US08281400B1
Methods and systems for identifying a source of an attack in a network include transmitting an address associated with the attack target to a number of network devices. Each network device may then determine whether a received packet is destined for the attack target and identify, for each packet destined for the attack target, an input interface upon which the packet arrived. Each network device may also count the amount of data destined for the attack target per input interface. A potential source of the attack may then be identified based on the amount of data destined for the attack target.
US08281397B2
A method and apparatus for detecting spoofed IP network traffic is presented. A mapping table is created to indicate correlations between IP address prefixes and AS numbers, based on routing information collected from a plurality of data sources. At each interface of a target network, IP address prefixes from a training traffic flow are acquired and further converted into AS numbers based on the mapping table. An EAS (Expected Autonomous System) table is populated by the AS numbers collected for each interface. The EAS table is used to determine if an operation traffic flow is allowed to enter the network.
US08281388B1
A portable storage device contains a real time clock, an onboard power source and secure storage. These components enable the device to securely store data and control access thereto. A secret key can be maintained in secure storage, such that access to the device can be denied to external systems that do not have a matching key. A log detailing connections can also be maintained in secure storage, such that device activity can be accurately documented, and made available in a trusted manner to a management system. Furthermore, the onboard real time clock allows stored data to be encrypted and decrypted in conjunction with specified time periods, such that a session key is destroyed after a time out, or is not made available until a given period of time has transpired.
US08281387B2
Method and apparatus for supporting a virtual private network architecture on a partitioned platform
A computer system includes a service partition, not directly accessible to a user, having a security agent to inspect data entering and exiting the computer system on a virtual private network (VPN) tunnel, and a service partition VPN unit to communicate with a VPN gateway. The computer system also includes a user partition, accessible to a user, having a user partition VPN unit to initiate construction of the VPN tunnel with the VPN gateway. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08281365B2
An information management method includes: receiving a request for certain operation of certain electronic information associated with operation right information that defines permitted operation for each user; determining as to whether or not at least one of (i) a history of previous operations, executed by the user, of the certain electronic information and (ii) a history of previous operations, executed by the user, of a location associated with the certain electronic information meets a predetermined condition, and if it is determined that the at least one of (i) the history of previous operations, executed by the user, of the certain electronic information and (ii) the history of previous operations, executed by the user, of the location associated with the certain electronic information meets the predetermined condition, starting to execute the certain operation.
US08281359B2
A method and apparatus for presenting a media data stream complying with a broadcast encryption standard is disclosed. A dongle is removably coupleable to a rendering device, with the dongle performing transcoding so as to allow presentation of the media in a secure manner without modification of the rendering device software or hardware.
US08281351B2
A system, method and computer readable medium operable to move a video delay from a network video queue to a decoder video queue by discarding at least one video frame in a network video queue, thus moving video frames deeper in the queue forward in time. As such, rapid channel changing is provided without continuous unicasting, or temporarily transmitting at faster than the nominal rate, thereby alleviating strain on the network.
US08281350B2
A content distribution system distributes at least either one of a first content and a second content to a terminal (3) through a network from a distribution server (1) which stores a compression coded bit stream of the first content and a compression coded bit stream of the second content. The content distribution system has a conversion device (2) which, when a syntax indicating an order to be satisfied by the bit stream of the content distributed from said distribution server (1) to said terminal does not match a syntax of decoding information preliminarily notified to the terminal, converts the syntax of the content distributed to the terminal to match the syntax of the decoding information before distributing the same to the terminal (3). The conversion device (2) performs through processing on the content without converting the syntax thereof when the syntaxes match each other, whereas when the syntaxes do not match, the conversion device converts the syntax of the content before distributing the same to the terminal.
US08281348B2
A personalized media service provides, e.g., user customization of radio channel selections, immediate availability of multiple pre-programmed and/or customized channels, the ability to intersperse different types of content including periodically refreshed information content, availability of personal radio functions on devices such as car audio systems, PDAs, smartphones, MP3 players, etc. Available channels include, e.g., pre-programmed channels selected for the user based on an interest profile, user-owned content, user-specified recorded content, etc. An audio user interface facilitates user selection of programming and user purchase of currently played audio material. An overall radio experience is thus provided that combines the customization and flexibility of digital media with the immediacy and ubiquity of radio. Video materials may also be accommodated.
US08281347B2
A method of receiving over-the-air television content is disclosed and includes receiving input indicating a requested channel at a set-top box device. The set-top box device is coupled to a television via a first connection adapted to send television content to the television and via a second connection adapted to send data to, and receive data from, the television. The method also includes sending a control command from the set-top box device to the television via the second connection. The control command indicates that the television is to tune an over-the-air tuner at the television to the requested channel.
US08281331B2
A data storage medium support member is produced by resin molding. The data storage medium support member includes an accommodating portion, a guide portion, and a gate cut portion. The accommodating portion accommodates a magnetic member around a central axis. The guide portion has a guide surface for guiding an inner edge of a disc, and is arranged radially outward of the accommodating portion. The gate cut portion is formed on a rear surface of the guide portion. The data storage medium support member can be produced by the resin molding while securing space for accommodating the magnetic member and preventing an increase in the axial dimension of the data storage medium support member.
US08281326B2
A system for providing a routing service that enables a client to locate a target service in distributed computing environment that supports multiple communications protocols. The system includes a main database and a routing mechanism. The main database has routing information. The routing mechanism can be distributed in multiple instances. The routing mechanism includes a local database. The local database stores an extract of the main database. The routing mechanism uses the local database to make routing decisions. To locate the target service, the client first obtains a reference to the routing mechanism. The client then sends a request with input parameters to the routing mechanism. The routing mechanism then returns output parameters to the client. The output parameters contains a reference and/or associated properties of the target service depending on the type of the target service. The client analyzes the returned output parameters and locates the target service.
US08281325B2
A numerical data transfer section transfers numerical data and its format as input values for computation from a user program system to a library program system, gives it a name, and registers/manages it. In addition, a computation request section transfers information on the content of the computation from the user program system to the library program system. In library program system, a computing method determining section determine the types of library programs to be used and their execution sequence on the basis of the received information on the content of the computation. A computation-result transmitting section transfers results of execution from the library program system to the user program system in accordance with a request from a user. Accordingly, the user of the user program can more easily use library programs without having to pay attention to specific processes carried out by the library program system.
US08281320B2
Disclosed is an event alerting system and method using dynamic local grouping for 1:N event alerting. The event alerting method for an event alerting server to transmit an event message to clients connected on a network includes a) receiving an event alerting request from clients having generated events, or generating an event by the event alerting server, b) grouping the clients according to areas with reference to a transmission distance to the respective clients according to a client list by the event alerting server, c) transmitting a client list of the grouped areas and an alerting data packet to a plurality of master clients selected by the grouping process, and d) transmitting a client list and an alerting data packet to a master client from the master client of an upper group up to the last layer established by performing the grouping process again.
US08281318B2
A method of data communication between a first virtual machine and a second virtual machine is disclosed. The second virtual machine is executing in a record/replay mode. Data from the first virtual machine is copied to a first queue. The first queue receives the data from the first virtual machine. The first queue has a header section and a data section, wherein the header section being write protected and stores a tail pointer of the data in the first queue. The tail pointer is updated in the header section. This update of the tail pointer causes a page fault, which is handled-through a page fault handler. The handling includes copying the data from the first queue to a second queue. The second queue being configured to receive a copy of the data and to allow the second virtual machine to access the copy of the data.
US08281316B2
Event direction detection method that distinguishes an external event from an internal event and detects a direction of an event, includes the steps of: acting as intermediary of input/output of the external event and transferring external event input to an external event output; acting as intermediary of input/output of the internal event and transferring internal event input to an internal event output; transferring the outputs to finite state machine of a block; receiving and editing external event input terminal, via which the external event is input, and external event output terminal via which the external event is output; receiving and editing the first acting and transferring step; receiving and editing internal event input terminal, via which the internal event is input, and internal event output terminal via which the internal event is output; and receiving and editing the second acting and transferring step.
US08281314B2
An information processing device to execute programs performing encoding processing configured from a plurality of processes, includes: a program storage unit to store a plurality of encoding programs wherein an allocation pattern for a computation processing unit as to each of a plurality of processes comprising the encoding processes or the disposal pattern of memory utilized in the plurality of processes are each different; a program selecting unit to select an encoding program to be utilized in the event of executing encoding processing from a plurality of encoding programs stored with the program storage unit, as a utilized encoding program; and a program executing unit to execute the encoding processing employing a utilized encoding program selected with the program selecting unit.
US08281307B2
A method and information processing system are provided for creating a virtual part and for composing and deploying a virtual solution with one or more virtual parts. The virtual part includes: a virtual image including a set of compatible software components; a set of configurability points, each configurability point defining at least one parameter of the virtual part that is configurable; a set of virtual ports, wherein each virtual port indicates at least one of a set of virtual parts required by the virtual part and a set of virtual parts that are compatible with the virtual part; and a set of configuration scripts adapted to reconfigure the virtual image.
US08281298B2
Evaluating computer driver update compliance including applying a hashing algorithm to the contents of a driver repository, yielding a first hash value, the driver repository containing installed drivers for a computer; dating the first hash value; storing the first hash value and the date of the first hash value; identifying a candidate update for a driver installed in the repository, the candidate update having an update date; again applying the hashing algorithm to the contents of the driver repository, yielding a second hash value; comparing the first hash value and the second hash value; if the first hash value and the second hash value match, comparing the date of the first hash value and the update date; and if the update date is later than the date of the first hash value, reporting that the candidate update has not yet been installed.
US08281296B2
A system and method are provided for inlining a program call between processes executing under separate ISAs (Instruction Set Architectures) within a system virtual machine. The system virtual machine hosts any number of virtual operating system instances, each of which may execute any number of applications. The system virtual machine interprets or dynamically compiles not only application code executing under virtual operating systems, but also the virtual operating systems. For a program call that crosses ISA boundaries, the virtual machine assembles an intermediate representation (IR) graph that spans the boundary. Region nodes corresponding to code on both sides of the call are enhanced with information identifying the virtual ISA of the code. The IR is optimized and used to generate instructions in a native ISA (Instruction Set Architecture) of the virtual machine. Individual instructions are configured and executed (or emulated) to perform as they would within the virtual ISA.
US08281294B1
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for representing and managing a multi-architecture co-processor application program. Source code for co-processor functions is compiled in two stages. The first stage incorporates a majority of the computationally intensive processing steps associated with co-processor code compilation. The first stage generates virtual assembly code from the source code. The second stage generates co-processor machine code from the virtual assembly. Both the virtual assembly and co-processor machine code may be included within the co-processor enabled application program. A co-processor driver uses a description of the currently available co-processor to select between virtual assembly and co-processor machine code. If the virtual assembly code is selected, then the co-processor driver compiles the virtual assembly into machine code for the current co-processor.
US08281291B2
A system and method are provided to allow demand loading and discarding of Java executable image (JXE) files. The virtual machine allocates an address space for a requested JXE program. The read-only portion of the JXE file is memory mapped from its nonvolatile location to the allocated memory space using read-only mapping and the read/write section of the JXE file are loaded into memory. When a page of the JXE program is needed, a page fault occurs if the read-only portion has not been loaded into memory. The operating system's page fault handler retrieves the needed page(s) from the nonvolatile storage location based upon the mapping data that resulted from the previously performed memory mapping. Because the read-only section of the JXE file is memory mapped using read-only mapping, the operating system's paging process is free to discard previously loaded memory pages that contain read-only portions of the JXE file.
US08281290B2
A method may include mapping a first program to a context-free grammar. Grammar transformations may be performed on the context-free grammar to produce a transformed context-free grammar representing the first program. A second program having a program structure different than a program structure of the first program may be constructed from the transformed context-free grammar.
US08281272B1
A method is provided to produce an integrated circuit layout design comprising: providing in non-transitory storage a pPar parent cell that includes one or more pPar instances and that specifies one or more corresponding input parameter values; producing a graphical representation on a computer display screen of a first schematic design that includes a pPar parent instance; instantiating in non-transitory storage a parameterized cell supermaster that corresponds to the pPar parent cell; determining whether a core layout cell is stored in non-transitory storage that corresponds to the parameterized cell supermaster and the one or more corresponding input parameter values; in response to determining that such a core layout cell is stored, filling a first parameterized cell submaster with an instance of the stored core layout cell; in response to determining that such a core layout cell is not stored, using program code associated with the parameterized cell supermaster to generate a core layout cell; and storing the generated core layout cell in non-transitory storage.
US08281263B2
An approach is provided that computes electrical delay ranges that correspond to a number of shapes included in a hardware design layout. The electrical delay ranges are converted to shape tolerances for each of the shapes. A lithography mask of the hardware design layout is generated using the shape tolerances so that the images of the shapes in the mask produced lie within the shape tolerances that correspond to the respective shape.
US08281262B2
One embodiment relates to a computer method of providing an electronic mask set for an integrated circuit (IC) layer. In the method, a first electronic mask is generated for the IC layer. The first electronic mask includes a first series of longitudinal segments from the IC layer, where the first series has fewer than all of the longitudinal segments in the IC layer. A second electronic mask is also generated for the IC layer. The second electronic mask includes a second series of longitudinal segments from the IC layer, where the second series has fewer than all of the longitudinal segments in the IC layer and differs from the first series. The first and second masks are generated so a coupling segment extends traverse to the first direction and couples one longitudinal segment on the IC layer to another longitudinal segment on the IC layer.
US08281261B2
A graphic programming system for associating distinctive arrow appearances to specific transaction(s) that the arrow may convey among and between on-screen objects. The distinctive appearance features include arrow color, arrow style, and double-headed arrows, among many other possibilities. The system provides default relationships between specific arrow transactions and arrow appearance, so that, for example, a arrow of a particular color is recognized by the system (and easily identified by the user) to carry out a particular transaction. These relationships may be selectively varied by the user to suit individual needs.
US08281260B2
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus is provided with a display section, and can be instructed to be operated by a pointer displayed on the display section, and includes a detection section for detecting, from an input image of a hand, a position of the hand in the image, an operation section for obtaining a probability that the hand exists in the image by using the latest detection result detected by the detection section, and a value of a probability distribution function having a peak at a position which has been evaluated last time as a position at which a probability that the hand exists is high, and a pointer display section for moving the pointer, on the basis of an evaluation value obtained from the probability, to a position at which the probability that the hand exists is the highest and displaying the pointer at the position.
US08281257B2
A data display apparatus comprising, a display unit operable to hierarchically display a plurality of folders, a management unit operable to manage information associated with each of the plurality of folders, a determination unit operable to, when the display unit displays each of the plurality of folders, determine based on the information associated with the folder and acquired from the management unit whether to integrally display the folder and a plurality of lower folders included under the folder as an integrated folder, and a control unit operable to control to cause the display unit to perform integral display using the integrated folder when the determination unit has determined to perform the integral display.
US08281232B2
To provide a shortened version of a link that conveys useful information about the link's associated content, embodiments of the invention generate a shortened version of the link that comprises meaningful information about the original link. For example, in some embodiments such information includes portions of the link itself, such as domain and/or path components of the link's address text, content to which the link points, such as the text of a web page or other document referenced by the link's address text, or a rating of the content to which the link points. Thus, rather than generating an essentially random link, embodiments of the invention adaptively generate the shortened link to take into account the information about the link. Consequently, a user viewing the adaptively-generated shortened link can determine useful information about the content to which the shortened link leads based on the text of the shortened link itself.
US08281231B2
Method, systems, and computer program products for synchronizing text with audio in a multimedia file, wherein the multimedia file is defined by a timeline having a start point and end point and respective points in time therebetween, wherein an N-gram analysis is used to compare each word of a closed-captioned text associated with the multimedia file with words generated by an automated speech recognition (ASR) analysis of the audio of the multimedia file to create an accurate, time-based metadata file in which each closed-captioned word is associated with a respective point on the timeline corresponding to the same point in time on the timeline in which the word is actually spoken in the audio and occurs within the video.
US08281227B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed to increase data integrity in a redundant storage system. The receive module receives a read request to read data from a logical page spanning an array of N+P number of storage elements. The array of storage elements includes N number of the storage elements each storing a portion of an ECC chunk and P number of the storage elements storing parity data. The data read module reads data from at least a portion of a physical page on each of X number of storage elements of the N+P number of storage elements where X equals N. The regeneration module regenerates missing data. The ECC module determines if the read data and any regenerated missing data includes an error. The read data combined with any regenerated missing data includes the ECC chunk.
US08281225B2
A data coding apparatus and method for recording digital data on a storage device are provided, where the recording apparatus reduces the number of times that memory is accessed by storing only additional information and parity information when ECC encoded data are temporarily stored in an external memory, and performs data coding without any clock loss by scrambling only a specific field on-the-fly when the data stored in the external memory are read.
US08281224B1
Data is processed by obtaining data and redundant information from an expected position in a channel. Soft position information associated with the data is obtained and error correction decoding is performed using the data, the redundant information, and the soft position information to obtain a decoded position and decoded data. It is determined if the decoded position matches the expected position and the decoded data is output in the event the decoded position matches the expected position.
US08281223B2
A microprocessor includes a first plurality of fuses, a predetermined number of which are selectively blown. Control values are provided from the fuses to circuits of the microprocessor to control operation thereof. A second plurality of fuses are blown with the predetermined number of the first plurality of fuses that are blown and a Boolean complement of the predetermined number. In response to being reset, the microprocessor: reads the predetermined number and the Boolean complement of the predetermined number from the second plurality of fuses, Boolean complements the predetermined number read from the second plurality of fuses to generate a result, compares the result with the Boolean complement of the predetermined number read from the second plurality of fuses, and prevent itself from fetching and executing user program instructions if the result does not equal the Boolean complement of the predetermined number read from the second plurality of fuses.
US08281211B2
Systems and methods for providing relay in communications systems are disclosed. The relay may receive signals from user equipments (UEs) transmitting coded signals. The relay may receive turbo coded signals from the UEs. The relay station may encode a network channel for transmission to the base station using a recursive systematic convolutional (“RSC”) code. The use of RSC for the network code enables the base station to form as well a distributed turbo code as one can with the UE coded signals. In this manner the base station may recover the signal estimates for the UE signals with lower error probability when estimates at the relay station include errors due to imperfect reception. The use of the relay station and the RSC network code enables the base station to receive UE signals with lower error probability even when the transmission path from the UE is imperfect.
US08281210B1
An iterative decoder configured to implement a min-sum with correction algorithm. The iterative decoder includes N parity check nodes coupled to M equality constraint nodes. The iterative decoder further includes a first parity check node configured to send an output to a first equality constraint node. Responsive to a minimum magnitude of other M−1 inputs to the first parity check node being lower than a pre-determined threshold, the parity check node sends the output having a same magnitude as that of the minimum magnitude of the other M−1 inputs to the first parity check node. Responsive to the minimum magnitude of the other M−1 inputs to the first parity check node being greater than the pre-determined threshold, the parity check node subtracts a correction factor in the form of p·2q from the minimum magnitude.
US08281207B2
A transmitter communicates with a receiver and an error corrector corrects bit errors generated during data transmission. The transmitter has a scrambler unit that scrambles data so that a running disparity of 0 and 1 in the input data is substantially zero. A bit-string converting unit 15 that adds bit data for ensuring a maximum run length of a serial bit string of the scrambled data and converts control information to bit data of a fixed value. A synchronization timing generating unit 16 divides the transmitted data by a constant interval and converts the transmission data to a data block. A bit-string converting unit extracts a fixed-value bit pattern of the control data from the bit string of the data block, converts the bit pattern to the control information, and discriminates the data and the control information. A descrambler unit reconverts the data-scrambled data to the data before scrambling.
US08281206B2
A low density parity code (LDPC) encoding and decoding devices and encoding and decoding methods thereof are provided. An LDPC encoding device includes an information obtaining unit which obtains status information of at least two frequency bands, a matrix generation unit which generates a parity check matrix based on the status information, the parity check matrix including sub matrices which correspond to the at least two frequency bands, and an encoder which generates data bits and parity bits using an LDPC with the generated parity check matrix.
US08281205B2
Disclosed herein is a decoding apparatus for decoding an LDPC code, the decoding apparatus including: a message computation section configured to carry out a process of decoding received values, where notation F denotes a non-unity measure of the integer P, and outputting F messages; a shift section configured to carry out F×F cyclic shift operations on the F messages and output F messages; a storage section configured to store the F messages and allow the stored F messages to be read out or to store F received values cited above and allow the stored F received values to be read out; and a control section configured to control an operation to supply a unit composed of the F received values to the message computation section by carrying out at least a column rearrangement process or a process equivalent to the column rearrangement process on the received values.
US08281204B2
A method in a receiving node for sending an acknowledgement/not acknowledgement “ACK/NACK” feedback report of received data units over a radio link is provided. When the receiving node have received (301) data units in a number of subframes over a first radio link from a sending node, it creates (302) an ACK/NACK feedback report. The report is compressed such that it comprises one single ACK/NACK feedback relating to the data units in the number of received subframes, and the report comprises an indicator indicating said number of received subframes. The sending node then transmits (303) the created ACK/NACK feedback report to the sending node over a second radio link. The feedback report renders it feasible for the sending node to decide whether a retransmission of any subframe is required or not based on a comparison of the reported number of received subframes with the known transmitted number of subframes per frame, together with the compressed ACK/NACK feedback report.
US08281199B2
A hybrid self-test circuit structure comprises a plurality of input terminals and a plurality of output terminals for testing a plurality of memory units. The circuit structure comprises a first level functional unit for driving a plurality of first output terminals electrically coupled to the first level functional unit to output an output signal according to an external control signal transmitted from the outside; a plurality of second level functional units for receiving the output signal and generating a test signal according to the output signal and outputting the test signal to the memory units; a parallel interface parallelly installed between the first level functional unit and at least one of the second level functional units; and a serial interface serially installed between the first level functional unit and at least one of the second level functional units.
US08281196B2
The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for making device TAPs addressable to allow device TAPs to be accessed in a parallel arrangement without the need for having a unique TMS signal for each device TAP in the arrangement. According to the disclosure, device TAPs are addressed by inputting an address on the TDI input of devices on the falling edge of TCK. An address circuit within the device is associated with the device's TAP and responds to the address input to either enable or disable access of the device's TAP.
US08281192B2
A storage medium reproducing apparatus includes a storage unit, a correction history storage unit, a correction history implementing unit, and a correcting unit. The storage unit includes a plurality of information storage units storing information depending on whether a charge quantity is greater than a predetermined charge quantity threshold value, and a correction code storage unit storing error correction codes for the information stored in the information storage units. The correction history storage unit stores a correction history containing identification information for the information storage unit corrected with an error correction code is performed, and a content of the correction. The correction history implementing unit corrects information in compliance with the content of the correction when the information is read from the information storage unit. The correcting unit performs a correcting operation using an error correction code on the corrected information, and registers the correction history of the corrected information storage unit.
US08281181B2
The method begins with a processing unit receiving an encoded slice for storage. The method continues with the processing unit determining whether to store the encoded slice in one of a first set of memory devices or in one of a second set of memory devices based on metadata associated with the encoded slice, wherein the first set of memory devices are continually active and the second set of memory devices are selectively active. The method continues with the processing unit stores the encoded slice in the one of the second set of memory devices when the encoded slice is to be stored in the one of the second set of memory devices. The method continues with the processing unit de-activating the one of the second set of memory devices, in accordance with a deactivation protocol, after storing the encoded slice.
US08281172B2
One exemplary embodiment is a server that includes multiple power supplies. When the server is in a standby state, one power supply is in a standby state and another power supply is in a deep sleep state.
US08281171B2
In a method for adjusting power-saving strategy of a peripheral device controller in communication with a CPU, whether the CPU is in a working state while the peripheral device enters a power-saving mode is first determined. Then, interrupt the CPU at relatively short intervals during the power-saving mode if the CPU is in the working state; and interrupt the CPU at relatively long intervals during the power-saving mode if the CPU is not in the working state.
US08281158B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit having an internal circuit group, which includes at least one internal circuit, includes a plurality of process monitoring circuits, each of which is disposed at a different location in the internal circuit group, each of the process monitoring circuits, which is operated in response to a power supply voltage, detecting monitoring data in the area where one of the process monitoring circuits is disposed, and a power supply voltage generating circuit generating the power supply voltage corresponding to the monitoring data, and supplying the power supply voltage to the internal circuit group.
US08281154B2
Provided are a computer program product, system, and method to allocate blocks of memory in a memory device having a plurality of blocks. At least one unencrypted memory allocation function coded in an application is executed to request allocation of unencrypted blocks in the memory device. An encrypted memory allocation function coded in the application is executed to request allocation of encrypted blocks in the memory device. At least one unencrypted Input/Output (I/O) request function coded in the application indicating an I/O operation to perform against the unencrypted blocks in the memory device is executed. At least one encrypted I/O request function coded in the application indicating an I/O operation to perform against the encrypted blocks in the memory device is executed. An operating system uses an encryption key associated with the encrypted blocks to encrypt or decrypt data in the encrypted blocks to perform the encrypted I/O operation in response to processing the encrypted I/O request functions, wherein the unencrypted and encrypted memory allocation functions and unencrypted and encrypted I/O request functions comprise different functions in a library of functions available to the application.
US08281153B2
The present invention relates to a method of creating indexes so that an index scan can be worked for columns in a database encrypted by means of secrete key cipher algorithm. The method of creating indexes according to the present invention comprises the steps of: re-encrypting to be able to maintain the sort ordering based on a plain text; creating new indexes based on the re-encrypted data; and configuring domain index architecture of encrypted columns so that the created index is used for the index scan in a query statement.
US08281144B2
An ownership sharing method and apparatus using a secret key in a home network remote controller are provided. A user who owns a home device generates an ownership authentication key using the secret key shared with the home device through the user's terminal device, and transmits the ownership authentication key to a terminal device of a particular user who wishes to share the ownership. The particular user can use the home device using the shared ownership authentication key, allowing for ownership of a device in home network environments based on a secret key that can be easily shared, obviating complicated calculation procedures that are no needed to share the ownership between an owner of a device and his family or customers, and achieving high security that is guaranteed based on the secret key.
US08281143B1
Various methods and systems for protecting against chosen plaintext attacks when encrypting data for storage on an untrusted storage system are disclosed. One method involves generating an encryption key for use in encrypting data and generating an identifier for the data. Generation of the encryption key is based upon a hash of the data to be encrypted. The method also involves detecting whether an encrypted copy of the data is already stored by a storage system, based upon the identifier. The method also modifies the data to be encrypted or the encryption key, based upon a client-specific value, prior to generating the identifier.
US08281141B2
A method and apparatus that monitors and analyzes degree of trust and information assurance attributes information in a data providence architecture workflow is disclosed. The method may include receiving a message having a data provenance wrapper, examining each data provenance record of the message and any attachments for discrepancies, identifying any discrepancies in the examination of each data provenance record of the message and any attachments; calculating a degree of trust based on any discrepancies identified in the examination of each data provenance record of the message and any attachments, and presenting the degree of trust and information assurance attributes information to the user on a display.
US08281131B2
Method and apparatus for generating cryptographic credentials certifying user attributes and making cryptographic proofs about attributes encoded in such credentials. Attributes are encoded as prime numbers E in accordance with a predetermined mapping and a cryptographic credential is generated encoding E. To prove that an attribute encoded in a cryptographic credential associated with a proving module of the system is a member of a predetermined set of user attributes, without revealing the attribute in question, the proving module determines the product Q of respective prime numbers corresponding to the attributes in the set in accordance with the predetermined mapping of attributes to prime numbers. The proving module demonstrates to the receiving module possession of a cryptographic credential encoding a secret value that is the prime number E, and then whether this secret value divides the product value Q.
US08281129B1
Fraud and identity theft are enabled by two faulty assumptions about the way that the identity of a person is verified in our society. The first is that someone who demonstrates knowledge of certain items of personal or financial information about a particular person is presumed to be that person. The second assumption, which gives rise to the first assumption, is that these items of information can be kept confidential. Because fraudsters and identity thieves often seek to use their victim's personal and financial information, this invention proposes a direct authentication system and method that does not depend on these assumptions. The proposed method enables businesses to determine whether the customer is truly the person who he says he is by adopting a new “two-factor” authentication technique and authenticating customer's identity utilizing customer's trusted authenticator. A customer's trusted authenticator can be found within the financial services community; in particular, a bank or other financial institution with whom the customer has a trusted relationship, such as a bank account.
US08281126B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for securing data transmission in networks. Embodiments of the invention further relate to encryption methods that dynamically adjust during the course of data transmission. Further, the encryption methods can adapt dynamically without user intervention. In one embodiment, an encryption scheme can be established, controlled, and monitored via out-of-band communication between transceiver modules.
US08281123B2
A system and method for managing private information while using semi-trusted interfaces is described. In an embodiment, an intermediate node may receive a first and second communication between a semi-trusted node and a trusted node. In managing private information, the intermediate node may append private information to the first communication sent from the semi-trusted node to the trusted node, and remove private information from the second communication sent from the trusted node to the semi-trusted node.
US08281120B2
Sending signed e-mail messages. An output data stream is created for streaming a signed e-mail message, and streamed attachment data is read. In response to receiving a portion of the read streamed attachment data, the received portion of the attachment data is digested to generate a digest value, and the received portion of the attachment data is sent to a mail server via the output data stream. The received portion of the attachment data is smaller than the size of the attachment data. The digest value is updated as additional portions of the streamed attachment data are received and digested. In response to sending all attachment data to the mail server, a signer generates the signature data by signing the digest value using a signer's private key, and the generated signature data is sent to the mail server via the output stream.
US08281119B1
A computer-implemented method for booting a computer is disclosed according to an aspect of the subject technology. The computer comprises firmware memory including a first section and a second section. The method comprises determining at boot time whether a developer mode is enabled on the computer, and, if the developer mode is enabled, then booting the computer using developer firmware stored in the first section of the firmware memory. The method also comprises, if the developer mode is disabled, then booting the computer using normal firmware stored in the second section of the firmware memory.
US08281117B2
The invention relates to a server with at least one removable storage unit. This removable storage unit is designed to boot a server. The removable storage unit, which is for example a memory card, comprises a non-writable storage, which stores a boot-loader and reference installation files, and a writable secondary storage, which is designed to store installation files. The boot-loader checks a data content of the secondary storage and a data content of a primary storage of the server. In case the secondary storage is not empty and the primary storage is either empty or comprises a different data content than the secondary storage, the boot-loader stores the data content of the secondary storage in the primary storage of the server.
US08281106B2
A processor includes at least one execution unit that executes instructions, at least one register file, coupled to the at least one execution unit, that buffers operands for access by the at least one execution unit, and an instruction sequencing unit that fetches instructions for execution by the execution unit. The processor further includes an operand data structure and an address generation accelerator. The operand data structure specifies a first relationship between addresses of sequential accesses within a first address region and a second relationship between addresses of sequential accesses within a second address region. The address generation accelerator computes a first address of a first memory access in the first address region by reference to the first relationship and a second address of a second memory access in the second address region by reference to the second relationship.
US08281104B2
A method includes designating at least three storage partitions on at least two logical drives, placing a first storage partition on a first of the logical drives adjacent to a second storage partition on a second of the logical drives separate from the first logical drives, and creating a third partition among both the first and second of the logical drives. The first, second and third partitions are balanced for storage access symmetry such that the drives bear equal storage placement.
US08281099B2
Computer program product to back up deduplicated data to data storage media, the deduplicated data comprising a plurality of data blocks referenced for deduplication. In one embodiment, the existence of multiple references to each of the data blocks is determined; and at least two copies of at least each data block having multiple references thereto is stored, each to a separate data storage media. In another embodiment, the references to each of the data blocks is determined; the total of multiple references is compared to a percentage threshold; and multiple copies are stored for all the data blocks where the percentage threshold is exceeded.
