket, and applies stress to the concrete structure.
US08240095B1
A deck system is made by joining deck units, each having a hat-shaped profile fastened to the topside of a profiled bottom panel. The bottom panel has nestable or interlocking side laps and one or more “dove-tail” shaped recesses formed therein. These recesses, which may be concave upward or downward, give the deck unit additional strength as a defined, confined location for use to run conduit and to provide vertical support for vertical loads. The deck system may be combined with a layer of concrete for use as a floor or roof.
US08240090B2
A door assembly for disposition in a building includes a vertical member, a weather strip adjacent the vertical member, and a door selectively moveable to be adjacent the weather strip opposite the vertical member. A threshold extends below the door and the vertical member extends upwardly from a lower end. A corner pad is mounted to the lower end of the vertical member. The corner pad includes a base surface abutting the threshold, a first edge surface extending upwardly from the base surface between the vertical member and the weather strip, and a lower reservoir surface extending upwardly from the first edge surface. The lower reservoir surface extends inwardly into the corner pad defining a reservoir between the vertical member and the weather strip. The corner pad includes a second reservoir surface extending angularly from said lower reservoir surface for preventing the water from splashing out of said reservoir and into an interior of the building.
US08240081B2
A trap for collecting insects and pests is formed in a triangular prism shape. The triangular prism shaped trap is formed from a rectangular plate that is divided into three sections, the rectangular plate being bent into the triangular prism shape. A rectangular cavity that protrudes inward into the trap may be formed on one wall. Also, a control card may be mounted on one wall.
US08240076B2
A covering device for an elongated telescopic sight that is mounted on a gun shaft, wherein the elongated telescopic sight has a first end and a second end, the covering device comprising a first pocket having an opening and a coverable end and a second pocket having an opening and a coverable end, wherein the first pocket is coupled to the second pocket by an intermediate member, oriented non-linearly relative to the second pocket, and is facing in at least a substantially opposite direction as the second pocket; wherein the first pocket is coverable upon the first end of the telescopic sight, the intermediate member is wrappable around, underneath or over at least a portion of the gun shaft and the second pocket is coverable upon the second end of the telescopic sight.
US08240075B1
An adjustable base for attaching a sighting device such as a telescopic sight to a rifle or other ballistic projectile launcher, comprising upper and lower rails pivotally attached at the muzzle ends thereof, is disclosed. Adjustments are provided for altering the angle between the sight and the weapon's boreline or similar axis in elevation in increments of minutes of arc or fractions thereof.
US08240073B1
A labeling device that can be attached to an article and subsequently modified by separating at least a portion of the device to be located within the article to provide information regarding the contents of an article.
US08240058B1
A drop test device for testing any deviation between the gravity line of an object and a defined vertical orientation includes a dropping machine and a drop panel installed on the dropping machine. The drop panel includes a support board, a plurality of restriction boards fixed on the support board, a plurality of rollers mounted on the support board and a sliding board positioned on the plurality of rollers for supporting the object. The sliding board is positioned between the plurality of restriction boards and slides on the plurality of rollers. If the gravity line of the object is not on the same line as a supportive strength line of the object, the sliding board moves on the support board and triggers the plurality of restriction boards.
US08240046B2
Methods for making near net shape airfoil metal leading edge protective strips including providing a high temperature additive manufacturing device; providing a tooling system having a mandrel; a metallic cladding applied to the mandrel; and at least one cooling channel associated with the mandrel applying a metallic deposit to the mandrel having the metallic cladding using the high temperature additive manufacturing device; and concurrently removing heat from the mandrel using the at least one cooling channel to produce the near net shape airfoil metal leading edge protective strip.
US08240037B2
A process for producing a circuit module including, carried out in this order, preparing a ceramic carrier substrate having ceramic substrate pads for mounting electronic parts, forming solder paste layers on the ceramic substrate pads, forming precoated solder layers by heating the ceramic carrier substrate having the solder paste layers on the ceramic substrate pads to melt the solder paste layers, and then cooling for solidifying the solder, preliminarily fixing stepped lid having protrusions adjacent to a cavity and dents adjacent to the cavity with the protrusions intervening therebetween to the precoated solder layers of the ceramic carrier substrate and joining the stepped lid to the ceramic carrier substrate with solder by placing the ceramic carrier substrate having the stepped lid preliminarily fixed to the precoated solder layers in a reflow furnace.
US08240034B1
According to certain embodiments of the invention, a flash memory card is manufactured using COB processes on a PCB panel with multiple micro cards PCB substrates. These micro memory cards are laid out in an array of 3×5 matrixes of micro cards PCB substrates. A method of molding over a PCBA is utilized, contrary to a conventional method of having two or more pieces of package components to tape together. This results in a simpler structure without the notch which enables easier singulation process and the package is moisture resistance. The final product is a single piece versus two or three pieces glued up pieces and would not separate from pieces. The final product has high water and moisture resistance, low cost and fast manufacturing throughput, no seam and aesthetically more appeasing, can stack more layers of flash memory die, and be maximized XY spaces to accommodate larger size flash memory die.
US08240030B2
To provide a method for forming an opening with high accuracy in an insulating film obtained by curing a prepreg including a reinforcing material in a step of exposing a terminal portion sealed with the insulating film, with the use of a means other than laser beam irradiation. A protrusion is formed using a conductor. An uncured prepreg including a reinforcing material is closely attached to the protrusion and the prepreg is cured, so that an insulating film including the reinforcing material is formed. A portion of a top surface of the insulating film protrudes due to the protrusion. The protruding portion is preferentially removed together with the reinforcing material to form an opening in the insulating film by grinding treatment or the like, so that an opening which exposes the protrusion is formed in the insulating film.
US08240028B2
In an electronic component mounting apparatus, nozzle mechanisms are formed slender by providing shaft-type linear motors vertically upward of nozzle units and providing linear encoders vertically upward of the shaft-type linear motors, respectively. Thus, it becomes possible to reduce the occupational area of the individual nozzle mechanisms in XY directions (horizontal direction), thereby allowing the pitch of neighboring nozzles to be narrowed. It also becomes achievable to keep up with increasingly narrow mounting pitches of electronic components on boards of increasingly smaller-size and higher-integration.
US08240026B2
A method for manufacturing a magneto-resistive device. The magneto-resistive device is for reducing the deterioration in the characteristics of the device due to annealing. The magneto-resistive device has a magneto-resistive layer formed on one surface side of a base, and an insulating layer formed of two layers and deposited around the magneto-resistive layer. The layer of the insulating layer closest to the base is made of a metal or semiconductor oxide. This layer extends over end faces of a plurality of layers made of different materials from one another, which make up the magneto-resistive device, and is in contact with the end faces of the plurality of layers with the same materials.
US08240019B2
A painting tool for painting a vehicle wheel is disclosed. The tool includes a base and a plurality of idler wheels rotatably coupled to the base. The wheels are disposed about the base to rotatably support a workpiece. A motor is coupled to the base and includes a motor output disposed to engage the workpiece and to rotate the workpiece on the plurality of idler wheels about a workpiece axis. A mask is operatively coupled to the base. The mask is movable between an engaged position wherein the mask obscures a portion of the workpiece and a disengaged position wherein the mask is disposed away from the workpiece. A method of painting a vehicle wheel is also disclosed.
US08240005B2
The invention relates to a regulating valve, which is attachable in particular in a bore, executed with a female thread, of a hydraulic door closer. The regulating valve has a body adjoined by a regulating area. The regulating valve also has a thread provided with an anti-rotation element. The thread, including the anti-rotation element, being screwed into the female thread of the bore. In order to provide a regulating valve of a simple design, in which any unwanted adjustment of the regulating valve during operation is excluded, the anti-rotation element of the regulating valve has a plastic material layer at the thread flanks of the thread. The plastic material layer cooperates with the female thread of the door closer.
US08240004B2
A replacement furniture glide includes a shell assembly and a foot assembly. The shell assembly includes an upper portion forming a chamber adapted to receive a conventional furniture glide affixed to a furniture leg. A lower portion extends downward from the upper portion. The shell assembly is divided vertically into multiple sections. The foot assembly includes an upper mounting member and a lower floor engagement member that is connected to the mounting member. The shell assembly lower portion is received within an upwardly extending cavity in the foot assembly mounting member to releaseably lock the shell assembly sections together. The shell assembly sections are separated by withdrawing the shell assembly lower portion from the foot assembly mounting member cavity to unlock the shell assembly sections.
US08240003B2
A handle assembly for a cleaning appliance such as a vacuum cleaner includes a flexible hose having a first end that is connectable to a main body of the cleaning appliance and a second end, a handle portion for maneuvering the handle assembly during use and a tubular wand. The second end of the flexible hose is connected to the handle portion, and the tubular wand is slidably mounted in the handle portion so as to be movable between a first position in which the tubular wand extends beyond the handle portion inside the flexible hose and a second position in which the tubular wand extends beyond the handle portion away from the flexible hose.
US08239990B2
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for machine washing that includes a sterilizer capable of continuously exhibiting antibiotic and sterilization functions during washing and rinsing processes and reducing the consumption amount of Ag. The washing machine comprises a water reservoir to contain washing water, a sterilizer sterilizing the washing water through an electrolysis process, and a circulator circulating the washing water in the sterilizer.
US08239979B2
A modular easy access bathing enclosure includes a shell having a seating area and a standing area with a contiguous sidewall. The sidewall around the standing area includes an access opening extending from a shell top to an opening bottom proximate the standing area. A pocket door is provided for enclosing the access opening and is movable into the sidewall surrounding the standing area. Inflatable gaskets are provided for sealing and locking the door in the access opening.
US08239973B1
The toilet ventilation apparatus effectively vents unwanted gasses from a toilet room without risk of return. The apparatus provides for installation to an existing toilet bowl with retention of the existing lid. The seat with bottom orifices is provided in a plurality of thicknesses, shapes, and sizes to correctly fit existing toilets. The discharge hose connects to the collar fitting of the drain collar, which is easily connected to a drain such as a sink drain so that in-floor and wall plumbing invasion is not required. The quick connect fitting is disposed between the escape tube exiting the rear of the seat and the suction hose. The quick connect provides that the vacuum pump and related hose are quickly selectively connected and disconnected to any seat of the apparatus installed on an existing toilet bowl, thereby allowing addition and removal of the pump and hoses at a few seconds notice.
US08245312B2
A method of managing the digital rights of a remote device is disclosed. The method includes receiving a warrant including information that the use of content is allowed, issued from a main device having the replay right for the content, transmitting the warrant to a service-providing device, and receiving the content provided by the service-providing device.
US08245308B2
Various embodiments utilize a third party, such as a trusted third-party, to perform DRM operations such as “move” operations. In at least some embodiments, the trusted third-party is utilized for both “move” operations as well as local content access such as playback and the like. In at least some embodiments, a third-party maintains a database that includes an association of clients, content, and move version numbers. A client—termed a “source client” maintains at least a move version number locally in a secure fashion. The version number is incremented each time the source client performs a move operation. Both the source client and the third-party increment the version number each time a piece of content is moved. When the client attempts to perform a move operation, it contacts the third-party to ascertain the third-party's move version number. If the move version numbers match and the source client owns the license/content, then, in at least some embodiments, a move operation is permitted.
US08245297B2
A computer security event monitoring system comprising a trigger for generating a security event alert when a security event occurs and an event manager responsive to the generation of a security event alert. The alert is converted to an incident record by the event manager. The incident record is stored in a storage means and forwarded to an event reaction means for investigation of a reaction to the security event.
US08245287B2
The present invention relates to systems, apparatus, and methods of securely transmitting data between a client and a server. The method includes receiving an initial security message from the client. The security message is to establish security between the server and the client. Further, the client's security parameters are set to enabled and not required. The method further includes forwarding the initial security message to the server and intercepting a security response from the server. The response includes security data and security parameters set to enabled and required. The method includes extracting the security data from the security response, and using the security data to establish a secure socket connection between the proxy server and the server. Furthermore, the method alters the request by changing the security parameters to not enabled and not required, and transmits the altered request and establishes a non-secure socket connection.
US08245281B2
A method and apparatus for integrating various network access control frameworks under the control of a single policy decision point (PDP). The apparatus supports pluggable protocol terminators to interface to any number of access protocols or backend support services. The apparatus contains Trust and Identity Mediators to mediate between the protocol terminators and a canonical policy subsystem, translating attributes between framework representations, and a canonical representation using extensible data-driven dictionaries.
US08245271B2
Apparatus, methods, and computer program products are disclosed that maintain an association graph made up of association tuples. Each of the association tuples belongs to an access-control-policy scope that imposes an access control policy. On receipt of a client reference and a supplier reference a scope-defining entity is identified from the client reference. The scope-defining entity has an explicit access control policy. An effective supplier reference is retrieved from a set of the association tuples matching the scope-defining entity and is presented.
US08245269B2
Embodiments of the present invention are systems and methods for delivering video programs to a video distribution center. An embodiment of the invention is a method for delivering video programming to a distribution center that provides broadcast programming and store-and-forward programming, such as video on demand based on video programming recorded at the distribution center. The method comprises sending a plurality of video programs to the distribution center. Wherein, the plurality of video programs is to be provided as broadcast programming by the distribution center. The method also comprises sending ancillary data to the distribution center. The ancillary data includes business rules that include permission for the distribution center to record one or more selected video programs of the plurality of video programs.
US08245247B2
A holding mechanism is operable to hold a top medium from a plurality of plate-shaped media accommodated in a stacker in a stacked manner. A transport arm supports the holding mechanism. When the lift mechanism lifts down the transport arm, one of a first elastic pressing force and a second elastic pressing force greater than the first elastic pressing force is selectively applied from the holding mechanism to an upper surface of the top medium.
US08245234B2
A method for scheduling the execution of tasks on a processor is disclosed. The purpose of the method is in part to serve the special needs of soft real-time tasks, which are time-sensitive. A parameter Δ is an estimate of the amount of time required to execute the task. Another parameter Γ is the maximum amount of time that the task is to spend in a queue before being executed. In the illustrative embodiment, the preferred wait time Γi for a newly-arrived task Ti is expected to be met though the insertion of the newly-arrived task Ti into a position k in a queue such that position k respects the task's preferred wait time Γi in light of the expected execution times of the other tasks already in the queue.
US08245222B2
A method, apparatus, and software are provided for deploying at least one virtual appliance to a deployment site of a multi-tier computer system. The method includes reading a deployment configuration file to identify at least one virtual appliance to deploy, transferring the identified at least one virtual appliance to the computer system, registering the at least one virtual appliance with a virtualization software of the computer system, changing the network settings of the virtualization software to match the deployment configuration file, placing a copy of the deployment configuration file on the virtualization software, and the virtualization software installing the identified at least one virtual appliance on the computer system.
US08245219B2
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates managing a device within a radio frequency identification (RFID) network. A radio frequency identification (RFID) network can include at least one device that receives data from a tag. An upgrade component can evaluate at least one device and identify an applicable portion of firmware for the device based on the evaluation, wherein the applicable portion of firmware can be independently deployed to the device.
US08245214B2
A system and incorporated method is provided for performing high reliability flash updates using firmware residing in a computing environment. The system comprises a nonvolatile memory having a boot sector and an application sector and a volatile memory in processing communication to update the nonvolatile memory. The volatile memory also includes an implemented algorithm that can temporarily store functions necessary to update the nonvolatile memory via a flash update.
US08245213B2
Changes in performance in a Java program are deduced from information related to garbage collection events of the program. Assumptions are made about the system, the application and garbage collection, and changes in performance that will result from modifying the program are deduced.
US08245211B2
The present invention provides a system and method for detecting problems caused by access to incompletely initialized data storage in assembler and high-level language programs. An internal representation of the control flow of the source code of the assembler program is generated and a data-flow analysis method is applied to the internal representation.
US08245196B2
A method for visualizing the execution of a software program especially in an embedded system. A plurality of interconnected program modules are displayed on a display device wherein at least one of the modules has at least two mutually exclusive different modes of functionality. A unique color is assigned to each mode of functionality. During the execution of the software program, the mode of functionality for each program module during execution of that module is selected as a function of software parameters of the software program. The color of the software module on the display device is then changed to correspond to the color assigned to the selected mode of functionality for the program modules during the execution of the program.
US08245194B2
A method and system for automatically generating unit test cases for a computer program that can reproduce runtime problems. The method comprises: modifying the computer program according to one or more interested target program units in the program and possibly occurring run time problems; test executing the modified program; and automatically generating unit test cases according to the interested runtime problems occurring during the execution of the interested target program units. Wherein the modifying step adds captor code and problem detective code into the program, the captor code being configured to record the execution paths and execution contexts of the interested target program units in the program; and the problem detective code being configured to detect the interested unexpected exceptions possibly raised and the interested violations of predefined behavior rules possibly produced by the execution of the program units. The present invention further provides methods and systems for debugging and for regression testing using the above method, and a computer program testing method and system.
US08245186B2
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for offering and applying source code modifications based upon a context of a user in a development environment. For example, code snippets can be offered to the user and customized programmatically. A code editor accepts user input comprising source code. Code snippets of sample source code are stored in a data store. A code completion tool monitors user actions and detects a triggering action in the monitored user actions. A code snippet associated with the triggering action is identified. An option is offered representing the code snippet. In response to user selection of the option, the associated code snippet is inserted into the code editor and is automatically customized based upon the user context. As another example, aspect-oriented source code transformations are offered based upon the user context. As yet another example, solutions to commonly problematic tasks are offered based upon the user context.
US08245185B2
A computer system and method for software delivery that include articles of manufacture having two or more installed, functional software applications organized in a protoset, the protoset configured to enable creation of one or more subsets (also called reduced metasets) from the two or more installed, functional software applications, each of the one or more subsets configured to be operable with a predefined computer system independent of the protoset; and a protoset module configured to operate on the protoset to enable creation of the one or more subsets of the two or more installed, functional software applications, the module responsive to one or more requests for the creation of the one or more reduced metasets.
US08245182B2
A computer implemented method for class selectable design sharing obtains a set of classes for a design model from a source system, and identifies desired classes from the set of classes to form an identified subset of classes. The computer implemented method further exports the identified subset of classes from the design model of the source system to a design model of a target system.
US08245175B2
Some embodiments provide a system that facilitates the creation of a schematic in an electronic design automation (EDA) application. During operation, the system obtains a source point and a destination point in the schematic from a user of the EDA application. Next, the system uses a line-probe-search technique to generate a set of route variants between the source point and the destination point. The system then provides the route variants to the user through a graphical user interface (GUI) in the EDA application and obtains, from the user, a selection of a route variant from the route variants through the GUI. Finally, the system uses the selected route variant as a route in the schematic.
US08245171B2
Disclosed are a method, a system, and a computer program product for implementing interactive cross-domain package driven I/O planning and placement optimization of an electronic circuit design. In some embodiments, the method identifies an object on a first EDA tool session, determines a drop location for the first object based on a tentative location in the first EDA tool session, places the first object at the drop location, and adjusts the drop location via a second EDA tool session, performs placement or routing of a portion of the design. The method or the system further comprises placing a corresponding first object in the second EDA tool session, initiating the second EDA tool session object move in the first EDA tool session, determining whether a constraint is satisfied.
US08245170B2
A timing library test apparatus includes a difference calculator looks into a look-up table in a timing library, the look-up table having timing constraint values registered in association with combinations between reference transient times of a signal at a reference terminal and constraint transient times of a signal at a constraint terminal, and groups neighboring two timing constraint values in the look-up table as one pair, respectively, to calculate differences between neighboring two timing constraint values of pairs, a determination part determines whether the differences calculated by the difference calculator has a characteristic feature of increase inclination or decrease inclination, and a decision part decides that the timing library has a singular point when the determination part determines that the differences doesn't have the characteristic feature, and to decide that the timing library doesn't have the singular point when the determination part determines that the differences has the characteristic feature.
US08245168B2
A method and apparatus are provided for creating and using a memory timing database. A plurality of characterization memories are defined, which can be mapped to a memory resource. Each characterization memory has different memory parameters. A plurality of variants of tiling each characterization memory to the memory resource are also defined. Timing characteristics of each tiling variant of each characterization memory are stored in the memory timing database for the memory resource based on sets of input ramptimes and output loads.
US08245167B1
In one embodiment of the invention, a method for electronic circuit design is disclosed. The method includes analyzing a hierarchy of a netlist of a circuit to determine primary inputs and primary outputs of the circuit at an upper level, and internal vertices of the circuit at lower levels between the primary inputs and the primary outputs; forming a timing graph of the circuit including a plurality of timing delay edges representing timing delay between the primary inputs, the internal vertices and the primary outputs to form a plurality of paths of a path space from the primary inputs to the primary outputs; and in response to the timing delay of the plurality of timing delay edges, dynamically pruning paths of the plurality of paths using branch and bound techniques on bounds of timing delay that are a function of one or more circuit parameters to reduce the path space down to one or more critical timing paths of the circuit with a worse case metric of timing delay between the primary inputs and the primary outputs. Additionally or alternatively, timing in the circuit may be analyzed to determine a bound of timing delay of the circuit for one or more parameter corners in a parameter space and if the bound of timing delay is worse than a threshold time delay then one or more parameter corners may be pruned from the parameter space using branch and bound techniques.
US08245165B1
A system and method are disclosed for waveform based variational static timing analysis. A circuit is divided into its linear circuit parts and non-linear circuit parts and modeled together, by a combination of linear modeling techniques, into linear equations that may be represented by matrices. The linear equations in matrix form may be readily solved by a computer such that an input waveform to an input pin of the circuit can be sequentially “pushed” through the various interconnects and logic networks of the circuit to an output pin. Output voltage waveforms are obtained at each stage of the waveform pushing and may be used to perform static timing analysis.
US08245161B1
A method for calibrating a computer program that simulates a physical process and a photomask are disclosed. A first physical artifact may be exposed to the physical process to produce a second physical artifact. The first physical artifact may include one or more features characterized by traceably measured known dimensions. One or more features of the second physical artifact may be measured to produce one or more measured dimensions. The physical process may be simulated with a computer simulation using the known dimensions of the first physical artifact as inputs to produce an output. The output may be compared to the measured dimensions of the second physical artifact to produce a result. A figure of merit may be assigned to the computer simulation based on the result. The photomask may have one or more features with one or more traceably measured dimensions.
US08245157B2
A decision-making and planning system and method, which may be implemented as a website, enables a decision maker to formulate strategies and tactics divides potential courses of action into discrete units called “plays” and “surrogates,” and presents the plays and surrogates as symbols or icons organized into a taxonomic table, with definitions and information useful in selecting the plays associated with and accessible through the symbols or icons. The decision-maker selects plays from the table and places symbols or icons representing the plays on a template or whiteboard. The result is an analysis or map of strategies, including a sequence of plays and/or surrogates and corresponding information, that can be saved, edited, or published.
US08245148B2
According to an operation of a frame on an arrangement of history information displayed in a sequence, shared history information including action information which relates to action information having a first identifier selected by the frame and has a second identifier is obtained from a server. Identifiers included in action information items included in the shared history information are displayed in the sequence, in parallel with the arrangement of the history information so that the second identifier is displayed adjacent to the first identifier. Via the first and the second identifiers, the frame is moved between the arrangements of the history information and the shared history information, and according to an operation of the frame in the before-after direction of the sequence on the arrangement to which the frame is moved, an identifier included in an action information item in the before-after direction of the sequence is displayed.
US08245147B2
Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable storage media for customizing a user interface. The method displays an interface to a user. In the interface, a slice has interface elements, a stack has a group of slices, a window has a group of stacks, and each interface element is associated with a segment of a highly structured document. The interface includes a panel having one or more containers, each container representing one stack, and one or more tokens, each token representing one slice. The method relocates at least one token to a different location in the container based on user input, displays in the panel a preview based on the relocated token, generates a user interface workflow based on the one or more containers and the relocated token, and displays the generated user interface workflow.
US08245144B2
Various embodiments provide techniques and processes for defining elements of a user interface (UI) using a tree of objects created based on a markup language. In some embodiments, a client application provides markup that defines one or more aspects of a UI to an application programming interface (API). The API parses the markup to determine a namespace and one or more UI elements defined by the namespace. Instances of the UI elements are created, and properties of the UI elements are set on the instances. A user interface may then be displayed that includes the instances of the UI elements.
US08245140B2
A method for visualizing and simulating server consolidation of different virtual machines in a virtualized data center can include identifying different server computers in a virtualized data center, computing load metrics for each of the server computers, and rendering a graph of the computed load metrics for the server computers in a graphical user interface (GUI) in a host computer. The method further can include selecting a source one of the server computers and also a target one of the server computers and further selecting a virtual machine for prospective migration from the source one of the server computers to the target one of the server computers. Yet further, the method can include further computing prospective load metrics for the source and the target resulting from the prospective migration of the virtual machine to the target. Finally, the method can include displaying in the GUI respective graphs of the prospective load metrics for each of the source and the target.
US08245127B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide method, system and computer program product for annotating a document being divided by intervals. The method includes identifying, at each interval in the document, one or more keywords in the text of the document; determining, at each interval, the number of context classes associated with each keyword; identifying at least one annotation word and at an interval in the text of the document, the annotation word having two or more annotations associated with two or more context classes; determining the annotation based on the context class with highest count at the annotation word interval; and annotating the document with the determined annotation.
US08245126B2
A method and apparatus create a way of controlling alternative values of cell contents of a data flow network. Alternative values are computed from alternative formulas, which may be turned on and off in separate layers. Typically, one formula is provided for each layer for each cell of the data flow network. Layers can be grouped together to model different scenarios and can be added or removed.
US08245105B2
A hub device, memory system, and method for providing a cascade interconnect memory system with enhanced reliability. The hub device includes an interface to a high-speed bus for communicating with a memory controller. The memory controller and the hub device are included in a cascade interconnect memory system and the high-speed bus includes bit lanes and one or more clock lanes. The hub device also includes a bi-directional fault signal line in communication with the memory controller and readable by a service interface. The hub device also includes a fault isolation register (FIR) for storing information about failures detected at the hub device, the information including severity levels of the detected failures. In addition, the hub device includes error recovery logic for responding to a failure detected at the hub device.
US08245087B2
Various embodiments include fault tolerant memory apparatus, methods, and systems, including an apparatus comprising a memory device including a plurality of addressable memory locations, and a memory manager coupled to the memory device, the memory manager including a scheduling unit operable to detect a multi-bit error in data read from the memory device, and to retry the read operation in order to distinguish between an intermittent error and a persistent error.
US08245086B2
Techniques are disclosed for conveying which hardware components of a logically partitioned computer system are assigned to a selected logical partition of the computer system. Partition information for the computer system is received. Further, a request is received from a user to view which hardware components of the computer system are assigned to a selected logical partition of the computer system. Based on the received partition information, one or more hardware components are determined that are assigned to the selected logical partition. Based on the determined hardware components, a virtual model of the computer system is generated that visually distinguishes hardware components assigned to the selected logical partition from hardware components not assigned to the selected logical partition. The virtual model is output responsive to the request.
US08245082B2
An apparatus and a method for detecting and reporting malfunctions in computer programs is described. A reporting library of an Application Programming Interface (API) is configured to direct a report of software malfunction to a specified server. The API is implemented in an application to be executed on a computer system. The application implementing the API is to report software malfunction of the application to the specified server.
US08245076B2
A method and device are provided for initiating corrective actions for a terminal, such as an ATM. A method of initiating corrective actions for a terminal comprises, monitoring a fault status of a first component, detecting a fault status of the first component with a first trigger plug-in, activating a first action plug-in based upon the detected fault status of the first component, and recycling the first component.
US08245074B2
The clock circuit of an integrated circuit operates with variations such as temperature, ground noise, and power noise. Various aspects of an improved clock integrated circuit address one or more of the variations in temperature, ground noise, and power noise.
