US08341649B2
Stack-based system for handling an event in a computer system which has a kernel mode and a user-mode, concurrently by one or more user-mode applications. The systems comprise at least one computing device. The computing device is configured to suspend an occurrence of the event in the kernel-mode of an operating system running thereon. The computing device is also configured to cause the event to occur in the user-mode of the operating system. The computing device is further configured to determine if an occurrence of the event in the kernel-mode will compromise the computer system by analyzing the occurrence of the event in the user-mode. If it is determined that the occurrence of the event in the kernel-mode will compromise the computer system, then the computing device executes at least one security measure.
US08341648B1
The disclosure is directed to automatic virtualization based on user-defined criteria. In one example, data representative of user-defined criteria is received, a virtualization heuristic is generated based on the user-defined criteria, the virtualization heuristic is activated, an occurrence of an event defined by the user-defined criteria is detected, and at least one virtualization operation is automatically performed in response to the detected event. In certain embodiments, the virtualization operation is selected based on the user-defined criteria. In certain embodiments, the virtualization operation includes capturing file system and configuration activity associated with the detected event and storing data representative of the captured file system and configuration activity to a virtual layer.
US08341647B2
A computer implemented method, apparatus and program product receives user input requesting historical data associated with an entity bean, and generates event information according to the user input. The event information is stored and used to determine the historical bean data. Where so desired, the determination may involve automatically performing statistical analysis relating to the bean.
US08341644B2
A a system for relocating a workload partition (WPAR) from a departure logical partition (LPAR) to an arrival LPAR determines an amount of a resource allocated to the relocating WPAR on the departure LPAR and allocates to the relocating WPAR on the arrival LPAR an amount of the resource substantially equal to the amount of the resource allocated to the relocating WPAR on the departure LPAR.
US08341632B2
A primary task manager, which is a local task manager, can perform a distributed task on a local server. If the performing of the task with the local task manager succeeds, the distributed task can then be propagated to at least one secondary task manager, which is a remote task manager. The remote task manager is capable of performing the distributed task. If the performing of the task with the local task manager fails, an undo task that is associated with the distributed task can be performed.
US08341631B2
A system, method, and computer readable medium for providing application isolation to one or more applications and their associated resources. The system may include one or more isolated environments including application files and executables, and one or more interception layers intercepting access to system resources and interfaces. Further, the system may include an interception database maintaining mapping between the system resources inside the one or more isolated environments and outside, and a host operating system. The one or more applications may be isolated from other applications and the host operating system while running within the one or more isolated environments.
US08341623B2
A storage placement planning system receives a resource graph describing SAN's resources and virtual machine applications requiring a particular amount of a processing resource element and a storage resource element. The system then determines a coupled placement of the processing element and storage element for each of the applications on a coupled pair of the resource nodes based on a specified throughput and a distance factor between coupled pairs of resource nodes. The coupled placement is determined using an algorithm that implements a cost function that determines affinities between processing nodes and storage nodes for each of said applications of a particular workload. The coupled placement for each of said applications identifies the particular amount of processing resource element placed on a first node for providing a processing resource and the particular amount of storage resource element placed on a second node for providing a storage resource for that application.
US08341619B2
An installer system provided according to an aspect of the present invention facilitates easy installation of software modules in a heterogeneous computing system in which many operating systems are installed in the remote systems. In an embodiment, the installer system performs different installation actions on different remote systems, depending on the specific operating system installed on the corresponding remote system and the specific software module being installed. Each installation action may be translated into one or more commands according to the syntax/semantics requirement of the respective operating system on the remote system.
US08341617B2
A system and method for scheduling software updates on data processing systems. In an embodiment, software updates are scheduled on a data processing system by identifying a list of software updates; scheduling at least one primary software update for execution within a scheduled outage time based on an estimated execution time and an estimated rollback time for the at least one primary software update; executing the at least one primary software update during the scheduled outage time; and ordering the list of software updates for possible execution of at least one secondary software update in any remaining outage time in dependence upon the estimated execution times and estimated rollback times for each of the remaining software updates. The list of software updates may also be ordered in further dependence upon evaluation of relative priorities between the software updates, any prerequisite software updates, and a performance scaling factor for the data processing system.
US08341615B2
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to loop parallelization for a target architecture implementing a shared memory model and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for SIMD code generation for parallel loops using versioning and scheduling. In an embodiment of the invention, within a code compilation data processing system a parallel SIMD loop code generation method can include identifying a loop in a representation of source code as a parallel loop candidate, either through a user directive or through auto-parallelization. The method also can include selecting a trip count condition responsive to a scheduling policy set for the code compilation data processing system and also on a minimal simdizable threshold, determining a trip count and an alignment constraint for the selected loop, and generating a version of a parallel loop in the source code according to the alignment constraint and a comparison of the trip count to the trip count condition.
US08341598B2
Declaratively implementing a command. A method includes declaring an input gesture in a declarative programming language. Declaring an input gesture includes declaring one or more user performed actions. A command name is declared in a declarative programming language. A workflow is declared in a declarative programming language. Declaring a workflow includes declaring schedulable activities that are to be performed without specific specifications of the low level algorithms that are used to accomplish the activities. In an alternative example, workflows may be declared by declaring a wrapper to wrap imperative programming commands. The declared input gestures are bound with the declared workflow through the declared command name.
US08341588B2
A method of forming and electrical structure. The method includes determining that a first semiconductor device requires an engineering change order (ECO). An additional structure layer required to implement the ECO is determined. A first insertion point location for inserting the additional structure layer within the first semiconductor device is selected. The first insertion point location is associated with a second insertion point location within a design for a second semiconductor device. The second semiconductor device is generated in accordance with the first ECO. The second semiconductor device comprises second structures. The second structures comprise same structures as first structures in the first semiconductor device. The second structures are formed in locations within the second semiconductor device that are associated with locations in the first semiconductor device comprising the first structures. The second semiconductor device comprises the additional structure layer located within the second insertion point location.
US08341581B2
A relatively small amount of programmable or reprogrammable logic (pro-Logic) is included in a mostly-ASIC device so that such re/programmable logic can be used as a substitute for, or for bypassing a fault-infected ASIC block (if any) either permanently or at times when the fault-infected ASIC block is about to perform a fault-infected operation (bug-infected operation): The substitution or bypass does not have to be a permanent one that is in effect at all times for the entirety of the fault-infected ASIC block. Instead affected outputs of the faulty ASIC block can be disabled from working just at the time they would otherwise initiate or propagate an error. Such fault-infected operations of the temporarily deactivated ASIC block(s) may be substituted for by appropriately programmed pro-Logic at the appropriate times.
US08341580B2
A routing fabric using multiple levels of switching networks along with associated routing matrices to allow a more uniform and shorter interconnection or routing path among logic modules or routing modules compared with those in the conventional designs. The resulting routing fabric can be used in electronic devices, such as switching networks, routers, and programmable logic circuits, etc.
US08341579B2
An operation analyzing apparatus (100) for semiconductor integrated circuits according to this exemplary embodiment includes a simulation analyzing unit (140), and the simulation analyzing unit (140) includes: a semiconductor characteristics extracting unit (110) that extracts the inductances L, resistances R, and capacitances C of a board, a package, and a semiconductor integrated circuit, from the semiconductor integrated circuit mounted on the board via the package; an individual network generating unit (111) that generates individual networks of the extracted inductance L, resistance R, and capacitance C with respect to each of said semiconductor substrate, said package, and said semiconductor integrated circuit; an integrated network generating unit (112) that generates an integrated network by integrating all of the generated individual networks; and an operation simulation running unit (113) that performs an operation simulation of the semiconductor integrated circuit by inserting a test noise pattern to an arbitrary position in the generated integrated network.
US08341574B2
Embodiments of a computer system, a method, an integrated circuit and a computer-program product (i.e., software) for use with the computer system are described. These devices and techniques may be used to calculate the total time delay in a signal path due to crosstalk from a group of crosstalk aggressors that are associated with a group of signal paths. In order to properly account for statistical behaviors in the switching times and directions of the switching patterns in the group of signal paths, the time-delay contribution from each of these crosstalk aggressors may be modeled as a corresponding statistical random variable. Because the number of crosstalk aggressors are usually much larger than the number of stages in the signal path, the calculated total path delay may be less pessimistic. Furthermore, in order to detect potential timing violations, the time-delay contributions from additional dominant crosstalk aggressors can be modeled using non-statistical worst-case deterministic values.
US08341569B2
Statistical timing analysis methods for circuits having latches and feedback loops are described wherein the circuit yield, and/or the critical cycle mean (the largest cycle mean among all loops in the circuit), may be iteratively calculated with high speed and accuracy, thereby allowing their ready usage in the analysis and validation of proposed circuit designs.
US08341567B1
A method is provided to formally verify a property of a circuit design comprising: receiving a description of at least a portion of the circuit; receiving an indication of search accuracy criteria; receiving a description of a relationship between current and voltage (I-V relationship) for one or more of devices of the circuit; converting each I-V relationship to a conservative approximation of such I-V relationship; assigning voltage labels to one or more terminals of one or more identified devices that indicate voltage relationships among the one or more terminals consistent with KVL; defining a respective current relationship among one or more respective sets of currents of the one or more of the identified devices that is consistent with KCL; searching for one or more combinations of current and voltage values that are within at least one region of each conservative approximation and that are consistent with the voltage labels and that are consistent with each respective defined current relationship; converting each region determined to have a searched for combination of current and voltage values to multiple respective smaller regions; and repeating the acts of searching and converting until regions are obtained that meet the received search accuracy criteria.
US08341565B2
A task-based multi-process design synthesis methodology is reproducible, and relies on a plurality of child processes to assist a parent process in performing optimizations on an integrated circuit design. Objects from an integrated circuit design are grouped into subsets and assigned to child processes, with each child process performing a transform on each of the objects in the subset assigned to that child process and determining which of the objects in the subset are candidate objects for which performance of the transform has been successful. Each child process also undoes the transform performed for each object such that the same initial state of the integrated circuit design is used to perform each transform. In addition, the parent process tracks the results of performing the transform by each child process, and applies successful transforms in a controlled sequence.
US08341557B2
In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method is performed at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display while the portable electronic device is in a user-interface locked mode of a workout monitoring application with the touch screen display turned off. The method includes: monitoring a workout by a user with the workout monitoring application; detecting an interaction by the user with a first physical button on the portable electronic device; and determining whether the detected interaction by the user with the first physical button corresponds to a first predefined action. The method further includes, in response to determining that the interaction by the user with the first physical button corresponds to the first predefined action; turning on the touch screen display; providing an audio status report of the workout by the user; displaying a workout pause icon; and displaying an unlock image.
US08341556B2
A method and system for attention-free user input on a computing device is described that allows the recognition of a user input irrespective of the area of entry of the user input on a writing surface (such as a digitizer) without the user having to make a visual contact with the writing surface.
US08341545B2
A system, method and graphical user interface for focusing a view of displayed data upon a subset of the data. In a view of multiple values, fields, objects or other data, a subset of the data is selected because it has changed, because it is associated with a recommended action, because it warrants a user's attention, or for some other reason. The remaining data is then masked or covered with a semi-transparent layer that suppresses the data and obscures any highlighting, emphasis or other complexity among the covered data. The user's attention is thus focused upon the selected subset of data without increasing the cognitive load forced on the user.
US08341541B2
A method referred to as visual window browsing allows a user to browse through windows on their desktop. Aspects of the invention include responsive to a command, moving open windows to form a visual stack with the topmost window in the stack being in focus. Responsive to a browse the windows in the visual stack can be browsed, where the topmost window moves to the bottom of the visual stack and the other windows move higher in the stack, with the second highest window becoming the topmost window and being in focus. Successive browse commands causes this behavior to repeat allowing a user to cycle through each of the open windows.
US08341539B2
An information processing apparatus includes a content detector portion, a display controller portion, an operation state detector portion, and a popup display controller portion. The content detector portion detects contents belonging to a same time range from different types of contents. The display controller portion collects the contents detected by the content detector portion and belonging to the same time range, displays content-related graphical information of the respective contents collected in units of the respective time range, and displays on the display portion a selector. The operation state detector portion detects an operation state of an operation portion. After detecting a predetermined operation state, the popup display controller portion detects a content having past time information with respect to the time information of the selected content, and popup displays content-related graphical information of the detected content on the display portion.
US08341538B1
A computer-implemented method for reducing redundancies in quality-assurance reviews of graphical user interfaces may include identifying a plurality of screenshots of a graphical user interface. The computer-implemented method may also include creating, for each screenshot within the plurality of screenshots, a fingerprint of the screenshot and a fingerprint of a set of text contained within the screenshot. The computer-implemented method may further include performing a consolidation operation that identifies, by comparing each screenshot fingerprint and comparing each text fingerprint, redundant screenshots and/or redundant sets of text. The computer-implemented method may additionally include displaying non-redundant screenshots and/or non-redundant sets of text. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08341532B2
An approach to setting up a collabortive workspace involves receiving a user's instructions to convert an object to a collaborative workspace. In response to this instruction, the approach creates the collaborative workspace in a substantially automated manner. The approach may thereby facilitate the provisioning of a collaborative workspace, eliminating or at least reducing the manual effort involved in setting up a collaborative workspace.
US08341529B1
Techniques are described for facilitating access of computing system users to restricted or other functionality, such as internal functionality of a business or other organization. The functionality access may be facilitated by an access provider system that executes on a client computing system of an authorized user, such as a program operating in conjunction with another presentation program that presents publicly available information by modifying interactions available to the user when using the presentation program or otherwise providing additional information to the user. In some situations, the additional information is provided by temporarily modifying the information being presented by the presentation program, such as by modifying a temporary copy of the information in volatile memory that is used to generate a visual representation being presented to the user by the presentation program, and then later removing the modifications after the user has completed use of the additional information.
US08341527B2
A method of distributing media content and associated media information as a media package in a file format embodied as a data structure. A method of presenting media content such as Audio or Video including segmenting the media content into sections and storing data and information about the sections as part of media information with the media content in a media package. The presentation program uses information about the users preferences/profile and location and compares it to section information in order to present certain sections and skip others during the presentation. During presentation, informative messages are inserted between sections if sponsor supported presentation is chosen. Any part of the media content or media information can be embedded in the file or can be linked to from the file and can also be determined using a script or program.
US08341526B2
A method of reproducing one interactive graphics stream among one or more interactive graphics streams from an information storage medium, via a reproduction apparatus providing a visual display of interactive graphics, including obtaining attribute information in a player status register in the reproducing apparatus, and reading and reproducing one of the interactive graphics streams corresponding to the obtained attribute information among one or more interactive graphics streams from the information storage medium, the one interactive graphics stream being used to control reproduction of audio-visual data and being reproduced with the audio-visual data. With the method, text information written in a variety of languages and data shared by those languages are multiplexed and stored in one menu stream such that data is not redundantly stored and less storage space is wasted.
US08341522B2
In an approach, an exemplary method includes receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface associated with the electronic device, sensing a context of the electronic device, and providing an assistance correlating to the query and the sensed context through a second user interface associated with the electronic device. In another approach, an exemplary system includes an electronic device having a context sensor, a first and a second user interface, and instructions. The instructions cause the electronic device to receive a query related to the electronic device through a first user interface associated with the electronic device, receive a context of the electronic device from the context sensor, and provide an assistance corresponding to the query and the context of the electronic device through a second user interface associated with the electronic device.
US08341521B2
Client devices capable of merged browsing, and a server for assisting merged browsing, are described herein. In various embodiments, client devices may receive suggestions of network content fragments to be merge browsed with network content being browsed by the user. The client device may then receive a user selection of fragment(s) and facilitate merged browsing of the fragment(s) with the network content. In some embodiments, the client device may facilitate a user in browsing first network content and in selecting a portion of the first network content. The client device may then facilitate the user in browsing second network content and in merged browsing the selected portion with the second network content. In various embodiments, the server may accept registrations of network content fragments, receive indications from client devices of network content being browsed, and assist in merged browsing the network content with one or more network content fragments.
US08341515B2
A method for validating unique particle attribution (UPA) in extensible markup language (XML) schemas includes receiving an input argument including a particle of an XML schema, verifying particle occurrence information of the XML schema, verifying particle sequence model group information of the XML schema, verifying particle choice model group information of the XML schema, verifying particle all model group information of the XML schema, and recursively calling additional instances of the method for validating UPA such that all particles recursively defined in the particle of the input argument are subject to verification of UPA constraints.
US08341513B1
An item-providing system supplies items to a user device for consumption at the user device via communication infrastructure. The device may correspond to a book reader device or other type of device. In one illustrative case, the item-providing system may provide items to the user device in incremental form or in full form. The item-providing system and user device implement a protocol for determining whether the content should be delivered in incremental form or full form.
US08341512B2
An interface for designing a report is provided, with elements of the report being disposed at intersections of report positions and configured to present information derived from data in a database. A formula is associated with one or more selected elements in the report to generate a result for the one or more selected elements. A tuple identifying the report positions of the one or more selected elements is associated and stored with the formula in a formula list associated with the report. The report is configured so that, when the report is generated, it is determined whether identifying report positions corresponding to an identified element in the report correspond with the tuple in the formula list. Upon determining the tuple corresponds with the identifying report positions for the identified element, the formula associated with the tuple is applied to generate the result.
US08341510B2
Disclosed herein is a CRC generator polynomial select method for selecting a generator polynomial to be used in CRC coding and code checking, the method may include a first process of finding largest minimum Hamming distances Max.dmin of codes generated from given polynomials; a second process of finding code lengths n for codes having the largest minimum Hamming distances Max.dmin and determining a range nmin (r, Max.dmin)≦n≦nmax (r, Max.dmin); a third process of searching all polynomials for specific polynomials generating codes having dmin=Max.dmin in the determined range; and a fourth process of selecting final generator polynomials having a smallest non-zero coefficient count and a lowest code undetected-error probability from the specific polynomials.
US08341500B2
Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for detecting corrupted data for a system having non-volatile memory, such as NAND Flash memory. In some embodiments, a non-volatile memory (“NVM”) package is provided, which can include a NVM controller and one or more NVM dies. Each NVM die can include one or more blocks, where each block can further include an array of memory cells. One or more of these memory cells can be configured as “multi-level cells” (“MLCs”). In some embodiments, in order to avoid transmitting data obtained from an improperly programmed page of a MLC, a NVM controller can be configured to detect if data obtained from the page is in fact data stored in a different page.
US08341499B2
A system and method is disclosed for detecting errors in memory. A memory subsystem that includes a set of parallel memory channels is disclosed. Data is saved such that a duplicate copy of data is saved to the opposite memory channel according to a horizontal mirroring scheme or a vertical mirroring scheme. A cyclic redundancy code is generated on the basis of the data bits and address bits. The generated cyclic redundancy code and a copy of the cyclic redundancy code are saved to the memory channels according to a horizontal mirroring scheme or a vertical mirroring scheme.
US08341497B2
A semiconductor storage includes a receiver configured to receive a write request from a host device; a storage unit configured to hold redundancy data generation/non-generation information; a writing unit configured to write data in a semiconductor memory array and write redundancy data generation/non-generation information of the written data in the storage unit; a first data extracting unit configured to extract data whose redundancy data is not generated from among the data held by the semiconductor memory array; a first redundancy data generating unit configured to generate redundancy data; a first redundancy data writing unit configured to write the generated redundancy data in the semiconductor memory array; and a first redundancy data generation/non-generation information updating unit configured to update the redundancy data generation/non-generation information of the data whose redundancy data held by the storage unit is generated.
US08341494B2
A decoding apparatus for a high-density recording medium includes a demodulator, a long-distance code (LDC) processing module, a burst indicator subcode (BIS) processing module, an erasure code generator, and a decoder. The demodulator demodulates data from a high-density recording medium to obtain a demodulated data and a demodulation error flag. The LDC processing module and the BIS processing module deinterleave the demodulated data to respectively obtain an LDC data and a BIS data. The erasure code generator sets an erasure flag corresponding to the LDC data according to the demodulation error flag and the BIS error flag. The decoder decodes the LDC data according to the erasure flag. Further, the decoder decodes the BIS data to obtain the BIS error flag.
US08341491B2
An invention is provided for ensuring data integrity in a non-volatile memory system, including boot block data integrity during Power On Reset. The invention includes loading data into a buffer, such as a flash buffer, and generating an error detection code for the data utilizing a check code generator located in the memory controller. The error detection code is compared to a previously stored error detection code associated with the data. Then, when the error detection code is different from the previously stored error detection code, a correction pattern is calculated and applied to the data directly in the buffer for the non-volatile memory.
US08341481B2
A method for performing a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) operation in a wireless mobile communication system that uses Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) or Time Division Duplex (TDD) frames each having a plurality of subframes for communication are provided, in which an HARQ timing including a transmission time of a data burst and a transmission time of an HARQ feedback, for DL HARQ is determined according to data burst assignment information transmitted in a #l DownLink (DL) subframe of a #i frame, and an HARQ operation is performed according to the determined HARQ timing. At least one frame index and at least one subframe index that represent the HARQ timing are determined by using l and i.
US08341480B2
An approach is provided for utilizing implicit negative acknowledgement. A determination is made that a user equipment is out of synchronization (e.g., with respect to the uplink). A control signal specifying timing alignment information is generated for transmission to the user equipment. An implicit negative acknowledgement corresponding to retransmission of data is declared if an acknowledgement is not received within a predetermined time interval.
US08341477B2
A test board includes a plurality of test modules. Each test module stores a first control signal, a data signal, and a second control signal in response to a clock signal, and tests a corresponding device under test (DUT) using the first control signal and the stored data signal in response to the second control signal to generate an error signal indicating whether the DUT is defective. Each test module outputs the first control signal, the data signal, and the second control signal to a test module in a next stage, and each test module of a subsequent stage receives the error signal stored generated by a test module in a previous stage in response to the clock signal.
US08341457B2
The present disclosure is directed to a system and a method for optimizing redundancy restoration in distributed data layout environments. The system may include a plurality of storage devices configured for providing data storage. The system may include a prioritization module communicatively coupled to the plurality of storage devices. The prioritization module may be configured for determining a restoration order of at least a first data portion and a second data portion when a critical data failure occurs. The system may include a restoration module communicatively coupled to the plurality of storage devices and the prioritization module, the restoration module configured for restoring at least the first data portion and the second data portion based upon the restoration order.
US08341456B2
An apparatus of recording data on a recording medium includes an optical recording device and a microcomputer. The recording medium has a lead-in area, a lead-out area, and a data zone, where the data zone has a user data area and a spare area. When the microcomputer receives a command for physically overwriting first data in a first area within the user data area and determines that the first area is included in a pre-recorded area, it controls the recording device to record the first data in a first replacement area instead and to record a first entry in a TDMA, where the first entry specifies the locations of the first area and the first replacement area. In addition, when the microprocessor receives a command for recording second data in a second area within the user data area and finds the second area defective, it controls the optical recording device to record the second data in a second replacement area instead and to record a second entry in the TDMA, where the second entry specifies the locations of the second area and the second replacement area.
US08341449B2
A battery management system is provided. The system includes a battery monitoring device having a microprocessor and a hardware component. The microprocessor identifies a non-modifiable node ID from the hardware component. The microprocessor also obtains operational parameters associated with the at least one battery cell. The microprocessor computes a network ID for the battery monitoring device based on the non-modifiable node ID. The system further includes a main controller that communicates with the battery monitoring device via a communication bus utilizing the network ID.
US08341448B2
System and methods for controlling power delivery to system components are disclosed. A controller is communicatively coupled to a point-of-load converter through a first communication path and a shared memory is communicatively coupled to the point-of-load converter through a second communication path. A third communication path communicatively couples the controller and the shared memory. Control data is communicated from the controller to the point-of-load converter through the first communication path and measurement data is written from the point-of-load converter to the shared memory through the second communication path. The controller is operable to read the measurement data from the shared memory through the third communication path.
US08341447B2
A device operable in each of active and inactive modes includes first and second processors. The first processor performs, in accordance with a first power level, both wireless and non-wireless network processing. A second processor performs wireless network processing in accordance with a second power level. While the device is operating in the active mode: the first processor and the first display are powered up; the first display displays a result of the wireless network processing or the non-wireless network processing by the first processor; and the second processor and the second display are powered down. While the device is operating in the inactive mode: the first processor and the first display are powered down; the second processor and the second display are powered up; and the second display displays a result of the wireless network related processing by the second processor.
US08341440B2
Methods and systems for higher power PoE are provided. Embodiments overcome system limitations to PSE power scaling by using an endspan-midspan configuration which allocates power to the PD from both an endspan PSE and a midspan PSE. Embodiments are particularly suitable for deployed PoE systems having limited power supplies and/or ports designed for lower power. Further, embodiments include power management schemes to enable the proposed endspan-midspan configuration to intelligently allocate power between the endspan PSE and the midspan PSE according to required PD power.
US08341439B2
A power management apparatus includes: a service request monitor block for receiving service requests by service groups to provide load information of service platforms belonging to the respective service groups; a platform information collection block for collecting a configuration information of the service platforms and collecting load information of the service platforms in a predetermined cycle; a platform power state alteration block for altering power states of the service platforms by request; and a management interface block for providing a setup interface for a load-based and a time-based power control and providing platform profile information generated based on the load information.
US08341437B2
A method for managing power consumption in a data storage system is provided. The method comprises receiving a first input/output (I/O) request identifying an I/O operation to be performed by a storage device; delaying scheduling of the first I/O request to manage amount of power consumed by servicing the first I/O request; and forwarding the first I/O request to a storage controller associated with the storage device. The storage controller schedules the first I/O request using a scheduling mechanism, and the storage device services the first I/O request according to the scheduling mechanism.
US08341428B2
A system and method for protecting computing systems, and more particularly a system and method which a dedicated hardware component configured to communicate with a protection program. A computer hardware subsystem includes a memory comprising content. The content is at least a list of files which have been modified within a predetermined period of time. The list of files is a subset of files of a hard drive. A dedicated hardware component is configured to track the files which have been modified and provide a location of the files to the memory. A communication link between the dedicated hardware component and a protection program provides the protection program with the subset of files of the hard drive as referenced by the memory content.
US08341426B2
A method of encrypting compiled computer code instructions to be decrypted instruction by instruction during execution. The computer code instructions are encrypted using a chaining mode so that an encrypted instruction depends on the values of the instruction, the value of the preceding instruction and a pseudo-random number. As it may happen that the instruction can be arrived at from more than one preceding instruction, at least one of the preceding instructions is associated with a random number compensator for use during decryption of the encrypted instruction, so that the decryption of the encrypted instruction yields the same result regardless of which the preceding instruction was. Also provided are an encryption device, a decryption device and method, and a digital support medium storing encrypted compiled computer code instructions.
US08341421B1
The present invention is a system and method of enrolling potential system users for a biometric system for identity verification. Potential system user information is entered into the system, either by the user or a system operator, and is stored as a partially-enabled user record. The user of a partially-enabled user record fully enables the record by presenting information previously stored in the user record and presenting the remainder of user information necessary to complete record activation. Enrollment data is used to authenticate the system user's identity and authorize related transaction accesses in a biometric system for identity verification.
US08341418B2
An electronic mail transmission/reception system is provided, capable of maintaining the confidentiality of restricted attachments desired to be limited in destination, thereby ensuring the security of the restricted attachments. A system management server 11 of an electronic mail transmission/reception system 10 includes: first conversion means for hashing a restricted attachment intended for a predetermined destination by a one-way hash function, and converting the restricted attachment into a first hash output value; first storage means for storing the first hash output value for the restricted attachment converted via the first conversion means; second conversion means for hashing a received attachment by the one-way hash function, and converting the attachment into a second hash output value; and destination restriction means for comparing the first hash output value with the second hash output value, and when these hash output values are equal, transmitting the attachment corresponding to the second hash output value only to the predetermined destination.
US08341415B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for generating or using augmentation queries. In one aspect, a set of phrase terms of a phrase are received in first ordinal positions, and a set of first hashes for each of the phrase terms. Concatenated hashes from the set of first hashes are generated. Hashes of content terms for received content are compared to the concatenated hashes to determine if a phrase is detected in the content.
US08341413B2
A communication method intended to ensure the receipt of digital data by at least one remote entity, and an associated system, in particular in the context of data transfer with an aircraft, includes receiving of numerical data by at least one remote entity, digital signing of the data received by the remote entity so as to generate a digital signature, and transmitting the digital signature to a local entity. The digital signature is transmitted with at least one identification information item for the received and signed data. The identification information item is smaller size than the received data.
US08341409B2
A content server apparatus (10) includes: a unique information holding unit (103) which holds unique information of an on-vehicle player apparatus (20), a content obtaining unit (101) which obtains a content from outside, an encrypting unit (104) which encrypts the obtained content, prior to a transmission request from the on-vehicle player apparatus (20), onto an encrypted content using the unique information, a storing unit (105) which stores the encrypted content, and a transmitting unit (107) which transmits the stored encrypted content in response to the transmission request from the on-vehicle player apparatus (20). The on-vehicle player apparatus includes a storage medium (208) which stores the received encrypted content, and a decrypting unit (209) which decrypts the stored encrypted content in response to a reproduction request given from outside.
US08341406B2
With files secured by encryption techniques, keys are often required to gain access to the secured files. Techniques for providing and using multiple levels of keystores for securing the keys are disclosed. The keystores store keys that are needed by users in order to access secured files. The different levels of keystores offer compromises between security and flexibility/ease of use.
US08341404B2
Included in the present disclosure are a system, method and program of instructions operable to protect vital information by combining information about a user and what they are allowed to see with information about essential files that need to be protected on an information handling system. Using intelligent security rules, essential information may be encrypted without encrypting the entire operating system or application files. According to aspects of the present disclosure, shared data, user data, temporary files, paging files, the password hash that is stored in the registry, and data stored on removable media may be protected.
US08341389B2
A device for the secured start-up of a computer installation comprising a first connection interface to the computer installation and a second connection interface to an external data medium unit separate from the computer installation and which contains data and executable codes for a start-up program of the computer installation. The device also includes means for securing the use of data and executable codes and for transmitting data and executable codes of the start-up program from the external data medium unit via the second connection interface to the computer installation via the first connection interface, and after executing the means of security, to start-up the computer installation using transmitted executable codes and data.
US08341385B2
An information processing device, configured to perform information processing with an application run on an operating system, includes an installing unit configured to install the application into the information processing device, an instruction accepting unit configured to accept an instruction to run the application, a first determining unit configured to determine whether the operating system has been rebooted after the installation of the application, in response to the instruction accepted through the instruction accepting unit, and a prohibiting unit configured to prohibit the application from being run when the first determining unit determines that the operating system has not been rebooted.
US08341382B2
A microcontroller using an optimized buffer replacement strategy comprises a memory configured to store instructions, a processor configured to execute said program instructions, and a memory accelerator operatively coupled between the processor and the memory. The memory accelerator is configured to receive an information request and overwrite the buffer from which the prefetch was initiated with the requested information when the request is fulfilled by a previously initiated prefetch operation.
US08341379B2
In one embodiment, a processor comprises a memory management unit (MMU) and an interface unit coupled to the MMU and to an interface unit of the processor. The MMU comprises a queue configured to store pending hardware-generated page table entry (PTE) updates. The interface unit is configured to receive a synchronization operation on the interface that is defined to cause the pending hardware-generated PTE updates, if any, to be written to memory. The MMU is configured to accept a subsequent hardware-generated PTE update generated subsequent to receiving the synchronization operation even if the synchronization operation has not completed on the interface. In some embodiments, the MMU may accept the subsequent PTE update responsive to transmitting the pending PTE updates from the queue. In other embodiments, the pending PTE updates may be identified in the queue and subsequent updates may be received.
