US08397626B2
A beverage brewer assembly has a base configured to rest on a surface, an upward facing vessel support, and a tower coupled to and extending up from the base. The tower has a stationary lower section and an upper section vertically height adjustable relative to the lower section. A head is coupled to the upper section of the tower and has a cantilevered section extending forward from the tower and spaced above the vessel support. A height adjust mechanism includes a vertically oriented male threaded shaft interconnecting the upper and lower sections of the tower. Relative rotation between the male threaded shaft and a female threaded element carried on a part of the tower selectively raises and lowers the vertical position of the upper section and head relative to the lower section and base.
US08397625B2
Various embodiments are directed to a beverage maker. The beverage maker may comprise a brew system, at least one sensor, a display and a control circuit. The brew system may comprise a heater, a reservoir and a container for receiving a brewed beverage. The at least one sensor may be positioned to sense an end of a brew cycle. The control circuit may be configured to receive a signal from the at least one sensor indicative of the end of the brew cycle. Upon detecting the end of the brew cycle, the control circuit may be configured to initiate a timer and cause a current value of the timer to be shown on the display.
US08397624B2
There are provided a swash member and a first and second rotational members which are held on a base member through a universal joint mechanism and can rock about two axes out of three orthogonal axes including a center of the mechanism, a pump mechanism for transferring a low-pressure non-compressible fluid in a low-pressure pipe portion to a high-pressure pipe portion filled with a high-pressure non-compressible fluid being pressurized by a pressure accumulation mechanism, a control valve device which controls connection between both the pipe portions and a plurality of rocking-torque generation mechanisms which couple the base member and the swash member to each other and are driven by the fluids for generating a rocking torque to the swash member, and rocking-angle adjustment unit for changing a relative angle between the two rotational members.
US08397621B2
A firearm mount including a base that supports a movable cradle within which is positioned a firearm. Remotely controlled motors turn the cradle about horizontal and vertical axes. Remote operation of the motors is enhanced by a video camera secured to the firearm and connected to a transmitter that broadcasts an electronic video signal to the user stationed away from the mount. The trigger of the firearm in the cradle is moved to fire by a remotely controlled solenoid.
US08397611B2
The present invention provides a machine and method wherein there is no physical contact between one or more thread or filaments reels and the element that generates the movement of said reel or reels in such a way that the thread or filament provided by said reel or reels can form a braid. The element that generates the movement of the reel or reels have a magnetic constituent, wherein the magnetic constituent remotely pulls into moving the device or devices holding the reel or reels.
US08397607B2
An angle adjustable handle includes a first shank and a second shank coupled with each other by means of a plug extending in a swivel axis from the first shank and a socket fastened to the second shank. The socket has two body halves tightened to each other and having two socket ends that cooperatively define a socket cavity for accommodating the plug so as to permit the socket to be swivelable about the swivel axis between normal and angle-adjusted positions. A spring-loaded latch is disposed in the first shank and movable to engage or disengage from the socket to permit or prevent movement of the socket.
US08397597B2
A rack bar and a method for production thereof. The rack bar is composed of a steel pipe (10) and an embedded metal core (14) placed therein. The steel pipe has rack teeth formed thereon by forging. The embedded metal core (14) is made of a metal softer than the steel pipe (10) and has its surface wave-shaped such that the bottom (20) is wide and the top (22) is narrow.
US08397596B2
A gear shift device is used in a transmission of an engine, and includes: a shift drum that changes a speed change stage of the transmission according to a rotational position about an axis; an actuator having a driving shaft substantially orthogonal to this shift drum; a worm shaped barrel cam that is arranged parallel to the driving shaft of this actuator and that has a cam groove on an outer circumference; and a wheel gear that is coaxially fixed on the shift drum and that has a plurality of pins on an outer circumference. At least a pair of each pin of the wheel gear and the cam groove of the barrel cam is engaged with each other, and the shift drum is rotated by the actuator via the barrel cam and the wheel gear, to thereby change the speed change stage of the transmission.
US08397587B2
The invention relates to a flow monitor for monitoring the flow of flowing media, wherein a paddle projecting into the flow transfers the rotating movement of the paddle onto a display device by means of a magnetic gear comprising a plurality of individual magnets corresponding with each other.
US08397570B2
A MEMS multiaxial inertial sensor of angular and linear displacements, velocities, or accelerations has four comb drive capacitive sensing elements integrated on a planar substrate, each sensing element having an output responsive to displacement along a Z axis, and responsive to a displacement along X or Y axes. The sensing elements are located at different parts of the substrate on both sides of the X axis and the Y axis, the outputs being suitable for subsequently deriving linear and angular displacements about any of the X, Y or Z axes. Linear or angular movement is determined from combinations of the sensor signals.
US08397561B2
A sensor module for a sensing apparatus configured for operation downhole, within a borehole. The sensor module comprises a sensor array having a plurality of sensors to sense selected formation parameters and a control system for selective and independent operation of each sensor of the sensor array. Each sensor of the sensor array is configured or designed as a discrete sensor unit for individual and independent communication and control. Each sensor of the sensor array may have an associated electronics module that provides standardized electronic connectivity with the control system.
US08397558B2
At least one of ground contact pressure, shear stress and amount of skidding is measured at a measurement point on a tread surface of a tire. A sensor is arranged on a road surface and the measurement point is made to contact the sensor while the tire rotates. An initial position of the tire is set, where the measurement point is at a previously-set reference position and the tire is at a running start position on the road surface. The tire is made to run from the initial position to obtain a rotation angle difference θ between a tire rotation angle until the rotation axis of the tire passes over the arrangement position of the sensor and a tire rotation angle until the measurement point contacts the road surface. The tire is set at the initial position and rotated by θ without changing the running start position of the tire.
US08397545B1
A restraint device having a tubular body with a handle at one end and a telescopic extension rod at the other end which allows the overall length of the body to be selectively adjusted. A cuff is attached to a tether at the end of the rod in a non-deployed position. The tether can be released so a law enforcement officer can loosely control a detainee. Electrical circuitry in the body is connected to electrodes on the lower end of the handle and on the cuff so a disabling charge can be delivered. The device is also useful to civilians as a protective device when jogging, walking, bicycling or the like.
US08397544B2
An apparatus with a single water flow path suitable for a household cleaning appliance having both a non-bulk dispensing system and a bulk dispensing system.
US08397541B1
A sinker control apparatus for flat knitting machines located on a transverse board over a plurality of knitting needles to drive parallel sinkers hinged between the knitting needles to rotate. The sinker control apparatus includes a base, a linked movement portion located on the base to perform driving movements, a first control cam and a second control cam hinged on the linked movement portion, and a switching portion coupled with the linked movement portion. The switching portion includes at least one connection rod connecting to the linked movement portion, a switching seat coupled on the connection rod and an elastic element coupled around the connection rod to provide a butting force to the switching seat towards the transverse board. The switching seat has a magnetic attracting portion at one side facing the transverse board to attract the transverse board magnetically.
US08397529B2
An air conditioning system including an evaporator having a manifold and a plurality of tubes extending downward in a vertical direction from the manifold. The evaporator defines at least one PCM tank engaging the manifold for storing a phase change material. When operating in a first operating mode, heat is transferred from the phase change material to the refrigerant to freeze and cool the phase change material. When operating in a second operating mode, heat is transferred from the refrigerant to the frozen phase change material to condense the refrigerant. The condensed refrigerant falls downwardly through the tubes and receives heat from a flow of air to cool the air and evaporate the refrigerant. The evaporated refrigerant rises upwardly back to the low pressure of the cold manifold.
US08397526B2
In a controller for a refrigerating system including refrigerating machines and showcases, a showcase that is about to execute a defrost operation is detected on the basis of a defrost operation indicating information. When the controller receives a notification indicating start of the defrost operation from the showcase concerned or on the basis of a comparison result between a pre-stored defrost-operation start time and the present time, at least one of the refrigerating machines is instructed to reduce the output power thereof. When the showcase finishes the defrost operation, the at least one of the refrigerating machines is instructed to increase the output power thereof so that the output power of the refrigerating machine is set to stationary output power.
US08397520B2
Various embodiments are directed to pulse tube coolers and components thereof. A pulse tube cooler may comprise a compressor, a regenerator, a pulse tube and a reservoir. A network of phase control devices may be placed in a fluid path between a hot end of the pulse tube and the reservoir. The network of phase control devices may have at least one flow resistance device and at least one inertance device.
US08397518B1
A device for heating or cooling a body of a user is provided. The device includes a thermoelectric module, a heat sink thermally coupled to the thermoelectric module, a wetting material in thermal communication with the heat sink, and a controller for cycling the thermoelectric module in accordance with a duty cycle. Additionally, a method of heating or cooling a portion of a body of a user is provided. The method includes cycling electrical power to a thermoelectric module at a duty cycle, transferring heat from the thermoelectric module to a heat sink, and evaporating a liquid from a wetting material disposed on the heat sink. The evaporated liquid enters the surrounding atmosphere.
US08397506B1
Techniques for generating power are provided. Such techniques involve a thermodynamic system including a housing, a turbine positioned in a turbine cavity of the housing, a compressor positioned in a compressor cavity of the housing, and an alternator positioned in a rotor cavity between the turbine and compressor cavities. The compressor has a high-pressure face facing an inlet of the compressor cavity and a low-pressure face on an opposite side thereof. The alternator has a rotor shaft operatively connected to the turbine and compressor, and is supported in the housing by bearings. Ridges extending from the low-pressure face of the compressor may be provided for balancing thrust across the compressor. Seals may be positioned about the alternator for selectively leaking fluid into the rotor cavity to reduce the temperature therein.
US08397501B2
An automotive air blower includes an air pump (14) connected to the output shaft of a transmission system, whose input shaft is connected, in use, to the engine (16) of a motor vehicle. The input and output shafts are connected to the ring gear (10) and sun gear (13), respectively, of a three-branch epicyclic differential gearset. The planet carrier (12) of the gearset is connected to the rotor (2) of an electric motor/generator and the input shaft is connected to the rotor of an electrical machine (1), which constitutes at least a generator. The electrical connections of the stators of the two machines are connected together via a controller arranged to control the flow of electrical power between them. A selectively engageable mechanical connection (15) is provided between two of the branches of the gearset and arranged to connect the two branches together such that the gearset will rotate as a single unit.
US08397490B2
A method and system for controlling an engine includes a homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) mode control module that operates an engine in HCCI mode and a condition monitor module that monitors operating conditions of the engine. The control module also includes a condition predictor module that generates a first predicted condition of a catalyst in response to the operating conditions of the engine. A comparison module compares the first predicted condition to a first threshold. A spark injection mode control module operates the engine in a spark injection mode in response to comparing.
US08397481B2
A steerable multi-linked device. The device includes a first multi-linked mechanism and a second multi-linked mechanism. At least one of the first and second multi-linked mechanisms is steerable and includes a modular link assembly at an end thereof. The modular link assembly includes a base, and a tip removably connected to the base.
US08397474B2
Methods of making slide-zippered reclosable packages are provided. In one embodiment, a pair of opposing film extensions are provided on each package between which a zipper and slider are attached. In another embodiment, sliders are inserted on to zippered packages output from a form-fill-seal machine or the like. In yet another embodiment, during package formation a reclosable zipper is sealed to each package and then a slider is inserted on to the zipper. In yet another embodiment, during package formation a reclosable zipper is sealed to each package and a slider is inserted on to each zipper, either before or after zipper sealing.
US08397472B2
Automated pusher mechanisms with pusher heads that reciprocally travel in a product chute. The pusher head has a laterally extending planar forward portion and semi-circular side portions.
US08397471B2
A tool for straightening flooring material laid over floor joists having a thickness includes a square “U” shaped wedge having a pair of spaced apart legs running in parallel. The legs are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the floor joist. A wedge body has a planar bottom side and an upper side tapering with respect to the bottom planar side from a head end downwardly to the distal ends of the legs. A planar chisel plate shaped to conform with the shape of the bottom planar side of the wedge body includes a pair of legs spaced apart a distance slightly smaller than the thickness of the floor joist. The chisel plate includes a chisel edge on each of the distal ends of the legs and further includes a chisel edge along the inside spaced apart edges of the legs of the chisel plate.
US08397466B2
A grid-top floor tile for outdoor use includes a polymer tile having a grid-type top surface with multiple levels, such as a bi-level surface having an upper lattice and a lower lattice oriented generally transverse to the upper lattice. The multiple levels of the surface are preferably integrally formed with one another and provide drainage gaps therethrough. In a bi-level surface configuration, the lower lattice has a top surface below a top surface of the upper lattice, so as to draw residual moisture below the top surface of the upper lattice. The tile further includes a support structure, configured to support the tile on a support surface and provide drainage pathways beneath the top surface. The tile still further comprises various reinforcement members on each of the loop and pin connectors used to interlock the tiles when forming a flooring assembly.
US08397455B2
A composite wall panel is provided. The composite wall panel comprises a first layer of molded structural material and a second layer of molded structural material. An insulating foam layer is disposed between the first and second molded structural layers. The foam layer includes a first major side in contact with the first layer of molded structural material and a second major side in contact with the second layer of molded structural material. The first and second major sides of the insulating foam layer each have at least one groove. Each groove has at least one groove shoulder. At least one connector is configured to anchor the first and second layers of structural material to the insulating foam layer. The first and second layers of molded structural material extend into the grooves and under the groove shoulders to form a mechanical engagement between the insulating foam layer and the first and second layers of molded structural material.
US08397449B2
The present invention relates to a double layered window having indoor and outdoor windows. There is provided a double layered window in which a ventilation device or a ventilation hole is formed in window frame to control temperature and moisture of an intermediate layer, thereby preventing dew condensation, and in a case where the double layered window is installed to an outer wall of a high-story building, the intermediate layer between the indoor and outdoor windows is used as an air pressure buffering space, thereby preventing a problem caused by an air pressure difference.
US08397448B2
A photovoltaic panel clamp includes an upper and lower section. The interface between the assembled clamp halves and the module edge is filled by a flexible gasket material, such as EPDM rubber. The gasket preferably has small, finger like protrusions that allow for easy insertion onto the module edge while being reversed makes it more difficult to remove them from the module once installed. The clamp includes mounting posts or an integral axle to engage a bracket. The clamp also may include a locking tongue to secure the clamp to a bracket.
US08397445B2
A joint connection (20) in which a beam end and a column base of a structure (10), or a peripheral member rigidly joined thereto, are joined to another structure (13) capable of receiving a bending moment through supporting means 22. A deformation due to a very small geometric movement within a resilient range is generated in the supporting means (22) by a reaction force generated at a joint portion with the other structure 13 due to an external force exerted on a beam or a column. This structure is capable of generating a bending moment Mr in a reverse direction to a bending moment Mc generated in the column base or the beam end.
US08397444B2
Disclosed are apparatus and systems for absorbing seismic energy through non-linear yielding as a structure experiences lateral displacement. A seismic damper according to embodiments of the present invention includes at least one flat plate which can be perforated to include a plurality of apertures and/or cut-outs. One or more interior apertures are formed in the plate, and cut-outs may be formed along outer edges. External nodes are defined between the apertures and the cut-outs and stresses focus on the nodes to reduce non-linear displacement of a brace system to which the seismic damper is attached. One or more tension straps can be attached to the flat plate. Tension straps can be rotated relative to each other. Multiple tension straps may also be on the same surface. Multiple tension straps on the same surface may be nested and parallel.
US08397437B2
Method and system for installing the guide rails (1, 2), such as the car guide rails and/or counterweight guide rails, in an elevator shaft (3). The guide rails are installed by assembly in phases starting from the bottom (4) of the elevator shaft by placing one on top of the other guide rail sections (51, 52; 61, 62; 71, 72 . . . ) that are shorter than the whole length of the guide rail and by aligning the guide rail sections perpendicularly by means of the laser beam produced by a direction laser (8). The direction laser (8) is moved upwards along with progressive assembly of the guide rail. As assembly progresses the direction laser (8) is supported in the proximity of the top end of the topmost vertically aligned guide rail section at the time for aligning the next guide rail section to be installed in the vertical direction. These phases are repeated until the entire guide rail is assembled. The system comprises an alignment appliance (12), which can be supported against a guide rail section and fixed to it by means of a permanent magnet (20). In addition the alignment appliance contains an aligning element (13), at which the laser beam produced by the direction laser can be directed.
US08397426B2
Disclosed is a mousetrap having an enclosure with a rotatable top part having a downwardly extending strike plate within the enclosure, and a bottom part having an upwardly extending catch plate within the enclosure, an aperture in each of the top part and the bottom part which are in substantial alignment when the mousetrap is set, and a trigger mechanism, wherein the mousetrap is set to incapacitate or kill the mouse by the manual rotation of the top part relative to the bottom part when a mouse activates the trigger mechanism causing the top part to rotate relative to the bottom part and thereby incapacitating or killing the mouse between the strike plate and the catch plate.
US08397423B2
A sight mount for mounting an optical sight to the tang of an antique rifle or replica without undesirable modification to the rifle is provided. The sight mount includes a tang mount porting having first and second tang mounting openings positioned to cooperate with spaced fasteners extending through a top side of the tang of the rifle, a scope mount portion configured to detachably receive in a mounting relation thereto a sight and position the sight at a spaced location above and generally parallel to the barrel of the rifle when the tang mount portion is mounted to the tang of the rifle, and a vertical plate portion joining together said tang mount portion and said scope mount portion.
US08397421B2
A quick disconnect apparatus is disclosed. The quick disconnect apparatus includes a base member, a rail clamp member and a rail clamp adjustment device. The base member includes at least one passage. The rail clamp member includes a support bar receiving passage. The rail clamp member is movably-coupled to the base member. The rail clamp adjustment device is coupled to at least one of the base member and rail clamp member. The rail clamp adjustment device includes a pivot pin, a cam member including at least one offset passage and a support bar including a pivot-pin receiving passage. The support bar is inserted through the support bar receiving passage of the rail clamp member and a passage of the at least one passage of the base member to movably-couple the rail clamp member with the base member. The pivot pin is inserted through the at least one offset passage of the cam member and the pivot-pin receiving passage of the support bar to rotatably-couple the cam member relative the support bar. The cam member includes at least one cam surface. The rail clamp member includes an outer surface. The at least one cam surface engages the outer surface of the rail clamp member.
US08397404B2
The present invention relates to a health shoe having an arc type stretching body to be formed apart from a front end and a rear end of a shoe sole with a predetermined distance apart, which is capable of doing stretching exercises at the stable status because 5 the arc type stretching body is supported by the front end or the rear end in contact with the ground when doing exercises in forward flexion or backward extension postures.
US08397402B2
The present invention relates to a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, with a cushioning system comprising a lower sole element and an upper sole element. The cushioning system further comprises at least one lever having at least two arms where an angle α between the arms lies within the range 0°<α<180°. The first arm is connected to a deformation element and the second arm is connected to one of the two sole elements, wherein the lever is pivotably arranged at the other sole element.
US08397401B1
A vehicle dryer includes an energy-conserving rotatable inlet butterfly valve to selectively admit or block air to a fan encased in a blower housing. The valve includes a plate mounted on a shaft that extends across the inlet portion of the blower housing. The plate is rotated by its shaft to either an opened position for admitting air into a blower housing, or a closed position for blocking air from entering into the blower housing. A crank arm is coupled to the valve shaft, and a pneumatic cylinder includes a piston rod for turning the crank arm through a ninety-degree angle, thereby rotating the valve plate between its opened and closed positions.
US08397399B2
An illustrative mailing machine is provided including at least one adjustable optical media width sensor that may be reconfigured for differing postal rating requirements. The media width sensor subassembly has a narrow linear sensor window that is positioned perpendicular to the path of travel of the mail piece. The media width sensor subassembly includes a sensor carriage mount and width measurement scale for facilitating the accurate placement of the adjustable, but secure when placed, sensor carriage. The sensor carriage slidably engages a mount and is spring biased into a locking mechanism in the underside of the media width sensor locating scale.
US08397393B2
The invention relates to a form of a passive or active annunciator that solves the problem of reminding a caregiver to reposition a patient at risk for aspiration usually located in an adjustable bed to some predetermined angular position. The annunciator may take the form of an inclinometer (100) that measures the angle of the bed (160) relative to a local gravity reference or a goniometer that measures the angle between the horizontal (140) and elevated portions (130) of the bed. The invention reminds the caregiver of the patient at risk for aspiration to maintain or reestablish the elevation of the torso of the patient at risk for aspiration to at least 30 degrees up to 45 degrees above the local horizontal to prevent or reduce the incidence of aspiration.
US08397378B2
A method of manufacturing an insulating sheet, a method of manufacturing a copper clad laminate, and a method of manufacturing a printed circuit board, as well as a printed circuit board manufactured using these methods are disclosed. The method of manufacturing an insulating sheet can include: forming a thermoplastic reinforcement material, which includes fibers secured by a thermoplastic polymer binder, and in which pores are formed; forming a thermoplastic resin layer such that the thermoplastic reinforcement material is impregnated with a thermoplastic resin; and hot pressing the thermoplastic reinforcement material and the thermoplastic resin layer. This method can be utilized to manufacture an insulating sheet, which has a low rate of moisture absorption and superb electrical properties, including a low dielectric constant (Dk) and low dielectric loss (Df), and in which the fibers can readily be impregnated with the resin.
US08397376B2
A smart card processing system for processing a plurality of smart card portions on a smart card panel substantially simultaneously. The system may include a transfer member for moving card panels. Smart card panels may be loaded into an input magazine capable of elevating the panels with respect to a processing station. A transfer member may transport smart card panels from the input magazine to the processing station wherein one or more pre-personalization operations may be conducted. The transfer member may also be operative to move the smart card panels from the processing station to a marking station such that defective smart portions may be marked. The transfer may also move panels from the marking station to an output magazine. The output magazine may lower the smart card panels with respect to the marking station to accommodate more initiated smart card panels.
US08397374B2
A micro spherical stylus manufacturing machine comprises a clamp, a moving unit, a wire supply unit, a wire retrieving unit, an insulating roller, a conducting wire body, a discharging unit, and a loading unit. The clamp is used to hold a circular-shaped electrode, and the loading unit is used to carry a micro sphere, and the insulating roller is positioned at one side of the clamp. The micro spherical stylus manufacturing machine can fabricate a micro electrode tool on the same platform, and then form a micro spherical stylus for a micro coordinate measuring machine by a gluing process.
US08397360B2
A method of adjustment on manufacturing of a monolithic oscillator including circuit elements and a BAW resonator, this method including the steps of: a) forming the circuit elements and the resonator and electrically connecting them; b) covering the resonator with a frequency adjustment layer; c) measuring the output frequency of the oscillator; d) modifying the thickness of the frequency adjustment layer to modify the output frequency of the oscillator.
US08397355B2
A fastening member used for, e.g., a disposable absorbent article is disclosed. The fastening member extends in a longitudinal direction and in a lateral direction and has a lateral centerline. The fastening member comprises a base panel and a shaped tab extending laterally from the base panel. The shaped tab has a longitudinal centerline, a lateral centerline, a distal portion and a proximal portion. The shaped tab has a contour edge comprising a shaped upper edge and a shaped lower edge. The shaped upper edge and the shaped lower edge are symmetric with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the shaped tab when relatively shifted in the longitudinal direction and are asymmetric with respect to the lateral centerline of the fastening member.
US08397346B2
A curtain hanging system is described that includes a curtain rod hanger with an overhead suspension member and a collar with a bellows. The curtain rod hanger includes one or more collar engaging members. When the collar is coupled to the curtain rod hanger via the collar engaging members, the bellows surrounds at least a portion of the curtain rod hanger.
US08397345B2
The invention relates to a castor having a brake device with a housing (10) with a substantially vertically aligned receiving opening (12) for a runner pin (14) for connecting the castor to an object to be supported by the castor, and having an axle bolt (16) which extends through the housing transversely with respect to the receiving opening and which bears at least one wheel (18, 18′), with the brake device having a brake slide (20) which can be moved by an actuating lever (22) from the outside from a free-running position into a braked position. To provide inter alia a locking facility independently of the rotational position of the wheel, it is proposed according to the invention that the brake slide (20) bears an elastic brake lining (36) which faces toward a braking section (32) of the at least one wheel.
US08397344B2
A cleaning appliance includes an airflow generator for generating an airflow, separating apparatus for separating dirt and dust from the airflow, a power source for supplying power to the airflow generator, at least one exhaust vent and an exhaust baffle, the exhaust baffle includes a body having an upstream face and a downstream face, an airflow path between the upstream and downstream faces and a plurality of blades projecting from the body, each blade having a first side edge, a second side edge and a forward edge.
US08397343B2
A cleaning apparatus is described and which includes a housing which is moveable across a supporting surface; a first electrically actuated fluid pump which is mounted in the housing, and which is operable to deliver a first stream of fluid at a pressure of at least about 150 PSI to less than about 1200 PSI; a second electrically actuated fluid pump which is mounted in the housing, and which is operable to deliver a second stream of fluid, at a pressure, of less than about 600 PSI; and an electrically actuated heater which is mounted in the housing, and which is operable to impart heat energy to the second fluid stream.
US08397342B2
A debris removal attachment for use with a hand-held power tool. The attachment includes an extension shaft, a first impeller coupled to the extension shaft, and a housing provided adjacent the first impeller. The rotation of the first impeller is configured to generate a pressure differential sufficient to draw debris into the housing.
US08397336B2
A hairbrush in which air blown from a hair dryer to the rear face side of the hairbrush is smoothly guided to through-holes in the hairbrush to send the air to the front face side. In the hairbrush (1), divergent projections (4a-4g) are formed on a rear face (2a) of a base section (2) and through-holes (8a-8f) are respectively formed in depressions (3a-3f) located between the projections. A cushion member (5) of a brush section (9) is fixed to the front face (2e) side of the base section (2) of the hairbrush (1), and bristles (6) are embedded in the cushion member (5) through which holes (5a) are formed. Air blown from the hair dryer to the rear face (2a) side of the hair brush (1) is guided by the projections (4a-4g) to the depressions (3a-3f) located between the projections and enters the through-holes (8a-8f). The air passed through the through-holes (8a-8f) passes through the holes (5a) in the cushion member (5) and sent to the front face side of the hairbrush (1).
US08397334B2
A device for cleaning a container, a tank or a silo, is provided with a cleaning unit suspended by rope sections and between winding units comprising a wound supply of rope. By changing the length of the sections by the winding devices under control of a controller the cleaning unit can be lifted and lowered, tilted and pressed against the inside wall of said container.
US08397330B2
Detailed is a rolling device for cleaning an immersed surface, including at least one front drive rolling member and a hydraulic circuit which has at least one liquid outlet which is orientated towards the rear, and which is capable of creating a flow of liquid which is discharged from each rear outlet in order to create a hydraulic reaction force, and which has a longitudinal component for driving the device forwards which is not equal to zero and whose value is adapted to create a pressure torque for each front drive rolling member the immersed surface and, alone, to move the device forwards when it is immersed and when each front drive rolling member is lifted from the immersed surface.
US08397326B2
A patient support for a patient includes an inflatable mattress with at least one inflatable bladder. The bladder comprises a top panel formed from a different material than its side wall panel or panels.
US08397324B2
A hinge assembly (32-36) for a frame assembly (20) of for example, a hospital bed, has a smooth outer form which substantially conforms to the outer size of frame assembly struts to which it couples. The hinge assembly (32-36) has its components located internally and provides at least one reliable electrically conductive path therethrough so as to provide an electrical connection between frame struts (24-30) coupled together by the hinge (32-36), avoiding the need for electrical wires. There are provided angle markers on the hinge to indicate the degree of rotation of the hinge halves (50 52).
US08397313B2
A durable athletic glove with an enhanced range of motion is provided. The glove has a palm-side portion and a back portion connected to form four finger sheaths, a thumb sheath, and an opening capable of receiving a human hand. One or more rounded, strain-relieving cutouts are located on the palm portion at a location corresponding to the area of a user's hand where two adjacent fingers connect with the palm. A strain-relieving finger gusset connects each cutout to the finger sheaths and palm-side portion. A thumb gusset extends from the back portion, between the thumb sheath and index finger sheath, and to the palm-side portion. The strain-relieving cutouts and strain-relieving gussets distribute force applied where finger sheaths connect to minimize glove failure. The cutouts and gussets allow an increased range of motion and stretchability for the user.
US08402553B2
The present invention provides a processor-implemented method and system of updating an operating system of a computer system, where the operating system is subject to a system lockdown that does not allow changes to a list of approved executables of the operating system and that does not allow changes to a base system configuration of the operating system. In an exemplary embodiment, the method and system include, (1) identifying at least one trusted updater process in the operating system and (2) allowing the trusted updater process to make at least one change to the list of approved executables. In an exemplary embodiment, the method and system include, (1) identifying at least one trusted updater process in the operating system and (2) allowing the trusted updater process to make at least one change to the base system configuration.
US08402546B2
Security risk for a single IT asset and/or a set of IT assets in a network such as an enterprise or corporate network may be estimated and represented in a visual form by categorizing risk into different discrete levels. The IT assets may include both computing devices and users. The risk categorization uses a security assessment of an IT asset that is generated to indicate the type of security problem encountered, the severity of the problem, and the fidelity of the assessment. The asset value of an IT asset to the enterprise is also assigned. Security risk is then categorized (and a numeric risk value provided) for each IT asset for different problem types by considering the IT asset value along with the severity and fidelity of the security assessment. The security risk for the enterprise is estimated using the numeric risk value and then displayed in visual form.
US08402545B1
A computer-implemented, server-side method for identifying unique malware variants may include (1) identifying the creation of a child object by a parent object on a client device, (2) determining that instances of both the parent object and the child object occur relatively infrequently within a user community, (3) classifying, based at least in part on the low prevalence of the parent and child objects within the user community, the child object as a potential security risk, and then (4) providing the child object's classification to at least one computing device in order to enable the computing device to evaluate the trustworthiness of the child object. Corresponding systems, encoded computer-readable media, and client-side methods are also disclosed.
US08402543B1
Embodiments of the invention address the problem of detecting bots in network traffic based on a classification model learned during a training phase using machine learning algorithms based on features extracted from network data associated with either known malicious or known non-malicious client and applying the learned classification model to features extracted in real-time from current network data. The features represent communication activities between the known malicious or known non-malicious client and a number of servers in the network.
US08402542B2
One embodiment provides a system that detects sensitive passages. During operation, the system receives a document and disassembles the document into a plurality of passages. For a respective passage, the system performs a search through a non-sensitive-passage database to determine whether the passage is a known non-sensitive passage. If so, the system marks the passage as non-sensitive, and if not, the system determines whether the passage triggers a cut-and-paste attack detection. If so, the system forwards the passage to an administrator and allows the administrator to determine whether the passage is non-sensitive and, further, to add the passage to the non-sensitive-passage database responsive to the administrator determining the passage to be non-sensitive.
US08402531B2
A computer-implemented method is provided for processing access requests in an AAA network. The method includes receiving an access request from a network device, identifying, based upon the access request, an authentication mechanism for facilitating AAA services for the network device and selecting, based on the identified authentication mechanism, a particular server from a plurality of servers that is compatible with the identified authentication mechanism.