US08245070B2
A method for dynamically operating a multi-core processor system is provided. The method involves ascertaining currently active processor cores, identifying a currently active processor core having a lowest operating frequency, and adjusting at least one operational parameter according to voltage-frequency characteristics corresponding to the identified processor core to fulfill a predefined functional mode, e.g. power optimization mode, performance optimization mode and mixed mode.
US08245066B1
In general, a method includes receiving, at a portable electronic device, a first signal that instructs the portable electronic device to enter a limited functionality mode, wherein, in the limited functionality mode, one or more transmission functionalities associated with the portable electronic device are disabled, determining whether the portable electronic device has received a second signal that instructs the portable electronic device to immediately enter the limited functionality mode, in response to receiving the first signal, waiting until one or more tasks that use the one or more transmission functionalities are completed or until the second signal is determined to have been received, and entering the limited functionality mode after waiting until the one or more tasks that user the one or more transmission functionalities are completed or until the second signal is determined to have been received.
US08245064B2
An apparatus and associated method to begin performing a power reduction enablement sequence based on a first predetermined value of elapsed time after an execution of a data access command is completed. The power reduction enablement sequence is performed at an adaptively selected rate that is related to a second predetermined value of elapsed time after the execution that calls for a switch to a reduced power mode for the apparatus.
US08245046B2
To help ensure that only authorized media content that is associated with rights management (RM) restrictions is delivered from a compliant RM interface of a source device to a non-compliant RM interface of a destination device, an interconnect device provides a compliant RM interface to connect to the source device and monitors media content received from the source device to detect an embedded digital watermark. The interconnect device takes the necessary steps to determine if the watermark is authentic and control delivery of the media content to the destination device accordingly. The interconnect device may go back to the source device or to a remote service to authenticate the watermark. If the watermark is authentic, the media content is passed by the interconnect device to the non-compliant interface of the destination device outside of normal RM restrictions. Otherwise, the delivery of the media content is restricted by the interconnect device.
US08245045B2
The present description refers in particular to example computer-implemented methods, example computer program products, and example computer systems for automatically generating or verifying a digital signature for a message. The message may be representable in a hierarchical tree structure. An example computer-implemented method may comprise: selecting, from a message MT, a sub-message M to be signed, the sub-message M comprising at least one element; generating a well-formed context CMt for the sub-message M, wherein the well-formed context CMt defines a derivation path to the element in the message MT at a time t, the element being marked [M] in the well-formed context CMt; generating a message digest δM from the sub-message M and a context digest δC from the well-formed context CMt; and generating a signature S by applying a secret key SA of a user A to the message digest δM and to the context digest δC.
US08245042B2
Embodiments of the invention provide for shielding a sensitive file on a computer that can connect to a server computer via a network. The computer may determine whether it complies with security compliance requirements sent from another computer or not in response to a read instruction or a write instruction of the sensitive file by application software, and encrypt the sensitive file with an encryption key.
US08245041B2
Systems and methods for providing a battery module 110 with secure identity information and authentication of the identity of the battery 110 by a host 120. In one embodiment, the system for providing a battery module with secure identity information includes: (1) a tamper resistant processing environment 200 located within the battery module 110 and (2) a key generator configured to generate a key based on an identity of the battery module 110 and cause the key to be stored within the tamper resistant processing environment 200.
US08245035B2
Two or more separate physical Registry directories are presented as a single (virtual) Registry directory to an application running in a controlled execution environment called a silo. All of the operations normally available to be performed on the Registry directory can be performed on the merge directory, however, the operating system controls the level of access to the keys in the merge directory. The operating system provides the merged view of the Registry directories by a Registry filter driver. The Registry filter model provides a single callback with a notification code indicating the reason the callback was called. The types of notifications which trigger the special processing include: enumeration of a key, enumeration of the value of a key, query a key, close a key, delete a key, create or open a key or rename a key.
US08245027B2
A system and method for improved audio controls on a personal computer is provided. The system and method provide a unified architecture for audio controls across hardware and software interfaces of the personal computer. An intelligent facility may automatically change audio controls for users to simply interact with various communications and media applications. To this end, a configurable audio controller intelligently handles various aspects of the system's audio devices by following various rules that may be based at least in part on user-configurable settings and a current operating state. The present invention also provides audio controls so that a user may easily change audio settings such as the volume of an audio output device. There are many applications that may use the present invention for automatic control of audio devices based upon the user's context.
US08245013B2
Disclosed is a computer implemented method and computer program product to prioritize paging-in pages in a remote paging device. An arrival machine receives checkpoint data from a departure machine. The arrival machine restarts at least one process corresponding to the checkpoint data. The arrival machine determines whether a page associated with the process is pinned. The arrival machine associates the page to the remote paging device, responsive to a determination that the page is pinned. The arrival machine touches the page.
US08245003B2
A composite memory device, a data processing method and a data processing program can efficiently and selectively use a nonvolatile solid-state memory and a recording medium. The composite medium device includes a nonvolatile solid-state memory and a recording medium and is adapted to combine the data area of the recording medium and the data area of the nonvolatile solid-state memory and manage them as totally or partly integrated data area by means of a predetermined file system. The composite memory device is connected to a host appliance by way of an interface section.
US08244995B2
Systems and methods for reducing problems and disadvantages associated with wear leveling in storage devices are disclosed. A method may include maintaining module usage data associated with each of a plurality of storage device modules communicatively coupled to a channel. The method may also include maintaining device usage data associated with each of the plurality of storage devices associated with the storage device module for each of the plurality of storage device modules. The method may additionally include determining a particular storage device module of the plurality of storage device modules to which to store data associated with a write request based at least on the module usage data. The method may further include determining a particular storage device of the particular storage device module to which to store data associated with a write request based at least on the device usage data associated with the particular storage device module.
US08244994B1
A memory controller mechanism is operable in a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, a first memory controller portion of the mechanism can use a first set of data terminals to perform a first external bus access operation (EBAO) and a second memory controller portion of the mechanism can use a second set of data terminals to perform a second EBAO. The first and second EBAO operations may be narrow accesses that occur simultaneously. In the second mode, one of the controllers can use both the first and second sets of data terminals to perform a wider third EBAO. The memory controller mechanism can dynamically switch between first mode and second mode operations. In situations in which one of the sets of data terminals would not otherwise be used, performing wide accesses in the second mode using the one set of data terminals improves bus utilization.
US08244991B2
An efficient method for breaking source data into smaller data subsets and storing those subsets along with coded information about some of the other data subsets on different storage nodes such that the original data can be recreated from a portion of those data subsets in an efficient manner.
US08244983B2
A memory control system is provided with a directory cache and a memory controller. The directory cache has a plurality of directory cache entries configured to store information regarding copies of memory lines stored in a plurality of memory caches, wherein each directory cache entry has one or more bits configured to store an ownership state that indicates whether a corresponding master directory entry lacks a memory cache owner. The memory controller is configured to free for re-use ones of the directory cache entries by 1) accessing a particular directory entry, and 2) determining whether the ownership state of the particular directory cache entry indicates that a corresponding master directory entry lacks a memory cache owner. If so, the memory controller A) skips a master directory update process, and B) claims for re-use the particular directory cache entry.
US08244982B2
Techniques are generally described related to a multi-core processor with a plurality of processor cores and a cache memory shared by at least some of the processor cores. The multi-core processor can be configured for separately allocating a respective level of cache memory associativity to each of the processing cores.
US08244980B2
A method and apparatus for improving shared cache performance. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a cache having multiple ways. A locality tester measures a first locality of a first process and second locality of a second process. A first set of multiple ways stores the data used by the first process and a second set of multiple ways stores the data used by the second process, where the second set is a superset of the first set.
US08244974B2
A method is presented for using a hard disk drive which contains a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) and a computer-usable disk medium. A usage value is maintained for the number of accesses to the computer-usable disk medium, and the usage value is stored within the NVRAM. In a system that is connected to multiple hard disk drives, the usage values for the hard disk drives can be compared to determine a youngest disk drive or a lowest amount of usage amongst the multiple hard disk drives. When data needs to be mirrored or backed-up to one of the hard disk drives, it can be copied to the youngest or least-used hard disk drive. If an operating system installation needs to be performed, the operating system files can be stored on the youngest or least-used hard disk drive.
US08244969B2
A data processing system includes one or more nodes, each node including a memory sub-system. The sub-system includes a fine-grained, memory, and a less-fine-grained (e.g., page-based) memory. The fine-grained memory optionally serves as a cache and/or as a write buffer for the page-based memory. Software executing on the system uses a node address space which enables access to the page-based memories of all nodes. Each node optionally provides ACID memory properties for at least a portion of the space. In at least a portion of the space, memory elements are mapped to locations in the page-based memory. In various embodiments, some of the elements are compressed, the compressed elements are packed into pages, the pages are written into available locations in the page-based memory, and a map maintains an association between the some of the elements and the locations.
US08244967B2
An effective algorithm for the CPU with a flash memory is disclosed to shorten a dead time to erase the flash memory and to write new data therein. The flash memory of the invention provides front and back blocks for the user data area. When the front block is filled, the back block is erased just after the front block is fully filled in advance to receive a new data next to be written.
US08244954B2
Disclosed is a computer implemented method and computer program product to resume a process at an arrival machine that is in an identical state to a frozen process on a departure machine. The arrival machine receives checkpoint data for the process from the departure machine. The arrival machine creates the process. The arrival machine updates a page table, wherein the page table comprises a segment, page number, and offset corresponding to a page of the process available from a remote paging device, wherein the remote paging device is remote from the arrival machine. The arrival machine resumes the process. The arrival machine generates a page fault for the page, responsive to resuming the process. The arrival machine looks up the page in the page table, responsive to the page fault. The arrival machine determines whether the page is absent in the arrival machine. The arrival machine transmits a page-in request to the departure machine, responsive to a determination that the page is absent. The arrival machine receives the page from the departure machine.
US08244942B2
An adapter for mounting a device in a computer enclosure is disclosed herein. A computer storage device adapter includes an adapter chassis configured to be installed in at least one drive bay of a computer, and to house a storage device. The adapter further includes a bezel attached to the chassis. The bezel has a color, texture, and relief pattern matching a color, texture, and relief pattern of a portion of a front panel of the computer directly adjacent to the at least one drive bay in which the adapter is to be installed.
US08244930B1
A first node includes a DMA engine for transferring data specified by a sequence of control blocks to a second node. When a control block does not require synchronization between memories, the DMA engine sends an end of transfer (EOT) message after the last datum, increments an EOT counter, and processes the next control block. When a control block requires synchronization and the EOT counter is at zero, the DMA engine sends an EOT with a flag after the last datum, increments the EOT counter, and waits for the EOT counter to return to zero before processing the next control block. A memory controller at the second node detects the EOT with or without a flag and generates an EOT acknowledgement with or without a flag. When a link interface at the second node detects the EOT acknowledgement with a flag, it sends an interrupt to a local processor complex.
US08244929B2
A data processing apparatus reduces the number of the buffer SRAMs to decrease chip area. The data processing apparatus includes an SDRAM address allocation register that holds information indicating which region of the SDRAM will be allocated to each of the IPs, and a buffer SRAM address allocation register that holds information indicating which region of the first and second buffer SRAMs will be allocated to each of the IPs. The bus I/F stores the data read from the SDRAM into the second buffer SRAM with reference to the SDRAM address allocation register and the buffer SRAM address allocation register. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide each of the IPs with a buffer SRAM, which allows integration into a small number of buffer SRAMs.
US08244918B2
An expansion card is provided that allows resources allocated to the expansion card to be shared with a different card. The expansion card comprises a coupling device that couples the expansion card to a data processing system. The expansion card also includes an identifier data structure that when queried by the data processing system, identifies the expansion card as a resource sharing expansion card. The data processing system reallocates one or more resources allocated to the expansion card to a different card coupled to the data processing system.
US08244912B2
A computer-based method and apparatus to facilitate the exchange of pathology studies for the purpose of providing a primary or secondary pathological diagnosis. A study consists of one or more lower-resolution images, the references to the corresponding higher-resolution images, associated image metadata, study metadata and patient metadata. The studies are exchanged from one organization (hospital, practice, or individual physician) to another organization through a set of interconnected dispatcher services. In a cloud model, a plurality of dispatchers may be connected through a Global Dispatcher, both facilitating the addition of new organizations to the cloud and allowing for the addressing of studies from any organization in the cloud to any organization, group or individual in the cloud. By this means, the originating organization may obtain the desired level of care through the selection of recipient organizations, groups and individuals according to the organization's existing criteria. Efficiency in diagnosis is improved through the addressing of a study to a plurality of qualified recipients, as the first recipient with an appropriate, available resource may review and provide a diagnosis for the study.
US08244904B2
An electronic device and wireless base station for maintaining a persistent connection are provided. In an embodiment, a system includes an electronic device that connects to a web-server via a physical link that is bandwidth-constrained. The physical link also includes a wireless base station and at least one network address translation (“NAT”) router that is configured to terminate idle connections between the client and the web-server. One of the electronic device and the wireless base station is configured to send keep-alive packets to the web-server in order to reduce the likelihood of the NAT router terminating the connection. The keep-alive packets are sent on a variable basis that is intended to reduce bandwidth consumption while ensuring that the NAT router does not deem the connection idle and terminate the connection.
US08244897B2
A content reproduction apparatus is provided for reproducing variable-speed content. The content reproduction apparatus includes a data acquisition section for obtaining first streaming data and second streaming data, wherein the first streaming data includes first reproduction time data indicating a time to reproduce the first streaming data at a first streaming speed, and wherein the second streaming data includes second reproduction time data indicating a time to reproduce the second streaming data at a second streaming speed. The content reproduction apparatus also includes a reproduction time acquisition section for calculating a third reproduction time according to the first reproduction time data, the second reproduction time data, and a relationship between the first streaming speed and the second streaming speed, the third reproduction time being a time to reproduce the first streaming data at the first streaming speed followed by the second streaming data at the first streaming speed.
US08244896B2
Collecting user preference information related to a playing media recording is accomplished by gathering descriptive information related to the playing media recording from a media player program presenting the playing media recording and determining if tags are embedded in the media recording and gathering descriptive information related to the playing media recording from the tags embedded in the playing media recording, if the tags exist. Further, determining if a table of contents exists on the media recording and gathering a table of contents for a collection containing the playing media recording by identifying the collection using a concatenation of track lengths identifier generation technique, the table of contents exists. Then assembling the descriptive information into a media recording information packet and sending the media recording information packet to a server computer, resulting in a collection of user preference information related to the playing media recording.
US08244894B1
A method and apparatus for performing a detach procedure between a first device and a second device. The method includes receiving, at a first device, an informational exchange message to delete an IP security association between the first device and a second device. The informational exchange message further includes a notify message indicating that the deletion of the IP security association is due to a detach request. In response to the notify message indicating that the deletion of the IP security association is due to the detach request, the method further includes automatically deleting, at the first device, a mobility related state associated with the host-based mobility protocol.
US08244891B2
Simulating a large number of users is described. A method may include receiving a test script including a plurality of commands and invoking a script interpreter. An application thread may be launched to execute the test script. A protocol engine may be invoked for each of the commands in the test script such that each protocol engine has an associated command. Each protocol engine may execute its associated command. A system on which the method may be executed may include one or more chassis or computing devices having one or more network cards. The chassis and/or computing devices may be connected to one or more networks.
US08244884B2
A communication system 100 includes a group of user devices 110, a satellite 106 and a content delivery network 120 in communication with the group of user devices 110. The content delivery network 120 selects a plurality of user devices 110 from the group of user devices 110, divides content into a crucial portion and non-crucial portions, communicates the non-crucial portions to the plurality of user devices using a peer-to-peer network until all non-critical portions are received. After communicating the non-crucial portions, the content delivery network 120 communicates the crucial portion to the plurality of user devices 110 through the satellite. The plurality of user devices assembles the crucial portion and the non-crucial portions to form the content. In addition, security information may be first transmitted through the satellite to the user devices so that a peer-to-peer network may be established. Thereafter, the non-crucial portion are exchanged through the peer-to-peer network.
US08244879B2
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to processing requests from a client to a server and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for transmitting data in a surreptitious pattern. In this regard, in one embodiment of the invention, a method for processing requests from a client system to a server system through a communications network can be provided. The method can include establishing a covert packetization pattern for fragmenting data into packets before transmission, splitting a request into one or more packets according to the covert packetization pattern, transmitting each packet to a server system, responsive to reconstructing fragmented packets, recognizing the covert packetization pattern, and responsive to recognizing the covert packetization pattern, giving priority to a client system.
US08244878B2
Methods, computer-readable storage media, and systems for establishing multiple simultaneous connections on an instant messaging program to enhance the user experience. The user receives notifications of request to communicate, an email, or an alert on communication devices. By choosing which communication device to respond on, that particular communication device becomes active, continuing the communication to transmit to and receive from on that communication device. The process also includes mirroring the communication on the other communication devices that are alive (connected) and non-mobile. Furthermore, the other communication devices are kept alive to allow the user to switch from one communication device to another during communication.
US08244875B2
In one embodiment, a network element comprises one or more input/output ports, one or more processors, and a memory module communicatively coupled to the processor. The memory module comprises logic instructions which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to receive a service request from a client computing device, wherein the service request identifies one or more resources available via a computing network, establish a first communication link between the network element and the one or more resources available via a computing network identified in the service request, establish a first, secure communication link between the network element and the client computing device, connect a network interface module on the client computing device to the secure communication link, and manage communication activity between the client computing device and the one or more resources available via a computing network at the network element.
US08244872B2
The educational adaptive provider architecture described herein provides a way for an educational services framework to be built on varying underlying existing technologies without any changes in the object model and services. The provider framework supports the ability to have multiple types of providers for various services, such as, for example, for authorization, authentication, communication, grouping, scoring, social-networking, storage and user functions. The educational adaptive provider architecture provides easy integration of existing institutional and educational service deployments.
US08244865B2
A method and apparatus for autonomic management of a connection pool. One embodiment comprises initializing a connection pool with a set of initial settings, wherein the set of initial settings include a collection interval and a collection duration; collecting autonomic configuration data for the collection duration, the autonomic configuration data including a maximum number of connections observed during the collection interval; determining an set of optimal settings using the autonomic configuration data; and modifying the connection pool according to the set of optimal settings.
US08244858B2
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: presenting to a user a hypothesis identifying at least a relationship between a first event type and a second event type; receiving from the user one or more modifications to modify the hypothesis; and executing one or more actions based, at least in part, on a modified hypothesis resulting, at least in part, from the reception of the one or more modifications. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US08244853B1
The present invention facilitates mapping dependencies between software applications, components, and business processes on a computer network. Packets communicated between software applications are sampled to identify characteristics of the packet. The characteristics are used to identify communicating applications and to generate dependency maps of software applications on a computer network.
US08244846B2
A method, system, computer-readable storage medium and apparatus for balanced and consistent placement of resource management responsibilities within a multi-computer environment, such as a cluster, that are both scalable and make efficient use of cluster resources are provided. Embodiments reduce the time that a cluster is unavailable due to redistribution of resource management responsibilities by reducing the amount of redistribution of those responsibilities among the surviving cluster members. Embodiments further provide redistribution of resource management responsibilities based upon relative capabilities of the remaining cluster nodes.
US08244845B2
A method and system for interfacing to an electronic device is disclosed. The interfacing may comprise one or more servers in a wireless network communicating internet protocol (IP) based messages to one or more electronic devices, where the wireless network may also communicate with the electronic devices using a network protocol that is not internet protocol. The IP based messages may be used to conduct device management of the electronic devices. The IP based messages may be digitally signed for security purposes. For mobile devices that do not have an IP address, a server may assign and IP address when the electronic device first enters the wireless network. Accordingly, the assigning of the IP address may be via a non-IP network protocol.
US08244843B1
A generic mechanism enabling the programmatic identification of MIBs needed for control of an SNMP agent for a network device is disclosed. The present invention provides for the automatic retrieval of the identified MIBs and their loading onto a network management station (NMS) without user intervention. Additionally, previously known MIBs are programmatically examined to determine whether they require updating. Any required updates may be performed automatically with the updated MIBs being loaded onto the NMS.
US08244839B2
Techniques for problem determination are provided. The techniques include identifying one or more configuration items in two or more systems connected to one or more networks, performing a comparison of one or more common configuration items from the one or more configuration items in the two or more systems connected to one or more networks, and using the comparison to detect deviation between one or more configuration items of one of the two or more systems and one or more respective configuration items in the other one or more systems.
US08244838B2
A network for an industrial control system employs a ring topology that is normally opened by a ring supervisor at the ring supervisor. Upon failure of the network, the ring supervisor reconnects the ring to provide an alternative transmission path around the failure point. High speed operation is reconciled with the ability to use commercial switching integrated circuits through a dual communication channel of communicating a network state as either closed or open using both high-speed hardware handled beacon frames and low-speed software processed announce frames.
US08244837B2
A central administration tool or manager supports entry or selection of attribute data or datum (e.g., an attribute value) associated with at least one of a resource and a user. The entered or selected attribute data is arranged into a data structure (e.g., a file) for transmission over a communications network. The data structure is transmitted over the communications network to a directory interface. The transmitted data structure is processed to be compatible with interpretation by a directory services system. The directory services system is invoked consistent with the contents of the data structure (e.g., the file) and the previous processing of the data structure. Resources (e.g., applications) that are under the control of the directory services are managed consistent with the contents of the data structure.
US08244832B1
A system, a method and computer-readable for providing the location of client devices to website providers. An application residing on a client device is provided. The application may present content, such as a web page, received over a communications network. The application is configured to generate a request for information describing the location of the client device. In response to this request, a location service may obtain the location of the client device and may communicate this location to a website provider. The website provider may generate a web page for display by the application. This web page may contain content selected based on the location of the client device.
US08244831B1
Data can be transferred between computers at remote sites by transferring the data itself, or by transferring files showing how data at an originating site can be recreated from data already present at a receiving site. As part of the data transfer, a determination can be made as to what is the most appropriate way for the transfer to take place. Further, in cases where data is not transferred directly between originating and receiving sites, it is possible that some preparatory steps might be performed to improve the efficiency of the transfers to the receiving sites when they do take place. Additional efficiencies can be obtained in some cases by using the parallel processing capabilities provided by a cloud based architecture.
US08244825B2
An apparatus in an example comprises an RDMA (Remote Direct Memory Access) network adapter located at an interface of a requester node coherency domain that sends an RDMA read request to a responder node coherency domain to flush into the responder node coherency domain data previously sent by the RDMA network adapter.
US08244824B2
A method of operating a plurality of computer systems includes translating inputs generated by the operation of an input device associated with a first computer into control signals for operating at least one other computer system to operate the at least one other computer system in a corresponding manner.
US08244822B1
An example method for delivery of push notifications includes receiving a push notification including a message and a destination, creating a send token, sending a push notification derived from the received push notification and the send token, and receiving push information concerning a processing of the sent push notification which is identified by the send token. An example system for delivering push notifications includes a server system having a processor, memory, and a network interface, where the memory stores program instructions including code segments for receiving a received push notification via the network interface. In this example, the program instructions further includes code segments for creating a send token, code segments for sending a sent push notification derived from the received push notification and the send token via the network interface, and code segments for receiving received push information concerning a processing of the sent push notification are provided.
US08244809B2
An electronic message identification method and system is provided for identifying and managing electronic messages. The electronic message identification method and system may be used for sending an electronic file to a customer by receiving an approval from the customer indicating acceptable content for electronic files that are sent to the customer; receiving the electronic file from a sender, the electronic file including file content and a message content identifier corresponding to the file content; comparing the message content identifier to the approval from the customer; and delivering the file content to an electronic mailbox of the customer, if the message content identifier is consistent with the approval from the customer indicating acceptable content.
US08244805B2
An approach that provides real-time communication integration between a virtual universe and an external source is described. In one embodiment, there is a real-time communication integration interface tool that provides real-time communication integration between a virtual universe and a communication device external to the virtual universe. In this embodiment, there is a communication request component configured to receive a request to initiate a communication between a first resident that is on-line in the virtual universe and a second resident that is logged out of the virtual universe via the communication device. A communication link component is configured to establish a communication link between the virtual universe and the communication device in response to receiving the request.
US08244803B2
Striped Multiplexing Download Queue software facilitates and increases throughput for client-server downloads through a limited communication device. In the “DS Download Station” application, this is used to queue many requests and to broadcast download segments to requesters seeking the same data. This works by employing a “download stripe” on both the server and client. The download stripe on the server side tracks acknowledgements from clients per download segment. On the client side, the stripe tracks received segments to account for duplicate data. Requesters are queued on a first-come first-serve basis. Requesters in the queue may receive segments of downloads while waiting in queue, if the client at the front of the queue is downloading the same file. This recursively saves waiting time for clients in the queue.
US08244791B1
A fast lookahead carry adder includes adder logic and lookahead carry-path logic coupled to the adder logic. The carry path logic has a main carry path, a carry entrance path and a carry exit path, the carry entrance path separate from the carry exit path.
US08244775B1
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that uses map objects to access object properties for a program written in a dynamic object-oriented programming language, thereby facilitating property access for languages that allow additional properties to be defined for objects at runtime. During operation, the system receives an object of an object type. This object is associated with a memory region and a given map object (from a set of map objects associated with the given object type) that describes how properties of the object are mapped to fields in the memory region. When receiving a request to access a property of the object, the system determines whether the given map object includes a field mapping for the property. If so, the system accesses a field in the memory region associated with the property using the field mapping.
US08244772B2
Embodiments of a method for creating a graph database which is arranged to store data in the form of graph tuples comprising n-parts, are described. In an embodiment, each tuple-part is encoded into a unique part identifier (UPI). A geospatial UPI is defined for two-dimensional data elements that include a plurality of data points defined by respective pairs of an X-ordinate and a Y-ordinate. A two-dimensional data space is divided into a plurality of uniform Y strips of defined widths. The Y-strip width is selected to correspond approximately to an anticipated Y dimension of a typical search region of interest. The geospatial UPI encodes a plurality of coordinate points in a two -dimensional data space into a single datum that includes respective pairs of an X-ordinate and a Y-ordinate. The geospatial UPI comprises a data structure arranged in order of sort priority by the geospatial UPI type code, geospatial subtype, and Y-strip identifier followed by the X-ordinate data and Y-ordinate data. The component fields of the data structure are arranged so that the datum can be sorted linearly as a single unsigned integer, thus facilitating a search over a two dimensional region of the data by allowing a search process to linearly scan a limited identifiable region of each of the several strips overlapping the search region of interest.
US08244768B2
Implementing service oriented architecture industry model repository using semantic web technologies
A method for implementing topic map meta models of a service oriented architecture (SOA) industry model repository (IMR) comprising a meta model service associated with a physical asset repository. The meta model service includes at least one topic map meta model with data specific to a particular topic or industry vertical included within an information model repository common meta-meta model, and the information model repository common meta-meta model included within a meta-meta-meta model with a topic map based index. The method comprises assigning topics, occurrences and attributes to the at least one topic map meta model with data specific to a particular topic or industry vertical; converting topics of the at least one topic map meta model with data specific to a particular topic or industry vertical into resource description framework triples; and persisting the resource description framework triples into a resource description framework repository.
US08244765B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for dictionary encoding data without using three-valued logic is provided. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method includes encoding data in a database table using a dictionary, wherein the data includes values representing NULLs. A query having a predicate is received and the predicate is evaluated on the encoded data, whereby the predicate is evaluated on both the encoded data and on the encoded NULLs.
US08244764B2
Techniques are disclosed for identifying and stashing all or portions of application data to a network accessible storage device or location. Identifying and stashing are accomplished in a fashion that is transparent to a user such that a user is not burdened by the process of managing and stashing a full or partial set of application data. The system, the application, or a combination of system components and the application persist and manage data locally and stash portions of the local data to one or more network accessible storage devices or locations. One or more links are provided in place of the stashed portions of data. The application uses the links in a same or similar fashion as handling local data while providing little to no loss of functionality due to all or portions of the local data being stashed.
