US08607045B2

In a system comprising a transient storage device (TSD) or other type of peripheral configured for communication with a host device, a first one-time password or other type of code is generated in the peripheral and transmitted to the host device. The first code is presented by the host device to an authentication server for authentication. The host device receives a second one-time password or other type of code from the authentication server and transmits it to the peripheral for authentication.
US08607042B2

An e-mail firewall applies policies to messages between a first site and a plurality of second sites in accordance with administrator selectable policies. The firewall includes an SMTP relay and policy managers to enforce administrator selectable policies, such as encryption and decryption policies, a source/destination policy, a content policy and a first virus policy. Some policies are characterized by administrator selectable criteria, administrator selectable exceptions to the criteria and administrator selectable actions associated with the criteria and exceptions. Policy managers can include an access manager for restricting transmission of messages between the first and second sites in accordance with the source/destination policy, a content manager for restricting transmission of messages between the first and second sites in accordance with the content policy, and a virus manager for restricting transmission of messages between the first and second sites in accordance with the virus policy.
US08607039B2

A mechanism is provided for isolation of device namespace to allow duplicate or common names in root volume group workload partitions. The mechanism creates a scratch file system that contains enough information to create an execution environment for a workload partition and information about which physical volumes to use for the root volume group file systems. The mechanism then populates the root file systems on a disk in the global space. The mechanism boots the workload partition from the scratch file system and configures the devices to be exported to the workload partition based information in the scratch file system. The mechanism then renames the logical volume names to the traditional names. The mechanism then temporarily mounts the root volume group file system onto the scratch file system.
US08607038B2

A method and apparatus for downloading content to a large-capacity internal memory in a portable terminal are provided. The method includes performing a booting process of the portable terminal at the occurrence of a booting event, examining whether a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port is enabled during the booting process, if the USB port is enabled, receiving data through the USB port before driver loading, and storing the received data into the large-capacity internal memory and performing the booting process.
US08607019B2

A memory compiler to generate a set of memories is based on a subtraction approach from a set of templates (memory templates), including at least one layout database and auxiliary design databases, by software. The software can be based on general-purpose programming language or a layout-specific language. The compiled memories can be generated by reducing the memory array sizes in row and/or column directions by moving, deleting, adding, sizing, or stretching the layout objects, and disabling the high order addresses, etc. from the memory template by software. The new auxiliary design databases, such as layout phantom, behavior model, synthesis view, placement-and-routing view or datasheet, can also be generated by modifying some parameters from the memory template by software. One-time programmable memory using junction diode, polysilicon diode, or isolated active-region diode as program selector in a cell can be generated accordingly.
US08607018B2

A computer software execution system may have a configurable memory allocation and management system. A configuration file or other definition may be created by analyzing a running application and determining an optimized set of settings for the application on the fly. The settings may include memory allocated to individual processes, memory allocation and deallocation schemes, garbage collection policies, and other settings. The optimization analysis may be performed offline from the execution system. The execution environment may capture processes during creation, then allocate memory and configure memory management settings for each individual process.
US08607017B2

A technique for routing data for deduplication in a storage server cluster includes computing, for each node in the cluster, a value collectively representative of the data stored on the node, such as a “geometric center” of the node. New or modified data is routed to the node which has stored data identical or most similar to the new or modified data, as determined based on those values. Each node stores a plurality of chunks of data, where each chunk includes multiple deduplication segments. A content hash is computed for each deduplication segment in each node, and a similarity hash is computed for each chunk from the content hashes of all segments in the chunk. A geometric center of a node is computed from the similarity hashes of the chunks stored in the node.
US08607013B2

A virtual-machine-based system provides a mechanism for a virtual machine monitor (VMM) to process a hypercall received from an application running in the virtual machine (VM). A hypercall interface causes the virtual memory pages, needed by the VMM to process the hypercall, to be available to the VMM. In one embodiment, when virtual memory pages needed by the VMM to process the hypercall are not available to the VMM, the application is caused to access the needed pages, in response to which the required virtual memory becomes available to the VMM.
US08607006B2

Interconnect circuitry is configured to provide data routes via which at least one initiator device may access at least one recipient device. The circuitry including: at least one input for receiving transaction requests from at least one initiator device; at least one output for outputting transaction requests to the at least one recipient device; and at least one path for transmitting transaction requests between at least one input and at least one output. Also includes is control circuitry for routing the received transaction requests from at least one input to at least one output and responds to a barrier transaction request to maintain an ordering of at least some transaction requests with respect to said barrier transaction request within a stream of transaction requests passing along one of said at least one paths. Barrier transaction requests include an indicator of transaction requests whose ordering is to be maintained.
US08606997B2

The present invention is directed to a system managing data in a multilevel cache memory system. Certain cache data is designated and stored only in particular levels of the multilevel cache, bypassing other levels of the multilevel cache. In a multiprocessor environment, the present invention includes cache coherency operations or messages that pertain to data stored only in certain levels of a multilevel cache.
US08606985B2

The controlled device includes: an external terminal; a memory; a processor for controlling the memory according to a control signal received via the external terminal; a plurality of buses forming a first transmission path connecting the external terminal and the memory via the processor, and a second transmission path connecting the external terminal and the memory directly by bypassing the processor; and a switching unit for switching a transmission state to either a first transmission state in which one or more of the buses forming the first transmission path are caused to transmit the control signal from the external terminal to the processor according to a first protocol, or a second transmission state in which one or more of the buses forming the second transmission path are caused to transmit data directly between the external terminal and the memory according to a second protocol capable of transmitting data at a higher rate than the first protocol.
US08606963B2

The invention relates to a method performed by a home agent serving a mobile node in a home network upon attachment of a mobile node to the home network as well as to the home agent. The invention also relates to a method for enabling simultaneous use of a plurality of interfaces by a mobile node being attached to a home network through one of the plurality of interfaces and to at least one foreign network through at least another interface of the plurality of interfaces. Moreover, the invention provides a mobile node and a proxy acting on behalf of the mobile node. To enable a mobile node to use a home network and at least one foreign network for communications the invention suggests the registration of the mobile node's home address or of a network node's address within its home network as a care-of address in the home network.
US08606962B2

A method of operating a signalling gateway in a decoupled mode of operation for routing signalling messages between an SS7 and an IP-based network is provided. Further, the invention relates to a method of processing a connection oriented signalling message at an application server process, wherein the message is exchanged via a signalling gateway between an SS7 network node and the application server process. The application server process serves at least one application server in an IP-based network. The invention further provides a signalling gateway for routing signalling messages between an SS7 network and an IP-based network and an application server comprising an application server process for processing signalling messages, in particular connection oriented messages.
US08606961B2

A network node of a telecommunications network controlled by a link-state protocol includes a network interface which receives a message that contains information on a change in topology of the network. The node includes a processing unit that blocks forwarding of traffic to at least one neighbor node of the network at the network interface, agrees on the change in topology with the neighbor node; and unblocks the forwarding of traffic when the neighbor node has information about the topology which is the same as the information about the topology in a memory. A transient loop prevention method of a network node of a network having a plurality of a network nodes controlled by a link-state protocol includes the steps of receiving a message at a network interface which contains information on a change in topology of the network. There is the step of blocking forwarding of traffic to each neighbor node of the network at the network interface by a processing unit. There is the step of agreeing by the processing unit on the change in topology with the neighbor node. There is the step of unblocking the forwarding of traffic when the neighbor node has information about the topology which is the same as the information about the topology stored in a memory.
US08606950B2

A multimedia data processing system and method which transparently processes video and/or audio streams in real-time. The operation of a system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention does not require any intervention from, or involvement of, either the producer of the video and/or audio stream, or the client application. With such a transparent solution, video and/or audio streams can be processed seamlessly, and completely independently of the specific client application that the user chooses to use. In one embodiment, the invention uses an external service to monitor new processes and add code to these processes. The invention inserts into the system by hot-patching the software in memory and by only looking at select service calls.
US08606942B2

A system and method are described for intelligently allocating client requests to server centers provide real-time streaming interactive video. For example, one embodiment of a computer-implemented method comprises: strategically positioning a plurality of application server centers at different geographical locations; receiving a request from a client to execute an online application; determining the latency requirements based on the type of application requested by the client; and forwarding the client request to a particular application server center within the plurality based at least on the latency requirements of the requested application.
US08606937B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide an information providing method, a home gateway, and a home network system. The method includes: obtaining an IPv6 address or an IPv6 prefix of a client and a service type of the client; establishing a mapping between the IPv6 address or the IPv6 prefix of the client and the service type of the client; sending the mapping between the IPv6 address or the IPv6 prefix of the client and the service type of the client to a Broadband Remote Access Server (BRAS), so that the BRAS dispatches and manages a service of the client according to the mapping between the IPv6 address or the IPv6 prefix of the client and the service type of the client.
US08606936B2

To implement a calling party number anonymous service in an IP telephone service. An IP telephone terminal adds the setting of requesting a Pool IP address along with a normal IP address to a REGISTER message directed from the IP telephone terminal to an SIP server and requests the assignment of a temporary IP address if receiving an anonymous call incoming request message. The SIP server makes the temporary assignment of the Pool IP address and notifies the temporary IP address to a called party IP telephone terminal by adding it to an INVITE message, if the called IP address of the anonymous call incoming request INVITE message is the IP telephone terminal. The called IP telephone terminal receiving the assignment of the temporary IP address can make the connection, communication and disconnection processes employing the temporary IP address as the self IP address in the following dialog.
US08606921B2

A device may receive a packet, determine a content identifier of the packet, identify a first processing device that has processed part of content associated with the content identifier, send the packet to the first processing device when the first processing device is identified, select a second processing device among a plurality of processing devices when the first processing device is not identified, and send the packet to the second processing device.
US08606920B1

Technologies are described herein for providing notifications of computing resource availability for on-demand allocation. A resource request is received from a requesting application indicating the type, size, number, and other parameters of the computing resources desired. Upon determining that the requested computing resources are not immediately available, suitable alternative resources are determined based on the parameters of the requested resources. The availability of computing resources at the service provider is monitored, and when the requested resources or suitable alternatives become available, the requesting application is sent one or more resource availability notifications describing the available resources. The requesting application may then allocate the available resources from the service provider on-demand.
US08606918B2

The present invention provides a method for resource allocation, a base station and a mobile communication terminal. The method includes: setting a persistent radio resource set and a complementary resource set pre-allocated to a terminal; determining a radio resource to be used according to the size of a packet to be transmitted by the terminal or the base station. According to one embodiment of the present invention, when a whole packet cannot be transmitted by using the pre-allocated persistent resource, the complementary resource can be allocated to the terminal so that the packet doesn't need to be divided, time delay is reduced, physical layer control information is decreased and the number of accommodated terminal users is increased. The present invention is applicable to any service in which packets arrive periodically, such as VoIP service and real-time service.
US08606914B2

This invention concerns a computer communication method using asynchronous messages in a distributed software architecture, for example of type AAA-MOM (Agent Anytime Anywhere - Messages Oriented Middleware), including a disconnectable platform such as a smartcard. This communication is carried out between firstly a card agent (CA), stored in a removable platform (31, 32), connectable to a terminal (21, 22), and secondly at least one standard software agent (AS). This standard agent can be stored in this computer network (1), in another renmovable platform. A message sent by the card agent (CA) to a standard agent (AS) or sent by a standard agent AS) to the card agent (CA), is stored in the network by at least one intermediate agent (CEPA,CAPA) managing the communications of this card agent (CA) with network (1).
US08606910B2

Methods, systems and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for receiving, at a global server system, from each of a plurality of local network devices, network data specifying network communication activity at the local network device, wherein the plurality of local network devices collectively provide backbone communications facilities for multiple networks; aggregating, at the global server system, the network data from each of the local network devices; analyzing, at the global server system, the aggregated network data to identify network activities; generating, at the global server system, update data based on the analysis of the aggregated network data, the update data including instructions for the local network devices for processing network communications to or from the local network devices; and transmitting from the global server system the update data to the local network devices.
US08606907B1

Configurations of a multi-tiered system for receiving and reporting web site traffic data with low latency are described. The multi-tiered system can include a tier of collecting servers for receiving incoming event tracking data communications (e.g., HTTP requests for logging web page requests at corresponding web sites). A collecting server receiving an incoming communication determines a particular logging server in a lower tier to route the incoming communication. Upon receiving the incoming communication, the logging server processes the communication by 1) logging the communication to persistent storage, and 2) routing the communication to i) a tier of long-term storage servers and ii) a tier of short term storage and low-latency servers (i.e., real-time servers) for aggregating and reporting web site traffic data. Each real-time server can be configured to aggregate the web site tracking data for reporting to a publisher with low latency.
US08606898B1

Real routable external addresses may be pooled rather than assigned to nodes and may be dynamically bound to connections by a proxy or gateway device in ways that spread apparent identity of individual nodes across multiple of the external addresses. In general, these spread identity techniques may be employed at one end or the other of a connection, as well as at both ends. In a typical double-ended configuration, the architecture and associated techniques provide “double-blindfolding,” wherein true identities (addresses) of communicating peers are always hidden from each other. In some double-ended configurations, dynamic binding may be employed at a fine level of granularity, for instance allowing individual packets associated with given connection to bear different apparent source addresses and/or different apparent destination addresses. In some single-ended configurations, a spread identity proxy is interposed between an information server and a plurality of requestors. The proxy redirects individual inbound connection requests for information from the information server to distinct addresses of a pool and establishes corresponding network address translations thereby dynamically spreading identity of the information server across multiple distinct addresses of the pool.
US08606893B2

In scenarios where service requirements are negotiated through a signalling layer whereas the services are carried out through a bearer layer, control rules are created at a control server logically interposed between the signalling and bearer layers. These control rules are based on service requirements received from an entity in the signalling layer, and are installed in an entity in the bearer layer for a bearer established therein. However, not all the service requirements negotiated through the signalling layer can be supported at the bearer layer by any user's equipment. The invention provides for a method and devices whereby the control server can create control rules based on the service requirements received from the signalling layer and also based on capabilities of the user's equipment currently used by the user, and whereby the control rules are installed for a currently established bearer or for a new subsequent bearer further established, depending on these control rules.
US08606888B2

A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided for enabling assignment of a common network address to multiple network interfaces of a computing device attached to a network domain. An apparatus (302) may include a processor (310) configured to send a message to a mobility access gateway (306) comprising a request that a mobile host device (302) be assigned a common network address for simultaneous use on multiple network interfaces of the mobile host device through which the mobile host device is attached to the network domain. The processor may be further configured to receive a message comprising network address information from the mobility access gateway indicating that the mobile host device has been assigned a common network address for simultaneous use on multiple network interfaces of the mobile host device through which the mobile host device is attached to the network domain. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided.
US08606884B2

A method for facilitating users to provide web content to the public from computers connected to a public network through a Network Address Translation (NAT) gateway. The system includes a rendezvous server to provide NAT traversal to enable direct connections between client computers and host computers behind a NAT gateway by receiving data relating to host computers; determining whether NAT gateways associated with host computers are traversable; receiving requests from client computers to access the host computers; determining open ports of the NAT gateways; and transmitting data to the client computers such that the client computers are able to initiate direct connections with the host computers. A computer program product for implementing the aforementioned method includes appropriately communicatively connected hardware components.
US08606883B2

There is provided an IP broadcast receiver apparatus capable of, even when the input of a stream is delayed, determining whether a stream is to be inputted later and displaying a picture when a stream is inputted. When the content providing side makes a request to set a streamstatus attribute to “play” in a display using BML, the IP broadcast receiver apparatus determines whether channel information has been acquired from an IP broadcast server. The IP broadcast receiver apparatus sets the streamstatus attribute to “play” if channel information has been acquired from the IP broadcast server and sets the streamstatus attribute to “stop” if channel information has not been acquired from the IP broadcast server.
US08606882B2

Provided is a communication terminal which can be connected to a plurality of types of network and switching to a network appropriate for a content to be handled can be performed without forcing a user to perform the switching to a connection destination. It is also possible to provide a communication method using the communication terminal, a program, and a recording medium. The communication terminal transmits a content transmission request to an external server and receives a response to the content transmission request from the external server. The communication terminal extracts content information from the received response, selects at least one network in accordance with the extracted content information, and makes a connection to the selected network.
US08606880B2

Adapting web-based external storage, wireless device can posses huge amount of storage that current any wireless device's internal storage can not provide. To effectively let the storage server providing external storage (file system) for wireless device, the storage of a storage server need to be partitioned into multiple small storage volume and need to be exported to each specific wireless device. The console support software coupled with web-server software of a server provides both users of wireless device and console through web-browser to perform tasks of creating and utilizing external storage (file system). To support larger number of wireless devices with external storage, a central controlled distributed scalable virtual machine infrastructure can be deployed. The larger number of storage server controlled by a central control system can satisfy unlimited wireless devices external storage needs.
US08606876B2

A more efficient and user pleasant delivery of web content is realized for the transmission of markup language based files that include multipart information. Knowing that a receiving device maintains a cache of previously received objects, a markup language file is parsed to identify multipart objects prior to transmission. A cache simulator is established for each particular connection and is used to simulate the contents of the destination cache. Upon identifying a multipart object in a markup language file that is stored in the cache simulator, the object is filtered out of the file prior to transmission. The destination can pull this information from its local cache. Thus, the amount of information transmitted is reduced.
US08606870B2

A method, system and graphical user interface for a chat system is disclosed. One aspect of certain embodiments includes sending target messages to users based on the respective selection and filtering criteria selected by the respective users instead of having users enter topic specific rooms.
US08606869B2

Some embodiments provide a communication tool that directly sends messages to accounts of different entities across different social media sites by automatically identifying and associating the accounts of the entities when the entities are referenced in the contents of the messages. Such identification and association is performed without the message originator manually specifying the accounts as intended recipients for the messages. The communication tool also automatically sends messages to different social media accounts of the message originator. The communication tool also blasts messages to an information aggregator that aggregates messages to develop a database from which the messages that target a particular entity can be presented irrespective of whether the particular entity has registered an account with any social media site, irrespective of which social media site the messages are originally destined for, and irrespective of whether a recipient is explicitly specified for the messages by the message originator.
US08606868B2

Systems and methods herein monitor the ability of an electronic mail (e-mail) computer server to send and receive e-mail messages to and from e-mail clients of the e-mail computer server. The e-mail computer server provides, to the e-mail clients, updates regarding the ability to send and receive e-mail messages. When the e-mail clients determine that the e-mail computer server is unable to send the e-mail messages, the e-mail clients activate a special software program of instructions. When the program of instructions is active and the e-mail clients then receive an e-mail message from the e-mail computer server, the program of instructions causes those e-mail clients who have received an e-mail message to provide an indication of e-mail receipt to the e-mail computer server. When the e-mail computer server receives this indication of e-mail receipt from the e-mail clients, the e-mail computer server can provide an update to the other e-mail clients that e-mail can now be sent.
US08606848B2

Methods and systems for generating and sharing media clips are described. Consistent with some embodiments, while a selection of digital media content (e.g., a movie, television program, audio track, and so on) is being presented at a media player, a user creates one or more sets of waypoints (e.g., time markers) that define the boundaries (e.g., beginning and end) of one or more media clips. These waypoints are communicated from one media player device to another, enabling the receiving media player device to retrieve and play back the media clips from a source other than the media player device where the waypoints were generated.
US08606842B2

Provided are N-digit addition and subtraction units and N-digit addition and subtraction modules in which borrowing and carrying are not propagated in modules having basic digits. In the units and modules, an output pattern of results of addition and subtraction is predicted based on a relation between an augend and an addend and a relation between a minuend and a subtrahend, respectively, thereby preventing borrowing and carrying from being propagated in modules having basic digits.
US08606830B2

Disclosed is a method for creating and reading a contiguous file in an extensible file system. During the creation of a file on the storage media, the file system format check the bitmap to determine if there are areas of free space on the media that would permit the storage of the file in a contiguous manner. By storing the file in a contiguous manner the file may later be read without resorting to the file allocation table, because the file itself would not be fragmented on the storage media. Once an area of free space has been identified, the file is written to the media in a contiguous manner. Further, an associated entry for the file in the directory entry is updated or created to indicate that the file is a contiguous file and also provides basic parameters necessary to read the file without resorting to accessing the file allocation table.
US08606825B1

Configurations for creating a customized query for aggregating the web site tracking data in order to provide a new query response stream for a real-time presentation of the web site tracking data are disclosed. The subject technology provides publisher-defined queries to existing queries that are applied to real-time analytics data. In some configurations, a new aggregation table is created according to the customized query. As incoming event tracking data communications are received, the event tracking data from the communications is continuously segmented and updated into the new aggregation table according to the customized query. The event tracking data from the new aggregation table is then pushed or delivered to a front-end client for presentation.
US08606815B2

Systems and methods for systematically analyzing an electronic text are described. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving the electronic text from a plurality of sources. The method also includes determining an at least one term of interest to be identified in the electronic text. The method further includes identifying a plurality of locations within the electronic text including the at least one term of interest. The method also includes for each location within a plurality of locations, creating a snippet from a text segment around the at least one term of interest at the location within the electronic text. The method further includes creating multiple taxonomies for the at least one term of interest from the snippets, wherein the taxonomies include an at least one category. The method also includes determining co-occurrences between the multiple taxonomies to determine associations between categories of a different taxonomies of the multiple taxonomies.
US08606804B2

A programming model for a query service (e.g., web) that supports defining query builders which are bound dynamically at runtime to parameter values. Moreover, the programming model can be used to customize the query execution, for example, by adding pre-processing, post-processing, or dynamic binding to queries (e.g., selecting the query to be executed dynamically at runtime). As a consequence, generalized and parameterized queries can be used (with different runtime values for parameters) in different scenarios.
US08606803B2

Data stored in relational databases can be retrieved using a relational database query language, while data stored in a multidimensional database is typically retrieved using a multidimensional database query language. However, most users do not have a functional working knowledge of multidimensional database query languages, which leaves large amounts of data inaccessible. Further, while some relational database query languages may be translated into a multidimensional database language, the information generated by such translations is often unusable, or returns large numbers of errors. In order to obtain effective translation of a relational database query language to a multidimensional database query language effective translation and filtering needs to occur. Using effective mapping and retrieval of database metadata along with effective, customizable business logic filtering of query components, more effective and reliable results may be achieved.
US08606798B2

A method and system for processing raw address data using a computer device coupled to a database are provided. The method includes receiving, at the computer device, raw data from a first party, the raw data including a raw street address. The method includes formatting the raw street address using the computer device and separating the formatted street address into at least one token using the computer device wherein each token includes one or more characters indicating a portion of the raw street address. The method further includes creating a standardized street address from the at least one token based on one or more conditions, wherein the one or more conditions facilitate determining at least one of inclusion, exclusion, and position of the at least one token in the standardized street address.
US08606797B2

There is provided an information processing apparatus including a storage unit where function attribute information, user operation information, and recommendation degree information are recorded to be associated with one another, the attribute information indicating an attribute about a function of a predetermined device, the operation information indicating content of a predetermined user operation input to the device, and the degree information indicating a recommendation degree which serves as a reference for outputting, on a priority basis, display for recommending use of the function to a display apparatus, a recommendation degree information updating unit that updates, when a predetermined user operation is input, the degree information to increase the degree associated with function attribute information, and a recommended function determining unit that determines, based on the degree information recorded in the unit, a function with a highest degree as a recommended function.
US08606793B1

A system and method for generating a business metric score for a web page. The system may include a effective to receive from a user a web page, a keyword and a business metric factor. The processor may receive a search engine rank based on the web page and the keyword received from the user. The processor may apply a business metric function to the business metric factor received from the user to generate a business metric rank; and combine the search engine rank and the business metric rank to generate a business metric score.
US08606791B2

A method of resizing a concurrently accessed hash table is disclosed. The method includes acquiring the locks in the hash table. The hash table, in a first state, is dynamically reconfigured in size into a second state. Additionally, the amount of locks is dynamically adjusted based on comparing the size of the hash table in the second state to the size of the hash table in the second state.
US08606790B2

More efficient querying of a multi-tenant database using dynamic tuning of database indices. A layer of meta-data associates data items with tenants, e.g., via tags, and the meta-data is used to optimize searches by channeling processing resources during a query to only those pieces of data bearing the relevant tenant's unique tag.
US08606789B2

A method and a system are disclosed for querying a document collection based on the layout of only a fragment of the content of a document, specified as a query zone. The method includes providing an index for a collection of documents. In the index, content of a document page in the collection that has been decomposed into layout blocks is indexed according to representations of the blocks and one or more geometric relations between the blocks. A query is generated which is based on representations of blocks determined to be within the query zone and geometric relations between them. This is used to query the index to retrieve pages of documents in the collection which can each be expected to include a layout zone somewhere in the page that is similar in layout to the query zone.
US08606788B2

A plurality of items included in a catalog may be obtained, each item associated with an item category. Brand indicators may be obtained, each brand indicator associated with the item category. Brand indicators associated with each of the items may be determined, and the each item may be assigned to a partition group associated with the brand indicator that is associated with the each item. Correlated string tokens that are correlated, greater than a predetermined correlation threshold value, with the brand indicator associated with the partition group that is associated with the each one of the items, the correlated string tokens associated with the each one of the plurality of items, may be determined. A dictionary hierarchy may be generated based on the one or more correlated string tokens.
US08606785B2

An apparatus and method for recording activities of an avatar in a virtual world by means of a computer including: means for dividing the virtual world into a plurality of blocks each provided with a unique ID; means for recording a movement history in a storage area of the computer, the movement history including the ID of each block which an avatar acting in the virtual world enters and a time point at which the avatar enters the block; means for deleting the movement history between the first and the last blocks of a plurality of blocks which the avatar enters if the plurality of blocks are continuous in a straight line in one direction; and activity record DB recording means for recording, as an activity dataset in an activity record DB, an event content, the movement history and a repetition count of an event.
US08606784B2

A system for recruiting and rating sports players can include a processor in communication with a data storage, network, and plurality of client devices. A library of league information can be stored in the data storage. The system can form a user interface on the client devices. The system can transmit messages to coaches at schools to request ratings, ability levels, and comments for sports players, which can be averaged. The system can present a recruiter profile in the user interface to college recruiters via the client devices. The recruiter profile can include a search portion to allow for searching of sports players by criteria, a league coaches rating portion for listing coaches associated with a selected sports player, and coach contact information and sports player contact information to allow the college recruiters to contact the coaches, sports players, or combinations thereof to request information or initiate recruitment.
US08606783B2

Methods and systems for providing related video files in a video file storage system are disclosed. One method includes identifying a plurality of video files within the video file storage system, wherein the plurality of video files each have a relationship with the first file, and each video file includes a video and associated information. The method further includes generating, by a system server, a list of inquiries based on the plurality of video files, providing, by the system server, the list of inquiries to at least one creator of the first file, receiving from the at least one creator at least one response to the list of inquiries, selecting a subset of the plurality of video files based on the at least one response, and storing information related to the selected subset of the plurality of video files.
US08606781B2

Techniques are presented to provide personalized search results to a user. A user history optionally classified into projects or tasks is determined. A profile for the user is determined by identifying keywords, concepts or other user and/or task specific descriptors within user history documents. A proximal neighborhood based on the user's history and adjustable crawling parameters is determined. The adjustable crawling parameters define which documents linked to documents in the user history are included within the proximal neighborhood. A user query is determined and used to search the set of documents within the proximal neighborhood. The results are then ranked based on the user profile information. The ranked results are optionally displayed to the user.
US08606769B1

A system and method for determining a rank of a URL for a search query. A processor is effective to receive search query and a URL. The processor may send search query to a search engine and receive a result set from the search engine. The processor may determine a first rank of the URL for the search query based on the first and second result set. The processor may determine a location of the result displayed in the search engine results page and modify the first rank based on the location to produce a modified rank for the URL.
US08606758B2

A computer-implemented method for archiving information includes: executing a first application in a first process; determining that the first application is an archiving application configured to archive information stored in a transactional system; assigning, based on the determination, an archiving mode to the first process; receiving, from the first process and after assigning the archiving mode, a request to delete information; and processing the request to delete information according to the archiving mode.
US08606757B2

Methods, systems, and articles for receiving, by a computing device, execution results of a plurality of query language expressions are described herein. In various embodiments, the plurality of query language expressions may be concurrently executed, and the receiving may be contemporaneous with production of the execution results. Also, in various embodiments, the computing device may store a result item of the execution results for at least a first of the query language expressions in a memory block allocated exclusively for the first of the query language expressions while the first of the query language expressions is being executed, or in a result handle associated with the first of the query language expressions.
US08606746B2

A system architecture is disclosed that includes a privacy management system. In particular, the privacy management system provides a policy hub for maintaining and managing customer privacy information. The privacy management system maintains a master data database for customer information and customer privacy preferences, and a rules database for privacy rules. The privacy management system captures, synchronizes, and stores customer privacy data. Privacy rules may be authored using a privacy management vocabulary, and can be customized for an enterprise's privacy policies.
US08606743B2

Method to calculate time weight in an RDF graph, including: providing one or more triples of the RDF graph to an inference engine module, the one or more triples comprising a time information; providing a reference time to the inference engine; calculating an elapsed time from the reference time to the time value; and inversely weighting the time information by the elapsed time to provide a calculated time weight. Another embodiment may provide a method to update a time weight of a relation when an RDF graph has been added to or deleted from the relation. Another embodiment may provide a method to update a time weight of a relation represented by an RDF graph, when a new reference timestamp is provided. Another embodiment may provide a system to calculate time weight in an RDF graph.
US08606742B1

Methods, systems and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for receiving aggregate user data, the aggregate user data corresponding to response rate of one or more answering users responding to requests, processing the aggregate user data to generate an analytical model, the analytical model comprising a plurality of states, a plurality of transitions between states, and data corresponding to a probability that an average answering user will respond to a request based on at least one of a state of the average answering user and a transition between states, receiving a request, identifying a plurality of answering users, processing the analytical model to identify a sub-set of answering users of the plurality of answering users, and transmitting the request to each answering user of the sub-set of answering users.
US08606739B2

An “Iterative Query Reformulator” provides various techniques for using a computational engine to reformulate initial queries through one or more iterations. This query reformulation process ensures that results returned from search engines or recommendation systems using a reformulated query have improved relevance relative to results that would have been returned using only the initial query. More specifically, the Iterative Query Reformulator provides an end to end solution that uses computations from one or more knowledge databases or knowledge sources to find “partial answers” to subqueries derived or extracted from an initial query. These partial answers are then used to reformulate the initial query, with the reformulated query being used by the search engines or recommendations systems to provide results that are highly relevant to the initial query. Determinations of whether to continue reformulation iterations are based on evaluating user metrics from historical search logs having queries that match reformulated queries.
US08606738B2

A method and system for policy based management in a communication system, comprising at a policy enforcement point (101) associated with policy decision points (102,103,104). The enforcement point (101) transmits a request for a decision from the decision points (102,103,104). A policy strategy point (105) is configured with a decision strategy, comprising an algorithm for determining a resulting decision. The decision points (102,103,104) generate decisions upon which the strategy point (105) generates the resulting decision, by applying said decision strategy on said decisions. The strategy point (105) communicates the resulting decision to the enforcement point (101), which executes the resulting decision.
US08606732B2

