US08676938B2
A local application streaming proxy can create a virtual image of storage media, which allows cloud operators to rapidly deliver applications, or deliver any operating system remotely, while providing better security, network utilization, low power requirements, and consistent performance for streamed applications and operating systems. A station using its WiFi/LAN provides QoS guarantees (or priority) for application streaming network communications to create a consistent user experience regardless of other application bandwidth utilization. “HTTP demand paging” is also possible.
US08676924B2
A server and a simultaneous access control method, the server including: a connector to receive data from and transmit data to a plurality of clients; and a connection manager to extract a simultaneously accessible client from among the plurality of clients, and to permit access to the extracted client, if the plurality of clients request access to the server. Therefore, effective network traffic can be provided.
US08676923B2
Method, system, and product for remotely communicating with and identifying owners of objects on an IP network by providing a database identifying owners of objects on an IP network, discovery scanning the IP network for logical objects, sending a message to an unlisted logical object requesting a registration action of the recipient, receiving the registration action indicating an owner of the logical object, and updating the database with the received indication of the owner of the object. The method, system, or product may be embodied in a software application (such as an operating system element), a dedicated processor, or a dedicated processor with dedicated code.
US08676916B2
A system and method are provided for use in establishing secure end-to-end communication links over a VPN gateway via a network interface unit. Illustrative embodiments include establishing and providing secure communication relationships between users (customers) and companies for e-commerce and other business purposes. Each company's data and linkage to users remaining private and secure from the other participating companies as well as from the general public over the Internet. Login by user with network interface units, addressing, authentication, and other configuration operations achieved using a web page-based GUI are applied in establishing tunnels from LAN clients to desired VPN destinations. Required authentication exchanges and required encryption key exchanges facilitate the secure communications. Financial arrangements regarding the provisioning and use of network interface units are also disclosed.
US08676908B2
A system and method for communication between a plurality of users in a communication network are disclosed. Each of the plurality of users is associated with at least one communication device. The method includes receiving a message from a sender intended for at least one recipient in the communication network wherein the sender has initiated sending of the message using the associated communication device. The message may be selected from a group comprising text, audio, video and multimedia. The method further includes customizing the message for at least one communication device associated with the at least one recipient based on a set of rules. Additionally, the method includes delivering the customized message to the at least one communication device associated with the at least one recipient based on the availability of the at least one recipient on the at least one communication device.
US08676907B2
Disclosed is a technique which prevents description offensive to public order and morals, included in an electronic mail, from meeting the eyes of a receiver. If an electronic mail message is included in a payload part of a data packet delivered from a communication interface 11-2, a control section 13 of a relay apparatus 10-m determines whether a character string offensive to public order and morals is included in a body text part thereof. If the character string offensive to public order and morals is included therein, the control section 13 generates hiding data by encoding the body text part in a mail body of the original electronic mail message. The control section 13 overwrites a hiding notification character string in the body text part in the original electronic mail message, generates a body text-hidden electronic mail message which describes the hiding data in a content body of a part different from the body text part, and transmits it to a terminal 20-i.
US08676902B2
A system to facilitate a service oriented email client application. The system includes a service registry, a service address book coupled to an email client, and an email composer coupled to the service address book. The service registry includes service information. The service information describes how to invoke a web service. The service address book includes a web service entry linked to the service information for the web service in the service registry. The email composer generates a user input form with a custom input field corresponding to the service information for the web service.
US08676874B2
A computer system retrieves a slice of sparse matrix data, which includes multiple rows that each includes multiple elements. The computer system identifies one or more non-zero values stored in one or more of the rows. Each identified non-zero value corresponds to a different row, and also corresponds to an element location within the corresponding row. In turn, the computer system stores each of the identified non-zero values and corresponding element locations within a packet at predefined fields corresponding to the different rows.
US08676868B2
A system and a method are disclosed for generating, storing, retrieving, and utilizing a search macro or shortcut link to a resource, such as a web site that provides access to an information database. The system may load a page into an application from the resource. The resource may have a Uniform Resource Identifier, and the page may have a search field that causes the application to generate a message when activated. The system may read the Uniform Resource Identifier insert a placeholder into the search field, and activate the search field, which causes the application to generate a message. The system may read the message and parse the message to isolate a search string containing the placeholder. The system may store the search string in a data structure, and may also store the Uniform Resource Identifier and associate it with the search string in the data structure. The system may further retrieve the search string, replace the placeholder with a search term, and generate a message as a function of the search string and the search term.
US08676863B1
A facility for representing in a relational database informational content of the series of tag-language messages is described. The facility reads an arbitrary number of the tags contained by the series of messages. For each read tag, the facility determines a path for the tag, the name of a relational table assigned to the path, values specified for the tag and/or attributes of the tag, in the name of columns of relational tables assigned to the tag and/or tag attribute values. After doing this processing, the facility updates the relational database so that and it includes all of the assigned relational tables and a relational table columns, and populates the value specified for the tags and/or attributes of tags to the relational database.
US08676849B2
Techniques and environments that increase the convenience, efficiency and variety of cloud services are offered to clients. User data having an original representational format is losslessly transformed to form one or more alternate renditions having various representational formats based on the lossless transforms. The renditions, which may be pre-generated, can be stored on a network server instead of the identical user data to thereby reduce redundant computation and storage costs. In some cases both the renditions and the original use data may be stored. The original user data may be reconstructed, recreated, or restored using the alternate renditions.
US08676833B2
A system for transmission, reception and accumulation of the knowledge packets to plurality of channel nodes in the network operating distributedly in a peer to peer environment via installable one or more role active Human Operating System (HOS) applications in a digital devise of each of channel node, a network controller registering and providing desired HOS applications and multiple developers developing advance communication and knowledge management applications and each of subscribers exploiting the said network resources by leveraging and augmenting taxonomically and ontologically classified knowledge classes expressed via plurality search macros and UKID structures facilitating said expert human agents for knowledge invocation and support services and service providers providing information services in the preidentified taxonomical classes, wherein each of channel nodes communicating with the unknown via domain specific supernodes each facilitating social networking and relationships development leading to human grid which is searchable via Universal Desktop Search by black box search module.
US08676825B2
The invention relates to a system and method for extracting business process metrics from a Unified Modeling Language (UML) model. This invention involves the use of Object Constraint Language (OCL) and custom stereotypes to extract the design metrics from a UML model. The business process parameters to be measured are defined and custom stereotypes for each design element present in the business process parameters are also defined. A UML diagram is generated to represent the steps required to complete the business process. The UML diagrams are based on UML 2.0 or its higher version. The queries are written in OCL and run on the activity or sequence diagram to extract the desired metrics.
US08676821B2
A mechanism for summary filter transformation is provided. The mechanism comprises a summary filter analysis module for analyzing a multidimensional query that is not supported by a target database system, and a summary filter transformation module for transforming the multidimensional query into a semantically equivalent query that is supported by the target database system.
US08676819B2
Events can be searched by identifying a query that includes a time interval and a search component, determining a time increment associated with the time interval, and partitioning the time interval into partitions based on the time increment. For each partition, a relevance of each event in a collection of events that occur at a time in the partition is determined based on the query. A pre-determined number of the relevant events are displayed.
US08676813B2
A method for selecting a subset of information to communicate to others from a set of information comprising a plurality of content items. In accordance with the method, the set of information is stored in a user retrievable format, a relative priority is assigned to each of the plurality of content items, and the subset of information is automatically generated by selecting a predetermined number of the plurality of content items from the set of information based on the relative priorities of each of the plurality of content items. The predetermined number is less than the number of said plurality of content items and the subset of information is a prioritized subset of the set of information. A system, and a computer readable medium carrying computer readable instructions for carrying out the method are also disclosed.
US08676811B2
Provided is a method of generating updating parameters. The method obtains search keywords used by users within a predetermined time period; counts the search keywords to obtain primary keywords, related keywords, co-search frequencies of each primary keyword and the respective related keywords being searched together, and search frequencies of the primary keywords being searched alone; computes first feature values based on the search frequencies of the primary keywords being searched alone; and then computes second feature values based on the first feature values and the co-search frequencies of the primary keywords and the respective related keywords. The second feature values serve as updating parameters for determining displaying modes of the related keywords. An apparatus of generating updating parameters, and a method and an apparatus of displaying related keywords according to the updating parameters are also provided. The solution keeps abreast with the user trends to allow a better user experience and improve computing performance and efficiency. For a service provider, no special secret algorithm is needed, and the operation is easy with a low development cost.
US08676807B2
Concepts and technologies are described herein for identifying location names within document text. Through an implementation of the concepts and technologies presented herein, functionality can be provided for identifying location names within articles, websites, travelogues, or other such documents. For instance, documents containing the names of cities, regions, countries, landmarks, or other locations may be associated with those locations. The location names may be unambiguously identified even when the location names may also have common word meanings that are not location associated or when the location name may be associated with more than one location.
US08676806B2
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates collecting and organizing electronic documents. An interface component can receive a document. A manager component can automatically file the document into a category based at least in part upon a portion of static metadata associated with the document and a portion of metadata dynamically generated from an inference related to the portion of static metadata associated with the document.
US08676805B1
Relational clustering has attracted more and more attention due to its phenomenal impact in various important applications which involve multi-type interrelated data objects, such as Web mining, search marketing, bioinformatics, citation analysis, and epidemiology. A probabilistic model is presented for relational clustering, which also provides a principal framework to unify various important clustering tasks including traditional attributes-based clustering, semi-supervised clustering, co-clustering and graph clustering. The model seeks to identify cluster structures for each type of data objects and interaction patterns between different types of objects. Under this model, parametric hard and soft relational clustering algorithms are provided under a large number of exponential family distributions. The algorithms are applicable to relational data of various structures and at the same time unify a number of state-of-the-art clustering algorithms: co-clustering algorithms, the k-partite graph clustering, and semi-supervised clustering based on hidden Markov random fields.
US08676802B2
Methods and systems that enable searching with clustering in information access systems are described. The methods of clustering operate on a collection of materials wherein each item in the collection may be associated with one or more properties. An original subset of materials is selected from the collection and relevant properties associated with the subset of materials are clustered into property clusters. Each property cluster generally contains properties that are more similar to each other than to properties in a different property cluster. The property clusters can be used to respond to the query. A mapping function can be used to identify a set of materials that correspond to each property cluster based on the associations between individual items and properties. The property clusters can also be used for iterative query refinement.
US08676800B2
The present invention generally relates to a method and system for generating text, and particularly but not exclusively to a method and system for generating syntactically correct text for a report. The ability of an expert system to interpret data is limited by the same factor that limits a human expert—data complexity. Therefore, traditional expert systems suffer limitations in interpreting ever increasing volumes of complex data and in converting such data to knowledge. The present invention provides a means for interpreting complex data and in converting such data to knowledge expressed in a textual report.
US08676793B2
Standard word lists that are often used for such operations as predictive text, spell checking, and word completion are based on general linguistic data that might not accurately reflect actual text usage patterns of particular users. Systems and methods of building and using a custom word list for use in text operations on an electronic device are provided. A collection of text items associated with a user of the electronic device is scanned to identify words in the text items. A weighting is then assigned to each identified word, and the words and corresponding weightings are stored.
US08676775B2
The present invention is directed to sharing access to end user information in a multi-screen environment for the purpose of enhancing application functionality and end user experience including advertising functionality and experience. The invention includes storing end user information obtained from a first screen environment in an end user context database (ECD), and accessing the end user information in the ECD for use in a second screen environment. The multi-screen environments include a television, a network access device, such as a personal computer configured to provide access to the Internet, a telephone and other mobile and home devices such as PDAs. The first screen environment is different from the second screen environment. Use of an application associated with any of the first and second screen environments by an end user generates an event with end user information, and includes publishing the event to the ECD and forwarding or making the event information usable by, or accessible to, other applications serving the end user, including advertising applications. The invention further controls access to the ECD by other applications serving the end user, including advertising applications. The end user information includes information about the end user's context, desires or preferences.
US08676768B1
A system may receive a model, extract information from the model, form a group of tags using the extracted information, and associate the group of tags with the model. The system may further receive a search query including one or more sequences of characters and determine whether to provide the model in a list of models created for the search query, based on the one or more sequences of characters and the group of tags.
US08676756B2
A multi-tiered replicated process database and corresponding method are disclosed for supporting replication between tiers. The multi-tiered replicated process database comprises a tier one (T1) database server computer including a process history database and a replication service. The replication service includes a set of accumulators. Each accumulator is adapted to render a summary T2 database tag data structure from a set of data values retrieved from the process history database for a specified T1 database tag. The replicated database system also includes a tier two (T2) database server computer comprising a consolidated database that includes process data replicated from a set of T1 database servers. At least a portion of the process data replicated from the set of T1 database servers is summary T2 database tag data rendered by the set of accumulators.
US08676754B2
The present invention discloses a method and an apparatus for data disaster tolerance preprocessing and a Service Control Point (SCP), the method and the apparatus are used in each SCP of a plurality of SCPs with databases, the method comprises: setting a first database in a first SCP, wherein the first database is used to perform disaster tolerance backup for a second database in a second SCP. Through the present invention, the cost of the construction of the system is reduced, and the stability and feasibility of a disaster tolerance system are enhanced.
US08676750B2
A method for synchronizing data stored on primary and secondary storage volumes in a distributed data recovery system is provided. The method comprises associating N data recovery relationships between a primary volume and N secondary volumes by way of implementing N data structures respectively. Each data structure comprises a first indicator that indicates whether data stored on a first track of the primary volume has been updated, due to a first operation performed by a host application. One or more of the N data structures are stored in at least a first data storage medium with high speed data access rates.
US08676745B2
A number inventory system is disclosed. The number inventory system manages the relationships between SIM cards, IMSI numbers, and MSISDN for a mobile telecommunications service provider. The number inventory system provides the software and hardware for receiving SIM card inventory data, including associated IMSI numbers, and efficiently stores the SIM card inventory data in a database. The number inventory system further provides for the opening of a range of available MSISDN. SIM cards, IMSI and MSISDN may be assigned to customer orders, and the number inventory system manages the associations between IMSI numbers and MSISDN and monitors the status of SIM cards, IMSI numbers and MSISDN. The number inventory system may also manage an MSISDN classification system for identifying MSISDN numbers having various desirable sequence characteristics.
US08676744B2
A distributed sequential method and system for detecting and identifying radioactive contraband from highly uncertain (noisy) low-count, radionuclide measurements, i.e. an event mode sequence (EMS), using a statistical approach based on Bayesian inference and physics-model-based signal processing based on the representation of a radionuclide as a monoenergetic decomposition of monoenergetic sources. For a given photon event of the EMS, the appropriate monoenergy processing channel is determined using a confidence interval condition-based discriminator for the energy amplitude and interarrival time and parameter estimates are used to update a measured probability density function estimate for a target radionuclide. A sequential likelihood ratio test is then used to determine one of two threshold conditions signifying that the EMS is either identified as the target radionuclide or not, and if not, then repeating the process for the next sequential photon event of the EMS until one of the two threshold conditions is satisfied.
US08676742B2
A computer-implemented discovery system applies a contextual neighborhood scope with respect to a fuzzy network-based structure, and generates recommendations in accordance with the resulting contextual neighborhood and inferences from behavioral information. The contextual neighborhood scope may be established by a user, and the basis for the contextual neighborhood may be in accordance with an object that is accessed by a user. The inferences may be embodied in affinity vectors, and may include inferences of user preferences and levels of expertise.
US08676739B2
Techniques are described for determining what node of a classification and regression tree (CART) should be used by a predictive analysis application. A first approach is to use a standard deviation of the data at a given the level of the CART to determine whether data in the next, lower node is more consistent than the data in the current node. A second approach is to measure a correlation between data points in a given node and the time at which each point was sampled (or other correlation metric) to identify a preferred node.
US08676735B1
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems and methods for facilitating of formal and informal collaborative or cooperative groups, teams or multiple individuals according to exemplary or preferred approaches for problem solving and conducting inquiry based projects. Preferred embodiments use exemplary archetype processes or archetype structures for problem solving or thinking about a problem or inquiry based project.
US08676732B2
Methods and system of searching for content in a target set of content based on a reference set of content, a reference semantic network representing knowledge associated with the reference set of content, and a target semantic network representing knowledge associated with the target set of content. Techniques include receiving a user-specified search query, obtaining at least one concept semantically relevant to the user-specified search query by using the target semantic network and the reference semantic network, constructing a second query by augmenting the first search query with one or more terms associated with the at least one obtained concept; providing, to the at least one user, content associated with search results obtained based on searching the target set of content by using the second query, wherein any concept in the semantic network is represented by a data structure storing data associated with a node in the semantic network.
US08676729B1
Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system, and computer readable medium for classifying network traffic based on application signatures generated during a training phase using a modified subspace clustering scheme based on feature vectors extracted from network flows in a training set generated by a particular application and applying the signatures to a new feature vector extracted in real-time from current network data. The newly extracted feature vector is projected into the subspaces and compared with the signatures.
US08676725B1
Methods, systems and articles of manufacture for identifying semantic nearest neighbors in a feature space are described herein. A method embodiment includes generating an affinity matrix for objects in a given feature space, wherein the affinity matrix identifies the semantic similarity between each pair of objects in the feature space, training a multi-bit hash function using a greedy algorithm that increases the Hamming distance between dissimilar objects in the feature space while minimizing the Hamming distance between similar objects, and identifying semantic nearest neighbors for an object in a second feature space using the multi-bit hash function. A system embodiment includes a hash generator configured to generate the affinity matrix and train the multi-bit hash function, and a similarity determiner configured to identify semantic nearest neighbors for an object in a second feature space using the multi-bit hash function.
US08676723B2
Automated test system based on three-dimensional application software framework and a method thereof
A three-dimensional application program framework structure; a method for implementing an application program based on the same; and an automatic testing system based on a three-dimensional application software framework and a method therefor. The three-dimensional application program framework structure provides a framework comprising functions and management of the environment of the system and events to be implemented by the user (developer), and the developer can easily expand the graphic user interface (GUI) and an actual modeling function as required, and user model. In addition, by using an automatic test system based on the framework, it is possible to record the function-execution history of the user and to automatically generate a test case, and to thereby test the functioning of the application software through the use of the test case regardless of changes in the source code and the GUI.
US08676716B2
An online social network is provided in which members of the online social network control who may view their personal information and who may communicate with them. The members control who may view their personal information by setting a visibility preference. A member may not view another member's full personal profile if the measure of relatedness between the two is greater than the visibility preference of the other member. The members also control who may communicate with them by setting a contactability preference. A member may not communicate with another member if the measure of relatedness between the two is greater than the contactability preference of the other member.
US08676714B2
Server-side validation of hardware specific software product licenses is described herein.
US08676712B2
Methods, devices, and systems are provided in a multi-level computer architecture which provides improved capabilities for managing courseware and other content in a shared use operating environment such as a computer network. In particular, the invention provides a commercial networked instruction content delivery method and system which does not exclude synchronous sharing but is focused on asynchronous sharing. Security means in the architecture provide content property holders with the ability to know how many minutes of use an individual made of licensed material and with increased certainty that their material cannot be used, copied, or sold in usable form unless and until a user site is connected or reconnected to a minute-by-minute counter which is located off the premises of the user. This security link helps protect software and other works which are being sold or licensed to an individual, organization, or entity, and creates income opportunities for owners of such content.
US08676710B2
A method of providing security as a service in a cloud storage environment includes storing, through a cloud manager of the cloud storage environment, a security level of access of a storage controller associated with a customer of the security as a service, and receiving a request from the customer to access security information of the storage controller associated therewith. The method also includes providing, through the cloud manager, security information of the storage controller associated with the customer in accordance with the request and the stored security level of access of the storage controller associated with the customer.
US08676701B2
Provided is a credit card usage management system, which allows a credit card to be used to an extent that surpasses a credit limit defined within a fixed period without increasing the credit limit. A credit card usage management device 10 stores a statement data history including a used amount and a date of use of a credit card, identification information on a deposits-and-savings account, and an available credit for the credit card in association with identification information on the credit card, identifies pieces of statement data selected by a user from among, of stored pieces of statement data, pieces of statement data whose date of use falls within a given period based on data received from a user terminal, transmits a settlement request to settle a selected statement total amount, which is obtained by summing up the used amounts respectively included in the identified pieces of statement data, from the stored deposits-and-savings account, to a settlement processing server for managing the deposits-and-savings account, and adds the selected statement total amount to the stored available credit when a completion notification of a settlement based on the settlement request is received from the settlement processing server, to thereby update the selected statement total amount.
US08676694B2
A method of processing commercial transactions carried out over the Internet (50) between account holders (30) and participating merchants (20) includes receiving a purchase request (352) of a buyer from a participating merchant (20) indicating that the buyer desires to carry out a transaction with the merchant (20). The transaction includes the buyer purchasing one or more selected items (340) from the merchant (20). The buyer is authenticated (310) as an account holder (30) and transaction fulfillment data (362) is established. The transaction fulfillment data (362) indicates a delivery destination for the selected items. In turn, the transaction fulfillment data (362) is communicated to the participating merchant (20), and transaction details (384) from the participating merchant (20) are received. The transaction details (384) include a cost for the selected items. Thereafter, completion of the transaction is authorized (390) and an authorization code (392) established therefor is communicated to the participating merchant (20).
US08676692B2
System and methods are provided for the definition and commoditization of a four-dimensional trajectory of airspace, i.e., a bundle of spatially-contiguous, three-dimensional volumetric units of airspace at distinct, finite, and contiguous periods of time. The three primary determinants of air transportation throughput, i.e., seat and freight capacity, runway environment capacity, and safe-separation airspace capacity, are individually defined and commoditized. In an illustrative implementation, parties may compete to offer units of safe-separation airspace capacity, which may be bundled together to form a four-dimensional trajectory, and/or runway environment capacity, which may collectively comprise a particular flight bundle. This flight bundle may then be sold on a commodities market to the highest-bidding seat and freight capacity provider. In a further illustrative implementation, a seat and freight capacity provider may purchase a flight bundle comprising a primary four-dimensional trajectory and one or more contingent four-dimensional trajectories or portions thereof.
US08676680B2
A facility for valuing a distinguished home located in a distinguished geographic area is described. The facility receives home attributes for the distinguished home. The facility obtains valuation for the distinguished home by applying to the received home attributes evaluation model for homes in the distinguished geographic area that has been trained using selling price and home attribute data from homes recently sold in the distinguished geographic area. The facility reports the obtained valuation for the distinguished home.
US08676678B2
Methods for the long-term leasing by a company of a plurality of properties, two or more of which are separately owned by identifying each property to be leased; and tendering to each property owner an offer to lease each property for a term of years with a lump sum payment as consideration.
US08676675B2
A tax transaction system, and combined sale and tax transaction systems, are disclosed for use in electronic commerce for the deduction of a tax, which may be a sales tax, value-added tax, or any tax on income related to a transaction or taxing event. A trusted third party server system (300, 1060) may be provided which handles the calculation and/or deduction of a tax, e.g. related to a transaction of the sale of a good or service from a seller (200) to a buyer (100), on behalf of the seller, and which further provides for the remission of the tax to a tax collection agency (500, 1090), and which may perform the entire sale and tax transaction by proxy on behalf of the seller. Software modules (1070) including objects which embody instruction code and data structures to enable integral tax calculation and collection solutions, including multi jurisdictional tax calculation, remission and reporting, and even real time tax collection at point of sale, are provided. Such modules may form part of a data processing system hosted by a third party to a taxing event transaction, or be distributed in a pervasive manner, such as via the Internet in multiple server locations, as a downloadable client module, embodied in multiple hardware devices such as smartcards, electronic tags, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags.
US08676668B2
A population activity mapping method may include detecting a plurality of wireless mobile devices within a geographic region. Individual wireless mobile devices may include a processor, a user interface, a transmitter and a receiver. The detecting operation may be performed by use of a wireless access point, a GPS satellite, and/or a base station, and may be performed at at least two different points in time. Input data may be provided based upon the detecting operation. A distance and speed at which the mobile devices travel within the geographic region may be discerned dependent upon the input data. The discerning operation is performed by at least one processor of a computer network. A time and/or location at which salable output is to be made available and/or an amount of salable output to be made available may be determined dependent upon the discerning operation.
US08676649B2
Methods and systems to merchandise a product based on compatibility are disclosed. The system receives a request over a network from a user. Next, the system associates the request with a user profile that is associated with the user, retrieves an application listing from the user profile that describes a first item and associates the first item with a plurality of candidate items based on item cluster information that is generated based on content data information that is received from a content data provider. Next, the system selects a second item from the plurality of candidate items, the second item being a component of the first item. Finally, the system communicates the merchandising information over a network, to merchandize the second item.
US08676648B2
Systems and methods for selecting advertisements for presentation in a map space are disclosed. Map requests are received, map spaces identified, advertisement bids are received for advertisement space within the map spaces, and advertisements are selected for presentation in the map space based on the advertisement bids. The advertisement bids can be selected through an auction.
US08676646B2
A computer-implemented method is described for determining a response attribution value that represents a credit assignment to a communication, for an associated response received from a recipient during a marketing campaign.
US08676644B2
Methods and apparatuses for targeting the delivery of advertisements over a network such as the Internet are disclosed. Statistics are compiled on individual users and networks and the use of the advertisements is tracked to permit targeting of the advertisements of individual users. In response to requests from affiliated sites, an advertising server transmits to people accessing the page of a site an appropriate one of the advertisement based upon profiling of users and networks.
US08676643B2
A method of extending promotional discounts and special prices on items for sale to identified consumers. After the identification of a consumer by a unique identifier; a selected item is promoted with a discount or special price to the identified consumer. The discount or special price is granted upon a purchase of the item by the identified consumer prior to the withdrawal or termination of the promotion to the identified consumer. The withdrawal or termination of the promotion is held in abeyance upon an acknowledgment of the promotion by the identified consumer. In other words, the identified consumer must take specific action to prevent a promotional discount from being withdrawn. This inverted promotion provides for greater incentives for the consumer to provide information about his or her purchasing habits.
US08676631B2
Techniques for automated pricing of an item are provided. The techniques include obtaining historical data of one or more previous purchases for the item, performing a regression on the historical data, and using the regression to obtain a buying price and a selling price for the item.
US08676629B2
Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided to perform accuracy analysis with respect to forecasting models, wherein the forecasting models provide predictions based upon a pool of production data. As an example, a forecast accuracy monitoring system is provided to monitor the accuracy of the forecasting models over time based upon the pool of production data. A forecast model construction system builds and rebuilds the forecasting models based upon the pool of production data.
US08676626B1
A user of a telecommunications or other computing device may notify his or her contacts of an event of interest, which event may be modified by the user's contacts without requiring the permission of the originating user to do so. In this regard, an event organizing service receives an event notification request from a user of a telecommunications device (e.g., a mobile telephone), automatically identifies the user's contacts to whom the event notification is to be published, and publishes the event notification to the automatically identified contacts. A contact who receives the event notification may update the event, e.g., by modifying data describing the event, without the permission of the originating user. Accordingly, a contact who has received the event notification may modify the event (e.g., change the date/time, change the location, etc.) and the event organizing service may publish a notification for the updated event to the originating user and his or her contacts informing them of the modification. It will be appreciated that as updates to the event are made by the user's contacts (and in some cases the user herself), the event is ultimately organized by the user's social network or community without requiring the user to organize the details of or manage the event herself.
US08676623B2
A navigation system utilizes building directories to aid navigation. A mobile device, such as a mobile phone, captures an image of a building directory. The building directory includes information regarding the names and/or locations of tenants. An image recognition algorithm is performed on the captured image to extract information from the building directory. The extracted information is used to access a map database. The mobile device may display directions or a map to guide the user to a selected destination. In addition, the captured image may be used to build the map database or update the map database. Finally, the captured image may be matched with stored images of the building directory to determine the current location of the mobile device.
US08676607B2
Systems and techniques are disclosed for determining a health risk assessment score for a patient who did not complete a health risk assessment. In some implementations, the health risk assessment score can be determined for the patient who did not respond based on a behavior prediction score obtained for the patient who did not respond, behavior prediction scores for patients who did respond to the health risk assessment, and health risk assessment scores for the patients who did respond.
US08676605B2
Systems and methods provide confirmation of accuracy of determining medical codes for medical records. The technology may include processor control instructions or steps for establishing a collection of medical documents as a test sample and for determining a convergence of assigned medical codes for the sample that have been assigned by a plurality of coders to establish a standard of one or more accepted medical codes for the sample. The technology may include instructions for applying the sample to a coding system to obtain a determined medical code for the sample; and for comparing the determined code to the accepted medical codes to rate the coding system's accuracy. In some embodiments, the determining a convergence of determined medical codes may be obtained by a software coding algorithm that automatically assigns medical codes to medical records. Moreover, the comparing step may be performed by an algorithm that automatically calculates a rate of the coding system.
US08676601B2
Methods and devices for providing diabetes management including automatic time acquisition protocol is provided.
US08676595B2
There is provided a method and system of determining efficient routing of a mail piece in a delivery system for delivering mail pieces. The system determines whether or not the mail piece requires urgent delivery. The system determines a weight of the mail piece. Also, the system determines, based on the urgency determination and the weight determination, a most cost-effective place in which to introduce the mail piece into the delivery system.
US08676579B2
A method of authenticating a user of a mobile device having a first microphone and a second microphone, the method comprising receiving voice input from the user at the first and second microphones, determining a position of the user relative to the mobile device based on the voice input received by the first and second microphones, and authenticating the user based on the position of the user.
US08676563B2
Customers having a translation project to select a translation method from a variety of options, ranging from a completely human translation to a completely automated translation. For human translations, translation job information may be communicated through one or more network service modules which execute within a network service application, such as a web-based networking application. A network service module may register a user having an account with the network service application as a translator and communicate translation jobs to the user. One or more users who express interest in performing the translation are selected to perform a translation job, each job comprising at least a portion of the translation project. After a user provides a translation for the translation job, the translation is analyzed to generate a trust level prediction for the translation. A user translation profile may be updated after each translation to reflect the user's performance.
US08676557B2
A method of developing a petroleum reservoir from a reservoir model and optimized history matching is disclosed having application for petroleum reservoir characterization. A global objective function measuring the differences between the measured historical data and the simulated historical data is defined according to M parameters. The global objective function is then decomposed into a sum of k local objective functions. Each local objective function measures the differences on a geographic region from mk parameters, selected from among the M parameters, and having a significant impact on the historical data of the region. The region is determined by minimizing this number mk of parameters. The model is then modified by minimizing the global objective function by a gradient method wherein the derivatives of the local objective functions are estimated by means of a parameter perturbation technique. For each local objective function, the perturbation matrix has a rank equal to the number of parameters mk of the local objective function. Finally, the calibrated model is used to develop the reservoir.
US08676554B2
With a simulation apparatus for a system including a motor-driven compressor, a compressor that does not suffer from a driving torque shortage and surging, but can operate at low costs, can be provided.A simulation apparatus for a motor-driven compressor system includes a simulation section in which a driving motor, a compressor driven by the driving motor, a suction throttle valve controlling the inlet flow rate of the compressor, and an anti-surge valve interposed between pipes for returning a part of gas discharged from the compressor to the inlet side of the compressor are translated into unit models and stored. The simulation apparatus further includes an input section through which designed specification data of the compressor is input, a data setting section storing the designed specification data, and a display section displaying unsteady-state Q-H characteristics and required driving torque obtained through simulation by the simulation section.