US08281092B2
When an update instruction for updating task data stored in a memory is transmitted through a transaction process performed by an application server, an active node apparatus generates, based on the update instruction, an update log indicating update contents of the task data stored in the memory, and then distributes, in a multicast manner, the generated update log to other standby node apparatuses each with a memory. With this, mirroring among the plurality of memories is controlled.
US08281091B2
A method of selecting a target volume in a storage system is provided. The method comprises defining one or more parameters for a plurality of storage volumes in the storage system according to user preference; dynamically collecting information related to the parameters while the storage volumes are used; receiving a request to backup a first source volume in the storage system; and selecting or creating the target volume based on the collected information.
US08281085B2
The device of the present invention manages changes in the construction of a storage system in a unified manner, and optimally disposes resources. The servers are logically divided into a plurality of virtual servers, the switches are logically divided into a plurality of zones, and the storage devices are logically divided into a plurality of virtual storage devices. The respective logical devices are respectively managed by respective managing parts. These respective managing parts are connected to a managing device via a network used for management. The managing device re-disposes resources in application program units on the basis of the load states of the respective resources in the storage system.
US08281081B2
Disclosed herein is an apparatus which may comprise a plurality of nodes. In one example embodiment, each of the plurality of nodes may include one or more central processing units (CPUs), a random access memory device, and a parallel link input/output port. The random access memory device may include a local memory address space and a global memory address space. The local memory address space may be accessible to the one or more CPUs of the node that comprises the random access memory device. The global memory address space may be accessible to CPUs of all the nodes. The parallel link input/output port may be configured to send data frames to, and receive data frames from, the global memory address space comprised by the random access memory device(s) of the other nodes.
US08281077B2
An apparatus and method for providing media content to electronic equipment includes transferring media content to the electronic equipment, and using rules to determine how pre-existing media content and the cached media content are stored in memory when free memory in the electronic equipment is insufficient to store the cached media content. At least part of the transferred media content is cached in memory of the electronic equipment for use at a later time.
US08281069B2
In a distributed RAID-1 (DR1) copy operation, operation of source and target DR1 volumes is first converted to a local-copy operating mode in which the distributed copy operation is converted into a set of local copy operations. Each t is performed at a respective location of the disks of the DR1 volumes and involves copying data of the source DR1 from a first disk to a second disk via a local second communication channel of relatively high bandwidth. Following conversion, the local copy operations are performed at the locations. Upon completion of the local copy operations, storage operations to the source and target DR1 volumes are temporarily suspended, operation of the source and target DR1 volumes is converted back to the normal operating mode, and storage operations to the source and target DR1 volumes are resumed.
US08281067B2
A disk array controller apparatus (10) is disclosed having at least two logical ports (Logical Port #0-Logical Port #3) for interfacing with a host (12) and having one or more physical ports (Physical Port #0-Physical Port #4), each physical port arranged for attaching at least one disk drive to the controller, and the controller including a switch (26), the switch providing dynamically configurable data paths (30) between the logical data ports and physical data ports, responsive to the contents of a Mapping Register (24). The Mapping Register defines a desired disk drive array by specifying an association of each logical port to one of the physical ports. The mapping register can be organized as a logical mapping register, comprising a field for each logical port of the controller, and includes provision for designating a redundant array for RAID operations.
US08281062B2
A storage device has two connectors for transferring data files: a first connector through which data files can be transferred at an accelerated speed, and a second connector through which data files can be transferred at a conventional speed. According to the present disclosure a user can select the speed (i.e., “normal speed” or “accelerated speed”) at which s/he wants to transfer a data file from a host to the storage device, and vice versa, by connecting the host to the proper connector of the storage device. The first connector is internally connected to a plurality of controllers that facilitate data transfers at the accelerated speed, and the second connector is internally connected to a controller that facilitates data transfers at the normal speed.
US08281057B2
An information processing apparatus includes a first host bus adaptor that has a first storage section and expands the function of the information processing apparatus. Multiple first input/output devices are connected to the first host bus adaptor. A first firmware issues a first inquiry to each of the first multiple input/output devices and stores a first response to the first inquiry obtained from each of the first multiple input/output devices in the first storage section. A second host bus adaptor has a second storage section and expands the function of the information processing apparatus. Multiple second input/output devices are connected to the second host bus adaptor. A second firmware issues a second inquiry to each of the second multiple input/output devices independently from the first inquiry and holds a second response to the second inquiry obtained from each of the second multiple input/output devices in the second storage section.
US08281054B2
Methods and apparatus for improved performance in communications between a SAS/STP initiator device and a plurality of SATA storage devices coupled with the initiator through an enhanced switching device. The switching device is enhanced in accordance with features and aspects hereof to receive a DMA SETUP FIS from a SATA storage device and to transmit multiple modified DMA SETUP FISs to the initiator where each modified DMA SETUP FIS comprises a subcount less than the maximum count in the received DMA SETUP FIS.
US08281049B2
A double data rate bus system includes a host-network interface card configuration wherein the host is configured to recognize the network interface card to establish a double data rate bus between the host and the network interface card. The host is configured to generate a plurality of generic data frame queues. Each of the generic data frame queues is configured to receive and to transmit generic data frames via the double data rate bus. The network interface card is configured to transmit a plurality of dynamic memory access read requests to the host via the double data rate bus. The host is configured to allow each of the plurality of dynamic memory access read requests to remain pending prior to responding to any one of the plurality of dynamic memory access read requests.
US08281044B2
A data flow control and bridging architecture that enhances the performance of removable data storage systems. In one implementation, the present invention provides a bypass bus implementation where the data transfer phase associated with select commands occurs directly between the host computing system and the target removable data storage unit. In one implementation, the present invention further provides a data flow and bridging architecture that emulates a removable media interface, such as the ATAPI interface, to the host computing system, and translates these commands for a target removable storage unit that implements a fixed media interface, such as the ATA interface. In yet another implementation, the present invention provides a data flow and bridging architecture that supports the serial ATA interface.
US08281043B2
A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for enabling out-of-band access to storage devices through port-sharing hardware. Providing out-of-band access to storage devices enables system management functions to be performed when an operating system is non-functional as well as when the operating system is active. Storage commands originating with a management service can be interleaved with storage commands issued by the host operating system. The host operating system maintains ownership and control over its storage devices, but management activities can be performed while the host operating system is operational.
US08281041B2
A system and method for processing keystrokes made while operating a medical device to prevent keypad entry errors. The key press-to-press time is monitored and a subsequent key press rejected if the actual key press-to-press time is shorter than a key press-to-press limit. The actual key inactive time between the release of a key and the subsequent press of a key is compared to an inactive time limit. The subsequent key press is rejected if the actual inactive time is shorter than the inactive time limit. Alerts are provided and further key presses are ignored until the operator presses a CLEAR key. The active time of a key press is monitored and compared to an active time limit. If the actual key press active time exceeds the key press active time limit, an alert is provided but the key press is recognized. An adaptive approach is disclosed in which key presses of an operator are monitored and timing limits modified in accordance with the keying patterns of that operator.
US08281039B2
A system for multimedia communications implemented with reconfigurable technology is disclosed. The system includes: a SIP engine implemented in hardware that executes functions defined by Session Initiation Protocol (SIP); a XML engine implemented in hardware that executes functions defined by Extensible Markup Language (XML); and an interface that coordinates functions executed by the SIP engine and the XML engine. A standard set of features are provided for robust communications while permitting the addition of more features to enhance the multimedia communications experience. For example, audio and video communication, instant messaging and presence can be provided by the system while P2P and IP Multimedia Systems (IMS) can be provided through expansion. Reconfigurable technology allows the system to achieve optimal performance in performing various tasks.
US08281029B2
A broadband communication system with improved latency is disclosed. The system employs acceleration of secure web-based communications over a satellite communication network. In accordance with aspects of the invention, secure protocol acceleration is employed such that required protocol signals transmitted from a computer employing a web browser may be intercepted by a remote terminal. To insure that the browser will continue transmitting data, the remote terminal generates required acknowledgment and security signals to continue the secure communication, which may then transmitted back to the computer. Meanwhile, the received protocol signals may be converted by the remote terminal for transmission through the satellite communications system in a format appropriate for that communication medium. Aspects of the invention further include a hub or similar device for communicating with the satellite communications system, and a secure connection between that device and the web server may be maintained by similarly simulating a continuous secure connection between the computer and the web server. Transmissions from the web server to the browser may be preformed in a similar manner. Further aspects of the invention related to distributed certificate sharing which may involve the generation of multiple certificates for the various links between the components employed in the communication system and the manual and/or automatic addition of a certificate authority.
US08281023B2
Storage authorization and access control of data stored on a peer-to-peer overlay network is provided. A publishing node stores data on a storage node in the overlay network. The publishing node is adapted to facilitate data storage authorization by generating a resource identifier as a function of a usage string associated with a data type to be stored. A storage request is generated that includes the resource identifier and data to be stored. The storage request may be sent to the storage node. The storage device receives the storage request sent by a publishing node, including a resource identifier and data to be stored. Independent storage authorization is performed by the storage node at an overlay level by verifying the resource identifier. The data in the storage request is stored at the storage node if the resource identifier is successfully verified.
US08281018B2
Techniques for automatically providing a client with access to a virtual machine associated with the client are described herein. According to one embodiment, a message is received by a controller from a client over a network indicating that the client is starting up. In response, the controller causes a connection to be automatically established between the client and a virtual machine (VM) associated with the client once the client has started up. The associated VM may be one of a predetermined VM, a member of a group of VMs that are associated with the client, and a VM selected from a pool of VMs. As a result, a user of the client can instantly access contents provided by the associated VM without having to manually log onto a Web portal in order to select the associated VM to be launched. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US08281011B2
Methods, systems, and devices are described for updating resource access permissions in a virtual computing environment. In these methods, systems, and devices, a host computer system determines that a user associated with an existing session has moved from a first location to a second location, identifies at least one pre-access rule based on the second location, applies the at least one pre-access rule to the existing session before authenticating the user for access to the existing session in response to the determination that the user has moved to the second location, and authenticates the user at the second location for access to the existing session after the at least one pre-access rule has been applied to the existing session.
US08281007B2
A cluster control apparatus controls an allocation of a job to each node in a cluster system formed by mutually connecting a plurality of nodes by a high-speed network. A node selecting unit selects an allocation node for allocating the job and a similar node that is similar to the allocation node. A data-redundancy command unit issues a command to store data created from the job executed by the allocation node in the allocation node and the similar node.
US08281005B2
A method determines a user demographic profile of a user that visits one or more websites of a predetermined group of websites. The method includes generating a first record of visits by the user to the websites of the predetermined group of websites. The method further includes providing one or more website profiles comprising demographic characteristics of each website visited by the user of the predetermined group of websites. The method further includes calculating an estimated user demographic profile of the user by using the first record of visits by the user and the one or more website profiles.
US08281001B2
A device to device network allows an entity to seamlessly access content stored on various devices. Many devices can be registered on a network; however, an entity will only have access to devices for which the entity is authorized to access. In one embodiment, the entity can only access devices that have been authenticated with the same username. While using the device-to device network, an entity can transfer files, stream files, create and use play lists, send commands to various devices and explore the contents of various devices.
US08280999B2
An apparatus is provided for remotely rebooting Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication devices. In general, the apparatus remotely selects VoIP communication devices connected to a network, reboots the selected devices, and evaluates the status of each device. A processor allows a user to select VoIP communication devices connected to the network and receives inputs pertaining to the reboot operation, including a time input and search criteria. The processor communicates with the designated VoIP communication devices over a packet-switching network to instruct the devices to reboot and monitors each device. In this way, multiple VoIP communication devices may be rebooted from a remote location, and problems or issues that arise during the reboot process may be identified and addressed. An associated method and computer program product are also provided for remotely rebooting VoIP communication devices.
US08280998B2
In a load balancing system, user-configurable geographic prefixes are provided. IP address prefix allocations provided by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) and associated geographic locations are stored in a first, static database in a load balancing switch, along with other possible default geographic location settings. A second, non-static database stores user-configured geographic settings. In particular, the second database stores Internet Protocol (IP) address prefixes and user-specified geographic regions for those prefixes. The specified geographic region can be continent, country, state, city, or other user-defined region. The geographic settings in the second database can override the information in the first database. These geographic entries help determine the geographic location of a client and host IP addresses, and aid in directing the client to a host server that is geographically the closest to that client.
US08280987B2
Various cloud data persistence systems and methods are described. In some embodiments, a client may request a data object from a server. This data object may contain a link to a media asset and other information linked to the video file, such as a title and duration. This media asset may be stored in a different location. If this first server does not have the data object stored locally, it may contact a second server to determine if it has the data object stored. If the second server does not have the data object stored, it may contact a data object origin server, which may have all existing data objects stored. This data object origin server may then send the data object to the second server, which may in turn transmit the data object to the first server. The first server may then transmit the data object to the client.
US08280979B2
Disclosed herein are methods for protecting user information on a client device that may have a plurality of users. A user interface with a public machine designation portion is presented to a user prior to the start of the authentication process. The public machine designation removes web service account descriptions and any user specific information stored on the client device. Also, the client device is prevented from storing any new user specific information that is provided to the client device. The public machine designation is a persistent feature that may only be disabled by an affirmative action from the user.
US08280978B2
The disclosed examples of a multi-services gateway device (10) comprise application service programming (140) logically positioned on a user premises side of a logical network demarcation forming an edge of the wide area network at the user premises. The programming also defines a logical service provider-user demarcation between the user premises and the application service provider. The application service programming (110, 120, 130) resides on the service provider side of the service provider-user demarcation and only provides a logical application service interface across that demarcation to deliver an application service to an endpoint device. The logical service provider-user demarcation also provides a demarcation in accessibility to hardware resources (152) of the gateway device, whereby some hardware resources (152) of the gateway device are on the service provider side (156) of the logical service provider-user demarcation and are inaccessible to an endpoint device from the user side (155) o he logical service provider-user demarcation.
US08280969B2
Methods, apparatus, and systems for providing information regarding a locate and/or marking operation to identify a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area. At least one notification indicating a status of the locate and/or marking operation is electronically transmitted and/or stored so as to inform at least one party associated with requesting the operation (a “requesting party,” e.g., an excavator, a property owner, a facility owner, a regulatory authority, a damage investigator, etc.) of the status of the operation. In one aspect, a requesting party may designate a preferred format, content, and/or method of receiving notifications regarding the locate and/or marking operation. In another aspect, a computer-generated GUI is provided to facilitate submission of requests, generation of “virtual white line” images to indicate one or more dig areas on a digital image of a work site, and/or selection of notifications and preferences for same. In yet another aspect, a requesting party may provide an acknowledgement of receipt (e.g., a “return receipt”) for one or more received notifications.
US08280968B1
A method of detecting a compromised machine on a network. The method receives an email message from a machine on the network and classifies it as either spam or non-spam. A probability ratio is then updated, according to whether the message was spam or non-spam, by applying a sequential probability ratio test. If the probability ratio is greater than or equal to a first threshold, then the machine is compromised. If the probability ratio is less than or equal to a second threshold, then the machine is normal. The operations of receiving a message, classifying the message, updating the probability ratio, and indicating the machine is normal or compromised until the probability ratio is greater than or equal to the first threshold are repeated for a plurality of messages. Such repeated operations are performed on each of the messages one at a time, as each of the messages is received.
US08280965B2
A method and system for managing email between a sender and a recipient wherein the method and system provide the recipient with control over routing an email message, wherein the control includes predefining directions to be executed upon the receipt of an email message, and wherein the directions are dependent upon the properties of the email message. The recipient may enable or disable the control at any time.
US08280960B2
The present invention provides a game system 100, a game terminal 10, and a server device 40. Game system 100 allows players to play a game in a unit of a group constituting one game terminal 10 that has been selected as a parent node requiring a larger bandwidth during the game and at least two game terminals 10 that have been selected as child nodes requiring a smaller bandwidth during the game. The selection of the nodes is performed by server device 40. A parent node is selected from a game terminal 10 that has transmitted a grouping request containing ability data indicating that the terminal has the ability to be selected as a parent node.
US08280959B1
A user device requests a web page from a web server of a third-party website, which is separate from a social networking system. The web server from the third-party website sends a markup language document for the requested web page to the user device which includes an instruction for a browser application running on the user device to incorporate information obtained from the social networking system within the web page. Based on the instruction in the received markup language document, the user device requests personalized content from the social networking system, which generates the requested personalized content based on social information about the user. The user device then renders the web page with the personalized content contained in a frame and displays the rendered web page and the frame to the user.
US08280957B2
Automatic subscription to presence services is achieved using a communications manager within a presence system. The communications manager is capable of detecting the occurrence of an event associated with at least one of a presentity and a watcher. The communications manager automatically subscribes or unsubscribes the watcher to receive presence information of the presentity in response to detection of the event.
US08280954B2
A method and system for providing real-time communication via text between multiple user devices, the method including receiving, at an application server, a conversation request from a first user device, wherein the conversation request is based upon a selection of a second user device from a contact list that is stored on the first user device, sending the conversation request from the application server to a push server, receiving, at the application server, a conversation session ID from the second user device, if the conversation request is accepted by the second user device, sending the conversation session ID from the application server to the push server, receiving, at the application server, a first datagram message from the first user device, sending the first datagram message from the application server to the second user device, receiving, at the application server, a second datagram message from the second user device, and sending the second datagram message from the application server to the first user device.
US08280941B2
A method and system are described for performing an arithmetic operation such as multiplication or division of a fixed point variable measured at runtime by a floating point constant known at compile-time. The floating point constant is converted into a mantissa and a base-2 exponent at compile-time. The mantissa and exponent are preferably combined into a single unit (a word) of memory. At runtime either single multiplication and accumulation or matrix multiplication and accumulation is preferably achieved by a microprocessor or DSP instruction designed to use the mantissa-exponent pairs stored in a word of memory. The microprocessor instruction multiplies a fixed point runtime variable x by the mantissa and the result is shifted to the right or left as indicated by the exponent, which is preferably a 2's complement number. The complete instruction sequence to perform the multiplication can be made reentrant and can be pipelined.
US08280937B2
A look-up table (LUT) is arranged as a plurality of rows each indexed by an index value and storing at least a coefficient for each index value for use in processing digital data. The LUT contains repeated sections in which m coefficients stored for successive index values form a cycle. The number m is not an integer power of 2. For example the LUT may be used when converting a digital count to a gain in dB, in which case m may be 6 or 12, the coefficients representing dB or fractional-dB steps in gain. The LUT contains n additional blank rows inserted after every repeated section of m rows storing the cycle of m coefficients, n being 1 or more and (m+n) being an integer power of two (such as 8 or 16). By feeding an initial index value through encoding logic which takes account of the additional rows, it can be ensured that these are never indexed. Thus, a sparse-coded LUT is provided. Although each repeated section is increased in size, the actual size of the LUT in terms of circuit area or programming logic is reduced because the repeating length is now a power of two.
US08280933B2
An information processing apparatus includes a local storage in which a virtual file system is created, the virtual file system supporting an information recording medium on which encrypted content on which an encryption process has been performed is recorded, the encrypted content being managed for each of content management units serving as content use management units, and on which content management units used by the encrypted content are set; and a playback unit configured to read and play back the encrypted content managed by the content management units used by the encrypted content by using the virtual file system created in the local storage, configured to receive a data distribution file set for linking other information with the encrypted content of the information recording medium, the encrypted content being distributed from an information distribution server, and configured to update the virtual file system using the received data distribution file set.
US08280924B2
In an embodiment, a generic database application of a computer system receives a portion of input data from a database. The generic database application can communicate with the database using a variety of different database schemas. The generic database application of the computer system infers a portion of ORM metadata associated with the received input data. The computer system accesses a generic ORM query where the ORM query is configured to provide mapping information to map the input data into a graph of objects according to the database object properties included in the ORM metadata. The computer system maps the input data into a graph of objects using the database object properties included in the ORM metadata and displays an ORM object view which includes the graph of objects.
US08280906B1
A method and system retaining offers for delivering targeted data in a system for targeted data delivery. According to one embodiment, selection criteria for determining whether to present the offer for the targeted data to a user is accessed. The offer is retained even if a user profile does not satisfy the selection criteria.
US08280904B2
The invention described herein is generally directed to a method and apparatus for creating and retrieving audio data. In one implementation the invention comprises an annotation system configured to record, store, and retrieve media. The annotation system contains a set of client-processing devices configured to capture media for subsequent playback. Each client-processing device typically contains a record button to initiate the capture and is configured upon performing the capture operation to trigger an association of a unique ID with the media. The client-processing devices are further configured to upload the media and a unique ID to a server for purposes of storage. The server obtains the media and unique ID for subsequent retrieval and provides the media and the unique ID to at least one client-processing device from the set of client processing devices.
US08280903B2
Disclosed is a system architecture, components and a searching technique for an Unstructured Information Management System (UIMS). The UIMS may be provided as middleware for the effective management and interchange of unstructured information over a wide array of information sources. The architecture generally includes a search engine, data storage, analysis engines containing pipelined document annotators and various adapters. The searching technique makes use of a two-level searching technique. A search query includes a search operator containing of a plurality of search sub-expressions each having an associated weight value. The search engine returns a document or documents having a weight value sum that exceeds a threshold weight value sum. The search operator is implemented as a Boolean predicate that functions as a Weighted AND (WAND).
US08280901B2
Methods and systems related to the display of primary and secondary search results are provided. Search results are displayed to the user without requiring the user to perform any tasks to view the entire set of search results. The user may then request secondary searches based on the displayed primary search results through performing a single action. Secondary search results are displayed along with the primary search results.
US08280898B1
A named entity dictionary update apparatus using a named entity dictionary and a mining rule combined with an ontology schema includes: a named entity dictionary and mining rule database storage module storing the named entity dictionary and a mining rule database; a named entity and mining rule search module searching for a corresponding mining rule and a named entity from the mining rule database and the named entity dictionary using a terminology included in an inputted mining pattern and the mining pattern; and a named entity dictionary update module estimating a named entity of the terminology using the mining rule and storing the estimated named entity of the terminology in the named entity dictionary depending on user's selection, if a named entity corresponding to the terminology is not searched from the named entity dictionary and the mining rule corresponding to the mining pattern is searched from the mining rule database.
US08280895B2
A method which operates a plurality of threads in parallel on disparate file sizes ordered by an additional thread. Efficiently backing up of heterogeneous non-volatile mass store to a network attached server scalably distributes computing hashes and eliminating duplication. The method segments each file and object into a hierarchy of pieces in a plurality of types and avoids sending unnecessary pieces.
US08280881B1
Methods, systems and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining similar queries for image searches. In one aspect, a method includes generating, for each of a plurality of search queries, a selection vector for the search query, each selection vector including a plurality of vector elements, each vector element corresponding to a unique image, and the value of each vector element being proportional to a number of selections of its corresponding unique image in response to the unique image being presented as a search result for the search query. The method further includes selecting a first search query and a second search query from the plurality of search queries and determining, from the selection vectors for the first and second search queries, a similarity measure that is a measurement of the similarity of the first search query to the second query.
US08280874B2
More efficient querying of a multi-tenant database using dynamic tuning of database indices. A layer of meta-data associates data items with tenants, e.g., via tags, and the meta-data is used to optimize searches by channeling processing resources during a query to only those pieces of data bearing the relevant tenant's unique tag.
US08280873B1
The present invention relates to a system for capturing a business context of a user's interaction with a website. The system has a web server containing web pages and a web log. A web log filter extracts data from the web log associated with the address associated with the business context. A data analysis creation tool is in communication with a shared configuration table in the enterprise data warehouse, wherein the data analysis creation tool has executable instructions for creating a logical data model for mapping the extracted data to the enterprise data warehouse. A method for the same is also provided.
US08280872B1
Various embodiments described herein include one or more of systems, software, and methods to receive and automatically route forum postings to individuals tasked with responding to the postings. Some such embodiments extract keywords from the text of such postings and use the extracted keywords and keyword-responder mappings to identify a responder capable of responding to the posting. Some embodiments include generating or updating keyword-responder mappings by identifying keywords included in posting responses made by each responder.
US08280870B2
A method of searching for a entity amongst a plurality of entities, wherein all the entities are linked by at least one criterion in common and have a plurality of data formats, wherein each entity comprises a set of data which can be searched by means of criteria entered by a user; and wherein each entity has a data format; and further wherein a specific one of the data formats defines a standard record format; the method comprising the steps of: determining the data format of an entity; if the data format of the entity does not match the standard record format, passing the entity to a pre-processing engine; if the data format of the entity does match the standard record format, passing standard record format data of the entity to a main processing engine; in the pre-processing engine comparing the entity data format to the standard record format and applying a conversion to the entity set of data; converting the entity set of data to the standard record format based on the conversion to form a converted set of data; passing the converted set of data to the main processing engine; in the main processing engine receiving the standard record format entity set of data and the converted set of data; and producing a set of results combining the converted set of data and the standard record format data for selection by a user of a preferred entity.
US08280852B2
A processing system 10 applies an etching process on a wafer W in a PM1 or PM2. An EC 200 includes functions of a transfer/process control unit 250, a communication unit 255, a log management unit 260, and a backup unit 265, and controls the processing system 10. The transfer/process control unit 250 controls wafer transfer and the etching process. The communication unit 255 transmits to or receives data from each MC 300 and the like. The log management unit 260 registers log information generated at times of the wafer process and transfer, data communication, and the like in log files (in predetermined storage areas of an HDD 215). The backup unit 265 collectively saves the log information stored in the log files in backup files (in other storage areas of the HDD 215), in response to a timing when an unexpected alarm has been generated.
US08280851B2
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for applying a policy criteria to files in a backup image. A backup image of files in a file system is maintained. A policy is applied to the files in the backup image to determine files satisfying a policy criteria. A list is prepared indicating the determined files. The determined files in the file system are accessed and a deferred operation indicated in the applied policy is applied to the accessed files in the file system.
US08280850B2
A delta file which encodes the difference between a first data file and a second data file is produced by determining a set of elemental data strings which are present in the two data files in a partial match in a graph being modeled. In the graph, each network node, representing data processing based on the first data file for producing a data byte of the second data file, is connected by network edges to all network nodes which are associated with a directly preceding data byte of the second data file. The network nodes and network edges are respectively assigned a cost value and a cost-optimized path in the graph is ascertained which, for all the day bytes of the second data file, contains only one network node per data byte. The cost-optimized path is taken as a basis for generating a delta file, containing a sequence of data processing operations and their data fields, which corresponds to the successive series of network nodes in the cost-optimized path.
US08280848B2
International-roaming-relevant data are exchanged between two roaming partner networks as part of a new communication relationship. From the start of this communication relationship, a logbook is maintained at least on the data-processing system of the first communication network in which logbook changes are entered that relate to the content of the local database. Based on entries in the logbook, the data-processing system recognizes in completely automatic fashion that a synchronization of data is required and implements this action between the internal network operator database and the data-processing system of the second communication network.
US08280846B2
A swarm can develop around a piece of content. The swarm can include the original content, changes to the original content, the persons contributing the changes, and metadata, such as comments contributed by members of the swarm. A swarm can also include statistics generated about the content, such as the size of the swarm, the growth and/or death rates of the swarm, the longevity of the swarm, the intensity of the swarm, the persistence of the swarm, and the direction of the swarm. Swarms and their behaviors can be used to validate or invalidate content.
US08280836B2
Data characterizing a desired variable order and an unordered graph can be received so that all paths in the unordered graph can be enumerated and a first path in the unordered graph can be leveled according to the desired variable order in a first oblivious read once decision graph. For each additional path other than the first path, the additional path is leveled in the desired order, nodes of the additional path are added to the first oblivious read once decision graph, and a union operation is performed on the first oblivious read once decision graph to union graph roots on the first oblivious read once decision graph. Thereafter, generation of a second oblivious read once decision graph can be initiated after completing processing of the first path and each additional path. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
US08280835B2
A method for distributed computations for fault-diagnosis in a system whose fault propagation model has deterministic couplings between faults and symptoms includes creating a ‘relation graph’ in which the nodes correspond to the potential faults, with two nodes connected by a ‘relational link’ if their corresponding faults have an observed symptom in common. Each relational link is assigned a weight equal to the sum, taken over the symptoms represented by the relational link, of the reciprocal of the number of distinct fault-pairs that produce each such symptom. The relation graph is then partitioned into several domains, while minimizing the number of cross-domain relational links, which correspond to cross-domain symptoms. In each domain, all the optimal local solutions to the domain's sub-problem are first determined, and then a combination is selected of the local solutions, one from each domain, that explains the maximum number of cross-domain symptoms, where the optimal solution is supplemented, if necessary, with additional faults to explain any remaining unexplained cross-domain symptoms, determining also a bound on the deviation from optimality of the global solution.
US08280834B2
A method for monitoring a system includes receiving a first data asset from the system, receiving a configuration file, determining whether the configuration file includes the first data asset and an associated first rule engine logic identifier, and running a first rule engine associated with the first rule engine logic identifier responsive to determining that the configuration file includes the first data asset and the associated first rule engine logic identifier. The method also includes sending the first data asset to the first rule engine, receiving a first result from the first rule engine, and sending the first result to a display for presentation to a user.
US08280825B2
A computer-implemented method and system for electronic gift giving. The method includes providing an internet site for access by a giver via a giver device, prompting the giver to enter giver identification information, and storing the giver identification information in a data store. The giver is prompted to enter recipient information, and the recipient information is stored in the data store. The giver is prompted to select from a plurality of composition templates, and create a composition based on the selected composition template. The giver is prompted to enter a value of a monetary gift, and the entered value is stored in association with the created composition for delivery to a recipient. An embodiment of the invention may include interest being accrued based on the value of the monetary gift. In another embodiment, at least one sponsor pays a fee for an advertising message to appear in the composition.
US08280816B2
This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods for managing security for network-based gaming. A method and system download and install an image of wagering game content on a wagering game machine, wherein the wagering game machine is capable of receiving a wager input from a player. The image is validated and may be transformed to a virtual storage device, such that it appears to be a physical storage device. The files may be accessed and validated in a similar manner as if they were stored on a physical storage device. In some cases, the same image format for content in an image is the same as if the content was stored on a physical storage device.
US08280808B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatuses for implementing, in connection with a loan account, a loan management tool. In some embodiments, the method includes: storing information relating to a loan account associated with a borrower in a storage device, wherein a first interest rate is associated with the loan account, segmenting the loan account into at least a first spend category, and associating a second interest rate with the first spend category, wherein the second interest rate is different from the first interest rate. The method may also include receiving a payment comprising a first portion based on the first interest rate and a second portion based on the second interest rate, and applying a first portion of the payment to reducing a balance of the first spend category. The systems and methods of the present invention are used in connection with a HELOC account.
US08280805B1
Computer-implemented systems and methods are disclosed herein that relate to processes, which construct an empirically derived and statistically based risk evaluation and policy formulation system. For example, a process can be configured so as to accept as input an information base in computer readable form and produce either a single or multistage system composed of alternative decision making strategies.
US08280803B2
A system and method for providing a linear spread in an electronic trading environment are described. According to one example embodiment, a trading system can receive market information associated to a trading strategy, known as a spread. The trader may also define a market volatility parameter to utilize in the calculation of a linear spread price axis. The received market information and a divide spread algorithm are also used to determine the linear spread price axis. The trading application determines a linear spread price axis, at which price levels are separated by consistent linear tick increments. The linear spread price axis allows for more efficient and effective trading in the electronic trading environment especially when certain tradeable objects are traded or when certain spread algorithms, like the divide spread algorithm, are utilized.