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure support techniques for simplified hardware implementation of the reward-modulated spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) learning rule in networks of spiking neurons.
US08606726B2

A method for acquiring at least one interrelation between at least one item of data representing at least one item of information of at least one data inventory and at least one item of data representing at least one item of information of a request for an interrelation (interrelation request) to the at least one item of data representing at least one item of information of at least one data inventory by means of a data processing system. Furthermore, a data processing system with data representing information in at least one data inventory that is accessible via at least one data source as well as to a data processing device for electronic data processing comprising a control and/or computing unit, an input unit and an output unit, which are respectively configured and/or adapted for at least partially carrying out a method according to the invention.
US08606725B1

User intent may be inferred from mouse movements made within a user interface. Client-side instrumentation may be provided that collects mouse movement data that is provided to a classification engine. The classification engine receives the mouse movement data and creates a mouse trajectory. The mouse trajectory may be split into segments, and features associated with each segment may be determined. Features representing the context of the search, that is, content of the search result page, previous queries submitted, and interaction features such as scrolling, may be included. By examining the features associated with the mouse trajectories within the context of a search session, the user intent may be classified into categories using machine learning classification techniques. By inferring user intent, Web search engines may be able to predict whether a user's intent is commercial and tailor advertising accordingly.
US08606722B2

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for associating a first participant and a second participant in a social network. In one embodiment, payment is received from a first participant. Additionally, an association between the first participant and a second participant in a social network is provided, in exchange for the payment.
US08606721B1

Techniques for calculating edge strengths for edges of a social graph are described herein. These techniques may determine an affinity between a first user of a social graph and a second user of the social graph. Based at least in part on this affinity, a strength of an edge connecting the first user and the second user on the social graph may be calculated and assigned to the corresponding edge.
US08606718B2

According to one embodiment, a method for determining license compliance includes receiving data regarding a plurality of licenses, including at least first and second licenses. The first license has a corresponding first license count that applies to a first software product. The second license has a corresponding second license count that applies to the first software product. An instance count of the first software product is determined. A determination is made regarding whether the instance count can be apportioned to the first and second licenses, such that neither the first or second license counts are exceeded.
US08606716B2

The invention relates to a product protection system, whereby a product piece is provided with a product-specific identification sequence (K) which is converted into a coded check sequence (C), by means of an encoding method (F1) using a secret encoding sequence (B). A product control sequence is applied to or on the product piece which comprises the coded check sequence (C), or a sequence derived therefrom. In order to check the authenticity of the product piece, the product control sequence is recorded by a control requester and transmitted by internet to a product protection server structure. A decoded check sequence is derived therein from the product control sequence by means of a decoding method using a decoding sequence. The authenticity of the decoded check sequence, or a sequence derived therefrom is checked and the result of the authenticity check transmitted by internet to the control requester.
US08606710B2

A method and a system of paying a public transportation fare via a mobile device are provided. The method includes connecting the mobile device to an Access Point (AP) installed to a Transportation System (TS), transmitting a first message, from the TS to a Communication Service Providing Server (CSPS), including a list of mobile devices connected to the AP, including the mobile device, identification-information regarding the AP, and the current location information regarding the mobile device, transmitting, when the mobile device is disconnected from the AP, a second message, from the TS to the CSPS, including a list of mobile devices connected to the AP, excluding the mobile device, the identification-information regarding the AP, and the current location information regarding the TS, and calculating, by the CSPS, the transportation fare to charge the mobile device and transmitting a transportation fare charge message to the mobile device.
US08606705B2

Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for managing the processing of a financial payment and, more specifically managing the processing of a financial payment in a comprehensive payment hub environment that provides for payment processing, including payment route determination, irrespective of the payment input channel. In accordance with embodiments herein disclosed, managing the processing of the payment includes automatically determining the payment processes and automatically determining the arrangement of the payment processes. As such, the methods, systems, and computer program products herein described provide for an efficient and cost-effective approach to processing payments.
US08606702B2

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.
US08606698B2

In connection with a sales transaction, an electronic receipt is issued to the buyer that includes hyperlinks. A hyperlink can be associated with post-sale interaction with the product seller, the product manufacturer or parties acting on their behalf that involves the product itself, such as a product return procedure, a product warranty procedure, receiving rebate notices and recall notices, product registration procedures and similar functions.
US08606691B1

A system, method and computer program product for determining purchase eligibility of a financial product; including, classifying the financial product according to an ontological model into one or more classification types, assigning a marker to each classification type corresponding to the attributes of the financial product, and applying decision one or more rules to the financial product to determine whether the financial product is eligible or ineligible for purchase or participation.
US08606683B2

A system and a method for allocating dividends to stock shares are provided. The method includes creating a sub-class of a first stock share class. The method further includes allocating a first percentage of a total dividend amount to a first plurality of stock shares in the first stock share class. The method further includes allocating a second percentage of the total dividend amount to the second plurality of stock shares in the sub-class of the first stock share class. The method further includes storing the first percentage of the total dividend and the second percentage of the total dividend in a memory device. The method further includes buying-back stock shares in the first stock share class or sub-class of the first stock share class.
US08606682B1

A system includes a memory and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory. The memory stores a correlation index that is based at least in part on a portfolio of index options, a plurality of stock options, and a plurality of deltas computed using a plurality of constant flat implied volatilities. The processor determines a value of the correlation index by selecting a plurality of strike prices for each of the index and stock options, computing a constant flat implied volatility for an index and a plurality of stocks on a first date, and computing the plurality of deltas using the plurality of constant flat implied volatilities.
US08606679B1

The disclosed technology provides systems and methods for processing, auctioning, and managing fractional ownerships in real estate assets. In one aspect, the disclosed technology accesses electronic information that specifies a real estate asset for sale. The electronic information specifies that ownership of the real estate asset includes a right to some or all income from the real estate asset. The disclosed technology also accesses electronic information that specifies one or more of bids for fractional ownership in the real estate asset. Each of the bids specifies a bid amount reflecting a purchase price to be paid for the fractional ownership and a corresponding bid yield associated with the bid amount. The disclosed technology selects one or more of the bids to form a sale transaction for the real estate asset and then stores an electronic record indicating that a fractional ownership in the real estate asset has been sold based on the selected bid(s).
US08606673B1

Digital data can be escrowed by receiving escrow parameters including a condition(s) for releasing the escrowed data, and an escrow recipient. An escrow contract is then created based upon the specified escrow parameters. The escrowing further includes storing the digital data in a secure information vault, and storing the escrow contract, along with a pointer to the stored data, in a database. When the condition has been satisfied, the data is released to the escrow recipient. The condition(s) for release can be a payment sum, a date, an indication from a depositor, a trustee or a vault administrator, and/or fulfillment of another escrow contract.
US08606671B2

Aggregation, analysis, and presentation of financial and docket information in a common interface are described.
US08606667B2

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for managing a software subscription between an independent software vendor (ISV) and a cloud network provider. In embodiments, the software subscription can be a Software as a Service (SaaS) agreement whereby an amount of resources of the cloud network to be operated by end users can be specified. In embodiments, a resource tracking module associated with the cloud network can track the actual amount of resources operated by the end users in executing applications associated with the ISV. The resource tracking module can compare the actual amount to the amount specified in the SaaS, and adjust the resources of the cloud network accordingly. In embodiments, the SaaS can be updated based on the adjustment.
US08606665B1

An automated system and method for acquiring tax data and importing it into tax preparation software. Tax documents are acquired electronically in a tax data acquisition process by scanning, faxing, or emailing them. Once a tax document is in electronic form, an optical character recognition (OCR) software process obtains tax data from the electronic tax document. Each piece of tax data that is obtained from the OCR software process is then imported into tax preparation software. Once the tax data has been imported into tax preparation software, the software may be used to complete a tax return. An important step in the tax return preparation process is automated so the need for tax professionals to spend time entering tax data into tax preparation software is reduced and data entry errors are reduced. Tax professionals may devote more time to preparing tax returns and less time to data entry.
US08606656B1

Techniques are described for facilitating access of computing system users to restricted functionality, such as internal functionality of a business or other organization (e.g., internal systems and/or confidential information available to some or all business employees or other organization members). The restricted functionality access may in some situations be provided in conjunction with publicly available information from the organization, such as to use that publicly available information as part of a user interface that allows an authorized subset of users to access the restricted functionality. In some situations, the restricted functionality access may be facilitated by an access provider system that executes on a client computing system of an authorized user, such as a program operating in conjunction with another presentation program that presents publicly available information (e.g., as an extension program for the presentation program), and that modifies the interactions available to the user when using the presentation program.
US08606650B2

Systems and methods providing a list having one or more wedding services vendors. The systems and method determine a valid set of vendors based on one or more received input data. A score for each respective vendor of the valid set of vendors is determined using the received input data and input data weighting rules. One or more recommended vendors are provided based on the determined valid set of vendors and the respective score for each respective vendor of the valid set of vendors. The one or more recommended vendors may be from the same category or from different categories of vendors. Systems and methods are also presented for managing electronic communications for wedding services by providing interfaces for enabling a vendor to present an electronic storefront related to wedding services and for a vendor to manage client leads received by the electronic storefront.
US08606645B1

A method, system, and apparatus is presented for presenting retail information on a device having an image capture unit and a user interface. The method, system, and apparatus may receive, from the image capture unit, an image of a retail item. A triggering feature in the image of the retail item may be detected. An augmented-reality-enhanced view may be presented on the user interface. The augmented-reality-enhanced view may overlay over the image of the retail item multimedia presenting a demonstration, such as a fashion show video, of a retail product associated with the image. A touch input on a touch screen of the user interface may be received, and an action based on the touch input may be performed. The action performed may include presenting information on the retail product or facilitating a transaction for the retail product.
US08606643B2

In one example, a private profile page is displayed to a user having a user profile registered with a vendor. In this example, the private profile page includes a list of unviewed products, a product list, and information about a local retail store. As a further example, the user selects a public profile preview function and, in response, the user is presented with a preview of information associated with the user profile. In another example, a social network selection page is displayed to a user having a first profile registered with a vendor. The social network selection page includes a social network selection function for selecting a second profile of the user in a social network. In this example, the user indicates a social network and a second profile registered with the indicated social network is linked to the first profile.
US08606637B1

A media player is provided. The media player comprises a communications interface, a memory store containing a plurality of personalized advertisements, and a media playback component. The targeted advertisements are refreshed by receiving updates from the communications interface during some of the intervals when the media player is connected to a network. The targeted advertisements are indexed by a plurality of characteristics, the first characteristic being a creation date of the targeted advertisements. The media playback component is configured to play a media content, wherein the media content is stored separately from the targeted advertisements, and to play one of the targeted advertisements in the memory store selected based on the characteristics of the one of the targeted advertisements.
US08606633B2

Methods and systems for recycling a periodical are described. The methods may include the step of providing periodical information about the periodical to a recycling device, where the periodical is deposited with the recycling device. The methods may further include calculating one or more of discount offers based on the periodical information, and displaying the one or more of discount offers at the recycling device. One or more of the discount offers may be selected at the recycling device, and the selected offers may be printed into a ticket, coupon, or some other printed material at the recycling device.
US08606629B2

A system, method and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for advertising. A system configured to practice the method receives user situation information. Based on the situation information, the system transmits an advertisement to the user's mobile device, wherein the advertisement is associated with an identification card and a coupon and transmitted independent of any user solicitation for a communication and independent of a request for a product or a service. The system receives input from the user via the advertisement for purposes other than redeeming the coupon; and, and receives an indication of a purchase associated with the advertisement and completed at a point of sale device using the identification card, wherein the mobile device differs from the point of sale device and wherein the purchase is at full price and a rebate associated with the coupon and the identification card is provided to the user.
US08606618B2

A method for idea prediction market investment is provided. In an idea management system, a network server advertises to a user, via a network and a client device, a first idea that the user can invest an amount of virtual money X during an investment period in an idea prediction market. The advertising indicates to the user how much virtual money Y the user will receive if the user holds the investment until the first idea gets selected at the close of the investment period. The return of investment (ROI) Y over X is based at least on a second idea in the idea prediction market. In one embodiment, the user may divest the investment X prior to the close of the investment period. In another embodiment, the user is prevented from divest the investment X prior to the close of the investment period.
US08606617B2

A radio station market analysis program extends Cume values for individual stations to multiple stations (for a particular geographic market, a particular demographic, and a particular daypart) according to the formula C=[1−Πi=1,n(1−(Ci/P))]*P, where n is the number of media stations, P is the population, and Ci is each Cume value. Cume values may be provided for a limited set of input dayparts from Arbitron and Nielson, and are translated to an arbitrary daypart. The arbitrary daypart can represent a sum of component dayparts in a proposed advertising schedule. The reach of the proposed advertising schedule can be further computed based on a hyperbolic function of spot count.
US08606615B2

Embodiments of the invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for managing and tracking an inventory of controlled elements, wherein a database comprising a plurality of elements is maintained, an owner is assigned to each element, the relationships between elements are identified and related elements are linked. The elements are then monitored to identify changes to the elements. Any identified change is confirmed, and if material, the owners of related elements are notified of the changes the need to be made to the related elements and the plurality of elements are monitored to determine when all required changes have been made. Once all the required changes are a made, the owners of the identified elements are required to provide final confirmation that no further changes are needed.
US08606613B2

Under the present invention when a business process is desired to be outsourced from a client (e.g., a company or governmental unit) to a third party outsourcer, an outsourcing project is initially planned. Typically, the plan includes a plurality of overlapping phases that extend over several time periods. Thereafter, a cost for implementing the outsourcing project is estimated. Should the cost exceed a planned budget of the client, the excess/investment is addressed while an agreement between the client and the outsourcer for the outsourcing project is being reached. This can involve reducing scope, restructuring the overlapping phases to reduce or eliminate the excess cost, and/or integrating funding options to address the cost as part of the agreement.
US08606598B2

Practitioners are certified to perform a medical procedure, such as an orthodontic procedure. Certified practitioners are maintained in a referral directory and classified within tiers based on criteria such as the number of procedures that they have performed. Inquiries are solicited from prospective patients, and referral lists are provided to those patients who request them. The referral lists are obtained from the referral directory with doctors from higher tiers who have performed more procedures receiving preferential inclusion on the referral lists.
US08606592B2

Methods, computer program products, and systems are described that include accepting at least one indication of a bioactive agent use by an individual and/or assigning an artificial sensory experience to monitor at least one desired effect of the bioactive agent on the individual.
US08606591B2

Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for determining an optimum hernia repair procedure for a pre-operative patient. Responses to a health questionnaire administered to post-operative patients are scored to determine an overall score indicative of the post-operative patient's quality of life following a hernia repair procedure. Each overall score is associated with at least one patient characteristic and one procedure characteristic relating to the respective post-operative patient. Based on the overall scores and the associated characteristics, an optimum hernia repair procedure, including a type of operation and/or a type of prosthetic mesh, is determined. A terminal and/or user input device may be used to receive the responses, and the responses and associated characteristics may be stored in a memory accessible by a processor that can analyze the stored data to make the determination. Search criteria relating to the pre-operative patient may also be received to inform the analysis.
US08606589B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for maintaining security and data gathering for a number of vehicles. The systems include a vehicle activity module for each of the vehicles. The vehicle activity module has a wireless transmitter, a storage device, at least one sensor for receiving event information from identification devices, such as RFID cards, keypads, magnetic ID cards, and the like, a releasable key container, and a processor for accessing and analyzing information. The VAMs are wirelessly connected to a computer system. The VAMs control access to the keys, monitor information relating to access, and store and transmit information relating to sales events, non-sales events, and intrusion events. The VAMs are capable of autonomous operation, without the need to access the computer system to verify event information. The VAMs further include signal attenuating mechanisms to facilitate use of “smart keys.”
US08606585B2

A method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for editing a data stream based on a corpus are provided. The data stream includes stream words. A sequence includes a predetermined number of sequential words of the stream words. The method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium determine whether the sequence exists in the corpus at least at a predetermined minimum frequency. When the sequence exists in the corpus at least at the predetermined minimum frequency, the sequence is edited in the data stream.
US08606584B1

Internet/SCHA system of using an interactive device such as an e-mail pager to obtain information from a publicly available source, such as the Internet. The e-mail pager may send information in its native format to a service that acts as an intermediary. That service takes the information and uses it to assemble a request to the actual information source, such as a Web page being accessed. If a web page is being accessed, the request is in HTML, and may include personal logon information. The response from the web page is also in HTML, and this information is received by the service, and salient information is taken from the HTML file. The information is reformatted, e.g. according to a template, into the e-mail pager's native format, and sent to the pager. Another embodiment describes opening multiple pages, and assembling their content into a single web page.
US08606581B1

According to example configurations, a speech recognition system is configured to receive an utterance. Based on analyzing at least a portion of the utterance using a first speech recognition model on a first pass, the speech recognition system detects that the utterance includes a first group of one or more spoken words. The speech recognition system utilizes the first group of one or more spoken words identified in the utterance as detected on the first pass to locate a given segment of interest in the utterance. The given segment can include one or more that are unrecognizable by the first speech recognition model. Based on analyzing the given segment using a second speech recognition model on a second pass, the speech recognition system detects one or more additional words in the utterance. A natural language understanding module utilizes the detected words to generate a command intended by the utterance.
US08606579B2

Voice print identification for identifying speakers may be provided. A plurality of speakers are recorded and associated with identity indicators. Voice prints for each speaker are associated with the plurality of recorded speakers. If the voice print for at least one speaker corresponds to a known user according to the identity indicators, a database entry associating the user with the voice print may be created. Additional information associated with the user may also be displayed.
US08606577B1

A computing device receives an audio input from a user. The computing device determines a series of words from the audio input. The computing device outputs, for display, one or more substituted symbols. The one or more substituted symbols correspond to at least a portion of the series of words. In response to determining that receipt of the audio input has completed, the computing device outputs, for display, alphanumeric characters comprising the series of words in place of the one or more substituted symbols.
US08606575B1

Example embodiments of the present invention may include a method that provides transcribing spoken utterances occurring during a call and automatically assigning each of the spoken utterances with a corresponding set of first classifications. The method may also include determining a confidence rating associated with each of the spoken utterances and the assigned set of first classifications, and performing at least one of reclassifying the spoken utterances with new classifications based on at least one additional classification operation, and adding the assigned first classifications and the corresponding plurality of spoken utterances to a training data set.
US08606574B2

The present invention provides a speech recognition processing system in which speech recognition processing is executed parallelly by plural speech recognizing units. Before text data as the speech recognition result is output from each of the speech recognizing units, information indicating each speaker is parallelly displayed on a display in emission order of each speech. When the text data is output from each of the speech recognizing units, the text data is associated with the information indicating each speaker and the text data is displayed.
US08606569B2

The present invention relates to means and methods of classifying speech and music signals in voice communication systems, devices, telephones, and methods, and more specifically, to systems, devices, and methods that automate control when either speech or music is detected over communication links. The present invention provides a novel system and method for monitoring the audio signal, analyze selected audio signal components, compare the results of analysis with a pre-determined threshold value, and classify the audio signal either as speech or music.
US08606568B1

Methods, computer program products, and systems are described for receiving, by a speech recognition engine, audio data that encodes an utterance and determining, by the speech recognition engine, that a transcription of the utterance includes one or more keywords associated with a command, and a pronoun. In addition, the methods, computer program products, and systems described herein pertain to transmitting a disambiguation request to an application, wherein the disambiguation request identifies the pronoun, receiving, by the speech recognition engine, a response to the disambiguation request, wherein the response references an item of content identified by the application, and generating, by the speech recognition engine, the command using the keywords and the response.
US08606564B2

Methods and apparatus for performing computer-implemented extraction of temporal information for business entities and events are disclosed. In one embodiment, a sequence of text is obtained. A label is assigned to one or more of a plurality of segments of the text such that each of the one or more of the plurality of segments of the text is classified as temporal data in one of a plurality of classes of temporal data. One or more rules are applied to the one or more segments of the text that have been classified as temporal data to generate a structured representation of the temporal data, where the rules include one or more schematic rules. Each of the schematic rules pertains to one or more of the plurality of classes of temporal data and indicates a structure in which temporal data in the corresponding one or more of the plurality of classes is to be stored.
US08606552B2

Methods and systems may be provided simulating forming a wide variety of directional wellbores including wellbores with variable tilt rates and/or relatively constant tilt rates. The methods and systems may also be used to simulate forming a wellbore in subterranean formations having a combination of soft, medium and hard formation materials, multiple layers of formation materials and relatively hard stringers disposed throughout one or more layers of formation material. Values of bit walk rate from such simulations may be used to design and/or select drilling equipment for use in forming a directional wellbore.
US08606544B2

In methods and systems that may facilitate detecting abnormal operation in a process plant, values of a process variable are analyzed to determine whether they significantly deviate from expected values. If there is a significant deviation, an indicator may be generated. Analyzing the process variable may include, for example, utilizing a plurality of thresholds determined based on statistics of the process variable. Analyzing the process variable may also include, for example, determining whether a first number of values of the process variable are in a first region, and whether a second number of values are in a second region.
US08606539B2

A radar (peripheral object observation device) repeatedly observes a relative position of an object relative to the moving object, which is located in the vicinity of a moving object. A stationary object identification unit (stationary object determination unit) determines whether or not the object the relative positions of which have been observed by the radar is still. A road approximate curve temporary computation unit (object correlation unit) determines a plurality of the relative positions of an identical object observed by the radar from among the relative positions observed by the radar. A road approximate curve main computation unit (approximate curve computation unit) computes an approximate curve that approximates the configuration of a road on which the moving object is located, based on a result of the determination by the stationary object identification unit and a result of the determination by the road approximate curve computation unit.
US08606538B2

A method of preparing a test for an electronic system including a plurality of pieces of equipment interconnected by at least one communications link, in which method, in order to perform the test, use is made of a test bench appropriate for the electronic system under test, which test bench is connected to the system and controlled in application of a command sequence established from at least one informal functional specification; while preparing the test, the informal functional specification, the command sequence, and a link identifying the informal functional specification from which the command sequence was established are all recorded so that after execution of the command sequence and after the test results have been recorded, it is possible to read the link and identify unambiguously the informal functional specification that corresponds to the test results obtained.
US08606528B2

Disclosed is an assay result reading apparatus, for reading the result of an assay, comprising: a) first and second control thresholds; b) a data processing means for processing an analyte measurement signal indicative of the presence and/or amount of an analyte; and for processing a control signal indicative of whether the assay has been carried out satisfactorily; to: up until a time t1 after commencement of the assay measurement, to compare the control signal with the first control threshold and determine that the assay has been carried out satisfactorily if the control signal exceeds or is equal to the first control threshold, and if the control signal is less than the first control threshold to continue the assay measurement; and at a time t>t1 to compare the control signal with a second control threshold and provide an assay result if the control signal exceeds or is equal to the second control threshold.
US08606527B2

Systems, methods and apparatus for an automated analysis of a collection of melt curves is provided. The analysis can identify certain characteristics of double stranded nucleotide sequences (e.g. DNA or other nucleotide sequences) which were melted. For example, a variation (e.g. a mutation) in the sequences (also called amplicons) may be determined from the analysis. The amplicons may be amplified via any amplification mechanism, such as PCR or Ligase chain reaction (LCR). The automated analysis can include identifying a melt region, normalizing a melt curve, and clustering melt curves.
US08606523B2

The invention is related to the development of gas condensate deposits and may be used to determine current condensate saturation in the near-wellbore zone in the formation. The method for the current condensate saturation determination in the near-wellbore zone requires the measurement of the formation rock parameters and formation fluid parameters before the start of gas-condensate production and creation of the numerical model of the neutron logging signal change during the production period for the measured formation rock parameters and formation fluid parameters and expected condensate saturation value. During the production period when the well productivity decreases, neutron logging is performed and then the measured signals are matched with the model calculations and based on the provision of the best match of the measured and simulated neutron logging signals condensate saturation is determined.
US08606516B2

A user interface for use in a vehicle navigation and traffic information device. Various adaptable menu commands and intuitive UI elements are provided to ease user navigation of the interface and to minimize driver distraction while providing information in an optimized manner.
US08606503B2

Devices, systems and methods for remotely entering, storing and sharing location addresses for a positional information device, e.g., a global positioning system (GPS) device, are provided. The present disclosure allows a user to easily and safely enter an address into a GPS device by giving that address to a remote communications link and to have that link automatically program the user's GPS device for usage. The device, system and method of the present disclosure further allows the user to use this stored address(es) on multiple GPS devices without having to manually enter the address(es).
US08606501B2

A vehicle tracking system includes a wheel containing sensor circuitry capable of sensing various types of conditions, such as wheel rotation, wheel vibration caused by skidding, and specific electromagnetic and/or magnetic signals indicative of particular wheel locations. The sensor circuitry is coupled to an RF transceiver, which may but need not be included within the wheel. The wheel may also include a brake mechanism. In one embodiment, the wheels are placed on shopping carts and are used to collect and monitor shopping cart status and location data via a wireless network. The collected data may be used for various purposes, such as locking the wheel of an exiting cart if the customer has not paid, estimating numbers of queued carts, stopping wheel skid events that occur during mechanized cart retrieval, store planning, and providing location-based messaging to customers.
US08606497B2

A method, system and computer program for detecting and displaying a person's activity-travel pattern over time and space is provided. Person-based location data is acquired by a personal communication device and processed in accordance with an algorithm. The invention goes beyond applications that focus on the detection of the current location of the user, but rather the enhanced knowledge of the users current, past, and likely future activities and their multi-dimensional attributes. The present invention can be implemented on common hardware and is easily accessible via web-based interfaces and reporting, making various applications achievable at very low cost.
US08606490B2

In a hybrid vehicle including an engine provided with a plurality of VVTs (variable valve timing mechanisms) as one motive power source, an ECU increments a time lapse counter when a sensor detects the fact that a greatest-retard command has been output to all VVTs and an operation position of each VVT has actually returned to a greatest-retard position in response to the greatest-retard command. The ECU determines whether count by the time lapse counter has exceeded a predetermined defined time or not, and it does not permit engine stop until count by the time lapse counter reaches the predetermined defined time and permits engine stop when count by the time lapse counter has exceeded the predetermined defined time.
US08606477B2

A method for controlling an electrically actuated brake including determining an actuator clamping force actual value (Fist), using a force sensor and determining an actuator position actual value (φist) or an actuator speed actual value (nist) using a position sensor for activating the actuator by a controller. The controller includes a selection and evaluation device. The selection and evaluation device supplies to the controller input reference value (φin-soll) and a controller input actual value (φin-ist). The controller input variables (φin-soll, φin-ist) are made available by the selection and evaluation device such that the controller can be operated in at least two control modes. The control modes include a force control (M1) for adjusting an actuator clamping force reference value (Fsoll), or position control (M3, M4) for adjusting an actuator position reference value (φsoll, Δφsoll), or speed control (M2) for adjusting an actuator speed reference value (nsoll).
US08606460B2

A method, control module and system of a vehicle including at least a first and a second control computer each containing a number of local Digital Control Modules and at least one Actuator Control Module wherein the Actuator Control Module of each control computer is operatively connected to all local Digital Control Modules of the same control computer, wherein the Actuator Control Module of each control computer is further operatively connected to all Digital Control Modules of the electrical system in a manner that enables each Actuator Control Module of the system to receive internal data of each Digital Control Module of the electrical system.
US08606459B2

A fuel economy driving assistance apparatus includes advice provision means for providing a driver with driving advice that contributes to improvement of fuel economy of a vehicle; driving tendency estimation means for estimating a driving tendency of the driver in each driving situation; and advice mode changing means for changing a mode of the driving advice, according to the driving tendency of the driver estimated by the driving tendency estimation means.
US08606455B2

A method for the automatic operation of a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode not requiring user action is provided. This involves detection of a present traffic situation, a check whether the traffic situation fulfills a first criterion, and a blocking of a functionality which offers to a driver during the autonomous driving mode a secondary activity not related to driving the vehicle if the first criterion is fulfilled. A device for the automatic operation of a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode not requiring user action includes devices designed for carrying out the method for the automatic operation of a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode not requiring user action.
US08606452B2

A controller determines whether or not the storage amount of a battery is below a threshold, and reduces an assist output of a sub-pump by controlling an assist control mechanism based on an assist correction coefficient, increases the discharge amount of a main pump by controlling an engine controller based on an engine rotation speed correction coefficient and increasing the rotation speed of an engine, and increases an output of the main pump by increasing the rotation speed of the engine by as much as a reduction in the assist output of the sub-pump.
US08606451B2

An energy system for heavy equipment having an actuator for operating a tool includes a bus, an engine, a generator, an energy storage device, and a controller. The bus is for providing electricity to the actuator as a function of operation of the tool. The engine is for providing a power output and the generator is coupled to the engine and configured to provide electricity to the bus. The energy storage device is configured to receive electricity from the bus for storage of energy, and is further configured to provide electricity to the bus to supplement the electricity provided by the generator. The controller is configured to change the power output of the engine as a function of electrical demand on the bus. In response to a change in the electrical demand, the controller is configured to change the power output of the engine at a rate that is less than a maximum capability of the engine.
US08606450B2

A hybrid powertrain has an engine, a starter motor, and a gear train that connects the starter motor with the engine, and a motor/generator. A belt drive train connects the motor/generator with the engine. The powertrain has a first energy storage device with a first operating range of voltage and a second energy storage device with a second operating range of voltage at least partially in common with the first operating range of voltage. A controller places a switching device in an on-state so that the first energy storage device is connected with the second energy storage device or in an off-state in which the first energy storage device is disconnected from the second energy storage device. The controller causes the switching device to be in the off-state and the starter motor and the motor/generator to be powered with energy from the first energy storage device to restart the engine.
US08606430B2

A method to display a graphic describing a desired communication upon a substantially transparent screen of a vehicle includes monitoring the desired communication, monitoring an external presentation mode to present the desired communication, determining the graphic describing the desired communication, registering a location of the graphic upon the substantially transparent screen to be communicated outside of the vehicle, and displaying the graphic upon a substantially transparent screen comprises one of light emitting particles or microstructures over a predefined region of the screen permitting luminescent display while permitting transmission therethrough.
US08606426B2

A system includes a displacement sensor, an actuator connected to the displacement sensor, and a feedback unit. The displacement sensor is configured to measure at least one of a relative position and a relative orientation between the displacement sensor and the target object. The feedback unit receives a signal from the displacement sensor related to the measured relative position or relative orientation and controls the actuator to move the displacement sensor on the basis of variations in the received signal arising due to a change in environmental conditions.
US08606424B2

The particle swarm optimization method for microgrids formulates a control problem as an optimization problem and PSO is used to search the solution space for optimal parameter settings in each mode. The procedure models optimal design of an LC filter, controller parameters and damping resistance in grid-connected mode. Moreover, the procedure optimizes controller parameters and power sharing coefficients in autonomous mode. The method uses particular nonlinear time-domain-based and eigenvalue-based objective functions to minimize the error in the measured power, and also to enhance the damping characteristics, respectively.
US08606420B2