US08676532B2
A fall detection device that is allowed to reduce the processing load put when making a determination using software, to reliably determine the start of a fall, and to make a fall prediction as necessary, and a magnetic disk drive and a portable electronic apparatus that each include the fall detection device are configured. Accelerations are obtained in three orthogonal axis directions (ax, ay, az), and an evaluation value is obtained with respect to each of the accelerations (ax, ay, az) on the basis of an evaluation function, by which an evaluation value is increased as the difference increases between accelerations (ax0, ay0, az0) at a steady time and accelerations (ax, ay, az) at a fall determination time, and whether a fall has started is determined on the basis of whether this evaluation value exceeds a predetermined value.
US08676526B2
Meter electronics (20) for processing sensor signals in a flow meter and for computing mass flow rate, density or volume flow rate includes an interface (201) for receiving a first sensor signal and a second sensor signal and a processing system (203) in communication with the interface (201) and configured to generate a ninety degree phase shift from the first sensor signal with a Hilbert transform and compute a phase difference from the ninety degree phase shift, the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal. A frequency is computed from the first sensor signal and the ninety degree phase shift. A second ninety degree phase shift can be generated from the second sensor signal.
US08676524B2
A system for computing machine parameters of an induction machine includes a relation providing module and a circuit parameter computing module. The relation providing module is operable to provide a relationship between slip rates and primary side resistances of the induction machine and a relationship between the slip rates and primary side reactances of the induction machine. The circuit parameter computing module is operable to perform a parameter computing process according to the relationships obtained from the relation providing module. The parameter computing process includes the steps of: a) generating a set of initial values of equivalent circuit parameters of the induction machine; b) updating the initial values; c) calculating a cumulative resistance error and a cumulative reactance error; and d) repeating steps b) and c) until the cumulative resistance error and the cumulative reactance error are smaller than first and second error thresholds, respectively.
US08676516B2
A method and test circuit provide measurements to accurately characterize threshold voltage changes due to negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) and positive bias temperature instability (PBTI). Both the bias temperature instability recovery profile and/or the bias temperature shifts due to rapid repetitions of stress application can be studied. In order to provide accurate measurements when stresses are applied at intervals on the order of tens of nanoseconds while avoiding unwanted recovery, and/or to achieve recovery profile sampling resolutions in the nanosecond range, multiple delay or ring oscillator frequency measurements are made using a delay line that is formed from delay elements that have delay variation substantially caused only by NBTI or PBTI effects. Devices in the delay elements are stressed, and then the delay line/ring oscillator is operated to measure a threshold voltage change for one or more measurement periods on the order of nanoseconds.
US08676505B2
There is provided a positioning system including a communication device which includes a connector configured to engage with a connector provided to a vehicle, a vehicle communication section configured to receive vehicle speed information or travelling distance information of the vehicle from the vehicle via the connector, and an information processing device-communication section configured to transmit, to an information processing device, transmission information based on the vehicle speed information or the travelling distance information acquired by the vehicle communication section, and the information processing device which includes a communication section configured to receive the transmission information from the communication device, and a position calculation section configured to calculate a current position based on the vehicle speed information or the travelling distance information.
US08676504B2
An embodiment of a communication system includes a client device adapted to receive a location object that includes tracer information, and to perform one or more location object-based actions using the location object. The client device stores the tracer information and location object usage information, which describes the one or more location object-based actions that have been performed using the location object. The client device also sends the stored information to a server. The system also includes the server, which is adapted to receive the location object usage information and the tracer information reported by the client device. In an embodiment, the system also includes a service provider adapted to initiate a billing event, which may include generation and transmission of a bill to a sponsor entity based on an evaluation of the location object usage information and the tracer information reported by the client device.
US08676498B2
A navigation device is provided herein comprising an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a camera, and a processor. The IMU provides an inertial measurement to the processor and the camera provides at least one image frame to the processor. The processor is configured to determine navigation data based on the inertial measurement and the at least one image frame, wherein at least one feature is extracted from the at least one image frame based on the navigation data.
US08676492B2
A method for map-aided vision-based lane sensing. The method includes receiving map information corresponding to a current geographic position of a vehicle on a roadway. The map information includes the number of lanes on the roadway. Information about the number of lanes crossed by the vehicle on the roadway is received. It is determined which of the lanes on the roadway is currently occupied by the vehicle based on the map information and the number of lanes crossed by the vehicle on the roadway.
US08676491B2
A driver assist system for a vehicle includes a camera and a video display screen viewable by a driver of the vehicle. The video display screen is operable to display images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by the camera. A visual cue is displayed by the video display screen in conjunction with display of the captured image data. During a reversing maneuver of the vehicle, image data captured by the camera is displayed by the video display screen as video images so as to assist the driver in reversing the vehicle. When a reversing maneuver of the vehicle is not being executed, the display screen may be operable to display information associated with at least one of (i) a navigational system, (ii) a telematics system and (iii) a vehicle information system.
US08676490B1
A method for geoposition determination from a platform involves using star observations to determine the orientation of the platform relative to an Earth-Centered Earth-Fixed (ECEF) frame. Observations are also made from the platform of azimuth, elevation, and possibly range of an orbiting Earth satellite. Platform orientation in an inertial frame fixed in time (IFFIT) is determined, and the satellite azimuth and elevation are transformed to the IFFIT. The satellite orbital ellipse is determined. Vectors extending from the platform frame to the foci of the ellipse are defined and converted into ECEF. The vector extending to the gravitational center of the Earth is identified and defines the location of the platform.
US08676484B2
A charge point reachability determination system includes a center device and an in-vehicle device disposed in an electric vehicle. The center device includes road map information that has node information regarding a node. The node information includes a required energy of the electric vehicle for reaching a nearby charge point from the node when the node has at least one nearby charge point. The in-vehicle device generates vehicle information regarding the electric vehicle. When the electric vehicle is positioned close to the node that has the nearby charge point, the system determines, based on the node and vehicle information, the required energy for reaching the node. The system further determines whether the nearby charge point is reachable by the electric vehicle based on a comparison of the required energy determined and a remaining energy of the electric vehicle.
US08676483B2
Guidance control device, methods and programs control an in-vehicle apparatus of a vehicle. The devices, methods, and programs access vehicle state information that specifies a state of the vehicle and determine whether a vehicle state condition is established based on the accessed vehicle state information. The devices, methods, and programs access driving environment information that specifies a driving environment of the vehicle and determine whether a driving environment condition is established based on the accessed driving environment information. The devices, methods, and programs generate guidance based on whether the vehicle state condition is established and whether the driving environment condition is established and cause the generated guidance to be output on a display.
US08676478B2
Target rotation speed at a reference point set at TDC slightly preceding a target stop position of engine rotation is set. A target trajectory of an engine rotation behavior extending since an engine rotation stop behavior starts until the target rotation speed at the reference point is reached is calculated based on the target rotation speed at the reference point and an engine friction. Torque of an alternator is controlled to conform the engine rotation behavior to the target trajectory during the engine rotation stop behavior. Generation of the torque of the alternator stops at a position preceding the reference point by a predetermined crank angle. Therefore, the torque of the alternator is controlled such that an energy deviation between the target trajectory and the engine rotation behavior becomes zero at the position preceding the reference point by the predetermined crank angle.
US08676470B2
In some cylinder deactivation modes (e.g. virtual V-four operation mode in which two cylinders of a V-six engine are deactivated), ignition/combustion may take place in operating cylinders at uneven intervals. In this case, the output torque varies between the immediately subsequent operating cylinders after the deactivated cylinders in the firing order and the other operating cylinders. A multicylinder engine includes an ignition timing adjustment unit. When the ignition takes place in the operating cylinders at uneven intervals during cylinder deactivation, the ignition timing adjustment unit adjusts ignition timing in each of the operating cylinders to smooth the output torque of the operating cylinders.
US08676456B2
A method of managing tip-in bump in an automatic transmission includes detecting a set of conditions indicative of an impending throttle tip-in event, including calculating a speed difference between engine speed and turbine speed, and reducing a pressure command to a designated clutch of the transmission to a threshold level. The method also include setting an upper limit on engine torque, flaring the turbine speed during the tip-in event, and using proportional-integral-derivative control logic of a controller to reduce flare to about zero in a calibrated duration, thereby allowing the clutch to dissipate engine inertia and minimize the severity of the tip-in bump. A transmission in a vehicle is operatively connected to an engine and has a torque converter with a turbine. The transmission includes a clutch and a controller configured to manage tip-in bump performance in the transmission via the above method.
US08676455B2
A method in a system having a transmission and a drive system component is disclosed. The transmission includes two or more gears defining one or more gear ratios and a gear-selection controller having shifting schedules and the drive system component includes a drive system component controller. The method comprises dynamically generating adjustment information having information selected from the group consisting of (i) a desired gear selection; (ii) a desired drive system component speed operating point (iii) engine fuel economy improvement information related to a selection of a desired gear of the two or more gears; (iv) a drive system component energy efficiency map, and (v) a combination thereof, and wherein the generated information relates to one or more given drive system component power levels and adjusting the shifting schedules using the adjustment information.
US08676452B2
A hybrid-type working machine 1 includes an engine 11; a supercharger 42; an electric generator 12 that performs electricity generation by the driving force of the engine 11 and assists the driving force of the engine 11 through its own driving force; an inverter circuit 18A that is connected to an electric terminal of the electric generator 12; and a controller 30 which includes a nonvolatile memory 31 that stores first information indicating a correlation between the revolutions of the engine 11, the boost pressure of the supercharger 42 and an output upper limit value of the engine 11, and drives the inverter circuit 18A. The controller 30 controls the inverter circuit 18A so that the electric generator 12 assists the driving force when the required output exceeds the output upper limit value, based on a correlation stored in the nonvolatile memory 31.
US08676425B2
A system is provided for processing container-grown plants positioned in a given area. The system includes a processing station positioned in the area for processing the container-grown plants. It also includes one or more autonomous mobile container handling robots configured to: (i) travel to a source location in the area and pick up a container-grown plant, (ii) transport the container-grown plant to the processing station where a process is performed on the container-grown plant, (iii) transport the container-grown plant from the processing station to a destination location in the area, (iv) deposit the container-grown plant at the destination location, and (v) repeat (i) through (iv) for a set of container-grown plants in the source location.
US08676408B2
An unmanned aircraft includes a camera, a laser ranging system and a driving unit. The laser ranging system measures a distance to an object in the field of view of the camera. The driving unit rotates the field of view. Thus, it is possible to acquire relative position data of the object around the unmanned aircraft with a small and light-weight unit.
US08676407B1
Novel diagnostic methods for performance of a launch vehicle are disclosed. A method may include computing energy for a pre-flight trajectory of a vehicle using angular momentum of the vehicle, and comparing a difference in energy between the energy for the pre-flight trajectory of the vehicle and energy for a flight trajectory of the vehicle.
US08676399B2
A taxi method for an aircraft having a primary thrust engine taxi system and an electric taxi system is provided. The method involves obtaining aircraft and airport status data and generating therefrom taxi drive information indicative of the relative cost of taxiing the aircraft along a predetermined route using the electric taxi system versus the aircraft engine taxi system. The taxi drive index information is presented to a user.
US08676396B2
A mesh delivery system for controlling electricity supplied to one or more electrical devices from a power source are disclosed. Signals relating to characteristics of the electrical devices are uniformly or non-uniformly sampled at discrete intervals are provided along with associated sampling time indications via the mesh network to a destination controller.
US08676392B2
An object is to improve the accuracy of power factor adjustment. Power-factor command values corresponding to individual wind turbines are determined by correcting a predetermined power-factor command value for an interconnection node using power factor correction levels set for the individual wind turbines.
US08676388B2
A central management authority for a system, such as a power utility system, is disclosed. The central management authority communicates with a plurality of meter data management systems and with a plurality of headend systems, the meter data management systems generating commands and the headend systems communicating with one or more meters (such as one or more smart meters). The central management authority includes a gateway layer and a core layer. The gateway layer includes a plurality of input connector routines to communicate with each of the plurality of source systems and a plurality of output connector routines to communicate with each of the plurality of target systems. The core layer includes a plurality of core adapters, with the core adapters performing a one-to-one translation of communications from the plurality of meter data management systems generating commands to the plurality of the head end systems.
US08676386B2
A fault detection system is provided, and includes a generator, a power converter, a breaker, a current monitoring device, and a control module. The power converter is selectively connected to the generator and is selectively activated to produce a test voltage. The breaker is located between the generator and the power converter for selectively connecting the generator to the power converter. The breaker includes an open position and a closed position. The current monitoring device is located between the generator and the power converter. The current monitoring device measures a line current between the generator and the power converter. The control module is in communication with the current monitoring device and the power converter. The control module has a memory with a threshold current value.
US08676384B2
A building management system (100) comprises a measurement system for measuring a demand for resources inside the building and a collecting system for harvesting natural resources available outside the building. The building management system is further provided with a storage system for storing surplus resources and a sensor system (112,114,116,118,120) for measuring resource availability outside the building and/or resources stored in the storage system. Further, a controller (102) arranged to receive data from the measurement system, the sensor system and the storage system is provided. The controller controls the collecting system based on said data to tune the collection of resources by the collection system to a present and/or an expected demand for resources.
US08676381B2
A humanoid robot that achieves stable walking based on servo control of a joint torque and a walking control method thereof. The humanoid robot calculates a joint position trajectory compensation value and a joint torque compensation value using a measurement value of a sensor, compensates for a joint position trajectory and a joint torque using the calculated compensation value, and drives a motor mounted to each joint according to the compensated joint torque.
US08676371B2
Rolling of a strip in a rolling train using the last stand of the rolling train as a tension reducer
A rolling train for rolling a strip has a number of rolling stands and a coiler. The rolling stands have work and backing rolls. Data of the strip are fed to a control device of the rolling train which determines individual pass reductions for the rolling stands based on the data. It controls the main rolling stands and the coiler such that the strip is rolled in the main rolling stands according to the individual pass reductions and then coiled up. It determines the individual pass reductions such that they are zero and controls the rolling stand arranged directly upstream of the coiler such that—with respect to this main rolling stand—the tension in the strip on the outlet side is less than on the inlet side, but the strip runs through this rolling stand without undergoing any forming, at least on one side.
US08676366B2
The invention provides a method of controlling a machine for cutting out masks for protecting vehicle portions, which comprises the following operations: displaying on a display unit, the marques, models, and versions of vehicles for each of which the outlines of masks for protecting a plurality of bodywork parts are stored in a database; detecting a vehicle selection and displaying on the display unit a plurality of distinct representations of the vehicle corresponding to the vehicle, each representation including regions corresponding to protective masks stored in the database; detecting a mask selection and modifying the appearance of at least one region of the displayed representations as a function of said mask selection; detecting mask selection validation and storing the most recently selected mask in a list of masks for cutting out, and for each mask in the list of masks for cutting out, sending data for controlling the cutting out of the masks in question to a mask-cutter machine.
US08676364B2
For synchronizing multichannel extension data with an audio signal, wherein the audio signal includes block division information and the multichannel extension data include reference audio signal fingerprint information, the block division information in the audio signal is detected by means of a block detector. Thereupon, block division of the audio signal is performed by a fingerprint calculator according to the block division information in order to obtain a sequence of test audio signal fingerprints. In addition to that, a sequence of reference audio signal fingerprints is extracted from the reference audio signal fingerprint information of the multichannel extension data. Both sequences of fingerprints are correlated in order to obtain a correlation result, by which a compensator is controlled in order to reduce or eliminate a time offset between the multichannel extension data and the audio signal.
US08676361B2
Techniques and systems for enhancing delivered audio signals are disclosed which may be employed in a delivery system at a server side, a client side, or both. The techniques include forming a processed audio signal by processing audio signals through multiple pathways which operate on different frequency bands using dynamic processing and other elements, and thereafter providing recording or listening environment enhancements and other sound enhancements to the processed audio signal. Also disclosed are techniques and systems for implementing the multi-pathway processing and environmental and sound enhancements.
US08676355B2
A position control apparatus includes a detecting unit configured to detect a position of a control target, a subtracting unit configured to subtract an output of the detecting unit from a target value, an iterative learning control circuit including a filter into which a deviation between the output of the detecting unit and the target value is input, where the iterative learning control circuit feeds forward a control input to the control target, and a parameter computing unit configured to compute a variation in a parameter of the control target. A characteristic of the filter is changed in accordance with the variation in the parameter of the control target.
US08676354B2
The invention relates to an automation system having a number of objects to to be controlled, wherein the automation system comprises a framework based controller (21) for controlling basic functions (23) of at least one object of the number of objects by means of object-specific functional units (25), wherein the controller (21) is configured independently of the object, and comprises standardized interfaces (26) for the communicative incorporation of the object-specific functional units (25) by means of preconfigured functional requests, wherein each functional unit (25) is associated with at least one of the objects and configured for actuating the respective basic function (23) of the respectively associated object by means of object-specific control functions, wherein each object of the number of objects may be virtualized in the controller (21) by means of the associated object-specific functional units (25), and the objects of the number of objects respond and can be controlled by means of the object-specific functional units (25) during at least one operating state of the automation system exclusively by the framework based controller (21), and each of the functional units (25) comprises one simulation module having at least one simulation function integrated in the respective functional unit (25), and may optionally be configured for carrying out the object-specific control function or for carrying out the at least one simulation function. The invention further provides a method for testing an automation system having a framework based controller, and a method for the framework based controlling of a respective automation system.
US08676341B2
Suture anchors for securing therapy delivery elements, such as stimulation leads or catheters, within a living body. The suture anchor includes an inner sleeve constructed with an inner layer of a softer, more pliable material that easily conforms to the therapy delivery element to reduce slippage and an outer layer constructed from a harder, stiffer durometer material that protects the therapy delivery elements from damage due to over-tightening the tie down sutures. A suture material located in the suture groove is tensioned to apply a radial compressive force. The reinforcing structure spreads the radial compressive force along a greater surface area of the therapy delivery element.
US08676340B2
A stimulation lead is configured to be implanted into a patient's body and includes at least one distal stimulation electrode and at least one conductive filer electrically coupled to the distal stimulation electrode. A jacket is provided for housing the conductive filer and providing a path distributed along at least a portion of the length of the lead for conducting induced RF energy from the filer to the patient's body.
US08676335B2
An apparatus comprises a transceiver configured to communicate wirelessly with an IMD and a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver. The processor is configured to detect an error in a data unit received from the IMD, transmit a series of synchronization signals during an uninterrupted communication sequence, and receive, for each synchronization signal, a new data unit and the number of requested duplicate data units from the IMD. Each synchronization signal includes an echo code, wherein the echo code corresponds to a request for a number of duplicate data units to be sent in response to detecting the error in the data unit received during said uninterrupted communication sequence. The number of duplicate data units corresponds to a value of the echo code, and a duplicate data unit corresponds to a data unit previously transmitted by the IMD during said uninterrupted communication sequence.
US08676332B2
NMES systems and methods for stimulating muscle tissue, and in some embodiments deep muscle tissue. The impedance near the surface of the skin is controllably increased to increase the percentage of energy delivered to a subject that stimulates muscle tissue.
US08676331B2
Devices for controlling spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain, and associated systems and methods, including controllers for automated parameter selection are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes receiving a first input corresponding to a location of a signal delivery device implanted in a patient, establishing a positional relationship between the signal delivery device and an anatomical feature of the patient, receiving a second input corresponding to a medical indication of the patient, and, based at least in part on the positional relationship and the indication, automatically identifying a signal delivery parameter in accordance with which a pulsed electrical signal is delivered to the patient via the signal delivery device.
US08676324B2
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation devices and magnetic stimulation devices are disclosed, along with methods of treating medical disorders using energy that is delivered noninvasively by such devices. The disorders comprise migraine and other primary headaches such as cluster headaches, including nasal or paranasal sinus symptoms that resemble an immune-mediated response (“sinus” headaches). The devices and methods may also be used to treat rhinitis, sinusitis, or rhinosinusitis, irrespective of whether those disorders are co-morbid with a headache. They may also be used to treat other disorders that may be co-morbid with migraine or cluster headaches, such as anxiety disorders. In preferred embodiments of the disclosed methods, one or both of the patient's vagus nerves are stimulated non-invasively. In other embodiments, parts of the sympathetic nervous system and/or the adrenal glands are stimulated.
US08676322B2
Methods and systems of treating a patient with pancreatitis pain include providing a stimulator, configuring one or more stimulation parameters to treat pancreatitis pain, programming the stimulator with the one or more stimulation parameters, generating a stimulus configured to treat pancreatitis pain with the stimulator in accordance with the one or more stimulation parameters, and applying the stimulus with the stimulator to one or more stimulation sites in accordance with the one or more stimulation parameters.
US08676307B2
Electrical energy delivery tissue site validation systems and methods can determine an indication of a tissue type at a tissue site. This information can be used to enable or inhibit electrical energy delivery to the tissue site. The tissue type at the tissue site can be determined such as by delivering a test electrical energy and sensing a responsive electrical energy. An electrical connectivity to the tissue site can also be determined, such as by using a sensed intrinsic electrical signal at the tissue site. Tissue type information may be communicated externally, such as to allow user confirmation or override of the determined indication of tissue type at the tissue site, such as by a physician, user, or other operator.
US08676296B2
A dual-echo sequence technique provided herein empowers simultaneous acquisition of both TOF MRA and BOLD MRV in a single MR acquisition. By this approach, an echo-specific K-space ordering scheme permits the adjustment of the scan parameters that are compatible for each of the MRA and MRV. The image quality in the MRA and MRV acquired by this compatible dual-echo arteriovenography (CODEA) technique is comparable to that for conventional, single-echo MRA and MRV. When the technique is integrated with MOTSA, seamless vascular connectivity is achieved in both MRA and MRV over a large area of brain anatomy. The technique will facilitate routine clinical acquisition and application of dual-echo MRA and MRV, as both MRA and MRV can be acquired with minimal impact on the image quality and without adversely affecting the scan throughput.
US08676295B2
A tracking device configured to be coupled to an interventional instrument and tracked by a magnetic resonance imaging system is provided. The tracking device includes, for example, paramagnetic and diamagnetic components that form first and second tracking members. When the tracking device is adjusted into a first arrangement, the tracking device will produce a local magnetic field in the presence of the magnetic field of an MRI system that is measurable by the MRI system. However, when the tracking device is adjusted into a second arrangement, the local magnetic field produced by the tracking device is reduced relative to the first arrangement, wherein the reduced local magnetic field produces substantially no magnetic field disturbances detectable by the MRI system. Images may be acquired of a patient in which the tracking device has been introduced and, using a numerical fitting method, an accurate location of the tracking device can be determined.
US08676283B2
A method of determining a measure of a tissue state (e.g., glycation end-product or disease state) in an individual is disclosed. A portion of the skin of the individual is illuminated with excitation light, then light emitted by the tissue due to fluorescence of a chemical with the tissue responsive to the excitation light is detected. The detected light can be combined with a model relating fluorescence with a measure of tissue state to determine a tissue state. The invention can illuminate the skin and detect responsive light over a time that spans a plurality of cardiac cycles of the individual, which can, as an example, help mitigate the effects of time-varying signals such as those due to hemoglobin. The invention can also determine the amount of light to be directed to the skin, for example by controlling the time that a light source is energized. The amount of illumination light can be determined from a skin reflectance characteristic such as pigmentation or melanin in the skin. Controlling the amount of light directed to the tissue can reduce the dynamic range required of a corresponding optical system, for example by allowing a single system to accurately measure individuals with very light skin and individuals with very dark skin.
US08676270B2
A display apparatus capable of executing content of a mobile communication terminal in cooperation with the mobile communication terminal when the display apparatus is communicably connected to the mobile communication terminal is disclosed. The display apparatus comprises: an operation input device for inputting an operation on the content in the display apparatus; an acquisition device for acquiring input information, which indicates that the operation on the content has been inputted in the mobile communication terminal, from the mobile communication terminal; and a display device for showing that the operation on the content has been inputted in the mobile communication terminal when the acquisition device acquires the input information from the mobile communication terminal.
US08676269B2
A mobile terminal having a wide display unit is provided. The mobile terminal includes a main body having a first display unit therein. The mobile terminal includes a folder unit having a second display unit at an inner surface opposite to the first display unit. The terminal also includes a sliding unit connected to one end of the folder unit to guide the folder unit capable of performing a slide movement. The terminal includes a hinge coupler to connect the sliding unit and the main body such that the sliding unit rotates based on the main body. The folder unit positions the second display unit to be adjacent to the first display unit by performing a slide movement toward the main body when the folder unit is opened as the sliding unit rotates based on the hinge coupler, and a wide display unit is formed when a surface of the first display unit and a surface of the second display unit become in a single plane. Thereby, mobility of a mobile terminal while providing a wide display unit can be provided.
US08676263B2
A wireless base station includes: a wireless apparatus; and a wireless controlling apparatus, the wireless controlling apparatus including: an embedding processor for embedding a control signal, which is to control a wireless device connected to the wireless apparatus, in a control and management information area in a specific frame, the specific frame being regularly assigned to each frame group including a predetermined number of frames of a plurality of frames included in a transmission frame transmitted via the transmission link; and a first transmitter for transmitting the transmission frame to the wireless apparatus via the transmission link, the wireless apparatus including: an extractor for extracting the control signal from the specific frame in the transmitted transmission frame; and a second transmitter for transmitting the extracted control signal to the wireless device.
US08676262B2
A basestation for a cellular wireless communications network is able to configure itself for operation in the network, by selecting appropriate operating frequencies (in the case of GSM network) or scrambling codes (in the case of a UMTS network), and appropriate transmit powers. This makes it practical for a large number of such basestations to be deployed in a network, within customers' premises, without requiring network intervention in each case.
US08676251B2
A dual modem device is disclosed. The present invention includes a first processor configured to communicate with a first communication network, a second processor configured to communicate with a second communication network, and a subscriber identity module configured to store a user equipment identifier corresponding to the first communication network, at least one authentication parameter corresponding to the first communication network and an authentication algorithm corresponding to the first communication network, the subscriber identity module performing the authentication algorithm corresponding to the first communication network, wherein the subscriber identity module is connected to the second processor. The first communication network is an LTE (long term evolution) communication network. And, the second communication network is an eHRPD (enhanced high-rate packet data) communication network.
US08676243B2
A communication system (100) provides dual-watch and multi-watch capability for group PTT services. Incoming PTT calls are prioritized and played out in accordance with prioritized devices (130). A user of multiple communication devices can hear received audio traffic being played out in accordance with the priority assigned to the group call and the priority assigned to the communication device. Numerous calls can be simultaneously received and managed.
US08676230B2
Techniques for providing bio signal based mobile device applications are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system for bio signal based mobile device applications includes a bio signal sensor (e.g., biosensor) or multiple biosensors (e.g., multiple biosensors for EEG detection, or multiple biosensors that can each detect different types of bio signals), a bio signal processing unit, the mobile device, and a software application(s) that utilize the bio signal information for various applications (e.g., practical applications, entertainment applications, social networking applications, and/or other applications).
US08676229B2
A method and an apparatus for an operation of a Mobile Station (MS) in a wireless access system are provided. The method includes receiving a request to report measurement data required for location determination, determining whether it is in a state in which providing of location information is rejected, and if it is determined that it is in the state in which providing of location information is rejected, transmitting a message for reporting that providing of the location information is rejected.
US08676226B2
A method of handling location service for a mobile device compatible with a plurality of radio access technologies (RATs) in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method comprises utilizing a first RAT of the plurality of RATs to communicate with a network of the wireless communication system, receiving a first message including positioning support information of the network from the network, and determining whether to initiate a location service in the first RAT or in a second RAT of the plurality of RATs according to the positioning support information.
US08676218B2
A method for use in providing coverage for at least part of a coverage hole in a first cell or cell sector in a cellular wireless network, in which method a second cell or cell sector is selected, from a group of cells or cell sectors in the cellular wireless network which neighbor the first cell or cell sector, to adapt its coverage so as to cover at least part of the coverage hole in the first cell or cell sector, the method including carrying out an identification process using data relating to a cell or cell sector in the group to identify a cell or cell sector suitable for selection as the second cell or cell sector, the identification process being carried out on one or more cells or cell sectors in the group in turn.
US08676217B2
Methods and systems for obscuring network topologies are described. Cell re-planning techniques can be used to modify cell identities to obscure a relationship between nodes in a communication system and their geographical location. One or more algorithms can be used to operate on, e.g., cell plan lists, cell neighbor lists and/or cell identities.
US08676215B2
A method is provided a wireless system for providing an interference suppression zone in a portion of the macro cell coverage area bordering the small-cell coverage area for a small cell, but outside that small-cell coverage area. The transmission power of a UE located within the interference suppression zone is minimized to minimize the inter-cell interference to the small cells. The invention methodology further operates to enhance the redirection/redistribution methods of the art for UEs located in the interference suppression zone, further reducing macro to small cell interference. In further embodiments of the invention, methods are provided for determining the scope of an interference suppression zone and for determining proximity of an UE to the interference suppression zone.
US08676201B2
The present invention relates to a method, a base station and an interface for handover in a wireless communication network. Handover is initiated when the signal quality falls below a predetermined value. Random access serves as an uplink procedure to enable the UE to make handover from a first base station (eNodeB) to a suitable second base station (eNodeB). In the present invention, random access parameters are exchanged between second and first base station before said first base station signals said random access parameters to said user equipment.
US08676199B2
A system and method for making vehicle originated calls to a telematics service provider or other call center. The method includes identifying a call type associated with a desired wireless communication of speech or data to the call center, and then carrying out one of a number of different call connection processes depending on the call type. For voice channel cellular connections, an in-band modem cellular connection is preferably established in most instances using a connection retry strategy that includes primary, secondary, and possibly tertiary connection attempts. The system and method can be carried out in connection with various cellular system technologies, but is especially suited for use with GSM systems.
US08676196B2
A method and an apparatus for competitor network monitoring, which enables mobile operators to learn about other networks' RF performance, including signal strength, interference, etc. This method changes the normal mobile phone behaviors to utilize its spectrum scan capability to scan competitor networks' RF situation at the mobile phones' idle time slots, i.e. those time slots it does not need to listen to its own network. Associated these collected competitor networks' RF performance data with the location where these data are collected by the means the implementers preferred and gathered the associated competitor network data and correspondent location information at the server, mobile operators can utilize these gathered competitor networks data and compare with their own network to learn about where they have better or worse performance as indication for their own network improvement tasks.
US08676187B2
Methods that facilitate automatic selection of service bearers in a mobile based on user-initiated policies and service-provider-initiated policies set forth in a policy document are described herein. The mobile device initially receives a policy document from either the mobile device manufacturer or the service provider before the mobile device is provisioned on a communications network. The mobile device user and the service provider may make subsequent changes to the policy document. When a user-initiated policy change conflicts with a service-provider-initiated policy, the user-initiated policy change is disregarded in favor of the service-provider-initiated policy. The mobile device automatically selects an appropriate bearer based at least on the availability of service bearers in the current environment and the policies set forth in the policy document.
US08676186B2
A cell load balancing method, a cell load measuring method, and devices thereof are provided. The cell load balancing method includes: acquiring information of the load of a current cell and information of the load an adjacent cell; determining a target cell in which a mobility parameter needs to be modified thereof according to the information of the load of the current cell and the information of the load of the adjacent cell; sending a parameter modification request to the determined target cell; and performing a corresponding operation according to information indicating whether the parameter is successfully modified and fed back from the adjacent cell. With the above solution, a load balancing solution can be better implemented in a network, thereby improving a capacity of the network, improving a success rate of user access, and reducing access delay.