US08280800B2
Provided is a method and system for an online marketplace for the buying, selling and Servicing of financial instruments, such as accounts receivable, where the online marketplace receives and analyzes Account data from a Reporting Agency Database, such as a Consumer Reporting Agency Database. The online marketplace may include a plurality of business logic Components, including an Analysis Component, an Inventory Management Component, an Offer Component, a Transaction Component, a Post-Transaction Component, a Receivables Management Knowledge Base and a Servicing Component. The Receivables Management Knowledge Base applies industry rules and regulations to the data. Users of the online marketplace may be Account Owners, Buyers, sellers, Servicers and the like. Users flag Accounts in the Consumer Reporting Agency database to be placed for sale on the online marketplace. Users may also define Selection Criteria for automatic buying, automatic selling, alerts or other such business rules.
US08280793B1
Methods, apparatus, and computer readable media for linking a prepaid calling card account to a credit card account. The linkage can occur at the time of a transaction involving the credit card account, or when the credit card account is acquired, activated, or renewed. The method can include at least the following. At least one transaction can be executed using the credit card account as payment for the transaction, or the credit card account can be acquired, activated or renewed. A prepaid calling card account is associated with the credit card account, and information related to the new prepaid calling card account is provided to a holder of the credit card account. Various aspects of the invention also provide anti-fraud and credit card recovery capability based on the above teaching.
US08280788B2
Systems and methods for providing peer-to-peer and group financial management are provided herein. An example system includes a payment processor that executes software instructions for creating and managing electronic payment accounts and an accounts database to store account data from the payment processor. The payment processor may be configured to receive a payment request from a payer, the payment request including information to identify a payee and a payment amount. The payment processor may be further configured to determine if the accounts database includes an account associated with the payee, and based on a determination that the accounts database includes an account associated with the payee, send an electronic message to the payee that notifies the payee of the payment request. The payment processor may also be configured to access the accounts database to determine if the payee is identified as having a trusted relationship with the payer, and based on a determination that the payee is identified in the accounts database as having a trusted relationship with the payer, access the accounts database to transfer the payment amount from an account associated with the payer to the account associated with the payee without first receiving authorization for the transfer from the payee.
US08280786B1
The invention relates to a method for representing a transfer of currency during a transaction. The method involves establishing a network connection with a computing device, receiving, from the computing device, transactional data associated with the transaction, receiving currency data associated with a financial account, and displaying a pictorial representation of currency based on the currency data, where a currency type and a currency denomination are depicted as a portion of the pictorial representation. The invention further involves designating an amount of currency from the pictorial representation to obtain image data, where the amount of currency is sufficient to complete the transaction, transmitting the image data to the computing device as part of the transaction, and sending instructions to transfer the amount of currency from the financial account based on the image data and the transactional data.
US08280781B1
A facility for providing a gift is described. In one embodiment, the facility receives information identifying a first person that will give a gift and a second person that will receive the gift given by the first person. The facility then automatically chooses a gift to be given to the second person by the first person.
US08280778B2
A method of presenting real estate data is provided. A plurality of property listings can be presented, and a selection of one of the presented property listings may be received from a user. The user may be associated with a financial profile, which may be specified via user input. In response to receiving the selection by the user, at least one loan offer corresponding to the property listing may be automatically presented, for example, together with the property listing. The loan offer may be at least partially based on the financial profile, and may also be based on a property corresponding to the selected property listing. For example, the property listing and the financial profile may be automatically transmitted to one or more loan providers in response to receiving the selection by the user of the property listing, and in response loan offers may be received from some of the loan providers.
US08280775B2
A restaurant system includes an electronic kiosk having opposed first and second sides. A first display is situated on the first side for use by the customer and a second display is situated on the second side for use by a bartender. One aspect of the restaurant system includes a mobile kiosk system that includes a rail having distal and proximate ends and extends therebetween. The electronic kiosk includes a base that extends adjacent the rail. Inductive or conductive electrical components transmit an electrical current to power a processor, input device, and output device of the kiosk. The base is movable only along the rail between the rail distal and proximate ends.
US08280758B2
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.
US08280754B2
A system for generating a model for tracking a changing dimension feature of data in a business model includes a memory for storing the business model and a computer readable code for modeling the changes in the changing dimension feature and a processor for executing the computer readable code to perform method steps including capturing the changing dimension feature of the business model, transforming the changing dimension feature into a data warehouse model corresponding the business model, identifying changing dimensions and attributes in the changing dimension feature according to the data warehouse model, and generating a run-time deployable component for tracking the changing dimension feature based on the identified changing dimensions and attributes.
US08280753B1
A method of providing a bridge life insurance policy includes receiving a request for a life insurance policy having a coverage amount, wherein approval of the request requires completion of an external process, and determining that the customer is a pre-existing customer of an organization associated with the life insurance policy. The method also includes determining, using a processor, that the customer meets eligibility requirements for a bridge life insurance policy and obtaining financial information associated with the customer from the organization associated with the life insurance policy. The method further includes defining a coverage amount for the bridge life insurance policy less than or equal to the coverage amount of the life insurance policy and issuing the bridge life insurance policy to the customer. Additionally, the method includes initiating the external process, issuing the life insurance policy, and terminating the bridge life insurance policy.
US08280751B1
Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for providing a reduced initial payment option. The systems and methods provide for the determination of a plurality of payment options including a reduced initial payment option.
US08280748B2
A computing device, system, method and machine readable medium for managing beds of a healthcare facility is provided. A system includes a client device and a server computing device. The client device may generate a request to assign a bed to a patient, present a list of beds to assign the patient, and receive a selection that identifies a bed of the list of beds. The server computing device may generate the list of beds presented by the client device in response to the request. The server computing device may retrieve an electronic medical record for the patient, and obtain healthcare attributes for the patient from the electronic medical record. The server computing device may generate the list based upon capabilities of a plurality of beds and the healthcare attributes of the patient retrieved from the electronic medical record. The server computing device may further assign to the patient the bed identified by the selection.
US08280746B2
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: receiving a request for a personalized plan designed to facilitate an end user to achieve one or more target outcomes when one or more emulatable aspects indicated by the personalized plan are emulated, the request identifying at least a source user; acquiring source user data indicating a plurality of reported aspects associated with at least the source user in response to receiving the request; and developing the personalized plan by at least determining which of the plurality of reported aspects associated with the source user are relevant to the achievement of the one or more target outcomes. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US08280741B2
A system of assistance in the entry of flight data for an aircraft transmitted between a crew on board the aircraft and a ground staff including, a radiofrequency communications link to transmit flight data between the crew and the ground staff. At least one means of sending and one means of receiving data on board the aircraft, wherein the system includes a voice recognition means capable of detecting a piece of data of a predefined type emitted, during the communications call, by the crew or the ground staff and a means of analysis and transcription of this piece of data in digital or alphanumeric form.
US08280740B2
A method (700) and system (900) for authenticating a user is provided. The method can include receiving one or more spoken utterances from a user (702), recognizing a phrase corresponding to one or more spoken utterances (704), identifying a biometric voice print of the user from one or more spoken utterances of the phrase (706), determining a device identifier associated with the device (708), and authenticating the user based on the phrase, the biometric voice print, and the device identifier (710). A location of the handset or the user can be employed as criteria for granting access to one or more resources (712).
US08280736B2
An approach providing the efficient use of speech synthesis in rendering text content as audio in a communications network. The communications network can include a telephony network and a data network in support of, for example, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. A speech synthesis system receives a text string from either a telephony network, or a data network. The speech synthesis system determines whether a rendered audio file of the text string is stored in a database and to render the text string to output the rendered audio file, if the rendered audio is determined not to exist. The rendered audio file is stored in the database for re-use according to a hash value generated by the speech synthesis system based on the text string.
US08280735B2
A computer program product, for performing data determination from medical record transcriptions, resides on a computer-readable medium and includes computer-readable instructions for causing a computer to obtain a medical transcription of a dictation, the dictation being from medical personnel and concerning a patient, analyze the transcription for an indicating phrase associated with a type of data desired to be determined from the transcription, the type of desired data being relevant to medical records, determine whether data indicated by text disposed proximately to the indicating phrase is of the desired type, and store an indication of the data if the data is of the desired type.
US08280729B2
Methods, and corresponding codec-containing devices are provided that have source coding schemes for encoding a component of an excitation. In some cases, the source coding scheme is an enumerative source coding scheme, while in other cases the source coding scheme is an arithmetic source coding scheme. In some cases, the source coding schemes are applied to encode a fixed codebook component of the excitation for a codec employing codebook excited linear prediction, for example an AMR-WB (Adaptive Multi-Rate-Wideband) speech codec.
US08280726B2
An apparatus for wireless communications includes a processing system. The processing system is configured to receive an input sound stream of a user, split the input sound stream into a plurality of frames, classify each of the frames as one selected from the group consisting of a non-speech frame and a speech frame, determine a pitch of each of the frames in a subset of the speech frames, and identify a gender of the user from the determined pitch. To determine the pitch, the processing system is configured to filter the speech frames to compute an error signal, compute an autocorrelation of the error signal, find a maximum autocorrelation value, and set the pitch to an index of the maximum autocorrelation value.
US08280725B2
A method of estimating a pitch period of a first portion of a signal wherein the first portion overlaps a previous portion. The method comprises computing a first autocorrelation value for part of the first portion not overlapping the previous portion. The method further comprises retrieving a stored second autocorrelation value for part of the first portion overlapping the previous portion, the second autocorrelation value having been computed during estimation of a pitch period of the previous portion. The method further comprises forming a combined autocorrelation value using the first and second autocorrelation values, and selecting the estimated pitch period in dependence on the combined autocorrelation value.
US08280722B1
A system offers potential completions for fragments of text. The system may obtain a text fragment and identify documents that include the text fragment. The system may locate sentences within the documents that include at least a portion of the text fragment, identify sentence endings associated with the located sentences, and present the sentence endings as potential completions for the text fragment.
US08280714B2
A system and method are provided including an interface circuit in communication with a plurality of memory circuits and a system. The interface circuit is operable to interface the plurality of memory circuits and the system for simulating at leas one memory circuit with at least one aspect that is different from at least one aspect of at least one of the plurality of memory circuits. The interface circuit is further operable to control refreshing of the plurality of memory circuits.
US08280699B2
A molecular simulation method that acquires physical properties or physical quantities of a predetermined shape using simulation, including arranging atoms in the predetermined shape, acquiring interatomic potential based on positions of the arranged atoms, and carrying out a molecular dynamics calculation based on the acquired interatomic potential, and acquiring the physical properties or the physical quantities.
US08280693B2
There is provided a nondestructive analysis for a periodic structure. In the method, a virtual periodic structure is set and divided into a plurality of layers. By utilizing the Lippmann-Schwinger equation with an M-th order interpolation, physical properties related to reflectivity or transmittance of the virtual periodic structure are calculated. An M-th order interpolation formula employed in discretization of the Lippmann-Schwinger equation leads to an accurate and rapid calculation of the physical properties of the periodic structure.
US08280684B2
Methods and apparatus are described wherein a charged beam in an enclosed conducting cavity in an accelerator is monitored for position, current, and energy. One method uses induced electric signals on non-intercepting conducting electrodes. Another method uses an intercepting and moving electrode than can be moved into the beam to different degrees to monitor the beam current and vertical profile at different radial positions. Non-intercepting electrodes are also used as part of a moving diagnostic probe to monitor properties of the beam at different radial positions. Another method uses the current in the leads to a power supply, a portion of this current being equal to the beam current. Another method uses the magnetic and electric fields from the beam that penetrates a non-conducting portion of the conducting cavity. Yet another method uses the radiation emitted during acceleration of the beam by the deflecting magnets that guide the beam.
US08280680B2
A method of detecting mailpiece thickness includes detecting a leading edge of the mailpiece, moving a detecting roller downwardly over a first predetermined period of time from a first position to a second position where it contacts the mailpiece, increasing a compressive force applied by the detecting roller to the mailpiece from an initial force to a predetermined measurement force over a second predetermined period of time, and applying the measurement force to the mailpiece for a third predetermined period of time. The method further includes applying the measurement force to the mailpiece for a fourth predetermined period of time and making a number of thickness measurements of the mailpiece based on a position of the detecting roller, and determining the thickness of the mailpiece based on the number of thickness measurements.
US08280678B2
An apparatus and method for estimating a step length of a user are provided. The apparatus and method use a step length estimation algorithm, e.g. a step length estimation parameter coefficient, according to a movement state of a user, i.e. whether the movement state is a walking state or a running state. The movement state of the user is determined on the basis of an acceleration variance value of an acceleration signal output from an accelerometer. Accordingly, the apparatus and method prevent errors in step length determinations.
US08280668B2
A High Definition Multi-Media Interface (HDMI) cable may exhibit frequency dependent signal attenuation, inter symbol interference, and inter-pair skew. A boost device integrated with the cable can compensate for such impairments of the cable. A self calibrating cable with a boost device of the embodiment of the invention is described, in which parameters that control the response of the boost device are set optimally in a self-calibrating process comprising looping the boosted cable on itself through a calibration fixture that contains a calibration control device. The boost device includes pattern generators and a sampling circuit. Each high speed channel of the cable is separately tested and calibrated with the help of one of the other channels serving as a sampling channel. Additional embodiments provide for a selected replica boost device and a distinct pattern generator device in the calibration fixture.
US08280665B2
A calibration device for an on-vehicle camera includes an image receiving portion receiving an image of an area around a vehicle taken by an on-vehicle camera, a viewpoint transformation portion performing a viewpoint transformation on the image to obtain a transformed image, a region setting portion setting a recognition target region on the transformed image according to coordinates of the calibration index set in accordance with vehicle models, where the recognition target region includes therein the calibration index, a calibration point detecting portion detecting a calibration point positioned within the calibration index included in the recognition target region, and a calibration calculating portion calibrating the on-vehicle camera in accordance with coordinates of the calibration point in a reference coordinate system and in accordance with coordinates of the calibration point in a camera coordinate system.
US08280663B2
A computer-aided method suitable for calculating the position of a mobile surface of an object such an aircraft that moves through a fluid medium, which is affected by at least an upstream or downstream object component, for achieving a predetermined value Vo of a predetermined object performance target, including the following steps: preparing a computer-implemented CFD model of the object having said mobile surface in a first position; solving the CFD model and obtaining the value Vi of said object performance target; if the difference between Vi and Vo is greater than a predetermined value, modifying the CFD model changing the position of the mobile surface in the CFD model and iterating the solving step. The invention also refers to a system for carrying out the method.
US08280654B2
Conductor apparatus, system, and method of displaying whether a number of conductors conduct current
An apparatus is for a conductor capable of conducting a current. The apparatus includes a global positioning system device structured to determine location of the global positioning system device, a coupling device structured to couple the global positioning system device to the conductor, and a power supply structured to power the global positioning system device responsive to a current conducted by the conductor. The global positioning system device is further structured to wirelessly communicate the determined location when powered by the power supply responsive to the current conducted by the conductor. The global positioning system device does not wirelessly communicate when current is not conducted by the conductor.
US08280653B2
A circuit interrupter apparatus includes circuit interrupter and a device. The circuit interrupter includes separable contacts, an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts, and a trip mechanism cooperating with the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts. The trip mechanism includes a zone selective interlocking input and a zone selective interlocking output. The device includes a first input electrically interconnected with the zone selective interlocking input, a second input electrically interconnected with the zone selective interlocking output, and an indicator circuit structured to indicate that the zone selective interlocking input occurred at the first input or that the zone selective interlocking output occurred at the second input.
US08280651B2
Meter electronics (20) for a flow meter (5) is provided according to an embodiment of the invention. The meter electronics (20) includes an interface (201) for receiving a vibrational response from the flow meter (5) and a processing system (203) in communication with the interface (201). The vibrational response is a response to a vibration of the flow meter (5) at a substantially resonant frequency. The processing system (203) is configured to receive the vibrational response from the interface (201), determine a frequency (ω0) of the vibrational response, determine a response voltage (V) and a drive current (I) of the vibrational response, measure a decay characteristic (ζ) of the flow meter (5), and determine the stiffness parameter (K) from the frequency (ω0), the response voltage (V), the drive current (I), and the decay characteristic (ζ).
US08280649B2
Board warp analysis includes dividing a temperature profile with respect to an electronic component by a predetermined time. A relaxation elastic modulus of the electronic component corresponding to the divisional time is obtained by shifting on a time base of a master curve related to the electronic component A curing degree of the electronic component is calculated based on a relationship between a time after shift and an actually applied temperature. A warp of the electronic component is analyzed based on a relaxation elastic modulus on the master curve or a relaxation elastic modulus calculated based on a relationship between the curing degree and the elastic constant according to a value of the curing degree calculated.
US08280648B2
A medium is equipped with sources adapted for emitting a wave and sensors adapted for receiving the wave emitted. The method for locating an appearance of a defect in the medium comprises an initialization step in which reference impulse responses of the wave between the sources and sensors are determined, then at least one defect detection step in which the impulse responses of the wave between the sources and the sensors are measured, a decorrelation coefficient between the impulse responses and the reference impulse responses is calculated, a probability of exploration of a position is calculated, an error function for each source-sensor pair is calculated, and a product of at least some of the error functions of the source-sensor pairs is calculated. The product represents a map of a probability of the appearance of the defect at each position in the medium.
US08280647B2
For monitoring (unmeasured) process states of a rotating machine having a combustion chamber (e.g. a gas turbine), compositions of educts entering the combustion chamber are measured. Based on the compositions of the educts, the composition of the product produced by the combustion chamber can be determined. Moreover, the mechanical power (Pmech) generated by the rotating machine can be determined. Based on the mechanical power (Pmech), the composition of the educts and product, and stoichiometric relationships of educts and product, the values of process states, such as the air mass flow (wa) through the compressor leading into the combustion chamber and/or the gas mass flow (wg), the composition and/or the temperature (T3) of exhaust gas exiting the combustion chamber can be determined. Based on precise measurements of the educt (e.g. the composition of air and fuel in the combustion process), the product (i.e. the composition of the exhaust gas and its temperature) is derived and, without the need of an iterative or recursive method, the turbine inlet temperature (T3) can be monitored and controlled.
US08280635B2
Data about operation of a well for extracting a product from the subterranean reservoir and at least one of a characteristic of a subterranean reservoir or operation of a processing and transport system upstream of a point of sale is received. A corrective action can be automatically initiated on at least one of the well or the processing and transport system in response to a difference between the received data and a specified operational objective. An adjustment to a model of the reservoir, the well, and the processing and transporting system can be automatically initiated in response to the received data.
US08280629B2
A navigation device that is mounted in a movable body of the present invention includes a first storing portion that stores a first navigation data; an acquiring portion that acquires a second navigation data from an external second storing portion; a movable body location detecting portion that detects the location of the movable body; a navigation operation executing portion that executes a predetermined navigation operation based on the location of the movable body that is detected by the movable body location detecting portion, and the first navigation data; and an updating portion that updates the first navigation data with the second navigation data. The updating portion stops the execution of the navigation operation by the navigation operation executing portion, and executes a first updating process that updates a portion of the first navigation data corresponding to a first area that includes the vicinity of the location of the movable body; and a second updating process that updates a portion corresponding to a second area of the first navigation data other than the first area in parallel with the navigation operation by the navigation operation executing portion, after this first updating process is completed.
US08280623B2
An autonomous controller for a vehicle. The controller has a processor configured to receive position signals from position sensors and to generate operation control signals defining an updated travel path for the vehicle. The controller has a programmable interface providing communication among the position sensors, the operation control mechanisms, and the processor. The controller is configured to normalize inputs to the processor from the position sensors and to generate compatible operation control signals applied as the inputs to the operation control mechanisms. The processor and the programmable interface define a self-contained unit configurable for operation with a variety of different remote sensors and different remote operation control mechanisms.
US08280621B2
A collision avoidance system for a machine is disclosed. The collision avoidance system has a first obstacle detection system. The first obstacle detection system is configured to detect a first obstacle and generate a corresponding first signal. Additionally, the collision avoidance system has an operator interface. The operator interface has a display configured to communicate visual information to an operator. The operator interface also has an input device configured to receive selections from the operator and generate a corresponding second signal. In addition, the collision avoidance system has a controller. The controller is in communication with the first obstacle detection system and the operator interface. The controller is configured to control the display to provide a first dangerous obstacle warning to the operator, based on the first signal. The controller is also configured to control the display to provide a second dangerous obstacle warning to the operator, based on the first and second signals.
US08280609B2
A device for glow plug excitation control is disclosed, in particular for a glow system (2) for controlling at least one glow plug pencil (3), in particular for the rapid heating with an engine control device (1), comprising at least an engine control (1), a glow system (2), a glow plug (3), a supply resistance terminal 30 (4), a supply resistance glow plug (5), an internal resistance glow control (6), a measured voltage at the engine control U1 (7), a voltage drop on the lead to glow control device U2 (8), a voltage drop in the glow control device U3 (9), a voltage drop at the lead to glow plug U4 (10), a voltage at the glow plug U5 (11).
US08280602B2
An operation assist apparatus including: an assist controller that assists a driver of a vehicle in operating the vehicle before a stop point; and a watching action detector that detects a watching action of the driver for watching the stop point. The assist controller changes an assist manner in which to assist the vehicle operation by the driver in accordance with whether the watching action is detected by the watching action detector during deceleration of the vehicle. Thus configured, the operation assist apparatus can accurately determine whether the driver will stop the vehicle at the stop point and thus can perform the vehicle operation assist appropriately.
US08280598B2
A method for operating a hybrid powertrain system includes monitoring operation of the torque machine, and limiting the motor torque output from the torque machine to a maximum allowable motor torque that is associated with an acceptable audible noise level when the motor speed of the torque machine is within a motor speed range associated with objectionable audible noise.
US08280597B2
A control apparatus of an automatic transmission has an engagement part, a power-ON/OFF state judgment section and a control section controlling a capacity of the engagement part. The control section compares an actual input revolution speed difference absolute value of an absolute value of a difference between an input revolution speed when engaged and an actual input revolution speed with a target input revolution speed difference absolute value of an absolute value of a difference between the input revolution speed when engaged and a target input revolution speed, then a deviation is determined by subtracting the target input revolution speed difference absolute value from the actual input revolution speed difference absolute value. When the deviation is positive, the capacity is increased. When the deviation is negative, the capacity is reduced. When the deviation is zero, a previous capacity that is set before the comparison of the both absolute values is maintained.
US08280596B2
A method for estimating the effective volumetric capacity of a truck body is provided. The method includes the step of establishing a side-to-side profile of a generic load model by extending load side lines upward at a predetermined material angle of repose from the upper edge of each of the side walls of the truck body. A front-to-rear profile of the generic load model is also established by extending a front load line upward from the upper edge of the front wall of the track body at the predetermined material angle of repose and a rear load line upward from at or near a rear edge of the floor of the truck body at the predetermined material angle of repose. The volume of the final three-dimensional generic load model can then be calculated.
US08280592B2
A motor vehicle is equipped for radio communication with at least one further motor vehicle. An antenna structure is used to transmit and receive useful signals. The antenna structure can be controlled with the aid of a control device in such a way that it is possible to change the setting of the main lobe of the antenna. A method is also disclosed for operating an antenna structure which is installed in a motor vehicle.
US08280583B2
A device, method, computer program and computer readable medium allowing for vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure communication. An ignition key radio technology may used in addition to WLAN-based communication in a vehicle in order to communicate with other vehicles or infrastructure. The ignition key radio technology is used to send only selected data which have been altered significantly. The remaining data are not sent or kept for the WLAN communication.
US08280582B2
A device is provided for identifying overrun phases of a vehicle in advance. The device includes at least one processing unit, which processes altitude position data of a route that is traveled by a vehicle or will be traveled by a vehicle and calculates a prediction of the probable occurrence of future overrun phases of the vehicle, taking into consideration the altitude position data.
US08280581B2
A communications system that includes a vehicular diagnostic tool and a vehicle communication interface (VCI) configured to be connected to a vehicular computing system. In operation, the vehicular diagnostic tool automatically detects the presence of the VCI when the VCI is proximate thereto. Thereafter, the VCI and vehicular diagnostic tool communicate through a wireless connection. Also, a method of communicating using the aforementioned vehicular diagnostic tool and VCI.
US08280576B2
In an automotive drive, at least one dynamic characteristic of a bearing by which the automotive drive is supported on a beam is selectively influenced during operation of the automotive drive (active bearing). It is provided that a change in an instantaneous operating variable of the automotive drive is determined from a change in a state variable of the active bearing that influences its dynamic characteristic.
US08280570B2
An operation point of the engine where the fuel economy is optimal is obtained based on an iso-fuel-economy curve which is defined by engine speed and engine torque. Each of the operation points is connected to each other to form an efficiency characteristic line on which the demand operation point is computed. When the operation point of the engine is moved in a direction in which the fuel economy is improved, the moving speed of the operation point is increased so that the operation point rapidly moves to the point of high fuel economy as soon as possible. Contrary, when the operation point moves in a direction where the fuel economy is deteriorated, the moving speed of the operation point of the engine is decreased so that the operation point can be moved toward the point of low fuel economy as slow as possible.
US08280569B2
A multi-mode control system for a locomotive includes a throttle control device having notch settings corresponding to, for a first, long haul mode, control signals for providing respective tractive effort or power from the locomotive, a master controller in communication with the throttle control device and adapted to receive said control signals from the throttle control device and to transmit respective command signals to power-train components of the locomotive to achieve the respective tractive effort or power, the master controller also adapted for sending alternative command signals when a user-operable mode selector is set to one of one or more alternative modes. The user-operable mode selector includes one or more user interface devices in communication with the master controller for selecting one alternative mode of the one or more alternative modes.
US08280563B2
A system to send air traffic control (ATC) data-link messages from an aircraft is provided. The system includes ATC applications in a first portion of an application layer, non-ATC applications in a second portion of the application layer; and a communication manager in the aircraft having two addresses for the aircraft. The communication manager includes a first copy of software in a first data link layer and a second copy of the software in a second data link layer. ATC data-link messages are sent from the aircraft independent of non-ATC data-link messages sent from the aircraft.
US08280562B2
A method and device automatically controls the driving of an aircraft along a ground path of an airport domain. A guidance system is configured to determine, with the aid of at least one current value of the aircraft and a ground rolling trajectory, a yaw rate setpoint enabling the aircraft to follow the ground rolling trajectory by application of a yaw rate command. The guidance system, with the aid of measured current values of parameters of the aircraft, the determined ground rolling trajectory and a speed profile that incorporates a variation of the longitudinal speed along the ground trajectory, a longitudinal speed setpoint that represents a longitudinal speed command to drive the aircraft along the ground trajectory, while complying with the speed profile. A piloting aid system calculates setpoints from the yaw rate command and applies the setpoints to control yaw motion of the aircraft.
US08280558B2
A computerized method for controlling one or more a lights in an area. The method may include establishing an electronic profile of lighting conditions in an area to be controlled and then controlling lighting conditions in the area based on the profile. For example, the profile could be created by determining a respective influence on artificial light of each switch within the area to be controlled. This information could be used to turn on the appropriate switches that best match a set point for a light level in the area.
US08280551B2
A manipulator includes at least one camera capable of observing an end effector from a direction suitable for work. A rotating portion rotatable coaxially with the end effector is provided to a link adjacent to a link located at a manipulator tip end. At least one camera for recognizing a work piece as an object is arranged on the rotating portion through a camera platform. An actuator for controlling a rotation angle of the rotating portion is driven according to a rotation angle of the link located at the manipulator tip end, and thus the camera is arranged in a direction perpendicular to a plane where the end effector can move when the end effector performs a grip work. In an assembly work, the rotating portion is rotated such that the camera is arranged in a direction parallel to the plane where the end effector can move.
US08280544B2
There is provided a system for use in performance of injection molding operations, wherein the system can include a plurality of injection molding assembly components. In one embodiment, the system can be operative so that various information respecting components of the system can be recorded within a component database. The component database can be a computer implemented database and in one embodiment can be utilized to output information that indicates past and/or present conditions prevailing within the system.
US08280543B2
Arrangement (1) for processing electronic components, including a plurality of processing stations (3) for processing electronic component, at least some processing stations including an electrical actuator (8); a conveyor (2), such as a turret, for transporting components from one processing station to the next; and a central processing unit (5) for commanding the processing stations. At least some processing stations (3) include a local processing unit (7) for generating command signals (74) for the electric actuators (8). The central processing unit (5) is connected to the local processing units (7) over an electronic bus (6). Digital command instructions (75) are transferred on the electronic bus (6) between the central processing unit (5) and the local processing units (7).
US08280541B1
In some examples, aspects of the present disclosure may include techniques for audio control of one or more multimedia objects. In one example, a method includes receiving an electronic document that includes a group of one or more multimedia objects capable of generating audio data. The method also includes registering a multimedia object of the group of one or more multimedia objects, wherein registering the multimedia object comprises storing a multimedia object identifier that identifies the multimedia object. The method further includes receiving audio data; and determining, by a computing device, a volume level of the audio data generated by the registered multimedia object based on one or more configuration parameters, wherein the one or more configuration parameters define one or more volume levels associated with the multimedia object identifier. The method also includes outputting, to an output device, the audio data at the determined volume level.
US08280538B2
An system, method, and method of encoding/decoding a multi-channel audio signal, including a decoding level generation unit producing decoding-level information that helps a bitstream including a number of audio channel signals and space information to be decoded into a number of audio channel signals, wherein the space information includes information about magnitude differences and/or similarities between channels, and an audio decoder decoding the bitstream according to the decoding-level information. Accordingly, even a single input bitstream can be decoded into a suitable number of channels depending on the type of a speaker configuration used. Scalable channel decoding can be achieved by partially decoding an input bitstream. In the scalable channel decoding, a decoder may set decoding levels and outputs audio channel signals according to the decoding levels, thereby reducing decoding complexity.
US08280531B2
A method and computer program for the control of the heat treatment of batches of metal workpieces for increasing the degree of automation of industrial furnace plants presumes an identical batch layout, an identical treatment program, and an identical article geometry of metal workpieces and relates it to a model batch, which has been run using batch thermoelements. The model batch becomes the foundation for a new batch. Through the assumption of program parameters of the actually run process of the model batch into the program of the new batch to be run, new batch thermoelements are not required for the new batch to be run.
US08280530B2
A plant control system includes: an engineering apparatus for defining change information so as to change definition information about the system; and a control apparatus for referring to the change information downloaded from the engineering apparatus to set an output value of a field device. The control apparatus includes a locking part for inhibiting setting of the output value of the field device.
US08280525B2
A microwave ablation probe for providing microwave energy to tissue is disclosed. The probe includes a feedline having an inner conductor, a secondary inner conductor, an insulating spacer, and an outer conductor. The inner conductor is slidably disposed within the secondary inner conductor. The feedline also includes a radiating portion having an extruded portion of the inner conductor centrally disposed therein, wherein longitudinal movement of the inner conductor relative to the feedline tunes the radiating portion.
US08280523B2
Diastolic function is monitored within a patient using a pacemaker or other implantable medical device. In one example, the implantable device uses morphological parameters derived from the T-wave evoked response waveform as proxies for ventricular relaxation rate and ventricular compliance. In particular, the magnitude of the peak of the T-wave evoked response is employed as a proxy for ventricular compliance. The maximum slew rate of the T-wave evoked response following its peak is employed as a proxy for ventricular relaxation. A metric is derived from these proxy values to represent diastolic function. The metric is tracked over time to evaluate changes in diastolic function. In other examples, specific values for ventricular compliance and ventricular relaxation are derived for the patient based on the T-wave evoked response parameters.
US08280520B2
In an embodiment, a system includes a biocompatible photonic device configured for disposal within a living subject and a location-indicating aid associated with the photonic device. The location-indicating aid is configured to facilitate locating the biocompatible photonic device within the living subject. Related apparatuses and methods of use are also disclosed.
US08280513B2
A device and method for detecting and treating airflow limitations in a subject is provided. Levels of flow limited breathing may be differentiated. Obstruction versus flow limited breathing may be differentiated as well. The EMG complex characteristics may be used to detect obstruction or flow limited breathing. The power spectral density plot of the EMG may be used to detect obstruction or flow limited breathing.