A system, a method and a computer program product for determining an amount of an electric power to be generated in an electric power system and determining a total cost for generating the amount of electric power while satisfying at least one contingency constraint and one or more customer request. The system creates an optimization problem for calculating amount of the electric power to be generated and a total cost for generating the calculated amount of the electric power while meeting the at least one contingency constraint. The system runs the optimization problem in real-time. The system outputs, from the optimization problem, an output specifying the calculated amount of the electric power and the total cost to generate the calculated amount of the electric power.
US08606419B2

A system and methods are provided for monitoring the power consumption of a particular energy consuming device of a plurality of energy consuming device devices and particular components thereof in real time. An energy management system can enable components of a device within a home network to power to different operational modes in order to determine different power consumption levels. The system can sort out anomalies and extract them from a power consumption profile created.
US08606418B1

A control system is provided. The control system comprises an electronic processor configured to control operation of at least one wind turbine. The control system further comprises at least one weather radar unit positioned proximate to the at least one wind turbine and configured to generate weather data. The electronic processor is configured to control the operation of the at least one wind turbine based on the weather data generated by the at least one weather radar unit.
US08606405B2

The invention relates to an apparatus for the operation of a robot having a product gripper which is designed to represent at least one approach position of the product gripper for the picking up and/or placing down of a product, in particular of a food product, as a graphical element on a display device. The apparatus is designed so that the respective graphical element can be directly displaced on the display device for the setting of the coordinates of the respective approach position, with the coordinates of the respective approach position being changed automatically in response to such a displacement of the graphical element in accordance with the displacement.
US08606404B1

A system for directing a cleaning apparatus on a surface to be cleaned comprises a body having a floor cleaner, at least one wheel operably interconnected with a motor for imparting motion to the wheel, a controller for providing a signal to the motor to control the motion of the at least one wheel, and at least one sensor operably interconnected to the controller for detecting a target on the surface at a distance spaced from the body. The system further comprises a signal emitting device separable from the body comprising a user interface portion for receiving signals from a user and transmitting a representation of those signals to a target projection on the surface. The sensor on the body detects the target projection on the surface and the controller can initiate at least one function to be performed by the body of the cleaning apparatus on the surface.
US08606402B2

A manipulator, and a control method thereof, calculates a degree of freedom (DOF) used to prevent collision with an obstacle in consideration of an order of priority of DOFs for an operation and collision avoidance contribution. The manipulator judges whether there is danger of collision of the manipulator with an obstacle, judges whether or not there is at least one operating DOF capable of avoiding collision with the obstacle among the plurality of operating DOFs, upon judging that there is danger of collision with the obstacle, and avoids collision with the obstacle using at least one operating DOF having the lowest priority while performing the operation among the at least one operating DOF capable of avoiding collision with the obstacle, upon judging that there is the at least one operating DOF capable of avoiding collision with the obstacle.
US08606400B2

A robot system according to embodiments includes a conveying device, a plurality of robots, an image capturing device, a workpiece detecting device, and a control device. The control device includes an operation instruction unit and an allocating unit. The operation instruction unit generates an operation instruction for performing a holding operation on workpieces on the basis of the detection result of the workpiece detecting device and transmits the operation instruction to the robots. The allocating unit determines which of the plurality of robots to which the operation instruction unit transmits the operation instruction on the basis of conveying situations of the workpieces obtained from the detection result of the workpiece detecting device.
US08606395B2

An appliance including a housing, a dispenser, and a water supply mechanism. The appliance includes a drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers, a user interface panel, and a computer. The computer is configured to: cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of the plurality of different displayed images, and after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of the plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image.
US08606389B2

The disclosure provides a method to construct and physically join near-net shaped structural building blocks into a composite part using an interfacial reaction-activation mechanism.
US08606375B2

Exemplary embodiments allow users to interactively formulate and solve multivariable feedback control problems. For example, users can solve problems where a plurality of control elements are distributed over one or more feedback loops and need to be jointly tuned to optimize overall performance and robustness of a control system. Embodiments allow users to specify design requirements and objectives in formats familiar to the user. Embodiments can operate on tunable parameters to solve the control problem in a manner that satisfies the design requirements and/or objectives provided by the user.
US08606359B2

The present invention comprises a medical device having a baroreflex stimulator to generate a stimulation signal, the stimulation signal being adapted to stimulate a baroreflex, and a controller to communicate with the baroreflex stimulator and implement a baroreflex stimulus regimen to vary an intensity of the baroreflex stimulation provided by the stimulation signal to maintain stimulation efficacy.
US08606357B2

The present disclosure describes methods and systems for creating, adjusting, and using cardiac waveform morphology templates. The morphology templates include target regions associated with features of cardiac waveforms. The target regions may be adjusted based on relationships between the target regions and features of detected cardiac waveforms associated with the target regions. The templates may be used to analyze cardiac waveforms to classify or monitor various waveform morphologies. Templates may be created or eliminated based on a frequency of use. According to one approach, template creation involves providing target regions defined by one or more characteristics. The target regions are adjusted based on detected cardiac waveform features having similar characteristics. A template may be created using the target regions adjusted by this process.
US08606354B2

A visceral fat measuring device is capable of simply and noninvasively measuring a visceral fat amount, by calculating the visceral fat amount based on trunk measurement information, impedance information of the entire trunk, and impedance information of a surface layer of the trunk. The visceral fat measuring device includes: a belt to be wound around the trunk that has a pressing member with electrodes E to be pressed onto the dorsal side of a person subjected to measurement; a pair of belt portions respectively fixed to both sides of the pressing member; a buckle for connecting the pair of belt portions; and indicators on the pair of belt portions to show distances from a reference position of the belt.
US08606353B2

A method, medium, and apparatus measuring biological signals using a multi-electrode module, with a lead search method. An apparatus for measuring biological signals by using a multi-electrode module, includes a multi-electrode module having a non-conductive patch and a sensor array including a ground electrode and a plurality of individual electrodes, an electrode selection unit selecting a plurality of electrode pairs including a reference electrode and a measurement electrode from the plurality of individual electrodes depending on a type of the biological signal to be measured, and a signal processing unit for obtaining the biological signals from the plurality of electrode pairs.
US08606344B2

The present invention includes an integrated system and methods for patient treatment, the system includes a hospital bed; a plurality of patient diagnostic and treatment devices connected to a network, wherein each of the devices can communicate to a network and exchange information with the network about the care of a patient; and a processor accessible adjacent to the bed and connected to the network to integrate information obtained from the devices through the network with one or more additional sources of information databases, wherein the processor can communicate to one or more patient treatment devices either directly or via the network and the processor directs the one or more patient treatment devices to change the treatment of the patient.
US08606338B2

In one embodiment, a method for implementing two-way communication between at least first and second devices comprises steps of: (a1) during finite time periods following transmission of respective first messages from the first device to the second device, using the first device to listen for second messages transmitted from the second device to first device; and (a2) after each of the finite time periods following the transmission of the respective first messages from the first device to the second device, ceasing to use the first device to listen for second messages transmitted from the second device to the first device until after the first device transmits another first message to the second device.
US08606322B2

A method and apparatus for configuring a portable first cellular base station to operate in a digital cellular telecommunications network includes: placing the first cellular base station in the digital cellular telecommunications network; detecting with a radio receiver at least one second operating cellular base station within the digital cellular telecommunications network; demodulating a first transmission of the at least one second cellular base station transmitter to obtain a first data stream; predictively modifying the first data stream to create a modified first data stream; correlating at least one periodic portion of the modified first data stream to form an enhanced data signal; decoding the enhanced data signal to obtain information including at least the location area code for the at least one second operating cellular base station and a neighbor list of neighboring cellular base station scrambling codes; and configuring the first cellular base station to have the same scrambling code as one of the neighboring cellular base stations, a different location area code from that neighboring cellular base station, and not to connect to any cell phone attempting to initiate a connection with it.
US08606319B2

To consolidate session initiation protocol (SIP) messages a user equipment (UE) is made aware of all Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) applications installed in its memory and on a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) and supported communication services. By obtaining this information before the initial IMS Registration, the UE can save resources by registering all local applications and communication services in single IMS registration.
US08606315B2

A mobile communications device Includes at least two long-range wireless Communications engines. Each long-range wireless communications engines includes a respectively different communications protocol stack, for receiving or transmitting first long-range wireless communications signals using a first long-range communications protocol simultaneously while receiving or transmitting second long-range wireless communications signals using a second long-range communications protocol At least two radio frequency blocks are provided, for receiving or transmitting the first long-range wireless signals simultaneously while receiving or transmitting the second long-range wireless signals. A user interface is provided for inputting and outputting user data Io and from the at least two long-range wireless communications engines, respectively.
US08606314B2

A device and method of providing wireless communications is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes determining that a plurality of wireless networks are concurrently available to provide wireless communication for a telephone device wherein the plurality of wireless networks include different types of networks, selecting one of the plurality of wireless networks based, at least in part, one or more rules, establishing a first wireless communication link with a remote device via the selected network, and wherein the one or more rules are configured to reduce a cost of communicating data. Other embodiments may include various other selection criteria for selecting a network such as, for example, the available bandwidth of one or more of the networks and the type of data to be communicated.
US08606311B2

A mobile handset is arranged with an adaptive power controller to controllably adjust transmit power. The adaptive power controller is coupled to a power amplifier module to form a closed feedback loop. The adaptive power control module includes a first shifter, a first sealer, an accumulator and a hold element. The first shifter and first sealer receive respective bandwidth control signals and an error signal. The first shifter and first sealer generate a modified error signal that is forwarded to and filtered by the accumulator and the hold element to generate a power control signal. The power control signal, which is generated the radio frequency subsystem of the handset can quickly and accurately track rapid changes in transmit power.
US08606310B2

A method for controlling interference between base stations in a radio communication system in which an indirect interface for indirectly connecting the base stations exists and an direct interface for directly connecting the base stations does not exist, the method includes: converting a first interference control message used in the direct interface into a format of a protocol of the indirect interface to thereby generate a second interference control message; and transmitting the second interference control message through the indirect interface.
US08606308B2

A system and method of creating affinity groups of portable communication device users, and distributing targeted content to said users is disclosed. The user affinity groups may be formed by comparing user profiles with each other or with a predefined affinity group profile definition.
US08606303B2

A method of verifying availability of a mobile subscriber station that is in an idle-mode includes requesting to a base station by the mobile subscriber station to enter an idle-mode, wherein the base station is associated with a paging group comprising a plurality of base stations, and receiving from the base station an idle-mode response command to enter the idle-mode. The method also includes receiving from the base station a paging command comprising an action code associated with performing ranging while the mobile subscriber station is in the idle-mode to verify availability of the mobile subscriber station with respect to the base station, wherein if the ranging is not successfully performed with the base station during a predetermined period, the base station continues to transmit the paging command until a paging retrial count reaches a predetermined threshold.
US08606299B2

Apparatus and methods may approximate a location of an event occurring on a wireless device based upon at least one of a first set of location fix information corresponding to a first set of location fix information corresponding to a first position fix of the wireless device prior to the event and a second set of location fix information corresponding to a second position fix of the wireless device after the event. An event positioning determination module may calculate an approximate geographic location of the wireless device at the time of the event based upon a predetermined relationship between the event and at least one of the first and second set of location fix information.
US08606277B2

A method for setting up an activation time of a cell change of user equipment includes receiving a timing offset from a network controller through an active set update procedure and calculating a high speed downlink shared channel cell change activation time based on the timing offset. The activation time indicates when the user equipment can move to the target cell. The method also includes transmitting the calculated activation time to the network controller and receiving an approval of the downlink shared channel high speed cell change from the network controller. Additionally, the method includes moving from the serving cell to the target cell at the activation time if the approval has been received.
US08606272B2

A method and a Mobile Station (MS), for use in a wireless communication network comprising a plurality of Base Stations (BSs) capable of communicating with a plurality of MSs, wherein at least some of the BSs are Femtocell BSs (FBSs) and at least some of the BSs are Macrocell BSs (MBSs), for identifying the BSs at the MS, are provided. The method includes receiving at least one of a globally unique BS ID and an Operator ID from an FBS via a Broadcast CHannel (BCH), deriving a Closed Subscriber Group IDentifier (CSG ID) from the received at least one of the globally unique BS ID and the Operator ID, and determining, based on the derived CSG ID, if the FBS is a CSG FBS to which the MS is subscribed.
US08606265B2

A method in a first wireless device, the method performing wireless network scanning to discover available wireless networks; and communicating results of the scanning to a second wireless device, the results containing information to enable the second wireless device to connect to at least one of the available wireless networks without the second wireless device having to perform the same wireless network scanning or reduce the amount of scanning required to connect to at least one of the available wireless network. Also a method in a first wireless device, the method receiving results of wireless network scanning performed on a second wireless device, the results containing information enabling the first wireless device to connect to at least one available wireless network discovered during the scanning without the first wireless device having to perform the same wireless network scanning.
US08606263B2

A network interface including a radio frequency (RF) system and a media access controller (MAC). The RF system wirelessly communicates with an access point (AP). The MAC includes client modules. A first client module transmits a first signal from a host to the AP via the RF system in accordance with a first wireless communication standard. A second client module transmits a second signal from the host to the AP via the RF system in accordance with a second wireless communication standard. The second client module determines a quality level of the second signal transmitted from the second client module to the AP, and based on the quality level of the second signal, hands off access to the RF system from the second client module to the first client module to allow the first client module to transmit the first signal to the AP via the RF system.
US08606259B2

A method for testing a software-defined radio (SDR) device is provided. The method includes configuring the SDR device for a first standard. A first test is performed on the SDR device under the first standard. Test data for the first test is received from the SDR device. A switching time for configuring the SDR device for the first standard is determined based on the test data for the first test.
US08606252B2

In accordance with one or more aspects of the content-based advertising in mobile messaging, a message is received from a first mobile device, the received message targeting a second mobile device. One or more advertisements to associate with the message are identified based at least in part on content in the message. Both the message and the one or more advertisements are sent to the second mobile device. The second mobile device receives both the mobile message and the associated one or more advertisements, and displays both the mobile message and the one or more associated advertisements on the mobile device.
US08606251B2

A mobile terminal includes a processor operatively associated with a radio communications circuit and configured to store a podcast including an embedded link to content outside of the mobile terminal. The processor is further configured to control activation of the embedded link responsive to a communications status of the mobile terminal and/or a configuration of a user interface of the mobile terminal. For example, the communications status may include availability of communications between the mobile terminal and a storage location of the content, or presence of a particular call and/or a message. The user interface configuration may include, for example, a current display mode or physical arrangement of the terminal.
US08606238B2

A multimedia display process executing in a mobile device traps user input signals to allow switching from display of multimedia to another task without requiring manual termination of the multimedia display process by the user.
US08606234B2

A method for provisioning a mobile device with a secret to be used as a basis for generating One-Time passwords includes receiving a first request using a first communications method. The first request includes a mobile device identifier. The method also includes sending a credential message using a second communications method. The credential message includes an authentication credential. The method also includes receiving a second request using a third communications method different from the second communications method. The second request includes information based upon the authentication credential sent by the provisioning service. The method also includes sending the secret if the authentication credential in the credential message corresponds to the information based upon the authentication credential in the second request.
US08606220B2

A method and apparatus for generating and use of a position location reference signal that allows a receiver to receive position location signals from relatively weak signal generators when in the presence of a strong signal source. The position location reference signals from multiple sources can be synchronized to occur within a scheduled time slot of a time division multiplexed communication system. During the scheduled time slot, each signal source can configure a transmission that includes a media access control address that corresponds to a value reserved for position location signals. Each signal source also configures the transmission to include a position location reference signal that corresponds to the signal source. The position location signals from each of the signal sources is positioned to occur at a time within the data portion of the scheduled time slot that no neighboring signal source transmits its corresponding position location signal.
US08606218B2

A system and method for routing emergency image messages to a PSAP may include receiving an emergency data message and identifying that the emergency data message includes an image. A location of a wireless communications device used to send the emergency data message may be determined. At least one PSAP local to the emergency communications device may be identified and a determination as to which, if any, of the at least one PSAP is capable of receiving an emergency data message that includes an image may be made. The emergency data message that includes an image may be routed to a PSAP local to the wireless communications device and capable of receiving emergency data messages that include an image.
US08606212B2

The present application relates to a near field communications (NFC) receiver in which a received NFC signal comprising a carrier signal onto which a data signal is modulated is digitised and downconverted, and the digitised and downconverted received signal is filtered to recover a digitised and downconverted version of the carrier signal of the NFC signal. This digitised and downconverted version of the carrier signal is converted into an analogue signal which is then upconverted to generate an estimate of the carrier signal, and this estimate is combined with the received NFC signal to suppress or negate, at least partially, the carrier of the received signal.
US08606203B2

An apparatus, method and computer program product for facilitating one or more stations' (STAs) requests to an access point (AP) to be allowed an exemption regarding scanning of channels in a basic service set and allowing the AP to disallow STAs having visibility of certain channels to be exempt from scanning, although the traffic on a respective channel that the STAs are operating on is below a predetermined threshold, are provided. The apparatus may include a processor configured to receive requests for exemption from scanning adjacent channels to identify devices in a basic service set operating in the channels. The processor may also be configured to determine if a request(s) is received from a device(s) which determines that one of the channels is unavailable for use and when the determination reveals that a channel is unavailable for use, the processor is configured to disallow the device exemption.
US08606199B2

Various embodiments described herein relate to a power management block and an amplification block used in the transmitter of a communication subsystem. The power management block provides improved control for the gain control signal provided to a pre-amplifier and the supply voltage provided to a power amplifier which are both in the amplification block. The power expended by the power amplifier is optimized by employing a continuous control method in which one or more feedback loops are employed to take into account various characteristics of the transmitter components and control values.
US08606198B1

Various embodiments may provide a circuit including a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) and a coupler (e.g., a directional coupler). The coupler may be coupled between a first impedance matching section and a second impedance matching section. The first matching section may transform a first impedance at the RF PA to a second impedance at an RF input port of the coupler. The second matching section may transform the second impedance at an RF output port of the coupler to a third impedance at an output terminal. The second impedance may be a real impedance and the third impedance may be a complex impedance. A real part of the third impedance may be greater than a real part of the second impedance. Additionally, the second impedance may be greater than the first impedance.
US08606188B2

A self-positioning mechanism is provided that determines and tracks the position of an access point in real time. A location unaware access point determines its location from the locations of location aware stations. The location is determined based on a predicted estimate which is updated based on measured values of the locations of the location aware stations over a time period. The movement of the location is then tracked based on the differences between range measurements of the location aware stations.
US08606174B2

A portable radio-frequency repeater includes a housing and a transceiver. The transceiver is disposed at least partially within the housing and configured to alternatively operate in a transmitting mode and a sleep mode. The transceiver includes an antenna and a control unit. The control unit is in electrical communication with the antenna. When the transceiver operates in the transmitting mode, the control unit is configured to receive an RFID signal from the antenna, convert the RFID signal into a converted RFID signal, and transmit the converted RFID signal to the antenna. When the transceiver operates in the sleep mode, the control unit is configured to detect an interrogation signal from the antenna and not to transmit any converted RFID signal to the antenna.
US08606172B2

A data receiving and recording method and data receiver are provided for receiving data coded by a predetermined method and copyright information attached to the data. While recording the received data on a predetermined recording medium, the copyright information is recorded into a predetermined area of the recording medium. Preferably, the data consists of audio data of the song, lyrics data of the song and image data relating to the song and the copyright information is allotted respectively to the audio data, lyrics data and image data.
US08606171B2

Techniques for detecting wireless devices that are signaling in high proximity to a convoy or other operation and preventing messages from reaching the wireless devices. One class of the techniques uses surgical jamming methodologies that minimize power consumption and collateral interference, while being maximally inconspicuous; another class uses baiting beacons to prevent the messages from reaching the wireless devices. Still another class of techniques denies wireless devices access to a wireless network. An exemplary embodiment applies the techniques to wireless devices and beacons in a GSM network.
US08606166B2

A fixing device includes a laser light source for irradiating an unfixed toner image formed on a recording sheet, and melts a toner by light from the laser light source to fix the toner image on the recording sheet. Here, where a conveyance speed of the recording sheet is p, a length of a light irradiation area in a conveyance direction of the recording sheet is q, time during which the toner of the unfixed image is subjected to light during conveyance is r, and energy per unit area given to the toner of the unfixed image is J, light output of the laser light source is controlled so that the energy during a constant time r1 from the start of a time r is differentiated from the energy during a time r2 until the end of the time r after the elapse of the r1.
US08606160B2

An image heating apparatus includes a coil for generating a magnetic flux by a current flowing therethrough; an image heating member having an electroconductive layer in which an eddy current is produced by the magnetic flux by which heat is generated, the image heating member being effective to heat an image on a recording material; an electroconductive magnetic flux adjusting member movable from a first position and a second position to decrease the eddy current produced in the image heating member by the magnetic flux; a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of image heating member; electric power control means for control electric power supplied to the coil on the basis of an output of the temperature sensor, wherein the electric power control means changes an electric power condition to be supplied to the coil before start of the movement from the first position to the second position of magnetic flux adjusting member.
US08606151B2

A developer supply device is provided, which includes a developer retrieving board disposed in closest proximity to a developer holding surface parallel to a first direction, across a predetermined distance in a retrieving proximity position that is downstream relative to a first position where a developer holding surface faces an intended device to be supplied with development agent and upstream relative to a second position that is upstream relative to the first position and a position where the development agent is transferred onto the developer holding surface, in a second direction as a moving direction of the developer holding surface which direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The developer retrieving board retrieves the development agent from the developer holding surface in a position downstream relative to the retrieving proximity position in a developer transfer direction along a developer retrieving path perpendicular to the first direction.
US08606145B2

Image forming apparatuses include: a casing; an image forming unit removable from the casing in a first direction; and plural developer cartridges. The cartridges may be attached and detached with respect to the image forming unit in a second direction that is inclined toward the first direction. Other image forming apparatuses include: a casing; an exposure device; a plurality of cartridges configured to be attached and detached with respect to the casing in a first direction; and a recording medium transport system for transporting recording media adjacent the photosensitive members in a second direction. The first direction may be inclined with respect to the second direction, and at least a portion of optical paths of the light emitted from the exposure device may extend parallel with the first direction. Aspects also relate to image forming units, e.g., for use in image forming apparatuses as described above.
US08606142B2

In an image-forming device, a holder is configured to move between a position inside the main body and a position outside the main body and to hold a first process unit having a first supply roller and a second process unit such that the first and second process units are arranged in a row along a first direction. The holder has a first guide member positioned between the first and second process units in the first direction when the holder holds the first and second process units, the first guide member being configured to guide the first process unit into the holder. An upper end of the first guide member is positioned at a vertical level higher than the first supply roller when the holder holds the first process unit.
US08606140B2

An image forming device includes a main casing, a support member, a plurality of image bearing members supported on the support member, a plurality of developing units supported on the support member, a plurality of toner cartridges detachably mounted on the support member, and a shutter closing mechanism. Each toner cartridge includes a casing formed with an opening through which toner accommodated in the casing is supplied to the developing unit and a shutter movable between an opening position at which the shutter opens the opening and a closing position at which the shutter closes the opening. The shutter closing mechanism moves the shutter of one of the toner cartridges to be replaced from the opening position to the closing position while maintaining the shutters of the remaining toner cartridges at the respective opening positions.
US08606137B2

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium; a fixing device that nips the recording medium and that rotates at a first peripheral velocity, to transport the recording medium, and to fix the image to the recording medium; a transport path; a first transporting section that rotates at a second peripheral velocity, and nips and transports the recording medium to which the image is fixed; a second transporting section that rotates at a third peripheral velocity, and nips and transports the recording medium to which the image is fixed; a detecting unit that detects a move-out timing; and a controller that controls a peripheral velocity of the second transporting section so as to be greater than the third peripheral velocity and less than the second peripheral velocity in accordance with the timing detected by the detecting unit.
US08606135B2

A fixing device for fixing an image on a recording medium includes an endless flexible fixing member formed into a loop, a heat conductive member disposed within the loop formed by the fixing member, a heater disposed near the heat conductive member to heat the heat conductive member, a pressing member pressing the fixing member against the heat conductive member to form a fixing nip, a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the fixing member, and a lubricant disposed between the fixing member and the heat conductive member. The heater heats the heat conductive member to heat the lubricant with the fixing member stopped. The fixing member rotates after heating of the heat conductive member by the heater.
US08606122B2

An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit which fixes an unfixed toner image retained onto a recording medium by at least heat while moving the recording medium; a setting unit which sets a plurality of levels of fixing condition in the fixing unit in accordance with user's desire; and a changing unit which changes at least one of temperature with which the recording medium is heated by the fixing unit and speed with which the recording medium is moved by the fixing unit, in accordance with the level of fixing condition set by the setting unit.
US08606120B2

The present invention provides a system, apparatus and method to control an optical polarization beam splitter. A portion of an optical output of the polarization beam splitter is converted into a corresponding electrical signal. The electrical signal is then provided to the polarization beam splitter as a control signal via a feedback loop. The polarization beam splitter controls a characteristic of the optical output of the polarization beam splitter in response to the received control signal. The characteristic, for example, may be controlled through thermo-optically or electro-optically. The control system may be used over a period of time to maintain the characteristic at a desired value, for example as the components of the polarization beam splitter, or other elements used in the control of the polarization beam splitter, age.
US08606115B2

An optical transmission apparatus is provided with an optical filter on a transmission line between a reception end of a transmission line and an OSC receiver. The optical filter has transmission characteristics such as to pass main signal light and optical supervisory channel light (OSC light), and to cut off noise light contained in at least one end portion band on a short wavelength side and a long wavelength side of an OSC transmission band used for reception of OSC light. By such a configuration, even in a case where the OSC light is Raman amplified and transmitted, the influence of noise light due to Raman amplification can be reduced, and OSC light can be received reliably, enabling high dependability to be realized.
US08606111B2

The disclosure relates to a fast, stable method of output wavelength control in a DWDM optical device, and a circuit configured to perform the method. The method and circuit can control timing and overshoot during conditions of rapid operational changes, such as during power-on or restart of the device. The method and circuit includes optimized APC, TEC and electro-absorption (EA) modulator control hardware and algorithms, to effectively control transient processes. Software and circuitry based on the method(s) are achieved in part by optimizing APC, EA and TEC control algorithms. In combination with hardware/circuit optimization, one can achieve fast turn-on of an optical output signal at a stable wavelength. The method and circuit provides a stable power-up process in which a change of wavelength is small enough to meet DWDM specification requirements, to ensure the elimination and avoidance of crosstalk in adjacent channels in dense wave (sub)systems.
US08606109B2

A technique for forwarding downstream packets in a GPON comprising an OLT unit having a physical PON port connected to N Optical Network Termination (ONT) units by optical fibers. The physical PON port accommodates N individual virtual GEM ports terminated with the N ONT units (ONTs) which form N:1 service. The technique comprises assigning in the physical port of the OLT unit a virtual GEM port being a shared broadcast GEM port terminated with all the N ONTs of the N:1 service. Those downstream packets applied to the physical PON port, which would otherwise be flooded—such as broadcast packets or packets having unknown destination address—will now be forwarded only via the shared broadcast GEM port.
US08606094B2

A position controller for an optical element of a photographing optical system, includes an advancing/retracting ring, an anti-shake moving member supported by the advancing/retracting ring, an insertable/removable moving member which holds the optical element, a rear support member fixed to the advancing/retracting ring; a removal drive member supported by the rear support member to be movable between an insertion allowance position in which the removal drive member is in noncontact with the insertable/removable moving member in the insertion position, to thereby allow the anti-shake moving member to move in a moving range thereof, and a forced removing position in which the removal drive member comes in contact with and presses the insertable/removable moving member to move the insertable/removable moving member from the insertion position to the removed position; and an insertion/removal controller.
US08606089B2

A drive unit supplies to an auxiliary information generating section a first event notice related to reproducing operation and a second event notice indicating reproducing position information, regarding content recorded on a recording medium. The auxiliary information generating section generates auxiliary information based on the first and second event notices, for storage in an information storage section. A comparison/computation section makes a comparison or a computation using the reproducing position information indicated by the auxiliary information and reproducing position information indicated by a later-supplied second event notice. A command issuing section issues a command for controlling reproduction of the content based on a result of the comparison or the computation. As a result, a reproducing operation differing from an operation according to a predetermined command can be performed.
US08606086B2

Access point pictures designated as randomly accessible positions are I pictures or P pictures. Information indicating the decoding sequence (I1, P1, B1, B2, B3, B4, P2, . . . ) of pictures functioning as access points and attribute information (picture_type) indicating whether a picture functions as an access point or is necessary for decoding of the access point following a given access point are recorded on the video information recording medium. Random access is possible even if the GOP interval is lengthened.
US08606085B2

A method for replacing audio data within a recorded audio/video stream is presented. In the method, a first audio/video stream including audio data, video data, and supplemental data is stored. Location information is received which references the supplemental data to identify a location within the first audio/video stream. The location information is received in a data file separately from the first audio/video stream. Also received is an audio data segment. At least a portion of the audio data of the first audio/video stream is replaced at the identified location with the audio data segment to produce a second audio/video stream. At least a portion of the second audio/video stream is then transferred for presentation.
US08606079B2

A recording apparatus is provided. The recording apparatus divides a material including video and/or audio information and records divided materials onto a plurality of recording media. The recording apparatus includes a control unit configured to divide the material into a plurality of divided materials and to prepare, for each of the divided materials, reproduction procedure information including recording information for the divided materials; an interface configured to attach the plurality of recording media; and a recording device configured to record the divided materials and the reproduction procedure information including recording information for the divided materials onto separate recording media for the respective divided materials.
US08606077B2

The present invention provides a video file playing method, and also a corresponding user end. Wherein, a video file is downloaded from a server and added with an index area, where the index area includes a start address, a next file address, a start time; the video file is inserted into a local video file queue, so that a next file address of an index area of a previous video file of the video file is the start address of the index area of the video file, and the next file address of the index area of the video file is a start address of an index area of a next video file of the video file.
US08606074B2

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and system for altering a presentation of broadcast content. More specifically, embodiments provide an accurate and efficient mechanism for suppressing advertisements by using downloaded templates to identify advertisements before suppression for a duration indicated by information downloaded about the advertisement, where the suppression is effectuated by controlling a display or set-top box using remote-control functionality. In one embodiment, a digital signal comprising broadcast content is accessed. A plurality of templates are received and stored, wherein each template represents a known portion of the broadcast content. The digital signal is then compared against a portion of the plurality of stored templates. Upon a match, a control signal operable to alter a component of a presentation of the known portion of the broadcast content is generated.
US08606065B2

