US08683882B2
A spherical bearing provides a passive apparatus that enables a contact sensor that needs to self-align to the surface of a test object. In some embodiments, the contact sensor is a transducer. This self-alignment apparatus may be used in a measurement system for aligning the face of a contact transducer to the surface of a material to be measured. The spherical bearing may be dry or may be lubricated with a liquid or with pressurized air to minimize the bearing friction and enable the transducer to self-align. The upper portion of the spherical bearing is preferably attached to a spring-loaded piston. The transducer is preferably attached to the lower portion of the spherical bearing. The spring-loaded piston holds the spherical bearing portions together and centers the floating lower bearing portion after each measurement operation. A cowling preferably retains the lower bearing portion between measurements.
US08683872B1
A test weight providing an elongated flanged beam having a web, an upper flange connected to the web and a lower flange connected to the web. A pair of openings in the upper flange are provided on the opposing sides of the web. Plurality of plates are connected to the beam, each plate resting upon the lower flange and extending upwardly towards the upper flange. A pair of padeye lift plates are provided, one on each side of the web, each padeye plate having a portion that extends above the upper flange and through an upper flange opening. The test weights are stackable one a upon the other, wherein each of the padeye plates can be pinned to the flanged beam.
US08683867B2
An aspect of a pressure sensor package is that a condensed droplet can be prevented from solidifying and blocking the hole of a pressure inlet pipe, without increasing the external dimensions of the package. Aspects of the invention include a groove in a wall surface of a hole of a pressure inlet pipe, a droplet condensed on the wall surface spreads along the groove by a capillary action, and it is possible to prevent the hole of the pressure inlet pipe being blocked by the droplet.
US08683856B2
Active air-fuel ratio control is performed to alternately control an air-fuel ratio in an area located upstream of a catalyst between a lean side and a rich side. The amount of oxygen absorbed and released by the catalyst during lean control and rich control of the air-fuel ratio is measured. When an output from the post-catalyst sensor reaches a predetermined threshold, switching is carried out between the lean control and the rich control, and the measurement of the amount of oxygen is ended. The threshold is set to be reached before the output from the post-catalyst sensor reaches a predetermined reference value. Whether the catalyst is normal or abnormal is determined based on the amount of oxygen measured until the output from the post-catalyst sensor reaches the threshold and behavior of the output from the post-catalyst sensor observed after the output from the post-catalyst sensor reaches the threshold.
US08683855B2
A competence diagnosis system for a urea water temperature sensor that can limit a diagnosis during a cold start. The system includes a cold start condition determination unit that obtains a difference between an engine cooling water temperature and an ambient temperature, a difference between an engine cooling water temperature and a fuel temperature, and a difference between an ambient temperature and a fuel temperature by using an engine cooling water temperature, an ambient temperature, and a fuel temperature measured immediately after engine starting, and allows a diagnosis by the competence diagnosis unit when the temperature differences are less than or equal to a predetermined threshold value.
US08683850B2
A bias value associated with a sensor, e.g., a time-varying, non-zero value which is output from a sensor when it is motionless, is estimated using at least two, different bias estimating techniques. A resultant combined or selected bias estimate may then be used to compensate the biased output of the sensor in, e.g., a 3D pointing device.
US08683840B2
To produce closure elements for metal touch-and-close fasteners in a metal carrier (3), notches (13) corresponding to the outlines of hook elements (1) are made, while leaving a connecting line for each notch. Bending operations are carried out to raise the regions delimited by the notches (13) out of the plane of the carrier (3) as hooking elements (1) around the connecting lines serving as bending lines. The carrier (3) is guided through the region (5) of the tooth engagement between rotational bodies (7, 9) having peripheral teeth. The tooth shapes of the rotational bodies (7, 9) and the type of the tooth engagement are selected such that the tooth engagement cuts the notches (13) and stamps the metal carrier the bending operations.
US08683836B2
An apparatus and method for forming a style line with a sharp radius in a metal with lower formability than that of mild steel is disclosed. The apparatus and method use a die set with a means to back a portion of the metal having the style line formed with a material that moves with the surface of the style line as it is formed. In one embodiment an elastic member backs the metal panel, and in another embodiment a fluid medium backs the metal panel where the style line is formed. The apparatus and method achieve sharper radius style lines in metals like aluminum, advanced high strength steel, and ultra-high strength steel than a traditional hard surface die set can achieve.
US08683828B2
A guide kit for aiding a user in at least one of knitting and crocheting a predetermined item includes at least one template member of at least a portion of the predetermined item, a set of guidelines for one of knitting and crocheting such predetermined item, these guidelines at least including: (i) one of partially knitting or crocheting a predetermined fraction of each portion; and (ii) repeatedly superimposing the fraction on the template during one of knitting and crocheting until portion is complete. Also included are packaging for parts of the guide kit and illustrations on either the guidelines or the packaging providing examples illustrating potential predetermined items.
US08683826B2
An earring and method of using same to accessorize a wearer's appearance. A band is preferably detachably engageable with the earring body. The band may be colored to facilitate color coordination by a wearer.
US08683825B2
A system and method for recovering helium-3 from helium. A distillation column having a top section that is smaller in diameter than a main section is provided. The column also includes an intermediate condenser that condenses vapor from the main section and above a helium feed stream. Reflux to the column can be provided by liquid helium-3 from a conduit or from an overhead condenser. In a preferred cycle, the distillation column is operated at a subatmospheric pressure, and in a temperature range between 2.3 K and 4.3 K.
US08683822B2
A refrigerator includes a freezing chamber door provided with an ice-making assembly. Ice made by the ice-making assembly can be immediately drawn out to the outside by opening an exclusively used home-bar door. In addition, an ice-making case is coupled by a coupling formed integrally with the freezing chamber door and the ice-making case without a coupling tool or operation. Moreover, if a water bucket is installed to the ice-making case, a water supply hole of the lower end of the water bucket is opened by an opening and closing structure, so that water in the water bucket is automatically supplied to an ice tray. In addition, an ice-separating lever having a ⊂ shape is provided to simultaneously rotate a plurality of ice trays. Meanwhile, an ice bank cooperates with the home-bar door to be drawn out forward as the home-bar door is opened.
US08683814B2
A gas turbine engine component includes a gas path wall having a first and second opposing surfaces and a baffle positioned along the gas path wall. The baffle has impingement holes for directing cooling fluid onto the first surface of the gas path wall. A cooling hole is formed in the gas path wall and extends from a metering section having an inlet in the first surface through a transition to a diffusing section having an outlet in the second surface. A longitudinal ridge extends along the cooling hole between the transition and the outlet. The longitudinal ridge divides the diffusing section of the cooling hole into first and second lobes.
US08683810B2
An injection device including at least one injection plate adjacent a combustion space of a combustion chamber, and at least one first injection nozzle including a first entry bore having a first discharge into the combustion chamber, and a first orifice bore, having a cross-sectional dimension less than or equal to the first entry bore, coaxially arranged with the first entry bore and remote from the first discharge. At least one second injection nozzle includes a second entry bore having a second discharge into the combustion chamber, and a second orifice bore, having a cross-sectional dimension less than or equal to the second entry bore, coaxially arranged with the second entry bore and remote from the second discharge. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
US08683802B2
The present invention relates to an installation and a process implementing the installation for converting thermal energy available in a given environment into useful energy. The installation and process use pressure differentials between a hot and a cold column of a pressurized fluid to create a continuous flow in a fluid. The flow drives in rotation elements the rotational energy of which is converted to a useful energy.
US08683790B2
A diffuser for aiding in the vaporization and mixing of an injected reactant with the exhaust gas feed stream of an exhaust gas aftertreatment system is disclosed. The diffuser is disposed within an exhaust gas conduit of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system and has an impingement surface and a baffle plate disposed downstream of and adjacent thereto. The baffle plate extends outwardly from the diffuser, to terminate at a baffle plate tip that is located intermediate of the diffuser and an inner wall of the exhaust gas conduit. The baffle plate is operable to trap a portion of an exhaust gas feed stream, and a reactant resident therein, to increase the vaporization and residence time of the reactant in the exhaust gas feed stream.
US08683789B2
An exhaust valve assembly includes a flapper valve that is mounted on a shaft for rotation within an exhaust component housing between a closed position, an intermediate position, and an open position. An electric actuator is coupled to the shaft to control movement of the flapper valve. The electric actuator moves the flapper valve to the open position for high speed engine conditions. When engine speeds are lowered, and while all engine cylinders remain active, the electric actuator moves the flapper valve to the intermediate position. Once the flapper valve is in the intermediate position, if an engine cylinder is subsequently deactivated, the electric actuator quickly and quietly moves the flapper valve from the intermediate position to the closed position.
US08683785B2
A method for regenerating an open particle separator includes at least determining at least one parameter, as a characteristic variable of a regeneration capability of the open particle separator. The at least one parameter is compared with a first threshold value. At least one portion of a comparison period during which the parameter has reached the first threshold value is determined. The portion is compared with a first minimum portion corresponding to a minimum regeneration time in the comparison time period. Measures are initiated to influence the parameter so that the parameter lies at least according to the first minimum portion and the first threshold value is reached and/or the open particle separator is regenerated. A motor vehicle having at least one open particle separator is also provided.
US08683783B2
Disclosed is an exhaust purification device for an internal combustion engine provided with a venturi-shaped mixing chamber (13) upstream of a NOx catalyst (16), said mixing chamber (13) formed continuously from a tapering part (13a) along which the radius decreases in the downstream direction, a waist part (13b) at which the radius is at smallest, and a widening part (13c) along which the radius increases in the downstream direction. A vane plate (18) and an aqueous urea solution spray nozzle (19) are arranged inside the tapering part (13a). The ratio (a/b) of the distance (a) between the vane plate (18) and the center of the waist part (13b) and the distance (b) between the center of the waist part (13b) and the mouth of the NOx catalyst (16) is set between 0.5 and 1.0.
US08683776B2
A method for introducing at least one substance into a sealed enclosure holding at least one product. The sealed enclosure having at least one conduit through which one of gas or fluid may flow into or out of the sealed enclosure. Air is evacuated from the sealed enclosure through the at least one conduit to create a predetermined pressure within the sealed enclosure and a predetermined quantity of the at least one substance is injected into the sealed enclosure through the at least one conduit.
US08683774B2
A method of producing a light steel structural member includes the steps of: forming surface treatment in a piece of sheet material; forming a plurality of embosses in the sheet material; and shaping the sheet material into a predetermined shape to form a light steel structural member. A light steel structural member includes a web portion, and a pair of flange portions. The web portion has a web face. The pair of flange portions each extend generally orthogonally from each side of the web portion. Each flange portion is in a plane that is generally parallel to the plane of the other flange portion. Each of the flange portions has a flange face. At least one of the web face and the flange face has a plurality of embosses formed therein; and at least one of the web face and the flange face has a surface treatment formed therein.
US08683769B2
A modular sub-flooring system for supporting an overlayment above a ground surface includes a plurality of sub-floor tiles situated about a ground surface, with each sub-floor tile having a substantially-flat top surface that is adapted to receive and support an overlayment, and a connection interface with opposing engagement surfaces. The sub-flooring system also includes a plurality of removable bridge connectors, with each of the bridge connectors having a plurality of tile interfaces, and with each tile interface having complimentary engagement surfaces configured to engage with the opposing engagement surfaces of the connection interfaces. The tile interfaces of the bridge connectors couple to the respective connection interfaces of any adjacent sub-floor tiles to restrain the relative vertical movement between the adjacent sub-floor tiles while facilitating controlled relative lateral movement between the sub-floor tiles.
US08683768B2
A ceiling panel clip with improved characteristics includes a torsion spring retaining loop that has a free end captured beneath a frame member of the ceiling panel. The retaining loop at one end thereof is integral with a base portion of the clip and the free end extends downwardly to the base portion. The base portion and retaining loop preferably cooperate to capture a coiled portion of a torsion spring used to suspend the ceiling panel. Preferably, securing legs of the torsion spring are biased inwardly to allow the coiled portion to be inserted on the retaining loop. Release of the securing legs captures the coiled portion on the clip.
US08683753B2
The subject of the invention is an enclosure for secondary distribution modular switchgears, applicable in protecting switchgears both against adverse weather conditions and against unauthorized inspections of high, medium and low voltage switch gear, and also against accidental access by unauthorized persons, or by wild animals and birds.The inventive enclosure containing a base-frame (3) to which the enclosure walls are attached and which is provided with a roof cover is characterized in that the base frame (3) is formed by a metal truss and contains two extreme base-frame modules, the left one (20) and the right one (23,) and at least one middle module (21 and/or (22) which are connected with one another by means of a pair of permanent connections formed by a socket (27a) and a prong (27b) and fastening and earthing plates (28a, 28b).
US08683751B2
A roof attachment assembly to be mounted on a roof substrate. The assembly comprises a plate having a substantially frustoconical protrusion, the plate defining a first surface and a second surface and including an aperture. The assembly further comprises a first membrane positioned adjacent to the first surface of the plate, a second membrane positioned adjacent to the second surface of the plate, a bracket positioned proximate the second membrane and the second surface of the plate, the bracket operable to support one or more roof-mounted fixtures, and a fastener extending through the bracket, the membranes, and the plate, the fastener operable to couple the bracket, the membranes and the plate. The assembly also comprises a second fastener that substantially mates with the bracket, wherein at least one of the fastener, the plate, the first membrane, and the second fastener includes at least one pre-determined breaking point.
US08683745B2
A door assembly that includes a single glass unit having at least first, second and third panels, a front surface, a rear surface, and an outside edge. At least one of the first, second or third panels is a transparent LCD panel on which media can be displayed. The single glass unit also includes a frame that at least partially surrounds the outside edge of the single glass unit, and electronic components in electrical communication with the LCD panel.
US08683743B2
The present invention discloses a grain germinating system comprising a temperature controlling device, an incubation device, a drying device and a monitoring device. The temperature controlling device comprises a heat pump module, an air conditioning module and a piping module. The heat pump module can output a high or low temperature heat exchanging liquid. The temperature of a culture medium of a grain is adjusted by the incubation device. The incubated grain is dried by the drying device. The air conditioning module is for a plant building. The piping module is connected with the heat pump module, and is provided for the high or low temperature heat exchanging liquid to flow. The incubation device and the drying device are heated by the high temperature heat exchanging liquid. The drying device is cooled by the low temperature heat exchanging liquid provided for the air condition of the plant building to use.
US08683735B1
The presently disclosed technology is directed to an outrigger assembly for a sport fishing boat. The outrigger assembly is provided with a base plate that mounts on the forward area of a T-top of the fishing boat. An outrigger pole containment assembly is in turn mechanically affixed to the base plate. A pair of telescoping outrigger poles is positioned within the outrigger pole containment assembly such that they are in a horizontally opposed configuration. Each pole is formed from a plurality of elongated tubular extensions, in a nested relationship, and is extensible outward to either the starboard or port side of the boat when being deployed. The outrigger assembly is provided with a plurality of manual or electrically operated reels for traversal of several fishing lines through line guiding means provided integral with the telescoping poles.
US08683732B2
The scope ring includes a clamping mechanism, which provides an enhanced connection for Weaver and Picatinny style rails and rail bases. The scope ring includes a base member and a rail clamping member that bolt together at an angle and form the improved clamping mechanism. Tightening the fasteners draws the contact surfaces of the base member and the rail clamping member laterally inward against the sides of the rail base and vertically downward against the top of the rail base.
US08683731B2
A firearm laser sight alignment assembly includes a laser module for emitting a beam along an optical axis, the laser module having an outer seat. The alignment assembly encompasses a resilient grommet mechanically engaging the outer seat in a first adhesive free interference fit. The grommet includes an external seat sized to form adhesive free interferences fits with a laser cover and the housing, as the laser cover engages the housing to retain the grommet with respect to the housing and the laser cover. Upon operable assembly, the interference fits substantially preclude axial and longitudinal movement between the grommet and the laser module as well as the grommet and the laser cover and housing, while allowing angular movement of the laser module to a desired alignment position.
US08683725B2
A magazine-latching assembly for a firearm is described. The magazine-latching assembly includes a latch body that is slideably disposed in a receiver. The latch body includes a notch that accepts an aft tab on a magazine. A locking member is pivotally disposed in the latch body and engages the receiver to lock the latch body in a forward position in which the magazine is locked into the receiver. The assembly includes a magazine-release lever that forms a portion of a trigger guard. Actuation of the magazine-release lever pivots the locking member out of engagement with the receiver, moves the latch body out of engagement with the aft tab of the magazine, and draws the forward tab of the magazine out of engagement with the receiver. The magazine-latching assembly is useable with twin-tab magazines and with bullpup-style firearms. The magazine-release lever is also configured for ambidextrous operation of the firearm.
US08683720B2
The present disclosure provides a hitch suspension system that reduces a transfer of energy (e.g., provides a smoother ride) between two bodies hitched together, such as between a towing vehicle and a towed vehicle/trailer. In an embodiment, the suspension system includes a hydraulic cylinder with an extendable rod in fluid communication with a fluid pump. A control valve is fluidly coupled between the hydraulic cylinder and the fluid pump and is configured to adjust an extension length of the rod. Additionally, a variable orifice that adjusts resistance to extension and retraction of the rod is fluidly coupled between the hydraulic cylinder and the control valve. A first fixed restrictive element is fluidly coupled in series with the variable orifice to dissipate energy ad the rod extends and a second fixed restrictive element is fluidly coupled in series with the variable orifice to dissipate energy as the rod retracts.
US08683709B2
A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM) with multi-bus arm technology that includes a manually positionable articulated arm portion, a measurement device, and an electronic circuit. The electronic circuit is configured to receive a position signal from the arm portion and to provide data corresponding to a position of the measurement device. The AACMM further includes a probe end, an accessory device, an encoder data bus, and a first device data bus. The encoder data bus is coupled to the arm portion and the electronic circuit, and the encoder data bus is configured to send the position signal to the electronic circuit. The first device data bus is coupled to the accessory device and the electronic circuit. The first device data bus is configured to operate simultaneously with and independently of the encoder data bus for sending accessory device data from the accessory device to the electronic circuit.
US08683707B1
A method and apparatus for a magnetic field dipole based transmitter and magnetic field sensor receiver to detect and/or determine the position and/or orientation of a user's receiver; in some embodiments accuracy to less than one foot is achievable; in some embodiments a receiver is located in a cellular phone. An exemplary communications protocol for a location network service is disclosed.
US08683702B2
A folding knife capable of preventing automatic folding, which includes a handle having first, second and third plates, and a blade pivotally connected between the first and second plates by a pivot. The second plate is provided with a resilient stopper having a first end fixed to the second plate and a second end extending toward the first plate in a slanting manner. The third plate has one side corresponding in position to the second plate and concavely provided with an engaging hole. When the blade is fully rotated out of the handle, the second end of the resilient stopper presses against one end of the blade and thereby keeps the blade fully rotated out of the handle. Thus, when a force applied to the blade is excessively large, the resilient stopper will not be shifted away from the position against the blade.
US08683699B2
A production method of a disk drive device includes: an assembling process of assembling a subassembly by incorporating at least a bearing unit in a hub in a clean room; a pouring process of pouring a lubricant in the bearing unit; a cleaning-liquid discharging process of discharging a cleaning liquid to the hub; a cleaning-liquid intake process of taking in the cleaning liquid discharged to the hub; and a sealing process of sealing the subassembly in a seal-material.
US08683693B2
A dental implant apparatus including an implant having an external threaded wall adapted to be implanted in a patient's bone, said implant being provided with a cylindrical axial cavity having an internal thread accessible from a first end. The dental implant apparatus further includes a screw comprising a threaded stem adapted to be helicoidally coupled with the internal thread of said cavity of the implant, wherein said screw is a single piece made entirely of a NdFeB (Neodymium-Iron-Boron) compound comprising silicon.
US08683672B2
A gas sensing device (nanosensor) includes a substrate with at least a pair of conductive electrodes spaced apart by a gap, and an electrochemically functionalized semiconductive nanomaterial bridging the gap between the electrodes to form a nanostructure network. The nanomaterial may be single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) functionalized by the deposition of nanoparticles selected from the group consisting of an elemental metal (e.g., gold or palladium), a doped polymer (e.g., camphor-sulfonic acid doped polyaniline), and a metal oxide (e.g. tin oxide). Depending on the nanoparticles employed in the functionalization, the nanosensor may be used to detect a selected gas, such as hydrogen, mercury vapor, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen dioxide, methane, water vapor, and/or ammonia, in a gaseous environment.
US08683660B2
A snap button wherein when a male snap is removed from a female snap, a rotation between the snaps is limited, but is permitted normally. A male-side grooved surface is provided on a male snap radially outward from a projection of the snap with a plurality of grooves formed so that peaks and troughs of the grooves are arranged continuously in the circumferential direction. A female-side grooved surface similar to the male-side grooved surface is provided on a female snap radially outward from a projection-receiving space of the snap. The female-side grooved surface is inclined relative to the male-side grooved surface. When the male snap is removed from the female snap, each axis of the male snap and the female snap, which are yet in a coupled state, inclines relative to each other, causing the male-side grooved surface and the female-side grooved surface to partially engage with each other.
US08683649B2
In an automatically closing hinge, a first body and a second body are mounted on a fixed shaft, and axial and radial moving members are adjacently disposed inside the fixed shaft. The second body pivoting rearward in relation to the first body enables an inward radial movement of the radial moving member, and during the inward radial movement the radial moving member causes a forward axial movement of the axial moving member. An energy storing member in the fixed shaft is configured to store energy during the forward axial movement of the axial moving member and to release energy for driving the axial moving member to make a reverse axial movement. During the reverse axial movement the axial moving member pushes the radial moving member to make an outward radial movement. The radial moving member during such outward radial movement drives the second body to pivot forward.
US08683640B2
A fabric care device comprising a body having first and second ends for attaching respective first and second fabric care attachments, wherein at least one of the first and second ends is adapted to detachably attach one of the first and second fabric care attachments. An attachment for a fabric care device selected from the group consisting of a depiller, a delinter, a fabric pile restorer, and a brush.
US08683628B2
A patient support table is provided. The patient support table includes a table plate that may be moved manually or by at least one motor having a control facility. At least one sensor is provided on the table plate. The at least one sensor is operable to determine a force exerted by a user on the table plate for table plate movement and produce a sensor signal. The at least one sensor is operable to communicate with the control facility of the motor. The control facility is operable to control the motor as a function of the sensor signal that is based on a predetermined reference force value such that the reference force value is not exceeded during the table movement.
US08683622B2
A drain system for a tub of the type having a tub body defining a bathing cavity, a doorway with door sill in the tub body and a door in the doorway. The drain system comprises a drain piping section adapted to be in fluid communication with a tub drain hole in a bottom of the bathing cavity for drainage of bathing liquid therethrough. A drain unit is adapted to be connected to a door drain hole in the door sill for drainage of liquid therethrough. The drain unit has an inner cavity and a check valve held releasably captive in the inner cavity. The check valve is manually removable from an exposed surface of the door sill. A pipe connects the drain unit to the drain piping section to direct liquid collected by the drain unit to the drain piping section.
US08683617B2
Helmets and methods for manufacturing a helmet are described. An example helmet includes an upper helmet component having a shell and a shock absorbing liner and further having a lower helmet component having a shell and a shock absorbing liner. The shock absorbing liner of the lower helmet component has an angled interface portion to which the upper helmet component is attached. A vent sill is attached to the shock absorbing liner of the upper helmet component and a vent shutter is slidably attached to the vent sill. An example method include forming a first in-mold component having a shell and shock absorbing liner and forming a second in-mold component having a shell and shock absorbing liner, the shock absorbing liner having a seamless headform. After a vent shutter assembly is attached to the first in-mold component the second in-mold component is attached to the first in-mold component.
US08689361B1
A probe for atomic force microscopy may be provided by depositing a thin film onto a wafer substrate and etching the substrate to leave the thin film behind in the form of a handle, a cantilever, and a probe tip in the cantilever. In some embodiments, a thin film substrate for the probe may be accomplished by forming the probe mold on a first wafer, bonding a second wafer onto the first wafer, and patterning out the second wafer to define the substrate for the probe on the first wafer. The thin film may be deposited onto the exposed portions of the first wafer. Thereafter, portions of the first and second wafers may be removed to leave behind the probe.
US08689360B2
A probe head and a scanning probe microscope (SPM) including the probe head are provided. The probe head includes a plurality of cantilevers, each including a probe; and a holder on which the plurality of cantilevers are installed, wherein a cantilever facing a sample is changed by rotating the holder.
US08689350B2
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: determining a behavioral fingerprint associated with a network accessible user of one or more devices, the behavioral fingerprint providing a current status of the network accessible user; and disabling the one or more devices automatically as a function of the determined behavioral fingerprint. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US08689349B2
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems, methods, devices, and machine-readable mediums for implementing gesture-based signature authentication. In one embodiment, a method may involve generating a data protection policy from an un-trusted software environment to govern access to protected data stored in memory in the local computer system. Then the method maps the data protection policy to an enforceable system-level data protection policy managed by an Information Flow and Tracking Protection (IFTP) logic. Next, the method flags the first memory page containing the protected data. Finally, the method enforces the generated data protection policy for the first memory page containing the protected data using the IFTP logic and the enforceable system-level data protection policy.
US08689345B1
Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF) and other types of fraudulent submission in an electronic environment can be mitigated using state information that typically is already maintained for various users. Each submission requiring authentication includes a state identifier (ID). The state ID is compared to corresponding a state ID submitted in a relatively secure format, such as in a secure token or cookie. If the state ID matches a state ID in the secure token received from the user, and the state ID is valid, the submission is processed. Otherwise an interstitial page, including the state ID and a secure token, is generated to prompt the user to confirm the submission. A subsequent confirmation submission will contain the proper state ID and the new cookie, and can be processed. If no confirmation is received from the user with a valid state ID, the submission is not processed.
US08689343B2
Exemplary embodiments provide a system and method for securely transmitting video data to an electronic display. The video data may be transmitted using a wired or wireless application. Raw video data is encoded as a plurality of JPEG frames. A plurality of primary packets are created which may contain one frame or a portion of a frame of video. Each primary packet contains a unique header with information about the packet and a unique security key. A redundant packet and header are created for each primary packet and header. After transmission each packet and header may be analyzed to determine if it was transmitted properly. If the primary packet was not transmitted properly or was an unintended transmission, the system may discard the primary packet and proceed with the redundant packet. If the redundant packet was not transmitted properly or was an unintended transmission, the entire frame may be discarded and the previously accepted frame may be repeated within the video decoder. If multiple frames are discarded, the system may display a default image. The packets are re-assembled and displayed if they are the intended transmission.A system and method for securely transmitting video data to an electronic display. The video data may be transmitted using a wired or wireless application. Raw video data may be encoded as a plurality of frames. A plurality of packets may be created which may contain one frame or a portion of a frame. Each packet may contain a unique header with information about the packet and a unique security key. After transmission various properties of each packet may be analyzed to determine if they are acceptable. The packets may be re-assembled and displayed if they are the intended transmission. A previous frame, default image, or default video may be displayed if any of the packets are not acceptable. Alternatively, a pair of packets may be transmitted together so that if a primary packet is rejected, the system could analyze a redundant packet to complete the frame and provide a minimal interruption of video signal.
US08689340B2
A method for protecting content on a medium including a token which implements at least a portion of a keyed function, providing a first encryption method and a first encryption key, inputting each one of a plurality of token inputs to the token and converting an output of the token to a function output, and storing a plurality of ordered pairs each including a function input and the corresponding function output, encrypting the plurality of ordered pairs using the first encryption method and the first encryption key, and storing the encrypted plurality of ordered pairs on the medium. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
US08689326B2
A system detects the presence of illegal access attacks. The device for analyzing and diagnosing network traffic divides packets into k (k>0) types based on protocol type and port number, etc., a component observing the number of distinct values of one or more pre-specified fields in packet header for each packet type, for all packets that have transited the observation points in a network, an element observing the number of distinct values of one or more pre-specified fields in the packet payload for each packet type, for all packets that have transited the observation points in a network, and a diagnosis element determining whether the network is abnormal when the number of distinct values observed in fields of each packet type crosses a specified ratio-threshold within a predetermined interval. This enables detection of small-scale DoS attacks with little change in addresses number, improving illegal access detection accuracy.
US08689323B2
A method for activating functions of at least one tachograph having a control unit and an interface. The control unit is activated by a program to perform a first group of functions. First, a connection of an external storage medium to the interface of the at least one tachograph is established. The storage medium has at least one instruction for activating a function, which can be read out by the control unit. An authentication between the external storage medium and the control unit also takes place. The function associated with the at least one instruction is activated in such a way that the function is associated with the first group of the control unit. Next, the connection between the external storage medium and the interface of the at least one tachograph is released.
US08689322B2
Disclosed herein is an authentication method for an information apparatus. The method includes receiving a first password, generated based on the system time of the information apparatus, from an external device connected to the information apparatus, generating a second password based on the time at which the first password was received, and determining whether the firs and second passwords coincide with each other.
US08689321B2
A portable computer terminal having an operating system configured to switch from a first state to a second state in response to a first command from a user and to switch from the second state to the first state in response to a second command from the user, the second command including inputting an identification code of the user, the operating system being capable, in the first state, of causing execution in interactive manner of an application selected from a set of applications, the operating system being capable, in a second state, of causing execution in interactive manner of an application of said set of applications in compliance with an access condition, wherein the access condition is determined as a function of said first command.
US08689319B2
A method and system for preventing an unacceptable data packet directed at a computing device on a first network and sent from a client device. The method includes a step of providing a network security system remotely from the first network and the client device, the network security system having a public address and including a load balancer and at least one network security subsystem having a private address, the network security subsystem further including an intrusion detection module, the load balancer of the network security subsystem receiving the data packet destined for the computing device. The load balancer translates the destination address of the packet from the public address of the network security system to the private address of the network security subsystem and forwards the packet to the intrusion detection module of the network security subsystem. The intrusion detection module then determines whether the packet is an intrusion attempt. If the packet is not the intrusion attempt, the destination address for the packet is translated to the address of the computing device, the packet source address is translated to the public address of the network security system and the packet is forwarded to the computing device. Finally, if the packet is the intrusion attempt, a network intrusion prevention technique is performed.
US08689312B2
Leveraging a persistent connection to provide a client access to a secured service may include establishing a persistent connection with a client in response to a first request from the client, and brokering a connection between the client and a secured service based on a second request from the client by leveraging the persistent connection with the client. The brokering may occur before the client attempts to connect to the secured service directly and the connection may be established between the client and the secured service without provision by the client of authentication information duplicative or additional to authentication information provided by the client to establish the persistent connection.