US08402530B2
Authentication requests are redistributed among a plurality of authentication servers and to centrally managing authentication affinities among distributed servers using a secure channels affinity service. A computer system instantiates a secure channel management service configured to manage secure channel connections. The secure channel management service receives state inputs from currently deployed authentication servers. The authentication servers may be configured to queue authentication requests for transmission to authentication servers. The computer system determines that, based on the received state input, at least one of the secure channels is to be remapped to a different authentication server. The computer system also remaps the determined secure channels to distribute future authentication requests among the authentication servers. In some cases, the current state of an authentication proxy server is embedded in communications transmitted by the authentication server, such that the secure channel connections are managed using the embedded state information.
US08402528B1
A computer is especially vulnerable when connected to a network while software on the computer is in an unpatched state. A portable firewall adapter is installed inline between the computer having the unpatched software and a network. A firewall within the adapter enforces a security policy that protects the computer from attack via the network. The adapter allows the computer to be connected to the network in order to download patches and/or other software that cure the vulnerabilities on the computer.
US08402519B2
A system and method for authenticating an application (client) to a server or service. During a registration phase, an application that requests access to a service can receive a service identifier, which it can authenticate. The application can generate and send to the server or service an application-service key that is based upon the authenticated service identifier and a secret application key; a service-application identifier that can be based upon the authenticated service identifier and an application identifier; and a registration nonce, all of which can be stored at the server. During the authentication phase, the client can send to the server the application-service identifier, which the server can use to lookup the stored registration data. The server can send the registration nonce to the client, which can compute a proof of possession of the service-application key and send to the server. The server can compute its own version of this key and compare it to the received key. If they correspond, then the client is authenticated.
US08402512B2
A system for a plurality of users to share resources with access, control and configuration based on pre-defined relationships of trust between the users of the system. A computer-based authority provides the services of authentication, identification and verification of each user within network. Processes are described that leads to the formation of an electronic community, which facilitates electronic communication and transactions in a defined manner.
US08402506B2
Systems and methods are provided to implement a number of improvements to the consumption process for television (and other services), including personalization, community viewing, shared presence and context, messaging, access to ratings and recommendations (including community reviews), alerts, etc. A content distribution server manages the delivery of television, messaging, on demand audio or video, online gaming, and other entertainment and information services to a plurality of client devices (e.g., televisions, personal computers, enhanced telephones, etc.). The server components include a television application component, messaging component, and application components that integrate the various services to deliver, for example, enhanced television, which includes television broadcast enhanced with messaging services, Internet access, informational alerts, and/or the like. Informational alerts allow a user to customize the timing and types of alerts being presented in parallel with the delivery of other services, such as television broadcast or online gaming.
US08402501B2
A set top box 22 includes a communication module 102 receiving a remote control configuration database having a remote control associated therewith. The set top box 22 further includes a display control module 116 forming a screen display in response to the remote control configuration database. An interface 110 forms selections in response to the screen display and a display control module displays programming instructions for the remote control.
US08402497B2
Content download technology, in which a network-based video scheduled to be played at a particular time is identified, and multiple sources from which the network-based video is available for downloading are identified. An initial source from which to download the network-based video is selected from among the multiple sources, and a first process to download the network-based video from the initial source is initiated. Progress of the download of the network-based video is monitored. When an estimated amount of time remaining for the download of the network-based video from the initial source to complete does not enable viewing of the network-based video at the particular time without interruption, an alternative source from which to download at least a portion of the network-based video is selected from among the multiple sources, and a second process to download at least the portion the network-based video from the alternative source is initiated.
US08402492B2
The present invention relates to a system for transferring an interactive walkthrough movie located at a server via a network and displaying the same at a user station, which comprises: (a) a display unit at the user station for displaying movie frames; (b) a control device at the user station for enabling the user to navigate within the movie; (c) a map of the movie describing the links between the individual movie frames and the index of each movie frame, said map also maintains at any given time the present virtual location of the user within the map; and (d) a prediction unit for receiving inputs from said map and from a user control device, and based on said inputs predicting those future frames that may be required for view by the user, and instructing the server to convey said predicted future frames to the user station. The prediction unit may order a first level of resolution frames when the user is in a virtual movement, and a second level of resolution frames when the user is stationary within the interactive movie.
US08402486B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a network device having a controller programmed to store a subscriber selectable preference for advertisements used for selecting advertisements to send to a set top box (STB) and receive a signal from a broadcast stream indicating the location for insertion of an advertisement based on the subscriber selectable preference. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08402473B1
A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. Specifically, example business objects include DemandPlan, DemandPlanningCharacteristicValueCombination, and DemandViewOfPromotion.
US08402465B2
A multiprocessor computer system comprises a plurality of nodes and an application placement module operable to place an application on a selected group of the compute nodes. The application placement module includes a system tool helper operable to manage operation of a system tool on the selected group of the compute nodes, the system tool operable to monitor execution of the application. Managing system tool operation comprises at least one of distributing, executing, and ending the system tool on one or more compute nodes.
US08402462B2
A mechanism is provided to detect that a dynamic migration of a virtual environment is in progress or has been executed during a hardware or software scan without requiring instrumentation of applications running within the virtual machine. The mechanism relies on a particular sequencing and usage of application programming interfaces and commands that scanning technology provides, associated with the modularity of the scans and on the external virtual machine enabler component running on the host. The mechanism may detect a dynamic migration and take proper actions based on the system configuration. The actions may include discarding the output of the scan executed across a dynamic migration and repeat the scan. The actions may also include notifying the initialization subsystem of the non-migration-safe application to execute a script or program to address migration safety issues. One particular program or script may be an agent ID regeneration program or script.
US08402458B1
A method may include receiving a request to convert a non-layered installation of a software application into a layered installation of the software application. The method may also include determining a base location of at least one file associated with the non-layered installation of the software application. The method may further include creating the layered installation of the software application by transitioning the at least one file from the base location to a virtualization layer. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable-media are also disclosed.
US08402453B2
Virtually partition control and line cards of network element into virtual partition A and virtual partition B, each including a control card and a line card. Redistribute sessions serviced by cards of virtual partition A to cards of virtual partition B. Then change software on, at least, line card of virtual partition A, while cards of virtual partition B service sessions, including sessions redistributed from cards of virtual partition A. Next redistribute sessions serviced by cards of virtual partition B to cards of virtual partition A. Then change software on line card of virtual partition B and control card of virtual partition B, while cards of virtual partition A service sessions including sessions redistributed from cards of virtual partition B. Next eliminate virtual partitions and redistribute portion of sessions currently serviced by cards of virtual partition A to cards of virtual partition B.
US08402445B2
The present invention comprises: a converting step for converting a source program into a machine language program; an inserting step for inserting notifying instructions for notifying that the source program has been executed in the machine language program; and a program generating step for generating the executable program from the machine language program in which the notifying instructions are inserted. Further, in the inserting step, the notifying instructions are placed at the entry points of each basic block that constitutes the machine language program and the notifying instructions to which the same conditions as those of the conditional instruction groups are granted are placed at the entry points of conditional instruction groups provided in the machine language program. In the program generating step, identification information for identifying the notifying instructions is granted to each of the notifying instructions. According to this, the present invention enables analysis of the executed range in the program that includes the conditional instructions as well.
US08402433B2
A method and an apparatus for performing automated transactions are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a script-engine associated with a particular server receives a request to execute a script. The script-engine executes a script and prompts a user to enter critical data directly related to the goal sought to be achieved by the script. After receiving the critical data related to the transaction, the script automatically executes and communicates commands to a server. The script automatically communicates the critical data to the server upon request by the server. In addition, the script retrieves and enters non-critical data without user interaction. The server performs operations according to the commands received from the script-engine to automatically carry out the transaction.
US08402424B2
A design support apparatus that supports designing of a circuit and is connected to a display unit, the design support apparatus includes a storage unit that stores logical connection information of the circuit and cell information of a plurality of cells included in the circuit, a selection unit that selects target cell information of a cell to be placed out of the cell information stored in the storage unit, a placement unit that provisionally places the cell corresponding to the selected target cell information based on inputted positional information, a determination unit that determines whether a wiring mode is set, a wiring unit that provisionally arranges wiring connected to the provisionally placed cell when the determination unit determines that the wiring mode is set, and a finalization unit that finalizes a position of the wiring provisionally arranged based on finalization of a position of the cell provisionally placed.
US08402423B2
In a method for verifying a printed circuit board (PCB) layout using a computing device, a PCB simulation file is obtained from a storage device of the computing device, and a PCB image is displayed on a display device according to the PCB simulation file. The PCB image includes multiple signal lines and switching voltage regulator nodes (SVRN). A SVRN to be checked is selected from the PCB image, and all signal lines around the SVRN are searched. The method calculates a layout distance between the selected SVRN and each of the searched signal lines, and generates a graphical window interface to position a signal line whose layout distance is equal to or less than the minimum distance. The method further modifies the layout of the positioned signal line to satisfy a layout design specification by increasing the layout distance to the minimum distance.
US08402417B2
Methods, software, and systems implementing software provide for accepting a user's selection of a database object defining layout being displayed. The database objects can include objects defining paths and path segments. Automatic layout tools may be used in creating at least some of the objects. The user's selection begins a recursive process of automatically selecting additional database objects based on criteria designed to create an uninterrupted spine from database objects on a single interconnect layer, of the same width, and collectively arranged such that the spine has a first end and a second end, and can be traced from the first end to the second end without backtracking.
US08402414B2
A computer-readable, non-transitory medium stores therein a design support program that causes a computer executing tentative wiring processing between a first terminal group and a second terminal group in a tentative wiring area to execute a process. The process includes detecting unwired nets occurring in the tentative wiring area consequent to the tentative wiring processing; updating the tentative wiring area by expanding the tentative wiring area according to the number of unwired nets, if any unwired nets are detected at the detecting; controlling to execute the tentative wiring processing and the subsequent detecting with respect to the tentative wiring area updated at the updating; and determining the tentative wiring area to be a wiring area if no unwired nets are detected at the detecting.
US08402401B2
One embodiment provides a method for protecting an integrated circuit chip design. The method can include storing in memory a circuit description of an integrated circuit core comprising a set of nodes and selecting a plurality of modification nodes from the set of nodes. A sequential structure can be inserted into the circuit description to provide a modified circuit description, the sequential structure utilizing the plurality of modification nodes as inputs. The modified circuit description can be stored in memory.
US08402397B2
Aspects of the invention relate to machine-learning-based hotspot detection techniques. These hotspot detection techniques employ machine learning models constructed using two feature encoding schemes. When two-level machine learning methods are also employed, a total four machine learning models are constructed: scheme-one level-one, scheme-one level-two, scheme-two level-one and scheme-two level-two. The four models are applied to test patterns to derive scheme-one hotspot information and scheme-two hotspot information, which are then used to determine final hotspot information.
US08402396B2
The invention provides systems and methods for layout decomposition to produce exposure layouts that can be used to perform double patterning lithography (DPL). Preferred embodiment methods of the invention are executed by a computer and provide alternate methods for layout decomposition for double patterning lithography (DPL) using integer linear programming (ILP) formulations. Embodiments of the invention meet a key optimization goals, which is to reduce the total cost of layout decomposition, considering the abovementioned aspects that contribute to cost of prior conventional DPL techniques. Embodiments of the invention provide integer linear programming (ILP), phase conflict detection (PCD) and node election bipartization (NBD) formulations for the optimization of DPL layout decomposition, with a process-aware cost function that avoids small jogging line-ends, and maximizes overlap at dividing points of polygons. The cost function can also make preferential splits at landing pads, junctions and long runs.
US08402393B2
Disclosed is a virtual object manipulating apparatus and method. The virtual object manipulating apparatus connects a virtual object in a 3D virtual world with a virtual object manipulating apparatus, senses a grab signal from a user, and determines a grab type of the virtual object based on the sensed grab signal and the connection between the virtual object and the virtual object manipulating apparatus.
US08402391B1
A collaboration system provides enhanced user interface to enable users to interact with electronic devices. In one embodiment, users can add content to a digital system by using a pen that streams coordinates so that input to the digital system may be based on conventional pen and paper handwriting. In another embodiment, a pie-based menu system is used for input to large display area digital devices in which an occluded portion of the pie-based menu system is not used for direct input by the user. The selection of which areas of the pie-based menu system should be omitted from use is adaptive and responsive to whether the user is left-handed or right-handed, and the wrist angle defined by the user's posture. In still another embodiment, an ergonomic open-shaped pie menu system is provided to facilitate selection of options on a digital surface.
US08402390B2
Icons are arranged in foreground background positions in an interface environment to define a multidimensional path extending from a terminus. The icons transition between the foreground position and the background positions along the multidimensional path. Each icon corresponds to a content-specific menu item.
US08402386B2
A method and system for two-dimensional scrolling in a graphical display window (102) in a user interface are provided. A first scroll bar (110, 120) associated with a display window (102) is enabled to move data displayed in the window (102) relative to a first direction in the direction of the first scroll bar (110, 120). Responsive to user selection of a slide button (114, 124) in the first scroll bar (110, 120) with a pointer device and responsive to movement of the pointer device in a second direction, data displayed in the window (102) is moved relative to the second direction. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. A second scroll bar (120, 110) in the second direction may also be provided, wherein movement of the pointer device in the second direction with selection of the first scroll bar (110, 120) is represented by the position of a slide button (124, 114) in the second scroll bar (120, 110).
US08402383B1
Embodiments relate to content resizing and caching in multi-process browser architecture. An embodiment includes initiating a rendering engine process and a browser process, receiving a request to resize content, providing the request to the rendering engine process, waiting to allow the rendering engine process to render an updated bitmap associated with the content and displaying the updated bitmap synchronously if the updated bitmap is produced during the waiting step. Another embodiment includes, receiving an input associated with the status of a tab, determining if the tab is a background tab or a foreground tab based on the receiving step, checking a cache for a bitmap of content associated with the tab if the tab has changed status to a foreground tab, and displaying the contents of the cache in the tab if the cache includes the bitmap of content previously associated with the tab.
US08402381B2
A widget adjustment event can be detected for a widget that is part of a model that is presented on a canvas of a user interface. On-canvas objects proximate to the widget can be adjusted. The on-canvas objects can include other widgets. The adjustments can be performed relative to a layout position of the widget after the widget adjustment event has occurred. Additional on-canvas objects further from the widget can the adjusted on-canvas objects can then be adjusted as necessary due to new positions of the adjusted on-canvas objects.
US08402378B2
Avatars are used to graphically represent users in a communications session, and the avatars are capable of being animated. An indication of an animation of one of the avatars is received. Another avatar that represents another of the users is animated in response to, and based on, the animation of the avatar in the same communications session.
US08402375B1
A system and method is disclosed for managing bookmark buttons on a web browser toolbar. A web browser stores the number of times it is used to navigate to a website. On navigating to a website a predetermined number of times, a bookmark button that links to the website is automatically generated and displayed on the toolbar. The number of bookmark buttons displayed at any one time is limited, and they are arranged by the number of times their associated websites have been viewed. On determining that a new website has been viewed more than a website associated with a currently displayed bookmark button, the currently displayed bookmark button is replaced by a new bookmark button that links to the new website.
US08402370B2
Systems (10) for storing and providing information for personalizing user devices (61-64, 71-72) comprise first means (11) for storing personalization information destined for user devices (61-64) of a predefined type and comprise second means (12) for providing the personalization information to these user devices (61-64) and are provided with third means (13) for storing further personalization information destined for further user devices (71-72) of a further predefined type and with fourth means (14) for providing the further personalization information to these further user devices (71-72), to handle different user devices (61-64, 71-72) of different predefined types. Preferably, the systems (10) comprise fifth means (15) for billing one and the same user for provisions of the personalization information and for further provisions of the further personalization information, which one and the same user owns the user devices (61-64, 71-72). User devices (61-64, 71-72) comprise mobile phones, televisions, set top boxes, monitors, pc's, cordless phones and fixed phones. Personalization information comprises avatars, pictures, logos, sound and speech.
US08402365B2
An information processing apparatus includes an input unit configured to input an annotation of at least one of an underline, a box, a character, a character string, a symbol and a symbol string to a displayed document, an annotation recognition unit configured to recognize a type of the annotation and a coverage of the annotation in the document, an intention estimation unit configured to estimate intention of a user based on the type of the annotation and information in the coverage, an action storage unit configured to store a plurality of actions, an action selection unit configured to select an action to be performed for the document from the action storage based on the intention estimated by the intention estimation unit, and an execution unit configured to execute the action selected by the action selection unit.
US08402362B2
A system for automatically completing fields in online forms, such as login forms and new user registration forms, which employs a Master Cookie File containing sets of records associated with the user, his or her accounts or web sites, and registered values associated with form tags (e.g. username, password, address, email, telephone, etc.). When the user encounters another form, the MCF is automatically searched for matching values and form tags, primarily from the same account or web site, or alternatively from other accounts or sites. A flowing pop-up menu is displayed nearby the form fields from which the user can select values to automatically complete the form. Automatic account information updating, value expiration management, mapping of favorite values, and sharing of values are optional, enhanced functions of the invention.
US08402359B1
A method and apparatus are provided for maintaining the navigation history of a web application that includes techniques for maintaining those pages that are considered valuable. The method and apparatus further include techniques for registering a visited page into the application navigation history, displaying a particular history menu of a web page, and, to pass stateful information, using a redirecting technique that includes redirecting a user to a history page to obtain the stateful information once the user has chosen a menu item.
US08402350B2
System, apparatus and method are provided for transmitting and receiving packets over first and second channels. An FEC encoder generates forward error correction (FEC) packets corresponding to an original stream of packets. A packet transmitter transmits the original stream of packets over the first channel and transmits the FEC packets over the second channel. A packet receiver receives a stream of packets over the first channel, and receives the FEC packets corresponding to the stream of packets over the second channel. An FEC decoder uses information stored in the FEC packets to determine a correspondence between the FEC packets and the stream of packets, and recovers one or more lost packets of the stream of packets using the FEC packets.
US08402349B2
In an embodiment, a data scramble/descramble circuit for a memory may employ multiple scramble circuits that may provide randomization of data across both rows and columns of a memory array. The first circuit may receive at least a portion of the address of the row, and may produce an output value by logically operating on the portion of the address. The second circuit may receive the output of the first circuit (or a portion thereof) as a seed, and may scramble the data to be written to memory. In one embodiment, a least significant portion of the address may be operated upon by the first circuit (e.g. the least significant byte), which may be most likely to change from row to row as compared to other portions of the address.
US08402347B2
A memory array and a method of writing to a unidirectional non-volatile storage cell are disclosed whereby a user data word is transformed to an internal data word and written to one or more unidirectional data storage cells according to a cell coding scheme. A check word may be generated that corresponds to the internal data word. In some embodiments, the check word may be generated by inverting one or more bits of an intermediate check word. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08402346B2
An n-way parity protection technique enables recovery of up to n storage device (e.g., disk) failures in a parity group of a storage array encoded to protect against n-way disk failures. The storage array is created by first configuring the array with m data disks, where m=p−1 and p is a prime number and a row parity disk. n−1 diagonal parity disks are then added to the array. Each diagonal parity set (i.e., diagonal) is associated with a slope that defines the data and row parity blocks of the array that are included in the diagonal. All diagonals having a common slope within a parity group are organized as a diagonal parity class. For each diagonal parity class, a diagonal parity storage disk is provided to store the diagonal parity.
US08402338B2
A method of error control in a wireless access system is disclosed. More particularly, a method of error control using a random liner coding method is disclosed. A method of error control in a wireless access system comprises receiving code blocks generated as data blocks included in a data block set are randomly linear-coded; decoding a predetermined number of code blocks to a first data block set, wherein the predetermined number of code blocks are selected from the code blocks; replacing one or more code blocks among the predetermined number of code blocks with code blocks other than the predetermined number of code blocks selected from the code blocks and decoding them to a second data block set; and comparing the first data block set with the second data block set.
US08402327B2
A method is provided for error correction of a memory. The method includes: providing a first memory and a second memory; initiating a read operation of the first memory to retrieve data; performing an error correction code (ECC) processing on the data, wherein the ECC processing for determining that at least a portion of the data is erroneous and for providing corrected data; and determining if an address of the erroneous data is stored in the second memory, if the address of the erroneous data is stored in the second memory, storing the corrected data in the second memory, and if the address of the erroneous data is not stored in the second memory, storing the address in the second memory.
US08402326B2
An integrated circuit device comprising a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix of rows and columns; multiplexer circuitry, coupled to the memory cell array, comprising a plurality of data multiplexers, each data multiplexer having a plurality of inputs, comprising (i) a first input to receive write data which is representative of data to be written into the memory cells of the memory cell array in response to a write operation, and (ii) a second input to receive read data which is representative of data read from memory cells of the memory cell array, and an associated output to responsively output data from one of the plurality of inputs; and syndrome generation circuitry, coupled to the multiplexer circuitry, to generate: (i) a write data syndrome vector using the write data and (ii) a read data syndrome vector using the read data.
US08402324B2
In one embodiment, a communications system has a write path and a read path. In the write path, a local/global interleaver interleaves a user data stream, and an error-correction (EC) encoder encodes the user data stream to generate an EC codeword. A local/global de-interleaver de-interleaves the parity bits of the EC codeword, and both the original un-interleaved user data and the de-interleaved parity bits are transmitted via a noisy channel. In the read path, a channel detector recovers channel soft-output values corresponding to the codeword. A local/global interleaver interleaves the channel values, and an EC decoder decodes the interleaved values to recover the original codeword generated in the write path. A de-multiplexer de-multiplexes the user data from the parity bits. Then, a local/global de-interleaver de-interleaves the user data to obtain the original sequence of user data that was originally received at the write path.
US08402323B2
A disk controller comprising a disk formatter configured to receive data being transferred between a disk and a host. A buffer controller is in communication with the disk formatter, a buffer configured to store the data being transferred between the disk and the host, and the host. The buffer is external to each of the disk controller and the host. The buffer controller is configured to regulate transfer of the data between the buffer and the disk formatter. An error correction module is in communication with the disk formatter and the buffer controller. The error correction module is configured to generate an error correction mask to correct errors in the data. The error correction mask is applied to the data prior to the buffer controller transferring the data to the buffer.
US08402322B2
Methods and systems of initiating a data backup process on a computer system are described. One method calls for the data to be backed up to be identified. The computer system is monitored for the occurrence of a backup trigger event. If the trigger occurs, a data backup process is initiated.
US08402311B2
Techniques are described herein that are capable of monitoring activity with respect to a distributed application. A server system includes logical tiers, each including processing system(s) configured to process messages in accordance with a respective protocol (e.g., an ASP.net® protocol, WCF protocol, SQL protocol, etc.). When a user initiates an activity with respect to a distributed application, hops are performed between the logical tiers and/or between components of the distributed application to complete the requested activity. A hop is a transfer of a message or a procedure call from one processing system to another processing system. A common identifier may be assigned to each of the hops that are performed with regard to the activity. If a failure occurs with respect to the activity, the common identifier may be used to gather information regarding the hops. For instance, the information may be used to determine a source of the failure.
US08402310B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for determining a vulnerability level for an instruction executed in a processor, and re-executing the instruction if the vulnerability level is above a threshold. The vulnerability level may correspond to a soft error likelihood for the instruction while the instruction is in the processor. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08402307B2
An information handling system includes a peripheral component interconnect express root complex, a basic input output system, and a root complex mirroring block. The peripheral component interconnect express root complex includes a plurality of peripheral component interconnect express ports. The basic input output system is in communication with the peripheral component interconnect express root complex, and is configured to detect a peripheral component interconnect express adaptor configuration, and to set a peripheral component interconnect express mirroring setting based on the peripheral component interconnect express adaptor configuration. The root complex mirroring block is in communication with the basic input output system, and is configured to mirror data between a first peripheral component interconnect express adaptor and a second peripheral component interconnect express adaptor based on the peripheral component interconnect express mirroring setting.
US08402304B1
Method/system is disclosed for recovering computing capacity and critical applications after a catastrophic failure. The method/system involves distributing the computing capacity over multiple computing clusters, each computing cluster having concurrent access to shared data and software applications of other computing clusters. Sufficient backup computing capacity is reserved on each computing cluster to recover some or all active computing capacity on the other computing clusters. Message traffic throughout the computing clusters is monitored for indications of a catastrophic failure. Upon confirmation of a catastrophic failure at one computing cluster, the workloads of that computing cluster are transferred to the backup computing capacity of the other computing clusters. Software applications that have been designated for recovery are then brought up on the backup computing capacity of the other computing clusters. Such an arrangement allows computing capacity and critical software applications to be quickly recovered after a catastrophic failure.
US08402292B2
Implementations of the present invention may involve methods and systems to improve the combined power consumption and thermal response of individual components of a computer system as the components are stressed concurrently during simulation or testing of the system. A group of operating system-level instruction sets for several individual components of the computer system may be designed to stress the components and executed concurrently while power and thermal measurements are taken. The instruction sets may utilize one or more software threads of the computer system or hardware threads such that minimal interference between components occurs as the system is tested. Further, the system components may be partitioned between separate instruction sets. By minimizing the interference between the components while the system is operating, a more accurate power consumption and thermal effect measurements may be taken on the computer system to better approximate the performance of the system.
US08402287B2
The invention relates to a cryptographic mechanism and to a cryptographic device incorporating such cryptographic mechanism. The cryptographic mechanism offers a better resistance to side channel attacks than that of known cryptographic mechanisms by incorporating a new type of masking mechanism.
US08402286B2
An information processing apparatus which makes it possible to store encrypted data of packets in a decrypted state, and improve the efficiency of data analysis. A network interface receives encrypted data which has been encrypted, and data which has not been encrypted, from a network. A HDD stores received data. A IPSec module is operable when an item of the received is an item of the encrypted data, to decrypt the item of the encrypted data. A packet acquisition sub application searches the data stored in HDD for an item of the encrypted data corresponding to an decrypted item of data. The packet acquisition sub application updates the item of the received encrypted data based on the decrypted item of the data.
US08402281B2
A method and an apparatus for processing data provides protection for the data. The data is stored as encrypted data element values (DV) in records (P) in a first database (0-DB), each data element value being linked to a corresponding data element type (DT). In a second database (IAM-DB), a data element protection catalogue (DC) is stored, which for each individual data element type (DT) contains one or more protection attributes stating processing rules for data element values (DV), which in the first database (0-DB) are linked to the individual data element type (DT). In each user-initiated measure which aims at processing a given data element value (DV) in the first database (0-DB), a calling is initially sent to the data element protection catalogue for collecting the protection attribute/attributes associated with the corresponding data element types. The user's processing of the given data element value is controlled in conformity with the collected protection attribute/attributes.
US08402272B2
Provided is a communication device which securely registers a slave unit. A secret address generation and setup section generates a secret address generator, and a secret address of the slave unit used temporarily instead of a unique address of the slave unit based on the secret address generator and identification information of the slave unit. A second communication section transmits to the slave unit a registration start notice containing the secret address generator by broadcast. A registration process section generates a registration authentication key; generates a unique key of the slave unit by transmitting/receiving, to/from the slave unit, unique key generation information encrypted using the registration authentication key; receives, from the slave unit, the unique address of the slave unit encrypted using the registration authentication key; and stores the identification information in association with the unique address and the unique key of the slave unit in the registration information storing section.
US08402264B2
The invention proposes a method for securing an interaction between a first node and a second node, wherein a security algorithm belonging to both a first set of security algorithms held by the first node and a second set of security algorithms held by a third node is selected to secure the interaction between the first and second nodes, the selection of said security algorithm taking account of capacities of both the first and third nodes.
US08402262B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for receiving a request for power-up of a first blade of a chassis, enabling the first blade to power-up in a reduced boot mode and receiving a communication including characteristic information and policy information associated with the first blade, and analyzing the characteristic information and the policy information to determine a policy and a boot configuration for the first blade. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08402260B2
The present invention provides a data processing apparatus realizing reduced load on a host CPU and improved performance. An arithmetic unit includes an SIMD processor for processing a plurality of pieces of data by a single instruction, and a second CPU coupled to the SIMD processor via an arithmetic unit bus and controlling the SIMD processor. A host system includes a host CPU for controlling the entire data processing apparatus, a built-in memory and a peripheral circuit coupled to the host CPU via a first bus, and a peripheral circuit coupled to a second bus. The second CPU accesses an external flash/ROM via the arithmetic unit bus and the first bus, and the SIMD processor accesses an external memory via the second bus. Therefore, the load on the host CPU can be reduced, and the performance of the entire apparatus can be improved.
US08402256B2
The present invention is directed to realize efficient issue of a superscalar instruction in an instruction set including an instruction with a prefix. A circuit is employed which retrieves an instruction of each instruction code type other than a prefix on the basis of a determination result of decoders for determining an instruction code type, adds the immediately preceding instruction to the retrieved instruction, and outputs the resultant to instruction executing means. When an instruction of a target instruction code type is detected in a plurality of instruction units to be searched, the circuit outputs the detected instruction code and the immediately preceding instruction other than the target instruction code type as prefix code candidates. When an instruction of a target instruction code type cannot be detected at the rear end of the instruction units to be searched, the circuit outputs the instruction at the rear end as a prefix code candidate. When an instruction of a target instruction code type is detected at the head in the instruction code search, the circuit outputs the instruction code at the head.
US08402249B1
A method of mapping system addresses to physical addresses associated with a physical memory device receives memory requirements associated with an application, allocates a region of the physical memory device to the application (wherein the region is a contiguous portion of the physical addresses that does not overlap with any other region and is associated with a memory mapping mode), determines a memory mapping scheme for the region (wherein the memory mapping scheme defines the mapping between system addresses and the region and is based at least on the memory mapping mode) and modifies a mapping register to reflect the region. In one implementation, the method modifies the mapping register to reflect the memory mapping scheme. In another implementation, the memory requirements comprise an application type, and the memory mapping mode is determined based on the application type.
US08402242B2
A memory management system and method for managing memory blocks of a memory device of a computer. The system includes a free block data structure including free memory blocks for writing, and sorting the free memory blocks in a predetermined order based on block write-erase endurance cycle count and receiving new user-write requests to update existing data and relocation write requests to relocate existing data separately, a user-write block pool for receiving youngest blocks holding user-write data (i.e., any page being updated frequently) from the free block data structure, a relocation block pool for receiving oldest blocks holding relocation data (i.e., any page being updated infrequently) from the free block data structure, and a garbage collection pool structure for selecting at least one of user-write blocks and relocation blocks for garbage collection, wherein the selected block is moved back to the free block data structure upon being relocated and erased.
US08402237B2
A method, apparatus, and system of presentation of a read-only clone Logical Unit Number (LUN) to a host device as a snapshot of a parent LUN are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes generating a read-write clone LUN of a parent LUN and coalescing an identical data instance of the read-write clone LUN and the parent LUN in a data block of a volume of a storage system. A block transfer protocol layer is modified to refer the read-write clone LUN as a read-only clone LUN, according to the embodiment. Furthermore, according to the embodiment, the read-only clone LUN is presented to a host device as a snapshot of the parent LUN.
US08402235B2
A backup apparatus has an address conversion table for storing, in correspondence with each other, a logical address and a physical address. The backup apparatus has a sequential data count setting unit, a sequential data information acquisition unit, and a reading unit. The sequential data count setting unit sets sequential data count information indicating the number of data blocks in a sequence in the physical address in the address conversion table. The sequential data information acquisition unit, upon receiving a read request, reads the data block in the address conversion table corresponding to the leading logical address among the logical addresses requested to be read and acquires the sequential data count information set in the address conversion table. The reading unit reads a physical volume corresponding to physical addresses in a sequence in accordance with the sequential data count information acquired by the sequential data information acquisition unit.