An optical fiber (10) includes: a core (11); a first cladding (12) surrounding the core (11) and having a lower refractive index than the core (11); and a second cladding (13) surrounding the first cladding (12) and having a lower refractive index than the first cladding (12). The first cladding (12) is doped with light attenuating dopant so that a concentration of the light attenuating dopant in the first cladding (12) increases from an inner surface of the first cladding (12) toward an outer surface of the first cladding (12).
US08606061B2

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a cable assembly for adapting to a premise wiring system, whereby the cables utilized therewith comprise quick-locking connectors thereon. In one embodiment of the present invention, a cable assembly comprises a first cable having a cable portion and a connector on a first end of the first cable, the connector comprising an interface and a locking means for securely engaging a second cable; a housing comprising a body having an aperture therethrough for receiving the first cable, the housing having a panel locking means for engaging a panel from a rear surface thereof, and the panel for securing to a substantially rigid structure, having at least one port therethrough; wherein when the housing engages the panel, the interface of the connector of the first cable is accessible from the front surface side of the panel.
US08606050B2

In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of providing a sequence of image files depicting images of a same scene, in a computer memory, determining correspondence information relevant to the same scene across the sequence of images, and generating individual intrinsic images for each one of the sequence of images, as a function of the correspondence information.
US08606048B2

An image processing apparatus for scaling an image including: an operation position determining section for determining a pixel operation position, which is either a pixel inserting or deleting position, based on a scaling ratio; an inserting/deleting section for inserting/deleting a pixel to/from the pixel operation position determined by the operation position determining section; an error calculating section for calculating a density difference as an error between densities in a vicinity of the inserted/deleted pixel via the inserting/deleting section, before and after the insertion or deletion; and an error allocating section for allocating the error, calculated by the error calculating section, to the inserted pixel and pixels in a vicinity of the inserted or deleted pixel, so that a pixel value, after allocation, of a pixel of an allocation destination, falls within an allowable range estimated from a pixel value of a pixel near the pixel of allocation destination.
US08606034B2

There is provided an apparatus for improving the sharpness of an image, which may prevent occurrence of distortion of an image in an edge enhancement process of the image by applying an active weight in accordance with a two-dimensional (2D) high pass filtering value of the image. The apparatus may include: a 2D high pass filter outputting a high frequency element value for the luminance values of pixels of an input image; a weight generating unit generating a weight changed depending on a magnitude of the high frequency element value; a weight applying unit applying the weight to the high frequency element value; and an edge enhancement image generating unit adding, to the luminance values of the pixels of the input image, the high frequency element value to which the weight is applied to thereby output an image of which an edge is enhanced.
US08606031B2

A fast, accurate and efficient Gaussian filter implements a box filter implementation, applies the central limit theorem and uses an overflow implementation. By combining the box filter, central limit theorem and overflow, the filter is fast, accurate and efficient so that it is able to be implemented in hardware and/or software easily.
US08606025B2

Encoding and decoding methods are provided to improve the coding efficiency when implementing random access. A recovery point is defined. The encoding method includes: encoding an I-frame to obtain a first reconstructed image; encoding a reference image between the I-frame and the recovery point to obtain a second reconstructed image; refreshing the second reconstructed image to obtain a first refreshed image; using at least one of the first reconstructed image and the first refreshed image as a reference image to encode the corresponding frame at the recovery point. When random access occurs at the I-frame, from the recovery point correct decoding starts at the decoder and the decoded image is consistent with the coded image at the encoder. An encoder, a decoder, and an image processing system are also provided herein.
US08606023B2

Techniques are described to reduce rounding errors during computation of discrete cosine transform using fixed-point calculations. According to these techniques, a discrete cosine transform a matrix of scaled coefficients is calculated by multiplying coefficients in a matrix of coefficients by scale factors. Next, a midpoint bias value and a supplemental bias value are added to a DC coefficient of the matrix of scaled coefficients. Next, an inverse discrete cosine transform is applied to the resulting matrix of scaled coefficients. Values in the resulting matrix are then right-shifted in order to derive a matrix of pixel component values. As described herein, the addition of the supplemental bias value to the DC coefficient reduces rounding errors attributable to this right-shifting. As a result, a final version of a digital media file decompressed using these techniques may more closely resemble an original version of a digital media file.
US08606021B2

Cell phones and other portable devices are equipped with a variety of technologies by which existing functionality can be improved, and new functionality can be provided. Some relate to visual search capabilities, and determining appropriate actions responsive to different image inputs. Others relate to processing of image data. Still others concern metadata generation, processing, and representation. Yet others relate to coping with fixed focus limitations of cell phone cameras, e.g., in reading digital watermark data. Still others concern user interface improvements. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
US08606008B2

The grayscale of an input signal is converted without amplifying noise components thereof. A grayscale conversion portion performs grayscale conversion on an input signal IS to create a converted signal TS, a noise reduction degree determining portion determines a noise reduction degree NR that expresses a strength of noise reduction processing to be applied to the converted signal based on the input signal IS and the converted signal TS, and a noise reducing portion executes noise reduction processing on the converted signal TS based on the noise reduction degree NR. By doing this, it is possible to convert the grayscale of the input signal without enhancing the noise.
US08606006B2

An image processing apparatus including: a color mode selection receiving unit configured to receive a selection of a color mode used for printing or displaying; a color selection receiving unit configured to receive a selection of a color used for printing or displaying; a color conversion palette generation unit configured to generate a color conversion palette based on the selected color mode and the selected color, the color conversion palette being used for converting original data to be printed or displayed into colors used for printing or displaying; and a color conversion unit configured to convert the original data to be printed or displayed into output data using the color conversion palette when performing printing or displaying.
US08605998B2

Training a strong classifier by classifying point cloud data with a first classifier, inferring a first terrain map from the classified point cloud data, reclassifying the point cloud data with the first classifier based on the first terrain map, and training a second classifier based on the point cloud data reclassified with the first classifier based on the terrain map. The point cloud data is then classified with the second classifier, and the procedure followed with the first classifier is iteratively repeated until a strong classifier is determined. A strong classifier is determined when a probability of a terrain map matching a given terrain for the strong classifier is approximately equal to a probability of a terrain map matching the given terrain for a prior trained classifier.
US08605987B2

The present invention relates to an object-based 3-dimensional stereo information generation apparatus and method, and an interactive system using the same. The method comprises: obtaining at least two 2-dimensional images with respect to the same space at a first time point; extracting objects from the at least two 2-dimensional images, respectively; establishing correspondences between objects; and generating 3-dimensional stereo information according to corresponding objects. The apparatus and interactive system comprises: at least two image capturing units for respectively capturing 2-dimensional images; and processing means for generating 3-dimensional stereo information according to the captured 2-dimensional images.
US08605983B2

A non-contact measurement apparatus and method. A probe is provided for mounting on a coordinate positioning apparatus, comprising at least one imaging device for capturing an image of an object to be measured. Also provided is an image analyzer configured to analyze at least one first image of an object obtained by the probe from a first perspective and at least one second image of the object obtained by the probe from a second perspective so as to identify at least one target feature on the object to be measured. The image analyzer is further configured to obtain topographical data regarding a surface of the object via analysis of an image, obtained by the probe, of the object on which an optical pattern is projected.
US08605982B2

A method of locating a check image region within a document image comprising the steps of locating a magnetic ink character recognition region of the check and calculating the top of the check relative to the magnetic ink character recognition region by detection of string literals having a historical and/or contextual relationship to the upper check boundary.
US08605981B2

A method for determining radiation exposure from chromosome abnormalities present in a specimen by determining the location or locations of the centromere of each chromosome in a cell in an image of a metaphase cell by segmentation of an accurately drawn chromosome centerline followed by selection of a longitudinal cross-section with the minimum width or intensity or width and intensity; counting the number of centromeres in each chromosome in each cell; computing the frequency of dicentric chromosomes in a population of cells; and determining the radiation dose by comparing the computed frequency of dicentric chromosomes with a previously determined dose-response curve from a calibrated source.
US08605980B2

Embodiments provide a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technique and optionally software—collectively referred to as the “shutter-speed” model—to analyze image data of cancer patients. Embodiments provide a minimally invasive, yet precisely accurate, approach to determining whether tumors are malignant or benign by distinguishing the characteristics of contrast reagent activity in benign and malignant tumors. Exemplary embodiments provide MRI measured biomarkers for tumor malignancy determination, effectively eliminating or limiting the false positives suffered by existing MRI techniques.
US08605976B2

A novel and useful system and method of detecting the best candidate frames for diagnosis out of a series of coronary angiograms frames. The mechanism analyzes the motion of the visible arteries in the sequence of angiogram frames to identify the local minimas of the differences between sequential frames. Wavelet transform coefficients are generated for each frame and used to quantify the differences between every two sequential frames to detect minimal differences (which correspond to minimal motion). The optimal end-systole and end-diastole frames are selected from these local minima frames.
US08605958B2

A method and apparatus are provided for generating emotional information including a user's impressions in relation to multimedia content or meta data regarding the emotional information, and a computer readable recording medium storing the method. The meta data generating method includes receiving emotional information in relation to the content from at least one client system which receives and reproduces the content; generating meta data for an emotion using the emotional information; and coupling the meta data for the emotion to the content. Accordingly, it is possible to automatically acquire emotional information by using the facial expression of a user who is appreciating multimedia content, and use the emotional information as meta data.
US08605956B2

Methods and systems for automated identification of celebrity face images are provided that generate a name list of prominent celebrities, obtain a set of images and corresponding feature vectors for each name, detect faces within the set of images, and remove non-face images. An analysis of the images is performed using an intra-model analysis, an inter-model analysis, and a spectral analysis to return highly accurate biometric models for each of the individuals present in the name list. Recognition is then performed based on precision and recall to identify the face images as belonging to a celebrity or indicate that the face is unknown.
US08605945B2

The disclosure is directed to techniques for automatic segmentation of a region-of-interest (ROI) video object from a video sequence. ROI object segmentation enables selected ROI or “foreground” objects of a video sequence that may be of interest to a viewer to be extracted from non-ROI or “background” areas of the video sequence. Examples of a ROI object are a human face or a head and shoulder area of a human body. The disclosed techniques include a hybrid technique that combines ROI feature detection, region segmentation, and background subtraction. In this way, the disclosed techniques may provide accurate foreground object generation and low-complexity extraction of the foreground object from the video sequence. A ROI object segmentation system may implement the techniques described herein. In addition, ROI object segmentation may be useful in a wide range of multimedia applications that utilize video sequences, such as video telephony applications and video surveillance applications.
US08605934B2

The earphone housing is essentially mirror symmetric about a first plane, which is orthogonal to the first side, and which extends through the wire position and the center of the earphone housing. The wearing device extends from the earphone housing at an attachment position, which lies at the upper end of the earphone housing. The attachment position can be a first attachment position for holding the earphone housing at the left ear or a second attachment position for holding the earphone at the right ear. The first and the second attachment positions are mirror symmetric located about the first plane.
US08605931B2

A combined headphone set including a speaker assembly. The headphone set includes a headband having a speaker headphone on opposing ends of the headband. Each of the speaker headphones includes an exterior speaker for public listening and an interior speaker for personal listening by the user. One of the speaker headphones includes switching means for listening to the interior speaker or to the exterior speaker or to the interior and exterior speakers simultaneously from each of the speaker headphones. Each of the speaker headphones includes an audio signal wire connected from an output jack of an audio device to the speaker headphones.
US08605930B2

A microphone unit 1 of the present invention includes a case 10 having an internal space 100, a partition member 20 which is provided in the case, and at least partially composed of a vibrating membrane 30, that splits the internal space into a first space 102 and a second space 104, and an electrical signal output circuit 40 that outputs an electrical signal on the basis of vibration of the vibrating membrane. A first through hole 12 through which the first space 102 and an external space of the case are communicated with each other, and a second through hole 14 through which the second space 104 and the external space of the case are communicated with each other are formed in the case 10. In accordance with the present invention, it is possible to provide a high-quality microphone unit whose outer shape is small and which is capable of performing thorough noise cancellation.
US08605924B2

The object of the invention is to enable a hearing apparatus and more particularly a hearing device to be controlled automatically in a more reliable manner by means of an external device. For that purpose there is provided in the hearing apparatus a transponder detection unit for detecting a transponder and providing a corresponding detection signal. Signal processing in the hearing apparatus is performed as a function of the detection signal. An external device, e.g. a telephone is physically joined to the transponder. This enables the hearing apparatus to detect the presence of the external device and control its own signal processing accordingly.
US08605915B2

The present technology is directed to class G audio amplifiers and the associated methods of operation. In one embodiment, a class G audio amplifier includes an input port, an audio output stage, a level detector, and a charge pump. The class G audio amplifier regulates the power supplies of the audio output stage according to the input signal, so as to realize high efficiency and high quality audio output.
US08605914B2

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a system, a method and a circuit for processing a stereo audio signal. According to some embodiments, the system for processing a stereo audio signal may include an audio processing circuit. The audio processing module or circuit may be operatively connected to an audio input interface and to an output audio interface. Through the audio input interface, the audio processing circuit may be adapted for receiving a 2-channels stereo audio signal. The audio processing module may be adapted for determining an output mono audio signal representing the center sound and a stereo audio signal representing the stereo sound without the center. Through the output interface the audio processing circuit may provide each of an output mono audio signal representing the center sound and a stereo audio signal representing the stereo sound without the center.
US08605912B2

Biphase mark codes (BMC) are used in digital communications. Most BMC formats use preambles for rate determination and synchronization. A decoder compares the intervals of continuous high or continuous low voltages in a BMC stream to predetermined minimum and maximum values of half cell, full cell and one-and-a-half cell intervals for all supported sampling rates. If a pattern matching a preamble is found, the sampling rate is locked in and the decoder is synchronized to the BMC stream. Once locked, the decoder uses the predetermined minimum and maximum values at the locked rate to generate half cell, full cell and one-and-a-half cell indicators for a decoding state machine which decodes data in the BMC stream or decodes expected preambles.
US08605910B2

A device for determining a component signal for a WFS system includes a provider for providing WFS parameters, a WFS parameter interpolator, and an audio signal processor. The provider provides WFS parameters for a component signal while using a source position and while using the loudspeaker position at a parameter sampling frequency smaller than the audio sampling frequency. The WFS parameter interpolator interpolates the WFS parameters so as to produce interpolated WFS parameters which are present at a parameter interpolation frequency that is higher than the parameter sampling frequency, the interpolated WFS parameters having interpolated fractions which have a higher level of accuracy than is specified by the audio sampling frequency. The audio signal processor is configured to apply the interpolated fractional values to the audio signal such that the component signal is obtained in a state of having been processed at the higher level of accuracy.
US08605904B2

A security method in a wireless communication system is provided, which is used for providing a plurality of security associations between a user equipment, a relay node, and a base station node in a wireless communication system. The user equipment authenticates with a serving gateway in the wireless communication system through the relay node, such that a security association between the user equipment and the relay node is established correspondingly. The relay node establishes a second security association between the relay node and the base station node through the base station node.
US08605902B1

The present invention is directed to a radio system for providing dynamic switching between red side control functionality and black side control functionality. The system may include a control processor configured for providing the black side control functionality. The system may also include a protected core processor configured for providing the red side control functionality. The system may further include a switch configured for selectively connecting external control elements to the control processor and/or the protected core processor for allowing the control processor and/or the protected core processor to control the external control elements.
US08605897B2

Symmetric-key encryption method for transforming a sequence of plaintext symbols into a sequence of ciphertext symbols, includes an iterative encryption process including: computing an altered current internal state by combining a current internal state with a current memory symbol; computing a next internal state from the altered current internal state; generating a keystream symbol from the next internal state; verifying whether the generated keystream symbol satisfies a condition related to data-format/syntax rules; iteratively computing next internal states and iteratively generating keystream symbols; and iteratively encrypting plaintext symbols by employing next keystream symbols to obtain the sequence of ciphertext symbols.
US08605889B2

A dual-tone generating telecommunication device comprising a frequency generating element that produces at least 9 individual tones, each having a distinct frequency between 300 Hz and 3,000 Hz, and at least 17 dial buttons, with each dial button representing at least one distinct character, and where each character directs the frequency generating element to produce a distinct dual tone, with each distinct dual tone being generated by the combination of two different individual tones.
US08605885B1

Systems and methods for handling information communicated by voice. The method may comprise: (i) receiving a call from a caller, the call comprising utterances from the caller; (ii) verbally communicating information to the caller through a customer service representative, the agent interacting with a display; (iii) processing the utterances with a computing device; (iv) determining content of the utterances; and (v) displaying information on the display based on the content.
US08605880B2

In an embodiment, a profile server creates a profile that includes profile data and is associated with a first subscriber device. A second subscriber device receives an incoming call from the first subscriber device and queries the profile server for a profile associated with the first subscriber device. The profile server determines that the profile data is authorized for distribution to the second subscriber device, and thereby transmits the profile data in response to the received query and based on the determined authorization.
US08605871B2

Methods and apparatus to send voice messages are disclosed. One example method includes receiving a selection of a service from a plurality of services; determining whether the selected service supports sending a voice message; recording the voice message using a mobile communication device; sending the voice message from the mobile communication device using the selected service if the selected service supports sending the voice message.
US08605866B2

A particular method includes initiating outbound calls associated with at least two recipients that are to receive a notification message. The outbound calls include a first call to a first telephone address associated with a first recipient of the at least two recipients. The method further includes, in response to a determination that the first call is unanswered, initiating a second call to a second telephone address associated with the first recipient and initiating generation of an email message to an electronic mail address associated with the first recipient.
US08605861B2

A filtered medical image display system includes an interface processor for receiving data. The received data indicates, image characteristics of a first medical image obtained using a medical imaging device and in the absence of an X-ray attenuation filter and imaging device settings. A computation processor uses the image characteristics data and imaging device settings in, computing a change in image display characteristics occurring in a portion of the first medical image in response to filtering a medical imaging beam responsible for producing the portion of the first medical image and determining an adjustment of image display characteristics of the first medical image by scaling image display characteristics of the first medical image including the filtered portion. A display processor uses the determined adjustment in the image display characteristics of the first medical image to generate data representing a second medical image.
US08605840B2

A method of canceling impulsive interference from a communications signal is provided. The method includes identifying an impulse interference contained in the communications signal, generating a model of impulse interference, matching the model in at least one of amplitude, phase and envelope time delay to the identified impulse interference, and cancelling the identified impulse interference by subtracting the matched model from the identified impulse interference.
US08605838B2

Interference is estimated in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing system by receiving at a wireless receiver pilot symbols and data symbols transmitted in time and frequency via resource blocks, detecting a first one of the data symbols transmitted to the wireless receiver via a time-frequency resource element of a first one of the resource blocks and identifying a second one of the resource blocks adjacent the first resource block having related interference parameters. The interference is estimated based on the pilot symbols transmitted via the first resource block and the pilot symbols transmitted via the second resource block.
US08605836B2

Techniques for performing automatic gain control (AGC) at a wireless receiver are described. The total gain for the wireless receiver is achieved with discrete gain steps for analog circuitry and continuous gain for a digital variable gain amplifier (DVGA). An AGC loop is updated based on power measurements for an output signal from the DVGA. A first gain for the analog circuitry is selected from among multiple discrete gain values based on the AGC loop to maintain the average power of a baseband signal within a predetermined range at an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) input. A second gain for the DVGA is selected based on the AGC loop to maintain the average power of the output signal at a reference power level. The first gain is switched in a manner to avoid saturation of the ADC caused by the baseband signal and to provide switching hysteresis. The AGC may be performed in log domain and with multiple modes.
US08605834B1

In a method for generating a signal quality indicator, a correlation signal is generated from a received signal and a spreading sequence. A magnitude signal is generated from the correlation signal. A time-domain averaged signal is generated based on the magnitude signal and at least a first time delayed version of the magnitude signal delayed by at least one symbol period. A peak-to-average signal is generated based on the time-domain averaged signal.
US08605826B2

A receiver system and a demodulator system are configured to receive and demodulate, respectively, multi-gigabit millimeter wave signals being wirelessly transmitted in the unlicensed wireless band near 60 GHz.
US08605824B2

Provided is a wireless communication apparatus wherein channel estimation accuracy is improved while keeping the position of each bit in a frame, even when a modulation system having a large modulation multiple value is used for a data symbol. In the wireless communication apparatus (100), an encoding section (101) encodes and outputs transmitting data (bit string) to a bit converting section (102), and the bit converting section (102) converts at least one bit of a plurality of bits constituting a data symbol to be used for channel estimation, among the encoded bit strings, into ‘1’ or ‘0’ and outputs it to a modulating section (103). The modulating section (103) modulates the bit string inputted from the bit converting section (102) by using a single modulation mapper and a plurality of data symbols are generated.
US08605821B2

An apparatus and method for scrambling in a wireless communication system are provided. The apparatus includes a selector, a plurality of scramblers, and a plurality of modulators. The selector selects a scrambling scheme to be applied to a transmission bit stream according to a modulation scheme to be applied to the transmission bit stream. The plurality of scramblers scramble the transmission bit stream according to a scrambling scheme corresponding to each of a plurality of modulation schemes. The plurality of modulators modulate the scrambled transmission bit stream according to the plurality of modulation schemes.
US08605811B2

A method and an apparatus for data signal transmission are disclosed. A data signal is coded through space-time-frequency coding to form k1 space-time-frequency bit streams. P of the k1 space-time-frequency bit streams are divided into Ki orthogonal components respectively, in which a modulus of an inner product of any two of the Ki orthogonal components is equal to zero or smaller than a set value. The data signal can be restored through the Ki orthogonal components, but cannot be restored though the remaining orthogonal components apart from any one non-zero orthogonal component. All orthogonal components are provided for virtual antennas of N base stations, and are mapped to Mj physical antennas of the base station for transmission.
US08605808B2

Disclosed is a method and system to detect data transmitted by multiple transmit antennas. The method comprises selecting a starting data block that is either a random data block or an output data block from known detectors. Also, the method comprises changing each symbol of the starting data block one symbol at a time to identify a data block which has minimum euclidean distance from the starting data block as detected data block. Next, changing two symbols of the detected data block at a time to identify a data block which has minimum euclidean distance from the starting data block as second data block and assigning the second data block as the starting data block. Repeating the above steps, if the minimum euclidean distance of second data block is better than that of the detected data block, and determining the detected data block as the data transmitted.
US08605807B1

A method and system for transmitting electromagnetic signals are provided. Data signals including a first data signal conveying first data, a second data signal conveying second data, and a third data signal conveying third data are provided. One or more transmitting devices transmit the first data signal and an inverse of the first data signal in two orthogonal linear polarities of an antenna maintaining their inverted phase relationship as propagated. Transmitting devices also transmit the second data signal in a linear polarity with a 45 degree rotation around a transmit axis of the first data signal. Transmitting devices also transmit the third data signal in a linear polarity orthogonally from the second data signal and consequently ±45 degrees from the first data signals. One or more receiving stations receive the transmitted first data signal, the inverse of the first data signal, the second data signal and the third data signal.
US08605805B2

A receiver receives a signal from a transmitter via communication channels, informs the transmitter of channel state information, and includes a channel correlation value computation unit that computes a correlation value assigned to each channel state information combination; a conversion input data generation unit that determines a channel state information combination having a relatively large correlation based on the correlation value, to be conversion input data; a time-to-frequency region conversion unit that converts the region of the conversion input data from a time region to a frequency region; an information compressing unit that compresses information of a frequency component included in the conversion input data obtained by the time-to-frequency region conversion unit; and a transmitting unit that sends the transmitter, information-compressed data obtained by the information compressing unit and information used for isolating the channel state information items included in the conversion input data.
US08605803B2

Method and apparatus for generating a precoder for uplink transmission from a mobile station. The method includes receiving information corresponding to a first precoding matrix and a second precoding matrix, and generating the precoder by linearly combining the first precoding matrix and the second precoding matrix. In the method, the first precoding matrix maximizes a transmission power between the mobile station and a serving base station, and the second precoding matrix minimizes an average interference value between the mobile station and at least two neighboring base stations.
US08605796B2

A computer readable medium for compressing video data with an edit track is provided. Generally, computer readable code for compressing video data is provided. The computer readable code for compressing comprises computer readable code for accessing the edit track to use data in the edit track during the compressing. A method of compressing video data with an edit track is provided. Generally, video data is compressed. The compressing comprises accessing the edit track to use data in the edit track during the compressing. A system for compressing video data is also provided. An edit track reader for accesses data within the edit track and generates instructions based on the data within the data track. A video compressor receives instruction from the edit track reader and receives the edited video track and audio track, and compresses the edited video according to the instructions from the edit track reader.
US08605795B2

Video editing methods and systems, including methods and systems to identify video clips having similar visual characteristics. Video clips may correspond to first and second videos, which may include a professional music video and a personal video, respectively. Identified video clips of the personal video may be combined into a new video clip, and music corresponding to visually similar video clips of the music video may be associated with the corresponding video clips of the new video. Video frames of the video clips may be characterized with respect to one or more visual features, which may include one or more of facial and/or body features, salient objects, camera motion, and image quality. Characterizations may be compared between video clips on an incremental basis. Characterization of a music video may implicitly model an underlying correlation between music rhythm and changes in visual appearance.
US08605792B2

A coding apparatus is for performing a deblocking filter process by dividing input moving image data into frames, and coding the moving image data by dividing the frames into macroblock lines and by shifting and changing, for each frame, a refresh area in which an amount of coding information allocated to a specific macroblock line is larger than that of another macroblock line. The coding apparatus includes a determining unit that determines that a refresh area in a current frame as well as a macroblock line in the current frame corresponding to a macroblock line that will become a refresh area in a frame being subsequently subjected to the coding process becomes a next refresh area. The coding apparatus includes a coding unit that codes the refresh area and the next refresh area by allocating a larger amount of coding information than an amount allocated to the other macroblock line.
US08605781B2

Disclosed is a method and system to deliver real-time video data over the Internet in a bandwidth efficient manner. A streaming processor receives raw video data from a video source and communicates a compressed version of the video data to a reflector network. The video data is compress by grouping pixels into blocks and comparing blocks of adjacent frames of video data to identify any changes. Only blocks that have been changed are transmitted to the reflector network. In addition, if a block has been changed in a manner to create a previously transmitted block, then only an identification index for the block is transmitted. The actual content of the block can then be recreated by comparing the index to a list of previously received blocks. The reflector network provides the compressed video stream to multiple clients through a series of reflectors. Each client can customize the quality of the video stream received by requesting a full-stream of a sub-stream from the reflector network.
US08605775B2

The invention relates to a method for measuring Hum on a digital QAM carrier using a testing device for testing digital TV signals including a QAM demodulator therein, and to a testing device implementing the method. A controller is used to sample a register associated with a final AGC stage in a QAM demodulator, and to process the collected register values to obtain one or more Hum characteristics. In one embodiment, a circular buffer is used to collect aligned sequences of AGC samples that have a pre-determined feature of time-domain Hum at a specified position therein. The aligned AGC sequences are then correlated to assess causes of Hum.
US08605770B2

A symbol modulation system applicable to a body area network is disclosed herein. The symbol modulation system includes a symbol mapper. The symbol mapper is configured to determine a time within a predetermined symbol transmission interval at which a transmission representative of the symbol will occur. The time is determined based on a value of a symbol and a value of a time-hopping sequence. The time is selected from a plurality of symbol value based time slots, and a plurality of time-hopping sequence sub-time-slots within each symbol value based time slot. The symbol mapper is configured to generate a single guard interval within the symbol transmission interval. The single guard interval is positioned to terminate the symbol transmission interval.
US08605761B2

A multi-beam laser beam control system includes a laser transmitter configured to emit light in a plurality of beamlets. A sensor is configured to receive light from the beamlets. A processor is communicably coupled to the sensor and configured to compute a relative phase of a wavefront of at least one beamlet based on output from the sensor. A controller is communicably coupled to the processor and to the laser transmitter. The controller is configured to adjust a phase of at least one of the beamlets.
US08605759B1

A device is provided and includes a multiplexer that receives signals and generates an output signal based on a selected one of the signals. The output signal includes frequencies and has a respective signal magnitude at each of the frequencies. A control circuit determines gain values. A transmitter provides pre-emphasis to the output signal to offset a characteristic of a channel, and transmits the output signal with the pre-emphasis on the channel. The transmitter, in providing the pre-emphasis: provides delayed versions of the output signal, where each of the delayed versions of the output signal has a different amount of delay than other delayed versions of the output signal; and amplifies each of the delayed versions of the output signal based on a respective one of the gain values such that certain ones of the signal magnitudes are amplified, and other ones of the signal magnitudes are attenuated.
US08605755B2

Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for conserving bandwidth. If a presence of a multimedia device is detected, then a stream of data is delivered to the multimedia device. If the presence of the multimedia device is not detected, then the stream of data is degraded to conserve bandwidth.
US08605751B2

In a symbol mapping apparatus, a channel coder outputs a codeword including a plurality of information bits and a plurality of redundancy bits by encoding transmission data. A symbol mapper maps the codeword to the symbol while changing a mapping scheme in the unit of the codeword.
US08605747B2

A system facilitates initialization of devices in a cable modem network. The system may provide downstream channels for transmitting data to the devices and upstream channels for receiving data from the devices. At least one of the upstream channels may be dedicated to providing initialization opportunities. This dedicated upstream channel(s) includes less than all of the upstream channels. The system may transmit upstream channel identifiers on the downstream channels, where each of the upstream channel identifiers identifies one of the upstream channels. The system receives initialization data on the dedicated upstream channel(s).
US08605742B2

An exemplary system includes a service provider configured to provide a network service to a local device via a network, and a plurality of mobile devices, where each mobile device is configured to establish a wireless connection with the network. Such an exemplary system also includes a router in selective communication with the local device and the plurality of mobile devices. The router may be configured to establish a local connection with each of the plurality of mobile devices, and receive a request for a network service from the local device. In addition, the router may be configured to provide the requested network service to the local device via the wireless connection.
US08605731B2

One or more LAN switches capable of accessing the contents of a MAC address table, which the LAN switch contains, from the outside; and a presence server storing in a storage device a first correspondence table between a MAC address of a network interface, which equipment contains, and its user, and a second correspondence table between a port of the above-described LAN switch, and a physical range wired therefrom, are used to thereby obtain a correspondence table between the equipment, its user, and its physical location (range), whereby making applicable also to a wired LAN at the time of determining the location of the equipment or the location of a user using the equipment in a building, and making realizable at low cost, and allowing the location to be determined accurately within a predetermined segmented area, and not being affected even if an IP address is changed.
US08605730B2

A method of communication between endpoint devices that includes converting data packets from a multiport protocol to a proprietary port protocol so that the data packets can traverse firewalls protecting the endpoint devices. A system that includes networks protected by firewall wherein the communication between the networks is in a proprietary protocol and the system further including a device for managing the communication between the protected networks.
US08605727B1