US08689311B2
Providing services within a network of service providers sharing an authentication service and a set of business rules. A central server receives a first request from a first server to provide a first service to a user via a client without forcing the user to present credentials. In response to the received first request, the central server stores data identifying the first service on the client. The central server further receives a second request from a second server to provide a second service to the user via the client after the user presents the credentials to the second service. After receiving the second request and the presented credentials, the central server allows the user access to the second service. In response to allowing the user access to the second service, the central server further allows the user access to the first service as a result of the stored data.
US08689310B2
Methods and systems allow a user to log in to a device so that a number of apps become accessible on the device without the user repeatedly logging in to each different app as the user launches multiple apps. A mechanism of providing a master token with a quality score and providing sub-tokens for each app that can use the sub-token and the score quality to evaluate the level of security provided by the initial login allows each app to skip its own login process and provides a level of enhanced efficiency and convenience for the user. A method includes authenticating a user; creating a master token on the user device; creating a sub-token of the master token for an app launched on the device; the app skipping the login process of the app in response to the sub-token so that the app proceeds directly to validating a transaction.
US08689306B2
A method for unique authentication of a user including federating an identity of said user for said service provider and an identity of the user for an identity provider, the federating including the steps of generating a user alias for that service provider and sending said identity provider a masked alias deduced from said alias, the identity provider associating said masked alias for that service provider with the identity of the user for the identity provider and sending the user elements for calculation by the user of a signature of a message containing the non-masked alias calculating said signature and sending the service provider said message with said signature, and the service provider verifying said signature, authenticating the user, and associating said alias with the user's identity.
US08689298B2
A first request is received, at a service application programming interface (API) of an authorization server, to change a permission of a first role for accessing a first resource. In response to the first request, a first role-based permission data structure associated with the first role is accessed to identify an entry associated with the first resource, where the first role-based permission data structure includes entries corresponding to resources, respectively. Each resource is associated with one or more permissions for a user of the first role to access the corresponding resource. One or more permissions are updated in the identified entry associated with the first resource.
US08689282B1
Cloud infrastructure of a cloud service provider comprises a processing platform implementing a security policy enforcement framework. The security policy enforcement framework comprises a policy analyzer that is configured to identify at least one security policy associated with at least one tenant of the cloud service provider, to analyze the security policy against configuration information characterizing the cloud infrastructure of the cloud service provider, and to control execution of one or more applications of said at least one tenant within the cloud infrastructure in accordance with the security policy, based at least in part on one or more results of the analysis of the security policy. The security policy enforcement framework may be implemented in a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) layer of the cloud infrastructure, and may comprise a runtime controller, an operating system controller, a hypervisor controller and a PaaS controller.
US08689278B2
A web application server includes a user information management unit that manages user IDs and attributes such that each of the user IDs is associated with corresponding one of the attributes, a security policy management unit that manages security policies such that each of security policies is associated with corresponding one of the attributes, a security policy acquisition unit that acquires one of the security policies based on one of the attributes associated with one of the user IDs, and an HTML file generation unit that generates an HTML file in which a script to acquire personal data of corresponding one of users from an intra-company database server is embedded based on one of the security policies of the corresponding one of the users.
US08689275B2
There is disclosed in aspects of the invention a method of evaluating the profit of a substream of encoded video data, a method of operating servers, a network and an apparatus. In the method, a data portion is identified comprising at least some of the data in the substream being evaluated; comparing a decoded version of the video with the data portion present and a decoded version of the video with the data portion removed and calculating an error metric indicative of the distortion between the two versions; and, calculating a profit for the substream dependent upon the error metric.
US08689273B2
Systems and methods for navigating hypermedia using multiple coordinated input/output device sets. Disclosed systems and methods allow a user and/or an author to control what resources are presented on which device sets (whether they are integrated or not), and provide for coordinating browsing activities to enable such a user interface to be employed across multiple independent systems. Disclosed systems and methods also support new and enriched aspects and applications of hypermedia browsing and related business activities.
US08689261B2
A video control system transfers a video signal to display a data/video integration menu and receives user instructions indicating user-selected data and display positioning for the user-selected data. The video control system transfers a data request and receives the user-selected data. The video control system receives video content. The video control system integrates the user-selected data and the video content into a video signal that positions the user-selected data relative to the video content according to the display positioning in the user instructions. The video control system transfers the video signal to display the integrated video content and user-selected data.
US08689254B2
Improved techniques and graphical user interfaces for presenting a media item on a computing device are disclosed. In one embodiment, the media item is a video. A video information window can provide a user with information concerning the video and can enable the user to play at least a portion of the video on request. When the video is to be played, the video information window can expand to present a video playback region in which the video is provided when played. The video can be provided with high resolution and appropriate frame size.
US08689253B2
A remote support site having a detector internally collecting information on a user-selectable intrinsic broadcast characteristic of a media-playing set or television and a server enabling specification of a preferred setting for such characteristic from this information. A method including maintaining a remote site, therefrom internally collecting information from the set about a user-selectable intrinsic broadcast characteristic, and therefrom specifying a preferred setting for such characteristic. A similar method but information detected upon user request about user-adjustable component for selecting on-screen characteristic and final step is remotely adjusting component. A similar method but information is about broadcast characteristic potentially selectable initially by user instead remotely specified initially. A similar method but information is about plural broadcast characteristics and final step is remotely providing settings for each. Two methods on menu-free TV control via remote and a method listing possible broadcast outcomes so user can readily target outcome to resolve.
US08689246B2
A method of providing an Internet protocol television service to a subscriber, and a network element to execute this method. At an acquisition tier, IPTV packets are generated from video stream data of one or more video channels and transmitted to a FCC server cluster at a client-facing tier. IPTV packets associated with one of the one or more video channels selected by the subscriber are delivered from the deliver server cluster to a receiver of the subscriber at a client tier wherein the IPTV packets associated with the one of the one or more video channels are reassembled at said receiver into a coherent video stream. Said generated IPTV packets are routed from a network (5) of a TV broadcaster to networks of one or more TV operators or from a network of a TV operator to networks of one or more TV operators by means of IPTV service routers installed at an intertwine tier arranged between the acquisition tier and the client-facing tier.
US08689238B2
In one embodiment, an impression to be displayed in a placement of a web page is selected from candidate impressions that may be displayed in the placement. The candidate impression may be chosen based on behavioral data and a placement identifier particularly identifying the placement. The behavioral data may include categories of websites visited by an end-user on the client computer. The candidate impressions may be in learning modes, and the impression displayed in the placement may be selected based on its learning mode and revenue generation capability.
US08689235B2
A system and method for enabling interaction between one or more cloud applications and one or more local applications is provided. A web page of a cloud application is displayed on a web browser. The URL of the web page of the cloud application is extracted and analyzed. In other embodiments, the title or other metadata of the web page of the cloud application can be extracted and analyzed. An invoking application analyzes the URL, title, or other metadata to determine whether a local application is compatible with the cloud application. If it is determined that the local application is compatible, then the local application is activated to enable its interaction with the cloud application, and the functionalities of the local application may be used over the cloud application.
US08689223B2
A method, computer program product, and device are provided for detecting and identifying priority inversion. A higher priority thread and a lower priority thread are received. A debugging application for debugging is executed. The lower priority thread requests and holds a resource. A break point is hit by the lower priority thread. The lower priority thread is preempted by the higher priority thread, and debugging stops until the higher priority thread completes. The higher priority thread requests the resource being held by the lower priority thread. It is determined whether priority inversion occurs.
US08689213B2
The methods and systems described herein provide for establishing a secure communication channel between a non-trusted virtual machine and a trusted virtual machine, in a computing device executing a hypervisor hosting the trusted virtual machine, the non-trusted virtual machine, and a third virtual machine. The method includes writing, by a non-trusted virtual machine, a first string of data to a region of memory of the computing device. The method also includes detecting, by a trusted virtual machine, the first string of data written to the region of memory. The method further includes establishing a communication channel between the trusted virtual machine and the non-trusted virtual machine by locking, by the trusted virtual machine and responsive to the detection, the region of memory for the duration of the communication to prevent a third virtual machine from accessing the region of memory.
US08689207B2
A method of updating an original version of content to a new version of content, in a non-volatile memory storage device is provided. The method comprising: providing a non-volatile content memory storage area; performing, while at least part of the content memory storage is being used, at least one in-place update operation that comprises writing at least one block of content associated with a particular version onto a corresponding block of content associated with a version other than the particular version; and performing, while the at least one in-place update operation occurs, a rendering process that comprises provision of requested content from the content memory storage area.
US08689198B2
A compiling system and method for optimizing binary code. The method includes the step of replacing a memory access on a stack area in order to save a value of a register with local variable access. The method further includes: giving a call number to a call instruction and an inlined code in response to an inline expansion of a code to be called by the call instruction; creating a parent-child relationship information for at least one of the call number; processing the memory accesses with an escaped stack pointer as a base address if a stack pointer has escaped; prohibiting a replacement of a prohibited memory access if the stack pointer has escaped; and replacing unprohibited memory access with the local variable access if the stack pointer has escaped.
US08689184B2
An apparatus, system, and computer-implemented method of managing a software program. The computer comprises a processor, a memory, and an input/output interface for receiving and transmitting information to and from the processor, the computer providing a development environment for developing a set of instructions executable by a system. The processor receives a first program containing information in machine-readable form. The information represents a first set of instructions executable by the system. A configuration is created for the system based on the received information. The processor generates a second program containing a second set of instructions executable by the system based on the configuration. The second set of instructions corresponds to at least one algorithm assembled in a nested hierarchy.
US08689181B2
A process performed on a server includes configuring the server to enable script for a Web service to be defined dynamically, where the Web service includes an application program interface (API) for enabling access by, and interaction with, a computer program executing on a device other than the server. The process also includes compiling the script to produce machine-executable code for the Web service, receiving a call from the computer program to the Web service, executing the machine-executable code in response to the call to produce an output, and sending the output to the device.
US08689177B2
An integration environment generator receives an input file and converts the input file into a markup language file. The input file identifies modules for an application to be deployed, dependencies among the modules, test cases for testing the modules, and scheduling information. The integration environment generator receives rules and validates the markup language file against the rules. The rules specify a unified format for including the dependencies of the modules in the input file. The integration environment generator identifies the modules, the dependencies among the modules, and the scheduling information and the test cases from the validated markup language file. The integration environment generator selects a build script template for the identified dependencies, a scheduling script template for the identified scheduling information and a test case script template for the identified test cases and generates a build script, a scheduling script and a test case script from the templates.
US08689176B2
A computer implemented method, system, and/or computer program product modifies a master template for an executable document. A version architecture comprises a master template for a master document, a new variation document that describes what changes are to be made to the master template for a specific context, and a resulting modified template based on the master template and rule-based instructions found in the new variation document. A processor defines an executable master document from the master template that, when executed, produces a final product. Specific rules set out conditions for modifying the master template for the specific context. These specific rules are used to define a new variation document, which is applied against the master template to generate a context-specific modified template. The context-specific modified template is then used to generate a context-specific executable document that, when executed, generates a final context-specific product.
US08689174B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, related to extensibility of pattern components in a visual modeling language environment. A pattern component may implement an interface, the pattern component may be received (e.g., by a compiler), and a determination may be made as to whether components of the interface are implemented by the pattern component. If so, a reference to the interface is bound to the pattern component (e.g., a function call referencing a function signature of an interface may be substituted with a call to a function having the same name of the pattern component). A role may be assigned to a pattern component of a visual modeling environment of an application development system and a behavior may be performed based on the role assigned to the pattern component.
US08689170B2
In an embodiment, a buffer bay is represented with a moveable object that has a location within a unit in a netlist. The location of the moveable object that represents the buffer bay is changed to a new location in the netlist if changing the location improves placement within the unit. In an embodiment, a net weight of a net that connects the moveable object to an artificial pin is considered in determining whether to change the location to the new location. In an embodiment a bounding area that encompasses the location is considered in determining whether to change the location to the new location.
US08689162B2
Aspects of the disclosure provide a circuit, such as an integrated circuit. The circuit includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The second circuit includes a delay circuit configured to cause the second circuit to have substantially matched delay characteristics of the first circuit in response to at least one parameter change of manufacturing, environmental and operational parameters, such as process variation, temperature variation, and supply voltage variation.
US08689160B2
A computer-implemented method for interconnect redundancy of a circuit design comprises the steps of setting Manhattan distance being less than or equal to three pitches; placing a plurality of dummy micro bumps on at least one side of a die including a signal bump formed on the at least one side; determining an interconnecting candidate by selecting from the dummy micro bumps, which is distant from the signal bump by the Manhattan distance; and providing a routing path between the at least one interconnecting candidate and the signal bump.
US08689158B2
A method of applying common path credit in a static timing analysis in the presence of correlations between asserted arrival times, comprising the steps of using a computer, identifying one or more pairs of asserted arrival times for which one or more correlations exist; propagating to each of the one or more pairs of asserted arrival times a timing value dependent on the one or more correlations; and performing a subsequent common path pessimism removal analysis for at least one test during which a timing value dependent on the one or more correlations between asserted arrival times is used to compute an adjusted test slack.
US08689147B2
A wireless handheld communication device having a housing containing a display screen located above a physical keyboard. The keyboard includes a plurality of physical keys and corresponding indicia. Some of the keys are associated with alphabetic characters corresponding to a QWERTY array of letters A-Z and some are associated with numeric characters 0-9 corresponding to a telephone keypad arrangement. At least some of the keys associated with numeric characters are overlaid on the physical keys associated with alphabetic characters. A microprocessor is included that runs the device in at least a telephony mode, an email mode and at least one additional mode. The microprocessor displays a key-function map on the display screen indicative of enabled functions associated with particular physical keys of the keyboard which are different from any function signified by the indicia associated with the respective particular physical key.
US08689146B2
A method includes displaying, in a window or field, first information associated with a first source running on a portable electronic device and detecting an input to display second information associated with a second source. After the detecting, second information associated with the second source and the first information in the window or field is displayed.
US08689144B2
The present invention provides an electronic apparatus having a superiority in a selecting operation to an object. When contents of documents having a plurality of objects are displayed, a default focus is automatically given to one object located near to a display center by a focus control program. When the display is scrolled by cursor keys of a remote controller, objects to be given the focus are sequentially changed in conjunction with the scroll.
US08689138B2
A system and method is disclosed that provides for displaying on the screen of a handheld electronic device, an extended menu or a short menu, which is a subset of the corresponding extended menu. The system and method include a first page of a plurality of sequentially linked pages being displayed on a screen. If the next page of the sequentially linked page is designated through use of the auxiliary user input device and no menu is displayed, the user may initiate an ambiguous request. Various short menus are provided with their respective menu items being dependent and adjustable based upon the position of a cursor on the display page, the currently opened application, and/or the previous selections. Further, a selection from the short menu is capable of displaying the extended menu corresponding thereto.
US08689127B1
A user interface for setting parameters for an edge location video tool is provided. The user interface includes a multi-dimensional parameter space representation that allows a user to adjust a single parameter combination indicator in order to adjust multiple edge detection parameters at once. One or more edge feature representation windows may be provided which indicate the edge features detectable by the current configuration of the edge detection parameters.
US08689122B2
In a computerized method and apparatus for processing digital information for display on a display unit, digital information representing a number of items of first superordinate information and a number of items of second detailed information, respectively associated with an item of superordinate information, are read from a memory. These items of first and second information are processed such that the first information can be displayed in a first display region the display unit and the second information can simultaneously be displayed in a second display region of the display unit, with a display of the information in one of the display regions causing no modification of the size of the other display region. The first and the second display regions interact such that the associated second information regarding a number of items of information displayed in the first display region can be displayed in the second display region.
US08689121B2
Management of controls in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a computer system. In one aspect, a command is received to create and display a window in the GUI, the window including one or more controls, each control operative to perform a function of an application in response to selection. An associated scope for each control is determined and indicates an extent of shared use of the control within the GUI. It is determined if a different instance of the control already exists within the scope for the control. If so, resources of the different instance are referenced to be shared for use with the control and new resources are not created for the control. If no different instance exists within the scope, new resources for the control are created and stored. The window and the controls in the GUI are displayed.
US08689118B2
Example methods and apparatus to conceal portions of a visual object diagram in a process control system are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving a selection to conceal a first functional block within a visual object diagram, wherein the first functional block is associated with a first view parameter, determining a link from a process control parameter within the first functional block to a first intersection within a second functional block within the visual object diagram, wherein the link is associated with a second view parameter, coupling the first view parameter and the second view parameter to the first intersection, and concealing the link and the first functional block.
US08689117B1
Systems and techniques for generating a markup language document that has content to be conditionally display are disclosed. The markup language document includes JavaScript code and one or more comment tags indicating that content between the one or more comment tags is not to be processed for display by a client computer. The markup language document further defines a variable to hold a value. When the variable is a first value, at least one of the comment tags is ignored as a comment tag such that the content between the comment tags is processed for display. When the variable is a second value, the one or more comment tags are processed normally, such that the content between the comment tags is not displayed.
US08689116B2
Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems receive a reply or forward command for a selected email message in an email user interface and display a composition window in response to the command, wherein the displaying includes a sequence of images to create the illusion of the composition window popping out of the selected email message, the sequence of images including an initial image that is a copy of the selected email message, a final image of the composition window including an editable body, and at least one image between the initial image and the final image that has characteristics of both the initial and final images.
US08689114B2
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to activity thread management and provide a method, system and computer program product for activity objectification for non-activity objects in an activity-centric collaboration tool. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for activity objectifying non-activity/task objects in an activity-centric collaboration tool can be provided. The method can include selecting a non-activity/task object in an activity thread for an activity map of the activity-centric collaboration tool, and associating an activity attribute with the selected non-activity/task object. The non-activity/task object further can be decorated with a user interface control corresponding to a value for the activity attribute, and a state for the user interface control can be changed responsive to changes in the value for the activity attribute.
US08689113B2
Methods and apparatuses are described for organizing audio/visual content and prefetching selected audio/visual content configured to be displayed to a user. In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses for presenting content identifies a preference corresponding to a user; detects a current display window; and prefetches at least one audio/visual content in response, in part, to the current display window and the preference.
US08689103B2
Among other things, techniques and systems are disclosed for implementing an automated presentation of media content having associated metadata. The system provides an automated transition that corresponds to a relationship between a first media content item's metadata and metadata associated with a second media content item. The automated system also provides an automated information overlay that corresponds to a relationship between a first media content item's associated metadata and metadata associated with a second media content item. The automated system also can obtain information corresponding to metadata of the media content and provides automated information overlays while displaying the media content in a presentation.
US08689099B1
Disclosed are various embodiments for performing cross-domain communication using messenger frames. One or more messenger frames are dynamically generated in response to determining that a message is to be sent from a first frame in one domain to a second frame in another domain in a client. The message is sent from the first frame to the second frame by embedding the message in addresses of the messenger frames. Code executing in the first frame and code executing in the second frame are restricted from direct communication in the client.
US08689098B2
A computer system organizes text narratives and images about events using character tags, which are tags that are defined by users with respect to those persons that are depicted in the text narratives and images. Each character tag is associated with either a user profile or a pseudo-profile. A pseudo-profile for a person is created by a user when the user does not know if the person has a user profile in the computer system. An invitation e-mail that is sent to a prospective user may include content stored in the computer system, or a hyperlink to such content, that has been tagged with the character tag of the prospective user.
US08689094B1
An electronic document includes header, view, data, and signature sections. The data section provides data typically processed in transactions involving the electronic document. The view section includes presentation formatting for displays corresponding to the data. Linking elements identify corresponding main data values and view data values respectively used to populate the data section and display presentation formatting, and are accessible for determining whether the data in the display and data section, providing assurances that processed data matches that found in documents used by parties to a transaction. A digital signature section allows a digital signature to be provided, and used to wrap that data and view sections, to ensure authenticity. The header section provides document type, state and other information that is readily accessed without otherwise scanning the electronic document.
US08689092B2
A family of quasi cyclic irregular low density parity check codes for video broadcasting applications. The parity check matrices of the constructed low density parity check codes have quasi-cyclic structures to facilitate hardware implementation and have proper check/bit degree distributions to offer frame error rate performance lower than 10−7.
US08689090B2
Methods and apparatuses are provided for achieving maximum diversity gain through channel coding based on a Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) code in a multiple antenna communication system. A method includes determining a parity-check matrix; generating a codeword using the parity-check matrix; puncturing a part of an information word; dividing a parity into a plurality of partial parities based on a number of transmit antennas; transmitting an unpunctured part of the information word and a partial parity over a first antenna; and transmitting at least one other partial parity over at least one other transmit antenna.
US08689085B2
A method of transmitting data in an optical transport network is provided. The method comprises generating an optical transmission unit frame including an in-band area including a first area to which information data is allocated and a second area to which the information data is not allocated and an out-band area including parity information and transmitting the data through the optical transmission unit frame.
US08689081B2
Techniques are provided for classifying and correcting errors in a bit sequence. At a memory control device, access is requested to a first bit sequences that is stored in a bit sequence database of a memory component and associated with an address. An error is detected in the first bit sequence, and the address associated with the bit sequence is compared to addresses stored in an address database of a content addressable memory component to determine if there is a match. When there is a match, the error is classified as a hard bit error. When there is not a match, the error is classified as a soft bit error.
US08689078B2
A technique of determining a message residue includes accessing a message and simultaneously determining a set of modular remainders with respect to a polynomial for different respective segments of the message. The technique also includes determining a modular remainder with respect to the polynomial for the message based on the set of modular remainders and a set of constants determined prior to accessing the message. The modular remainder with respect to the polynomial for the message is stored in a memory.
US08689076B2
The present invention is related to systems and methods for applying a data decode algorithm to different rotations or modifications of a decoder input as part of data processing.
US08689075B2
An apparatus and method for mapping and demapping signals in a system using a Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) code are provided. In the method, LDPC codeword bits are written column-wise and read row-wise, substreams are generated by demultiplexing the read bits using a demultiplexing scheme, and bits included in each of the substreams are mapped to symbols on a signal constellation. The demultiplexing scheme is determined corresponding to a modulation scheme used in the signal transmitter, a length of the LDPC codeword, and a number of the substreams.
US08689074B1
Decoding information using error-correcting codes includes, in one aspect, receiving transmitted information that includes original information coded using an error correction coding technique, and using at least one processor to iteratively decode the transmitted information to correct transmission errors and determine the original information. The iterative decoding includes determining that the iterative decoding has become trapped in a trapping set before a predetermined maximum number of iterations has been performed. Some embodiments allow that, in response to determining the trapping set, an exit can be performed from the iterative decoding before the predetermined maximum number of iterations has been performed.
US08689057B2
In a network apparatus for receiving a processing request transmitted from an external apparatus connected thereto via a network, it is detected that processing corresponding to the transmitted processing request has not been performed. If it is detected that the processing corresponding to the transmitted processing request has not been performed, a port number of a request destination of the transmitted processing request is recognized and an application corresponding to the recognized port number is specified as an application of a request destination of the transmitted processing request. Furthermore, it is determined whether the specified application is in an ON or OFF state. If it is detected that the processing corresponding to the transmitted processing request has not been performed and the specified application is in the OFF state, error information including information indicating the specified application is output.
US08689050B2
Restarting event and alert analysis after a shutdown in a distributed processing system includes identifying a shutdown condition of the distributed processing system; and determining whether the shutdown was a planned shutdown or an unplanned shutdown; if the shutdown was planned, storing an identification of the last event in an event log that was injected in an event queue at the time of the planned shutdown and restarting event and alert analysis using the next event identified in the event log; if the shutdown was unplanned, identifying a previously configured restart mode; selecting an identification of a restart event in the event log according to the previously configured restart mode; and restarting event and alert analysis using the restart event identified in the event log.
US08689040B2
Methods and systems for data reconstruction following drive failures may include: storing data across two or more drives in one or more data stripes, each data stripe including two or more drive extents; detecting a degradation of a drive containing a drive extent associated with a first data stripe; assigning a reconstruction priority to the drive extent associated with the first data stripe; detecting a degradation of a drive containing a drive extent associated with a second data stripe; and assigning a reconstruction priority to the drive extent associated with the second data stripe.
US08689029B2
A method and apparatus for scaling frequency and operating voltage of at least one clock domain of a microprocessor. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to techniques to divide a microprocessor into clock domains and control the frequency and operating voltage of each clock domain independently of the others.
US08689023B2
A digital logic controller for regulating a voltage of a SoC includes a first input for receiving a reference signal having a first property that is constant over a range of operating conditions of the SoC, and a second input for receiving a second signal that has a second property that is indicative of an operating condition of the SoC. The second property may vary over a range of operating conditions of the SoC. A comparator compares the first and second properties and the digital logic controller, based on the comparison, outputs to a regulation signal to a voltage regulator to regulate the voltage of the SoC at or near a target voltage that is higher than a minimum operating voltage of the SoC.
US08689021B1
Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method comprising generating a plurality of power profiles for a corresponding plurality of processing cores, wherein each power profile of the plurality of power profiles includes power consumptions of a corresponding processing core under various operating conditions; generating a plurality of candidate configurations, wherein each candidate configuration comprises corresponding candidate operating conditions for the plurality of processing cores; and based at least in part on the plurality of power profiles, selecting a first candidate configuration of the plurality of candidate configurations for managing the plurality of processing cores. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08689010B2
Various embodiments utilize hardware-enforced boundaries to provide various aspects of digital rights management or DRM in an open computing environment. Against the backdrop of these hardware-enforced boundaries, DRM provisioning techniques are employed to provision such things as keys and DRM software code in a secure and robust way. Further, at least some embodiments utilize secure time provisioning techniques to provision time to the computing environment, as well as techniques that provide for robustly secure storage.
US08688994B2
Computerized methods, systems, and computer-readable media for promoting cooperation between a first and second virtual network overlay (“overlay”) are provided. The first overlay is governed by a first authority domain and includes members assigned virtual IP addresses from a first address range. The second overlay is governed by a second authority domain, which is associated with a second federation mechanism, for negotiating on behalf of the second overlay. The second federation mechanism is capable of negotiating with, or soliciting delegation of authority from, a first federation mechanism that is associated with the first authority domain. When negotiations are successful or authority is delegated, the second federation mechanism establishes a communication link between the second overlay and the first overlay or joins a member of the second overlay to the first overlay. Joining involves allocating a guest IP address from the first address range to the member.
US08688991B1
A system identifies a playlist comprising at least one reference to content. The system provides a digital signature to the playlist. The digital signature links the playlist to a creator of the playlist. The system authenticates an application rendering the content using the digital signature. The system receives a command to render the playlist using the application.
US08688990B2
An authentication token using a smart card that an organization would issue to its customer, the smart card having a processor for executing a software application that is responsive to a user input to generate a one-time password as an output. The smart card co-operates with an interface device for inputting the user input and displaying the one-time password. The authentication token may be used in combination with a remote authentication server for validation of the password and hence authentication of the user.
US08688989B2
Techniques for assuring a receiver's non repudiation of a communication are provided via cooperation with a secure device. A secure device operates within a local environment of a receiver and exchanges certificates with a sender via the receiver. The sender encrypts data in a communication with the receiver. Separately, the sender sends an encrypted version of a decryption key to the receiver. The receiver presents the encrypted version of the key to the secure device and the secure device supplies the decryption key for use by the receiver to decrypt the previously sent encrypted data.
US08688987B2
One embodiment is directed to a method for managing cryptographic information. The method includes initiating cryptographic information loading application on a general purpose mobile device (GPMD) and establishing a connection between the GPMD and a server that includes cryptographic information. Authentication input is received from a user of the GPMD. Data identifying the GPMD and the authentication input is sent from the GPMD to the server for authentication of the GPMD and the user. The GPMD also sends data identifying an electronic device into which cryptographic information is to be loaded. In response, the GPMD receives cryptographic information for the electronic device at the GPMD from the server. The GPMD then sends the cryptographic information from the GPMD to the electronic device for loading therein.
US08688986B2
A method for exchanging strong encryption keys between devices using alternate input methods. At least two devices that want to communicate with one another are set in key exchange mode. The at least two devices are to communicate with one another using a short range radio or personal area network. The at least two devices negotiate with one another to determine which of the at least two devices will generate an encryption key, wherein device A represents the negotiated device and device B represents the non-negotiated device. Device A generates the encryption key and transmits the encryption key to device B using an out-of band transmission channel. The out-of-band transmission channel may be transmitting the encryption key via audio tones. A validation process determines whether the transmission of the encryption key via the out-of-band transmission channel was successful. If the encryption key has been successfully validated, the at least two devices are enabled to automatically accept communications between them over the short range radio or personal area network.
US08688982B2
According to one general aspect, a method may include establishing a network tap point near, in a network topology sense, an intranet/internet access point device. The network tap point may provide a substantially non-intrusive means of viewing network communication through the intranet/internet access point. The method may include monitoring, via the network tap point, at least partially encrypted network communication between a client computing device that is within the intranet and server computing device that is within the internet. The method may also include analyzing the monitored at least partially encrypted network communication to generate at least one set of metrics regarding the performance of the network communication between the client computing device and server computing device.
US08688961B2
A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for managing prefetch streams in a virtual machine environment. Compiled application code in a first core, which comprises a Special Purpose Register (SPR) and a plurality of first prefetch engines, initiates a prefetch stream request. If the prefetch stream request cannot be initiated due to unavailability of a first prefetch engine, then an indicator bit indicating a Prefetch Stream Dispatch Fault is set in the SPR, causing a Hypervisor to interrupt the execution of the prefetch stream request. The Hypervisor then calls its associated operating system (OS), which determines prefetch engine availability for a second core comprising a plurality of second prefetch engines. If a second prefetch engine is available, then the OS migrates the prefetch stream request from the first core to the second core, where it is initiated on an available second prefetch engine.
US08688960B2
A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for managing prefetch streams in a virtual machine environment. Compiled application code in a first core, which comprises a Special Purpose Register (SPR) and a plurality of first prefetch engines, initiates a prefetch stream request. If the prefetch stream request cannot be initiated due to unavailability of a first prefetch engine, then an indicator bit indicating a Prefetch Stream Dispatch Fault is set in the SPR, causing a Hypervisor to interrupt the execution of the prefetch stream request. The Hypervisor then calls its associated operating system (OS), which determines prefetch engine availability for a second core comprising a plurality of second prefetch engines. If a second prefetch engine is available, then the OS migrates the prefetch stream request from the first core to the second core, where it is initiated on an available second prefetch engine.
US08688957B2
A system and method are configured to detect conflicts when converting scalar processes to parallel processes (“SIMDifying”). Conflicts may be detected for an unordered single index, an ordered single index and/or ordered pairs of indices. Conflicts may be further detected for read-after-write dependencies. Conflict detection is configured to identify operations (i.e., iterations) in a sequence of iterations that may not be done in parallel.