US08280511B2
Techniques are provided for detecting heart failure or other medical conditions within a patient using an implantable medical device, such as pacemaker or implantable cardioverter/defibrillator, or external system. In one example, physiological signals, such as immittance-based signals, are sensed within the patient along a plurality of different vectors, and the amount of independent informational content among the physiological signals of the different vectors is determined. Heart failure is then detected by the implantable device based on a significant increase in the amount of independent informational content among the physiological signals. In response, therapy may be controlled, diagnostic information stored, and/or warning signals generated. In other examples, at least some of these functions are performed by an external system.
US08280510B2
Heart rate variability metrics are derived from the intervals between successive heart beats, referred to as BB intervals. A method implementable by an implantable cardiac device for excluding BB intervals due to ectopic beats based on a function of preceding BB intervals is presented. It is desirable to remove such BB intervals from a BB interval time series used to calculate a heart rate variability metric.
US08280503B2
Biometric assessment is performed by use of electromyography (EMG) signals detected from muscles at several locations on the hand/or other part of the body subject to fine motor control. The EMG signals are sensed and registered and the sensed signals are processed for use in performing the biometric assessment.
US08280489B2
According to various embodiments, a tracheal tube may employ optical sensing techniques for determining a distance between the inserted tube and an anatomical structure, such as a carina. The distance information may provide an indication as to whether or not the tracheal tube is properly placed within the trachea. The optical techniques may include backscattered intensity measurements.
US08280486B2
A site marker is provided that includes a generally hollow body defining a cavity. At least one marker element is captured within the cavity but is able to move within the cavity. The capturing prevents migration of the marker within a body. The site marker is formed into a predeployment configuration whereby the site marker is compressed into a predetermined size and shape to as to be readily positionable within a deployment device. The site marker expands from the predeployment position to a post deployment configuration upon insertion into the body.
US08280484B2
Systems, devices, and methods are described for detecting an embolus, thrombus, or a deep vein thrombus in a biological subject.
US08280474B2
The present application provides Ag/AgCl based reference electrodes having an extended lifetime that are suitable for use in long term amperometric sensors. Electrochemical sensors equipped with reference electrodes described herein demonstrate considerable stability and extended lifetime in a variety of conditions.
US08280473B2
An embodiment of the present disclosure seeks to smooth a perfusion index measurement through use of a baseline perfusion index measurement and/or through the use of multiple PI calculations. The combination of the baseline perfusion index measurement reduces an error between a calculated measurement of PI and actual conditions.
US08280470B2
The invention generally relates to systems, methods, and apparatuses for an analyte sensor. In one aspect, an analyte sensing device comprises a sensor body member including at least one nanopore and an optical conduit in optical communication with the sensor body member. The optical conduit transmits optical energy to the sensor body member and receives reflected optical energy back from the sensor body member. A photodetector is optically coupled to the optical conduit to determine an optical parameter from the reflected optical energy.
US08280462B2
Sound quality is enhanced in a sound system including handsets and headsets. Handset sound enhancing algorithms are implemented in a handset. The handset automatically determines which, if any, of a plurality of headset sound enhancing algorithms are active in a headset in communication with the handset. The handset determines how to use the handset sound enhancing algorithms in a sound processing channel based on which of the headset sound enhancing algorithms are active in the headset.
US08280461B2
An electronic device may include a stylus and a housing. An opening may be formed in the housing for inserting and storing the stylus. A function button may be mounted in the housing. The stylus may be adapted to operate the function button when in a stored position inserted within the opening in response to a user applying a predetermined pressure to the stylus.
US08280451B1
In general, this disclosure describes techniques for alerting a user of a mobile communications device of an event using a radio frequency transmitter. The techniques may include determining that an event has occurred. The event may relate to an incoming communication received by the mobile communications device. The techniques also may include determining that an approximate speed of the mobile communications device exceeds a defined threshold speed. The techniques further may include transmitting, using a radio frequency transmitter, an audible alert that provides notification of the event in response to the mobile communications device determining that the approximate speed exceeds the predefined threshold speed.
US08280449B2
An audio handling device comprising: a source of audio data; a microphone; a loudspeaker; a transmitter for transmitting audio data; modification means for modifying the audio data; and a control unit for controlling the operation of the device, the control unit being capable of receiving signals from the microphone and configuring the conveying of audio data from the source to one or both of the loudspeaker and the transmitter; the control unit being capable of configuring the device such that during at least a probing period the modification means modifies audio data from the source and the modified audio data is transmitted by the transmitter, and being arranged to select in dependence on data dependent on signals received from the microphone whether to apply audio data from the source to the loudspeaker.
US08280447B2
A mobile terminal having a rear keypad is provided. The mobile terminal includes: a main body having a front surface and a rear surface opposite to the front surface; a touch screen disposed at the front surface of the main body; and a key input device having a keypad disposed at the rear surface of the main body and extendable outwards to sides of the touch screen.
US08280429B2
A method and apparatus for controlling thermal energy generation in a User Equipment (UE) operating in a radio telecommunication network. The thermal energy generation is directly proportional to a transmit power level in the UE, and a Node B allocates transmit power levels to a plurality of UEs through scheduling grants. Upon request by the UE, the Node B allocates a dedicated scheduling grant to the UE authorizing a higher transmit power. If the UE subsequently overheats, it sends a power reduction request to the Node B. Upon approval, all or part of the dedicated grant is removed, and the UE transmits at a lower power level to reduce thermal generation. The Node B retains control of the grant and may reallocate it to a common scheduling grant or may allocate another dedicated grant to a different UE.
US08280418B2
A system for supporting a video message service and method thereof is disclosed, a system for supporting a video message service comprises a video message center for when a calling-party mobile terminal is connected via a video call, creating a video message having a preset size based on video data received via the video call according to the reception authentication information of a called-party mobile terminal, and transmitting the created video message using a preset transmission method according to the reception state of the called-party mobile terminal and an authentication server for performing an authentication procedure on the called-party mobile terminal so as to transmit the video message, and provides reception authentication information, based on the results of the authentication procedure, to the video message center.
US08280415B2
A method, system, and computer program for routing an outgoing voice call in real time is presented. A call is received from a caller to an intended receiving wireless telecommunication device. In response to the call failing to connect to the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device, a caller initiated short range wireless query signal is transmitted to determine if an other wireless communication device is within a predefined proximity to the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device. If the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device receives a response from an other proximate telecommunication device indicating that the proximate telecommunication device is within the predefined proximity to the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device, then the call is rerouted to the proximate telecommunication device based on preferences internal to the caller telecommunication device. These preferences may be stored on the caller telecommunication device or remotely stored on the host carrier network.
US08280410B1
A method for enabling users over the world wide web and cellular phone networks to interact with an interactive recycling system, assisting the user in performing tasks involved in the recycling of scrap metals and other materials. The system offers the user resources, services, and ideas according to parameters collected from the user and from the providers of said resources, services and ideas. The system guides the user to receive the most desired, convenient and financially advantageous resources, services and ideas, while allowing said providers a mechanism for innovating business methods, pricing and marketing. The system automatically guides the user to the desired resources, services and ideas by executing various tools, such as real time pricing comparisons, geographic advisory information, GPS navigation, text and/or audio chat, resource analysis, and preparatory transactions. The system adds graphics, animation, and other media to make the session more informative and enjoyable for the user.
US08280404B1
This disclosure is directed to providing directional feedback to a user. For example, this disclosure describes techniques for determining at least one characteristic of a device in space. For example, a device may be configured to determine, using one or more sensors, one or more characteristics of the device in space. For example, the device may be configured to determine one or more of a direction, and/or geographical position of the device as pointed by a user in space. The device may compare one or more of the determined one or more characteristics of the device in space to a desired destination or path specified by the user, and provide the user with directional feedback if the determined one or more characteristics of the device in space are consistent with the desired destination or path.
US08280401B2
The present invention relates to a method of managing a paging group in a mobile terminal that is in an idle mode. A method of managing a paging group according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention includes: collecting paging group ID information including paging group levels and local IDs; determining, on the basis of the collected paging group ID information, whether or not a location update occurs; and if it is determined that the location update occurs, comparing a location update cycle according to a location update time with a threshold value, selecting a paging group level on the basis of the comparison result, and selecting a paging group corresponding to the selected paging group level.
US08280397B2
A mobile phone having a broadcast receiving function that can promptly preset a receiving frequency depending on areas, and easily receive a broadcast of a broadcast station having the receiving frequency, even when a user moves around for a pleasure or business trip. The mobile phone has a broadcast receiving unit that receives a broadcast, including: a memory operable to store position information of a base station corresponding to a receiving frequency of a broadcast station receivable in an area indicated by the position information; and a control unit operable to acquire the position information of the base station, judge whether the acquired position information is stored in the memory, and when stored, read a receiving frequency corresponding to the acquired position information, and instruct the broadcast receiving unit to receive a broadcast of the broadcast station having the receiving frequency.
US08280392B2
A radio communication method in which a mobile station receives signaling information transmitted by a base station via a shared control channel, detects a presence/absence of data addressed to the mobile station, demodulates a shared data channel when the data is present, and receives data transmitted by the base station. The method includes the steps of transmitting, from the base station to the mobile station, a synchronization request via the shared control channel and transmitting, at the mobile station, feedback information including channel quality information, as a response to the synchronization request, via a random access channel. The method also includes generating, at the base station, timing advance information when receiving the feedback information, and transmitting, from the base station to the mobile station, the timing advance information, and adjusting, at the mobile station, a transmission timing of uplink data based on the timing advance information.
US08280388B2
Disclosed are systems and methods which provide for management of wireless communications through the development and use of link space information. Such link space information provides link-centric information with respect to wireless links of a network to thereby provide a view of the network which takes into account phenomena affecting the wireless links. Utilizing such link space information, automated management of various aspects of a wireless network may be provided, including automated provisioning, management, and/or optimization of network links. Network operations may include use of link space information in providing network management applications such as automatic fault management, automatic performance management, operation advisories, and/or the like.
US08280377B2
A method of performing cell reselection includes receiving priority for a different frequency or RAT (Radio Access Technology) and information on a validity timer for the priority, starting the validity timer, performing cell reselection based on the priority while the validity timer is running, receiving reconfiguration information of the validity timer, and reconfiguring the validity timer based on the reconfiguration information.
US08280350B2
Disclosed is the radio (wireless) communication system providing a radio communication service and the terminal, and more particularly, to a method of releasing a restricted-access based on a network's setting and an interference situation measured by the terminal in an Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (E-UMTS) evolved from the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) or a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system.
US08280346B2
In a network subscriber system, a method of determining how to monitor whether a subscriber's network usage exceeds a quota for the current billing period. The frequency at which the subscriber's usage data is collected and analyzed during the billing period is based upon the probability the subscriber's network usage exceeds the quota at a given point in time during the billing cycle. Usage data is collected more frequently as the probability increases. Usage analysis is performed if the probability exceeds a threshold.
US08280338B2
A mixer is described having a Gilbert cell structure including a first input and a second input for inputting an RF signal, a third input and a fourth input for inputting a local oscillator signal, a first output and a second output for outputting an IF signal, a plurality of switches for converting the RF signal to an IF signal, and a dynamic bleed circuit for dynamically reducing the dc-current of the switches at the switching-point. As the dc-current of the switches is reduced at the point of commutation, the 1/f-noise is also strongly reduced without degrading the linearity. The switching happens at twice the local oscillator frequency. The mixer also includes a common mode feedback circuit that feeds the common mode signal, optionally amplified, to a common mode feedback control device that is in series between the dynamic bleed circuit and the supply voltage.
US08280330B2
Systems and methods of clock generation for radio frequency receiver. In radio frequency receiver, the system requires accurate local oscillating (LO) signal and system clocks for proper operation and to ensure high quality performance. In order to achieve accurate LO frequency and system clock, a crystal or and accurate reference clock is provide to the clock generation circuit. How a low-cost receiver, it is desirable to eliminate the requirement for a crystal or an accurate reference clock. The present invention discloses systems and methods to utilize a pilot signal embedded in the transmitted signal. The pilot signal usually has very accurate frequency which is particular true for broadcast system such as FM broadcast. In various embodiments of the present invention, the systems and methods measure the relation between the frequency of the pilot signal and the current clock generated. The measured result is compared with a know relation corresponding to the frequency of the pilot signal and the target clock signal and the result is used to adjust the clock generation circuit.
US08280318B2
The invention described herein provides a core modem assembly for a communication circuit that is well suited for mobile communication devices such as cellular phones, personal digital assistants, laptop computers, and hand-held computers. The core modem assembly comprises a baseband module, an RF module, and a socket connector that provides electrical isolation between the baseband module and RF module. The core modem assembly achieves a very small form factor and provides shielding between the baseband module and RF module. Further, the core modem assembly uses a “plug and play” design allowing late customization and interchangeability of the modules.
US08280317B2
Systems and methods are provided to connect wireless adapters and field devices for process control systems, such systems and methods include a process control system having a field device, a wireless adapter, a first wire and a second wire. The field device includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a first conduit and a second conduit. The wireless adapter includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a first port and a second port. The first conduit of the field device couples to the second port of the wireless adapter. The first wire passes between the field device and the wireless adapter connecting the first terminal of the field device to the first terminal of the wireless adapter. The second wire passes between the field device and the wireless adapter connecting the second terminal of the field device to the second terminal of the wireless adapter. Other systems and methods are also provided.
US08280314B2
A method for compensating a transceiver for impairments includes transmitting a plurality of partial bandwidth training signals using a transmitter. A plurality of response signals of a receiver having a bandwidth and exhibiting receiver impairments is captured. Each response signal is associated with one of the partial bandwidth training signals. Each of the partial bandwidth training signals is associated with a portion of the receiver bandwidth. A plurality of partial compensation filters is generated based on the plurality of response signals. Each partial compensation filter is associated with one of the response signals. The partial compensation filters are combined to configure a receiver compensation filter operable to compensate for the receiver impairments.
US08280309B2
A system and method for implementing soft handoffs in a communications system on a mobile platform. The system employs an antenna controller in communication with a beam forming network that generates two independently aimable lobes from a single beam. The single beam is radiated by a phased array antenna on the mobile platform. In an Air-to-Ground implementation involving an aircraft, a base transceiver station (BTS) look-up position table is utilized to provide the locations of a plurality of BTS sites within a given region that the aircraft is traversing. The antenna controller controls the beam forming network to generate dual lobes from the single beam that facilitate making a soft handoff from one BTS site to another. In a ground-based application, one lobe of the beam is used to maintain a communications link with one BTS site while a second lobe of the beam is continuously scanned about a predetermined arc to receive RF signals from other BTS sites and to determine when a new BTS site has become available that will provide a higher quality link than the link presently made with the one BTS site. A soft handoff is then implemented from the one BTS site to the new BTS site.
US08280295B2
A cleaning device includes a cleaning member, a collection member, an electrical field generator, and a separation member. The cleaning member has a surface capable of moving while contacting a surface of a cleaning target to remove toner on the surface of the cleaning target. The collection member has a surface capable of moving while contacting the surface of the cleaning member to collect the toner on the surface of the cleaning member. The electrical field generator generates an electrical field to move the toner from the cleaning member to the collection member. The separation member contacts the surface of the collection member to separate the toner on the surface of the collection member. The collection member has a centerline average surface roughness of not more than 0.1 μm and shows a surface hardness rank of B or higher in a steel-wool scratch test.
US08280290B2
A pressure releasing lever is operated to switch the position of a locking member between a pressure exertion position and a pressure release position. In the pressure exertion position a pressure exerting roller exerts pressure against another roller via a pressure exerting lever and in the pressure release position the pressure exerting roller separates from the roller. An elastic member pulls the locking member and a second end of the pressure exerting lever in a locking direction. A core end of the pressure exerting roller is rotatably supported by a shaft bearing. The pressure exerting lever engages with the shaft bearing.
US08280288B2
An image forming device includes a frame, a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a transfer roller, a heating roller, a backup roller, a peeling claw, and a protection member. The photosensitive drum has a surface on which a latent image is formable. The developing roller develops the latent image to provide a toner image. The transfer roller transfers the toner image onto a recording medium. The heating roller has a heating surface and a shaft supported to the frame and extending in a direction. The backup roller has a shaft supported to the frame and extending in the direction. The backup roller is in pressure contact with the heating roller. The peeling claw has a tip end in sliding contact with the heating surface of the heating roller. The protection member is configured to protect the peeling claw and prevent a user from accessing to the peeling claw.
US08280287B2
Multi-stage fixing systems for fixing toner to a substrate, printing apparatuses and methods of fixing marking material to a substrate are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the multi-stage fixing systems includes a softening device for softening toner applied to a substrate by a marking device; and a fixing device for fixing the softened toner to the substrate. The fixing device includes a first fixing member including a first surface; a first thermal energy source for actively heating the first surface; and a second fixing member including a second surface, the first surface and the second surface form a fixing nip at which the substrate with softened toner is received. The first fixing member and the second fixing member are operable to apply heat and pressure to the substrate and softened toner received at the fixing nip to fix the toner to the substrate.
US08280276B2
An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a latent-image forming device; a developing device; a latent-image forming device contacting/separating mechanism; and a developing device contacting/separating mechanism, and the latent-image forming device contacting/separating mechanism allows the latent-image forming device to be movable to the latent-image forming device contacting position in a state where the developing device is moved to the developing device contacting position.
US08280269B2
A process cartridge includes an image bearing member cartridge and a developing cartridge detachably installed in the image bearing member cartridge. The image bearing member cartridge has a pair of first and second side plates, a latent image bearing member, and a pressure member. The developing cartridge has a pair of third and fourth side plates and a pair of first and second light guides fixed at the third and fourth side plates, respectively. The pressure member presses side surfaces of the first and the second light guides, thereby urging the developing agent bearing member toward the latent image bearing member.
US08280260B2
A transponder having a dynamic remapping circuit remaps a value of decision threshold voltage Vdtc and a value of optical power RXP to a reference voltage Vref to minimize the bit error rate BER of a communication system. The dynamic remapping circuit implements a bilinear mapping of Vdtc and RXP to Vref with three bilinear remapping constants “a”, “b”, and “c” selected to align a remapped value of Vdtc_opt to a selected Vdtc normalization value, Vdtc_norm. A transponder in accord with an embodiment of the invention prevents BER from exceeding a threshold value of BER whether RXP or OSNR, or both, remain constant, change continuously, or change intermittently. Constants “a”, “b”, and “c” are related to parameters resulting from mathematically fitting a line to data comprising Vdtc_opt versus RXP. Another embodiment comprises a method for dynamically optimizing Vdtc and RXP to Vref in a transponder with a bilinear remapping circuit.
US08280259B2
An optically-switched fiber optic communication system, such as a Radio-over-Fiber (RoF) based optical fiber link system, may be used to increase the range of peer-to-peer communications. The optically-switched fiber optic communication system may include a head-end unit (HEU) having an optical switch bank. Fiber optic cables comprising optical fibers optically couple the HEU to one or more remote access points in different coverage areas. The optical switch bank in the HEU provides a link between the remote access points in the different coverage areas such that devices in the different cellular coverage areas can communicate with each other over the optical fibers through the HEU. By using the optically-switched fiber optic communication system, the range and coverage of communication between devices may be extended such that devices in different coverage areas and devices using different communication protocols can communicate.
US08280257B2
Systems and methods to reduce passband side-lobes associated with WSS-based ROADMs by applying a filter on each channel are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a comb filter, such as a thin film filter or an interleaver, is utilized. Additionally, the present invention provides systems and methods to adaptively control amplifier target power and per wavelength target power to maintain signal launching power as per design in networks with WSS-based ROADMs. Accordingly, signal OSNR does not collapse faster than other similar configured system without WSS-based ROADM. In order to correct amplifier target power, the present invention utilizes system information about side-lobe size and OSNR at each amplifier.
US08280255B2
The present invention provides a system, apparatus and method to provide for amplification at various points along one or more optical paths of a photonic integrated circuit. According to various embodiments of the invention, the photonic integrated circuit includes a plurality of optical devices having associated characteristics which may have lead to optical signal degradation. One or more optical amplifiers provided along one or more optical paths of the photonic integrated circuit compensate for such signal degradation, resulting in a highly configurable photonic integrated circuit. The various optical devices of the photonic integrated circuit may be provided on a single substrate.
US08280254B2
An apparatus includes one or more optical de-interleavers. Each optical de-interleaver includes an optical component having a first pair of optical input and output ports and a second pair of optical input and output ports and a 1×2 optical coupler. Each optical output port of the optical component is optically connected to a corresponding optical port of the 1×2 optical coupler. The optical component is constructed to operate as a first optical filter for light propagating between the optical ports of the first pair and is constructed to operate as a second optical filter for light propagating between the optical ports of the second pair. The first and second optical filters have substantially regularly spaced and interleaved passbands.
US08280248B2
A method and apparatus for loading, detecting, and monitoring channel-associated signals are provided. Channel-associated signals are identified with spread spectrum codes in the electrical domain, and after being modulated to an optical service signal at respective loading points separately, the channel-associated identification signals are transmitted in the optical channel along with the optical signal. At any downstream detecting point, passing optical signals can be converted through photoelectric conversion, and the channel-associated identification signals are de-spread. By detecting the channel-associated signals, it is possible to learn about whether the upstream loading point work normally, whether the optical channel operates normally, etc., and thereby to find possible failures, solve problems, and monitor quality parameters of optical signals in real time, and improve reliability of the optical signal transmission.
US08280244B2
An optical transmission apparatus connected to an optical ring network stores identification information of an optical transmission apparatus as a communication partner predetermined on a communication path. Each optical transmission apparatus includes self identification information in header information of an optical signal having a working wavelength used in normal operation, and transmits the optical signal to one of the two optical ring networks transferring optical signals in mutually opposite directions. The optical transmission apparatus determines whether the identification information included in the header information of the received optical signal having the working wavelength matches pre-stored identification information. The optical transmission apparatus thus detects a fault that occurs by the communication path. The optical transmission apparatus having detected the fault requests the communication partner to transmit the optical signal on a backup wavelength in the optical ring network opposite in direction to the optical ring network in the normal operation.
US08280230B2
AVClip recorded in BD-ROM is obtained by multiplexing a graphics stream and a video stream. The graphics stream is a PES packet sequence that includes 1) PES packets storing graphics data (ODS) and 2) PES packets storing control information (PCS). In each ODS, values of DTS and PTS indicate a timing of decoding start for corresponding graphics data, and a timing of decoding end for corresponding graphics data, respectively. In each PCS, a value of PTS indicates a display timing of corresponding decoded graphics data combined with the video stream.
US08280222B2
Metadata defining TV video settings is embedded in or otherwise accompanies a video stream. The metadata is executed by the TV to establish the settings, which consequently may be optimized for the particular video stream.
US08280221B2
A transmission server system includes: a material output portion that temporarily stores materials making up a program and transferred from a material server and outputs the materials by successively reading out the materials, wherein the material output portion has a plurality of recording and reproducing portions, the materials making up the program are transferred from the material server commonly to the plurality of recording and reproducing portions and recorded in each, and the respective materials are reproduced by and outputted from a recoding and reproducing portion as a transmission subject among the plurality of recording and reproducing portions.
US08280219B2
An information converting apparatus includes an additional information retrieval unit for retrieving additional information incidental to moving image data stored on a stream file having a first recording format, an additional information converting unit for converting the retrieved additional information in accordance with a second recording format, and an additional information recording control unit for controlling recording of the converted additional information onto a stream file having the second recording format.
US08280211B1
An all-optical sampling device using four-wave mixing in third-order optically nonlinear materials is described. The four-wave mixing based sampler comprises a waveguide combiner, which adds a gate optical signal to a signal of interest to be sampled. In a four-wave mixing region, a sampled signal at the output optical frequency is produced. All of the optical signals are sent to a passive optical filter, which preferentially discards the gate and signal optical frequencies, but preserves the sampled signal at the output optical frequency. The sampled signal at the output optical frequency can be observed, displayed, recorded or otherwise manipulated.
US08280210B2
An apparatus has a waveguide that includes a multiferroic medium. A controller is configured to apply a mechanical strain or a control electric or magnetic field to the multiferroic medium. The multiferroic medium has a dielectric permittivity or magnetic permeability that is responsive to the strain or the control field.
US08280208B2
A fiber-optic coupler may include a first optical fiber including an end portion to send or receive optical signals to or from an end portion of a second optical fiber. The coupler may also include a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) structure to align the end portion of the first optical fiber with the end portion of the second optical fiber.
US08280206B2
A wavelength selective switch (WSS) with hitless switching. The WSS includes the fiber collimator array, the focusing lens, collimating lens, diffraction grating, focusing lens, and attenuation reflection unit array. Each attenuation reflection unit has an interconnected transmission-type MEMS attenuator and a one-dimension MEMS reflector. The transmission-type MEMS attenuator is positioned in the front of the one-dimension MEMS reflector. The central axis of the transmission-type MEMS attenuator aligns and coincides with that of the one-dimension MEMS reflector, with the two central axes being glued together. The WSS of the present invention effectively utilizes the combination of a one-dimension reflector array and a transmission-type optical attenuator chip. With the use of one-dimension reflector array, instead of the known two-dimension reflector array, the complexity of design and manufacture is greatly reduced, thereby reducing the production costs of the switch.
US08280196B2
An image retrieval apparatus configured so as to enable a global feature method and a local feature method to complement each other is provided. After obtaining a retrieval result candidate using the local feature method, the image retrieval apparatus further verifies global features already registered in a database, with regard to the retrieval result candidate image. A verification position of the global features is estimated using the local features.
US08280192B2
Systems and methods are provided that facilitate grey level magnification to improve details and contrast for a dark scene of video on a digital display system. Preferably implemented over a limited pixel level range, the video enhancement process counts the number of pixels corresponding to each level within the range in a frame and then, based on the percent level distribution of the pixels, calculates the stack of percentage distribution. From the stack of percentage distribution, a transformation process is performed to reassign the pixel values over a dark level range and to expand the distribution of the pixels. The result of transformation enhances the details and contrast of the dark area significantly without affecting the bright scene. By only applying the algorithm to dark scenes, computation loads are reduced compared with some of the full picture processing methods. Lower computational loads are important to reduce motion artifacts in high speed video applications.
US08280187B1
A system and method for expansion and reduction of images in an image editing application uses the frequency of pixels values (e.g., absolute color and/or intensity values) of an input image to determine respective energy values for each pixel of the image. The energy values may vary inversely with the frequency of the pixel values. The energy values may be used to determine one or more low-cost seams of the image to be removed for an image reduction operation or replicated for an image expansion operation, where the cost of each seam is dependent on the energy values of the pixels of the seam. Determining the frequency of pixel values of the image may involve determining the number of pixels having an absolute pixel value in each of a plurality of pixel value ranges, and the absolute pixel values included in each range may be configurable by the user.
US08280182B2
An image processing method of noise reduction and an apparatus thereof are disclosed herein. In the image processing method, a current image having a plurality of image blocks is provided. A first block of the image blocks of the current image is substrate by the first block of at least one previous image for obtaining a difference block. Next, the difference block is performed on a motion detection process for determining whether the first block of the current image is in a static state. When the first block of the current image is in the static state, the first block of the current image is performed on a temporal filtering process for reducing the noise. By analyzing the static state, occurrence of motion blur can be prevented.
US08280180B2
Method and system embodiments of the present invention are directed to restoration of corrupted images using spatial-domain image-processing methods that can effectively employ spatial-domain information both in order to avoid various types of artifacts and distortions produced by frequency-domain image-processing operations and to achieve computational efficiency. The various method and system embodiments of the present invention employ a family of penalty functions to constrain iterative restoration images corrupted by both deterministic corruptions, such as motion-induced blur and blurring due to optical misalignment, incorrect positioning of optical components, and defective optical components as well as essentially non-deterministic noise corruption introduced at various stages of image acquisition, image encoding, image storage, and image transmission.
US08280179B2
The present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus using the difference among scaled images as a layered image and a method thereof, which utilize the Gaussian and Laplacian pyramid theory to convert an original image into a plurality of scaled images of different scales, and the difference among scaled images of two adjacent different scales as a layered image of the corresponding layer, so that the edge and line characteristics of a scene of the original image for each layered image can be displayed in different levels sequentially from a clear level to a vague level, and provide a layered image display interface and an image characteristic editing interface for users to examine each layered image through the layered image display interface and edit or perform special effect to each layered image, so as to simulate different visual effects based on different vision models.
US08280171B2
Some embodiments provide a method that provides a display area for displaying an image. Some embodiments provide a tool that when activated generates a deformable tunnel based on a cursor movement through the display area. The tunnel is for differentiating a region of interest of the image from the rest of the image. The method provides a moveable tool for determining a width for the tunnel region. The moveable tool is a slider tool in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the moveable tool is for determining the initial width at which the tunnel is generated. The moveable tool is further for modifying the width of the tunnel after the tunnel is generated in some embodiments.
US08280170B2
An intermediate image is generated between a reference image and a corresponding image. To achieve this, moving subject images are detected in respective ones of a first image and second image captured at a fixed interval. A moving subject image of an intermediate image is positioned at a position that is intermediate the moving subject images. The intermediate image is generated utilizing the reference image in a portion of the image other than occupied by the moving subject image. A correction is applied in such a manner that the second image will coincide with the first image with the exception of the portion of the second image occupied by the moving subject image.
US08280160B2
When N kinds of foreground identifiers for identifying color information of a foreground of a color image is to be reduced to M smaller than N, foreground identifiers corresponding to similar chromatic colors are merged and foreground identifiers corresponding to similar achromatic colors are merged but a foreground identifier corresponding to a chromatic color and a foreground identifier corresponding to an achromatic color are not merged. Thus, image quality degradation derived from color change from an achromatic color to a chromatic color or vice versa may be suppressed. On the basis of a foreground layer including the M kinds of foreground identifiers, M binary images respectively corresponding to the M kinds of foreground identifiers are generated, each of the binary images is subjected to lossless compression and a background layer is subjected to lossy compression.
US08280153B2
Techniques are disclosed for visually conveying a trajectory map. The trajectory map provides users with a visualization of data observed by a machine-learning engine of a behavior recognition system. Further, the visualization may provide an interface used to guide system behavior. For example, the interface may be used to specify that the behavior recognition system should alert (or not alert) when a particular trajectory is observed to occur.
US08280148B2
A data processing unit acquires a review image including a pattern defect on a substrate, compares the review image with a reference image thereby to extract a defect image, the reference image including no pattern defect, and performs an alignment between the review image and a self-layer design pattern image which is generated from design data belonging to the identical layer in a region corresponding to the review image. The data processing unit, then, based on result of the alignment, generates an another-layer design pattern image which is generated from design data belonging to another layer in the region corresponding to the review image, and, based on a synthesized image of the defect image and the another-layer design pattern image, determines the relative position relationship between the pattern defect and a pattern belonging to another layer, and judges the criticality based on the relative position relationship.
US08280142B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a predetermined site luminescence measuring method and a predetermined site luminescence measuring apparatus, which allow for determining whether, when the luminescence from the predetermined site in live samples is measured, a photoprotein is localized at the predetermined site in the same ones as the samples. An predetermined site luminescence measuring apparatus 100 in the present invention is comprised of: a the sample 102 into which a fused fusion gene is introduced, the fusion gene being obtained by fusing a fluorescence-related gene that expresses a fluorescence protein in addition to a targeting base sequence and a luminescence-related gene; a container 103 for storing the sample 102, a stage 104 on which the container 103 is arranged; a luminescent image capturing unit 106 which captures a luminescent image of the sample 102 (the objective lens 106a to the CCD camera 106c, and the imaging lens 106f); a fluorescent image capturing unit 108 which captures a fluorescent image of the sample 102 (the objective lens 108a to shutter 108f); and an the information communication terminal 110.