US08402234B2
A storage system and storage migration method where migration may be carried out to an access destination of a host apparatus without stopping the exchange of data between the host apparatus and the storage apparatus. This system is provided with a host apparatus inputting and outputting requests for data, a migration source storage apparatus having logical unit(s) correlated to storage regions of physical devices for storing the data, a migration destination storage apparatus having logical unit(s). The system also has an editing unit for editing configuration control information relating to the logical unit(s) for the migration source so as to match with settings for the migration destination storage apparatus, an importing unit for importing edited configuration control information to the migration destination storage apparatus, and a mapping unit for mapping the logical unit(s) of the migration source to the logical unit(s) of the migration destination.
US08402230B2
Embodiments include a method comprising detecting addition of a new nonvolatile machine-readable medium to a data storage pool of nonvolatile machine-readable media. The method includes preventing from being performed a first operation of a file system that requires a first parameter that identifies a logical indication of a location within the nonvolatile machine-readable media for the file system, until logical indications of locations within the new nonvolatile machine-readable medium for the file system have been stored in the data storage pool. The method includes allowing to be performed, prior to logical indications of locations within the new nonvolatile machine-readable medium being stored in the data storage pool, a second operation of the file system that does not require a second parameter that identifies a logical indication of a location within the nonvolatile machine-readable media, wherein the second operation causes data to be written into the new nonvolatile machine-readable medium.
US08402229B1
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for sharing graphics objects between a compute unified device architecture (CUDA) application programming interface (API) and a graphics API. The CUDA API includes calls used to alias graphics objects allocated by the graphics API and, subsequently, synchronize accesses to the graphics objects. When an application program emits a “register” call that targets a particular graphics object, the CUDA API ensures that the graphics object is in the device memory, and maps the graphics object into the CUDA address space. Subsequently, when the application program emits “map” and “unmap” calls, the CUDA API respectively enables and disables accesses to the graphics object through the CUDA API. Further, the CUDA API uses semaphores to synchronize accesses to the shared graphics object. Finally, when the application program emits an “unregister” call, the CUDA API configures the computing system to disregard interoperability constraints.
US08402216B1
A computer-implemented method for off-host backups may include identifying a striped volume of data on which to perform an off-host backup. The computer-implemented method may also include generating stripe-aware extent metadata for the off-host backup operation. The computer-implemented method may further include performing the off-host backup operation using the stripe-aware extent metadata. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08402208B2
A memory system includes a first memory module and a second memory module. A memory controller is coupled to the first and second memory modules and reads configuration information from the first and second memory modules using a memory channel. The controller also configures a switch coupled between the controller and one of the memory modules to communicate using either a chip select line or a memory address line.
US08402201B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for storage space recovery in solid-state storage. A sequential storage module sequentially writes data packets in a storage division. The storage division includes a portion of a solid-state storage. The data packets are derived from an object. The data packets are sequentially stored by order of processing. A storage division selection module selects a storage division for recovery. A data recovery module reads valid data packets from the storage division selected for recovery, queues the valid data packets with other data packets to be written sequentially, and updates an index with a new physical address of the valid data. The index includes a mapping of physical addresses of data packets to object identifiers. A storage division recovery module marks the storage division selected for recovery as available for sequentially writing data packets in response to completing copying valid data from the storage division.
US08402200B2
Provided is a method and apparatus for storing and restoring a state of a virtual machine on a virtual machine monitor. The method of storing a state of a second virtual machine in a predetermined storage device by a first virtual machine on a virtual machine monitor includes determining whether the state of the second virtual machine has changed, by comparing a previous state of the second virtual machine, which has already been stored in the storage device, with a current state of the second virtual machine and selectively storing the state of the second virtual machine based on a result of the determination, thereby minimizing time required to store or restore the state of the second virtual machine.
US08402194B2
A storage router and method for providing virtual local storage on remote storage devices to devices are provided. Devices are connected to a first transport medium, and a plurality of storage devices are connected to a second transport medium. In one embodiment, the storage router maintains a map to allocate storage space on the remote storage devices to devices connected to the first transport medium by associating representations of the devices connected to the first transport medium with representations of storage space on the remote storage devices, wherein each representation of a device connected to the first transport medium is associated with one or more representations of storage space on the remote storage devices and controls access from the devices connected to the first transport medium to the storage space on the remote storage devices in accordance with the map and using native low level block protocol.
US08402188B2
Disclosed are methods and devices, among which is a device including a self-selecting bus decoder. In some embodiments, the device may be coupled to a microcontroller, and the self-selecting bus decoder may determine a response of the peripheral device to requests from the microcontroller. In another embodiment, the device may include a bus translator and a self-selecting bus decoder. The bus translator may be configured to translate between signals from a selected one of a plurality of different types of buses. A microcontroller may be coupled to a selected one of the plurality of different types of buses of the bus translator.
US08402183B2
A system and method for coordinating control setting with respect to an automated input/output (I/O) processor. A state machine having a transition algorithm can be configured in association with a storage controller in order to permit multiple entities to safely transmit an I/O request to an I/O device. Specific combinations of control bits associated with a fast path engine can be determined by identifying different modes with respect to the behavior of the fast path engine. Each mode can be assigned as a state with respect to the state machine. An I/O path exception and error condition that can cause transitions between the states can be determined and the transitions can be assigned from one state to another state. A generic logic template can then be configured to govern the transitions with respect to the state machine. The logic can be executed when an event occurs in order to trigger multiple state transition and/or modifications with respect to the hardware control bits of the fast path engine.
US08402178B2
The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for device to device flow control. In one or more embodiments, a system configured for device to device flow control includes a host and a chain of devices, including one or more memory device, coupled to each other and configured to communicate with the host device through a same host port. In one or more embodiments, at least one device in the chain is configured to regulate the flow of data by sending a token in downstream data packets, the token allowing devices downstream from the respective at least one device to send an upstream data packet to the respective at least one device.
US08402177B2
A processor implemented method for inferring storage topology of a host includes discovering, from a security group that contains an initiator port of the host, all initiator ports of the host and all target ports of a storage device. Identification is then made of a port in the security group through which access to the storage device is blocked. From the discovered ports not identified as blocked, available paths between the host and a volume exposed to the host by the storage device are detected.
US08402172B2
A method and system for processing an input/output request on a multiprocessor computer system comprises pinning a process down to a processor issuing the input/output request. An identity of the processor is passed to a device driver which selects a device adapter request queue whose interrupt is bound to the identified processor and issues the request on that queue. The device accepts the request from the device adapter, processes the request and raises a completion interrupt to the identified processor. On completion of the input/output request the process is un-pinned from the processor. In an embodiment the device driver associates a vector of the identified processor with the request and the device, on completion of the request, interrupts the processor indicated by the vector.
US08402169B2
The information processing system includes a plurality of information processing apparatuses connected via a network. Each apparatus includes one or more modules interconnected via a system bus. At least one of the modules is a network module having a network communication function. The information processing apparatus that inputs an external timing signal functions as a timing master, and the other information processing apparatuses function as a timing slave. The module in the timing master generates time synchronization information in the form of a packet and in the form of a command according to the timing signal and transmits the command to another module and transmits the packet to the timing slave via the network. The network module in the timing slave receives the packet from the timing master, converts the packet to the command to transmit to another module connected to the system bus and included in the timing slave.
US08402166B2
A method, system, and computer program product for providing direct communications between FCoE endpoint devices within the same fibre channel network zone. A direct fibre channel (DFC) utility provides an FCoE stack with an exclusive ability to define an Ethertype within an ethertype field of an Ethernet packet with “FCoE”. In addition, the DFC utility enables storage of access control lists (ACLs) containing allowed destination addresses and allowed source addresses within the adapter of an FCoE endpoint. Additionally, the DFC utility initiates an exchange of messages with an Ethernet switch to determine a feasibility of establishing direct connections between endpoints. In particular, the DFC utility determines whether the Ethernet switch supports FCoE ACL checking. Further, the DFC utility creates a zone ID for the FCoE endpoint device. The DFC utility allows direct communication between FCoE endpoints within the same fibre zone.
US08402164B1
An asynchronous communication network in an integrated circuit is described. The asynchronous communication network comprises a plurality of circuit elements enabling the transmission of tokens, each circuit element having a component interface comprising: a routing network coupled to a first adjacent circuit element of the plurality of circuit elements; and a control circuit coupled to the routing network, the control circuit having a first input coupled to receive a first command requesting a detection of a token received at a second input of the control circuit, and a first acknowledgement output coupling a first acknowledgement signal indicating whether the first command is received at the first input. Methods of enabling asynchronous communication in an integrated circuit are also disclosed.
US08402152B2
An object-based storage system comprising a host system capable of executing applications for and with an object-based storage device (OSD). Exemplary configurations include a call interface, a physical layer interface, an object-based storage solid-state device (OSD-SSD), and are further characterized by the presence of a storage processor capable of processing object-based storage device algorithms interleaved with processing of physical storage device management. Embodiments include a storage controller capable of executing recognition, classification and tagging of application files, especially including image, music, and other media. Also disclosed are methods for initializing and configuring an OSD-SSD device.
US08402150B1
A method and system for converting LonWorks® protocol in an electrical device management network to a different protocol for RF transmission between RF transceivers of the network and thereafter returning the converted protocol back to the LonWorks® protocol at a remote location without the need for software to make the conversions.
US08402145B2
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.
US08402134B1
Disclosed are systems, methods and computer program products for locating lost or stolen electronic devices. The method comprises deploying software agents on a plurality of networked electronic devices; receiving by a software agent deployed on a first electronic device a message from a remote server, the message including an identifier of a lost or stolen electronic device; searching by the software agent on a network to which the first electronic device is connected for the lost or stolen electronic device using the device identifier; if the lost or stolen electronic device is located on the network, collecting information about the lost or stolen electronic device; and transmitting by the software agent the collected information to one of the central server or an owner of the lost or stolen electronic device.
US08402133B1
A position of a cursor on a display is tracked. It is detected that the cursor is in an area of the display that includes a component of a webpage. It is determined whether the component matches a designated type of component, and details of the component are stored in response to determining that the component matches a designated type of component. A user input that selects the component is detected, and details of the component are accessed in response to detecting the user input. The details of the component are sent to a collection server.
US08402131B2
Application runtime data is obtained from an application monitoring system which monitors execution of an application, and traffic monitoring data is obtained from a traffic monitoring system which monitors traffic to/from the application as the clients interact with the application. Corresponding application runtime data and traffic monitoring data can be selectively output to assist an operator in investigating an anomalous condition. The data can be classified and selectively output according to one or more hierarchies which characterize the interactions. The hierarchies can include a domain level, a business process level (where a domain is made up of a number of business processes), a business transaction level (where a business process is made up of different business transactions), an individual transaction level (where a business transaction is made up of different transactions), and a transaction component level (where a transaction is made up of one or more transaction components).
US08402125B2
A method and apparatus are provided for managing administrative and maintenance operations for a computer connected to a communication network. The method includes: a phase of receiving a request in respect of at least one command to be executed, originating from the computer; a phase of programmed sequential distribution of the at least one command previously recorded within an operations database, destined for the computer; a phase of recording, within a database for collecting results associated with the computer, at least one result of implementing the at least one sequentially distributed command.
US08402117B2
An anonymous location wireless network service for use in a wireless network. The service provides content providers with the location of network users without revealing their identities. The service includes a wireless network having a proxy server, a network communication link to a plurality of web sites, and a wireless communication link to a plurality of handheld devices. The proxy server blocks identity by reading the location and identity information of network devices, generating dummy identifications, relating the dummy identifications to the identity information, storing the relationships in a memory storage, and forwarding the location information and dummy identifications to the global computer network. Upon receiving messages from the global computer network, the proxy server reads the dummy identifications, looks up the related identification information in the memory storage, and forwards the data to the appropriate network devices.
US08402116B2
The present invention relates to a game vending machine that receive game contents from a service provider server and vends the game contents, the game vending machine comprising: a data analyzer that divides the game contents transmitted from the service provider server into a game executing file and UI generating information and divides the UI generating information into variable dynamic information and continuously usable static information and outputs the divided information; a dynamic information updating unit that receives the dynamic information and updates the previously stored dynamic information; an interface generator that receives the static information and the updated dynamic information to generate a user interface to be used for vending games; and an interface managing unit that displays the generated user interface to a user.
US08402110B2
Remote provisioning of an IT network and/or associated services is provided. Hardware, software, service and/or expertise can be moved from on-premise to a remote location (e.g., central, distributed . . . ). Accordingly, at least a large degree computation can be moved to the center to exploit economies of scale, among other things. In such an architecture, computational resources (e.g., data storage, computation power, cache . . . ) can be pooled, and entities can subscribe to a particular level of resources related to a private entity IT network.
US08402106B2
An apparatus and a method for operating on data at a cache node of a data grid system is described. An asynchronous future-based interface of a computer system receives a request to operate on a cache node of a cluster. An acknowledgment is sent back upon receipt of the request prior to operating on the cache node. The cache node is then operated on based on the request. The operation is replicated to other cache nodes in the cluster. An acknowledgment that the operation has been completed in the cluster is sent back.
US08402098B2
A computing system for intelligence gathering and analysis includes a computer-based remote avatar rendering and maintenance module, a self-directed data gathering and communication module, a remote personalized data stream analysis module, and a database. The avatar rendering and maintenance module provides an indicator for users to select targeted data streams presented as weapon icons that includes user-selected analysis priorities and threshold attributes of the targeted data. The self-directed data gathering and communication module provides administration programs that coordinate and control the timing and execution of commercially available web search, crawler, and messaging applications. The personalized data stream analysis module provides administration programs that coordinate and control the timing and execution of data consolidation, workflow and scoring programs related to the analysis module. The database stores and manages electronic data related to administrative control of all other system applications and to hold all user gathered data and analysis records as defined specific to the system requirements.
US08402096B2
Automatic conversation techniques are described. An apparatus may comprise a computing device having an incoming message module operative to receive an incoming message, a conversation identification module communicatively coupled to the incoming message module, the conversation identification module operative to determine the incoming message is part of a conversation thread, and associate the incoming message with the conversation thread by setting a conversation identifier property of the incoming message to a conversation identifier for the conversation thread, and a conversation manager module communicatively coupled to the conversation identification module, the conversation manager module operative to determine a conversation rule is associated with the conversation thread, and apply the conversation rule to the incoming message. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08402091B2
A method of establishing a multimedia conference meeting includes assigning unique user identifiers to corresponding users and corresponding persistent virtual private meeting rooms dedicated to the corresponding users. Conference sessions are established using the persistent virtual private meeting rooms in response to activation acts by the users. Resources for establishing communications among users that are logged in to the conference sessions are dynamically allocated using distributed conference bridge computers. Resources presented during the conference sessions in the persistent virtual private meeting rooms remain available in the persistent virtual private meeting rooms after the conference sessions end.
US08402086B2
A cloud broker receives a request for processing resources from one of a plurality of cloud management infrastructures (each of which correspond to one of a plurality of clouds). The cloud broker selectively enables access to the clouds associated with each cloud management infrastructure. The clouds each comprise segregated computing environments having at least one server for executing tasks and a data store for data persistency attached to the at least one server. The cloud management infrastructures selectively starts and stops services executed by the corresponding cloud. After receiving the request, the cloud broker identifies which of the plurality of clouds coupled to the cloud broker has processing capacity to fulfill the request. Subsequently, the cloud broker enables access to at least one of the identified clouds having capacity to fulfill the request. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
US08402084B2
A system, method, and computer readable medium are disclosed. In one embodiment the system includes a remote computer system. The remote computer system has a remote host embedded controller interface (HECI) driver and a HECI simulator. The HECI simulator intercepts commands directed to the HECI driver from software running on the remote computer system and routes the commands as HECI messages to a local computer system also included in the system. The local computer system includes a HECI bridge that is capable of receiving the HECI messages sent from the remote computer system and then can pass the received HECI messages to a local HECI driver to be operated upon.
US08402079B2
A method for providing security in a networked multimedia computing system is provided wherein an administrative workstation is challenged by a network workstation when the administrative workstation is attempting to manipulate or query the network workstation. The administrative workstation responds in an automatic fashion to supply a series of logically acceptable password candidates to the challenging workstation in an attempt to validate itself to the challenging network workstation without interrupting a user. If none of the series of passwords is successful, an administrator, or user, operating the administrative workstation is prompted to manually enter a password. The system allows for an administrative workstation to automatically and transparently validate itself to a challenging network workstation, in most situations, without requiring input from the administrator. Another aspect of the invention involves a system for generating reports concerning user-selected hardware and software attributes for one or more network workstations.
US08402077B2
An amplitude calculation apparatus or an amplitude calculation program of an output signal of an encoder dividing a resurge waveform into a predetermined number of angle areas, presetting and storing coefficient α of the A-phase and the coefficient β of the B-phase corresponding to the divided angle areas, the coefficients being set so that αA+βB approximates the radius of the theoretical resurge waveform, calculating the radius of the resurge waveform as αA+βB, and making the calculated radius the amplitude of the output signal of the encoder or converting a phase angle θ of a quadrant n to a phase angle θ′ of the quadrant 1, and calculating the radius of the resurge waveform as α|A|+β|B|, whereby the circuit size of the apparatus for calculating the resurge radius from the output of the encoder is reduced and the processing time by software for calculating the resurge radius is shortened.
US08402075B2
A floating point unit includes a floating point adder to perform a floating point addition operation between first and second floating point numbers each having an exponent and a mantissa. The floating point unit also includes an alignment shifter that may calculate a shift value corresponding to a number of bit positions to shift the second mantissa such that the second exponent value is the same as the first exponent value. The alignment shifter may detect an overshift condition, in which the shift value is greater than or equal to a selected overshift threshold value. The selected overshift threshold value comprises a base 2 number in a range of overshift values including a minimum overshift threshold value and a maximum overshift threshold value, and which has a largest number of a consecutive of bits that are zero beginning at a least significant bit.
US08402073B2
Presently disclosed is method and apparatus for generating a random bit stream by generating a random bit according to a polynomial expression, providing a modification function operative on the polynomial expression, and modifying the polynomial expression by modifying the modification function.
US08402071B2
A system stores file system metadata in a manner that scales to a large number of entries per “capture,” where a capture is metadata of all of the files and their associated directories contained in a logical file system at a given time. The file system metadata is stored, in tangible computer readable media, in data structures that are optimized to the unique characteristics of file system metadata and, particularly, how it is desired to access and process file system metadata. Thus, the technical effect is that processing storing and processing of the file system metadata is highly optimized, such that time, storage and processing power to process the file system metadata is drastically reduced.
US08402067B2
Automatic transmission of information is generated when the content of a posted electronic form matches a predefined criteria. An interface allows the user to create a criterion template to specify the match criterion without requiring the user to have the skills of a professional programmer. The person to be notified and the form and content of the notification can also be defined by the user and can be dependent on the content of the posted form. In one application, individuals associated with an institution of higher learning are automatically notified when a student submits an electronic profile form showing that the student meets a pre-specified criteria.
US08402065B2
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with batch process monitoring are described. One example method may include monitoring an external batch process (e.g. food manufacture, drug manufacture). The method may include collecting data (e.g. material usage, material yield, resource usage, quality results, process parameters, actions performed on batches) from the external batch process. The method may also include generating an XML document based, at least in part, on data collected from the external batch process. The contents of the XML document are to represent a required record that relates to a consumable product manufacturing event. In one example, the record may comply with Title 21 of the United States Code.
US08402063B2
In one example, a method of restoring data backed up in a content addressed storage system may include retrieving a recipe and appended storage addresses from a first storage node of content addressed storage, where the recipe may include instructions for generating a data structure from two or more data pieces, and the two or more data pieces may be resident in locations identified by the appended storage addresses. The example method may further include populating a cache with the appended storage addresses for the two or more data pieces. As well the method may further include retrieving, and populating the cache with, the two or more data pieces without looking up a storage address for any of the two or more data pieces in an index, and restoring the data structure using the retrieved two or more data pieces in the cache.
US08402060B2
Various techniques and components are provided for managing data between a client and server. In one example embodiment, software is operable to receive an updated business object property at a server, process the updated property with a business object residing on the server, and communicate an updated business object from the server to the client. In certain implementations, this allows for the server to update a complete business object, including properties requiring recalculation based on the updated business object property, through a targeted communication from the client, namely, the single updated business object property. Additionally, the software may provide for the identification and automatic updated of server-side business objects or business object properties related to the received updated business object property.
US08402039B2
An information processing apparatus includes: an encoder configured to encode target information using encoding information so as to generate encoded target information; a first storage unit configured to store a target information group including the encoded target information. The information processing apparatus further includes: an input unit configured to receive an input of the encoding information; a processing control unit configured to allow browsing of attribute information of the target information group only when the encoding information is input; a decoder configured to decode, after the browsing of the attribute information is allowed, the encoded target information using the input encoding information, so as to generate the target information; a second storage unit configured to store the target information as the target information contained in the target information group; and a processing unit configured to process the target information stored in the second storage unit as the target.
US08402035B2
Exemplary embodiments are directed to determining a media value associated mentions of an entity in one or more documents based on a sentiment attributed to the mentions of the entity and/or a frequency with which the entity is mentioned. Exemplary embodiments can include a media value engine that can identify mentions of an entity in documents, attribute sentiment to the mentions of the entity; determine a polarity of the sentiment, and calculate a media value attributed to the entity based on the sentiment.
US08402032B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for correcting entity names. One method includes receiving texts and deriving a plurality of name-context pairs from the texts. The method further includes calculating a context consistency measure for each name-context pair and storing context-entity name data representing the name-context pairs. Another method includes identifying an entity name and one or more context terms from a query and generating candidate names for the entity name. The method further includes determining a score for each of the candidate names, selecting a number of top scoring candidate names, and using the selected candidate names to respond to the query.
US08402030B1
A system and method textually analyze documents. A frequency distribution is generated for the documents, and an intersection between the documents is determined. For each word in the intersection, the frequency of the word in the first document is compared with the frequency of the word in the second document, and the lower frequency is selected. A similarity measure between the first document and the second document is determined as a function of a count of the words in the intersection, a count of the words in the second document, the selected lower frequencies, and the frequency distribution for the words in the second document.
US08402026B2
A system and method for efficiently generating cluster groupings in a multi-dimensional concept space is described. A plurality of terms is extracted from each document in a collection of stored unstructured documents. A concept space is built over the document collection. Terms substantially correlated between a plurality of documents within the document collection are identified. Each correlated term is expressed as a vector mapped along an angle θ originating from a common axis in the concept space. A difference between the angle θ for each document and an angle σ for each cluster within the concept space is determined. Each such cluster is populated with those documents having such difference between the angle θ for each such document and the angle σ for each such cluster falling within a predetermined variance. A new cluster is created within the concept space those documents having such difference between the angle θ for each such document and the angle σ for each such cluster falling outside the predetermined variance.
US08402025B2
A query including one or more keywords is received from a client device, and a content item (e.g., an advertisement) relevant to the one or more keywords is identified. A video is selected from one or more videos associated with the content item, the selection based on the one or more keywords. Display data is generated for displaying the content item at the client device, and video selection data is generated for displaying the video proximate to the content item at the client device. The display data and the video selection data are provided to the client device.
US08402020B2
A method and computer-readable medium for generating an activity stream is provided. The activity stream includes a ranked set of objects that are presented to one or more users. The ranking of objects is updated to reflect events associated with objects.
US08402012B1
Embodiments of the present invention include a computer-controlled method of determining the risk of results of a search engine query before presentation to a client. In one embodiment of the invention, the method comprises accessing the results of the search engine query at a server side and scanning the results for software developed to harm a computer system, e.g., virus software, malware, etc. The method further includes determining a risk ranking associated with accessing one or more of the results and returning the results and the associated risk to a client, e.g., in a web page result display. Results exceeding a client specified threshold may be eliminated from the results display.
US08402009B2
An information processing apparatus that positively notifies a notification destination of information to be notified even if a communication protocol is changed before notifying storage of stored data. A notification setting processing section of a document storage notification application sets a protocol for accessing the stored document data from a computer via a network. When document data is stored in a HDD, a mail transmission processing section notifies the computer of storage location information on the document data for accessing the data according to the set protocol. If the set protocol is changed before the storage location information is notified to the computer, a control section causes the mail transmission processing section to notify the computer of storage location information for causing the document data to be accessed using the changed protocol.
US08402008B2
In some embodiments, a file management unit located in the operating system detects a write operation that writes the data blocks within the consistency snapshot (in main memory) to the persistent storage. The file management unit can then determine that all transactions have been completed before the write operation begins. In some instances, the file management unit then attempts to write the data blocks within the consistency snapshot to the persistent storage. The file management unit can then receive a notification that the write operation did not successfully write the data blocks from the consistency snapshot to the persistent storage. In some embodiments, the write operation is not successful because there are fewer free data blocks in the persistent storage than needed for writing the data blocks within the consistency snapshot to persistent storage. The file management can then wait a period of time. After the file management unit has waited for a period of time, it can make another attempt to write the data blocks within the consistency snapshot to the persistent storage.
US08402003B2
A pattern matching accelerator (PMA) for assisting software threads to find the presence and location of strings in an input data stream that match a given pattern. The patterns are defined using regular expressions that are compiled into a data structure comprised of rules subsequently processed by the PMA. The patterns to be searched in the input stream are defined by the user as a set of regular expressions. The patterns to be searched are grouped in pattern context sets. The sets of regular expressions which define the pattern context sets are compiled to generate a rules structure used by the PMA hardware. The rules are compiled before search run time and stored in main memory, in rule cache memory within the PMA or a combination thereof. For each input character, the PMA executes the search and returns the search results.
US08401998B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for mirroring file data. Generally, high availability and disaster recovery (“HADRON”) is achieved within a database management system by detecting which parts of a file have changed and sending the changed parts to secondaries. Adjacent or partially overlapping parts of a file can coalesce to form larger chunks of changed data. Coalescing reduces the overall number of chunks that are tracked.
US08401997B1
Applications executing on various nodes in a distributed storage environment may write data to primary storage and may also replicate the data to secondary storage via a replication target. An interval coordinator may coordinate the periodic saving of checkpoints or snapshots of the replicated data. The interval coordinator may determine the length of consistency intervals between the saving of each of the checkpoints. Writes to the replication target from each of the nodes may be associated with the current consistency interval and, in some embodiments, with a unique per-node sequence number. When transitioning between consistency intervals, each node may be configured to temporarily suspend completion of the writes and to send the replication target a consistency interval marker indicating that the node has completed all writes for the current consistency interval.
US08401995B2
Embodiments include a method for removing a file within a redirect-on-write file system. In some embodiments, a file removal operation is detected in a file management unit, which resides in a memory unit. It is then determined that the number of free data blocks in the persistent storage is below a minimum threshold. The file removal operation is written to a log used for storing system operations. A file management unit is notified of the successful write of the file removal operation to the log used for storing system operations. The data blocks are moved from the file selected for removal to a list of free data blocks. The indirect blocks from the file selected for removal are moved to a data block removal list.
US08401987B2
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for managing validation models and rules to apply to data sets. A schema definition describing a structure of at least one column in a first data set having a plurality of columns and records providing data for each of the columns is received. At least one model is generated, wherein each model asserts conditions for at least one column in a record of the first data set. The schema definition and the at least one model are stored in a data quality model. Selection is received of a second data set and the data quality model. A determination is made as to whether a structure of the second data set is compatible with the schema definition in the selected data quality model. Each model in the data quality model is applied to the records in the second data set to validate the records in the second data set in response to determining that the structure of the second data set and the schema definition are compatible.
US08401986B1
A data processing system processes data sets (such as low-resolution transaction data) into high-resolution data sets by mapping generic information into attribute-based specific information that may be processed to identify frequent sets therein. When association rules are generated from such frequent sets, the complexity and/or quantity of such rules may be managed by removing redundancies from the rules, such as by removing rules providing only trivial associations, removing rules having only a part group as the consequent, modifying rules to remove redundant antecedent items and/or filtering subsumed rules from the generated rule set that do not provide sufficient lift to meet an adjustable specialization lift threshold requirement.
US08401983B2
Media is recommended to a user based on domain knowledge and correlation-based recommendation scores. A domain knowledge-based recommendation score is calculated for a user, and a correlation-based recommendation score is calculated for the user. A user recommendation score is calculated for the user regarding a media item, derived from the domain knowledge-based recommendation score and the correlation-based recommendation score. One or more media items are recommended to the user, such as by ordering or selecting media based on their user recommendation scores.
US08401971B2
Character spacing values in a document image are extracted and a variance is calculated for fluctuations in the character spacing values. When the calculated variance is lower than a preset threshold value, the document image is determined as having watermark information embedded therein. Such use of the variance in the character spacing values enables high-speed determination of the presence or absence of character-spacing watermark information. At this time, it is possible to speed up the determination by using only some character spacing values in the document, instead of using all character spacing values.
US08401968B1
A mobile group payment service enables members of a group to access a group account. The group account may enable members to transmit funds, request funds, and perform account queries, and modify account settings, among other possible operations. A member may request a payment from the group account to a target account. A transaction authorization service may facilitate an authorization process to determine whether the requested payment is authorized by one or more of the other members of the group. Upon authorization, the requested payment may be completed by transferring funds to the target account.
US08401960B2
The online credit escrow service is a method of protecting the credit of debtors who are paying back their debts. The method involves a third party as an intermediary between the debtor and the debt collector. The debtor delivers money to a third party that stores the money in an escrow account. The third party then contacts the debt collector and notifies them that the debt has been paid, but payment will not be transferred to the debt collector until the credit rating of the debtor has been updated to reflect the payment. When the debt collector updates the debtor's credit rating the payment for the debt is sent to the debt collector.
US08401958B2
A method for facilitating securities transactions is shown. In one embodiment, the method provides for pricing shares of stock traded between anonymous parties without requiring pricing negotiations between parties. The method can include matching, via an electronic trading system, a first party and a second party in response to receiving contra binding orders for a security from the parties, transmitting, to each of the parties, an indication of the matching, receiving, via an electronic trading system, a first trade confirmation from the first party, determining, for the security, a midpoint of a price spread at the time the first trade confirmation was entered, receiving, via the electronic trading system, a second trade confirmation for the security from the second party, and executing, via the electronic trading system, a transaction for the security between the first and second parties, wherein the security price is determined in response to the determined midpoint.
US08401955B2
The disclosed systems and methods relate to allowing trading of over the counter (“OTC”) foreign exchange (“FX”) contracts on a centralized matching and clearing mechanism, such as that of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange's (“CME”'s) futures exchange system (the “Exchange”). The disclosed systems and methods allow for anonymous transactions, centralized clearing, efficient settlement and the provision of risk management/credit screening mechanisms to lower risk, reduce transaction costs and improve the liquidity in the FX market place. In particular, the disclosed embodiments increase speed of execution facilitating growing demand for algorithmic trading, increased price transparency, lower cost of trading, customer to customer trading, and automated asset allocations, recurring trades as well as clearing and settlement efficiencies.
US08401952B1
Various systems and methods for trade order processing in an electronic trading environment are provided. The order processing includes initiating a first thread of instructions at a computing device to send a first trade order onto an electronic exchange. However, if one or more trade orders are identified during the process to send the first trade order, then the one or more orders are queued. When the first trade order is sent to the electronic exchange, then a second thread of instructions is initiated at the computing device to send the queued one or more trade orders (substantially together, if there is more than one) on to the electronic exchange.