US08688952B2
An arithmetic processing apparatus includes: a plurality of TLBs holding as entries a portion of a conversion table for conversion of virtual addresses into physical addresses that has been placed in a main memory unit; an entry registration determining unit that, while registering an entry output from the main memory unit in any one of a plurality of TLBs, determines whether an entry has already been registered in an area of a TLB as registration destination; and a relocation control unit that, when the entry registration determining unit determines that an entry has already been registered in the area of the TLB as registration destination, evicts the entry that has already been registered and registers evicted entry in other TLB.
US08688942B2
A method and apparatus adaptively controlling a page open time for a memory device are disclosed. The method includes determining a page open maintenance time of an access-requested page based on system information and intellectual property (IP) request information; and controlling closing of an open page based on the determined page open maintenance time.
US08688930B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed that operate to encode register bits to generate encoded bits such that, for pairs of addresses, an encoded it to be coupled to a first address in a memory device may be exchanged with an encoded bit to be coupled to a second address in the memory device. Apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed that operate to invert encoded bits in logic circuits in the memory device if original bits were inverted. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08688924B2
A method for improving accuracy of a time estimate from a memory device is disclosed. In one embodiment, a memory device receives a time stamp and measures active time with respect to the received time stamp. The memory device determines accuracy of previously-measured active time and generates a time estimate using the measured active time, the accuracy of previously-measured active time, and the received time stamp. In another embodiment, measured active time is adjusted, with or without generating a time estimate. Other embodiments are disclosed, and each of the embodiments can be used alone or together in combination.
US08688923B2
Dynamic control of memory affinity is provided for a shared memory logical partition within a shared memory partition data processing system having a plurality of nodes. The memory affinity control approach includes: determining one or more home node assignments for the shared memory logical partition, with each assigned home node being one node of the plurality of nodes of the system; determining a desired physical page level per node for the shared memory logical partition; and allowing the shared memory partition to run and using the home node assignment(s) and its desired physical page level(s) in the dispatching of tasks to physical processors in the nodes and in hypervisor page memory management to dynamically control memory affinity of the shared memory logical partition in the data processing system.
US08688920B2
A data structure of readily accessible units of memory is provided as computer useable media having computer readable program code logic providing information tables and a software emulation program to enable hardware to run new software that uses transactional memory and a bit associated with a transaction for executing transactional memory constructs. The data structure with Guest PTRAN bit is used in emulation of software written for a given computer on a different computer which executes a different set of instructions. The emulating instructions are used to provide transactional memory instructions on a computer which does not support those instructions natively.
US08688905B2
According to one embodiment, a method for storing data on a magnetic tape comprises receiving data from two different hosts and simultaneously writing the data from the hosts to the magnetic tape using multiple transducers. In another approach, a method for storing data on a magnetic tape comprises receiving requests to establish a concurrent reservation from multiple hosts and allocating a unique stripe in a wrap to each of the hosts that sent the requests, wherein the wrap is a collection of data tracks to be written simultaneously in one direction of tape movement by multiple transducers of a tape head, and the wrap is logically divided into the stripes. Also, the method includes receiving data from the hosts and simultaneously writing the data from the hosts to the magnetic tape using the multiple transducers. Other systems and methods concerning storing data on magnetic tapes are described as well.
US08688901B2
A memory module can include a data buffer having a data bus interface and a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) coupled to the data buffer. The memory module may also include a switch connected in parallel with the data buffer, wherein the switch can selectively bypass the data buffer. In one example, the memory module also includes a registered buffer having an address bus interface, where the switch may selectively bypass the data buffer based on a program signal obtained from an address bus via the address bus interface.
US08688900B2
Provided is a method for managing cache memory to cache data units in at least one storage device. A cache controller is coupled to at least two flash bricks, each comprising a flash memory. Metadata indicates a mapping of the data units to the flash bricks caching the data units, wherein the metadata is used to determine the flash bricks on which the cache controller caches received data units. The metadata is updated to indicate the flash brick having the flash memory on which data units are cached.
US08688899B2
Apparatuses, systems, and methods are presented for a direct interface between a memory controller and a non-volatile memory controller using a command protocol. A method includes receiving a command from a memory controller to a non-volatile memory controller over a wire interface by way of a command protocol. The memory controller is coupled to one or more processors and the non-volatile memory controller, in one embodiment, is coupled to non-volatile memory media. The command protocol includes a control path that enables the memory controller to distinguish among different memory modules. A method includes executing the command within the non-volatile memory controller in response to determining that the non-volatile memory controller is capable of satisfying the command.
US08688896B2
A digital still camera performs temporary high-speed writing when capturing a large number of images in a short time. Lengthy processing for erased block allocation or copying performed inside a nonvolatile storage device may disable the captured images to be written completely (may cause some frames to drop). A nonvolatile storage system includes an access device (1001) and a nonvolatile storage device (1002). A button operation of a user on the access device (1001) causes the mode of data writing to the nonvolatile storage device (1002) to be switched. Temporary high-speed writing is performed into a physical block of a nonvolatile memory (27) from which a plurality of data pieces with different logical addresses and different data sizes have been erased. After the temporary high-speed writing, the written data is relocated into a user storage area (272), and an erased block is newly allocated for subsequent temporary high-speed data writing.
US08688891B2
A computing apparatus for accessing a multiple bank memory is provided. The computing apparatus includes a processor, a memory and a memory controller which is configured to store data in a data buffer by accessing the memory in an aligned word unit and output, in response to a request for an unaligned memory access by the processor, requested data by extracting the request data from the data buffer.
US08688885B2
Provided is a hardware acceleration apparatus, method and computer-readable medium efficiently processing multi-core synchronization. A processor core that fails to acquire a lock variable may be switched to a low power sleep mode and a waste of power may be reduced. Additionally, when a lock variable is returned, a wakeup signal may be transmitted to a processor core operated in the low power sleep mode, and the processor core may be activated.
US08688883B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for accessing a task stored in an entry of a task queue that identifies the task and a first core of a processor on which the task has been scheduled, reassigning the task to a coldest idle core of the processor, and sending the task to the coldest idle core and maintaining the processor in a turbo mode. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08688881B2
An integrated circuit device (100) comprising a first plurality of components (102-112), a second plurality of buses (114-124, 140, 142) for transmitting transaction requests from said components (102-112) to a resource (138) shared by said components (102-112) and a third plurality of arbiters (132-136) arranged in at least two levels of arbitration. Each transaction request has attached priority value that is used by the arbiters to determine which of the components should be granted access to the resource (138).
US08688876B1
An adapter for providing connectivity between a host connector of a host device and an accessory connector of an accessory that is incompatible with the host connector is described. The adapter can include a host interface connector that is compatible with the host connector, and an accessory interface connector that is compatible with the accessory connector of the accessory. The adapter may further include an identification module that can provide adapter identification information to a host device connected to the host interface connector, and may also include an authentication module that can authenticate an accessory connected to the accessory interface connector.
US08688873B2
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for monitoring out of order data decoding. For example, a method for monitoring out of order data processing is provided that includes receiving a plurality of data sets that is associated with a plurality of identifiers with each of the plurality of identifiers indicates a respective one of the plurality of data sets; storing each of the plurality of identifiers in a FIFO memory in an order that the corresponding data sets of the plurality of data sets was received; processing the plurality of data sets such that at least one of the plurality of data sets is provided as an output data set; accessing the next available identifier from the FIFO memory; and asserting an out of order signal when the next available identifier is not the same as the identifier associated with the output data set.
US08688870B2
According to one embodiment, a communication device includes a first interface, a wireless communication unit, and a memory unit. The memory unit includes a first region used for first access from the first interface and a second region used for second access from the wireless communication unit. Writing to the second region by the first access and writing to the first region by the second access are inhibited.
US08688868B2
A computer system may comprise a second device operating as a producer that may steer data units to a first device operating as a consumer. A processing core of the first device may wake-up the second device after generating a first data unit. The second device may generate steering values after retrieving a first data unit directly from the cache of the first device. The second device may populate a flow table with a plurality of entries using the steering values. The second device may receive a packet over a network and store the packet directly into the cache of the first device using a first steering value. The second device may direct an interrupt signal to the processing core of the first device using a second steering value.
US08688866B1
Computer program code (program code) identifies peripheral devices connected to a computer having a log file. Program code determines whether the peripheral devices identified are functioning properly or not functioning properly. The program code collects information about the configuration of the computer. The program code sets parameters that create a profile for the computer. The program code stores the profile and the log file in a database along with profiles and log files of other computers having peripheral devices identified by the program code. The program code utilizes the profiles and log files to generate recommendations for peripheral devices that are compatible with at least one processor and operating system of the computer.
US08688864B2
In a wizard process used by a printer driver, a screen to be displayed is dynamically produced in accordance with device function information provided by the printer driver and a setting value input by a user. In this technique, it is not necessary to separately prepare wizard programs for respective printer drivers, which makes it possible to develop the wizard program in a highly efficient and easy manner.
US08688858B2
An image processing device is connected to a device management apparatus via a network and includes device information in accordance with the Common Information Model CIM. In the image processing device, a first transform part transforms, when a query described in a general-purpose language to include a request of data handling of device information with respect to jobs is received, CIM objects, generated from the device information with respect to the jobs, into XML data items. A combining part combines the XML data items into XML data and generates the combined XML data. An extracting part extracts an XML data item associated with the request from the combined XML data. A second transform part transforms the XML data item into a CIM object. The data handling of the CIM object is performed and a result of the data handling is transmitted.
US08688853B2
A multicast group list (i.e., destination node address list) for a network device is circularly linked such that the list can be entered at any point and traversed back to the entry point. The list traversal is then terminated as the entire list has been processed. The data packet received at the network device for transmission to the multicast group can indicate the entry point, although there are other techniques for determining the entry point. The destination node address for the entry point is skipped, that is the multicast data packet is not transmitted to the entry point destination address.
US08688852B2
A method and apparatus are described comprising detecting a playback operation, determining a target playback point for the playback operation and detecting a sub-clip type into which the target playback point falls. The method and apparatus also receive a streamed leading sub-clip, determine a set of needed sub-clips, locate one of the set of needed sub-clips and download the located sub-clip.
US08688846B2
In order to make it possible for a communication apparatus to readily detect a provider of communication parameters, the provider of communication parameters specifies a network in which a receiver apparatus that requests receipt of communication parameter is participating, joins this network and then provides the communication parameters. The receiver apparatus creates a network for which a network identifier that is unique in the vicinity has been set and receives communication parameters from the provider.
US08688839B2
Methods, devices, and storage media may provide for receiving a request from a subscriber device for a connection service pertaining to a machine-to-machine communication; determining whether the request is a valid request for the connection service; selecting a connection to a target device of the machine-to-machine communication in response to determining that the request is valid; executing a command included in the request to be directed to the target device; receiving a response from the target device; and transmitting the response to the subscriber device of the machine-to-machine communication.
US08688837B1
A system, method and computer-readable medium for request routing based on content popularity information are provided. A client computer transmits a request for content from a content provider. The content provider utilizes executable code, such as translation request code, for facilitating request routing utilizing popularity information. The translation request code, may direct a client computing device to request further translation request code and/or translation information. Thereafter, the client issues a DNS query with the translated information including popularity information. The content delivery network service provider can then either resolve the DNS query with an IP address of a cache component or transmit another alternative resource identifier that will resolve to the content delivery network service provider. The process can repeat until a DNS nameserver resolves a DNS query from the client computing device.
US08688831B2
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for managing workload distribution among a plurality of compute nodes are provided. Embodiments include monitoring, by the distribution controller, consumption of workload assignments by each compute node of the plurality of compute nodes; and distributing, by the distribution controller, unconsumed workload assignments to one or more compute nodes of the plurality of compute nodes based on the consumption of the workload assignments of each compute node of the plurality of compute nodes.
US08688823B1
A solution for associating network traffic to enterprise users in a terminal services environment includes, at a network device configured as a terminal server, monitoring outbound network connections. If an outbound network connection is detected, a record is created indicating an association between the network connection and an enterprise user that initiated the network connection. The record is reported to a remote packet monitor which maintains a permanent log of the record. The permanent log may be used for tagging observed network traffic with an owning user.
US08688821B2
Backup storage apparatus and related methods that are operative to transmit error logs to a support organization. A controller controls and monitors a robotics assembly that loads and unloads storage media into and from storage devices. An operator control panel coupled to the controller controls functions of and displays information regarding the apparatus. An interface component communicates between the controller and a support organization. An algorithm displays a menu item for requesting that error logs be sent to the support organization, and transmits a request to the component to query the storage devices to generate a support ticket comprising error logs associated with the storage devices, combine the support tickets into a single composite file for transmission, and transmit the composite file to the support organization.
US08688816B2
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for providing high availability in a session supporting multiple protocols. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide for high availability processing by decoupling an application session from protocol processing. That is, protocol processing can be performed at protocol nodes specific to each protocol session. The protocol nodes can then pass messages to and from a session node that performs session processing other than the protocol processing. The session of the first session node can be replicated on a second session node and, upon a failure of the first session node, control of the session can be passed to the second session node. The session can then be continued on the second session node according to a number of different models described herein.
US08688812B2
A network interface card with read-only memory having at least a micro-kernel of a cluster computing operation system, a server formed with such network interface card, and a computing cluster formed with such servers are disclosed herein. In various embodiments, on transfer, after an initial initialization phase during an initialization of a server, the network interface card loads the cluster computing operation system into system memory of the server, to enable the server, in conjunction with other similarly provisioned servers to form a computing cluster. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.
US08688808B1
Methods and computer-readable media are provided to allow for the establishment of an Internet protocol (IP) data session with a dual-stack mobile communications device by authenticating the device. An IP data session is requested, and a home agent sends an indication of this request. A DNS server that will be assigned to a device is identified by querying a database and is identified based on the device's capabilities. The device capabilities are determined by a device-capability identifier that is associated with the user of the device or the device itself, such as a network access identifier. The capabilities may include the device type, applications, programs, or services that the user of the device is subscribed to, or capabilities that are inherent to the phone. Once the DNS server is identified, a server identifier is sent to the home agent, which assigns the DNS server to the device.
US08688807B2
In one embodiment, accessing a device name, which includes a hostname and a domain name, of a network device; applying a hash function to the domain name to obtain 40 bits as a Global ID of an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) unique local address (ULA); and encoding the hostname to obtain 80 bits as a Subnet ID and an Interface ID of the IPv6 ULA.
US08688799B2
An apparatus for providing an efficient and reliable manner for transferring data via a network may include a processor and memory storing executable computer code causing the apparatus to at least perform operations including receiving a request for data from a device and enabling provision of information to a network stack. The information may include content indicating a location of the requested data for direct access by the network stack or a network driver, in response to receipt of the request. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to enable provision of the requested data to the network driver, or enabling the network driver to retrieve the requested data, based at least in part on the indicated location of the requested data. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided.
US08688796B1
Rating system for determining whether to accept or reject objection raised by user in social network
Embodiments of the invention provide means to the users of the system to provide ratings and corresponding feedback for enhancing the genuineness in the ratings. The system includes a memory coupled to a processor. The memory includes one or more instructions executable by the processor to enable the users of the system to rate each other based on at least one of sharing, exchanging, and selling one of activity, service or product. The system may provide a mechanism to encourage genuineness in ratings provided by the users. Furthermore, the instructions facilitate the rating receivers to provide feedbacks corresponding to the received ratings. The feedback includes accepting or objecting to a particular rating. Moreover, the memory includes instructions executable by the processor to enable the system to determine genuineness of an objection raised by a rating receiver.
US08688794B2
Systems and methods for processing a message are provided. A message may be processed to generate a message summary by removing or replacing certain words, phrases, sentences, punctuation, and the like. Message signatures based upon the message summary may be generated and stored in a signature database, which may be used to identify and/or classify spam messages. Subsequently received messages may be classified by signature and processed based on classification.
US08688792B2
Systems and methods for discovering configuration data are disclosed. In accordance with one method, network configuration tokens for a system are identified. Further, potential configuration files are obtained by identifying running processes in the system, restarting the processes and monitoring the restarted processes to discover files opened by the restarted processes. In addition, files that include the identified network configuration tokens are selected from the potential configuration files. Moreover, the method includes determining, by a hardware processor, that a given token from the identified tokens is a true token by replacing the given token with a test token in at least one of the selected files, restarting the identified processes that read the given token, and identifying a change in at least one of system call activity or network activity in the system.
US08688785B2
Online communication sessions may be joined in an environment that includes receiving a first communication between a first user and a second user and enabling the rendering of the first communication at devices associated with the first and second users. A second communication between the first user and a third user is received and the rendering of the second communication at devices associated with the first and third users is enabled. After receiving the first and second communications, a trigger to join at least the communication sessions associated with the first, second, and third users is received from the first, second, or third user. Information structured and arranged to render, in a single window, text associated with the first and second communications at the devices associated with the first, second, and third users is generated.
US08688776B1
An emulator tool and method of operating the same includes a client engine for generating server command signals for emulating a server device and a server engine for generating client command signals for emulating a client device. The emulator also includes a command engine for validating a server device or client device based on a response signal and a server command signal or the client command signal. A display associated with the emulator tool is in communication with the server engine and the client engine for displaying a graphical user interface comprising a validation indicator.
US08688773B2
System and method for dynamically enabling an application for business continuity are described. In one embodiment, a business continuity engine (“BCE”) for managing and controlling a high-availability applications comprises a configuration management module for maintaining information regarding the current configuration of a BC application; a status monitor for monitoring a status of the BC application via a high-availability (“HA”) wrapper thereof and initiating a migration of the BC application from a first server of a primary cluster to a second location of a secondary cluster based on the determined status; and an application migration module for migrating the BC application to the second server responsive to the initiating. The BCE further comprises a storage area network (“SAN”) migration module for enabling storage media for use by the BC application; and a communications module for facilitating an exchange of data between the BC engine and the BC application.
US08688772B2
The distributed virtual SAN infrastructure provides a plurality of host systems with a scalable dynamically expandable distributed virtual storage pool, which includes a virtual storage automatic construct protocol. The distributed virtual SAN infrastructure includes one or more IP SAN units, the management console, the distributing control management station and the network infrastructure, wherein the network infrastructure provides the communication links between all systems in this distributed virtual SAN.
US08688769B2
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for selected alert delivery in a distributed processing system are provided. Embodiments include receiving a plurality of events from one or more event producing components of the distributed processing system; creating, by an incident analyzer, in dependence upon the events a truth space representing events that make one or more conditional event processing rules true, the truth space including a set of truth points, each truth point including a set of events and a set of event locations; creating, by the incident analyzer, in dependence upon the truth space one or more alerts including assigning one of the locations of the truth space to one or more of the alerts; and sending, by the incident analyzer, the alerts to at least one component of the distributed processing system.
US08688768B2
A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium for handling hand-offs in a cloud computing environment is provided. The method includes identifying, at a cloud governance module of a server device, a plurality of applications executing on a plurality of servers belonging to a plurality of cloud computing service providers. The method includes determining based upon information in a policy module, to hand-off an execution of at least one identified application executing on a first cloud computing service provider platform to a second cloud computing service provider, determining whether the second cloud computing service provider satisfies one or more governance policies associated with the at least one identified application, and handing-off the execution of the at least one identified application to a second cloud computing provider platform based upon the second cloud computing provider being compliant with the one or more governance policies associated with the at least one identified application.
US08688762B2
In one embodiment of a header-compression method, a 32-bit timestamp value is divided by a 16- or 8-bit stride value using a plurality of 16/8-bit division operations, each performed using a corresponding hardware instruction issued to an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) of the corresponding communication device, such as an access terminal or a base station of a communication system. When specialized 32/16-bit and/or 32/8-bit division-logic circuitry is not available in the ALU, embodiments of the header-compression method can advantageously be used to improve the speed and efficiency of timestamp compression in communication devices.
US08688758B2
Methods for filtering an input signal x(k) to produce an output signal y(k) such that the ratio of a power level of the output signal to a power level of the input signal is substantially equal to a desired value γ are provided. The methods include forming a first corrected frequency response H(ω) based on a first correction value gcorr(0) and a desired frequency response H(ω); forming a first filter h(z) from the first corrected frequency response H(ω); applying the first filter h(z) to a first block of the input signal to produce a first output signal block; computing an amplification γ caused by the application of the filter h(z); computing a value γdiff, wherein γdiff represents an amplification error; computing a second correction value gcorr(1), where gcorr(1) is a function of gcorr(0) and γdiff; forming a second corrected frequency response H(ω) based on the second correction value gcorr(1) and the desired frequency response H(ω); forming a second filter h(z) from the second corrected frequency response H(ω); and applying the second filter h(z) to a second block of the input signal to produce a second output signal block.
US08688757B2
Subsurface horizon assignment. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: obtaining, by a computer system, a seismic data volume; identifying, by the computer system, a plurality of patches in the seismic data volume, and the identifying thereby creating a patch volume; displaying, on a display device, at least a portion of the seismic data volume and the plurality of patches of the patch volume; and assigning a patch of the plurality of patches to a subsurface horizon of the seismic data volume.
US08688755B2
A document management system separates building information into a variety of data sets. Each data set has at least one common attribute that links it to all other types of data sets for the building. The information for maintaining the building is stored in a manner allowing users to retrieve only selective information from a vast amount of stored information. Users can query and retrieve data sets in a vast number of combinations relating to a specific building, or floor, room, system or system component in the building.
US08688752B2
Computer-based methods and systems for deploying model-driven applications to an application server are described. Consistent with an embodiment of the invention, an application server includes a model deployment module that provides a model deployment service. The model deployment module receives as input a data model that serves as a single source of truth for an application. Based on the input model, the model deployment module configures the application server, for example, by automatically generating object-relational mapping logic that facilitates data persistence by mapping data elements in an object domain to data elements in a relational database domain. Additionally, the model deployment module generates a utility module that supports advanced modeling capabilities, including derived properties and constraints.
US08688750B2
Computer system navigation tools provide “links” to various different files, lists, folders, and/or other storage elements and allow users to organize files, e.g., by hierarchical properties, lists, auto lists, folders, and the like. Such systems and methods allow users to assign properties to a file (optionally in a hierarchical manner), to change assigned properties, to search, view, and retrieve information based on the assigned properties, and the like.
US08688746B2
A user-interface method of selecting and presenting a collection of content items based on user navigation and selection actions associated with the content is provided. The method includes associating a relevance weight on a per user basis with content items to indicate a relative measure of likelihood that the user desires the content item. The method includes receiving a user's navigation and selections actions for identifying desired content items, and in response, adjusting the associated relevance weight of the selected content item and group of content items containing the selected item. The method includes, in response to subsequent user input, selecting and presenting a subset of content items and content groups to the user ordered by the adjusted associated relevance weights assigned to the content items and content groups.
US08688744B2
The system, method, and apparatus provides a device for scanning documents and importing and forwarding scanned documents based on document identifiers. Documents are received and reviewed for entry into the document management system. An identifier is associated with each document based on the level of available information about the document. An identifier is assigned to each document. Each document with its assigned identifier is scanned. Documents are then imported into the document management system or forwarded to a recipient for additional review. Separator identifiers may be used to increase efficiency. Further, the system may allow certain users to use reporting functions to access information about the document management system and the recipients of documents.
US08688743B2
A hybrid object tree that interconnects individual data objects of different data types from a group of different input data sources is provided. The instantiated data objects of the hybrid object tree include an internal dynamic data area that encapsulates at least one reference to an original input data source. At least one attribute is identified that is unavailable at the referenced original input data source of a first instantiated data object of the hybrid object tree. The at least one attribute is added to the first instantiated data object of the hybrid object tree within the internal dynamic data area of the first instantiated data object.
US08688740B2
A method and a system for maintaining current data in a database is provided. The method includes sending a request to verify the accuracy of a data item to a data verifier, the data item selected from a set of data items, and the data verifier associated with the data item, receiving a response from the data verifier, the response indicating that the data item is verified, and providing a service to the data verifier after receiving the response. In an exemplary embodiment, the service is a free report including rental rate comparisons for a plurality of real estate properties.
US08688738B2
A system and method for managing the collaborative generation of content for an electronic document such as software applications, computer programs and the like. A source content item is created at a source development environment and accessed over a network by a plurality of users of a user community. Each of the plurality of users is located at a unique remote site. The source content item can be downloaded by each of the plurality of users and maintained at each remote site as a unique content presentation item. In one embodiment, the user can edit his or her content presentation item and upload the edits for incorporation into the source content item.
US08688731B2
The overall architecture and details of a scalable video fingerprinting and identification system that is robust with respect to many classes of video distortions is described. In this system, a fingerprint for a piece of multimedia content is composed of a number of compact signatures, along with traversal hash signatures and associated metadata. Numerical descriptors are generated for features found in a multimedia clip, signatures are generated from these descriptors, and a reference signature database is constructed from these signatures. Query signatures are also generated for a query multimedia clip. These query signatures are searched against the reference database using a fast similarity search procedure, to produce a candidate list of matching signatures. This candidate list is further analyzed to find the most likely reference matches. Signature correlation is performed between the likely reference matches and the query clip to improve detection accuracy.
US08688726B2
Computer-readable media, computer systems, and computing methods are provided for implicitly discovering applications that have a corresponding location. Initially, an application manifest is constructed that maintains a mapping between apps and their respective geographic boundaries. In operation, upon detecting a location signal being transmitted from a mobile device, the location signal is employed to identify a set of valid applications. Generally, the location signal represents location-based information entered to or received from the mobile device. Identifying the set of valid applications involves comparing the location signal against the application manifest and, based on the comparison, designating those apps that are mapped to geographic boundaries that meet the location signal as the set of valid applications. Upon identifying the set of valid applications, a selection of apps included within the set of valid applications is sent to the mobile device for display to the user within a operational context.
US08688721B2
Provided are techniques for processing a query. A query is received, wherein the query is formed by one or more paths, and wherein each path includes one or more steps. A hierarchical document including one or more document nodes is received. While processing the query and traversing the hierarchical document, one or more extraction entries are constructed, wherein each extraction entry includes a step instance match candidate identifying a document node and a step instance ancestor path for the document node, and one or more tuples are constructed using the one or more extraction entries by associating the step instance match candidate from one of the one or more extraction entries with the step instance match candidate from at least one of the one or more other extraction entries.
US08688710B2
A content management system manages data about entities and provides content including data about the entities. The content management system receives data about entities from originators associated with the entities. The content management system classifies the data and stores the classified data. The content management system may authenticate the data by determining an authenticator of the classified data. The authenticator may be the most appropriate person to authenticate the data. The content management system may determine an authenticator by determining the entity most related to the classified data and determining an originator representing or designated to authenticate the information. As such, the content management system may determine the originator in the best position to authenticate the data. The content management system may also receive a request from subscribers for content and create the content in response to the request. The data included in the content may be based on one of: the request from the at least one subscriber, a preference of the at least one subscriber, the at least one subscribers' relationship with the classified data, and authentication of the classified data.
US08688698B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for automatic text suggestion are described. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in a method that includes, from an authoring environment, receiving a request to supplement a text segment; submitting a query to a search engine, the query being generated from the text segment; receiving multiple search results from the search engine in response to the query, each search result including an information snippet; generating one or more suggestions for supplementing the text segment based on the information snippets; and providing the one or more suggestions for supplementing the text segment for display in the authoring environment.
US08688690B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for estimating a similarity level between documents. During operation, the system receives a number of documents, extracts a number of semantic entities from the documents, calculates the similarity level between the documents based on the extracted semantic entities, and produces a result indicating similar documents based on the calculated similarity level.
US08688679B2
A computer-implemented system and method for providing searchable online media content is provided. A data store is maintained through an online media server. Media content, including device-playable data provided for dynamic online use, is stored. Media metadata, including markers synchronized to sections of the device-playable data, is also stored. The media content and media metadata are functionally combined through a layered network architecture. The data store is provided as a data layer. Applications are provided within a client layer that execute on a client interconnected to the network. Service interfaces are provided within a data access layer, which are each accessible by at least one of the applications. The media content and the media metadata are combined in response to a request received through a service interface from one of the applications. The combined media content and media metadata are served to the requesting application including streaming the device-playable data.
US08688665B2
A method of collaborative transcoding includes discovering capabilities of devices within a network; exchanging information about content stored within the network; anticipating a request for a content item in a target format; identifying a location of the content item by referencing the information about content stored within the network; and, if the content item is not in the target format, selecting a the device within the network to transcode the content into the target format. A system for collaborative transcoding includes a network, the network comprising a first networked device and at least one other networked device, the first networked device receiving a request for a content item in a target format; a shared content history; the shared content history comprising a list of content available on the network, the first networked device searching the shared content history to determine if another networked device can provide the content item; a capability list comprising a native format and transcoding capabilities of the networked devices, the first networked device searching the capability list to determine if any the networked device is configured to transcode the content item from a source format to a target format.
US08688659B2
A method and system for indexed field based difference detection and correction. A data feed file is partitioned into a plurality of subsets based on an indexed field of the data feed file. A redundancy check value is calculated for each of the subsets, and the redundancy check value is compared to a database file which corresponds to each subset. If the redundancy check values do not match for a subset and a corresponding database file, a difference is detected between the subset and the corresponding database file and the corresponding database file is replaced by the subset.
US08688636B1
A request is received to clone a source data object. A source block range of the source data object in a source logical storage unit is determined. An empty data object in the destination logical storage unit is created. A destination block range of the empty data object in the destination logical storage unit is determined. The source block range is mapped to the destination block range. The source data object is cloned based on the mapping.
US08688633B2
A player (content searching device) compares an acquired piece primary metadata (with running number 100) to a corresponding piece of primary metadata having number 100 in a memory unit. When no matching occurs, primary metadata with running number 99 is used. Then, this acquired primary metadata is compared to the piece of primary metadata having number 100 in the memory unit. When matching occurs, the player acquires content corresponding to running number 99 from a server and begins playback.
US08688631B2
Media files are drop box-synchronized to limit the amount of new functionality to which a user must grow accustomed in order to synchronize the content of a media player with a remote server within a cloud computing network. Thusly, users are not required to change the way they use their media player(s), but rather are required to use the familiar drag and drop functionality of their native media player. The present invention contemplates automatic versus interval file synchronization between host and nodal processing units via a server within native media player formats. This is achieved through the creation of a media file play list folder that acts as a drop box into which the user drops the desired play list to synchronize with the server. Certain methodology enhances and supports the synchronization process, which methodology incorporates the use of signature waveform metrics.