US08676184B2
A method for remotely controlling a device by a fixed transceiver station in a radio cell of a cellular mobile telecommunications network, the cellular mobile telecommunications network being at least one of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network or a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), includes: transmitting to the device on a control channel, by the fixed transceiver station, control information specific to the radio cell; wherein the control channel is a channel or a portion of a channel used to broadcast location information; wherein the control information comprises an identification part for specifying the device; and wherein the device is not required to have a registration with the network.
US08676182B2
Apparatus and methods for changing one or more functional or operational aspects of a wireless device, such as upon the occurrence of a certain event. In one embodiment, the event comprises detecting that the wireless device is within range of one or more other devices. In another variant, the event comprises the wireless device associating with a certain access point. In this manner, various aspects of device functionality may be enabled or restricted (device “policies”). This policy enforcement capability is useful for a variety of reasons, including for example to disable noise and/or light emanating from wireless devices (such as at a movie theater), for preventing wireless devices from communicating with other wireless devices (such as in academic settings), and for forcing certain electronic devices to enter “sleep mode” when entering a sensitive area.
US08676180B2
A system and methods that inform users of calls placed to a mobile device via a currently disabled VSIM subscription include identifying the VSIM subscription that is currently enabled on the mobile device and sending an alert to the mobile device via the currently enabled VSIM subscription informing the user of the received call attempt. In an embodiment, the user may switch the enabled VSIM subscription in order to receive the incoming call. If the user switches enabled VSIM subscriptions to the subscription corresponding to the dialed number, the caller's service provider network may be informed so that a communication can then be established between the caller and the mobile device.
US08676177B2
A method for providing a notification message in a transmitter of a mobile broadcast system supporting an interaction channel is disclosed. Upon an occurrence of a notification event, a first means generates a notification message, and generates at least one delivery request message including a target address based on subscription information of the corresponding terminal, using the generated notification message. A second means determines a channel over which it will deliver a notification message to the corresponding terminal based on the target address, and delivers the notification message over the determined channel.
US08676171B2
This invention provides a method of merging metadata generated during an SMS interaction on a mobile device, with metadata gleaned from the User Agent and the resulting Internet Multimedia Content Session (internet/web, video, audio, image, email, etc.).
US08676156B1
A method to manage a call in a communication system and an access node of the communication system are disclosed. The method includes receiving, by the communication system, a call request for a voice call from a first device to communicate with a second device, wherein the second device is a subscriber of the communication system, and transmitting, by the communication system to the first device, a first message comprising an indication that the second device is operating in a text message-only mode, when the second device is roaming and a roaming usage of the second device meets a roaming criteria. The access node may be configured to transmit to the first device the first message, when the first device requests to establish a call with the second device through the access node, the second device is roaming, and a roaming usage of the second device meets the roaming criteria.
US08676154B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for controlling data transmission based on power cost. A power cost per unit data associated with successfully sending data from a wireless mobile device to a remote endpoint in a communications network is determined. The determined power cost per unit data is compared to a first threshold. Transmission of data from the wireless mobile device to the remote endpoint is delayed based on a determination that the power cost per unit data exceeds the first threshold.
US08676153B2
Geo-targeting may be used in combination with wireless alert capabilities to provide alerts to a more granulated geographical area. Disclosed herein is a system and method for performing geo-targeting for various alert areas such that emergency messages may be delivered to mobile and static devices of different types in a localized area. In an example embodiment, geo-targeting supports the delivery area for wireless emergency alerts by identifying the cell sites that are in a specified geographic area that have technology capable of delivering wireless emergency alerts. The components of the telecommunications system that support a wireless emergency alert system may be identified and mapped to any geographical area. The method and system of geo-target mapping may provide an efficient and more robust way of determining the telecommunication components to be employed for broadcasting emergency alerts.
US08676150B2
A wake-up method for a multi-channel receiver comprises the following steps: checking for activity on every available channel by switching from one channel to the next thereby activating and subsequently deactivating one channel after the other; when activity is detected at least on one of the available channels, switching on all channels, measuring a respective received signal strength in every channel and performing a comparison of received signal strengths between all channels; and selecting the channel with the highest received signal strength. Further a multi-channel wake-up receiver is presented.
US08676147B1
A detection system includes a receiver configured to generate a receiver signal representative of detected electromagnetic energy, and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to generate a plurality of signal samples based on the receiver signal. The detection system also includes a detection module configured to identify a plurality of sample offsets for the signal samples, and execute a plurality of autocorrelation functions on the signal samples to provide an output of each of the autocorrelation functions, wherein each autocorrelation function is executed on at least a portion of the signal samples identified by a sample offset of the plurality of sample offsets. The detection module is also configured to compute a sum of the autocorrelation function outputs, normalize the sum of the autocorrelation function outputs, and determine whether a signal of interest is present within the electromagnetic energy based on the normalized sum.
US08676137B2
A mobile wireless terminal includes a wireless receiving part configured to receive a wireless signal from a base station which belongs to a mobile communication system using a time-frequency conversion for baseband processing; a received signal processing part that includes a time-frequency converting circuit and is configured to process the wireless signal; a setting part configured to successively set central frequencies within regions, wherein a frequency band that the mobile communication system uses is divided into the regions having a predetermined bandwidth; and a received signal strength measuring part configured to measure signal strength of received signals over the regions of the frequency band that the mobile communication system uses based on time-frequency conversion results from the time-frequency converting circuit, the time-frequency conversion results being obtained for the respective regions using the respective central frequencies set by the setting part.
US08676134B2
A receiver front-end for use in a transceiver station of a wireless communication network. The transceiver station is associated with an antenna assembly having a primary and at least a secondary antenna. The receiver front-end is adapted for insertion between the antenna assembly and signal processing sections of the transceiver station. The receiver front-end includes a primary and at least a secondary receiving branch, the primary receiving branch being adapted for coupling to the primary antenna and to the signal processing sections of the transceiver station, the secondary receiving branch being adapted for coupling to the secondary antenna and to the signal processing sections. The primary receiving branch has nonsuperconducting components, including at least a non superconducting filter while the secondary receiving branch has at least a superconducting component.
US08676115B2
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for testing or qualifying a repeater/transmitter in a multicarrier system by utilizing modulation error ratio (MER). In particular, a disclosed method includes determining an estimated effective modulation error ratio of an output of the repeater/transmitter. The estimated effective modulation error ratio is compared with a predetermined threshold, and the repeater/transmitter is qualified when the estimated effective modulation error ratio is greater than the predetermined threshold. Using an estimated modulation error ratio for repeater/transmitters, which can have non-flat modulation error ratios over a total number of subcarriers, affords an efficient method to test and qualify repeater/transmitters.
US08676112B2
Group-based, periodic education intervention that provides a targeted curriculum selected specifically for each period based on current skill assessment data is described. For example, candidates' skill levels in multiple skills are assessed, and groups are formed based on commonality of skill level. A period-specific curriculum is generated for each group to address the specific needs of the individuals of the respective group. After delivery of the period-specific targeted curriculum over the period, re-assessments of the current skill of the group members are made, and a period-specific curriculum for the subsequent period is generated and delivered. Fidelity of an implementation of the curriculum is analyzed, and alerts, reminders, and reports are provided to improve fidelity of an implementation of the curriculum.
US08676110B2
A hinge apparatus for a cover of an image forming apparatus has a hinge body with supporting brackets, movably inserted into a coupling hole positioned in a main body of the image forming apparatus, a hinge cam connected to the cover and pivotably connected to the supporting brackets, and a pressure device disposed at the hinge body to press the hinge cam. Accordingly, the hinge apparatus can be implemented with a simple and easy assembly operation, since it is not a complicated structural connection among the component parts of the hinge apparatus.
US08676108B2
To provide a protecting agent supplying member, containing a core, and a foam layer formed on a periphery of the core, wherein the protecting agent supplying member is in the shape of a roller, and wherein the foam layer has concavities regularly arranged in a surface thereof.
US08676107B2
A lubricant applying device includes a solid lubricant, and a rotatable applying member scraping lubricant off the solid lubricant and applying the scraped lubricant onto an application subject. In the lubricant applying device, a pressing unit applies that applies an applying pressure of pressing the solid lubricant against the applying member and that varies the applying pressure in accordance with a rotation speed of the applying member.
US08676105B2
In an image forming apparatus for forming a lenticular lens structure when using a light-transmissive recording medium, including: photoreceptor drums; chargers; an exposure unit; developing devices; an intermediate transfer belt unit; and a fixing unit, further includes a resin layer forming device for forming a transparent resin layer on a pressing roller and a controller, and a multiple number of grooves are formed in parallel to each other on the surface of the pressing roller so as to create a lenticular lens structure on the pressing member and, the recording medium is pressed between the fixing roller and the pressing roller so as to form a lenticular lens structure on one surface of the recording medium while an unfixed toner image is fixed to the other surface of the recording medium.
US08676104B2
A fixing device, including a fixing member; a pressure member; a nip forming member; a reinforcing member; a heating member; and a flange member including a cylinder inserted in an inner circumference at an edge of the fixing member in an axial direction thereof and a flange fixed on a frame of the fixing device, wherein the cylinder of the flange member includes a notch storing the nip forming member at a part on the circumference, has an arc-shaped outer circumferential cross-section at an area corresponding to an area where the fixing member is heated by the heating member, having a predetermined radius equivalent to a radius of the fixing member, and the arc has a center located at an upstream side in a recording medium feeding direction relative to a center line of the nip forming member in the recording medium feeding direction.
US08676097B2
A developing device includes a first developing member rotating such that a moving direction of a portion opposing the image carrier is opposite a moving direction of the image carrier. A second developing member is provided on a downstream side of the first developing member in a rotating direction of the image carrier rotating such that a moving direction of a portion opposing the image carrier is the same as the moving direction of the image carries. A distributing member is supported movably relative to a proximal portion where the first developing member is closest to the second developing member so as to distribute developer to the first and second developing members by contact with the developer, and a biasing member biases the distributing member upstream in the rotating direction of the first developing member.
US08676095B2
A toner container includes a main casing, a shutter, and a seal member. The main casing accommodates toner and is formed with a communication hole through which an interior and an exterior of the casing communicate. The shutter is selectively movable between an open position and a closed position for opening and closing the communication hole, respectively, and in either one of an opening direction and a closing direction. A shutter base portion includes edges, one positioned downstream of the other in the closing direction; and a folded portion. The seal member, configured to encircle the communication hole, is disposed between the casing and the shutter in the closed shutter position. The base portion slidingly contacts the seal member when the shutter moves between the open and closed positions. The folded portion is folded at one edge to be positioned opposite to the seal member relative to the base portion.
US08676086B2
A roller cover, which is to be attached to a housing, the roller cover comprising: a protecting portion, which faces the circumference of the roller when the roller cover is attached to the housing; a first end portion, which is provided at one side of the protecting portion in an orthogonal direction; a second end portion; a first opposite portion, which is formed continuously with the first end portion, wherein the first opposite portion is fitted to one side of the housing in the orthogonal direction; and a second opposite portion fitted to the other side of the housing, wherein a first distance between the first opposite portion and the second opposite portion increases during an attachment operation, and wherein, when the attachment operation is completed, a final distance between the first opposite portion and the second opposite portion is less than maximum value of the first distance.
US08676081B2
A development apparatus according to the present invention includes: a stir member that stirs a developer in a development container; a stir gear that rotates the stir member; a stir rotation shaft that connects the stir member and the stir gear to each other; a development member that supplies the developer onto a surface of an image carrier; a development gear that collaborates with the stir gear to form a series of gears and rotates the development member; a development rotation shaft that connects the development member and the development gear to each other; a housing box that houses the stir gear and the development gear, supports the stir rotation shaft and the development rotation shaft, and is provided with an air take-in opening for taking in air and an air discharge opening for discharging the taken-in air; and a wind sending member that takes in the air from the air take-in opening into the housing box and makes the taken-in air pass through the housing box to discharge the air from the air discharge opening.
US08676073B2
A toner transportation device includes a toner case and a drive section. The toner case includes a main body containing toner, and an agitating unit rotatably mounted in the main body that agitates the toner. The drive section includes a driving unit driving the agitating unit, a detection unit detecting a driving unit driving state, and a control unit able to transmit a drive instruction signal to the driving unit and receive a detection signal regarding the driving unit driving state from the detection unit. The control unit determines whether the toner case is in an overload state in accordance with a detection signal reception state. The control unit performs a retry control, causing the driving unit to repeatedly rotate the agitating unit forward and backward when the control unit determines that the toner case is in an overload state.
US08676065B2
An image forming apparatus including at least one option cassette, and a paper jam handling method performed in the image forming apparatus are provided. The paper jam handling method includes the operations of detecting whether paper jam occurs in the image forming apparatus, checking whether paper sheets exist on a transfer path of the image forming apparatus and on a transfer path of the option cassette, when the paper jam is detected, and leaving the paper sheet on the transfer path of the option cassette as it is and discharging the paper sheet caught on the transfer path of the image forming apparatus. Accordingly, paper damage or paper consumption may be prevented by not discharging a paper sheet caught on a transfer path of at least one option cassette during paper jam.
US08676064B2
A developing cartridge is provided. The developing cartridge includes a housing which accommodates developer therein, a receiving member which receives a driving force output member provided in an image forming apparatus, a developing roller which rotates by the driving force received by the receiving member, and a detectable rotary member including a detectable portion, which is a detection target to be detected by a detection member provided in the image forming apparatus, and a contact portion which is provided away from the detectable portion. The detectable rotary member rotates from a retreat position to an initial position where the detectable rotary member is rotated by the driving force received by the receiving member, by the contact portion contacting an interference member fixed in the image forming apparatus in a process of mounting the developing cartridge into the image forming apparatus.
US08676054B2
There is provided an optical transmission receiver includes an optical switch configured to switch between optical transmission channels, the optical transmission channels being gradually switched from one to the other, an optical amplifier configured to amplify a light propagating in the other of the optical transmission channels which is in a state subsequent to switching, and a switching speed controller configured to control a switching speed of the optical switch based on a level of the light amplified by the optical amplifier.
US08676052B2
An image capturing device includes a first controller operable to control image capturing; an operation section including a switch; a detector operable to detect a change to an image capturing mode and to send a signal representing the change; a second controller operable to monitor and process the sent signal, the second controller having a power consumption less than that of the first controller; and a power supply operable to supply power to the first controller, the second controller, and a functional section of the device. When the second controller receives the signal sent from the detecting section in a power saving state in which power is supplied from the power supply to the second controller, the power saving state is changed to a power supplying state capable of image capturing by supplying power from the power supply to portions of the device including the first controller.
US08676045B1
Disclosed are various embodiments of a studio arrangement and a method of capturing images and/or video. One embodiment of the disclosure includes a front light source aimed at a background, an image capture position located between the background and the front light source, an elevated platform positioned between the image capture position and the background, and at least one rear light source positioned between the elevated platform and the background. A subject can be photographed and/or filmed on the elevated platform to achieve a desired effect of a substantially seamless background where a rear edge of the elevated platform is imperceptible to an image capture device positioned at the image capture position.
US08676044B2
Systems and methods are provided for controlling infrared radiation (IR) sources of a sauna including tuning IR wavelength-ranges and radiated power-levels of IR sources, and directing IR to locations on a user's body. In one illustrative embodiment, a sauna may be provided having adjustable heat sources to emit IR at any wavelength resulting in a desirable radiation treatment for the sauna user. In another illustrative embodiment, a method is provided for tuning IR sources in a sauna.
US08676042B2
A multimedia content frame seeking method and apparatus is provided. The multimedia content frame seeking method may include setting a candidate position for a target frame, the target frame corresponding to a target time, according to an average bitrate of an average bitrate calculation section that is set with respect to frames in the multimedia content, adjusting the candidate position by progressively decreasing a size of the average bitrate calculation section based on the candidate position, and determining the target frame to be a frame having a start time that differs from the target time by a difference within a predetermined allowable range of error, wherein the target frame is determined from among frames of which starting points are closest to candidate positions.
US08676033B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for extracting key frames from a video. The method includes: dividing the video into multiple levels of video segments, wherein each video segment at a non-lowest level comprises one or more video segments at the next lower level, the multiple levels range from a first level to an N-th level, N is an integer greater than 1, the first level is the lowest level, and the N-th level is the highest level; extracting from video segments of the video at a non-highest level candidate frames at the non-highest level; for each level from a next higher level to the highest level, selecting zero, one or more candidate frames at the level from candidate frames at the next lower level in each video segment at the level; and outputting the candidate frames at the highest level as the key frames of the video.
US08676030B2
A viewer interaction system and method receives video data from a video source and identifies object content in the received video data. A video signal is generated that represents the video data. That video signal is communicated to a display device which displays a video image representative of the video signal. The system and method monitor user interaction with the displayed video image and selects an interactive activity based on the user's interaction with the displayed video image and the identified object content in the received video data.
US08676022B2
A fiber optic connector adapter includes a base, a cap, and an interlock between the base and cap. The base includes surfaces that define an exterior and an interior passage between front and rear openings on opposing sides of the base. The cap is fastened to the base over one of the openings and has a port for a fiber optic connector, which includes a major dimension and a minor dimension narrower than the major dimension. The port includes only a single keyway, which is defined by an interior groove on the side of the port defining the major dimension. The interlock positions and holds the cap with the port oriented in a standard polarity. The interlock is releaseable and reengageable. The cap is configured to be released from the base, rotated 180-degrees, and refastened to the base, via the interlock. The keyway then has a reverse polarity.
US08676010B2
An electrical cable includes a cable jacket extending a length and having an internal passageway that extends along the length of the cable jacket. Twisted pairs of insulated electrical conductors extend within the internal passageway along the length of the cable jacket. Each twisted pair includes two insulated conductors twisted together in a helical manner. At least two optical fibers extend within the internal passageway along the length of the cable jacket. The optical fibers are independently held within the internal passageway of the cable jacket relative to each other.
US08676003B2
A photonics integrated circuit for processing radiation includes a first-dimensional grating coupler for coupling in radiation, a second two-dimensional grating coupler for coupling out radiation and a waveguide structure having two distinct waveguide arms for splitting radiation received from the first grating coupler and recombining radiation in the second grating coupler. A phase shifting means furthermore is provided for inducing an additional phase shift in at least one of the two distinct waveguide arms thereby inducing a relative phase shift of π between the two distinct waveguide arms so as to provide a TE/TM polarization switch for radiation between the first grating coupler and the second grating coupler.
US08676002B2
Method of producing a photonic device including at least one light source and at least one photodetector on a structure including a waveguide layer, this method comprising the following steps: a) growing successively on a substrate (10), a photodetection structure (11) and a light source structure (12), the photodetection structure and the light source structure being made of a stack of layers, the light source layers being stacked on top of the photodetector layers and both structures sharing one of these layers. b) bonding the structure obtained by step a) to the said waveguide structure (2), the light source structure being in contact with the said waveguide structure (2), c) removing the substrate (10) from the structure obtained by step b), d) etching the structure (3) obtained by step c) to define the at least one photodetector (4), e) etching the structure obtained by step d) to define the at least one light source (5), f) forming electrodes (44, 43; 54, 53) on the least one photodetector (4) and on the least one light source (5).
US08675998B2
A method and apparatus for processing images, and an image display apparatus are provided that can produce favorable images even when digitized image are partially magnified (enlarged) or reduced (shrunk). The apparatus for expanding or reducing input image data supplied thereto, for each area of the image data, comprises a high frequency (HF) component smoothing processor that generates smoothed-HF-component image data by smoothing HF components of the input image data; a partial magnification/reduction controller that generates partial magnification/reduction control information that designates positions of pixels in image data obtained after expanding or reducing the input image data for each image area; and a pixel data generator that generates pixel data of pixel positions designated by the partial magnification/reduction control information in the smoothed-HF-component image data, by using pixel data in a neighborhood of the designated pixel positions.
US08675987B2
Methods and systems for creating an image filter is described. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first plurality of images captured by an at least one camera with a same setting as a first camera. The method further includes creating an averaged image from the plurality of captured images, wherein the averaged image comprises a measurement value of intensity for each pixel in the averaged image. The method also includes determining an image imperfection in the averaged image. The method further includes creating the image filter to reduce the image imperfection.
US08675986B2
Among other disclosed subject matter, a computer-implemented method includes receiving illustrated content. The illustrated content includes half-tone content. The method includes blurring at least part of the illustrated content. The blurring is performed according to a blur radius. The method includes downscaling the blurred illustrated content to an output size.
US08675985B2
Provided are an apparatus and method for processing an image. The apparatus includes a detector configured to form one group with pieces of pixel information on an edge of a received image, detect line segments, and generate a plurality of curves using the detected line segments, an optimizer configured to apply a weight to a cost function based on the plurality of generated curves according to distance from the center of the image, define a curve having a shorter length than a threshold value as an outlier and a curve having a greater length than the threshold value as an inlier, remove the outlier, and estimate a distortion level parameter, and a corrector configured to correct a position of a pixel with a correction value using the distortion level parameter. Accordingly, it is possible to correct lens distortion of even an image that has not been directly photographed, and to correct images generated by devices equipped with any lens rather than a specific camera or photographing apparatus.
US08675983B2
A method for iterative reconstruction of an object containing noise using the pixon method determines the pixon map from a variable that is used to update the object in the iteration. The updating variable is based on an optimized merit function, and smoothes the updating variable during each iteration. The updating variable depends on the reconstruction method, but is typically a gradient of a merit function or a multiplicative update factor. The updated object can optionally also be further smoothed at the end of the iteration, using the pixon map determined during the iteration.
US08675972B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for determining the exposure of a three-dimensional object in an image, characterised in that it comprises the following steps: acquiring a three-dimensional generic model of the object, projecting the three-dimensional generic model according to at least one two-dimensional representation and associating to each two-dimensional representation an exposure information of the three-dimensional object, electing and positioning a two-dimensional representation onto the object in said image, and determining the three-dimensional exposure of the object in the image from at least the exposure information associated with the selected two-dimensional representation.
US08675970B2
An image processing apparatus including: an edge detection processing section configured to generate an edge image by performing edge detection processing on a detection target image from which a target object is to be detected; a segment area setting section configured to segmentalize the edge image into a plurality of segment areas; an index value calculation section configured to calculate, for each of the plurality of segment areas, an edge component index value that indicates an amount of edge components included in each segment area; and a target object determining section configured to determine whether there is an image of the target object in each segment area based on the edge component index value.
US08675962B2
The image correction processing device (100) disclosed in the description is configured by integrating a first external terminal (CAMDI) [7:0] to which digital input image data is inputted from outside of the device, an image correction processing circuit (200) applying predetermined image correction processing on the digital input image to create digital output image data, a second external terminal (CAMDO) [7:0] outputting the digital output image data to the outside of the device, an encoder circuit (300) converting the digital output image data to analog composite video-type output image data, and a third external terminal (VOUT) outputting the analog composite video-type data to the outside of the device.
US08675959B2
A computer-readable recording medium has stored therein an image processing program for causing a computer to execute a process including identifying, on a taken image of a jig having a plurality of first color regions and a plurality of second color regions different in color from the first color regions, the first color regions, comparing each of the identified first color regions with a predetermined convex shape and retracting each of the first color regions until it is determined that each of the first color regions has a similarity in shape to the predetermined convex shape, and determining a feature point of the jig on the image on the basis of a positional relationship of a plurality of first retracted regions on the image, the first retracted regions being obtained from the first color regions as a result of retraction at the retracting.
US08675958B2
A photographic subject determination method includes: a binarization step of creating a plurality of binarized images of a subject image, based upon color information or luminance information in the subject image; an evaluation value calculation step of, for each of the plurality of binarized images, calculating an evaluation value that is used for specifying at least one of a position, a size, and a shape of a photographic subject within the subject image; and a photographic subject specification step of specifying at least one of the position, the size, and the shape of a photographic subject within the subject image, based upon the evaluation value.
US08675956B2
The present invention is providing a method and a system for verifying making time of a file by computer. The method comprises: calling TWAIN protocol interfaces of a scanner for obtaining original color data both of an object file and a sample file, wherein making time of said sample file is known; sampling color points of said original color data of said object file thereby calculating color index data of said object file; and sampling color points of said original color data of said sample file thereby calculating color index data of said sample file; and comparing said color index data of said object file with said color index data of said sample file, and determining making time of said object file based on said known making time of said sample file. In accordance with the present invention, the sample file or the object file can be verified without damaged for the reason of analyzing color of said file by computer. By use of the computer system for sampling, analyzing, carrying out the result the present invention has reduced the influence of man-made factor so that it provides more reliable security to such result.
US08675955B2
According to certain embodiments of the present invention, a graphical presentation is generated from a data representation. A lens is applied to reveal a region-of-interest occluded by an occluding portion of an image. The lens includes an extent of the lens, a focal region including a magnification and a transparency to reduce occlusion of the region-of-interest by the occluding portion, and a shoulder region between the extent of the lens and the focal region. The shoulder region provides context for the focal region with respect to a portion of the image outside of the extent of the lens by preserving visibility of information surrounding the focal region. The shoulder region also has decreasing transparency as depth decreases from the focal region to the portion of the image outside of the extent of the lens.
US08675952B2
Provided is a method and apparatus of extracting a 3D facial expression of a user. When a facial image of the user is received, the 3D facial expression extracting method and apparatus may generate 3D expression information by tracking an expression of the user from the facial image using at least one of shape-based tracking and texture-based tracking, may generate a 3D expression model based on the 3D expression information, and reconstruct the 3D expression model to have a natural facial expression by adding muscle control points to the 3D expression model.
US08675933B2
An image segmentation embodiment comprises generating a start model comprising a set of model points approximating an outline of an object in an initial image, smoothing the image at a first smoothing level, generating a curvature image by applying a second derivative operator, locating second derivative local maxima in the curvature image that are orthogonal to a respective model point and within a search region having a first boundary on one side of the start model and a second boundary on an opposite side of the start model, generating a set of contours, shifting the start model to an outer boundary of the contours, and generating a segmentation mask of the object based on the shifted start model.
US08675925B2
This specification describes technologies relating to biometric authentication based on images of the eye. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include obtaining images of a subject including a view of an eye. The methods may further include determining a behavioral metric based on detected movement of the eye as the eye appears in a plurality of the images, determining a spatial metric based on a distance from a sensor to a landmark that appears in a plurality of the images each having a different respective focus distance, and determining a reflectance metric based on detected changes in surface glare or specular reflection patterns on a surface of the eye. The methods may further include determining a score based on the behavioral, spatial, and reflectance metrics and rejecting or accepting the one or more images based on the score.
US08675923B2
A technique for providing feedback about an image of a financial document to a user is described. During this feedback technique, the user provides the image of a financial document, such as W-2 form. For example, the user may take a picture of or may scan the financial document. This image may be analyzed using predefined information in a set of financial documents (such as different types of income-tax documents), and a quality metric for the image may be determined using the analysis. Moreover, the feedback, which is based on the determined quality metric, may be provided to the user. For example, the user may be instructed to retake the image, and the instructions may include an image of the desired orientation and content. In this way, the user may be advised as to how to improve the quality metric in the revised image.
US08675921B2
A distance measurement system and method are provided. The distance measurement method first projects a light beam with a speckle pattern to reference planes and an object to allow the reference planes and a surface of the object each have an image of the speckle pattern, the speckle pattern having a plurality of speckles. Next, images of the speckle pattern reflected by the reference planes are captured to generate reference image information, and an image of the speckle pattern reflected by the surface of the object is captured to generate an object image information. A processing module which may be a processing software can compare the object image information with the reference image information to obtain several similarity scores. If the most the most similarity score is greater than a threshold value, the processing module identifies the corresponding reference plane, thereby computing the position of the object.
US08675920B2
Fall detection and reporting technology, in which output from at least one sensor configured to sense, in a room of a building, activity associated with a patient falling is monitored and a determination is made to capture one or more images of the room based on the monitoring. An image of the room is captured with a camera positioned to include the patient within a field of view of the camera and the captured image of the room is analyzed to detect a state of the patient at a time of capturing the image. A potential fall event for the patient is determined based on the detected state of the patient and a message indicating the potential fall event for the patient is sent based on the determination of the potential fall event for the patient. Techniques are also described for fall detection and reporting using an on-body sensing device.
US08675917B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for improved abandoned object recognition using pedestrian detection. An abandoned object is detected in one or more images by determining if one or more detected objects in a foreground of the images comprises a potential abandoned object; applying a trained pedestrian detector to the potential abandoned object to determine if the potential abandoned object comprises at least a portion of a pedestrian; and classifying the potential abandoned object as an abandoned object based on whether the potential abandoned object is not at least a portion of a pedestrian. The trained pedestrian detector is trained using positive training samples comprised of at least portions of human bodies in one or more poses and/or negative training samples comprised of at least portions of abandoned objects.
US08675899B2
A front surround sound reproduction system which improves the performance of beam steering by using a speaker array arranged geometrically on two or more planes or on one curved surface, and a signal reproducing method of the system. The audio reproduction apparatus to reproduce a multi-channel audio signal by using a plurality of speakers includes a signal distribution unit to duplicate a multi-channel audio signal and to distribute the duplicated signals as one or more groups of multi-channel signals corresponding to one or more speaker array groups, a steering processing unit to form sound beams with steering angles predetermined in relation to each speaker array group, from the groups of multi-channel signals distributed by the signal distribution unit, and a speaker array unit having one or more speaker array groups to reproduce the sound beams of each group formed by the steering processing unit, in the speaker array group.
US08675898B2
To provide electromagnetic damping without a special output connector for protecting a diaphragm of metallic ribbon foil of a ribbon microphone against shocks. A ribbon microphone operable with a phantom power supply comprises: an acoustic-electric converter 1 including a pair of permanent magnets and a diaphragm of metallic ribbon foil; and a step-up transformer 110 coupled with the diaphragm on a primary winding 111 side and having, on a secondary winding 112 side, an output connector 120 removably connected to a phantom power supply, the step-up transformer 110 increasing a voltage generated by the diaphragm to a predetermined voltage, the voltage then being output to the phantom power supply side through the output connector 120, wherein a switch 141 is connected across the secondary winding 112, the switch 141 being normally closed and being opened by a power supplied from the phantom power supply.
US08675895B2
The present invention relates to a condenser microphone assembly comprising an electro-acoustic transducer element comprising a diaphragm and a back plate, signal processing circuitry operatively connected to the transducer element so as to process signals generated by the transducer element, and a mode-setting circuitry for selectively setting the condenser microphone assembly in a test mode or an operational mode. The electro-acoustic sensitivity of the condenser microphone assembly, when operated in the test mode, is at least 40 dB lower than the corresponding electro-acoustic sensitivity of the assembly when operated in the operational mode. The present invention further relates to a method for determining a performance parameter of a signal processing circuitry mounted inside a housing of an assembled condenser microphone assembly.
US08675892B2
A spectral management system may be used in an audio system to receive and process audio signals having multiple distributed audio channels, such as a right, left, center, right side, left side, right rear and left rear channels. The spectral management system may separate and route a frequency range of audio content included in one or more of the distributed audio channels to other distributed audio channels. The separated and routed frequency range of audio content may be combined with audio content present on the other distributed audio channels to which the separated frequency range of audio content is routed. Separation, routing and combination may include bass audio content routing, mid-bass audio content routing, subwoofer audio content routing and treble audio content routing.