US08401949B1
The invention enables a system user to create a scenario that includes an analysis resolution, portfolio component data and analysis environment data. Once the scenarios are established, the system user can conduct processing/modeling/analysis in order to optimize the portfolio allocation data—effectively maximizing the return on the component investments, while minimizing the risk exposure for the portfolio. In achieving the optimization, the system can process stored user or system defined scenarios based on a series of modeling/analysis system modules. Further, it is possible for a system user to model, analyze and compare multiple scenarios historically or prospectively. The system may provide wealth outcome analysis which allows a user to determine likely long term outcomes of a particular investment plan, while accounting for the tax consequences of the chosen plan. In an implementation, the system is configured to store the modeling/analysis results and generate a scenario report. Further, the system can be configured to generate the report in a standardized format and automatically distribute the report to designated recipients.
US08401948B2
A system and method for providing analytical tools for a community of investors having investment portfolios. A first tool provides an indication of a user's selection effectiveness regarding the user's choice of investments relative to those sectors in which the investment resides, and relative to a broader market. A second tool allows the user to evaluate the effectiveness of community stimuli on the user's portfolio. A third tool provides the user the capability to view relationships among a plurality of preferred analysts. With a fourth tool, a user may view a plurality of other analysts the user referred to the community.
US08401947B2
Consumer spend by industry is modeled based on the industry sizes of wallet of consumers having a high share of wallet with a financial institution. A size of wallet is calculated for each consumer in a plurality of consumers. A share of wallet for each consumer is also calculated. A subset of the plurality of consumers whose share of wallet is above a given percentage of their size of wallet is then determined. For each consumer in the subset, an industry size of wallet is determined. A correlation between the industry size of wallet of a given consumer and one or more characteristics of the given consumer is then derived using the industry size of wallet for the consumers in the subset.
US08401940B1
A system, method, and computer readable medium for usage billing of one or more hosted applications serving one or more clients. The hosted applications are contained within one or more isolated environments or run without isolated environments. The system may include usage billing based on one or more of resources open, amount of data flowing through resources, number of open files, number of transactions, number of concurrent users, number of processes, CPU utilization and memory usage, The system may further include a management interface where administrators may add, remove and configure isolated environments, configure client policies and credentials, and force upgrades. If using isolated environments, the isolated environments may be isolated from other applications and the host operating system on the clients and applications within the isolated environments may run without performing an application-installation on the client.
US08401938B1
Computer-implemented methods for requesting a transfer of funds between a first party a second party: the methods may comprise receiving from the first party an instruction to initiate a transfer request and an electronic copy of a bill associated with the transfer request. The methods may also comprise receiving from the first party a text message associated with the transfer request and an indication of at least a second party who is a recipient of the transfer request. In addition, the methods may comprise posting the transfer request to an account of the second party. The transfer request may comprise the electronic copy of the bill associated with the transfer request, and the text message associated with the transfer request.
US08401931B2
A moving light tester includes plural sensors, each of which can test a function of the moving light. A conveyor can move the light between the sensors. Once tested, information about the test is used to characterize the light, to determine if it needs repair, or can be re rented. The information can also be used to create inventory lists, and bills for damage. The testing can include automated testing for gobos, colors, noise, heating and movement, or other tests.
US08401928B2
Methods and apparatus, including systems and computer program products, for a services architecture design that provides enterprise services having supplier relationship management functionality at the level of an enterprise application. The design includes a set of service operations, process components, and optionally deployment units. Suitable business objects are also described.
US08401927B2
A method, system, and medium are provided that are directed to providing a user with time-sensitive information that is usable to determine when to purchase a product. In accordance with embodiments of the technology, exemplary steps include using historical product information to generate time-sensitive information. Moreover, in response to receiving from a user a request to receive information describing a given product, time-sensitive information is caused to be presented. For example, time-sensitive information might be usable by the user to determine when to purchase the given product and an alternative product.
US08401926B2
Systems and methods for tracking the successful recommendation of goods or services are provided. A mobile phone-in the possession of a user is capable of sending and receiving communication messages, including recommendations. A first message is composed including a mobile phone number allocated to the mobile phone, a unique identifier of the recommender, and a reference code for a good or service. The first message is parsed, a referral record is created, and the results of the recommendation are recorded.
US08401921B2
A method for automatically bidding on multiple on-line auction items up for bid where the number of items the bidder wishes to buy is less than the number of items up for bid is disclosed. A method of a seller or auction site giving a bidder the ability to add a listing to a set of listings that can be processed as above is also disclosed.
US08401918B2
Mechanisms are provided to facilitate buying and selling products utilizing social pricing. Sellers initiate sale of a product with volume discounts for a limited time. In other words, the more people that buy a product, the lower the price for the group. Buyers have a real incentive to become prosumers that not only purchase a product but also promote purchase by others. A social pricing system brokers interaction between sellers and buyer groups, and provisions mechanisms to aid promotion of products by consumers utilizing social networks and other online activities.
US08401911B1
Displaying popular items that are available for sale at a merchant's physical location comprises creating a electronic document corresponding to the merchant's physical location. Then, a product availability database and a product popularity database are populated, the product availability database taking into account the inventory available at the merchant's physical location. Next, a cross-referencing engine identifies the popular products that are available at the merchant's physical location, and displays on the merchant's electronic document a plurality of popular items that are available at the merchant's physical location.
US08401909B2
A content distribution system which assures reliability of content is provided. Permitted-user information corresponding to a user who is permitted to use content to be distributed is associated with the content. In the case where user specific information which specifies a user and the permitted-user information do not have a predetermined relation, a user terminal transmits the user specific information and the permitted-user information to a server. The server generates user-related information in which the received user specific information is set as a distribution destination and the permitted-user information is set as a distributor, generates new permitted-user information so as to have the predetermined relation with the user specific information, and provides the new permitted-user information to the user terminal. The user terminal which obtains the new permitted-user information changes the permitted-user information to the new permitted-user information.
US08401906B2
A financial transaction authentication server includes a wireless network interface that is configured to receive fund transfer requests from a buyer via a wireless communications terminal, a wireless terminal location module that is configured to identify the respective locations of the buyer and a seller, and a transaction authorization processor configured to authorize a transfer request if the geographic locations of wireless terminals of the buyer and seller are within a predetermined geographical proximity of each other. The wireless network terminal location module identifies the geographic locations of respective wireless terminals of the buyer and seller. The transaction authorization processor authorizes a fund transfer request if the respective locations of buyer and seller wireless terminals are within a predetermined geographical proximity and suspends a fund transfer request if respective locations of buyer and seller wireless terminals are not within a predetermined geographical proximity of each other.
US08401902B1
An electronic advertising system that provides self-serve control for the centralized automated creation and publication of customized advertising presentations to multiple electronic media venues. The customized advertising presentations are automatically created by the central controller from raw advertising information to comply with the criteria of each selected multiple electronic media venue. Self-serve interfaces are provided for sellers to input raw advertising information and information to select electronic media venues, and for media venues to input criteria for each electronic media venue. The criteria may include style, content, editorial, and design criteria. Information such as distribution factors, media venue layout, and price charged for publication may be used by the central controller. The system also includes programs to manage conflicting advertising information data input, to provide presentation file format conversion, an operator review interface program, an advertising presentation screening program, an operator owned content server, and internet capability.
US08401893B1
An assessment construction tool is provided for developing and executing assessments of various operational aspects of a business entity. Both application-level and project-level assessments may be constructed, and the assessments include a mechanism for applying scores associated with answers derived from conducting the assessment to multiple assessment process categories of the business entity.
US08401892B2
Systems and methods are provided to perform an analysis of the accounts receivable of a business. Each component of the accounts receivable is reviewed individually and all factors related to that particular component are accounted for. A data tool is then implemented to analyze the data and to recognize the areas of all of the components that are susceptible to improvement. A strategy is then developed to maximize the efficiency of the accounts receivable.
US08401891B2
Evaluation of a business case based on the cost of poor process opportunities. In at least some embodiments, an evaluation of a cost of poor process opportunity (COPPO) in an “as-is” process can include calculating a cost per step for each of the plurality of steps or tasks in an activity. COPPO can be determined based in part on whether each step or task in a process or activity is a non-value-add step, and also based in part on a cost of poor quality (COPQ) target percentage. In some embodiments a total cost of poor business process relative to a total cost for each of the plurality of steps can be displayed for a user. The COPPO evaluation can further be used to facilitate the evaluation of a business case for a “to-be” process.
US08401890B1
A system for identifying one or more business transactions and one or more business systems is provided. The system includes a consolidated logical database comprising an information domain hierarchy comprising a set comprising one or more defined data requirement elements. The system includes a physical database, comprising one or more business transactions. An identification routine is used to select a defined data requirement element to identify the business transaction.
US08401888B2
According to various embodiments, the present teachings include inventory control policies that are defined in terms of functions of aggregate cost rates, involving thresholds Ω and an order-up-to point S. An embodiment of the present teachings includes a method. The method includes tracking an inventory position of each of the plurality of items by a logistics network and determining an item cost rate for each of the plurality of items based on the tracked inventory position. The method also includes determining an aggregate cost rate for the plurality of items based on the determined item cost rates, comparing the aggregate cost rate with a cost rate threshold Ω, and ordering the plurality of items to an order-up-to point S if the compared aggregate cost rate is greater than or equal to the cost rate threshold Ω.
US08401887B2
A mobile marketing campaign platform and method including: a planning module including: a definition module for setting budget and objectives; and a design module for designing the campaign utilizing a plurality of templates; an execution module including: design tools for designing an executable campaign from the campaign design made from the templates; and operating tools for causing the executable campaign to execute over multiple mobile services; and a reporting module including: tracking means for tracking at least one of a campaign activity, the campaign performance objectives; and the brand performance objectives.
US08401886B2
The present invention provides an optimized system and method for electronically operating a call center. The system includes three major logical components, including a technology component with one or more third party software products, an in-house tools component, and a knowledge management component. Each of the plurality of third party software programs in the technology component is associated with related in-house tools and knowledge management tools and tool components (including data and programs). When one of the tools within any of the three logical components is updated or modified (as, for example, when a third party software is upgraded or replaced), the system automatically notifies the user which associated or related in-house tool or knowledge management tools or tool components also need to be modified and retrieves and performs the updates to these related tools and tool components.
US08401882B2
A method of aligning development of an information technology system with business objectives can include obtaining at least one metric relating to a development process for the information technology system and comparing the at least one metric with at least one quantified business objective relating to the information technology system to determine a delta between the at least one metric and the quantified business objective(s). The at least one metric can include a measure of complexity of the information technology system and the business objective(s) can specify a complexity threshold. The method further can include selectively increasing, according to the delta, an amount of at least one resource assigned to the information technology system.
US08401881B2
An Internet-enabled rental vehicle reservation management method and system are disclosed. Via the system and method, authorized purchasers can select a rental vehicle service provider from a among a plurality of competitive rental vehicle service providers via at least one graphical user interface (GUI) menu, and the authorized purchasers can further interact with the system and method to (1) automatically book a rental vehicle reservation with a selected competitive rental vehicle service provider without human intervention on the part of personnel of the selected competitive rental vehicle service provider operating the computer system and (2) manage the booked rental vehicle reservation. In an exemplary embodiment, the reservations created and managed through the system and method are replacement rental vehicles and the authorized purchasers are insurance company personnel.
US08401879B1
Umbrella travel insurance that accounts for coverage provided to the user through other insurance policies. A request from the existing customer is received for a travel insurance policy. It is determined whether the customer has an existing insurance policy issued by an insurance company. The existing insurance policy issued by the insurance company held by the existing customer is analyzed. Coverage of the travel insurance policy using coverage of the existing insurance policy is modified to create a modified travel insurance policy. Overlap of the existing insurance policy and coverage of the modified travel insurance policy is at least reduced.
US08401876B1
An insurance company issues a property policy to a customer for property encumbered with an obligation to a creditor. The policy is to be issued to include an encumbrance clause as specified by the creditor. An identification of the creditor is provided to a clause database owned and maintained by a third party agent of the insurance company. The clause database determines that the identified creditor has an entry therein, retrieves from the entry the encumbrance clause as specified by the creditor, and returns the retrieved clause, which is received and inserted into the policy to be issued.
US08401874B2
A rules-base patient care method for managing the care of a plurality of pregnant patients from a remote command center for use in healthcare locations using patient-specific rules for each of the plurality of pregnant patients. A patient rules generator creates rules for the patients. Performance measures indicative of the ability of a rule to predict changes in the condition of the patient are acquired by the rules generator. A determination is made from the rules performance measures whether to revise the rule. A rules engine applies a rule to selected data elements stored in the database to produce an output indicative of a change in the medical condition of a pregnant patient and/or a fetal patient. The output from the rules engine is used to determine when intervention is warranted.
US08401870B2
An apparatus and system are provided for generating one or more patient timelines corresponding to a patient(s). The apparatus includes a processor configured to receive medical information, associated with a patient(s), from one or more different computer systems and store the received medical information in a memory. The processor is configured to examine the received medical information stored in the memory and identify whether data in the medical information indicates the medical information corresponds to a patient(s). The data may include a unique identifier(s) (ID(s)) associated with a patient(s). The processor is also configured to determine if content in the received medical information is designated for inclusion in at least one graphical representation. The content may include one or more unique codes. The processor is also configured to generate a graphical representation(s) corresponding to a chronological sequence of medical events associated with a patient(s) during a period of time.
US08401860B1
A voice-activated command and control system for remotely-controlled vehicles includes a voice-activated control module, a microphone, and a verbal or visual feedback indicator such as a speaker. The operator speaks instructions into the microphone to activate control functions on the vehicle. Confirmation of receipt and/or status of the verbally commanded instructions are sent back to the operator such as spoken through the speaker. The microphone and speaker can be implemented, for example, either in a headset (with a microphone and earphones) worn by the operator, or in the hand-held controller for the vehicle. The system can be alternately implemented without the speaker or other feedback element.
US08401839B2
The present invention provides a Korean-English hybrid automatic translation method for providing translation from Korean to English, includes: performing a morpheme analysis and a syntactic analysis on a Korean input source text; segmenting the Korean input source text into at least two source text segments, based on the results of the morpheme analysis and the syntactic analysis; and generating a PBMT (pattern-based machine translation) translated text segment and a SMT (statistical machine translation) translated text segment with respect to each of the source text segments. Further, the method includes determining, as final translation result, one of the PBMT translated text segment and the SMT translated text segment with respect to each source text segment, based on predetermined weight information; and composing the translated text segments with respect to the source text segments of the Korean input source text into one English translated text by using the determined final translation results.
US08401833B2
A system for making real-time predictions about power usage efficiency (PUE) and/or data center infrastructure efficiency (DCiE) of an electrical system comprises a data acquisition component communicatively connected to a sensor configured to acquire real-time data output from the electrical system; an analytics server communicatively connected to the data acquisition component and comprising a virtual system modeling engine configured to generate predicted data output for the electrical system using a virtual system model of the electrical system, an analytics engine configured to monitor the real-time data output and the predicted data output of the electrical system, and a PUE/DCiE simulation engine configured to use the virtual system model updated based in the real-time data to forecast the PUE/DCiE.
US08401818B2
A golf ball movement measuring apparatus includes: a camera for taking a plurality of images of a golf ball hit by a golf club; a dark-colored background material which is disposed so as to configure a background of the golf ball in the images; and a processing unit to which the images are transmitted from the camera, the processing unit masking a background portion excepting the dark-colored background material in the images in black through image processing, and the processing unit analyzing a movement of the golf ball hit by the golf club.
US08401808B2
Light to be measured L and sampling pulse light LSP are each split into M beams, and a time delay of 0, T, 2T, . . . , (M−1)T is given to each of the M-split sampling pulse light beams. The M-split light beams to be measured are then respectively multiplexed with M optical 90-degree hybrids, and M electrical field amplitudes per time T are determined for the light beam to be measured, based on M sets of output currents received at a balance light receiving element that receives light emitted from each of the optical 90-degree hybrids. The amplitudes of the respective wavelength optical signals contained in the light beam to be measured are calculated through Fourier transformations of the field electrical amplitudes. Pulsed light with a spectral width that covers the total frequency bandwidth of the light to be measured is used as the sampling pulse light. Where the total frequency bandwidth of the light to be measured is Δftotal, and the frequency interval of the optical signals contained in the light to be measured is Δf, T≦1/Δftotal and 1/(MT)≦Δf are set.
US08401800B2
The methods described herein enable the evaluation of compounds on subjects to assess their therapeutic efficacy or toxic effects. The target of analysis is the underlying biochemical process or processes (i.e., metabolic process) thought to be involved in disease pathogenesis. Molecular flux rates within the one or more biochemical processes serve as biomarkers and are quantitated and compared with the molecular flux rates (i.e., biomarker) from control subjects (i.e., subjects not exposed to the compounds). Any change in the biomarker in the subject relative to the biomarker in the control subject provides information to evaluate therapeutic efficacy of an administered drug or a toxic effect and to develop the compound further if desired. In one aspect of the invention, stable isotope-labeled substrate molecules are administered to a subject and the label is incorporated into targeted molecules in a manner that reveals molecular flux rates through metabolic pathways of interest.
US08401799B2
Methods for designing optimized antibodies, including optimized humainized or human antibodies, to target bioactive lipids are provided. These methods may be performed in silico and may be intended to enhance binding affinity of an antibody to its original target lipid, and/or to alter binding specificity. Antibodies produced by these methods are also provided, as are methods for using them.
US08401796B2
Methods and systems for acoustically determining reservoir parameters of subterranean formations. A tool comprising a plurality of acoustic sources and configured for acoustic measurements is deployed within a wellhole. Acquired acoustic data are processed and utilized for deriving key parameters for the formations. The plurality of acoustic sources include a plurality of hammer sources, where at least one of the hammer sources includes an actuator that is adapted to strike a surface to generate acoustic energy.
US08401795B2
A method for planning a wellbore, the method including defining drilling data for drilling a segment of a planned wellbore and identifying a risk zone in the segment. Additionally, the method including determining an expected fluid loss for the risk zone and selecting a solution to reduce fluid loss in the risk zone. Furthermore, a method for treating drilling fluid loss at a drilling location, the method including calculating a drilling fluid loss rate at the drilling location, classifying the drilling fluid loss based on the drilling fluid loss rate, and selecting a solution based at least in part on the classifying.
US08401793B2
A method, apparatus, system, article of manufacture, and computer readable storage medium provide the ability to measure wind. Data at a first resolution (i.e., low resolution data) is collected by a satellite scatterometer. Thin slices of the data are determined. A collocation of the data slices are determined at each grid cell center to obtain ensembles of collocated data slices. Each ensemble of collocated data slices is decomposed into a mean part and a fluctuating part. The data is reconstructed at a second resolution from the mean part and a residue of the fluctuating part. A wind measurement is determined from the data at the second resolution using a wind model function. A description of the wind measurement is output.
US08401786B2
A routing module identifies POIs that can be reached from a route with a cost less than distance m. A routing engine performs a reverse exploration on nodes in the planned route to locate POIs from which the route can be reached with a cost of less than a second cost n. POIs identified as being reachable from the route with a cost of less than m, and from which the route is reachable with a cost less than n are then further filtered to identify a subset of the POIs for which the sum of the time or distance from the route to the POI and the time or distance from the POI back to the route is less than a threshold time or distance, t.
US08401783B2
Disclosed herein is a method of building a map of a mobile platform moving in a dynamic environment and detecting an object using a 3D camera sensor, e.g., an IR TOF camera sensor, for localization. A localization technology to separate and map a dynamic object and a static object is applied to a mobile platform, such as an unmanned vehicle or a mobile robot. Consequently, the present method is capable of accurately building map information based on the static object in a dynamic environment having a large number of dynamic objects and achieving a dynamic object avoidance or chasing function using position information acquired to build the map.
US08401772B2
This disclosure describes embodiments that include systems and methods for integrating various efficient and beneficial transportation and network technologies into an energy-efficient, time-efficient, highly-scalable, semi-public transportation system. Specifically, the disclosed embodiments include methods and systems provide a distributed transportation computing system for routing clean-powered, semi-independent system vehicles within adapted existing metropolitan freeway systems. The embodiments reduce traffic congestion by synchronizing the movements of system vehicles within system roadways. System vehicles may be designed to incorporate clean-power, energy-efficiency, and both on- and off-system operational control. As system vehicles allow for both system and independent use, individuals desiring independence may be incentivized to participate in this semi-public, mass-transportation system. High scalability is possible because modifications to existing freeway infrastructures require minimal retrofitting and simplified expansion in comparison with the construction of presently available mass-transportation systems, such as light rail and subway systems.
US08401756B2
A method, apparatus and system for controlling transmission clutch system output pressures is provided. A transmission control unit and a pressure control device including an electro-hydraulic valve and a pressure switch cooperate to provide self-calibrating clutch pressure control systems.
US08401755B2
A dynamic model is stored in memory that defines torque transmitted by a lockup clutch in a torque converter as a function of a plurality of torque converter operating parameters. A lockup clutch command to control engagement the lockup clutch is asserted, and thereafter a number of the plurality of torque converter operating parameters are monitored. The model is continually solved using the monitored operating parameters to determine torque transmitted by the lockup clutch over time, and a lockup clutch on-coming capacity signal is produced if the torque transmitted by the lockup clutch exceeds a torque threshold.
US08401751B2
A machine has a power train including a prime mover connected to a transmission having two or more selectable gear settings. The machine includes an electronic controller configured to receive and transmit signals indicative of machine parameters. The electronic controller contains computer executable instructions for determining a current value for at least one efficiency metric of the machine at a current gear setting of the transmission. Instructions for determining a first expected value for the efficiency metric at a first alternative gear setting, instructions for comparing the current value with the first expected value to determine an optimal gear setting as between the current gear setting and the first alternative gear setting at least partially based on engine speed, and instructions for indicating a gear shift recommendation and/or performing a gear shift to select the optimal gear setting are executed during operation.
US08401746B2
A system for use with an excavator of the type having a chassis, bucket support elements including a boom extending from the chassis and a dipper stick pivotally mounted on the end of the boom, and an excavator bucket pivotally mounted on the end of the dipper stick, determines the position of the excavator bucket during operation of the excavator at a worksite. The system includes a plurality of fixed ranging radios that are positioned at known locations at the worksite. A pair of ranging radios is mounted on the chassis of the excavator. A third ranging radio is mounted on one of the bucket support elements. A measurement circuit is responsive to the pair of ranging radios and to the third ranging radio, and determines the position and orientation of the excavator chassis, the bucket support elements, and the bucket with respect to the plurality of fixed ranging radios.
US08401738B2
An ECU of an electric power steering system includes a driving circuit configured as an H bridge circuit; a microcomputer that controls the driving circuit; a capacitor for stabilizing electric power that is supplied to the driving circuit; and a resistor that is interposed in a second power supply path that bypasses a first power supply path in which the relay contact is interposed. The microcomputer causes a relay circuit to be activated after the capacitor is charged via the resistor (second power supply path). The microcomputer determines whether a stuck-open fault has occurred on the basis of a voltage difference between terminals of the relay contact at the time when both FETs that are connected in series and that constitute the driving circuit are turned on to cause the discharge of the capacitor after the relay circuit is activated.
US08401734B2
An operation assisting system, which is capable of adjusting an operational feeling to operate an operating device to an actual resultant physical quantity, thereby mitigating uncomfortable feeling of the driver. The operation assisting system includes a drive unit for generating a power for driving a vehicle, an operating device for controlling the power transmitted from the drive unit to a wheel of the vehicle, a reaction force generating mechanism for generating a reaction force against the operated operating device, and a reaction force controller for controlling the reaction force generated by the reaction force generating mechanism exponentially, with respect to a change in a force applied to the operating device to operate the operating device, a change in an operating amount of the operating device, or a velocity to operate the operating device.
US08401733B2
The technology described herein provides a powertrain system with a route-learning feature. Particularly, learned information is used to optimize powertrain operation along any learned route. The learned information comprises, generally, feedback from the vehicle's acceleration and brake sensors and information from an on-board trip computer. At the least, the powertrain is able to optimize its operation to a driver's preference based on the feedback recorded along a particular route that the driver has specified. The route-learning powertrain control described herein is particularly useful with a hybrid powertrain, and can be used to optimize start/stop and regenerative braking control. The system described herein can also be integrated with a navigation system and GPS receiver, to provide more accurate route-learning and/or automated operation.
US08401732B2
Disclosed are a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method capable of performing appropriate traveling control while exhibiting the capability of a control system. Feedback control is performed according to a traveling target set in advance. At the time of the feedback control, when a vehicle traveling trace is deviated, when a tire friction circle is exceeded, or when a vehicle acceleration or a jerk exceeds a set value, if a control deviation exceeds a set value, a traveling target is regenerated. This enables appropriate traveling control while sufficiently exhibiting the capability of the control system until the control deviation exceeds the set value. When the control deviation exceeds the set value, a traveling target is regenerated, such that traveling control appropriate for the traveling environment can be performed.
US08401729B2
A device according to the present invention comprises: a central unit (8) having access to a database (18) in which there are stored not only information on the aircraft fleet to be managed but also an aircraft repair manual, this central unit (8) having means of communicating with the outside, and in particular with a technical center (16) of at least one aircraft manufacturer, at least one portable device equipped with visual display means as well as with means of wireless communication between the said portable device and the central unit (8). Application to the analysis of damage observed in an aircraft during inspection thereof.
US08401722B2
An automotive vehicle may include at least one controller and a battery charger that receives electrical energy from a power distribution circuit remote from the vehicle. The at least one controller may request that a battery charger of another vehicle draw a specified current, and may establish a battery charging schedule with the another vehicle for the battery charger if, after issuing the request, the at least one controller detects a drop in voltage on the power distribution circuit.
US08401711B2
A method for managing distributed renewable energy systems comprising receiving first meter data for a plurality of first meters, each of the plurality of first meters associated with a renewable energy power generation component at an institution and measuring an amount of power generated by each associated renewable energy power generation component over a first period of time. Receiving second meter data for a plurality of second meters, each of the plurality of second meters associated with an institution having a renewable energy power generation component and measuring an amount of power consumed by each associated institution over a period of second time. Determining a difference between the amount of power measured by each of the first meters and the amount of power measured by a corresponding one of each of the second meters at each institution. Assessing a first charge to each of the institutions based on the corresponding difference determined for each institution. Assessing a second charge to each of the institutions based on a finance charge for the renewable energy power generation component associated with the institution.
US08401710B2
A real-time performance monitoring system for monitoring an electric power grid. The electric power grid has a plurality of grid portions, each grid portion corresponding to one of a plurality of control areas. The real-time performance monitoring system includes a monitor computer for monitoring at least one of reliability metrics, generation metrics, transmission metrics, suppliers metrics, grid infrastructure security metrics, and markets metrics for the electric power grid. The data for metrics being monitored by the monitor computer are stored in a data base, and a visualization of the metrics is displayed on at least one display computer having a monitor. The at least one display computer in one said control area enables an operator to monitor the grid portion corresponding to a different said control area.
US08401706B2
A group of solar power stations with inverters are adjusted in order to achieve optimum power output in accordance with maximum power-point tracking (MPPT). The MPPT data is used to perform adjustments. Power measurement factors, including Maximum Power Points (MPPs) are established to represent a bus-voltage setting that produces the maximum power output from an individual photovoltaic panel. These settings are established for the group so as to optimize power output under a variety of operating conditions.
US08401705B2
The present invention provides methods for water conservation with irrigation controllers based upon the ambient temperature and extraterrestrial radiation of a particular geographical area. It receives a preliminary irrigation schedule from the operator and computes a water budget ratio by comparing current local geo-environmental data with stored local geo-environmental data, then modifying the preliminary irrigation schedule based upon that ratio. The present invention utilizes fewer variables, is less complex, and is much easier to install and maintain than the current evapotranspiration-based controllers.
US08401700B2
The lower arm assembly for a humanoid robot includes an arm support having a first side and a second side, a plurality of wrist actuators mounted to the first side of the arm support, a plurality of finger actuators mounted to the second side of the arm support and a plurality of electronics also located on the first side of the arm support.
US08401697B2
A device for storing and dispensing tobacco products includes a housing configured to store tobacco product packages, a tracking system, and an electronic system. The housing may contain a plurality of chambers, each configured to store a different brand of tobacco product packages. The tracking system is configured to track the number of tobacco product packages in each chamber as tobacco product packages are dispensed from the chambers and to include one or more light emitting elements and one or more light detection elements. The electronic system is configured to enable dispensing of the tobacco product packages from the chambers and to store information related to the dispensing of the packages from the chambers.
US08401696B2
A banknote handling apparatus and a method of controlling the banknote handling apparatus that make the display of complicated functions and configuration of a banknote handling apparatus easy for the operator to understand. A banknote handling apparatus of the present invention includes an operation unit that accepts an instruction from an operator, first and second display units that can display graphics, a storage unit that stores first and second data for display on the first and second display units, detecting part that detects an occurrence of a predetermined event, and a control unit that reads out first and second data stored in the storage unit based on the content of the event, causes the first display unit to display the first data, and causes the second display unit to display the second data, when the detecting part detects the occurrence of the predetermined event.
US08401684B2
In the case where an audio network system that performs transport of audio signals between a plurality of processors is constructed such that the plurality of processors each including two sets of transmission I/Fs and reception I/Fs are connected in series, and a TL frame generated by a master node is circulated along a ring transmission route formed among the processors in each fixed period, the TL frame including a plurality of storage regions for audio signals, when one of the processors is required to be the master node, the one processor resets in sequence processors which are connected on both sides thereof and processors behind the processors connected on both sides to once remove each of those processors from a ring transmission route if it belong to any ring transmission route, then incorporates the processors into a ring transmission route in which the one processor belongs to.
US08401682B2
An audio system attachable to a computer includes a sound reproduction device for producing audible sound from audio signals. The sound reproduction device includes a radio tuner and a powered speaker. The audio system further includes a connector for connecting the sound reproduction device with a computer. The computer provides audio signals from a plurality of sources, the sources including a computer CD player, digitally encoded computer files stored on the computer, and a computer network connected to the computer. The sound reproduction device further includes control buttons for controlling at least one of the computer CD player, the digitally encoded computer files and the computer network.
US08401678B2
An HMI system with a mobile control and monitoring device for automation components of a technical system is provided. The HMI system includes means for a contactless data transmission between the mobile control and monitoring device and the automation components, a manual device for triggering or blocking security relevant operations of the technical system and means for locating the mobile control and monitoring device. Evaluation means are provided for managing an active operational area which activate the automation components for security-relevant operations of the technical system via the mobile control and monitoring device solely when the manual device is released and the locating means detect that the mobile control and monitoring device is located inside the active operational area. Is he manual device placed directly on the housing of the technical system, an operator has to approach such that he/she enters the active operational area in a secure manner.
US08401677B2
A method for programming a control device for a machine includes the steps of obtaining a component that is required to program the control device, this component being called up from a data collection, storing the component in a memory device, processing the component, integrating the processed component in the control device, calling up the component from a data collection via an Internet, outputting instructions that are characteristic for the components and for integrating the components in the control device, and callable up via the Internet.
US08401675B2
Embodiments of the present invention comprise methods and systems for training, maintenance, trouble-shooting and repair of machinery and equipment.