US08688625B1
Extract, transform, and load application (ETL) complexity management framework systems and methods are described herein. The present disclosure describes systems and methods that reduce the complexity in managing ETL flow and correcting errant data that is subsequently identified. One or more methods include defining an ETL job definition, defining a data asset definition, defining a data asset dependency definition, receiving an ETL flow to provide execution of one or more ETL flow steps, providing retrieval of data from a source data asset, applying a data control to the source asset data, and producing an ETL job registration, a data asset status, a latest asset available date, a data asset consumer identifier, and a target data asset based on at least one of the ETL job definition, the data asset definition, the data dependency definition, and the source asset data.
US08688624B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the automated loading seed data for testing in a product integration environment includes receiving input data associated with a test session. The input data may be received in a first format that includes at least one object. A processor may be used to automatically convert the input data into a second format that includes the metadata data string. The metadata data string may then be loaded into a database.
US08688622B2
A system disclosed includes a temporal data warehouse and a platform independent temporal data warehouse load application operable to run on the system. The load application uses timestamp data from incoming data in conjunction with a relational algebra of set operators to identify and sequence net changes between the incoming data and data previously stored within the data warehouse. The load application loads the identified and sequenced net changes into the data warehouse with relatively little intrusion into normal operation of the data warehouse. Optimizations, including but not limited to, distinct partitioning of the workload into parallel streams are selectable via metadata.
US08688618B2
A system and method for determining at least one new treatment plan for at least one new patient, comprising: providing at least one representation of the at least one new patient's at least one organ at risk relative to at least one target; searching for at least one prior treatment plan for at least one prior patient with at least one similar representation; and reviewing the at least one prior treatment plan for the at least one prior patient in order to determine whether the at least one new treatment plan can be improved based on information in the at least one prior treatment plan.
US08688607B2
A system and method for detecting healthcare insurance fraud is disclosed. The method includes creating a database containing source data related to at least one healthcare claim submitted for reimbursement, selecting data from the database to compare to a set of rules using an audit module, and comparing the selected data to the set of rules using the audit module. The method also includes using the audit module to automatically identify suspected fraudulent data when the selected data violates at least one rule of the set of rules and using the audit module to flag the fraudulent data. In addition, the method includes using the audit module to generate a report illustrating patterns of irregularities within the source data to visually identify the fraudulent data displayed within the source data by user-friendly graphs and charts, and generating at least one automated statement for display to identify the at least one rule of the set of rules that was violated by the selected data using a documentation module.
US08688606B2
An embodiment of the invention provides a method and system for analyzing a plurality of reports. More specifically, a change detection module predicts results of future reports based on past reports and identifies a first report that deviates from its predicted results. A dependency analysis module connected to the change detection module at least one report sharing a dependency with the first report by performing a dependency analysis and/or a usage analysis. The dependency analysis labels the first report and at least one second report as sharing a dependency if the second report deviates from its predicted results. The usage analysis labeling the first report and at least one report analyzed by an analyst as sharing a dependency if the report analyzed by the analyst is analyzed in response to the identification of the first report.
US08688602B1
A computer system and method generate new metadata associated with a book from existing data about the book, including the body text of the book. The existing data is analyzed to determine input data for a machine learning algorithm, including lexicographical data determined from the body text. The machine learning algorithm is applied by a processor and generates new metadata, and a correspondence between the new metadata and the book is recorded.
US08688597B2
Computer implemented job-management systems for adding employment seeking features to computer applications showing job data and receiving input. Systems may include a data storage system, instruction data including computer readable instructions, and a processor configured to execute the instruction data. In some examples, the instruction data may include an interface component for interfacing with from the computer application to capture input and job data and displaying a user interface. In some examples, the instruction data may include a storage component for storing data to the data storage system, the data including the input. Some examples may include a retrieval component for retrieving saved data from the data storage system and an interface component including computer executable instructions for entering the retrieved saved data into the form. In some examples the computer application may be configured to receive communication input and to send the communication input to an employer contact.
US08688591B2
A system for anonymous separation of duties with credentials includes an identity provider, the identity provider configured to issue anonymous credentials to a user based on one or more attributes of the user; a service provider, the service provider configured to issue a pseudonym to the user based on the user's anonymous credentials, and to associate the user's pseudonym with a step of an instance of a business process hosted on the service provider, the step being completed by the user; and an auditor, the auditor configured to determine if the completion of the step of the instance of the business process by the user is compliant with a separation of duties policy.
US08688589B2
One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a system and associated processes for sharing cardholder data (CHD) between a merchant that utilizes tokenization and a second merchant that may or may not utilize tokenization. In one embodiment, the merchant, or an employee of the merchant, can use the system and associated processes to reacquire CHD from a tokenization provider system. In one embodiment, the merchant identifies to the tokenization provider system a desire to share CHD, which is associated with a token, with a second merchant. The merchant and/or the tokenization provider system can then invite the second merchant to register with the tokenization provider system. Once registered with the tokenization provider system, the second merchant can access any CHD that the merchant associated with the second merchant.
US08688588B2
A method for improving accuracy of a time estimate used in digital rights management (DRM) license validation is disclosed. In one embodiment, a memory device receives a request to validate a DRM license stored on the memory device, wherein the DRM license is associated with a time stamp update policy (TUP) that specifies when a new time stamp is needed. Before attempting to validate the DRM license, the memory device determines if a new time stamp is needed based on the TUP associated with the DRM license. If a new time stamp is needed, the memory device receives the new time stamp and then attempts to validate the DRM license using a time estimate based on the new time stamp. Other embodiments are disclosed, and each of the embodiments can be used alone or together in combination.
US08688586B2
Brokering use of media assets based on rights provided by rights holders and licensing terms requested by potential licensees. Rights include use attributes, geographic attributes, and time attributes. Use attributes include one or more parent categories of uses, such as print advertising, web promotion, etc. Each parent category includes one or more specific uses, such as magazine advertisement, newspaper advertisement, etc. Rights are obtained from rights holders and stored in a data structure that is searchable according to various rights attributes. A licensing request includes desired licensing terms, such as a specific use, time period, and geographic location. The licensing request may also reserve use for a later time and/or impose an embargo on use for a period after use. The data structure is searched for media assets whose rights encompass the desired licensing terms, such as media assets with a parent use that includes a desired specific use.
US08688585B2
Methods, program products, and systems implementing remote container techniques are disclosed. A relational database can include a container data field, which can be a data field for storing multimedia data. In one aspect, when the multimedia data are inserted into the container field, the multimedia data can be stored in one or more remote database files. The remote database files can be located separately from other data of the relational database and remotely from a client computer accessing the relational database. Corresponding data structures, or remote containers, can be configured to store metadata of the database files. References to the remote containers can be stored as values of the container data field. Using various encryption techniques, the remote database files can be given same access restrictions as access restrictions of the container data field, even when the remote database files are stored as flat files.
US08688584B2
An illustrative method provides security of software resident on electronic gaming machines (EGMs) that permit wagering on games. A determination is made if all software files stored on a partition of a nonvolatile storage device resident in an EGM are authenticated image type files prior to any attempt to execute any of the software files. Further processing by the EGM of all of the software files is terminated upon the determination that one of the software files is not an authenticated image type file.
US08688583B2
Systems and methods are described for performing digital rights management. In one embodiment, a digital rights management engine is provided that evaluates license associated with protected content to determine if a requested access or other use of the content is authorized. In some embodiments, the licenses contain control programs that are executable by the digital rights management engine.
US08688577B1
Method, system and program product, the system comprising: computer programmed for accessing databases comprising: aggregated deposit account information for plurality of FDIC-insured aggregated deposit accounts held in plurality of depository institutions; and client account information; obtaining fund transfer instructions; allocating fund amounts for other depository institutions; generating data for depositing funds to or withdrawing funds from at least one aggregated deposit account multiple times in a month period, comprising generating data for instructions for making a withdrawal from one depository institution more than six times during the month period, using methods: in person, by mail, messenger, telephone, automated teller machine, for withdrawals except for a set of at least 1-6 withdrawals within last six business days of the month period, and presenting instructions to depository institution using method that counts against a 6 withdrawal limit for this set of the withdrawals during the last six business days of month.
US08688567B2
Systems and methods are provided for processing derivative product orders at an exchange. Traders provide derivative product order risk data to the exchange. The order risk data may include maximum delta, gamma and/or vega utilization values for derivative product contracts based on the same underlying product. Before executing a trade, a match system analyzes the trader's current utilization state and the utilization that would result after the trade. The match system may then execute all or a portion of the trade.
US08688557B2
Systems and methods can provide for customer value optimization. The customer value optimization can include analyzing certain transaction and/or non-transaction data of customers with one or more predictive models to determine predictive modeling scores, values, or indicators. These one or more predictive modeling scores, values, or indicators can be used with other transaction or non-transaction data of customers, either alone or with other derived values/calculations, to provide certain optimizations relating to relationship optimization.
US08688546B2
A system and method for interactive, computer-assisted object presentation in which object information is displayed in one more arrays. The object information is displayed in a two dimensional array wherein displayed object information can be selected by a user. In response to the selection, additional information may be displayed about an object corresponding to the selected information such as a link to permit a user to buy the object.
US08688545B1
An action submitted via a network may be fulfilled despite the network, or a website accessible via the network, experiencing an error that prevents processing of the action when the action is received. In one example, the user that submitted the action may receive a confirmation page indicating that the action has been received. Transaction data may be retrieved based at least in part on the action and/or the user that submitted the action. Once the transaction data is stored in a queue, the transaction data may be processed either automatically or manually. Subsequently, the action may be fulfilled without the user needing to resubmit the action. Alternatively, the action may be optimistically fulfilled prior to the action being processed.
US08688544B2
A method and system analyze marketplace listing strategies. In some embodiments, the method accesses data associated with multiple marketplace listings. Each marketplace listing is associated with a product category. A state-action model, associated with the product category, is created based on the data associated with the multiple marketplace listings. The state-action model is then analyzed to identify a marketplace listing strategy associated with the product category.
US08688539B2
The present invention is directed to a system and method for providing complete electronic commerce (“E-Commerce”) transactions and solutions for a marketing company's products via the World Wide Web, including facilities for signing up new customers and recruiting, training and supporting new Independent Business Owners through an interactive online process. In another aspect, the present invention relates to the combination of a marketing business with a membership buying opportunity using both electronic commerce and face-to-face transactions. The present invention is also directed to a system and method for combining a marketing business with a membership buying opportunity, so that Independent Business Owners participating in the marketing plan can introduce customers to a membership buying opportunity and earn bonuses or commissions based on the purchases by those members, while Members in the buying opportunity can consume products or, at their option, qualify to become Independent Business Owners.
US08688532B2
A method of organizing the sharing of vehicle trips includes receiving a ride request from one or more riders, wherein the ride request includes a rider location and a rider destination, identifying a beginning waypoint and an ending waypoint for vehicle travel, determining a vehicle route based on the beginning and ending waypoints, choosing a rider whose rider location or rider destination is geographically closest to the determined vehicle route, presenting the rider location and rider destination of the chosen rider to the driver, and if the driver accepts, sending a notification to the chosen rider alerting the chosen rider of the acceptance.
US08688527B2
Systems and methods to facilitate programmatic access to a network-based commerce facility via a network are described. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a request from a third party application via the network at the network based commerce facility. The request performs an action pertaining to electronic commerce and being one of a plurality of requests recognized by the network-based commerce facility. In responsive to the request, the method performs the action pertaining to the electronic commerce and communicates from a result of the action from the network-based commerce facility to the third party application in a programmatically accessible format.
US08688525B2
Disclosed herein is a context based payment system. Electronic currency or coupons can be made dependent on context, and the context can be one of location or geography, time, date, distance, sound, or other devices. The value of the currency exists only if a pre-condition is fulfilled. For example, if the currency is location dependent, the value only exists in a defined area (currency value area). The goods or the service in the value-system are also context dependent, that is, they can only be sold or offered in a defined area (product value area). Accordingly, if the product value area and the currency value area overlap, a purchase and payment can be made.
US08688520B2
A method includes controlling communications by users across a network with a predetermined capacity for desired communication flows for all the users and opportunistically aligning advertisement delivery to the users when an overload condition in the network occurs so that users perceive the disruption in communication service by the network as a minimum.
US08688518B2
Techniques for improving and optimizing or attempting to optimize performance of messaging campaigns, particularly to marketing campaigns in which advertisements or other messages are distributed over an interactive measurable medium. When message is an advertisement, campaign involves a list of ad alternatives and a target customer population. Goal of message manager or marketing manager is to allocate ad alternatives to customer population to optimize business objectives such as maximizing the number of positive responses received. This is achieved by segmenting customer population into segments and then finding best allocation of ad alternatives for each segment. The number of segments and grouping of a customer population changes at different stages of the campaign. When the message is other than an advertisement, goal is to allocate messages to optimize analogous business or campaign objectives, typically measured by the number of successes or successful responses.
US08688517B2
In various embodiments, promotions are featured on mobile gaming devices.
US08688515B2
A method and system for secure distribution and tracking of information and content of a third party via multiple social networks is described. The invention takes information and content marked to be promoted by a third party using an online application, and distributes and promotes the information to the social networks of everyone who is signed up as an ‘ambassador’ for that third party. When published, the information and content includes a personalized link associated with each ambassador to social network combination. Via the nature of social networks, this information is additionally redistributed into the users who are associated with those ambassadors in their social networks. As those users follow the personalized links back to the promoted information and content, the source ambassador to social network combination gets recorded and statistics about that user's viewing of the information and content are recorded. The online application records relevant statistics that the third party requires, and this information is then compiled into real time reports that detail the path that the promoted information and content traveled to drive users to the promoted information and content, as well as any resultant actions such as pages viewed, purchases made or items downloaded.
US08688509B2
A parking locator system providing variably priced parking includes one or more parking sensors and one or more parking kiosks. The parking sensors may generate parking information identifying one or more occupied parking spaces and one or more unoccupied parking spaces within a vicinity. Promotion information including one or more discounts to parking fees may be received at the parking kiosks. The parking kiosks may display the discounted parking fees and receive payment of the same. The discounts to parking fees may expire at particular times. The size of the discounts may be set based on traffic congestion, which may be determined based on the number of occupied parking spaces within the vicinity.
US08688505B1
Systems and methods for polling populations. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a respondent pool (which can be, 10% of the population), and polling the pool at first time in a roiling period. The method also includes randomly replacing a fraction (20% in some embodiments) of the respondents with respondents who were previously polled more than one rolling period ago. The poll is then repeated and the results compared with the results from about one rolling period before. The population can be small enough that the results tend to exhibit skew and kurtosis. In some embodiments, the skew can be outside of the range of −0.8 to 0.8 and the kurtosis can be either leptokurtic or platykurtic. The organization taking the poll can have an ongoing relationship with the population. Some embodiments include an order taking system for a merchant (such as a promotional goods merchant) along with a polling system.
US08688501B2
A method and system for quantifying risk by composing a heterogeneous risk model are provided. The method comprises providing risk input data associated with one or more risk nodes to a processor, running one or more risk models to output individual risk quantifications for each risk node, and aggregating the individual risk quantifications into a single output. The system comprises a processor operable to provide risk input data associated with one or more risk nodes to a processor, run one or more risk models to output individual risk quantifications for each risk node and aggregate the individual risk quantifications into a single output.
US08688496B1
A system and method for transferring articles such as, for example, airline transfer bags, according to which, in several exemplary embodiments, the articles are transferred from an arrival gate of an inbound flight to one or more departure gates of connecting flights.
US08688492B2
Implementations and techniques for associating ad results with purchases made via mobile devices are generally disclosed.
US08688486B2
System, method and program product for dynamically setting a wage offered to a multiplicity of inactive call center personnel. First program instructions automatically estimate a wait time for calls to a call center. The calls are handled by a plurality of active call center personnel. Second program instructions automatically determine and set a wage, based in part on the estimated wait time, offered to inactive call center personnel to induce them to become active call center personnel to handle calls. Third program instructions, responsive to a request by an inactive call center person to become active at said wage, automatically designate the requesting inactive call center person as active at the wage and assign a call to the requesting inactive call center personnel that was designated as active. Program instructions also set a renewal wage paid to active call center personnel, based in part on the estimated wait time, to induce the active call center personnel to remain active.
US08688485B2
Systems and techniques for managing ticket changes are described. for managing changes to a purchased ticket. A married segment indicator associated with first and second married flight segments of the purchased ticket is located. It is determined whether changes to the purchased ticket affect existing bookings of the first and second married flight segments. Based on the determination, a replacement ticket is constructed to include the first and second married flight segments of the purchased ticket utilizing the existing booked inventory; otherwise, a replacement ticket is constructed using current availability information for the first and second married flight segments from the replacement ticket.
US08688482B1
Aspects of the disclosure include computer-implemented methods and apparatus for providing an insurance claim satisfaction guarantee. The computer-implemented method or apparatus may include an insurance claim satisfaction guarantee server that receives a dissatisfaction notice based on a customer service guarantee received during an insurance claim and verifies that a loss payment was awarded on the insurance claim. Additionally, the insurance claim satisfaction guarantee server may determine that the dissatisfaction notice was received within a period of time of the insurance claim. Furthermore, the insurance claim satisfaction guarantee server may issue a guarantee payment in the amount equal to an insurance premium if the loss payment was awarded and the dissatisfaction notice was provided within the time period.
US08688475B2
A method for improving clinical trial compliance for a business entity using a computer system including a database is provided. The method includes selecting a clinical trial facility and at least one clinical trial subject, creating a clinical trial protocol including at least medical service cost data for an insurance company and a clinical trial sponsor, establishing a second subsystem including a software application that schedules appointments, establishing a third subsystem including a software application that that generates invoices, storing the clinical trial protocol, the second subsystem and the third subsystem in the database. The method also includes providing communication means between the clinical trial protocol, the second subsystem and the third subsystem, performing a medical service on the at least one clinical trial subject and determining a corresponding medical service cost, and comparing the medical service cost against the clinical trial protocol to determine whether the medical service cost is included in the clinical trial protocol.
US08688467B2
Systems and methods for operably coupling medical device(s) together with an evaluation device such that closed-loop processing may occur are provided. To achieve closed-loop processing, the evaluation device is configured to receive diagnostic information related to physiological attributes of a patient and operational-status information of the medical device(s). Upon receipt of this information, the evaluation device may automatically analyze the data and automatically compose instructions based on the analysis. Analyzing includes comparing the data against content within an electronic medical record (EMR) or applying rules to the data. The rules are built on evidence-based medical procedures consistent with current medical practice. The instructions, when distributed and implemented, invoke actions at the medical device(s), such as dispensing a medication and reprogramming configuration settings, as well as actions at a notification component configured to request a healthcare professional to intervene in a patient's treatment and to provide feedback of medical events.
US08688463B2
Disclosed is a system, method, and medium for automatically analyzing response pieces. The system may scan the response piece, identify the response piece, and generate an image from the response piece. The system also processes the image. Processing the image may include determining response piece identification information and sending the response piece identification information to an accounting system to update an account associated with the response piece identification information. Processing the image may also include reading information from the response piece.
US08688451B2
A speech recognition method includes receiving input speech from a user, processing the input speech using a first grammar to obtain parameter values of a first N-best list of vocabulary, comparing a parameter value of a top result of the first N-best list to a threshold value, and if the compared parameter value is below the threshold value, then additionally processing the input speech using a second grammar to obtain parameter values of a second N-best list of vocabulary. Other preferred steps include: determining the input speech to be in-vocabulary if any of the results of the first N-best list is also present within the second N-best list, but out-of-vocabulary if none of the results of the first N-best list is within the second N-best list; and providing audible feedback to the user if the input speech is determined to be out-of-vocabulary.
US08688444B2
A system and method of updating automatic speech recognition parameters on a mobile device are disclosed. The method comprises storing user account-specific adaptation data associated with ASR on a computing device associated with a wireless network, generating new ASR adaptation parameters based on transmitted information from the mobile device when a communication channel between the computing device and the mobile device becomes available and transmitting the new ASR adaptation data to the mobile device when a communication channel between the computing device and the mobile device becomes available. The new ASR adaptation data on the mobile device more accurately recognizes user utterances.
US08688433B2
Systems for translating text messages in an instant messaging system comprise a translation engine for translating text messages into a preferred language of a recipient of the text messages. The systems are preferably configured to send and receive the text messages and to determine whether the text messages that are received in a source language are in the preferred language of the recipients so that the text messages are displayed in the preferred language of the recipients of the text messages. Other systems and methods are also provided.
US08688426B2
Methods for creating and calibrating production and injection well models for a reservoir, are provided. An example of a method for creating and calibrating well models can include performing a comprehensive retrieval or gathering of required data components, feeding the gathered data into well performance software to thereby develop a model of the well, performing an initial calibration of the well model, performing a total system calibration on the well model, and performing a recalibration to fine tune the well model.
US08688420B2
Likely disconnections or system-level-impact producing slowdown in a flow parameter in a network can be identified by annotating a graph representing the network with a weight to edges of a graph representing the network. The weight can be linearly or non-linearly proportional to the inverse of the severity of the impact, and/or linearly or non-linearly proportional to the inverse of the likelihood of disconnection. Minimal cut sets needed to generate a disconnection in the network are identified from the annotated network based on the weights on the edges. Subsets of each minimal cut set are generated and evaluated during a simulation. The subsets can correspond to almost isolated scenarios for the network. The scope of the simulations can be reduced by selecting the minimal cut sets employing the weight.
US08688407B2
Described herein are embodiments of methods, devices and computer program products for tamper detection in a meter. One aspect of the method includes using a magnetic field strength sensor to continuously detect magnetic field strength proximate to a meter. In one aspect, the magnetic field strength sensor produces an analog voltage signal proportional to the detected magnetic field strength. The analog voltage signal of the sensor is continuously converted to a digital voltage signal. The digital voltage signal is stored in a memory at timed intervals, and the digital voltage signal is monitored for an aberration that indicates tampering of the meter. If tampering is detected, then an alarm is triggered to indicate the tampering.
US08688405B2
A system for monitoring an industrial process, comprising one or more sensors connected to one or more operating components of the industrial process; a remote monitoring station, comprising a computer and a database; and a connection between the one or more sensors and the remote monitoring station, wherein the remote monitoring station is at least about 100-2500 miles away from the industrial process, for example 500-1000 miles.
US08688404B1
Aspects of the disclosure provide an apparatus for enabling common time-stamping. The apparatus includes a first subsystem having a first timer and a second subsystem having a second timer of a same frequency as the first timer. The first subsystem is configured to time-stamp first events based on the first timer. The second subsystem is configured to time-stamp second events based on the second timer. The apparatus further includes a synchronization module configured to take a first snapshot of the first timer and take a second snapshot of the second timer. Then, based on a difference between the first snapshot and the second snapshot, the first events and the second events are commonly time-stamped.
US08688402B2
Systems and methods of estimating a fluid injector tip temperature. A controller having a processor and a memory supplies a current to a coil of a fluid injector, a resistance of the coil is measured when the current is supplied to the coil, a coil temperature is determined based on the measured resistance, and a tip temperature of a fluid injector tip is estimated based on the determined coil temperature.
US08688399B2
A method of operation in a memory controller is disclosed. The method includes receiving a strobe signal having a first phase relationship with respect to first data propagating on a first data line, and a second phase relationship with respect to second data propagating on a second data line. A first sample signal is generated based on the first phase relationship and a second sample signal is generated based on the second phase relationship. The first data signal is received using a first receiver clocked by the first sample signal. The second data signal is received using a second receiver clocked by the second sample signal.
US08688387B2
The present invention relates to the determination of intra- or intermolecular interaction between molecules in aqueous solution, the method comprising the steps of: (a) determining the dehydration of all atoms in the intermolecular interface, (b) adding the vacuum hydrogen bond energy, and (c) further adding the change in the free enthalpy of the interacting partners upon their interaction. The obtained results can be used for the prediction if and to what extent two molecules of various origin fit to each other.
US08688384B2
An instrument, method, use and software program to obtain information rapidly about microorganisms that may spread uncontrolled in hospitals, water supply, food or when used in bio terrorism are described. Vibrational spectroscopy provides data to a computer linked to one or more databases. Comparison of the spectral data and information retrieved from the databases is used to identify and classify the microorganisms, applying suitable algorithms, which algorithms are self-generating and self-adapting to new spectroscopic data. The system may alert for the detection of an outbreak or to take disinfection measures. Changes in the traditional taxonomic division of microorganisms have no influence on the instrument. It does not rely on an a priori knowledge about the taxonomic classification of the microbial strain, is straightforward and easily integrated in routine microbial procedures.
US08688378B2
Implementing a ride share service includes determining a route for an operator of the vehicle and accessing user preferences of the operator, the user preferences including characteristics of a ride share event and prospective ride share individuals. The ride share service also includes comparing the user preferences with information provided by individuals seeking transportation, each of the individuals providing a request for the transportation. The ride share service further includes identifying qualified candidates for the ride share event from the comparing by determining a threshold level of characteristics matching information provided by the individuals. In response to receiving a selection of a qualified candidate from the qualified candidates, the ride share service includes transmitting a communication to the selected qualified candidate accepting the request.
US08688377B1
A system and method provides turn-by-turn directions by identifying placemarks, such as businesses or other landmarks that appear along a traveled route. The system may determine whether signage is associated with each placemark along the route and whether the signage is visible from the route. The system may also determine how prominent the signage is from the route. The system selects the placemark by determining how easily the placemark may be identified from the route, based on the signage's visibility and prominence. The selected placemark may then be identified in connection with the turn-by-turn directions.
US08688376B2
The invention relates to wireless vehicle-to-X communication by means of radio key (RKE) with a transceiver. The radio key transceiver is designed to send and receive not only data associated with the keyless driving authorization but also vehicle-to-X communication data. The radio key X communication can be used between two vehicles equipped with this radio key communication technique in order to communicate data such as positions, weather conditions or warnings quickly and reliably. This wireless communication technique using radio keys can also be used for coordinating emergency services when searching for an accident scene.
US08688374B1
A system and method for providing hiking trail information, including obtaining, by a user device comprising an electronic circuit, estimated physical location for which a user would like hiking trail information regarding, obtaining information regarding one or more hiking trails within a predetermined distance of the estimated location and within a predetermined level of difficulty, and displaying the hiking trail information to the user.
US08688373B2
A control circuit of a navigation apparatus acquires exit port information in a rotary intersection for route guidance. It is determined whether a guidance point or guidance target used as an exit path from the rotary intersection is a learned road acquired by the road learning function. When the exit path is not a learned road, namely, when the exit path is an existing road in a ready-made map data, an “exit path guidance for existing roads” aimed at an exit port to an existing road is executed. In contrast, when the exit path from the rotary intersection is a learned road, an “exit path guidance for learned roads” aimed at an exit port to a learned road is executed.
US08688368B2
The present localization system determines a precise location for an address based on images. Some implementations identify the precise location using one image. Other implementations identify the precise location using multiple images. While still other implementations identify the precise location by interpolation, which uses precise locations of addresses nearby that were previously localized using one or more images. The images used in determining the precise locations have a visual feature associated with the address appearing in the image.
US08688362B2
A navigation-enabled device has a memory operatively coupled to a processor for executing a navigation application, a speaker operatively coupled to the processor for providing navigational notifications, and a position-determining system for determining a current location to enable the processor to identify a current route on which the device is located. The processor is configured to determine whether the current route is a familiar path and vary a frequency of the navigational notifications based on whether the current route is a familiar path.
US08688361B2
A reversible, manipulation-proof method encodes an engine controller for a motor vehicle, which is designed for use in motor vehicles with different operating characteristics. At least one first operating characteristic is defined in invariant form for the motor vehicle, with which method during commissioning of the engine controller the first operating characteristic is stored in the engine controller during and/or after an authentication process in such a way that it can only be changed during and/or after a further authentication process.
US08688359B2
There is provided an idle stop system that can more quickly restart with small noise in conducting idle stop. In preparation for a restart request during an engine inertial rotation, after a motor is rotated in a state where a starter motor is not coupled to the engine, a pinion is engaged with a ring gear during the motor is subjected to inertial rotation like the engine. In this situation, the rotational speed including future pulsation of the engine is estimated with the use of information on the crank angle, and a pinion pushing timing is controlled so that the pinion and the ring gear contact each other with a given rotational speed difference taking a delay time of a pinion pushing unit into consideration.
US08688351B2
The timing of a controlled event is advanced or retarded in an IC engine by emulating the engine speed and position signal pattern prior to transmission of that signal pattern to an output such as a fuel injector. In a multi-controller engine in which a second controller is controlled at least in part by signals delivered by first controller, the signal preferably is emulated in the first controller prior to transmission to the second engine controller in order to allow the shifting of a timing of a controlled event without direct data transfer from the second controller to the first controller. The technique is particularly well-suited for controlling diesel fuel injection in a dual fuel or other multi-fuel engine. In this case, the first controller must be a dual fuel controller and the second controller may be a diesel controller.
US08688343B2
A vehicle brake controller is provided with a master cylinder, a wheel cylinder, a brake hydraulic actuator, a vehicle-stop-state motor-OFF controller and a pressurization rate controller. The vehicle-stop-state motor-OFF controller performs a vehicle-stop-state motor-OFF control that stops the pump motor upon the vehicle being stopped by the brake operation, and that maintains a stop state of the pump motor as is during stopping of the vehicle. The pressurization rate controller adjusts a pressurization rate of the wheel cylinder pressure to a higher value as a road surface gradient becomes larger upon resuming operation of the pump motor after the vehicle-stop-state motor-OFF control ends due to acceleration from the vehicle stop state.
US08688323B2
A wire harness includes a standard connection circuit part which connects a standard electronic device and an ECU, and an optional connection circuit part which connects optional electronic devices and the ECU. The optional connection circuit part includes a communication connector which is provided to be connectable to the optional electronic devices, and an optional circuit which connects the ECU to the communication connector. The communication connector performs multiplex communication which multiplexes communication of the optional electronic devices and the ECU.
US08688320B2
In accordance with one embodiment, an information system located within a vehicle includes a data storage device configured to store programmed instructions to implement a web browser, a data communication module, and a controller operatively coupled to the data storage device, and the data communication module, the controller configured to execute the web browser to receive a plurality of data elements, identify a respective content type for each of the plurality of data elements, assign a relevance level to each of the plurality of data elements based on the respective identified content type, compare the assigned relevance to a predetermined relevance threshold; and generate a user interface using at least one of the plurality of data elements based upon the comparison.