A system including a memory configured to store a bridge table, in which the bridge table includes an entry associating each of an Internet Protocol multicast destination address and an Internet Protocol source address with a port indicator, and the port indicator identifies one or more ports of a switch. The system further includes a controller configured to, in response to the switch receiving an Ethernet packet comprising an Internet Protocol multicast packet, i) generate a key based on each of an Internet Protocol multicast destination address and an Internet Protocol source address associated with the Ethernet packet, ii) lookup the bridge table using the key, and iii) flood the Ethernet packet to the one or more ports identified by the port indicator in response to confirming, based on the key, that the entry in the bridge table is an Internet Protocol multicast entry.
US08605719B2

Source circuits (10) produce messages that may each be processed by any one of a plurality of processing circuits (14). A network of distributor circuits is provided between the source circuits and the processing circuits (14). Local decisions by the distributor circuits in the network decide for each message to which one of the processing circuits the message will be routed. Messages are supplied to at least two parallel distributor circuits. These distributor circuits (12a) select from further distributor circuits (12b) in the network on the basis of current availability of individual ones of the further distributor circuits (12b). The respective messages are in turn forwarded from the selected further distributor circuits (12b) to data processing circuits (14) along routes selected by the selected further distributor circuits (12b) on the basis of current availability of the data processing circuits (14) and/or subsequent distributor circuits (12c) in the network.
US08605718B2

A communication service network, comprising: (a) a communication network including a plurality of terminals configured to support at least a first personal communication service for a plurality of users over the communication network, in which service, each user has a unique handle; and (b) a plurality of clients supporting a second personal communication service, wherein each of said clients is configured to attempt a communication under said second service with any of said users using their unique handles.
US08605710B2

A method and apparatus for improving a channel change response time are disclosed. A meta channel associated with an original and auxiliary media streams is generated. The information conveyed by the meta channel is propagated toward at least one user device. The user device may receive the meta channel information and select one of the media streams using the meta channel information in response to a channel change request from a user terminal, or a network device may select one of the media streams for a user terminal in response to a channel change request from the user terminal.
US08605709B2

A method of providing signal synchronization for a radio access network may include transmitting a first carrier including synchronization signals on a first frequency from the radio access network. Information relating the first carrier on the first frequency with a second carrier on a second frequency may be transmitted from the radio access network, with this information being intended to be used in synchronization by a wireless terminal upon addition of the second carrier. More particularly, the first and second frequencies may be different. A command to add the second carrier as a downlink for transmissions may be transmitted to the wireless terminal. Related network nodes and wireless terminals are also discussed.
US08605698B2

A vehicle, comprises a vehicle network bus and a mobile router. The mobile router comprises a local area network interface comprising a first wireless transceiver of a first predetermined type to provide a link to first a local area network and a wide area network interface comprising a second wireless transceiver of a second predetermined type to provide a link to a wide area network. One of the wide area network interface and the local area network interface is selectively operable to establish a wireless communication link with a network management system comprising a communication server. The router further comprises an application executable by the at least one processor to selectively acquire predetermined data from the vehicle network bus. The communication agent is operable to upload the predetermined data to the network management system.
US08605696B2

Vehicles having corresponding methods comprise a media source to provide digital data; a first wireless network station comprising a first transmitter to wirelessly transmit first packets of the digital data; a second wireless network station comprising a first receiver to wirelessly receive the first packets of the digital data; and a media player to reproduce media based on the first packets of the digital data wirelessly received by the second wireless network station.
US08605693B2

Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for low power local area communication using event signal control. The low power local area communication apparatus includes at least one coordinator and a plurality of network device. The network coordinator transmits a periodic beacon signal based on the preset beacon period of a superframe and a continuous RF event signal, receives a first signal including a Service Set Identifier (SSID) and a second signal including the SSID and an event detection code, and performs the transmission or reception of data when authentication has been completed. Each of the network devices generates and transmits the first and second signals, performs the transmission and reception of data after authentication has been completed, and is thereafter switched to power saving mode or OFF mode. Accordingly, the construction of the system is simplified, and the cost of the system is reduced.
US08605691B2

In order to reduce the average wait time, information regarding regulatory domain, a component of channel availability, may be obtained through an apparatus and method for transmitting within available channels in a wireless network. This includes determining available channels in a wireless network by: receiving regulatory domain information within the wireless network; generating a frame with at least one component corresponding to the regulatory domain information; transmitting the frame unsolicited by a beacon; receiving the report at a station; and determining whether a channel is available for transmission based, at least in part, on the component corresponding to the regulatory domain information contained in the frame.
US08605690B2

Methods and apparatus for time tracking using assistance from TDM pilots in a communication network. In an aspect, a method is provided for time tracking in a device operating on a communication network, wherein the device performs a time tracking algorithm. The method includes determining a delay spread, and modifying at least one parameter used by the time tracking algorithm based on the delay spread. In another aspect, an apparatus is provided for time tracking in a device operating on a communication network, wherein the device performs a time tracking algorithm. The apparatus includes computation logic for determining a delay spread, and control logic for modifying at least one parameter used by the time tracking algorithm based on the delay spread.
US08605689B2

A first radio in a wireless network may request a transmit opportunity (TXOP) of a certain duration, with the duration being based a likelihood that a TXOP of that duration would cause interference with a co-located second radio. The duration may be dynamically adjusted based on the likelihood of such interference.
US08605686B2

Method and Apparatus for performing power control on the power control commands transmitted on a forward link in a wireless communication system. The power level of the power control bits on the forward link are adjusted in response to power commands received on the reverse link. The mobile station measures the power level of the adjusted power control bits to measure the quality of the forward link.
US08605680B2

Method for temporarily suspending a network connection is provided, which connection uses a Media Independent Handover Function (300). The method comprises receiving a suspend command in the Media Independent Handover Function (300), detecting the suspend command in the Media Independent Handover Function (300) and suspending the network connection. Furthermore the method comprises receiving a resume command in the Media Independent Handover Function (300), detecting the resume command in the Media Independent Handover Function (300) and resuming the network connection.
US08605672B2

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for multiplexing multiple mobile services on a single mobile access point name (APN). A method includes, in a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, examining Internet Protocol (IP) packets that traverse a mobile GN link of a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN), and applying a combination of packet protocols coupled with a carrier defined set of work flow rules to route the IP packets to their next destination and earmark billing CDRs for mediation and correlation by back office IT systems residing with a carrier in the mobile network.
US08605668B2

A user equipment UE obtains channel configurations from each of a serving cell and n neighbor cells which have been determined to be suitable for data communications with the UE, from which the UE creates a combined channel configuration and utilizes it for multipoint communications with those cells. In specific embodiments: the respective channel configurations are obtained from the respective cells' system information; the n neighbor cells are determined to be suitable by the UE comparing each cell's received signal strength/quality against a threshold. The UE may get a neighbor cell list NCL and the threshold and consider each cell on the NCL as one of the n neighbor cells if its signal strength/quality exceed the threshold, then the UE may acquire system information for only those n neighbor cells instead of all cells on the NCL. The UE then reports in uplink signaling that the n neighbor cells are suitable.
US08605666B2

A method, apparatus, and system for triggering resource configuration are disclosed. The method includes: if user equipment (UE) in Cell_Paging Channel (Cell_PCH) state figures out that the total amount of buffer occupancy at the radio link control (RLC) layer or the Transport Channel Traffic Volume is larger than configured threshold, the UE carries an indication in a MEASUREMENT REPORT message and transmit the message to the network side, wherein the indication is used to trigger the network side to configure resources for the UE. With the present invention, the resource configuration is quickly triggered, and the delay of the UE in the data transmission is minimized.
US08605665B2

An apparatus and method for Transmission Time Interval (TTI) reconfiguration in a mobile communication system are provided. The apparatus includes an ACK/NACK determiner, an ACK/NACK controller, and a TTI controller. The ACK/NACK determiner determines if a response signal to be transmitted is ACKnowledgment (ACK) or Non ACKnowledgment (NACK) depending on an error or non-error of data received from a User Equipment (UE). The ACK/NACK controller counts the ACK and NACK determined in the ACK/NACK determiner. The TTI controller identifies if number of the latest ACKs counted in the ACK/NACK controller is continuously generated by preset number of times and, if it is continuously generated by the present number of times, reconfigures a new TTI.
US08605658B2

The wireless communication devices A and B determine the optimal diversity combining weight information that optimizes a diversity reception state at each antenna group A1, A2, . . . , AP through two-way training signal transfer between the wireless communication devices A and B. This optimal diversity combining weight information is set to each antenna of each antenna group A1, A2, . . . , AP. Wireless communication units A′, B′ perform spacial mapping of signals from antenna group A1, A2, . . . , AP using MIMO technology. Communication area can be enlarged by hierarchization MIMO using the optimal diversity combining weight information.
US08605656B2

A local gateway assignment capability is depicted and described herein. In a wireless service provider network, the local gateway assignment capability enables a local gateway, rather than a core gateway, to be selected to serve a user request for an APN. The local gateway and core gateway may be a Local-GGSN (L-GGSN) and a GGSN, respectively, where the L-GGSN is associated with an SGSN and provides local traffic offloading for the GGSN and where the GGSN provides a gateway for the core network portion of the wireless service provider network. A DNS element or other device is configured to determine an SGSN-specific APN in response to receiving a DNS Request from an SGSN. A DNS element is configured to identify, using an SGSN-specific APN associated with an SGSN, an L-GGSN associated with the SGSN, and to provide an indication of the L-GGSN to the SGSN from which the DNS Request is received, thereby enabling the user associated with the DNS Request to use the L-GGSN rather than the GGSN.
US08605654B2

Provided are an apparatus, system, and method for facilitating wireless communication between a hub and a mobile terminal via a remote radio module. The remote radio module includes a first transceiver operable to wirelessly communicate with the mobile terminal, a second transceiver operable to wirelessly communicate with the hub that is coupled to a core network, and a processor for executing instructions stored in memory. The instructions include instructions for receiving a signal from the hub at a first carrier frequency and processing the signal so that the signal can be retransmitted to the mobile terminal at a second carrier frequency different from the first carrier frequency.
US08605653B2

Described are methods and apparatuses, including computer program products for utilizing emergency procedures to determine location information for a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) device. A wireless access gateway (WAG) determines location information of the VOIP device and stores the location information. A request for a location of the VOIP device from a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) is received by the WAG. The WAG translates the stored location information into a format used by the MSC to receive location information from a Radio Access Network (RAN). The WAG provides the translated location information to the MSC.
US08605652B1

What is disclosed is a method of operating a wireless communication device. The method includes entering a first wireless communication mode with a wireless access node that requires tuning to a first frequency spectrum, and receiving congestion information of the wireless access node for overhead communications of the first wireless communication mode. In response to entering the first wireless communication mode, the method includes setting a timer for monitoring a second wireless communication mode based on the congestion information. When the timer expires, the method includes tuning away from the first frequency spectrum to a second frequency spectrum for the second wireless communication mode and monitoring information for the second wireless communication mode.
US08605648B2

A communications system for conveying traffic of first and second types comprising: a first network entity being arranged to receive a request from a calling party to establish a communication channel for traffic to a called party identified in the request, the first network entity having means for determining a type of traffic identified in the request and for routing the request to the called party if the request is for traffic of a first type, and means for redirecting the request if the request is for traffic of a second type; and a second network entity arranged to receive the redirected request and having means for routing the request to the called party whereby a channel for traffic of the second type can be established via the second network entity.
US08605635B2

Systems and methods are provided for processing a payload portion of a received signal in a single carrier mode or a multiple carrier mode based on a portion of the received signal. A single carrier signaling portion is received at a first rate, and whether the payload portion of the signal is a single carrier signal or a multiple carrier signal is detected from the received single carrier signaling portion. The payload portion of the received signal is received at the first rate and demodulated in a single carrier mode if the detecting determines that the payload portion of the received signal is a single carrier signal, and the payload portion of the received signal is demodulated in a multiple carrier mode if the detecting determines that the payload portion of the received signal is a multiple carrier signal.
US08605632B2

A method of transmitting subframe designating information in downlink in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The present invention includes generating the subframe designating information for designating a subframe of a specific type in a radio frame and transmitting the generated subframe designating information to a user equipment, wherein the subframe designating information includes initial location information indicating an initial location of the subframe of the specific type on the radio frame and period information indicating a period for the subframe of the specific type to be repeated.
US08605629B1

A network device may include a lawful interception module, a routing module, and a multicast distribution table. The lawful interception module may receive a lawful interception request for a subscriber, may inform the routing module about the subscriber, and may provide, to the routing module, a tap interface corresponding to the subscriber. The routing module may receive a multicast join request from the subscriber, and may insert, when the multicast join request is received, the tap interface in the multicast distribution table, as a forwarding interface.
US08605624B2

Methods and devices are provided for detecting whether peer ports interconnecting two network devices can perform a novel protocol called Exchange Peer Parameters (“EPP”). If the peer ports are so configured to perform EPP, EPP services are exchanged between the peer ports. In a first phase, information is exchanged about peer port configurations of interest. In a second phase, the results of the exchange of information are applied to hardware and/or software of the respective ports, as needed.
US08605623B2

A method is disclosed to determine the topology of a network comprising a master node and one or more slave nodes interconnected using unidirectional data connections. The master node makes available data to succeeding nodes, and a slave node reads data from a preceding node, the read data comprising information of a path from master node to the slave node. A further method is disclosed to configure the path by sending data from the slave node to all nodes on the path via bi-directional data connections between nodes.
US08605621B2

A gateway (25) between an ad hoc network (5) and a fixed network (2) in a hybrid telecommunications network (1) selects, from amongst candidate nodes (10) of the ad hoc network (5) that are located one hop from that gateway (25) and that have connectivity with that gateway (25) above a predetermined threshold, at least one gateway node (10′) for relaying at least part of the traffic between other nodes (10) of the ad hoc network (5) and the gateway (25).
US08605619B2

In one embodiment, a node of a computer network receives a request to establish a traffic engineering (TE) label switched path (LSP). The node accesses a pre-defined range of preemption-priority values that may be used with the requested TE-LSP. The node determines a preemption-priority value at which adequate network resources to accommodate the requested TE-LSP would be available that is as low as possible within the pre-defined range of preemption-priority values. The node signals the requested TE-LSP with the determined preemption-priority value. The node receives notifications from one or more other nodes within the computer network indicating information about other TE-LSPs that would be preempted if the requested TE-LSP were established at the determined preemption-priority value. In response to the information regarding other TE-LSPs that would be preempted, the node determines whether to proceed with establishment of the requested TE-LSP at the determined preemption-priority value.
US08605608B2

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with generating a network buffer are provided. A network data model is input that includes a set of network elements, such as nodes and links, and respective costs associated with respective network elements. A center network element around which to generate the network buffer and an offset cost to define a boundary of the network buffer are also input. A network buffer is generated by determining a buffer coverage and cost. The network buffer is made up of a set of buffer network elements located within the offset cost with respect to the center network element. The cost for each buffer network element is determined as the cost associated with travelling a path with minimum cost from the center network element to the corresponding buffer network element. The buffer coverage and costs are output for subsequent analysis.
US08605607B2

Method and apparatus for conveying feedback reports from a data receiving party (300) for data received from a data sending party (302) in a wireless connection. A plurality of feedback resources (304) assigned to different feedback information codes are allocated to the data receiving party for transmitting feedback reports. After checking whether the data was received correctly or not, the data receiving party selects a feedback resource (FR2) with a feedback information code that corresponds to one or more feedback reports on the received data. The data receiving party then sends feedback information on the selected feedback resource to the data sending party, thereby conveying the corresponding feedback information code. In this way, multiple feedback reports can be conveyed in a single feedback resource to the data sending party while still retaining single carrier properties.
US08605604B1

Apparatus having corresponding methods and non-transitory computer-readable media comprise: a wireless local-area network (WLAN) module comprising a receiver configured to receive a WLAN signal into the WLAN module; a transmitter; and a loopback controller configured to selectively loop back the WLAN signal to the transmitter, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the looped-back WLAN signal from the WLAN module.
US08605603B2

In an example embodiment, a method of route convergence is provided. In this method, a loss of connectivity is detected along a communication route by way of an Ethernet Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) protocol. Examples of Ethernet OAM protocols include Connectivity Fault Management protocol and Ethernet Local Management Interface protocol. Thereafter, a data link layer identifier associated with the communication route is identified and this data link layer identifier is mapped to a network layer address. Convergence on an alternate communication route can then be based on the mapped network layer address.
US08605600B2

There is provided a wireless communication system including: a wireless terminal that communicates information; an access point that performs wireless communication with the wireless terminal; a main server that communicates with the access point through a network and manages line connection of the wireless terminal; and a survival server that communicates with the access point through the network and manages the line connection of the wireless terminal in place of the main server, wherein the access point detects a communication state between the main server and the access point and between the survival server and the access point, and sets a network identifier of the access point according to the communication state, and wherein the wireless terminal performs wireless communication with the access point using the network identifier, and communicates information with the main server or the survival server according to the network identifier.
US08605598B2

The number of data frames transmitted between two apparatuses is counted by a transmission counter, while the number of received frames is counted by a reception counter. When an OAM frame for frame loss measurement is transmitted, the value of the transmission counter is cached in a cache memory. At the time of generation of an OAM frame at an OAM frame generation unit, the value of the cache memory is used so as to generate an OAM frame carrying the value of the transmission counter at the time of transmission of the OAM frame transmitted previously. The frame loss is calculated from the difference of the value of the transmission counter carried in the OAM frame from the previous value and the difference of the value of the reception counter at the time of reception of the previous previous OAM frame from the previous value.
US08605586B2

Systems and methods of balancing traffic load in a wireless communication network include calculating a load metric for each of a plurality of users, wherein each of the plurality of users, in operation, are in communication with a first base station using an overloaded carrier associated with the first base station. Such load metric for each user may include a plurality of metric factors related at least to an associated communication link. Based on the calculated load metric, a transfer-deserving user from the plurality of users may be determined. The transfer-deserving user may be associated with a highest value of an associated calculated load metric. For load balancing at the first base station, the associated communication link of the transfer-deserving user may be transferred from the overloaded carrier to a target carrier, wherein the target carrier may be associated with either the first base station or a second base station.
US08605584B2

Techniques for sending control information in the header of multiple packets are described. The techniques may allow more control information to be sent using a small number of overhead bits per packet. In one design, a first node (e.g., a network entity) may determine control information to send to a second node (e.g., a UE or another network entity). The first node may send the control information in the header of multiple packets toward the second node. In one design, the control information may include congestion information indicative of traffic congestion at the first node. The congestion information may be sent using Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN) bits in the header of IP packets. The first node may send the control information with or without coding and for all packets or a specific data flow. The first node may also send a synchronization sequence prior to the control information.
US08605580B2

A method for enhancing the carrying capacity of a network, comprising the steps of detecting the level of traffic incident on the network, and reserving, dynamically, wavelengths for a class of traffic according to the level of traffic incident on the network. The network can be a dense wavelength division multiplexing optical network.
US08605574B2

The present invention provides a method for updating an address table in an Ethernet ring network node and an Ethernet ring network node. When the Ethernet ring network node implements a port state switching operation and a port on the ring is switched from an unblocked state to a blocked state, the Ethernet ring network node updates its forwarding database. The method and the Ethernet ring network node of the present invention can accelerate update of the FDB in the node when a link fails or is recovered, thereby improving the convergence speed for the switching when the ring network fails.
US08605570B2

A method for generating a superframe preamble for a superframe in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing network is provided. The superframe preamble comprises a plurality of symbols. For a first one of the symbols, a first set of subcarriers of a carrier is allocated to a first broadcast channel, with the first set of subcarriers distributed over substantially the entire carrier. For the first one of the symbols, a second set of subcarriers of the carrier is allocated to a second broadcast channel.
US08605561B2

A method and device for re-writing data on a holographic storage device is disclosed. First and second electro-optic modulators may phase shift the reference and data beams used to store data on the photorefractive crystal. When the reference beam is shifted 180° out of phase with respect to the data beam, the photorefractive crystal is erased.
US08605551B2

A method of obtaining information about the positions of sources in a marine seismic source array, comprises: determining respective notional signatures for m selected seismic sources, where m
US08605550B2

A downscan imaging sonar utilizes a linear transducer element to provide improved images of the sea floor and other objects in the water column beneath a vessel. A transducer array may include a plurality of transducer elements and each one of the plurality of transducer elements may include a substantially rectangular shape configured to produce a sonar beam having a beamwidth in a direction parallel to longitudinal length of the transducer elements that is significantly less than a beamwidth of the sonar beam in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal length of the transducer elements. The plurality of transducer elements may be positioned such that longitudinal lengths of at least two of the plurality of transducer elements are parallel to each other. The plurality of transducer elements may also include at least a first linear transducer element, a second linear transducer element and a third linear transducer element.
US08605549B1

Creating a georeference model from input bathymetric data includes defining a search limit grid and establishing a geometric model. An iterative RANSAC process is used to fit bathymetric data calculate the geometric model for each cell of the grid. Points that are too far away from the geometric model are removed, and geometric models are recalculated. The compiled geometric models are used as the georeference model. In further embodiments, the georeference model can be smoothed to remove boundaries between cells. Other embodiments provide for using the georeference model for navigation and data transmission.
US08605543B2

A wireless seismic data acquisition unit with a wireless receiver providing access to a common remote time reference shared by a plurality of wireless seismic data acquisition units in a seismic system. The receiver is capable of replicating local version of remote time epoch to which a seismic sensor analog-to-digital converter is synchronized. The receiver is capable of replicating local version of remote common time reference for the purpose of time stamping local node events. The receiver is capable of being placed in a low power, non-operational state over periods of time during which the seismic data acquisition unit continues to record seismic data, thus conserving unit battery power. The system implements a method to correct the local time clock based on intermittent access to the common remote time reference. The method corrects the local time clock via a voltage controlled oscillator to account for environmentally induced timing errors. The invention further provides for a more stable method of correcting drift in the local time clock.
US08605542B2

A fiber optic distributed vibration system for detecting seismic signals in an earth formation is provided. The system includes a fiber optic cable deployed in a borehole that extends into the earth formation and which is configured to react along its length to a seismic wave incident on the fiber optic cable from outside the borehole. An optical source launches an optical signal into the fiber optic cable while the seismic wave is incident thereon. A receiver detects coherent Rayleigh noise (CRN) produced in response to the optical signal. A processing circuit processes the detected CRN signal to determine characteristics of the earth formation.
US08605531B2

A phase change memory with switch (PCMS) compensates for threshold voltage drift by utilizing a lower demarcation voltage for a verify operation after programming than for a read operation occurring at least a predetermined period of time after the programming operation.
US08605528B2

Disclosed are a sense amplifier and a memory circuit that incorporates it. The amplifier comprises cross-coupled inverters, each with a pull-down transistor and a pull-up transistor connected in series. One inverter has a voltage-controlled switch controlling the electrical connection between drain nodes of the transistors. During a read operation, the pull-up transistor drain node is pre-charged high and the pull-down transistor drain node receives an input signal. The switch is tripped, thereby making the electrical connection only when the voltage at the pull-down transistor drain node is less than the switch's trip voltage. In this case, the sense node discharges to the same level as the input signal. Otherwise, the switch prevents the electrical connection and the sense node remains high. The trip voltage depends on a reference voltage, which can be variable, thereby allowing the sensitivity of the sense amplifier to be selectively adjusted. Also disclosed are associated methods.
US08605527B2

Mechanisms for self-testing and self-repairing memories are efficient in testing and repairing failed memory cells. The self-test-repair mechanisms are based on self-test results of failed bit map (FBM) data of the entire memories and enable early determination of non-repairable memories to prevent and limit wasting time and resources on non-repairable memories. The self-test-repair mechanisms also involve identifying candidates for column and row repairs and allow repeated repair cycles until either the memories are deemed irreparable or are fully repaired.
US08605521B2

Sense amplifiers, memories, and apparatuses and methods for sensing a data state of a memory cell are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a differential amplifier configured to amplify a voltage difference between voltages applied to first and second amplifier input nodes to provide an output. The example apparatus further includes first and second capacitances coupled to the first and second amplifier input nodes. A switch block coupled to the first and second capacitances is configured to couple during a first phase a reference input node to the first and second capacitances and to the first amplifier input node. The switch block is further configured to couple during the first phase an output of the amplifier to the second amplifier input node to establish a compensation condition. During a second phase, the switch block couples its input nodes to the first and second capacitances.
US08605507B2

A charge storage memory is configured in a NAND array, and includes NAND strings coupled to bit lines via string select switches and includes word lines. A controller is configured to produce a program bias pulse by biasing the bit lines and string select lines in a first condition; setting a word line coupled to a target cell to a first voltage level while the bit lines and string select lines are in the first condition; thereafter, biasing the bit lines and string select lines in a second condition; and setting the word line coupled to the target cell to a second voltage level higher than the first voltage level while the bit lines and string select lines are in the second condition. Program bias pulses produced in this manner can be used in a modulated incremental stepped pulse programming sequence.
US08605505B2

A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a memory cell area comprising a main cell and a spare cell, and a memory controller configured to set an offset value using a program verify level which is set during a program operation, and set a read level using the offset value during a read operation.
US08605497B2

A system, a method for parallel programming multiple bits of a phase change memory array for high bandwidth. The system and method includes parallel programming scheme wherein a common wordline (WL) is driven with a first pulse of one of: gradually increasing (RESET) or decreasing (SET) amplitudes which control current flow through one or more phase change memory cells associated with the WL. Simultaneously therewith, one or more bitlines (BLs) are driven with one or more second pulses, each second pulse more narrow than that of the first pulse applied to the WL. The starting time of the one or more second pulses may vary with each bitline driven at a time later than, but within the window of the wordline pulse to achieve a programming current suitable for achieving the corresponding memory cell state.
US08605494B2

A write amplifier for driving a bit line connected to a selected phase change memory cell drives the bit line with a first current driving capability and then drives the bit line with a second current driving capability lower than the first current driving capability.
US08605488B2

A capacitive crossbar array includes a first set of conductors and a second set of conductors which intersect to form crosspoints. A nonlinear capacitive device is interposed between a first conductor within the first set and a second conductor within the second set at a crosspoint. The nonlinear capacitive device is configured to store information which is accessible through said first conductor and said second conductor. A method for utilizing a capacitive crossbar array is also provided.
US08605487B2

A semiconductor storage device includes: a memory cell array having memory cells positioned at respective intersections between a plurality of first wirings and a plurality of second wirings, each of the memory cells having a rectifier element and a variable resistance element connected in series; and a control circuit selectively driving the first and second wirings. The plurality of first wirings that are specified and selectively driven at the same time by one of a plurality of address signals are separately arranged with other first wirings interposed therebetween within the memory cell array when a certain potential difference is applied to a selected memory cell positioned at an intersection between the first and second wirings by the control circuit.
US08605481B2

Apparatus and related fabrication and read methods are provided for crossbar memory elements. An exemplary crossbar memory element includes a crossbar array structure including a set of access lines, unswitched resistance elements coupled electrically in series between the set of access lines and a reference voltage node, and switched resistance elements coupled electrically in series between the first set of access lines and the reference voltage node. To read from a selected access line, the switched resistance element associated with that access line is enabled while the remaining switched resistance elements are disabled.
US08605479B2

Representative implementations of memory devices have transistors between memory cells of a memory device. Memory devices may be arranged in memory arrays. The use of transistors may include alternately providing electrical isolation or current paths between pairs or groups of memory cells in a memory array.
US08605478B2

In a sense circuit for DRAM memory cell a switch is provided between the bit line BL and local bit line LBL connected to the memory cells for isolation and coupling of these bit lines. The bit line BL is precharged to the voltage of VDL/2, while the local bit line LBL is precharged to the voltage of VDL. VDL is the maximum amplitude voltage of the bit line BL. A sense amplifier SA comprises a first circuit including a differential MOS pair having the gate connected to the bit line BL and a second circuit connected to the local bit line LBL for full amplitude amplification and for holding the data. When the bit line BL and local bit line LBL are capacitance-coupled via a capacitor, it is recommended to use a latch type sense amplifier SA connected to the local bit line LBL.
US08605472B2

A buck/boost rectifier. The rectifier is connectable to an alternating current power source and includes an upper bus, a lower bus, an upper rectifier, a lower rectifier, a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) controller, a phase-angle (PA) controller, and a capacitor. The upper rectifier is coupled to the upper bus, and the lower rectifier is coupled in a series-type relationship with the upper rectifier and to the lower bus. The PWM controller is coupled to the lower rectifier and is configured to boost a direct current (DC) voltage output by the rectifier. The PA controller is coupled to the lower rectifier and is configured to buck the DC voltage output by the rectifier. The capacitor is coupled between the upper bus and the lower bus.
US08605471B2

A power conversion device includes: an inverter that converts a DC current supplied from a DC power source to an AC current by engaging a plurality of switching elements, which constitute an upper arm, and a plurality of switching elements, which constitute a lower arm, in switching operation; a control unit that includes a signal generation unit that generates a switching signal carrying a command for execution of the switching operation in correspondence to each of the plurality of switching elements constituting the upper arm and the plurality of switching elements constituting the lower arm, and outputs the switching signal thus generated as a control signal; and a drive unit that individually drives each of the switching elements based upon the corresponding control signals. The control unit includes a plurality of protection circuits disposed in series on a control signal line extending between the signal generation unit and the drive unit, with each of the protection circuits outputting a control signal having been input thereto when a protective operation is not executed but outputting a control signal for setting the corresponding switching element either in a cut-off state or in an electrically continuous state in place of the control signal input thereto when the protective operation is executed.
US08605469B2

A voltage source inverter comprises a rectifier having an input for connection to a multi-phase AC power source and converting the AC power to DC power at an output. An inverter receives DC power and converts the DC power to AC power. A DC bus is connected between the rectifier circuit and the inverter circuit to provide a relatively fixed DC voltage for the inverter. A bus capacitor is across the DC bus. A soft charge circuit limits inrush current to the bus capacitor. The soft charge circuit comprises an input inductor for each phase connected between the rectifier input and the AC power source and a clamping circuit across each input inductor to limit DC bus voltage.
US08605463B2

Provided is a resonant switching power supply device that can reduce a common mode noise as well as an increase in frequency when a load is light.A resonant switching power supply device 1 equipped with a PFM control circuit 10 to control a switching frequency in such a way that an output voltage is brought to a desired value includes: a resonant circuit where a primary winding N1 of a transformer T2, a current resonant capacitor Cri and a reactor Lr are connected in series; rectifying circuits D1, D2 and Co that are connected to secondary windings N2 and N3 of the transformer T2 and obtain the output voltage Vo; and an electrostatic shield plate S1 disposed between the primary winding N1 and secondary windings N2 and N3 of the transformer T2. The reactor Lr is connected to one terminal of the primary winding N1 of the transformer T2 and the current resonant capacitor Cri is connected to the other terminal of the primary winding N1 of the transformer T2; and the electrostatic shield plate S1 is connected to a terminal of the reactor Lr that is situated at the side opposite to where the primary winding N1 of the transformer T2 is connected.
US08605461B2

A control section which repeats inverter control in units of an inverter control period having a predetermined length is provided. In the control section, a phase current detection period in which a phase current is detected is provided between predetermined two inverter control periods, each of switching states of switching elements of a inverter circuit is controlled so that a voltage pulse having a larger width than a width of a voltage pulse in the inverter control period is output from a shunt resistor in the phase current detection period.
US08605455B2