US08244762B2
An IC card is configured to receive personalization commands which are used to transmit data to the IC card. An access control list is associated with the data. The data is stored in the IC card in a record structure that includes a plurality of entries. The access control list is stored in the IC card in the record structure. The personalization commands include a card personalization specification (CPS).
US08244760B2
The formulation of a profile group of users by defining segments using a function as applied to a single attribute, and combining them with set operations. The segments may be populated by applying the selected function against the selected attribute against multiple users. Then, the profile groups build upon the segments and are populated by applying the selected operations against the selected combination of segments. This represents an efficient mechanism for formulating profile groups based on user attributes.
US08244759B2
A computer implemented method of developing computer applications, the method comprising providing to multiple users access, over a network, to information on a data center, with a subgroup of the users having access to a sub-portion of the information that is different from the sub-portion accessible by the remaining tenants of the subgroup; and communicating with the data center over the network employing a computer system associated with a user of the sub-group to establish application functionality with the sub-portion that may be accessed, over the network, by additional parties authorized by the user. Also disclosed is a machine-readable medium and a data center, both of which facilitate carrying-out the steps of the method.
US08244746B2
A method for use in a computer including a storage to store a trace record including a pair of a key character string and a value in a message and a message that has not yet been subjected to linking. The method includes identifying, from a received message or trace information received from a different linking apparatus, pairs of a key character string and the value thereof, pairs of a key character string and a value included in messages that have not yet been subjected to linking and that are to be subjected to linking and registering the identified pairs in the storage.
US08244734B2
Apparatus and method for transmitting file and apparatus and method for receiving file. The apparatus for receiving a file includes: a receiving device configured for receiving a file and at least one tag path associated with the file; a path selection device configured for selecting from candidate paths at least one path where a similarity between the tag vector of the lowest node and the tag vector of the highest node in each of the tag path exceeds a predetermined threshold, as a storage path; and a storage device configured for storing the file under the storage path.
US08244726B1
Computer-aided extraction of semantics from keywords to confirm match of buyer offers to seller bids
One embodiment involves a method and apparatus for mapping lexical keywords into entity description semantics in order to create unambiguous buyer-confirmed descriptions of entities. The method described herein relies on a computer program and some mechanism for computer data storage.
US08244722B1
A system determines a first rank associated with a document and determines a second rank associated with the document, where the second rank is different from the first rank. The system also changes, during a transition period that occurs during a transition from the first rank to the second rank, a transition rank associated with the document based on a rank transition function that varies the transition rank over time without any change in ranking factors associated with the document.
US08244721B2
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates generating a personalized query result for a specific user. An interface can receive at least one of a portion of a text query to be searched or a portion of personalized content related to a user that submits the portion of the text query. A personalization component can combine the portion of personalized content related to the user with a portion of personalized content related to one or more disparate users to create group personalized content, wherein the group personalized content is compared with the portion of the text query to identify a relationship there between to generate a personalized query result in accordance with the relationship.
US08244718B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a database system that is optimized by using hardware acceleration. The system may be implemented in several variations to accommodate a wide range of queries and database sizes. In some embodiments, the system may comprise a host system that is coupled to one or more hardware accelerator components. The host system may execute software or provide an interface for receiving queries. The host system analyzes and parses these queries into tasks. The host system may then select some of the tasks and translate them into machine code instructions, which are executed by one or more hardware accelerator components. The tasks executed by hardware accelerators are generally those tasks that may be repetitive or processing intensive. Such tasks may include, for example, indexing, searching, sorting, table scanning, record filtering, and the like.
US08244713B2
A content management system (CMS) provides a way to include data from an external source as an object in the repository managed by the CMS. The CMS includes an external data mechanism that processes a document with a query to a data source external to the repository. The external data mechanism executes the query, and creates one or more objects in the repository according to the type of data returned as defined by classification rules. Each object containing data returned from the query is linked to that query via a formal relationship in the CMS. When an object that has a formal relationship with a query is checked out of the repository, the query corresponding to the object may be executed, and the data returned from the query may be stored in the object. In the alternative, the data may be used directly if a corresponding lifecycle policy indicates the corresponding query should not be executed.
US08244708B2
A system and method are provided to receive a search query from a user, typically via a web browser, the Internet, and a web server. A search engine obtains a set of potential search results based on the search query. For each Internet domain or web site mentioned in the search results, a set of data sources is accessed to obtain information concerning the legitimacy of the business associated with the Internet domain or web site. The legitimacy information is used to reorder or to change or to augment the appearance or presentation of the search result for the Internet domain or web site. The processed search results are returned to the user.
US08244707B2
A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for providing supplemental video content for third party websites is disclosed. In one embodiment, coded instructions are transmitted from a content enhancement server to a host server, for incorporation into the webpage source code. The host server is controlled by a first entity and the content enhancement server is controlled by a second entity commercially distinct from the first entity. Keywords are generated by execution of the coded instructions in the webpage received in the client computer from the host server, and the keywords are sent to a content enhancement server, which generates supplemental substantive video content information for transmission to the client.
US08244704B2
An object contents search support apparatus supporting a user to search for desired object contents information, the object contents search support apparatus including an operating part, an information collecting part collecting composite operation information including all of contents information, an overall operation history database recording the collected composite operation information, a matching part matching historical records and extracting at least one item of contents information, a display part generating display information and displaying the generated display information, a feedback part accepting the operation input, holding the object contents information, comparing the composite operation information included in the operation input after displaying the generated object contents information, and generating effective contents information from a comparison result, and a verifying part accepting the effective contents information and the composite operation information, extracting effective operation information, and updating the certainty determination parameter.
US08244700B2
Systems and methods for performing an updating process to an in-memory index are provided. Upon receiving notice of document modifications covered by an inverted index associated with a search engine, in the form of an update file, a representation of the modification is published onto various index serving machines. Each index serving machine receiving the update file determines if the modifications are applicable to the index serving machine. If an index serving machine determines that it contains mapping information corresponding to the modified documents, the index serving machine utilizes the update file and associated mapping information to update an in-memory index. In embodiments, the in-memory index is used to provide results to user queries in tandem with the inverted index. In some embodiments, an extra in-memory index is maintained that is revised with constantly incoming metadata updates and the existing in-memory index is periodically swapped with the revised in-memory index.
US08244688B2
An apparatus includes: a storage unit storing page information located at a root, a node, and a leaf in a tree structure, and storing the plurality of page information including an expiration date of a record that is included in any page information; a search unit searching a record that has passed its expiration date; a determination unit determining whether or not the expiration date included in the page information has come; a first control unit configured to make the determination unit determine whether the expiration date included in predetermined page information stored as the tree structure has come; and a second control unit configured to make the search unit end the search of the record that has passed its expiration date, and configured to make the determination unit determine whether the expiration date included in page information located at a child of the predetermined page information has come.
US08244687B2
A database is used to store user interface state information. The database is accessed by a key having a service ID field, a caller ID field, and a caller context ID field. The caller context ID is used to identify the context in the application program from which the user interface is called. In this manner, the system can differentiate between calls from different portions of the application program which can have different user expectations of the desirable user interface state.
US08244671B2
A multimode storage system uses a global-placement and local-repair strategy for replica placement and repair of data objects. The data objects are initially placed randomly throughout the storage system, while the subsequent replacement replicas of any lost data objects are placed non-globally, for example within the same cluster as the repair source. This approach aggregates the bandwidth of all leaf switches/routers for repair and thus improves data repair bandwidth and repair speed. The approach also reserves more root switch bandwidth for tasks such as data rebalance, a process migrating data to the new nodes that have replaced failed ones.
US08244644B2
A computer implemented method, an apparatus, and computer usable program product for containing a defective product across a supply chain is provided. A data processing system receives a notice from a source supplier that a product is defective. The data processing system identifies an exposure level associated with the defective product, wherein the exposure level comprises a list of affected assemblies and a range of serial numbers associated with the affected assemblies. Responsive to identifying the exposure level, the data processing system notifies each supplier in the supply chain of the defective product.
US08244642B2
Methodology and corresponding apparatus ensure the integrity of utility metering data during power outages while providing improved memory integrity. An initial step includes determining and storing an energy top value that is representative of metered energy, and also includes establishing an update pattern. Accumulated energy is then monitored until a predetermined energy threshold is crossed, at which point a selected state in the update pattern is stored into one of a plurality of energy increment cells. Such stored value can be validated at some point after the data read. The steps of monitoring accumulated energy and storing a selected value/state of the update pattern into additional energy increment cells continue until each of the plurality of energy increment cells is updated with a new value. Upon completion, the energy top value is updated with a new energy total and the process of cycling through each energy increment cell is repeated.
US08244634B2
This document describes tools capable of altering to which interchange categories credit-card transactions are assigned. In some embodiments, the tools receive parameters for interchange categories and transaction information for a client (e.g., one or more merchants) that has been charged interchange fees based on some of these categories. The parameters are utilized (e.g., by a credit card issuer) to determine to which interchange category a particular transaction will be assigned. The tools may determine, based on these parameters and the transaction information, how transactions may be changed to enable similar credit-card transactions to be assigned to a lower-cost interchange category.
US08244632B2
According to the invention, a method for automatically transferring an incoming payment to a handler is disclosed. In one step, the incoming payment associated with a payee is received. A first predetermined rule that applies to the incoming payment is determined. The first predetermined rule is applied to the incoming payment. It is determined if a second predetermined rule applies to the incoming payment. The second predetermined rule is applied to the incoming payment based upon the second-listed determining step.
US08244629B2
Evaluating fraud risk in a transaction between consumer and a merchant over a network is disclosed. The merchant requests service over the network using a secure, open messaging protocol. An e-commerce transaction or electronic purchase order is received from the merchant, the level of risk associated with each order is measured, and a risk score is returned to the merchant. In one embodiment, data validation, highly predictive artificial intelligence pattern matching, network data aggregation and negative file checks are used to examine numerous factors to calculate fraud risk. A risk score is generated and compared to the merchant's specified risk threshold. The result is returned to the merchant for order disposition.
US08244628B1
A computer implemented data processing system comprises a pricing engine and user interface program logic. The pricing engine is configured to calculate a price for an individual mortgage loan for a sale of the individual mortgage loan from a loan originator to a secondary mortgage market purchaser. The price is calculated prior to closing of the mortgage loan based on mortgage loan application data for a borrower associated with the mortgage loan. The user interface logic is configured to generate one or more screen displays configured to present the price to the loan originator prior to closing of the loan. The one or more screen displays are also configured to receive a commitment from the loan originator for the sale of the individual mortgage loan to the secondary mortgage market purchaser.
US08244623B2
Systems and methods are provided which enable students to participate in a simulated, electronic trading environment. The concept is one where the eSpeed rules based system and GUI may be used to educate students on the trading of financial products. The system may be “live” using real-time information and held either in a private virtual community (i.e. intra-school) or a wider community (i.e. inter-school). Fixed rules may be pre-programmed into the system or modified/customized by the participants. Participants may access the simulation via, for example, the Internet. The products traded in the simulation may include any simulated fixed income financial product. However, the simulation may not involve trading real financial products where there would be real financial risks. Simulated trading may be compared to real-world trading to create new financial products that may be tested and traded in the system.
US08244619B2
The present invention describes a computer-based method comprising representing transactions involving assets that share a common characteristic, as respective data points associated with values of the assets, the data points including transaction value information, determining parameters that fit probability density functions to at least one component of a value spectrum of the data points, the probability density function for at least one of the components comprising a power law, the parameters not including an offset parameter representing possible shifts in the value spectrum over time, and forming an index of values associated with the assets using at least one of the determined parameters.
US08244614B2
A system for automated transaction compliance processing comprises a list server providing access to one or more lists of securities with trading restrictions and a rules engine which processes compliance requests to determine if, based upon the relationship between the requesting party and the company on behalf the compliance is being performed, the transaction is permissible. Compliance determinations are made using a set of predefined compliance rules. When a request is evaluated, a compliance rule set indicating which rules are to be evaluated at that time is generated in accordance with a party profile indicating the relationship between the party and the company. A message indicating whether or not the transaction complies with trading restrictions is then returned. The system can be stand-alone or integrated with an electronic trading system. The compliance processor can also be used to analyze reports to ensure that the report contents comply with confidentiality requirements prior to public release of the report.
US08244601B2
Generating an order plan is disclosed. Data describing priority levels including at least one item request is accessed. Data describing a supply chain network (10) including network components (11) that supply one or more items to satisfy an item request is accessed. For each priority level, and for each item request of a priority level, an order for an item request of a current priority level is planned according to recorded unplannable network components (11) that are unable to satisfy an item request, and the unplannable network components (11) for the current priority level are determined. For each priority level, the unplannable network components (11) are validated for the current priority level, and the validated unplannable network components (11) for the current priority level are recorded. An order plan including the orders planned for the item requests at each priority level is provided.
US08244599B2
Methods and systems are provided for social shopping on a network-based marketplace. Specifically, the method receives a request, over a network, from a user in a community of users. The request is for an activity associated with a listing for sale in a network-based marketplace. The network-based marketplace is used by the community of users to transact listings of a single domain that is of interest to the community of users. The method updates a listing reputation score for the listing based on a user reputation score for the user. Finally, the method updates the user reputation score based on the listing reputation score.
US08244597B2
An e-commerce system, comprising an endorsement engine and interface software coupled to the endorsement engine and adapted to interact with one or more content sources connected over a network and adapted to enable subscriptions from users using a protocol, is disclosed. In an embodiment, the interface software enables an endorsing user to browse the content sources and select a content item, to enter code associated with the selected content element, to view product information, to select a product for endorsement, and to enter code associated with the selected product. Upon retrieval of content by a viewing user who previously subscribed to the content source using the protocol, at least one of the content-specific code and the product-specific code is also provided to the viewing user via the protocol. Upon activation of the content-specific code, the viewing user is connected to the selected content and is able to view the selected content, and upon activation of the product-specific code by a viewing user, the viewing user is connected to a network-connected shopping cart, and is thereby enabled to buy the product.
US08244589B2
A device, system, and method are directed towards providing shopping information regarding an item over a network to a mobile device. A review of the item in at least one of a plurality of formats is received. A user is enabled to select at least a portion of the shopping information in one of a plurality of selectable formats based at least in part on a user input command at the mobile device. The review may is at least one selectable portion of the shopping information. A request for at least the portion of the shopping information for the item in a selected format is received from the mobile device associated with the user. Audio is at least one of the plurality of selectable formats. The requested portion of the shopping information in the selected format is provided to the mobile device, in response to the request.
US08244588B1
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that enters purchase information into a software application. The system starts by accessing a file containing a receipt for a purchase. The system then extracts information relating to the purchase. Next, the system creates an entry for the purchase in a database for the software application. While creating the entry in the database, the system fills in a set of fields in the entry using the extracted information.
US08244587B2
An apparatus and method for permitting a pharmacist to verify a refill of a filled prescription stored on a host system. A prescription refill screen is provided by the host system to a pharmacy system associated with the pharmacist. The prescription refill screen is associated with the filled prescription. Refill request information is received from the pharmacy system. The refill request information identifying a requested refill of the filled prescription. The refill request information is transmitted through the host system to a health care provider system associated with a health care provider identified by the filled prescription stored on the host system. The host system receives an authorization from the health care provider system authorizing the requested refill of the filled prescription. The host system transmits the authorization to the pharmacy system whereby the pharmacist associated with the pharmacy system is authorized to provide the refill of the filled prescription to the patient.
US08244584B1
A system provides a unified way for a user to manage a number of separate online advertising accounts. A simple and secure web page accessible through an ordinary web browser is used to both control and receive data from the separate accounts. The user can alter aspects of the various accounts (bid amount per click, etc.) and these changes will be relayed to the individual accounts. The system also includes a “ticker” application that operates constantly on the user's personal computer and displays selected online data in a separate window that can quickly be brought to the front and checked as needed. The system also provides visual or audible alarms when the data from the online accounts indicate that certain preset threshold have been passed. The system also provides the user with a variety of custom reports enabling the user to better control and exploit online advertising.
US08244583B2
A descriptive-profile mercantile method, for use at a juncture in a data-communications topology having associated therewith a maintained databank of partial profiles, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: from a user, receiving a transaction having therein a first partial profile; using the first partial profile, searching a databank having a plurality of second partial profiles, wherein is included in said databank at least one null profile so that said searching will always yield at least one proximate second partial profile to the first partial profile; and between the user and the databank, contracting: (I) for the databank to own or represent a right to a first mutually agreed portion of the first partial profile, and substantially thereafter said databank incorporating the agreed portion of the first profile into at least one second partial profile; or (II) for the user to own or represent a right to a second mutually agreed portion of at least one said proximate second partial profile, and substantially thereafter the databank transmitting to the user the second mutually agreed portion of the second profile. The present invention operates best on a brokerage representation model; and thereby provides a means for making viable the economic commerce in information attributes.
US08244582B2
A descriptive-profile mercantile method, for use at a juncture in a data-communications topology having associated therewith a maintained databank of partial profiles, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: from a user, receiving a transaction having therein a first partial profile; using the first partial profile, searching a databank having a plurality of second partial profiles, wherein is included in said databank at least one null profile so that said searching will always yield at least one proximate second partial profile to the first partial profile; and between the user and the databank, contracting: (I) for the databank to own or represent a right to a first mutually agreed portion of the first partial profile, and substantially thereafter said databank incorporating the agreed portion of the first profile into at least one second partial profile; or (II) for the user to own or represent a right to a second mutually agreed portion of at least one said proximate second partial profile, and substantially thereafter the databank transmitting to the user the second mutually agreed portion of the second profile. The present invention operates best on a brokerage representation model; and thereby provides a means for making viable the economic commerce in information attributes.
US08244578B2
A system and method are directed towards identifying advertisement keywords within a variety of content types, identifying similarity rankings of advertisements based on the keywords, and to the guiding of keyword purchases. In one embodiment, a search is performed based in part on defined selection criteria, and/or scheduling rules. Content that may include advertisements is processed to identify advertisement keywords. A similarity ranking of different advertisements based on keywords therein may be determined. The similarity rankings may be used, with keyword pricing data, to identify instances of keyword arbitrage, guide purchase of keywords, and to control traffic flow to and from advertisements to obtain a benefit from price differentials between what one keyword seller charges for a keyword and what a click buyer will, pay for traffic directed to advertisements with the same or related keyword. In one embodiment, a three-dimensional representation is provided indicating relationships between advertisements across websites.
US08244575B2
Methods and apparatuses for computing a variance for the difference between two business metrics. In one embodiment, the method accesses a response model and a plurality of activities with start and end values for each of the plurality of activities. Furthermore, the method computes a variance for the difference between the first and second business metrics for each of the plurality of activities using the response model by setting that activity to one of the corresponding starting and ending values and setting others of the plurality of activities to the value state opposite of that activity, wherein the variance for an activity is the change in contribution for that activity between the start and end sales volumes.
US08244574B2
To improve monetization of electronic advertisement placement, a profile owner company operates an automatic system for identifying media properties that have interests in specific profiles or profiles of a specified category or kind. The profile owner recognizes a collected visitor profile as one that a media property has previously requested or one that is within a category that a media property has previously requested and arranges for the visitor to be tagged with a tag readable by the media property that requested such a profile. The media property can use the tag in displaying customized advertising to the visitor. Using information received from the media property, the profile owner company then records usage of the profile by the media property.
US08244569B2
A system for location-based management of construction is provided. A plurality of location systems generate one or more locations where construction activities associated with one or more elements in each location can be performed. A construction activity location system associates each of a plurality of construction tasks with one of the locations. An element splitting system receives an element selection and associates one or more construction tasks of the element with two or more locations. A construction activity association system associates one or more of the plurality of construction tasks with one or more of the other construction tasks. A construction sequence system generates a sequence of construction tasks based on the layer associated with each construction task and based on the other construction tasks associated with each construction task.
US08244555B2
Healthcare information data is managed by, on a computer, maintaining a model of a state of a system based on the healthcare information, receiving a transaction representing a change to the system, determining that the change complies with a rule, and changing the model according to the transaction.
US08244553B2
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: providing one or more reported aspects associated with one or more source users that were originally reported by one or more sensors; and developing one or more templates designed to facilitate one or more end users to achieve one or more target outcomes when one or more emulatable aspects indicated by the one or more templates are emulated, the development of the one or more templates being based at least on a portion of the one or more reported aspects In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US08244543B2
A system, method and computer-readable medium for using speech recognition to control devices connected to a network. The system converts an utterance from a user for controlling a remote device in a network to a device specific control language associated with the remote device, to yield a remote device communication. Next, the system synthesizes a response from the remote device that is based at least in part on the remote device communication, to yield an audible response. The system then communicates the audible response to the user.
US08244536B2
A method for intelligent speech recognition for premature enunciators is disclosed. The method allows for speech recognition systems to adjust to commands of premature enunciators, who speak before the system is ready receive speech input. The method comprises activating the speech recognition system, informing the user that the speech recognition system is ready to receive speech input, and initiating a listening period. The method further comprises receiving input from a user before the system is ready to receive such input, identifying the user as a premature enunciator, and adjusting the system to allow for earlier detection of user speech input.
US08244526B2
In one embodiment, a highband burst suppressor includes a first burst detector configured to detect bursts in a lowband speech signal, and a second burst detector configured to detect bursts in a corresponding highband speech signal. The lowband and highband speech signals may be different (possibly overlapping) frequency regions of a wideband speech signal. The highband burst suppressor also includes an attenuation control signal calculator configured to calculate an attenuation control signal according to a difference between outputs of the first and second burst detectors. A gain control element is configured to apply the attenuation control signal to the highband speech signal. In one example, the attenuation control signal indicates an attenuation when a burst is found in the highband speech signal but is absent from a corresponding region in time of the lowband speech signal.
US08244524B2
An encoding apparatus including an SBR (Spectral Band Replication) encoder creates high-frequency-component encoded data with reduced bits. The encoding apparatus converts an input signal into a frequency-domain spectrum signal, divides the converted spectrum signal into an arbitrary number of segments with respect to a time axis and a frequency axis, calculates a spectrum power of each segment and a feature parameter that represents a feature of the corresponding spectrum power, calculates a masking threshold using the calculated spectrum power of each segment, detects a segment having a spectrum power equal to or less than the calculated masking threshold, corrects the spectrum power of the detected segment, and encodes both the corrected spectrum power and the calculated feature parameter. The correction reduces a difference between quantization values, reducing the number of encoded bits.
US08244520B2
The example embodiments relate to a method for assisting in the translational testing of computer software. A translated panel, which may include a translatable portion and a continuously dynamic portion, may be provided. An overlay that includes only the continuously dynamic portions of the panel may be produced. The overlay may be applied to first and second versions of the panel to produce first and second iterations of the panel, respectively, wherein each iteration does not include the continuously dynamic portion of the panel. The translatable portions of the first and second iterations may be compared to determine whether the translatable portions are different. If the translatable portions are different, then the panel may be retested for translational accuracy; if the translatable portions are not different, then the program may indicate that the second iteration is not different from the first iteration.
US08244515B2
A design structure for a pipeline electronic processor device may be embodied in a machine readable medium for designing, manufacturing or testing a processor integrated circuit. The design structure may embody a pipeline electronic circuit that enables power conservation in the stages of the pipeline via a simulation that identifies clock-gating opportunities among the stages of the pipeline. In one embodiment, simulation results assist a designer in the design of the pipeline electronic circuit design structure to achieve power conservation by incorporating clock-gating circuitry among the stages of the pipeline at clock gating opportunity locations that the simulation identifies.
US08244510B2
A state space model (SSM), being a computer-calculated model, adapted to represent the pumping and controlling functions of a heart that have been determined by a heart cluster state machine simulating the heart, and optionally the circulatory system, of an individual. The state space model includes two groups of separate interacting state machines, the heart muscle cell state machines and the displacement pump state machines.
US08244505B2
A method of predicting a nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission rate of a non-continuous, natural gas-fired boiler is presented. The method includes: calculating a correlation of the NOx emission rate to a measured fuel flow rate and a sampled oxygen (O2) concentration based on a plurality of sampled NOx emission concentrations, measured fuel flow rates, and sampled (O2) concentrations during operation of the non-continuous, natural gas-fired boiler using a computing device; calculating a predicted NOx emission rate based on the correlation with the measured fuel flow rate and the sampled O2 concentration using the computing device; and providing the predicted NOx emission rate for use by a user.
US08244493B2
One embodiment provides a system that analyzes a target electromagnetic signal radiating from a monitored system. During operation, the system monitors the target electromagnetic signal using a set of antennas to obtain a set of received target electromagnetic signals from the monitored system. Next, the system calculates a weighted mean of the received target electromagnetic signals using a first pattern-recognition model. The system then subtracts the received target electromagnetic signals from the weighted mean of the received target electromagnetic signals to obtain a set of noise-reduced signals for the monitored system. Finally, the system assesses the integrity of the monitored system by analyzing the noise-reduced signals using a second pattern-recognition model.
US08244490B2
A power trigger is provided having time qualified and sequential event capability. Digital data representing an input signal is converted into a power signal. The power signal is compared to a trigger level. A trigger signal is generated when the power signal violates the trigger level for either at least or less than a specified time duration. Alternatively, the trigger signal may be generated on the occurrence of a sequence of such violations.
US08244484B2
Disclosed are methods for reliably detecting the presence of proteins, including proteins with various post-translational modifications (phosphorylation, glycosylation, methylation, acetylation, etc.) in a sample by the use of one or more capture agents that recognize and interact with recognition sequences uniquely characteristic of a protein or a set of proteins (Proteome Epitope Tags, or PETs) in the sample. Arrays comprising these capture agents or PETs are also provided.
US08244483B2
The present disclosure presents novel shape comparison methods. Methods for determining shape similarity between a query molecule and a target molecule and methods for screening one or more molecules in a database based on shape similarity to a query molecule are described.
US08244477B1
Method and system for estimating a growth stage of an alga in an ambient fluid. Measured light beam absorption or reflection values through or from the alga and through an ambient fluid, in each of two or more wavelength sub-ranges, are compared with reference light beam absorption values for corresponding wavelength sub-ranges for in each alga growth stage to determine (1) which alga growth stage, if any, is more likely and (2) whether estimated lipid content of the alga is increasing or has peaked. Alga growth is preferably terminated when lipid content has approximately reached a maximum value.
US08244475B2
The human neural response is coupled with computer pattern analysis for robust single-event detection of significant non-stationary brain responses triggered upon occurrence of a task-relevant stimulus. Classifier performance is enhanced fusing together the outputs of multiple different classifiers albeit multiple spatial classifiers to extract a temporal pattern as the brain response evolves, time and frequency-based spatio-temporal classifiers, and/or EEG and pupillary classifiers.
US08244474B2
A feature pattern recognition system, method, and program capable of recognizing feature pattern with a high accuracy are provided. Discrete symbols (nucleotide symbols or the like) constituting a to-be-recognized sequence (a DNA sequence or the like) are converted to numerals by using symbol frequencies that are obtained according to sequence positions or types of the discrete symbols to generates test data or a test data matrix Xtest, a matrix calculation (Ytest=WpromXtest or the like) of multiplying a separation matrix (Wprom or the like) obtained by an independent component analysis or a principal component analysis with the test data or the test data matrix Xtest is performed, separation data or a separation data matrix Ytest is obtained, and it is decided in which side of a threshold exists a feature decision element (elements of first row or the like) of the Ytest, so that it is decided whether or not the feature pattern (a promoter or the like) exists in the sequence by using a feature decision element (multiple rows of elements may be used).
US08244473B2
System and method for automatic analysis and determination of a parameter. Measurement data are obtained from one or more sensors deployed to measure a desired parameter, the data being associated to identified locations. The measured data are processed to parse out the data obtained with at least one sensor configured to provide a measurement of a selected subsurface parameter and examined to automatically output a value determined to be the most accurate value for the selected parameter from the obtained measurement data.