US08688313B2
A system and method for remotely programming a vehicle including a vehicle connector with a plurality of pins in communication with one or more vehicle sub-systems or modules, a vehicle communication device connected to the vehicle connector; a bi-directional communication link between the vehicle communication device and a remote communication device, and a computer system connected to the remote communication device. The vehicle communication device is configured to receive signals from the pins, convert the signals to a network compatible data packet which can then be transmitted to the remote communication device, which re-coverts the signals to the pin signals, which can be read by a computing system, such as a vehicle scan tool. Programming instructions can be sent from the scan tool to the vehicle, over the bi-directional communication link between the remote communication device and the vehicle communication device.
US08688308B2
A method for navigation of a movable platform is provided. The method includes the steps. First, a plurality of reflection devices is placed to mark a range. A coordinate location and a direction of the movable platform are received by a positioning system, At least one laser to measure relative positions and distances between the reflection devices and the movable platform are emitted by a laser range finder, respectively. Absolute locations of the reflection devices and the range are calculated by a processor according to the coordinate location and the direction of the movable platform, the relative positions and the distances between the reflection devices and the movable platform. The reflection devices are scanned and tracked by the processor, and the coordinate location and the direction of the movable platform and the absolute locations are calibrated by the processor to control the movable platform to move in the range.
US08688298B2
A boat propelling system capable of reducing electric power consumption includes an outboard engine main body, a swivel bracket arranged to allow the outboard engine main body to pivot in a right-left direction with respect to a hull, an electric motor arranged in the swivel bracket to pivot the outboard engine main body in the right-left direction, a transmission mechanism arranged in the swivel bracket to transmit a driving force of the electric motor to the outboard engine main body, a locking clutch arranged to lock the transmission mechanism so that the outboard engine main body will not be pivoted in the right-left direction by an external force acting on the outboard engine main body, a steering section arranged to steer the outboard engine main body, a steering angle sensor arranged to detect a steering angle of the steering section, a pivot sensor arranged to detect an actual pivot angle of the outboard engine main body, and an ECU arranged and programmed to control the electric motor based on a result of a comparison between a threshold value and an angle difference between a target pivot angle of the outboard engine main body based on the steering angle and an actual pivot angle. The threshold value can be set based on a boat speed and a trim angle.
US08688296B2
The present invention relates to a method for maneuvering an imaging satellite, and more particularly a method for commanding control moment gyroscopes on an imaging satellite to change the attitude of the satellite. In one embodiment, a method for generating a gimbal rate trajectory for maneuvering a satellite to point to a target includes providing a final attitude for pointing to the target and a final satellite rate for imaging the target, providing an initial attitude and an initial set of gimbal angles, and determining a gimbal rate trajectory from the initial set of gimbal angles to a final set of gimbal angles.
US08688291B2
A vehicle control system for data exchange in a transport system, where a control unit is configured to transfer control commands to a vehicle configured to transfer status messages to the control unit, where a signal generator is connected to a first data line and a second data line and provides a changeover signal, a first switching means is arranged in the control unit and is configured to change positive half-waves of the changeover signal, and a second switching means is arranged in the vehicle and is configured to change negative half-waves of the changeover signal, in a circuit formed by the first and second data lines to transfer binary values back-and-forth between the control unit and the vehicle.
US08688288B2
In a method for managing an infrastructure housing a plurality of disaggregated heat sources, in which a first disaggregated heat source has different heat dissipation characteristics as compared with a second disaggregated heat source, cooling requirements for the disaggregated heat sources are determined, in which the first disaggregated heat source and the second disaggregated heat source are to be positioned in separate homogeneous zones of the infrastructure. In addition, a respective available cooling resource is associated with the disaggregated heat sources based upon the determined cooling requirements of the disaggregated heat sources.
US08688283B2
A method for power quality protection includes measurement of electrical and nonelectrical parameters, calculation of additional electrical and nonelectrical parameters, comparison of the value of the calculated parameters with maximum allowed values from a power quality perspective, activation of protection mechanisms for transitioning to a safe mode or for isolation from the bus. The systems and methods may prevent equipment failures when out of the spec power quality is present in the distribution bus and may protect the distribution bus from imposing power quality problems due to equipment failures. Because most of the sensors in the systems of the present invention are already used for other control and protection purposes, there may be no reliability degradation. Most of the calculations and the control logic may be performed digitally for improved reliability and flexibility to modify algorithms.
US08688282B2
This invention relates to a method and a system for controlling a wind power plant to deliver power to the power network. A frequency of the power network is detected. A variation rate in the detected frequency of the power network is calculated. A requested variation of delivered power for the wind power plant is calculated based on a value of the inertia of the wind power plant and the calculated frequency variation rate. A requested variation of delivered power for each wind turbine generator of the wind power plant is calculated based on the calculated requested variation of delivered power of the wind power plant and a current power level of each wind turbine generator. The resulting calculated requested power variation is then used for controlling each wind turbine generator to deliver power to the network.
US08688271B2
A guiding device for guiding a mobile robotic vacuum cleaner to a charging base is composed of a central sensor, a left sensor, and a right sensor. The mobile robotic vacuum cleaner is composed of a main processor and a driving system. The charging base includes an optical emitter for emitting optical signals toward a predetermined direction. The central sensor, the right sensor, and the left sensor are electrically connected with the main processor and mounted to a charging sensor set zone. In this way, the main processor can judge whether the mobile robotic device correctly moves toward the charging base according to the signals detected by the sensors and then adjustably control the moving direction of the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner via the driving system to guide the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner to accurately move toward the charging base.
US08688269B2
An apparatus for teaching a gripping device is disclosed. The gripping device includes an arm. The arm has a free end that can be freely moved in an operating region and includes a gripper. The gripper includes at least one, preferably two pairs of spaced apart gripping tongs consisting of an electrically conductive material. A control unit is included electrically connected to the tongs or a measuring body. A detecting means detects current in a control line. The apparatus uses a reference component having three reference surfaces to determine a reference coordinate system. By pre-specifying several points on the reference component that are to be approached, an automated determination of the position and alignment of a chuck or pallet can be utilized. A highly accurate analysis of a current signal is used by the apparatus for teaching the gripping device.
US08688268B2
A cosmetic or dermatological system includes a packaging and dispenser device containing one or more compositions from which the dispensed preparation is prepared, a surroundings sensor that is suitable for delivering at least information associated with a physical magnitude of the surrounding environment of the device, an adjustment system that is coupled to or suitable for coupling to the packaging and dispenser device, and that enables at least one characteristic of the dispensed preparation to be varied, and a processor for automatically controlling the adjustment system as a function of data delivered by the surroundings sensor or for informing the user, as a function of the data, about an action to be exerted on the adjustment system.
US08688260B2
A method enables a user to create, edit, monitor and/or optimize the overall machine process of a programmable machine or system assisted by a graphics editor. The programmable machine or system is initially put together as a system of individual machine units which are involved in the overall machine process during certain times by running a number of partial machine processes that are firstly synchronized with one another once they have been set up and then parameters are set for them. These method steps take place in a two-dimensional process diagram created by the graphics editor that plots all the partial machine processes involved in the overall machine process via assigned process symbols that are positioned or repositioned by the graphics editor so that they are arranged in a machine component dimension and in a time dimension.
US08688251B2
The system and method described is directed to receiving digital audio files and automatically converting the received files into haptic events. In an embodiment, the received files are of sampled digital or digitized analog audio files. The system and method separates the audio signal into a plurality of sub-band signals and segments the sub-band signals into a plurality of events. The system and method then assigns haptic effects to the events to produce haptic event signals which are to be output by an actuator. The system and method utilizes clipping and minimum time separation parameters along with physical parameters of the actuator and frequency characteristics in the audio signal to analyze and provide discrete haptic events which correspond with the audio.
US08688244B2
In order to flexibly identify the current operating state of control elements which are used to control a process installation, the invention provides a method for identifying the operating state of at least one control element, which is designed for an active and a passive operating state, for a control apparatus, wherein, in the active operating state, the control element controls a process function of an area of a process installation, comprising the following steps: the control apparatus is connected to the process installation, the control element is functionally associated with the process function, and the operating state of the control element is identified as active on the basis of successful functional association of the control element with the process function. The invention also provides a control apparatus for controlling at least one process function for an area of a process installation, as well as a process installation which is suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention.
US08688234B2
A pacing output circuit can be configured to generate a ventricular pacing signal configured to be delivered to an electrode near the His bundle in a right ventricle of a heart to pace the right and left ventricles and improve synchronization of at least one of the ventricles relative to intrinsic activity. In an example, the ventricular pacing signal can include first and second signal components in opposite polarity from each other with respect to a reference component, the first and second signal components having substantially identical duration and magnitude.
US08688229B2
The invention relates to an alternating magnetic field application device for heating magnetic or magnetizable substances in biological tissue, in particular for thermal therapy using magnetic nanoparticles, composed of a large applicator (1) having a magnetic yoke (2) and two oppositely situated pole shoes (7, 8) on the magnetic yoke (2) which are separated by an exposure gap (13), and having two magnetic coils (9, 10), which are respectively associated with a pole shoe (7, 8), for generating a substantially homogenous alternating magnetic field (12) of a given field strength in the exposure gap (13), wherein the biological tissue to be irradiated may be brought into the exposure gap (13) as an exposure target volume. According to the invention, in the exposure gap (13) a field concentrator (19) is situated in the immediate proximity of the biological tissue to be irradiated as the exposure target volume, in particular on or in a patient in the immediate proximity of a body part to be irradiated, such as a diseased prostate (23), the field concentrator concentrating the alternating magnetic field (12) of the large applicator (1) in the target volume and thereby locally enhancing the alternating magnetic field at that location.
US08688219B2
Dynamic sampling of physiological parameters based on the next anticipated occurrence of a relatively periodic physiological event. Embodiments of the invention may be used to increase the battery life or effective data storage capacity of implantable medical devices while retaining or improving measurement resolution.
US08688210B2
Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient.
US08688203B2
A system detects events related to cardiac activity. The system comprises a primary cardiac signal sensing circuit, at least one secondary cardiac signal sensing circuit having a higher sensitivity than the primary sensing circuit, and a controller circuit coupled to the primary and secondary cardiac signal sensing circuits. The controller circuit determines a rate of depolarization using the primary sensing circuit and detects tachyarrhythmia using the rate. The controller circuit also detects tachyarrhythmia using the secondary sensing circuit and also deems the tachyarrhythmia valid if the controller circuit detects the tachyarrhythmia using both the primary and secondary sensing circuit.
US08688202B2
A cardiac-based metric is computed based upon characteristics of a subject's cardiac function. In accordance with one or more embodiments, the end of a mechanical systole is identified for each of a plurality of cardiac cycles of a subject, based upon an acoustical vibration associated with closure of an aortic valve during the cardiac cycle. The end of an electrical systole of an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal for each cardiac cycle is also identified. A cardiac-based metric is computed, based upon a time difference between the end of the electrical systole and the end of the mechanical systole, for the respective cardiac cycles.
US08688198B2
A site marker delivery system is provided. The site mark delivery system includes an outer cannula having an open distal end. The outer cannula defines an inner lumen in which an inner cannula may be received. A marker is also positioned within the inner lumen of the outer cannula. The inner cannula further includes a trigger mechanism that when actuated injects the marker through the open distal end of the outer cannula into a biopsy site.
US08688197B2
The invention comprises a patient positioning and/or repositioning system, such as a laying, semi-vertical, or seated patient positioning, alignment, and/or control method and apparatus used in conjunction with multi-axis charged particle radiation therapy. Patient positioning constraints optionally include one or more of: a seat support, a back support, a head support, an arm support, a knee support, and a foot support. One or more of the positioning constraints are preferably movable and/or under computer control for rapid positioning, repositioning, and/or immobilization of the patient. The system optionally uses an X-ray beam that lies in substantially the same path as a proton beam path of a particle beam cancer therapy system. The generated image is usable for: fine tuning body alignment relative to the proton beam path, to control the charged particle beam path to accurately and precisely target the tumor, and/or in system verification and validation.
US08688186B1
A retractor device has an oximeter sensor at its tip, which allows measuring of oxygen saturation of a tissue being retracted by the retractor. The retractor device also has a force sensor which can measure an amount of force that is applied to the retracted tissue by the tip of the retractor device. The tip includes one or more openings for at least one source and detector. A specific implementation is a spinal nerve root retractor with an oximeter sensor and a force sensor.
US08688183B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure include an emitter driver configured to be capable of addressing substantially 2N nodes with N cable conductors configured to carry activation instructions from a processor. In an embodiment, an address controller outputs an activation instruction to a latch decoder configured to supply switch controls to activate particular LEDs of a light source.
US08688179B2
A mobile terminal includes a terminal main body including a circuit board for processing a radio signal, a conductive member including an exposed surface exposed to the outside of the main body and a plurality of recesses formed to be recessed toward the interior of the main body from the exposed surface and disposed to be spaced apart, at least a portion thereof being formed to transmit and receive the radio signal, and a filling member forming an external appearance of the main body and filling the recess portions.
US08688177B2
A sliding mechanism comprising a double-folded flexible printed circuit board (FPC); a stiffener coupled to the double-folded FPC; first pins; second pins; and an opening defined by a first cover, wherein when the double-folded FPC and the stiffener move, within the opening, in synchronization along a first range of motion to an open position of the slider mechanism, the stiffener makes contact with the first pins at the open position, and when the double-folded FPC and the stiffener move, within the opening, in synchronization along a second range of motion to a closed position of the slider mechanism, the stiffener makes contact with the second pins at the closed position.
US08688175B2
At least one of outbound call history data, inbound call history data, and phone book data is transferred to a handsfree apparatus for use in a vehicle at a predetermined timing for the purpose of obtaining near realtime update of the inbound/outbound call history data from a cellular phone. By utilizing simultaneous connection of HFP and PBAP, the handsfree apparatus establishes a Bluetooth communication with the cellular phone through HFP first, and then establishes another communication through PBAP simultaneously, for receiving the inbound call history data and the outbound call history data stored before establishing the Bluetooth communication from the cellular phone. The handsfree apparatus can thus be capable of placing a call by using the outbound call history data and the inbound call history data stored in a work memory after receiving those data.
US08688149B2
A method of using an intercom on a cordless telephone during an active call. The active call is put on hold while the intercom is in use. Once the call is re-activated, the intercom is shut off. This system may be designed for a cordless telephone with one handset or a plurality of handsets.
US08688147B2
A location based wireless consumer interactive system is disclosed. The system includes a first gateway device stationed at a first location which includes a first antenna configured to generate a first wireless zone covering a preassigned area proximal to the first location. The first gateway device includes a first network interface coupled to the first antenna which is configured to communicate with a client device that is connected to the first wireless zone. The first gateway device includes a first memory configured to store a first content profile received from a server device via the first network interface, wherein the first memory stores executable programming instructions to process preloaded consumer content of the first content profile. The first gateway device includes a first processor configured to generate a first interactive content site containing the consumer content on the client device.
US08688141B2
In certain embodiments, a method for proximity determination includes receiving one or more network identifiers, each associated with a corresponding network, from a first mobile device. The method further includes receiving one or more network identifiers, each associated with a corresponding network, from a second mobile device. The method further includes processing the network identifiers received from the first and second mobile devices to determine whether the first mobile device and the second mobile device are in proximity to one another.
US08688137B2
A mobile communication system in which a mobile station apparatus transmits reception quality information to a base station apparatus, the reception quality information indicating quality of a signal received from the base station apparatus, characterized in that the base station apparatus transmits information for instructing transmission of reception quality information without uplink data included in an uplink data transmission permission signal, and the mobile station apparatus transmits reception quality information without uplink data according to the information for instructing transmission of reception quality information without uplink data. This allows a mobile station apparatus to transmit reception quality information including a large amount of information even if there is no uplink data between the mobile station apparatus and the base station apparatus, and the transmission control flexibly responding to the amount of information and the frequency of transmissions of the reception quality information transmitted from the mobile station apparatus is possible. Therefore, more efficient communication control (scheduling) between the base station apparatus and the mobile station apparatus can be achieved.
US08688130B2
A disclosed base station includes a communication unit configured to receive from a mobile station a first report signal including base station specification information specifying a base station, reception quality information indicating reception quality of a signal received from the specified base station, and change request information requesting to change communication quality between the mobile station and the specified base station; and an automatic area control unit configured to determine whether the base station is specified by the base station specification information, to obtain location information indicating the location of the mobile station if the base station is specified by the base station specification information, and to change at least one base station parameter based on the reception quality information and the location information to change the reception quality at the location of the mobile station.
US08688125B2
A method and apparatus for radio resource control (RRC) messaging. A method in a Node B includes transmitting a RRC change command including a plurality of commands to a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), and receiving an RRC change response from the WTRU, wherein the RRC change command includes a command for performing a measurement gap configuration procedure and a command for performing a measurement gap activation procedure.
US08688114B2
A method of selecting cards for multi-mode mobile phone. The multi-mode mobile phone includes at least one phone card that supports a communication network mode and corresponds to a phone card ID. Charging information is obtained from interfaces provided by operators, the charging information including charge for each communication service of the communication network mode supported by the phone card. A charging information table is generated according to the charging information, the charging information table including an association between the phone card ID and the charge for each communication service. When a communication service is started, the charging information table is queried and the most economical communication service charge from the charging information table is selected for the started communication service A corresponding phone card ID is also selected. The multi-mode mobile phone is switched to the phone card corresponding to the selected phone card ID to communicate.
US08688113B2
The present invention discloses a method and a system for implementing location service, in which the method comprises: sending a location request message from a source user to a MMSG by a MMSC; sending the location request message to a multimedia message generating platform by the MMSG; initiating a location request to an LSP by the multimedia message generating platform according to the location request message; performing location according to the initiated location request and returning a location result to the multimedia message generating platform by the LSP; generating multimedia message information according to the location result and sending the multimedia message information to the MMSG by the multimedia message generating platform; and sending the received multimedia message information to the source user through the MMSC by the MMSG. The present invention can not only reduce the requirement of the location service on terminal capability, but also more conveniently develop the location service, thereby realizing the aim of providing convenient and efficient location service to users by using multimedia message information.
US08688108B2
The invention relates to a mobile telecommunication device (100) for establishing a telecommunication connection in the radio frequency range with a base station (102; 104; 1100), the mobile telecommunication device comprising; at least a first (106) and a second antenna (108), an electromagnetic shield (110) located between the first and the second antenna, a logic component (1000), wherein the first and the second antenna are adapted to transmit and receive telecommunication signals of the same frequency band, and wherein the logic component selects whether the first or the second antenna is used for the telecommunication connection with the base station.
US08688106B2
User equipment having operating modes of at least a connected mode (CONN) and an idle mode (IDLE) includes a measurement unit configured to measure radio quality in the idle mode in accordance with measurement target information indicating that the user equipment is preset to report a measurement value of the radio quality to a base station, a storage unit configured to store the measurement target information and the measurement value of the radio quality measured by the measurement unit and a transmitting unit configured to, if a predefined report condition (log exist condition, FIG. 3) is satisfied, transmit an indicator indicative of presence of the measurement value of the radio quality to the base station in the connected mode and in response to a request from the base station, transmit a report signal including the measurement value of the radio quality.
US08688105B2
The present invention relates to a method for setting a control multi point of a serving cell in a wireless communication system. The serving cell selects more than one adjacent base station as a control multi point set based on first link information between terminals and the adjacent base stations received from the terminals. Furthermore, the serving cell: receives a pre-coding matrix index corresponding to the adjacent base stations which is selected by the terminals, selects more than one pre-coding matrix index from the received pre-coding matrix indexes according to a preset condition, generates a pre-coding matrix index list, and transmits pre-coding matrix index list to the corresponding base station.
US08688095B2
A mobile device is configurable to accommodate multiple personas and associated profiles. Once the mobile device is triggered to configure itself with a selected persona/profile, no more information is required by a user (the provider of the trigger) of the mobile device. Each persona/profile is autonomous from any other persona/profile with which the mobile device can be configured. A persona is indicative of a personality, role, or identity portrayed by the device, such as a phone number, for example. A profile is indicative of functions associated with a persona. The mobile device is easily reconfigured via simple UI operations.
US08688092B1
Systems and methods that can be utilized to convert a voice communication received over a telecommunication network to text are described. In an illustrative embodiment, a call processing system coupled to a telecommunications network receives a call from a caller intended for a first party, wherein the call is associated with call signaling information. At least a portion of the call signaling information is stored in a computer readable medium. A greeting is played the caller, and a voice communication from the caller is recorded. At least a portion of the voice communication is converted to text, which is analyzed to identify portions that are inferred to be relatively more important to communicate to the first party. A text communication is generated including at least some of the identified portions and including fewer words than the recorded voice communication. At least a portion of the text communication is made available to the first party over a data network.
US08688089B2
Systems and methods for providing hot spots for mobile video games on mobile communication devices that receive hot spot information for mobile video games that operate on the devices. The hot spots may be hidden aspects of the game and promotional in nature, allowing game companies to generate extra revenue through selling non-permanent advertisement space to third parties. The game may contain instructions that cause the mobile communication device to contact an interface and/or server to receive hot spot information. After the hot spot information is received by the mobile communication device, the content may be displayed in-game. In addition, the server may track what hot spot information has already been received by the mobile communication device.
US08688086B1
What is disclosed is a method of operating a wireless communication system. The method includes receiving a registration request from a wireless communication device, and in response, monitoring device status and updating a data structure with device status data for the wireless communication device. The method also includes receiving a content request from the wireless communication device for primary content from a primary content provider, and in response, determining an anonymous key associated with the wireless communication device and transferring the anonymous key for delivery to a supplemental content provider. The method also includes receiving a device status request comprising the anonymous key transferred by the supplemental content provider, and in response, transferring the device status data from the data structure for delivery to the supplemental content provider. The method also includes receiving supplemental content transferred by the supplemental content provider responsive to the transferred device status data, receiving the primary content transferred by the primary content provider, and transferring the primary content and the supplemental content to the wireless communication device.
US08688084B2
A method on a wireless user equipment (UE) device facilitates integration of an outgoing cellular call as an enterprise call. The UE device attaches to a wide area cellular network on which the device has a non-enterprise address. Upon blocking incoming calls, the UE device sends a request to a node in a data network to initiate an outgoing cellular call with an expectation of receiving an incoming circuit-switched (CS) call back from the network node within a time window. The incoming CS call contains an enterprise address associated with a user of the wireless UE device as a calling line identity to identify that the incoming CS call is related to the request to initiate the outgoing cellular call. The UE device indicates to the network node that a call leg is established between the enterprise user and the network node.
US08688082B2
Voicemail systems can include a memory and a processor. The memory can store data relating to users. An incoming communication can be handled by the voicemail system, forwarded to another voicemail system, provided with functionality based upon a user's preferences, and the like. The voicemail systems can include functionality to allow a user to consolidate voicemail messages and/or calls at one or more designated destinations, for example, a voicemail system and/or a mobile device.
US08688074B2
A method for communication includes recording, at a gateway to a network, a generic definition of a service provided to clients of the gateway. The generic definition specifies a first Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) on the network that is associated with the service. At least a first communication between a client and the network is processed at the gateway in order to identify at least a second URI that is referenced from the first URI in a context of the service. Responsively to at least the first communication, an extended definition of the service for the client is automatically created by adding at least the second URI to the generic definition. Use of the service is monitored by applying the extended definition to second communications conveyed by the gateway between the client and the network.
US08688069B1
A mobile communication system may include a remote communication system which may transmit communications to and receive communications from a plurality of mobile radios over one or more wireless communication channels. Each mobile radio may include a location sensing system which may sense the location of the mobile radio. A user interface within each mobile radio may receive a request from the user to transmit information indicative of the location of the mobile radio to a remote messaging system. A message transmitter within each mobile radio may transmit the location of the mobile radio sensed by the location sensing system to the remote messaging system in response to the request by the user over a wireless messaging channel. The remote messaging system may aggregate the location information from each mobile radio and deliver this aggregate location information to the remote communication system and/or to the mobile radios.
US08688067B2
A sampling circuit and a receiver are provided having a high flexibility of filter design and excellent characteristics for removing an interfering wave. Provided also are a sampling circuit and a receiver having a low level of the higher harmonic spurious. The sampling circuit includes a charge sampling circuit, which executes sampling of an input signal, and a plurality of charge sharing circuits connected in parallel to the output stage of the charge sampling circuit. The charge sharing circuits include a charge sharing circuit group having transmission functions different from one another, a synthesis circuit, which is arranged at the output side of the charge sharing circuit group and synthesizes the outputs of the charge sharing circuits, and a digital control unit, which outputs a control signal for controlling the operation of the charge sharing circuit group and the synthesis circuit.
US08688062B2
A communications system includes spaced apart sensing nodes each configured to receive signals within occupied portions of a frequency spectrum, and a coordinator node configured to communicate with the spaced apart sensing nodes. The coordinator node determines the occupied portions of the frequency spectrum, and determines unoccupied portions of the frequency spectrum based upon the occupied portions. A pair of wireless communications devices is configured to communicate with each other and with the coordinator node. The pair of wireless communications devices may operate within an unoccupied portion of the frequency spectrum based on using a communications signal comprising a continuous phase modulated waveform, with at least one waveform parameter being selected to reduce interference with the occupied portions of the frequency spectrum.
US08688054B2
A method and apparatus for adaptively biasing a channel quality indicator (CQI) used for setting a configuration of communication between a transmitter and a receiver in a wireless communication system. The receiver sends a CQI and positive acknowledgement (ACK)/negative acknowledgement (NACK) messages to the transmitter. The ACK/NACK messages indicate the absence or presence of error, respectively, in a transmitted data packet. The CQI is derived from the signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) and the ACK/NACK messages. The transmitter calculates the block error rate (BLER) of the transmitted data packets based upon the ACK/NACK messages sent from the receiver. The transmitter compares the BLER of the transmitted data packets to a target BLER and biases the CQI based on the comparison in order to achieve the target BLER.
US08688053B2
Example methods and apparatus to identify wireless carrier performance effects are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving an indication of media content presentation on a wireless communication device, monitoring a wireless carrier operating parameter in response to receiving the indication of media content presentation, and monitoring the wireless communication device for a media content presentation command. The example method also includes associating the media content presentation command and the wireless carrier operating parameter with a scoring factor indicative of subscriber preferences, and generating a report including the scoring factor.
US08688047B2
Reliable detection of the configuration of transmit antennas includes obtaining a data for transmission, encoding the data, and modulating the data. During the modulating of the data, the data may be configured in such a way as to convey the configuration of the antennas through the modulation of the data. An antenna configuration is obtained by obtaining a representation of the antenna configuration, and masking the data with an error correcting code, where the mask corresponds to the antenna configuration.
US08688043B2
A mobile wireless communications device may include a wireless transceiver, a processor coupled to the wireless transceiver, and a near-field communication (NFC) device coupled to the processor. The NFC device may include an NFC controller, an NFC transceiver coupled to the NFC controller, and spaced apart NFC antennas. The NFC device also includes a scanning switch coupled between the spaced apart NFC antennas and the NFC transceiver. The NFC controller may be configured to operate the scanning switch to successively couple each NFC antenna to the NFC transceiver, while attempting to establish NFC communication with an adjacent NFC device. The NFC device may also be configured to lock coupling to a corresponding NFC antenna upon establishing NFC communication with the adjacent NFC device.
US08688039B2
A method for providing information by an information providing device with a Bluetooth module in an information broadcast service based on Bluetooth. The method includes broadcasting an inquiry signal to provide the information; receiving an inquiry response signal; determining if a broadcast request is included in the inquiry response signal; and delivering the information to a Bluetooth device that sent the inquiry response signal, when a broadcast request is included in the inquiry response signal.
US08688038B2
A mobile communications device may include a near field communication (NFC) transceiver switchable between a plurality of modes including a first NFC mode and a second NFC mode, wherein the second NFC mode has a lower power consumption level associated therewith than the first NFC mode. The mobile communications device may further include a processor coupled with the NFC transceiver and capable of activating an application, switching the NFC transceiver to operate in the first NFC mode in response to activating the application, and switching the NFC transceiver to the second NFC mode based upon a failure to establish NFC communications within a threshold time of switching the NFC transceiver to the first NFC mode.
US08688035B2
A radio communication system includes: a first member; a second member; a transmitting apparatus provided on the first member; and a receiving apparatus provided on the second member, wherein the first member and the second member are provided such that they can move relative to each other; and radio communication is performed when the transmitting apparatus and the receiving apparatus face each other as the first member and the second member move relative to each other.
US08688025B2
After a sheet has once passed through a punching position, a conveyance roller pair conveys the sheet backward to the punching position. A lateral registration detection sensor detects a side edge position of the sheet in a width direction. When a sheet processing apparatus corrects the side edge position of the sheet by controlling a shift unit for moving the sheet in the width direction so as to correct the side edge position of the sheet, the sheet processing apparatus sets a shifting amount of the sheet to a value that is a predetermined amount greater than a shifting amount required to correct the side edge position of the sheet according to the side edge position of the sheet detected by the lateral registration detection sensor. After the sheet has passed through the die hole the sheet processing apparatus sets the shifting amount to the required value.
US08688024B2
A cleaning device of an image forming apparatus includes: a magnetic brush roller rubbing a surface of a photosensitive drum by a magnetic brush formed of a toner and carriers; a cleaning blade removing the toner remaining on a photosensitive drum; a toner concentration initialization control part, in order that toner-to-carrier ratio T/C of the magnetic brush formed on the magnetic brush roller falls within a predetermined range, controlling bias applied to the magnetic brush roller and an amount of the toner supplied from a developing device to the photosensitive drum.
US08688023B2
A pressing roller includes a metal core and an elastic layer containing a needle-like filler which has an average length of 0.05 mm or more and 1 mm or less and a thermal conductivity of 500 W/(mK) or more. In the elastic layer, pore portions are dispersed.
US08688020B2
A self-positioning belt roll fuser stripping apparatus and system includes an internal pressure roll entraining a fuser belt. The internal pressure engages an external pressure roll to form a fusing nip. The internal pressure roll includes an internal pressure roll bearing to which a mounting plate is attached, allowing the mounting plate to move about a rotational axis of the internal pressure roll. A strip bar is attached to the mounting plate, and configured to force the fuser belt toward the external pressure roll. A mounting plate ski is configured to contact an external pressure roll bearing to limit movement of the mounting plate, positioning the strip shoe as desired when the mounting plate is moved to guide the strip show toward the fusing nip.
US08688014B2
A temperature sensor detects information regarding humidity in an atmosphere of a developing container. A temperature sensor detects information regarding humidity in an atmosphere of a toner hopper. An inductance sensor detects information regarding a toner density within the developing container. A printer controller controls a replenishing operation of a replenishing screw member based on image information. The printer controller controls the replenishing operation of the replenishing screw member so that a toner density within the developing container is less than or equal to a predetermined value based on a detection result of the inductance sensor. The printer controller controls the predetermined value to be small when a difference between humidity detection results detected by each of the temperature sensors is large as compared to when the difference is small.