An assembly includes an expansion card, an enclosure, a mounting bracket, and a sliding member. The expansion card includes a first terminal and a second terminal. The mounting bracket secures the first terminal. A securing bracket is mounted on the enclosure. The securing bracket includes a main body on which the second terminal and a positioning piece is placed. The positioning piece includes a free end on which a first protrusion is located. The sliding member includes a pressing piece on which a second protrusion is located on. The sliding member slides on the main body between a first position and a second position. At the first position, the pressing piece presses the second terminal on the main body, and the first protrusion blocks the second protrusion. At the second position, the second protrusion slides over the first protrusion, and the pressing piece is disengaged from the second terminal.
US08605452B2

A chip card holding mechanism includes a bracket, an unlock member and a tray. The bracket defines a receiving chamber. The unlock member is assembled adjacent to the opening of the bracket. The movable tray is assembled to and received within the receiving chamber of the bracket by the unlock member. The tray includes a supporting portion for receiving a chip card, a draw-off portion formed on a first end of the supporting portion, and a resisting block formed on the draw-off portion. The unlock member includes a main portion and an ejecting portion formed on the main portion, the ejecting portion slidably resists against the corresponding resisting block of the tray, for providing an ejecting force to eject the tray away from the bracket. An electronic device using the chip card holding mechanism is also provided.
US08605451B2

A portable electronic device includes a housing and a chip card holding mechanism assembled within the housing. The housing defines a mounting slot and an unlocking hole adjacent to the mounting slot. The chip card holding mechanism includes a bracket and a receiving tray detachably assembled within the bracket via an unlocking assembly. The receiving tray includes a tray body, an operating portion formed at one end of the tray body, and a resisting block that is trapezoidal shaped and formed on the operating portion. The unlocking assembly includes an ejecting member and a pushing member assembled on one side of the bracket. The ejecting member includes a base body, an ejecting end and an ejecting portion. The ejecting portion resists against the resisting block, thereby locking the receiving tray within the bracket. The pushing member assembled to bracket and slidably resists against the ejecting end of the ejecting member.
US08605450B2

An in-vehicle electric storage device includes: a battery block including a metal casing and battery cells; a control unit including a metal cabinet and a circuit board on which an electronic component is mounted, the control unit being on a top side of the battery block and monitoring a physical state of the battery cells; wherein the cabinet includes a case having a bottom plate and an open top surface and a cover closing the open top surface, the case has an internal boss protrudes toward inside of the case from a top side of the bottom plate and an external boss protrudes toward outside the case from a bottom side of the bottom plate, the circuit board is on a top side of the internal boss, and a top side of the casing is provided with a depressed portion in which the external boss is accommodated.
US08605448B2

A printed wiring board includes a bridge located in a surface layer, a noise absorber located on the bridge, a plurality of grounds directly connected or high-frequency-connected to the bridge, a first device using one of the plurality of grounds as a reference potential, a second device using one of the plurality of grounds other than the ground for the first device as a reference potential, and a high-speed signal line that connects the first device and the second device. The high-speed signal line is routed through a layer adjacent to the bridge in a layer direction of the printed wiring board to form a transmission line structure.
US08605441B2

A latching system includes a removable chassis having at least one enclosure coupling feature that is operable to engage an enclosure to house the removable chassis in the enclosure. A moveable component is moveably coupled to the removable chassis. A latch is coupled to the removable chassis. The latch is operable to engage the moveable component when the removable chassis is not housed in the enclosure such that the moveable component is restricted from moving relative to the removable chassis. The latch is operable to disengage the moveable component in response to the removable chassis being housed in the enclosure such that the moveable component is not restricted from moving relative to the removable chassis. The latching system allows the removable chassis to be carried around outside the enclosure without movement of the moveable component, while also allowing the moveable component to move when the removable component is housed in the enclosure.
US08605432B2

A portable electronic device includes a front frame, a rear panel attached to a rear side of the front frame, and a side cover. The front frame includes a main body and a first mating flange extending from the main body. The rear panel includes a main plate and a first flange extending from the main plate. The first flange and the first mating flange clamp each other. A gap is defined in the first flange or the first mating flange. The side cover is attached to exteriors of the first flange and the first mating flange. A clamping portion protrudes from the side cover. The clamping portion is movable in the gap between a detachable position where the clamping portion is disengageable from the gap and a lock position where the clamping portion clamps an inside portion of the first flange or the first mating flange.
US08605425B2

A docking station for a portable electronic device includes a housing, an interface, and a disengagement mechanism. The housing defines a receiving portion for accommodating the electronic device. The interface is disposed in the receiving portion so as to be engageable with the electronic device. The disengagement mechanism is disposed in the housing and configured for applying spring pressure to disengage the electronic device from the interface.
US08605419B2

An information processing apparatus includes: an information processing main unit; a display unit electrically connected to the information processing main unit; and a jack having a cylindrical sleeve provided at a housing of the information processing main unit and located coaxially with an insertion hole through which an external terminal is inserted, the jack having a cylindrical hole for accommodating the external terminal, wherein the sleeve of the jack is accommodated inside the housing of the information processing main unit; and an end face of the sleeve facing toward the housing is covered by the housing in the axial direction of the sleeve.
US08605416B2

Disclosed is an improvement to the bag computer of application Ser. No. 11/796,920. The bag computer has a pivoting display panel near its top front which can store against the bag front or pivot into the line of sight of the bag computer wearer/operator. The display panel may have controls on the side opposite the display. To gain advantage through multiple components, the display panel may be divided into a front portion with display and back portion with controls. Ways to divide and assemble these display panel components are described and include: 1) direct attachment between the two portions with one portion connecting to the bag; 2) a fastening frame attaching the two portions with one portion connecting to the bag; 3) an attachment frame which connects to the bag and accepts the two portions.
US08605403B2

A thermal protection circuit to protect an electronic device from over-heat comprises a temperature sensor, a hysteresis comparator and a switch circuit. The temperature sensor senses internal temperature of the electronic device and output an internal temperature signal with voltage. The hysteresis comparator outputs a power-off signal when the voltage of the internal temperature signal is lower than a low voltage threshold representing an a determined temperature, or outputs a power-on signal when the voltage of the internal temperature signal is higher than a high voltage threshold representing a restarting temperature. The switch circuit stops transmitting power signals to the electronic device in response to the power-off signal, or continues to transmit the power signals to the electronic device in response to the power-on signal.
US08605396B2

The present disclosure provides a circuit that has a Radio Frequency (RF) input, an inductor between the RF input and with RF front end circuitry, a first diode coupled to the RF input and the inductor and with a power line, and a second diode coupled to the RF input and the inductor and with a complimentary power line.
US08605392B2

A safety switching arrangement that outputs a switching signal a switch or safety-oriented interruption of a circuit to control disconnection of a power supply for a load. The safety switching arrangement includes at least one evaluation circuit which emits an unsafe drive signal for the switch at an output. The safety switching arrangement also includes a programmable logic unit supplied with the drive signal(s) at an input and connected to the switch to drive the switch with a safe drive signal. The programmable logic unit can test and monitor the correct function of the switch during operation. A safe non-floating first terminal of the switch is connected to a respective feedback input of the programmable logic unit to monitor the potential state of said terminal. The relevant potential state during error-free operation corresponds to the safe drive signal for the at least one switch.
US08605383B1

A method for characterizing polarities of piezoelectric (PZT) elements of a two-element PZT microactuator mechanically coupled to a structure may include calculating an impedance of the two PZT element microactuator over a predetermined frequency range; summing the calculated impedance over the predetermined frequency range; and characterizing the polarities of the PZT elements of the two PZT element microactuator as being different if the summed impedance is greater than a threshold value and as being the same if the summed impedance is less than or equal to the threshold value.
US08605381B2

Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for phase compensated harmonic sensing. For example, a circuit for harmonics calculation is disclosed that includes a phase difference estimation circuit and a phase offset compensation circuit. The harmonic calculation circuit is operable to calculate a first harmonic based on a periodic data pattern and a second harmonic based on the periodic data pattern. The phase difference estimation circuit operable to calculate a phase difference between the first harmonic and the second harmonic. The phase offset compensation circuit operable to align the second harmonic with the first harmonic to yield an aligned harmonic.
US08605379B1

A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk comprising a plurality of servo tracks, wherein each servo track comprises a plurality of servo sectors, and a head actuated radially over the disk, wherein the head comprises a read element separated from a write element by a reader/writer gap. The head is positioned over a first servo track, and a clock is synchronized to servo data in first and second servo sectors of the first servo track. A first phase-offset of the clock is measured for the first servo sector, and a second phase-offset of the clock is measured for the second servo sector, wherein the first and second phase-offset correspond to an end of the reader/writer gap at the first servo track. The first and second phase-offset are averaged to generate an average phase-offset for the first servo track.
US08605377B2

A low-cost, high-definition color conversion layer is made using the ink jet method, with the layer having a consistent thickness and not bleeding into adjacent subpixels. A color conversion filter (1000) is characterized by being formed with a bank layer (60) that has a plurality of gently-curved protrusions (63), each of which has a first portion (61) and a second portion (62).
US08605376B2

A motor includes a rotor having a magnet, a stator having two coils, and a controller configured to control excitations of the two coils. The stator includes first and second yokes excited by the coils, and first and second rotor detectors configured to detect a magnetic flux. The first yoke is arranged for each electric angle of 360°, and the second yoke shifts from the first yoke by an electric angle of 90°. The first rotor position detector is arranged at the same position as the first yoke. The controller generates an excitation switching signal for each coil based on detection signals from the first and second rotor position detectors, and excites a corresponding coil, and obtains first and second delay angles.
US08605366B2

A driver includes: a first member that holds a lens; a second member to which the first member is fixed; and drive means for driving the second member, wherein a portion in which at least part of the drive means is accommodated is provided in the side surface of the second member.
US08605352B2

An electronic ink containing charged particles includes a combination of resin particles, a pigment, and a charge director. The resin particles exhibit an average particle size less than 1.0 micron and contain a resin that exhibits a molecular weight of 500 to 20,000. The pigment is loaded on the resin particles. The charge director can physically associate with the resin particles. The charged particles may be negative or positive.
US08605351B1

The visible spectrum modulator makes use of thin film conductive oxides and air gaps to reflect colors of certain wavelengths, achieving transparency due to the transparent nature of conductive oxides and via electrostatic pull-in to reduce the air gaps.
US08605345B2

A color determination unit divides an original image input from an image scanning unit into blocks, and determines whether or not each block is a color image area. The color determination unit determines whether the original is in color or monochrome in each of a plurality of set areas on the basis of the result of determination on the blocks included in that area.
US08605344B2

A rectangular plate optical reflecting mirror is provided in an optical scanner. The optical reflecting mirror reflects an optical beam onto a surface to be scanned. The optical reflecting mirror includes a center portion and end portions in a longitudinal direction. The center portion has a greater thickness than that of the end portions. Accordingly, rigidity of the optical reflecting mirror can be increased, and its characteristic frequency can be set at a high value. Thus, resonance of the optical reflecting mirror can be prevented from occurring as a result of vibration of a housing which vibrates with a plurality of vibration modes.
US08605342B2

An image reading apparatus may include a main unit, a cover unit, an openable unit, and a conductive member. The cover unit is pivotable relative to the main unit, and includes a metal frame and a reading device configured to read an image of a document conveyed through an upper path of a U-shaped conveying path. The openable unit is pivotable relative to the cover unit, and includes a document pressing member configured to face the reading device when the openable unit is closed relative to the cover unit. The conductive member is configured to electrically connect the metal frame and the document pressing member.
US08605341B2

In a control device, the scan control unit controls a scanning operation in which data is to be generated by reading a document. The data format selecting unit selects one of a first format or a second format different from the first format as a data format in which the data is to be generated. The resolution setting unit sets a reading resolution based on the data format. The resolution setting unit sets a first resolution as the reading resolution when the data format selecting unit selects the first format whereas the resolution setting unit sets a second resolution different from the first resolution as the reading resolution when the data format selecting unit selects the second format. The scan control unit controls the scanning operation to read the document in the reading resolution set by the resolution setting unit.
US08605339B2

An optical reading device, a control method for an optical reading device, and a program for directing execution of the method each enables efficient and quick transmission of digital image data obtained from reading a document to a host computer or other control device. A dot impact printer having an optical reading device that optically reads documents and stores the resulting digitized image data, sets target reading areas, and transmits digital image data stored in a scan buffer rendered in a RAM to the host computer. When multiple target areas are set, the transmission order of the target areas is determined according to specific conditions, and the target areas are transmitted according to this transmission sequence.
US08605337B2

An image scanning device has first and second image scanning units to scan an image on the front and rear surfaces of a document to sequentially output image data on a line-by-line basis. A determining unit determines whether or not the number of lines of the front image is greater than or equal to a predetermined number, and whether or not the number of lines of the rear image is greater than or equal to the predetermined number. A processing unit reads out the front and rear image data on a line-by-line basis for the predetermined number of lines and performs image-processing on the readout data if the number of lines of the front image data is greater than or equal to the predetermined number and performs image-processing on the readout data if the number of lines of the rear image data is greater than or equal to the predetermined number.
US08605335B2

An image processing device, such as multifunction peripheral, includes a reading section, a judging section and a transmission section. The reading section reads an image on each of a plurality of objects and outputs a plurality of pieces of image data. Each piece of image data represents the image on each of the plurality of objects. The judging section judges whether each piece of image data meets a predetermined criterion. The transmission section transmits one or more pieces of image data that are judged by the judging section to meet the predetermined criterion to a predetermined destination set in relation with the criterion.
US08605331B2

A judgment apparatus 2 for judging the possibility of image processing in an image processing apparatus 1 transmits setting item information indicating setting items to be used for judging the possibility of image processing to the image processing apparatus 1. The image processing apparatus 1 transmits setting information indicating settings corresponding to the setting items indicated by the setting item information to the judgment apparatus 2 at the time of image processing, and the judgment apparatus 2 judges the possibility of image processing on the basis of the setting information. The setting information transmitted by the image processing apparatus 1 does not indicate all the settings required for image processing but indicates settings corresponding to the setting items specified by the setting item information, whereby the amount of the data of the setting information is reduced.
US08605324B2

There is provided an image forming device capable of performing overlay printing in which a desired image overlaps with a desired page. An image processing system includes a display control unit that displays a setting screen which enables at least one overlay image overlapping with a page to be selected from a plurality of predetermined overlay images and which enables at least one target page with which a selected overlay image overlaps to be selected from a plurality of pages on which images are formed based on one of a plurality of selection methods, an operation input unit that receives an operation which a user inputs to the setting screen made to be displayed by the display control unit, an information obtaining unit that obtains selected image information indicating a selected overlay image in the setting screen based on the operation input received by the operation input unit, target page information indicating a target page selected as a target with which the selected overlay image overlaps, and selection method information indicating a selection method used to select the target page, and an image setting unit that sets an overlay image which is set to overlap by the selection method with the highest priority order of the selection methods used to select a page, to an overlay image overlapping with the page when there is a page which is selected in an overlapping manner by a plurality of selection methods based on the information obtained by the information obtaining unit.
US08605319B2

Provided is an image reading apparatus communicatable with an image processing apparatus, including: a first reader that reads an image of a first side of a document; a first storage that stores the image read by the first reader; a second reader that reads an image of a second side of the document; a second storage that stores the image read by the second reader; a transmitter that transmits the images stored in the first storage and the second storage to the image processing apparatus; and a controller that, with respect to a first document whose length in a conveyance direction is longer than a predetermined length, causes the transmitter to transmit the image read by the first reader to the image processing apparatus, and causes the first storage and the second storage to store the image read by the second reader.
US08605318B2

A relay apparatus in a print system in which a print server, the relay apparatus, and a plurality of print apparatuses are connected to a network, and which performs print processing, comprises: a search unit configured to search for a print apparatus with which the relay apparatus can communicate; a sending unit configured to send, to the print server, pieces of information of the relay apparatus and the print apparatus found by the search unit; and a relay unit configured to receive a print instruction that is issued by the print server and includes location information of document data to be printed and information of a print apparatus used to perform print processing, to download the document data based on the location information included in the print instruction, and to send both the print instruction and the downloaded document data to the print apparatus designated by the print instruction.
US08605316B2

In a document processing method for performing print setting in cooperation with a job management server, if it is determined that a starting mode of a setting program is a cooperation mode for processing a print job in cooperation with a server apparatus, a setting screen is displayed based on the identification information of the print job to be processed and the initial setting information of the print job, and if it is determined that the starting mode is not the cooperation mode, the setting screen is displayed based on setting information for starting a setting program.
US08605312B2

A print control method of a host apparatus which is connected to at least one image forming apparatus in a network, the method including receiving changed IP information from the at least one image forming apparatus; determining whether the host apparatus performs a print job with respect to the image forming apparatus which has the changed IP information; holding the print job if there is the print job; changing a print option for the print job; and transmitting print data corresponding to the print job according to the changed print option. With this, the apparatus and the method may normally perform a print job by changing a port of an image forming apparatus and prevent data loss due to a failure to change the port normally even if there is a print job for an image forming apparatus whose IP address is changed.
US08605308B2

An apparatus for displaying a slide show function and method of controlling the same are disclosed, by a which a still image file of a user specific group can be outputted in the course of performing a slide show function and by which a plurality of still image files can be automatically sorted and stored. The present invention includes reading additional information for at least ne or more still image fields to which the slide show function is applied, grouping the at least one or more still image files into at least two groups using the read additional information, and if a prescribed key input is received in the course of executing the slide show function, displaying the still image files of the group different from the group to which the currently displayed still image file belongs.
US08605306B2

The image forming apparatus has the plurality of control units and executes distributed processing in which any one control unit having monitoring execution authority monitors for an abnormal condition in each control unit. Each control unit determines, from its own processing load, monitoring capability information that indicates whether monitoring for an abnormal condition is possible or not. If, in a case where the control unit has the monitoring execution authority, the monitoring capability information does not satisfy predetermined information, then the control unit delegates the monitoring execution authority to another control unit whose monitoring capability information does satisfy the predetermined information.
US08605293B2

A position sensor for detecting a position of a movably arranged component with respect to its original position including a channel which is implemented to guide electromagnetic radiation and direct the same to the component, a detector, at least two back channels which are implemented to receive the electromagnetic radiation reflected by the device and direct the same to the detector, wherein the channel and the at least two back channels are arranged with respect to each other such that the at least two back channels each receive a predefined portion of the electromagnetic radiation reflected by the component.
US08605289B2

A method and an arrangement are provided for scalable confocal interferometry for distance measurement, for 3-D detection of an object, for Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) tomography with an object imaging interferometer and at least one light source. The interferometer has an optical path difference not equal to zero at each optically detected object element. Thus, the maxima of a sinusoidal frequency wavelet, associated with each detected object element, each have a frequency difference Δf_Object. At least one spectrally integrally detecting, rastered detector is arranged to record the object. The light source preferably has a frequency comb, and the frequency comb differences Δf_Source are changed in a predefined manner over time in a scan during measuring. In the process, the frequency differences Δf_Source are made equal to the frequency difference Δf_Object or equal to an integer multiple of the frequency differences Δf_Object at least once for each object element.
US08605287B2

An imager that can provide separated images corresponding to differing depths in a sample is presented. In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, an imager can include a light source; a sample arm that receives light from the light source, directs the light to a sample, and captures light returning from the sample; a modulation source that provides different modulations corresponding to differing imaging depths in the sample; a detector system to receive the captured light from the sample with the different modulations; and a processor that receives signals from the detector system and separates a plurality of images corresponding with the differing image depths in the sample.
US08605286B2

A biaxial optical gyroscope is provided, which realizes mode separation using the waveguide devices with different material, and the biaxial optical gyroscope includes: a surface Plasmon Polariton Y-type mode splitter (1), a Y waveguide integrated optical device (2), a Y waveguide integrated optical chip (3), a first polarization-maintaining fiber coil (41), a second polarization-maintaining fiber coil (42), directional couplers (51, 52) and detectors (61, 62), wherein the two output ends of the surface Plasmon Polariton Y-type mode splitter (1) are respectively connected to the Y waveguide integrated optical device (2) and the Y waveguide integrated optical chip (3), and the output ends of the Y waveguide integrated optical device (2) and the Y waveguide integrated optical chip (3) are respectively connected to the first polarization-maintaining fiber coil (41) and the second polarization-maintaining fiber coil (42).
US08605285B2

Prior art coherent optical wave mixing has permitted two-dimensional maps from which coupled quantum transitions have been identified in molecular samples. However, extended signal accumulation times and computer processing are required for a detailed molecular analysis, which can lead to sample toxicity and difficulties in interpretation. These and other requirements are reduced by an apparatus arranged for the projection of an image that directly encodes quantum couplings from a sample. Such an apparatus includes a source component 36, a diffractive optical component 25 for generating at least three light fields 1, 2, 3 from one light field 23, one or more optical telescopes 26 and 27 wherein the transverse separation between optical paths is modified from that possible to define with a single telescope between common object and image points, a sample 11 containing said image point, and a means for resolving and detecting the angular variation of light emission from a sample. The occurrence of coupled quantum transitions or energy transfers are identified providing a means for sample analysis thereby.
US08605284B2

A measurement device includes a light sensing element on which light from a measurement target region placing a measurement target thereon forms an image, and a plurality of light emitting elements that are disposed around the light sensing element and radiate light to the measurement target region, wherein the plurality of light emitting elements are disposed to be tilted with respect to the normal line of the measurement target region such that the central line of radiated emission from each of the light emitting elements passes through a substantial center of the measurement target region.
US08605281B2

A probe for use in a sensing application includes an elongate body having a first end and a free end, wherein the first end is to be attached to a support. The probe also includes a plurality of nano-fingers having respective bases and tips, wherein each of the plurality of nano-fingers is attached to the free end and is composed of a flexible material, and wherein the plurality of nano-fingers are collapsed toward each other such that the tips of the plurality of nano-fingers are substantially in contact with each other.
US08605279B2

Relates to a micro cuvette assembly (1), comprising a first partial plate (2) with one or more first cuvette surfaces (3) and a second partial plate (4) which is arrangeable relative to the first partial plate and has at least one or more second cuvette surfaces (5) which, in an active position of the micro cuvette assembly (1), are arranged in register plane-parallel to the first cuvette surfaces (3) and spaced apart by a distance (6), thus forming, in the active position of the micro cuvette assembly (1), one or more micro cuvettes (7) in which a liquid volume (8) applied previously to one of the cuvette surfaces (3,5) is held between these two cuvette surfaces (3,5). The micro cuvette assembly (1) according to the present invention is characterized in that each of the first cuvette surfaces (3) of the first partial plate (2) is formed individually and completely in each case by a surface of a transparent body (10) which is accomplished as a free beam optical element and arranged in each case in an opening (9) penetrating the first partial plate (2). Also disclosed is the use of this micro cuvette assembly (1) in the carrying-out of a method for examining biological samples.
US08605278B2

In an inspection apparatus that inspects both surfaces of a patterned media disk, to perform inspection while maintaining a high level of throughput, a patterned media disk inspection apparatus of the present invention includes an optical inspection unit, a table unit that includes plural substrate rotation drive units on which a substrate is mounted and rotated and rotates and conveys the substrates mounted on the substrate rotation drive units between a position at which the substrate is inspected by the optical inspection unit and a position at which the substrate is taken out and supplied, a substrate reversing unit, a cassette unit that accommodates substrates, and a substrate handling unit that takes out an uninspected substrate from the cassette unit and supplies the uninspected substrate to the table unit, and further stores a substrate, both surfaces of which have already been inspected, in the cassette unit.
US08605276B2

One of the broader forms of the present disclosure involves a method of enhanced defect inspection. The method includes providing a substrate having defect particles and providing a fluid over the substrate and the defect particles, the fluid having a refractive index greater than air. The method further includes exposing the substrate and the defect particles to incident radiation through the fluid, and detecting, through the fluid, radiation reflected or scattered by the defect particles.
US08605261B2

Methods and devices for the determination of distance by means of light pulses are disclosed. A light source emits light pulses with specified frequency. A detector receives reflected light pulses. A controller controls the light source and detector by means of signals. At least two timers are connected to the controller and the detector. When a light pulse is emitted by the light source, the controller generates a start signal triggering a time measurement by each of the at least two timers, in order, and beginning again from the start. Upon receiving a reflected light pulse, the detector generates a stop signal which stops the time measurement by the timer of the at least two timers, to which at that instant a measuring window is assigned by the controller. The device can be designed as a fiber-optic scanner.
US08605244B2

According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a main pixel electrode which extends in a second direction, a sub-pixel electrode which extends in a first direction and crosses the main pixel electrode, a color filter which includes a first aperture portion defined by a first edge surrounding a position opposed to cross points between the main pixel electrode and the sub-pixel electrode, main common electrodes which extend in the second direction on both sides of the main pixel electrode.
US08605240B2

In the liquid crystal display device in which a guest-host liquid crystal layer is provided between a first substrate having a reflective film which is a pixel electrode layer (also referred to as a first electrode layer) and a second substrate having a common electrode layer (also referred to as a second electrode layer), the reflective film which is a pixel electrode layer is projected into the liquid crystal layer, and a micron-sized first unevenness and a nano-sized second unevenness on the first unevenness are provided.
US08605231B2

A digital photo frame includes a frame, a light gathering lens, a reflector, and a transmissive LCD module. The frame includes a front side, a rear side, and a receiving hole through the front side and rear side. The light gathering lens array is pivotedly mounted on the rear side of the frame, the light gathering lens array being rotatable about two upper pivot pins. The reflector is pivotedly mounted on the rear side of the frame corresponding to the light gathering lens array, the reflector being rotatable about two lower pivot pins parallel to the upper pivot pins. The transmissive LCD module is received in the receiving hole adjacent to the front side.
US08605229B2

A liquid crystal display device includes a support main having a rectangular frame shape, a reflection sheet in the support main, a light guide plate over the reflection sheet, a light-emitting diode (LED) assembly including a plurality of LEDs arranged along a side surface of the light guide plate, a reflection tape covering the LED assembly and the side surface of the light guide plate, a plurality of optical sheets over the light guide plate, a liquid crystal panel over the plurality of optical sheets, a cover bottom at a rear surface of the reflection sheet and having at least one side wall, and a top cover covering edges of a front surface of the liquid crystal and combined with the support main and the cover bottom, wherein the reflection tape contacts the at least one side wall.
US08605224B2

An apparatus may include analog tuner circuitry, a digital unit to process incoming data, an analog interface to receive the processed data for conversion back into analog signals, and a first pin to output the analog signals on a link. A separate digital interface may be present and can be enabled to receive the processed data and encode it into a serial bit stream for transmission via the first pin, avoiding the need for the analog interface to operate when the digital interface is enabled.
US08605223B2

Digital data distribution using a single license multi-directional digital television broadcasting method and device is provided. The method can include transmitting a first directional ATSC standards conforming data and digital television signal using a first transmitter and antenna combination and transmitting a second directional ATSC standards conforming data and digital television signal using a second transmitter and antenna combination. The transmission of the first and second directional signals uses a single broadcast television license. The device can include a plurality of antennas mounted to a broadcast tower and a plurality of transmitters coupled individually to a different one of the antennas, each antenna and transmitter adapted to broadcast a directional signal using a single digital broadcast license.
US08605220B2

A mix-effects bank architecture of a video switcher having a plurality of video processing units; and an internal switcher routing matrix. The internal switcher routing matrix routing, a video source currently providing a video feed to an auxiliary output and a desired new source for the auxiliary output to a video processing unit that is not contributing towards video processing and routing an output of said video processing unit to said auxiliary output. The video processing unit that is not contributing towards video processing performs a transitional effect for the auxiliary output.
US08605210B2

The invention relates to an optical module for a cellular phone having an image sensor comprising a light sensitive upper side for detecting and converting optical signals into electrical signals, an imaging device for imaging the optical signals on the image sensor, and a circuit board comprising an upper side and a lower side electrically and mechanically connected to the image sensor. In order to create a particularly flat optical module, for example for integration into a cellular phone, the invention provides that the circuit board has a recess in which the image sensor is disposed such that a lower side of the image sensor is substantially located at the same height as the lower side of the circuit board.
US08605208B2

A disclosed method of manufacturing a camera module includes providing a stack of optical elements, providing an integrated circuit image capture device (ICD) having a top surface with an array of sensors, rigidly attaching the stack of optical elements to top surface of the image capture device, providing a substrate having an opening therethrough and a recess around said opening, and attaching the image capture device to the substrate such that edges of the image capture device are disposed in the recess and the stack of optical elements extends through the opening. The method further includes providing a second substrate (e.g., host PCB) and mounting the substrate on the second substrate to attach the camera module to the host device. Optionally, the substrate is mounted to the second substrate via a reflow solder process.
US08605207B2

A box-type camera housing having a four-piece structure which allows an external interface connector to be provided in an arbitrary face among five faces except a front face is configured by a lens mount, a board mount frame, a tri-face cover, and a connector metal bracket attached with an external interface connector. In addition, the camera functions are integrated by containing, in an imaging chamber in the camera housing, a control board for controlling a sensor substrate and a power supply board for controlling supply of an operation power for the sensor board and control board, in addition to a sensor board.
US08605206B2

The present invention relates to a control apparatus, a control method, an imaging apparatus, a program, and an imaging system able to prevent cable wrapping, etc. which has a risk of occurring when rotating an imaging apparatus while a cable is connected in an imaging system which conducts automatic imaging operations by automatic composing and which is provided with an imaging apparatus and a motorized platform apparatus that rotatably drives the imaging apparatus, for example.It is determined whether or not a cable is connected to a cable port, and on the basis of the determination results, it is controlled such that the rotational angle range for a rotational driving unit is restricted. Thus, the above problem can be solved.
US08605199B2

Image capture using an image capture device which includes an imaging assembly having a spectral sensitivity tunable in accordance with a spectral capture mask and light-field optics for projecting a light-field of a scene onto the imaging assembly. A first spectral capture mask is applied to the imaging assembly and preview image data of a scene is captured under the first capture mask. A designation of a region of interest, and a designation of a capture preference in the region of interest are received. A second spectral capture mask is calculated by calculations which use the preview image data and the capture preference for the region of interest. The second spectral capture mask is applied to the imaging assembly, and light-field image data of the scene is captured under the second spectral capture mask.
US08605190B2

An image sensing apparatus that is capable of communicating with an external apparatus, comprising: an image sensing unit configured to sense an object and generate image data; an identification data generation unit configured to generate, from the image data, identification data for identifying a feature of the object; a storage unit configured to store the identification data; a display unit configured to display the image data; a communication unit configured to receive identification data for identifying a feature of an object captured by another image sensing apparatus during communication with the other image sensing apparatus; a determination unit configured to determine the image capture status of each object based on the identification data received by the communication unit; and a control unit configured to control the display unit to identifiably display the image capture status of each object determined by the determination unit.
US08605188B2