US08280137B2
A system, method, and apparatus includes a computed tomography (CT) system having a rotatable gantry, an x-ray source, a generator, a detector having pixels and positioned to receive x-rays, and a computer. The computer is programmed to acquire CT data representative of an object, determine a first subset of the CT data, determine a second subset of the CT data, and determine a difference between the first and second subsets of the CT data to identify a motion region in the object. The computer is also programmed to update image data reconstructed from a first portion of the first subset of the CT data and corresponding to the region and reconstruct an image based on the updated image data and non-updated image data. The non-updated image data is reconstructed from a second portion the first subset of the CT data.
US08280135B2
The present invention is a method for reducing artifacts caused by highly attenuating materials in x-ray computed tomography (“CT”) images. The method includes combining projection views acquired at equivalent view angles to generate a projection plane data set, from which a reformatted projection is produced. The reformatted projection is then processed to detect and segment regions corresponding to objects composed of metals, metal alloys, or other highly attenuating materials. These segmented regions are then removed from the reformatted projection and the removed portions replaced by attenuation information interpolated from portions of the reformatted projection adjacent the removed portions. The interpolated reformatted projection is then mapped back to a projection plane data set, and an image of the subject is reconstructed from the projection views contained in that data set. The reconstructed image, therefore, is one in which artifacts caused by highly attenuating materials are substantially suppressed.
US08280130B2
A method within dynamic molecular imaging comprising dynamically estimating a first parameter (β(x)) and a second parameter (k(x)) of an activity function describing the bio distribution of an administered tracer, is disclosed. More specifically, the method comprises specifying a first target variance (σβ,T(x)) and a second target variance (σβ,T(x)) of the first parameter (β(x)) and the second parameter (k(x)) of the activity function, respectively; initiating an image acquisition; reconstructing the first parameter (β(x)) and the second parameter (k(x)); reconstructing a first associated variance (σβ(x)) and a second associated variance (σk(x)) of the first parameter (β(x)) and the second parameter (k(x)), respectively; and repeating the image acquisition and the reconstructing until the first associated variance (σβ(x)) and the second associated variance (σk(x)) are equal to or less than the first target variance (σβ,T(x)) and the second target variance (σβ,T(x)), respectively, σβ(x)≦σβ,T(x) and σk(x)≦σβ,T(x). The method enables patient-specific adaptive protocols within molecular imaging.
US08280116B2
Described herein are implementations of various technologies for a method for mapping glacial geomorphology. A satellite image of an area of interest may be received. A digital elevation model of the area of interest may be received. Plains and ridges may be identified on the digital elevation model. Swamps and forest may be identified on the satellite image. A glaciological map may be generated having glacial features based on the identified plains, ridges, swamps and forest.
US08280110B2
A state estimating apparatus permits efficient, highly accurate estimation of the state of an object. A particle in a state variable space defined by a second state variable preferentially remains or increases as the likelihood thereof relative to a current measured value of a first state variable is higher, while a particle is preferentially extinguished as the likelihood thereof is lower. A particle which transitions in the state variable space according to a state transition model with a high probability of being followed by an object (a high-likelihood model) as a next model tends to increase. On the other hand, although in a small quantity, there are particles having models (low-likelihood models) which are different from the high-likelihood model as their unique models.
US08280106B2
A method and system for detecting a shadow region and a highlight region from a foreground region in a surveillance system, and a recording medium thereof, are provided. The system includes an image capturing unit to capture a new image, a background model unit to receive the new image and update a stored background model with the new image, a difference image obtaining unit to compare the new image with the background model and to obtain a difference image between the new image and the background model, a penumbra region extraction unit to extract a partial shadow region or a partial highlight region by measuring a sharpness of an edge of the difference image and expanding a background region, and an umbra region extraction unit to extract a complete shadow region or a complete highlight region based on the result of the extraction by the penumbra region extraction unit.
US08280105B2
The imaging position of each of the frames in image data of a plurality of frames captured while a vehicle is traveling is accurately determined. An image data acquiring device captures a front image by means of a video camera while a vehicle is traveling. When in imaging, the device associates the vehicle speed pulse detected by a vehicle speed sensor with the frame data and records them. An image data processing device arranges data on each frame of the image along the initial path according to the correspondence with the vehicle speed pulse. The device determines the variation between the frames of a feature point such as a road lane marking included in the image, reflects the variation on the initial path, and corrects the errors in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction so as to determine the traveling path and imaging positions of the frames.
US08280096B2
An electrodynamic transducer with a membrane includes an electrodynamic motor in a carcass in which a coil held by a mandrel connected to the membrane is capable of movement. The mandrel has a shape generated by an essentially linear generatrix, the coil being arranged in an air gap of a vertical free space where it is capable of movement and defined, towards the center of the transducer, by an inner magnetic structure and, towards the periphery of the transducer, by an outer magnetic structure, at least one of the magnetic structures generating a static magnetic field, wherein the transducer does not include any peripheral nor inner suspension and the guiding of the mobile equipment and the pneumatic tightness between the front and rear faces of the membrane being ensured by a ferrofluid. The mandrel is maintained in the air gap by the ferrofluid applied on at least one of the two faces of the mandrel and entirely filling the air gap.
US08280094B2
An earphone device converts electric signals to audible sound. The earphone includes a first electroacoustic transducer and a second electroacoustic transducer. A separating part of the earphone is positioned between the second transducer and a sound opening of a plug area of the earphone. The separating part forms a barrier between a first sound path for the first transducer and a second sound path for the second transducer. The first sound path comprises a substantially annular cross-section disposed around the second sound path. The earphone includes a filter disk arranged in the sound opening, in which an acoustic friction is provided for each of the first and second sound paths.
US08280092B2
A voice sound input apparatus, adapted to be inputted a sound and configured to output sound data, includes: a display unit; a first microphone, related to a first sound hole; a second microphone, related to a second sound hole; a signal processing unit; and a microphone holding unit, formed with the first sound hole, and adapted to extend toward a sound source predicted position; wherein a distance between the first sound hole and the second sound hole is a distance that a phase component of a sound strength ratio is lower than or equal to 0 dB, the sound strength ratio being a ratio between a strength of a sound component contained in differential sound pressure of sounds entered to the first sound hole and the second sound hole and a strength of sound pressure of the sound entered to the first sound hole.
US08280089B2
A power management system (1) for a digital processing core (12) of a battery-powered hearing aid is adapted for providing power to the hearing aid circuit in a particularly efficient manner. The power management system (1) comprises a first linear voltage regulator (25, 26, 28), and a second linear voltage regulator (25, 27) in series with a switched-capacitor 2:1 SC converter (21), a positive bulk biasing voltage supply (10), and a negative bulk biasing voltage supply (11), for controlling the switching speed, threshold voltage, and current leak from the semiconductor elements (13, 14) of the digital processing core (12) when the core (12) is operated at the reduced voltage provided by the power management system (1). The power management system (1) may save between 50% and 70% of the power consumed by the digital processing core (12) of the hearing aid circuit when compared to existing hearing aids, and may thus prolong the battery life. The invention further provides a method for providing a supply voltage to a digital hearing aid.
US08280087B1
Systems, apparatus, and techniques are described to perform operations including receiving speech that includes audio signals from a talker. A fundamental frequency, unique to the talker, is extracted from the audio signals. A tone in frequency with the extracted fundamental frequency of the received speech is modulated and the modulated tone is delivered to an audio transducing device.
US08280083B2
A method, implemented by electronic data processing resources, for audio conference between conference participants via their respective terminals, the participants including at least one listener and at least one speaker, the method comprising, for at least said listener and for at least said speaker, the steps consisting in, estimating, as a function of a digital signal coming from a terminal of the speaker, at least one characteristic specific to said speaker, and determining, using said at least one estimated characteristic, a setpoint for positioning the speaker within a virtual space of the listener.
US08280077B2
Separating a source in a stereo signal having a left channel and a right channel includes transforming the signal into a short-time transform domain; classifying portions of the signals having similar panning coefficients; segregating a selected one of the classified portions of the signals corresponding to the source; and reconstructing the source from the selected portions of the signals.
US08280076B2
A system is provided for configuring an audio system for a given space. The system may statistically analyze potential configurations of the audio system to configure the audio system. The potential configurations may include positions of the loudspeakers, numbers of loudspeakers, types of loudspeakers, listening positions, correction factors, filters, or any combination thereof. The statistical analysis may indicate at least one metric of the potential configuration including indicating consistency of predicted transfer functions, flatness of the predicted transfer functions, differences in overall sound pressure level from seat to seat for the predicted transfer functions, efficiency of the predicted transfer functions, or the output of predicted transfer functions. The system also provides a methodology for selecting loudspeaker locations, the number of loudspeakers, the types of loudspeakers, correction factors, listening positions, crossover filters or a combination of these schemes in an audio system that has a single listening position or multiple listening positions.
US08280073B2
A system for correcting erroneous microphone readings in a vehicle engine harmonic cancellation (EHC) system. A method for operating an engine harmonic cancelling system, includes receiving, from a first microphone at a first location in a vehicle cabin, a signal representative of noise in the vehicle cabin; receiving, from a second microphone at a second location in the vehicle cabin, a signal representative of noise in the vehicle cabin; and correlating the signal from the first microphone with the signal from the second microphone.
US08280044B2
A stream encryption method encodes plaintext of N number of 1-bit input signal sequences into L (L is N or more) bits of encrypted text using N number of pseudo random sequences and uses only one pseudo random sequence used for the encryption to decode the single corresponding plaintext. This stream encryption method comprises using the N number of pseudo random sequences to divide a L-bit encryption symbol set averagely into two equal parts; selecting either of the two partial sets by a corresponding 1-bit plaintext sequence; and when there are one or more elements of the selected N number of partial sets forming common parts in the sets, using one of those as an encryption symbol.
US08280042B2
A decryption processor for calculating a plaintext through decryption of a ciphertext c includes, a first part that calculates m′p through modular exponentiation modulo a first prime number p wherein an exponent is a shifted value of d(mod(p−1)), and a base is a value of c(mod p); a second modular exponentiation part that calculates m′q through modular exponentiation modulo a second prime number q, wherein an exponent is a value of d(mod(q−1)) and a base is a value of c(mod q); a composition part that calculates ms through calculation of ((u×(m′q−m′p)(mod q))×p+m′p by using the values m′p and m′q and a private key u corresponding to p−1(mod q); and a shift release part that calculates the plaintext m through calculation of ms×(cs(mod n))(mod n) by using the value ms.
US08280041B2
A computer hardware implemented cryptography method computes a modular exponentiation, M :=Cd (mod p·q), upon a message data value C using a Chinese Remainder Theorem (CRT) based technique. To secure against cryptanalysis, the private key moduli p and q are transformed by multiplication with a generated random value s, so that p′: =p·s and q′ :=q·s, as shown in an exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2. The CRT steps of the modular exponentiation are applied using the transformed moduli p′ and q′ to obtain a random intermediate message data value M′. A final reduction of M′ modulo p·q yields the final message data value M. Values needed for the computation are loaded into data storage and accessed as needed by electronic processing hardware.
US08280030B2
A particular method of using a call routing system includes generating a first action object identifier associated with a task, a first result identifier associated with the task, and a first reason identifier at a first module in response to a call using a processor of the call routing system. The first result identifier has a value that indicates a status of the task. The first reason identifier includes information related to the first result identifier. The method also includes routing the call from the first module to a second module using the processor, based at least in part on the first action object identifier, the first result identifier, and the first reason identifier.
US08280026B2
There is provided a linkage apparatus for linking a plurality of telephones with one another, including a communication part communicating with the plurality of telephones, a detection part detecting operating states of the plurality of telephones, a determination part determining, on the basis of the detected operating states, whether or not the operating state of a first telephone out of the plurality of telephones has changed to a first state from a third state, and when it is determined that the operating state of the first telephone has changed, determining whether or not the operating state of a second telephone precedently set to be linked with the first telephone is a second state, and a decision part deciding a linkage process that the linkage apparatus makes the second telephone to execute when it is determined that the operating state of the second telephone is the second state.
US08280025B2
Automated unique call announcements for incoming telephone calls are provided. When a call is received at a mobile or wired telephone, a variety of data about the calling party, for example, caller identification and profile data for the calling party and data associated with the called party, for example, scheduling data, contacts data, and contextual data, such as time of day, may be used for generating a text-to-speech message that may be played to the called party as a unique call announcement. If desired, a standard or customized ring tone may be played before, after, or before and after presentation of the unique call announcement. In addition, voice command functionality may be provided for allowing a called party to direct a disposition of an incoming telephone call without answering the incoming telephone call.
US08280024B1
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for sending a request to a network for routing a call. In use, a call is initiated from a first party to a second party. Further, it is determined, whether the first party and the second party are members of a group. Still yet, a request is sent to a network for routing the call. The request includes an indication that origination processing and/or termination processing has already been performed, based on the determination.
US08280009B2
We disclose a concierge device that can be configured to register, control and support a consumer device. It can alternatively or redundantly connect to a home management bridge and/or cloud-based management servers. It can accept menus that allow a single concierge device to provide a wide range of functions for various consumer devices. The concierge device allows the user in a single action to initiate a support session, automatically identifying the consumer device. The concierge device can be configured for voice or video support calls. The concierge device in conjunction with a home management bridge or gateway can manage on boarding of components of an automated home, such as switches and lamps. Implementations of the concierge device that include a display can show supplemental information, such as advertising, optionally in coordination with media being played on a consumer device coupled in communication with the concierge device.
US08280001B2
A method of irradiating a target tissue in a patient comprising positioning the patient on a patient support system so that the target tissue in the patient is within irradiating distance of at least one source of a beam of radiation and moving the patient support system relative to the at least one source of a beam of radiation and, coordinately with movement of the patient support system, rotating the at least one source of radiation relative to the target tissue, which comprises and/or is adjacent to a non-target tissue, so that the center of rotation of the beam of radiation is placed at one or more desired locations within the target tissue, while simultaneously and/or sequentially irradiating the target tissue; a collimator; a method of making such a collimator; a system for irradiating a target tissue in a patient; and a method of planning irradiation of a target tissue in a patient.
US08279998B2
CT imaging is performed twice (S1101), which is set as the normal number of rotations, and a sinogram is corrected (S1102) based on the sinogram obtained by performing CT imaging twice. Since the cycles of data variation caused by respiration are controlled so as not to overlap one another, usually the data variations caused by respiration are eliminated by performing CT imaging twice. However, depending on irregularity in the respiration cycle of the subject, data variation components sometimes overlap at the same angle in spite of the fact that the cycles of data variation caused by respiration are controlled so as not to overlap one another. Therefore, when data variation components remain overlapped at the same angle, CT imaging is performed one additional time (S1104) and the sinogram is corrected (S1102) using the sinogram obtained by performing the additional CT imaging.
US08279990B2
A transmitting/receiving system and a data processing method of the same are disclosed herein. The receiving system may include a receiving unit, a first processing unit, and a second processing unit. The receiving unit receives a broadcast signal including mobile service data and an FIC segment from at least one slot. The first processing unit acquires FIC segments from the broadcast signal and obtains an FIC chunk, wherein the obtained FIC chunk is configured of a chunk header and a chunk payload. Herein, the chunk header may include FIC chunk major protocol version information and FIC chunk minor protocol version information, and the chunk payload may include signaling information between at least one ensemble and at least one mobile service. The second processing unit processes the FIC chunk based upon the FIC chunk major protocol version information and the FIC chunk minor protocol version information.
US08279987B2
A filter settings generation operation includes sampling a communication channel to produce a sampled signal. The sampled signal is spectrally characterized across a frequency band of interest to produce a spectral characterization of the sampled signal. This spectral characterization may not include a signal of interest. The spectral characterization is then modified to produce a modified spectral characterization. Filter settings are then generated based upon the modified spectral characterization. Finally, the communication channel is filtered using the filter settings when the signal of interest is present on the communication channel. In modifying the spectral characterization, pluralities of spectral characteristics of the spectral characterization are independently modified to produce the modified spectral characterization. Modifications to the spectral characterization may be performed in the frequency domain and/or the time domain. One particular spectral modification that is performed is raising of the noise floor of the spectral characterization to meet a budgeted signal-to-noise ratio. Other spectral modifications include modifying spectral components corresponding to an expected interfering signal. In modifying these spectral characterizations, spectral components corresponding to a plurality of expected interfering signals may be modified.
US08279984B1
A system includes a first filter generating a first output signal based on an input signal. The first filter includes N tap weight coefficients, where N is an integer greater than 1. A first device updates the N tap weight coefficients of the first filter. A second filter generates a second output signal in response to the first output signal. The second filter includes M tap weight coefficients, where M is an integer greater than 1 and less than N. A second device determines a value of a first one of the M tap weight coefficients for each of multiple sampling times of the input signal. The second device updates the first one of the M tap weight coefficients based on the values of the first one of the M tap weight coefficients, a first gain constant, and a change in timing phase error of the first filter.
US08279973B2
The invention relates to a space-time coding method for a MIMO-UWB system with P antennas using information symbols belonging to an M-PPM, where M is a multiple of P. The modulation alphabet is partitioned into P sub-alphabets corresponding to successive ranges of modulation positions. An extension of the initial alphabet is obtained by forcing the information symbols to belong to some sub-alphabets, thereby increasing the binary rate of said system.
US08279962B2
A method and apparatus for allocating a feedback channel in a multiple antenna communication system are provided. In a method of operating a Base Station (BS) for allocating a feedback channel in a Multi-User Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MU-MIMO) communication system, the method includes measuring a MIMO transmission environment, determining an amount of feedback according to the MIMO transmission environment, and allocating a feedback channel according to an amount of the feedback.
US08279961B2
Channel estimates calculated by a channel estimator (32) are linearly interpolated (34). When transmissions from transmitting antennas are stopped due to a deterioration of the propagation environment, since a larger amount of computing resources become available for use, a channel estimate selector 36 selects the linearly interpolated channel estimates and supplies them to an MIMO demultiplexer 38 which can thus cope with fast fading.
US08279957B2
A wireless communication method implemented in a communication system includes receiving a first data sequence, and processing the first data sequence to obtain information containing at least one of a first number and a sampling spacing associated with the first data sequence. The method also includes permuting the first data sequence to generate a permuted second data sequence. Permuting the first data sequence includes determining a first parameter based on at least one of the first number and the sampling spacing, determining a second parameter based on at least one of the first parameter, the first number, and the sampling spacing, and determining a mapping relationship between a j-th data item of the permuted second data sequence and an i-th data item of the first data sequence. The method further includes outputting the permuted second data sequence.
US08279954B2
A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for forward-backward SOMA techniques. In one embodiment, the apparatus is a receiver comprising: an inner decoder structure having a soft output M-algorithm (SOMA) based multiple-in multiple-out (MIMO) joint demapper that uses a SOMA-based MIMO detection process to perform joint inner demapping over each tone, where the SOMA-based MIMO joint demapper is operable to identify a best candidate among a number of candidates by searching a detection tree for each tone using a forward pass through the detection tree, where only a number of best alternatives from every level of the tree are expanded and where soft-output related information is collected and stored, and to perform a second pass, following the forward pass, during which soft-output is computed for each bit; and an outer decoder operable with the SOMA-based inner decoder to perform iterative decoding.
US08279950B2
Described embodiments provide a method and system for signal compensation in a SERDES communication system that includes monitoring the quality of a data signal after passing through a transmission channel. The quality of the data signal is monitored with at least one of a BER calculation algorithm and a received eye quality monitoring algorithm. Variations in channel length of the transmission channel are compensated for by i) adjusting a length of transmission line delay of the data signal from the transmission channel, ii) comparing the data signal quality with a threshold for the adjusted data signal; and iii) repeating i) and ii) until the data signal quality meets the threshold.
US08279921B2
A moving image reproducing apparatus (10) includes a video encoder (18). The video encoder (18) reproduces a moving image including a partial moving image having a frame rate different from a reference frame rate at the reference frame rate. A CPU (26) calculates a difference value between a first frame count required to reproduce the partial moving image in real time and a second frame count obtained by performing periodic frame interpolation processing on the partial moving image. The CPU (26) dispersively executes frame thinning-out processing on the moving image at the number of times corresponding to the calculated difference value. The CPU (26) further executes frame interpolation processing on the partial moving image at the number of times corresponding to the second frame count.
US08279917B2
A pulse width modulation (PWM) controller includes: a first counter for counting a reference clock signal, and thus outputting a first count value, a leading edge control signal generator for outputting a leading edge control signal on a basis of the first count value, an adjustment clock generator for generating an adjustment clock signal, a second counter controller for instructing the adjustment clock generator to start to output the adjustment clock signal, a second counter for outputting a second count value, a trailing edge control signal generator for outputting a trailing edge control signal on a basis of the second count value, and a PWM pulse generator for synthesizing the leading edge control signal and the trailing edge control signal, and thus generating a pulse width modulation signal.
US08279914B2
A signal to noise power ratio estimation system for multi-carrier communication includes a phase rotator, a power estimator, a channel gain calculator, an average and selection device, a combination and calculation device and a decibel (dB) transformation device. The signal to noise power ratio estimation system makes use of a transmit parameter signaling or pilot subcarriers to blindly assist in the signal to noise power ratio estimation to accordingly gain an estimated signal to noise power ratio accurately, and thus a communication system can be calibrated to a preferred condition.
US08279906B2
A laser diode includes an active layer, a strip-shaped ridge provided above the active layer, a pair of resonator end faces sandwiching the active layer and the ridge from an extending direction of the ridge, and an upland section provided being contacted with both side faces of the ridge in at least one of the resonator end faces of the pair of resonator end face and in the vicinity thereof. A thickness from the active layer to a surface of the upland section is larger on the resonator end face side and is smaller on a central side of the ridge, and the thickness is continuously changed from a thick portion on the resonator end face side to a thin portion on the central side of the ridge.
US08279898B2
Provided is a distance and position measuring method. A distance measuring method based on packets transmitted and received between a first node and a second node obtains first timing for transmitting a first packet from the first node, second timing for receiving the first packet in the second node, third timing for transmitting a second packet corresponding to the first packet from the second node, fourth timing for receiving the second packet in the first node, fifth timing for transmitting a third packet from the second node, and sixth timing for receiving the third packet in the first node to estimate a clock frequency offset based on the obtained timings, measures a first distance and a second distance based on the clock frequency offset and some of the timings, and measures a distance between the first node and the second node based on the first distance and the second distance.
US08279888B2
Provided are an apparatus and method for upstream transmission of variable bit rate traffic in a Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC) network. The apparatus includes: a VoIP signal processing unit for digitizing a voice of a speaker to create a voice packet, detecting a mute section to suppress packet generation, and generating an Service identification (SID) packet in the mute section; a storage unit for storing the voice packet and the SID packet created by the VoIP signal processing unit and notifying information on the stored packets; a VoIP activity determining unit for determining a voice activity based on the information on the stored packets notified from the storage unit; and a packet processing unit for including the voice activity transferred from the VoIP activity determining unit in the packets from the storage unit to encapsulate them and transmit it to a network device.
US08279887B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for selecting radio resources for transmission of data over a radio link to which at least two resource units have been allocated. At least one resource unit is selected out of the allocated resource units, wherein the selection is determined in dependence of the result of checking whether values of a quality measure of the allocated resource units fall within a certain range.
US08279878B2
A first computer stores a correspondence between a virtual channel and a physical channel (s) in physical channel information and transmits the correspondence between the virtual channel and the physical channel (s) to a second computer having a virtual network interface to which a data transmission instruction is addressed. Upon receiving the correspondence between the virtual channel and the physical channel(s), the second computer stores the received correspondence in the physical channel information. The first computer transmits data in accordance with the data transmission instruction, using one or more physical channels associated with the virtual channel, based on the correspondence stored.
US08279877B2
A method and a communication device for processing ATM cells. The communication device includes an input interface adapted to receive an ATM cell that is associated with a PHY value and includes a pair of VCI and VPI fields. The communication device is characterized by comprising a search unit, adapted to search, within a group of memory entries that belong to a memory unit, for a pair of VCI and VPI fields that have values that match the values of the VCI and VPI fields of the received ATM cell, if the received VCI field and VPI fields belong to a first predefined group of VCI and VPI fields. The communication device further includes a processor, connected to the search unit, wherein the processor is adapted to determine a channel identifier of the received ATM cell in response to a result of the search and in response to a PHY value associated with the received ATM cell.
US08279876B2
Provided are an apparatus and a method for providing a concurrent data service to an Mobile Station (MS) through a plurality of heterogeneous networks. In a method for providing a data service to an MS through different wireless networks, the MS measures channel qualities of at least one accessible wireless network and reports the measured channel qualities to an Internet Protocol (IP) packet controller. The IP packet controller selects wireless networks for data transmission on the basis of the reported channel qualities, distributes data destined for the MS, and transmits the distributed data to the selected wireless networks. The selected wireless networks receive the data from the IP packet controller and transmits the received data to the MS. The MS combines and interprets the data received from the selected wireless networks. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a seamless data service to the MS in service environments with a mixture of different wireless communication systems.
US08279868B2
A system and method for providing land mobile radio (LMR) content using a cellular data network is provided. The method includes communicating the LMR content via at least one of an LMR network and a cellular data network. The method further includes encapsulating the LMR content using a packet switching protocol when communicating the LMR content via the cellular data network.
US08279865B2
A systems and methods are disclosed that provide an efficient parallel pipeline for data processing using a multi-core processor. Embodiments allocate a shared memory portion of the memory that is accessible from more than one context of execution and/or process a frame in a plurality of processing stages processed by a context of execution. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of processing stages may be bound to a processing core of the multi-core processor. In other embodiments include one or more processing stages with a point-to-point communication mechanism that operates in shared memory.
US08279844B1
The present invention discloses a system and method for providing interactive voice response (IVR) applications executable on individual communication devices. Unlike current IVR applications that run from centralized voice servers, the present invention describes a system in which communication units initiate communication with a multimedia server over a data network such as the Internet and download extensible copies of voice response applications. The communication device then runs the voice response applications, thus, locally administering the voice messages and accepting the voice or data input from a user. The multimedia server may preferably divide the application software into executable segments to accommodate communication devices with limited memory resources, such as mobile phones and hand-held computers. The system and method may implement different level of complexity by breaking application functionality into modules and the sub-modules. For multi-module applications, the communication units will re-establish communication links with the multimedia server to download each necessary or subsequent module or sub-module. The system and method may also allow users to connect directly to agents or operators to perform tasks that are too complex for efficient automation. The system may connect users and agents using any combination of a data network and voice network. The implementation of the voice response application using the data network connection allows a reduction in the number of telephone ports into an IVR and also allows multiple users to access the IVR over the same line, because of the asynchronous nature of the data network.
US08279841B2
In a mobile station UE1, a service-type information detection unit 41 for detecting service-type information contained in the header of a packet in which transmit data is carried is provided at a radio link control layer 37 or a packet data convergence protocol sublayer 38.
US08279835B2
A method to facilitate user equipment (UE) handoff within a packet data communication system includes receiving at the Evolved NodeB (eNB) via a serving relay node an indication that the UE will undergo a handoff from the serving relay node to a target node; receiving at the eNB first packet data having a first payload and a first Internet protocol (IP) header identifying an address of the eNB; extracting, at the eNB, the first payload from the first packet data to form a first packet data unit (PDU) including the extracted first payload and a second IP header identifying the address of the eNB and an address of the target node; and transmitting, from the eNB to the target node, the first PDU to permit the target node to transmit the first payload of the first PDU to the UE, the target node being identified using the second IP header.
US08279830B2
A method of performing Dual Transfer Mode (DTM) handover by a mobile station (MS) in a wireless mobile communication system is disclosed. More specifically, the MS receives information of neighbor cells, wherein the information is a list of neighbor cells whose signal strengths the MS should measure and transmits a message including results of the measured neighbor cells. Furthermore, the MS receives a message from a network, wherein the message is a DTM Handover Command message which instructs the MS to perform a DTM handover procedure with one of the neighbor cells. Lastly, the MS performs the DTM handover procedure.
US08279829B2
A network component comprising a processor configured to implement a method comprising receiving a multicast listening state (MLS) report comprising a multicast state data from a mobile node (MN), sending the multicast state data to an access router (AR), establishing a tunnel with the AR, and forwarding at least one multicast data stream associated with the multicast state data to the AR via the tunnel. Also disclosed is an AR configured to implement a method comprising receiving a multicast state data for a MN, evaluating the multicast state data, indicating whether the multicast state data is supported by the AR, establishing a tunnel with a second AR, and receiving at least one multicast data stream associated with the multicast state data from the second AR via the tunnel.
US08279826B1
A method for registration of endpoints within in IP Multimedia Subsystem network is described. One embodiment includes receiving a request from an endpoint to deregister the endpoint. A deregistration routine is initiated to deregister the endpoint within the IP Multimedia Subsystem network. The registration status of the endpoint and any call forwarding data is stored within the IP Multimedia Subsystem network.
US08279825B2
A method for transmitting channel state information from an user equipment in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The user equipment transmits a spatial channel matrix or a spatial channel covariance matrix irrespective of a feedback type. The user equipment is able to additionally transmit noise plus interference variance information of a whole bandwidth used for the channel state information. In this case, the user equipment is able to transmit normalized spatial channel matrix or spatial channel covariance matrix and normalized noise plus interference variance information for accurate and efficient transmission of the channel state information. The user equipment receives an allocation of an uplink resource from a base station and is then able to map the spatial channel matrix or the spatial channel covariance matrix to the allocated resource according to a specific pattern.
US08279821B2
Statistics are collected for each network user, including signal bandwidth (BW), required receive power (RRP) for decoding a user signal, and available transmit margin (ATM). Users are ordered by BW from greatest to smallest. Users with a greatest BW are then ordered by ATM from lowest to highest, and divided into lower half users having lower ATMs, and upper half users having higher ATMs. A two-tier channel plan is defined, and lower half users are assigned to channels in a lower tier. An upper half user is assigned a channel in an upper tier after placing a lower half user in the same channel in the lower tier, if the upper half user's ATM is >(U User RRP+L User RRP). Otherwise, the user is assigned a different channel in the lower tier. The dividing and subsequent steps repeat for any remaining sets of users requiring successively smaller signal bandwidths.
US08279820B2
An apparatus is configured to allocate an IDentification (ID) cell to avoid duplication of a preamble Pseudo Noise (PN) code in a broadband wireless communication system. The apparatus selects one sector inside the system. A temporary ID cell for the selected sector is selected. Whether an ID cell of a sector to which an ID cell has been already allocated inside a minimum unit group for ID cell allocation is the same as the temporary ID cell is determined. Whether PN codes of sectors inside a neighbor list of the selected sector are the same as temporary PN codes determined using the temporary ID cell are determined. When the temporary ID cell is not duplicated and the temporary PN codes are not duplicated, the selected temporary ID cell is allocated as an ID cell of the selected sector.
US08279808B2
The methods and devices of the present disclosure may be used to enable non-carrier dependent, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) femtocells for in-service use with one or more mobile handheld devices. The VoIP femtocell generally includes at least one Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver; and program logic that, at least in part, performs a broadcast channel selection protocol and a handheld reselection protocol, so as to enable one or more mobile handheld devices to select the VoIP femtocell for in-service use. In certain embodiments, the broadcast channel selection protocol includes a configuration phase and a broadcast phase.
US08279799B1
What is disclosed is a method of operating a wireless communication system. The method includes wirelessly transferring overhead information to a wireless communication device using a first overhead message type that is repeatedly transferred during repeating overhead time periods. The method also includes obtaining new overhead information for the wireless communication device, where if the new overhead information will fit within the first overhead message type during a subsequent one of the repeating overhead time periods, wirelessly transferring the new overhead information to the wireless communication device using the first overhead message type in the subsequent one of the repeating overhead time periods, and if the new overhead information will not fit within the first overhead message type during the subsequent one of the repeating overhead time periods, wirelessly transferring a notice for a second overhead message type to the wireless communication device using the first overhead message type in the subsequent one of the repeating overhead time periods, and wirelessly transferring the new overhead information to the wireless communication device using the second overhead message type.