US08688011B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductive drum; a mixer which stirs a developer; and a developing roller which has plural magnets to supply the stirred developer to the photoconductive drum, and a separation pole that is a magnet arranged opposite the photoconductive drum in relation to a rotational center axis and separating the developer supplied to the photoconductive drum, and which is arranged in a way that a vertical first tangential line on the separation pole side is located outward to the separation pole side from an outer circumference of the mixer.
US08688010B2
A developing cartridge having a first side plate and a second side plate spaced opposite from the first side plate, a developer carrying member rotatably supported between the side plates, a developer supplying member rotatably supported between the side plates, a input member to which driving force is input rotatably supported by the first side plate, a primary developing gear to which the driving force is transferred provided on the developer carrying member at the first side plate, a secondary developing gear to which the driving force is transferred provided on the developer carrying member at the second side plate, and a supply gear to which the driving force is transferred provided on the developer supplying member at the second side plate, wherein the input member and the supply gear are arranged so that their projections in the direction of the rotation axis of the developer supplying member overlap.
US08688004B2
A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The process cartridge includes a coupling member provided at an axial end portion of a photosensitive drum and rotatable about a coupling axis thereof so as to transmit a driving force to the photosensitive drum. The coupling member is capable of inclining relative to the photosensitive drum so that the coupling axis inclines relative to a drum axis, with the coupling member having a first end portion connected to the photosensitive drum, a second end portion, and a connecting portion between the first end portion and the second end portion. A maximum distance from the coupling axis to an outermost surface of the connecting portion along a line perpendicular to the coupling axis is less than a maximum distance from the coupling axis to an outermost surface of the second end portion along a line perpendicular to the coupling axis.
US08688000B2
In an image forming apparatus, each of a plurality of exposure units provided at a drum supporting member is configured to be movable between an exposure position in which the exposure unit is located in proximity to a corresponding photoconductor drum supported by the drum supporting member and a retreating position in which the exposure unit retreated away from the corresponding photoconductor drum is positioned by a stopper, such that the exposure unit is located inside the drum supporting member regardless of whether the exposure unit is in the exposure position or in the retreating position. A motion-imparting member is provided at the drum supporting member, movably relative to the drum supporting member and is configured to act on an engageable portion of each exposure unit to thereby cause the exposure unit to move to the exposure position or to the retreating position.
US08687993B2
A charging device includes a charging member in contact with or adjacent to a charged body, a charge housing that holds the charging member, bearing members that rotatably support the charging member, at least one of the bearing members being a conductive bearing member, pressing members that press the bearing members toward the charged body, at least the pressing member for the conductive bearing member being formed of a conductive material, a platelike power supply member in contact with the pressing member for the conductive bearing member, and positioning mechanisms that position the bearing members. The power supply member has a platelike extending portion. The positioning mechanism provided on a power supplied side of the charging member includes a positioning portion provided in the conductive bearing member, and a positioned portion provided in the extending portion. The positioned portion engages with the positioning portion when the extending portion elastically deforms.
US08687992B2
An image heating apparatus includes an image heating rotational member configured to heat an image on a recording material, a pressure member configured to form a nip portion with the image heating rotational member and pinch the heated recording material in the nip portion, a first external heater including a first heat generation member and configured to contact an outer surface of the image heating rotational member and heat an area of the image heating rotational member that has passed the nip portion, and a second external heater including a second heat generation member and configured to contact an outer surface of the image heating rotational member and heat an area of the image heating rotational member heated by the first external heater. In the image heating apparatus, maximum power applied to the second heat generation member is smaller than maximum power applied to the first heat generation member.
US08687991B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms, on an image bearing member, an image for adjusting operations of the image forming apparatus, a container that contains toner removed from the image bearing member, and a controller that controls formation of the image for adjusting the operations of the image forming apparatus so that after an amount of toner contained in the container reaches a threshold value, an amount of toner removed from the image bearing member and to be contained in the container is reduced to less than before the amount of toner contained in the container reaches the threshold value.
US08687979B2
In the field of communications transmission, a method, a device, and a system for generating and receiving a phase polarization modulated signal are disclosed. The device for generating the phase polarization modulated signal includes: a Laser Diode (LD), a time division demultiplexer, a phase precoding module, a phase modulating module, a polarization precoding module and a polarization modulating module. The device for receiving the phase polarization modulated signal includes: an optical splitter, a polarizer, a phase demodulating and receiving unit, a Polarization Beam Splitter (PBS), a balanced receiver, a power divider, an exclusive OR, a delayer and a data interface processing unit. Therefore, problems in the prior art that a Differential Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (DQPSK) signal cannot bear and transmit information at a higher rate and that non-linear effect is strong during transmission are solved, and transmission performance of an optical signal is improved.
US08687978B2
A method and apparatus comprising a signal generator and wires. The signal generator is configured to generate electrical signals. The electrical signals have amplitudes and first phases. The wires are connected to the signal generator. The wires are configured to emit photons having phases in response to receiving the electrical signals. The photons have frequencies based on the amplitudes of the electrical signals and second phases based on the first phases of the electrical signals. The first phases of the electrical signals are selected such that the photons have a desired radiation pattern.
US08687977B2
There is provided a reading lamp having a lighting unit (BE) which has at least first light emitting diodes (LEDs) and/or second light emitting diodes (IR-LEDs) for the emission of IR radiation. The reading lamp further has a modulation unit (ME) for modulation of the light emission of the first and/or second light emitting diodes in dependence on an input signal (IN).
US08687976B1
An access network includes an access device having an optical interface module that outputs a plurality of pairs of optical communication signals, each of the pairs of optical communication signals comprising a modulated optical transmit signal and an unmodulated optical receive signal, each of the pairs of optical communication signals having a different wavelength. A customer premise equipment (CPE) comprises an optical interface module to receive the modulated optical transmit signal and the unmodulated optical receive signal for any of the plurality of pairs of optical communication signals. The optical interface module includes a receive module to demodulate the modulated optical transmit signal into inbound symbols and a transmit module having an optical modulator and reflective optics to modulate the unmodulated optical receive signal in accordance with a data signal and reflect a modulated optical receive signal to communicate outbound data symbols to the access device.
US08687972B2
The present invention discloses a multiple star wavelength division multiplexing passive optical network system using a wavelength assignment method.In a multiple star wavelength division multiplexing passive optical network system using a wavelength assignment method according to the present invention, only one WDM-PON system can provides services for a plurality of subscribers who is distributed in a wide range of area through multiple starring, by setting one or more band for transmitting up-stream signals as an up-stream basic band and one or more band for transmitting down-stream signals as a down-stream basic band, respectively, and by dividing each of the up-stream basic band and the down-stream basic band into a plurality of wavelength sub-bands and assigning the divided sub-bands to different areas using a wavelength division multiplexer/de-multiplexer which splits a band into two or more sub-bands.
US08687971B2
System, laser-on-CMOS chip, and method for setting a wavelength to be used by the laser-on-CMOS chip
A system, a Laser-on-CMOS chip, and a method are described herein in accordance with the present invention. In one embodiment, the present invention enables a conventional WDM-capable system to dictate what wavelengths a Laser-on-CMOS chip's optical ports will use by seeding each of their LoC upstream reflective light generation devices (e.g., RSOAs) with a particular wavelength.
US08687967B2
To provide an optical transceiver with which a plurality of optical transmitters and receivers constituting the optical transceiver can be detached individually and exchanged/repaired easily, so that waste of components can be avoided. The optical transceiver includes: an optical transceiver main body; a plurality of pairs of optical transmitters and optical receivers housed inside the optical transceiver main body by being disposed in parallel; optical transmitter substrates and optical receiver substrates, which individually hold each of the optical transmitters and the optical receivers; an optical transceiver substrate which holds each of the optical transmitter substrates and the optical receiver substrates; and connectors which connect each of the optical transmitter substrates as well as the optical receiver substrates to the optical transceiver substrate detachably.
US08687966B2
Exemplary embodiments of the invention relates to an optical transceiver module having a diagnostic assembly, wherein the diagnostic assembly is configured to visually display the operational status of the transceiver transmitter and receiver components while optically transmitting diagnostic information. The transceiver operational status is accessible while the transceiver operates in conjunction with an external host and may be ascertained in real time without interrupting normal transceiver operation or suspending the transmission of data over optical fibers.
US08687963B2
A method for optical network termination (ONT) configuration is provided. The method includes: obtaining, by an optical line terminal (OLT), service types supported by an ONT and management methods available for each of the service types; and negotiating, by the OLT, with the ONT according to the management methods available for each of the service types, so as to determine a management method to be adopted for each of the service types, and configuring the ONT according to the determined management method.
US08687958B2
An intelligent optical module to restart itself according to a command sent from the host system is disclosed. The optical module may distinguish the first state, where no optical signal is received, from the second state, where a substantial optical signal but unmodulated is received. The optical module is restarted when the second state appears with a preset pattern.
US08687957B2
A method of distinguishing a wavelength-dependent reflective element (HRD) from wavelength-independent events in an optical network, the reflective element (HRD) being highly-reflective at a first predetermined wavelength (λ1) and significantly less reflective at least one other predetermined wavelength (λ2), comprising the steps of: connecting the wavelength-dependent reflective element (HRD) to said optical path at a first position, and, using an optical time domain reflectometer (22) connected to said optical path at a position remote from said reflective element, launching into said optical path light at said first wavelength (λ1) and at said second wavelength (λ2), detecting corresponding backreflected light from said optical paths and obtaining therefrom first and second OTDR traces (OTDR-λ1, OTDR-λ2) corresponding to said first (λ1) and second (λ2) wavelengths, respectively, of detected backreflected light as a function of optical distance from said point; comparing the first and second OTDR traces to distinguish a peak corresponding to said wavelength-dependent reflective element from peaks corresponding to said wavelength-independent reflective events; and outputting at least one parameter value of the distinguished peak as a measure of a parameter of said wavelength-dependent reflective element.
US08687955B2
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.
US08687944B2
Systems and methods of efficiently indexing a digitized video stream are presented. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a coded video stream containing non-scrambled frame location indicators and scrambled video data, filtering the non-scrambled frame location indicators, and generating a database used for indexing frames. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a processor such as a hardware and/or software capable of generating a database used for improving video playback functionality by way of filtering non-scrambled indicators that define the start of frames in a digitized video stream.
US08687943B2
The application manager 37 conducts “application signaling” when a first disc is replaced with a second disc. At this point, an application is continued if it is written in an application management table assigned to a Title played last on a first disc and also written in an application management table assigned to a Title to be played first on a second disc. On the other hand, an application is ended is it is written in the application management table assigned to the Title played last on the first disc but not written in the application management table assigned to the Title to be played first on the second disc.
US08687939B2
According to the present invention, even in the case where an external recording apparatus is designed to be small and capable of being connected to various types of video equipment and is equipped with various types of operation units, an alarm display section, and so on, if the external recording apparatus is connected to a main apparatus, a menu for the external recording apparatus is provided to the main apparatus to accept a setting for the external recording apparatus with the main apparatus.
US08687938B2
A content can be recorded for certain in a video recording system including a video recording apparatus and a video recording and transmitting apparatus. The video recording apparatus includes: a recording control unit that starts recording the content when a period of time indicated by scheduled recording information starts; and a message transmitting unit that transmits recording-state information to the video recording and transmitting apparatus at regular intervals. The video recording and transmitting apparatus includes: a recording-state monitoring unit that determines whether or not the continued reception of a signal has been suspended during the period of time; and a recording control unit that starts recording the content when the recording-state monitoring unit determines that the continued reception of the signal has been suspended.
US08687933B2
The fiber optics patch panel assembly includes a pair of patch panels each having a base and a pair of first sides. A wall attachment portion is disposed on the base of each panel, and a mounting portion disposed on each of the first sides of each of the panels. A rack mounting bracket is attached to the mounting portion of one of the first sides of each of the panels. A panel attachment is attached to the mounting portion of an other of the first sides of each of the panels and attaches the panels to one another. A single panel can be wall-mounted, or rack mounted in a standard rack mount assembly using two panels and the rack mounting bracket, or mounted in a half-sized custom rack without needing any modifications.
US08687927B2
A fiber Bragg grating hydrophone includes a fluid chamber (1) and an optical fiber (2) in which a Bragg grating (3) is integrated, the optical fiber extending through the fluid chamber such that the Bragg grating is positioned inside the latter. The fluid chamber is filled with a compressible fluid and is defined by a rigid casing (4) including two end surfaces (28a, 28b) that are rigidly connected to the optical fiber. At least one of the two end surfaces of the rigid casing includes an opening (5a, 5b) closed by a deformable diaphragm (6a, 6b) that is rigidly connected to the optical fiber and that can be deformed in reaction to a difference in the pressures applied to the surfaces thereof, thereby modifying the length of the optical fiber as measured by a variation in the wavelength of a luminous flux extracted from the optical fiber.
US08687923B2
Methods and systems for image upscaling are disclosed. In one embodiment, a low frequency band image intermediate is obtained from an input image. The input image is upsampled by a scale factor to obtain an upsampled image intermediate. A result image is estimated based at least in part on the upsampled image intermediate, the low frequency band image intermediate, and the input image, wherein the input image is of a smaller scale than the result image.
US08687918B2
Based on a difference image of three temporally consecutive frame images, a moving object region where a moving object is displayed and a background region are extracted from a central frame image. A processing of becoming a clear image such as contrast enhancement is performed on an image of the moving object region. On the other hand, a blurring processing such as an averaging processing is performed on an image of the background region. The image of the background region is blurred in this blurring processing so that the degree of blurring increases as the ratio of the moving object region in the frame image is high.
US08687913B2
Various embodiments of methods and apparatus for image deblurring and sharpening using local patch self-similarity are disclosed. In some embodiments, an input blurred image is down-sampled to generate a downsized image. The downsized image is convolved with a blur kernel to obtain a smoothed image. For each of a plurality of patches of the input blurred image, a corresponding patch in the smoothed image is found. High frequency components between each of the plurality of corresponding patches in the smoothed image and corresponding patches of the downsized image are computed. The high frequency components are applied to the plurality of patches of the input blurred images to generate a deblurred version of the input blurred image.
US08687909B2
A method for reducing blurring in a blurred image (14) of a scene (12) includes the steps of: (i) creating an edge mask (362) from the blurred image (14); (ii) extending the edge mask (362; (iii) forming an initial array (e.g. extending the blurred image (360); and (iv) performing Lucy-Richardson iterations, with masking. With the deblurring method disclosed herein, the reconstructed adjusted image (16) (i) does not have (or has significantly less) ringing artifacts around the edges (22) of the captured object(s) (20C), and (ii) does not have (or has significantly less) ringing artifacts around border (24). As a result thereof, the adjusted image (16) is more attractive and more accurately represents the scene (12).
US08687898B2
Method and system for imaging an object in three-dimensions, binning data of the imaged object into three dimensional bins, determining a density value p of the data in each bin, and creating receptive fields of three dimensional feature maps, including processing elements O, each processing element O of a same feature map having a same adjustable parameter, weight Wc1. The density values p are processed with the processing elements O to determine an output value o for at least each three dimensional location of the imaging of the object having a density value p above a predetermined threshold value. An object is classified by processing the output values o with a committee of classifiers, and the classification of the object is communicated.
US08687891B2
Various methods for tracking and recognition with rotation invariant feature descriptors are provided. One example method includes generating an image pyramid of an image frame, detecting a plurality of interest points within the image pyramid, and extracting feature descriptors for each respective interest point. According to some example embodiments, the feature descriptors are rotation invariant. Further, the example method may also include tracking movement by matching the feature descriptors to feature descriptors of a previous frame and performing recognition of an object within the image frame based on the feature descriptors. Related example methods and example apparatuses are also provided.
US08687888B2
Disclosed is a region specification method of specifying a subject region including a subject from a subject exiting image in which a background and the subject exist, the region specification method including: calculating an image boundary pixel number of an image boundary of the subject existing image constituting an edge part of each of divided regions into which the subject existing image is divided by a borderline defined on the subject existing image; specifying, from the divided regions, a reference region having a pixel percentage equal to or more than a predetermined percentage, the pixel percentage indicating the calculated image boundary pixel number in a total pixel number of the edge part; and specifying the subject region from the divided regions of the subject existing image by taking the reference region specified in the specifying the reference region as a reference.
US08687866B2
An optical coherence tomography (OCT) image of the anterior chamber of an eye is processed to determine automatically a location in the image corresponding to Schwalbe's line. First, the method finds the location of the corneal endothelium. Then the method fits a model to the detected corneal endothelium. Then the method determines the location of Schwalbe's line based on the relationship between the detected corneal endothelium and the fitted model, such as where the detected corneal endothelium diverges most from the fitted model. The Schwalbe's line is used to obtain a numerical measure of the anterior chamber angle of the eye. The method can be used in a process for screening patients for glaucoma. In the case of patients found to be suffering from glaucoma, treatment can be performed.
US08687865B2
The invention relates generally to orthopaedic implants, and more particularly to orthopaedic implants having data acquisition capabilities and their use in monitoring and diagnosing fracture healing. RSA is also disclosed as a method for measuring inter-fragmentary movement in long bone fractures in order to confirm whether the fracture is reduced and for detecting changes in stiffness of the healing callus.
US08687859B2
A method for identifying tooth regions. The method includes generating a first threshold image from a first tooth image by selecting intensity data values higher than a first predetermined threshold value c1; generating a second threshold image from a second tooth image by selecting intensity data values higher than a second predetermined threshold value c2; generating a preliminary tooth regions image that defines at least a first tooth region from the intersection of the first and second threshold images; generating a reference binary image from the first image by selecting intensity data values higher than a third predetermined threshold value c3, wherein threshold value c3 exceeds c1; and generating a refined tooth regions image from at least the first tooth region in the preliminary tooth regions image. The first tooth region is connected to objects in the reference binary image.
US08687858B2
A method and a device for producing thin sections of a sample by means of a microtome is described, in which a camera acquires at least one image of a surface generated by sectioning of the sample. With the aid of an evaluation device, the image of the surface is evaluated in terms of predefined characteristic values of a section quality. As a function of the characteristic values that are identified, a decision is then made as to whether the section of the sample is accepted or not.
US08687844B2
According to one embodiment, a visual detection system includes an image processing unit coupled to a display and one or more neuro-physiological sensors. The display generates an image that may be viewed by a user. The neuro-physiological sensors generate neuro-physiological signals representing neuro-physiological characteristics of the user while viewing the display. The image processing unit receives the neuro-physiological signals from the neuro-physiological sensors, determines a region of interest in the image according to the neuro-physiological signals, and provides an indication of the presence of the region of interest in the image.
US08687839B2
Content signal recognition is based on a multi-axis filtering of the content signal. The signatures are calculated, formed into data structures and organized in a database for quick searching and matching operations used in content recognition. For content recognition, signals are sampled and transformed into signatures using the multi axis filter. The database is searched to recognize the signals as part of a content item in the database. Using the content identification, content metadata is retrieved and provided for a variety of applications. In one application, the metadata is provided in response to a content identification request.
US08687827B2
A MEMS microphone chip with an expanded back chamber includes a first chip unit and a second chip unit. The first chip unit has a first substrate, a vibration membrane layer is formed above an end of the first substrate, and a space is formed below the vibration membrane layer of the first substrate, so that the vibration membrane layer is suspended above the first substrate to vibrate. The second chip unit has a second substrate to couple with another end of the first substrate, and a groove is formed in the second substrate with a width larger than that of the space; when the first substrate and the second substrate are coupled together, the groove and the space are connected together to act as the back chamber of the vibration membrane layer.
US08687821B2
An amplifier is disclosed, wherein the output stage is split between a primary output stage and a secondary stage. To minimize or eliminate any audible plop when the amplifier is switched on, the primary stage is connected, and the second stage is gradually connected using a switch. The gradual connection can be by means of varying the pulse-density of a pulse wave modulation on the switch, from fully open (0% pulse-density) to fully closed (100%). The inverse process can minimize or eliminate plop during switch-off. Separate feedback loops are switchable, from the primary and secondary stages; in a DC-coupled embodiment, the feedback loop from the secondary stage may include DC-offset cancelling circuitry, to both reduce or eliminate the plop and avoid and DC-offset current through the speaker.
US08687820B2
Methods and devices for improving the intelligibility of audio in a teleconferencing unit. Multiple microphones and multiple audio channels are used, in which only the best microphones are selected to represent each audio channel. Multiple microphones signals may be mixed according to microphones' positions in a room to form a single signal to represent one audio channel. The audio signal may be further processed to effectuate other features.
US08687817B2
A method is presented of evaluating a wireless connection while fitting a hearing aid. The method comprises the steps of sending a signal via the wireless connection from a computer system (103) to a portable device (102), receiving the signal in the computer system via the wireless connection from the portable device, thereby obtaining information about the wireless connection, evaluating the information in the computer system through retrieving a current value representative of the quality of the wireless communication, smoothing the current value thereby obtaining a smoothed value, and providing a quality parameter based on the smoothed value. Also a system for fitting a hearing aid, a computer program, and a computer system adapted to the use of such a method are presented.
US08687814B2
Securing encrypted virtual hard disks may include a variety of processes. In one example, a virtual hard disk is created for a user and encrypted with a volume key, and the volume key placed in an administrator header. The administrator header may be encrypted with a protection key, the protection key created from a user identifier corresponding to the user, a volume identifier corresponding to the virtual hard disk, and two cryptographic secrets. The protection key may then destroyed after encrypting the administrator header and therefore, might never leave the encryption engine. The two cryptographic secrets may be stored in separate storage locations, one accessible to the user and the other accessible to administrators. Accordingly, the protection key might never transmitted or can be intercepted, and no single entity may be compromised to gain access to all of the information needed to recreate the protection key.
US08687813B2
Disclosed are methods, circuit, devices and systems for provisioning cryptographic material to a target device. According to embodiments, a cryptographic material provisioning (CMP) module may be adapted to process a provisioning message with a first message portion which is encrypted with a native key of the target device and which includes first cryptographic material along with a first permissions data vector, wherein the CMP may be further adapted to process data bits of a second portion of the provisioning message using the first cryptographic material and in accordance with usage limitations defined in the first permissions data vector.
US08687781B2
A phone appliance and method of use are provided where the phone appliance can be used to make VoIP communications calls. In a preferred embodiment, the phone appliance includes an RF connection for connecting to a computer or other computing device for facilitating the placement of the VoIP communications calls. The phone appliance further includes a display or portal for depicting advertisements provided by various advertisers. The advertisements provided can be used to defray all or part of the cost associated with making VoIP communications calls. The portal can also be used to communicate with businesses for ordering products, such as ordering a pizza, and to perform various services, such as purchasing stocks. In an exemplary system, the phone appliance is used to transmit to a control center information related to the user of the phone appliance, such as interests and buying habits, and queries for receiving additional information for various advertised products and services. The control center transmits the queries to the appropriate vendors for providing the user with additional information. Other functions and features are provided to the phone appliance, such as being able to download e-mail messages stored within or received by the computer.
US08687780B2
A communication signal distribution unit includes a plurality of input ports for receiving incoming communication signals, a plurality of outlet ports for providing communication signals to electronic devices, a display for viewing information; and a set of keys for selecting one of the outlet ports, for entering a time to disable the communication signal provided by the selected output port, and for entering a time to re-enable provision of the communication signal at the selected output port. A 911 lock permits emergency calls through a disabled port. Programming methods are included.
US08687776B1
A system and method for analyzing conversations is disclosed. The analysis can provide data to show behavioral trending. The system and method can be used to analyze telephonic conversations. The system and method can analyze both voice and data. The system and method can also be integrated with other systems, such as CRM databases.
US08687772B2
Methods, computer readable media, and apparatuses for managing calls in an interactive voice response system are presented. According to one or more aspects, a call from a user or customer is received by an interactive voice response system. The interactive voice response system retrieves user information based on user credentials. An interactive voice response program analyzes the user information and determines a first business rule to retrieve. A decision tree application retrieves the first business rule and analyzes the information within the first business rule. The decision tree application may retrieve one or more additional business rules based on a decision from the first business rule. The decision tree application makes a decision based on the information within the business rules and sends the decision to the interactive voice response application. Based on the decision, the interactive voice response application manages the call in the interactive voice response system.
US08687760B2
The invention relates to a method of determining at least one technological uncertainty factor in respect of nuclear fuel elements (23) as a function of variations in the production parameters of the elements (23) in relation to nominal values. The inventive method comprises a step involving the use, for at least one production parameter, of a collective variation in said parameter in relation to the nominal value within a batch of produced elements (23). The invention can be used, for example, to design, produce and check pellets for light water reactors.
US08687754B2
In one aspect the present invention describes an electronic circuit for transmitting voice packet data over a wireless network with an upstream transmission mode and a downstream transmission mode. The circuit comprises a first phase-lock loop (PLL) for locking a first clock to a time stamp signal, wherein the first clock synchronizes upstream data transmission over the wireless network; and a second PLL for locking a second clock to the time stamp signal, wherein the second clock is used for sampling voice data for downstream voice data transmission over the wireless network.
US08687738B1
A clock data recovery circuit includes a phase detector circuit, a majority voter circuit, and a phase shift circuit. The phase detector circuit is operable to compare a phase of a periodic signal to a phase of a data signal to generate a phase error signal. The majority voter circuit includes a shift register circuit. The shift register circuit is operable to generate an output signal based on the phase error signal. The majority voter circuit is operable to generate a majority vote of the phase error signal based on the output signal of the shift register circuit. The phase shift circuit is operable to set the phase of the periodic signal based on the majority vote generated by the majority voter circuit.
US08687735B2
According to the present invention, a transmitter includes: multiple antennas 15-1, 15-2; a DFT unit 04 configured to transform a time domain signal into a frequency domain signal; a cluster mapping unit 05 configured to divide the frequency domain signal into clusters and to assign the clusters to frequencies on the basis of cluster assignment information; an IDFT unit 06 configured to transform a mapped frequency domain signal into a time domain signal; and cyclic delay setting units 11-1, 11-2 configured to set, for the respective multiple antennas, a cyclic delay amount to the IDFT-transformed time domain signal.
US08687727B2
Embodiments of methods and apparatus for wirelessly receiving, by a user equipment (UE), interference signal from a first enhanced Node B (eNB) while the UE is communicating with a second eNB; generating interference feedback information that is associated with an interference channel between the first eNB and the UE; and transmitting the interference feedback information to the first eNB via the second eNB are disclosed. Additional variants and embodiments are also disclosed.
US08687723B1
The adverse effects of RF and baseband circuits are mitigated using a post-compensation method wherein a transfer function that would un-distort or complement a distorted waveform is parameterized to a relatively small number of degrees of freedom; and the parameters are estimated in a feedback loop. The error function of the feedback loop is generated by comparing some relatively low-order statistics that are known a priori or can be computed with relative certainty from the decided output waveform—to the statistics of the corrected signal.
US08687721B2
Disclosed herein is a method for selecting a user. A method for selecting a user in a communication system including a base station having M antennas and K users having one receive antenna includes: (a) calculating channel orthogonality between each of the possible users and previously selected users; and (b) selecting users having the largest channel orthogonality calculated at the step (a) among the possible users.
US08687720B2
The invention relates to a treatment process of a signal received from a multi-carrier transmitter (1) with filter banks by a multi-carrier receiver (2) with filter banks, to perform synchronization from a preamble.
US08687716B2
A digital signal transmitter in which multiple data streams are each transmitted by modulation of a respective frequency band within one of a group of frequency channels, the frequency bands each occupying no more than a predetermined maximum bandwidth less than or equal to the channel width; comprises means for transmitting at respective frequency positions within each frequency channel, one or more instances of band information defining the frequency bands corresponding to all of the data streams carried within that frequency channel, the one or more instances being arranged so that any portion of the frequency channel equal in extent to the predetermined maximum bandwidth includes at least one instance of the band information.
US08687713B2
A radio communication system includes a transmission apparatus configured to transmit data using a radio frame formed in one time block, to which a plurality of continuous or discontinuous frequency areas are assigned, and a reception apparatus configured to receive the data transmitted from the transmission apparatus by using the radio frame. The transmission apparatus transmits to the reception apparatus a radio frame provided in the beginning of the radio frame with a pilot which is a known signal used for measurement of reception quality and a control signal used for the control of demodulation at the reception apparatus. The reception apparatus transmits reception quality information concerning reception quality measured by the pilot, and the transmission apparatus performs a transmission process by using a radio frame format which does not include control information for the reception apparatus which has transmitted the reception quality information.
US08687709B2
An encoder/decoder obtains pixel data from one or more field lines associated with a first block in an interlaced frame coded picture comprising plural macroblocks each having an equal number of top and bottom field lines. The encoder/decoder obtains pixel data from one or more field lines associated with a second block and performs in-loop deblocking filtering across a boundary. The in-loop deblocking filtering comprises filter operations performed on pixel data from field lines of same polarity only. In another aspect, an encoder/decoder obtains transform size information for plural blocks of macroblock, obtains field/frame type information for the macroblock and selects one or more boundaries for in-loop deblocking based at least in part on the transform size information and the field/frame type information. In-loop deblocking can be performed on horizontal block boundaries prior to vertical block boundaries.
US08687706B2
Described systems and methods allow a reduction in the memory bandwidth required in video coding (decoding/encoding) applications. According to a first aspect, the data assigned to each memory word is chosen to correspond to a 2D subarray of a larger array such as a macroblock. An array memory word organization allows reducing both the average and worst-case bandwidth required to retrieve predictions from memory in video coding applications, particularly for memory word sizes (memory bus widths) larger than the size of typical predictions. According to a second aspect, two or more 2D subarrays such as video predictions are retrieved from memory simultaneously as part of a larger 2D array, if retrieving the larger array requires fewer clock cycles than retrieving the subarrays individually. Allowing the combination of multiple predictions in one memory access operation can lead to a reduction in the average bandwidth required to retrieve predictions from memory.
US08687696B2
The method wherein the field or frame mode is selected according to the following steps: determination of a motion vector associated with a co-located macroblock of a macroblock to be coded and finding in the next reference picture, a predefined macroblock to be coded, for the selection, in field or frame mode, scaling of the motion vector according to the temporal distances between the reference pictures corresponding to this motion vector and between the current picture, field or frame, according to a predefined mode and a reference picture chosen from among the reference pictures corresponding to this motion vector, determination of the temporal macroblock in the chosen reference picture, designated by the motion vector scale attributed to the macroblock to be coded, and its field or frame coding mode, selection of field or frame coding mode of the temporal macroblock for the coding of the current macroblock. The applications relate to the compression of data using for example the MPEG4 part 10 standard.