US08244469B2
A collaborative engagement system comprises: at least two unmanned vehicles comprising an unmanned air vehicle including sensors configured to locate a target and an unmanned ground vehicle including sensors configured to locate and track a target; and a controller facilitating control of, and communication and exchange of data to and among the unmanned vehicles, the controller facilitating data exchange via a common protocol. The collaborative engagement system controls the unmanned vehicles to maintain line-of-sight between a predetermined target and at least one of the unmanned vehicles.
US08244462B1
A system and method is provided of determining geographic positions. In one aspect, a user points the device at first and second positions on the surface of a geographic object. Based on the position of the device, the orientation of the device, and information identifying the geographic position of the surface of the object, a processor determines and displays the distance between the first and second positions.
US08244459B2
A method of stitching converging path segments to aesthetically label Y-intersections, path bifurcations or splits in roads or the like entails determining which pair of adjacent path segments subtend the largest angle. The path segments subtending the largest angle are reconstructed (stitched together) and a single instance of the label is then rendered along the reconstructed path. Although this stitching can be performed on the client device, pre-stitching server-side is even more efficient in terms of economizing over-the-air bandwidth and onboard processing resources.
US08244456B2
Methods for validating track databases based on the contents of a geological database. The track database stores a piecewise-polynomial spline as a geometric representation of the track, along with offsets from spline points to represent the geo-locations of features on the track. After the computations associated with the geometric representation are completed and the track database is populated, the geo-locations of features in the track database are checked for consistency with the geo-locations of monuments in the geological database. If the geo-location of a feature in the track database is found to differ by more than a threshold distance from its projected geo-location, as computed from offsets from a monument in the geological database, then corrective action is taken. The illustrative embodiment also enables the validation of data values in the track database and relationships among track features.
US08244450B2
Vehicle position information providing devices, methods, and programs acquire a first current position of a vehicle based on a radio signal received from a GPS satellite and acquire a second current position of the vehicle based on a signal received by a communication device that communicates over a mobile phone network. The devices, methods, and programs determine whether the first current position and the second current position coincide. If the first current position and the second current position do not coincide, the devices, methods, and programs cause the communication device to transmit information relating to the first current position to an information center.
US08244445B2
A method for controlling a powertrain of a vehicle is provided for traction control. The method comprises controlling wheel slip to a first amount, the first amount independent of a driver requested output; and controlling the wheel slip to a second amount when a vehicle speed is less than a threshold for a first duration, the second amount based on the driver requested output. In this way, the driver is allowed to modify the wheel slip in a controlled way during specific traction control conditions.
US08244442B2
A system and method for stability control of a vehicle and a trailer. The system and method can receive vehicle and trailer operating data or signals and define one of a brake-based stability control subsystem and a torque management-based stability control subsystem as the dominant stability control system. Based on the stability control subsystem defined as the dominant stability control system, the system and method provide stability control for the vehicle and the trailer.
US08244441B2
An automatic transmission control device for improving shift feel includes a pressure regulating device that regulates a friction engagement element, and transmits power to an output shaft, which is input to an input shaft through a change of a shift speed by controlling the pressure regulating device to switch an engagement state. When changing shift speed while applying torque to the input shaft, the transmission changes the shift speed via (1) a torque phase where torque is changed according to shift speed after shifting, and (2) an inertia phase where an input shaft rotation speed is changed according to the shift speed after shifting. During a shift speed change, the regulating device executes the torque phase by engaging the engagement element at a predetermined pressure with slip and standby, and executes the inertia phase by reducing an amount according to the shift speed so a shifting condition falls within a predetermined range regardless of changed shift speed, and reduces input shaft torque by a set amount, while standing by at the predetermined engagement pressure.
US08244440B2
A method and device for actuating a shifting arrangement with electric actuators of a transmission control of a motor vehicle. The method includes determining a total current of the shifting arrangement available at a point in time, detecting shift requests of shift elements and compared these with the total available current. Shift requests are then tested according to preset priorities and the sequentially performed according to the priority test. The method avoids exceeding a preset allowed current load, when the requested shifts would exceed the total available current. If the total available current would not be exceeded by the requested shifts, the requests are carried out. A device is also provided in the shifting arrangement which has control and detection mechanisms that monitor current and control the current flow.
US08244435B2
A method for determining an optimal steering angle in understeer situations of a vehicle is described. To assist a driver in reliably stabilizing the vehicle during an understeer situation while driving, a model-based driving traction coefficient factor, a model-based kinematic factor, and a float angle are taken into account in the determination of a steering angle. A limited steering angle δv,lim at which a maximum lateral force is set, is determined by addition of the driving traction coefficient factor, the kinematic factor, and the float angle. A system suitable for implementation of the method is also described.
US08244434B2
A vehicle guidance system and method for automatically adjusting an amount of a user-configurable steering parameter applied to at least one steerable wheel of a vehicle. The vehicle guidance system may comprise a computing device for receiving a desired angle of the steerable wheel, measuring the actual angle of the steerable wheel, and comparing the actual angle with the desired angle. The computing device may then decrease the user-configurable steering parameter automatically if over-steering has occurred, meaning the actual angle of the wheel is determined to be greater than the desired angle of the wheel and angled in the same direction as the desired angle, or the computing device may increase the user-configurable steering parameter automatically if under-steering has occurred, meaning the actual angle of the wheel is determined to be less than the desired angle of the wheel or is angled in the opposite direction as the desired angle.
US08244429B2
Secure failure of a brake switch is enabled with a simple configuration.When brake switches 6a and 6b are determined to be not ON together and not OFF together (S110 and S112), first and second determination counters perform count respectively (S114 and S120), and on the other hand, when the two brake switches 6a and 6b are determined to be ON together, a count value of the first determination counter is set to zero (S132), and when the brake switches are determined to be OFF together, a count value of the second determination counter is set to zero (S136), those operation being periodically repeated, and when one of the count values of the first and second determination counters exceeds one of respective predetermined values α and β (S118 and S214), one of the two brake switches 6a and 6b is determined to be failed, which enables detection of a failure state that one of the brake switches is normally ON or normally OFF.
US08244421B2
When the low SOC control request is output and the catalyst warming request is not output, the low SOC control mode is set as a control mode and the state of charge (SOC) of the battery is controlled according to the managing center SOC* set as the smaller value S2 than the value S1 for the normal time. When the catalyst warming request is output, the catalyst warming mode is set as a control mode regardless of the low SOC control request and the engine is controlled to perform the self sustained operation (no-load operation) at the idling rotation speed Nidl with the spark-retard state. Namely, when the battery temperature is low and the catalyst temperature is also low, the catalyst warm-up is given a higher priority than the low SOC control and prevents the exhaust emission from becoming worse.
US08244413B2
A method executes at least one instruction in an on-board maintenance device from a remote system connected to the maintenance device via a communication network. The method includes receiving at least one datum representative of at least one command having a correspondence with the at least one instruction. The method also includes filtering the at least one received datum. In response to the filtering, if the at least one received datum represents a valid command, the method includes converting the at least one received datum to identify the at least one instruction.
US08244412B2
Systems and methods for providing pre-flight dispatching are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system for on-board dispatching of an aircraft includes a flight dispatching apparatus positioned within the aircraft that is configured to perform one or more flight dispatching tasks. A communications apparatus is configured to exchange wireless signals between the dispatching apparatus and one or more ground-based facilities. In another embodiment, a method of dispatching an aircraft includes designating a person to perform predetermined dispatching tasks, and establishing a wireless data connection between the aircraft and at least one ground-based facility. Information obtained from the at least one ground-based facility is then processed to perform the one or more dispatching tasks, and at least a portion of the processed information is communicated to the at least one ground-based facility using the wireless data connection.
US08244408B2
A vehicle is configured to execute an autonomic lane change maneuver and is equipped with a spatial monitoring system. Each of a plurality of objects located proximate to the vehicle is monitored. Locations of each of the objects are predicted relative to a projected trajectory of the vehicle. A collision risk level between the vehicle and each of the objects is assessed.
US08244397B2
A predetermined speed control pattern B is sct. In a mold clamping process, in a mold closing section Zm, mold closing control is performed at a mold closing speed Vm, and based on a current mold closing speed Vd and a current mold closing position Xd, which are both detected, a deceleration starting position Xmc of the deceleration section Zmd, where the current mold closing speed Vd becomes a zero (O) at a virtual stop position Xc, is sequentially forecasted at each predetermined time interval by calculation. Upon reaching the deceleration starting position Xmc the deceleration section Zmd is started, and in the deceleration section Zmd, based on the detected current mold closing position Xd, a speed command value Dm corresponding to the speed control pattern B is obtained sequentially by calculation, and according to the speed command value Dm deceleration control is performed. Upon reaching a mold clamping-transition speed Vc, a predetermined mold clamping processing is performed via a low-pressure low-speed section Zc.
US08244385B2
A control device includes an iterative learning control circuit that includes first and second learning filters to which a synchronization error is input and is configured to feed forward a control input to a first control target based on an output of the first learning filter and to feed forward a control input to a second control target based on an output of the second learning filter. Each of the first and second learning filters includes transfer functions of the first and second control targets and transfer functions of controllers of the first and second control circuits.
US08244384B2
The systems and methods described herein allow for automatic identification experiments in a closed loop, where the old control strategy, already tuned and tested, is utilized. The strategy is modified to inject additional signal optimized for identification. The experimenting time may be reduced by performing only those system manipulations which explore model uncertainties important to potential degradation of controller performance by discrepancy between the system and the model. The disruptions are reduced by keeping the control loop closed, which eliminates waiting for steady state before applying steps to the inputs and reduces the risk of process limits crossing. The energy of additional signal can be set to meet the maximum allowable disruption requirements. The energy of additional signal is in a direct relation to the speed of identification related information gathering. It can be varied in time to follow the needs of system operators.
US08244383B2
A controller equipped with a user interface having multiple-day programming capabilities, including methods of programming such devices, are disclosed. The user interface may include one or more menus or screens that can be used to program a schedule for one or more selected days during the week. An illustrative method of programming the controller may include the steps of entering a scheduling routine, selecting multiple days for schedule modification, changing the schedule parameters for one or more periods during the selected days, and then exiting the scheduling routine.
US08244373B1
A load-carrying body for reducing torsional and tensile loading on electrical components in an implantable medical electrical lead includes an electronic component disposed in-line with the implantable medical electrical lead, and a casing for the electronic component. The electronic component has a proximal end conductively coupled to a lead conductor and a distal end conductively coupled to a lead electrode. The casing is mechanically coupled to the lead so as to isolate the electrical component from torque or tensile loads applied to the lead, the lead electrode, or both.
US08244372B1
In one embodiment, a neurostimulation lead comprises an elongated body of insulative material, comprising a first end portion and a second end portion; a plurality of terminals longitudinally positioned along the first end portion; a plurality of electrodes longitudinally positioned along the second end portion; a plurality of conductors electrically coupling the plurality of electrodes to the plurality of terminals; a flexible metal longitudinal stiffener positioned within the elongated body wherein the stiffener has a plurality of longitudinal zones and each zone has a different column strength, the column strength of one or more zones of the plurality of longitudinal zones being defined by cuts or gaps in the stiffener, the stiffener causing the neurostimulation lead to exhibit a greatest amount of column strength adjacent to one end portion of the elongated body and to transition to a lower column strength toward a medial portion of the elongated body.
US08244367B2
A charging system for an implantable medical device having a secondary coil. The charging system includes an external power source having at least one primary coil, a modulation, circuit operatively coupled to the primary coil and capable of driving it in a manner characterized by a charging parameter, and a sensor in communication with the modulation circuit and capable of sensing a condition indicating a need to adjust the charging parameter during a charging process. The parameter may be varied so that data sensed by the sensor meets a threshold requirement, which may be based on a patient preference, a government regulation, a recommendation promulgated by a health authority and/or a requirement associated with another device carried by the patient. In one embodiment, the regulation dictates maximum magnetic field exposure, and a field limiting circuit is employed to adjust the charging process.
US08244366B2
There is provided a cochlear implant for improving the hearing ability of a patient suffered from hearing impairment comprising an internal receiving unit implanted into the body, which comprises a receiving part for receiving external signal, an active electrode and a reference electrode, characterized in that the active electrode is constructed with a single electrode wire having different thickness in at least two different regions. The active electrode of the internal receiving unit is inserted into a space formed at between the mastoid bone and the ear canal skin and end of the active electrode is inserted into the scala tympani of the cochlea and directly stimulates spiral ganglion. The cochlear implant provides easier implantation into the body and improved hearing ability at a lower cost.
US08244354B2
An implantable pacing system with single, double and triple chamber pacing capabilities, provided individually or in concert on a conditional or continuous basis depending upon ongoing analyses of atrial rhythm status, atrioventricular conduction status and ventricular rate. A mode is selected to reduce the occurrence of any ventricular pacing in favor of intrinsic atrioventricular and ventricular conduction. If excessively long PR intervals are occurring too frequently or atrioventricular conduction is unreliable or absent, the implantable pulse generator is operated in a conditional triple chamber pacing mode that provides atrial-synchronous biventricular pacing in every cardiac cycle for a period of time as necessary to restore and maintain AV synchrony, while minimizing ventricular asynchrony otherwise associated with monochamber RV pacing as in conventional dual chamber pacing systems. Similarly, biventricular pacing is provided in every cardiac cycle when ventricular rates are undesirably slow during atrial fibrillation, where AV synchronization is excluded.
US08244353B2
An implantable cardiac stimulator includes a cardioversion/defibrillation unit connected to at least one electrode pair for generation and delivery of cardioversion or defibrillation shocks; an atrial sensing unit detecting atrial contraction, and outputting an atrial sensing signal indicating a atrial event when an atrial contraction is detected; a ventricular sensing unit detecting ventricular contraction, and outputting a ventricular sensing signal when a ventricular contraction is detected; a tachycardia detection unit connected to the atrial and ventricular sensing units and detecting a tachycardia, and classifying it as a ventricular tachycardia (VT) or as a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT); and a treatment control unit designed to trigger at least one atrial cardioversion shock when a ventricular rhythm detected by the ventricular sensing unit is faster than a programmed frequency limit, and the tachycardia detection unit classifies an SVT as an atrial fibrillation (AFib).
US08244347B2
Methods and apparatus for effectuating a lasting change in a neural function of a patient, including via mechanical force on neural tissue, are disclosed. An apparatus in accordance with one embodiment includes an implantable force delivery device that is changeable between a first state in which the force delivery device applies a first mechanical force to neural tissue, and the second state in which the force delivery device applies no mechanical force or a second mechanical force less than the first mechanical force to the neural tissue, while the force delivery device is implanted. An actuator can be coupled to the force delivery device with a communication link to change the state of the force delivery device, and a controller can be operably coupled to the actuator to automatically direct the force delivery device to change repeatedly between the first and second states while the force delivery device is implanted.
US08244341B2
The present invention provides a method and device for determining depressive disorders or other mental disorders related to similar brain imbalances when the combination of powers of specific frequency bands in quantitative EEG has a certain positive or negative value. The present invention performs a signal-processing task to resting EEG recording, calculates the power of two specific frequency bands, finds the combination of the powers and evaluates the result. The method can be used as quick and easy noninvasive tool for diagnosing depression related problems in different patients as separate algorithm, as a part of an EEG recording and analysis device and as a separate device.
US08244317B2
There is disclosed a portable electronic device comprising a front surface, a side surface, and an indicator. The front surface is substantially parallel to a horizontal axis, and the side surface is connected to the front surface. The side surface includes an angled surface and forward side portion between the angled surface and the front surface, in which the angled surface is angled relative to the horizontal axis. The indicator is located at the angled surface of the side surface. For one embodiment, the side surface includes a groove having two angled surfaces and a meeting point where the surfaces meet. The one angled surface angles downward from the meeting point relative to the horizontal axis, and the other angled surface angles upward from the meeting point relative to the horizontal axis. For another embodiment, the device may have a slider form factor.
US08244308B2
A helmet communication device is composed primarily of a first communication device, a second communication device and a switching circuit device, such that when a motorcycle driver is driving the motorcycle, the driver can choose to use the first communication device to answer a cellular phone with a wired or blue-tooth technology, or to converse with a back seat passenger through the second communication device, by a control of the switching circuit device, so as to improve driving safety and to improve convenience in answering the cellular phone or dialoging with the back seat passenger.
US08244304B2
A method synchronizes assemblies in a base station to a reference clock signal. A local clock signal and a frame are formed in a first assembly. The clock signal and the frame are transmitted, using a synchronous transmission with a predictable propagation time, to a second assembly. A reference clock signal is received in the second assembly, and a phase difference and a time difference between the transmitted clock signal on the one hand and the reference clock signal on the other hand are determined. The phase difference and the time difference are transmitted from the second assembly to the first assembly via a link without a predictable propagation time. The phase difference and the time difference are used in the first assembly to determine a manipulated variable which controls the formation of the local clock signal, such that the first and the second assemblies are synchronized in time.
US08244301B2
The present invention provides a method for dealing with the carrier conflict between the main card and subordinate card of a single-chip dual-card-dual-standby mobile phone, which includes a set one set of antenna, RF module and baseband processing chip and further comprises a radio resource adapter layer provided between the RRC layer and the physical layer. The RRC module calculates the position of the carriers of the main card and the subordinate card. The radio resource adapter layer determines the relative position between the carriers of main card and subordinate card so as to determine the type of the conflict, set priority levels to the services of the main card and subordinate card, and process the services according to the priority levels so as to avoid the conflict.
US08244299B1
A grip attachment for an electronic device, such as a mobile phone, which enables a user to grasp and control a camera of the mobile phone with one hand. The grip attachment includes a main body and an enlarged grip extension attached to a first end of the main body. The enlarged grip extension is sized and shaped to enable a user's hand to hold the grip extension and attached mobile phone with one hand. The grip attachment also includes a locking mechanism for attaching the attachment grip to a portion of a mobile phone protective case. A second end of the grip extension includes a connector for interfacing with a connector of the mobile phone. The grip extension includes an external control located on an outer surface of the grip attachment for activating a camera control of the mobile phone.
US08244290B1
Methods and computer-readable mediums for processing push-to-talk voice messages are provided. According to one method, a first mobile station receives a push-to-talk voice message from a second mobile station, determines that a data object is attached to the push-to-talk voice message, determines a type of the data object, and stores the data object in a PTT attachment queue of the first mobile station, based upon the determined type of the data object, which may be a picture, video data, audio data, e-mail, document, contact, or the like.
US08244279B2
In one illustrative example, a method of providing mapping functionality in a contact list of a mobile communication device comprises the acts of providing a contact list organizer function in the mobile communication device for use in organizing a plurality of contacts of a contact book or list; identifying, through a user interface of the mobile communication device, a user input request to map a location of a selected one of the contacts of the contact list; and causing a map corresponding to the location to be visually displayed in a display of the mobile communication device in response to the user input request. In another illustrative example, the method comprises the acts of causing a map of a location to be visually displayed in a display of the mobile communication device; receiving a user input request to associate the location of the map with a contact in a contact book or list of the mobile communication device; and storing location data corresponding to the location in one or more location fields of the contact in response to the user input request. In one embodiment, the contact list is part of an address book having a plurality of address book contacts.
US08244272B2
Methods and systems of continuously optimizing data in WiFi positioning systems. A location-based services system uses WiFi-enabled devices to monitor WiFi access points in a target area to indicate whether a WiFi access point has moved relative to its previously recorded location. A WiFi-enabled device communicates with WiFi access points within range of the WiFi-enabled device so that observed WiFi access points identify themselves; A reference database is accessed to obtain information specifying a recorded location for each observed WiFi access point in the target area. The recorded location information is used for each of the observed WiFi access points in conjunction with predefined rules to infer whether an observed WiFi access point has moved relative to its recorded location. The reference database is informed of the identity of any observed WiFi access point that is inferred to have moved.
US08244271B2
A shuttle message that is passed between GPS enabled devices that is processed at either a bit level or word level with data that the GPS enable device has already gathered and augmenting the positioning data stored at GPS enabled devices by retrieving data contained in the shuttle message. The shuttle message is then passed with any updated information from a GPS enabled device to one or more other devices such as a mobile station.
US08244264B2
A resource allocation control unit is provided between the despreading process unit and the channel decoding process unit of a radio base station receiver, and a resource for a channel decoding process is allocated only when there is actually user communication data in a communication service that is not of a continuous data communication under control of the resource allocation control unit. Thereby, the number of resources of the channel decoding process unit is smaller than the number of resources for despreading processes corresponding to the number of users that can receive the services simultaneously.
US08244259B2
A method for relay stations (RSs) to forward downlink signals includes: obtaining downlink qualities between a mobile station (MS) and each of the RSs; determining an RS group for forwarding downlink signals according to difference degrees among all of the downlink qualities; performing space-time coding on the downlink signals through the RSs in the RS group when the RS group contains a plurality of RSs. Another method for RSs to forward downlink signals includes: setting the number of the RSs for forwarding the downlink signals to plurality; obtaining downlink qualities between an MS and each of the RSs; determining an RS group for forwarding the downlink signals according to each of the downlink qualities and the number of the RSs; performing space-time coding on the downlink signals through the RSs in the RS group, and forwarding the downlink signals to the MS. A device structure for the RSs to forward the downlink signals is also provided.
US08244255B1
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for basing a handoff of a mobile device on its position within a coverage area of a source base transceiver station (BTS) are provided. Initially, embodiments involve recording threshold distances, associated with candidate BTSs neighboring the source BTS, and capturing pilot strength measurement messages (PSMM's) at each of the threshold distances. Upon establishing a connection to the source BTS, the position of the mobile device is monitored to detect a traversal of the threshold distances. Consequently, the mobile device reports a current PSMM for comparison against the captured PSMM's. If any messages correspond, a candidate BTS is selected for receiving the connection of the mobile device. Otherwise, the connection to the source BTS is maintained. Accordingly, the distance of the mobile device from the source BTS at which the handoff is invoked may vary based on a radial direction of the mobile device therefrom.
US08244252B2
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus, in a communication network, for processing a request to initiate a communication using a first communication system, the request including information relating to one or more parties with which the communication is intended to be initiated, comprising: processing logic for determining whether the request includes information relating to a predetermined party, and where it is so determined, initiating a service in accordance with the information relating to the predetermined party.
US08244251B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus can be used to provide concurrent call handover in converged networks. In various examples, a concurrent call handover can operate to transfer multiple calls between domains when a mobile device has two open call instances. In some implementations, multiple public service identifiers can be assigned for the call instances.
US08244247B2
A method for updating filters, at a Packet Data Serving Node, with a care-of-address associated with at least one of a mobile station or a correspondent node. The method includes the steps of implementing a soft filtering rule at a Packet Data Serving Node and receiving, by the Packet Data Serving Node, a care-of-address that is associated with at least one the mobile station and a correspondent node. The method also includes updating, by the Packet Data Serving Node, filters with the care-of-address to correctly identify flows belonging to a particular session during Mobile IP use. The method further includes filtering, by the Packet Data Serving Node, packets including a care-of-address that is associated with one of the mobile station and the correspondent node.
US08244246B2
Disclosed are systems, methods and computer program products for better system reselection (BSR) in a multi-system wireless communication environment. In one aspect, the BSR procedure provisions a mobile device to determine if a currently-registered wireless communication system is the most-preferred system among systems of a similar technology and among systems of different technologies identified in the device's combined preferred roaming list (PRL). The mobile device then activates an intra-system BSR timer if the currently-registered system is not the most-preferred system among systems of similar technology and an inter-system BSR timer if the currently-registered system is not the most-preferred system among systems of different technologies. Upon expiration of the intra-system BSR timer, the mobile device searches for a more-preferred system among systems of similar technology. Upon expiration of the inter-system BSR timer, the mobile device searches for a more-preferred system among systems of different technologies.
US08244242B2
A method for storing an address of a network anchor point to a network server is provided The provided method includes the following steps: a terminal initiates an attach request or a bearer establishment request, and a network selects a network anchor point; and when the network anchor point assigns a first bearer context to the terminal, or a first connection is established between the network anchor point and the terminal, the network registers an address of the network anchor point to a network server. A method for deleting an address of a network anchor point from a network server is also provided, which includes the following steps: when a terminal or an entity in a network initiates a delete bearer request, the network instructs a network server to delete an address of a network anchor point that has been registered to the network server if the network anchor point no longer serves the terminal; and the network server deregisters the address of the network anchor point. A communication system is further provided.
US08244236B2
A computer-implemented method for aggregating and disseminating tag data is provided. The method includes receiving a tag generated at a particular time from a particular mobile device. Data indicative of a particular location of the particular mobile device is received corresponding to the particular time. The tag is associated with the location indicative data of the particular mobile device. Data indicative of a location of one or more other mobile devices is received, and data indicative of the tag is transmitted to the one or more other mobile devices in response to the location indicative data of the one or more other mobile devices corresponding to the location indicative data of the particular mobile device.
US08244232B2
A portable terminal includes a transmission unit, a reception unit, an operation mode judgment unit, an operation mode change unit. The transmission unit transmits first operation mode information including a first operation mode and a first setting time. The reception unit receives second operation mode information including a second operation mode and a second setting time. The operation mode judgment unit calculates a current degree of influence from the second operation mode on the first operation mode that decreases with time from the second setting time, and calculates an evaluated value of the current degree of influence from at least one operation mode including the second operation mode. The operation mode change unit changes, when the evaluated value exceeds a threshold value, the operation mode of the portable terminal to the second operation mode.
US08244229B2
Ring-back content is provided to a mobile video caller willing to call a recipient in a process in which: the ring-back content is stored, a first communication leg is established between an intermediate network element and the mobile video caller, a second communication leg is established between the intermediate network element and the recipient, and the delivery of the ring-back content to the mobile video caller is started between the initiating of the mobile video call and answering to the call by the recipient. The delivery of the ring-back content may be lead by an early connect message to delay charging. On establishing the second communication leg, no connect message is passed to the caller, but the charging of the mobile video call is started.
US08244221B2
An improved visual voicemail system is provided. When a call is made to a wireless telephone device and a voicemail message is deposited for the called party, the voicemail message is transcribed to generate a text version of the deposited voicemail message. The transcribed voicemail message is sent to the called mobile telephone device to allow the user to read the text version of the voicemail message. Embedded with transcribed text voicemail message is a link that maps to a unique telephone number that is assigned to the original audio voicemail message from the text voicemail message was transcribed. If the called party selects the link, the called party's mobile telephone device or other receiving computing device places a call to the storage location of the original audio version of the voicemail message to listen to the audio version of the voicemail message.
US08244213B2
A communication device and method for managing service sharing include reading a phone number of the service request communication device if the message is a service request message, sending a service sharing list to the service request communication device if the phone number of the service request communication device is an authorized phone number, sending operation instruction corresponding to the request service sharing to the service request communication device, sharing the request service with the service request communication device.
US08244210B2
A method for destructively reading out data from a stolen or lost mobile phone. A special switch off feature disables all the services associated with the mobile phone, except for a messaging service and the ability to destructively read out data. A user can retrieve the data stored in the mobile phone from a remote location. Once the data is retrieved, all the data in the mobile phone is erased.
US08244206B1
A method of operating a communication system to process emergency service calls is disclosed. A call request for an emergency service call from a mobile communication device is received. The call request includes a device identifier for the mobile communication device. A location capability database is queried using the device identifier to determine if the device identifier is in the location capability database. A default location capability is assigned if the device identifier is not in the location capability database. A location of the mobile communication device is determined using the default location capability if the device identifier is not in the location capability database.
US08244203B2
A module for radio frequency signal circuits includes an electrically conductive housing. Coax connectors are secured to the rear face of the housing. A circuit board is contained within the interior spaced between sidewalls of the housing. A ground side of the circuit board includes a layer of electrically conductive material which is electrically connected to the housing. Coax cables extend within the interior of the housing from the coax connectors and between the ground side of the circuit board and an opposing sidewall. An opposite side of the circuit board contains circuit components interconnected with one another through a plurality of circuit paths.