US08279797B2
A system and method to provide cross-paging between circuit and packet data networks includes providing a mobile station being on a circuit-switched communication in a first area while maintaining a packet data session on the packet data network. When the mobile station moves to a second location area served by the circuit-switched network while the mobile station is still idle with respect to packet communications on the packet data network the location of the mobile station with respect to the circuit-switched network becomes unknown by the packet data network. In this case, the circuit-switched network informs the packet data network of a change in the mobile switching center serving the mobile station.
US08279795B2
Disclosed are a base station, a relay station, and a terminal according to a method for designing a cellular system for improving resource usage efficiency by reducing interference between relay stations and interference between the base station and the relay station. The relay station gets control signals that terminals served by the base station transmit, and registers terminals, levels of the control signals of which are bigger than a predetermined value, to a list of the interference terminals. The relay station checks an interference resource through resource allocation information of the base station, checks an available resource corresponding to a resource except the interference resource among a resource allocated by the base station, and allocates some of the available resource to the terminal.
US08279791B2
A configuration method and an indication method of MBSFN frames and an identifying method used by a terminal applied in a long term evolution system are disclosed in the present invention, which include: an access network sends configuration parameters of the MBSFN frame to a mobile terminal determining whether the wireless frame received is an MBSFN frame according to the configuration parameters, the configuration parameters including a repetition period of the MBSFN frames distributed in system-set time. With the present invention, it could consume less bytes in system message to complete the configuration of the MBSFN sub-frames and could save system resources.
US08279782B2
The present invention provides systems and methods for the assignment of a plurality of processors to a plurality of data servers. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides systems and methods for addressing the problem of transmitter/receiver assignment for softer handoff in CDMA systems as well as any other system that requires variable size allocation of processors in a resource sharing environment. An exemplary embodiment of a system for processing data received from data servers according to the present invention comprises a shared medium, a plurality of processors and a smaller plurality of intermediate nodes partitioned into K sets, wherein at the kth set, every “k” processors are associated with one intermediate node. The shared medium couples the data servers to the intermediate nodes. Additionally, the system may include a system controller for controlling the operation of the system and the assignment of processors to the intermediate nodes and to the data servers at the beginning of each service request and thereafter upon each modification request to the service.
US08279777B2
Systems and methods for sending secure reliable point to multi-point communication on any communication infrastructure. The infrastructure is not required to conform to any specifications other than to be capable of point to point communications. The system consists of a protocol that allows for Secure Reliable point to multi-point communications irregardless of the support for such communications. This invention does not rely on the Internet or ATM or any other point to point or point to multi-point communications infrastructure.
US08279771B2
Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to monitor communication paths in communication systems are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes identifying first and second inter-network communication links of a communication system, identifying a first plurality of router pairs associated with the first inter-network communication link, identifying a second plurality of router pairs associated with the second inter-network communication link, partitioning the first plurality of router pairs into a first subset of router pairs and a second subset of router pairs, partitioning the second plurality of router pairs into a third subset of router pairs and a fourth subset of router pairs, during a first time interval, performing first reachability tests for respective ones of the first and third subsets of router pairs, and during a second time interval, performing second reachability tests for respective ones of the second and fourth subsets of router pairs.
US08279769B2
A method and apparatus for determining a time-out period used for switching between a first operational mode and a second operational mode of a data communications link, comprising detecting a signal used to request switching from the first operational mode to the second operational mode; measuring the duration of the signal; and determining the time-out period in dependence on the measured duration of the signal.
US08279766B2
A novel decentralized protocol for constructing a tree-based P2P live video streaming network with the Interior-Node-Disjoint (IND) multi-tree structure with the special Link-Level-Homogeneous property. The IND multi-tree structure recycles the wasted uploading capacities of leaf nodes in the tree-based P2P networks. The IND multi-tree structure also enhances the robustness of the tree-based P2P networks. Moreover, the special Link-Level-Homogeneous property eliminates the bottlenecks in the video delivery paths by ensuring that each downloading link in the network has identical bandwidth reserved. This special designed architecture greatly improves the downloading performance.
US08279761B2
A first periodic signal generation circuit generates first periodic output signals. A second periodic signal generation circuit generates second periodic output signals. A first multiplexer circuit receives the first and the second periodic output signals. An interface circuit coupled to external pins generates a third periodic output signal based on a periodic signal selected by the first multiplexer circuit. A second multiplexer circuit receives the third periodic output signal at an input. A first periodic feedback signal provided to the first periodic signal generation circuit is based on a signal selected by the second multiplexer circuit. A third multiplexer circuit receives the third periodic output signal at an input. A second periodic feedback signal provided to the second periodic signal generation circuit is based on a signal selected by the third multiplexer circuit.
US08279755B2
In a packet communications system stream data is transported over a channel over which packet loss or corruption is possible, with forward error correction (“FEC”) information. A transmitter receives source packets comprising source data, generates FEC source packets formatted to allow for identification of lost or corrupted source packets at a receiver, arranges source data from the source packets into a plurality of source symbols wherein at least one source packet is arranged into more than one source symbol, associates a plurality of source symbols with a source block, generates a plurality of repair symbols from the source block according to a predetermined FEC encoding process and groups the plurality of repair symbols into one or more FEC repair packets associated with the source block. A receiver can use the FEC repair symbols from the FEC repair packets to recover source symbols, as needed.
US08279751B2
A communication system, network node, and communication port architecture are provided for transporting data across a ring network. If a network node detects a signal failure, the communication port of the network node configures itself as timing master and communicates a shutdown command to the other network nodes. In addition, the communication port sets an internal flag signaling this “signal off” event. All other network nodes, which receive the shutdown flag, do not set this internal status, and instead, save a status of “no fault saved.” Accordingly, it can be easily determined where the loss of signal occurred.
US08279749B2
In one embodiment, a primary head-end node (PHE) and one or more backup head-end nodes (BHEs) receive traffic from a common multicast network. The PHE establishes a primary point-to-multipoint (P2MP) tunnel and forwards the multicast traffic onto the primary P2MP tunnel. The PHE then notifies a selected BHE of one or more characteristics of the primary P2MP tunnel, and the selected BHE establishes a backup P2MP tunnel with the characteristics of the primary P2MP tunnel. In response to detecting a failure of the PHE, the BHE initiates forwarding of the multicast traffic onto the backup P2MP tunnel.
US08279732B2
An HF waveform prevailing during a read operation varies due, for instance, to changes in the ambient temperature of an optical disc drive and variations in the characteristics of a laser. This degrades read performance and decreases the number of rewritable disc read operations. To address the above problems, an optical disc drive and an optical information read method are disclosed. The disclosed optical disc drive and optical information read method vary an HF amplitude in relation to the resistance, differential resistance, or temperature of the laser.
US08279730B2
An optical disc apparatus for performing both the operation of writing data on an optical disc and the operation of reading data that is stored on the optical disc includes a motor for rotating the optical disc, an optical pickup, which irradiates the optical disc with a light beam and detects the light that has been reflected from the optical disc, an evaluation section for obtaining an indicative parameter of the distortion of a signal waveform representing the light reflected from a data stored part on the optical disc while the optical disc is being rotated by the motor, and a control section for changing the number of revolutions of the optical disc Per unit time if a variation in the indicative parameter of the distortion per rotation of the optical disc exceeds a threshold value while the optical disc is being rotated by the motor.
US08279722B2
In an information processing apparatus that stores data on a plurality of storage media, a management information generator generates management information based on which to manage an order in which data is stored on the storage media, using storage medium identification information identifying each storage medium, and a multiplexer multiplexes the management information generated by the management information generator on the data. A storage unit stores the data, including the management information multiplexed by the multiplexer, on the storage media such that the data can be easily managed and the storage media can be used in a very convenient manner.
US08279721B2
A near-field optical head capable of being significantly miniaturized is constituted by a near-field optical probe slider formed by holding, on a slider, a semiconductor laser, a heat dissipation member, a prism for guiding light from the semiconductor laser to a scattering body and a photodetector element.
US08279716B1
A smart-watch can include a wristband, a base, and a flip up portion. The base can be coupled to the wristband and include a housing, a processor, a wireless transceiver, and a tactile user interface. The wireless transceiver can be configured to connect to a wireless network. The tactile user interface can be configured to provide interaction between a user and the smart-watch. The flip up portion can be displaceable between an open position exposing the base and a closed position concealing the base. Further, the flip up portion can include: a top display exposed when the flip up portion is in the closed position, and an inside display opposite the top display. The inside display can be concealed when the flip up portion is in the closed position and be exposed when the flip up portion is in the open position.
US08279713B2
An acoustic transmitter with preferably a plurality of piezoelectric plates configured to optimized acoustic pressure output within a desired frequency range while meeting physical restrictions of LWD and MWD logging systems. The transmitter is disposed in a recess in the perimeter of a logging tool housing to reduce acoustic pressure waves transmitted directly along the tool housing and to optimize acoustic energy transmission into the borehole environs. In order to increase acoustic pressure output at a desired logging frequency range, the plurality of piezoelectric plates are connected electrically in parallel and fired simultaneously. The polarity of the plates and the wiring arrangement are such that each plate expands or contracts in a common direction during simultaneous firing by an applied voltage. The desired output frequency is obtained by selectively polarizing and dimensioning the plates within the plate assembly. The plate assembly is preferably disposed within an oil filled pressure housing that is pressure and temperature compensated.
US08279708B2
A measurement method for a granular compaction pile 10 using a crosshole seismic test. The measurement method includes forming first to fifth measurement holes around the granular compaction pile, injecting grouting material into the first to fifth measurement holes and inserting casings into the first to fifth measurement holes, respectively, and installing an oscillator and a detector of a crosshole seismic tester in the first to fifth holes and detecting a velocity of a shearing wave, thereby measuring a diameter of the granular compaction pile according to a construction depth thereof. The shape and the diameter of the granular compaction pile are easily checked without causing damage to the granular compaction pile.
US08279700B2
A semiconductor device includes a first terminal, a second terminal, and a fuse link that connects between the first terminal and the second terminal. The first terminal and the fuse link have a polysilicon layer doped with an impurity ion and a layer containing a metal element laminated on the polysilicon layer. The second terminal has a polysilicon layer not doped with an impurity ion and a layer containing a metal element laminated on the polysilicon layer, in at least a part of an end side connected to the fuse link.
US08279692B2
To provide a semiconductor device including switch transistor provided between a sub-data line and a main data line. Upon transferring data, the semiconductor device supplies a potential of a VPP level to a gate electrode of the switch transistor when causing the switch transistor to be a conductive state, and supplies a potential of a VPERI level to the gate electrode when causing the switch transistor to be a non-conductive state. According to the present invention, because a potential of the gate electrode is not decreased to a VSS level when causing the switch transistor to be a non-conductive state, it is possible to reduce a current required to charge and discharge a gate capacitance of the switch transistor. Furthermore, because the VPP level is supplied to the gate electrode when causing the switch transistor to be a conduction state, a level of a signal after transfer never drops down by the amount of the threshold voltage.
US08279688B2
System and method for generating a sense amplifier enable (“SAE”) signal having a programmable delay with a feedback loop to control the SAE signal duty cycle, which can be used in SRAM or DRAM, or other kinds of memory cells. An illustrative non-limiting embodiment comprises: a programmable clock chopper, a low pass filter, a bias generator, a comparator, and a feedback control module.
US08279677B1
A SONOS memory sensing scheme includes a reference current circuit that tracks the changes in the power supply (Vcc). An equalizer of the current sense amplifier is coupled between the read out current line and the reference current line. The current sense amplifier includes data and datab (data bar) outputs which have a common mode noise due to variations in the power supply voltage. The data output is a current generated from the memory cell, and the datab output is generated by the current reference circuit.
US08279675B2
A nonvolatile memory device including a bit line voltage supply unit configured to supply a power source voltage, a second voltage in which a second reference voltage has been subtracted from a third reference voltage, or a third voltage in which a first reference voltage has been subtracted from the third reference voltage according to data stored in a first latch unit, a second latch unit, and a third latch unit included in a page buffer, and a bit line voltage setting unit configured to transfer a voltage of 0 V or an output voltage of the bit line voltage supply unit to a bit line according to the data stored in the first, second, and third latch units.
US08279669B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor storage device includes a first cell, a second cell, a bit line, a first buffer, a second buffer, and a controller. The bit line transfers the data to the first cell and the second cell. The first buffer holds write data to the first cell and the second cell. The second buffer holds read data from the first cell. The controller controls first writing and rewriting executed for the first cell and second writing executed for the second cell. The write data in the first buffer is updated each time a second write signal is given. The controller executes the first writing based on the write data held by the first buffer. The controller performs the second writing based on the write data updated in the first buffer. The controller executes the rewriting based on the read data held by the second buffer.
US08279668B2
A memory programming apparatuses and/or methods are provided. The memory programming apparatus may include a data storage unit, a first counting unit, an index storage unit and/or a programming unit. The data storage unit may be configured to store a data page. The first counting unit may be configured to generate index information by counting a number of cells included in at least one reference threshold voltage state based on the data page. The index storage unit may be configured to store, the generated index information. The programming unit may be configured to store the data page in the data storage unit and store the generated index information in the index storage unit. The first counting unit may send the generated index information to the programming unit. The memory programming apparatus can monitor distribution states of threshold voltages in memory cells.
US08279666B2
A magnetic device includes a magnetic reference layer with a fixed magnetization direction located either in the plane of the layer or perpendicular to the plane of the layer, a magnetic storage layer with a variable magnetization direction, a non-magnetic spacer separating the reference layer and the storage layer and a magnetic spin polarizing layer with a magnetization perpendicular to that of the reference layer, and located out of the plane of the spin polarizing layer if the magnetization of the reference layer is directed in the plane of the reference layer or in the plane of the spin polarizing layer if the magnetization of the reference layer is directed perpendicular to the plane of the reference layer. The spin transfer coefficient between the reference layer and the storage layer is higher than the spin transfer coefficient between the spin polarizing layer and the storage layer.
US08279665B2
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a memory cell (1) or select element is provided. The element includes an ion conductor element (3) formed of a ion conductor material with mobile metal ions, a first electrically conducing electrode (4) in electrical contact with the ion conductor element, and a second electrically conducting electrode (6) in electrical contact with the ion conductor element, so that the memory cell or select element is programmable by applying an electrical voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode that causes the metal ions to be influenced so that an electrical resistance across the ion conductor element is caused to vary, for example because a metallic protrusion (7) is caused to grow or decompose. In contrast to prior art approaches, the ion conductor element has a shape that is asymmetrical with respect to an exchange of the first electrode (4) and the second electrode (6) for each other.
US08279658B2
Applying a writing voltage pulse having a first polarity to a metal oxide layer (3) to change a resistance state of the metal oxide layer (3) from high to low so as to render the resistance state a write state, applying an erasing voltage pulse having a second polarity different from the first polarity to the metal oxide layer (3) to change the resistance state of the metal oxide layer (3) from low to high so as to render the resistance state an erase state, and applying an initial voltage pulse having the second polarity to the metal oxide layer (3) before the applying of a writing voltage pulse is performed for a first time, to change a resistance value of an initial state of the metal oxide layer (3) are included, and R0>RH>RL and |V0|>|Ve|≧|Vw| are satisfied where R0, RL, and RH are the resistance values of the initial, write, and erase states, respectively, of the metal oxide layer (3), and V0, Vw, and Ve are voltage values of the initial, writing, and erasing voltage pulses, respectively.
US08279655B2
According to an embodiment, there are provided a non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes: a memory cell array; a control circuit performing a series of operations to each memory cell and determining, as a defective memory cell, a memory cell whose data retention property does not satisfy a criteria, the series of operations including an operation applying a first bias to the memory cell in a forward direction, and including an operation thereafter applying a second bias to the memory cell in a reverse direction; a storage unit storing an address of the defective memory cell; and an address control unit performing a control to avoid storing data in the defective memory cell whose address is stored in the storage unit.
US08279653B2
A magnetic shift register memory in stack structure includes magnetic shift registering layers for forming an unit of stack structure. Each registering layer has multiple magnetic domains and each domain has a magnetization direction corresponding to a stored data. The two adjacent magnetic shift registering layers respectively have an upper magnetic domain and a lower magnetic domain forming a coupling region. By a coupling structure, the lower magnetic domain and the upper magnetic domain have the same stored data. A driving current unit is coupled to the magnetic shift registering layers for respectively providing a driving current in a predetermined direction to the magnetic shift registering layers. As a result, the stored data in the magnetic domains of the magnetic shift registering layers is shifted in a direction from a foremost registering layer to a last registering layer of the magnetic shift registering layers via the coupling structure.
US08279652B2
A memory system and memory module includes a plurality of memory devices, each having a plurality, e.g. four, ports for transmitting and receiving command signals, write data signals and read data signals. One of the memory devices is connected to a host or controller, and the remaining memories are connected together, typically by point-to-point links. When the memory system configuration is such that at least one of the ports in at least one of the memory devices is not used, one or more other ports can use the pins that may otherwise have been used by the unused ports. As a result, a set of reconfigurable, shared pins is defined in which two ports share the pins. The port that is not being used in a particular application for the memory device is not connected to the shared pins, and another port that is being used in the application is connected to the shared pins. This allows for the used of fewer package pins and, consequently, reduced package size.
US08279651B2
A memory chip includes a memory circuit unit configured to include memory cells for storing data, a data input and output (I/O) buffer unit configured to include a plurality of data I/O buffer circuits, wherein one of the data I/O buffer circuits is operated by default in order to input and output data to and from the memory chip, a plurality of driver control units configured to generate a plurality of driver addition signals to enable corresponding ones of the data I/O buffer circuits depending on whether a power supply voltage has been received, and a controller configured to generate I/O enable signals for controlling an operation of the data I/O buffer unit.
US08279649B2
An apparatus and method for controlling a DC-to-AC inverter is disclosed. The DC-to-AC inverter may be configured to convert DC power received from an alternative energy source to AC power for supplying an AC grid or load. The inverter may determine whether the power presently supplied by the alternative energy source is less than a predetermined amount of power and, if so, disable an output converter of the inverter. Additionally, the inverter may predict the voltage of a DC bus of the inverter at a future point in time and, if the predicted DC bus voltage is greater than a predetermined maximum DC bus voltage, enable the output converter to transfer energy from the DC bus to the AC grid to reduce the DC bus voltage.
US08279644B2
A method for providing a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) process for an energy generating device is provided. The method includes coupling a local converter to the energy generating device. A determination is made regarding whether the local converter is operating at or below a maximum acceptable temperature. A determination is made regarding whether at least one current associated with the local converter is acceptable. When the local converter is determined to be operating at or below the maximum acceptable temperature and when the at least one current associated with the local converter is determined to be acceptable, the MPPT process is enabled within the local converter.
US08279642B2
An inverter for converting an input direct current (DC) waveform from a DC source to an output alternating current (AC) waveform for delivery to an AC grid includes an input converter, an output converter, and an active filter, each of which is electrically coupled to a bus. The bus may be a DC bus or an AC bus. The input converter is configured to convert the input DC waveform to a DC or AC bus waveform. The output converter is configured to convert the bus waveform to the output AC waveform at a grid frequency. The active filter is configured to reduce a double-frequency ripple power of the bus waveform by supplying power to and absorbing power from the power bus.
US08279639B2
A control section controls a current-source converter in a state in which a switch is in conduction, and performs voltage doubler rectification on a voltage between a neutral phase input line and any of input lines to provide for charging of clamp capacitors. Accordingly, the clamp capacitors are charged through a resistor, which prevents an inrush current from flowing therethrough. In addition, a voltage between both ends of a pair of the clamp capacitors is higher than, for example, a voltage between both ends of a pair of capacitors. Accordingly, even if the clamp capacitors and, for example, the capacitors are electrically connected to each other in a normal operation, it is possible to prevent the inrush current from flowing from the capacitors to the clamp capacitors.
US08279638B2
An output regulation circuit of a power converter without current sensing loss includes a transforming circuit to receive a proportional voltage from the primary winding of the power converter during the on-time period of the power switch. The first proportional voltage is transformed to a charging current signal to charge an energy storage device. Thus, the circuit controls the power switch according to a voltage limited signal of the energy storage device.
US08279631B2
A controller IC adjusts the on time and cycle time of current flowing through the primary inductor of a flyback converter to generate a constant output current and constant output voltage. A desired output current limit is achieved even with an inductor whose inductance varies from the stated magnitude. A transconductance current is generated from a voltage across an emitter resistor and is then integrated to generate an integrated-current voltage. An inductor switch is turned on by an oscillator signal and turned off at the earlier of when the integrated-current voltage reaches a charge limit voltage during constant current mode or when the emitter resistor voltage reaches an error voltage during constant voltage mode. Current is output independently of the primary inductance by varying the current limit voltage inversely proportionally to the input voltage and by adjusting the cycle time so that it varies inversely proportionally to the output voltage.
US08279629B2
A switching power supply includes: a transformer including primary and secondary windings; a switching circuit including first and second switching elements, first and second rectifying elements, first and second capacitive elements and a first inductor; and a rectifying/smoothing circuit. A first bridge circuit is configured by the first and second switching elements located in a diagonal arrangement and the first and second capacitive elements also located in a diagonal arrangement. The first and second rectifying elements are connected in parallel to the first and second switching elements, respectively. One of the first and second rectifying elements is in forward direction and other is in inverse direction. The first inductor is disposed on a connection line between the pair of input terminals and the first bridge circuit. The primary winding is connected to the first bridge circuit to form a H-bridge configuration. The secondary winding is disposed in the rectifying/smoothing circuit.
US08279627B2
An example controller for use in a power converter includes an oscillator and a logic circuit. The oscillator is to be coupled to a switch of the power converter and determines a switching cycle period of the switch. The logic circuit is also to be coupled to the switch to control a duty cycle of the switch in response to a magnitude of a feedback signal to regulate an output of the power converter. The logic circuit controls the duty cycle of the switch such that a control loop gain of the power converter is substantially constant during a transition of the controller between duty cycle control modes.
US08279614B2
A modem, in particular for subsea power line communication, has electronic components on a circuit board, and a metal encapsulation, wherein the encapsulation forms at least two chambers separated by at least one wall, wherein each of the chambers surrounds at least one of the electronic components.
US08279612B2
An electronic circuit device including a circuit board having electronic parts, and a flexible wiring board for connection between the circuit board and external equipment. The circuit board has circuit-side connection terminals juxtaposed on a mount surface having the electrical parts mounted thereon or a non-mount surface. The wiring board has terminals juxtaposed on one of the surfaces thereof so that the wiring-board-side connection terminals confront the circuit-side circuit board connection terminals, and free-end portions each formed so as to include at least one of the wiring-board-side connection terminals, and the wiring board free-end portions are not adhesively attached to the circuit board, and the circuit-side connection terminals are electrically connected to the corresponding wiring-board-side connection terminals while the circuit-side connection terminals confront the wiring-board-side connection terminals.
US08279611B2
A flexible cable for carrying RF signals and method of manufacturing same. The cable includes an elongate base substrate including a dielectric layer with an upper metal layer deposited on one side and a lower metal layer deposited on its other side. It further includes two parallel spaced-apart series of vias formed along the length of the base substrate, each via electrically interconnecting the upper metal layer and the lower metal layer, whereby a rectangular cross-sectional waveguide is provided between the upper metal layer, the lower metal layer and the two series of vias.
US08279603B2
A test slot cooling system for a storage device testing system includes a storage device transporter having first and second portions. The first portion of the storage device transporter includes an air director and the second portion of the storage device transporter is configured to receive a storage device. The test slot cooling system includes a test slot housing defining an air entrance and a transporter opening for receiving the storage device transporter. The air entrance is in pneumatic communication with the air director of the received storage device transporter. The test slot cooling system also includes an air mover in pneumatic communication with the air entrance of the test slot housing for delivering air to the air director. The air director directs air substantially simultaneously over at least top and bottom surfaces of the storage device received in the storage device transporter.
US08279602B2
A communications cabinet includes a housing defining a location for mounting communications equipment, the housing having a wall formed of a first material with a first penetration resistance, a vent opening in the wall, and a door. At least one plate of material having a second penetration resistance greater than or about equal to the first penetration resistance is mounted between the vent opening and the location for mounting the communications equipment, and the plate is positioned to stop projectiles larger than a given size from traveling in a straight line from the at least one vent opening to the location for mounting communication equipment while leaving an airflow path from the vent opening to the location for mounting the communications equipment that passes around at least one edge of the plate of material through a gap between the at least one plate and the wall.
US08279599B2
A composite casing structure is applied to a housing of an electronic device. The composite casing structure includes a plastic frame and a metal plate. The plastic frame has a plurality of side walls surrounding four side edges thereof, and at least one open portion is formed by the side walls. The metal plate is combined with the plastic frame, and at least one reinforcing rib is formed on a surface of the metal plate, such that a position of the reinforcing rib is corresponding to a position of the open portion. With such a structural design, the composite casing has a lightweight and high-strength structure.
US08279595B2
A storage unit includes: a storage section containing an information processing apparatus; an intake section allowing intake of a cooling medium into the information processing apparatus for cooling the information processing apparatus; a discharge section receiving the cooling medium discharged from the information processing apparatus; a cooling medium flow generating section configured to control intake and discharge of the cooling medium; a partition section isolating the intake section and the discharge section from each other; an aperture formed in the partition section; a detector section configured to detect an inflow of the cooling medium, discharged from the discharge section, through the aperture; and a controller section configured to control the cooling medium flow generating section in accordance with a result of the detection of the detector section.
US08279582B2
The present invention provides a conductive polymer suspension for providing a conductive polymer material having a high conductivity and a method for producing the same, and in particular, a solid electrolytic capacitor having a low ESR and a method for producing the same. The conductive polymer suspension can be is produced by: synthesizing a conductive polymer by chemical oxidative polymerization of a monomer giving the conductive polymer by using an oxidant in an aqueous solvent containing a dopant consisting of a low-molecular organic acid or a salt thereof, or a polyacid having a weight average molecular weight of less than 2,000 or a salt thereof.
US08279580B2
Particles of active electrode material are made by blending or mixing a mixture of activated carbon, optional conductive carbon, and binder. In selected implementations, the activated carbon particles have between about 70 and 98 percent microporous activated carbon particles and between about 2 and 30 percent mesaporous activated carbon particles by weight. Optionally, a small amount of conductive particles, such as conductive carbon particles may be used. In one implementation, the binder is inert. The electrode material may be attached to a current collector to obtain an electrode for use in various energy storage devices, including a double layer capacitor.
US08279579B1
Electronic components and electrodes for transforming, storing and shielding devices have ablated femtosecond pulsed laser machined with developed nano structures for substantially increasing surface areas. Storage is multiplied in capacitors and supercapacitors, and small sizes have increased capacity. Supercapacitor heating upon charging and discharging is reduced by femtosecond pulsed laser ablation of inner and outer surfaces of cases. Battery storage capacity and charging time, fuel cell size and capacity, hydrogen generation and storage and seconds are improved by femtosecond pulsed laser machining ablation of electrode surfaces followed by chemical vapor deposition of carbon nano structures.
US08279576B2
A ceramic electrostatic chuck according to the present invention includes a dielectric layer with a support layer in contact with the back side of the dielectric layer, and an embedded electrostatic electrode. A wafer is placed on the dielectric layer and the dielectric layer is formed of sintered aluminum nitride containing Sm and has a volume resistivity in the range of 4×109 to 4×1010 Ωcm at room temperature. The support layer is formed of sintered aluminum nitride containing Sm and Ce and has a volume resistivity of 1×1013 Ωcm or more at room temperature.
US08279567B2
A circuit breaker for protecting a power line. The circuit breaker includes a control unit and a circuit breaking element disconnecting the power line from a power source. The control unit detects a fault on the power line, opens the circuit breaking element, which opening starts a disconnection time interval, injects a test signal into the power line, measures a response, determines an impedance of the power line from the response, analyses the impedance during the time interval based on comparing the impedance with a reference threshold, determines a permanent or a temporary fault based on the analysed impedance, re-closes the circuit breaking element after the time interval if the fault is temporary and keeps the circuit breaking element open after the time interval if the fault is permanent.
US08279560B1
A flexure tail of a head gimbal assembly (HGA) is aligned with a flex cable of a head stack assembly (HSA). At least one solder ball is adhered to a bond pad on the flex cable. The solder ball is entered into a first alignment hole in the flexure tail while the solder ball is solid.
US08279557B2
A system for poling piezoelectric devices comprises a plurality of thin-film components, a plurality of piezoelectric devices, a poling pad for poling the piezoelectric devices, a plurality of traces, and a plurality of current-limiting elements. The thin-film components are separated by dice lanes to form an array, and the piezoelectric devices are formed on the thin-film components. The traces connect the piezoelectric devices across the dice lanes in parallel to the poling pad. Each current-limiting element is connected in series with one of the piezoelectric devices, in order to limit current to individual piezoelectric devices that experience current-related failure.
US08279556B2
A slider designed to reduce fly height sigma in a plurality of fly media is provided. The slider includes an air bearing surface, a front shallow step pad and a rear shallow step pad that are at a first level deeper than the air bearing surface. The slider further includes a first rear side pocket that is at a second level deeper than the air bearing surface, the first side pocket substantially polygon shaped and a second rear non-symmetrical side pocket non-symmetrical with the first rear side pocket that is at the second level deeper than the air bearing surface, the second side pockets substantially polygon shaped wherein the second rear non-symmetrical side pocket comprises a larger volume than the first rear side pocket.
US08279554B2
The magnetic signal reproduction system comprises a magnetic recording medium comprising a magnetic layer comprising a ferromagnetic powder and a binder on a nonmagnetic support; and a reproduction head, wherein a number of protrusions equal to or greater than 10 nm in height on the magnetic layer surface, as measured by an atomic force microscope, ranges from 50 to 2500/10,000 μm2, a quantity of lubricant on the magnetic layer surface, denoted as a surface lubricant index, ranges from 0.5 to 5.0, a surface abrasive occupancy of the magnetic layer ranges from 2 to 20 percent, and the reproduction head is a magnetoresistive magnetic head comprising a spin-valve layer.
US08279551B2
Drive waveforms with which extension and contraction characteristics of an actuator corresponding to a number of track eccentricity amounts are stored as data. By reading servo information written in a disk is obtained as a signal indicating a head displacement amount from a track. The head is moved in a direction in which the track is displaced by obtaining an amplitude corresponding to a slip amount of the head position and a rotation angle of maximum eccentricity, reading drive waveforms which is optimal in driving the actuator from the memory and driving the actuator with a drive waveform matched with the rotation angle at which the eccentricity is maximum.
US08279550B1
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk, a head for writing data to the disk, a first touchdown sensor, a second touchdown sensor, and control circuitry comprising a first current source coupled to the first touchdown sensor and a second current source coupled to the second touchdown sensor, the control circuitry operable to determine a common mode voltage between the first touchdown sensor and the second touchdown sensor, adjust the first current source and the second current source until the common mode voltage exceeds a first threshold, determine a differential voltage between the first touchdown sensor and the second touchdown sensor, adjust the first current source and the second current source until the differential voltage exceeds a second threshold, and detect a touchdown event based on the differential voltage exceeding a third threshold.
US08279545B2
A method of transferring data of one or more rotatable data storage devices includes but is not limited to rotating the at least one rotatable data storage device; transferring the data between a plurality of stationary data transfer heads and the one or more rotatable data storage devices; and using one or more computer programs to determine which of the plurality of stationary data transfer heads are to be used to transfer a first portion of the data between the plurality of stationary data transfer heads and the one or more rotatable data storage devices and the direction in which the first portion of the data is to be transferred. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present application. Other methods and apparatuses are also disclosed.