US08687684B1
A calibration technique to compensate for the phase error between the in-phase and quadrature sampling clocks controlling the quadrature bandpass sampling delta-sigma analog-to-digital demodulator (QBS-ADD) is provided. A low-frequency test tone is injected, up-converted to the RF frequency, and added to an input of the QBS-ADD. The test tone is demodulated by the QBS-ADD into an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal. The in-phase and quadrature signals are filtered and multiplied together to generate a phase error signal, which is subsequently integrated to generate a phase shift control signal being used to correct the phase error between the in-phase and quadrature sampling clocks.
US08687683B2
A method for determining floating tap positions in a DFE of a receiver is disclosed. The method include providing a group of floating taps for the DFE; obtaining a baseline eye opening value for the receiver when the group of floating taps is disabled; providing a plurality of floating tap distribution configurations, each specifying a distribution configuration for the group of floating taps within the DFE; obtaining a plurality of eye opening values for the receiver, each particular eye opening value corresponding to a particular floating tap distribution configuration when the group of floating taps are distributed within the DFE according to the particular floating tap distribution configuration; comparing each of the plurality of eye opening values against the baseline eye opening value; and identifying an optimal floating tap distribution configuration based on the comparison of each of the plurality of eye opening values against the baseline eye opening value.
US08687676B2
An efficient way to store backoff and crestcomp parameters while providing quick access to the backoff and crestcomp parameters associated with specific transmission configurations is described herein. A long-term memory stores amplifier parameters for a plurality of different transmission configurations. A selection element selects from the long-term memory a graph of the amplifier parameters corresponding to a selected subset of the transmission configurations. The selected graph relates each of a plurality of enhanced data channel gain ratios to a corresponding amplifier parameter. The selection element transfers the selected graph from the long-term memory to a fast memory proximate a DSP. Further, the selection element reselects and transfers new graphs into the fast memory as needed.
US08687675B2
Disclosed is a data transmission/reception method and system for minimizing intercarrier interference (ICI) in a communication system using a multicarrier. The data transmission method by a transmitter includes grouping transmission signals in units of a predetermined number of transmission signals when the transmitter has received the transmission signals, multiplying each group of the transmission signals by a transmission coding matrix, and transmitting the transmission signals multiplied by the transmission coding matrix to a receiver.
US08687672B2
A technique for reducing interference between a direct-sequence ultra-wideband communications system and a narrowband communications system uses interference-rejecting spreading codes to reduce signal power in a frequency band associated with the narrowband communications system. A method of operating an ultra-wideband communications system includes applying an interference-rejecting spreading code to a signal for transmission. The interference-rejecting spreading code is configured to reduce power in a particular frequency band of a transmit or receive power spectral density associated with the ultra-wideband signal without substantially reducing power outside that particular frequency band of the transmit or receive power spectral density associated with the ultra-wideband signal.
US08687669B2
A signal receiver having a gain control circuit comprising: detection means configured to form a representation of the excess amplitude during a training period of a signal received by the receiver; a first gain stimulus generator configured to generate a first gain stimulus in dependence on the excess amplitude detected by the detection means during the training period; averaging means configured to estimate the average of the signal received by the receiver during the training period; a second gain stimulus generator configured to generate a second gain stimulus in dependence on the average estimated by the averaging means during the training period; and a gain control signal generator configured to generate a gain control signal for the receiver in dependence on the first gain stimulus and the second gain stimulus.
US08687668B2
A multi-wavelength semiconductor laser device includes a block having a rectangular groove with a bottom face and two side faces extending in a predetermined direction; and laser diodes with different light emission wavelengths mounted on the bottom face and the side faces of the groove in the block so that their laser beams are emitted in the predetermined direction.
US08687666B2
An optical coherence analysis system comprising: a first swept source that generates a first optical signal that is tuned over a first spectral scan band, a second swept source that generates a second optical signal that is tuned over a second spectral scan band, a combiner for combining the first optical signal and the second optical signal for form a combined optical signal, an interferometer for dividing the combined optical signal between a reference arm leading to a reference reflector and a sample arm leading to a sample, and a detector system for detecting an interference signal generated from the combined optical signal from the reference arm and from the sample arm. In embodiments, the swept sources are tunable lasers that have shared laser cavities.
US08687664B2
A laser assembly comprises a substrate, one or more standoffs and a semiconductor laser. The substrate has a first doped region and a second doped region. The second doped region is proximate to an upper surface of the substrate and forms a pn junction with the first doped region. The semiconductor laser is operative to emit light from an upper surface and a lower surface. Moreover, the semiconductor laser is attached to the upper surface of the substrate with the one or more standoffs such that the light emitted from the lower surface of the semiconductor laser impinges on the second doped region.
US08687653B2
A solution for tunnel path MTU discovery includes, at a first network device configured as an origination endpoint for a tunnel, storing a keep-alive packet having a size of an interface maximum transmission unit (MTU), the keep-alive packet indicating the packet should not be fragmented, the second network device configured as a termination endpoint for the tunnel. If the sending fails, the size of the keep-alive packet is iteratively changed to converge upon a path MTU, where the path MTU is the size of a largest keep-alive packet that can be sent from the first network device to the second network device without fragmentation.
US08687650B2
An automated telecommunications system includes a first system operable to receive PSTN compatible audio frequency signals, to decode and interpret said incoming signals according to the message format and a modem protocol being used, and transmit digital messages to a second system over a packet data network. Said second system receives and interprets digital messages incoming from the first system, encodes and regenerate outgoing audio frequency signals. The system may be bi-directional and operate over a packet based data network, such as for example an Internet protocol (IP) based network, a satellite based network, or an IP based cable or wireless network. The functionality of said first and second systems may be combined at a single location and operate with a VoIP network to allow modem signals to pass across the VoIP system.
US08687644B2
An optical multi-drop path is set to a downstream direction, an optical path between adjacent nodes is set to a upstream direction, a packet sorting unit is provided for appropriately controlling packet streams in the downstream direction and upstream direction, and one-to-one or one-to-N communication can be performed not only between servers and clients but also between the clients even when a multi-drop transmission is used in the downstream direction.
US08687642B2
A method and system reduce interference between overlapping first and second wireless LAN cells in a medium. Each cell includes a respective plurality of member stations and there is at least one overlapped station occupying both cells. An inter-cell contention-free period value is assigned to a first access point station in the first cell, associated with an accessing order in the medium for member stations in the first and second cells. The access point transmits a beacon packet containing the inter-cell contention-free period value, which is intercepted at the overlapped station. The overlapped station forwards the inter-cell contention-free period value to member stations in the second cell. A second access point in the second cell can then delay transmissions by member stations in the second cell until after the inter-cell contention-free period expires.
US08687639B2
A system for ordering packets. The system includes a first memory, e.g., FIFO, storing transition information for posted packets, e.g., 1 when a posted packet transitions from a non-posted packet and 0 otherwise. A second memory stores transition information for non-posted packets, e.g., 1 when a non-posted packet transitions from a posted packet and 0 otherwise. A counter increments responsive to detecting a transition in the first memory and decrements responsive to detecting a transition in the second memory. A controller orders a posted packet for transmission prior to a non-posted packet if a value of the counter is negative and when a transitional value associated with the non-posted packet is 1, and wherein the controller orders either a posted packet or a non-posted packet otherwise. The first and the second memory may be within a same memory component.
US08687638B2
Example methods disclosed herein include, in response to receiving, at a server, a first control packet from a first router, selecting a first auxiliary router to forward the first control packet, and updating a forwarding table in the first router to associate a destination address of the first control packet with a first control path from the first router to the first auxiliary router, the forwarding table initially causing the first control packet to be routed from the physical router to the server, the first control path being determined by routing the first control packet from the first router to the first auxiliary router through the server, the updating of the forwarding table to cause subsequent data packets associated with the first control packet to be forwarded from the first router to the first auxiliary router via the first control path without being routed through the server.
US08687635B2
A digital broadcasting system and a data processing method are disclosed. A receiver receives a broadcast signal including mobile service data and main service data. A known data detector detects known data from the broadcast signal. An equalizer performs channel equalization on the mobile service data received by means of the detected known data. An RS frame decoder acquires an RS frame from the channel-equalized mobile service data. A management processor extracts a Generic Stream Encapsulation (GSE) packet from a GSE Base Band (BB) constructing one row of the RS frame, and calculates an IP datagram from the extracted GSE packet. A presentation processor displays broadcast data using data contained in the calculated IP datagram.
US08687632B2
A system and method for routing packets within a router having a plurality of loosely-coupled route processors, including a first route processor, and a line card operably coupled to the plurality of distributed-route-processors. Each route processor includes an internal forwarding information base (IFIB). Each IFIB includes information that is used to route packets addressed to elements within the router.
US08687619B2
A system, method and node of downlinking transmissions to an unsynchronized UE in a telecommunications network. The method begins by a node in the network requesting synchronization of the UE with the network. A first transmission of data is sent from the node to the UE prior to synchronization of the UE. The UE then synchronizes with the network by the UE performing a Random Access procedure with the node, thereby triggering a time alignment command from the node to the UE to synchronize the UE with the network. A second transmission of data is then sent from the node to the UE after the UE is synchronized. A response feedback message is sent to the node from the UE. The message is a cumulative feedback message of the first transmission of data and the second transmission of data. Thus, data may be transmitted prior to synchronization of the UE.
US08687614B2
A system for method for adjusting radio frequency parameters. A network performance device includes a network performance function executed to monitor network performance between a wireless network device and a wireless packet network switch, determine whether at least one network performance value of the wireless network device exceeds one or more predetermined threshold values, and communicate an instruction to adjust the one or more RF parameters between the wireless network device and the wireless device in response to exceeding the one or more predetermined threshold values. An RF signal path is provided between the wireless network device and the wireless device. The network performance is concatenated into data packets communicated between the wireless network device and the wireless packet network switch utilizing a packet network.
US08687611B2
Embodiment and methods and means for scheduling an access point (AP) traffic for multiple stations (STAs) in a downlink multiple-user multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) network transmission are provided for employing a weighted queuing mechanism.
US08687609B2
Techniques are provided to manage how router advertisement messages are forwarded for ultimate wireless transmission in a wireless network. In one embodiment, a multicast router advertisement message intended for a virtual local area network is converted into individual unicast router advertisement messages directed to specific wireless mobile client devices that are part of that virtual local area network. In another embodiment, router advertisement messages are routed between controllers according to the current location of a wireless mobile client device. In still other embodiments, techniques are provided to minimize the volume of the router advertisement messages sent over a wireless network, and to proactively send a unicast router advertisement message to a mobile client device that has performed a handoff, without waiting for a router solicitation message.
US08687601B2
Methods and apparatus to perform antenna management are described herein. One example method of establishing communication between user equipment and a network includes receiving a control channel message, decoding the control channel message, and sending an indication of whether interoperability of receiving signals from a first number of antennas is certified for the user equipment. Other examples are shown and described.
US08687595B2
A method, an apparatus, and a system for implementing User Equipment (UE) handover are disclosed. A Mobility Management Entity (MME) obtains address information of a serving Interworking Function (IWF) by interacting with a function entity in a network and notifies the IWF to process handover according to the obtained IWF address information, so that the MME is capable of obtaining the address information of the serving IWF. Therefore, the normal proceeding of a UE handover procedure in a Circuit Switched over Packet Switched (CSoEPS) scenario is ensured.
US08687589B2
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate providing frequent secondary carrier measurement reports in multicarrier wireless communications. Secondary carrier measurement reports can be provided based on anchor carrier measurement reports. When an event or request to generate an anchor carrier measurement report is received, the anchor carrier measurement report can be generated along with a secondary carrier measurement report. In this regard, access points can receive the carrier measurement reports and determine mobility for a wireless device based on more than one carrier.
US08687586B2
Systems and Method are provided for managing IP sessions based on how many IP sessions are supported. According to an embodiment of the application, the wireless network determines how many IP sessions can be supported for the mobile device residing in a given area such as a routing area, and to transmit to the mobile device an identification of how many IP sessions can be supported. According to another embodiment of the application, the mobile device receives the identification of how many IP sessions can be established, and manages IP sessions based on the identification. Since the mobile device is privy to how many IP sessions can be established, the mobile device is able to properly manage IP sessions.
US08687572B2
An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a transceiver capable of communicating in a first basic service set (BSS) of a wireless network that is operable adjacent to a second basic service set (BSS) of wireless network, wherein when the first BSS and the second BSS operate such that the first BSS and the second BSS contain channels that at least partially overlap, the transceiver selects a primary channel of the first BSS to be next to a primary channel of the second BSS so that the first and the second BSSs avoid collisions with each other due to the at least partial overlapping.
US08687568B2
A method for wireless communications is provided. The method includes receiving a control payload and a check protocol on a wireless link and decoding the control payload and the check protocol. The method also includes analyzing the control payload and the check protocol in view of a scrambling protocol and determining at least one control command based on the control payload, the check protocol, and the scrambling protocol.
US08687562B2
Apparatus are provided, which include a wireless transmit interface and a wireless receive interface. A payload receive processor is provided to identify a receive overhead portion from received data received via the receive interface, and it is configured to retrieve payload data in relation to the receive overhead portion in accordance with a data structure protocol. A payload transmit processor is provided to define or modify a transmit overhead portion in transmit data to be transmitted via the transmit interface. The payload transmit processor is configured to position payload data in relation to the transmit overhead portion in accordance with a data structure protocol. A controller is provided, to determine a given wireless media location defined at least in part by the controller determining a given frequency band, from among plural frequency bands, for a given data transfer, via wireless media, between a given node and a separate node.
US08687544B2
An apparatus for distributing data traffic in heterogeneous wireless networks is provided. A terminal for transmitting data to a plurality of wireless networks, includes a transmission rule storing unit to store a data transmission rule with respect to the plurality of wireless networks, a data dividing unit to divide first data into a plurality of first data groups based on the stored data transmission rule, a transmission network selecting unit to select an individual transmission network for each divided data group from the plurality of wireless networks based on the determined data transmission rule, and a network access unit to transmit each data group to the selected transmission network.
US08687536B2
Devices and methods use close range communication links, such as near field communication (NFC) protocol links, to enable users to authenticate mobile devices to one another to create or expand secure multicast groups. Once the two or more devices establish a close range communication peer-to-peer link the devices exchange multicast group communication data sufficient to permit the devices to receive or send multicast messages. Long range wireless or wired network communication links are then used for multicast message communications. Proximity limits of the close range communication P2P link enables mutual trust to be presumed among devices, reducing the need for security and authentication signaling. The limited range of close range communication P2Plinks renders multicast groups established in this manner less vulnerable to eavesdropping and intrusion. Embodiments enable users to initiate secure multicast group participation merely by bringing two or more devices into close proximity.
US08687534B2
A method and system for managing an inactive interval of a Base Station (BS) are provided, in which the BS transmits a preferred Low-Duty Mode (LDM) pattern to a coordination server that manages LDM patterns of BSs, receives an LDM pattern from the coordination server, the LDM pattern being determined for the BS by the coordination server, taking into account the preferred LDM pattern and LDM patterns of neighbor BSs, and operates in an active interval and an inactive interval according to the received LDM pattern.
US08687533B2
Technologies are described herein for reserving energy at network nodes within a wireless network and establishing energy threshold levels within the network nodes to suspend or maintain certain operational states as supported by time varying energy levels. Energy within the network node can be reserved for processing a critical message in response to receiving a reservation request. An energy level threshold for a network node within a wireless network can be adjusted in response to receiving a reservation request. Message transmission can be enabled in response to the monitored energy level being above the energy level threshold. Message transmission may be suspended in response to the monitored energy level being below the energy level threshold.
US08687525B2
Co-channel communications methods, systems, and devices are provided. Embodiments can be utilized to allow multiple users on one time slot (MUROS). For example, a method for wireless communication by a first remote station can comprise receiving a first co-channel signal that has a first amplitude and a second co-channel signal that has a second amplitude, wherein a difference between the first amplitude and the second amplitude is less than a threshold; selecting one of the first co-channel signal and the second co-channel signal; and demodulating the selected co-channel signal. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.
US08687520B2
The invention relates to a time triggered network used in particular in an automotive network having a plurality of clusters. Each cluster (A-X) includes a plurality of nodes (11). For saving time during startup a cluster coupler unit (10) in a time triggered network is proposed, wherein the network comprises a plurality of communication clusters (A-X) each having a plurality of nodes (11), the communication clusters (A-X) are compatible to each another in cycle length, slot length and frame length, wherein a cluster coupler unit (10) being connected to at least two communication clusters (A-X), the cluster coupler unit (10) includes as many protocol engines (12) as communication clusters are connected, each protocol engine (12) having at least one receiving input (RXD) and one transmitting output (TXD), wherein a synchronization logic (20) is connected to at least one of the receiving inputs (RXD) and/or the transmitting outputs (TXD) of the protocol engines (12), wherein the synchronization logic (20) distributes information from incoming/outgoing signals, which is used for synchronizing the connected communication clusters (A-X) during startup.
US08687510B1
Systems and techniques relating to processing a signal received over a wireless channel. A technique includes adaptively determining a data rate of packetized information transmission based on both a signal quality measure of a received signal and a channel quality measure derived from the received signal, the channel quality measure being indicative of frequency selectivity in the wireless channel. An apparatus includes a channel estimator configured to be responsive to a received OFDM signal corresponding to multiple frequency tones of the channel, and configured to evaluate channel response characteristics of the frequency tones; and a channel state indicator configured to generate a channel quality measure usable along with a signal quality measure in adaptively determining a data rate of packetized information transmission, wherein the channel quality measure is generated from the channel response characteristics of the frequency tones and is indicative of frequency selectivity in the wireless channel.
US08687508B2
In a wireless communication system including at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and at least one Node-B (NB), an activation or deactivation state is determined for each of a plurality of HARQ processes. A signal that includes the activation or deactivation state for each of the HARQ processes is transmitted to the WTRU. In response to receiving the signal, the WTRU activates or deactivates a particular HARQ process in accordance with the activation or deactivation state for each of the HARQ processes contained in the received signal.
US08687506B2
A computer-implemented method includes receiving diagnostic data from a plurality of network interface devices via a plurality of network connections corresponding to the network interface devices. Each of the plurality of network interface devices includes a diagnostic module to gather diagnostic data pertaining to the network interface device, to gather diagnostic data pertaining to the corresponding network connection, and to gather diagnostic data pertaining to a video device at a user location. The video device is coupled to the network interface device to receive video data via the corresponding network connection. The method also includes analyzing the diagnostic data at the computing device to identify one or more performance alert conditions associated with a service provider network. The method further includes generating an output identifying the one or more performance alert conditions.
US08687500B2
A supervisor computer directly communicates, via User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packets, with a call control application software in a soft phone. The UDP packets provide real-time information, from a desktop of the soft phone, describing call activity and usage status of the soft phone. The supervisor computer is able to remotely control usage of the soft phone according to information provided by the UDP packets.
US08687494B2
Provided are system and method for performing access screening in a CDMA network. In one embodiment, the method comprises comparing a strength of a reference pilot specified in an origination message (“ORM”) received from the mobile unit to at least one of an upper pilot strength threshold (“UPST”) and a lower pilot strength threshold (“LPST”); responsive to the reference pilot strength failing to exceed the LPST, redirecting the mobile unit; responsive to the reference pilot strength exceeding the LPST but failing to exceed the UPST, determining whether an additional pilot is reported having a strength greater than that of the reference pilot; and responsive to a determination that no additional pilot is reported having a strength greater than that of the reference pilot, redirecting the mobile unit.
US08687493B2
A method for inroute bandwidth allocation supporting multiple traffic priorities in a satellite network including generating a backlog report, transmitting the backlog report to an inroute group manager, receiving a bandwidth allocation from the inroute group manager, and servicing priority queues and transmitting data to a satellite based on the bandwidth allocation from the inroute group manager.
US08687490B2
In a computer network system based on an open system interconnection model, where the computer network system includes at least a network layer (Layer 3) and an application layer (Layer 7), a system and a method for managing electronic message traffic into and out of the computer network system including defining a communication channel between Layer 3 and Layer 7 for exchanging data directly therebetween for use in enhancing flow of the electronic message traffic.
US08687488B2
An information processing device includes: an encoding section that encodes image data to generate a codestream, the image data being to be transmitted to another information processing device; a controlling section that controls whether or not main data of the codestream is to be transmitted, on the basis of whether or not an amount of data of the codestream exceeds an allowable rate that is an upper limit value of a bitrate at which the codestream is flawlessly transmittable; a packetizing section that packetizes the codestream into packets when the amount of data of the codestream does not exceed the allowable rate and that packetizes only a header of the codestream when the amount of data of the codestream exceeds the allowable rate, in accordance with the control performed by the controlling section; and a transmitting section that transmits the packets to the another information processing device.
US08687481B2
In a ring type network, a master node sends a measurement packet to a slave node in the backward direction and the forward direction, receives the measurement packet which has been circulated among a plurality of slave nodes, stores a received time of the backward direction measurement packet and a sending time of the forward direction measurement packet according to time-keeping of an internal clock, sends a measurement result notifying packet showing a sending time and a received time of the measurement packet to the slave node; each slave node receives the backward direction measurement packet and the forward direction measurement packet, sends the received measurement packet to the next node, stores the received time of the backward direction measurement packet and the sending time of the forward direction measurement packet according to the time-keeping of the internal clock, receives a measurement result notifying packet, calculates a time correction value using the sending time and the received time of the measurement packet shown in the measurement result notifying packet and the sending time and the received time of the measurement packet stored, and corrects a time of the internal clock using the calculated time correction value.
US08687478B2
Aspects of a method and apparatus for band separation for multiband communication systems are provided. One or more circuits for use in a transceiver may comprise a triplexer and a leakage processing module. The triplexer may comprise a multiband port, a Multimedia Over Coaxial Alliance (MoCA) port, a television upstream port, and a television downstream port. The leakage processing module may comprise a television downstream input port, a cable television downstream output port, a MoCA port, and a cable television upstream port. The leakage processing module may be operable to (1) process a MoCA signal to generate a first compensation signal; (2) process a cable upstream signal to generate a second compensation signal; (3) process a filtered signal based at least in part on the first and second compensation signals; and (4) output the processed filtered signal via the cable television downstream output port of said leakage processing module.
US08687469B1
A method of manufacturing an electronic device includes a first bonding step of bonding an electronic component and a first member together via a first bonding layer and a second bonding step of bonding the first member and a second member together via a second bonding layer after the first bonding step. The second bonding layer includes a bonding material layer made of a bonding material. In the second bonding step, with the bonding material interposed between the first and second members before being bonded together, the bonding material is heated and melted using light traveling through the first member. The first member is made of Si. The light has a wavelength in the range of 1100 to 15000 nm.
US08687468B2
In a trick-action type clock, a part of an hour plate rotates along a plane parallel to a clock support plate. The trick-action type clock includes a first hour plate portion which is fixed to the clock support plate and has a circular shape, and a second hour plate portion which is rotated by a driving motor. The first hour plate portion includes an indicator needle shaft insertion portion which is provided at a position remote from a center of the first hour plate portion so as to insert an indicator needle shaft 101 therethrough. The second hour plate portion includes a circular notched hole which has a rotation center coincides with the center of the first hour plate portion with a circular shape and has the same shape as that of the first hour plate portion.
US08687453B2
A heterogeneous cache structure provides several memory cells into different ways each associated with different minimum voltages below which the memory cells produce substantial state errors. Reduced voltage operation of the cache may be accompanied by deactivating different ways according to the voltage reduction. The differentiation between the memory cells in the ways may be implemented by devoting different amounts of integrated circuit area to each memory cell either by changing the size of the transistors comprising the memory cell or devoting additional transistors to each memory cell in the form of shared error correcting codes or backup memory cells.
US08687451B2
A method for operating a memory module device. The method can include transferring a chip select, command, and address information from a host memory controller. The host memory controller can be coupled to a memory interface device, which can be coupled to a memory module. The memory module can comprise a plurality of memory devices. The chip select, command and address information can be received at the memory interface using a command-and-address-latency (CAL) mode. Control logic can be used to initiate a power state transition from a first power state to a second power state of an input termination circuit in the memory interface device.
US08687448B2
A semiconductor memory device comprises a memory cell; a first bit line and a second bit line connected to the memory cell; and a sense amplifier operative to amplify the voltage between the first and second bit lines. The sense amplifier includes a first and a second drive transistor configuring a transistor pair for differential amplification, and a first and a second capacitor connected between the sources of the first and second drive transistors and a source control terminal, respectively. The sense amplifier precharges the first and second drive transistors on the drain side prior to sensing, thereby holding the threshold information on the first and second drive transistors in the first and second capacitors, and compensates for the source voltages on the first and second drive transistors by the threshold information held in the first and second capacitors at the time of sensing.
US08687442B1
A data signal is sampled by generating a read enable signal at a first semiconductor device which is intended for a second semiconductor device. A read enable signal with at least some I/O pad delay included is obtained, including by passing the read enable signal intended for the second semiconductor device at least partially through an input/output (I/O) pad on the first semiconductor device. At the first semiconductor device, a data signal from the second semiconductor is sampled using the read enable signal with at least some I/O pad delay included.
US08687437B2
A circuit includes a word line driver for driving a world line and a tracking word line driver for driving a tracking word line. The pulse width of a world line signal on the world line is driven to be larger than that of a tracking world line signal on the tracking world line to assist writing under difficult conditions. Because the tracking word line signal is activated later than the word line signal being activated but is deactivated at the same time with the word line, the pulse width of the word line signal is larger.
US08687435B2
Methods, memory devices and systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a non-volatile memory device receives command signals through the same input/output terminals that receive address signals and write data signals and transmit read data signals. The input/output terminals are connected to a multiplexer, which is responsive to a received mode control signal to couple the input/output terminals to either a command bus or an input/output bus. A latch in the memory device latches the command signals when the mode control signal causes the input/output terminals to be coupled to the input/output bus. As a result, the command signals continue to be applied to the command bus. When the mode control signal causes the input/output terminals to be coupled to the input/output bus, write data signals are clocked into the memory device and read data signals are clocked out of the memory device responsive to a received clock signal.
US08687434B2
Embodiments of the invention describe driving data onto a bus. The embodiments include a data driver circuit having a data capture circuit coupled to the bus. The data capture circuit receives data relative to a write strobe signal and captures a first digit of the data responsive to a first edge of the write strobe signal and at least a second digit responsive to a second edge of the write strobe signal. The data driver circuit includes a feedback capture circuit that captures each digit in substantially the same manner as the data capture circuit, and generates a latch control signal indicative of when each digit is latched. The latch control signal is provided to a write control circuit that determines which digit was latched first relative to a timing, and generates a select control signal to drive captured digits onto the bus in the order the digits were received.
US08687429B2
A method of operating a semiconductor device includes programming selected memory cells by supplying a selected word line with a program voltage which increases and supplying the remaining unselected word lines with a first pass voltage which is substantially constant; and programming the selected memory cells while supplying first unselected word lines adjacent to the selected word line with a second pass voltage increasing in proportion to the program voltage, when a difference between the program voltage and the first pass voltage reaches a critical voltage difference.
US08687428B2
A non-volatile memory built-in self-trim mechanism is provided by which product reliability can be improved by minimizing drift of reference current used for accessing the non-volatile memory and for performing initial trimming of the reference current. Embodiments perform these tasks by using an analog-to-digital converter to provide a digital representation of the reference current (Iref) and then comparing that digital representation to a stored target range value for Iref and then adjusting a source of Iref accordingly. For a reference current generated by a NVM reference bitcell, program or erase pulses are applied to the reference cell as part of the trimming procedure. For a reference current generated by a bandgap-based circuit, the comparison results can be used to adjust the reference current circuit. In addition, environmental factors, such as temperature, can be used to adjust the measured value for the reference current or the target range value.
US08687427B2
Memory devices adapted to receive and transmit analog data signals representative of bit patterns of two or more bits facilitate increases in data transfer rates relative to devices communicating data signals indicative of individual bits. Programming of such memory devices includes determining a rate of programming (i.e., rate of movement of the respective threshold voltage) of the memory cells and biasing the corresponding bit line with a programming rate control voltage that is greater than the bit line enable voltage and less than the inhibit voltage. This voltage can be adjusted to change the speed of programming. A capacitor coupled to the bit line stores the programming rate control voltage in order to maintain the proper bit line bias for the duration of the programming operation or until it is desired to change the programming rate.
US08687424B2
A flash memory using hot carrier injection and a method of operating the same are provided. A plurality of strings constituting a page are formed on a single p-well and share the p-well. During a program operation, a string selection transistor is turned off, and electrons are accumulated in a source or drain region in response to a bias voltage applied to the p-well. Thereafter, the accumulated electrons are trapped in a charge trap layer of a memory cell in response to a program voltage applied through a word line. Also, during an erase operation, holes accumulated in response to a bias voltage applied to the p-well are trapped in the charge trap layer in response to an erase voltage. The flash memory performs NAND-type program and erase operations using hot carrier injection.
US08687417B2
A first bias charge is provided to first bias region at a first level of an electronic device, the first bias region directly underlying a first transistor having a channel region at a second level that is electrically isolated from the first bias region. A voltage threshold of the first transistor is based upon the first bias charge. A second bias charge is provided to second bias region at the first level of an electronic device, the second bias region directly underlying a second transistor having a channel region at a second level that is electrically isolated from the first bias region. A voltage threshold of the second transistor is based upon the second bias charge.
US08687415B2
Magnetic wires that include two antiferromagnetically coupled magnetic regions show improved domain wall motion properties, when the domain walls are driven by pulses of electrical current. The magnetic regions preferably include Co, Ni, and Pt and exhibit perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, thereby supporting the propagation of narrow domain walls. The direction of motion of the domain walls can be influenced by the order in which the wire's layers are arranged.
US08687414B2
A magnetic memory cell includes: a magnetization recording layer; and a magnetic tunneling junction section. The magnetization recording layer includes a ferromagnetic layer with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The magnetic tunneling junction section is used for reading information in the magnetization recording layer. The magnetization recording layer includes two domain wall moving areas.
US08687407B2
A structure of a storage device which can operate memory elements utilizing silicide reaction using the same voltage value for writing and for reading, and a method for driving the same are proposed. The present invention relates to a storage device including a memory element and a circuit which changes a polarity of applying voltage to the memory element for writing (or reading) into a different polarity of that for reading (or writing). The memory element includes at least a first conductive layer, a film including silicon formed over the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer formed over the silicon film. The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer of the memory element are formed using different materials.