US08244199B2
In view of achieving a cost reduction of an antenna switch, a technique is provided which can reduce harmonic distortion generated in the antenna switch as much as possible in particular even when the antenna switch is comprised of a field effect transistor formed over a silicon substrate.Each of a TX series transistor, an RX series transistor, and an RX shunt transistor is comprised of a low voltage MISFET, while a TX shunt transistor is comprised of a high voltage MISFET. Thus, by reducing the number of serial connections of the high voltage MISFETs constituting the TX shunt transistor, the nonuniformity of the voltage amplitudes applied to the respective serially-coupled high voltage MISFETs is suppressed. As a result, the generation of high-order harmonics can be suppressed.
US08244197B2
In an image rejection mixer, when a signal in the first radio frequency band is inputted to an input terminal, the first mixer and the second mixer convert the input signal in the first radio frequency band to a signal in the first intermediate frequency band by using the first local signal from a local signal oscillator, and a filter circuit attenuates an image interfering signal existing in the first intermediate frequency band by means of the first attenuation band. Also, when a signal in the second radio frequency band is inputted to the input terminal, the first mixer and the second mixer convert the input signal in the second radio frequency band to a signal in the second intermediate frequency band by using the second local signal from the local signal oscillator, and the filter circuit attenuates an image interfering signal existing in the second intermediate frequency band by means of the second attenuation band that is narrower than the first attenuation band.
US08244186B1
An audio sample is wirelessly transferred between a wireless communication device and a wireless base station. Either the wireless communication device or the wireless base station processes the audio sample to determine an audio quality level. The wireless base station determines a power level indicator for the wireless communication device based on the audio quality level. The wireless communication device adjusts its wireless transmit power in response to the power level indicator.
US08244184B2
A radio communication system includes one master station which performs transmission without being controlled by another radio station and which is configured to independently set a channel for use in a radio communication, and at least one slave station which belongs to the one master station and whose radio communication channel used and transmission/reception operations are controlled by the master station. When detecting an interference signal which disturbs the radio communication during operation, the one master station or the at least one slave station sets a first modulation scheme applied to the radio communication to the same second modulation scheme as a modulation scheme used in broadcast in order to convey information necessary for an evasive action to move to another radio communication channel.
US08244175B2
A repeater device may be utilized to enable forwarding extreme high frequency (EHF) communication between EHF-enabled wireless devices. The repeater device may utilize spatial isolation to prevent and/or reduce interference between received and transmitted EHF RF signals, wherein reception and/or transmission of EHF RF signals in the repeater device may be performed via narrow beams that may enable minimal interference by transmit EHF RF signals to reception of EHF RF. The repeater device may utilize phased arrays to enable performing beamforming, and signal processing operations, including shift and/or amplitude adjustment, may be performed on signals received and/or transmitted via antenna elements in the phased arrays to enable beamforming during reception and transmission of EHF RF signals. Signal processing operations performed in the repeater device may be modifiable to enable continued spatial isolation between receive and transmit EHF RF signal in the repeater device.
US08244173B2
A radio frequency repeater is provided. A donor antenna transmits a signal to and receives a signal from a base station. A service antenna transmits a signal to and receives a signal from a mobile station. A repeater filters and amplifies a signal between the two antennas. A polarization variation unit variably selects a polarization direction of at least one of the donor antenna and the service antenna in response to a detection signal of an isolation detector for detecting isolation between the two antennas. The isolation between the donor antenna and the service antenna can be sufficiently ensured.
US08244168B2
An image forming apparatus includes a transfer device that transfers a toner image formed on an image bearer onto a transfer sheet and a fixing device that fixes the toner image onto the transfer sheet. The transfer device is freely movable between an operational position and a non-operational position and includes a contacting section that directly contacts the fixing device and determines a position of the transfer device.
US08244161B2
A developing apparatus includes a tank configured to contain a developing agent including a toner and a carrier, the tank having a discharge port configured to discharge the developing agent overflowing from the tank, a supplier configured to develop a latent image by using the toner contained in the tank, a replenisher configured to contain the developing agent and to replenish the developing agent into the tank, and a controller configured to estimate an amount of the developing agent in the tank in according with the amount of the supplied developing agent and the amount of the replenished developing agent and to execute a forced discharge for forcibly discharging the developing agent contained in the tank from the discharge port based on the estimated amount of developing agent.
US08244157B2
An image-forming apparatus includes an image-bearing member configured to bear an image, a transfer belt to which the image on the image-bearing member is transferred and configured to transfer the image onto a sheet, a first drive unit configured to drive the image-bearing member to rotate, a second drive unit configured to drive the transfer belt to rotate via a speed reduction member interposed therebetween, a detection unit configured to detect a circumferential speed of the transfer belt, and a control unit configured to control the first drive unit in accordance with the circumferential speed of the transfer belt detected by the detection unit.
US08244155B2
A developer cartridge is provided with a cartridge main body with a supply port for supplying developer to an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus, a shutter member displaceable between an opening position for opening the supply port and a closing position for closing the supply port, an operation lever arranged to face the opening cover and adapted to displace the shutter member between the opening position and the closing position, and a biasing member for biasing the operation lever toward the closing posture. The operation lever is displaceable between an opening posture corresponding to the opening position and a closing posture corresponding to the closing position. The operation lever is displaced from the closing posture to the opening posture against a biasing force of the biasing member due to interference with a part of the opening cover when the opening cover is closed.
US08244141B2
An apparatus for generating a dispersion compensation signal includes a splitting module for splitting a data signal to be transmitted into N channels of data signals; N pre-processing modules for adjusting in frequency domain the phases and amplitudes of the N channels of data signals and outputting N channels of pre-warped electrical signals; an optical carrier generating module for generating N channels of coherent optical carriers; N electro-optic modulators for modulating the N channels of coherent optical carriers based on the N channels of pre-warped electrical signals and generating N channels of pre-warped optical signals; an optical coupling module for coupling the N channels of pre-warped optical signals into a dispersion compensation optical signal. By pre-processing the data signals, the present disclosure may allow the use of existing devices to generate a dispersion compensation signal so that the bandwidth requirement set by prior art on the electrical device is reduced.
US08244129B2
There are provided a polarized light passing device to pass therethrough specific polarized light, of output light of a polarization scrambler; and a detecting unit to detect a modulation component according to a frequency of a polarization control signal from the light which passes through the polarized light passing device.
US08244128B2
Triplexer formed by disposing upon a substrate a highly confined silicon waveguide including one or more polarization-diverse lattice filters that are monolithically integrated with photodetectors, such as PIN or APD.
US08244124B2
An eye safety mechanism for use with a bi-directional data cable having an electrical interface at least one (but potentially both) ends, despite the fact that the cable communicates over much of its length using a bi-directional optical channel. Upon power-up, the eye safety mechanism determines whether or not a loss of signal condition is present on an optical receive channel of the bi-directional data cable. If the loss of signal is present, the mechanism intermittently disables the optical transmit channel of the bi-directional data cable. On the other hand, if the loss of signal is not present, the mechanism enables the optical transmit channel of the bi-directional data cable without intermittently disabling transmission at least for most of the time until the next time a loss of signal is detected on the optical receive channel.
US08244116B2
The invention relates to a device for storing and distributing a high-purity pressurized liquefied gas at a rate which is higher than or equal to 1 kg/h, said device having: a container comprising a liquefied phase of said gas in its lower part, and a gaseous phase of said gas in its upper part, a system for bleeding the gaseous phase of said gas, and a heating system used to maintain a constant pressure of the gas at the moment of use. The invention is characterized in that the heating system involves the circulation of a hot fluid in a circuit built into the surface of the container.
US08244112B2
A video processing apparatus that can be connected to a video playback apparatus includes an input unit configured to input video data from the video playback apparatus, an interpolation unit configured to generate interpolated frame image data of input video data, and an output unit configured to output the interpolated frame image data as interpolated video data, wherein the interpolation unit generates different interpolated frame image data according to a playback mode of the video playback apparatus.
US08244108B2
An audio signal is compressively encoded into encoding-resultant audio data. A video signal is compressively encoded into encoding-resultant video data. An audio time stamp for audio-vide synchronous reproduction is added to every unit of the encoding-resultant audio data. A video time stamp for audio-video synchronous reproduction is added to every unit of the encoding-resultant video data. The time-stamp-added audio data and the time-stamp-added video data are multiplexed into main data. To a plurality of first after-recording-purpose data for at least one of (1) the encoding-resultant audio data and (2) the encoding-resultant video data which form the main data, time stamps for reproduction synchronous with a portion of the main data and identification information for identifying the plurality of first after-recording-purpose data are added to convert the first after-recording-purpose data into second after-recording-purpose data. The second after-recording-purpose data are made into bit streams without being multiplexed with the main data.
US08244081B2
In an optoelectronic assembly in which one or more beam paths are to be aligned with a corresponding number of active optical elements, the cooperation between flexible alignment features and fixed alignment features achieves elastic averaging so as to provide the target accuracy. By averaging dimensional and positional errors over a large number of localized couplings of the flexible and fixed alignment features, elastic averaging provides the same accuracy as the more costly and complex kinematic alignment techniques.
US08244078B2
A sensor probe for detecting an environmental state within a bodily lumen includes an elongated body having an optical guide with an outcoupling surface, which is part of an end surface of the elongated body, facing a reflective surface of an overhanging part. The sensor probe further includes a photodetector which detects a property of light which is composed of light in the optical guide that is reflected from the outcoupling surface of the optical guide and of light in the optical guide that is reflected from the overhanging part. The sensor probe also includes a hydrogel material having a property that changes when getting into contact with an environmental material and/or when detecting an environmental change. The hydrogel material is provided between the end surface of the elongated body and the overhanging part.
US08244077B1
This invention provides a versatile unit cell as well as programmable and reconfigurable optical signal processors (such as optical-domain RF filters) that are constructed from arrays of those unit cells interconnected by optical waveguides. Each unit cell comprises an optical microdisk, an optical phase shifter, and at least one input/output optical waveguide, wherein the microdisk and the phase shifter are both optically connected to a common waveguide.
US08244073B2
To detect the characteristic of the end portion of a line shape, in a line shape processing device (201), a coordinate storing unit (203) stores a first coordinate value of a point on a line in association with a second coordinate value, in regard to the shape of that line input by the user, a detecting unit (207) detects whether the shape of the end portion of the line input by the user is (a) a pennant shape where the vibration amplitude becomes narrow while vibrating, (b) a flag shape vibrating with a substantially constant vibration amplitude, or (c) a normal shape other than the shapes of (a) and (b) from the first coordinate value of the point in the stored line shape and the second coordinate value thereof based on the distribution of the extreme values of the second coordinate value.
US08244071B2
A non-dyadic spatial scalable wavelet transform may scale an original digital video frame or digital image at a non-dyadic ratio. The digital video frame or digital image is quantized to create a set of data representing the digital video frame or digital image. The set of data is then input to the non-dyadic spatial scalable wavelet transform. The non-dyadic spatial scalable wavelet transform may then transform the data associated with a first pixel to a high-pass coefficient and use the high-pass coefficient to transform the data associated with a second and third pixel to low-pass coefficients. The low-pass coefficients may then be converted to a digital image for viewing.
US08244070B2
Systems and methods are described that facilitate real-time personalization of an electronic image by overlaying a text string on a planar surface of an object in the electronic image. A linear or affine transform is executed on a selected text string to position the text string in a reference rectangle or text box. A non-linear or projective transform is applied to the rectangular text box to project the box into a user-defined quadrilateral on the planar surface in the image. A page description language (PDL) file is generated and includes the transformed quadrilateral text box overlaid on the electronic image. At print-time, a database (e.g., a spreadsheet or the like) containing multiple text strings is read, once for each text string, and multiple images are printed. Each printed image has one of the text strings overlaid thereon, on the planar surface defined by the quadrilateral.
US08244068B2
An electronic device, preferably in the form of a mobile phone, comprising a support structure and a camera carried by the support structure. An orientation detector is connected to the camera. The orientation detector is configured to identify images features in an image captured by the camera, such as the eyes and the mouth of the user, and to determine rotation orientation of the image relative to a reference orientation. A display carried by the support structure is configured to display a data representation, and further to display this data representation in an orientation dependent on the determined rotation orientation. This way a data presentation can e.g. be displayed in a portrait orientation or in a landscape orientation in dependence of which rotational orientation the device is currently held in when the data representation is viewed by a user of the electronic device.
US08244057B2
Removal of the effects of dust or other impurities on image data is described. In one example, a model of artifact formation from sensor dust is determined. From the model of artifact formation, contextual information in the image and a color consistency constraint may be applied on the dust to remove the dust artifacts. Artifacts may also be removed from multiple images from the same or different cameras or camera settings.
US08244056B2
An image contrast enhancement apparatus and method thereof are provided. The image contrast enhancement apparatus includes an image analysis module, a histogram separation unit, and a histogram adjustment unit. The image analysis module statistically analyzes pixels of an original image to produce a plurality of histogram bins and combines the histogram bins into a sub-histogram. The histogram separation unit separates each sub-histogram in every separation level into two sub-histograms in the next separation level, increases or decreases a base width of each sub-histogram such that the respective group density of two sub-histograms corresponding to the same separation point are substantially identical. The histogram adjustment unit re-distributes histogram bins of each sub-histogram or merges a portion of histogram bins of each sub-histogram in every separation level.
US08244054B2
Image ringing noise is reduced by calculating a line spread function value of each pixel's luminance in an input image, dividing the input image into a plurality of blocks, and calculating an average value and a maximum value of the line spread function values for all pixels in each block. Based on the average value and the maximum value of the line spread function values of each block, whether a block is an interfered flat block or a non-interfered block is determined and the pixels in the interfered flat block are set as noisy pixels. Whether each pixel in the non-interfered block is an edge pixel or a non-edge pixel is determined and the non-edge pixels in the non-interfered block are set as noisy pixels. The noisy pixels thus set are smoothed, and the smoothed pixels are combined with the edge pixels for output as an output image.
US08244050B2
Provided are methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding an image. The method of encoding the image includes calculating the number of times that encoding information of each of a plurality of sub-blocks included in a current block is exactly predicted, determining whether or not to predictably encode the encoding information of each sub-block, based on the calculated number of times, and predictably encoding the encoding information of each sub-block according to the determination. Using the method can prevent the case in which many bits are required to encode the encoding information due to inexact prediction about the encoding information, thereby decreasing the compression ratio of the image encoding process, and can compress the image with a higher efficiency.
US08244035B2
Each page image of image data including a plurality of pages is divided into a plurality of areas by block selection, and meta information associated with at least one of the coordinate position, size, and type of each of the plurality of areas is held. As a combining condition, at least a direction to retrieve areas to be combined is set, area combining processing for combining two or more areas which satisfy the combining condition of the plurality of areas of the image data into one area is executed, and information associated with the areas of the image data including the combined area is stored.
US08244032B2
An apparatus and method for preparing a stain to match a target color of a selected substrate (e.g., wood species). The apparatus and method may include a computer system and hardware or software to display to a user of such system an image array depicting a target image of a stained building material and a plurality of images of colored stains as applied to the same or other building materials.
US08244030B2
The invention relates to a method and a surveying system for noncontact coordinate measurement on the object surface of an object to be surveyed in an object coordinate system. With a 3D image recording unit, a first three-dimensional image of a first area section of the object surface is electronically recorded in a first position and first orientation, the first three-dimensional image being composed of a multiplicity of first pixels, with which in each case a piece of depth information is coordinated. The first position and first orientation of the 3D image recording unit in the object coordinate system are determined by a measuring apparatus coupled to the object coordinate system. First 3D object coordinates in the object coordinate system are coordinated with the first pixels from the knowledge of the first 3D image coordinates and of the first position and first orientation of the 3D image recording unit.
US08244028B2
Virtual cephalometric imaging includes creating a first 3D virtual model and a second 3D virtual model of a patient's dentition. The first 3D virtual model is based on a first impression taken of the patient's dentition at a first time. The second 3D virtual model is based on a second impression taken of the patient's dentition at a second time. The first and the second 3D virtual models are correlated. A 2D image is generated including a first outline representing a position of at least one tooth of the patient's dentition according to the first 3D virtual model and a second outline representing a position of the at least one tooth according to the second 3D virtual model. Generating the 2D image includes positioning the first outline relative to the second outline according to the correlation of the first and the second 3D virtual models.
US08244022B2
A method for measuring a property of a fiber, such as flexibility, collapsibility and moment of inertia. A fiber is wetted and deformed in its wet state, and an optical section image of the deformed fiber is taken. A measurement is made on the image and the desired property is calculated using the measurement.
US08244009B2
A CPU executes a gray value gradient calculation process to, for example, an R signal in step S10, executes an isotropic change feature value calculation process based on a gray value gradient calculated in step S11, and further executes a possible polyp detection process for generating a possible polyp image at a location where a polyp exists based on an isotropic change feature value calculated in step S12. This improves the detection of an existing location of an intraluminal abnormal tissue.
US08243987B2
A solution for monitoring an area uses color histograms and size information (e.g., heights and widths) for blob(s) identified in an image of the area and model(s) for existing object track(s) for the area. Correspondence(s) between the blob(s) and the object track(s) are determined using the color histograms and size information. Information on an object track is updated based on the type of correspondence(s). The solution can process merges, splits and occlusions of foreground objects as well as temporal and spatial fragmentations.
US08243962B2
An MEMS microphone includes a casing (10) and a microphone chip (30) disposed in the casing. The casing defines a sound entrance (11) therein. The microphone chip includes a back plate (31), an isolation layer (32) and a diaphragm (33). The isolation layer separates the back plate from the diaphragm so as to form an air interstice (35) therebetween. The back plate and the diaphragm electrically connect with two electrodes (34a, 34b), respectively. The back plate defines a plurality of holes (36) therethrough. The holes communicate the air interstice with a sealed acoustic chamber (38) between the casing and the microphone chip. The diaphragm is adhered to an inner side of the casing at a position over the sound entrance.
US08243960B2
An audio amplifier, that includes a planar inductor structure that includes a first plurality of windings, formed on layers of a first circuit board and a second plurality of windings, formed on layers of a second circuit board. The planar inductor structure may further include a sense winding.
US08243940B2
A medical diagnostic and communications apparatus with audio output comprises an electronic processor for processing stethoscope signals and secondary audio signals. An electronic stethoscope sensor is contained within a housing for transducing body sounds to electronic signals, and is operatively connected to the electronic processor. One or more secondary audio signal sources operatively connects to the electronic processor. A common audio output is connected to electronic processor to convert electronic stethoscope signals or secondary audio signals to acoustic output. These sounds may be produced separately or mixed.
US08243937B2
A method and device for transforming ambient audio are provided. Example embodiments may include monitoring ambient audio proximate to a sound processing device located in an environment. The device may sense environmental conditions associated with the environment. Memory may be accessed to obtain transformation audio. The device may generate output transformation audio based on the transformation audio, the ambient audio, and the environmental conditions to provide modified output audio for propagation into the environment
US08243932B2
Systems and methods are used to provide distributed processing on a service provider network that includes a plurality of remotely located consumer devices. Each of the remotely located consumer devices includes a processing device. A service is provided from the service provider network to the remotely located consumer devices. Distributed processing of a task on the processing devices of the remotely located consumer devices occurs, the distributed processing being unrelated to the service provided to the consumers. The distributed processing occurs even when the processing devices are in use by corresponding remotely located consumer devices.
US08243917B2
A method for indicating the charge status of a backup power supply of a communication device includes detecting the charge status of the backup power supply. If the charge status of the backup power supply is lower than or equal to a predetermined charge status, the communication device alerts via a telephone connected thereto. The communication device alerts a user by sounding one or more tones if the telephone is off-hook, and alerts user by sounding one or more rings if the telephone is on-hook.
US08243915B1
Method, system, and computer readable medium for detecting the collect phone number format to use based on the user current country and an original country associated with a number to be dialed. This information can be used to allow a user to keep phone numbers in his/her contact list in any common format on his/her country of origin and still allow numbers to be dialed correctly when the user is travelling anywhere in the world.
US08243911B1
Computer readable media and methods are provided for initiating a failover state in a network element. A failover is when the element's traffic is routed to a redundant element which takes over the functions of the element, and any session state information stored in the element is also transferred to the redundant element. If a failover occurs with an upstream element, a downstream element is not aware of the failover and does not transfer its session state information to its redundant element. By maintaining a database of historic usage information, the downstream element can determine that an upstream failover has occurred when the amount of data it is processing drops below a minimum usage threshold. The minimum usage threshold is based on the historical usage data and a relationship between a given time in the past and the current time.
US08243909B2
Methods and systems are disclosed for providing Programmable Caller ID Screening services. One method monitors a telephone call for a call screening request for commercial, residential, and other identifiers of incoming calls. An action is taken in response to the call screening request. The action could be playing an announcement, terminating the connection, forwarding to voice mail, storing the ICLID information in a database, adding the ICLID information to a Do Not Call list, updating a subscriber's profile with the ICLID information, and/or storing the ICLID information in a subscriber's blocked communications list. The call screening request may comprise a Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency, a softkey entry, and/or a data message. Subsequent incoming calls from the calling telephone number are characterized as undesirable and are screened from alerting or otherwise establishing a communications connection to the called telephone number.
US08243906B2
There is provided a group communication system allowing group communication to be performed by a simple operation as well as a group ID number issuing apparatus and a call control apparatus to be applied to such a group communication system. When a user takes a group organization procedure to the group communication system, a group representative telephone number representing the group is issued. After the group representative telephone number is issued, the group representative telephone number can be used in the same manner as for calling a subscriber to call a group member to perform group communication. The group communication can be performed by limiting to a lower level subgroup, a pair of the group representative telephone number and an identifier can be used instead of the subscriber's telephone number to determine the calling partner to make a call.
US08243902B2
A method includes receiving audio electronic business card data during a conference; comparing said audio electronic business card data with voices of conference speakers to confirm identities of said speakers; performing an acoustic triangulation to determine a position of speakers; correlating a position of said speakers with said identities; and displaying locations of said speakers.
US08243898B2
A cellular telephone system is provided with a process and apparatus for screening an incoming call. The process is carried out by, and the apparatus comprises, a service provider (20) and a mobile station (30). The mobile station (30) answers the incoming call and places the call on hold. The mobile station (30) connects to the service provider (20) and places the service provider (20) and the incoming caller on multi-party hold. The mobile station (30) then signals the service provider (20) to begin screening the call. In response, the service provider (20) prompts the incoming caller for the incoming caller's identification and then communicates this information to the mobile station (30). Based on this information, the mobile station (30) can elect to accept or reject the incoming call.
US08243894B2
A telecommunication and multimedia management apparatus and method that supports voice and other media communications and that enables users to: (i) participate in multiple conversation modes, including live phone calls, conference calls, instant voice messaging or tactical communications; (ii) review the messages of conversations in either a live mode or a time-shifted mode and to seamlessly transition back and forth between the two modes; (iii) participate in multiple conversations either concurrently or simultaneously; (iv) archive the messages of conversations for later review or processing; and (v) persistently store media either created or received on the communication devices of users. The latter feature enables users to generate or review media when either disconnected from the network or network conditions are poor and to optimize the delivery of media over the network based on network conditions and the intention of the users participating in conversations.
US08243888B2
A method and apparatus for managing call details using speech recognition are provided. To manage call details, incoming and outgoing voice signals during a call are converted into their written equivalent by speech recognition technology. The details of the call, including the conversation, are stored in text form so that a user can search for them when needed. Accordingly, the user can easily retrieve what was spoken during calls and systematically manage desired information by searching or sorting the call details.
US08243887B2
A method for providing identification for voice notifications sent to notification recipients is disclosed. The method includes receiving, from a user, a request for transmitting at least one voice notification to a plurality of notification recipients, and receiving at least one identifier related to the at least one voice notification. The method also includes associating the voice notification with the identifier, and transmitting the voice notification and the identifier. In certain instances, the method further includes transmitting an alert containing the identifier before the voice notification is transmitted. A system for providing identification for voice notifications sent to notification recipients is also provided.
US08243885B2
To provide an X-ray generator capable of preventing electric corrosion and exerting stable performance over long periods. The X-ray generator includes: a rotary anticathode having a rotary anticathode part and a shaft part; an anticathode accommodating case including an air-tight case part for keeping an area surrounding the rotary anticathode part in a vacuum atmosphere, and a journaling case part for rotatively supporting the shaft part via a bearing; and an electric motor to rotatably drive the anticathode (target). A water-cooled jacket, through which cooling water for cooling the rotary anticathode part and the shaft part flows, is provided in the rotary anticathode. In the X-ray generator, an insulating bearing of which at least one of an inner ring, an outer ring and a rolling element is made of an insulating material is used as the bearing, and a conductive fiber brush having a large number of conductive microfibers serving as slide-contacting brush is arranged between opposing peripheral surfaces of the journaling case part of the anticathode accommodating case and the shaft part of the rotary anticathode, such that current is flown from the rotary anticathode to the anticathode accommodating case via the conductive fiber brush. In addition, pure water or ion-exchange water having low electric conductivity is used as cooling water flown through the water-cooled jacket.
US08243883B2
In one embodiment, a method for coordinating operation of X-ray detectors in a wireless X-ray system includes detecting multiple wireless X-ray detectors within an operative range of an X-ray base station, the detected X-ray detectors each having one of multiple possible statuses, including an active status corresponding to a designation of the X-ray detector as a desired recipient of radiation during a current X-ray imaging sequence, an inactive status corresponding to a designation of the X-ray detector as not the desired recipient of radiation during a current X-ray imaging sequence, and an unenabled status corresponding to the X-ray detector not being configured to operate with the X-ray base station. The method also includes determining the current status of each detected X-ray detector and displaying on a user-viewable screen a visual indication of the status of each detected X-ray detector.
US08243879B2
A source grating for X-rays and the like which can enhance spatial coherence and is used for X-ray phase contrast imaging is provided. The source grating for X-rays is disposed between an X-ray source and a test object and is used for X-ray phase contrast imaging. The source grating for X-rays includes a plurality of sub-gratings formed by periodically arranging projection parts each having a thickness shielding an X-ray at constant intervals. The plurality of sub-gratings are stacked in layers by being shifted.
US08243874B2
A computed tomography system includes a radiation sensitive detector element (100) which provides outputs (DL, DH) indicative of the radiation detected in at least first and second energies or energy ranges. Energy resolving photon counters (26) further classify the detector signals according to their respective energies. Correctors (24) correct the classified signals, and a combiner (30) combines the signals according to a combination function to generate outputs (EL, EH) indicative of radiation detected in at least first and second energies or energy ranges.
US08243872B2
A spacer grid can be applied to close-spaced nuclear fuel rods. The spacer grid is directed to solve the problem in which, as the outer diameter of each nuclear fuel rod increases due to the use of dual-cooled nuclear fuel rods for improving cooling performance and obtaining high combustion and high output power, the gap between the neighboring nuclear fuel rods is narrowed to thus make it impossible to use an existing spacer grid. The spacer grid is a combination of unit grid straps, each of which has supports for supporting each of the nuclear fuel rods set in a narrow array and has a sheet shape, which are combined with each other. The supports are located at positions shifted from the longitudinal central line of each unit grid strap toward sub-channels.
US08243868B2
In serial communications, jitter is an unwanted variation of one or more signal characteristics. Two-dimensional modulation circuits and methods incorporate an amplitude pre-emphasis scheme as well as a transmit duty cycle pre-distortion (pre-DCD) technique to reduce jitter. The pre-DCD technique directly addresses transition edges of the data signal and is combined with amplitude pre-emphasis to improved data transmission.