US08341363B2
Snapshots of data and metadata associated with the data are created. The snapshot of the data is separate from the snapshot of the associated metadata. The snapshot of metadata is maintained locally in a cloud network attached storage (NAS) and globally. The snapshot of data is maintained according to an accessibility metric.Snapshot of metadata is transmitted from a backup remote site to a cloud network attached storage (NAS). A request for data corresponding to the metadata is received from the cloud NAS. The requested data is not available at the cloud NAS. The requested data is transmitted from the backup site to the cloud NAS.
US08341337B1
A data storage device (DSD) is disclosed comprising a non-volatile memory (NVM) operable to store system data for accessing the NVM, and a semiconductor memory. Whether to receive the system data from a host is determined prior to attempting to read the system data from the NVM. When the system data is received from the host, the received system data is stored in the semiconductor memory. A command is received from the host to boot the DSD, and the system data is read from the semiconductor memory to boot the DSD.
US08341334B2
A flash memory apparatus is provided. In one embodiment, the flash memory apparatus with a plurality of operation states is coupled to a host and includes a controller having an engine and a register array. A state machine logic circuit of the engine is provided for transition of the operation states and the register array provides state transition information. When a command is received from the host, the engine obtains the state transition information from the register array according to a first operation state and determines whether the valid command is one of a plurality of valid commands corresponding to the first operation state. The state machine logic circuit determines transition to the operation states according to the state transition information. The transition of the first operation state to the second operation state is performed in response to the valid command.
US08341328B2
A single instruction, multiple data (“SIMD”) computer system includes a central control unit coupled to 256 processing elements (“PEs”) and to 32 static random access memory (“SRAM”) devices. Each group of eight PEs can access respective groups of eight columns in a respective SRAM device. Each PE includes a local column address register that can be loaded through a data bus of the respective PE. A local column address stored in the local column address register is applied to an AND gate, which selects either the local column address or a column address applied to the AND gate by the central control unit. As a result, the central control unit can globally access the SRAM device, or a specific one of the eight columns that can be accessed by each PE can be selected locally by the PE.
US08341326B2
A host controller having a first communication interface, or protocol, writes to and reads from one or more slave devices each having a second communication interface, or protocol, which is different from the first, through a translation device, or integrated circuit, that is responsive to command streams from the host controller. The present invention provides a high-level communications protocol by which command information and data are passed to a translation device, and the translation device interprets these commands and engages in the desired data transfer operation between the host controller and the slave devices. In a further aspect of the present invention, the high-level communications protocol also includes commands interpreted by the translation device to achieve data transfers between the host controller and the translation device, including accessing internal registers and I/O ports of the translation device.
US08341322B2
A device and a method, the device has transaction scheduling capabilities, and includes: (i) a memory unit adapted to output data at a first data rate, (ii) a data transaction initiator adapted to receive data at a second data rate that is lower than the first data rate; (iii) a deep pipelined crossbar characterized by a latency; and (iv) a data rate converter connected between the deep pipelined crossbar and the data transaction initiator; wherein the data rate converter is adapted to schedule a transaction of data unit from the memory unit in response to the latency of the deep pipelined crossbar, the first data rate, the second data rate, and size of an available storage space, within the data rate converter allocated for storing data from the memory unit.
US08341319B2
An embedded system acquires hardware device information of an electronic device via a universal serial bus (USB) port, sets parameter information for each hardware device of the electronic device, and generates a control file recording one or more control commands that are generated according to the parameter information. The control file is sent to the electronic device by the embedded system via the USB port, and executed by the electronic device, to control one or more hardware device of the electronic device according to the one or more commands.
US08341318B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide various communication techniques for communication between a mobile computing device and an accessory. An accessory protocol that is generic to the mobile computing device can be used for some communication. An application executing at the mobile computing device can communicate with the accessory using an application communication protocol. In some embodiments, the application communication protocol can be different from the accessory communication protocol. In other embodiments the application protocol may only be recognized by the application and the accessory. In some embodiments, messages conforming to an application protocol can be communicated between the application and the accessory by packaging the messages inside a message conforming to the accessory communication protocol.
US08341284B2
Computer-implemented methods, computer-readable media, and systems are disclosed. A computer implemented method includes accessing a digital image including a plurality of faces including a first face and a second face. a computer-implemented method includes determining, from a receiving device, a connection speed between the receiving device and a host. The computer implemented method selects a method of delivery for specified media content based on the connection speed. The method of delivery is streaming when the connection speed satisfies a speed threshold. The method of delivery is downloading when the connection speed does not satisfy the speed threshold. The computer implemented method requests delivery of the specified media content from the host using the method of delivery.
US08341281B2
The present invention discloses a generic protocol translator (32) that translates information from a source device to a destination device. The generic protocol translator (32) includes a receiver circuit manager (92) that receives information from a source device that is intended for a destination device through one or more interface sockets (104). The present invention also includes one or more receivers (106) receive information from the receiver circuit manager. Further included are one or more message converters (110) that convert the information to the destination format using a conversion process. Additionally included is a message router (112) that determines which destination protocol is appropriate for the information. And, the present invention includes one or more message senders (114) that transfer the information in the destination format and protocol to the destination device.
US08341278B2
A secure streaming content delivery system provides a plurality of content servers connected to a network that host customer content that can be cached and/or stored, e.g., images, video, text, and/or software. The content servers respond to requests for customer content from users. The invention load balances user requests for cached customer content to the appropriate content server. A user makes a request to a customer's server/authorization server for delivery of the customer's content. The authorization server checks if the user is authorized to view the requested content. If the user is authorized, then the authorization server generates a hash value using the authorization server's secret key, the current time, a time-to-live value, and any other information that the customer has configured, and embeds it into the URL which is passed to the user. A content server receives a URL request from the user for customer content cached on the content server. The request is verified by the content server creating its own hash value using the customer server's secret key, the current time, a time-to-live value, and any other related information configured for the customer. If the hash value from the URL matches the content server's generated hash value, then the user's request is valid and within the expiration time period and the content server delivers the requested content to the user.
US08341277B2
A system and method for providing connectivity to a closed, secure production network, and computer program products for executing the same and, more particularly, to a system and method for creating a virtual network to provide communication with remote tools. The system includes a server configured to create a virtual network for tools in a production facility and provide authentication and tool routing information to a client in order to gain access to the tools in the virtual network. The virtual network isolates each tool of the tools from each other.
US08341276B1
Methods are provided for negotiating a static IPv6 address with a mobile device such that the mobile device can use the address to establish a communications session. Initially, a static IPv6 address that the mobile device is proposing to use is received. It is determined that the static IPv6 address is stored in a database in association with the mobile device. As the static IPv6 address is stored, the mobile device is allowed to establish a communications session using the proposed IPv6 address.
US08341274B2
A method, a system, a server, and a terminal for processing message are described. The method includes the steps as follows. A notification message for requesting to establish a session sent by a session requester is received, in which the notification message carries session management information related to the session. The session management information of the session in the notification message is acquired, and a session connection with the session requester is initiated according to the session management information. Alternatively, the notification message is acknowledged according to the session management information, a reply message is generated according to an acknowledgement result, and the reply message is sent to the session requester. A Data Synchronization (DS)/Device Management (DM) server determines problems of the sent notification message according to the information returned from the terminal, so as to perform the further processing, thereby preventing the DS or DM server from blindly and repeatedly sending the notification message when not being informed that a session connection is established by a DS or DM terminal.
US08341272B2
A method for the improvement of a TCP data transmission process in the case of an interruption of the physical transmission medium, wherein after the establishment of a TCP connection between a client (10) and a server (12) a data packet is transmitted from the server (12) to the client (10), wherein the receipt of the data packet from the server (12) is confirmed by the client (10) by the transmission of a confirmation message assigned to the received data packet, ACK message, wherein in the case of the transmission of the ACK message at the client (10) a timer (14) is started with a default time T1, and the same ACK message is repeatedly transmitted to the server (12), in case no further data packet has been received from the server (12) at the client (10) after expiration of the time T1.
US08341266B2
An approach for load balancing is disclosed. A user load is determined based upon data queued for transmission at each of the terminals. In addition, an inroute load corresponding to loading of inroutes serving the terminals is determined. A user-to-inroute distribution that minimizes variation of the inroute load is generated. The user-to-inroute distribution maps the user load to the inroutes. The user load is reassigned to the inroutes based on the determined user-to-inroute distribution. This arrangement has particular applicability to a satellite network that provides data communication services.
US08341264B2
A method of presenting advertising to viewers in a computer network environment includes monitoring a viewer's interactions with an associated computer system, and adjusting a timing of displayed advertisements on the viewer's associated computer system based on one or more of the viewer's monitored interactions.
US08341263B2
An approach is provided that transmits a load balance request from a first peer node to other peer nodes. Some of the peer nodes have assigned transaction tracking responsibilities. The transmitting is performed in response to identifying that the first peer node is performing at a non-optimal level. The first peer node receives responses from the other peer nodes. A determination is made as to whether to handover one or more of the first peer node's transaction tracking responsibilities. If a second peer node is identified to take some of the first peer node's responsibilities, then a handover message is sent from the first peer node to the second peer node that assigns at least one of the first peer node's assigned transaction responsibilities to the second peer node.
US08341262B2
A method for determining the offload type for the processing of the protocol of a network connection is disclosed. An offload policy manager in a server node determines the offload type on the basis of a number of factors, including the application type of the network connection, the traffic priority of the network connection, and the port of the network connection. After the offload policy manager selects the offload type of the network connection, the offload policy manager identifies the offload type to the offload engine, which processes the protocol of the network connection according to the offload type selected by the offload policy manager. The offload policy manager is able to access a number of application-specific tables. The offload policy manager selects an offload type by cross-referencing on an application-specific table the traffic priority of the network connection against the port of the network connection.
US08341256B2
A multi-generation distributed control system includes a first generation (FG) DCS connected to a local control network (LCN) including FG client nodes. A second generation (SG) DCS connected to a non-LCN data highway includes a server node connected between the LCN and the non-LCN data highway and SG client nodes. The server node includes a LCN processor (LCNP) board. LCNP emulator software including a server LCNP emulator software component is at the server node and a client LCNP emulator software component at the SG client nodes. The server LCNP emulator software component translates between LCN data and data highway protocol data and adds one of a plurality of LCN address slots to communications received from the LCN for delivery to the SG DCS that each correspond to a SG client node. Each client LCNP emulator software component provides one of the LCN address slots at its SG client node.
US08341254B2
The present invention describes a method and system for discovering of server devices. The system and method receive a list of known server devices. The system and method obtain middleware configuration data and/or log files for each of the known server devices in the list. The system and method derives dependencies on at least one other server device from the middleware configuration data and/or log files. The system and method determines whether the at least one other server device is a new server device not included in the list. Thus, the system and method discovers the new server device upon determining that the at least one other server device is not included in the list.
US08341250B2
Systems, methods and other embodiments associated with network device provisioning are described. One example method includes storing a set of device specific identification data in a network device. The example method may also include storing an association between the network device and a set of device specific provisioning data. The example method may also include providing the set of device specific provisioning data to the network device. The set of device specific provisioning data may be provided in response to receiving a provisioning data request from the network device.
US08341248B2
Provided are an energy-efficient communication method in a group information-based sensor network and a sensor network system using the method. A group exchanges group information and data with another group in order to provide an application service through inter-group cooperation in a sensor network. In this process, a target group is discovered, a communication path is established, and inter-group communication cycle information for energy-efficient communication is transmitted. On the basis of the group information and the communication cycle information, it is possible to minimize the network resource consumption and provide an energy-efficient inter-group communication method.
US08341247B2
A method, performed using one or more servers under the control of an ISP, comprises: (a) receiving an electronic transmission from a requesting server of an IP address and a time and date; (b) automatically determining to which subscriber of the ISP the received IP address was allocated at the received time and date; and (c) automatically transmitting an electronic communication that causes delivery to the requesting server of offline data originating from an offline data provider. The delivered offline data concern the subscriber determined to have been allocated the received IP address at the received time and date. The communication does not convey to the offline data provider the subscriber's history of online activity, and the delivery does not convey to the requesting server a personal identity of the subscriber.
US08341237B2
Systems, methods and computer program products for automatically triggering operations on a queue pair (QP). Methods include receiving a command at a remote direct memory access (RDMA) capable adapter. A trigger event element associated with the command is determined. The trigger event element is posted on a triggered QP. A triggeror element on a triggeror QP is posted, where the triggeror QP includes a reference to the triggered QP. A notification that the triggeror element has completed is received. The trigger event element is automatically initiated in response to receiving the notification.
US08341229B2
An apparatus and a method for processing messages at a mail server. In one embodiment, the mail server receives and compares at least two messages, where each message has a same message identifier. The mail server generates a single message having the same message identifier and a differential message based on the comparison of the messages. The single message and the differential message are delivered to a mail client where the single message is assembled with the differential message.
US08341225B2
A method and apparatus are provided for a user to construct a payload comprising content, such as multimedia, or references to content. The payload may be provided with further elements, such as a title or initial comments. The payload may be sent to any immediate contact of the user. Upon receipt by other users, the payload may be forwarded to any of the others' immediate contacts. Additionally, comments can be made by anyone in receipt of the payload for others in receipt of the payload to view. A social networking mechanism is provided, wherein a record is made for each forwarding of a payload and introductions can be made between individuals lying in the same forwarding chain of a payload. Immediate contacts can be collected into groups for ease in addressing. Teams of users can send and forward messages among themselves or to others outside of the team, according to predetermined rules and individuals' standing within the team. Users are provided with a sortable, filterable list of payloads sent to them. A thumbnail of each payload is provided to allow a user the opportunity to quickly assess the nature of the content. Payloads and invitations to join may be sent to people outside the system via email or as an instant message.
US08341224B2
A server enforces a policy for selecting what received change to process. The non-selected changes are not processed by the server. Instead, after the selected change is processed and is incorporated into the current version of the text, the server sends an update to each of the clients indicating the change made to the current version of text. A client performs a conflict resolution procedure when its change was not processed by the server. The conflict resolution procedure detects the differences between the updated text version and its text change that was not accepted by the server and uses the differences to deduce the intent of the user and come up with a merged version of the text which preserves the intent and avoids data loss. The updated version is then sent back to the server to update the current version of the text.
US08341219B1
Sharing data based on tagging is disclosed. Sharing includes associating a tag with a contact, identifying an object to which the tag is assigned, and sending object data associated with the object to the contact. Assigning a tag is disclosed. Assigning includes receiving an object from a contact, identifying a tag associated with the contact, and assigning the tag to the object.
US08341217B2
A reproducing means for performing reproduction processing on digital data which is read out from a predetermined recording medium recording the digital data, a manipulating means for making an instruction of reproducing the digital data inserted in the recording medium, a control means for reading the digital data from the recording medium in accordance with the reproduction instruction input with the manipulating means and sending it to the reproducing means, and for controlling the reproducing means to perform reproduction processing on the digital data, and a cylindrical case for containing the reproducing means and the control means are provided, and wherein the manipulating means is provided on one end side on one plane in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical case. Thereby the user can manipulate the manipulating means without taking out a portable recording and/or reproducing device from a bag or a pocket, thus making it possible to remarkably improve its manipulation.
US08341214B2
A mobile client coupled to a network and a method for the mobile client to interact with nodes, including printer devices, which are coupled to the network, are provided. One or more respective nodes includes a software application executable by a host processor associated with the respective node on a software platform executed by the host processor. The application can interact with one of the printer devices to cause the printer device to perform a function. The mobile client includes an software platform executable by its processor for discovering the applications. The discovering of an application includes ascertaining that the application is available for execution and having the ability to activate the application.
US08341209B2
Systems and methods for processing information via networked computers leverage request handlers, process handlers, and task handlers to provide efficient distributed processing of processing jobs, the processing jobs comprising a process flow, each process flow including (1) a plurality of processing tasks to be performed by task handlers and (2) state information associated with the processing tasks.
US08341206B2
Systems and methods for real-time viewing and manipulation of information hosted on third-party systems are described. The system and methods enable property managers to create, edit and delete real estate vacancy postings on multiple sites from a single account, view metrics associated with the postings, and shift the administrative burdens associated with the unreliability of third-party systems to the system itself.
US08341200B2
A method of downloading a file from a Web application to a client computer equipped with a Web browser including: the Web browser sending an original request to download the file to a first front server, the original request being addressed to a URL comprising a hostname portion that is independent of the file, the first front server sending a redirection response to the original request, the response specifying a URL comprising a hostname portion that is dependent on the file, the Web browser sending a follow-up request to download the file to a second front server, the follow-up request being addressed to the URL specified in the redirection response, and the second front server downloading the requested file in response to the follow-up request.
US08341192B2
Systems, devices, features, and methods for collecting or storing data corresponding to disputed territories for a geographic database, such as for use with a navigation system, are disclosed. For example, one method comprises identifying a data record that represents a geographic feature of a disputed area. An indication of dispute may be assigned to the identified data record, in which the indication of dispute represents that the identified data record corresponds to a feature in dispute between multiple geographic entities. Another data record that represents a geographic feature in dispute may also be identified. The indication of dispute and/or the data records of the features may be stored in a geographic database.
US08341191B2
Methods and structures for utilizing reusable custom-defined nestable compound data types to permit product variations within an existing taxonomy are described. Multi-attribute Tuples representing individual product variations provide an efficient way to represent an irregular subset of all attribute permutations. Tuples, using the system, methods and structures of one or more embodiments of the invention, provide an elegant solution to efficiently represent the many variations.
US08341185B2
Techniques to provide context-indexed network resources include determining a network resource that is associated with first data in response to receiving first data that describes a context feature. A context token is determined, which indicates a probability, in the first data, of a topic from a context vocabulary. The context vocabulary includes concepts describing temporal, spatial, environmental or activity circumstances of consumers. Second data is stored, which indicates the network resource in association with the context token. In some embodiments, determining a network resource associated with the first data includes sending a topic based on the feature context token to a network resource search engine; and, the network resource is determined based on data returned from the network resource search engine.
US08341182B2
A system and method for determining media to be exported out of a media library is described. In some examples, the system determines a media component to be exported, determines the media component is in the media library for a specific process, and exports the media component after the process is completed.
US08341171B2
A mining rule database 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 mining rule database update module estimating a relationship name using a named entity of the terminology and the ontology schema, generating a corresponding mining rule, and storing the generated mining rule in the mining rule database depending on user's selection.
US08341166B2
A system that enables development and execution of predictive models comprises a centralized data management system, a data extraction tool a model validation tool and a model execution tool. In embodiments, a data management system includes a data management server that can be accessed via a web browser that stores data in the form of a flat file. An extraction tool extracts data. A model validation tool validates a model by scoring an analytical environment data set and a production environment data set. A model execution tool allows a user to select when and how often a model is scored.
US08341160B2
A system to generate an index for a closest match search is described. The system receives a corpus of information that includes member information. The system parses the member information to generate signatures for each of the members and stores the signatures in the index. The signatures are unique to the members. Accordingly, the signatures signify the respective members. The system subsequently utilizes the index to identify input information that matches signatures in the index to identify a closest match of the input information to one or more members in the corpus information.
US08341156B1
A system and method is provided that detect a business listing having erroneous geospatial data. In one aspect, it is determined whether a first location and a second location are at least partially situated within a cell, the cell representing a geographic region having a predetermined area. If the first location and the second location are at least partially situated within the cell, it is determined whether a geospatial coordinate of the first location is within a predetermined radius of the second location. If it is determined that the geospatial coordinate of the first location is within a predetermined radius of the second location, the first location is flagged for inspection.
US08341155B2
Providing intelligent recommendations of reusable software assets can begin with obtaining semantic topic maps that define semantic relationships between topics. A topic can represent a requirement or a reusable software asset. A semantic topic map can be written in accordance with a semantic framework using a Web ontology language and stored in a semantic Web repository. User-entered search criteria, representing a requirement, a user-selected search results filter, or a reusable software asset, can be received. A set of semantic topic maps can be identified for the user-entered search criteria. A set of inferred data items can be inferred from the set of identified semantic topic maps. The contents of both sets can be aggregated into a results table. A semantic results graph, a pictorial representation of topics and relationships, can be synthesized from the results table. The semantic results graph can be rendered within an associated user interface.
US08341144B2
A search engine stores different taxonomies that each specifies categories and relationships between the categories. When the search engine receives a request having a search query, the search engine determines which taxonomy, if any, it should use to generate a search engine results page. The search engine bases this determination upon information provided to it in the request, in one embodiment. For example, the search engine might select a taxonomy based on the particular environment from which the search query originated. However, the search engine can select the taxonomy based on other information, such as a role of the user. Thus, a medical researcher and a financial analyst for a particular corporation could receive search engine results pages that were generated with appropriate taxonomies for each of them.
US08341130B2
Managing a shared file system comprising a directory and files stored on a multiple storage devices shared by plural processing nodes, is provided. A plurality of parallel directory traversal records are partitioned into a plurality of ranges to allow for the records in each range to be written independently in parallel by plural processing nodes during parallel directory traversal. Parallel operations are performed comprising parallel directory traversal of all directory paths and files in the shared file system.
US08341128B1
Transaction processing is disclosed. A first transaction associated with a first system tenant is received. The first transaction is associated with a transaction effective time. It is determined whether the first transaction modifies data. In the event that the first transaction modifies data, it is determined whether a second transaction is executing that modifies data associated with the first system tenant. In the event that there is not a second transaction executing, the first transaction is executed with respect to the transaction effective time.
US08341114B2
In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a system for storing data is provided. The system includes a processor that receives an application request to update a file on a server storage device, and generates, based on the request, a command to update the file on a server storage device. The system also includes a communications module that provides, to the server storage device, the command to update the file on the server storage device. The request is formatted for a file storage protocol of a client storage device, and the command is formatted for a file storage protocol of the server storage device. The command to update the file on the server storage device is not specific to the application generating the application request. Methods and computer-readable mediums are also provided.
US08341104B2
An approach is provided for de-personalizing data. Content from a data source is retrieved in response to a request by a user. A rule for masking data (e.g., web data) is determined, wherein the rule is specified in a policy associated with the user. A search, within the content, for data that satisfy the rule is performed. The data that satisfy the rule is masked. The content is then modified with the masked data for delivery to the user.
US08341102B2
A user state presumption system and method determines whether a user has exhibited a specific intended behavior that is an aim of service(s) provided by analyzing data of a series of accesses of the user made relative to the service(s). An intended behavior probability calculator is provided which calculates, every predetermined period, a proportion of users who have exhibited the intended behavior among the plurality of users and records the obtained proportion calculated to implement the user state presumption system and method.
US08341092B2
A packaging method includes the step of comparing a total package weight to a freight rate schedule and thereby determining a normal freight rate. The total package weight includes the weight of a container (22), an article (24) to be shipped and a normal amount of dunnage. If predetermined criteria are met, the method also includes the step of reducing the amount of dunnage dispensed below that of the normal amount of dunnage such that the total package weight falls within a freight rate that is less than the normal freight rate. The predetermined criteria include one or more of a predetermined percentage above a change in freight rate, a predetermined weight above a threshold weight for an increase in freight weight, and dunnage requirements including void-volume, degree of fill for the void-volume, type of article, weight of article and type of dunnage.
US08341091B2
A computer system may manage orders for goods from a plurality of purchasers. The computer system may receive the orders, calculate an approximate volume that the goods which are the subject of each order would collectively occupy during shipment, and compare each calculated approximate volume to a pre-determine maximum allowed volume that the purchaser of the order is permitted. The computer system may accept each order whose approximate volume does not exceed the maximum allowed volume for the purchaser of the order, or reject each order whose approximate volume exceeds this maximum allowed volume.
US08341089B2
A real estate management system and method are provided. The system and method provide an integrated system that handles all of the aspects of a piece of property including identification, acquisition, development (design and construction), management, maintenance and disposal. The system may include a five year plan, a sign package, a lease wizard and a work orders module.
US08341086B2
Systems and method for performing secure electronic payment transactions to allow merchants to perform payment processing such that the merchant payment system is not required to store data specific to a particular payment device.
US08341078B2
A system and method of managing a construction payment process involving a plurality of participants associated with the construction project and at least one document to be transferred between at least two participants of the plurality participants during the course of the construction project. One method can include assigning at least one enforcement action to the at least one document wherein the enforcement action is automatically effected if the document is not transferred between the at least two participants.
US08341071B2
A system for managing trading orders comprises a memory operable to store an order associated with a first price. The system further comprises a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and operable to identify a latency value. The processor is further operable to receive a counterorder and to identify a potential trade associated with the order and the counterorder, the potential trade based at least in part on the first price. If the latency value satisfies a configurable condition, the processor is further operable to initiate a configurable period of time. If the potential trade is not valid upon expiration of the configurable period, the processor is further operable to prevent the execution of the potential trade.
US08341066B2
An artificial expert system and method for determining whether to buy, sell, or hold a specific Individually Traded Unit (ITU) of publicly traded units residing in a securities or investment portfolio owned or controlled by a user, wherein the portfolio comprises of at least the trading statistics of each ITU. In one embodiment, the invention provides a user with a rational basis: to sell the optimum number of ITU's to unload at the optimum ITU sale price or buy the optimum number of ITU's to purchase at the optimum ITU purchase price or recommend that the user neither buy nor sell any of the selected ITU's.
US08341061B2
Method for establishing an investment mandate and for managing institutional investment funds associated with equity-based investments, bond-based investments and other investments.
US08341056B2
Systems and methods are provided for communicating and processing market data. The market data may comprise quotes, orders, trades and/or statistics. A messaging structure allows for adding, re-ordering and/or expanding data, within the printable character set of any language. One or more delimiters are defined and used to delimit data elements within the message structure. The data is interpreted based on templates which may be disseminated prior to the sending of messages and used as an abstraction so that the meaning of data need not be conveyed in the message.
US08341038B1
Methods for providing a payment account enabling an accountholder of the account to obtain discounts on purchases made at point of sale terminals of a plurality of different merchants and to pay for the purchases with the provided account. Methods further include providing an accountholder of the payment account an online user-account that enables the accountholder to access websites corresponding to the plurality of different merchants and to obtain a discount on each online purchase made at said websites by virtue of said access to a website at which said online purchase is made from said online user-account. The methods further include providing payment accounts to persons sponsored by the accountholder and to individuals sponsored by such sponsored persons and paying commissions to the accountholder based upon purchases made at point of sale terminals of the plurality of different merchants by persons or individuals within such a sponsored network.
US08341035B2
A multiple criteria buying and selling system and method is provided. A seller initially establishes a deal structure for a product, which provides seller defined selling criteria information relating to the purchasing of the product, such as volume per unit price, quality, delivery time and warranty information. A buyer will be able to review a list of deals if the seller's selling criteria matches a buyer defined buying criteria. The deal structure is preferably set up so as to provide buyers with both price and non-price criteria information that the buyer's would consider important in a purchase of the type of product being offered by the seller. The deal structure is electronically made available to potential buyers of the product. For example, the deal structure may be displayed on an Internet site.
US08341030B2
An aggregation of functionality related to a product within an electronic catalog hosted by a wholesaler web system is provided by presenting on a client computing device a webpage in which a single product is directly associated with a single access point. The single access point provides a means by which plural wholesaler web system functions related to the single product are made available to a consumer. A listing of the plural wholesaler web system functions related to the single product is displayed within the webpage in response to an activation of the single access point by the consumer. In response to a selection by the consumer from the displayed listing the wholesaler web system initiates a performance of the one of the plural wholesaler web system functions so selected.
US08341024B2
Servicing and/or providing spontaneous collaboration between a shopper and consultants concerning a shopping goal includes deriving information about the shopper's physical or logical proximity to a particular product category, combined with the current contents of his or her shopping cart is used to determine one or more shopping goals; as well as information about each potential consultant, including physical proximity, willingness to consult, areas of expertise and recent experience is used to rank each consultant in terms of relevance to one or more shopping goal.
US08341014B2
Recovery Segments are defined and employed to facilitate management of a customer's environment. A Recovery Segment is a runtime usable representation of resources and relationships between those resources associated with a business application. That representation is usable in managing the business application. Associated with the representation is one or more goals to be met by resources of the representation.
US08341013B2
A system and method for analyzing agent interactions is provided. An interaction between an agent and a business is provided to analysts. Performance scores for the interaction are received from each of the analysts and compared. A deviation between the performance score is determined. The deviation is compared to a threshold. Further interactions are provided to at least one of the analysts when the deviation falls below the threshold. A further performance score for the interaction is received from the analyst and provided to the agent associated with the interaction.
US08341011B2
A method for reporting one or more results that occur based on a price change includes receiving price planning input including at least one price change from at least one of an automated pricing engine and a manual pricing engine. The method further includes generating at least one result that will occur based on the price planning input and reporting the at least one result along with the at least one price change.
US08341008B2
Disclosed are a demand forecasting method, a demand forecasting program, and a demand forecasting system that can adequately forecast a demand for a commodity. A management computer calculates a trend function with respect to demand values. The management computer then calculates the ratio of the demand values to a trend curve, and calculates a logarithm of the ratio. Then, the management computer approximates the calculated natural logarithm curve with a periodic model, and converts the logarithmic scale of the acquired periodic model to a normal scale. Demand forecasting is performed using a demand forecasting model acquired by combining a periodic change model of the normal scale with a trend curve (trend function).
US08340995B2
A method and system are described for using business artifacts to identify elements of a component business model. Artifacts operated upon by the business are first identified, and then used to analyze the business into business operations. This is done by identifying every business activity that acts on an artifact, creating directed graphs for the business activities, and decomposing the directed graphs into sub-graphs, each sub-graph representing a business operation and being annotated by a verb expression, the annotated sub-graph representing a business service. The business services are then clustered into non-overlapping components, using common affinities reflected in the verb expressions, and organized by partitioning into internal and external operations, exposing a business service for each external operation. The components are then clustered into non-overlapping business competencies, and arranged by accountability level.
US08340993B2
A system of hardware and software provides a systematic and systemic method for performing assessment of the effectiveness of different levels within an institution. The system includes template driven definitions that span multiple tiers of hierarchically arranged operating units within the institution thereby providing flexibility and customization to handle a user-definable model of the institution's organization. In particular, the assessment management system may share data in a format that is importable by other management systems. Sharing of data does not necessarily mean the concurrent sharing of data but rather that the data is exported in a format that is transportable to another system. Portions of an assessment project may be shared in this way with other institutions even if the organization levels and other operating units are not the same between the two institutions.
US08340992B2
A system of hardware and software provides a systematic and systemic method for performing assessment of the effectiveness of different levels within an institution. The system includes template driven definitions that span multiple tiers of hierarchically arranged operating units within the institution thereby providing flexibility and customization to handle a user-definable model of the institution's organization. In particular, one or more concurrently active assessment projects may be associated with an assessment initiative. In this way, portions of data collection and reporting may be shared within the program initiative and its various, associated assessment projects.
US08340988B2
An insurance program for funding benefits by maintaining assets in the insurance program that includes an employer or employee owned trust account and at least one life insurance contract or non-cancelable accident and health insurance contract obtained directly or indirectly from a captive insurance company. The life insurance contract or non-cancelable accident and health insurance contract is purchased with assets from the trust account and the captive insurance company is at least partially owned by the employer. When paying or reimbursing benefits, the employer or the trust may pay the benefit and if the employer pays the benefit, the trust may reimburse the employer.