US08687405B2
A phase change memory includes an insulating layer on a substrate, an electrode layer having one pole and an electrode layer having another pole within the insulating layer, an opening portion whose lower portion on an upper portion of the insulating layer is substantially square or substantially rectangular, a phase change portion formed substantially parallel to a surface of the substrate along the respective sides of the lower portion of the opening portion, and two connection electrodes having a pole and connected to the phase change portion at two opposing corners of the lower portion of the opening portion connecting a diode portion connected to the electrode layer having one pole and the phase change portion, and two connection electrodes having another pole and connected to the phase change portion at the other two opposing corners connecting the phase change portion and the electrode layer having another pole.
US08687394B2
An aircraft power supply for providing DC power with improved power quality characteristics. The aircraft power supply includes a transformer control system that can use closed-loop feedback from a DC power output to control switches that can short primary windings turns of a step-down transformer. By shorting turns in the primary, the transformer control system can control or manipulate the turns ratio in the transformer and compensate for decreases in the DC power output.
US08687383B2
An inverter and an active power filter system have been disclosed in the invention, so that the application range of the inverter under the occasions of different capacitor requirement can be widened, the cost can be decreased, and the efficiency can be improved. The technical scheme is: an auxiliary capacitor module can be added on the traditional inverter structure and connected in parallel selectively with the capacitor in the inverter. In a system without connecting an external auxiliary capacitor module, the value of capacitance can be designed to be smaller to satisfy the application under normal occasions. If the device operates under the occasions having large harmonic current or having large neutral line current, the ripple current on the capacitor will be larger so that large capacitance will be required to satisfy the life requirement, therefore, the problem can be solved by a method of installing an auxiliary capacitor module.
US08687367B2
Apparatuses for compressing a thermal interface material between a heat generating electrical component and a cooling electrical component are provided. Embodiments include a draw rod coupled at one end to the cooling electrical component, the draw rod passing through the heat generating electrical component; wherein the draw rod includes a pin on the end opposite the end coupled to the cooling electrical component; and a rotatable latch coupled to the heat generating electrical component, the rotatable latch including a hook at one end; wherein when the rotatable latch is in an engaged position, the hook of the rotatable latch engages the pin of the draw rod such that the thermal interface material adhered to the heat generating component is coupled to the cooling electrical component.
US08687360B2
An electronic apparatus includes a lower housing, a folding linkage, an upper housing, and a gasket. The lower housing may contain a keyboard. The folding linkage assembly may be adapted to connect to the lower housing at the second end and to the upper housing at the first end. The upper housing may contain a screen. The upper housing may be operably mounted to and pivotable with respect to the folding linkage. The gasket may be used to effect a seal between the lower housing and the upper housing.
US08687356B2
A storage device testing system that includes at least one rack, test slots housed by each rack, and at least one air mover in pneumatic communication with the test slots. Each test slot includes a test slot housing having an entrance and an exit, with the entrance configured to receive a storage device. The at least one air mover is configured to move air exterior to the racks into the entrance of each test slot housing, over the received storage device, and out of the exit of each test slot housing.
US08687351B2
A jacket for a handheld device is disclosed. The jacket may include a housing including a receiving area for the handheld device. The housing may include an opening configured to align with a display surface of the handheld device and engaging structure disposed about the opening to engage at least a portion of the display surface of the handheld device when the device is disposed within the receiving area. The jacket may also include a connector member and a scanner. The connector member may connect to the handheld device when the handheld device is in the receiving area and the scanner may communicate with the handheld device when the handheld device is connected to the connector member.
US08687346B2
A multi-layer electrode includes a current collector having opposing first and second major surfaces, a fused carbon layer formed over one or both of the major surfaces, a conductive adhesion layer formed over each fused carbon layer, and an activated carbon layer formed over each conductive adhesive layer. The multi-layer electrode can be incorporated into a high energy density, high power density device such as an electric double layer capacitor.
US08687345B2
A chip-type electronic component with high reliability, which is able to suppress and prevent fatal damage to a ceramic body due to cracking even if a substrate with the chip-type electronic component mounted thereon undergoes a deflection. The chip-type electronic component includes a ceramic body having internal electrodes; resin electrode layers formed in a region including at least end surfaces of the ceramic body, and connected to the internal electrodes directly or indirectly and connected with the ceramic body; and plating metal layers covering the resin electrode layers, wherein the adhesion strength between the ceramic body and the resin electrode layer is higher than the adhesion strength between the resin electrode layer and the plating metal layer.
US08687341B2
A system and method is provided for an enhanced and user friendly control circuit for an electric unlocking device, such as for example, an electric door strike or other unlocking devices utilizing actuating solenoids. The control circuit minimizes the potential for human error while also providing a small footprint, minimal DC in-rush current, over current protection, and minimized heat dissipation. Additionally, the present invention is directed to providing visual notification/diagnostics and improved field compatibility with existing electric unlocking devices.
US08687337B2
An over-current protection device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a first grating electrode, a second grating electrode and a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) material layer. The first grating electrode and the second grating electrode are formed on the first substrate and are interlaced and spaced on a same plane. The PTC material layer is formed on the first substrate, the first grating electrode and the second grating electrode, and between the first grating electrode and the second grating electrode. In an embodiment, the first grating electrode and the second grating electrode serve as a current input port and a current output port, respectively.
US08687335B2
An electronic circuit breaker of a power having dual output ports has an input port, two output ports, two field effect transistors, two current detection circuits and two control circuits. The control circuit has a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) and an activation circuit detecting if a short circuit is present at one of the output ports through one of the current detection circuits, activating the SCR to turn off a corresponding FET after the occurrence of the short circuit, and disconnecting a corresponding output port from the input port. Due to the characteristics of the SCR, the SCR, once activated, stays in an on state between its anode and cathode. After the current of the output returns to its normal state, the FET is still turned off. Accordingly, high-frequency large current arising from alternately switching between the on and off states of the FET can be avoided.
US08687331B2
For a system to avoid abnormal operation caused by a shorted parameter setting pin of an integrated circuit, a protection apparatus and method apply a buffered reference voltage to the parameter setting pin to define an internal parameter of the integrated circuit by the buffered reference voltage and an external element connected to the parameter setting pin, and detect the rapid variation of the internal parameter to trigger a shutdown signal or slow down the speed of the variation of the internal parameter reflected to an adjustable signal of the integrated circuit.
US08687329B2
A structure for protecting a circuit connected to first and second rails of a telephone connection against overvoltages, including: first and second diodes in anti-series between the first and second rails; a first capacitor in parallel with a first resistor between a first node common to the first and second diodes and a low voltage reference node; and a protection element capable of removing fast overvoltages between any of the rails and the low reference voltage node when these overvoltages exceed a first threshold associated with the voltage of the first node.
US08687326B2
The invention discloses a short circuit protecting device adapted to a DC-DC converter with a soft-start function, and a voltage output terminal of the DC-DC converter increases an output current in segments in multiple time periods after the DC-DC converter is started. The short circuit protecting device including a voltage sensor connected to the voltage output terminal to sense the output voltage; a start timer generating a enable signal in a predetermined period after the DC-DC converter is started; a comparison circuit connected to the voltage sensor and the start timer and comparing the output voltage with a predetermined voltage according to the enable signal. The sum of the time period is a startup time of the DC-DC converter, and the startup time is longer than the predetermined period. When the output voltage is smaller than the predetermined voltage, a comparison circuit outputs a control signal to stop the DC-DC converter.
US08687315B2
In one embodiment, a media mobility unit includes a media cartridge holding portion for storing media cartridges, a sensing mechanism for sensing at least an approximate location of the holding portion in relation to other objects, a drive mechanism for moving the holding portion from a source media library to a destination media library, and a power source electrically coupled to at least one of the sensing mechanism and the drive mechanism for providing current to the at least one of the drive mechanism and the sensing mechanism.
US08687313B2
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of data tracks, wherein the head comprises a write element and a read element. An asperity in a target data track is detected, and a range of data tracks proximate the target data track is mapped out, wherein the range of data tracks spans at least twice a radial offset between the read element and the write element at the radial location of the target data track.
US08687310B1
An apparatus comprises read channel circuitry and signal processing circuitry associated with the read channel circuitry. The signal processing circuitry is configured to: equalize a digital data signal; align the equalized digital data signal; determine a detector reliability metric based at least in part on the aligned equalized digital data signal; perform an iterative decoding process to determine a decoded digital data signal using the detector reliability metric; adjust the aligned equalized digital data signal using the decoded digital data signal; and repeat at least determining the detector reliability metric and performing the iterative decoding process using the adjusted equalized digital data signal.
US08687307B1
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head disk assembly (HDA) filled with a gas, the HDA comprising a head actuated over a disk, and an electrical heating element. A pressure inside the HDA is measured, and the electrical heating element is heated for a first heating time. A rate of temperature change of the electrical heating element is measured, and the gas leaking from the HDA is detected in response to the pressure and the rate of temperature change.
US08687294B2
An optics block includes a substrate having first and second opposing surfaces, the substrate being a first material, a plurality of through holes extending in the substrate between the first and second opposing surface, a second material, different than the first material, filling a portion of the through holes and extending on a portion of the first surface of the substrate outside the through holes, and a first lens structure in the second material and corresponding to each of the through holes.
US08687285B2
An interchangeable lens unit comprises a second lens group unit, a focus lens unit, a fourth lens group unit, a zoom ring unit, and a focus motor. The zoom ring unit mechanically transmits operational force inputted to a zoom ring to the second lens group unit and the fourth lens group unit. The focus motor electrically drives the focus lens unit in the Z axis direction with respect to the second lens group unit. When the zoom ring is operated in a state in which no power is being supplied to the focus motor, a gap is always ensured in the Z axis direction between the focus lens unit and the second lens group unit.
US08687266B2
The present invention relates to an electric-field drive display device. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the electric-field drive display device comprises: a first substrate; a first electrode which is formed on the first substrate; a second electrode which is formed on the first substrate and is disposed in parallel with the first electrode; a drive partition wall which is formed on the first electrode and the second electrode and has a plurality of opening and closing holes; and a plurality of drive bodies which are disposed inside each of the opening and closing holes. Consequently, the electric-field drive display device according to one embodiment of the present invention can adjust the amount of light transmitted and so display the desired image by adjusting the positions of the drive bodies in the horizontal direction through the use of electrical force.
US08687263B2
A light control film includes two transparent electroconductive resin substrates each having a transparent electroconductive film and a transparent resin substrate; and a light control layer sandwiched between the transparent electroconductive film sides of the two transparent electroconductive resin substrates. The transparent electroconductive film of one transparent electroconductive resin substrate having a primer layer is cut through a cutting line to have a shape of a picture or character, and the cutting line is in a form that a start point for the cutting and an end point for the cutting make a closed region. The closed region of the picture of character is electrically insulated from the transparent electroconductive film around the shape of the picture or character. The light control film enables to improve adhesiveness between film matrix and substrates and to provide stable control function.
US08687257B2
To realize a memory effect in an optical device using the electro wetting effect. An optical device includes: first and second substrates placed opposite each other; a partition provided therebetween; a first electrode provided on one side of the first substrate, at least a part thereof overlapping with a region surrounded by the partition in a plan view; second and third electrodes provided on one side of the second substrate and which are respectively placed opposite the first electrode across the region surrounded by the partition; a smoothing layer provided on one side of the second substrate and which covers the second and third electrodes; and first and second fluid, which are incompatible, disposed in the region surrounded by the partition. The first fluid is made of a liquid body possessing polarity or conductivity, and the second fluid is made of a liquid body containing a liquid-crystalline material.
US08687256B2
A lens barrier device includes a first barrier blade including a shielding portion, a connection portion, and an abutment portion. The abutment portion is connected, on an optical axis imaging surface side of the shielding portion, to the shielding portion via the connecting portion. Further, a second barrier blade is provided on an optical axis imaging surface side with respect to the shielding portion. A regulating portion is provided whose optical axis imaging surface side is configured to contact the abutment portion, wherein an outer peripheral portion of the second barrier blade, the connecting portion, and the abutment portion are located in this order from an optical axis center to an optical axis outer side.
US08687255B2
A method for manufacturing a micromechanical component is described, including the steps of: forming a first etch stop layer on a base substrate, the first etch stop layer being formed in such a way that it has a first pattern of through-cutouts; forming a first electrode-material layer on the first etch stop layer; forming a second etch stop layer on the first electrode-material layer, the second etch stop layer being formed in such a way that it has a second pattern of through-cutouts differing from the first pattern; forming a second electrode-material layer on the second etch stop layer; forming a patterned mask on the second electrode-material layer; and carrying out a first etching step in a first direction and a second etching step in a second direction counter to the first direction in order to etch at least one first electrode unit out of the first electrode-material layer and to etch at least one second electrode unit out of the second electrode-material layer. Also described are micromechanical components.
US08687250B2
An image reading apparatus includes a first reading unit, a second reading unit, and a determination unit. The first reading unit reads an image on a first side of a document conveyed through a document conveyance path. The second reading unit is disposed in the document conveyance path at a reading position that is different from a reading position of the first reading unit and reads an image on a second side that is different from the first side on the document. The determination unit determines whether the document is a color document, according to whether a color image is included in an image in a predetermined region of the first side read by the first reading unit, and in an image in a region that is different from the predetermined region in the first side and read by the second reading unit.
US08687245B2
An image reading apparatus is provided. The image reading apparatus includes a first transparent section to have a first original sheet set thereon, a second transparent section to have a second original sheet conveyed by a sheet conveyer, a reader unit being movable in a sub-scanning direction to read the image on the original sheet being set on the first transparent section and to be maintained still to read the image being conveyed by the sheet conveyer, a white reference member, of which image is read by the reader unit and recognized as a reference white color, and a light reductive member arranged on an inner bottom of a casing to reduce an amount of incident light.
US08687241B2
Method for security printing. A digital model of a feature for printing is received, wherein the feature is for authentication by an external device. Deviation from the digital model is compensated for, to a printed instance of the feature.
US08687240B2
This invention obtains a high-quality output image in which a jaggy or a disconnection of a thin line hardly stands out. An edge detection unit detects whether the pixel of interest is an edge pixel or a non-edge pixel. A screen processing unit performs screen processing for the pixel of interest to determine the output value of the N-level tone. A calculation unit performs filtering processing having a preset visual sense characteristic for an area including the pixel of interest to calculate the target value of the pixel of interest, and corrects the value of the pixel of interest so as to come close to the target value, thereby determining the output value of the N-level tone. The selector selects, according to the detection result by the edge detection unit, either the result from the calculation unit or that from the screen processing unit.
US08687239B2
A relevance based print integrity method includes comparing current raster image data that define a document to be printed with golden raster image data that define a previous version of said document with a known (perfect) quality. A plurality of differences between said current raster image data and said golden raster image data are calculated, and each of the differences is processed to determine a relevance value of the difference and to assign the relevance value to the difference. The method includes generating and storing a list of the differences, wherein the list is ordered in terms of the relevance value assigned to each difference. The difference list is presented to a user textually or graphically and/or is used to control or interrupt printing operations.
US08687233B2
Disclosed is a print preview apparatus including: an output control section which outputs an adjustment chart with a plurality of print color sample images formed based on a color data value of a color space depending on a print device adjusted to a color gamut reproducible by the print apparatus; a conversion section which converts each color data value of the color space depending on the print device to a color data value of a color space depending on a display device; a display section which displays a plurality of display color sample images corresponding to each of the plurality of print color sample images; and an adjustment section which presents the plurality of display color sample images displayed on the display section and which adjusts a color data value indicating a color of the presented display color sample image based on color adjustment information.
US08687226B2
A device for recording information on CDRs or other recording media and printing file information for observing what is recorded thereon. The information may be medical images such as x-rays, cat scans, magnetic resonance images, or sonograms. The discs can have patient names and other information selected from information stored thereon, printed on the disc as well as logos for the hospital, service provider or trademarks. The discs can be automatically loaded into the recorder and printer. The fields of information or logos printed on the discs can be changed to suit the user. A database creates and updates a directory of patient files so the discs can be located and the images thereon viewed for each patient. The discs have software allowing the computer to view the images on the disc so that a personal computer not having imaging software can operate the disc.
US08687219B2
An image processing apparatus includes an execution unit configured to execute a plurality of jobs based on a processing command included in a received communication response and a determination unit configured to determine whether to transmit an execution result of an execution unit in a synchronous manner or an asynchronous manner.
US08687216B2
Techniques are provided for determining whether to allow certain operations to be performed with respect to a device based on a location of another device. One technique involves receiving a request from a first device over a network; in response to receiving the request: determining a location of the first device; based on the location of the first device relative to a second device that is different than the first device, determining whether to allow one or more operations to be performed on particular data with respect to the second device; in response to determining, based on the location of the first device relative to the second device, to allow the one or more operations to be performed on the particular data, allowing the one or more operations to be performed on the particular data.
US08687215B2
An image forming system includes an information management unit, a determining unit, and at least one image forming unit. The information management unit stores and manages print information. The determining unit determines whether or not execution of a printing process regarding the print information is allowed. Each image forming unit prints and outputs print information acquired from the information management unit on a recording medium in accordance with a determination result of the determining unit. The determining unit includes a first authenticating unit and a second authenticating unit. The first authenticating unit performs authentication to determine whether or not execution of processing before printing and outputting the print information on a recording medium is allowed. The second authenticating unit performs authentication after completion of the authentication performed by the first authenticating unit to determine whether or not printing and output of the print information on the recording medium is allowed.
US08687210B2
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for accessing data from electronic documents stored as print streams are disclosed. In one embodiment, an electronic document conforming to one of a plurality of print formats is obtained. The electronic document is parsed according to the one of the plurality of print formats to generate an intermediate data structure conforming to an intermediate format such that the electronic document is converted to the intermediate format, wherein the intermediate format is different from the plurality of print formats. One or more rules are applied to obtain data for a plurality of regions of the electronic document from the intermediate data structure. The data for the plurality of regions of the electronic document that has been obtained from the intermediate data structure is stored or provided, thereby enabling a report to be generated using at least a portion of the data for the plurality of regions that has been stored or provided.
US08687198B2
A ring laser gyroscope includes active cavity containing gain medium, first reflective surfaces coupled to active cavity, medium exciter to excite gain medium, second reflective surfaces coupled to first passive cavity, and third reflective surfaces coupled to second passive cavity. Excited gain medium induces first and second laser fields within active cavity. First plurality of reflective surfaces includes first, second, and third reflective surfaces that reflect light within active cavity. Second plurality of reflective surfaces includes first, fourth, and fifth reflective surfaces that reflect light within first passive cavity. Third plurality of reflective surfaces includes fourth, sixth, and seventh reflective surfaces that reflect light within second passive cavity. First and fourth reflective surfaces are partially transmissive such that they both transmit and reflect light. Second or third cavities induce frequency dependent phase shift on light traveling through ring laser gyroscope causing anomalous dispersion of first and second laser fields passing through gain medium.
US08687190B2
A fine particle detector includes a light emitting system letting light from a light source pass through a phase difference element and focusing the light on a sample flow through which fine particles flow. When the direction of the sample flow is an X-axis direction, the light is emitted to the sample flow in a Z-direction, and a ZX-plane is orthogonal to a Y-direction, then the phase difference element has a plurality of regions divided in the Y-axis direction and causes a phase difference between wavefronts of the light passing through the plurality of regions.
US08687188B2
Provided herein are Raman active particles and methods for their preparation and use. The particles can include a SERS-active material that is at least partially encased within a spherical porous hollow casing. In some embodiments, this can be especially advantageous when employed for water analysis and/or being employed in combination with silica particles.
US08687184B2
Reference cell (8) for use with a fiber optic probe (1) comprising a base wall (11), upstanding walls (12) each having an optical window (13, 15), and a top wall (14) having a further optical window (16) adapted to allow light to pass to and from a fiber optic probe. The base wall (11) comprises a reflector (19) which reflects incident light from the fiber optic probe back to said probe (1). The top wall (14) has an attachment for receiving an emitting and a receiving end of a fiber optic probe (1). The cell (8) allows use of standard fiber optic probe (1) with other optical equipment when the path length and the probe optical characteristics require validation to international standards. The calibration of the probe (1) is analogous to calibration of laboratory spectrophotometers and can therefore be validated. The device (8) enables probes (1) to be used for applications where precision and accuracy are essential.
US08687177B2
A system and method for detection and identification of unknown samples using a combination of Raman and LIBS detection techniques. A first region of a sample and a second region of a sample are illuminated using structured illumination to thereby generate a first plurality of interacted photons and a second plurality of interacted photons. This first plurality and second plurality of interacted photons may be passed through a fiber array spectral translator device. Said first plurality of interacted photons are assessed using Raman spectroscopy to thereby generate a Raman data set. Said second plurality of interacted photons are assessed using LIBS spectroscopy to thereby generate LIBS data set. These data sets may be analyzed to identify the sample. These data sets may also be fused for further analysis.
US08687170B2
An apparatus, a method of designing the apparatus, a tool using the apparatus and a method of using the apparatus for optimizing optical photolithography during formation of integrated circuits. The apparatus includes: an asymmetrical complementary dipole element including: first and second openings being equidistant and mirror images about a first axis, the first and second openings having essentially a same first area and a same first optical density relative to a selected wavelength of light; third and fourth openings being equidistant and mirror images about a second axis, the third and fourth openings having essentially a same second area, and a same second optical density relative to the selected wavelength of light; and wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis and the first and second optical densities are different.
US08687162B2
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device for reducing line resistance of an line on glass (LOG) type signal line, and a method for fabricating the same. The liquid crystal display device includes signal lines formed at a picture display part, and an LOG type signal line formed at a peripheral region of the picture display part to have a width greater than the signal line and a plurality of first openings spaced at regular intervals for supplying a required driving signal to a drive IC to drive the signal lines.
US08687160B2
To provide a plural-viewpoint display device having an image separating optical element such as a lenticular lens or a parallax barrier, which is capable of arranging thin film transistors and wirings while achieving substantially trapezoid apertures and high numerical aperture, and to provide a driving method thereof, a terminal device, and a display panel. A neighboring pixel pair arranged with a gate line interposed therebetween is connected to the gate line placed between the pixels, each of the pixels configuring the neighboring pixel pair is connected to the data line different from each other, and each of the neighboring pixel pairs neighboring to each other in an extending direction of the gate lines is connected to the gate line different from each other.
US08687156B2
Provided is a liquid crystal display panel which allows high quality display by suppressing a disturbance of liquid crystal molecule alignment caused by formation of liquid crystal alignment control protrusions. The liquid crystal display panel of the present invention is a liquid crystal display panel including a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates, one of the pair of the substrates including a colored layer, a light-shielding layer, and walled liquid crystal alignment control protrusions projecting toward the other substrate, the liquid crystal alignment control protrusions including a main protrusion and a secondary protrusion lower than the main protrusion, the secondary protrusion being provided on the colored layer along a borderline between the colored layer and the light-shielding layer, and the light-shielding layer having a narrower width in a region adjacent to the secondary protrusion.
US08687154B2
Disclosed is an in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display, in which a pixel electrode and a common electrode are formed on the same substrate. The display includes a first substrate having a first conductive layer and second conductive layer, the first conductive layer and second conductive layer formed on each surface of the first substrate; a second substrate has a transparent pixel electrode and a transparent common electrode formed on one surface of the second substrate, facing the second conductive layer; an electrical connection part is installed to electrically connect the second conductive layer to the transparent common electrode, wherein a common voltage applied to the transparent common electrode is applied to the second conductive layer through the electrical connection part. This arrangement prevents generation of static electricity to suppress a whitening phenomenon due to liquid crystal polarization in a liquid crystal layer, thereby improving display image quality.
US08687153B2
A substrate for use in a display panel includes a transparent substrate and a light blocking layer which includes two layers of different optical densities. A low optical density layer that is one of the two layers of different optical densities which has a lower optical density is interposed between a high optical density layer that is the other one of the two layers which has a higher optical density and the transparent substrate. The sum of the optical density of the low optical density layer and the optical density of the high optical density layer is not less than 3.0. According to the present invention, a substrate which includes a low-reflectance light blocking layer is provided, the substrate being suitably used as a color filter substrate of a display device which has a low reflection structure, such as a low reflection film.
US08687151B2
A polarization element includes: a substrate; a plurality of protruding sections formed on the substrate in a striped manner in a plan view; and a heat radiation section formed on a top portion of each of the protruding sections, wherein the heat radiation section has a concavo-convex section.
US08687144B2
Provided is a liquid crystal display device, including: a liquid crystal panel including a display region for displaying an image; a linear illuminator disposed below the display region and extending linearly; and a diffusion plate disposed between the liquid crystal panel and the linear illuminator, in which the diffusion plate includes a thick portion which is formed to be thicker than another portion located below the display region, and the thick portion is formed opposing to the linear illuminator.
US08687130B2
A remote controller (100) and a system and method for remotely controlling a digital TV are disclosed. A memory card (110) is mounted in the remote controller (100), and the remote controller (100) receives video or audio data inputted from the memory card (110) and transmits the received data to a TV body (300). The remote controller (100) receives the video or audio data from the memory card (110) modulates the received data into a wireless signal and transmits the modulated wireless signal, and the TV body (300) receives the wireless signal transmitted from the remote controller (100), demodulates the received wireless signal into the video or audio data and reproduces the demodulated video or audio data. Therefore, the user can remotely control the TV body (300) without personally inserting the memory card (110) into the TV body (300). As a result, the user does not need to move to a place where the TV body (300) is located resulting in convenience in use.
US08687123B2
A video signal processing apparatus for processing a video signal comprises a receive unit (101, 103, 105) which receives the video signal comprising a sequence of pictures. A processing unit (107) applies a picture noise changing algorithm to the sequence of pictures and a variation unit (113) varies a spatial noise reduction setting for the picture noise changing algorithm between at least some consecutive pictures of the sequence of pictures in response to a predetermined variation rule. Specifically a set of picture manipulation processes (203, 205) with different spatial noise reduction characteristics may be provided and the variation unit (113) may select different picture manipulation processes in consecutive pictures. The approach may introduce high frequency noise flickering which is less perceptible to a viewer thereby reducing the perceived noise. The invention may in particular be applied to upconverted high picture rate video signals for hold type displays, such as Liquid Crystal Displays displays.
US08687116B2
A video output device outputs a plurality of video streams with use of shutter glasses, and dynamically switches between different videos such that in the case where a plurality of viewers are viewing a video output by the video output device, only a viewer who is operating a remote control can view a video stream different from a video stream other viewers are viewing. Operation signals instructing to start or terminate an operation mode are received. In an operation mode, time-sharing output of a first video stream and a second video stream is performed, and synchronizing signals each in synchronization with a time-sharing timing are transmitted. In a normal mode, images that are each generated based on any of images constituting the first video stream are output, and images constituting the second video stream are not output.
US08687111B2
A compact optical payload for an unmanned aircraft includes two infrared cameras for wide and narrow field viewing, a daylight color camera, a laser pointer and a laser range finder.
US08687103B2
An electronic apparatus has a touch sensor provided with a first touching zone including at least a second touching zone and a third touching zone, the second and third touching zones being allocated with different functions. The electronic apparatus is controlled to perform a specific function assigned to a specific touching zone that is the second or the third touching zone when there is a first touch input at first through the specific touching zone and continuously perform the specific function even if there is a second touch input that follows the first touch input, through either the second or the third touching zone that is not the specific touching zone, as long as there is a continuous touch input through the first touching zone from the first to the second touch input with no intermission.
US08687101B2
A solid-state imaging device includes pixel cells that are formed on a substrate having a first substrate surface side, on which light is irradiated, and a second substrate surface side, on which elements are formed, and separated by an adjacent cell group and an element separation layer for each of the pixel cells or with plural pixel cells as a unit. Each of the pixel cells has a first conductive well formed on the first substrate surface side and a second conductive well formed on the second substrate surface side. The first conductive well receives light from the first substrate surface side and has a photoelectric conversion function and a charge accumulation function for the received light. A transistor that detects accumulated charges in the first conductive well and has a threshold modulation function is formed in the second conductive well.
US08687098B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel section having pixels performing photoelectric conversion arranged in a matrix form; a pixel signal reading unit including an AD converting part that reads pixel signals in a unit of pixels, and compares a reference signal as a ramp waveform with the pixel signals to perform AD conversion; a clamp unit clamping the signal line with a clamp voltage such that the pixel signals are held at or greater than a set voltage; a correction bias circuit generating a clamp voltage according to a clamp voltage set value supplied and supplies the clamp voltage to the clamp unit; and a correction bias selecting unit selecting the clamp voltage set value such that the clamp voltage is generated in association with slope determining information for determining a slope of the reference signal, and supplies the clamp voltage set value to the correction bias circuit.
US08687092B2
An imaging device provided with an imaging unit for imaging object light, and a display unit for displaying an image, comprises: a storage unit that stores at least one of setting information regarding image capture performed in a predetermined image capture mode in which a predetermined image capture condition can be set and setting information regarding functions other than the image capture; a determination unit that determines whether a predetermined condition is satisfied when the predetermined image capture mode is released and then the imaging device re-enters the predetermined image capture mode; and a control unit that controls whether to cause the display unit to display presence display, which indicates presence or absence of the setting information stored in the storage unit, based on a determination result of the determination unit.
US08687090B2
A method of removing an audio noise and an image capturing apparatus providing the same includes storing a specified audio signal included in a captured image as a noise signal, receiving an input audio signal included in an image, and removing a noise included in a transformed audio signal through a comparison between the input audio signal and the noise signal. Accordingly, the audio noise included in the input audio signal is removed, and thus the sound that is not desired by a user can be easily removed.
US08687087B2
A parameter of a digital camera or other digital image acquisition device is adjusted to maintain the resulting digital signal within a range carried by a digital processing path that carries a limited number of bits. The magnitude of the parameter is then also used to represent the image. Examples of the parameter include analog signal gain and exposure time. This is a cost effective way to increase the dynamic range of a digital camera, instead of increasing the width of its digital processing path. The digital data may be processed to obtain either tone mapped images, which are compatible with current cameras and other equipment, or to obtain images with a greater dynamic range for use with suitable displays and the like.
US08687085B2
Imaging systems may be provided with image sensors and verification circuitry. Verification circuitry may be configured to continuously verify proper operation of the image sensor during operation. Verification circuitry may include one or more heating elements formed on a common substrate with image pixels of the image sensor. Verification data may be generated by powering on the heating elements and collecting charges generated in image pixels of the image sensor in response to heat generated by the powered heating element. Heat image charges may be read out using the same readout circuitry that is used to readout imaging data generated in response to incoming light. Heat image data may be used to verify proper operation of all components of an imaging system. Based on a comparison of the verification data with a predetermined standard, an imaging system may continue to operate normally or corrective action may be taken.