US08243849B2
A digital television (DTV) transmitter and a method of processing data in the DTV transmitter are disclosed. A pre-processor pre-processes the enhanced data by coding the enhanced data for forward error correction (FEC) and expanding the FEC-coded enhanced data. A data formatter generates enhanced data packets including the pre-processed enhanced data and for inserting known data to at least one of the enhanced data packets. A first multiplexer multiplexes the enhanced data packets with main data packets including the main data. An RS encoder RS-codes the multiplexed main and enhanced data packets, the RS encoder adding systematic parity data to each main data packet and adding RS parity place holders to each enhanced data packet. And, a data interleaver interleaves the RS-coded main and enhanced data packets, wherein a known data sequence is included in every Nth enhanced data segment outputted from the data interleaver.
US08243839B2
A base station performs communication of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) scheme with a mobile station by using any one of equal to or greater than two frequency bands. The base station includes means that transmits a synchronization channel and a control channel using a band that includes a center frequency fA on a raster of a first band (20 MHz) and that has a bandwidth equal to or greater than that of a second band (5 MHz of the end). The control channel includes center frequency information for specifying a center frequency fA′ of the second band. Since the mobile station moves to a desired band after obtaining center frequency information using a band including the center frequency on a raster, the mobile station can connect to the desired band without searching frequencies that are not on the raster.
US08243827B2
In one embodiment, the method includes obtaining a block type of the second block, and determining whether the second block has non-zero transform coefficient information if the obtained block type of the second block is not an intra-coded block. The method further includes determining a non-zero filter strength value based on the obtained coded block pattern the second block and the determination of whether the second block has non-zero transform coefficient information, and removing the blocking phenomenon in the first block according to the filter strength value.
US08243809B2
In an image information encoder (10) supplied with an interlaced image in a 4:2:0 format, a color-difference signal phase correction unit (22) shifts, for motion estimation and compensation, the phase of the color-difference signal in a reference image block adaptively to a selected motion estimate mode and the value mv of vertical component in motion vector information so that the reference image block will coincide in phase of the color-difference signal with an input image block.
US08243805B2
Systems and methods for video completion by motion field transfer are described. In one aspect, a spatio-temporal target patch of an input video data sequence is filled in or replaced by motion field transfer from a spatio-temporal source patch of the input video data sequence. Color is propagated to corresponding portions of the spatio-temporal target patch by treating the transferred motion information as directed edges. These motion field transfer and color propagation operations result in a video completed spatio-temporal target patch. The systems and methods present the video data sequence, which now includes the video completed spatio-temporal target patch, to user for viewing.
US08243804B2
A method for implementing motion estimation comprising the steps of (A) performing a motion estimation search on one or more blocks of sub-sampled images to generate a first plurality of motion vector scores, (B) applying a first adjustable bias to any one or more of said first plurality of motion vector scores with a lowest sum of absolute differences score, (C) selecting a motion vector with a lowest adjusted score in response to applying the first adjustable bias, (D) performing a motion estimation search on one or more blocks of non-sub-sampled images to generate a second plurality of motion vector scores with the selected motion vector with the lowest adjusted score, (E) applying a second adjustable bias to any one or more of the second plurality of motion vector scores with the lowest sum of absolute differences score and (F) selecting a final motion vector for each target block position.
US08243800B2
In one embodiment, four horizontal successive pixels are first filtered based on a determined horizontal filtering coefficient. Two pixels of the four horizontal successive pixels are in a first block and two pixels of the four horizontal successive pixels are in a second block. Then four vertical successive pixels are filtered based on a determined vertical filtering coefficient. Two pixels of the four vertical successive pixels are in the first block and two pixels of the four vertical successive pixels are in a third block.
US08243796B2
An image data compression device comprises a quantizing section for quantizing image data with a quantization step changing in accordance with a quantization parameter, a FIFO buffer section for buffering the quantized data corresponding to a plurality of frames, an encoded data generating section for generating encoded data obtained by encoding the quantized data retrieved from the FIFO buffer section asynchronously with writing thereto, and a rate control section for controlling a data size of the encoded data by changing the quantization step. The rate control section finds a predicted data size of the encoded data of the precedent frame from the size of the quantized data of the precedent frame, and sets or releases an upper limit threshold of the quantization parameter based on the number of assignable bits assignable to a compressing process or the number of remaining frames. When setting the upper limit threshold of the quantization parameter, the quantization parameter is found so as to be equal to or less than the upper limit threshold of the quantization parameter using the predicted data size.
US08243788B2
A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.
US08243783B2
An integrated receiver supports adaptive receive equalization. An incoming bit stream is sampled using edge and data clock signals derived from a reference clock signal. A phase detector determines whether the edge and data clock signals are in phase with the incoming data, while some clock recovery circuitry adjusts the edge and data clock signals as required to match their phases to the incoming data. The receiver employs the edge and data samples used to recover the edge and data clock signals to note the locations of zero crossings for one or more selected data patterns. The pattern or patterns may be selected from among those apt to produce the greatest timing error. Equalization settings may then be adjusted to align the zero crossings of the selected data patterns with the recovered edge clock signal.
US08243779B2
In a wireless communications system which hops from frequency to frequency, rather than hopping according to a fixed dwell interval and a pre-determined pseudo-random hop sequence, a quality-based frequency hopping methodology is defined in which a new frequency is hopped to when the channel quality on the current frequency degrades based on the measured value or values of one or more predetermined metrics that are associated with channel quality. When triggered to hop to a next frequency, the hop-to-frequency may be the next frequency in the pseudo-random hop sequence known to both the transmitter and receiver or, in order to improve the reliability of communications, may be determined based on channel quality measurements on different potential hop-to-frequencies.
US08243772B2
An adjustable code generator is configurable to generate any of a plurality of spread-spectrum code signals. The adjustable code generator includes a feedback polynomial mask table to contain a set of feedback polynomial masks. Respective feedback polynomial masks of the set correspond to respective spread-spectrum code signals of the plurality of spread-spectrum code signals. The adjustable code generator also includes control logic to select any of the feedback polynomial masks of the set contained in the feedback polynomial mask table, and further includes a shift register to provide, at an output, a respective spread-spectrum code signal that corresponds to a feedback polynomial mask selected by the control logic and to receive feedback generated using the feedback polynomial mask selected by the control logic.
US08243769B2
A semiconductor light emitting device downsized by devising arrangement of connection pads is provided. A second light emitting device is layered on a first light emitting device. The second light emitting device has a stripe-shaped semiconductor layer formed on a second substrate on the side facing to a first substrate, a stripe-shaped p-side electrode supplying a current to the semiconductor layer, stripe-shaped opposed electrodes that are respectively arranged oppositely to respective p-side electrodes of the first light emitting device and electrically connected to the p-side electrodes of the first light emitting device, connection pads respectively and electrically connected to the respective opposed electrodes, and a connection pad electrically connected to the p-side electrode. The connection pads are arranged in parallel with the opposed electrodes.
US08243767B2
A Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL) device includes a substrate, a first semiconductor multi-layer film of a first conductive type formed on the substrate, an active layer, a second semiconductor multi-layer film of a second conductive type, an electrode pad electrically coupled to the second semiconductor multi-layer film, and a post structure formed on the substrate, the post structure comprising a light emitter, the post structure being continuously surrounded by a first groove, and a second groove being continuously formed outside of the first groove with respect to the post structure.
US08243738B2
Described herein is a method of controlling call admission for packet switched networks, each network including at least two local area networks (50, 60) and a connecting network (70). The method comprises transmitting a burst 5 of trial data of the same size as the packet to be transmitted from a first node (52, 54) in a first local area network (50) to a second node (62, 64) in a second local area network (60) via the connecting network (70). The connecting network (70) comprises a plurality of routing nodes (72, 74, 76, 78, 80) for muting the burst of trial data of the same size as the packet to be transmitted from a first node (52, 54) in a first local area network (50) to second node (62, 64) in a second local area network (60) via the connecting network (70). The connecting network (70) comprises a plurality of routing nodes (72, 74, 76, 78, 80) for routing the burst of trial data to the second node in the second local area network along a particular path. The burst of trial data is reflected by the second node in the second local area network (60) back through the connecting network (70) to the first node in the first local area network (50). A comparison is carried out between the transmitted burst of trial data and the reflected burst of trial data to determine an estimate of packet loss rate of the path, and if the packet loss rate is acceptable a transmission of a continuous stream of data is initiated.
US08243728B2
An apparatus includes means for transmitting a packet, through one of a plurality of pseudo wires, from a PW ingress node thereof to a PW egress node thereof. Each of the plurality of pseudo wires is a communication path for transmitting a packet between a pair of end nodes included in three or more nodes communicably connected via a tunnel in a packet switched network. The PW ingress node is one of the pair of end nodes from which the packet comes into the one of the plurality of pseudo wires, and the PW egress node is the other one of the pair of end nodes from which the packet goes out thereof. The apparatus further includes means for extracting a packet transmitted through the one of the plurality of pseudo wires from among packets being transmitted through the tunnel.
US08243720B2
Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise a method of use comprising: for a call between a local IP network and a remote non-IP network, converting between IP packets and PCM robbed bit signaling via a VoIP channelized router; providing the PCM robbed bit signaling to a TDM switch via the VoIP channelized router; and/or converting between IP packets and GR303 call reference values via the VoIP channelized router.
US08243719B1
A calendar may be provided to a user via a computing device and may provide a schedule of availability of one or more advisors for a call with the user. The user may schedule a call with a particular advisor or an advisor having expertise in a particular subject area, such as life insurance, annuities, savings accounts, credit cards, financial and retirement planning, etc. When the user requests a call with an advisor in a particular subject area, the calendar may show a composite of availabilities of the various advisors having expertise in a particular subject area or are associated with a particular subject area group. The user may schedule a call, modify or cancel an existing scheduled call, and provide information pertaining to a call request or scheduled call, for example, via the user computing device.
US08243711B2
A method for generating and registering an identification in a wireless sensor network. The method includes generating an identification of a first layer node; transmitting the identification of the first layer node to a second layer node; detecting whether the identification of the first layer node is duplicated, using the second layer node; if the identification of the first layer node is not duplicated, transmitting a determination message from the second layer node to the first layer node; and determining the identification of the first layer node as a determined identification. The method further includes: if the second layer node does not have a determined identification, re-transmitting the identification of the first layer node after a predetermined period of time has lapsed. Therefore, an automatically identification allocating method using a hierarchical structure can be adopted to enable a distributed management.
US08243705B2
A system for transmitting data directly between a plurality of client network devices in a network having an Access Point (“AP”) device separate from the plurality of client network devices is disclosed. The system may include a first client network device having a first client (“STA”) module and a second client network device of the plurality of client network devices.
US08243702B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wireless communication system which can allow a wireless LAN terminal device (1000) to establish a connection to a wireless LAN through a simplified procedure. In the wireless communication system, a wireless LAN access point (1100) performs wireless communication with a wireless LAN terminal device (1000) having personal identification information (1005) necessary to identify a person as a registered user. The wireless LAN access point (1100) includes: a wireless interface (1101) operable to receive the personal identification information (1005) outputted from the wireless LAN terminal device (1000), and a connection permitting unit (1102) operable to have an input and output unit (1103) output the personal identification information (1005) received by the wireless interface (1101), wherein the connection permitting unit (1102) receives information on whether or not the connection is permitted by a network manager (1901), and allows the wireless LAN terminal device (1000) to establish the connection when the connection is permitted by the network manager (1901).
US08243697B2
A method and apparatus of generating a data block for a plurality of uplink frequencies is provided. The apparatus determines a size of a data field of the data block so that each data block matches a minimum of a first amount of data and second amount of data. The first amount of data is allowed to be transmitted by a first grant on a first uplink frequency and the second amount of data is allowed to be transmitted by a second grant on a second uplink frequency. The apparatus generates at least one data block so that the amount of data in the generated data blocks is less than multiple times the minimum of the first amount of data and the second amount of data.
US08243693B2
A base station that communicates with subscriber stations in an OFDM wireless network. The base station transmits broadcast data and unicast data to the subscriber stations from a plurality of antennas using multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) techniques. The base station transmits a first broadcast pilot signal from a first antenna orthogonally to at least one of: i) a first unicast pilot signal transmitted from the first antenna; ii) a second unicast pilot signal transmitted from a second antenna; iii) a second broadcast pilot signal transmitted from the second antenna; and iv) superimposed broadcast data traffic and unicast data traffic transmitted from the first and second antennas. The base station uses orthogonal subcarriers or orthogonal time slots.
US08243689B2
Disclosed herein is a handover method and apparatus for providing mobile Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service over wireless communication networks. The handover method includes checking whether the strength of a signal received from a first base station of a serving first wireless network falls within a predetermined first threshold range; if the strength of the signal falls within the range, checking whether the strength of a signal received from at least one base station of a second wireless network is higher than a second threshold value required for handover; estimating the velocity and direction of a Mobile Node (MN) using location information received from a satellite; predicting a handover target base station using the estimated velocity and estimated location information; and, if the predicted target base station is one of base stations having the second threshold value, performing handover to the target base station.
US08243688B1
The features and settings of wireless devices, such as cellular and cordless telephones, can be configured through the use of a user friendly web page, website, e-mail menu or the like. After a user has identified a wireless device or devices to configure, she then selects the features and settings she desires. The selected settings are then transmitted to the identified wireless device or devices. In this manner, wireless devices can be remotely configured and there is no need to repeat identical steps to configure multiple devices with the same configuration.
US08243687B2
Systems and methods are described for secure and seamless roaming between internal and external networks. Double and triple tunnels may be used to connect a mobile node to a correspondent host. A mobile node may include the ability to connect to two networks simultaneously to enable seamless roaming between networks.
US08243674B2
A mobile terminal can release a point-to-multipoint radio bearer (RB) in an explicit manner or an implicit manner, whereby an explicit RB release mechanism allows the network to explicitly instruct the mobile terminal to release the RB, while an implicit RB release mechanism allows the mobile terminal itself to release the RB without receiving any explicit instructions from the network.
US08243671B2
Disclosed, in example embodiment herein, is an apparatus comprising an interface and channel selection logic coupled to the interface. The channel selection logic is operable to receive data representative of neighboring wireless devices to a wireless device occupying a channel for a plurality of channels via the interface. The channel selection logic is responsive to receiving the data representative of neighboring wireless devices occupying the plurality of channels to generate a graph for each of the plurality of channels, wherein vertices of the graph represent the wireless device and neighboring wireless devices occupying the channel and edges of the graph represent wireless devices with overlapping coverage areas. The channel selection logic selects the channel for the wireless device whose graph has the smallest radius.
US08243656B1
What is disclosed is a wireless access system. The wireless access system includes a wireless access control system configured to maintain an available pool of Media Access Control Identifiers (MAC IDs) for subsequent use by a base station, remove a portion of the MAC IDs from the available pool, and use the portion of the MAC IDs for wireless communications between a wireless transceiver of the base station and a plurality of user devices. The wireless access control system is configured to determine that the available pool of the MAC IDs is insufficient, and in response, select a set of the user devices based on at least wireless signal strength. The wireless transceiver of the base station is configured to instruct the selected set of the user devices to not use the base station for the wireless communication, and in response, the wireless access control system is configured to return ones of the MAC IDs used by the selected set of the user devices to the available pool.
US08243650B2
An access point device of a wireless LAN connecting a client device to a wired LAN: monitors a connection between the access point device and the wired LAN; transmits a portal request, to an adjacent access point device, indicating a request for serving as a proxy connection node accessing the wired LAN and implements a process as a relay node between the adjacent access point device and the client device, if the connection between the access point device and the wired LAN is not normal; and implements a process as a proxy connection node indicated by a portal request sent from the adjacent access point device, if the connection between the access point device and the wired LAN is normal where the access point device receives the portal request from the adjacent access point device.
US08243648B2
In various embodiments of the invention, a relay station in a wireless communications network may communicate with one or more subscriber stations at the same time and/or on the same frequency that the associated base station is communicating with another relay station in the same network. This contrasts with the conventional technique of devoting one time period or frequency exclusively to communications between the base station and the relay stations, and devoting another time period or frequency exclusively to communications between the relay stations and the subscriber stations.
US08243638B2
Passive listening in wireless communication. An activity sensor device senses a packet. A medium access control (MAC) address parser receives the packet, processes a header of the packet, and activates a MAC device in response to recognizing a MAC address within the header, such that the MAC device is not activated if the MAC address parser does not recognize the MAC address.
US08243629B2
Devices that are enabled to communicate with each other via an ad hoc conference mode and an infrastructure supported conference mode, are provided with processing capabilities that can allow them to evaluate one or more resources required to support an ad hoc conference communication session and/or one or more quality metrics associated with the ad hoc conference communication session, and determine whether one or more resources or metrics are outside optimal operating parameters. If so, the processing logic can initiate a transition from the ad hoc conference communication session to an infrastructure supported conference communication session hosted at a conference server. This way, the devices can drop the ad hoc conference communication session when one or more of the resources or metrics are outside optimal operating parameters, so that one of the devices does not need to mix communication information streams (CISs) from the devices, generate a plurality of conferenced communication information streams (CCISs), and transmit a unique one of the conferenced communication information streams (CCISs) to the other devices.
US08243618B2
A method, system and/or computer program steer internet protocol (IP) packet fragments that are components of a series of IP packet fragments. A switch receives an IP packet fragment. In response to determining that the fragment is not a lead packet fragment in a series of IP packet fragments that make up an original IP packet, the IP packet fragment is pushed onto a data stack. The switch then receives an IP packet fragment which is determined to be the lead packet fragment in a series of IP packet fragments. The IP 5-tuple from the lead packet fragment is parsed to steer all fragments in the series to a destination port.
US08243615B2
A communication system that comprises a base station and a substation connected to the base station. The base station maintains a set of identifiers, each identifier of the set being at least temporarily allocatable to a user equipment for identifying the user equipment when it resides in a cell of the base station. From the set of identifiers of the base station at least one subset of identifiers is extracted, and assigned to the substation. The substation may then respond to a connection establishment request of user equipment by providing it with an identifier from the subset of identifiers assigned to it. The substation also transmits to the base station information on the connection establishment request and on the identifier provided to the user equipment.
US08243608B2
A network element disposed at an edge of a connectivity fault management (CFM) domain includes a switch fabric, a central processor (CP) card, and a line card in communication with the CP card through the switch fabric. The line card includes an Ethernet interface for transmitting and receiving Ethernet CFM frames over a network and circuitry configured to generate new continuity check messages (CCMs) periodically, to process CCMs received on each connection supported by the line card, and to detect a loss of continuity for any of the connections supported by the line card. The line card maintains a list of supported connections. A generate timer and an age counter are associated with each connection in the list. The line card generates a CCM for a given connection when the generate timer expires and detects a loss of continuity for the given connection when its age counter exceeds a threshold.
US08243605B2
In a reception verifying mode, a data transmitting section (106S) transmits prescribed data through a transmission interface (101S), and a controller (102) exchanges prescribed information and verifies an operation status of a device (21) to be verified through the transmission interface. In a transmission verifying mode, a data receiving section (106R) receives prescribed data through a reception interface (101R), and the controller exchanges prescribed information and verifies an operation status of a device to be verified through a reception interface. In a transmission/reception verifying mode, the data transmitting section transmits prescribed data through the transmission interface, and the controller exchanges prescribed information and verifies receiving operation of a device to be verified through the transmission interface. Moreover, the data receiving section receives prescribed data through the reception interface, and the controller exchanges prescribed information and verifies transmitting operation of the device to be verified through the reception interface.
US08243603B2
A system and method for improving a current wireless communication route, between a source node and a destination node in an on-demand wireless communication network, enables the current communication route to be improved even when the current route has not failed. The method includes analyzing at a local node a packet transmission from the source node, the packet transmission comprising a current route metric (step 705). The local node then determines that it can provide an improved wireless communication route, between the source node and the destination node, having a better route metric than the current route metric (step 710). A route improvement message is then transmitted from the local node to the source node (step 740).
US08243600B2
A method for allocating resources in a wireless network includes establishing one or more links. The method also includes the following iterative steps: allocating a first number of slots to the relay links; dividing the first number of slots among the relay links; determining a representative relay data rate indicative of a data rate provided by one of the relay links for one of the multi-hop access links; allocating the second number of slots to the multi-hop access links; dividing the second number of slots among the multi-hop access links; determining the effective multi-hop data rate based on the minimum of the representative relay link data rate and the multi-hop data rate; allocating the third number of slots to the single-hop access links; dividing the third number of slots among the single-hop access links; and upon the single-hop data rate being approximately equal to the effective multi-hop data rate, provisioning the first, second and third number of slots.
US08243590B2
Certain aspects of the invention for seamless port bypass controller operations for storage systems, for example, and may comprise a first port of a port bypass controller that receives an input signal and at least one of a plurality of selectors that selects at least a second port coupled in a chain to the first port. At least one of the selectors may switch at least a portion of the received input signal from the first port to at least the second port without initializing or reconfiguring the second port. A repeater may repeat at least a portion of the received input signal to the second port without initializing or reconfiguring the second port. A retimer may generate a retimed signal corresponding to at least a portion of the received input signal to the second port without initializing or reconfiguring the second port.
US08243589B1
Systems and methods for data center availability comprising a first data center having a first address associated therewith and a second data center operable to assume the first address upon the first data center becoming unavailable. The present disclosure in particular provides these systems and methods for an autonomous intranet, wherein the autonomous intranet may include two or more data centers, each provided with a load balancer for advertising a common single-host Internet Protocol address upstream for the respective data centers under certain conditions.
US08243586B2
A second link in a network is reconfigured after failure of a first link, so that multiple-link failures may be survived. After receipt of an OSPF link state advertisement (LSA) indicating use of a backup path bl after the failure of link l, new backup paths are determined for each impacted link (x,y) that has a backup path sharing one or more links with the backup path bl. The new backup paths are computed while ignoring the failed link l, the impacted link (x,y), and links common to the backup paths b(x,y) and bl. The LSA protocol is modified to accommodate information used in determining whether a link is an impacted link.
US08243585B2
A capability is provided for supporting fault-resilient multicast using multiple sources. A method for supporting fault-resilient propagation of multicast traffic using Redundant Multicast Trees (RMTs) includes identifying each potential Shared Risk Link Group (SRLG) conflict associated with a pair of RMTs providing node-disjoint paths to a plurality of destination nodes, identifying each potential SRLG conflict that is an actual SRLG conflict, and, for each actual SRLG conflict, determining a detour path for protecting the links of the actual SRLG conflict. The pair of RMTs includes a first RMT from a first multicast source node to each of the destination nodes and a second RMT from a second multicast source node to each of the destination nodes. Each potential SRLG conflict includes a plurality of links. A potential SRLG conflict is determined to be an actual SRLG conflict if first and second paths for one of the destination nodes over the respective first and second RMTs each traverse at least one link of the potential SRLG conflict.
US08243583B2
A method of managing a signal over a symbol period includes supplying samples of the signal at beginning and end portions of the symbol period. The method further includes suppressing the supply of samples of the signal at a middle portion of the symbol period.
US08243580B2
Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system may provide a dynamically calculated cyclic extension, the length of which may be based at least in part on a delay spread due to an experienced environmental condition. The length of the cyclic extension may be calculated by determining a channel impulse response, and then computing the energy distribution of the channel impulse response. The length of the cyclic extension may then be set according to the energy distribution of the channel impulse response.
US08243578B2
An access node of a communication system comprises a plurality of transmitters adapted for communication with at least one receiver. The access node is operative to simultaneously estimate channel coefficients between multiple ones of the transmitters and the receiver, and to utilize the estimated channel coefficients to control at least one data signal sent by at least one of the multiple transmitters to the receiver. In the process of simultaneously estimating the channel coefficients, the access node transmits a plurality of distinct probing signals generated based on respective ones of a plurality of different frequency expansions. For example, each of the distinct probing signals may be generated based on a distinct combination of a common probing sequence and a selected one of the plurality of different frequency expansions.
US08243569B1
A system and method for adjusting the radial tilt, tangential tilt, or a combination of radial and tangential tilt of an optical detection unit in an optical disc reading system can include applying different weighting factors to different signal components depending on which detection area detects the component, measuring a value of a signal characteristic, such as signal-to-noise ratio, of two signals with different sets of weighting factors, and determining an adjustment factor to the radial tilt as a function of the of the measured signal characteristic values.
US08243565B2
An optical disk device for recording or reproducing an optical disk has: an objective lens for irradiating a laser beam to the optical disk; an actuator for moving the objective lens in the radial direction of the optical disk; and a spindle motor for rotating the optical disk. After the laser beam irradiated to the optical disk passed through a PID portion of the optical disk, the actuator moves the objective lens in the radial direction of the optical disk at a timing corresponding to a rotational speed. Between signals to drive the actuator, an output time of a deceleration signal is set to a predetermined ratio of a time during which an acceleration signal is outputted. While the deceleration signal is outputted, a light spot passes through the PID portion.
US08243563B2
An information handling system includes an optical disc drive. The optical disc drive is connected to an auxiliary power source so that a drive tray of the optical disc drive can be opened or closed, or a disc inserted or ejected from the optical disc drive when the information handling system is in a low-power mode. In response to these actions in the low-power mode, information is stored to record that the drive tray has been opened or closed. Accordingly, when the information handling system returns to a normal mode, it can take appropriate action, such as dismounting a logical volume associated with a disc that was previously in the drive. Because the optical disc drive can be physically accessed in the low-power mode, the information handling system does not have to enter the normal power mode in order for discs to be retrieved or inserted.
US08243561B2
In a head for thermal assisted magnetic recording device, a semiconductor laser is mounted so that the total height of the head does not become larger and light power fluctuation due to wavelength fluctuation occurs less frequently. In addition, the rise in temperature of the mounted semiconductor laser is suppressed. A semiconductor laser is placed on a side surface which is different from surfaces on an inflow end side and a trailing side, of four side surfaces of a floating slider. An entrance of a waveguide is placed on the side surface of the floating slider, to thereby cause emitted light from the semiconductor laser to directly enter the waveguide. A curved line part or a reflective mirror is formed in the middle of the waveguide so that the light which has entered the waveguide travels toward an optical near-field generating element.
US08243554B2
An analog type electronic timepiece including a plurality of hands for displaying a time; a driving unit for electrically driving the hands; a receiver for receiving and demodulating a radio wave containing a time code signal; and a second synchronization determination unit for determining a second synchronous point of the time code signal demodulated by the receiver through identifying a driving noise mixed in the time code signal by action of the driving unit.
US08243550B2
A system and method is provided for communicating with a device disposed in a wellbore. Signals are sent through the Earth via signal pulses. The pulses are created by a seismic vibrator and processed by a receiver disposed in the wellbore. The receiver is in communication with the device and transfers data, such as command and control signal, to the device.
US08243548B2
A system and method of processing seismic data obtained using a surface-based receiver configured to measure vertical movement of the Earth includes retrieving seismic data from a storage device, the seismic data comprising P-P data and shear mode data. The P-P data and shear mode data were both received at a surface-based receiver configured to measure vertical movement of the Earth to generate the seismic data. The system and method further include processing the seismic data to extract the shear mode data and generating a shear mode image based on the extracted shear mode data.
US08243543B2
Semiconductor memory device for high-speed data input/output includes a first serializer configured to partially serialize input 8-bit parallel data to output first to fourth serial data, a second serializer configured to partially serialize the first to fourth serial data to output fifth and sixth serial data and a third serializer configured to serialize the fifth and sixth serial data to output seventh serial data.
US08243542B2
A resistance-variable memory device includes memory cells, a high voltage circuit, a precharging circuit, a bias circuit, and a sense amplifier. Each memory cell may, for example, include a resistance-variable material and a diode connected to a bitline. The high voltage circuit provides a high voltage from a power source. The precharging circuit raises the bitline up to the high voltage after charging the bitline up to the power source voltage. The bias circuit supplies a read current to the bitline using the high voltage. The sense amplifier compares a voltage of the bitline with a reference voltage by means of the high voltage.