US08401674B2
An implantable tissue-stimulating device, such as a cochlear implant, having a resiliently flexible elongate member (11) having a plurality of electrodes (12) positioned thereon. The elongate member (11) provides a means of delivering at least one bio-active substance to the implantee following implantation of the elongate member (11). The delivery means can comprise a lumen 21 containing the bio-active substance in a liquid form. The bio-active substance can comprise a steroid or can perform a function of reducing the resting neuron potential of neurons within the cochlea.
US08401669B2
Defibrillator lead designs and methods for manufacturing a lead including attachment between a fibrosis-limiting material covering, a shocking coil electrode, and an implantable lead body are disclosed herein. The shocking coil electrode includes at least one treated portion. The fibrosis limiting material includes a selectively modified portion that is disposed over the at least one treated portion.
US08401664B2
Apparatus and methods for charging a power cell in an implantable medical device (“IMD”) are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes providing an electrical pulse to an inductor external to the IMD. A frequency of an oscillation signal induced in the inductor by the current pulse is measured. The inductor is driven with an oscillating signal having a frequency based on the measured frequency of the oscillation signal. The power cell is charged using current induced in the IMD by the driving of the inductor.
US08401662B2
Systems and methods for adapting the performance of an acoustic communication link with an implantable medical device (IMD) are disclosed. An illustrative method includes initiating an acoustic link with the IMD, measuring an initial performance of the acoustic link, determining whether the initial performance of the acoustic link is adequate, adjusting an operating parameter related to the acoustic link in the event the initial performance of the acoustic link is inadequate, measuring a performance of the acoustic link in response to the adjusted operating parameter, and setting the operating parameter to a prior setting if the measured performance of the acoustic link does not improve in response to the adjusted operating parameter.
US08401655B2
The present application relates to a new stimulation design which can be utilized to treat neurological conditions. The stimulation system produces a burst mode stimulation which alters the neuronal activity of the predetermined site, thereby treating the neurological condition or disorder. The burst stimulus comprises a plurality of groups of spike pulses having a maximum inter-spike interval of 100 milliseconds. The burst stimulus is separated by a substantially quiescent period of time between the plurality of groups of spike pulses. This inter-group interval may comprise a minimum of 5 seconds.
US08401652B2
Devices and methods of use are described for detecting and treating an undesirable level of fluid in a pulmonary circulation of a patient. An exemplary system may include an implantable baroreflex activation device including an electrode configured to be implanted proximate a baroreptor within a patient, an implantable sensor configured to provide an indication of a fluid level within the patient, and a control system coupled to the baroreflex activation device and the sensor. The control system may be programmed to automatically detect a level of a fluid in a pulmonary circulation of the patient with the sensor and upon detecting an undesirable level of the fluid in the pulmonary circulation, delivering a therapy via the electrode of the baroreflex activation device to reduce the level of fluid in the pulmonary circulation.
US08401647B2
An active medical implant, in particular a medical electronic device having a power supply which has a mechanical vibrator or rotor which is induced to vibrate and/or rotate by movements of the patient wearing the implant and/or external excitation and is energetically connected to an electronic consumer and/or an energy storage mechanism, such that a portion of the kinetic energy generated by the vibration and/or rotation is input into the consumer and/or energy storage mechanism.
US08401646B2
A medical device system determines and displays relative energy expenditure information for programmable parameter values. The system establishes a programmable parameter and multiple values of the parameter to be compared. A module performs a measurements for each of the multiple values and related to energy expenditure of a battery of an implantable medical device when operating according to each of the multiple parameter values. An energy expenditure for each of the values is computed using the measurements, and a graphical user interface is generated for displaying information corresponding to the computed energy expenditure for multiple parameter values.
US08401644B2
A method and system of post-processing of sensing data generated by a medical device that includes transmitting a plurality of stored sensing data generated by the medical device to an access device, the stored sensing data including sensed atrial events and sensed ventricular events. The access device determines, in response to the transmitted data, instances where the medical device identified a cardiac event being detected in response to the sensing data, and determines whether there is an abrupt onset of the cardiac event in response to the transmitted data.
US08401643B2
A medical device adapted to be implanted in a vessel of a human body includes a housing that contains a diagnostic or therapeutic module and an anchor for supporting the housing in an intended location and orientation within the vessel. The anchor is expandable from a low profile configuration adapted for delivery to an expanded configuration for engagement with the vessel wall. The anchor and a delivery catheter are adapted to enable the medical device to be retrieved and repositioned or removed from the vessel. The anchor is adapted to apply sufficient force against the vessel wall to maintain the anchor in place but less force than that required to provide scaffolding support for the vessel.
US08401641B2
To control cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation post-operatively, various non-ablative agents include polymers, fibroblasts, neurotoxins, and growth factors are introduced into one or more cardiac fat pads into the atrioventricular nodal fat pad in proximity to the autonomic ganglia therein. Any desired technique may be used for introducing the agent, including injection. The sinoatrial nodal fat pad target site and the atrioventricular nodal fat pad target site are identified using a stimulator, which may have electrodes coupled thereto or which may coupled to electrodes built into a delivery system.
US08401629B2
A medical device and associated method for discriminating cardiac events includes determining whether a cardiac evidence counter is greater than a predetermined detection threshold, determining whether to advance from a current state to a next state in response to the evidence counter being greater than the predetermined detection threshold, determining whether advancing from a previous state to the current state occurred while in one of a low variability mode and a high variability mode during the previous state, and determining whether to advance from the current state to a previous state in response to determining whether advancing from a previous state to the current state occurred while operating in one of a low variability mode and a high variability mode during the previous state.
US08401627B1
Systems and method for assessing a patient's myocardial electrical stability by pacing a patient's heart using a pacing sequence that includes at least two different types of pacing pulses. The pacing rate used is preferably only slightly above the patient's intrinsic heart rate. A degree of alternans, in a signal (e.g., IEGM or ECG) that is indicative of cardiac activity in response to the pacing sequence, is determined. The degree of alternans can be determined by comparing portions of the signal that are indicative of cardiac activity in response to the first type of pacing pulses to portions of the signal that are indicative of cardiac activity in response to the second type of pacing pulses. The patient's myocardial electrical stability is assessed based on the determined degree of alternans.
US08401622B2
A biopsy marker having radio-opaque properties that are derived in situ, based on a natural a biological response, such as for example, calcification, accumulation or tissue-concentration of a chemical agent so as to provide an imaging contrast. A biodegradable foam such as collagen foam or gelatin foam is embedded with a biological tissue that is susceptible to the calcification. Initially the marker can be imaged using ultrasound, but over time, the embedded material calcifies causing it to become visible under radiation imaging.
US08401621B2
A method of detecting and/or analyzing a radioactive source emitting charged or neutral particles in a biological tissue, consisting essentially in using scintillating fibers having particular ratios of length or diameter to range of the particles emitted by the source; scanning the surface of the material with the detection rod; collecting by means of a SiPM, the scintillation light output generated by the particles having interacted with the scintillating fibers and emitted at the outlet end; optionally selecting signals corresponding to the particles entering the scintillating fibers in a substantially axial direction, that eliminates the particles from certain angles between the axis of the scintillating fiber and the direction of the particles entering the scintillating fiber, correlating the scintillation light output and the selected signals to the presence of a source of radiation located in the material to be analyzed; and optionally communicating these data to the user.
US08401618B2
The invention relates to systems and methods for tomographic imaging in diffuse media employing a fast reconstruction technique. A hybrid Fourier approach is presented that enables the fast tomographic reconstruction of large datasets. In certain embodiments, the invention features methods of in vivo fluorescence molecular tomographic (FMT) reconstruction of signals, reporters and/or agents (i.e., contrast agents or probes) in a diffusive medium (e.g., a mammalian subject). The method preserves the three-dimensional fluorophore distribution and quantitative nature of the FMT approach while substantially accelerating its computation speed, allowing FMT imaging of larger anatomies.
US08401610B2
The invention is a rotating tip catheter-imaging probe where electromagnetic energy is delivered to the distal end of a catheter and converted to mechanical energy using a light drive apparatus. The mechanical energy is then used to rotate a mirror that redirects light in fixed pattern on a sample. The rotating element of the light drive apparatus contains vanes, which rotate about an axis and positioned with bearings to minimize friction. A chamber encompasses the rotating element and is set to a vacuum pressure. The rotational speed of the catheter tip can be controlled by varying the optical power delivered to the vanes, the vacuum pressure in the chamber, or by a braking mechanism applied to the rotating element. The vanes may be shaped in a particular geometry to increase forces on the vanes from thermally driven gas flow.
US08401598B2
A wireless device comprising a plurality of chips may be operable to wirelessly communicate information between a plurality of chips via selectable directional antennas. Each of the chips may comprise one or more transmitters and receivers, and one or more integrated directional antennas communicatively coupled to the transmitters and/or receivers. The directional antennas may include patch antennas that may be configured to transmit signals in the direction of another chip intended to receive the transmitted signals. The patch antennas may be configured to transmit signals at a frequency matching a configured frequency of a directional antenna integrated on another of the plurality of chips intended to receive the transmitted signals. The directional antennas may include dipole antennas. The inter-chip communication may include baseband signals, radio frequency signals, and/or intermediate frequency signals. The plurality of chips may be integrated on a single package or on a plurality of packages.
US08401595B2
A method and system of integrated wireless power and data transmission in a wireless device having a data communication circuit for wireless data communication and a power reception circuit including a charge storage unit. The wireless device is tuned to receive wireless RF signals in a certain frequency band via an antenna. Switching between power reception mode and data communication mode is detected. Received RF signal electrical charge is selectively distributed to the power reception circuit and/or the data communication circuit based on the switching mode and/or strength of the RF signal.
US08401591B2
Systems and methods that provide channel-adaptive antenna selection in multi-antenna-element communication systems are provided. In one embodiment, a method that selects a subset of receive antennas of a receiver to receive a transmitted RF signal may include, for example, one or more of the following: establishing possible subsets of the receive antennas; determining sets of channel parameter statistics corresponding to the possible subsets of the receive antennas; computing output bit error rates of the receiver, each output bit error rate being computed based on at least one set of channel parameter statistics; selecting a particular possible subset of the receive antennas based upon a criterion predicated on the computed output bit error rates; and connecting one or more RF chains of the receiver to the receive antennas of the selected particular possible subset.
US08401590B2
In a wireless communication network, specific portions of the communication may combine directional transmission with omnidirectional reception. In particular, sector-level directional transmission may be established through sector sweeps, followed by antenna training for more directionality. In some embodiments, collisions during the exchange may be reduced by having different network devices use different sub-channels or different time slots. In some embodiments, each network may restrict its network communications to a single sub-channel that is different than the sub-channels used by adjacent networks.
US08401581B2
A control unit allocates sequentially a channel for use in data transmission and a channel for use in channel estimation used to acquire channel characteristics between a radio apparatus and another radio apparatus to be communicated with, to the another radio apparatus. A radio unit to an IF unit communicate with the another radio unit through the sequentially allocated data transmission channels, respectively. An acquisition unit acquires the traveling speed of the another radio apparatus in communication with the radio apparatus. A decision unit varies the frequency at which the channel for use in channel estimation is allocated, based on the traveling speed acquired.
US08401578B2
A selective cell phone text messaging function disabling system prevents a vehicle occupant from text messaging while driving. Other occupants of the vehicle can text message using their cell phones. The driver's cell phone text messaging functionality is turned off by a signal broadcasting system as the driver enters the vehicle through the driver-side door. When the driver exits the vehicle through the driver-side door, the cell phone resumes its texting capability, preserving text messaging functionality while the driver is not operating the vehicle.
US08401575B2
The present invention relates to communicating between a network and a mobile terminal in a wireless communication system. The invention includes receiving a message from the network for announcing a service. The message includes an attribute for identifying whether the service is to be received according to a specific mode. The specific mode is a mode wherein information is communicated on a frequency having no associated uplink service. The attribute is included in the message according to a session description protocol describing the service.
US08401567B2
A computer-implemented method, system, and computer program product for handling identification information emitted by a radio frequency device, and a radio frequency device for emitting identification information. The method receives and stores identification information transmitted by the radio frequency device, retrieves the identification information from the first mobile communication device, and inserts the identification information into the communication. The system includes a first mobile communication device, a second communication device, and an inserting means. The computer program product includes computer program instructions for carrying out the steps of the method. The radio frequency device includes an antenna adapted to operate in UHF frequency bands, an energy storage means adapted to be charged with energy captured through the antenna, an information storage means adapted to store information, and a transmission means adapted to transmit the information using the energy from the energy storage means.
US08401563B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide for downlink resource allocation among a plurality of users. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08401560B2
Techniques are generally described for determining locations of a plurality of communication devices in a network. In some examples, methods for creating a location discovery infrastructure (LDI) for estimating locations of one or more of a plurality of communication nodes may comprise one or more of determining a plurality of locations in the terrain to place a corresponding plurality of beacon nodes, determining a plurality of beacon node groups for the placed beacon nodes, and determining a schedule for the placed beacon nodes to be active. Additional variants and embodiments are also disclosed.
US08401556B2
A mobile terminal used in a cellular mobile communication system is disclosed. The mobile terminal includes a measuring unit configured to measure reception levels of received signals; an averaging unit configured to average the measured reception levels based on a forgetting factor; a cell reselection unit configured to reselect a cell based on the averaged reception level; and a factor determining unit configured to determine the forgetting factor according to parameters sent from a network.
US08401551B2
A method of operating a communication system is provided. The communication system comprises a NetWork (NW) and User Equipment (UE), a Non Access Stratum (NAS) via which the NW and UE communicate with each other, and an Access Stratum (AS) providing a physical connection to enable the NAS communication between the NW and UE to be achieved, the physical connection including a wireless radio link to the UE. The method includes sending information from the NW to the UE to determine at least one action of the UE in response to a failure of a radio link to the UE, detecting a Radio Link Failure (RLF), in response to the detecting of the RLF, deciding on an action to be performed by the UE according to the received information, and performing, by the UE, the decided action.
US08401549B2
Provided is an apparatus for searching accessible wireless networks in a software-defined radio (SDR) terminal, a method thereof, and a computer-readable recording medium for storing a program executing the method. The apparatus includes: a hardware platform; a network search executable code storing means for storing a network search executable code having at least one of mode search executable codes; a search shape information storing unit for storing search shape information necessary for network search; a network search control means for arranging each of the mode search executable codes from the network search executable code storing means at the hardware platform by using the search shape information from the search shape information storing means and searching a network according to a search mode by executing the arranged mode search executable codes; and a network search result storing means for storing network search results from the network search control means.
US08401540B2
A mobile communication system comprises base stations, a mobile terminal and a control device. The mobile terminal comprises a report unit reports a reception power of a radio wave from a current station and a next station to the control device for each base station switch processing. The control device comprises a calculation unit calculates a first distance and a second distance. The first distance is the distance between the current station and the mobile terminal. The second distance is the distance between the next station and the mobile terminal. The control device comprises a database stores distance data between the base stations. The control device comprises an update unit updates the distance data by a minimum value of a sum of the first and the second distances.
US08401539B2
Enabling remote customer service and maintenance using a visual identifier is disclosed. In response to a user enrolling in a service capability associated with a mobile device, the process utilizes a visual identifier to associate the service capability with the customer account, the service and the mobile device. The system allocates a visual identifier for each service capability and enables customer service agents to identify the service capability and mobile device, verify the user and retrieve information for the service interaction.
US08401538B2
A method of providing wireless communication service to a mobile phone is provided. The method comprises identifying common mobile phone applications and selectively supported mobile phone applications, installing the common mobile phone applications and the selectively supported mobile phone applications in read only memory of the mobile phone, each of the selectively supported applications associated with a selection switch initially disabled. The method further comprises, when activating the mobile phone, enabling at least one of the selection switches and writing at least one reference to branded content to a random access memory of the mobile phone based on a service plan associated with the mobile phone.
US08401534B2
A mobile communication terminal and a method for controlling the mobile communication terminal are discussed. According to an embodiment, the mobile communication terminal includes at least two memories to store data; and a controller, wherein if the controller loses its control authority for one of the at least two memories while certain data is read and processed from the one of the at least two memories, the controller reads and processes the same certain data or related data stored in another one of the at least two memories.
US08401521B2
Aspects of the invention comprise a remote tracking and control server operable to transparently activate control of resources and to monitor operations on a target handheld communication device utilizing code installed on the handheld device. The resources may comprise a camera, microphone, GPS receiver, input device, display, speaker, wireless and/or wire-line transmitter and/or receiver. The monitoring and/or controlling activity is protected from interruption. The handheld device may be accessed by a securely stored unique identifier. Access to the controlling function and/or the resources by a user of the handheld device may be restricted. Monitored information is stored on the handheld device and communicated to the tracking server. The control server may receive monitored information from the handheld device whenever the device is coupled to a communication network. Monitoring may be initiated based on detected motion, sound, user input, video and/or touch.
US08401515B2
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for emergency event routing. One or more routing instructions may be determined to route one or more individuals away from a location corresponding to the emergency event based at least in part on at least one category associated with the emergency event, a type of the emergency event, and one or more estimated locations of one or more mobile devices associated with the one or more individuals.
US08401504B2
Described herein is technology for, among other things, reducing offset errors in RMS-to-DC converters. The technology involves generating first and second feedback signals with first and second feedback paths respectively. A multiplier is then employed to receive first and second signals and provide a third signal based on multiplying the first signal and the second signal. The first signal is based on an input signal and the first feedback signal, and the second signal is based on the input signal and the second feedback signal. A chopper is then employed to receive an output signal, which is based on the third signal, and a chopping signal, and in turn provide a fourth signal based on multiplying the output signal with the chopping signal. As a consequence, the fourth signal represents the output signal shifted to a frequency different than that of low-frequency noise components of the first and second signals.
US08401487B2
A receiver and receive processing method described herein improves the accuracy of channel estimates by correcting for the assumption that the Doppler shift (or rate-of-change-of-delay) stays constant for each frequency within a signal bandwidth of a received signal. To that end, a receiver according to the present invention comprises a channel processor having multiple processing units. A first processing unit processes reference values (e.g., pilot signals) received for each of a plurality of frequencies within a signal bandwidth at a plurality of different signal times (or the complex propagation channel coefficients estimated therefrom) to determine a set of complex wave amplitudes either for each of multiple frequencies in the signal bandwidth or for each of the different signal times. A second processing unit subsequently processes the complex wave amplitudes to determine complex scattering coefficients, where each complex scattering coefficient corresponds to a respective scattering object in the wireless communication channel.
US08401477B2
An application for a two-way communication system for communicating with a person who is within a vehicle includes a short-range radio transmission to transmit audio to a radio within the vehicle. Communication from the person is done by reflecting a light beam on a window of the vehicle and receiving the light beam. The light beam is modulated by vibration of the window caused by the person's voice. The received light beam is then processed to reproduce the sound of the person's voice.
US08401475B2
An apparatus and method are disclosed for a software and hardware configuration that uses inductive coupling to allow a physical object to determine information describing another physical object. An inductor capacitor circuit acts as a transmitter as well as a receiver of inductive field. A voltage signal provided to an inductor in an object causes the inductor to generate inductive field received by another inductor in a second object. An object receiving inductive field from another object analyzes the inductive field to receive arbitrary data, including but not limited to data that can allow the receiving object to determine the identity of the object transmitting the inductive field. The object receiving the inductive field can also determine the distance between the receiving object and the transmitting object based on the strength of a signal generated by the inductive field.
US08401473B2
The present invention is directed to apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer readable media that can facilitate the transfer of power between at least two electrical devices. At least one of the electrical devices is preferably a battery operated device. The present invention may also be used to facilitate the transfer of information among electrical devices. For example, the present invention may be used to automatically pair two Bluetooth devices together.
US08401469B2
Embodiments described herein include a computing device that is capable of inductive signal transfer with other computing devices. Such computing devices are provided a shield that protects the device and other components from electromagnetic interference and unwanted electrical affects resulting from the inductive signal transfer.
US08401461B2
In a wireless communication system including a source device for wirelessly transmitting a video signal, and a sink device for receiving the wirelessly transmitted video signal and displaying the received video signal on a display, the sink device reads out EDID information from a ROM and wirelessly transmits a wireless data signal including the EDID information to the source device. The source device wirelessly receives the wireless data signal including the EDID information and wirelessly transmitted from the sink device, and wirelessly transmits the video signal to the sink device based on the EDID information.
US08401457B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a printing medium; a discharging roller capable of transporting the printing medium which passes through the image forming unit in forward and reverse directions; a driving source to supply a rotation driving force in clockwise and counterclockwise directions to the discharging roller and the image forming unit; a duplex roller to transport the printing medium towards the image forming unit, which was transported in the reverse direction by the discharging roller; and a swing gear unit to receive the rotation driving force in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions to transmit a driving force to the duplex roller in a uniform direction.
US08401442B2
A developing device used with an image forming apparatus has a driving shaft with a rotating force applying portion, and a movable member on which the developing device is mountable. The developing device includes a developing roller and a coupling member for transmitting a rotating force to the developing roller. The coupling member includes a rotating force receiving portion and a rotating force transmitting portion for transmitting a force received through the rotating force receiving portion to the developing roller. The coupling member can be in a rotational force transmitting angular position, a pre-engagement angular position, and a disengaging angular position. In response to movement of the movable member the coupling member moves from the pre-engagement angular position to the rotational force transmitting angular position, and by moving from the rotational force transmitting angular position to the disengaging angular position the coupling member is disengaged from the driving shaft.
US08401441B2
A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a developer carrying member for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member, and an electroconductive developer layer thickness regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of a developer deposited on the developer carrying member. A part of the developer layer thickness regulating member is directly contactable to the main assembly electrical contact.
US08401432B2
A developing device includes a developing tank for containing a powder developer, an agitating member disposed in the developing tank to agitate the powder developer; and a cooling tank attached to the developing tank. The cooling tank contains an endothermic material to absorb heat from the powder developer.
US08401430B2
An electron emitting element (1) includes a substrate (2), an upper electrode (3), and a fine particle layer (4) sandwiched between the substrate (2) and the upper electrode (3). The fine particle layer (4) includes metal fine particles (6) with high resistance to oxidation, and insulating fine particles (5) larger in size than the metal fine particles (6). The electron emitting element (1) can steadily emit electrons not only in vacuum but also in the atmosphere. Further, the electron emitting element (1) can work without electric discharge so that harmful substances such as ozone, NOx, or the like are scarcely generated. Accordingly, degradation of the electron emitting element (1) due to oxidation does not occur. Therefore, the electron emitting element (1) has a long life and can steadily work continuously for a long period of time even in the atmosphere.
US08401428B2
A fixing device is mounted on a main casing of an image forming apparatus. A heating member contacts a recording medium to apply heat thereto while rotating. A heating member includes a roller that rotates about an axis. A frame supports the heating member and includes a frame fixing part that is fixed to the main casing to mount the frame on the main casing. A detecting unit opposes the heating member in an opposing direction to detect a temperature of the heating member and is separated from the heating member. A support member supports the detecting unit. A position of the support member in the opposing direction with respect to the frame is determined at a position closer to the frame fixing unit than the detecting unit. A position of the support member in an axial direction of the roller with respect to the frame is determined at a same position as the detecting unit in the axial direction.
US08401426B2
When closing a front cover opened in a case where a fixing lever is placed in a fixing position, a guide plate portion formed on the front cover raises the fixing lever together with a support shaft. When a connection pin of the fixing lever enters a cam groove provided in the front cover, the fixing lever obtains a closed state in which the fixing lever is connected to the cam groove.
US08401415B2
An image forming device to receive set-up entry data of external image forming devices, includes an interface portion to relay communications with at least one external image forming device; a communication portion to request set-up entry data to the at least one external image forming device; and a central processing unit to execute a job according to the set-up entry data when the requested set-up entry data is received through the interface portion. The communication portion searches the external image forming devices using a broadcast scheme and requests the set-up entry data according to the search result. Accordingly, functions of the image forming device can be utilized with more convenience and efficiency.
US08401408B2
A light scanning device and an image forming apparatus including the light scanning device are provided. The light scanning device includes: a light emitting unit which emits a light beam; a light deflecting unit which deflects the light beam to scan in a scanning direction; a scanning lens which focuses the light beam deflected and scanned by the light deflecting unit on a photosensitive body; and a light detecting unit which detects the light beam directed to outside areas of an image formation area in the scanning direction, wherein an optical path length of the light beam directed to one of the outside areas, from the light deflecting unit to the light detecting unit is different from an optical path length of the light beam directed to the other one of the outside areas, from the light deflecting unit to the light detecting unit.
US08401403B2
The present disclosure provides timing recovery in optical systems in the presence of chromatic dispersion (CD), polarization mode dispersion (PMD), and polarization dependent loss (PDL) and to optimization of equalization settings based upon timing recovery moment strengths. A stable timing point may be determined in the presence of PMD and PDL impairments, even when the direct estimate of timing becomes unreliable. This determination may be performed entirely in the digital domain providing precise, predictable performance. Also, the present invention utilizes a monotonic relationship between the timing metric and CD setting error to provide directed search in setting the CD equalizer thereby reducing significantly the overall search effort in optimizing CD equalizer settings. This utilizes computations already performed by the transceiver for timing recovery function yielding a computational advantage over competing methods.
US08401393B2
A data center for executing a data processing application includes processing units, sub-units or servers. Each of the processing units, sub-units or servers can execute a part or all of the data processing application. The processing units, sub-units or servers are electrical disjoint with respect to data communications, but can communicate with each other over free space optical links.
US08401384B2
Provided is an optical access system, including: an optical line terminal, a plurality of optical network units and an optical switching unit. The optical line terminal sends to the optical switching unit a control frame including a switching time when the optical switching unit is to make a switch from one of the optical communication paths between the optical line terminal and the plurality of optical network units to another, and an identifier of an optical communication path to which the switch is made in order to switch the optical communication paths between the optical line terminal and the plurality of optical network units. The optical switching unit switches the optical communication paths between the optical line terminal and the plurality of optical network units based on the switching time and the identifier of the optical communication path after switching which are included in the control frame.
US08401356B2
An optical connector assembling jig and an optical connector assembling method includes an optical connection. The optical connector assembling jig includes a base and a guide. The base is provided in a longitudinal direction with an accommodation groove for accommodating an optical fiber, and a rear pressing member for restraining a rear part of the optical fiber accommodated in the accommodation groove. The rear part is set apart from an embedded fiber. The guide has a front holding portion for holding a front part of the optical fiber accommodated in the accommodation groove. The front part is near the embedded fiber, and the guide is capable of moving in the longitudinal direction. Moving the base toward the optical connector causes the intermediate section of the optical fiber to separate from the accommodation groove and bend. By moving the base further toward the optical connector, a buffered fiber in the optical fiber can be connected to the embedded fiber.
US08401351B2
The present invention provides a 90-degree hybrid capable of miniaturization and also capable of a stable operation in a wide band. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a PLC-type 90-degree hybrid comprises: a PLC chip having a planar lightwave circuit formed therein; and a 90-degree hybrid circuit formed in the planar lightwave circuit, mixing a modulated signal light and an LO light to separate the signal light into quadrature components I and Q, and outputting the same. The 90-degree hybrid circuit includes: two Y-branch couplers each branching the signal light and the LO light; and two wavelength-independent directional couplers which cause LO lights passing through two paths and signal lights passing through two paths to interfere with each other, respectively. The above-described paths include waveguides having mutually inverted shapes and waveguides having an identical shape, and have a shape substantially symmetrical with respect to the signal light.
US08401344B2
A semiconductor optical modulator that includes a first semiconductor optical waveguide having a laminated structure including a core layer, a first clad layer, a second clad layer, and a barrier layer, the first clad layer and the second clad layer being disposed below and above the core layer, the barrier layer being inserted between the second clad layer and the core layer; a second semiconductor optical waveguide having a laminated structure in which the second clad layer has a p-type semiconductor penetrating locally through a n-type semiconductor in a laminated direction in the laminated structure of the first semiconductor optical waveguide; a first electrode connected to the first clad layer of the first semiconductor optical waveguide; and a second electrode electrically connecting the second clad layer of the first semiconductor optical waveguide and the p-type semiconductor of the second clad layer of the second semiconductor optical waveguide.
US08401343B2
A system and method for defining an augmented reality character in a computer game having multiple players uses a portable cellular communications device having a camera. Tags are used comprising patterns which are scanned by the camera and transmitted to a game server. The pattern is translated by the server into an augmented reality item, being either a person or a character. The augmented reality item is transmitted to the camera and displayed to the gamer transposed over the object upon which the tag is placed.
US08401337B2
Separations or images relating to film or other fields may be registered using a variety of features, such as, for example: (1) correcting one or more film distortions; (2) automatically determining a transformation to reduce a film distortion; (3) applying multiple criteria of merit to a set of features to determine a set of features to use in determining a transformation; (4) determining transformations for areas in an image or a separation in a radial order; (5) comparing areas in images or separations by weighting feature pixels differently than non-feature pixels; (6) determining distortion values for transformations by applying a partial distortion measure and/or using a spiral search configuration; (7) determining transformations by using different sets of features to determine corresponding transformation parameters in an iterative manner; and (8) applying a feathering technique to neighboring areas within an image or separation.
US08401335B2
The invention discloses a method for outputting consecutive characters in a video-recording mode. The method includes obtaining a first image and a second image from an object, comparing the first image and the second image to obtain a third image which is the overlapping part of the first image and the second image, removing the third image from the second image to generate a fourth image, integrating the fourth image with the first image to obtain a fifth image and recognize characters on the fifth image by OCR software and output the characters of the fifth image.
US08401330B2
A method for detecting aliasing artifacts includes receiving a second image that has been converted from a first image and evaluating the second image using a computer to detect aliasing artifacts due to the conversion, where the evaluation is performed without reference to the first image. The second image is a different size than the first image The second image is evaluated by identifying patches in the image that are likely to contain strong directional energy with few distractions and to estimate a direction component for each of the identified patches. The total energy of each patch is partitioned into an estimated signal energy and an estimated aliasing energy. The estimated aliasing energy and the estimated signal energy of each of the identified patches are combined to obtain an estimate of the aliasing artifacts in the image.
US08401318B2
Generation of evaluation value information about a motion vector, extraction of candidates for the motion vector on the basis of the evaluation value information, and determination of the motion vector to be allocated from the candidates for the motion vector are performed. The possibility that a reference pixel a in a second frame is a candidate for a motion from a target point in a first frame is evaluated on the basis of pixel-value correlation information to generate an evaluation value table. A constant area is adaptively set around each of the target pixel and the reference pixel corresponding to each extracted candidate for the motion vector in accordance with the state of the continuity of a constant pixel value. The motion vector from the first frame to the second frame is allocated on the basis of the result of comparison between values calculated for the constant areas.
US08401317B2
An image data processing apparatus includes an encoding unit, a storage unit, a decoding unit and a Digital-to-Analog (D/A) converter. The encoding unit receives image data, compares (2n−1)th pixel data with (2n)th pixel data, and creates a header value, an encoding value and a reference value, which are used to encode the pixel data. The storage unit is connected to the encoding unit, and stores the header value, the encoding value and the reference value, which are created by the encoding unit. The decoding unit is connected to the storage unit, and restores the (2n−1)th pixel data and the (2n)th pixel data using the header value, the encoding value and the reference value. The D/A converter is connected to the decoding unit, converts the restored image data into analog signals, and outputs the analog signals.