US08675891B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a power supply unit capable of achieving noise reduction while maintaining efficiency under the light load state. A FET driver controls switching elements in either one of a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) mode, an intermittent mode having a lower operating frequency than that in the PWM mode, and a noise-free mode having a higher operating frequency than an audible frequency range. The FET driver operates first in the intermittent mode under the light load state. A microphone collects noise generated from the surroundings of a power supply unit. When the level of an audio signal collected by the microphone exceeds a predetermined level, the FET driver transitions from the intermittent mode to the noise-free mode. In accordance with such an embodiment, the FET driver operates in the noise-free mode only when noise is actually generated.
US08675884B2
A system for processing sound, the system including: (a) a processor, configured to process a first input signal that is detected by a first microphone at a detection moment, a second input signal that is detected by a second microphone at the detection moment, and a third input signal that is detected by a bone-conduction microphone at the detection moment, to generate a corrected signal that is responsive to the first, second, and third input signals; and (b) a communication interface, configured to provide the corrected signal to an external system.
US08675881B2
An approach to forming output signals both permits flexible and temporally and/or frequency local processing of input signals while limiting or mitigating artifacts in such output signals. Generally, the approach involves first synthesizing prototype signals for the output signals, or equivalently characterizing such prototypes, for example, according to their statistical characteristics, and then forming the output signals as estimates of the prototype signals, for example, as weighted combinations of the input signals.
US08675877B2
A method and system distributes shares of a secret among cooperating entities using linear interpolation. In one embodiment, a linear equation is formed using the secret and random elements. The linear equation represents a K-dimensional secret hyperplane, where K is the number of shares to reconstruct the secret. Shares of the secrets are created, with each share containing a point on the secret hyperplane. The shares are then distributed to cooperating entities for secret sharing.
US08675875B2
Use of cryptographic key-store hardware security modules is optimized in a system having a first scarce high-security key storage device and a second more plentiful low-security key storage device comprising securing a cryptographic key to the higher security level by initially storing the key in the first storage device, then responsive to an event, evaluating the stored key against one or more rules, and subsequent to the evaluation, reclassifying the stored key for relocation, encrypting the reclassified key using a key-encryption key; relocating the reclassified key into the second, lower-security storage device, and storing the key-encryption key in the first storage device.
US08675865B2
A method and apparatus for a high-bandwidth stream cipher. In one embodiment of the invention, the stream cipher has an output function that receives secret state bits from a block cipher and generates an encryption mask. In one embodiment of the invention, the encryption mask has a lesser or smaller number of bits than the secret state bits. The stream cipher uses the encryption mask to encrypt a video data stream to generate an encrypted video data stream.
US08675862B1
A protective case discloses an electronic device protective casing, comprising the main protective shell body and the universal decorative pattern layer, the said main protective shell body layer has a pattern opening corresponding to the pattern of the universal decorative pattern layer to snugly fit in, and the said decorative pattern layer disposed on the said protective shell body layer via fixed plate. And the said fixed plate area is greater than the said decorative pattern layer. Since the said universal decorative pattern layer and the said protective shell body are manufactured separately, the universal decorative plate will be able to use for different electronic devices, therefore it will reduce the cost to make such case in term of reproduction of molding, and thereby the cost of the electronic device protective case will be as well reduced.
US08675860B2
The present disclosure describes various ways of monitoring the needs of a contact center in real-time and pushing training to a number of agents to address those needs. In determining to push training to agents, the short-term efficiency of the agent is balanced with the long-term efficiency of the contact center. When agents receive and then complete training events designed to address the monitored contact center needs the attributes associated with the agents are updated to allow them to handle the contacts requiring training.
US08675851B1
Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, computer program products and the like for managing calls in a telecommunication network. In one example, the systems and methods involve passing information into a standard signaling flow in order to obtain a unique routing for customers sharing a single interface.
US08675847B2
In one embodiment, a conference bridge receives a call initiated by a first caller endpoint. The conference bridge identifies a conference to which the call requests entry and determines whether the conference bridge has available resources to process the call. The conference bridge enables the call to join the conference via a second conference bridge associated with a second caller endpoint participating in the conference according to whether the conference bridge has available resources to process the call.
US08675846B2
A system and method for creating and distributing messages including dynamic content is provided. In one form, an entity provides a plurality of content segments for use in building a dynamic message. The entity also provides a listing of end users to receive a message and information associated with the user, such as demographic or prior purchasing information. In an alternate form, the service connects to the user in a communication session and collects information from the user directly. The service then uses this information, whether provided by the entity or the end user, as the basis for selection of various content segments which will make up a dynamic message for presentation to the user.
US08675840B2
A system and method for transferring money by use of a prepaid card account is disclosed wherein two cards are issued to the user accountholder, one of which is provided to another user, and either user may add value to the prepaid account so that the other user may use the card and that value in a financial transaction.
US08675838B2
An access control system is provided for a movable barrier. A main communication unit grants access to a movable barrier operator. The movable barrier operator controls movement of the movable barrier. A remote communication unit has an input device to receive an access request and to transmit a corresponding access signal to the main communication unit and to transmit a status indication to the main communication unit in response to detecting a predetermined event.
US08675833B2
A system and method for managing messages, such as, but not limited to, voicemails and text messages, is presented. For example, in one embodiment, the method includes identifying a caller associated with a message for a callee. The method determines whether at least one other new message for the callee is from the caller. In response to at least one other new message for the callee is from the caller, the method groups the message with the at least one other new message.
US08675828B2
The invention provides a method, system, and program product for authenticating a user to a telephonic communication device. In one embodiment, the invention includes obtaining a reference sample of an authorized user's voice, storing the reference sample of the authorized user's voice, collecting a sample of the voice of a user of the telephonic communication device, comparing the sample of the voice of the user to the reference sample of the authorized user's voice, determining whether the user is the authorized user, and in the case that the user is determined not to be the authorized user, prohibiting use of the telephonic communication device.
US08675801B2
A clock generating circuit includes: a phase detector for detecting a phase difference between an input clock and a reference clock to generate a control signal corresponding to the phase difference; a controllable oscillator for generating a plurality of output clocks according to the control signal, wherein the plurality of output clocks correspond to an oscillating frequency and correspond to a plurality of different phases respectively; a phase selector for selecting an output clock as a feedback clock from the plurality of output clocks according to a phase select signal; a feedback circuit for generating the input clock according to the feedback clock; and a phase difference comparator for comparing the plurality of phases corresponding to the plurality of output clocks respectively with a data phase of a data signal to generate a compared result, and generating the phase select signal according to the compared result.
US08675795B2
A receiver has a bandwidth. The receiver includes paths, a first receiver module, an enable module, and a second receiver module. The paths are configured to be enabled to receive signals. The first receiver module is configured to, prior to the receiver receiving the signals, detect a number of the paths that are enabled to receive a signal. The enable module is configured to, based on the number of the paths detected to have been enabled (i) determine if the signals to be received by the receiver are receivable by a number of the paths less than the number of the paths detected to have been enabled, and (ii) disable, based on a result of the determination, one or more of the paths detected to have been enabled. The second receiver module is configured to, based on the number of the paths enabled, adjust the bandwidth of the receiver.
US08675791B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for deconvolving a noisy measured signal obtained from a sensor device (100), said noisy measured signal (y(t)) being the sum of the convolution product (x(t)N(t)) of an input signal (x(t)) of the sensor device, representative of a feature of physical quantity, by a convolution kernel (N(t)) defined by the response function of the sensor device (100) and a noise which interfere with the measure. The method is characterized in that said method comprises an estimate computation step (400) in the course of which a minimal estimate (xmin(t)N(t)) of the convolution product of the input signal by the convolution kernel of the sensor device is computed in order that said minimal estimate stays below the noisy measured signal (y(t)) and has at least one point in common with the noisy measured signal (y(t)).
US08675790B2
A receiver is provided with a digital signal processing circuit to process a receive signal. In addition, the receiver includes an interference detector to detect an interference scenario affecting reception of the signal by the receiver. Depending on the interference scenario detected by the interference detector, the digital signal processing circuit is adapted.
US08675783B1
Systems and methods are provided for determining a data value for a bit of interest in a received data signal. A closest 0-bit symbol candidate is selected from a plurality of 0-bit symbol candidates using a symbol selection distance approximation. A closest 1-bit symbol candidate is selected from a plurality of 1-bit symbol candidates using the symbol selection distance approximation. A 0-bit distance between the received data signal and the selected 0-bit symbol candidate is determined, and a 1-bit distance between the received data signal and the selected 1-bit symbol candidate is determined. A log likelihood ratio is calculated for the bit of interest using the determined 0-bit distance and the determined 1-bit distance.
US08675781B2
Wireless communication is ubiquitous today and deployments are growing rapidly leading to increased interference, increasing conflicts, etc. As a result monitoring the wireless environment is increasingly important for regulators, service providers, Government agencies, enterprises etc. Such monitoring should be flexible in terms of the networks being monitored within the wireless environment but should also provide real-time monitoring to detect unauthorized transmitters, provide dynamic network management, etc. Accordingly, based upon embodiments of the invention, a broadband, real-time signal analyzer (RTSA) circuit that allows for the deployment of RTSA devices in a distributed environment wherein determination of policy breaches, network performance, regulatory compliance, etc. are locally determined and exploited directly in network management or communicated to the central server and network administrators for subsequent action. Beneficially the RTSA exploits a broadband RF front end in conjunction with parallel direct down conversion and FFT techniques.
US08675777B2
A center frequency of an adjustable filter is controlled to achieve a compromise between DC offset rejection and image rejection.
US08675776B2
Apparatus, methods, and systems are disclosed, including, for example, a data receiver to receive a calibration voltage and a reference voltage to calibrate the data receiver. The output of the data receiver is provided to a first ripple counter that counts the outputs from the data receiver and provides an output count. The ripple counter may count either ones or zeros. A second ripple counter counts the number of a clock signals over the same period of time. The output count is either multiplied by two or the count of clock signals is divided by two. A ripple comparator may then compare the outputs and adjust the reference voltage based upon the comparison results.
US08675770B1
An integrated circuit device, set forth by way of example and not limitation, includes an IC package provided with a plurality of leads and enclosing: a) a buffer amplifier, b) a switching-mode power amplifier having an input coupled to the output of the buffer amplifier and having an output coupled to at least one of the plurality of leads, and c) a digital controller. A method, set forth by way of example and not limitation, for controlling the power output of a RF transmitter circuit without the need for an attenuator includes developing a signal source, applying the signal source to a buffer amplifier to provide an amplified signal, applying the amplified signal to a switching-mode power amplifier to provide a power output signal, and controlling a gain of the switching-mode power amplifier in response to a digital command.
US08675769B1
A method and system for optimizing symbol mapping in partial response based communications that are based on use of pulse-shaping that incorporates a predetermined amount of inter-symbol interference (ISI). Optimizing symbol mapping symbol mapping may comprise configuring optimized constellation mapping for use in mapping and/or de-mapping data communicated using the partial response pulse-shaping. In this regard, the optimized constellation mapping may be based on a reference constellation mapping that is utilized for reference modulation scheme, and the configuring comprises applying adjustments to one or more constellation points in the reference constellation mapping. The optimized constellation mapping may be configured to optimize an applicable minimum distance for one or more selected error patterns for a given spectral compression applied during partial response based communications. The configuring of the optimized constellation mapping may be based on feedback information provided during communication of data.
US08675764B2
A method and an apparatus for generating a precoding matrix codebook group are provided by the present invention. The method includes: a step for generating a channel matrix set; a step for generating a performance parameter matrix; and a step for generating a precoding matrix codebook group: based on the generated performance parameter matrix, according to contribution of every precoding matrix to the performance parameter of the communication system, ranking the precoding matrices in precoding matrix universal set, so as to achieve an ordered precoding matrix universal set as the precoding matrix codebook group. A method for assigning a precoding matrix for a multi-antenna communication system, a method for transmitting data for a multi-antenna communication system, a base station and a mobile station thereof are provided by the present invention.
US08675761B2
Methods and apparatus of allocating antennas for cyclic delay diversity (CDD) transmission are disclosed. One method includes estimating a transmission channel of a transceiver having a plurality of antennas. A subset of a plurality of transceiver antennas is selected based on the estimated transmission channel. A single transceiver antenna of the subset is identified based on a channel quality of a transmission path of the single transceiver antenna. Cyclic delay diversity (CDD) signals are transmitted from the subset of the plurality of antennas, wherein a minimally delayed CDD signal is transmitted from the identified single transceiver antenna of the subset of the plurality of transceiver antennas.
US08675759B2
A wireless transmission system performs multi-station simultaneous transmission of data. The wireless transmission system includes wireless stations for transmitting and receiving data. Transmitter-side wireless stations, a multipath channel, and receiver-side wireless stations constitute a system for path diversity. At least one wireless station among the wireless stations determines, depending on a response packet with respective to a multi-station simultaneous transmission request packet transmitted by itself or other stations, delay amounts from a reference timing during multi-station simultaneous transmission in the wireless transmission system, and symbol waveforms that are a basis for a modulated waveform. A difference between each delay amount is set to be larger than or equal to a predetermined delay resolution for each symbol waveform, and a difference between maximum and minimum values of the delay amounts is set to be smaller than or equal to a predetermined maximum delay.
US08675757B2
A digital television (DTV) transmitting/receiving system and a method of processing digital broadcast data in the DTV transmitting/receiving system are disclosed. The DTV transmitting system includes a randomizer for randomizing enhanced data, an encoder for encoding each bit of the randomized enhanced data at a coding rate of ½ in order to output data symbols, a symbol to byte converter for converting the data symbols to data bytes, a deinterleaver for deinterleaving the data bytes, a Reed-Solomon (RS) encoder for RS-coding enhanced data packets including the deinterleaved data bytes to add RS parity data, a data interleaver for interleaving data of the RS-coded enhanced data packets, a trellis encoder for trellis coding the interleaved data at a coding rate of ⅔, and a transmitting unit for transmitting a digital broadcast signal including the trellis-encoded data.
US08675743B2
In a closed-loop wireless communication system, a codebook-based feedback control mechanism is provided where feedback from each of a plurality of receivers is scheduled to control the feedback so that the receiving devices do not needlessly feed back precoding information to the transmitting device. The feedback may be controlled by establishing and distributing a schedule to control when each receiver feeds back precoding information, or by establishing and distributing a metric-based feedback threshold that must be satisfied before feedback is permitted.
US08675740B2
Disclosed is a system and method of controlling a video decoder, including a reviewing channel data representing coded video data generated by an encoder to identify parameters of a hypothetical reference decoder (HRD) used by the encoder during coding operations. A parameter representing an exit data rate requirement of a coded picture buffer (CPB) of the HRD is compared against exit rate performance of the video decoder. If the exit rate performance of the video coder matches the exit rate requirement of the HRD, the coded video data is decoded, otherwise, a certain decoding degradation scheme can be applied, including disabling decoder from decoding the coded video data.
US08675733B2
An input module obtains a media signal to be communicated to a destination system, after which an identification module identifies a plurality of segments within the media signal. A codec includes a selection module that automatically selects different compression methods to respectively compress at least two of the segments. The compression methods are automatically selected to produce a highest compression quality for the respective segments according to a set of criteria without exceeding a target data rate. A compression module within the codec then compresses the segments using the automatically-selected compression methods, after which an output module delivers the compressed segments to the destination system with an indication of which compression method was used to compress each segment.
US08675730B2
A method of video reconstruction includes providing a hardware accelerator to a video processing component of a video processing system, and a driver for the video processing component. In addition, the method includes segmenting macroblocks of a destination video frame in a raster order into groups based on reference parameters thereof using the driver, where the reference parameters define compensation needs of macroblocks of the destination frame. The method also includes constructing an indexed array of linked-lists using the driver, with each linked-list representing macroblocks of a group having the same reference parameters. The hardware accelerator may be programmed to accelerate motion compensation by reconstructing macroblocks of the destination frame group-wise in the indexed order of the array of linked-lists.
US08675726B2
A method of encoding a video using constrained soft-decision quantization. The soft-decision quantization includes first performing hard-decision quantization to obtain hard quantized coefficients and, then, obtaining a soft quantized coefficient using a rate-distortion calculation over a search range of quantization levels for a transform domain coefficient, wherein the search range of quantization levels for that transform domain coefficient is constrained within a number of quantization levels of a corresponding hard quantized coefficient. The search range may be based upon a fixed threshold, the coefficient position, the hard quantized coefficient magnitude, a threshold value less accumulated distortion, or other factors, including combinations of these factors. The accumulated distortion may be measured by an L1 norm.
US08675725B2
An integrated circuit comprises a digitally-controlled power generation stage (DPA) for converting an input signal to a radio frequency (RF) carrier, the DPA comprising a plurality of selectable switching devices capable of adjusting an envelope of the RF carrier; and a pulse width modulator (PWM) generator arranged to generate a PWM control signal and operably coupleable to the plurality of selectable switching devices of the DPA. The PWM generator inputs the PWM control signal to a subset of the plurality of the selectable switching devices such that a PWM signal adjusts the envelope RF carrier output from the DPA.
US08675722B2
Equalization techniques for compensating distortion associated with a communications channel are provided. In one aspect of the invention, a method/apparatus for equalizing an input signal received from a communications channel includes the following steps/operations. At least one sampling is generated from the received input signal based on a clock signal unrelated to a clock signal used to recover data associated with the received input signal. Distortion associated with the communications channel is then compensated for based on at least a portion of the at least one generated sampling.
US08675719B2
A test and measurement instrument including a time domain channel configured to process a first input signal for analysis in a time domain; a frequency domain channel configured to process a second input signal for analysis in a frequency domain; and an acquisition system coupled to the time domain channel and the frequency domain channel. The acquisition system is configured to acquire data from the time domain channel and the frequency domain channel. Time domain and frequency domain data can be time aligned.
US08675710B2
A method of synchronizing the frequency and timing of a receiver with a synchronization chirp signal from a transmitter, comprising: receiving the synchronization chirp signal, the synchronization chirp signal comprising a sequence of symbols, the sequence of symbols including at least a first symbol having a first gradient g1 and a second symbol having a second gradient g2, wherein the magnitudes of the first gradient and the second gradient are both greater than one, and the magnitude of the first gradient is different to the magnitude of the second gradient; correlating the sequence of received symbols with expected symbols to form a correlator output; determining timing and frequency offsets between the transmitter and the receiver from the correlator output; and adjusting the timing and frequency of the receiver by the determined timing and frequency offsets.
US08675709B1
A hybrid CW MOPA includes an OPS-laser resonator delivering radiation in a plurality of longitudinal lasing-modes or wavelengths. The multiple longitudinal mode output is amplified in a fiber-amplifier. Amplified lasing-modes from the fiber-amplifier are frequency-converted by an optically nonlinear crystal in a ring-resonator having the same length as the laser resonator, such that the ring-resonator is resonant for all of the amplified lasing-modes.
US08675705B2
A diode laser and a laser resonator for a diode laser are provided, which has high lateral beam quality at high power output, requires little adjustment effort and is inexpensive to produce. The laser resonator according to the invention comprises a gain section (GS), a first planar Bragg reflector (DBR1) and a second planar Bragg reflector (DBR2), wherein the gain section (GS) has a trapezoidal design and the first planar Bragg reflector (DBR1) is arranged on a first base side of the trapezoidal gain section (GS) and the second planar Bragg reflector (DBR2) is arranged on the opposing base side of the trapezoidal gain section (GS), wherein the width (D1) of the first planar Bragg reflector (DBR1) differs from the width (D2) of the second planar Bragg reflector (DBR2).
US08675700B2
A laser system in this disclosure may include: a master oscillator configured to output pulsed laser light, a coherence reduction optical system configured to reduce coherence of the pulsed laser light from the master oscillator, and a controller configured to control the coherence reduction optical system so that a speckle of the pulsed laser light varies.
US08675698B2
A green laser is made by constructing a laser cavity that includes within it a laser diode, a non-linear crystal such as KTP, and a lens. The boundaries of the cavity are not defined by the ends of the diode itself, but are instead defined by the ends of an apparatus that includes the lens and the KTP or similar crystal.
US08675689B2
A method of synchronizing a local estimation of global network time of a receiving node on a network to a global network time reference is provided. The free running nodes receive precise time protocol synchronization messages and determine a ratio and an offset based on time data extracted from the messages.
US08675686B2
Techniques for time transfer via signal encoding are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for time transfer via signal encoding comprising generating a time service ordered-set for inclusion in a physical coding sublayer frame of a physical layer device, generating time service data for inclusion in the physical coding sublayer frame of the physical layer device, and transmitting the physical coding sublayer frame.
US08675680B2
Low cost semiconductor manufacturing techniques have provided consumers with a wide range of electronic devices supporting communications according to multiple standards. These electronic devices will be deployed within many operational jurisdictions, particularly with roaming features, such as Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America and North America. However, operational compliance requirements can vary substantially with these different jurisdictions. Current electronic devices are designed, manufactured, calibrated and operated according to a specification providing compliance with broad range of operational jurisdictions despite the performance limitations this applies in many of the operational jurisdictions. Accordingly, there is provided a method of dynamically configuring the electronic device based upon a geographically based determination of the operational jurisdiction from global navigation systems data received by the electronic device. Based upon the determined operational jurisdiction, the operational parameters of a device's communication interfaces are adjusted for improving performance and efficiency of the device within these jurisdictions.
US08675678B2
Bandwidth allocation configuration and fully decentralized adaptive medium access control (AMAC) systems and methods with support for time critical applications, spectrum efficiency, scalability enhancements, and fair allocation of bandwidth among nodes sharing a common channel. The methods fully integrate TDMA and CSMA/CA channel access approaches and incorporate adaptive congestion and collisions avoidance scheme to reduce bandwidth wastage and diminish adverse cross layers interactions. AMAC improves support for multi-media traffic while allowing higher transmission incidents from large number of transmitting devices sharing a common channel, with fair distribution of the available bandwidth, to enable improved multi-level-security connectivity over a common multi-hop wireless network, provide end-to-end performance enhancement for constant bit rate traffic, variable bit rate traffic, and distribute bandwidth fairly amongst competing TCP traffic flows that traverse varying length paths in multi-hop ad-hoc wireless networks.
US08675673B2
Examples are disclosed for forwarding cells of partitioned data through a three-stage memory-memory-memory (MMM) input-queued Clos-network (IQC) packet switch. In some examples, each module of the three-stage MMM IQC packet switch includes a virtual queue and a manager that are configured in cooperation with one another to forward a cell from among cells of partitioned data through at least a portion of the switch. The cells of partitioned data may have been partitioned and stored at an input port for the switch and have a destination of an output port for the switch.
US08675669B2
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: establishing a proxy device; establishing a connection between the proxy device and a local network device associated with the network group; configuring the local network device to: forward, to the proxy device, a first subset of received packets via the connection, wherein the first subset of received packets comprises packets destined for the remote node, and forward a second subset of received packets as though the second subset of packets were received directly from the remote node, wherein the second subset of received packets comprises packets received from the proxy device via the connection; and configuring the proxy device to: forward packets received from the local network device via the connection toward the remote node, and forward packets received from the remote node to the local network device via the connection.
US08675667B1
Systems and methods are described for forming and operating communication networks that support the needs of an enterprise. These systems and methods include: establishing a plurality enterprise network nodes overlaid on one or more common carrier networks; establishing independence between the enterprise network and the common carrier networks; designing services provided by the enterprise network to be consistent with the current modes of operation of the common carrier networks and employing existing services of the common carrier networks to transport enterprise data; employing redundancy in communications among enterprise network nodes and in the storage of enterprise data. Compared to current enterprise networks, a network based on these methods and systems is easier to implement, is less expensive, and could be deployed more quickly. This network is not limited by the coverage and services provided by any particular carrier. With the systems and methods of this invention, the impact on the common carrier networks of providing services for an enterprise network are minimized. The redundancy associated with the systems and methods of this invention enables an enterprise network to quickly recover from a disaster and support the continuity of business operations.
US08675646B2
A method for encoding an information object in a communication system by storing the information object in a buffer; generating a sampling set including bits randomly selected from the buffer and bits regularly selected from the buffer; generating control channel data including a sampling set number of the sampling set and size information for the information object; and modulating the sampling set and the control channel data.
US08675644B2
A system and method for providing network connectivity to a host, involving creating a virtual switch on the host, specifying at least one data link attribute of the virtual switch, creating a plurality of virtual network interface cards (VNICs) on the host, associating each of the plurality of VNICs with the virtual switch, and assigning the at least one data link attribute of the virtual switch to each of the plurality of VNICs, where the virtual switch is connected to a physical network interface card (NIC) associated with the host, where each of the plurality of VNICs is associated with a different one of a plurality of execution environments, where the plurality of execution environments is located on the host, and where the plurality of VNICs is located on the host.
US08675642B2
A system for verifying VoIP call routing information. In particular implementations, a method includes verifying one or more Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) call agents for respective destination telephone numbers based on demonstrated knowledge of previous public switched telephone network (PSTN) calls to the respective destination telephone numbers; receiving a call initiation message identifying a destination telephone number; and conditionally initiating a call over a VoIP network to a target VoIP call agent, or over a circuit switched network, based on whether the target VoIP call agent has been verified for the destination telephone number identified in the call initiation message.
US08675635B2
Methods, systems, and devices are described for synchronization in mesh satellite communications. The arrival time of the gateway signal may be used to set a start of receive frame time for a terminal. A received control signal from the gateway may then be used to set a start of transmit frame time for the user terminal. The distance between the satellite and the gateway may change. Ephemeris data, various collections of terminal measurements, or terminal sync bursts may be used to modify start of transmit frame or start of receive frame settings for the terminal or gateway.
US08675625B2
An access point sends geographical positioning information from the access point to mobile terminals and to a mobile terminal which receives this information and estimates the position thereof based on said information. Geographical-locating architecture for WiFi 802.11 mobile terminals on ADSL access points generally includes geographical positioning information, i.e., the geographical coordinates of the access point during the registration phase thereof. The access point includes this geographical information in the information posted so that the mobile terminals can be connected to same. The mobile terminals can thus know the geographical location where they are located with an approximation that will depend directly on the number of access points that the mobile terminal can detect.
US08675624B2
A radiation imaging system comprises: a radiation imaging apparatus; an entry apparatus which is associated with a radiation generator; wherein the entry apparatus is configured, in response to a request received from the radiation imaging apparatus via a close proximity wireless communication connection, to send information to the radiation imaging apparatus via the close proximity wireless communication connection for connecting the radiation imaging apparatus to a wireless LAN; wherein the close proximity wireless communication connection has a communication range shorter than that of a wireless LAN; and a control unit for controlling the radiation generator and the radiation imaging apparatus, which has connected to the wireless LAN based on the information which has been sent from the entry apparatus via the close proximity wireless communication connection.
US08675621B2
Techniques, apparatuses, and systems for using identification sequences in a wireless communication system can include receiving information indicative of a pilot code detected by a wireless device, the pilot code being shared by multiple Femto Access Points (FAPs) that each provide wireless service in at least a portion of the coverage area; receiving information indicative of an identification sequence detected by the wireless device that is associated with the pilot code, using the information indicative of the identification sequence to identify one of the FAPs that share the pilot code; and performing a hand-off of the call to the identified FAP to continue to provide wireless service for the call via the identified FAP.
US08675620B1
A method, apparatus and computer program product in which a computer system functions as a mesh point (MP) and provides scheduled service periods in wireless mesh networks is presented. The MP enters a light sleep mode. The MP determines peers of itself and determines beacons for the peers of itself. The MP then enters an Awake state for the beacons of its peers.
US08675613B2
A wireless communication system includes a network controller configured to manage communication time periods in a wireless network, and a plurality of peripheral devices connected to the network controller through the wireless network. Each peripheral device is associated with a respective contiguous communication time period during which communications between the network controller and the peripheral device are allowed. The network controller is further configured to identify an open communication time period associated with one of the plurality of peripheral devices that has no communication between the network controller and the one of the plurality of peripheral devices and associate another of the plurality of peripheral devices that is associated with a different communication time period with the identified open communication time period.
US08675606B2
A base station that supports different sectors and co-located different frequencies across the different sectors in a CDMA network having an Access Terminal includes a processing unit which determines a load imbalance on a connection in a first sector at a first frequency. The base station includes a network interface unit through which the processing unit offloads traffic from the connection in the first sector at the first frequency to a first or second sector at a second frequency. A method for sending traffic with a base station that supports different sectors and co-located different frequencies across the different sectors in a CDMA network having an Access Terminal including the steps of determining with a processing unit a load imbalance on a connection in a first sector at a first frequency. There is the step of offloading with the processing unit through network interface unit traffic from the connection in the first sector at the first frequency to a first or second sector at a second frequency.
US08675597B2
There is provided a method of transmitting control information in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) system, comprising transmitting first control information by means of cyclic shift delay diversity beam-forming and transmitting second control information. The first control information comprises information necessary for each of a plurality of target stations of the second control information to receive the second control information. The second control information beamformed and transmitted to the plurality of target stations.
US08675593B2
A wireless communication base station apparatus that allows the number of times of blind decodings at a mobile station to be reduced without increasing the overhead caused by notifying information. In this apparatus, a CCE allocation part (104) allocates allocation information allocated to a PDCCH received from modulation parts (103-1 to 103-K) to a particular one of a plurality of search spaces that is corresponding to a CCE aggregation size of the PDCCH. A placement part (108) then places the allocation information in one of downstream line resources, reserved for the PDCCH, that is corresponding to the CCE of the particular search space to which the allocation information has been allocated. A radio transmission part (111) then transmits an OFDM symbol, in which the allocation information has been placed, to the mobile station from an antenna (112).
US08675582B2
The present invention relates to the field of wireless communications technologies and discloses a method, an apparatus, and a system for setting up a Radio Bearer (RB) in order to enable end-to-end RB setup from a User Equipment (UE) to an evolved NodeB (eNB) in a relay network system. The method includes: receiving a first RB setup message sent by an eNB; performing RB setup preprocessing according to the first RB setup message; generating a second RB setup message according to a result of the RB setup preprocessing; and sending the second RB setup message to a UE, notifying the UE to set up an RB on an access link. The present invention is mainly applicable to the relay network system.
US08675580B2
Methods, apparatus and computer program products facilitate scheduling in a hybrid communication network with mobile devices of the first type such as device-to-device (D2D) mobile terminals and second type of mobile terminals such as cellular terminals. A scheduling activity factor is calculated based at least in part on a total number of both mobile devices of the first type and second type of mobile terminals, which is sent to at least one first type of mobile terminal. After signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) information is received from the at least one first type of mobile terminal after transmission of the scheduling activity factor, the first type of mobile terminal may be scheduled separately from second type of mobile terminals, based at least in part on the SINR information which is utilized to establish a predefined or determined threshold.
US08675579B2
A system and method for a system and method for allocating network resources for a communications link are provided. A method for communications controller operations includes allocating network resources to a communications link. The communications link includes an uplink (UL) part and a downlink (DL) part. The method also includes if a type of the allocated network resources is not equal in the DL part and the UL part, transmitting a first indication of the allocated network resources for one part of either the UL part or the DL part and a second indication of the allocated network resources for a remaining part of either the UL part or the DL part. The first indication and the second indication are based on an amount of network resources allocated. The method further includes if the type of the allocated network resources is equal in the DL part and the UL part, transmitting an indication of the allocated network resources for one part of either the UL part or the DL part. The indication is based on an amount of network resources allocated.