US08340983B2
A method and system for furnishing an on-line quote for an insurance product, such as auto insurance, the user is allowed to enter basic user information on an on-line quote system application which calls a common data entry system to request credit information for the user. The common data entry system sends the requested credit information to the on-line quote system application, and the user is allowed to enter a selection of coverage. The user is then allowed to enter underwriting information on the on-line quote system application which calls a rating engine of the common data entry system to request rating information. The on-line quote system application displays a quote for the user based at least in part on the rating information, and the user is offered an option to talk to an agent. A fast-forward feature simplifies the entry of modifications for the user.
US08340981B1
A method for measuring physician efficiency and patient health risk stratification is disclosed. Episodes of care are formed from medical claims data and an output process is performed. Physicians are assigned to report groups, and eligible physicians and episode assignments are determined. Condition-specific episode statistics and weighted episode statistics are calculated, from which physician efficiency scores are determined.
US08340977B2
A system and method is described for compensating for the effects of a corrupted Continuously Variable Delta Slope Modulation (CVSD) decoder memory state on a decoded audio signal. In accordance with the system and method, a first estimated step size associated with a first frame of the decoded audio signal is calculated and a second estimated step size associated with a replacement frame generated to conceal bit errors in the first frame of the decoded audio signal is calculated. At least a second frame of the decoded audio signal is then modified based on the first estimated step size and the second estimated step size.
US08340974B2
An aspect of the present invention is drawn to an audio data processing device for use by a user to control a system and for use with a microphone, a user demographic profiles database and a content/ad database. The microphone may be operable to detect speech and to generate speech data based on the detected speech. The user demographic profiles database may be capable of having demographic data stored therein. The content/ad database may be capable of having at least one of content data and advertisement data stored therein. The audio data processing device includes a voice recognition portion, a voice analysis portion and a speech to text portion. The voice recognition portion may be operable to process user instructions based on the speech data. The voice analysis portion may be operable to determine characteristics of the user based on the speech data. The speech to text portion may be operable to determine interests of the user.
US08340960B2
Techniques for implementing vocoders in parallel digital signal processors are described. A preferred approach is implemented in conjunction with the BOPS® Manifold Array (ManArray™) processing architecture so that in an array of N parallel processing elements, N channels of voice communication are processed in parallel. Techniques for forcing vocoder processing of one data-frame to take the same number of cycles are described. Improved throughput and lower clock rates can be achieved.
US08340953B2
A system and method are provided including a component in communication with a plurality of memory circuits and a system. The component is operable to interface the memory circuits an the system for simulating at least 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 component is further operable to perform a power saving operation.
US08340951B2
Disclosed herein are techniques for computationally designing enzymes. These techniques can be used to design variations of naturally occurring enzymes, as well as new enzymes having no natural counterparts. The techniques are based on first identifying functional reactive sites required to promote the desired reaction. Then, hashing algorithms are used to identify potential protein backbone structures (i.e., scaffolds) capable of supporting the required functional sites. These techniques were used to design 32 different protein sequences that exhibited aldol reaction catalytic function, 31 of which are defined in the Sequence Listing. Details of these 31 different synthetic aldolases are provided, including descriptions of how such synthetic aldolases can be differentiated from naturally occurring aldolases.
US08340949B2
A vehicle test system includes an occupant positioning module that receives a virtual vehicle and a virtual dummy. The occupant positioning module generates a first set of parameters based on the virtual vehicle, the virtual dummy and a first adapted vehicle standard. N groups receive the first set of parameters. N is an integer greater than 1.
US08340948B1
A computer-based method for simulating an overall effect of a component replacement on the reliability of a platform is described. The method includes determining a scheduled reliability for a platform based on a reliability associated with each of the removable components of the platform, selecting, via a user interface, at least one removable component of the platform for which replacement is to be simulated, determining, using a computer-based model, an effect the one or more replacements would have on the forecasted reliability for the platform, and providing a comparison of the forecasted reliability and the scheduled reliability to a user.
US08340946B2
A computer-readable recording medium stores therein a program causing a computer that accesses a simulator to execute receiving a measured yield distribution that expresses an actually measured yield distribution concerning leak current of a circuit-under-design, and model data for leak current of a cell of the circuit-under-design; providing the simulator with the model data and values for a normal distribution concerning variation components of the leak current of the cell; acquiring the leak current of the circuit-under-design; calculating, based on the acquired leak current, an estimated yield distribution concerning the leak current of the circuit-under-design; calculating values for the normal distribution that minimize error between the measured yield distribution and the estimated yield distribution; setting an initial value to the normal distribution and the calculated values for the normal distribution to the normal distribution; and outputting the estimated yield distribution that is based on the leak current of the circuit-under-design.
US08340937B2
What is disclosed is a novel system and method for characterizing a model-based spectral reflectance sensing device. In accordance with the teachings hereof, measurements of training samples taken with a previously manufactured ‘fleet master’ sensing device are adapted, in a manner more fully disclosed herein, based upon knowledge of the wavelengths of the illuminators used for both the subject and fleet master sensors, as well as spectral reflectance response of the training samples as measured by a reference spectrophotometer device. Utilizing the adapted measurements of the fleet master device, a reconstruction matrix can be quickly constructed for the subject sensor. The present system and method provides reasonably good accuracy using pre-existing measurement data. This results in manufacturing cost savings on a per-sensor basis.
US08340929B2
A liquid level determination system to determine the level of a liquid in a wet we is disclosed. The system may include pressure determination components and a pressure pipe with a pressure sensing pipe end located adjacent to the pressure determination components and a bubbler pipe end locatable at least partially in the wet well. A transducer is used to determine a pressure level within the pressure pipe maintained by a bubbler air compressor. A level detection processor may analyze the pressure level to determine a liquid level in the wet well. An interference dampener is included to mitigate interference originating from the bubbler air compressor. The interference dampener may be provided by transducer plug to restrict air flow. Alternatively, the interference dampener may be provided by a computer operated program to monitor and mitigate the interference.
US08340923B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for predicting a remaining useful life (RUL) for a component in a set of components within a computer system. The system starts by collecting values of at least one degradation-related parameter associated with the operation of a monitored component within the computer system. Note that the degradation-related parameter is a direct measurement of a degree of degradation of the monitored component. The system additionally collects values of at least one stress-based parameter from the computer system. Note that the stress-based parameter measures an accumulative stress in the operating environment of the set of components which can cause degradation of the set of components. The system then uses the values of the at least one degradation-related parameter and the values of the at least one stress-based parameter to predict an RUL for a component in the set of components.
US08340912B2
Embodiments of methods and systems for analysis of geological structures using seismic attributes are described. In some embodiments, a method includes computing a similarity function using one or more seismic attributes at a location within the geological structure along an I direction and a J direction; computing a total optimal similarity function in at least one plane defined by the I and J directions; computing a minimum possible value of the total similarity function for a defined range of rotations; and calculating a discontinuity measure based at least partially on the minimum possible value of the total similarity function.
US08340910B1
A system and method for monitoring soil and water resources is disclosed herein. Sensors capable of monitoring soil temperature, moisture and salinity are utilized with other sensors capable of monitoring such values as air temperature in order to provide real-time parameters to users/operators of land area in order to optimize plant and turf growth, and to optimize water usage.
US08340909B2
An improved apparatus and method for monitoring the levels of propane or other consumable liquid in remotely located storage tanks and coordinating delivery of liquid to those tanks, including an improved method of using the remote monitoring data to identify out-of-ordinary conditions at remote tanks, optimally schedule purchases or deliveries, improve safety, and more efficiently operate a propane dealership. More accurate and timely information concerning the status of customer tanks serves to improve operational efficiencies and increase safety. Data received from remote sensors can be collected and organized so that it is easily understood and utilized through the implementation of a user interface accessible via the Internet that allows the information to be presented in an efficient graphical and contextual fashion. Operational efficiencies can also be improved by calculating site-specific Degree-days and K-factors for each tank and by taking historical propane usage for each tank, weather conditions, and projected fuel usage into account.
US08340899B2
A route calculation device is disclosed. The route calculation device sets a recommended route leading from a departure point through via-points and sets an order of the via-points in the recommended route, through: (1) calculating multiple optimum routes from an origin point of a departure side route to multiple unarranged via-points and selecting one unarranged via-point that constitutes one optimum route that has minimum cost among the multiple optimum routes; (2) determining the place of the one unarranged via-point in the order so that the recommended route passes through the one unarranged via-point one via-point later than the origin point, adding the one optimum route to the departure side route, and setting the origin point to the one unarranged via-point; and (3) calculating, when the number of unarranged via-points becomes one, the optimum route between the origin point and the last one unarranged via-point.
US08340896B2
A road shape recognition device includes: distance and height detecting means for detecting distance data having a distance and height in real space regarding a road surface where a vehicle is traveling at multiple mutually different points; approximation line calculating means for dividing the plurality of distance data into near and far groups as viewed from the vehicle to calculate an approximation line of the distance data for each group each time the distance data of the boundary portion between the two groups is transferred from one of the groups to the other; statistics calculating means for calculating statistics from the corresponding approximation line for each group where the distance data is transferred; and road shape model generating means for selecting one out of combinations of the approximation lines to generate a road shape model using the selected combination.
US08340885B2
The invention proposes a method for controlling a stationary gas motor (1), wherein a rotational speed control deviation is calculated from a target rotational speed (nSL) and a current rotational speed (nIST), a target torque is determined from the rotational speed control deviation as the controlled variable, wherein a mixture throttle angle (DKW1, DKW2) is determined for the determination of a mixture volume flow and of a current mixture pressure (p1 (IST), p2(IST)) in a receiver pipe (12, 13) upstream of the intake valves of the gas motor (1) as a function of the target volume flow, and wherein a gas throttle angle is determined for determining a gas volume flow as the gas content in a gas/air mixture, also as a function of the target volume flow.
US08340883B2
In order to be able to undertake a reliable prediction of a movement trajectory of an object moving in road traffic even for relatively long prediction periods, a method is proposed in which there is firstly determined (203) with the aid of an evaluation of a determined movement variable of the object a driving maneuver that is executed by the object. A model (2051; . . . ; 205N) of the movement of the object is then selected as a function of the determined driving maneuver, and the movement trajectory of the object is calculated with the aid of the selected model. There is also proposed an apparatus for predicting the movement trajectory of an object that is suitable for carrying out the method. The object can be both a motor vehicle and an object in the surroundings of the motor vehicle.
US08340880B2
A system and method for controlling torque and/or speed of wheels of a vehicle. The system and method receive one or more vehicle operating signals. Based on the received vehicle operating signals, the system and method determine whether one or more of a vehicle's wheels require torque or speed modification. If it is determined that one or more of the vehicle's wheels requires torque or speed modification, the system and method modifies the torque to drive, or speed of, a wheel or wheels based on the received vehicle operating signals. The modification is automatic and/or independent for each wheel. Some or all wheels can be coupled to respective wheel hubs having incorporated therewith an engagement/disengagement mechanism. The system and method can control the engagement/disengagement mechanism to modify the torque at, or speed of, the associated wheel based on the received vehicle operating signal or signals.
US08340879B2
A method for opening a closed clutch arrangement of a drivetrain for a motor vehicle. The clutch arrangement is activated in such a way that the torque which it can transmit is reduced up to an opening point at which torque can no longer be transmitted via the clutch arrangement. The clutch arrangement is placed into an intermediate slip state before the opening point is reached.
US08340875B1
A hydraulic system for lifting a work tool of a mobile machine is disclosed. The hydraulic system may have a pump, a lift actuator, a lift valve arrangement, and a lift sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of an actual lift velocity. The hydraulic system may also have a tilt actuator, a tilt valve arrangement, and at least one operator interface device movable to generate a second signal indicative of a desired lift velocity and a third signal indicative of desired tilt velocity. The hydraulic system may further have a controller configured to command the lift valve arrangement to meter pressurized based on the second signal, command the tilt valve arrangement to meter pressurized fluid based on the third signal, and command the tilt valve arrangement to meter pressurized fluid and maintain a desired tilt angle of the work tool during lifting based selectively on the first and second signals.
US08340861B2
A diagnostic system that includes a vehicle communication interface (VCI) and a diagnostic tool is provided. When the VCI and the diagnostic tool are coupled together through a wired connection, the VCI and the diagnostic tool can communicate with each other and provide power, as needed, to each other. The VCI and the diagnostic tool can also communicate with each other wirelessly when the are not directly coupled to each other. The VCI and the diagnostic tool are configured so that communication is uninterrupted when going from the wired connection to the wireless connection and vice versa.
US08340853B2
A motor vehicle has wheels on which it travels, a powertrain delivering propulsion torque to at least some of the wheels propel the vehicle, and a service brake system having service brakes. When the service brakes are applied by a service brake actuator, braking torque is applied to at least some wheels. A first device provides data representing a velocity that correlates with velocity of the vehicle, and a second device associated with the actuator provides data that distinguishes between application and non-application of the service brakes by the actuator. A processor monitors data from the first and second devices and processes the monitored data to provide a data output when the first device has disclosed velocity change indicative of the service brakes having been applied without the second device having disclosed that the service brakes have been applied.
US08340850B2
In a hybrid vehicle in which a fixed speed change mode can be realized by the locking of a rotational element, the mislocking of the rotational element is prevented. A hybrid drive apparatus which has an engine, a MG1 and a MG2 and which functions as a power unit of a hybrid vehicle is provided with a brake mechanism of a cam-lock type which can control the MG1 in a lock state and a non-lock state by changing the state of a sun gear between the lock state and the non-lock state. In mislocking prevention control, an ECU calculates MG1 angular acceleration Dωg, which is the absolute value of angular acceleration of the motor generator MG1, on the basis of a MG1 rotational speed Ngm1 and judges that the sun gear S1 is in a mislocking state if the MG1 angular acceleration Dωg is greater than a criterion value Dωgth.
US08340847B2
To propose a ship navigation control system that can easily and automatically switch between a target throttle opening for constant velocity navigation control and a target throttle opening corresponding to a lever operation amount of an operation lever. Throttle control means includes first computation means that computes a first target throttle opening for constant velocity navigation control of a ship based on a constant velocity navigation command using at least a ship velocity signal and a target ship velocity command signal, second computation means that computes a second target throttle opening corresponding to the lever operation amount, and a selection and output means that selects one having a smaller value of the first target throttle opening and the second target throttle opening and outputs the one as a throttle opening.
US08340839B2
Methods and apparatus are provided of displaying air traffic control communication information in an aircraft having an aircraft communications radio. Each air traffic control (ATC) communication station that is within a predetermined distance of an aircraft position is identified. Indicia representative of the identified ATC communication stations that are determined to be within the range of the aircraft communications radio are rendered on a display device.
US08340832B1
Exemplary embodiments of the computerized management system for controlling energy consumption for energy consumers using a smart meter may include a database that contains contract provisions for energy consumers. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments of the system include a database interface adapted to allow the system to access the contract provisions to optimize energy consumption based upon available energy. The system may also include a managing data component that is adapted to manage data between the database and the smart meter. In exemplary embodiments, a communication network connecting the system to the database and the smart meter may be included. Additionally, some exemplary embodiments of the system include a protocol converting component that is adapted to act as an interface for application programming or protocol converting.
US08340831B2
In accordance with one embodiment, a system for non-intrusive load monitoring includes an output device, a data storage device including program instructions stored therein, a sensing device operably connected to a common source for a plurality of electrical devices, and an estimator operably connected to the output device, the data storage device, and the sensing device, the estimator configured to execute the program instructions to obtain data associated with a sensed state of the common source from the sensing device, obtain at least one model of each of the plurality of electrical devices, solve a Mixed Integer Programming problem for the at least one models over a fixed time horizon using the obtained data to determine a combination of operational stages of the plurality of electrical devices, and store operational data based on the solved Mixed Integer Programming problem.
US08340830B2
A solution for managing an asset, such as a movable asset, deployed to a fixed location, is provided. Location and/or power information is periodically acquired for the asset and assessed to determine whether the asset has moved from a desired physical area and/or the power is insufficient to continue with planned operations. In response to either condition, the operation of various devices on the asset can be adjusted to minimize an inferred risk caused by the asset moving outside of the physical area and/or maximize an inferred probability of recovering the asset.
US08340800B2
Monitoring a process sector in a production facility includes establishing a tool defect index associated with a process sector in the production facility. The tool defect index includes a signal representing a defect factor associated with a tool in the process sector. Monitoring the process also requires determining whether the defect factor is a known defect factor or an unknown defect factor, and analyzing a unit from the tool if the defect factor is an unknown defect factor. Monitoring the process further requires identifying at least one defect on the unit from the tool, establishing that the at least one defect is a significant defect, determining cause of the significant defect, and creating an alert indicating that the tool associated with the process sector is producing units having significant defects.
US08340799B2
An electronic lens processing system receives a lens prescription and performs lens calculations to create a work ticket for manufacturing the lens. Information that the system used to create the work ticket, such as data files for lens materials and machine settings for controlling lens manufacturing equipment, are stored. The work ticket includes a form that specifies work ticket calculations and/or a graphic of the lens or lenses to be manufactured. The system displays the work ticket on an electronic screen, and a laboratory technician can select elements from the work ticket to receive supplemental information on those elements to aid in processing the lens or determining why a lens prescription is not manufacturable.
US08340784B2
The present invention relates to a percutaneous insertion-capable lead, wherein insertion made through a percutaneous insertion structure. For one embodiment of such lead, the electrode-supporting stimulation portion of the lead includes at least one waisted region, relative to a transverse dimension of the lead, to facilitate lead steerability.
US08340783B2
An implantable lead including a lead body including an outer surface, a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one electrode; an electrically insulating member that extends axially over a first portion of the outer surface of the lead body between the proximal end and distal end, the electrically insulating member defining at least one aperture that exposes a first portion of the at least one electrode when in a first position over the lead body; and a reinforcement member formed at least partially of a different material than the insulating member and coupled to the insulating member, the reinforcement member extending axially over the outer surface of the lead body between the insulating member and proximal end. The reinforcement member may be configured to transfer at least one of a radial or axial force from a proximal portion of the reinforcement member to the insulating member, wherein the at least one of radial or axial force transferred to the insulating member is sufficient to move the insulating member over the outer surface of the lead body. In some examples, the lead may further include a deployable lobe member configured to anchor the reinforcement member and insulating member adjacent a tissue site within a patient.
US08340780B2
Various configurations of systems that employ leadless electrodes to provide pacing therapy are provided. In one example, a system that provides multiple sites for pacing of myocardium of a heart includes wireless pacing electrode assemblies that are implantable at sites proximate the myocardium using a percutaneous, transluminal, catheter delivery system. Also disclosed are various configurations of such systems, wireless electrode assemblies, and delivery catheters for delivering and implanting the electrode assemblies.
US08340775B1
In one embodiment, a method for defining a stimulation program for electrical stimulation of a patient, the method comprising: providing a single screen user interface that comprises a first plurality of controls and a second plurality of controls, the first plurality of controls allowing selection of multiple stimulation parameters for a plurality of stimulation sets, the second plurality of controls allowing selection of multiple stimulation parameters defining burst stimulation and tonic stimulation; receiving user input in one or more of the second plurality of controls; and automatically modifying parameters for one or more stimulation sets in response to receiving the user input in one or more of the second plurality of controls and modifying values displayed in one or more controls of the first plurality of controls according to the modified parameters, the modified parameters reflecting a stimulation program that includes an interleaved pattern of burst stimulation and tonic stimulation for delivery to the patient.
US08340771B2
According to one aspect, a method of treating a patient by electrically stimulating a predetermined site to treat a neurological condition. The method includes implanting a lead into subcutaneous tissue of the C2 dermatome/C3 dermatome area.
US08340769B2
A sensor is disposed within a pin portion of a feedthrough assembly. The feedthrough assembly provides a hermetically sealed enclosure that protects the sensor. In one embodiment, the sensor is a temperature sensor and the feedthrough assembly thermally isolates the sensor from the surrounding housing or enclosure.
US08340767B2
A cardiac rhythm management system comprises a medical electrical lead, a pressure sensing element, and an implantable pulse generator. The lead is sized to be advanced through the right atrium and coronary sinus into a coronary vein adjacent to the left ventricle. The lead includes an opening intermediate its proximal and distal ends, and a lumen extending longitudinally within the body in communication with the opening. The pressure sensing element is movably disposed in lead lumen and is dimensioned to extend through the opening in the lead, and includes a flexible, elongated conductive member having a distal end, and a pressure transducer coupled to the distal end of the conductive member. The pulse generator is configured to receive cardiac rhythm signals from the electrode and fluid pressure signals from the pressure transducer.
US08340766B2
A method of identifying potential driver sites for cardiac arrhythmias includes acquiring a plurality of electrograms from a plurality of locations on at least a portion of a patient's heart. Using the acquired electrograms, at least one electrical activity map is generated. Desirable electrical activity maps include complex fractionated electrogram standard deviation and mean maps, dominant frequency maps, peak-to-peak voltage maps, and activation sequence maps. Using one or more of these maps (e.g., by analyzing one or more electrogram morphological characteristics represented by these maps), at least one potential driver site can be detected.
US08340765B2
Techniques are provided for controlling ventricular pacing during an episode of atrial fibrillation (AF) for use by a pacemaker, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or other implantable medical device. In one example, upon detection of AF, the underlying intrinsic ventricular rate of the patient is determined prior to delivering any ventricular pacing. Then, a ventricular pacing procedure—such as dynamic ventricular overdrive (DVO) pacing—is activated to reduce ventricular rate variability to mitigate the adverse effects of AF. The ventricular pacing procedure employed during AF is controlled based on a maximum ventricular rate set relative to the underlying intrinsic ventricular rate so as to keep an overall ventricular rate below the maximum rate.
US08340761B2
Methods and devices for treating a blockage in the coronary arterial system are provided. Some blockages in the coronary arterial system restrict the blood flow to a portion of the heart, causing ischemia or infarction. Such blockages may be treated by displacing, removing and/or breaking up the blockage, which allows blood to reperfuse into the infarcted portion of the heart. Before, during, and/or after the reperfusion, cardioprotective pacing is provided to the heart. The devices have multiple electrodes in order to provide multiple locations at which the cardioprotective pacing may be delivered. The devices are adapted to deliver cardioprotective pacing to the heart via the electrode that results in a relatively high level of dyssynchrony of the heart.
US08340759B2
Techniques related to coils for medical device are disclosed. One example coil may comprise multiple filars, each being formed of a biocompatible beta titanium alloy having an elastic modulus ranging from 30 GigaPascals (GPa) to 90 GPa and comprising at least two elements from a group consisting of titanium, molybdenum, niobium, tantalum, zirconium, chromium, iron and tin. At least one of the multiple filars may be electrically insulated one from another. A structural body, such as a lead body, may carry the coil. One or more filars may carry a low-resistance core.
US08340758B2
An apparatus and method for controlling an electrical stimulation system to increase the resolution of the stimulation region with multiple independent power source electrodes is proposed. In the apparatus, the electrode set contains at least three electrodes of which two adjacent electrodes are of the same power polarity to control the location of the composite stimulation signal and the others are of an inverse power polarity to balance the total power polarity and narrow the stimulation region. The method for the apparatus comprises steps of: receiving a target stimulation location and level, generating at least one parameter to adjust power settings of the electrodes, thereby obtaining a composite stimulation signal corresponding to a virtual channel of which a location and level match the target stimulation location and level.
US08340756B2
An electronic stimulation device is provided. The electronic stimulation device includes a wave generation device and a wave buffer connected to the wave generation device. A wave amplifier is connected to the wave buffer, and a transformer is connected to the wave amplifier. The transformer is configured for connection to leads for transmitting a current through a body of a user. The present invention further provides a method for providing electronic stimulation to a body of a user.
US08340752B2
A method, apparatus, and computer useable medium that provides, among other things, a standardized test protocol for screening and evaluation of attentional impairment using EEG data. Further, the method, apparatus, and computer program product enhances existing psychological, behavioral, and physiological EEG data acquisition systems by introducing a sequential stochastic model procedure, and an intelligent data interpretation component capable of assessing EEG inconsistencies associated attentional impairments. Potential users of this product will be any person or organization that diagnoses or treats persons with attentional or cognitive impairments. The method can be used for initial screening and diagnosis of disorders associated with impaired attention, such as ADHD, as well as for treatment and evaluation of the effects of treatments, such as medication or additional therapies.
US08340750B2
The implantable medical device (IMD) system disclosed here utilizes one or more cardiac sensors that measure mechanical characteristics of the heart, such as left ventricular acceleration or right ventricular pressure. The raw sensor data is collected and processed by the IMD, which derives one or more mechanical event marker signals from features, traits, and characteristics of the sensor data waveforms. The mechanical event marker signals are wirelessly transmitted to an external monitor device for display.
US08340746B2
The application relates a methodology and apparatus for identifying predictive patterns for acute clinical events in the absence of prior knowledge. Principles of conservation are used to identify activity that consistently precedes an outcome in patients, and describe a two-stage process that allows us to more efficiently search for such patterns in large datasets. This is achieved by first transforming continuous physiological signals from multiple patients into symbolic sequences, and by then searching for patterns in these reduced representations that are strongly associated with an outcome.
US08340744B2
A system, apparatus and method are provided for measuring and removing the influence of pulsatility on contrast agent flow in a region of interest of a vascular system of a patient. Once the change of blood speed over the cardiac cycle is known (pulsatility), this influence is removed from acquired image sequence for outcome control such that “quasi-stationary”, regular flow acquisition is passed on to subsequent visualization and analysis processes. A contrast agent injector is also provided that simultaneously measures and uses ECG to inject a known contrast agent at a fixed point over the cardiac cycle or such that a known amount of contrast agent will arrive at a known time at a region of interest in the vasculature of a patient, thus controlling one of the main unwanted variables in an acquisition of blood flow sequences.
US08340737B1
A current lead (1) for connecting a superconducting load system (5), in particular, a magnet coil, to a current feed point (3a) that is at a higher temperature than the load system (5) comprises a flat, elongated carrier (6) and a plurality of mechanical and electrical parallel high-temperature superconductors (HTSC) (10), wherein the HTSCs (10) are disposed side by side on the carrier (6). The carrier (6) is made of stainless steel, and a plurality of HTSCs (10) are each disposed side by side on two opposite carrier (6) sides of the carrier. The carrier (6) is constituted in the shape of a plate with cut-outs (15; 15a-15d). The current lead has a high current capacity and low thermal conductivity and provides improved emergency conduction properties in case of failure of the superconductivity in the HTSC.
US08340735B2
A circuit board in a mobile electronic device has a microphone and related amplifier and signal conditioning circuitry mounted thereon. A radio frequency (RF) shield surrounds and isolates the microphone from electromagnetic interference (EMI). The RF shield together with the circuit board forms an acoustic chamber surrounding the microphone. A hole in the RF shield permits acoustic energy to enter the acoustic chamber and reach the microphone.
US08340717B2
In an embodiment, a mobile device is provided comprising a network interface and download controller. In an embodiment, the download controller is configured to check if a file to be downloaded can be handled by the mobile device and to transmit a download request to a further device if the mobile device cannot handle the file.
US08340714B2
A computing device with a configurable antenna. The antenna is configured through a switching circuit operating under software control. Operating characteristics of the antenna are configured based on connections between conducting segments established by the switching circuit, allowing the nominal frequency, bandwidth or other characteristics of the antenna to be configured. Because the switching is software controlled, the configurable antenna may be integrated with a software defined radio. The radio and antenna can be reconfigured to support communication according to different wireless technologies at different times or to interleave packets according to different wireless technologies to support concurrent sessions using different wireless technologies.
US08340712B2
Aspects of a method and system for utilizing a diplexer/duplexer for WCDMA operation as a filter for supporting GSM-based operation are provided. A receiver portion of a wireless device may receive WCDMA signals and GSM signals via at least one duplexer or diplexer. The duplexers may enable bandpass filtering of received GSM signals. The wireless device may enable receiving the WCDMA signals and the GSM signals via a single antenna coupled to the duplexers. The receiver portion may also enable selecting a processing path for received WCDMA signals or a processing path for received GSM signals. The receiver portion may enable amplification and filtering of the WCDMA signals. Filtering of the WCDMA signals may be performed via surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters. The receiver portion may also enable filtering of the GSM signals via the duplexers and amplification of the filtered GSM signals.
US08340710B2
A wireless telecommunication device and method of generating a domain ID from the wireless telecommunications network identifier of other communicating devices, such as a telephone number or mobile identification number (MIN), and creating a SIP URL to direct communications across a TCP/IP capable network. The wireless telecommunication device can generate more than one domain ID for same network identifier, and can include geographic information in the domain name to provide additional information about the other communicating device within the SIP URL address.
US08340693B2
Embodiments of a WiMAX base station and a method for determining current location information of a mobile station in a WiMAX network are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a first timing adjustment is determined from receipt of the ranging frame from the mobile station within the granted uplink time-slot, and a second timing adjustment is received from the non-serving base station. The second timing adjustment may be determined by the non-serving base station based on receipt of a ranging frame from the mobile station.
US08340691B1
In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for verifying a venue associated with a user location. A mobile computing device determines an estimated geographic location of the mobile computing device. The mobile computing device wirelessly transmits the estimated geographic location to a server system. The mobile computing device receives from the server system an identification of a suggested venue. An interface element that indicates that the mobile computing device may be located at the suggested venue is provided on a display of the mobile computing device. User input that confirms that the user is at the suggested venue is received. In response to receiving the user input, the suggested venue is identified as a confirmed venue. A wireless communication that identifies that the user is at the confirmed venue is provided from the mobile computing device.
US08340690B2
Techniques for content management in wireless mobile networks are provided. In one aspect, a method of managing content stored on a plurality of mobile nodes in a mobile ad hoc network (MANET) is provided. The method includes the following step. The content is bound to one or more geographical locations such that, at any given time, the content is stored on at least one of the nodes at the geographical location.
US08340687B2
The invention includes a method and apparatus for activating a base station. A method includes transitioning the base station to a first state in which at least one base station activation activity is performed and RF transmissions are disabled, and transitioning the base station from the first state to a second state in which RF transmissions are enabled. The at least one base station activation activity may include at least one of warming at least one power amplifier, setting at least one base station configuration parameter, establishing GPS synchronization, and other base station activation activities. The base station may transition from the first state to the second state in response to a trigger.
US08340686B2
We describe a device that is able to compute its range and time offset relative to another similar device, and thereby also a three-dimensional position, speed and time relative to other similar devices provided that at least four are present and within range. It does so by transmitting at least two signals at different frequencies and by receiving similar signals transmitted by the other devices. The signals are constructed so that they are independent of the radio band used and so that they lead to cancellation of common-mode effects in the transmitter and receiver circuits. No fixed infrastructure of transmitters, receivers or local measurement units is required and the devices do not need to be synchronized. The system scales to very large networks of devices in which they work collectively each solving a part of the problem that describes the relative positions of all interconnected devices.
US08340684B2
A method of estimating a location of a mobile station is disclosed. A received signal strength of a signal transmitted from a base station is measured. Based on the received signal strength, determination is made whether a signal propagation path to the base station is non-line-of-sight. If the signal propagation path is non-line-of-sight, a distance to the base station is estimated based on a propagation model of the base station.