US08401312B2
Method for organizing a set of images into subsets of images, the method including the following procedures producing a respective model according to a plurality of feature points and the geometric relations between the feature points for each of the images, determining a similarity index between each pair of the images, according to the respective model of each image of the pair of the images, producing a distance matrix, according to the similarity index between each pair of the images, producing a set of coordinates, according to the distance matrix and sorting the images in plurality of dimensions, according to the set of coordinates.
US08401310B2
Disclosed is an image comparing method for comparing plural first images and a second image, includes: converting the second image to generate a second numerical data; dividing each of plural first numerical data corresponding to the plural first images into plural parts, and dividing the second numerical data into plural parts; comparing a first part of the divided parts of the plural first numerical data and a first part of the divided parts of the second numerical data; outputting a first result, when the first part of the divided parts of the plural first numerical data satisfies a first condition; and comparing a second part of the divided parts of the plural first numerical data and a second part of the divided parts of the second numerical data, when the first part of the divided parts of the plural first numerical data satisfies a second condition.
US08401307B1
A plate solving methodology determines celestial coordinates of an image. Star locations are extracted from the image in terms of pixel coordinates. A group of four stars, referred to as a “test quad”, is identified. A signature for the test quad is generated. In one embodiment, this test signature is derived by determining the separations of the four stars in the test quad, normalized by the largest separation. In one embodiment, the signature also includes the sum of these normalized separations. A query is performed, using the generated signature, against a database of reference signatures for known groups of stars (referred to as “reference quads”). A geometric transform is determined, establishing the relationship between the test quad and a reference quad that matches within a specified tolerance. This geometric transform defines the celestial coordinates of the image. Additional verification steps can be performed to confirm the accuracy of the match.
US08401301B2
A data verification system is configured to verify machine-recognized data elements acquired during a machine-implemented data acquisition process. The system includes a data verification workstation, a image server, and a data entry server. The data verification workstation is configured to obtain document images from the image server, present portions of document images to an operator, wherein the document images include text, and receive input from the operator based on the text. The input includes data elements. The data verification workstation is also configured to acquire machine-recognized data elements from the data entry server. The machine-recognized data elements were acquired from the document image during a machine-implemented data acquisition process based on the text. The data verification workstation is also configured to compare the data elements received from the operator to the machine-recognized data elements and selectively prompt the operator to re-input the data elements based on the comparison.
US08401295B2
In a pose estimation for estimating the pose of an object of pose estimation with respect to a reference surface that serves as a reference for estimating a pose, a data processing device: extracts pose parameters from a binarized image; identifies a combination of pose parameters for which the number of cross surfaces of parameter surfaces that accord with surface parameter formulas, which are numerical formulas for expressing a reference surface, is a maximum; finds a slope weighting for each of cross pixels, which are pixels on each candidate surface and which are pixels within a prescribed range, that is identified based on the angles of the tangent plane at the cross pixel and based on planes formed by each of the axes of parameter space; and identifies the significant candidate surface for which a number, which is the sum of slope weightings, is a maximum, as the actual surface that is the reference surface that actually exists in the image.
US08401290B2
A system reads a digital image that includes a set of pixels. The system determines a distribution of colors of the pixels of the digital image. Also, the system analyzes the distribution to identify a range of colors of a background of the digital image. Further, the system identifies pixels whose colors are within the identified range, and the system modifies the identified pixels to have a different color.
US08401281B1
A method is provided for generating height information for an arbitrary-image point on a rectified image and for generating a representation of the rectified image that includes the height information. According to an exemplary embodiment, height information is generated for an arbitrary-image point on the rectified image from first and second aerial images having respective first and second sets of rational polynomial coefficients (RPCs) and projective geometrical relationships, such that the first and second aerial images and the rectified image include overlapping image locations.
US08401275B2
A robotic system that includes a mobile robot and a remote input device. The input device may be a joystick that is used to move a camera and a mobile platform of the robot. The system may operate in a mode where the mobile platform moves in a camera reference coordinate system. The camera reference coordinate system is fixed to a viewing image provided by the camera so that movement of the robot corresponds to a direction viewed on a screen. This prevents disorientation during movement of the robot if the camera is panned across a viewing area.
US08401265B2
An anti-aliasing filter comprised by a first filter kernel is applied to the medical image data so as to obtain filtered image data. The filtered image data is downsampled so as to obtain decimated image data, and pixel resolution of the decimated image data is approximately one half of pixel resolution of the image data for the medical image. The decimated image data is upsampled and an interpolation filter is applied so as to obtain interpolated image data. The interpolation filter is comprised by a second filter kernel, and the size of the first kernel is smaller than the size of the second filter kernel. Pixel resolution of the interpolated image data is approximately equal to pixel resolution of the medical image data. Difference image data between the interpolated image data and the medical image data for the medical image is obtained, and the difference image data is displayed.
US08401260B2
Methods and systems are provided for displaying the change in size of a CAD identified pattern over time. Patterns on medical images stored in a medical imaging database are identified and measured using a CAD system. A user interface provides users with access to the medical images stored in imaging database via a network. A medical image belonging to a patient historical exam category and having at least one CAD identified pattern is displayed to a user via the user interface. The size of the CAD identified image pattern and the medical exam date associated with the medical image is compiled for each of the medical images belonging to the patient historical exam category. A graphic is then generated showing the sizes of the CAD identified image pattern and the medical exam dates associated with the medical image.
US08401258B2
Method to provide automated quality feedback to imaging devices to achieve standardized imaging data
Automated image quality assessment algorithms, which perform the functions of locating a region of interest, maximizing the image contrast, and ensuring the region of interest is properly centered in the image. Wherein the region of interest is located by spectral matching filter using a target spectrum obtained from samples of the image itself.
US08401257B2
Methods, systems and computer program products for managing frequency domain optical coherence tomography (FDOCT) image resolution. A spectrum used to acquire an image of a subject is calibrated and default dispersion correction parameters are set. Default dispersion management parameters associated with a region of the image of the subject are also set. The image of the subject is acquires after setting the default dispersion correction parameters and the default dispersion management parameters. A quality of the acquired image is compared to a quality metric for the acquired image. The dispersion correction parameters are adjusted if the quality of the acquired image does not meet or exceed the quality metric for the acquired image. The acquired image is reprocesses based on the adjusted dispersion correction parameters. The steps of comparing, adjusting and reprocessing are repeated until the acquired image meets or exceeds the quality metric for the acquired image.
US08401256B2
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a test image including a plurality of bands and a plurality of markers in each band. Each band includes a plurality of pixels of the same pixel value. Each marker contrasts with the plurality of pixels in the band. The markers are adapted to allow a user to determine a feature of an image display system.
US08401254B2
An object of the present invention is to provide an image search device and an image search method by which search efficiency is improved. The image search device includes a personal characteristic database (21) where images of individual multiple photographic subjects obtained by shooting by multiple cameras (10) are stored in the form of a database, a similarity search unit (22) that performs a similarity search by using a query image from the images of the individual multiple photographic subjects stored in the personal characteristic database (21), a query image generation unit (23) that generates a new query image by synthesizing, of the multiple images obtained by the similarity search unit (22), a correct image used as a criteria with another correct image or synthesizing the correct image used as the criteria with a negative-positive inverted incorrect image, and an image processing unit (24) that performs image processing for displaying the images retrieved by the similarity search unit (22) on a search terminal (30).
US08401248B1
The present invention is a method and system to provide an automatic measurement of people's responses to dynamic digital media, based on changes in their facial expressions and attention to specific content. First, the method detects and tracks faces from the audience. It then localizes each of the faces and facial features to extract emotion-sensitive features of the face by applying emotion-sensitive feature filters, to determine the facial muscle actions of the face based on the extracted emotion-sensitive features. The changes in facial muscle actions are then converted to the changes in affective state, called an emotion trajectory. On the other hand, the method also estimates eye gaze based on extracted eye images and three-dimensional facial pose of the face based on localized facial images. The gaze direction of the person, is estimated based on the estimated eye gaze and the three-dimensional facial pose of the person. The gaze target on the media display is then estimated based on the estimated gaze direction and the position of the person. Finally, the response of the person to the dynamic digital media content is determined by analyzing the emotion trajectory in relation to the time and screen positions of the specific digital media sub-content that the person is watching.
US08401245B2
An authentication apparatus includes a time-information storage unit configured to store a reference time used for authentication; a biometric-information storage unit configured to store biometric information used for authentication; a biometric-information obtaining unit configured to obtain biometric information of a person; a matching-score calculating unit configured to calculate a matching score representing a degree of similarity between the biometric information stored in the biometric-information storage unit and the obtained biometric information; a current-time obtaining unit configured to obtain a current time; a threshold setting unit configured to set a threshold used for authentication, on the basis of the obtained current time and the reference time stored in the time-information storage unit; and an authentication-result determining unit configured to determine success or failure of authentication regarding the obtained biometric information, on the basis of the calculated matching score and the set threshold.
US08401243B2
An articulated object region detection apparatus includes: a subclass classification unit which classifies trajectories into subclasses; a distance calculating unit which calculates, for each of the subclasses, a point-to-point distance and a geodetic distance between the subclass and another subclass; and a region detection unit which detects, as a region having an articulated motion, two subclasses to which trajectories corresponding to two regions connected via the same articulation and indicating the articulated motion belong, based on a temporal change in the point-to-point distance and a temporal change in the geodetic distance between two given subclasses.
US08401237B2
As to each section making up of an original image, a CPU of an image processing apparatus calculates a distance from a predetermined position, for example, a center of the original image to a center of the section, sets a probability in accordance with the calculated distance, determines whether or not the section is a section where an object is to be drawn according to the set probability, and draws an object in each section which is determined as a section to be drawn.
US08401232B2
Disclosed are an object detection method and an object detection device. The object detection method comprises a step of obtaining plural detection results of a current frame according to plural object detection methods; a step of setting initial probabilities of the plural detection results of the current frame; a step of calculating a movement frequency distribution diagram representing movement frequencies of respective pixels in the current frame; a step of obtaining detection results of a previous frame; a step of updating the probabilities of the plural detection results of the current frame; and a step of determining a final list of detected objects based on the updated probabilities of the plural detection results of the current frame.
US08401231B2
Provided herein are systems and methods for outdoor lighting, which generally include two or more light sources. One light source is a monochromatic light source producing a light with a peak wavelength of about 580 nm or above. A second light source is a polychromatic light source producing a green-tint white light. During a standby operational mode, a control system maintains the first light source illuminated. The control system, which includes an integrated imaging system, illuminates both the first light source and the second light source when the imaging system identifies a target in an illumination area. Methods of preparing and using such outdoor lighting system are also provided.
US08401217B2
The present invention is an extremely low frequency (ELF) microphone and acoustic measurement system capable of infrasound detection in a portable and easily deployable form factor. In one embodiment of the invention, an extremely low frequency electret microphone comprises a membrane, a backplate, and a backchamber. The backchamber is sealed to allow substantially no air exchange between the backchamber and outside the microphone. Compliance of the membrane may be less than ambient air compliance. The backplate may define a plurality of holes and a slot may be defined between an outer diameter of the backplate and an inner wall of the microphone. The locations and sizes of the holes, the size of the slot, and the volume of the backchamber may be selected such that membrane motion is substantially critically damped.
US08401215B2
A receiver is provided having a balanced armature motor mechanically interconnected to a displaceable diaphragm component. A front volume changes as the displaceable diaphragm component moves. The front volume is connected to a port. A rear volume changes oppositely to the front volume as the displaceable diaphragm moves. An acoustic channel connects to the port and is also connected to a sound outlet. The sound outlet allows acoustic energy to exit from the acoustic channel. A first acoustic pressure is generated in the front volume as the balanced armature motor moves the diaphragm. The acoustic channel and the internal volume are divided by a common wall section, wherein the common wall section is defined by at least one of the walls of the housing which also provides a portion of at least one wall for the acoustic channel.
US08401213B2
A fixation system for a bone conduction device is disclosed. An abutment is coupled to a bone anchor such that vibrations applied to the abutment pass into the bone anchor. The abutment comprises a first conduction surface, a bearing surface, and a magnetic material at or near the first conduction surface. A coupler extends from a bone conduction device and comprises a second conduction surface, a leveraging extension, and a magnet. The second conduction surface is shaped complimentary to the first conduction surface. The magnet attracts to the magnetic material such that the second conduction surface seats on the first conduction surface, thereby enabling vibrations to pass from the bone conduction device to a recipient's skull.
US08401208B2
A low impedance coupling to bias voltage dissipates abnormal charge levels within a microphone in response to a shock event such as dropping or bumping. High impedance coupling to bias voltage is thereafter restored.
US08401207B2
An audio amplifier is operated in an audio system with optimized source impedance to minimize distortion in a loudspeaker that is paired with the audio amplifier. The audio amplifier provides an amplified audio signal to drive the loudspeaker. A variable output impedance of the audio amplifier is controlled using a feedback control loop to allow negative output impedance at low frequencies that changes to positive output impedance at higher frequencies. The change from negative output impedance to positive output impedance occurs at a determined threshold frequency or determined transitional frequency band.
US08401203B2
According to one embodiment, An information processing apparatus includes a first signal input unit configure to receive a first signal, a second signal input unit configure to receive a signal, a first control unit configure to acquire system resources, a second control unit configure to select, in accordance with information of the system resources acquired by the first control unit, a processing method for suppressing at least one of echo and noise of the second signal input from the second signal input unit containing the echo due to the first signal input from the first signal input unit, a third control unit configure to generate an output signal by suppressing at least one of the echo and the noise from the second signal by the processing method selected by the second control unit, and a signal output unit configure to output the output signal generated by the third control unit.
US08401200B2
Electronic devices and accessories for electronic devices such as headsets are provided. The electronic devices may produce audio output. The headsets may include earbuds with speakers that play the audio output for a user while the earbuds are located in the user's ears. Circuitry in an electronic device and a headset may be used in evaluating how well the earbuds are sealed to the user's ears. In response to seal quality measurements, informative messages can be generated for the user, overall earbud volume may be increased, balance adjustments may be made to correct for mismatched balance between left and right earbuds, equalization settings may be adjusted, and noise cancellation circuitry settings can be changed. Electrical impedance measurements and acoustic measurements can be used in evaluating seal quality.
US08401193B2
A system and method for securing wireless communications are provided. A method for secure communications by a first user includes estimating a channel between the first user and a second user, thereby producing an first phase estimate of the channel, generating a first block of secret bits based on the first phase estimate of the channel, and transmitting public information regarding the first block of secret bits to the second user. The second user makes use of the public information to generate a second block of secret bits.
US08401191B2
Systems and methods include broadcasting an entitlement management message (EMM) in a communication system using a scheduled delivery window. The systems and methods including receiving a EMM broadcast window from a distribution system, listening for the EMM during the EMM broadcast window, and receiving the EMM from the distribution system during the EMM broadcast window.
US08401182B2
A method and device for updating a group key are disclosed. The group key updating method comprises determining a start node for a key update on a binary tree, updating a node key of the start node for a key update, updating a node key of a parent node of a node corresponding to the updated node key using the updated node key, and repeatedly performing the updating of the node key of the parent node, and then updating a node key corresponding to a root node of the binary tree. With the disclosed method and device, it is possible to efficiently perform a group key update process.
US08401152B2
Diagnostic testing of a telephony line card device and corresponding line card is initiated using an initiation MIB. Responding to an instruction from a main processor that a query has determined that an initiation MID is Set, line card processor circuitry begins a predetermined series of diagnostic testing. Results for the diagnostic testing are stored in a register coupled to the line card processor circuitry. After testing completes, the main processor, which is coupled to the line card processor, retrieves the results information from the line card register, converts the information to one or more results MIB(s) and stores the results MIB(s) as an instance(s) to a memory coupled to the main processor. The result MIB instance(s) is/are made available to a local or remote device via port coupled to the line card device. A permissive MIB may be queried to determine whether diagnostic testing is permitted.
US08401146B2
A method for correlating optically visible objects with objects detectable through a non-invasive imaging system is described. The method includes conveying an object on a conveyer belt through the non-invasive imaging system. The conveyer belt can include optically visible indicia and machine-detectable indicia. The object and the machine-detectable indicia can be displayed on a display in communication with the non-invasive imaging system. The machine-detectable indicia viewed on the display can be correlated with the optically visible indicia on the conveyer belt after the object has exited the non-invasive imaging system to identify the object.
US08401144B2
A scanning method and apparatus useful for correcting artifacts which may appear in a primary short circular CT scan are provided. A secondary helical scan performed on a stationary subject, or a secondary circular scan, may be used to correct for artifacts. The secondary scan may be performed with a smaller radiation dosage than the primary circular CT scan.
US08401143B2
It is an object of the present invention to specify an arrangement for X-ray computed tomography, which allows continuous three-dimensional imaging of the examination object or a partial volume of the examination object at a high temporal and spatial resolution, wherein a high spatial resolution defines both a high resolution within the slice plane and also in the axial direction.
US08401139B2
A transmission LSI calculates a buffer usage rate in accordance with data stored in a buffer in a transmission data processing unit and determines, in accordance with the calculated buffer usage rate, the number of signal lines that perform a phase readjustment and the timing thereof. Then, the transmission LSI and a receiving LSI perform a phase adjustment using some of the signal lines and continues a data transfer using the rest of the signal lines. Accordingly, it is possible to maintain the optimum phase of a clock without delaying the data transfer.
US08401134B1
A method is provided for the design of a wide-band high dynamic-range electromagnetic signal receiving system. The method provides for receiving a plurality of analog signals, converting the plurality to a digital replica that can be processed to recover separate high-fidelity replicas of each individual signal in the received plurality. The method also provides increasing the signal dynamic range with a parallel architecture comprising “p” identical parallel analog-to-digital channels wherein the value of is determined by the ratio of the largest amplitude signal to the minimum detectable signal. Further, it is demonstrated that “p” is the fundamental limit on the number of parallel channels necessary to linearly process a specified plurality of signals containing a largest signal and a minimum detectable signal.
US08401132B2
A communications receiver includes a noise analyzer to characterize the composition of the interference and/or distortion impressed onto a transmitted communications signal in the presence of one or more time-varying conditions. The noise analyzer may provide a selection signal indicating the composition of the interference and/or distortion impressed onto a transmitted communications signal in the presence of one or more time-varying conditions to be used by the communications receiver. In an exemplary embodiment, the communications receiver selects at least one set of filter coefficients to compensate for the interference and/or distortion impressed onto a transmitted communications signal in the presence of a particular time-varying interference and/or distortion condition. In another exemplary embodiment, the communications receiver selects a corresponding interference cancellation filter bank to compensate for the interference and/or distortion impressed onto a transmitted communications signal in the presence of the particular time-varying interference and/or distortion condition.
US08401129B2
An automatic gain control (“AGC”) system. The system includes a first multiplier, an envelope detector, a summation module, a filter module, a convergence module, and a feedback module. The convergence module includes a convergence control module and a second multiplier. The feedback module includes an accumulator, a scalar multiplier module, and a third multiplier. The system is configured to adjust or modify its convergence speed according to the state of convergence of the AGC system, and the convergence speed of the AGC system is substantially independent of a signal level of the received signal.
US08401126B2
The present invention can reduce power consumption at the time of tracing. The present invention provides a viterbi decoding apparatus for decoding convolution codes, which includes a path memory unit that stores one of two paths toward respective transition states of a convolution code, as a selected path, for a plurality of continuous time points, a tracing unit that traces a selected path stored in the path memory unit in a reversed-time direction, thereby decoding a convolution code at respective time points, each of the time points being prior to a predetermined trace-skipping period, and a control unit that controls the path memory unit, wherein the path memory unit has a storage area designed to store selected paths assuming respective transition states at respective time points, the storage area is divided into sub-areas from the lowest order of transition state, each of the sub-areas corresponding to predetermined number of bits, and reading data can be stopped for each sub-area, and the control unit designates sub-areas from which no selected path needs to be read at respective time points so as to stop reading data from the designated sub-areas.
US08401119B2
A receiver is an ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee)-receiver and comprises a controller and an equalizer, which comprises a feed-forward filter and a feed-back filter. The feed-forward filter comprising at least one tap associated with at least one tap coefficient value. The controller determines a location of at least one tap of the equalizer; and if that location is close to a tap boundary (or edge) of the equalizer, the at least one tap of the equalizer is shifted forward or backward by at least one sample position.
US08401112B2
A dirty paper precoding method implemented by using phase reshaping at the transmitter side, wherein the method comprises: subtracting interference signal from intended signal to obtain difference signal; determining constellation size for constellation extension according to amplitude-related information of interference signal and intended signal; extendedly mapping original constellation block of the difference signal to extended constellation block having the determined constellation size by constellation extension processing, according to the determined constellation size for constellation extension, wherein, the extended constellation block being proportionally enlarged to be closer to origin of constellation coordinate compared with original constellation block; and performing phase reshaping of each constellation point of extended constellation block corresponding to the difference signal, wherein, the phase reshaping making constellation point of extended constellation block of difference signal corresponding to specific constellation point of intended signal to be mapped into the same constellation quadrant as that of the specific constellation point.
US08401107B2
In this invention, several open-loop solutions that encompass the small delay CDD codeword cycling, codeword cycling between different re-transmissions of both small and large delay CDD are proposed. In addition, an open-loop codeword cycling method for SFBC+FSTD scheme, as well as its extension to SFBC+FSTD based HARQ, are proposed. In one method, a plurality of information bits are encoded, scrambled and modulated to generate a plurality of modulation symbols. The plurality of modulation symbols are mapped onto the subcarriers in at least one transmission layer of a transmission resource. The modulation symbols are then precoded by using a matrix for cyclic delay diversity and a set of codewords from a certain codebook to generate a plurality of precoded symbols. The codewords are cycled for every a certain number of subcarriers. Finally, the precoded symbols are transmitted via a plurality of transmission antennas.
US08401106B2
Method and apparatus are provided for processing a received signal for making a symbol estimate of a symbol included in a signal transmitted in a Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) system. In an example mode, the method comprises (1) providing at least a subset of precoding matrices which are candidates for use in transmission of an interfering signal in a MIMO system; (2) using the received signal and plural candidates of the subset to determine corresponding plural covariance matrices, each of the plural covariance matrices being formed using a corresponding candidate precoding matrix; (3) determining which of the candidates is a trace minimizing candidate which is associated with one of the plural covariance matrices that has a minimum trace value; (4) forming a weighting matrix using the trace minimizing candidate; and (5) using the weighting matrix to make the symbol estimation.
US08401101B2
A training sequence helps optimize SNR degradation in a wireless communication. Various sets of training sequences may be stored in a repository, and transmitters and receivers encoded with such sequences transmit at least one of the sequences between them as part of the wireless transmission of data.
US08401096B2
A method of operation in a communication system is presented in which a first terminal sends to a second terminal a communication including ranging information by which the second terminal is able to calculate a range between the first terminal and the second terminal. The communication is sent in a plurality of frames. In at least one of the frames ranging information is included in a ranging region of the frame. The size and position of the ranging region is known to the first and second terminals without a ranging information indicator being sent in the frame to indicate the size and position of the ranging region.
US08401078B2
Coding techniques for a video image compression system involve improving an image quality of a sequence of two or more bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames, where each of the frames includes multiple pixels. One method involves determining a brightness value of at least one pixel of each bi-directionally predicted intermediate frame in the sequence as an equal average of brightness values of pixels in non-bidirectionally predicted frames bracketing the sequence of bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames. The brightness values of the pixels in at least one of the non-bidirectionally predicted frames is converted from a non-linear representation.
US08401077B2
A video processing apparatus includes a decoder, a controller and a display device. The decoder decodes a bitstream, wherein the bitstream includes a plurality of groups of pictures and each group of pictures includes a frame sequence. The controller is coupled to the decoder to determine whether a current frame of a current group of pictures to be displayed has macroblocks with forward reference to a previous frame of a previous group of pictures, wherein the current group of pictures is subsequent to the previous group of pictures. The display device is coupled to the controller to display the current frame of the current group of pictures when the current frame has no macroblock with forward reference to the previous frame of the previous group of pictures.
US08401075B2
A method and apparatus is provided for encoding a video signal stream. The method includes receiving a video signal stream, identifying a plurality of individual segments within the video signal stream and encoding, off-line, recurring ones of the individual segments that recur with at least a first frequency to produce encoded recurring segments. The video signal stream is also encoded in real-time to generate a real-time encoded video stream. Segments in the real-time encoded video stream are replaced with their corresponding encoded recurring segments to thereby produce an encoded video output stream that includes some segments encoded in real-time and other segments encoded off-line.
US08401073B2
Provided are a versatile inverse quantization circuit which performs inverse quantization operable for various encoding systems by a single circuit, an inverse quantization method, and an image reproducing apparatus. A first multiplier generation unit (10) generates a first multiplier M1, a second multiplier generation unit (20) generates a second multiplier M2, a shift quantity generation unit (180) generates shift quantity data SF indicating a bit shift quantity, a multiplication unit (140) multiplies quantized coefficient data CD by the first multiplier M1 and the second multiplier M2, a shift unit (170) carries out bit shift operation in accordance with the shift quantity data SF, at least one of the multiplication unit (140) and the shift unit (170) determines whether or not to perform operation depending on the encoding system, and at least one of the first multiplier generation unit (10), the second multiplier generation unit (20) and the shift quantity generation unit (180) determines a value to be generated or a way of generating the value depending on the encoding system.
US08401061B2
A system and method for testing a modem of a digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) includes a pair of modems communicatively coupled to each other by way of a communications path that includes a first DSL communication medium connected to one modem, a second DSL communication medium connected to the other modem, which is part of the DSLAM, and an Ethernet medium connected between the first and second DSL modems. DSL signals can be dispatched from the first (or second) modem via the first (or second) DSL communication medium for receipt by the second (or first) DSL modem via the second (or first) DSL communication medium, whereupon, DSL signals passing from the first DSL communication medium to the second DSL communication medium, or vice versa, are converted into Ethernet packets for transmission over the Ethernet medium and then back into DSL signals.
US08401059B2
A radio communication system minimizes power consumption against noises. The system includes a first radio terminal (10A) with a first transmitter (40A) for transmitting a first data indicative of a specific event, and a second radio terminal (40A) with a battery (14B) and a receiver (20B). The first radio terminal (10A) includes a first bit interpolator (32A) which inserts a check bit pattern of “01010101” at a predetermined cycle into one frame of the first data. The second radio terminal (10B) has a second power controller (60B) which intermittently activates the second receiver (20B) at predetermined intervals in order to receive the bit-interpolated data from the first transmitter. A check bit detector (24B) is included in the second radio terminal (10B) to detect the check bit pattern from within the bit interpolated data and to issue a stop signal immediately upon occurrence of that the check bit pattern fails to appear at said predetermined cycle within a predetermined time frame shorter than one frame length of the first data. In response to the stop signal, the power controller of the second radio terminal terminates a current receiving operation.
US08401054B2
This disclosure relates to method, device and system for selecting a device for communication in a communication system. A node receives a spread signal from a first transmitter and a second transmitter. The node despreads the spread signal with a first spreading code into a first frame and determines a first receive signal strength indicator (RSSI) from the first frame. The node despreads the spread signal with a second spreading code into a second frame and determines a second RSSI from the second frame. The node selects an access point based in part on the first RSSI and the second RSSI. The node transmits an uplink signal to the access point based on a slot start time and a random timing offset. The node transmits while a portion of a second signal is transmitted from a second node such that both the uplink signal and the second signal are received.
US08401050B1
RF sampling receivers are disclosed that employ multiple sampling clocks to produce multiple projections. In operation, a Nyquist folded receiver (NYFR) may be implemented that utilizes at least one modulated sampling clock in combination with one or more other modulated or non-modulated sampling clocks to identify received signals. In such an embodiment, one or more clock modulations may be used to induce frequency modulations that are Nyquist zone dependent, and multiple Nyquist zones may be aliased together while still allowing for signals from different Nyquist zones to be separated and identified.
US08401049B2
A surface-emission laser diode includes a GaAs substrate, a cavity region, and upper and lower reflectors provided at a top part and a bottom part of the cavity region, the upper reflector and/or the lower reflector including a semiconductor Bragg reflector, at least a part of the semiconductor distributed Bragg reflector includes a semiconductor layer containing Al, Ga and As as major components, there being provided, between the active layer and the semiconductor layer that contains Al, Ga and As as major components, a semiconductor layer containing Al, In and P as major components adjacent to the semiconductor layer that contains Al, Ga and As as major components, with an interface formed coincident to a location of a node of electric strength distribution.
US08401043B1
In a data transfer interface, at least one deserializer receives a serial data stream at a first clock speed and outputs a first parallel data stream at a second clock speed. The first parallel data stream includes data symbols representing data and alignment symbols for aligning the data symbols at a downstream location. A demultiplexer demultiplexes the first parallel data stream into a plurality of second parallel data streams based on the alignment symbols.
US08401038B2
Systems, devices, processors, and methods are described which may be used for the reception of a wireless broadband signal at a user terminal from a gateway via a satellite. A wireless signal may include a series of physical layer frames, each frame including a physical layer header and payload. The received signal is digitized and processed using various novel physical layer headers and related techniques to synchronize the physical layer frames and recover data from physical layer headers for purposes of demodulation and decoding.
US08401026B2
Achieving about an equal number of active links across chassis in a virtual port-channel environment
Two or more network devices can automatically coordinate to aggregate ports into virtual port channels. Ports of the port channel can be automatically assigned priorities to achieve about an equal distribution of active links across the two or more network devices.
US08401016B2
A method for message routing in a Peer to Peer (P2P) network includes the following steps: when a request message is routed from a source peer to a destination peer, the source peer and every intermediate peer that needs to be recorded add path information of the local peer to the request message and forward the request message to a next hop until the message arrives at the destination peer, where the path information includes a communication address of the local peer; the destination peer adds the path information in the request message to a response message obtained according to the request message; and the response message is routed from the destination peer to the source peer according to the path information. A source peer, an intermediate forwarding peer, and a destination peer as well as a message routing system are also disclosed. With the present invention, recursive message routing is implemented in a structured P2P network. Because a peer in the P2P network no longer needs to maintain a local transaction table, resources of the peer are saved and the cost of the P2P network is less.
US08401007B2
Network timing is derived from the PSTN and distributed through the network to gateways capable of deriving timing from the incoming UDP stream. The derived timing has the correct frequency for voice telephony without using external timing sources or extraneous hardware components. For example, a digital signal processor (DSP) can derive the timing from a timed TDM bus and distribute messages, such as IP messages, to other gateways or port networks. The other gateways and port networks use the incoming stream to extract the timing which is then used to time their TDM bus. The port networks and gateways can also distribute other streams to other gateways in a fan-out type of arrangement. This internally generated timing can be used, for example, for Circuit Emulated Services (CES).
US08400991B2
A method for wireless communication begins by determining whether legacy devices are within a proximal region of the wireless communication. The method continues, when at least one legacy device is within the proximal region, formatting a frame to include: a legacy preamble; a signal field; an extended preamble; at least one additional signal field; at least one service field; an inter frame gap; and a data field.
US08400987B2
Systems and methods for controlling communication on a control channel and service channels of an ad hoc wireless network includes periodically switching to the control channel during a control interval, periodically switching to one of the service channels during a service interval, and variably switching to another of the service channels during the service interval.