US08279542B2
An optical device (1) includes: a first capillary tube assembly (2) and a second capillary tube assembly (3), in which capillary tubes (6, 10) into which optical fibers (5, 8 (9)) are inserted and fixed, are retained, respectively, by retaining sleeves (7, 11); and a lens assembly (4) including a first lens (12) and a second lens (13), which are opposed to leading ends (5a, 8a (9a)) of the optical fibers (5, 8 (9)), respectively, through a space; a band pass filter (14) interposed between both lenses (12, 13); and an accommodation member (15) for accommodating those components. At least one of the lens (12) is formed of a spherical portion (12b) and a flat surface portion (12a), the flat surface portion (12a) is formed into an inclined surface, and a center of curvature of the spherical portion (12b) is offset from the optical axis of the optical fiber (5).
US08279539B2
A lens system includes a main lens and a transfer lens aligned with the main lens. The optical axis of the main lens is superposed on that of the transfer lens. The transfer lens includes, in order from the object side to the image side thereof, a first lens having negative refraction power, and a second lens having positive refraction power. The lens system satisfies the following conditions: 0.4<|f1/f2|<0.8; 2
US08279538B2
A lens system includes, in order from an object side, a first lens group with positive refractive power, a second lens group with negative refractive power that moves during zooming, a third lens group with positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group with positive refractive power that moves during zooming and focusing adjustments. The first lens group includes a lens with positive refractive power and an Abbe number vd1x that satisfies a following condition (vd1x>80). The second lens group includes a lens with positive refractive power and an Abbe number vd2x and two lenses with negative refractive power and Abbe numbers vd2y and vd2z respectively, the Abbe numbers Vd2x, Vd2y and Vd2z satisfying following conditions (vd2x, vd2y, vd2z<23). The third lens group includes a plurality of lenses with positive refractive power, an average vd3a of the Abbe numbers of the plurality of lenses with positive refractive power satisfies a following condition (77.5
US08279537B2
An imaging lens includes, sequentially from an object side, a positive first lens; a negative second lens; a positive third lens having a convex surface on an image plane side; a fourth lens that is a meniscus lens having a convex surface on the image plane side; and a fifth lens having a refractive power that gradually changes from negative at the lens center to positive at the lens periphery, where the first lens and the second lens are disposed having an interval therebetween.
US08279530B2
A zoom lens system is used for imaging an object to an image plane. The system, in the order from the object side to the image plane, includes a first lens group with positive refraction power, a second lens group with negative refraction power, a third lens group with positive refraction power, an aperture stop, a fourth lens group with positive refraction power, and a fifth lens group with negative refraction power. The fifth lens group comprises a lens of negative refraction power and a lens of positive refraction power. The system satisfies the formulas: −0.18
US08279526B2
An optical system includes an optical element formed of resin. On at least one of optical surfaces on the light incidence side of the optical element formed of resin, a plurality of depressions or protrusions of a size not larger than the wavelengths of visible light is formed without a periodic structure or in a random arrangement.
US08279520B2
Various embodiments provide an optical system including a first lens group having a plurality of lenses, the first lens group being configured to correct for an axial chromatic aberration; a second lens group having a least one lens, the second lens group being disposed adjacent the first lens group; and a third lens group having a plurality of lenses, the third lens group being configured to correct for a lateral chromatic aberration and field curvature, the third lens group being disposed adjacent the second lens group. The first, second and third lens groups are configured to provide a wide field of view greater than approximately 20 deg., and an f-number of less than approximately F/2 in a wavelength range between approximately 8 μm and approximately 12 μm.
US08279518B2
An optical amplifier apparatus for amplifying a wavelength division signal light includes a detector for detecting an inputted wavelength division signal light, a dispersion compensator for compensating for a dispersion of the inputted wavelength division signal light, an optical amplifier for amplifying the inputted wavelength division signal light after compensation by stimulated emission of an optical gain medium including a rare-earth element, a propagation delay detector for detecting a propagation delay time of the wavelength division signal light between the detector and the optical amplifier, and a controller for controlling the gain of the optical amplifier on the basis of the propagation delay time such that the change of the gain of the optical amplifier is adjusted by the propagation delay time.
US08279513B2
Disclosed herein are novel electrochromic materials. The electrochromic materials are viologens into which an imidazole derivative is asymmetrically introduced. The electrochromic materials can be used in a variety of electrochromic displays, including electrochromic windows and smart windows. Also disclosed herein are electrochromic devices that use the electrochromic materials.
US08279506B2
A reflection type collinear holographic storage system is described, in which an improved overlap between an object beam and a reference beam is achieved. The collinear holographic storage system has a spatial light modulator for imprinting a data page on an object beam, which is located in the beam path of a portion of a reference beam transmitted through a holographic storage medium, whereby the object beam is generated by imprinting a data page onto the transmitted reference beam. The diameter of the reference beam inside the holographic storage medium is matched to the diameter of the object beam.
US08279491B2
In a color misalignment detection method, an alignment pattern is obtained by designating a plurality of lines having line width and line intervals formed by superposing a line image of a black color as a reference color and a line image of a color other than the reference color, for example, a cyan line image, as one patch, and continuously forming these patches by shifting the relative position between the line images of the two colors by an optional quantity. An alignment pattern detection sensor has a light emitting diode and a photodiode. These elements are arranged along the scanning direction of the alignment pattern such that the photodiode can only receive diffused reflected light of reflected light from the alignment pattern. A spot shape of the light emitting diode and a spot shape of the photodiode are both formed in a square shape.
US08279487B2
In a print shop system including a plurality of printers and a print shop management server which manages print jobs, an improved method is described for detecting color components in a document page for purposes of assigning the document to appropriate printers for printing. First, each page element is analyzed without rasterizing the page. If a raster image is colored, its location and size are added to an image information list. If a non-raster graphical element overlaps a raster image previously stored in the image information list, the overlapped raster image is removed from the list. After analyzing all page elements of the page, if any raster image remains in the image information list, the page is marked as colored. Otherwise, the page is rasterized to detect colored using a conventional method. The resolution used for page rasterization may be controlled by a user.
US08279476B2
An input device including a frame in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped body which is supported by a base and which is movable between a first angular position in which an angle of a lower surface of the frame with respect to a horizontal upper surface of the base is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, and a second angular position in which the angle of the lower surface of the frame as seen in the first angular position with respect to the horizontal upper surface of the base is not smaller than the threshold value, a first input portion disposed on an upper surface of the frame as seen when the frame has a horizontal posture in the first angular position, in which a lower surface of the frame is parallel to the horizontal upper surface of the base, a second input portion disposed on a side surface of the frame as seen when the frame has the horizontal posture; and a detecting portion configured to detect an operation by an operator of the input device on at least one of the first and second input portions.
US08279473B2
An image processing system, a computer readable medium, a printing device and a reading device are provided. The image processing system includes an operation unit which receives commands; a setting unit which performs setting processing for setting, in accordance with the commands received by the operation unit, a performance condition including an independent setting item, the independent setting item comprising first and second fields for setting different values, respectively, for the front side and the back side of a sheet material; and a performance unit which processes the front side and the back side of the sheet material in accordance with the performance condition set by the setting unit. The printing device includes a print unit that performs double-sided printing on a sheet material; the operation unit; the setting unit; and a control unit that controls the print unit to perform double-sided printing in accordance with the print condition.
US08279471B2
A VUSB over NFC mobile printing method and system. In an exemplary arrangement, an imaging device has a network connection with an application server and an NFC interface for connecting with a client device. When a mobile user places his or her client device in proximity with the NFC interface, an NFC connection is established between the client device and the imaging device and the imaging device intermediates between the client device and the application server using a VUSB protocol to enable the user to select and upload from the client device to the imaging device a document file that the user wishes to print, after which the imaging device facilitates printing the document file in accordance with user preferences.
US08279470B2
To reduce a load required for data transfer and data processing to improve processing speed of those. A display data memory stores as display data a configuration image simulating an overall configuration of a combination of a main body and an attachment. An image display device provided on either one of the main body and the attachment includes a display screen having a display area divided into a plurality of divisional areas for displaying the configuration image. A CPU determines displaying and non-displaying on each of the plurality of divisional areas, and controls the image display device to allow a part of the configuration image to be displayed on a divisional area which is determined to be displayed in accordance with display data, and to allow an other part of the configuration image not to be displayed to on a divisional area which is determined not to be displayed.
US08279467B2
An operation window including the first display area having a plurality of types of print setting items, and a second display area which displays log data representing the log of setting operations to the print setting items in the first display area is displayed. The second print setting item, which conflicts with the first print setting item, is set to be disabled on the basis of an operation to the first print setting item. Information containing a print setting value of the first print setting item before and after a change, and the second print setting item disabled along with the change is stored as the log data. When the designation of the second print setting item is detected, it is controlled to display log data so as to be distinct from other log data.
US08279464B2
A method and system for processing a job in a production environment includes a knowledge base containing multiple product intents. Each product intent includes parameter requirements and/or parameter restrictions for producing a finished product. The method and system receive a product description that includes desired properties of a proposed job, and use a semantic reasoning, system to infer which of the product intents in the knowledge base corresponds to the product description.
US08279463B2
A method of controlling document processing in a networked system and a digital image reproduction device for document processing are described. The system has workstations for submitting processing jobs of a user, and a memory unit that manages the jobs that are waiting to be executed. The method includes providing, at a user interface of the digital image reproduction device, control elements for a user to select a processing job from the processing jobs in a logical storage space; and executing the selected processing job. Kickstart processing jobs are selected, based on predetermined kickstart criteria, from the processing jobs in the memory unit, and a corresponding set of kickstart control elements is provided at the user interface, each coupled to a respective one of the selected kickstart processing jobs. When a kickstart control element is activated by a user, the associated kickstart processing job is directly initiated.
US08279458B2
An image data communication system provided herein allows a customer to upload and save a digital image data file in a first resolution format to a server of a photofinishing service over a network. The photofinisher establishes a range of print sizes of acceptable quality based on the first resolution of the image data file. When the customer places a print order, the system compares the requested print size to the resolution of the saved image data file. If the requested print size is within the acceptable print quality range, the order is processed and shipped or otherwise made available to the customer. If the requested print size is outside the acceptable quality print range, the customer is notified and given the option of uploading the same image in a second resolution which is higher than the first resolution, after which the photofinisher processes the order using the second resolution.
US08279455B2
A handheld display device for interacting with printed content. The device includes: an optical sensor for imaging an area of a printed substrate containing the printed content and generating image data; an opaque touch-sensitive display screen for displaying display output to a user; a processor configured for: monitoring the identity of the substrate and the position of the device relative to the substrate using the image data; retrieving display data; rendering the display output to the display screen; and interpreting user input captured via the display screen. The opaque touch-sensitive display screen has real-time virtual transparency through the screen to the printed content from a user's perspective to provide a virtual window to the printed content.
US08279439B2
The present invention is a birefringence measuring device that requires only three types of light intensity information and can measure birefringence characteristics of an object with a relatively inexpensive device configuration. One embodiment comprises a light source for emitting a light flux having a specific polarization state towards the object to be measured, an optical system for extracting each of light fluxes in predetermined three polarization direction; and, from the light flux having passed the object to be measured, a detector for detecting a light amount of each of the light fluxes in the predetermined three polarization directions extracted by the optical system, and a processor for calculating a size and an azimuth of the birefringence of the object to be measured. The processor may calculate the birefringence size and azimuth by assigning each of the light amounts of the light fluxes detected by the detector to a predetermined function expression.
US08279436B2
Disclosed is a trace detection device of a biological and chemical analyte, including a metal substrate, a periodic metal nanostructure on the metallic substrate, a dielectric layer on the periodic metal nanostructure, and a continuous metal film on the dielectric layer. Tuning the thickness of the dielectric layer and/or the continuous metal film to meet the laser wavelength can shift the absorption peak wavelength of the sensor, thereby further enhancing the Raman signals of the analyte molecules.
US08279415B2
A method and apparatus for measuring a distance are disclosed. A measuring device includes a timer, a counter, an optical emitter, an optical receiver, and a distance computing element. In one embodiment, the timer provides a sequence of signals and the counter counts pulses in a loop. The loop includes an electrical path and an optical path. While an optical emitter such as a laser can emit outgoing beams, an optical receiver such as a photodiode receives return beams from the reflective surface. The reflective surface reflects the return beam in accordance with the outgoing beam. The distance computing element measures a distance in response to the outgoing and return beams.
US08279409B1
The present invention provides a method for calibrating a computational model of a lithography process by calculating a demerit function using an intensity measurement at a location of a wafer; and calibrating the lithography model or a mask making model by determining values of parameters of the computational model using the calculated demerit function. The method may also use a second demerit function that is defined by the sum of squares of differences between a simulated and measured critical dimensions of a feature on the wafer.
US08279404B2
An optical system is disclosed that includes a plurality of elements arranged to image radiation at a wavelength λ from an object field in an object surface to an image field in an image surface. The elements include mirror elements having a reflective surface formed by a reflective coating positioned at a path of radiation. At least one of the mirror elements has a rotationally asymmetrical reflective surface deviating from a best-fit rotationally symmetric reflective surface by about λ or more at one or more locations. The elements include an apodization correction element effective to correct a spatial intensity distribution in an exit pupil of the optical system relative to the optical system without the apodization correcting element. The apodization correction element can be effective to increase symmetry of the spatial intensity distribution in the exit pupil relative to the optical system without the apodization correcting element.
US08279403B2
An exposure apparatus has a first board on which a light-emitting element is mounted and a second board on which is mounted a driving IC for causing the light-emitting element to emit light. A second current path is extended from the driving IC, which is mounted on the second board, to the first board. The second current path is arranged so as to be adjacent to a first current path.
US08279402B2
An optical arrangement for immersion lithography, having at least one component (1) to which a hydrophobic coating (6, 7) is applied, the hydrophobic coating (6, 7) being exposed to UV radiation during operation of a projection lens, and the at least one component (1) being wetted at least in part by an immersion fluid during operation of the projection lens. The hydrophobic coating (6, 7) includes at least one UV-resistant layer (6) that absorbs and/or reflects UV radiation at a wavelength of less than 260 nm.
US08279401B2
A position control system configured to control the position of a movable object, includes: a position measurement system configured to determine a position of a sensor or sensor target on the movable object, a comparator configured to provide an error signal by comparing a set-point position and a position feed-back signal based on the measured position, a controller to provide a control signal based on the error signal, a feed-forward device to provide a feed-forward signal on the basis of a first signal related to the desired position, and one or more actuators configured to act on the movable object based on the control signal and the feed-forward signal, wherein the position control system further includes a compliance compensation device providing a compliance compensation signal, wherein the compliance compensation signal is subtracted from a measured position of the position measurement system to obtain the feed-back position signal.
US08279399B2
When a transition is performed from a state where one wafer stage is positioned in an area including a liquid immersion area to a state where the other wafer stage is positioned in the area including the liquid immersion area, eaves sections arranged in both wafer stages are to be engaged to make a proximity or a contact state in the X-axis direction, and both stages are simultaneously driven in the X-axis direction while maintaining the state. In this manner, the liquid immersion area moves back and forth between the two stages via the eaves sections. This can restrain leakage of the liquid via a gap between both wafer stages, and further, a liquid leakage to the reflection surfaces arranged on the side surface of both wafer stages can be restrained. Further, interference between the reflection surfaces arranged in both wafer stages can be avoided.
US08279397B2
A method and an optical arrangement for removing contamination on optical surfaces (26), which are arranged in a vacuum environment in an optical arrangement, preferably in a projection exposure apparatus (1) for EUV lithography. The method includes generating a residual gas atmosphere containing molecular hydrogen (18) and at least one inert gas (17) in the vacuum environment, generating inert gas ions (21) by ionization of the inert gas (17), preferably with EUV radiation (20), and generating atomic hydrogen (27) by acceleration of the inert gas ions (21) in the residual gas atmosphere, to remove the contamination.
US08279390B2
In a display device forming a board for mounting a connector which allows inputting of video data thereon and a board for mounting a display control circuit to be connected to the connector thereon on a surface of a display module opposite to an observation side, the board for mounting the connector thereon and the board for mounting the display control circuit thereon are physically separated from each other and, further, an area of the board for mounting the display control circuit thereon is set smaller than an area of the board for mounting the connector thereon.
US08279385B2
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display. A liquid crystal display according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention includes a substrate, and a pixel electrode formed on the substrate and including a plurality of minute branches. The pixel electrode includes a first region and a second region where a first distance and a second distance are provided according to an interval between the respective neighboring minute branches, wherein the second distance that is larger than the first distance, and a third region is provided between the first region and the second region, and the position of the third region having an interval between the neighboring minute branches is gradually changed.
US08279381B2
A liquid crystal display is disclosed. The liquid crystal display includes an upper substrate on which barrier ribs are formed to limit a view angle within sub-pixels; a lower substrate facing the upper substrate; and a liquid crystal layer formed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate.
US08279378B2
The object of the present invention is to provide a producing method for a lengthwise optical laminate exhibiting high contrast ratio and adaptable to a large-sized display. The present invention provides a producing method for a lengthwise optical laminate, which comprises a step 1 of coating and drying a coating solution comprising a birefringent material and a solvent on a surface of a lengthwise base material to form a birefringent film such that a birefringence index (Anxz[590]) in the thickness direction at a wavelength of 590 nm is 0.02 or more, and produce a lengthwise sheet (A) comprising the base material and the birefringent film; a step 2 of drawing a lengthwise film of a hydrophilic polymer containing a dichroic material so that a draw ratio is from 3 times to 5 times based on the original length and a neck-in ratio is 55% or less to produce a lengthwise polarizer (B); and a step 3 of laminating the lengthwise sheet (A) obtained in the step 1 on one plane of the lengthwise polarizer (B) obtained in the step 2 to produce the lengthwise optical laminate.
US08279377B2
A liquid crystal display device of high image quality is provided at a low cost, in which the viewing angle is restricted only in a specific direction. A liquid crystal display device of the present invention, which has a plurality of pixels in a matrix arrangement, includes: a first substrate; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a plurality of microlenses provided on a surface of the first substrate which is opposite to the liquid crystal layer, the microlenses being arranged so as to correspond to the plurality of pixels, and each of the microlenses having a curved surface configured to collect incoming light, wherein d satisfies the following relationship: d>p.((2n)2−1)½ where d is a thickness of the first substrate, p is an arrangement pitch of the plurality of pixels, and n is a refractive index of the major material of the first substrate.
US08279374B2
The present invention relates to a fluorescent microscope and a remote control system thereof. The present invention reduces the size of the fluorescent microscope to facilitate transportation and management and be disposed in a narrow place such as the inside of the incubator or the clean bench, etc. and observes the samples through a remote control, thereby making it possible to improve the user convenience.
US08279372B2
A planar light-emitting device comprises a plurality of light-emitting units each including a lightguide plate and arranged adjacent to each other. Each lightguide plate has an upper surface as a light-exiting surface, a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and a peripheral side surface extending between the peripheral edges of the upper surface and the lower surface, wherein a light-entrance surface is defined by a part of the peripheral side surface. The light-entrance surface has a first protruding portion extending from and along the light-entrance surface and an opposite surface opposing the light-entrance surface has a second protruding portions extending from and along the opposite surface. In each adjacently disposed pair of light-emitting units, the first protruding portion of the first light-emitting unit abuts against the second protruding portion of the second light-emitting unit. The light source is disposed underneath the abutting first and second protruding portions.
US08279370B2
An optical laminate film, a backlight unit, and a liquid crystal display module, the optical laminate film including a multilayer film composed of multiple layers including at least two polymers having different refractive indexes, the multilayer film transmitting only a light component vibrating in a direction parallel to one transmittance axis while reflecting other light components; an embossed diffusing film laminated on one side of the multilayer film, the embossed diffusing film having roughness on a surface thereof; and a microlens film laminated on another side of the multilayer film, the microlens film having microlenses arranged on a surface thereof.
US08279364B2
A liquid crystal display device for eliminating a vertical dimming phenomenon to improve a picture quality of a liquid crystal display panel is disclosed. In the device, first and second data lines are supplied with data. A first pixel electrode is spaced at a desired distance from the first data line. A second pixel electrode is spaced, by a distance different from said distance between the first data line and the first pixel electrode, from the second data line.
US08279363B2
A three-dimensional (3D) display apparatus is provided. The 3D display apparatus includes a display device, a twisted nematic (TN) liquid crystal panel, and a lens unit. The display device is configured to output first polarized lights of an image. The TN liquid crystal panel is coupled to the display device and containing a plurality of controllable pixel display areas to receive the polarized lights with a first polarization direction from the display device. Each pixel display area is capable of being in a first state in which the first polarization direction is transformed into a second polarization direction different from the first polarization direction and a second state in which the first polarization direction is maintained. Further, the lens unit is coupled to the TN liquid crystal panel and is configured to guide the polarized lights with the second polarization direction to pass through and to guide polarized lights with the first polarization direction into predetermined transmitting directions for 3D display.
US08279362B2
A liquid crystal lens panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer and a light-blocking member. The first substrate includes a plurality of individual electrodes. The individual electrode receives a voltage to have a light path length distribution of a Fresnel lens shape. The second substrate includes a common electrode opposition the individual electrodes. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first and second substrates. The light-blocking member is disposed on an area in correspondence with the individual electrode in which a voltage discontinuously varied is applied thereto. Thus, a liquid crystal lens panel of a Fresnel lens type is realized to decrease a liquid crystal cell gap, so that a process efficiency of the liquid crystal lens panel may be enhanced and a manufacturing cost of the liquid crystal lens panel may be reduced.
US08279358B2
A complex image display device comprises a light source, an illumination optical module, a micro display module, at least one optical projection module, at least one image-light-path switch module, an image-light-path control unit, and at least one image display screen, wherein the light source provides a light beam, the illumination optical module receives and shapes the light beam, continuously the light beam is projected by the illumination optical module. The micro display module provides an image-to-be-displayed and the light beam is then modulated by the image to become at least an image-modulated light beam for displaying. Then, the optical projection module receives and magnifies the image-modulated light beam. Continuously, the image-light-path switch module receives the magnified image-modulated light beam and switches the light path of the light beam. The image display screen, thus, receives and displays the magnified image-modulated light beam, which is switched by the image-light-path switch module.
US08279354B2
A video signal processing apparatus may include a frame memory and a separator and deinterlacer circuit. The frame memory may store an interlaced video signal. The separator and deinterlacer circuit may execute operations of separating and deinterlacing the interlaced video signal stored in the frame memory. The apparatus may output a sequential video signal. A data processing system may include the video signal processing apparatus. A method for processing video signals may include storing an interlaced video signal in a frame memory and executing operations of separating and deinterlacing the interlaced video signal stored in the frame memory. The method may also include outputting a sequential video signal.
US08279353B2
An image processing device is provided with a picture quality mode which is used to collectively set a plurality of the picture qualities by one operation, a user can select the picture quality mode depending on his preference or content of programs to be viewed. A recording portion stores an association table. The association table is a table in which the picture quality mode and sound quality setting values to direct sound quality setting for a sound quality setting portion, are correlated with each other and stored. When a control portion receives a picture quality setting command by a designation of the picture quality mode, the picture quality setting portion performs setting of the respective picture qualities depending on the picture quality mode. Further, the setting direction portion reads out the association table and obtains the sound quality setting values which are correlated with the designated picture quality mode. Then, sound quality setting is performed by giving the obtained sound quality setting values for the sound quality setting portion.
US08279343B2
When generating animation content as summary content for a digital broadcast program, the timing for switching of animation images for display is controlled appropriately. Subtitle character string extraction means for extracting a subtitle character string from subtitle data contained in digital broadcast signals, still image extraction means for extracting one still image corresponding to the subtitle character string, and summary content generation means for generating summary content to display the extracted subtitle character strings together with the corresponding extracted still images, are provided; the summary content generation means decides the timing for switching display of the plurality of subtitle character strings and still images comprised by the summary content, based on the subtitle character strings.
US08279342B2
In a system for receiving and storing broadcast content data, a reception and storage device receives and stores a portion of broadcast content data in a storage unit, and then generates and stores a first piece of error check data for the data portion. The reception and storage device receives, from a further device, a second piece of error check data for a portion of the broadcast content data corresponding to the data portion stored in the storage unit, compares the first piece of error check data with the second piece of error check data to determine whether the first piece of error check data is valid, receives, if the first piece of error check data is determined to be invalid, the corresponding data portion associated with the second piece of error check data, from another reception and storage device, and corrects the stored data portion in the storage unit based on the received corresponding data portion.
US08279340B2
An image signal processing unit and an image signal processing method thereof. An image signal processing unit estimates motion characteristics of an input image, and adjusts a phase of an interpolation frame according to the motion characteristics when converting a frame rate. Accordingly, linearity can be maintained according to the motion characteristics of an input image, and the frame rate can be converted without generating noise such as halo artifacts.
US08279333B2
The present invention discloses a camera door opening/shutting apparatus for a portable communication device. The apparatus includes a camera door disposed at a main body to expose or cover a camera lens included in the main body according to a sliding movement of the camera door, and a door sliding part disposed between the main body and the camera door to slidably couple the camera door with the main body.
US08279323B2
An image capturing apparatus performs autofocus control that uses a face detection function. The image capturing apparatus sets a face region as an AF frame if face detection is successful. However, if a state in which face detection is successful transitions to a state in which face detection has failed, and furthermore a variation between subject distances is less than or equal to a threshold value, the image capturing apparatus maintains the previous AF frame setting instead of changing the AF frame setting. If the variation in subject distances is greater than the threshold value, the image capturing apparatus sets the AF frame to a predetermined region that does not follow a face region.
US08279320B2
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to execute processing to capture an image; a GPS (Global Positioning System) device configured to execute position calculation processing based on data received from a satellite; a power-supply control unit configured to control power supply to the GPS device; an apparatus control unit configured to monitor a state of photographing by a user to calculate a frequency of use of the imaging unit per unit time, and to cause the power-supply control unit to intermittently supply power to the GPS device when the calculated use frequency is lower than a predetermined threshold; and a data-recording control unit configured to generate photographed data attribute information in which positional information acquired in the GPS device is set as attribute information of an acquired image in the imaging unit, and to execute processing to store the photographed data attribute information in a storing unit.
US08279319B2
An information processing apparatus includes an image-information obtaining unit configured to obtain first image information; an information associating unit configured to generate first related information having certain content related to the first image information and to associate the first related information with the first image information; a display processor configured to use function data including second image information and condition information to display an image of the second image information, and to allow display of a representative image representing the first image information on the image of the second image information; a determining unit configured to determine whether the content of the first related information associated with the first image information satisfies a condition represented by the condition information; and a display controller configured to cause the display processor to display the representative image only when the determining unit determines that the condition is satisfied.
US08279314B2
An active pixel sensor (APS) that includes circuitry to eliminate artifacts in digital images. The APS includes a comparator for comparing a signal level from a pixel to an adjusted saturation voltage to determine if the pixel is saturated. If the pixel is saturated, the signal output from the pixel is replaced with an analog voltage having a maximum value corresponding to a brightest pixel in the image.
US08279301B2
A digital image acquisition system having no photographic film, such as a digital camera, has a flash unit for providing illumination during image capture and a red-eye filter for detecting a region within a captured image indicative of a red-eye phenomenon, the detection being based upon a comparison of the captured image and a reference image of nominally the same scene taken without flash. In the embodiment the reference image is a preview image of lower pixel resolution than the captured image, the filter matching the pixel resolutions of the captured and reference images by up-sampling the preview image and/or sub-sampling the captured image. The filter also aligns at least portions of the captured image and reference image prior to comparison to allow for, e.g. movement in the subject.
US08279294B2
An information processing apparatus including: a management portion that manages a first identifier to be added to a capture image from a capture device; and a first control portion that adds the first identifier to the capture image, temporarily stores the capture image to which the first identifier is added, and transmits the capture image to which the first identifier is added, to a remote terminal; wherein when storing an image displayed on a display device which is connected to the remote device is instructed, the management portion receives a storing instruction including the first identifier in relation to the displayed image from the remote terminal, acquires the capture image corresponding to the first identifier included in the storing instruction from the first control portion, and stores the acquired capture image into a storage.
US08279293B2
The image stabilizing apparatus includes a base member, a first member shiftable with respect to the base member in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis direction, a first actuator shifting the first member with respect to the base member, an image-pickup element constituted by a photoelectrical conversion element, a second member holding the image-pickup element. The second member is shiftable together with the first member in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis direction and rotatable with respect to the first member in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis direction. The apparatus further includes a second actuator rotating the second member with respect to the first member.
US08279289B2
An optical unit with shake correcting function may include a movable module having a lens, a fixed body supporting the movable module, a shake detection sensor for detecting shake of the movable module, and at least one pair of magnetic drive mechanism for shake correction which is structured on both sides of the movable module so that the movable module is swung with respect to the fixed body on the basis of detection result of the shake detection sensor to correct the shake of the movable module. The magnetic drive mechanism for shake correction is disposed so that a shake correction magnet is held by the fixed body and a shake correction coil is held by the movable module. Further, a shake correction coil may be disposed in a first region, where magnetic lines of force generated by a shake correction magnet are directed in directions generally going away from a supporting point part and/or a second region where magnetic lines of force generated by the shake correction magnet are directed in directions generally going toward the supporting point part.
US08279284B2
A video display apparatus includes a reception unit configured to receive a plurality of sequence of video signals output from a plurality of cameras, a storage unit configured to store the plurality of sequence of video signals received by the reception unit, a display unit configured to include the first and second display areas, and a control unit. The control unit selectively and time-divisionally displays the plurality of sequence of video signals received by the reception unit on the first display area, and along with the display operation, selectively reads out from the storage unit a non-displayed section of the plurality of sequence of video signals which have been received by the reception unit, and displays the readout section on the second display area.
US08279279B2
An image processing apparatus permits a user to readily recognize a current state of an angle of view. When an angle of view is switched from a wide-angle to a narrow-angle, range display is performed for a predetermined time prior to the switching. Range display includes a narrow-angle image frame formed with lines indicating a border of an image displayed for a predetermined time prior to the switching. After the predetermined time, a narrow-angle image is displayed and the range display is no longer displayed. The range display allows a user to readily recognize that the wide-angle image has been switched to the narrow-angle image by recognizing to what area in a pre-switching wide angle of view image the post-switching narrow-angle image corresponds.
US08279275B2
Tissue information of a desired deep portion of a biological tissue based on a spectral image obtained from signal processing is adjusted to image information in a color tone suitable for observation. Outputs of a matrix computing section 436 are respectively connected to integrating sections 438a to 438c, and after integrating computation is performed for them, color conversion computation is performed for respective spectral image signals ΣF1 to ΣF3 in a color adjusting section 440, spectral color channel image signals Rch, Gch and Bch are created from the spectral image signals ΣF1 to ΣF3, and images of the spectral color channel images Rch, Gch and Bch are sent to a display monitor 106 via a switching section 439.
US08279268B2
An aerial projection system and method having a housing for positioning low cost optical elements capable of generating a three dimensional aerial images at video rates without reflected artifacts or visible display of the display screen. A method for generating the display images is based on a set of rules that eliminate boundary transgressions and maximizes the illusion of a three dimensional aerial image. An optional second display is a transparent imaging panel that acts selectively as a light valve, as a display platform for special effects or for providing the appearance of linear motion towards or away from the observer. The aerial projection system includes a plastic spherical mirror having a plastic part of at least the following descriptions: mirror surface of sufficient sphericity supported by wall structures, of a plastic material formulation, excellent optical grade finish, has a reflective metal coating and a protective overcoat.