US08340661B2
Embodiments of techniques for low-cost multimode operation in wireless communications involving the Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) standard and the Global System for Mobile telecommunications (GSM) standard are described. In one aspect, a method of multimode operation in a mobile telecommunication device renders wireless communications based on the TD-SCDMA standard using either or both of first and second frequency synthesizers of the mobile telecommunication device. The method also receives signals based on the GSM standard using either or both of the first and second frequency synthesizers of the mobile telecommunication device. Techniques for performing baton handover as well as signal reception for multimedia broadcast and multicast services (MBMS) using two frequency synthesizers are also provided.
US08340660B2
The present invention relates to a method of controlling a paging admission rate in a signaling control node of a wireless communication network. After execution of paging message transactions into the wireless communication network, a success rate is determined as ratio of paging messages forwarded to a paging area of the wireless communication network and number of successfully received paging messages. Even if the success rate is below a predetermined lower paging success rate limit, paging message transactions will be continued as long as a certain amount of paging success is maintained.
US08340658B2
Systems and methodologies for sharing functionality among mobile devices in a peer to peer manner are described herein. A mobile device can include a plurality of functional components that can each perform respective functionality. Examples of the functionalities can include transceiver communications, processing, power, memory, input and output for the mobile device. Further, the mobile device can include a sharing component that enables sharing a particular third party functional component to replace or supplement operation of a corresponding functional component of the mobile device. The third party functional component, for instance, can be made available for sharing by at least one of a disparate mobile device or a stand alone functional component. Moreover, a host component can allow a disparate mobile device to use an available one or more of the plurality of functional components of the mobile device.
US08340657B2
A mobile station provided with multiple antennas in a wireless communication system is disclosed. More specifically, the mobile station displays an overlap zone entry notification message received from a macro base station if the mobile station enters an overlap zone between the macro base station and a femto base station, and an user selects an antenna driving mode of the multiple antennas. And then, the mobile station transmit and receive signals to and from at least one of the macro base station and the femto base station in accordance with the selected antenna driving mode.
US08340652B2
A method of application waste management in a wireless device is provided. The method comprised a first low-memory event. Deleting a first set of data records incrementally until event is cleared or no more records are present. Determining a second low-memory event when memory is still low. Executing a clean-up script to mark additional data records for deletion. Deleting the second set of data records until the second low-memory condition are cleared or no more records are present.
US08340647B2
Systems, methods and programmed instructions are disclosed useful for transmitting signals representing data messages to and from a wireless handheld telephony device along a first call leg of a communication session previously established between the wireless handheld telephony device and at least one second telephony device, the communication session being controlled by a call control server.
US08340637B2
In some embodiments, a user may associate a first communication type (e.g., Wi-Fi calling application) with a second communication type (e.g., standard ten-digit mobile telephone number), so that the user may have calls directed to an active communication type in a predetermined preference. In various embodiments, communication devices may become available (e.g., initiated) based on an activity of the user, such as by a location or proximity of the user, use of a device by the user, or for other reasons.
US08340632B2
A no-charge transaction service method and apparatus for prepaid cellular telephones is provided which utilizes a prepaid cellular telephone in conjunction with a wireless intelligent network coupled to a prepaid cellular service provider. The user enters a short code to indicate a top-up request or other transaction request along with payment information into the prepaid cellular telephone using the alphanumeric keypad. The call data is transmitted to the wireless network which identifies the call and transfers the information to the prepaid cellular service provider. The prepaid cellular service provider identifies the transaction type, validates the call data and sends a verification message to the prepaid cellular telephone and other associated equipment, if any, via short message service, push to talk service, or other means without completing the originating call.
US08340631B2
Techniques to defer an incoming communication and schedule a follow up communication and techniques to provide reminders to communicate with a selected contact in order to maintain a level of connectivity with the contact are disclosed. A communication recipient can defer an incoming communication and schedule a return communication time. The return communication may be manually deferred by a user and/or automatically deferred based at least in part on availability of a user on an appointment calendar. Also, the communication recipient can receive reminders of the scheduled return communication or reminders to communicate with a selected contact based on a level of connectivity.
US08340614B2
A method and apparatus for determining proximity of a mobile radio relative to its base radio. Antenna diversity is utilized to provide improved proximity detection, such as NEAR state or FAR state, of the mobile radio relative to its base radio.
US08340610B2
A method of operating a communication system is disclosed. A location associated with a first wireless device is received. For a first frequency band, a first stored signal quality indicator associated with the location is received. For a second frequency band, a second stored signal quality indicator associated with the location is received. Based on the first stored signal quality indicator and the second stored signal quality indicator, the first frequency band is selected.
US08340601B2
In various embodiments, a network controller in a multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU MIMO) network may perform training for directional communications with multiple mobile devices. It may organize the mobile devices into different groups, with all the mobile devices in a single group able to communicate simultaneously with the network controller without excessive interference from each other. Various techniques may be used for such training and grouping.
US08340599B2
A UWB or other transmitter reduces interference to a narrow-band victim receiver on a periodic basis by means of a frequency swept notch. The notch may be created using active interference cancellation signal processing or simple deletion of sub-carriers. Details are given of both methods.
US08340596B2
Disclosed are a signal transmission apparatus and method using a eigen antenna technique in a wireless communication system. The signal transmission apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention relates to a signal transmission apparatus using a eigen antenna technique in a wireless communication system furnished with a plurality (N) of antennae, comprising: an antenna correlation estimate part that estimates correlation information among the antennae based on a signal received in a reverse channel; a group separation part that separates the plurality of antennae into antenna groups corresponding to the number (M) of transmission signals based on the estimated correlation information among the antennae and provides the information on the separated antenna groups; a gain adjustment part that adjusts the gain of each group antenna included in the antenna group based on the separated antenna group information; and a signal transmission part that transmits the pertinent signal via the antenna group for which the gain of the individual group antenna has been adjusted.
US08340588B2
A system for estimating parameters of an incoming signal is provided. At least one antenna is coupled to at least one suitable receiver. The antenna(s) are spatially translated in an arbitrary trajectory. As the antenna(s) is being spatially translated, a data processing means samples the incoming signal at set intervals based on a clock signal provided by a system clock. By sampling the incoming signal at different times at different spatial locations on the arbitrary trajectory, the system acts as a synthetic antenna array. The different samplings of the incoming signal at different times and positions provide signal diversity gain as well as different readings which can be used to estimate and/or calculate various parameters of the incoming signal. The different samplings can be used to detect the incoming signal, estimate its angle of arrival, estimate its time of arrival, as well as other parameters.
US08340586B2
Systems, apparatus, methods, and manufactures for performing link adaptation in a communications system are described. The methods may employ an error rate table that has a channel condition value dimension and a transmission parameter dimension. The elements of the error rate table include expected error rates for data transmitted at various channel conditions according to various transmission parameters. Also, the various transmission parameters may each be associated with a data transmission rate. For a given channel condition value, the methods may determine expected throughputs for each of the transmission parameters according to the associated expected error rates and data transmission rates. A transmission parameter may be selected according to the expected throughputs.
US08340574B2
A system for enabling use of ultra-small aperture terminals in satellite communications is provided. The system comprises a transmitter configured to receive an input signal having information, a bandwidth, and an amplitude, replicate the input signal into two or more replications of the input signal, convert each of the two or more replications to have a frequency tuned to two or more corresponding satellite transponders while maintaining the bandwidth and all the information of the input signal, and combine the two or more replications into a single uplink signal. A transmit antenna is configured to transmit the uplink signal to the two or more satellite transponders.
US08340570B2
A method for controlling a portable audio device using radio frequency tuning is provided. A radio signal transmitter device communicatively coupled to the portable audio device transmits an audio signal of an audio file on a first radio frequency channel, a forward control signal on a second radio frequency channel, and a backward control signal on a third radio frequency channel to a radio signal receiver device. The portable audio device determines whether an audio output of the forward control signal is received by an audio receiver device. In response to determining that the portable audio device did receive the audio output of the forward control signal using the audio receiver device, the portable audio device plays a next audio file in a play list.
US08340565B2
An image forming device includes a frame having an opening, a cover for the opening, a drum unit, a belt unit and a pair of registration rollers. The drum unit has a plurality of photosensitive drums defining an axis and being juxtaposed in line in a direction orthogonal to the axis. The belt unit has a plurality of rollers and an endless belt mounted over the plurality of rollers. The drum unit is movable in a first direction and accessible through the opening. The pair of registration rollers nips the recording sheets to correct skew in the recording sheets and to convey each recording sheet toward the belt unit. The pair of registration rollers is disposed at a side opposite to the drum unit. The pair of registration rollers defining a nip point located at a position aligned with the belt unit.
US08340562B2
An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member that bears a latent image and has a surface layer; a charging device that charges the surface of the image bearing member: a latent image forming device that forms the latent image on the surface of the image bearing member; a development device that develops the latent image formed on the surface of the image bearing member with a development agent to form a toner image thereon; a transfer device that transfers the toner image to a transfer medium; a cleaning device that removes residual toner remaining on the surface of the image bearing member after transferring the toner image to the transfer medium; and a protection agent supplying device that supplies a protection agent to the surface layer of the image bearing member that forms a protection layer thereon, wherein the protection agent comprises a metal soap and boron nitride and the amount of the boron nitride in the protection layer applied to the image bearing member after image formation is 0.3 μg/cm2 or less.
US08340557B2
A donor roll assembly for a developer unit including a donor roll for delivering toner onto a moving photoconductive member. The donor roll is supported for rotation and has an input shaft, a gear slideably received on the input shaft, and a torsion damper for rotationally coupling the gear to the input shaft of the donor roll for torsion damping. The torsion damper includes a resilient member adapted to deform under torsion to damp speed error (jitter) of a driving component, such as a motor.
US08340550B2
A transfer device includes: an endless transfer-belt that includes a first transfer-portion, at which a developer image is transferred onto an outer periphery surface of the transfer-belt, and a second transfer-portion, at which the developer image is transferred onto a member-to-be-transferred, the transfer-belt moving toward the second transfer-portion from the first transfer-portion; a transfer-member that, at the second transfer-portion, sandwiches the member-to-be-transferred between the transfer-member and the transfer-belt, and transfers the developer image to the member-to-be-transferred; a tension application unit that includes a resilient member, and a tension application member that urges the transfer-belt with resilient force of the resilient member and applies tension to the transfer-belt; and a damping member that causes damping force to act on the tension application member when the tension application member moves in one of a direction in which the tension application member urges the transfer-belt, or an opposite direction.
US08340549B2
Image forming apparatuses include: a casing; an image forming unit removable from the casing in a first direction; and plural developer cartridges. The cartridges may be attached and detached with respect to the image forming unit in a second direction that is inclined toward the first direction. Other image forming apparatuses include: a casing; an exposure device; a plurality of cartridges configured to be attached and detached with respect to the casing in a first direction; and a recording medium transport system for transporting recording media adjacent the photosensitive members in a second direction. The first direction may be inclined with respect to the second direction, and at least a portion of optical paths of the light emitted from the exposure device may extend parallel with the first direction. Aspects also relate to image forming units, e.g., for use in image forming apparatuses as described above.
US08340539B2
A constant current-type high-voltage power supply apparatus which is used in an image forming apparatus includes a leakage current detection unit that detects a leakage current leaked from at least one output terminal of the constant current-type high-voltage power supply apparatus and outputs the detected leakage current, a direct current voltage output unit that outputs different direct current (DC) voltages according to whether the leakage current detected by the leakage current detection unit is input, and a power control unit that controls power supply to the constant current-type high-voltage power supply apparatus according to the output DC voltage.
US08340533B2
An optical balanced receiver including an optical coupler for combining input optical information signal and optical reference signal and outputting two optical interfering signals whose phases are opposite to each other, two photodetectors for receiving the two optical interfering signals and outputting detection signals as electrical signals having the amplitudes corresponding to the interference intensities of the received optical interfering signals, a balance compensation type difference device for compensating an intensity fluctuation component added to a difference signal of the two detection signals due to the difference in amplitude and/or delay between the detection signals output from the two photodetectors in accordance with an input control signal, and outputting the compensated difference signal of the two detection signals, and a control circuit for outputting the control signal to the balance compensation type difference device.
US08340530B2
A system and method implementing dual stage carrier frequency offset compensation (FOC) in a coherent receiver for an optical communication system. In the first stage, a feed forward FOC function compensates for relatively slowly drifting frequency offsets. In a second stage, a decision-feedback FOC function compensates for relatively quickly drifting frequency offsets. The feed forward frequency offset compensation may be implemented with a feed forward carrier phase estimation function and the decision-feedback frequency offset compensation may be implemented with a decision-feedback carrier phase estimation function.
US08340526B2
Systems and methods for a reconfigurable, long-range, underwater data-communication network are described. The network provides a low cost, low power, lightweight, and easy to deploy underwater communication system capable of being operated at long distances. The network may include a cabled ocean observatory, which may be deployed underwater and connected to a surface buoy. The cabled ocean observatory may be connected to one or more removable underwater sensors via fiber optic cables. The underwater sensors may be disposed at underwater locations at long distances from the cabled ocean observatory. Fiber optic extension modules may be permanently connected to each end of the fiber optic cables. Each fiber optic extension module may include an optical transceiver, a power supply, and an inductive element for removably coupling an underwater sensor or the cabled ocean observatory to the fiber optic cable.
US08340525B2
A method for stabilizing multi-channel optical signal wavelengths includes the following steps. A first detecting signal is stacked on a plurality of driving signals in sequence. A plurality of optical signals generated after being driven by the plurality of driving signals is combined into one optical total signal. A wavelength detection is performed on the optical total signal. A second detecting signal with a frequency band the same as that of the first detecting signal is extracted from the signals obtained after the wavelength detection. The wavelength of the optical signal in the corresponding channel among the multiple channels is controlled according to the second detecting signal. A device for stabilizing multi-channel optical signal wavelengths is also provided. Using the above method or device, the multi-channel optical signal wavelengths can be stabilized, which requires less elements, and has a simple circuit structure, a high integration level, and a low cost.
US08340524B2
A protected light source for generating seed light for at least two wavelength division multiplexed passive optical networks (WDM-PONs). The protected light source includes an optical coupler having N≧2 input ports and M≧2 output ports, each output port being optically connected to supply seed light to a respective set of one or more WDM-PONs. A respective multi-wavelength light source (MWLS) is optically coupled to supply seed light to each input port of the optical coupler. A controller unit controls operation of each multi-wavelength light source (MWLS).
US08340522B2
There is provided a filter assembly for combining a wavelength multiplexed optical signal by multiplexing optical signals of different wavelength emitted from respective optical devices, and/or for dividing a wavelength multiplexed optical signal into optical signals of different wavelength and causing the optical signals of different wavelength to enter respective optical devices. This filter assembly comprises: a light transmitting member within which each optical signal propagates; plural optical filters disposed on an upper face of the light transmitting member at a predetermined spacing wherein each optical signal passes through the optical filters; upper reflective layers respectively provided between adjacent ones of the optical filters; and a lower reflective layer provided on a lower face of the light transmitting member, and wherein the wavelength multiplexed optical signal propagates along the same optical path within the light transmitting member.
US08340520B2
ONU 2A for P-P includes a signal-type discriminating unit 22A that discriminates whether a type of a downstream signal transmitted from OLT is for the P-P or not, and outputs an enable/disable control signal that controls an optical transmitter to an enable state or a disable state, and a control unit 21 that controls the optical transmitter to the enable state or the disable state according to the enable/disable control signal, wherein the signal-type discriminating unit 22A outputs to the control unit 21 a disable control signal that controls the optical transmitter to the disable state under an initial state before the type of the downstream signal is discriminated, and outputs to the control unit 21 an enable control signal that controls the optical transmitter to the enable state after the downstream signal is discriminated to be for the P-P.
US08340516B2
A grooming apparatus for an optical communication network is disclosed. The apparatus mainly includes a first photoelectric integration unit and an electrical-layer grooming unit. The first photoelectric integration unit includes a wavelength division multiplexing/demultiplexing unit and a photo-electric/electric-photo conversion unit. The wavelength division demultiplexing unit is configured to demultiplex a multi-wavelength optical signal into single-wavelength optical signals. The photo-electric conversion unit is configured to convert the single-wavelength optical signals to single-wavelength electrical signals. The electrical-layer grooming unit is configured to groom the single-wavelength electrical signals. The present invention overcomes the fatal defect of light dispersion, light power estimation, light power adjustment, OSNR limitation for a conventional OADM/ROADM system. Also, the flexibility of the electrical-layer grooming eliminates the wavelength broadcast and multicast issue. The processing of the electrical layer also addresses the wavelength monitoring issue and the wavelength conflict issue.
US08340514B2
An opening/closing mechanism for a cover of an imaging device includes a cover that is moved between a closed position and an inclined position in such a manner that the cover is inclined with respect to an outer housing of an imaging device, is moved in a straight line with respect to the outer housing, and has a pressing operation portion and an portion to be locked, a slide base that supports the cover slidably between the inclined position and the open position, and has a locking portion which is engaged with the portion to be locked to lock the cover at the open position, and a tilting base that supports the slide base tiltably between an initial position and a tilted position. When the cover is placed at the closed position, the slide base is placed at the initial position.
US08340512B2
Multiple sets of pixel values representing a captured image of a scene are received, with each set representing an image captured with a corresponding degree of focus. An image processor may identify a region of interest in the captured image, automatically determine the configuration parameters for a lens assembly to provide a desired degree of focus for the region of interest, and generate signals to configure a lens assembly. In an embodiment, the region of interest is a face, the desired degree of focus of the face is determined by computing a rate of variation of luminance of pixels representing the face, and the desired degree is the degree of the image having the maximum degree of focus.
US08340508B2
In a record/playback apparatus, if playback of image data is stopped, recording information relating to a stop point at which the playback of the image data is stopped and generating image data playback control information that specifies a playback resume point based on the stop point at which the playback of the image data is stopped. When the image data is recorded onto another recording medium, the playback control information is recorded together with the image data as resume information, thereby providing a user-friendly resume playback function.
US08340506B2
A system and method for processing image signals, including a signal dividing unit for dividing input image signals per frame into a first plurality of sub-blocks with a second plurality of the sub-blocks being included in the horizontal direction and each of the sub-blocks having the height equal to that of at least one macro-block, a recording unit for recording thus divided input image signals, a third plurality of encoding units each for encoding the divided and recorded input image signals in units of sub-block to be outputted as an encoded stream with the number of the encoding units equal to that of the sub-blocks in the horizontal direction, a further recording unit for recording the encoded stream in units of sub-block, and a stream conversion unit for outputting a video stream after rearranging the order of the encoded and recorded stream.
US08340500B2
To perform a seamless recording on a tape recording medium, additional information included in a predetermined unit of data in recording data is detected. An editing point for the seamless recording is determined based on information indicating at least presence of an editing point where the seamless recording can be performed, field order, and presence/absence of a repeat field included in the additional information. The seamless recording is performed from a position based on the determined editing point.
US08340494B2
An image converter includes an image converting unit and a determining unit. The image converting unit acquires frame image groups each including one or more frame images from original image data, and outputs the frame image(s) of each acquired group, converting its/their image quality based on determination by the determining unit, generating foreign-device-use image data including the frame image groups including the frame image(s). The determining unit determines necessity of first-image-quality retention of the frame image(s) of each group based on whether it/they satisfies/satisfy a condition. The image converting unit outputs the frame image(s) of the group at the first image quality if it/they is/are determined by the determining unit as necessary to retain at the first image quality, or a second image quality if determined as unnecessary to retain at the first image quality.
US08340492B2
A method for sharing at least one annotation between a first user media terminal (102) and a second user media terminal (104) in a communication network (100) is provided. The method includes inputting (404) the at least one annotation on the first user media terminal. Further, the method includes anchoring (406) the at least one annotation to the media stream executed on the first user media terminal at a first start time. The at least one annotation is sent (408) to the second user media terminal. The at least one annotation is received (410) at the second user media terminal. Furthermore, the at least one annotation is synchronized (412) at the second user media terminal based on a relative start time. The at least one synchronized annotation is then rendered (414) to the media stream on the second user media terminal.
US08340483B2
The present invention relates to an optical interconnection structure and a method for manufacturing the same. The optical interconnection structure includes a silicon substrate on which at least one groove formed with a lens is formed to have a curvature radius on the upper surface thereof; and a silica layer that is formed on the silicon substrate including the groove formed with the lens to retain a shape of the groove formed with the lens. As a result, there are effects that the optical interconnection structure can be manufactured in great quantities by performing most of the processes using a semiconductor processing equipment and have better thermal characteristics than that of the existing PCB substrate.
US08340478B2
Disclosed are optical modulators that have two coupling paths or structures between an input port to an output port, at least one of which includes an optical resonator.
US08340475B2
The present invention provides a database production method including: a representative image selection step of selecting certain images each as a representative image which represents an image content from the image content; a display processing step of causing a display apparatus to display the representative image; an operation inputting step of allowing a user to input image text information corresponding to the representative image; and a database production step of registering representative characteristic information extracted from the representative image in accordance with a predetermined extraction method and the image text information inputted at the operation inputting step in an associated relationship with each other to produce a database for acquiring, using arbitrary image characteristic information for each image extracted from an arbitrary image content in accordance with the extraction method, substance character information corresponding to an image which the arbitrary image content has.
US08340474B2
A method of browsing contents and an apparatus for browsing the same are provided. The method includes providing a plurality of characteristic vector types and a plurality of characteristic value types that correspond to a reference characteristic vector type selected from the plurality of characteristic vector types, and determining an arrangement order of preview information of contents according to a reference characteristic value type that is selected from the plurality of characteristic value types, and providing the preview information in the arrangement order.
US08340472B2
In a pixel interpolation apparatus for interpolating pixels, an edge pixel detection unit detects edge pixels constituting an edge among pixels on lines positioned above/below the interpolation pixel. A continuous edge detection unit detects edge pixels in which two pixels or more consecutively line up among edge pixels detected by the edge pixel detection unit as a continuous edge. A continuous edge pair detection unit determines the combination of the continuous edges detected on each of the lines above and below the interpolation pixel among the continuous edges detected by the continuous edge detection unit. An edge direction determination unit determines the edge direction of the interpolation pixel on the basis of the positional relation of one set of continuous edges determined by the continuous edge pair detection unit. An interpolation pixel calculation unit calculates an interpolation pixel using the edge direction determined by the edge direction determination unit.
US08340470B2
An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging device; a first storage section storing image data including an image obtained by the imaging device; a display section displaying the image data stored in the first storage section; an image-effect specification section specifying a type of image effect to be produced on the image data displayed in the display section; a scaling operation section capable of specifying expansion and contraction of the image data displayed in the display section and specifying a range of an image edit area on the displayed image data; and an image processing section performing image processing on the image edit area specified by the scaling operation section in accordance with the specification from the image-effect specification section.
US08340469B2
An information processing apparatus includes a band-shaped area selecting section, an angle selecting section, and a control section. The band-shaped area selecting section selects, from among band-shaped areas each having a first angle with respect to a second direction orthogonal to a first direction, a first band-shaped area having a maximum height, which satisfies a condition that the first band-shaped area is on one side of a first point group, which is in the first direction and on one side of a second point group, which is in a direction opposite to the first direction. The angle selecting section selects a candidate for the first angle. The control section effects control to repeat selecting of the first band-shaped area and selecting of the candidate for the first angle, and obtains the finally selected first band-shaped area as a processing result.
US08340467B2
A first movement control section sequentially moves a first image to multiple first positions. A first comparison section compares the moved first image with a second image. A target first position selection section selects a target first position based on the result of said comparison. After the target first position is selected, the second movement control section sequentially moves the first image to multiple second positions located in the periphery of the target first position. The second comparison section compares the moved first image with the second image. A target second position selection section selects a target second position based on the result of said comparison. A second position alignment execution section performs geometric transformation based on the difference between the position of the first image and the target second position and aligns the positions of the first and second images.
US08340456B1
An imaging system includes a positionable device configured to axially shift an image plane, wherein the image plane is generated from photons emanating from an object and passing through a lens, a detector plane positioned to receive the photons of the object that pass through the lens, and a computer programmed to characterize the lens as a mathematical function, acquire two or more elemental images of the object with the image plane of each elemental image at different axial positions with respect to the detector plane, determine a focused distance of the object from the lens, based on the characterization of the lens and based on the two or more elemental images acquired, and generate a depth map of the object based on the determined distance.
US08340451B2
Provided is a method for constructing an image database for object recognition, which includes a feature extraction step of extracting local descriptors from object images which are to be stored in an image database, a scalar quantization step of quantizing a numeric value indicating each dimension of each of the local descriptors into a predetermined number of bit digits, and a storing step of organizing each of the local descriptors after the quantization to be able to be searched for in the closest vicinity, giving to the local descriptor an identifier of the image from which the local descriptor has been extracted, and storing the local descriptor to which the identifiers are given in the image database. The storing step comprises extracting the local descriptors from the object images when a search query is given, scalar-quantizing each dimension, determining a local descriptor in the closest vicinity of each of the local descriptors from the image database, and storing each local descriptors so as to be able to identify one image by majority vote processing from the images including any determined local descriptor. The scalar quantization step comprises quantizing each dimension of each of the local descriptors into 8 bits or less. Also provided are a processing program for the method and a processing device for performing the processing.
US08340442B1
A high dynamic range (HDR) image can be lossy compressed by first mapping floating point image data values of the HDR image from a light linear space to a perceptually linear space using a first non-linear mapping function. A value in the light linear space is proportionate to the power of a light source, and a value in the perceptually linear space is proportionate to a visual perceived brightness. Floating point discrete cosine transform (DCT) frequency coefficients of the floating point image data values of the HDR image are determined. The floating point DCT frequency coefficients are quantized. The quantized floating point DCT frequency coefficients are compressed. The compression of the quantized floating point DCT frequency coefficients is lossless. The compressed quantized floating point DCT frequency coefficients are stored.
US08340441B2
This invention enables the suppression of block noise even at an intermediate resolution equal to or lower than the original resolution and further increases the number of directly decodable resolutions for higher convenience. For this purpose, a memory stores original image data photographed by an image sensing unit. A resizing unit generates resized image data by reducing the numbers of horizontal and vertical pixels of the original image data stored in the memory to ½ and stores the image data in the memory again. An image compression unit encodes the original image data and the resized image data by HD Photo®. A CPU puts the two encoded data into one file and stores it in a nonvolatile memory card connected to an output unit.
US08340439B2
In an image conversion method, a value which reflects the mutual relationship between the classes of pixel patterns each formed from a pixel classified as one of a plurality of classes and peripheral pixels is set as a converted value corresponding to each of the plurality of classes, a pixel of interest is sequentially selected from the input image, and a pixel pattern formed from the selected pixel of interest and a predetermined number of pixels around it is classified as one of the plurality of classes in accordance with a neighboring pattern obtained based on the relationship between the value of the pixel of interest and the values of peripheral pixels located at predetermined relative positions with respect to the pixel of interest. The value of the pixel of interest is converted into a converted value set for a class to which the pixel of interest has been classified.
US08340431B2
An automatic photographing method with face recognition is applied in a camera having a detecting lens and a photographing lens for a user to photograph a target. First, detect a face of the user through the detecting lens, and obtain a plurality of face images of the detected face. Then, capture an image variance of the obtained face images, and photograph the target through a photographing lens when the captured image variance exceeds a photographing starting value. Therefore, during the whole photographing process, photographing can be achieved through determining variations of the face images of the user without pressing the shutter key of the camera, thereby completely preventing handshakes resulted from the pressing action, and thus improving the photographing quality.
US08340421B2
Embodiments disclosed include methods and systems for three dimensional connected component labeling, including determining a location value for each of one or more labels, each location value identifying a maximum “y” extent and a maximum “z” extent of an associated label region; storing each of the one or more labels that refer to areas subsumed in a determination of the maximum y extent in the maximum “z” extent as a yzMax location value; buffering in a frame buffer the one or more of labels; and providing access via a three-dimensional kernel to one or more values in a current line buffer and/or a current array and/or a previous array.
US08340419B2
The grayscale of an input signal is converted without amplifying noise components thereof. A grayscale conversion portion performs grayscale conversion on an input signal IS to create a converted signal TS, a noise reduction degree determining portion determines a noise reduction degree NR that expresses a strength of noise reduction processing to be applied to the converted signal based on the input signal IS and the converted signal TS, and a noise reducing portion executes noise reduction processing on the converted signal TS based on the noise reduction degree NR. By doing this, it is possible to convert the grayscale of the input signal without enhancing the noise.
US08340414B2
A method for image processing comprising filtration and conversion to a radiometric color image based on an original image. The method gives the processed image high spatial resolution combined with high dynamic resolution. The original image is made available in digital format. Contrast-increasing filtration is performed on the original digital image. The original digital image is converted into a radiometric pseudocolor image based on a chosen color range in which each color corresponds to an absolute measured, radiated or reflected quantity of energy within a certain wavelength band and where the images are represented in a format containing a luminance component. The filtered contrast-increased original image is scaled in terms of the luminance component in the radiometric color image. The luminance component in the radiometric color image is replaced with the scaled, filtered contrast-increased luminance component of the original image.
US08340410B1
The intelligent saturation controller calculates the exact maximum saturation any valid YCbCr pixel can undergo before it becomes invalid in ROB space. The controller models the saturation operation in RGB color space and calculates the maximum saturation level at which the RGB values falls outside the valid range. The saturation operation is performed independently for every pixel of the incoming video frame and ensures that each output pixel is a valid. The controller finds the maximum saturation for each input pixel and checks whether it is less than the input saturation factor. If so, then this calculated maximum saturation value is applied. If not, the input saturation factor is applied. Accordingly, the output RGB pixels are valid and no clamping is necessary if no other video processing is done in YCbCr space. Increasing the saturation of the video signal results in a more vivid and more colorful picture.
US08340401B2
A method for associating a three-dimensional surface representing a real object and a three-dimensional reference surface, said reference surface being represented by a set of reference points, the method comprising: obtaining a set of real points representing the real surface, determining the normal vector of each point of said obtained set of real points, selecting, among the set of real points, control points according to the determined normal vector by converting the set of real points to a bi-dimensional space of normal vectors, generating sets of points having similar normal vector among the points of the set of real points and selecting, for each set of points with similar normal vector, one point that is a control point of the real surface, determining correspondence points close to the set of reference points that are determined to correspond to the control points of the real surface, and determining the motion that minimizes the distances between the control points of the real surface and the correspondence points.
US08340399B2
Window based matching is used for determining a depth map from images obtained from different orientations. A set of fixed matching windows is used for points of the image for which the depth is to be determined. The set of matching windows covers a footprint of pixels around the point of the image, and the average number (O) of matching windows that a pixel of the footprint (FP) belongs to is less than one plus the number of pixels in the footprint divided by 15 (O
US08340394B2
A method of decomposing a target pattern having features to be imaged on a substrate so as to allow said features to be imaged in a multi-exposure process. The method includes the steps of: (a) dividing a plurality of the features into a plurality of segments; (b) determining the image log slope (ILS) value for each of the plurality of segments; (c) determining the value of the gradient of the image log slope (ILS) value for each of the plurality of segments; and (d) assigning a phase or color to the segments based on the values of the gradient of the image log slope of each of the plurality of segments.
US08340388B2
Systems, computer-readable media, methods, and a medical imaging apparatus for improving the automated detection of suspicious regions of interest in x-ray images of anatomical organs under study are disclosed. Noise effects in x-ray images are suppressed to predetermined levels by filtering the original x-ray images and then combining the original images with the filtered images in such a way that the predetermined noise value is met. The resulting modified x-ray images then may be analyzed to automatically detect suspected breast microcalcifications or other suspicious regions of interest. In addition, three-dimensional digital images of anatomical organs may be computed from a plurality of such modified x-ray images of an anatomical organ taken from different angles, as in CT imaging, and the three-dimensional digital images may be processed to automatically detect suspicious regions of interest.