US08400985B2
Embodiments of a method and apparatus for discovery and association, by a mobile station, of a femto base station from a plurality of base stations. The mobile station may select a base station for consideration for association by decoding a physical layer identifier to determine that the base station is a macro base station and select a different base station based on other considerations. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08400984B2
A multi-mode mobile communication device includes a processing device, a memory sub-system, a communication sub-system operable to communicate with wireless access networks, and a protocol stack stored in the memory sub-system and executed by the processing device. The protocol stack includes a first access stratum, a second access stratum, a non-access stratum and an access stratum manager. The first access stratum communicates with a first wireless access network via the communication sub-system. The second access stratum communicates with a second wireless access network via the communication sub-system. The non-access stratum communicates with a core network. The access stratum manager interfaces the non-access stratum with the first and second access strata, and is operable to activate the first access stratum to establish a communication link with the core network over the first wireless access network.
US08400979B2
Forward link handoff for wireless communication systems with OFDM forward link and CDMA reverse link
A method and apparatus for performing handoff in a wireless communication system with multi-carrier modulation (MCM) for a forward link and CDMA for a reverse link. In one embodiment, a method of performing handoff on the forward link for a terminal is provided in which signal quality of pilots received by the terminal from a plurality of base stations in the system is determined. A particular base station for subsequent data transmission on the forward link to the terminal is selected based on the signal quality determined for the plurality of base stations. A request to be handed off to the particular base station is initiated if the particular base station is different than a currently selected base station.
US08400972B2
An Internet Protocol (IP) address acquisition in a broadband wireless communication system is disclosed. A terminal includes a driver for loading one of a plurality Media Access Control (MAC) addresses for a multi-Frequency Allocation (FA) connection when the terminal is initialized; an interface for registering the loaded MAC address to use in an upper layer of a MAC layer; and a manager for acquiring an IP address using the registered MAC address when a network entry for at least one FA is complete.
US08400965B2
In a radio base station apparatus that connects a radio control device and plural radio devices to each other through plural links and transmits and receives data by using a frame, a synchronization unit calculates a difference between a first reference counter and a second reference counter from first and second transmission values and first and second reception values and corrects a count value of the second reference counter based on the difference so as to make the count value of the second reference counter coincide with a count value of the first reference counter.
US08400964B2
A method of transmitting/receiving a data block is disclosed. In receiving at least one data block multiplexed to one physical channel, the present invention includes the steps of receiving control information for a data block transmission, checking whether there is a necessity for configuring a table having combination information of data block sizes internally, and configuring the table having the combination information of the data block sizes for a data block reception according to a result of the checking step. Accordingly, the present invention internally configures the Calculated Transport Format Combination (CTFC) information without receiving separate CTFC information, thereby facilitating the reception of data blocks.
US08400952B2
A method of transmitting a signal using a prescribed frame structure in a wireless communication system is disclosed. A mobile station is able to transmit or receive a signal using a frame structure with a CP length corresponding to ¼ of a useful symbol. Moreover, the mobile station is able to transmit or receive a signal using a frame structure with a CP length corresponding to ¼ of a useful symbol, which is designed to mutually coexist without causing collision or interference with another frame structure with a different CP length. In this case, a channel bandwidth of the prescribed frame structure is 7 MHz.
US08400950B2
A method of transmitting data in a wireless communication system comprises receiving feedback data on an uplink data channel, the feedback data comprising a precoding matrix indicator (PMI), wherein the value of the PMI corresponds to an index in a codebook, transmitting a precoding scheme for downlink data on a downlink control channel, wherein the precoding scheme is determined as one of at least two of a transmit diversity irrespective of the received PMI, an acknowledgement indicating precoding according to the received PMI and a new PMI indicating that it is used in precoding downlink data to be transmitted, and transmitting the downlink data on a downlink data channel after applying precoding according to the determined precoding scheme.
US08400941B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for managing services on a network. In one exemplary embodiment, the method includes receiving topologically relevant network information concerning nodes, interfaces, connections and/or protocols; resolving conflicts in the received information; determining and storing a network topology from the received and resolved information; and inferring one or more services based on the stored topology.
US08400937B2
A resource metric quantization is described that has use for resources of wireless data communications system. In one example the quantization include measuring a signal parameter for a plurality of frequency partitions, setting a first resource metric for a first frequency partition equal to a first value, determining a second and a third resource metric for a second and third frequency partition, respectively, based on comparing the measured signal parameter for the second and third frequency partitions to the measured signal parameter for the first partition, encoding a second and a third resource metric, and transmitting the encoded resource metrics to a remote wireless station.
US08400934B2
A method and apparatus of performing discontinuous reception (DRX) and downlink inter-frequency and inter-radio access technology (RAT) measurements in CELL_FACH state are disclosed. While in DRX mode, a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may perform inter-frequency and inter-RAT measurements in a measurement occasion that fall into a DRX period. The WTRU may perform the measurements while T321 timer is running. The WTRU may take the measurements on first predetermined number of frame in which a DRX frame would coincide after a last reception frame if DRX operation was ongoing. The WTRU may periodically wake up for downlink reception in CELL_FACH state in accordance with a common DRX pattern that is common to all WTRUs in a cell or may wake up from DRX upon reception of the order and receiving a common traffic.
US08400932B2
The present invention is a technique for provisioning and assessment of voice quality in Internet Protocol (IP) voice applications. A predetermined quality of service (QoS) is received from a user in the form of an acceptable packet loss. The technique measures current packet loss and delay in the network and in the terminal, and determines and optimum play-out delay for the use by a play-out adaptation routine. An actual QoS is reported back to the user. To enhance packet delay and loss measurement, a QoS engine component is placed on the terminal side of the packetizer, therefore including packetizer losses in any measurement of the network.
US08400922B2
At least one timer is used to prevent a stall condition. If a timer is not active, the timer is started for a data block that is correctly received. The data block has a sequence number higher than a sequence number of another data block that was first expected to be received. When the timer is stopped or expires, all correctly received data blocks among data blocks up to and including a data block having a sequence number that is immediately before the sequence number of the data block for which the timer was started is delivered to a higher layer. Further, all correctly received data blocks up to a first missing data block, including the data block for which the timer was started, is delivered to the higher layer.
US08400915B1
A packet switch includes a pipeline scheduler for scheduling packets according to a credit-based flow control protocol. A credit update pipeline stage initializes available credits for egress ports of the packet switch. A request pipeline stage generates packet requests for packets based on the available credits. A grant pipeline stage selects packets based on the ports requests and the available credits, and generates port grants for the selected packets. Additionally, the credit update stage updates the available credits based on the port grants. The packet switch routes the selected packets from ingress ports of the packet switch to the egress ports based on the port grants. In some embodiments, ingress ports generate enqueue requests based on the packets, an enqueue pipeline stage generates enqueue states based on the enqueue requests, and the request pipeline stage selects packets for routing based on the enqueue states and the available credits.
US08400908B2
A method and apparatus of transmitting a midamble in a wireless communication system is provided. A base station (BS) generates a midamble sequence for each of a plurality of antennas, and transmits the midamble sequence to a user equipment for each antenna. A location of a subcarrier to which each midamble sequence is mapped is determined based on a frequency reuse factor (FRF).
US08400903B2
A super-resolution medium (1) has a medium identification information for specifying a type of medium recorded in a medium information area (3) by use of pre-pits having a length not shorter than a length of a resolution limit of an optical system in a reproducing device (10).
US08400901B2
An astigmatism element converges laser light in a first direction for generating a first focal line, and converges the laser light in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction for generating a second focal line. A light separating element guides the laser light entered into two first areas and into two second areas to four positions different from each other. The light separating element imparts a light separating function to the laser light entered into the first two areas in directions identical to each other and with magnitudes different from each other, and imparts a light separating function to the laser light entered into the two second areas in directions identical to each other and with magnitudes different from each other.
US08400895B2
If a defective cluster in a spare area is managed with a defect entry, the size of a DFL will increase as the size of the spare area increases with an increase in the number of recording layers stacked in a disc. An information recording medium according to the present invention has pointer information indicating the location of the next available cluster in each spare area, and restricts the direction in which the spare area is used. Also, a defect entry indicating a defective cluster in the spare area is registered with the DFL. Thus, even if the size of the spare area 15 increases, the size of the DFL 21 can be kept relatively small. Furthermore, even after physical reformatting is done, a defective cluster, if any, in the spare area 15 can still be recognized as a defect and the control operation can be performed so that a replacement cluster is not re-allocated to that defective cluster (i.e., the defective cluster is not used).
US08400888B2
Disclosed is a music jukebox which is configured for storing a music library therein. The music jukebox includes a housing, audio input structure on the housing for receiving audio signals, audio output structure on the housing for outputting audio signals, and a data storage structure in the housing for storing audio signals. The music jukebox is configured such that a music library of sound tracks is storable in the data storage structure. The music jukebox includes means for selecting a sound track from the music library stored in the data storage structure to play through the audio output structure, and the housing includes a display thereon which identifies sound tracks in the music library. Preferably, the music jukebox is configured such that the sound tracks stored in the data storage structure are editable before being played through the audio output structure.
US08400875B2
An active sonar system, a method associated therewith, and a computer-readable medium associate therewith, each provide a method of sonar signal processing. The method includes receiving a plurality of initial detections of a target and associated initial detection times, associated with sound transmitted at a pulse rate interval (PRI), and associated with received sound including echoes from a target. The echoes result from the transmitted sound. The method also includes analyzing the plurality of initial detection times with a pulse sorting transform configured to identify periodic PST detection times within the plurality of initial detection times that are equally spaced in time and that are representative of the echoes from the target.
US08400871B2
Seismic exploration techniques and the seismic imaging of subsurface layers, particularly apparatus for seismic exploration near the seafloor, are disclosed. The apparatus enables controlled-depth towing of detectors to be carried out a short distance above the seafloor. The apparatus includes a streamer depth controller and at least one altitude keeper device, attached at intervals along the length of a towed streamer. The streamer carries detectors for measuring, for example, P- and S-waves in the seafloor.
US08400859B2
A method for refreshing a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) includes performing a refresh on at least a portion of the DRAM at a first refresh rate, and performing a refresh on a second portion of the DRAM at a second refresh rate. The second portion includes one or more rows of the DRAM which do not meet a data retention criteria at the first refresh rate, and the second refresh rate is greater than the first refresh rate.
US08400855B2
A semiconductor device includes a data transmission line and a data transmission line precharge circuit. The data transmission line precharge circuit sets a precharge potential of the data transmission line to a first potential at the time of a first write mode in which data masking is not performed. The data transmission line precharge circuit sets the precharge potential to a potential different from the first potential at the time of a second write mode in which data masking is performed. When data masking is not carried out, precharging to a potential at which data can be written in excellent fashion can be performed. When data masking is carried out, precharging to a potential that inhibits a fluctuation in bit-line potential can be performed.
US08400853B2
A repair circuit achieving “group repair of mixed multiple repair methods” and a repair design method for making a product margin suitable are provided. In a chip mounting multiple RAMs, a repair circuit and a repair design method in consideration of a trade-off of chip yield and area increase along with mounting a repair circuit are provided. A repair circuit achieving “group repair of mixed multiple repair methods” which can select existence of a repair circuit, and one or more repair methods from I/O, column, and row repairs on the RAMS in the chip, respectively, when a repair circuit is mounted. The repair circuit performs repair per RAM group by sorting the RAMs mounting a repair circuit into a plurality of RAM groups. Also, a repair method which makes a number of acquired good chips in a wafer and an estimation method of the RAM grouping method are provided.
US08400851B2
An output enable signal generation circuit of a semiconductor memory includes: a latency signal generation unit configured to generate a latency signal for designating activation timing of a data output enable signal in response to a read signal and a CAS latency signal; and a data output enable signal generation unit configured to control the activation timing and deactivation timing of the data output enable signal in response to the latency signal and a signal generated by shifting the latency signal based on a burst length (BL).
US08400849B1
An electronic device comprising a first supply voltage domain, a second supply voltage domain and a low drop output voltage regulator (LDO) coupled to receive a supply voltage of the first supply voltage domain and to provide a supply voltage of the second supply voltage domain and the LDO being configured to be switched into a first state for providing and maintaining the supply voltage of the second supply voltage domain and into a second state for providing a high impedance output to the second supply voltage domain. The electronic device includes a comparator coupled to monitor the first supply voltage level at a first supply voltage node and to switch the LDO from the first state to the second state.
US08400838B2
A boosting circuit includes a clock control circuit which outputs a first reference clock signal by controlling the clock signal, and which outputs a second reference clock signal having a same period as that of the first reference clock signal, the second reference clock signal shifted in phase from the first reference clock signal. The boosting circuit includes a first pump clock generation circuit which outputs the first reference clock signal which is input thereto, as a first pump clock signal in accordance with a first pump flag signal. The boosting circuit includes a second pump clock generation circuit which outputs the second reference clock signal which is input thereto, as a second pump clock signal in accordance with a second pump flag signal. The boosting circuit includes a first charge pump which boosts an input voltage in accordance with the first pump clock signal. The boosting circuit includes a second charge pump which boosts an input voltage in accordance with the second pump clock signal.
US08400827B2
Some embodiments include a memory device and a method of programming memory cells of the memory device. One such method includes applying different voltages to data lines associated with different memory cells based on threshold voltages of the memory cells in an erased state. Other embodiments including additional memory devices and methods are described.
US08400811B2
Techniques for providing a direct injection semiconductor memory device having ganged carrier injection lines are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus including a first region coupled to a bit line and a second region coupled to a source line. The apparatus may also comprise a body region spaced apart from and capacitively coupled to a word line, wherein the body region is electrically floating and disposed between the first region and the second region. The apparatus may further comprise a third region coupled to a constant voltage source via a carrier injection line configured to inject charges into the body region through the second region.
US08400804B2
A representative memory device includes a cell array, at least one break cell that subdivides the cell array into bit cell arrays, and one or more power switches that are electrically coupled to the bit cell. In one embodiment, the break cell separates a connectivity of a first voltage and a second voltage between at least two bit cell arrays so that the bit cell arrays can be selectively coupled to either the first voltage or the second voltage using the power switches. The power switches control the connection of each separated bit cell array of the cell array to either the first voltage or second voltage.
US08400802B2
The present invention relates to a binary content addressable memory (CAM), and more particularly, to a binary content addressable memory (CAM) in which the number of transistors constituting the content addressable memory can be reduced to decrease the size of the content addressable memory, thereby increasing the degree of integration and improving power consumption. According to the present invention, since the binary content addressable memory according to the present invention has a smaller number of transistors than those of the conventional binary content addressable memory, a memory can be fabricated in a smaller size, thereby improving the degree of integration as one of most important factors in the memory design. In addition, improvement of the degree of integration contributes to miniaturization and lightweightness of the product in its design. Further, the inventive binary content addressable memory performs its own function using a smaller number of transistors, thereby reducing power consumption.
US08400794B2
A power system is disclosed. The power system comprises a plurality of power supply units, a voltage sharing bus, and a current sharing bus. The sharing bus is used to transmit a sharing voltage, and the current sharing bus is used to transmit a first current reference value. Each of the power supply units comprises: a power converter, a feed-forward control (FFC) circuit, and a feedback control (FBC) circuit. The feed-forward control circuit is used to generate a second current reference value according to a difference between an input voltage of the power converter and the sharing voltage. The feedback control circuit is used to generate a current compensation value according to the second current reference value and the first current reference value. The power converter can adjusts the output current thereof in accordance with the current compensation value.
US08400792B2
A power conversion apparatus includes an inverter for converting DC power to AC power for supply to a load, a converter for converting AC power from an AC power supply to DC power for supply to the inverter, and a DC voltage converter for converting a voltage value of power stored in a storage battery and supplying DC power from the storage battery to the inverter when power supply by the AC power supply is abnormal. The converter includes a first three-level circuit which is a multi-level circuit. Similarly, the DC voltage converter includes a second three-level circuit. A control device controls the first and second multi-level circuits to suppress potential fluctuation at a neutral point between first and second capacitors.
US08400789B2
An example power supply in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure includes a switch, an energy transfer element, a controller, an input filter, and a switch clamp circuit. The energy transfer element is coupled to the switch and the controller is coupled to control the switch to regulate an output of the power supply. The input filter is coupled to receive an input voltage of the power supply and includes a first input filter capacitor coupled to a node and a second input filter capacitor coupled to the node. The switch clamp circuit is also coupled to the node to clamp a voltage across the switch in response to a voltage at the node.
US08400787B2
The configurations of a resonant converter system and a controlling method thereof are provided. The proposed resonant converter system includes a resonant converter receiving an input voltage for outputting an output voltage, a rectifying device having a first rectifying switch and a synchronous rectification control circuit coupled to the resonant converter and including a signal generation apparatus generating a weighted turn-off signal to turn off the first rectifying switch at a zero crossing point of a first current flowing through the first rectifying switch.
US08400784B2
Methods and apparatuses related to packaging a monolithic voltage regulator are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes: (i) a monolithic voltage regulator with a transistor arranged as parallel transistor devices; (ii) bumps on the monolithic voltage regulator to form connections to source and drain terminals of the transistor; (iii) a single layer lead frame with a plurality of interleaving lead fingers coupled to the monolithic voltage regulator via the bumps, where the single layer lead frame includes first and second surfaces, where the first surface includes a first pattern to form connections to the bumps, and where the second surface includes a second pattern that is different from the first pattern; and (iv) a flip-chip package encapsulating the monolithic voltage regulator, the bumps, and the single layer lead frame, where the flip-chip package has external connectors of the monolithic voltage regulator at the second surface of the single layer lead frame.
US08400783B2
A docking station includes an enclosure, two hook assemblies, a transmission assembly, a button and a pusher assembly. The enclosure defines a receiving room, two first through holes and a second through hole. The hook assemblies pass through the first through holes to secure an electronic device. The transmission assembly engages with the hook assemblies to drive the hook assemblies move forward and backward in the first through holes to be coupled to and uncoupled from the electronic device. The button extends into the receiving room from outside of the enclosure and used to drive the transmission assembly move. The pusher assembly passes through the second through hole to push the electronic device away from the enclosure. When the hook assemblies are detached from the electronic device, the pusher assembly push the electronic device detach from the enclosure.
US08400779B2
A semiconductor device having a printed circuit board and a semiconductor chip. The printed circuit board includes a chip region, a plurality of first ball lands adjacent to the chip region, and at least one second ball land adjacent to the first ball lands. The semiconductor chip is mounted on the chip region. The first ball lands are arranged to have a first pitch. One of the first ball lands which is nearest to the second ball land, and the second ball land have a second pitch greater than the first pitch.
US08400777B2
When silver oxide is reduced to silver, a large number of cores of metallic silver are formed inside the silver oxide. Then, the silver oxide is reduced in a manner of being hollowed out while its original outer configuration is being maintained. As a result, the curvature of the silver generated becomes larger. The utilization of this microscopic-particle implementation mechanism allows accomplishment of the bonding even if the silver oxide is supplied not in a particle-like configuration, but in a closely-packed layer-like configuration. In the present invention, there is provided an electronic member including an electrode for inputting/outputting an electrical signal, or a connection terminal for establishing a connection with the electrical signal, wherein the uppermost surface of the electrode or the connection terminal is a silver-oxide layer.
US08400770B2
According to an embodiment, there is provided a heat spreader including a condenser portion formed of a nanomaterial. The heat spreader further includes a first plate member, a second plate member, and a support portion. The first plate member includes a first surface, the first surface including a first area provided with the condenser portion. The second plate member includes a second surface and is arranged such that the second surface faces the first surface. The support portion protrudes from the first area of the first plate member to the second plate member, and has an end portion that is free from the nanomaterial and is in contact with the second surface of the second plate member.
US08400769B2
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a housing provided with air intake holes, a circuit board contained in the housing, with a heat producing component mounted on the circuit board, a heat sink contained in the housing, and a fan which sends cooling air to the heat sink in the housing, and includes a fan casing and an impeller contained in the fan casing. The fan casing includes a first suction port and a second suction port which face each other with the impeller inserted therebetween, and an exhaust port which faces the heat sink. The first suction port communicates with the air intake holes of the housing. The second suction port comprises an open area which faces the heat producing component in the housing, and another open area which is open to inside of the housing at a position deviated from the circuit board.
US08400767B2
An electronic apparatus includes a display panel which displays an image; a cover unit which covers the display panel; and support system including a support member. The support member which includes a hinge unit which is rotably formed in the forward and backward directions in the rear side of the cover unit, a first support which is downwardly bent and extends from the hinge unit, and a second support which is upwardly bent and extends from the hinge unit. The configuration of the support system on the electronic apparatus permits a stable support at a variety of angles on an installation plane.
US08400756B2
An electronic component (2) for application in high pressure environments has a casing (4) entirely filled with an electrically insulating first fluid (F1), whereby the casing (4) exhibits or connects to a volume compensation unit for compensating a volume change of the first fluid (F1). An electric device (1) has at least one such electronic component (2) in a device housing (10), whereby the device housing (10) is filled with a second fluid (F2).
US08400755B2
There is provided a dielectric ceramic composition suitable for, for example, a car-mounted monolithic ceramic capacitor used in a high-temperature environment. It is represented by the composition formula: 100(Ba1-xCax)mTiO3+aMgO+bV2O5+cSiO2+dR2O3 wherein R represents at least one metal element selected from Y, La, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb; and a, b, c, and d each represent a moles. The dielectric ceramic composition satisfying the requirements of 0.03≦x≦0.20, 0.99≦m≦1.03, 0.10≦a≦5.0, 0.025≦b≦2.5, 0.20≦c≦8.0, and 2.5≦d<3.5. Dielectric ceramic layers in a monolithic ceramic capacitor are formed of a sintered body of the dielectric ceramic composition.
US08400754B2
A method for producing a laminated ceramic capacitor allows a surface of at least a portion of a ceramic element body chip to be brought into contact with a plated layer formed in advance in a mold member, and performs heat processing on the ceramic element body chip in that contact state, thereby to form an external conductor layer made of the plated layer on the surface of at least the portion of the ceramic element body chip. Thus, a method and an apparatus for producing a ceramic electronic component accurately and precisely controls the thickness of the external conductor layer to be small, and easily controls the length of the external conductor layer.
US08400751B2
In one embodiment, an air current generating apparatus includes: a dielectric substrate exposed to gas: a first electrode disposed inside the dielectric substrate; a second electrode disposed near a surface of the dielectric so as to correspond the first electrode and having a sharp shape; and a power source applying a voltage between the first and second electrodes and plasmatizing part of the gas to generate an air current.
US08400742B2
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit coupled with an input/output (I/O) pad. The ESD protection circuit includes a clamp field effect transistor (FET) coupled between a first supply voltage and a second supply voltage. An inverter includes an input end and an output end. The output end of the inverter is coupled with a gate of the clamp FET. A RC time constant circuit is disposed between the first supply voltage and the second supply voltage. A current mirror includes a first transistor. The current mirror is coupled between the input end of the inverter and the second supply voltage. A circuit is coupled with the input end of the inverter. The circuit is capable of outputting a voltage state on the input end of the inverter that is capable of substantially turning off the clamp FET while the I/O pad is subjected to a latch-up test using a negative current.
US08400741B1
An electrical switching array and method uses a programmable multi-channel analog switch with a high voltage T/R switch and voltage limiting circuit for ultrasound image system echo signal multiplexing beamforming receiver frontend circuit.
US08400739B2
There is provided a control system and method related to the use of insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) devices in vehicles. An exemplary control method includes receiving a status signal that indicates a fault condition in the operation of an IGBT device of an affected converter. The exemplary method also includes sending a control signal that turns off all IGBTs of the affected converter. The exemplary method additionally includes receiving a second status signal for each of the IGBTs that indicates whether each of the IGBTs successfully turned off. The exemplary method further includes generating an indication that the fault condition relates to a saturation condition or a power supply being outside a designated range, depending on a duration of the fault signal.
US08400734B2
An example magnetic recording head includes: a main magnetic pole; a laminated body; and a pair of electrodes. The laminated body includes a first magnetic layer having a coercivity lower than magnetic field applied by the main magnetic pole, a second magnetic layer having a coercivity lower than the magnetic field applied by the main magnetic pole, and an intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The pair of electrodes is operable to pass a current through the laminated body.
US08400723B2
According to an aspect of the invention, a lens barrel having an eccentricity adjusting mechanism includes a lens frame, a pressing ring, an engaging part, a tool insertion hole, an engaging face, a non-engaging face. The lens frame holds a lens for an optical system of the lens barrel. The pressing ring is screw-connected to a fixed barrel of the lens barrel. A part of the lens frame is disposed between the pressing ring and the fixed barrel so that the lens frame is supported to be rotatable around the optical axis. The engaging part is formed on an outer circumferential face of the lens frame, protrudes from the outer circumferential face of the lens frame, the engaging part including a plurality of engaging parts formed in the circumferential direction of the outer circumferential face of the lens frame with predetermined intervals.
US08400722B2
An interchangeable lens to be detachably attached to a camera body, that includes a holding unit at which a plurality of contacts is arranged, the interchangeable lens includes: a first communication contact system arranged at the holding unit; and a second communication contact system different from the first communication contact system, arranged at the holding unit at a position different from a position at which the first communication contact system is arranged. The fourth contact is arranged at a position closer to the second communication contact system than the first contact, the second contact, and the third contact are, and the seventh contact and the eighth contact are arranged at positions closer to the first communication contact system than the fifth contact and the sixth contact are.
US08400719B2
It has conventionally been difficult to reduce the size of a fast lens system having an F number of about 1.4 to 2.4. In a lens system of the present invention, a positive lens element is disposed closest to an object side. A diaphragm is disposed in a widest air space in the lens system. The lens system of the present invention satisfies the following conditions: 0.05
US08400709B2
Fluorescence is generated from an irradiated point on an inspection surface of a sample and the fluorescence is collected by an objective lens. Here, because of the magnification chromatic aberration of the objective lens, the fluorescence going out from the objective lens travels along a path shifted from the irradiation light and changed substantially into a non-scan light by a galvano-scanner. The fluorescence passes through a dichroic mirror and comes into deflection system after light of unnecessary wavelength is removed by a filter. The deflection system is driven in synchronization with the galvano-scanner by a computer and corrects the shift and inclination of the optical axis generated by the magnification chromatic aberration of the objective lens. Then the fluorescence forms an image of the irradiation point of the inspection surface of the sample on a pin hole of a pin hole plate by using a collective lens.
US08400708B2
An infrared window assembly, comprising: a lens through which thermal imagery of apparatus within a housing is performed; a frame adapted to be mounted in the housing and arranged to support the lens; and external and internal covers lying when closed in planes generally parallel to the plane of the frame, the external cover being located on the exterior of the housing, wherein the covers are coupled to one another and mounted on or adjacent the frame and arranged to move in unison between a closed position whereat the lens is substantially concealed and an open position whereat the lens is substantially visible.
US08400698B2
Disclosed is an oscillator device that includes an oscillating system having a first oscillator, a second oscillator, a first torsion spring for connecting the first and second oscillators each other, and a second torsion spring being connected to the second oscillator and having a common torsional axis with the first torsion spring; a supporting system for supporting the oscillating system; a driving system for driving the oscillating system so that at least one of the first and second oscillators produces oscillation as can be expressed by an equation that contains a sum of a plurality of time functions; a signal producing system for producing an output signal corresponding to displacement of at least one of the first and second oscillators; and a drive control system for controlling the driving system on the basis of the output signal of the signal producing system so that at least one of amplitude and phase of the time function takes a predetermined value.
US08400693B2
An image defect diagnostic system includes: an acquiring unit acquiring image data for a test target image; an image defect detecting unit detecting image defects in the test target image; a coordinate conversion processor performing coordinate conversion processing to convert position coordinate information on the image defects into position coordinate information in each rotated coordinate system by every predetermined angle by using a coordinate point in the test target image as rotation center coordinates; an occurrence state detecting unit detecting an occurrence state of the image defects in each rotated coordinate system by using the position coordinate information; a setting unit setting a coordinate rotation angle for the coordinate conversion processing on the basis of the occurrence state; and a feature amount extracting unit extracting a feature amount characterizing the image defects, by using the position coordinate information in a coordinate system rotated by the coordinate rotation angle.
US08400690B2
An image reading apparatus includes a document tray, first and second output trays, first and second conveyance paths, a conveying roller, a switch unit that changes a destination of documents to one of the first and second conveyance paths, a multi-feed determination unit that determines whether the documents are in a multi-fed state (e.g., a state in which a plurality of documents are layered on one another), a reading unit that acquires image data, an image storage unit that stores the image data, a control unit that controls the switch unit, and a multi-feed image storage unit that stores image data acquired by re-reading the multi-fed documents, as multi-feed image data. The control unit assigns information of page order of the documents to the image data stored in the image storage unit.
US08400688B2
A mounting bracket for an image sensing unit of a scanner according to one example embodiment includes a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion. The first portion has a plurality of elongated holes therein each for receiving a fastener to mount the mounting bracket to a scan head frame. The second portion includes a cutout section therein for allowing an image sensor of the image sensing unit to receive an image from an optical unit of the scanner. A pivot hole in the first portion is centered about a width of the cutout section. When the mounting bracket is mounted on the scan head frame, the elongated holes in the first portion permit linear adjustment of the mounting bracket relative to the scan head frame and the pivot hole permits angular adjustment of the mounting bracket relative to the scan head frame.
US08400686B2
An optical scanning device includes a light source, an optical system, and a housing. The light source projects a light beam. The housing includes a holder and encloses the optical system. The optical system includes a liquid crystal element held by the housing via the holder, to modulate a phase of the light beam projected from the light source against a scanned surface. The liquid crystal element includes a plurality of substantially transparent substrates, a liquid crystal layer, and a sealing member. One of the plurality of the transparent substrates has a size larger than any other transparent substrates and is positioned in the holder. The liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between the plurality of substantially transparent substrates. The sealing member seals the liquid crystal layer between the plurality of substantially transparent substrates.
US08400685B2
An image reading device and an image forming apparatus having the same. The image reading device includes an scanning glass, a white bar arranged opposite the scanning glass, and a drive roller provided at the white bar, the drive roller being rotated upon receiving power to allow a document to pass between the scanning glass and the white bar.
US08400675B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a determination unit that determines whether or not color materials for image data, more than a predetermined number of color materials, are used for a rim portion of a recording medium to which an image is to be outputted; and a controller that, in correspondence with a result of determination by the determination unit, performs control so as to change the number of color materials used for at least the rim portion of the recording medium to which the image is outputted, to a predetermined or smaller number of color materials, and form the image on the recording medium.
US08400664B2
A fax processing system handles faxes that are originally destined for a recipient's phone number. The fax processing system communicates with the fax recipient via a data communications network (for example, the Internet) and can provide more sophisticated fax handling capabilities than conventional fax machines.
US08400663B2
An image processing device, an image forming device, and a method for processing image for: separating a first print job into a first piece of job setting information and a first piece of image information; having the first piece of job setting information and the second piece of image information associated with each other to store in a memory; generating a second piece of job setting information of a second print job as a new piece of job setting information according to a setting change with respect to the first print job stored in the memory and associating the second piece of job setting information as generated with the piece of first image information to store in the memory; and transmitting a piece of job setting information of a print job to be executed and a piece of image information associated with the piece of job setting information.