US08675574B2
There is provided an OFDMA communication system capable of suppressing the communication resource reduction and reducing the processing load on a base station. The system includes a downlink frame generation unit (14) that generates a downlink frame for a downlink period for performing communication to at least one terminal (20) of a plurality of terminals from the base station (10), an uplink frame generation unit (24) that generates an uplink frame for an uplink period for performing communication to the base station (10) from at least one terminal (20) of the plurality of terminals, and a channel allocation unit that allocates, for one terminal of the plurality of terminals, one or more subchannels available in the one terminal, wherein the channel allocation unit notifies information of the allocated one or more available subchannels to the one terminal only by the downlink frame.
US08675568B2
A method for use in a cellular system with a controlling node and user terminals, UEs. In the system, UEs can assume one of at least two states, a non-listening state, i.e. a state during which a UE does not listen for data from its controlling node, and a listening state, an “on duration” state. According to the method a UE in the system is able to alternate between said two states according to a certain scheme, the scheme according to which a UE in the system alternates between said two states being dependent on whether or not data units which are transmitted between the UE and its controlling node are received entirely and correctly within an initially allocated resource for each data unit.
US08675567B2
The present invention relates to re-establishment of dedicated bearers and more particularly, the invention relates to the re-establishment of dedicated bearers when connection is lost temporarily. This is provided in a device, method and system, in a packet based telecommunications network, for receiving on the communication interface an indication that a dedicated bearer for a user equipment, UE, has been deactivated, starting at least one timer, checking if uplink traffic is present for a communication bearer and if uplink traffic is detected on the communication bearer for a deactivated dedicated bearer re-establishing the dedicated bearer and stopping the timer.
US08675564B2
A multi-cell transmission diversity method and apparatus that is capable of forming two virtual antennas of each cell and producing orthogonality of the virtual antennas using an improved precoding technique in an OFDM-based cellular mobile communication system is provided for improving transmission diversity gain with coherent combination of the orthogonal signals at the receiver. A multi-cell transmission diversity transmission method of a transmitter according to the present invention includes generating a first signal stream and a second signal stream by performing transmission diversity encoding on a user data; multiplexing and precoding the first signal stream and a first dedicated reference signal into a first diversity signal; multiplexing and precoding the second signal stream and a second dedicated reference signal a second diversity signal; and transmitting the first and second diversity signals simultaneously, wherein the first dedicated reference signal and the second dedicated reference signal are user-specific reference signal signals.
US08675556B2
Provided a method for simultaneously transmitting data frames to a plurality of STAs in a multi-user based wireless communication system. The method includes: requesting sounding or feedback for the plurality of STAs by using a first control information frame containing first group information; receiving responses to the sounding or feedback request; reconfiguring the plurality of STAs composing the first group into a plurality of second groups on the basis of the responses such that the sum of maximum transport streams of the respective STAs composing one group becomes equal to or less than the maximum number of streams transmitted by an AP; transmitting a second control information frame containing second group information on the respective second groups to the plurality of STAs composing the first group; and transmitting data frames by using the second group information.
US08675555B2
An apparatus comprising: a local mobility anchor (LMA) configured to maintain a plurality of binding cache entries (BCEs) for two or more active interfaces between a mobile node (MN) and a plurality of mobile access gateways (MAGs) comprising a first MAG and a second MAG, wherein the BCEs comprise a first BCE that corresponds to a home interface between the MN and the first MAG and that comprises a first list of home network prefixes (HNPs), and wherein the BCEs further comprise a second BCE that is linked to the first BCE, that corresponds to a secondary interface between the MN and the second MAG, and that comprises a second list of HNPs.
US08675552B2
An apparatus is capable of transmitting information via an uplink control channel in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) communication system. Uplink control information is encoded to obtain a predetermined bit string. A signal sequence corresponding to the predetermined bit string is generated. The signal sequence is cyclic-shifted according to a predetermined rule. The cyclic-shifted signal sequence is controlled according to a subframe length. Therefore, reception performance deterioration of an uplink control channel allocated to an irregular subframe can be minimized.
US08675550B2
An enhanced access terminal (AT) that can serve as a “proxy wireless over-the-air backhaul or relay” is provided, to connect a base station with no backhaul to its neighboring fully functional base station that is connected to the NMS. In a further embodiment, an architecture and protocol for storing and retrieving data at the base station lacking backhaul is provided, and, using that information, a mechanism by which the ATR can communicate the format information to the source to improve interference cancellation at the base station lacking backhaul, and neighboring base stations, due to backhaul transmission from the AT's routing and relaying capability.
US08675546B2
A mobile station includes a radio link control unit for outputting or inputting data that are transmitted or received via a radio channel to or from a higher-level protocol layer, a media access control unit for outputting or inputting the data via a logical channel to or from the radio link control unit, a physical layer control unit for outputting or inputting the data via a transport channel to or from the media access control unit, and for controlling radio communications, and a radio resource control unit for outputting or inputting control data to or from the radio link control unit, media access control unit, and physical layer control unit. The mobile station multiplexes report information therefrom into a channel for packet data transmission so as to transmit it to a base station. The base station carries out assignment of radio resources using the report information.
US08675545B2
In a system where satellite communication using multi-beams is performed for each group including a plurality of beams, a required data transmission rate of each beam is detected for each group, more traffic resources are allocated to a beam having a higher required data transmission rate than other beams based on the detection result, and data traffic transmitted to each beam in the group is adaptively controlled.
US08675538B2
Techniques are generally described for receiving a multicast signal at a plurality of receivers and using the received multicast signals to recover an one-to-one communication for a recipient. Other embodiments may be disclosed and claimed.
US08675519B2
An Ethernet network comprises nodes which support a plurality of different forwarding modes. A range of VLAN Identifiers (VIDs) are allocated to each of the forwarding modes. Connections are configured between a source node and a destination node of the network using different forwarding modes. Packets carrying data traffic are sent to the destination node by selectively setting a VID in a packet to a first value, to transfer a packet via a first connection and a first forwarding mode, and a second value to transfer a packet via the second connection and the second forwarding mode. Packets received from both of the connections and sent on to an end user. VLAN Identifiers can be allocated to different releases of functionality at nodes (e.g. software releases) such that packets are forwarded via a set of nodes supporting a first release, or via a set of nodes supporting a second release.
US08675518B2
A message transport system may use a publication subscription mechanism to connect nodes and transport messages through the nodes. Each node may establish connections to other nodes, and subscription requests and publication notifications may be passed across the nodes to establish paths for messages. When a message is published, the message may be passed over those connections for which a subscription is active. A path identifier may be added to the message as it is passed between nodes, and the path identifier may be used by a subscribing node for identification of the information being received. When a subscriber notification is removed, the path may be deconstructed across multiple nodes. The nodes may be arranged such that each node is agnostic to any connections past the nodes to which it is connected, and may allow any node to subscribe to any information published within the network.
US08675515B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for performing elastic multiplexing for shared control channels in a wireless device in a wireless communication system. The present work includes, but is not limited to, phase feedback for closed-loop transmit diversity (CL-TD) in mobile wireless communication systems. The method enhances system performance with control channel scheduling flexibility around resource conflicts such as blocking and preemption. The present work discloses an elastic multiplexing processor that is cable of carrying out the elastic multiplexing process.
US08675514B2
A system and method for monitoring wireless network performance that provides a real-time detection and identification of problem areas within a wireless carrier's network. The method involves receiving and attempting to fulfill requests for vehicle services data sent via the wireless carrier system between vehicles and a call center or other remote facility. The success or failure of these attempts are recorded and associated with the geographic region in which the vehicle was located during the attempt, and this information for a multitude of vehicles is then analyzed in conjunction with other inputs and stored data to determine whether a particular geographic region is experiencing a wireless service outage or other degradation in performance.
US08675513B1
A mobile station and a radio access network (RAN) use a single-channel forward link and a single-channel reverse link for a communication session. If the quality of the communication session degrades, the single-channel forward link is replaced with a multi-channel forward link and/or the single-channel reverse link is replaced with a multi-channel reverse link. The multi-channel forward link may include a first forward link channel and a second forward link channel, each with a higher coding gain than that of the single-channel forward link, to provide an aggregate data rate that is substantially the same as that of the single-channel forward link. The multi-channel reverse link may include a first reverse link channel and a second reverse link channel, each with a higher coding gain than that of the single-channel reverse link, to provide an aggregate data rate that is substantially the same as that of the single-channel reverse link.
US08675510B2
A scheduler and scheduling method that may select a data transmission time interval and a data transmitting station are included in a multi-user Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) communication system. An access point may include a receiver to receive channel measurement signals from stations using a plurality of receive antennas; a channel estimation unit to generate channel state matrices with respect to wireless channels formed from the stations to the receive antennas using the channel measurement signals; and a scheduler to select at least one transmitting station from the stations by considering the channel state matrices and a number of the receive antennas. The receiver may receive a data stream from the selected transmitting stations. Stations receive identifiers corresponding to transmitting stations and/or transmitting antennas to identify stations or antennas for transmitting data streams to the access point.
US08675509B2
The scheduler in a base station needs CQI information from a terminal for all re-use sets every 5 ms. to decide on which re-use set to schedule a given terminal. For MIMO users, the problem is that the CQI cannot be reconstructed for all re-use sets, using the current design. Solution: (1) For Multiple Code Word MIMO users, a MIMO VCQI connection layer message enables the base station to reconstruct the MIMO-CQI for all reuse sets on a packet-by-packet basis. This will enable dynamic scheduling (RESTRICTIVE REUSE) gains. (2) For Single Code Word users, dynamic RESTRICTIVE REUSE can be obtained by changing the CQI reporting format, and also sending a MIMO-VCQI connection layer message. (3) For Single Code Word design, quasi-static scheduling gains can be obtained by sending a MIMO-VCQI connection layer message.
US08675508B2
The present invention relates to a method for transmitting a plurality of data streams from a primary station to a secondary station on a plurality of transmission beams, said method comprising: at the secondary station measuring the channel quality corresponding to each transmission beam, and signalling at a first rate to the primary station in a first indicator a CQI report representative of the quality of the beams, and signalling at a second rate, greater than the first rate, in a second indicator a number of data streams that can be transmitted on the transmission beams; at the primary station transmitting the data streams on the basis of the first and second indicators.
US08675506B2
In order to specify a data discarding point in a network, provided is a network system for collecting, in the network including an access network and a transport network, pieces of statistical information including a traffic amount of the network, including: an access terminal coupled to the access network; and an edge node for interconnecting the access network and the transport network, in which: the access terminal is configured to: measure pieces of statistical information including a traffic amount in the access terminal; and notify the edge node of the measured pieces of statistical information; and the edge node collects the pieces of statistical information notified by the access terminal.
US08675505B2
Methods and apparatus for efficient network information acquisition over a DVB network. In an aspect, a method includes identifying an IP/MAC platform, acquiring network information table (NIT) information in a transport stream being transmitted on a forward link frequency, acquiring IP/MAC network table (INT) information associated with the IP/MAC platform based on the NIT information, creating a network list that identifies all networks referred to by all stream location descriptors associated with the selected IP/MAC platform based on the INT information, and acquiring network information for all the networks in the network list. In an aspect, an apparatus includes means for identifying an IP/MAC platform, means for acquiring NIT information, and means for acquiring INT information, means for creating a network list that identifies networks associated with the selected IP/MAC platform, and means for acquiring network information for all the networks in the network list.
US08675504B2
An ethernet transceiver integrated circuit chip is disclosed including a plurality of transceivers for coupling to a corresponding plurality of physical channels. A channel switcher is coupled to the plurality of transceivers. During a first mode of operation, the channel switcher activates all of the plurality of transceivers to transceive data in accordance with a first aggregate data transfer rate. During a second mode of operation, the channel switcher activates less than all of the plurality of transceivers to transceive data in accordance with a second aggregate data rate that is less than the first aggregate data transfer rate.
US08675502B2
The relative one-way delays from a networked device to a remote device can be determined based on the round-trip delay of pairs of probe/probe-return packets as each pair takes a different path to the remote device and takes the same path from the remote device to the networked device. The relative one-way delays from a remote device to a networked device can be determined based on the round-trip delay of pairs of probe/probe-return packets as each pair takes a same path to the remote device and takes a different path from the remote device to the networked device.
US08675499B2
A method for relocating User Equipment (UE). The method includes a Source Home Node B (S-HNB) sending a Radio Access Network Application Part (RANAP) Relocation Required message and a RANAP Relocation Request message encapsulated in a RANAP User Adaptation (RUA) Direct Transfer message to an HNB gateway (HNB GW). The method also includes the HNB GW sending the RANAP Relocation Request message encapsulated in a RUA Direct Transfer message or in a RUA Connection message to a target HNB (T-HNB). The relocation method may have several advantages. For example, the HNB GW is not required to store a large amount of UE Context, thereby reducing the burden of the HNB GW. The interaction with the CN is decreased, thereby reducing the burden of the CN. The HNB GW is not required to construct RANAP relocation messages, thereby reducing the complexity of the HNB GW.
US08675498B2
In an example embodiment, a method and system to provide aggregated alarm indication signals is provided. In example embodiments, an affected intermediate node detects a signal failure. A list of affected networks is determined, and a single aggregated alarm indication signal (AIS) message is generated per MEG level. The aggregated AIS message is then multicast to affected nodes. Instead of sending one AIS message per affected network, a single aggregated AIS message from the affected intermediate node may be generated and sent regardless of the number of affected networks.
US08675493B2
A method of providing at least one restoration path for a primary routing path in a network. The method includes receiving a customer connection request to route information. Costs are assigned for the primary routing path, and the primary routing path is computed based upon the primary routing path costs. A backtracking distance over the primary routing path is determined, and costs for at least one restoration path are assigned. The at least one restoration path may then be computed based upon the at least one restoration path costs.
US08675487B2
Various exemplary embodiments relate to method of generating PCC rules for managing packet traffic across a network. The method may include: receiving a request message for PCC rules from a requesting network component, authorizing the first requested bandwidth for a first traffic mapping; authorizing a third bandwidth for at least a second traffic mapping wherein the third authorized bandwidth is less than or equal to a second requested bandwidth minus the first requested bandwidth; generating a first PCC rule comprising: a service flow corresponding to the first traffic mapping and the first authorized bandwidth; and generating a second PCC rule comprising: a service flow corresponding to the second traffic mapping and the third authorized bandwidth. Various exemplary embodiments relate to a Policy and Control Rules Node (PCRN) for generating PCC rules. The PCRN may include an interface, service flow extractor, policy engine, rule generator, rules storage and rules manager.
US08675486B2
An approach for providing flow control in a radio communication system is disclosed. A request from a non-satellite system specific side of a transport interface is made to a system specific side of the transport interface for a flow control allocation that specifies an amount of data to be stored in a queue of the system specific side of the transport interface. The system specific side supports a signaling function that is based on a transmission characteristic of the radio communication system. The flow control allocation is generated based upon availability of the queue, wherein the destination address is a link layer address of the satellite communication system. This arrangement has particular applicability to a satellite network (e.g., Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) network) that provides data communication services.
US08675479B2
A network layout between network elements and routers using network redundancy to improve reliability of network communication is disclosed. Upon detecting a link failure associated with a primary link between an access switch and a primary router by the access switch via a connectivity verification protocol, the access switch sends a message to the primary router indicating connection defect via the connectivity verification protocol such as IEEE 802.1 ag standard. After enabling protection switching mechanism to activate a secondary link between the access switch and a backup router for network communication, routing data streams are routed between the access switch and the router via the secondary link. In one aspect, the protection switching mechanism is operated in accordance with G.8031 under International Telecommunication Union (“ITU”) standard.
US08675474B2
A system and method for handling an error in a LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) transaction is provided. The method includes the steps of: receiving, by a receiver, at least one of a plurality of LPP messages from a sender, wherein each of the LPP messages has a sequence number; returning, by the receiver, an acknowledgment to the sender for each of the at least one received LPP message; returning, by the receiver, an error indication to the sender when the receiver detects an error in the at least one received LPP message; and receiving, by the receiver, at least one of the at least one received LPP message retransmitted by the sender.
US08675473B2
Aspects of the disclosure relate to routing of an emergency communication under fault conditions. Routing can be implemented in a packet-switching (PS) network that provides voice service. For a network node of the PS network, availability to route the emergency communication through a specific emergency service routing number (ESRN) can be determined and, in response to the network node being unavailable, administrative data associated with the ESRN can be accessed. In addition, an identifier associated with the administrative data can be updated (e.g., created or modified) with data indicative of the device that originated the emergency communication. The administrative data and the resulting identifier can be delivered to a second network node that can route the emergency communication to an emergency service network.
US08675463B2
An optical disc driving device includes a control circuit 4 for performing a gain adjustment for each of two recording surfaces of a multilayered optical disc 1 on the basis of an FE signal in such a way as to maintain a state in which light is focused onto either of the recording surfaces, to generate a focus servo loop signal, and for generating a focus jump signal for causing either a transition from a state in which the light is focused onto one recording surface to a state in which the light is focused onto the other recording surface, or a transition in the opposite direction from a threshold set up on the basis of an amount of gain adjustment, and a focus actuator driving circuit 5 for performing either a focus jump or an operation of maintaining the state in which the light is focused.
US08675461B1
Devices, methods, and other embodiments associated with adjusting a defect threshold are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes defect detection logic and threshold adjustment logic. The defect detection logic determines, by using a defect threshold, if a read channel has read data from a defective portion of an optical disc. The threshold adjustment logic adjusts the defect threshold based, at least in part, on a gain value of a gain loop associated with the read channel.
US08675458B2
In connecting flexible printed circuits, a structure with improved connection strength of the connection portion is provided. In this structure in which a first flexible printed circuit and a second flexible printed circuit are connected to each other, a through-hole is provided on the second flexible printed circuit, and a resin member passes through the through-hole and is adhered to the wires of a connection surface of the first flexible printed circuit and the side of the second flexible printed circuit opposite to the connection surface, whereby impact is absorbed by the elasticity of the resin; as for the first flexible printed circuit, adhesion is performed on a metal in a wiring layer with high adhesion strength, while as for the second flexible printed circuit, adhesion is performed on the back side upon which no peeling stress is exerted, improving joining strength to prevent peeling.
US08675455B1
Systems and methods for controlling light phase difference in interferometric waveguides at near field transducers by selectively heating the light source are provided. One such system for controlling light phase at the NFT of an interferometric waveguide includes a laser, a heater configured to heat the laser, a splitter configured to receive light from the laser and to split the light into a first waveguide arm and a second waveguide arm, the first waveguide arm and the second waveguide arm converging at a junction about opposite the splitter, and the NFT proximate the junction and configured to receive the light, where the first waveguide arm is longer than the second waveguide arm by a preselected distance, and where the heater is configured to generate and maintain a preselected phase difference in the light arriving at the NFT via the first waveguide arm and the second waveguide arm.
US08675449B2
An ultrasound sensor for distance detection includes a transducer external surface and a blockage sensor provided on the transducer external surface. The surface of the blockage sensor terminates flush with the transducer external surface and is sensitive to an electrical characteristic or is sensitive to a temperature present at the blockage sensor surface. In this way, the blockage sensor can determine whether the ultrasound transducer is blocked by a layer of ice or whether the sensor is free of blockage.
US08675447B2
A device, medium and method for de-blending seismic data associated with a subsurface of the earth. The method includes a step of receiving seismic data “d” recorded with one or more land receivers, wherein the seismic data includes shot recordings generated by plural sources that are simultaneously actuated; a step of forming either a continuous receiver trace or trace segments from the received seismic data; a step of selecting plural overlapping spatial blocks that cover the surface shot locations; a step of assigning the shot recordings to the plural overlapping spatial blocks; a step of applying a mathematical technique to the recordings to determine de-blended data; and a step of generating an image of the subsurface based on the de-blended data.
US08675445B2
A beamformer for forming a reception beam using a multichannel signal reflected from a subject is provided. The beamformer includes a signal generator that may generate a plurality of signals to which different apodization functions are applied, with respect to the multichannel signal, an estimator that may estimate a signal predominant component and a noise predominant component from the plurality of signals, a weight calculator that may calculate a weight to be applied to the signal predominant component according to each of channels, using the estimated signal predominant component and the estimated noise predominant component, and a weight applier that may apply the calculated weight to the estimated signal predominant component.
US08675444B2
A technique for memory command throttling in a partitioned memory subsystem includes accepting, by a master memory controller included in multiple memory controllers, a synchronization command. The synchronization command includes command data that includes an associated synchronization indication (e.g., a synchronization bit or bits) for each of the multiple memory controllers and each of the multiple memory controllers controls a respective partition of the partitioned memory subsystem. In response to receiving the synchronization command, the master memory controller forwards the synchronization command to the multiple memory controllers. In response to receiving the forwarded synchronization command each of the multiple memory controllers de-asserts an associated status bit. In response to receiving the forwarded synchronization command, each of the multiple memory controllers determines whether the associated synchronization indication is asserted. Each of the multiple memory controllers with the asserted associated synchronization indication then transmits the forwarded synchronization command to associated power control logic.
US08675439B2
In a digital memory with an array of bit cells coupled to word lines and bit lines, each bit cell having cross coupled inverters isolated from bit lines by passing gate transistors until addressed, some or all of the bit cells are switchable between a sleep mode and a standby mode in response to a control signal. A bit line bias circuit controls the voltage at which the bit lines are caused to float when in the sleep mode. A pull-up transistor for each bit line BL or BLB in a complementary pair has a conductive channel coupled to a positive supply voltage and a gate coupled to the other bit line in the pair, BLB or BL, respectively. A connecting transistor also can be coupled between the bit lines of the complementary pair, bringing the floating bit lines to the supply voltage less a difference voltage ΔV.
US08675437B2
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of bank sets and an address controller. Each bank set includes a plurality of banks. Each bank includes a plurality of memory mats and sense amplifier arrays corresponding to row addresses. The plurality of bank sets is arranged in both sides of arrays of power electrode pads to be used for operations of the sense amplifier arrays. The plurality of bank sets commonly shares the arrays of power electrode pads. The address controller generates different row addresses that are supplied to different ones of the plurality of bank sets. The different row addresses designate different memory mats in the different ones of the plurality of bank sets, so as to designate different arrays of the power electrode pads for the different ones of the plurality of bank sets for refresh operation in accordance with an external refresh command.
US08675434B1
A memory device can include first sense amplifiers coupled to bit lines of a memory array in a first access period and de-coupled from the bit lines in a first sense period, the first sense amplifiers configured to amplify data signals from the memory array in the first sense period; and second sense amplifiers coupled to the bit lines in a second access period that follows the first access period and configured to amplify data signals from the memory cell array in a second sense period that overlaps the first sense period.
US08675432B2
Provided is a semiconductor device capable of effectively testing whether memory cells and a memory cell array are defective. The semiconductor device may include a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells and an external test pad connected to an internal test pad. A test voltage may be applied to the plurality of word lines connected to the plurality of memory cells via the external test pad and the internal test pad in a test mode, wherein the test voltage disables the plurality of word lines.
US08675422B2
A semiconductor device includes an internal circuit and an internal voltage generation circuit which generates an internal voltage stabilized with respect to a variation of the power supply voltage supplied from the outside and supplies the internal voltage to the internal circuit. The internal voltage generation circuit performs control so that when the power supply voltage rises to exceed a predetermined value, an operation of stabilizing the internal voltage is stopped to cause the internal voltage to increase with the rise of the power supply voltage.
US08675419B2
A semiconductor device includes a delay buffer, and a pipeline control circuit. The pipeline control circuit controls the delay buffer to hold read data from outputting to a read/write bus for each of banks based on a read command to the each bank while the pipeline control circuit controlling the delay buffer to output write data to the read/write bus, when a next command to the each bank is a write command for the write data. The read/write bus is common to the banks.
US08675413B2
Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed, including an electronic device that includes a first data location, a quantizing circuit, and a reference current source, all coupled to an electrical conductor. The reference current source may include a current mirror with a side coupled to the electrical conductor and a second data location coupled to another side of the current mirror.
US08675411B2
An electronic device including a set of functional block, and a biasing block for generating a set of bias voltages for the functional blocks. The electronic device further includes a holding block coupled between the biasing block and the functional blocks for providing each bias voltage to at least one corresponding functional block, for each bias voltage the holding block including a capacitive element for storing the bias voltage, and a switch element switchable between an accumulation condition wherein provides the bias voltage from the biasing block to the capacitive element and to the at least one corresponding functional block, and a release condition wherein isolates the capacitive element from the biasing block and provides the bias voltage from the capacitive element to the at least one corresponding functional block, and a control block for alternately switching the switching elements between the accumulation condition and the release condition.
US08675398B2
Memory elements are provided that exhibit immunity to soft error upset events when subjected to high-energy atomic particle strikes. The memory elements may each have ten transistors including two address transistors and four transistor pairs that are interconnected to form a bistable element. Clear lines such as true and complement clear lines may be routed to positive power supply terminals and ground power supply terminals associated with certain transistor pairs. During clear operations, some or all of the transistor pairs can be selectively depowered using the clear lines. This facilitates clear operations in which logic zero values are driven through the address transistors and reduces cross-bar current surges.
US08675397B2
The present disclosure provides a dual port static random access memory (SRAM) cell. The dual-port SRAM cell includes a first and second inverters cross-coupled for data storage, each inverter includes a pull-up device (PU) and a plurality of pull-down devices (PDs); a plurality of pass gate devices configured with the two cross-coupled inverters; and at least two ports coupled with the plurality of pass gate devices (PGs) for reading and writing, wherein each of PU, PDs and PGs includes a fin field-effect transistor (FinFET), a ratio between a number of PDs in the SRAM cell and a number of PGs in the SRAM cell is greater than 1, and a number of FinFETs in the SRAM cell is equal to or greater than 12.
US08675394B2
An object is to provide a semiconductor device which can hold stored data even when not powered and which achieves high integration by reduction of the number of wirings. The semiconductor device is formed using a material which can sufficiently reduce the off-state current of a transistor, e.g., an oxide semiconductor material which is a wide bandgap semiconductor. When a semiconductor material which allows a sufficient reduction in the off-state current of a transistor is used, data can be held for a long period. One line serves as the word line for writing and the word line for reading and one line serves as the bit line for writing and the bit line for reading, whereby the number of wirings is reduced. Further, by reducing the number of source lines, the storage capacity per unit area is increased.
US08675391B2
A method for operating a circuit (100) containing memristive devices (130) senses respective states of a plurality of memristive devices (130) and refreshes the respective states of the memristive devices (130) according to the states sensed. A memristive device (100) including an array of memristive devices (130) between crossing lines (110 and 120) includes logic that senses respective states of memristive devices (130) and refreshes the respective states of the memristive devices (130) according to the states sensed.
US08675385B2
A first semiconductor device is formed over a substrate and includes a first insulation film, a first electrode, and a first diffusion layer. A second semiconductor device is formed over a substrate and includes a second insulation film, a second electrode, and a second diffusion layer. The second electrode is coupled to the first electrode. A control transistor allows one of a source and a drain to be coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode, allows the other one of the source and the drain to be coupled to a bit line, and allows a gate electrode to be coupled to a word line. A first potential control line is coupled to the first diffusion layer and controls a potential of the first diffusion layer. A second potential control line is coupled to the second diffusion layer and controls a potential of the second diffusion layer.
US08675384B2
A non-volatile memory device includes an array of memory units, each having resistive memory cells and a local word line. Each memory cell has a first and a second end, the second ends are coupled to the local word line of the corresponding memory unit. Bit lines are provided, each coupled to the first end of each resistive memory cell. A plurality of select transistors is provided, each associated with one memory unit and having a drain terminal coupled to the local word line of the associated memory unit. First and second global word lines are provided, each coupled to a control terminal of at least one select transistor. First and second source lines are provided, each coupled to a source terminal of at least one select transistor. The memory device is configured to concurrently read out all resistive memory cells in one selected memory unit in a read operation.
US08675375B2
The present invention provides a DC/DC converter for use with a DC input signal. The DC/DC converter includes a control signal generator, a primary and a secondary side, a voltage generating portion, a threshold voltage providing portion and a feedback signal generator. The control signal generator can control the primary side and the secondary side. The voltage generating portion can generate a surge voltage based a control signal from the control signal generator. The threshold voltage providing portion can generate a threshold voltage. The feedback signal generator can generate a feedback signal based on the surge voltage and the threshold voltage. The control signal generator can further modify control of one of the primary and secondary sides based on the feedback signal.
US08675371B2
On a typical motherboard the processor and memory are separated by a printed circuit data bus that traverses the motherboard. Throughput, or data transfer rate, on the data bus is much lower than the rate at which a modern processor can operate. The difference between the data bus throughput and the processor speed significantly limits the effective processing speed of the computer when the processor is required to process large amounts of data stored in the memory. The processor is forced to wait for data to be transferred to or from the memory, leaving the processor under-utilized. The delays are compounded in a distributed computing system including a number of computers operating in parallel. The present disclosure describes systems, method and apparatus that alleviate delays so that memory access bottlenecks are not compounded within distributed computing systems.
US08675356B2
A consumer electronic system for holding and providing power to as many as three consumer electronic devices has three cradles in a staggered configuration. One of the cradles is positioned behind and between the remaining two cradles. Thereby the cradle positioned behind the other two cradles is capable of supporting a larger consumer electronic device without blocking the front two cradles. The support walls of the front two cradles provide a surface that supports the larger consumer electronic device.
US08675352B2
A method for a portable device, the method including a) decoupling a first flexible element from a support body coupled to the portable device, the first flexible element and one or more additional flexible elements, when coupled to the support body, cooperatively supporting the support body and the portable device above a work surface; b) coupling the first flexible element to one additional flexible element of the one or more additional flexible elements; c) flexing the first flexible element and at least one of the one or more additional flexible elements into a carrying component, the carrying component including a generally arcuate path, the arcuate path including a deflection of the elements of at least about 90 degrees; d) coupling the carrying component to the portable device.
US08675350B2
A gas insulated switchgear includes: a center conductor that is arranged to extend horizontally in a tank; a cylindrical member that is arranged in the tank to surround a center conductor, and formed by curving a metal plate-like member into a cylindrical shape and then joining circumferentially opposed both ends of the plate-like member by welding to form a welding portion, the welding portion being located on a lower side of the cylindrical member; and a current transformer for instruments, through which the cylindrical member is inserted, the current transformer being supported by the cylindrical member, and being arranged to surround the center conductor. The welding portion includes a metal spacer sandwiched between the circumferentially opposed both ends of the plate-like member, and the spacer and the ends are welded to each other.
US08675345B2
There is provided a thin highly dielectric film for a film capacitor being excellent in mechanical strength, in which highly dielectric inorganic particles can be blended to a dielectric resin at high ratio, and rubber particles (B) and preferably highly dielectric inorganic particles (C) are dispersed in a thermoplastic resin (A).
US08675341B2
In a multilayer ceramic electronic component, when a region of a ceramic body in layers where neither of a first internal electrode and a second internal electrode is provided as viewed in a direction in which a plurality of ceramic layers are stacked on one another is defined as a non-effective layer region, a dummy lead-through conductor is arranged in the non-effective layer region so as to lead to at least two locations on portions of superficies of the ceramic body and be electrically connected to a second external electrode. When a conductive medium is brought into contact with one of a plurality of exposed edges of the dummy lead-through conductor, a current is also applied to the other exposed edges.
US08675336B2
Multiple wound film capacitors include a hollow core formed by a first non-conducting tubular section, and a first capacitor winding wrapped around the first non-conducting tubular section. Also included are a second non-conducting tubular section wrapped around the first capacitor winding, and a second capacitor winding wrapped around the second non-conducting tubular section. The multiple wound film capacitors may also include a third non-conducting tubular section wrapped around the second capacitor winding, and a third capacitor winding wrapped around the third non-conducting tubular section. In addition, ends of the first and second non-conducting tubular sections extend beyond ends of the first and second capacitor windings.