US08340385B2
A method and system for left ventricle (LV) detection in 2D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images is disclosed. In order to detect the LV in a 2D MRI image, a plurality of LV candidates are detected, for example using marginal space learning (MSL) based detection. Candidates for distinctive anatomic landmarks associated with the LV are then detected in the 2D MRI image. In particular, apex candidates and base candidates are detected in the 2D MRI image. One of the LV candidates is selected as a final LV detection result by ranking the LV candidates based on the LV candidates, the apex candidates, and the base candidates using a trained ranking model.
US08340383B2
A CT scanner which can reconstruct high-quality tomographic images using only the projected images obtained by scanning an object without requiring any special three-dimensional phantom is provided. A two-dimensional radiation sensor placed to face a radiation source via the object acquires projected images while relatively rotating the object in the radiation emitted from the radiation source. Tomographic images are obtained at one predetermined slice position of the object by performing, for each of geometrical calibration parameter values, reconstruction of a tomographic image of the object using one of the calibration parameter values based on acquired projected images. One of the calibration parameter values is selected based on the obtained tomographic images. A tomographic image is reconstructed at each slice position by using a selected calibration parameter value based on a projected image at each acquired slice position of the object.
US08340381B2
An image of an anatomical structure can be analyzed to determine an enclosing three-dimensional boundary when the anatomical structure is filled with two substances, such as air and a fluid. Various techniques can be used to determine the enclosing boundary including: analyzing the virtual structure to segment the structure into air and fluid pockets, determining if there are multiple fluid pockets whose surface touches a single air-fluid boundary, determining a separate threshold for respective fluid pockets, resegmenting the virtual anatomical structure using the separate threshold for different fluid pockets, forming a hierarchical pocket tree which represents the relationship between the fluid and air pockets, pruning the pocket tree based on various criteria which corresponds to deleting those pruned portions from the virtual anatomical structure, and resegmenting the remaining virtual anatomical structure using one or more of fuzzy connectedness, two-dimensional gap filling, and level set segmentation.
US08340379B2
Presented herein are methods, systems, and computer-readable medium for presenting imaging data related to an anatomical site. These include obtaining a first set of imaging data related to the anatomical site and tracking units at the anatomical site and, thereafter, optionally, obtaining a second set of imaging data related to the anatomical site. A deformed version of the first set of imaging data is then determined based on the relative arrangements of one or more of the tracking units at the time when the first set of imaging data is obtained and when the second set of imaging data is obtained. Then the relative emplacements of the second set of imaging data set and of the deformed version of the first set of imaging data set are determined and used, along with the second set of imaging data set and the deformed version of the first set of imaging data, as a basis for displaying image guidance data.
US08340360B2
Automatic conflation systems and techniques which provide vector-imagery conflation and map-imagery conflation. Vector-imagery conflation is an efficient approach that exploits knowledge from multiple data sources to identify a set of accurate control points. Vector-imagery conflation provides automatic and accurate alignment of various vector datasets and imagery, and is appropriate for GIS applications, for example, requiring alignment of vector data and imagery over large geographical regions. Map-imagery conflation utilizes common vector datasets as “glue” to automatically integrate street maps with imagery. This approach provides automatic, accurate, and intelligent images that combine the visual appeal and accuracy of imagery with the detailed attribution information often contained in such diverse maps. Both conflation approaches are applicable for GIS applications requiring, for example, alignment of vector data, raster maps, and imagery. If desired, the conflated data generated by such systems may be retrieved on-demand.
US08340359B2
A manifest including an electronic file associated with a geographic location and a portion of the geographic location indicating a dig area is provided. The manifest includes indicia noting a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within the dig area.
US08340357B2
A moving object detection method is provided which can accurately perform segmentation on an image including an object such as a person that moves changing shape. The method includes: accepting pictures included in the video (S101); calculating movement trajectories by detecting motions between two temporally adjoining pictures in units of blocks constituting each of the pictures and each including one or more pixels, and concatenating detected motions for all the pictures (S102 and S103); calculating distances each indicating similarity between the calculated movement trajectories (S104); and performing segmentation by performing geodetic distance transformation by combining distances smaller than a predetermined threshold from among the calculated distances, detecting a discontinuity point in a distribution of the calculated geodetic distances, and classifying, into one cluster, movement trajectories separate from each other at a geodetic distance smaller than a length indicating the detected discontinuity point (S105 and 106).
US08340349B2
A method for detecting a moving target is disclosed that receives a plurality of images from at least one camera; receives a measurement of scale from one of a measurement device and a second camera; calculates the pose of the at least one camera over time based on the plurality of images and the measurement of scale; selects a reference image and an inspection image from the plurality of images of the at least one camera; and detects a moving target from the reference image and the inspection image based on the orientation of corresponding portions in the reference image and the inspection image relative to a location of an epipolar direction common to the reference image and the inspection image; and displays any detected moving target on a display. The measurement of scale can derived from a second camera or, for example, a wheel odometer. The method can also detect moving targets by combining the above epipolar method with a method based on changes in depth between the inspection image and the reference image and based on changes in flow between the inspection image and the reference image.
US08340348B2
Methods and apparatus for thwarting circumvention of watermark detection are provided. When content is received at a device that is equipped with a watermark extractor, an attacker may disguise the form of the received content in an attempt to circumvent detection of watermarks that are embedded in the content. A signal processing operation is performed on the received content such that the signal processing operation does not significantly degrade the perceptual quality of the content if the content is indeed in the form that is purported to be. The signal processing operation, however, significantly degrades the perceptual quality of the content if the content is in a different form, thereby discouraging the attacker's attempts to thwart watermark detection.
US08340343B2
A method and system for embedding and recovering a spatial fingerprint in a sequence of video frames. The sequence includes marked frames that include marked groups having markable positions. The embedding method selects a frame offset and marking period for the marked frames, and determines a marking strength for modifying each marked group. A portion of the spatial fingerprint is embedded in each marked group of a first subgroup of the marked groups, and an ordering of the portion embedded in the first subgroup is embedded in each marked group of a second subgroup of the marked groups. The recovering method analyzes a quality ratio of the DCT transform energy and the residual for each markable position in the frame to determine whether the frame is a marked frame. The recovering method recovers the spatial fingerprint when the marked groups maintain the quality ratio in a number of successive marked frames.
US08340328B2
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an acoustics transducer is provided, which includes a support substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface including a first portion and a second portion surrounding the first portion, a recess extending from the upper surface towards the lower surface, the recess is between the first portion and the second portion of the upper surface, a vibratable membrane disposed directly on the recess, the vibratable membrane including a fixed portion fixed on the support substrate and a suspended portion, and a back plate disposed on the support substrate and opposite to the vibratable membrane. The suspended portion has an edge extending substantially along with an edge of an opening of the recess. The suspended portion is separated from the first portion and the second portion of the upper surface by an inner interval and an outer interval, respectively.
US08340326B2
Addressable amplified speakers assembly, and method for addressing the same, suitable for any permanent or temporary public address paging application. Amplified speakers assembly may incorporate VHF and UHF radios to provide wireless, one-way paging from a few feet to many miles away. These speakers can be added to any existing radio system with minimal effort or cost. The need for routing signal cable is eliminated, greatly reducing installation costs. Each speaker can be programmed for individual, group, or all-page access via DTMF or 2-Tone coding (up to 8 different addresses). The volume of each speaker can also be controlled remotely.
US08340324B2
When a copy mode is set, all channel selecting switches on a control panel are set to valid for a parameter copy operation, in which, when an operation of the channel selecting switch is detected while the copy mode is set, (a) in a case where the operation of the channel selecting switch is determined to be a setting operation of a copy-source channel, the channel corresponding to the operated channel selecting switch is set as a copy-source channel and channel selecting switches corresponding to the channel of a different type from a type of the copy-source channel is set invalid so that only the channel selecting switch corresponding to the channel of the same type as of the copy-source channel is placed into a valid state, and (b) in a case where the operation of the channel selecting switch is determined to be the setting operation of a copy-destination channel, the channel corresponding to the channel selecting switch operated is set as a copy-destination channel.
US08340319B2
A playback device includes: a playback portion that plays back content and outputs at least an audio signal; an acquisition portion that acquires an external audio signal; a generating portion that, based on noise collected by a sound collecting device, generates a noise cancellation signal to reduce the noise; a switching portion that, if the acquisition portion has acquired the external audio signal when the playback portion is playing back content, switches an output signal from the audio signal to the external audio signal; and a synthesizing portion that synthesizes the output signal from the switching portion with the noise cancellation signal.
US08340316B2
The directional microphone device according to the present invention solves a problem of increase in thermal noise (problem of decrease in sensitivity) that occurs at the time of directivity synthesis. The directional microphone device includes: a plurality of microphones which have directional and non-directional characteristics; a control unit which generates an output signal using signals outputted from each of the plurality of microphones; and an output unit which outputs the output signal generated by the control unit. The control unit generates the output signal such that a nearly non-directional directivity and a high sensitivity are obtained in small amplitude range of the output signal, and a directivity and a low sensitivity are obtained in large amplitude range of the output signal.
US08340314B2
An audio system for an aircraft passenger cabin and a method for controlling such an audio system for providing passengers with information programs, in which multiple loudspeakers are each disposed at a predefined loudspeaker location in the aircraft cabin, and an audio signal having at least one audio channel is reproduced via the loudspeakers wherein the at least one audio channel is output by a central processing unit to the multiple loudspeakers in the aircraft cabin via a bus system having multiple distribution units and multiple cabin units.
US08340311B2
A system that allows the teammates of an individual (such as a quarterback on a football team) to hear signals being called by that individual during the course of a sports competition, despite noise generated by an audience. The system includes a microphone positioned within the helmet of the signal caller connected to an audio amplification device, either positioned in the helmet or in some other part of the clothing or equipment worn by the signal caller. The amplified signal is then directed to one or more loudspeakers, again positioned either on the helmet of the signal caller or on the clothing or equipment worn by the signal caller. The loudspeakers are directed to the signal caller's teammates, positioned typically along a line of scrimmage. The system may be time-limited in operation in that the signal caller must specifically activate the system which thereafter remains activated only for a pre-set period of time before automatically shutting off. The components of the system may be connected to each other by wired or wireless signal lines.
US08340310B2
The disclosed methods and devices incorporate a novel expandable bubble portion which provides superior fidelity to a listener while minimizing listener fatigue. The expandable bubble portion may be expanded through the transmission of low frequency audio signals or the pumping of a gas to the expandable bubble portion. In addition, embodiments of the acoustic device may be adapted to consistently and comfortably fit to any ear, providing for a variable, impedance matching acoustic seal to both the tympanic membrane and the audio transducer, respectively, while isolating the sound-vibration chamber within the driven bubble. This reduces the effect of gross audio transducer vibration excursions on the tympanic membrane and transmits the audio content in a manner which allows the ear to utilize its full inherent capabilities.
US08340306B2
A binaural cue coding scheme involving one or more object-based cue codes, wherein an object-based cue code directly represents a characteristic of an auditory scene corresponding to the audio channels, where the characteristic is independent of number and positions of loudspeakers used to create the auditory scene. Examples of object-based cue codes include the angle of an auditory event, the width of the auditory event, the degree of envelopment of the auditory scene, and the directionality of the auditory scene.
US08340280B2
In one embodiment, an encryption operation may be performed by obtaining a product of a carry-less multiplication using multiple single instruction multiple data (SIMD) multiplication instructions each to execute on part of first and second operands responsive to an immediate datum associated with the corresponding instruction, and reducing the product modulo g to form a message authentication code of a block cipher mode. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08340267B2
The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can preprocess audio portions of communications in order to enrich multiparty communication sessions or environments. In particular, the architecture can provide both a public channel for public communications that are received by substantially all connected parties and can further provide a private channel for private communications that are received by a selected subset of all connected parties. Most particularly, the architecture can apply an audio transform to communications that occur during the multiparty communication session based upon a target audience of the communication. By way of illustration, the architecture can apply a whisper transform to private communications, an emotion transform based upon relationships, an ambience or spatial transform based upon physical locations, or a pace transform based upon lack of presence.
US08340260B1
Disclosed are systems and methods that provide centralized or nodal inmate management and telephone call processing capabilities to controlled environment facilities. An inmate management and call processing system serves a plurality of facilities and includes an inmate information database. The database is shared across the facilities and contains inmate records that may be accessed and modified by each facility as the inmate is transferred among those facilities. Each inmate record may include, among other information, contact information of third parties whom may be notified of the inmate's arrest and/or subsequent transfers of the inmate to different facilities. The inmate management and telephone call processing system may use third party contact information to establish accounts used to charge calls or transactions made by an inmate while residing at the facility. Some systems may also provide call processing, video conferencing, e-mail, voicemail, and/or videomail applications, and the like to the facilities.
US08340256B2
A method for minimizing message collision in a device is presented. Two or more overlapping real-time streaming simplex audio messages are received. One of the audio messages is forwarded to be reproduced while the other is stored. Forwarding of the delayed audio message is delayed such that overlapping reproduction of the audio messages is minimized. Reproduction is delayed until a predetermined clock time expires or is dependent on one or more of: the length of the second audio message or the amount of overlap of the first and second audio messages.
US08340255B2
An interactive display response (IDR) system. The IDR system comprises an interactive display server (IDS) for communicating display requests from a call center to a plurality of mobile devices that established a connection with the call center; an interactive display agent (IDA) installed on each of the plurality of mobile devices for at least displaying the display requests received from the IDS and communicating user's selections to the call center responsive to the display requests; and an IDR interface for interfacing with interactive voice response (IVR) scripts carried out by the call center and generating display requests based on the IVR scripts.
US08340251B2
Methods and systems for generating bremsstrahlung with enhanced photon flux in a narrow cone at forward angles utilize a thin target of a high-Z material such as gold as radiator, supported on a tube of a low-Z material such as titanium, which tube contains a circulating fluid such as water which acts as a coolant and also may absorb the incident electron beam.
US08340245B2
In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, containers, such as, for example, those used in transportation and shipping, can be inspected by using a CT X-ray scanning system with a large area detector plate. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention the detector plate can directly convert X-rays transmitted through the container into visible light, thus forming light patterns on the outer surface of the plates. The plates can then be analyzed using, for example, CCD or ICCD cameras and a data processor so as to form real-time 2D and/or 3D images of objects in the container. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention each such plate can comprise a coating of X-ray converting material such as, for example, a phosphor on a metallic plate. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention an exemplary scanning system can, for example, rotate a rotor having an X-ray source on one side of an axis of rotation, and a detector including such detector plates on the other side of the axis. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention a container can be moved, through an opening in the rotor and support structure in synchronization with the rotor, such as, for example, by transporting the container on rails.
US08340236B2
A circuit and method of operation for a circuit of a radio system in which a system time is divided into symbols, in which a system clock generator is activated in an operating mode, so that the system time is determined from an output clock signal of the system clock generator by counting, in which the system clock generator is deactivated in a sleep mode, in which an output clock signal of a sleep clock generator is blanked as a function of an output signal of a modulo divider in the sleep mode, and the system time is determined by counting, wherein an output frequency of the output clock signal of the sleep clock generator is a non-integer multiple of a symbol frequency, in which the modulo divider divides the output clock signal of the sleep clock generator by a division factor, and in which the division factor of the modulo divider is produced by changing between at least two integer divisor values.
US08340222B2
Methods and systems to resolve the cyclic time ambiguity of a scattered pilot based channel impulse response, including to determine a channel impulse response from a combination of scattered pilots and encoded parameters, such as L1-pre signaling within P2 symbols of a terrestrial digital video broadcast (DVD) in a single frequency network (SFN), and including to re-use a corresponding window time to track the channel impulse response in the absence of encoded parameters. Methods and systems disclosed herein may be implemented with respect to channel acquisition and tracking, including adjusting a Fast Fourier Transform trigger point to reduce inter-symbol interference.
US08340221B1
Scattered pilots are used to estimate the integer frequency offset and OFDM symbol index simultaneously. A cross-correlation between IFFT outputs of received samples with different spectral shift and OFDM symbol index is used to identify the channel impulse response. Upon determination of the channel impulse, the estimated integer frequency offset and OFDM symbol index can then be determined.
US08340213B2
An encoding apparatus that divides an input time series signal into a plurality of sub-bands and encodes a low frequency sub-band signal to generate encoded data of the low frequency sub-band signal. Concurrently, it compares the frequency amplitude peak of the new high frequency sub-band signal generated from the low frequency sub-band signal and the original high frequency sub-band signal and generates frequency amplitude peak information of the high frequency sub-band signal. It compares the gain of the new high frequency sub-band signal generated by using the low frequency sub-band signal and the original high frequency sub-band signal and generates gain information of the high frequency sub-band signal. Subsequently, the signal encoding apparatus multiplexes the encoded data of the low frequency sub-band signal, the frequency amplitude peak information of the high frequency sub-band signal and the gain information of the high frequency sub-band signal and outputs compressed data.
US08340199B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for mapping reference signals for antenna ports in a plurality of resource blocks among resource blocks in a subframe within an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication system. This method includes selecting at least one predetermined resource elements for transmitting in the plurality of resource blocks using a first number of antenna ports. This method also includes selecting a second number of antenna ports and mapping a plurality of reference signals relating to the second number of antenna ports using a second number of OFDM symbols.
US08340191B2
A system is configured to transcode a first MPEG stream to a second MPEG stream. The system includes a first MPEG decoder capable of decoding the first MPEG stream and a second MPEG encoder capable of producing the second MPEG stream. The second MPEG encoder is configured to maintain a decoded picture type of I, P, or B. The second MPEG encoder is also configured to maintain a decoded picture structure of frame or field, identify a metadata per each macroblock (MB) of an MB pair of the first MPEG stream, and determine whether to re-encode the MB into the second MPEG stream using one of a frame or a field mode based on the identified metadata. The second MPEG encoder is further configured to re-encode the MB pair into the second MPEG stream using one of the frame or the field mode based on the identified metadata.
US08340189B1
Motion vectors for encoding a predicted frame relative to a reference frame are determined from a phase correlation of corresponding regions of the predicted frame and reference frame. Peaks in the phase correlation are identified, and the location of the peaks are used as candidate motion vectors. From this limited set of candidate motion vectors, the best motion vectors for predicting blocks within each region can be readily identified.
US08340188B2
A transcoder and methods of encoding inter-prediction frames of a downsampled video wherein the downsampled video is a spatially downsampled version of a full-resolution video. Full-resolution motion vectors are downscaled and each downscaled motion vector pinpoints a search area within a reference frame. The union or combination of search areas defines the search field for candidate motion vectors. A motion vector is selected from the candidates based on realizing a minimum rate-distortion cost.
US08340184B2
A prediction error generating unit generates a predictive vector from the motion vectors of a plurality of adjacent blocks, and obtains a difference from a target vector. A plurality of variable-length coding units respectively encode the output of the prediction error generating unit with different encoding methods. A determining unit estimates the accuracy of the predictive vector generated by the prediction error generating unit based on the degrees of non-uniformity of the motion vectors of the plurality of adjacent blocks. A selecting unit selects one of the encoding results obtained by the plurality of variable-length coding units.
US08340178B2
In a time/space-division filtering, a moving image signal in a certain resolution-hierarchy, for which time hierarchizing is performed, is divided into a time low-band signal and a time high-band signal. A moving image signal, which has the moving image signal corresponding to the time high-band signal reconstructed by employing the time low-band signal and the time high-band signal, is generated. A reduced image signal having the moving image signal reduction-processed is generated. A high-band generating process by space hierarchizing is performed for the time high-band signal, thereby to generate a time high-band/space high-band signal. The time low-band signal, the reduced image signal, and the time high-band/space high-band signal are assumed to be a division result respectively. The time/space-division filtering is recursively performed for the time low-band signal that is assumed to be a moving image signal of which the time-resolution is lower by one stage, and the reduced image signal that is assumed to be a moving image signal of which the space-resolution is lower by one stage, thereby to hierarchize the moving image signal in a multi-step.
US08340175B2
A moving image encoding device measures a band of a target image to be encoded and a band of a reference image by a band analyzer, and generates band-related information representing these bands. A prediction signal generator generates a prediction signal such that the signal matches the band of the target image, from the reference image, based on the band-related information. A difference unit obtains a difference between the target image and the prediction signal to generate a differential signal. A converter and a quantizer each encode the differential signal to generate an encoded differential signal. An inverse quantizer and an inverter each decode the encoded differential signal to generate a decoded differential signal. An adder adds the prediction signal to the decoded differential signal to generate a reproduced image. An output terminal outputs at least the encoded differential signal and the band-related information.
US08340174B2
Disclosed herein is an image processing device for coding image data, which is divided by a given pixel count into macroblocks, on a macroblock-by-macroblock basis, the image processing device including: a quantization section configured to quantize image data on a macroblock-by-macroblock basis; a detection section configured to detect a macroblock containing a given color pixel from the image data; and a control section configured to control the quantization section, the control section including a distance calculation section configured to calculate the distance between a given image position in a picture of the image data and an image position in the macroblock detected by the detection section, and a bitrate control section configured to control the quantization section so that a higher bitrate is assigned with decreasing distance calculated by the distance calculation section.
US08340165B2
Provided is a method and system for calculating a bivariate Gaussian Q function using a univariate Gaussian Q function to thereby analyze an error probability of a communication system. A method of calculating an error probability of a communication system may include: receiving encoded communication information from another communication system; restoring information desired to be transmitted by another user by decoding the encoded communication system; and calculating the error probability by analyzing the restored information using a bivariate Gaussian Q function, the error probability indicating a probability that the restored information is different from the information desired to be transmitted by the other user. The calculating may include calculating the bivariate Gaussian Q function using a univariate Gaussian Q function.
US08340164B2
A measuring system is used for testing a feedback signal transmitted by a communications device within a communications system. The measuring system comprises an antenna system and a measuring device. The measuring device transmits a signal to a communications device via the air interface and the antenna system. The communications device receives the signal and generates a feedback signal dependent upon transmission conditions of the signal, which it has determined, and transmits it to the measuring device. The measuring device measures the actual reception quality of the signal in the communications device.
US08340159B2
A multipath searcher and method includes a programmable decimation filter configured to adjust a sample rate of a received pilot signal. A plurality of correlators is configured to compare the received pilot signal to a reference code in a first mode and in a second mode. The first mode includes a low resolution search of a search window performed such that the plurality of correlators encompass an entire search window concurrently and the plurality of correlators receives a delayed reference code delayed to correspond with a portion of the search window in which a corresponding correlator performs correlation to identify peaks in the received pilot signal. The second mode includes a high resolution search of a refined search window only at or near identified peaks discovered in the first mode. The high resolution search is focused at the peak location by adjusting delays in the plurality of correlators.
US08340139B2
In wireless systems, method and system for weight determination in a single channel (SC) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system for WCDMA/HSDPA are provided. Models of signals received in multiple receive antennas may be determined in a single weight baseband generator (SWBBG) from propagation channel estimates and noise statistics. The models may be utilized to determine combined signal and noise components. The combined signal and noise components may be utilized to determine a plurality of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR) values for various phase and/or amplitude factors. The SINR may be utilized when either single or multiple interfering signals are present. A highest of the SINR or SNR values may be selected to determine a channel weight to apply to the additional receive antennas.
US08340133B2
A digital broadcast transmitting/receiving system and a method for processing data are disclosed. The method for processing data may enhance the receiving performance of the receiving system by performing additional coding and multiplexing processes on the traffic information data and transmitting the processed data. Thus, robustness is provided to the traffic information data, thereby enabling the data to respond strongly against the channel environment which is always under constant and vast change.
US08340132B2
A method of transmitting data, whereby the data is transmitted by using a multiple access frame divided in logical slots. Each data packet is divided into k units which are decoded by an (n,k) decoder, producing n−k redundant units. The n units are transmitted within a multiple access frame in n different slots according to a time-hopping pattern, a frequency-hopping pattern or a combination of both.At the receiver side lost or corrupted data packets are recovered by using the redundant units, whereby the presence of a unit for each slot is detected. If a unit is present in a slot and has been transmitted without collisions, this unit is recovered. If a sufficient k+δ amount of units composing a data packet is recovered, the packet level decoder is used to recover the remaining n−k−δ units which experienced collisions in the respective slots.
US08340129B2
A method for compressing an extension field to be selectively included in a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) header is provided. It is determined whether an RTP header extension field is included in the RTP header. Information indicating a determination result is recorded. Profile information of the RTP header extension field is recorded. Total length information of the RTP header extension field is recorded. Information indicating whether changed data exists is recorded using a header extension information map.
US08340110B2
A technique for improving quality of service involves dynamically provisioning quality of service parameters. An example according to this technique is a system including a server and an access point. The server provisions quality of service parameters restricting the station's transmission of data through the access point to one or more access classes of varying priority.
US08340106B2
A multi-hop mesh network may be connected to a Local Area Network (LAN) using a MAC Bridge. One or more nodes on the mesh network may be configured as a bridge node that employs a MAC bridge. Packets that travel between stations on the LAN to nodes on the mesh network flow through one of the bridge nodes on the mesh network. The bridge nodes do not receive all the packets on mesh network, but they receive the packets that are to be transmitted across the MAC bridge. As the bridge nodes learn of new stations on the LAN they advertise routes to the other nodes within the mesh network specifying how to reach those stations. This enables MAC Bridge functionality between wireless mesh networks and 802 LANs.
US08340103B2
A system and method for establishing a virtual local area network (LAN) between a local device and a remote device are provided. The local device and the remote device may each have a physical and a virtual network interface card (NIC), and a virtual driver associated with each respective device virtual NIC may assign a Media Access Control (MAC) address to the virtual NIC and an Internet Protocol (IP) address to the physical NIC. The local device may communicate an IP to MAC address translation to the remote device that maps the assigned IP address to the assigned MAC address. Thereafter, the remote device may transmit secure data that can be received by the local device. For example, the remote device may encapsulate the data being communicated as well as the IP to MAC address translation for the local device into an HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request.
US08340098B2
Method and apparatus for distributing a content stream from a headend to a subscriber terminal is described. In one example, the content stream is processed at the headend to generate a sequence of instances having successively staggered reference frames. A request for the content streams is received from the subscriber terminal at an initial time. In response to the request, an instance from the sequence of instances having the first reference frame after the initial time is selected. The selected instance is transmitted towards the subscriber terminal.
US08340094B2
A system and method are provided wherein information is disseminated using a reliable IP multicast network implementation coupled with dynamically assigned proxy nodes serving as zonal aggregation points. These nodes share information with each other over the reliable IP multicast network, augmenting this function with a reliable point-to-point communication infrastructure between proxy nodes in those instances where IP multicast is not available or prone to error.
US08340080B2
A system for scheduling packets to be transmitted is provided. The system includes a soft delay bound calculator module and a frame determination module. The soft delay bound calculator module calculates a soft delay bound for a non-real-time packet based on a packet size of the non-real-time packet and a minimum reserved traffic rate of a channel. The frame determination module determines whether a real-time packet must be transmitted at a current frame according to a delay bound, a transmission time, and a possible retransmission time thereof, and whether a non-real-time packet must be transmitted at a current frame according to a soft delay bound, a transmission time, and a possible retransmission time thereof. Thus, it is possible to improve the performance of the system while keeping the QoS thereof in a mixed service environment.
US08340064B2
A method of wirelessly communicating from a high speed data modem using a first radio transceiver at a first location and a second radio transceiver at a second location preferably includes: (i) attaching a housing (containing the data modem and the first radio transceiver, a radio processor, and a power supply) to an outdoor supporting structure that supports a coaxial cable carrying an RF signal and AC power; (ii) using a splitter to split the RF signal from the AC power; (iii) transmitting the RF signal to the data modem, and transmitting the AC power to the power supply; (iv) providing a digital signal from the data modem to the radio processor; (v) converting the AC power to DC; (vi) using the DC power to run the data modem, the first radio transceiver, and the radio processor; (vii) communicating the digital signal from the radio processor to the first radio transceiver and then to a first antenna; (viii) transmitting a wireless signal from the first antenna to a second antenna; and (ix) communicating the wireless signal from the second antenna to the second radio transceiver, then to a second radio processor contained in a user device.
US08340063B2
A wireless communication device communicable with a first type and a second type of networks based on a first type and a second type wireless setting data respectively, includes: an obtaining section obtaining an identifier of an access point when a detection section detects the disconnection with the second type network through a certain access point; and a trial section trying to connect with the second type network through the certain access point if at least one second type wireless setting data stored in the second storage includes the obtained identifier, and the trial section trying to connect with the first type network through the certain access point any of the second type wireless setting data stored in the second storage does not includes the obtained identifier but the first type wireless setting data stored in the first storage includes the obtained identifier.
US08340058B2
A headphone having ability to communicate using Internet Protocol (IP) standard. The capability may be used as a basis to facilitate a user to conduct voice calls using voice over IP (VOIP). The headphone may also facilitate voice calls with users connected via cellular networks (e.g., GSM, CDMA, etc.). In an embodiment, the headphone is provided a wireless LAN (WLAN) network interface such that VOIP calls are conducted using wireless medium. Similarly, a Bluetooth protocol type interface is also provided to communicate with a cellular phone and the communication forms the basis for the voice calls between the headphone and other cellular phones connected via the cellular network.
US08340057B2
A mobile device is provided with access to peripheral devices networked at a wireless hotspot. The mobile device is authenticated to a service provider server using a wireless network at the wireless hotspot. An authorization is received from the service provider server to the peripheral devices networked at the wireless hotspot, and the mobile device wirelessly accesses services of an authorized peripheral device via the wireless network at the hotspot.
US08340056B2
A method for implementing communications in a railroad communications system having a base station radio and remote radios, the remote radios including a mobile radio and a wayside radio. The method includes assigning a common radio communications channel for allowing a remote radio to connect with the base station radio using a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) communications protocol and assigning a local channel for allowing communications between the radio base station and the remote radios and between the remote radios, wherein communications on the local channel utilizes a selected one of fixed time division multiple access (FTDMA) and dynamic time division multiple access (DTDMA) communications protocols.
US08340055B1
Methods and systems are disclosed herein that may help to increase the paging success rate, among other benefits. An exemplary method involves a radio access network: (a) detecting a page-shedding event, wherein the page-shedding event comprises an overhead message being sent in a first paging-channel slot instead of a page to a mobile station that was previously scheduled for the first paging-channel slot; (b) in response to detecting the page-shedding event, the radio access network determining whether or not it is a last attempt to send the page that was previously scheduled for the first paging-channel slot; (c) if it is not the last attempt, the radio access network scheduling a next attempt to send the page according to a standard scheduling procedure; and (d) if it is the last attempt, the radio access network rescheduling the last attempt to send the page according to an alternate scheduling procedure.
US08340053B2
A method for performing communication in the wireless sensor network is disclosed. The upper node transmits a beacon message to the lower nodes, wherein the beacon message distinguishes an indirect transmission interval, in which the upper node transmits downlink data to the plurality of lower nodes, from a direct transmission interval adjacent to the indirect transmission interval, in which the upper node receives uplink data from the plurality of lower nodes. The lower nodes determine the indirect transmission interval and the direct transmission interval from the received beacon message. The downlink data is transmitted from the upper node to the lower nodes in the indirect transmission interval. The uplink data is transmitted from the lower nodes to the upper node in the direct transmission interval. When communication is performed between the upper node and the lower nodes, the data can be efficiently transmitted from the upper node to the lower nodes.