US08243541B2
Methods and apparatuses are presented for improving reduced power operations in embedded memory arrays. Some embodiments may include a microprocessor, the microprocessor including at least one execution unit, a memory coupled to the execution unit, the memory including, a memory cell comprising a memory cell bus, a power circuit selectively coupling the memory cell bus to a first power plane and a second power plane, where the memory cell bus is coupled to the second power plane when the power circuit is substantially off, and a bit line pre-charge circuit coupled to the power circuit, where the power circuit selectively couples the first power plane to the pre-charge circuit for a predetermined period of time.
US08243533B2
A semiconductor memory device allows a read command to be inputted thereto after a passage of a relatively short time period from a point in time where a write command has been inputted thereto. A method of operating the semiconductor memory device includes inputting a write command, inputting a read command in a preset period of time after the write command has been inputted, loading read data of a memory cell onto a data bus in response to the read command; and loading write data from outside of the semiconductor memory device onto the data bus in response to the write command.
US08243529B2
Memory devices and methods are described that include communication circuitry between page buffers in a memory array. Examples include communication circuitry that provide status information of page buffers that are directly adjacent to a given page buffer. The exchanged information can be used to adjust a given page buffer to compensate for effects in directly adjacent data lines that are being operated at the same time.
US08243526B2
A non-volatile microelectronic memory device that includes a depletion mode circuit protection device that prevents high voltages, which are applied to bitlines during an erase operation, from being applied to and damaging low voltage circuits which are electrically coupled to the bitlines.
US08243525B1
A non-volatile semiconductor memory is disclosed comprising a first memory device including a plurality of memory segments, and control circuitry operable to determine whether a memory segment in the first memory device needs refreshing, and when the memory segment needs refreshing, read data from the memory segment into a data register without rewriting the data.
US08243520B2
A method of operating an integrated circuit includes applying at least one first programming pulse to a plurality of non-volatile memory cells to adjust a level of a storage parameter of each of the non-volatile memory cells, the at least one first programming pulse defined by a plurality of pulse parameters each having a fixed valued, and determining a fail count by measuring the number of non-volatile memory cells of the plurality of non-volatile memory cells having a storage parameter level exceeding a verify level. The method further includes determining a change in an programming behavior of the plurality of non-volatile memory cells based on the fail count, adjusting a value of at least one pulse parameter of at least one second programming pulse defined by the plurality of pulse parameters to a desired value based on the change in programming behavior, and applying the at least one second programming pulse to the plurality non-volatile memory cells.
US08243519B2
A method of performing a writing operation of a nonvolatile memory device is provided. The method includes performing a first band program using trim information from a first band register of multiple band registers, which include at least a default band register; and performing a second band program using trim information from a second band register or trim information from the default band register after performing the first band program. The second band register is selected while the first band program is being performed.
US08243511B2
A nominal reference read operation compares analog voltages of the memory cells to at least one nominal reference voltage. A shifted reference read operation compares the analog voltages of the memory cells to at least one shifted reference voltage that is shifted from the nominal reference voltage to compensate for an expected change in the analog voltages of the memory cells. Data stored in the memory cells is decoded by a first decoding process that uses the information from either the nominal reference read operation or the shifted reference read operation. The data stored in the memory cells is decoded by a second decoding process that uses the information from both the nominal reference read operation and the shifted reference read operation.
US08243499B2
Semiconductor memory is provided wherein a memory cell includes a capacitorless transistor having a floating body configured to store data as charge therein when power is applied to the cell. The cell further includes a nonvolatile memory comprising a resistance change element configured to store data stored in the floating body under any one of a plurality of predetermined conditions. A method of operating semiconductor memory to function as volatile memory, while having the ability to retain stored data when power is discontinued to the semiconductor memory is described.
US08243497B1
A Phase Change Memory device with reduced programming disturbance and its operation are described. The Phase Change Memory includes an array with word lines and bit lines and voltage controlling elements coupled to bit lines adjacent to an addressed bit line to maintain the voltage of the adjacent bit lines within an allowed range.
US08243494B2
A process in the manufacturing of a resistor random access memory with a confined melting area for switching a phase change in the programmable resistive memory. The process initially formed a pillar comprising a substrate body, a first conductive material overlying the substrate body, a programmable resistive memory material overlying the first conductive material, a high selective material overlying the programmable resistive memory material, and a silicon nitride material overlying the high selective material. The high selective material in the pillar is isotropically etched on both sides of the high selective material to create a void on each side of the high selective material with a reduced length. A programmable resistive memory material is deposited in a confined area previously occupied by the reduced length of the poly, and the programmable resistive memory material is deposited into an area previously occupied by the silicon nitride material.
US08243491B2
According to one embodiment, a memory cell array includes memory cells arranged at crossing points of bit lines and word lines. The bit lines include first, second, third, and fourth bit lines sequentially arranged. A first sense circuit is arranged on a first end side of the memory cell array, electrically connected to the first and third bit lines. A second sense circuit is arranged on a second end side of the memory cell array, electrically connected to the second and fourth bit lines. A first hookup region is arranged between the memory cell array and the first sense circuit and includes a first transfer transistor connected to the first bit line and the first sense circuit. A second hookup region is arranged between the first hookup region and the first sense circuit and includes a second transfer transistor connected to the third bit line and the first sense circuit.
US08243474B2
The control circuit for power supplying includes a driving module and a control module, wherein the driving module includes a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, and a fourth switch. In a first power supply mode, the first switch and the second switch are turned on, and the third switch and the fourth switch are turned off. The load current flows to the ground terminal via the first switch, the inductive load, and the second switch. When the control module sends a switching signal to the driving module, the first switch and the second switch are turned off and the third switch and the fourth switch are turned on, and the load current flows to the high potential terminal via the fourth switch, the inductive load, and the third switch due to the current inertia.
US08243473B2
The invention provides a switching power supply device which can detect a light load state on a pulse-by-pulse basis without worsening power efficiency. In a synchronous control circuit, for each timing of the turning-on of main switching elements, the delay time Tdif of the conduction timing of internal diodes Ds determined according to the magnitude of the load LD is detected by a comparator, a reference time pulse Tsrs having a prescribed time width is generated by a load judgment circuit, and the logical product of the two is generated by an AND circuit. By this means, the load is regarded as being a light load when the delay time Tdif is longer than the reference time pulse Tsrs, and the synchronous rectification MOSFETs Qs are not turned on.
US08243467B2
A main chip has a signal processing circuit for executing signal processing; a plurality of signal transmitting circuits for transmitting signals between the signal processing circuit and a signal transmitting circuit; and a control circuit for controlling operation/non-operation of the signal transmitting circuits in accordance with signal processing content of the signal processing circuit. Functional chips each have a signal processing circuit for executing auxiliary signal processing different from that of the signal processing circuit; and one or a plurality of signal transmitting circuits for transmitting signals between the signal processing circuit and the signal transmitting circuits. The main chip and the functional chips are stacked. The signal transmitting circuits and the signal transmitting circuit are non-contact-type signal transmitting circuits utilizing inductive coupling and are arranged so as to overlap when viewed from the stacking direction.
US08243462B2
A printed wiring board includes a plurality of lands arranged in a mounting area allowing therein mounting of an electronic component; and an wiring respectively connected to a specific land which is at least one of the outermost lands arranged outermostly out of all lands, wherein a connection portion of the specific land and the wiring connected to the specific land is positioned inside a closed curve which collectively surrounds, by the shortest path, all of the outermost lands formed in the mounting area.
US08243460B2
In at least some embodiments, an expansion card guide for a computer system includes a frame having lanes for receiving expansion cards and a plurality of chassis attachment features provided on at least one side of said frame for tool-less attachment of the expansion card guide to a chassis of the computer system. The expansion card guide also includes a set of cable management features provided on at least one side of said frame for tool-less management of auxiliary expansion card cables.
US08243445B2
Provided is an electronic apparatus capable of preventing an unnecessary space from being made inside the housing, and of improving ventilation efficiency of the air flowing along the power circuit. An electronic apparatus includes: a power circuit; a power circuit case (4) housing the power circuit; and a housing (2) for housing the electronic apparatus and the power circuit case (4). The power circuit case (4) includes a rear wall portion (43) having an air outlet (43a) formed therein, and the housing (2) having an opening (2a) formed therein, a shape of the opening corresponding to the rear wall portion (43) of the power circuit case (4). The power circuit case (4) is arranged such that the rear wall portion (43) is exposed through the opening (2a).
US08243441B2
A battery cover structure includes a main body, a cover and a connecting module. The main body includes at least one latching portion. The main body defines a cavity for receiving a battery. The cavity includes an end wall. A protruding portion extends from the wall, and a gap is formed between the protruding portion and the wall. The cover includes at least one engaging portion engaged with the at least one latching portion. The connecting module includes a sliding member, at least one elastic element and a shaft. The sliding member is slidably attached to the cover. The shaft includes a middle portion received in the gap of the main body. The sliding member and the cover are rotatably attached to the main body by the shaft.
US08243440B2
A foldable computing device with counterbalance member includes a main body, a rotary member, and a shaft. The rotary member is rotatably connected to the main body by the shaft. The main body, from top to bottom, includes a top cover, a printed circuit board, a counterbalance member and a bottom case. The counterbalance is configured to maintain contact with the printed circuit board and the bottom case. Electrostatic charges produced on the printed circuit board can be conducted to the bottom case through the counterbalance member, and then to ground.
US08243439B2
The present invention relates to a sliding opening and closing device for a portable terminal. The sliding opening and closing device for a portable terminal according to the present invention includes: a first plate; a second plate slidably joined to the first plate; a cam profile formed at the first plate along a sliding direction of the second plate; and an elastic module mounted on the second plate, wherein one end of the elastic module is in contact with the cam profile to slide therealong. A guide part is formed at the first plate and the cam profile is formed along an edge portion of the guide part.
US08243436B2
A connecting module includes: a main section in which an electronic circuit is housed; a plate section that is rotatably supported by the main section, and that is adapted to lie in front of the main section, and that is rotatable between a flat position in which an electronic device is laid on a first face representing a top face and a standing position in which the electronic device is leaned against a second face representing a back face opposite to the first face; and a first connector that couples with the electronic device laid on the plate section when the plate section is in the flat position so as to connect the electronic device to the electronic circuit in the main section.
US08243428B2
A display assembly includes a flat panel display and a stand. The flat panel display includes a display screen, a housing and an angular adjusting mechanism. The angular adjusting mechanism includes a rotation motor and a transmission unit coupled to the rotation motor. The stand is pivotably attached to the flat panel display. The stand includes a wheel. The wheel is disposed in the housing of the display. The wheel is configured to engage with the transmission unit. The rotation motor is capable of being controlled to actuate the transmission unit and the wheel, thereby driving the stand to laterally rotate relative to the flat panel display.
US08243425B2
A key assembly comprises a base plate, two resisting mechanisms and a key body. The resisting mechanisms and the key body are mounted the base plate, and the resisting mechanisms are respectively located at two opposite ends of the key body. When the key body slides toward and compresses one of the resisting mechanisms, said another one of the resisting mechanisms is stretched.
US08243416B2
A gas lighting device including: a body formed by an electrically insulating material carrying a plurality of high-voltage outputs for the connection of spark generating means; a transformer accommodated in the body and including a primary winding wound around and carried by a ferromagnetic material core, a carrying element formed by an electrically insulating material and designed to contain the primary winding therein, and a secondary winding consisting of a plurality of coils externally carried by the carrying element, electrically insulated from the primary winding and essentially coaxial with the latter; the core is ring-shaped on a plane parallel to an axis (A) of the windings and consists of two half rings reciprocally coupled and arranged facing and closely adjacent to each other in the direction of the axis of the windings; a first circumferential portion of the ring-shaped core, formed by one or both of the half rings, is accommodated inside the carrying element so as to be surrounded by the windings, while a second circumferential portion of the core is formed parallel to the first and radially on the outside of the windings so as not to be surrounded by the same.
US08243414B2
An electrostatic device for damping a mechanical vibration movement of a moving object, the moving object being made of an electrically conductive material, the movement of the moving object having at least one parasitic vibration mode of frequency fp to be damped, the device comprising an electrode ELE forming, with the moving object, a gap of capacitance C voltage-biased with a DC voltage V0 by a biasing circuit, the biasing circuit comprising, electrically connected in series with the electrode ELE: a load resistance R; possibly an inductance L; a parasitic capacitance Cp, characterized in that the biasing circuit further includes an electronic compensating device DEC having an impedance Zeq, which comprises a capacitance component Ceq, a resistance component Req, and possibly an inductance component Leq.
US08243390B2
A method and system for reading readback pulse shapes representing a magnetization state transition between such written magnetization states of a two-layer continuous magnetic recording medium. A readback pulse shape representing a written magnetization state transition is read. The written magnetization state transition is uniquely identified from the readback pulse shape of the transition or from both the readback pulse shape of the transition and the readback pulse shape of one or more next magnetization state transitions.
US08243381B2
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for sector address mark detection. As an example, data detection systems are disclosed that include a sector address mark detection circuit and a sector address mark quality detection circuit. The sector address mark detection circuit receives a data stream and identifies a sector address mark in the data stream. The sector address mark quality detection circuit receives a first sample and a second sample from the data stream corresponding to the sector address mark, and determines a quality of the sector address mark based at least in part on the first sample and the second sample. In various cases, one or more of the samples of the sector address mark up to all of the samples of the sector address mark may be used.
US08243377B2
A telescope has a joint for universally bearing an optical assembly in relation to a housing. The joint is designed as an elastic spring joint.
US08243373B2
When the lens barrel is in the storage state, a part of a lens group and a group cylinder are inserted into an aperture of a diaphragm unit and a shutter blade of a shutter unit is closed for light shielding. With this arrangement, the cylinder length in the storage state is shortened, and the performance degradation of an image sensor and optical components provided on a front side of an image sensor can be prevented as well.
US08243363B2
An optical signal processing apparatus includes an input unit to which signal light is input; a wave coupling unit that couples the signal light from the input unit and pump light having a waveform different from that of the signal light; a first nonlinear optical medium that transmits light coupled by the wave coupling unit, the light being the signal light and the pump light; a dispersion medium that transmits the light that has been transmitted through the first nonlinear optical medium; and a second nonlinear optical medium that transmits the light that has been transmitted through the dispersion medium.
US08243359B2
The invention relates to a window blind (10) with at least one lamella (25) and at least one lighting element (20), wherein the lamella (25) comprises an illuminating body (30), the lighting element (20) injects an artificial light (21) into the illuminating body (30), the illuminating body (30) comprises a light guiding material, configured to transport the artificial light (21), the illuminating body (30) comprises a light extraction means (40), configured to receive and to deflect the artificial light (21) out of the illuminating body (30). The invention discloses, that the light extraction means (40) is embedded within the illuminating body (30), and the light extraction means (40) is controllable, in order to vary the degree of deflection of the artificial light (21).
US08243358B2
We present an invention on the synthesis of elastic, bio-compatible functional microstructures wherein the designed electrical functionalities are achieved by mixing conducting nano to micro-particles with PDMS gels. The methodology for constructing planar and three-dimensional microstructures by soft-lithographic technique is presented. Applications such as electrodes, conducting strips, two and three-dimensional microstructures for electrical wiring connections, micro heaters, micro heater arrays, flexible thermochromic displays, and applications for microfluidic devices are demonstrated, all with demonstrated elastic flexibility and fall-proof characteristics while maintaining their functionalities. Results obtained are very promising for the utilization of such composites in future micro-fabrications, especially for the bio-chips and microfluidic devices.
US08243351B2
This invention is directed to a method capable of performing satisfactory image reading by absorbing variations in each apparatus. According to this method, in primary color reading, light emitting unit sequentially irradiates an image original with light components of three primary colors and reads the image original, and in complementary color reading, the light emitting unit simultaneously irradiates the image original with one of three different color combinations, which includes two of the light components of three primary colors, and reads the image original. Each of the primary and complementary color readings includes image processing of executing shading correction of image data based on calibration data obtained by calibrating the light emitting unit when reading the image original.
US08243350B2
In a color reading apparatus for successively reading respective red, green, and blue colors in each line while a document is continuously conveyed to a plurality of line sensor units arranged in a zigzag manner, the line sensor units are arranged with a distance equal to or shorter than a unit of line to prevent a color shift. When read data of the plurality of line sensor units in a conveying direction are to be combined, image data shifted by the number of lines corresponding to distances between the line sensor units in the conveying direction are set as first combination candidates. A color code and a line code are added to each of the data. Image data having the same color code and the same line code are combined. According to the image reading apparatus structured as described above, it is possible to obtain data capable of reproducing read data for each color on the same line without errors.
US08243345B2
A scan unit having an electromagnetic interference (EMI) noise blocking unit and usable with an image forming apparatus includes a document plate supporting a document, a reading module which is disposed under the document plate, performs a reciprocating motion, and includes an image sensor that reads an image of the document and generates an image signal in response to the read image, a flexible flat cable (FFC) which is connected to the reading module and functions as a transfer path of power and the image signal, and an EMI noise blocking unit which blocks noise that occurs when the image signal of the reading module is transmitted.
US08243338B2
In some embodiments, techniques for voting and visual cryptography may include various enhancements.
US08243336B2
An image forming apparatus embeds second class data that is different from sheet to sheet in first class data that is common throughout a printing operation. First and second unfolding sections unfold the first and second class data to image data. An image carrying body image examination section compares image data unfolded by the second unfolding section and picked up image data unfolded by the first unfolding section and prepared by an image carrying body image pickup section, and an intermediate transfer body image examination section compares image data unfolded by the second unfolding section and picked up image data unfolded by the first unfolding section and prepared by an intermediate transfer body image pickup section.
US08243328B2
A printing method includes obtaining scene information concerning image data from supplemental data that is appended to the image data; classifying a scene of an image represented by the image data, based on the image data; comparing the classified scene with a scene indicated by the scene information; and printing a printout that is used to urge a user to make a continuation when a mismatch between the classified scene and the scene indicated by the scene information exists.
US08243322B2
The image data processor generates storage layout information and output joint information, and then generates a page raster for storage based on the storage layout information and a page raster for output based on the output joint information. The storage layout information is based on layout information describing object layouts and includes a page formed by the same objects and reusable objects of the same arrangements and a page formed by each variable object. The output joint information combines a page for reusable objects and a page for the variable object.
US08243319B2
A finished-image generating unit generates a finished image showing a result of a process performed on a target image according to various function setting items. A finished-image display unit, when the target image extends to a plurality of pages, forms the finished image in a stack, and displays the stacked finished image on a display unit with a page structure image that shows an overall page structure of the stacked finished image. A page moving unit, when one of the pages constituting the page structure image is specified via an operating unit, executes a page moving from a page currently displayed on the display unit to the specified page.
US08243315B2
A printing system comprises a printer and an information processor, which includes a control unit. The control unit generates a print data file, which includes a resource saving flag and mode information. This information represents either a printing mode or a document filing mode, in which the printer operates. The control unit determines whether one or more specified resource saving functions of the printer are selected for the print data file in a main setting window. If so, the control unit turns on the flag and outputs the print data file as a first print data file to the printer. If not, the control unit turns off the flag and outputs the print data file as a second print data file to the printer. If a user is specified for the second print data file, the control unit outputs the file to the printer, with the mode information representing the document filing mode.
US08243311B2
An image output apparatus including: an image processing section for processing an image; a printing section that prints the image; a display section that displays the image; an instruction section that allows a user to instruct execution of a print job, and execution of a display job; and a job control section that controls the jobs to start the execution of the print job or the display job in response to the instruction, wherein when the job control section receives instructions to start print jobs and/or display jobs, the job control section controls the jobs to register the print jobs and/or the display jobs in a queue and start these jobs in the order, and when an instruction for a display job in the queue is again received from the instruction section, the job control section controls the jobs to move the display job to the forefront of the queue.
US08243304B2
A system and method of job programming in a computer system for programming print jobs for pad printing. Parameters are programmed by a user for printing a pad, and the programming involves one or more of the following programming steps: programming a slip sheet parameter, programming insert sheet parameters, and for each first sheet insertion point, an insertion frequency, and programming cover sheet parameters. The slip sheet parameter includes at least a yes value or a no value. The insert sheet parameters include one or more first sheet insertion points and, for each first sheet insertion point programmed, an insertion frequency.
US08243302B2
An improved image transmission apparatus capable of reducing the amount of work involved in the checking and transmission operations performed by the user at the time of image data transmission, the apparatus including an address accept unit that accepts input of a first address and a second address, a reader that reads an original document to obtain data pertaining thereto, a first transmission unit that sends original document data obtained by the reader to the first address, a receiving unit that receives a reply from the first address responding to the transmission by the first transmission unit, and a second transmission unit that sends the original document data to the second address when the receiving unit receives from the first address a reply indicating acceptability of the original document data.
US08243299B2
A printing system which enables to improve its flexibility, convenience, and/or productivity by utilizing a post-processing by a post-processor connected to a printer without printing by a printer. An execution request is received for a specific type of job executing a post-processing by a post-processor connected to a printer without printing by the printer. The post-processor is caused to execute the post-processing for a first printed matter previously generated for the specific type of job without printing by the printer when receiving the execution request. Print data is received which is utilized for generating the first printed matter. The printer is caused to generate a second printed matter corresponding to the first printed matter, by using the print data.
US08243293B2
An image forming device includes a rotational body carrying a sheet thereon, the rotational body including first regions defined thereon that begin with respective different phases on the rotational body, a forming unit forming an image on one of the rotational body and the sheet carried on the rotational body, a storage unit storing thereon information regarding positional deviations of images formed within each of the first regions, a region specifying unit that determines a variation of the positional deviations of the images within each of the first regions based upon the information stored and specifies one of the first regions based upon the determined variation, and a control unit controlling the forming unit to form an intended image of which an image forming position is corrected based upon the information stored, in the first region specified on the rotational body.
US08243288B2
Disclosed herein is an object detection system including, a light radiation section, a light sweeping block, a light reflection body, a reflected-light detection section, and a reflected-light analysis section.
US08243270B2
A vibrating tip surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) apparatus, system and method employ a nano-needle configured to vibrate. The apparatus includes the nano-needle with a substantially sharp tip at a free end opposite an end attached to a substrate. The tip is configured to adsorb an analyte. The apparatus further includes a vibration source configured to provide an alternating current (AC) electric field that induces a vibration of the free end and the tip of the nano-needle. Vibration of the nano-needle under the influence of the AC electric field facilitates detection of a Raman scattering signal from the analyte adsorbed on the nano-needle tip. The system further includes a synchronous detector configured to be gated cooperatively with the vibration of the nano-needle. The method includes inducing the vibration, illuminating the vibrating tip to produce a Raman signal, and detecting the Raman signal using the detector.
US08243265B2
A foreign material detecting method for detecting a foreign material attached to a substrate surface includes a spraying step of spraying an organic solvent or an oil-phase material containing a halogen element to the substrate surface, a condensing step of emphasizing the foreign material by condensing the sprayed organic solvent or oil-phase material around the foreign material attached to the substrate surface by controlling a temperature of the substrate surface, and a surface inspecting step of detecting the foreign material emphasized by the condensation of the organic solvent or the oil-phase material by a surface inspecting device.
US08243264B2
A measuring apparatus measuring a surface shape of a target includes a projection optical system to radiate a line beam on the target, an imaging device to acquire a reflected line beam reflected from the target, an optical imaging system to cause the reflected line beam to form an image on a receiving surface of the imaging device to acquire a shape of the line beam on the target, and a splitting mechanism to split the reflected line beam so as to acquire the shape of the line beam on the target at different positions in an extending direction of the line beam and guide the split reflected line beams to the imaging device. A plurality of segments are set on the receiving surface while each segment in which at least one region is set as a reception region is partitioned into a plurality of regions, and the optical imaging system causes the split reflected line beams to form images on the reception regions in the different segments, respectively.
US08243261B2
An optical property measurement apparatus includes: a main body which includes a plane-shape surface that is so disposed as to face the display portion; an optical sensor which receives light directed from an opening that is formed through the plane-shape surface; and a support portion which is disposed on a side of the plane-shape surface and keeps a constant distance between the display portion and the plane-shape surface; wherein a light shield portion that is so disposed as to enclose a circumferential area of the opening of the plane-shape surface and shields entrance of light from a region other than a measurement target region of the display portion when the optical property is measured.
US08243260B2
A lithography apparatus includes: a light source comprising a first light beam and a second light beam, a photomask, a polarization controlling system positioned between the light source and the photomask, a wafer state for holding a wafer, and a lens positioned between the photomask and the wafer stage. The polarization controlling system diverts the first light beam into a first polarization direction and diverts the second light beam into a second polarization direction, wherein the first polarization direction and the second polarization direction are different from each other.
US08243259B2
A substrate stage for an immersion type lithographic apparatus is arranged to project a patterned radiation beam from a patterning device onto a substrate, the substrate stage being constructed to hold the substrate and including at least a sensor for sensing the patterned radiation beam, the sensor including an at least partially transmissive layer having a front side facing the incoming radiation beam and a back side opposite the front side, wherein the back side is provided with at least a sensor mark to be subjected to the radiation beam transmitted through the layer.
US08243248B2
Disclosed is a polymerizable liquid crystal composition which is applicable on a supporting substrate, such as a transparent plastic film for optical use, or glass, etc., and has a homeotropic alignment. Also, disclosed is an optical film obtained by aligning and fixing the polymerizable composition on a substrate.
US08243238B2
To improve display quality in a transflective liquid crystal display device.In a transflective liquid crystal display device based on the IPS system according to the present invention, when a liquid crystal layer is of positive type liquid crystal, the initial orientation direction of liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer is perpendicular to the direction in which a l-display line extends, or angularly displaced within ±2 degrees clockwise with respect to the direction in which the l-display line extends. When the liquid crystal layer is of negative type liquid crystal, the initial orientation direction of liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer is parallel to the direction in which the l-display line extends, or angularly displaced within ±2 degrees clockwise with respect to the direction in which the l-display line extends.
US08243237B2
A device includes a display that includes a transmissive portion, a transflective portion, and a lens array associated with the transflective portion.
US08243230B2
An image display apparatus including a display device for displaying an image by emission of display light in a first direction; a scattering layer disposed in front of the display device, for scattering at least a portion of ambient light; a transparent plate-shaped light source, arranged parallel to the scattering layer and being optically coupled to the scattering layer. The plate-shaped light source may be a passive light source, in which case at least one light source is arranged along an edge of the plate-shaped light source. When the display device is ON, the scattering layer and the plate-shaped light source are transparent. When the display device is OFF, the scattering layer is scattering and the plate-shaped light source is ON.
US08243226B2
A tiled display device includes a combination of multiple display devices to form a larger tiled display device. The larger tiled display device minimizes the boundaries between in the multiple display devices to improve the active area of the display. A partition wall between display devices may be configured to reduce the distance between the combined display devices.
US08243224B2
A flat panel display device includes a front cabinet, a rear cabinet, and a flat panel display component. The front cabinet includes a front panel, an edge portion, a plurality of contact ribs, a plurality of first bosses, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs. The contact ribs are disposed on the rear face of the front panel along side parts of the edge portion, respectively. The contact ribs have a main rib that extends parallel to a respective one of the side parts of the edge portion, and a sub rib that extends between the main rib and the respective one of the side parts of the edge portion in a direction perpendicular to the main rib. The reinforcing ribs are disposed on the rear face of the front panel. The reinforcing ribs extend between the first bosses and the main ribs of the contact ribs, respectively.
US08243215B2
A video system comprises a hood sized for fitting over a vehicle seat headrest, wherein the hood includes a display and a media player, a base portion attached to the hood, and a door pivotally attached to the base portion, wherein the display is mounted to the door and the media player is mounted to the door or mounted in the base portion.
US08243210B2
An ambient light adaptive color correction system and method are provided in the present invention. Firstly, a color information sensor measures color information of at least black and white reference images on a projector plane with influence of ambient light. Then a color correction information calculator calculates color correction information for color appearance matching and gamut mapping based on the measured color information and a projector profile. And after pre-calculation, an image data correction unit processes an input image according to the color correction information to produce a corrected-color image to be outputted to the projector. Accordingly, the output image displayed on the projection plane with influence of ambient light will have a close color appearance to that in the dark room.