US08279255B2
The present invention relates to a method and an electronic equipment for reducing the set-up time required to establish video calls between handheld communication devices, wherein the method comprises the steps of detecting (16, S1) a signal to establish a video call via a communication link, determining (16, 30) the party to which the video call has to be established, searching, in a data base (30), for information indicating the capability of the party with respect to the video call, defining, for the electronic equipment (1), specifications for the video call based on the information, and initialling the electronic equipment (1) according to the specifications. By storing the negotiated result of a previous video call between communication devices, no further negotiation is necessary in the following video calls. The calling device can start its camera (8) and load its codecs during the calling phase and the called device can do it after receiving the set-up message from the network.
US08279254B2
According to some embodiments, a method and a system are provided to receive a first video signal at a first client and to receive a second video signal at a second client. The first video signal comprises an image of a first person and the second video signal comprises an image of a second person. The received first video signal and an image of a conference room are combined at the first client to create a first modified video signal comprising the image of the first person in the conference room. The received second video signal and the image of the conference room are combined at the second client to create a second modified video signal comprising the image of the second person in the conference room.
US08279252B2
A storage unit stores name, phone number, and a videophoning flag indicating whether to preferentially use a videophone or not in association with each person to communicate with. A CPU refers to the videophoning flag associated with a person when controlling a communication unit to make a call to that person, and determines whether to prioritize a voice phone or to prioritize the videophone. The CPU controls the communication unit to make a call by the videophone if the videophone is prioritized, or to make a call by the voice phone if the voice phone is prioritized. When a call from a person is received by the videophone, the CPU refers to the videophoning flag of that person, and permits communication by the videophone if the videophone is prioritized or does not permit communication by the videophone if the voice phone is prioritized.
US08279240B2
A video scaler is disclosed. A polyphase filter can be used to generate interpolated pixels. The values of pixels adjacent an interpolated pixel are examined to determine variation in values among the adjacent pixels to determine minimum and maximum value variations. The value of the interpolated pixel is limited based on the minimum and maximum value variations. Ringing artifacts can be reduced by limiting the color range of an interpolated pixel.
US08279228B2
A method of animating a digital facial model, the method including: defining a plurality of action units; calibrating each action unit of the plurality of action units via an actor's performance; capturing first facial pose data; determining a plurality of weights, each weight of the plurality of weights uniquely corresponding to the each action unit, the plurality of weights characterizing a weighted combination of the plurality of action units, the weighted combination approximating the first facial pose data; generating a weighted activation by combining the results of applying the each weight to the each action unit; applying the weighted activation to the digital facial model; and recalibrating at least one action unit of the plurality of action units using input user adjustments to the weighted activation.
US08279227B2
A method for detecting object collisions in a simulation, which includes identifying a plurality of objects moving along a path within a simulation area, and defining a grid comprising defined regions which individually define a region within which any of the plurality of objects could potentially occupy. For each of the objects, the method further includes identifying which of the defined regions that each of the plurality of object occupies for at least a portion of a time step, and for each of the objects, determining an associated potential collision set by identifying objects of the plurality of objects which occupy common regions of the defined regions during any portion of the time step. In addition, for each of the objects, the method further includes determining an actual collision set comprising objects with which a given object will collide during the time step based upon location parameters of objects included in the potential collision set.
US08279222B2
Processing graphics data for display on a stereoscopic display. In one example embodiment, a method of processing graphics data for display on a stereoscopic display includes several acts. First, a first projection matrix call from a graphics application to a graphics library is intercepted. Next, it is determined that the first projection matrix call produces a perspective projection matrix. Then, the first projection matrix call is forwarded to the graphics library. Next, a first drawing call with a first viewpoint from the graphics application to the graphics library is intercepted. Then, a second drawing call with a second viewpoint is generated. Next, a third drawing call with a third viewpoint is generated. Finally, the second and third drawing calls are forwarded to the graphics library.
US08279221B2
A stereoscopic image display device displays a stereoscopic image by generating stereoscopic image data based on 3D graphics data. The stereoscopic image display device includes a display unit for displaying an image, a driver, and a controller. The controller receives a synchronization signal, the 3D graphics data, and a user selection parameter for modifying a stereoscopic effect level, and outputs a control signal based on the synchronization signal and a stereoscopic image data signal, which is generated by combining left eye image data and right eye image data generated through performing matrix operations on the 3D graphics data and the user selection parameter, to the driver. The driver drives the display unit based on the control signal and the stereoscopic image data signal to display the stereoscopic image on the display unit.
US08279197B2
Several different methods of testing the integrity and proper operation of the drive and sense electrodes in a mutual capacitance sensing device such as a touchscreen or touchpad are disclosed herein. According to one embodiment, measured values of mutual capacitance corresponding to individual cells in a mutual capacitance sensing device are compared to one another and to predetermined thresholds. The results of the comparison are employed to determine whether any of the traces forming the electrodes in the device are defective. By way of example, traces can be defective if they are broken, too thin, too thick, or shorted together. The various embodiments of the methods disclosed herein may be used for touchscreen or touchpad quality control in a manufacturing setting, or may be used to test touchscreens or touchpads that have already been incorporated into electronic devices. The various methods disclosed herein lower manufacturing costs, increase product quality and yield, and may be carried out quickly.
US08279194B2
A projected capacitive touch screen is provided that comprises a substrate and electrodes. The substrate defines an active touch zone surrounded by edges. The active touch zone includes a central active zone and an acceleration zone that is located proximate to, and extends along, at least one of the edges. The electrodes are provided on the substrate and are organized into first and second sets of electrodes that are contained within a common plane on the substrate. The first set of electrodes is interlaced with the second set of electrodes in a non-overlapping pattern on the substrate. At least a subset of the electrodes each has an apex and a base and a non-uniform triangular shape that extends along a longitudinal axis between the apex and the base.
US08279186B2
There is disclosed an interactive display system comprising an interactive surface for displaying an image and for receiving inputs from remote devices, the system being adapted to detect the presence of at least two remote devices proximate the interactive surface.
US08279185B2
Methods, systems and computer program products for positioning a plurality of icons on a touch sensitive screen include receiving an input to the touch sensitive screen including a substantially continuous stroke between a first and a second position on the screen. The plurality of icons is positioned on the touch sensitive screen responsive to the substantially continuous stroke.
US08279183B2
An electronic device includes a base and a touch-sensitive display connected to the base and movable relative thereto. The touch-sensitive display includes a display device and a touch-sensitive input device for detecting touches on the display device. The electronic device also includes a switch actuator disposed between the touch-sensitive display and the base, switches disposed between the touch-sensitive display and the base and moveable relative to the switch actuator from a first position in which only one of the switches is located for actuation by the switch actuator, and a second position in which two of the switches are located for actuation by the switch actuator, and operational components including a processor connected to the display device and the touch-sensitive input device for controlling operation of the display device and the touch-sensitive input device.
US08279169B2
The present invention relates to input devices and particularly to input devices for use with computer and telecommunications systems and/or other object systems and/or devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a universal input device for inputting data.
US08279168B2
A three-dimensional virtual-touch human-machine interface system (20) and a method (100) of operating the system (20) are presented. The system (20) incorporates a three-dimensional time-of-flight sensor (22), a three-dimensional autostereoscopic display (24), and a computer (26) coupled to the sensor (22) and the display (24). The sensor (22) detects a user object (40) within a three-dimensional sensor space (28). The display (24) displays an image (42) within a three-dimensional display space (32). The computer (26) maps a position of the user object (40) within an interactive volumetric field (36) mutually within the sensor space (28) and the display space (32), and determines when the positions of the user object (40) and the image (42) are substantially coincident. Upon detection of coincidence, the computer (26) executes a function programmed for the image (42).
US08279167B2
A method and apparatus are provided for stamping a piece of ePaper. A grid is positioned within a selected distance to a first side of the piece of ePaper. A grounding pin conductively connects a conductive backing plate located on a second side of the piece of ePaper. The grounding pin completes a voltage path from the grid through the piece of ePaper to the conductive backing plate. A voltage is supplied to the grid and supplying the voltage to the grid changes the appearance of the piece of ePaper to form a stamped image.
US08279166B2
A display apparatus is described comprising a plurality of electrofluidic chromatophore (EFC) pixel cells. Each pixel cell comprises a fluid holder for holding a polar fluid and a non-polar fluid having differing display properties. The fluid holder comprises a fluid reservoir with a geometry having a small visible area onto the polar fluid, and a channel with a geometry having a large visible area onto the polar fluid. The channel is connected to the reservoir to enable free movement of the polar fluid and non-polar fluid between the channel and the reservoir. At least part of a surface of the channel comprises a wetting property responsive to a supply voltage. The pixel cell comprises at least one further pixel cell terminal that is coupled to a further electrode to supply a direct voltage to the pixel cell.
US08279164B2
A surface light source includes first and second light sources that emit lights, and an optical deflection element. The optical deflection element changes light emitted from the first light source into first illumination light having a maximum value of an exit light intensity present in a direction parallel to a normal line of the surface light source, a spread angle range, and high directivity in a direction of the normal line and allows the changed light to exit therefrom. The optical deflection element also changes light emitted from the second light source into second illumination light having a maximum value of an exit light intensity in an oblique direction inclined at an angle with respect to the normal line and a spread angle range wider than that of the first illumination light and allows the changed light to exit therefrom.
US08279163B2
An image display apparatus and method. At least one of a left eye image and a right eye image may be formed on a pixel representation unit at a predetermined frame rate. A light, emitted from a backlight module, may be converted into a directional light having at least one direction through synchronization with the predetermined frame rate. The directional light may be guided to the pixel representation unit.
US08279162B2
The invention relates to a discharge lamp with a floor plate and a roof plate designed for dielectrically impeded discharge, in which the minimum discharge distances are at least 10 mm.
US08279155B2
A source driver includes a receiver for receiving a digital signal at an input node to generate a received signal at an output node, and the receiver includes a first switch, a second switch, a voltage-limiting circuit and a channel. The first switch is utilized for selectively connecting the output node of the receiver to a first reference voltage based on the digital signal. The second switch is utilized for selectively connecting the output node of the receiver to a second reference voltage based on the digital signal. The voltage-limiting circuit is coupled between the input node and the output node of the receiver, and is utilized for limiting a voltage level of the input node of the receiver. The channel is utilized for generating a driving voltage based on the received signal.
US08279148B2
This invention relates to a liquid crystal display device and its driving method for improving a visual picture quality. A liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment includes a liquid crystal display panel where plural pixels composed of sub-pixels arranged in a fixed pattern are arranged by the unit of one horizontal line; a timing controller for controlling the gray level realization of digital data inputted from a system; and a data drive circuit that differently realigns a data pattern of the digital data by the unit of one horizontal line for each k horizontal period, that converts the digital data of the realigned data pattern into analog data voltages, and that makes the analog data voltages, which are buffered in accord with the realigned data pattern, in accord with an arrangement pattern of the sub-pixels constituting each pixel to supply the analog data voltages to each pixel.
US08279137B2
An antenna described herein includes a driven patch that is configured to emit radiation in a broadside direction in response to receiving excitation current, wherein the driven patch has a first radiating edge and a second radiating edge that are approximately parallel to one another. The antenna also includes a reflector element that is configured to reflect radiation emitted from the first radiating edge in a quasi-endfire direction. The antenna can also include two director elements that are configured to direct radiation emitted from the second radiating edge of the driven patch in a quasi-endfire direction.
US08279133B2
An antenna device is provided with an antenna element including a base, an inductance adjustment pattern that is formed on the upper surface and a side surface of the base and has a substantially U-shape, a capacitance adjustment pattern that is formed on the upper surface of the base and is placed to face the inductance adjustment pattern, and first to third terminal electrodes provided on the bottom surface of the base. The antenna element is installed between the first side and the second side of the ground pattern that form the two facing sides of the antenna mounting region. One end of the inductance adjustment pattern is connected to the feed line, the other end of the inductance adjustment pattern is connected to the first side of the ground pattern, and the third terminal electrode is connected to the second side of the ground pattern.
US08279132B2
Provided is an antenna for a base station and a repeater capable of electrically or mechanically controlling the individual operation of an element antenna constituting an array antenna or a sub-array antenna so as to adaptively cope with the change in the communication environment, and having an economic and high performance transmitting and receiving function, and a method of controlling a mode of the antenna. The multi-mode antenna includes a radiation portion having one or more array antenna and capable of selectively changing an antenna effective opening surface and changing a resistance direction of an antenna beam pattern, an active channel portion connected to the array antennas and including switches, transmission and receiving channels, and a signal combiner and splitter, and a modem and control portion connected to the active channel portion and having a control portion and a modem.
US08279130B2
Microwave antenna for a level indicator, with an antenna cavity having a radiating aperture which can be closed with an HF-permeable disk that is fixed in position within the antenna cavity by means of a snap ring, and at least one sealing component is provided to seal the transitional area between the disk and the microwave antenna.
US08279124B1
An antenna system comprises a mounting plate, a parabolic antenna, a yagi antenna, and a communication link interface. The parabolic antenna forms a cavity and comprises a vertex and a base, wherein the base is non-conductively connected to the mounting plate. The yagi antenna is non-conductively connected to the mounting plate within the cavity of the parabolic antenna, wherein the yagi antenna comprises a reflector element proximate to the mounting plate, a driven element, and a director element proximate to the vertex of the parabolic antenna. The communication link interface is configured to attach a communication link to an external antenna. The communication link interface is electrically coupled to the driven element and configured to receive electromagnetic energy from the director element.
US08279123B2
A housing for a search-antenna polarization instrument is formed by two housing shells (2, 3) which are plugged together in an interlocking manner. A depression can be formed on the outside of the housing, as a positioning surface (12 to 16) for an alignment instrument. Furthermore, a direction-finding groove (19, 20, 21) can be formed on a housing wall. One housing wall may also have a respectively rising extremely profile on two opposite ones of its four side edges. This improves the direction-finding accuracy of a search-antenna polarization instrument.
US08279121B2
A compact and low-cost antenna device in which no interference occurs even when many antenna units corresponding to various systems are mounted close together in a small area, and a wireless communication apparatus including the antenna device. An antenna device includes plural antenna units mounted on a single dielectric base. A first antenna unit having a lowest fundamental frequency is disposed at a left end of a non-ground region, a second antenna unit having a highest fundamental frequency of the plurality of the antenna units is disposed at a right end of the non-ground region, and a third antenna unit having a fundamental frequency between those of the first antenna unit and the second antenna unit is disposed between the first and second antenna units. A current-density control coil is connected between a first radiation electrode and a power feeder of the first antenna unit, while a reactance circuit is disposed in the middle of the first radiation electrode. Notches may be disposed between the first radiation electrode and a second radiation electrode and between the first radiation electrode and a third radiation electrode.
US08279119B2
Systems and methods for mapping a structure detect wireless signals, including at least one multipath signal that has experienced at least one reflection against a portion of the structure prior to the detection. The wireless signals are analyzed to estimate reflection points for the multipath signal(s), and a map of at least the portion of the structure is generated based on the estimated reflection points.
US08279118B2
An exemplary aperiodic antenna array comprises a plurality of first elements radiating electromagnetic energy over a first bandwidth including a first frequency. Each of the first elements is spaced apart from a pattern center by an element distance and from the nearest first element by an element spacing in a regulated pattern. In the regulated pattern, the element spacing increases as the element distance increases. The plurality of first elements are configured to generate a first radiation pattern. The antenna array also comprises a second element positioned within a group of first elements from the plurality of first elements. Each element distance between the first elements in the group of first elements is greater than one-half of a first wavelength corresponding to the first frequency. The second element is configured to generate a second radiation pattern. The second radiation pattern combines with the first radiation pattern to form a composite radiation pattern.
US08279110B2
Method making it possible to reconstruct a first signal taking the form of a series of pulses of width T, characterized in that it comprises a step in which a delay τ fixed with respect to the first signal to be reconstructed is introduced into a second signal having a sinusoidal shape and in that the porches of width T of the first signal at an instant t are substituted with portions of sinusoid of the second delayed sinusoidal signal corresponding to an instant t−1 so as to reconstruct a signal having a sinusoidal shape.
US08279104B2
A radio wave absorber for use in an electromagnetic field probe that measures an electromagnetic field by means of an antenna section provided therewith, the radio wave absorber including: a first end section; a second end section that is located at a position opposite the first end section; and an intermediate section that is located between the first and second end sections, the intermediate section having outer dimension and thickness that increase in accordance with a distance from the first end section toward the second end section.
US08279102B2
An analog to digital converter (ADC) comprises an input node having a variable analog input voltage, first and second switched capacitor circuits, an operational amplifier, and a control circuit. The first switched capacitor circuit has first and second capacitors and is coupled to the input node, and the second switched capacitor circuit has third and fourth capacitors and is coupled to the input node. The operational amplifier is configured to be conditionally coupled to only one of the first and second switched capacitor circuits at a time and configured to conditionally provide feedback to the switched capacitor circuits via an output node. The control circuit is coupled to the first and second switched capacitor circuits for conditional coupling to the operational amplifier.
US08279099B2
An integrator based on an amplifier having a capacitive element connected between the input and the output of the amplifier, with a resistive element connected in series with the capacitive element. Integrators of this type can be used in feed-forward structures of delta-sigma analogue-to-digital converters in order to avoid the need for adders to combine the outputs of parallel signal paths in the feed-forward structure.
US08279096B2
Dictionary-based sequential compression is performed in parallel on input data using multiple cores of a computer system. The compression can be performed by first determining a dictionary size for data compression, followed by determining a block size for partitioning the input data. The block size is greater than the dictionary size. The multiple cores of the computer system then execute multiple threads in parallel, with each thread compressing one block of the input data according to a dictionary-based sequential compression scheme.
US08279091B1
A system includes a controller and an RFID sensor, an RFID sensor reader having a detection region, and a transceiver connected to the controller. The system may be secured to or contained within a wearable glove. The RFID sensor is configured to transmit an RFID sensor signal to the RFID sensor reader when the RFID sensor is within the detection region. The RFID sensor reader is configured to transmit an RFID sensor reader signal to the controller after receiving the RFID sensor signal. The controller is configured to transmit a signal to the transceiver after receiving the RFID sensor reader signal. The signal may include input from a motion sensor and/or an orientation sensor connected to the controller. The transceiver may transmit the signal to a remote processor via an antenna. The signal may be used for gesture recognition, information coding, and/or information processing.
US08279081B2
A sensing device for remotely determining the position of the needles of a gas meter including directional magnetic field emitters each having a north and a south pole and being secured relative to respective needles such that the pole axes are generally centered over the needle axes. The emitters producing directional magnetic fields that follows the position of the needles as they rotate and the sensing device further including position sensors positioned over the emitters that read the orientation of the magnetic fields sending this information to a processor for calculating the needle positions.
US08279080B2
A remote water meter monitoring system is provided. A mesh network-type transceiver unit is coupled to a water meter housing having a water counting mechanism inside to transmit water consumption information as well as other sensor information, such as backflow detection, water pressure, and water metrics (e.g., residual chlorine and temperature) to a central server system via a bridge device and a corresponding mesh network. Mechanical energy from the water flowing through the water meter housing is converted to electrical energy via an energy conversion unit. An electrically powered shut off valve is remote addressable via the transceiver unit.
US08279074B2
A system, apparatus, and method for generating backup power in a wireless communications system such as a wireless communications service base station includes a communications interface, a primary power interface, a generator, rectifiers, and a battery circuit. During normal operation, the communications interface is powered from the primary power interface. During a power outage, the communications interface is powered from either the generator or the battery circuit. A battery circuit monitoring circuit detects and/or predicts loose, corroded, intermittent, high resistance, arcing, open, shorted, and/or the like connections.
US08279070B2
A method for producing a security layered construction as well as a security layered construction for an identification document (61), particularly for personal identification, having a transponder layer (20) and at least one cover layer (38, 39), the transponder layer being covered using the at least one cover layer to form a seal with the wire conductor positioned interposed, and at least one viewing side (62) of the at least one cover layer or transponder layer being provided with security printing (63).
US08279067B2
A method of securing a container includes inserting, into a seal device at a container, an electronic bolt; reading, by the seal device, a serial number stored in the electronic bolt; communicating, from the seal device, to a user application, insertion of the bolt; scanning, by the user via a handheld device, a barcode on the seal device representative of an identification of the seal device; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the identification of the seal device; inputting, by a user at the container via the handheld device, information associated with the container; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the information associated with the container; associating, in a database by the user application, the information associated with the container with the bolt serial number and the identification of the seal device; communicating, by the user application, a confirmation to the seal device.
US08279064B2
The invention makes it easier for the post office to calculate accurately terminal dues by providing information to the post regarding each piece or parcel of mail that crosses an international border. The invention also makes it easier for the post offices to calculate terminal dues by obtaining fee information from mail that is sent internationally. The foregoing is accomplished by placing an indication on the mail that the fees for delivering the mail have been paid or will be paid by a mailer to each post office that handles the mail. For instance, if a mail piece is mailed in the United States and delivered to a destination in the United Kingdom, the mailer's postage meter will place a Radio Frequency Identification Tag (RFID) on the mail piece that indicates the portion of the delivery cost that is attributable to the United States post office and that portion of the delivery cost that is attributable to the Royal Mail.
US08279063B2
A wireless time-of-flight distance measurement device and/or a motion detector is used at each of a plurality of stations in a wireless network in an enclosed facility to accurately locate a badge-wearing person near the station. The location, badge number and time of detection are transmitted through the network and stored in a computer memory. In a health care facility, hand-washing detectors are located at some of the stations and caused to energize a hand-wash status indicator light on the badge when the wearer has washed his or her hands. The light remains “on” for only a certain length of time, but will be extinguished sooner by a monitor device near each patient when the health care worker leaves the vicinity of the patient. These events also are transmitted and stored so that a timed record of each worker's hand-washing and visits to patients is created.
US08279061B2
Systems and methods of providing telemedicine services are provided. A system can include a medical device that obtains diagnostic information, a gateway device coupled to the medical device, an application server coupled to the gateway device via wired and wireless networks, a database coupled to the application server, the database storing the diagnostic information, and an analyzing device coupled to the database, the analyzing device analyzes records in the database to identify diagnostic information that exceeds predefined thresholds.
US08279059B2
An in-vivo sensing system including an in-vivo sensing device, a data recorder a receiver and a work station. The data recorder receives data signal from the in-vivo sensing device during an acquisition period. Batches of the data signal may be transmitted from the data recorder to a receiver, as soon as a batch has been received by the data recorder. The batches of data signal received by the receiver may be downloaded to the workstation as soon as each batch is received by the receiver. Signals are typically transmitted from the data recorder to the receiver through wireless transmission techniques such as cellular transmission, WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) transmission, BT (BlueTooth) transmission and Wimax (Worldwide interoperability for Microwave Access) transmission.
US08279046B2
A radio communication apparatus stores, in a pattern storing unit, channel pattern data indicating radio channel switching order for searching for a free channel and stores switching condition data for the radio channel in a condition storing unit. A control unit of the radio communication apparatus switches, when the switching condition data stored in the condition storing unit is satisfied, the radio channel according to the switching order indicated by the channel pattern data stored in the pattern storing unit.
US08279044B2
A data storage device includes a storage module for storing data, a control module coupled to the storage module for detecting signals and controlling their transmission, an interface coupled to the control module for connecting the data storage device to a periphery device, a radio frequency fingerprint scanning module coupled to the control module for detecting fingerprints and transmitting fingerprint signals to the control module, and a light emitting diode (LED) indicator coupled to the control module to indicate a fingerprint scanning region on the data storage device.
US08279038B2
A method for operating a field device of automation technology capable of special-functionalities, an enabling code set having a plurality of enabling code is managed in a superordinated, key-management unit. With the assistance of the enabling codes, special-functionalities can be enabled in field devices. Associated with individual enabling codes of the enabling code set is, in each case, an attribute, “free” or “blocked”. If a special-functionality is needed, then an enabling code is transmitted to the field device, in case an enabling code with attribute “free” is present. Following transmission, the attribute of the transmitted enabling code is changed from free to blocked. The method permits enabling code to be used very flexably.
US08279032B1
A system for detachment of correlated magnetic structures includes first and second correlated magnetic structure having complementary coded magnetic sources; and a tool that applies a bias magnet field to cause a transition of the first and second magnetic structures from a closed state in which the first and second magnetic structures are attached to an open state in which the first and second magnetic structures are detached.
US08279029B2
A weatherproof switch for use with an information/instrument cluster including a button having a body located adjacent to the information/instrument cluster, the body having a first end and a second end; a magnet substantially disposed within the second end of the body; a sensor located a distance from the magnet to produce a magnetic field of a first strength; and a circuit connecting the sensor to a function of the information/instrument cluster for controlling the function when the first end of the button is operated to increase and decrease the distance between the magnet and the sensor such as to produce magnetic field of a second strength.
US08279028B2
An electromagnetic relay including a body, a plurality of first surface-mount terminals projecting from the body, and at least one second terminal projecting from the body. Each first terminal includes a distal end portion adapted to be mounted on a surface of a circuit board. The second terminal includes a distal end portion adapted to be inserted into a through-hole of a circuit board. The distal end portion of the second terminal is positioned farther away from the body than the distal end portion of the first terminal.
US08279027B2
A magnetic latching actuator operable to control the movement of at least a first contact and second contact between a closed position in which the contacts physically engage each other and an open position in which the contacts are spaced from each other. The magnetic latching actuator includes first and second stationary permanent magnets oriented such that the first magnetic field created by the first magnet and the second magnetic field created by the second magnet are in opposite directions. An actuation coil surrounds both the first and second magnets. Current is supplied to the actuation coil in a first direction to create a first magnetic field or a second direction to create a second actuation magnetic field opposite the first actuation magnetic field. A yoke is movable relative to the first and second magnets to cause the first and second contacts to move between the open and closed positions.
US08279025B2
An integrated circuit structure includes an interconnect structure over a semiconductor substrate and a coaxial transmission line. The coaxial transmission line includes a signal line, a top plate over the signal line and electrically insulated from the signal line, and a bottom plate under the signal line and electrically insulated from the signal line. At least one of the top plate and the bottom plate includes metal strip shields and dielectric strips, with each of the dielectric strips being between two of the metal strip shields. The integrated circuit structure further includes a ground conductor electrically connecting the top plate and the bottom plate. The ground conductor is insulated from the signal line by a dielectric material.
US08279024B2
A resonator system contains one or more resonator, and has a plurality of degenerate resonant modes. Switching circuitry can be operated for controlling a degree of coupling between the resonant modes, such that resonant properties of the resonator system can be controlled. Where the resonator system includes one resonator, the size of a notch in a conductive patch can be controlled to vary the coupling between the resonant modes within that resonator. Where the resonator system includes multiple resonators, the coupling between the resonant modes in the resonators can be varied. A single device can be tuned as required, in order to provide the desired frequency response properties.
US08279017B2
A magnetic resonance type isolator includes a ferrite; a connection conductor that is arranged on the ferrite and includes a first port, a second port and a third port; a permanent magnet that applies a direct current magnetic field to the ferrite; an inductor that defines a reactance element; and capacitors that define an impedance matching circuit. A main line arranged between the first port and the second port of the connection conductor does not resonate, an end portion of a sub-line that branches from the main line serves as the third port, and a wave reflected from the sub-line is modulated so that its phase is shifted by 90° or about 90° at an intersection of the connection conductor. The inductor is connected to the third port and the capacitors are connected to the first and second ports, respectively.
US08279016B2
A quantum interference device causing electromagnetically induced transparency in an alkali metal atom includes: a light source generating first and second resonant lights with frequency differences Δω; a magnetic field generator applying a magnetic field to the atom; a light detector detecting intensities of the first and second resonant lights passing through the atom; and a controller causing a frequency difference between specified first and second resonant lights to equal a frequency difference corresponding to an energy difference between two ground levels of the atom based on the detected light. The controller causes the frequency Δω or magnetic field intensity to satisfy 2×δ×n=Δω or Δω×n=2×δ. The frequency δ corresponds to an energy difference between two Zeeman split levels differentiated by one magnetic quantum number and generated in the two ground levels of the atom by energy splitting.
US08279010B2
The radio frequency power amplifier is connected between an other end of the first switching element and an other end of the second switching element, supplies power to a second amplifier via the first switching element and a second matching circuit, and includes a first power supply line for supplying power to the third amplifier via a second switching element and a third matching circuit, and the other end of the first switching element is connected to an input node of the first matching circuit, the other end of the second switching element is connected to the input node of the first matching circuit via the first power supply line, and an impedance of an output side of the RF power amplifier as viewed from an output node of the third amplifier is higher than an impedance of the RF power amplifier as viewed from an output node of the second amplifier.
US08279008B2
A low-noise amplifier (LNA) includes a first cascode gain stage coupled to an input node for increasing an amplitude of an RF input signal. A first variable gain network is coupled to the first cascode gain stage and includes a first inductor for boosting a gain of the first cascode gain stage, a first capacitor coupled to the first inductor for blocking a direct current (DC) voltage, and a first switch coupled to the first inductor and to the first capacitor. The first switch is configured to selectively couple the first inductor to the first cascode gain stage in response to a first control signal.
US08279007B2
A switch circuit is provided. The switch circuit may include a first transistor having a source terminal to accept an input signal, a drain terminal to provide an output signal, and a gate; a power supply providing a gate voltage. The switch circuit may also include a circuit to couple a switch signal to the gate, wherein the circuit turns the first transistor ‘off’ for all values of the input signal when the switch signal is ‘low.’ A programmable gain amplifier (PGA) is also provided. The PGA may include an input stage having an input node to couple an input signal, and an output node to provide a gate signal, at least a first gain stage including a resistor and a switch circuit as above. A differential gain amplifier may be included to provide an output signal from the gain signal.
US08278999B2
An output buffer circuit capable of enhancing stability includes an operational amplifier, a capacitive load and an output control unit. The operational amplifier has a positive input terminal, a negative input terminal and an output terminal, and generates an output voltage to the output terminal according to an input voltage received by the positive input terminal. The output control unit is coupled between the output terminal of the operational amplifier and the capacitive load, and is utilized for controlling electrical connection between the output terminal of the operational amplifier and the capacitive load to form a signal output path and for adjusting impedance of the signal output path when the signal output path is formed.
US08278995B1
Bandgap voltage reference circuitry capable of operating at very low power supply voltages. The current source for driving the core bandgap voltage reference is implemented with insulated gate field effect transistors having low threshold voltages. Voltage clamp circuitry protects the transistors from power supply voltage variations rising above a predetermined clamp voltage. An output amplifier with output biasing circuitry having a circuit structure similar to that of the core bandgap voltage reference ensures that the bandgap reaches the intended steady state of operation.
US08278994B2
A temperature independent reference circuit includes first and second bipolar transistors with commonly coupled bases. First and second resistors are coupled in series between the emitter of the second bipolar transistor and ground. The first and second resistors have first and second resistance values, R1 and R2, and third and second temperature coefficients, TC3 and TC2, respectively. The resistance values being such that a temperature coefficient of a difference between the base-emitter voltages of the first and second bipolar transistors, TC1, is substantially equal to TC2×(R2/(R1+R2))+TC3×(R1/(R1+R2)), resulting in a reference current flowing through each of the first and second bipolar transistors that is substantially constant over temperature. A third resistor coupled between a node and the collector of the second bipolar transistor has a value such that a reference voltage generated at the node is substantially constant over temperature.
US08278992B2
An internal voltage generating method performed in a semiconductor device, the internal voltage generating method including generating a plurality of initialization signals corresponding to a plurality of external power supply voltages; detecting a transition of a lastly-generated initialization signal from among the plurality of initialization signals and generating a detection signal; and generating a first internal voltage according to the detection signal.
US08278987B2
Duty cycle based phase interpolators, and methods for implementing duty cycle based phase interpolators are disclosed. One such phase interpolator includes a first pulse width modulator configured to generate a first duty cycle signal, and a second pulse width modulator configured to generate a second duty cycle signal. The phase interpolator further includes a logic unit configured to merge the first duty cycle signal and the second duty cycle signal to produce a periodic digital signal with a controllable phase depending on the first and second duty cycle signals.