A camera according to the present invention comprises an operation member provided on an outer periphery of a photographing lens of the camera, a mode determination section for determining an adjustment mode in accordance with a first operation of the operation member, a numerical adjustment section capable of numerical adjustment of shooting parameters in accordance with the determined mode, in accordance with a second operation of the operation member, and a switching section for switching the first operation and the second operation.
US08605179B2

An image pickup apparatus in which, a taking lens is installable or fixed, includes an image pickup element in which, pixels having a photoelectric conversion portion are arranged two dimensionally. The pixels include focal-point detection pixels which are arranged to restrict a direction of incidence of a light beam which is incident, and image-pickup pixels which are arranged such that, the direction of incidence of the light beam which is incident is not restricted more than the direction of incidence restricted by the focal-point detection pixel.The focal-point detection pixel outputs at least a signal for ranging, and the image-pickup pixel outputs at least a signal for an image.The image pickup apparatus includes an overflow judging section which judges whether or not the photoelectric conversion portion has overflowed, and a calculating section which calculates an amount of defocus based on a judgment result of the overflow judging section and the signal for ranging.
US08605173B2

Circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide differential-input, single-slope, column-parallel analog-to-digital converter (ADC) architectures for use in high-resolution CMOS image sensors (CIS) are described. A column ADC is coupled with a column of a pixel array and configured to convert a pixel signal level to a corresponding digital output value according to a ramp generator output. Each pixel is configured to output a pixel reset level and a pixel signal level at different operating stages, and the ramp generator output includes a ramp reset level and a ramp signal level at the same or different at different operating stages. The pixel and ramp outputs are used to differentially drive a comparator stage of the column ADC, for example, to reduce power supply noise.
US08605162B2

A digital camera includes an image capturing unit, an image capturing control unit, and an image processing unit. The image capturing control unit controls the image capturing unit so as to obtain a still image. The image processing unit creates freeze video data used for reproducing the still image for a predetermined period of time.
US08605148B2

Images of foreground objects in a scene are generated by causing electromagnetic radiation to be emitted having a first spectral power distribution from a surface of a first foreground object, which is adjacent or at least partially obscured by a second foreground object. A first image of both of the first and second foreground objects is acquired while the first foreground object emits electromagnetic radiation with the first spectral power distribution. A second image of the first and second foreground objects is acquired while the first foreground object is not emitting electromagnetic radiation or is emitting electromagnetic radiation with a second spectral power distribution which is different to the first spectral power distribution. An alpha matte of the first and second foreground objects is generated based on a comparison of the first image and second image.
US08605133B2

The subject invention provides a panoramic, interactive, seamless, intuitive, high-resolution and yet extensive simulation tool capable of simulating dynamic events that alter the panoramic view in response to the user's actions or inaction. The dynamic panorama simulation can generate and display novel scenes that are not limited to static “canned” content that has been previously photographed, rendered, recorded, captured or filmed thus providing great flexibility, contextual authenticity and liveliness and, in some instances, unanticipated and surprising but accurate developments in the simulation.
US08605130B2

An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of optical systems, each of which includes a light-beam generating unit that generates a light beam, a rotary polygon mirror that deflects the light beam so as to scan a image carrier, and a light-beam detecting unit that detects the light beam deflected for scanning at a predetermined position on a scanning path by rotationally driving the rotary polygon mirror; a time-difference measuring unit that measures a time difference between light-beam detecting signals; a generation-timing determining unit that determines time of generation timing for generating a start signal that designates a start of an image writing operation so that the generation timing does not overlap another timing when each of the light-beam detecting signals is output from the corresponding time-difference measuring unit; and a start-signal generating unit that generates the start signal based on the time for the generation timing.
US08605128B2

A printer includes a thermal head configured to print information on thermal paper, a platen roller configured to press the thermal paper against the thermal head and a paper feed unit configured to convey the thermal paper. The printer further includes a control unit configured to control the paper feed unit to convey a leading edge of the thermal paper to a print waiting position between the thermal head and the platen roller, and also configured to control the paper feed unit to move the leading edge of the thermal paper from the print waiting position to a retracted position upstream the print waiting position.
US08605127B2

A method for driving an active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display panel is provided. In the present method, how to drive a single pixel having a red sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel, a first blue (light blue) sub-pixel, and a second blue (dark blue) sub-pixel is effectively determined based on the characteristics of the (1931) CIE color space. Besides, at the same time point, only one of the two sub-pixels corresponding to the two blues (i.e. dark blue and light blue) in the single pixel is enabled to be mixed with the red sub-pixel and the green sub-pixel. Accordingly, the luminous efficiency of the AMOLED is improved and the power consumption of the entire AMOLED display is reduced.
US08605125B2

A gamma control data mapping circuit, a mapping method, and a display device using the gamma control data mapping circuit are provided. The gamma control data mapping circuit is for converting input data into grayscale data to display an original image on a display device. The mapping circuit separates the input data into high-order bit data and low-order bit data, and outputs a low-order grayscale boundary and a high-order grayscale boundary by using the high-order bit data. The gamma control data mapping circuit divides a grayscale region defined by the low-order grayscale boundary and the high-order grayscale boundary by a unit grayscale number to calculate unit grayscale data of the grayscale region, multiplies the low-order bit data by the unit grayscale data to calculate linear grayscale data, and adds the low-order grayscale boundary to the linear grayscale data to generate the grayscale data.
US08605124B2

A method of illuminating a display includes spatially varying the luminance of a multi-colored light source illuminating a plurality of pixels of the display in response to receiving a plurality of pixel values, and varying the transmittance of a light valve of the display having filters corresponding to the multi-colored light source in response to receiving the plurality of pixel values. The illumination is modified for a plurality of pixel values based upon modification of the luminance of the light source and varying the transmittance of the light valve.
US08605112B2

A graphics drawing apparatus drawing a graphic, including: a generation unit, where a sequence of two-dimensional coordinates of vertices is input, generating the coordinates of each of the vertices and virtual vertex coordinates for the coordinates of each of the vertices on a memory, the virtual vertex coordinates being generated by converting the X-coordinate value of the coordinates of each of the vertices to the X-coordinate value of the coordinates of the leading vertex of the sequence; and a setting unit that sets the coordinates of two vertices of a partial graphic that is to be created as the coordinates of two adjacent vertices, in sequence starting from the leading vertex, and, after setting the coordinates of the trailing vertex of the sequence, setting the coordinates of two vertices of the partial graphic that is to be created as the coordinates of the leading and trailing vertices.
US08605107B2

An image processing device, an image processing method, and a flat panel display are disclosed. According to some aspects, the image processing device may include: an image determining unit for determining a kind of an input image as one of a moving picture, a photograph image, and a user interface image. A legibility improving unit may be configured to generate a legibility improved image by extracting specific pixels from input image according to the kind of the input image and by modifying gray scale values of the extracted specific pixels. According to some aspects, an illuminance sensor for sensing external illuminance, and a brightness improving unit for correcting a gamma curve according to the illuminance sensor is provided. Brightness may be controlled to increase outdoor visibility of an image according to the external illuminance.
US08605099B2

A technique to increase memory bandwidth for throughput applications. In one embodiment, memory bandwidth can be increased, particularly for throughput applications, without increasing interconnect trace or pin count by pipelining pages between one or more memory storage areas on half cycles of a memory access clock.
US08605097B1

A method and system are implemented for verifying connection status information associated with a specific display attachment location. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method, which includes the steps of receiving a first signature representative of a first set of connection states tracked by a graphics subsystem associated with the display attachment location, authenticating whether the integrity of a content path including the display attachment location is maintained based on the first signature, and deciding whether to continue sending the content to the display attachment location so that requirements associated with protecting the content are satisfied.
US08605096B2

Movies of volume rendered medical images that give an impression of the anatomy, become more and more important, because this type of visualization comes close to reality. An apparatus for creating a fly-path movie of a volume rendered medical image dataset is provided. The apparatus is configured to perform segmentation of an object, such as the coronary arteries, in the medical image dataset, such that key images on the fly-path may be defined with different classification and opacity. By fading from one to the other the coronaries are visualized one by one in an optimal way. A method, computer-readable medium and use are also provided.
US08605092B2

A method and apparatus of animation planning for a dynamic graph is provided. A first method includes grouping changed nodes into atomic partitions according to the relationships between the changed nodes and existing nodes. The next step is clustering the atomic partitions according to clustering distances between the atomic partitions to generate a running list for planning animation of node changes in the dynamic graph. The running list includes elements selected from the group consisting of clusters of atomic partitions and atomic partitions. The present invention is able to plan a multi-stage animation demonstration of changes of a dynamic graph and has a improved readability and animation speed.
US08605088B2

A method for reconstructing geometry mapping of a rasterized area is provided. The method includes: finding a testing pixel within the rasterized area; finding an occluding point corresponding to the testing pixel in a geometry shadow map of the rasterized area; determining weight values of the occluding point according to the (x, y) coordinate values of the testing pixel and vertices of a triangle occluding the testing pixel in the rasterized area; determining depth value of the occluding point according to the weight value and z coordinate of the vertices of the occluding triangle; and comparing the depth value of the occluding point with the depth value of the testing pixel so as to determine whether the testing pixel is drawn in light or in shadow.
US08605085B1

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for warping uniformly generated barycentric parameters to compensate for perspective foreshortening during tessellation of a geometric object. Near and far step sizes are computed for each edge of the geometric object. A warp equation is associated with each edge. Coefficients for each warp equation are computed from near and far step size for a corresponding edge. Uniformly generated barycentric parameters for each edge comprise an input variable for each corresponding warp equation. Warp equation outputs for edges of the geometric object are blended together using a linear blend function to generate vertices comprising geometric tessellation samples from the geometric object.
US08605083B2

In a method, unit and display device the input image signal is split into a regional contrast signal (VRC) and a detail signal (VD), followed by stretching separately the dynamic ranges for both signals, wherein the dynamic range for the regional contrast signal is stretched with a higher stretch ratio than the dynamic range for the detail signal. Preferably the stretch ratio for the detail signal is near 1 or preferably 1. In preferred embodiment highlights are identified and for the highlights the dynamic range is stretched to an even higher degree than for the regional contrast signal.
US08605082B2

A digital screen rendering resolution adjustment can allow users who are conventionally dependent upon corrective lenses to view the digital screen to, after the resolution adjustment, view the contents of this screen with 20×20 vision (considered normal vision), without the use of these corrective lenses. A linear algebraic transform (performing essentially the inverse of the Lensmaker's Equation) can be applied and enact matrix manipulation that when rendering the graphical display to autocompensate for a viewer's visual abnormalities, can result in a distorted screen that is equivalent to the inverse of a corrective lens prescription. A screen rendering customization to autocompensate for a user's visual impairment can be applied for each eye in 3D capable devices due to the inherent nature of 3D to display separate images per eye. A unique algebraic transform matrix manipulation can be performed for each of the two images and can provide a more exact corrective lens prescription rendering simulation than for single image rendering for a display.
US08605076B2

Power consumption required for charging and discharging a source signal line is reduced in an active matrix EL display device. A bipolar transistor (Bi1) has a base terminal B connected to an output terminal c1 of an operational amplifier (OP1), a collector terminal C connected to a low power potential (GND), and an emitter terminal E connected to a resistor R2. A high power potential (VBH) is a potential in synchronization with a high power potential of a light emitting element. A potential of the output terminal c1 of the operational amplifier (OP1) is outputted as a buffer low power potential (VBL). The low power potential (VBL) corresponds to a potential difference between the high power potential (VBH) and a high power potential (V1). Accordingly, the low power potential (VBL) can follow the high power potential (VBH), that is a high power potential of the light emitting element.
US08605067B2

A source-driving circuit comprises a plurality of first and second data-outputting units, a first and a second charge-sharing units and a charge-sharing switch circuit. The first and second data-outputting units have corresponding first and second output terminals respectively for outputting data signals with a first polarity and a second polarity. The first and second charge-sharing units comprise a plurality of first and second switches respectively. Each first switch is electrically connected between each two first output terminals and each two second output terminals. Each second switch is electrically connected between one of the first outputting terminals and a corresponding one of the second outputting terminals. A charge-sharing switch circuit is electrically connected to the first and second charge-sharing units for outputting a switch signal to the first and second charge-sharing units according to a polarity signal, so as to determine the on/off statuses of the first and second switches.
US08605059B2

An object is to reduce power consumption. An input/output device including: a display selection signal output circuit outputting a display selection signal during a first display mode and stopping outputting the display selection signal during a second display mode; a photodetection reset signal output circuit outputting N (N is a natural number) photodetection reset signals during a first photodetection mode and outputting M (M is a natural number smaller than N) photodetection reset signals during a second photodetection mode; an output selection signal output circuit outputting N output selection signals during the first photodetection mode and outputting M output selection signals during the second photodetection mode; and a photodetector circuit being reset in accordance with a photodetection reset signal, generating data according to an intensity of light entering the photodetector circuit subsequently, and outputting the data as a data signal in accordance with the output selection signal.
US08605056B2

A touch-controlled device, an identifying method and a computer program product thereof are provided. The touch-controlled device comprises a touch panel and a processor. The processor is electrically connected to the touch panel, and is configured to detect a first touched region and a second touched region of the touch panel. The processor is further configured to identify one of the first touched region and the second touched region as being touched by a major input object and the other one as being touched by a non-major input object according to a ratio of a moving velocity to a touch area of each of the first and second touched regions.
US08605054B2

A touch screen system includes a capacitive touch screen (1) including a plurality of row conductors (7-1,2 . . . n) and a column conductor (5-1). A plurality of cotemporaneous orthogonal excitation signals (S1(t), S2(t) . . . Sn(t)) are simultaneously driven onto the row conductors, respectively. The capacitively coupled signals on the column conductor may be influenced by a touch (10) on the capacitive touch screen. Receiver circuitry (50) includes a sense amplifier (21-1) coupled to generate an amplifier output signal (r1(t)) in response to signals capacitively coupled onto the column conductor. WHT-based circuitry (35) determines amounts of signal contribution capacitively coupled by each of the excitation signals, respectively, to the amplifier output signal.
US08605047B2

The disclosure provides a threshold compensation method applied to a touch device including a plurality of touch points. The threshold compensation method includes steps of: selecting at least one of the plurality of touch points as a selected object; obtaining a sensing data of each the touch point of the selected object in each of multiple initializing frequency periods; obtaining a sensing data difference value between the sensing data of each the touch point of the selected object in each adjacent two of the initializing frequency periods; obtaining a maximum sensing data difference value in the multiple sensing data difference values of the selected object in the multiple initializing frequency periods; and setting a default threshold of the selected object according to the maximum sensing data difference value.
US08605046B2

A touch panel method and system detects one or more touch objects placed on a surface of a touch panel and assigns consistent ID, position, size and convex contour to each touch object. The method and system allows multiple simultaneous touch objects on the touch panel to be distinguished. The touch panel includes on its periphery at least one light transmitter and at least one light sensor, each positioned around at least a portion of a perimeter of the touch panel. A processor in communication with the at least one light sensor acquires light intensity data from the sensor(s), wherein any one or more touch objects placed within a touch detectable region of the panel interrupts at least a subset of light paths between transmitter and sensor. Based on the interrupted light paths, the processor generates a touch input vector (assigned ID and spatial properties) that represents the placement of each touch object on the touch panel.
US08605037B2

Noise reduction in a one- or two-dimensional capacitive sensor array is achieved by rejecting and re-acquiring noisy signals. The sensor array is formed of crossed X and Y lines for drive and sense functions respectively, each of the X lines being driven in turn to acquire a full frame of data from the sensor array. A controller actuates the X lines in turn and, for each X line, charge is transferred to charge measurement capacitors connected to respective ones of the Y lines. The controller measures a signal value from a first one of the measurement capacitors, and then tests if that Y signal value has a magnitude lying within an acceptable range. If not, the measurement capacitors are all reset without their signal values being measured, and the controller re-drives the same X line to initiate another charge transfer into the measurement capacitors for that X line. It is then attempted once again to acquire Y signal values for that X line. Noisy signal values are thus rejected, and the sensor re-acquires substitute signal values. This is distinct from the approach of acquiring data and then reprocessing it to remove or suppress noisy data as in the prior art.
US08605036B1

A finger control and data entry device that includes a retaining element adapted to fit on at least one finger of an operator. The retaining element has an outer mounting surface thereon. Pushbuttons are mounted on the mounting surface. A touch strip is mounted on the mounting surface. A controller is operably connected to the pushbuttons and the touch strip for the interface handling of a communications link. A communications link is operably connected to the controller to provide an output signal for use by an end system. Power is provided to the controller. Utilization of the pushbuttons in combination with the touch strip on the retaining element provides a finger-based system control. The inclusion of vibrating sensors within the device enables a direct means of information and/or status feedback.
US08605025B2

The present invention relates to enhancing low power consumption of a display device having a SRAM. The display device includes a drive circuit receiving video data; video lines connected the drive circuit; and pixels connected to the video signals. The drive circuit includes a memory storing the video data in memory cells. Each memory cell includes a first inverter with input and output terminals connected to first and second nodes, respectively. A second inverter has output and input terminals connected to the first and second nodes, respectively. A First and second transistors between a first data line and the first node each have a control terminal connected to a first word line or a third word line, respectively. Third and fourth transistors between a second data line and the second node each have a control terminal connected to a second word line or a fourth word line, respectively.
US08605020B2

A liquid crystal display device of at least one embodiment of the present invention includes a TN-mode liquid crystal display panel which is constituted by pixels of three colors (red, green, and blue) and a color filter. A thickness of a liquid crystal layer (cell thickness) is determined on a basis of a retardation value of green light or red light, which has a larger wavelength than blue having shortest wavelength among the three colors. A display data switching circuit carries out gradation conversion of shifting input gradation values to lower gradation values with respect to image data supplied to pixels of blue. Thus, grayscale inversion is prevented. The liquid crystal display device of the present invention produces an effect of improving transmittance of pixels of colors having wavelengths other than the wavelength of blue.
US08605015B2

Described is a device comprising a spatial light modulator comprising a plurality of comparators for computing a respective drive for each pixel of a plurality of pixels.
US08604999B2

An antenna enclosure is designed to be suspended from a line such as a messenger strand which extends in a first direction between a pair of utility poles, in a similar manner to other aerial strand mounted communication system components. At least one antenna element is mounted in the enclosure. The antenna enclosure in one example is elongated in the first direction and tapers inwardly in a vertical direction between the upper and lower ends of the enclosure. Two spaced connecting brackets mounted on the upper end of the enclosure are configured for connection to spaced positions on a line to suspend the enclosure from the line.
US08604997B1

A vertical array antenna is disclosed. The antenna includes a housing configured to be positioned above a ground plane and a plurality of antenna elements. Each antenna element produces an individual beam pattern. The antenna elements are attached to the housing at different distances from the location of the ground plane such that the amplitudes of the individual beam patterns of the respective antenna elements have local maxima at a common angle and frequency when the housing is positioned above the ground plane.
US08604996B2

An embodiment of the present invention discloses a wireless terminal. The wireless terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a PCB primary board, a primary board circuit printed on both sides of the PCB primary board, and a diversity antenna, where the diversity antenna is disposed at an end of the PCB primary board, a first primary board metal shielding cover and a second primary board metal shielding cover are each disposed on the primary board circuit on the both sides of the PCB primary board, a radiator is printed on at least one side panel of the PCB primary board, the radiator and the primary board circuit are located in different areas of the PCB primary board, and a first wave absorbing sheet is attached to the first primary board metal shielding cover and/or the second primary board metal shielding cover.
US08604995B2

A portable consumer device is disclosed. An electromagnetic shield is provided in the portable consumer device that is capable of preventing communication between the portable consumer device and an interrogation device. The shield is movable between a distal position in which communication with the interrogation device is enabled and a proximate position in which the shield prevents the transmitting antenna from communicating with the interrogation device.
US08604989B1

An integrated phased array including an array of antenna elements (130), a plurality of waveguides (122), a beam forming network (120), and an RF switch (110). The phased array may further comprise a monolithic integration module (160) comprising a dielectric layer (165) sandwiched between two conductive layers (166, 167).
US08604988B2

A multi-function array is described where several communication system functions are realized using the same antenna architecture. An array of antenna elements where each antenna element can generate multiple radiation patterns is described; the multiple radiation patterns from each antenna element provides increased capability and flexibility in generating a phased array, a MIMO antenna system, a receive diversity antenna system, as well as direction finding feature by way of an interferometer function provided by one or multiple elements. The small volume attributes of the antenna elements populating the array lend this technique to mobile wireless devices as well as access points.
US08604987B1

The present invention is directed to an antenna assembly. The antenna assembly may include multiple sets of radiators (ex.—antenna elements) with each set of radiators being fed by its own RF feed network. The multiple sets of radiators may be arranged in a stackable configuration for providing a low profile antenna assembly which concurrently supports multiple frequency bands (exs.—L band, C band, Ku band).
US08604982B2

Antenna structure having a ground electrode formed outside a footprint of a conductive patch, wherein the conductive patch is a radiating element of the antenna structure. The antenna structure in one embodiment is a composite left and right handed (CRLH) based structure. Antennas and antenna arrays based on enhanced CRLH metamaterial structures are configured to provide broadband resonances for various multi-band wireless communications.
US08604981B2

A method of forming an antenna by providing a first panel including a first conductive sheet secured to a sheet of dielectric material and forming one or more radiating elements and/or a feed network in the conductive sheet by forming grooves in the conductive sheet. The first panel may be a construction grade building panel or a similar suitable panel. The method enables panel antennas to be manufactured using inexpensive materials using inexpensive manufacturing processes.
US08604976B1

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to techniques and systems for modifying the transmit beam of a phased array antenna in order to effect a shape change in the beam that pre-compensates for platform motion and clutter considerations in the local environment. The techniques and systems herein disclosed take advantage of the phase controlling capability of phased array antennas to adjust the performance of each element in a way that de-focuses or spoils the transmit beam. This spoiling, in turn, enables the transmission of a broader, tailored beam that provides illumination over an area that would otherwise require multiple scans from narrow transmit beams. The techniques described provide a closed-form solution that sacrifices some antenna pattern efficiency in exchange for greatly reduced computational complexity over prior art, optimal search techniques.
US08604974B2

An electronic circuit separates frequency-overlapped GLONASS and GPS overlapped in an approximately 4 MHz passband. The circuit uses a multiple-path analog-to-digital converter circuit (ADC). A sampling rate circuit is coupled to concurrently operate the analog-to-digital converter circuit at a sampling rate between about 60 Msps and about 80 Msps. A digital processing circuit includes storage defining complex de-rotation and low pass filtering. The digital processing circuit is fed by the analog-to-digital converter circuit and is operable A) to establish an access rate and respective distinct phase increments for the complex de-rotation, B) to execute the complex de-rotation by combinations of trigonometric multiplications using the distinct phase increments approximately concurrently and C) to execute the low pass filtering on the complex de-rotation resulting at the access rate and respective distinct phase increments, thus delivering GPS and Glonass signals separated from each other.
US08604972B2

In a position measuring method, GPS ranging data obtained at a reference station 1 and an observation station 2 is inputted to four solution calculating sections 12, RTK solutions such as a fix solution at the observation station 2 are calculated in the solution calculating sections 12 according to the RTK system, and the RTK solutions are inputted to a solution obtaining unit 13. Further, it is decided whether or not the RTK solutions include multiple fix solutions. When it is decided that the RTK solutions include multiple fix solutions, deviations between the fix solutions are determined and it is decided whether or not the deviations exceed an allowable value. When it is decided that none of the deviations exceed the allowable value, predetermined arithmetic processing is performed on the fix solutions to obtain a normal fix solution. Moreover, the solution calculating sections are sequentially restarted at predetermined time intervals.
US08604961B1

In various embodiments an analog-to-digital converter arrangement is provided, which may include an input terminal configured to receive a signal to be converted; a reference terminal configured to receive a reference signal; a voltage domain specific reference terminal configured to receive a voltage domain specific reference signal; an analog-to-digital converter circuit coupled to the input terminal, the reference terminal, and to the voltage domain specific reference terminal configured to compare the signal to be converted with the voltage domain specific reference signal, thereby generating a first digital comparison signal, and to compare the reference signal with the voltage domain specific reference signal, thereby generating a second digital comparison signal; and a ratiometric circuit configured to determine a digitally converted signal of the signal to be converted using the first digital comparison signal and the second digital comparison signal.
US08604958B2

One embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a circuit. The circuit includes a digital to analog converter (DAC) configured to convert a time-varying, multi-bit digital value to a corresponding time-varying output current. The circuit also includes a mixer module downstream of the DAC and comprising a plurality of mixers. A control block is configured to selectively steer output current from the DAC to different mixers of the mixer module. Other techniques are also described.
US08604949B2

A serial-to-parallel converter which includes n input latching elements; k intermediate latching elements, and n output latching elements configured to sample outputs of the k intermediate latching elements and a remaining (n−k) input latching elements of the n input latching elements, respectively, after the nth data of the n successive data has been sampled by the nth input latching element and before the kth data of a next n successive data in the serial input data stream has been sampled by the kth input latching element, wherein the n input latching elements and the k intermediate latching elements are transparent for one state of their clock input, and n and k are positive integers, where n>k.
US08604936B2

Disclosed herein is a coaxial cable connector that includes a backscattering arrangement configured to receive an RF signal in a coaxial transmission line and produce a modulated backscattered response. The modulated backscattered response corresponds to a sensed condition in the coaxial cable connector.
US08604922B2

A motor vehicle taillight comprising a frame configured to be removably mounted to a vehicle, a housing coupled to the frame, a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) positioned along the frame, and a programmable electronic system configured to received an input signal and to selectively provide power to the at least one sets of LED arrays based on a program selected by a user and received input signal. The programmable electronic system is also configured to be selectively placed into a program mode upon activation of a switch, and when in the program mode, to select one of the plurality of programs based on at least one of a turn signal or brake signal of the motor vehicle.
US08604919B2

The described method and system provide an early notification to emergency responders regarding a non-nominal condition associated with a vehicle involved in a collision. The system provides a short range wireless system controller in communication with a battery controller. The short range wireless system controller is further in communication with a communications device associated with an emergency responder via broadcast over a short range wireless RF network. If battery physical parameters indicate that the battery has suffered damage rendering the vehicle inoperable, this battery damage information is broadcast over the short range wireless RF network to the communications device associated with the emergency responder. In this way, the emergency responder can quickly aid incident victims without time lost in determining whether or not the high voltage vehicle battery is in a nominal state after the crash.
US08604914B2

An approach is provided where a smart socket receives a request over a power line and generates a request based on the received request. The second request is transmitted over a power cord connecting the smart power socket to a device. A response is received from the device and a power setting is identified therefrom. The smart socket regulates electrical current flowing from the smart power socket to the device using the identified setting. In a related approach, the device receives a power down request over a power cord from a smart power socket. The device determines whether power is still needed at the device in order to perform one or more device operations. The device then returns a response to the smart power socket, with the response indicating whether power is still needed at the device.
US08604909B1

Methods and systems for determining a location and an identity of a portable device are provided. The system includes apparatus for transmitting timing synchronization information, a plurality of stationary ultrasonic base stations and a plurality of portable devices. Each ultrasonic base station is configured to receive the timing synchronization information and to transmit a corresponding ultrasonic location code in a time period based on the received timing synchronization information. Each portable device is configured to: 1) receive the timing synchronization information, 2) detect the ultrasonic location codes from the ultrasonic base stations and 3) transmit an output signal including a portable device ID representative of the portable device and the detected ultrasonic location code. Each portable device is synchronized to detect the ultrasonic location code in the time period based on the received timing synchronization information.
US08604899B2

An electrical transformer is disclosed which includes an enclosure; a magnetic core assembly arranged within the enclosure, the magnetic core assembly having a first core limb, a second core limb and a third core limb; and three coil assemblies having a first coil assembly, a second coil assembly, and a third coil assembly. At least two diaphragms are arranged within the enclosure, the diaphragms being essentially sealed to a first outermost coil of the first coil assembly, and arranged for guiding a cooling fluid in series through a first inner fluid duct, a second inner fluid duct, a third inner fluid duct and an extra-coil volume along outsides of third, second and first outermost coil coils of the third, second and first coil assemblies.
US08604894B2

A compact thermoelastic actuator includes at least two identical force pieces and a securing piece, the securing piece having a coefficient of thermal expansion less than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the force pieces. The force pieces are mounted head-to-tail one beside the other parallel to a longitudinal axis Y and are linearly offset relative to one another, along the longitudinal axis Y. The securing piece has two ends respectively linked to external ends of each force piece and internal ends of each force piece are positioned under a median region of the securing piece. The actuator and device is applicable to waveguides of multiplexers incorporated in space equipment for satellites.
US08604892B2

Provided are a high frequency attenuator to attenuate high frequency energy by a minute amount and a high frequency device using the high frequency attenuator. The attenuator includes a dielectric base, a ground conductor provided on a back surface of the base, a first and second strip conductors provided on a front surface of the base, and a resistor. The first and second strip conductors constitute first and second high frequency transmission lines respectively in conjunction with the ground conductor and the base. The first strip conductor has a first end portion, and the second strip conductor has a second end portion which forms a gap with the first end portion. The resistor is provided in the gap. The first end portion is inclined with respect to the first high frequency transmission line, and the second end portion is inclined with respect to the second high frequency transmission line.
US08604889B2

An LC oscillator is provided that achieves improved phase noise performance. A variable frequency oscillator includes a variable supply source, an oscillator tank circuit, a variable capacitance circuit comprising MOS switches, and an oscillator tank voltage common mode adjustment circuit. When the capacitance of the variable capacitance circuit is varied to vary an output frequency of the variable frequency oscillator, the common mode voltage is adjusted to reduce transitions of the MOS switches between an inversion state and a depletion state during excursions of an output signal through one cycle of oscillation.
US08604887B1

The current-feedback operational amplifier-based sinusoidal oscillator provides oscillations based on a single external resistor and a single external capacitor, which exploit the internal parasitic components of the CFOA. The external resistor and external capacitor are passive, externally connected, and grounded.
US08604882B2

A circuit for single ended to differential conversion is disclosed. The circuit comprises a source for providing a single ended signal; and a transformer for receiving the single ended signal. The transformer includes first and second inductors. The first and second inductors are mutually coupled. When the operating frequency changes, a phase difference of currents flowing through the inductors changes, and therefore a phase difference between effective impedance of the first and second inductors changes to maintain a substantially 180 degree phase difference due to the mutual coupling.
US08604879B2

An impedance-matched amplifier utilizing a feed-forward linearization technique involving multiple negative feedbacks and distortion compensation without active tail current sources reduces noise, distortion, power consumption and heat dissipation requirements and increases linearity, dynamic range, signal-to-noise-ratio, sensitivity and quality of service. Some differential amplifier embodiments of the invention consume less than 2 mA at 5 Volts or 10 mW power consumption per 1 mW in peak and sustained output IP3 performance above 40 dBm. In contrast, for an input signal frequency of 200 MHz, a 16 dB gain state-of-the-art differential amplifier consumes 100 mA at 5 Volts with a peak output IP3 of 36 dBm while an implementation of a 16 dB gain differential amplifier embodying the invention consumes 77.7 mA at 5 Volts with a peak output IP3 of 46 dBm and sustained at or above 40 dBm over a wide frequency range.
US08604877B2