US08675323B2
Provided is an ESD protection circuit for CDM capable of preventing a high current from flowing and preventing breakage when a battery is connected with reverse polarity. The ESD protection circuit employs a circuit configuration in which transistor elements are interposed in series to OFF transistors (11 and 13) included in the ESD protection circuit for CDM so that parasitic diodes of the transistor elements are connected to parasitic diodes of the OFF transistors in a reverse direction.
US08675322B2
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device electronically connected to a pad is provided. The ESD protection device includes K PNP transistors and a protection circuit, wherein K is a positive integer. An emitter of the 1st PNP transistor is electronically connected to the pad, a base of the ith PNP transistor is electronically connected to an emitter of the (i+1)th PNP transistor, and collectors of the K PNP transistors are electronically connected to a ground, wherein i is an integer and 1≦i≦(K−1). The protection circuit is electronically connected between a base of the Kth PNP transistor and the ground and provides a discharge path. An electrostatic signal from the pad is conducted to the ground through the discharge path and the K PNP transistors.
US08675312B2
Assuming that a length in the suspension longitudinal direction between a distal edge of a supporting part and a dimple is represented by “L”, plural load beam part welding points at which spot welding are made for fixing a load beam part fixed region of a flexure base plate to a plate-like main body portion of a load beam part include paired right and left main welding points that are arranged symmetrically to each other with respect to a suspension longitudinal center line and that are disposed within a center region away from the distal edge of the supporting part by more than or equal to 0.4*L and less than or equal to 0.6*L.
US08675305B2
A base unit includes a base member and a connector. The base member includes a bottom plate portion, a window portion, and a first groove. The first groove is defined in an upper surface of the bottom plate portion around the window portion. The connector includes a board portion and an electrode terminal. The board portion is arranged on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion to cover the window portion and the first groove. The electrode terminal is arranged to overlap with the window portion in the axial direction. An adhesive is arranged between the upper surface of the bottom plate portion and the lower surface of the board portion. The adhesive is arranged to extend continuously in an annular or substantially annular shape around the window portion while being arranged in at least a portion of the first groove.
US08675302B2
A library system which is provided with a cartridge magazine which stores a plurality of cartridges and enables cartridges to be taken out of and inserted into the library system, a key lock mechanism which prevents takeout of a cartridge by a key, and a key and a takeout lock mechanism of the cartridge magazine in the library system, wherein when a key locked cartridge magazine is loaded into the library system, a robot inside of the library system is used to operate the key to disengage the key lock of the cartridge magazine and lock takeout from the library system.
US08675301B2
A tape cartridge library that is equipped with a cleaning device is described. The tape cartridge library essentially includes a plurality of tape cartridges each possessing recording tape media. A plurality of tape drives that read and write data to and from each of the tape cartridges. A tape cleaning drive incapable of transferring data to and from the recording tape media which is independent of the tape drives, the tape cleaning drive disposed entirely within the tape cartridge library. The tape cleaning drive automatically receives one of the tape cartridges and cleans its respective recording tape medium when a predetermined reason for cleaning the tape cartridge is justified.
US08675300B2
According to one embodiment, there is provided an information recording device that records information on a magnetic disk using a magnetic head. The registering module registers position data of a temporary defective sector using a sector where an off-track has occurred as a temporary defective sector. The reading module reads data from a target track. The cancellation processing module performs inter-track interference component cancellation processing with respect to the data read by the reading module using data written to a track adjacent to the target track, in which when a sector adjacent to a processing target sector in a track width direction is a temporary defective sector registered in the registering module, inter-track interference component cancellation processing is performed using data written to a substitute sector corresponding to the registered temporary defective sector.
US08675298B2
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing. For example, some embodiments of the present invention provide data processing circuits that include both a main data processing circuit and an adaptive setting determination circuit. The main data processing circuit receives a series of data samples and includes: an equalizer circuit and a data detector circuit. The equalizer circuit receives the series of data samples and provides an equalized output. The equalizer circuit is controlled at least in part by a coefficient. The data detector circuit receives the equalizer output and provides a main data output based at least in part on a target. The adaptive setting determination circuit receives the series of data samples and the main data output, and operates in parallel with the main data processing circuit to adaptively determine the coefficient and the target.
US08675294B2
A lens driving device comprises a lens holder for holding a lens, a shaft for supporting the lens holder so as to make the lens holder movable in an optical axis direction of the lens and swingable about an axis of the shaft, an actuator for applying a driving force to the lens holder so as to move the lens holder in the optical axis direction; and an urging member for applying an urging force to the lens holder so as to rotate the lens holder toward the actuator. In the lens holder, a position where the urging force is applied by the urging member and a position where the driving force is applied by the actuator oppose each other, so that the urging force from the urging member is directed to the actuator.
US08675293B2
An optical probe for emitting and/or receiving light within a body comprises an optical fiber that transmits and/or receives an optical signal, a silicon optical bench including a fiber groove running longitudinally that holds an optical fiber termination of the optical fiber and a reflecting surface that optically couples an endface of the optical fiber termination to a lateral side of the optical bench. The fiber groove is fabricated using silicon anisotropic etching techniques. Some examples use a housing around the optical bench that is fabricated using LIGA or other electroforming technology. A method for a forming lens structure is also described that comprises forming a refractive lens in a first layer of a composite wafer material, such as SOI (silicon on insulator) wafers and forming an optical port through a backside of the composite wafer material along an optical axis of the refractive lens. The refractive lens is preferably formed using grey-scale lithography and dry etching the first layer.
US08675292B2
A projection lens for projecting an image beam is provided. The image beam is converted by a light valve from an illumination beam irradiating the light valve. The projection lens includes a first lens group, a second lens group, and a third lens group. The first lens group is disposed on a transmission path of the image beam, and has a first optical axis. The second lens group is disposed on both a transmission path of the illumination beam and the transmission path of the image beam, and between the light valve and the first lens group. The second lens group has a second optical axis. The second optical axis is inclined with respect to the first optical axis. The third lens group is disposed on the transmission path of the image beam, and between the first lens group and the second lens group. A projection apparatus is also provided.
US08675285B2
A changer includes an axis of rotation for at least one optical element for at least one optical path comprising an optical axis. The changer inserts the optical element into the optical path by a rotary motion or removes it from the optical path. The optical path is one of at least two spatially connected optical paths and the axis of rotation of the changer is located between two parallel lines. The parallel lines run in a plane through the interfaces of the optical axes of the optical paths with one plane, which intersects the optical axes under the same angles and is perpendicular to the plane, which is spanned by the optical axes. The parallel lines are perpendicular to the connecting line between the two interfaces of the optical axes of the optical paths with the one plane, which intersects the optical axes under the same angles.
US08675284B2
Disclosed is a truncated ball lens, and method of making same, in which a ball lens, having a focal point internal to (i.e., inside of) the ball lens, is constructed by removing a surface of the ball lens so as to expose the focal point. The exposed side of the truncated ball lens faces the endface of a fiber directing light towards the lens. In a preferred embodiment, an optical axis of the truncated ball lens coincides with an optical axis of the fiber.
US08675280B2
The invention relates to an optical filter structure composed of at least two adjacent elementary optical filters, an elementary optical filter being centred on an optimum transmission frequency, characterised in that it comprises a stack of n metallic layers (m1-m3) and n−1 dielectric layers (d2-d3), each metallic layer alternating with a dielectric layer such that the central layer in the stack is a metallic layer (m2), each of the layers in the stack having a constant thickness except for the central metallic layer for which the varying thickness fixes the optimum transmission frequency of an elementary filter.
US08675278B2
A high zoom-ratio zoom lens system includes a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, a positive third lens group and a positive fourth lens group, in that order from the object side. Upon zooming from the short focal length extremity to the long focal length extremity, at least the first through third lens groups move along the optical axis direction in a manner so that the distance between the first lens group and the second lens group increases, the distance between the second lens group and the third lens group decreases, and the distance between the third lens group and the fourth lens group increases, wherein the amount of movement of the first lens group during zooming is larger than that of the third lens group.
US08675272B2
An optical modulator, methods of manufacturing and operating the same, and an optical apparatus including the optical modulator are disclosed. The optical modulator includes an electro-optical converter and an optical-electric converter, stacked perpendicular to a substrate, and a gate transistor. The gate transistor gates a signal transmitted to the electro-optical converter from the optical-electric converter and allows charges generated in the optical-electric converter and charges remaining in the electro-optical converter to flow while bypassing the electro-optical converter when gating ON is performed.
US08675265B2
An image reading apparatus, including: a placement portion on which an original is to be placed; an openable and closable pressure portion which presses, the original, which is placed on the placement portion, against the placement portion; a reading unit which moves in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to a main scanning direction to read image information of the original, which is pressed against the placement portion by the openable and closable pressure portion, and a step portion, which is provided in a pressure surface of the openable and closable pressure portion which presses the original against the placement stand, and in a state in which the openable and closable pressure portion is closed, forms a space portion extending in the sub-scanning direction so as to communicate to at least one end in the sub-scanning direction.
US08675261B2
Methods of manufacturing a security element for a security document include: a first portion of the security document, the first portion of the security document having at least one aperture therethrough, the or each aperture being defined by an internal surface of the first portion of the document; and either printing through the first portion of the security document such that ink is deposited onto at least a part of the internal surface of the at least one aperture, or printing through the first portion of the security document onto a second portion of the security document provided behind the first portion of the security document, such that ink is deposited onto at least a part of the second portion of the security document aligned with the at least one aperture.
US08675255B2
A second chromaticity feature is corrected and approximated to a first chromaticity feature, a new limit value for an ink amount is determined based on the second chromaticity feature after the approximation, optimization is performed by designating an ink amount which is equal to or less than the newly determined limit value when an ink amount reproducing a hue value represented by a lattice point is determined by the optimization of the ink amount with the use of an object function for evaluating image quality when the designated amount of ink is made to adhere to a first print medium, the ink amount determined by the optimization is converted with a conversion relationship based on the first chromaticity feature and the second chromaticity feature, and a profile for a second print medium, for which the converted ink amount has been defined, is created.
US08675254B2
An image processing device includes: a storage part configured to store a correlation between a pre-deformation color and a post-deformation color that reflects a color variation accompanying a deformation of a medium, with respect to a degree of deformation of the medium; an acquisition part configured to acquire degree-of-deformation information and color information for each region of a deformed object; and a determination part configured to determine a color of the image based on the degree-of-deformation information, the color information, and the correlation, so that the post-deformation color of each region of the deformed object approximates the color information.
US08675247B2
There is provided an image file creation device including: an obtaining section that obtains image data forming a color image, conversion conditions for converting the image data into color data of a device-independent color space, and basic viewing conditions for viewing the color image; an input section that inputs target viewing conditions for viewing a formed image that is formed by using the image data; and a creation section that creates an image file containing a main data region for storing the image data, the conversion conditions and the basic viewing conditions, and a sub-data region for storing the target viewing conditions.
US08675231B2
A method and system for managing print shop workflow determines whether variations in print shop workflow may be reduced by shifting one or more customers' scheduled orders to different time periods. By shifting an order from one time period to another, the system may reduce variability in demand levels over time, thus helping increase overall system efficiency. To do this, one or more customers are selected as candidates for print shop order rescheduling. The system identifies customer orders that, if moved to other time periods, will most reduce demand level variations. A user may accept the system's recommendations, or the system may present a user with several alternative load leveling options for selection. The system may then cause the orders to be printed based on the load leveling proposal and the user's selection.
US08675228B2
According to an aspect of the invention, an information processing system includes a control device, an information processing apparatus, a control target device. The information processing apparatus is connected to the control device. The control target device is connected to the information processing apparatus. The control device includes a first unit that receives a first request and transmits a first result of a first processing about the first request to the information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes a second unit that accepts the first request, transmits the first request to the control device, and receives the first result from the control device, and a third unit that determines whether the received first result includes an instruction to request the control target device to perform a processing, and when it is determined that the first result includes the instruction, requests the control target device to perform the processing.
US08675215B2
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that performs a print job. During operation, the system obtains one or more regions of interest associated with print data for the print job, wherein the print data is not formatted for a media size for the print job. Next, the system scales the print data based on a region of interest from the one or more regions of interest and the media size. Finally, the system sends the print job to a printer, wherein the print job is executed using the printer.
US08675212B2
Disclosed is an image processing apparatus, comprising: a control section including a plurality of operation units; and a nonvolatile storage section to store a program to execute analysis processing and rendering processing by a control of the control section, the analysis processing analyzing page description language format data to generate intermediate language format data by the band, and the rendering processing generating rendering data based on the generated intermediate language format data, wherein the control section assigns the operation units the analysis and rendering processing to be executed, based on the stored program, wherein at least one of the operation units is capable of executing the analysis and rendering processing, and wherein when the operation unit is executing one of the analysis and rendering processing, and when an event which suspends the processing being executed occurs, the operation unit executes the other processing.
US08675205B2
The time delay (and therefore the OPD) between object and reference beams in an interferometer is manipulated by changing the spectral properties of the source. The spectral distribution is tuned to produce a modulation peak at a value of OPD equal to the optical distance between the object and reference arms of a Fizeau interferometer, thereby enabling the use of its common-axis configuration to carry out white-light measurements free of coherence noise. Unwanted interferences from other reflections in the optical path are also removed by illuminating the object with appropriate spectral characteristics. OPD scanning is implemented without mechanical means by altering the source spectrum over time so as to shift the peak location by a predetermined scanning step between acquisition frames. The invention and its advantages are applicable to optical coherence tomography as well as conventional white light interferometry.
US08675202B2
A sensing apparatus includes an excitation source configured to induce waves in a target, and an optical waveguide interferometer configured to sense the induced waves in the target. The optical waveguide interferometer includes a plurality of optical couplers and interconnecting optical fibers arranged to define a reference arm, a measurement arm, and a probe segment coupled to the reference arm and the measurement arm and having a probe segment end to be positioned adjacent the target. An optical path length adjustor is coupled to the reference arm. A controller cooperates with the path length adjustor and is configured to adjust an optical path length of the reference arm to maintain a constant relationship with respect to an optical path length of the measurement arm.
US08675194B2
The present invention comprises various embodiments of a retroreflectometer capable of measuring the retroreflectance of a material. The retroreflectometer comprises an illumination path and a retroreflection path. The illumination path comprises focusing optics, a source aperture, a beamsplitter and a collimating lens. The retroreflection path comprises a focusing lens, a beamsplitter, a receiver aperture and a receiver. The source aperture shapes the transverse profile of the light to make it appropriate to the measurement. Focusing optics, such as a biconvex lens, may be placed between the light source and the source aperture. After the beam is reflected by the object under test, it enters the retroreflection path of the instrument. The focusing lens focuses the light through the beamsplitter and onto the receiver aperture. The receiver aperture may be the input slit for a spectrometer, or there may be optics, such as a lens or an optical fiber, that transfer the light from the aperture to the receiver. A photopically corrected detector, multiple detectors with filters or a spectrometer may be used in various embodiments of the present invention as the receiver.
US08675186B2
Systems and methods for targeting a directed energy system are provided. A particular system includes a first laser and a second laser. The system also includes a scanning system coupled to the first laser and the second laser. The scanning system is adapted to movably direct the second laser in a pattern around a pointing location of the first laser.
US08675181B2
A color LiDAR scanner device includes color laser diodes (red, green, blue) and avalanche photodetector diodes (red, green, blue) that illuminate and detect the color light intensity returned from a target. In a preferred version these color laser/detectors are coupled with a single infrared laser/detector that detects the range and infrared light intensity from the same target. The combined range and color intensity information is combined to produce a single colored pixel in space. Multiple illuminations are used to create multiple pixels which can be combined to produce images. A rotating housing may be used for an entire surrounding image.
US08675179B2
A control system configured to position a control location of a movable object in two or more degrees of freedom with respect to another object, including a set-point generator, a position quantity measurement system, a controller including a single input-single output controller for each degree of freedom to control a position quantity of the control location, each controller providing a control signal in logical coordinates on the basis of the error signal; and a gain scheduling device to provide center-of-gravity control signals in center-of gravity coordinates on the basis of the control signals, wherein the gain scheduling device includes a static and a dynamic relationship between logical coordinates and center-of-gravity coordinates of the movable object.
US08675172B2
A method of removing liquid from a substrate supported on a substrate table and from a gap between the substrate and the substrate table includes: providing a liquid removal device with at least one outlet connected to an under pressure source, the outlet forming an elongated extractor of a predetermined geometry; relatively moving the substrate table and the liquid removal device such that the extractor is adapted to pass over all of the substrate and gap and such that substantially at any given time any local part of the extractor at the edge of a non-dried portion of the gap has, in a plane, its local tangent orientated at an angle of between about 35° and 90° to the local tangent of the gap.
US08675160B2
A display device is provided. The display device includes a liquid crystal display panel, a cover lens, a first optical film and a first polarized film. The liquid crystal display panel is vertical alignment mode. The cover lens is disposed on a light exit surface of the liquid crystal display panel. The first optical film having a ¼ wavelength retardation effect is disposed between the liquid crystal display panel and the cover lens. A gap layer is formed between the first optical film and the liquid crystal display panel. The first polarized film is disposed between the first optical film and the cover lens.
US08675158B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal display device which has a wide viewing angle and less color-shift depending on an angle at which a display screen is seen and can display an image favorably recognized both outdoors in sunlight and dark indoors (or outdoors at night). The liquid crystal display device includes a first portion where display is performed by transmission of light and a second portion where display is performed by reflection of light. Further, a liquid crystal layer includes a liquid crystal molecule which rotates parallel to an electrode plane when a potential difference is generated between two electrodes of a liquid crystal element provided below the liquid crystal layer.
US08675152B2
Provided is a liquid crystal display device. The liquid crystal display device comprises a liquid crystal panel, a backlight unit, and a driving unit. The liquid crystal panel comprises a plurality of display areas defined therein. The backlight unit is disposed under the liquid crystal panel. The backlight unit comprises a plurality of light emitting areas corresponding to the respective display areas defined therein. The driving unit controls intensity of light emitted from the light emitting areas. Here, the backlight unit comprises light guide plates disposed in two or more light emitting areas.
US08675150B2
A lighting device for liquid crystal display provides as output a polarized extended light flux. It comprises a light source 100 comprising a layer with high albedo A on the light emission surface SD(A), on which are stacked a quarter-wave plate 101 and a reflecting polarizer 103. This results in a light transmission gain of the order of 1+A, which makes it possible to produce displays with high luminance and low electrical consumption.Application to flat-screen displays.
US08675149B2
A backlight unit is provided that comprises a first layer, a plurality of light sources on the first layer, a reflection layer on the first layer, the reflection layer surrounding the plurality of light sources, a second layer on the reflection layer and the plurality of light sources, and a third layer on the second layer, the third layer comprising a plurality of light shielding patterns arranged to correspond to the light sources, respectively, and a light transmitting region surrounding the plurality of light shielding patterns, wherein the light transmitting region includes first regions adjacent to the light sources and second regions away from the light sources, and wherein the first regions are smaller in area than the second regions. A display apparatus comprising the backlight unit is provided as well.
US08675147B2
A protection panel provided with a touch input function for a display window of an electronic device includes: a protection panel main body having an opening punched out, and a glass plate fitted in the opening, a lower electrode sheet having a lower transparent electrode, and a lower circuit, the lower electrode sheet being attached to an upper surface of the protection panel main body, an upper electrode sheet having an upper transparent electrode, and an upper circuit, the upper electrode sheet being bonded to the lower electrode sheet at peripheral edges thereof, and a decorative sheet having a decorative layer provided on at least one surface of a transparent resin film so as to hide the lower circuit and the upper circuit and form the transparent window portion, the decorative sheet being attached to an upper surface of the upper electrode sheet.
US08675146B2
A display structure includes a liquid crystal module, and a light guide layer arranged on a surface of the liquid crystal module, first light-emitting devices arranged at an edge of one end portion of the light guide layer, and a transmittance-controllable layer arranged on a surface of the light guide layer opposing the liquid crystal module. The light-emitting devices are configured to emit light into the light guide layer, and thus the light emitted by the light-emitting devices is transmitted within the light guide layer. The transmittance-controllable layer may have light transmittance characteristics which change depending on an external stimulus applied thereto.
US08675129B2
There is disclosed a method of controlling a television system which can connect to a printing apparatus, and has a display unit. Display/non-display of the status information is set (S13, S14). Status information of the printing apparatus is received from the printing apparatus (S101). The control is made to display the status information on the display unit when the display of the status information is set, and not to display the status information on the display unit when the non-display of the status information is set (S102, S103).
US08675121B2
A camera comprising at least a second focus detection unit out of a first focus detection unit which includes a first pupil-dividing unit for guiding light beams having passed through different pupil regions of a photographing lens and detects a focus of the photographing lens by using light beams guided by the first pupil-dividing unit, and the second focus detection unit which includes a second pupil-dividing unit different from the first pupil-dividing unit and detects the focus of the photographing lens on an image plane different from an image plane by the first focus detection unit by using light beams guided by the second pupil-dividing unit, wherein focus detection of the photographing lens by the second focus detection unit is performed using a correction value for focus detection that is stored in advance in the photographing lens in correspondence with the first focus detection unit.
US08675118B2
An image sensor includes an objective lens arranged on an optical axis; a substrate including a plurality of photoelectric conversion devices; and a micro lens layer including a plurality of micro lenses corresponding to each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion devices, respectively, wherein the plurality of micro lenses includes a central micro lens corresponding to a central portion of the objective lens, and an edge micro lens corresponding to an edge portion of the objective lens, and the plurality of micro lenses are configured such that focal lengths of the micro lenses increase from the central micro lens toward the edge micro lens.
US08675110B2
An apparatus includes: an element that receives subject light from a subject to generate image data; a section that generates a recording image to be recorded on a recording medium from the image data when a first mode is set; a section that generates a second display image, which allows display of a live-view image, from the image data when a second mode is set, and that generates a first display image, which allows display of an image identical to the recording image, from the image data when the first mode is set; a section that sequentially displays the first display image or the second display image; a section that detects a specific state of the apparatus that obstructs recording of an imaging object onto the recording image; and a section that controls switching between the first mode and the second mode on the basis of the detection results.
US08675107B2
Each pixel has a photoelectric conversion unit configured to convert light into electrical charges and to store the electrical charges, an amplifying unit configured to amplify a signal based on the electrical charges stored in the photoelectric conversion unit and to output the signal to an output line, and a reset unit configured to reset a input part of the amplifying unit. A clip unit, which is configured to limit an electric voltage of the output line, includes an amplifying circuitry for amplifying a signal based on the electric voltage of the output line and an MOS transistor for limiting the electric voltage of the output line based on the difference in electric potential between the gate and source. The clip unit controls the electric potential of the gate of the MOS transistor by the amplifying circuitry.
US08675096B2
An imaging device of the present invention comprises: an imaging mechanism; a sound acquisition unit operable to acquire sound data that includes information reflecting an imaging environment; and a setting unit operable to, based on the sound data acquired by the sound acquisition unit, select and set one or more setting values for controlling the imaging mechanism.
US08675093B2
An image capturing apparatus performs RGB three-band image capturing. Additional band pixels BG and OG having a spectral sensitivity peak wavelength between the B and G bands and between the R and G bands, respectively, are disposed on an image sensor consisting of RGB pixels. A feature quantity in the spectral characteristics of light incident on the sensor is obtained based on pixel values in the additional bands and pixel values in the RGB bands detected by the image sensor, and is applied to image processing of a captured object image. In order to maintain the image capturing resolution, in the image sensor, the number of additional band pixels is smaller than the number of R pixels, the number of G pixels, and the number of B pixels.
US08675087B2
An image pickup apparatus that performs accurate correction processing for a pixel that outputs a non-reproducible high-level signal having a continuity with respect to an adjacent pixel is provided. The image pickup apparatus extracts data corresponding to a pixel of an image pickup element that generates an output value equal to or more than a predetermined value, and determines, within a predetermined area of a captured image, whether a predetermined number or more of pixels that generate an output value having the predetermined level are continuously adjacent to one another in the same direction, irrespective of the color received by the pixel. Then, if it is determined that the predetermined number or more of pixels are continuously adjacent to one another in the same direction, the pixels are indicated as targets and the outputs of the target pixels are corrected.
US08675085B2
A camera system capturing two parts of a same scene each at a different focus so that objects at different distances from the camera can be captured in focus. The camera system splits the image into two paths using a splitter and focuses the image of each path separately. The focus for each path can be manual or by autofocus. The parts of the images of the two paths can be combined by abutting them at a boundary or in a zone essentially located between the two parts. The image parts in the zone can be combined by blending using a linear function or a non linear function such as a frequency based function.
US08675081B2
The present invention provides a method and a system for video stabilization in real time. The method comprises the steps of: estimating an optical flow from an previous image, Ii, to a current image, Ii+1; determining an Euclidean transformation, Fi, from the previous image, Ii to the current image, Ii+1, wherein the Euclidean transformation, Fi, comprises a product of rotation, Ri, and scaling, si, and translation, Ti; and transforming the current image, Ii+1, by applying the inverse of the Euclidean transformation, Fi, to the current image, Ii+1, in order to obtain stabilization. The transformation of the current image, Ii+1, is restricted by using Euclidean matrices Ai and Bi, wherein: Ai is used to store absolute frame transformation relative world frame coordinates, Ao is the identity matrix and Ai+1 is equal to AiFi−1 for i≧0 and Bi is used to store visualization window coordinate transformation.
US08675080B2
Motion estimation systems and methods are disclosed. An apparatus may include a processing unit to acquire video images and to arrange the video images into a plurality of sequential video frames, and a motion estimation unit that receives the sequential video frames and determines a set of repetitive pattern neighbor candidate vectors for repetitive pattern content in a first frame. The set of repetitive pattern neighbor candidate vectors may be reduced by sorting the set to eliminate spurious repetitive pattern neighbor candidate vectors. The reduced set may be provided to a second adjacent frame. A method may include acquiring a plurality of sequential video frames having a repetitive pattern content, and determining a set of repetitive pattern neighbor candidate vectors for the repetitive pattern content in a first frame of the sequential video frames. The set of repetitive pattern neighbor candidate vectors may be sorted by determining at least one spurious repetitive pattern neighbor candidate vector. The sorted set may be provided to a second adjacent video frame.
US08675078B1
A test system (200) for testing for missing or shorted parts within a tuner circuit includes a signal generator (202) for applying a harmonic-containing baseband time varying RF test signal to the tuner circuit. The tuner circuit is tuned to a harmonic of test signal. A detector 208 coupled to the baseband IF output of the tuner circuit detects the voltage generated in response to the applied RF test signal. A voltage measurement device (210) measures voltage detected by detector to provide an indication of the gain. Significant changes in the gain indicate missing part(s) or short circuits.
US08675075B2
A method and apparatus for measuring the quality of a video sequence, which includes a plurality of frames, among which one or more consecutive frames are lost, wherein during the displaying of the video sequence, the one or more lost frames are substituted by an immediate preceding frame in the video sequence during a period from the displaying of the immediate preceding frame to that of an immediate subsequent frame of the one or more lost frames, the method includes measuring the quality of the video sequence as a function of a first parameter (DF) relating to the stability of the immediate preceding frame during the period, a second parameter (DD) relating to the continuity between the immediate preceding frame and the immediate subsequent frame, and a third parameter (DP) relating to the coherent 20 motions of the video sequence.
US08675073B2
A multiple camera video system and methods for operating such a system. The system may include a plurality of cameras located around a stadium, athletic playing field or other location. The cameras are remotely controlled in a master-slave configuration. A camera operator at a master pan head selects one of the plurality of cameras as the current master camera and utilizes the master pan head to adjust the telemetry and zoom of the master camera to follow the target object. The telemetry and zoom parameters of the master camera are then used to calculate corresponding telemetry, zoom and/or other parameters for each of the plurality of slave cameras. Video captured by each of the cameras is stored for the production of replay video feeds or for archiving. The replays may be capable of “spinning” through the video feeds of adjacent cameras in order for the viewer to get the sensation of revolving around the target object. The multiple camera video system also includes methods for calibrating the system.
US08675071B1
Video monitoring and alarm verification technology, in which a first connection is established between a first device and a camera located in a monitored property associated with a user of the first device and image data captured by the camera is received over the first connection and at the first device. A determination is made to establish a second connection with a second device that enables sharing of the received image data with the second device and, in response to the determination, the second connection is established between the first device and the second device. The received image data is shared with the second device over the second connection and the second device is restricted from directly accessing image data captured by the camera located in the monitored property.
US08675068B2
Systems and methods are disclosed relating to acquisition of images regarding large area objects or large areas. In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method of obtaining or capturing, via a first system that includes one or more first image capturing devices, overview images, wherein the overview images depict first areas, as well as obtaining or capturing, via a second system that includes a plurality of image capturing devices, detail images characterized as being related to each other along an image axis. Moreover, the detail images may depict second areas that are subsets of the first areas, they may be arranged in strips parallel to the image axis, and they may have a higher resolution than corresponding portions of the first images.
US08675063B2
Devices, systems and methods of reduced-power imaging. For example, a device includes: an imager able to acquire one or more images; a triggering sensor able to sense a triggering event; and a receiver able to receive signals, wherein while the device is in a disarm mode the receiver is operational and the imager and the triggering sensor are not operational.
US08675061B2
A biocular display system is provided for use with a transmissive micro-LCD display and a biocular lens, where the biocular system includes a relay lens that can transfer a digital image from the transmissive micro-LCD display to a micro-resolution screen surface where a micro-diffusion surface is applied to a single planar transparent substrate that has a smooth surface on a side opposite the micro-diffusion surface, and the micro-diffusion surface has at least some surface features that can diffuse the light passing therethrough at greater than a 60-degree diffusion angle.
US08675056B2
Stereographic glasses includes reception-stop timing control means that is so arranged as to: (i) cause a wireless-signal receiving section to stop receiving signals, after a cycle detection section detects a cycle of synchronous signals and a liquid crystal shutter control data memory section stores liquid crystal shutter control data therein signals; (ii) cause a liquid crystal shutter control signal timing generation section to generate timings for controlling opening and closing of liquid crystal shutters, based on cycle signals generated by a cycle signal generation section and the liquid crystal shutter control data stored in the liquid crystal shutter control data memory section; and (iii) cause a liquid crystal shutter control section to open and close the liquid crystal shutters, at the timings thus generated.
US08675054B2
A stereoscopic image display and a method for driving the same are disclosed. The stereoscopic image display includes a display panel, that displays data of a 2D image in a 2D mode and display data of a 3D image in a 3D mode in a time division manner, and a data modulation unit that previously stores modified values satisfying a luminance of a predetermined gray level and modulates left eye image data or right eye image data input during a current frame period to a modified value selected based on the result of a comparison between right/left eye image data input during a previous frame period and the left/right eye image data of the current frame period using the previously stored modified values.
US08675053B2
There are provided a video processing apparatus and a video processing method. The video processing apparatus includes: a plurality of signal delay parts which sequentially store left-eye pixel information and right-eye pixel information that are alternately supplied; an interpolation unit which interpolates the right-eye pixel information and separately interpolates the left-eye pixel information; and an image generating unit which generates a left-eye image and a right-eye image based on the interpolated left-eye pixel information and the interpolated right-eye pixel information, respectively.