US08340052B2
A method for improving discontinuous reception for a user equipment of a wireless communication system includes separately managing retransmission reception time limits of a plurality of downlink hybrid automatic repeat request (DL HARQ) processes when the discontinuous reception is used in the plurality of DL HARQ processes.
US08340050B2
A method for transferring user equipment from a current cell during an ongoing communication is disclosed. The current cell belongs to a first network. In the method capability information for at least one available cell of a second network is determined in a controller of the current cell, where after at least one cell of the second network is selected based on the capability information to prepare a transfer of the user equipment from the current cell. Information regarding the selected at least one cell of the second network is then sent from the controller to the user equipment.
US08340049B2
A method of performing handover of a mobile terminal includes performing a registration procedure by accessing a first network, storing registration information in the first network, and performing handover to a second network upon completion of the registration procedure in order to perform data communication by accessing the second network. The method also includes determining if handover from the second network back to the first network is necessary while the mobile terminal accesses the second network and performing the handover to the first network using the registration information stored in the first network if it is determined that handover from the second network back to the first network is necessary.
US08340045B2
Techniques to mitigate inter-cell interference using joint time and frequency division are described. A frequency band is divided into multiple non-overlapping frequency subbands. The transmission timeline is divided into Tin and Tout time intervals. Data is exchanged with users in at least one inner region of a cell on the entire frequency band in the Tin time intervals. Data is exchanged with users in multiple outer regions of the cell on the multiple frequency subbands in the Tout time intervals. The frequency band may be partitioned into three frequency subbands. Data may then be exchanged with users in first, second and third outer regions on first, second and third frequency subbands, respectively. The regions in which the users are located may be determined based on pilot and/or other measurements.
US08340042B2
In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for configuring signaling radio bearer information in a user equipment protocol stack. A wireless network may be used that includes a radio access network for transmitting information between a user equipment device and a core network. An instruction may be received to generate a signaling radio bearer configuration information element (IE) that includes configuration information for a pre-selected number of signaling radio bearers. The signaling radio bearer configuration IE may then be generated, while ensuring that the signaling radio bearer configuration IE includes configuration information for a required minimum number of signaling radio bearers. The signaling radio bearer configuration information element may be transmitted from the radio access network to the user equipment device for use in configuring the signaling radio bearers in the user equipment device.
US08340026B2
The present invention is related to transmitting data in a mobile communication system. Preferably, the present invention comprises transmitting first data to a receiving side and receiving acknowledgment information for indicating whether the first data was successfully transmitted to the receiving side. If the first data was not successfully transmitted to the receiving side, the method further comprises determining whether an amount of available radio resources is sufficient for retransmitting the first data to the receiving side, retransmitting the first data to the receiving side if the amount of available radio resources is sufficient to retransmit the first data, reconfiguring the first data into at least one second data if the amount of available radio resources is insufficient to retransmit the first data, wherein the at least one second data can be transmitted to the receiving side using the amount of available radio resources, and transmitting the at least one second data to the receiving side.
US08340016B1
A method for conducting communications via a satellite includes providing a hub-spoke spot beam group. The hub-spoke spot beam group includes at least one fixed location spot beam illuminating a location containing a gateway terminal and at least one fixed location spot beam illuminating a location containing at least one user terminal. The satellite comprises a pathway associated with the hub-spoke spot beam group. At least one receive-side switch is sequentially switched to connect an input of the pathway with different spot beams within the hub-spoke spot beam group. At least one transmit-side switch is sequentially switched to connect an output of the pathway with different spot beams within the hub-spoke spot beam group. Beam switching patterns support both forward and return traffic within a frame.
US08340009B1
Embodiments disclosed herein provide methods and systems for disabling a quick paging channel to reduce missed pages. In an embodiment, a method includes, during at least an initial period of time corresponding to a mobile communication device of the plurality of mobile communication devices, enabling the quick paging channel used for transferring paging information to the mobile communication device. The method also includes processing a device profile for the mobile communication device to determine if the quick paging channel should be disabled during a next period of time corresponding to the mobile communication device. In response to determining that the quick paging channel should be disabled, the method also includes disabling the quick paging channel during the next period of time corresponding to the mobile communication device.
US08340006B2
A method and system for transmitting data in a wireless communications system using multiple transmit antennas. The method comprises the steps of receiving a plurality of data sequences, each assigned with a priority level; encoding each of said plurality of data sequences in accordance with the assigned priority level to form a plurality of coded data sequences, the coded data sequences comprising systematic data and parity data; interleaving said plurality of coded data sequences to form a plurality of interleaved data sequences; multiplexing said plurality of interleaved data sequences to form a plurality of multiplexed data sequences; and mapping said plurality of multiplexed data sequences to form a plurality of mapped data sequences for subsequent transmission of said mapped data sequences from said multiple transmit antennas.
US08340000B2
A radio communication system and apparatus is disclosed wherein setting necessary for communication with a desired radio communication apparatus with which a user wants to communicate can be performed with certainty by an operation system familiar to the user and a high security level can be assured for the communication which uses the setting. When a first radio communication apparatus receives a request for communication information necessary for communication through a radio network from a second radio communication apparatus through a radio circuit, it transmits identification information for the radio network and information regarding the security set in advance as communication information therein to the second radio communication apparatus through the radio circuit. The second radio communication apparatus sets the communication information to itself. The invention can be applied to a radio LAN for which a household electric appliance is used.
US08339995B2
The invention is directed to a method and system for providing synchronization clock performance simulation in a timing-over-packet network having a network management system. The system retrieves information from nodes in a network and determines a timing-over-packet topology in a simulated model of the network, and determines clock stability statistics. The system further accepts simulation inputs such as addition or deletion of nodes in the simulated network, or introduction of failures into in the simulated network. The system provides predicted clock stability performance of an existing network under various simulated conditions without requiring modifications or introduction of failures to the existing network which would be useful for network optimization and network planning.
US08339993B2
A method of configuring a node comprises receiving a first message having a count field value from a first direct link; receiving a second message having a count field value from a first skip link; adjusting the count field value in the first message by a first adjustment amount; adjusting the count field value in the second message by a second adjustment amount; comparing the adjusted count field value in the first message with the adjusted count field value in the second message; if the adjusted count field value in the first message matches the adjusted count field value in the second message, using the adjusted count field value in the first message to determine a node identity for the node; and processing subsequent messages based on the node identity.
US08339988B2
A method and system are provided for provisioning logical circuits for intermittent use in a data network. A customer order requesting the use of a logical circuit for communicating data for a predetermined time period is received in the data network. A logical circuit is then provisioned in the data network prior to the start of the predetermined time period for communicating the customer data. Once the predetermined time period has elapsed, the provisioned logical circuit is deleted from the data network.
US08339982B2
A method (600) for use in a wireless communications system (100) in which there is at least a first node (110) which controls the traffic to and from user terminals (130, 140) in a cell (120) within the system, so that there is downlink traffic in the system. The first node (110) transmits downlink traffic in radio frames, each of which comprises sub-frames. The first node (110) performs measurements on pre-defined system indicators in at least the first cell (120), and based on the results of the measurements, the first node is allowed to autonomously decide (615) to vary the number of available down link sub-frames used for down link traffic in the down link radio frames and also to vary (620) the content of the down link sub frames which are used, the decision being valid (625) for a time which is specified by the first node (110).
US08339981B2
Disclosed is a method of measurement on a home cell/private network cell, by a user equipment (UE), in a mobile communication system, the method including the steps of: transmitting a request message requesting the measurement to a network node, the request message including an indicator instructing at least one of register, join, and use of the home cell/private network cell; receiving a response message corresponding to the request message from the network node, the response message including context information for measurement control of at least one home cell/private network cell accessible by the UE; and selectively executing measurement on the accessible home cell/private network cell by using the context information.
US08339975B2
Provided is an apparatus for controlling interference. The apparatus may receive interference information about at least one subchannel which is allocated to at least one node in an OFDMA system. The apparatus may create an interference list using the interference information. The apparatus may report the interference list to a radio network controller (RNC).”
US08339970B2
A mobile station (MS) used in a wireless communication system collects communication metrics data during a call session and stores the communication metrics data in the MS at the time that a session is disrupted. When a new communication link is established, the MS transmits the stored communication metrics. The communication metrics and other data relating to the disrupted communication session may be analyzed to determine which communication metrics were operating at abnormal values and determine the probability that a particular communication metric was related to the cause of the session disruption. The communication metrics values and probability metrics values may be used to determine a likely cause for the session disruption.
US08339968B2
A system and method for detecting and analyzing transient video anomalies in AV broadcast networks includes AV signal monitors associated with each decoding device in the network for continuously monitoring AV signals received by their associated video decoding device for detecting signal anomalies which are outside predetermined signal parameter levels during normal operation of the broadcast network.
US08339965B2
The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that discover comparative differences in performance of Internet Service Provider networks. The system can include devices, components, and/or processes that partitions measurement processes into cycles and measures at least one Internet Service Provider network every cycle, develops and distributes to interrogation nodes a list of destination Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to interrogate, and utilizes results delivered or retrieved from interrogation nodes to generate a report on the comparative performance of Internet Service Provider networks queried.
US08339963B2
A technique for end-to-end admission control of real-time packet flows is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a method for end-to-end admission control of real-time packet flows in a network having a plurality of network elements. The method may comprise transmitting at least one probe packet from a first network element to a second network element via a network path, determining, at least one intermediate network element on the network path, at least one flow rate associated with a plurality of packets, marking at least one predetermined bit in the at least one probe packet if the at least one flow rate is greater than a predetermined rate, and controlling an admission of additional packets into the network based at least in part on the marking of the at least one predetermined bit in the at least one probe packet.
US08339958B2
A wireless communication method of a wireless communication apparatus (100) for performing wireless communication with a plurality of terminals based on the adaptive modulation scheme by using the space division multiple access scheme includes a data rate acquisition step of acquiring a data rate in a downlink to each terminal, a data rate estimation step of estimating a data rate in the downlink to each terminal based on the uplink signal quality of each terminal, a data rate difference calculation step of calculating, with respect to each terminal, a difference between the data rate estimated at the data rate estimation step and the data rate acquired at the data rate acquisition step and a channel assignment control step of controlling channel assignment to each terminal based on the difference in data rate calculated at the data rate difference calculation step.
US08339955B2
Systems and methods for a network diagnostic component that is placed in-line between two nodes in a network to control the protocol with which two nodes communicate. The network diagnostic component receives a network data stream from a first node for communication with a second node. The network data stream is received by a receive component or module. The network data stream includes a portion that conforms with at least a first network protocol. The diagnostic component then determines that the first network protocol is not to be used to communicate with the second node. This determination is performed by a determine component or module. The diagnostic component modifies the network data stream so that the network data stream is in a form that is no longer recognized by the second node as being in accordance with the first network protocol. The modification is performed by a modification component or module.
US08339954B2
Systems and methods for providing trigger based dynamic changes to a packet flow in a communication network are described. The trigger based dynamic changes can include upgrading and downgrading quality of service (QoS), processing the packet flow, and providing services to the packet flow. These changes can be provided by inspecting packets at a gateway for trigger conditions and setting up a proxy instance for the packet flows. The proxy can coordinate QoS changes and management of packet flows. The triggers can be based on the destination of the packet, for example, the uniform resource locator (URL) and/or by the services (e.g., email, video, messaging) that the subscriber is accessing. The triggers can also be based on the identity of the user or agreements a provider might have with an operator of network equipment for users accessing the provider's website.
US08339948B2
Wireless access efficiency is improved in a multi-hop, multiple-flow network by optimizing multi-flows over the entire network using joint routing and traffic-shaping techniques at intermediate hops. Even though the joint routing and traffic-shaping techniques may adversely affect flows at some hops, when considered over multiple hops (for a given flow) and over multiple flows (for a given hop or number of hops), significant performance may be achieved for all flows. System performance is achieved by controlling the routing paths of multiple flows in a multi-hop, multi-flow wireless network, and applying traffic shaping in a systematic way, rather than relying on an opportunistic (i.e., randomly or independently optimized) approach.
US08339941B2
The specification discloses methods and apparatus for selecting the better of two or more copies of a cell in a cell-oriented redundant switching system connected to an external communications network. In the preferred embodiment, the best cell copy selection aligns redundantly transmitted cell streams before selecting cells for insertion in the data stream. Because the streams are aligned before the selection is made, the best cell copy selector compares each cell at the same instant in time, rather than basing its selection on past events.
US08339935B2
An adaptable orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing system (OFDM) that uses a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) to having OFDM signals transmitted either in accordance with time diversity to reducing signal fading or in accordance with spatial diversity to increase the data rate. Sub-carriers are classified for spatial diversity transmission or for time diversity transmission based on the result of a comparison between threshold values and at least one of three criteria. The criteria includes a calculation of a smallest eigen value of a frequency channel response matrix and a smallest element of a diagonal of the matrix and a ratio of the largest and smallest eigen values of the matrix.
US08339930B2
Techniques to perform channel estimation with pilot weighting are described. A receiver receives at least one transmission symbol for a pilot transmitted by a transmitter. Each transmission symbol may be generated with a single-carrier multiplexing scheme (e.g., IFDMA or LFDMA) or a multi-carrier multiplexing scheme (e.g., OFDMA). The receiver processes each received transmission symbol and obtains received pilot values. The receiver may derive an interference estimate based on the received pilot values and may estimate the reliability of the received pilot values based on the interference estimate. The receiver determines weights for the received pilot values based on the transmitted pilot values, the estimated reliability of the received pilot values, and/or other information. The receiver derives a channel estimate based on the received pilot values and the weights. The receiver then performs data detection (e.g., equalization) on received data values with the channel estimate.
US08339926B2
Provided are an electric field read/write apparatus and method, which reproduce information written in a recording medium by using an electric field read/write head including a channel. In the electric field read/write apparatus and method, an electric field generated from the recording medium is modulated by using a modulation signal, a variation in the modulated electric field is detected, and a voltage signal determined according to the detected variation is demodulated and information written in the recording medium is determined according to a result of the demodulation.
US08339925B2
An optical information recording/reproducing optical system, comprising a light source; an optical element converting a laser beam into a substantially collimated beam; and an objective lens, wherein a wavelength λ (unit: nm) of the laser beam falls within a range of 400<λ<410, the optical element and the objective lens are made of same resin materials or different resin materials having a glass transition temperature of Tg>115° C., each of optical surfaces is configured not to have an optical thin film which contains at least one of or elements of titanium, tantalum, hafnium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum and chromium, each of optical surfaces of the optical element is provided with an antireflection film made of one of or a mixture of at least two of silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, aluminum fluoride and magnesium fluoride, and a following condition is satisfied ∏ i = 1 n - 1 ( 1 - R ( BL ) i 100 ) - ∏ i = 1 n - 1 ( 1 - R ( UV ) i 100 ) > 0.05 .
US08339922B2
An optical pickup apparatus comprising: a diffraction grating configured to diffract laser light from a laser diode so that signals recorded in first and second optical discs are selectively reproduced, thicknesses of protective layers between surfaces and signal recording surfaces of the first and second optical discs being different from each other; a polarization beam splitter configured to divide laser light from the diffraction grating into first and second laser lights whose light amounts are substantially the same; a first objective lens configured to focus the first laser light onto the signal recording surface of the first optical disc; a second objective lens configured to focus the second laser light onto the signal recording surface of the second optical disc; and a photodetector configured to be applied with return lights of the first and second laser lights reflected from the signal recording surfaces of the first and second optical discs.
US08339910B2
The present invention is a dubbing device for dubbing data from a portable first recording medium such as a CD-DA (compact disc digital audio) to a second recording medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD), in which dubbing to the second recording medium with a large capacity is automatically carried out when reproducing data from the first recording medium. When data is reproduced from the first recording medium, database means is searched on the basis of identification information for the first recording medium and execution control of dubbing is performed in accordance with the result of search for recording history information. For example, whether or not data to be reproduced from the first recording medium has been already recorded on the second recording medium is discriminated, and dubbing is carried out if the data to be reproduced data has not been recorded on the second recording medium.
US08339901B2
A display device for deriving geographic location from a GPS signal or the Internet and cross referencing the location with a database to determine the adjustment required to display correct time regardless of time zone and daylight savings time. Thus, a device may be sold and/or transported anywhere in the country and/or world and display the current time.
US08339895B2
In a signal calibration scheme, a desired phase relationship is maintained between a set of signals. For example, in some aspects the desired phase of a clock tree generated from a high speed reference clock signal may be maintained by detecting phase differences between a low speed reference clock signal and low speed clock signals associated with different phases of the clock tree. In some aspects, the desired phase of a clock tree may be maintained by detecting framing offsets that occur through the use of the clock tree.
US08339891B2
An apparatus comprising a plurality of buffers and a memory controller. The plurality of buffers may each be configured to generate an access request signal in response to a respective one of a plurality of channel requests received from a respective one of a plurality of clients. The memory controller circuit may be configured to generate a clock enable signal in response to the plurality of access request signals. The clock enable signal may be configured to initiate entering and exiting a power savings mode of a memory circuit.
US08339882B2
A dual bit line precharge architecture and method for low power DRAM which provides the low operating voltage of a non-half supply voltage (VCC/2) precharge with the low memory array current consumption and low memory array noise spike of VCC/2 precharge techniques. The architecture and technique of the present invention provides both reference voltage (VSS) precharged sub arrays and VCC precharged sub arrays on the same DRAM memory either with or without the novel charge sharing or charge recycling circuitry between these two different sub arrays as disclosed herein.
US08339874B2
A memory integrated circuit (IC) includes a read module and a sequence detector module. The read module reads S memory cells (cells) located along one of a bit line and a word line and generates S read signals, where S is an integer greater than 1. The sequence detector module detects a data sequence based on the S read signals and reference signals. The data sequence includes data stored in the S cells. Each of the reference signals includes an interference-free signal associated with one of the S cells and an interference signal associated with another of the S cells that is adjacent to the one of the S cells.
US08339873B1
A first input of a sense amplifier is connected to a first bitline, a second input of the sense amplifier is connected to a second bitline, a third input of the sense amplifier is coupled to a third bitline. The sense amplifier provides at an output an indicator of a storage state of a memory cell connected to the first bitline based upon information provided to the sense amplifier via the first, second, and third bitlines.
US08339868B2
To include a memory cell array that stores therein data in a reversible manner, an antifuse circuit that stores therein data in a nonvolatile manner, a sense amplifier array that temporarily holds data that is read from the memory cell array of data to be written in the memory cell array, and a control circuit that performs a control for writing the data held in the sense amplifier array in the antifuse circuit. According to the present invention, it is not required to provide any dedicated latch circuit for each antifuse element. Therefore, a writing process of writing data in the antifuse circuit can be performed at high speed without causing an increase of the chip dimension due to a dedicated latch circuit.
US08339853B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor storage device is disclosed, which includes a memory cell array in which nonvolatile memory cells are arranged, a first data holding circuit which temporarily holds a collective processing unit of read or write data to be simultaneously read from or written to the memory cells, a circuit which takes out the data held in the first data holding circuit from the device, and a second data holding circuit in which data is automatically set at a time when power supply is turned on and in which the data is changeable based on a command input to the device, wherein the collective processing unit is equal to a sum of the number of units used within the device and the maximum number of units continuously output from the device to outside or input to the device from outside.
US08339848B2
A method of controlling an electronic charge retention circuit for time measurement, including at least a first capacitive element, the dielectric of which has a leakage, and at least a second capacitive element, the dielectric of which has a higher capacitance than the first, the two elements having a common electrode defining a floating node that can be connected to an element for measuring its residual charge, in which a charge retention period is programmed or initialized by injecting or extracting charges via the first element.
US08339844B2
A semiconductor device may be created using multiple metal layers and a layer including programmable vias that may be used to form various patterns of interconnections among segments of metal layers. The programmable vias may be formed of materials whose resistance is changeable between a high-resistance state and a low-resistance state.
US08339833B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor storage device includes a memory core that includes plural banks, the bank including plural memory cells and a data write circuit that supplies a bias voltage to the memory cell, the memory core being logically divided into plural pages, the page including a predetermined number of memory cells belonging to a predetermined number of banks; and a control circuit that controls the data write circuit to perform page write in each write unit including a predetermined number of memory cells, pieces of data being written in the page in the page write, the control circuit performing the page write by repeating a step including a program operation and a verify operation, the control circuit performing the program operation and the verify operation in a next step or later only to the write unit in which the data write is not completed in the verify operation.
US08339830B2
According to one embodiment, a memory cell is configured using a field effect transistor and includes n anti-fuse elements, one ends of which are connected in common. A program voltage selection circuit selects, out of the n anti-fuse elements, an anti-fuse element to which a program voltage is applied. A sense amplifier is provided for the each memory cell and determines, based on data stored in the n anti-fuse elements, three or more values of readout levels.
US08339828B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device combining transistors integrating on a same substrate transistors including an oxide semiconductor in their channel formation region and transistors including non-oxide semiconductor in their channel formation region. An application of the present invention is to realize substantially non-volatile semiconductor memories which do not require specific erasing operation and do not suffer from damages due to repeated writing operation. Furthermore, the semiconductor device is well adapted to store multivalued data. Manufacturing methods, application circuits and driving/reading methods are explained in details in the description.
US08339827B2
Apparatus and systems may include an interface chip, a first memory die having at least one memory array disposed on the interface chip, and a second memory die having at least one memory array disposed on the first memory die. The first memory die can include a plurality of vias configure allow a first plurality of through wafer interconnects (TWIs) to couple the interface chip with the second memory die, and the interface chip can be configured to communicatively couple the first memory die and the second memory die. Other apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08339826B2
A stack that includes non-volatile memory devices is disclosed. One of the non-volatile memory devices in the stack is a master device, and the remaining memory device or devices is a slave device(s).
US08339820B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide novel techniques for using multiple 18-pulse rectifier circuits in parallel. In particular, each rectifier circuit may include an autotransformer having 15 inductors coupled in series, joined by 15 nodes interposed between pairs of the inductors. The inductors may be represented as a hexagon in which alternating sides of the hexagon have two and three inductors, respectively. Each rectifier circuit may also include three inputs for three-phase AC power coupled to alternating vertices of the hexagonal representation and nine outputs for AC power coupled between each node that is not a vertex of the hexagonal representation and a respective diode bridge. Outputs of the diode bridges for the rectifier circuits may be coupled to a DC bus. In addition, a means for reducing circulating current between the parallel rectifier circuits and for promoting load sharing between the parallel rectifier circuits is also provided.
US08339819B2
A booster circuit has: a charge pump configured to perform a booster operation that boosts a voltage supplied from an external power source and outputs the boosted voltage as an output voltage through an output capacitor; and a feedback circuit section configured to control the booster operation depending on the output voltage. A mode of the booster operation includes: a charge mode that charges the output capacitor with the voltage supplied from the external power source; and a discharge mode that discharges the output capacitor. The mode of the booster operation is switched between the charge mode and the discharge mode depending on the output voltage. The feedback circuit section has a booster operation control section that secures a period during which the mode is not switched between the charge mode and the discharge mode in accordance with an external synchronizing signal.
US08339818B2
A method and a device to compensate for an asymmetrical DC bias current in a multi-phase transformer. The transformer is connected between an AC power system and an AC/DC or DC/AC high voltage converter. For each phase of the AC side of the transformer a current quantity is determined. The current quantity reflects the time dependent behavior of the magnetizing current in the phase. Time intervals in the current quantity are determined during which the current quantity reaches a positive or a negative maximum, respectively. A DC magnetizing quantity is determined from a difference between the amplitude of the positive maximum and the amplitude of the negative maximum. An asymmetrical quantity is determined from a difference between the amplitudes of the positive and/or negative maxima of at least two of the phases and a control signal is generated from the asymmetrical quantity and provided to a control device of the converter in order to adjust the generation of the AC or DC voltage in the particular phase of the converter which corresponds to the phase of the AC side of the transformer.
US08339816B2
A switching power supply apparatus includes: a turn-on control circuit which generates a turn-on signal; a feedback control circuit which generates a reference voltage VEAO indicating a limitation level for a current ID flowing into a switching element, by referring to a feedback signal IFB indicating an output current voltage VOUT, the limitation level which decreases as the output direct current voltage becomes greater; an overcurrent protection level setting circuit which generates a reference voltage VLR indicating an overcurrent protection level; a current detecting terminal; an offset current generating circuit which provides an offset current IIS from the current detecting terminal, the offset current IIS which is greater as the output current voltage VOUT is greater; and a turn-off control circuit which generates a turn-off signal by comparing a voltage applied to the current detecting terminal with each of the reference voltage VEAO, and the reference voltage VLR.
US08339812B2
A power converter is provided, which may include_a transformer having primary and secondary windings; a primary side switching bridge arrangement including at least two switches switcheable at a switching frequency to drive the primary winding of said transformer, said primary side switching bridge arrangement including at least one decoupling capacitor; and a secondary side rectifying and filtering stage coupled to the secondary winding of said transformer, wherein said secondary side rectifying and filtering stage includes a current doubler with at least one inductor, wherein said at least one decoupling capacitor and said at least one inductor in said current doubler comprise a resonant tank circuit having a resonant frequency range encompassing said switching frequency, whereby said converter exhibits a gain defined by the position of said switching frequency within said resonant frequency range.
US08339811B2
An output voltage sensor for use in a power converter controller includes a first pulse sampler circuit coupled to receive a feedback signal representative of an output of a power converter. The first pulse sampler circuit is coupled to capture a first peak voltage representative of a second peak of a ringing voltage of the feedback signal at a first time in the feedback signal. A second pulse sampler circuit is coupled to receive the feedback signal representative of the output of the power converter. The second pulse sampler circuit is coupled to capture a second peak voltage representative of the second peak of the ringing voltage of the feedback signal at a second time in the feedback signal. The output voltage sensor is coupled to output a change signal to a drive circuit of the power converter controller in response to the first and second peak voltages.
US08339807B2
A portable terminal has a first enclosure of a housing having a first interior to contain a plurality of electronic components and a ground. The terminal has a second enclosure of the housing for coupling to the first enclosure, the second enclosure having a second interior to contain an antenna and for facilitating at least one of receiving or transmitting of electromagnetic (EM) signals between the antenna and an environment external to the second enclosure. The terminal has an EM shield positioned at an interface between the first interior and the second interior, the EM shield including electrically conductive material to absorb EM radiation generated by the plurality of electronic components. Also included is an electrically conductive coupling to couple the EM shield to the ground of the first enclosure.
US08339806B2
A network communication component includes a case, a plurality of channels and at least one shielding. The channels are formed in the case. The shielding is disposed between two adjacent channels. Through the shielding between the channels, mutual interferences between the channels are avoided to enhance the signal communication quality.
US08339803B2
A multi-layered ceramic package comprises: a signal layer with identified chip/device area(s)/site(s) that require a supply of power; and a voltage power (Vdd) layer and a ground (Gnd) layer disposed on opposite sides directly above or below (adjacent to) the signal layer and providing a first reference mesh plane and a second reference mesh plane configured utilizing a hybrid mesh scheme. The hybrid mesh scheme comprises different mesh configurations from among: a full dense mesh in a first area directly above or below the identified chip/device area(s); a half dense mesh in a second area that is above or below the edge(s) of the chip/device area; and a wider mesh pitch in all other areas, and the Vdd traces are aligned to run parallel and adjacent to signal lines in those other areas. Wider traces are provided within the mesh areas that run parallel and adjacent to signal lines.
US08339798B2
Printed circuit boards are provided with embedded components. The embedded components may be mounted within recesses in the surface of a printed circuit board substrate. The printed circuit board substrate may have grooves and buried channels in which wires may be mounted. Recesses may be provided with solder pads to which the wires may be soldered or attached with conductive adhesive. An integrated switch may be provided in an opening within a printed circuit board substrate. The integrated switch may have a dome switch member that is mounted within the opening. A cover member for the switch may be formed from a flexible layer that covers the dome switch member. Terminals for the integrated switch may be formed from conductive structures in an interior printed circuit board layer. Interconnects may be used to electrically connect embedded components such as switches, integrated circuits, solder pads for wires, and other devices.
US08339793B2
An electronic device includes: first and second housing bodies cooperating to form an inner receiving space; a motherboard disposed in the inner receiving space, partitioned by a partition line into a port zone having at least one input/output connector, and a non-port zone; first and second waterproof strips disposed respectively between the first housing body and the motherboard and between the second housing body and the motherboard, and disposed at the partition line, the second waterproof strip having opposite ends formed with respective extension parts extending perpendicularly toward the first waterproof strip and disposed at the peripheral edge of the motherboard; and a third waterproof strip connected to the first waterproof strip to form a closed seal ring therewith, disposed between the first and second housing bodies, and disposed at an outer side of a peripheral edge of the non-port zone.
US08339787B2
A thermal valve for controlling heat transfer between two electronic components is disclosed. The thermal valve includes a first thermally conductive strip that is secured to the first electronic component and a second thermally conductive strip that is secured to the second electronic component. The first strip and the second strip are located between the two electronic components. The first strip changes its shape toward making contact with the second strip in response to a temperature increase of the first electronic component, and the second strip changes its shape away from making contact with the first strip in response to a temperature increase of the second electronic component. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08339784B2
The present invention pertains to a cage for thermal management and housing an electric module comprising a cage housing and having a top, bottom and side walls joined to form an interior cavity and the side walls defining a width of the interior cavity. The top wall may have an air inlet port and an air outlet port and the air inlet and outlet ports spaced apart by a length. The length may be most or all of the width, so that air entering the inlet port will travel over a portion of a side of an electronic module mounted in the cavity prior to exiting the outlet port.
US08339780B2
A connector for a disk drive unit includes a base, a curve portion, a tab, a support, a hook, and a first spring arm. The base has a left portion, a right portion, a bottom portion, and a top portion. The curve portion extends from a back of the top portion of the base. The tab is adapted to be inserted into a retention opening of a static wall of a server. The support extends substantially horizontally from an opposite end of the curve portion, and is adapted to flex up and down when the tab is inserted into the retention opening of the static wall of the server. The hook is physically connected between the support and the tab, and is adapted to flex the support when the hook pressed into contact with a top of the retention opening, and to snap fit around the top of the retention opening when the connector is completely inserted into the retention opening. The first spring arm extends toward a center and in front of the base, and is adapted to apply a force to the static wall when the hook is snap fitted around the top of the retention opening to secure the disk drive unit within the server.
US08339779B2
An electronic device includes a main body, a card holder assembly, and a card holder control assembly. The card holder assembly includes a shaft secured within the main body, at least one torsion spring, and at least one card holder. The torsion spring is arranged over the shaft. One end of each torsion spring is secured to the shaft, and an opposite end is secured to one card holder. When the card holder is secured within the main body, the torsion spring is in a compressed state. The card holder is rotatably fixed in place on the shaft. The control assembly includes a switch, a pulling rod, and at least one latching member. The switch is slidably connected to the main body and moveable between a first position and a second position. The latching member is connected to the pulling rod.
US08339769B2
A method of making an electrolytic capacitor includes providing a first electrode that includes a metal substrate, a carbide layer, and a carbonaceous material. The metal substrate includes a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, aluminum, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, silver, steel, and alloys and combinations thereof. The method further includes providing a second electrode and an electrolyte.