A differential amplifier is provided in the present invention. The differential amplifier includes an amplifying module having a resistive ratio, receiving an input voltage, and amplifying the input voltage as an output voltage in accordance with the resistive ratio; and a feedback module coupled with the amplifying module and generating a feedback signal in accordance with the input voltage and the output voltage for regulating the output voltage.
US08604875B2

A power supply system includes a high-speed power supply providing a first output, operating in conjunction with an externally supplied DC source or low frequency power supply which provides a second output. A frequency blocking power combiner circuit combines the first and second outputs to generate a third output in order to drive a load, while providing frequency-selective isolation between the first and second outputs. A feedback circuit coupled to the combined, third output compares this combined, third output with a predetermined control signal and generates a control signal for controlling the high-speed power supply, based on a difference between the third output and the predetermined control signal. The feedback circuit does not control the DC source or the low frequency power supply, but controls only the high-speed power supply.
US08604872B2

Systems and methods which implement a transconductor replica feedback (TRF) block in a transconductor circuit are shown. In accordance with embodiments, the TRF block comprises a feedback transistor disposed as a replica of a corresponding transconductance transistor of the transconductor circuit. The TRF block provides enhanced looking-in degeneration impedance for the transconductor circuit, thereby allowing for higher linearity and lower power at the same time. TRF transconductors of embodiments can be implemented in, or otherwise applied to, various different circuits such as LNAs, filters, etc.
US08604861B1

In an embodiment, a circuit includes a forward path circuit having an auto-zero switch coupled between an input of an amplifier and an output of the amplifier, a first chopping circuit having an input coupled to an input of the forward path circuit and an output coupled to the input of the amplifier, and a second chopping circuit having an input coupled to the output of the amplifier and an output coupled to an output of the forward path circuit. The circuit further includes a feedback circuit that has a feedback switch, a feedback capacitor including a first end coupled to an output of the amplifier, a third chopping circuit coupled between the input of the forward path circuit and a first end of a feedback switch, and a fourth chopping circuit coupled between a second end of the feedback switch and a second end of the feedback capacitor.
US08604859B2

A DC-offset correction circuit for a target circuit with an output terminal and a feedback input terminal. The DC-offset correction circuit includes an obtaining module and a correction module. The obtaining module obtains a DC-offset voltage from the output terminal. The correction module includes a first charging switch, a first inductor connected to the first charging switch in order from the output terminal to the feedback input terminal, and a first charging capacitor connected between ground and the node of the feedback input terminal and the first charging switch. When the voltage of the feedback input terminal is less then the DC-offset voltage, the correction module closes the first charging switch. When the voltage of the feedback input terminal is equal to the DC-offset voltage, the correction module opens the first charging switch.
US08604858B2

A gate driving circuit includes a first clock generator to output n output control clock pulses having different phases; a second clock generator to create m*n output clock pulses having different phases and partially overlapped with one another in high periods thereof, to arrange the m*n output clock pulses in sequence of phase, to bind the m*n output clock pulses arranged in sequence of phase in units of n to generate m groups, each of which has n output clock pulses, and to output the m*n output clock pulses so that a rising edge of an output clock pulse having a k-th sequence of phase included in each group is located in a high period of an output control clock pulse having a k-th sequence of phase among the n output control clock pulses; and a shift register sequentially outputting a plurality of scan pulses.
US08604839B2

A current-to-voltage converter for providing a voltage signal based on a current signal has a first active stage having an input and an output. The first active stage is configured to receive the current signal at its input and provide the voltage signal at its output. In addition, the current-to-voltage converter has a second active stage that is coupled between the output of the first active stage and the input of the first active stage. The second active stage is configured to provide the input of the first active stage with a feedback signal that frequency-selectively counteracts amplification, by the first active stage, of signal components of a current signal applied to the input of the first active stage that have a frequency outside of a prescribed useful frequency band.
US08604822B2

A method of assembling a testing apparatus for a full-power converter assembly includes coupling an electric power supply apparatus to an electric power grid. The method also includes coupling a direct current (DC) generation apparatus to the electric power supply apparatus. The method further includes coupling an electric power grid simulation device to the DC generation apparatus. The method also includes coupling a full-power converter assembly test connection to the electric power grid simulation device.
US08604817B2

A measurement card includes a circuit board, an edge connector on a bottom edge of the circuit board, a port arranged on the circuit board, and a single-pole double-throw switch for connecting the port to either a first or a second pin of the edge connector to tests the VDDQ and VTT outputs of a memory slot.
US08604812B2

A voltage limiting test system used to test limit voltage values of a memory includes a voltage limiting test device and an assistant test device connected to the voltage limiting test device. The voltage limiting test device includes a button to adjust a voltage of the memory. The assistant test device includes a first timer, and first and second relays. The first relay is used to receive a state signal of the motherboard, to determine whether the first timer is powered according to the state signal. The second relay is used to receive the pulse signal output by the first timer when the first timer is powered, to trigger the button to adjust the voltage of the memory per a reference time. When the motherboard stops working, the voltage value of the memory is a limit voltage value of the memory.
US08604804B2

The N1(s) turns of an output winding is divided by a split ratio α into N1a(s) turns of an output winding (1a) and N1b(s) turns of an output winding (1b). The output winding (1a) is continuously wound around all slots as the undermost layer. Output winding 2, which is different in phase by 90 degrees from the output winding (1a), is continuously wound around all the slots over the output winding (1a). An output winding (1b) is continuously wound around all the slots over output winding 2. This equalizes the contribution of the output winding and output winding 2 to the flux linkage, thereby achieving high angle detection accuracy.
US08604795B2

A generally cylindrical set of coil windings includes primary coil windings and shield coil windings at a larger radial position than the primary coil windings, and an arcuate or annular central gap that is free of coil windings, has an axial extent of at least ten centimeters, and spans at least a 180° angular interval. Connecting conductors disposed at each edge of the central gap electrically connect selected primary and secondary coil windings. In a scanner setting, a main magnet is disposed outside of the generally cylindrical set of coil windings. In a hybrid scanner setting, an annular ring of positron emission tomography (PET) detectors is disposed in the central gap of the generally cylindrical set of coil windings.
US08604790B2

A plug block module for a surface coil for a magnetic resonance tomography apparatus has a plug block body with contacts for connection lines that can be connected with a magnetic resonance tomography apparatus, an adapter plug that can be inserted into an adapter plug of the surface coil, a surface coil connector device that fixes the plug block module to the surface coil, and a connection between the plug block and the adapter plug.
US08604789B2

An apparatus for intra-operative MRI includes a patient table with a movable magnet and an RF coil having an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion is formed of a foam material flexible to different shapes with a pair of stiffeners formed of connected pivotal elements extending from a central back-bone embedded in the top sheet of the foam to hold the flexible material in the different shapes and is carried at one end of a flexible foam arm attached to a side rail of the table and stiffened by a longitudinal stiffener. A head clamp is attached to the table with a C-shaped holder for the skull clamp pins. The lower coil is movable by flexing about longitudinal lines to different curvatures and is held channel shaped by the C-shaped holder. It is attached at one longitudinal end to an adjustable mount connected to the head clamp.
US08604788B2

A three-dimensional turbo spin echo imaging method of applying, within a repetition time TR, N groups of pulses to respectively scan N slabs in succession, with each group including one excitation pulse and more than one refocusing pulse, wherein N is a positive integer greater than 1, is improved by applying a first slice selection gradient at the same time as applying each said excitation pulse, and applying a second slice selection gradient at the same time as applying each said refocusing pulse, and applying a phase encoding gradient after having applied each refocusing pulse, then applying a frequency encoding gradient and acquiring scan signals during the duration of the frequency encoding gradient. An image according to the scan signals is reconstructed.
US08604784B2

An MRT acquisition can be simplified by a method, an MRT apparatus and a support, for example a cushion, for a magnetic resonance tomography examination, that has at least one positioning aid for a heel of the patient and that has at least one positioning aid for the head.
US08604782B2

An eddy current sensor includes: an excitation coil that applies a predetermined alternating-current excitation signal to a measurement target component; and a detection coil that detects a detection signal, generated by eddy current, from the measurement target component to which the alternating-current excitation signal is applied. The excitation coil has a plurality of solenoid coils. The detection coil is arranged at least on one of two sides of the excitation coil in a direction of a central axis of each solenoid coil. Then, the plurality of solenoid coils are arranged in parallel with one another so that winding directions of the adjacent solenoid coils are opposite to each other.
US08604773B2

Provided is a receiving method and a receiving apparatus comprising a multi-strobe generating section that generates a multi-strobe including a plurality of strobes having different phases with respect to a reception signal; an acquiring section that acquires the reception signal using each of the strobes; a detecting section that detects a change position at which a value of the reception signal changes, based on the acquisition result of the acquiring section; and a selecting section that selects, as a reception data value, the value of the reception signal acquired using a strobe at a position shifted by a predetermined phase from the change position. The receiving apparatus may further comprise a reference clock generating section that generates a reference clock having a preset period, and the multi-strobe generating section generates the multi-strobe for each pulse of the reference clock.
US08604771B2

An implementation of a system and method for a hand tool having a pivot grip is provided. The pivot grip provides an axis of rotation perpendicular and centered with a pair of concave finger holds positioned at the grip. The hand tool includes a housing forming the pivot grip, a sensor (e.g., stud sensor, capacitive sensor, electromagnetic sensor, metallic sensor, RF sensor, and/or the like) and a power switch.
US08604770B2

A load drive device capable of expanding a range of an output power by improving a linearity thereof when the output power varies. This device includes an output circuit (14) for supplying an electric power to an LED (10), a feedback circuit (28) for turning on or off the electric power supplied to the LED (10) according to a duty ratio of a burst signal to control the electric power and generating a control value for controlling the LED (10) based on an A/D-converted value obtained by detecting an output current (Iout) to the LED (10) to send out the control value to the output circuit when the supply of the electric power is in an on-state, a burst signal previous value correcting circuit (64) for correcting a presently generated control value (y) based on the A/D-converted value (V) and the previous control value (x) which are generated every cycle of the burst signal, and a duty ratio determination circuit (66) for allowing the burst signal previous value correcting circuit (64) to operate upon determining that the duty ratio of the burst signal goes above or below a reference value.
US08604766B2

A control circuit of a DC-DC converter has a voltage difference signal generator configured to generate a digital voltage difference signal depending on a voltage difference between the output voltage and a reference voltage, a PID controller configured to generate a digital PID signal for determining the duty ratio of the pulse-width modulated signal, based on the digital voltage difference signal, a phase controller configured to generate a digital phase control signal for determining a phase of the pulse-width modulated signal, based on the digital voltage difference signal, and a PWM generator configured to generate the pulse-width modulated signal, based on the digital PID signal and the digital phase control signal.
US08604761B2

In one embodiment, the current source arrangement comprises a current source (B), that has two output terminals (102, 103) and a control input (101) to be supplied with a control voltage (Vgs) and is set up to provide a current (I) as a function of a voltage (Vds) at the output terminals (102, 103) and the control voltage (Vgs), an operating point adjustment unit (E) that is supplied with an actual value (Vi) proportional to an actual value of the current (I) and is set up to provide the control voltage (Vgs) as a function of the actual value (Vi) and a predetermined target value (Iz) of the current (I), and a comparison unit (A) coupled to the control input (101) of the current source (B) for providing a monitoring signal (100), wherein the monitoring signal (100) is provided as a function of a predetermined limit voltage (VG) and the control voltage (Vgs). A method for operating a current source arrangement is also specified.
US08604758B1

A control circuit includes a power controller, a comparator, and first to fifth electronic switches. When an electronic device is operating with light load, a voltage received by the inverting terminal of the comparator is less than a voltage received by the non-inverting terminal of the comparator, such that the first and fourth electronic switches are turned on, and the second, third, and fifth electronic switches are turned off. A first power supply is output to the switching power supply. When the electronic device is operating with heavy load, the voltage received by the inverting terminal of the comparator is greater than the voltage received by the non-inverting terminal of the comparator, such that the first and fourth electronic switches are turned off, and the second, third, and fifth electronic switches are turned on. A second power supply is output to the switching power supply.
US08604752B2

An audio power unit is disclosed which provides an audio output and charges removable battery packs as well as providing a number of AC receptacles for powering other tools and the like when the unit is connected to a source of AC power. The unit can optionally also provide DC power. When the unit is connected to a source of AC power, the AC power drives the audio unit which may be a radio or a combination radio and CD player and the AC source also powers a charger which recharges a battery pack if a battery pack is inserted into the charger receptacle. If the unit is not connected to a source of AC power, the radio may be powered by a battery pack when it is placed in the charger receptacle. When the unit is connected to a source of AC power, a relay is opened to isolate the radio unit from the charger and battery pack. The unit has a unique protective frame structure that is connected to the housing of the unit.
US08604741B2

A monitoring and control device for an aircraft actuator includes a control module, delivering control signals for the actuator and position signals for the actuator determined according to control messages received from a piloting management system of the aircraft, and at least one first position sensor supplying information concerning the position of the actuator, and a monitoring module, delivering position signals for the actuator and receiving the control signals received from the piloting management system of the aircraft, and information relating to the position of the actuator supplied by at least one second position sensor. The control and monitoring modules are capable of assessing the consistency of the signals processed therein and of controlling accordingly a power supply and disabling module of the actuator.
US08604739B2

A controller for an axial gap-type motor (3) comprises a rotor (11) having a permanent magnet and a first stator (12a) and a second stator (12b) opposed to each other with the rotor (11) interposed therebetween in the axial direction of revolution of the rotor (11). The controller further includes an electrification control portion which supplies a torque current (Iq) for generating a magnetic field to revolve the rotor (11) to an armature winding (13a) of the first stator (12a) and supplies a field current (+Id) for reinforcing the magnetic flux by the permanent magnet of the rotor (11) or a field current (−Id) for weakening the magnetic flux to an armature winding (13b) of the second stator (12b). Consequently, the controllable range of the motor is increased and the axial gap-type motor can be operated at higher velocity and higher torque.
US08604736B2

Method of operating an actuator (1) for maneuvering a movable element (52), comprising a motor of asynchronous type or of brushless type or comprising a motor associated with a differential brake, and comprising a partially irreversible reduction gear, which comprises a step of establishing a measurement of an operating parameter of the actuator and a step of using this measurement to determine whether the actuator is driving the movable element or whether the actuator is being driven by the movable element, and then a step of implementing first logic for determining an end of travel or an obstacle, or a step of implementing second logic for determining an end of travel or an obstacle, depending on whether the actuator drives the movable element or the actuator is driven by the movable element.
US08604735B2

A method and apparatus for control of an alternating current electric motor with field weakening, including setting a required operating point for a motor field voltage component as a function of a difference between actual and required motor field current components, and setting a required operating point for a motor torque voltage component as a function of a difference between actual and required motor torque current components. The method also includes setting a field weakening constituent for the required operating point for the motor field voltage component as a function of a difference between a required operating point and an available value of the motor torque voltage component and as a function of a difference between actual and required motor torque current components.
US08604730B2

A control unit of an electric power converter, which is used in a three-phase motor having two winding wire systems, performs for a first duty instruction signal regarding a voltage applied to a first winding wire group a flatbed two-phase modulation process, and performs for a second duty instruction signal regarding a voltage applied to a second winding wire group a flattop two-phase modulation process. By phase-shifting the second duty instruction signal by 30° from the first duty instruction signal, a timing of maximum value of the first duty instruction signal is shifted from a timing of minimum value of the second duty instruction signal. Even when the maximum value is greater than a center output value and the minimum value is smaller than the center output value, overlapping of capacitor discharge is avoided, thereby reducing a ripple electric current.
US08604729B2

A method of controlling a permanent-magnet motor that includes sequentially exciting and freewheeling a winding of the motor. The method includes varying the angle over which the winding is freewheeled in response to changes in speed of the motor. Additionally, a control system for a permanent-magnet motor, and a product incorporating the control system and motor.
US08604728B2

A system and method are provided for controlling a locomotive such that the braking effort is maintained at its optimal maximum level throughout the extended range. The method comprises detecting a first reduction in speed of the locomotive; energizing at least one solid state device connected across one or more grid resistors for a first predetermined amount of time to divert current away from the one or more grid resistors for the first predetermined amount of time; and de-energizing the solid state device after the first predetermined amount of time. The solid state device may be an Isolated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) and a plurality of solid state devices are energized, each solid state device being connected across a corresponding resistor grid.
US08604727B2

[Problem]An object of the present invention is to provide a power state diagnosis method and a power state diagnosis apparatus that do not need to make a control period fast and also do not need to excessively increase a responsibility, and do not give an uncomfortable feeling to a driver.[Means for Solving the Problem]The present invention is a power state diagnosis method that diagnoses a power state of a vehicle which comprises an electrical control system supplied from a power supply and a motor controlled by a vector control method, comprising: starting a diagnosis of said power state at a time that an ignition key is switched from “OFF” to “ON” or at a time that said ignition key is switched from “ON” to “OFF”, storing a value obtained by adding an offset to an angle of said motor that is read at a start of said diagnosis as a pseudo-motor-angle, performing said vector control based on said pseudo-motor-angle during said diagnosis, and diagnosing said power state based on a voltage that is supplied to said motor.
US08604725B2

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes an electrostatic actuator including first and second lower electrodes, an upper electrode, and an insulating film provided between the upper electrode and the first and second lower electrodes, the first lower electrode and upper electrode configuring a first variable capacitance element, the second lower electrode and upper electrode configuring a second variable capacitance element, a first fixed capacitance element connected to the first lower electrode, a second fixed capacitance element connected to the second lower electrode, and a detection circuit connected to the upper electrode and configured to detect a charge amount stored in the insulating film.
US08604715B2

A lamp tube switch circuit includes a first connector and a second connector for connecting a lamp tube, a power supply, a switch module including at least six switches connected between the power port, the first connector and second connector, a detecting unit connected between the first connector and the second connector, a control unit, a ballast and a starter. The detecting unit detects impedances between the pins of the lamp tube to determine the type of the lamp tube. The control unit is connected to the detecting unit, and operated to have some of the switches to turn one and the others to turn off whereby a drive circuit is formed enabling power from the power supply to flow through the lamp tube to make the lamp tube to generate light.
US08604709B2

Fixed Frequency, Fixed Duration power controls methods and systems are described for application of power to electrical loads. FFFD techniques according to the present disclosure utilize power train pulses with fixed-frequency fixed-duration pulses to control power applied to a load. The load can be any type of DC load. FFFD techniques allows for controlled variation of the fixed length of the ON pulse, the Fixed length of the OFF or recovery period, the total time period for one cycle, and/or the number of pulses in that time period. Applications to electric motors, electric lighting, and electric heating are described. Related circuits are also described.
US08604708B2

A voltage-controlled light diffusing module, a flash lamp module and a controlling method thereof are provided. The voltage-controlled light diffusing module includes a light diffuser, a driving circuit and an information processing unit. The information processing unit receives face information for deciding a driving voltage of the driving circuit, so as to change transmission of the light diffuser.
US08604707B2

A power supply includes: a step-down chopper unit for stepping down a DC voltage from a DC power source to a voltage required for lighting; and a dimming control unit which dims the light source by alternately repeating a switching ON period during which a drive signal having a frequency higher than that of the dimming signal is supplied to the switching element and a switching OFF period during which the supply of the drive signal to the switching element is stopped. Further, the power supply includes an inrush current prevention unit for preventing an inrush current occurring when the DC power source is turned on, and a compensation unit which applies a drive voltage to the thyristor in the switching OFF period.
US08604702B2

A method for setting a color locus of a luminaire (110) comprising at least one phosphor-converted light-emitting diode (103, 105) and at least one monochromatic light-emitting diode (104), wherein the method comprises the steps of: setting a current for the at least one phosphor-converted light-emitting diode (103, 105) setting a pulse width modulation for the at least one phosphor-converted light-emitting diode (104); and setting a current or a pulse width modulation for the at least one monochromatic light-emitting diode (104).
US08604697B2

An apparatus for generating plasma is provided. The apparatus may include a vacuum chamber and a plasma source part. The plasma source part may include a dielectric part, an upper electrode, and an inductive coil. The dielectric part may be installed to protrude upward along a circumference of a through-hole provided at a top of the vacuum chamber. The upper electrode may be coupled to seal an opened top of the dielectric part. The inductive coil may spirally extend along an outer circumference surface of the dielectric part.
US08604694B2

A discharge device includes a dielectric, a first electrode and a second electrode arranged with the dielectric interposed therebetween, and a circuit unit to which the first electrode and the second electrode are electrically connected for generating a high voltage to be applied to the first electrode and to the second electrode. The dielectric is formed in a tube shape or a pipe shape having therein the circuit unit.
US08604679B2

An LED light source lamp has built-in drive circuits in a housing, and is used by being attached to a lamp holder. An LED installation plate is arranged, in a main space of the housing, on an attachment side to the lamp holder. An LED module on a surface, of the LED installation plate, opposite to the lamp holder, is a collection of LEDs driven by the drive circuit. A light diffusion member is arranged so as to block the optical axis of light emitted by each LED of the LED module. Here, the drive circuits are arranged in an outer peripheral space, between the LED module and the light diffusion member, so as not to block the optical axis of light emitted by each LED of the LED module.
US08604675B2

To provide a piezoelectric resonator that suppresses spread of a conductive adhesive and is low in cost and a method of manufacturing a piezoelectric resonator. At positions, of a base 3, corresponding to electrode terminals on a crystal resonating piece 10, projection portions 41, 42 are formed by etching the base 3, and a metal film is formed on front surfaces of the above projection portions 41, 42, and the above metal films and the electrode terminals on the above-described crystal resonating piece 10 are electrically connected with a conductive adhesive 34. The conductive adhesives 34 rise on side surfaces of the above-described projection portions 41, 42 due to surface tension to bring the conductive adhesives 34 into a state where they do not easily flow outward, so that it is possible to suppress spread of the conductive adhesives 34. Further, it is possible to reduce a film thickness of the metal film to be formed on the front surfaces of the projection portions 41, 42, so that the crystal resonating piece 10 is reduced in cost.
US08604671B2

In the ultrasound transducer of the present embodiment, front surface electrodes and rear surface electrodes are provided for a plurality of ultrasound vibrators. A circuit board is disposed on the rear surface side of the ultrasound vibrators, and connected to the rear surface electrodes. An electronic circuit is connected to the surface opposite to that of the rear surface electrodes side on the circuit board, and has signal paths to each ultrasound vibrator through the circuit board. A backing material is disposed on the rear surface side of the ultrasound vibrators, and is provided so as to sandwich between it and the ultrasound vibrators the circuit board and the electronic circuit.
US08604668B2

A piezoelectric element includes a support body having a displacing part capable of undergoing displacement, a lower electrode layer having a lower main electrode body and a lower electrode wire part with the lower main electrode body being formed on the support body and provided within the displacing part in a plan view and the lower electrode wire part being connected to the lower main electrode body and provided across an interior and an exterior of the displacing part, a first piezoelectric layer provided on the lower main electrode body, an upper electrode layer provided across the interior and exterior of the displacing part with at least a part of the upper electrode layer being layered on the first piezoelectric layer and insulated from the lower electrode layer, and a second piezoelectric layer provided on the support body to cover at least a part of the lower electrode wire part.
US08604653B2

The current diverter rings and bearing isolators serve to dissipate an electrical charge from a rotating piece of equipment to ground, such as from a motor shaft to a motor housing. One embodiment of the current diverter ring includes an inner body and an outer body configured to clamp at least one conductive segment between them. In the preferred embodiments of the current diverter ring, the conductive segments are positioned in radial channels. The outer body may be affixed to a shaft, a motor housing, a bearing isolator, or other structure. The bearing isolator may incorporate a retention chamber for holding conductive segments within the stator of the bearing isolator, or the bearing isolator may be fashioned with a receptor groove into which a current diverter ring may be mounted.
US08604644B2

A load impedance decision device, a wireless power transmission device, and a wireless power transmission method are provided. At least one of a distance and an angle between two resonators may be measured. A load impedance may be determined based on at least one of the measured distance and the measured angle. When the distance between the two resonators changes, a high power transfer efficiency may be maintained without using a separate matching circuit. Where the load impedance is determined, a test power may be transmitted. Depending on a power transfer efficiency of the test power, the load impedance may be controlled and power may be wirelessly transmitted from the source resonator to the target resonator.
US08604637B2

A system and method for controlling the voltage on a high voltage bus in a fuel cell system in response to a failed high voltage battery. The method includes determining if the high voltage battery has failed, and disconnecting the battery from the high voltage bus in response to a failure. The method measures the voltage of the fuel cell stack by a DC boost circuit and converts the measured voltage to a voltage set-point value that sets the voltage on the high voltage bus, where the voltage set-point value changes as the measured voltage changes. A supervisory controller sets the media flow to the fuel cell stack and determines a minimum stack voltage limit value based on the stack maximum current draw that is used to determine a high voltage bus lower limit value.
US08604633B2

The invention relates to a system for evaluating the efficiency of a wind turbine (3), with a control system comprising means (11, 15) which are used to measure meteorological parameters M1, M2 and are respectively arranged in the wind turbine (3) and in a meteorological tower (5), and means (13) for measuring the orientation β of the wind turbine and the power Pr generated by same. The system according to the invention comprises a computerised unit (21) which is connected to said measuring means (11, 13, 15) and provided with a first calculating module (23) designed to obtain a characteristic power Pc as a function of said parameters from the data obtained during a first operating step, and a second calculating module (25) designed to obtain the mean deviation Dm between the power Pr actually generated and the characteristic power Pc according to the function obtained by the first calculating means (23) in the set of at least one series of data.
US08604630B2

A power distribution system is disclosed. The power distribution system may have a generator, a first load interruption device associated with the generator, and a load powered by the generator. The power distribution system may also have a second load interruption device associated with the load, and a generator controller. The generator controller may be configured to control the generator, determine existence of a fault condition associated with electric service between the generator and the load, and selectively activate the second load interruption device based on the determination. The generator controller may be further configured to determine if activation of the second load interruption device isolated the fault condition, and selectively activate the first load interruption device when activation of the second load interruption device fails to isolate the fault condition.
US08604625B1

A semiconductor device has a substrate having a plurality of conductive pads formed thereon. A semiconductor die is provided having a plurality of conductive pillars formed thereon. A solder is used for electrically coupling the conductive pillars to the conductive pads. Solder mask is formed on portions of the conductive pads to prevent the solder from flowing in an unwanted direction on the conductive pads.
US08604617B2

A semiconductor device with a transistor region has a first conductor pattern formed within a multilayer interconnect structure positioned under a signal line and above the transistor region. The first conductor pattern is coupled to ground or a power supply and overlaps the transistor region. The signal line overlaps the first conductor pattern.
US08604611B2

A semiconductor device package is formed of DBC in which thinned MOSgated and/or diode die are soldered to the bottom of an etched depression in the upper conductive layer. A via in the insulation layer of the DBC is filled with a conductive material to form a resistive shunt. Plural packages may be formed in a DBC card and may be separated individually or in clusters. The individual packages are mounted in various arrays on a support DBC board and heat sink. Integrated circuits may be mounted on the assembly and connected to the die for control of the die conduction.
US08604608B2

A semiconductor module is disclosed that includes a semiconductor element, a capacitor configured to be electrically connected to the semiconductor element and a heat sink, wherein the semiconductor and the capacitor are stacked with each other via the heat sink, and wherein the semiconductor element is disposed in a position overlapping with the capacitor as viewed from a stack direction.
US08604588B2

A semiconductor device including: a first resistance element formed of a first polysilicon layer that contains impurities; a second resistance element provided on a same surface as the first polysilicon layer, and formed of a second polysilicon layer that contains an equal amount of impurities to the first polysilicon layer; a first interlayer insulation film provided so as to cover the first resistance element and the second resistance element; and a first metal layer provided on the first interlayer insulation film so as to cover the second resistance element with the first interlayer insulation film disposed therebetween.
US08604587B2

An on-chip decoupling capacitor (106) and method of fabrication. The decoupling capacitor (106) is integrated at the top metal interconnect level (104) and includes surface protection cladding (109) for the copper metal (104b) of the top metal interconnect.
US08604578B2

An embodiment of the invention provides a chip package which includes: a substrate having a first surface and a second surface; an optoelectronic device disposed at the first surface; a protection layer located on the second surface of the substrate, wherein the protection layer has an opening; a light shielding layer located on the second surface of the substrate, wherein a portion of the light shielding layer extends into the opening of the protection layer; a conducting bump disposed on the second surface of the substrate and filled in the opening of the protection layer; and a conducting layer located between the substrate and the protection layer, wherein the conducting layer electrically connects the optoelectronic device to the conducting bump.
US08604576B2

An image sensor package includes an image sensor chip and crystalline handler. The image sensor chip includes a substrate, and a plurality of photo detectors and contact pads at the front surface of the substrate. The crystalline handler includes opposing first and second surfaces, and a cavity formed into the first surface. A compliant dielectric material is disposed in the cavity. The image sensor front surface is attached to the crystalline substrate handler second surface. A plurality of electrical interconnects each include a hole aligned with one of the contact pads, with a first portion extending from the second surface to the cavity and a second portion extending through the compliant dielectric material, a layer of insulation material formed along a sidewall of the first portion of the hole, and conductive material extending through the first and second portions of the hole and electrically coupled to the one contact pad.
US08604575B2

In an X-Y address type solid state image pickup device represented by a CMOS image sensor, a back side light reception type pixel structure is adopted in which a wiring layer is provided on one side of a silicon layer including photo-diodes formed therein, and visible light is taken in from the other side of the silicon layer, namely, from the side (back side) opposite to the wiring layer. Wiring can be made without taking a light-receiving surface into account, and the degree of freedom in wiring for the pixels is enhanced.
US08604572B2

A magnetic tunnel junction device comprises a fixed magnetic layer having a first side and a second side, the fixed magnetic layer having a magnetic anisotropy that is out of the film plane of the fixed magnetic layer; a stack of a plurality of bilayers adjacent to the first side of the fixed magnetic layer, each bilayer comprising a first layer comprising at least one of cobalt, iron, a CoFeB alloy, or a CoB alloy and a second layer in contact with the first layer, the second layer comprising palladium or platinum, wherein the plurality of bilayers has a magnetic anisotropy that is out of the film plane of each of the bilayers, wherein the fixed magnetic layer is exchange coupled to the stack of the plurality of bilayers, and a tunnel barrier layer in contact with the second side of the fixed magnetic layer.
US08604570B2

An embodiment of an integrated electronic device having a body, made at least partially of semiconductor material and having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface, and a first antenna, which is integrated in the body and enables magnetic or electromagnetic coupling of the integrated electronic device with a further antenna. The integrated electronic device moreover has a coupling region made of magnetic material, which provides, in use, a communication channel between the first antenna and the further antenna.
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