US08675048B2
Provided is an image processing apparatus that stereoscopically displays a two-dimensional image, comprising a generating section that generates a left-side image and a right-side image by shifting the two-dimensional image left and right in a display region; and an output section that outputs the left-side image to a left eye of the user and the right-side image to a right eye of the user. The generating section generates the left-side image and the right-side image by shifting the two-dimensional image to the left and right within the display region by a distance no greater than a distance between pupils of a user.
US08675044B2
An image playback method includes starting an image display module, detecting glasses data in a predetermined range, comparing the detected glasses data with a set of data to generate a first comparison result, and the image display module playing a 3D image or a 2D image according to the first comparison result.
US08675041B2
An object is to provide a vehicle periphery monitoring device wherein distortions in a captured image containing an edge of the vehicle body can be corrected so that parallel perception is the same as in actual space, and wherein images readily discernible to the driver can be displayed. The edge of the vehicle body is included in the image captured by a camera provided to the vehicle. A Y-axis along the edge of the vehicle body and an X-axis orthogonal to the Y-axis are set in the captured image. Distortions are corrected so that the X-axis is enlarged at a magnification ratio γ that increases in a nonlinear fashion that depends of the distance from the X-axis while the Y-axis is kept substantially fixed. The captured image thus corrected for distortion is displayed on an onboard monitor.
US08675035B2
An optical scanning unit may include a light source unit configured to emit a light beam, an optical housing configured to receive and support the light source unit, an optical device configured to deflect the light beam and to focus the light beam on a light receiving member, and a fixing member configured to fix the light source unit to the optical housing by applying pressure to the light source unit, wherein the pressure is applied in a direction, which is substantially perpendicular to an optical axis direction of the light source unit.
US08675032B2
An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member configured to bear a toner image; a plurality of electrode portions; a control unit configured to control a voltage applied to the electrode unit based on image information; and a toner bearing member configured to bear toner and form a toner image on the image bearing member according to the voltage applied to the electrode portion, in which α>1.22 is satisfied and rx″/ry″ is defined as α, where Dy indicates a thickness of the image bearing member, Dx indicates a distance between the electrode portions adjacent to each other, rx″ indicates a resistance component of the image bearing member in a direction parallel to Dx and ry″ indicates a resistance component of the image bearing member in a direction parallel to Dy in a rectangular solid body including Dx and Dy in a side.
US08675031B2
A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention comprises a pixel including a plurality of sub pixels. The plurality of sub pixels include a red sub pixel (R), a green sub pixel (G), a blue sub pixel (B), a yellow sub pixel (Ye) and a cyan sub pixel (C). The aperture area size of one of the cyan sub pixel (C) and the blue sub pixel (B) is larger than the aperture area size of any of the other of the cyan (C) and blue (B) sub pixels, the green sub pixel (G) and the yellow sub pixel (Ye); and the aperture area size of the red sub pixel (R) is larger than the aperture area size of any of the other of the cyan (C) and blue (B) sub pixels, the green sub pixel (G), and the yellow sub pixel (Ye).
US08675023B2
According to embodiments described in the specification, a method and apparatus for controlling a display are provided. The method comprises providing a first interface on the display, the first interface comprising a representation of a first application at a default zoom level; receiving a command to launch a second application; and, responsive to receiving the launch command, providing an updated interface on the display, the updated interface comprising updated representations of the first application and the second application; wherein the updated representation of the first application is inactive and occupies a first portion of the area of the display, and the updated representation of the second application is active and occupies a second portion of the display area, the second portion being larger than the first portion.
US08675020B2
Provided are an image display method and an image display device. The method includes: reading first layer data; reading partial data of second layer data; and blending the read first layer data and the read partial data of the second layer data and displaying the blended data. The image display device includes: a processing unit generating first and second layer data and storing the generated first and second layer data in a storage unit; and a display unit reading the first layer data and partial data of the second layer data from the storage unit, blending the read first layer data and the read partial data of the second layer data, and displaying the blended data.
US08675016B2
In a view, e.g. of scenery, of a shopping or museum display, or of a meeting or conference, automated processing can be used to annotate objects which are visible from a viewer position. Annotation can be of objects selected by the viewer, and can be displayed visually, for example, with or without an image of the view.
US08675014B1
A computer-implemented method for efficiently detecting graphics objects near a selected point in an application is disclosed. The method implements a two-stage selection technique. In a first stage, a set of one or more graphics objects that are considered equally good candidates for selection is determined, and in a second stage one of the graphics objects from the set is ultimately selected based on certain other selection criteria. In the first stage, the application determines if a selected pixel overlaps with any graphics objects. If the selected pixel does not overlap with any graphics objects, then the application determines whether one of a set of cursor footprints overlap with any graphics objects. If multiple graphics objects overlap the selected pixel, or the minimum sized cursor footprint, then, in a second stage, one of the multiple graphics objects is selected based on certain other selection criteria.
US08675011B2
A method of displaying a series of items in an application window on a display device, the method comprising the steps of rendering a subset of the series of items in the application window, calculating the vertical size of each rendered item, calculating the vertical size of the minimal rendered item, calculating the difference of the application window height minus the vertical size of the element containing all rendered items, determining candidate items for addition to the subset if the difference is positive, or determining candidate items for removal from the subset if the difference is negative, iterating through the candidate items, rendering a new subset of the series of items in the application window by adding or removing the iterated candidate items, and repeating steps of the process until the maximum number of items that can be displayed is displayed.
US08675000B2
The described embodiments provide a system that renders graphics for a computer system. During operation, the system loads a software client and a software service in the computing system. Next, the system receives a set of rendering commands from the software client in a command buffer, wherein the rendering commands include at least one of a state change command, a resource allocation command, a direct memory access (DMA) command, buffer data, and a synchronization command. Finally, the system uses the software service to render an image corresponding to the rendering commands by reading the rendering commands from the command buffer and executing the rendering commands.
US08674999B2
An embodiment of a circuit comprises an output buffer, a data interface which is at least in a position to transmit data, the data interface being coupled to an output of the output buffer, a command/address interface coupled to an input of the output buffer, a memory core coupled to the input of the output buffer, and a controller circuit configured to cause data stored within the output buffer to be output to the data interface, further configured to cause data stored within the memory core to be output to the input of the output buffer, so that the data is stored within the output buffer, and further configured to cause provision of data received at the command/address interface to the input of the output buffer, so that the data is stored within the output buffer.
US08674991B2
A layout method in a display area for multiple graph components in a dynamic network. The multiple graph components are sorted according to their importance into a first subset S1 and a second subset S2 according to the order of their importance. The first subset S1 is divided into an upper subset Cp including only the most important graph component and a lower subset Cm. The display area is divided into display portions S1′ and S2′ proportionally according to the importance values of the first subset S1 and the second subset S2. Display portion S1′ is divided into display portions Cp′ and Cm′ proportionally according to the importance values of the upper subset Cp and the lower subset Cm. The first division and the second division and the corresponding division of the display area are executed iteratively until the aspect ratio of display portion Cp′ is close to 1.
US08674987B2
Aspects can be for ray tracing of 3-D scenes, and include dynamically controlling a population of rays being stored in a memory, to keep the population within a target, a memory footprint or other resource usage specification. An example includes controlling the population by examining indicia associated with rays returning from intersection testing, to be shaded, the indicia correlated with behavior of shaders to be run for those rays, such that population control selects, or reorders rays for shading, to prioritize shading of rays whose shaders are expected to produce fewer rays. The indicia can include a respective weight for each ray. In an example, analyzer modules examine hints associated with shaders bound to intersected primitives. Population control aspects can influence ray diversity in memory, including encouraging a varying diversity pattern as rendering of a given scene or frame progresses, based on system resource indicia, rendering metrics and so on.
US08674985B2
Method, medium, and system rendering 3D graphic data to enhance image quality of transparent objects
A method, medium, and system rendering 3-dimensional (3D) graphic data. The method of rendering 3D graphic data may include grouping objects from among transparent objects included in graphic data, which overlap each other in a 3D space, and rendering the group and remaining objects excluding the grouped objects, in an order determined according to the distance between the group and a viewpoint and the distance between the remaining objects and the viewpoint. In particular, in the rendering of the group, the objects included in the group may be rendered in an order determined according to the distance between each unit element of each object belonging to the group and the viewpoint. By using such a method, medium, and system, rendering picture quality of a transparent object may be improved by avoiding rendering errors.
US08674984B2
A method for generating a mesh of a subterranean medium comprising at least one sedimentary layer crossed by at least one fault. The at least one layer is delimited vertically by two geological horizons discretized by two triangulated three-dimensional surfaces. For each horizon, a three-dimensional gridded surface is constructed by means of isometric unfolding accounting for the presence of the fault. Next, the mesh of the subterranean medium is generated by generating cells by creating links between the three-dimensional gridded surfaces. To do this, nodes of the first gridded surface that are situated on one side of the fault which differs from the side of a node of the second gridded surface having the same coordinates i, j are detected. Each non-detected node is joined with a node of the second gridded surface having the same coordinates i, j, and each detected node is joined with the fault by considering a direction of a neighboring node. Finally, the cells having at least two vertices in common are regularized.
US08674982B2
An exemplary embodiment provides an information processing system. A server apparatus stores multiple-view image data received from a first information processing apparatus, transmits, in response to a request for image transmission from the first information processing apparatus, the stored multiple-view image data to the first information processing apparatus from which the request was made, and transmits, in response to a request for image transmission from a second information processing apparatus, single-view image data generated from the stored multiple-view image data to the second information processing apparatus from which the request was made. The first information processing apparatus provides multiple-view display of an image by using the multiple-view image data from the server apparatus. The second information processing apparatus provides single-view display of an image by using the single-view image data from the server apparatus.
US08674977B2
A driving method of a display device having a driving transistor and a display element, one source/drain region of the driving transistor connected to a power supply part, the other source/drain region connected to an anode electrode provided in the display element, the method includes the steps of: setting a potential of the anode electrode by applying a predetermined intermediate voltage to the anode electrode so that a potential difference between the anode electrode of the display element and a cathode electrode at the other end of the display element does not exceed a threshold voltage of the display element; and then holding the driving transistor in OFF-state while a drive voltage is applied from the power supply part to one source/drain region of the driving transistor.
US08674976B2
A liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal display panel including data lines, gate lines crossing the data lines, and liquid crystal cells arranged at crossings of the data lines and the gate lines in a matrix form, a data driving circuit supplying a data voltage to the data lines, and a power consumption reduction circuit, that calculates the number of black pixels, white pixels, or both included in an input image, decides whether or not the input image is a problem pattern increasing power consumption of the data driving circuit based on the calculation result, selectively activates a charge sharing function, which shorts between adjacent output channels of the data driving circuit during a predetermined period, and differently controls a polarity inversion period of the data voltage based on the decision result.
US08674971B2
A display device includes an active matrix circuit for display, a plurality of bus lines which are connected to the active matrix circuit and which are used to transmit driving signals, driving circuits which supply the driving signals to the plurality of bus lines, the plurality of bus lines and the driving circuits being arranged on a substrate, and optical sensors arranged on the substrate. The optical sensors are arranged in a plurality of sub regions separated using the plurality of bus lines. The plurality of sub regions are arranged between the active matrix circuit and each of the driving circuits.
US08674968B2
A touch sensing method and associated circuit are provided. In one aspect, a touch control circuit includes a first current source, a second current source, a plurality of switches, a hysteresis comparator, a frequency divider and a flip-flop. The switches are couple to a plurality of external contact points. The hysteresis comparator is coupled to a first reference comparison voltage and a second reference comparison voltage. Each of the external contact points is selectively coupled to an input terminal of the hysteresis comparator through the switches. The first current source and the second current source are coupled to the input terminal of the hysteresis comparator to generate a sensing voltage. The hysteresis comparator compares the sensing voltage with the first reference comparison voltage and the second reference comparison voltage to generate a hysteresis comparison output to control the first current source or the second current source.
US08674964B2
An OLED display is proposed. The OLED display includes a gate driver for generating a scanning signal, a source driver for generating a data signal, and a plurality of cells arranged in an array. Each cell includes a first transistor for delivering the data signal when receiving the scanning signal, a second transistor for generating a driving current based on a voltage difference between a first supply voltage signal and the data signal, a storage capacitor coupled between the first transistor and an output end of the driving circuit, for storing the data signal, an organic light emitting diode for generating light based on the driving current, an infrared emitting layer for producing infrared ray, and an infrared sensitive layer for sensing the infrared ray reflected by an object.
US08674958B1
Systems and methods and techniques are disclosed for determining the position and size of an object touching a touch-sensitive display. One embodiment may comprise a set of reference templates—where each reference template is a model and/or data associated with a reference object of a given size. The reference templates may be determined on a priori basis—possibly created during a training phase for the touch display system. The training phase may be performed by stepping an object across a touch display and noting its actuation signal—while the modeling step may be performed by calculating actuation signals based on a model of objects of a given size. With an actual object, its position and size may be determined, calculated and/or estimated by solving a set of inverse finger response functions—e.g., as a set of over-determined linear equations.
US08674955B2
The invention provides a sensing method for a portable device with a touch panel. The touch panel is sequentially divided into a valid input region, a transition region and a peripheral region from a center to a periphery of the touch panel. The sensing method comprises sensing a contact signal generated from a contact motion of an input device on the touch panel. When the initial position of the contact motion is determined to be within one of the valid input region and the transition region according to the contact signal or the initial position of the contact motion is determined to be within the peripheral region and the contact motion moves into the valid input region according to the contact signal, an operation corresponding to the contact motion is executed according to the contact signal.
US08674949B2
A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a display panel configured to have a plurality of scanning lines for which liquid crystal display elements each containing an optical input device and a display pixel are arranged, respectively, a backlight configured to be arranged facing the display panel to illuminate the display panel, and a control part configured to control writing into the display pixel and reading of a detection signal of the optical input device, wherein the control part displays an external light detection image substantially shielding light from the backlight on the display pixels throughout a first period of a frame period, and displays a display image on the display pixels throughout a second period of the frame period.
US08674947B2
An interactive touch screen and method of manipulating an image on an interactive touch screen. The device includes a user interface screen, an interactive image in the user interface screen, at least one pressure sensor positioned adjacent a periphery of the user interface screen, and a pressure sensitive widget responsive to pressure in a direction of said at least one pressure sensor for manipulating the image in a direction of applied pressure. The method includes providing at least one pressure sensor adjacent a periphery of the interactive touch screen, providing a widget in the interactive touch screen without obscuring the image, applying directional pressure to the widget for activating at least one sensor and without sliding the widget in the interactive touch screen, and moving the image in a direction of applied pressure.
US08674945B2
The present invention relates to a touch screen apparatus and a method of inputting a user command through the apparatus. A touch screen apparatus of the present invention comprises an input unit 10 having a sensing unit 12 for recognizing user's touches and converting the touches into electrical signals; a storage unit 30 for storing execution commands corresponding to relative positions of the successive touches; and a control unit 20 for receiving the signals from the sensing unit 12 and executing an execution command retrieved from the storage unit. According to the present invention constructed as such, a variety of execution commands can be inputted without using a pattern of touches rather than an input area narrowly partitioned in a screen space.
US08674944B2
A method, handheld electronic device and computer program product for inputting calendar information using a graphical user interface (GUI) of a calendar application are provided. The GUI is displayed on a display screen of the handheld electronic device which comprises a navigational input device for receiving navigational input in a first and a second direction. The method comprises: displaying a calendar event user interface screen on the display screen of the handheld electronic device, the calendar event user interface screen comprising a primary field having at least two subfields; invoking an edit mode of the primary field in response to predetermined user selection input; redisplaying the calendar event user interface screen to provide a visual indication that the edit mode is currently invoked for the primary field; changing the logical value of a selected subfield in response to navigational input in the first direction and redisplaying the changed value of the selected subfield in the calendar event user interface screen; and selecting an adjacent subfield in response to navigational input in the second direction and redisplaying the adjacent subfield to provide a visual indication that the adjacent subfield is the selected subfield in the calendar event user interface screen.
US08674943B2
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for simultaneously tracking multiple finger and palm contacts as hands approach, touch, and slide across a proximity-sensing, multi-touch surface. Identification and classification of intuitive hand configurations and motions enables unprecedented integration of typing, resting, pointing, scrolling, 3D manipulation, and handwriting into a versatile, ergonomic computer input device.
US08674937B2
A pointing device includes a controller for pointing a position on a display surface by imaging an imaging objective such as two markers positioned with a predetermined interval therebetween in a vicinity of the display surface of a monitor. With the pointing device, a width of the display surface and the interval between the markers are obtained to determine an appropriate distance between the controller and the monitor. Further, a current distance between the controller and the monitor (markers) is calculated. Relation between the current distance and the appropriate distance is notified by such as image display or sound output. For example, an image indicating the appropriate distance and an adjustment image varying in size in conjunction with the current distance are displayed on the monitor.
US08674932B2
A controller or converter structured for allowing hand inputs to be converted or translated into outputs, the controller structured with members moveable relative to a base or housing to actuate a plurality of sensors for defining output signal(s). In some embodiments a tactile feedback motor is mounted as a component of the controller for providing vibration to be felt by a hand. In some embodiments the sensors are proportional or variable output sensors. A preferred controller communicates wirelessly with a host device.
US08674924B2
A display device is provided with: a display panel; a driver driving the display panel; and a controller adapted to perform multiplied-speed drive processing on original image data externally supplied thereto. The driver is adapted to drive the display panel by multiplied speed driving. When the driver performs the multiplied-speed driving, the controller generates multiplied-speed drive image data by performing the multiplied-speed drive processing on the original image data, generates compressed image data by compressing the multiplied-speed drive image data, and transfers the compressed image data to the driver. In this case, the driver decompresses the compressed image data to thereby reproduce the multiplied-speed drive image data, and drives the display panel in response to the reproduced multiplied-speed drive image data. When the driver does not perform the multiplied-speed driving, on the other hand, the controller transfers the original image data to the driver, and the driver drives the display panel in response to the original image data received from the controller.
US08674908B2
A display device with high-definition, in which display unevenness due to a voltage drop in a wiring or display unevenness due to a variation in characteristics of TFTs are suppressed. The display device of the invention comprises a first wiring for transmitting a video signal and a second wiring for supplying a current to a light emitting element. The first wiring and the second wiring extend parallel to each other, and are formed so as to overlap with each other at least partly with an insulating layer interposed therebetween.
US08674892B2
A method for accurately guiding millimeter-waves includes the following steps: Filtering millimeter-waves by applying the millimeter-waves at a first shape aperture of a filter waveguide, resulting in filtered millimeter-waves exiting a second shape aperture of the filter waveguide. Transporting the filtered millimeter-waves over a distance of between 9 centimeters and 25 centimeters, by applying the filtered millimeter-waves to an extruded waveguide having a length of between 9 centimeters and 25, and having a cavity featuring a cross-section that is accurate to within +/−0.05 millimeters throughout the length of the extruded waveguide, resulting in transported millimeter-waves. And producing, on a reflector, an illumination pattern that is accurate to a degree that allows conforming to a first level of radiation pattern accuracy, by applying the transported millimeter-waves at a focal point of the reflector.
US08674885B2
A millimeter-wave communication system includes (i) an antenna comprising a reflector and a feed, the feed comprising a first waveguide, (ii) a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) comprising a modem, a processor, and a radio receiver coupled with a probe, the PCB is mechanically fixed to one end of the feed, such that the PCB is mechanically held by the feed, and the probe is located in a position allowing reception of millimeter-waves exiting the first waveguide towards the PCB, (iii) an Ethernet connector, (iv) at least one flexible cable operative to carry Ethernet signals between the first PCB and the Ethernet connector, and (v) a box housing the PCB and the Ethernet connector. The Ethernet connector and the feed are mechanically fixed to the box, and the only mechanical connection between the PCB and the box is via the feed.
US08674883B2
An antenna includes a substrate and a top plate disposed over the substrate. At least one feed line is connected to the top plate, and each feed line comprises a first through-silicon via (TSV) structure passing through the substrate. At least one ground line is connected to the top plate, and each ground line comprises a second TSV structure passing through the substrate. The top plate is electrically conductive, and the at least one feed line is arranged to carry a radio frequency signal. The at least one ground line is arranged to be coupled to a ground.
US08674882B2
An antenna for receiving and transmitting radio signals includes a ground metal plate, a first patch plate, a second patch plate, a first feed-in wire electrically connected to the first patch plate for transmitting radio signals, a second feed-in wire electrically connected to the second patch plate for transmitting radio signals, and an insulation fixing unit for fixing the ground metal plate, the first patch plate and the second patch plate, to ensure that the ground metal plate, the first patch plate and the second patch plate do not electrically contact to each other.
US08674879B2
An antenna arrangement including at least two antenna functions arranged to cover a certain angular sector, each antenna function comprising a corresponding antenna port. The antenna arrangement is configured to perform: a first direction of arrival (DOA) estimation for a transmitting device at a first frequency, and a second DOA estimation for the transmitting device at a second frequency, wherein the second frequency has a larger magnitude than the first frequency, and wherein at least one second frequency grating lobe is apparent in the angular sector at the second frequency. The antenna arrangement is configured to: distinguish the at least one second frequency grating lobe from a second frequency main lobe using results from the first DOA estimation, and identify a pointing direction of the second frequency main lobe as a resulting DOA estimation. Related methods are also described.
US08674872B2
A secondary surveillance radar with rotating antenna, configured for transmitting interrogations in S or IFF mode and processing the responses to these interrogations. The radar includes an antenna having a lobe with three channels, a Sum channel, a Difference channel and a Control channel, whose transmission means are configured for transmitting interrogation messages over the Sum and Difference channels and whose reception and processing means are configured so as to carry out, aside from conventional detections by the Sum channel, detections by the Difference channel of the responses from the aircraft having been subjected to interrogation by this same channel. The radar also includes means for Space-Time Management configured for generating interrogation messages and determining whether a given message is to be transmitted by the Sum channel, by the Difference channel or by the two channels simultaneously and controlling its transmission by the corresponding transmission channel.
US08674870B2
An electromagnetic reflector includes an antenna that receives an incoming signal and that transmits an outgoing signal. A three-port device, such as a circulator, has a first port electromagnetically coupled to the antenna. An RF circuit has an input that is electromagnetically coupled to the second port of the three-port device and an output that is electromagnetically coupled to the third port of the three-port device. The RF circuit changes at least one of a gain and a phase of the incoming signal to generate a desired outgoing signal that passes through the three-port device to the antenna.
US08674868B2
An approach to signal conversion adapts the signal conversion process, for example, by adapting or configuring signal conversion circuitry, according to inferred characteristics (e.g., probability distribution of value) of a signal being converted. As an example, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) may be adapted so that its accuracy varies across the range of possible input signal values in such a way that on average the digital signal provides a higher accuracy than had the accuracy remained fixed. In another example, models (and corresponding inference circuitry) of both an input signal process and of a quantization process are used to improve signal conversion accuracy.
US08674867B1
The present disclosure relates to a device and method to increase the dynamic bit range of a radio-frequency digital-to-analog converter. A load of the Cap-RF-DAC typically consists of a transformer, which has a transfer ratio N:M derived by the number of windings of the primary and secondary coil, respectively. The load resistance can be varied by using switchable inductors on one or both sides of the transformer to vary an inductance of one of more sides of the switchable transformer, varying the transfer ratio of a transformer resulting in a switchable trans-impedance gain of the transformer. Switchable capacitor may also be configured in parallel to the switchable transformer to keep the load impedance constant while switching the switchable transformer.
US08674866B2
In one method embodiment, receiving a data signal; and converting the data signal to an analog signal over plural clock cycles, the converting comprising: during a first clock cycle of the plural clock cycles, switching on one or more first current cells of a first bank while simultaneously a second bank comprising second current cells is switched off or almost off; and during a second clock cycle of the plural clock cycles, the second clock cycle immediately subsequent to the first clock cycle, switching on one or more of the second current cells of the second bank while simultaneously the first bank is switched off or almost off.
US08674859B2
A method for arithmetic coding of symbols in a stream is described. The method comprises the following steps: coding a current symbol with a current probability model, and updating the current probability model according to the coding of the current symbol. selecting the current probability model in a set of at least two probability models according to a coding cost criterion, and coding an identifier of the selected probability model.
US08674858B2
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with compression and real-time decompression of executable code are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a memory that stores compressed blocks of data. The data is executable code for a processing element. The apparatus also includes a decompression logic. The decompression logic receives a request from the processing element for data and determines a compressed block that stores the data. The compressed block is decompressed to produce an uncompressed block. The decompression logic then provides the requested data to the processing element. In one embodiment an uncompressed block has a predetermined fixed block size. The predetermined fixed block size is selected based on at least one of an amount of uncompressed data, a desired compression ratio, and a desired access time.
US08674851B2
A method and device for displaying trim information on an airplane during a take-off, for determining and displaying a precise trim setpoint which enables the pilot, by following the displayed information, to carry out a manual take-off which is optimized from the performance point of view.
US08674850B2
Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media provide for selective weather notifications to be made to the crew of an aircraft according to the level of relevance of the weather information to a selected phase of flight of the aircraft. According to embodiments described herein, weather information is received and parsed into weather components. The weather components and corresponding thresholds are used with the selected phase of flight to determine a relevance code for the weather information according to a set of relevance rules. The relevance rules provide a level of relevance of the weather information to the phase of flight and trigger a type of notification according to that level of relevance.
US08674844B2
Malfunction of a component within an RF-powered plasma chamber is detected by observing an operating condition of the plasma chamber and detecting when the operating condition deviates from a previously observed range bounded by lower and upper limits. The lower and upper limits are determined by observing the minimum and maximum values of that operating condition during the processing of workpieces throughout one or more plasma chamber cleaning cycles immediately preceding the most recent cleaning of the plasma chamber.
US08674843B2
A system and a method for detecting and localizing abnormal conditions and electrical faults in an electrical grid are provided. A method includes receiving a notification message including a state of an electrical component on an electrical grid. The method further includes displaying, by a computing system, an alarm message indicating the state of the electrical component to a system operator responsible for the electrical component such that system operator is able to determine at least one action to take in response to the state of the electrical component.
US08674842B2
An electronic communication unit such as a mobile phone comprises a processor for operating said unit; and an ambient air quality monitoring sensor; characterized in that said processor is configured to operate said unit in a first mode of operation during which a) monitoring of said air quality occurs and a level of air quality is assessed against pre-determined levels; and b) ordinary communication routines are activated provided an acceptable category of pre-determined levels is identified; and in a second mode of operation during which a) monitoring of said air quality occurs and a level of air quality is assessed against pre-determined levels; and b) an alarm routine is launched interrupting the ordinary communication routines once a level of ambient air quality is assessed to warrant the user's attention.
US08674839B2
A point-of-care computer system is provided, including a display positioned in a point-of-care location. The point-of-care computer includes hardware coupled to a frame of a hospital bed.
US08674838B2
A walking assist device which allays uneasiness felt by a user when a wearable device actively applies torque to a leg. A walking assist device comprises a controller, a headphone and a wearable device attached to left and right legs. The wearable device has a sensor that detects motion of the user's leg and a motor that applies torque to a joint of the user's leg. The controller controls the wearable device such that the joint angle of the user follows a target pattern which represents time-dependent changes of a target joint angle. The controller specifies a change timing at which a time-dependent change of the target joint angle in the target pattern meets a predetermined condition, and informs the user, before the specified change timing, that the change timing is arriving. The uneasiness felt by the user when an actuator actively applies torque to the leg joint is allayed by informing the user of the motion before the actuator performs that motion.
US08674835B2
Updateable, customizable identification bands. The identification band may include a band having an opening therein and at least one transparent surface. An information tag is insertable into the opening and is visible through the at least one transparent surface. The information tag is updateable, customizable or replaceable. The identification band may include accessible digital data storage as well. The identification band may also include a clasp. The clasp may include a male part and a female part, the female part having a cave-like opening that enables the information tag to be inserted into the opening in the band. The male part desirably secures the “cave-like” opening such that a water tight seal is formed.
US08674829B2
A system, device and method for a proximity sensor network are disclosed. The proximity detection device includes a short range wireless receiver, a wireless network transceiver; and a controller connected to the receiver and transceiver. The device receives a short-range radio signal from a user's mobile communications device, and locates the user and takes various actions based on the identity of the user.
US08674828B2
Disclosed is a location tracking system and the method thereof for storing location information. The location tracking system includes at least one beacon apparatus arranged to transmit a beacon signal to a tag; a tag at any position respectively measuring a signal intensity of beacon signals received from surrounding at least one beacon apparatus, and transmitting a measured per-beacon signal intensity to a specific beacon apparatus; and a server arranged to determine if at least any one of signal intensities exceeds a set maximum value by analyzing a per-beacon signal intensity input from the specific beacon apparatus, and store a location-based signal intensity into a database by equally dividing a distance between corresponding beacon apparatuses and then distributing a measured signal intensity into a divided each position in multiple cases the signal intensity exceeds a set maximum value.
US08674821B2
A tire pressure monitoring apparatus includes a plurality of transceivers, a receiver and a warning device. Each transceiver is mounted on a respective wheel having a tire in a vehicle. The receiver is mounted on a body of the vehicle. The warning device receives a warning signal transmitted from the receiver. Each transceiver includes a sensing unit, a first control unit and a transmitting unit. The receiver includes a receiving unit and a second control unit. Each transceiver or the receiver includes a determination unit, which determines whether the tire pressure increases while the vehicle is parked. When the determination unit determines that the tire pressure is increased while the vehicle is parked, the second control unit calculates the selected threshold value, and stores the selected threshold value.
US08674820B2
A display device for a vehicle for the display of information relating to the operation of the vehicle includes a display, at least one round instrument which is readable to a viewer in the area of the display, and a control device which controls the reading on the display and of the round instrument. The display device can be controlled by the control device such that the display device has a first display mode in which the at least one round instrument is displayed to the viewer and the display has a display area within the round instrument and a display area outside the round instrument, and the display device has a second display mode in which the at least one round instrument is not displayed to the viewer, the information which can be displayed by the round instrument is represented by a digital reading of the display, and the information displayed by the display in the first display mode within the round instrument is displayed in another display area of the display.
US08674815B1
An online remote control configuration system for efficiently programming a remote control to recognize a plurality of external electronic devices. The online remote control configuration system includes a remote control having a housing, a keypad, and an electronic system for receiving configuration data from a control station is a global computer network (e.g. Internet). The user preferably “samples” one or more signals from a remote control into the electronic system and then uploads the samples to the control station. The control station analyzes the uploaded samples and transmits the appropriate configuration data to properly configure the electronic system. The user may also access a web site of the control station and manually select each of the external electronic devices that the remote control is to operate after which the control station sends the appropriate configuration data to the electronic system.
US08674811B2
A control method for a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag is provided. The control method includes steps of prompting a plurality of RFID tags to enter a ready state; enabling a first RFID tag from the RFID tags to enter an accessible stage, and providing a first identification code to the first RFID tag; and commanding the first RFID tag to enter a standby state from the accessible stage.
US08674808B2
A dual mode interrogation is carried out by sending narrow band radio frequency interrogation (RFID) signal for narrow band RFID communication units, the narrow band signal comprising substantially continuous periods, and by sending a high data rate RFID interrogation signal during the substantially continuous periods of the narrow band RFID signal so that two different types of RFID communication units are interrogated substantially simultaneously.
US08674805B2
The invention provides an access control system and method for ski areas or similar facilities which uses a combination of RFID enabled tags and video-image derived biometric information to control access through an access gate.