US08339765B2
A capacitor includes a substrate, a plurality of first storage electrodes, a plurality of second storage electrodes, a first supporting layer pattern, a dielectric layer and a plate electrode. A plurality of contact pads is formed I the substrate. The first storage electrodes are arranged along lines parallel with a first direction and electrically connected to the contact pads, respectively. The second storage electrodes are respectively stacked on the first storage electrodes. The first supporting layer pattern extends in a direction parallel with the first direction between adjacent second storage electrodes and makes contact with the adjacent second storage electrodes to support the second storage electrodes. The dielectric layer is formed on the first and second storage electrodes. The plate electrode is formed on the dielectric layer.
US08339763B2
A TASER® and a vertical grip are combined to be attached to the stud post under the forend or the barrel of a conventional long arm. A TASER® may also be combined with the forend or barrel of a conventional long arm itself. Stud posts come standard on certain long arms like the M-16 rifle. Stud posts can be installed on single shot and pump action shotgun forends as well. The TASER® power supply can serve as a power source for a strobe lamp, which may be sighted by rescuers either visually or with infrared night viewing or other special viewing equipment for miles. The optical signal could be produced in the infrared, visible light and ultraviolet light regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The signal lamp is inserted into a TASER®'s firing chamber in lieu of an ammunition cartridge.
US08339759B2
A relocatable power tap that includes a surge protector. The surge protector provides three modes of transient voltage surge protection while limiting leakage current caused by the relocatable power tap to less than a current limit value (e.g., 100 micro-amperes [“μA”]). The surge protector includes a first transient voltage clamp connected between a line conductor and a neutral conductor, a second transient voltage clamp connected between the line conductor and a ground conductor, and a third transient voltage clamp connected between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor. The transient voltage clamps are, for example, varistors having non-linear current-voltage characteristics. In the presence of voltages that exceed the clamping threshold voltages of the transient voltage clamps, the transient voltage clamps are configured to conduct the current associated with the transient voltage.
US08339752B1
In one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a magnetoresistive free layer, wherein a width of the free layer nearest an air bearing surface (ABS) is less than a width of the free layer at a point away from the ABS in a track width direction, with the magnetic head being configured to pass a sense current in a direction perpendicular to a plane of deposition of the free layer. In another embodiment, a method includes forming a magnetoresistive film above a shield, forming a masking layer above the magnetoresistive film, patterning the masking layer such that it exposes portions of the magnetoresistive film, wherein the masking layer defines an area which is narrow near an area that forms an ABS side of a free layer and wider at an area away from the ABS, and removing the exposed portions of the magnetoresistive film to form the free layer.
US08339747B1
Removable actuator assemblies for testing head gimbal assemblies of a storage device are provided. One such removable test assembly for a head gimbal assembly (HGA) includes an actuator base including at least one guide pin, a shoe assembly including a body including a first end portion opposite to a second end portion, a first attachment means for releaseably coupling the shoe assembly with the actuator base, the first attachment means positioned along the first end portion and including at least one hole in the body configured to receive the at least one guide pin, and a locking cam configured to rotate such that a portion of the cam is positioned over a portion of the at least one hole, and a second attachment means for releaseably coupling the shoe assembly with the HGA, the second attachment means positioned along the second end portion.
US08339746B2
A head suspension has a base plate including a flange. The flange has a first face attached to the carriage arm and a second face attached to an auxiliary member. A first-face contact is circumferentially formed along an outer circumferential edge of the first face of the flange, so that the first-face contact among parts of the base plate except the boss is most proximal to the carriage arm. A second-face contact is circumferentially formed along an outer circumferential edge of the second face of the flange, so that the second-face contact among parts of the base plate including the boss is most proximal to the auxiliary member. This configuration allows the auxiliary member to be correctly aligned with and attached to the second face of the flange.
US08339737B2
A perpendicular magnetic write head capable of suppressing damage and corrosion of a magnetic pole to secure a stable writing performance is provided. A non-magnetic protruding layer protruding from a main magnetic pole layer (tip portion) toward an air bearing surface side is formed on both sides of the tip portion in a writing track width direction. The non-magnetic protruding layer is located closer to a recording medium than the tip portion during writing operation, and is more likely to be in contact with the writing medium instead of the tip portion. Since the protective film portion covering the tip portion hardly peels off (e.g., compared to the protective film portion covering the non-magnetic protruding layer), the tip portion is hardly damaged or corroded. Since the tip portion is protected physically and chemically by the non-magnetic protruding layer, deterioration of the soft magnetic characteristics of the tip portion is suppressed.
US08339734B2
A magnetic write head having a magnetic write pole with a wrap around magnetic trailing shield. The wrap around magnetic trailing shield is separated by a first non-magnetic side gap at a first side of the write pole and by a second non-magnetic side gap at a second side of the write pole. The first second non-magnetic side gap is larger than the first non-magnetic side gap and is preferably at least twice the thickness of the first non-magnetic side gap. This design provides additional protection adjacent track interference at one side of the write pole and additional protection against magnetic write field loss at the other side of the write pole.
US08339730B2
A base member including two-step recesses and a hard disk drive (HDD) including the same. The HDD includes a base member; a spindle motor installed in the base member; a data storage disk assembled to the spindle motor; and an actuator rotatably installed in the base member and for moving a read/write head to a desired position on the disk, wherein the base member includes: a first floor surface disposed in a region facing the disk and having a center portion in which the spindle motor is installed; a shroud formed on a circumference of the first floor surface and extending the exterior circumference of the disk; and two-step recesses formed in an operating region of the actuator, wherein the two-step recesses comprise a first step recess formed on the first floor surface and a second step recess formed on a floor surface of the first step recess. An extended shroud is formed in an upstream side of an operating region of the actuator of the base member, protrudes from the shroud, and extends along the exterior circumference of the disk. An air block is installed in a downstream side of the operating region of the actuator.
US08339727B1
The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to control of recording devices, such as disk drives. A described technique includes controlling a motor to actuate a head about a surface of a rotating recording medium, the motor being associated with first and second states of electric current, where a duration of the first state is longer than a duration of the second state; detecting an instance of the first state; and initiating, when the instance of the first state is detected, a switch from a first mode to a second mode to control the motor. The switch can be based on a condition of operation with respect to the rotating recording medium.
US08339715B2
A three-piece optical pickup lens includes, sequentially from an object side to an image side of the three-piece optical pickup lens along an optical axis thereof, an aperture stop, a first lens, a second lens, and a third lens. The first lens is a meniscus lens of positive refractive power. The second lens has an object side and an image side, on each of which at least one inflection point is formed at a position located between a center and a periphery of the second lens. The third lens has an object side and an image side, on each of which at least one inflection point is formed at a position located between a center and a periphery of the third lens, and has positive refractive power at paraxial region of optical axis.
US08339713B2
A zoom optical system comprising, in order from an object side: a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power; a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power; and a rear lens group GR having positive refractive power; the rear lens group GR including at least a third lens group G3 that is disposed to the most object side and has positive refractive power, the third lens group G3 including at least four positive lenses L31-L33, L35 and at least one negative lens L34, at least a portion of a lens group disposed to an image side of the first lens group G1 being movable as a vibration reduction lens group in a direction including a component perpendicular to an optical axis, and a given conditional expression being satisfied, thereby providing a zoom optical system having excellent optical performance.
US08339711B2
An electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) device which includes a plurality of array elements configured to manipulate one or more droplets of fluid on an array, each of the array elements including a corresponding array element driver circuit, wherein each array element driver circuit includes: a top substrate electrode and a first drive electrode between which the one or more droplets may be positioned, the top substrate electrode being formed on a top substrate, and the first drive electrode being formed on a lower substrate; and circuitry configured to selectively provide drive voltages to the first drive electrode to move the one or more droplets among the plurality of array elements, and wherein at least one of the plurality of array elements includes: a heater element also formed on the lower substrate and configured to heat the one or more droplets when positioned between the top substrate electrode and the first drive electrode of the at least one array element; and circuitry configured to control the heater element.
US08339710B2
A head up display device for a vehicle, includes a display, a reflective member, a stepping motor, and a control part. The reflective member reflects an image displayed by the display and projects the image onto a projection member, thereby displaying a virtual image. The stepping motor rotates the reflective member to adjust a display position of the virtual image. A stabilization point, at which detent torque of the stepping motor is maximized, is defined as a target rotation angle of a magnet rotor. The control part performs normal rotation control that controls amplitude of a drive signal to rotate the magnet rotor to the target rotation angle. After the control part performs the normal rotation control, the control part performs application continuation control that continues application of the drive signal for a predetermined period, with the amplitude of the drive signal at the target rotation angle being maintained.
US08339708B2
An optical element including a first layer (011) made of a medium having optical anisotropy, wherein a difference between refractive indexes nh and nl (nh>nl) at a central wavelength λ for first and second polarized lights which enter the optical element and whose polarization directions are different from each other is at least 0.1, and wherein conditions (nt1−nl)·(nl−nt2)≦0 and nt1
US08339705B2
An optical sheet for three-dimensional images and a three-dimensional image display device using the same, are discussed. According to an embodiment, the three-dimensional image display device includes a display unit to display two-dimensional images using unit pixels each including at least three colors of sub-pixels, and an optical sheet to convert the two-dimensional images into a plurality of different three-dimensional images, and the neighboring three-dimensional images are overlapped with each other by a predetermined range. With the above described configuration, the curved lenses are tilted to provide neighboring viewers with three-dimensional images overlapped with each other by 15% to 60%. As a result, a ratio of the horizontal and vertical display resolutions of the three-dimensional images can be equal to a ratio of the horizontal and vertical display resolutions of the two-dimensional images, and the quality of three-dimensional images can be improved.
US08339704B2
A micro-mirror well. In one embodiment the micro-mirror well includes a plurality of planar mirrors arranged around an axis of symmetry and inclined to form a pyramid well, where each of the plurality of planar mirrors is capable of reflecting light emitting from an object of interest placed inside the pyramid well.
US08339701B2
A catadioptric projection objective for imaging a pattern provided in an object plane of the projection objective onto an image plane of the projection objective comprises: a first objective part for imaging the pattern provided in the object plane into a first intermediate image; a second objective part for imaging the first intermediate imaging into a second intermediate image; a third objective part for imaging the second intermediate imaging directly onto the image plane; wherein a first concave mirror having a first continuous mirror surface and at least one second concave mirror having a second continuous mirror surface are arranged upstream of the second intermediate image; pupil surfaces are formed between the object plane and the first intermediate image, between the first and the second intermediate image and between the second intermediate image and the image plane; and all concave mirrors are arranged optically remote from a pupil surface. The system has potential for very high numerical apertures at moderate lens material mass consumption.
US08339700B2
The infrared reflective layered product can reflect infrared radiation with certain wavelengths to prevent heat accumulation while exhibiting excellent heat resistance. The product includes a base layer (B), a layer (A) layered on one side of the layer (B), and a layer (C) layered on the other side of the layer (B). Layer (A) is a colored resin layer which has an absorptance of a light with a wavelength of 800-1400 nm of not more than 10%. Layer (B) is a thermoplastic resin layer which shows a dimensional change (s) satisfying 1%≧s≧−1% when left at 150° C. for 30 min. Layer C is a colored resin layer having a reflectance of a light with a wavelength of 400-1400 nm of not less than 50%. The product may also include a water vapor barrier layer (D).
US08339693B2
The invention provides a fabrication process for a computer-generated hologram wherein amplitude information and phase information are recorded on a given recording surface by means of computation by a computer. The computer-generated hologram is characterized by having a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and parallax in the first direction X alone. The hologram 1 comprises unit areas B1, B2, B3, . . . , Bm, . . . BM, each one having a given width in the second direction Y. In each unit area B1, B2, B3, . . . , Bm, . . . BM, there is a diffraction pattern having a spatial frequency Cm1, Cm2, Cm3, . . . , Cmt, . . . CmT that varies in the second direction.
US08339687B2
Recording devices with adjustable and lockable recording medium width guides, and support mechanisms for adjustable and lockable recording medium width guides are disclosed. A recording device includes a pair of recording medium width guides that control the widthwise position of a recording medium upon discharge from the recording device. A support mechanism supports the width guides and can lock the position of the width guides. The support mechanism includes a pair of sliding members individually coupled with one of the width guides, and a pressure member that clamps the sliding members together at a position where the sliding members overlap. The pressure member is configurable to clamp the sliding members together, and to unclamp the sliding members.
US08339681B2
The first reading start point D of a front contact image sensor 21 and the second reading start point F of a back contact image sensor 22 are managed using a previously measured sensor-to-sensor distance L. As a result, even if there is a difference in the distance between the sensors, the first and second reading start points D and F will still be a first margin length L1 before the image reading positions A and B of the contact image sensors 21 and 22. Because the beginning of the front image information FD2 and the beginning of the back image information BD2 contained in the back-side image data BD1 in the images captured by the contact image sensors 21 and 22 match, the front image information FD2 can be extracted based on the coordinates of the back image information BD2 contained in the back-side image data BD1.
US08339676B2
This disclosure provides printing methods, systems and apparatus to compensate for distortions by fusing toner applied to a media substrate. According to one exemplary method, image data is processed according to media characterization data for a toner density value associated with the image. The processed image data compensates for media substrate distortions due to fusing of a printed image on the media substrate.
US08339675B2
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for dynamic image dithering for a printing device are described herein. Embodiments may include an image processing module to process a source image file to provide a dithered image file with print data for each of a plurality of image locations. Printing substance may be deposited and the image processing module may provide the dithered image file with additional print data based at least in part on the deposited printing substance. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08339673B2
A method and apparatus for processing an image are provided that can suppress blur edges at an edge portion of a character so that sharpness and quality of the image can be improved. The apparatus comprises an inside and outside edge discrimination portion for discriminating whether a target pixel to be processed belongs to an inside edge or to an outside edge, a threshold value generating portion for selecting a threshold value from plural threshold values for error diffusion process in accordance with an area discriminated by the inside and outside edge discrimination portion to output the selected threshold value and an error diffusion process portion for performing the error diffusion process for multilevel input data concerning the target pixel by utilizing the threshold value generated by the threshold value generating portion so as to produce output data whose gradation steps are reduced.
US08339667B2
Methods for processing print jobs in rendering devices include representing multiple to-be-printed objects with fewer such objects before processing of the objects occurs. In this manner, processing and memory requirements are optimized. Examples include utilizing a single raster operation function of one object for an entirety of objects; using fewer raster operation functions than originally required for the entirety of objects; creating a no processing (NOP) situation; and effectively creating a mask. Other aspects include modifying raster operation functions of one or more objects to have fewer variables than originally specified by the print job. Printers having stored or accessible computer executable instructions for performing the steps are also disclosed as are host devices that may direct or control the printer to perform the same.
US08339662B2
Systems and methods are described that facilitate generating a ready-to-print binary dual-plane HLC image for output to an HLC device. A print-ready highlight color (HLC) image can be generated without digital front end (DFE) processing. For example, according to one or more aspects, a color scanner can be employed to produce a two-plane binary TIFF image. One plane contains black (e.g., achromatic) content, while the other contains highlight color content. Black pixels are identified and/or determined using neutral pixel and neutral window detection. Background pixels are mapped to white for both planes. Pixels that are non-neutral and non-background are designated as color pixels. After separation into a neutral plane and an HLC plane, the planes are processed into binary data for printing.
US08339657B2
An image data processing apparatus includes an execution device, a use determination device, an identification device, an execution determination device, and a control device. The execution device executes a predetermined data processing of image data. The use determination device determines at least one used amount in at least one specified portion which is used when the data processing is executed. The identification device identifies an attribute of the image data. The execution determination device determines whether or not to execute the data processing of the image data based on the attribute of the image data identified by the identification device and the at least one used amount determined by the use determination device. The control device makes the execution device execute the data processing of the image data when it is determined by the execution determination device to execute the data processing.
US08339656B2
An image forming apparatus includes a profile storage section that stores distortion characteristic of a scanning line, a correcting section that corrects image data by lines in the sub scanning direction, and a registration sensor that detects a pattern image for detecting color misregistration amounts in a sub scanning direction of images formed on an intermediate transfer member. When the pattern image is formed, the distortion correcting section shifts image data of the pattern image by lines in the sub scanning direction so that, with reference to a detection position of the registration sensor, a positional displacement amount of the pattern image in the sub scanning direction becomes less than or equal to ½ of a scanning-line distance, in accordance with a positional displacement amount of the scanning line in the sub scanning direction at a detection position of the registration sensor along a main scanning direction.
US08339654B2
A document processing system includes a printing apparatus configured to perform printing and a post-processing apparatus configured to execute post-processing on a print product. The document processing system includes a setting unit configured to set a sheet-feeding direction of the print product to be fed to the post-processing apparatus, and a print control unit configured to control the printing apparatus to print on the print product a mark indicating the sheet-feeding direction set by the setting unit.
US08339648B2
An image forming apparatus reading documents based on a scenario and generating image data to transmit the image data with the scenario includes a scenario retrieving unit retrieving scenarios from a scenario storage device; a scenario reception unit receiving the retrieved scenarios; a plural scenario selection identification unit determining whether plural scenarios are received; a scenario destination acquisition unit acquiring, if the plural scenarios are received, delivery destination information from the received the plural scenarios; a duplicated scenario destination identification unit determining whether duplicated delivery destination information is in the acquired delivery destination information; a scenario processing unit carrying out, if the duplicated delivery destination information is contained, processing on one of the plural scenarios to create a processed scenario to transmit the image data once to a destination of the duplicated delivery destination information; and a scenario registration request unit storing the processed scenario in the scenario storage device.
US08339641B2
Systems and methods consistent with embodiments presented facilitate packaged print data processing. In some embodiments, an initial fragment of print data is parsed to determine if the print data occurs in the form of an OPC print package. If the print data is an OPC package, a language processor for a PDL is invoked using a language entry point function for the PDL, which can be determined using a text string that is present in the print job filename and in a Content Types list in a Content Types file associated with the OPC package. If the PDL language processor cannot be determined using the Content Types list then a language entry point may be determined using a file extension associated with the print job.
US08339634B2
A method is for setting configuration data to a print data supplying device. The print data supplying device is operable to: store data associated with at least one of a plurality of items of group information in a first storage area; generate print data based on: (1) internal print data generated by an internal print data generation program; and (2) configuration data associated with one of the items of group information corresponding to a printer to which the print data is supplied; and supply the print data to the printer. The method includes: determining whether or not a target printer is connected; generating a new item of group information corresponding to the target printer when the target printer is connected; and storing reference configuration data that is stored in a second storage area to the first storage area, as the configuration data, in association with the new item of the group information.
US08339615B2
An edge detection method includes preparing a transparent substrate which includes a first main face having a first main region and a first peripheral region and a second main face having a second main region and a second peripheral region, the first peripheral region having an inclination angle of θa1 and the second peripheral region having an inclination angle of θa2, causing measuring light to enter the first peripheral region from a direction perpendicular to the first main region, detecting a non-emitting region where the measuring light is not emitted from the second peripheral region, and detecting an edge of the transparent substrate on the basis of the non-emitting region, wherein if a refractive index of the transparent substrate is n, the inclination angles θa1 and θa2satisfy the following expression: n×sin(θa1+θa2−arcsin(sin θa1/n))≧1.
US08339611B2
The present invention provides a measurement apparatus which measures a distance between a reference surface fixed on a fiducial surface and a test surface located on a test object, the apparatus including an optical frequency comb generation unit configured to generate a light beam with a plurality of optical frequency components, which have equal optical frequency separations therebetween, a detection unit configured to, for at least two of the plurality of optical frequency components, detect an interference signal between a light beam reflected by the reference surface and a light beam reflected by the test surface to detect a phase corresponding to an optical path length between the reference surface and the test surface, and a calculation unit configured to calculate a geometric distance between the reference surface and the test surface based on the phases detected by the detection unit.
US08339609B2
The present invention provides a quantitative evaluation method of fouling of antifouling properties, a fouling evaluation apparatus, and a production method of optical members, which can be applied to various members, and haves high reproducibility and enable to detect a subtle difference between fouling, and an optical layered body having a property of preventing fingerprints from adhering, an anti-contamination property and a degree of recovery from fouling, and a display product including the optical layered body.The present invention pertains to an evaluation method of fouling, wherein light is radiated to a test sample and scattered light reflected off or passing through the test sample is detected to evaluate a degree of fouling of the surface of the test sample.
US08339608B2
A method of detecting redispersion of particles into a solution using for example FTIR. The method including providing a sensor surface with dry particles; illuminating the sensor surface with light along a first optical path and detecting the light reflected by the sensor surface; providing a liquid to a volume in contact with the sensor surface; and detecting the reflected light while the dry particles redisperse into the liquid. The angle between the first optical path and the sensor surface fulfils the condition of total internal reflection. Further, an FTIR cartridge may be provided for use in said method. The cartridge including a sensor surface accessible for FTIR detection including at least one binding area wherein label particles are situated.
US08339598B2
Apparatus for performing Raman analysis may include a laser source module, a beam delivery and signal collection module, a spectrum analysis module, and a digital signal processing module. The laser source module delivers a laser beam to the beam delivery and signal collection module. The beam delivery and signal collection module delivers the laser source beam to a sample, collects Raman scattered light scattered from the sample, and delivers the collected Raman scattered light to the spectrum analysis module. The spectrum analysis module demultiplexes the Raman scattered light into discrete Raman bands of interest, detects the presence of signal energy in each of the Raman bands, and produces a digital signal that is representative of the signal energy present in each of the Raman bands. The digital signal processing module is adapted to perform a Raman analysis of the sample.
US08339595B2
Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for determining overlay of a pattern on a substrate with a mask pattern defined in a resist layer on top of the pattern on the substrate. A first grating is provided under a second grating, each having substantially identical pitch to the other, together forming a composite grating. A first illumination beam is provided under an angle of incidence along a first horizontal direction. The intensity of a diffracted beam from the composite grating is measured. A second illumination beam is provided under the angle of incidence along a second horizontal direction. The second horizontal direction is opposite to the first horizontal direction. The intensity of the diffracted beam from the composite grating is measured. The difference between the diffracted beam from the first illumination beam and the diffracted beam from the second illumination beam, linearly scaled, results in the overlay error.
US08339594B2
Disclosed is a method for measuring a profile using a device for measuring the profile in which included are: a distance measuring means 2 for measuring the distance to an edge region of a semiconductor wafer 12 in such a manner that light is emitted to be reflected at the edge region and to be detected; a first swing mechanism swingably supporting the distance measuring means 2; and a second swing mechanism swingably supporting the first swing mechanism, the method comprising the steps of: locating angles of the first swing mechanism each of which gives a maximum intensity of received light at each of predetermined angles of the second swing mechanism thereof; calculating contour points using coordinate transformation, thereby enabling points-related data to be acquired to represent a contour profile of the edge region. Thus, the method can be used for edge profile measurement of large-diameter wafers.
US08339584B2
A laser Doppler velocimeter uses self-mixing amplification of backreflections from scatterers below the surface of a flow.A time domain signal is divided into segments that are roughly equal to a transit time of particles through a focus of a laser beam. The segments are connected to a frequency domain through the use of an FFT algorithm to produce frequency domain data segments. Signal-to-noise ratio is enhanced through signal processing techniques using the segments to produce a final enhanced signal spectrum.
US08339580B2
A countermeasure system for use by a target to protect against an incoming sensor-guided threat. The system includes a laser system for producing a broadband beam and means for directing the broadband beam from the target to the threat. The countermeasure system comprises the steps of producing a broadband beam and directing the broad band beam from the target to blind or confuse the incoming sensor-guided threat.
US08339571B2
A multiple patterning process employs a phase change material, portions of which can be converted to an amorphous state and then a remaining portion is selectively removed to provide high resolution pattern features with a feature spacing smaller than, for example, a minimum spacing available in a conventional patterning layer employing a single exposure. A lithographic apparatus for use in the process may comprise an exposure tool having a single illuminator and single patterning device that is imaged through a single exposure slit onto a scanning substrate. Alternatively, the exposure tool may have multiple illuminators and/or multiple scanning complementary patterning devices optionally used with multiple exposure slits on the scanning substrate to facilitate double patterning in a single substrate pass.
US08339570B2
The mark position detection device of the present invention, which detects a position of a mark provided on a substrate, includes an image sensor with changeable resolution and readout area, an optical system that directs light reflected from the mark to the image sensor, and a control unit configured to detect the position of the mark based on an output of the image sensor. The control unit performs a first position detection based on the output of the image sensor with a first resolution and a first readout area, and a second position detection based on the output of the image sensor with a second resolution, which has higher resolution than the first resolution, and a second readout area, which is determined to be narrower than the first readout area and lies within the first readout area based on the first position detection.
US08339568B2
A foreign particle inspection apparatus includes a light projecting unit, a photo-receiving unit which receives the scattered light, and a controller. The photo-receiving unit is arranged such that its optical axis is tilted by a first angle with respect to a plane including the optical axis and the normal axis to the surface. When the angle of the polarization axis of the projected light with respect to the plane is defined as a second angle, the controller controls at least one of the polarization axis and the arrangement of the photo-receiving unit so that the differences between the first angle and the second angle become a first state and a second state, thereby determining a foreign particle based on the outputs from the photo-receiving unit in the first state and the second state.
US08339557B2
Disclosed herein is a liquid crystal display panel of a transverse electric field system, including: a liquid crystal layer; and a pair of substrates configured to be so disposed as to be opposed to each other and sandwich the liquid crystal layer. In the liquid crystal display panel, a first electrode and a second electrode for applying an electric field to the liquid crystal layer and an alignment film are formed in a plurality of pixel areas that form a display area in one of the pair of substrates, a planarization insulating film is formed on a surface of at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode and across an entire surface of the pixel areas, and the alignment film is formed on a surface of the planarization insulating film.
US08339556B2
Provided is an electro-optical device which allows high-speed response and has high luminance and contrast. The electro-optical device includes: a plurality of substrates opposed to each other; a medium layer sandwiched between the substrates; electrode groups formed on opposed surfaces of the substrates, for applying an electric field to the medium layer, the electrode groups having a portion in which the electrode groups have an interdigit shape and are arranged substantially parallel; and a pair of polarizing plates which are arranged so that absorption axes thereof are substantially orthogonal to each other with the medium layer sandwiched therebetween, in which the medium layer includes a medium substantially having optical-isotropy with absence of an electric field and exhibiting optical-anisotropy with an applied electric field, the electrode groups include transparent electrodes, and the optical-anisotropy is imparted near the respective electrodes in a direction normal to the substrates by the electrode groups.
US08339554B2
A liquid crystal device includes a first substrate; a second substrate arranged to face the first substrate; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a pixel electrode disposed over the substrate; and a common electrode overlapping the pixel electrode, and the common electrode having curved portions between slits in the common electrode.
US08339549B2
A liquid crystal display device has a liquid crystal display panel including pixels each having an active device, a pixel electrode, a common electrode and a liquid crystal layer arranged in a dot matrix array. The liquid crystal display panel has a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate has the active device, the pixel electrode, the common electrode and a first alignment film. The second substrate has a second alignment film. The first alignment film and the second alignment film are respectively a photo alignment film formed by irradiating a photo decomposition type insulating film with light. The second alignment film has a thickness of at least 10 nm and no greater 50 nm and is thinner than the first alignment film.
US08339541B2
A backlight unit for a liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of white LEDs on a PCB, along a length direction of the PCB, and emitting white lights, the plurality of white LEDs including first and second LEDs alternately arranged; and a plurality of optical sheets on a path of the white lights from the plurality of white LEDs to a liquid crystal panel, wherein the white light from the first LED and the white light from the second LED are substantially complementary in color to each other with respect to a target white light.
US08339531B2
A display device in which a pixel voltage is held at low power consumption without any influence from fluctuation in threshold voltage is provided. A liquid crystal capacitor element (Clc) is formed between a pixel electrode (20) and a counter electrode (80). A counter voltage (Vcom) is applied to the counter electrode (80). The pixel electrode (20), one ends of a first switch circuit (22) and a second switch circuit (23), and a first terminal of a second transistor (T2) form an internal node (N1). The other end of the first switch circuit (22) is connected to a source line (SL). The second switch circuit (23) has the other end connected to a voltage supply line (VSL) and is a series circuit of transistors (T1 and T2). A control terminal of the transistor (T1), a second terminal of the transistor (T2), and one end of the boost capacitor element (Cbst) form an output node (N2). The other end of the boost capacitor element (Cbst), the control terminal of the transistor (T2), and the control terminal of the transistor (T3) are connected to a boost line (BST), a reference line (REF), and a selecting line (SEL), respectively.
US08339528B2
To provide an erasing device whose power consumption required for erasing operations is suppressed, which does not spoil the portability of an optical writing type display medium. In a first display function layer, voltages applied to two cholesteric liquid crystal layers when an erasing voltage is applied between a pair of electrodes are defined as V1, V2, respectively, and threshold voltages with which the cholesteric liquid crystal layers change to the homeotropic alignment are defined as Vth1, Vth2, respectively. In that case, in a state the voltages V1 and V2 are determined according to only each resistance of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers and resistance of a photoconductive layer, i.e., a sufficient time has passed from a point at which the erasing voltage is applied, V1≧Vth1 and V2≧Vth2 apply.
US08339523B2
According to one embodiment, a television apparatus includes a housing, a vibration module attached to the housing, a supporting portion which is secured to the housing and supports the vibration module for vibration, and an oscillation unit which causes the vibration module to vibrate. In addition, the television apparatus includes a plurality of first projections protruding from one of the vibration module and the housing toward the other, a sheet spanning between respective distal end portions of the first projections, and a plurality of second projections provided on the other of the vibration module and the housing and abutting the sheet at positions between the first projections.
US08339521B2
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a display controller, a communication module and a determination module. The display controller is configured to display an operation screen, which is used for operating another electronic apparatus, on a display. The communication module is configured to transmit an operation signal, which indicates an operation in accordance with the operation screen, to the another electronic apparatus. The determination module is configured to determine that a function of the another electronic apparatus is activated in response to transmission of the operation signal. The display controller includes an object generation module configured to generate an object representing an operation button for activating a function of the another electronic apparatus with one operation and to arrange the generated object on the operation screen, when the determination module determines that the function is activated through a plurality of operations.
US08339520B2
The digital broadcast receiver 10 includes the first tuner 106 and the second tuner 107. The first tuner 106 receives a certain channel, whereas the second tuner 107 performs channel detection at a predetermined cycle. If the reception level of the certain channel currently received by the first tuner 106 becomes lower than a threshold, the digital broadcast receiver 10 switches the channel received by the first tuner 106 to a channel whose reception level is equal to or higher than the threshold among channels detected by the second tuner 107.
US08339519B2
An image processing apparatus, in which an interpolation frame is inserted between a current frame and a first delayed frame preceding the current frame by one frame, includes a motion vector detector, a motion vector converter, and an interpolation frame generator; wherein the motion vector detector includes a test interpolator outputting test interpolation data, an interpolation data evaluator evaluating a correlation of each of the test interpolation data with reference to the first-delayed-frame block data, thereby outputting evaluation data indicating results of the evaluating, and a motion vector determiner outputting a motion vector of an item of the evaluation data having highest correlation in the plurality of items of the evaluation data; and the first to third test interpolation data are obtained as the test interpolation data from a plurality of items of the second-delayed-frame block data and a plurality of items of the current-frame block data.
US08339516B2
A method and unit for noise reduction in a current image frame, wherein the current image frame is a part of a sequence of image frames. The method compares a current pixel value of a pixel within the current image frame with a corresponding pixel value of the pixel in at least one adjacent image frame, and determines a piled-up value of the current pixel value and the corresponding pixel value if a pixel difference between the current pixel value and the corresponding pixel value is below a pixel threshold, wherein the pixel threshold depends on the corresponding pixel value and/or the current pixel value. The method and unit can be applied for block and color processing as well.