US08243207B2
A command value corresponding to an activity key of a controlling device is associated with a configuration of an entertainment device in which at least one of a plurality of devices is selected as an audio visual input source device for the entertainment device and at least one of the plurality of devices is selected as an audio visual output destination device for the entertainment device. When the entertainment device receives from the controlling device a signal which includes the command value corresponding to the activity key of the controlling device, the entertainment device accesses and uses the configuration associated with the command value corresponding to the activity key of the controlling device.
US08243205B2
The present invention discloses a television receiving system comprising: a smart antenna having a receiving unit that electrically switches directions of receiving television broadcasting signals and a connecting portion that is detachably connected to the receiving unit; and a television receiver couple with the receiving unit though the connecting portion and having a holding portion that holds the receiving unit detached from the connecting portion on a rear surface of the television receiver where is opposite to a front surface displaying videos.
US08243204B2
The present invention relates to a communication system, a transmitter, a receiver, a communication method, a program, and a communication cable for providing high-speed bidirectional communication while maintaining compatibility. When an HDMI (R) source performs bidirectional IP communication with an HDMI (R) sink using a CEC line and a signal line, a switching control unit controls a switch so that, when data is transmitted, the switch selects a constituent signal forming a differential signal output from a converting unit and, when data is transmitted, the switch selects a constituent signal forming a differential signal output from a receiver. When bidirectional communication is performed using only the CEC line, the switching control unit controls the switch so that the CEC signal output from the HDMI (R) source or the receiver is selected. The present invention is applicable to, for example, HDMI (R).
US08243200B2
According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed. The method includes receiving video data performing pre-filtering on the data, performing content analysis is applied to identify an area of the data, applying a two-dimensional (2-D) 2nd gradient operation to extract a high frequency component and normalizing the high frequency component related to high frequency information from a previous picture.
US08243198B2
An apparatus for providing multiple screens and a method of dynamically configuring the multiple screens are provided. The apparatus for providing multiple screens uses flags included transferred packets in order to dynamically configure multiple screens that provide a plurality of contents on a physical display device and a method of dynamically configuring multiple screens. The apparatus for providing multiple screens includes a digital signal processing module which determines whether an application included in data information can be executed on a screen on the basis of received data information, and an operational module which operates the application on the screen on the basis of the determination result.
US08243197B2
A method and an apparatus for providing a user interface which implements screen conversion by channel change in a three-dimensional view, are provided. The method includes receiving a signal for converting a screen into a screen of a first channel, calculating the relationship according to a channel order between the first channel and a second channel that is currently being broadcasted, outputting a portion of broadcasting images of the first channel to a region where broadcasting images of the second channel are output, according to the calculated result, and outputting all the broadcasting images of the first channel.
US08243193B2
A camera module includes a housing, a lens unit, and a rotating unit. The rotating unit rotatably connects to one end of the housing. The lens unit is mounted on the other end of the housing. The rotating unit includes a rotating platform and a reflector mounted thereon. When the rotating platform rotates, the reflector rotates accordingly.
US08243186B2
Disclosed is a solid-state image pickup apparatus including a plurality of pixels. The plurality of pixels each including a lens, a photoelectric converter to convert incident light that passes through the lens into an electrical signal, and a waveguide provided between the lens and the photoelectric converter. The waveguide is disposed so that a center of at least a part of the waveguide on a light exit side is shifted from a main light beam that passes a center of the lens in a direction in which an area where an end portion of the waveguide on the light exit side is overlapped with the photoelectric converter is increased.
US08243178B2
A physical quantity distribution detecting apparatus includes a sensor array in which a plurality of unit sensors for sensing physical quantity are two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix; and an analog-to-digital conversion unit that includes a plurality of comparators for comparing an analog signal read from the unit sensor with a reference signal, the analog-to-digital conversion unit converting a digital signal by measuring a period of time or measuring a signal corresponding to the period of time of each comparison output of the plurality of comparators. Each of the plurality of comparators includes at least one capacitor element connected between a signal line and a constant-voltage line.
US08243175B2
A solid-state imaging apparatuses IS1 comprises a package P1, a CCD chip 11, chip resistor arrays 21, etc. In package P1, a mounting portion 2, for mounting CCD chip 11 and chip resistor arrays 21, is disposed so as to protrude into a hollow portion 1. Mounting portion 2 has a first planar portion 3 and second planar portions 4, and first planar portion 3 and second planar portions 4 are formed to be stepped with respect to each other. CCD chip 11 is mounted and fixed on first planar portion 3 via a spacer 13. Chip resistor arrays 21 are mounted and fixed on second planar portions 4. Using the step difference between first planar portion 3 and second planar portions 4, CCD chip 11 and chip resistor arrays 21 are positioned proximally.
US08243168B2
An image manager includes a communicator that communicates with a server computer storing image data, a detector that detects a storage capacity of image data stored into the server computer by the communicator and a controller that controls download of image data stored into the server computer in response to a detection result of the detector.
US08243153B2
Provided is a photographing apparatus including at least one shake correction lens through which image light is transmitted; a first driving unit moving the shake correction lens; an imaging device converting the image light transmitted through the shake correction lens to an electronic signal; a rotating unit rotating the imaging device about an optical axis of the image light; and a controller controlling the first driving unit and the rotating unit. A method on a photographing apparatus. The method including sensing shaking of the photographing apparatus; compensating for the shaking of the photographing apparatus by rotating an imaging device, the imaging device generating electrical signals from light incident to a subject image; and compensating for the shaking of the photographing apparatus by moving a shake correction lens in two directions, wherein light incident to the subject image passes through the shake correction lens and strikes the imaging device.
US08243139B2
An image pickup device, a visibility support apparatus, a night vision device, a navigation support apparatus, and a monitoring device are provided in which noise and dark current are suppressed to thereby provide clear images regardless of whether it is day or night. The device includes a light-receiving layer 3 having a multi-quantum well structure and a diffusion concentration distribution control layer 4 disposed on the light-receiving layer so as to be opposite an InP substrate 1, wherein the light-receiving layer has a band gap wavelength of 1.65 to 3 μm, the diffusion concentration distribution control layer has a lower band gap energy than InP, a pn junction is formed for each light-receiving element by selective diffusion of an impurity element, and the impurity selectively diffused in the light-receiving layer has a concentration of 5×1016/cm3 or less. A diffusion concentration distribution control layer has an n-type impurity concentration of 2×1015/cm3 or less before the diffusion, the diffusion concentration distribution control layer having a portion adjacent to the light-receiving layer, the portion having a low impurity concentration.
US08243131B2
Provided is a contactless fingerprint image obtaining apparatus using a mirror. The contactless fingerprint image obtaining apparatus obtains the entire region of a fingerprint using the mirror in a contactless manner. The entire region of the fingerprint includes a fingerprint region of the front direction coinciding with the optical axis of a single shooting unit, and fingerprint regions of left/right lateral sides that do not coincide with the optical axis. Accordingly, unwillingness of a user, distortion caused by contact of the user, quality reduction, which are the limitations of a related art contact type fingerprint image obtaining apparatus are solved. Simultaneously, a wide region of a fingerprint image including the lateral sides of a fingerprint that cannot be directly obtained by a related art contactless fingerprint image obtaining apparatus using only a single camera can be economically obtained.
US08243117B2
Embodiments are configured to provide video conferencing functionality including using pre-processing and/or post-processing features to provide a video signal, but the embodiments are not so limited. In an embodiment, components of a video conferencing system can operate to provide a video signal based in part on the use of features of a pre-processing component and/or post-processing component. In one embodiment, a video conference device can include a pre-processing component and/or post-processing component to that can be used to compensate for bandwidth constraints associated with a video conferencing environment.
US08243114B2
An image forming apparatus includes a phase calculation portion, a pattern recognition portion, and a correction coefficient output portion. The phase calculation portion calculates a shift amount of the scanning lines as phase information and, from the phase information, outputs a first set of coefficients. The pattern recognition portion outputs a pattern concordance rate by performing pattern recognition on the group of pixels of interest and peripheral pixels thereof. The correction coefficient output portion outputs a second set of coefficients for correcting the first set of coefficients in accordance with the pattern concordance rate. An interpolation processing portion performs interpolation calculations by referring to the first set of coefficients, the second set of coefficients, and the pattern concordance rate.
US08243106B2
A display device includes; a signal control unit which receives a plurality of image signals and determines a plurality of representative image signals from the image signals, a plurality of lookup tables, each of which is configured to store a plurality of light data signals corresponding to the plurality of representative image signals, a plurality of light-emitting blocks configured to provide light according to the respective light data signals, and a display panel configured to display an image corresponding to the plurality of image signals, wherein the signal control unit determines an average luminance value of the plurality of image signals, selects one of the plurality of lookup tables according to the determined average luminance value, reads the light data signals from the selected lookup table and provides the light data signals to at least one of the plurality of light emitting blocks.
US08243101B2
An image display processing apparatus includes an input-shape detector detecting a shape of a trajectory of a line drawn in the monitor screen; a center-point determiner determining, in a case where the shape of the trajectory of the line is formed of a circular line and an offshoot line extending from the circular line, a center point of a graphic object formed of the circular line; a ratio calculator calculating a distance ratio between a distance from the center point of the graphic object to the circular line and a distance from the center point of the graphic object to an end point of the offshoot line; and an enlargement-ratio changer changing the enlargement ratio of the image on the basis of the distance ratio.
US08243098B2
A system and method of rendering an authoritative image on a graphical display that is part of a critical system wherein image data is received from a source and the image data is stored in a storage module. The plurality of partial images are then generated from a subset of the image data, the partial images can include an indicator. The plurality of images are then combined to form the image, and the image is presented in a single graphical display. The image can then be evaluated by an operator for validity and correctness.
US08243086B1
A system and method uses the capabilities of a geometry shader unit within the multi-threaded graphics processor to offload data compression computations from a central processing unit (CPU), reduce the memory needed to store image data, and reduce the bandwidth needed to transfer image data between graphics processors and between a graphics processor and a system memory. The multi-threaded graphics processor is also configured to compress data for use in memory paging and when data is relocated to lie within an accessible memory aperture. The data is losslessly compressed using a geometry shading program to produce variable length compressed data.
US08243078B2
A method for creating a computer simulation of an actor having a first foot, a second foot and a body including the steps of planting the first foot as a support foot along a space time-varying path. There is the step of stopping time regarding placement of the first foot. There is the step of changing posture of the first foot while the first foot is planted. There is the step of moving time into the future for the second foot as a lifted foot and changing posture for the lifted foot. An apparatus for creating a computer simulation of an actor having a first foot, a second foot and a body. A software program for creating a computer simulation of an actor having a first foot, a second foot and a body that performs the steps of planting the first foot as a support foot along a space time-varying path.
US08243077B2
A method and computer graphical user interface tool for generating and/or modifying character font data to be suitable for low-resolution display are provided. The method generally includes four steps. First, a set of characters to be displayed on a low-resolution display is received. Each character is formed with one or more strokes/glyphs, and all of the strokes/glyphs are represented by a set of basic strokes/glyphs, wherein each basic stroke/glyph is defined by key points and width values. Second, the received set of characters is projected on a low-resolution pixel matrix screen having two-dimensional coordinates and corresponding to the low-resolution display. Third, each stroke/glyph forming the set of characters is redefined, with key points and/or width values of the stroke/glyph are adjusted according to predefined rules, to thereby form a redefined set of characters. Fourth, the redefined set of characters are rendered according to predefined rendering criteria.
US08243075B2
A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture enable the creation and display of a radial tessellation. A single source image is selected and a radial tessellation creation feature is activated. A triangular sector of the source image is specified and transferred to a texture buffer of a graphics processing unit (GPU). A radial tessellation is created using the GPU by drawing the triangular sector on a destination image, repeatedly flipping and drawing the triangular sector along a leading edge of the triangular sector to create a closed polygon, and further flipping and drawing the triangular sector onto the destination image to create outer rings around the closed polygon and filling the destination image.
US08243069B1
The current invention involves new systems and methods for computing per-sample post-z test coverage when the memory is organized in multiple partitions that may not match the number of shaders. Shaded pixels output by the shaders can be processed by one of several z raster operations units. The shading processing capability can be configured independent of the number of memory partitions and number of z raster operations units. The current invention also involves new systems and method for using different z test modes with multiple render targets with a single or multiple memory partitions. Rendering performance may be improved by using an early z testing mode is used to eliminate non-visible samples prior to shading.
US08243067B2
Technology creates a better visual perception of PMI data in a three dimensional representation of an object by adjusting the opacity of elements not normal to the view of the user.
US08243063B2
A shape inspection apparatus includes a shape display unit that displays a three-dimensional shape specified by three dimensional shape data on a screen; a direction designating unit that specifies a drawing direction in molding the three-dimensional shape on the screen; a face designating unit that specifies one face of a protruding or recessed shape portion of the three-dimensional shape on the screen; a dimension calculating unit that calculates a shape dimensional value of the shape portion based on the specified drawing direction and the specified one face; and a determination unit that determines whether or not the shape portion having the shape dimensional value satisfies a shape condition by comparing the calculated shape dimensional value with a standard value.
US08243059B2
The invention discloses a driving method for a display. The method includes the following steps: providing a pixels structure; receiving a plurality of frames; driving the (2n−1)th scan line and the (2n)th scan line by turns while receiving the number of odd frame; driving (2n)th scan line and (2n−1)th scan line by turns while receiving the number of even frame; adjusting the voltage of the Vcom according to pixels voltage value which are the voltage to be written into the pixels by odd data lines and even data lines while the pixels structure receiving the number of odd frame and the number of the even frame.
US08243056B2
Method for determining a disparity value of a disparity of each of a plurality of points on an object, the method including the procedures of detecting by a single image detector, a first image of the object through a first aperture, and a second image of the object through a second aperture, correcting the distortion of the first image, and the distortion of the second image, by applying an image distortion correction model to the first image and to the second image, respectively, thereby producing a first distortion-corrected image and a second distortion-corrected image, respectively, for each of a plurality of pixels in at least a portion of the first distortion-corrected image representing a selected one of the points, identifying a matching pixel in the second distortion-corrected image, and determining the disparity value according to the coordinates of each of the pixels and of the respective matching pixel.
US08243055B2
A light-emitting display device includes multiple pixels, with each pixel including a light-emitting element and a drive circuit for supplying the current to the light-emitting element based on a control voltage supplied from a data line. In a light-emitting period, one end of a capacitor element is connected with a source terminal by a second switch element, and the drive circuit supplies a current to the light-emitting element. In a current setting period prior to the light-emitting period, during which a gate terminal is connected with the source terminal by a first switch element and the one end of the capacitor element is connected with the data line by a third switch element, the source terminal is once connected with a reference voltage line having a voltage higher than a voltage of a drain terminal, and thereafter the source terminal is disconnected from the reference voltage line to render the voltage between the gate terminal and the drain terminal equal to a threshold voltage of a driving transistor.
US08243051B2
A ring-shaped wireless input device for providing an indication of a scroll direction includes a housing having a ring shape, a wheel rotatably installed on the housing, a first sensor unit, that has first and second sections alternatively disposed along a circumference of the wheel and rotated along with the wheel, and a wireless communication unit which is fixedly disposed in the housing, and includes a second sensor unit arranged with the first sensor unit, the communication unit sending a scroll signal indicating an arranged state of the first sensor with regard to the second sensor to the host device.
US08243049B2
An untethered stylus, configured to cooperate with a location sensor, includes a coil resonant circuit configured to develop an arbitrary AC voltage in response to a varying magnetic field produced by the location sensor. The coil resonant circuit includes a first capacitor and an inductive coil. A power converter includes a switch circuit having an output coupled to a second capacitor, an input coupled to the coil resonant circuit, and a threshold voltage. The switch circuit facilitates charging of the second capacitor in response to the arbitrary AC voltage and discontinuance of second capacitor charging in response to a voltage across the first capacitor reaching the threshold voltage so as to prevent diversion of a discharging current when the arbitrary AC voltage exceeds the threshold voltage. A stable DC voltage is provided at the output of the switch circuit. The power converter is preferably devoid of a Zener diode.
US08243039B2
The steering wheel input is a flexible, interactive input, based on a touch-sensitive surface. Groups of functions are available from many positions of hands and fingers, gripping and controlling the steering wheel. For example travel directions indicators, headlight flashing/dipping and windscreen wipers can be controlled without having to raise the hand from the steering wheel. The keypad of a mobile telephone can also be simulated. PDA inputs can be carried out. A computer keyboard can be simulated Continuous encompassment of the hands is corrected by computer. The touch areas are continuously and dynamically adapted in the relationship thereof with respect to the balls of the hands or the thumb and fingers. This concept produces ergonomically appropriate and dynamically updated touch areas.
US08243037B2
The present invention relates to a system for processing a signal from an electric device, e.g. a touch sensitive key. The system comprises a reference value for the signal, wherein said reference value is continuously updated, and an arithmetic unit for determining a difference value between the signal and the reference value, so that difference value corresponds with a change of the signal. The system comprises further a spectrum of the possible difference values, wherein said spectrum is subdivided into ranges corresponding with possible causations for the change of the signal in said system. Additionally, the system comprises a comparing unit for associating the difference value with the corresponding range of the spectrum and for identifying, if the difference value results from a disturbance or from a relevant change in the electric device. Further, the present invention relates to a corresponding method.
US08243029B2
An exemplary touch panel includes a substrate, transparent conductive layers, a capacitive sensing circuit, and conductive wires. The transparent conductive layers are disposed on a surface of the substrate and spaced apart from each other. Each transparent conductive layer includes a carbon nanotube layer. The carbon nanotube layer includes carbon nanotubes. The conductive wires respectively electrically connect the transparent conductive layers to the capacitive sensing circuit. A display device using the touch panel is also provided.
US08243022B2
Technologies for creating and viewing virtual graffiti using federated devices. The technologies allow users to associate virtual graffiti with geographic locations and restrict access to the graffiti to particular users, groups, federations, or the like. Users with appropriate access rights may be able to discover and view graffiti associated with a particular geographic location via a federated device when they are present at the location. Users may also access such graffiti from lists via federated devices.
US08243016B2
According to the claimed invention, an optical pointing device includes a cover having a transparent part, and a sensing component installed inside the cover. The sensing component includes a light emitting module for emitting light, and a light sensing module for sensing light transmitted from the transparent part. The optical pointing device further includes a light guiding component installed between the sensing component and the cover. The light guiding component includes a reflecting part for reflecting the light emitted from the light emitting module to the transparent part, and a condensing part integrated with the reflecting part monolithically for condensing light transmitted from the transparent part to the light sensing module. The light emitted from the light emitting module is reflected to the transparent part by the reflecting part and then reflected back to the transparent part and the condensing part by a shelter disposed above the cover.
US08243010B2
An LCD device with an improved contrast ratio and a reduced electric power consumption and a driving method thereof are disclosed. The LCD device and the driving method thereof generate a data modulation control signal using single frame image data to be displayed on a liquid crystal panel, and then generating a plurality of modulated local dimming control signals for a plurality of divisional regions of the divided single frame image data. A modulated data, in which the single frame image data is compensated with the data modulation control signal is generated and applied to the liquid crystal panel. A plurality of driver signals each corresponding to the modulated local dimming control signals are applied to the blocks of a backlight unit. The divisional regions are opposite to the blocks, respectively.
US08243008B2
The present invention discloses a separately excited inverter circuit whose switching circuit having a plurality of switching elements and which is capable of minimizing the damage of other switching elements even if any of the plurality of switching elements is short circuited and damaged. The separately excited inverter circuit includes: a switching circuit of which a full bridge circuit applies an AC voltage to the primary winding of the step-up transformer 26e; a control circuit C1 for performing the switching control of a switching circuit 26b when receiving a command signal for commanding the control circuit to oscillate from a transmission line for transmitting the command signal for commanding it to start and stop oscillation; terminal voltage monitoring circuits 51 and 52 for monitoring a terminal voltage across a gate of MOS-FET forming the switching circuit 26b and outputting a reference voltage when the gate voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold; and a thyristor circuit 53 which is connected to the transmission line and to the gate of which the reference voltage is inputted to cause the thyristor circuit to flow a gate current to be turned on, bringing the command signal on the transmission line into cutting off oscillation to stop the oscillation of the control circuit.
US08243006B2
Methods and systems for displaying an image on a display device having first and second light sources are provided. A video signal is provided to the display device. The video signal includes a plurality of frames, and each frame includes first and second sub-frames corresponding to the respective first and second light sources. The first light source is operated for a first duration during the first sub-frame of each of the plurality of frames. The second light source is operated for a second duration during the second sub-frame of each of the plurality of frames. The second duration is different than the first duration.
US08243002B2
In a display device, a first frame of input image signals is received by a signal controller, stored in a memory, and applied to rows of pixels while a gate driver scans a gate-on voltage to a gate line in a first mode to select a row of pixels, one row at a time. When a gate driver controller detects that a second frame of image signals is being received by the signal controller, the gate driver controller halts the operation of the gate driver until the second frame of input image signals has all been received by the signal controller and until a scan start signal is detected by the gate driver controller.
US08242999B2
A driving method for generating activating signals that serve to activate scan lines of a display panel includes generating the activating signals based on a plurality of recorded pulse duration information to thereby permit a time point at which a pulse duration of a preceding one of the activating signals in a consecutive pair ends occurs prior to a time point at which a pulse duration of a succeeding one of the activating signals in the consecutive pair starts. A driving device that performs the driving method is also disclosed. A method for adjusting pulse durations of the activating signals is further disclosed.
US08242998B2
An exemplary liquid crystal display includes a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate, a color filter substrate opposite to the TFT substrate, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the TFT substrate. The color filter substrate includes a plurality of color units and a first infrared detection layer arranged between the color units. The first infrared detection layer is configured to detect infrared light beams irradiating thereon and determine an irradiated position thereof. A remote control display system employing the liquid crystal display is also provided.
US08242996B2
A display device includes a plurality of gate lines transmitting gate signals wherein each gate signal has a gate-on voltage and a gate-off voltage, a plurality of data lines intersecting the gate lines and transmitting data voltages, a plurality of storage electrode lines extending in parallel to the gate lines and transmitting storage signals, a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix wherein each pixel includes a switching element connected to a gate line and a data line, a liquid crystal capacitor connected to the switching element and a common voltage, a storage capacitor connected to the switching element and a storage electrode line, and a plurality of storage signal generators generating the storage signals based on the gate signals. The storage signal applied to each pixel has a changed voltage level immediately after the charging the data voltage into the liquid crystal capacitor and the storage capacitor is completed.
US08242995B2
A light emitting display device and a method for driving the same are disclosed. Each pixel of the light emitting display device includes: a light emitting element that emits light in response to a drive current based on a gray-scale current on the associated data line; a first switching element that supplies the drive current to the light emitting element; a first voltage line that supplies a first voltage to a source electrode of the first switching element; a second switching element connected with the first switching element that forms a current mirror with the first switching element; a second voltage line that supplies a second voltage of the second switching element; and a voltage supply circuit that divides the first voltage from the first voltage line and the second voltage from the second voltage line and supplies the resulting voltage to a source electrode of the second switching element.
US08242987B2
Detection voltages of self light emitting elements in a self-luminous display panel are detected by a detection circuit through a selection switch in a data line drive circuit via pixel detection switches and interactive signal lines. The detection operation is performed by making use of a power source supply time and a retracing period.
US08242977B2
This invention is directed to a technique capable of achieving image quality improvement by the control of reset thinning drive (second drive) in a PDP drive control and of restricting or reducing the generation of hunting in ON/OFF control of the second drive and flickering of background luminance particularly in the case of low-luminance display. In this PDP apparatus, in addition to the control of the second drive using the SF load ratio, the APL value (k) and APL variation value (q) of the field are used, and when the APL variation value (q) is less than a predetermined threshold value, even when the SF load ratio is changed from zero to a value other than zero between SFs, the execution of the first drive is not started, and the execution of the second drive is continued.
US08242975B2
One of a plurality of color components which form pixels in an image that is influenced by chromatic aberrations caused by an optical system is selected as a reference color, and coordinates after conversion are calculated by applying conversion for correcting a distortion of the optical system with respect to the image to coordinates of pixels in association with the reference color. Correction values indicating amounts of color misregistration are calculated using the proportional relationship of difference values between the calculated coordinates and coordinates obtained by applying the conversion to coordinates of the image in association with remaining colors except for the reference color of the plurality of color components. Based on the calculated correction values, coordinates obtained by applying the conversion to coordinates of the image in association with the remaining colors are calculated.
US08242970B2
An antenna apparatus is disclosed. The antenna apparatus includes a board and a line antenna. The board includes: a base part having dielectric layers and a conductive layer disposed between the dielectric layers; multiple metal plates arranged on one surface of the base part while being spaced apart at even intervals so as to provide a band-gap surface; and a connection part via which the conductive layer is electrically connectable with the multiple metal plates. The line antenna is located on a band-gap surface side of the board, is arranged along the band gap surface, and is configured to receive and transmit the electromagnetic wave within an operating frequency band. The connection part includes a first adjustment circuit that is configured to individually adjust an impedance between the conductive layer and each of the plurality of metal plates.
US08242968B2
A mobile television antenna having an antenna element outwardly extending from opposing ends of a housing. An UHF digital booster extends perpendicularly from one side of the housing between the opposing ends carrying the antenna element. At least one UHF parasitic antenna element is connected on a boom which is integrally connected to the mobile television antenna housing. The ultra high frequency parasitic antenna element is held in a plane near the plane in which the antenna element is held by the housing.
US08242963B2
To provide an antenna device capable of diminishing gain changes caused by a human body. An antenna device has a magnetic current antenna 401 that takes a magnetic current as a source of emission; an electric current antenna 402 that takes an electric current as a source of emission; and an electric current/magnetic current distribution control circuit 403 that feeds signals to the magnetic current antenna 401 and the electric current antenna 402, wherein the magnetic current antenna 401 and the electric current antenna 402 are arranged in such a way that a polarized wave emitted from the magnetic current antenna 401 and a polarized wave emitted from the electric current antenna 402 cross each other at right angles. The electric current/magnetic current distribution control circuit 403 controls distribution of a radio wave emitted from the magnetic current antenna 401 and a radio wave emitted from the electric current antenna 402.
US08242959B2
In an overlay, U-TDOA-based, Wireless Location System, LMUs typically co-located with BTSs, are used to collect radio signaling both in the forward and reverse channels. Techniques are used to compensate for sparse LMU deployments where sections of the U-TDOA service area are uplink demodulation or downlink beacon discovery limited.
US08242957B2
Methods and systems for dynamic tracking utilizing leaky wave antennas (LWAs) are disclosed and may include configuring a transmitting angle of a plurality of leaky wave antennas in a wireless device at a desired starting angle. A RF signal strength may be measured at the sweeping transmitting angles for each of the leaky wave antennas, and a location of one or more objects may be tracked from the measured RF signal strength and a corresponding angle of reception of the LWAs. A resonant frequency of the LWAs may be configured utilizing micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) deflection. The LWAs may be situated along a plurality of axes in the wireless device. The LWAs may comprise microstrip or coplanar waveguides, where a cavity height of the LWAs is dependent on spacing between conductive lines in the waveguides. The LWAs may be integrated in integrated circuits, integrated circuit packages, and/or printed circuit boards.
US08242946B2
A pipelined Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) comprising a number of stages, at least one of the stages includes a sample and hold circuit. The sample and hold circuit includes a first output connected to an input of a sub-ADC, an output of the sub-ADC connected to an input of a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC), an output of the DAC connected to a node, and a second output connected to the node. The sample and hold circuit is configured to independently scale a signal produced by the first output and a signal produced by the second output.