US08674804B2
A wireless deadman system for controlling operation of equipment from a portable device includes a base station with an equipment control system, the base station wirelessly transmitting operational parameters for the equipment. A portable display unit has a housing, an electronic display, an electronic circuit, and a data receiver. A portable authorization device includes a liveness sensor and transmits an authorization signal when the sensor detects a liveness input. The display unit receives an authorization status for operation of the equipment from the portable authorization device and receives the operational parameters from the base station, the display displaying the authorization status and the operational parameters of the equipment on the electronic display. The equipment control system allows the equipment to operate when the authorization signal is provided and prevents the equipment from operating after the authorization signal is no longer provided.
US08674798B2
An inductor includes a core formed of a magnetic material and a foil winding wound at least partially around or through at least a portion of the core. A first end of the winding extends away from the core to form an extended output tongue configured and arranged to supplement or serve as a substitute for a printed circuit board foil trace. A second end of the winding fauns a solder tab. At least a portion of the extended output tongue and the solder tab are formed at a same height relative to a bottom surface of the core. Another inductor includes a core formed of a magnetic material, a winding wound at least partially around or through at least a portion of the core, and a ground return conductor attached to the core. The core does not form a magnetic path loop around the ground return conductor.
US08674796B2
A relay includes: a plurality of fixed terminals arranged to have fixed contacts; and a movable contact member arranged to have a plurality of movable contacts that are correspondingly opposed to the respective fixed contacts. The relay further includes: a driving structure operated to move the movable contact member such that the respective movable contacts come into contact with the corresponding fixed contacts; a plurality of first vessels provided corresponding to the respective fixed terminals and arranged to have insulating property; a second vessel joined with the plurality of first vessels; and an air-tight space formed by the plurality of fixed terminals, the plurality of first vessels and the second vessel to allow the movable contact member and the respective fixed contacts to be placed therein.
US08674785B2
A device for processing a hydrocarbon resource may include a radio frequency (RF) source, a first RF conductor, a second RF conductor, and a hybrid coupler assembly coupled to the RF source and the first and second RF conductors. The first and second RF conductors may each having distal ends configured to receive the hydrocarbon resource therebetween and apply RF power from the RF source to the hydrocarbon resource.
US08674779B2
One aspect of the present invention includes a reference current generator circuit. The circuit includes a bias circuit configured to generate a reference current along a first current path and a second current along a second current path. The reference current and the second current can be proportional. The circuit also includes a first pair of transistors connected in series and configured to conduct the reference current in the first current path. The circuit further includes a second pair of transistors connected in series and configured to conduct the second current in the second current path. The second pair of transistors can be coupled to the first pair of transistors to provide a collective resistance value of the second pair of transistors that is proportional to temperature.
US08674770B2
A transimpedance amplifier includes a first MOS transistor, a current mirror circuit, a second MOS transistor, a load and a first feed back resistor. The first MOS transistor has a gate terminal to which a photodiode is connected. An output current of the first MOS transistor is input to the current mirror. The second MOS transistor has a gate terminal to which a voltage of an output terminal of the current mirror circuit is input. A source of the second MOS transistor is grounded. A polarity of the second MOS transistor is same as a polarity of the first MOS transistor. A first feedback resistor is connected between the gate terminal of the first MOS transistor and a drain terminal of the second MOS transistor. The second MOS transistor outputs a voltage corresponding to the voltage of the output terminal from the drain terminal.
US08674765B2
Circuits and methods to achieve a new fully differential amplifier topology in class AB mode are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment of the disclosure the differential amplifier is diving dynamic speakers. An differential intermediate stage combines four different feedbacks, all sharing four high impedance nodes: main loop regulation feedback, common mode regulation feedback, and output stage quiescent current regulation for both differential output stage branches.
US08674761B2
A circuit for a charge amplifier for converting piezoelectric measurement signals continuously sets the output signal of the amplifier to a value close to zero, such that a reset switch becomes unnecessary. The amplifier includes a pulse generator that provides the output signal of the amplifier in the form of pulses, which are easy to transmit with low interference. The pulse frequency is proportional to the rate of change of charge. The pulses, which are added in a counter, represent a value proportional to the change in the charge since the last counter reset, which is proportional to the present measured value at the measurement element.
US08674754B2
A loop filter includes an input terminal, an output terminal, and a control terminal for a selection signal. At least one low pass filter is disposed between that input terminal and that output terminal. The loop filter is adapted to select a configuration out of a first configuration and at least one second configuration in response to the selection signal. In the first configuration, the loop filter comprises a non-integrating transfer characteristic in operation. In the second configuration, the loop filter comprises an integrating signal transfer characteristic in operation.
US08674753B2
One embodiment of an apparatus for cancelling supply noise includes an input circuit operable to receive an input from a charge pump and a drive circuit connected to an output of the input circuit. The drive circuit is operable to provide an output matching the input to the input circuit when a voltage source powering the input circuit and the drive circuit is stable, and to introduce a contrary voltage change on the buffered output when the voltage source is noisy, with the contrary voltage change being contrary to a voltage change on the voltage source due to noise.
US08674744B2
An electronic device comprising a level shifter and a method. The level shifter includes an input adapted to receive an input signal switching between a low input voltage level and a high input voltage level and a first switch and a second switch coupled in series between a low output voltage supply and a high output voltage supply. An output is coupled to an interconnection node between the first and the second switch and is adapted to be coupled to a load. The first and second switches are controlled by the input signal. The level shifter further includes a third switch which is coupled between the interconnection node and an auxiliary voltage supply which has a voltage level between the low output voltage level and the high output voltage level.
US08674739B2
A single inversion pulse flop includes a critical evaluation path with a single inverter and a storage feedback loop arranged in parallel with the critical evaluation path. The single inversion pulse flop incurs a single inversion delay and does not require an output buffer.
US08674733B2
A phase control circuit includes a first duty cycle correction circuit configured to correct a duty cycle of a clock signal; a delay locked loop configured to perform delay locking of an output signal of the first duty cycle correction circuit; and a second duty cycle correction circuit configured to correct a duty cycle of an output signal of the delay locked loop, wherein the first duty cycle correction circuit and the second duty cycle correction circuit are selectively activated depending upon an operating condition.
US08674724B2
Providing for a field programmable gate array (FPGA) utilizing resistive random access memory (RRAM) technology is described herein. By way of example, the FPGA can comprise a switching block interconnect having parallel signal input lines crossed by perpendicular signal output lines. RRAM memory cells can be formed at respective intersections of the signal input lines and signal output lines. The RRAM memory cell can include a voltage divider comprising multiple programmable resistive elements arranged electrically in series across a VCC and VSS of the FPGA. A common node of the voltage divider drives a gate of a pass gate transistor configured to activate or deactivate the intersection. The disclosed RRAM memory can provide high transistor density, high logic utilization, fast programming speed, radiation immunity, fast power up and significant benefits for FPGA technology.
US08674720B2
A semiconductor device has a ZQ circuit (40) which generates impedance control information and an output buffer having an impedance controlled in response to the impedance control information. A plurality of control bits constituting the impedance control information are serially transferred from the ZQ circuit.
US08674716B2
A probe is made to contact an electrode terminal in an electric circuit or an electronic part for an electric measurement of the electric circuit or the electronic part. The probe includes a terminal portion which is brought in contact with the electrode terminal at one end of the probe, a spring portion in which U-shaped unit portions are arrayed in a zigzag formation, and a housing portion which surrounds the spring portion. The probe is formed of a sheet of a metal sheet which is bent multiple times, the metal sheet having a predetermined configuration in which a portion corresponding to the terminal portion, a portion corresponding to the spring portion, and a portion corresponding to the housing portion are continuously linked together.
US08674714B2
A system and method of probing work pieces is described. A first and second arm each having a pivot point and a guide end are pivotally coupled together at the respective pivot points. A probe tip holder is coupled to at least one of the first arm or the second arm. A guide means guides movement of the guide ends of the pivotally coupled arms, such that movement of the guide end of the first arm and the second arm move the probe tip holder in a plane parallel to the work piece surface.
US08674710B2
A capacitive occupant detection apparatus comprising a sensor unit and a control unit is disclosed. The sensor unit includes a detection electrode and a periphery guard electrode. The control unit includes: a signal application circuit for applying an oscillation signal to the detection electrode; an operational amplifier for applying to the guard electrode a signal having the same phase and potential as the oscillation signal applied to the detection electrode; and a control circuit for receiving current and voltage values supplied to the detection and for determining a mounting state on a seat based on the inputted current and voltage values (including phase information). The periphery guard electrode is located to surround the detection electrode when viewed from an upper side of the detection electrode.
US08674702B2
A lithium-ion secondary battery includes an aluminum case, an electrolytic solution, a positive plate, a negative plate, a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and voltage sensors. The positive terminal and the negative terminal project to the outside of the case while being insulated from the case. The voltage sensor is connected between the case and the positive terminal and detects the potential of the positive terminal with respect to a potential VR of the case. The voltage sensor is connected between the case and the negative terminal and detects the potential of the negative terminal with respect to the potential VR of the case. From the detected results, the states of the positive plate and the negative plate are separately detected.
US08674697B2
Rather than using balanced transmission lines the stimulated response due to nuclear quadrupole resonance can be detected using a single monopole, with multiple monopoles improving substance detection.
US08674692B2
An MRIS gradient coil sub-assembly comprising a first coil layer comprising a first conducting coil portion, a second coil layer comprising a second conductive coil portion electrically connected with the first conductive coil portion so that the first and second conductive coil portions act together as one winding, and a B-stage material consolidation layer sandwiched between the first and second coil layers.
US08674690B2
A feedback control circuit comprises an adjustable element, a main signal path and a feedback control loop. The adjustable element is configured to offset a signal in accordance with an offset control signal and output an offset signal. The main signal path comprises a first comparator to process the offset signal to output a main signal. The feedback control loop comprises a second comparator to process the offset signal to output a tracking signal, a first signal evaluator to evaluate the tracking signal and a first controller to output the offset control signal based on the evaluated tracking signal. The feedback control loop further comprises a second signal evaluator to detect a difference between a signal property of the main signal and the tracking signal and a second controller to control one of the comparators or the adjustable element such that the difference is reduced.
US08674689B1
MEMS magnetometers with optically transduced resonator displacement are described herein. Improved sensitivity, crosstalk reduction, and extended dynamic range may be achieved with devices including a deflectable resonator suspended from the support, a first grating extending from the support and disposed over the resonator, a pair of drive electrodes to drive an alternating current through the resonator, and a second grating in the resonator overlapping the first grating to form a multi-layer grating having apertures that vary dimensionally in response to deflection occurring as the resonator mechanically resonates in a plane parallel to the first grating in the presence of a magnetic field as a function of the Lorentz force resulting from the alternating current. A plurality of such multi-layer gratings may be disposed across a length of the resonator to provide greater dynamic range and/or accommodate fabrication tolerances.
US08674685B2
A magnetic flux position sensor includes a primary coil, a secondary coil, and a magnetic flux conductor. The primary coil generates a magnetic flux and the secondary coil senses magnetic flux. The primary and secondary coils are substantially concentric and spaced apart by an annular passage. The annular passage has first and second ends, and the magnetic flux conductor is slidable from the first end to the second end of the annular passage. The magnetic flux transferred from the primary coil to the secondary coil varies as a function of position of the magnetic flux conductor.
US08674683B2
A system and method for monitoring the rotation of a generator rotor. The monitor uses a light beam directed toward the rotor to detect a marking thereon, and generates an electrical pulse when the marking is detected. The time between the pulse and a reference point (such as a zero crossing) of the signal waveform from the terminals of the generator may be used to calculate the power angle of the generator. The system is adaptive in that it can account for new markings on the rotor. The system may be connected to a network so that power angles from various generators on the electrical network may be compared. The system may further be connected to a common time source such that a time stamp may be applied to the power angles from various generators, allowing for more accurate comparison of the power angles.
US08674674B1
A power converter has a controller that uses as input a voltage output of the converter and provides a signal for controlling the duty cycle without the need for current sensing. In one embodiment, the output characteristic of the converter is similar to the output characteristic provided by conventional adaptive voltage positioning (AVP) controllers, but by eliminating the need to sense current, the converter's cost, complexity, and power consumption can be reduced.
US08674673B2
A switching power converter including an upper-bridge switch, a lower-bridge switch, an impedance circuit, a first control circuit, a second control circuit and a logic circuit is provided. The impedance circuit generates an output voltage and a sensing current according to a conductive state of the upper-bridge switch and the lower-bridge switch. The first control circuit generates a first pulse signal according to the output voltage. The second control circuit has a first mode and a second mode for generating a second pulse signal and a third pulse signal individually. Furthermore, the second control circuit uses different threshold values in different modes to determine whether to switch the mode thereof, so as to form a hysteretic effect in mode switching. The logic circuit controls the upper-bridge switch by the first pulse signal, and controls the lower-bridge switch by the second pulse signal or the third pulse signal.
US08674672B1
A power supply includes a source signal generating circuit, an output stage, and a feedback stage. The power supply further includes a replica stage configured to replicate a response of the output stage to the source signal, and an output regulator coupling the replica stage to the output stage, configured to adjust a feedback signal to the source signal generating circuit by shunting the feedback stage when a loaded output stage response does not match a response of the replica stage to the source signal.
US08674668B2
We describe a photovoltaic (PV) power generation system comprising at least two PV panels and a power conditioning unit. The dc power outputs of the PV panels are connected in parallel to a dc power input of the power conditioning unit. The power conditioning unit comprises a dc-to-dc converter having an input coupled to the dc power input and an output coupled to a dc link of the unit, a dc-to-ac converter having an input coupled to the dc link and an ac mains power supply output, and an energy storage capacitor coupled to the dc link. The power conditioning unit is configured to perform maximum power point tracking (MPPT) responsive to a level of power flowing into the dc power input, and the level of power flowing into said dc power input is sensed at the dc link. In preferred implementations the energy storage capacitor is a non-electrolytic capacitor.
US08674641B2
The present invention relates to a system and method controlling motor rotation speed and provides a cooling system and method configured to control a temperature associated with an integrated circuit. The cooling system includes a brushless motor, a temperature monitoring input, a clock input, and a motor controller. The motor controller is configured to control the rotational speed of the motor using at least a speed control method by comparing the environmental temperature signal to a predetermined threshold: if the environmental temperature signal is less than the predetermined threshold T1 or higher than T2, controlling the rotational speed of the motor uses the speed control method and only one of the environmental temperature signal and the clock signal; and if the environmental temperature signal is greater than the predetermined threshold T1 and less than T2, controlling the rotational speed of the motor uses the speed control method and both of the environmental temperature signal and the clock signal.
US08674640B2
An electric power tool includes: a motor; a manipulation input receiving unit which receives a user manipulation input for rotating the motor; a mode changeover unit that has one manipulation portion which manipulated by the user; a rotation drive force transmitting unit that switches a transmission mechanism to one of the transmission mechanisms corresponding to the set position of the manipulation portion and transmits a drive force of the motor to a tool output shaft via the switched transmission mechanism; an electric signal output unit that outputs an electric signal corresponding to the set position of the manipulation portion; and a motor control unit that sets the control method of the motor to a control method preset for the electric signal, among a plurality of different types of control methods, based on the electric signal, and controls the motor by the set control method, based on manipulation by the user.
US08674638B2
Determination of an estimated initial angular position of the rotor of an AC motor includes application of voltages corresponding to a high frequency reference signal vector to the stator windings of the motor and production of an estimated initial angular position of the rotor as a function of the resulting q-axis stator current component iq_HF, adjustment of transformation of signal vectors from stationary to rotating coordinates and vice versa using the estimated angular position and production of an adjusted estimated angular position of the rotor as a function of the q-axis stator current component as adjusted. Determination of an initial estimated angular position of the rotor and production of an adjusted initial estimated angular position of the rotor is performed with the rotor at standstill and before initially applying voltage corresponding to the drive signal vector to the stator windings, and production of an initial value of a drive signal vector command in stationary coordinates uses the adjusted estimated angular position. Determination of an estimated angular position of the rotor after application of stator current may use a different method, such as a physical relative position sensor.
US08674634B2
A controller for a brushless motor that includes an input for receiving an analog signal, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for sampling the analog signal, and a processor. The processor starts the ADC during a first electrical half-cycle and reads the ADC during a second electrical half-cycle of the motor. Additionally, a motor system that includes the controller.
US08674606B2
Systems, methods and apparatus for reducing instabilities in a plasma-based processing system are disclosed. An exemplary method includes applying power to a plasma with a power amplifier; determining whether low frequency instability oscillations are present or high frequency instability oscillations are present in the plasma; and altering, based upon whether high or low frequency instability oscillations are present, an impedance of a load that is experienced by the power amplifier, the load experienced by the power amplifier including at least an impedance of the plasma.
US08674605B2
A solid state light source driver circuit, system and method are provided. The driver circuit includes a rectifier circuit, an energy storage element coupled thereto, a current bleeder circuit coupled thereto, and a switch. The rectifier circuit receives AC input and provides unregulated DC voltage. The switch closes to couple some of the unregulated DC voltage to the energy storage element, and opens to transfer energy to drive the light source. A power factor controller circuit provides an output signal to control the switch. The current bleeder circuit provides supply voltage to the power factor controller circuit within a range and maintains a current flow associated with the AC input that exceeds a predetermined threshold. A constant off-time controller circuit provides a switching frequency control signal to the power factor controller circuit. An EMI filter reduces generated EMI noise.
US08674600B2
An object of the present invention is to provide an EL display device, which has a high operating performance and reliability. A third passivation film 45 is disposed so as to be in contact with an EL element 203 which comprises a pixel electrode (anode) 46, an EL layer 47 and a cathode 48, to make a structure in which heat generated by the EL element 203 is radiated. Further, the third passivation film 45 prevents alkali metals within the EL element 203 from diffusing into the TFTs side, and prevents moisture and oxygen of the TFTs side from penetrating into the EL element 203. More preferably, heat radiating effect is given to a fourth passivation film 50 to make the EL element 203 to be enclosed by heat radiating layers.
US08674582B2
A vibration power generating device includes a first substrate and a second substrate, a first electrode formed on the first substrate, a fixed structural body, elastic structural bodies which connect the first substrate and the fixed structural body with each other, and a second electrode formed on the second substrate. Since the overlapping area of the electrodes is increased by arranging rectangular or square conductor parts of the first electrode and rectangular or square conductor parts of the second electrode in a checkerboard pattern, a generation region where power is generated by vibration is increased.
US08674573B2
In a motor, a motor case includes a first case and a second case separable from each other in a direction of an axis of a rotation shaft of a rotor. The first case and the second case each have cut-away portions extending parallel to the axis from a separation edge (open side edge) thereof. The separation edges of the first and second cases each have abutment portions not formed with the cut-away portions, and the abutment portions of the first case respectively abut against the abutment portions of the second case. The cut-away portions cooperatively define a plurality of windows disposed in a periphery of the motor case. The stator has a plurality of bulges projecting radially outward from a peripheral surface thereof in association with the windows.
US08674566B2
An electrical machine configured to operate at a power range of several MVA includes a rotor is configured to rotate about a rotor axis. The rotor includes a rotor lamination stack. A stator includes a stator lamination stack concentrically surrounding the rotor lamination stack, wherein a ring-like air gap separates the rotor lamination stack from the stator. An air gap monitoring device extends through the air gap in an axial direction and is configured to detect at least one of a change in a rotor geometry and a presence of debris in the air gap.
US08674560B2
The aim of the invention is to provide a cost-effective, easily regulated rotary-linear drive. Therefore, the invention provides for the rotary-linear drive to connect a rotary drive (10) to a linear drive module (11). The linear drive module (11) comprises a rotatable drive-side receiving device for receiving a torque from the rotary drive (10). Additionally, the linear drive module has a linear motor, the armature (15) of which is rotatable, is rotated by a stator (14), and comprises an output element for the purpose of driving the shaft (12) in a rotary-linear fashion. To this end, the linear drive module (11) also comprises a coupling device (16) that couples the receiving device and the armature (15) in a rotationally secure but not linear fashion.
US08674552B2
This disclosure provides a contactless power reception circuit that includes a power reception part, a voltage rectifying part, a voltage transforming part and a load modulation part. The voltage transforming part includes a smoothing capacitor, a DCDC converter and a backflow prevention device. The power reception part is couplable with an electromagnetic field adjacent to the contactless power reception circuit. The rectifying part rectifies a voltage output from the power reception part, the voltage transforming part transforms rectified voltage from the rectifying part, and the load modulation circuit conducts a load modulation while signals are transmitted. The smoothing capacitor smoothes a voltage input to the voltage transforming part, the DCDC converter transforms voltage smoothed by the smoothing capacitor, and the backflow prevention device prevents backflow of charge from the smoothing capacitor while the signals are transmitted to a contactless power transmission circuit.
US08674550B2
A contactless power transfer system is proposed. The system includes a first coil coupled to a power source and configured to produce a magnetic field. A second coil is configured to receive power from the first coil via the magnetic field. A field focusing element is disposed between the first coil and the second coil and configured as a self resonant coil having a standing wave current distribution. The field focusing element is further configured to focus the magnetic field onto the second coil and enhance the coupling between the first coil and the second coil.
US08674548B2
We describe a photovoltaic power conditioning unit for delivering power from multiple photovoltaic panels to an ac mains power supply output, comprising: a dc input for receiving power from multiple photovoltaic panels; an ac output for delivering ac power to the ac supply; a bank of electrolytic energy storage capacitors for storing energy from the dc source for delivery to the ac supply; a dc-to-ac converter coupled to the ac output and having an input coupled to the bank for converting energy stored in the bank to ac power for the ac supply; and further comprising: a plurality of sense and control circuits, one for each capacitor in the bank, wherein each circuit is coupled in series with a capacitor, and is configured to disconnect the associated capacitor from the bank upon detection of a current flow thorough the associated capacitor of greater than a threshold current value.
US08674547B2
A three-dimensional wind-light congregating power generating system with spherical joints includes a spherical joint wind-light congregating device (10), a spherical joint wind-light trapping device (20), both of which are assembled through spherical joints, and a vertical axis wind generator (30), wherein the profile of the spherical joint wind-light congregating device (10) is the shape of rectangular paralleling and comprises four wind lateral guiding boards (15) equally spaced around a center, a gradually narrowing wind inlet passage (150) is formed between adjacent wind lateral guiding boards (15), and the wind inlets of the wind inlet passages (150) are located respectively at the four sides of the spherical joint wind-light congregating device (10); the spherical joint wind-light trapping device (20) comprises wind-light trapping rods (22) and wind-light trapping films (21) for absorbing solar energy; the vertical axis wind generator (30) is mounted in the center of the spherical joint wind-light congregating device (10). The present power generating system applies an assembled structure with spherical joints, the components of the system can be produced in standardization and be assembled together by simple tools, and a plurality of miniwatt power generating systems can be assembled to a high power generating system; the power generating system can generate electricity efficiently all day even in the condition of gentle breeze and weak light.
US08674544B2
Methods and apparatus for power factor correction include selectively coupling bit reactive loads with a load having dynamic reactive properties to dynamically correct a power factor. Methods and apparatus for reducing distortion in a power delivery system include a means for determining distortion in a power line, forming a corrective signal according to the distortion and selectively sinking and sourcing current to the power line according to the corrective signal. Furthermore, power for a solar power system is injected into a load via the same apparatus.
US08674538B2
A wind generator is disclosed in which superconducting ring generators are utilized without the need for a load bearing drive shaft and other mechanical components, decreasing overall weight and enabling the use of variable geometry blades for increased overall efficiency.
US08674529B2
A cogeneration apparatus includes a housing for accommodating an engine, a fuel line, an electrical generator, and a power converter part. The housing is partitioned into a power-generation compartment and an electrical-equipment compartment. Empty space in the housing is used to form a concave part, which is indented from the electrical-equipment compartment toward the power-generation compartment. The fuel line is disposed in the concave part.
US08674526B2
An electrical energy generator including a housing, an electromagnetically active mass positioned within the housing, an electrically conductive material within the housing, a body positioned within the housing wherein the body and the electromagnetically active mass move relative to each other, and at least one spring for imparting restorative forces to the electromagnetically active mass and the body.
US08674523B2
The present invention relates generally to assembly techniques. According to the present invention, the alignment and probing techniques to improve the accuracy of component placement in assembly are described. More particularly, the invention includes methods and structures to detect and improve the component placement accuracy on a target platform by incorporating alignment marks on component and reference marks on target platform under various probing techniques. A set of sensors grouped in any array to form a multiple-sensor probe can detect the deviation of displaced components in assembly.
US08674517B2
A semiconductor device includes an assembly of two integrated circuits. The assembly has a layer of photoresist filling the space between the two integrated circuits, and at least one electrically conducting pillar within the resist and electrically coupling the two integrated circuits.
US08674515B2
A structure of connecting at least two integrated circuits in a 3D arrangement by a metal-filled through silicon via which simultaneously connects a connection pad in a first integrated circuit and a connection pad in a second integrated circuit.
US08674511B2
A technique for expanding an effective area in which a semiconductor structure required for a semiconductor device to function is desired. With the semiconductor device 2 of this invention, a pad 12 to be connected with a conductive wire 14 is sloping with respect to the surface of the semiconductor device 2 around the pad 12 and along a longitudinal direction of the conductive wire 14. Consequently, the length of the pad 12, when projecting the pad 12 onto the surface of the semiconductor device 2, can be shortened. As a result, the area of the pad region 10 can be reduced and the effective area for forming a semiconductor structure can be enlarged.
US08674510B2
A three dimensional (3D) integrated circuit (IC) structure having improved power and thermal management is described. The 3D IC structure includes at least first and second dies. Each of the first and second dies has at least one power through silicon via (TSV) and one signal TSV. The at least one power and signal TSVs of the first die are connected to the at least one power and signal TSVs of the second die, respectively. The 3D IC structure also includes one or more peripheral TSV structures disposed adjacent to one or more sides of the first and/or the second die. The peripheral TSV structures supply at least power and/or signals.
US08674508B2
A semiconductor chip includes a seal ring adjacent to edges of the semiconductor chip; an opening extending from a top surface to a bottom surface of the seal ring, wherein the opening has a first end on an outer side of the seal ring and a second end on an inner side of the seal ring; and a moisture barrier having a sidewall parallel to a nearest side of the seal ring, wherein the moisture barrier is adjacent the seal ring and has a portion facing the opening.
US08674493B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a highly sophisticated functional IC card that can ensure security by preventing forgery such as changing a picture of a face, and display other images as well as the picture of a face. An IC card comprising a display device and a plurality of thin film integrated circuits; wherein driving of the display device is controlled by the plurality of thin film integrated circuits; a semiconductor element used for the plurality of thin film integrated circuits and the display device is formed by using a polycrystalline semiconductor film; the plurality of thin film integrated circuits are laminated; the display device and the plurality of thin film integrated circuits are equipped for the same printed wiring board; and the IC card has a thickness of from 0.05 mm to 1 mm.
US08674490B2
A semiconductor die package. Embodiments of the semiconductor die package are usable in backlight circuitry. Systems in packages may include a bridge circuit or a part thereof, and a integrated circuit die, such as a driver die, encapsulated by a molding material or other package. The bridge circuit may be stacked on opposing surfaces of a leadframe.
US08674487B2
A semiconductor package with a die pad, a die disposed on the die pad, and a first lead disposed about the die pad. The first lead includes a contact element, an extension element extending substantially in the direction of the die pad, and a concave surface disposed between the contact element and the extension element. A second lead having a concave surface is also disposed about the die pad. The first lead concave surface is opposite in direction to the second lead concave surface.
US08674483B2
Embodiments provide a method comprising providing a multi-memory die that comprises multiple individual memory dies. Each of the individual memory dies is defined as an individual memory die within a wafer of semiconductor material during production of memory dies. The multi-memory die is created by singulating the wafer of semiconductor material into memory dies where at least one of the memory dies is a multi-memory die that includes multiple individual memory dies that are still physically connected together. The method further comprises coupling a semiconductor die to the multi-memory die.
US08674482B2
Subject matter disclosed herein may relate to packaging for multi-chip semiconductor devices as may be used, for example, in flash memory devices. In an example embodiment, a semiconductor chip may comprise a through-silicon via and a sidewall pad.
US08674475B2
Provided are an antifuse and methods of operating and manufacturing the same. The antifuse may include first and second conductors separate from each other; a dielectric layer for an antifuse between the first and second conductors; and a diffusion layer between one of the first and second conductors and the dielectric layer.
US08674468B2
A method of fabricating an imaging array includes providing a single crystal silicon substrate and bonding the single crystal silicon substrate to an insulating substrate. One or more portions of an exposed surface of the single-crystal silicon substrate are removed to form a pattern of first areas having a first height measured from the insulating substrate and second areas having a second height measured from the insulating substrate. Photosensitive elements are formed on the first areas and readout elements are formed on the second areas. The single-crystal silicon substrate is treated by hydrogen implantation to form an internal separation boundary and a portion of the single-crystal silicon substrate is removed at the internal separation boundary to form the exposed surface.
US08674463B2
A multifunction MEMS element includes a first cantilever, a second cantilever and a MEMS component. The first cantilever, the second cantilever and the MEMS component together form a MEMS structure. The MEMS component includes an inductor device.
US08674453B2
The embodiments of processes and structures described above provide mechanisms for improving mobility of carriers. The dislocations in the source and drain regions and the strain created by the doped epitaxial materials next to the channel region of a transistor both contribute to the strain in the channel region. As a result, the device performance is improved.
US08674447B2
A method and structure of an embedded stressor in a semiconductor transistor device having a sigma-shaped channel sidewall and a vertical isolation sidewall. The embedded stressor structure is made by a first etch to form a recess in a substrate having a gate and first and second spacers. The second spacers are removed and a second etch creates a step in the recess on a channel sidewall. An anisotropic etch creates facets in the channel sidewall of the recess. Where the facets meet, a vertex is formed. The depth of the vertex is determined by the second etch depth (step depth). The lateral position of the vertex is determined by the thickness of the first spacers. A semiconductor material having a different lattice spacing than the substrate is formed in the recess to achieve the embedded stressor structure.
US08674445B2
An electrostatic discharge failure protective element (50) is provided with second conductivity type source region (4) and drain region (5), which are formed at a prescribed interval to sandwich a channel region (3) on the surface of a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate (1); a first conductivity type well region (7) formed to cover the source region; a second conductivity type buried layer (8) formed below the first conductivity type well region; a second conductivity type first impurity region (9a) formed between the drain region and the buried layer to constitute a current path; and a second conductivity type second impurity region (9b) to isolate the well region and the semiconductor substrate one from the other.
US08674434B2
Impact ionization devices including vertical and recessed impact ionization metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) devices and methods of forming such devices are disclosed. The devices require lower threshold voltage than conventional MOSET devices while maintaining a footprint equal to or less than conventional MOSFET devices.
US08674424B2
A memory device is described, including a gate over a substrate, a gate dielectric between the gate and the substrate, and two charge storage layers. The width of the gate is greater than that of the gate dielectric, so that two gaps are present at both sides of the gate dielectric and between the gate and the substrate. Each charge storage layer includes a body portion in one of the gaps, a first extension portion connected with the body portion and protruding out of the corresponding sidewall of the gate, and a second extension portion connected to the first extension portion and extending along the sidewall of the gate, wherein the edge of the first extension portion protrudes from the sidewall of the second extension portion.