US08400654B2
Print control apparatuses, print control methods, and recording mediums are provided. In one embodiment, a print control apparatus includes an input unit that acquires print job definition data by acquiring print data including print job definition data and content data and interpreting the acquired print data, a plurality of converters that convert the acquired print job definition data into printer setting data, a distributor that divides the print job definition data by each item and distributes the divided items to the converters at a time when the print job definition data is supplied from the input unit to the converters and receives the printer setting data that has been converted by the converters, and a transmission unit that receives the converted printer setting data and the content data input from the input unit through the distributor and transmits the printer setting data and the content data to the printer.
US08400652B2
A portable terminal apparatus confirms whether it conforms to an image data sending and receiving method to which an image forming apparatus for printing image data can be adapted, and receives data of the printable image format from the image forming apparatus. The portable terminal apparatus displays image identification data for identifying each piece of stored image data, and determines whether each piece of the image data is printable, based on at least one of a result of the confirmation with respect to the sending and receiving method, the image format information, and the image data. Based on a result of the determination, the display is controlled so that the user can distinguish whether each piece of the image data is printable. Among image data selected by the user, printable image data due to the determination is sent to the image forming device.
US08400651B2
An information acquisition apparatus is for acquiring information, which a connected electronic apparatus has, from the connected electronic apparatus. The information acquisition apparatus includes a connection port, a component-to-be-used determining unit, and a read back unit. The electronic apparatus is connected to the connection port. The component-to-be-used determining unit determines a component tool to be used for acquiring the information, based on a type of connection port to which the electronic apparatus is connected, and a type of information. The read back unit acquires the information by making an operation of the component tool determined by the component-to-be-used determining unit.
US08400636B2
A method for detecting blast induced pressure changes includes exposing a material, a contained solution, a membrane-bound solution, or a photonic crystal material, having a first optical property, to a pressure wave having a blast level. A change in the first optical property to a second optical property of the exposed material, contained solution, membrane-bound solution, or photonic crystal material is determined, and the extent of change corresponds to the blast level.
US08400635B2
The invention relates to a device for measuring dental shade comprising: —illumination means (24, 40, 42, 44, 48, 50), for successively illuminating at least one part of a tooth (D) with light of various spectral ranges, —at least one sensor (26) sensitive to light coming from said tooth part, in response to the illumination, to generate for each different color of illumination, at least one measurement signal, —means (30, 32) for converting the measurement signals corresponding to said tooth part, into the coordinates of a measurement point (202), in a shade space in which “reference” points (320, 410, 540) are also defined, corresponding to the preset shades of a dental shade guide, and—search means (114), for the tooth part, for a shade corresponding to the reference point closest to the measurement point, in the shade space.
US08400633B2
An optical comparator arranged for rear projection onto a viewing screen combines an optical projector that projects an optical image of a test part under inspection onto the viewing screen with a video projector that projects an optical image of a pixilated template pattern containing illustrated specifications of the test part onto the same viewing screen. The images of the test part and the pixilated template pattern are projected concurrently onto the viewing screen for visually comparing the form of the test part against its specified form.
US08400631B2
A method for measuring a wave surface of an optical component formed of a stack of at least two layers of different refraction indices from reflection or transmission measurements of points located on a face of the said optical component.
US08400620B2
An interferometric measurement system measures a parameter using at least one optical waveguide. A memory stores reference interferometric pattern data associated with a segment of the optical waveguide. Interferometric detection circuitry detects and stores measurement interferometric pattern data associated with the segment of the optical waveguide during a measurement operation. A spectral range of the reference interferometric pattern of the optical waveguide is greater than a spectral range of the measurement interferometric pattern of the optical waveguide. A processor shifts one or both of the measurement interferometric pattern data and the reference interferometric pattern data relative to the other to obtain a match and to use the match to measure the parameter. An example parameter is strain.
US08400617B2
A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, a substrate support constructed to hold a substrate, and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein the substrate support includes parts that are made of an open cell plastic foam material.
US08400616B2
A laser interference lithography apparatus capable of stitching small exposed areas into a large exposed area includes a body, a laser beam supplying unit, a reflecting mechanism, an L-shaped fixing mechanism and a substrate stage. The laser beam supplying unit fixed onto the body provides a laser beam. The reflecting mechanism is movably and rotatably mounted on the body. The L-shaped fixing mechanism mounted on the body includes a first mounting seat and a second mounting seat. An upright first reflecting mirror is fixed to the first mounting seat. The second mounting seat connected to the first mounting seat fixes a horizontal mask, and is substantially perpendicular to the first mounting seat. The substrate stage, movably mounted on the body and disposed below the second mounting seat, supports a substrate. Thus, a large-area pattern formed by stitching small-area patterns may be obtained.
US08400614B2
In a measurement zone that is spaced apart in a Y-axis direction from an exposure zone that is located immediately below a projection unit, a detection area of an alignment system is moved in the Y-axis direction and a plurality of marks are sequentially detected, and therefore a movement distance of wafer stages in the Y-axis direction when performing the mark detection can be decreased compared with the case where only the wafer stages are moved while fixing the alignment system and mark detection is performed as in the conventional cases. Accordingly, a width of the measurement zone in the Y-axis direction can be reduced, which allows the apparatus to be downsized.
US08400611B2
An apparatus including an original stage that holds an original, a substrate stage that holds a substrate, and a projection optical system that projects a pattern of the original onto the substrate, and being configured to scan and expose the substrate during a period in which the speeds of the original stage and the substrate stage change, comprises a controller configured to correct, a distortion generated in an image transferred onto the substrate due to at least one of deformation of the original stage in response to a change in speed of the original stage and deformation of the substrate stage in response to a change in speed of the substrate stage, based on a correction value determined by an acceleration of the substrate stage.
US08400609B2
A liquid crystal display device and a method of repairing bad pixels thereof, in which the bad pixels can be efficiently and easily repaired, includes a first insulating substrate, a gate wiring and a storage wiring arranged substantially parallel to each other in a first direction on the first insulating substrate, a data wiring intersecting the gate and storage wirings in an insulated manner and arranged substantially in a second direction, and a pixel electrode formed on a pixel area defined by the gate and data wirings. The storage wiring includes a horizontal portion arranged substantially in the first direction and at least a part of which does not overlap the pixel electrode, and a vertical portion branching off substantially in the second direction from the horizontal portion and overlapping the data wiring.
US08400597B2
Each of picture elements (14) has a plurality of alignment regions (R1, R2, R3, and R4), in each of which liquid crystal molecules contained in a liquid crystal layer are aligned in a direction that is different from those in the others of the plurality of alignment regions. Each of a plurality of scanning signal lines (32) and a border region (R11 and R12) between corresponding adjacent ones of the plurality of alignment regions (R1, R2, R3, and R4) at least partially overlap each other when viewed from above.
US08400595B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a pair of substrates, a liquid crystal between substrates and alignment layers disposed on the inner surface sides of the substrates. The alignment layer is made from a material including polyamic acid containing a diamine component and polyimide containing a diamine component different from the diamine component of the polyamic acid. The alignment layer is subjected to alignment treatment by irradiation of light. UV light can be irradiated in the oblique direction onto the alignment layer through a mask having openings. A reflecting plate can be arranged between a UV light source and the mask. Also, bank structures having a thickness from 0.1 to 0.15 μm can be provided on the alignment layer of the TFT substrate.
US08400592B2
A polarizing plate for a liquid crystal display is provided and includes a first protective film, a polarizer, a second protective film and a light diffusion layer in order. The light diffusion layer is a layer including a translucent resin and translucent particles having a refractive index different from a refractive index of the translucent resin. The internal haze of the light diffusion layer is 45% to 80%.
US08400587B2
A liquid crystal display device, in which a plurality of pixels are defined in a matrix form and each pixel includes red, green, blue, and white sub-pixels adjacent to one another vertically and horizontally, is disclosed. The liquid crystal display device includes first, second, and third substrates sequentially stacked from the bottom, a thin-film transistor array formed on the first substrate, a black matrix formed on the second substrate between the first substrate and the second substrate at the boundary of the respective sub-pixels, a color filter layer formed on the second substrate between the first substrate and the second substrate at the respective sub-pixels, and a barrier layer formed on the third substrate over each white sub-pixel. An opening in the white sub-pixel has a smaller size than that of openings in the red, green, and blue sub-pixels. Also, an angle defined between a normal line of the second substrate and a line that connects an edge of the barrier layer with an edge of the black matrix formed below the barrier layer is larger than a value calculated by subtracting 5 degrees from an angle causing the total reflection of light to be passed through the second substrate.
US08400581B2
Disclosed are a backlight unit capable of guiding light generated by LEDs to a light guide panel in order to eliminate brightness fault, as well as a light crystal display including the same. The backlight unit includes a light guide panel, an LED arranged at a lateral side of the light guide panel, and a light guide bar with at least one light diffusion pattern to scatter light generated by the LED and admit the scattered light into the light guide panel, thereby uniformly guiding the light generated by the LED to the light guide panel.
US08400579B2
According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display includes a display module and a backlight module configured to irradiate light on the display module. The backlight module includes a light guide plate, a first light source, a reflective plate, and a second light source. The light guide plate has a light output face at a position corresponding to a first small area on the display module. The first light source is configured to irradiate light toward the light guide plate from a side of the light guide plate in such a manner that the irradiated light reaches the first small area. The reflective plate is facing to the light guide plate, and the reflective plate has a reflective face configured to reflect light toward a second small area different from the first small area. The second light source is configured to irradiate light toward the reflective plate from a side of the reflective plate in such a manner that the irradiated light reaches the second small area.
US08400578B2
An optical film capable of improving luminance of a display unit, in which a viewing angle in the horizontal direction of emitted light of the display unit is wider than a viewing angle in the vertical direction and the emitted light of the display unit has a polarization component in the vertical direction viewable by polarized sunglasses, an illumination system including the same, and a display unit including the same are provided. The optical film includes a plurality of three-dimensional structures extending in one direction and arranged sequentially in a direction crossing the one direction. The three-dimensional structures contain a liquid crystalline polymer having orientation, and have refractive index anisotropy in which refractive index in the extending direction of the three-dimensional structures is smaller than refractive index in the direction crossing the extending direction of the three-dimensional structures.
US08400575B1
A pixel array substrate includes a pixel region and a circuit region adjacent to the pixel region. A plurality of display pixel units are disposed in the pixel region and a plurality of dummy pixel units are disposed in the circuit region. Each of the dummy pixel units includes a data line, a scan line, a plurality of switching elements and a plurality of pixel electrodes. The switching elements are electrically connected to the scan line and data line. The pixel electrodes are electrically connected to the switching elements. Particularly, electrostatic currents in the pixel region can be dissipated by the dummy pixel units in the circuit region. The dummy pixel units preserve the continuity of electricity in the pixel array substrate and function as an inner short ring. Therefore, the area of the circuit region on the pixel array substrate is larger.
US08400571B2
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a casing, a display module, a first receiving portion and a second receiving portion. The casing includes a first inner face and a second inner face. The display module includes a base portion arranged on the first inner face, and a panel laid over the base portion and opposed to the second inner face. The first receiving portion protrudes from the first inner face along a side face of the display module. The first receiving portion is opposed to a side face of the base portion and includes a distal end located away from a side face of the panel in a direction toward the first inner face. The second receiving portion is located more away from the display module than the first receiving portion is. The second receiving portion is opposed to the side face of the panel.
US08400569B2
Presented herein are system(s), method(s), and apparatus for dynamic blanking. In one embodiment, there is presented a method. The method comprises generating blank lines forming a portion of a larger picture if a picture is not available, until the picture is available; and including the picture in the larger picture when the larger picture is available.
US08400559B2
On a drive ring, a first flash lamp cam and a second flash lamp cam are formed. The first flash lamp cam engages with a flash unit to bring the flash unit into an in-use state when an imaging apparatus becomes a imaging state, and to bring the flash unit into a stored state when the imaging apparatus becomes a non-imaging state. If the flash unit is moved from the in-use state to the stored state by a manual operation, when the imaging apparatus is in the imaging state, the second flash lamp cam releases engagement between the flash unit and the first flash lamp cam to engage with the flash unit, and brings the imaging apparatus into the non-imaging state from the imaging state while maintaining the flash unit in the stored state.
US08400558B2
A method of controlling a liquid lens in an imaging device, the liquid lens including a liquid-liquid interface between first and second immiscible liquids deformable by electrowetting; a chamber containing the first and second liquids, the first liquid being an insulating liquid and the second liquid being a conducting liquid; and a first electrode in contact with the second liquid and at least one second electrode insulated from the second liquid by an insulating layer, the first and second electrodes being arranged to allow a plurality of voltages levels to be applied between the first and second electrodes to control the curvature of the liquid-liquid interface, the method including: determining motion data representative of a movement of the imaging device; determining focusing data representative of a desired focus of the imaging device; determining the plurality of voltage levels to be applied between the first and second electrodes, wherein each of the voltage levels is a function of the motion data, the focusing data and at least one parameter relating to the liquid lens and preliminary determined in a calibration phase.
US08400557B2
An apparatus that detects an in-focus state has a plurality of line sensors and an image signal output processor. The plurality of line sensors is arranged on a projection area. The image signal output processor outputs image signals of an object on the basis of electric charges accumulated in the plurality of line sensors. Each line sensor is equipped with a plurality of pairs of photoelectric converters, which are arrayed along the longitudinal direction of the line sensor, and a plurality of image-pixel signal-reading circuits. Each image-pixel signal-reading circuit reads electric charges from a corresponding pair of photoelectric converters. Also, each image-pixel signal-reading circuit has a first circuit that reads electric charges accumulated in one photoelectric converter and a second circuit that reads electric charges accumulated in the other photoelectric converter. Each image-pixel signal-reading circuit is positioned between the corresponding pair of photoelectric converters and segments of the first and second circuits being shared.
US08400553B2
An image pickup lens capable of providing an angle of view of up to 70° or higher is provided. The image pickup lens can also be reduced in size and various aberrations associated with the lens can be corrected favorably, so that the image pickup lens is compatible with a high-pixel image pickup element. The image pickup lens 7 includes, in order from an object side to an image surface side: a first lens 1 that is a biconvex lens having positive power; a second lens 2 that has negative power and whose lens surface facing the image surface side is concave; a third lens 3 that is a meniscus lens having positive power and whose lens surface facing the image surface side is convex; and a fourth lens 4 that has negative power, whose lens surfaces are both aspherical and whose lens surface facing the image surface side is concave near an optical axis. The image pickup lens 7 satisfies the following conditional expressions (1) and (2), where f is the focal length of the overall optical system, Y′ is the maximum image height, and TL is the overall length of the optical system: 1.20
US08400550B2
A camera-equipped electronic device comprises a photographic unit that stores in a storage medium (12) an image obtained by photographing a subject via an imaging unit (14, 15) a non-photographic unit that executes non-photographing processing different from photographing processing executed in the photographic unit and requires electric power greater than the electric power consumed in the photographing processing, a decision-making unit (19) that makes a decision as to whether or not a current state of use is such that if the non-photographic unit is engaged in operation over a predetermined length of time, the remaining capacity in a battery (13) will become depleted to a level equal to or less than a predetermined value and a restricting unit (19) that restricts the use of the non-photographic unit with regard to the consumption of electric power based upon the results of the decision made by the decision-making unit.
US08400543B2
An imaging system comprises an image sensing apparatus including a pixel array, a row selection unit, and a readout unit; and a supply unit including a plurality of A/D converting units, and a transfer unit. The supply unit supplies a power supply voltage to an A/D converting unit which, of the plurality of A/D converting units, receives signals from the pixels in the pixel array by means of the transfer unit, and does not supply a power supply voltage to an A/D converting unit which, of the plurality of A/D converting units, receives no signals from the pixels in the pixel array by means of the transfer unit, in a 1-line period. The readout unit A/D-converts the signals from the pixels in the pixel array using the A/D converting unit supplied with the power supply voltage by the supply unit, and outputs a digital image signal.
US08400536B2
This invention has been made to solve the problem that when a duplicated image is generated by capturing an original image using a digital camera and printing the captured image, lighting unevenness occurs in an image captured under a viewing light source, compared to that under flash light with a predetermined irradiation amount, and accurate color conversion cannot be performed. To solve this problem, pixels exhibiting identical colors are selected from a plurality of positions from the image captured under flash light. The positions of the corresponding pixels are selected from the image captured under the viewing light source. If the color values at the pixel positions differ, the influence of lighting unevenness in the viewing light source exists. Thus, shading correction data for the image captured under a viewing light source is generated so as to remove the shading of the image captured under the viewing light source.
US08400532B2
A digital image capturing device detecting a face in an input image and providing a photographing composition, and a method using the digital image capturing device are provided. An embodiment of the digital image capturing device includes: a face detecting unit for detecting a face in the input image; an extracting unit for extracting tilt information of the detected face and a gaze direction; an establishing unit for establishing a photographing composition according to the tilt information or gaze direction of the face; and a providing unit for providing a change of the photographing composition according to the established photographing composition.
US08400528B2
Provided is an imaging device capable of accurately and rapidly selecting a main image from a plurality of continuously captured images and simplifying handling of image files recorded on a memory card. With one operation, it is possible to capture a plurality of continuous images at a predetermined time interval. A main image is selected from the captured images and the image data on the main image and the image data on sub images other than the main image are recorded as one image file on a recording medium (220).
US08400527B2
An image capture apparatus has an image capture unit to capture an object image, an acquisition unit to acquire a developing parameter for image data captured by the image capture unit, an analysis unit to analyze RAW image data generated by the image capture unit, an image composition unit to compose a plurality of RAW image data generated by the image capture unit and generate composite RAW image data, a composition ratio determination unit to determine a composition ratio for a plurality of developing parameters respectively for development of the plurality of RAW image data acquired by the acquisition unit, a parameter composition unit to compose the plurality of developing parameters and generate one composite developing parameter, and a development unit to develop the composite RAW image data using the composite developing parameter.
US08400525B2
Provided is an image processing apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires location information indicating a photographed point and date/time information indicating a photographed date/time for each of a plurality of images representing image data obtained by photographing; a determination unit that determines whether the photographed point of each image is a main photographed point or a sub-photographed point on the basis of the location information and the date/time information; and a recording unit that, if the photographed point of the image is the main photographed point, records information indicating the location of the main photographed point in association with the image data of the image, and that, if the photographed point of the image is the sub-photographed point, records information indicating the locations of the sub-photographed point and of the main photographed point in association with the image data of the image.
US08400521B2
An electronic camera includes an imager, having an imaging surface capturing a scene, which repeatedly outputs a scene image. An extractor extracts a specific reference image coincident with a partial image outputted from the imager corresponding to a predetermined area allocated to the imaging surface, from among a plurality of reference images. An adjuster executes a process of adjusting an exposure amount by emphasizing the predetermined area in parallel with the extraction process. An identifier identifies a color of an object equivalent to the partial image, corresponding to extracting the specific reference image. A corrector executes a process of correcting a tonality of the scene image with reference to the identified result, in place of the extraction process. A searcher searches for a partial image coincident with the specific reference image from the scene image having the corrected tonality.
US08400520B2
A computer-readable computer program product contains a computer-executable subject tracking program in order to execute frame-to-frame subject tracking for a plurality of frames input in time series. The subject tracking program includes: an estimation procedure estimating a subject position within each frame by executing template matching processing for each of a plurality of partial areas assuming random positions within the frame; an identification procedure identifying a subject position within the frame by executing template matching processing for an estimated subject area containing the subject position having been estimated through the estimation procedure; a subject framing border display procedure displaying a subject framing border at the subject position having been identified through the identification procedure; and a tracking procedure tracking the subject position having been identified through the identification procedure from one frame to another through the plurality of frames.
US08400512B2
The present invention relates to the fields of imaging systems, security screenings, contraband object detection, microwave screening, millimeter wave screening and Terahertz screening. The present invention especially relates to a camera assisted sensor imaging system and a multi aspect imaging system.The camera assisted sensor imaging system according to the present invention comprises an optical and/or infrared camera unit for generating camera image information, a processing and control unit for detecting targets based on the generated camera image information, and a sensor unit adapted to successively scan portions of a detected target and to generate a plurality of corresponding image information parts, whereby the sensor unit is operable in the microwave, millimeter wave and/or Terahertz frequency range, and the processing and control unit is further adapted to construct an image of the target based on the image information parts and based on the generated camera image information.The multi aspect imaging system according to the present invention comprises one or more reflective elements and a sensor section operable in the microwave, millimeter wave and/or Terahertz frequency range. The sensor section is adapted to scan a first and a second aspect of a target, whereby the second aspect is scanned via a reflective element and the second aspect is scanned directly or via another reflective element.
US08400503B2
A method and apparatus are provided for automatic application and monitoring of a structure to be applied onto substrate. A plurality of cameras positioned around an application facility are utilized to monitor the automatic application of a structure on a substrate by means of a stereometry procedure. Three-dimensional recognition of a reference contour position results in the overlapping area to be used for gross adjustment of the application facility prior to applying the structure.
US08400496B2
A method and apparatus for providing optimal correction to depth mapping between captured and displayed stereoscopic content. The solution is derived in a continuous form that can be implemented through CGI scaling techniques compatible with image rendering techniques. Similar correction can be implemented with variable depth-dependent camera separation and disparity re-mapping. The latter is applicable to correcting existing stereoscopic content.
US08400493B2
The subject matter relates to a virtual stereoscopic camera for displaying 3D images. In one implementation, left and right perspectives of a source are captured by image capturing portions. The image capturing portions include an array of image capturing elements that are interspersed with an array of display elements in a display area. The image capturing elements are confined within limited portions of the display area and are separated by an offset distance. The captured left and right perspectives are synthesized so as to generate an image that is capable of being viewed in 3D.
US08400488B2
An optical scanning apparatus capable of properly correcting a main scanning scale factor. Upstream and downstream laser-light detection sensors of the optical scanning apparatus each generate a signal when first or second light beam passes through each of slits formed in the sensors. Based on signals, a scanning time required for each light beam to scan between the sensors is measured. A correction coefficient is decided by a correction value calculation unit based on a difference between wavelengths of the first and second light beams, a scanning time difference is calculated by a comparison unit based on the correction coefficient and scanning times of the light beams, and the downstream laser-light detection sensor is rotated by a sensor rotation drive unit to make the scanning time difference zero, whereby the slits are made parallel to each other.
US08400473B2
A method for image processing includes receiving in a computerized image processor a source image having a source size and a definition of a target size that is different from the source size, and defining a plurality of different sequences of two or more different image retargeting operations that when applied to the source image, generates respective target images of the target size. The different sequences are automatically tested, using the image processor, by measuring respective similarities of the respective target images to the source image. One of the sequences is selected responsively to the similarities, and the selected one of the sequences is applied to the source image, using the image processor, in order to generate a target image.
US08400472B2
A method of deforming a geometric object. The method comprises providing a data segment representing a geometric object, defining a contour enclosing the geometric object in the data segment, calculating a plurality of barycentric coordinates having a plurality of complex coefficients according to the enclosing contour, receiving user input to manipulate the enclosing contour to a target contour, and using the plurality of barycentric coordinates according to the target contour for mapping the geometric object to a target geometric object.
US08400471B2
Technologies are generally described for interpretation of constrained objects in augmented reality. An example system may comprise a processor, a memory arranged in communication with the processor, and a display arranged in communication with the processor. An example system may further comprise a sensor arranged in communication with the processor. The sensor may be effective to detect measurement data regarding a constrained object. The sensor may be configured to send the measurement data to the processor. The processor may be effective to receive the measurement data, determine a model for the object, and process the measurement data to produce weighted measurement data. The processor may also be effective to apply a filter to the model and to the weighted measurement data to produce position information regarding the object, which may be utilized to generate an image based on the position information. The display may be effective to display the image.
US08400455B2
A method for use in animation includes establishing an influence primitive, associating the influence primitive with a model having a plurality of model points, and for each of the plurality of model points on the model, determining an offset primitive that passes through the model point. Another method includes deforming the model, and determining a deformed position of each of the plurality of model points by using a separate offset primitive for each model point. A computer readable storage medium stores a computer program adapted to cause a processor based system to execute one or more the above steps.
US08400447B1
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for partitioning a scene with discrete oriented planes. In one embodiment, a scene comprising a plurality of objects may be partitioned into a plurality of sub-regions. The sub-regions may be divided by a plurality of planes having orientations selected from a discrete set of orientations comprising at least one orientation that is not the x axis, y axis, or z axis and is at a nonzero angle with respect to the x, y, or z axes. The partitioned scene may be stored in a binary tree comprising a plurality of nodes. Each node may correspond to a sub-region. In one embodiment, a ray tracing query may be solved for a particular ray. In solving the ray tracing query, the tree may be traversed to identify a first object of the plurality of objects intersected by the ray.
US08400439B2
An integrated circuit device includes: a data line driving circuit provided for each of a plurality of data signal supply lines that supplies a multiplexed data signal to a corresponding data signal supply line; an order offset register that stores a first order offset setting value; an order setting circuit that sets the order of driving the first pixel; and an order offset addition circuit corresponding to the data line driving circuit. When the data line driving circuit drives the q-th (q is a natural number less than p) pixel in the r-th (r is a natural number less than p) place in the order, the order offset addition circuit processes addition of an order offset correction value based on the r-th order offset setting value among the first order offset setting value.
US08400438B2
A display apparatus includes a display panel on which a pad part is formed, a driving chip including bumps making contact with the pad part, and a non-conductive adhesive film disposed between the display panel and the driving chip attaching the driving chip to the pad part. Each of the bumps includes a step-difference portion including a non-conductive elastic polymer and a bump line formed on the step-difference portion. The bump line is provided with a fine pattern through which a portion of the step-difference portion is exposed, and the bump line makes contact with the pad part. Accordingly, the reliability of the electrical connection between the driving chip and the display panel may be increased.
US08400434B2
Provided is an information processing apparatus including a display control unit and an output unit. The display control unit displays image data of an operation unit including a rotary operation dial, and displays while rotating, according to a designated target volume value, the operation dial from a rotation angle position corresponding to a current volume value to a rotation angle position corresponding to the target volume value based on at least one of a predetermined speed and a predetermined acceleration speed. The output unit outputs a volume value corresponding to the rotation angle position of the operation dial displayed by the display control unit.
US08400433B2
An improved hand held electronic device and an associated method provide facilitated telephone dialing by providing audible sound tags in the form of spoken words representative of numbers that can be selected by a user for dialing. The handheld electronic device includes an input apparatus that can generate a plurality of navigational inputs and at least a first selecting input. The input apparatus may include a rotatable dial, the rotation of which provides navigational inputs, and the dial may be translatable, with the translation generating a selecting input. When a processor of the handheld electronic device detects one of the navigational inputs, the handheld electronic device outputs an audible sound in the form of a spoken word of the digit that corresponds with that navigational input.
US08400426B2
Capacitive touchpad assemblies, toys including capacitive touchpad assemblies and integral card readers, and methods for detecting contact with a capacitive touch surface are provided. A capacitive touch surface may have a capacity that varies depending on whether it is being contacted by an object such as a human finger. A voltage of the capacitive touch surface may be altered during each of a predetermined number of recurring time intervals. The capacitance of the capacitive touch surface will determine the amount of time required to alter its voltage to a threshold voltage within each time interval. The sum amount of time required for the voltage of the capacitive touch surface to reach the threshold voltage in a predetermined number of time intervals may be used to determine whether the capacitive touch surface is being touched.
US08400425B2
A method and device for analyzing positions are disclosed. In sensing information, at least one position is determined according to a first characteristic of a touch related sensing information. The sensing information also has a touch related sensing information with a second characteristic, which is opposite to the first characteristic. The touch related sensing information with the second characteristic is neglected or filtered. In addition, another method and device for analyzing positions are disclosed. An AC signal is provided through a pen, and a first characteristic of a touch related sensing information corresponding to a finger is opposite to the second characteristic of the touch related sensing information corresponding to the pen. The first characteristic and the second characteristic can be used to distinguish the touch of the finger from the touch of the pen or for palm rejection.
US08400424B2
A method and device for analyzing positions are disclosed. In sensing information, at least one position is determined according to a first characteristic of a touch related sensing information. The sensing information also has a touch related sensing information with a second characteristic, which is opposite to the first characteristic. The touch related sensing information with the second characteristic is neglected or filtered. In addition, another method and device for analyzing positions are disclosed. An AC signal is provided through a pen, and a first characteristic of a touch related sensing information corresponding to a finger is opposite to the second characteristic of the touch related sensing information corresponding to the pen. The first characteristic and the second characteristic can be used to distinguish the touch of the finger from the touch of the pen or for palm rejection.
US08400422B2
A method and device for analyzing positions are disclosed. In sensing information, at least one position is determined according to a first characteristic of a touch related sensing information. The sensing information also has a touch related sensing information with a second characteristic, which is opposite to the first characteristic. The touch related sensing information with the second characteristic is neglected or filtered. In addition, another method and device for analyzing positions are disclosed. An AC signal is provided through a pen, and a first characteristic of a touch related sensing information corresponding to a finger is opposite to the second characteristic of the touch related sensing information corresponding to the pen. The first characteristic and the second characteristic can be used to distinguish the touch of the finger from the touch of the pen or for palm rejection.
US08400419B2
A touch screen can be used in a communication device having a transceiver that communicates radio frequency (RF) signals. The communication device includes an antenna and a programmable antenna interface that couples the antenna to the transceiver. The touch screen includes a display layer for displaying information. An inductor grid includes a plurality of inductive elements. A switch matrix selects an inductive element in response to a selection signal in a first mode of operation, and couples together a group of inductive elements in a second mode of operation. A dual mode driver generates the selection signal and, in the first mode of operation, drives the selected inductive element to detect a touch object in proximity to the selected inductive elements and that generates touch screen data in response thereto. In a second mode of operation, the dual mode driver couples the group of inductive elements to the programmable antenna interface.
US08400416B2
Track compensation methods and systems for touch-sensitive input devices are provided. First, a track corresponding to an input tool on a touch-sensitive device of an electronic device is detected. At least one motion attitude information corresponding to the touch-sensitive device is obtained. Then, the track is compensated for according to the at least one motion attitude information corresponding to the touch-sensitive device.
US08400415B2
An interactive input system comprises at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a region of interest. At least one radiation source emits radiation into the region of interest. A pliable bezel at least partially surrounds the region of interest. The pliable bezel has a reflective surface in the field of view of said at least one imaging device.
US08400410B2
Ferromagnetic user interfaces are described. In embodiments, user interface devices are described that can detect the location of movement on a user-touchable portion by sensing movement of a ferromagnetic material. In some embodiments sensors are arranged in a two dimensional array, and the user interface device can determine the location of the movement in a plane substantially parallel to the two-dimensional array and the acceleration of movement substantially perpendicular to the two-dimensional array. In other embodiments, user interface devices are described that can cause a raised surface region to be formed on a ferrofluid layer of a user-touchable portion, which is detectable by the touch of a user. Embodiments describe how the raised surface region can be moved on the ferrofluid layer. Embodiments also describe how the raised surface region can be caused to vibrate.
US08400403B2
A key input apparatus for a portable apparatus includes a display unit that displays a key selected by a user input. The apparatus includes a light sensor comprising a plurality of light emitting elements and a plurality of light receiving elements. The respective light emitting elements generate first light signals upward at a predetermined angle from a direction in which the light emitting elements face the light receiving elements. The apparatus also includes input detection unit that detects the light receiving elements that receive the first light signals, and detects a user's space input position using the light receiving elements that receive the first light signals if the light receiving elements that receive the first light signals are detected.