US08339504B2
An image pickup apparatus including a lens barrel with a bending optical system, in which a reflection optical element is movable between a storage state and a photographing state. When a rotary cylinder that retains a lens group to which light beams from an object are incident is being driven by a drive source to advance and retreat between a storage state and a photographing state, the coupling between a cam mechanism for rotary cylinder operation and a driving force transmission gear train for optical element operation is automatically established and released, whereby the operation for moving the reflection optical element between the storage state and the photographing state can be achieved by a single drive source.
US08339502B2
Provided are a method for manufacturing an imaging device at low cost while ensuring easiness in manufacturing, and the imaging device. In the imaging device, a diaphragm 14a can be used as a diaphragm by insert molding a metal plate material MP in a transparent resin material which forms a lens, a diaphragm as a separate member is not required to be assembled, and troubles in assembly are eliminated. Further, a shield of an imaging element can be grounded by assembling a lens array LA to an imaging element array IA while making a leg section 14b abut to an earth terminal T1g. Thus, wire connection by soldering is eliminated and troubles in assembly are eliminated.
US08339495B2
A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes rows and columns of pixels, each column or each set of a plurality of columns being provided with an analog-to-digital converter. When an operation for holding analog electric signals performed by the analog-to-digital converters is performed simultaneously with an operation for outputting data from memories holding digital signals that are output from the analog-to-digital converters, “streaky noise” artifacts appear on an image obtained by such operations. To avoid this, the operation for holding the analog electric signals and the operation for outputting data from the memories holding the digital signals are set apart from each other by at least one data clock period of a scanning circuit.
US08339487B2
A color filter array includes a plurality of filters, each having one of a plurality of types of spectral sensitivity and being disposed at the location of a corresponding one of a plurality of pixels. The filters of a predetermined type selected from among the plurality of types are arranged at the locations of the pixels in a checkered pattern, and the filters of some or all of the other types are randomly arranged at the pixel locations at which the filters of the predetermined type are not present.
US08339484B2
An image processing method for executing edge enhancement for an original image includes: extracting edge components based upon the original image; correcting the extracted edge components by attenuating the individual edge components so that a frequency distribution related to intensity of the edge components approximates a Gaussian distribution assuming a specific width; and executing edge enhancement for the original image based upon the corrected edge components.
US08339481B2
An image restoration method includes receiving an externally input image signal, generating a filtered image signal by filtering the input image signal, and generating a restored image signal by calculating a weighted average of the input image signal and the filtered image signal. Such a method may be implemented using an image restoration device including an image filtering unit adapted generated the filtered image signal, and an image mixing unit adapted to generate the restored image signal. More particularly, the restored image signal may be generated using weighting factors calculated based on the input image signal, by calculating a local variance of pixels in the input image signal, and calculating the weighting factor for each of the pixels based on the local variance of each of the pixels.
US08339480B2
A mobile terminal and method of controlling a mobile terminal are provided. While a preview image is displayed on a screen and a camera zooms in, a zoom-in region is stored after being cropped from the preview image. According to the present invention, when an image resulting from zooming in a preview image is photographed and stored, the region corresponding to the zoomed-in image is cropped from the preview image and then stored instead of the zoomed-in image with a resolution size of the preview image being stored. Therefore, the present invention reduces a size of a stored image without degradation of a picture, thereby increasing an available size of the memory.
US08339479B2
An image capturing device and an image synthesis method thereof are disclosed. The image capturing device includes an image capturing module, an exposure module, and a processing module. The image capturing module captures a scene image corresponding to a scene. The exposure module meters the light of scene to generate a plurality of histograms. The processing module calculates a plurality of discrete values of the scene image in different exposure conditions according to the histograms. Further, based upon at least two highest discrete values, the processing module processes the scene image to generate at least two temporary images in at least two different brightness conditions, and synthesizes the temporary images to generate a high dynamic range image.
US08339475B2
Systems and methods of high dynamic range image combining are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a device includes a global mapping module configured to generate first globally mapped luminance values within a region of an image, a local mapping module configured to generate second locally mapped luminance values within the region of the image, and a combination module configured to determine luminance values within a corresponding region of an output image using a weighted sum of the first globally mapped luminance values and the second locally mapped luminance values. A weight of the weighted sum is at least partially based on a luminance variation within the region of the image.
US08339470B2
A method for generating an image is provided. The method includes estimating a high resolution image from a plurality of low resolution images and downsampling the estimated high resolution image to obtain estimates of a plurality of low resolution images. The method also includes generating a desired high resolution image based upon comparison of the downsampled low resolution images and the plurality of low resolution images.
US08339466B2
An image stabilization apparatus has an angular velocity detector detecting an angular velocity applied thereto and outputting the angular velocity, an acceleration detector detecting an acceleration applied to the image stabilization apparatus and outputting the acceleration, a principal point calculation unit calculating a principal point position of a shooting optical system, an rotation angular velocity calculation unit calculating a rotation angular velocity component about the principal point of the shooting optical system based on an output of the angular velocity detector, a revolution angular velocity calculation unit calculating a revolution angular velocity component about an object based on the output of the acceleration detector and a calculation result of the rotation angular velocity calculation unit and correcting the calculated revolution angular velocity component according to the principal point position, and a controlling unit performing image stabilization control based on a difference between the rotation and corrected revolution angular velocity components.
US08339464B2
According to the invention, the test system uses a digital photography device (4) that can be remotely controlled from a computer system including a processor (20) coupled to a man/machine interface (21) and to the presentation device to be tested by a remote transmission means. A means is further provided for centering the photographic apparatus (4) opposite the presentation device (5) to be tested. The processor (20) is programmed so as to carry out a self-positioning phase of the photographic apparatus, an automatic focalization phase of the lens, and a test phase of the information presentation device.
US08339460B2
A video signal processing integrated circuit comprising: a test signal generation circuit configured to generate a test signal in conformity with video additional data superimposed on a video signal; a data slicer configured to binarize the test signal through comparison with a slice level, the test signal being supplied from the test signal generation circuit; and a data processing circuit configured to perform data processing of the video additional data binarized by the data slicer.
US08339458B2
The present solution can include a method for allowing the selective modification of audio characteristics of items appearing in a video. In this method, a RFID tag can be loaded with audio characteristics specific to a sound-producing element. The RFID tag can then be attached to an item that corresponds to the sound-producing element. The video and audio of the area including the item can be recorded. The audio characteristics can be automatically obtained by scanning the RFID tag. The audio characteristics can then be embedded within the video so that the audio characteristics are available when the item appears in the video.
US08339457B1
An imaging device for real-time display of image data on a local display and on a remote display is disclosed. In some embodiments, the imaging device can include an imaging engine, a memory device for storing image data, and a processor for receiving the image data from the imaging engine, storing the image data in the memory device, retrieving the image data from the memory device, and transmitting the image data to both a local display and remote display so that the image data can be viewed on both the remote display and local display simultaneously.
US08339451B2
There is disclosed a method in a mobile communications device, wherein the method comprises displaying a main image, selecting an object in the main image, displaying a plurality of object images comprising the selected object, selecting a target object image from the plurality of object images, and displaying a target candidate image associated with the target object image.
US08339449B2
A method of forming a device is presented. The method includes providing a substrate containing at least a partially formed device thereon. The device comprises at least one defect site. A pixilated image of the defect site is acquired, and each pixel comprises a grey level value (GLV). Surrounding noises of the defect site is eliminated. A point of the image is identified as the center of the defect. A plurality of iterations to exclude outer edge pixels surrounding the center of the defect image is performed. The defect is categorized as a killer or non-killer defect.
US08339447B2
A stereoscopic microscope workstation providing high-resolution, real-time data to a display device. Various embodiments are disclosed including desktop and free-standing workstations. An image processing unit can be implemented, providing for natural orientation of the magnified image of the viewed object, also allowing rotation, cropping, filtering and other image manipulation features. Methods of performing a procedure utilizing the stereoscopic microscope workstation are disclosed, including a method of manipulating an object while viewing the object in a high-resolution real-time magnified image.
US08339443B2
A three-dimensional image display method, includes: displaying a three-dimensional image including a left eye image signal and a right eye image signal displayed at a display focus angle; determining whether to change a viewing focus angle with respect to the display focus angle; calculating a pixel distance between the left eye image signal and the right eye image signal if it is determined to change the viewing focus angle; and displaying indicator marks at positions spaced as much as a half of the pixel distance from a center of a screen in leftward and rightward directions.
US08339440B2
A method and an apparatus for controlling a multipoint conference are disclosed. The method includes: determining resolution-layered coding parameters of each terminal, and sending them to their corresponding terminals; receiving the code streams sent by each terminal, selecting code streams to be displayed by each terminal among the received code streams according to the display requirements of each terminal, and transcoding or mapping the selected code streams to the code streams decodable by the terminal; and sending the code streams decodable by each terminal to their corresponding terminals. The embodiments of the present invention use an MCU to control the resolution-layered coding, and therefore, the system can include both the terminal supporting the layering protocol and the terminal supporting no layering protocol. In addition, the calculation is reduced, and the system efficiency is improved.
US08339435B2
An optical scanning unit may include a light source unit configured to emit a light beam, an optical housing configured to receive and support the light source unit, an optical device configured to deflect the light beam and to focus the light beam on a light receiving member, and a fixing member configured to fix the light source unit to the optical housing by applying pressure to the light source unit, wherein the pressure is applied in a direction, which is substantially perpendicular to an optical axis direction of the light source unit.
US08339434B2
Provided are a light scanning unit and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus employing the same. A possible form deviation during fabrication of a cylindrical lens employed by the light scanning unit is reduced by intentionally giving a form deviation to the incident surface and the emission surface of the cylindrical lens in the main scanning direction.
US08339431B2
Provided is a thermal head including an intermediate layer between a support substrate and an upper substrate, which is capable of suppressing heat dissipation toward the support substrate while maintaining printing quality. Employed is a thermal head (1) including: an upper substrate (5); a support substrate (3) bonded in a stacked state on one surface side of the upper substrate (5); a heating resistor (7) provided on another surface side of the upper substrate (5); and an intermediate layer (6) including a concave portion that forms a cavity portion (4) in a region corresponding to the heating resistor (7), the intermediate layer (6) being provided between the upper substrate (5) and the support substrate (3), in which the intermediate layer (6) is formed of a plate-shaped glass material having a lower melting point than melting points of the upper substrate (5) and the support substrate (3).
US08339419B1
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to collecting images of maps at plurality of client devices, orienting the images with respect to the Earth, and providing the oriented maps to users. The map images may be collected by users who orient the maps by arranging the position of the image over a picture of the Earth. In another example, users may orient the maps by using “pushpins” to indicate the location of two or more points in the map image to two or more locations on the image of the Earth. The images may be processed in order to generate high quality images which may then be downloaded and used by other users.
US08339417B2
Systems and methods corresponding to an open area map are disclosed. For example, one method includes receiving an image of a layout corresponding to a real-world area in which a person moves about. The image is in a vector graphics format. A reference region is determined using the image of the layout. A grid is combined with the reference region to generate a routable map. The routable map is configured to provide point-to-point routing within the layout.
US08339416B2
An image construction apparatus has functions of, based on an instruction from a user, creating a binary-coded program, creating a database, and associating the database with an image part. The use of those functions allows the user to easily construct an image including an image part associated with both the program and the database. Some embodiments enable easy association of information on an apparatus to be operated with image parts constructing an image displayed by a remote control apparatus. Some embodiments are suitable for constructing the screen of the remote control apparatus having a graphical user interface.
US08339413B2
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for rendering an artwork comprising a plurality of surfaces, wherein the plurality of surfaces comprises a plurality of semi-transparent surfaces. Each of the semi-transparent surfaces may be rendered to a first image buffer at a multi-sampled resolution. Each of the rendered semi-transparent surfaces at the multi-sampled resolution may be multiplied by one or more transparency values of one or more of the plurality of surfaces nearer than the rendered semi-transparent surface. Each of the rendered and attenuated semi-transparent surfaces may be reduced from the multi-sampled resolution to a display resolution and added at the display resolution to a second image buffer.
US08339411B2
Systems and methods are provided for assigning color values to pixels based on object structure. For example, when rendering a writing system symbol on an electronic display, a non-color characteristic of the symbol can be measured and the measurement can be used to select a color value for a pixel associated with the symbol. Legibility of open and closed line-based graphical objects can be increased by inferring spatial depth and distance through application of a color assignment model.
US08339402B2
A real-time method for producing an animated performance is disclosed. The real-time method involves receiving animation data, the animation data used to animate a computer generated character. The animation data may comprise motion capture data, or puppetry data, or a combination thereof. A computer generated animated character is rendered in real-time with receiving the animation data. A body movement of the computer generated character may be based on the motion capture data, and a head and a facial movement are based on the puppetry data. A first view of the computer generated animated character is created from a first reference point. A second view of the computer generated animated character is created from a second reference point that is distinct from the first reference point. One or more of the first and second views of the computer generated animated character are displayed in real-time with receiving the animation data.
US08339392B2
A computer implemented method, a computer program product, and a data processing system manage regions within a virtual universe. A current location of an avatar is identified within a virtual universe, the current location being within a currently populated region. A vectored movement of the avatar is identified. Any adjacent region that may probabilistically encounter a horizon of the avatar within a region activation time of the virtual universe is identified. If the adjacent region is deactivated, then the adjacent region is activated. An unpopulated region that is currently active is identified, wherein the unpopulated region is within an extended distance from the avatar's current location. The unpopulated region is then deactivated.
US08339390B2
Provided are a power supply circuit and a display device which are capable of enhancing power efficiency even when applied to a display panel whose current consumption varies. The power supply circuit boosts and outputs an input voltage using a booster chopper circuit. A frequency control circuit changes a frequency of a clock signal, which controls a switch of the chopper circuit, in accordance with a load of the power supply circuit. The frequency control circuit divides an operation of the display device into a display effective period at a high load and a vertical retrace period at a low load, based on a vertical synchronizing signal and a horizontal synchronizing signal. The frequency control circuit sets the frequency of the clock signal in a high-load period to be higher than that in a low-load period.
US08339385B2
A self calibrating imaging display system and machine-readable storage for such systems are provided, which perform various steps. The steps include forwarding a display test pattern, where the display test pattern including a measurement field comprising approximately 10% of a total number of pixels displayed by a screen and where the measurement field can be placed at different regions of the screen. The steps also include causing the measurement field to be stepped through a sequence of values. The steps further include receiving luminance and color values from photosensors to detect distinct luminance and color levels at the different regions of the screen. The steps also include determining luminance and color correction factors by comparing the detected luminance and color values to reference luminance and color data. The steps additionally include applying the determined luminance and color correction factors to the different regions of the screen.
US08339380B2
An optical operating apparatus includes a soft plate, a transparent supporting plate, a deformable unit, a light source, and an image sensing module. The soft plate is configured for being pressed. The transparent supporting plate is disposed under the soft plate. The deformable unit is disposed between the transparent supporting plate and the soft plate, and has a pattern configuration. The deformable unit deforms as applying an external force on the soft plate and restores after the external force is removed. The light source is configured for providing a light beam to the transparent supporting plate and the deformable unit, and the light beam is reflected by the deformable unit. The image sensing module is arranged on a transmitting path of the light beam reflected by the deformable unit, and a visual field of the image sensing module covers the whole deformable unit. In addition, the present invention also relates to a method for determining operation motion.
US08339373B2
An exemplary touch panel display includes a display panel, a backlight module, two infrared cameras, and a processor. The display panel has a touch surface. The backlight module includes a light guide plate and a light source module. The light source module includes a first visible light source and a second infrared light source. The light guide plate is capable of transmitting the visible light and the infrared light through to the display panel. The infrared cameras are disposed in the light guide plate. The infrared cameras are to detect infrared light that is reflected from an object in contact with or adjacent the touch surface of the display panel and form images based on the detected infrared light. The processor is to receive the images outputted from the infrared cameras, and process the images to obtain a position of the object at the touch surface.
US08339367B2
The disclosure relates to a system and method for analyzing movements of a handheld electronic device. The system comprises: memory; a microprocessor; a first module to generate movement data responsive to movements of the device, such as rotational movements; a second module providing instructions to the microprocessor to map the movement data against symbols representing an input movement string and store the string representation in the memory; and a third module. The third module provides instructions to the microprocessor to analyze data relating to the string representation against data relating to a gesture string representing a gesture related to a command for the device to determine if the gesture has been imparted on the device; and if the string representation sufficiently matches the gesture string, executes a command associated with the gesture on the device.
US08339360B2
An approach is provided that receives a request to perform an action by an information handling system that includes a processor. In response to the request, a captcha request that corresponds to a captcha is transmitted to a foldable display screen. A response is received from the foldable display screen with the response including one or more bends of the foldable display screen. The received one or more bends are compared to one or more expected bends included in the captcha. The requested action is performed in response to the comparison revealing that the received one or more bends match the one or more expected bends. On the other hand, performance of the requested action is inhibited in response to the comparison revealing that at least one of the received one or more bends fails to match at least one of the one or more expected bends.
US08339352B2
An integrated circuit device includes first to Nth circuit blocks (N is an integer of two or more) disposed along the long side of the integrated circuit device. One circuit block of the first to Nth circuit blocks is a logic circuit block, and another circuit block of the first to Nth circuit blocks is a programmable ROM of which at least part of data stored therein can be programmed by a user. The logic circuit block and the programmable ROM block are adjacently disposed along a first direction. At least part of information stored in the programmable ROM block is supplied to the logic circuit block.
US08339350B2
An image display method and apparatus for generating display data from predetermined high-order bits of original image data, the display data reflecting an error of low-order bits in the original image data. The display data is used to drive each of pixels arranged in line and column directions. The high-order three bits of six-bit original image data are regarded as intra-frame process data. A process value is determined based on the low-order three bits of the original image data, on a frame number, on a line number and on a column number. That process value is added to the least significant bit of the intra-frame process value made of the high-order three bits, whereby three-bit display data is generated. The addition of the process value evenly distributes the gray level error of the low-order three bits within each frame and between frames for simulated high quality gray level display.
US08339343B2
The present invention discloses a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. The LCD device comprises an upper substrate and a lower substrate. Every two data lines and two scan lines define two pixels. Each pixel comprises a pixel electrode and a transistor, and a biased electrode is arranged under a slot between two pixel electrodes of the two pixels. When positive frame, the voltage of the biased electrode, VE, is greater than the voltage the pixel electrode, VP; when negative frame, the voltage of the biased electrode, VE, is smaller than the voltage the pixel electrode, VP.
US08339337B2
Disclosed herein is a display apparatus including: a pixel array section including pixel circuits each having an electro optical device, a signal writing transistor, a signal storage capacitor, and a device driving transistor; and a pixel driving section, wherein: in a no-light emission period, the pixel driving section carries out a threshold-voltage correction process by changing an electric potential appearing on an electrode of the device driving transistor close to the electro optical device toward an electric potential obtained by subtracting the threshold voltage of the device driving transistor from the initialization electric potential of the gate electrode of the device driving transistor and a mobility correction process of negatively feeding a current flowing through the device driving transistor back to the gate electrode of the device driving transistor; and when a current is not flowing through the device driving transistor, the pixel driving section applies a positive bias voltage to the gate electrode of the signal writing transistor.
US08339335B2
By correcting a data signal based on a current flowing through an EL element when an element driving transistor which controls a drive current to be supplied to the EL element is operated in a saturation region and the EL element is set to an emission level, it is possible to realize a rapid display variation inspection and a high precision display variation correction. By providing a current measuring function on an EL display apparatus, a characteristic variation after the apparatus is shipped can be handled and corrected.
US08339334B2
A driving circuit of a data electrode is provided which includes a drive controlling unit, a first driving transistor and a second driving transistor. The drive controlling unit compares a previous data signal and a present data signal in response to an energy recovery enable signal and outputs a first driving signal and a second driving signal, which correspond to the comparison result. The first driving transistor transmits an address driving signal to an output node connected to the data electrode in response to the first driving signal. The second driving transistor transmits a reference voltage to the output node in response to the second driving signal.
US08339333B2
Methods of reducing perceived image crosstalk in a multiview display. One method includes providing an image stream to a display having a horizontal dimension that extends from a first side of the display to an opposing second side of the display. The image stream includes a temporal sequence of images where at least a first image view and then a second image view are displayed on the display in a time sequential manner. The temporal sequence of images are conditioned before being displayed in order to reduce perceived displayed image crosstalk between the first and second image views. The conditioning includes modifying a color intensity of at least selected pixels along the horizontal dimension based on a non-constant crosstalk correction function for the horizontal dimension.
US08339327B2
A circularly-polarized antenna is provided, and includes a conductive backplane with a plurality of panels, a vertical array of patch radiators disposed on one of the backplane panels, and a feed stripline disposed on the backplane panel. The backplane panels are vertical, planar, rectangular and form a right prism. The vertical array has a radiator spacing of one wavelength, each radiator has a face and four edges, and each edge has a length of approximately one half wavelength. The feed stripline includes an input coupled to a coaxial feed cable, and a pair of outputs, orthogonal in position and phase, coupled to each of the radiators.
US08339324B1
A wideband biconical antenna arrangement is disclosed having a feed arrangement that services a second antenna positioned above the biconical antenna. The feed for the second antenna is configured as a helix that spirals around an outer periphery of the upper and lower cones of the biconical antenna along the biconical antenna's cylindrical radiating aperture. In one embodiment, the feed is a coaxial cable disposed within a hollow metal tube. This helix feed does not substantially degrade the performance of the wideband biconical antenna. The wideband biconical antenna has its feed disposed within a central conduit of the biconical antenna. The biconical antenna has at least one octave of bandwidth, and in one embodiment the second antenna also has at least one octave of bandwidth.
US08339322B2
A multi-band antenna including a conductive ground plane element, a conductive driven element having a feed point and a conductive coupling element located on at least one but not all sides of the conductive driven element and coupled to the conductive ground plane element and to the conductive driven element, wherein a resonant frequency associated with the conductive coupling element is independent of a size of the conductive ground plane element.
US08339319B2
A broadband antenna printed on a substrate. The substrate includes a first surface, a second surface perpendicular to the first surface, and a third surface parallel to the first surface. The broadband antenna includes a grounding portion, a feeding portion, and a radiating portion. The grounding portion is located on the first surface. The feeding portion feeds electromagnetic signals and includes a first feeding section printed on the third surface and a second feeding section printed on the second surface. The radiating portion includes a first radiating section, a second radiating section, and a third radiating section. The first radiating section is printed on the first surface. The second radiating section comprises a first radiating segment and a second radiating segment. The third radiating section is printed on the second surface and formed a ladder portion.
US08339313B2
A positioning method is provided, particularly adaptable for a mobile device. Satellite signals are first received from at least one satellites. At least one first search process is performed on the satellite signals by using an adjustable integration time. A tracking process is then performed when the at least one satellite is acquired in the at least one search process.
US08339307B2
A digital method of determining and correcting beam-pointing for a communications spacecraft that has a digital beam-forming architecture for defining multiple spot transmit and receive beams, the antenna system of the spacecraft including a receive antenna (DRA, AFR) having antenna elements providing respective antenna element signals, and wherein at least one of the uplink signals to the spacecraft includes a beacon signal, and wherein the method comprises digitally weighting components of said beacon signal present in antenna element signals, combining such weighted beacon signal components such as to derive beam-pointing error signals, and employing the error signals to adjust beam-forming weight values of the receive antenna, in order to adjust the pointing direction of at least one signal beam. The digital weights for the beacon signal define difference radiation patterns for x, y axes of the antenna which vary rapidly in a range corresponding to the pointing errors most commonly occurring.
US08339306B2
A detection system includes a detection processor configured to receive a frame of image data that includes a range/Doppler matrix, perform a rate-of-change of variance calculation with respect to at least one pixel in the frame of image data, and compare the calculated rate-of-change of variance with a predetermined threshold to provide output data. The range/Doppler matrix may include N down-range samples and M cross-range samples. The detection processor may calculate a rate-of-change of variance over an N×M window within the range/Doppler matrix.
US08339305B2
In a method for detecting an object with an FMCW (frequency modulated continuous wave) ranging system a superior accuracy and resolution is obtained by determining the strongest sinusoidal component in the frequency spectrum and removing the determined component from the spectrum, repeating the preceding step at least once, adding one of the components determined in the two preceding steps to the spectrum, re-determining the then strongest sinusoidal component in the spectrum and removing the re-determined component from the spectrum, repeating the preceding step for each remaining of the determined sinusoidal components, and repeating the last two steps until a desired degree of convergence is reached.
US08339295B2
A method and system for managing Digital to Time Conversion (DTC) is provided. The method comprises receiving a first Radio Frequency (RF) signal and a second RF signal. The second RF signal is a phase-shifted first RF signal. The method further comprises converting the first RF signal to a first Intermediate Frequency (IF) signal and the second RF signal to a second IF signal. Further, a time delay between the first IF signal and the second IF signal is estimated based on a time difference measurement technique. The second RF signal is processed based on the estimated time delay to compensate for a delay error associated with the second RF signal.
US08339292B2
Disclosed is a key operation device for detecting an open/close state of key switches using row and column signal lines. The key switches include: 1st to 4th key switches each corresponding to a key for inputting a direction; and ten-key switches correspond one-to-one to keys of a ten-key pad. The 1st and 2nd key switches are both coupled to one of the row signal lines and each to a different one of two of the column signal lines. The 3rd and 4th key switches are both coupled to another one of the row signal lines and each coupled to a different one of the two column signal lines to which the 1st and 2nd key switches are respectively coupled. None of the ten-key switches is coupled to either of the two row signal lines to which the 1st and 2nd or 3rd and 4th key switches are coupled.
US08339290B2
A control method of an alterable key is applied in a portable electronic device including switch a plurality of function modes. The portable electronic device has an opaque key portion, a pattern template layer, and a plurality of light emitting portions. A pattern template layer has many groups of operating patterns. Light emitting portions are corresponding to the operating patterns and emit the specific light, and the operating patterns are corresponding to the function modes. The control method includes the following steps of receiving a first command to switch the corresponding function mode, brightening the light emitting portion corresponding to the function mode to show the corresponding operating patterns on the opaque key portion, receiving a second command to switch another corresponding function mode, and brightening the light emitting portion corresponding to another function mode to show another corresponding operating patterns on the opaque key portion.
US08339277B2
In some embodiments, an apparatus [100] and a system, as well as a method and an article, may operate to transmit downhole data in a drilling fluid via fluid pressure modulation, and receive the downhole data at a fluid pulse receiver included in a conduit [104] coupled to a drill pipe downstream from a Kelly hose. Other apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08339276B2
Apparatus and systems, as well as methods, operate to acquire downhole data associated with a borehole casing, process a portion of the downhole data at a downhole location to provide processed data, and regulate surface motor power received at a motor downhole. The surface motor power is filtered and the processed data is transmitted to a surface location on a monoconductor that also carries the surface motor power. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08339275B2
An arrangement that includes a transmitter unit and a receiver for locating a circuit interrupter associated with a selected branch circuit of a power distribution system. The transmitter is electrically interconnected with the selected branch circuit and produces a sequence of tracing signals in a branch circuit that is to be traced. Each tracing signal is transmitted and detected at times measured with respect to a detected known phase of the signal on the branch circuit. In one embodiment, tracing signals are transmitted on a branch circuit of a 3 phase power distribution system when the branch circuit to be tested has a positive phase and the other phases are negative.
US08339269B2
A liquid level sensing device for sensing liquid in a container. The liquid level sensing device has a base and a rotatable member which extends from and is rotatable relative to the base. A cord extends from the rotatable member and has a sensor provided at a free end thereof. The sensor may be accurately positioned at various heights relative to a bottom of the container to allow a user to fill the container with the liquid to the desired level. An alarm and a signal transmitter are provided in electrical communication with the sensor, such that as a liquid is introduced to the container, the alarm and the signal transmitter will be activated when the level of the liquid reaches the sensor.
US08339267B2
The present invention relates to a dynamic RFID device assembly which is able to withstand the additional stresses of using RFID devices in a non-planar arrangement. The invention includes the provision of a protective cap to prevent the fracturing or breakage of chip and antenna connection. The RFID device of the present invention can be included in a housing which may also be flexible thereby adding additional stability to the device.
US08339263B2
A security device (20) is a compact and inexpensive device for monitoring the integrity of closed objects that indicates when the state of a monitored condition inside the closed object has changed. The device (20) is small-sized so that it can also be placed inside small closed objects, e.g. a briefcase, box, envelope or alike, and that it is inconspicuous to the observer if the closed object is opened. The device (20) is relocatable inside the closed object. The device (20) comprises a controller (4) and associated memory (8), a time counter (6) in connection with the controller (4), sensors (2) communicating with the controller (4) and arranged to sense changes in conditions inside the closed object and indicating means (12) communicating with the controller (4) and arranged to wirelessly indicate invasion against the integrity of the closed object. While the changes in conditions inside the closed object comply with certain predefined conditions the alarm indication can be blocked. The alarm indication of the security device (20) can also be activated and deactivated externally by means of a remote control or automatically.
US08339254B2
The present invention is directed toward a data acquisition and display system for vehicles that connects to the vehicle's on-board computer(s) via a data link connector (DLC). The system includes a display module suitable for permanent or temporary attachment within the interior of a vehicle. The display module preferably includes a full color monitor that also functions as a touch screen for inputting commands to the computer within the display module. The computer includes a suitable processor, operating system, software and tangible data storage media to allow multiple user configurable graphics. The display module collects information from the vehicle via multiple busses and senders through the data link connector and displays the information on the screen of the display module in a user configured graphics format. The software is constructed and arranged to allow user configuration of the displayed graphics by clicking or touching the graphics image.
US08339252B2
Disclosed is a blind spot display device which enables a driver to check the image of a blind spot area at required timing and can prevent the visual distraction of the driver due to display of unnecessary images, ensuring that the driver is sufficiently attentive during driving. On the basis of the traveling state of a vehicle estimated by a traveling state estimation section, a right display and a left display switch display and non-display of the image of the blind spot area, and the right attention drawing section or the left attention drawing section corresponding to the display displaying the image draws the attention of the driver. On the basis of the traveling state, the image is displayed only when necessary, and is not displayed when unnecessary.
US08339245B2
A charge accumulation circuit having a structure in which a capacitor is divided into a plurality of pieces and the divided capacitors are connected in parallel through switches is provided. The charge accumulation circuit controls the switch provided between the capacitors and thus can dynamically vary electrostatic capacitance of the charge accumulation circuit which applies a voltage to a constant voltage circuit.
US08339244B2
A technique for saving power in a tag that is operationally connected to an asset involves using telemetry data to enter an appropriate power state. An asset tracking system according to the technique can make use of context to better track assets to which power-saving tags are operationally connected. Secure tag configuration techniques and asset-agnostic tags are described. Location-agnostic tags are also described.
US08339241B2
Provided are a method of displaying messages in a digital home appliance and a display control method therefore. The method includes storing user setting information regarding output of messages and displaying a message based on the stored user setting information, where the user setting information is received from a user.
US08339240B2
A semiconductor element or mobile terminal stores a user's biometric information pattern used for execution of a biometric authentication process and the residual number of trials indicating the number of allowed failures in the biometric authentication process, sends processing data to an external device so that the external device can use the processing data when the external device executes part of the biometric authentication process, and decreases the residual number of trials by a predetermined value while the processing data is output to the external device after start of communication with the external device.
